Development of a competency framework for advanced practice nurses: A co-design process.

AIMS: The aim of the study was to develop a comprehensive competency framework for advanced practice nurses in Belgium. DESIGN: A co-design development process was conducted. METHODS: This study consisted of two consecutive stages (November 2020-December 2021): (1) developing a competency framework for advanced practice nurses in Belgium by the research team, based on literature and (2) group discussions or interviews with and written feedback from key stakeholders. 11 group discussions and seven individual interviews were conducted with various stakeholder groups with a total of 117 participants. RESULTS: A comprehensive competency framework containing 31 key competencies and 120 enabling competencies was developed based on the Canadian Medical Education Directions for Specialists Competency Framework. These competencies were grouped into seven roles: clinical expert and therapist, organizer of quality care and leader in innovation, professional and clinical leader, collaborator, researcher, communicator and health promoter. CONCLUSION: The developed competency framework has resemblance to other international frameworks. This framework emphasized the independent role of the advanced practice nurse and provided guidance in a clear task division and delegation to other professionals. It can provide a solid foundation for delivering high-quality, patient-centred care by advanced practice nurses in the years to come. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION: This competency framework can guide further development of advanced practice nursing education in Belgium and represents a starting point for future evaluation of its feasibility and usability in education and clinical practice. Advanced practice nurses and healthcare managers can also use the framework as an instrument for personal and professional development, performance appraisal, and further alignment of these function profiles in clinical practice. Finally, this framework can inform and guide policymakers towards legal recognition of advanced practice nursing in Belgium and inspire the development of advanced practice nursing profiles in countries where these profiles are still emerging. IMPACT: What problem did the study address? The absence of a detailed competency framework for advanced practice nurses complicates legal recognition, role clarification and implementation in practice in Belgium. A rigorously developed competency framework could clarify which competencies to integrate in future advanced practice nursing education, mentorship programs and practice. What were the main findings? The competency framework outlined seven roles for advanced practice nurses: clinical expert and therapist, organizer of quality care and leader in innovation, professional and clinical leader, collaborator, researcher, communicator, and health promoter. Differentiation from other expert nursing profiles and clinical autonomy of advanced practice nurses were pivotal. Where and on whom will the research have impact? The comprehensive competency framework for advanced practice nurses and the collaborative methodology used can inspire other countries where these profiles are still emerging. The competency framework can be used as an instrument for role clarification, performance appraisals, continuous professional development, and professional (e-)portfolios. The competency framework can guide policymakers when establishing Belgian's legal framework for advanced practice nurses. REPORTING METHOD: The authors have adhered to CONFERD-HP: recommendations for reporting COmpeteNcy FramEwoRk Development in health professions. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution in the design of the study. A patient advisory panel commented on the developed competency framework.

Characteristics and effectiveness of mentoring programmes for specialized and advanced practice nurses: A systematic review.

AIMS: (1) To identify, evaluate and summarize evidence about the objectives and characteristics of mentoring programmes for specialized nurses (SNs) or nurse navigators (NNs) and advanced practice nurses (APNs) and (2) to identify the effectiveness of these programmes. DESIGN: A systematic review based on PRISMA guidelines. DATA SOURCES: From November 2022 until 7 December 2022, four databases were searched: PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL and The Cochrane Library. REVIEW METHODS: Study selection was performed independently by two researchers. Disagreements were discussed until consensus was reached. Data extraction was undertaken for included studies. Data synthesis was conducted using narrative analysis. Quality appraisal was performed using the Critical Appraisal Skill Programme (CASP) and Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). RESULTS: Twelve articles were included, all of which focused on mentoring programmes for APNs. Different forms of mentorship (e.g. (in)formal mentorship, work shadowing, workshops) were reported. Studies reported positive outcomes on job retention (n = 5), job satisfaction (n = 6), skills improvement (n = 7), satisfaction with the programme (n = 7) and confidence improvement (n = 4) among participants of mentoring programmes. CONCLUSION: There is a lack of uniformity and consistency in various elements of mentoring programmes. Further research is needed to develop mentoring programmes for both APNs and SNs/NNs in a systematic and theoretically underpinned manner. It is necessary to establish a thorough evaluation methodology, preferably using a mixed methods design that includes both a qualitative process evaluation and a comprehensive outcome evaluation using validated questionnaires, taking into account the NN/APN, the interprofessional team and organizational level. IMPACT: The synthesis of evidence may be useful to organizations developing and implementing mentoring programmes for both SN/NN and APN. The development of a mentoring programme for nursing experts should be considered a complex intervention that requires theoretical frameworks and contextual considerations. NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Not applicable, as no patients or public were involved.

Perspectives on self-management of individuals living with chronic illnesses: A qualitative study in the Asian context.

Living with a chronic illness requires individuals to perform a critical role in self-managing their illness to improve their quality of life and prevent disease-related complications. To our knowledge, no studies have explored how individuals perceive managing their illness in daily living within the Asian context. This exploratory-descriptive qualitative study aimed to explore the individuals' perspectives regarding self-managing their life with a chronic illness within the Asian context. Individual interviews were conducted with 15 adults living with chronic illness, from three teaching hospitals in Pakistan. An iterative process was followed for data collection and analysis. The analysis identified self-management as complex and situation-driven with variable roles for individuals, namely follower, selective follower, self-permitting role, and active role. Three interrelated elements were found to be influencing these roles: the components of self-management; individuals' relationship with agencies (significant people and power); and their inner drives. Individuals keep moving between these four self-management roles to avoid disharmony and reciprocate the efforts of their significant others. The interdependent community structure, which is a reality in Asian society, was reflected in our data. With this in view, a great deal of authority was given to family relationships and healthcare professionals (HCPs). This study found a lack of collaborative partnership role between individuals and HCPs. The findings and a suggested conceptual figure can facilitate redefining the individuals' and professionals' roles in the healthcare system to promote collaborative partnership and improve individuals' experience of living with a chronic illness within the Asian context. Members of the research team have extensive experience in research around chronic illness management, and self-management (support) from the Western context. The researcher did not need the patient or public contribution in this preliminary exploratory study from the Asian context.

Information and counselling needs of patients with major low anterior resection syndrome: A qualitative study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim was to explore the information and counselling needs of rectal cancer survivors confronted with major low anterior resection syndrome. BACKGROUND: Rectal cancer survivors are often confronted with bowel problems after surgery. This is called low anterior resection syndrome. Patients are unsure what to expect after treatment and healthcare professionals often underestimate the impact of low anterior resection syndrome on patients' lives. DESIGN: A qualitative study with a grounded theory approach was conducted. METHODS: Patients were recruited between 2017 and 2019 in three hospitals, and a call was distributed in two patients' organisations. Semi-structured interviews with patients confronted with major low anterior resection syndrome were performed. An iterative process between data collection and data analysis was used. Data analysis was done using the constant comparative method, and investigators' triangulation was applied. Qualitative data were reported following COREQ guidelines. The study was registered at Clinicaltrials.gov NCT04896879. RESULTS: A total of 28 patients were interviewed until theoretical data saturation. Before surgery patients' need for information varied according to their individual coping mechanisms. Some patients required information before surgery, while others considered this too overwhelming. When confronted with LARS, patients desired that healthcare professionals recognised its impact and clarified its expected evolution. A proactive counselling with an easy accessible and approachable healthcare professional was beneficial. CONCLUSION: Patients expressed several needs regarding the information before rectal cancer surgery and counselling of low anterior resection syndrome after surgery. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Better knowledge and understanding of major low anterior resection syndrome and its challenges by healthcare professionals are crucial. Especially the impact on quality of life is significant for patients and underestimated by healthcare professionals. Information before surgery and counselling when confronted with major low anterior resection syndrome should be optimised and tailored to patients' needs.

How do people living with chronic conditions and their informal caregivers experience primary care? A phenomenological-hermeneutical study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Gaining insight in how people living with chronic conditions experience primary healthcare within their informal network. BACKGROUND: The primary healthcare system is challenged by the increasing number of people living with chronic conditions. To strengthen chronic care management, literature and policy plans point to a person-centred approach of care (PCC). A first step to identify an appropriate strategy to implement PCC is to gain more insight into the care experiences of these people and their informal caregivers. DESIGN: A phenomenological-hermeneutical philosophy is used. The study is in line with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research Guidelines (COREQ). METHOD: In-depth, semi-structured interviews with people living with chronic conditions and informal caregiver dyads (PCDs) (n = 16; 32 individuals) were conducted. An open-ended interview guide was used to elaborate on the PCDs' experiences regarding primary care. A purposive, maximal variation sampling was applied to recruit the participants. RESULTS: Based on sixteen PCDs' reflections, ten themes were identified presenting their experiences with primary care and described quality care as listening and giving attention to what people with chronic conditions want, to what they strive for, and above all to promote their autonomy in a context wherein they are supported by a team of formal caregivers, family and friends. CONCLUSION: To meet the PCDs' needs, self-management should be addressed in an interprofessional environment in which the PCD is an important partner. The findings may facilitate a shift to encourage PCDs in their strengths by enabling them to share their personal goals and by working towards meaningful activities in team collaboration. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Three strategies-self-management support, goal-oriented care, and interprofessional collaboration-have been suggested to improve the PCDs' primary care experiences. These strategies could guide nursing practice in using more and improve high-quality nursing care.

Perspectives on seamless collaboration between primary and secondary care for oral anticancer treatments.

Patients who take oral anticancer drugs (OACD) alternate between the hospital and the community setting. Little is known about how general practitioners (GPs) and community pharmacists (CPs) from primary care (PC) can be involved in providing seamless care. In an exploratory qualitative study, semi-structured interviews with healthcare professionals from primary and secondary care (SC) and (N = 26) were performed to investigate perceptions of seamless collaboration for patients on OACD. Seamless collaboration initiated by SC was restricted to informing GPs about treatment-initiation and delegating limited tasks to them in treatment monitoring. CPs are currently not informed by SC about the treatment. PC expressed willingness for seamless collaboration. However, collaboration is currently impeded due to an expressed lack of trust and desire for control by SC. Moreover, SC expressed unfamiliarity with the organization of PC. Findings suggest that healthcare professionals from SC and PC need to get to know each other and to discuss expectations in the seamless care for patients on OACD. A possible strategy is to elaborate a shared care model based on a partnership between PC and SC, in which the specific expertise of each partner contributes to patient-centered care and the qualitative and safe use of OACD.

The experiences, needs and expectations of patients regarding participation at home: an explorative study in Belgium.

BACKGROUND: Patients have an important role in the improvement of their health. Patient participation is a key component to achieving this. Some form of patient participation is already present in home care, but this needs to be optimised. AIM: Gaining insight into the expectations, experiences and needs of patients regarding patient participation in home care. DESIGN: A qualitative design was used. SETTING: The study was conducted in the Flemish part of Belgium, in a purposeful sample of patients who have already received nursing care at home for at least 6 weeks. METHODS: Semi-structured face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted and analysed using the Qualitative Analyse Guide of Leuven. RESULTS: Patient participation in home care is a dynamic process. A total of six components, which interact with each other, were identified that explain this process. CONCLUSION: Patient participation in home care is the interaction of different components of a whole mechanism. Within this mechanism, home nurses play a key role to facilitate participation for patients.

Supportive care needs and utilization of bladder cancer patients undergoing radical cystectomy: A longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVES: Investigating supportive care (SC) needs and utilization/willingness to use SC services from diagnosis to one year after radical cystectomy in bladder cancer (BC) patients. MATERIALS & METHODS: A longitudinal cohort study was conducted in 90 BC patients at Ghent/Leuven University Hospitals between April 2017 and December 2020. The Supportive Care Needs Survey-short form (SCNS-SF34) was used before radical cystectomy, one, three, six and 12 months after radical cystectomy. Additional questions assessed utilization/willingness to use SC services. Linear mixed models were performed. RESULTS: The majority of BC patients report at least one moderate or high SC need at diagnosis (82%), month 1 (84%), month 3 (86%), month 6 (64%), and month 12 (60%). Significant decreases over time were seen for all domains (p < 0.001), except for sexuality (p = 0.275). From baseline to month 1, physical needs first significantly increased (p = 0.001) after which they decreased. Psychological (e.g. fears about the future) and informational (e.g. information on how to get better) needs were most common at baseline whereas physical (e.g. lack of energy) and informational needs were more common in the early postoperative phases. The majority of patients (ranging from 81% (month 1) to 91% (month 12)) did not make use of SC services and the majority of the patients (ranging from 81% (month 1) to 88% (month 12)) did not wish to talk about their problems to someone. Those willing to talk to someone preferred their physician. CONCLUSIONS: A clear gap exists between the large proportion of SC needs experienced by BC patients undergoing radical cystectomy and the low use of SC services.

Interprofessional perspectives on care for patients with low anterior resection syndrome: A qualitative study.

AIM: Many patients are confronted with low anterior resection syndrome after rectal surgery. The perspectives of both healthcare professionals and patients on the impact of bowel problems may differ. This study aimed to explore experiences of healthcare professionals on how to provide, organise and optimise care for patients with low anterior resection syndrome from an interprofessional perspective. METHODS: An explorative qualitative design was used. Healthcare professionals were recruited in October 2018 in one general teaching hospital and one university hospital. Twenty one healthcare professionals from different professions caring for patients with low anterior resection syndrome were included in three focus group interviews. RESULTS: Healthcare professionals confirmed a lack of focus on patients who are confronted with low anterior resection syndrome and stated a need for a standardised approach of care. Additionally, three levels for care optimization emerged from the data: information before surgery with strong emphasis on the timing of informing, counselling of patients when confronted with low anterior resection syndrome and organisation of care. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare professionals find it important to adopt the moment and amount of information to the coping mechanism and timing of the trajectory. Counselling and follow-up of patients with LARS should be organised proactively and should not remain restricted to pharmacological and nutritional advice. A possible strategy is to develop and implement late effects nurse-led clinics coordinated by the clinical nurse specialist.

Resident and informal caregiver involvement in medication-related decision-making and the medicines' pathway in nursing homes: experiences and perceived opportunities of healthcare professionals.

BACKGROUND: Person-centered care has been shown to be beneficial for nursing home residents. The know-how and attitude of healthcare professionals, however, can make its implementation difficult. Also, research on person-centered care with regard to medication decision-making and the medicines' pathway in nursing homes is lacking. This study aimed to provide an understanding of healthcare professionals' attitudes and perspectives on current resident and informal caregiver involvement in medication decision-making and the medicines' pathway in nursing homes. METHODS: A qualitative, explorative study using semi-structured interviews with a sample of 25 healthcare professionals from four different nursing homes was performed. Interview transcripts were analyzed by means of an inductive thematic framework. RESULTS: Three overarching domains were identified: 1) features of, 2) drivers and barriers for, and 3) perceived consequences of resident and informal caregiver involvement in medication decision-making and the medicines' pathway. Involvement was mainly initiated by residents and informal caregivers themselves, pointing towards information and participation needs among both groups. Nevertheless, actions of healthcare professionals towards resident and informal caregiver involvement were mainly reactive and fragmentary. Their actions were influenced by the perception of residents and informal caregivers' desire and capabilities to be involved, the perception of their own professional role, but also by organizational factors such as the nursing home's philosophy. Furthermore, organizational concerns tempered the motivation to provide residents and informal caregivers with more medication-related responsibilities. CONCLUSIONS: Resident and informal caregiver involvement in medication decision-making and the medicines' pathway remains limited in nursing homes. Information and participation needs of residents and informal caregivers were not fully acknowledged by healthcare professionals. As such, we can conclude that there is a need for initiatives, both on an individual and on an organizational level, to create and improve awareness on opportunities to improve resident and informal caregiver involvement in medication decision-making and the medicines' pathway.

CONTACT-Patient-Centred Care Questionnaire to assess care for patients treated with oral anticancer drugs: Development and psychometric validation.

OBJECTIVE: Instruments to measure quality of patient-centred care (PCC) for the rapidly growing population of patients treated with oral anticancer drugs (OACD) are lacking. The aim of this study was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to assess PCC in the context of OACD. METHODS: The CONTACT-Patient-Centred Care Questionnaire (CONTACT-PCCQ) was developed based on a validated set of key elements (KEs) for patient-centred education and counselling in patients taking OACD, and face validity was evaluated by means of cognitive interviews. In 16 Belgian hospitals, adult patients treated with OACD were asked to complete the questionnaire. Construct validity was investigated through exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) and internal consistency of the subscales was examined using Cronbach's alpha. RESULTS: The initial 86-item instrument was completed by 464 patients. Each EFA confirmed the a priori PCC-based structure of the subscales. However, EFA revealed more than one factor for two of the subscales. Therefore, multiple subsections within these subscales were created. Based on factor loadings and item content, six items were removed. This resulted in a final 80-item instrument with seven subscales and five subsections. Cronbach's alpha for the subscales and subsections ranged between 0.732 and 0.918, which implies adequate internal consistency. CONCLUSION: A final instrument with 80 items divided into seven subscales, covering all six dimensions of PCC, was obtained. The CONTACT-PCCQ has acceptable psychometric properties, supporting its use as a measure to assess care experiences of patients treated with OACD.

The interpersonal care relationship between nurses and older patients: A cross-sectional study in three hospitals.

AIM: To gain insight into which elements of the interpersonal care relationship (IPCR) are perceived as occurring (less) frequently and as (not) disturbing from the perspective of hospitalized older patients. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study in three Belgian hospitals. METHODS: A convenience sample of patients aged 75 years or older admitted to a non-geriatric ward were recruited between May 2017 and April 2019. The Interpersonal Geriatric care relationship (InteGer) tool was used to identify elements of the IPCR and was completed by the researchers through structured patient interviews. RESULTS: The mean total scale score for frequency was 3.74 (SD 1.51) [range 0-12]. On subscale level, the highest mean score was in the accessibility and the lowest mean score in the humanization subscale. Statistically significant differences between the hypothesized and experienced disturbance were observed in 18 of the 30 items. Ten items score in the category 'no action needed' (not occurring, not disturbing), nine items in the category 'remain attentive for patient experiences' (occurring, not disturbing), 10 items in the category 'further analyses or monitoring needed' (not occurring, disturbing) and one item in the category 'urgent action needed' (occurring and disturbing). CONCLUSION: Participants report mostly positive experiences related to the four subscales of the InteGer, that is, humanization, attentiveness, interest and accessibility. Insights from this study provide important opportunities in the context of care optimization for each category with the main focus on items with high experienced disturbance. IMPACT: The InteGer can be used for monitoring IPCR and formulating action points at ward and hospital level to further improve the IPCR and quality of care.

Experiences of patients with cancer and their relatives confronted with COVID-19 related delay or change in care: A qualitative study.

AIMS: To provide in-depth insight into how patients and their relatives experienced change or delay in cancer treatment and care due to COVID-19. DESIGN: A qualitative study including semi-structured interviews with patients with cancer and their relatives. METHODS: Between July and October 2020, 42 patients who were confronted with a change or delay in cancer treatment or care, and 11 relatives were interviewed. Data collection and analysis were performed according to the most important methods of grounded theory, including iterative data collection and analysis, theoretical sampling, constant comparative analysis and theoretical sensitivity. RESULTS: This study shows that patients with cancer and relatives experienced paradoxical feelings when confronted with change or delay in treatment or care due to COVID-19. Patients and relatives felt relieved (e.g. less risk of infection), but were also concerned and anxious (e.g. fear for progression, fear for more side effects). Due to these ambivalent feelings, it was difficult for patients and relatives to cope with the change or delay in treatment or care, both when this was decided by the physician and by themselves. In combination with the general impact of COVID-19 on their daily lives, the change or delay led to additional distress. The interviews showed that exploring the meaning of change or delay of care for patients and their relatives and discussing what would help them might prevent or relieve distress. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study show that COVID-19 and the associated delay or changes in cancer treatment and care had a major impact on the well-being of patients and their relatives. Person-oriented care is even more important during (emergency) situations in which care might be changed or delayed.

Individualised care in Flemish and Dutch hospitals: Comparing patients' and nurses' perceptions.

BACKGROUND: Patient-centred care has been recognised as vital for today's healthcare quality. This type of care puts patients at the centre, contributing to positive patient outcomes such as patient autonomy. Empirical research comparing nurses' and patients' perceptions of the support and provision of patient-centred care is limited and focuses solely on nurses and patients working and staying on surgical wards. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: Comparing patients' and nurses' perceptions of patient-centred care on different types of hospital wards, and exploring if patient empowerment, health literacy, and certain sociodemographic and context-related variables are associated with these perceptions. DESIGN: Cross-sectional design. METHODS: Data were collected in ten Flemish (February-June 2016) and two Dutch (December 2014-May 2015) hospitals using the Individualised Care Scale (ICS). A linear mixed model was fitted. Data from 845 patients and 569 nurses were analysed. As the ICS was used to measure the concept of patient-centred care, it is described using the term 'individualised care.' RESULTS: Nurses perceived that they supported and provided individualised care more compared with patients as they scored significantly higher on the ICS compared with patients. Patients with higher empowerment scores, higher health literacy, a degree lower than bachelor, a longer hospital stay, and patients who were employed and who were admitted to Dutch hospitals scored significantly higher on some of the ICS subscales/subsections. Nurses who were older and more experienced and those working in Dutch hospitals, regional hospitals and maternity wards scored significantly higher on some of the ICS subscales/subsections. CONCLUSION: Nurses perceived that they supported and provided individualised care more compared with patients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Creating a shared understanding towards the support and provision of individualised care should be a priority as this could generate more effective nursing care that takes into account the individuality of the patient.

Evaluation of interprofessional care processes for patients treated with oral anticancer drugs.

Information on interprofessional team composition and functioning in the care for patients on oral anticancer drugs (OACDs), and how healthcare professionals (HCPs) evaluate in-hospital care processes is scarce. We aimed to investigate interprofessional care processes for OACD-patients in a partially mixed-methods study. A combination of (a) the CareProces Self-Evaluation Tool (CPSET), completed by HCP-team members by health profession who were either currently involved in care processes (oncologists and nurses) or potentially involved in future care (pharmacists, psychologists, social workers), and by hospital managers (N = 87) and (b) semi-structured interviews in a subsample of oncologists, nursing staff, and pharmacists (N = 26) were used. Care process coordination was evaluated poorly, mainly by nurses, pharmacists, and psychologists. Nurses and pharmacists believed that they were not engaged in the organization of OACD care, lacked role clarity, and perceived no meaningful interprofessional practice. HCPs had different perceptions toward timing and planning of patient education and follow-up. Monitoring of care processes occurred only occasionally and was unstructured resulting in apoor complication-management and variance within care processes. Care processes for OACD-patients showed opportunities for optimization of interprofessional practice in timing, planning, and monitoring. Rethinking care processes through co-design is needed.

Participation of inpatients in multidisciplinary team meetings: An explorative study of mental healthcare workers' perception.

AIM: To explore the perception of mental healthcare workers about participation of inpatients during multidisciplinary team meetings (MTMs) and to determine which demographic and contextual factors are associated with this perception. METHODS: A cross-sectional multicentre study in 17 psychiatric hospitals with 701 mental healthcare workers was performed between 29 April and 19 May 2019. For measuring the perception of the mental healthcare workers, the Patient Participation during Multidisciplinary Team meetings Questionnaire was used. RESULTS: 93 % of the mental healthcare workers indicate that they are willing to allow patients to participate in a MTM. Most mental healthcare workers prefer an active role for the patient when participating in a MTM (93 %) and a collaborative role for the patient when making decisions in a MTM (75 %). Level of education, discipline, experience with patient participation in MTMs, working in a team where patient participation is applied, and recent training on patient participation, are associated with the mental healthcare worker's perception on patient participation in MTMs. CONCLUSION: Mental healthcare workers report a great willingness to involve inpatients in MTMs. However, social workers, nurses, and pedagogues feel less competent and are less positive about the effects of patient participation in MTMs. Mental healthcare workers with recent training in patient participation and experience in patient participation in MTMs feel more competent and believe more often that the patient should fulfil a more autonomous role when participating in a MTM. These results can be used to understand and improve patient participation in MTMs in mental healthcare.

Needs and resources of people with type 2 diabetes in peri-urban Cochabamba, Bolivia: a people-centred perspective.

BACKGROUND: The rising prevalence of type 2 diabetes results in a worldwide public healthcare crisis, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) with unprepared and overburdened health systems mainly focused on infectious diseases and maternal and child health. Studies regarding type 2 diabetes in LMICs describe specific interventions ignoring a comprehensive analysis of the local factors people see influential to their health. This study aims to meet this research gap by exploring what people with type 2 diabetes in Bolivia need to maintain or improve their health, how important they perceive those identified needs and to what extent these needs are met. METHODS: From March until May 2019, 33 persons with type 2 diabetes from three periurban municipalities of the department of Cochabamba participated in this study. The concept mapping methodology by Trochim, a highly structured qualitative brainstorming method, was used to generate and structure a broad range of perspectives on what the participants considered instrumental for their health. RESULTS: The brainstorming resulted in 156 original statements condensed into 72 conceptually different needs and resources, structured under nine conceptual clusters and four action domains. These domains illustrated with vital needs were: (1) self-management with use of plants and the possibility to measure sugar levels periodically; (2) healthcare providers with the need to trust and receive a uniform diagnosis and treatment plan; (3) health system with opportune access to care and (4) community with community participation in health and safety, including removal of stray dogs. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies mostly contextual factors like low literacy levels, linguistic problems in care, the need to articulate people's worldview including traditional use of natural remedies with the Bolivian health system and the lack of expertise on type 2 diabetes by primary health care providers. Understanding the needs and structuring them in different areas wherein action is required serves as a foundation for the planning and evaluation of an integrated people centred care program for people with type 2 diabetes. This participative method serves as a tool to implement the often theoretical concept of integrated people centred health care in health policy and program development.

RESUMEN: ANTECEDENTES: La creciente prevalencia de la diabetes tipo 2 resulta en una crisis mundial de salud pública, especialmente en países de ingresos bajos y medianos (PIBM) con sistemas de salud no preparados y sobrecargados, centrados principalmente en las enfermedades infecciosas y la salud materno infantil. Los estudios sobre la diabetes tipo 2 en los PIBM describen intervenciones específicas ignorando un análisis exhaustivo de los factores locales que las personas consideran influyen en su salud. Este estudio tiene como objetivo cubrir esta brecha de investigación al explorar lo que las personas con diabetes tipo 2 en Bolivia necesitan para mantener o mejorar su salud, qué tan importante perciben esas necesidades identificadas y en qué medida estas necesidades son satisfechas. MéTODOS: De marzo a mayo de 2019, 33 personas con diabetes tipo 2 de tres municipios periurbanos del departamento de Cochabamba participaron en este estudio. Se utilizó la metodología de mapeo conceptual de Trochim, un método de lluvia de ideas cualitativo altamente estructurado, para generar y estructurar una amplia gama de perspectivas sobre lo que los participantes consideraron herramientas para su salud. RESULTADOS: La lluvia de ideas resultó en 156 enunciaciones originales condensadas en 72 necesidades y recursos conceptualmente diferentes, estructurados en nueve grupos conceptuales y cuatro dominios de acción. Estos dominios ilustrados con necesidades vitales fueron: (1) autogestión con el uso de plantas y la posibilidad de medir los niveles de azúcar periódicamente; (2) proveedores de salud con la necesidad de confiar y recibir un diagnóstico y plan de tratamiento uniforme; (3) sistema de salud con acceso oportuno a la atención y (4) comunidad con participación comunitaria en salud y seguridad, incluida el control de perros callejeros. CONCLUSIONES: Este estudio identifica principalmente factores contextuales como bajos niveles de alfabetización, problemas lingüísticos en la atención, la necesidad de articular la cosmovisión de las personas incluyendo el uso tradicional de remedios naturales con el sistema de salud boliviano y la falta de pericia en diabetes tipo 2 por parte de los proveedores de atención primaria de salud. Comprender las necesidades y estructurarlas en diferentes áreas en las que se requiere actuar, sirve como base para la planificación y evaluación de un programa de atención integral centrada en la persona para personas con diabetes tipo 2. Este método participativo sirve como una herramienta para implementar el concepto, a menudo teórico, de atención integrada centrada en las personas en el desarollo de políticas y programas de salud.

Development of a pre- and postoperative physical activity promotion program integrated in the electronic health system of patients with bladder cancer (The POPEYE study): An intervention mapping approach.

INTRODUCTION: Uptake of sufficient physical activity before and after radical cystectomy is important to improve physical and psychosocial outcomes in bladder cancer (BC) patients. METHODS: In this paper, we describe the development of an evidence-based and theory-informed intervention, guided by the steps of the Intervention Mapping approach, to promote physical activity before and after radical cystectomy in patients with BC. RESULTS: The intervention is a home-based physical activity program. The preoperative timeframe of the intervention is 4 or 12 weeks, depending on administration of neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Postoperatively, the intervention will last for 12 weeks. The intervention consists of a digital oncological platform (DOP), several consultations with healthcare professionals, personal booklet and follow-up phone calls. DOP includes information, diaries, visual representation of progress, mailbox, videos of peers and treating physician explaining the benefits of physical activity, photo material of exercises and a walking program with an activity tracker. Individual goals will be set and will be self-monitored by the patient through DOP. Patients will receive alerts and regular feedback. CONCLUSIONS: Intervention Mapping ensures transparency of all intervention components and offers a useful approach for the development of behaviour change interventions for cancer patients and for translation of theories into practice.

The development and psychometric validation of the interpersonal geriatric care relationship (InteGer) tool.

AIM: To develop and psychometrically test the Interpersonal Geriatric care relationship tool. BACKGROUND: The quality of nursing care is highly influenced by the quality of the interpersonal care relationship, yet there are no tools available that capture the conceptual breadth of the interpersonal care relationship. DESIGN: Instrument development and psychometric testing of the content and construct validity, factor structure and reliability. METHODS: A four-phased validation procedure was conducted (January 2016-April 2019): defining the construct measured by the tool, tool development, content validation and psychometric evaluation. RESULTS: The 30-item Interpersonal Geriatric care relationship tool was subjected to exploratory factor analysis. Four components (humanization, attentiveness, interest and accessibility) were extracted. The tool demonstrated discriminating power and good internal consistency. Cronbach's alphas for the components ranged between 0.69 and 0.84. CONCLUSION: The Interpersonal Geriatric care relationship tool is a valuable measure that can be used by scientists, educators and healthcare professionals to benchmark the interpersonal care relationship culture in hospitals and optimize the quality of care.

Development and psychometric property testing of a skin tear knowledge assessment instrument (OASES) in 37 countries.

AIM: To develop and psychometrically evaluate a skin tear knowledge assessment instrument (OASES). DESIGN: Prospective psychometric instrument validation study. METHOD: The skin tear knowledge assessment instrument was developed based on a literature review and expert input (N = 19). Face and content validity were assessed in a two-round Delphi procedure by 10 international experts affiliated with the International Skin Tear Advisory Panel (ISTAP). The instrument was psychometrically tested in a convenience sample of 387 nurses in 37 countries (April-May 2020). Validity of the multiple-choice test items (item difficulty, discriminating index, quality of the response alternatives), construct validity, and test-retest reliability (stability) were analysed and evaluated in light of international reference standards. RESULTS: A 20-item instrument, covering six knowledge domains most relevant to skin tears, was designed. Content validity was established (CVI = 0.90-1.00). Item difficulty varied between 0.24 and 0.94 and the quality of the response alternatives between 0.01-0.52. The discriminating index was acceptable (0.19-0.77). Participants with a theoretically expected higher knowledge level had a significantly higher total score than participants with theoretically expected lower knowledge (p < .001). The 1-week test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0.83 (95% CI = 0.78-0.86) for the full instrument and varied between 0.72 (95% CI = 0.64-0.79) and 0.85 (95% CI = 0.81-0.89) for the domains. Cohen's Kappa coefficients of the individual items ranged between 0.21 and 0.74. CONCLUSION: The skin tear knowledge assessment instrument is supported by acceptable psychometric properties and can be applied in nursing education, research, and practice to assess knowledge of healthcare professionals about skin tears. IMPACT: Prevention and treatment of skin tears are a challenge for healthcare professionals. The provision of adequate care is based on profound and up-to-date knowledge. None of the existing instruments to assess skin tear knowledge is psychometrically tested, nor up-to-date. OASES can be used worldwide to identify education, practice, and research needs and priorities related to skin tears in clinical practice.