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BACKGROUND: The transition experience of newly graduated registered nurses is highly stressful and associated with high attrition rates. OBJECTIVES AND DESIGN: This qualitative systematic review aims to consolidate the available evidence on the experiences of newly graduated registered nurses' role transition from nursing students to registered nurses. DATA SOURCES: English language research published between 2010 and 2022 was searched using PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, Embase, PsycInfo and ProQuest Dissertations and Thesis databases. REVIEW METHODS: Data were extracted using a data extraction form and appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) tool for published studies or the Authority, Accuracy, Coverage, Objectivity, Date, Significance checklist for unpublished studies or grey literature, respectively. RESULTS: The review included 25 studies and the meta-synthesis identified four themes: (a) Knowledge deficit, (b) Overwhelming clinical practise, (c) Importance of workplace support, and (d) Meaning of "being a nurse". CONCLUSIONS: Newly graduated registered nurses experienced facing knowledge deficits in the clinical setting and felt overwhelmed with work, especially for newly graduated registered nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic. Support from colleagues was invaluable, and they wished for better support through standardised transition programs. Despite nursing being mentally and physically exhausting, many newly graduated registered nurses regarded their profession satisfying and meaningful, however some eventually resigned. Understanding the transition experiences of newly graduated registered nurses can provide valuable insights on how to facilitate their transition and in turn decrease attrition rates, and ensure safe care for the patients and that public healthcare needs are met.

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BACKGROUND: Gestational breast cancer is diagnosed during pregnancy or within the first postpartum year. There is a lack of studies on the experiences of ethnically diverse Asian women with gestational breast cancer. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to explore the experiences of Asian women with gestational breast cancer so necessary support can be rendered. METHODS: This qualitative descriptive study used purposive sampling to recruit 7 women with gestational breast cancer who were following up at the breast center of a tertiary women's hospital in Singapore. Semistructured, individual, face-to-face, audio-recorded interviews were used to explore the in-depth experiences of these women. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three main themes emerged from the thematic analysis: (1) being a sick woman, (2) juggling between being a mother and a patient, and (3) seeking normalcy. Women had to contend with disruptive changes from gestational breast cancer, both emotionally and physically. They were constantly distressed by their altered body images, and family support was vital to help these women cope with their treatments. Alternative support sources included healthcare professionals and the Internet. CONCLUSION: Gestational breast cancer experiences varied based on the women's encounter perceptions and existing support. Their experiences may be improved through further support to mediate their coping efforts. Future quantitative and qualitative research should explore and evaluate the various aspects of the long-term disease and psychosocial effects of gestational breast cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Hospitals should include support strategies in antenatal classes and postnatal workshops to lessen disruptions of the motherhood experiences.

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Childhood diabetes is a rising concern as the overall annual increase in diabetes among children/adolescents is estimated to be around 3% over the past decade. Diabetes management places children/adolescents and their parents at greater risks of psychological distress. This study aims to measure the levels of diabetes-related emotional distress in children/adolescents with diabetes and their caregiving parents and to identify associations between sociodemographic characteristics and clinical variables in Singapore. A cross-sectional study was conducted using validated questionnaires. Ninety-two parent-child/adolescent dyads completed self-reported questionnaires. Elevated levels of diabetes-related distress were found in both children/adolescents with diabetes and their parents. Female children/adolescents with diabetes, low-income households, and less-educated parents of children/adolescents with diabetes were more susceptible to diabetes-related distress. It is important for healthcare professionals to educate less-educated parents in the management of their children's/adolescents' diabetes. Greater financial assistance should be provided to low-income households that may not have access to advanced diabetes treatments.

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AIM: To understand factors that influence women's decisions to go for Pap smears. BACKGROUND: Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women. In Singapore, cervical cancer is on the rise and has been found to be the eighth highest cause of death among women. Research has shown that regular screening for cervical cancer with Pap smear reduces cervical cancer-related mortality. However, Pap smear awareness is still limited and its uptake in Singapore is highly opportunistic, requiring the need for a deeper understanding of the factors that influence Pap smear uptake among women in Singapore. DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used. METHODS: Convenience sampling was used to recruit 350 participants (postnatal women of at least 21 years old) from a local maternity hospital. Data were collected using validated questionnaires. Logistic regression was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Demographic factors, such as age, ethnicity and religion, as well as women's beliefs about the effectiveness of Pap smear in detecting cervical cancer, the desire to discover health problems early and considering Pap smear to be painful, were found to be factors significantly influencing Pap smear uptake. Healthcare professionals need to be mindful of these factors to address women's needs to encourage women to go for Pap smears. CONCLUSION: Various factors were found to influence Pap smear uptake. Future interventions can take these factors into account for increasing Pap smear awareness.

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This study aimed to explore the experiences of adolescents from Singapore, aged 10-18 years old, living with cancer and their perceptions on how their psychosocial outcomes can be improved. A descriptive qualitative study design was used. Convenience sampling was used to recruit 10 participants from a pediatric oncology ward in a Singapore hospital. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Five major themes emerged: (1) experience of physical symptoms, (2) emotional response to their condition, (3) changes in social dynamics, and (4) falling behind in academics. The psychosocial outcomes of Singaporean adolescents with cancer could be improved by thorough pain assessments and creating a more conducive hospital environment.

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BACKGROUND: The effects of cold cabbage leaves and cold gel packs on breast engorgement management have been inconclusive. No studies have compared the effects of these methods on breast engorgement using a rigorous design. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effectiveness of cold cabbage leaves and cold gel packs application on pain, hardness, and temperature due to breast engorgement, the duration of breastfeeding and satisfaction. DESIGN: A randomised controlled three-group pre-test and repeated post-test study. SETTING: A private maternal and children's hospital in Singapore. PARTICIPANTS: Mothers (n=227) with breast engorgement within 14days after delivery. METHODS: The mothers were randomly assigned into either cold cabbage leaves, cold gel packs, or the control group. Pain, hardness of breasts, and body temperature were measured before treatment. Two sets of post-test assessments were conducted at 30min, 1h, and 2h after the first and second application. The duration of breastfeeding was measured up to 6 months. IBM SPSS 23.0 was used to analyse the data. RESULTS: Mothers in the cabbage leaves and gel packs groups had significant reductions in pain at all post-intervention time points compared to the control group, starting from 30min after the first application of cabbage leaves (mean difference=-0.38, p=0.016) or gel packs (mean difference=-0.39, p=0.013). When compared to the control group, mothers in the cabbage leaves group had significant reductions in the hardness of breasts at all post-intervention time points, and mothers in the gel packs group had significant reductions in the hardness of breasts at two time points (1h and 2h after the first and second application, respectively). Mothers in the cabbage leaves group had significant reductions in pain (mean difference=-0.53, p=0.005) and hardness of breasts (mean difference=-0.35, p=0.003) at 2h after the second application compared to those in the gel packs group. Both interventions had no impact on body temperature. There was no significant difference in the durations of breastfeeding for mothers among the three groups at 3-month and 6-month follow-up. More mothers were very satisfied/satisfied with the breast engorgement care provided in the cabbage leaves group compared to the other groups. CONCLUSION: While cold cabbage leaves and cold gel packs can relieve pain and hardness in breast engorgement, the former had better effect, which can be recommended to postnatal mothers to manage breast engorgement.

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This pilot study aimed to identify the levels of support expected and received by postpartum women in Singapore. Another objective was to compare the different subdomains of social support. A descriptive design was adopted using a self-administered questionnaire comprising demographics and the Postpartum Support Questionnaire. The study took place at a subsidized obstetrics and gynaecology clinic at a restructured hospital in Singapore from the end of December 2009 to the end of February 2010. The 25 participants were 6 to 8 weeks postpartum and had delivered healthy term infants. They were recruited via convenience sampling. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. The overall support needs of the participants were met. Only their informational support needs were unmet. Assessing the needs of postpartum women and teaching them how to convey and manage expectations are recommended initiatives for health-care practitioners to consider.

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A prospective, descriptive study was conducted in an acute care hospital in Singapore to determine the inter-rater reliability of the modified Morse Fall Scale by evaluating the degrees of agreement on the ratings of the individual items and overall score between the 'gold standard' assessor and the facility assessors. One hundred and forty-two subjects were recruited during the 1.5 month data collection period. The simple and weighted κ-values were all > 0.8 except for the item 'effects of medications' (κ and κw = 0.63), and the correlation coefficient (rs = 0.89) was significantly high at a significance level of < 0.001. The modified Morse Fall Scale was shown to be a reliable fall risk assessment tool having a relative high inter-rater reliability level for the overall score and individual items. This study provides evidence-based psychometric support for the clinical application of this tool.

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OBJECTIVES: to explore first-time fathers' experiences and needs during their wives' pregnancy and childbirth in Singapore. DESIGN AND SETTING: a descriptive qualitative was conducted. Participants were recruited from two obstetric wards in a tertiary hospital in Singapore from November to December 2012. Semi-structured, face-to-face interviews were used to collect data and themes from the interviews were generated using thematic analysis. PARTICIPANTS: a purposive sample of 16 first-time fathers aged above 21 years who accompanied their wives throughout pregnancy and childbirth were recruited from the postnatal wards between one to three days after the birth of their children. FINDINGS: four themes emerged from 16 subthemes: (1) Emotional changes experienced; (2) Adaptive and supportive behaviours adopted; (3) Social support received and (4) Suggestions for improvement to the current maternity care. First-time fathers experienced a range of emotions from being happy and excited to feeling shocked and worried and to feeling calm. Adaptive and supportive behaviours were adopted to deal with the pregnancy changes and better support their wives. In the course of their transition to fatherhood, they also received support from their family, friends, workplaces and the health care professionals. Fathers suggested more information, timely, empathetic and professional care be given and a review to the current administrative/logistical policies. CONCLUSIONS: all fathers modified their behaviours for the sake of protecting their wives and unborn children. Support from their family, friends, workplaces and the health care professionals was invaluable and greatly appreciated. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: health care professionals can guide and support fathers by providing them with more information and preparing them for the unknown changes. Future studies are needed to develop intervention programme for fathers to improve their experiences and adaptive behaviours.

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BACKGROUND: Clinical incident reporting is an integral feature of risk management system in the healthcare sector. By reporting clinical incidents, nurses allow for learning from errors, identification of error patterns and development of error preventive strategies. The need to understand attitudes to reporting, perceived barriers and incident reporting patterns by nurses are the core highlights of this review. OBJECTIVES: INCLUSION CRITERIA: This review considered descriptive quantitative studies that examined nurses' attitudes or perceived barriers towards incident reporting.The participants in this review were nurses working in acute care settings or step-down care settings. Studies that included non-nursing healthcare personnel were excluded.This review considered studies which examined nurses' attitudes towards incident reporting, perceived barriers and incident reporting practices.The outcomes of interest were the attitudes that nurses have towards incident reporting, perceived barriers and the types of reported incidents in correlation with nurses' attitudes and barriers. SEARCH STRATEGY: A three-step search strategy was utilised in this review. An initial limited search of CINAHL and MEDLINE was undertaken. Search strategies were then developed using identified keywords and index terms. Lastly, the reference lists of all identified articles were examined. All searches were limited to studies published in English, between 1991 and 2010. METHODOLOGICAL QUALITY: The studies were independently assessed by two reviewers using the Joanna Briggs Institute Critical Appraisal Checklist for Descriptive/ Case Series studies. DATA EXTRACTION: The reviewers extracted data independently from included studies using the Joanna Briggs Institute Data Extraction Form for Descriptive/ Case Series studies. DATA SYNTHESIS: Due to the descriptive nature of the study designs, statistical pooling was not possible. Therefore, the findings of this systematic review are presented in a narrative summary. MAIN FINDINGS: Fifty-five papers were identified from the searches based on their titles and abstracts. Nine studies were included in this review. Cultural and demographic factors were the most significant factors in affecting nurses' attitudes towards incident reporting. Major perceived barriers included fear, administrative issues, and the reporting process. Also, nurses were more likely to report incidents that caused direct harm, and if reporting was kept anonymous. CONCLUSIONS: This review demonstrated that attitudes of nurses towards incident reporting vary across different study settings, with perceived barriers hindering the reporting process. Using the findings, interventions can be customised to increase reporting rates can be developed to curb the problem of underreporting.A non-punitive culture towards incident reporting has to be cultivated, and nursing authorities should provide frequent positive feedback to staff who reported incidents. Investigating system errors should be the focus rather than individual blame.Further research should target the development and evaluation of strategies to increase rates of incident reporting. Any differences between actual and perceived reporting rates should also be explored.

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OBJECTIVE: To investigate the incidence of falls and explore fall prevention practices at acute care hospitals in Singapore. DESIGN: A retrospective audit to collect baseline data on (1) incidence of falls (patient fall rates and fall injury rates) and (2) fall prevention practices, was conducted in five acute care hospitals in Singapore from December 2004 to March 2005. STUDY PARTICIPANTS: Medical record data (n = 6000) of patients admitted into the medical, surgical and geriatric units in the five hospitals. OUTCOME MEASURES: Fall incidence was obtained from the hospital's fall databases and incident reports for the period of June 2003 to May 2004. In total, 6000 medical records from five hospitals were randomly selected, retrieved and reviewed to determine whether falls, fall assessments and interventions were being initiated and documented. RESULTS: The number of fallers for all hospitals was 825. Analysis showed that patient fall rates ranged from 0.68 to 1.44 per 1000 patient days, and the proportion of falls associated with injury ranged from 27.4% to 71.7%. The use of a fall risk assessment tool by nurses was recorded in 77% of all the nursing records. CONCLUSION: This study has laid the foundation for further research for fall prevention in Singapore by describing current fall rates, fall-associated injury rates and the status of fall prevention practices in acute care settings. The results will be used to inform the development of a tailored multifaceted strategy to facilitate the implementation of Fall Prevention Clinical Practice Guidelines to reduce the burden of falls and fall injuries in hospitals in Singapore.

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