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The increasing concern about the adverse effects of overuse of smartphones during clinical practicum implies the need for policies restricting smartphone use while attending to patients. It is important to educate health personnel about the potential risks that can arise from the associated distraction. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the level of nomophobia and the distraction associated with smartphone use among nursing students during their clinical practicum. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 304 nursing students. The nomophobia questionnaire (NMP-Q) and a questionnaire about smartphone use, the distraction associated with it, and opinions about phone restriction policies in hospitals were used. A positive correlation between the use of smartphones and the total score of nomophobia was found. In the same way, there was a positive correlation between opinion about smartphone restriction polices with each of the dimensions of nomophobia and the total score of the questionnaire. Nursing students who show high levels of nomophobia also regularly use their smartphones during their clinical practicum, although they also believe that the implementation of policies restricting smartphone use while working is necessary.

Sterol biosynthesis is crucial for the function of biological membranes and an important target for anti-protozoan/anti-fungal drugs. In the trypanosomatid parasite , the deletion of sterol C14-demethylase (C14DM) results in hypersensitivity to heat, increased plasma membrane fluidity, profound mitochondrial dysfunctions, and reduced virulence in mice. In this study, we show that C14DM-null mutants are defective in their tolerance to membrane-disrupting agents and osmotic stress and their ability to form autophagosomes. In addition, C14DM-null mutants exhibit a heightened sensitivity to anti-trypanosomatid drugs including antimony, ethidium bromide, and pentamidine. The combination of itraconazole (a C14DM antagonist) and pentamidine synergistically inhibits the growth of parasites. These findings reveal new insight into the roles of sterol synthesis in protozoan pathogens and highlight the potential of using drug combinations to achieve better treatment outcomes.

Introduction: Nursing students establish therapeutic relationships with their patients and as future nursing professionals, they should be trained to be effective communicators. The objective of this systematic review was to know the impact of educational interventions on nursing students to develop their communication skills with patients. Methods: A systematic review of literature was carried out. The following databases were consulted: CINAHL, PubMed (Ovid Medline), SCOPUS and Web of Science. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guided this review. As for inclusion criteria, published articles in English from 2000 to 2020 were included. The methodological rigor of the included articles was evaluated with the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Randomized Controlled Trial or Quasi-Experimental Studies. Changes in communication skills with the patient after the implementation of an intervention were analyzed. Results: Of the included studies in this systematic review (N = 19), two studies were randomized controlled trials, others were single group quasi-experimental studies (N = 11) and two group quasi-experimental studies (n = 6). The majority of the studies were carried out in the USA (n = 7). The most frequent educational intervention was simulation (n = 11). As for the improvement of communication skills, 13 of the 19 articles found statistically significant differences in patient-centered communication skills of nursing students. Conclusions: This systematic review provides preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of interventions used to train nursing students in patient-centered communication. Although all the interventions obtained significant results in communication skills, it has not yet been determined which methodology is more effective.

Sterol 14-α-demethylase (C14DM) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of sterols and the primary target of azoles. In Leishmania major, genetic or chemical inactivation of C14DM leads to accumulation of 14-methylated sterol intermediates and profound plasma membrane abnormalities including increased fluidity and failure to maintain ordered membrane microdomains. These defects likely contribute to the hypersensitivity to heat and severely reduced virulence displayed by the C14DM-null mutants (c14dm‾). In addition to plasma membrane, sterols are present in intracellular organelles. In this study, we investigated the impact of C14DM ablation on mitochondria. Our results demonstrate that c14dm‾ mutants have significantly higher mitochondrial membrane potential than wild type parasites. Such high potential leads to the buildup of reactive oxygen species in the mitochondria, especially under nutrient-limiting conditions. Consistent with these mitochondrial alterations, c14dm‾ mutants show impairment in respiration and are heavily dependent on glucose uptake and glycolysis to generate energy. Consequently, these mutants are extremely sensitive to glucose deprivation and such vulnerability can be rescued through the supplementation of glucose or glycerol. In addition, the accumulation of oxidants may also contribute to the heat sensitivity exhibited by c14dm‾. Finally, genetic or chemical ablation of C14DM causes increased susceptibility to pentamidine, an antimicrobial agent with activity against trypanosomatids. In summary, our investigation reveals that alteration of sterol synthesis can negatively affect multiple cellular processes in Leishmania parasites and make them vulnerable to clinically relevant stress conditions.

Medication errors have long been associated with low-quality medical care services and significant additional medical costs. The aim of this study was to culturally adapt and validate the questionnaire on knowledge, attitudes and behaviors in the administration of intravenous medication, as well as to explore these factors in a hospital setting. The study was divided into two phases: 1) validation and cross-cultural adaptation, and 2) cross-sectional study. A total of 276 hospital-based nursing professionals participated in the study. A Cronbach's alpha value of 0.849 was found, indicating good internal consistency. In the multivariate analysis, statistically significant differences were found between knowledge and attitudes, demonstrating that having greater suitable knowledge correlates with having a more positive attitude. It was also discovered that having a positive attitude as well as the necessary knowledge increases the possibility of engaging in adequate behaviors. The knowledge, attitudes and behavior questionnaire has a satisfactory internal consistency in order to be applied to the Spanish context.

Background: Gamification provides nursing students with a setting in which they can practice clinical reasoning and decision making in a realistic and secure way. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of gamification on decision making in nursing students. Method: A quasi-experimental study was performed with a control group and an experimental group. A convenience sample was used to select the participants. A total of 191 nursing students participated. Participants were randomly assigned to one of the groups. Results: On comparing the control group and experimental group, statistically significant differences were found in the following patterns: vigilance, buck passing, and procrastination. Conclusion: Using gamification as part of nursing education increases satisfaction, creative thinking, and control, among other aspects, with little to no negative effects throughout the experience, which has a significant impact on decision making. [J Nurs Educ. 2019;58(12):718–722.]

Methanol is one of the most important chemical feedstocks, with an increase in global demand of more than 20 million tonnes since 2017. The current production of methanol is primarily from fossil fuel derived synthetic gas (syngas), producing up to 2.97 tonnes of CO2 per tonne of methanol. The direct electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2RR), i. e. systems in which CO2 is reduced to methanol at the cathode coupled to the oxygen evolution at the anode, is one of the most attractive approaches for decarbonising methanol production, using renewable energy sources as the power source. In this review, we critically discuss the progress and challenges associated with eCO2RR to methanol, with the aim of addressing the question of whether this approach can provide a feasible route to the decarbonisation of this key chemical commodity. Green Methanol Production: Sustainable CO2 conversion into methanol is a necessity for global carbon neutrality. The direct electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (eCO2RR) is a promising solution for making methanol production more sustainable. This review outlines key advances and obstacles in eCO2RR towards green methanol production to understand whether it can compete with direct CO2 hydrogenation on an industrial scale.

Urinary catheterization is a complex procedure. Traditional teaching in classroom, such as using a simulator, is not enough to guarantee the necessary learning outcomes. It is therefore necessary to implement new active learning approaches such as the flipped classroom. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the use of the flipped classroom on the level of self-efficacy and the assessment of clinical competencies in nursing students performing the urinary catheterization procedure. A quasi-experimental study of a single group with pre-/post-testing measures. A convenience sample of 139 nursing students. A flipped classroom approach was implemented. Measurements were taken pre and post intervention. This study followed the consolidated criteria for quality of nonrandomized evaluations studies (TREND) checklist. Regarding self-efficacy, statistically significant differences were found between the pre-test and post-test (Z = −14.453; p < 0.05). With respect to knowledge level, statistically significant differences were found when comparing pre-/post-test results (Z = −14,480; p < 0.05). Furthermore, statistically significant differences were found on the ability scale depending on pre-/post-test (Z = −10.277; p < 0.005); in all cases, obtaining a higher score in the post-test. The flipped classroom could be an effective educational tool for the development of clinical skills, specifically urinary catheterization. This method has been shown to improve the knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy in urinary catheterization of nursing students.

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of nomophobia and/or problematic mobile phone use on decision-making in nursing students. A cross-sectional study was carried out. The sample consisted of 124 nursing students. The Nomophobia Questionnaire, Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale and Melbourne Decision Making Questionnaire were used for data collection. Regarding the results, the average total score of the Nomophobia Questionnaire was 69.50 ± 21.08, and the average total score of the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale was 83.60 ± 19.90 points. Positive correlations were found between the dimensions of nomophobia and the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale. Additionally, positive correlations were found between nomophobia and the dimensions of “buck-passing” (rs = 0.263; p = 0.017), procrastination (rs = 0.307; p = 0.011) and hypervigilance (rs = 0.284; p = 0.002) in regards to decision-making. As for the Mobile Phone Problematic Use Scale, a positive correlation was found between this scale and the procrastination dimension (rs = 0.128; p = 0.015). Problematic mobile phone use and/or nomophobia may have an influence on decision-making in nursing students. Levels of procrastination, hypervigilance and “buck-passing” in nursing students are affected by mobile phone use throughout their training. These factors may affect their academic performance, as well as their relationships with patients and other colleagues. •Nursing students show a high level of nomophobia.•Overuse of mobile phones can have a negative influence on academic performance and decision-making.•Mobile phone use and its influence on decision-making among nursing students has not been previously explored.•This study shows that problematic mobile phone use and/or nomophobia influence decision-making in nursing students.

To design an app that helps nursing students to acquire and retain knowledge of Basic and Advanced Life Support techniques, as well as analyze the students’ gamification experience. The study had two phases: 1) App design and development and 2) experimental study. A total of 184 students participated, with 92 in the experimental group and 92 in the control group. The instruments used were the Guess it (SVUAL) app, a test on knowledge and the Gameful Experience Scale. The app was deemed to have a suitable level of content and user-friendliness of 97%. The experimental group obtained a higher average score on the knowledge test than the control group (U = 2835.500; Z = −3.968; p < 0.05). On the re-test, the experimental group also obtained a higher average score than the control group. As for the experience within the game, all the dimensions scored higher than average, except the absence of negative effects dimension, which indicates that the app had very few negative consequences on the participants. The developed app has proven to have a good level of content and to be user-friendly, improving knowledge levels and retention of information in nursing students. •Gamification is an important part of nursing education.•Effective CPR training requires an optimal use of educational strategies.•An app can help nursing students acquire and retain knowledge about life support.