The effect of the hand massage using baby oil with lavender application on the procedural pain and state anxiety of women undergoing brachytherapy: A parallel-group randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: This parallel-group randomized controlled study evaluated the effect of the hand massage practiced using baby oil with lavender on reducing pain and situational anxiety in women with brachytherapy. METHODS: The study was completed with 36 patients. The treatment group included 18 patients, and the control group had 18. The data were collected through patient information form, visual analog scale, and state anxiety scale. Before the brachytherapy, three sessions of hand massages, each lasting 10 min (5 min for each hand), were performed using baby oil with lavender. Data collection forms were repeated after each session. The control group received routine treatment. Study groups were similar and homogeneous in terms of socio-demographic characteristics. The data obtained were assessed using Shapiro Wilk, Repeated Measures ANOVA, chi-square, and paired samples t-test. RESULTS: At the end of the brachytherapy, the pain and state anxiety scores of the group that applied hand massage   were determined to be lower than the control group's at each three-time point (1st, 2nd, and 3rd-time points) (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: It was determined that hand massage using baby oil with lavender effectively reduced pain and anxiety. It can be practiced by certified nurses in clinics that perform brachytherapy as a noninvasive, safe, and affordable practice.

The effect of prolonged use of surgical masks during face-to-face teaching on cognitive and physiological parameters of nursing students: A cross-sectional and descriptive study.

AIMS: This study was conducted to examine the effects of using surgical masks on nursing students' cognitive and physiological parameters during full-time face-to-face teaching during the pandemic. BACKGROUND: It is known that the use of surgical masks has effects on health professionals' physiological parameters. DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional study with a pretest-posttest design was conducted. The study was carried out at a state university. METHODS: Sixty-one nursing students taking Internal Medicine Nursing course in the fall semester during the COVID-19 pandemic were included in the study. Study data were collected by using a Descriptive Information Form, the Cognitive Fatigue Scale, the One-way Dyspnea Scale and the Cognitive Reaction Time application in a theoretical course that took 310 min on 15 November 2021. Students' physiological parameters were measured by using a thermometer and pulse oximetry. RESULTS: It was found that students' cognitive fatigue levels (p < 0.001) and body temperature increased (p < 0.001) and that cognitive reaction rates (p = 0.05) and pulse rates decreased (p < 0.001). It was determined that after the lesson, there was a weak positive correlation between nursing students' level of dyspnea and body temperature and their cognitive fatigue levels (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that the use of surgical masks during full-time face-to-face teaching increased students' cognitive fatigue and decreased their cognitive reaction rates. The research will have an impact on redesigning the curriculum for face-to-face teaching. Lecturers should revise their teaching by taking these findings into account.

COVID-19 Anxiety and Colorectal Cancer Screening Attitudes Among Adult Men in Turkey.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between levels of anxiety about COVID-19 and attitudes toward colorectal cancer screening in adult men in Turkey. SAMPLE & SETTING: The participants in this study were 188 adult men, aged 50-70 years, who were not diagnosed with cancer, and who could use social media. The researchers shared the link to the study forms through social media, and data were collected between February 2021 and May 2021. METHODS & VARIABLES: A personal information form, the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale, and the Attitude Scale for Cancer Screening were used to collect descriptive research data. RESULTS: Participants had mean scores of 1.04 (SD = 2.12) for the Coronavirus Anxiety Scale and 95.28 (SD = 16.91) for the Attitude Scale for Cancer Screening. There was no significant correlation between the scores (p > 0.05). Family structure and the reasons for applying for colorectal cancer screening were significantly related to participation in colorectal cancer screening programs (p < 0.05). IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Individualized screening models can be used to prevent the deferral of cancer screenings. To ensure early diagnosis of colorectal cancer, nurses should be encouraged to use telehealth applications and help individuals perform immunochemical tests at home.

Perceived barriers and motivators of undergraduate nursing students in end-of-life care: A qualitative study based on lived experiences.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine which barriers and motivators undergraduate nursing students perceived during their experience of providing end-of-life (EoL) care. DESIGN AND METHODS: Qualitative phenomenological study leans on focus groups. The study was carried out with Zoom, a Web-based mobile video-conferencing application. Students were recruited from two universities in Turkey. Semistructured focus group interviews were conducted with 28 nursing students. The Heidegger phenomenological approach was adopted in this study. FINDINGS: Three thematic categories and nine subcategories were determined. While the students stated that insufficient clinical experience, lack of knowledge, the inadequacy of communication techniques, and the insecurity of patients, relatives, and healthcare teams were barriers in EoL care, they stated they were motivated by witnessing the effect of nursing care on patients, integrating their theoretical knowledge into care, applying different communication techniques, and being positive role models of nurses in clinics. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: As students were not adequately prepared to cope with clinical practices in EoL care, the nursing core curriculum needs revision in this regard. Providing adequate theoretical and clinical training in EoL care will help nursing students manage their emotions and provide high-quality care to patients and their families.

Women's attitudes towards healthy life awareness and breast cancer screening during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic: a cross-sectional descriptive study.

BACKGROUND: In the COVID-19 pandemic, fear of coronavirus infection has caused individuals to hesitate to access medical services and postpone their participation in diagnostic and screening programs. With this research, it was aimed to examine the relationship between women's wellness awareness and attitudes towards breast cancer screening during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: The descriptive cross-sectional type research was conducted between 30 January 2021 and 30 July 2021. The sample of the study consisted of 396 women between the ages of 40 and 69 who were in the breast cancer screening population under national cancer screening standards and met the criteria for inclusion. The data of the study were collected using a web-based and self-reported questionnaire, Personal Information Form, Healthy Life Awareness Scale and Cancer Screening Attitude Scale. RESULTS: It was determined that more than half of women postponed breast cancer screening during the COVID-19 pandemic, and the reasons for the postponement were often fear of contamination. It was determined that there was a relationship between the participants' awareness of healthy living and their attitudes towards cancer screening (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: It was found that approximately two out of every three women in the screening population during the pandemic did not have screening or postponed it due to fear of contamination. It was determined that women who had awareness of healthy living and had breast cancer screening before the pandemic had a positive attitude towards cancer screening during the COVID-19 pandemic period.

Examination of factors affecting oral health in patients receiving haemodialysis.

BACKGROUND: Patients receiving haemodialysis suffer from oral problems, pain, deteriorated nutrition, and decreased self-confidence and quality of life. Nurses have a critical role in the evaluation and care of oral health. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate the associations between socio-demographic characteristics, medication use, and biochemical blood levels and oral health in adult patients receiving haemodialysis treatment. DESIGN: This study was conducted as a descriptive study. PARTICIPANTS: The sample study was made up of one hundred and fifty individuals treated with haemodialysis between March and June 2018. MEASUREMENTS: Patient diagnosis and Bedside Oral Exam guide was the tool used to examine oral health. RESULTS: It was seen that patients' oral health worsened as the number of dental caries increased. It was found that low level of education, those with nonregular oral care and brushing teeth, those using parathyroid hormone-lowering agents and who stated they complied with the drug and diet therapy had higher mean Bedside Oral Exam guide scores, meaning their oral health was statistically significantly worse (p < 0.05). Bedside Oral Exam guide scores were weakly negatively correlated with predialysis serum potassium levels (r = -0.213; p = 0.009), weakly positively correlated with the daily fluid amount consumed (r = -0.185; p = 0.024), and decayed teeth (r = -0.224; p = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Use of parathyroid hormone-lowering agents, low level of education, insufficient oral care, decayed teeth, compliance with diet and medication, daily liquid consumption, and low potassium levels could lead to an increased severity of poor oral health in patients receiving haemodialysis. Oral and dental health protocols should be developed for all haemodialysis units.

Perceived stress and affecting factors related to COVID-19 pandemic of emergency nurses in Turkey.

AIM: To examine the perceived stress and affecting factors related to the COVID-19 pandemic of emergency nurses at the first stage of the pandemic. BACKGROUND: During pandemic process, nurses reported to experience stress due to a very high risk of being infected and hard work. METHOD: A descriptive study. The sample of the study consisted of 169 emergency nurses. To collect data, a personal information form was used together with the Perceived Stress Scale. RESULTS: The factors that significantly affect the perceived stress score of emergency nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic included applying respiratory isolation, changing the way of life, not being able to access protective equipment, insufficient nurses in the unit and thinking that COVID-19 will be transmitted to oneself. CONCLUSION: Nearly half of the emergency nurses perceived stress above average during pandemic, and their working conditions affected this situation. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Meeting physiological needs and applying psychological guidance and counselling interventions in the stress management of emergency nurses may contribute to the reduction of their stress levels. Effective infection control, reducing workload, increasing the number of nurses and strengthening the coping mechanisms can minimize the perceived stress level of emergency nurses.

The Effect of Aromatherapy on Elderly Persons With Dry Skin: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Dry skin, which is one of the most frequent dermatological problems seen in the elderly population, is an important problem that increases with aging. This study was conducted as a randomized controlled experimental trial to determine the effect of aromatherapy, applied to elderly persons residing in a nursing home in a city center, on dry skin. Elderly persons were grouped into a control group (20 elderly persons), an olive oil group (20 elderly persons), and an aromatherapy group (20 elderly persons). When examining between-measurements differences of the groups in the study, skin moisture levels of the elderly individuals in the aromatherapy group increased in all zones, arm, leg, back, and chest, at measurements of the second and fourth weeks compared with the first measurements. This improvement was determined to be higher after the second week. Skin moisture levels of elderly persons in the olive oil group were determined to significantly increase at the arm zone in the fourth week and at the back zone in the second and fourth weeks compared with the first measurements. Skin moisture levels of elderly persons in the control group, on the contrary, did not change in the second and fourth weeks compared with the first measurements and their dry skin continued at the same level. The intervention performed in this manner in the present study can be used in the clinical practice as an effective nursing intervention to reducing dry skin among elderly persons.

Aromatherapy Massage for Pain and Xerosis After Repeated Needle Insertion Into a Fistula Arm in Hemodialysis.

CONTEXT: Repeated needle insertion into the fistula causes dry skin in hemodialysis (HD) patients. Dry skin can add to the acute pain from needle by increasing skin irritability. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of aromatherapy massage on acute pain and dry skin following needle insertion into an arteriovenous fistula in patients undergoing HD. METHODS: The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial. SETTING: The study took place at a dialysis center in a city center in Central Anatolia in Turkey. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were patients with arteriovenous fistulas who were undergoing HD at the dialysis center. INTERVENTION: The 75 patients were randomly divided into 3 groups of 25 each: (1) the aromatherapy massage group received massage 3 times per week for a period of 4 weeks, for 12 sessions in total; (2) the olive-oil massage group also received 12 sessions of massage therapy on the same schedule; (3) the control group received only standard care. OUTCOME MEASURES: The study measured pain levels using a visual analog scale (VAS) and skin moisture using a skin moisture analyzer. RESULTS: The mean VAS scores for acute pain of the aromatherapy and olive-oil massage groups postintervention were significantly lower than those of the control group (P < .001). The average skin-moisture scores of the aromatherapy-massage group were significantly higher postintervention and at the eight-week follow-up than those of the control and olive-oil massage groups (P < .01). In addition, at the end of 8 weeks, the mean VAS pain scores were significantly lower and the skin-moisture scores were significantly higher in the aromatherapy-massage group compared to the control and olive-oil massage groups (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Aromatherapy massage can be an effective nursing practice to manage acute pain and dry skin from needle insertion at the site of an arteriovenous fistula in HD units. Further randomized controlled trials are needed.

The Effect of Aromatherapy on Sleep Quality and Fatigue Level of the Elderly: A Randomized Controlled Study.

This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted to determine the effect of inhaled aromatherapy on the sleep quality and fatigue level of the institutionalized elderly. The sample of the study consisted of a total of 59 elderly individuals (30 in the intervention group and 29 in the control group) who met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate in the study. Aromatherapy (lavender oil) inhalation was administered to individuals in the intervention group half hour before their sleep every day for a month in accordance with aromatherapy protocol. No administration was applied to the control group. The data were collected using the Elderly Description Form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Fatigue Severity Scale. Forms were completed in the beginning of administration and in the follow-up at the end of 4 weeks (baseline and last follow-up). In the study, it was determined that aromatherapy administration improved sleep quality (P < .001) and decreased fatigue severity in the elderly (P < .05). The study should be replicated in a different group.

Hepatitis A immunisation need in nursing students in Turkey.

Hepatitis A is a worldwide vaccine-preventable infection. The aim of our study was to determine the serological status of hepatitis A virus (HAV) among first-year nursing students in Turkey. A sample of 423 students was used and immunoglobulin G antibodies against HAV were determined quantitatively by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay on each. Overall, 84.6% had no immunity to HAV, making them at risk for HAV, and so susceptible to nosocomial transmission. Nursing students who work in high-risk wards must be vaccinated against hepatitis A.

Acupressure and Transcutaneous Electrical Acupoint Stimulation for Improving Uremic Pruritus: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Context • Uremic pruritus, a frequent and compromising symptom for patients with advanced or end-stage renal disease (ESRD), strongly reduces the patient's quality of life. Pruritus may be extremely difficult to control because therapeutic options are limited. Topical products are frequently used for easing pruritus, but their effects are generally temporary and marginal. Although acupressure and electrical-stimulation methods for the application of acupressure have been evaluated separately in terms of pruritus efficiency in different studies, the existence of any difference between the efficacies of the 2 methods has not been assessed yet. Objective • The study intended to test the effectiveness of acupressure and transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on uremic pruritus in patients who were receiving the routine hemodialysis treatment. Design • The study was a randomized, controlled trial. Setting • The study took place in hemodialysis units located in hemodialysis centers in Turkey. Participants • Participants were patients in the hemodialysis units who were under hemodialysis treatment and had experienced uremic pruritus. Intervention • Participants were randomly assigned to the acupressure group (intervention group), the TEAS group (intervention group), or the control group. For the 2 intervention groups, the treatment was applied 3 ×/wk during the 4 wk of the study on the large intestine (LI-11) acupuncture points in the arm, for a total of 12 sessions. Outcome Measures • The study measured the severity of participants' pruritus using a patient information form and a visual analogue scale (VAS). The data were collected at baseline and posttreatment. Results • A total of 75 patients participated in the study. The results indicated that patients in the acupressure and TEAS groups had significant reductions from baseline to posttreatment in their levels of discomfort from uremic pruritus compared with patients in the control group. However, no differences existed between the acupressure and the TEAS patients in terms of outcome measures. Conclusions • The research team concluded that both acupressure and TEAS applied to hemodialysis patients was effective in reducing uremic pruritus. The study provided support for an alternative method for health care providers in managing hemodialysis patients with symptoms of uremic pruritus.

Immunity of nursing students to measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella in Yozgat, Turkey.

Measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (MMRV) are vaccine-preventable diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the vaccination status of first-year nursing students in Turkey. The sample used was 180 students and immunoglobulin G antibodies against MMRV viruses were determined quantitatively by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Immunity rates to MMRV were 82.8%, 83.3%, 98.3%, and 100%, respectively. The results of this study showed that all of the students were immune to varicella and 32.8% of the students were not immune to at least 1 of the viruses covered by the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine.

Pressure ulcers and their associated factors in nursing home inmates.

OBJECTIVE: To assess pressure ulcers and the associated risk factors, among the individuals who stayed at Yozgat Rehabilitation Care Center in Turkey. STUDY DESIGN: A descriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Yozgat Rehabilitation Care Center, Turkey, from August to September 2011. METHODOLOGY: One hundred and seventy five individuals participated in the study who received care at the above nursing home and agreed to participate in the study. The data were collected with an information form of descriptive characteristics (the form included a total of 15 questions asked to get information about socio-demographic characteristics) and Braden risk assessment scale. For the data evaluation, Mann-Whitney U-test, Krushall-Wallis Variance analysis, Logistic Regression analysis were used. Statistical significance was defined by a probability level of p < 0.05. RESULTS: The mean score of Braden risk assessment scale of the individuals was 15.0 ± 3.3 and 16.0% were under very high risk. Nine (5.1%) had pressure ulcers. The average duration of stay was 2.17 ± 0.80 years. Participants who were underweight, had lived at the rehabilitation center for a longer time, and were fed on regime 1, had a higher risk of developing pressure ulcers (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Individuals who stayed in nursing home were under very high risk of pressure ulcer. Pressure ulcers are preventable by the elimination of some risk factors and good nursing care. Such individuals should be periodically assessed in terms of risk.

Student nurses' attitudes toward dying patients in central Anatolia.

PURPOSE: This study was descriptively conducted to explore attitudes of nursing students related to caring for dying patients in central Anatolia. METHODS: The study was completed with 222 third-year students of nursing school originating from three universities in Turkey. RESULT: It was explored that Frommelt Attitudes Toward Care of the Dying Scale (FATCOD) scores of the students who had previously cared for terminal patients at the clinics were significantly higher, and the scores of those who regarded themselves as nonbeliever in terms of religion were significantly lower (p < .05). CONCLUSION: It was seen that nursing students' FATCOD scores were at a moderate level. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: We are of the opinion that it will be helpful that nursing students should be trained about the care for dying patients during their formal education.

Knowledge and attitudes of emergency nurses towards Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic fever in endemic regions of Turkey.

This study was carried out in order to determine knowledge and attitudes of emergency nurses about Crimean-Congo haemorrhagic Fever. This descriptive research was carried out where the disease is frequent, in six cities in Turkey. One hundred forty-three nurses who worked in the emergency room were recruited to the study. Data were collected with a questionnaire form and were analysed by chi-squared test. The mean age of the nurses was 31.0 ± 5.7 years. It was determined that 68.8% of the nurses claimed to have sufficient knowledge about the disease, 99.3% said that it was a virus that caused the disease, and 94.3% said that health-care personnel exposed to it were under great risk. It was concluded that most of the nurses had relatively good knowledge about the disease and that they did not want to run the high risk of infection and mortality by treating patients who had the disease.

Effect of acupressure on patients in Turkey receiving hemodialysis treatment for uremic pruritus.

CONTEXT: Pruritus develops for various reasons at any stage of treatment for the majority of patients receiving hemodialysis (HD) due to end-stage renal failure (ESRF). Today, many nonpharmacological treatment methods, including acupressure, are used to relieve the discomfort experienced by patients due to pruritus. Acupressure has been proven to reduce the intensity of pruritus when it is used alone or in combination with pharmacologic methods. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to determine the effect of acupressure on pruritus in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment. DESIGN: This study was a nonrandomized, controlled trial. SETTING: The study occurred at four hemodialysis centers in Turkey. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-eight patients, 38 in the intervention group (IG) and 40 in the control group (CG), met the inclusion criteria and completed the study. INTERVENTION: The IG received acupressure that was applied using a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) acupressure apparatus, and the control group (CG) received no acupressure. The study used the SP6, ST36, SP10, and LI11 acupuncture points, with acupressure occurring three times/wk for 6 wks for a total of 18 sessions. OUTCOME MEASURES: The study's data were collected using a patient identification form, a visual analogue scale (VAS), and a pruritus score. RESULTS: It was found that IG participants' mean VAS and pruritus scores significantly decreased at wk 6 (P < .001), as compared to the CG, and that the decrease showed a stable trend in wks 12 and 18 (P > .05). The IG was observed to use less medication than the CG throughout the study (P < .001). CONCLUSION: It was concluded that acupressure provided to hemodialysis patients was effective in reducing pruritus. The research team suggests that the use of acupressure should be expanded by informing HD patients and nurses working in HD units about the benefits of acupressure.