Can Artificial Intelligence Chatbots Improve Mental Health?: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, are the leading causes of global health-related burden and have increased dramatically since the 1990s. Delivering mental healthcare using artificial intelligence chatbots may be one option for closing the gaps in mental healthcare access. The overall aim of this scoping review was to describe the use, efficacy, and advantages/disadvantages of using an artificial intelligence chatbot for mental healthcare (stress, anxiety, depression). METHODS: PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases were searched. When possible, Medical Subject Headings terms were searched in combination with keywords. Two independent reviewers reviewed a total of 5768 abstracts. RESULTS: Fifty-four articles were chosen for further review, with 10 articles included in the final analysis. Regarding quality assessment, the overall quality of the evidence was lower than expected. Overall, most studies showed positive trends in improving anxiety, stress, and depression. DISCUSSION: Overall, using an artificial intelligence chatbot for mental health has some promising effects. However, many studies were done using rudimentary versions of artificial intelligence chatbots. In addition, lack of guardrails and privacy issues were identified. More research is needed to determine the effectiveness of artificial intelligence chatbots and to describe undesirable effects.

Feasibility of a mindfulness app in parents of a child with medical complexity: A pilot study.

The prevalence of pediatric chronic conditions is increasing rapidly. Parents of a child with medical complexity (CMC) experience stress, depression which may also impact family functioning. Research has shown that mindfulness applications (apps) have significantly improved stress and depression in other populations, but have not been studied in this population. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility and efficacy of a mindfulness app in parents of a CMC. Parents were recruited to participate from a non-profit organization and asked to use a mindfulness app for 4 weeks and fill out questionnaires before and after the intervention. Eight mothers participated in the study for the entire study period. Data analysis showed that using a mindfulness app in this population is feasible and reduces depressive symptoms and improves family functioning.

Experiences of Parents of Children With Medical Complexity in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit: A Scoping Review.

BACKGROUND: Medical advances and decreased mortality rates in the pediatric intensive care unit have increased the number of children surviving illnesses they may not have survived previously. The term child with medical complexity is poorly defined. OBJECTIVES: The purposes of this scoping review were to examine the experiences of parents of children with medical complexity in the pediatric intensive care unit and describe strategies to help support these parents. RESULTS: Eight studies were eligible for inclusion. All were published from 2009 through 2021. One study was a quantitative observational study, 2 were mixed-methods studies, and 5 had a qualitative design. Parents experienced significant stress and depression. Sources of stress were parenting a child with complex chronic illness in the pediatric intensive care unit, uncertainty, communication between family members and clinicians, and lack of subspecialty communication. Strategies to assist parents included respecting parents' expertise and providing consistent and clear communication with family members and among subspecialty clinicians. CONCLUSION: This review is the first to examine the experiences of parents of children with medical complexity in the pediatric intensive care unit. The study was limited by lack of available research and lack of consensus for the definition of child with medical complexity. However, this review describes strategies that nurses may find useful when caring for parents of children with medical complexity.

Experiences and needs of parents whose child has attempted suicide.

PURPOSE: To explore the stress, experience, and unmet needs of parents whose child has attempted suicide. METHODS: A 23-question survey and a 53-item Family Management Measurement questionnaire were distributed to the parents of children admitted to an acute care facility for a suicide attempt (SA). Quantitative data were analyzed using Statistical Analysis System. Responses to the open-ended questions were sorted, synthesized, and clustered into tentative categories. RESULTS: Eleven parents enrolled, but only 10 completed the qualitative questions. Three themes emerged: feelings of helplessness, uncertainty, and life management difficulty. Parents rated their stress as moderate (6.6 out of 10). Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) was questionable (0.69); however, three of six subscales were good to excellent (0.81-0.95). CONCLUSION: Families experience stress, feelings of hopelessness, and uncertainty after an SA. More research is needed to better understand and quantify parental experiences.

Striking a chord: Utilizing music for people living with dementia.

ABSTRACT: This article discusses how music therapy can be incorporated into nursing practice for people living with dementia.

Parenting a child with a chronic illness during a pandemic.

BACKGROUND: Nearly 20% of children in the United States experience one or more chronic health conditions. Parents of a child with a special healthcare need (CSHCN) experience increased stress caring for a child with chronic illness. PURPOSE: The purpose of this descriptive study is to describe stress in parents of a child with chronic illness during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: Parents of CSHCN (n = 34) were asked to fill out the Pediatric Inventory for Parents (PIP) and answer two questions related to caring for their child during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The means of the PIP-F (M = 146.6, SD = 20.5) and PIP-D (M = 141.9, SD = 23.9) were significantly higher than in previous studies. There is statistically significant positive correlation between parent stress and variables of age of the child and the length of time since diagnosis. In response to the questions about the impact of COVID, nearly all parents reported COVID increased their stress and reported their stress was related to isolation, lack of resources, and concern for the mental health of other children in the household. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: COVID-19 likely exacerbated feelings of stress for parents of children with chronic health conditions. Although unprecedented, COVID-19 shed light on the existing fragility and high stress of parents of CSHCN. Pediatric nurses not only care for children, but must be advocates for the mental health of their patient's parents.

Addressing internet gaming disorder in children and adolescents.

ABSTRACT: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) has been recognized as a potential behavioral addiction that warrants further research. This article discusses the signs, symptoms, and risk factors of this behavioral addiction as well as nursing interventions to support children and adolescents with IGD and their families.

Journal Writing by Families of Critically Ill Patients: An Integrative Review.

BACKGROUND: Families experience high levels of stress during a loved one's critical illness. OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of current evidence on the use of journal writing as a coping mechanism for family members during a loved one's critical illness in a neonatal, pediatric, or adult intensive care unit. METHODS: Five databases (MEDLINE, PsycINFO, CINAHL, APA PsycArticles, and Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition) were searched to identify studies examining the benefits of journal writing for family members of critically ill patients. Eight eligible studies reported data from 426 relatives of critically ill patients. RESULTS: Regarding quality assessment, the quantitative studies met 73.1% of relevant quality criteria, whereas qualitative studies met 81.3%. Mixed-methods studies met 82.4% of quantitative and 55% of qualitative criteria. Various key themes were identified: communication and understanding, connection to the patient, emotional expression, creating something meaningful, and the importance of pictures and staff entries. Overall, writing in a diary seems to be beneficial for reducing psychological distress and posttraumatic stress disorder, but none of the studies found that it significantly decreased anxiety or depression. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this review suggest that having family members of critically ill patients write in a diary is a simple and cost-effective intervention that may improve their psychological outcomes. Critical care nurses are in a position to educate families about the potential benefits of writing in a diary. Future research would be valuable regarding the benefits of using a diary and an optimal approach for doing so in this population.

Current Evidence in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Children With Celiac Disease.

Recent statistics report that 3 million people, or 1% of the population in the United States (U.S.), are affected by celiac disease (CD). In addition, in the U.S., as many as 1 in 80 children is affected with CD. However, CD can be challenging to diagnose and many children are not correctly diagnosed or live without a diagnosis for several years. Symptoms, if present, are often nonspecific and may be common manifestations of many pediatric illnesses. The purpose of this review is to examine the current evidence regarding incidence, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of a child with CD. Clinical implications for nurses caring for children and families are discussed.

Can Mobile Devices Be Used as an Active Learning Strategy? Student Perceptions of Mobile Device Use in a Nursing Course.

BACKGROUND: It can be challenging to engage prelicensure nursing students in theoretical, nonclinical courses. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe students' experiences with various teaching strategies and describe student perceptions of engagement and learning using a mobile device. METHODS: The study had a mixed-methods design, which included an online survey and oral interviews to elicit student perceptions of engagement and learning using a mobile device. RESULTS: Students, on average, reported high levels of perceived learning and moderate levels of perceived engagement. Analysis of the qualitative transcripts revealed 2 major themes clustered around learner practices and instructor/course practices. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, students reported that using the mobile devices was a positive experience. Students benefited from thoughtful, intentional mobile device use that engaged them with course ideas, limited off-task distractions, and improved collaborative experiences with peers and the instructor.

Mobile Devices: A Distraction, or a Useful Tool to Engage Nursing Students?

BACKGROUND: Engaging nursing students in theoretical courses, such as research, can be challenging. Innovative instructional strategies are essential to engage nursing students in theoretical nursing courses. METHOD: This article describes an educational innovation using technology as a tool in an undergraduate nursing research class. All students in the course received iPads for the semester. Lecture material was presented in class using Nearpod, an interactive presentation embedded with slides, multimedia components, and learning activities. RESULT: Students reported that using the mobile technology helped them minimize off-task activities, interact more with each other and the instructor, solve problems in the class, and develop skills and confidence related to their career. CONCLUSION: Allowing device use in the classroom, such as iPads and interactive mobile applications, can be a useful learning tool. Intentional use of technology and pedagogy can increase engagement and interaction with students. [J Nurs Educ. 2018;57(3):170-173.].

Assessment of public health core competencies in prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the use of the Public Health Foundation's (Public Health Foundation [PHF], ) Competency Assessment for Tier 1 Public Health Professionals to examine prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students' self-reported levels of competence in public health before and after completing community health nursing courses. DESIGN: Prelicensure baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in community health nursing courses completed a pre and postcourse Competency Assessment for Tier 1 Public Health Professionals survey. The survey results were analyzed using nonparametric tests to determine whether there were significant differences in pre and postsurvey scores for the eight domains of public health core competencies, and for an overall competency score. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in the pre and postaggregate mean scores for each of the eight domains of public health core competency, and the overall mean public health competency score. Chi-square testing of pre and postcourse competency found significant difference in the proportion of students who met criteria for self-reported competence in each of the eight domains and overall public health competence. CONCLUSION: The Competency Assessment for Tier 1 Public Health Professionals can assist baccalaureate nursing faculty with assessing precourse learning needs, and postcourse evaluation of self-reported competence in public health.

The use of a game-based learning platform to engage nursing students: A descriptive, qualitative study.

Baccalaureate nursing programs require students to complete a research course, and faculty find it challenging to engage students. Educational gaming has recently gained attention as a technique to motivate students and enhance learning. The purpose of this pilot study was to describe undergraduate nursing students' reflections of their experiences with 3D Gamelab©, a game-based learning platform. A descriptive qualitative research design was used to elicit students' reflections of their experiences. Educational content such as handouts, videos, activities, and recommended resources for a required junior level nursing research course was organized into quests for use in 3D GameLab©. At the end of the semester, students were invited to give their feedback through a survey with open-ended questions. Thematic analysis resulted in the following components of the game-based learning experience: navigation, motivation, gaming concept, knowledge, technology, and target population. Although the overall response to 3D GameLab© in this course was negative, game-based learning does have the potential to engage students and enhance learning. To better understand how educational gaming could be used in nursing, further research should be conducted to determine the most motivating elements and the types of course content best delivered in this manner.

An Exploration of Professional Values Held by Nurses at a Large Freestanding Pediatric Hospital.

Professional values form the basis for nurse attitudes and behavior, and are cornerstones to guiding nurses' clinical practice decisions. The purpose of this descriptive study of nurses at a large children's hospital is to describe the professional values of employed registered nurses and describe differences based on demographic characteristics, such as generation, years of experience, education, and professional role. This study is based on Benner's (1984) theoretical framework of novice to expert. The Nurses Professional Values Scale: Revised (NPVS-R) (Weis & Schank, 2004) was administered to working RNs at the children's hospital. The results of this descriptive study indicate that nurses' professional values differed based on characteristics, such as education, generation, job classification, and years of experience.

Navigating Evidence-Based Practice Projects: The Faculty Role.

: An innovative way to facilitate evidence-based practice (EBP) learning and to get evidence into practice is through academic-clinical agency projects involving faculty, undergraduate students, and agency staff. The central role of the faculty is key to successful academic-clinical agency partnerships. Faculty navigate the often difficult process of focusing students and engaging busy staff through initiating, maintaining, and evaluating projects. Students learn valuable EBP skills, staff become engaged in EBP, and the projects are rated highly by agency administrators.