The Power of Spiritual Well-Being: Its Relationship with Pain Intensity, Pain Management, and Pain Catastrophizing in Individuals with Chronic Pain.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain negatively affects human life. Chronic pain is multidimensional. Therefore, a multidimensional approach that focuses on the biologic, psychological, sociologic, and spiritual needs of patients is required in pain management. AIM: This study was conducted to determine the relationship of spiritual well-being with the level of pain catastrophizing, pain intensity, and pain management in individuals with chronic pain. METHODS: The snowball sampling method was used in the research and the data were collected by individuals with ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis who had chronic pain via an online survey form. The study was completed between March and May 2023 with the participation of 399 people. The data of the study were collected using the Descriptive Characteristics Questionnaire, Pain Catastrophizing Scale, Three-Factor Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and Numerical Rating Scale. RESULTS: There was a negative, high-level correlation between the spiritual well-being and the Pain Catastrophizing Scale and its subscales. At the same time, there was a negative, weak level correlation between the levels of spiritual well-being and the pain intensity. Spiritual Well-Being Scale scores differ according to the method used in pain management. Spiritual well-being and pain intensity explain 68% of the total variance in pain catastrophizing. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this research show that there may be a relationship between increased spirituality and reduced perceptions of pain in this population.

The Effect of Oral Care with Black Mulberry Syrup on Oral Mucositis in Patients With COPD: A Mixed Study.

Background: Oral mucositis often affects the quality of life of patients living with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Its symptoms include loss of oral mucous membranes, ulceration, bleeding and pain as well as bacterial, fungal and viral infections of the oral mucosa. Objectives: This study was carried out to investigate the effect of oral care with black mulberry syrup on oral mucositis healing in patients with COPD. Design: This mixed study was carried out in two stages- quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative stage was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental study while the qualitative stage was conducted by in-depth interview method. Setting: This study was conducted at the chest diseases clinic of a tertiary hospital in Turkey. Participants: The randomized controlled experimental study was completed with a total of 40 patients who had been diagnosed with COPD and oral mucositis between March 2017 and June 2018. They were divided into intervention and control groups consisting of 20 patients each. The qualitative study was conducted on 10 patients in the intervention group. Intervention: Patients in the intervention group gargled with 5 ml of black mulberry syrup for an average of 1 minute and swallowed it upon completion. They did this 3 times a day after meals for a period of 15 days after which they were interviewed. Outcome Measures: The quantitative data was collected using the Patient Information Form, Oral Evaluation Guideline, and WHO Oral Mucositis Scoring Index, while the qualitative data was collected using the in-depth interview form. Patients' oral mucosa was assessed a total of 3 times during 3 interviews held on the first, seventh and fifteenth days of the study. Results: There was a significant decrease in scores of oral mucositis of the patients in the intervention group at the second and third follow-ups. Oral mucositis of the intervention and the control groups healed at an average of 9.1 ± 2.5 days and 12.1 ± 1.4 days, respectively. In addition, oral care with black mulberry syrup was found to alleviate mucositis-related symptoms. Conclusion: Oral care with black mulberry syrup accelerates mucositis healing and alleviates mucositis-related symptoms.

The effect of progressive muscle relaxation and nature sounds on blood pressure measurement skills, anxiety levels, and vital signs in nursing students.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) and nature sounds (NS) on students' blood pressure measurement skills, anxiety levels, and vital signs. DESIGN AND METHODS: This randomized controlled study conducted at the nursing department of a university in February 2020. During skill training, one group was given PMR and one group was given PMR + NS. The routine teaching procedure was applied to the control group. FINDINGS: The PMR (37.80 ± 10.1) and PMR + NS (31.19 ± 6.15) groups had lower mean postintervention anxiety scores compared with the control group (40.86 ± 9.13). The PMR + NS group had higher mean postintervention knowledge test score than other. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: PMR + NS and PMR helped reduce nursing students' anxiety levels and pulse rates. PMR + NS helped increase their blood pressure knowledge test scores.