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Aim: The aim of this study was to validate the Delirium Observation Screening Scale (DOSS) in a population of long‐term care facility (LTCF) residents in Flanders. Currently there is no validated screening tool for delirium available for the population in this setting in Flanders. Methods: A multisite, cross‐sectional study was conducted in six LTCFs. A total of 338 residents aged 65 years and older were included. Sociodemographic and clinical data, including data from the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) and DOSS, were obtained by three trained nurse researchers. For the DOSS, internal consistency was determined, and inter‐rater reliability was calculated. To validate the DOSS, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive value of the DOSS relative to the CAM were determined through receiver operating characteristic analysis. This article adheres to the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies (STROBE) checklist for observational research. Results: For 338 residents, delirium assessments were completed during an early or late shift. The prevalence of delirium was 14.2% as measured with the DOSS. The reliability (α) for the CAM and DOSS was assessed, as was the inter‐rater reliability (κ) and the area under the curve. The sensitivity and specificity for a cut‐off value of 3 on the DOSS by Youden's index were very high, as was the negative predictive value. The positive predictive value was good. Conclusions: This study showed that the DOSS is a reliable and valid instrument to screen for delirium in LTCF residents in Flanders. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2024; 24: 619–625. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medication self‐management (MSM) is defined as a person's ability to cope with medication treatment for a chronic condition, along with the associated physical and psychosocial effects that the medication causes in their daily lives. For many patients, it is important to be able to self‐manage their medication successfully, as they will often be expected to do after discharge. Aim: The aim of this study was to describe the willingness and attitudes of patients with schizophrenia spectrum or bipolar disorders regarding MSM during hospital admission. A secondary aim was to identify various factors associated with patient willingness to participate in MSM and to describe their assumptions concerning needs and necessary conditions, as well as their attitudes towards their medication. Methods: A multicentre, quantitative cross‐sectional observational design was used to study the willingness and attitudes of psychiatric patients regarding MSM during hospitalisation. The study adhered to guidelines for Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE). Results: In this study, 84 patients, of which 43 were patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders and 41 were patients with bipolar disorders, participated. A majority of the patients (81%) were willing to participate in MSM during their hospitalisation. Analysis revealed patients are more willing to MSM if they are younger (r = −.417, p <.001) and a decreasing number of medicines (r = −.373, p =.003). Patients' willingness was positively associated with the extent of support by significant others during and after hospitalisation (Pearson's r =.298, p =.011). Patients were convinced that they would take their medication more correctly if MSM were to be allowed during hospitalisation (65%). Conclusion: Most of the patients were willing to self‐manage their medication during hospitalisation, however, under specific conditions such as being motivated to take their medication correctly and to understand the benefits of their medication. Relevance to Clinical Practice: From a policy point of view, our study provided useful insights into how patients look at MSM to enable the development of future strategies. Since patients are willing to self‐manage their medication during hospitalisation, this may facilitate its implementation. Patient contribution: Patients were recruited for this study. Participation was voluntary, and signed informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to the questionnaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medication self‐management (MSM) is considered an important aspect of pharmacotherapy and plays an essential role in the treatment of various illnesses. To date, research into the willingness and attitude of psychiatric healthcare providers toward MSM in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders during hospitalization is lacking. Aim: The aim of this study was to identify healthcare providers' willingness to MSM and assess their attitude, conditions, benefits, and ability toward it during hospitalization. Methods: A multicenter, quantitative cross‐sectional observational design was used to study psychiatric healthcare providers' attitude to MSM during hospitalization in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders. Results: In this study, 173 healthcare providers, of which 147 were nurses and 26 psychiatrists, participated. During hospitalization, 86% of the healthcare providers were willing to MSM. Regularly evaluating patients' ability regarding MSM during hospitalization was seen as an important condition (94%). Psychiatrists were significantly less convinced that MSM during hospitalization has a positive impact on adherence when compared to nurses (respectively 54% vs. 77%, p =.009). Discussion: Most healthcare providers indicated that they were willing to MSM in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders during hospitalization under specific conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To evaluate the impact and the possible role of psychological resilience in the COVID‐19 pandemic outbreak on healthcare workers' mental and physical well‐being in Belgium. Design: This cross‐sectional, survey‐based study enrolled 1376 healthcare workers across Belgium from 17 April 2020 to 24 April 2020. Methods: The study sample consisted of direct care workers (nurses and doctors), supporting staff and management staff members. The main outcomes are resilience, distress and somatization. Results: Higher educational level was associated with lower symptoms of distress and somatization. Physicians exhibited the lowest risk of experiencing heightened levels of distress and somatization. Controlling for confounding factors, higher levels of resilience were associated with a 12% reduced chance of increased distress levels and 5% lower chance of increased somatization levels. Our results suggest the potentially buffering role of mental resilience on those working on the frontline during the COVID‐19 pandemic outbreak. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-sectional study was applied to obtain factors associated with alcohol consumption since information among early adolescents in Thailand is limited. Data was collected from December 2016 to March 2017. A questionnaire was developed through a literature review and tested for validation and reliability. Multi-stage random sampling was used to recruit youths aged 10–14 years from Chonburi Province, Thailand. Descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation), Chi-squared test, and multivariable logistic regression were used for data analysis. The mean and standard deviation (SD) for the age of participants was 12.07 years (1.42) with 50.23% being male. In total, 10.94% reported drinking alcohol in the past 12 months. Current drinking in the past year was positively associated with older youths of 14 years of age (AOR = 5.34, 95% CI = 2.91–9.81) having a positive attitude toward alcohol consumption behavior (AOR = 4.18 95% CI = 3.36–5.21), direct observation of friends' drinking (AOR = 4.21, 95% CI = 3.32–5.32), direct observation of villagers/community members' drinking (AOR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.15– 3.48), adolescents whose parents stored alcohol at home (AOR = 1.35, 95% CI = 1.06–1.55), and being exposed to alcohol advertising (AOR = 1.60, 95% CI =1.16–2.23). The factor most inversely associated with current drinking appears to be male gender (AOR = 0.78, 95% CI =0.64–0.94). Strategies for delaying and reducing drinking among early adolescents should accompany these risk factors into any preventive programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Determining the alcohol drinking behavior of early adolescents will provide important information for developing interventions to protect against and delay the start of alcohol use in Thailand. However, this topic has not yet been fully addressed. Objective: This qualitative study is designed to ascertain the alcohol drinking protocol of adolescents in Thailand using the theory of planned behaviour as the theoretical framework. Methods: To obtain opinions on alcohol drinking behaviour, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioural control, the face-to-face interview technique is applied to 40–50 early adolescents aged between 10 and 14 years. Results: The findings of this qualitative study will provide greater insight into alcohol drinking behaviour among early adolescents to address the need for an effective intervention programme. Conclusions: The results of this study can be used to develop strategies for reducing the prevalence of alcohol drinking or delay its onset in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To develop the Workload Assessment of Nurses on Emergency (WANE) tool and to test its validity and reliability to measure nursing workload in the emergency departments. Background: Ensuring safe nursing staffing in emergency departments is a worldwide concern. There is no valid tool to measure emergency nursing workload in order to determine the needed nurse staffing in the emergency departments. Design: A two‐year, cross‐sectional, multicenter study. Methods: Workload was operationalised as the time nurses spent with nursing activities, classified into direct and indirect care. A board of experts provided content validity. Construct validity was evaluated by examining the WANE's correlations and group‐discriminations patterns within the network of variables known to determine nursing workload. Reliability was assessed by the tool's ability to yield consistent results across repeated measurements. Reporting of this research adheres to STROBE guidelines. Results: Seven emergency departments, including 3,024 patients, were involved in the first year and 18 emergency departments and 7,442 patients in the second year. Direct care time correlated positively and significantly with patient dependency on nursing care, age and length of emergency department stay and discriminated between the categories of dependency on nursing care, age and hospitalisation. Both direct and indirect care time discriminated between the emergency departments according to different patient care profiles and unit characteristics. WANE showed consistent results across measurements. Conclusions: Results support the WANE's reliability and validity to measure emergency nursing workload. This tool could be used to determine, on patient and unit, a baseline nurse staffing and the nursing skill mix in the emergency departments. WANE is also an evidence‐based management tool for benchmarking purposes. Relevance to clinical practice: The use of an evidence‐based workload tool in making staffing decisions in emergency departments is crucial to ensure safe patient care and prevent work overload in nursing staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Non-medical prescribing is a new skill in midwifery practice. Information is needed on whether this is an activity that is feasible, appropriate, meaningful and effective. Aim. To report on the determinants of midwife prescribing behaviour to inform midwifery practice. Method. A mixed-methods review using an integrated approach combining methodologically diverse data into a single mixed- methods synthesis. A systematic search of the literature was conducted. Data were categorised according the feasibility-appropriateness-meaningfulness-effectiveness (FAME) scale and thematised according the attitude, social-influence, self-efficacy (ASE) model. A thematic analysis, a Bayesian descriptive analysis and Bayesian Pearson correlations of the FAME-categories and ASE-themes were performed. Findings. Seven studies showing moderate to good quality were included for synthesis. The FAME categories feasibility and appropriateness tended to affect the utility of midwife prescribing; meaningfulness and effectiveness were related to non-utility of prescribing. There were weak to moderate correlations between the FAME categories and the ASE themes social influence, intention, barriers and supportive factors and perceived knowledge (r-.41 to -.34 and r.37 to .56). ASE themes showed a strong negative correlation between attitude and self-efficacy (r-.70); weak positive correlations between attitude and social influence (r.31) and perceived knowledge (r.30); a weak positive correlation between self-efficacy and social influence (r.30), and a weak negative correlation with intention (r-.31); a moderate negative correlation between social influence and barriers/ supportive factors (r-.50); a weak negative correlation between barriers/supportive factors and perceived knowledge (r-.38). Conclusion. Prescribing fits the midwife's professional role and maternity services and is enhanced by the midwife's willingness and supportive practice. Prescribing requires collaborative practice, meaningful relationships with women, (applied) knowledge, expertise, and theoretical, practical and logistic support in the clinical area. Implications. Midwives who consider prescribing or who are autonomous prescribers should be aware of their role and position as autonomous prescriber. They should reflect on their willingness to prescribe, self-efficacy, perceived knowledge, their cognitive beliefs about prescribing and the effect of prescribing on women in their care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Nursing home residents are at high risk for adverse drug reactions (ADR). To improve pharmacotherapeutic care for individual residents, healthcare professionals need to be aware of ADRs. In nursing homes, nurses have a central role in monitoring residents' health and informing physicians on the presence of ADRs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of nursing home residents' ADR reports. Methods: Residents of a convenient sample of two nursing homes were included if their mental status and understanding of Dutch enabled them to report ADRs. In a cross-sectional design, residents and nurses were questioned about 17 potential ADRs. Reports of residents and nurses were consequently compared. Medication use was studied to describe the risk for ADRs per resident. Results: Residents had a mean of eight different chronic medication prescriptions. Over 90 % of the residents used medications which increase the risk of feeling somnolent/tired/sedated, arrhythmias and abdominal pain. The median number of potential ADRs reported by nurses was significantly lower compared to the number of resident reports (median [range], respectively, 1 [1-10] and 4 [1-10]). In general, residents reported the presence of more ADRs than nurses, except for confusion. The correspondence between nurse and resident reports ranged from 43 % (dry mouth) till 88 % (arrhythmia). Conclusions: Nurses and patients reported a lot of potential ADRs. The type of ADRs they reported was different and complementary. Questioning residents about specific potential ADRs may increase the awareness of ADRs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To study the impact of role, job- and organizational characteristics on nurse managers' work related stress and well-being such as feelings of emotional exhaustion, work engagement, job satisfaction and turnover intention. Background Various studies investigated role-, job- and organizational characteristics influencing nurse-related work environments. Research on nurse managers' related work environments define influencing factors, but, a clear understanding of the impact of nurse-managers' work-environment characteristics on their work related stress and well-being is limited. Design A cross-sectional design with a survey. Methods A cross-sectional survey ( N = 365) was carried out between December 2011-March 2012. The questionnaire was based on various validated measurement instruments identified by expert meetings (e.g. staff nurses, nurse managers and executives and physicians). Hierarchical regression analyses were performed using emotional exhaustion, work engagement, job satisfaction and turnover intentions as outcome variables. Results Study results showed one out of six nursing unit managers have high to very high feelings of emotional exhaustion and two out of three respondents have high to very high work engagement. Hierarchical regression models showed that role conflict and role meaningfulness were strong predictors of nursing unit managers' work related stress and well-being, alongside with job- and organizational characteristics. Conclusion Several risk factors and stimulating factors influencing nurse unit managers' work related stress and well-being were identified. Further challenges will be to develop proper interventions and strategies to support nursing unit managers and their team in daily practice to deliver the best and safest patient care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

timmermans o., van linge r., van petegem p., van rompaey b. & denekens j. (2012) A contingency perspective on team learning and innovation in nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing 69(2), 363-373. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.2012.06014.x Abstract Aims. To report a correlational study of the relation between team learning activities and implementation-effectiveness of innovations in nursing teams. Background. Non-compliance to implementation of innovations is a problem in nursing teams. In the literature, team learning is proposed as a facilitator for change. Still, studies reporting the effects of team learning activities on the implementation of innovations in nursing teams are scarce. To address this gap in the literature, this study explored the influence of team learning on the implementation of two innovations. Design. A cross-sectional survey. Methods. The survey was conducted in 2008-2009 with a sample of 469 nurses, representing 30 nursing teams from The Netherlands and Belgium. The relationship between variables representing team learning and the use and the knowledge of an incremental ( n = 14) or a radical innovation ( n = 16) was examined by correlation and multiple regression analyses. Results. Correlation analyses revealed positive relationships between the team learning activities handling production-oriented information and implementation-effectiveness of an incremental innovation. In addition, team learning activities about development-oriented information positively affected the implementation of a radical innovation. Multiple regression yielded models that explain 83% of the variance on the use of an incremental variable, 73% on knowledge of a radical innovation, and 80% on use of a radical innovation. Conclusion. In nursing teams, team learning activities that relate to the production of nursing care affect the implementation of an incremental innovation. The implementation of a radical innovation is effected by team learning activities that relate to the development of the provided nursing care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]