A network analysis of self-compassion and burnout in a sample of nurses.

BACKGROUND: In the nursing profession, the concept of self-compassion has been associated with burnout. However, to date, the fine-grained relationships between different dimensions of self-compassion and symptoms of burnout have not been investigated. Network analysis provides a new avenue for exploring the fine-grained correlation paths of two related variables. AIM: To analyse the nuanced associations between self-compassion and burnout using network analysis in a large cohort of Chinese nurses. DESIGN: A cross-sectional multi-centre survey design study. METHODS: Participants were recruited from 30 hospitals in China between April and May 2022. These nurses completed the Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (C-MBI-GS) and Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form (SCS-SF). Network analysis was performed to illustrate the complex nuanced relationships between self-compassion and burnout. RESULTS: A total of 1467 nurses (age 32.2 [18-56] years; 89.9% were female) participated in the study. Nodes Mindfulness and Isolation had the highest centralities measured by strength. Nodes Mindfulness, reduced personal accomplishment and Isolation were the most negative and positive influential nodes that bridged self-compassion and burnout. There were no differences in terms of gender, age, professional title and job tenure in the structure or connectivity of the self-compassion and burnout network. CONCLUSION: Different components of self-compassion were specifically associated with different dimensions of burnout in registered nurses. Among these, Mindfulness, Isolation and Reduced personal accomplishment were the three most important components of self-compassion for burnout symptoms. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: No patient or public contribution. IMPACT: Understanding the intricate connections between self-compassion and burnout will allow hospital administrators to prioritize the elements of Mindfulness and Isolation within self-compassion and the dimension of Reduced personal accomplishment within burnout when designing preventative measures and interventions aimed at reducing nurse burnout.

Experiences and Understanding of Well-Being in Lung Transplant Recipients in China: A Phenomenological Qualitative Study.

AIM: To explore lung transplant recipients' perceptions of well-being when they are facing uncertain health outcomes, including identifying the factors to enhance well-being. DESIGN: A qualitative descriptive study. METHODS: A purposive sample of 11 lung transplantation recipients who were hospitalised in the Department of Organ Transplantation of a tertiary university hospital was recruited in China. A descriptive qualitative study using thematic analysis of semistructured interviews. Themes were organised within a PERMA model. Colaizzi's qualitative analysis was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Five major themes and 11 categories were generated: (1) mindset shift [optimism and hope and living in the moment]; (2) meaning in life [self-care, priority change and value realisation]; (3) health benefits [improved health and behavioural changes]; (4) perceived support [support from family, the health care team and others]; (5) unmet support needs. CONCLUSION: Lung transplant recipients could perceive well-being from five aspects that caused significantly favourable transformation across a variety of aspects in patients' lives. These findings may support nursing staff when caring for this patient group, making them aware of multifaceted nature of well-being. They could offer insight into potential pathways for the development of nurse-led tailored interventions, based on specific elements of PERMA model. IMPACT: This work adds to a growing body of knowledge about well-being amongst lung transplant patients. These findings may support nursing staff when caring for this patient group, making them aware of multifaceted nature of well-being and illustrating factors that promote positive well-being in this group, based on specific elements of PERMA model. REPORTING METHOD: This study followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Two lung transplant recipients were involved in the early phases of this study. They helped in formulating the interview outline.

Nurses' perspectives on professional self-concept and its influencing factors: A qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Nurses with a strong professional self-concept tend to exhibit a positive mindset and strong work engagement, delivering high-quality patient care. Although numerous quantitative studies have examined the factors impacting professional self-concept, there remains a limited exploration of these factors from the perspective of nurses themselves. METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study uses the PERMA theory and Social Cognitive Theory as the theoretical framework. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 nurses from six public hospitals in China. The data were analyzed thematically using a combination of inductive and deductive approaches. RESULTS: Nurses' understanding of professional self-concept could be divided into four categories: professional identity, competence, care, and knowledge. Factors influencing nurses' professional self-concept were categorized into eight subthemes in three domains: (1) personal factors, including psychological qualities and attitude towards the nursing profession; (2) occupational-related behavioral factors, including role-oriented behavior and knowledge-oriented behavior; and (3) work environment and external factors, including external evaluation and perceptions of nurses, time allocation, nursing work tasks, work atmosphere, school education, and perceived supports. CONCLUSIONS: This study found that, although nurses had different personal experiences, their perceptions of professional self-concept were similar. Nurses' professional self-concept is a multidimensional concept and involves various factors, such as personality, work-related characteristics, environment, and family. To thrive in a nursing career, nurses must discern the factors that can enhance or hinder their professional self-concept. By identifying and adjusting these factors, personalized support and positive interventions can be tailored to meet nurses' specific needs, which ultimately nurtures their professional development. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was registered on December 14, 2022, in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200066699) as part of our ongoing study.

Latent profiles of academic resilience in undergraduate nursing students and their association with resilience and self-efficacy.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the heterogeneity of academic resilience among nursing students using latent profile analysis and its associated influencing factors. BACKGROUND: Nursing students experience higher levels of stress compared to their peers in other professions, and the cultivation of academic resilience plays a pivotal role in their ability to effectively cope with this stress. Academic resilience not only facilitates success in the face of academic adversity but also contributes to the promotion of mental well-being among nursing students. However, the current research on the academic resilience of nursing students has predominantly focused on a scale-centered total score approach, disregarding individual variability, and hindering the development to inform personalized interventions for enhancing academic resilience. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. METHODS: A convenience sampling method was used to collect a total of 644 nursing students from two medical schools in Guangzhou City. The participants were recruited through an online survey conducted from January to March 2023. The questionnaires consisted of a general information form, the Chinese version of the Academic Resilience Scale-30 (C-ARS-30), the 10-item Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct categories of academic resilience among nursing students, and influencing factors were examined through ordinal logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The academic resilience levels of nursing students can be divided into three potential categories: 'low academic resilience' (13.0%), 'moderate academic resilience' (70.0%), and 'high academic resilience' (17.0%). Level of grade, GPA, self-reported physical health level, resilience and self-efficacy were significantly influenced the different categories of academic resilience of nursing students (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The majority of undergraduate nursing students were placed in the moderate academic resilience group, however, educational institutions should pay special attention to nursing students demonstrating low levels. Regular assessments of academic resilience are recommended, and personalized interventions should be tailored to address specific academic resilience characteristics across different grades of nursing students. Strategies aimed at enhancing academic resilience among nursing students may include improvements in GPA performance, attention to physical health, and the reinforcement of resilience and self-efficacy.

Latent profiles of nurses' subjective well-being and its association with social support and professional self-concept.

AIM: To identify latent profiles of nurses' subjective well-being (SWB) and explore its association with social support and professional self-concept. DESIGN: This study used an online survey and cross-sectional latent profile analysis design. METHODS: A total of 1009 nurses from 30 hospitals in Guangdong Province, China, were selected using convenience sampling. An online questionnaire survey comprising the following scales was distributed: Index of Well-Being, Nurses' Professional Self-concept Questionnaire and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Nurses' SWB was examined and categorized into profiles using nine Index of Well-being items as explicit variables and ordinal logistic regression analysis was performed to explore factors related to the distinct categories. RESULTS: Nurses' SWB was divided into four latent profiles: extremely low, low, moderate and high. Regression analysis showed that social support and professional self-concept influenced SWB. There were statistically significant differences in age, title, working years, social support and professional self-concept among nurses in the different well-being categories. Ordered logistic regression analysis showed that social support and professional self-concept are associated with different SWB profiles.

Quality of life and its association with predictors in lung transplant recipients: a latent profile analysis.

Backgrounds: Improving quality of life (QOL) is one of the main aims of lung transplantation (LTx). There is a need to identify those who have poor quality of life early. However, research addressing inter individual quality of life variability among them is lacking. This study aims to identify group patterns in quality of life among lung transplant recipients and examine the predictors associated with quality of life subgroups. Methods: In total, 173 lung transplant recipients were recruited from one hospital in Guangdong Province between September 2022 and August 2023. They were assessed using the Lung Transplant Quality of Life scale (LT-QOL), Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS), Life Orientation Test-Revised scale (LOT-R), and Positive and Negative Affect Scale (PANAS). Latent profile analysis was used to identify QOL subtypes, and logistic regression analysis was used to examine the associations between latent profiles and sociodemographic and psychosocial characteristics. Results: Two distinct QOL profiles were identified: "low HRQOL" profile [N = 53 (30.94%)] and "high HRQOL" profile [N = 120 (69.06%)]. Single lung transplant recipients, and patients who reported post-transplant infection, high levels of negative emotion or low levels of mindfulness and optimism were significantly correlated with the low QOL subgroup. Conclusion: Using the domains of the LT-QOL scale, two profiles were identified among the lung transplant recipients. Our findings highlighted that targeted intervention should be developed based on the characteristics of each latent class, and timely attention must be paid to patients who have undergone single lung transplantation, have had a hospital readmission due to infection, exhibit low levels of optimism, low levels of mindfulness or high negative emotions.

Psychometric evaluation of the Chinese version of the Academic Resilience Scale-30 (C-ARS-30) in college students.

Background: Amidst the expansion of student enrollment in higher education, the well-being and retention rates of students have emerged as important concerns. Resilience, especially academic resilience, a multidimensional construct that can lead to academic success in adversity, is pivotal in enabling students to successfully cope with academic challenges. While the Academic Resilience Scale-30 (ARS-30) has been validated as an effective instrument in various languages, its applicability for Chinese students in higher education remains unexplored. Objective: This study aims to translate and validate the ARS-30 in Chinese, assessing its reliability and validity among Chinese college students in higher education. Methods: A convenience sample of 1,542 students participated in this study. The inventory included the demographic form, Chinese version of ARS-30 (C-ARS-30), 10-item Connor Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC-10), and General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES). The assessment of validity was conducted by analyzing content validity, construct validity, convergent and discriminant validity, as well as criterion-related validity. Construct validity was evaluated through Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM). Reliability analysis was performed using Cronbach's alpha and test-retest reliability. Results: The C-ARS-30 demonstrated commendable content validity, with the CVI value of items ranging from 0.833 to 1.000, and a total scale CVI of 0.986. ESEM analysis revealed a solid four-factor structure, maintaining the scale's 30 items with excellent fit indices (χ2/df = 2.647, CFI = 0.937, TLI = 0.915, RMSEA = 0.057, SRMR = 0.027). The total score of C-ARS-30 exhibited positive correlations with the CD-RISC-10 (r = 0.542) and the GSES (r = 0.488). The scale demonstrated high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.930) and test-retest reliability (0.794, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The C-ARS-30 is a reliable and valid instrument for assessing academic resilience among Chinese college students, offering a valuable tool for educational and psychological evaluations.

Chinese cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the Well-being Numerical Rating Scales.

Introduction: Well-being is a multi-domain concept that involves measuring physical, psychological, social, and spiritual domains. However, there are currently few multi-domain and comprehensive well-being instruments available. In addition, measures that do exist customarily contain a vast number of items that may lead to boredom or fatigue in participants. The Well-being Numerical Rating Scales (WB-NRSs) offer a concise, multi-domain well-being scale. This study aimed to perform the translation, adaptation, and validation of the Chinese version of WB-NRSs (WBNRSs-CV). Methods: A total of 639 clinical participants and 542 community participants completed the WB-NRSs-CV, the Single-item Self-report Subjective Well-being Scale (SISRSWBS), the World Health Organization Five-item Well-Being Index (WHO-5), the 10-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), and the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10). Results: High internal consistency and test-retest reliability were obtained for both samples. Additionally, WB-NRSs-CV was positively associated with SISRSWBS and WHO-5 and negatively associated with PSS-10 and K10. In the item response theory analysis, the model fit was adequate with the discrimination parameters ranging from 2.73 to 3.56. The diffculty parameters ranged from -3.40 to 1.71 and were evenly spaced along the trait, attesting to the appropriateness of the response categories. The invariance tests demonstrated that there was no difference in WB-NRSs-CV across groups by gender or age. Discussion: The WB-NRSs-CV was translated appropriately and cross-culturally adapted in China. It can be used as a rapid and relevant instrument to assess well-being in both clinical and non-clinical settings, with its utility for well-being measurement and management among the Chinese people.

Low-Cost Ru/C-Catalyzed Depolymerization of the Polymeric Proanthocyanidin-Rich Fraction from Bark To Produce Oligomeric Proanthocyanidins with Antioxidant Activity.

A new method has been developed for the high-value utilization of larch bark, which is regarded as a low-value byproduct of the logging industry. Polymeric proanthocyanidins (PPCs) were extracted from the Larix gmelinii bark and depolymerized by catalytic hydrogenolysis, using ruthenium/carbon (Ru/C) as the catalyst. The method has been found that although the molecular weight of the depolymerized product was significantly lower, the basic structural units were not destroyed, and the product retained a condensed flavanol polyphenol structure; the depolymerized product contains very little Ru metal and thus complies with food safety standards; the antioxidant properties of both the depolymerized products and PPCs were better than those of the commonly used antioxidant 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-methylphenol. The relative molecular weight and steric hindrance of the depolymerized products were lower than those of the PPCs, leading to better antioxidant performance. A new technical route for the depolymerization of PPCs from the L. gmelinii bark is provided. The route offers practical and commercial advantages, and the product could have many applications as an antioxidant.

Near-infrared emitting iridium(iii) complexes for mitochondrial imaging in living cells.

Biocompatible transition metal complexes dyes emitting in the near-infrared (NIR) region, are highly desirable in fluorescence imaging techniques. However, a high-performance mitochondria-specific labeling NIR probe with high photostability is still lacking. Herein we reported two NIR-emitting cationic iridium(iii) complexes [Ir(pbq-g)2(N^N)]+Cl- (pbq-g = phenylbenzo[g]-quinoline; N^N = 2-(1-benzyl-1H-pyrazol-3-yl) pyridine (Ir1) and 2-(1-(naphthalen-1-ylmethyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl) pyridine (Ir2)). These two novel Ir(iii) complexes with different N^N ligands exhibited similar NIR emission with λmax at 751 nm for Ir1 and 750 nm for Ir2 in PBS solution, with luminescence quantum yields of around 0.62 for Ir1 and 0.85 for Ir2. These two complexes showed high mitochondrial specificity, superior photostability, high resistance to the loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential and appreciable tolerance to environmental changes, allowing NIR imaging of mitochondrial morphological changes over long periods of time. These excellent photophysical and imaging properties made them promising NIR luminescent tags for applications in bioimaging.