Career stage-specific predictors of reflective ability among clinical nurses.

AIMS: To identify career stage-specific factors that influence reflective ability in clinical nurses and the relative strength of these effects. DESIGN: Exploratory cross-sectional study. METHODS: Between August and September 2019, nursing professionals working at general hospitals (n = 1169) completed a questionnaire on reflective ability and its suspected influencing factors. Participants were grouped by career stage as defined by years of nursing experience. Each factor's predictive strength regarding different dimensions of reflective ability was analysed separately in each group via stepwise multiple regression. RESULTS: Reflective ability was significantly influenced by support for personal growth from superiors and seniors among first-year participants and professional identity formation among those in their second or later years. Furthermore, it was significantly influenced by self-confidence in nursing practice in years 4-5, effort to improve knowledge and skills in years 6-9 and role model presence in years 10-19. CONCLUSION: Career stage-specific predictors of reflective ability were related to nurses' environment and changes in the roles expected of them. Support measures aimed at improving this capacity should emphasize factors characteristic of the career stage(s) of nursing professionals. IMPLICATIONS FOR THE PROFESSION AND/OR PATIENT CARE: Identifying the influencing factors of nurses' reflective ability can improve the same, deepen nurses' views on nursing, help them develop an intentional nursing practice and contribute to the improvement of the quality of nursing practice. IMPACT: This study is the first to identify career stage-specific predictors of reflective ability in clinical nurses and the relative strength of their effects. Reflective ability was affected by growth support from superiors and seniors in first-year nurses and formation of nursing identity in second-year nurses. Additionally, nurses' environment and various roles affected their reflective ability. Hospitals should build an appropriate environment for nurses and develop the concept of 'oneself as a nurse' among nurses. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: This study was conducted with the approval of an ethical review committee that included general citizens. Furthermore, the research results were reviewed by general citizens prior to dissemination, and we received their opinions as to whether the writing was sufficiently clear and whether the information required by the audience was included. We improved the content to be disseminated based on relevant opinions provided.

Development of a Reflective Ability Scale for Clinical Nurses.

BACKGROUND: Enhancement of reflective ability leads to improved nursing practice and individual growth. This study aimed to develop a reliable, validated scale that can effectively assess the reflective ability of clinical nurses. METHODS: Study participants were 1,872 nurses. We developed an anonymous self-administered questionnaire consisting of 33 original scale items and used it to conduct a survey. The scale was developed based on a construct validity study using item analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and confirmatory factor analysis. Reliability was estimated with Cronbach's α values. Criterion-related validity was assessed using Pearson's correlation analysis. RESULTS: There were 1,292 responses (response rate, 69.0%). Responses from 1,262 subjects with no missing data were analyzed (valid response rate, 97.7%). Based on the item analysis and exploratory factor analysis, we developed a trial scale model with 3 factors and 25 items. We named the first factor (Factor 1) "Recall Their Own Nursing Practice," the second factor (Factor 2) "Reflect on Their Own Nursing Practice" and the third factor (Factor 3) "Expand Their Own Nursing Practice". This model was modified based on modification indices from the confirmatory factor analysis. A model with 3 factors and 19 items was developed. It had acceptable fit indices (goodness of fit index = 0.914; adjusted goodness of fit index = 0.890; comparative fit index = 0.949; root mean square error of approximation = 0.070). Cronbach's α coefficients were 0.962 for all scale items, 0.922 for Factor 1, 0.918 for Factor 2, and 0.885 for Factor 3. The correlation coefficient between the model and the Professional Identity Scale of Nurses was 0.506 (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: We developed a reflective ability scale consisting of 3 factors and 19 items. We demonstrated its construct validity, reliability, and criterion-related validity. This scale can effectively assess the reflective ability of nurses.

Data on COA-Cl administration to the APP/PS2 double-transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer׳s disease: Improved hippocampus-dependent learning and unchanged spontaneous physical activity.

We herein present behavioral data regarding whether COA-Cl, a novel adenosine-like nucleic acid analog that promotes angiogenesis and features neuroprotective roles, improves cognitive and behavioral deficits in a murine model for Alzheimer׳s disease (AD). COA-Cl induced significant spatial memory improvement in the amyloid precursor protein/presenilin 2 double-transgenic mouse model of AD (PS2Tg2576 mice). Correspondingly, non-spatial novel object cognition test performance also significantly improved in COA-Cl-treated PS2Tg2576 mice; however, these mice demonstrated no significant changes in physical activity or motor performance. COA-Cl did not change the spontaneous activities and cognitive ability in the wild-type mice.

Antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella strains clinically isolated in Hyogo, Japan (2009-2012).

The purpose of this study was to examine the in vitro susceptibilities to antimicrobial agents and genetic diversity of 195 clinical strains of Salmonella spp., which were isolated and examined for the extended-spectrum ß-lactamase (ESBL) blaCTX-M gene and the presence of gyrA, gyrB, parC, and parE genes mutations in Hyogo, Japan, from 2009 to 2012. Forty-three of the 195 strains were antimicrobial resistant. Two Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica strains, 1 serovar Schwarzengrund, and 1 serovar Enteritidis were identified as ESBL-producing strains possessing blaCTX-M-15 and blaCTX-M-2, respectively. Among 8 nalidixic acid-resistant strains, 7 had mutations in gyrA alone or in gyrA and parC. In conclusion, we identified CTX-M ESBL-producing Salmonella clinical strains with multidrug resistance. Further studies are needed to monitor these serious drug-resistant Salmonella strains in Japan.

Impaired long-trace eyeblink conditioning in a Tg2576 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Eyeblink conditioning has been used for assessing cognitive performance in cases of human neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we tested and compared the delay and long-trace interval (TI=500ms) eyeblink conditionings in a Tg2576 mouse model of AD, at the age of 3, 6, and 12 months. Tg2576 mice exhibited significant impairment in trace conditioning at 6 months of age. In contrast, delay conditioning was not impaired in Tg2576 mice even at 12 months. These findings indicate that the long-TI eyeblink conditioning is more susceptible to age-related cognitive deterioration than delay conditioning in Tg2576 mice. The long-trace eyeblink conditioning could be a potential tool for detecting early cognitive deficits in AD mouse model.