Intensive care units are stressful environments and can bring negative psychological outcomes among critical care nurses. The aim of the present study is to describe critical care nurses’ characteristics and perceptions of health in relation to sex, and also provide their description of a healthy and sustainable work environment in intensive care units using a person-centred practice framework. A cross-sectional design was employed with 136 participants who responded to a questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analysis were used. Regardless of sex, critical care nurses perceived their current health to be significantly lower than their health before the COVID-19 pandemic. They described effective staff relationships and a supportive organization as being essential for a healthy and sustainable work environment. Critical care nurses have recovered to their perceived pre-pandemic health to some degree. Well-functioning teams and a supportive organizational system might nurture a healthy and sustainable work environment. 

Background: The use of digital health technology in diabetes self-care is increasing, making eHealth literacy an importantfactor to consider among people with type 1 diabetes. There are very few studies investigating eHealth literacy among adultswith type 1 diabetes, highlighting the need to explore this area further.Objective: The aim of this study was to explore associations between eHealth literacy and demographic factors, disease-specific factors, and well-being among adults with type 1 diabetes.Methods: The study used data from a larger cross-sectional survey conducted among adults with type 1 diabetes in Sweden(N=301). Participants were recruited using a convenience sampling method primarily through advertisements on social media.Data were collected between September and November 2022 primarily through a web-based survey, although participantscould opt to answer a paper-based survey. Screening questions at the beginning of the survey determined eligibility toparticipate. In this study, eHealth literacy was assessed using the Swedish version of the eHealth Literacy Scale (Sw-eHEALS).The predictor variables, well-being was assessed using the World Health Organization-5 Well-Being Index and psychosocialself-efficacy using the Swedish version of the Diabetes Empowerment Scale. The survey also included research group–developed questions on demographic and disease-specific variables as well as digital health technology use. Data wereanalyzed using multiple linear regression presented as nested models. A sample size of 270 participants was required in orderto detect an association between the dependent and predictor variables using a regression model based on an F test. The finalsample size included in the nested regression model was 285.Results: The mean Sw-eHEALS score was 33.42 (SD 5.32; range 8‐40). The model involving both demographic anddisease-specific variables explained 31.5% of the total variation in eHealth literacy and was deemed the best-fitting model.Younger age (P=.01; B=–0.07, SE=0.03;95% CI –0.12 to –0.02), lower self-reported glycated hemoglobin levels (P=.04; B=–0.06, SE=0.03; 95% CI –0.12 to 0.00), and higher psychosocial self-efficacy (P<.001; B=3.72, SE=0.53; 95% CI 2.68-4.75)were found associated with higher Sw-eHEALS scores when adjusted for demographic and disease-specific variables in thismodel. Well-being was not associated with eHealth literacy in this study.Conclusions: The demographic and disease-specific factors explained the variation in eHealth literacy in this sample. Furtherstudies in this area using newer eHealth literacy tools are important to validate our findings. The study highlights theimportance of development and testing of interventions to improve eHealth literacy in this population for better glucosecontrol. These eHealth literacy interventions should be tailored to meet the needs of people in varying age groups and withdiffering levels of psychosocial self-efficacy.

Background

High professional competence is crucial for ambulance personnel, as expected by patients, relatives, and organizations. Prehospital advanced trauma and medical care demand exceptional competence. Specialized training programs i.e., AMLS, ATLS, and PHTLS are widely adopted internationally. Integrating “beyond-5G and 6G technologies” can significantly enhance realism, increase the number of simulated patient cases, and improve prehospital nursing education by providing real-time data and advanced communication capabilities. This integration supports the development of critical thinking and decision-making skills and ensures that ambulance personnel are well-prepared to handle a wide range of emergencies, ultimately improving patient outcomes and overall service efficiency. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of integrating high-fidelity simulation with “beyond-5G and 6G technologies” in prehospital nurse education.

Methods

Students will practically carry out multiple high fidelity simulation cases in a road ambulance. The cases are communicated and distributed from the learning site to the ambulance using “beyond-5G and 6G technologies”. Data are gathered using the Paramedic Global Rating Scale and System Usability Scale. Students’ experiences of reality and learning will also be explored in individual (n=15) interviews.

Results

The study is expected to demonstrate that integrating realistic high-fidelity simulation with “beyond-5G and 6G technologies” can improve clinical and decision-making skills in prehospital nursing students. The study is also expected to be able to relate effective simulation methods to different simulated scenarios and contribute to more effective prehospital nurse education.

Conclusions

High-fidelity simulation with “beyond-5G and 6G technologies” could be a valuable addition to future prehospital nurse education.

Background: Early labor is often managed at home without professional support. The Birth App (Birth by Heart) is an app designed to support women during early labor. A pilot study revealed that women found the app’s exercises simple, understandable, and practical. The app was perceived as useful and appreciated by women, although areas for improvement were identified, primarily related to technical issues. After the development and test period, the updated app was tested in a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This study aims to investigate whether women using the Birth App during pregnancy and childbirth experience less distress during early labor compared to those receiving standard antenatal care.

Methods: We used online recruiting in a nonblinded 3-part blended care model with 1:1:1 randomization: group 1 (Birth App intervention); group 2 (Birth App Plus, combining the app with in-person additional midwifery contacts); and group 3 (control group receiving standard antenatal care). Pregnant nulliparous women were invited via social media. Eligibility criteria were nulliparity, planning a vaginal birth, from gestational week 25+0 to 35+6 weeks, proficiency in understanding Swedish, and having access to a smartphone or tablet. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and ANOVA.

Results: A total of 391 women completed the baseline questionnaire and were included in the study (group 1, n=118; group 2, n=114; group 3, n=118). Of these, 335 women responded to the questionnaire 1 month postpartum, yielding a response rate of 85.6%. Most participants experienced a spontaneous onset of labor (group 1: 67/103, 65%; group 2: 81/114, 71%; and group 3: control group, 86/118, 73%), with no statistically significant differences between groups. During early labor, women in group 1 remained at home for a mean of 16.76 (SD 20.45) hours, group 2 for a mean of 14.47 (SD 16.82) hours, and the control group for a mean of 12.90 (SD 15.99) hours (P=.32). For the primary and secondary outcomes, only women with spontaneous onset of labor (n=234) were included in the analysis. The primary outcome, emotional distress, showed similar mean values across all groups. No statistically significant differences were identified in the secondary outcomes: childbirth experience, pain relief, and support from the partner. However, for the secondary outcome fear of future birth, a pairwise testing from baseline to follow-up revealed a statistically significant mean difference for the intervention groups (group 1: mean 13.53, 95% CI 5.12‐21.92, P=.002; group 2: mean 14.59, 95% CI 7.75‐21.42, P<.001) with a medium effect size (Cohen d=.40 vs d=.47). For group 3, the mean was 6.78 (95% CI −.95 to 14.53; P=.08).

Conclusions: The Birth App, in conjunction with additional midwifery support, can be a valuable tool for pregnant women and their partners during pregnancy and childbirth. The observed reduction in fear of forthcoming childbirth associated with the Birth App warrants further investigation.

Introduction: Using the COVID-19 pandemic as an example of a national and international crisis, it has been possible to show how critical care nurses (CCNs) were affected by their work situation with impact on health and wellbeing. This study sought out to investigate how CCNs stress was affected and to provide some answers as to how to react and organize care in a future crisis. The specific focus was CCNs' stressors related supervision of nurses untrained in intensive care and how these were handled in a salutogenic perspective.Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze CCNs' experiences of supervision of nurses without training in intensive care during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to analyze these experiences with the help of the salutogenic concept sense of coherence.Materials and Methods: The phenomena under study were explored during the years of 2021-2022 through in-depth interviews and interpreted using deductive content analysis.Results: By analyzing CCNs experiences of supervising nurses without training in intensive care with the lens of sense of coherence, it was possible to show in what way these concepts influenced how to cope with the demanding situation. Sense of coherence was influenced by the inevitable prioritization of patient care and nursing interventions. This prioritization caused moral distress, but was also enhanced or decreased by CCNs sense of coherence.Conclusion: When recruiting and introducing new personnel in a future crisis to any field of healthcare, but particularly to the intensive care, we would, on the basis of these findings, suggest that well-established plans are vital for how to move personnel throughout the organization, and for how to introduce the field of intensive care. Plans for how to model care with the help of RNs without specialist training should be put in place. A communication plan for the organization is also of importance to enhance transparency.

AimTo elucidate the meaning of being a close relative of a critically ill person cared for in intensive care during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.DesignA narrative inquiry design following the COREQ guidelines.MethodsIndividual interviews with fifteen close relatives of patients critically ill with COVID-19 were analysed using phenomenological hermeneutics.ResultsThe surreal existence of not being allowed to be near was emotionally difficult. While distancing due to restrictions was challenging, physicians' phone calls served as a connection to their relatives and brought a sense of security. Keeping notes helped them remember what happened and brought order to a chaotic situation.ConclusionClose relatives feel secure when they receive regular information about their critically ill relative, not just when their condition worsens. They wish to be physically near to their critically ill person; when this is impossible, digital technology can provide support, but further accessibility developments are needed.

As the adoption of Fifth Generation (5G) systems increases, efforts towards Sixth Generation (6G) systems have already started across research, standardization, and stakeholder fora. 6G is expected to support applications with immersive capabilities, with specific use case requirements from different verticals playing a critical role in solution development. Unlike current solutions in the education vertical that uses immersive technologies such as Augmented/Virtual/eXtended Reality (AR/VR/XR), which rely on pre-recorded content and  lack engagement, 6G can enhance remote education by enabling real-time, AR/VR/XR-enriched interactions among students and instructors. This paper presents ongoing activities within the 6G-PATH EU project, towards the design, implementation, and testing of a 6G use case for healthcare personnel remote education/training, which aims to facilitate real-time, AR/VR/XR-enhanced interactions among healthcare trainees and instructors.