Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the occurrence of work-related stress on nursing staff. Being resilience an essential element to countering adversity. The aim of the study was to assess burnout syndrome as well as resilience in hospital-care nurses during the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study of burnout syndrome and resilience of 101 nurses during the first COVID-19 outbreak. The Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Scale of Resilience of Connor-Davidson were used. Results: The burnout average score was 74.35 ± 12.78 points, and resilience was 27.94 ± 5.84. Temporary nurses reached a lower average score for the emotional fatigue dimension (23.80 ± 10.39 points) p < 0.05. The emotional fatigue dimension correlated adversely with the average score of resilience (r = −0.271; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The level of burnout in nurses was high, being higher on those who took care of COVID-19 patients. Resilient nurses were able to better cope with stressful situations.

Barriers to implementing training strategies for the improvement of evidence-based practice competence of nurses in hospital practice environments still persist. The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of a specific training within the framework of the Best Practice Spotlight Organization® programme, on nurses' evidence-based practice competence and the practice environment in two hospitals. This is a observational cross-sectional study assessing evidence-based practice competence and perceptions of Practice Environments. The study sample were 204 nurses working at medical and surgical inpatient units at two hospitals involved in the Best Practice Spotlight Organization® programme. The study was conducted from February 2020 to May 2020. Three questionnaires were used to collect data: a sociodemographic/occupational questionnaire, a questionnaire exploring evidence-based practice skills, and a questionnaire exploring nurses' perceptions of their hospital practice environments. A total of 204 nurses participated. They were classified into two groups: those who had received specific training within the framework of the programme, called trained-champions (n = 66), and those who had not yet received training, control group (n = 138). The trained-champions exhibited better evidence-based practice competence values than the control group in all dimensions (p < 0.001), with a higher difference in means in the "Utilisation" dimension (-0.80; CI:-0.99,-0.60) and the "Knowledge" dimension (-0.63; CI:-0.88,-0.38). Trained-champions also had a more positive perception of the practice environments than the controls in all dimensions (p ≤ 0.001). The largest differences in means were in the "Participation" dimension (-0.48; CI:-0.66,-0.31) and in the "Leadership" dimension (-0.41; CI:-0.59,-0.23). Specific EBP training within the framework of the Best Practice Spotlight Organization® programme has succeeded in nurses (trained-champions) obtaining better EBP competence than others without this training. This could have contributed to increase nurses' abilities to integrate evidence into decision making in their clinical practice, while positively influencing them to perceive their PEs more favorably.

The aim was to analyse changes in the perceived quality of life of patients with an ostomy during the first year after surgery at two or three follow‐ups. This is a prospective study of a cohort of 55 patients who were ostomised between June 2021 and September 2022 and cared for under the recommendations set out in the Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario® best practice guideline Supporting Adults Who Anticipate or Live with an Ostomy as part of the Best Practice Spotlight Organisation® (BPSO®) programme. The Stoma Quality of Life tool was used. A univariate analysis was performed to identify variables associated with a non‐improvement in quality of life. Variables showing p < 0.1 were included in a multivariate model. Patients with an ostomy exhibited a moderate‐to‐good perception of quality of life in both the personal and social dimensions, with no worsening over the first year. Being female (OR = 10.32) and being younger (OR = 0.89) were associated with a higher risk of no improvement in quality of life. The most frequent complications were urinary leakage (p = 0.027) and dermatitis (p = 0.052) at first follow‐up; and parastomal hernia (p = 0.009) and prolapse (p = 0.05) at third follow‐up. However, they did not lead to a worsening of quality of life, suggesting that these patients were adequately supported under the BPSO® programme.

Background/Objective: Ageing favours the onset of cardiovascular diseases, frailty, and risk of falls. In the hospital setting, 47.7% of patients may be frail, and the incidence of falls may be as high as five per thousand. This study seeks to determine the relationship between frailty, risk of falls, and length of hospital stays in hospitalised older adults with heart disease. Methods: An observational study was conducted of a cohort of patients aged ≥60 years admitted to a cardiology unit (2022–2024). Frailty was assessed using Fried’s phenotype, risk of falls using the J.H. Downton scale, and level of dependency using the Barthel index. Clinical variables, anthropometric measurements, and length of stay were analysed. Statistical analysis: quantitative variables were expressed as means and standard deviations, and categorical variables as frequencies. Associations were analysed using Student’s t-tests, chi-squared tests, and Kruskal–Wallis tests for comparisons of three or more groups. Relationships between frailty, risk of falls, and other variables were examined using univariate binary logistic regression, with a 95% confidence interval and statistical significance set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 144 patients were recruited (mean age = 73.08 years [SD = 7.95]) (women = 33.30%). Frailty was associated with waist circumference in men (p = 0.01) and diastolic blood pressure in women (p = 0.05). Frailty was further linked to Downton scores (odds ratio [OR] = 1.565; 95% CI: 1.156–2.120; p = 0.004), age (OR = 1.114; 95% CI: 1.058–1.173; p = 0.000), Barthel index (OR = 0.902; 95% CI: 0.854–0.953; p = 0.000), and length of stay (OR = 1.101; 95% CI: 1.021–1.186; p = 0.012). Conclusions: Frailty appears to be related to Downton scores and impacts the length of hospital stays in older adults hospitalised with cardiac conditions.

The implementation and sustainability of evidence-based practice (EBP) is a complex process. Best practice guidelines (BPGs) can facilitate the translation of knowledge from theory into practice, but they require working groups to adapt recommendations and encourage adherence to them. The aim of this study was to identify facilitators and barriers of BPGs in the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario^®, within the framework of Best Practice Spotlight Organisations^® (BPSOs^®), in a hospital setting. Methods: This study was conducted using the modified Delphi method (two rounds) with a cohort of BPSO^® Best Practice Champions. The facilitators and barriers included in the first round were identified through a bibliographic search. The degree of concordance was determined in the second round using the highest mean resulting values. Results: A total of 44 nurses responded, with a mean age of 42.57 ± 8.563. The facilitators included the following: work environment; working in a hospital that encourages research; and dedicating time to EBP (p < 0.001). The barriers included the following: excessive workload; professional mobility (p < 0.001); and lack of time (p = 0.002). Implications for practice: As such, it is necessary to approach human resource management by implementing new policies that guarantee systemic sustainability. The BPSO^® programme is an excellent framework for promoting the translation of theoretical knowledge into practice and effecting institutional change.

Background/Objectives: Frailty in older adults with cardiovascular disease is associated with higher morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality, but other relevant outcomes also exist. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the relationship between frailty and survival in hospitalized older adults with cardiovascular disease, considering post-discharge events over the following 365 days, including received healthcare and mortality. Methods: Observational study involving patients aged ≥60 years admitted to cardiology between March 2022 and April 2024. Frailty was assessed using the FRAIL scale (frail, pre-frail, robust). Clinical variables included: Barthel Index, body mass index, abdominal circumference, diabetes mellitus, hemoglobin, albumin, creatinine, previous readmissions, and hospital stay. Follow-up at 365 days post-discharge evaluated time to first cardiology visit, first medical visit for other reasons, emergency care, unplanned readmission, and death, using Kaplan-Meier curves, Log-rank test, and Cox regression (95% CI, p-value = 0.05). Results: 130 patients were included (male: 68.46%, female: 31.54%; mean age: 72.98 ± 7.67 years). 35.38% were frail, with a longer average hospital stay (p=0.040). Barthel scores were higher in robust patients (p=0.003). Frail patients required faster consultations and admissions: cardiology (HR: 1.565; 95%CI: 1.016–2.409; p=0.042); other reasons (HR: 1.709; 95%CI: 1.125–2.596; p=0.012); and unplanned readmissions (HR: 2.109; 95%CI: 1.076–4.135; p=0.030). Hemoglobin and total cholesterol were predictive factors for the first cardiology visit (HR=0.808; 95%CI=0.686–0.952; p=0.011; HR=0.980; 95%CI=0.961–0.999; p=0.037). In multivariate analysis, frailty independently predicted non-cardiac consultations (HR = 2.329; 95% CI: 1.163–4.664; p = 0.017). Conclusions: Frailty assessed by the FRAIL scale moderately predicts post-discharge healthcare utilization. Frail patients showed reduced survival. Systematic frailty assessment and the combined use of functional and analytical factors may improve the management and follow-up of frail and pre-frail patients.