Objective:Far infrared radiation has been widely used in a variety of healthcare institutions and clinical research. Previous studies have shown that far infrared radiation can promote blood circulation and enhance the functioning of the immune system. Many patients receiving peritoneal dialysis have been co-treated with far infrared radiation to reduce the occurrence of inflammation. This study seeks to evaluate the effects of far infrared radiation therapy on inflammation.Method:We used the lipopolysaccharide-induced peritonitis mouse model to study the effect of far infrared radiation treatment. Sixteen mice were randomly divided into two groups, a far infrared radiation treatment group (n = 8) and a non-far infrared radiation treatment group (n = 8). Collected blood samples were studied by analyzing the RNA level of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and the plasma protein levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS).Results:The administration of far infrared radiation inhibited the RNA levels of interleukin-6 and TNF-α after stimulation by lipopolysaccharide. The far infrared radiation treatment inhibited the endothelial nitric oxide synthase RNA levels at 1 h, but the RNA levels returned close to the baseline level after 2 h. In the control group, the endothelial nitric oxide synthase RNA levels were continuously decreasing. The interleukin-6 concentration in the plasma of the far infrared radiation group showed significant inhibition 30 min after lipopolysaccharide stimulation. The tumor necrosis factor alpha RNA concentration in plasma of the far infrared radiation group was significantly reduced 2 h after lipopolysaccharide stimulation.Conclusion:Far infrared radiation therapy can inhibit interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha RNA levels of peripheral blood mononuclear cells and recover endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression. These results demonstrate that far infrared radiation therapy might aid in reducing the level of inflammation experienced by patients going through peritoneal dialysis treatment.
End-of-life decision making frequently occurs in the intensive care unit (ICU). There is a lack of information on how a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order affects treatments received by critically ill patients in ICUs. The objectives of this study were: (1) to compare the use of life support therapies between patients with a DNR order and those without; (2) to examine life support therapies prior to and after the issuance of a DNR order; and (3) to determine the clinical factors that influence the initiation of a DNR order in ICUs in Taiwan. A prospective, descriptive, and correlational study was conducted. A total of 202 patients comprising 133 (65.8%) who had a DNR order, and 69 (34.1%) who did not, participated in this study. In the last 48 hours of their lives, patients who had a DNR order were less likely to receive life support therapies than those who did not have a DNR order. Older age, being unmarried, the presence of an adult child as a surrogate decision maker, a perceived inability to survive ultimate discharge from the ICU, and longer hospitalization in the ICU were significant predictors of issuing a DNR order for critically ill patients. This study will draw attention to how, when, and by whom, critically ill patients' preferences about DNR are elicited and honored.
Background Modern nursing requires a broad set of academic and practical skills, and an effective nurse must integrate these skills in a wide range of healthcare contexts. Cultivation of core competencies has recently become a key issue globally in the development of nursing education. To assess the performance of new nurses, this study developed a nursing-specific Mini-Clinical Evaluation Exercise (Mini-CEX) to evaluate the effect of postgraduate year (PGY) nurse training programs in Taiwan. Methods A nursing-specific Mini-CEX was developed based on the required core competencies of nurses. Reliability and validity were confirmed in evaluator workshops carried out prior to the administration of the pilot test and final test. Thirty-two PYG trainees were recruited with a supervisor-to-trainee ratio of 1:1.94. Data were collected from February to June 2012 and analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test. Results The 32 PGY trainees scored highest in the “nursing professionalism” dimension and the lowest in the “physical examination” dimension. The overall competency score was satisfactory. The trainee nurses with 19–24 months of experience scored higher than the other two groups in overall performance. Conclusion The results of this research indicate the feasibility of using our Mini-CEX tool to evaluate the competencies of PGY trainees. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12909-019-1705-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of Chinese culture on nursing leadership behavior in Taiwan nurses. A descriptive study compared staff nurses' assessment of Chinese value in the leadership behavior of their head nurses. Data analysis was made on a convenience sample in Taiwan of 214 head nurses and 2,127 staff nurses who had worked with their head nurse for at least one year. Six medical centers and regional hospitals in northern (Taipei), central (Taichung) and southern (Kaohsiung) Taiwan were recruited for this study. Instruments included the demographic questionnaire, Chinese Value Survey, and Kang's Chinese Leadership Behaviors Module Scale. Results indicated that head nurses scored significantly higher than staff nurses in terms of all cultural values and leadership behaviors. Both staff nurses and head nurses scored the highest mean scores in personal integrity (Yi) and human connectedness (Ren) and the lowest in moral discipline (Li). Staff nurse perceptions of leadership behavior indicated the role of parent to be higher than either the role of director or mentor. Head nurses perceptions of leadership behavior emphasized the role of the director more than either parent or mentor. There were no significant differences between the staff nurses and head nurses in terms of expectative leadership behavior, which gave the role of director higher mean scores than those of either the parent or mentor. Positive and significant associations (r = .266 to r = .334) were found between cultural values and perceptions of leadership behavior. Cultural values predicted 10.6% of leadership behavior variance. The three demographic characteristics of location in northern Taiwan (b = .09), intention to leave (b = -.14), and general unit (b = .10) and the two cultural values of human connectedness (Ren) (b = .16) and personal integrity (Yi) (b = .16) together reported a cumulative R² of 14.6% to explain variance in leadership behavior perceptions. Results of this study identified the important cultural values "Ren" and "Yi". Managers and administrators could add the consideration of such cultural values into nursing leadership to enhance the organization in which Taiwan nurses work.
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