Compassion in the emergency department. Part 3: enabling and supporting the delivery of compassionate care

In the final part of this three-part series, David Hunter and colleagues analyse the factors that enable and support delivery of compassionate care in emergency departments (EDs). Part one reported findings from doctoral-level research that explored nursing students' experiences of compassionate care in EDs, while part two considered the barriers to such care identified by the students. This article highlights and celebrates the ways in which emergency nurses provide compassionate care despite the challenges they face

Compassion in emergency departments. Part 1: nursing students’ perspectives

Compassion is a topical issue in clinical nursing practice, nurse education and policy, but a review of the literature reveals that nursing students’ experiences of compassionate care receives little attention. In this three-part series David Hunter and colleagues explore compassion in emergency departments (EDs) from nursing students’ point of view. Part one provides findings of a professional doctorate study of nursing students’ experiences of compassionate care in EDs, part two explores the barriers to compassionate care in this clinical setting that emerged from the study, and part three considers factors that enable and support compassionate care provision in EDs. Aim: The aim of the study was to explore nursing students’ experiences of the provision of compassionate care in EDs. Method: The underpinning methodology was an exploratory-descriptive qualitative design. A total of 15 nursing students from across the west of Scotland, who had been placed in eight different EDs, participated in face-to-face interviews which were audio recorded, transcribed and analysed. Findings: Two major themes emerged ‘doing the little things’ and ‘a strange, new world: the uniqueness of the ED’. The students also identified barriers and enablers to providing compassionate care which are discussed in parts two and three. Conclusion: Despite the challenges of working in the most acute of clinical settings, nurses can provide compassionate care to patients and their relatives. However, this is not universal because certain groups of patients considered ‘challenging’ do not receive equitable compassionate care

Defining Exploratory-Descriptive Qualitative (EDQ) research and considering its application to healthcare

No abstract available

Non-modal approach to linear theory: marginal stability and the dissipation of turbulent fluctuations

The non-modal approach for a linearized system differs from a normal mode analysis by following the temporal evolution of some perturbed equilibria, and therefore includes transient effects. We employ a non-modal approach for studying the stability of a bi-Maxwellian magnetized plasma using the Landau fluid model, which we briefly describe. We show that bi-Maxwellian stable equilibria can support transient growth of some physical quantities, and we study how these transients behave when an equilibrium approaches its marginally stable condition. This is relevant to anisotropic plasma, that are often observed in the solar wind with a temperature anisotropy close to values that can trigger a kinetic instability. The results obtained with a non-modal approach are relevant to a re-examination of the concept of linear marginal stability. Moreover, we discuss the topic of the dissipation of turbulent fluctuations, suggesting that the non-modal approach should be included in future studies.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figure

Dive tourism in Luganville, Vanuatu: shocks, stressors and vulnerability to climate change

Luganville is a developing dive tourism destination region (DTDR) in Vanuatu, which relies on tourism. This article reports on the shocks and stressors faced by Luganville’s dive tourism sector and climate change’s exacerbation of these. The study’s methodology was based on rapid rural appraisal and case study principles, involving methods of semistructured interviews, group discussions, and personal observations. Data were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach. Key shocks identified include cyclones, earthquakes, effect on demand due to media footage, and changes to international flights. Main stressors were starfish outbreaks and environmental degradation. Unlike the indigenous communities, expatriates show little concern for the potential impact of climate change, presenting response challenges that must incorporate different perspectives to develop effective adaptation options. Special Issue : scuba diving touris