Challenges experienced by pediatric nurses in the process of developing innovative products: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: As essential healthcare providers, nurses are key to contributing innovations to improve the quality of care. This study aimed to explore the challenges pediatric nurses face in developing and patenting innovative products. METHOD: A qualitative descriptive design has been used in this study. The study sample consists of pediatric nurses who had developed innovative products and successfully obtained product registrations. Purposive sampling was used to select 17 pediatric nurses who met the inclusion criteria. Data were collected through semi-structured, individual, in-depth interviews. RESULTS: Two main themes and two related subthemes were identified. The first main theme is 'product development and management challenges.' The subthemes of this theme are 'unknown ecosystem' and 'burnout.' The second theme is 'protecting ideas and innovation.' The subthemes of this theme are 'fear of idea theft' and 'dead patents.' CONCLUSION: Nurses face challenges, such as taking part in an unfamiliar innovation ecosystem, burnout due to long processes, and fear of idea theft. At the same time, commercialization of these innovations and market demand emerge as additional challenges. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Identifying the challenges experienced by pediatric nurses during the innovation process can help to develop strategies to overcome difficulties, create an innovation culture, and increase the quality of pediatric patient care.

Examination of Pediatric Nurses' Knowledge of Anaphylaxis: A Descriptive Study.

Anaphylaxis is a vital systemic allergic reaction. A rapid diagnosis of anaphylaxis is lifesaving. In most cases, nurses are the first to encounter and intervene in anaphylaxis. Therefore, they have a vital responsibility in such cases. The aim of this study is to create a questionnaire and evaluate the anaphylaxis knowledge levels of pediatric nurses. This is a descriptive type of study. The study took place in Turkey. 80 pediatric nurses who work in pediatric intensive care, neonatal intensive care, child service, and pediatric emergency service participated in the study. The sociodemographic data collection form and the anaphylaxis knowledge level assessment form was used for the study. ANOVA and t-test are used to evaluate the data. The average anaphylaxis knowledge score of the pediatric nurses was found 12.61 ± 2.61, therefore it's moderate. The reliability of the questionnaire was high. Knowledge levels were moderately sufficient in diagnoses and insufficient in treatment and follow-up. Considering how critical anaphylaxis is, the moderately sufficient and insufficient knowledge levels are not substantial and should be increased advancedly. The questionnaire created for this study can be used in future studies. Health institutions should plan training regarding anaphylaxis and recompose anaphylaxis training in general, elaborate treatment and follow-up, and assess pediatric nurses' knowledge periodically.

Evaluation of the effect of an education program using cartoons and comics on disease management in children with asthma: a randomized controlled study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of an education program, the Health Promotion Program for Children with Asthma (HPPCA), on disease control and quality of life in children aged between 7 and 11 and diagnosed with asthma. The program was developed using cartoons and color-in materials and was based on the health promotion model developed by Nola J. Pender and brain-based learning theories. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The sample of the study consisted of 74 children between the ages of 7 and 11 who presented to the respiratory diseases' unit of a university hospital in Istanbul. All participants were given basic asthma education by their physicians, and were then randomly assigned to a group that received the HPPCA program or a control group that received no further education. After the HPPCA education was applied to the experimental group alone, both groups were administered two post-tests as a follow-up and retest at the end of the first and fourth month after the intervention. The standardized Sociodemographic Question Form, the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) and the Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) were used for the follow-up. RESULTS: The asthma control and quality of life scores of the children included in the experimental group were found to be significantly higher compared to the control group at the first- and fourth-month follow-ups (p<.001). The rate of school absenteeism decreased significantly in children who received HPPCA education at the first follow-up compared to the children who did not receive the education (p<.05). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The present study found that the HPPCA education, whose design was based on the health promotion model, and which was supported by cartoons in order to attract the attention of the children, was effective. The HPPCA was proven to create a sense of control over asthma and to improve the quality of life in the children. It is recommended that there be an asthma nurse in pediatric allergy and immunology outpatient clinics who can specifically provide an HPPCA. Further studies should be conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of this program, which was examined in the present study for the first time with a randomized controlled method.HighlightsAsthma control is extremely important for the quality of life in children with asthma.Asthma education provided to school-age children yields the best results when new teaching techniques and multimedia content are used.Asthma education for children must be based on a good theoretical methodology.Children can best manage asthma when they learn about it directly.Asthma education conducted according to the guidelines is of great importance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The relation between quality of life and future expectations for refugee adolescents.

PROBLEM: Refugee children and their families encounter various challenges in a new country. Studies on this issue reveal the presence of negative expectations on the future and life among refugees. This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between quality of life and future expectations in refugee adolescents. METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted in Turkey. In this study, 76 refugee adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 participated. The study data were collected between September and December 2019 from two of the schools located in Istanbul. Study data were collected by using Future Expectation Scale for Adolescents (FESA) and Pediatric Quality of Life Questionnaire (PedsQL). FINDINGS: The mean ages of the participants were 15.7 ± 1.1 and all of them were females. A positive relationship was found between future expectations and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that a positive significant relation was detected between quality-of-life scores and future expectations' scores. Understanding the factors affecting future expectations of refugee adolescents will help to plan interventions compatible with issues confronting adolescents.

Healthcare workers' anxieties and coping strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic in Turkey.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the anxiety levels of healthcare workers and the coping strategies they used for stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN AND METHODS: This descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out in April 2020 in Turkey with 444 healthcare workers via three online questionnaires: A participant information form, the State Anxiety Inventory (SAI), and the Ways of Coping Questionnaire.  FINDINGS: Healthcare workers might be considered to experience more anxiety during the pandemic than shown in the studies conducted before the pandemic. Significant differences in SAI score were found in terms of age, gender, and education status. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Age, gender, and some variables related to the pandemic affected the anxiety levels and coping strategies of healthcare workers.

Vaccine-hesitant parents' reasons for choosing alternative protection methods in Turkey.

Background: Parents use alternative protective methods instead of having their children vaccinated because of their various concerns. Aims: The aim of this study is to examine the processes by which the parents preferred alternative methods rather than the vaccines to strengthen their child's immune system. Methods: Semi-structured, qualitative interviews were conducted with 22 parents who had vaccine hesitancy. The study sample consisted of parents whose children were between the ages of 0 and 18 years and who experienced vaccine hesitancy and lived in Turkey. The interviews with individuals were conducted online and aimed to be representative of the population of Turkey. Results: The factors that caused parental vaccine hesitancy were various, such as vaccine contents, distrust of healthcare workers and false information about vaccines. Because of these factors, parents resorted to natural nutrition, vitamin support and some other precautions, such as avoiding takeaway food or preparing homemade food, rather than having their children vaccinated. Conclusions: In recent years, it is thought that parents need education about vaccination; outbreaks may be caused by immigrant children who cannot be registered, and therefore cannot be vaccinated, in Turkey, which has received immigration at a high rate.

Nursing Students' Career Plans After Graduation: Perspective From Generation Y.

AIM: The aim of this study is to define the plans for professional work in the field of nursing, of nursing students in their senior year of post-graduation studies, and the factors affecting them. METHOD: This descriptive study included 2818 senior nursing students from 27 schools of nursing from different geographical regions of Turkey. The Questionnaire for Career Planning and Affecting Factors was used to collect the data. RESULTS: Most of the students (59.2%) see themselves as nurses in the next five years, and 31.7% of them see themselves as academicians in the next ten years. The rate of students who wish to work in a non-nursing profession within the next five years is 2.3%. Geriatric services were the least preferred. CONCLUSION: Most students stated that they wanted to work as a nurse. The elder-care centers should be made attractive options for new graduate nurses to choose to work there.

Emotional eating: Really hungry or just angry?

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of parenting styles and academic self-efficacy on emotional eating behaviours within a sample of adolescents. The sample of this cross-sectionally designed study consisted of 584 adolescents between the ages of 12-17 years. In order to collect necessary data, the Emotional Eating Scale for Child and Adolescent, the Parenting Style Scale and Academic Self-efficacy Scale were utilized. In this sample, Emotional Eating Scale's total score of girls was higher than boys, and emotional eating was not related to body mass index. Parenting styles and academic self-efficacy predicted 34% of the variants seen in emotional eating behaviours of adolescents. While a positive relation existed between emotional eating and negligent parenting style, a negative significant relation occurred between permissive and democratic type of parenting styles and emotional eating. In addition, emotional eating behaviours decreased, whereas academic self-efficacy perception increased accordingly. The results showed that emotional eating behaviours of adolescents were in relation with parenting styles and academic self-efficacy. A good understanding of the multifactorial structure of emotional eating in adolescents will help to develop essential programmes in order to design effective coping mechanisms.

Connectors as a risk factor for blood-associated infections (3-way stopcock and needleless connector): A randomized-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Microorganisms causing catheter-related bloodstream infections colonize to intravenous catheters (IVC)-particularly to connectors mounted to catheters. The aim of this study was to examine the colonization in 3-way stopcock (TWS) connectors and needleless connectors (NCs) that integrated into central, port, and peripheral venous catheters. METHODS: This random, experimental study consisted of 180 connectors that were inserted into the IVCs of patients in general surgery, reanimation intensive care, and daily chemotherapy units. Cultures of the connectors were obtained at least 48 hours after connecting to IVCs. RESULTS: This study showed that gram-negative, gram-positive, and other pathogens reproduced, although their colonization level was not high enough to develop an infection. When the results of colonization for patients using TWS and NC were compared, the peripheral venous catheters (using a TWS) resulted in a significantly higher increase in reproduction than in patients using NC (P ≤ .01) and no significant difference in the level of colonization in other types of connectors or catheters (P ˃ .05). CONCLUSIONS: The study's results indicated no significant difference between NC and TWSs in terms of reproduction. It should also be noted that connectors integrated into IVC pose a risk in the development of catheter-related bloodstream infections.

Readiness for transition from pediatric to adult care for adolescents with chronic heart disease.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine transition readiness of adolescents with chronic heart disease to adult care. METHODS: The sample of the study comprised 113 adolescents between the ages 12 and 18 years with chronic heart disease. Transition readiness was assessed by the Transition-Q self-administered tool. RESULTS: The Transition-Q mean score was 63.0 (range = 31-92). The self-management skills of the adolescents increased significantly in direct proportion to their ages. Most of the adolescents had a lack of confidence about medication management and communicating with healthcare providers. No significant difference was detected between boys and girls in terms of total and individual items' scores. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Transition readiness should be assessed to understand transitional requirements of adolescents with chronic heart disease and to plan appropriate nursing interventions accordingly.

Use of Play Therapy in Nursing Process: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study.

PURPOSE: Play therapy is a nursing intervention employed in multidisciplinary approaches to develop the social, emotional, and behavioral skills of children. In this study, we aim to determine the effects of play therapy on the social, emotional, and behavioral skills of pre-school children through the nursing process. DESIGN: A single-blind, prospective, randomized controlled study was undertaken. The design, conduct, and reporting of this study adhere to the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) guidelines. METHODS: The participants included 4- to 5-year-old kindergarten children with no oral or aural disabilities and parents who agreed to participate in the study. The Pre-school Child and Family Identification Form and Social Competence and the Behavior Evaluation Scale were used to gather data. Games in the play therapy literature about nursing diagnoses (fear, social disturbance, impaired social interactions, ineffective coping, anxiety), which were determined after the preliminary test, constituted the application of the study. FINDINGS: There was no difference in the average scores of the children in the experimental and control groups in their Anger-Aggression (AA), Social Competence (SC), and Anxiety-Withdrawal (AW) scores beforehand (t = 0.015, p = .988; t = 0.084, p = .933; t = 0.214, p = .831, respectively). The difference between the average AA and SC scores in the post-test (t = 2.041, p = .045; t = 2.692, p = .009, respectively), and the retests were statistically significant in AA and SC average scores in the experimental and control groups (t = 4.538, p = .000; t = 4.693; p = .000, respectively). In AW average scores, no statistical difference was found in the post-test (t = 0.700, p = .486), whereas in the retest, a significant difference was identified (t = 5.839, p = .000). CONCLUSIONS: Play therapy helped pre-school children to improve their social, emotional, and behavioral skills. It also provided benefits for the children to decrease their fear and anxiety levels, to improve their communication and coping skills, and to increase their self-esteem. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The study concluded that play therapy helps develop the social, emotional, and behavioral skills of pre-school children. It has also helped children lower their fear and anxiety levels, improve their communication and coping skills, and promote their self-esteem. Pediatric nurses are recommended to include play therapy in their profession and in the nursing process.

Play model for "evaluation of self-concept of children with cancer".

BACKGROUND: Childhood cancers are fatal diseases which cause intense stress and traumatic situations for the ones who experience those diseases. This kind of an emotionally hard life may create some hardships for developing self-concept. The aim of the study is to put forth the self-exposure of a school-age child by using plays. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six play sessions had been carried out in June-August 2011. As a searching pattern, interpretive case study method was used. The research consisted of six children with cancer, aged between 9 and 12 years. The research was conducted in a public hospital in children oncology service. RESULTS: The assessment of data was realized in two stages. The first one was examining the data; the other stage was the content analysis that has been constructed after the play sessions as Nursing Intervention: Play Model. In the newly formed model, nine themes had been found: (a) expressing good memories, (b) control, (c) problem-solving ability, (d) relations, (e) aggressive behaviors, (f) regression, (g) good-bad, (h) trauma, and (i) anxiety. CONCLUSIONS: The self-concept of the school-age child needs to be supported. It has been submitted that the themes can be supportive for the prospective nursing models concerning child's self-exposure. It has been suggested that the themes produced by Nursing Intervention: Play Model can be used while planning, implementation, and assessment of the nursing care.

Efficacy of a Transition Theory-Based Discharge Planning Program for Childhood Asthma Management.

PURPOSE: This study tested the efficacy of a nurse-led discharge planning program for childhood asthma management, based on transition theory. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was used. The sample comprised 120 children with asthma and their parents (intervention group n = 60, control group n = 60). FINDINGS: The asthma management self-efficacy perception level of parents in the intervention group increased significantly and the number of triggers their children were exposed to at home was reduced by 60.8%. The rates of admission to emergency departments and unscheduled outpatient visits were significantly lower in the intervention group compared with the control group. CONCLUSIONS: Transition theory-based nursing interventions can provide successful outcomes on childhood asthma management. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Transition theory-based discharge planning program can guide nursing interventions to standardize care of the child with asthma. Combining care at home with hospital care strengthens ongoing qualified asthma management.

A Comparison of Parenting Dimensions Between Deaf and Hearing Children.

Effective parenting is vital for intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development of a child. This study examined the differences between the parenting dimensions of deaf children and healthy ones. The sample of the study consisted of 292 children and their parents (146 of them deaf children and 146 of them healthy ones). Dimensions of parenting (warmth, rejection, structure, chaos, autonomy, and coercion) were measured using the Parent as Social Context Questionnaire. The mean scores of the positive parenting dimensions of warmth and autonomy of deaf children were significantly lower; however, the mean scores of the negative dimensions of chaos and coercion of deaf children were significantly higher than those of healthy ones. Deaf children can become successful adults with the help of their parents. Our results regarding parenting dimensions will be a guide for future nursing interventions planned to develop the relationships between deaf children and their parents.

Impact of toilet hygiene training program: results from 11- to 16-year-old secondary school Turkish children.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of toilet hygiene education in secondary school students. METHODS: The study was quasi-experimental with a pre-test-post-test design and includes a control group. The study was conducted at a secondary school in Istanbul, Turkey with 100 students (50 students for experiment and 50 students for control). The experiment and control groups were in the same school population. Data were collected with the student information form and toilet hygiene evaluation form (THEF), which were developed by the researchers. RESULTS: When we examined the toilet hygiene techniques used by the students, they indicated 58 % (n = 58) wiped perinea from front to back, 25 % (n = 25) back to front and 17 % (n = 17) randomly. It was found that 69 % (n = 69) of the students changed their underwear every 2-3 days; 80 % (n = 80) were trained by parents on toilet hygiene. Total THEF scores, which were obtained pre and post (shortly after) education, showed significant differences in the experiment group (p = 0.000). Total THEF scores obtained post education (shortly after and 1 month later) showed significant differences in the experiment group (p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: The toilet hygiene education program is found to be successful in secondary school students.

Knowledge and attitudes regarding pain management of pediatric nurses in Turkey.

Nurses play an important role in managing children's pain. The nurse's accurate assessment, appropriate intervention, and evaluation of pain relief measures are necessary for positive patient outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the level of knowledge and attitudes of pediatric nurses regarding the child's pain. The Pediatric Nurses' Knowledge and Attitude Survey (PNKAS) was used to evaluate the nurses' knowledge and attitudes. The PNKAS consists of 40 questions. In this study, 29.9% of nurses had a diploma and 40.6% associate's, 25.0% bachelor's, and 4.5% master's degree, and respondents had an everage 6.1 years pediatric nursing experience. The total mean score on the PNKAS scale was 38.2%. The highest score was 65%, and the lowest score 15%. The findings of the survey show that pediatric nurses in Turkey have insufficient knowledge regarding pain management and could benefit from additional education on that issue.

Perceptions of parents and children regarding asthma management responsibilities.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of children and parents regarding shared responsibilities for asthma management. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study included 72 children with asthma who were between the ages of 7 and 12 years and their parents. Asthma management responsibilities were assessed by the "Asthma Responsibility Questionnaire." RESULTS: Disagreements occurred between parents and children on assuming responsibility. Children reported higher asthma management responsibility scores than reported by parents for them. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: It is important that nurses provide education and counseling to both children and their families to ensure that children take responsibility for disease management.