Purpose: The aim of this systematic review was to find best teaching strategies for teaching evidence-based practice (EBP) to undergraduate health students that have been adopted over the last years in healthcare institutions worldwide. Methods: The authors carried out a systematic, comprehensive bibliographic search using Medline database for the years 2005 to March 2015 (updated in March 2016). Search terms used were chosen from the USNLM Institutes of Health list of MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) and free text key terms were used as well. Selected articles were measured based on the inclusion criteria of this study and initially compared in terms of titles or abstracts. Finally, articles relevant to the subject of this review were retrieved in full text. Critical appraisal was done to determine the effects of strategy of teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM). Results: Twenty articles were included in the review. The majority of the studies sampled medical students (n=13) and only few conducted among nursing (n=2), pharmacy (n=2), physiotherapy/therapy (n=1), dentistry (n=1), or mixed disciplines (n=1) students. Studies evaluated a variety of educational interventions of varying duration, frequency and format (lectures, tutorials, workshops, conferences, journal clubs, and online sessions), or combination of these to teach EBP. We categorized interventions into single interventions covering a workshop, conference, lecture, journal club, or e-learning and multifaceted interventions where a combination of strategies had been assessed. Seven studies reported an overall increase to all EBP domains indicating a higher EBP competence and two studies focused on the searching databases skill. Conclusion: Followings were deduced from above analysis: multifaceted approach may be best suited when teaching EBM to health students; the use of technology to promote EBP through mobile devices, simulation, and the web is on the rise; and the duration of the interventions varying form some hours to even months was not related to the students’ EBP competence.

This study is an evaluation of the problem of noise pollution in operating rooms. The high sound pressure level of noise in the operating theatre has a negative impact on communication between operating room personnel. The research took place at nine Greek public hospitals with more than 400 beds. The objective evaluation consisted of sound pressure level measurements in terms of Leq, as well as peak sound pressure levels in recordings during 43 surgeries in order to identify sources of noise. The subjective evaluation consisted of a questionnaire answered by 684 operating room personnel. The views of operating room personnel were studied using Pearson’s X2 Test and Fisher’s Exact Test (SPSS Version 10.00), a t-test comparison was made of mean sound pressure levels, and the relationship of measurement duration and sound pressure level was examined using linear regression analysis (SPSS Version 13.00). The sound pressure levels of noise per operation and the sources of noise varied. The maximum measured level of noise during the main procedure of an operation was measured at Leq=71.9dB(A), L1=84.7dB(A), L10=76.2dB(A), and L99=56.7dB(A). The hospital building, machinery, tools, and people in the operating room were the main noise factors. In order to eliminate excess noise in the operating room it may be necessary to adopt a multidisciplinary approach. An improvement in environment (background noise levels), the implementation of effective standards, and the focusing of the surgical team on noise matters are considered necessary changes.

This qualitative study provides a comprehensive account of the social and life experiences and strategies and personality attributes that characterize exceptional longevity (living to 100 or over). It is based on nine semi-structured interviews of relatively healthy and functional Greek centenarians of both sexes. The analytic approach was thematic and based on grounded theory. We found that our participants were characterized by selectiveness in their socializing with other people and tendency to avoid conflicts. Also, we found that they predominantly used the “flight” response whenever confronted with stressors. Further, they appeared to be much adaptive as they had managed to overcome adversity and adapt successfully to major life changes. These findings provide insights into three possible pathways (social selectivity, conflict avoidance, and adaptiveness) through which psychosocial factors might be associated with aging and exceptional longevity.

Background: Preoperative patient education is an effective intervention of the healthcare team, which has been used to promote patient recovery and well-being. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a nursing preoperative educational intervention on the anxiety and pain of patients undergoing spinal decompression surgery. Methods: In this pilot randomized controlled study, patients (n=40) undergoing spinal decompression surgery, were randomized into an intervention group (underwent educational intervention, n=23) and a control group (n=17). The preoperative educational intervention included an oral briefing and a leaflet with perioperative care information as well as post-discharge care. Participants completed the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS), the subscale “State” of the State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), the Numerical Rating Scale, and a questionnaire about demographic characteristics, the day before surgery (T0) and the first post-operation day (T1). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 22.0. The statistical significance level was set at p<0.05. Results. A significant reduction was found in pain intensity before and after surgery in both groups. Pain levels, after surgery, were significantly lower in the intervention group compared to pain levels in the control group (t=2.174, p=0.036). In both groups, high state anxiety scores on the STAI-S scale before surgery were confirmed by high anxiety scores in APAIS_surgery. Additionally, in both groups after surgery, high state anxiety scores on the STAI-S scale were associated with high pain levels. There were no statistically significant group differences with regard to scores of STAI-S before and after surgery. Conclusions. Nursing preoperative educational intervention in patients undergoing spinal decompression surgery had a positive impact on reducing the intensity of pain after surgery. These results indicated that nurses and health care providers should integrate patient education and health literacy into their daily clinical practice.