Turkish version of the revised nursing professional values scale: validity and reliability assessment.

AIM: The purpose of this study was to assess the reliability and validity of a Turkish version of the Revised Nursing Professional Values Scale (NPVS-R). METHODS: The sample of this methodological study consisted of 385 participants, including senior undergraduate nursing students (n = 328) and clinical nurses (n = 57). Data was collected using the NPVS-R. For NPVS validity, content validity and construct validity were analyzed. The content validity index (CVI) was used to determine item validity. RESULTS: Item CVI ranged from 0.78 to 1.0, and total CVI was 0.93. Construct validity was examined using factor analysis and the five factors were identified as original NPVS-R. Chronbach's alpha was used to assess the internal consistency reliability. The 26-item NPVS had a standardized alpha coefficient of 0.92. Test-retest reliability scale was r = 0.76 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our analyses showed that the Turkish version of NPVS-R has high validity and reliability.

Effects of the diabetic patients' perceived social support on their quality-of-life.

AIM: The aim of this descriptive study was to determine effects of the diabetic patients' perceived social support on theirs life qualities. BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes and its treatment effects patients' quality of life. Quality-of-life is important for people with diabetes and their health care providers. Social support for diabetic adults has been shown to benefit disease management and adjustment. RESEARCH DESIGN: This research was conducted with 66 type 2 diabetic patients who came for control to the diabetes policlinic between May and June 2003 at diabetes polyclinic in Kocaeli State Hospital of Marmara Region in Turkey. Informed consent was obtained from patients. Data were collected by using the quality-of-life scale (SF-36), perceptional social support scale and the questionnaire prepared by the researchers. METHOD: For the analysis of data, Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Pearson and Spearman correlation analysis have been employed. RESULTS: Perceived social support and quality-of-life were increased together. Male patients' and retired patients' quality life score and perceived social support were high. Meanwhile when educational level was increased, perceived social support and quality-of-life were increased. The quality life scores and perceived social support scores were high in patients who living alone and used oral antidiabetic drugs. CONCLUSIONS: If perceived social support and quality-of-life were increased together, it means social support increases quality-of-life. That is why nurses must try to plan some strategies for increase social support of patients. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Assessment of social support of type 2 diabetic patients may assist in determining individualized goals and strategies. Enhanced social support in diabetes self-management may subsequently improve metabolic control, self-management and psychosocial adjustment to diabetes.

Knowledge and attitudes of medical, nursing, dentistry and health technician students towards organ donation: a pilot study.

AIM: This pilot study assesses the knowledge and attitudes of medicine, nursing, dentistry and health technical students toward organ donation. BACKGROUND: Medicine, nursing, dentistry and health technical students' knowledge of and attitudes towards organ donation may be a factor in organ procurement rates. There is a lack of information about how Turkish medicine, nursing, dentistry and health technical students perceive organ donation, and what they know about it. METHOD: Students completed a self-administered questionnaire after a lecture. The questionnaire included a test that was used to assess knowledge of and attitudes about organ donation. RESULTS: Of the students, 56.8% were men, 91.4% were 18-24-year old and 89.4% from east region of Turkey. Of students, 65.5% were willing, 9% were not willing, 25.5% were hesitant about organ donation and 6% of willing students reported carrying a signed card. The most common reason for unwillingness to organ donation was worries about illegal behaviours (2.4%). There was a statistical relationship between willingness of students for organ donation and gender but were not any statistical relationship between willingness of students for organ donation and age, school, region and recognizing relatives whose need organ transplantation. Majority of the students listed transplantable organs truly but 63.1% were had no idea about organ donation process. CONCLUSION: Students' had a lack of information about organ donation. The results of this study support a greater emphasis on providing information regarding transplantation in medicine, nursing, dentistry and health technical schools to improve the knowledge of future heath care professionals about transplantation and organ donation issues. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: These findings highlight a need to review these schools' curricula and emphasize the importance of organ transplantation. This strategy may be part of the solution to the chronic shortage of donor organs for transplantation.