Mediating and moderating effects of learned resourcefulness on depressive symptoms and positive ideation in hospital nurses in Taiwan.

Learned resourcefulness (LR) is important in facilitating mental health in individuals experiencing depression, and positive ideation plays a further protective role in the prevention of suicidal ideation. The purpose of this study was to explore whether LR mediates or moderates the relationship between depressive symptoms and positive ideation in hospital nurses. Participants were 807 full-time hospital nurses. The relationship between depressive symptoms and positive ideation was both mediated and moderated by LR after controlling for age, job title, and marital status. Continuing education and counseling strategies may increase nurses' LR and thereby enhance positive ideation and reduce risk of depression and suicide.

The establishment of an ethical guideline for genetic testing through citizen consensus via the Internet in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND: With the rapid advance of genetics, the application of genetic testing has become increasingly popular. Test results have had a tremendous impact on individuals who receive the test and his or her family. The ethical, legal, and social implications (ELSI) of genetic testing cannot be overlooked. The Internet is a potential tool for public engagement. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed at establishing ethical guidelines for genetic testing in Taiwan through a participatory citizen consensus approach via the Internet. METHODS: The research method used was a citizen consensus conference modified by an Internet application and the Delphi technique. The citizen consensus conference is one of the public participation mechanisms. The draft ethical guidelines for genetic testing were written by an expert panel of 10. The Delphi technique was applied to a citizen panel recruited via the Internet until a consensus was reached. Our research population was restricted to people who had Internet access. RESULTS: Included in the citizen panel were 100 individuals. A total of 3 individuals dropped out of the process. The citizen panel was exposed to the issues through Internet learning and sharing. In all, 3 rounds of anonymous questionnaires were administered before a consensus was reached in terms of importance and feasibility. The result was ethical guidelines composed of 4 categories and 25 items. The 4 categories encompassed decision making (6 items), management of tissue samples (5 items), release of results (8 items), and information flow (6 items). On a scale of 1 to 10, the average (SD) importance score for the decision-making category was 9.41 (SD 0.58); for the management of tissue samples category, the average score was 9.62 (SD 0.49); for the release of results category, the average score was 9.34 (SD= 0.59); and for the information flow category, the average score was 9.6 (SD = 0.43). Exploratory analyses indicated that participants with higher education tended to attribute more importance to these guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: The resulting recommended ethical guidelines had 4 categories and 25 items. We hope through the implementation of these guidelines that mutual trust can be established between health care profession and the general public with respect to genetic tests.

A comparison of problem-based learning and conventional teaching in nursing ethics education.

The aim of this study was to compare the learning effectiveness of peer tutored problem-based learning and conventional teaching of nursing ethics in Taiwan. The study adopted an experimental design. The peer tutored problem-based learning method was applied to an experimental group and the conventional teaching method to a control group. The study sample consisted of 142 senior nursing students who were randomly assigned to the two groups. All the students were tested for their nursing ethical discrimination ability both before and after the educational intervention. A learning satisfaction survey was also administered to both groups at the end of each course. After the intervention, both groups showed a significant increase in ethical discrimination ability. There was a statistically significant difference between the ethical discrimination scores of the two groups (P < 0.05), with the experimental group on average scoring higher than the control group. There were significant differences in satisfaction with self-motivated learning and critical thinking between the groups. Peer tutored problem-based learning and lecture-type conventional teaching were both effective for nursing ethics education, but problem-based learning was shown to be more effective. Peer tutored problem-based learning has the potential to enhance the efficacy of teaching nursing ethics in situations in which there are personnel and resource constraints.

Ethical attitudes on human cloning among professionals in Taiwan and the policy implications for regulation.

UNLABELLED: This research focused on understanding the attitudes toward human cloning in Taiwan among professionals in healthcare, law, and religion. DESIGN: The study was conducted utilizing a structured questionnaire. PARTICIPANTS: 220 healthcare professionals from two regional hospitals located in Taipei, 351 religious professionals in the northern Taiwan and 711 legal professionals were selected by to receive questionnaires. The valid response rate is 42.1% MAIN MEASUREMENTS: The questions were generated by an expert panel and represented major arguments in the human cloning debate. There were a total of six Likert scaled questions in the questionnaire. The responses were coded from 1 to 5 with 1 representing strong opposition to human cloning, 3 representing a neutral attitude; and 5 representing a strong favorable attitude toward human cloning. RESULTS: Healthcare professionals had the highest overall average score of 2.14 and the religious professionals had the lowest average at 1.58. All three categories of respondents' attitude toward cloning ranged from mild opposition to strong opposition to human cloning. The religious professionals were more strongly opposed to cloning. Age, education, and religion significantly influenced attitudes toward cloning. Professionals between fifty-one and sixty years old, those with less education, and Roman Catholic professionals were more strongly opposed to cloning. CONCLUSIONS: Religious professionals were more strongly opposed to human cloning than professionals in healthcare or law. Younger professionals as an age group demonstrated less opposition to human cloning. Regulation of human cloning will be influenced by professionals in healthcare, law, and religion, and the regulatory environment chosen now will play a pivotal role in influencing the acceptance of human cloning in the future.

Using a citizen consensus conference to revise the code of ethics for nurses in Taiwan.

PURPOSE: To revise the code of ethics for nurses in Taiwan. DESIGN: Citizen consensus conference, Delphi-technique, and questionnaire survey were used in the revising process. METHODS: Citizen representatives were recruited for a 5-day citizen consensus conference to develop a first draft of the revised code. Further modification resulted from three rounds of communication with Delphi technique among experts. Three conferences for nursing professionals were conducted where questionnaire surveys were administered. The final draft was approved by the general assembly of Taiwan National Union of Nurses Associations. FINDINGS: A revised code of ethics for nurses in Taiwan was proposed in six parts and 27 articles including: the fundamental responsibilities of nurses (1), nurses and clients (12), nurses and professional services (4), nurses and social interactions (4), nurses and teamwork (3), and nurses and professional growth (3). CONCLUSIONS: The citizen consensus conference was helpful in identifying the general public's expectation of nurses in the revision process. The revised Taiwanese code of ethics for nurses has new elements, including environmental protection, personal safety, lifetime learning, and self-care.