Using a new floating toe measuring device, this study examined the reliability of judgment and measurement values of the floating toe in 112 healthy children (boys = 58; girls = 54; average age: 7.58 ± 0.80 years). This device can scan the sole of the grounded foot and measure each floating toe’s height from the front by a camera. After measuring the floating toe twice, we measured the height of the toe of the measured soles. The floating toe’s presence or absence was judged twice from the toe marks and height. The results revealed that the number of children with floating toes in both measurements (46 and 41, respectively) and the total number of floating toes (109 and 87, respectively）differed; however, the judgment numbers were consistent in both measurements. Children with floating toes showed no significant gender difference (43%–56%). Additionally, neither gender showed any significant grade difference (8%–23%) or left–right difference (15%–22%). In 68.2%–72.2% of boys and 69.6%–83.3% of girls, the floating toe was the fifth; that is, no significant gender difference was revealed. Furthermore, the mean values of the total floating toe heights in both measurements showed no significant difference, and their reliability was very high (ICC: 0.995–0.996). However, because a difference was observed in the number of children with floating toes and the total number of floating toes in the two measurements, examining the measurement method itself will be necessary in the future.

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This study aimed to create indicators that nurses working at acute care hospitals could use for supporting people with dementia in the treatment environment and to elucidate the reliability and validity of these indicators. We created a draft version of the indicators and conducted a questionnaire survey for 1,890 nurses: 30 nurses each in 63 acute care facilities with over 200 beds in three Tokai prefectures. Consequently, we received valid responses from 508 nurses (26.8%). Question items indicating ceiling and floor effects were deleted. In the exploratory factor analysis, the four factors “personal space with safety in mind,” “space for peace of mind,” “coordination of high-quality environmental stimulation,” and “promoting interaction with others” were extracted. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficient ranged from .718 to .788. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the goodness-of-fit index was .866, the adjusted goodness-of-fit index was .831, the comparative fit index was .829, and the root mean square error of approximation was .079. Therefore, the validity and reliability of the indicators were demonstrated. We believe that nurses should use these indicators for supporting dementia patients in the care environments of acute care hospitals.

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To make the transition from hospital to home-based care for children and their families proceed with peace of mind for everybody, this study aims to show details of the discharge planning that nurses provide to children with discharge difficulties and their families. Some patients refuse to be discharged from hospitals even when medical reasons allow discharge. However, we have located no previous studies that report details of discharge planning for children with discharge difficulties, showing what types of support nurses in charge of discharge planning need to provide for such patients - a qualitative study with a descriptive and explorative design. After approval by the Institutional Review Board, we conducted semi-structured interviews using a qualitative approach with pediatric nurses with a mean work experience of 16.2 years. This study followed the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) reporting guidelines. There were 18 participants, including ward nurses and nurses from a community outreach section of the hospital. The mean length of the interview was 57.6 minutes per nurse. The analysis yielded 396 codes and 26 subcategories in the following 5 categories: ‘Set the direction for discharge,’ ‘Gather information related to discharge planning,’ ‘Provide counseling for children and families,’ ‘Facilitate the home -based care,’ and ‘Share information about discharge planning.’

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This study examined the effects of incorporating warm-up exercises along with main mat exercises, in elementary school physical education classes on children’s motor skills and learning conditions. The intervention group, implementing a circuit-type warm-up alongside main mat exercises, was compared with a control group that followed a formal and routine warm-up. The analysis focused on 30 sixth-grade students from an elementary school, with 14 in the intervention group and 16 in the control group. The primary practice exercises included cartwheels and handstand forward rolls. The results reveal that, with respect to learning conditions, the intervention group exhibited significantly higher scores than the control group for the following items: “Was there anything that left a deep impression on you or moved you?,” “Did you enjoy it (the class)?,” and “Did you enjoy warm-up exercises?.” Regarding motor skills, no significant interactions were observed for handstand forward rolls. For cartwheels, significant interaction effects were observed for the following items: “raising the feet high,” “stretching the knees,” “stretching the hips,” “landing on the soles of the feet,” and “overall evaluation,” with the intervention group performing significantly better in the 4th and 6th hours than in the 1st hour. Thus, it is assumed that incorporating circuit-type warm-up exercises along with main mat exercises in an elementary school physical education classes enabled children to begin the class with fun and enjoy the whole physical education class. Additionally, it was suggested that incorporating warm-up exercises along with main exercises leads to skill improvement (especially for cartwheels) albeit only partially.

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The purpose of this study was to update the standards that can be used to understand the present status of preschool children’s motor ability and to evaluate them appropriately in the future with some additional information under special circumstances (e.g., coronavirus pandemic) after verification of the annual changes in the motor ability of preschool children during the three years before and during the coronavirus pandemic. From an examination of annual trends, it was found that there was no significant change in motor ability of preschool children during the pandemic, excluding flexibility, between the pre-pandemic period and the four years hence, including the three years of the pandemic. It was confirmed that it is possible to update the standards (consisting of seven items) of preschool children's motor ability using a relatively large sample (n = 3,412) even in a special environment by supports for measuring and evaluation at childcare facilities. In the future, it is expected to be used as a valuable standard for understanding and evaluating the characteristics of motor skills of preschool children who have experienced the coronavirus pandemic and reached an age where it can be measured.

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This study aimed to verify the moisturizing effect of hand bathing and steamed hand towel warm compression by comparing the moisture and oil contents of the stratum corneum on the bed. The keratin moisture and skin oil contents were measured in college students after performing the hand bath and steamed towel warm compress method. The result revealed 0.43 mg/mm2 of skin oil in the hand bath group immediately after the treatment, but with no significant difference. An increasing trend of 0.39 µg/mm2 was observed immediately after the treatment in the steamed towel hot compress group, but it decreased 20 and 30 min after the treatment. There was no significant difference in skin oil content between both the groups. The stratum corneum moisture content was 46.55 a.u. immediately after the treatment with an increasing tendency but with no difference. It decreased to 35.22 a.u. 10 min after the treatment, and decreased further to 26.79 a.u. 30 min after the treatment. An increasing tendency to 42.50 a.u. was observed in the steamed towel warm compress group immediately after the treatment but with no difference. It decreased 20 and 30 min after the treatment, and it decreased more after 20 min than before the treatment. The keratin moisture content decreased more in the steamed towel hot compress group than in the hand bath group.

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This study aims to assess the anxiety peculiar to nursing students by comparing it with that of university students from previous studies using the COVID-19 Infection Anxiety Scale for nursing students that we have developed. We surveyed second-year (n = 163) and third-year (n = 159 students) from two nursing colleges in Prefecture A, as of April 2022. Of 186 (57.8%) questionnaires collected, 21 (6.5%) were incomplete and 165 (51.2%) were valid responses. Regarding the five items under “reducing opportunities to meet people” and “using public transportation,” in the questionnaire, the target group experienced strong anxiety compared with previous studies. Unlike previous studies, this study noted some differences between grades. Second-year students were strongly concerned about the likelihood of a decline in employment opportunities, whereas third-year students were strongly concerned about whether they could go out. In the education sector, it is imperative to take various measures to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus infection. Furthermore, it is crucial to understand that nursing students not only have specific anxieties but also that the content of anxiety varies according to the grade level; thus, pertinent measures should be taken to support students to reduce their anxiety.

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