NURSING

Research for nursing

Papers a nurse can act on, across critical and emergency care, medical-surgical, mental health, paediatrics and neonatal, maternity, older adults, community and primary care, and oncology and palliative care. Each is read in full rather than from its abstract.

7,039 PAPERS · PAGE 28 OF 141 · NEWEST FIRST

• RNRCT2022Sleep, Stress, and Symptoms Among People With Heart Failure During the COVID-19 Pandemic.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingPeople with heart failure and insomnia reported less severe insomnia than at 6-month follow-up, but slept 0.59 hours less and had more daytime impairment. Stress, anxiety, and depression stayed near 6-month levels.
• RNQualitative2022Towards patient-centred communication in the management of older patients' medications across transitions of care: A focused ethnographic study.Journal of clinical nursingOlder patients wanted different roles in medication decisions across admission, transfer and discharge. Nurses often focused on tasks and handovers, so patients missed chances to ask questions or state preferences. Pharmacists were observed using empathetic medication talk, while nurses and doctors generally were not.
• RNQualitative2022Postpartum women's experiences of social and healthcare professional support during the COVID-19 pandemic: A recurrent cross-sectional thematic analysis.Women and birth : journal of the Australian College of MidwivesPostnatal women described lockdown as isolating, with reduced family support and rushed virtual healthcare. When restrictions eased, renewed contact helped, but missed milestones, excluded partners, and limited online support still left many feeling unsupported.
• RNQualitative2022Making good care essential: The impact of increased obstetric interventions and decreased services during the COVID-19 pandemic.Women and birth : journal of the Australian College of MidwivesPregnant and birthing people in Canada described pandemic maternity care as less hands-on and more intervention-heavy: virtual prenatal visits pushed monitoring onto them, hospital restrictions removed support, and fear of being alone prompted inductions or caesareans.
• RNCohort2022Effectiveness of Pediatric Concurrent Hospice Care to Improve Continuity of Care.The American journal of hospice & palliative careChildren receiving concurrent hospice care stayed in hospice significantly longer and disenrolled less often than those in standard care. However, they were more likely to transition to the emergency room or inpatient care, suggesting these medical moves are part of the blended care model rather than a failure of hospice.
• RNCohort2022Image diagnosis models for the oral assessment of older people using convolutional neural networks: A retrospective observational study.Journal of clinical nursingAn image recognition model classified six visual oral assessment items with high accuracy except mucous membranes, but it was not tested in routine care, so nurses should not rely on it yet.
• RNOther2021Characterizing Pain Leading to Emergency Medical Services Activation in Heart Failure.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingMore than 1 in 5 patients with heart failure transported by EMS had pain as the primary complaint, most often chest pain and often severe. Prior heart attack was linked to pain complaints.
• RNSurvey2021Obstructive Sleep Apnea Risk Is Associated With Severity of Metabolic Syndrome: A Secondary Analysis of the 2015-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingHigher estimated sleep apnea risk was linked to worse metabolic syndrome severity, even after body weight, age, diet, and activity were considered. Adults with more snoring and apnea symptoms may need a closer look at cardiometabolic health.
• RNRCT2021Engaging Patients in Research That Involves Meditation: Religious Concerns and Nursing Implications.Cancer nursingWhen recruiters stopped using 'yoga' and described meditation as breathing exercises, seated exercises, and learning to relax the body, dropout in the first 4 weeks was reported as 31% before and 26% after. Staff reported more comfort addressing religious concerns.
• RNCohort2021A National Study of Healthcare Service Patterns at the End of Life Among Children With Cardiac Disease.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingChildren with cardiac disease in hospice still used heavy amounts of other care. Most needed only moderate services like meds and doctor visits, but a high-intensity group used nearly everything, especially home health, often in rural areas.
• PTRNSurvey2023Symptom clusters, associated factors and health-related quality of life in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A structural equation modelling analysis.Journal of clinical nursingIn adults with COPD, breathlessness, weakness, drowsiness and poor mobility clustered together; anxiety and depression also clustered, and each cluster was associated with lower quality of life. These clusters suggest symptoms can be assessed as groups, not one by one.
• RNOther2023Life-Sustaining Treatment Decision in Palliative Care Based on Electronic Health Records Analysis.Journal of clinical nursingFamilies made 53.9% of life-sustaining treatment decisions in 2,721 Korean palliative records. Decisions occurred a median 3 days before discharge or death. Nursing records per patient were 28.6 seven days before, 37.7 three days before, and 67.7 on the decision day.
• RNQualitative2023Experiences of Stress - A Focus Group Interview Study Among Swedish Adolescents During the COVID-19 Pandemic.The Journal of school nursing : the official publication of the National Association of School NursesAdolescents reported stress from balancing school, leisure, social media, family demands and pandemic worries. Some described moderate stress as helping focus, while too much was reported alongside sleep problems, physical symptoms and emotional reactions.
• RNSystematic Review2022Factors affecting hospital readmission rates following an acute coronary syndrome: A systematic review.Journal of clinical nursingReadmission rates after acute coronary syndrome varied widely, from 4.2% to 81%. Older age, female gender, smoking, and comorbidities like diabetes and renal disease were linked to higher risk, though findings on age and gender were inconsistent across studies.
• RNSystematic Review2022Pediatric End-of-Life Care in Rural America: A Systematic Review.The American journal of hospice & palliative careRural pediatric hospice care in the US faced barriers from provider shortages, pharmacy gaps, and admission policies. Telehealth and pediatric training were described as helpful, and geographic studies identified unmet need.
• RNRCT2022Psychosocial and Sensory Factors Contribute to Self-Reported Pain and Quality of Life in Young Adults with Irritable Bowel Syndrome.Pain management nursing : official journal of the American Society of Pain Management NursesIn young adults with IBS, fatigue, pain catastrophizing, low self-efficacy, alcohol intake, mechanical pain sensitivity, and cold pain threshold were associated with worse pain interference and quality of life.
• RNSurvey2022Sex Differences in Cardiac Risk Factors in Young Adults: A Secondary Analysis and Surveillance Study.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingYoung adults showed different heart risk patterns by sex: men had more hypertension, smoking, high cholesterol and overweight, while women had more obesity and lower activity. Hypertension, age, cholesterol, smoking and prediabetes predicted CAD.
• RNSystematic Review2022A scoping review of outpatient interventions to support the reduction of prescription opioid medication for chronic non cancer pain.Journal of clinical nursingNo outpatient intervention was proven to reduce prescription opioids in chronic non-cancer pain. The review found 19 small, mixed-quality studies; many reported dose reductions, but only half had a control or comparator group.
• RNCohort2022Polypharmacy and Clinical Outcomes in Hospitalized Patients With Acute Decompensated Heart Failure.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingHeart failure patients discharged on 12 or more medications had a 30% higher adjusted risk of death or readmission within one year compared to those on 5 or fewer. This risk was not significant in patients aged 80 or older or those with anemia.
• RNOther2022Translation and Cross-cultural Adaptation of the Self-care of Hypertension Inventory for Thais With Hypertension.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingThe Thai hypertension self-care questionnaire was feasible and gave consistent answers when patients repeated it or when two investigators scored the same patient. It can help assess self-care in rural Thai primary care, not improve outcomes.
• RNPilot2022Mind Your Heart: Exploring Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Effects of Phone-Delivered Mindfulness Training on Medication Adherence in Outpatients With Chronic Heart Failure.The Journal of cardiovascular nursingIn outpatients with chronic heart failure, phone-delivered mindfulness training was feasible and acceptable, but did not improve medication adherence; objectively measured adherence dropped from 73% to 58%.
• RNMeta-Analysis2022Effect of a game-based intervention on preoperative pain and anxiety in children: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Journal of clinical nursingPain evidence was sparse and mixed. Game-based distraction before anaesthesia favoured lower anxiety, with a mYPAS score difference of -10.62 favouring the game group, but one anxiety scale showed no clear reduction.
• RNCohort2022Effectiveness of a telephone-based nursing intervention to reduce hospital utilization by COVID-19 patients.Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.)Nurse-led phone follow-up for patients isolating at home with COVID-19 did not show a clear reduction in 30-day emergency or hospital use compared with care before the protocol. The reported reduction was uncertain. The study was too small.
• RNNarrative Review2022Holistic Health of Two Spirit People in Canada: A Call for Nursing Action.Journal of holistic nursing : official journal of the American Holistic Nurses' AssociationTwo Spirit people's health in Canada was described through mental, spiritual, physical and emotional themes. Culture and spirituality were strengths; racism, homophobia, violence and invisibility were barriers. No nursing research on their care was found.
• PTRNPilot2022Assessing Physical and Cognitive Function in Individuals With Head and Neck Cancer: A Feasibility Study.Cancer nursingA pedometer, NIH Toolbox, and REDCap battery was feasible and acceptable in newly diagnosed head and neck cancer patients. They walked fewer steps and reported worse symptoms at follow-up; some attention and cognitive flexibility tests improved.
• RNQualitative2022Patients and family members´ perceptions of interprofessional teamwork in palliative care: A qualitative descriptive study.Journal of clinical nursingPatients and family members judged teamwork mainly by visible nurse and doctor communication, a warm atmosphere and clear roles. Too many visits or pain made patients unable to take part, so pacing contacts and explaining roles were important to them.
• RNCohort2023Prevalence and determinants of medication administration errors in clinical wards: A two-centre prospective observational study.Journal of clinical nursingNurses in two Dutch hospitals made at least one medication administration error in 13.7% of administrations. Complex forms and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. or 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. were linked to more errors. 45 of 380 errors could harm patients.
• RNRCT2022Exploratory Analysis of Associations Between Whole Blood Mitochondrial Gene Expression and Cancer-Related Fatigue Among Breast Cancer Survivors.Nursing researchFish oil, soybean oil, or both did not differ in breast cancer survivors' cancer-related fatigue. Fatigue improved over six weeks in all groups; lower baseline mitochondrial gene expression was linked to greater improvement, an exploratory finding.
• RNOther2022Profiles of adult people in a Spanish sample with chronic pain: Cluster analysis.Journal of advanced nursingIn Spanish adults with chronic non-cancer pain, two profiles emerged: lower impairment was aged 45-64, employed, mild daily-life impact and no opioid/anxiolytic use; higher impairment was over 65, retired/on leave, severe daily-life impact and opioid/anxiolytic use.
• RNQualitative2022Patients' Perceptions at Diagnosis: Lung Cancer Discovery and Provider Relationships.Cancer nursingNewly diagnosed lung cancer patients described vague flu-like symptoms, fear and smoking stigma delaying care, and poor communication from providers. They wanted clear, direct information about treatment, side effects, and test results to feel supported and trust providers.
• RNQualitative2022Experiences of Symptoms and Impact on Daily Life and Health in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients: A Meta-synthesis of Qualitative Research.Cancer nursingHepatocellular carcinoma patients described overwhelming life disruption, stigma, and uncertainty about symptoms caused by disease or treatment. They often withdrew to avoid burdening others, so nurses may need to ask directly about symptoms and experiences.
• RNSystematic Review2022Unsafe and Unsettling: An Integrative Review on Correctional Nursing Work Environments and Stressors.Journal of forensic nursingCorrectional nurses face high stress from workplace violence, ethical conflicts with security protocols, and heavy workloads. While many report job satisfaction from meaningful work, the review links these stressors to burnout and intent to leave, highlighting a critical need for better staffing and safety support.
• RNPilot2022Clinical application of 'Sophia Observation withdrawal Symptoms-Paediatric Delirium' screening tool in Danish version: A feasibility study.Scandinavian journal of caring sciencesBedside nurses found the Danish SOS-PD quick and easy for screening children's delirium, and it agreed with a psychiatrist in 44 of 50 assessments. It was not used every shift, and three missed cases showed the day-shift screen may miss fluctuating delirium.
• PTRNCohort2022Can Steps per Day Reflect Symptoms in Children and Adolescents Undergoing Cancer Treatment?Cancer nursingLower step counts in children and adolescents undergoing cancer treatment tracked worse fatigue, more symptoms, and poorer physical activity and function. Average steps reduced by 1040 between time points and were lower in hospitalized children.
• RNCase Series2022Assessing Depressive Symptoms in Patients With Cancer Treated With Interleukin-2: A Comparison of 2 Measures.Cancer nursingA common self-report depression screen missed the mood changes patients actually experienced during high-dose IL-2 therapy. Clinician-rated interviews and family observations detected symptoms that the short self-report did not, suggesting the screen is too limited for this population.
• RNSurvey2022Large gaps in the quality of healthcare experienced by Swedish mothers during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study based on WHO standards.Women and birth : journal of the Australian College of MidwivesSwedish mothers reported gaps in maternity care during the pandemic: 50.7% had no companion of choice, 36.8% had inadequate breastfeeding support, 6.9% reported abuse, and women with prelabour caesarean reported more shortcomings.
• RNCohort2023Risk stratification for early and late falls in acute care settings.Journal of clinical nursingIn Japanese acute wards, admission fall-risk assessments by nurses separated early from late fall risk: early factors included fall history, impaired understanding, psychotropic medicines, muscle weakness, and doing everything alone; late factors included age over 65, impaired limbs, muscle weakness, and unstable gait.
• RNQualitative2023Safeguarding patients while implementing mechanical restraints: A qualitative study of nurses and ward staff's perceptions and assessment.Journal of clinical nursingStaff on psychiatric wards described mechanical restraint as a last resort but lacked clear guidelines for monitoring patients while restrained. They varied widely in checking vital signs and physical safety, often assuming doctors were solely responsible for these assessments.
• RNQualitative2023Patient & Caregiver Experiences: Qualitative Study Comparison Before and After Implementation of Early Palliative Care for Advanced Colorectal Cancer.The Canadian journal of nursing research = Revue canadienne de recherche en sciences infirmieresAfter the pathway, patients and caregivers described the palliative care nurse as a home-visit liaison who helped coordinate care with oncologists and family physicians. They described palliative care as symptom and quality-of-life support, and advance care planning without feeling pressured.
• RNCohort2023Prevalence of and risk factors for thirst in the intensive care unit: An observational study.Journal of clinical nursingThirst affected 69.8% of conscious ICU patients. The strongest predictors were fasting orders, recent surgery, high blood glucose and greater illness severity. Anxiety, depression, room temperature and humidity were not linked to thirst.
• RNSystematic Review2022Experiences and perspectives of women who have committed neonaticide, infanticide and filicide: A systematic review and qualitative evidence synthesis.Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursingWomen who killed newborns described denying or hiding pregnancy and giving birth alone. Women who killed infants or older children described mental health crises, often followed by regret and grief. Perinatal nurses can ask about isolation and changing mental health.
• RNOther2022Racial residential segregation, neighborhood disorder, and racial discrimination among black pregnant women.Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.)Among 27 Black pregnant women, survey answers and interview accounts often disagreed about segregation, neighborhood disorder, and discrimination. Interviews revealed experiences some did not report on surveys, so asking open questions may capture stressors that surveys miss.
• PTOTRNCohort2022Post-Acute Care Outcomes and Functional Status Changes of Adults with New Cancer Discharged to Skilled Nursing Facilities.Journal of the American Medical Directors AssociationSurvival was best among older adults with newly diagnosed advanced cancer discharged to a skilled nursing facility when they received cancer treatment and no hospice. Among those with complete ADL data, mean improvement was 1.5 to 3.1 points on a 28-point scale.
• RNCohort2022Patterns of Healthcare Services Among Children With Advanced Cancer in Concurrent Hospice Care.Cancer nursingChildren with advanced cancer in concurrent hospice care used 140 non-hospice services per child. They fell into moderate- and high-intensity groups; high-intensity children had more comorbidities, mental/behavioral conditions, and technology dependence.
• RNSurvey2022Body Image Dissatisfaction, Breastfeeding Experiences, and Self-Efficacy in Postpartum Women with and Without Eating Disorder Symptoms.Journal of human lactation : official journal of International Lactation Consultant AssociationPostpartum women with clinically significant eating disorder symptoms reported lower confidence in breastfeeding and were less likely to be breastfeeding at 2 months. They also had greater body image dissatisfaction, especially appearance concerns and weight worry.
• RNSystematic Review2022Nurse-led task-shifting strategies to substitute for mental health specialists in primary care: A systematic review.International journal of nursing practiceNurse-led mental health care in primary settings improved symptoms as well as or better than specialist care in most of 12 trials, with higher patient satisfaction. Outcomes varied by condition and setting, and most studies had high risk of bias, so results are not uniform.
• RNQualitative2022Moving our care home: A qualitative study of the views and experiences of residents, relatives and staff.International journal of older people nursingResidents and families experienced the move to a larger, purpose-built home as losing their 'family-like' community and struggling with confusion, despite improved facilities. Nurses should prioritise continuity of familiar staff and involve residents in room choices near friends to support adjustment.
• RNOther2022AIDS cases in Ottawa: A review of simultaneous HIV and AIDS diagnoses.Public health nursing (Boston, Mass.)Most patients diagnosed with AIDS in Ottawa had never tested for HIV before, and many were White heterosexual men not in typical risk groups. Nurses should consider HIV as a cause of chronic symptoms regardless of patient background.
• RNSystematic Review2022The needs of families who care for individuals with kidney failure on comprehensive conservative care: A qualitative systematic review.Journal of renal careFamilies caring for people with kidney failure on comprehensive conservative care reported unmet needs: clear prognosis and treatment information, shared decisions, continuity of care, and emotional, social and spiritual support.
• RNSurvey2022Determine the Symptom Intensities, Performance and Hopelessness Levels of Advanced Lung Cancer Patients for the Palliative Care Approach.The American journal of hospice & palliative careAdvanced lung cancer patients reported high symptom burdens, particularly fatigue and poor well-being. Higher symptom intensity and lower physical performance were strongly linked to increased hopelessness. This correlation suggests that managing physical symptoms may help improve psychological outlook.