Rebecca Osseiran-Moisson

Can We Predict Burnout among Student Nurses? An Exploration of the ICWR-1 Model of Individual Psychological Resilience.

The nature of nursing work is demanding and can be stressful. Previous studies have shown a high rate of burnout among employed nurses. Recently, efforts have been made to understand the role of resilience in determining the psychological adjustment of employed nurses. A theoretical model of resilience was proposed recently that includes several constructs identified in the literature related to resilience and to psychological functioning. As nursing students are the future of the nursing workforce it is important to advance our understanding of the determinants of resilience in this population. Student nurses who had completed their final practicum were invited to participate in an online survey measuring the key constructs of the ICWR-1 model. 422 students from across Australia and Canada completed the survey between July 2014 and July 2015. As well as several key demographics, trait negative affect, mindfulness, self-efficacy, coping, resilience, and burnout were measured. We used structural equation modeling and found support for the major pathways of the model; namely that resilience had a significant influence on the relationship between mindfulness, self-efficacy and coping, and psychological adjustment (burnout scores). Furthermore, as predicted, Neuroticism moderated the relationship between coping and burnout. Results are discussed in terms of potential approaches to supporting nursing students who may be at risk of burnout.

The effectiveness of a twice-daily skin-moisturising regimen for reducing the incidence of skin tears

A cluster randomised controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a twice‐daily moisturising regimen as compared to ‘usual’ skin care for reducing skin tear incidence. Aged care residents from 14 Western Australian facilities (980 beds) were invited to participate. The facilities were sorted into pairs and matched in terms of bed numbers and whether they provided high or low care. One facility from each matched pair was randomised to the intervention group. Consenting residents in an intervention facility received a twice‐daily application of a commercially available, standardised pH neutral, perfume‐free moisturiser on their extremities. Residents in the control facilities received ad hoc or no standardised skin‐moisturising regimen. Participant numbers were sufficient to detect a 5% difference in incidence rate between the two groups with 80% power and a significance level of P = 0·05, and the inter‐cluster correlation coefficient was 0·034. Data were collected over 6 months. A total of 1396 skin tears on 424 residents were recorded during the study. In the intervention group, the average monthly incidence rate was 5·76 per 1000 occupied bed days as compared to 10·57 in the control group. The application of moisturiser twice daily reduced the incidence of skin tears by almost 50% in residents living in aged care facilities.

The contribution of individual psychological resilience in determining the professional quality of life of Australian nurses

Research Topic: The aim of this study was to determine the relative contribution of trait negative affect and individual psychological resilience in explaining the professional quality of life of nurses. Materials and Methods: One thousand, seven hundred and forty-three Australian nurses from the public, private, and aged care sectors completed an online Qualtrics survey. The survey collected demographic data as well as measures of depression, anxiety and stress, trait negative affect, resilience, and professional quality of life. Results: Significant positive relationships were observed between anxiety, depression and stress, trait negative affectivity, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress (compassion fatigue). Significant negative relationships were observed between each of the aforementioned variables and resilience and compassion satisfaction (CS). Results of mediated regression analysis indicated that resilience partially mediates the relationship between trait negative affect and CS. Conclusion: Results confirm the importance of both trait negative affect and resilience in explaining positive aspects of professional quality of life. Importantly, resilience was confirmed as a key variable impacting levels of CS and thus a potentially important variable to target in interventions aimed at improving nurse’s professional quality of life.

The Influence of Trait-Negative Affect and Compassion Satisfaction on Compassion Fatigue in Australian Nurses

For this study, we examined the nature of the unique relationships trait-negative affect and compassion satisfaction had with compassion fatigue and its components of secondary traumatic stress and burnout in 273 nurses from 1 metropolitan tertiary acute hospital in Western Australia. Participants completed the Professional Quality of Life Scale (Stamm, 2010), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (Lovibond & Lovibond, 2004), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Spielberger, Gorsuch, Lushene, Vagg, & Jacobs, 1983). Bivariate correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were performed to examine and investigate 4 hypotheses. The results demonstrate a clear differential pattern of relationships with secondary traumatic stress and burnout for both trait-negative affect and compassion satisfaction. Trait-negative affect was clearly the more important factor in terms of its contribution to overall compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress. In contrast, compassion satisfactions unique protective relationship only related to burnout, and not secondary traumatic stress. The results are therefore consistent with the view that compassion satisfaction may be an important internal resource that protects against burnout, but is not directly influential in protecting against secondary traumatic stress for nurses working in an acute-care hospital environment. With the projected nursing workforce shortages in Australia, it is apparent that a further understanding is warranted of how such personal variables may work as protective and risk factors.

Telephone lifestyle coaching: Is it feasible as a behavioural change intervention for men?

This study assessed the feasibility of a telephone lifestyle coaching intervention for middle aged and older men in a service club setting and evaluated its impact on behavioural change in terms of BMI, physical activity, dietary habits, self-reported quality of life and stages of change. Forty participants from Rotary clubs in Western Australia participated in this pilot intervention. Findings showed significant improvements in lifestyle risk modification indicators. Participants were very satisfied with the interaction with their coaches and rated highly the telephone as a medium for coaching. Findings suggested that telephone coaching was a feasible means of delivering a lifestyle intervention in a ‘real-world’ setting for a hard to reach population group.

A Self-management Concept for Men at the Community Level: The `Waist' Disposal Challenge

The Waist Disposal Challenge consisted of a health intervention at the community level to bring about a reduction in body mass index (BMI) and is delivered at three levels: educational presentations on nutrition and exercise; monthly monitoring of BMI competition; telephone lifestyle coaching with follow-ups. Twenty-three Rotary Clubs participated in Western Australia in 2007—08 (750 Rotarians). The significant to moderate decreases in BMI are an encouraging indication that such community based-projects for men at-risk of developing chronic disease may influence the way health services reorient their community programmes to suit the health psychology of middle-aged to older men.

Attendance of men at the familial cancer clinic: what they value from the consultation.

Purpose: This study examined what men from high-risk breast/ovarian cancer families valued from attending a familial cancer clinic.Methods: One hundred men from families with a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation completed a self-administered questionnaire.Results: Seventy- two percent (72%) of men attended the familial cancer clinic at the request of a family member. Multivariate analyses showed that men with a preference for a collaborative decision-making style (B = −4.651, 95% CI = −9.014 to −0.289, P = 0.04), those with lower levels of education (B = −4.850, 95% CI = −9.16 to −0.537, P = 0.03), and those with higher levels of cancer-related anxiety (intrusion) (B = 0.920, 95% CI = 0.441–1.399, P < 0.001) were more likely to value emotional support from the clinic. Men with a collaborative decision-making style (B = −2.68, 95% CI = −4.91 to −0.467, P = 0.02) were less likely, and those with higher total levels of cancer-related anxiety (intrusion and avoidance) (B = 0.393, 95% CI = 0.008–0.779, P = 0.04) were more likely to value receiving information from the clinic.Conclusions: A preference for collaborative decision making and cancer-related anxiety predicted men valuing information and emotional support from the consultation. The finding that mens attendance is initiated by family members highlights the value men place on family responsibility.

A comparison of male attendees and nonattendees at a familial cancer clinic

Purpose: This retrospective descriptive Australian study aimed to determine predictors of nonattendance at a familial cancer clinic by men from high-risk breast/ovarian cancer families.Methods: Two hundred twenty-six men from families with a known BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation were recruited through an epidemiological database of high-risk breast cancer families and completed a self-administered questionnaire.Results: Multivariate analyses using binary logistic regression showed that nonattendance at a familial cancer clinic by men from high-risk breast/ovarian cancer families was associated with younger age (51 vs. 55 years) (odds ratio = 1.03, P = 0.04) and lower cancer burden (one relative diagnosed versus two relatives diagnosed) (odds ratio = 2.6, P = 0.04).Conclusion: Compared with men who attended a familial cancer clinic, nonattendees were younger and had fewer relatives diagnosed with breast/ovarian cancer. Unlike previous findings, cancer-specific worry, in particular avoidance was not associated with nonattendance. The number, age, and sex of biological children were not associated with attendance or nonattendance. Hence, some of the assumptions about what makes information on BRCA1 or BRCA2 status salient to men and may therefore influence their attendance at a cancer genetic clinic are not borne out in this study.