Although the nurse certification system was established by the Japanese Nursing Association in 1994, there are currently no educational institutions in Kagoshima Prefecture for certified nurse specialists (CNS) and certified nurses (CN). The aim of this study was to sound out generalist nurses working in hospitals in Kagoshima Prefecture on CNS and CN educational needs in order to determine methods of supporting those aspirational nurses in the development of their careers. A (self-administered) questionnaire survey was conducted on 1,800 nurses working at 40 hospitals in Kagoshima Prefecture in September 2008. Responses came from 1,258 (69.9%) nurses, of which 999 (79.4%) were valid. Of the respondents, 40.9% indicated they would like to obtain a CNS license, while 56.5% indicated they would like to obtain a CN license. Regarding the CNS license, most respondents wanted to obtain CNS qualification in cancer nursing, followed by acute/critical care nursing. Regarding the CN license, CN qualification in emergency nursing came to the top followed by palliative care nursing. As Kagoshima Prefecture is comprised of remote islands and remote rural areas, it is a disadvatage for many nurses geographically to staisfy their education needs. These results suggest that in order to support nurses' career development, it is necessary to establish an individual consultation system for career development and develop a flexible educational curriculum.

In this study, the actual usage of loanwords, abbreviations, and jargon (terminology) in the hands-on clinical setting and clinical nurses' understanding of terminology were examined. A glossary of terminology that caused communication problems was compiled in order to contribute to the improvement of communication among nurses and between nurses and physicians. A total of 1,000 nurses in six hospitals in Prefecture, A Japan, were asked to fill out a questionnaire prepared by us. A total of 163 examples of terminology that were incomprehensible to them and caused communication problems were extracted from the survey findings and used in the glossary of terminology. Of the 748 respondents, 97% said that they used special terms, and 81.6% said they had encountered terminology that they were unable to understand. Among the latter, 9.1% had experienced problems through the use of terminology. Some of the problems cited were [lack of comprehension by the listener], [delay in treatment], etc. Concerning the necessity of terminology, 44.5% responded that it was either [necessary] or [very necessary]. Examples of terminology that many respondents had difficulty understanding were [suteru] and [takiru], among others. The use of terminology, which can deliver information quickly and concisely to a listener, plays a large role in the performance of nursing duties, but the inherent danger of bringing about a medical accident was also indicated. In addition, it was suggested that as a specialist working in an important clinical setting concerned with people's lives, each nurse should keep in mind that it is extremely important to understand the correct meaning of technical terms and to use them appropriately.
Terminology ; Clinical ; Comprehension ; Nurses ; Communication

This study aimed to clarify the actual conditions and issues of support provided to nurses working in remote areas (“remote nurses”) at hub hospitals in remote areas in Japan. We mailed self-administered questionnaires to 294 hub hospital facilities in remote areas across Japan, and responses were obtained from 64 (21.8% recovery rate). These nurses in remote areas were provided support in the form of dispatch and training/consultation services at 19 of these 64 facilities (29.7%). A large majority affirmed that there was a social role (93.2%) and need (93.8%) for remote nurse support. Moreover, nearly one-third of the hospitals (30.2%) had no experience in dispatching nurses to rural areas but reported that they may do so in the future, indicating high recognition of the roles and necessity of remote nurse support. Issues in remote nursing support included nurses shortages at hub hospitals for remote areas, difficulties in building coordination and support systems, limited information and knowledge about remote healthcare, poor understanding of the roles of remote medicine centers, selection and management of nursing staff providing remote nursing support, and assistance in providing remote nursing support. Some departments took creative measures so that remote nurses would not have to leave their workplace for training or medical/nursing consultations. Expanding support for nurses in remote areas will require interventions by national and local governmental authorities to systematize both hospital staffing to better prepare for remote nurse dispatch and the support provided to remote areas. Furthermore, practical reports and fact-finding surveys should be conducted on remote nursing support, and information should be disseminated to all parties involved in rural and remote healthcare.

Objective and Methods: A total of 21 published studies on self-management for people with multiple sclerosis (MS) were reviewed to explore the significance and potential of self-management for people with HTLV-1 associated myelopathy (HAM). These studies were classified based on three concepts: self-management regimen and preferences, context of self-management, and outcomes of self-management.Results: Self-management regimens for people with MS include medical, role, and emotional management. Moreover, self-management regimens are closely associated with the context of self-management, emphasizing the importance of investigating contextual factors and regimens concurrently. Quality of life (QOL) has been evaluated as an outcome of self-management, and self-management has been shown to have both positive and negative effects on the QOL of people with MS. However, insufficient studies focus on self-management regimens and patient preferences; further investigation is necessary to develop effective self-management interventions that reflect the often unique nature of the disease for each individual. The characteristics of HAM are also unique to individual patients. Therefore, investigation of people with HAM in particular is required.Conclusion: This literature review examined the significance of investigating self-management for people with HAM.