Nursing Student Knowledge Related to Sepsis in Croatian, Cypriot, and Greek Universities: A Cross-Sectional European Study.

BACKGROUND: Although the treatment of sepsis has advanced during the past 20 years there is still a high incidence and high mortality, which make sepsis one of the leading public health problems. Adequate knowledge of sepsis and the sepsis guidelines is still the most important pillar for nurses because of the long time they spend with critically ill patients. Given their frontline role in patient care, nurses are pivotal in early sepsis recognition, timely intervention, and ensuring adherence to treatment protocols. AIM: This study aimed to investigate nursing students' knowledge of sepsis and the symptoms of sepsis, and to compare the results of nursing students from several European universities (Croatia, Cyprus, Greece). METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used, with a sample of 626 undergraduate nursing students from Croatian, Cypriot, and Greek universities from 2022 to 2023. Demographic features (gender, age, employment, year of study) and a questionnaire provided by Eitze et al. were utilized as instruments. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference among the countries (F(2.625) = 4.254, p = 0.015) in average knowledge about sepsis, with Scheffe's post hoc test indicating that the Cypriot students had a higher average knowledge than the Greek students (p = 0.016), while students from neither country were significantly different from Croatian students (both p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study showed the still limited knowledge of nursing students and the differences among the educational programs for nursing students. The educational curricula of nursing studies should increase the number of sepsis lectures and use innovative techniques.

The Commitment to Excellence: Understanding Nurses' Perspectives on Continuous Professional Development.

Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is essential for nurses to maintain up-to-date knowledge and skills in the evolving healthcare sector. This study explores nurses' attitudes toward CPD, its necessity, and the challenges encountered. The aim is to examine nurses' perspectives on CPD, focusing on their participation and motivation, in relation to their workplace, workplace function, and form of work. A cross-sectional study design was employed with 151 nurses from University Hospital Centre Split, Croatia. Data were collected using the "Professional Development of Nurses questionnaire (Q-PDN)" and analyzed using descriptive statistical methods, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Pearson's correlation, ANOVA test, and t-test. The average level of participation in CPD activities was 4.27 (±0.63), indicating a positive inclination towards CPD. The study identified a statistically significant difference in activities related to CPD (t = 2.12; p = 0.036) among employees of surgical and intensive care units compared to other departments, where a higher level of engagement was present among employees of other departments. Notably, nurses without managerial roles showed 0.16 points higher participation in CPD activities compared to their managerial counterparts, though this was not statistically significant (t = 0.92; p = 0.357). Nurses in managerial roles valued CPD for professional development more highly, with a significant difference (t = 2.77; p = 0.006). Full-time nurses demonstrated a higher perception of the importance of personal professional development compared to part-time nurses, with a significant difference (F = 2.88; p = 0.038). The study reveals a strong commitment to CPD among nurses, with variations based on workplace roles and schedules. It underscores the need for role-specific and adaptable CPD programs to meet diverse needs and enhance professional competence in the nursing workforce.

Relationships between Physical Activity and Selected Chronic Diseases among Functionally Independent Long-Term Care Residents during the Post-Lockdown Period in Croatia.

The aim of this observational study was to investigate the level and association of physical activity and selected chronic diseases in functionally independent LTC residents after prolonged physical and social isolation during COVID-19 in Croatia. Adhering to the inclusion criteria, 180 functionally independent residents were included in the study. Assessment of physical activity was carried out by 7-day motor monitoring. Prolonged physical and social isolation negatively affected the achieved level of physical activity of LTC residents (x¯ = 5058.74). Major depressive disorder resulted in significantly lower residents' physical activity scores, demonstrating a shrinking effect ranging from 0.42 to 0.45. A significant negative impact on the residents' physical activity was also found in the presence of osteoarthritis and iron deficiency anemia, where a downward effect was present in the range from 0.66-0.72 and 0.64 to 0.66. The presence of comorbidities has a significant negative impact on the residents' physical activity, where a downward effect is present in the range from 0.91-0.92.

Strength of Sense of Coherence among Nurses and the Relationship between Socio-Demographic and Work-Related Factors.

Sense of coherence (SOC) occupies the central place within the salutogenic model. It is an important contributor to the development and maintenance of people's health. This study aimed to assess the strength of sense of coherence (SOC) among nurses and the relationship between the strength of SOC and socio-demographic and work-related factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018. Linear regression was used to describe strength of association between SOC and socio-demographic and work-related factors. A total of 713/1300 nurses completed an SOC-29-item questionnaire for the assessment of SOC. The mean value for total SOC score (SOCS) was 145.0 points (SD 22.1, range 81-200). The results of the multivariate linear regression revealed statistically significant positive associations between SOCS and age (>40 years), level of education (master of nursing and bachelor of nursing), and transportation mode by car. Our study suggested SOC as an important and influential health-promoting personal resource of nurses which might offer protection regarding work-related stress.

CROATIAN ADAPTATION AND VALIDATION OF THE PERCEIVED IMPLICIT RATIONING OF NURSING CARE (PIRNCA) QUESTIONNAIRE: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY.

The aim was to perform adaptation and validation of the Perceived Implicit Rationing of Nursing Care. Implicit delaying of nursing care is an intermediate step, linking nurses with the quality of outcomes for patients and nurses, and it is the result of prioritization of health care measures within the assigned group of patients cared for by nurses. The Perceived Implicit Rationing of Nursing Care instrument is a tool used to assess the rationing of care in nursing practice. Study participants were nurses working at hospital wards in 4 university hospitals in the Republic of Croatia. The questionnaire was filled-in by 438 nurses. Data were collected between April and November 2018. After principal axis factoring, a single factor solution based on the correlation matrix was adopted. The measured construct is one-dimensional, and the extracted factor explains 47.2% of its variance. Additionally, the reliability of the whole questionnaire was determined by using the internal consistency coefficient Cronbach alpha on the Perceived Implicit Rationing of Nursing Care with 31 of 0.96 particles, which is extremely high internal consistency reliability. In conclusion, the study found a high level of reliability and validity of the translated Perceived Implicit Rationing of Nursing Care questionnaire, fully comparable to that of the original. The questionnaire can be used to assess the phenomenon of implicit care rationing in Croatian hospitals.

Knowledge of Sepsis in Nursing Students-A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis is defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by an unregulated host response to infection. The emphasis is on the imbalance of homeostasis and the response to infection, as well as mortality and the importance of recognizing sepsis as early as possible. The knowledge of undergraduate nursing students is an extremely important indicator for future work in the healthcare system after graduation. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of knowledge about sepsis among undergraduate nursing students and to compare differences in different years of study, as well as differences in their study model. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 618 nursing students at the University of Applied Health Sciences in Zagreb, Croatia. All three years of study and both full-time and part-time (employed) nursing students were included. The questionnaire "Determinants of Sepsis Knowledge" was used in the research. RESULTS: The percentage and number of third-year students who correctly answered the items on Knowledge of Sepsis were statistically significant compared to the first two years of study. The percentage and number of employed students who responded correctly to the items on Knowledge of Sepsis were statistically significant compared to students who were not employed. CONCLUSIONS: The ability of nursing students to recognize and respond to the deterioration in a patient's condition due to sepsis is very important, so appropriate education about sepsis is essential. We recommend a greater representation of sepsis content in the core curriculum of nursing students' education in terms of theoretical instruction and clinical and simulation exercises.