Critical thinking level in nursing degree students according to sociodemographic and academic variables: A correlational study.

AIMS: To determine the level of critical thinking of undergraduate nursing students during their clinical practice, as well as to identify the relationship between sociodemographic and academic variables. BACKGROUND: Nursing degree programs should prioritize the development of critical thinking skills in their curriculum and regularly assess students to ensure the acquisition of core competencies. DESIGN: Multicenter, descriptive, cross-sectional, correlational, descriptive study. Participants included were students from the Degree in Nursing enrolled during the academic year 2020-2021. Students were selected by convenience from three universities located in Catalonia, Spain. Data were collected from 429 students, with 98 being excluded due to incomplete data. METHODS: Data were collected by administering the Nursing Critical Thinking in Students Questionnaire and an ad hoc form of sociodemographic and academic characteristics. The STROBE guidelines checklist were followed. The study involves a secondary analysis of data from a previous study that presented psychometric analysis. RESULTS: No significant differences were observed in total Critical Thinking scores across various parameters including academic year, current situation, work experience in healthcare, previous academic training, family situation, or recent stressful events. On average, students demonstrated moderate critical thinking scores. However, statistically significant relationships emerged between critical thinking scores and gender (p=0.046), institution attended for undergraduate studies (p=0.019) and having satisfactory social relationships despite experiencing stressful events (p=0.330). CONCLUSIONS: The study delves into the correlation between critical thinking skills and sociodemographic and academic factors, identifying students who may benefit from specific interventions and advocating for adaptable educational methods. It emphasizes the pivotal role of trust in fostering critical thinking in nursing education and suggests a connection between critical thinking and strong social relationships. In conclusion, evaluating critical thinking is crucial for addressing healthcare challenges, validating teaching strategies and promoting continuous improvement in nursing education.

Chemsex in Barcelona: A qualitative study of factors associated with the practice, the perception of the impact on health and prevention needs. / Chemsex en Barcelona: Estudio cualitativo sobre factores asociados a la práctica, percepción del impacto en salud y necesidades de prevención.

Chemsex is defined as use of psychoactive drugs with the aim of having sexual relations between gay men, bisexuals and men who have sex with men for a long period of time. To study this phenomenon, this qualitative descriptive study was proposed with the objective of describing the practice of chemsex from the perspective of users, to determine the main factors associated with its practice, the perception of the impact on their health and to establish prevention needs. Data were obtained using conversational techniques: 12 semi-structured interviews and 3 focus groups. The purposive sample was made up of GBMSM with a mean age of 40.1 years, 78% born in Spain, and 68% with completed university studies. The qualitative analysis focused on three thematic areas: factors associated with the practice of chemsex, the impact of chemsex on health, and prevention and risk reduction needs. It is concluded that the practice of chemsex should be understood as multifactorial and multicausal, associated with the sociocultural context. Sexual satisfaction, increased libido and the search for more intense pleasure are identified as key factors among people who practice it. These men are still scared of being judged, even by specialists who may lack knowledge or training. A reanalysis and rethinking of the interventions and policies directed towards this population is necessary, putting the focus of action on shared decision-making, self-care, cultural competence and the humanization of care.

El chemsex se define como el uso de drogas psicoactivas con el objetivo de mantener relaciones sexuales entre hombres gay, bisexuales y otros hombres que tienen sexo con hombres (GBHSH), por un largo periodo de tiempo. El objetivo de este estudio cualitativo exploratorio es describir la práctica del chemsex desde la perspectiva de los usuarios, determinar los principales factores asociados a su práctica, la percepción del impacto en su salud y establecer necesidades de prevención. Se obtuvieron los datos mediante técnicas conversacionales: 12 entrevistas semiestructuradas y 3 grupos focales. El análisis cualitativo se centró en tres áreas temáticas: factores asociados a la práctica de chemsex, impacto del chemsex en la salud y necesidades prevención y reducción de riesgos. La muestra intencionada fue conformada por hombres GBHSH con una edad media de 40,1 años, 78% nacidos en España, y 68% con estudios universitarios finalizados. Los resultados del estudio ponen de manifiesto que la práctica de chemsex debe comprenderse como multifactorial y multicausal, y asociada al contexto sociocultural. La satisfacción sexual, del aumento de la libido y de la búsqueda de placer más intenso se identifican como factores clave entre las personas que lo practican. Sigue existiendo miedo en estos hombres a ser juzgados, incluso por los especialistas que pueden carecer de conocimiento o formación. Es necesario un reanálisis y replanteamiento de las intervenciones y políticas dirigidas hacia esta población, poniendo el foco de acción en la toma de decisiones compartidas, el autocuidado, la competencia cultural y la humanización del cuidado.

Expectations of patients awaiting lung transplantation: A qualitative study.

AIM: The main aim of the present study is to examine the expectations and feelings of people awaiting lung transplantation. BACKGROUND: The assessment of the benefits of lung transplant should consider, among other things, the subjective perceptions of patients about the procedure, especially in relation to the context and to their values, goals and expectations. This is an issue that has not been studied in depth, especially in Spain. DESIGN: Exploratory qualitative study. METHODS: Data were collected through semi-structured interviews during the period of being on the waiting list for transplantation. Thematic analysis of the data was supported by the Atlas.ti software. RESULTS: The study population comprised 16 patients awaiting lung transplant, a number sufficient to reach data saturation. Four categories were identified to describe patients' feelings and expectations: (1) reasons for undergoing the transplant, (2) expectations about life post-transplant, (3) emotional state, and (4) relationship with the healthcare team. CONCLUSIONS: Patients have high expectations of lung transplantation. They see it as offering them a second chance at life, although the future creates uncertainty. The healthcare professionals are identified as key actors, providing essential support and information throughout the various stages of the process. Future research should explore recipients' experiences of lung transplant at later stages. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: It is important to adapt care through all the lung transplant process, which is accompanied by intense and complex emotions since the beginning. Thus, providing social and psychological support from the beginning may contribute to their health status, helping them deal with all the emotions and feelings experienced, and find balance between expectations and reality. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Sixteen patients awaiting lung transplant were interviewed. Interview transcripts were returned to participants to check for accuracy with their experiences.

The nursing critical thinking in clinical practice questionnaire for nursing students: A psychometric evaluation study.

AIM: To adapt and validate the N-CT-4 Practice for use with Spanish nursing students. BACKGROUND: Promoting critical thinking is one of the primary objectives of nursing education programs all over the world. Using reliable and valid instruments to measure critical thinking is essential. The Nursing Critical Thinking in Clinical Practice Questionnaire (N-CT-4 Practice) is used internationally to assess critical thinking in nursing practice. However, little is known about the possible applications of this instrument in the context of nursing education. METHODS: Two-phase study: Phase I, adaptation of the N-CT-4 Practice for use with nursing students and verification of its content validity; phase 2, cross-sectional study to validate its psychometric properties in a sample of 331 nursing students from three university nursing schools. A subsample of 34 students completed the questionnaire on two occasions, with a time interval of two weeks. The construct validity and reliability of the instrument were tested using confirmatory factor analysis, convergent validity, internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability. The STROBE guidelines and the COSMIN checklist were followed. RESULTS: All items obtained optimal content validity values. The model fit indices obtained from the confirmatory factor analysis supported the hypothesis of the four-dimensional structure on which the original questionnaire was based. Cronbach's alpha of 0.96 indicated high reliability. The correlations between the total score and the scores for the dimensions were statistically significant, positive and high, with values above r = 0.78 (p < 0.05). Lin's concordance correlation coefficient was 0.6 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The adapted version of the N-CT-4 Practice is suitable for measuring critical thinking skills in the educational context of the degree course in nursing in Spain. Its psychometric validation yielded satisfactory results.

Autonomy and isolation experienced by patients and primary caregivers during COVID-19 hospitalization in Barcelona (Spain).

This study aims to describe patients' and family caregivers' hospitalization experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using qualitative exploratory descriptive methods, 13 patients admitted to the largest hospital in Barcelona (Spain) due to COVID-19 were interviewed by telephone once discharged, as were eight primary caregivers. Data were analyzed using the content analysis method proposed by Krippendorff. Two main themes were identified: (i) Acceptance of mandatory isolation for patients and family caregivers, which refers to the verbalization of a feeling that justifies the imposed isolation and the need for the use of personal protective equipment by the health team for everyone's safety; and (ii) Limited autonomy during hospitalization for patients and family caregivers, which describes participants' perceptions of autonomy during hospitalization. Patients and caregivers experienced feelings of loneliness, which negatively affected their emotional health. In addition, they experienced reduced autonomy due to new habits and routines intended to control the pandemic for the benefit of public and global health.

Understanding the expectations of nursing students following the first clinical internship: A qualitative study.

This study aimed to describe how nursing students' expectations are achieved in their first clinical internship, as part of a longitudinal qualitative study conducted in a public nursing school in Barcelona, Spain. Data in the current phase were collected in 2019 from students (n = 15) after completing an internship for the first time, recruited with purposive sampling until data saturation was reached in semi-structured interviews, and thematic analysis was performed on the interview content. Positive factors that had a powerful influence on students included the accessibility at the internship location and the experience with the clinical instructor, when these provided assessment and integration of the student in the health team. Practical learning is mediated by chance in terms of the center, service, teacher, and clinical instructor assigned. It is crucial to establish consensual measures among all the actors involved to facilitate the efficacy of teaching and learning.