Comparing the effectiveness of three pain relief methods for inserting a needle into the implanted venous access chemoport: A randomized controlled trial.

AIMS: Effective methods for relieving pain in inserting a needle for chemotherapy in cancer patients have been studied. This study examined the pain relief effects during needle insertion into the implanted venous access chemoport by comparing three methods. METHODS: This randomized controlled trial included 120 cancer patients who were randomly assigned. The experimental groups received applications of lidocaine cream (n = 30), cryotherapy (n = 30) and cutaneous stimulation therapy (n = 30); the control group (n = 30) received routine care. Premeasurements and postmeasurements were evaluated using a visual analogue pain scale and nurses' careful observations of patients' pain behaviour checklists during needle insertion. RESULTS: Pain levels were reduced by all three interventions, with the level of relief depending on the type of application. All experimental groups showed significant reduction in pain compared with the control group. Lidocaine cream had the strongest effect, followed by cryotherapy and then cutaneous stimulation. CONCLUSION: Lidocaine cream, cryotherapy and cutaneous stimulation therapy all reduced cancer patients' pain levels during insertion of an implanted central venous access chemoport needle. Nurses can apply cryotherapy and cutaneous stimulation therapy independently to reduce the pain associated with this procedure. Future studies should consider using these methods to control for any individual differences that may exist.

Relationships among Self-Care Competency, Presence of Depressive Symptom, and Health-Related Quality of Life of Korean Stroke Patients.

This study was to examine the self-care competency, the presence of depressive symptom, and health-related quality of life and to evaluate the correlation of these measures among 146 stroke patients in South Korea. The analyses showed that mean score of self-care competency indicates a slightly lower level of self-care competency. There showed lower levels of self-care competency in patients with no occupation, hemorrhage or infarction stroke type, both attack area and with risk-factors or other diseases such as hypertension and/or diabetes. Self-care competency had a significant, negative relation with presence of depressive symptom, while self-care competency had a significant, positive relation with health-related quality of life. In the nursing practice, nurses need to pay attention self-care competency and the related factors for better qualitive care of stroke patients. Concrete interventions and strategies to improve the self-care competency of stroke patients are needed.

Burnout and Related Factors of Nurses Caring for DNR Patients in Intensive Care Units, South Korea.

This study examined the factors related to burnout, depression, job stress, and job satisfaction in intensive care unit (ICU) nurses caring for do not resuscitate (DNR) patients, as well as analyzed any differences. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed. Study participants involved a total of 115 nurses caring for DNR patients in ICUs in South Korean hospitals. Measures involved a demographic form, Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, Nursing Job Stress Scale (Korean version), and Nursing Job Satisfaction Scale (Korean version). Data were collected from February to March 2017. The analyses illustrated a higher level of burnout, a slightly lower level of depression, a slightly lower level of nursing job stress, and a very slightly higher level of nursing job satisfaction compared with the median value of the score range for each scale. Burnout had a significant, positive relationship with depression and nursing job stress, and depression had a significant, positive relationship with nursing job stress. This study illuminates preliminary evidence that ICU nurses who are caring for DNR patients have a higher level of burnout compared with the median value of the score range in the CBI (Korean version). Burnout, depression, job stress, and job satisfaction were interrelated in ICU nurses.