Translation and validation of the ELPO for Turkish population: Risk assessment scale for the development of pressure injuries due to surgical positioning.

AIM OF THE STUDY: This study was conducted to translate the ELPO risk assessment scale for the development of pressure injuries due to surgical positioning to Turkish and to test its validity and reliability in the Turkish Population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data were collected using the patient identification form, the risk assessment scale for the prevention of injuries due to surgical positioning, and the Braden Scale. This scale consisted of a total of seven items, each of which contained five sub-items. It is rated between 1 and 5 in the Likert type. The total score of the scale ranges between 7 and 35. The risk of developing pressure injuries increases in patients as the score increases. RESULTS: A total of 184 patients were included in the study sample. The mean age of the group was 55.96 ± 17.90, and the content validity index was 0.944. The sensitivity of the test was 60%, the specificity was 66%, and the accuracy was 66%. There was a negative, weak, statistically significant correlation between the total scores of the risk assessment scale for the prevention of injuries due to surgical positioning and the Braden scale. The mean total score of the scale was 18.45 ± 2.96 (12-26) and 35.9% (n = 66) of the group were at high risk. CONCLUSIONS: The ELPO, which includes the risks specific to patients during surgery, can be used as an assessment scale for the development of pressure injury due to surgical positioning for Turkish population.

Disgust and Its Effect on Quality of Life and Adjustment to Stoma in Individuals with Ileostomy and Colostomy

AIM: This study aims to determine the effect of disgust sensitivity on the quality of life of patients with ileostomy and colostomy, and their adaptation to stoma. METHODS: This study has a cross-sectional and correlational design. The sample consists of 167 patients being treated in a state hospital and a private foundation hospital, who meet the research inclusion criteria. The Patient Information Form, Disgust Sensitivity Scale, Ostomy Adjustment Inventory, and Ostomy Quality of Life Scale (OQLS) are used for data collection. Descriptive statistics, oneway analysis of variance (ANOVA), t-test, and correlation analysis are used in data analysis. RESULTS: Of the 86% of the participants diagnosed with cancer, 60% had undergone ileostomy and 40% had undergone a colostomy; 46% of the patients declared that they were capable of handling their own stoma care and 53% stated that they felt self-efficient about care. Participants who were female (88.55 ± 23.17), single (88.40 ± 20.98), or university graduates (93.34 ± 22.92) had higher disgust sensitivity scores. The study found no significant correlation between disgust sensitivity, quality of life, and stoma adjustment scores (p > .05). CONCLUSION: The findings proved believe that recognizing the disgust sensitivity will help meet the physical and psychological needs of stoma patients and understand their quality of life and adjustment to stoma. This will help in guiding both patients and healthcare workers, and lead clinical studies.

Assessment of the risk of pressure ulcer during the perioperative period: Adaptation of the Munro scale to Turkish.

AIM OF THE STUDY: This study was conducted to adapt the Munro Pressure Ulcer Risk Assessment Scale (Munro Scale) to Turkish and to test its validity and reliability. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the methodological study, the data were collected using the patient identification form, the Braden Scale, and the Munro Scale. A total of 188 patients were diagnosed for the risk of preoperative and intraoperative pressure ulcer, and then re-evaluated in the recovery room and in their bed. RESULTS: The study group consisted of 81 (43.1%) males and 107 (56.9%) females with a mean age of 51.98 ± 16.87. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin sampling adequacy test was 0.588 and the Bartlett's test was 430.471. The results of goodness of fit indices were not as expected value in the confirmatory factor analysis. In the exploratory factor analysis, it was determined that the factor loadings of the Munro Scale varied between 0.336 and 0.873 and explained 62% of the total variance. In the parallel-form method performed for the reliability of the scale, it was observed that there was a weak and negative correlation between the total scores of the Munro Scale and Braden Scales before the surgery and a negative and moderate correlation between the total scores after the surgery. The total Cronbach's alpha value was found to be 0.504. In the reliability analysis of the scale, interrater correlation coefficients were found to be 0.865-0.998. CONCLUSIONS: The Munro Scale can be used to assess the risk of pressure injuries in perioperative patients and may help nurses to identify high-risk patients.

Determination of nurses' level of knowledge on the prevention of pressure ulcers: The case of Turkey.

AIM OF THE STUDY: Pressure ulcers (PUs) constitute a health issue that has a high prevalence and incidence rate in acute and long-term care, requiring long-term nursing care for treatment and prevention. Therefore, nurses should have adequate knowledge of the interventions and practices used to prevent PUs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study employed a descriptive and cross-sectional design to assess the level of nurses' knowledge concerning preventive interventions for PUs. Based on data found in the literature, researchers developed a 16-question Participant Information Form (including age, gender, level of education, employed ward, and training on PUs) and used this form, along with the Turkish version of the Pressure Ulcer Prevention Knowledge Assessment Instrument (PUPKAI-T), to collect data. RESULTS: A group of 471 nurses working in two foundation hospitals in 2018 participated in the study by completing a questionnaire. Among the participants, 44.2% worked in surgery, 21.2% in internal medicine, and 34.6% in other wards (such as intensive care, pediatrics, and the operating theater). Most of the nurses(73.5%) held a bachelor's degree, and their average work experience was 7.27 ± 7.00 years. It was determined that 69.4% of the nurses had not received in-service training relating to PUs, 55.6% did not attend lectures/conferences or read articles on the prevention of PUs, and 59.7% rated themselves as "adequate" in interventions used to prevent PUs. Based on the use of PUPKAI-T, 17 individuals (3.6%) scored equal to or more than the 60% cut-off value, and 454 individuals (96.4%) scored less than 60%. The mean level of knowledge on PUs was calculated as 11.1 ± 2.659 (range: 1-18) out of 26 questions. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the study showed that the general level of knowledge of nurses in preventing PUs are extremely insufficient. Therefore, various strategies should be developed to increase nurses' level of knowledge on the etiology and development, classification and observation, and risk assessment of PUs, as well as on nutrition plans and preventive interventions.

Connectors as a risk factor for blood-associated infections (3-way stopcock and needleless connector): A randomized-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Microorganisms causing catheter-related bloodstream infections colonize to intravenous catheters (IVC)-particularly to connectors mounted to catheters. The aim of this study was to examine the colonization in 3-way stopcock (TWS) connectors and needleless connectors (NCs) that integrated into central, port, and peripheral venous catheters. METHODS: This random, experimental study consisted of 180 connectors that were inserted into the IVCs of patients in general surgery, reanimation intensive care, and daily chemotherapy units. Cultures of the connectors were obtained at least 48 hours after connecting to IVCs. RESULTS: This study showed that gram-negative, gram-positive, and other pathogens reproduced, although their colonization level was not high enough to develop an infection. When the results of colonization for patients using TWS and NC were compared, the peripheral venous catheters (using a TWS) resulted in a significantly higher increase in reproduction than in patients using NC (P ≤ .01) and no significant difference in the level of colonization in other types of connectors or catheters (P ˃ .05). CONCLUSIONS: The study's results indicated no significant difference between NC and TWSs in terms of reproduction. It should also be noted that connectors integrated into IVC pose a risk in the development of catheter-related bloodstream infections.