Objective: This study aims to identify factors causing dyspnea in patients with cancer. Methods: We administered a questionnaire survey to 279 patients, of whom 241 responded (a valid response rate of 92.3%). Additionally, we conducted multiple regression analysis and structural analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) to analyze the relationship between dyspnea (TDSC) and physical status factors (PS, stage, respiratory substrate changes, and other symptoms), psychosocial factors (BCWI and FACT-G), and coping factors (coping behavior, experience of receiving guidance on coping methods, and consultants). Results: The findings of the multiple regression analysis revealed significant differences between the six factors: PS, stage, respiratory substrate changes, anxiety, quality of life, and experience of receiving guidance on coping methods in the total TDSC score, with all but stage being compatible in the structural ANCOVA. Conclusions: The development and exacerbation of dyspnea in patients with cancer were influenced by PS, respiratory substrate changes, anxiety, quality of life, and experience of receiving guidance on coping methods, with anxiety having the strongest correlation. This finding highlights the importance of comprehensive nursing support for the patients’ both physical and mental needs.

Objective: This study aims to determine the effectiveness of nursing interventions in a perioperative outpatient setting, using a care guide focused on preoperative anxiety and preoperative management. Methods: A non-randomized controlled trial was conducted with the cooperation of a perioperative outpatient care facility in A prefecture. Totally, 17 operating room nurses performed perioperative outpatient care for 17 patients in the control group using the facility’s conventional method. Subsequently, the nurses provided care using the perioperative outpatient care guide. Results: For the intervention group, there was a significant decrease in patient anxiety (as measured by the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Form JYZ) at the time of admission than during the perioperative outpatient period. The interview survey was linked to “provision of a sense of security.” In addition, we were able to obtain effects on preoperative management, such as “acquisition of preparatory behaviors for surgery.” Conclusions: The results suggest that the care guide can be used to aid the nursing practice in the perioperative outpatient clinic setting.

Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify and describe the professional identity elements of nurses who have been working for over twenty years without a job title (hereinafter, staff nurses) through their narratives. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine staff nurses. The data obtained were recorded verbatim, and the descriptions of subjective awareness of their perception of self as a staff nurse working for a long time, activities and roles pertaining to nursing work, and values and beliefs were coded and categorized. Results: Seven categories, including “continue working,” “cherishing one’s own private life,” “preparing an environment conducive to working for a long period of time,” and “satisfaction with the current position and role,” were generated. Conclusions: Staff nurses working for a considerable period of time want to continue working and nurture thoughts on cultivating their private life. Furthermore, driven by the subjective selection of their position and role, they aim to take the initiative in preparing a conducive work environment that will enable them to continue working in the future and, thus, achieve a sense of satisfaction with their current position and role.

Objective: To create concepts to describe the experiences of nursing faculty who supervise master’s thesis research in Japanese graduate nursing programs. Methods: Methodology for conceptualization of Nursing was adopted. Through semi-structured interviews, data were collected from 10 nursing faculty who supervise master’s theses research in Japanese graduate nursing programs. Data collection was completed by confirming saturation. The data were analyzed qualitatively, and the analysis was repeated until the researchers reached consensus, thus enhancing the study’s trustworthiness. Results: All 10 subjects were female, with an average of 7.7 years’ (SD=5.3) experience of supervising master’s thesis research, and the number of graduates ranged between 1 and 15. Twenty-six concepts emerged as describing the nursing faculty’s experience of supervising master’s thesis research. These included ‘in-class instruction and tutoring for completion of the master’s thesis,’ ‘provision of preparatory information and assignment of assistants to graduate students to implement an efficient transition at each stage of their research.’ Conclusions: Nursing faculty can use the 26 concepts to objectively understand their own supervision of master’s theses research and as a basic resource for improving their research supervision.

Objective: The present study investigates the factors associated with nurses’ clinical judgments regarding patients with postoperative pain, and clarifies the structure of such judgments. Method: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 nurses having at least two years of work experience in surgical wards. The interview data were analyzed using the modified grounded theory approach. Results: The subjects were found to “have foundations as nurses providing care for postoperative pain relief.” Based on that foundation, the subjects tried “to understand the patients’ postoperative pain experience” and worked “with the patients to devise a coping strategy.” The subjects “determined how to best provide relief from postoperative pain” by integrating the opinions of patients, other health-care workers, and other nurses, and in this way, they came to “practice postoperative pain relief care.” Through this practice, the subjects “understood the effect of postoperative pain relief care.” These statements shed light on the structure of nurses’ clinical judgments concerning patients with postoperative pain. Conclusion: “Have foundations as nurses providing care for postoperative pain relief” appears to affect the quality of postoperative palliative care for patients with pain. Hence, it would be beneficial to develop educational programs to provide such a foundation to nurses. Future studies could focus on identifying the appropriate modes and methods of such training.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to elucidate facilitation skills (FS) required for nursing teachers in practice and provide basic data for the development of evaluation tools. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted involving 12 nursing faculty teachers. The contents of the instructor’s understanding of student characteristics, how he or she is devising the assembly, the progress of nursing practice incorporating facilitation, and the data acquired from the responses were analyzed qualitatively and inductively. Results: The following 15 FS categories were extracted from the nursing teachers’ interviews. At the stage of exercise design, the teachers performed ‘examination of learning motivation methods’ and ‘establishing issues that attract interest’. In the exercises, ‘promotion of mutual understanding between students’ and ‘assistance considering various diverse viewpoints’ was performed. In the retrospect setting, they performed ‘support for nursing philosophy from the exercise experience’. Conclusions: The FSs emphasized by the teachers in the exercises were to support independent learning through the nursing exercises, to create settings where learners could speak and think with confidence, and for them to learn after the exercises.