Case studies of patient interactions, care provision and the impact of emotions: a qualitative study.

Caring is a complex phenomenon. Nurses aim to relieve patient suffering, acknowledge subjective experiences, display empathy but also manage emotions related to care provision. This study explored nurses' perceptions, experiences and emotions related to caring for cancer patients.

Living with advanced breast cancer: perceptions of Pakistani women on life expectations and fears.

Background: Pakistan has the highest rate of breast cancer in Asia. Many women delay seeking heath advice and treatment for breast cancer, and between 50% and 70% of women will present when the disease in is in an advanced, aggressive form, particularly young women. The psychological impact of breast cancer is challenged by the negative public perception of cancer.

Perceptions of breast health awareness in Black British women.

Purpose: Breast cancer is a global concern. Published studies indicate that 43% of Black and ethnic minority women interviewed have reported that they did not practice breast awareness because they did not know the relevant breast changes that occur in breast cancer. Black women are also more likely to receive a diagnosis of breast cancer when it is in an advanced stage.

Black women and breast health: a review of the literature.

Aim: In the UK, it is known that screening inequalities exist involving ethnic minority groups such as Black women (Patnick, 2009). To date, there is limited UK data on Black British women and breast health awareness. Black British women appear to be an underrepresented group in breast cancer studies (Breast Cancer Care, 2004, 2005).

Cultural interrelationships and the lived experience of Pakistani breast cancer patients.

Aim: There is a paucity of British and international literature on the psychological, sociological and cultural correlates of breast health in ethnic minority women.

Methods: This two centre qualitative study was part of a larger study that aimed to examine the influence of culture on the lived experience of Pakistani Muslim breast cancer patients. Thirty six patients attending hospital out-patient breast cancer clinics in Lahore, Pakistan and London, UK were recruited to the study.

Perceptions of breast health practices in Pakistani Muslim women.

Objective: Even though breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in females in Pakistan, there is a paucity of evidence on the views of Pakistani Muslim women in relation to breast cancer. This study aimed to investigate the perceptions of Pakistani Muslim women in relation to the aetiology of breast cancer and impressions of breast health. The study took place in Lahore, Pakistan.

The impact of culture and sociological and psychological issues on Muslim patients with breast cancer in Pakistan.

Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in Muslim women in Pakistan. The impact of the initial diagnosis, culture, religion, and psychosocial and psychological aspects of the disease is not well established. This qualitative study examined the experience and coping strategies used by patients with breast cancer in relation to its impact on their physical, mental health, religious, and family issues.

A review of interventions used to improve adherence to medication in older people.

Background: Medication mismanagement is a continuous problem particularly in older people. Numerous interventions have been developed and tested in an attempt to improve adherence with medication in this client group.

Objectives: This review aimed to examine the simple to complex interventions that have been used to assess and improve adherence with medication in older people.

Evaluating practice-based learning specific to the community matron role.

Since the inception of the community matron role in 2004 there has been much debate about the exact nature of the role in primary and secondary care. How to effectively skill-up and educate a diverse group of clinicians has been a hot topic. This study involved a small focus group of community matrons in training.

Measures that can be used to instill critical thinking skills in nurse prescribers.

Critical thinking is a pervasive skill that involves scrutinizing, differentiating, and appraising information and reflecting on the information gained in order to make judgements and inform clinical decisions. Studies inform us of the need for agreement on the approaches used to teach and measure critical thinking. Nurse prescribers undertake an advanced role that encompass the need to be able to make clinically based decisions about the appropriateness of a specific medication.

The use of structured assessments, practical skills and performance indicators to assess the ability of pre-registration nursing students' to apply the principles of pharmacology and therapeutics to the medication management needs of patients.

This paper discusses how structured assessments, practical skills and performance indicators can be used to assess the ability of pre-registration nursing students' to analyze and clinically apply the theoretical principles of pharmacology and therapeutics pertinent to medication management. The assessment strategy specifically aims to reinforce the development of clinical reasoning with regard to medication management and supports the need to prepare nurses to become multi-skilled professionals who can meet the challenges of nursing. Learning through practical assessments can enhance the marriage between the integration and synthesis of research evidence and the application of propositional and process knowledge forms to nursing care.

Topical diclofenac: clinical effectiveness and current uses in osteoarthritis of the knee and soft tissue injuries.

Background: Diclofenac is a commonly used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) for symptom control in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee and soft tissue injuries. Although treatment with oral diclofenac is associated with serious adverse effects involving both the gastrointestinal and renal systems, these adverse effects are thought to be limited with topical diclofenac formulations without loss of efficacy.

Objective: The aim of this review is to explore the available evidence in relation to the pharmacokinetics, efficacy and reported adverse effects of the topical diclofenac formulations available.

A hermeneutic phenomenological study of community nurses' CPD.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is a mandatory aspect of nurse registration. In the NHS, more demanding professional roles compel nurses to develop and update their knowledge and skills through CPD. Even though CPD is an essential component of nurse education, research investigating community practitioners' views, experiences and perceptions of the link between reflection and CPD is limited.

Older people and adherence with medication: a review of the literature.

Background: Older people represent a sizeable population of the UK. Many older people receive drug treatment for long-term conditions. Adherence with medication is therefore an important clinical, financial and resource intensive concern.

'Nurse entrepreneurs' a case of government rhetoric?

Introduction: Nursing has come to play a prominent role in government health policy since 1997. Extending the scope of nursing practice into activities previously carried out by doctors can assist a managerialist and 'modernizing' project of increasing National Health Service (NHS) efficiency by removing demarcations between professional groups.

Methods: Drawing on elements of poststructuralist linguistics, this paper presents an analysis of a key government speech in the context of a discussion of overall policy intentions.

Clinical reasoning and its application to nursing: concepts and research studies.

Clinical reasoning may be defined as "the process of applying knowledge and expertise to a clinical situation to develop a solution" [Carr, S., 2004. A framework for understanding clinical reasoning in community nursing.

The think aloud approach as an educational tool to develop and assess clinical reasoning in undergraduate students.

Even though clinical reasoning is attributed with the expert practitioner, there is limited evidence to support methods of teaching and learning that are used to foster its development in nurses. In nursing, a considerable range of teaching and learning strategies are available that can be used to develop clinical reasoning skills. This includes the think aloud seminar.

Advanced breast cancer: aetiology, treatment and psychosocial features.

Breast cancer is a common form of cancer in women of varying age. Due to the relationship between breasts, sexuality and reproduction, this form of cancer has an interconnected psychological and psychosocial influence on the well-being of women. Current understanding of the aetiology and pathogenesis of the disease has evolved as evidence supporting a role for genes such as the HER2 gene has emerged.

A review of clinical decision making: models and current research.

Aims And Objectives: The aim of this paper was to review the current literature clinical decision-making models and the educational application of models to clinical practice. This was achieved by exploring the function and related research of the three available models of clinical decision making: information-processing model, the intuitive-humanist model and the clinical decision-making model.

Background: Clinical decision making is a unique process that involves the interplay between knowledge of pre-existing pathological conditions, explicit patient information, nursing care and experiential learning.

The use of topical diclofenac for pain in osteoarthritis of the knee: a review.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common complaint that affects millions of people worldwide. As there is no cure for OA, drug treatment is the main form of management. This can be achieved through the use of analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs such as the NSAID diclofenac sodium.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: clinical signs and infections.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a pathological condition that involves excessive production of mucus, chronic cough and inflammatory changes leading to airway limitation. The most common cause of COPD is cigarette smoking. COPD can be categorized into either chronic bronchitis or emphysema; both conditions can be differentiated by age and the production of copious, tenacious sputum.

Respiratory syncytial virus: disease, development and treatment.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is spread by droplets and causes infections of the upper and lower respiratory tract. It is most common in infants, children under the age of five years and the elderly. Due to the nature of the transmission, infections with RSV are contagious but usually short lived.

Symptoms and treatments of polycystic ovary syndrome.

Up to 10% of women may suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The clinical symptoms may vary, so the biochemical profile and ultrasonography are used to predict an accurate diagnosis. Many studies have indicated that a relationship may exist between hyperinsulineamia and hyperandrogenism but the exact pathogenesis remains obscure.