Introduction: The aim of this literature review is to identify the most common tools used to measure burden in carers of people with Parkinson's Disease (PD), Heart Failure (HF), Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).Method: Databases such as Medline, PsycINFO, CINAHL and Academic SearchComplete were searched. Studies in which carer burden was measured were included.Results: Zarit Burden Inventory and Caregiver Reaction Assessment were most commonly used to measure carer burden, regardless of the chronic condition. A wide range of other instruments were also used. Conclusion: Even though a range of tools are available, further improvements are necessary in order to enable healthcare professionals to identify carers experiencing high burden.

Background: Diaries are an under-used method of data collection within nursing research. The use of diaries for qualitative research can allow for a contemporaneous insight into the lived experience of the person completing the diary.Aim: The article will allow for an understanding of how diaries can gain the richness required from qualitative data.Discussion: This article explores the use of diaries as a data collection tool, when undertaking qualitative research. Diaries can provide an unadulterated insight into a phenomenological perspective, to gain perceptions and insights into the required phenomenon. Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) is explored as a method of data collection when using diaries in qualitative phenomenological research.Conclusion: This article provides an overview of the use of diaries as a data collection method for qualitative phenomenological research. Diaries are an option for those who wish to collect data in a personal and unique way.Implications for practice: Diaries can be utilised as a data collection method to gain a rich insight into a phenomenon of interest.

There are several reasons why mechanical ventilation - the use of an artificial device to assist a patient to breathe - may be initiated, for example to enable general anaesthesia for patients undergoing surgery, and for those with a compromised airway or respiratory failure. It is important that critical care nurses have the skills and knowledge to care for patients who are undergoing weaning from mechanical ventilation. This is to ensure that patients are weaned safely and as soon as possible, to improve their outcomes and avoid an increase in patient mortality and morbidity through complications that can arise such as airway trauma and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Furthermore, there are resource and cost implications of patients not being weaned as soon as possible.

A qualitative phenomenological research study sought to determine the perceptions of final-year nursing students about the value of simulation during their nurse education. The study sample consisted of 18 final-year students, and semi-structured interviews were undertaken. Data analysis using interpretative phenomenological analysis was carried out. The findings suggest that nursing students perceive simulation as a useful educational tool, which can increase their confidence and encourage deeper learning. The relevance of this research also relates to the potential for more simulated time within the new educational standards.

This research illuminates the perceptions of eighteen final year undergraduate preregistration student nurses, to understand what theoretical knowledge was perceived to be useful during their pre-registration nursing education, and what was not. The research adopted a qualitative phenomenological approach, and utilised a sample size of eighteen final year student nurses as the data source. The data collection method consisted of semi-structured interviews and the study took place at a Higher Education Institution within the North West of England approved to provide pre-registration nurse education. Participants provided their data during their final year of their undergraduate pre-registration nursing programme, via semi-structured, digitally recorded interviews, which were transcribed verbatim. The transcribed interviews were then analysed using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis. The findings generated three themes, these were; important knowledge to learn for everyday practice, irrelevant for my future role, and, can we have some more? Findings demonstrate what aspects of the taught curriculum student nurses perceive to be of use to their practice, and why they perceive this to be the case. This affects how student nurses approach their learning during their nursing education. In addition it was clear what participants perceived was not useful for their practice and why this was the case. Additionally, participants offered suggestions of what they would also like adding to their curriculum, and provided insights for what they would like adding to the curriculum, which can be used for enhancing this. This is useful when developing future curricula to understand which aspects student nurses learn in a deep and