Psychometric Properties of the Turkish Version of the Surgical Anxiety Questionnaire (SAQ).

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the psychometric properties of the Turkish surgical anxiety questionnaire (SAQ) version. DESIGN: This study design was methodological. METHODS: The study was evaluated with construct validity, exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), and convergent and discriminant validity. For scale reliability, internal consistency, Cronbach Alpha Coefficient, Pearson Correlation Analysis, and Inter-item Correlation Analysis, test-retest, and parallel forms methods were used. FINDINGS: The Turkish version of the surgical anxiety questionnaire consisted of a 3-factor structure, and the Cronbach's alpha value was 0.93. The CFA factor loads varied between 0.48-0.98. A positive, high correlation was found between SAQ and the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Knowledge Scale (APASIS). A positive, moderate correlation between SAQ and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-1(STAI-1) was found. CONCLUSION: SAQ has strong validity and reliability in the Turkish society. Nurses could use the SAQ to determine the anxiety level in surgical patients.

Compliance With and Barriers to Implementing the Surgical Safety Checklist: A Mixed-Methods Study.

This mixed-methods study aimed to determine nurses' views on the use of the Turkish version of the World Health Organization's Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC). Phase 1 of the study consisted of a survey of perioperative and surgical nursing unit nurses' perceptions on the use of the SSC. The results showed that personnel believed that every step of the checklist was not always applied and that an increased workload and the lack of team cooperation negatively affected the use of the checklist. Phase 2 of the study involved RN circulator interviews and focused on their experiences using the SSC, the obstacles to SSC implementation, and ways to increase compliance. We interviewed 126 nurses during phase 1 and 20 nurses during phase 2. We analyzed the interviews and identified three themes: the importance of using the SSC, barriers to using the checklist, and compliance with the checklist and applicability.

Fear of COVID-19 and Related Factors in Emergency Department Patients.

This study was aimed to determine the fear of COVID-19 and related factors in patients. This study was conducted with 639 patients who were admitted to the emergency department. Data were collected using the sociodemographic characteristics form, Fear of COVID-19 scale (FCV-19S). The data were evaluated with Student's t-test to compare two groups and one-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) more than two groups. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to determine the relationship between dependent and independent variables. The mean age of patients was 46.12 ± 17.02, 53.4% were male, 70.7% were married, 42.4% had a chronic disease, 18.3% stated that they had symptoms of COVID-19, and 38.0% stated that they experienced economic difficulties due to COVID-19. The COVID-19 fear scores were significantly higher in 57 ages and over, female, had lung disease, had COVID-19 symptoms, and had children. Having a lung disease, female gender, and fear of COVID-19 were statistically significantly correlated with FCV-19S scores. As a result, it was determined that patients admitted to the emergency department had fear of COVID-19. Further research is recommended to support our study findings. As an emergency nurse, strategies must be developed to cope with these fears.

Recycling, responsible consumption and nursing: A qualitative study of surgical nurses' recycling and medical waste management.

AIM: This study was conducted to examine the opinions of nurses working in surgical wards on recycling and medical waste management. BACKGROUND: Surgical services and operating rooms are the most waste-generating parts of health institutions. The primary purpose of waste management is to ensure waste minimization and increase recycling. METHOD: In this qualitative study, in-depth interviews were conducted with 15 nurses. The data were analysed by the content analysis method. The COREQ checklist was used in the study. RESULTS: As a result of the study, four main themes were determined: Barriers in medical waste and recycling management, solution suggestions in medical waste and recycling management, waste of medical and consumable materials and the effect of the pandemic process on medical waste and recycling management. CONCLUSION: Medical waste and recycling management was interrupted due to lack of education, emergencies, hiring of untrained personnel and workload. During the pandemic, medical waste increased, and it could not be recycled. The solution suggestions are training at frequent intervals, monitoring by the responsible nurses and imposing sanctions on those who do not comply. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Knowing nurses' obstacles in managing medical waste and recycling and putting forward solutions in this regard affects sustainability. Knowing the obstacles to the management of medical waste and recycling by nurses could help in solutions.

Preoperative Surgical Fear and Related Factors of Patients Undergoing Brain Tumor Surgery.

PURPOSE: Patients with brain tumors may experience preoperative fear due to various reasons such as obscurity, pain, and loss of function. This study was carried out to reveal the pre-operative fear levels of patients undergoing brain tumor surgery. DESIGN: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was completed with 144 patients. METHODS: Data were obtained using patient identification forms and the Surgical Fear Questionnaire (SFQ). Descriptive statistics, independent t test, one-way Anova, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression analysis were used. FINDINGS: The results revealed that the duration of preoperative hospital stay was 3.05 ± 2.26 days, the mean age of the patients was 51.44 ± 13.76 years, and more than half (54.1%) were male. The SFQ total and subscale mean scores of patients who are not working were higher (P < .05). The mean SFQ total and subscale mean scores of those aged 53 and over were lower. (P < .05). Duration of preoperative hospital stay, age, and female gender were statistically significant predictors of SFQ. Duration of preoperative hospital stay was responsible for 62.3% of the change in the SFQ, female gender was responsible for 17.6%, and age was responsible for 20.4%. CONCLUSION: Understanding the risk factors for preoperative fear can help identify patients at risk. Factors that cause fear should be investigated and information deficiencies that increase the level of fear should be eliminated. It is recommended to use pharmacological and nonpharmacological methods in managing the fear of risk groups.

University Students' Attitude towards Organ Donation: Is Religious Belief an Obstacle?

OBJECTIVE: This descriptive study was conducted to determine knowledge and attitudes of university students on organ donation descriptive study. MATERIAL-METHODS: The population of the study was composed of 1800 universty students. A data collection form measuring the students' socio-demographic characteristics and knowledge and attitudes on organ donation/transplantation was used. The data were collected by the researchers using a face-to-face interview technique. In the evaluation of data, descriptive statistics and chi-square analysis and Logistic Regression Analysis were used. RESULTS: It was determined only 38.6% of the students wanted to donate their organs, and 10.7% did not want to donate their organs due to their religious beliefs. The students who had relatives waiting for organ donation, knew someone who had organ transplantation and heard about organ donation in the family wanted to donate their organs at a statistically significant level. It was determined that the students who were religious, studying in the faculty of theology, and thinking that organ donation is a sin, did not want to donate organs at a statistically significant level. It was determined that among these independent factors, organ donation rate increased by 0.410 with talking about organ donation in the family and by 0.613 with knowing someone waiting for organ transplant while thinking that organ donation is a sin decreased organ donation by 1.5 times. CONCLUSIONS: The students avoided organ donation because of their religious beliefs and lack of knowledge on this subject.

Knowledge and Practices of Nurses Regarding Wound Healing.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge and practices of nurses who work at surgical clinics regarding incisional wound healing. DESIGN: This research was a descriptive study. METHODS: The sample consisted of 393 nurses who worked at the surgical clinics of public and private hospitals. The questionnaire used to collect data was prepared by use of expert opinion based on the relevant literature review. FINDINGS: The mean score of knowledge regarding wound healing was found to be 62.0 ± 8.4. It was determined that as the educational level of the nurses increased, their knowledge mean score increased (P < .05). Nearly half of the nurses did not perform wound healing practices regularly, whereas more than half of the nurses did not fulfill discharge education practices on wound care regularly. CONCLUSIONS: Education should be carried out to improve knowledge, attitude, and skills of nurses concerning wound healing and care.