Development of the Critically Ill Patient Eye Assessment Scale: A study of validity and reliability.

BACKGROUND: Eye care and assessment of the eye are critical for intensive care patients to prevent ocular complications like dry eye and corneal abrasion. However, there is no measurement tool developed for intensive care patients that examines the risks of ocular complications. AIMS: This study aimed to develop a valid and reliable tool, the Critically Ill Patient Eye Assessment Scale (CIPEAS), for assessing the risk of ocular complications and determining the frequency of eye care. STUDY DESIGN: This study is an instrument development study. This methodological study was conducted with 151 intensive care patients in Turkey between March 2022 and March 2023. Data were collected with the Patient Information Form and the CIPEAS. The data were evaluated using SPSS 23 statistical software. AMOS 21 was used to verify the structure obtained with CFA. Exploration and confirmatory factor analyses were performed to determine the scale's factorial structure. RESULTS: As a result of exploratory factor analysis, a six-item scale consisting of a single dimension was obtained, explaining 59.993% of the total variance. The fit indices of the scale were found to be χ2/SD = 2.653, GFI = 0.954, RMSEA = 0.075, NFI = 0.949 and CFI = 0.967. Cronbach's alpha of the scale was found to be 0.862. CONCLUSION: The CIPEAS was found to be a valid and reliable assessment tool. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: The Critically Ill Patient Eye Assessment Scale is a valid and reliable tool for Turkish society for assessing the risk of ocular complications. It is recommended for various national and international studies with different patients in intensive care units.

Evaluation of the Spiritual Care Needs of Patients with Cancer in a Chemotherapy Unit in Turkey.

This study was conducted to determine the spiritual care needs of cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. A cross-sectional descriptive design was used to analyze a total of 104 patients at a university hospital in Turkey. The data were collected using the Spiritual Care Needs Scale. The mean age of the patients participating in the study was 61.0 (10.2). It was determined that 31.7% of the patients stated that the concepts of spirituality and spiritual care are related to religion and worship. As a result, it was found that the patients receiving chemotherapy had high-spiritual care needs. The dimensions in which the spiritual needs of the patients were remarkably high were belief and spiritual practices, being in peace and security, the love and support of their relatives and being informed about health. The spiritual care need score of the patients increased significantly with marital status (p = 0.001), having children (p = 0.002), having a chronic disease (p = 0.04) and having an undergraduate/graduate level education (p = 0.01). Nurses should be aware of patient's spiritual needs, plan patient-specific spiritual care practices, conduct more studies on the effects of spiritual care on the patient and family and create guidelines for spiritual care practices in patients receiving chemotherapy in Turkey.

Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats analysis of being an oncology nurse: a Turkish oncology nurses' perspective.

BACKGROUND: Oncology nurses play a key role in providing high-quality treatment and care to cancer patients. AIM: The aim of this study was to determine oncology nurses' views of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to oncology nurses. METHODS: This descriptive pilot study was conducted online between December 2018 and January 2019. The study population consisted of 845 nurses who were members of the Oncology Nursing Association of Turkey. The sample consisted of 80 oncology nurses. Data were collected using an online survey. Participants' responses were grouped and evaluated. Data were analysed using numbers and percentages. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 34.34±8.23 years. A total of 48 participants (60.5%) were university hospital nurses, and 63 (79.5%) were medical oncology nurses. Participants had 8.06±6.72 (mininum 1 and maximum 22) years of work experience as oncology nurses. For participants, the central strengths of oncology nurses were speed, self-confidence, neatness, composure, patience, compassion or attention (72.4%); psychosocial support (64.5%); and training and consultancy (58.1%). For participants, the first three weaknesses of oncology nurses were over-sentimentality, helplessness or burnout (54.2%); working conditions (50%); and limited knowledge (47.3%). For participants, the first three opportunities of oncology nursing were attending organisations on oncology nursing (62.4%), education and research (50%), and developing patience, strength, empathy, and critical thinking skills (48.6%). For participants, the first three threats to oncology nurses were employee safety issues (76.6%), psychosocial problems (65%) and physical problems (48.8%). CONCLUSION: Weaknesses and threats should be eliminated for the development of oncology nursing in the light of its strengths and opportunities.

Examining Nursing Students' Perspectives on Cancer through Metaphors in Turkey.

This study was conducted to reveal the perceptions of cancer through metaphors among second-year nursing students. This study utilized descriptive phenomenology, which is a qualitative research design. In order to reveal the metaphors that each nursing student (n = 65) considered for the concept of "cancer," they were asked to complete the following sentence: "Cancer is like ……, because ……". In analyzing the data, a content analysis approach comprising coding, the identification of themes, and grouping of data according to codes and themes was used. It was found that the nursing students produced 44 different metaphors. With the groupings made from the students' perspectives on cancer, categories of "crime/punishment," "fear/anxiety/pain," "uncertainty," "uncontrollability," and "struggle/hope" were identified. In particular, the students' metaphors of "test," "fight," "unwanted friend," "love," "naughty child," "thief," and "trouble" for the concept of cancer came to the fore. It is recommended to improve clinical education to develop positive attitudes among nursing students toward cancer.

The effect of progressive relaxation exercises on treatment-related symptoms and self-efficacy in patients with lung cancer receiving chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: Patients with lung cancer receiving chemotherapy experience many symptoms, simultaneously or separately, that limit their daily living activities. This study aimed to determine the effect of progressive relaxation exercises on treatment-related symptoms and self-efficacy in patients with lung cancer receiving chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This randomized controlled experimental study was conducted in a university hospital chemotherapy outpatient clinic in Turkey. The study sample consisted of 84 patients, randomly allocated to an experimental group (n = 42) and a control group (n = 42). The experimental group received applied training in progressive relaxation exercises using an MP3 player. The control group received only standard nursing interventions in the chemotherapy unit. Data were collected from patients using a personal information form, a telephone counseling follow-up form, the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale and the Strategies Used by People to Promote Health Scale. Data collection tools were administered at four different times (at first interview and three times on the seventh day of the end of the chemotherapy cycle) and weekly telephone follow-ups were performed. RESULTS: The symptom scores (frequency, severity and level of distress) significantly decreased in the experimental group, compared with the control group (p = 0.0001). Similarly, self-efficacy scores significantly improved in the experimental group (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Progressive relaxation exercises were potentially effective in promoting symptom management and improving the level of self-efficacy.

Investigation of Nursing Students' Attitudes Towards Death and Their Perceptions of Spirituality and Spiritual Care.

Nurses are responsible for meeting the care needs of dying patients and their families, including their physical, psychological, emotional and spiritual assessment and care. The aim of this descriptive study was to investigate nursing students' attitudes towards death and their perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. The study sample consisted of 237 second-, third- and fourth-grade nursing students. Data were collected using a "Personal Information Form", the "Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS)" and "Death Attitude Profile-Revised (DAP-R)". Number, percentage, mean, standard deviation and Spearman's correlation analysis were used for analysis. Participants stated that they had witnessed death before (73.8%), that spiritual care of dying patients and their families should be given special importance (93.7%) and that they feel incompetent in providing spiritual care (86.1%). Participants had a mean SSCRS score of 3.45 ± 0.43. They had the highest and lowest scores on the DAP-R subscales of "fear of death" (4.48 ± 0.83) and neutral acceptance (3.71 ± 1.21), respectively, indicating that they have a high fear of death and above average perceptions of spirituality and spiritual care. It is recommended that different teaching methods be integrated into the curriculum to help nursing students develop more positive attitudes towards death and improve their perceptions of spiritual care.

Influence of Palliative Care Training on Last-Year Nursing Department Students' Perception on Regarding Spirituality and Spiritual Care: A Single-Group Pretest-Posttest Intervention Study.

Spiritual care is a part of integrated care and should not be considered as a separate aspect of palliative care. Spirituality is seen as a requirement that must be met for all patients. The aim of this study is to determine the influence of palliative care on the perception levels of student nurses regarding spirituality and spiritual care. The research was carried out as a single-group pretest-posttest intervention study. The study was conducted with 70 student nurses. Data were collected via personal information form and spirituality and spiritual care grading scale (SSCGS). Frequency, percentage, average, standard deviation, paired sample t-test and Wilcoxon test were used to analyze the data. 55.7% of the students who participated in research stated that they had never heard of spiritual care, and 81.4% of the students stated that they had not obtained any information regarding spiritual care. The point average of the student nurses related to SSCGS was found to be 3.27 ± 0.21 before training and 3.35 ± 0.22 after training. The difference between the total point averages of the student nurses pre- and posttraining was found to be statistically significant (p < 0.05).As a result of the research, the perception of the student nurses regarding spirituality and spiritual support was found to be above the middle and increased significantly after the training. In accordance with these results, it is suggested that spiritual care training should be included more into nursing education.

Symptoms Experience and Quality of Life in The Patients With Breast Cancer Receiving The Taxane Class of Drugs.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to evaluate the symptoms experience and quality of life in patients with breast cancer receiving the taxane class of drugs. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was performed between November 2015 March 2016 in a chemotherapy unit of a university hospital with 48 patients, who agreed to participate in the study. The Memorial Symptom Rating Score (MSAS), Socio-demographic and Clinical Features Form, European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-Breast (EORTC QLQ- BR23) measures specific to breast cancer were used to obtain data. RESULTS: The average age of the patients was 45.65. The majority of patients were treated with the paclitaxel/paclitaxel+trastuzumab treatment protocol (60.42%), and more than half (54.16%) of these patients were on 5 or 6 treatments. The symptoms patients experienced the most commonly included being sensitive, weakness or energy loss and pain. The symptoms they experienced severely were included fatigue and energy loss and being sensitive. The most distressing symptoms were pain, worry, numbness in hands and feet. The overall well-being score of the patients as per the quality of life findings was 46.18±11.66. While the lowest score for the functional scales was in the social function subscale (66.32±15.18), the highest score for the symptom scales was in the pain subscale (42.01±15.37). The lowest score for the EORTC QLQ-BR23 scales was in the sexual life subscale (20.83±20.19); the highest score was in the body appearance subscale (65.8±23.96). CONCLUSION: The results of the study are thought to be helpful for the oncology nurses in evaluating the patients in all aspects and in determining priorities for care.