Pressure ulcers are one of the quality indicators of nursing care, their presence reduces the quality of life of the patient, leads to a prolongation of hospitalization, increases costs of care and affects the budget of a health care facility. European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel or the European Advisory Board on issues of bedsores (EPUAP) leads and supports all European countries in their efforts to prevent and treat pressure sores. EPUAP working group has developed guidelines for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. One of the important factors in providing the highest quality of nursing care is the ability of nurses to practically use the research results in the nursing process. This thesis deals with the effective use of the latest advances in the prevention of pressure sores and their treatment in the intensive care in Czech Republic. The main objective of this thesis is to explore the latest methods of prevention of pressure sores and care, according to Evidence-based practice principles EPUAP and analyze their practical implementation in selected intensive care wards. Quantitative research was conducted through an anonymous questionnaire in the population of nurses working in intensive care. The results of the research show that nurses working in intensive care, implement...

Introdução: O enfermeiro de prática avançada é o profissional que desenvolveu uma base de conhecimento especializado, habilidades complexas para tomada de decisão, competências clínicas com alto nível de autonomia e integra em sua atuação profissional a pesquisa, a educação, a prática assistencial direta e a gestão. A Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS) brasileira é um cenário com grande potencial para desenvolvimento de práticas avançadas de enfermagem. Objetivo: Construir um perfil de competências para a prática avançada de enfermagem no contexto da Atenção Primária à Saúde brasileira. Método: estudo exploratório e de abordagem qualitativa, que no referencial teórico-metodológico adotou as seis etapas propostas por Zarifian para construção de competências. Foram os sujeitos da pesquisa: egressos do mestrado profissional na Atenção Primária no Sistema Único de Saúde e da residência uniprofissional em Atenção Básica na Saúde da Família, ambos da Escola de Enfermagem da Universidade de São Paulo. Realizou-se uma oficina de trabalho para elencar ações com potencial para prática avançada de enfermagem, a partir de um mapa com ações desempenhadas pelos enfermeiros na APS. O material empírico resultante foi submetido à análise de discurso para posterior construção das competências. Foram seguidos todos os preceitos éticos. Resultados: Participaram do estudo oito sujeitos, sendo dois egressos do mestrado profissional e seis da residência profissional. Os sujeitos reconhecem que a prática avançada de enfermagem amplia as ações e prática clínica dos enfermeiros e que a residência profissional é um modelo potente para formação de práticas avançadas de enfermagem. Foram identificadas 29 ações com potencial para a prática avançada do enfermeiro na APS. As competências construídas com base nessas ações foram: prática clinica ampliada, integralidade do cuidado, autonomia para tomada de decisões complexas, ser referência para a formação continua de profissionais de enfermagem e no desenvolvimento de pesquisa. Conclusão: elaborou-se um perfil de competências para a formação enfermeiros de práticas avançadas para a APS. Estudos posteriores serão necessários para ampliar e aprofundar essas competências, com o envolvimento de outros sujeitos, como gestores, apoiadores técnicos e profissionais da Atenção Primária. / Introduction: Advanced practice nurses are professionals who acquired specialized know-how, complex skills for decision making, and clinical competences with a high level of autonomy. These nurses also incorporate research, education, care practice and management to their professional performance. Brazilian primary health care is a setting with great potential for the development of advanced practice nursing. Objective: To build a profile of competences for advanced practice nursing in the Brazilian primary health care context. Method: This is an exploratory study, using a qualitative approach, whose theoretical-methodological framework adopted the six stages proposed by Zarifian for the construction of competences. The study subjects were graduates of the professional master program in Primary Health Care at the Unified Health System, and the uniprofessional residency program in Primary Health Care at the Family Health Strategy, both in the School of Nursing, at the University of São Paulo. A workshop was conducted to choose actions with a potential for developing advanced practice nursing, based on a map with actions developed by primary health care nurses. The resulting empirical material was submitted to discourse analysis for later construction of the competences. All ethical principles were observed. Results: Eight subjects participated in the study, of whom two had graduated in the professional master program and six in the professional residency program. The subjects recognized that advanced practice nursing improves the actions and clinical practice of nurses and that the professional residency program is a powerful model for teaching advanced practice nursing. A total of 29 actions with a potential for developing advanced practice nursing in primary health care were identified. The following competences were built based on these actions: increased clinical practice, care comprehensiveness, autonomy for making complex decisions, being a reference for the permanent education of nursing professionals and in the development of research. Conclusion: The authors created a profile of competences for the education of advanced practice nursing in primary health care. Further studies are needed to broaden these competences, with the participation of other subjects such as managers, technical supporters and primary health care professionals.

Studier visar att en god och säker vård har ett nära samband med en hög grad av omvårdnadskompetens hos personalen. Trots att specialistsjuksköterskor har ansvar för att initiera och tillämpa evidensbaserad vård samt att driva utvecklingen inom vården saknas en tydlig beskrivning av vad detta faktiskt innebär samt hur kompetensen bäst kan komma till användning. Syftet är att belysa specialistsjuksköterskors kompetens och dess betydelse för vårdkvalitet och vårdutveckling. För att kunna besvara syftet utfördes en litteraturöversikt. Arton artiklar, varav tolv med kvalitativ metod och sex med kvantitativ metod inkluderades i resultatet. Samtliga artiklar kvalitetsbedömdes med modifierade granskningsmallar. Därefter gjordes en tematisk analys av artiklarnas resultat. Specialistsjuksköterskors avancerade kompetens visade sig ha en viktig betydelse för flera patientgrupper såväl som för andra vårdprofessioner. Den avancerade kompetensen gjorde skillnad i både vårdkvalitet och vårdutveckling. Ett flertal utmaningar i form av organisatoriskt motstånd och otydligheten i rollbeskrivningar kan leda till brist på utvecklingsmöjligheter och att kompetensen som specialistsjuksköterskor har inte används fullt ut. Att sjukvårdsorganisationer tar tillvara på specialistsjuksköterskors kompetens behöver ses som en förutsättning för vårdens förbättringsarbete och för utvecklingen av vårdkvaliteten. / Research has proven that a care of high quality is connected with a high degree of nursing competence. Although nurse specialists with advanced education have responsibilities to implement evidence-based research in practice, in addition to improve the quality of nursing care, there is a lack of a comprehensive and clear description of what this actually means and how their skills best should be applied. The purpose of this study is to examine the roles of nurse specialists and the impact their professional knowledge has on quality of care and health care development. A literature review was performed. Eighteen articles, of which twelve with qualitative method and six with quantitative method, were included in the result. A thematic analysis was made of the results of the articles. The skills of specialist nurses proved to be important for several patient groups as well as for other healthcare professions. The advanced competence made a difference for both quality of care and healthcare improvement. Thus, several challenges like organizational resistance and ambiguity in role descriptions can lead to a lack of development opportunities and that the competence of specialist nurses are not being fully utilized. The skills of nurse specialists need to be seen by healthcare organizations as a prerequisite for the improvement of care and for the development of care quality.

Background: The Theory of Cultural Distress offers a framework for understanding the potential outcomes in patients who do not receive care that incorporates their cultural beliefs (DeWilde & Burton, 2017).This study represents initial steps in researching the theory byexploring the layering of stressors that place the patient at risk for Cultural Distress. Methods: Utilized aCross-sectional descriptive correlational analysis of intersecting identities (Structural Stressors), ethnicity-related stressors (Otherness) and ethnic-identity (Otherness) to develop understanding of the potential effects of these variables on psychological stress. Independent variables included intersecting identities, perceived ethnic discrimination, concern for stereotype confirmation, own group conformity pressure, and group membership. The dependent variable was perceived stress. Participants were also asked to define the word culture. Results: Stereotype confirmation concern, perceived ethnic discrimination, group membership, and own group conformity pressure were significantly associated with perceived stress. Intersectionality was not significantly associated with perceived stress but was significantly associated with perceived ethnic discrimination. Regression analysis revealed stereotype confirmation concern, own group conformity pressure, and group membership as significant predictors of perceived stress. Participant definitions of culture primarily fell under two themes, Collectiveness and Individualness, indicating that the way we live is highly influenced by our shared experiences, and also a product of individual choices. Discussion: Results indicated that structural stressors had no influence on psychological stress but were associated with perceptions of discrimination. The experience of otherness significantly influenced psychological stress. Additional research and tool development is needed to better understand how structural stressors may influence psychological stress.

Diss. Stockholm : Stockholms universitet, 2004.

Diabetes is a condition that is primarily self-managed and lifestyle modifications such as diet, exercise, and weight management are necessary to reduce morbidity and mortality. Motivation to implement lifestyle modifications through self management is an integral part of disease management and studies have shown group medical visits are more effective than individual appointments in this patient population. The purpose of this project was to develop, implement and evaluate an evidencebased group medical visit program for up to a maximum of 8 adult patients with type 2 diabetes in a family practice setting for six months. Seven participants with abnormal A1C results accepted the invitation to attend group medical visits. Here surrounded by peers with the same diagnosis, they were able to learn and discuss methods to self manage their type 2 diabetes. At the conclusion post survey results indicate positive change in some lifestyle behaviors and improvement with hemoglobin A1C. However there was no improvement in weight management. A cost analysis reveals group medical visits may generate a small profit when compared to individual visits. Group medical visits may offer an effective means to motivate patients to make lifestyle change to reduce risk.

Prostate cancer, the leading cause of cancer in men, has positive survival rates and constitutes a challenge to men with its side effects. Studies have addressed the bivaritate relationships between prostate cancer treatment side effects masculinity, partner relationship, and quality of life (QOL). However, few studies have highlighted the relationships among prostate cancer treatment side effects (i.e., sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence), masculinity, and relationship with the partner together on QOL in men. Most studies were conducted with predominately Caucasian sample of men. Miami is a unique multiethnic setting that hosts Cuban, Columbian, Venezuelan, Haitian, other Latin American and Caribbean communities that were not represented in previous literature. The purpose of this study was to examine relative contributions of age, ethnicity, sexual dysfunction, urinary incontinence, masculinity, and perception of the relationship with the partner on the quality of life in men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Data were collected using self administered questionnaires measuring demographic variables, sexual and urinary functioning (UCLA PCI), masculinity (CMNI), partner relationship (DAS), and QOL (SF-36). A total of 117 partnered heterosexual men diagnosed with prostate cancer were recruited from four urology clinics in Miami, Florida. Men were 67.47 (SD = 8.42) years old and identified themselves to be of Hispanic origin (54.3 %, n = 63). Findings demonstrated that there was a significant moderate negative relationship between urinary and sexual functioning of men. There was a significant strong negative association between men’s perceived relationship with partner and masculinity. There was a weak negative relationship between the partner relationship and QOL. Hierarchal multiple regression showed that the partner relationship (β = -.25, t (91) = -2.28, p = .03) significantly contributed overall to QOL. These findings highlight the importance of the relationship satisfaction in the QOL of men with prostate cancer. Nursing interventions to enhance QOL for these men should consider strengthening the relationship and involving the female partner as an active participant.

In the US, one in every eight deaths is due to an obesity-related chronic health condition (ORCHC). More than half of African American women (AAW) 20 years old or older are obese or morbidly obese, as are 63% of menopausal AAW. Many have ORCHC that increase their morbidity and mortality and increase health care costs. In 2013, 42.6 percent of AAs living in South Carolina (SC) were obese. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to identify the cognitive, behavioral, biological, and demographic factors that influence health outcomes (BMI, and ORCHC) of AAW living in rural SC. A sample of 200 AAW (50 in each of the 4 groups of rurality by menopausal status), 18-64 years, completed the: Menopausal Rating Scale (symptoms); Body Image Assessment for Obesity (self-perception of body); Mental Health Inventory; Block Food Frequency Questionnaire; Eating Behaviors and Chronic Conditions, Traditional Food Habits, and Food Preparation Technique questionnaires – and measures for Body Mass Index. Most rural, and premenopausal AAW were single and not living with a partner. Premenopausal women had significantly higher educational levels. Sixty percent of AAW had between 1 and 5 ORCHC. Most AAW used salt based seasonings, ate deep fried foods 1 to 3 times a week, and ate outside the home 1 to 3 times a month. Few AAW knew the correct daily serving for grains and dairy, and most consumed less than the recommended daily serving of fruits, vegetables and dairy. Morbidly obese AAW used more traditional food preparation techniques than obese and normal-weight AAW. Rural, and menopausal AAW had significantly higher morbid obesity levels, consumed larger portions of meats and vegetables, and reported more body image dissatisfaction than very rural AAW, and premenopausal AAW, respectively. Controlling for socioeconomic factors the relationships between perceptions of body images, psychological distress, and psychological wellbeing remained significant for numbers of ORCHC

In 2010, men who have sex with men (MSM) represented 4% of the population in the United States (US) and accounted for 78% of all new Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infections among Hispanic men. Hispanic men who have sex with men (HMSM) accounted for the third largest number of new HIV infections (6,700 cases). This dissertation explored the effects of age, loneliness, substance use, depression, and social support on high risk sexual behaviors that predispose middle aged HMSM to sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV infection risk. A sample of 150 urban HMSM aged 40 to 65 were surveyed in this study. Singer’s Syndemics Theory (1996) provided this study’s theoretical framework. Data was analyzed using a variety of parametric and non-parametric statistics. Loneliness, social support, depressive symptoms, alcohol/drug use, and sexual risk behaviors were found to have an influence on HIV infection status in this study. Partner status, religious affiliation and age did have an influence on alcohol use in this study’s participants. Also, participants with increased age had increased depressive symptoms in this study. Lastly, depressive symptoms, substance use, social support, and loneliness did have an influence on sexual risk behaviors in this study’s participants, specifically alcohol use and illicit drug use. The findings from this study should be used to assess, diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate prevention strategies geared to reduce STI and HIV infection in this population. Future research should build on these findings and develop tailored risk reduction interventions addressing HMSM, with particular attention to the understudied age group of the middle aged HMSM.

The purpose of this research was to determine relationships among depression, anxiety, self-rated physical and mental health, self-advocacy, internalized homophobia, and quality of patient-provider communication to satisfaction with health care interactions. These were measured while controlling for select demographic variables: age; ethnicity; urban or rural domicile; relationship status; household income; highest educational attainment; health insurance; disclosure to health care provider as a gay man; reason for last healthcare visit; and, general health self-rating. The specific aims of this study were to: 1) identify general characteristics of gay men in this sample; 2) examine how levels of satisfaction with health care differed by each characteristic; 3) assess relationships between each potential predictor of satisfaction and the level of satisfaction; and, 4) determine the relationship between each predictor and satisfaction after controlling for the most significant covariate(s). A quantitative study was conducted in which 42 adult gay men participated. The author hypothesized that gay men who reported lower levels of depression, higher self-rated physical and mental health, lower levels of anxiety, higher self-advocacy scores, lower levels of internalized homophobia, and stronger evaluations of patient-provider communication would report more positive satisfaction with health care interactions. The hypothesis was supported by results of this research. This research established that variables with the strongest effect on gay men’s satisfaction with health care interactions were whether the patient had revealed his sexual orientation to the provider, how he rated his anxiety, and how he rated the quality of communication with his provider. These results emphasize the importance of health care providers’ awareness of specific psychosocial factors that influence communication during care of gay men, who understand their sexual orientation places them at a disadvantage when receiving health care services. Despite the pursuit of equitable, high quality, and satisfying health care, its achievement has been hampered by barriers that gay men encounter. Understanding those barriers while addressing health related needs of gay men will be important for providers who seek to improve satisfaction with health care interactions.