An Analysis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Infection-Related Characteristics of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Patients with and without Inhaler Training: A Case-Control Study.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are among the most risky groups for Coronavirus Disease 2019. The study was conducted with a case-control group design in order to determine the coronavirus disease 2019 infection-related characteris- tics of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with and without inhaler training. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 106 patients, being case group (n = 53) and control group (n = 53), were included in the study sample through purposive and simple random sampling methods. While the control group did not receive training, the case group received inhaler training in 2017-2018. Inhaler training was conducted face-to-face using the demonstration method. Patients were evaluated according to their coronavirus disease 2019 (approved by a physician positive polymerase chain reaction) status from the beginning of the pandemic to the time they were included in the study (June 2021). RESULTS: The rate of incorrect inhaler use was determined to be 39.6% of the patients in the control group, which is statistically differ- ent from the case group (P < .001). It was also determined that 17.9% of the patients in the study sample had contracted coronavirus disease 2019. It was found that the presence of symptoms for at least 1 month following the negative polymerase chain reaction result was significantly higher in the control group (P = .018). It was determined that the case group patients were more careful compared to the control group in terms of coronavirus disease 2019 measures (P < .031). The patients in the case group reported that inhaler medicines were also effective in protecting against other respiratory system diseases (P = .006). CONCLUSION: Few patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease have been infected. It was concluded that the coronavirus disease 2019 symptoms lasted longer in the control group than in the case group.

The effects of breathing exercises and inhaler training in patients with COPD on the severity of dyspnea and life quality: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Severe dyspnea and poor quality of life are common in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The most important reason for this is wrong applications in inhaler treatment. In addition, inhaler treatments that support non-pharmacological methods increase the effectiveness of the drug. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of breathing exercises and inhaler training for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients on the severity of dyspnea and life quality. METHODS: The research was a randomized controlled trial. A total of 67 patients with COPD were included. The patients were randomized into two groups. Intervention group 1 were given pursed lip breathing exercise and inhaler training and Intervention group 2 were given only inhaler training. A follow-up after 4 weeks was carried out in both groups. Patient outcomes in both groups were assessed by a COPD assessment test (CAT), the Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale, and the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire scale (SGRQ). This study followed the CONSORT checklist for randomized controlled trials. In the data analysis, independent t, Mann-Whitney U, ANOVA, Wilcoxon analysis, and Pearson chi-square tests were used. RESULTS: The pursed lips exercise and inhaler drug use skills of patients in both groups increased (p<0.001). The median value of the CAT and mMRC scores were statistically significant for both groups (p<0.005). The mean of life quality scores of patients in both groups decreased, and this result was found to be statistically significant in all sub-dimensions and in the total scale score for both groups (p<0.001). Although the increase in the quality of life and the decrease in the severity of dyspnea of the patients in both groups were significant, neither group was superior to the other (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As a result of the study, it was found that the skill of using the inhaler and the life quality of the patients increased, and the severity of dyspnea decreased. Supporting inhaler treatments with non-pharmacological methods can increase drug efficacy and quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04739488. Registered on 21 Feb 2021.

The effect on gastrointestinal system functions, pain and anxiety of acupressure applied following laparoscopic cholecystectomy operation: A randomised, placebo-controlled study.

The aim of this randomised, placebo-controlled, 3-way blinded study was to determine the effect on GIS symptoms, pain and anxiety of acupressure applied for a total of 12 min, as 3 min at each of the ST25, CV12, TH6, and HT7 acupuncture points, at 0, 4 and 8 h after laparoscopic cholecystectomy operation. The research data were collected using a patient data collection form, the Numeric Pain Intensity Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. The patients were evaluated in respect of the time to first flatus and defecation, pain and the State-Trait Anxiety points at 0, 4, and 8 h postoperatively. The application of acupressure was determined to have signficantly reduced acute postoperative pain and shortened the time to defecation (p < 0.05). The application of acupressure can be recommended in the nursing interventions following laparoscopic cholecystectomy to reduce acute pain and shorten the time to defecation.

Professional self-concept and professional values of senior students of the nursing department.

AIM: This study was carried out in order to determine professional self-concept and professional values in the students, who were studying in the final year of the nursing department in schools providing undergraduate education in the Inner Anatolia Region. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 619 senior students of nursing departments in the Inner Anatolia Region. Data were collected using a Student Information Form, Professional Self-Concept Scale for the Student Nurses, and The Nurses' Professional Values Scale. Descriptive statistics, the Shapiro-Wilk test, the t-test, analysis of variance, and the Bonferroni tests were used for data analysis. ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS: A written consent was obtained from Ethics Board of Erciyes University Faculty of Medicine and from nursing schools participating in the study. Prior to data collection, students were informed about the purpose of the study and gave written and verbal consents. Participation in the study was on voluntary basis. FINDINGS: In the study, students' total and sub-dimension scores from the Professional Self-Concept Scale for the Student Nurses and total scores from the Nurses' Professional Values Scale were moderately high. It was detected that women received higher scores than men from the sub-dimension of professional attributes; the students who had positive perception of the nursing image and voluntarily selected their department received high scores from professional satisfaction, professional competence, and professional attributes sub-dimensions of the Professional Self-Concept Scale for the Student Nurses (p < 0.001). IMPLICATION: In order to improve students' perceptions of professional self-concept and professional values, it is thought that students' awareness should be increased on these topics.

Effects of exercise training and follow-up calls at home on physical activity and quality of life after a mastectomy.

AIM: To determine the effects of exercise training that was supported with follow-up calls at home on the postoperative level of physical activity and quality of life of women with breast cancer. METHODS: The study was carried out with a quasi-experimental design. Women who had underwent an axillary dissection and mastectomy and who were receiving ongoing chemotherapy treatment in the ambulatory unit of a university hospital were included in the study. Sixty-two women were randomly assigned to an intervention (n = 31) or a control (n = 31) group. The women in the intervention group were given exercise training and then they were followed up by phone calls at home for 12 weeks in order to ensure the continuity of the exercises. RESULTS: At the end of the study, the number of "very active" individuals and the "total physical activity level" increased significantly in the intervention group but decreased significantly in the control group. In the intervention group, "future healthy function" in the functional area subscale significantly increased but "systematic therapy side-effects," "breast symptoms," and "arm symptoms" in the symptom subscale increased significantly. CONCLUSION: Exercise training that is supported with home follow-up calls after surgery increases the level of physical activity, which then favorably relates with a good quality of life of women with breast cancer.

The Effect of Lavender Oil Application via Inhalation Pathway on Hemodialysis Patients' Anxiety Level and Sleep Quality.

Sleep and anxiety problems occur in hemodialysis (HD) patients due to physical symptoms, lifestyle changes, and psychosocial changes. To remove these sleep and anxiety problems, lavender oil inhalation is one of the nonpharmacological treatment options with less adverse effects than pharmacological methods. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of lavender oil application via inhalation pathway on HD patients' anxiety level and sleep quality. The study was conducted with 34 HD patients who have been on HD treatment at 2 dialysis centers. The patients of the intervention group (n = 17) were told to drip 2 drops into the box and to place it 15 to 20 cm away from the pillow, 30 minutes before going to bed for 1 week. Control group (n = 17) received no intervention. Data were collected with questionnaire form, Visual Analog Scale, and Hamilton Anxiety Assessment Scale with a face-to-face interview. Subjective sleep quality of the intervention group was higher than that of control group, mean Visual Analog Scale daytime sleepiness score declined (P < .05), and mean score of sleep duration increased (P < .001) in the intervention group. However, the differences of mean score of time for falling asleep between the 2 groups were not different. The mean score of total and subdimensions of Hamilton Anxiety Assessment Scale of intervention group and control group was significantly different (P < .001). These study results provide new promising information about the effect of lavender inhalation on sleep problems and anxiety and these have made significant contributions to nursing, especially for dialysis nurses.

Examination of the anxiety level in patients undergoing transesophageal echocardiography.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the levels of anxiety in patients with transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). METHODS: The research was carried out at a university's Heart Hospital, echocardiography laboratory between the dates of January-October 2014. Data were collected with Patient Identification Form, State and Trait Anxiety Inventory. The level of state and trait anxiety was measured by Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Signed forms of consent for the study were obtained from patients after the ethics committee approval. Descriptive statistics, t-test, Kruskal-Wallis, Mann-Whitney U test and Pearson correlation coefficient were used for statistical data analysis. RESULTS: The study included 102 patients who were admitted to the cardiology department for TEE. The mean age of the patients was 44.12±16.86 years and 52.9% were men. About 46.5% of them graduated from primary school, 74.5% were married, and 52.0% has moderate income. Approximately half the patients reported that they had received information for TEE. State anxiety scores of patients ranged from 31 to 66 (mean±SD; 46.7±8.7), and their trait anxiety scores ranged from 28 to 52 (mean±SD; 44.4±4.3). Low educational level, female gender, and hospitalized patients' state anxiety point were very high and statistically significant. CONCLUSION: Anxiety level should be determined in this patients, and appropriate nursing care should be done for high anxiety score patients.