Browsing by Author "Sousa, Luís"
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- Effect of Different Modelling Assumptions on the Seismic Response of RC StructuresPublication . Sousa, Romain; Eroglu, T; Kazantzidou, D.; Kohrangi, M.; Sousa, Luís; Nascimbene, Roberto; Pinho, RuiThe introduction of new regulations for seismic assessment of structures established stricter performance requirements for existing buildings. In order to account for the poor seismic behaviour of such buildings, recent seismic codes, namely Eurocode 8 (EC8), introduce a number of prescriptions regarding issues such as analysis type, load distribution, accidental eccentricity, etc. At the same time, these codes give room for engineering judgment to be used with reference to the definition of structural and non-structural elements such as slabs or infill walls, and obviously leave the modelling assumptions, such as Finite Elements typology, meshing, mass modelling, etc. to the analyst decision. As such, four existing RC buildings, representative of traditional Mediterranean construction, considering different modelling assumptions, were subjected to an extensive number of nonlinear static analyses. The interpretation of possible deviations in the results will hopefully provide indications on the relative importance of each modelling parameter or decision.
- Falls efficacy scale – Formal caregivers: Adaptation and validation in Portuguese nursing homesPublication . Lavareda Baixinho, Cristina; Marques-Vieira, Cristina; Sousa, Luís; Abrantes, António; Conceição, Nuno; Martins, Amaro; Henriques, Maria Adriana; Dixe, Maria dos AnjosThe literature review shows that the fear of falling is present in older persons’, but also in their careers and influences the performance of activities of daily living. The objective of this methodological study was to adapt and validate the Falls Efficacy Scale – Formal Caregivers. The development of the examined scale was based on the Falls Efficacy Scale – International, which was adapted for assessing the fear of falling in formal caregivers. The instrument was filled out by 319 formal caregivers of older people living in 11 Portuguese nursing homes for older people. Their average age was 46.8 ± 10.7 years, they had been working in this role for 13.4 ± 8.2 years, and 67.7 % of them attended vocational training in the workplace after being employed at the nursing home. Falls Efficacy Scale – Formal Caregivers, which contains 16 items, showed good internal consistency (α = 0.848). These items were organized into 3 factors after exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis (lesser physical effort activities; intermediate physical effort activities, carried out in safe conditions; and intermediate physical effort activities, carried out in less safe conditions), with adequate convergent validity.
- Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in the Elderly: The Perspective of Nursing StudentsPublication . Ferreira, Rogério; Baixinho, Cristina Lavareda; Ferreira, Óscar Ramos; Nunes, Ana Clara; Mestre, Teresa; Sousa, LuísHealth promotion and disease prevention are closely linked to health literacy. Therefore, intervention to increase individuals’ knowledge is essential if action is to be taken to promote a healthy lifestyle with support from health professionals for decision making on choices leading to behavioral change. Taking into account the growing aging population, nurses and nursing students have to develop interventions to promote health and prevent disease in these people, in order to keep them healthy and with quality of life. This study aims to understand how nursing students’ experiences in a clinical teaching context contributed to the development of their competencies in the promotion of health and prevention of disease in the elderly. Method: Qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study carried out with ten students about to finish a graduate nursing course in a higher education institution in the South of Portugal. This study was carried out through narratives, one of the most common data collection procedures in social and health investigations. The content analysistechnique, more specifically the thematic categorical analysis, was used for data analysis. The study received authorization from the Ethics Committee of the institution where it took place. Results: Three categories were found: “Strategies to promote health and prevent disease in the elderly”, “Health improvements from the implementation of the strategies to promote health and prevent disease in the elderly”, and “The impact your participation in these strategies to promote health and prevent disease in the elderly had on your formative process”. Conclusion: The students developed competencies during their clinical teaching experiences through the implementation of strategies of health promotion and disease prevention adapted to/focused on the needs of the elderly.
- Learning to assess the fall risk in clinical nursing education: an interpretative studyPublication . Pedrosa, Ana Rita; Dixe, Maria dos Anjos; Sousa, Luís; Ferreira, Rogério; Marques-Vieira, Cristina; Marques, Andréa; Lavareda Baixinho, CristinaBackground Falls are a complex problem for the health and quality of life of older persons. Risk assessment is important for identifying people at risk and planning preventive measures. Few studies have focused on how health professionals learn to assess this risk. Objective The aim of this study was to explore how nursing undergraduate students learn to assess fall risk in older adults/people during their hospital-based clinical practice. Methods This qualitative study was conducted within an interpretive paradigm. The focus group was selected as the method to address the research question: How do nursing students learn to assess of fall risk in the older population during clinical practice? The participants were students enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing program. To support data organization and enhance analytic rigor, qualitative data analysis software (WebQDA®) was employed. Results Fifteen students participated in two focus groups. The analysis identified three main categories: (i) risk factors assessed; (ii) risk assessment; and (iii) learning to manage fall risk in clinical practice. Students reported that nursing supervisors primarily emphasized physical factors, mobility, and cognitive status. The findings also highlighted a gap between the assessment and the implementation of individualized interventions, as well as the difficulty in converting records into preventive actions and risk management. Conclusions Nursing students learn to assess fall risk primarily through observation of clinical practices and the influence of supervisors, although they do not always understand the instrumental basis or the correlation between risk and intervention. The results indicate the need to strengthen the training of professionals and students.
- A Parentalidade Mindful como prática parental: Análise de conceito.Publication . Frade, Fátima; Furtado Firmino, Cristiana; Sousa, Luís; Frade, João Manuel GraçaEsta análise de conceito do termo parentalidade mindful, tem o objetivo de perceber de que forma se caracteriza a parentalidade mindful nas práticas parentais dos pais de crianças e adolescentes. Foi realizada uma revisão integrativa da literatura para identificação e seleção dos artigos e uma análise de conceito de acordo com o método evolutivo de Rodgers. Foram selecionados dez artigos para revisão final e com base nos 4 elementos do modelo de Rodgers encontramos: 1) os conceitos relacionados, sendo eles parentalidade mindful, parentalidade atenta e parentalidade consciente 2) os atributos essenciais: ouvir atentamente os filhos; cultivar a abertura e aceitação sem julgamento; consciência emocional; autorregulação emocional; autocompaixão e compaixão 3) os antecedentes incluem o estilo parental, o género, o grau de escolaridade, ser autocompassivo, observador e empático; ter participado em programas de treino parental; 4) as consequências são a redução do stress parental, melhor comunicação pais-filhos, menos problemas de ansiedade e stress e aumento do bem-estar das crianças e adolescentes. Este estudo permite-nos compreender que a promoção da prática da parentalidade mindful, pode ser incluída na educação parental desenvolvida pelos enfermeiros como intervenção de enfermagem que prevê a disposição para melhorar a parentalidade.
- Respiratory telerehabilitation: user experience and satisfaction with the programPublication . Reis, Neuza; Costa Dias, Maria José; Sousa, Luís; Oliveira, João; Rico, Miguel Toscano; Baixinho, Cristina Lavareda; Henriques, Maria AdrianaBackground The rise of telehealth in geriatric care is an inexorable movement toward adapting to global digitalization trends, in terms of both technology and implementation experiences, with clear gains for health systems and citizens. A literature review shows that the older population, with lower levels of digital literacy, faces specific challenges with this type of service. The aim of this study was to understand the way older people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or long COVID perceive the implementation of telerehabilitation programs to meet their healthcare needs. Methods A qualitative study was conducted using semi-structured interviews to answer the research question: How do older people perceive telerehabilitation programs? The study participants were 17 people aged ≥ 65 years old who had completed a respiratory telerehabilitation program at a Portuguese hospital. The interviews were submitted to content analysis using WebQDA® qualitative data analysis software. Results The study participants had an average age of 70.94 ± 7.44 years old. The content of the interviews with these older people points to easy adaptation to the telerehabilitation program. Three categories and their respectives subcategories emerged from the content analysis: (1) access and continuity of care (access, continuity of care, and self-management); (2) presence (communication with the team and maintaining relationships); and (3) experience in the program (comfort, advantages, and difficulties). Conclusions This study allows for an understanding of how older people perceive participation in telerehabilitation programs, what they value, and the difficulties they experience. It makes it possible to make recommendations for clinic practice and research into this emerging area of health care.
- The Development of Research Skills in Nursing Postgraduate TrainingPublication . Ferreira, Rogério; Sousa, Luís; Nobre, Cidália; Nunes, Ana Clara; Fonseca, Cesar; Ferreira, Óscar; Baixinho, Cristina LavaredaAbstract: The objective of this study was to understand the contribution of postgraduate training to the development of research skills, aiming at their application in clinical practice. Method: This was a qualitative, exploratory, and descriptive study conducted with eight nurses in the Local Health Unit of Baixo Alentejo, in Portugal, who had postgraduate training. The researchers conducted a group interview, or discussion group, using a semi-structured interview, which was assessed by two reviewers. The data were submitted to content analysis, and the results underwent a validation process with the participants and two reviewers. This study was approved by the institution’s ethics committee. Result: In terms of the research skills developed in nursing postgraduate education, the following indicators emerged from the participants’ discourse: understanding the research process, searching databases, developing literature reviews, assessing the quality of articles, developing research projects, communicating about science, and translating knowledge into clinical practice. Conclusion: The participants developed research skills in their nursing postgraduate training and reported developing these skills in their clinical practice.
- Transitional care for older persons with need of geriatric rehabilitation nursing interventionsPublication . Ferreira, Rogério; Pedrosa, Ana Rita; Reis, Neuza; Sousa, Luís; Nicolau, Célia; Ferreira, Bruno; Rocha, Belmiro; Baixinho, Cristina LavaredaBackground: The literature review notes that people in need of care from Rehabilitation Programs do not always see their continuity ensured. Objective: This study aim to analyze the perspective of Specialists Nurse in Rehabilitation Nursing in relation to the organization and specialized intervention of transitional care for older people in need of rehabilitation programs. Methods: This is a qualitative study within the interpretivist paradigm. A focus group with 8 nurses and 13 interviews with Portuguese nurses were carried out between April 2022 and February 2023. Content analysis was carried out. Results: The triangulation of the data made it possible to identify 3 categories: Coordination of a transitional care program; Empowering the person to self-manage the transitional care process and Empowering the Informal Caregiver. Conclusions: It is imperative to promote the coordination of transitional care, increase the functional capacity of the person and empower the informal caregiver.