Nursing & Health Sciences

14/11/2025

We are delighted to share the latest Best Practice Information Sheet (BPIS) by the Joanna Briggs Institute.

This BPIS presents the best available evidence on caregivers’ experiences of feeding children with cerebral palsy (CP).

The review synthesizes studies exploring the perspectives of parents, foster carers, and grandparents caring for children with CP—whether feeding orally, via tube, or using a combination of both.

It highlights caregivers’ thoughts, challenges, perceptions, emotions, beliefs, and the impact of feeding on their quality of life.

Feeding children with CP can be complex and emotionally demanding. This BPIS offers evidence to support clinicians, caregivers, and policymakers in improving care strategies and family support.

Discover the full Best Practice Sheet — now Free to Read for 90 days:

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nhs.70244

13/11/2025

🎉 Our New Special Issue Is Now Online! 🎉

We are delighted to announce that our Special Issue on Value-Based Health Care and Patient Experience is now available online!

A very special thank you to Dr. Kate Kynoch for her excellent leadership as the Editor of this special issue.

All articles are Open Access or Free to Read for the next 90 days!

Today, we would like to highlight the Editorial for this Special Issue:

Opportunities and Challenges to Implementing Value-Based Health Care Across a Multisite Health Service

This insightful editorial explores the potential and complexities of adopting value-based healthcare in large multisite health systems—addressing standardization, collaboration, data utilization, and the cultural and operational challenges involved. A highly recommended read for anyone interested in advancing patient-centered, sustainable healthcare models.

👉 Read the full editorial here: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nhs.70136

To access the special issue, please visit https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/toc/10.1111/(ISSN)1442-2018.value-based-health-care-patient-experience

12/11/2025

📢 New Publication Alert!
Efficacy of Kinesio Taping in Reducing Pain in Women With Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of kinesio taping as a non-invasive, non-pharmacological approach for menstrual pain relief.

Key Findings:

Kinesio taping significantly reduces menstrual pain

It also lowers the use of oral analgesics

Both professional and self-applied taping methods are effective.

Nurses play a key role in empowering women to self-manage dysmenorrhea through education and taping guidance.

Takeaway:

Kinesio taping offers a promising, accessible strategy for managing primary dysmenorrhea and reducing dependence on pain medication.

First published: 07 October 2025
https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.70236

Now available Free to Read for 90 days!

Although kinesio taping has emerged as a potential non-invasive and non-pharmacological therapy for pain management in various conditions, its effectiveness in reducing menstrual pain remains inconsi...

11/11/2025

Yesterday, we had the great pleasure of welcoming Professor Emeritus Susumu Tomonaga to Yamaguchi University.

Professor Tomonaga is one of the founders of the journal Nursing & Health Sciences, which he established 26 years ago together with Heisuke Hironaka.

It was truly an honor to host him and to learn more about the early days of the journal — how it was founded and the inspiring vision that guided its creation. His reflections offered a fascinating glimpse into the passion and purpose that shaped Nursing & Health Sciences from the very beginning.

10/11/2025

New Research Alert!

Machine Learning Techniques for Identifying Lifestyle Factors Associated With Low Back Pain in Adults Aged 50 and Older

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is one of the most common health issues among older adults — but what daily habits contribute most to its risk?

A new study uses machine learning to uncover key modifiable lifestyle factors linked to cLBP in adults aged 50+.

Key findings:

Higher risk linked to prolonged sitting (≥6 h/day), low walking frequency (

Chronic low back pain (cLBP) is shaped by multiple lifestyle factors, yet models with practical behavioral cutoffs remain scarce. This study developed a machine learning model to identify key lifesty...

08/11/2025

This week, our Editor-in-Chief Prof Janet Delgado and our Editorial Officer, Ms Junko Maeda, have been participating in the Asia Pacific Alliance of Health Leaders (APAHL) Forum 2025 in Chiang Mai, Thailand!
Organized by the Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences at Chiang Mai University, this event has been an incredible opportunity not only to strengthen academic networks and collaborations but also to discover the beauty and culture of Chiang Mai, in Thailand.
A truly inspiring experience fostering global connections and shared visions for the future of health sciences.

06/11/2025

BEST PRACTICE SHEET from the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI)

The latest publication, “Oral Hygiene Care and the Management of Oral Symptoms in Patients with Cancer in Palliative Care,” emphasizes the essential role of oral health in palliative care.

Oral symptoms such as dryness, pain, and discomfort can greatly affect patients’ comfort and quality of life. This Best Practice Sheet provides evidence-based guidance to support nurses and healthcare professionals in delivering effective oral hygiene care to patients with cancer in palliative settings.

📖 Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.70245

Now free to read for 90 days!

06/11/2025

🌟 New in Nursing & Health Sciences 🌟

Can experiencing aging firsthand make nurses more empathetic?

A new study — “Clinical Simulation of Aging in Nurses and Its Impact on Their Empathy: A Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial” — explores how using an aging simulation suit can enhance empathy among primary care nurses caring for older adults.

Conducted across 14 primary care centers in Asturias, Spain, this trial found that nurses who participated in the simulation showed significantly higher empathy levels — particularly those with fewer years of experience or without prior communication training.

The findings support aging simulation as an effective, person-centered educational tool to foster empathy and improve the quality of care for older patients.

📖 Read the full article here: https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.70242

Now available Free to Read for the next 3 months!

To assess the impact of an aging simulation suit on empathy levels among primary care nurses during interactions with older patients. A cluster-randomized controlled trial (September–December 2023) w...

31/10/2025

Editor’s Choice | October 2025
Fasting at Life’s End: Exploring the Spiritual and Medical Tensions in Palliative Care
This thought-provoking qualitative study delves into how healthcare professionals navigate voluntary fasting at the end of life—a practice that raises profound spiritual, ethical, and clinical questions in palliative care.
Through interviews with nurses, physicians, and allied health professionals in Saudi Arabia, the authors uncover key themes:

✨ Ethical tensions between respecting patient autonomy and ensuring clinical care
✨ Fasting as a sacred spiritual act of surrender and preparation
✨ The emotional and moral challenges faced by caregivers
✨ The urgent need for culturally responsive and spiritually sensitive care frameworks

This study highlights the importance of integrating spiritual care, ethical reflection, and cultural awareness into palliative care practice to uphold dignity and compassion at life’s end.

📅 First published: 23 October 2025
🔗 Read the full article, now free to0 read for 90 days, here:

Voluntary fasting at the end of life raises complex spiritual, ethical, and clinical challenges for palliative care providers. This qualitative study explored healthcare professionals' experiences in...

29/10/2025

This week, we are delighted to welcome Professor Teresa Stone, Senior Editor and former Editor-in-Chief of Nursing & Health Sciences, as a visiting researcher.

Her visit provides us with a wonderful opportunity to develop strategic plans for the journal, as well as to exchange ideas and experiences with our Nursing and Laboratory Science students.

We are truly honored to have her with us and look forward to a week of learning, collaboration, and inspiration!

26/10/2025

How do audit and feedback processes impact the professional role and psychological well-being of nurses?

This integrative systematic review explores this crucial question — revealing that while many nurses see audits as opportunities for professional growth, the delivery and framing of feedback can also lead to stress, burnout, and demotivation.

The findings highlight the need for supportive and well-designed audit and feedback systems that promote motivation, learning, and well-being among nursing professionals.

📄 Read the full article here:

This systematic review aimed to critically synthesis evidence to identify the impact that audit and feedback processes have on the professional role of the nurse and psychological well-being. Little ...

24/10/2025

Managing Stress in Nursing Students: What Works?

This systematic review and meta-analysis highlights the effectiveness of stress management interventions for nursing students.

Key Findings:

Stress management interventions significantly reduce psychological stress (moderate to large effect).

Physiological stress markers like blood pressure, heart rate, and cortisol also show meaningful reductions.

Most effective approaches:

Mind–body programs

On-site delivery

Duration: 9–12 weeks

15–30 sessions

Implications: Tailored, structured interventions can improve both mental and physical well-being for nursing students, supporting better learning outcomes and overall health.

🔗 Read the full study: https://doi.org/10.1111/nhs.13113