Aim Self-reported cognitive function has been described as an important complement to performance-based measurements but has seldom been investigated in cardiac arrest (CA) survivors. Therefore, the aim was to describe self-reported cognitive function and its association with health status, psychological distress, and life satisfaction. Methods This study utilised data from the Swedish Register of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (2018–2021), registered 3–6 months post-CA. Cognitive function was assessed by a single question: “How do you experience your memory, concentration, and/or planning abilities today compared to before the cardiac arrest?”. Health status was measured using the EQ VAS, psychological distress with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, and overall life satisfaction with the Life Satisfaction checklist. Data were analysed using binary logistic regression. Results Among 4026 identified survivors, 1254 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The mean age was 65.9 years (SD = 13.4) and 31.7% were female. Self-reported cognitive function among survivors was reported as: ‘Much worse’ by 3.1%, ‘Worse’ by 23.8%, ‘Unchanged’ by 68.3%, ‘Better’ by 3.3%, and ‘Much better’ by 1.5%. Declined cognitive function was associated with lower health status (OR = 2.76, 95% CI = 2.09–3.64), symptoms of anxiety (OR = 3.84, 95% CI = 2.80–5.24) and depression (OR = 4.52, 95% CI = 3.22–6.32), and being dissatisfied with overall life (OR = 2.74, 95% CI = 2.11–3.54). These associations remained significant after age, sex, place of CA, aetiology, initial rhythm, initial witnessed status, and cerebral performance were controlled. Conclusions Survivors experiencing declined cognitive function post-CA are at a higher risk of poorer health status, increased psychological distress, and reduced life satisfaction, and these risks should be acknowledged by healthcare professionals.

Rationale To maintain patients dignity and well-being and alleviate suffering, it is essential that healthcare providers engage in caring behaviours. Yet, every year patient boards receive an increasing number of complaints from patients and significant others regarding healthcare providers non-caring behaviours. Defining and measuring both verbal and nonverbal caring and non-caring behaviour in healthcare delivery is vital to address such complaints. However, no studies were found that incorporated a comprehensive theory of caring to code encounters between healthcare providers and patients. Aim The aim was to develop and test a Caring Behavior Coding Scheme based on Swansons Theory of Caring. Method An instrument development process was used for behavioural coding including observational data from thirty-eight video recordings collected in an undergraduate nursing course at a Swedish University. The observational data involved interactions between undergraduate nursing students and a standardised patient. Result The Caring Behavior Coding Scheme (the CBCS), contains seventeen verbal and eight nonverbal behavioural codes, categorised as caring and non-caring in accordance with Swansons Theory of Caring. Content and face validity were assessed. Timed-event sequential continuous coding was performed in INTERACT software. The coder achieved excellent agreement with the developed gold standard (k = 0.87) and excellent mean inter-rater reliability (k = 0.82). All domains in Swansons Theory of Caring were observed and coded in the interaction. Discussion/Conclusion The CBCS is a theory-based instrument that contributes to research on healthcare providers behavioural encounters. It uses verbal and nonverbal caring and non-caring behavioural codes to assess the alignment of both the theory and practice of caring. The CBCS can contribute to both development and measurement of interventions focused on improving healthcare providers caring behaviour with the intended outcome of patient well-being.

Background Safe health care of good quality depends on structured and unceasing efforts to progress, promoting strategies tailored to the context, including elements such as patients preferences. Although patient participation is a common concept in health care, there is yet limited understanding of the factors that facilitate and hinder it in a healthcare context. Aims This paper identifies what patients and health professionals depict in terms of enablers and barriers for patient participation in dialysis care. Methods An explorative qualitative design was applied with seven focus group discussions with patients, staff, and managers across different types of hospitals, with the texts analyzed with content analysis. Results The dialysis context represents three key elements-people, resources, and interactions-that can both enable and hinder patient participation. Both barriers and facilitators for patient participation were found to reside at individual, team, and organizational levels, with a greater number of enabling factors implied by both patients and staff. Linking Evidence to Action While the dialysis context comprises opportunities for progress in favor of patient participation, a shared understanding of the concept is needed, along with how contextual factors can facilitate conditions for participation by patient preferences. In addition, the most favorable strategy for implementing person-centered care is not yet known, but to facilitate patient participation from a patient perspective, creating opportunities to enable staff and patients to share a common understanding is needed, along with tools to facilitate a dialogue on patient participation.

Aims and objectives: The objective in our study was to explore chronic heart failure patients’ perceived control over their heart disease.

Background: Higher levels of perceived control over one’s chronic heart disease are associated with lower levels of psychological distress and a higher quality of life.

Design: The study has an explorative and descriptive design using a directed manifest qualitative content analysis according to Marring.

Methods: The analysis was based on nine interviews with four men and five women aged between 62-85 years, diagnosed with chronic heart failure. The study followed consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ).

Results: Five categories emerged in the analysis, mirroring a step-by-step process. The first step, insecurity, was followed by evaluation, management and adjustment. The patients finally reached a higher level of perceived control over their lives in relation to their heart disease.

Conclusions: Most of the patients stated that they could assess and manage symptoms and had adapted to their condition, which increased their level of perceived control.

Relevance to clinical practice: These findings suggest that managing symptoms is important for strengthen the patients with chronic heart failure. The findings can help health care professionals in communication with the patient planning for self-care actions.

BACKGROUND: Decreased appetite and depressive symptoms are clinical problems in patients with heart failure. Both may result in impaired health status.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to investigate the association between appetite and health status in patients with heart failure and to explore whether depressive symptoms moderate this association.

METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, patients with heart failure (n = 186; mean age, 71 years), New York Heart Association class II to IV, participated. Data on appetite (Council of Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire), depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionnaire-9), and health status (EQ-5D 3-level scale [EQ-5D-3L] descriptive system, EQ-5D-3L index, and EQ Visual Analog Scale) were collected by self-rating questionnaires. Pearson correlation was used to investigate the association between appetite and health status. Multiple regression was performed to examine whether depressive symptoms moderate the association between appetite and health status.

RESULTS: There was a significant association between appetite and health status for EQ-5D-3L descriptive system, mobility (P < .001), pain/discomfort (P < .001), and anxiety/depression (P < .001). This association was also shown in EQ-5D-3L index (P < .001) and EQ Visual Analog Scale (P < .001). Simple slope analysis showed that the association between appetite and health status was only significant for patients without depressive symptoms (B = 0.32, t = 4.66, P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS: Higher level of appetite was associated with better health status. In moderation analysis, the association was presented for patients without depressive symptoms. Decreased appetite is an important sign of poor health status. To improve health status, health professionals should have greater attention on appetite, as well on signs of depressive symptoms.

The advantages of providing standardized education avoiding exposure of real patients to interventions by novices are appealing both from patient safety and teaching aspects, thus medical simulation has become an integrated part of the healthcare curriculum.

We explored the impact of gender and an acting vs. an observing role in simulation on students’ perceptions of learning outcomes, and of simulation as a learning activity.

A prospective survey for graduating medical students participating in a full day simulated team training session was conducted over three terms. The questionnaire addressed issues related to the session, teamwork and simulation training in general. Participation was voluntary and the study was approved by the regional ethics committee.

The overall response rate was 90.8 %. Authenticity and relevance were considered to be high, though male students scored significantly higher both for authenticity and for relevance.  Communication and teamwork were considered to be different, depending on gender and assigned role. Female students and students in an acting role were more ready to discuss knowledge gaps, experienced “good” communication significantly more often, and defined their work as teamwork more frequently.  The scenarios were found to be more stimulating and motivating by female students and acting individuals. Self-confidence and self-awareness were declared to be more enhanced for male students and for those who were acting during the simulation sessions. Observers and female students scored significantly lower as regards satisfaction with both the extent of the reflection and the individual feedback.

The perceptions of authenticity and relevance of simulation sessions and students’ readiness to discuss knowledge gaps differed between genders. Furthermore, perceived changes in self-confidence and self-awareness seemed to be different. The observing role implies a different kind of learning process, which is not necessarily inferior to learning by acting.

Aim: To test the relationship between cognitive function and self-care in patients with heart failure after adjusting for the contribution of age, education, functional status, myocardial stress, sleep and depression. Further, the relationship between cognitive function and self-care was explored with depression and sleep as moderators.

Background: Self-care can significantly impact functional capacity, well-being, morbidity, and prognosis in patients with heart failure (HF). However, self-care requires the cognitive ability to learn, perceive, interpret and respond. The influence of demographics and clinical symptoms on the relationship between cognition and self-care needs to be further understood.

Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional study.

Methods: The study included 142 patients with chronic HF (68% male, median age 72 years, 61% in NYHA II). Self-care was measured with the European Heart Failure Self-Care Behavior Scale. Cognitive function was evaluated with neuropsychological tests measuring global cognitive dysfunction, psychomotor speed, executive function, visual-spatial perception/construct, spatial performance, semantic and episodic memory.

Findings: Psychomotor function (speed and attention) measured with the Trail Making A was the only dimension of cognitive function significantly associated with self-care. Neither depressive symptoms, nor sleep disturbances  moderated the relation between cognitive function and selfcare.

Conclusion: Deficits in psychomotor speed have implications for how patients should be educated and supported to perform self-care. A decrease in sustained attention and ability to carry out more than one task at a same time could lead to difficulties in self-care. Screening for psychomotor speed is therefore advocated for patients with HF.