The Effect of Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) and Nursing Guide Application on Postoperative Patient Outcomes: A Randomized Controlled Study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to determine the effect of nursing guide application (NGA) on patient outcomes in patients followed up according to the modified early warning score (MEWS) in the postoperative period. DESIGN: A randomized controlled clinical trial. METHODS: The sample of the study consisted of 252 patients who underwent surgical intervention under general anesthesia in a university hospital between July 29, 2022, and October 31, 2022. FINDINGS: Results showed that the development of complications was less in the study group (SG) compared to the control group (CG) during anesthesia (P = .027), in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) (P = .017), and in the clinic (P = .001). It was found that the duration of stay in PACU in the CG was significantly shorter than in the study group (P < .001), and as the duration of stay in PACU in CG decreased, the MEWS increased (r = -0.201, P = .024). We found that there were fewer patients transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU) after PACU (P = .007), the MEWS was lower, and the number of nursing interventions applied to patients was higher (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: In patients followed up according to MEWS, NGA had a positive effect on preventing the development of complications and shortening the intervention time for complications, decreasing ICU admission, decreasing MEWS and increasing the number of nursing interventions. Based on the results, it may be recommended to use MEWS+NGA in the early postoperative period as it positively affects patient outcomes.

The Effect of Precolonoscopy Lavender Inhalation on Patient Anxiety and Comfort: A Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blinded, Single-Center Study.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of lavender oil inhalation on the anxiety and comfort levels of patients scheduled for colonoscopy. Seventy-three experimental group patients scheduled for colonoscopy at a training and research hospital in the west of Turkey in June to September 2022 and 72 control group patients were included in this randomized, controlled, prospective study. Minimal sedation (propofol 2-3 mg/kg) was applied in both groups. Lavender inhalation was applied to the experimental group, whereas the control group patients received nursing care (vital sign monitoring, prevention of complications, and rest). The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the Shortened General Comfort Questionnaire were used for pre- and postprocedural data collection. Median ages were 53.00 years (47.25-59.00) in the experimental group patients and 51.00 (44.00-59.5) in the control group. Although postprocedural state anxiety scores were lower in the experimental group compared with the control group, the difference was not statistically significant ( p = .069). The general postcolonoscopy comfort score was significantly higher in the experimental group compared with the control group ( p < .001). Trait anxiety scores also increased as the number of colonoscopies increased in both groups. We conclude that lavender oil inhalation, a simple and inexpensive intervention, increases patient comfort while exhibiting a positive, albeit statistically insignificant, effect on anxiety.

An Investigation of Surgical Nurses' Professional Values, Ethical Sensitivity and Quality of Care: A Cross-Sectional Study From Northwest Turkey.

Nurses' professional values are closely associated with their ethical sensitivity and the quality of nursing care. The aim of this study was to determine surgical nurses' perceptions of their professional values, ethical sensitivities and quality of care, the relationship between these variables, and the factors influencing these. The sample of this cross-sectional, descriptive and relational study consisted of 231 nurses working in the surgical units of two university hospitals and a training and research hospital. The study revealed a statistically significant negative relationship between the nurses' professional values scale median score and the Moral Sensitivity Questionnaire median score, and a positive significant relationship between the Nurses' Professional Values Scale median score and the Care Behaviors Scale median score. Having ethical problems in their professional lives increased the ethical sensitivity of nurses, while having a medical-vocational high school and vocational school of health services degree and participation in training/meetings about professional values and ethics increased the perception of the quality of nursing care. Awareness of professional values is crucial in providing quality nursing care that is in line with ethical principles; therefore, it is recommended that the continuity of surgical nurses' participation in training/meetings on professional values and ethics be ensured, that they be supported to become members of professional associations, and that supportive working environments be provided to improve the quality of nursing care.

Meeting the care needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families through the Model of Nursing Based on Activities of Living.

AIM: This study aimed to identify the problems families of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities face in meeting their family members' care needs, using the Model of Nursing Based on Activities of Living, and planned implemented and evaluated the nursing interventions to fulfill these care needs. METHOD: A cross-sectional screening model was used in the study. One hundred families of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who accepted home visits between September 2008 and December 2008, were included in the study. RESULTS: The study revealed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) between the Model of Nursing Based on Activities of Living total mean scores of care needs in the pre- (1.69 ± 0.21) and post-nursing intervention (1.50 ± 0.24) periods. Nurse-led interventions for daily life activities of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families were found to be effective (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: In line with the Model of Nursing Based on Activities of Living, nurse-led collaboration with families and relevant institutions positively contributed to meeting the care needs of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.

COVID-19, Anxiety, and Hopelessness: Quality of Life Among Healthcare Workers in Turkey.

The aim of the study is to investigate the effects of intense anxiety and hopelessness experienced by healthcare workers during the pandemic on their quality of life. This cross-sectional, online questionnaire-based study was conducted between August 31, 2020 and October 31, 2020, with 729 healthcare workers in Turkey. The study showed that hopelessness, the weekly working time, fatigue, and the workload of healthcare workers negatively affected their quality of life, those who found the pandemic measures inadequate had a lower quality of life and higher hopelessness levels, and those who needed knowledge on various issues to improve their skills had lower quality of life and higher levels of anxiety and hopelessness. Increasing the measures to make healthcare workers feel competent and ready during the COVID-19 pandemic and meet their information needs to improve their skills will reduce their anxiety and hopelessness and improve their quality of life. Identifying the factors affecting anxiety, hopelessness, and quality of life will help achieve sustainable success in the delivery of health services and promote employee health and safety.

Identifying relationships between kinesiophobia, functional level, mobility, and pain in older adults after surgery.

BACKGROUND: Further data on the causes of functional independence or disability after surgery are needed to explain the clinical decision-making process for older patients, their families, and policy-makers. There are a limited number of studies showing the relationship between kinesiophobia, functional status, pain and mobility in older adults after surgery. AIMS: The study aims to investigate relationships among kinesiophobia, pain, mobility, and functional status in older adults after surgery. METHODS: A comparative-descriptive and cross-sectional study. The research was conducted with 99 older adults in the general surgery clinic after surgery. A Visual Analogue Scale was used to evaluate pain levels, the Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination to evaluate mental function status, the Functional Independence Measure to assess functional independence in daily activities, the Rivermead Mobility Index to evaluate basic mobility in daily life, and the Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia to assess fear of mobility. RESULTS: Regression analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between social security and kinesiophobia, and also between functional level and type of anesthesia and mental status in older women (R2 = - 0.185, p = 0.005; R2 = - 0.167, p = 0.011 and p = 0.005, respectively). DISCUSSION: In the literature, there are no standardized procedures during the evaluation and rehabilitation of older adults after abdominal or thoracic surgery, etc. operations. This study will contribute to the current literature by attracting interest in this field and increasing the evaluations performed. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings emphasize the importance of evaluating the functional, mobility, mental and kinesiophobic status of older adults after surgery in clinics, rehabilitation centers, or research.

The effect of Covid-19 on ethical sensitivity.

BACKGROUND: In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, healthcare workers increasingly encounter serious ethical issues that negatively affect their professionalism. PURPOSE: The study aims to examine the ethical sensitivity levels of physicians and nurses working in surgical units during the Covid-19 pandemic and the associating factors. METHOD: The sample of this cross-sectional online questionnaire-based study consists of 161 healthcare workers working at the surgical units in Turkish hospitals. The data were collected using the "Nurse Descriptive Information Form" developed by the researchers and the "Ethical Sensitivity Questionnaire." ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: Approval was granted by the ethics committee. Verbal and written consent was received from the healthcare workers. RESULTS: Ethical sensitivity in the dimension of conflict was found to be higher in healthcare workers who had ethical issues during the Covid-19 pandemic, who were married, who were nurses, who worked more than 45 h, and who had a work experience of 7-10 years (p < 0.05). Healthcare workers with a family member diagnosed with Covid-19 had high ethical sensitivity in the dimension of conflict (p = 0.008), while those who reported being fully competent and ready (p = 0.038) about Covid-19 were found to have low ethical sensitivity. Besides, those who experienced inadequate supplies (p = 0.045), long working hours (p = 0.038), and problems in asepsis-sterilization (p = 0.046) during the Covid-19 pandemic were found to have low sensitivity in the holistic approach dimension. CONCLUSION: The study revealed that ethical issues during the Covid-19 pandemic, sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge-skills about Covid-19, and the problems encountered in the work environment during the pandemic affect the ethical sensitivity of healthcare workers in the dimensions of conflict and holistic approach. Therefore, it is recommended that governments and all healthcare workers, and stakeholders in the health system in our country and other countries take action to promote ethical sensitivity in response to the rapidly increasing epidemic by considering the factors that adversely affect ethical sensitivity.

Nurse Stress Scale (NSS): Reliability and validity of the Turkish version.

PURPOSE: This study aims to conduct the reliability and validity study of the Turkish version of the Nurse Stress Scale (NSS), which determines the job stress of nurses. DESIGN AND METHODS: The sample of the methodological study consisted of 349 nurses. RESULTS: The factor load of the scale was in the appropriate range (0.32-0.79), Cronbach's α was determined as .928, and the item total score correlations ranged between 0.418 and 0.662. The test-retest reliability coefficient was determined to be r = .859. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The Turkish version of the NSS was evaluated and it was found that it could be used as a valid and reliable measurement tool in Turkish nurses. Health care service providers can use NSS to determine the work stress of nurses.

Patients' and Nurses' Perceptions of the Quality of Nursing Care in Surgical Clinics: A Multicenter Study in Turkey.

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of the quality of nursing care by patients and nurses is important for improving care. PURPOSE: The aim was to determine patients' and nurses' perceptions of the quality of nursing care in surgical clinics and influencing factors. METHODS: The sample of this cross-sectional, descriptive, and comparative study consisted of 503 surgical patients and 308 surgical nurses. The data were collected between February 2018 and June 2019. RESULTS: Characteristics of patients such as age, gender, complications, and nursing care scores, and the characteristics of the nurses such as being satisfied with the current clinic, their work experience in the clinic, and the number of daily surgical interventions affected the perceptions of care quality. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed that the patients' perceptions of the quality of care were lower than those of nurses, and some factors belonging to the patients and nurses negatively influenced the quality of care.

Senior high school students' opinions on the nursing profession: A ten-year comparative study.

AIMS: To analyse the changes in senior students' opinions about the nursing profession over a 10-year period. DESIGN: A descriptive and comparative study. METHOD: Data were collected using a questionnaire form, which was completed by 400 senior high school students in Çankiri city center during 2007-2008 (Group 1) and 2017-2018 (Group 2) academic years. RESULTS: Compared with 10 years ago, more students referred to nurses as 'knowledgeable, concerned, and tolerant'. There were fewer students who knew the duties of nurses. There were significantly fewer students who wanted to be nurses and many who wanted to be nurses in both groups said it was 'because they love nursing'. Compared with 10 years ago, more students said they wanted to be nurses because their parents wanted them to be nurses, but fewer students said they wanted to be nurses because they love people. There were more students who did not want to be nurses 'because it is tiring and entails irregular work hours'. However, more students said that they would like to go into nursing if the salary was satisfactory. CONCLUSION: The study showed that, compared with 10 years ago, more students defined nurses as knowledgeable and professional. They reported they did not currently wish to enter the nursing profession, but that they would do so if the wages were high. IMPACT: This study aims to determine the change in young individuals' opinions about the nursing profession in Turkey over a 10-year period. Due to poor work conditions in the nursing profession, most of the students did not want to be nurses, but their opinions might change if nurses' salaries were satisfactory. Academicians and nurses play an important role in introducing the nursing profession to students when they choose their career and informing high school teachers, who advise these students.