Motivation to regulate eating behaviors, intuitive eating, and well-being: A dyadic study with mothers and adult daughters.

Intuitive eating, defined as relying on physiological cues to determine when, what, and how much to eat while maintaining a positive relationship with food (Tribole & Resch, 1995), has gained a lot of research attention in the last two decades. The present study sought to determine how motivation for regulating eating behaviors is related to intuitive eating and well-being outcomes in dyads of mothers and their adult daughters (n = 214). Structural equation modelling revealed that controlling for dieting and desire to lose weight, both mothers' and daughters' autonomous motivation was positively associated with their own intuitive eating while their controlled motivation was negatively associated with intuitive eating. In turn, intuitive eating was positively associated with well-being in both mothers and daughters. Interestingly, mothers' intuitive eating was also positively related to their daughters' well-being. The analysis of indirect effects suggests that mothers' motivation to regulate eating behaviors has an indirect (mediating) relationship with daughters' well-being through mothers' intuitive eating. The implications for women's health and well-being are discussed.

Evaluation of the effectiveness of a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program aimed at building leadership capacity: A concurrent mixed-methods study.

Background: Targeted interventions have been found effective for developing leadership practices in nurses. However, to date, no leadership training program based on the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership approach exists. Objectives: Demonstrate the effectiveness of a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership 6-month program designed for nurse and healthcare leaders on leadership capacity and psychological outcomes. Design: Concurrent mixed-methods with nurse and healthcare leaders from five healthcare organisations in Quebec and Ontario (Canada). Settings: Participants were recruited from five Canadian health care organizations: two in Toronto (Ontario) and three in Montreal (Quebec). Participants: A total of 50 nurse leaders and healthcare leaders were included in the quantitative component, and 22 (20 nurse leaders and two healthcare leaders) participated in the qualitative individual interviews. Methods: Quantitative and qualitative (interviews) methods were used. Quantitative data (pre-post surveys) were collected from the participants before their participation in the program (Time 0), as well as after the completion of the program (Time 1). Qualitative data (individual interviews) were collected from participants at the end of the program (Time 1). Analysis was conducted using descriptive statistics, paired-sample t-tests, and thematic analysis. Results: Quantitative results suggest a significant improvement in terms of leadership capabilities, work satisfaction, and reduction in perceived stress among participants. Three themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis: 1) focus on people's strengths, 2) structure and language based on Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare values, and 3) building support networks. Conclusions: The Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program developed to build the leadership capabilities of nurse and healthcare leaders was found to be effective. The positive impact of the 6-month program was demonstrated. It was also shown that the leadership program can help improve the leadership competencies, well-being, and work satisfaction of participating nurses and healthcare leaders. Implication: This study reinforces the importance of working with educational, research, and healthcare organizations to establish leadership development programs and mentorship opportunities. Future leadership training should use a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership lens when tackling leadership and stress in the workplace.

Nursing leaders' perceptions of the impact of the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program three months post training.

Background: Development of nursing leadership is necessary to ensure that nurse leaders of the future are well-equipped to tackle the challenges of a burdened healthcare system. In this context, the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program was delivered to 121 participants from 5 organizations in Canada in 2021 and 2022. To date, no study used a qualitative approach to explore nursing leaders' perceptions of a leadership Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program three months post training. Objective: To describe nursing leaders' perceptions of the impact of the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program three months post training. Methods: Qualitative descriptive design was used with individual semi-structured interviews. A convenient sample of nurse leaders (n = 20) who had participated in the leadership program were recruited for an individual interview three months post training. The data generated by interviews were analyzed using a method of thematic content analysis. Results: Three themes emerged from the qualitative data analysis related to the leadership program that stayed with participants three months post training: 1) mentorship: a lasting relationship, 2) human connections through Story-sharing, and 3) focus on strengths. Two other themes emerged related to the changes that they have made since attending the program: 1) seeking out different perspectives to work better as a team and 2) create a positive work environment and to show appreciation for their staff. Conclusion: The present study offers evidence of the impact of the Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership program three months post training. Implication: This study reinforces the importance of training using a Strengths-Based Nursing and Healthcare Leadership lens when tackling leadership.

Validation of the French-Canadian Translation of the ecSatter Inventory 2.0 in an Adult Sample.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the psychometric proprieties of the French-Canadian translation of the Satter Eating Competence Inventory (FrCanada ecSI 2.0). DESIGN: Cross-sectional validation study. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 424 French-Canadian adult Facebook users (61.8% women, 96.0% White). VARIABLES MEASURED: Eating competence and variables related to eating or body image. ANALYSIS: Factor analyses to assess the structural validity. Cronbach α and intraclass correlation coefficient to estimate reliability. Chi-square test of independence, Student t test, and Pearson's correlations to assess construct validity. RESULTS: The mean eating competence score was 33.0 ± 7.8; 62.0% of participants were considered competent eaters (total score ≥ 32/48). The original 4-factor structure was not reproduced (unsatisfactory fit indices and/or factor loadings). Therefore, it is recommended to use the global score-but not the subscale scores-of the FrCanada ecSI 2.0. The questionnaire showed good internal consistency (Cronbach α = 0.86) and test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation = 0.81). Competent and noncompetent eaters differed according to gender (39.5% vs 27.3% male; P = 0.03), age (49.3 ± 13.6 vs 42.7 ± 14.2 years; P < 0.01), education (62.3% vs 50.6% with a university degree; P = 0.03), intuitive eating (3.6 ± 0.5 vs 3.1 ± 0.6; P < 0.001), cognitive restraint (12.3 ± 3.3 vs 13.8 ± 3.7; P < 0.001), and body esteem (3.3 ± 0.8 vs 2.5 ± 0.8; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Results suggest that the FrCanada ecSI 2.0 is a valid and reliable tool to measure eating competence in French-Canadian adults.

Validation of the Nursing Student Peripheral Intravenous Catheter Insertion Self-Confidence Scale.

Background and Purpose: It has been shown that nurse confidence predicts peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertion success. However, intravenous cannulation is a challenging skill for entry to practice students. To date, there is no well-validated measure of nursing student self-confidence in learning and performing PIVC insertion. To address this measurement gap, we created and validated the Nursing Student PIVC Insertion Self-Confidence Scale. Methods: This study employed a descriptive, cross-sectional design. Three cohorts of undergraduate entry-to-practice students at a Canadian university were recruited and assessed during their studies. Two hundred and eighty-one students completed the scale at the first data collection point and 146 at the second point. The structure of the tool was analyzed by exploratory factor analysis to extract factors and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was employed for validation. Results: CFA revealed a three-factor scale (PIVC Cannulation Confidence, PIVC Preparation and Securement Confidence, and PIVC Learning Confidence). It has 15 items with satisfactory goodness of fit indices. Conclusions: The Nursing Student PIVC Insertion Self-Confidence Scale is a valid and reliable scale to measure nursing students' confidence in learning about and performing PIVC insertions.

Examining the associations between mothers' motivation to regulate their own eating behaviors, food parenting practices and perceptions of their child's food responsiveness.

Based on the Self-Determination Theory, this study examined: 1) how mothers' autonomous and controlled motivation to regulate their own eating behaviors relate to their food parenting practices, and 2) whether and how child food responsiveness (i.e., reactivity and attraction to food) interact with mothers' motivation to predict maternal food parenting practices. Participants were 296 French Canadian mothers of at least one child aged between 2 and 8 years old. Results of partial correlation analyses (controlling for demographics and controlled motivation) showed that maternal autonomous motivation to regulate their own eating behaviors was positively related to autonomy-promoting (i.e., child involvement) and structure-based (i.e., modeling, creating a healthy environment, monitoring) food parenting practices. In contrast, controlling for demographics and autonomous motivation, maternal controlled motivation was positively associated with food-related practices based on coercive control (i.e., the use of food to regulate the child's emotions, the use of food as a reward, pressure to eat, restriction for weight reasons, and restriction for health reasons). Furthermore, the child's food responsiveness was found to interact with mothers' motivation to regulate their own eating behaviors in the prediction of maternal food parenting practices such that mothers with high autonomous motivation or low controlled motivation were found to react with more structure-based (i.e., creating a healthy environment) and autonomy-based (i.e., child involvement) practices, as well as less controlling practices (i.e., the use of food to regulate the child's emotions), to a child who is highly responsive to food. In conclusion, findings suggest that guiding mothers toward developing a more autonomous and less controlled motivation to regulate their own eating behaviors might help them adopt more autonomy-promoting and structure-based and less controlling feeding practices, especially with children who are highly responsive to food.

How Work-Family Guilt, Involvement with Children and Spouse's Support Influence Parents' Life Satisfaction in a Context of Work-Family Conflict.

Work-family guilt (WFG) is sometimes perceived as an adaptive characteristic, since it has been found to encourage working parents to engage in more activities with their children in off-work time (Cho & Allen, 2012). However, while it may be an adaptive characteristic for the parent-child relationship, the same may not be true for parents' psychological health. Using insights from the work-home resources model (W-HR), this study aims to determine WFG's influence on parents' life satisfaction. This study also investigates if parents' belief regarding the investment of their spouse in recreational activities with their children is a resource that could foster their life satisfaction. A cross-sectional design was used with a sample of 289 working parents with at least one child aged between 5 and 10. A path analysis shows a significant moderated mediation model. Parent-child activities were found to partially mediate the relationship between strain-based work interference with family and parents' life satisfaction. Furthermore, WFG moderated this mediation. Specifically, it worsened the detrimental effect of doing fewer parent-child activities on parents' life satisfaction. Results also show that a spouse's investment in activity with their child is a resource that motivates parents to invest more in their children and directly contributes to parents' life satisfaction.

Lessons from Long-Term Care Facilities without COVID-19 Outbreaks.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 crisis in long-term care (LTC) homes was devastating for residents and front-line workers. Recent reports have detailed what went wrong in LTC facilities, including equipment shortages, lack of preparedness, underestimation of COVID-19's virulence and bans on caregiver visits. Less is known about what went well in some facilities. PURPOSE: To describe nurses' and other staff members' experiences and lessons learned in two LTC facilities in Quebec that reported no COVID-19 outbreaks during the first wave of the pandemic. METHODS: Methods: A case study design guided by appreciative inquiry was conducted, in which a case was defined as a LTC facility without COVID-19 outbreaks; two cases were included. Twenty-three healthcare team members from the two sites were recruited and interviewed between October and November, 2020. RESULTS: Several common themes were identified: being informed and respecting outbreak protocols; the presence of key outbreak protocols, which allowed for stable teams; a clear action plan; and access to materials and resources. Key management themes included team support and reward, ongoing communication and providing compassionate care to residents. CONCLUSION: This study highlights several lessons learned that have the potential to strengthen the LTC health system.

Optimizing nurses' enacted scope of practice to its full potential as an integrated strategy for the continuous improvement of clinical performance: A multicentre descriptive analysis.

AIM: This study aims at better understanding the relationships between nurses' enacted scope of practice, work environment and work satisfaction, missed care, and organizational indicators of performance. BACKGROUND: The enacted scope of practice model describes the determinants and consequences of the actual enactment of the nursing scope of practice. METHOD: A correlational design was used to investigate nurses' enacted scope of practice in five Canadian healthcare centres. RESULTS: Suboptimal enacted scope of practice were found in the current sample. Significant positive correlations were found between the total enacted scope of practice score, use of qualification, control over tasks, decisional latitude and psychological demand as well as role ambiguity. Moreover, a higher enacted scope of practice was correlated with lower organizational indicators of short-term absenteeism. CONCLUSION: Results suggest an insufficient deployment of nurses' enacted scope of practice, likely caused by some job characteristics, leading to lower work satisfaction and negative patients and organizational outcomes. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Optimizing nurses' enacted scope of practice would be a significant integrated strategy for improving organizational performance, patient care and nurses' satisfaction and well-being. Nurses and frontline managers must be involved in the decision-making process necessary to improve nurses' enacted scope of practice.

Feel Good, Eat Better: The Role of Self-Compassion and Body Esteem in Mothers' Healthy Eating Behaviours.

Mothers' eating behaviours are important to ensure the health and well-being of themselves and their families. Recent research has pointed to self-compassion, defined as extending kindness to oneself in times of perceived inadequacy or general suffering, as a trait associated with healthy forms of eating, such as intuitive eating, and reduced maladaptive forms of eating, such as emotional eating. However, little is known about the psychological mechanism through which self-compassion relates to healthy eating behaviours. This study examined 100 mothers' levels of self-compassion, body esteem and eating behaviours. Structural equation modelling revealed that self-compassion was positively associated with diet quality and intuitive eating, while being negatively associated with emotional eating. Moreover, these links occurred, in part, due to higher body esteem. This points to a mechanism through which self-compassion may positively contribute to mothers' healthy eating behaviours. The implications for eating outcomes and women's health are discussed.

Self-Compassion as a Mediator of the Relationship between Adult Women's Attachment and Intuitive Eating.

Despite growing interest in intuitive eating-a non-dieting approach to eating that is based on feeding the body in accordance with physiological and satiety cues-research on its determinants is scarce. The present study aimed to examine the associations between dimensions of adult attachment (i.e., anxiety and avoidance) and intuitive eating, and the mediating role of self-compassion in these relationships. The sample comprised 201 French-Canadian young adult women (M = 25.1, SD = 4.6). Participants completed self-report questionnaires through an online survey. Results of the structural equation model demonstrated that attachment-related anxiety and avoidance were negatively associated with intuitive eating, and these relationships were at least partially mediated by self-compassion. Findings suggest that women who have high levels of attachment anxiety or avoidance engage in less intuitive eating partly because they are less self-compassionate. Results highlight the importance of self-compassion in facilitating adaptive eating behaviors in adult women, especially if they have an insecure attachment style to romantic partners.

Perceived Paternal Involvement, Relationship Satisfaction, Mothers' Mental Health and Parenting Stress: A Multi-Sample Path Analysis.

Research has demonstrated the short- and long-term impacts of maternal mental health and well-being on children's emotional and behavioral outcomes. It is thus important to better understand the antecedents of maternal depression and stress. The aim of this study was to determine whether the contribution of perceived paternal involvement to account for mothers' depression and parental stress was mediated by relationship factors such as parenting alliance and dyadic adjustment. A second aim was to determine whether these relationships hold equally true in mothers of infants and young toddlers (0-24 months) and mothers of older children (25 months and older). Cross-sectional data were collected from 447 mothers. Mothers reported on their perceptions of paternal involvement with childcare responsibilities, dyadic adjustment, parenting alliance, parenting stress, and depression. Multi-sample path modeling analyses were conducted. Results revealed that perceived paternal involvement was positively related to both dyadic adjustment and parental alliance, that parenting alliance was negatively related to all three subscales of parenting stress and mothers' depression but that dyadic adjustment was negatively related to parenting distress (one subscale of parenting stress) and mothers' depression. Results from the multi-sample analyses indicated that the pattern of relationships was the same in the two groups, but that the model was not invariant. The most notable difference was that parenting alliance did not significantly account for depression in the mothers of younger children. Correlates of maternal mental health and well-being identified in this study could be useful when designing psychological interventions for mothers and fathers.

NICU Nurses' Stress and Work Environment in an Open Ward Compared to a Combined Pod and Single-Family Room Design.

BACKGROUND: The architectural design of a neonatal intensive care unit may affect the quality of the work environment for nurses, yet few studies have been conducted using reliable and valid measures. Recent studies have suggested some drawbacks of single-family rooms (SFRs) for both infants and parents. Research is needed to explore nurses' work environment in units combining pods and SFRs. PURPOSE: To compare neonatal intensive care unit nurses' work stress, satisfaction, obstacles, support, team effectiveness, ability to provide family-centered care, and satisfaction with noise, light, and sightlines in an open ward with a new unit of pods and SFRs. METHODS: A pre-post occupancy study was conducted in a level 3 unit before and after transitioning to a new unit of 6-bed pods and SFRs. RESULTS: There were no significant differences in nurse stress, satisfaction, support from colleagues, perceptions of team effectiveness, and ability to provide family-centered care between the open ward and the pod/SFR unit. Organizational obstacles, such as difficulties obtaining information from colleagues, were significantly lower in the pod/SFR. In contrast, environmental and technology obstacles were greater in the new pod/SFR unit. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Some specific aspects of the pod/SFR unit are optimal for neonatal intensive care unit nurses, while other aspects of the open ward are perceived more favorably. IMPLICATIONS FOR RESEARCH: Studies are needed to examine the isolation the nurses may experience in SFR units, as well as strategies to reduce isolation.

Group mentorship programme for graduating nursing students to facilitate their transition: A pilot study.

AIM: The present study aims to describe and evaluate a group mentorship programme for graduating nursing students following the first pilot testing. BACKGROUND: A mentoring relationship has been found to be beneficial in easing the challenging transition from nursing student to nurse. However, very few mentoring programmes have been formally developed to pair students with clinical nurses before graduation. METHODS: A group mentoring programme for graduating nursing students was developed where clinical nurse mentors met with student mentees twice before graduation and once shortly after graduation to address relevant challenges. Mentees and mentors completed a survey after the last session. RESULTS: Eighteen mentees and 12 mentors completed the survey. Results suggest a high level of satisfaction with the programme from both mentees and mentors, as well as a positive impact on mentees' transition into the workplace and levels of stress and self-confidence. CONCLUSIONS: The pilot testing of the group mentorship programme is believed to have been successful. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: This pilot project highlights the value to nursing leadership of group mentoring partnerships between academic and clinical settings, which can improve the integration of new nurses in the workplace and increase mentors' awareness of the needs of these nurses.

Essential Professional Nursing Practices in mental health: A cross-sectional study of hospital inpatient care.

Quality organizational structures and nursing practices are key to positive patient outcomes. Whereas structures have been largely studied over the past few decades, less is known of the nursing practices that account for patient outcomes, such as patient satisfaction. This is especially true in psychiatric, mental health care settings. The aim of the present study is to determine the relative importance of eight Essential Professional Nursing Practices (EPNPs) on the satisfaction of hospitalized patients on mental health care units. A cross-sectional design was selected; 226 point-of-care mental health nurses completed the online EPNP questionnaire in Spring 2015. Statistical analyses included MANOVAs and a 2-step linear regression. A significant relationship was found between university preparation and scores on two EPNP subscales: autonomous decision-making and practicing with competent nurses. Scores on patient advocacy and control over practice subscales were significantly related to nurse-rated patient satisfaction. The findings reinforce the positive link between university education and the work of nurses and highlight the power dynamics that are salient in mental health care. The pertinence of EPNPs in psychiatric settings is brought to the fore, with practices of patient advocacy and nurse control over care examined in relation to empowerment. Implications for clinical and administrative leaders are addressed, with a focus on strategies for empowering patients and nurses.

An exploratory study of safety culture, biological risk management and hand hygiene of healthcare professionals.

AIMS: The objectives of the study were to: (1) examine the relationships between three different qualitative perceptions of safety culture and the Canadian Patient Safety Climate Survey factors; (2) determine whether these perceptions are associated with different hand hygiene practices. BACKGROUND: Healthcare-associated infections and safety cultures are a worldwide issue. During the A/H1N1 Influenza pandemic, Europe and North America did not have the same responses. Importantly, healthcare professionals' perceptions can influence patient safety through infection prevention practices like hand hygiene. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design was used with data collected in 2015. METHODS: The Canadian Patient Safety Culture Survey and hand hygiene observations were gathered from three healthcare centres (two Canadian and one European). Descriptive analyses and ANOVAs were conducted to explore healthcare professionals' safety perceptions and practices. RESULTS: The rates of hand hygiene practices varied widely between the three sites, ranging from 35-77%. One site (Site 3) was found to have the highest scores of management follow-up, feedback about incidents, supervisory leadership for safety, unit learning culture and senior leadership support for safety, and the highest levels of overall patient safety grades for the unit and organization. CONCLUSION: The quantitative results of this study support the previously described model based on qualitative results: individual culture, blaming culture and collaborative culture. Differences between continents emerged regarding infection prevention practices and the way we qualify infections. The results raise concerns about infection practices and about safety cultures and challenges worldwide.

The Effects of the Transforming Care at the Bedside Program on Perceived Team Effectiveness and Patient Outcomes.

The objective of the study was to document the impact of Transforming Care at the Bedside (TCAB) program on health care team's effectiveness, patient safety, and patient experience. A pretest and posttest (team effectiveness) and a time-series study design (patient experience and safety) were used. The intervention (the TCAB program) was implemented in 8 units in a multihospital academic health science center in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The impact of TCAB interventions was measured using the Team Effectiveness (TCAB teams, n = 50), and Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea and vancomycin-resistant Enterobacter rates (patient safety) and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (patient experience; n = 551 patients). The intervention was composed of 4 learning modules, each lasting 12 to 15 weeks of workshops held at the start of each module, combined with hands-on learning 1 day per week. Transforming Care at the Bedside teams also selected 1 key safety indicator to improve throughout the initiative. Pretest and posttest differences indicate improvement on the 5 team effectiveness subscales. Improvement in vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus rate was also detected. No significant improvement was detected for patient experience. These findings call to attention the need to support ongoing quality improvement competency development among frontline teams.

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Nurses Working in an Open Ward: Stress and Work Satisfaction.

There is some research on the impact of open-ward unit design on the health of babies and the stress experienced by parents and nurses in neonatal intensive care units. However, few studies have explored the factors associated with nurse stress and work satisfaction among nurses practicing in open-ward neonatal intensive care units. The purpose of this study was to examine what factors are associated with nurse stress and work satisfaction among nurses practicing in an open-ward neonatal intensive care unit. A cross-sectional correlational design was used in this study. Participants were nurses employed in a 34-bed open-ward neonatal intensive care unit in a major university-affiliated hospital in Montréal, Quebec, Canada. A total of 94 nurses were eligible, and 86 completed questionnaires (91% response rate). Descriptive statistics were computed to describe the participants' characteristics. To identify factors associated with nurse stress and work satisfaction, correlational analysis and multiple regression analyses were performed with the Nurse Stress Scale and the Global Work Satisfaction scores as the dependent variables. Different factors predict neonatal intensive care unit nurses' stress and job satisfaction, including support, family-centered care, performance obstacles, work schedule, education, and employment status. In order to provide neonatal intensive care units nurses with a supportive environment, managers can provide direct social support to nurses and influence the culture around teamwork.

Transformational and abusive leadership practices: impacts on novice nurses, quality of care and intention to leave.

AIMS: To investigate the impact of nurse managers exercising transformational vs. abusive leadership practices with novice nurses. BACKGROUND: In a nursing shortage context, it is important to understand better the factors that potentially influence the retention of nurses in the early stages of their career. A large body of research has found that transformational leadership practices have a positive influence on employee functioning. However, very little research exists about the detrimental impact of abusive leadership practices, much less in a nursing context. DESIGN: A cross-sectional design where 541 nurses from the province of Quebec (Canada) were questioned in the fall of 2013. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire was completed by nurses with less than five years of nursing experience. RESULTS: Results from three linear regression analysis indicated that transformational leadership practices potentially lead to high quality care and weak intention to quit the healthcare facilities. Conversely, abusive leadership practices potentially lead to poorer quality care and to strong intention to quit the healthcare facilities and the nursing profession. CONCLUSION: Paying close attention to the leadership practices of nurse managers could prove effective in improving patient care and increasing the retention of new nurses, which is helpful in resolving the nursing shortage. Our results specifically suggest not only that we promote supportive leadership practices (transformational leadership) but, most of all, that we spread the word that abusive leadership creates working conditions that could be detrimental to the practice of nursing at career start.