Operating Room Nurses' Knowledge of and Attitudes About Pressure Injury Prevention: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Understanding nurses' knowledge and attitudes might be important in influencing their behaviors of complying with pressure injury prevention measures in the operating room. PURPOSE: The aim of this descriptive and cross-sectional study was to determine operating room nurses' knowledge and attitudes about pressure injury prevention. METHODS: This study was performed with 174 nurses working in the operating rooms of 5 hospitals in Istanbul between July and October 2020. The data were collected with the Modified Pieper Pressure Ulcer Knowledge Test-MPPUKT and Attitude Towards Pressure Ulcer Prevention Instrument-APuP and analyzed with parametric and nonparametric tests using the SPSS 20.0 package program. The statistical significance level was accepted as P < .05. RESULTS: The total mean score of the MPPUKT of the operating room nurses was 32.72 ± 6.65, and the knowledge level of only 57.5% of the nurses was considered sufficient (MPPUKT score ≥ 70%); the total mean score of the APuP was 44.67 ± 3.10, and almost all (94.8%) had a satisfactory attitude (≥75%). In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between the knowledge and attitudes of the operating room nurses about pressure injury prevention (P = .000). CONCLUSION: This study has shown that the knowledge level of the operating room nurses was weak and their attitudes were satisfactory. It is recommended to improve the knowledge and attitudes of operating room nurses to prevent pressure injuries through effective in-service training programs.

Analysis of mental health symptoms and insomnia levels of intensive care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic with a structural equation model.

BACKGROUND: Faced with this critical situation and directly involved in the treatment and care of COVID-19 patients, front-line healthcare workers are at high risk in terms of mental health symptoms. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the stress, anxiety, depression, and insomnia levels of intensive care nurses during the pandemic with a structural equation model. DESIGN: A multi-site survey study. METHODS: The study was performed with 194 nurses working in the intensive care units of five hospitals in Istanbul in July 2020. Data were collected using the Depression Anxiety Stress-21 Scale and Insomnia Severity Index electronically. The data were evaluated with descriptive statistics in SPSS package program. In order to test the structural model and hypotheses of the research, path analysis was performed with LISREL statistical software program. A validation study for the suitability of these scales to the study sample was done by the researchers using the confirmatory factor analysis method. The study conforms to the TREND checklist. RESULTS: In this study, the majority of the intensive care nurses had moderate to extremely severe depression (65.5%), anxiety (58.3%) and stress (72.3%) scores; in addition, 39.7% of the nurses experienced moderate or severe insomnia. Within the framework of a structural model; the effects of stress, anxiety and insomnia on depression, which is the dependent variable, were found to be statistically significant (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: It was found that the majority of the intensive care nurses fighting COVID-19 on the front-line experienced stress, anxiety, depression and insomnia at levels ranging from moderate to extremely severe; in addition, it was determined that there is a positive relationship between stress, anxiety, insomnia and depression. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study, in which we have determined the mental health symptoms and insomnia levels of intensive care nurses, who are in the front-line during the COVID-19 pandemic, constitutes the scientific basis for the effective coping strategies that the authorities will take in this subject.

The Effect of Progressive Relaxation Exercise on Physiological Parameters, Pain and Anxiety Levels of Patients Undergoing Colorectal Cancer Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the effect of progressive relaxation exercises on physiological parameters, pain, anxiety, and serum cortisol levels in patients undergoing colorectal cancer surgery. DESIGN: This study is a randomized controlled study and has been registered at the Clinical Trial Registry Center (ID: NCT04731428). METHODS: The study was conducted on 63 patients (experimental group = 31, control group = 32), who were scheduled for elective laparoscopic-colorectal surgery in the general surgery clinic of a university hospital in Istanbul between March 2018 and May 2019 and met the inclusion criteria. The patients in the experimental group were given progressive relaxation exercises for 15 minutes preoperatively and on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3 after breathing exercise training. The routine treatments and care process of the patients in the control group were maintained. The preoperative and postoperative pain and anxiety levels of both groups were evaluated. Blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, and serum cortisol levels were measured at certain time intervals before and after the relaxation exercise. FINDINGS: The patients in the experimental group had lower postoperative pain and anxiety levels and a lower rate of using opioid analgesic on postoperative day 0 compared to the control group. Progressive relaxation exercise had no statistically significant effect on serum cortisol or physiological parameters (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Progressive relaxation exercise did not affect cortisol levels and vital signs but decreased pain and anxiety, and relatively increased tissue oxygenation, appearing an effective, safe, and practicable nursing intervention.

Low Back Pain in Operating Room Nurses and Its Associated Factors.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the presence of low back pain and the associated factors in operating room nurses. METHODS: The population of the descriptive study consists of 133 operating room nurses working in the operating rooms of five major hospitals located in Istanbul, and the study sample consists of 96 operating room nurses who are not on leave or sick leave between July-2016 to February 2017. Data were collected via a question form prepared by the researchers. RESULTS: It was determined that more than half of the operating room nurses forming the sample group had low back pain and that it is affected from the practices of operating room nurses during a shift, which may cause physical strain such as year of working as an operating room nurse, bending and staying in the same position for a long time, holding an instrument for a long time, rotational movement inadequate to body mechanics, lifting/carrying heavy medical items and pushing/pulling heavy medical equipment. CONCLUSION: Majority of operating room nurses had low back pain and it was associated with coercive movements during surgery.

Satisfaction of Patients with Triage and Nursing Practice in Emergency Departments.

AIM: This research was carried out to evaluate the satisfaction of triage and nursing practice for emergency patients. METHOD: The sample for this descriptive study comprised 198 patients (115 women and 83 men) that visited the emergency department at an education and research hospital between December 01, 2013, and December 31, 2013, and agreed to participate in the study. The participants had been informed about the purpose, content, and methods of this study. Then, the data collection forms (patient information form, Triage Satisfaction Scale, and Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scale) were administered to the patients. Data analysis involved descriptive statistical methods as well as parametric and nonparametric tests. RESULTS: It was determined that the mean age of the patients in the emergency department was 38.56 ± 17.43 years, and 51.5% (n=102) patients were in the yellow triage category. It was determined that a majority of patients did not wait for triage and indicated that they were receiving treatment in accordance with the triage category. The total Triage Satisfaction Scale mean score was 7.37±2.11 and the total Newcastle Satisfaction with Nursing Scale mean score was 73.34±17.66. It was found that there was a significant difference between the waiting status and satisfaction scores in the triage section of the patients. It was also found that there was a meaningful difference between the dimensions of satisfaction with treatment and care in terms of the triage category. CONCLUSION: It was determined that the patients who applied to the emergency unit were generally satisfied by the triage practice and nursing care. The nursing care satisfaction levels of the patient and their family regarding the health status and psychological support were found to be low. It may be advisable to periodically implement satisfaction analyses of the nursing practices in such units in order to make necessary arrangements and to eliminate deficiencies.