Examining family and community nurses' core competencies in continuing education programs offered in primary health care settings: An integrative literature review.

AIM: To identify gaps in existing family and community nurse (FCN) continuing education programs and to investigate whether FCN core competencies are covered in continuing education programs offered in primary health care settings. BACKGROUND: In global pandemics such as COVID-19, there is an urgent need for staff development using transformative learning and help registered nurses build up their competencies and form a new professional identity as family and community nurses (FCNs). Therefore, FCN education programs become of high importance to enhance nurses' core competencies through continuing education. METHODS: An integrative review of the literature was conducted applying the Whittemore and Knafl methodological strategy for studies published between 2015- June 2021. RESULTS: FCN core competencies, including the "decision-making process, navigation as care coordinator and patient advocate and promoting individual and family health to support the quality of nursing care," were poorly covered in the FCN programs. Specifically, e-health played a very limited role in FCN continuing education, while ethics, managing change, managing disparity and diversity and leadership skills, did not emerge at all. CONCLUSION: The identified gaps can be incorporated into future FCN continuing education programs and may help improve nurses' competence and health care delivery and support new integrated models of care, namely, person-centered and community-based models.

Advancing nursing in Italy through the development and evaluation of an innovative postgraduate programme in Family and Community Nursing - A pilot study.

Introduction: Due to the impact on the public health systems of the ageing and the increasing frailty of the population, the European Union and the World Health Organisation have emphasised how family and community nurses (FCNs) could play an important role in supporting the ageing process through prevention, promotion, and protection in the territory. Methods: This study describes the first experience in Italy of a one-year postgraduate blended-learning master course divided into 5 modules for FCNs piloted as part of the EuropeaN curriculum for fAmily aNd Community nursE (ENhANCE) 2018-2020 project, funded by the European Commission. The 5 modules focused on: Epidemiology and Prevention (14 ECTS); Fundamentals of care (19 ECTS); Organisational Models and Priority Health Problems (12 ECTS); Communication Models and Continuity of Care (5 ECTS); and Nursing Research (10 ECTS). Participants included a total of 45 students and 23 lecturers and a team of clinical tutors. Results: The Italian pilot course for the FCNs proved to be a successful example of innovative teaching methods using blended didactic methods, which enabled participants to achieve high-standard learning outcomes and competencies in the field of family and community nursing. Conclusions: The pilot course is well suited to preparing competent family and community nurses to meet the growing healthcare needs of the population. Therefore, we have planned to replicate this course to increase the workforce of family and community nurses, who through their healthcare services aimed at prevention, promotion and protection, will ensure high quality services to the public and consequently relieve the burden on acute hospitals.

Core competencies for family and community nurses: A European e-Delphi study.

AIM: To identify the core competencies of family and community nurses. BACKGROUND: The European Union is facing common health challenges in the field of primary care, according to European health policies and the World Health Organization, which need to be addressed through better and innovative ways of working that require joint actions. There is evidence that 'Family and Community Nurses' play a key role in the field of primary care, but there is no agreement on which core competencies they are required to have. DESIGN: An e-Delphi study METHODS: A 4-round e-Delphi study was conducted from March to July 2018 as part of the Erasmus+ Project "EuropeaN curriculum for fAmily aNd Community nursE" (ENhANCE). A panel of 23 experts from 10 European countries were asked to approve, modify, or add items and then prioritize each skill. RESULTS: This e-Delphi, as part of the ENhANCE project, produced core 28 competencies, which were used by the "ENhANCE" partners to develop the European Core Curriculum for Family and Community Nurses. The ENhANCE partners ensured that the core competencies were consistent with World Health Organization recommendations, the European Skills/Competencies, Qualifications and Occupations (ESCO) and with the European Credit System for Vocational Education and Training (ECVET). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study will provide the basis for universities across Europe to develop their own post-graduate teaching programs with common educational goals for Family and Community Nurses and a cadre of nurse practitioners with transferrable skills across the continent. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: This e-Delphi, as part of the ENhANCE project, produced 28 competencies for the European Core Curriculum for Family and Community Nurses.

Monolithically integrated heterodyne optical phase-lock loop with RF XOR phase detector.

We present results for an heterodyne optical phase-lock loop (OPLL), monolithically integrated on InP with external phase detector and loop filter, which phase locks the integrated laser to an external source, for offset frequencies tuneable between 0.6 GHz and 6.1 GHz. The integrated semiconductor laser emits at 1553 nm with 1.1 MHz linewidth, while the external laser has a linewidth less than 150 kHz. To achieve high quality phase locking with lasers of these linewidths, the loop delay has been made less than 1.8 ns. Monolithic integration reduces the optical path delay between the laser and photodiode to less than 20 ps. The electronic part of the OPLL was implemented using a custom-designed feedback circuit with a propagation delay of ~1 ns and an open-loop bandwidth greater than 1 GHz. The heterodyne signal between the locked slave laser and master laser has phase noise below -90 dBc/Hz for frequency offsets greater than 20 kHz and a phase error variance in 10 GHz bandwidth of 0.04 rad2.

1.3-µm InAs/GaAs quantum-dot lasers monolithically grown on Si substrates.

We report the first operation of an electrically pumped 1.3-µm InAs/GaAs quantum-dot laser epitaxially grown on a Si (100) substrate. The laser structure was grown directly on the Si substrate by molecular beam epitaxy. Lasing at 1.302 µm has been demonstrated with threshold current density of 725 A/cm2 and output power of ~26 mW for broad-area lasers with as-cleaved facets at room temperature. These results are directly attributable to the optimized growth temperature of the initial GaAs nucleation layer.

Realization of quantum walks with negligible decoherence in waveguide lattices.

Quantum random walks are the quantum counterpart of classical random walks, and were recently studied in the context of quantum computation. Physical implementations of quantum walks have only been made in very small scale systems severely limited by decoherence. Here we show that the propagation of photons in waveguide lattices, which have been studied extensively in recent years, are essentially an implementation of quantum walks. Since waveguide lattices are easily constructed at large scales and display negligible decoherence, they can serve as an ideal and versatile experimental playground for the study of quantum walks and quantum algorithms. We experimentally observe quantum walks in large systems ( approximately 100 sites) and confirm quantum walks effects which were studied theoretically, including ballistic propagation, disorder, and boundary related effects.

Anderson localization and nonlinearity in one-dimensional disordered photonic lattices.

We experimentally investigate the evolution of linear and nonlinear waves in a realization of the Anderson model using disordered one-dimensional waveguide lattices. Two types of localized eigenmodes, flat-phased and staggered, are directly measured. Nonlinear perturbations enhance localization in one type and induce delocalization in the other. In a complementary approach, we study the evolution on short time scales of delta-like wave packets in the presence of disorder. A transition from ballistic wave packet expansion to exponential (Anderson) localization is observed. We also find an intermediate regime in which the ballistic and localized components coexist while diffusive dynamics is absent. Evidence is found for a faster transition into localization under nonlinear conditions.

LC-MS characterization of terpene lactones in plasma of experimental animals treated with Ginkgo biloba extracts Correlation with pharmacological activity.

Liquid chromatography/atmospheric pressure chemical ionization ion trap mass spectrometry (LC/APCI-ITMS) was applied to determine the concentration of terpene lactone in plasma of guinea pigs after chronic administration of Ginkgo biloba extract enriched in ginkgoterpenes in free form (IDN 5380) or complexed with soy phosphlipids (IDN 5381). Oral treatment of the animals with ginkgoterpenes resulted to inhibit the bronchoconstriction (ITP) and the concomitant increase of the levels of thromboxane B2 (TXB2) in the circulation caused by histamine (HIST) and platelet activating factor (PAF) in normal guinea pigs or by ovalbumin (OA) in actively sensitized guinea pigs. To compare the protective activities of G. biloba forms (IDN 5380 and IDN 5381), ED50 and dose ratio (DR) values for both parameters (ITP and TXB2) were evaluated. The phytosomic form (IDN 5381) significantly reduced (two- to four-fold as compared to free form, P < 0.001) the HIST, PAF or OA-induced airway changes and TXB2 release. In addition it has been observed that the absence of ginkgolide C (GC) in plasma samples (in human and animals) was due to its rapid methylation.

Enhanced third-order nonlinear effects in optical AlGaAs nanowires.

We report the first observation of enhanced third-order nonlinear effects in AlGaAs nanowires. AlGaAs nanowaveguides with widths varying from 100 to 600nm were fabricated and characterized. Nonlinear phase shifts of approximately pi were experimentally observed at 1.55mum with peak powers of 30-40W in 600mum long, 550nm wide guides.