Interest in Working as an Infection Prevention and Control Nurse and Perception of This Position by Nursing Students-Results of a Pilot Study.

Background: The results of several studies in the area of infection control in Poland are disturbing. The situation may be shaped by many factors. However, the key factor for effective infection prevention and control is dedicated personnel, especially infection prevention and control nurses (IPCN). Nevertheless, based on the available published data and the authors' experience, in many Polish hospitals infection control is not sufficiently appreciated by managers, it is consequently underfunded, and treated by medical staff as a nuisance. This may influence the nurses willingness to work as IPCN. The aim of the study was to assess the nursing students' perception of the work of IPCN and their interest in employment in this position, as well as the potential reasons for choosing this particular specialization. Materials and methods: The study was conducted using the authors' anonymous questionnaire conducted among nursing students of three Polish universities. The questionnaire was prepared by a panel of experts working in the field of infection control, including nurses working both as academic teachers and infection control nurses in hospitals. The design of the questionnaire was based on the authors' own experience, knowledge, and exchanging information with the practitioners in infection control in Poland. The reliability of the questionnaire was confirmed by the Cronbach alpha test. The raw alpha values and 95% CI for two main questions concerning opinion were: 0.76 (0.72-0.81) and 0.69 (0.63-0.75). Results: The study was conducted among 253 students, mostly women (98%) of full-time (31.4%) and extramural (68.6%) studies. The age range of the respondents was 20-58 years, median = 26 years, IQR = 19 years. To the key item in the questionnaire, i.e., "Would you like to work as an IPCN?", 84.6% (214 respondents; first group) of the respondents answered "no" and 15.4% (39 respondents, second group) answered "yes". The results revealed no significant differences between the two groups concerning the position responsibilities and appreciation by other medical staff. Additionally, for respondents willing to work as ICPN the most important issues were the influence on patient safety, expected salary, and possibility of professional development; for the respondents from the other group the most important issue was lack of contact with patients. The results concerning the students' opinion on the perception of IPCN by medical personnel proved to be peculiar. About 80% of the respondents confirmed the IPCNs' key role in ensuring patient and personnel safety, while only 31.6% declared their high standing in the hospital hierarchy. Conclusions: The obtained results indicate the necessity of thorough studies on the organization and structure of infection control in Polish hospitals, with a particular emphasis on building a positive perception of IPCNs by medical staff, as well as implementing an education campaign on infection control in the hospital environment.

Oncology health workers' views and experiences on caring for ethnic minority patients: A mixed method systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate what published research reveals about the views and experiences of oncology health workers when caring for ethnic minority patients. DESIGN: Systematic review of qualitative and quantitative studies. DATA SOURCES: The following databases were systematically screened: PubMed, CINAHL, Web of Science, and AnthroSource. Reference lists were checked for additional articles. REVIEW METHODS: Empirical studies or systematic reviews (1/2000 to 12/2013) were included if they concerned the oncology setting and the views or experiences of healthcare workers and care users belonging to an ethnic or cultural minority group. The methodological quality of each individual study was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme for Qualitative Studies and the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. RESULTS: Eighteen publications met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen articles had a qualitative, four a quantitative, and one a mixed methods design. The results in the individual studies were heterogeneous. Most studies reported challenges or barriers when caring for ethnic minority patients, whereas fewer than half of the articles discussed facilitating factors and opportunities. Oncology health workers participating in the included studies sought to provide professional standards of care and tried to adapt care to the needs of ethnic minority patients. However, they experienced formidable communication barriers and they feared doing things that might be considered culturally insensitive. The organizational aspects of care for the oncology patient appeared to have a significant influence on how healthcare providers view and experience oncology care for ethnic minority patients. CONCLUSIONS: Views and experiences of participating oncology health workers were characterized by a willingness to provide proper care for ethnic minority patients, but this was hampered by a tangle of interrelated issues such as linguistic barriers, fear and uncertainty, and assumptions about cultural matters. Organizational aspects were shown to be a strong influence on healthcare workers caring for ethnic minority patients. Due to methodological limitations of the included studies, conclusions should be viewed with caution.

Os jovens homossexuais masculinos e sua saúde: uma revisão sistemática / Young male homosexuals and their health: a systematic review / Los jóvenes homosexuales masculinos y su salud: una revisión sistemática

Com o objetivo de analisar a literatura acadêmica de abordagem sociocultural acerca da relação entre os temas homossexualidade masculina, homem jovem e saúde, realizou-se uma revisão baseada na análise de conteúdo temática de 37 artigos selecionados, nas bases de dados Medline e Lilacs, entre 2004 e 2013. A escassez de literatura na perspectiva sociocultural apontou para obstáculos e desafios, relacionados à promoção de saúde, que vão desde a qualidade da informação, passando por valores simbólicos inconscientes, até a efetivação de propostas de gestores de saúde. Concluiu-se que a hegemonia heterossexual encontra-se presente nas estruturas inconscientes da construção da homossexualidade, contribuindo para a perpetuação do habitus heteronormativo. Estudos que valorizam o encontro do saber técnico com o conhecimento que cada um produz, referido a seus valores pessoais e culturais, podem servir de subsídio para o maior aprofundamento dessa discussão...

This review aimed to analyze the academic literature with a sociocultural approach regarding the relationship between topics of male homosexuality, young men and health. It was based on thematic content analysis on 37 articles published between 2004 and 2013 that were selected from the Medline and Lilacs databases. The scarcity of literature on the sociocultural perspective showed that there were obstacles and challenges relating to health promotion, ranging from the quality of information to unconscious symbolic values and how proposals from healthcare managers are put into effect. It was concluded that heterosexual hegemony is present in the unconscious structures of the construct of homosexuality, thereby contributing towards perpetuation of the heteronormative habitus. Studies valuing the meeting point of technical knowledge with the knowledge that each individual produces, relating to personal and cultural values, may serve as a basis for deepening this discussion...

Con el objetivo de analizar la literatura académica de abordaje sociocultural sobre la relación entre homosexualidad masculina, hombre joven y salud, se realizó una revisión basada en el análisis de contenido temático de 37 artículos seleccionados en Medline y Lilacs, entre 2004 y 2013. La escasez de literatura en la perspectiva sociocultural señaló obstáculos y desafíos relacionados con la promoción de la salud que van desde la calidad de la información, pasando por valores simbólicos inconscientes, hasta la efectuación de propuestas de gestores de salud. Se concluyó que la hegemonía heterosexual se encuentra presente en las estructuras inconscientes de la construcción de la homosexualidad, contribuyendo para la perpetuación del habitus heteronormativo. Estudios que valorizan el encuentro del saber técnico con el conocimiento que cada uno produce, referido a sus valores personales y culturales, pueden servir de subsidio para una mayor profundización de esa discusión...