Snacking among shiftwork nurses related to non-optimal dietary intake.

AIMS: To compare nurses' non-optimal eating behaviours across different shifts, to examine whether non-day shifts were related to deviation from optimal dietary behaviours compared with day shifts and whether such deviation was related to non-optimal macronutrient intake. DESIGN: This is a 4-day intensive longitudinal study. METHODS: A convenience sample of hospital nurses was recruited in Taiwan. From September 2018 through January 2019, 120 participants completed 4-days of 24-h dietary recalls. One-way ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis H test were used to compare differences in energy and macronutrient intake and frequency of meals and snacking, respectively. Generalized linear regressions examined (1) the associations between shiftwork schedules and non-optimal eating behaviours and (2) associations between non-optimal eating and high energy contribution of non-optimal macronutrients. RESULTS: Nurses consumed less energy on evening and night shifts compared with day shifts. However, energy intake from snacking was higher on evening and night shifts relative to day shifts. Nurses consumed less meals but had higher snacking frequency on non-day shifts. In addition, high energy intake from snacking was positively associated with high energy intake from saturated fat. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses were more likely to have non-optimal eating behaviours on non-day shifts, which may contribute to an increased intake of saturated fat; thus, increasing their risk of chronic diseases. Strategies to improve non-day shift nurses' non-optimal eating behaviours may be beneficial to their health. IMPACT: Shiftwork is known to affect nurses' eating behaviours; however, which shift is associated with unhealthy eating remains inconclusive. Despite lower energy intakes, nurses had higher intake by snacking on evening and night shifts. High snacking intake was associated with a high intake of saturated fat. Hospitals can increase the availability of healthy foods on evening or night shifts, which may improve non-day shift nurses' non-optimal eating behaviours.

Comparative efficacy of nonpharmacological interventions on sleep quality in people who are critically ill: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Disrupted sleep is a critical and highly prevalent concern among critically ill patients requiring intensive care. However, the question of which nonpharmacological intervention represents the best strategy for improving sleep quality remains unanswered. OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of nonpharmacological interventions in improving sleep quality in people who are critically ill. METHODS: Databases, namely PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses A&I, were searched from their inception up until January 15, 2021, for relevant randomised controlled trials. No language or time period restrictions were applied. Only randomised controlled trials examining the effects of nonpharmacological interventions on sleep among adults (aged ≥18 years) admitted to an intensive care unit were included. A random-effects model was used for data analyses. The study protocol was registered at PROSPERO (CRD42021232004). RESULTS: Twenty randomised controlled trials involving 1,207 participants were included. Music combined with earplugs and eye masks (standardised mean difference =1.64), eye masks alone (0.98), aromatherapy (0.87), and earplugs combined with eye masks (0.61) significantly improved sleep quality compared with routine care (all p <0.05). Music combined with earplugs and eye masks significantly enhanced sleep quality in comparison with music (1.34), earplugs combined with eye masks (1.03), and nursing intervention (1.76, all p <0.05). Earplugs alone was less likely to have effects on sleep quality improvement compared with routine care. CONCLUSION: Eye masks alone and music combined with earplugs and eye masks appear to be the most effective interventions for improving sleep quality in people who are critically ill. Critical care nurses should incorporate the use of eye masks alone or music combined with eye masks into sleep care.

Synergistic Effects of Regular Walking and Alkaline Electrolyzed Water on Decreasing Inflammation and Oxidative Stress, and Increasing Quality of Life in Individuals with Type 2 Diabetes: A Community Based Randomized Controlled Trial.

Alkaline electrolyzed water (AEW) and walking are strongly recommended for ameliorating oxidative stress and inflammation. Nevertheless, there is a lack of information on the combination of both on alleviating inflammation, oxidative stress, and improving the quality of life (QoL). We investigated the synergistic effects of drinking AEW and walking on advanced glycation end products (AGEs), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs), malondialdehyde (MDA), white blood cells (WBCs), neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and QoL. In total, 81 eligible patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) were randomly allocated via single blind to four groups: consumed 2 L/day of AEW (n = 20), instructed to walk for 150 min/week (n = 20), received a combination of AEW and walking (n = 20), and continue their habitual diet and activity (n = 21). Data were collected and analyzed before and after 8 weeks of intervention. Our results showed a significant interaction between the group and time, with both AEW and walking independently and synergistically ameliorating AGEs, AOPPs, MDA, NLR and WBCs levels. Moreover, the AEW group had a higher physical and total QoL score. The walking group and the combined group had higher scores in physical, mental and total QoL compared to the control group. The synergistic effect of AEW and regular walking are an advisable treatment for patients with T2DM.

Secondhand Smoke Correlates with Elevated Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio and Has a Synergistic Effect with Physical Inactivity on Increasing Susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Community-Based Case Control Study.

Secondhand smoke (SHS) and physical inactivity are thought to be associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), but the synergistic effect of SHS with physical inactivity and their relationships with T2DM-associated inflammation biomarkers have not been estimated. We investigated the roles of SHS exposure and physical inactivity and their synergistic effect on T2DM risk and their relationships with T2DM associated inflammation biomarkers, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and white blood cells (WBCs). A case-control study was conducted in total 588 participants (294 case T2DM and 294 healthy controls) from five community clinics in Indonesia. Participants completed a standardized questionnaire on demographic information, smoking status, physical activity habits and food consumption. WBCs and NLR levels were determined using an automated hematology analyzer. Adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were analyzed using multiple logistic regression model. The synergistic effect was analyzed using additive interaction for logistic regression. Physical inactive people exposed to SHS exhibited a synergistically increased 7.78-fold risk of T2DM compared with people who were not exposed to SHS and who were physically active. SHS is significantly correlated with a high NLR, WBCs and has a synergistic effect with physical inactivity on increasing susceptibility to T2DM.

Comparison of Psychophysiological Stress in Physiotherapy Students Undertaking Simulation and Hospital-Based Clinical Education.

INTRODUCTION: Simulation-based clinical education often aims to replicate varying aspects of real clinical practice. It is unknown whether learners' stress levels in simulation are comparable with those in clinical practice. The current study compared acute stress markers during simulation-based clinical education with that experienced in situ in a hospital-based environment. METHODS: Undergraduate physiotherapy students' (n = 33) acute stress responses [visual analog scales of stress and anxiety, continuous heart rate (HR), and saliva cortisol] were assessed during matched patient encounters in simulation-based laboratories using standardized patients and during hospital clinical placements with real patients. Group differences in stress variables were compared using repeated measures analysis of variance for 3 time points (before, during the patient encounter, and after) at 2 settings (simulation and hospital). RESULTS: Visual analog scale stress and anxiety as well as HR increased significantly from baseline levels before the encounter in both settings (all P < 0.05). Stress and anxiety were significantly higher in simulation [mean (SD), 45 (22) and 44 (25) mm; P = 0.003] compared with hospital [mean (SD), 31 (21) and 26 (20) mm; P = 0.002]. The mean (SD) HR during the simulation patient encounter was 90 (16) beats per minute and was not different compared with hospital [mean (SD), 87 (15) beats per minute; P = 0.89]. Changes in salivary cortisol before and after patient encounters were not statistically different between settings [mean (SD) simulation, 1.5 (2.4) nmol/L; hospital, 2.5 (2.9) nmol/L; P = 0.70]. CONCLUSIONS: Participants' experienced stress on clinical placements, irrespective of the clinical education setting (simulation vs. hospital). This study revealed that psychological stress and anxiety were greater during simulation compared with hospital settings; however, physiological stress responses (HR and cortisol) were comparable. These results indicate that psychological stress may be heightened in simulation, and health professional educators need to consider the impact of this on learners in simulation-based clinical education. New learners in their clinical education program may benefit from a less stressful simulation environment, before a gradual increase in stress demands as they approach clinical practice.

The effectiveness of simulation-based blood pressure training in preregistration nursing students.

INTRODUCTION: Mastery of auscultatory blood pressure is challenging for preregistration nursing students. This phenomenon has been attributed to the psychomotor skills required, knowledge about blood pressure measurement, and the teaching modality type. Most studies focus on developing blood pressure proficiency without determining the measurement accuracy. We sought to determine the efficacy of simulation-based learning on blood pressure measurement accuracy in first-year preregistration nursing students. METHODS: First-year preregistration nursing students from a clinical subject were randomly assigned to laboratory groups, which formed the control and intervention groups. Each group received identical blood pressure measurement education, with the intervention group undertaking 2 additional hours of tuition, using human patient simulators programmed with a wide range of blood pressure measurements to replicate patient's blood pressures observed in clinical settings. At the end of the semester and after 40 hours of hospital clinical practice, participants were assessed for blood pressure accuracy on live subjects and completed a questionnaire on self-ratings of confidence and technical ability. RESULTS: Blood pressure accuracy was not significantly different between participants and assessors or between the control and intervention groups (all P > 0.05). The intervention group reported greater levels of confidence (P = 0.02) and self-rated technical ability (P = 0.01) in blood pressure measurement at week 14 of the semester; however, these difference were not observed at the end of 40 hours of clinical practice (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Accuracy in taking blood pressure was not enhanced by the use of a patient simulator, despite improvements in self-reported confidence and technical competency. Further research is required to evaluate the inclusion of simulation-based learning for blood pressure training in nursing students.

The effect of high-fidelity simulation training on medical-surgical graduate nurses' perceived ability to respond to patient clinical emergencies.

BACKGROUND: Recognition of and early intervention for patients with acutely deteriorating conditions is often the responsibility of medical-surgical nurses. This study examined the effect of simulation on medical-surgical graduate nurses' perceived ability and confidence in responding to patient clinical emergencies. METHOD: Fifty medical-surgical graduate students participated in high-fidelity immersive simulations. Questionnaires completed before and after simulation asked participants to rate their perceived ability and confidence. RESULTS: After simulation, participants reported increased confidence in their ability to perform both technical and nontechnical aspects of responding to patient clinical emergencies. Ninety-four percent of participants identified formal debriefing as the most useful aspect of the simulation experience. CONCLUSION: Medical-surgical graduate nurses' confidence and perceived technical and nontechnical skills during patient clinical emergencies are enhanced following simulation. The ability of graduates to transfer the increased confidence and perceived advanced resuscitation skills following simulation to the clinical environment needs to be investigated.