Funda Veren

Attitudes of Turkish Nursing and Medical Students Toward Elderly People

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the attitudes of nursing and medical students toward older people in Turkey. Method: This was a cross-sectional and comparative descriptive study. The Turkish version of Kogan’s Old People Scale was used to evaluate attitudes toward older people among 618 students. Results: Medical students showed more positive attitudes toward older people than nursing students. Students who were females, whose economic income was less than expenditure, and who were not interested in working with older people after graduation showed less positive attitudes. Conclusion: The results suggested that positive attitudes toward older people exist; despite this, it is obvious that more efforts are required to enhance these attitudes. Implications for Practice: Revision and improvement in curricula are needed to enhance the attitudes of students toward older people, and lecturers in schools should further consider the need to prepare students for their roles as caregivers for this particular group.

The Effects of Two Bathing Methods on the Time of Separation of Umbilical Cord in Term Babies in Turkey

Background: Umbilical cord infection developing subsequent to bacterial colonization is one of the outstanding reasons of newborn mortality and morbidity in underdeveloped and developing countries Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the influence of sponge and tub bathing methods on umbilical cord separation time in full term babies in Turkey. Patients and Methods: This quasi-experimental and randomized controlled study was performed on 100 healthy term newborn babies and their mothers. One-hundred full-term babies (51 sponge bathing, 49 tub bathing) born at a state hospital between 14.03.2013 and 18.05.2013 with gestational age of 38-42 weeks, weighing 2500 grams and above and met the selection criteria were included as the study sample. Two booklets were prepared about sponge bathing and tub bathing. Mothers were instructed about sponge bathing and tub bathing, umbilical cord care in prenatal and postnatal periods. The first postnatal visit was performed at the hospital. Home visits and telephone calls were continued until the day of cord separation. Number, percent, mean and standard deviation values, qui-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used for data assessment. Results: The time of separation of umbilical cord in babies who were given sponge bathing (6.1 ± 1.4) was shorter compared to those given tub bathing (8.3 ± 2.5) (P < 0.005). Conclusions: Since wetting of umbilical cord during tub bathing delays the separation of umbilical cord, sponge bathing is recommended for newborns until the umbilical cord falls off.

Attitudes to ageing and their relationship with quality of life in older adults in Turkey: Attitudes to ageing and quality of life

With the increase in life expectancy, it has become necessary to expand our knowledge of how older individuals perceive their own ageing and how ageing affects their quality of life. The aim of the study was to determine older adults’ attitudes towards ageing and the relationship between attitudes and quality of life among community‐dwelling older adults in Turkey.