Spiritual care in Portuguese palliative care settings: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Spirituality is a core dimension of palliative care. However, Portuguese palliative care teams do not have many spiritual care resources.

Methods: Cross-sectional and observational survey studies were used to characterise spiritual care resources in Portuguese palliative care teams based on a non-probabilistic convenience sampling.

Generating Consensus on Good Practices in the Care of Portuguese Internal Medicine Patients Facing Imminent Death: A Delphi Study.

Context: Modern medicine aims to ensure a world in which all people experience a good end of life as an integral part of their life journey. A good end-of-life experience means dying with dignity and receiving the best healthcare based on scientific evidence.

Objective: This study aims to reach a consensus about the contents of a comprehensive instrument based on the 10/40 Model of the International Collaborative for the Best Care for the Dying Person for evaluating inpatients facing imminent death in Portuguese internal medicine wards and a proposal for anticipatory medication for symptom control in inpatient and home care settings.

Avoidable emergency admissions: defining the concept.

Background: The transfer of end-of-life patients to hospital via admission to an emergency service mainly happens because of a lack of community support nearby and a lack of resources in palliative care.

Aims: This study aimed to define the concept of avoidable admission to an emergency department for palliative patients.

Methods: An integrative literature review was performed.

Translation, Cross-Cultural Adaptation, and Validation of Measurement Instruments: A Practical Guideline for Novice Researchers.

Cross-cultural validation of self-reported measurement instruments for research is a long and complex process, which involves specific risks of bias that could affect the research process and results. Furthermore, it requires researchers to have a wide range of technical knowledge about the translation, adaptation and pre-test aspects, their purposes and options, about the different psychometric properties, and the required evidence for their assessment and knowledge about the quantitative data processing and analysis using statistical software. This article aimed: 1) identify all guidelines and recommendations for translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation within the healthcare sciences; 2) describe the methodological approaches established in these guidelines for conducting translation, adaptation, and cross-cultural validation; and 3) provide a practical guideline featuring various methodological options for novice researchers involved in translating, adapting, and validating measurement instruments.

The impact of pre-, pro- and synbiotics supplementation in colorectal cancer treatment: a systematic review.

Introduction: The effectiveness of the supplementation of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics as a therapeutic approach in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. The aim of this systematic review is to critically examine the current scientific evidence on the impact of modulating the microbiota, through the use of prebiotics, probiotics and synbiotics, in patients diagnosed with CRC undergoing treatment, to determine the potential therapeutic use of this approach.

Methods: This systematic review was made according to the PRISMA 2020 guidelines.

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) for the Assessment of Body Composition in Oncology: A Scoping Review.

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is a reliable, non-invasive, objective, and cost-effective body composition assessment method, with high reproducibility. This scoping review aims to evaluate the current scientific and clinical evidence on BIA for body composition assessment in oncology patients, under active treatment. Literature search was conducted through MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus and Web of Science databases, following PRISMA-ScR Guidelines.

Validation of the Nurse Spiritual Care Therapeutics Scale in Portuguese palliative care settings: a methodological study.

Background: Spirituality is a critical dimension in palliative care, but difficulties have been described in literature concerning the effective implementation and measuring of spiritual care.

Aim: To translate, adapt and validate the Nurse Spiritual Care Therapeutics Scale (NSCTS) in Portuguese palliative care settings.

Methods: A methodological study was conducted.

Managing Severe Dysgeusia and Dysosmia in Lung Cancer Patients: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Introduction: Lung cancer (LC) is highly prevalent worldwide, with elevated mortality. In this population, taste and smell alterations (TSAs) are frequent but overlooked symptoms. The absence of effective therapeutic strategies and evidence-based guidelines constrain TSAs' early recognition, prevention and treatment (Tx), promoting cancer-related malnutrition and jeopardizing survival outcomes and quality of life.

Protein intake and muscle mass maintenance in patients with cancer types with high prevalence of sarcopenia: a systematic review.

Rationale: Cancer is associated with muscle wasting. However, optimal protein intake has not been determined, limiting the efficacy of nutritional interventions. This systematic review aims to assess the effect of protein intake on muscle mass of patients with cancer types with high prevalence of sarcopenia during treatment, in longitudinal studies.

Mapping palliative care provision in European prisons: an EAPC Task Force Survey.

Objectives: Prison populations around the world are ageing and numbers are rising, leading to greater demand for palliative care for prisoners approaching the end of life. This paper reports a survey that was undertaken by the European Association for Palliative Care Task Force on mapping palliative care provision for prisoners in Europe. The Task Force was established to begin to address the gap in research knowledge by exploring prison systems and care provision across different countries.

Rethinking palliative care in a public health context: addressing the needs of persons with non-communicable chronic diseases.

Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCCDs) are the main cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Demographic aging has resulted in older populations with more complex healthcare needs. This necessitates a multilevel rethinking of healthcare policies, health education and community support systems with digitalization of technologies playing a central role.

Nursing education on palliative care across Europe: Results and recommendations from the EAPC Taskforce on preparation for practice in palliative care nursing across the EU based on an online-survey and country reports.

Background: Nurses are the largest regulated group of healthcare professionals involved in palliative care. In 2004, a taskforce of the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) launched the 'Guide for development of palliative nurse education in Europe' (hereinafter, the EAPC 2004 Guide). No systematic evaluation of its impact in the development of palliative care education was undertaken.

Body composition changes in patients with head and neck cancer under active treatment: a scoping review.

Background: Head and neck cancer patients have the second highest malnutrition prevalence, when compared with other oncological patients. They experience significant weight loss before diagnosis, during and after treatment, and even during the first year of follow-up. However, the prognostic value of weight loss depends on body mass index, and this may be associated with low skeletal muscle mass, masking its loss.

Experiences of Homeless Families in Parenthood: A Systematic Review and Synthesis of Qualitative Evidence.

The objective of this systematic review was to identify the available qualitative data and to develop a framework to address the life experiences of homeless families in parenthood. The research was performed in the PubMed and CINAHL Complete databases, for works published in Portuguese, English, French and Spanish. Studies that included qualitative data, or both qualitative and quantitative data, were considered for this research.

A national survey of the nurses' mental health - The case of Portugal.

Aim: To understand Portuguese nurses' perceptions of their mental health.

Background: The impact of nurses' health and well-being on the quality and safety of the care they provide is well known. In Portugal, there are no representative studies regarding nurses' mental health.

Grieving With Humor: A Correlational Study on Sense of Humor and Professional Grief in Palliative Care Nurses.

The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between humor and professional grief. Findings confirm that these are not independent phenomena. Using humor as a coping mechanism emerged as a response to death-related work.

Challenges in Lung Cancer Approaches: from the Clinical Issues to the Novel Therapies.

Background: Lung cancer is currently one of the most common malignant neoplasms worldwide. Distress symptoms related to the primary disease or in combination with disease progression have challenges faced by the patients, family, and their multidisciplinary team. The aim of this study was to demonstrate the benefits of an integrated palliative care approach for lung cancer patients at the time of diagnosis and to analyze the main symptoms and its treatment.

Peristomal infection after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy: a 7-year surveillance of 297 patients.

Context: Healthcare-associated infection represents the most frequent adverse event during care delivery. Medical advances like percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy have brought improvement on quality of life to patients but an increased risk of healthcare-associated infection. Predictive risk factors for peristomal wound infection are largely unknown but evidence suggests that antibiotic prophylaxis and preventive strategies related to infection control may reduce infection rates.