The Effects of Nurse-Led Supportive Care Program on Quality of Life in Women with Breast Cancer Receiving Adjuvant Chemotherapy: A Randomized Controlled Pilot Study.

OBJECTIVES: This study was to evaluate the effects of nurse-led supportive care program on quality of life in women with breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. METHODS: The study was carried out a parallel group randomized controlled pilot study with repeated-measures design in general surgery unit of a training and research hospital. Forty-two women with newly diagnosed breast cancer were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received nurse-led supportive care program for 8 weeks, 4 weeks in face-to-face sessions and 4 weeks through phone sessions. The control group received only routine treatment. The women in both groups completed the EORTC-QLQ-C30 (version 3.0) Quality of Life questionnaires at baseline and ninth week. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in the mean global health status and functional status scores of the women with breast cancer in the intervention group compared to the women in the control group in the ninth week compared to the baseline. The women in the intervention group had a lower mean symptom status score in the ninth week than the women in the control group and there was a statistically significant difference in the change in the mean scores of the groups over time. CONCLUSIONS: Our nurse-led supportive care program is an effective, safe and acceptable method to support women with BC receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: The nurse-led supportive care program can be used as a reliable and effective nursing intervention to increase the quality of life of women breast cancer receiving adjuvant chemotherapy. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05399160.

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.

The effect of slow-stroke back massage on chemotherapy-related fatigue in women with breast cancer: An assessor blinded, parallel group, randomized control trial.

OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled parallel-group trial was conducted to investigate the effect of slow-stroke back massage (SSBM) on the level of fatigue in women with breast cancer undergoing chemotherapy. METHODS: Sixty-four women with breast cancer receiving chemotherapy were randomly assigned to SSBMG (n:32), who received SSBM, and CG (n:32), who received routine treatment only. Women with breast cancer in the intervention group received SSBM for a total of 20 min, 10 min before and after each chemotherapy infusion (2nd, 3rd, and 4th cycle). The Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI) was completed before and after three cycles of chemotherapy (2nd, 3rd, and 4th) to assess the level of fatigue in women with breast cancer. RESULTS: After using SSBM, the BFI score was significantly lower in SSBMG than in CG (p 0.001) at all three-time points (1st, 2nd, and 3rd-time points). While the within-group change (Δ) in SSBMG differed significantly between time points (p = 0.018, η2 = 0.14), in contrast, the within-group change (Δ) in CG was found not to differ between time points. CONCLUSION: This study has shown that SSBM, one of the non-pharmacological methods, has a positive effect on the level of fatigue in women with breast cancer.

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.

Effects of Laughter Therapy on Life Satisfaction and Loneliness in Older Adults Living in Nursing Homes in Turkey: A Parallel Group Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of laughter therapy on life satisfaction and loneliness in older adults living in nursing homes. DESIGN: A single-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial (ClinicalTrials NCT03687788) with a pretest-posttest design was conducted. METHODS: There were 31 experimental participants and 31 controls. The experimental group received laughter therapy twice a week for 6 weeks, along with usual care. The control group received usual care only. Loneliness was measured with the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale, and life satisfaction was measured with the Satisfaction With Life Scale. FINDINGS: After 6 weeks, there was a statistically significant difference in De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale total score between the two groups, and the subscale scores of the experimental group decreased. CONCLUSIONS: Laughter therapy may reduce loneliness in older adults. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, can potentially use laughter therapy to reduce loneliness in older adults.

The preliminary effects of henna on chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in women receiving oxaliplatin-based treatment: A parallel-group, randomized, controlled pilot trial.

PURPOSE: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) may frequently occur in patients receiving oxaliplatin-based treatment. The aim of the present parallel-group, randomized, controlled pilot trial was to investigate the effect of henna on CIPN in women receiving oxaliplatin-based treatment. METHOD: Sixty female patients receiving oxaliplatin-based treatment were randomly divided into two groups, i.e., one intervention group (n = 30) where henna was applied topically and one control group (n = 30) that received routine treatment and care. Women in the intervention group were provided a pack of henna prepared by the investigators following each treatment course (2nd, 3rd, and 4th courses) and were instructed to apply the henna on their palms, fingers, and soles. The chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy assessment tool (CIPNAT) was completed by women subsequent to the 2nd (baseline), 3rd, and 4th courses of treatment. RESULTS: The intragroup assessment performed for the intervention group revealed that the total CIPNAT score significantly declined in the intervention group (p < 0.05). The score changes by time in the intervention and control groups were in favour of the intervention group, and the effect size for group × time interaction was η2 = 0.169. Similarly, regarding the symptoms intervention section of the tool, a positive change by time in the intervention group was observed, and the effect size concerning this change was large, i.e., η2 = 0.284. CONCLUSIONS: The present study results showed that henna application on hands and feet has a beneficial effect on peripheral neuropathy. Applying henna is a promising approach in CIPN management.

The preliminary effects of laughter therapy on loneliness and death anxiety among older adults living in nursing homes: A nonrandomised pilot study.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the preliminary effect of laughter therapy on the level of loneliness and death anxiety of older adults. METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental study with a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design. The study participants were older adults living in two nursing homes set up by foundations located in the capital of Turkey. A total of 50 older adults formed the intervention group (n = 20) and control group (n = 30). The intervention group received laughter therapy twice a week for 5 weeks. The control group received no intervention. Data were collected using a socio-demographic form, the De Jong Gierveld Loneliness Scale (DJGLS) and the Turkish Death Anxiety Scale (TDAS). RESULTS: After laughter therapy, the DJGLS total and subscale (emotional and social loneliness) scores decreased among older adults in the intervention group (p < 0.005). While there were no significant differences for overall TDAS, death uncertainty and pain subscales scores between the intervention and control group after laughter therapy, there was a significant decrease in TDAS exposure subscale scores of the intervention group (p < 0.005). DISCUSSION: The results suggest that laughter therapy can be used to decrease levels of loneliness and death anxiety among older adults living in nursing homes. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Anxiety regarding death and loneliness are important issues that affect quality of life in older adults. This first pilot study demonstrates the beneficial effects of laughter therapy on loneliness and death anxiety in nursing home residents. Nurses can incorporate laughter therapy into routine programmes in nursing homes.