Internationally educated nurses in Canada: perceived benefits of bridging programme participation.

AIM: To examine internationally educated nurses' perceptions of the extent to which participating in bridging programmes is beneficial for preparing to practise nursing in Canada. BACKGROUND: Internationally educated nurses continue to migrate from low-income to high-income countries. Many experience challenges when attempting to practise their profession in the destination country. Canada and other top destination countries offer educational support, such as bridging programmes, to assist internationally educated nurses' with preparing to practise nursing in the destination country. The research evidence falls short in demonstrating the usefulness of bridging programmes. METHODS: A subsample of 360 internationally educated nurse participants from a Canadian cross-sectional survey conducted in 2014. All were permanent residents, employed as regulated nurses and participants of bridging programmes. Multiple linear regression was employed to examine the influence of internationally educated nurses' human capital (academic preparation, language proficiency, professional experience) and the economic status of their source country on perceived benefits of bridging programme participation. RESULTS: Regression model explained 11.5% of variance in perceived benefits of bridging programme participation. Two predictors were statistically significant: source country and professional experience. CONCLUSION: Bridging programmes help internationally educated nurses address gaps in their cultural, practical and theoretical knowledge. Source country and amount of professionally experience influences the extent to which internationally educated nurses benefit from participating in bridging programmes in Canada. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING POLICY: Provides emerging evidence for decision-makers globally when developing policies and supports to help internationally educated nurses integrate into the destination country's nursing workforce.

Altered placental glutathione peroxidase mRNA expression in preeclampsia according to the presence or absence of labor.

Increased placental oxidative stress in preeclampsia (PE) has been associated in part to a decrease in glutathione peroxidase (GPX) antioxidant activity. However, it is not clear if GPX mRNA expression is affected in PE, and how the presence of labor may impair this expression. In this study, we characterized by quantitative PCR, in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry, the expression of four GPX (GPX1 to 4) in the placenta of normotensive (NP; n = 23) and PE pregnancies (n = 25) according to mode of delivery: vaginal delivery (with labor) or cesarean (without labor); the tissue layer: amnion-chorion (AC) and villi; and the sampling site: peri-insertion or peripheral. Concomitantly, oxidative stress markers mRNA expression, HSP70 and HO-1 were measured. All GPX mRNA and protein were detected in all layers of the placenta and sampling sites. In absence of labor, GPX1 is more expressed near the umbilical cord than at the periphery of the villi (p = 0.037). At the periphery of AC membranes, GPX2 was more expressed in PE than in controls in presence of labor (p = 0.037). Interestingly, GPX4 mRNA level was clearly deficient in the PE villi in presence or absence of labor (p < 0.0473). Also, the GPX4 expression in PE was lower than controls in AC membranes in presence of labor (p = 0.0007). Oxidative stress markers, HSP70 and HO-1, were higher in PE placental membranes than in controls in absence of labor (p < 0.011). HSP70 was also upregulated in PE placental membranes in presence of labor (p = 0.034). Correlations between stress markers and GPX mRNA expression were mostly present in AC membranes in presence of labor in NP. Most of the latter correlations were lost in PE. In conclusion, our results suggest that the reported decrease in GPx activity and increased oxidative stress in PE placental villi may be attributed in part to GPX4 independently of the presence or absence of labor.

Effects of labor on placental expression of superoxide dismutases in preeclampsia.

A decreased antioxidant activity for superoxide dismutases (SODs) in the placenta was reported in preeclampsia (PE). However, it is unclear if this reduced enzymatic activity can be attributed to a specific SOD isoform. Moreover, the specific spatial SOD expression in the placenta and the impact of the mode of delivery on the latter are still lacking. There are three known SOD isoforms: SOD1 (cytosolic), SOD2 (mitochondrial) and SOD3 (extracellular). Our main objective was to characterize by RT-PCR, western blot and immunolocalization, the expression of SOD1, SOD2, and SOD3 in placentas of normotensive (n = 23) and PE pregnancies (n = 25) according to the presence or absence of labor, the sampling site (peri-insertion, mid-disc and periphery) and the placental layer: amnion-chorion, villi, and maternal side layer (MS). In absence of labor (cesarean), SOD1 expression in the placental villi and MS was lower in PE than in controls (p < 0.049). In presence of labor (vaginal deliveries), SOD1 expression in the amnion-chorion only was higher in PE than controls (p = 0.014). Additionally, SOD2 and SOD3 expression in presence of labor were higher in all three layers in PE than controls, with a strong positive correlation between these two SODs (mRNA; r > 0.65, p < 0.008). The sampling site and gestational age had no effect on SOD expression within the placenta. In this study, we showed that the reported decrease for SOD activity in PE may be attributed to SOD1 in absence of labor. Also, this is the first study characterizing specific SOD isoforms according to the mode of delivery. We demonstrated in PE that labor upregulates SOD1 in fetal membranes as well as SOD2 and SOD3 in the whole placenta.