This study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of the secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), a-amylase activity and blood pressure levels after the application of a Reiki session in nurses with Burnout Syndrome. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design was conducted to compare the immediate effects of Reiki versus control intervention (Hand-off sham intervention) in nurses with Burnout Syndrome. Sample was composed of eighteen nurses (aged 34-56 years) with burnout syndrome. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either a Reiki treatment or a placebo (sham Reiki) treatment, according to the established order in two different days. The ANOVA showed a significant interaction time x intervention for diastolic blood pressure (F=4.92, P=0.04) and sIgA concentration (F=4.71, P=0.04). A Reiki session can produce an immediate and statistically significant improvement in sIgA concentration and diastolic blood pressure in nurses with Burnout Syndrome.

This case series aimed to evaluate the behavior adopted by patients during the pre-hospital phase of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). A total of 115 AMI sufferers with ST-segment elevation were evaluated. The chi-square and Fisher's exact tests were applied. The individuals that did not associate the symptoms with cardiovascular disease most often attributed them to the following sources: gastrointestinal (38%), musculoskeletal (29.7%), food and/or medication poisoning (8.5%) and arising from the respiratory apparatus (6.3%). The proportion of major outcomes and of patients that arrived in the emergency department after 12 hours was higher among women, individuals with monthly income of up to one minimum wage, those who used analgesics and did not associate the symptoms with cardiovascular disease. It was found that individuals in unfavorable socioeconomic conditions, who interpreted the symptoms incorrectly, arrived later at the emergency department and had worse intra-hospital outcomes.

This study aimed to investigate health-related quality of life based on the four weeks antecedent to first admission for acute coronary syndrome and describe potential associations between quality of life, gender and prior treatment for any other cardiovascular condition. An exploratory, descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in two public hospitals in an inner state city of the State of São Paulo. Of 253 participants studied, 69.2% were male, 69.6% were married or living with a partner, and 58.1% were professionally active before the current hospital admission. Mean age was 57.9 years old. Higher scores were seen in the Social Functioning (X=86.1) domain, while the domain perceived as more compromised was Role Physical (X=57.7). Female participants and those who had previously been treated for any other cardiovascular condition had lower quality of life, and these differences were all statistically significant (p<0.05).

This clinical trial aimed at comparing the intensity of pain and bruising by subcutaneous and intramuscular injections using and retractable fixed syringes and needles and syringes with no needles combined, at a public hospital in Sao Paulo, for six months. We evaluated the perception of pain in case of intramuscular (n=1000) and subcutaneous injections (n=240). In subcutaneous application, bruise formation was also verified. Pain and bruising scores were higher in the group with no needles combined (p<0.001) and (p<0.029), respectively. The test power in relation to the pain scale of was 0.98. The use of retractable fixed needles is recommended in the application of subcutaneous and intramuscular injections. Clinical trial registration number: NCT01271608.

This study evaluated the nursing workload in an inpatient unit of a university hospital. This descriptive study applied the Nursing Activities Score (NAS) over the course of 30 consecutive days. A total of 1,080 observations were obtained from the medical files of 156 patients. The average scored obtained in the NAS instrument was 47.31%. Considering that each single NAS score corresponds to 0.24 hours, an average of 11.35 hours of nursing care was required. This amount of hours correspond to the profile of inpatients demanding semi-intensive and intensive care, suggesting that the NAS can be used to evaluate the workload of the nursing staff in this unit.

Patients hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) may present risk for corneal injury due to sedation or coma. This study aimed to estimate the incidence of corneal injuries; to identify the risk factors and to propose a risk prediction model for the development of corneal injury, in adult patients, in an intensive care unit of a public hospital. This is a one year, prospective cohort study with 254 patients. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, univariate and logistic regression. Of the 254 patients, 59.4% had corneal injuries and the mean time to onset was 8.9 days. The independent variables that predispose to risk for punctate type corneal injury were: duration of hospitalization, other ventilatory support device, presence of edema and blinking less than five times a minute. The Glasgow Coma Scale and exposure of the ocular globe were the variables related to corneal ulcer type corneal injury. The injury frequencies were punctate type (55.1%) and corneal ulcers (11.8%). Risk prediction models for the development of punctate and corneal ulcer type corneal injury were established.

This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression in nursing staff working in Intensive Care Units of hospitals from a city in Northwestern São Paulo State - Brazil, examining its association with participants' socio-demographic characteristics. The Beck Depression Inventory was applied to a sample of 67 nursing workers from three general hospitals, showing an 28.4% prevalence of depression. The analysis based on the multiple model showed a significant association between depression and marital status (OR=1.52), night work (OR=1.46) and double shifts (OR=2.11). Also, there were significant percentages of workers who reported discouragement, sadness and hopelessness. In conclusion, the prevalence of depression is significant and more attention should be paid to this problem workers at these units face. Further studies are needed in the attempt to broaden knowledge on the subject, which can support strategies to guarantee attention to ICU nursing workers' physical and mental health needs.

Early isolation of patients possibly colonized by multi-resistant microorganisms can minimize their spread, reducing cases of hospital infection and the related costs. This study aimed to identify the sensitivity and specificity of the criteria for isolation of patients admitted to a specialized cancer hospital. Cross-sectional study with a population of 61 patients coming from other hospitals who were admitted to the hospital between March 1st and August 31th, 2009. At the moment of admission, a data collection instrument was filled out and nasal and anal swabs were collected for microbiological culture. Of the 56 patients who met the isolation criteria, 30 (49.2%) presented positive cultures for multi-resistant microorganisms and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was the most frequently identified microorganism. Most patients colonized by multi-resistant microorganisms were isolated at the moment of admission. The sensitivity of the isolation criteria was 90% and the specificity was 6.5%.

This exploratory, descriptive and prospective study aimed to identify the degree of adherence to psychopharmacological treatment of patients who were discharged from psychiatric hospitalization and their knowledge about their prescription and diagnosis. The study was carried out at a Mental Health Service. The sample consisted of all service clients who were discharged from psychiatric hospitalization in the data collection period. A Sociodemographic Questionnaire and the Morisky-Green Test were the instruments used. Data were analyzed through central trend measures. In total, 48 patients participated in the study. Regarding adherence, 70.8% of them showed a low adherence level to psychopharmacological treatment. Moreover, only twenty-one patients knew what their diagnosis was and most did not know or partially knew the name and dose of all prescribed medications.

This study identifies workplace stress according to the Job Stress Scale and associates it with socio-demographic and occupational variables of nursing workers from an emergency hospital. This is a cross-sectional study and data were collected through a questionnaire applied to 388 nursing professionals. Descriptive statistics were applied; univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. The results indicate there is a significant association with being a nursing technician or auxiliary, working in the position for more than 15 years, and having low social support, with 3.84, 2.25 and 4.79 times more chances of being placed in the ?high strain job' quadrant. The study reveals that aspects related to the workplace should be monitored by competent agencies in order to improve the quality of life of nursing workers.

The aim of this study was to clarify the role of aesthetics in the organization and motivation of care through history. The guiding questions were: What values and aesthetic feelings have supported and motivated pre-professional and professional care? and Based on what structures has pre-professional and professional care been historically socialized? Primary and secondary sources were consulted, selected according to established criteria with a view to avoiding search and selection bias. Data analysis was guided by the categories: "habitus" and "logical conformism". It was found that the relation between social structures and pre-professionals (motherhood, religiosity) and professional aesthetic standards (professionalism, technologism) of care through history is evidenced in the caregiving activity of the functional unit, in the functional framework and the functional element. In conclusion, in social structures, through the socialization process, "logical conformism" and "habitus" constitute the aesthetic standards of care through feelings like motherhood, religiosity, professionalism, technologism and humanism.