Difficulties and practices regarding information provision among Korean and Italian nurses.

AIM: To investigate nurses' opinions and practices of providing information in a global context through cultural comparison. BACKGROUND AND INTRODUCTION: Providing sufficient information to patients about nursing interventions and plans is essential for patient-centred care. While many countries have specific legislation making information delivery to patients a legal duty of nurses, no such legislation exists in both the Republic of Korea and Italy; nurses' only guidance is the deontological code. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional survey study involving a convenience sample of 174 Korean nurses and 121 Italian nurses working in internal medicine and surgery at university hospitals. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire between February and November 2014. The questionnaire assessed demographic and professional characteristics, and difficulties and practices regarding information provision. RESULTS: Korean and Italian nurses significantly differed in all demographic and professional characteristics. More Korean than Italian participants reported that their role in providing information was well explained within their teams, but both groups reported the same level and type of difficulties in delivering information. Nurses in both countries regularly informed patients about medications and nursing procedures, but provided information about nursing care plans less frequently. Few nurses frequently provided information to relatives instead of patients. CONCLUSIONS: Despite cultural, demographic and professional differences between Korean and Italian nurses, their difficulties and practices in information delivery to patient were similar. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND HEALTH POLICY: Hospital managers and policymakers should be aware that nurse-patient communication can be impaired by organizational factors, patient characteristics or the interaction among providers. Educational interventions and strategies are needed to increase information provision to patients about nursing care plans.

Nursing care as a predictor of phlebitis related to insertion of a peripheral venous cannula in emergency departments: findings from a prospective study.

BACKGROUND: To date, few studies have investigated the occurrence of phlebitis related to insertion of a peripheral venous cannula (PVC) in an emergency department (ED). AIM: To describe the natural history of ED-inserted PVC site use; the occurrence and severity of PVC-related phlebitis; and associations with patient, PVC and nursing care factors. METHODS: A prospective study was undertaken of 1262 patients treated as urgent cases in EDs who remained in a medical unit for at least 24h. The first PVC inserted was observed daily until its removal; phlebitis was measured using the Visual Infusion Phlebitis Scale. Data on patient, PVC, nursing care and organizational variables were collected, and a time-to-event analysis was performed. FINDINGS: The prevalence of PVC-related phlebitis was 31%. The cumulative incidence (78/391) was almost 20% three days after insertion, and reached >50% (231/391) five days after insertion. Being in a specialized hospital [hazard ratio (HR) 0.583, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.366-0.928] and receiving more nursing care (HR 0.988, 95% CI 0.983-0.993) were protective against PVC-related phlebitis at all time points. Missed nursing care increased the incidence of PVC-related phlebitis by approximately 4% (HR 1.038, 95% CI 1.001-1.077). CONCLUSIONS: Missed nursing care and expertise of the nurses caring for the patient after PVC insertion affected the incidence of phlebitis; receiving more nursing care and being in a specialized hospital were associated with lower risk of PVC-related phlebitis. These are modifiable risk factors of phlebitis, suggesting areas for intervention at both hospital and unit level.