The experiences of pregnancy and NHS maternity care for women who have been trafficked: A qualitative study.

PROBLEM: Little is known about the maternity experiences of women who have been trafficked and further investigation is needed to better inform midwifery practice and to ensure that the voices of women are heard when developing guidance. BACKGROUND: People who have been trafficked experience a range of health problems that could impact on pregnancy. AIM: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of pregnancy and NHS maternity care for women who have been trafficked, as well as increasing understanding of social and health factors that may impact on pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: A qualitative interview study was conducted. Participants (professionals and service users) were recruited using purposive sampling. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. FINDINGS: Seventeen interviews were conducted (5 service users and 12 professionals). Five themes were identified: 'One Size Fits All', 'Loss of Control', 'Social Complexity', 'Bridging Gaps', and 'Emotional Load'. DISCUSSION: Our findings identify that women are expected to fit into a standardised model of maternity care that does not always recognise their complex individual physical, emotional or social needs, or provide them with control. Support workers play a vital role in helping women navigate and make sense of their maternity care. CONCLUSION: Despite the issues identified, our research highlighted the positive impact of individualised care, particularly when women received continuity of care. A joined-up, trauma-informed approach between midwives and support workers could help improve care for women who have been trafficked.

At a glance: a guide to venepuncture in adults.

This article will provide clinical guidance on carrying out venepuncture on an adult. It will discuss site, equipment selection and aseptic non-touch technique. The aims are to increase knowledge of the anatomical structures associated with venepuncture, demonstrate the clinical procedural technique of venepuncture, and provide an awareness of the dangers and complications of this invasive technique.

Patient perspectives of vigorous intensity aerobic interval exercise prehabilitation prior to radical cystectomy: a qualitative focus group study.

PURPOSE: Preoperative cardiopulmonary fitness is increasingly being recognized as an important factor influencing postoperative recovery outcomes in cancer patients. The aim of this study was to explore patient perspectives of preoperative high intensity aerobic interval exercise before radical cystectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Focus groups involving a purposive convenience sample of patients with bladder cancer (N = 14; mean age ± SD: 72.3 ± 6.0 years) were undertaken in a hospital education department. Data were analyzed using Framework analysis. RESULTS: Participants identified physical (e.g., fitness) psychological (e.g., preparing for their operation) and social (e.g., peer support) benefits of the program. Key motivational factors for engaging in exercise prehabiliation were identified as social support, previous exercise experience and objective measures of progression. The need for clear information from healthcare providers to ensure that patients are adequately prepared for sessions was highlighted. CONCLUSIONS: This qualitative study provides new insights into the perspectives and experiences of patients with bladder cancer regarding participation in preoperative vigorous intensity aerobic exercise. The study yielded novel perceptions on the physical, psychological and social health benefits accruing from the exercise program and patient views on program design features, which are important for informing future interventions and implementation strategies.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONA preoperative high intensity aerobic interval exercise program before radical cystectomy provides physical, psychological and social benefits to individuals living with bladder cancer.Supervised exercise, objective improvement, and peer and family support all contribute to motivation to engage with preoperative high intensity aerobic interval exercise.Individuals may require support post-radical cystectomy in order to continue with exercise due to the uncertainty around this.

Telephone interventions for symptom management in adults with cancer.

BACKGROUND: People with cancer experience a variety of symptoms as a result of their disease and the therapies involved in its management. Inadequate symptom management has implications for patient outcomes including functioning, psychological well-being, and quality of life (QoL). Attempts to reduce the incidence and severity of cancer symptoms have involved the development and testing of psycho-educational interventions to enhance patients' symptom self-management. With the trend for care to be provided nearer patients' homes, telephone-delivered psycho-educational interventions have evolved to provide support for the management of a range of cancer symptoms. Early indications suggest that these can reduce symptom severity and distress through enhanced symptom self-management. OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of telephone-delivered interventions for reducing symptoms associated with cancer and its treatment. To determine which symptoms are most responsive to telephone interventions. To determine whether certain configurations (e.g. with/without additional support such as face-to-face, printed or electronic resources) and duration/frequency of intervention calls mediate observed cancer symptom outcome effects. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the following databases: the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL; 2019, Issue 1); MEDLINE via OVID (1946 to January 2019); Embase via OVID (1980 to January 2019); (CINAHL) via Athens (1982 to January 2019); British Nursing Index (1984 to January 2019); and PsycINFO (1989 to January 2019). We searched conference proceedings to identify published abstracts, as well as SIGLE and trial registers for unpublished studies. We searched the reference lists of all included articles for additional relevant studies. Finally, we handsearched the following journals: Cancer, Journal of Clinical Oncology, Psycho-oncology, Cancer Practice, Cancer Nursing, Oncology Nursing Forum, Journal of Pain and Symptom Management, and Palliative Medicine. We restricted our search to publications published in English. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-RCTs that compared one or more telephone interventions with one other, or with other types of interventions (e.g. a face-to-face intervention) and/or usual care, with the stated aim of addressing any physical or psychological symptoms of cancer and its treatment, which recruited adults (over 18 years) with a clinical diagnosis of cancer, regardless of tumour type, stage of cancer, type of treatment, and time of recruitment (e.g. before, during, or after treatment). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: We used Cochrane methods for trial selection, data extraction and analysis. When possible, anxiety, depressive symptoms, fatigue, emotional distress, pain, uncertainty, sexually-related and lung cancer symptoms as well as secondary outcomes are reported as standardised mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and we presented a descriptive synthesis of study findings. We reported on findings according to symptoms addressed and intervention types (e.g. telephone only, telephone combined with other elements). As many studies included small samples, and because baseline scores for study outcomes often varied for intervention and control groups, we used change scores and associated standard deviations. The certainty of the evidence for each outcome was interpreted using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. MAIN RESULTS: Thirty-two studies were eligible for inclusion; most had moderate risk of bias,often related to blinding. Collectively, researchers recruited 6250 people and studied interventions in people with a variety of cancer types and across the disease trajectory, although many participants had breast cancer or early-stage cancer and/or were starting treatment. Studies measured symptoms of anxiety, depression, emotional distress, uncertainty, fatigue, and pain, as well as sexually-related symptoms and general symptom intensity and/or distress. Interventions were primarily delivered by nurses (n = 24), most of whom (n = 16) had a background in oncology, research, or psychiatry. Ten interventions were delivered solely by telephone; the rest combined telephone with additional elements (i.e. face-to-face consultations and digital/online/printed resources). The number of calls delivered ranged from 1 to 18; most interventions provided three or four calls. Twenty-one studies provided evidence on effectiveness of telephone-delivered interventions and the majority appeared to reduce symptoms of depression compared to control. Nine studies contributed quantitative change scores (CSs) and associated standard deviation results (or these could be calculated). Likewise, many telephone interventions appeared effective when compared to control in reducing anxiety (16 studies; 5 contributed quantitative CS results); fatigue (9 studies; 6 contributed to quantitative CS results); and emotional distress (7 studies; 5 contributed quantitative CS results). Due to significant clinical heterogeneity with regards to interventions introduced, study participants recruited, and outcomes measured, meta-analysis was not conducted. For other symptoms (uncertainty, pain, sexually-related symptoms, dyspnoea, and general symptom experience), evidence was limited; similarly meta-analysis was not possible, and results from individual studies were largely conflicting, making conclusions about their management through telephone-delivered interventions difficult to draw. Heterogeneity was considerable across all trials for all outcomes. Overall, the certainty of evidence was very low for all outcomes in the review. Outcomes were all downgraded due to concerns about overall risk of bias profiles being frequently unclear, uncertainty in effect estimates and due to some inconsistencies in results and general heterogeneity. Unsubstantiated evidence suggests that telephone interventions in some capacity may have a place in symptom management for adults with cancer. However, in the absence of reliable and homogeneous evidence, caution is needed in interpreting the narrative synthesis. Further, there were no clear patterns across studies regarding which forms of interventions (telephone alone versus augmented with other elements) are most effective. It is impossible to conclude with any certainty which forms of telephone intervention are most effective in managing the range of cancer-related symptoms that people with cancer experience. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Telephone interventions provide a convenient way of supporting self-management of cancer-related symptoms for adults with cancer. These interventions are becoming more important with the shift of care closer to patients' homes, the need for resource/cost containment, and the potential for voluntary sector providers to deliver healthcare interventions. Some evidence supports the use of telephone-delivered interventions for symptom management for adults with cancer; most evidence relates to four commonly experienced symptoms - depression, anxiety, emotional distress, and fatigue. Some telephone-delivered interventions were augmented by combining them with face-to-face meetings and provision of printed or digital materials. Review authors were unable to determine whether telephone alone or in combination with other elements provides optimal reduction in symptoms; it appears most likely that this will vary by symptom. It is noteworthy that, despite the potential for telephone interventions to deliver cost savings, none of the studies reviewed included any form of health economic evaluation. Further robust and adequately reported trials are needed across all cancer-related symptoms, as the certainty of evidence generated in studies within this review was very low, and reporting was of variable quality. Researchers must strive to reduce variability between studies in the future. Studies in this review are characterised by clinical and methodological diversity; the level of this diversity hindered comparison across studies. At the very least, efforts should be made to standardise outcome measures. Finally, studies were compromised by inclusion of small samples, inadequate concealment of group allocation, lack of observer blinding, and short length of follow-up. Consequently, conclusions related to symptoms most amenable to management by telephone-delivered interventions are tentative.

The impact of human trafficking in relation to maternity care: A literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To map the relevant literature and inform future research on the issues related to and experiences of pregnancy and maternity care for women who have been trafficked. DESIGN: A scoping review was undertaken to identify literature on the issues and experiences of pregnancy and maternity care for women who have been trafficked. RESULTS: 45 papers were identified and six key themes were derived from the literature: the impact of trafficking on health; access to maternity care; experiences of maternity care; social factors; knowledge and experience of staff; and identification and referral. KEY CONCLUSIONS: Women who have been trafficked are at risk of physical and emotional health issues that may affect maternal and fetal outcomes. Multiple barriers to care exist for women who have been trafficked, and social factors including housing, poverty and dispersal policies may impact upon both health and access to care. Healthcare staff do not feel adequately prepared to respond to the needs of this vulnerable group and no midwifery-specific guidance exists. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Midwives need awareness of the complex range of health and social factors that may affect women who have been trafficked. Midwives and maternity care professionals require more specialised training to better identify, refer and support women who have been trafficked.

Venepuncture in adults.

Katy Skarparis, Lecturer, Adult Nursing, Northumbria University ( katy.skarparis@northumbria.ac.uk ) and Claire Ford, Lecturer, Adult Nursing, Northumbria University describe how to select a suitable site and take a blood sample using vacuum collection tubes.