International nursing review
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Review
Protecting patients, protecting healthcare workers: a review of the role of influenza vaccination.
Many health authorities recommend routine influenza vaccination for healthcare workers (HCWs), and during the 2009 A (H1N1) pandemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended immunization of all HCWs worldwide. As this remains an important area of policy debate, this paper examines the case for vaccination, the role of local guidelines, barriers to immunization and initiatives to increase uptake. ⋯ Many countries recommend HCW vaccination against influenza. In recent years, there has been an increased uptake rate among HCWs in some countries, but not in others. Several initiatives can increase coverage, including education, easy access to free vaccines and the use of formal declination forms. The case for HCW vaccination is clear, and in an effort to further accelerate uptake as a patient safety measure, an increasing number of healthcare organizations, particularly in the USA, are implementing mandatory immunization policies, similar to other obligatory hygiene measures. However, it would be desirable if similar high vaccination uptake rates could be achieved through voluntary procedures.
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To test the reliability and validity of the Turkish version of the Stroke-Specific Quality of Life Scale (SS-QOL). ⋯ SS-QOL is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring self-reported health-related quality of life at group level among people with stroke who are diagnosed with stroke at least 6 months previously in the Turkish population.
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Physiological instability leading to clinical deterioration often precedes cardiopulmonary arrest. Nurses, who have the most frequent patient contact and responsibility for ongoing monitoring of patients, play a crucial role in recognizing and responding to clinical deterioration. The importance of education in supporting such a role has been addressed in numerous studies. ⋯ The review has highlighted important aspects of patient safety in clinical deterioration that could be further addressed by educational strategies targeting the role of ward nurses. These strategies include: utilizing clinical decision-making models to develop nurses' decision making skills; developing a standardized tool for systematic nursing assessment and management of clinical deterioration; incorporating training in clinical deterioration as a core competence of pre-registered nursing education; providing vital signs training to nursing assistants; and conducting more rigorous studies to evaluate the effectiveness of the educational programmes.
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To assess the breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes and perceived adequacy of breastfeeding education among baccalaureate nursing students in Cairo, Egypt. Self-confidence to provide breastfeeding support for mothers was also investigated. ⋯ Results revealed weak breastfeeding knowledge scores among students and neutral breastfeeding attitudes. Strategies to improve breastfeeding education in nursing curriculum focusing on breastfeeding management skills are warranted.
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Nurses working in emergency departments (EDs) are in the most danger of workplace violence (WPV) because of the critical nature of the wards. ⋯ It is believed that finding the pattern and nature of WPV is the first step to develop suitable strategies to deal with the issue. Establishing WPV management teams and enacting appropriate laws can improve workplace safety for nurses and patients' care quality.