Existential Vacuum and External Locus of Control as Predictors of Burnout among Nurses.

Existential vacuum and psychological burnout are becoming increasingly important issues in healthcare professions, especially nursing. This study aimed to investigate the contribution of several demographic factors including gender, work position, experience, and educational level as well as existential vacuum and locus of control (external and internal) in predicting burnout among nurses. A convenience sample of 181 nurses was selected to represent the study sample. Participants were assessed using an existence scale, locus of control scale, and burnout scale. The study showed that 40.3% of nurses had severe existential vacuum. It was found that 93.9% of nurses had experienced a moderate level of burnout. External locus of control was the most common personality trait among participating nurses in this study. It also was found that existential vacuum and external locus of control were the main predictors of psychological burnout among nurses. The findings of our study highlight major problems facing nursing, such as existential vacuum and psychological burnout. It is recommended to enhance nurses' workplace, provide proper psychological prevention programs, and teach advocacy skills.

Proton Quantum Tunneling: Influence and Relevance to Acidosis-Induced Cardiac Arrhythmias/Cardiac Arrest.

Acidosis and its associated pathologies predispose patients to develop cardiac arrhythmias and even cardiac arrest. These arrhythmias are assumed to be the result of membrane depolarization, however, the exact mechanism of depolarization during acidosis is not well defined. In our study, the model of quantum tunneling of protons is used to explain the membrane depolarization that occurs during acidosis. It is found that protons can tunnel through closed activation and inactivation gates of voltage-gated sodium channels Nav1.5 that are present in the membrane of cardiac cells. The quantum tunneling of protons results in quantum conductance, which is evaluated to assess its effect on membrane potential. The quantum conductance of extracellular protons is higher than that of intracellular protons. This predicts an inward quantum current of protons through the closed sodium channels. Additionally, the values of quantum conductance are influential and can depolarize the membrane potential according to the quantum version of the GHK equation. The quantum mechanism of depolarization is distinct from other mechanisms because the quantum model suggests that protons can directly depolarize the membrane potential, and not only through indirect effects as proposed by other mechanisms in the literature. Understanding the pathophysiology of arrhythmias mediated by depolarization during acidosis is crucial to treat and control them and to improve the overall clinical outcomes of patients.