Professional Perspectives Research Articles

Clinical application of mindfulness in end-of-life care from the perspective of palliative care professionals: A phenomenological study

Backgroundand Purpose: With mindfulness being increasingly recognized for its potential to address psychological challenges related to advanced or terminal illnesses, palliative care professionals are incorporating mindfulness-based interventions into their practice. However, there is limited understanding of the practical applications of mindfulness in clinical settings, particularly for end-of-life patients. This study explored palliative care professionals’ experiences in delivering mindfulness-based therapy to end-of-life patients, thereby aiming to inform the development of effective interventions. Materials and methodsSemi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 palliative care professionals. Participants were asked to describe their memorable experiences in applying mindfulness in a clinical setting. Data were analyzed following Moustakas's transcendental phenomenology approach. ResultsThe interviews produced three themes: clinicians’ mindfulness experiences form the cornerstone of their clinical application of mindfulness; creating an optimal healing environment is essential for mindfulness practice; and patient-centric mindfulness guidance should be implemented. ConclusionThis study underscores the critical role of mindfulness in end-of-life care, highlighting its integration into daily life by palliative care professionals. By drawing upon their own mindfulness experiences, palliative care professionals facilitated a therapeutic environment tailored to the unique needs of end-of-life patients. This patient-centered approach not only enhanced the quality of care but also fostered a healing connection rooted in compassion and empathy. The findings advocate for further education and development of mindfulness-based interventions, including group therapies, to support the holistic well-being of patients in collectivist cultures. Future research should further explore the practical applications and benefits of mindfulness in end-of-life care settings.

Utilizing online reviews for analyzing digital healthcare consultation services: Examining perspectives of both healthcare customers and healthcare professionals

IntroductionDigital healthcare consultation services, also known as telemedicine, have seen a surge in their usage, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study is to investigate the satisfaction determinants of healthcare customers (patients) and healthcare professionals (doctors), providing digital healthcare consultation services. MethodsThe analysis involved scraping online reviews of 11 telemedicine apps meant for patients and 7 telemedicine apps meant for doctors, yielding a total of 44,440 patient reviews and 4748 doctor reviews. A structural topic modeling analysis followed by regression, dominance, correspondence, and emotion analysis was conducted to derive insights. ResultsThe study identified ten determinants of satisfaction from patients’ and eight from doctors’ perspectives. For patients, ’service variety and quality’ (β = 0.5527) was the top positive determinant, while ’payment disputes’ (β = -0.1173) and ’in-app membership’ (β = -0.031) negatively impacted satisfaction. For doctors, ’patient consultation management’ (β = 0.2009) was the leading positive determinant, with ’profile management’ (β = -0.1843), ’subscription’ (β = -0.183), and ’customer care support’ (β = -0.0908) being the negative ones. The most influential negative emotion for patients, anger, was closely associated with ’customer care service’ and ’in-app memberships,’ while joy was tied to ’service variety and quality’ and ’offers and discounts.’ For doctors, anger was associated with ’cost-effectiveness,’ and joy with ’app responsiveness.’ ConclusionThis study offers new insights by examining patient and doctor determinants at a granular level which can be used by telemedicine app developers and managers to build customer-centric services.

Addressing the unmet care needs of people with hidradenitis suppurativa.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) can have a devastating impact on patients’ lives. Challenges and unmet needs in the management of HS can further exacerbate low wellbeing and poor quality of life among patients. This article provides the perspectives of patients and healthcare professionals on these challenges and provides suggestions for how clinicians can help ensure patients with HS receive the care they need.

Quality of outcome (QoO) in oral cancer patients: prospective perioperative analysis of patients’ resilience and satisfaction during inpatient stay at a University Medical Centre in Germany

Abstract Objectives Quality assurance strategies for head and neck surgery can improve patient outcomes. This study aims a perioperative analysis of indicators in the quality of outcome in oral cancer patients with special focus on patient`s resilience and satisfaction before and after surgery. Methods Patients with oral cancer (OCP) and indication for surgical resection were included in a prospective study. General and disease-related data as well as parameters of patient-specific resilience (RS-11 questionnaire) and physical strength (ECOG-Score) were collected. Importance and satisfaction using the nine items family/friends, sports activities/physiotherapy, participation in culture, professional perspectives, sexuality, enjoyable food, external appearance, social recognition and independence were analysed. The data collection took place pre- and postoperatively (mean: 10th postop day) during the inpatient stay. Results Twenty-eight patients with oral cancer (OCP) were analysed (male: n=23, female n=5). The rate of R0 resections was 92.6 %. The average length of stay was 21 days. n=16 of all patients was tracheotomised postop (preop: n=0). n=0 patients confirmed psycho(onco)logical support preop (postop: n=19). Sports activities/physiotherapy was provided to n=3 patients preop (postop: n=21). The mean pre and postop pain perception was 3/10. The RS-11 score decreased significantly postoperatively (p=0.01). A significant loss of satisfaction was seen in the areas of enjoyable food (p<0.001), social recognition (p=0.01), external appearance (p=0.01) and independence (p<0.001). Conclusions Supportive therapy measures to promote mental and physical fitness of oral cancer patients are part of inpatient care at our clinic. However, there is no standardised monitoring of these therapies. Digitally supported and standardised programmes to increase mental and physical fitness in both prehospital and inpatient care might lead to an improvement in the quality of outcome despite shortage of resources in terms of time, costs and personnel. A minimally invasive approach to tracheal cannula management and lymph node management in the treatment of OCP can help to reduce the length of stay in the intensive care unit.

Exploring the Acceptability of HIV Testing in the UK Dental Setting: A Qualitative Study.

HIV point of care testing (POCT) is a common approach to expanding testing into non-specialised settings. Dental services have untapped potential to screen for health conditions including HIV. However, the perspectives of UK dental patients, dental professionals, and people with HIV are unknown. Ten focus groups were undertaken with dental patients, professionals, and people with HIV. The Framework method was used to analyse the qualitative data. Six themes were generated from the focus group data. The themes explored perceptions of HIV, the purpose, appropriateness, and acceptability of HIV testing in dental settings, and new processes that would need to be established in order to successfully implement point of care HIV testing in UK dental settings. Training needs were identified including communication skills and updates to current knowledge about HIV. HIV testing in dental settings is generally acceptable to dental patients, dental professionals, and PWH. However, of concern were logistical challenges and the risk of patients surprised at being offered an HIV test during a visit to the dentist. Nonetheless, the public health benefits of the intervention were well understood, i.e., early detection of HIV and initiation of treatment to improve health outcomes. Dental teams were able to generate novel solutions that could help to overcome contextual and logistical challenges to implementing HIV testing in dental settings.

Exploring professional perspectives on integrating generative artificial intelligence into corporate learning and development: an organizational change perspective

Purpose The primary aim of this study is to investigate the integration of generative artificial intelligence, specifically ChatGPT, into workplace L&D practices, exploring the associated advantages and challenges such integration from an organizational change perspective. Design/methodology/approach This study uses a qualitative approach, conducting semi-structured interviews with twelve learning and development (L&D) experts. Findings This study indicates that ChatGPT can positively impact L&D by streamlining processes and potentially enhancing employee performance, engagement and satisfaction. However, to mitigate employee resistance, organizations must clearly communicate the necessity and rationale behind the change, involve employees in the implementation process and address trust issues. Key challenges such as overreliance on ChatGPT, AI skill shortages and technology issues like privacy breaches and misinformation must be managed through strong governance frameworks, including policies, guidelines and regular audits. Research limitations/implications The study’s scope is confined to semi-structured interviews with L&D experts, potentially limiting its generalizability. Further research could explore the long-term effects and broader implications of ChatGPT integration in different organizational contexts. Practical implications By framing GenAI integration within the context of organizational change, this study offers insights into managing the transition effectively by providing guidance for managers on effectively integrating ChatGPT into L&D practices, emphasizing the importance of mitigating potential negative consequences while maximizing benefits. Social implications Integrating ChatGPT into organizational L&D has the potential to reshape how employees acquire new skills and knowledge, potentially influencing organizational culture and dynamics. However, careful consideration is required to ensure that the integration process aligns with ethical and social norms, minimizing adverse impacts. Originality/value This research contributes foundational insights into the integration of ChatGPT in corporate L&D by researching and understanding the opinions of corporate professionals. It serves as a starting point for organizations to identify challenges in adopting GenAI.

Perspectives of Professionalism: Leadership Style, Proactive Personality, & Perceptions of Community

Perspectives of Professionalism: Leadership Style, Proactive Personality, & Perceptions of Community

Information work and digital support during the perinatal period: Perspectives of mothers and healthcare professionals.

During pregnancy and early motherhood, the perinatal period, women use a variety of resources including digital resources to support social interactions, information seeking and health monitoring. While previous studies have investigated specific timepoints, this study takes a more holistic approach to understand how information needs and resources change over the perinatal period. Furthermore, we include the perspective of maternity healthcare professionals to better understand the relationship between different stakeholders in the information work of perinatal women. A total of 25 interviews with 10 UK based mothers and 5 healthcare professionals (3 Midwives and 2 Health visitors) were conducted. Perinatal women were asked about their information and support needs throughout pregnancy and the postnatal period, healthcare professionals were asked about information and support provision to perinatal women. Information work activities were grouped along stages of the perinatal timeline from pre-pregnancy to the postanal period to illustrate the work and perspectives of the women and the healthcare professionals. Information work varies considerably over the timeline of the perinatal period, shifting back and forth in focus between mother and baby. information work during this period consists of many information related activities including seeking, monitoring, recording, questioning, sharing and checking. The importance of the HCPs as stakeholders in this work is notable as is the digital support for information work. Importantly, paper-based resources are still an important shared resource allowing reflection and supporting communication. Information work for women varies across the perinatal timeline. Particular challenges exist at key transition points, and we suggest design considerations for more integrated digital resources that support information work focused on mother and baby to enhance communication between perinatal women and healthcare professionals.

Professionals' and Intercultural Mediators' Perspectives on Communication With Ukrainian Refugees in the Czech Healthcare System.

A growing body of research is examining how healthcare systems are responding to the increasing numbers of migrants and the resulting superdiversity of patients. The aim of this article is to identify and explain communication barriers in the provision of healthcare to Ukrainian war refugees in the Czech Republic from the perspectives of healthcare professionals and intercultural mediators. The exploratory case study is based on a qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with frontline health professionals: 20 with doctors and 10 with nurses. The second source of data is two focus groups aimed at capturing communication problems from the perspective of intercultural mediators who accompany refugees to health facilities. The interview transcripts and FGs were analysed using six-stage thematic coding. The survey identified five main themes related to barriers to communication: (1) language barriers and interpreting, (2) cultural barriers, (3) differing expectations of health and the healthcare systems in the Czech Republic and Ukraine, (4) prejudices and negative attitudes and unethical behaviour towards refugees and migrants and (5) lack of awareness of patient rights. The arrival of large numbers of migrants has highlighted deficiencies in the system that may affect other vulnerable groups and the general population. These include the lack of general communication skills and legal awareness among many health professionals, which are barriers to the development of patient-centred care. The involvement of intercultural mediators fundamentally improves communication between health professionals and (not only) migrant patients. Nevertheless, it is necessary to legally anchor and define the position of intercultural mediators within the healthcare system. Collaboration with intercultural mediators who interpreted the extensive experiences of Ukrainian refugee patients and also have personal experience as migrant or migrant-origin patients contributed to shaping research questions, facilitating study participation and enriching evidence interpretation. Researchers with multicultural backgrounds and experience with working with people from refugee backgrounds were involved in the study design and analysis.

Perspectives of BrinquEinstein healthcare professionals on the implementation of therapeutic play in pediatrics.

The benefits of therapeutic play (TP) in pediatrics are widely reported in the literature, however its use by health professionals is still limited. The objective was to understand how professionals belonging to the BrinquEinstein group evaluate the process of systematic implementation of TP in hospital pediatric units. Exploratory study, with a qualitative approach, developed in the pediatric and intensive care units of extra-large general hospital in São Paulo. The sample consisted of 13 professionals from different categories belonging to BrinquEinstein. Data was collected through individual semi-structured and audio-recorded interviews, being analyzed based on the Inductive Thematic Analysis proposed by Braun and Clark. From the analysis of the interviews, five themes emerged: experiencing a transforming process; the benefits that strengthen the path; the facilities that encourage the walk; the barriers that challenge the process; the future prospects. For the interviewed professionals, it is essential that the use of TP becomes a routine practice in different contexts of the child´s healthcare, in which managers and institutions play a fundamental role in its implementation.

Healthcare Professional Perspectives on the Impact of the Physical Health Nurse Consultant.

Early mortality experienced by people living with mental health issues (hereon termed consumers) is largely preventable. Healthcare professionals perceive healthcare system inadequacies such as diagnostic overshadowing, stigma and fragmentation of physical and mental healthcare services can be resolved through effective integration approaches. Service- and individual-level integration approaches involve multidisciplinary teams collaborating and coordinating care to holistically meet consumers' physical and mental health needs. Evidence suggests appropriately trained healthcare professionals can deliver effective integrated treatment without financial or organisational restructuring. Specialist nursing positions such as Physical Health Nurse Consultants can support and integrate physical and mental health care. Consumers report the Physical Health Nurse Consultant as providing dedicated, integrated, coordinated and holistic mental and physical health care. This study aimed to explore the Physical Health Nurse Consultant role from the perspectives of healthcare professionals. A qualitative exploratory study design was used. Fourteen healthcare professionals participated in individual interviews or focus groups. Interview recordings were transcribed, and thematically analysed. Three themes were identified: (i) role functions, including integration of physical and mental health care, (ii) impact on consumer physical health outcomes and (iii) impact on service delivery. Healthcare professionals perceive the Physical Health Nurse Consultant effectively integrates physical and mental health care and subsequently support the continuation and embedding of the role in routine practice. Future research is required to explore healthcare professionals' experiences and perceptions of how these roles be translated to routine clinical practice. Examining the professional development requirements, service provider constraints and economic implication to achieve these outcomes also warrants attention.

Patient, Parental, and Health Professional Perspectives on Growth in Children With CKD

Growth failure is a common problem among children with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Reduced height is associated with psychosocial burden, social stigma, and impaired quality of life. This study aimed to describe the aspects of growth impairment that are most impactful from the perspectives of children with CKD, their parents, and health professionals. Qualitative study. 120 children with CKD (aged 8-21 years), 250 parents, and 445 health professionals from 53 countries participated in 16 focus groups, two consensus workshops, and a Delphi survey. A thematic analysis of all qualitative data concerning growth from the Standardized Outcomes in Nephrology - Children and Adolescents (SONG-Kids) initiative. We identified five themes: diminishing psychological wellbeing (compared to and judged by peers, tired of explaining to others, damaging self-esteem), constrained life participation and enjoyment (deprived of normal school experiences, excluded from sports or competing at a disadvantage, impaired quality of life in adulthood); grappling with impacts of symptoms and treatment (difficulty understanding short stature and accessing help, lack of appetite, uncertainty regarding bone pains, medication side effects, burden of growth hormone treatment); facilitating timely interventions and optimizing outcomes (early indicator of disease, assessing management, maximizing transplant outcomes, minimizing morbidity); and keeping growth and health priorities in perspective (quality of life and survival of utmost priority, achieved adequate height). Only English-speaking participants were included. Impaired growth may diminish psychological wellbeing, self-esteem, and participation in daily activities for children with CKD. Balancing different treatments that can affect growth complicates decision-making. These findings may inform the psychosocial support needed by children with CKD and their caregivers to address concerns about growth.

You Are Not Alone! Care Professionals‘ Acceptance of Telemedicine in Nursing Homes Comparing Pre- and Post-Implementation Evaluations

A lack of personnel in care institutions and high proportions of older people in need of care pose central challenges for today’s aging society, often resulting in the hospitalization of geriatric patients. In many cases, these hospitalizations are not medically necessary and cause deterioration of health. Applying telemedicine in nursing homes represents one approach aimed at a reduction of unnecessary hospitalizations of geriatric patients and supporting care personnel in medically uncertain situations. For a sustainable and successful implementation of technical innovations such as telemedical consultations, the care personnel’s perspectives and acceptance are especially essential. The Optimal@NRW project implemented telemedical consultations in 24 nursing homes in Germany, investigating medical and economic efficiency and in particular also the social acceptance of digital care in nursing homes. This paper presents quantitative results comparing the acceptance evaluations before (PRE: N = 130) and after (POST: N = 87) the implementation of the telemedical consultations in the nursing homes from the perspective of care professionals. The results showed positive evaluations of the telemedical consultations in both evaluation phases: POST evaluations especially showed a lower evaluation of perceived barriers of using telemedical consultations in nursing homes. This study’s insights enable one to derive guidelines and recommendations regarding the communication and information of telemedical applications considering the needs and wishes of care personnel as a central user group.

Parent and professional perspectives on implementing the Pediatric Autism Communication Therapy: A mixed-methods analysis.

Factors influencing the implementation of parent-mediated intervention are insufficiently studied. This study examines for the first-time factors of implementation into clinical practice across the world of Pediatric Autism Communication Therapy, an internationally disseminated, evidence-based, parent-mediated therapy. From both the parents' and the professionals' perspectives, parents attitudes (e.g. self-reflection abilities and videotaping management) and life-circumstances (e.g. stressed families condition and time) were central factors. In this type of therapy, the target is a child's development; still, this improvement is dependent on the parent's behavior when interacting with their child. What's more, Pediatric Autism Communication Therapy method (video reflection, empowerment of parent, play-based) was enabler according to most of the parents. And more, most professionals report factors linked to the Implementation Process that is planning, execution, reflection and assessment in implementation of a new therapy. Indeed, the professionals underlined barriers related to the population seen in practice, flexibility of schedule, support from colleagues and manager. All these factors could be improved and addressed with a formal implementation plan including factors related to the parents of each country.

Le futur du métier de traducteur face à la révolution numérique : préoccupations et perspectives pour les bilingues

The Future of The Translation Profession in The Age of Digital Revolution: Concerns and perspectives for bilingual professionals The digital revolution has caused a significant shift in labour market policies across all sectors. The rapid advancement and widespread adoption of software and IT tools have led to an increased risk of job displacement for skilled professionals, as these tools enable even non-experts to perform tasks traditionally handled by specialists. This study explores the potential threat to employment faced by professional translators due to these technological advancements. The rise of artificial intelligence and machine translation (MT) has encouraged many bilingual individuals to enter the translation field, a trend that has raised concerns among linguistic researchers. These technological developments have also cast doubt on the value of language experts. This research addresses key questions: To what extent is the future of professional translators at risk? Do professional translators face significant competition in the Information Age? To answer these questions, this study employed both quantitative and qualitative research methods, including field data collection from bilinguals and professional translators. Questionnaires were administered first to bilinguals to gauge their motivations and then to professional translators to understand their concerns and perspectives. The data analysis provided clear insights that supported the study's hypotheses. The research suggests that professional translators may face substantial unemployment risks in the future. This is largely attributed to the increasing involvement of bilinguals in the field, driven by the proliferation of machine translation tools. The study highlights the relevance of connectivism and job prospection theories in understanding the challenges faced by professional translators and in addressing the rise of bilinguals in the workforce.

Perspectives of healthcare practitioners on environmental sustainability in healthcare: A qualitative study.

To explore the perspectives of Kazakhstani healthcare professionals on environmental sustainability in healthcare. An exploratory qualitative design. Four focus group discussions (FGDs) on environmental sustainability in healthcare were conducted among healthcare professionals (nurses, physicians, midwives and physical therapists) from June to August 2023 in three cities of Kazakhstan. Each FGD consisted of at least 6 to 11 participants and lasted between 60 and 90 minutes. The collected data were analysed using the thematic analysis. A total of 137 initial codes were identified and further organized into 22 sub-themes based on similarities in codes and meanings, and then 5 significant themes were identified. The five main themes are 'Environmental Sustainability Practices in Healthcare', 'Purposes of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare', 'Impact of Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare in Patients', 'Challenges in Implementing Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare' and 'The Role of Healthcare Leadership in Improving Environmental Sustainability in Healthcare'. The findings highlighted the perceptions and practices of healthcare professionals on environmental sustainability's purposes in healthcare, its impacts on patients and its implementation challenges. The study also underscored the critical role of strong and active leadership in ensuring a sustainable implementation of green policies in healthcare facilities and achieving successful results of environmentally conscious healthcare practices. The findings provide invaluable information that can be used by policymakers and healthcare organization leaders to create a sustainable healthcare system. Implementing environmental sustainability practices in healthcare should be widespread, intentional, and sustainable, entailing strong leadership and unwavering personal and organizational commitment. No patient or public contribution. We adhered to relevant EQUATOR guidelines, specifically the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research.

Artificial Intelligence in Public Relations and Communication Management: Perspectives of Ghanaian Professionals

Artificial Intelligence in Public Relations and Communication Management: Perspectives of Ghanaian Professionals

Understanding Patients' Heart Health Knowledge: Perspectives of Cardiac Patients and Healthcare Professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand

Understanding Patients' Heart Health Knowledge: Perspectives of Cardiac Patients and Healthcare Professionals in Aotearoa New Zealand

The elements of end-of-life care provision in paediatric intensive care units: a systematic integrative review

BackgroundDeaths in paediatric intensive care units (PICUs) are not uncommon. End-of-life care in PICUs is generally considered more challenging than other settings since it is framed within a context where care is focused on curative or life-sustaining treatments for children who are seriously ill. This review aimed to identify and synthesise literature related to the essential elements in the provision of end-of-life care in the PICU from the perspectives of both healthcare professionals (HCPs) and families.MethodsA systematic integrative review was conducted by searching EMBASE, CINAHL, MEDLINE, Nursing and Allied Health Database, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases. Grey literature was searched via Electronic Theses Online Service (EthOS), OpenGrey, Grey literature report. Additionally, hand searches were performed by checking the reference lists of all included papers. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were used to screen retrieved papers by two reviewers independently. The findings were analysed using a constant comparative method.ResultsTwenty-one studies met the inclusion criteria. Three elements in end-of-life care provision for children in the PICUs were identified: 1) Assessment of entering the end-of-life stage; 2) Discussion with parents and decision making; 3) End of life care processes, including care provided during the dying phase, care provided at the time of death, and care provided after death.ConclusionThe focus of end-of-life care in PICUs varies depending on HCPs’ and families’ preferences, at different stages such as during the dying phase, at the time of death, and after the child died. Tailoring end-of-life care to families’ beliefs and rituals was acknowledged as important by PICU HCPs. This review also emphasises the importance of HCPs collaborating to provide the optimum end-of-life care in the PICU and involving a palliative care team in end-of-life care.

Occupational health nursing and political action.

Occupational health and safety are central elements of work. Throughout its history as a speciality, occupational health nursing (OHN) has been expanding the development of academic competencies and the improvement of clinical skills. The literature highlights that OHN is more involved in the application of policies with a public health perspective focused on the well-being of the worker than in their design and development. REFLECTIONS FROM A SOCIO-OCCUPATIONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH NURSING: From this premise, the current reality contributes to establishing priorities for action, generates consensus as a discipline, induces self-criticism and favours development as a profession. The article points out the strategies that favour political participation in companies, the factors that limit public representation and some of the benefits of establishing this type of initiative in organisations. The OHN is a key agent of change in the design and development of health policies in the workplace. From a panoramic view of how health strategies can influence companies, and the care of the working population, political awareness and civic participation in its different aspects are part of the commitment to this nursing speciality.