Surgical decision making considering body image in post menopausal breast cancer patients

In most of the developing counties postmenopausal breast cancer cases are offered a radical form of surgery relying on their unawareness about body image. We evaluate the effect of breast cancer surgical choice; Conservative Breast Therapy [BCT] or Modified Radical Mastectomy [MRM]; on body image in Egyptian postmenopausal cases. A prospective randomized trial of 100 postmenopausal women who had stage I and II breast cancer. Half of them had BCT and the other half had MRM. Sociodemographic data were collected and pre and postoperative assessments of body image distress were done using four scales; Breast Impact of Treatment Scale [BITS], Impact of Event Scale [IES], Situational Discomfort Scale [SDS], Body Satisfaction Scale [BSS]. The patients ages ranged from 43-82 years [54.28 +/- 8.84]. Preoperative assessment shows no statistical significant difference as regarding cognitive, affective, behavioral and evaluative components of body image between both studied groups. While in postoperative assessment, women in MRM group showed higher levels of body image distress among cognitive, affective and behavioral aspects. For the evaluative aspect, there was no statistical significant difference between both groups. Body image is as important for postmenopausal women as for younger women. Even in developing countries, where the concept is ignored, we should not deprive postmenopausal breast cancer cases from their right of a less mutilating option of treatment as BCT

Self care and life style of hemiplegic patients: a test of Orem's theory

The objective of the study was to test the fesibility of application of Orem's self-care theory on hemiplegic patients. the sample comprised 100 patients with recent hemiplegia. Data were collected from the physical. Therapy Department of Gamal Abdel Naser Health Insurance Hospital, Alexandria, Egypt, through interview. The Health Promoting Life Style Profile Scale was used to assess the individual patterns of healthful life style behavior. The exercise of self-Care Agency Scale also was used to measure the four subconstructs that contributed to person's exercise of self-care agency. The result showed that for males aged 60 years and more, those with high school education and more had a mean score of 82.18 for the exercise of self-care agency and 71.41 for healthful life style. The corresponding means for those with less than high school education were 52.67 and 56.38 respectively. For females those with less than high school education, the mean scores were 79 for exercise of self-care agency and 63 for healthful life style

Nurse's perception on stressic at the Hadara orthopedic and traumatology University Hospital

In this study 94 nurses were interviewed to identify stress factors in relation to years of employment in an orthopaedic hospital. The study reveals that nurses regardless of their position perceived working in orthopaedic hospital as stressful. Moreover a significant difference was found between the three studied groups in relation to specific items. Stress is generally addressed in terms of the individuals but it can be identified as a [group responses] on a nursing unit. Many situations nurses face are stressful. These may arise from the discrepancy existing between their ideal and their ability to give nurturing supportive care to patients, ability to perform technical skill proficiently and ability to feel personally and professionally satisfied with the nursing care given. Given these strong demands generalized stress responses to these tasks can be expected [Scully 1980]. Identification of stress factors can help in ameliorating the working conditions and improving performance. Researches on the stress factors affecting ICU/CCU nurses have contributed to improve work conditions [Grout Bailey and Steffen 1981]. Although nurses working orthopaedic patients face different stressors due to patient's long term hospitalization and dealing with patient's fatigue, pain and maintaining uncomfortable positions in traction for long periods, yet it seems that nothing has been done to examine the stress factors of nurses working in these hospitals. This research study builds upon the earlier theoretical work of Selye, 1974. Also, it has applied the research on stress in ICU/CCU to the orthopaedic setting with the anticipation that the finding may be useful in improving the work environment of orthopaedic nurses and ultimately the care of orthopaedic patients. The aim of the study is to : 1 Identify stress factors as perceived by nurses in an Orthopaedic Hospital. 2 Identify stressors in relation to years of employment

Patients' description of the common symptoms of respiratory disease

Respiratory disorders are the most common type of acute illness. The incidence of chronic respiratory diseases is increasing. Common respiratory disorders are presenting with symptoms of dyspnea, coughing, wheezing and the formation phlegm. In order to properly assess a patient and give appropriate care, the nurse must be familiar with some of the more common identations of respiratory disorders. The following study was undertaken to identify patients' description of the common indication of respiratory disorders; namely, cough, phlegm and wheezing and the impact of smoking habits and allergens on respiratory disorders as well as the effect of respiratory disorders on certain activities of daily living. Results revealed that the majority of respiratory disease patients have cough usually, they bring up phlegm and have wheezing many days and nights. Half of the sample were smokers, allergic elements were unknown to most of the patients. Activities of daily living were troubled by shortness of breath

Psychophysiologic manifestations caused by shortness of breath in patients with pulmonary diseases

Ninety male and female patients were included in this study. All of them have a primary diagnosis of pulmonary disease, being mentally alert adult patients and passed the acute phase. A semistructured interview questionnaire included mode tension, memory, sleep, depression, and relationship with others. It also included physical manifestations of shortness of breath. This study revealed that patients with breathing difficulty were facing an enormously frightening experience, whatever the cause of their physical problem. They felt depressed and anxious and their physiological state of mind influenced their physical condition. Physical manifestations included difficulty in getting enough air, pain, physical fatigue and sensory distribution