Difficulties of nurses and midwives in caring for refugee mothers: A qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to describe the difficulties of nurses and midwives experience in caring for refugee mothers in obstetrics and gynecology clinics. METHODS: This study had a descriptive phenomenological approach. Between 1 September 2020 and 1 April 2021, data were collected from 6 nurses and 7 midwives working in obstetrics and gynecology clinic who had previous experience in caring for refugee mothers. The data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews. Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research checklist were used in the reporting of the study. RESULTS: Two themes and five subthemes emerged from the qualitative analysis. The first of the two themes identified was difficulties with cultural differences, which had the sub-themes of preference for female doctors or interpreters and harmful cultural practices. The second theme was difficulties with communication, which consisted of three subthemes, namely, taking anamnesis, giving nursing/midwifery care, and giving education. CONCLUSION: It is very important to determine the difficulties experienced by nurses and midwives while caring for refugee women to increase the quality of health services and to find solutions.

An examination of the fear of COVID-19 and professional quality of life among nurses: A multicultural study.

AIM: To determine the factors that influence nurses' fear of COVID-19 and professional quality of life as well as their attitudes towards COVID-19 in four different countries. BACKGROUND: The emergence of COVID-19 has affected the psychological and professional quality of life of the frontline health care workers, especially nurses. DESIGN: An online cross-sectional multicultural study. METHODS: A total of 1071 nurses from Turkey, Brazil, Spain and Italy were selected by convenience sampling. All participants were invited to complete the Fear of COVID-19 Scale and Professional Quality of Life Scale through online form from October 2020 to January 2021. RESULTS: It has been seen that nurses' fear of COVID-19 has been above the average and their professional quality of life has been affected negatively during the pandemic. Almost one out of three nurses (28.6%) thought of quitting their job during the pandemic. The majority of nurses (91.0%) thought their professional quality of life changed during the pandemic. The mean score of the Fear of COVID-19 Scale is higher in nurses who are working in Brazil, are female, have a chronic illness and are working in an outpatient clinic. Professional quality of life is even lower in nurses who are younger than 40, have a professional experience of less than 15 years, are working in Brazil and have concerns about themselves and their relatives because of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: It was determined that there was a relationship between fear of COVID-19 and professional quality of life subscales of nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse leaders have an important role in supporting nurses actively during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and providing them with good working conditions, sufficient resources and rewards. In order for nurses to be able to cope with the challenges brought about by the pandemic, particularly the fear of COVID-19, and to avoid thoughts of quitting the profession, it would be beneficial to take certain administrative measures on institutional and territorial basis. It is recommended that employees with a chronic disease work in low-risk clinics, the number of nurses be increased in busier clinics, working hours be reduced and nurses be provided with psychosocial support by experts to cope with stress. On the other hand, effective infection control, personal protective measures and implementing institutional policies and protocols can help to reduce the fear of COVID-19 and increase their professional quality of life.

Effect of Acupressure on Primary Dysmenorrhea: Review of Experimental Studies.

Primary dysmenorrhea is defined as cramping pain in the lower abdomen with no pelvic diseases, and it has a high prevalence in many countries. Acupressure is a widely used complementary treatment method for primary dysmenorrhea. This review examined experimental studies to determine the effects of acupressure on primary dysmenorrhea using the databases PubMed, Google Scholar, and CINAHL with the keywords "Acupressure" and "Dysmenorrhea". There were 2227 records in the databases, and 330 articles were published between 1989 and March 2020. Experimental studies in the English language were reviewed according to the PRISMA guidelines. This review included 28 published studies that were assessed using the Jadad score for quality. The studies were categorized as studies of acupressure at the LR3 point (n = 4), at the SP6 point (n = 9), at auricular points (n = 5), at multiple points (n = 8), and with devices (n = 2). Moreover, studies of self-acupressure (n = 9) were identified. The studies demonstrated that acupressure could reduce menstrual symptoms, the severity and duration of menstrual pain, distress, and anxiety. Furthermore, it helped improve the quality of life and well-being of patients and provide psychological support and self-care. Acupressure is an inexpensive, easy-to-apply, and non-pharmacological treatment and is useful for reducing primary dysmenorrhea, and women can apply this method anywhere by themselves. However, high-quality randomized controlled trials with larger samples are necessary to establish the evidence for acupressure as an effective intervention.