Does Death Anxiety Affect the Attitude Towards Organ Donation?

BACKGROUND: It is important to determine the attitudes of nurse candidates towards organ transplantation and their death anxiety levels to help patient families make an informed decision about organ donation. AIM: The aim of this study is to examine nurse candidates' public knowledge and attitude towards organ donation. METHODS: The research was conducted with nursing students at the Faculty of Health Sciences, between December 2021 and February 2022. Data were collected using a personal information form, Fear of Death Scale (FODS), and Organ Donation Attitude Scale (ODAS). RESULTS: Our study determined that the percentage of students who wanted to donate organs and the death anxiety average of students were moderate. It was determined that students' positive attitudes towards organ donation were high and negative attitudes were low, and there was a negative relationship between them (p<0.001). In this study, in the comparison of death anxiety by gender, the mean scores of women's death anxiety, thinking about death and witnessing death, suffering, and uncertainty of death were found to be higher than men's, and the difference was significant (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: As a result, it is thought that improving the attitudes of future nurse candidates towards organ transplantation will significantly affect their organ transplantation decisions. Education is required for students with insufficient experience.

The effect of navigation programme on the management of symptoms related to head and neck radiotherapy.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to determine the effect of navigation programme in the management of symptoms related to head and neck cancer (HNC) radiotherapy. METHODS: This randomized, controlled and experimental study was conducted between November 2018 and March 2020 with the participation of 88 patients with HNC receiving radiotherapy. Referring to the pre-prepared randomization checklist, 41 people were randomized to the experimental group and 47 to the control group. While the standard treatment approaches of the hospital were applied to all patients, the patients in the experimental group were applied an additional nursing navigation program. At the beginning of the navigation program, the patients were given a 30-minute visual training on the first day of radiotherapy and a handbook related to the expected adverse effects. Throughout subsequent seven weeks, the patient continued to be followed up via phone reminders, providing daily counseling and a weekly follow-up. Patient identification form, CTCAE v5.0 toxicity criteria and EORTC QLQ-30, H&N35 assessment questionnaires were used in the study. The first result was the difference observed in quality of life scores at the beginning, middle and end of radiotherapy. RESULTS: Data obtained from the study revealed that the quality of life scores (p < 0.05) improved while the navigation program reduced the severity of symptoms such as mucositis, dysphagia, oral pain and weight loss (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that navigation programme is an effective approach for patients receiving head and neck radiotherapy. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04857749.