Using in situ simulation to improve care of the acutely ill patient by enhancing interprofessional working: a qualitative proof of concept study in primary care in England.

Objective: Acutely unwell patients in the primary care setting are uncommon, but their successful management requires involvement from staff (clinical and non-clinical) working as a cohesive team. Despite the advantages of interprofessional education being well documented, there is little research evidence of this within primary care. Enhancing interprofessional working could ultimately improve care of the acutely ill patient.

Understanding alcohol-related liver disease patients' illness beliefs and views about their medicine.

Background: people with alcohol-related liver disease require complex treatment plans that often include the need for medication for the rest of their lives. Between 30% and 50% of all patients do not take their treatment as prescribed, leading to a significantly increased risk of morbidity and mortality.

Aim: to consider the factors which influence beliefs held by patients with alcohol-related liver disease about their medication to provide an evidence base to support interventions to reduce medication non-adherence.

Predicting and preventing alcohol relapse in alcohol-related liver disease.

Background: despite a 450% increase in UK alcohol-related liver disease mortality over the past 30 years, little evidence-based guidance exists regarding preventing recidivism post-liver transplant for alcohol-related liver disease.

Method: a systematic literature review was conducted to identify demographic variables predictive of alcohol relapse and effective psychosocial interventions for alcohol-related liver disease patients post-liver transplant.

Results: variables most significantly predictive of alcohol relapse post-transplant were-less than 12 months pre-liver transplant abstinence; patients with children; poor pre-liver transplant psychosomatic evaluation; non-compliance with post-liver transplant treatment plan; and patients with active insurance policies.

Personalised discharge care planning for postmyocardial infarction patients through the use of the Personalised Patient Education Protocol - implementing theory into practice.

Aims And Objectives: This study aims to evaluate the service impact of the integration of an evidence-based instrument - the Personalised Patient Education Protocol - into an existing postmyocardial infarction care pathway.

Background: Recent research indicates that while better patient health outcomes can be achieved when care planning is personalised, delivery staff feel less satisfied and less confident in its provision. To achieve a shift to personalised care, innovations are needed to enable an effective transition for staff.

Nurses' perceptions and experiences of work role transitions: a mixed methods systematic review of the literature.

Aim: To understand nurses' perceptions and experiences of work role transitions.

Background: Globally an uncertain healthcare landscape exists and when changing work roles nurses experience periods of transition when they may not cope well. A greater understanding of work role transitions may help facilitate workforce retention and successful careers.

Patients with alcohol-related liver disease--beliefs about their illness and factors that influence their self-management.

Aim: To determine the association between illness belief and self-efficacy to provide the evidence-base to develop a personalized framework to support self-management in patients with alcohol-related liver disease.

Background: Research in a variety of long-term illnesses suggests patients' illness beliefs are a more influential factor for patient recovery than the severity of the illness. However, research into illness belief and self-efficacy of patients with alcohol-related liver disease is sparse.

Illness perception, self-care behaviour and quality of life of heart failure patients: a longitudinal questionnaire survey.

Objectives: To examine the associations between illness perception, self-care behaviour, and quality of life in patients admitted to hospital with a primary diagnosis of heart failure (HF), and the changes in these at 2 and 6 months after discharge.

Design: Longitudinal questionnaire-based study.

Setting: Three London hospitals with specialist heart failure services.

Care of patients following liver transplantation.

This article provides an overview of the care of patients following liver transplantation. It focuses on the immediate post-operative care, the role of the transplant co-ordinator in providing support and education and the long-term follow up required to promote health and quality of life in this specific patient group.

Education and support needs of the older adult with congenital heart disease.

Aim:   This article is a report of a study exploring health-related quality of life in adults with congenital heart disease and the extent to which it is associated with patients' illness beliefs and emotional health.

Background:   A reduction in mortality in patients with congenital heart disease has led to an increasingly older population that faces new challenges. Studies in a younger adult population have reported inconsistent findings regarding health-related quality of life.

Coronary heart disease patients' perception of their symptoms and sense of control are associated with their quality of life three years following hospital discharge.

Background: Recent intervention studies have attempted to address cardiac rehabilitation patients' illness beliefs to improve care. Their findings were mainly limited to short-term behaviour changes such as return to work or attendance on rehabilitation programmes. Evidence about what aspects of the patients' illness beliefs influence long-term quality of life in cardiac rehabilitation remains sparse.

The relationship between nurse staffing and patient outcomes: a case study.

Background: Research has shown a direct relationship between staffing levels and patient outcomes for specific nurse-sensitive indicators, with lower patient to nurse ratios (i.e. less patients per nurse) associated with better outcomes.

Importance of illness beliefs and self-efficacy for patients with coronary heart disease.

Aim: This paper is a report of a study to assess the association between coronary heart disease patients' illness beliefs and their self-efficacy 3 years after hospital discharge.

Background: Cardiac rehabilitation guidelines recommend that both the illness representation model and the concept of self-efficacy are relevant frameworks for developing effective psychological support, although little is known about what aspects of patients' illness beliefs influence their self-efficacy.

Method: In a longitudinal prospective survey, consecutive patients with coronary heart disease were asked to complete questionnaires measuring illness perceptions; self-efficacy and demographic, illness characteristics; and attendance at a cardiac rehabilitation programme.

Predicting self-efficacy using illness perception components: a patient survey.

Objectives: To assess the measures of illness representation components in predicting measures of self-efficacy in patients with coronary heart disease.

Design: A longitudinal design was adopted with predictor variables and dependent variables (general self-efficacy, diet self-efficacy and exercise self-efficacy) measured twice while participants were in hospital and 9 months following discharge. Change scores of the predictor variables can be calculated and dependent variables at baseline can be controlled.

A conceptual care model for individualized care approach in cardiac rehabilitation--combining both illness representation and self-efficacy.

Purpose: This paper analyses the two prominent psychological theories of patient response--illness representation and self-efficacy--and explore the possibilities of the development of a conceptual individualized care model that would make use of both theories.

Methods: Analysis of the literature established common themes that were used as the basis to form a conceptual framework intended to assist in the joint application of these theories to therapeutic settings.

Results: Both theories emphasize personal experience, pre-construction of self, individual response to illness and treatment, and that the patients' beliefs are more influential in their recovery than the severity of the illness.

Relationship between illness representation and self-efficacy.

Aim: This paper reports a patient survey exploring the possible relationship between illness perception and self-efficacy following a cardiac event, and the implications this could have for nursing practice.

Background: Cardiac rehabilitation guidelines endorse the need to improve psychological care; suggesting that individualized support will improve the effectiveness of cardiac rehabilitation. Surveys, however, continue to identify that psychosocial factors are poorly assessed.

Cardiac rehabilitation: the importance of patient expectations--a practitioner survey.

Background: Numerous cardiac rehabilitation national guidelines consistently endorse the need for psychological support to create effective individualized care. Recent surveys suggest that the psychological factors remain poorly assessed and the measurement of psychological parameters remains patchy.

Aim: To examine cardiac rehabilitation practitioners' perception and understanding of the importance of patient expectations and their capacity to assess and utilize these expectations to develop individualized care.