An examination of the sexual functions of patients who underwent a gynecologic cancer operation and received brachytherapy.

OBJECTIVE: This study was planned as a descriptive study for the purpose of examining the sexual functions of patients' who underwent a gynecological operation and received brachytherapy. METHODS: The study was conducted with 118 women who attended the Radiation Oncology Unit at Ege University Medical Faculty Hospital in Izmir Province for Gynecological Oncology follow-up, who participated voluntarily and were assigned using the random sampling method. The participants were married, sexually active, had a diagnosis of gynecologic cancer, underwent an operation and received brachytherapy for four months after the operation. The Individual Identification Form and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) were used as the data collection tools. RESULTS: The average age of women who participated in study was 50.90±7.98 and 41.5% of them had completed primary school. About 60% of the participants had cervical cancer and 69.5% had a total abdominal hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy. The FSFI average score was determined to be 15.77±8.71. It was found that 97.5% of the participants received fewer than 30 points from the scale and these participants thus experienced sexual dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: According to the findings obtained from the study, almost all thewomen that had an operation as a result of adiagnosis of gynecologic cancer and received brachytherapy experienced sexual dysfunction.

The relationship between breastfeeding self-efficacy and LATCH scores and affecting factors.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the relationship between breastfeeding self-efficacy and LATCH scores and affecting factors in Turkish mothers. BACKGROUND: The benefits of breastfeeding for newborns and mothers are well documented. Type of birth, maternal and neonatal complications; lack of support from healthcare professionals during breastfeeding, hospital routines, time and duration of mother-newborn attachment; and insufficiency of husband and family support are the most significant factors affecting breastfeeding initiation and mothers' breastfeeding self-efficacy in early postpartum period. Therefore, it is important to determine how all these factors affect breastfeeding. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study. METHODS: The sample of the study consisted of 303 postpartum women who were recruited at the obstetrics clinic of maternity hospital in one of the three largest city of Turkey. The data were obtained using Personal Identification Form, Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form and LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Tool to determine breastfeeding success. The mean, standard deviation, frequency, percentages, correlation analysis and Kruskal-Wallis variance analysis were used in data collection. RESULTS: The main finding of the study was a weak positive correlation between average LATCH scores and average Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form scores of women in the postpartum period. The women becoming pregnant four times or more got significantly higher average Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale-Short Form and average LATCH scores, and the women married for 11 years or longer and the mothers starting to breastfeed their babies within 30 minutes of their birth got significantly higher average LATCH scores. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present research affirm the beneficial role of high self-efficacy in successful breastfeeding. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: It is of great importance that midwives and obstetric nurses routinely evaluate breastfeeding self-efficacy and the capability of breastfeeding for early detection of problems related to breastfeeding.

[The Effect of Using High Fidelity Birthing Simulator on Satisfaction and Performance of Nursing Students in Developing Obstetric Skills]. / Obstetrik Becerilerin Gelistirilmesinde Gerçeklige Yakinligi Yüksek Dogum Simülatörü Kullaniminin Hemsirelik Ögrencilerinin Memnuniyet ve Performansi Üzerine Etkisi.

AIM: Research was carried out to examine the effect of training with realizing high fidelity birthing simulator on obstetric skill applications and satisfaction levels of students with in the scope of obstetric diagnostic applications. METHOD: The sample of the research, which was conducted in semi-experimental design, consisted of 90 students. In the study, the students in experiment group with high fidelity birthing simulator (n=47) and the students in control group (n=43) using basic-level modeling, not including advanced technology were in obstetric skills training in order to perform physical examination of pregnant and postpartum women. During collection of research data following forms were used; Obstetric Diagnostic Clinical Skills Guides, Satisfaction from Education Methods Survey and Professional Skills Laboratory Feedback Form. The socio-demographic data obtained from study were evaluated with number and percentage distributions using the Statistical Package for Social Science for Windows Version 15.0 package program. Independent Sample T Test, Mann-Withney U Test and Chi-Square Test were used for comparison between groups. RESULTS: Obstetric skill mean scores of the students in the experiment group were significantly higher than the control group. No significant difference was found between the groups in terms of satisfaction with the education method. The students in the experiment group responded more positively to " the suitability of the laboratory physics environment, the adequacy of the materials and adaptation with theoretical knowledge of the laboratory applications. Eighty one percent of the students in the experiment group and 58% of the students in the control group stated that "Laboratory practice" found sufficient. CONCLUSION: When using a high-fidelity birth simulator, students' laboratory skills are more adequate and their feedbacks towards laboratory studies are more positive. As a result of study it is recommended that the simulation-based education is widely used by nursing students at laboratory studies prior to clinic applications in universities providing education at the bachelor degree.

Evaluation of the effects of ice massage applied to large intestine 4 (hegu) on postpartum pain during the active phase of labor.

BACKGROUND: The uterus continues to contract after childbirth. The pain caused by the contractions of the uterus can be as severe as labor pain. The study was aimed to evaluate the effects of ice massage applied to the large intestine 4 (LI4) on postpartum pain during the active phase of labor. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was designed as a randomized controlled trial with three groups and carried out in two stages. The study sample comprised of 150 pregnant women, who were referred to a maternity hospital. In the experimental group, ice massage was applied to LI4 during four contractions within the active phase of labor. In the placebo group, pressure was applied to LI4 using silicone balloons and the third group was the control group. The Visual Analog Scale (VAS) and The McGill (Melzack) Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) were compared among the experimental, placebo, and control groups. RESULTS: The mothers in the ice application group had the lowest mean VAS score. It was determined that ice massage applied to LI4 during the active phase of labor did not lead to any statistical differences in mothers in the first 24 hours postpartum in terms of the characteristics of the pain with MPQ and VAS. CONCLUSIONS: In the study, the perception of pain was tried to be minimized by applying pressure with ice balloons to LI4. However, although the application was determined to have made no difference in the pain intensity, the mothers' statements in the ice application group suggested that they felt more comfortable than did the mothers in the other groups.

Preventing and terminating unwanted pregnancies in Turkey.

PURPOSE: To determine the methods used to prevent pregnancy by women seeking abortion of unwanted pregnancy, their knowledge and use of emergency contraception, and reasons for wanting the abortion. DESIGN: The sample was 144 randomly selected women, who requested abortion for termination of their pregnancies at two hospitals in Izmir, Turkey, during the study period. METHODS: A questionnaire was completed by the researcher in face-to-face interviews. FINDINGS: In this sample 43.8% had had previous abortions; 77.1% used some method of family planning; 7.0% used emergency contraceptives. The methods selected after unprotected sexual intercourse by these women included vaginal douche (37.5%), waiting to see whether the menstrual cycle would begin (27.0%), going to a hospital or maternal-child health center (24.3%), and two other alternatives (4.2%). One-fifth of the women said that, if they get pregnant again, they will have another abortion. CONCLUSIONS: The number of unwanted pregnancies is high and many women seek abortions as a birth control method. Women in this sample needed information about effective methods for preventing pregnancy.