Pregnant women sometimes contact medical professionals about low back pain caused by pregnancy. The load to facet joint is considered to be the cause. In this study, we evaluated the lumber spinal and pelvic alignment of pregnant women. The subjects were 30 healthy women (average age was 21.8±7.0 years old, average height was 159.0±4.6 cm, average weight was 55.2±9.3 kg). They wore the pregnant women’s experience jacket. The average value of the grade of the lumbar loadsis was larger with the pregnant women’s experience jacket (10.7±5.0 degrees) than without the pregnant women’s experience jacket (5.7±3.5 degrees) ( p<0.0001). The average value of the grade of the pelvic anteversion was larger with the pregnant women’s experience jacket (11.8±3.0 degrees) than without the p pregnant women’s experience jacket (24.2±5.0 degrees) ( p<0.0001). It was suggested pregnancy increases the grade of the lumbar loadsis and the pelvic anteversion. Our result may become the grounds to prevent facet syndrome caused by pregnancy.

Sympathetic fatigue in nursing refers to the psychological distress caused by sympathizing with patients. Strong sympathetic fatigue not only creates psychological issues for nurses but might also decrease the nursing quality. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of nurses’ occupational identity, sympathy, and over- commitment to patients on their experience of sympathetic fatigue. It included 308 nurses working in hospitals with more than 100 beds (15 males, 293 females, mean age 36.7±10.71 years).

The findings were as follows. Occupational identity of the nurses directly decreased personal distress and increased empathetic distress, which were sub-factors of sympathy fatigue. In contrast, occupational identity was found to increase personal and empathic distress mediated by emotional sharing with patients. Additionally, emotional sharing with patients indirectly increased personal distress and empathetic distress mediated by excessive worry about patients.

This study aims to develop a scale to measure child rearing difficulties of first-time mothers (primipara mothers) at one month after giving birth (1M-FMCD). We created the draft scale based on conceptual analysis, qualitative research, and previous research, and examined the reliability and validity by administering a questionnaire survey to 317 first-time mothers at one month after giving birth.We analyzed 317 valid responses from first-time mothers at one month after giving birth. Twenty items consisting of three factors were extracted from exploratory factor analysis by maximum likelihood method and promax rotation (α coefficient＝0.94). The intraclass correlation coefficient of the test-retest method was .786, and the criterion-related validity was 0.797, and the reliability and validity were good. The goodness of fit of the confirmatory factor analysis was generally good at GFI＝0.880 and AGFI＝0.849. RMSEA＝0.064. The reliability and validity of the scale were generally verified.

This study identified the appropriate level of educational support to strengthen nursing students’ stress coping competence during a pandemic. It evaluated the relationship between nursing students’ stress factors and stress coping competence. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 80 nurses at A University. After conducting a factor analysis of student-training stress under an infectious disease, five factors were extracted: [Online training], [Infectious disease response], [Nursing knowledge and skills], [Relationship with teachers], and [Relationship with instructors]. Of the total, F1 [Online training] and F2 [Infectious disease response] reflected training during the pandemic. F3 [Nursing knowledge and skills], F4 [Relationship with teachers], and F5 [Relationship with instructors] were affected by the training conducted during the pandemic. However, they were felt even in the course of training during normal times. F2 [Coping with infectious diseases] explained the relationship between stress coping ability (sense of coherence or SOC) “sense of processability” and “meaningfulness” and stress coping behavior (Brief Scales for Coping Profile: BSCP) “refreshment”. rice field. Faculty members should impart clinically relevant knowledge and inculcate behaviors that help prevent infection, so that students do not experience excessive anxiety around infection. It is necessary to reflect together and adjust the environment so that students can enjoy a change of pace even during a pandemic.

Oral frailty is a decline in oral function. The prevention of a decline in oral function has been promoted among older adults. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of oral frailty among community-dwelling older adults. We conducted a questionnaire survey and the physical assessment of 93 older adults aged ≥65 years who visited an elderly welfare center in Hokkaido A city. Oral frailty was assessed using the Oral Frailty Index-8. The prevalence of oral frailty was 66.7%, and the number of remaining teeth and reduction of subjective walking speed were significantly associated with oral frailty. These factors should be considered important for the assessment of oral frailty and preventive measures. Furthermore, more than half of older adults in this study were at risk for oral frailty, suggesting the need for awareness of oral health and early treatment options among older adults.

The purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of an initiative to specify nursing issues and related factors in home-visit nursing plans. At one home-visit nursing station implementing this initiative, we examined the contents of home-visit nursing plans before and after clearly stating the nursing issues and related factors then analyzed the process of change in the contents. By clearly stating issues in nursing plans, individual nurses were able to clearly recognize the causes and reasons for nursing issues, and the team was able to share the rationale for such problems. In addition, clearly stating issues in nursing plans made it possible to formulate plans that aimed to resolve, reduce, and maintain lowered levels of related factors, and avoid risks, leading to individualized and effective nursing practice. Furthermore, in a user satisfaction survey conducted by the home nursing office, satisfaction with items related to “uniformity of explanations and procedures” significantly increased after adopting plans that specified nursing issues. These findings suggest that it is useful to specify nursing issues and related factors in home-visit nursing plans.

The purpose of this study was to clarify the occupational health nurses’ process of supporting workers who have shifted to working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in ten occupational health nurses adopting remote work models, and they were asked about the “difficulties they had faced as an occupational health nurse”. Their statements were analyzed by the modified grounded theory approach (M-GTA), and were summarized into 26 concepts and 4 categories : [shock of a sudden change in the work style], [development of new support methods], [support that addresses individual health issues] and [establishment of appropriate perspectives as an occupational health nurse]. The support process began with the [shock of a sudden change in the work style] among workers who have suddenly shifted to working from home. The occupational health nurses supported these workers through the [development of new support methods], and became aware of their need for [support that addresses individual health issues] resulting from the change in the work style. As a final step in this process, [establishment of appropriate perspectives as an occupational health nurse] was required of the occupational health nurses. The results clarified the occupational health nurses’ process of supporting workers who have shifted to working from home, and provided useful findings for these nurses, suggesting the necessity of supporting workers in accordance with their work styles that may change and acquiring necessary skills. The process may also be considered to represent an experience of post-traumatic growth.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of ageism and the image of older adults on nursing students by the experience of VR dementia in gerontological nursing education. The participants were third-year nursing students (n＝102) who were surveyed on ageism (Japanese version of the Fraboni Ageism Scale : FSA), and the image and characteristics of older adults using an online questionnaire thrice from September 2020 to January 2021 ; before practical training in gerontological nursing, during the period through practical training to VR dementia, and after VR dementia. As a result, of the 48 participants who agreed to participate in the study, a total of 30 valid responses participants were finally included in the analysis. The FSA score was 27.1±5.9 before the gerontological nursing training, 26.8±5.6 after the gerontological nursing training till before VR dementia, and 25.6±5.2 after the VR dementia. In terms of the image of the older adults, VR dementia significantly changed to “respectful” and “experienced”. VR dementia was suggested to providing an opportunity for nursing students to improve their perception of the image of older adults.

The spread of the novel coronavirus led to various exercises being carried out online in the field of nursing education generally and the acute care phase field of adult nursing specifically. This study examines efforts to implement online exercises conducted under limited conditions and in situations that prevented experiential learning using a simulator. The exercises consisted of eight assignments : “Preoperative breathing exercises (deep breathing, expectoration methods) and listening to breathing sounds,” “Preventive care for deep vein thrombosis,” “Talking to patients before entering the operating room on the day of surgery,” “Evaluation and nursing care using pain scale,” “Setting up of an ECG monitor,” “Tracheal intubation,” “Preoperative nursing imaging,” and “Learning BLS techniques.” The above online exercises were conducted in a clinical nursing practice setting, with students taking on the roles of nurses and patients. Debriefing time was provided, and the knowledge gained from the prior assignments (knowledge related to the subject of interest), the completion of assignments during the exercises, and efforts made in post-assignments (special curiosity) enabled the students to understand the content and apply it in practice. Accordingly, the online exercises were almost as effective as simulation education and could be used in clinical practice.

This study seeks to clarify the role that caregivers working in serviced residences for the elderly expect of the nurses with whom they work. We conducted an interview survey with three people working in serviced residences for the elderly. The results indicate that nursing professionals who work in serviced residences are expected to play the following roles : “medical treatment and physical management,” “providing information on what caregivers can do and their medical knowledge,” “medical support and specific instructions for elderly during end-of-life care,” “providing information on the last signs and characteristics after death,” “relationship of mutual consultation with caregivers,” “smooth sharing and confirmation with caregivers regarding how to deal with the elderly,” “responding to the needs of users who want nursing involvement,” “daily consultation for elderly health,” “visiting facility users 24 hours a day,” “providing first point of contact in case of emergency,” “connecting with doctors.” These results suggest that nurses who collaborate with serviced residences for the elderly are expected to provide medical support and information, offer health counseling to the elderly, respond to sudden changes, and support end-of-life care. Additionally, they must build relationships that will enable them to consult with each other as related professionals supporting the elderly.

Older adults with malnutrition may experience falls and fractures, especially due to muscle and bone mass loss, which may later necessitate nursing care. Furthermore, the nutritional status of older adults may have been affected by lifestyle changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To this end, we conducted a questionnaire survey and physical assessment of older adults aged 65 years or higher who visited elderly welfare centers in Sapporo City, Hokkaido.

Of the 198 people analyzed, 52 (26.3%) were at risk for malnutrition according to the Mini-Nutritional Assessment Scale-Short Form. Household composition, decreased social interaction and outings with others, feeling stressed and anxious, and having weakened legs and feet during the COVID-19 pandemic were the factors significantly associated with the risk of malnutrition. These findings suggest that older adult’ nutritional status declined unnoticed during the COVID-19 pandemic and that they need to be aware of and pay attention to their own nutritional status, especially when they feel their body is declining.