The initial experiences of junior nursing college students when communicating with children during pediatric clinical practicum: A phenomenological study.

PURPOSE: Nursing students feel stressed during pediatric clinical practicum due to limited communication encounters with hospitalized children. The purpose of this study was to describe junior nursing college students' experiences of communicating with children during pediatric clinical practicums. DESIGN AND METHODS: A qualitative phenomenological research design was used. Purposive sampling was used to recruit 18 junior nursing college students who completed their pediatric clinical practicum. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method for data analysis. RESULTS: Three themes emerged from the data. (1) Difficulties in communicating during initial practicum: fear, rejection, self-doubt of communication abilities, and unfamiliarity with the application of communication techniques posed frustrations among nursing students. (2) Efforts to learn during practicum: self-empowerment, seeking a diverse support system, adjusting communication methods, and striving to establish good relationships allowed nursing students to adapt to the pediatric curriculum. (3) Effective communication at the later stages of practicum: mastering fundamental communication techniques and exercising pediatric therapeutic communication techniques allowed nursing students to feel accomplished. CONCLUSIONS: Junior nursing college students initially encountered difficulties and frustration when communicating with children during their pediatric clinical practicum. This study serves as a guide for educators of pediatric nursing to design courses on communication with hospitalized children. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: These findings could be used to develop foundation courses on communicating with children for first-time pediatric nursing practicum students; for example, formulating a course on therapeutic play for children that encompasses communication techniques, pediatric ward simulation, and introduction to therapeutic play.

Undergraduate nursing students' learning experiences using design thinking on a human development course: A phenomenological study.

AIM: To explore nursing students' perceptions of their design thinking learning experiences on a human development course. BACKGROUND: Design thinking is a person-centered analytic and creative learning process that promotes higher order thinking skills rather than knowledge retention alone. Currently, this is the first study that has investigated the use of the design thinking process for nursing students on a human development course. DESIGN: A phenomenological research design. METHODS: The participants were first-year nursing students enrolled on a human development course at a Taiwanese university. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted in 2022 and sufficiently high information power was obtained after 15 participants were interviewed. Data were systematically analysed, summarized and decoded using Colaizzi's seven analysis steps. RESULTS: Three themes and twelve subthemes emerged from the data. (1) Challenges experienced with the design thinking learning process: participants experienced anxiety because of the unfamiliar assignments, and they found the assignments to be thought-consuming, time-consuming and energy-consuming, plus the students needed to adapt to working in teams with classmates. (2) Adjustment strategies employed by participants: participants highlighted the importance of teamwork during the design thinking learning process. They achieved consensus through communication and sought support from others to overcome challenges related to design thinking; however, they ultimately needed to engage in problem-solving by themselves. (3) Developing the diversity of academic capabilities: after the human development course, participants experienced enriched mindsets, cognitive abilities, problem-solving skills, interpersonal relationships and knowledge application. CONCLUSIONS: Design thinking provides creative teaching opportunities and encourages nursing students to engage in experimental and creative learning, which is a meaningful experience for them. Nurse educators could use the insights thus obtained to design a curriculum that sources design thinking as a learning process while facilitating the complexity and diversity of students' higher order thinking skills and not just repetitive learning.

Four psychological processes navigated by patients during their journey of healing and recovering from depression: a grounded theory study.

This study explored the psychological processes that patients navigated when healing and recovering from depression. A grounded theory approach was used. Twenty patients who had recovered from depression participated. Four categories emerged depicting the psychological processes navigated by the participants during the recovery process: (1) acceptance: acceptance of depression and agreement to treatment; (2) transformation: change of mindsets and behaviours; (3) adaptation: stress regulation and change of focus; (4) integration: progress of depressive symptoms and moving on with 'regular' life. Each phase is related to the other phases, mental health professionals could assist patients with depression achieve the integration phase.

An Emergent Theory Depicting Patients' Fortitude Through the Healing and Recovering Process of Depression.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a common mental disorder. Literature has explored patients' perspectives of the recovering process of depression. However, there is a lack of research to explore both patients' and caregivers' perspectives of the healing process and develop a theory to support patients with depression. AIMS: The purpose of this study is to develop a substantive theory that depicts patients with depression toward healing and recovering. METHODS: This study used a grounded theory approach and collected data between 2019 and 2020 in a medical center in Taiwan. A theoretical sampling was performed after interviewing 29 participants, including 20 patients who had recovered from depression and nine caregivers; data saturation was achieved. Data analysis was conducted with open, axial, and selective coding and used NVivo Version 11 to aid the process of coding. RESULTS: A substantive theory was developed and the core category was "Patients' fortitude through the healing and recovering process of depression." Other main categories interrelated in this core category were reframing negative thinking and cultivating positive thinking, rebuilding a positive self-worth by embracing self-compassion, and learning to cope with everyday stress. CONCLUSIONS: This theory could help health care professionals to work therapeutically with patients and commend their fortitude while experiencing depression and engaging them with the care they planned together; and find some joy in life. Educators and researchers could use this theory to advance nursing care.

Social functioning, depression, and quality of life among breast cancer patients: A path analysis.

PURPOSE: To identify associations among social functioning, depression, and quality of life in breast cancer patients. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 180 breast cancer patients were recruited from the surgical units in southern Taiwan hospital in 2021. Path analysis was employed to analyze the relationships between background information and social functioning, depression, and quality of life. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used for examining the path analysis in this study. RESULTS: The path model showed that respondents with a religious belief (ß = 0.18, p < .000) and less severe disease (ß = -0.29, p < .01) showed better social functioning. Income did not affect social functioning directly but was directly related to the social interaction dimension (ß = 0.30, p < .000). Moreover, younger age (ß = -0.29, p < .000, lower income (ß = -0.10, p < .05) and more severe disease (ß = 0.35, p < .000) increased the level of depression. Less severe disease would also result in a better quality of life (ß = -0.45, p < .000). Breast cancer patients with better social function levels have low levels of depression (ß = -0.82, p < .000) and better quality of life (ß = 0.76, p < .000). CONCLUSION: Age, religion, income, and severity are crucial predictors of social functioning, depression, and quality of life. Furthermore, severity variables which combined clinical variables to make this variable a stronger predictor for SF, depression, and QOL.

Exploring Meaning of Life in Women With Breast Cancer in Taiwan: A Phenomenological Study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, breast cancer is the most common cancer type in terms of incidence for women. Women with breast cancer endure higher levels of psychological distress than other types of cancer because many lose their identity as a woman, which is an additional characteristic of their psychological distress. Research using phenomenology to explore "the meaning of life" is rare among women with breast cancer. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of women with breast cancer on "the meaning of life." METHODS: A phenomenological approach was used. Twenty-six women living with breast cancer drawn from a cancer treatment hospital in Taiwan participated in this study. A semistructured interview was utilized to collect the data, and Colaizzi's seven steps were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Four themes emerged: (a) value of overcoming suffering, (b) value of reciprocal love, (c) value of self-transcendence, and (d) value of spiritual comfort. This means that the participants defined "the meaning of life" through the lens of suffering from cancer, reciprocal love from their families and friends, uncovering and discovering creative pathways that transformed their pain while searching for the value of their existence, and seeking spiritual guidance from religion. CONCLUSIONS: The participants identified the most pivotal aspect of healing as transforming their pain and accepting value for their suffering. They acknowledged they could not change the fact that they had cancer, but they could learn to accept it as part of their lived experience. Healthcare professionals may use these four themes at a clinically appropriate time on women's journeys toward healing to inspire women with breast cancer to process their own unique "meaning of life."

Meaning in life as a mediator of the associations among depression, hopelessness and suicidal ideation: A path analysis.

WHAT IS KNOWN ON THE SUBJECT: The meaning in life consists of an individual's values, experiences, goals and beliefs. It has been shown to be negatively associated with depression, hopelessness and suicidal ideation. Depression and hopelessness are related to increased suicidal ideation. Meaning in life has been shown to be a protective factor against depression, hopelessness and suicidal ideation. WHAT THE PAPER ADDS TO EXISTING KNOWLEDGE: A path model was developed to clarify the associations among meaning in life, depression, hopelessness and suicidal ideation. For clarity, the outcomes were depression and suicidal ideation, the independent variable was hopelessness, and the mediator was meaning in life. Hopelessness had a direct association with meaning in life, and meaning in life had a direct association with depression, supporting the mediating effect of meaning in life from hopelessness to depression. Meaning in life had the strongest association with depression, and depression had the strongest association with suicidal ideation. Meaning in life did not have a significant direct association with suicidal ideation; it did have an indirect association with suicidal ideation through depression. This study estimated that one-point increase in meaning in life score was associated with 0.47-point decrease in depression score and 0.13-point decrease in suicidal ideation score, respectively. WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Logotherapy is a meaning-centred therapy to find meaning in life. This study reveals that increased levels of meaning in life are associated with decreasing degrees of depression. Mental health nurses could help patients to find meaning in life by logotherapy and thus associated with reductions in depression. Mental health nurses could help patients to find hope by exploring meaning in life and promoting positive attitudes towards life from meaningless life to meaningful life, there is a reduction in depression, which in turn reduces suicidal ideation indirectly. ABSTRACT: Introduction Meaning in life can be good protective factor against depression, hopelessness and suicidal ideation. Aim To analyse the mediating effect of meaning in life on the associations among hopelessness, depression and suicidal ideation. Method A cross-sectional study was conducted among 90 patients diagnosed with depression. A structural equation modelling approach was applied for this path analysis to examine the mediating effect of meaning in life on the association among hopelessness, depression and suicidal ideation. Results The results showed that meaning in life mediated the association between hopelessness and depression. Hopelessness had a direct positive association with depression (ß = 0.23, p < .03), and meaning in life had a direct negative association with depression (ß = -0.51, p < .01) and indirect association with suicidal ideation through depression; this indirect association was -0.21 (p < .01). Discussion Meaning in life revealed strong mediating association with the relationship between hopelessness and depression. By reducing the level of depression, meaning in life demonstrated its mediator association with suicidal ideation. Implications for Practice Logotherapy is a meaning-centred therapy to find meaning in life. Mental health nurses could help patients to manage their depression through logotherapy, thus leading to reductions in suicidal ideation.

Developing a theory to help guide End-Stage Renal Disease Patients to adapt to Peritoneal Dialysis: A grounded theory study.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to develop a theory to help guide patients with end-stage renal disease to adapt to peritoneal dialysis. BACKGROUND: Taiwan ranks first worldwide in end-stage renal disease incidence and dialysis prevalence. Many patients cannot accept long-term dialysis treatment and thus face several physical and psychological suffering. No theory has yet been developed to help guide patients with end-stage renal disease to adapt to peritoneal dialysis. DESIGN: A grounded theory approach was used in this study. METHODS: A theoretical sampling was performed after interviewing 25 patients who had adapted to peritoneal dialysis at a medical centre in Taiwan from January 2018 to September 2018; data saturation was achieved. Data were analysed using open, axial and selective coding and while using the constant comparison technique. COREQ reporting guidelines were utilised. RESULTS: A substantive theory was developed to help guide patients with end-stage renal disease to adapt to peritoneal dialysis. The core category that emerged from the data collected was 'Confronting peritoneal dialysis to live and co-exist with peritoneal dialysis'. Other key categories linked to and embraced in this core category were as follows: positive self-regulation, regulation of daily life and the process of adaptation to dialysis method. CONCLUSION: The results could help healthcare professionals to better understand the process of end-stage renal disease patients' adaptation to peritoneal dialysis, thereby facilitating patients' adaptation to dialysis in their daily life, enhancing their quality of life and improving the quality of medical care. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Healthcare professionals could use this theory as reference when providing care for peritoneal dialysis patients to assist them in adapting to life with peritoneal dialysis as soon as possible through positive self-regulation, daily life adjustments and the process of adapting to the dialysis method.

The effects of logotherapy on meaning in life, depression, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation, in patients with depression: An intervention study.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of logotherapy on meaning in life, depression, hopelessness, and suicide ideation in patients with depression. DESIGN AND METHODS: A quasi-experimental approach was used and 86 participants were recruited from a psychiatric department in Taiwan. The experimental group received logotherapy for 12 weeks. The control group received depression education as usual. FINDINGS: The results revealed significant differences between and within the groups for meaning in life, depression, hopelessness, and suicide ideation. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Logotherapy was an effective method for increasing meaning in life, reducing the degree of depression, hopelessness, and suicidal ideation for patients with depression.

Exploring the meaning of life from the perspective of patients with depression: A phenomenological study.

This study explored the perceptions of meaning of life for patients with depression. A qualitative phenomenology approach was used. Patients with depression (n = 20) were recruited until data saturation occurred. Findings revealed four themes all related to their value of: (1) accepting depression; (2) appreciating work (paid and non-paid); (3) embodying love and taking on responsibilities; (4) receiving spiritual comfort. Healthcare professionals could facilitate patients with depression to explore their meaning of life while enduring and transforming the emotional pain that accompanies depression, hence, perhaps, decreasing their suicidal ideations.

Developing a theory to guide nurse practitioners to accomplish [a] training programme: A grounded theory study.

BACKGROUND: Due to the lack of resident physicians in medical institutions, nurse practitioners must assist in clinical care. However, the quality of training courses in training hospitals is varied and, currently, there is no theory to guide nurse practitioners to complete training. OBJECTIVES: To develop a theory to guide nurse practitioners to accomplish training programme. DESIGN: This study adopted a qualitative grounded theory approach. SETTINGS: A regional teaching hospital in Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: Seventeen nurse practitioners, who had passed the oral test within the past six months, were recruited until data saturation was achieved. METHODS: Data were collected using a semi-structured interview and data were collected between January 2018 and March 2019. Data were analysed using open, axial, and selective coding and using NVivo 11 to aid the process of coding. RESULTS: A substantive theory was formulated to help nurse practitioners complete their training programme. The core category was 'professional ability to improve nursing quality and excel'. Other important categories and subcategories were 'improving thinking ability' (improving critical thinking ability and differential diagnosis), 'improving clinical care ability' (improving clinical assessment and overall communication skills), and 'active learning' (multi-method learning, repeated practice, and self-improvement). CONCLUSIONS: The findings will facilitate the provision of guidance to nurse practitioner trainees in medical institutions. This will help them successfully complete their training, improve the passing rate for nurse practitioner selection, reduce the wastage of workforce training resources, and improve the quality of care that nurse practitioners provide. Hospitals could use this theory as a reference and create a warm and supportive training environment to help nurse practitioners complete their training programme and improve care quality.

The Effects of Logotherapy on Distress, Depression, and Demoralization in Breast Cancer and Gynecological Cancer Patients: A Preliminary Study.

BACKGROUND: Globally, cancer is the second leading cause of death. Breast cancer and gynecological cancer can damage patients' body image and lead to psychological distress, depression, and demoralization syndrome. No studies have explored the effect of logotherapy in gynecological cancer patients' psychological distress, depression, and demoralization. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of logotherapy on distress, depression, and demoralization in breast cancer and gynecological cancer patients. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was used in this study, involving 61 breast cancer and gynecological cancer patients: 31 in the experimental group and 30 in the control group. Participants in the experimental group received logotherapy 4 to 6 times during the 12 weeks of intervention. Outcomes were measured by the (1) Distress Thermometer, (2) Patient Health Questionnaire, and (3) Demoralization Scale Mandarin Version (DS-MV). RESULTS: Distress Thermometer did not differ between groups, but significant differences in favor of the intervention group were noted in the Patient Health Questionnaire (U = 674.500, P = .002); the DS-MV subcategories of loss of meaning (U = 706.500, P = .000), dysphoria (U = 673.000, P = .002), disheartenment (U = 670.000, P = .003), helplessness (U = 621.000, P = .022), and sense of failure (U = 629.500, P = .016); and the total score of the DS-MV (U = 728.500, P = .000). CONCLUSION: Logotherapy was effective in the reduction of breast cancer and gynecological cancer patients' depression and demoralization. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Clinical professionals could add logotherapy to the treatment for breast cancer and gynecological cancer patients to reduce their depression and demoralization.

Nursing graduates' lived experiences of anxiety during their final year at University: a phenomenological study.

BACKGROUND: Nursing students voiced that they were stressed or anxious during their final year at university. Further, they articulated that their anxiety affected their academic performance as well as their motivation to work on their clinical placement. OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to describe nursing graduates' perceptions of their lived experiences of anxiety during their final year. DESIGN: Phenomenology was chosen. SETTINGS: Three universities in Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: A purposive sample of 18 nursing graduates with experiences of anxiety. METHODS: Data were collected using a semi-structured interview and analyzed utilizing Colaizzi's seven-step method. RESULTS: Four themes emerged from the findings. The first was: uncertainty about future employment. This included negative clinical practicum experiences impacted on future career choices and uncertainty about future workplace choices. The second theme was: emotional relationships and life experiences becoming chaotic. This included anxiety about the loss of established relationships and financial insecurities. The third theme was: three phases of anxiety experienced in preparation for the national examination. They comprised: feeling anxiety but not taking action to study; increasing anxiety and beginning to study and, exacerbated anxiety and cramming for the national examination. The fourth theme was: adjustment strategies. They involved; looking for support to release emotional stress; changing the situation and fine-tuning the stress; positive thinking and self-affirmations and also, self-reflecting and consolidating learning. CONCLUSIONS: Finding could inform nursing teachers on nurses' lived experiences of anxiety during their final year, especially that related to the national examination before registration. Further, findings could be used as a map to facilitate nursing teachers in the provision of suitable teaching and counselling for final year students to alleviate their anxiety.

Family caregivers' lived experiences of caring for epidermolysis bullosa patients: A phenomenological study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To explore the lived experiences of family caregivers of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) patients. BACKGROUND: Patients with EB need long-term care. Their family experiences physical and mental stress while proving that care. However, very little research has explored the family caregivers' actual lived experiences when caring for EB patients. DESIGN: This is a qualitative research using the phenomenological approach. METHODS: Data were collected with the assistance of the Taiwan Foundation for Rare Disorders (TFRD). Interviews were conducted between 2015 and 2017 with primary family caregivers (n = 10) who had cared for EB patients for at least five years. Data were analysed using Colaizzi's (1978) seven-step phenomenological method. COREQ reporting guidelines were utilised. RESULTS: Four themes and eleven subthemes emerged after data analysis: (a) transformation and helplessness: changing expectations and helplessness associated with the rare, unknown disease; (b) mother's responsibility: mothers loving and protecting their children, surviving through adversity and challenges and self-experiencing a child's pain; (c) physical and mental fatigue experienced by the whole family: physical and mental exhaustion, and unbalanced lives; and (d) adjustment and social support: providing mutual assistance to mitigate adversity, hopeful search for treatments, the importance of patient associations and rare disease foundations, and social assistance requirements. CONCLUSION: Family caregivers experience many challenges when caring for EB patients and experience substantial stress and overwhelming burdens. Consequently, they would benefit greatly from various support systems to reduce the burden of caring for EB patients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Healthcare professionals can use the findings from this study to understand the circumstances faced by family caregivers and tailor care and education specifically to support each family's financial, social and household needs, thereby helping them reduce the stress of caring for EB patients.

Modeling Body-Mind-Spirit Well-Being and the Possibility of Relapse Intention in Adults Who Have a History of Substance Use in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: Substance use is a global mental health issue. There has been limited research exploring the relationships among body, mind, and spirit well-being and the possibility of relapse across different categories of substance users. AIMS: The purpose of the current path analysis was to examine the relationship between body-mind-spirit well-being and the possibility of relapse intention as well as other relevant predictors in people who had a history of substance use. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was used. Participants were recruited in Southern Taiwan between December 2015 and June 2016. Data were collected from 467 participants who had a history of using controlled substances. RESULTS: Path analysis results revealed that body-mind-spirit well-being was negatively predictive of the possibility of relapse intention. Out of several predictors, stress influence and duration of substance use had direct effects on body-mind-spirit well-being and the possibility of relapse intention, respectively. Stress influence and duration of substance use were associated with decreased body-mind-spirit well-being and increased relapse intention scores. In addition, no history of health problems and male gender were associated with increased body-mind-spirit well-being. CONCLUSIONS: Stress management and the duration of substance use play an important role in body-mind-spirit well-being and relapse intention in people with a history of substance use. Health care professionals could teach substance users coping strategies to address their stress and problems, which may improve their health and reduce the possibility of relapse intention.

The psychological processes voiced by nursing students when caring for suicidal patients during their psychiatric clinical practicum: A qualitative study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study was designed to explore the psychological processes experienced by nursing students caring for suicidal patients during their first psychiatric clinical practicum. BACKGROUND: Nursing students expressed fear when caring for patients who presented with suicidal behaviours. Yet, there is a lack of research exploring nursing students' feelings and thoughts when caring for suicidal patients. DESIGN: A grounded theory study. METHODS: A theoretical sample of 22 undergraduate nursing students who had cared for suicidal patients for at least 5 days during their psychiatric clinical practicum. Data were collected from 2016-2017, in three universities in Taiwan, using a semi-structured interview and constant comparative analysis. COREQ reporting guidelines were utilised. RESULTS: Four categories emerged depicting the psychological processes and revealing that the student nurses navigated four phases when caring for patients exhibiting suicidal behaviours. The phases were as follows: (a) apprehension and fear: involving students being frightened about patients attempting suicide; (b) frustration and powerlessness: concerning students finding it challenging to focus on changing patients' suicidal ideations; (c) support and catharsis: covering the students having to ask for psychological support from other people and explore their painful emotions; (d) confidence and empathy: meaning that the students incorporated enhanced confidence and cultivated advanced empathy, leading to the integration of competent care competencies towards suicidal patients. CONCLUSIONS: Findings could help nursing teachers to understand students' psychological processes when caring for suicidal patients. Teachers could provide appropriate support to help reduce students' negative thoughts and feelings and increase their care competencies when nursing suicidal patients during their psychiatric clinical practicum. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Clinical nurse teachers could support and facilitate students to develop their competencies and confidence as they negotiate the four phases and, actually, complete their internship goals on their clinical practicums.

A theory to guide nursing students caring for patients with suicidal tendencies on psychiatric clinical practicum.

Research concerning this issue demonstrates that nursing students initially feared interacting with and caring for patients with suicidal tendencies. However, there is a lack of research, which examines the care that is provided to patients that are suicidal, by nursing students. The aim of this study was to develop a theory to guide nursing students when caring for patients with suicidal tendencies on their psychiatric clinical practicum. A qualitative approach using Grounded Theory was used. A total of 22 nursing students who had provided care for suicidal patients were interviewed. The core category that emerged from the data was the 'changing of mindsets towards caring for suicidal patients and promotion of suicidal care competencies'. Other key categories linked to and enfolded within this core category were: suicidal risk assessment; protecting patients' safety; and, developing therapeutic communication competencies to advance suicidal care. This study could help fill a theory-practice gap for both psychiatric nursing teachers and students. Nurse teachers could use this theory as a map to help guide students caring for patients with suicidal tendencies and develop nursing students' suicidal care competencies.

[Interpersonal Communication Competence and Conflict Handling Styles of Nurses in Intensive Care Units].

BACKGROUND: Nurses in intensive care units (ICUs) must be capable of employing appropriate conflict handling styles in order to communicate with medical teams, patients, and patient family members effectively. There is a current lack of research on the interpersonal communication competence and conflict handling styles of ICU nursing staffs in Taiwan. PURPOSE: This study aimed to: (1) explore the interpersonal communication competence and conflict handling styles of ICU nurses and related factors and (2) examine the relationship between the interpersonal communication competence and conflict handling styles of ICU nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional correlational research approach was adopted and convenience sampling was used to recruit 351 ICU nurses from three hospitals in southern Taiwan. Data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, interpersonal communication competence scale, and conflict handling styles scale. RESULTS: (1) ICU nurses demonstrated a moderate or higher level of overall interpersonal communication competence, with "integrating" identified as the most commonly used conflict handling style. (2) Higher educational attainment and job position were both associated with better interpersonal communication competence. (3) The adoption of "compromising" and "avoiding" styles was significantly affected by age; the adoption of "obliging", "compromising", "avoiding", and "integrating" styles was significantly affected by education level; the adoption of "obliging", "compromising", and "integrating" styles was significantly affected by job position; and the adoption of "dominating", "compromising", and "integrating" styles was significantly affected by seniority. (4) Interpersonal communication competence correlated significantly and positively with the adoption of "dominating", "obliging", "compromising", and "integrating" styles. CONCLUSIONS / IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Future study of the views of ICU nurses toward their own styles in handling interpersonal conflicts is needed. Furthermore, holding training courses annually to orient ICU nurses with the advantages and disadvantages of interpersonal conflict handling styles is recommended.

Comparing the Differences in Health of Body, Mental, and Spirit Among Category 3 and 4 Controlled Drug Users, Nursing Students, and Psychology Students.

Drug abuse adversely affects the health of populations in many counties and contributes immensely to social issues. Schedule III and IV controlled drug abuse is popular in young adults. Medical education is one of the most stressful academic fields for students. The aim of this study was to compare the health differences in body, mind, and spirit among Schedule III and IV controlled drugs users, nursing students, and psychology students. This study uses a cross-sectional comparative study on a convenience sample. Four hundred eleven participants were recruited from three different samples that include Schedule III and IV controlled drug users (n = 211), nursing students (n = 100), and psychology students (n = 100), all from either a drug abuse prevention center or two universities in Southern Taiwan. Relying on the Health of Body, Mind and Spirit Scale, a linear regression model was used to identify the health differences among drug users, nursing students, and psychology students. The results show that drug users scored higher on the physical subscale (ß = -.249, p < .001), the mental subscale (ß = -.120, p < .05), the spiritual subscale (ß = -.154, p < .01), and the Health of Body, Mind and Spirit Scale (ß = -.210, p < .001) than psychology students. The nursing students scored higher on the mental subscale (ß = .146, p < .01) than drug users did. These results could help health staff and instructors understand the differences and improve the physical, mental, and spiritual health among Schedule III and IV controlled drug users, nursing students, and psychology students. Furthermore, future study could further investigate the factors that may affect physical, mental, and spiritual health.

Rationale underpinning postgraduate student nurses' choice of research methods used for their masters' theses.

Many nurses in Taiwan use quantitative research for their master's thesis. However, qualitative research explores humankind in depth providing a more holistic approach relating to nursing. The purpose of this study was to explore the rationale postgraduate students used to choose the research methods for their masters' theses in Taiwan. A descriptive qualitative research design was used. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews of sixteen nursing students studying a master's from seven different Universities in Taiwan in 2016. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Finding revealed three themes (1) Students' personal and professional backgrounds; (2) Myths about quantitative research; (3) Misperceptions about qualitative research. Nurse educators could use these findings as a reference to design post-graduate nursing courses. It is essential to provide a balanced educative experience between delivering qualitative and quantitative modules to enhance respect of research method, knowledge and skills. Further, this could facilitate students' choice in research methods when designing their master's theses.