Heart failure (HF) is a growing public health problem. Self-management (SM) of HF is an important component of chronic disease management. Guided by the Individual and Family Self-Management Theory (IFSMT), we examined the associations among complexity of condition, self-regulation, and self-efficacy mediation of SM behaviors in a population of HF outpatients. A cross-sectional design was used. Seventy-three outpatients with HF were enrolled. Simple and multiple linear regressions were run for each outcome variable. Only self-regulation was significantly associated with SM behavior. Complexity of condition was not significantly associated with SM behavior. There was no mediation by self-efficacy. Future nursing interventions should explore self-regulation in HF to provide a clearer understanding of the processes used to change health behavior. SM may be particularly useful in HF with preserved ejection fraction (EF), where there is no proven pharmacological treatment.

It is unclear what causes chronic pain in traumatically injured hospitalized adults. A total of 101 patients admitted to a level 1 trauma center completed interviews during their inpatient stay and at 4 months, and data on biologic, psychologic, and sociologic variables were collected. Statistical analysis used hierarchical logistical regression,χ, and independent-samples t tests. Prevalence of chronic pain at 4 months was 79.2%. Those with chronic pain at 4 months had more posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. High initial pain score was the only significant predictor of chronic pain. Initial pain intensity predicts chronic pain.

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Although reported in the aerospace literature and anecdotally by anesthesiologists, the putative antiemetic effect of ephedrine remains unquantitated. We therefore prospectively studied ephedrine as an antiemetic agent in the perioperative setting in 97 patients undergoing general anesthesia for outpatient gynecologic laparoscopy. Patients were assigned in a double-blind randomized fashion to receive a standardized general anesthetic followed by an intramuscular dose of either ephedrine (0.5 mg/kg), droperidol (0.04 mg/kg), or saline before the conclusion of surgery. Nausea, retching, or vomiting, as well as the degree of sedation and discharge times, were assessed in the recovery room and for 24 h postoperatively. Ephedrine was found to have a significantly antiemetic effect (P less than 0.05) when compared with placebo and an antiemetic effect similar to that of droperidol. Sedation scores were also significantly less in the ephedrine group than in both placebo and droperidol groups. Finally, variations in mean arterial blood pressure among the three groups were not statistically significant. We conclude that ephedrine is an effective antiemetic agent with minimal sedative side effects in patients undergoing outpatient laparoscopy.

The 2010 "Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health" report from the Institute of Medicine recommended that 80% of registered nurses (RNs) obtain a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree by 2020. Hospitals with BSN nurses have reduced morbidity and mortality. In 2014, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Wisconsin-Extension launched the University of Wisconsin Flexible Option BSN (UW Flex BSN) as an additional model for BSN degree completion, adding to the in-person and online delivery models already being offered.In this article, the authors examine the decision to launch the UW Flex BSN program as a competency-based, time-variable approach to RN-to-BSN degree completion. They discuss the factors contributing to its success (including proactive, wraparound support for students through the use of academic success coaches and regular and substantive interaction with faculty), design and program elements and decisions, and continuing challenges that have yet to be resolved.UW Flex BSN is one version of direct-assessment, competency-based education, and it represents the first of its kind in a public institution for postlicensure BSN degree completion. The program meets all Higher Learning Commission standards and requirements and is grounded in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Baccalaureate Essentials and program quality standards. The UW Flex BSN for degree completion is a successful example of a competency-based, time-variable education model that has been applied in a practice discipline.

Rationale, aims, and objectives: Cardiovascular nursing has been a rapidly growing specialty since the 1960s. Assessing cardiovascular nurses' EBN (evidence-based nursing) attitudes and beliefs and the factors supporting EBN is important to assist the training programmes in fostering EBN practice in a clinical environment. Few investigations have been conducted on EBN knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and implementation among cardiovascular nurses. The present study aims to investigate cardiovascular nurses' attitudes towards EBN, sources of knowledge, and the factors supporting EBN in Turkey. Methods: A cross-sectional survey with a descriptive and comparative design was conducted with 62 cardiovascular nurses working at two hospitals in Turkey. Data were collected by using the Evidence-Based Nursing Attitude Questionnaire, a sociodemographic questionnaire concerning demographic information and including questions about nurses' sources of knowledge, supporting factors to implement EBN, research experience, use of clinical guidelines, and barriers to applying EBN. Data were analysed with descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: The research revealed that cardiovascular nurses have positive attitudes, feelings, beliefs, and intention of conduct towards EBN. Cardiac surgery nurses reported significantly higher positive feelings, beliefs, intention of conduct, and attitude towards EBN than cardiology nurses. Nursing experience and information acquired through nursing school were the most frequently used sources of knowledge rather than research results (35.5%) in their clinical practice. Half of the respondents (47%) were familiar with EBN. Cardiovascular nurses who had graduate degrees, reviewed nursing research and were familiar with EBN had significant positive attitudes towards EBN. Nurses needed enough time and resources, a background in clinical practice, and support from the hospital administration to implement EBN. Conclusions: An education intervention should be provided about EBN knowledge and skills for cardiovascular nurses. Mentor nurses should be trained and assigned in cardiovascular clinics to implement EBN.

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