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Background: Infection prevention and control guidelines play a key role in preventing infections which can impact mothers and their newborn's quality of life. Despite the presence of evidenced-based infection prevention and control guidelines, midwives' adherence can be suboptimal internationally. The identification of facilitators and barriers to infection prevention and control guidelines can support practice and facilitate midwifery care. Aim: To understand midwives' experiences of the barriers and facilitators when adhering to infection prevention and control guidelines. Methods: A qualitative descriptive study using semi-structured interviews with 10 midwives from February to March 2022. The interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analysed utilising Braun and Clarke's thematic analysis framework involving the six steps of becoming familiar with the data, generating initial codes, generating themes, reviewing themes, defining and naming the themes, and presenting themes. Findings: Two themes developed; seesaw for equilibrium and back to basics: learning on your feet. Midwives experienced conflicting emotional motivators in the need for professional integrity towards infection prevention and control guideline adherence. The work environment impacts on midwives' ability to adhere to guidelines and communication and education have a vital role to play in infection prevention and control guideline adherence. Conclusions: While midwives have a strong sense of protection of professional integrity, work conditions such as environment, organisational structures, and management systems affect midwives' adherence to infection prevention and control guidelines. Effective education, training, and communication are required to promote infection prevention and control guideline adherence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perinatal mental health is a growing public health concern. Refugee and asylum-seeking women are particularly susceptible to experiencing perinatal mental illness and may encounter a range of challenges in accessing healthcare. This scoping review sought to identify the enablers of and barriers to healthcare access and healthcare provision for refugee and asylum-seeking women experiencing perinatal mental illness in the WHO European Region. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was applied. Nine databases and six grey literature sources were initially searched in April 2022, and an updated search was completed in July 2023. The search identified 16,130 records, and after the removal of duplicates and the screening process, 18 sources of evidence were included in this review. A data extraction table was used to extract significant information from each individual source of evidence, which was then mapped to the seven dimensions of the candidacy framework. Empirical (n = 14; 77.8%) and non-empirical (n = 4; 22.2%) sources of evidence were included. The literature originated from seven countries within the WHO European Region, including the United Kingdom (n = 9; 50%), Germany (n = 3; 16.7%), Denmark (n = 2; 11.2%), Norway (n = 1; 5.6%), Greece (n = 1; 5.6%), Sweden (n = 1; 5.6%), and Switzerland (n = 1; 5.6%). The results indicate that, although enablers and barriers were apparent throughout the seven dimensions of candidacy, barriers and impeding factors were more frequently reported. There was also a notable overall lack of reported enablers at the system level. Unaddressed language barriers and lack of attention to the diversity in culturally informed perceptions of perinatal mental illness were the main barriers at the individual level (micro-level) to identifying candidacy, navigating healthcare systems, and asserting the need for care. The lack of culturally appropriate alignment of healthcare services was the key organizational (meso-level) barrier identified. The wider structural and political contexts (macro-level factors), such as lack of funding for consultation time, focus on Western diagnostic and management criteria, and lack of services that adequately respond to the needs of refugee and asylum-seeking women, negatively influenced the operating conditions and wider production of candidacy. It can be concluded that there are multilevel and interconnected complexities influencing access to and provision of perinatal mental healthcare for refugee and asylum-seeking women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Adults with intellectual disability should be involved in decision-making about their care. However, little is known regarding their experience of engaging in care planning within health services. In a rapidly changing healthcare environment, the relevance and necessity of demonstrating care delivered and care outcomes is essential for all professionals and this review highlights the need for intellectual/learning disability nurses to prioritise disseminating this evidence beyond the practice environment. Materials and Methods: Integrative literature review informed by the approach of Whittemore and Knafl (2005). CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, PsyArticles, PsycInfo, MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Embase and Academic Search Complete were searched for papers published between 01 January 2005 and 01 June 2017. Results: No study met the inclusion criteria for nursing care planning. However, through examining the literature that made it to the full-text review stage, two key aspects were identified: exploring the relevance and categories of plans, and disseminating evidence of practice. Conclusion: This integrative review provides evidence that the experiences of adults with intellectual disability involvement in care planning within health services are absent within the literature. While guidance exists regarding involving adults with intellectual disability in planning their care, there is confusion, ambiguity and an interchangeable use of terms that makes it difficult to distinguish between nursing care plans, person-centred plans, individual programme plan, individualised support plan, health action plans, personalised support plans and personalised plans.

The issue of pain warrants attention as, by virtue of having an intellectual disability, a person may have associated medical or physical conditions and associated factors increasing their risk of pain disorders. People with intellectual disability experiencing pain need to be provided with the best possible care. The focus of this article is on the exploration of pain: physiology and types; manifestations and responses in the context of intellectual disability in order to promote effective, knowledgeable assessment and management of pain for this client group. Pain is a subjective, complex, physiological and psychological phenomenon that can be acute or chronic and may be classified according to its cause. Within the experience of pain, the concept of total pain describes the physical, psychological, social and spiritual factors that influence the experience of pain.

Pain is a multidimensional and subjective experience, and an ideal pain management regime needs to be comprehensive, integrative and involve all relevant persons. Multimodal interventions may include pharmacological, physical, social, psychological and spiritual approaches in order to address pain management at a molecular, functional, behavioural, cognitive and affective levels. Pain management interventions will vary according to pain aetiology, patient characteristics and preferences. In keeping with best practice guidelines for effective pain management, a structured approach incorporating an effective assessment of pain by the healthcare professional, identification of the source and type of pain and accurate documentation is essential. This article focuses on pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain management for individuals with intellectual disability.

Background: The provision of high-quality palliative care is important to nursing practice. However, caring for palliative care patients and their families is challenging within a complex everchanging health environment. Nonetheless the caring, artistic role of the nurse is fundamental to the care of the patient and family. However, this role is currently being overshadowed by the technical and scientific elements of nursing. Methods: A scoping review was conducted utilising Arksey and O'Malley's framework to identify the role and contribution of nurses in caring for patients with palliative care needs. An open time period search of eight electronic databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Academic Search Complete, PsycINFO, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane Library) was conducted on the 8th of March 2023 and updated on the 30th of April 2024. Screening was performed independently by two reviewers against eligibility criteria with meetings between authors to discuss included papers and form a consensus. Data was extracted relating to palliative care nursing, methodology, key findings, and recommendations. The analysed and summarised data was mapped onto Oldland et al seven domains framework: (a) medical/nursing and technical competence, (b) person centred care, (c) positive interpersonal behaviours, (d) clinical leadership and governance, (e) promotion of safety, (f) management of the environment, and (g) evidence-based practice. Results: Fifty-five papers met the criteria for this review which describes the role and contribution of nurses in caring for palliative patients across all domains of professional practice. The review found the leading areas of nurse contribution were person centred, interpersonal and nursing care aspects, with leadership, managing the environment, patient safety and evidence-based practice evident but scoring lower. The contribution of the nurse in palliative care supports a biopsychosocial-educational approach to addressing the physical, emotional and social needs of patients with palliative care needs and their families across the care continuum. Conclusion: Nurses in palliative care engage in a wide range of roles and responsibilities in caring for patients and their families with palliative care needs. However, there remains minimal evidence on the assessment, intervention, and evaluation strategies used by nurses to highlight the importance of their role in caring for patients and their families in this area. The findings of this review suggest that the artistic element of nursing care is being diluted and further research with a focus on evidencing the professional competence and artistic role of the nurse in the provision of palliative care is required. In addition, research is recommended that will highlight the impact of this care on patient and family care outcomes and experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer affects one in nine men, so understanding patients' and their partners experiences is crucial for developing effective treatments. The purpose of this review was to synthesis and report the experiences and views of persons with prostate cancer and their partners. Methods: A qualitative evidence synthesis (QES) was conducted following the eMERGe reporting guideline. Six databases were searched for the relevant literature, and the Critical Appraisal Skills Program (CASP) tool was used for quality appraisal. Results: A total of 1372 papers were identified, and 36 met the inclusion criteria. Four themes emerged: quality of life, relationships and dynamics, treatment journey and survivorship and aftercare. Conclusions: Prostate cancer's impact on patients and partners is significant, requiring comprehensive support, holistic care, tailored assistance, and research into therapies to minimize adverse effects and address emotional distress and relationship strain. Prostate cancer treatment causes physical changes, triggering feelings of loss and grief, and affects coping mechanisms. Drawing on emotional support and education is vital for boosting confidence and resilience, as many patients and partners face fears of recurrence and lifestyle changes, highlighting the need for tailored information and presurgery support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Individuals with intellectual disability experience the same chronic diseases and conditions as the general population, but are more likely to have physical and psychological co-morbidities, resulting in a higher risk of experiencing pain and having more frequent or severe pain. Method: This position paper aims to highlight the importance of pain assessment for people with intellectual disability. Results: As people with intellectual disability live within the community and/or remain in the family home, they are accessing a wide range of healthcare services. This necessitates that nurses across all care settings are knowledgeable regarding appropriate/alternative pain assessment methods for people with intellectual disability. While many pain assessment tools are available for use with the intellectual disability population, they are often not well established or infrequently used to establish their validity. Conclusion: Although self-report is the gold standard in pain assessment, pain assessment for people with intellectual disability is often challenging as they may be unable to self-report their pain due to their levels of communication or cognitive ability. Assessment requires a combination of approaches amalgamating: pain assessment, health assessment and observation of behaviours.

The number of people with intellectual disability living into old age and developing dementia continues to increase. Dementia presents a wide range of challenges for staff due to progressive deterioration. This article presents the findings from a narrative literature review of professional caregivers' experiences of caring for individuals with intellectual disability and dementia. Seven electronic databases were searched using Boolean operators and truncation to identify relevant literature. Search results were combined and narrowed to articles relevant to staff working with individuals with intellectual disability and dementia, and 14 articles met the criteria for review. Themes outlined in the review include staff knowledge of dementia, staff training in dementia, caregiving, challenging behaviour, pain management, mealtime support and coping strategies. Overall carers must review and adjust their care delivery and support to people with intellectual disability and dementia, not only in terms of identifying and responding to their health needs but also through collaborative team working within and across services.

Healthcare delivery today reflects a history of change, which has responded to lifestyle changes, cultural diversity, population needs and expectations. In today's health-care environment it is crucial for health-care professionals to be mindful of cultural factors that affect health. These factors include the intricate interdependent biological, intellectual, psychological, social and spiritual needs of the individuals they work with. However, challenges exists for those who provide healthcare to people with intellectual disability. This article presents the transcultural care challenges for people with intellectual disability, through highlighting the biomedical/sociocultural perspectives of healthcare, communication and inequality experienced by those with intellectual disability. As a population group, people with intellectual disability can often be considered part of a larger culture rather than a culture within itself, and this article endeavours to emphasize that intellectual disability is in itself a coterminous culture. By highlighting intellectual disability as a cultural community within a larger community, requiring a transcultural response to care on several levels health-care professionals can provide culturally compatible care to those with intellectual disability within a transcultural framework to augment a person-centred approach to care.

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been felt by all groups in society and people with intellectual disability are especially vulnerable due to underlying conditions/health problems, multi-morbidity, limitations in understanding, frailty and social circumstances. This places people with intellectual disability, their families and carers at increased risk of stress and in need of support. To update and chart the evidence of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with intellectual disability, their families and carers reported within the research in 2021. A scoping review of research published in 2021 across 7 databases. 84 studies met the inclusion criteria, and the findings highlight people with intellectual disability are at a greater risk to COVID-19 health outcomes due to underlying health concerns and access issues. The effects of COVID-19 can be seen from a personal, social and health perspective for people with intellectual disability, their carers and families. However, COVID-19 did have some unanticipated benefits such as: less demand on time, greater opportunity to engage with people of value and building resilience. COVID-19 presents many challenges but for people with intellectual disability compounding existing obstacles encountered in access issues, service provision and supports available. There is a need to identify and describe the experiences of people with intellectual disability, their families and carers in the medium-long term during COVID-19. Greater supports and evidence of effective interventions to promote health, deliver services and support individual with intellectual disability is needed as there is little evidence of clinical care for people with intellectual disability during COVID-19. During pandemics the perspectives of people with intellectual disability, their carers and service providers are central to addressing systemic health care inequalities and poor-quality person-centred care. Greater collaboration is needed to learn from pandemics in terms of health and social care policy improvements. There remains a need for large scale studies that are representative of the broad spectrum of the intellectual disability population and examine Long-COVID in this group of people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palliative care services have developed over the years to support all persons with life-limiting conditions. Moreover, services for people with an intellectual disability have moved from the traditional institutional setting to supporting people with an intellectual disability to live in their own community and family home. The expansion of palliative care services and integration of people with intellectual disability into their communities has resulted in an increased demand and greater diversity in the population groups accessing palliative care services. This study aims to describe the provision of community nursing support for persons with an intellectual disability and palliative/end-of-life care needs from the perspective of community nurses. A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional survey was employed. On receipt of ethical approval, data were collected through self-reporting questionnaires and descriptive analysis was conducted to describe frequencies and to identify patterns of the respondents using SPSS version 18. Only 85 people with an intellectual disability were referred to palliative/end-of-life care services over a 3-year period. Those delivering care expressed challenges including, understanding communication styles, late referrals, lack of time, knowledge and skills. Highlighted within the study were the benefits of liaison between family and professional and nonprofessional carers. Findings provide insight into the importance of teamwork, advance planning, knowing the person and best practice in providing palliative/end-of-life care for people with intellectual disability through collaboration.

People with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are born into families and influence family functioning both positively and negatively. One of the most enduring relationships a person with ASD will have is their relationship with a brother or sister. Services for people with ASD should provide effective support to families, which include brothers, sisters, parents and broader family members and address the needs of the family as a whole in a holistic manner. This article outlines one sister's experience and reflections of growing up with her brother who has ASD. The article gives a voice to a sibling's experience and highlights the importance of brothers and sisters as part of the family unit in assisting parents.