Nursing Practice Today

Family caregivers' experiences of providing psychospiritual care to patients undergoing hemodialysis in Indonesia: A descriptive phenomenological study

La Rakhmat Wabula — 2026-07-13

Background & Aim: Patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis frequently experience emotional, existential, and spiritual distress that requires support beyond routine clinical care. Family caregivers are often the closest and most continuous companions throughout the treatment trajectory, yet limited evidence has examined how they experience and enact psychospiritual care in everyday hemodialysis contexts, particularly in Indonesia. This study aimed to explore family caregivers’ experiences of providing psychospiritual care to patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis.
Methods & Materials: A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted in two hemodialysis units in Indonesia. Fifteen purposively selected family caregivers of patients undergoing long-term hemodialysis participated in semi-structured in-depth interviews. Data collection continued until informational redundancy was achieved. Interview data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using Colaizzi’s method.
Results: Three major themes were identified: (1) Enacting emotional presence as a therapeutic foundation in everyday care; (2) Facilitating spiritual meaning-making to foster inner peace and acceptance; and (3) Engaging in shared care navigation through practical support and collaborative decision-making. These findings indicate that family psychospiritual caregiving was experienced as a relational and meaning-centered process in sustaining patients’ endurance during long-term hemodialysis.
Conclusion: Family psychospiritual care in long-term hemodialysis is a sustained relational practice that integrates emotional presence, spiritual meaning-making, and shared care navigation. Hemodialysis services should recognize family caregivers as important partners in supporting patients’ emotional security, spiritual coping, treatment endurance, and gradual acceptance of illness.

Effects of a structured, nurse-led follow-up program on clinical outcomes in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: A randomized controlled trial

Elham Saberi Noghabi — 2026-07-13

Background & Aim: Post-discharge follow-up is essential to prevent exacerbation in patients with COPD. This study examined the impact of a 3-month nurse-led follow-up program on early symptom worsening and severe post-discharge outcomes.
Methods & Materials: A single-center, parallel-group randomized clinical trial was conducted among 88 hospitalized COPD patients in Gonabad, Iran, in 2022. The intervention group received a structured nurse-led follow-up program for three months, including planned education, telephone-based symptom monitoring, and zone-based triage with referral when needed. The control group received usual post-discharge care without scheduled follow-up. Primary outcomes were the Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale and the COPD Assessment Test at baseline and three months. Secondary outcomes included unplanned emergency department visits, readmissions, and post-discharge physical complications. Data analysis was performed in SPSS 21.0 using the Chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, ANCOVA, and paired t-test.
Results: Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale and COPD Assessment Test scores decreased in the intervention group from 3.31 (SD=2.32) to 2.71 (SD=2.84) and 14.91 (SD=10.91) to 12.65 (SD=11.04), respectively, while they increased in control group from 4.08 (SD=2.56) to 4.43 (SD=2.72) and 16.27 (SD=11.22) to 18.36 (SD=11.70) (adjusted p=0.002 for both outcomes. Clinically meaningful improvement was more frequent in the intervention group for both Modified Borg Dyspnea Scale (p=0.013) and CAT (p=0.007). Physical complications were lower in the intervention group (25.6% vs 48.9%; p=0.024), but emergency department visits and readmissions did not differ significantly.
Conclusion: A structured nurse-led follow-up program improved symptoms and reduced complications among patients with COPD. Its integration into transitional care is recommended to enhance recovery after hospitalization.

Three common pitfalls in psychometric validation: PCA misuse, orthogonal rotation, and skipping confirmatory factor analysis

Reza Ghanei Gheshlagh — 2026-07-13

N/A

Professional networking and shared practices among Filipino nurses in Facebook-based online communities: A netnographic study

Bherlyn Joy Leccio — 2026-07-13

Background & Aim: Facebook-based online communities are widely used by nurses to seek advice, share resources, discuss employment pathways, and maintain professional connections. However, less is known about how existing Facebook groups support professional networking, shared practice, and informal continuing professional development among Filipino nurses. This study aimed to explore professional networking and shared practices among Filipino nurses in Facebook-based online communities.
Methods & Materials: A qualitative netnographic design was used. Filipino nursing-related Facebook groups were searched and screened using data-site criteria adapted from netnographic procedures, including relevance, coverage, activity, interactivity, and accessibility. Nine groups were included. Online observations were supported by Zoom interviews with 10 Filipino registered nurses and reflective field notes. From 11,134 collected posts and comments, 1,045 were selected for detailed analysis using a sequential deductive-inductive qualitative approach guided by community of practice theory and social capital theory.
Results: Facebook groups supported advice-seeking, job sharing, resource exchange, peer encouragement, milestone recognition, professional updates, and informal learning. Shared practices differed by group purpose. Domestic-focused groups centered on local employment, licensure, and workplace issues; foreign-associated groups focused on migration and overseas practice; and learning-oriented groups prioritized review materials, webinars, and professional development resources.
Conclusion: Facebook-based online nursing communities provided accessible spaces for peer-supported learning, professional connection, and informal continuing professional development. Their practical value depends on responsible use, verification of information, ethical conduct, confidentiality, and appropriate moderation.

Characteristics and outcome measures of guided imagery interventions in breast cancer care: A scoping review

Sulasri Sulasri — 2026-06-23

Background & Aim: Guided imagery is a mind–body intervention increasingly explored in oncology supportive care, particularly among breast cancer patients. Published studies vary in terms of intervention characteristics, delivery methods, and outcome measures. This scoping review aimed to map the existing literature on guided imagery interventions in breast cancer populations, describe intervention characteristics and reported outcomes, and identify gaps to inform future research directions.
Methods & Materials: A scoping review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Five electronic databases were systematically searched for studies published between 2016 and 2025 that evaluated guided imagery interventions in breast cancer or broader oncology populations. Eligible studies included randomized controlled trials, quasi-experimental studies, and mixed-methods research. Data were synthesized narratively with a focus on intervention characteristics, delivery modalities, reported outcomes, and standardization-related issues.
Results: Twenty-three studies were included. The review identified substantial heterogeneity in intervention characteristics, including session duration, frequency, delivery modality, and combination with other techniques. Frequently assessed outcomes included anxiety, depression, pain, fatigue, and quality of life. Variability in intervention protocols and outcome measures limited cross-study comparability.
Conclusion: The literature reveals considerable heterogeneity in guided imagery interventions and outcome measurement in breast cancer care. This variability highlights the need for clearer intervention reporting and greater consistency in outcome measurement to support future rigorous effectiveness research.