Life satisfaction in cardiac arrest survivors: A nationwide Swedish registry study.

Introduction: Most cardiac arrest (CA) survivors report good health and quality of life. Life satisfaction on the other hand has not yet been studied in a large scale in the CA population. We aimed to explore life satisfaction as perceived by CA survivors with three research questions addressed: (1) how do CA survivors report their life satisfaction, (2) how are different domains of life satisfaction associated with overall life satisfaction, and (3) how are demographic and medical factors associated with overall life satisfaction? Methods: This registry study had a cross-sectional design. Life satisfaction was assessed using the 11-item Life Satisfaction checklist (LiSat-11). The sample included 1435 survivors ≥18 years of age. Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression analyses were used. Results: Survivors were most satisfied with partner relation (85.6%), family life (82.2%), and self-care (77.8%), while 60.5% were satisfied with overall life. Satisfaction with psychological health was strongest associated with overall life satisfaction. Among medical and demographic factors, female sex and poor cerebral performance were associated with less overall life satisfaction. Conclusions: Generally, CA survivors seem to perceive similar levels of overall life satisfaction as general populations, while survivors tend to be significantly less satisfied with their sexual life. Satisfaction with psychological health is of special interest to identify and treat. Additionally, female survivors and survivors with poor neurological outcome are at risk for poorer overall life satisfaction and need special attention by healthcare professionals.

The shift from a medical to a nursing orientation: A comparison of Swedish nursing students' expectations when entering the nursing degree programme in 2003 and 2013.

BACKGROUND: The focus of education in nursing has changed over time with a decreased focus on biomedicine and an increased focus on nursing science. It is therefore important to investigate whether these changes are also reflected in the students' conceptions and expectations of the programme over time. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to describe and compare two cohorts of students entering the nursing programme with 10year in between (2003 and 2013), regarding their demographic background, reasons for wanting to become a registered nurse, expectations of the programme and perceptions of the nursing profession. DESIGN AND SETTING: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional cohort study carried out at a university in southern Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: In all, 177 nursing students participated in the study, 89 from the 2003 cohort and 88 from the 2013 cohort. METHODS: Data were collected at the start of the programme using a questionnaire consisting of predefined and open-ended questions. The responses were statistically analysed and compared. RESULTS: The students' reasons for wanting to become a registered nurse remained stable over the 10-year period. The main reason stated by the students in both cohort was humanitarian, i. e wanting to help others. The students' expectations regarding both the programme and the nursing profession had, however, changed significantly from a biomedical to a nursing orientation in the 10-year perspective. CONCLUSIONS: The change in the students' preconceptions of the nursing education towards increasing importance of nursing science indicates the beginning of a paradigm shift.

Nursing students' experiences of assessment by the Swedish National Clinical Final Examination.

The Swedish National Clinical Final Examination (NCFE) was established in 2007 in order to examine nursing students' clinical competence upon completing their Bachelor's degree in nursing. The NCFE constitutes an innovative method of examination, divided into two parts: a written and bedside test. The aim of this study was to evaluate nursing students' experiences of being assessed by means of the NCFE, in order to obtain information that could be used to improve the examination. A survey was conducted using a questionnaire with open-ended questions concerning the written and the bedside part of the NCFE. The answers from 577 third-year nursing students were analysed using content analysis. The nursing students regarded the NCFE as promoting further learning and as an important means of quality assurance. Its comprehensive nature was perceived to tie the education together and contributed to the students' awareness of their own clinical competence. The strengths of the NCFE especially highlighted were its high degree of objectivity and the fact that it took place in a natural setting. However, the students felt that the NCFE did not cover the entire nursing programme and that it caused stress. It thus appears to be important to reconsider the written theoretical part of the examination and to standardise the bedside part.

Study circles improve the precision in nutritional care in special accommodations.

BACKGROUND: Disease-related malnutrition is a major health problem in the elderly population, but it has until recently received very little attention, especially are management issues under-explored. By identifying residents at the risk of undernutrition (UN), appropriate nutritional care can be provided. OBJECTIVE: To investigate if study circles and policy documents improve the precision in nutritional care and decrease the prevalence of low or high body mass index (BMI). DESIGN: Pre and post-intervention study. SETTING: Special accommodations (nursing homes) within six municipalities were involved. PARTICIPANTS: In 2005, 1,726 (90.4%) of 1,910 residents agreed to participate and in 2007, 1,526 (81.8%) of 1,866 residents participated. INTERVENTION: Study circles in one municipality, having a policy document in one municipality and no intervention in four municipalities. MEASUREMENTS: RISK OF UN WAS DEFINED AS INVOLVING ANY OF: involuntary weight loss; low BMI; and/or eating difficulties. Overweight was defined as high BMI. RESULTS: In 2005 and 2007, 64% and 66% of residents, respectively, were at the risk of UN. In 2007, significantly more patients in the study circle municipality were accurately provided protein and energy enriched food (PE-food) compared to the no intervention municipalities. There was a decrease between 2005 and 2007 in the prevalence of low BMI in the study circle municipality, but the prevalence of overweight increased in the policy document municipality. CONCLUSIONS: Study circles improve the provision of PE-food for residents at the risk of UN and can possibly decrease the prevalence of low BMI. It is likely that a combination of study circles and implementation of a policy document focusing on screening and on actions to take if the resident is at UN risk can give even better results.