In the twenty-first century, it has become clear that the Earth, the foundation of our lives, is heading for destruction as a result of its “limits to growth”. However, we must aim to preserve this beautiful planet for our descendants.

I carefully read the book The Simple Life, by Charles Wagner, a French reformed pastor. Although it was written in 1894, it feels as if it was written today. According to this book, a “simple life” is one of simplicity and frugality, but it remains a human life, a natural life, and an ethical life. A “simple life” is also a rich world of truth. This “simple life” is what brings people happiness.

In 2015, the United Nations announced the creation of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for the entire world. Our medical society is firmly rooted in the SDGs. All members of our medical society should immediately aim to live a “simple life” and show the world the meaning of the SDGs.

Leading a “simple life” has the potential to save our beloved planet and bring us happiness.

The prevalence of reported lower back pain among nursing professionals remains notably high, with work posture being highlighted as a primary contributing factor. Nevertheless, studies elucidating these factors are scarce. This research aimed to measure work posture angles among nurses and discern the factors contributing to musculoskeletal disorders, comparing both day and night shifts. Nineteen hospital nurses were studied, evaluating subjective assessments of bodily symptoms and measuring work posture angles during both day and night shifts. Work posture angles were categorized into three groups, designating poor posture as forward flexion exceeding 20°. Irrespective of shift patterns, post-work assessments indicated higher complaints in the lumbar region, with an average work posture angle of 23.0±5.2°. While no substantial variance in work task nature was observed between day and night shifts, significant differences were noted in work posture angles (p<0.01), particularly during late night hours, with a prevalence of forward flexion angles exceeding 30° notably more frequent during night shifts. These findings suggest that nursing labor in hospitals often involves poor work postures, potentially contributing to the onset of musculoskeletal disorders, particularly evidenced by post-work lumbar complaints. Furthermore, despite minimal variance in work task nature, poor work postures associated with musculoskeletal disorder-induced lower back pain were notably prevalent during night shifts, potentially linked to inadequate staffing for the workload. Considering the significantly higher work posture angles during night shifts among hospital nurses, there is an implied increased risk of musculoskeletal disorder development, emphasizing the necessity for interventions addressing work conditions and compensating for staffing deficiencies.

Marine product processing companies often discard processing by-products, such as fish heads, skins, bones, and entrails; however, there is a growing demand for their effective utilization. In the present study, we prepared horse mackerel by-products (HMBP) and HMBP hydrolysates (HMBP-H) from the head, abdomen, mesosoma, and fins of horse mackerel (Trachurus japonicus) using protease. The effects of HMBP and HMBP-H on serum lipid concentrations were then examined in vivo. Four-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (Control, casein 23 wt%) and the control diet supplemented with HMBP and HMBP-H, respectively. HMBP and HMBP-H diets were formulated to comprise that the protein sourced from HMBP and HMBP-H constituted 3.2 wt% of the diets, respectively. After four weeks, blood and organs were collected. Serum triglyceride contents were lower in the HMBP and HMBP-H groups than in the control group. These decreases were partly attributed to reductions in the mRNA expression levels of liver fatty acid synthase and acetyl-CoA carboxylase, which are rate-limiting enzymes for fatty acid synthesis. Furthermore, serum total cholesterol contents were reduced in the HMBP-H group, but not in the HMBP group. This decrease may be related to the increased mRNA expression level of liver cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase, which is the rate-limiting enzyme for cholesterol catabolism. These results suggest the potential of HMBP-H as a functional food material to attenuate hyperlipidemia.

This study aims to identify factors related to burnout of emergency nurses working in university hospitals in Japan. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted with 902 nurses working in emergency departments (with ICU) of 18 participating university hospitals among tertiary emergency care facilities nationwide. We used a Japanese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) to measure the burnout, and collected 552 valid responses (135 males, 417 females). The mean age was 30.99±7.74 years, and the mean total burnout score was 14.03±3.18. With a multiple regression analysis using the burnout scores as the objective variables, the adjusted coefficient of determination was 0.53. The following items were identified as statistically significant factors related to burnout : ‘Always feeling pressed for time during work’ (β＝0.27), ‘Having been harassed at work’ (β＝0.14), ‘Having ethical dilemmas about treatment plans’ (β＝0.10), ‘Coping style just giving up’ (β＝0.07), ‘Wishing to continue to work as a nurse’ (β＝−0.25), ‘Being able to control the own tasks’ (β＝−0.20), ‘Having self-control skills over the work-life balance’ (β＝−0.17), ‘Being in charge of the initial treatment’ (β＝−0.12), ‘Role model : Senior nurses’ (β＝−0.12), and ‘Feeling the mission of medical care as never to refuse, and that it is the last resort’ (β＝−0.10). The findings show that emergency nurses working in university hospitals who have the following characteristics are likely to develop burnout as : always feeling pressed for time during work, having been harassed at work, having ethical dilemmas, and using a giving up coping style. Nurses less likely to develop burnout have the characteristics of : wishing to continue to work as a nurse, being able to control the own tasks, having self-control skills over work-life balance, being in charge of initial treatment, having senior nurses who are role models, and nurses having a sense of mission.

The present study aimed to clarify the correlation between prediabetes and objectively measured sedentary time in community-dwelling older adults. The participants were 198 of the 551 individuals who took part in the regional cohort study (Tarumizu 2021 study) conducted in Tarumizu City, Kagoshima Prefecture, and who were 65 years or older and consented to participate in the sleep/activity investigation.

The participants were divided into two groups based on HbA1c of 5.6% participants with HbA1c ≥ 5.6% were assigned to the prediabetes group (103 individuals), and those with HbA1c < 5.6% were assigned to the normal group (95 individuals). Body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), sedentary time of 10 minutes or longer, and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) time were compared between two groups. The sedentary time and MVPA time were obtained by analysis of ActiGraphs. The prediabetes group showed significantly higher values for BMI (p＝0.001), TG (p＝0.020), and sedentary time of 10 minutes or longer (p＝0.003) than the normal group, while values for HDL-C (p ＝ 0.002) were significantly lower in the prediabetes group. Next, logistic regression analysis was performed using HbA1c ≥ 5.6% as the dependent variable and sedentary time of 10 minutes or longer, age, sex, BMI, HDL-C, TG, and MVPA as the independent variables. The results revealed that sedentary time of 10 minutes or longer and BMI were significantly correlated with HbA1c ≥ 5.6% (sedentary time of 10 minutes or longer, OR : 1.01, 95% CI : 1.01-1.02, p＝0.012 ; BMI, OR : 1.12, 95% CI : 1.02-1.23, p＝0.022).

Residential facilities are rapidly being developed as a “Third Home” for the elderly requiring nursing care. Our aim was to analyze the differences in home health nursing care for patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) residing in their own home compared to those residing in residential facilities. We mailed questionnaire survey to 698 home health nursing agencies in Hyogo Prefecture, Japan, requesting information on patients with PD who visited within the last 6 months. The questionnaire covered the patient’s place of residence, demographics, number of visits per week, and the provision of 36 specified nursing care services. Patients were divided into the “Own Home” and “Housing for the Elderly” groups, and their data were compared. Of 121 responding agencies (response rate, 17.3%), 86 provided data for 212 patients. Specifically, 81.6% and 18.4% were in the “Own Home” and “Housing for the Elderly” groups, respectively. Moreover, 13.2% of men and 22.3% of women were in the “Housing for the Elderly” group. The median ages were 78.0 and 85.0 years in the “Own Home” and “Housing for the Elderly” groups, respectively (p<0.001). The median nursing care level (3.0 for both groups) and Hoehn and Yahr scores (4.0 and 3.5 points in the “Own Home” and “Housing for the Elderly” groups, respectively) were comparable between the groups. The weekly visit frequency was higher in the “Housing for the Elderly” group (3.0 vs. 2.0 days). Family consultation and non-bedsore skin care were significantly more common in the “Own Home” group (p<0.05). Wheelchair assistance, room temperature control, health condition monitoring, oxygen inhalation, and caregiver collaboration were significantly more common in the ” Housing for the Elderly” group (p<0.05). In conclusion, aging of the individual and aging or death of family members may accelerate the move into residential facilities. There is a need for designs that minimize travel distances, improve nursing care strategies that avoid excessive wheelchair use, and ensure environmental improvements that allow adjustments in room temperature and lighting based on patient needs.

We conducted a longitudinal study to identify factors affecting administration skills of nurse managers working in leading edge at the hospitals. An anonymous self-administered questionnaire survey was administered to 1,291 nurse managers in 69 hospitals with 300 or more beds in the Kanto and Tokai regions of Japan. Excluding responses that did not select a gender choice or provided duplicate answers in the baseline survey, 927 responses were determined to be valid (71.8%), and included in the cohort for the one-year follow-up. At the follow-up survey, 590 (63.6%) valid responses were collected. The demographics of these respondents were as follows: mean age (49.7±5.6), years of working as a nurse (27.6±5.7), years of working at the present position (6.9±5.5), and total score of nurse administration skills (66.6±8.5). Multiple regression analysis showed the following factors affecting administration skills of nurse managers: fulfilling the own potential (β＝0.19, p<0.01), making appropriate nursing decisions (β＝0.17, p<0.01), emotional control (β＝0.17, p<0.01), affiliated to academic societies and study groups (β＝0.14, p<0.01), and attending certified nursing administrator education programs (β＝0.12, p<0.01). The result is statistically significant, with an adjusted r-square : 0.33, and the sample validity KMO : 0.95.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) represents a global crisis and a life-threatening concern, particularly for older adults. Consequently, measures implemented for infection prevention have significantly altered the daily lives of community-dwelling older adults, with a presumed impact on their quality of life. This study aimed to identify, through a literature review, the shifts in the quality of life experienced by community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 epidemic, as well as the influencing factors. Primary keywords such as COVID-19, community-dwelling elderly, and quality of life were employed in the search across five databases. Screening was conducted according to eligibility criteria. Literature published up to March 2023 was targeted. A total of 28 pertinent was identified. Quality of life increased, maintained, and decreased during the COVID-19 epidemic. Factors affecting the quality of life were age, income, and reduced social activities stemming from a reluctance to go out due to infection control measures. Especially, social isolation due to behavioral restrictions was a factor that affected mental health and decreased quality of life. Future research should examine ways to maintain social connections using network technology while preventing infection.

The study aim was to identify research trends in advocacy practices, including the content and status of advocacy practices in nursing care, for older adults. Ichushi-Web and PubMed were used as search engines, and “Patient Advocacy/TH or Advocacy,” “Nursing,” and “Aged” were used as keywords. Thirteen studies were identified. Seven studies examined hospitals, three focused on care facilities, and three focused on home-based nursing care, all of which addressed advocacy for older adults in various settings. Further, practices in the various settings were clarified. However, most of these studies were qualitative, and the extent to which advocacy was practiced in nursing care for older adults was not clear. In particular, advocacy practices are needed in hospitals, where many choices affect later life among older adults, including the choice of treatment and place of care. Therefore, a quantitative survey is needed to clarify how often advocacy is provided to older adults in hospitals and examine factors that lead to advocacy practices.

The present literature review was conducted to clarify nursing practices for families attending hospitalized children, as well as research trends on the topic. Using combined keywords of “hospitalization,” “children,” “family,” and “attendance,” the search was conducted in the web version of Igaku Chuo Zasshi (ver. 5) and CiNii Articles with a search period from 2013 to 2024. We carefully reviewed a total of 112 articles, including 111 web-searched and one manually searched article, and extracted 26 as target articles. The results revealed an accumulation of specific nursing practices for protecting the health and rights of attending family members in recent years. Although past literature reviews have raised similar points regarding the health issues and living burdens of attending family members, the present literature review found studies that investigated the health issues of family members in detail, clarified nurses’ perceptions about hospitalization with attending family members, and developed tools for nurses to reduce the living burdens on attending family members. The results suggested a need for additional examination of nurses’ practices for the ease of mind and health of attending family members, as well as for research that focuses on multidisciplinary collaboration, in the future.

In this study, a series of surveys were conducted on five mothers rearing pre-school children with severe diseases regarding their psychology on the acceptance of their children’s diseases. Concept categories were extracted as follows: ［In-family supporter in caring children with severe diseases］, ［Mothers who became familiar with medical care practice for children with severe diseases from their hospitalization experiences］, ［Biased view on children with severe diseases and their reality］, and ［Mental state of mothers who accept their children’s diseases］. Extracted focus codes included 〈Husbands’ limited involvement in childcare〉, 〈Support from parents〉, 〈Significance of siblings〉, 〈Repeated hospitalization〉, 〈Adjusting the timing of discharge from hospital〉, 〈Preventive action against deterioration〉, 〈Professional level medical care by skilled mothers〉, 〈Prejudice against children with severe diseases〉, 〈They are ordinary children despite their severe diseases〉, 〈Request to treat children with severe diseases appropriately according to their age〉, 〈Uncertain time sense of children with severe diseases〉, 〈Pressures surrounding mothers rearing children with severe disabilities〉, 〈Negative feelings〉, 〈Positive opinions from others〉, 〈Influence of siblings〉, and 〈Mother’s resolution to raise children with severe disabilities in society〉. The results revealed that the mothers of children with severe diseases accepted their children’s diseases by changing their sense of values through various experiences.

This study conducts a conceptual analysis of resident support for older adults’ housing with services that enable continuous residency until end of life and considers its definition. We used Rogers’ conceptual analysis method to extract content from 20 articles corresponding to the antecedents, attributes, and consequences. We examined their semantic content and generated categories through qualitative and inductive abstraction. We identified four antecedent categories, including changes in family structures and care patterns, values emphasizing individuality and soon. Moreover, we found five attribute categories, including implementation of support for independence in residents’ activities of daily living, support for residents’ participating in social interactions and creating purpose in their lives, advanced care planning considering future changes, and understanding the circumstances of residents and their cooperation with nursing care and medical care. We found one consequence category of enabling continuous residency as the final dwelling place for older adults. Based on the five attributes, the definition of support at the older adults’ housing with services for residents involves fostering independence in the resident’s daily life activities, providing support for the resident’s social participation and creating a sense of purpose, implementing advanced care planning with a focus on anticipated changes, creating an environment to understand changes in the residents’ condition and situation, and establishing a coordinated system for collaboration with caregiving and medical services.

In recent years, the life and interpersonal skills of nursing students in Japan have declined due, in part, to the widespread use of smartphones and changes in family structure. In response, support for student learning is needed in nursing education to encourage the acquisition of appropriate lifestyle habits and improve interpersonal skills in parallel with the advancement of nursing technology education. Therefore, it is vital to assess nursing students’ societal skills, which are evaluated through their activities and participation based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health. To this end, we previously confirmed both the reliability and validity of the Participation Functioning Scale for Nursing Students.

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the participation scores of nursing students using the Participation Functioning Scale for Nursing Students. This tool measures an individual’s ability to be involved in life situations in society from a positive perspective. From November 2013 to July 2014, a survey was administered to 256 nursing students (17 males, 239 females) and 168 non-nursing students (18 males, 150 females). The questionnaire included items on demographic information, such as age, and the Participation Functioning Scale for Nursing Students. The mean participation score for nursing students was 44.2±7.6 points. No significant difference in the mean participation score was observed between nursing students and non-nursing students. For non-nursing students, statistically significant differences were found in participation scores based on whether older brothers lived together, but no such differences were found for nursing students. Nursing students maintained the ability to be involved, and basic nursing education eliminated differences in their ability to be involved due to their backgrounds.

The authors conducted a literature review to reveal the current status of advance care planning (ACP) practiced by nurses. Using Ichushi Web, they searched for studies with the keywords “nurse” and “advance care planning,” regardless of the time period. Twenty-nine articles were selected for review. As a result, studies on ACP by visiting nurses accounted for the majority in the existing literature, and in particular, these studies focused on ACP practice for older adults. Furthermore, it was assumed that although many nurses are aware of the need to practice ACP, they do not implement it. Thus, it became clear that the factors that hinder the practice of ACP are the lack of knowledge about ACP and lack of communication skills for practicing ACP.

In the future, providing systematic educational support towards improving ACP practice, and revealing the current status of ACP practiced by nurses in outpatient and general wards, would be necessary.