Effect of Hand Massage on Pain, Anxiety, and Vital Signs in Patients Before Venipuncture Procedure: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Massage is one of the relaxation techniques commonly used in recent years to control pain, stress, and anxiety. AIMS: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of hand massage application on pain, anxiety, and vital signs before venipuncture procedure. METHODS: The sample of the study consisted of 97 individuals (48 experimental and 49 controls) who were admitted to a training and research hospital in Turkey between December 2018 and May 2019. Individuals assigned to the experimental group received hand massage. The data were obtained with an individual information form, a visual analog scale (VAS), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI). RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 49.52 ± 12.48 years. There was no significant difference between the pain levels of the experimental and control groups (p > .05), but the anxiety level of the experimental group was significantly less than that of the control group (p < .05). There was also a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in terms of systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. The blood pressure and heart rate of the experimental group decreased significantly (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Hand massage was found to be a simple, non-pharmacologic, inexpensive, and independent nursing practice that could be used to reduce anxiety and positively affect vital signs in patients before venipuncture procedure.

The effect of a stress ball on stress, vital signs and patient comfort in hemodialysis patients: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: In this study, an investigation was made of the effect of the use of a stress ball, a method of distraction-attracting the attention elsewhere - on stress, vital signs andcomfort levels in hemodialysis patients. METHODS: This randomized, controlled experimental study, between July 2019 and September 2019 was carried out in a dialysis unit in the inner regions of Turkey. The study was conducted with 45 patients (23 experiments, 22 controls) who were receiving hemodialysis treatment. The experimental group were asked to squeeze a stress ball for approximately 10-15 min throughout eight successive dialysis sessions. The data were obtained with an Individual Description Form, the Distress Thermometer and the Hemodialysis Comfort Scale. RESULTS: At the end of the study, no significant difference was found in the vital signs and comfort levels of the experimental and control groups (p > 0.05). However, while the stress score of the experimental group decreased significantly, the stress score of the control groups increased (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study shows that although the use of the stress ball did not affect vital signs and comfort in hemodialysis patients, it had a positive effect on stress.

Investigation of the efficacy of colorimetric capnometry method used to verify the correct placement of the nasogastric tube.

OBJECTIVES: This present study was designed to determine the efficacy of the colorimetric capnometry method used to verify the correct placement of the nasogastric tube. METHODS: The present study comprised forty patients who had a nasogastric tube inserted and were being monitored in the adult intensive care unit. After the insertion of the nasogastric tube, 40 colorimetric capnometry and 40 auscultation measurements were performed. Auscultation and colorimetric capnometry results were compared with tube placement results confirmed radiologically. RESULTS: In the confirmation of the placement of the nasogastric tube, the consistency was 97.5% (p<0.05) between the colorimetric capnometry method and the radiological method, and 82.5% (p>0.05) between the auscultatory method and the radiological method. The oesophageal placement of the nasogastric tube was detected with the colorimetric capnometry method, but the gastric and duodenal insertions were not determined. While the sensitivity and specificity of the colorimetric capnometry method in determining the correct placement of the nasogastric tube were 1.00 and 0.667 respectively, those of the auscultatory method were 0.89 and 0.0 respectively. CONCLUSION: As a result, for the confirmation of the NGT placement, the colorimetric capnometry method is considered more reliable than the auscultatory method and is compatible with the radiological method. However, the colorimetric capnometry method is inadequate to distinguish between the gastric or duodenal insertion.