Search

Additional file1.

Background With the increasing prevalence of mental illnesses worldwide, nurses’ competence and preparedness in addressing patients’ mental health needs warrant particular attention. However, nurses who receive general nursing training may have inadequate knowledge and beliefs about mental health disorders. Although Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training is considered relevant in improving participants’ mental health literacy, the benefits of incorporating the training into general nursing education have not yet been clearly defined in the literature. Aim The present study aimed to explore undergraduate nursing students’ perceptions and experiences of participating in MHFA training. Methods The study adopted a qualitative descriptive method. Twenty-five nursing students in a Baccalaureate nursing programme in Hong Kong who had completed a 12-h MHFA training course were recruited. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face, individual interviews and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings Five overarching themes regarding the participants’ experiences of the MHFA training were identified from the data: (1) reinforced knowledge and understanding, (2) enhanced techniques and skills, (3) rectified beliefs and values, (4) improved self-awareness of personal mental health status and (5) a heightened sense of achievement and satisfaction. Discussion In addition to enhancing nursing students’ competence and readiness in managing individuals with mental health conditions, Mental Health First Aid training could strengthen nursing students’ awareness of their own mental health. Conclusion The findings provide a greater understanding of the practical and experiential benefits of MHFA training for nursing students, and highlight the relevance of incorporating this training into the undergraduate general nursing curriculum.

Background As mass casualty incidents are low-probability events, students often do not have the chance to practise field triage skills during their clinical placement. This study used a 3D game to engage participants in experiential learning in a realistic virtual environment. The purpose of the study was to explore factors affecting nursing students’ intention to use a 3D game to learn field triage skills. Methods This was a cross-sectional survey study. The technology acceptance model augmented by computer self-efficacy was used as a research model and a questionnaire was used to evaluate students’ intention to use the 3D game to learn field triage. Data was collected from nursing students of a degree-awarding higher education institution in Hong Kong. Results A total of 177 valid questionnaires were returned, and structural equation modeling was used to test the research model and hypotheses. Consistent with the technology acceptance model, perceived usefulness (0.21, p p p p Conclusion Students believed that using the 3D game would enhance their field triage skills and found the game easy to use. Using 3D games to facilitate learning is a worthwhile educational approach for preparing healthcare professionals to handle low-probability clinical tasks, such as field triage in mass casualty incidents. Insights provided by findings of this study included the best way to design and promote interactive education programmes in a virtual environment.

Global increases in both population size and ageing have led to a drastic expansion in the demand for healthcare services. The shortage of nursing workforce capacity continues, posing immense challenges for the global healthcare system. We aimed to identify the antecedents and contextual factors that contribute to the decisions of occupational turnover from the clinical duties of registered nurses in public hospitals in Hong Kong. A qualitative descriptive design was used in this study. A total of 18 registered nurses who had resigned from public hospitals in Hong Kong and changed their occupations were recruited via convenience and snowball sampling methods. Data were collected through individual, semi-structured, and face-to-face interviews and were analyzed according to the content analysis approach. The antecedents and contextual factors that contributed to the registered nurses&rsquo, decisions regarding occupational turnover were identified from the collected data. These factors were classified into three overarching categories: (1) job dissatisfaction due to a tense work environment, (2) low motivation due to limited career opportunities, and (3) inadequate communication due to ineffective leadership. The identification of these antecedents and contextual factors could help healthcare service providers to develop strategies to enhance nurses&rsquo, commitment and engagement in their positions and eventually improve their retention. Based on these factors, healthcare sector policy makers could consider incorporating appropriate strategies into healthcare system policy.

Emergency nurses frequently encounter uncertainty and changes during the management of emerging infectious diseases, which challenge their capability to perform their duties in a well-planned and systematic manner. To date, little is known about the coping strategies adopted by emergency nurses in addressing uncertainty and changes during an epidemic event. The present study explored emergency nurses’ behaviours and strategies in handling uncertainty and practice changes during an epidemic event. A qualitative study based on the Straussian grounded theory approach was established. Semi-structured, face-to-face, individual interviews were conducted with 26 emergency nurses for data collection. Adapting protocol to the evolving context of practice was revealed as the core category. Four interplaying subcategories were identified: (1) Completing a comprehensive assessment, (2) continuing education for emerging infectious disease management, (3) incorporating guideline updates and (4) navigating new duties and competencies. The nurses demonstrated the prudence to orientate themselves to an ambiguous work situation and displayed the ability to adapt and embrace changes in their practice and duties. These findings offer insights into the need for education and training schemes that allow emergency nurses to acquire and develop the necessary decision-making and problem-solving skills to handle a public health emergency.

Purpose: Emerging infectious diseases are considered as a pressing challenge to global public health. Throughout public health response to emerging infectious diseases, emergency nurses are situated at the forefront of the healthcare system. The present study has explored emergency nurses’ perceptions regarding the risks appraisal of the threat of the emerging infectious disease situation in emergency department context. Methods: The present study used a qualitative descriptive approach. A purposive sampling method was employed to recruit emergency nurses who worked in public hospitals in Hong Kong. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to 24 emergency nurses. The data were interpreted using a thematic analysis strategy. Results: Five overarching themes emerged from the data: (1) the novelty of an emerging infectious disease, (2) the severity of an emerging infectious disease, (3) the proximity to an emerging infectious disease, (4) the complexity of an emerging infectious disease situation, and (5) the response levels towards an emerging infectious disease situation. Conclusion: It is anticipated that the information may help to predict the attitudes and behaviours of emergency nurses in future impending epidemic events, enhancing emergency nurses’ preparedness towards in such situations. Abbreviations: EID: Emerging infectious disease; ED: Emergency department; SARS: Severe acute respiratory syndrome; MERS: Middle East respiratory syndrome; WHO: World Health Organization; RN: Registered nurse; APN: Advanced practice nurse; NO: Nursing officer

Purpose: Emergency nurses are engaged in the management of epidemic events that unfold along with the evolution of diseases. The goal of this study was to explore the contextual factors that inhibited the ability of emergency nurses to perform their duties in response to an outbreak. Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used to explore the experiences and perceptions of emergency nurses. Participants were purposively recruited from 12 emergency departments in Hong Kong. Semi-structured face-to-face individual interviews were conducted with 26 emergency nurses. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and interpreted with a thematic analysis approach. Results: Four intertwined themes emerged from the analysis: resource constraints, threats of infection, ubiquitous changes and lingering uncertainties. These themes portrayed the constraints and challenges surrounding the work environment of emergency nurses. Conclusion: This study described the instabilities and vulnerabilities of the circumstances in which the emergency nurses were situated in during epidemic events. The findings shed light on the importance of hospitals and emergency departments in addressing both the technical problems and adaptive challenges that face emergency nurses during epidemic events.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has caused a global health crisis. The adverse impacts on Asian women, including those in Hong Kong, are substantial. This cross-sectional online study examined the impacts of COVID-19 on Hong Kong women, including psychological effects, self-belief in coping, and quality of life, and was conducted over 4 weeks from July to August 2020. Females aged over 18, living in Hong Kong, and that could read Chinese, were included. Among 417 participants, 50.8% were aged below 50, 66.7% were married, 57.1% were caregivers, 61.4% had a family income of &lt, USD 2600, and 70.3% attained higher secondary education or above. The results show that 32.2%, 42.4%, and 44.9% of participants had negative emotions of stress, anxiety, and depression. There are significant negative correlations between emotional state and different aspects of quality of life, but positive correlations between general self-efficacy and different aspects of quality of life. COVID-19 induced significant psychological and quality of life impacts on females in Hong Kong. The policymakers, healthcare professionals, and social support organizations should establish appropriate strategies and policies to support women during the COVID-19 pandemic or similar future crises.

Learner-centred education has been shown to be an effective teaching method in the healthcare disciplines that integrate practical skills and theoretical knowledge. However, the elements of learner-centred education that influence students' motivation and engagement in learning remain unclear. In this descriptive qualitative research study, 43 nursing students in a baccalaureate nursing programme in Hong Kong who enrolled in a disaster and trauma nursing course were recruited through purposive sampling. Data were collected through semi-structured, face-to-face, focus group interviews. The transcribed interviews were interpreted through the use of qualitative analysis. This study revealed that adopting learner-centred education techniques in a disaster nursing course could cater to the hedonic nature and practical nature of learning disaster nursing, which consequently strengthens student's motivation and engagement in learning. The findings also suggested that learner-centred education could improve nursing students' learning experience and promote their transformation from passive and receptive students into proactive learners. The present study provides a greater and more focused understanding of the elements of learner-centred education that promote motivation and engagement in learning among nursing students. This study could offer insights into the development and evaluation of disaster nursing courses and other subjects in the undergraduate nursing curriculum.

Aims and objectives To explore the core components that constitute nurses' preparedness in an epidemic event. Background Healthcare service providers have worked to augment efforts to protect the public from the impact of epidemic events. While constituting the major healthcare taskforce, nurses are frequently tasked with fronting the response to an infectious disease outbreak. Given the crucial role of nurses in the management of prevailing epidemics, the constituents of their preparedness in epidemic events should be identified. Design A systematic search was undertaken to identify eligible studies from the literature. A narrative synthesis approach was employed to extract and synthesise findings of the reviewed qualitative studies. Methods Seven qualitative studies on nurses' experience and perceptions of epidemic events were examined for scientific quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Qualitative Checklist. Findings of these studies were synthesised adopting a narrative synthesis approach. Results Three interplaying themes were identified as follows: (i) personal resources, (ii) workplace resources and (iii) situational influences. The findings suggest that an effective epidemic outbreak response would require further effort to reinforce the interplay between individual nurses, healthcare institutions and the governments. Conclusions The practical interplay among individual nurses, healthcare institutions and the governments is crucial in establishing an effective epidemic response. Further research on the understanding of the dynamic process of preparedness development is recommended to set future directions in research. Relevance to clinical practice This study offers important insights for devising future strategies in enhancing nurses' preparedness and response to an epidemic event. These include recommendations on providing education and training to nurses regarding infectious diseases, fostering institutional assistance and support in an outbreak and revising government policies and planning.

To explore the burnout situation of teachers in two schools in Macau and to investigate any differences made of demographic characteristics. The relation of burnout on social problem solving and holistic health of teachers is also studied. A self reported questionnaire with the Chinese Maslach Burnout Inventory (C-MBI), Chinese Social Problem Solving Inventory (C-SPSI) and the Body-Mind-Spirit Well-Being Inventory (BMSWBI) were used. Totally 138 teachers participated in the study. With Hong Kong data as a reference, Macau teachers scored in the average range of burnout in emotional exhaustion and depersonalization but scored in the low range of burnout in personal accomplishment. Significance differences were found in some dimensions of burnout in age, marital status, teaching experiences, education background and satisfaction with income. Both C-SPSI and BMSWBI were found to be significantly negative correlated with emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and positive correlated with personal achievement. The findings identified those with greater degree of burnout, to whom more attention should be paid. The study also contributed to the limited literature on the quality of life of teachers in Macau. Finally, the findings added on the data base for comparison internationally among the Chinese population.

This study examined the effect of an external nasal dilator strip (ENDS) on three field tests of maximal performance and monitored the rating of perceived breathing effort (RPBE). Thirty male Chinese students (age 15.2 ± 1.6 yrs) performed three maximal field tests: (a) short-term anaerobic power (SAnP: 40-m sprint); (b) long-term anaerobic power (LAnP: shuttle sprint); and (c) peak aerobic performance (AeP: multistage 20-m shuttle run) under three conditions: ENDS, placebo, and control. Students were randomly placed into 6 groups using a fully counterbalanced single-blind design. No significant differences were seen between conditions in the anaerobic performances measured by SAnP and LAnP. However, the ENDS produced a significant improvement in peak aerobic performance (p = 0.037) compared to the control condition of 3.2% (95 %CI = 6.2-0.2; Cohen effect size = 0.2), and also compared to the placebo condition (p = 0.018) of 2.9% (95% CI = 5.1-0.2; Cohen effect size = 0.2). The ENDS condition also significantly reduced RPBE during the AeP and LAnP tests by an average of 5.5% and 3.8%, respectively. Wearing an external nasal dilator can significantly reduce breathing effort and improve peak aerobic performance during field tests involving maximal running. Key words: performance enhancement, nasal strip, oronasal ventilation, perceived breathing effort

Coxiella burnetii is an obligate intracellular gram-negative bacterium uniquely evolved to thrive in the inhospitable phagolysosome of macrophage. C. burnetii causes Q fever in humans and animals, which is emerging as a global public health concern. It is highly infectious and designated as a category B biowarfare agent because of its ubiquitous nature, abundant natural reservoirs, high resistance to environmental conditions, ease of transmission and low infectious dose. The lack of knowledge and awareness of C. burnetii leads to under-reporting and under-diagnosing of Q fever cases. Therefore, further understanding of the interactions between the infected host and the bacteria is necessary. C. burnetii macrophage infectivity potentiator (cb-Mip) is a secreted protein of 230 amino acids involving in intracellular survival of the pathogen. cb-Mip belongs to the family of FK506 binding protein, which possesses peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIase) activity. Besides acting as a PPIase, Mip protein homolog has been identified as virulence factor of many intracellular pathogenic microorganisms. In the present study, we report the near complete resonance assignments of the PPIase domain-containing region of Mip protein of C. burnetii. Secondary structure prediction based on chemical shift index analysis indicates that the protein adopts a predominately beta-strand structure, which is consistent with the crystal structure of homologous Mip protein in Legionella pneumophila.