This descriptive and exploratory study analyzed variables associated with health-related quality of life among 130 outpatients. Health-related quality of life was measured through the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire. Significant associations were found between patients? health-related quality of life and their age (r=-0.177; p=0.044), vitality (r=-0.625; p=<0.001) as well as mental health (r=-0.672; p=<0.001), which are both SF-36 domains. The linear regression showed that heart failure symptom severity, vitality and mental health explained 54% of HRQOL measurement variation. To control symptoms and preserve good mental well-being are important to maintain health-related quality of life and to deliver effective heart failure care.

Descriptive study aiming to understand the family dynamics of elderly people aged 80 years or older, receiving family care at home. Caregivers and elderly, registered at the family health unit of Greater Porto, comprised a sample of 107 pairs. Data were collected between 09/2009 and 03/2010. The following instruments were applied: family APGAR, quality of life and lifestyle scale. The results that stand out are: increase in male partners serving as caregivers for dependent partners; substantial inclusion in the list of family caregivers: grandchildren, nieces, nephews, siblings. The caregiver lifestyle was considered regular, as well as the caregiver and elderly?s quality of life, although the family dynamics showed to work well. Limitations prevent further generalizations, but offer relevant support for the development of the family health and family nursing program.

This case study identifies the elements that compose the Quality of Life (QofL) of individuals who were 75 years old or older and receive care at home. The study?s sample was composed of individuals 75 years or older cared for by a home health care service in the primary health care unit in Vilafranca del Penedès, Spain (n=26). The variables included: a) socio-demographic data; b) concept of QofL; c) perception of QofL; d) reasons for their perception; d) satisfaction with life and related aspects; and f) feeling of happiness. Face to face interviews were conducted. A total of 76.9% of the individuals reported a good perception of QofL and the main reasons related to it were: health, family and social relationships, and the ability to adapt. Role Theory and Disengagement Theory explain the adaptation process of these individuals at this point in life.

This study identifies the dimensions and markers of vulnerability among women infected with HIV regarding the development of cervical cancer. A total of 76 HIV-infected women cared for in Fortaleza, CE, Brazil from October 2007 to June 2008 participated in the study. Semi-structured interviews were used to collect socio-demographic, clinical, and sexual data, as well as situations related to health care follow-up and the prevention of cervical cancer. Identified situations were grouped according to the dimensions and markers of vulnerability. HIV-infected women experience different situations linked to individual, programmatic and social dimensions that leave them vulnerable to the development of cervical cancer. The conclusion is that this population is vulnerable to cervical cancer and specific preventive actions are necessary to supply information associated with early detection, improve knowledge, encourage self-care, and improve the quality of health services directed to this population.

We aimed to analyze the interrelationships between occupation and prevalence of risk factors for type 2 diabetes in workers at a hospital in Fortaleza-CE. Cross-sectional study with 299 subjects and form-based, covering socio-demographic concerns and risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes. Results showed that 40.5% of the sample were nursing workers, 63.9% were women, 68.6% were under 35 years of age, 49.5% had an education level equivalent to high school and 51.9% had no marriage or stable union. Comparison among the prevalence of risk factors in different occupations was significant (p<0.05) for the following factors: abdominal obesity, waist-hip ratio increased, sedentary lifestyle and HDL-cholesterol <35 mg/dl, and the nursing workers showed higher prevalence levels for these three factors. Hence, within the study context, nursing workers are at an increased risk for developing diabetes in comparison with other health professionals.

Acquiring knowledge concerning the characteristics of the population that seeks an emergency department can support the planning of health actions. This study identifies the socio-demographic profile and the main complaints of the adult population cared for in a Referral Emergency Unit (RECU). This descriptive and retrospective study was conducted in the RECU of a university hospital in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The sample was composed of the service?s care forms generated for the period between January and December 2008. The instrument was based on data contained in the care forms. Young women (14 to 54 years old), residents of neighborhoods near the RECU, spontaneously sought the service during the week from 7am to 7pm. The most frequent complaints were headache, back pain, abdominal and chest pain. The conclusion is that most of the sample was young adults, of productive age, female, who spontaneously sought the service on weekdays during the day. Most complaints were of low complexity.

This study aimed to: estimate the billing of nursing procedures at an intensive care unit and calculate how much of total ICU revenues are generated by nursing. An exploratory-descriptive, documentary research with a quantitative approach was carried out. The study was performed at a general ICU of a private hospital in the city of Sao Paulo. The sample consisted of 159 patients. It was concluded that the nursing procedures were responsible for 15.1% of total ICU revenues, which breaks down to an average 11.3% of revenues coming from nursing prescriptions and 3.8% from medical prescriptions. Demonstrating how much nursing contributes to hospital revenues is essential information for nursing managers, as it is an important argument to obtain resources and guarantee safe care.

This cross-sectional study characterizes patients at risk of Pressure Ulcers (PUs) and identifies their corresponding Nursing Diagnoses (NDs). The sample consisted of 219 hospitalizations of adult patients at risk for developing a PU established through the Braden Scale. Data concerning the results of the application of the Braden Scale were retrospectively collected from the patients? medical files and statistically analyzed. Most patients were elderly women hospitalized for an average of nine days, affected by cancer, cerebrovascular, lung, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. The most frequent NDs were Risk for infection, Self-care deficit syndrome, Bathing/hygiene self-care deficit, Impaired physical mobility, Imbalanced nutrition: less than body requirements, Ineffective breathing pattern, Impaired tissue integrity, Acute pain, Impaired urinary elimination, Impaired skin integrity, and Risk for impaired skin integrity. We conclude that most NDs are common in clinical nursing practice.

This Integrative Literature Review, sought to evidence and discuss the main characteristics of the concept of leadership and of the nurse leader, as well as their contributions to the practice of nursing and health from nursing scientific publications indexed in the database Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE) and published between 1998 and 2008. Following the inclusion criteria, a total of 36 studies were selected for analysis, of these 89% (33 articles) were published in foreign journals and 11% (3) published in national journals. The profiles of nursing leaders encountered were the authentic and the authoritative, with the leadership evidenced as an organizational tool that combines communication, interpersonal relationships, planning, the commitment to success and the resolvability of conflicts. Education is presented as fundamental for the formation of leaders, relating directly the valorization of academic titles with the improvement of this competence.

This study aimed to identify the biopsychosocial factors that influence the rehabilitation of burn victims, through an integrative literature review, from January 1987 to January 2007. Articles were searched in databases Scielo, Pubmed and Lilacs, resulting in 982 articles, of which 45 were selected, after the analysis and categorization processes. Most studies were descriptive and qualitative. The most frequently associated factors to the rehabilitation process were: mental health state before the accident, coping strategies and family support, besides the severity of the burn and the total body surface area burned. The quality of the selected studies, most classified as evidence level VI, shows the scarce production of strong evidences in this knowledge area, which needs more investment, considering the important implications of the sequelae of burns in the social reintegration of these people.

This study aimed to describe the experience of families in the immunization of children under two years. Descriptive study with qualitative data analysis. Twenty-two subjects participated in unstructured interviews. Results were grouped into three categories: Practical knowledge on children?s immunization; Responsibility and compulsory immunization of children; Increasing the scope of children?s immunization practices. The findings highlight factors that increase vaccination rates: experience and personal fulfillment in maternity, fear of getting ill, recognizing it as good care, access, schedule flexibility, dissemination, immunization record card, immunization campaigns and availability of vaccines, and factors that increase non-vaccination rates: parent?s inexperience, refusal to apply simultaneous immunization, fragmented care, absence of dialog, discrimination, false counter-indications and compulsoriness. Immunization centered on compliance with the calendar or in authoritarian situations is not tied to family care. The bond between health care professionals and families needs to be strengthened to increase the participation in child health protection and promotion measures.