bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Staff opinions about the components of a good death in long-term care
Authors: Gibson Maggie C , Gutmanis Iris , Clarke Heather , Wiltshire Deb , Feron Andrew , Gorman Eunice 
Published: May 2014

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify differences of opinion about the relative importance of different components of a good death among care providers in a long-term care home serving Canadian war veterans. Methods: The Concept of a Good Death scale (Swartz et al, 2003), with slight adaptations to fit the long-term care context, was made available to all staff. Responses were accepted for a one-month period. Findings: Survey return rate was 30.4%. There was a majority (greater than 50%) opinion that 12 of the 20 items were essential or important to a good death, and that three items were not necessary: ‘that death is sudden and unexpected’ (64.5%), ‘that there be control of bodily functions to the end’ (61.8%) and ‘that there be mental alertness to the end’ (55.3%). There was not a majority opinion on the five remaining items: ‘that the dying period be short’, ‘that death occurs naturally without technical equipment’, ‘that the person lived until a key event’, ‘that the ability to communicate be present until death’, and ‘that death occurs during sleep’. Conclusions: Detailed analysis of survey results identified differences of opinion that could have implications for consistency and quality of care. The findings suggest ways in which the unique characteristics of the long-term care environment and population influence opinions about the components of a good death.
Learning from each other: cross-cultural insights on palliative care in Indian and Australian regions
Authors: McGrath Pam , Holewa Hamish , Koilparampil Thomas , Koshy Cherian , George Shobha 
Published: May 2014

This article presents the findings of a cross-cultural research project that explored similarities and differences between palliative care service provision in Kerala, India and South-East Queensland, Australia, to inform a process of mutual learning for service development. Three major points of difference that can inform this process of mutual learning were identified: 1) an understanding of the significance of honesty in information-giving to the patient, 2) recognition of the importance of palliative care specialists providing education to mainstream health professionals, and 3) appreciation of the need for palliative care to be cognizant of the socio-economic impact of dying-especially for families experiencing poverty-by embracing strategies for financial and material support. The findings highlight the effectiveness of a cross-cultural collaboration between health professionals and researchers in South-East Queensland, Australia and Kerala, India.
Evaluation of the Dignity Care Pathway for community nurses caring for people at the end of life
Authors: Johnston Bridget , Östlund Ulrika , Brown Hilary 
Published: May 2014

Background: People nearing the end of life fear loss of dignity, and a central tenet of palliative care is to help people die with dignity. The Dignity Care Pathway (DCP) is an intervention based on the Chochinov theoretical model of dignity care. It has four sections: a manual, a Patient Dignity Inventory, reflective questions, and care actions. Method: The feasibility and acceptability of the DCP were evaluated using a qualitative design with a purposive sample of community nurses. Data was collected from April to October 2010 using in-depth interviews, reflective diaries, and case studies and then analysed using framework analysis. Results: The DCP was acceptable to the community nurses, helped them identify when patients were at the end of life, identified patients' key concerns, and aided nurses in providing holistic end-of-life care. It requires the nurse to have excellent communication skills. Some of the nurses found it hard to initiate a conversation on dignity-conserving care. Conclusion: The DCP helps nurses to deliver individualised care and psychological care, which has previously been identified as a difficult area for community nurses. All of the nurses wished to continue to use the DCP and would recommend it to others.
Is work stress in palliative care nurses a cause for concern? A literature review
Authors: Peters Louise , Cant Robyn , Sellick Kenneth , O’Connor Margaret , Lee Susan , Burney Sue , Karimi Leila 
Published: May 2014

Palliative care nurses are at risk of work stress because their role involves exposure to frequent deaths and family grieving. Little is known about their degree of stress or whether they suffer stress or burnout more than nurses in other disciplines. Aim: The aim of this paper is to critically examine the current literature concerning stress and burnout in palliative care nurses. Results: Sixteen papers were included in the review. Although work demands were a common cause of stress in the studies reported, there was no strong evidence that palliative care or hospice nurses experienced higher levels of stress than nurses in other disciplines. Common causes of stress were the work environment, role conflict, and issues with patients and their families. Constructive coping styles appeared to help nurses to manage stress. Conclusion: Managers have a key role in providing education and training for palliative care nurses to support their personal development and to help reduce vulnerability to and the impact of stress in the workplace.
Discussing preferred place of death with patients: staff experiences in a UK specialist palliative care setting
Authors: Fields Anna , Finucane Anne M , Oxenham David 
Published: May 2014

Background: National end-of-life care policies propose that health professionals regularly discuss matters such as preferred place of death (PPD) with patients. Aim: To explore clinician experiences of discussing PPD with palliative care patients. Method: Six clinicians from a Scottish hospice each participated in a semi-structured interview. Interview data was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Results: Four themes were integral to the participants’ accounts: the importance of discussing preferences at the end of life (staff recognise the value of discussing patients’ final wishes), identifying how and when to discuss PPD (discussions are tailored to the individual), reflecting on the emotional aspects of discussing PPD (discussing PPD is challenging but rewarding), and a journey from expectations to experience (discussing PPD becomes easier with time). Conclusion: Although potentially difficult, the participants believed that advance care planning is important and beneficial. With time, they had developed communication strategies enabling them to discuss PPD in an effective, patient-centred way.
Swedish nursing students' reasoning about emotionally demanding issues in caring for dying patients
Authors: Strang Susann , Bergh Ingrid , Ek Kristina , Hammarlund Kina , Westin Lars , Prahl Charlotte , Österlind Jane , Henoch Ingela 
Published: May 2014

Aim: To describe nursing students' reasoning about emotionally demanding questions concerning the care of dying patients. Methods: The Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying (FATCOD) Scale was completed by students at the beginning of their education, and there was great variation in the responses to five items. At a follow-up measurement in the second year, an open-ended question, ‘How did you reason when completing this question?’, was added to each of the these five items. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyse the responses. Results: Of 140 students who completed the FATCOD, 111 provided free-text responses. The analysis of these responses revealed three themes: death perceptions, the students' understanding of their current situation, and the nurse's responsibility. Conclusion: This study provides useful information on students' reasoning about emotionally demanding questions relating to the care of dying patients. Such knowledge is valuable in helping students to overcome their fear and fulfil their expectations concerning their future proficiency.
Effect of training on health and functional status in older adults with intellectual disability
Authors: Carmeli Eli , Merrick Joav , Berner Yitshal N 
Published: May 2014

Policy makers and the welfare system need to respond to the unique needs and expectations of ageing people with a lifelong intellectual disability (ID). Lack of physical activity, along with functional decline, may result in falls – yet little attention has been paid to the balance capability of older adults with ID. A total of 27 participants, chosen from a sample of foster home residents in Haifa, Israel, were assigned to two groups for this study: group A underwent a 6-month balance training programme and group B underwent a 6-month muscle strengthening programme. The evaluation procedures included the short-form health survey questionnaire, a physical performance test and a functional reach test. The results showed improvements in function between baseline tests and post-training programme tests in both groups, yet group A demonstrated a more significant improvement in balance capability and general health.
Screening long-stay psychiatric patients for risk factors for coronary heart disease
Authors: Haw Camilla , Merriman Sheila , Kirk Judy , Stubbs Jean 
Published: May 2014

The aim of this study was to screen long-stay psychiatric patients for risk factors for coronary heart disease. Participants were interviewed individually and had anthropometric and physiological measurements and blood samples taken.Of the 64 participants, 21 (33%) were overweight and a further 25 (39%) obese. Of those interviewed (n=47), 34 (72%) were current smokers. In total, 44% of those sampled (n=57) had a raised screening blood pressure, 9% of those sampled (n=34) had an elevated serum cholesterol and in 17% of those sampled (n=53), electrocardiogram abnormalities consistent with coronary heart disease or hypertension were present. Risk factors for coronary heart disease were more common in this population of chronically and severely mentally ill inpatients than in the general population. These patients need careful ongoing monitoring and measures aimed at coronary heart disease risk reduction.
Using a complexity model of human behaviour to help interprofessional clinical reasoning
Authors: Stephenson Richard C 
Published: May 2014

Within health settings, there is increasing recognition that interprofessional education and practice are essential components of effective therapy and rehabilitation. Interprofessional clinical reasoning, using cognitive mapping, has previously been promoted as a means of exploring theory and practice. However, this may be confounded by adherence to traditional professional models that conceptualize behaviour in mutually exclusive ways.This article offers complexity theory as an appropriate model for understanding client behaviour and for solving a problem. Behaviour is the result of weighted influences, where the weighting is variable depending on experience and the success of previous behaviours. No assumed priority is given to any aspect of behaviour and interprofessional reasoning is explored as each profession makes explicit the knowledge and practice base used to understand the weighting of each influence. All evidence can be considered, embracing different research models and professional reasoning, promoting reasoning based on the strength of evidence without an assumed hierarchy of information.
Bathing and showering equipment for children: A guide
Authors: Hong Chia Swee , Wheble Jane , Jarvis Sue 
Published: May 2014

Bathing is a pleasant experience for most children. Supportive equipment is needed for some children with disabilities to enable them to be more independent with bathing. Careful assessment is essential to ensure the provision of the most appropriate bathing and showering equipment. There is a range of bathing and showering equipment available to meet the needs of most children with disabilities. This article explores the basic process in assessing a child for appropriate equipment and provides an overview of some of the available bathing and showering equipment.
The Ibis XP tilt-in-space powered wheelchair: A review
Authors: Collins Fiona 
Published: May 2014

Trying to find the most appropriate wheelchair to meet the individual needs of a large and often diverse client group can be a challenge for therapists. This is particularly so in the case of wheelchair users whose functional ability and sitting stability deteriorates over a period of time. Continuing to meet a changing need can be time consuming and expensive. As a result, the client may have to wait some time before his or her needs are met, particularly if funding is limited or if therapists are scarce on the ground. Consequently, a ‘catch up’ becomes the order of the day: the client's condition changes, the therapist visits, modifications are agreed, but by the time they are implemented they are no longer appropriate for the client, whose needs have further deteriorated. Fundamentally, many clients therefore never have their needs met adequately.A number of factors need to be considered when prescribing suitable wheelchairs, such as the diagnosis or disability of the user, his/her projected long-term needs, functional ability, size and sitting ability. The Ibis XP from Movingpeople.net is a compact powered tilt-in-space wheelchair that is multi-adjustable – an endless range of combinations, all from one frame size. In addition to the single frame design, a range of accessories can be purchased either at the time of the prescription or subsequently, in order to customize the chair to the needs of the user as and when these change.
Do patients' expectations of physiotherapy affect treatment outcome? Part 2: Survey results
Authors: Metcalfe Caroline J , Klaber Moffett Jennifer A 
Published: May 2014

The literature suggests that patients' expectations of benefit can affect the outcome of health, although little research of this subject in physiotherapy has been carried out. Previous research has found that there are many pre-treatment variables that may confound the effect that expectations have on the outcome of treatment. This article examines the relationship between patients' expectations of benefit and the outcome of physiotherapy. Before-and-after postal questionnaire surveys were completed by 285 patients referred for musculoskeletal outpatient physiotherapy for a peripheral joint problem. The results showed that higher expectations of benefit were related to greater change in functional disability and health status, and more perceived improvement. Other variables of importance were age and baseline functional disability. This research suggests that the strength of patients' expectations of benefit is related to the outcome of physiotherapy. Physiotherapists may be able enhance treatment outcome by raising expectations. However, further research is needed to determine whether, and by what means, patients' expectations can be altered to improve the outcome of physiotherapy.
Horsemastership part 2: Physical, psychological, educational and social benefits
Authors: Young Rhona Lee , Bracher Maggie 
Published: May 2014

The therapeutic benefits of the horse to humans have existed for years. Although early findings on the benefits of the horse as a therapeutic medium exist, the first scientific inquiry into the therapeutic usefulness of the horse did not take place until the mid-19th century. Even today, the literature existing on the benefits of horsemastership is lacking. In a previous article, the components of horsemastership were discussed from a therapeutic perspective and the skills and knowledge of the occupational therapist were applied to highlight the potential the occupational therapy profession has to offer this developing field. In this article, the benefits of horsemastership as a therapeutic medium will be discussed and related to the practice of the Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy. The contraindications and precautions of horsemastership are also highlighted and discussed.
Living with Parkinson's disease: The carer's perspective
Authors: Mott Sarah , Kenrick Marita , Dixon Miriam , Bird Graham 
Published: May 2014

The objective of this study was to explore the experience of caring for a person with Parkinson's disease. The study looked at health and psychosocial outcomes of caring and access to and perceived understanding of health professionals and support services.A 34-item survey was administered to a convenience sample of carers of people with Parkinson's disease obtained through Parkinson's New South Wales Inc., an Australian state-based non-profit community organization. In total, 303 responses were received from primary caregivers. Female carers reported higher levels of psychosocial sequelae as a result of caring for a person with Parkinson's disease than male respondents. Despite a range of support services available, carers did not widely avail themselves of these.In conclusion, caring for a person with Parkinson's disease is a complex undertaking. While the person with Parkinson's disease requires ongoing support, the needs of the carer must not be underestimated or ignored.
Development of a patient handling assessment tool
Authors: Hignett Sue , Crumpton Emma 
Published: May 2014

This article describes the development and validation of the Patient Handling Organizational Question Set (PHOQS). A safety culture framework for patient handling was recommended by the Royal College of Nursing after a consultation process with a wide range of stakeholders. The recommendations are provided as three levels of competency for back care advisors, manual handling supervisors (such as ward managers) and individual nurses. The PHOQS was developed in consultation with health and safety executive inspectors as an audit tool. In total, 16 health-care organizations participated in the validation process by providing documentary evidence and observational and interview data. The findings from the project suggest that competency-based training does influence the safety culture (physical and cognitive) behaviour of nurses in patient handling tasks.
Using mastery learning to develop patient handling skills in occupational therapy students
Authors: Wise Marina , Iris Vardi 
Published: May 2014

Allied health educators have a responsibility to produce graduates who possess the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to perform core clinical skills. The patient handling skills of occupational therapy students have been questioned by some occupational therapy practitioners and in response, a teaching method based on mastery learning was trialed and evaluated, with the aim of improving this set of core clinical skills. Using the mastery learning approach, students were required to work in groups under the guidance of their tutor to develop skills in 20 selected patient handling tasks. Students were examined against set criteria for each patient handling task assessed. Upon completion of the study, students participated in a focus group and provided feedback about their learning experience to an educational consultant via a questionnaire. The results showed that the mastery learning approach, as practised in this unit of study, was successful in facilitating the students' achievement of the educational outcomes related to patient handling.
Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy and osteoarthritis of the knee: Synthesis of the literature
Authors: Marks R , van Nguyen J 
Published: May 2014

Knee joint osteoarthritis is a painful disorder, often resulting in progressive functional impairment and disability. One modality used in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis is pulsed electromagnetic field therapy. This article examines the evidence base that details the rationale for and the outcomes of applying pulsed electromagnetic fields to the osteoarthritic knee joint.The related English language literature was reviewed to examine whether pulsed electromagnetic fields applied to an osteoarthritic knee joint are likely to be efficacious, and if so why. Although limitations to the published literature on this topic exist, the available basic and seven randomized clinical research studies in this field support the value of continuing to explore the potential of applying pulsed electromagnetic fields to ameliorate pain and dysfunction associated with the osteoarthritic knee joint.Further clinical research to validate the use of pulsed electromagnetic fields in lessening osteoarthritic knee joint pain and facilitating function and joint repair is indicated.
Evaluation of a moulded handle walking aid for older people with non-arthritic hands
Authors: Marston Adrian , Brookes Elaine 
Published: May 2014

This study aims to assesses whether the use of an ergonomic moulded handle stick can have a holistic effect on the health and lifestyle of an older person with non-arthritic hands. Moulded handles are ergonomically designed for comfort and allow the pressure to be spread evenly across the palm of the hand. The authors also aim to provide evidence for issuing or not issuing a moulded handle stick, rather than a conventional stick, for those therapists who wish to take a patient-centred approach and move away from the traditional practice of prescribing a walking aid solely based on the patient's physical ondition. A convenience sample of six volunteers was used, all conventional stick users of more than 3 months (mean age 81 years). Participants were individually taught how to use their new moulded handle stick. The evaluation period was approximately 2 weeks, after which recorded face-to-face individual semi-structured interviews took place. Analysis from the interview transcripts revealed a core variable of self-efficacy, with significant improvement in confidence and a reduced fear of falling during ambulation. This study provides evidence to suggest there are holistic health benefits, associated with increased self-efficacy during mobility, in issuing moulded handle sticks to older patients with non-arthritic hands. Further research of a quantitative nature is needed to infer statistical significance.
Changing practice speciality in occupational therapy: Exploring the experience. Part one
Authors: Richardson Jennifer , Rugg Sue 
Published: May 2014

Official sources report an ongoing shortage of occupational therapists in the UK. Despite this, the career behaviours of senior occupational therapists have gone largely un-researched to date. This twopart article explores one aspect of this field; namely such therapists' experience of changing practice specialities. Having used this process as a retention strategy earlier in her career, the first author questioned whether other occupational therapists were acting in the same way. In this, the first part of this article, the authors outline the background to this area, exploring research on practice speciality choice, career transition, retention and attrition in a variety of healthcare disciplines, including occupational therapy. This material shows that, while individuals' experience of changing practice speciality necessarily varies, the reasons given are broadly personal, professional and/or organizational in nature. The authors used the material reviewed as the basis for an interview-based qualitative study of 10 senior I/II occupational therapists who had changed practice specialities within the previous decade. The methods used to explore this area, the findings from the study conducted and the implications of these results for occupational therapy practice, are detailed in part two of this article.