Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

Introduction: Quality of work life and work-related stress are critical factors to assess among nursing professionals, who are recognized as a group particularly vulnerable to low quality of work life and high stress levels. Objective: To describe the quality of work life and work-related stress among nursing professionals from three public hospitals in Ecuador. Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted with a stratified random sample of 217 nurses (population: 743). The Quality of Work Life Questionnaire (CVT-GOHISALO) and the Work Stress Evaluation Questionnaire III (Villalobos, 2010) were applied. Results: Quality of work life showed an overall trend toward low levels. Hospital 1 had the highest percentages in the Low category in almost all dimensions except Job Security; Hospitals 2 and 3 showed a similar trend, with better scores in Institutional Support and Job Security. An association was found between stress levels and hospital, with physiological symptoms predominating at very high levels. Conclusions: Variability was evident among hospitals, with a predominance of low quality of work life and high stress levels, especially in Hospital 1, affecting key dimensions such as institutional support, job security, workplace integration, satisfaction, well-being, personal development, and use of free time.

Introduction: The nursing role during palliative sedation focuses on providing comprehensive support to the patient and their family when using this therapy to manage refractory symptoms that do not improve with conventional treatments. Objective: To explore nurses’ stated attitudes toward palliative sedation in hospital and outpatient settings, based on the scientific literature. Methodology: A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and ScienceDirect databases for articles published between 2018 and 2024, following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology. Results: Fifteen articles were analyzed, and the information was organized into the following categories: specific knowledge; factors related to nurses’ beliefs, values, and perceptions; and aspects concerning emotional support and educational needs. Discussion: Nurses in palliative care units face challenges related to managing suffering and uncertainty before and during the administration of palliative sedation, both in relation to the patient and their family. Attitudes toward this therapy vary depending on the care setting, whether hospital-based or outpatient. Conclusions: Ongoing training and interdisciplinary collaboration are essential to strengthen nursing practice, recognizing palliative sedation as an important intervention to meet the needs of patients and their families. Moreover, knowledge levels regarding this therapy vary according to prior experience and the professional’s work setting.

Introduction: Measuring and evaluating perceived quality is a key objective in service institutions, and its application is recommended not only for the process itself but also for its relevance to continuous improvement. Objective: To evaluate the perceived quality of nursing care and present an improvement proposal in a public hospital in Coronel Oviedo, Paraguay. Methods: The study uses a mixed approach, combining quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional analysis with exploratory and descriptive qualitative content analysis. Sampling was non-probabilistic, based on convenience. The sample consisted of 132 patients. A survey was administered using the “Patient Perception of Nursing Care Questionnaire” as an instrument. To complement the instrument with qualitative information, additional questions were designed to obtain concise and focused responses about nursing care. Quantitative data were analyzed using the IBM® SPSS® Statistics Version 25 statistical package. A textual (qualitative) analysis was performed based on the data obtained from the open-ended questions. Results: Patients demonstrate divided perceptions: 56.8% rated care as “High” and 43.2% as “Low.” Conclusion: This contrast highlights the need to align perspectives, identifying possible areas for improvement that reinforce trust and satisfaction.

Introduction: For nursing discipline, the training of professionals emphasizes the construction of theoretical and practical knowledge, with the intention that these two structures allow for the understanding of reality in the professional care of individuals, families and communities. Objective: To understand the construction of disciplinary knowledge, from the experiences lived in real practices of nursing students. Methodology: Qualitative, phenomenological research, the informants were five undergraduate nursing students, with a purposive sample. For the collection of information, in-depth interviews were conducted; for the treatment of the information, a four-step phenomenological analysis was chosen. Results: Based on the analysis of the interviews, three units of meaning emerged: 1) The first experiences do not pass through knowledge, 2) Moment of epiphany: the difference between caring and healing, and 3) Learning to apprehend accompanied. Conclusions: The results represent an area of opportunity to articulate the theory that is taught in the classroom and the practice that is strengthened in hospitals, without neglecting the adjacent elements in the teaching and learning process.

Objective: To identify, through an integrative review of the scientific literature, publications related to integrative and complementary health practices (ICP) used in palliative cancer care, in order to explore their positive impacts on patients’ quality of life. Methodology: The PICO strategy (population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes/results) was used. The search was conducted from July to September 2024 in SciELO, Scopus, and PubMed, using the descriptors palliative care, oncology, complementary therapies, integrative oncology, acupuncture, with the AND operator. Results: A total of 972 articles were found, of which 14 were selected after reading and evaluation. Analysis of the selected studies showed the predominant presence of acupuncture and auriculotherapy, followed by therapeutic massage and aromatherapy. ICPs were associated with a significant improvement in the clinical manifestations frequently seen in this context, such as cancer pain, xerostomia, hypersalivation, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, anxiety, depression, fatigue, anorexia, and dyspnea. Conclusion: The use of complementary practices improves quality of life, promotes well-being, and contributes to more effective management of clinical symptoms in cancer patients receiving palliative care.

Introduction: Abortion is a highly relevant topic in public health and human rights, surrounded by ethical, legal, and social debates. Although it is an essential part of reproductive health, many countries maintain restrictive legislation, perpetuating inequalities and vulnerabilities. Criminalization directly impacts women’s physical and psychological health, especially in stigmatized contexts. Objective: To analyze abortion as a family planning practice and its impact on women’s physical and psychological health, considering social, cultural, economic influences, and public policies. Methods: This is an integrative literature review conducted in the PubMed and SciELO databases. Eighteen articles published in the last ten years, in English and Portuguese, addressing abortion, reproductive health, and women’s rights were selected. The studies were analyzed based on their relevance to the investigated aspects, including the impact of legislation, social stigma, and economic vulnerability. Results: The analysis showed that the criminalization of abortion leads to clandestine procedures, increasing the risk of serious complications and maternal mortality. In contrast, in countries where abortion is decriminalized, there are fewer complications and greater access to safe care. Conclusion: Public policies that ensure safe abortion are fundamental for public health, reducing risks to women. It is essential to approach abortion as a health issue rather than a crime.  

Objective: To investigate the association between sociodemographic and health variables and the risk and fear of falling in the presence of systemic arterial hypertension among older adults. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted with 110 older individuals of both sexes, users of a Medical Specialty Center in Sapezal, Mato Grosso, Brazil, including 70 hypertensive patients on antihypertensive medication and 40 non-hypertensive individuals. A sociodemographic and health questionnaire, the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test, and the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (FES-I) were administered. Data were analyzed using the Chi-square test, binary logistic regression, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test. A significance level of p < 0.05 was considered. Results: A significant difference was found when comparing proportions of hypertensive and non-hypertensive older individuals in terms of fall risk (p < 0.001) and fear of falling (p < 0.001), showing a higher proportion of individuals with fall risk and fear of falling associated with recurrent falls who are hypertensive. Additionally, older adults with a fear of falling associated with sporadic falls are 9.036 times more likely [95 % CI = 1.003-87.472] to be hypertensive compared to those with a fear of falling without associated falls. Conclusion: The findings highlight a significant association between multiple sociodemographic, health, and behavioral factors and hypertension in older adults.

Introduction: Transsexuality involves gender identities and expressions different from the sex assigned at birth. Although there are policies, such as the National LGBT Comprehensive Health Policy and the Transexualizing Process, there are gaps in access to health services.  Objective: to analyze the health demands of transsexual people in a specialized outpatient clinic in Brazil. Method: Exploratory and descriptive study, with a qualitative approach, approved by the Research Ethics Committee under opinion number 7.401.178. It was carried out in an outpatient clinic specialized in transsexuality, with transsexual participants over 18 years of age, with cognitive and linguistic capacity for interviewing and who have been seen at least once in an appointment with a health professional. Data collection occurred through semi-structured interviews, with profile and open questions on the theme, being analyzed by descriptive statistics and thematic content analysis technique. Results: The profile of the 11 participants revealed the majority of transsexual men, (6) with an average age of 30 years, self-declared brown (8), heterosexual (6) and single. (11) The predominant level of education was secondary education (5) and income ranging from one to three minimum wages. (9) The demands include the absence of a trained multidisciplinary team, psychosocial support, continuity in specialized care, clinical and laboratory tests, access to hormone therapy and free cosmetic surgeries, and participation in support networks. Conclusion: The transsexual population faces transphobia, lack of professional qualification, and difficulties in accessing services, which increases their social vulnerability and health risks.

: There are many ways to mediate in the classroom, however, they all converge in the search for comprehensive training, this research seeks to recognize which accompaniment strategies are implemented in five Colombian educational institutions, so that they serve as a basis for formulating tutorial actions based on the cognition located, for this reason an analysis was carried out of how teachers develop various tools, strategies and methodologies for tutoring in the classroom, taking into account a) the dialogue with teachers through interviews, b) the observation of classes and c) the analysis of a survey. In this way, it is evident that teachers perceive classroom support in various forms depending on the different situations in which it is implemented, as it may be viable or relevant, also, the manner in which it is carried out, which is related to the various activities through which learning is mediated, and finally, the different approaches that pertain to methodology and the use of different strategies, taking into account the sociocultural context of the students, through physical environments or mediating learning through ICT.  Teachers recognize the importance of using appropriate strategies, assessment, and school guidance. However, the implementation of tutorial actions considering the context depends more on their own conceptions; therefore, greater support in the educational institutions is necessary to strengthen training processes and learning mediation in more effective ways.