Nursing research in Spain: bibliometrics of references of research papers in the decade 1985-1994

BACKGROUND: Spain is one of the few European countries to have recently totally incorporated the study of nursing into the university sector. Bibliometric studies may be of a great help for the consolidation of nursing research. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this paper is to describe bibliographic references in Spanish nursing research papers and their evolution over a decade. METHOD: The method consists of a retrospective bibliometric study of a sample (cluster sampling) of 622 research papers (original papers and review papers), which were contained in the Spanish nursing journals Enfermería Científica, Revista ROL de Enfermería, Enfermería Clínica and Enfermería Integral, and published from 1985 to 1994. The journal Nursing Research was selected for qualitative comparative purposes. A series of classic bibliometric indexes were used. RESULTS: The mean of references per paper is 10.64 +/- 10.42; this increased over time (P < 0.001). Review papers have more references (P < 0.001). Price index (percentage of references published during the last 5 years) is 44% and the Insularity (percentage of references published in same country as the article) is 55%. References to journals predominate (58.6%), with a growing tendency for references to Spanish nursing journals, although they are still scarce (18.1% of the references to journals). Spanish is the language of most of the references (60.3%), the second language being English (36.1%). CONCLUSIONS: Bibliographic references in Spanish nursing research papers are scarce and not very specific: this happens both in regard to Nursing Research and to publications in other national and international science areas. However, there is an increasing tendency of references (including references to nursing journals) in the period analysed. The age of the references places Spanish nursing in an intermediate position between the 'hard' sciences and the humanities; and, according to the type of documentation used, we find it halfway between experimental and natural sciences, and technologies and social sciences. There has been a slight increase in references in English in recent years.     

Using computer assisted learning for clinical skills education in nursing: integrative review

Title.  Using computer assisted learning for clinical skills education in nursing: integrative review.
Aim.  This paper is a report of an integrative review of research investigating computer assisted learning for clinical skills education in nursing, the ways in which it has been studied and the general findings.
Background.  Clinical skills are an essential aspect of nursing practice and there is international debate about the most effective ways in which these can be taught. Computer assisted learning has been used as an alternative to conventional teaching methods, and robust research to evaluate its effectiveness is essential.
Data sources.  The CINAHL, Medline, BNI, PsycInfo and ERIC electronic databases were searched for the period 1997–2006 for research-based papers published in English. Electronic citation tracking and hand searching of reference lists and relevant journals was also undertaken.
Findings.  Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. An integrative review was conducted and each paper was explored in relation to: design, aims, sample, outcome measures and findings. Many of the study samples were small and there were weaknesses in designs. There is limited empirical evidence addressing the use of computer assisted learning for clinical skills education in nursing. Computer assisted learning has been used to teach a limited range of clinical skills in a variety of settings.
Conclusion.  The paucity of evaluative studies indicates the need for more rigorous research to investigate the effect of computer assisted learning for this purpose. Areas that need to be addressed in future studies include: sample size, range of skills, longitudinal follow-up and control of confounding variables.     

Bibliometric analysis of papers on mild cognitive impairment nursing in China

PurposeTo supply further references by analyzing the status of research on mild cognitive impairment nursing in China.MethodsPapers on mild cognitive impairment nursing published between 2005 and 2014 were collected from China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, and China Biological Medicine database, while their publication dates, journals, and types were subjected to a bibliometric analysis using NoteExpress and Excel.ResultsA total of 68 papers were collected from the selected databases. The number of papers on mild cognitive impairment nursing increased annually. The selected papers were published in 44 journals, 55.88% of them were published in core journals, 35.29% received funding support, 35.29% were published by hospitals affiliated to colleges, 47.06% were published by other local hospitals, author collaboration is 2.66, and 66.18% showed co-authorship. These papers covered a wide range of topics, but were only conducted based on clinical interventions. Around 29.41% of these papers had a citation frequency of over 5, the highest citation frequency was 29, and the highest h-index was 23.ConclusionBeijing and Shanghai established core author groups for mild cognitive impairment nursing research. These studies should focus on the community and psychological nursing of such impairment. Targeted nursing interventions on different types of mild cognitive impairment should be adopted, new avenues for research should be opened, and various research methods should be introduced.     

Bibliometric analysis of nursing research in Taiwan 1991-2004

This study examined nursing research performance in Taiwan from 1991 to 2004 by conducting bibliometric analysis of papers published by researchers affiliated with nursing institutes in Taiwan. Bibliometric information of papers that were published between 1991 and 2004 and had contact address including the words "Taiwan", and "nursing" were downloaded from the ISI Web of Knowledge website. The information used for this research included number of papers, number of authors, number of references listed, impact factors of publishing journals, times cited, and whether the paper was written through international or domestic collaboration. The information was coded and tabulated. Bibliometric characteristics were compared between 1995- 1999 and 2000-2004. Furthermore, an exponential model was fitted to show the past growth trend in research outputs. The results showed that there was a significant growth in quantity of papers from 1991 to 2004. In general, recent papers had averaged more authors, more domestic collaboration, more international collaboration, higher impact factors, and more references listed than earlier papers. Papers written with collaboration tended to have a higher average number of authors and more references listed, and tended to be published in journals with higher impact factors. The exponential model proved to be in good fit with the past growth pattern. The authors speculate that the recent increase in research collaboration, both internationally and domestically, may have contributed to the significant increase in output. It is not clear whether the growth in quantity of papers will continue or for how long. Based on past data, however, no sign of leveling off has been observed. More research is needed to understand what societal and individual level factors were involved in fueling such a dramatic increase in quantity in the last decade. Furthermore, as the quantity of papers has increased steadily, more focus can be placed on improving the quality of research papers.     

Qualitative case study methodology in nursing research: an integrative review

Title.  Qualitative case study methodology in nursing research: an integrative review.
Aim.  This paper is a report of an integrative review conducted to critically analyse the contemporary use of qualitative case study methodology in nursing research.
Background.  Increasing complexity in health care and increasing use of case study in nursing research support the need for current examination of this methodology.
Data sources.  In 2007, a search for case study research (published 2005–2007) indexed in the CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, Sociological Abstracts and SCOPUS databases was conducted. A sample of 42 case study research papers met the inclusion criteria.
Methods.  Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review method guided the analysis.
Results.  Confusion exists about the name, nature and use of case study. This methodology, including terminology and concepts, is often invisible in qualitative study titles and abstracts. Case study is an exclusive methodology and an adjunct to exploring particular aspects of phenomena under investigation in larger or mixed-methods studies. A high quality of case study exists in nursing research.
Conclusion.  Judicious selection and diligent application of literature review methods promote the development of nursing science. Case study is becoming entrenched in the nursing research lexicon as a well-accepted methodology for studying phenomena in health and social care, and its growing use warrants continued appraisal to promote nursing knowledge development. Attention to all case study elements, process and publication is important in promoting authenticity, methodological quality and visibility.     

A 10-Year Retrospective Study of Teaching Nursing Diagnosis to Baccalaureate Students in Italy

PURPOSE.  The aim of this 10-year retrospective study was to evaluate the impact of teaching nursing process to students at different levels of baccalaureate education, using the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association International (NANDA-I) Taxonomy.
METHOD.  Nursing care plans written between 1996 and 2006 by 3,784 students who had completed a baccalaureate course in nursing process at a university in northern Italy were evaluated. At least three of the four steps of the nursing process were included in the evaluation: assessing, planning, intervening, and evaluating.
RESULTS.  An average of 6.3 (range 0–31; ± 3.9; median 6) problems were identified in each care plan. Of these, 5.1 (range 0–29; ± 3.06; median 5) were related to nursing diagnoses concerning either an actual problem or the risk of developing a problem; the remaining 1.2 (range 0–20; ± 1.9; median 0) diagnoses were concerned either with collaborative problems or with potential complications. The students demonstrated significant improvement in accurately identifying 75 diagnostic titles from the NANDA-I Taxonomy as they progressed through their first, second, and third years of baccalaureate study.
CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE.  These findings suggest that the ability to use the NANDA-I Taxonomy accurately is acquired over time. Thus, the theory and practice of using nursing process should be introduced in a formal course during the first year of baccalaureate nursing education and should be reinforced throughout the remaining courses. Students can then progressively improve their knowledge, critical thinking abilities, and use of the NANDA-I Taxonomy during their second and third years of study. Teaching strategies to reinforce students' learning are recommended.     

Tobacco smoking habits among nursing students and the influence of family and peer smoking behaviour

Title.  Tobacco smoking habits among nursing students and the influence of family and peer smoking behaviour.
Aim.  This paper is a report of a study assessing tobacco smoking habits among nursing students and how these are influenced by family members and peers.
Background.  Tobacco smoking among nursing students is a serious problem because of the public role model of these future healthcare professionals.
Methods.  The smoking attitude of nursing students attending the 3 year full-time course at the University of Milan in the academic years 2006–2007 and 2007–2008 was investigated. A total of 820 students filled in the self-administered questionnaire and 812 valid questionnaires were returned. The response rate was 87%.
Results.  Forty-four percent of the 812 students were tobacco smokers and 7% former smokers. Among the smoking students 75% had at least one smoking parent, 47% had at least one smoking brother or sister and 87% saw smoking friends.
Conclusion.  There is an urgent need to implement effective anti-smoking measures among nursing students. Decreasing the number of smokers among healthcare professionals would discourage people from smoking and would increase the credibility of anti-smoking campaigns.     

Supportive counselling programme for nursing students experiencing academic failure: randomized controlled trial

Title.  Supportive counselling programme for nursing students experiencing academic failure: randomized controlled trial.
Aim.  This paper is a report of a study examining the effects of a supportive counselling programme on the academic performance of Iranian nursing students experiencing academic failure.
Background.  In order to using limited educational resources effectively, nursing students experiencing academic failure should be immediately identified in order that appropriate intervention can take place.
Method.  Data were collected over a 12-month period in 2006–2007, with 42 Bachelor of Science nursing students who displayed poor academic performance. They were randomly allocated to receive either supportive or ordinary counselling. The mean grades in basic theoretical courses, special courses, and also the combination of both basic and special courses was compared between the two groups.
Findings.  Over the study period, there were improvements in the mean grades of special courses and also in both basic and special courses of male students in the experimental group, compared with those of male students in the control group (0·27 against −1·43, P  = 0·014; and 1·87 against −0·40, P  = 0·009; respectively).
Conclusion.  A supportive counselling programme can improve the academic performance of male nursing students. Replication of the current study with larger samples and longer duration is recommended.     

Attitudes of nursing students towards caring for people with HIV/AIDS: thematic literature review

Title.  Attitudes of nursing students towards caring for people with HIV/AIDS: thematic literature review.
Aim. This paper is a report of a literature review conducted to examine current research studies into attitudes of nursing students towards caring for people with HIV/AIDS and to identify factors that influenced those attitudes to inform current nursing practice and to develop nursing education regarding care provided to people with HIV/AIDS.
Background. Attitudes of nurses towards people living with HIV/AIDS have long been scrutinized. Studies show that some nurses have negative attitudes and are reluctant to provide care to people with HIV/AIDS, resulting in poorer quality nursing support being provided. Attitudes of nursing students towards caring for people with HIV/AIDS is thus of vital importance since they become the future practising nurses.
Data sources.  Eight electronic data bases were searched from 1996–2008.
Review methods.  Criteria used for study selection were: attitudes of nursing students towards caring for people with HIV/AIDS, primary research studies, published in English language in peer reviewed journals from 1996 to June 2008. Sixteen studies were identified for inclusion in this thematic review.
Results.  The following themes were identified: education and knowledge of HIV/AIDS; fear of contracting HIV/AIDS; reluctance to care for people with HIV/AIDS; homophobia; and stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.
Conclusion. There is reluctance on the part of some nursing students in specific regions of the world to provide care for people with HIV/AIDS. Educational programmes based on research evidence must play a leading role in developing strategies to help nursing students understand and overcome such attitudes.     

国际护理类期刊统计与分析

本文用文献计量学的方法,通过ISI的数据,对国际护理类期刊的各项指标进行统计与分析,并从国家、机构和研究重点等角度对论文产出的情况进行分析。与其他学科相比,72种国际护理类期刊的影响因子和总被引频次的平均值偏低,目前JCR还没有收录我国的护理类期刊,且国内研究人员在国际护理类期刊上发表论文较少。     

Measuring community nurses' job satisfaction: literature review

Title.  Measuring community nurses' job satisfaction: literature review
Aim.  This paper is a report of a review of the literature on community nurses' job satisfaction, including research using different scales and settings, what is known to date and directions for future research.
Background.  Job satisfaction is one of the strongest predictors of intent to stay and retention of nurses. An adequate understanding of the sources of job satisfaction and their importance can aid policymakers in the community nursing setting to cope with the growing demand for its services.
Data sources.  A database of papers was established using ISI Web of Knowledge. Cited references were used to expand the database. Journals adding to the database were scanned for related research. This technique was repeated until no additional papers could be found.
Findings.  Twelve job satisfaction scales were found, with striking differences in methodology, settings and sample characteristics of the studies concerned. A wide variety of job satisfaction and dissatisfaction sources is identified, but little is known on their relative importance. The Measure of Job Satisfaction and the Home Healthcare Nurses' Job Satisfaction Scale prove highly reliable and applicable.
Conclusion. Findings on the level and sources of community nurses' job satisfaction are ambiguous. Of all the scales reviewed, the Home Healthcare Nurses' Job Satisfaction Scale seems most promising for use in future research, based on its strong psychometric properties and its specificity for the community nursing setting.     

The establishment of an academic nursing faculty: action research in Israel

Aim:  The aim of this paper is twofold: to conceptualize tensions related to the academization of nursing, and to analyse a case study, describing how such tensions were dealt with in the process of establishing a new nursing department.
Background:  This paper represents the first stage of a case study of the transformation of a hospital-based nursing school into an academic programme, carried out as a joint venture between a local hospital school and a college in northern Israel.
Methods:  This paper is based on action research. The participants were 19 members of the new academic faculty and 3 members of an action research center.
Findings:  The three inter-related tensions surfaced in the research process are: (1) the status of nursing and nurses, (2) the role of research and critical thinking in nursing education and practice, and (3) the characteristics of students, who should enrol in and graduate from nursing programmes, or in other words, the character of the 'ideal nurse'.
Conclusions:  An action research process enables new teams to put tensions on the table so they can be openly addressed through ongoing reflection, inquiry, learning, evaluation and redesign.     

Psychological adjustments made by postburn injury patients: an integrative literature review

Title.  Psychological adjustments made by postburn injury patients: an integrative literature review.
Aim.  This paper is a report of a review examining the variables that predispose individuals to significant psychological maladjustment following burn injury.
Background.  The psychological sequelae of burn injury are well documented; however, the variables that influence individuals' adjustment following burn injury lack consideration.
Data sources.  MEDLINE, Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health, and Psychological Abstracts were searched using the keywords burn injury, psychological, psychosocial, rehabilitation, premorbid psychopathology, adjustment, reintegration, body image, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, coping. Other sources were found from a manual search of nursing, medical and psychological literature and references of identified and related papers. The search strategy was limited to English-language research published between 1997 and 2008.
Review methods.  An integrative review of the studies was conducted over a 6-month time period during 2007–2008.
Results.  Burn patients are a heterogeneous group and typically have comorbidities. While preburn personality and coping strategies can influence long-term psychological adjustment, the relationship between postburn adjustment and burn size and severity, and gender are poorly understood. Much of the literature focuses on the prevalence of psychological maladjustment rather than on identifying variables that influence psychological adjustment.
Conclusion.  The diversity and complexity that characterize burn patients lead to unique adjustment difficulties. Recognizing these difficulties is the first step to offering appropriate intervention and treatment for this unique patient group.     

2003-2012年护理学高被引论文学术特征分析及启示

目的：为护理学期刊编辑选题、组稿,提升期刊质量和学术影响力提供参考。方法：运用文献计量学方法,从期刊、发表栏目、主题、研究方法、基金资助5方面进行描述性统计分析。结果：护理学高被引论文期刊、发表栏目、研究方法呈集中性分布,主题呈集中性和动态性分布,基金资助以院校、省级为主,省级基金资助比例高于国家级基金。结论：护理学期刊编辑应围绕研究热点展开选题,加强产生高被引论文栏目建设与组稿,积极挖掘优质稿源,提高国家级基金资助论文的刊出比例。     

基于Web of Science数据库有关胶质瘤护理研究的文献计量分析

目的 分析胶质瘤护理研究的分布情况,为胶质瘤护理研究提供参考。方法 以Web of Science（WOS）数据库收录1985－2020年相关文献为对象,借助Web of Science数据库提供的文献分析功能和BICOMB软件,对胶质瘤护理相关研究的发表年度、国家和机构分布、来源出版物、作者、被引情况、研究方向及高频关键词进行文献计量分析。结果 共纳入84篇胶质瘤护理相关研究文献,分别发表在53种期刊上,其中护理专业刊物10种。整体发文量呈上升趋势。美国发文量最多。胶质瘤护理研究领域初步形成核心团队。高频关键词显示研究热点集中在姑息治疗、支持性护理干预、流行病学、生活质量、康复等方面。结论 胶质瘤护理研究正在不断发展,现有研究数量仍有待提升。护理人员应紧跟研究热点,针对胶质瘤患者的临床需求,积极开展支持性护理干预和姑息治疗,以指导临床实践。     

Specificity and reliability of prognostic indexes in intensive care evaluation: the spontaneous cerebral haemorrhage case

Objective  To determine the reliability of a generic index such as Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPSII), compared with a specific one Intra Cerebral Haemorrhage score (ICH score), as an intensive care unit (ICU) outcome predictor when evaluating a general facility that frequently treats a specific type of patients – those with spontaneous cerebral haemorrhage.
Methods  The study cohort consisted of a random sample of patients (81) admitted to Modena's Policlinico Teaching Hospital's ICU with spontaneous ICH over a 24-month period.
Main outcome measure  SAPSII, ICH score, overall mortality.
Results  The mean ICH score for the 32 surviving patients was 3.41 ± 1.012 while for the 49 deceased patients was of 4.24 ± 0.855 ( P  = 0.000). The mean SAPSII value for the 32 surviving patients was 49.09 ± 16.58 while for the 49 deceased patients was 49.51 ± 15.93. SAPSII, ICH scores were analysed for mortality, by receiver operating characteristic curves: the area under the curve was significant for ICH, not-significant for SAPSII.
Conclusions  Regional quality controls use generic prognostic indexes (SAPSII) in relation to mortality and outcome to assess ICUs, which is appropriate when dealing with a general facility when there is not a predominant type of patient, but it may bias the evaluation if the population with specific pathologies (ICH), not included in the general index, is statistically considerable, leading to an incorrect criticality assessment, an inappropriate strategic plan and the subsequent inefficient resource allocation.