Effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of acupoints on respiratory outcomes of COVID-19 patients with moderate pulmonary involvement: A parallel randomized clinical trial.

Background and aims: Experiencing respiratory symptoms, especially dyspnea and decreased oxygen saturation (SpO2) level in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with increased mortality. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation of acupoints (Acu-TENS) on the respiratory outcomes of COVID-19 patients with moderate pulmonary involvement. Methods: In these three-blind parallel randomized clinical trials, 84 patients with COVID-19 admitted to a referral hospital were selected by the convenience sampling method. Participants were randomly assigned to Acu-TENS (n = 42) and control (n = 42) groups. The Acu-TENS group received Acu-TENS over the EX-B1 (Dingchuan) acupuncture point for 45 min for four consecutive days, while participants in the control group received no intervention. Participants' respiratory outcomes, including oxygen saturation, vital signs, and the severity of dyspnea, were evaluated before and after each intervention on four consecutive days. In addition, the need for mechanical ventilation on Days 4, 8, and 12 and the disease's outcome (death or survival) were recorded in SPSS software version 16, and finally, data were analyzed using an independent samples t-test. Results: SpO2, the number of patients without the need for mechanical ventilation, and patient survival after the intervention were significantly higher in the Acu-TENS group compared with the control group (<0.001). However, respiratory rate, heart rate, and the severity of dyspnea after the intervention were not significantly different between the two groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The use of Acu-TENS could improve SpO2 as a respiratory outcome of patients with COVID-19 with moderate pulmonary involvement and it can be used as a therapeutic intervention.

Efficacy of simulated video on test anxiety in objective structured clinical examination among nursing and midwifery students: A quasi-experimental study.

AIM: This research investigated the effectiveness of simulated video on test anxiety in the Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) among nursing and midwifery students. DESIGN: A quasi-experimental study with a two-group pre-test and post-test design. METHODS: This study was conducted on 118 nursing and midwifery students in Shahroud northeast of Iran in 2019 using the census sampling method. The intervention group received a 15-minute OSCE simulation video half an hour before the test. Data were collected using the Sarason test anxiety questionnaire in two stages: one week before the test and after the simulation film was screened. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Independent t-test, Chi-square, Exact fisher and Paired t-test). RESULTS: At baseline, no significant difference was observed between groups in the total mean score of test anxiety. The mean score of test anxiety significantly decreased in the OSCE simulation video group after the intervention.

The Relationship between Experienced Respiratory Symptoms and Health-Related Quality of Life in the Elderly with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the diseases that usually present at an advanced age. Respiratory symptoms in patients with COPD are the most important for making treatment decisions and understanding the adverse effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL). This study aimed to investigate HRQoL in elderly patients with COPD and examine the relationship between this in relation to respiratory symptoms experienced by them and their demographic characteristics. METHODS: This is a descriptive, correlational study of elderly patients with COPD who were hospitalized in five different hospitals in an urban area of Iran. A consecutive sampling method was used. Demographic data form, the respiratory symptoms component of St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ), and the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36) were applied for data collection. RESULTS: The patients (n = 217) reported low HRQoL, and this impairment was more observed in the physical component. There was a significant inverse relationship between the experienced respiratory symptoms and physical (p=0.03) and mental (p < 0.001) components of HRQoL. Moreover, the female gender, the low level of education, the increased duration of the disease, the increased number of hospitalizations during the past year, and the use of two classes of drugs simultaneously were associated with the impaired HRQoL. CONCLUSION: Our findings inform healthcare providers about the negative impacts of respiratory symptoms and other related factors on the HRQoL of elderly patients with COPD. Nurses and other healthcare providers should proactively identify respiratory symptoms and design appropriate caring strategies to improve HRQoL among this group.