Yeşim Yaman Aktaş

The effect of music therapy on depression and physiological parameters in elderly people living in a Turkish nursing home: a randomized-controlled trial

ABSTRACT Objective: This study was carried out in an effort to determine the effect of music therapy on depression and physiological parameters in elderly people who were living in a nursing home. Method: The study was a randomized controlled trial. The study sample consisted of 64 elderly people who complied with the criteria of inclusion for the study. The data were collected using the ‘Elderly Information Form’ and ‘Geriatric Depression Scale’. The music group listened to music three days in a week during 8 weeks. The depression levels were assessed at baseline (week 0) and follow-up in the eight week. Results: It was found that the difference between post-test depression scores of the two groups was found to be statistically significant (t = −2.86, p <.01). The mean scores of post-test systolic blood pressure in the music group were found to be significantly lower than those of the control group (t = −3.11, p < .05). Conclusion: It was concluded that music therapy decreased the depression level and systolic blood pressure in elderly people. The study results implies that music therapy can be an effective practice for public health and home care nurses attempting to reduce depression and control physiological parameters of elderly people.

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.