https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/317 Mon, 07 Sep 2026 08:13:07 GMT 2026-09-07T08:13:07Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148924 Title: Identifying the competencies for developing a nursing competence tool through a Delphi study approach Authors: Axiak, Geoffrey; Mamo, Julian; Scicluna Ward, Corinne Abstract: Competencies form the basis of up-to-date practice. In today’s world it is expected that anyone practicing any profession will be proficient and professional. That is why assessing the competency of professionals, including nurses, is critical to maintaining a safe and professional service. This study aims to identify nursing competencies that are relevant to all areas of nursing. This article will outline the literature search undertaken plus the other processes that the authors undertook to identify the competencies relevant to nursing in Malta. Sun, 01 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148924 2026-03-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148923 Title: Digital competency nursing self-assessment tool (DiCoNSaT) : development and validation of a nursing digital competency assessment instrument : a conference report Abstract: The presentation introduced the Digital Competency Nursing Self-Assessment Tool (DiCoNSaT), a doctoral research project undertaken at the University of Malta aimed at developing and validating a comprehensive instrument for assessing nursing competence within digitally enabled healthcare environments. The project responds to the growing need for standardized methods of evaluating nursing competencies amidst increasing technological integration in healthcare systems. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148923 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148922 Title: Smoking cessation and harm reduction in type 2 diabetes : development of practical recommendations from the DiaSmokeFree Working Group Authors: Walicka, Magdalena; La Rosa, Giusy Rita Maria; Ceriello, Antonio; Martin, Alison; Polosa, Riccardo; Almustafa, Bader Ali; Anastasi, Erika; Bellanca, Carlo Maria; Bernardini, Renato; Calcagno, Damiano; Campagna, Davide; Cannarella, Rossella; Caponnetto, Pasquale; Ceriello, Antonio; Cohen, Gal; Di Ciaula, Agostino; Di Pino, Antonino; Emma, Rosalia; Franek, Edward; George, Jacob; Geraci, Giulio; Iqbal, Farrukh; Kengne, Andre Pascal; La Rosa, Giusy Rita Maria; Le Dinh, Phuong; Magliano, Dianna J.; Martin, Alison; McCrimmon, Rory J.; Misra, Anoop; Piro, Salvatore; Polosa, Riccardo; Raza, Syed Abbas; Russo, Cristina; Saboo, Banshi; Sammut, Roberta; Sesti, Giorgio; Sharma, Pankaj; Somasundaram, Noel; Walicka, Magdalena; Yabe, Daisuke Abstract: Smoking is a major modifiable risk factor in type 2 diabetes (T2D), yet cessation support remains inconsistently integrated into diabetes care. Clinicians face diabetes-specific barriers, including concerns about weight gain, glycemic variability, polypharmacy, limited consultation time, and lack of practical, tailored guidance. To address this gap, the Center of Excellence for the Acceleration of Harm Reduction (CoEHAR), University of Catania, convened the DiaSmokeFree Working Group, an international multidisciplinary panel of 35 experts from 13 countries. The group used a structured, multi-stakeholder development process informed by AGREE principles and GRADE where feasible. The process included scope definition, targeted evidence identification, appraisal and synthesis, iterative drafting, internal review, consensus development, and planned external consultation. Evidence was drawn from existing systematic reviews, meta-analyses, major guidelines, landmark primary studies, and targeted searches in areas where T2D-specific evidence was limited. This paper describes the methodological framework underpinning the development of practical recommendations for healthcare professionals caring for people with T2D who smoke and wish to quit. The DiaSmokeFree initiative provides a transparent and reproducible pathway for developing internationally relevant, implementable recommendations that position smoking cessation as a core component of comprehensive T2D care. Description: A supplementary file is attached within this record. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148922 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148793 Title: Development, content validation and pilot reliability testing of the midwives' perspectives towards birth plans questionnaire Authors: Agius, Elisa; Borg Inguanez, Monique; Spiteri, Georgette Abstract: Introduction: A birth plan is a fundamental tool for promoting autonomy during childbirth and woman-centred care. Despite its recognised benefits, there is a notable gap in the literature addressing midwives' perspectives and attitudes towards their use, with research being predominantly qualitative and quantitative data remaining scarce due to a lack of rigorously developed quantitative instruments addressing this topic. To address this, the Midwives' Perspectives Towards Birth Plans Questionnaire (MBPQ) was developed to provide a content-validated descriptive instrument to profile midwives' perspectives regarding the development and implementation of birth plans into clinical practice. Methods: The MBPQ was conceptualised as a multidimensional descriptive inventory comprising formative content domains, rather than a reflective psychometric scale intended to generate a single aggregate score. Instrument development followed a structured three-stage process. Following item generation from a critical literature review, face validity was established through review by academic professionals. Content validity was then quantified by six subject-matter experts using the Content Validity Index (CVI), the modified Kappa statistic to assess inter-rater agreement, and the Content Validity Ratio (CVR). A pilot study at a public hospital in Malta assessed feasibility (n = 15) and test-retest reliability (n = 13) using Kappa and Kendall's tau-b statistics. Results: Pilot testing demonstrated satisfactory feasibility, with a 100% response rate and an average completion time of approximately 10 min. Most closed-ended items demonstrated acceptable temporal stability across the test-retest interval, with moderate-to-excellent agreement coefficients observed for the majority of items. Conclusions: The MBPQ represents an initial content-validated descriptive framework for exploring midwives perspectives and attitudes regarding the development and implementation of birth plans. The instrument demonstrated strong content validity, high expert agreement, satisfactory feasibility and acceptable temporal stability across most items. The MBPQ may support clinical auditing, service evaluation, and exploratory research examining factors that influence birth plan implementation within maternity care settings. Further testing in broader and more diverse populations may support future refinement and contextual adaptation of the instrument. Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/148793 2026-01-01T00:00:00Z