Alarm fatigue among nurses working in intensive care and other inpatient clinics.

BACKGROUND: Alarm fatigue is an important technological hazard that adversely affects patient safety and the healthcare team. Nurses can be exposed to an excessive amount of alarms during their work which may lead to alarm fatigue. OBJECTIVE: To determine the experiences of alarm fatigue among nurses working in intensive care units and other inpatient clinics. METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted in university hospitals in five cities in Turkey between August and December 2019. A total of 592 nurses participated in this study. The data was collected using questionnaires and the Visual Analog Scale (0 to 10 points) was used to determine the level of alarm fatigue. RESULTS: More than half of the nurses experienced problems, especially false alarms, caused by devices. Alarm fatigue decreased with increasing age and working years. Nurses reported appropriate actions in solving problems, but also had practices that may increase the risk of error, such as turning off or muting alarms or turning off equipment. CONCLUSION: Alarm fatigue is mostly caused by false alarms. It can lead to physical fatigue, increased workload and decreased concentration, resulting in an increased possibility of error. Management of alarm fatigue is necessary in preventing a compromise in patients' safety and improving quality of care.

Determination of smoking and drinking and preventive measures in adolescents.

Smoking and alcohol drinking in adolescents cause significant problems in most countries. The aim of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to determine the prevalence, causes, risk factors, and preventive factors for cigarette and alcohol use in adolescents. The sample included 1,133 students enrolled in grades 9-12. Data were collected using a descriptive data form, the Psychological Resilience and Adolescent Development Scale, and the Family Environment Scale. Most adolescents stated that stress and psychological problems were the causes of smoking and alcohol use. Preventive factors were indicated as developing skills for saying "no," good coping skills, and peer groups not using cigarettes. The Psychological Resilience and Adolescent Development Scale mean score for cigarette and alcohol use was significantly higher than for nonuse. The Family Environment Scale mean score for cigarette and alcohol use was significantly lower than for nonuse.

Exploring communication difficulties in pediatric hematology: oncology nurses.

BACKGROUND: Communication plays an important role for the well being of patients, families and also health care professionals in cancer care. Conversely, ineffective communication may cause depression, increased anxiety, hopelessness and decreased of quality life for patients, families and also nurses. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore communication difficulties of pediatric hematology/oncology nurses with patients and their families, as well as their suggestions about communication difficulties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: It was conducted in a pediatric hematology/oncology hospital in Ankara, Turkey. Qualitative data were collected by focus groups, with 21 pediatric hematology/oncology nursing staff from three groups. Content analysis was used for data analysis. RESULTS: Findings were grouped in three main categories. The first category concerned communication difficulties, assessing problems in responding to questions, ineffective communication and conflicts with the patient's families. The second was about the effects of communication difficulties on nurses and the last main category involved suggestions for empowering nurses with communication difficulties, the theme being related to institutional issues. CONCLUSIONS: Nurses experience communication difficulties with children and their families during long hospital stays. Communication difficulties particularly increase during crisis periods, like at the time of first diagnosis, relapse, the terminal stage or on days with special meaning such as holidays. The results obtained indicate that pediatric nurses and the child/family need to be supported, especially during crisis periods. Feeling of empowerment in communication will improve the quality of care by reducing the feelings of exhaustion and incompetence in nurses.

Nursing students' perceptions towards cancer and caring for cancer patients in Turkey.

PURPOSE: This descriptive study investigated nursing students' perceptions about cancer and their experiences of caring for cancer patients. METHODS: The study was conducted in a school of nursing in Ankara, Turkey. In the first instance, a self-report questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, experience of caring for cancer patients, and a 22 item Likert scale questionnaire eliciting students' perceptions about cancer was administered (n = 167). In the next stage, 24 third and fourth year students were invited to attend two focus groups to explore their experiences of caring for cancer patients. RESULTS: Less than half of the students in the study had prior experience of caring for cancer patients but the majority displayed positive perceptions towards cancer. The main themes emerging from the study were: hardship, uncertainty, fear, hope, and the association of cancer with death. Difficulties encountered included communication problems, helplessness and fear of doing wrong. Preceptors, nurses and peers were the most common sources of support. Students suggested the need for orientation programs, introduction by the facilitator to the oncology team, organizing meetings to share experiences, extending the duration of practice placements and organizing motivating activities. CONCLUSIONS: Educational programs and supportive strategies may alleviate fears and promote a more positive image of cancer amongst nursing students.

A Turkish version of Kogan's attitude toward older people (KAOP) scale: reliability and validity assessment.

The considerable growth in the elderly population in Turkey has brought with it problems as well as concerns regarding gerontological education for health care professionals. The quality of care provided for older people is directly related to the attitudes of health care professionals. Validated instruments are needed in order to study attitudes toward old people. Aim of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of a Turkish version of KAOP among faculty of health sciences (health management, nutrition and dietetics, nursing, physical therapy, social workers and sports) students (n=594) at a university. The scale was translated using the back-translation technique. A two-phase data collection design was used. Four weeks following the first completion, another KAOP form was given. Content validity, construct validity, internal consistency, and stability reliability were assessed. Scores were between 86 and 175. The study sample reported slightly positive attitudes (132.9 ± 14.74). All of the 34 items were found to have significant item-to-total correlations. The content validity index was 0.94. The Cronbach's alpha was 0.84 for the total scale. The Turkish version of the KAOP can be considered reliable and valid scale for assessing the attitudes toward older people.