Background: Halfway through the 2019–2020 academic year, the entire university system was affected by an exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Online learning was globally implemented for all degrees to finish the course and to meet academic objectives. This unforeseen change in teaching and subsequent evaluations meant teachers and students had to invest significant effort. Student satisfaction is used to measure the evaluation of teaching/learning processes in higher education. Our objective was to know and compare the satisfaction of nursing students taught at a Spanish public university after making changes to the teaching methodology. Methods: A descriptive observational study that measures student satisfaction. Study population: 240 students registered in academic years 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 answered the survey. The survey contained 30 items answered on a Likert-type scale. The main variables: the learning methodology (online or blended) was the independent variable; student satisfaction was the dependent variable. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed. Results: A response rate between 37.4% and 41.2%. Overall satisfaction was 2.75 points (SD 0.56) and 2.94 points (SD 0.49) with online learning and bimodal learning, respectively (maximum score 4 points) (p < 0.004). Conclusions: Student satisfaction was moderate–high for both learning methodologies. Students found that the b-learning methodology was the most valued.

Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive, and disabling neurodegenerative disease which evolves until the end of life and triggers different mood and organic alterations that influence health-related quality of life. The objective of our study was to identify the factors that negatively impact the quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s disease and construct a predictive model of health-related quality of life in these patients. Methods: An analytical, prospective observational study was carried out, including Parkinson’s patients at different stages in the Albacete Health Area. The sample consisted of 155 patients (T0) who were followed up at one (T1) and two years (T2). The instruments used were a purpose-designed data collection questionnaire and the “Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire” (PDQ-39), with a global index where a higher score indicates a worse quality of life. A multivariate analysis was performed by multiple linear regression at T0. Next, the model’s predictive capacity was evaluated at T1 and T2 using the area under the ROC curve (AUROC). Results: Predictive factors were: sex, living in a residence, using a cane, using a wheelchair, having a Parkinson’s stage of HY > 2, having Alzheimer’s disease or a major neurocognitive disorder, having more than five non-motor symptoms, polypharmacy, and disability greater than 66%. This model showed good predictive capacity at one year and two years of follow-up, with an AUROC of 0.89 (95% CI: 0.83–0.94) and 0.83 (95% CI: 0.76–0.89), respectively. Conclusions: A predictive model constructed with nine variables showed a good discriminative capacity to predict the quality of life of patients with Parkinson’s disease at one and two years of follow-up.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder that results in important functional symptoms, altered mood, and deterioration in quality of life (QoL). This study aimed to determine the evolution of the QoL in persons with PD in the Albacete health district over a two-year period and identify associated sociodemographic, clinical, and socio-health characteristics. A cohort study was conducted of patients at different stages of PD in the Albacete health district. Calculated sample size: 155 patients. Instruments: A purpose-designed questionnaire for data collection and the “Parkinson Disease Questionnaire” (PDQ-39), which measures 8 dimensions and a global index where a higher score indicates worse quality of life. Three measurements were made: baseline, one year, two years. A descriptive and bivariate analysis was conducted. Ethical aspects: informed consent, anonymized data. Results: Mean age 69.51 (standard deviation, SD 8.73) years, 60% male, 75.5% married, and 85.5% lived with family. The most frequent motor symptoms were slow movement (86.23%), postural instability (55.5%), tremor (45.5%), and dyskinesia (24.6%). Among the non-motor symptoms were fatigue (66.2%), pain, daytime somnolence, constipation, and apathy, with approximately 50% each. The mean QoL score at baseline was 27.47 (SD 16.14); 95% CI (confidence interval) 24.91–30.03. At two years, global QoL had slightly worsened (28.3; SD 17.26; 95% CI 25.41–31.18), with a statistically significant worsening in mobility, activities of daily living, and communication, whereas social support improved.

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that implies a progressive and invalidating functional organic disorder, which continues to evolve till the end of life and causes different mental and physical alterations that influence the quality of life of those affected. Objective: To determine the relationship between motor and nonmotor symptoms and the quality of life of persons with PD. Methods: An analytic, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted with patients with different degrees of PD in the Albacete Health district. The estimated sample size required was 155 patients. The instruments used for data collection included a purpose-designed questionnaire and “Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire” (PDQ-39), which measures eight dimensions and has a global index where a higher score indicates a worse quality of life. A descriptive and bivariate analysis was conducted (SPSS^® IBM 24.0). Ethical aspects: informed consent and anonymized data. Results: A strong correlation was found between the number of motor and nonmotor symptoms and global health-related quality of life and the domains mobility, activities of daily living, emotional well-being, cognitive status, and pain (p < 0.05). Receiving pharmacological treatment and taking more than four medicines per day was significantly associated with a worse quality of life (p < 0.05). Patients who had undergone surgical treatment did not show better global quality of life (p = 0.076). Conclusions: All nonmotor symptoms and polypharmacy were significantly associated with a worse global quality of life.

Background: The care of dependent people is an increasing concern in our society. Informal care is typically provided by close family members who act unselfishly and with generosity of spirit. In Spain family care remains the dominant form although there is a movement towards models that combine both professional services and family support. Aims and Objectives: To explore nurses’ social representations and perceptions regarding the informal caregivers of dependent people. Design: Qualitative research based on focus groups using the domains of knowledge, image, and attitudes. Methods: Nursing professionals from different care fields participated in discussion groups. Data were evaluated using discourse analysis. Results: Nursing professionals have empiric knowledge about the role of informal care, and they are aware of how hard this task is and that caregivers’ physical and mental health can be adversely affected. Nurses are in favor of family caring, but they are also concerned about caregivers’ isolation and the lack of support and resources for long-term care. Their evaluation of the caregiver role is usually positive, recognizing their steadiness, dedication, continuity, and sacrifice for the dependent person. Family caregivers need more information and training. Nurses are willing to help caregivers and con-scious of their need to be listened to, psychologically supported, and emotionally unburdened. Conclusions: There is a need for greater awareness among professionals, particularly nurses, of the ways in which the caregiver can be seen as a subject who also needs care. Relevance to clinical practice: A model of comprehensive care must attend to the caregiver. Barriers to this include lack of time, deficient teamwork, and preeminence of the biomedical model. Nurses require specific training to improve their work related to the education and counseling of the caregiver. Resumen: ANTECEDENTES: El cuidado de las personas dependientes es un asunto de importancia creciente en nuestra sociedad. El cuidado informal es el que se da a las personas dependientes de forma desinteresada y altruistamente, especialmente por familiares cercanos. En España prevalece un modelo de cuidados donde el apoyo familiar es esencial aunque se aprecia un cambio hacia un modelo mixto de cuidados (servicios profesionales y apoyo familiar). OBJETIVOS: Averiguar las representaciones sociales que las enfermeras tienen de los cuidadores informales de personas dependientes, identificando las dimensiones de las mismas: información, imagen y actitudes. DISEÑO: Investigación cualitativa con grupos de discusión. METODO: Profesionales de enfermería de distintos ámbitos de atención participaron en grupos de discusión. Los datos fueron analizados usando la metodología de análisis del discurso. RESULTADOS: Los profesionales de enfermería tienen un conocimiento empírico de la labor de cuidado informal y son conscientes de la dureza que supone esta tarea y del deterioro psicofísico que sufren las cuidadoras. Las enfermeras son partidarias de que los cuidados se realicen en el ámbito familiar, pero expresan su preocupación por la soledad de las cuidadoras y la falta de apoyos y recursos para afrontar los cuidados de larga duración. La valoración de la labor de las cuidadoras es, en general, muy positiva, aprecíando de ellas su constancia, dedicación, continuidad, sacrificio y cariño hacia la persona dependiente. No obstante encuentran que están necesitadas de información y formación sobre los cuidados.Las enfermeras se muestran dispuestas a educar a los cuidadores y también son sensibles a su necesidad de escucha, de apoyo psicológico y de descarga emocional. CONCLUSIONES: Se constata la necesidad de una mayor toma de conciencia, por parte de los profesionales de enfermería, para avanzar hacia un modelo de cuidados en el que las personas cuidadoras puedan ser consideradas como sujetos que en sí mismos necesitan cuidados. RELEVANCIA PARA LA PRÁCTICA CLÍNICA: Un modelo integral de cuidado de incluir la atención al cuidador, pero se han encontrado limitaciones como la falta de tiempo, carencias de trabajo en equipo, y una preferencia por el modelo biomédico. Las enfermeras demandan formación específica para mejorar su trabajo en relación con la educación para la salud y las técnicas de counselling hacia el cuidador. Palabras clave: Cuidados informales, enfermería de familia, representaciones sociales, interacción enfermera-familia, cuidadoras, enfermería comunitaria.

Background The COVID-19 pandemic continues to be a major worldwide health problem. The present study aims to contribute to surveillance of the immune and clinical response of vaccines to SARS-CoV-2. Methods Observational study of medication on acquired immunity and effectiveness of vaccines. Population: 620 workers in the health service of Almansa (Spain). Representative sample of 150 individuals. Sociodemographic, clinical, and epidemiological data and samples were recorded to determine anti- SARS-CoV2 serum IgG levels 6 and 9 months after vaccination with Pfizer. Results Mean age 46.45 years; 76% women; 85.1% working in a hospital. 19.3% had had COVID-19 in the year prior to vaccination. 96.7% were fully vaccinated with Pfizer/BioNTech. At 6 months, 100% seropositivity and mean IgG levels of 3017.2 AU/ml. Significant variations in IgG levels in individuals with prior COVID-19 infection and smokers. At 9 months, 99.3% remained seropositive; 2.8% infected after vaccination. The repeated measures analysis showed a difference in means of 669.0 AU/ml (significant decrease in IgG levels of 28.9%). Conclusion Antibody levels remained positive 6 and 9 months after vaccination, although IgG levels were found to decay.