The Global Leadership Mentoring Community: An evaluation of its impact on nursing leadership.

AIM: To evaluate a year-long mentorship program, pairing nurses from different regions across the world to support their global leadership capability, and identifying additional consequences of their participation. BACKGROUND: Investment in developing nurse leaders continues as a strategic global imperative. Building on the first cohort's recommendations, this second program illustrates continued progress. PROGRAM EVALUATION: Using the logic model of program evaluation, this non-empirical paper uses data collected from anonymized questionnaires and participants' stories to help improve the program, illustrating innovative practices to develop the confidence and competence of emerging and established nurse leaders globally. DISCUSSION: The value of mentorship was recognized, and there were gains for both mentors and mentees in the development of leadership confidence and competence. Through engagement and collaboration with the whole community, participants were encouraged to understand their own and others' cultures avoiding assumptions and stereotypes. CONCLUSION: This evaluation illustrates that in addition to helping improve future programs, mentorship has enabled the growth of individuals' skill sets and the confidence to reach out to peers across the world to understand the meaning of global health and to make a meaningful contribution to the challenges they face. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurse managers should be encouraged to develop and formalize a mentoring culture to benefit the leadership competence and well-being of their workforce. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY: Every nurse has a responsibility to invest in nursing leadership for themselves and others. Mentorship can assist nurse leaders to build workforce capability to lead and contribute to the policy agenda locally, nationally, and internationally. Starting early and at the individual level, global mentorship programs can develop leadership expertise to help nurses find their voice and strengthen their confidence and competence to lead and therefore build the strategic leaders of the future.

Developing competencies in genetics nursing: Education intervention for perinatal and pediatric nurses.

Nurses need to be appropriately trained in genetics to provide clinical care based on best practice for patients and families. This exploratory study describes an educational intervention using authentic stimulus material centered on a clinical case study of a family with a baby with Down syndrome. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from a sample of 15 nurses and 27 students from three universities in Japan before and after completing an entry-level workshop on competency-based genetics nursing. Participants reported increased perceived genetics knowledge and clinical confidence. Despite more than 90% of the participants reporting that they understood the underlying genetics knowledge, their confidence and the ethical aspects of genetics nursing had not been promoted after the seminar. In contrast, the reflections, coded into three categories, showed they recognized families' needs for psychological support, family decision making, and protection and privacy and suggested that nurses had undergone a profound shift in understanding about these issues. Although indicating that a single seminar was insufficient, the study findings will be useful to develop educational materials on genetics for both students and nurses.

Biometry: a tool for the detection of amblyopia risk factor in children.

PURPOSE: To determine optical biometry data criteria for the detection of abnormal refraction in preschool children, and to evaluate the accuracy of these criteria for detecting amblyopia refractive risk factor (ARF), as defined in the 2013 guidelines of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (AAPOS). METHODS: The present study included 200 eyes of 100 preschool children with normal eyes for the experimental determination of criteria and 142 eyes of 71 preschool children for validation of these criteria. Statistical data from normal eyes were used to determine both "high sensitivity failure criterion" and "high specificity failure criterion" associated with corneal astigmatism, interocular difference in axial length, and the prediction interval of a regression formula for predicting corneal power from axial length. Ophthalmological examination of children for validation included testing cycloplegic refraction and optical biometry testing. Outcomes from optical biometry criteria were compared with determination via ophthalmological examination, and the accuracy of the criteria for detecting ARF was evaluated. RESULTS: Sensitivity of the "high sensitivity failure criterion" for detecting 2013 AAPOS ARF was 100%, while the specificity was 80.5%. The sensitivity of the "high specificity failure criterion" was 93.3%, while the specificity was 95.1%. CONCLUSIONS: The criteria derived from optical biometry data in this study exhibited excellent sensitivity and specificity for detecting ARF. This study may lead to a new approach to vision screening in preschool children.

Prediction of pupil size under binocular open-view settings using the new CASIA2 device.

PURPOSE: Pupillometry should be performed under conditions as close to natural viewing as possible. The present study aimed to determine whether pupil size in binocular open-view settings can be predicted based on pupil size measured using the CASIA2 device. METHODS: The present study included 61 participants (25 men and 36 women; mean age, 49 ± 15 years; age range, 22-69 years) with no history of ophthalmic disease other than refractive errors and cataract. We measured pupil size using the new CASIA2 device and a binocular open-view digital pupillometer (FP-10000II, TMI Co., Ltd., Saitama). Intra-class and inter-class reliabilities were evaluated by measuring pupil times three times with each device (two independent examiners) in 21 of the 61 participants. Reproducibility was analyzed using intra-class and inter-class correlation coefficients (ICCs). Regression formulae for calculating FP10000II pupil size based on CASIA2 pupil size were developed via simple linear regression analyses. RESULTS: Both devices exhibited high ICC values (> 0.80). The regression formulae for calculating the FP10000II pupil size for the distant and near views based on CASIA2 pupil size were y = 0.5702x + 0.4611 (determination coefficient, 0.67) and y = 0.502x + 0.445 (determination coefficient, 0.64), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Pupil size under binocular open-view settings can be predicted based on simultaneous measurement of pupil size during evaluation of the anterior segment using the CASIA2 device. The calculated pupil size may represent a useful index for determining the most appropriate treatment strategy in candidates for cataract and refractive surgery.

Etiology and outcomes of secondary surgical intervention for dissatisfied patients after pseudophakic monovision.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the etiology and the clinical outcomes of secondary surgical interventions for dissatisfied patients after pseudophakic monovision. SETTING: Department of Ophthalmology, Kitasato University Hospital, Kanagawa, Japan. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: This study comprised 12 eyes in 12 patients (age 66.2 ± 5.6 years) who underwent photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) enhancement to improve their dissatisfaction after pseudophakic monovision. We quantitatively assessed the visual and refractive outcomes and the subjective satisfaction measured using a visual analog scale, that ranged from 0 (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied), before and 3 months after PRK enhancement. RESULTS: Six (50%) of the 12 patients were dissatisfied with their various distance visions because of a large amount of anisometropia (≥2.50 D). Two (16.7%) were dissatisfied with their distance vision after conventional monovision because of residual cylindrical errors (≥0.75 D) in the dominant eye. Three (25%) was an unknown origin. The remaining one of the 12 patients was dissatisfied due to the unadaptability to crossed monovision. Eleven (91.7%) eyes were within ±0.5 D of the targeted correction after PRK enhancement. The overall satisfaction score was significantly improved, from 3.7 ± 2.4 (range 0-7) preoperatively to 6.0 ± 2.4 (range 2-9) postoperatively (p = 0.02). No vision-threatening complications were seen throughout the observation period. CONCLUSIONS: PRK enhancement was effective with predictable refractive results and thus improved patient satisfaction for dissatisfied patients after pseudophakic monovision. These findings also suggest that the accurate correction of refractive errors plays a key role in successful pseudophakic monovision.

Food allergy response capabilities of mothers and related factors.

A parent's ability to confidently manage a child's food allergy (i.e. food allergy response capability) is considered instrumental toward treating this disorder; however, little is known regarding this measure and associated factors. A questionnaire survey among 280 qualified participants identified the greatest food allergy response capability as "spousal collaboration", followed by "elimination diet capacity", "gathering information from medical professionals", "knowledge about food allergies", and "stress coping". These capabilities were associated with maternal and household health status, food items eliminated and their number, anaphylaxis experience, and type of medical facility used. This measure represented a predictor of maternal quality of life and health status, household health status, and overall life stress (not related to childrearing). Thus, to improve food allergy response capability, multidisciplinary cooperation and support are required from professionals, such as physicians, nurses, nutritionists, and clinical psychologists. Nurses in particular must take an interest in the situations these mothers face and in their emotions; elicit their power to cope with stress; provide knowledge about food allergies; provide individualized, specific information about elimination diets; and conduct interventions to enable spousal cooperation.

Experiences regarding maternal age-specific risks and prenatal testing of women of advanced maternal age in Japan.

The number of pregnant women of advanced maternal age has increased worldwide. Women in this group have an increased chance of fetal abnormality. To explore Japanese women's experiences regarding maternal age-specific risks and prenatal testing, we conducted a descriptive qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 16 women aged 35 years or over who had given birth within the previous three months to a healthy, term infant. Thematic analysis of transcribed interview data was performed and three major themes were identified: inadequate understanding of genetic risks; insufficiently informed choice regarding prenatal testing; and need for more information from health professionals. Some participants were not aware of maternal age-specific risks to the fetus. Many took their cues from health professionals and did not raise the topic themselves, but would have considered prenatal testing if made aware of the risks. Nurses, midwives and other health professionals need to adequately inform pregnant women about the genetic risks to the fetus and offer testing at an appropriate stage early in the pregnancy.

[Epidemiological Study of Poor Visual Acuity among Schoolchildren in Bonin Islands].

PURPOSE: To investigate the change in uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) among schoolchildren in Bonin Islands. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: UCVA of schoolchildren aged 6 to 14 years, was collected from reports of School Health Examination Surveys conducted from 1981 to 2012. The proportion of schoolchildren with poor UCVA in the Bonin Islands was compared with those in metropolitan Tokyo. The results in Bonin Islands were also divided into two groups, before- and after-1996 when terrestrial television broadcasting service has been started, and the data of those two groups were compared. RESULTS: The proportion of schoolchildren with poor UCVA in Bonin Islands was lower than that in Tokyo. Among the residents of Bonin Islands, the proportion of schoolchildren with UCVA of < 1.0 was higher in the after-1996 group than in the before- 1996 group, with a clear increase in schoolchildren with poor UCVA after 1996 (p < 0.01, Fisher's exact test), examined among the 4th grade of elementary school or above. After 1996, 26.6% of first graders at a public junior high school had poor UCVA of < 0.7, whereas before 1996 no such case could be detected. CONCLUSION: The present study revealed that the proportions of schoolchildren with poor UCVA in Bonin Islands was lower than that in Tokyo; but in the residents of Bonin Islands after 1996, the proportion of the schoolchildren with poor UCVA increased.

Secondary IOL implantation for an aphakic patient with congenital cataract living in Bonin Islands; follow-up study.

Introduction: We previously reported a case of a patient with bilateral congenital cataract identified in the Ogasawara village, Bonin Islands, Japan, on a visit by an ophthalmologist and describe its course over 17 years from initial surgery. Here, we report on a secondary intraocular lens (IOL) implantation that was subsequently performed at 22 years and 5 months of age. Methods: After cataract surgery at 7 months, the aphakic patient began amblyopia treatment using extended-wear soft contact lenses (SCLs). After 10 years of age, SCLs were chosen to achieve crossed monovision considering the cosmetic appearance when facing other people. At 22 years of age, a secondary IOL implantation was performed. Secondary implant in the patient considered appearance and postoperative vision without glasses, we selected the crossed monovision method using a monofocal IOL. The postoperative targeted refraction for the right (non-dominant eye) and left eyes (dominant eye) planed - 0.33D and - 2.25D, respectively. Results: At 3 months after surgery, the corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) with IOLs for the right and left eyes was 20/16 and 20/60, respectively, and the binocular visual acuity was 20/16 for distant vision and 20/25 for near vision. The CDVA for the right eye was: 20/13 × IOL = sph-0.25D and that for the left eye was: 20/13 × IOL = sph -1.75D D/cyl -0.50D/Ax170°. Although the exotropia was complicated by dissociated horizontal deviation and dissociated vertical deviation, there were no significant changes in ocular position before and after surgery. The patient was satisfied with achieving independence from spectacles and SCLs. Conclusion: The use of the crossed monovision method with monofocal IOLs in this patient and defective binocular function created a visual environment with no inconvenience in everyday life after secondary IOL implantation. In terms of secondary implant after amblyopia treatment, the IOL type or postoperative targeted refraction must be chosen to maintain or improve the visual environment obtained with the amblyopia treatment.

Association between ocular dominance and refractive asymmetry.

PURPOSE: To investigate the association between ocular dominance (sighting dominance) and refractive asymmetry in phakic patients. METHODS: This retrospective study included 3,012 patients with a mean age of 29.0 ± 5.3 years (range: 20 to 39 years). Refractive error was determined with cycloplegic refraction and axial length was determined with IOLMaster (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA). Ocular dominance was assessed using the hole-in-the-card test. RESULTS: The right and left eyes were dominant in 77.7% and 22.3% of the patients, respectively. In the high anisometropia group (⩾ 2.0 diopters), the non-dominant eyes had significantly higher myopic spherical equivalents and longer axial lengths than the dominant eyes (P < .05). However, there were no significant differences in these parameters in the low anisometropia group. CONCLUSION: The current study revealed that non-dominant eyes had a greater myopic refractive error and longer axial length than the dominant eyes, especially in the patients who had high amounts of anisometropia.

Japanese women's attitudes towards routine ultrasound screening during pregnancy.

Because there are few published studies from Eastern countries concerning women's experiences of prenatal ultrasound scans, this study investigated this topic in 238 Japanese women in three different prenatal settings. A cross-sectional questionnaire of 33 items was administered to 261 women at 14-37 weeks gestation with no known obstetrical risk, after their ultrasounds. The main reasons for the ultrasounds were evaluation of fetal growth (100%, n = 238); obstetrical conditions (n = 228, 96%); and fetal abnormalities (91%, n = 217). With increasing maternal age, participants worried more about obstetric problems or fetal abnormalities. Many were interested in fetal viability in early pregnancy, and obstetric problems or fetal abnormality in late pregnancy. While most (n = 234, 98%) looked forward to having scans, the majority (n = 235, 99%) wanted to know if their baby had an anomaly, and 72% (n = 171) worried about the detection of abnormalities. Only 50% (n = 118) had obtained information from their care provider. To assist with women's decision-making, prenatal care providers should provide quality information and understand the factors that influence women's concerns.

Dissatisfaction after bilateral multifocal intraocular lens implantation: an electrophysiology study.

PURPOSE: To resolve patient dissatisfaction after bilateral diffractive multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, a multifocal IOL was exchanged for a monofocal IOL in the dominant eye. The relationship between dissatisfaction and pattern visual evoked cortical potential (P-VECP) was analyzed. METHODS: A 49-year-old man and a 71-year-old woman were implanted with diffractive multifocal IOLs bilaterally. Despite good binocular visual acuity after bilateral multifocal IOL implantation, each patient experienced persistent dissatisfaction with quality and sharpness of vision even when using spectacles and contact lenses. A multifocal IOL was exchanged for a monofocal IOL in the dominant eye of each patient. Pattern visual evoked cortical potential was measured in each patient and the average of each component was calculated. RESULTS: After IOL exchange in the dominant eye, P-VECP amplitude increased, peak latency improved, and the patients' symptoms disappeared. CONCLUSIONS: Monofocal IOL exchange in the dominant eye is an effective approach for dissatisfaction after bilateral multifocal IOL implantation.

Evaluation of Eye Alignment before and after Cataract Surgery.

Purpose: To assess changes in eye alignment before and after cataract surgery.Subjects and methods: The medical records of 786 cataract patients without eye movement limitation who underwent bilateral cataract surgery under topical anesthesia with monofocal IOL placement were retrospectively reviewed at the Eye Center of Sanno Hospital in Japan.Results: Before cataract surgery, 121 of the 786 patients (15.4%) had constant strabismus, 263 (33.5%) had intermittent strabismus, and 402 (51.1%) had phoria. Among the 121 patients with constant strabismus on the preoperative exam, 64 (52.9%) had exotropia without vertical strabismus, 7 (5.8%) had esotropia without vertical strabismus, and 6 (5.0%) had vertical strabismus without a horizontal component. After surgery, 98 of the 786 patients (12.5%) had constant strabismus, 126 (16.0%) had intermittent strabismus, 562 (71.5%) had phoria. The rate of eye alignment agreement before and after surgery was 72.3% overall. We found that 17 patients (2.2%) who did not have constant strabismus preoperatively developed constant strabismus postoperatively, and all of these patients experienced binocular diplopia. Characteristics of patients at risk for constant strabismus and diplopia postoperatively included patients with vertical deviation preoperatively (intermittent or phoria).Conclusions: Uncomplicated cataract surgery under topical anesthesia did not influence eye alignment classification in 72.3% of patients; however, patients with vertical deviation preoperatively were more likely to transition to constant strabismus after surgery.

Effect of pupil size on visual acuity in a laboratory model of pseudophakic monovision.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effect of pupil size on visual acuity in pseudophakic monovision. METHODS: For the simulation, a modified Liou-Brennan model eye was used. The model eye was designed to include a centered optical system, corneal asphericity, an iris pupil, a Stiles-Crawford effect, an intraocular lens, and chromatic aberration. Calculation of the modulation transfer function (MTF) was performed with ZEMAX software. Visual acuity was estimated from the MTF and the retinal threshold curve. The sizes of the entrance pupil were 2.0, 2.5, 3.0, and 4.0 mm. RESULTS: Decreasing pupil diameter and increasing myopia progressively improved near visual acuity. For an entrance pupil size of 2.5 mm and a refractive error of -1.50 diopters, the logMAR value (Snellen; metric) in the non-dominant eye at 40 cm was 0.06 (20/23; 6/6.9). CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of the patient's pupil diameter at near fixation can assist surgeons in determining the optimum degree of myopia for successful monovision.

Asia-Pacific nursing scholarship development: qualitative exploration of nurse scholars in Taiwan (Republic of China).

AIM: From the perspective of scholars, to describe a contemporary view of the development, facilitators of and barriers to nursing scholarship in Taiwan, to enhance policy-making about research, education and practise development. BACKGROUND: Nursing scholarship in the Asia-Pacific region is in different stages of development, depending on in-country resources and socio-economic conditions. Little is known about the facilitators or barriers to nursing scholarship in some of these countries, including Taiwan, where nursing education has changed considerably over the last decade. DESIGN: A qualitative exploratory design. METHOD: The study used snowballing to identify scholars who underwent semi-structured in-depth interviews. These were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and subjected to content analysis. RESULTS: Interviews were held with 12 scholars and six major themes arose: 'fulfilling our missions'; 'active research productivity'; 'low levels of collaborative research'; 'increasing demands on time'; 'gender issues' and 'developing effective collaborative networks across Taiwan and Asia'. Participants described Taiwanese scholarship development in terms of fulfilling the missions of universities; trying to balance work and culturally relevant family responsibilities, against a background of decreasing pressures to produce more qualified nurses and being more research productive in rapidly changing and challenging work environments. CONCLUSIONS: Taiwan's nursing scholarship is in a dynamic early stage of development, with increasing graduate programmes and research productivity, evidenced by rising international publications and the research productivity indexes of academics. However, scholars are facing increasing pressure because of high workloads and balancing family and work responsibilities. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Understanding scholarship development and its facilitators and barriers in Taiwan helps inform policy makers, the higher education sector and nurses in the country and across the region about what needs to be done to improve nursing practice, raise health outcomes and enhance nursing research productivity and education.

Perceptions of Japanese patients and their family about medical treatment decisions.

Internationally, nurses and physicians are increasingly expected to undertake roles in communication and patient advocacy, including in Japan, where the reigning principle underlying medical ethics is in transition from paternalism to respect for patient autonomy. The study reports the results of a survey in two Japanese teaching hospitals that clarified the perspectives of 128 patients and 41 family members regarding their current and desired involvement in health decision-making. The commonest process that was desired by patients and their family was for patients to make decisions after consultation with both the physician and their family. The decision-making preferences for competent patients varied among the participants, who believed that families have a crucial role to play in health-care decision-making, even when patients are competent to make their own decisions. The findings will inform health professionals about contemporary Japanese health-care decision-making and the ethical issues involved in this process, as well as assist the future development of a culturally relevant model to support patients' preferences for ethical decision-making.

Nursing scholarship in Japan: development, facilitators, and barriers.

This qualitative study sought a contemporary view of the development, facilitators of, and barriers to nursing scholarship in Japan from the perspectives of the scholars. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 scholars across Japan, which were digitally recorded, and the data were subjected to content analysis. Five themes emerged: a spirit of collectivism; a lack of nursing control; a lack of English ability; a high workload; and collaboration. The participants considered that culturally based consensus and communication behaviors, as well as the control and dominance by the medical profession, were hampering nursing scholarship. Furthermore, Japanese nurses were not in control of the profession in a period of unprecedented growth in university nursing education and a growing nursing shortage. A lack of English-speaking and English-writing abilities hindered collaboration with scholars internationally and the writing of international publications. Most of the participants felt unable to compare the extent and nature of Japanese scholarship with that of their Asian neighbors. The Japanese scholars need to grasp opportunities to learn English, collaborate with other nurses nationally and internationally, learn assertion and political skills to give them the confidence to take control of nursing education, and be more involved in research collaboration and international publications.

The Repeatability of Values Measured Using the Spot Vision Screener in Healthy Children and Children with Refractive Errors.

Purpose: To determine the repeatability of refractive values measured using the Spot vision screener in healthy children and children with refractive errors. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 170 eyes of 85 healthy children (normal group), and 50 eyes of 25 children wearing spectacles for refractive errors (spectacles group). The spherical equivalent value, cylindrical value, and inter-ocular differences in the spherical equivalent values were analyzed. The repeatability of the refractive values measured using the Spot vision screener was determined using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) and 95% limits of agreement. Results: In the normal group, ICC values for the spherical equivalent value, cylindrical value, and amount of anisometropia were 0.77, 0.80, and 0.64, respectively. In the spectacles group with spectacles they were 0.89, 0.67, and 0.78, respectively. In the spectacles group without spectacles they were 0.96, 0.78, and 0.97, respectively. The 95% limits of agreement between consecutive measurements for the spherical equivalent value, cylindrical value, and amount of anisometropia were within ±1.00 D in the normal group and the spectacles group with spectacles, and over ±1.00 D in the spectacles group without spectacles. Conclusions: The Spot vision screener can ensure better than moderate repeatability with and without spectacles.

Influence of age on ocular wavefront aberration changes with accommodation.

PURPOSE: To perform a quantitative analysis of high order wavefront aberrations of the entire optical system of the eye that accompanies accommodation demands in the healthy and emmetropic eye. METHODS: Fifty-six healthy emmetropic eyes of 30 patients were separated into three groups according to age: group 1, 20 to 29 years; group 2, 30 to 39 years; and group 3, 40 to 49 years. Using iTrace ray-tracing technology, pupil diameter, objective refraction, and wavefront aberrations at accommodation demands of 0 to 4.00 diopters (D) in five 1.00-D increments were determined. In analyzing higher order aberrations in the central 4-mm diameter zone of the pupil, Zernike polynomials were used to study the changes associated with accommodation in the magnitude of total higher order aberrations, third order aberrations (coma-like aberrations), fourth order aberrations (spherical-like aberrations), and the spherical aberration component (C4(0)) of the fourth order aberrations. RESULTS: Pupil diameter decreased significantly (P < .05) with accommodation demand in each group. Total higher order aberrations in group 1 increased significantly (P < .05). No significant change was seen in third order aberrations in any group, but fourth order aberrations increased significantly (P < .05) in group 1. Spherical aberration (C4(0)) showed phase shifts from positive to negative in all groups, but the shift in group 3 was minimal, remaining positive even for a 4.00-D accommodation demand. CONCLUSIONS: Among higher order aberrations accompanying accommodation demands, spherical aberration (C4(0)) in particular showed characteristic changes; however, these changes showed age-related disparities. The changes were probably due to the effects of reduction in accommodation resulting from age-related changes in the crystalline lens.