Ataque de nervios: relationship to anxiety sensitivity and dissociation predisposition

We investigated the relative importance of "fear of arousal symptoms" (i.e., anxiety sensitivity) and "dissociation tendency" in generating ataque de nervios. Puerto Rican patients attending an outpatient psychiatric clinic were assessed for ataque de nervios frequency in the previous month, and they completed the Anxiety Sensitivity Index (ASI) and the Dissociation Experiences Scale (DES). ASI scores were especially high in the ataque-positive group (M=41.6, SD=12.8) as compared with the ataque-negative group (M=27.2, SD=11.7), t(2, 68)=4.6, P<.001. Among the whole sample (N=70), in a logistic regression analysis, the ASI significantly predicted (odds ratio=2.6) the presence of ataque de nervios, but the DES did not. In a linear regression analysis, ataque severity was significantly predicted by both the ASI (beta=.46) and the DES (beta=.29). The theoretical and clinical implications of the strong relationship of the ASI to ataque severity are discussed.     

Experience of loneliness in Iranian abused elders

HERAVI‐KARIMOOI M., REJEH N., FOROUGHAN M. & VAISMORADI M. (2011) Experience of loneliness in Iranian abused elders. International Nursing Review 59 , 139–145 Aim: This study aimed to explore the experience of loneliness in Iranian abused elderly people. Methods: A qualitative design was employed to collect and analyse data regarding the experience of loneliness in abused elderly people living in an urban area of Iran. A purposeful sampling strategy was applied. Semi‐structured in‐depth interviews were held with 14 participants (five men and nine women) until the data richness was fulfilled. The data were analysed using the Colaizzi method. Findings: Three main themes emerged as follows: ‘feeling of pain and suffering’, ‘feeling of being an outsider’ and ‘feeling of deprivation’. A discrepancy existed between how the participants had imagined their lives in later life and how they actually lived them. Conclusion: The combination of abuse, old age and deprivation increased suffering and pain, which accompanied the loneliness experience in older people. The findings suggest that nurses need to address factors such as abuse, neglect and deprivation influencing the experience of loneliness during the assessment of their elder patients. This may help them to devise strategies for preventing abuse or alleviating the sense of loneliness in elderly people.     

Indigenous peoples’ experiences and perceptions of hospitalisation for acute care: A metasynthesis of qualitative studies

ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to explore Indigenous people’s experiences and perceptions of hospitalisation and acute care.MethodsSystematic procedures were used for the literature search covering the period from 2000 to 2016. Final search was conducted in early September 2016. Quality of the selected studies was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Program. Data extraction was conducted using the data extraction tool from the Joanna Briggs Institute. A thematic approach to synthesis was taken. Statements were assembled to produce aggregated data of the findings, which were then categorised based on similarity of meaning, and the categories were used to produce comprehensive synthesised findings.Data sourcesThe literature search was conducted in the following databases: Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Google scholar, Medline, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences, and PsycINFO. Manual searches of the International Journal of Indigenous Health, Menzies website and references of reviewed papers were also conducted. Inclusion criteria were qualitative articles, published in English from across the world, in peer-reviewed journals, that investigated acute health care experiences of Indigenous people.Review methodsA metasynthesis of qualitative research studies was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines.FindingsA total of 21 primary studies met the inclusion criteria. Three themes emerged from the metasynthesis: Strangers in a strange land; Encountering dysfunctional interactions; and Suffering stereotyping and assumptions. These themes emphasised the importance of meaningful relationships for Indigenous people and highlighted their cultural marginalisation in hospital settings.ConclusionThe findings indicate that healthcare experiences of Indigenous patients and their relatives in acute settings can fall well short of their expectations and needs. It behoves healthcare professionals to firstly be aware of such discrepancies, and secondly to implement strategies that enable inclusive and individualised care.     

Vivir con una enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica: una historia condicionada por los síntomas

ObjectiveTo determine the meaning of the experience of people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.MethodA qualitative approach study rooted in hermeneutic phenomenology. In-depth interviews were conducted with 10 people with critical and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.ResultsThe findings obtained are described in three emerging topics and their consequent subtopics, which describe the process of the disease focusing on five subtopics related to awareness of the disease, the choking characteristic of the disease and tiredness as daily unpleasant symptoms, as well as choking as a death threat, rejection of oxygen dependency and coping systems to control the disease. In the second topic, family support with two subtopics are described: the loss of the patient's role, the burden of care; and the third topic concerns the support of health system on two subtopics: medical care and nursing care.ConclusionThe symptoms and functional changes in general, denote a different meaning not only in everyday life, but also in times of exacerbation of the condition. Likewise, changes in lifestyle due to the loss of roles and health care processes are revealed, as experiences that do not allow effective coping and adaptation.     

Experiences and learning during a graduate nurse program: an examination using a focus group approach

The graduate nurse year requires individuals to make a huge transition from university student to registered nurse as part of the health care workforce. New graduates experience steep learning curves throughout the first year of professional practice. This study sought to explore experiences and learning occurring throughout the graduate nurse program for a group of seven new nurse graduates. Focus group interviews were conducted at six months and 12 months into the program using the same set of guiding questions. The first interview highlighted that graduates early in the graduate year were internalised, concentrating on their own survival in managing workloads, facing practice realities and coming to terms with themselves as nurses. Learning was primarily about survival strategies and performing tasks. By the second interview, graduates were much less focussed on themselves. They understood their place in the health care team, had gained confidence in their relationships, and were showing concern for the next graduates arriving. Learning at this stage involved more higher order skills, including critical thinking.     

Discovering the memory thief: MOOC participants’ personal experiences of dementia

Dementia is one of the greatest social issues of our time. There are brief explorations of experiences of dementia in the literature, however this study seeks to further explore the experiences of the general public in relation to dementia. This study aimed to characterise experiences of dementia in the general population.This characterisation was achieved by developing and opening a massive open online course on dementia, which collected information from participants who responded to the question “share your own personal experience of dementia”. This data was then analysed by two researchers using Framework Analysis.Four themes (the condition, caring, perception, and control) and indicative quotes are presented and discussed. Experiences of dementia are positive as well as negative. Findings update understanding of these experiences and demonstrate new insights.     

“Waves” of Asian Indian Elderly Immigrants: What Can Practitioners Learn?

This article offers insight and recommendations to professionals working with the Asian Indian elderly population, and suggestions for future research on this rapidly growing segment of the US population. It compares and contrasts the experiences of three different “waves” of Asian Indian immigrants that migrated since 1965. In particular, the article explores the reasons for migration, the challenges faced following migration, legal status and cultural values among the three waves of Asian Indian immigrants and how these factors influenced each group’s adaptation and experience in the USA as mature adults (over age 55). The article concludes with recommendations on how this knowledge should influence professionals working with Asian Indian elderly on an individual or a community basis, as they plan and organize culturally sensitive services.