Neziha Karabulut

Sexual Desire and Satisfaction in Sexual Life Affecting Factors in Breast Cancer Survivors After Mastectomy

The purpose of this study was to examine impact of treatment and personality characteristics, and support need for femininity and body image on sexual desire and sexual satisfaction of women with breast cancer. The sample consisted of 123 married women who previously underwent mastectomy and applied to medical oncology clinics of a university hospital. Sexual desire of the women in this study was low, and they were slightly satisfied with sexual life. Consequently, the women required supporting needs of femininity and body image. The result of this study could be utilized to determine sexual desire and satisfaction related to sexual life of women with breast cancer.

Pain-relieving factors in migraine and tension-type headache

We performed the present study to compare patients with migraine and tension‐type headache (TTH) in their behaviour during the attacks and the manoeuvres to relieve the pain.

A Turkish Version of the Critical-Care Pain Observation Tool: Reliability and Validity Assessment

Purpose: The study aim was to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Critical‐Care Pain Observation Tool in critically ill patients. Design: A repeated measures design was used for the study. Methods: A convenience sample of 66 patients who had undergone open‐heart surgery in the cardiovascular surgery intensive care unit in Ordu, Turkey, was recruited for the study. The patients were evaluated by using the Critical‐Care Pain Observation Tool at rest, during a nociceptive procedure (suctioning), and 20 minutes after the procedure while they were conscious and intubated after surgery. Finding: The Turkish version of the Critical‐Care Pain Observation Tool has shown statistically acceptable levels of validity and reliability. Inter‐rater reliability was supported by moderate‐to‐high–weighted &kgr; coefficients (weighted &kgr; coefficient = 0.55 to 1.00). For concurrent validity, significant associations were found between the scores on the Critical‐Care Pain Observation Tool and the Behavioral Pain Scale scores. Discriminant validity was also supported by higher scores during suctioning (a nociceptive procedure) versus non‐nociceptive procedures. The internal consistency of the Critical‐Care Pain Observation Tool was 0.72 during a nociceptive procedure and 0.71 during a non‐nociceptive procedure. Conclusions: The validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the Critical‐Care Pain Observation Tool was determined to be acceptable for pain assessment in critical care, especially for patients who cannot communicate verbally.

Problems in Critical Care Nurse-Patient Communication: Examples of Poland and Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine the problems related to nurse-patient communication in the intensive care unit (ICU), with a focus on differences between Poland and Turkey. A descriptive survey design was used. The study was conducted in Surgical ICU, Lwowska Hospital in Poland and ICU, Training and Research Hospital in Turkey. Fifty critical care nurses in Poland and 52 critical care nurses in Turkey were included in the study. Patient data were collected using a questionnaire that was prepared by the researchers. In this study, 46% and 42.3% of the nurses reported they had communication problems with patients in Poland and Turkey, respectively. It was also found that the nurses in Poland mostly used therapeutic touch for non-verbal communication (80%), whereas the nurses in Turkey used facial expression (90.4%). Critical care nurses in both countries experienced similar difficulties in patient communication. It is recommended that the patient to nurse ratio in ICUs be planned according to the intensive care standards.