Journal of Current Health Sciences

Professional Nursing Competence in Contemporary Healthcare: A Qualitative Study of Knowledge, Skills, and Attitudes Integration

Suprapto Suprapto — 2026-05-20

The increasing complexity of contemporary healthcare requires nurses to integrate knowledge, clinical skills, and professional attitudes to ensure high-quality and safe patient care. However, limited qualitative evidence exists on how this integration is experienced and enacted in real-world clinical settings. This study aims to explore nurses’ lived experiences in integrating knowledge, skills, and attitudes as core components of professional competence in contemporary healthcare practice. Methods: A qualitative study with a phenomenological approach was conducted among 18 registered nurses working in hospital and primary healthcare settings. Participants were purposively selected based on their clinical experience and direct involvement in patient care. Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s framework. Results: The findings revealed that professional nursing competence is a dynamic and integrative process shaped by individual and organizational factors. Seven main themes were identified: adaptive clinical reasoning, interprofessional collaboration, professional knowledge integration, clinical skills proficiency, ethical and professional attitudes, organizational support, and reflective practice. These themes demonstrate how competence is constructed through experiential learning, teamwork, and contextual influences within healthcare environments. Conclusion: Professional nursing competence is a multidimensional and context-dependent phenomenon that extends beyond individual capability. Strengthening the integration of knowledge, skills, and attitudes requires supportive organizational environments, collaborative practice, and continuous reflective learning. These findings provide important implications for nursing education, policy, and clinical practice in enhancing competency-based healthcare delivery.

Hidden barriers to safe childbirth: Female genital cutting and facility-based delivery in Nigeria

Josephine Aikpitanyi — 2026-05-20

Female genital cutting (FGC) remains a persistent public health and human rights concern, yet its implications for maternal healthcare utilisation are less well understood. This study examines the association between FGC and facility-based delivery in Nigeria using nationally representative data from the 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey. Guided by a conceptual framework linking sociocultural practices to healthcare utilisation, we analysed data from 10,008 women aged 15–49 who had a live birth within two years preceding the survey. Survey-weighted descriptive statistics, logistic regression models, and average marginal effects were used, with a robustness check based on modified Poisson regression. Approximately 27% of women reported having undergone FGC. While unadjusted differences in facility-based delivery were small, multivariable results showed that women with FGC were less likely to deliver in a health facility (AOR = 0.62; 95% CI: 0.45–0.86). The average marginal effect indicated a 6.7 percentage-point lower probability of facility-based delivery, equivalent to about 7 fewer facility births per 100 deliveries. These findings suggest that FGC is associated with reduced utilisation of institutional childbirth services, highlighting the need for culturally responsive maternity care and integrated interventions that address both access and sociocultural barriers to improve maternal health outcomes.

Abstrak. Praktik pemotongan genital perempuan (FGC) masih menjadi isu kesehatan masyarakat dan hak asasi manusia yang signifikan, namun dampaknya terhadap pemanfaatan layanan kesehatan maternal belum sepenuhnya dipahami. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis hubungan antara FGC dan persalinan di fasilitas kesehatan di Nigeria menggunakan data representatif nasional dari Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey tahun 2021. Berdasarkan kerangka konseptual yang mengaitkan praktik sosial budaya dengan pemanfaatan layanan kesehatan, penelitian ini menganalisis data dari 10.008 perempuan usia 15–49 tahun yang melahirkan dalam 2 tahun sebelum survei. Analisis dilakukan menggunakan statistik deskriptif berbobot, regresi logistik, serta average marginal effects, dengan uji ketahanan menggunakan regresi Poisson termodifikasi. Sekitar 27% responden melaporkan telah mengalami FGC. Meskipun perbedaan tidak teradjust relatif kecil, hasil multivariat menunjukkan bahwa perempuan dengan FGC memiliki kemungkinan lebih rendah untuk melahirkan di fasilitas kesehatan (AOR = 0,62; 95% CI: 0,45–0,86). Efek marginal menunjukkan penurunan probabilitas sebesar 6,7 poin persentase, setara dengan sekitar 7 persalinan di fasilitas per 100 kelahiran. Temuan ini menunjukkan bahwa FGC berkaitan dengan rendahnya pemanfaatan layanan persalinan di fasilitas kesehatan, sehingga diperlukan pendekatan pelayanan maternal yang sensitif secara budaya serta intervensi terpadu untuk mengatasi hambatan akses dan hambatan sosial budaya guna meningkatkan hasil kesehatan ibu.

A Narrative Review of Maternal Nutrition and Early Childhood Development

Arifa Sultana — 2026-05-20

This structured narrative review synthesizes contemporary evidence (2016–2026) on maternal nutrition, pregnancy care, fetal nutrition, placental function, and early childhood development to clarify their integrated roles in lifelong health. Literature was retrieved from MDPI, PubMed, and Cureus using predefined keywords combined with Boolean operators. Peer-reviewed original studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published in English were included, while non-scholarly reports and studies lacking methodological clarity were excluded. Data were narratively synthesized to identify mechanistic and developmental linkages across the first 1,000 days of life. The evidence underscores that adequate maternal nutrition before conception, during gestation, and throughout lactation is fundamental to optimal fetal growth, neurodevelopment, and long-term metabolic programming. Undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies (e.g., folate, iodine, iron, vitamin D), and maternal hyperglycemia are associated with placental dysfunction, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, and increased risk of chronic diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disorders. The placenta emerges as a central regulator of nutrient transport and endocrine adaptation, mediating the effects of maternal metabolic stress on fetal outcomes. Antenatal care utilization, maternal mental health, and socioeconomic determinants further modify developmental trajectories. Evidence also highlights the adverse impact of ultra-processed, proinflammatory dietary patterns and excessive refined sugar intake on maternal metabolic status and offspring health, potentially through inflammatory, oxidative, and epigenetic mechanisms. Optimal early feeding practices that including exclusive breastfeeding for six months and timely introduction of nutrient-dense complementary foods that remain critical for cognitive and physical development. Collectively, findings reinforce that improving maternal nutrition and pregnancy care is essential for reducing intergenerational disease risk and promoting sustainable population health.

Oxidative Stress Induced Thrombosis and Hypercholesterolemic Condition in COVID-19 Infection

Ashfaq Ahmed — 2026-05-20

The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has emerged as a global health crisis, with severe disease and mortality disproportionately affecting individuals with comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and immunosuppression. These conditions are associated with elevated basal reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, predisposing patients to oxidative stress, systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and thrombotic complications. SARS-CoV-2 infection further exacerbates ROS generation via dysregulation of the renin–angiotensin system, NADPH oxidase activation, and immune-mediated neutrophil and macrophage responses, contributing to vascular injury, cytokine storm, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Hypercholesterolemic patients are particularly vulnerable, as oxidized LDL (OxLDL) enhances ROS production, promotes neutrophil extracellular trap formation, and accelerates thrombosis, further compounding COVID-19 severity. COVID-19–associated coagulopathy is characterized by elevated D-dimer, von Willebrand factor, and platelet activation, reflecting systemic hypercoagulability and multiorgan involvement. Therapeutically, targeting oxidative stress represents a promising strategy. Statins exhibit cholesterol-lowering and immunomodulatory effects, potentially reducing thrombotic risk. Nrf2 activators, glutathione, and N-acetylcysteine enhance endogenous antioxidant defenses, mitigate inflammation, and preserve endothelial integrity. Micronutrients such as vitamins C, D, E, and selenium further support redox homeostasis and immune function. Collectively, in this narrative review we have shown that understanding the interplay between oxidative stress, thrombosis, hypercholesterolemia, and immune dysregulation may inform preventive and therapeutic strategies to improve outcomes in high-risk COVID-19 patients. Clinical trials are warranted to validate the efficacy of these interventions.