Mualla Yilmaz

Recipients' perceptions of their transplanted kidneys

Background. The literature indicates few studies on kidney patients’ perception of the donor kidney. In light of this fact, we decided to explore this issue with adult patients. Methods. We carried out a phenomenological study with 40 adult kidney patients. Results. In this study, three main themes became apparent: the savior, gratitude, and feelings of intense responsibility for the kidney. The patients’ perception of the kidney as a savior was evident in statements where patients spoke of being “reborn” and of the kidney as “a distinct being.” Their sense of gratitude was evident in their description of the kidney as “a gift of life,” in their comments on their improved, “quality of life” and sense of leading a “normal life.” Feelings of intense responsibility for the kidney were also present: “always on my mind,” “precious being,” “uncertainty,” and “contract.” This study’s unique finding was recipients’ desire to enter a contract with the transplanted kidney in order to prevent the risk of rejection. Conclusions. This study indicates that in addition to the physiological care of kidney patients’ during the pre- and postoperative phases, there is also an important psychological component. This demonstrates that the success of a kidney transplant does not only depend on the physical care given to the patient but also on the emotional support provided by those around them. Accordingly, healthcare providers should support the patients’ emotional needs in a number of ways as suggested in the discussion.

Living with Asthma: An Analysis of Patients' Perspectives

Objectives. To investigate asthmatic patients’ perceptions of their disease. Methods. The study was done with the participation of 23 patients among the asthmatics whose progress is monitored regularly in a university hospital. Phenomenological methodology was used, and the first step was to determine the socio-demographic characteristics of the participants. Then, in order to determine their feelings and opinions on the subject of their asthma, each participant was asked to write a letter to answer the following question: “If asthma were a friend of yours, what would you like to say to it in a letter?” Data were analyzed using the continuous comparative method of Colaizzi (1978; “Psychological research as a phenomenologist views it”, in Valle, R. And King, M. (Eds), Existential Phenomenological Alternatives for Psychology, Oxford University Press, New York, NY.). For this purpose, each researcher read the letters separately and identified the important thoughts, and similar statements were classified under the same theme groups. Results. The mean age of the patients was 41.43 ± 6.23 years, and 69.6% of them were female, 73.9% were married, 34.8% were primary school graduates, and 34.7% were civil servants (with no social security problems). The statements of the asthmatics in the study were grouped according to the following themes: “The Most Important Factor in Accepting Asthma Is Time,” “It’s So Hard to Be Asthmatic,” “Being Asthmatic Means Understanding the Value of Life,” “I Don’t Like Asthma, so I Can’t Make Friends with It,” “Learning to Live with Asthma,” “One Day I May Recover from Asthma,” “Feeling Anger,” and “Suffering from Continuous Worry and Fear.” Conclusion. Asthmatic patients need psychosocial support since they believe that there is no certain treatment for asthma, and attacks are inevitable.

Living with Atrial Fibrillation: An Analysis of Patients' Perspectives

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to determine the perceptions of patients with atrial fibrillation regarding the disease, to reveal their feelings, thoughts and wishes, and to investigate their perspectives and coping behaviors towards their condition. METHODS Phenomenological methodology was used. The study population consisted of a total of 225 patients treated by the cardiology department of a university hospital, while the study sample consisted of 32 patients who met the inclusion criteria. A semistructured interview addressed perceptions of patients with atrial fibrillation regarding the disease. Data were collected by asking the participants the three questions on the In-depth Individual Interview Form. Data were analyzed using the continuous comparative method of Colaizzi. RESULTS In the study sample, 50.0% of participants were female, 69.0% were married, and the mean age was 66.90 years (± 7.90 years). As a result of the content analysis, four main themes and 15 subthemes were identified: patients mental status regarding the disease, patients social status regarding the disease, patients physical condition regarding the disease, and disease management and coping with the disease. The study found that individuals with atrial fibrillation faced major limitations in their daily living activities and social lives due to the disease symptoms and warfarin use. CONCLUSIONS Patients need to be provided with relevant individual training and counselling so that they lead more satisfactory lives. In addition, appropriate health appointment and monitoring systems should be developed for patients to reduce the problems associated with frequent follow-up appointments.

Assessment of the relationship between professional self concept and job satisfaction levels of nurses who work in psychiatry clinics

Background Although post-operative pain management has been researched extensively, it does not receive the same attention from paediatric nurses in Saudi Arabia. Practices are not based on sound evidence, but there is a willingness to improve. The factors addressed in this study had not been considered together in any study, and each in turn was supported by only minimal evidence of variable quality. No work of significance had been undertaken in the context of Saudi Arabia or other Gulf nations. Aims The aim was to test the impact of an interactive online post-operative pain management education programme on paediatric nurses’ knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and perceptions of children’s pain; self-efficacy; and perceptions of barriers to optimal practice. Study Design A non-equivalent groups pre-test post-test design was used. A sample of 229 paediatric nurses working in surgical wards in Hail region hospitals was recruited (intervention n=135; control n=94) and completed four instruments to test the study variables on three occasions: before the intervention, and at one and three months afterwards. The intervention was an interactive educational programme on DVD with explanations, exercises, video presentations and self-check games. Analysis of categorical variables was undertaken using descriptive statistics, and ANOVA inferential statistics were used to compare the results within and between groups. Results In the intervention group statistically significant, positive changes were seen in all attributes other than nurses’ perceptions of children’s pain. Such changes were not observed in the control group. Participants were explicit in approval of the intervention. Conclusion The online education programme was effective in equipping Saudi nurses with the skills, knowledge and self-confidence to undertake effective post-operative pain management. Shift patterns, geographical distances and cultural issues in Saudi hospitals make attendance at educational events difficult, so this approach could exert a notable impact on clinical practice throughout Saudi Arabia.Background: Studies have shown significantly lower risk of complications during labor following prenatal care, allowing early detection, promoting normal pregnancy and birth. In May 2013 Maccabi Health Services launched “prenatal personal care” a dual gynecologist and nurse follow up model. Our goals were to Preserve and promote physical and mental condition of pregnant women and conduct early identification of high risk situations and intervention. Methods: The model is based on periodic visits provided by 150 designated nurses and 200 gynecologists working in collaboration. The follow up consists of 4-6 visits through pregnancy period. Additional visits provided according to woman’s health state. The intervention includes information on recommended tests, abnormal conditions, preliminary screening for depression during pregnancy (Edinburgh questionnaire) and counseling. Various communication services such as Facebook, email, phone, app and personal meetings are available. The model maintains interfaces with other health care providers such as dieticians, pelvic floor physical therapists, social workers and others. A designated computerized record was developed allowing generate and transparent follow up. Results: Prenatal care was given to 22% of pregnant women. 58% of them were vaccinated for pertussis compared to 22% in standard care. Depression screening found 0.4% positive answers to tendency for suicide, 11.5% were suspected for depression. In addition, 85.6% performed GCT test versus 74.3% with standard care. Conclusion: The model contributes to higher health outcomes and higher satisfaction among doctors, nurses and pregnant women. The service will be expanded to telehealth prenatal care allowing broader availability and accessibility for service nationwide. 1Women’s health coordinator, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Israel 2Director of Gynecology, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Israel 3Director of women’s Health Center, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Israel 4Director of public health department, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Israel 5Director of the Nursing Department, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Israel 6Head of North District, Maccabi Healthcare Services, Israel *Corresponding author Odelia Keshev, Women’s health coordinator, Maccabi health care organization, Israel, E-mail: keshev_o@mac.org.il Submitted: 31 Oct 2016; Accepted: 04 Dec 2016; Published: 08 Dec 2016 Background Pregnancy is characterized by physiological and psychological changes. Prenatal care allows early detection of health problems that may occur during this period thereby increasing the chances of normal pregnancy and birth of a healthy newborn. Prenatal care is a key preventive health service used in developed countries around the world. By providing expectant mothers with regular health evaluations and information about the course of the pregnancy, labor, birth, and parenthood, prenatal care aims to reduce the risk of unfavorable pregnancy and birth outcome [1]. Studies have shown that the risk of complications during labor and birth outcomes were significantly lower among women who were followed by prenatal care coordination compared to those who were under medical supervision only [2]. In the U.S., the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends a uniform prenatal visit schedule comprised of approximately 14 visits: every four weeks up to 28-32 weeks of gestation, then every two weeks up to 36 weeks, and finally weekly until birth [3].Nurses are the largest group of healthcare providers, and the nursing shortage is a global concern. Due to this shortage, Saudi Arabia depends heavily on expatriate nurses from different countries. How the Saudi community perceives nursing as a profession will affect the nursing recruitment and retention. The aim of this study was to explore the Saudi community perception regarding nursing.A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to collect data from a convenience sample of 500 male and female Saudi participants. Two tools were developed by the investigator to collect the data: Demographic characteristics questionnaire and the perception toward nursing questionnaire. The questionnaires were carefully constructed and piloted with 20 participants Non-parametric test has been used to analyze the 29 item Likert scale that measure the strength of the participants agreement was used with one is strongly disagree and 5 for strongly agree.Most of the participants (58%) were 20 to 40 years old. Slightly more than half of them (50.2%) had a bachelor degree and 60.4% had a family member or a friend work as a nurse. Overall there was a positive perception about nursing among the majority of the participants.They perceive nursing as a human, respected profession but it is not appreciated by the society. More than half of the participants believe that Saudi nurses are better than foreign nurses and only 24% of the respondents think that nursing conflict with the customs and traditions of the Saudi society. However this positive perception of the participants was not transmitted into a desire to join nursing. Improving nursing professions social position, prestige, working condition and salaries might encourage more applicants and young generations to enter the nursing profession.Objective: to examine the relationship between BMI, self-esteem and quality of life among Saudi Adolescent females. Method : A descriptive correlational design was used. A convenience sample of 416 participants was included. An explanation about the purpose and the nature of the study was offered for each participant. Qualified subjects were asked to complete the survey questionnaire and get their weight and height measured. Voluntary participation was assured. The inclusion criteria were Saudi nationality, age range between 14 to 21, and no history of chronic diseases, Three tools were used to collect data: the sociodemographic part, Rosenberg’s (1965) Self-Esteem Scale (RSE), and Quality of Life Scale (QOLS). The validity and reliability of the measurements were ensured. Data was collected from public places. Results: The mean age was 19.19+ 1.92. The mean BMI was 25.04+ 5.45. The mean total self esteem score was 29.23+4.29 and the mean total score of the quality of life was 82.83+ 17.08. Persons correlation showed that there was a significant negative correlation between Body Mass Index (BMI) and total self esteem score (r = -0.421, p = 0.000). Also there was a significant negative correlation between BMI and total Quality of life score (r = -0.325, p = 0.000). There were no statistical relationship between age, self esteem and quality of life, However there was a significant positive correlation between self esteem and quality of life (r = 0.276, P = 0. 000). Conclusion: The self esteem as well as the quality of life decrease with the increase in body mass index among adolescence female.Background : COPD patients experienced intense anxiety and depre ssion in Turkey and perception of disease in COPD patients were examined effect on anxiety and d epression. Objectives: The aim of this descriptive study is to determine t h effect of illness perception on anxiety and depression in patients with COPD and the factors af fecting anxiety and depression. Methods: The sample of this study consisted of 200 patients who met the research criteria, agreed to participa te in the research and admitted to the clinical of Che st Diseases of a university hospital in Turkey betw een November 2015 and January 2016. Personal Informatio n Form, Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were u s d for data collection. Results: In the study, it was found that there was a posit ive correlation between the sub-scale consequences of the IPQ and HADS, a negative correlation between th e immunization perception and HADS, a positive correlation between the personal control and anxiet y (HADS-A), a positive correlation between emotiona l representations, accidents-chance perception and de pression (HADS-D), and a negative correlation betwe n illness perception and HADS-D (p<0.05). Conclusion: It was determined that the illness perception affe cted anxiety and depression in patients with COPD in many sub-scales.Background: Internet has emerged as an integral part of most people’s daily lives globally. Current research indicated that some internet users worldwide experience personal and professional tribulations due to the time they spent online. Objectives: The aim of this study was to examine patterns of internet use among Saudi adults in central region of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive correlation, cross – sectional research design was utilized to conduct the current study on a convenience sample of 678 adults who were recruited from public areas of highest community assembly points such as shopping malls, parks, outpatient clinics waiting areas high schools, colleges and universities and gave voluntary consent to participate in the study. Participants were asked to complete the two part questionnaire survey including participant’s demographic background and Internet Addiction Test (IAT) Young (1998). An explanation about the purpose and the nature of the study was offered for each individual potential participant. Subjects were assured about the confidentiality of the collected data and that it will be only used by the researcher for the purpose of the current study. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18. Results: Average daily internet use among participants ranged between 30 minutes to 24 hours per day (M = 7.03, SD + 4.97). Hundred percent of the participants reported that they have internet access at home while 70.8% have internet access at work and 61.7% of the participants had mobile internet access all time. More than 50% of the participants reported that they often lose sleep due to late-night log-ins or found themselves saying “just a few more minutes” when on-line. Internet use among Saudi participants included in the current study didn’t negatively impact their grades or school works because of the amount of time they spend on-line (less than 25% of the study participants). Majority of the participants didn’t try to hide how long they’ve been on-line (more than 75%), and more than 50% of the participants didn’t use the internet to form new relationships with fellow on-line users. Conclusion: Although the identified percentage of Saudi adult participants fitting to the category of internet addiction is very low but still the results show that major percentage of participants had occasional problems which can be considered as a bridge to internet addiction. Accordingly there is a need to gain insight into the problem and develop and expand awareness about the harmful consequences of maladaptive internet use through interactive programs and mass media. Keywords: internet addiction, pathological internet use, problematic internet use, maladaptive internet use