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Background In Singapore, employees aged 62-65 can continue to be employed if they meet the re-employment eligibility criteria. This policy, coupled with an ageing workforce, calls for age-friendly initiatives, specific to work-related challenges faced by older nurses. Aim To determine work-related challenges faced by older nurses. Methods A mixed method sequential explanatory study was conducted with nurses, aged 50 and above, working in a healthcare cluster in Singapore. In the quantitative phase, a questionnaire was administered to 534 nurses to elicit work-related challenges, then in-depth interviews with 30 nurses were carried out to help explain why certain tasks and work circumstances became harder. Results Results of the survey indicated that the top three challenges were coping with changes, working with computers and reading labels. Place of work, salary range, gender and race were significantly associated with different work-related challenges. Five themes emerged from the qualitative data: physical demands of work and workload, new technology, need for further education, working with younger nurses and in intercultural teams, and changing public expectations and professional image. Discussion and conclusion The study supports the current literature on the challenges older nurses face with technological advancement. However, older nurses in our study reported less aches and pain as compared to that reported elsewhere. There is a need for specific strategies that will address changes in work processes and environment in order to retain older nurses. Implications for nursing and nursing policy When devising age-friendly work improvement initiatives, it is important for nurse leaders to factor in the needs of nurses working in different care environments, who are of different ranks, or are from different ethnic backgrounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the present study was to examine the regularity of preventive care for persons with diabetes in the Nord-Trøndelag Health Study to identify associated demographic, lifestyle, and disease-related factors. Among 1,972 persons with diabetes, 1,459 (74%) answered questions related to preventive foot care. The final sample included 1,312 persons with known diabetes, but without a self-reported history of foot ulcer. Almost 85% reported receiving regular clinical diabetes examinations, 31.7% reported regular foot inspection by health care personnel, and 66.3% reported foot self-inspection. Only 58.8% reported regular clinical diabetes examination combined with foot inspection. Males, patients not using insulin, and those with shorter diabetes duration or macrovascular complications were more likely to report less regular preventive care. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 31:226-237, 2008. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Health care workers (HCWs) are at risk of exposures to human blood and body fluids (BBF). Needlestick injuries and splashes place HCWs at risk for numerous blood-borne infections including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B (HBV), and hepatitis C (HCV). Utilizing a new comprehensive occupational health surveillance system, the objective of this research was to better define the BBF exposure risk and risk factors among employees of a large tertiary medical center., Methods: A population of 24,425 HCWs employed in jobs with potential BBF exposures was followed for BBF exposure events from 1998 to 2002. BBF exposure rates were calculated for strata defined by age, race, gender, occupation, work location, and duration of employment. Poisson regression was used for detailed analyses of risk factors for BBF exposure., Results: The study population reported 2,730 BBF exposures during the study period, resulting in an overall annual rate of 5.5 events/100 FTEs and a rate of 3.9 for percutaneous exposures. Higher rates were observed for males, persons employed less than 4 years, Hispanic employees, and persons less than 45 years of age. Much higher rates were observed for house staff, nurse anesthetists, inpatient nurses, phlebotomists, and surgical/operating room technicians. Poisson regression results strengthened and extended results from stratified analyses. Rates of percutaneous exposures from hollow needles were found to decrease over the study period; however, exposure rates from suture needles appear to be increasing., Conclusion: While continued training efforts need to be directed toward new HCWs, our data also suggest that employees who have been in their job 1-4 years continue to be at higher risk of BBF exposures. This research also points to the need for better safety devices/products and work practices to reduce suture-related injuries.

Between January and June 1998, postgraduate and undergraduate students from seven centres participated in a discussion of suicide from a public health perspective, using a listserver on the Internet. Most contributions were in English but a few were in Spanish with subsequent translation. Eighteen out of 32 students responding to evaluation, found the module worthwhile and their learning objectives were met. After making a few modifications to procedures resulting from the evaluation, further rounds of discussion were started in October 1998. International discussion groups using listservers on the Internet provide a new and apparently effective method of education.

Objective: To compare function and disability in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) cases in the community versus controls, and to identify variables predicting poor function and disability., Methods: We identified 100 FMS cases, 76 pain controls, and 135 general controls in a random survey of 3,395 noninstitutionalized adults., Results: FMS cases reported worse function (P < 0.00001), more days in bed (P < 0.001), and more healthy years of life lost (P < 0.0001). More FMS cases were disabled (P < 0.00001) and receiving pensions (P < 0.00001). Risk factors for disability included middle age and previous heavy manual labor. Pain, fatigue, and weakness were most often claimed to affect the ability to work Variables predicting work disability were the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) score, a prior diagnosis of FMS, nonrestorative sleep, and past heavy physical labor. Variables influencing the FIQ score were the number of major symptoms, self-reported health satisfaction, tender point count, and education level., Conclusion: FMS commonly results in loss of function and work disability.

This article discusses a very early clinical trial from the Old Testament. One of Daniel's and his companions' tribulations in Babylonia is explicated within the framework of the modern clinical trial. Even if many, or maybe even most, guidelines for good clinical trial practice are violated (it can even be argued that this is not really a clinical trial), a discussion of this biblico-historical episode in, for example, a problem-based course in (clinical) epidemiology or a course in the critical appraisal of the literature, can be a useful (and possibly entertaining) exercise.