Filipino Nurses' Feedback on Using a Web-Based Medication Management System: A Pilot Study in a Telehealth Hospital.

A common medication safety strategy involves a Web-based medication management system. Still, there is no consensus about its acceptance and usability, even more so among nurses in the Philippines. Thus, this pilot study used a mixed-methods design to explore the nurses' feedback (N = 26) about Web-based medication management system in a telehealth hospital. Their acceptance, perceived usability, and experience of Web-based medication management system were assessed using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology model, Post Study System Usability Questionnaire, and semistructured interview guide, respectively. Results showed nurses agreed on their acceptance of Web-based medication management system (M = 3.72 [SD = 0.69]) and slightly agreed on its usability (M = 5.18 [SD = 1.02]). It also generated the Nursing Capsule of Web-based medication management system use that combines the quantitative model with age and length of practice as significant predictors and the qualitative interaction vortex with three themes (i.e., engaging, enabling, and exciting). These findings emphasized the need for effective technological adaptation to advance nursing practice and patient care.

Leaders shaping leadership: Knowledge, professional values and competency as prognosticators of career growth and development among nurses

The study aimed to determine the prognosticators of career growth and development among nurses in tertiary hospitals in Region III, Philippines. The study included 223 nurse-leaders from nineteen (19) participating hospitals as participants via census sampling. The tool utilized for the study was an adopted survey questionnaire that underwent validation before its distribution. Using SEM-PLS through WARPLS, data were analyzed and presented. SPSS v. 21 was used for computation of demographics. Results showed that there is significant result when it comes to knowledge in relation to career growth and development (path=0.217, p<.05, f2=.167). Second, professional values affect the career growth and development of nurses (path=0.564, p<.05, f2=.450). Lastly, competency reveals that it does not affect the career growth and development among nurses (path=0.037, p<.05, f2=.028). It was found that all the three prognosticators of career growth and development (knowledge, professional values, and competency) among nurses have strong significant relationships to each other

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Trends in fabrication, data gathering, validation, and application of molecular fluorometer and spectrofluorometer.

Technological advances have widely improved the field of research as spectroscopic methods are now flexible in analyzing different sample matrix. There have been various methods used in applications of spectrofluorometer, but some were costly, time consuming or complicated for routine analysis, creating barrier for students to understand the basic concepts of fluorescence. This review focuses on the different fluorometer designs and techniques which promote cost efficiency and/or having modifications without compromise in data gathering, and its applications to various scientific fields. The usage of pesticides has a wide range of effects when it comes to the environment and to human health especially when it enters the food chain. The characteristic of having a low-cost, user-friendly and efficient device can occur in different variations as materials and technology are employed to fluorescence detection which primarily contributes to the different applications of the device such as in food safety and security.

Eliciting e-leadership style and trait preference among nurses via conjoint analysis

Objective: The present study aimed to identify e-leader preferences among nurses based on several attributes namely: style, trait, and characteristics. Method: Conjoint analysis via card sort was employed to capture the responses of 174 purposively selected nurses in the Philippines with prior interaction with a virtual nursing leader. Ten (10) orthogonal combination cards grounded from literature reviews were used as study tools. Data was collected online for about two months and was analyzed using SPSS version 21. Results: The study surfaces that transformational leadership (0.237), authentic and artistic leadership (0.167) and physique (0.201) attributes were the most preferred style, trait and characteristics, respectively. Conclusion: The study promotes prior notions that leaders, even at virtual spaces, are being acknowledged as an essential figure in leader-subordinate interaction

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Travel distance: Impact on stage of presentation and treatment choices in head and neck cancer.

OBJECTIVES: The objective was to examine the impact of travel distance on stage of presentation and treatment choices in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in the rural setting. METHODS: 6029 cases diagnosed from 2002 to 2011 were obtained from the state cancer registry. Travel time was calculated to the nearest academic medical centers, otolaryngologist, and radiation treatment facilities. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine the association of travel time with stage of presentation as well as the likelihood of appropriate therapy after adjustment for other demographic variables. RESULTS: Patients in the highest quartile for travel distance to academic centers were 33% more likely to present with early stage disease (p = 0.02), and 42% more likely to receive appropriate surgical therapy for oral cavity cancer. Patients were 70% more likely to receive appropriate surgery if they were farthest from the nearest radiation center (p = 0.03). Proximity to otolaryngology care was not significant. CONCLUSION: Increased travel distance to academic medical centers is associated with increased likelihood of proper therapy for surgically treated tumors of the head and neck. Impact on these findings on improvements in access to care is discussed.

Food venue choice, consumer food environment, but not food venue availability within daily travel patterns are associated with dietary intake among adults, Lexington Kentucky 2011.

OBJECTIVE: The retail food environment may be one important determinant of dietary intake. However, limited research focuses on individuals' food shopping behavior and activity within the retail food environment. This study's aims were to determine the association between six various dietary indicators and 1) food venue availability; 2) food venue choice and frequency; and 3) availability of healthy food within food venue. METHODS: In Fall, 2011, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among adults (n=121) age 18 years and over in Lexington, Kentucky. Participants wore a global position system (GPS) data logger for 3-days (2 weekdays and 1 weekend day) to track their daily activity space, which was used to assess food activity space. They completed a survey to assess demographics, food shopping behaviors, and dietary outcomes. Food store audits were conducted using the Nutrition Environment Measurement Survey-Store Rudd (NEMS-S) in stores where respondents reported purchasing food (n=22). Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine associations between six dietary variables with food venue availability within activity space; food venue choice; frequency of shopping; and availability of food within food venue. RESULTS: 1) Food venue availability within activity space - no significant associations. 2) Food Venue Choice - Shopping at farmers' markets or specialty grocery stores reported higher odds of consuming fruits and vegetables (OR 1.60 95% CI [1.21, 2.79]). Frequency of shopping - Shopping at a farmers' markets and specialty stores at least once a week reported higher odds of consumption of fruits and vegetables (OR 1.55 95% CI [1.08, 2.23]). Yet, shopping frequently at a super market had higher odds of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages (OR 1.39 95% CI [1.03, 1.86]). 3) Availability of food within store - those who shop in supermarkets with high availability of healthy food has lower odds of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages (OR 0.65 95% CI [0.14, 0.83]). CONCLUSION: Interventions aimed at improving fruit and vegetable intake need to consider where individuals' purchase food and the availability within stores as a behavioral and environmental strategy.

Profile of urinary arsenic metabolites during pregnancy.

Chronic exposure to inorganic arsenic (In-As) from drinking water is associated with different health effects, including skin, lung, bladder, and kidney cancer as well as vascular and possibly reproductive effects. In-As is metabolized through the process of methylation, resulting in the production and excretion of methylated species, mainly monomethylarsenate (MMA) and dimethylarsenate (DMA). Because a large percentage of the dose is excreted in urine, the distribution of urinary In-As, MMA, and DMA is considered a useful indicator of methylation patterns in human populations. Several factors affect these patterns, including sex and exposure level. In this study, we investigated the profile of urinary In-As, MMA, and DMA of pregnant women. Periodic urine samples were collected from early to late pregnancy among 29 pregnant women living in Antofagasta, Chile, who drank tap water containing 40 micro g/L In-As. The total urinary arsenic across four sampling periods increased with increasing weeks of gestation, from an initial mean value of 36.1 to a final value of 54.3 micro g/L. This increase was mainly due to an increase in DMA, resulting in lower percentages of In-As and MMA and a higher percentage of DMA. Our findings indicate that among women exposed to moderate arsenic from drinking water during pregnancy, changes occur in the pattern of urinary arsenic excretion and metabolite distribution. The toxicologic significance of this is not clear, given recent evidence suggesting that intermediate methylated species may be highly toxic. Nevertheless, this study suggests that arsenic metabolism changes throughout the course of pregnancy, which in turn may have toxicologic effects on the developing fetus. Key words: arsenic, arsenic metabolism, arsenic methylation, Chile, pregnancy, urinary arsenic.