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Frontiers in Medicine 2024The aim of this study is to determine the steps of a training program utilizing Head-Mounted Display (HMD) based Virtual Reality Technology to enhance nursing students'...
Designing and implementing a training program on surgical hand scrubbing, wearing surgical cap and surgical mask, gowning, and gloving using HMD-based virtual reality technologies for nursing students: an exploration of student perceptions.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to determine the steps of a training program utilizing Head-Mounted Display (HMD) based Virtual Reality Technology to enhance nursing students' skills in surgical hand scrubbing, wearing surgical cap and surgical mask, gowning and gloving, and to evaluate students' perceptions toward the program.
METHODS
The study aimed to investigate the potential applications of HMD-Based Virtual Reality Technology in Surgical Hand Scrubbing, Wearing Surgical Cap and Surgical Mask, Gowning and Gloving Program for nursing students, as well as students' perceptions toward this technology. The research was conducted with a focus group consisting of second-year nursing students in Osmaniye/Turkey, between January and June 2022, and the training program was implemented in five stages: Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, and Evaluation. The program was evaluated with a focus group of nursing students. Focus group discussions were conducted to provide insights into students' experiences, feedback, and perceptions of the program.
RESULTS
A vast majority of participants (92.5%) reported feeling fully immersed in the operating room environment during the virtual reality (VR) experience. Notably, all students acknowledged the potential of HMD-Based Virtual Reality Technology to enrich their understanding of surgical hand scrubbing, wearing surgical cap and surgical mask, gowning and gloving procedures, surpassing conventional instructional models. While many participants found the experience exhilarating (85.1%), a considerable portion reported a decline in engagement after repeated exposures (88.8%). Overall, participants welcomed the integration of VR technology into education, expressing optimism about its capacity to facilitate additional instructional modules (74.4%). Moreover, they conveyed satisfaction with the opportunity to engage with the VR application, emphasizing its significant educational value (81.4%).
CONCLUSION
Based on these findings, we can suggest that virtual reality technology has the potential to have an impact on nursing students' education. The majority of students expressing a sense of presence in the operating room highlights the value of this method in education. However, the reported boredom after repeated experiences by most participants underscores the importance of diversifying the program and introducing innovative approaches to keep students engaged.
PubMed: 38933115
DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1364465 -
International Journal of Environmental... Jun 2024In contrast to conventional definitions, the contemporary conceptualization of adulthood emphasizes psychological characteristics over sociodemographic milestones. At...
BACKGROUND
In contrast to conventional definitions, the contemporary conceptualization of adulthood emphasizes psychological characteristics over sociodemographic milestones. At the same time, an increasing number of theorists propose that the way individuals view adulthood may have a significant impact on the mental health of both adolescents and adults. However, empirical examination of this hypothesis has been notably limited to date. The aim of this study is to explore the association between individuals' perceptions of adulthood and multiple dimensions of mental health.
METHOD
This study applied some adulthood markers and multiple mental health indexes (including well-being, optimism, Alexithymia, satisfaction with life, Goldberg's index of mental health, the dark triad, and dimensional personality disorders) to a community sample comprising 1772 individuals in Spain, spanning ages from 16 to 93 years.
RESULTS
The findings support the overarching hypothesis, as perceptions of adulthood display strong correlations with nearly every assessed index of mental health, particularly those that comprise a dimension of negative emotions. These associations persist even after accounting for age and socio-economic status, and in alignment with the psychological paradigm of adulthood, they show a notable consistency across various age groups.
CONCLUSIONS
This study establishes that such perceptions of adulthood represent a modifiable factor contributing to positive mental health. The implications of these findings for the formulation of public policies aimed at promoting mental health in the context of adulthood, as well as a number of future studies, are deliberated.
Topics: Humans; Adult; Mental Health; Adolescent; Middle Aged; Aged; Young Adult; Female; Male; Spain; Aged, 80 and over; Perception; Personal Satisfaction
PubMed: 38929019
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21060773 -
Biomedicines Jun 2024Right dominant arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, commonly known as Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC), represents a formidable challenge in... (Review)
Review
Right dominant arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, commonly known as Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC), represents a formidable challenge in cardiovascular medicine, as conventional therapies are commonly ineffective in impeding disease progression and the development of end-stage heart failure. Recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated gene therapy presents a promising avenue for targeted therapeutic interventions, potentially revolutionising treatment approaches for ARVC patients. Encouraging results from preclinical studies have sparked optimism about the possibility of curing specific subtypes of ARVC in the near future. This narrative review delves into the dynamic landscape of genetic therapy for ARVC, elucidating its underlying mechanisms and developmental stages, and providing updates on forthcoming trials. Additionally, it examines the hurdles and complexities impeding the successful translation of ARVC genetic therapies into clinical practice. Despite notable scientific advancements, the journey towards implementing genetic therapies for ARVC patients in real-world clinical settings is still in its early phases.
PubMed: 38927558
DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12061351 -
PloS One 2024The introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has successfully changed the clinical course of people with HIV, leading to a significant decline in the incidence of...
The introduction of antiretroviral therapy (ART) has successfully changed the clinical course of people with HIV, leading to a significant decline in the incidence of HIV-related neurocognitive disorders. Integrase strand transferase inhibitors (INSTI) are recommended and preferred first-line ART for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in ART-naïve subjects. This type of therapy regimen is expected to have higher CNS penetration, which may bring more cognitive stability or even make significant cognitive improvement in people with HIV. The study aimed to follow up on neurocognitive performance in HIV subjects on two types of INSTI therapy regimens at two-time points, one year apart. The study sample consisted of 61 ART naïve male participants, of which 32 were prescribed raltegravir (RAL) and 29 dolutegravir (DTG). There was no significant difference between subsamples according to the main sociodemographic (age, education level) and clinical characteristics (duration of therapy, nadir CD4 cells level, CD4 cells count, CD8 cells, CD4/CD8 ratio). For neurocognitive assessment, six measures were used: general cognitive ability (MoCA test), verbal fluency (total sum score for phonemic and category fluency), verbal working memory (digit span forward), cognitive capacity (digit span backwards), sustained attention (Color Trail Test 1), and divided attention (Color Trail Test 2). In both therapy groups (RAL and DTG), there was no significant decrease in neurocognitive achievement on all used measures over a one-year follow-up in both therapy groups. A statistically significant interactive effect of time and type of therapy was found on the measure of divided attention-DTG group showed slight improvement, whereas RAL group showed slight decrease in performance. During the one-year follow-up of persons on INSTI-based regimen, no significant changes in cognitive achievement were recorded, which suggests that the existing therapy can have a potentially positive effect on the maintenance of neurocognitive achievement.
Topics: Humans; Male; HIV Infections; Adult; Follow-Up Studies; Cognition; Raltegravir Potassium; HIV Integrase Inhibitors; Middle Aged; Pyridones; Piperazines; Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; Oxazines; Neuropsychological Tests; HIV-1
PubMed: 38923982
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306278 -
Nursing Reports (Pavia, Italy) May 2024During their transition from basic to higher education, first-year undergraduate nursing students need to balance theoretical and clinical requirements, as well as their...
During their transition from basic to higher education, first-year undergraduate nursing students need to balance theoretical and clinical requirements, as well as their social life. A significant number of them struggle with this, due to a lack of coping mechanisms due to poor resilience. This study aimed to determine factors that influence resilience among first-year undergraduate nursing students at a South African university. A cross-sectional descriptive research design was followed, with stratified convenient sampling. Data were collected during August 2023 using an adapted self-administered online questionnaire. The reliability and validity of the adapted version was ensured in the context of this study. Principal component analysis and varimax rotation were used to analyse data. A total of 123 participants (47.2% from campus A and 52.8% from campus B) completed the questionnaire. The majority (88%) were females. This study showed that resilience can be dependent on various factors, such as lecturer support, parental support, academic achievement, peer and mentor support, optimism about the future, and self-determination. It is recommended that higher education institutions should consider incorporating the factors presented in this study as part of the broader orientation of first-year undergraduate nursing students when they first arrive at university.
PubMed: 38921710
DOI: 10.3390/nursrep14020100 -
Behavioral Sciences (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Passion for studying can be considered a significant factor that promotes well-being and mental health in students. This study aimed to examine whether the psychological...
Passion for studying can be considered a significant factor that promotes well-being and mental health in students. This study aimed to examine whether the psychological characteristics of students with a passion for studying differed from those of students without one. To compare these two groups, we used a set of different psychological variables (e.g., academic burnout and vitality), as well as integrated both person-centered (i.e., group comparison research) and variable-centered (i.e., correlational analysis) approaches. During classes, one hundred and fifty-four students from a Polish university completed a comprehensive set of short self-report questionnaires online on different psychological characteristics, including variables related to studying (i.e., passion for studying, academic burnout, and general academic self-efficacy), psychopathology symptoms, perceived stress and somatic complaints, as well as personal resources (vitality, resilience, self-esteem, and optimism). We noted multiple statistically significant differences in psychological characteristics between the two studied groups of students. Thus, harmonious passionate students tended to have more favorable psychological characteristics within variables related to studying, mental or somatic health symptoms, and personal resources compared to the non-passionate students. A harmonious passion for studying seems to have potential health-promoting and health-protecting effects, whereas a lack of passion for studying may lead to less favorable outcomes.
PubMed: 38920785
DOI: 10.3390/bs14060453 -
Entropy (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Karl Friston's free-energy principle casts agents as self-evidencing through active inference. This implies that decision-making, planning and information-seeking are,...
Karl Friston's free-energy principle casts agents as self-evidencing through active inference. This implies that decision-making, planning and information-seeking are, in a generic sense, 'wishful'. We take an interdisciplinary perspective on this perplexing aspect of the free-energy principle and unpack the epistemological implications of wishful thinking under the free-energy principle. We use this epistemic framing to discuss the emergence of biases for self-evidencing agents. In particular, we argue that this elucidates an optimism bias as a foundational tenet of self-evidencing. We allude to a historical precursor to some of these themes, interestingly found in Machiavelli's oeuvre, to contextualise the universal optimism of the free-energy principle.
PubMed: 38920527
DOI: 10.3390/e26060518 -
PloS One 2024The commitment of pharmacy graduates to patient care and research is crucial to advancing pharmaceutical science and practice. Consequently, the value of involving...
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE
The commitment of pharmacy graduates to patient care and research is crucial to advancing pharmaceutical science and practice. Consequently, the value of involving undergraduate pharmacy students in research has been increasingly recognized. Given that the College of Pharmacy at Qatar University offers two undergraduate pharmacy research courses, it is relevant to explore the perception of faculty members of the delivery, impact, facilitators, barriers, and suggested improvements in these courses. This exploration will help to improve the existing curriculum and to highlight the prospective impact of student involvement in undergraduate pharmacy research courses on the personal and professional growth of students, as well as on the progressive evolution of the pharmacy profession.
METHODS
A qualitative exploratory case study was performed in which five virtual focus groups were conducted. All eligible faculty members from the clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical science departments with experience supervising students who had taken one or two undergraduate pharmacy research courses were invited to participate. The focus group questions were based on the Theoretical domain framework of behavioral determinants. Verbatim transcription was performed, and the collected data were thematically analyzed using the computer-assisted coding software NVivo®.
RESULTS
Of the 26 eligible faculty members, 21 participated in this study. Five deductive themes were identified: social professional role and influences, beliefs about capabilities, skills, beliefs about consequences and goals, and environmental resources and behavioral regulations. Overall, faculty members identified themselves as assessors and mentors. Participants expected students to possess independence, responsibility, and motivation. They believed that students generally required more practical research skills. Several benefits of incorporating students into undergraduate research have been highlighted, including increased publication productivity and quality. However, several hurdles to undergraduate research in pharmacy have been identified, including limited resources, limited timeframes, and sometimes delayed ethical approval.
CONCLUSION
Faculty members expressed optimism regarding the undergraduate research courses. However, some logistical concerns, including the lengthy ethical approval process and resource availability, must be addressed to optimize the effectiveness of these courses.
Topics: Humans; Curriculum; Education, Pharmacy; Male; Qualitative Research; Female; Students, Pharmacy; Focus Groups; Adult; Qatar; Faculty; Faculty, Pharmacy; Pharmacy Research; Perception
PubMed: 38917131
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305946 -
Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory... Jun 2024Metabolomics aims for comprehensive characterization and measurement of small molecule metabolites (<1700 Da) in complex biological matrices. This study sought to...
OBJECTIVES
Metabolomics aims for comprehensive characterization and measurement of small molecule metabolites (<1700 Da) in complex biological matrices. This study sought to assess the current understanding and usage of metabolomics in laboratory medicine globally and evaluate the perception of its promise and future implementation.
METHODS
A survey was conducted by the IFCC metabolomics working group that queried 400 professionals from 79 countries. Participants provided insights into their experience levels, knowledge, and usage of metabolomics approaches, along with detailing the applications and methodologies employed.
RESULTS
Findings revealed a varying level of experience among respondents, with varying degrees of familiarity and utilization of metabolomics techniques. Targeted approaches dominated the field, particularly liquid chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer, with untargeted methods also receiving significant usage. Applications spanned clinical research, epidemiological studies, clinical diagnostics, patient monitoring, and prognostics across various medical domains, including metabolic diseases, endocrinology, oncology, cardiometabolic risk, neurodegeneration and clinical toxicology.
CONCLUSIONS
Despite optimism for the future of clinical metabolomics, challenges such as technical complexity, standardization issues, and financial constraints remain significant hurdles. The study underscores the promising yet intricate landscape of metabolomics in clinical practice, emphasizing the need for continued efforts to overcome barriers and realize its full potential in patient care and precision medicine.
PubMed: 38915248
DOI: 10.1515/cclm-2024-0550 -
JMIR Cardio May 2024Background: Although telemedicine has been proven to have significant potential for improving cardiac patient care, there remains a substantial risk of introducing...
Analysis of Demographic and Socioeconomic Factors Influencing the Adherence to a Web-based Intervention Among Patients after Acute Coronary Syndrome: a Prospective Observational Cohort Study.
BACKGROUND
Background: Although telemedicine has been proven to have significant potential for improving cardiac patient care, there remains a substantial risk of introducing disparities linked to the utilization of digital technology, especially for older or socially vulnerable subgroups.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated factors influencing adherence to a telemedicine-delivered health education intervention in ischemic patients, emphasizing demographic and socioeconomic considerations.
METHODS
We conducted a descriptive, observational, prospective cohort study in consecutive patients referred to our cardiology center for acute coronary syndrome, from February 2022 to January 2023. Patients were invited to join a web-based health educational meeting (WHEM) after hospital discharge, as part of a secondary prevention program. The WHEM sessions were scheduled monthly and used a teleconference software program for remote synchronous videoconferencing, accessible through standard computer, tablet, or smartphone based on patient preference or availability.
RESULTS
Out of the 252 patients (median age 70 years [interquartile range: 61.0-77.3 years]; 189 males [75%]), 98 (39%) declined the invitation to participate in the WHEM. The reasons for non-acceptance were mainly challenges in handling digital technology (70/98, 71.4%), followed by lack of confidence in telemedicine as an integrative tool for managing their medical condition (45/98, 45.9%), and lack of Internet-connected devices (43/98, 43.8%). Out of the 154 patients who agreed to participate in the WHEM, 40 (26%) were unable to attend. Univariable logistic regression analysis showed that the presence of a caregiver with digital proficiency and a higher education level were associated with increased likelihood of attendance to the WHEM, while the converse was true for increasing age and female gender. After multivariable adjustment, higher education level (odds ratio, 2.26 [95% confidence interval, 1.53-3.32], p<0.001) and caregiver with digital proficiency (odds ratio, 12.83 [95% confidence interval, 5.93-27.75], p<0.001) remained independently associated with the outcome. The model discrimination was good even when corrected for optimism (optimism corrected C-index, 0.812), as was the agreement between observed and predicted probability of participation (optimism corrected calibration intercept and slope, 0.010 and 0.948).
CONCLUSIONS
The current study identifies a notable lack of suitability for a specific cohort of ischemic patients to participate in our telemedicine intervention, emphasizing the risk of digital marginalization for a significant portion of the population. Addressing low digital literacy rates among patients or their informal caregivers, and overcoming cultural bias against remote care, were identified as critical issues in our study findings to facilitate the broader adoption of telemedicine as an inclusive tool in healthcare.
PubMed: 38912920
DOI: 10.2196/57058