Main Themes Research Articles

Lived Experiences, Emotional and Psychological Needs of Covid-19 Emergency Service Nurses: A Qualitative Study

Nurses, who play an important role during the COVID-19 pandemic, are exposed to emotional and psychological stress due to unforeseen risks. The aim of this study was to investigate the experiences of nurses who are at the forefront in the emergency department, where COVID-19 suspected cases are first encountered, and to analyze their emotional and psychological needs in the light of Alderfer's Existence-Relationship-Growth theory. Data were collected from 20 May to 15 June 2020 in Muğla, Türkiye. 10 nurses working in the COVID-19 emergency department constituted the study sample. The descriptive phenomenological study was planned according to the qualitative research paradigm, based on the Consolidated Qualitative Research Reporting Criteria checklist. The interviews were conducted face-to-face and analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method. As a result of the analysis of the data, when the psychological needs of clinical nurses were evaluated in terms of Existence-Relatedness-Growth theory, it was determined that their health and safety needs were priority and they needed respect and understanding in their relationships. The life experiences of nurses working in the emergency room, under two main themes as “patient care process experiences” and “feelings”, and their emotional and psychological needs under three themes as “need to exist”, “need to establish relationship” and “need to develop” gathered under. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it was determined that the existence, relationship, and growth needs of emergency nurses were affected by each other.

Financial Toxicity Experiences of Patients With Cancer in Indonesia: An Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis

ObjectivesFinancial toxicity (FT) is an important adverse effect of cancer. Recent systematic reviews have shown that FT may lead to treatment nonadherence and impaired health-related quality of life, both of which may adversely influence the survival rates of patients. However, less is known about how patients endure FT, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The purpose of this study was to explore how patients with cancer experience and cope with FT in Indonesia. MethodsSemistructured in-depth interviews were conducted to explore the experiences of Indonesian patients with cancer. Qualitative data were analyzed using interpretive phenomenological analysis approach. We purposefully recruited 8 patients undergoing active treatment (aged 27-69 years) who had been diagnosed of cancer over 5 years before and possessed health insurance at the time of diagnosis. ResultsWe identified 2 main themes: (1) the experienced financial burden, with subthemes underinsurance, out-of-pocket nonhealthcare cancer-related costs, and negative income effect from employment disruption, and (2) the financial coping strategies, with subthemes reallocating household budget, seeking family support, rationalizing treatment decisions, and topping up insurance for family members. ConclusionsThis is the first interpretive phenomenological study on FT in the literature and the first qualitative FT study in Indonesia. Our findings provide insight into the occurrence of FT and coping strategies used by Indonesian patients with cancer. The subjective experiences of patients may be considered to further improve oncology care, support the need for measurement of FT, and provide mitigation programs for patients.

Bibliometric Analysis of Research in Pediatrics Related to Virtual and Augmented Reality: A Systematic Review.

The amount of research exploring the use of virtual reality [VR] and augmented reality [AR] technologies in health care has exploded. This has resulted in a massive body of work, making it difficult to obtain all of the research. The objective of this study was to map out and put together the scientific output of research and global trends in virtual and AR in pediatrics. Publications were collected from the Web of Science [WoS] database. The R tool was used to categorize and evaluate the research outputs, as well as the most productive and influential countries, journals, institutions, authors, articles, subject areas, and the latest research themes. The most utilized and co-occurring keywords were also examined. Texts, tables, and images were used to assess and describe the retrieval of findings. The research was based on information from 7423 publications. The strongest growth in publications occurred in 2020. The most productive and influential country was the USA. The journal was Pediatrics, the author was G Riva, and the institution was the University of Washington. The most frequently occurring keywords were simulation, rehabilitation, and stroke. The main research themes were therapy, surgical education, and rehabilitation. Pain, stroke, anxiety, depression, fear, dementia, and neurodegenerative illnesses were all common medical issues investigated. VR studies have mainly focused on surgical education or procedures, simulation technologies, and neurological conditions. Neurological conditions are linked to balance, gait, and rehabilitation, reflecting the prevalence of these disease groups. This article provides a thorough overview of VR and AR studies in the healthcare field. This work will allow academics, policymakers, and practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of the evolution of VR and AR studies in the healthcare field and its potential practical implications. Future VR and AR research should focus on bridging the gap between VR and AR healthcare research and clinical applications. Emerging trends in related fields, such as navigation, rehabilitation, stroke, dementia, and VR exposure therapy, should be given special attention.

Development of Artificial Intelligence-Teaching Assistant System for Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Field-Testing Study.

Keeping students engaged and motivated during online or class discussion may be challenging. Artificial intelligence has potential to facilitate active learning by enhancing student engagement, motivation, and learning outcomes. The purpose of this study was to develop, test usability of, and explore undergraduate nursing students' perceptions toward the Artificial Intelligence-Teaching Assistant System. The system was developed based on three main components: machine tutor intelligence, a graphical user interface, and a communication connector. They were included in the system to support contextual machine tutoring. A field-testing study design, a mixed-method approach, was utilized with questionnaires and focus group interview. Twenty-one undergraduate nursing students participated in this study, and they interacted with the system for 2 hours following the required activity checklist. The students completed the validated usability questionnaires and then participated in the focus group interview. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze quantitative data, and thematic analysis was used to analyze qualitative data from the focus group interviews. The results showed that the Artificial Intelligence-Teaching Assistant System was user-friendly. Four main themes emerged, namely, functionality, feasibility, artificial unintelligence, and suggested learning modality. However, Artificial Intelligence-Teaching Assistant System functions, user interface, and content can be improved before full implementation.

Identifying Main Themes in Diabetes Management Interviews Using Natural Language Processing-Based Text Mining.

This study aimed to identify the main themes from exit interviews of adult patients with type 2 diabetes after completion of a diabetes education program. Eighteen participants with type 2 diabetes completed an exit interview regarding their program experience and satisfaction. Semistructured interview questions were used, and the interviews were auto-recorded. The interview transcripts were preprocessed and analyzed using four natural language processing-based text-mining techniques. The top 30 words from the term frequency and term frequency-inverse document frequency each were derived. In the N-gram analysis, the connection strength of "diabetes" and "education" was the highest, and the simultaneous connectivity of word chains ranged from a maximum of seven words to a minimum of two words. Based on the CONvergence of iteration CORrelation (CONCOR) analysis, three clusters were generated, and each cluster was named as follows: participation in a diabetes education program to control blood glucose, exercise, and use of digital devices. This study using text mining proposes a new and useful approach to visualize data to develop patient-centered diabetes education.

Raising awareness of prostate cancer amongst black communities in the south of England

ABSTRACT Background: Black men are more likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than white men and may present with prostate cancer at a much later stage during the cancer journey. This could be due to a lower awareness of the signs and symptoms of prostate cancer, an unwillingness to report symptoms or a lack of trust in the healthcare system or a combination of these. Aim: The aims of this study were to raise awareness of prostate cancer in black communities in South of England and to evaluate the engagement and raising awareness campaigns. Method: This project involved two phases. The first phase focused on raising awareness of prostate cancer in black men and their families. The awareness was delivered using public facing activities such as stands and talks with participants. Additionally, online awareness activities were undertaken with either black men alone or black men and their families. The second phase of the project involved an evaluation of the raising awareness campaigns through interviews. A total of 320 black men and their families were involved in the awareness sessions and of these, 12 black men were interviewed. The interview transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Analysis of the data generated three main themes including: increased knowledge and mindset change regarding prostate cancer, empowered to take community and personal action, as well as strategies and tools to raise awareness of prostate cancer among black communities. Conclusion: The raising awareness campaigns had a positive effect in terms of increasing black men's awareness of the risk factors associated with prostate cancer. Moreover, the campaigns enabled them to make lifestyle adjustments that could help them to reduce their likelihood of developing prostate cancer. Additionally, the participant's knowledge had improved, and they were empowered and motivated to make a difference to their lives and that of their communities.

Relationships between global orientations and attitudes toward integration policies: A sequential explanatory mixed methods approach.

Based upon a mixed methods follow-up explanation model, the present research examined the relationships between global orientations and the attitudes toward integration policies among both locals (majority group) and South Asians (minority group) in Hong Kong. In Study 1, quantitative data were collected from a community sample of 1,614 adults comprising 1,007 locals and 607 South Asians in three minority groups (Indians, Nepalese, and Pakistanis). In Study 2, a follow-up explanation phase of qualitative investigation was conducted, with 12 in-depth semistructured focus group discussions among seven locals and 49 South Asians, generating three main themes and six subthemes. Quantitative results showed that the positive link between multicultural acquisition and instrumental integration policies was significantly stronger for South Asians than for locals, and that ethnic protection was negatively associated with a positive attitude toward symbolic integration policies in the majority group but had no effects in the minority group. The three main themes generated from the qualitative results include alleviating minority disadvantage, preserving majority privilege, and embracing diversity for the common good. The combined quantitative and qualitative results suggest that the differential relationships of multicultural acquisition and ethnic protection with support for specific integration policies can be understood with the underlying structural power asymmetry between the majority and minority groups. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A systematic review on the formative assessment practice in teaching and learning in secondary school

Formative assessment is an assessment that is conducted throughout the teaching and learning process. Therefore, teachers should play an important role in mastering the appropriate approaches to practicing formative assessment. According to previous studies, some teachers are unable to comprehend the roles of formative assessment practices in teaching and learning, which prevents them from using them effectively in the classroom. Many researchers have conducted research related to the practice of formative assessment in schools due to this issue. Therefore, this article aims to conduct a systematic literature review (SLR) on past studies related to the practice of formative assessment in teaching and learning in secondary schools. This SLR writing process has been referred to as the Preferred Reporting Items for systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA) writing standard. To find related articles and resources in this systematic literature review, two main databases, namely Web of Science and Scopus, were used. A total of 19 articles were extracted from 366 from 2017 to 2021, with exceptions and inclusion criteria considered. Based on the theme analysis, this SLR has three main themes: assessment diversity; assessment strategies, and student learning development. Thus, this study suggests that all compulsory levels of education understand formative assessment conceptually and its implementation comprehensively. This can be disseminated through teacher professional development training programs. It is hoped that such programs will develop teachers who are committed to integrating the concept and practice of assessment for the benefit of students in twenty-first century education.

Teaching in a New World: A Novice Teacher Educator’s Pursuit for Change

Purpose: To understand the process of an international doctoral physical education teacher education instructor instituting change during one semester of teaching a university course in the United States. Method: Data included reflexive journal entries, recordings of peer debriefing meetings with a critical friend, informal WhatsApp messages, and anonymous feedback from students. Data were analyzed through thematic analysis. Results: The three main themes were (a) action research as a tool for change, (b) the challenges of the first year as a doctoral physical education teacher education instructor, and (c) the power of reflection. We discuss the main challenges the first author faced and the complexities of the process of developing her pedagogical philosophies in teaching higher education for the first time in a new culture. Conclusions: Action research served as a tool to overcome challenges, develop confidence, and autonomy. The support system provided by her advisors was the main asset for achieving pedagogical change.

Preservice Teachers’ Assessment Literacy Within Models-Based Practice

Purpose: Using the assessment literacy framework, the purpose of this study was to explore preservice teachers understanding and enactment of the message system during an early field experience. Method: Six PTs employed SE seasons totaling 540 min. Seven qualitative data methods were utilized. Data analysis included deductive and inductive analysis using a thematic approach. Trustworthiness included data triangulation, peer debriefing, negative case analysis, and the maintenance of an audit trail. Results: Three main themes derived from the data included: instructional decisions were driven by the SE model and informal assessment; formal assessment was driven by the structure of SE; and high assessment value but low assessment literacy. Discussion/Conclusion: The SE model drove PTs to use formal assessment, but primarily in an evaluative manner. The PTs lacked assessment literacy, felt pressure to follow the model, did not use assessment to inform teaching, and had concerns for future assessment use.

Online Game-Based Parental Groups: The Experiences of First-Time Expectant Parents

Although evidence exists on the use of gamification and serious games in many fields, game-based methods are a relatively new phenomenon in the family services sector. This study focused on the implementation of game-based online parental groups organized for first-time expectant parents and participants’ experiences of playing together. In total, 26 Finnish first-time expectant parents participated in the study. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three main themes describing the expectant parents’ experiences were related to the game as a stimulator of discussion, the experience of gaming, and special features of online group discussion. It is concluded that playing online learning games with others can lower the threshold to participate and offer new possibilities for interactive parental education.

A 5-Year Review of a Tracheostomy Quality Improvement Initiative: Reducing Adverse Event Frequency and Severity.

The number of tracheostomies performed annually in resource-rich countries is estimated at 250,000. While an essential procedure, approximately 20% to 30% of patients will experience at least 1 tracheostomy-related adverse event. Within tracheostomy careand across wider health care environments, quality improvement (QI) programs have been shown to reduce patient harm and improve outcomes. Herein we report on a 5-year long, tracheostomy QI initiative aimed at improving patient experience and reducing the frequency and severity of adverse events. A 5-year (ongoing) QI initiative led by the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board tracheostomy team, within a tertiary, 1000-bedded hospital in South Wales, United Kingdom. The QI initiative has focused on 3 main themes: (1) Education and training; (2) Clinical oversight and decision making; and (3) improved data collection. Data were collected from existing tracheostomy databases. Over the past 5 years, we have observed a sustained reduction in both the frequency and severity of adverse events, with less than 1 patient per 100 experiencing a moderate or severe adverse event. This has resulted in improvements in patient experience and a cost reduction of £GBP364,726 per annum. Our 5-year ongoing tracheostomy QI initiative has resulted in improved outcomes with increased achievement of tracheostomy weaning markers and sustained reductions in both the frequency and severity of adverse events. A continuous focus on QI is associated with improved patient and service outcomes. These improvements can be spread and scaled to benefit more patients and organizations.

Climate Change Awareness in Pregnant Women: A Qualitative Study

Objective: This study was conducted to determine the awareness of climate change in pregnant women. Methods: In this study, a qualitative research approach was adopted. A phenomenological research design was used to conduct the study. The research was carried out with pregnant women who applied to the pregnant outpatient clinic of Aydın Adnan Menderes University Hospital between 01.09.2022 and 15.09.2022. With qualitative research, a semi-structured interview form prepared by the researchers was used to determine the climate change awareness among pregnant women. A total of 12 pregnant women were interviewed by audio recording. Interviews were analyzed using the MAXQDA 2022 program. The thematic analysis of the interviews identified 6 main themes. While analyzing the data, descriptive analysis technique was used. This study was based on COREQ guidelines for reporting qualitative research. Results: It has been seen that most of pregnant women follow the news and developments about climate change occasionally. Pregnant women, who stated that the causes related to climate change are generally caused by humans, expressed the necessity of educating people and raising their awareness in taking precautions against climate change. It was found that the knowledge of pregnant women about the impact of climate change, which negatively affects health in many ways, on maternal and child health during pregnancy was incomplete and insufficient. Discussion: It was determined that the awareness of pregnant women about climate change was formed but was not sufficient. It is thought that the study will support the literature in raising awareness about climate change.

Researching School Engagement of Aboriginal Students and Their Families from Regional and Remote Areas Project

Over the last few years, attendance rates in remote schools have fallen, and Year 12 completions have also dropped. We are not sure why this is, though events like COVID-19, floods and other natural disasters have not made it easy. The case study presented here was part of a bigger project that sought to understand what people in remote schools and the communities they are in think makes a difference to attendance and Year 12 completion. This case study outlines the findings specific to one of the four case study sites, namely, Yipirinya School on Arrernte Country in Mparntwe (Alice Springs). The overarching finding of the study indicates that attendance alone cannot be the primary measure of school success; rather, engagement needs to be the focus. To tease out this finding, the three main themes: relationships, purpose, and cultural safety, are identified as factors that made a difference at Yipirinya School.

Developing and testing a reflection method for implementation of the informal care guideline in community nursing: Design-based research.

To develop a reflection method for community nurses and certified nursing assistants to support the implementation of the Dutch Informal Care guideline in daily care. Design-based research. A design group and four test groups of community nurses and nursing assistants were formed to develop a reflection method that aligns with the needs and preferences of its end-users. The design and test group meetings were video recorded. The video data were iteratively discussed and analysed thematically to adapt and refine the method and to identify its key features. A final reflection method was developed. Five main themes were identified from the analysis: the group, reflective triggers, knowledge about the guidelines, the coach and preconditions. The themes are linked to nine key features representing the building blocks of the reflection method. The key features are group size, participants with different (educational) backgrounds, pairs of participants, expressing thoughts, video feedback, reflection game, making the connection with the guideline, coaching as a process facilitator and meeting organizational and contextual conditions for implementation. An evidence- and practice-based reflection method for community nurses and certified nursing assistants is developed to support the implementation. By involving community nurses and certified nursing assistants, the method closely matches their needs and preferences. Critical elements of the reflection method are a game element, video feedback and working in pairs in a group of participants from different (educational) backgrounds. Guidance is needed to make the transfer from theory to practice. A reflection method for community nurses and certified nursing assistants was developed to enhance care work according to guideline recommendations, aiming to improve the care provided by informal caregivers. The COREQ guideline was used. This reflection method was developed in close collaboration with all stakeholders during the entire study.

Clinical Insights Into the Use of Speech Amplification Devices for Managing Hypophonia: Interviews With Speech-Language Pathologists.

The purpose of this qualitative interview study was to identify themes regarding considerations in the usage of speech amplification device usage for people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and hypophonia from the perspective of speech-language pathologists (SLPs). Eligible participants included SLPs currently practicing in the United States or Canada with experience working with clients with PD for at least 2 years. Ten SLPs participated in 60-min interviews conducted via Zoom. A semistructured interview guide was created prior to the interviews. The interviews were transcribed following their completion, and an iterative coding process was used to identify themes using thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified from the interviews. The first theme encapsulated how clinicians described amplification devices as a potential treatment tool, which highlighted the nuances that may impact selecting an amplification device as a treatment option such as increased hypophonia or dysarthria severity and cognitive decline. The second theme highlighted how device selection depends on the individual needs of the user. Individual client characteristics (such as disease symptoms and individual needs and preferences) may impact the choice of amplification device. The last theme outlined the importance of involving family members in all stages of device use and involving other health care team members on a case-by-case basis. The insights provided by the SLP participants help to understand the clinical decisions that are made when determining device candidacy, selecting a device, and evaluating device success. These insights can be used to improve research studies of augmentative management of hypophonia and guide more personalized management decisions.

The perception of dignity in the hospitalized patient: a meta-synthesis - ensure consistency with authors' details e.g. name, affiliation, city and country Minor comments below.

Dignity is a value inherent to all human beings, guaranteed to every individual from birth, and influenced by culture and society. It is protected by various laws and declarations, and represents one of the fundamental human rights. Preserving human dignity is an essential aspect of nursing practice and a central element of care. Dignity is a highly subjective and personal concept; there may be variations in the way that patients perceive it and in the ways that nurses can guarantee it. A systematic review of the qualitative literature was conducted to obtain a comprehensive understanding of adult patients' perceptions of dignity in a hospital setting. This review adhered to the PRISMA Statement for reporting systematic reviews, and the results were reported in accordance with the Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research (ENTREQ) guidelines. Major databases (PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and PsycINFO) were consulted and resulted in the inclusion of 21 studies. Methodological quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) Checklist for Qualitative Studies. Six main themes emerged from the data analysis: (1) The concept of dignity and its various dimensions; (2) The significance of maintaining one's own privacy and confidentiality; (3) The hospital environment's influence on patients' dignity; (4) Healthcare professionals' characteristics and behaviours that affect dignity; (5) The role of communication and the relationship with healthcare providers; and (6) The patient's ability to make choices and be involved actively in their care. These findings underscore the importance of understanding caregivers' perspectives on dignity to ensure that they provide respectful and dignified care and treatment that prioritizes the patient's mental and physical needs.

Nursing staff adherence to guidelines on nutritional management for critically ill patients with cancer: A service evaluation.

Critically ill patients with cancer are at high risk of developing malnutrition, negatively affecting their outcome. To critically analyse nursing staff's adherence to nutrition management guidelines for critically unwell patients with cancer and identify barriers which prevent this. Two areas of nutrition management were evaluated: early initiation (<48 h from admission) of enteral nutrition (EN) and continuation of EN without interruption. A retrospective data analysis was performed on mechanically ventilated adult patients admitted to a single cancer centre. Data from electronic patient records (EPR) were collected. Health care professionals' (HCP) documentation was analysed, and a nursing staff focus group (n = 5) was undertaken. Sixty-four patient records were included. Early EN was not administered in 67% (n = 43) of cases. The reasons for the three longest interruptions to EN feed were as follows: delays in EN tube insertion, gastric residual volumes (GRVs) less than the recommended feed discontinuation threshold and endotracheal intubation. Four main themes relating to barriers to practice were identified from the focus group data analysis: HCPs' approach towards nutrition management, the patient's physiological condition and stability, multi-disciplinary team (MDT) communication and guidance on nutrition management, and practical issues with patient care. Multi-disciplinary communication difficulties, lack of clear guidelines and inadequate awareness of the importance of nutrition for critically ill patients with cancer were barriers identified preventing optimal nutrition management. Nursing education is fundamental to help break down the barriers to practice which prevent critically ill patients from receiving optimal nutrition management.

Robots and emotional intelligence: A thematic analysis

The research on emotional intelligence in social robots is growing. This paper provides a thematic analysis of the studies on robots and emotional intelligence, synthesising and evaluating current knowledge and research topics. In addition, based on the thematic analysis of the studies, it also provides a conceptual framework explaining the emotional intelligence of robots that includes both actors (human and robot) in a human-robot interaction setting. The findings are based on the analysis of 252 studies published until the end of 2022 and indexed in the Scopus database. The results unveiled two main themes (robot design-technical developments and characteristics and human-robot interaction), including sub-themes and topics that emerged in the literature. Finally, the themes and sub-themes were evaluated through a critical discussion to develop a conceptual framework for robots and emotional intelligence.

Medical students’ perceptions of integrating social media into a narrative medicine programme for 5th-year clerkship in Taiwan: a descriptive qualitative study

BackgroundThe growing demands in integrating digital pedagogies in learning (e.g., social media) contribute to disrupting many fields, including the medical humanities education. However, the strengths and barriers behind social media and medical humanities context are blurred and contradictive. We examined the perceptions of integrating social media – Facebook – into a narrative medicine (NM) programme for 5th -year clerkship in Taiwan.MethodsWe used purposive sampling to recruit participants. Sixteen medical students (Female/Male: 7/9) participated in four group interviews. Semi-structured focus group interviews were conducted to explore students’ perceptions and experiences of the social media integrated into the NM programme. We analysed the data using a descriptive thematic analysis with a team-based approach. Data were managed and coded using ATLAS.ti version 9.0.ResultsWe identified six main themes: (1) Positive experiences of social media integration; (2) Negative experiences of social media integration; (3) Barriers on writing and sharing NM stories in social media; (4) Barriers on reading NM stories in social media; (5) Barriers on reacting contents in social media; (6) Suggestions for future improvement.ConclusionsThe study revealed the strengths and barriers from medical students’ perceptions, when integrating social media into a NM programme. It is important to match students’ experiences, barriers, and perceptions towards learning. Understanding participants’ suggestions for future improvement are also crucial. With this knowledge, we might better develop the social media integration systems that achieve our desired outcomes based on the medical humanities education curricula.