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Objectives This study aims to explore the potential condition-related sex differences to understand the overall pathogenesis of hyperuricemia among the elderly agricultural and fishing population in Taipei, Taiwan. Patients and methods This study included 4,372 healthy elderly agricultural and fishing professionals (2,766 males, 1,606 females; mean age 74.4±6.6 years; range 65.0 to 90.3 years) voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital in Taipei, Taiwan for physical exams in 2010. Their fasting blood samples were drawn through venipuncture, and they were administered a structured questionnaire by clinical nurses. Results The overall prevalence of hyperuricemia was 30.4%, which increased significantly with increasing age (p

Purpose This study was conducted to explore the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and identify associated risk factors in an elderly male occupational population in Taipei, Taiwan. Methods A total of 2734 healthy subjects over age 65 voluntarily presented to a teaching hospital for a physical check-up in 2010. Demographic data and blood test results were collected. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed according to NCEP ATP III criteria. Results The mean age of study participants was 74.4±6.6 years. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was estimated at 29.9% (95%CI: 28.2%-31.6%). After adjustment for confounding factors, higher body-mass index (OR=1.50, 95%CI 1.41–1.62), higher mean body fat (% of total mass, OR=1.11, 95%CI: 1.04–1.20), elevated serum uric acid (OR=1.13, 95%CI: 1.02–1.26), and elevated alanine aminotransferase (OR=1.01, 95%CI: 1.00–1.02), and sedentary lifestyle (yes vs. no, OR=1.22, 95%CI: 1.09–1.37) were identified as the most significant risk factors associated with metabolic syndrome. Conclusion The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is related to several cardiovascular risk factors. Health initiatives directed towards preventing and treating metabolic syndrome could significantly reduce the prevalence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease in this older population.

Purpose: To discuss the prevalence and associated factors related to visual impairment and blindness amongst the elderly agricultural and fishing population. Methods: A total of 6542 healthy elderly adults voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical check-up and eye disease in Taipei, Taiwan. Results: The overall prevalence of visual disability (the better eye visual acuity

Aim To discuss the prevalence and associated factors related to an elevated serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level among the elderly agricultural and fishing population. Methods A total of 6542 (3989 males and 2553 females) healthy adults voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical checkup in 2010 in Taipei, Taiwan. Fasting blood samples were drawn via venipuncture, and clinical nurses interviewed the study participants using a structured questionnaire from. Results The overall prevalence of an elevated serum ALT level was 18.2% and revealed a statistically significant decrease with increasing age ( P < 0.001). The men exhibited a higher prevalence than the women (19.7% vs 15.9%; P < 0.001). Male sex; younger age; and presence of obesity, hypertension, hyperuricemia, and hypoalbuminemia were significantly associated with an elevated serum ALT level. Sex-related differences were also revealed. For the men, type 2 diabetes (odds ratio [OR], 1.23; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02–1.57), hypercholesterolemia (OR, 1.78; 95% CI, 1.22–2.83), hypertriglyceridemia (OR, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.04–1.73), and low high-density lipoprotein (OR, 1.26; 95% CI, 1.05–1.51) were significantly related to an elevated serum ALT level, but this was not so for the women. The disparity of ALT in age groups was revealed. Conclusion Several sex-related differences were indicated pertaining to the prevalence of an elevated serum ALT level among elderly specific occupational population.

Purpose. To quantify the prevalence of and associated factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) among male elderly fishing and agricultural population in Taipei, Taiwan. Methods. Subjects ( ) aged 65 years and over voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical checkup were collected in 2010. CKD was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate 2. Results. Among these subjects, the over prevalence of chronic kidney disease was 13.6% (95% CI: 12.3–14.9%). The age-specific prevalence of CKD in 65–74 years, 75–84 years, and ≥85 years was 8.2%, 19.1%, and 27.0%, respectively. From the multiple logistic regression, age (OR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.02–1.09), hyperuricemia (OR = 2.94, 95% CI: 1.90–3.78), central obesity (OR = 1.17, 95% CI: 1.02–1.56), hyperglycemia (OR = 1.23, 95% CI: 1.11–1.67), hypertriglyceridemia (OR = 1.25, 95% CI: 1.08–1.66), and lower HDL-C (OR = 1.61, 95% CI: 1.23–1.92) were statistically significantly related to CKD. The presence of metabolic components (one or two versus none, OR = 1.10, 95% CI: 1.04–1.25; three or more versus none, OR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.86–2.78) also appeared to be statistically significantly related to CKD after adjustment for other independent factors. Conclusion. Several clinical factors independently affect the development of CKD in the elderly male fishing and agricultural population.

Aims To assess the level of and the differences in managerial competencies, research capability, time management, executive power, workload and work-stress ratings among nurse administrators (NAs), and to determine the best predictors of managerial competencies for NAs. Background Although NAs require multifaceted managerial competencies, research related to NAs’ managerial competencies is limited. Method A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 330 NAs from 16 acute care hospitals. Managerial competencies were determined through a self-developed questionnaire. Data were collected in 2011. Results All NAs gave themselves the highest rating on integrity and the lowest on both financial/budgeting and business acumen. All scores for managerial competencies, research capability, time management and executive power showed a statistically significant correlation. The stepwise regression analysis revealed that age; having received NA training; having completed a nursing project independently; and scores for research capability, executive power and workload could explain 63.2% of the total variance in managerial competencies. Conclusion The present study provides recommendations for future administrative training programmes to increase NAs’ managerial competency in fulfilling their management roles and functions. Implications for Nursing Management The findings inform leaders of hospitals where NAs need to develop additional competencies concerning the type of training NAs need to function proficiently.

shen h.-c., chiu h.-t., lee p.-h., hu y.-c. & chang w.-y. (2011) Hospital environment, nurse–physician relationships, and quality of care: questionnaire survey. Journal of Advanced Nursing 67(2), 349–358. Abstract Aim. This paper is a report of a study conducted to (a) to compare hospitalized patients’ and nurses’ perceptions of the hospital environment, nurse–physician relationships and quality of care; (b) to determine which factors best predict the quality of care from hospitalized patients' and nurses' perspectives; and (c) to assess the relationships among all variables. Background. Quality of care is a function of many factors and includes elements of the hospital environment and nurse–physician relationships. However, comparisons between patients’ and nurses’ perceptions are relatively limited. Methods. This was a cross-sectional study, and 575 patients and 220 nurses across 13 units completed questionnaires. Data were collected in 2009 and analysed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, stepwise regression and path analysis. Results. Overall, patients’ mean scores were statistically significantly higher than those of nurses on perception of hospital environment (3·05 vs. 2·65 points), nurse–physician relationships (7·88 vs. 6·53 points) and quality of care (7·91 vs. 6·63 points) (P

Aims. (1) To understand nurses’ subjective perceptions of the current nursing workforce in their emergency departments, (2) to examine the relationship between nurses’ workforce perceptions and its impact on the managerial outcomes and (3) to analyse the correlation between nurses’ characteristics and the scores on workforce perception. Background. While the association between workforce perceptions and nurse outcomes is well-documented, few studies have examined how emergency department nurses perceive current workforce and related outcomes. Design. A cross-sectional questionnaire survey. Method. A self-reported workforce perception questionnaire was used to survey 538 registered nurses in the emergency departments of 19 hospitals in northern Taiwan, during May to October 2006. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test, independent t-test, Pearson correlation and one-way anova. Results. The mean score of workforce perception was 6·28 points (total = 10 points). Both overtime (p = 0·02) and number of callbacks on days off (p = 0·01) were significantly correlated to current nursing workforce and hospital level. Older nurses tended to have more emergency department experience (r = 0·37; p = 0·01) and those with more emergency department experience tended to have vacation accumulation (r = 0·09; p = 0·04), overtime (r = 0·10; p = 0·03) and better perception of their emergency department’s current workforce (r = 0·09; p = 0·05). Conclusions. Although nurses’ perceptions were found to be only moderate, overtime and number of callbacks on days off are potential problems that should be addressed by nursing leaders to benefit future emergency nurses. Relevance to clinical practice. The findings can help drive strategies to ensure adequate staffing, to stabilise the nursing workforce and to prevent nurses from burnout factors such as working long hours, unpredictable schedules and a stressful work environment that may impact both the quality of emergency care and the quality of the nurses’ work environment.

Background: Preparing new graduate nurses (NGNs) to achieve standards of nursing competence is challenging; therefore, this study developed and evaluated the effects of a 10-minute preceptor (10MP) model for assisting NGNs in their professional development and increasing their retention in hospitals. Method: A repeated-measures design study, with an intervention and a two-group comparison, was conducted. A total of 107 NGNs participated in the study. At day 7, work stress and work experience were moderately high for the NGNs in both the 10MP and traditional preceptor model (TPM) groups. Results: The preceptorship program showed significant differences between groups ( p = 0.001) regarding work stress at months 2 and 3 and work experience at months 1, 2, and 3. The 10MP group reported lower turnover intention and higher satisfaction with the preceptors than the TPM group. Conclusion: The 10MP model is effective at improving training outcomes and facilitating the professional development of NGNs. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2015;46(6):261–271.

Hsi-Che Shen,1–3 Zi-Hao Zhao,4 Yi-Chun Hu,2,5,6 Yu-Fen Chen,7–9 Tao-Hsin Tung4,10,111Department of Surgery, New Taipei City Hospital, 2School of Health Care Administration, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 3Department of Healthcare Management, Yuanpei University, Hsinchu, 4Faculty of Public Health, School of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, 5Oriental Institute of Technology, 6Department of Nursing, New Taipei City Hospital, 7Business Place Hygiene Management, Department of Health, Taipei City Government, 8Institute of Health and Welfare Policy, National Yang-Ming University, 9Department of Nursing, Kang-Ning Junior College of Medical Care and Management, 10Department of Medical Research and Education, Cheng-Hsin General Hospital, Taipei, 11Department of Crime Prevention and Correction, Central Police University, Taoyuan, TaiwanBackground: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between obesity, the metabolic syndrome, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in the elderly agricultural and fishing population of Taipei, Taiwan.Methods: The study participants comprised 6,511 (3,971 male and 2,540 female) healthy elderly subjects voluntarily attending a teaching hospital for a physical check-up in 2010. Blood samples and real-time ultrasound-proven fatty liver sonography results were collected.Results: The prevalence of NAFLD in this elderly population was 27.2%, including mild NAFLD (16.0%), moderate NAFLD (10.3%), and severe NAFLD (0.9%). The prevalence of moderate or severe NAFLD for metabolic syndrome proved to be substantially greater (P

Purpose. To evaluate sex-related differences in the prevalence of and cardiovascular risk factors related to gallstone disease (GSD) in an elderly agricultural and fishing population of Taipei, Taiwan.Methods. The study sample consisted of 6511 healthy elderly participants (3971 men and 2540 women) who were voluntarily admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical checkup in 2010. The participants’ blood samples and real-time ultrasound fatty liver results were collected.Results. The prevalence of GSD in the study population was 13.2%, which increased significantly with population age (P<.0001). Women were associated with significantly higher GSD prevalence than men (14.8% versus 12.2%; for the chi-square test,P=.003). In a multiple logistic regression analysis, female sex, older age, and metabolic syndrome (MetS) were significantly associated with GSD. Multiple logistic regression analysis also revealed that obesity (odds ratioOR=1.26, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09–1.44) and metabolic factors (one or 2 versus none,OR=1.48, 95% CI: 1.08–1.76) were significantly associated with GSD in women but not in men.Conclusion. In the study population, female sex, older age, and MetS were associated with higher GSD prevalence. The population exhibited other sex-related differences.

To explore prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and factors associated with its components in the elderly female occupational population in Taipei, Taiwan. A total of 1,589 healthy subjects voluntarily and 65 years or above admitted to a teaching hospital for a physical check-up in 2010. Demographic and blood sample results were collected. The mean age of the study participants is 74.8 ± 6.7 years. The prevalence of MetS is 40.5 % (95 % CI 38.1–42.9 %). After adjustment for confounding factors, the older age, higher body mass index, and higher serum uric acid are the most significant risk factors related to MetS. The prevalence of MetS is related to obesity and elevated serum uric acid. Promoting this population with controlled obesity and health improvement for renal function is important.