Asiye Gül

Complementary and alternative medicine use among undergraduate nursing & midwifery students in Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by nursing and midwifery students. A cross-sectional survey was performed among nursing and midwifery students. Second, third and fourth year students were taken in the sample group. The mean age of the students was 21.37 ± 2.23. 72.4% of the participants had knowledge about CAM. The sources of information were firstly books/magazines (65.5%) and school (60.3%). 93.5% of the students preferred to use both CAM and medical treatments at their illnesses. The rate of the students, who use CAM in patient care, was 72.7%. Hot and cold application (51.6%), massage (50.9%) and exercise (48.7%) were the most chosen methods by students, to use in patient care and to recommend them to the patients. They also pointed that, CAM affects the psychology of patients positively (65.5%), accelerates the healing process (59.6%). 86.5% of the participants pointed that; they want the integration of CAM, especially massage (74.2%) and meditation (46.9%) into the curriculum. The majority of the students reported that using and recommending CAM to their patients is beneficial. These methods should be integrated into the curriculum.

Assessment of quality of life in haemodialysis patients: A comparison of the Nottingham Health Profile and the Short Form 36

This study aimed to compare the psychometric properties of the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-36), which evaluates health-related quality of life in haemodialysis patients. Data were gathered using the NHP and the SF-36. Quality of life scores obtained from the NHP and the SF-36 were compared according to sociodemographic characteristics. It was found that the internal consistency values of the NHP and the SF-36 were similar. The floor effect of the two NHP subscales and the ceiling effect of all the NHP subscales were higher than those pertaining to the. It was observed that the NHP mean subscale scores were higher than those of the SF-36, except for one subscale of the SF-36. There was a significant positive correlation between the similar subscales of the NHP and the SF-36 and between the total scores. These results seem to support the utility of the NHP and the SF-36 in evaluating quality of life in haemodialysis patients.

Anxiety and pain in surgically treated breast cancer patients.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the level of anxiety and pain in women with breast cancer. Patients who had been treated with modified radical mastectomy or breast conserving surgery were included. Data were gathered using the state-trait anxiety inventory and the visual analog scale. The pain levels and analgesic consumption of the patients were evaluated after surgery. The study sample consisted of 150 women. The mean age of the participants was 50.54±10.02. Most of the patients (58%) received breast conserving surgery. The mean state anxiety score was 44.74±11.91, and the mean trait anxiety score was 48.78±9.48 before surgery. The mean pain level on the first day following surgery was 3.26±1.91 and analgesic consumption was 2.98±1.08. There was no correlation between patient pain and anxiety levels. There was very slightly positive correlation between trait anxiety and total analgesic consumption. Assessing the levels of anxiety in breast cancer patients before surgery may contribute to the determination of postoperative pain.

Performed Surgical Interventions After the 1999 Marmara Earthquake in Turkey, and Their Importance Regarding Nursing Practices.

Effectively dealing with earthquakes is especially important for the people who live in areas prone to earthquakes such as the country of Turkey. Trauma related to earthquakes has specific relevance to nursing practice. The purpose of this review was to describe the types of surgical interventions after the Marmara earthquake and to evaluate the implications for nursing care. English and Turkish articles about the Marmara earthquake were reviewed between May and July 2013. A total of 7 studies were evaluated. The number of patients admitted to the units, types of injuries, and surgical treatments were recorded, with a total of 2378 patients with earthquake-related injuries. The most commonly traumatized parts of the body were the extremities. Fasciotomy operations were performed on 286 patients and 75 patients underwent extremity amputations. Predetermining surgical problems and interventions may be useful in planning for possible future problems in the case of a disaster.