[Burnout among elderly care staff. A review of its prevalence]. / Burn-out bei Beschäftigten in der stationären Altenpflege und in der Geriatrie. Ein Review zur Prävalenz.

Provision of inpatient elderly care is characterized by factors that favor the onset of burnout, with psychosomatic complaints, a drop in performance, periods of absence due to sickness, and early retirement from the sector regularly being observed in this respect. This study summarizes the research of the past 11 years, regarding the prevalence of burnout among inpatient elderly care employees. A total of 24 studies were identified during a systematic database search conducted in May 2011. As the studies conceptualize burnout differently and are based on different survey tools, it is not possible to draw a clear conclusion regarding its prevalence. There is empirical evidence of a correlation between burnout and the care staff/patient ratio, workloads, the freedom to make decisions, job satisfaction, and neuroticism. There is no confirmation of a correlation between burnout and marital status, income, or shift work. There are contradictory findings regarding the correlation between burnout and sociodemographic aspects (e.g., age and gender) as well as burnout and the type of care institution, working hours, and violence perpetrated by patients.

Quantification of ZP1, ZP2 and ZP3 mRNA of marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus) oocytes from periantral and antral follicles.

In mammals, the oocyte and preimplantation embryo are protected by the zona pellucida (ZP) consisting mainly of ZP glycoproteins, which are responsible for sperm binding, induction of the acrosome reaction and zona pellucida hardening to prevent polyspermia. The ZP proteins become increasingly important as possible predictors for in vitro cultured oocytes competence. As little is known about the stage-dependent expression of ZP1, ZP2 and ZP3 in marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus) oocytes, mRNA expression was investigated with real-time RT-PCR. Total-RNA was isolated from three different classes of marmoset oocytes; Class 1 oocytes from periantral follicles (<600 µm, n = 10), Class 2 oocytes from small antral follicles (600-1000 µm, n = 10) and Class 3 oocytes from large antral follicles (>1000 µm, n = 9). Compared with Class 1 oocytes mRNA expression of ZP1, ZP2 and ZP3 in Class 2 oocytes was significantly decreased. In Class 3 oocytes, the transcription of ZP1, ZP2 and ZP3 genes showed also a significant decrease compared with Class 1 oocytes. In this study a differently regulated expression of the ZP genes during late folliculogenesis with an obvious downregulation of ZP1, ZP2 and ZP3 could be demonstrated for the first time in the marmoset monkey.

[Leadership behaviour and health - current research state]. / Führungsverhalten und Gesundheit - Zum Stand der Forschung.

The link between leaders' behaviour and health has only recently been the focus of scientific research and the results which already exist on this topic have, to date, not been systematically evaluated or summarized. The objective of this article is to make an attempt to provide a summarised overview of the current state of research. Subject-related databases list 42 publications dealing with the relationship between leaders' behaviour and the state of health and well-being of their employees. The literature discusses leaders' behaviour as being both a stressor (source of stress) and a resource. The publications discussed here also provide the first empirical evidence on the influence of various leadership styles on the health of the employees. In particular, transformational and employee-orientated leadership are considered to be beneficial to health. But the question of how leaders' behaviour influences health has not been satisfactorily explained. In most of the publications included, a direct link was assumed and, in the majority of cases, confirmed empirically. In addition, it also appears that there may be an indirect influence which may be moderated or mediated by, e. g., working conditions or the personality of the individual. The relatively small number of research examinations into the influence of leaders' behaviour on the health and well-being of their staff shows that there is a need for additional research.

[Workplace health promotion through human resources development part I: development and evaluation of qualification programme for prevention of psychic stresses]. / Betriebliche Gesundheitsförderung durch Personalentwicklung Teil I: Entwicklung und Evaluation eines Qualifizierungsprogramms zur Prävention psychischer Belastungen.

Caregivers of the residents in nursing homes are exposed to a high degree of physical and mental stress. The first part of this article deals with the development and evaluation of an intervention programme aiming at the staff's qualification to deal with these stresses. The main purpose of the programme was the improvement of the caregiver's methodical, social and self-care competences. A controlled study design was applied to evaluate the training effects. Seventeen homes for the elderly and nursing homes were involved in the pilot study. All participants of the intervention group (eleven homes) assessed their competences, their job conditions and their mental health status at the beginning and at the end of the training. The participants of the control group (six homes) assessed these aspects at the same time, but had no training in between. Furthermore, the intervention group took part in a third survey about twelve weeks after the intervention had been finished. Among the training participants, particularly the self-care skills improved (p=0.01). In addition, occupational stress could be reduced (p=0.01) and the climate with the residents enhanced (p=0.06). Compared to the changes also observed in the control group, statistically significant effects only confined to the change of the climate with the residents (p=0.01). In sum, the evaluation confirms the programme's success to develop the caregiver's professional competences in order to reduce their job stress. Further follow-up-studies are needed to investigate the long-term influence of behavioural prevention programmes like this on employee's health.

[Workplace health promotion through human resources development part II: practical transfer of qualification programme for prevention of psychic stresses]. / Betriebliche Gesundheitsförderung durch Personalentwicklung Teil II: Praxistransfer eines Qualifizierungsprogramms zur Prävention psychischer Belastungen.

This article is a follow-on from the first article on the development and evaluation of an intervention programme aiming to teach the staff of care facilities how to better deal with the mental strain they are exposed to. After a brief review of the programme's goal of 'increasing in-house health through staff development' and of the pilot study, this report initially shows how the findings from the pilot phase have been integrated into the original programme and what modifications have been carried out. For example, elements that proved to be successful such as the setting up of a 'steering circle' have been kept and, in addition, solutions for acknowledged weak points such as the insufficient transfer of the acquired knowledge to everyday work situations have been developed. In order to adequately support health care facilities during the implementation of the programme, additional courses to train multipliers who are to offer the necessary assistance, were carried out. The article also covers the evaluation of the quality of the development programme and of the accompanying implementation of the programme by the multipliers. At the end, a practical example is used to illustrate the issue and to demonstrate what actual shape the implementation at the different facilities can take.

[Graduate and continuing education as a contribution to quality assurance in geriatric nursing--results of an empirical study on the current status and the need for change]. / Fort- und Weiterbildung als Beitrag zur Qualitätssicherung in der Altenpflege--Ergebnisse einer empirischen Erhebung zur Ist-Situation und zu Veränderungsnotwendigkeiten.

Efforts to improve the quality of care mainly depend on sufficient capacities of staff qualifications. Professional training is of primary importance to prepare for new tasks and to reduce educational deficits. The results of an empirical study carried out by the Federal Department of Family Affairs and the Kuratorium Deutsche Altershilfe showed that legal prerequisites are insufficient and not consensual among the different states. The offers of educational programs differ extensively, the market is changing topically and the teachers' qualifications can be judged as deficient.

[Interprofessional cooperation in home care of disabled elderly patients. Results of a model project]. / Berufsgruppenübergreifende Zusammenarbeit in der häuslichen Versorgung pflegebedürftiger älterer Menschen. Ergebnisse eines Modellprojekts.

As is well known from experience, physicians, nurses, and other not-medical professions in ambulant care for elder people generally do not co-operate intensively, although there are many points of contact. With regard to this situation and the growth of the group of very old people, which request the further development of geriatric medicine and rehabilitation, a research project was realized in order to build up, improve and, as far as necessary, systematize inter-professional co-operation; this process was evaluated referring to the conditions and the effects of more intensive co-operation. This project led to several agreements concerning the improvement of co-operation; especially there are indications that the elder people in question are better cared for on the basis of intensive inter-professional co-operation and that avoidable expenses can be saved.

[Current personnel status and qualification requirements in nursing care]. / Gegenwärtige Personalsituation und Qualifizierungserfordernisse in der Pflege.

Efforts to improve the quality of care and to adapt the professional care giving structures to changing demands are mainly influenced by staff qualification. Based on a survey of empirical studies and data sets the present qualification structures on German home care services and nursing homes for the aged will be described. The results showed that the German care-giving system is characterized by a variety of professions and qualification structures. The changing paradigm of care-giving still showed no reflection in practical work. Furthermore, a variety of different educational and training programs of professional nurses impedes its professionalization.

[Aging in developing countries]. / Altern in Entwicklungsländern.

After presenting informations about the general life conditions in the less developed regions, the author concentrates on the term "syndrome of poverty", which have a great impact on the life conditions and the status of the elderly. Demographic data concerning the world population of all ages and the aged population in the more developed and the less developed regions follow.

[Terminal care as a topic in training in geriatric care: a report of experiences]. / Sterbebegleitung als Thema in der Altenpflegeausbildung: Ein Erfahrungsbericht.

Beginning with a short survey of the present standard of death education of geriatric nurses the author describes experiences with the elaboration and evaluation of a death education programme. The process of working out a course based on a developed classification of educational goal which tries to realise special principles of adult education is discussed. Besides the problem of evaluating instruction units, the use of such possible methods as observation, questioning and assessment scales is described. Finally the results of the programme from the viewpoints of the observer and the participating geriatric nurses are described.