Perceptions of Uncertainty in Medical Care Among Non-medical Professionals and Nurses in Japan: A Cross-Sectional Internet-Based Preliminary Survey.

BACKGROUND: Medical care is impacted by uncertainty caused by various factors. The uncertainty that exists in medical care can cause patient distrust and lead to conflict. This study compared the tolerance of uncertainty in medical care between non-medical professionals and nurses. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional Internet-based survey. Participants included 2,100 individuals (600 nurses and 1,500 non-medical professionals; aged ≥ 20 years) from different parts of Japan. Of these, we excluded 70 participants who were classified as non-medical professionals but were registered nurses. Finally, we analyzed data from 2,030 participants (600 nurses and 1,430 non-medical professionals). Three registered nurses and nursing researchers developed an original questionnaire on tolerance of uncertainty in medical care. Data regarding participants' characteristics (age, sex, education level, marital status, having children, population size of the residential area, medical care usage, and occupation) were obtained. We performed a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to compare the data between non-medical professionals and nurses. Additionally, we employed a multiple regression model to investigate factors related to tolerance of uncertainty in medical care scores. RESULTS: A significant portion of participants (36.7%) were aged 40-50 years (n = 745). Most were women (n = 1,210, 59.6%), and a considerable percentage were medical care users (n = 1,309, 64.5%). Non-medical professionals were less tolerant of uncertainty than nurses, and uncertainty scores were associated with medical care usage, occupation, and population size of the residential area. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed variations in perceptions of uncertainty in medical care between non-medical professionals and medical care providers. To mitigate conflicts related to medical issues, medical care providers should enhance non-medical professionals' education regarding perceptions of uncertainty in medical care.

On-Campus Nursing Training During COVID-19 in Japan: A Systematic Literature Review.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing education in Japan recommended the implementation of on-campus practical training as a substitute for hospital-based clinical training. This study explores nursing students' experiences with on-campus nursing training as an alternative to clinical practice by clarifying its advantages and disadvantages. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis and we included 26 articles in this study. Our findings reveal both the advantages of acquiring nursing knowledge, basic skills, and membership among students. Contrastingly, many students failed to acquire skills related to patient communication and flexible nursing care. Thus, despite some strengths, on-campus training is not a complete replacement for clinical training. Although this method has benefits in emergency situations, it is desirable to consider other educational methods in preparation for future pandemics.

Association between COVID-19 vaccines and the menstrual cycle in young Japanese women.

INTRODUCTION: Although several studies have investigated the association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines and the menstrual cycle, available data are limited. Therefore, this study investigated the effect of COVID-19 vaccines on the menstrual cycle and the effect of the menstrual cycle phase on the vaccine side effects during vaccine administration in Japan. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data on the date of vaccination; type of vaccine; type, grade, and duration of the side effects; regularity of menstruation; normal length of the menstrual cycle; and the day one date of menstruation around vaccination. The survey was conducted from October 2021 to March 2022. RESULTS: The difference between the predicted and actual menstrual cycle length was 1.9 ± 3.0, 1.6 ± 2.8 (p = 0.557), and 2.5 ± 3.8 (p = 0.219) days before vaccination and after the first and second dose of the vaccine, respectively. In participants who received vaccinations twice within a single menstrual cycle, this difference was 1.3 ± 3.5 and 3.9 ± 3.3 (p = 0.045) days before and after vaccination, respectively. The grade and proportion of the side effects after the second dose of the vaccine was highest during the menstrual period and lowest during the ovulation period, with a significant effect on headache and chills. CONCLUSION: COVID-19 vaccines tended to prolong the menstrual cycle. The side effects of the COVID-19 vaccine tended to be at a maximum when vaccination occurred during the menstrual period and minimal during the ovulation period.

Critical Incident Reports Related to Ventilator Use: Analysis of the Japan Quality Council National Database.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the factors associated with medical device incidents. METHODS: In this mixed-methods study, we used incident reporting data from the Japan Council for Quality Health Care. Of the 232 medical device-related reports that were downloaded, 34 (14.7%) were ventilator-associated incidents. Data related to patients, situations, and incidents were collected and coded. RESULTS: The frequencies of ventilator-associated accidents were 20 (58.8%) during the daytime and 14 (41.2%) during the night/early morning. Ventilator-associated accidents occurred more frequently in the hospital room (n = 22 [64.7%]) than in the intensive care unit (n = 4 [11.8%]). Problems with ventilators occurred in only 4 cases (11.8%); in most cases, medical professionals experienced difficulty with the use or management of ventilators (n = 30 [88.2%]), and 50% of them were due to misuse/misapplication of ventilators (n = 17 [50.0%]). Ventilator-associated accidents were caused by an entanglement of complex factors-hardware, software, environment, liveware, and liveware-liveware interaction. Communication and alarm-related errors were reported to be related, as were intuitiveness or complicated specifications of the device. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that ventilator-associated accidents were caused by an entanglement of complex factors and were related to inadequate communication among caregivers and families. Moreover, alarms were overlooked owing to inattentiveness. Mistakes were generally caused by a lack of experience, insufficient training, or outright negligence. To reduce the occurrence of ventilator-associated accidents, hospital administrators should develop protocols for employment of new devices. Medical devices should be developed from the perspective of human engineering, which could be one of the systems approaches.

Reported Incidents Involving Non-medical Care Workers and Nursery Teachers in Hospitals in Japan: An Analysis of the Japan Council for Quality Health Care Nationwide Database.

Objective With the shortage of medical staff, the birth rate decline, and aging populations in some countries, task shifting from specific medical staff to non-medical care workers in hospitals has been implemented as a short-term solution. Incident reporting reduces preventable patient errors, improves the quality of healthcare services, and contributes to patient safety. However, research focused on the expanding roles of non-medical staff who provide direct care for patients is lacking. The present study aimed to bridge this gap by examining reported incidents involving non-medical care workers and nursery teachers in hospitals in Japan. Methodology A retrospective mixed-methods study was conducted using data published by the Japan Council for Quality Health Care. A total of 21,876 cases were reported between 2016 and 2020, and 97 out of 21,876 cases were analysed, after excluding incidents involving workers or staff other than care workers/nursery teachers. Descriptive statistics were used to examine the incidents, and textual data included in the incident reports were analysed by two registered nurses. Results The occupations of the people involved were care worker (n=80, 82.5%) and nursery teacher (n=17, 17.5%). There were two reports of worker injuries (n=2, 2.1%), which were excluded. A total of 95 cases were included in the final analysis to examine the effects on patients. Among the remaining 95 cases, there were five severe patient incidents (death, n=2, 2.1%; cerebral hemorrhage, n=3, 3.2%), and the most frequent incident was bone fracture (n=64, 67.4%). Some patients had cognitive impairment (n=29, 30.5%) and osteoporosis (n=25, 26.3%). We divided the factors related to incident occurrence into software (procedures and protocols), environment (wards and theaters), and liveware (people, including care workers, nursery teachers, and patients). Regarding the reasons for the incidents, the percentages for the three factors were as follows: education/training 34.7% (n=33), in software; patient state 4.1% (n=39), in environment; and neglect to observe 45.3% (n=43), in liveware. Conclusion Our study involved a secondary analysis of published data, and the sample size was small. However, incident reports from care workers and nursery teachers working in hospitals included serious errors. The role of non-medical care staff in hospitals is broad and diverse, and has been shifting from direct care for patients with mild illnesses to direct care for patients with severe illnesses. An efficient clinical environment that ensures quality of care and service is lacking. By focusing on patient safety outcomes, policymakers and hospital teams should consider adjusting the working environment.

Intentions Regarding COVID-19 Vaccination in Females Aged 15-49 Years.

To control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Japanese government is promoting vaccination, which many people are willing to accept; however, some are reluctant to receive vaccinations. The purpose of this study was to analyze the intentions of women aged 15-49 years regarding the COVID-19 vaccination and to identify methods of promoting vaccination. We used secondary data from a web research company of approximately 1020 participants. The data contained the following variables: vaccination status, reasons for not getting vaccinated, and the intentions and reasons related to the third vaccination. We categorized the reasons using text data and evaluated the age-related differences. The proportion of women aged 15-49 years who refused COVID-19 vaccination in Japan was 17.0%, and the rate was not significantly different by age group. The most common reasons were safety and side effect concerns. Of those who received the second vaccination, 32.7% hesitated or refused the third vaccination, and the rate was not significantly different by age group. The reasons were side-effect concerns, a lack of information, and the influence of their surroundings. Addressing the side effects and providing adequate information may help promote vaccination among women aged 15-49 years.