The relationship between workplace, job stress and nurses' tobacco use: a review of the literature.

The aim of this study was to provide a summary of the existing published knowledge on the possible relationship between the workplace as a stressor factor and nurses' tobacco use. A systematic review of the literature from 1995 to 2009, using the MEDLINE database took place. Studies, that referred to nurses' smoking habit exclusively or as a part of the study, were included in the review. 491 studies were retrieved and their titles/abstracts were examined systematically. Twenty one studies were retrieved for further consideration by a comprehensive literature review. Ten studies fulfilled the eligibility criteria and they were examined further. There is a conflict on the possible relationship between workplace as a stressor factor and nurses' smoking habits, because there is no evidence on if the nurses' work environment causes smoking initiation.

Nocturnal blood pressure fall and metabolic syndrome score in patients with white coat hypertension.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating data report that white coat hypertension (WCH) is associated with target organ damage. Metabolic syndrome (MS), and nondipping pattern is also associated with increased cardiovascular risk. The purpose of this study was to explore the nocturnal blood pressure fall in WCH patients according to their MS score. METHODS: The study comprised 2300 patients with WCH who attended our outpatient clinics. All underwent repeated office blood pressure measurements, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, full clinical and laboratory evaluation. The diagnosis of MS was made according to the Adult Treatment Panel III criteria and patients were classified into five groups: group I (hypertension), group II (hypertension and any one component), group III (hypertension and any two components), group IV (hypertension and any three components), and group V (all five components). Dipping pattern was defined as 'dippers' with nocturnal systolic blood pressure (NSBP) fall greater than or equal to 10% but less than 20%, 'nondippers' with NSBP fall greater than or equal to 0% but less than 10%, 'extreme dippers' with NSBP fall greater than or equal to 20%, and 'reverse dippers' with NSBP increase. RESULTS: Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence (n=522) and absence (n=1778) of MS. The overall prevalence of MS in the study population was 22.7%. Comparing the non-MS group with the MS we observed significant differences for nondippers (24.5% vs. 38.9%, P<0.001), dippers (54.4% vs. 43.5%, P<0.001), extreme dippers (17.8% vs. 11.3%, P<0.001), and reverse dippers (3.3% vs. 6.3%, P=0.007). CONCLUSION: Patients with WCH and increased number of MS components present with elevated nighttime SBP levels. This observation is of a great significance in the assessment of the cardiovascular risk in these patients.

What Greek mothers know about evaluation and treatment of fever in children: an interview study.

BACKGROUND: Fever is one of the most common symptoms in childhood. Mothers' insufficient knowledge about its evaluation and treatment frequently leads to excessive fear and anxiety. OBJECTIVES: To explore mothers' knowledge concerning management of fever in their children, at home. DESIGN: Descriptive, correlational. SETTINGS: An emergency department of a pediatric hospital. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 327 mothers with febrile children randomly selected in the waiting room. METHODS: Data collection was based on interviews by using a questionnaire which was specifically developed for this study. RESULTS: Almost one out of three mothers (32.4%) evaluated fever as a temperature between 37-38 degrees C and the 38.1% of them considered that side effects could be a result of these temperatures. The majority of the mothers (73.7%) administered antipyretics at body temperatures of 37-38.5 degrees C, usually without a medical instruction (49.2%). Younger mothers with lower education levels and those who admitted to hospital for the first time with children less than 12 months of age showed the poorest level of Knowledge about fever evaluation and treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Educational interventions by health care professionals aiming at educating young mothers with a low educational level and those with a child younger than 12 months old who seek medical attention at hospital, for the first time, are needed to dispel misconceptions about fever and to promote the appropriate management of the febrile child.