[The implementation of clinical assessment by nurses in Switzerland: A cross-sectional study from the nursing perspective]. / Die Umsetzung des klinischen Assessments durch Pflegefachpersonen in der Schweiz.

The implementation of clinical assessment by nurses in Switzerland: A cross-sectional study from the nursing perspective Abstract: Background: Clinical assessment is a core competency of BSc and MSc prepared nurses in Switzerland. However, influencing factors of its implementation and the experience in the interprofessional team has been studied little so far. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore how often clinical assessment skills are used by BSc and MSc graduated nurses in Switzerland, to identify facilitating and hindering factors for implementation and to investigate the nurses experience of the implementation in the interprofessional team. Method: We used an exploratory, descriptive research design employing a cross-sectional study of the convenience sample of BScN and MScN graduates in Switzerland. 264 questionnaires were analysed quantitatively and 149 written statements as part of the survey qualitatively. Results: Respondents indicated that they routinely only use 18.9% of the 53 assessment skills they were trained in. The "respiratory system", "abdomen", "skin" and "mental status" were used most frequently. MScN graduates use respiratory assessments and BScN graduates use abdominal assessments more frequently. Lack of time and interruptions, lack of influence on patient care and specialty specific skills are hindering factors for the implementation. Better conditions at the institutional level and appreciation within the interprofessional team can make an encouraging contribution in future. Conclusion: This study illustrates, that the theory-practice transfer of clinical assessment in Switzerland needs to be further promoted.

[Evidence-based practice in Bachelor of Nursing programmes in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland: A survey of general conditions, teaching content and methods]. / Evidenzbasierte Praxis in Bachelor-Pflegestudiengängen in Österreich, Deutschland und der Schweiz: ein Survey zu Rahmenbedingungen, Lehrinhalten und -methoden.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Evidence-based practice (EBP) provides an important basis for improving both the quality of care and patient safety. Formulating a research question, searching the literature, and critical appraisal are crucial to developing evidence-based practice. The aim of this survey was to provide an overview of how these topics are integrated into bachelor's degree programs in nursing in Austria, Germany, and the German-speaking part of Switzerland. We also aimed to show how teachers implement these subjects and how they experience and assess the implementation. METHOD: We conducted an exploratory cross-sectional study using an online survey sent out to program directors and teaching staff of all 58 bachelor's degree programs in nursing in Austria, Germany and the German-speaking part of Switzerland. For data collection, a questionnaire was developed containing items on general teaching conditions, contents, and methods of evidence-based nursing practice, as well as on the estimated thematic interest of students. The data were analysed descriptively. RESULTS: The program directors returned 24 questionnaires (41%). Of 75 questionnaires forwarded to the faculty, 17 (23%) were received from nine programs. On average, 5.6 teaching units (SD 2.6) are used for formulating a research question, 10 teaching units (SD 4.1) for literature review, and 11.3 teaching units (SD 6.9) for critical appraisal. Half of the teaching staff indicated that linkages between education and nursing care practice have been established. The traditional teaching method of frontal teaching is used predominantly. Student interest in topics was rated as moderate by most teachers. CONCLUSIONS: Topics on evidence-based practice are an integral part of bachelor's degree programs in nursing in German-speaking countries. An increase in teaching units, active learning methods and the growing interconnection between education and practice could improve the acquisition of competencies and attitudes of students regarding EBP and further advance its implementation in practice.

Mapping advanced practice nurses' scope of practice, satisfaction, and drivers of role performance.

Background: Advanced Practice Nurse (APN) roles in Switzerland include Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), Nurse Practitioner (NP) and blended roles. The variety contributes to unclear profiles and scope of practice. Aim: To describe a) the performance of APN tasks according to Hamric's competencies, b) job satisfaction, and c) barriers and facilitators to role performance. Methods: Nationwide cross-sectional survey among clinically working APNs. Inclusion criteria: academic degree, role with advanced nursing competency. Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data using inferential statistics and content analysis. Results: Of the 222 APNs, 49% (n = 108) described themselves as CNSs, 37% (n = 81) as working in a blended role, and 15% (n = 33) as NP. APNs provided the greatest proportion of their tasks in the competency direct clinical practice and the least in ethical decision-making. Group comparisons between roles revealed significant differences in the competencies: direct clinical practice, guidance and coaching, leadership, and evidence-based practice. Job satisfaction was high (76%, n = 165), most often described by the category work content/role (e.g., defined scope of practice). The most frequent barrier to role performance was the category scope of practice (e.g., unclear responsibilities); the most frequent facilitator was the category professional recognition (e.g., respect). Conclusion: The study highlights current APN scope of practice and can support the advancement of the role through clinical practice, educational institutions, and research.

[Critical care nurses' decision-making regarding verification of blindly inserted gastric tubes: A cross-sectional questionnaire study]. / Entscheidungsfindung von Intensivpflegefachpersonen zur Verifikation blind applizierter Magensonden.

Critical care nurses' decision-making regarding verification of blindly inserted gastric tubes: A cross-sectional questionnaire study Abstract: Background: The placement and verification of the correct position of blindly applied gastric tubes is regularly performed by nurses in clinical practice. International guidelines recommend a radiological verification as a "first-line" method or if pH measurement is not possible. For Germany, neither evidence-based recommendations nor current data are available. Question: Which methods are used by nurses in German intensive care units for verification of the correct position of blindly applied gastric tubes and how do they assess the reliability of different methods? Methods: Multicenter questionnaire survey. Intensive care units in a non-probability, citeria-based sampling of hospitals in and around Cologne, Germany were included. One nurse was included per participating ward. Analyses were mostly descriptive. Results: In 22 hospitals, 38 wards agreed to participate and 32 (84%) responded to the survey. Auscultation of the upper abdomen with simultaneous air insufflation and aspiration of gastric secretions are frequently used methods for determining the position of gastric tubes. Participants consider auscultation, aspiration of gastric secretions, and radiological control as reliable methods. Conclusions: The findings are in contrast to international recommendations and support the need for evidence-based best practice recommendations and training. Likewise, there is a need for research on feasible bedside methods.

[Prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms of people with dementia in long-term care units: A secondary analysis]. / Prävalenz von neuropsychiatrischen Symptomen bei Menschen mit Demenz in der stationären Langzeitpflege.

Prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms of people with dementia in long-term care units: A secondary analysis Abstract: Background: In a progress of dementia, most people develop neuropsychiatric symptoms. However, there is little knowledge about the prevalence of these symptoms and their specific characteristics in long-term care. Aims: A differentiated investigation of the prevalence and characteristics of neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with dementia in a long-term care setting. Methods: The prevalence of neuropsychiatric symptoms of people with dementia in a long-term care setting was examined using a secondary analysis of cross-sectional data from the research projects LebenQD I and II and FallDem. The data were collected using the neuropsychiatric inventory - nursing home version. The analysis included data from 699 people with dementia from a total of 21 long-term care facilities in North Rhine-Westphalia. Results: The symptoms agitation/aggression (36%), depression/dysphoria (33%), apathy/indifference (33%), irritability/lability (30%) and aberrant motor behaviour show the highest prevalence. The symptoms hallucinations (9%) and euphoria/elation (6%) have the lowest prevalence. Conclusions: The high prevalence of specific neuropsychiatric symptoms and their characteristics in people with dementia illustrates the need for care-related or psychosocial interventions to counteract the reasons for the occurrence of the symptoms.

[Self-efficacy expectancy in adolescents with anorexia nervosa in the outpatient setting: A cross-sectional study]. / Die Selbstwirksamkeitserwartung von Jugendlichen mit Anorexia nervosa im poststationären Setting.

Self-efficacy expectancy in adolescents with anorexia nervosa in the outpatient setting: A cross-sectional study Abstract: Introduction: The population involved in this study are individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN). AN is a disease with sometimes life-threatening underweight. Self-esteem problems, anxiety and social problems accompany those affected. AN is often chronic. Hospitalized patients quickly gain weight, but often the underlying eating problem persists, which leads to rehospitalization. Studies on the self-efficacy expectation (SWE) of those affected are largely lacking. Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the SWE in those affected in the post-hospital setting with reference to the age of the affected persons, the number of hospitalizations and the course of the disease. Method: As part of this cross-sectional study, those affected were interviewed in the post-hospital, psychosomatic setting using a standardized questionnaire "General SWE". The data were evaluated descriptively and by means of inferential statistics. Result: 85 young people were interviewed. In the sample, the SWE score averaged = 28.53 with up to and including three hospitalizations and = 24.68 with four or more hospitalizations. If the inpatient stay was only recently, the SWE score shows a lower value (= 26.08) than for those with a longer stay (= 29.00). Conclusion: The results indicate that SWE can influence the course of the disease in those affected. People with higher SWE values show a more favorable course of the disease with fewer rehospitalizations. The strengthening of the SWE is therefore of great importance in the inpatient and outpatient setting through targeted interventions by specialists.

[Remaining in the nursing profession depends on vocational training and continuing education: A cross-sectional study]. / Aus-, Fort- und Weiterbildung beeinflussen den Verbleib im Gesundheits- und Krankenpflegeberuf.

Remaining in the nursing profession depends on vocational training and continuing education: A cross-sectional study Abstract. Background: The public discussion about nurses leaving the profession has shown increasing dynamics for years. Burdens on the caregivers, political and (vocational) educational policy mistakes and financial as well as structural framework conditions are given as reasons. However, little is known about the influence of the educational biography on remaining in the nursing profession. Aim: This study examines data on formal and alternative sources of education, the timing of educational measures and the changes of nurses' interests in education over time and thus focuses on the group of nursing staff remaining in the profession. Methods: Nurses with many years of experience in their profession were surveyed (N = 200). Results: The results show that 77.6% of long-term nurses have the minimum required school leaving certificate with average final grades. 65.3% of the nurses have attended specialized training and 74.5% vocational training, which was completed over the entire period of employment. The training topics and the sources of education change over the course of the working life. Conclusions: It turns out that the group of nursing staff who have remained in the profession for a long time is characterized by a high willingness to undertake vocational training, with and without relevance to remuneration.

[Alternative civilian service as a "helping hand" in private households - potentials for reconciling work and informal care]. / Zivildienstleistende als "helfende Hände" im Privathaushalt.

Alternative civilian service as a "helping hand" in private households - potentials for reconciling work and informal care Abstract. Background: Informal caregivers (or family caregivers) are considered as the backbone of unpaid care in private households. As they are increasingly often employed, new sources of aid in domestic long-term care settings are needed. The Swiss Federal Council therefore mandated the Swiss Federal Office of Civilian Service to commission a study of how civil servants would be accepted as aids by informal caregivers and which services the latter would use. Aim: The results contribute to the development of alternative civilian services in Switzerland based on empirical evidence from informal caregivers who are employed at the same time. Methods: 158 informal caregivers from three language regions of Switzerland who were employed at the time answered a standardized quantitative survey. Their data was analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical methods (hypothesis testing, regression). Results: Situations in which the cared-for person had cognitive limitations (29 %) constituted for the majority of the working time of civil servants as desired by informal caregivers (56 %) and were associated with increased willingness to pay. Support with caregiving tasks of personal hygiene and transport services were frequently desired, and the underlying settings required above-average intensity of support. Conclusions: There is a need for aid along the entire span of informal caregivers' working life. Reconcilability of employment and informal long-term care is dependent on a well-functioning, flexible network, which cannot be ensured by the labor market alone.

[Knowledge levels and attitudes of nursing trainees regarding sexuality in old age - An explorative quantitative survey]. / Wissensstände und Einstellungen von Altenpflegeauszubildenden zum Thema Alterssexualität.

Knowledge levels and attitudes of nursing trainees regarding sexuality in old age - An explorative quantitative survey Abstract. Background: In professional geriatric nursing, sexuality in old age is often tabooed - in spite of this demographic group having the desire to live their sexuality. Generally, the possibility to experience sexuality - for example in nursing homes - is limited. Aim: The main objective of this study is to portray the knowledge and attitudes of geriatric nursing trainees towards sexuality in old age in cross section, and to analyze possible differences between training years. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with written standardized surveys of 420 trainees on three research questions: (1) sexuality in old age and its role during class, (2) subjective vs. objective sex education, and (3) sexual assistance and attitudes towards it. Differences between years of education and subgroups were analyzed statistically (Kruskal-Wallis- and chi-square tests). Results: Results showed that addressing sexuality in old age during lessons was perceived to increase with a higher training year. However, 15.1 % experienced it as being exclusively negative. Concerning objective sex education, 15.7 % misjudged frequent masturbation as being psychologically harmful or did not know better. Furthermore, 9.3 % believed homosexuality to be a disease. Differences between years of training could not be found in these variables. The knowledge about sexual assistance increased with higher training years. Conclusions: Regarding these results, we suggest that the subject of sexuality in old age should be intensified as part of the curriculum for geriatric nursing from an early stage on. The aim should be to reduce tabooing and to increase the level of knowledge.

Arbeitsbedingungen von Pflegekräften in der allgemeinen Palliativversorgung in Deutschland.

Working conditions of nurses in general palliative care in Germany - A cross-sectional survey Abstract. Background: Most terminally ill people are treated within general palliative care including outpatient care, nursing homes and hospitals. In contrast, only a small number is treated within specialised palliative care. Nursing research within the framework of palliative care focuses on the latter. AIM: To investigate the working conditions of nurses working in general palliative care and to analyse potential differences between nurses in outpatient care, in nursing homes and in hospitals. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among nurses working in outpatient care, in nursing homes and in hospitals. The questionnaire included questions about working conditions, parts of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire and self-developed questions. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted. RESULTS: 437 questionnaires entered final analyses (response rate 16.7 %). On average, nurses spend 20 % of their working time with palliative care. Every fourth nurse (n = 104) express the wish for an additional qualification in palliative care. The following demands are reported: confrontation with pain, death and dying, as well as care of relatives. 59 % (n = 249) of the nurses evaluate the quality of palliative care as good / very good. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses are faced with demands, which so far had only been a subject of discussion within the framework of the specialised palliative care. Further steps for action, in particular the additional qualification in palliative care for nurses, should be discussed.

[Meditation in Deutschland: Eine national repräsentative Umfrage]. / Meditation in Germany: A Nationally Representative Survey.

Hintergrund: Zunehmende Evidenz weist auf positive Wirkungen der Meditation bei psychischen und körperlichen Symptomen hin. Ziel dieser national repräsentativen Umfrage war die Erhebung der Lebenszeitprävalenz und Punktprävalenz der Meditations-Praxis in Deutschland, der Gründe für Meditation und der wahrgenommenen Veränderungen durch die Meditation. Methoden: In dieser national repräsentativen Umfrage mit 2'126 TeilnehmerInnen ab 14 Jahren wurde im April und Mai 2018 die derzeitige und frühere Meditations-Praxis erhoben. Unterschiede zwischen soziodemographischen Subgruppen wurden mittels Chi-Quadrat-Tests analysiert. Ergebnisse: Die Lebenszeitprävalenz der Meditations-Praxis lag bei 15,1%, die Punkt-Prävalenz bei 6,6%. Eine höhere Prävalenz war assoziiert mit weiblichem Geschlecht (p < 0,001), erwerbsfähigem Alter (p = 0,015), Abitur/Hochschulabschluss (p = 0,002) und Berufs-tätigkeit (p = 0,027). Die durchschnittliche Dauer der Meditations-Praxis betrug 47,1 Monate. Die häufigsten Gründe zu meditieren waren Verbesserungen des geistigen Befindens (71,1%), der geistigen Leistungsfähigkeit (50,3%), bei regelmäßig Meditierenden auch des körperlichen Befindens (59,3%). Positive Veränderungen durch die Meditations-Praxis berichteten 95,8%, insbesondere größere Ausgeglichenheit, Entspannung und Wohlbefinden. Weitere 12,4% der aktuell nicht meditierenden Befragten konnten sich vorstellen, in den nächsten 12 Monaten mit Meditation zu beginnen. Außerdem praktizierten 5,6% der Befragten Yoga; 46,6% der aktuell Yoga Praktizierenden meditierten auch, und 39,0% der aktuell Meditierenden übten auch Yoga. Schlussfolgerung: Geschätzte 15,7 Millionen Menschen in Deutschland meditieren aktuell oder sind daran interessiert, mit Meditation zu beginnen. Frauen und berufstätige Personen mit Abitur/Hochschulabschluss im erwerbsfähigen Alter meditieren häufiger. Über 95% der Praktizierenden berichten positive Veränderungen durch die Meditation. BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence suggests positive effects of meditation on mental and physical conditions. The aim of this nationally representative survey was to analyze prevalence and patterns of meditation use in Germany. METHODS: In this nationally representative survey with 2,126 participants of at least 14 years of age conducted from April to May 2018, current and prior meditation use was assessed. Differences between sociodemographic subgroups were analyzed using chi squared tests. RESULTS: Lifetime prevalence of meditation use was 15.1%, point prevalence 6.6%. Higher prevalence was associated with female gender (p < 0.001), age 20­59 years (p = 0.015), higher education (p = 0.002), and occupation (p = 0.027). Mean duration of meditation use was 47.1 months. The main reasons for meditation use were improved mental well-being (71.1%), mental capacity (50.3%), and (for regular meditation users) also physical well-being (50.3%). Positive changes due to meditation were reported by 95.8% of meditation users, mainly increased inner calmness, relaxation, and well-being. Another 12.4% of those who were not currently meditating could imagine starting meditation in the next 12 months. Further, 5.6% of participants used yoga; 46.6% of yoga users also used meditation; and 36.0% of meditation users also used yoga. CONCLUSIONS: An estimated 15.7 million German individuals are currently using meditation or are at least interested in starting to meditate. More than 95% of meditation users report positive changes due to meditation.

[Hospital nurses' perspective on academic nursing education: a cross-sectional study in hospitals in the northwestern part of Germany]. / Die Akademisierung der Pflege aus Sicht der Pflegekräfte: eine Querschnittstudie in Krankenhäusern im Nordwesten Deutschlands.

Hospital nurses' perspective on academic nursing education: a cross-sectional study in hospitals in the northwestern part of Germany Abstract. BACKGROUND: Currently, there is an increasing need for highly qualified nurses in Germany. Against this background, an academic nursing education is frequently demanded in order to meet the high level of competences nurses must fulfil. AIM: This cross-sectional study aimed to explore nurses' attitudes towards academic nursing education as well as their self-reported scientific competences. METHODS: Based on a standardized questionnaire, we surveyed 547 hospital nurses from six different hospitals in the northwestern part of Germany. By means of a bivariate analysis and two multivariate regression models, we examined the influence of the independent variables "professional position", "degree of academic education", "age" and "gender" on the dependent variables "attitude towards academic nursing education" and "scientific competences". The multivariate analysis included three co-variates analysing different ways of support of academic nursing education within the hospitals. RESULTS: Especially nursing staff who has completed a study programme, is currently studying or hold executive positions has a more positive attitude towards academic education than its colleagues have. Moreover, opportunities for advancement within the hospitals influence the staff's attitude positively. With regard to the assessment of scientific competences, the analysis shows that a completed or currently conducted study programme as well as an executive position have a positive influence. In addition, male nursing staff, young nursing staff and staff with access to scientific articles assess their scientific skills more positively than their colleagues do. CONCLUSIONS: The attitudes towards academic education are still heterogeneous and influenced by different factors. Accordingly, the worth of academic education needs to be demonstrated.

[The practice of special observation in adults in the German-speaking part of Switzerland - a descriptive cross-sectional study]. / Die Praxis der psychiatrischen Intensivbetreuung bei Erwachsenen in der Deutschschweiz ­ eine deskriptive Querschnittstudie.

The practice of special observation in adults in the German-speaking part of Switzerland - a descriptive cross-sectional study Abstract. INTRODUCTION: Psychiatric Special Observation (PSO) is an intervention often used by nurses to prevent service users of harming themselves or to protect others. The intervention ranges between control and therapy and is resource intensive. Despite the widespread use of PSO, there is still no data on the practice of the intervention in Switzerland. AIM: What is the current practice of PSO in adults in psychiatric hospitals in the German-speaking part of Switzerland? METHOD: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Nurses from inpatient psychiatric services in the German-speaking part of Switzerland completed a questionnaire based on a concept analysis of PSO. RESULTS: 538 questionnaires were analysed. PSO was more often conducted intermittent than as constant observation. In more than one out of four cases, suicidality reasoned as a cause for prescription. Nurses generally used standardized instruments to assess the risk of harming oneself or others. The duration of PSO lasted eight hours or more in three out of four cases. In every fifth case, there was no validation of the need of the intervention taking place during one shift. Nurses have a neutral attitude towards the intervention and are experiencing no or weak negative feelings during performance of PSO. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that there is an inconsistent performance of PSO in Switzerland as well as in other countries. The validation of the need of the intervention is insufficient. To facilitate PSO as a justified performance, the preparation of an interprofessional guideline is recommended.

[Quality of documented diagnosis in primary care - An analysis using the example of thyroid disorders]. / Qualität der hausärztlichen Diagnosedokumentation in Patientenakten ­ Eine Analyse am Beispiel von Schilddrüsenerkrankungen.

BACKGROUND: Routine data of statutory health insurance (SHI) provide a great potential for evaluating the healthcare situation in Germany by providing, e. g., morbidity estimates. In the context of secondary data, analyses based on insurance data were conducted using the outpatient medical billing diagnosis. If, however, medical billing data, which are collected for this primary purpose, are the only source of these morbidity estimates, a limited validity of outpatient medical diagnostic data will have to be assumed or validity will have to be assured. This investigation aimed to analyse the quality of family practitioners' documentation regarding diagnostic data in patients with thyroid disease based on medical records for billing purposes. METHODS: As part of the pilot study General practitioners' Views on Polypharmacy and its Consequences for Patient Health Care, the medical records of 548 multi-morbid patients with thyroid disease from six general practices in Dresden, Saxony, were analysed with respect to the congruence of prescriptions of thyroid medication and associated thyroid diagnosis. Logistic regression was used to investigate predictors of limited diagnostic data of thyroid disease. RESULTS: There was insufficient documentation of thyroid diagnoses in 26.8% (n=147) of the included patients diagnosed with or treated for thyroid disease. The proportion of undocumented (1.1 to 35.8%), imprecise (4.6 to 22.3%) and non-specific documented (14.9 to 73.8%) thyroid diagnoses varied in all general practices. Due to undocumented thyroid disease, the corrected prevalence of thyroid diseases summarised for all practices was 5.5 percentage points higher than the originally documented prevalence (29.7 instead of 24.2%). An increasing number of prescribed drugs was a significant predictor for inadequate documentation of thyroid disease (for 5 to 8 routinely taken medications: OR=2.4/p<0.001; for 9 to 12: OR=4.0/p<0.001; for 13 to 20: OR=7.4/p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Due to the limited data quality of outpatient medical billing diagnoses as a basis for morbidity estimates, GPs' diagnostic data should be subjected to regular internal and external diagnostic validation in SHI routine data. Additional case-related interviews with documenting GPs would significantly increase data validity. Also, intelligent e-tools supporting electronic patient documentation could be helpful to improve the quality of primary care documentation.

[Influence and correlation of attitude, availability and institutional support to research implementation in nursing practice ­ results from an exploratory, cross-sectional quantitative study]. / Einfluss und Zusammenhang von Einstellung, Verfügbarkeit und institutioneller Unterstützung auf die Anwendung von Forschungsergebnissen in der pflegerischen Praxis - Ergebnisse einer explorativen quantitativen Querschnittstudie.

BACKGROUND: The concrete application of research findings in nursing practice is a multidimensional process. In Austria, there are currently no results available that explain the impact of and association with the implementation of research in hospitals. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate influences and relationships of individual attitudes towards research utilization, availability of research results and institutional support of nurses in Austrian hospitals with respect to research application. METHODS: In a non-experimental quantitative cross-sectional design a multi-centre study (n = 10) was performed in 2011. RESULTS: The sample comprises 178 certified nurses who were interviewed with a survey questionnaire. The multiple regression analysis shows that a positive attitude towards research use (ß = 0.388, p < 0.001), the availability of processed research results (ß = 0.470, p < 0.001), and an adequate institutional support (ß = 0.142, p < 0.050) has a significant influence on the application of research results. The path analysis proves that course attendance in evidence-based nursing has a strong positive influence towards research application (ß = 0.464; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Health institutions are, according to legal instructions, called on to make use of the positive attitude and supply supporting measures in order to introduce research results into the daily nursing practice.

[Nurses' experiences with aggressive behaviour of nursing home residents: a cross sectional study in Swiss nursing homes]. / Erfahrungen und Umgang der Pflegenden mit aggressivem Verhalten von Bewohner(inne)n: eine deskriptive Querschnittstudie in Schweizer Pflegeheimen.

The present exploratory descriptive cross-sectional study with the participation of 814 (51.8%) caregivers in 21 Swiss nursing homes provides insight into caregivers' experiences and handling of residents' aggressive behaviour. Moreover, caregiver burden with regard to resident aggression and the consequences on the caregiver-resident-relationship were investigated. The survey was carried out by means of validated questionnaire. Approximately 38% of participants experienced aggressive incidents during the last seven days prior to data collection. In most cases aggressive behaviour was caused by residents suffering from dementia and/or depression and occurred during nursing interventions involving physical contact. As a trigger for aggressive behaviour participants predominately assumed "non-understanding and excessive demand" of residents. Reassuring conversation and keeping oneself at a distance were most often used to calm the situation. Approximately 40% of participants experienced physical attacks as especially distressing and circa 23% were frightened, particularly when aggressive behaviour occurred without warning. Approximately 4% of caregivers avoided contact with residents after an aggressive incident and 12.3% perceived a disturbed relationship. It can be assumed that caregivers do not adequately perceive emotions possibly underlying aggressive behaviour in the escalation phase and therefore may not identify early signs of beginning aggression.