Objectives: This study was conducted to clarify actual and perceived certified nurse specialist (CNS) activities in psychiatric mental health nursing who concurrently serve as university faculty members as well as the issues involved in CNS activities while they concurrently serve as university faculty members.

Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey, which was created by us, of 29 CNS in psychiatric mental health nursing affiliated with universities whose names are open to the public on the websites of the Japanese Nursing Association and graduate schools that conduct specialized nursing education. Simple tabulation and qualitative analysis of the questionnaire responses were carried out.

Results: Responses were obtained from 21 individuals (response rate: 72.4%). With regard to the years of experience in performing CNS activities before becoming faculty members, it was found that 9 individuals had<5 years of experience (42.9%), and 16 individuals were active CNS while being faculty members (76.2%). We found that CNSs with concurrent posts as faculty members had less experience as a CNS and that their core role as a CNS was consulting, for e.g.

Discussion: It was suggested that drawing a career path as a CNS while holding concurrent posts as faculty members and continuing education from graduate schools is needed. Furthermore, it was thought that the important role of CNSs who are faculty members is to promote practices and education suited to societal needs as well as conduct research activities to be able to recommend policies.

【Purpose】This study aimed to identify the abilities of Certified Nurse Specialists in Gerontological Nursing (GCNS) to calm older adults with dementia undergoing invasive treatment.

【Method】Qualitative descriptive analysis was performed on the basis of the results of semi-structured interviews with seven GCNSs caring for older adults with dementia undergoing invasive treatment.

【Result】For GCNSs providing care to calm older adults with dementia while they undergo invasive treatment, five categories of abilities were noted:(1) the ability to judge the effects of cognitive impairment and connect;(2) ability to be an acceptor of care;(3) ability to comfortably communicate with older adult patients;(4) ability to apply life experiences of older adult patients to provide care; and (5) ability to critically assess the physical condition of the patient and lead to their recovery.

【Conclusion】These abilities of GCNSs allowed them to judge the impact of cognitive impairment and to establish a supportive relationship wherein care was accepted and communication was comfortable. Based on these abilities, GCNSs provide care for older adult patients with dementia and help them feel calmer during invasive treatment.

Objective: The purpose is to identify nurses’ knowledge and difficulty in palliative care for terminally ill cancer patients of a general medium-sized F hospital its related factors.

Methods: We conducted an anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey. The subject were nurses in 4 levels (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Expert) of postgraduate cancer nursing education course.

Results: Questionnaires were distributed to 47 respondents, and valid responses were received from 39 respondents (83%) Nurses’ difficulty regarding palliative care tended to be higher of “symptom relief”, related factors of incorrect knowledge of “philosophy of palliative care” and “pain and opioids”. Nurses’ difficulty regarding palliative care was lower for “support from specialists”. The less years of experience and the lack of knowledge of palliative care, the more difficult it was to communicate with patients and their families.

Conclusion: General nurses can get knowledge and nursing skills from certified cancer nursing specialists. Nursing consultations show better results in medium-sized F hospital. Certified cancer nursing specialists could provide correct knowledge and high-quality practice for general nurses. Due to the high difficulty in “symptom relief” regarding palliative care, we suggest an early postgraduate lecture in cancer nursing education.

Objective: This study explored the factors that influence patients with a life expectancy of less than one month in their choice of being admitted to a palliative care ward or other end-of-life (EOL) care institutions.

Methods: The participants consisted of caregiving family members and 14 cancer patients who consulted a Certified Nurse Specialist in Cancer Nursing at the Cancer Nursing Consultation Department of F Hospital from June to September 2014. A self-administered questionnaire survey of patients’ family members was conducted; all patients’ families answered the self-reported questionnaire, Japanese version of the Caregiver Reaction Assessment scale (CRA-J). The participants were dichotomized based on whether the patients were admitted to a palliative care ward and classified as “palliative care ward” and “others”, respectively.

Results: Nine chose the palliative care ward and were admitted within a week. The family care burden score for “Impact on schedule” was significantly higher for the palliative care ward inpatient group than for the non-inpatient group (21.0±1.5 vs. 17.6±1.8; effect size: 0.56, p=0.002).

Discussion: Family burden might influence the choice of facility when patients with a life expectancy of less than one month are admitted to the palliative care ward to reduce the burden of long-term care.

Conclusion: The results of this study show that caregiver support might be needed to reduce the feeling of family burden related to impact on schedule, enabling them to choose the best place for EOL care.