The Effect of Abdominal Massage on Bilirubin Levels in Term Infants Receiving Phototherapy: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in Europe and the United States is estimated to be 3.2 and 4.4 per 10,000 live births, respectively. Abdominal massage for hyperbilirubinemia is considered a safe complementary treatment for infants that may increase number of defecations and decrease bilirubin levels. PURPOSE: This study was designed as a randomized controlled trial to determine the effect of abdominal massage on bilirubin levels in term infants receiving phototherapy. METHODS: The sample consisted of 43 term newborns (intervention group: 23; control group: 20) who received phototherapy in a university hospital between June 2019 and February 2021. Information and observation forms were used for data collection. The intervention group received 6 abdominal massages over 2 days, performed 3 times a day, 6 hours apart, and lasting 5 minutes each. RESULTS: Transcutaneous bilirubin levels and heart rate were significantly lower in the intervention group than in the control group at 48 hours (P = .015 and P = .033, respectively). Number of defecations was higher in the intervention group at 24 hours (P = .007) but there was no significant difference at 48 hours. The decrease in serum bilirubin between 24 and 48 hours was significantly greater in the intervention group (P = .005). IMPLICATION FOR PRACTICE AND RESEARCH: Abdominal massage was effective in reducing bilirubin levels and may increase the number of defecations. Providing massage training to the parents of infants who are discharged early could be a protective approach to prevent the rise in bilirubin levels.

Nursing students' mental health: How does eco-anxiety effect?

Climate change is recognised as one of the fundamental determinants of human health. Anxiety experienced in response to an ecological crisis is defined as eco-anxiety. This study aims to determine the eco-anxiety levels of nursing students and the relationship between eco-anxiety and their mental health. The sample of the cross-sectional correlation and descriptive study consisted of nursing students (N = 609) from two different universities in Istanbul. Data were collected with Personal Information Form, Eco-Anxiety Scale and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). The data were analysed with SPSS (v.28) by using the Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests, the Spearman correlation test and general linear model. It was determined that 84.2% of the participants were women and 60.8% were 18-20 years old. The participants' total Eco-Anxiety Scale score was 25.65 ± 7.49, and the total DASS-21 score was 21.24 ± 14.76. There is a statistically significant and positive relationship between the Eco-Anxiety Scale and DASS-21. Mental health nurses can play a key role in planning and raising awareness of interventions for eco-anxiety.

Psychometric properties of the pediatric ward nurses' caring self-efficacy scale: A Turkish validity and reliability study.

PURPOSE: To translate the 51-item Pediatric Ward Nurses' Caring Self-Efficacy Scale into Turkish and to test the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the scale in the Turkish population. DESIGN AND METHODS: The study was conducted with 308 nurses working in the pediatric/pediatric wards of two hospitals in Turkey between September 2021 and January 2022. A Personal Information Form, the Pediatric Ward Nurses' Caring Self-Efficacy Scale, and the Nursing Profession Self-Efficacy Scale (NPSES) were used to determine the care self-efficacy levels of the research sample. RESULTS: The Cronbach alpha value of the scale, which was adapted to Turkish culture, was 0.982, and the test-retest reliability coefficient was 0.994. Factor loads varied between 0.40 and 0.89. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin sample fit coefficient of the scale was 0.963 and the Barlett sphericity test χ2 value was 15,259.02 (p < 0.001). It was determined to have a six-factor structure in Turkish culture and showed good fit indices for the Turkish scale (GFI = 0.93, CFI = 0.97, TLI = 0.96 and RMSEA = 0.09). CONCLUSIONS: The Pediatric Ward Nurses' Caring Self-Efficacy Scale was found to be valid and reliable for sensitively detecting changes in the care self-efficacy levels of nurses working in pediatric wards. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The scale can be used by professionals interested in scientific knowledge about pediatric population.

The effectiveness of motivational messages to intensive care unit nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of motivational messages on optimism, hopelessness, and life satisfaction of intensive care nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. STUDY DESIGN: This is a multicentre, randomized controlled, open-label study. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY/DESIGN: The study was conducted with a total of 87 nurses working in the COVID-19 intensive care units of three hospitals in Istanbul. Motivational messages were sent via SMS to the participants in the motivational group (n = 41) for 21 days. The data were obtained using a Personal Information Form, the Life Orientation Test, Beck Hopelessness Scale and the Satisfaction with Life Scale. RESULTS: The nurses' mean age in the motivational and control groups was 28.4 ± 7.6 and 26.9 ± 3.7 years, respectively. Before the messages, no statistically significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of life orientation (p = 0.059), hopelessness (p = 0.214), and satisfaction with life (p = 0.898) scores. After the messages, life orientation (p = 0.042) and life satisfaction (p = 0.040) scores were significantly higher in the motivational group compared with the control group, and the hopelessness score was significantly lower (p = 0.005). CONCLUSION: According to our study, motivational messages sent to intensive care nurses during the pandemic increased their level of optimism and life satisfaction and decreased their level of hopelessness. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT04751474.

Examination of the relationship between smartphone addiction and cyberchondria in adolescents.

In this descriptive and correlational study, it was aimed to examine the relationship between adolescents' smartphone addiction and cyberchondria. Data were obtained from 384 adolescent high school students in Istanbul between December 2020 and January 2021, using a Personal Information Form, the Smartphone Addiction Scale, and Cyberchondria Severity Scale. The data were collected through face-to-face interviews with the students. The adolescents' smartphone use duration was 3.67 ± 1.66 years. Almost all (97.9%) connected to the internet via smartphones and 39.3% spent 3-4 h per day on the internet. It was determined that 61.7% of them checked their phones as soon as they woke up in the morning and 75.3% of them before going to bed in the evening. For those whose smartphone use duration is high, their cyberchondria also increases. The authors suggest that nurses should understand smartphone addiction and cyberchondria to identify and apply nursing interventions when necessary in adolescents.

Determination of stress, depression and burnout levels of front-line nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

All healthcare professionals, especially nurses, are affected psychosocially due to reasons such as uncertainty and work intensity experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this descriptive study, it was aimed to determine the stress, depression and burnout levels of front-line nurses. Data were obtained from 705 nurses who worked at hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic between May and July 2020, using a Personal Information Form, the Perceived Stress Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and Maslach Burnout Inventory. The data collection tools were sent online to nurse managers, requesting front-line nurses to answer the forms and scales. The nurses were mostly women and had bachelor's degrees, single and worked as nurses for between 1 and 10 years. They had high levels of stress and burnout and moderate depression. Those who were younger and had fewer years of work experience felt inadequate about nursing care and had higher levels of stress and burnout. More burnout was detected in nurses who had a positive COVID-19 test and did not want to work voluntarily during the pandemic. The authors suggest that preventive and promotive interventions in mental health should be planned and implemented to improve the mental health and maintain the well-being of front-line nurses during the pandemic, and to prepare nurses who may work during pandemics in the future.

Motivational support programme to enhance health and well-being and promote weight loss in overweight and obese adolescents: A randomized controlled trial in Turkey.

AIM: The aim of this study is to investigate the effect on health, well-being and weight loss of a motivational support programme provided for adolescents who were overweight and obese. METHODS: This was a randomized controlled trial. Sixty-four adolescents (39 girls and 25 boys) who were overweight and obese and consulted at our polyclinic from January 2015 to February 2016 comprised the study population. The sociodemographic characteristics, well-being levels and physical parameters of the adolescents were evaluated. Routine follow-ups were practiced for both groups. The adolescents in the experimental group had motivational interviews and were sent reminder messages over a 6-month period, and education programmes were conducted with the parents. RESULTS: After 6 months, the body mass index values had decreased in the experimental group compared with baseline, with no decrease in the controls. Scores for the Paediatric Quality of Life total scale and physical health and psychosocial health subscale points were increased in experimental and control groups, but the quality of life scale points of the experimental group were higher than the control group. In the experimental group, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and total cholesterol were decreased. CONCLUSION: The motivational support programme affected the adolescents' health positively and can be recommended as a routine nursing intervention.

The Relationship between University Students' Beliefs toward Mental Illness and Stigmatization.

AIM: This study aimed to determine the relationship between the beliefs toward mental illness and stigmatization of health sciences faculty students. METHOD: This descriptive study was carried out with the students of health sciences faculty in Istanbul. The sample population was composed of 792 students who agreed to participate in the study. Data were collected using the Information Form, Beliefs toward Mental Illness (BMI) scale, and Stigma scale through e-mail. RESULTS: The sociodemographic data of the students showed that 82.8% were female, 98.7% were single, and 30.8% were third-grade students. Of the students, 4.7% were diagnosed with psychiatric disorders, and 27% of them were diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, and 73.1% had not received any education related to mental illness. The mean scores of all BMI scale subdimensions were statistically significant for students diagnosed with mental illness than those for the ones who were not diagnosed with mental illness. The average stigmatization score was statistically significantly higher for students diagnosed with mental illness than that for the ones who were not diagnosed with mental illness. CONCLUSION: As the negative beliefs toward mental illness increase, the stigmatization rates also increase; furthermore, students who are not educated are more likely to stigmatize.

The effectiveness of basic life support training on nursing students' knowledge and basic life support practices: a non-randomized quasi-experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Provision of up-to-date information and skills training related to basic life support practices is very important for nursing students' professional development and practitioner and education related roles. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study was to examine the effectiveness of basic life support training on knowledge and practices among nursing students. METHODS: A non-randomized quasi-experimental design (One group pre-test-post-test) was used in this study. The study was conducted in the laboratory of an undergraduate nursing school. The sample consisted of a convenience sample of 1st-year students enrolled in the undergraduate nursing class. The study sample consisted of 65 nursing students. Basic life support training included both theoretical and practical components. The students' knowledge and practices were assessed before basic life support training. Data were collected using the knowledge assessment questionnaire. The practical skills for basic life support were observed and assessed using a checklist. The pre- and post-assessment practice scores were compared. RESULTS: After basic life support training, level of knowledge and practical skill scores were higher compared to pre-training scores (t= -12.442, p=0.000; t= -22.899, p=0.000). There was a significant and moderate association between the adult basic life support Knowledge Form scores and the adult basic life support practice assessment form scores obtained after the training (r = 0.39, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: The study showed that basic life support training improved knowledge and skills related to basic life support practices in nursing students. Periodic basic life support training is very important for competency in this area among nursing students.

The relationship between cardiometabolic risks and vitamin D levels with the degree of obesity.

AIM: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardiometabolic risk factors including vitamin D levels according to the degree of obesity in adolescents. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study. A total of 363 overweight/obese adolescents aged between 11 and 18 years who were evaluated in our clinic from January 2012 to December 2015 were included in the study. The degree of obesity was calculated as the body mass index standard deviation. Hypertension, dyslipidemia, hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, and vitamin D deficiency were defined as cardiometabolic risk factors. Mann-Whitney U, Chi-square, Spearman and Pearson's correlation tests, and linear regressions analyses were used for statistical analyses. RESULTS: Of the 319 (n=319/363) adolescents, all of whose cardiometabolic risk factors were known, 267 (85.7%) had at least one cardiometabolic risk factor. The body mass index standard deviation had a positive correlation with the number of cardiometabolic risk factors (p<0.001). In the linear regression models in which sex and age were considered as covariates, an increase of one unit in the body mass index standard deviation led to an increase of 6.085 mm Hg in systolic blood pressure, 4.4 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure, 1.59 points in HOMA-IR, 13% in insulin level, and a decrease of 2.16 ng/mL in vitamin D levels. CONCLUSION: In adolescents, the number of cardiometabolic risk factors increases as the degree of obesity increases. The determination of the severity of obesity can help to identify individuals at greater risk for higher blood pressure, impaired glucose metabolism, and lower serum vitamin D levels. On the other hand, the degree of obesity may not reflect the presence of abnormal lipid and glucose levels.

First Aid Knowledge of University Students in Poisoning Cases.

OBJECTIVES: Poisoning is a crucial public health problem which needs serious approach and response to treatment. In case of poisoning, proper first aid is lifesaving and application should be applied in every condition. This research was conducted in order to evaluate first aid knowledge of university students for poisoning. METHODS: The research was conducted between the dates of May 2013-June 2013 with the permission gained from the University Rectorship. The cohort of the research contained 4,560 students who received education in Istanbul. The sample of the study included 936 students who accepted to participate in the research and attended the school during the research. The data were collected by using a questionnaire form, which had 21 questions prepared by researchers. Analysis of the data was carried out with a percentage evaluation method and chi square tests in a computer environment. RESULTS: In our study, 92.6% of students (n=867) knew the phone number of the ambulance in case of emergency. In addition, 57.3% of students (n=536) knew the phone number of the poison hotline, and it was seen that they answered correctly the questions regarding the relation between body system and indications of poisoning. It was determined that the students who received education in medical departments answered the questions correctly more than the students who had education in other departments. (p≤0.001, p≤0.01). CONCLUSIONS: It was observed that the university students in medical departments had more first aid knowledge on poisoning cases compared to the students in other departments who did not have sufficient information regarding these issues. It is thought that first aid education in all departments of universities, both poisoning and other first aid issues, should be conveyed to all students.