The effect of video-assisted training on upper extremity problems and functions after rotator cuff repair: a randomized controlled trial.

Background/aim: The shoulder is the most mobile joint in the body, and is frequently exposed to injuries. The applied surgical treatments, protection of the shoulder after surgery, care in the use of the shoulder in activities of daily living (ADLs) and gradual exercise programs are all vital to the recovery process. The present study investigates the effect of video-assisted training (VAT) on upper extremity complications and functions after rotator cuff repair (RCR). Materials and method: Included in this prospective, parallel two-armed, randomized controlled study were an experimental group (n: 24) that received VAT detailing early postoperative care for RCR and instructions on performing ADLs, and that had access to a 90-day gradual exercise program, and a control group (n: 24) that received routine care. The primary outcomes were upper extremity problems and functions, as assessed by the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) and modified Constant-Murley scores (MCM), while secondary outcomes were complications that had developed within the past three months. The outcomes were measured at baseline, after six weeks and at three months. Results: After 3 months, a statistically significant difference was noted in the DASH-Work (p = 0.001) and MCM ADLs scores (p = 0.003) of the two groups, and significant changes in which the scale scores of both groups when compared to the initial measurement. Only one patient in the VAT group developed complications after RCR at one month; there were no significant differences in the complications of the two groups (p = 0.235). Conclusion: VAT can increase function in RCR patients. Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, can use the VAT method to improve shoulder function in patients after RCR.

The Effects of Virtual Reality on Preoperative Anxiety in Patients Undergoing Colorectal and Abdominal Wall Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a virtual reality (VR) application on preoperative anxiety (PA) in patients undergoing colorectal and abdominal wall surgery. DESIGN: A prospective, parallel two-armed, randomized controlled trial. METHODS: Eighty six patients were divided into the control group (n = 43) and in the experimental group (n = 43). The experimental group received a preoperative VR application for 10 minutes. The routine preoperative procedure used at the clinic was used for the patients in the control group. The anxiety level was assessed using the Anxiety Specific to Surgery Questionnaire (ASSQ) and measured with physiological responses to anxiety, such as changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2), before and after the VR application. FINDINGS: The VR application reduced PA levels in the experimental group (P < .001) and changes in the SBP (P < .001), DBP (P < .001), HR (P < .001), RR (P = .041) and SpO2(P = .019) values) compared to the levels in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: VR applications can reduce psychological and physiological responses to PA in patients undergoing colorectal and abdominal wall surgery.

Effect of different cold application materials on pain during chest tube removal: three-arm randomized controlled clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Chest tube causes severe pain during removal because it attaches to the endothelium in the chest cavity. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of cold application with ice pack and gel pad in the control of pain experienced during chest tube removal. METHODS: The sample of prospective, parallel three-arm (1:1:1), randomized controlled clinical trial consisted of 180 patients in two experimental groups (ice pack/gel pad) and one control group. The primary outcome was effect of cold application materials on severity of pain during chest removal. Secondary outcomes were duration of cold application and analgesic requirements of the patients. RESULTS: The study found that the cold application using either of the materials reduced the severity of pain and the need for analgesics after the removal of chest tube compared to the control group (p<0.05). But cold application with ice pack allowed the skin to drop to the temperature effective in pain control in a shorter time than gel pad application (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Despite entirely covering the area around the chest tube, the gel pad was more disadvantageous than ice pack in pain control due to the longer duration of cold application.

The effects of different degrees of head-of-bed elevation on the respiratory pattern and drainage following thyroidectomy: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The patient's position is important for ensuring patient comfort and preventing complications after thyroidectomy. OBJECTIVES: This study was carried out to determine the effects of different degrees of head-of-bed elevation (HOBE) on the respiratory pattern and drainage following thyroidectomy and to provide suggestions for evidence-based clinical practice. METHODS: The sample of this prospective, parallel arm, randomized controlled trial included 114 patients undergoing thyroidectomy in a university hospital in Turkey. The patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) to supine 0° (baseline), 30° and 45° HOBE groups. Respiratory pattern including respiratory rate (RR), peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) and dyspnea, and drainage including amount of drainage and hematoma formation were evaluated at the 1rd, 2rd, 3rd and 4th hours following thyroidectomy. RESULTS: The majority of the patients (83.3%) were female and 84.2% had undergone total thyroidectomy. The mean RR (18.47, 95% CI=17.85-19.09) of the patients in the supine 30° HOBE group at the 1rd hour was significantly higher than that of the patients in the supine 0° group (17.32, 95% CI=16.88-17.76; p<0.05). There was no significant difference between the SpO2 values of the patients in the groups (p>0.05). The amount of drainage was significantly higher in the supine 0° group at the 2nd hour than that of the patients in the supine 45° HOBE group (5.92±5.18; 3.34±5.56 respectively; p<0.05). None of the patients in the groups had hematoma formation. While no patient in the supine 30° HOBE group had dyspnea, dyspnea occurred in 9 patients in the supine 0° group and in 3 patients in the supine 45° HOBE group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that different HOBE positions resulted in clinically insignificant changes on the RR and amount of drainage during the first 4 hours following thyroidectomy but did not affect SpO2 value.

The effect of different types of music on patients' preoperative anxiety: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine effect of three different types of music on patients' preoperative anxiety. METHOD: This randomized controlled trial included 180 patients who were randomly divided into four groups. While the control group didn't listen to music, the experimental groups respectively listened to natural sounds, Classical Turkish or Western Music for 30 min. The State Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), heart rate (HR) and cortisol levels were checked. FINDINGS: The post-music STAI-S, SBP, DBP, HR and cortisol levels of the patients in music groups were significantly lower than pre-music time. All types of music decreased STAI-S, SBP, and cortisol levels; additionally natural sounds reduced DBP; Classical Turkish Music also decreased DBP, and HR. CONCLUSIONS: All types of music had an effect on reducing patients' preoperative anxiety, and listening to Classical Turkish Music was particularly the most effective one.

Determination of Patient Learning Needs after Thyroidectomy.

The purpose of this study was to determine discharge learning needs of patients undergoing thyroidectomy. The population of this descriptive study consisted of patients undergoing thyroidectomy in the Endocrine Surgery Unit of a university hospital between February and December 2013. The study included 251 patients who were discharged after thyroidectomy. Data obtained using the data collection form and the Patient Leaning Needs Scale (PLNS) were analyzed by frequency, mean, standard deviation, Kruskal Wallis and student-t tests. The mean age of the patients was 47.91±13.05 and 76.1% were females. The PLNS total mean score was 208.38±34.91, with the maximum score of 39.23±6.80 on the subscale of treatment and complications and the minimum score of 19.45±4.70 on the subscale of feelings related to condition. It was found that the PLNS total score of the patients was not influenced by age, gender, marital status (p>0.05). This study demonstrated that patients had high learning needs after thyroidectomy.

The effect of nocturnal patient care interventions on patient sleep and satisfaction with nursing care in neurosurgery intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbance in an intensive care unit is a common problem. One of the main factors causing sleep disturbances in an intensive care unit is nocturnal patient care interventions. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aims to determine the impact of patient care interventions performed at night in a neurosurgical intensive care unit on patients' sleep and their nursing care satisfaction. METHODS: The descriptive study was conducted on 82 patients in a neurosurgical intensive care unit between January 2009 and March 2010. The data were collected by data collection instruments and Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scales. The data were statistically analyzed by frequency, mean, standard deviation, chi-square, and Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: The study showed that 53.7% of the patients experienced sleep disturbances in the neurosurgical intensive care unit. Because of nursing interventions at night, 39.1% of these patients had their sleep affected, but this problem did not cause any negative impact on the patients' satisfaction (Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scales score = 88.21 ± 9.83). The patients received, on average, 42.21 ± 7.45 times patient care interventions at night; however, the frequency of patient care interventions at night showed no effect on sleep disturbances in this study (p > .05). The most frequently given patient care interventions were, respectively, vital signs monitoring, neurological assessment, and repositioning in bed. These interventions were performed commonly at 6 a.m., 12 a.m., and 7 p.m. CONCLUSION: In this study, despite the patients reporting sleep disturbances in the neurosurgical intensive care unit because of nocturnal patient care interventions that prevented them from sleeping, the patients' satisfaction on the given nursing care was not negatively impacted. To reduce sleep disturbances because of nursing care initiatives and promote uninterrupted sleep in the intensive care unit, it can be useful to develop new protocols regulating night care activities.

The effects of open and closed endotracheal suctioning on intracranial pressure and cerebral perfusion pressure: a crossover, single-blind clinical trial.

Although endotracheal suctioning is a routine nursing intervention, this procedure can lead to an increase in intracranial pressure (ICP). This study was planned to determine the appropriate suctioning technique (open system suctioning [OS] and closed system suctioning [CS]) to minimize variability of ICP and cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) in neurologically impaired patients. The study, which was designed as a crossover, single-blind clinical trial, consisted of 32 neurosurgical patients who underwent ICP monitoring, intra-arterial blood pressure monitoring, and endotracheal intubation in the intensive care unit. According to the need for suctioning, each patient in the experimental and control groups underwent suctioning with both closed and open systems. Recordings were composed of the patients' ICP, mean arterial blood pressure, CPP, heart rate (HR), and arterial blood gases during suctioning. It was observed that both suctioning techniques significantly increased ICP, mean arterial blood pressure, CPP, and HR; ICP was found to be significantly higher in OS compared with CS, whereas there were no significant differences in CPP and HR between the two techniques. The patients suctioned using OS had significantly lower mean PaO(2) than those suctioned using CS; however, the comparison of the two techniques revealed no significant differences in PaCO(2). The data obtained indicate that CS, compared with OS, can be used safely on this patient group.

Patient perception of environmental and nursing factors contributing to sleep disturbances in a neurosurgical intensive care unit.

Many factors may affect sleep in the neurosurgery intensive care unit (NSICU), including therapeutic and diagnostic procedures, medications, the underlying disease process, and noise generated in NSICU. This study was aimed to determine the factors and nursing interventions, which affect the patients' sleep in NSICU, and to ascertain future descriptive research studies in nursing. The sample consisted of 84 voluntary patients hospitalized at a university hospital. They were consecutively asked to fill out a questionnaire in face-to-face interviews, and on the same day they were transferred out of the NSICU to a neurosurgical ward. Sixty-six patients (78.6%) experienced sleep disturbances. In those patients, being kept immobile (63.6%) and being in a noisy environment (57.6%) were the factors, which most frequently disturbed sleep. Likewise, the nursing interventions were found to have profound influences on patients' sleep; namely, being asked to move an arm/leg or to keep them in the same position for neurological diagnostic reasons (43.9%), and being asked questions to determine the level of consciousness (40.9%) were identified as the common sleep disturbance factors. In conclusion, immobility, environmental noise factors, and the disturbances from implementing the nursing interventions should not be ignored. Sleep disturbance in NSICU should be addressed on the multidisciplinary care plan and in health team conference, and care should be planned to assure good quality of patients' sleep. Nurses, physicians, nursing and medical students should establish and evaluate the combined interventions required for neurological assessment to decrease the negative effects of various factors on patients' sleep.