Effectiveness of a preceptors' social support program to aid novice nurses' error experience on preceptors' skill and novice nurses' perception of social support: A quasi-experimental study.

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of the preceptors' social support program (PSSP) on preceptors' social support skill-supportive relationships and post-error support-and novice nurses' perception of received social support. METHODS: This study employed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design with a control group of a non-random assigned sample of 47 preceptors and novice nurses and an intervention group of 48 each. Intervention group preceptors received training in building supportive relationships skill and post-error support skills three times in the PSSP over 7 months. Preceptors' social support skill and novice nurses' perception of received social support were measured as primary outcomes. Data were collected at baseline (T0), 1 month after the second session (T1), and 1 month after the last session (T2) and analyzed. RESULTS: No significant differences in demographics or scores were shown at baseline (T0). Preceptors in the intervention group showed significantly better supportive relationships (T2, 101.6 ± 9 vs. 96.9 ± 7.6, 95% CI [0.95, 8.42], p = .015) and better performance of post-error support (T2, 67.6 ± 5 vs. 62 ± 6.5, 95% CI [2.78, 8.32], p < .001). Intervention group preceptors' social support skill increased or remained stable, while it decreased over time in the control group. Novice nurses in the intervention group received significantly better supportive relationships and post-error support from preceptors (T2, median 112 vs. 101, p = .007; 70.5 vs. 65, p = .028, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The PSSP improved preceptors' supportive relationship skills and post-error support performance, leading to novice nurses' perceptions of better supportive relationships and receiving greater post-error support.

Effects of a smartphone app-based diet and physical activity program for men living with HIV who have dyslipidemia: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

AIMS: People living with HIV are at a high risk for cardiovascular disease owing to antiretroviral therapy use and chronic inflammation. There is limited evidence on the evaluation of serum lipid levels through lifestyle modification. This study aims to evaluate the effect of a smartphone application-based diet and exercise improvement program on men living with HIV and dyslipidemia. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial recruiting Japanese men living with HIV who have dyslipidemia: intervention group (n = 19) and control group (n = 19). The intervention group received a third individual guidance session during the 6-month intervention and was encouraged to record their diet on a smartphone application. An intention-to-treat analysis of the results was conducted. RESULTS: The intervention group showed significantly reduced change in low-density lipoprotein levels compared to the control group (-4.00 ± 20.2 mg/dL vs. 10.11 ± 21.1 mg/dL) (p = .042) from baseline to 6 months post-intervention. No significant differences were found in other serum lipid levels. Abdominal circumference decreased significantly in the intervention group (p = .048) from baseline to 6 months post-intervention. Total energy, protein, carbohydrate, fat, and salt intake, dietary and physical activity behavior change stages and social support, dietary self-efficacy, and loneliness significantly improved in the intervention group (p < .05) from baseline to 6 months post-intervention. CONCLUSIONS: A diet and physical activity improvement program using a smartphone application based on Japanese-specific health guidance may reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in this population. Further sample expansion and examination of long-term effects are needed.

Measuring social support for novice nurses: Development of the supportive relationship inventory and perceived availability of post-error support tool.

AIM: To develop and psychometrically test the Supportive Relationship Inventory and Perceived Availability of Post-error Support Tool for novice nurses. BACKGROUND: Novice nurses are particularly susceptible to adverse effects from medical errors. Supportive relationships and the perceived availability of social support can limit the impact of these errors. However, there are no valid and reliable instruments to measure these forms of social support for novice nurses in medical error settings. METHOD: Questionnaires were distributed to 597 novice nurses at 20 hospitals throughout Japan, with 305 responses. Construct validity was tested by confirmatory factor analysis, and criterion validity, by correlation with external criteria. Reliability was evaluated by Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis indicated good model fit for both scales, establishing construct validity. The Supportive Relationship Inventory and its subscales displayed good internal consistency (α = 0.795-0.951), as did the Perceived Availability of Post-error Support Tool and its subscales (α = 0.831-0.944). Test-retest correlations were above 0.74. CONCLUSION: The reliability and validity of the scales was determined. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse managers can use these two scales to foster supportive colleagues, to build a supportive organisational culture and to evaluate whether colleagues' support meets novice nurses' needs.

Effects of disposable bath and towel bath on the transition of resident skin bacteria, water content of the stratum corneum, and relaxation.

BACKGROUND: Bed bath in daily nursing care is crucial for cleaning and moisturizing patients' skin. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of cleaning and level of comfort of towel and disposable baths. The 2 methods were evaluated based on measurements of the transition of resident skin bacteria, stratum corneum water content, transepidermal water loss, and perceived relaxation levels. METHODS: Twenty-six healthy women aged 65-90 years participated in this study and received disposable and towel baths. We measured 4 indicators before and after bathing. The participants' relaxation levels were measured by the Japanese adult version of the Profile of Mood States Second Edition short form. RESULTS: Both disposable and towel baths significantly decreased resident skin bacteria. Disposable bath also significantly reduced Staphylococcus aureus and effectively maintained the water content of the stratum corneum. Furthermore, disposable bath was as effective as towel bath at contributing to participants' relaxation levels. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that using a disposable bath for daily cleaning of patients' skin is more comfortable and effective than using a towel bath.

[Image examination of malignant tumors in lungs observed on the basis of cost analysis using diagnosis procedure combination data].

Recently, the environment of medical treatment in our country has become more strict. The purpose of this study is to find changes in the implementation of diagnostic imaging from the point of view of cost analysis, through the use of diagnosis procedure combination (DPC) data. The patient data has been extracted from the DPC data. We compared patients (n=693) in terms of their daily income, cost, and image examination cost ratio for malignant tumors in lungs. The results of this study indicated the ratio of the image examination cost of 040040xx99100x was 25.2% in the old grading sheet. The ratio of the image examination cost increased 42.4% in the new grading sheet. The implementation of diagnostic imaging was able to be made visible simply by analyzing the cost. We found one of the methodologies that connected the improvement of that standard treatment with the examination of each DPC.

Study of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness within normal hemivisual field in primary open-angle glaucoma and normal-tension glaucoma.

PURPOSE: To determine if nerve fiber layer thickness (NFLT) in glaucoma patients decreases before the development of visual field loss, and if there is a difference in the thinning of NFLT between primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) eyes. METHODS: Thirty patients (33 eyes) with POAG and 31 patients (31eyes) with NTG, who had visual field defects localized in either the upper or the lower hemifield verified by Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA), were measured for NFLT by scanning laser polarimetry (Nerve Fiber Analyzer). Twenty-three normal subjects (23 eyes) matched in refraction and age with the glaucoma patients were recruited as the control group. The total deviation (TD) in each hemifield obtained by HFA and the 180 degrees NFLT of each corresponding hemifield was calculated. Relationships between the TD of the normal or abnormal visual hemifield and the NFLT of the corresponding hemifield were compared among the POAG, NTG, and control groups. RESULTS: The NFLT of the corresponding normal hemifield was decreased both in the POAG group and in the NTG group when compared with the corresponding measurements in control subjects. In POAG eyes, thinning of the NFLT in the corresponding normal hemifield was more remarkable if the TD of the abnormal hemifield was greater, but this tendency was not observed in NTG eyes. CONCLUSION: NFLT is already decreased when the visual field is still normal both in POAG eyes and in NTG eyes. However, the pattern of retinal nerve fiber layer damage in POAG may differ from that in NTG.