Central European Journal of Nursing and Midwifery - Latest articles
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The factors that affect the quality of women’s sexual function during the first year after childbirth in Greece: a cross-sectional studyOriginal articles
Eleni Charitopoulou, Dimitrios Papatheodorou, Evangelia Nitsa, Dimitrios Papoutsis, Angeliki Antonakou
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(2):2456-2465 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2026.17.0014 
Aim: Postpartum sexual dysfunction is common yet understudied, and the factors that contribute to it remain unclear. This study aimed to identify the determinants of sexual function among women in Greece during the first twelve months after childbirth. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among 441 Greek-speaking women. The participants completed a structured questionnaire on sexual function, as well as associated demographic, physical, and psychosocial factors. Results: Higher maternal age, shorter sleep duration, limited family support, exclusive breastfeeding, and flatus incontinence were negatively...
Evaluating the effectiveness of selected existential therapies for death anxiety in advanced cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysisReview
Nurlelasari Harahap, Renidayati, Heppi Sasmita, Tasman, N. Rachmadanur, Welly
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(2):2466-2476 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2026.17.0010
Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness of selected existential therapies, including Dignity Therapy (DT), Meaning-Centered Psychotherapy (MCP), Logotherapy, and Reminiscence Therapy (RT), in reducing death anxiety among adults with advanced cancer. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Methods: A comprehensive search of PubMed, ProQuest, and EBSCO databases was conducted for RCTs published between 2018 and July 2025. Eligible studies included adult cancer patients receiving any of the four existential therapies. Data extraction and quality assessment were performed independently by two reviewers. Pooled effect...
Cross-sectional study of attitudes toward death among Hungarian nursesOriginal articles
Norbert Domonkos, István Vingender
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(2):2446-2455 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2026.17.0013
Aim: The study aimed to examine how socio-demographic factors, age, nursing specialty, and the frequency of end-of-life care provision influence nurses’ attitudes toward death and fear of death. Design: A cross-sectional quantitative study. Methods: Data analysis was conducted on a sample of 250 nurses. Attitudes toward death were measured with the Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R) and the Multidimensional Fear of Death Scale (MFODS). Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS 23.0, applying descriptive statistics, the Shapiro-Wilk test, the Mann-Whitney U test, the Kruskal-Wallis test, Spearman’s rank correlation, and linear regression...
The invisible ceiling: barriers to clinically focused research for university-based nurse academiesEditorial
P. Jane Greaves
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(2):2416-2418 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2026.17.0007
Assessment of Slovak nursesʼ Health Literacy Knowledge and Experience (HLKES-2): a preliminary studyOriginal articles
Martina Solárová , Milo¹ Èaklo¹ , Emília Miklovièová , Jarmila Kristová , Zuzana Bachratá , Gabriela Pénzesová
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(2):2430-2437 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2026.17.0011
Aim: The study aimed to assess nurses’ knowledge and experience of health literacy using the Slovak 14-item HLKES-2 (Health Literacy Knowledge and Experience Survey 2) and explore its links with selected variables. Design: Quantitative, cross-sectional study. Methods: The sample consisted of 255 Slovak nurses. The data were analyzed using basic statistical methods (Mann–Whitney U test and Spearman’s correlation) and we evaluated the psychometric properties of the tool. Results: The results indicated low levels of health literacy knowledge (39.65%; 4.43 ± 2.58) and moderate levels of experience with health literacy (5.05 ±...
Development of pressure ulcers depending on age, body mass index, body fat, mobility and diabetes mellitus in overweight or obese patients older than 65 years hospitalised in an internal department: a longitudinal studyOriginal articles
Aneta Hujová, Miroslav Kopecký
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(2):2419-2429 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2026.17.0005
Aim: A longitudinal study aimed at evaluating the influences of age, body mass index, percentage of body fat, mobility and Type 2 diabetes mellitus on the development and progression of pressure ulcers in hospitalized overweight and obese patients older than 65 years. Design: A longitudinal cohort study. Methods: The study involved 86 men and 64 women. Patients were examined in three phases: upon admission to hospital, upon discharge, and 10–12 weeks after hospitalization. In each phase of the survey, the patients underwent anthropometry, and the occurrence and stage of pressure ulcers, mobility and the presence of diabetes mellitus were evaluated....
Undergraduate nursing students’ reflections on simulation-based learning: a qualitative studyOriginal articles
Jakob Renko, Helena Skoèir, Patrik Pucer, Igor Karnju¹
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(2):2438-2445 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2026.17.0012
Aim: To gain a deeper understanding of undergraduate nursing students’ perspectives on simulation-based learning (SBL) conducted after clinical placements, with attention to perceived benefits, learning experiences, and suggested improvements. Design: An exploratory qualitative approach was employed. Following an SBL experience, an analysis of students’ written reflections was conducted. Methods: Written reflections of 146 second-year nursing students were analyzed after they had participated in high-fidelity simulations followed by a structured debriefing. The students’ responses were examined using conventional content analysis....
The incidence of and risk factors for shoulder dystocia in a tertiary Greek maternity hospital: a retrospective case-control studyOriginal articles
Nikoleta Chatzipanagiotidou, Dimitrios Papoutsis, George Valasoulis, Alexandros Daponte
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(1):2398-2406
Aim: We aimed to determine the incidence of and risk factors for shoulder dystocia in Greek tertiary maternity settings. Design: A retrospective case-control study. Methods: Study of women who gave birth at the University Hospital of Larissa in Greece between 2019 and 2024. We matched every case of women with shoulder dystocia with ten women giving birth without shoulder dystocia. We compared the maternal demographics and the perinatal outcome between cases and controls. Results: A total of 1,536 vaginal births were identified over the study period. There were 21 documented cases of shoulder dystocia (1.4% incidence rate) matched with 210 uncomplicated...
Interventions to address alarm fatigue of critical care nurses – a scoping reviewReview
Moritz Stirner, Christian Rester, Lydia Bauernfeind, Fritz Sterr
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(1):2407-2415
Aim: Nurses in intensive care units are confronted with a multitude of alarms and noises every day, which can lead to alarm fatigue. Various interventions have already been investigated to reduce or prevent this. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of empirically investigated interventions to counteract alarm fatigue in critical care nurses. Design: A scoping review. Methods: We conducted a scoping review and carried out literature searches in Medline, Cochrane Library, and CINAHL. In addition, we performed manual searches in LIVIVO and Google Scholar, as well as citation searching. We included studies on interventions aimed at reducing...
A health and social sciences research center in a low-density region in Portugal: opportunities and impact for nursingEditorial
Raul Alberto Cordeiro
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(1):2350-2351
Clinical learning environment, role of the teacher, learning in a clinical practicum, and associated educational factors as perceived by healthcare students: a quantitative cross-sectional studyOriginal articles
Camilla Strandell-Laine, Arja Suikkala, Eliisa Löyttyniemi, Leena Timonen, Toni Haapa
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(1):2385-2397
Aim: To explore the clinical learning environment (CLES), the role of the teacher (Tc2), and learning in a clinical practicum (LCP), and to explain the associated educational factors from healthcare students’ perspectives. Design: A quantitative cross-sectional study. Methods: An online survey comprising CLES, Tc2 and LCP scales, each of which was measured using a 10-point Likert scale, was used to collect data from 1133 healthcare students at the end of their clinical practicum in a university hospital district in Finland. The data were analyzed statistically using one-way ANOVA, Spearman correlation coefficients, and linear models. Results:...
The Norwegian version of Patient Observation Skills in Critical Care Nursing (POS-CCN) instrument: a cross-cultural adaptation of the instrument and nurses’ self-assessed level of patient observation skillsOriginal articles
Edmar Agustin, Toni Haapa, Mika Alastalo, Monica Evelyn Kvande
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(1):2365-2375
Aim: To translate and cross-culturally adapt the instrument “Patient Observation Skills in Critical Care Nursing” into Norwegian. Design: A cross-sectional survey was conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the instrument and Norwegian critical care nurses (CCNs’) self-assessed patient-observation skills. Methods: Ninety-five Norwegian critical care nurses completed an electronic survey, and the results were statistically analyzed. Results: Exploratory factor analysis produced a seven-factor model with Cronbach alpha values ranging from 0.62 to 0.94, and the instrument’s content validity was high (S-CVI/Ave 0.96)....
Crisis resource management competencies in Portuguese nursesOriginal articles
Tânia Filipa Soares Ferreira, Pedro Filipe Azevedo Moutinho, Liliana Andreia Neves da Mota, Ana Catarina Pereira Pinto
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(1):2376-2384
Aim: To assess Portuguese nurses’ crisis resource management competencies in simulated emergency scenarios. Design: Quantitative, descriptive-correlational, and cross-sectional study. Methods: Data were collected between January and June 2024 using a paper-based questionnaire that included items on socio-professional characteristics and a translated version of the Ottawa Global Rating Scale for Crisis Resource Management. The unidimensional scale demonstrated high internal consistency, with a Cronbach’s alpha of 0.92. Participants were recruited through non-probability convenience sampling. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics,...
The effect of a leadership and teamwork experiential learning module on managing shoulder dystocia with high-fidelity simulation training: a randomized controlled studyOriginal articles
Antonis Theofilidis, Dimitrios Papoutsis, Nikoleta Chatzipanagiotidou, Chara Tzavara
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2026, 17(1):2352-2364 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2026.17.0001
Aim: To explore the effect of leadership and teamwork training when managing shoulder dystocia. Design: Randomized-controlled-trial. Methods: We randomized midwifery students attending a one-day workshop into groups A (intervention) and B (controls). Shoulder dystocia training and assessment was performed with a high-fidelity computerized birthing-simulator. The intervention involved a two-hour leadership and teamwork experiential learning module. All students participated in a pre-training assessment and theoretical and practical training and completed a post-training assessment. Group A students received the intervention following their theoretical...
Preceptors’ perceptions and experiences of clinical birth education: a qualitative studyOriginal articles
Gözde Gökçe İsbir, Meltem Aydın Beºen
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(4):2328-2340 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0023
Aim: This study aimed to explore preceptors’ perceptions and experiences of clinical birth education. Design: A qualitative descriptive design was employed. Methods: The study involved 22 preceptors engaged in clinical birth education. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results: Analysis revealed four overarching themes: (1) causes of fear, (2) sources of motivation, (3) deficiencies in clinical midwifery education, and (4) characteristics of high-quality education. Conclusion: Optimizing clinical learning in birth wards requires effective management of students’ emotions...
Analysis of medication administration safety in hospital settingsOriginal articles
Patrícia Beèková, Zuzana Slezáková
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(4):2341-2349 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0028
Aim: The aim of this study was to assess medication administration safety from the perspective of nurses working in standard inpatient care units at a large regional teaching hospital in Slovakia. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: For data collection, we used the validated Patient Safety Assessment in Medication Administration (ASPAM) tool to detect risk-generating conditions for the occurrence of adverse drug events in nursing practice. The sample consisted of 211 nurses from a selected teaching hospital in the Slovak Republic. For data analysis, we used descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Results: The mean ASPAM score was 4.30...
The impact of study on the professional development of nurses through the perception of nursing studentsOriginal articles
Vedrana Iveta, Snje¾ana Busanèiæ, Sanja Zoraniæ
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(4):2317-2327 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0027
Aim: The aim of the paper was to determine students’ perceptions on whether they improve their knowledge and skills through their studies, to determine their attitude towards their chosen profession, and to investigate whether they are considering leaving Croatia. Design: A descriptive cross-sectional study. Methods: The instruments used in this study were a structured questionnaire of demographic data and a questionnaire constructed for the purposes of this research. In total 106 students from two study levels participated in the study. Statistical analysis showed frequencies and percentages, the arithmetic mean, and the standard deviation....
Psychometric analysis of the Register – Connectedness Scale for Older Adults in the context of older adults in CroatiaOriginal articles
Jadranka Plu¾ariæ, Marija Bari¹iæ, Nikolina Farèiæ, ®eljko Mudri, Ivana Baraæ
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(4):2306-2316 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0025
Aim: The aim of this study was to analyze the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Croatian version of the Register – Connectedness Scale for Older Adults (R-CSOA). Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The study included 698 older adults; the median age of respondents was 73 years (range 65–94). The Register – Connectedness Scale for older adults (R-CSOA) was used. Results: The results indicated satisfactory psychometric characteristics, high overall reliability of the scale (α > 0.959), and high reliability across subscales (from α = 0.885 to α = 0.935) with a clear five-factor structure. Confirmatory...
Administration of patient education in nursing: perspective of nurse administrators in FinlandOriginal articles
Elina Linnavuori, Milka Virmajoki, Heli Virtanen, Helena Leino-Kilpi
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(4):2297-2305 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0024
Aim: To analyze administration of patient education in nursing from the perspective of nurse administrators to provide new information and support for evidence-based practice and development. Design: A descriptive study. Methods: Data were collected through individual semi-structured interviews. The informants were nurse administrators (n = 6) working in primary health care in two large Finnish cities. The data were analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis. Results: Two main categories were identified: administration of patient education and areas for improvement in the administration of patient education. Each category was further divided...
Nursing professionalism: a key to sustainable and quality health careEditorial
Katarína ®iaková
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(4):2285-2286 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0026
Empathy (non)erosion: a cross-sectional study of empathy levels and trait emotional intelligence in Slovak medical studentsOriginal articles
Miroslava Galasová, Nikola Ondrík Andreánska, Lucia Koneèná
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(4):2287-2296 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0020
Aim: Empathy is a vital component of medical and nursing practice. However, research on empathy erosion among healthcare students has produced mixed findings, potentially due to measurement-related limitations. This study is the first to examine empathy erosion among Slovak medical students within the framework of trait emotional intelligence (TEI). Design: Quantitative, correlational-comparative, cross-sectional study. Methods: Data were collected from 545 medical students across all six years of study (57% women; Mage = 22.3, SDage = 2.1) via an online questionnaire assessing empathy (Empathy Quotient; EQ) and trait emotional...
Nurse Navigator Program in maternity clinics as a quality component of family support servicesOriginal articles
Alexander Hochmuth, Christoph Dockweiler
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(3):2271-2284 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0022
Aim: Exploration of counseling contents and the role of nurse navigators (NN) in maternity clinics to support parents (and parents-to-be). Design: A retrospective descriptive study. Methods: A content analysis along with the development of initial categories of selected characteristics was conducted based on the written documentation of NN conversations from the pilot phase, covering the period from January 2021 to December 2023 (36 months). Results: A total of n = 757 conversations with pregnant women and parents (and parents-to-be) were documented, and n = 707 were included. Consultations occurred in person (65.6%), by phone (27.4%), or both (6.9%)....
COVID-19 vaccination among nurses: the role of personal and professional beliefs according to the Health Belief ModelOriginal articles
Vasiliki Georgousopoulou, Pinelopi Vlotinou, Aspasia Serdari, Anna Tsiakiri, Dimitrios Kassimos, Ioannis Koutelekos, Maria Lavdaniti, Georgios Manomenidis
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(3):2254-2263 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0018
Aim: To explore the factors influencing COVID-19 vaccination uptake among nurses in Greece using the Health Belief Model (HBM). Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: Data were collected using a structured questionnaire assessing demographic characteristics, professional responsibilities, and the HBM dimensions. A total of 450 nurses from general hospitals, pediatric hospitals, and nursing homes were considered eligible for the study. Results: Higher educational attainment (p = 0.03), positions of responsibility (p = 0.03), and belief in vaccine effectiveness (p < 0.001) were positively associated with vaccination. Older nurses (p < 0.001)...
A comparison of digital health competence and associated factors among Czech nurses using online versus paper-based data collection methods: a cross-sectional studyOriginal articles
Petra Mandysová, Kristina Mikkonen, Marco Tomietto, Erika Jarva, Zuzana Èervenková, Jaroslav Pekara, Martin Krause
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(3):2238-2253 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0017
Aim: To compare digital health competence (DHC) and associated factors among Czech nurses from various healthcare settings, using online versus paper-based data collection methods. Design: A cross-sectional survey. Methods: Data were collected from October 2023 to July 2024. The survey included demographic and professional data, along with two DHC instruments: DigiHealthCom and DigiComInf, translated from English to Czech. Descriptive analysis, likelihood ratio (LR), χ² and Fisher’s exact tests, and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to analyze the data. Results: The survey was fully completed by 263 nurses. Significant differences were...
Missed nursing care and related concepts: two decades of research and the road aheadEditorial
Alvisa Palese
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(3):2217-2219 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0021
Outcomes of the triage process in Croatian emergency departments: a retrospective study using the Australasian Triage ScaleOriginal articles
Kata Ivani¹eviæ, Ivan Ni¾iæ
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(3):2264-2270 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0019
Aim: To evaluated the effectiveness of the Australasian Triage Scale (ATS) in Croatian emergency departments by analyzing hospitalization, mortality, and discharge rates across different triage categories. Design: A retrospective cohort study. Methods: A total of 68,165 adult patients treated in the emergency department of the Clinical Hospital Center, Rijeka between January 1 and December 31, 2023. Patients were triaged into Australasian Triage Scale levels 1 to 5, and their outcomes – including hospital admissions, discharges, and mortality – were analyzed. Statistical significance was assessed using chi-square tests for categorical variables,...
Evaluation of breastfeeding self-efficacy among postnatal womenOriginal articles
Jana Valachová, Bohdana Du¹ová, Kateøina Greplová, Patrice Marek
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(3):2220-2226 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0015
Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate mothers’ breastfeeding self-efficacy (maternal confidence) in association with demographic and clinical characteristics. Design: An observational longitudinal study. Methods: Data were collected with the Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale – Short Form (BSES-SF) questionnaire from 102 breastfeeding women three days after delivery in three hospitals, and at the third and sixth weeks at home. Results: Parity was a key finding in the overall assessment of breastfeeding self-efficacy, with multiparous women demonstrating higher breastfeeding self-efficacy than primiparous women at all three time points...
Self-reported competencies in patient safety and influencing factors: a preliminary study among healthcare studentsOriginal articles
Dominika Kohanová, Daniela Bartoníèková, Andrea Sollárová, Dana Zrubcová, Andrea Botíková
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(3):2227-2237 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0016
Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the self-reported competencies of healthcare students in patient safety within academic and clinical settings and to identify factors influencing these competencies. Design: A cross-sectional study. Methods: The study was conducted between February and June 2024 among 282 healthcare students (nursing, midwifery, and paramedicine) from two faculties in the Slovak Republic. The Health Professional Education in Patient Safety Survey (H-PEPSS) was used to measure six key dimensions of patient safety competencies. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, with correlations explored between competencies...
Perception of the work environment of nurses working in intensive care units: a cross-sectional studyOriginal articles
Dominika Kohanová, Andrea Sollárová, ©tefánia Gurová, Milo¹ Èaklo¹
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(2):2176-2184 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0013
Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the perception of the work environment among intensive care unit (ICU) nurses in Slovakia and identify factors that influence their evaluation. Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study. Methods: The study was conducted between July and October 2023 using the Practice Environment Scale-Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI). Data were collected from 153 ICU nurses across four hospitals. Descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and nonparametric tests were used for data analysis. Results: The work environment received a generally positive evaluation, with collegial nurse-physician relations receiving the highest ratings,...
Translation and preliminary exploration of the psychometric properties of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale in Slovak: PSAS-SKOriginal articles
Zuzana ©kodová, Beáta Granatierová
Cent Eur J Nurs Midw 2025, 16(2):2185-2195 | DOI: 10.15452/cejnm.2025.16.0014
Aim: The study aimed to investigate the level of postpartum anxiety in the research sample of women after childbirth and factors related to increased level of postpartum anxiety. The goal was also to establish the basic psychometric properties of the Postpartum Specific Anxiety Scale (PSAS-SK) in the Slovak language, and explore selected sociodemographic, perinatal, and anamnestic factors related to increased level of postpartum anxiety in a Slovak research sample. Design: Quantitative cross-sectional research study. Methods: The study involved 122 postpartum women (four-eight weeks postpartum, age 29.5; ± 4.8; 19–42). Data were collected...