Development of an intensive care oral care frequency assessment scale.

BACKGROUND: Oral care and frequency of oral care is important for intensive care patients in order to prevent the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia. However, there are no scales to assess the frequency of oral care specific to intensive care units (ICUs). AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable tool, "Intensive Care Oral Care Frequency Assessment Scale (ICOCFAS)", for assessing the frequency of nurses' oral care in critical ill patients. DESIGN: This was an instrument development study. METHODS: The validity and reliability of the ICOCFAS, which consists of nine items, were tested using content validity (five expert opinions), construct validity (factor analysis), item analysis, and internal consistency analysis methods. The population of the research consisted of inpatients at the ICU of a hospital in Sakarya, Turkey. The research was conducted with 73 patients in the ICU. RESULTS: Expert opinions on the content validity indicated that the scale was admissible. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) coefficient was calculated at 0.800, and the Chi-square value of the Bartlett test was considerably significant (χ2  = 270.539; P < .001). Using a path diagram in confirmatory factor analysis, Chi-square/df ratio values were calculated as 1.49, standardized root mean square residual as 0.077, comparative fit index as 0.97, and root mean square error of approximation as 0.082. Cronbach's alpha was 0.851. The correlations between the items and total scores were 0.455 to 0.835 and were statistically significant (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The ICOCFAS is an efficient tool with high validity and reliability for assessing oral care frequency in the ICU. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The ICOCFAS is a valid and reliable tool for Turkish society for assessing the frequency of oral care of patients in the ICU. It is recommended for various national and international studies with different patients in ICUs.

The Predictive Strength of Students' Self-Efficacy, Problem Solving Skills to Perform Catheter Care.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the predictive strength of students' self-efficacy, problem-solving skills, and other characteristics in performing intravenous practices and monitor phlebitis and infiltration. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out with 736 third and fourth-year students studying at the Health Sciences Faculties of Balikesir and Sakarya universities. The data were collected using the Self-Efficacy Scale, Problem-Solving Inventory and Catheter Care and Infiltration Monitoring Questionnaire. RESULTS: The participants' mean Catheter Care and Infiltration Monitoring Questionnaire score significantly and positively correlated with their mean Self-Efficacy Scale score on a moderate level (r=.25; p <.001) but significantly and negatively correlated with their mean Problem-Solving Inventory score on a moderate level (r=-.21; p <.001). In other words, because a low Problem-Solving Inventory score indicates that the person's problem-solving skill is high, the Care and Infiltration Monitoring Questionnaire score increased as the problem-solving skill increased. While the Self-Efficacy Scale predicted the year of study and catheter care and infiltration monitoring variables positively, the Problem-Solving Inventory predicted the satisfaction with the profession variable negatively. CONCLUSION: Self-efficacy, problem-solving, liking the profession, and year of study predict success in catheter care and infiltration monitoring. For this reason, guidance may be provided in the development of a comprehensive education system toward increasing students' problem-solving skills, self-efficacy, and professional knowledge and skills.

The Predictive Strength of Students’ Self-Efficacy, Problem Solving Skills to Perform Catheter Care

Purpose@#The aim of this study was to determine the predictive strength of students’ self-efficacy, problem-solving skills, and other characteristicsin performing intravenous practices and monitor phlebitis and infiltration. @*Methods@#This cross-sectional study was carried outwith 736 third and fourth-year students studying at the Health Sciences Faculties of Balikesir and Sakarya universities. The data were collectedusing the Self-Efficacy Scale, Problem-Solving Inventory and Catheter Care and Infiltration Monitoring Questionnaire. @*Results@#Theparticipants’ mean Catheter Care and Infiltration Monitoring Questionnaire score significantly and positively correlated with their meanSelf-Efficacy Scale score on a moderate level (r=.25; p <.001) but significantly and negatively correlated with their mean Problem-SolvingInventory score on a moderate level (r=-.21; p <.001). In other words, because a low Problem-Solving Inventory score indicates that theperson’s problem-solving skill is high, the Care and Infiltration Monitoring Questionnaire score increased as the problem-solving skill increased.While the Self-Efficacy Scale predicted the year of study and catheter care and infiltration monitoring variables positively, theProblem-Solving Inventory predicted the satisfaction with the profession variable negatively. @*Conclusion@#Self-efficacy, problem-solving, likingthe profession, and year of study predict success in catheter care and infiltration monitoring. For this reason, guidance may be providedin the development of a comprehensive education system toward increasing students’ problem-solving skills, self-efficacy, and professionalknowledge and skills.