Effect of mindfulness-based therapy on spiritual well-being in breast cancer patients: a randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: Spiritual well-being is directly related to the quality of life in breast cancer patients. Mindfulness-based therapy interventions can decrease distress levels in women with breast cancer, while improving spiritual well-being. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of mindfulness-based therapy on spiritual well-being in breast cancer patients. METHODS: This randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted in accordance with the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials. A total of 70 participants were enrolled from September, 2021 to July, 2022. Primary outcome included spiritual well-being, and secondary outcome included quality of life. The data were collected using the Patient Sociodemographic and Medical Data Form and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual Well-Being (SpWB) (FACIT-Sp Version 4). In the statistical analysis, the independent sample t test and paired sample t test were used to examine the intervention effect on primary and secondary outcomes, according to numbers, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and conformity to normal distribution. RESULTS: The average age of the therapy group was 42.22 ± 6.86, and the control group was 41.64 ± 6.04. The average score of meaning (12.25 ± 3.03), overall score average of the spiritual well-being (31.56 ± 8.90), the emotional well-being (13.46 ± 5.78) and physical well-being (16.71 ± 5.59), and overall average score of the quality of life (66.98 ± 17.72) of the therapy group was statistically significantly higher (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The mindfulness-based training may enhance the spiritual well-being and quality of life of breast cancer patients. Nurses should be encouraged for mindfulness-based training sessions to make it a widespread practice, and to regularly evaluate the results. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05057078 (date: September 27, 2021).

Oncology nursing practices in the management of chemotherapy-related oral mucositis in accordance with evidence-based guidelines: a descriptive and cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the practices of oncology nurses in the management of chemotherapy-related oral mucositis (OM) by MASCC/ISOO guidelines. METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between December 25, 2021, and January 31, 2022, with 157 oncology nurses in Turkey. Data were collected through OM Practices Assessment Form. RESULTS: The mean age of the nurses was 29.05 ± 7.40, the majority (90.4%) of them were female and 76.4% of them have a Bachelor's degree. More of the nurses (59.9%) had a written protocol for managing OM in their institutions, 38.9% of them used the MASCC/ISOO guideline, and 63.0% of them used an OM assessment scale. Most of the nurses (99.4%) recommended mouthwash to patients and 65.6% of them recommended mouthwash four times and more a day. 54.1% of the nurses recommended saline (%10.8) or carbonate (%36.9) or a mixture of saline and carbonate (%6.4) solutions for mouthwash. Despite the lack of sufficient evidence in the MASCC/ISOO guidelines regarding black mulberry syrup, 45.2% of the nurses recommended it for the prevention of OM and 43.3% of them suggested the treatment of mucositis. It was found that 82.0% of nurses who followed MASCC/ISOO guidelines recommended to patients implement oral care four times and more a day, while 55.2% of them who did not follow MASCC/ISOO guidelines recommended four times and more a day. The difference was found to be statistically significant (χ2 = 11.836; p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: It was determined that there were deficiencies in the implementation of written protocols for OM and the use of guidelines, and there were differences between the frequency of oral care, oral care products, and the practices of nurses in the prevention and treatment of OM.

Determining the pressure injury and staging knowledge of nurses at a hospital in Turkey.

AIM: The aim of this research is to examine the nurses's knowledge level regarding pressure injury and its staging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The research was conducted in descriptive type. The data were collected at a hospital in Konya between September 1 and November 30, 2021. The sample of the study consisted of 158 nurses working in internal clinics, surgical clinics and intensive care units. "Sociodemographic Questionnaire Form" and "Modified Pieper Pressure Wound Knowledge Test (PUKT)" were used to collect data. Percentage, frequency, arithmetic mean, independent sample t-test and ANOVA tests were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: It was found that 77.2% of the nurses had encountered pressure injuries and 63.1%had received training on pressure injuries. It was determined that 55.1% of them received this training as in-service training in the hospital. 96.8% of the nurses stated that pressure injury could be prevented with nursing care. The mean PUKT score of the nurses was 30.70 ± 7.15; staging mean score was 4.79 ± 1.87, wound description mean score was 4.43 ± 1.88; prevention/risk assessment score mean was determined as 20.78 ± 3.93. The average score obtained with the correct response rates to the test was 62.67%. There was no significant difference between nurses' education levels, years of employment and PUKT, wound description, staging and prevention/risk scores (p > .05). There was a significant difference between the mean PUKT score and staging mean score between those who received training on pressure injury and those who didn't, and between the units where the nurses worked and the mean PUKT score, wound description, staging and prevention/risk scores (p < .05). CONCLUSION: It was found that the nurses's knowledge level was below satisfactory. It's recommended for nurses to attend trainings on pressure injury, to check the effectiveness of their training, to participate in scientific meetings and to encourage nurses to make research.

The Development of the Caregiving Willingness to Pandemic Patients Scale.

AIM: The aim of this study is to develop a scale for evaluating nurses' willingness to provide care to patients during the pandemic process. METHOD: This research is a methodological research such as scale development, validity and reliability research. The research was conducted between September and October 2020. Expert opinions were obtained from 20 people, including specialist nurses, lecturers, and faculty members, during the development process of the scale. Construct validity-exploratory factor analysis and construct validity-confirmatory factor analysis were used in statistical analysis. Item-total score correlation analyses and Cronbach's alpha values were used to assess internal consistency. RESULTS: A draft of 22 items in total and 4 of them explaining 50% of the total variance of exploratory factor analysis was obtained. Compliance obtained with DFA is achieved. Also, as χ2 = 775.675, degrees of freedom = 203, CMIN/degrees of freedom (2/degrees of freedom) = 3.82, P = .000, goodness-of-fit index = .87, adjusted goodness-of-fit index = .85, comparative fit index = .92, root mean square error of approximation = .073, state regression loads were determined between .41 and .70. In our study, item-total correlation values were .30-.61 and Cronbach's alpha value was .86. CONCLUSION: It can be said that all items in the scale provide item validity, and the internal consistency coefficients of the overall scale and its sub-dimensions are good and sufficient.

Investigation of the effect of the life satisfaction and psychological well-being of nursing students on their happiness levels.

PURPOSE: This study aims to examine the effect of nursing students' life satisfaction and psychological well-being on their perceived happiness levels. METHOD: The study, which was designed as a descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out in Turkey with 264 students of nursing. FINDINGS: Students' life satisfaction and happiness (r = 0.722), psychological well-being and happiness (r = 0.743), and psychological well-being and life satisfaction (r = 0.689) were found to be positively and highly correlated. Students' gender and perception of income status and general health status affected their happiness levels. It was revealed that life satisfaction and psychological well-being predict happiness (63.6%). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The factors of life satisfaction and psychological well-being play a decisive role in the happiness of nursing students.

Validation and Clinical Experience With a Turkish Language Version of the Pittman Ostomy Complication and Severity Index.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the content validity and interrater reliability of a Turkish language version of the Pittman Ostomy Complication and Severity Index (OCSI). DESIGN: Psychometric evaluation of instrument. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: The sample comprised 90 individuals living with an ostomy for 2 to 6 months. Their mean age was 59.48 years (SD 13.292); 52.2% were female. Almost two-thirds (73.3%, n = 66) had experienced at least 1 ostomy complication. The study was conducted in the Wound and Stoma Therapy Unit of the Dokuz Eylül University Hospital General Surgery Clinic and Polyclinic in Izmir, Turkey. METHODS: A Turkish language version of the OCSI was created using a translation, back-translation technique. The instrument's content validity was analyzed by 26 experts. Interrater reliability test was evaluated using Cohen's κ and intraclass correlation coefficients. Data were collected between January 15, 2017 and July 30, 2017 through face-to-face interviews conducted in our Wound and Stoma Therapy Unit. RESULTS: The overall content validity index was 0.95. Cohen's κ coefficient varied from 0.70 and 1.0 for all items. The Pearson correlation coefficient and intraclass correlation coefficient were 0.982 (P = .000) and 0.986 (P = .000), respectively, indicating good internal consistency. The most prevalent complications were leakage (41.1%), peristomal moisture-associated skin damage (42.2%), and stomal retraction (27.7%). CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that the Turkish language version of the Pittman OCSI is a reliable and valid instrument for assessment of presence and severity of early postoperative complications in individuals with an ostomy. We found the instrument parsimonious, easy-to-use, and clinically practical. It can be used to determine appropriate interventions to prevent or treat complications and evaluate the effects of nursing interventions designed to improve outcomes for patients with ostomies.

Incidence of pressure ulcers in intensive care unit patients at risk according to the Waterlow scale and factors influencing the development of pressure ulcers.

AIMS: To determine incidence of pressure ulcers in patients at risk according to the Waterlow scale in intensive care units and to evaluate the effects of risk factors in critically ill patients. BACKGROUND: Pressure ulcers continue to be an important health problem that increases the risk of illness and death, extends patients' length of hospital stay and increases healthcare expenses. DESIGN: The study was conducted as a descriptive and prospective study. METHOD: The sample consisted of 140 patients. Data were collected using a data collection form, the skin assessment instrument and the Waterlow scale. RESULTS: The incidence of pressure ulcers in intensive care unit patients was found to be 14.3%. The majority of pressure ulcers (74%) were grade I. The mean length of time for pressure ulcer development was found to be 10.4 (SD 1.85) days. A statistically significant difference was found in the patients for pressure ulcer development according to their level of consciousness, activity, cooperation, length of stay, Waterlow scale score and C-reactive protein level. In the multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis, the most influential factors for pressure ulcer development were determined to be length of stay and activity level. CONCLUSIONS: Extra care needs to be taken to prevent pressure ulcer development in intensive care unit patients who have an extended length of stay, are dependent for activities, have high Waterlow scores, are unconscious and are not cooperative. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study determined the incidence of and factors that can affect the development of pressure ulcers in intensive care unit patients who are in a high risk group for the development of pressure ulcers and presented the importance of having Turkish nurses implement interventions directed at these factors.