Critical Thinking Skills of RNs: Exploring Demographic Determinants.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies of nurses' critical thinking skills that included demographic characteristics as determinants have been inconclusive. This study explored demographic determinants of critical thinking skills among nurses from public hospitals in Peninsular Malaysia. METHOD: This cross-sectional study included 549 nurses recruited via multistage cluster sampling. Nurses completed the demographic questionnaire and Health Sciences Reasoning Test (HSRT). RESULTS: The majority of respondents failed to demonstrate critical thinking skills with a mean overall HSRT score of 13.8 (SD = 3.4). Educational qualifications (p = .003) and clinical specialties (p = .022) were significantly related to nurses' critical thinking skills. Years of clinical experience, age, and job ranking were not significant CONCLUSION: The findings indicate a need to address the present curriculum in nursing education and to reinforce critical thinking skills in the nursing workforce. Future research on how nurses in Malaysia acquire critical thinking skills is needed. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2020;51(3):109-117.].

Nurses' perceptions of barriers and facilitators and their associations with the quality of end-of-life care.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To examine nurses' perceptions of barriers to and facilitators of end-of-life care, as well as their association with the quality of end-of-life care. BACKGROUND: Often, dying patients and their families receive their care from general nurses. The quality of end-of-life care in hospital wards is inadequate. METHOD: A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 553 nurses working in a tertiary teaching hospital in Malaysia. RESULTS: The barrier with the highest mean score was "dealing with distressed family members." The facilitator with the highest mean score was "providing a peaceful and dignified bedside scene for the family once the patient has died." With regard to barrier and facilitator categories, the barrier category with the highest total mean score was patient-related barriers and the facilitator category with the highest total mean score concerned facilitators related to healthcare professionals. In the multivariate analysis, age, patient family-related barriers and healthcare professional-related facilitators significantly predict the quality of end-of-life care. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggest that there is an urgent need to overcome barriers related to the patient and family members that hinder the quality of care provided for dying patients, as well as to enhance and implement the facilitators related to healthcare providers. In addition, there is also a need to enhance the quality of end-of-life care provided by younger nurses through end-of-life care courses and training. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Helping nurses overcome barriers and implement facilitators may lead to enhanced quality of care provided for dying patients.

How Can We Best Screen for Cognitive Impairment in Malaysia? A Pilot of the IDEA Cognitive Screen and Picture-Based Memory Impairment Scale and Comparison of Criterion Validity with the Mini Mental State Examination.

OBJECTIVES: To pilot two new cognitive screening tools for use in an urban Malaysian population and to compare their criterion validity against a gold standard, the well-established Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). METHODS: The IDEA cognitive screen, Picture-based Memory Impairment Scale (PMIS), and MMSE were administered to a convenience sample of elderly (≥ 65 years) from the community and outpatient clinics at an urban teaching hospital. Consensus diagnosis was performed by two geriatricians blinded to PMIS and IDEA cognitive screen scores using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V) clinical criteria. The MMSE performance was used as a reference. RESULTS: The study enrolled 66 participants, with a median age of 78.5 years (interquartile range [IQR], 72.5-83.0) years and 11.0 median years of education (IQR, 9.0-13.0). Forty-three (65.2%) were female, and 32 (48.4%) were Chinese. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve values were .962 (IDEA cognitive screen), .970 (PMIS), and .935 (MMSE). The optimal cutoff values for sensitivity and specificity were: IDEA cognitive screen: ≤ 11, 90.9% and 89.7%; PMIS: ≤ 6, 97.3% and 69.0%; and MMSE: ≤ 23, 84.6% and 76.0%. Although the sample size was small, multivariable logistic regression modelling suggested that all three screen scores did not appear to be educationally biased. CONCLUSION: The IDEA and PMIS tools are potentially valid screening tools for dementia in urban Malaysia, and perform at least as well as the MMSE. Further work on larger representative, cohorts is needed to further assess the psychometric properties. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Study provides alternative screening tools for dementia for both non-specialists and specialists.

An integrated review of the correlation between critical thinking ability and clinical decision-making in nursing.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore whether there is a correlation between critical thinking ability and clinical decision-making among nurses. BACKGROUND: Critical thinking is currently considered as an essential component of nurses' professional judgement and clinical decision-making. If confirmed, nursing curricula may be revised emphasising on critical thinking with the expectation to improve clinical decision-making and thus better health care. DESIGN: Integrated literature review. METHODS: The integrative review was carried out after a comprehensive literature search using electronic databases Ovid, EBESCO MEDLINE, EBESCO CINAHL, PROQuest and Internet search engine Google Scholar. Two hundred and 22 articles from January 1980 to end of 2015 were retrieved. All studies evaluating the relationship between critical thinking and clinical decision-making, published in English language with nurses or nursing students as the study population, were included. No qualitative studies were found investigating the relationship between critical thinking and clinical decision-making, while 10 quantitative studies met the inclusion criteria and were further evaluated using the Quality Assessment and Validity Tool. As a result, one study was excluded due to a low-quality score, with the remaining nine accepted for this review. RESULTS: Four of nine studies established a positive relationship between critical thinking and clinical decision-making. Another five studies did not demonstrate a significant correlation. The lack of refinement in studies' design and instrumentation were arguably the main reasons for the inconsistent results. CONCLUSIONS: Research studies yielded contradictory results as regard to the relationship between critical thinking and clinical decision-making; therefore, the evidence is not convincing. Future quantitative studies should have representative sample size, use critical thinking measurement tools related to the healthcare sector and evaluate the predisposition of test takers towards their willingness and ability to think. There is also a need for qualitative studies to provide a fresh approach in exploring the relationship between these variables uncovering currently unknown contributing factors. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This review confirmed that evidence to support the existence of relationships between critical thinking and clinical decision-making is still unsubstantiated. Therefore, it serves as a call for nurse leaders and nursing academics to produce quality studies in order to firmly support or reject the hypothesis that there is a statistically significant correlation between critical thinking and clinical decision-making.

Life satisfaction and strain among informal caregivers of patients with traumatic brain injury in Malaysia.

Purpose This study aims to determine the life satisfaction and strain on informal caregivers when caring for traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients and to examine the factors predicting the level of strain among the informal caregivers. Method A cross-sectional survey on a purposive sampling was performed in a single centre in Malaysia recruiting caregivers of patients with TBI. Life Satisfaction Questionnaire-9 and Caregiver Strain Index questionnaires were used to ascertain the life satisfaction and strain of caregivers respectively. Relationship between life satisfaction and strain was analysed, together with factors significantly associated with strain. Results A total of 141 caregivers (77.3% women, average age of 46.1 years ±12.8 and mean duration of caregiving of 24.8 months ± 14.3) were included in the analysis. Most caregivers (75%) were satisfied with their lives but more than half claimed to have strain (57%). There was a significant relationship between life satisfaction and strain among the caregivers (p < 0.001). From a multiple linear regression analysis, a caregiver's monthly income of less than RM3000 (OR 6.48, 95% CI 1.48-28.40, p = 0.04), presence of patient's neurobehavioural disturbances (OR 4.48, 95% CI 1.60-12.55, p = 0.004) and cognitive dysfunctions (OR 31.72, 95% CI 10.27-97.96, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of caregiver's strain. Conclusion Caregivers with lower monthly income and caring for TBI patients with cognitive and neurobehavioural disturbances are at higher risk of developing strain. Rehabilitation interventions post-discharge should aim at supporting the caregivers at risk. Implications for Rehabilitation Informal caregivers of patients with traumatic brain injury who are not satisfied with their lives are most likely experiencing strain. Caregivers in Malaysia who are at high risk of experiencing strain are those with lower monthly income and care for patients with significant cognitive and neurobehavioural disturbances. Efforts to reduce strain in caregivers at risk should be included in the post-discharge rehabilitation programme in Malaysia.

The Effectiveness of a Wireless Modular Bed Absence Sensor Device for Fall Prevention among Older Inpatients.

BACKGROUND: Falls and fall-related injuries are increasingly serious issues among elderly inpatients due to population aging. The bed-exit alarm has only previously been evaluated in a handful of studies with mixed results. Therefore, we evaluated the effectiveness of a modular bed absence sensor device (M-BAS) in detecting bed exits among older inpatients in a middle income nation in East Asia. METHODS: Patients aged ≥65 years on an acute geriatric ward who were able to mobilize with or without walking aids and physical assistance were recruited to the study. The total number of alarms and the numbers of true and false alarms were recorded by ward nurses. The M-BAS device is placed across the mattress of all consenting participants. Nurses' workload was assessed using the National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) score, while nurses' perceptions were surveyed. RESULTS: The sensitivity of the M-BAS was 100% with a positive predictive value of 68% and a nuisance alarm rate of 31%. There was a significant reduction in total NASA-TLX workload score (mean difference = 14.34 ± 13.96 SD, p < 0.001) at the end of the intervention period. 83% of the nurses found the device useful for falls prevention, 97% found it user friendly, and 87% would use it in future. CONCLUSION: The M-BAS was able to accurately detect bed absence episodes among geriatric inpatients and alert nurses accordingly. The use of the device significantly reduced the total workload score, while the acceptability of the device was high among our nurses. A larger, cluster randomized study to measure actual falls outcome associated with the use of the device is now indicated.

Cognitive assessment tools in Asia: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of dementia is increasing in Asia than in any other continent. However, the applicability of the existing cognitive assessment tools is limited by differences in educational and cultural factors in this setting. We conducted a systematic review of published studies on cognitive assessments tools in Asia. We aimed to rationalize the results of available studies which evaluated the validity of cognitive tools for the detection of cognitive impairment and to identify the issues surrounding the available cognitive impairment screening tools in Asia. METHODS: Five electronic databases (CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Science Direct) were searched using the keywords dementia Or Alzheimer Or cognitive impairment And screen Or measure Or test Or tool Or instrument Or assessment, and 2,381 articles were obtained. RESULTS: Thirty-eight articles, evaluating 28 tools in seven Asian languages, were included. Twenty-nine (76%) of the studies had been conducted in East Asia with only four studies conducted in South Asia and no study from northern, western, or central Asia or Indochina. Local language translations of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) were assessed in 15 and six studies respectively. Only three tools (the Korean Dementia Screening Questionnaire, the Picture-based Memory Intelligence Scale, and the revised Hasegawa Dementia Screen) were derived de novo from Asian populations. These tools were assessed in five studies. Highly variable cut-offs were reported for the MMSE (17-29/30) and MoCA (21-26/30), with 13/19 (68%) of studies reporting educational bias. CONCLUSIONS: Few cognitive assessment tools have been validated in Asia, with no published validation studies for many Asian nations and languages. In addition, many available tools display educational bias. Future research should include concerted efforts to develop culturally appropriate tools with minimal educational bias.

Pain experience and satisfaction with postoperative pain control among surgical patients.

Alleviating acute pain and providing pain relief are central to caring for surgical patients as pain can lead to many adverse medical consequences. This study aimed to explore patients' experience of pain and satisfaction with postoperative pain control. A cross-sectional survey was carried out among 107 respondents who had undergone abdominal surgery in the surgical ward of an urban hospital using the Revised American Pain Society's Patient Outcome and Satisfaction Survey Questionnaires (APS-POQ-R). Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Chi-square test showed significant association between race (P = 0.038), education level (P ≤ 0.001), previous operation status (P = 0.032) and operation status (P ≤ 0.001). Further analysis on nominal regression, association between dissatisfaction with factors of operation status (46.09 (95% CI 7.456, 284.947)) and previous operation status (13.38 (95% CI 1.39, 128.74)) was found to be significant. Moderate to high levels of pain intensity in the last 24 h after surgery, as well as moderate to high rates of pain-related interference with care activities were most reported. Pain still remains an issue among surgical patients, and effective pain management and health education are needed to manage pain more effectively after surgery.

Pain Assessment Using Self-reported, Nurse-reported, and Observational Pain Assessment Tools among Older Individuals with Cognitive Impairment.

Pain assessment in older individuals with cognitive impairment is challenging. Evidence on the performance of pain assessment tools in this population remains limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of self-reported pain, nurse-reported pain, and observational pain tools among older patients with cognitive impairment using a prospective observational design. In all, 152 older individuals admitted to the acute geriatric ward were recruited through convenience sampling. Three methods of pain assessment were compared: self-reported pain (SRP), observational pain using the Pain Assessment in Advanced Dementia (PAINAD) tool, and nurse-reported pain (NRP). Cognition and mood were assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the 15-item Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15). There was moderate agreement between SRP and PAINAD (k = 0.438) and fair agreement between SRP and NRP (k = 0.263). There was statistically significant correlation between SRP and GDS-15 (r = 0.382, p < .001) but not between SRP and MMSE (r = 0.018, p = .824). These results suggest that the use of an observational pain scale would be helpful in pain assessment among older individuals when the ability to report pain is not possible. However, self-reported assessments should be attempted first for cognitively impaired patients.

Symptom experiences and coping strategies among multi- ethnic solid tumor patients undergoing chemotherapy in Malaysia.

BACKGROUND: This study was performed to assess patient symptoms prevalence, frequency and severity, as well as distress and coping strategies used, and to identify the relationships between coping strategies and psychological and physical symptoms distress and demographic data of cancer patients. This cross-sectional descriptive study involved a total of 268 cancer patients with various types of cancer and chemotherapy identified in the oncology unit of an urban tertiary hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected using questionnaires (demographic questionnaire, Medical characteristics, Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale (MSAS) and Brief COPE scales and analyzed for demographic, and disease-related variable effects on symptom prevalence, severity, distress and coping strategies. RESULTS: Symptom prevalence was relatively high and ranged from 14.9% for swelling of arms and legs to 88.1% for lack of energy. This latter was the highest rated symptom in the study. The level of distress was found to be low in three domains. Problem-focused coping strategies were found to be more commonly employed compared to emotion-focused strategies, demonstrating significant associations with sex, age group, educational levels and race. However, there was a positive correlation between emotion-focused strategies and physical and psychological distress, indicating that patients would choose emotion-focused strategies when symptom distress increased. CONCLUSIONS: These findings demonstrate that high symptom prevalence rates and coping strategies used render an improvement in current nursing management. Therefore development of symptoms management groups, encouraging the use of self-care diaries and enhancing the quality of psycho- oncology services provided are to be recommended.

The effect of facilitated tucking on procedural pain control among premature babies.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness of facilitated tucking in reducing pain when venepuncture is being performed on preterm infants. BACKGROUND: Preterm neonates are exposed to a myriad of invasive, often painful, procedures throughout their stay in the neonatal intensive care unit. A growing volume of evidence shows that pain in preterm infants has both short- and long-term deleterious effects. It is within the power and ethical responsibility of neonatal nurses to help premature babies cope with procedural pain. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental study with two groups: control and treatment group. METHODS: A study was conducted on a cohort of preterm infants (n = 42), divided into control (n = 21) and treatment (n = 21) groups, to determine the effect of facilitated tucking on pain relief during venepuncture on preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. The severity of pain was measured using the Premature Infant Pain Profile score. The primary outcome measure was reduction in the Premature Infant Pain Profile scores. RESULTS: The Premature Infant Pain Profile score for the treatment group was significantly lower (M = 6·62, SD 2·598) than for the control group (6·62 ± 2·60 vs. 8·52 ± 2·99, respectively, t = -2·202, p < 0·05). CONCLUSIONS: Facilitated tucking reduced the Premature Infant Pain Profile scores in preterm infants. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The findings of this study suggest that facilitated tucking is able to alleviate pain; therefore, nurses must be able to carry out facilitated tucking when necessary.

The effects of acupressure on depression, anxiety and stress in patients with hemodialysis: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Patients with end stage renal disease on hemodialysis are affected by physiological and psychological stressors, which contribute to poor quality of life and negative clinical outcomes. Depression, anxiety, and stress are highly prevalent in this population. Effective interventional strategies are required to manage these psychological symptoms. Acupressure has been believed to be one of the complementary therapies that could promote psychological wellbeing. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of acupressure on depression, anxiety, stress, and general psychological distress in patients with hemodialysis. DESIGN: Open-label randomized controlled trial. SETTING: Three hemodialysis centers. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 108 patients with hemodialysis were randomly recruited into the acupressure group (n=54) and the control group (n=54). METHOD: The intervention was carried out from January to March 2014. The acupressure group received routine hemodialysis treatment plus 15 min acupressure applied three times a week for four weeks. The control group received only usual care with routine hemodialysis treatment. The outcome measurements were the Depression, Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21), and general psychological distress using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). Statistical analysis was performed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test to compare DASS scales and GHQ-28 scores before and after acupressure intervention. RESULTS: The acupressure group had significantly lower DASS scores and GHQ scores compared to the control group, signifying improvements in depression, anxiety, stress and general psychological distress. The sub-score of the GHQ-28 for social dysfunction, however, were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study indicates that acupressure therapy delivered three times a week for four weeks was able to significantly reduce depression, anxiety, stress, and general psychological distress in patients with hemodialysis. This positive finding suggests that acupressure may have a role in promoting psychological wellbeing of patients. Promoting psychological wellness will improve patients' quality of life, and reduce negative outcomes associated with psychological illnesses and distress experienced by patients with hemodialysis.

Effect of a reminder system using an automated short message service on medication adherence following acute coronary syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Medication non-adherence leads to a vast range of negative outcomes in patients with coronary artery disease. An automated web-based system managing short message service (SMS) reminders is a telemedicine approach to optimise adherence among patients who frequently forget to take their medications or miss the timing. AIM: This paper sought to investigate the effect of automated SMS-based reminders on medication adherence in patients after hospital discharge following acute coronary syndrome (ACS). METHODS: An interventional study was conducted at a tertiary teaching hospital in Malaysia. A total of 62 patients with ACS were equally randomised to receive either automated SMS reminders before every intake of cardiac medications or only usual care within eight weeks after discharge. The primary outcome was adherence to cardiac medications. Secondary outcomes were the heart functional status, and ACS-related hospital readmission and death rates. RESULTS: There was a higher medication adherence level in the intervention group rather than the usual care group, (χ(2) (2)=18.614, p<0.001). The risk of being low adherent among the control group was 4.09 times greater than the intervention group (relative risk =4.09, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.82-9.18). A meaningful difference was found in heart functional status between the two study groups with better results among patients who received SMS reminders, (χ(2) (1) = 16.957, p<0.001). CONCLUSION: An automated SMS-based reminder system can potentially enhance medication adherence in ACS patients during the early post-discharge period.

Preliminary study of an exercise programme for reducing fatigue and improving sleep among long-term haemodialysis patients.

INTRODUCTION: Fatigue and quality of sleep are the main factors that contribute to a poor quality of life among patients on long-term haemodialysis. Studies have also emphasised the importance of exercise for improving the wellbeing of dialysis patients. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a predialysis low-to-moderate-intensity exercise programme for reducing fatigue and improving sleep disorders among long-term haemodialysis patients. METHODS: In this quasi-experimental study, an exercise programme was conducted three times a week for 12 weeks before long-term haemodialysis patients underwent dialysis at two centres. The patients were categorised into either the exercise group (n = 28) or control group (n = 27). The latter was asked to maintain their current lifestyles. Assessments of fatigue and sleep disorder levels were performed for both groups using self-reported questionnaires at baseline and after intervention. The patients' perception of the exercise programme was also determined using self-reported questionnaires. RESULTS: Paired sample t-test indicated improvements in fatigue level in the exercise group (mean fatigue score: post-treatment 40.5 ± 7.9 vs. pre-treatment 30.0 ± 10.9). Improvements in sleep disorders were also observed in the exercise group (mean score: post-treatment 7.6 ± 3.3 vs. pre-treatment 10.1 ± 3.8). However, sleep quality deteriorated in the control group (mean score: post-treatment 10.7 ± 2.9 vs. pre-treatment 9.3 ± 2.9). CONCLUSION: Simple low-to-moderate-intensity exercise is effective for improving fatigue, sleep disorders and the overall quality of life among haemodialysis patients.

The Use of the Self-Standing Turning Transfer Device to Perform Bed-To-Chair Transfers Reduces Physical Stress among Caregivers of Older Patients in a Middle-Income Developing Country.

Manual transfer of elderly patients remains commonplace in many developing countries because the use of lifting equipment, such as hoists, is often considered unaffordable luxuries. The aim of this study was, therefore, to evaluate the usage and potential benefits of a low-cost, mechanical turning transfer device among elderly patients and their caregivers on a geriatric ward in a developing country in South East Asia. Fifty-six inpatients, aged 66-92 years, on a geriatric ward, and their caregivers were recruited. Participants were asked to transfer from bed-to-chair transfer with manual assistance, and the task was repeated using the Self-standing Turning Transfer Device (STurDi). The time taken to perform manual transfers and STurDi-assisted transfers was recorded. Physical strain was assessed using the perceived physical stress-rating tool for caregivers with and without the use of the device. User satisfaction was evaluated using the usefulness, satisfaction, and ease of use questionnaire. There was a significant reduction in transfer-time with manual transfers compared to STurDi-assisted transfers [mean (SD) = 48.39 (13.98) vs. 36.23 (10.96); p ≤ 0.001]. The physical stress rating was significantly lower in STurDi-aided transfers compared to manual transfers, shoulder [median (interquartile range) = 0 (1) vs. 4 (3); p = 0.001], upper back [0 (0) vs. 5 (4); p = 0.001], lower back [0 (1) vs. 5 (3), p = 0.001], whole body [1 (2) vs. 4 (3), p = 0.001], and knee [0 (1) vs. 1 (4), p = 0.001]. In addition, majority of patients and caregivers definitely or strongly agreed that the device was useful, saved time, and was easy to use. We have therefore demonstrated in a setting where manual handling was commonly performed that a low-cost mechanical transfer device reduced caregiver strain and was well received by older patients and caregivers.

The Perception of Nurses and Doctors on a Care Bundle Guideline for Management of Pain in Critical Care / Percepción de enfermeras y médicos sobre el uso de un paquete de atención como una guía para el manejo del dolor en cuidados críticos / A percepção das enfermeiras e dos médicos sobre o uso de um pacote de atendimento como guia para lidar com a dor em cuidados críticos

Objective: The aim of this study was to explore nurses' and doctors' perception on using a care bundle as a guideline for the management of pain in critical care. Despite the development of evidence-based guidelines and protocols on the management of pain in critical care, pain is still a major problem. The introduction of care bundles in critical care has improved the management of ventilated patients. A care bundle in pain management aims to reduce variations in practice. Method: This study employed a qualitative prospective design using a semi-structured, in-depth interview of 23 nurses and doctors in a critical care unit. Result: Four main themes emerged: 1) suitability to the critical care setting; 2) applicability to the critical care setting; 3) ownership of the Pain Care Bundle; and 4) necessity for current practice. The results showed a poor uptake by the healthcare professionals in managing acute pain among critically ill patients. Conclusion: The study found that nurses and doctors did not perceive the pain care bundle as a useful tool for improving pain managment, with evidence pointing to a gap between pain management practice, as described by the care bundle, and actual practice.

Objetivo: el objetivo de este estudio fue explorar la percepción de las enfermeras y los médicos sobre el uso de un paquete de atención como una guía para el manejo del dolor en cuidados críticos. A pesar del desarrollo de guías y protocolos para el manejo del dolor en cuidados críticos, basados en la evidencia, el dolor sigue siendo un problema importante. La introducción de un paquete de atención para cuidados críticos ha mejorado el manejo de los pacientes ventilados. Un paquete de atención en el manejo del dolor tiene como objetivo reducir las variaciones en la práctica. Método: el estudio tiene un diseño prospectivo cualitativo desarrollado mediante una entrevista en profundidad y semi-estructurada de 23 enfermeros y médicos en una unidad de cuidado crítico. Resultado: cuatro temas principales surgieron: 1) la adecuación al escenario de cuidado crítico, 2) la aplicabilidad al escenario de cuidado crítico, 3) la propiedad del Paquete de Atención al Dolor, y 4) la necesidad en la práctica actual. Los resultados mostraron una pobre aceptación del paquete por parte de los profesionales de la salud en el manejo de dolor agudo en los enfermos críticos. Conclusión: el estudio encontró que las enfermeras y los médicos no percibieron el paquete de atención al dolor como una herramienta útil para mejorar el manejo del dolor, con pruebas que apuntan a una brecha entre la práctica del manejo del dolor, tal como se describe por el paquete de atención, y la práctica real.

Objetivo: o objetivo deste estudo foi explorar a percepção das enfermeiras e dos médicos sobre o uso de um pacote de atendimento como guia para lidar com a dor em cuidados críticos. Apesar do desenvolvimento de guias e protocolos para lidar com a dor em cuidados críticos, baseados na evidência, a dor continua sendo um problema importante. A introdução de um pacote de atendimento para cuidados críticos vem melhorando o tratamento dado a pacientes ventilados. Um pacote de atendimento no tratamento da dor tem como objetivo reduzir as variações na prática. Método: o estudo tem um desenho prospectivo qualitativo desenvolvido mediante uma entrevista em profundidade e semiestruturada de 23 enfermeiros e médicos em uma unidade de cuidado crítico. Resultado: quatro temas principais surgiram: 1) a adequação ao cenário de cuidado crítico; 2) a aplicabilidade ao cenário de cuidado crítico; 3) a propriedade do Pacote de Atendimento à Dor, e 4) a necessidade na prática atual. Os resultados mostraram uma baixa aceitação do pacote por parte dos profissionais em saúde no tratamento da dor aguda nos doentes críticos. Conclusão: o estudo constatou que as enfermeiras e os médicos não perceberam o pacote de atendimento à dor como uma ferramenta útil para melhorar o tratamento da dor, com provas que apontam a uma brecha entre a prática do tratamento da dor, tal como se descreve pelo pacote de atendimento, e a prática real.

Impact of education on ventilator-associated pneumonia in the intensive care unit.

INTRODUCTION: Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common risk among critically ill ventilated patients. This study aimed to investigate the effects of nurse-led education on: (a) knowledge of and compliance with ventilator care bundle (VCB) practices among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses; and (b) reduction in the rates of VAP post intervention. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design with pretest-posttest evaluation and observation was used to investigate nurses' knowledge of and compliance with VCB practices, and the incidence of VAP. The study was conducted among 71 nurses, and the intervention involved structured education on VAP and its prevention using VCB in an ICU setting. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: Nurse-led education significantly increased nurses' knowledge of (t[70] = -36.19; p < 0.001) and compliance with (t[65] = -21.41; p < 0.001) VCB practices. The incidence of VAP, which was 39 per 1,000 ventilator days during the two-month period before intervention, dropped to 15 per 1,000 ventilator days during the two-month period following intervention. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that nurse-led education on VAP and VCB significantly increased knowledge of and compliance with VCB practices among ICU nurses, and was associated with a reduction in the incidence of VAP among intubated and mechanically ventilated ICU patients. Inclusion of recent knowledge and evidence-based VCB guidelines for VAP prevention when educating anaesthetists, nurses, physiotherapists and other healthcare providers in the critical care setting is recommended.

Perceived susceptibility, and cervical cancer screening benefits and barriers in malaysian women visiting outpatient clinics.

AIMS: A main reason for increasing incidence of cervical cancer worldwide is the lack of regular cervical cancer screening. Coverage and uptake remain major challenges and it is crucial to determine the perceived susceptibility to cervical cancer, as well as the benefits of, and barriers to, cervical cancer screening among women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 369 women attending an outpatient centre in Malaysia and data were collected by administering a self-report questionnaire. RESULTS: The majority of the participants (265, 71.8%) showed good level of perception of their susceptibility to cervical cancer. Almost all responded positively to four statements about the perceived benefits of cervical cancer screening (agree, 23.1% or strongly agree, 52.5%), whereas negative responses were received from most of the participants (agree, 29.9%or strongly agree, 14.6 %) about the eleven statements on perceived barriers. Significant associations were observed between age and perceived susceptibility(x2=9.030, p=0.029); between employment status (p<0.001) as well as ethnicity and perceived benefits (p<0.05 [P=0.003]); and between education and perceived barriers to cervical cancer screening (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Perceived susceptibility, including knowledge levels and personal risk assessment, should be emphasized through education and awareness campaigns to improve uptake of cervical cancer screening in Malaysia.

Breast cancer knowledge and screening behaviour among women with a positive family history: a cross sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the commonest type of cancer among women, and in Malaysia 50-60% of the new cases are being detected at late stages. Do age, education level, income, ethnicity, relationship with breast cancer patients and knowledge of breast cancer risk factors influence breast screening practices? This study revealed interesting but significant differences. OBJECTIVES: To assess the knowledge of breast cancer risk factors and early detection measures among women in a high risk group. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross sectional survey of one hundred and thirty one women relatives of breast cancer patients was carried out. Participants were selected through purposive sampling, during hospital visits. A self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. RESULTS: The majority of the respondents (71%) had poor knowledge of the risk factors for breast cancer. Income, relationship with a patient and practise of breast cancer screening predicted performance of mammography, R2=0.467, F=12.568, p<0.0001. CONCLUSIONS: The finding shows inadequate knowledge of breast cancer risk factors and poor cancer screening practise among women with family history of breast cancer. Poor knowledge and practise of breast screening are likely to lead to late stage presentation of breast cancer disease. Some important predictors of breast cancer screening behaviour among women with positive family history of breast cancer were identified. An understanding of the strengths and significance of the association between these factors and breast screening behaviour is vital for developing more targeted breast health promotion.