A Journey of Uncertainty: Learned Lessons From the Lived Experiences of Nurses in Kuwait Taking Care of COVID-19 Patients in the Early Pandemic.

Purpose of the Study: This study explored the experiences of nurses in Kuwait who worked with COVID-19 patients during the first wave of the disease. Study Design: This was a qualitative descriptive study. Methods Used: In-depth interviews were conducted with seven (7) nurses who worked in intensive care units between September 2020 and March 2021. Findings: The experiences of Kuwait nurses in COVID-19 care showed an evolving journey of dealing with a strange and complex disease. With little known about the disease, the nurses approached COVID-19 care with uncertainty and ambivalence, unsure of where this journey would look like. Four themes emerged from the data and they included (1) from challenges to coping, (2) focusing on good health throughout the pandemic, (3) navigating through scarce resources and power dynamics, and (4) a multi-dimensional burden. Conclusions: Despite the difficulties encountered, supportive systems such as the availability of medical supplies, and support from superiors, colleagues, the community, and families, helped Kuwait nurses to cope with the stresses of an early COVID-19 pandemic while providing care. This approach takes a holistic stance to care for both patients and the nurses working in an epidemic setting.

The Lived Experiences of Nurses Caring for Patients With COVID-19 in Arabian Gulf Countries: A Multisite Descriptive Phenomenological Study.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, several studies worldwide have explored nurses' experiences of caring for COVID-19 patients in various healthcare settings. However, these studies were conducted in context, culture, and healthcare systems that differ greatly from the Arabian Gulf context. This descriptive phenomenological study aimed to understand nurses' lived experiences caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19 in Arabian Gulf countries. Individual virtual interviews were conducted with 36 nurses from five countries and were analyzed using Giorgi's methodology. Four main themes were identified: (1) living with doubts, (2) living through the chaos of challenges, (3) moving toward professional resilience, and (4) reaching the maximum level of potential. The findings from this study hopefully will guide health organizations in this region in developing strategies and policies to support and prepare nurses for future outbreaks.

Nursing Leadership Style, Training Methods, and Use of Electronic Health Records by Nurses in Jordanian Hospitals: A Descriptive Study.

AIM: The study aimed to assess the level of practice of nursing leadership characteristics during the implementation of electronic health records as perceived by nurses. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey design was used in this study. The study recruited 213 nurses from five hospitals which had recently implemented electronic health solution. Data was collocated using self-administrated questionnaire composed of three sub-domains. The study was granted from the Ethics Committees of the investigators universities and the Jordanian Ministry of Health. Descriptive and correctional statistics were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Data were collected from 213 nurses, the majority of participants (72.3%) were female. Of them, 45% reported receiving full support from their leaders in using electronic health records. Classroom-based training was the most frequently used teaching method during the implementation of electronic health records (59.6%). CONCLUSION: The study demonstrated that diverse leadership styles were practiced during the implementation process of the electronic health records: setting directions, developing people, and redesigning their organizations. The most commonly practiced item was clarifying the reasons for using electronic health records. Such information could enhance the effective adoption of electronic health records by nurses.

Barriers to Providing Smoking Cessation Intervention by Nursing Students: What is the Solution in Nursing Education?

AIM: This study aimed to explore the barriers that hinder nursing students from providing comprehensive smoking cessation interventions for their clients. METHOD: A mixed method study combining a self-administered questionnaire and one open-ended question were used to collect data from 152 nursing students at the university in Canada. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The Health Belief Model was the theoretical underpinning for this study. RESULTS: Participants showed positive attitudes toward smoking cessation interventions as being a part of their future work. However, students faced many barriers that hindered them from providing smoking cessation interventions to their clients. The participants identified the following seven themes/barriers: the lack of knowledge, training, resources, and time; the willingness of patients to quit; lack of students' self-confidence; students' level of comfort; smoking cessation being covered by other members of the health care team; patients already being knowledgeable about smoking cessation; and protecting therapeutic relationships with patients. CONCLUSION: There is a need for empowering nursing students and enhancing their self-confidence in smoking cessation interventions by incorporating theory-based educational materials and strategies regarding smoking cessation interventions in their curricula.

Prevalence, student nurses' knowledge and practices of needle stick injuries during clinical training: a cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of needle stick injuries is higher among nurses with a low level of knowledge on the prevention of needle stick injury, and who have not received the relevant training during their undergraduate study. The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge of the prevention guidelines and the prevalence of needle stick injury among students in Oman. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey using a questionnaire and involving 167 students from a governmental university was conducted. The questionnaire consists of 30 questions; eight general questions, knowledge related questions, and questions about risk factors, prevention measures, and actions in a case of needle stick injury. Ethical approval was obtained and the link to the survey was shared with students using their university email portal. RESULTS: Of the participants, 81.2% were females; mean age was 23.3 (SD = 4.5) years. The mean total knowledge score was 6.6 out of 10 (SD = 2.1). In addition, 18.2% (n = 32) of the students experienced needle stick injury. Most of the injuries 71.9% (n = 24) occurred during medication preparation and administration. The main cause of NSI as reported by students was recapping the needles (59%, n = 19). CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that student nurses have a moderate level of knowledge about needle stick injury prevention measures and lack many facets of safe infection control practice. These findings require the collaborative effort of nursing administrators from both academic and clinical areas, to develop effective strategies to reduce or eliminate the occurrence of needle stick injury.

Differences in critical thinking skills between nursing students on a fast-track versus traditional 4-year programme.

BACKGROUND: The authors were unable to find studies comparing the critical thinking skills of nursing students on advanced standing programmes (ASP) and on traditional 4-year BN programmes in Canada. The ASP is a condensed Bachelor of Nursing (BN) programme, designed for students who already have a university degree or similar qualification. AIM: To measure and compare the critical thinking skills of ASP students and traditional 4-year BN students. METHOD: A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire used to collect data from 100 nursing students at a university in Canada. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. All research ethics were taken into consideration. FINDINGS: All participants scored highly in their critical thinking skills. However, ASP students scored significantly higher than their counterparts on the 4-year programme (M=21.6 vs M=18.9, F=4.75, P=0.035). CONCLUSION: Higher critical thinking skills among ASP nursing students is a promising sign to expand and support this type of programme as a fast and effective method to cover the shortage in nurses.

Symptom Clusters Predictive of Quality of Life Among Jordanian Women with Breast Cancer.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to explore symptom clusters among women with breast cancer in Jordan. DATA SOURCES: A cross-sectional survey of 516 women with breast cancer who were recruited from three hospitals. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that women with breast cancer experienced several symptoms at the same time. These symptoms tend to cluster in five main groups, and patients experiencing the psychological, nausea and vomiting, and pain clusters are expected to have a lower mean score of quality of life. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: Nurses need to assess and manage symptoms as clusters to improve the quality of life of women with breast cancer. Symptoms clusters should guide symptoms management practice and be given a priority equal to the active treatment of cancer. Symptoms management and cancer treatment should be started simultaneously.

Nursing students' knowledge of palliative care: a short literature review.

BACKGROUND: Health professionals must be knowledgeable and skilled in providing palliative care. This short report reviews the literature that has assessed student nurses' knowledge of palliative care. METHOD: The following databases were searched: CINHAL, ScienceDirect, Medline, PubMed and Google Scholar for manuscripts published from 2014 to 2020. Only six articles met the inclusion criteria and were thoroughly reviewed. FINDINGS: Students were found to have a poor knowledge of palliative care, especially the management of a patient's symptoms and the definition of palliative care. CONCLUSION: Integrating palliative care education within nursing curricula is a priority, although the best method to accomplish this is yet to be established.

Understanding jordanian psychiatric nurses' smoking behaviors: a grounded theory study.

Purpose. Smoking is prevalent in psychiatric facilities among staff and patients. However, there have been few studies of how contextual factors in specific cultures influence rates of smoking and the health promotion role of psychiatric nurses. This paper reports the findings of a classical grounded theory study conducted to understand how contextual factors in the workplace influences the smoking behaviors of Jordanian psychiatric nurses (JPNs). Method. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with a sample of eight male JPNs smokers at a psychiatric facility in Amman, Jordan. Findings. Constant comparative analysis identified becoming a heavy smoker as a psychosocial process characterized by four sub-categories: normalization of smoking; living in ambiguity; experiencing workplace conflict; and, facing up to workplace stressors. Conclusion. Specific contextual workplace factors require targeted smoking cessation interventions if JPNs are to receive the help they need to reduce health risks associated with heavy smoking.

Conversations with Holocaust survivor residents.

Traumatic events in one's younger years can have an impact on how an individual copes with later life. One traumatic experience for Jewish individuals was the Holocaust. Some of these people are moving into long-term care facilities. It was within this context that the research question emerged: What are Holocaust survivor residents' perceptions of a life lived as they move into a long-term care facility? For this qualitative study, Holocaust survivors were individually interviewed. Findings emphasize that nursing care needs to ensure that Holocaust survivor residents participate in activities, receive timely health care, and receive recognition of their life experiences.