Myung Sook Cho

Effects of Nei-Guan Acupressure on Nausea, Vomiting and Level of Satisfaction for Gynecological Surgery Patients Who Are Using a Patient-Controlled Analgesia

PURPOSE This study was done to examine effects of Nei-Guan acupressure on nausea, vomiting and level of satisfaction for gynecological surgery patients who were using a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). METHODS For this study, 51 patients were assigned to one of three groups, a control group (17 patients), experimental group 1 (finger acupressure group) (17 patients), and experimental group 2 (relief band group) (17 patients). The data were collected for 24 hr in the recovery room of a university hospital located in Seoul. The 6 hr-intervals including the time of leaving the recovery room were taken into consideration. RESULTS The occurrence of nausea between the experimental group with Nei-Guan acupressure treatment and the control group was different. However, there was no difference in nausea and vomiting control or level of patient satisfaction between the finger acupressure group and the relief band group. CONCLUSION Nei-Guan acupressure is recommended for nursing practice as a way for alleviating the opioid-induced nausea and accelerating the recovery of patients who are using PCA after surgery.

A Comparison of the Rates of Hemolysis and Repeated Blood Sampling using Syringe needles versus Vacuum tube needles in the Emergency Department

PURPOSE This study was done to compare the rates of hemolysis and repeated sampling in blood samples obtained by a syringe needle versus a vacuum tube needle. METHODS A randomized, prospective study was used to evaluate the differences between the two blood sampling methods. The study group consisted of patients seen in the emergency department (ED) for blood sampling to determine electrolyte level. ED patients were randomly assigned to either the syringe group or the vacuum tube group. All blood samples were collected by experienced ED nurses and hemolysis was determined by experienced laboratory technologists. Data were analyzed using Fishers exact test and binary logistic regression. RESULTS One hundred forty-five valid samples were collected (74 in the syringe group versus 71 in the vacuum tube group). 5 of 74 (6.8%) blood samples in the syringe group and 8 of 71 (11.3%) in the vacuum tube group hemolyzed. Repeated blood sampling occurred for 2 of 74 (2.7%) and 3 of 71 (4.2%) in each group respectively. There were no significant differences in rates of hemolysis and repeated sampling between two groups (B=1.97, p=.204; B=2.36, p=.345). CONCLUSION Venipuncture with syringe needles can be recommended for ED nurses to obtain blood samples.

The validity and reliability of the Korean version of the Cancer-chemotherapy Concerns Rating Scale

OBJECTIVE The Cancer-chemotherapy Concerns Rating Scale was developed in Japan for outpatients undergoing chemotherapy, and its validity and reliability have been reported. The purpose of the study was to test the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the Cancer-chemotherapy Concerns Rating Scale. METHODS The questionnaire was filled out by 199 cancer patients, who were currently undergoing outpatient chemotherapy. The data were analyzed using exploratory factor analysis with Promax Rotation to determine the factor construct validity. The reliability of the Cancer-chemotherapy Concerns Rating Scale was investigated by Cronbachs alpha and the Spearman Brown coefficient. RESULTS Four factors were obtained and the overall structure was similar to that of the Japanese version; reorganization of daily life, self-existence, disease progress, and social and economic concerns. Cronbachs alpha for the total scale was 0.91 and the Spearman Brown coefficient was 0.85. CONCLUSIONS We found that the Korean version of the Cancer-chemotherapy Concerns Rating Scale could be clinically useful. It could provide health-care providers with information useful to understand the psychological state of patients undergoing outpatient chemotherapy.