Nurse Managers Research Articles

Construction of learning objectives and content for emergency triage nurses in tertiary general hospitals: A Delphi study

AimTo construct learning objectives and educational content for emergency triage nurses based on core competencies. BackgroundThe core competencies of emergency triage nurses has an impact on the quality of medical services and patient treatment outcomes. However, research on learning objectives and educational content aimed at cultivating the core competencies of emergency triage nurses is limited. DesignA Delphi study. MethodsTo develop a draft of the teaching objectives and content for emergency triage nurses based on core competencies, a literature review, semistructured interviews and expert group meetings were conducted. Then, 24 experts were invited to provide feedback on the draft and suggest revisions through two rounds of Delphi consultation. ResultsConsensus was reached on six core competencies, 30 learning objectives and 43 educational contents. The response rate for the two rounds of expert questionnaires was 100%, with 79.2% and 54.2% of the experts providing feedback in the first and second rounds, respectively. The judgement coefficient (Ca) was 0.910, the familiarity coefficient (Cs) was 0.917 and the authority coefficient (Cr) was 0.914. The Kendall's W coefficients for the two rounds of expert inquiry were 0.321 and 0.334, indicating a statistically significant difference (P<0.05). ConclusionsConstructing learning objectives and educational content for emergency triage nurses based on core competencies is scientific and reliable and can provide a reference for the training and management of emergency triage nurses.

The Model of Nursing Administration and Quality of Working Life Management of Nurses after COVID-19 Pandemics, in Thailand

The research results showed that 1) Conditions and guidelines the nursing administration and quality of working life in during and after the pandemics COVID-19 were explored and found that executives understood their personnel and emphasized that relevant personnel must perform their duties according to the measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Problems found included insufficient personnel for the work and overlapping roles. Factors that supported personnel to manage their work quality after the COVID-19 outbreak included teamwork, participation in planning and solving work safety issues, having time for work and family, and job satisfaction. The guidelines for operations after the COVID-19 outbreak should include changes to the work system, building morale, participation, teamwork, and job satisfaction. Good time management could affect the quality of life of nurses. 2) In the study of measurement model, it was found that all sub-component latent variables were suitable as the observed variables of each main component, and all main components were suitable as the observed variables of the nursing administration model and the management of working life quality of nurses after the COVID-19 outbreak. When checking the consistency of the measurement model, the measurement model was consistent with the empirical data, thus confirming the development of the nursing administration model and the management of working life quality of nurses after the COVID-19 outbreak in Thailand, by the linear structural component analysis method. 3) the model of nursing administration and quality of working life management of nurses after the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand or SWAP FECT MODEL; it was found that all experts confirmed that the model was a model with practical steps, consisting of 2 main components, 10 sub-components, and 66 indicators. The main components of nursing administration in the VUCA model had 3 sub-components: transparency, empowerment of subordinates, and collaboration. The main components of management of working life quality had 7 sub-components: agency support, work safety, work participation, work satisfaction, well-being, self-development, and free time management. There were 3 steps of good management: 1. Inputs 2. Processes and 3. Outputs.

Assessing the Impact of the Introduction Of Advance Care Planning In Nursing Home Residents Admitted to Hospital

Abstract Background Nursing home residents may present inappropriately to the Emergency Department at the end of life (EOL). Appropriate advance care planning (ACP) may reduce these presentations. Inpatient teams are in a position to discuss, document and support these ACPs for nursing home residents admitted under their care. Methods Building on existing inpatient and outreach specialist pathways in a model three hospital, formal ACPs were introduced for all inpatients from Jan 2024 admitted from a nursing home where it was deemed clinically appropriate. The completed advance care plan included decisions re cardiopulmonary resuscitation, level of intervention (including hospital transfer), antibiotics, fluids, nutrition plan and medications to support EOL care. ACP discussions took place with the consultant geriatrician, patient, nominated family/patient support and director of nursing. Data on discharged patients (including presence of ACP on discharge) was collected and analysed for emergency re-presentations. Results Of 137 patients discharged back to their nursing homes in the first 4 months of 2024, 41 (30%) had an ACP in place while 96 (70%) did not. Of those with ACP in place, 6/41 re-presented to Emergency Department within this timeframe vs 17/96 who were discharged without an ACP (15% vs 18%, p=0.66). However, only 3/41 with ACP were re-admitted to hospital from the emergency department vs 15/96 without an ACP (7% vs 16%, p=0.19). No patients discharged with an ACP re-presented and subsequently died in hospital, while 1/96 (1%) of those discharged without an ACP died in hospital after re-presentation. Conclusion ACP discussion did not reduce re-presentations to hospital but there was a non-significant trend towards a reduction in re-admissions. Overall, there was an extremely low rate (1/137, 0.7%) of patients re-presenting to hospital and dying during that admission. Further work is ongoing to examine the criteria that would prompt ACP discussion in nursing home residents admitted to hospital.

Advance Healthcare Directives: the Irish Implementation Reality from an Interdisciplinary Group Concept Mapping Study

Abstract Background Advance Healthcare Directives became legal in Ireland on 26th April 2023. While Advance Healthcare Directives are primarily rooted in patients’ legally binding refusal of treatments or interventions, they also encourage patients to set out their care preferences for the future (Government of Ireland 2015). Despite care of the older adult broadly transitioning from acute hospital to community, and a greater than ever focus on keeping older adults living at home for longer, low awareness of, and professional uncertainty around, Advance Healthcare Directives and how to integrate them into the care of the older adult has been widely expressed by Irish hospital physicians (Crowley and Doran 2022). Methods In this implementation study, Group Concept Mapping, using the relatively novel ‘GroupWisdom™’ software, is used to collect and analyse data from multiple healthcare professions to identify contextual issues that affect the implementation of Advance Healthcare Directives. 44 frontline healthcare professionals including Hospital Consultants (n=6), General Practitioners (n=5), Paramedics (n=7), Advance Nurse Practitioners (n=4), Clinical Nurse Specialists (n=4), Public Health Nurses (n=5), Critical Care Nurses (n=3), Nurse Managers (n=2), Healthcare Managers (n=2), Occupational Therapists (n=2) and Social Workers (n=4) participate in this mixed method study. Policymakers and other stakeholders are also involved throughout. Results The main implementation issues for Advance Healthcare Directives in order of importance as outlined by Healthcare Professionals are: 1) Public Education; 2) Homecare Services; 3) Timing and Location; 4) Family Members; 5) Lack of Education for the Healthcare Professional; 6) Complications for the Healthcare Professional; 7) Individual and Cultural Beliefs. Conclusion This study contributes a valuable understanding of where the implementation issues reside for healthcare professionals and policymakers, and how these can be addressed to ensure successful implementation. This implementation study focuses on practical considerations, offering multiple workable solutions to help to resolve these implementation issues on the ground.

Emotional Intelligence as Critical Competence in Nurses' Work Performance: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Emotional intelligence may help nurses to cope with demanding work environments where the need to improve the quality and safety of the care provided, as well as the care of the chronically ill, prevails. Although it is well known that emotional intelligence is positively related to work performance, the literature on nurses is limited. The aim of our study was to examine the impact of emotional intelligence on work performance in a sample of nurses in Greece. We conducted a cross-sectional study with 318 nurses. We collected data from a convenience sample of nurses during January 2024. Since we conducted an online survey through social media, our sample could not be representative of all nurses in Greece. For instance, older nurses may be underrepresented in our study due to limited access on social media. We measured emotional intelligence with the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) and work performance with the Individual Work Performance Questionnaire (IWPQ). We created multivariable linear regression models adjusted for sex, age, educational level, and work experience. We followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) guidelines. We found that the four streams of emotional intelligence (i.e., well-being, self-control, emotionality, sociability) increased nurses' work performance. In particular, we found a positive relationship between well-being and task performance (adjusted beta = 0.210, 95% CI = 0.140 to 0.281, p-value < 0.001) and contextual performance (adjusted beta = 0.135, 95% CI = 0.050 to 0.221, p-value = 0.002). Similarly, there was a positive relationship between self-control and task performance (adjusted beta = 0.136, 95% CI = 0.030 to 0.241, p-value = 0.012). Additionally, sociability increased task performance (adjusted beta = 0.223, 95% CI = 0.151 to 0.295, p-value < 0.001) and contextual performance (adjusted beta = 0.198, 95% CI = 0.111 to 0.286, p-value < 0.001). Moreover, emotionality (adjusted beta = -0.198, 95% CI = -0.319 to -0.076, p-value = 0.002) and sociability (adjusted beta = -0.133, 95% CI = -0.221 to -0.044, p-value = 0.003) reduced counterproductive work behavior. Our multivariable models identified a positive impact of emotional intelligence on nurses' work performance. Nurse managers and healthcare organizations should adopt appropriate interventions to improve nurses' emotional intelligence. Enhancing emotional intelligence among nurses can improve work performance and, thus, healthcare outcomes. Moreover, higher levels of emotional intelligence may empower nurses' compassion and resilience, fostering a supportive work environment. In this context, the well-being of both nurses and patients may improve.

The current status of early nursing for emergency pancreatitis and analysis of factors influencing prognosis: A retrospective study.

This study is to investigate the incidence of pain and the influencing factors of prognostic complications in early admission care of pancreatitis in the emergency department patients. This provides a basis for clinical nursing management and prognosis improvement. Hundred patients with acute pancreatitis admitted to the tertiary hospital between January 2021 and December 2023 were selected according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. It collected basic baseline data and medical data of patients during admission, clarifies whether patients have complications, and analyzed the length of hospital stay. Comparing hospital stays >7 days with <7 days. A questionnaire on patient psychological status was collected, and single factor analysis was conducted on different prognostic factors. Binary logistic regression was used for single factor analysis, and P < .05 was considered statistically significant. The presence or absence of complications during treatment is the main criterion for determining the prognostic impact of pancreatitis in the emergency department patients. Among 100 patients, 26 (26%) had complications during hospitalization, 74 (74%) had no complications during hospitalization, and 64 (64%) had a stay of >7 days. There were statistically significant differences (P < .05) in smoking status and history of hypertension between the complication group and the non-complication group. In the comparison between the group with <7 days of hospitalization and the group with >7 days of hospitalization, age, education level, smoking status, and history of hyperlipidemia showed statistical significance (P < .05). The fasting days, BISAP score, first bowel movement time, C-reactive protein, blood urea nitrogen, albumin, duration of severe pain within 24 hours of admission, and duration of severe pain within 24 to 48 hours of admission were all statistically significant (P < .05). Pancreatitis in the emergency department patients are prone to exacerbation and prolonged pain during early hospitalization. In nursing, timely attention should be paid to the patient's pain issues, timely pain relief measures should be taken, and the occurrence of complications should be reduced, reducing the patient's hospitalization time. Meanwhile, it is necessary to constantly pay attention to changes in the patient's gastrointestinal function and experimental indicators.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Pennsylvania School Nurse Management of Student Immunization Requirements.

School nurses play a significant role in the coordination of school-entry immunization requirements across the United States. The COVID-19 pandemic changed the school landscape and introduced additional responsibilities to a school nurse's workload. We conducted a cross-sectional survey with n = 110 Pennsylvania school nurses to explore the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on school-entry immunization compliance management. Qualitative and quantitative data indicated increased difficulty obtaining school-entry immunization data (n = 52) and reduced school-level enforcement of immunization compliance (n = 30). We also observed increases in the percentage of students enrolled with an immunization exemption in Kindergarten, 7th, and 12th grades between the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 school years. However, few respondents (15%) offered school-located immunization clinics (SLIC) for school-entry-required immunizations. While the benefits of SLICs are documented, the capacity required to execute recommended actions may be limited among school nurses-particularly post-COVID-19 pandemic. School nurses may need additional support to address these gaps.

How Shift Nurses' Presenteeism is Related to Insomnia and Care Left Undone: A Cross-Sectional Study Using Generalised Structural Equation Modelling.

To examine the association between nurses' insomnia, presenteeism and care left undone and explore the mediating effect of presenteeism on the relationship between insomnia and care left undone among nurses in acute care hospitals, applying a dynamic model of presenteeism and absenteeism. A cross-sectional design. A secondary data analysis was conducted using online survey data collected in January 2023. Participants were 1154 registered nurses who provided direct nursing care to patients in tertiary or general hospitals (hospitals with 300 or more beds) in South Korea. Poisson regression analysis was used to examine the association between nurses' insomnia, presenteeism and care left undone. Generalised structural equation modelling was performed to examine the mediating effect of presenteeism on the relationship between insomnia and care left undone. The prevalence of insomnia was 15.3%. More than half of the participants (63.7%) reported experiencing presenteeism in the past 4 weeks. All reported at least one nursing care left undone during their last shift. Insomnia and presenteeism were positively associated with care left undone, and presenteeism mediated the relationship between insomnia and care left undone among nurses in acute care hospitals. Nurses experienced insomnia and presenteeism, related to higher rates of care left undone. Nurses' insomnia had a direct effect on care left undone and an indirect effect through presenteeism. Nurse managers and administrators need to make greater efforts to reduce insomnia and presenteeism among nurses, thereby reducing care left undone and improving patient safety in acute care settings. Nurse managers and administrators should consider proactive interventions to address nurses' insomnia and foster a workplace with healthy systems and culture to reduce sleep disturbance and presenteeism, which can effectively decrease care left undone. STROBE guidelines. No patient or public contribution.

Nurse Managers' Perception about Future Foresight Tools and Innovation Skills

Nurse Managers' Perception about Future Foresight Tools and Innovation Skills

Perianesthesia Nursing Management &amp; Safety GeoAnesthesia 2024

Perianesthesia Nursing Management &amp; Safety GeoAnesthesia 2024

Construction of sensitive quality indicators for rapid rehabilitation care of patients after combined pancreaticoduodenectomy

AimTo construct evidence-based sensitive quality indicators for patients’ rapid rehabilitation care after combined pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and to provide a reference for clinical nursing professionals to scientifically evaluate the quality of patients’ rehabilitation post-PD.BackgroundSince PD is associated with higher surgical risk and anastomotic complications, it leads to higher complication rates and longer postoperative recovery cycles. This reiterates the need for rapid recovery of patients after PD; however, the evaluation of sensitive nursing care indicators regarding rapid recovery post-PD has not yet been established to date.MethodsBased on the Donabedian structure-process-result theory model, we used available literature, semi-structured interviews, the Delphi method, and hierarchical analysis to establish a sensitive indicator system for patients’ rapid rehabilitation after PD and evaluate the importance of such indicators.ResultsThere were two rounds of expert correspondence, and the effective recovery rate of the questionnaires of these rounds was 100%. The expert authority coefficients, as well as the Kendall coordination coefficients of the expert opinions, were 0.859 and 0.872 as well as 0.423 and 0.431, with statistically significant differences (p < 0.05), respectively. Consequently, we developed a sensitive quality index system for patients’ rapid rehabilitation care after combined PD, including 3 first-level, 12 s-level, and 23 third-level indexes, respectively.ConclusionThe constructed sensitive quality index system developed for patients’ rapid rehabilitation nursing care after combined PD is standardized, practical, and aligned with the specialty characteristics. Furthermore, this might help greatly in improving the quality and safety of patients’ rapid rehabilitation nursing care after combined PD, standardizing nursing management skills, and enhancing nursing quality.

The Relationship between Perceived Power in Nurse Managers and Nurses' Organizational Commitment

The Relationship between Perceived Power in Nurse Managers and Nurses' Organizational Commitment

Leadership and Management Competencies of Nurse Managers: A Cross-sectional Study in Northern and Central Vietnam

Objective: The competence of nurse managers is essential to ensure outstanding patient care and the key contributors to the healthcare organization’s success. This study aimed to adapt the Chase Nurse Manager Competency Instrument (CNMCI) to Vietnamese situations and then to examine the leadership, management, and related characteristics of nurse managers. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 17 Children and Obstetric and Pediatric hospitals in northern and central area of Vietnam using the CNMCI. Nurse managers (n=227) who were working in these hospitals participated in this study. Data were collected from July 2022 to August 2022. Results: Nurse managers had 3.51 ± 0.42 level of knowledge and 2.95 ± 0.48 level of ability to apply leadership and management competencies. However, only level of hospital and number of employees were significant related factors of leadership and management competencies of nurse manager. Conclusion: This study was the first in Vietnam which we examined the leadership competencies of nurse managers in Obstetric and Pediatric Hospitals. The results suggested that Vietnamese version of CNMCI was a reliable, valid instrument to assess competencies of nurse managers. It is necessary to have an effective leadership and manager training program to improve the competencies of nurse managers.

Adult intensive care unit nurses' knowledge of and compliance barriers to evidence-based guidelines for prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia: A cross-sectional survey.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the most common nosocomial infection in intensive care units (ICUs) and is a common cause of morbidity and mortality in intensive care patients. Previous studies show that insufficient knowledge and compliance barriers among nurses affect pneumonia. There have been no investigations into intensive care nurses' knowledge and compliance barriers to evidence-based guidelines (EBGs) for VAP prevention in county-level hospitals in China. To explore adult ICU nurses' knowledge and compliance barriers to EBGs for preventing VAP in county-level hospitals in Hunan Province, China, examine the correlation between knowledge and compliance barriers, and analyse associated factors. A cross-sectional electronic survey was conducted to focus on nurses' knowledge of and compliance barriers to EBGs for preventing VAP. A total of 386 valid questionnaires were collected, with a response rate of 97.47% (386/396 = 97.47%). The median scores for nurses' knowledge (out of 9) and compliance barriers (out of 8) to EBGs for preventing VAP were 7 (interquartile range: 5-8) and 3 (interquartile range: 2-4), respectively. Knowledge was negatively associated with compliance barriers (r = -0.437, p < .01). The results of the multiple linear regression analysis showed that hospital level, age, nurses' attendance at VAP training and years of experience in ICUs were related to the level of knowledge. Nurses' attendance at VAP training, age and years of experience in ICUs were associated with the level of compliance barriers. Intensive care nurses have satisfactory knowledge of EBGs for preventing VAP, but compliance barriers can be reduced. Better knowledge helps reduce the barriers to compliance among nurses. Nurse managers and nurse educators are suggested to examine nurses' knowledge and compliance barriers to EBGs for preventing VAP, develop personalized training plans, promote continuous education based on the latest EBGs and raise the nurse-patient ratio reasonably.

Interpersonal conflicts in nursing through the lens of senior nursing students: A qualitative study

BackgroundUnmanaged interpersonal conflicts emerge as significant obstacles for the nursing team during daily duties. Observations and discussions with nursing undergraduate students determined the need to explore their perspectives on conflict management in greater depth. ObjectiveTo investigate the perspectives of senior undergraduate nursing students on conflicts experienced by nurses during clinical practice, as well as the strategies employed to manage these conflicts. DesignThis is a qualitative descriptive study. ParticipantsThe study involved written interviews with 31 senior undergraduate nursing students from a university in Istanbul, Türkiye. MethodsData were collected between November 23, 2023, and December 4, 2023. Thematic analysis was used. ResultsFour themes emerged: (1) Causes of conflicts, (2) Methods for resolving conflicts, (3) Nurse managers' approaches, and (4) Student learning through observation. The themes were organized under 13 sub-themes: ineffective communication, absence of a singular goal, misunderstanding in role boundaries, and lack of professionalism (first theme); transparent communication, absolute loss, integration, and softening (second theme); autonomy in conflict resolution and seeking other professionals to manage conflicts (third theme); positive side of the conflict, negative side of the conflict, and how I would act if I were the nurse manager (fourth theme). ConclusionsNursing students know that staff nurses and nurse managers play crucial roles in conflict management. Communication issues were identified as significant causes of conflicts. Open communication and the active involvement of nurse managers were determined as essential for effective conflict resolution. Positive outcomes of conflicts included changes in attitudes; however, conflicts were also acknowledged as contributors to workplace stress. The study underscores the importance of equipping nurses with conflict resolution skills through practical educational approaches.

Path Analysis: Interrelationships Between Nurse Manager Competencies, Practice Environment Perceptions, and Frontline Nurses' Intent to Stay.

To examine the correlation between nurse manager (NM) competencies, work environment (Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index [PES-NWI]), and frontline nurses' intent to stay; the direct effect of NM competency on frontline nurses' intent to stay; and the indirect effect of NM competency on frontline nurses' intent to stay, mediated by PES-NWI. PES-NWI and NMs' competency can impact frontline nurses' intent to stay. Cross-sectional study with secondary analysis of NM Competency and NDNQI® (National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators®) RN Survey data with path analysis for effects of the model's variables. Positive, weak correlations between NM competencies and frontline nurses' practice environments were found; NM competencies and frontline nurses' intent to stay were not correlated. Paths were NM competency/PES-NWI (β = 0.20, P = 0.001) and PES-NWI/intent to stay (β = 0.55, P < 0.001); NM competency/intent to stay was not significant. Indirect effect of NM competency on frontline nurses' intent to stay was mediated through PES-NWI (β = 0.11, P = 0.002; 95% confidence interval, 0.05-0.17). Investing in NMs' competency can help create supportive work environments and frontline nurses' intent to stay.

Workplace resilience and compassionate care among Jordanian private sector nurses

BackgroundCompassionate care is a hallmark of the nursing profession. Yet, nursing is beset by perennial problems, not the least of which is nursing shortage and increased workload. As such, resilience becomes a critical ingredient that nurses must possess to overcome such challenges. However, there needs to be more evidence of the relationship between compassionate care and resilience within the Jordanian nursing context.AimTo explore the relationship between workplace resilience and compassionate care among Jordanian nurses working in the private sector.MethodsThe study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional correlational design. Convenience sampling with inclusion-exclusion criteria was used to select participants from three private hospitals in Jordan. The Compassionate Care Questionnaire was used to measure levels of compassionate care, and the Resilience at Work Scale was used to measure workplace resilience. Ethical approval was obtained before data collection.ResultsA total of 161 nurses participated in the study. Participants had high levels of compassionate care and workplace resilience. Male nurses and nurses with lower workloads had significantly higher levels of compassionate care. Likewise, older nurses, nurses with postgraduate degrees, and nurses with experience of less than 5 years in the current area had significantly higher levels of workplace resilience. Compassionate care had a mordantly solid and significant positive relationship with workplace resilience and all its seven dimensions (living authentically, finding one’s calling, maintaining perspective, managing stress, interacting cooperatively, staying healthy, and building networks.ConclusionDeveloping workplace resilience can support nurses in implementing compassionate care. Nurse Managers and hospital administrators must consider the effects of compassionate care and workplace resilience on nurses and patients. Future research can include a longitudinal exploration of compassionate care and workplace resilience and an investigation of the levels of these variables outside a hospital setting.

Experiences of family caregivers of nurses infected with COVID-19: a qualitative study

BackgroundNurses, as the main healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, were at high risk of contracting the disease. Family caregivers played a vital role in the support and recovery of patients with COVID-19. The experiences of family caregivers of nurses are very important due to the nature of their job. However, little information is available in this field. To this end, the present study aimed to explore the experiences of family caregivers of nurses who recovered from COVID-19.MethodsThis descriptive qualitative study was conducted in one of the hospitals in southeastern Iran in 2022. The participants were 12 family caregivers of nurses who recovered from COVID-19 and were selected through purposive sampling. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using conventional content analysis. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative research checklist was used to report the findings.ResultsThe analysis of the data revealed psychosocial consequences as main theme, three categories and nine subcategories including negative emotions and attitudes (fear of deterioration/death, fear of frequent infection, fear of transmitting infection to others, despair of recovery, Changing attitudes toward the nursing profession), caregiver burden (role conflict, economic pressure) and lack of support, ineffective interactions and isolation (Lack of support from nursing managers and colleagues, ineffective interactions and isolation).ConclusionLike other caregivers, family caregivers of nurses recovered from COVID-19 experienced psychosocial consequences and a heavy burden of responsibility. However, what differentiates our findings from the results reported in previous studies is the change in caregivers’ attitudes toward nursing and regret for their family members being nurses. The lack of support from medical staff and managers for nurses, the condition of nurses frequently contracting COVID-19 due to the nature of their profession, and the fear of transmitting the infection to others due to contact with COVID-19 patients in the workplace expose these caregivers to additional stress and many risks. Thus, these caregivers need more attention and support in similar situations; an issue that seems to have been neglected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Factors Influencing Nurses’ Intentions to Protect Patient Privacy: A Survey-Based Study Using the Theory of Planned Behavior

Background and Purpose:Patient privacy and confidentiality are fundamental ethical principles in healthcare. Protecting patient privacy, which is accepted as a patient’s right, is one of the responsibilities of nurses. Few studies on patient privacy among nurses have used social cognitive approaches. The purpose of this study is to examine nurses’ intentions to protect patient privacy using the theory of planned behavior (TPB).Methods:This is a cross-sectional and correlational design study. The study sample consisted of 202 nurses working in the emergency departments, operating rooms, inpatient wards, and intensive care units of the hospitals. Research data were collected using a face-to-face questionnaire that included TPB components on patient privacy. The proposed research model was tested using structural equation modeling.Results:Attitude (β= .238,p&lt; .05), subjective norm (β= .295,p&lt; .05), and moral norm (β= .337,p&lt; .05) toward patient privacy are positive predictors of intention. The moral norm is the most effective component of intention. Perceived behavioral control is not a significant predictor of intention (β= .049,p&gt; .05).Implications for Practice:Norms that create a sense of moral obligation in nurses are a significant determinant in increasing the intention to protect patient privacy. Interventions that improve moral norms, attitudes, and subjective norms will increase the intention to protect privacy. Nurse managers should provide nurses with adequate skills, resources, and an appropriate work environment to ensure perceived behavioral control regarding patient privacy.

Optimization of Patient and Nurse Management in Health Care: A Case Study

Effective patient selection and nurse allocation are crucial for optimizing hospital care, especially in resource-constrained environments. This study introduces a two-stage mixed integer linear programming (MILP) model designed to prioritize patients based on care urgency and match them with appropriately skilled nurses. Following consultations with healthcare professionals, patients were categorized into three priority levels: high (critical care), normal (basic care), and low (expert consultations). Applying the model to the surgery department of Pabna Medical College Hospital, Bangladesh, 196 out of 950 patients were selected for care: 117 requiring critical care, 59 needing basic care, and 20 for consultative care, necessitating the allocation of 41 nurses. The model demonstrated significant improvements in patient selection and nurse workload management, ensuring maximum patient service within capacity constraints and achieving a balanced distribution of nurse workloads. This approach enhances hospital efficiency and patient care quality, allowing non-chosen patients to seek alternative care options. The model’s adaptability across different departments underscores its potential for widespread application in healthcare management. Journal of Engineering Science 15(1), 2024, 83-94