Duty Nurses Research Articles

Nurses on the outside, problems on the inside! The duty of nurses to support unions.

Healthcare is increasingly impacted by chronic short staffing of nurses, which causes and is caused by increased nurse burnout and decreased retention. Nurses' unions seek to address these problems by proposing safer nurse-to-patient ratios, retention bonuses for working through the COVID-19 pandemic, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) stockpiles, sabbatical leaves, measures aimed at reducing workplace violence, and maintaining or increasing wages and benefits to keep nurses at the bedside. Chronic short staffing and burnout directly affect the quality and availability of patient care-as the International Council of Nurses has pointed out, there is no healthcare without healthcare workers. This article draws on Neiman's argument that the US healthcare system is best understood as a system of competing interests aimed at fulfilling the community's obligation to provide access to quality healthcare. Nurses' unions use contract negotiations, legislative advocacy, and strikes to pressure other members of the healthcare community to address chronic short staffing, burnout, and retention. Nurses' unions in the US thus play a unique role in the system of competing interest as an organized group whose primary interest aligns with the community's obligation to provide access to quality healthcare. This article argues that nurses' professional duty to care for patients includes a duty to support nurses' unions as an important way to address the factors outside of nurses' direct practice that impacts the quality and accessibility of the care that nurses provide to patients. This duty to support unions applies to unionized and non-unionized nurses in the US, and includes duties to participate in union activities, to not cross picket lines, and to avoid work for strikebreaking nurse agencies.

Association of Sleep Duration and BMI with Periodontitis in Nurses Working in Day and Night Shifts and Its Impact on Co-morbidities

Background: Gender imbalances persist in high-ranking leadership roles, particularly in Aim: To evaluate the association between duration of Sleep and Body-Mass Index (BMI) as potential risk factors with Periodontitis and other co morbidities in duty nurses. Methodology: An observational study was carried out on 42 duty nurses working in hospital. Two Questionnaires (PSQI) Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and (ESS) Epworth-Sleepiness Scale were subjectively filled. Study was conducted in 2 phases in the same duty nurses. Phase 1 Duty nurses in morning shift underwent evaluation for periodontal health, BMI and Waist -Hip ratio was recorded. Blood Samples were drawn for analysis of C-Reactive protein, lipid profile and Fasting Blood Sugar. Participants were asked to maintain sleep diary for 6 months. Phase 2: Same Duty Nurses working in Night Shift after 6 months of sleep diary maintenance underwent evaluation of same parameters as phase 1. All-the data were tabulated and sent for statistical-analysis. Results: The result showed that, the association of duration of sleep to Periodontitis was statistically significant in the morning-shift and night-shift (p=0.001), although association of Body Mass Index to periodontitis was statistically significant in the night shift with p value=0.001 than in the morning-shift. The association of Plaque Index and Gingival-Index with duration of sleep and BMI was statistically significant. The parameters taken to study the co-morbidities showed statistical significant difference between the two shifts except WHR ratio, LDL, HDL, Triglyceride, Plaque index. Conclusion: There is an association of Duration of Sleep and Body Mass Index as a potential risk factor for periodontitis and other co-morbidities (Cardiovascular disease and Diabetes) in duty nurses, however the association is much stronger in duty nurses working in night shift than morning shift.

Disaster management competence, disaster preparedness belief, and disaster preparedness relationship: Nurses after the 2023 Turkey earthquake.

To examine the relationship between nurses' competency levels in disaster nursing management, their disaster preparedness and disaster preparedness beliefs. Nurses' competency in disaster nursing management makes disaster response easier. Factors that may affect this reason should be examined. The study was conducted between April and July 2023 with nurses working in a province in the first-degree earthquake zone in Turkey. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 207 nurses who were selected from primary, secondary, and tertiary care institutions by using the stratified sampling method. Data were collected with a personal information form, the Competencies for Disaster Nursing Management Questionnaire, the Disaster Preparedness Scale, and the General Disaster Preparedness Beliefs Scale. Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests, Spearman regression coefficient, and multiple linear regression analysis were used to analyze the data. There was a positive correlation between nurses' competency levels regarding duties and responsibilities and their disaster preparedness levels. Having disaster-related training also positively affected the level of competence in duties and responsibilities. Belief in disaster preparedness and having "partial" knowledge about the disaster had no relationship with competencies. According to the International Council of Nurses and current studies on disaster nursing, "competence areas" are among the priority study subjects. According to the study results, disaster preparedness and having disaster-related education are effective factors in nurses' competencies related to duties and responsibilities. The results of this study may increase awareness in the healthcare system about nurses' disaster management competency levels and the factors that may affect this. It is recommended that disaster preparedness and disaster-related education factors should be taken into account in the initiatives and policies to be planned to improve the duty and responsibility competence of nurses.

The wet nurses of the Hospital Real of Santiago de Compostela between 1803 and 1808.

To analyze the duties of wet nurses at the Hospital Real in Santiago de Compostela (Spain). The secondary objectives were to compare the mortality rate and distribution by parish of the foundlings under the care of the Royal House between 1803 and 1808; and to determine the origin of the Galician foundlings who participated in the Royal Philanthropic Expedition of the Smallpox Vaccine in 1803. Historiographic study that analyzed sorted and not sorted in series indirect positional and quantitative historical sources. The duties of wet nurses during the studied period were to provide basic care and cultural instruction. The mortality rate of foundlings fluctuated during that period and their distribution by parish (functional unit of healthcare services at that time) was similar in those years, with a predominance in the provinces of A Coruña and Pontevedra. A total of 5 Galician foundlings from the House analyzed were part of the smallpox vaccine expedition, their names were Juan Antonio, Jacinto, Gerónimo María, Francisco Florencio and Juan Francisco. During the observed period the wet nurses of the Hospital Real of Santiago de Compostela were in charge of pediatric care. Wet nurses were vital in the role of keeping the foundlings alive and can be considered as one of the forerunners of the pediatric nurse profession at that time.

THE START SORTING SYSTEM AND THE NURSE’S PARTICIPATION IN ITS IMPLEMENTATION

Introduction. This article highlights the problem of organizing the sorting of patients during mass admission to medical institutions and providing emergency medical care. The role of the nurse in conducting triage and providing emergency care at the early hospital stage is within the framework of limited resources. The urgency of working out the response protocol in the event of an emergency. The aim of the study – to determine the role of the nurse in the triage and provision of emergency care at the early hospital stage within the framework of a limited resource. To establish the relevance of the use of the START medical triage system in the practical activities of a nurse. The relevance of working out the response protocol in the event of an emergency among nurses. The main part. The medical triage system START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) is an effective tool for organizing and accelerating the process of correct routing of patients in mass cases and crises when resources are limited and medical needs are high. Medical triage criteria also include signs of primary medical examination. As their professional responsibilities expand, nurses can use the ABCD algorithm to assess the patient’s condition. Knowledge of the principles of this medical triage system, the ability to provide emergency medical care, evenly and effectively distribute resources, follow the instructions of the coordinating physician, describe medical documentation, and label the patient’s category have become the duties of nurses due to the increasing frequency of emergencies. Conclusions. The START (Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment) triage system is used for prompt and efficient selection of victims during emergencies. The role of the nurse in this process is extremely important. First of all, the nurse must have skills in the application of the START triage technique and an understanding of its basics. During triage, the nurse can quickly assess the condition of each victim, determine the category, and assign the appropriate color tag. Provision of emergency medical care in conditions of limited resources, coordination, and reporting for further organization of medical care are key elements in the formation of nursing competence during triage. Using the principles of medical triage can help optimize treatment and save more lives in emergencies.

Discrimination against the female surgeon in the exercise of her profession.

To describe the discrimination experienced by the general female surgeon. Prospective, cross-sectional and descriptive study, with a survey of 30 questions, closed, anonymous, voluntary and confidential, distributed through a link in the WhatsApp chat in a closed group of female surgeons who are members of the Asociación Mexicana de Cirugía General. 146 female surgeons participated, with a response rate of 58.4%. The discrimination perceived by female surgeons in training was 86 (58.9%), and 28 (19.2%) when they are already surgeons by not allowing them to perform the same procedures as their peers. Regarding the patients, discrimination against female surgeons was 72 (49.3%). They do not call them doctors, but "ladies", in 126 (86.3%), and they are asked to perform nursing duties in 120 (82.2%). On the other hand, there is also discrimination against female surgeons by nursing staff in 87 (59.6%). Discrimination is common in the daily surgical practice of female surgeons in all three areas: peers, patients, and nursing staff. This is an initial work, where the quantification of discrimination in Mexico is carried out. Strategies must be implemented to avoid discrimination against female surgeons and be in an environment of equality.

Psychosocial Services Provided to Cancer Patients and Nurses' Difficulties in Psychosocial Assessment and Intervention: A Nationwide Study

Objective: The study mainly aims to determine the current state of psychosocial services offered to cancer patients and the views of nurses regarding the ways to meet patients’ psychosocial needs. Other aims to evaluate barriers to meeting patients’ psychosocial needs and measure nurses' difficulty level of psychosocial assessment and intervention practices. Methods: This multicenter, cross-sectional study was conducted with 1189 nurses providing direct care to adult cancer patients in 32 hospitals in 12 geographical regions of Turkey. The data were collected by a survey prepared in accordance with the aims of the study. Results: Three-quarters of the participants reported that their hospital has psychosocial support services while 67.7% stated that this service was provided by psychiatry consultation. Nearly half (49%) stated that all healthcare professionals are responsible for meeting patients’ psychosocial needs, especially it is an integral part of their nursing duties. However, organizational conditions (48.2%-30.7%) are the most important barriers to meeting the psychosocial needs of the patients. Participants have difficulty mostly in assessing and intervening in psychosocial needs of patients mostly in "sexual problems" and "rejection of treatment", and least in "patients’ reactions to illness". Also, the participants have more difficulty in assessing seven of the 19 psychosocial dimensions and intervening in five (p

TRANSITION FROM MATERNAL CHRONIC RENAL FAILURE TO PERITONEAL DIALYSIS TREATMENT

Chronic kidney failure (CKF) has become an increasingly important public health issue in our country and worldwide. According to data systems in our country, as of the end of 2022, there were a total of 86,665 patients with chronic kidney failure, and 4.1% of these patients undergo peritoneal dialysis treatment. Peritoneal dialysis requires active participation of the patient in the treatment, and it can lead to negative effects on body image, self-esteem, and sexual relations due to the peritoneal dialysis catheter, causing anxiety and depression in patients and negatively affecting their quality of life. Throughout human life, individuals undergo changes in identity, roles, responsibilities, abilities, and behaviors due to various reasons (illness, pregnancy, death, birth). One of the fundamental duties of nurses is to assist individuals undergoing various transitions in their lives, to support healthy transitions, and to minimize unhealthy transitions. In this study, the process of transition experienced by a healthy woman transitioning to the role of motherhood due to health problems during pregnancy, and transitioning to chronic kidney failure and peritoneal dialysis treatment, is examined based on Meleis' Transition Theory

An approach to the emotional design of female nursing scrubs

Nurses often encounter negative emotions such as fatigue, boredom, anxiety and fear in the course of their nursing duties, and one of the efficient approaches to improve their emotions is to wear the proper nursing scrubs during their tasks. This paper presents a work with the overall objective to have an emotionally tailored apparel design of nursing scrubs. To reach this objective, the study first mines Kansei words to recognize nurses’ emotions in nursing scrubs domain. Then, design attributes and their corresponding attribute levels for nursing scrubs are identified and determined by applying the rank sum ratio method. Furthermore, a model mapping nurses’ emotions to design attributes of nursing scrubs is established by employing the entropy-weight technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution approach. The study yields two significant contributions: (a) presenting the first ever emotion recognition for nurses, which provides a domain-specific foundation for investigating nurses’ psychological wellbeing; (b) constructing a model to conduct the emotional apparel design of female nursing scrubs, which offers a guide to improve preferred and satisfied female nursing scrubs for nurses, and thus positive emotions will be experienced during their nursing duties.

Multicenter evaluation to determine the deficiencies of emergency nurses in forensic case management

IntroductionEmergency services are the first places where victims and/or perpetrators of different types of violence are brought for medical treatment. Emergency service nurses are the first health workers who first encounter with the forensic case, first communicate and are in an important position in the rapid and accurate continuation of the forensic process. In this study, it was aimed to determine the level of knowledge of emergency department nurses regarding the management of forensic cases. MethodsThe study was a cross-sectional, descriptive. Ninety-eight emergency nurses working in the emergency departments of three different public hospitals in the same province participated in the study. Study data were collected with the “Nurse Personal Information Form” and the “Knowledge Levels of Nurses related to the Approaches to Forensic Cases Questionnaire”. Results70.4 % of the nurses participating in the study were women, their mean age was (X ± SD = 27.36 ± 5.21). It is seen that 87.8 % of the nurses have a total working time in the emergency unit between 1 and 5 years and 11.2 % have received training on forensic nursing. “Total Knowledge Score” of undergraduate graduate nurses The mean score was higher and there was a significant difference between the groups (p > 0.05). The nurses who received in-service training and forensically evaluated all cases admitted to the emergency department had a higher mean score in the “Knowledge Score Regarding the Duties of Nurses Regarding Forensic Cases” mean was higher and there was a significant difference between the groups (p > 0.05). ConclusionWe recommend the use of institutional guides/protocols together with in-service training for emergency nurses to provide medically and legally correct forensic care and to have sufficient knowledge.

Factors associated with foreign-educated nurses’ willingness to continue working in Japan: a qualitative study

BackgroundJapan has been accepting foreign nurse candidates since 2008 under Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs). As globalisation progresses, nurses from diverse backgrounds are expected to play an active role in the medical field. Using an interview survey, this study examined the factors associated with EPA nurses’ willingness to continue working in Japan.MethodsWe conducted semi-structured interviews from January 2022 to July 2023 with eight EPA nurses and one EPA nurse candidate working in Japan to investigate the factors associated with foreign-educated nurses’ willingness to continue working in Japan. The interview guide included items on the status of the daily performance of their duties, what they found pleasurable in their nursing experience in Japan, difficulties they encountered in carrying out their nursing duties, and their expectations of the Japanese staff around them. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.ResultsFrom the interview data, seven themes were extracted. To continue working in Japan, it was important for EPA nurses to be able to communicate with patients and colleagues, maintain self-esteem and motivation, be resilient, have support from EPA peers and family members, be accepted by others such as patients and colleagues, and be satisfied with the support they received.ConclusionThe EPA nurses experienced many difficulties after becoming nurses and tended to be isolated because of their non-Japanese status. The results suggest that not only support from colleagues and supervisors but also a general understanding of EPA nurses from Japanese society is necessary. As globalisation accelerates, the Japanese nursing field needs to understand the diversity of the nursing profession and build a support system that will enable them to continue to take pride and feel motivated in their work.

Privacy-Preserving Wireless Sensor Networks for E-Healthcare Applications

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are a powerful support system for the fundamental infrastructure that is required to monitor physiological and activity parameters (WSN). Wearable devices, which are also referred to as wireless nodes in the scientific world, are what are used in order to measure one or more of the user’s vital signs. Each and every wireless node is a teeny-tiny device that is meant to be supplied with enough amounts of storage space, power, and transmission capability. The loss of data packets may occur during the transmission of data via a wireless medium for a number of reasons. These reasons include interferences, improper deployment circumstances, distance, and inadequate signal strength. The monitoring of a user’s physiological information and postural activity information in various applications, such as home care and hospital care, is the primary emphasis of this study. In this work, the WSN was shown thanks to the introduction of wireless sensor nodes that were created locally. These wireless sensor nodes are used in the process of analyzing many aspects of a network, such as the received signal strength, transmission offset, packet delivery ratio (PDR), and signal-to-noise interference. The work significantly improves the capabilities of conventional WSN by implementing a variety of alternative communication approaches, such as network-coded cooperative communication (NC-CC) and cooperative communication (CC). The system that is being shown makes it feasible to localize the user’s approximate position inside an indoor setting without making use of any camera network connections. This is made possible by the system’s ability to determine the user’s location via triangulation. This is one of the benefits that the system provides. A hospital sensor network, an example of which is being shown here, is capable of doing real-time monitoring of a patient’s postural activity as well as their general health. The method is being promoted in order to ensure that the patient will get assistance in a timely manner that is adequate to his/her needs. Involving NC-CC enables the effective sharing of real-time data among the group of privileged duty nurses while simultaneously minimizing the amount of network traffic, latency, and throughput. This is possible because of NC-CC protocol. The findings of the experiments showed that the proposed method of communication, which is known as dynamic retransmit/rebroadcast decision control, is a significant advancement in the network coding approach that is presently being utilized. This was demonstrated by the fact that the method was shown to be significantly more effective.

Night Shift Duty of Nurses and its Effects on Family and Social Lives

Background: The problem with a night shift working at that, the human race is diurnal, who are functions during day time. Night workers report a number of health problems. Therefore these negative effects have consequences not just for individual, but also for work place, as decreased alertness and reduced job performance that could endanger human lives and affect the quality of life. The assumption is that ergonomically designed shift schedules will assist in the reduction of physiological and psychosocial hazards in the workplace. Objective: This study was aimed to find out the factors influencing night shift of nurses working in Shahid Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital, Bogra Methods: A descriptive study was used in this study. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaire and the data was analyzed using SPSS. Results: Here, 16% of the respondents felt discomfort during night shift. 66% they don’t get enough sleep after night duty. 60% of the respondents mentioned that night shift sometimes affects their attitude negatively. 70% stated that night shift sometimes affects their mood. 70% also stated that night shift sometimes disturbs their social life. 80% mentioned that night shift sometimes increases interpersonal conflict in their family. Conclusion: The findings revealed that the participated nurses were not comfortable with night shift at all. Night workers accumulate a sleep deficit and sleepy workers make mistakes. The most dangerous are those who build up a “sleep debt” depriving themselves of sleep over long periods.

간호대학생의 리더십 이론 공감 유형 분석

Objectives As the importance of cultivating the leadership capabilities of nursing students who will perform nurs-ing duties as nurses in various practical sites is emphasized, this study investigates modern leadership theo-ries(transformational leadership, charismatic leadership, servant leadership, and genuine leadership) among nursing students. An attempt was made to identify and systematically understand types of empathy. Methods Through an open-ended questionnaire, fourth-year nursing students who had taken a nursing leader-ship course for one semester were asked to choose the theory they most resonate with among four modern lead-ership theories and write down the reasons for their choice. A total of 151 people were analyzed using content analysis. Results As a result, among the four modern leadership theories, the distribution of empathy was in the following order: servant leadership (41.1%), transformational leadership (27.1%), authentic leadership (16.6%), and char-ismatic leadership (15.2%). Servant leadership included three themes out of a total of seven: ‘Service and Dedication’, ‘Respect for Members’, and ‘Personal Values’ (41.1%). Transformational leadership included 4 themes out of a total of 12: ‘Leader characteristics’, ‘Organization-first thinking’, ‘Identification with self’, and ‘Internal rewards’ (27.1%). Authentic leadership included three themes out of a total of five: ‘Self-understanding,’ ‘Authenticity,’ and ‘Everyone’s growth’ (16.6%). Charismatic leadership included three themes out of a total of seven: ‘ideal leader’, ‘employee commitment’, and ‘performance-oriented thinking’ (15.2%). Conclusions Through analysis of nursing students' empathy types for leadership theory, it can be used as basic data to identify the nursing leadership capabilities that must be achieved in nursing education and to set the scope and level to smoothly perform nurses' work through education and training.

Effect of a supportive-educational program, based on COPE model, on quality of life and caregiver burden of family caregivers of heart failure patients: a randomized clinical trial study

BackgroundHeart failure (HF) is one of the most common and spreading diseases worldwide. As HF symptoms progress, it is affected the quality of life and the caregiver burden of the family. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the supportive-educational program, based on the COPE (creativity, optimism, planning and expert advice) care model, on the quality of life and caregiver burden of family caregivers of HF patients.MethodThis clinical trial was conducted on 90 caregivers of HF patients admitted to Isfahan in 2021. The samples were divided into experimental (n = 45 people) and control (n = 45 people) groups based on random allocation (card method). The experimental group received problem-solving skills based on the four components of the COPE model in six sessions during one month. to collect data, the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) and the Zarit Burden Interview (ZBI) were used in two groups before, after and three months after the intervention.ResultsThere was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups regarding gender, but This confounding factor had no significant effect on the two components of quality of life and caregiver burden. There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of the mean score of quality of life immediately(75.99),and three months after the intervention (78.78) (P < 0.05) and the mean score of care burden, immediately (16.60) and three months after the intervention (12.73) (P < 0.05).ConclusionsOne of the important duties of nurses is to implement educational-supportive programs for patients after the discharge of patients, These programs are family-oriented remotely for their caregivers.Trial registrationThis study was registered by the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials with decree code: IRCT20211128053202N1on 2022–02-20.

Effectiveness of Pre-Employment Training in Improving the Basic Competencies, Level of Confidence and Reducing Anxiety among Nurses in Selected Tertiary Hospital in Muntinlupa City

Background: The pre-employment training consists of structured programs designed to prepare novice nurses for their specific roles within a healthcare organization. The critical components of Pre-Employment Basic Competencies training are the following: Orientation- it introduces nurses to the hospital environment, its mission, vision, and core values; Clinical Competencies – focus on essential skills such as medication administration, intravenous line insertion, wound care, carrying out of orders and many more. Nurses should familiarize themselves with the Hospital Information System. They need to learn inter-professional collaboration among colleagues, effective teamwork, and communication. Hospital protocols and policies are emphasized to prevent errors and adverse events. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of critical reflection training among novice nurses in enhancing their clinical critical-thinking abilities, communication competency, and job performance. Method: This study employed a converged mixed methods approach, incorporating quantitative and qualitative methodologies. This meticulously designed mixed methods study employed 100 respondents using a stratified random technique. In a qualitative study, purposive sampling was utilized in 10 selected participants based on provided insights into the training effectiveness. Results: The study highlights the significant positive impact of the pre-employment competency program on newly hired nurses. The program enhanced participants’ clinical skills, communication abilities, and critical thinking. Most participants, predominantly young female nurses with less than five years of experience, reported a marked increase in their confidence and reduced anxiety related to their nursing duties. Results indicate the program was highly influential, scoring 4.52, categorized as “Very Effective.” The training significantly increased confidence (t = 18.4633, p = 0.000) and reduced anxiety (t = -7.80, p = 0.001), equipping nurses with the skills needed for clinical practice. Key strengths included patient assessment (4.66), critical thinking (4.60), psychomotor skills (4.50), and decision-making (4.50). Simulation exercises, hands-on practice, and role-playing contributed to reduced anxiety and improved confidence by familiarizing nurses with real-world scenarios in a supportive environment. Nurses also reported enhanced communication skills, teamwork, and professional interactions. The training effectively aligned with role-specific responsibilities, addressing critical clinical competencies while identifying areas for curriculum refinement. Findings underscore the value of such programs in preparing nurses for professional roles, enhancing patient care quality, and fostering a confident, competent workforce. Continuous updates and targeted training are recommended to meet evolving nursing demands. The training also addressed communication skills and complaint management effectively. Participants benefited from learning effective communication techniques and engaging in role-playing exercises, which improved their interactions with doctors, co-workers, and patients. The focus on handling complaints and conflicts equipped nurses with strategies to manage difficult situations more confidently, thereby reducing anxiety and enhancing their effectiveness in dealing with various scenarios in the healthcare environment. Despite the overall success of the training program, some gaps in coverage were noted, particularly about specific role responsibilities and essential topics. Demographic factors, such as gender and years of experience, also influenced participants’ experiences and outcomes. Future iterations of the program should address these gaps by refining content to cover all essential topics comprehensively and considering demographic variations to tailor the training more effectively. This approach will ensure that the program continues to support new nurses in delivering high-quality patient care and improving their job satisfaction.

A Day in the Life of.... A Pediatric Private Duty Nurse.

A Day in the Life of.... A Pediatric Private Duty Nurse.

Challenges and coping strategies on rotational shift work and multishift duty of nurses

Challenges and coping strategies on rotational shift work and multishift duty of nurses

Experiences of Psychiatric Nurses Working in a Closed Psychiatric Unit during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Purpose: This study aimed to understand the experiences of psychiatric nurses providing care for inpatients with mental illness during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: Data were collected from 18 April to 10 July 2023. Eleven psychiatric nurses in closed psychiatric units were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. In-depth individual interviews were conducted for data collection, and reflexive thematic analysis was used for data analysis and the development of themes. Results: The five resulting themes were as follows: ‘prioritizing infection control over psychiatric nursing duties’, ‘increased burden of nursing care due to the complexities of mental illness’, ‘challenges in closed wards due to staffing shortages and susceptibility to infection’, ‘providing optimal psychiatric nursing care with limited resources’, and ‘change and growth of psychiatric nurses through the pandemic crisis’. Conclusion: Training in infection control and crisis response should be provided to psychiatric nurses in preparation for future pandemic crises. Facility and personnel support, guidelines, and patient education strategies that account for psychiatric characteristics should be provided. In addition, stress management and burnout prevention programs for psychiatric nurses are needed.

Qualitative systematic review: The lived experiences of males in the nursing profession on gender discrimination encounters.

This review aims to synthesise the best available evidence exploring the lived experiences of males in the nursing profession on gender discrimination encounters. The underrepresentation of males within the nursing profession could potentially cause discrimination and stereotypes against them, causing barriers to entry into, and retention within, the profession. With a shortage in manpower, the deterrence of males to nursing might exacerbate the existing manpower shortage. This review consolidates and highlights the lived experiences of males in the profession. The review was synthesised according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. Employing the meta-synthesis approach, two independent reviewers conducted critical appraisal and data extraction of included studies, using the standard Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) Critical Appraisal Instrument for Qualitative Research and a standardised data extraction form, respectively. Twenty-three studies were included. Extracted findings were aggregated into 14 categories and synthesised into three themes: stereotypes, discrimination and challenges faced by males. The synthesised findings showed that male nurses faced gender discrimination in multiple facets. These caused them to have difficulty in carrying out their nursing duties, missing out of clinical opportunities and causing them multiple social and mental stressors. This review informed the discriminatory experiences faced by males within the nursing profession. With males already underrepresented within this profession, it is imperative for interventions, policies and research to be made to address this issue to improve experiences of male nurses, thereby limiting the deterrence of males into the profession. Findings of this study showed that males are being stereotyped and discriminated, resulting in challenges faced solely because of their gender. Effective interventions and policies could be implemented to alleviate the negative experiences.