John Stathoulis

Assessment of Fatigue in End Stage Renal Disease Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis: Prevalence and Associated Factors.

Background: Fatigue is a common symptom referred by many patients undergoing hemodialysis. Fatigue is associated with poor health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and is an important predictor for survival of hemodialysis patients. Aim: To assess the levels of fatigue and demographic factors affecting it among patients with End Stage Renal Disease undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: This quantitative study was carried out in two Dialysis Units of Hospitals in Athens Region. Between January 2015 and June 2015, 129 hemodialysis patients completed the Greek Version of the Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS). Demographic data of patients was recorded. For the statistical analysis IBM SPSS Statistics version 20 was used. Results: The mean FAS score was 24.99. 49 patients (38.0%) were non fatigued, 61 patients (47.3%) were fatigued, and 19 patients (13.7%) were extremely fatigued. Higher levels of fatigue were reported among hemodialysis patients residing in urban areas, in those with low educational level and unemployed. Conclusion: The findings of this study can be used in the assessment of fatigue and early identification of high-risk patients (especially of the unemployed, those who occupy with domestic works, those with low educational level and of urban citizens). Use of this knowledge by hemodialysis nurses may lead to a better understanding of the factors of fatigue in ESRD, which in turn may lead to a more effective treatment.

ACUTE RENAL FAILURE: METHODS OF TREATMENT IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT

Patients who are treated in an intensive care unit (ICU) show the need of recovery of their renal function. The reason is that, in this particular cohort of patients, we have to maintain the necessary balance between body fluids, electrolytes, and acid-base, try to suspend further renal damage and purify the patients blood to better accept the given therapy. In this paper, we try to demonstrate all the methods that can be used depending on the patients condition, the therapists preferences and the hospitals capabilities.

Assessing Factors That Affect Coping Strategies Among Nursing Personnel

Introduction: The nursing profession is characterized as one of the most stressful professions. A significant number of international surveys prove that nurses experience anxiety that often is accompanied by intense symptoms that negatively affect their work performance and their psychological mood. Aim: To evaluate the ways of coping in stress adopted by the nursing staff and their relationship with sociodemographic and job characteristics. Methodology: A cross-sectional, quantitative study was conducted in seven hospitals of Peloponnese Region, Greece. The study took place between April 2013-June 2013 and 395 nurses completed the Ways of Coping questionnaire. Socio-demographic, educational and job characteristics of nurses were, also, recorded. Results: Strategies focused on the problem were adopted to a greater extent more by postgraduate nurses, head nurses, and nurses with greater working experience. Intensive Care Unit nurses mainly adopted the strategy of denial while strategies focused on emotions were mostly adopted by females. Age and marital status did not affect significantly the choice of coping strategies. Conclusions: According to our findings several demographic factors that affect coping in stressful situations can be investigated and such an investigation could offer useful research findings for consideration.

INTEGRATING CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE PATIENT’S SPIRITUALITY IN THEIR CARE: HEALTH BENEFITS AND RESEARCH PERSPECTIVES

Introduction: Patients who suffer from chronic renal disease face problems in many aspects of their life; problems such as physical and social as well as mental such as stress, anxiety, depression. In addition, they exhibit an amount of spiritual needs, which relate and influence the psychological adaptation to the illness. Aim: The aim of this article is to examine evidence from the international literature regarding the possible relation of spirituality and health outcomes, mostly in the complex codex of a chronic and life treathing disease such as CKD. Results: Spirituality is a very debatable issue and the term has no single and widely agreed definition. The key components of spirituality were ‘meaning’, ‘hope’, ‘relatedness/connectedness’, and ‘beliefs/beliefs systems’. Spirituality has been characterized as the quest for meaning in life, mainly through experiences and expressions of mind, in a unique and dynamic process different for each individual. For many individuals spirituality and religion are important aspects of their existence, constituting a source support contribute to wellbeing and coping with life’s daily difficulties. Conclusion: Considering, assessing and addressing chronic kidney disease patient’s spirituality and spiritual needs is necessary and it can have a positive outcome in health related quality of life, mental health and life expectancy.

Mental health, loneliness, and illness perception outcomes in quality of life among young breast cancer patients after mastectomy: the role of breast reconstruction

PurposeΤο explore the relationship between mental health (depression, anxiety, and stress), loneliness, and illness perception with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in young breast cancer patients, within a year after mastectomy, and to investigate the role of breast reconstruction.MethodsEighty-one women with stage II breast cancer—35 with breast reconstruction and 46 without breast reconstruction—completed the Missoula-VITAS Quality of Life Index-15, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale 21, the UCLA Loneliness Scale, the Brief Illness Perception Questionnaire, and a questionnaire with demographic and medical information. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 20.ResultsBreast reconstruction was a significant predictor of total HRQoL and its domains. Women with breast reconstruction had better HRQoL, significantly better mental health, less stress and anxiety levels but experienced more physical discomfort and perceived higher level of physical distress compared to the ones without breast reconstruction. On the contrary, patients without breast reconstruction had higher level of loneliness, which was found to be correlated with poor HRQoL and higher levels of anxiety. Negative illness perceptions were associated with poor HRQoL for both groups.ConclusionsBreast reconstruction is not a panacea for patients in improving HRQoL.

The impact of education on knowledge, adherence and quality of life among patients on haemodialysis

PurposeThe purpose of the study was to assess the impact of an educational intervention on the level of knowledge, quality of life (QoL) and adherence to the treatment regimen among haemodialysis (HD) patients as well as to describe the association between these variables.MethodsIn this quasi-experimental interventional study, 50 HD patients at a HD centre in Western Attica were randomly assigned into intervention (N = 25, received education and a booklet) and control (N = 25, received only the booklet) groups. Knowledge, adherence and quality of life were measured pre- and post-intervention using the Kidney Disease Questionnaire, the GR-Simplified Medication Adherence Questionnaire-HD and Missoula Vitas Quality of Life Index—15, respectively. The statistical analysis of the data was performed with the help of the Statistical Program SPSS version 19.0. The statistical significance level was set up at 0.05.ResultsThe increase of knowledge, adherence and QoL levels in the intervention group was significantly higher compared to the control group. There was no significant correlation between knowledge and adherence scores after the intervention. However, a significant positive correlation was found between the change in the overall QoL and the changes in the total adherence score as well as the adherence to the fluids and dietary behaviour.ConclusionsAn educational intervention can improve knowledge, adherence and QoL among HD patients. The increase of knowledge level is not associated with increased adherence. However, the increase of adherence may improve some dimensions of QoL.