The study aimed to explore the lived experiences of married dialysis patients on the national organ waiting list, focusing on the interplay between illness, familial roles, and societal norms. This research is a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews and participant observation. The study involved 23 marriage-experienced hemodialysis-dependent patients (13 women, 10 men) on the national organ waiting list, recruited between August 16 and November 11, 2022. Data were collected through interviews and observations and were analyzed thematically to identify recurring patterns. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) poses significant physical, psychological, and social burdens, particularly for hemodialysis-dependent patients. Five main themes emerged from this study: (1) When Care Becomes a Test, (2) Dealing with Social Isolation, (3) Sacrifices to Sustain the Marriage, (4) Uninvited voices, (5) Resentful but Thankful. These findings highlight the need for family-centered care that considers diverse family structures and social contexts, while also demonstrating the impact of prolonged hemodialysis (HD) and marital strain on emotional and sexual intimacy.
This study developed an evidence-based nursing protocol for semi-implantable IDDS and evaluated its effectiveness in managing refractory cancer pain to standardize practice. Using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) evidence translation model, 34 best-evidence statements were synthesized from literature (2015-2025) to construct a perioperative nursing protocol. This protocol was implemented in 32 patients (post-implementation group) and compared to 31 pre-implementation patients. Clinical outcomes, including analgesic effectiveness and adverse events, were evaluated, demonstrating the protocol's impact on improving patient care. The evidence-based protocol significantly improved pain relief rates and patient satisfaction (p < 0.05). Overall adverse events, including infections, were reduced (p < 0.05). Compliance with all 12 nursing quality indicators improved, especially home care education (p < 0.001). Nursing staff also demonstrated significant gains in IDDS knowledge, attitudes, practices, and dressing-change performance (p < 0.001). An evidence-based nursing protocol for semi-implantable IDDS in refractory cancer pain improved pain control, implementation of this evidence-based nursing protocol was associated with better pain control, fewer device-related adverse events and higher patient satisfaction, which supports its feasibility for wider clinical practice.
Socially assistive robots (SARs) show potential to alleviate loneliness among older adults but raise ethical risks regarding emotional attachment. While existing studies largely focus on normative frameworks, empirical insights into older adults' subjective experiences in specific cultural settings remain limited. Grounded in China's care realities, this qualitative study explored older adults' anticipated emotional attachment to SARs and the associated ethical concerns through semi-structured, scenario-based interviews. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: (1) anticipated and imagined emotional attachment to SARs; (2) perceived catalysts of anticipated emotional attachment, driven by loneliness, limited family support, and the projection of human-like qualities; and (3) anticipated consequences of emotional attachment, including expected emotional support alongside concerns about family ties and autonomy. Chinese older adults expressed ambivalent expectations regarding emotional attachment to SARs. Their accounts reflected unmet emotional and caregiving needs within family-based care norms while raising concerns about intergenerational relationships and autonomy. Future SAR implementation should ensure that robots complement rather than replace human care and preserve relational autonomy.
Adolescent e-cigarette use is increasing worldwide and is associated with other health risk behaviors and mental health problems with gender differences. This study examined gender-specific factors associated with suicidal ideation among Korean adolescents with e-cigarette experience. Using data from the 2024 Korean Adolescent Health Behavior Survey, we analyzed 3863 adolescents (2510 boys and 1353 girls) with e-cigarette experience. Complex sample logistic regression analysis was applied to identify factors associated with suicidal ideation. For both genders, habitual and intentional drug use and hospitalization due to violence were significantly associated with higher odds of suicidal ideation. Among girls, cigarette smoking was significantly associated with suicidal ideation, whereas among boys, alcohol consumption showed only a marginal association before Bonferroni correction. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the associations between health risk behaviors and suicidal ideation among adolescents with e-cigarette experience. The findings highlight the need for gender-sensitive suicide prevention strategies for adolescent e-cigarette users.
This scoping review follows the Arksey and O'Malley five-stage framework: (1) identifying research questions, (2) identifying relevant studies, (3) selecting studies, (4) extracting, mapping, and charting data, and (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting findings. The review seeks to identify the extent and type of literature and gain insights into nurses' and nursing students' experiences with using Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI). A comprehensive search was conducted across five databases. The search was limited to studies published between January 2020 and July 2025. The systematic screening process identified 20 papers for inclusion in this review. Nurses' experiences with GenAI were mainly positive, while nursing students had mixed perceptions, though mostly positive. Thematic analysis revealed that various factors underpinning their attitudinal, normative, and control beliefs are critical determinants of nurses' and students' overall experiences with GenAI and their intentions to use GenAI technologies. An overarching analysis using the theory of planned behavior mapped these factors and experiences, yielding predictions of behavioral intentions and actions regarding GenAI use. Nurse leaders are vital in shaping institutional policies and ethical guidelines to encourage responsible use of GenAI.
Self-compassion is a core professional value in nursing and is positively associated with nursing students' psychological well-being, academic performance, and caring behaviors. However, heterogeneity and influencing factors in self-compassion among nursing undergraduates remain underexplored. This cross-sectional study investigated latent profiles of self-compassion and their associated factors among Chinese undergraduate nursing students. A total of 2004 participants completed a sociodemographic questionnaire and the self-compassion scale-short form. Latent profile analysis identified three distinct self-compassion profiles: medium self-compassion (42.71%), high self-compassion (30.59%), and an imbalanced profile characterized by higher positive self-compassion but lower reverse-scored negative self-compassion (26.70%). Multinomial logistic regression showed that gender, academic grade, professional attitude, and whether nursing was the first-choice major were significant predictors of profile membership. These findings highlight substantial heterogeneity in self-compassion among nursing undergraduates, with most students demonstrating moderate levels and potential for improvement. Tailored educational and psychological interventions based on self-compassion profiles may help enhance nursing students' self-compassion, professional identity, and mental well-being.
This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt the Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale for Medical Students into Korean and to examine its validity and reliability among nursing students. The scale designed in this methodological and cross-sectional study was translated and adapted using standard procedures and validated with 317 nursing students in South Korea. Experts reviewed the content validity. Structural validity was examined through exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses. Construct validity was evaluated through hypothesis testing using an external criterion measure. Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha and the split-half method. The final Korean version of the Medical Artificial Intelligence Readiness Scale (K-MAIRS) comprised 15 items across four factors-cognition, ability, vision, and ethics-explaining 66.88% of the variance. The K-MAIRS can be a valid and reliable instrument for assessing artificial intelligence readiness among Korean nursing students. This instrument supports global initiatives to incorporate artificial intelligence competencies into nursing education using culturally tailored assessment tools. It also supports educators and institutions in designing targeted strategies for artificial intelligence education within nursing curricula that enhance nurses' preparedness in artificial intelligence-driven healthcare environments.
This study aims to examine the relationship between symptom clusters (depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and pain) and frailty in older adults, with a specific focus on mediation and moderation effects. Data from two cross-sectional studies in Changsha and Hong Kong were analyzed, including nursing home residents without cancer and older adults with cancer. Study-stratified analyses were conducted in SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS, with adjustment for available covariates. Mediation tested whether sleep disturbances were indirectly associated with depressive symptoms and frailty, and moderated mediation examined whether pain severity or interference conditioned the association between depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances. In both groups, frailty, depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and pain were significantly associated. Sleep disturbances showed a significant indirect association between depressive symptoms and frailty in both groups. Pain interference, but not pain severity, moderated the association between depressive symptoms and sleep disturbances only among older adults without cancer. The findings highlight the importance of assessing and managing depressive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and pain-related interference when addressing frailty in older adults, particularly among those without cancer.
ABSTRACT This editorial article is driven by the 2026 International Nurses Day celebration theme: “Our Nurses. Our Future. Empowering Nurses Saves Lives.” It describes aspects of nurse empowerment and pushes the concept to go beyond a discussion agenda, calling for practical actions from stakeholders.
This study aimed to investigate the effects of WeChat-based multidisciplinary team care (WMDT) in patients with ischemic stroke. Patients with ischemic stroke who received WMDT care (N = 89) or routine care (N = 102) were consecutively included in this prospective cohort study. The modified Rankin scale (mRS), Barthel index, EuroQol Five-Dimensions 3-Level Questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L), and patient satisfaction were evaluated at weeks 0 (at discharge), 4, and 8. The mRS score (1.6 ± 1.0 vs. 1.9 ± 1.1, p = 0.060) and percentage of patients with an mRS score > 2 (19.8% vs. 29.5%, p = 0.131) both tended to be lower in the WMDT care group than in the routine care group at week 8. The Barthel index was significantly greater (62.6 ± 13.9 vs. 57.2 ± 13.5, p = 0.009), but the EQ-5D-3L score was significantly lower (7.9 ± 1.6 vs. 8.5 ± 1.8, p = 0.022) in the WMDT care group than in the routine care group at week 8. In addition, the overall satisfaction rate was significantly greater in the WMDT care group than in the routine care group (83.7% vs. 70.5%, p = 0.036). WMDT care demonstrates potential benefits in functional recovery and significantly improves quality of life and patient satisfaction in patients with ischemic stroke.
Key Points Operating room nurses' moral distress during DBD organ retrieval may be shaped not only by dignity‐related concerns, but also by uncertainty surrounding death determination by neurologic criteria. Clear pre‐retrieval communication about the completion and meaning of death determination may help nurses reconcile neurologic death with ongoing somatic signs such as warmth, heartbeat, and ventilator‐supported movement. Future research should examine how nurses understand death determination, how this information is communicated within operative teams, and how these factors influence ethical and emotional responses. Dignity‐preserving donor care, structured preoperative briefing, and post‐case debriefing may together provide more comprehensive support for nurses involved in DBD organ retrieval.
Research on professional identity and its associated factors among nursing interns remains limited, particularly in the Palestinian context. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the relationship between self-efficacy, emotional intelligence, and professional identity among Palestinian intern nursing students in the West Bank. A cross-sectional design was employed. A convenience sample of 201 intern nursing students was recruited between April and May 2025. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that included the New General Self-Efficacy Scale (NGSE), the Wong and Law Emotional Intelligence Scale (WLEIS), and the Professional Identity Scale for Nursing Students (PISNS). The results found that participants reported low levels of self-efficacy (M = 14.65, SD = 3.84), emotional intelligence (M = 2.43, SD = 0.56), and professional identity (M = 31.14, SD = 7.49). Professional identity was positively correlated with self-efficacy (r = 0.410, p < 0.001) and emotional intelligence (r = 0.477, p < 0.01). Both variables may contribute to professional identity. In conclusion, self-efficacy and emotional intelligence were positively associated with professional identity. However, causal inferences cannot be established due to the cross-sectional design. Longitudinal and experimental studies are needed before recommending targeted intervention programs.
Disaster response in neonatal intensive care units is particularly complex because care continuity depends on coordinated teamwork, stable infrastructure, and technology-dependent support for highly vulnerable infants. However, qualitative evidence on how nurses experience disaster response in these settings remains limited, especially in the context of the 2023 Türkiye-Syria earthquakes. This study explored how nurses working in neonatal intensive care units experienced disaster response during the earthquakes. Data were collected through semistructured in-depth interviews with 21 nurses and analyzed using descriptive phenomenological analysis. Participants described disaster response not only as a clinical emergency but also as a disruption of the systems supporting coordination, safe neonatal care, and practical preparedness. They reported breakdowns in communication and role clarity, fragility in care when electricity, oxygen delivery, monitoring systems, evacuation planning, and essential supplies became unstable, and a clear gap between general disaster education and unit-specific readiness. Overall, the findings highlight the need for neonatal intensive care-specific disaster preparedness.
To identify factors influencing recurrent readmission in patients diagnosed with Venous thromboembolism (VTE) who underwent interventional or surgical procedures and propose an evidence-based nursing strategy. This retrospective cohort study included 121 patients with VTE admitted to Shanxi Bethune Hospital (February 2022-February 2025). Patients were divided into recurrence and non-recurrence groups based on readmission. Independent predictors were identified using logistic regression. Model performance was assessed by ROC curves, nomograms, and calibration plots. Recurrent readmission occurred in 24 patients (19.83%). Independent predictors included BMI (OR = 1.625), NT-proBNP (OR = 1.014), factor VIII (OR = 1.032), MMAS-8 (OR = 0.587), and AHSMSRS scores (OR = 0.950). The combined model showed excellent predictive accuracy (AUC = 0.849; 95% CI: 0.767-0.930), with good calibration. Elevated BMI, NT-proBNP, and factor VIII, along with poor medication adherence and self-management, predict VTE recurrence. Early identification and targeted nursing interventions may reduce readmission rates.
