Aim To discuss the actual public image of nurses and other factors that influence the development of nurses' self-concept and professional identity. Background Nurses have become healthcare professionals in their own right who possess a great deal of knowledge. However, the public does not always value …

Aims and objectives. To compare a functioning assessment based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) with a conventional medical assessment, in terms of their respective consequences for health professionals’ clinical decision-making and the fit with patient’s …

Background: Anemia is a serious and highly prevalent co-morbidity in chronic heart failure (HF) patients. Its influence on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) has rarely been studied, and no data is available regarding the role it plays in hospitalized HF patients. Methods: Baseline data from the …

BACKGROUND: This paper reports a study about the effect of knowledge sources, such as handbooks, an assessment format and a predefined record structure for diagnostic documentation, as well as the influence of knowledge, disposition toward critical thinking and reasoning skills, on the accuracy of nursing …

BACKGROUND: Since the number of heart failure (HF) patients is still growing and long-term treatment of HF patients is necessary, it is important to initiate effective ways for structural involvement of primary care services in HF management programs. However, evidence on whether and when patients can …

Determining the onset of the dying phase is important, because care aims and interventions change once this phase begins. In the dying phase, maximising comfort is paramount, even if doing so causes a deterioration of cognitive functions. In this delicate context, it is necessary to give special attention …