Practice Of Healthcare Professionals Research Articles

Knowledge and attitudes towards medicinal cannabis and complementary and integrative medicine (CIM): a survey of healthcare professionals working in a cancer hospital in Australia

PurposeWe investigated attitudes and practices of healthcare professionals (HCPs) to medicinal cannabis (MC) and complementary and integrative medicine (CIM), including individual therapies, such as acupuncture, massage, herbs, dietary supplements, nutrition and exercise. We explored whether healthcare occupation influenced attitudes to CIM and MC; referral pathways for advice on CIM; and interest in a pharmacy service to evaluate herbs and supplements.MethodsCross-sectional survey. All clinical staff at a comprehensive cancer hospital were invited to complete an anonymous questionnaire about CIM and MC. We used descriptive analysis to describe the respondent’s knowledge and attitudes, and Fisher’s exact test to test for differences by occupation, length of time at the hospital and age.ResultsMost of the 116 HCPs respondents supported integrating CIM into cancer care (94.8%) and wanted to learn more (90%) and to understand benefits and contraindications. Most respondents believed that CIM (87.9%) could benefit patients with cancer, and MC could benefit those with advanced cancer (49–51%). Whilst just over half (52.6%) felt confident discussing CIM with patients, only 10% felt they had sufficient knowledge to discuss MC. Most felt they did not have sufficient knowledge to specifically discuss mind and body practices (63.8%) or herbs and supplements (79%). HCPs (63%) would be more inclined to allow use of herbs and supplements with cancer treatment if a pharmacy service was available to evaluate interactions. Occupation, length of time at hospital and age influenced confidence and knowledge about CIM.ConclusionsThe integration of evidence-based CIM and MC into cancer care is hampered by a lack of knowledge of benefits and contraindications, and gaps in education. Effective and safe integration may require targeted development of services such as pharmacy to evaluate the safety of herbs and supplements, and inclusion of cancer specialists who have received training in individual CIM therapies and MC.

PRINCIPLES AND METHODS OF RESEARCH ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN PATIENTS WITH DIABETES

In recent years, assessing the quality of life of patients with diabetes, as an indicator of the patient’s overall well-being, which affects not only the course of the primary condition but also the prognosis of the development of complications and associated conditions, has become particularly important.
 According to WHO experts, the quality of life is an integral characteristic of a person's physical, psychological, emotional, and social functioning, based on their subjective perception.
 The aim: to conduct analysis and synthesis of scientific publications on the selection of instruments for researching the quality of life of patients with diabetes.
 Materials and methods: The analysis and synthesis of scientific publications regarding the utilization of standardized questionnaires to assess the quality of life among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were conducted. The appropriateness and practicality of their utilization in the clinical practice of healthcare professionals were analyzed. The following methods were employed: a systematic approach, bibliosemantic analysis, as well as analytical and comparative methods.
 Results: Given that virtually any chronic illness can influence the structure of a patient's psyche and personality, it can be inferred that diabetes leads to similar consequences, which undoubtedly impact their quality of life.
 Quality of life is a multifaceted concept that encompasses the influence of disease severity and physical condition on the patient’s physical, social, economic, and emotional well-being. This is why assessing the patient’s quality of life is increasingly crucial in evaluating the effectiveness of diabetes therapy. Moreover, it is essential to assess several parameters, taking into consideration not only the patient’s physical state. We have conducted an analysis spanning almost 40 years to identify effective questionnaires for assessing the quality of life of diabetes patients.
 Conclusions: It is evident that assessing the quality of life of patients and identifying factors that impact it are crucial elements in the formulation of intervention strategies aimed at enhancing the quality of life for these individuals.

A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Survey of Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Healthcare Professionals towards Antimicrobial Stewardship in Ghana: Findings and Implications.

Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs are part of the key activities that contribute to reducing antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Good knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among healthcare professionals (HCPs) are essential to improving future antimicrobial use and reducing AMR, which is a priority in Ghana. A multicenter cross-sectional survey was conducted in six public hospitals in Ghana among key HCPs to assess their level of KAP towards AMS using a validated self-administered electronic questionnaire. Data analyses included descriptive and inferential statistics using STATA version 14. Overall, 339 out of 355 HCPs responded to the questionnaire, giving a response rate of 95.5%. Most responders were nurses (n = 256, 78.2%), followed by medical doctors (n = 45, 13.3%). The study recorded both poor knowledge (8.9%) and practice levels (35.4%), as well as a good attitude (78.8%) towards AMS. Ongoing exposure to AMS structured training, exposure to continuous professional development training on AMS in the previous year, and the number of years of working experience were predictors of the HCPs' level of knowledge (aOR = 3.02 C.I = 1.12-8.11), attitude (aOR = 0.37 C.I = 0.20-0.69) and practice (aOR = 2.09 C.I =1.09-3.99), respectively. Consequently, concentrated efforts must be made to address current low levels of knowledge and poor practices regarding AMS among HCPs in Ghana as part of ongoing strategies in the National Action Plan to reduce AMR.

Role of resilience and self-coping strategy in determining positive emotions during pandemic among healthcare professionals in Iran

BackgroundThe unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic placed immense stress on healthcare professionals worldwide. This strain often resulted in imbalances in their physical and mental well-being, necessitating effective coping mechanisms. In light of this context, this study investigates the correlations between the fear of COVID-19, self-coping strategies, and positive emotions, with particular reference to the Iranian health care industry.MethodsData were collected from 1050 healthcare professionals in Iran and the data were analysed sing structural equation modelling.ResultsThe study revealed that pandemic fear negatively impacts self-coping strategies and positive emotions during crisis scenarios. Conversely, self-coping strategies have a positive correlation with positive emotions. The research also underscored the role of resilience in reinforcing the favorable link between self-coping strategies and positive emotions.ConclusionsThis study is one of the first to explore the significance of resilience and self-coping strategies among Iranian healthcare professionals during the pandemic. Its findings offer valuable insights for researchers and practitioners, paving the way for further contributions in this field. Future research endeavors may consider investigating the effects of various psychological interventions, including breathing techniques, self-talk, physical exercises, yoga, optimizing sleep, and dietary measures on the resilience and self-coping practices of healthcare professionals.

How should institutions help clinicians to practise greener anaesthesia: first-order and second-order responsibilities to practice sustainably

There is a need for all industries, including healthcare, to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. In anaesthetic practice, this not only requires a reduction in resource use and waste, but...

Exploration into the Current Practice of Healthcare Professionals monitoring the Biochemistry of Home Enterally Fed Patients

Exploration into the Current Practice of Healthcare Professionals monitoring the Biochemistry of Home Enterally Fed Patients

The Role of the Methodologist in Simulation Training

The authors reveal the role of methodologists in the development of simulation education. The methodologist in the educational process plays a significant role in ensuring the quality of simulation education by preparing the necessary educational resources that meet the requirements for training practical healthcare professionals.

Knowledge about recommendations for physical activity and personal practices of primary health care professionals

Since the recommendations of moderate-to vigorous physical activity (PA) for health constitute important information to be shared in counseling practice, the present study was aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge of health professionals about the international PA recommendations for adults and elderly and to verify if there are associations between PA motivation with leisure time PA, readiness to change behavior and body mass index (BMI) of these professionals. In 2021, a questionnaire was applied remotely with health professionals from Brazilian health system. The survey had 34 participants, who answered sociodemographic and health questions, knowledge about international PA recommendations for adults and the elderly, PA duration, behavioral stage and motivations for PA practice. Of the five questions that assessed the knowledge of professionals, three had the highest prevalence of wrong answers, and professionals who have a more internal motivation to practice PA showed a significant association with reaching the minimum PA and eutrophic BMI recommendations. Professional qualification is important, together with encouragement to practice PA, through contents that consider internal motivations.

Validity and reliability of the transculturally adapted Spanish version of the Implementation Leadership Scale (ILS)

BackgroundThere is a need for pragmatic and reliable measures of sound factors that affect evidence-based practice (EBP) adoption and implementation in different languages and cultural environments. The Implementation Leadership Scale (ILS) is a brief and efficient measurement tool of strategic leadership for EBP implementation. The objective of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the ILS.MethodsThe process of translation of the original ILS into Spanish consisted of forward translation, panel meeting, and back-translation. Scale face and content validity compared to that of the original version were assessed and ensured before agreement on the final version. Psychometric properties were examined in 144 healthcare professionals (family physicians, pediatricians, practice and pediatric nurses) involved in implementation or improvement research projects. ILS factor structure was tested by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Reliability was assessed by internal consistency analysis. The Pearson correlation between the ILS and the Organizational Support dimension of the Organizational Readiness for Knowledge Translation (OR4KT) questionnaire in the subsample of pediatricians and pediatric nurses (n = 52) was estimated for convergent validity analysis.ResultsThe CFA results indicated that the original four theorized first-order factors with a second-order Implementation Leadership factor fit the data well (χ2 = 107.70; df = 45; p < 0.001). All standardized first- and second-order factor loadings were statistically significant. Fit indexes showed acceptable figures (GFI = 0.90; CFI = 0.97; RMSEA = 0.10; SRMR = 0.053). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient for the four dimensions of ILS ranged from 0.90 to 0.97, while the reliability estimated for the total scale was 0.95. Results of convergent validity revealed high correlation (r = 0.56) between the ILS and the OR4KT’s Organizational Support dimension.ConclusionThe CFA results demonstrated that the tested first- and second-order factor structure of the 12-item Spanish version of the ILS is consistent with the factor structure of the original tool. The availability of the ILS will allow Spanish-speaking researchers to assess and advance understanding of the implementation leadership construct as a predictor of organizational implementation context.

Knowledge About Medical Waste Management: How do Healthcare Professionals Learn and Practice?

The management and disposal of medical waste follow scientific protocols to ensure safety. However, the effective implementation of the medical waste management system depended on correct handling and segregation by the healthcare workers, during their daily activities. These professionals need to know about health waste management, since incorrect handling and disposal pose a potential risk to the environment and human health. This study aimed to analyze the knowledge regarding the management of medical waste of the healthcare teams working in the Family Health Strategy (FHS). Designed to provide preventive and basic healthcare using multidisciplinary professional teams, the FHS reflects many best practices. The research was carried out in a city that is the 3rd economy in southern Brazil. This was a cross-sectional descriptive study with a quantitative approach, and data were assessed by using self-administered and pretested questionnaire. The study sample consisted of 74 participants, including doctors, nurses, and nursing technicians. Descriptive statistics were carried out to express participants’ demographic information, mean knowledge score, and the teaching strategies used with the team. The main research results show that the healthcare teams working in the Family Health Strategy have, in part, knowledge about the correct management of waste. Besides, they are sensitive, in general, to its impact on the environment. Nevertheless, the results highlighted that more practical training would be needed, to help healthcare workers with everyday doubts. Furthermore, the results show that it requires attention to rethinking the strategies used to train and develop knowledge and skills in health services.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Health Care Professionals Regarding Vaccination against Influenza and SARS- Cov-2 in Greece

Knowledge, Attitude and Practices of Health Care Professionals Regarding Vaccination against Influenza and SARS- Cov-2 in Greece

Family orientation in forensic psychiatric care: An uncertain foundation of distrust

The patients in forensic psychiatric care (FPC) are affected by their illness and the care they receive, but their families are also affected. The family-systems nursing theory has the mutual influence of the family as constituting a core starting point for the health of both the individual and the family and focuses on helping families cope with their situation. The aim of the study was to describe healthcare professionals' experiences of their family-oriented work within FPC. The findings are presented in three themes: A longed-for reciprocity within and with the family, Maintaining a problem-oriented and individual-based tradition, and Caring built on a foundation of distrust. Family-oriented work among healthcare professionals in FPC can only be realized through a pervasive shift in perspective from a predominantly problem-oriented patient focus towards a focus on interactional interplay and patterns. This is based on the belief that there are potential resources for patients and families to change in a healthy way. An educational intervention is suggested as a core starting point for developing a family-oriented practice for healthcare professionals in forensic psychiatric settings.

Artificial Intelligence in Interprofessional Healthcare Practice Education – Insights from the Home Health Project, an Exemplar for Change

Artificial intelligence (AI) technology in professional practice is regarded as the latest disruption to challenge ethical, societal, economic, and educational paradigms. It is becoming a contemporary narrative in our healthcare and educational discourse as it is thought to improve decision-making, education, patient care, and service delivery. If such benefits are to be realized it is important to ensure that our understanding of AI is underpinned with curricula to educate healthcare professionals about AI. Practitioners can then be better informed to participate fully in digital initiatives in their field. Few if any studies articulate a clear process in curricula design for professional practice and healthcare education. Therefore, an understanding of real-world applications of AI education for most professions is limited. As a result, there is an imperative to establish a sustainable learning space for professional healthcare practice education. This paper presents novel experiences, within a virtual lab environment, for the application of AI in healthcare. We identify and problematize insights into the AI competencies required for AI in professional healthcare practice education. With reference to our novel living lab titled, the Home Health Project, we present an interconnected case study model that suggest theoretical underpinning and opportunities to develop practitioner education pedagogy using AI concepts, concluding with a three-step proposal when delivering AI curriculum for this context.

Professional care for LGBTI people in rural areas: Knowledge, beliefs and practices. A case study in the La Selva region, Spain

Over the last decade, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) policies have been developed in Catalonia (Spain). This has resulted in official efforts to address the needs of LGBTI people in rural areas of a territory that, until recently, had neglected these needs. In this article, through mixed methods research, we analyze the knowledge, beliefs and practices of health care and social service professionals in the region of La Selva. The results show how, despite professionals’ desire to provide good care for LGBTI people, ignorance, prejudice and cisheterocentric outlooks limit professional practice.

Izmir Earthquake Experience of Healthcare Professionals During Pandemics: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: During the period where the effects of Covid-19 pandemics have been intensively experienced, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck off İzmir province, resulting in devastating consequences. The earthquake during pandemics cause to increase work overload to healthcare professionals, leading to additional challenges in the management of the process. Aim: This is phenomenological research conducted to depict experiences and practices of healthcare professionals who experienced an earthquake together with pandemics. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted with 11 healthcare professionals working in the emergency department of a private healthcare facility in İZMİR. The data were collected using a semi-structured, online interview. Results: Overall, 3 primary and 18 sub-themes were revealed regarding the experiences and practices of the nurses. Most participants experienced emotions such as fear, shock, panic, and sadness at the time of the earthquake and when faced with earthquake victims. They experienced shortness in resources, safety concerns for themselves and their families as well as health issues and their management. Conclusion and suggestions:Participants reported that knowledge regarding competence in the profession, communication skills, ingenuity, and innovation in providing care due to shortness of resources, professional, triage, to provide psychological care, and follow-up skills are required in this challenging. Highlights: During disasters, healthcare professionals work in difficult conditions with limited resources and face problems and difficulties more than those experienced during their daily practice. This study presents very important information about health professionals' need to support not only the organization but also psychological support when is been living more than one disaster.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare professionals on oral care of pregnant women in Brunei Darussalam

ObjectiveTo examine nationwide the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of healthcare professionals on oral/dental care of pregnant women in Brunei Darussalam.Materials and methodsA descriptive cross-sectional study conducted using an online survey of eligible healthcare professionals in all Government Maternal and Child Health Care Clinics, Dental Clinics and Obstetrics and Gynecological Clinics in four hospitals covering the whole of Brunei Darussalam. Participants were given seven days to complete the survey. Sub-group analysis using Chi-square test for independence and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the significant association between domains of oral care practices and demographic factors. P values less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsA total of 346 healthcare professionals participated in this online study. Most participants (94.3%) responded that they perceived oral health to be of high importance. However, less than two thirds of the participants (59.0%) included oral health questions during antenatal health assessments. Moreover, only 16.2% of participants frequently discussed the importance of oral care with their antenatal patients.ConclusionsIn this survey, most healthcare professionals viewed oral health to be of high importance for prenatal/antenatal patients. However, not all put those views into practice with regard to oral care in pregnant women.

EFFECTIVENESS OF PALLIATIVE CARE EDUCATION ON THE KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE AND PRACTICE OF HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW PROTOCOL

Introduction: Palliative care is a method of improving the quality of life of patients and their families who are experiencing life-threatening diseases. This review aims to assess the effectiveness of palliative care education on knowledge, attitude and practice of healthcare professionals that will serve as a baseline for future educational interventions to improve the care for patients with chronic illnesses in different health care settings. Methods:This review will be conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA)-2020 with the use of Sample, Phenomenon of Interest, Design, Evaluation, and Research Type (SPIDER) and Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) tools to structure the research question. The electronic databases PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature(CINAHL), MEDLINE, ProQuest, Scopus, Web of Science, Ovid, Google Scholar and grey literature will be searched for relevant articles. The review will include qualitative, quantitative, and mixed method studies written in the English language, published anywhere in the worldfrom 2010 to 2023. The search terms are effectiveness, palliative care, palliative care education, healthcare professionals, knowledge, attitude and practice. Data extracted will be recorded on a data extraction form. This review will be conducted according to the criteria outlined in the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions.

Legal approaches to risk of harm in genetic counseling: perspectives from Quebec and Qatar.

Genetic counseling is a fast-growing profession worldwide, with genetic counselors taking on increasingly comprehensive and autonomous roles in the healthcare sector. However, the absence of appropriate legal frameworks could potentially create risks of harm to the public. Legal recognition serves to protect the public from risk of harm by regulating the safe and competent practice of healthcare professionals. Genetic counseling is not legally recognized in most world jurisdictions. Examination of the legal status of genetic counseling in different jurisdictions and whether existing legal mechanisms are adequate to address potential risks of harm is therefore timely. This paper examines the different roles of genetic counselors in the Canadian province of Quebec and the state of Qatar, the authors' respective jurisdictions. It considers the types of harms that may be created where appropriate legal mechanisms are lacking, considering the socio-political and legal differences between the two jurisdictions. Moreover, it examines the legal status of genetic counseling in Quebec and Qatar to determine whether these statuses appropriately address the identified risks of harm. The authors argue that existing legal frameworks are inadequate to address these risks and recommend that additional regulatory mechanisms be implemented to properly protect the public from risks of harm.

General practice as a place to receive help for domestic abuse during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative interview study in England and Wales.

General practice is an important place for patients experiencing or perpetrating domestic violence and abuse (DVA), and for their children to seek and receive help. While the incidence of DVA may have increased during the COVID- 19 pandemic, there has been a reduction in DVA identifications and referrals to specialist services from general practice. Concurrently there has been the imposition of lockdown measures and a shift to remote care in general practices in the UK. To understand the patient perspective of seeking and receiving help for DVA in general practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. This was then compared with experiences of general practice healthcare professionals. A qualitative interview study in seven urban general practices in England and Wales, as part of a feasibility study of IRIS+, an integrated primary care DVA system-level training and support intervention. Semi-structured interviews with 21 patients affected by DVA and 13 general practice healthcare professionals who had received IRIS+ training. Analysis involved a Framework approach. Patients recounted positive experiences of seeking help for DVA in general practice during the pandemic. However, there have been perceived problems with the availability of general practice and a strong preference for face-to-face consultations, over remote consultations, for the opportunities of non- verbal communication. There were also concerns from healthcare professionals regarding the invisibility of children affected by DVA. Perspectives of patients and their families affected by DVA should be prioritised in general practice service planning, including during periods of transition and change.

İnegöl Devlet Hastanesi sağlık çalışanlarının el hijyeni uygulamalarının değerlendirilmesi

Introduction and Aim: Hand hygiene is the cheapest and easiest method to prevent health-related infections. Determining the beliefs and practices related to hand hygiene is very important to increase compliance. In this study, it is aimed to determine the beliefs and practices of healthcare professionals towards hand hygiene, to determine the factors affecting them and the current hand hygiene compliance rates. Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 437 people working in İnegöl State hospital between January 10 and December 31, 2022. Data were collected with Personal Information Form, Hand Hygiene Observation Form, Hand Hygiene Belief Scale and Hand Hygiene Practices Inventory form. The data of the variables were shown with frequency and percentage. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between hand hygiene practice inventory and belief score averages. Results: The hand hygiene practice inventory and hand hygiene belief scores of the healthcare professionals participating in the study were 63.45±6.35 and 85.32±8.25, respectively. It was determined that there was a weak positive and significant correlation between the two scales (r=0.307, p&lt;0.001). Considering the compliance rates by indication, it was 89.6% before the patient, 82% before the aseptic procedures, and 98.7% after the patient. Hand hygiene compliance was determined as 92.3% in the nurse group, 83.9% in the doctor group, 97.6% in the surgical units, and hospital-wide compliance was determined as 90.3%. Conclusion: The answers given by the people to the inventory and the observation results were found to be directly proportional. It was determined that the belief in hand hygiene affects the practice of hand hygiene and the informed observation increases the general hand hygiene compliance. Of the five indications; It was thought that hand hygiene compliance was higher after the patient and this was due to the desire of people to protect themselves.