Ayda Çelebioğlu

Turkish children loved distraction: using kaleidoscope to reduce perceived pain during venipuncture

AIM To assess the effect of distraction (looking through kaleidoscopes) to reduce perceived pain, during venipuncture in healthy school-age children. BACKGROUND Distraction has been noted to be an effective method to help children cope with painful procedures. In the studies carried out, although it was found out that distraction made with different distracters reduced the pain of venipuncture, there is only one study confirming analgesic effect of distracters. DESIGN The study was carried out as an intervention-control group design. METHOD Children (n = 206), in whom venipuncture was applied in a laboratory for examination between the dates January-September 2006, were included in the study. The data were obtained by a form determining introductory features of the children and Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale and Visual Analogue Scale evaluating the pain. Descriptive statistics was used in the assessment of the data and t-test was used in comparisons of dependent-independent groups. RESULTS Pain levels of the children according to both scales in intervention group were lower than those of control group. But, it was detected that the distinction between score averages of intervention and control group of Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale, not Visual Analogue Scale, was statistically significant (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION It was detected that the distraction made with kaleidoscope effectively reduced the pain related to venipuncture in healthy school children and that some features of the children influenced the perception of pain. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Distraction with kaleidoscope is a method, which the nurse will be able to use for venipuncture to obtain optimal pain control. In addition, it is important for a nurse to know some features about the children for a pain free and positive experience.

Effect of aromatherapy massage on dysmenorrhea in Turkish students.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of aromatherapy massage on dysmenorrhea. The study used a quasiexperimental design with the subjects as their own control. Every participant applied both aromatherapy massage with lavender oil and placebo massage with odorless liquid petrolatum [soft paraffin]. The population comprised 438 midwifery and nursing students. The 150 students who had declared that they had suffered from dysmenorrhea used a visual analog scale to indicate their level of pain. Higher scores reflected a greater severity of dysmenorrhea. Forty-four students volunteered to participate in the study. When the lavender massage and the placebo massage were compared, the visual analog scale score of the lavender massage was found to decrease at a statistically significant rate. This study showed that massage was effective in reducing dysmenorrhea. In addition, this study showed that the effect of aromatherapy massage on pain was higher than that of placebo massage.

Educating fathers to improve breastfeeding rates and paternal-infant attachment

ObjectivesTo determine the effect of breastfeeding education provided to fathers on breastfeeding rates and paternal-infant attachment.Methods117 couples with their infants with the inclusion criteria: knowledge of reading, writing and speaking Turkish; living in the Turkish Republic of North Cyprus until their infants were six months old; and infants having no health problems preventing the early initiation of breastfeeding. Participants were divided into 3 groups (2 experimental and 1 control). Breastfeeding education was provided to the mothers (20 min/d) in the first group (n=38) and to the mothers and fathers in the second group (n=39) (20 min/d/parent) until they were discharged from the hospital. This education was supplemented by a training booklet. The parents and their infants were followed until the infants were six months old. Exclusive breastfeeding rates and Paternal-Infant Attachment Scale scores at six months were main outcome measures.ResultsExclusive breastfeeding rates (56.4%, 33.3% and 12.8%; P<0.001) and mean (SD) Paternal-Infant Attachment Scale scores [89.51(7.05), 82.37 (12.80) and 73.38 (18.67); P<0.001] were highest in the group where education was provided to both mother and father.ConclusionsProviding breastfeeding education to fathers increases exclusive breastfeeding rates and strengthens paternal attachment.

The pain response of infants in Turkey to vaccination in different injection sites

This study was carried out with the aim of comparing pain responses of children who receive intramuscular (IM) vaccination in deltoid muscle versus the pain responses of those who receive IM vaccination in the vastus lateralis. A total of 185 infants were randomly assigned to one of the two study groups. The deltoid group and the vastus lateralis group were vaccinated respectively in the deltoid muscle and the vastus lateralis. Our results indicated that pain response of infants was similar in each group. However, crying duration of the children who received the vastus lateralis vaccination was shorter than that of the deltoid group after the procedure.

An evaluation of the hand and nasal flora of Turkish nursing students after clinical practice

AIM The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the hand and nasal flora of nursing students before and after the clinical practice. BACKGROUND Hospitals are places where infective agents abound. Healthcare workers, relatives of patients and students practising in the hospital medium are often exposed to these infective agents. Although the role of the hand and nasal flora of healthcare workers in the development of nosocomial infections has been emphasised by earlier studies, there are a limited number of studies which investigate the hand and nasal flora of nursing students. DESIGN Descriptive. METHODS This descriptive study involved 66 volunteer nursing students. Two samples of flora from both hands and nose of each student were obtained. The inoculated samples were then evaluated through routine bacteriological study methods. Chi-square and percentage calculations were used in comparisons. RESULTS None of the students had methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus colonisation in the hand samples before clinical practice, 6.1% of the students had methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and 4.5% had methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus colonisation after the practice. Although the differences between the rates of contamination with pathogen micro-organisms in the hand and nasal flora of the student nurses before and after clinical practice were not significant, the rate of colonisation after clinical practice was higher. CONCLUSIONS In this study, the rate of colonisation after clinical practice was higher. These findings indicate that students might have been contaminated with bacteria during clinical practice. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The results of this study have practical importance in clinical practice. The role of the hand and nasal flora of nursing students in the development of nosocomial infections is significant. For this reason, some precautions, such as using gloves and handwashing with special solutions when needed, should be taken to prevent nosocomial infections and protect students against associated risks.

Effects of massage therapy on pain and anxiety arising from intrathecal therapy or bone marrow aspiration in children with cancer

Cancer and its treatment are stressful and reduce the quality of life in children. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of massage therapy on pain and anxiety arising from intrathecal therapy or bone marrow aspiration in children with cancer. We conducted a controlled pretest/posttest quasi-experimental study at a paediatric oncology unit in Turkey. Twenty-five children were enrolled in this study. Their pain and anxiety were determined using a visual analogue scale. When the pretest and posttest pain and anxiety levels of the groups were compared, no statistically significant difference was found (P > 0.05). It was determined that pain and anxiety levels in the experimental group decreased significantly. This study provides preliminary evidence for the effectiveness in children of massage in reducing pain and anxiety arising from intrathecal therapy or bone marrow aspiration.

Impact of symptom management training among asthmatic children and adolescents on self-efficacy and disease course

Abstract Purpose: The study was conducted to examine the effect of a training program provided to asthmatic children/adolescents on disease course and self-efficacy. Methods: This prospective study consisted of both experimental and control subjects. The study population was composed of children/adolescents aged 10–18 years, who presented at Health Centers within Tokat province with asthma and who were currently using inhaler treatments. The study sample included 40 patients each in both the control and experimental groups. Asthmatic Child Information Form, Disease Evaluation Form, Peak Expiratory Flow Rate Evaluation Form and an Asthmatic Child/Adolescent Self-Efficacy Scale were used to collect data on research outcomes. Data were statistically analyzed with paired sample t-test, McNemar’s test, independent samples t-test. Results: A significant increase in mean self-efficacy score was observed in the experimental group following training sessions. The experimental training was also associated with a reduction in asthma symptoms, less limitations to daily function and fewer attacks following physical activity relative to the control subjects. The children/adolescents in the experimental group were more conscious of the symptoms of asthma attacks and used preventive and rescue medications regularly, and reported fewer absences from school and fewer emergency room visits (p < 0.05). The average peak expiratory flow rate was 62.5% in the experimental group. After training, there were significant decreases in the number of attacks and the need of increasing inhaler doses in the experimental group. Conclusions: The study results show that the training program is effective in increasing self-efficacy and improving asthma symptoms among children/adolescents. Nurses should offer the training program to support children/adolescents during asthma attacks, and encourage the development of self-efficacy

The Effects of Instrumental Touching on Infant Pain Perception and the Effects of Eutectic Mixture of Local Anesthetics (EMLA) on the Reduction of Pain

Background: Premature infants, who have to spend the first week of their lives in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), experience pain and stress in numerous cases, and they are exposed to many invasive interventions. The studies have shown that uncontrolled pain experienced during early life has negative and long-term side effects, such as distress, and such experiences negatively affect the development of the central nervous system Objectives: The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of touching on infant pain perception and the effects of eutectic mixture of local anesthetic (EMLA) on the reduction of pain. Patients and Methods: Data for the study were collected between March and August 2012 from the neonatal clinic of a university hospital located in eastern Turkey. The population of the study consisted of premature infants who were undergoing treatment, completed the first month and who were approved for Hepatitis B vaccine. The study consisted of two experimental groups and one control group. Information forms, intervention follow-up forms, and Premature Infant Pain Profile (PIPP) were used to collect the data. EMLA cream was applied on the vastus lateralis muscles of the first experimental group before the vaccination. The second experimental group was vaccinated by imitation (placebo), without a needle tip or medicine. Vaccination was carried out using instrumental touch in this group. A routine vaccination was applied in the control group. Results: Mean pain scores of the group to which EMLA was applied were lower in a statistically significant way (P < 0.05) compared to the pain scores of the other groups. Moreover, it was determined that even though invasive intervention was not applied to the newborns, the touching caused them to feel pain just as in the placebo group (P < 0.005). Conclusions: The results demonstrated that EMLA was an effective method for reducing pain in premature newborns, and the use of instrumental touch for invasive intervention stimulated the pain perception in the newborns.

Effect of an obesogenic environment and health behaviour-related social support on body mass index and body image of adolescents:

Aim: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of an obesogenic environment and social support for health behaviours on body mass index and body image in adolescents. Methods: This methodological and descriptive study was conducted in a city centre in Turkey. Interviews were made with the Provincial Directorate for National Education, and the schools in the city centre were divided into three regions according to socioeconomic levels; three schools were then determined among the regions by drawing lots. The data collection was performed with 270 students randomly selected from the three schools. A student information form, an obesogenic environment evaluation form, body cathexis scale, body mass index (BMI) and the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale for Healthy Behaviours were used to collect data. Percentage distributions, correlations, chi-square tests, analyses of variance and independent samples t-tests were used in the data analysis. Results: According to the data acquired, 10.7% of adolescents in the study group were overweight and 3.0% were obese. There was a positive relationship between the obesogenic environment and BMI, and as the obesogenic environmental features of adolescents increased, the BMI increased, and the body image scores decreased. As social support for the adolescents’ health behaviours increased from their mothers, fathers, teachers, classmates, and close friends, BMI decreased and they were more likely to be satisfied satisfied with their bodies. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that, while an obesogenic environment contributed to increased BMI in adolescents and decreased their body satisfaction, social support given for health behaviours had a positive effect on BMI and body perception.

Violence Experienced by Turkish Nurses and their Emotions and Behaviors

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the nurses’ exposure to violence, and their emotions and behaviors in the workplaces. The study population consisted of 219 nurses (66.5%) who worked in a state hospital located in eastern Turkey. The data was collected with a data collection questionnaire prepared by the researchers. In the evaluation of the data, number and percentage distributions, and chi-square test were used. In the paper, it was observed that 74.4 percent of nurses were exposed to verbal violence from the relatives of patients (68.0%). Nurses considered the “inadequate security measures” as the major (55.7%) cause of violence. The majority (67.6%) of nurses exposed to violence have continued to provide care to the patient, and experienced anger (60.7%). There was a relationship between the level of education of the nurses and exposure to verbal violence of the abusers (doctor, nurses), and the nurses working in shifts and in the surgical clinics were exposed to violence mostly by the patients’ relatives (p<0.05). Considering the frequent incidence of violence and its physical and psychological harm to health workers, the importance of taking institutional measures for the safety of health workers becomes prominent.