Hu li za zhi The journal of nursing
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Effective oral care improves patient comfort and prevents oral infection. While common in general nursing practice, administering oral care to intubated patients is particularly challenging. ⋯ Study findings showed that ICU nurses did not follow procedures and steps recommended by current evidence-based practice (e.g., brushing the teeth and gums; positioning patients in a side or semi- / high-fowlers position when providing oral care to intubated patients). ICUs must establish policies and procedures for oral care of intubated patients that reflect patient characteristics. Furthermore, ICUs should provide oral care related on-the-job training and education in order to improve the quality of oral care administered to critical care patients.
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This paper reports on a nurse's experience helping alleviate psychosomatic symptoms in a psychiatric outpatient suffering from depression. It was found that the OPD patient had been suffering from depression as well as long-time tension and pain. Between April 10th and July 24th, 2008, the author employed holistic nursing assessment and collected data through both observation and interview. ⋯ Furthermore, the patient not only became gradually aware of both the inner feeling of relaxation and etiology of psychosomatic symptoms, but also learned relaxation strategies for coping with life stressors. After therapy, the patient's self-control over relaxation had improved considerably and care problems were resolved satisfactorily. Also, the patient could increasingly incorporate relaxation into daily life routines.
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Feminist and gender mainstreaming perspectives can help expand consideration of women's health and preventive healthcare beyond maternal and reproductive care to encompass the multiple roles and life span experiences of women. Such a shift may encourage the adoption by nursing professionals of broader viewpoints that address contemporary women's health priorities and facilitate the delivery of more appropriate preventive healthcare. ⋯ Based on the Women's Health Policy White Paper proposed by Taiwan's Department of Health, when working with female clients, nurses should play multiple roles that include healthcare provider, information provider, educator, advocate, consultant and researcher. Strategies that may be employed to achieve these roles include: (1) Adjusting perceptions toward traditional reproduction; (2) Providing correct and sufficient medical information; (3) Considering possible adverse effects of medical interventions on women; (4) Considering the healthcare system as a probable stressor for women; (5) Considering women's medical environment and space; (6) Exploring the relationship between socio-culture and women's preventive healthcare and (7) Recruiting women as major subjects in healthcare research.