Evaluating nursing students clinic stress, and coping with stress during the clinic first day of the Woman Health and Diseases Nursing clinical course

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the clinical stress levels, stress sources and coping strategies of Turkish male and female nursing students attending the Woman’s Health and Disease Nursing clinical course on the first day.Method and material: This cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2010 at a public university located in Istanbul. The study group included 98 nursing students. Data were collected from the nursing students in the study group using a self-report questionnaire, clinical stress questionnaire and Carver Coping scale. The data were analyses using percentages, chi-square analysis, the Mann-Whitney U test and Cronbach's alpha coefficients Results: Approximately half of the male students (47.6%) reported that they experienced stress since the patient group consisted of females and the majority of male students (76.2%) stated that they were subject to gender discrimination at the clinic and there was a significant difference between the male and female students. The male and female nursing students’ stress levels and Carver Coping scale total score of  on the first day of the Woman’s Health and Disease nursing clinical course was similar (p>0.05). Conclusions:  Male students experience stress because the patient group consisted of women, the majority of male students reported that they were subject to gender discrimination and gender discrimination was a source of stress for them. Female and male nursing students experienced stress in the first day of the clinical course of the Woman's Health and Diseases Nursing course, and that the stressors and coping strategies were similar across genders. In the clinical training for the Woman's Health and Diseases Nursing course lectures should be aware of possible stressors and, if necessary, should help students in positive coping

Inappropriate antimicrobial use in Turkish pediatric hospitals: A multicenter point prevalence survey

Objectives: Although well-defined principles of rational antimicrobial use are available, inappropriate prescribing patterns are reported worldwide. Accurate information on the usage of antimicrobials, including factors associated with and influencing their use, is valuable for improving the quality of prescription practices. Methods: In this cross-sectional point prevalence survey, data on patients hospitalized in 12 different children's hospitals were collected on a single day. Appropriateness of prescription was compared between the types of antimicrobials prescribed, indications, wards, and presence of/consultation with an infectious disease physician (IDP). Results: A total 711 of 1302 (54.6%) patients evaluated were receiving one or more antimicrobial drugs. The antimicrobial prescription rate was highest in pediatric intensive care (75.7%) and lowest in the surgery wards (37.0%). Of the 711 patients receiving antimicrobials, 332 patients (46.7%) were found to be receiving at least one inappropriately prescribed drug. Inappropriate use was most frequent in surgery wards (80.2%), while it was less common in oncology wards (31.8%; p < 0.001). Respiratory tract infection was the most common indication for antimicrobial use (29.4%). Inappropriate use was more common in deep-seated infections (54.7%) and respiratory infections (56.5%). Fluoroquinolones were used inappropriately more than any other drugs (81.8%, p = 0.021). Consultation with an IDP appears to increase appropriate antimicrobial use (p = 0.008). Conclusions: Inappropriate antimicrobial use remains a common problem in Turkish pediatric hospitals. Consultation with an IDP and prescribing antimicrobial drugs according to microbiological test results could decrease the inappropriate use of antimicrobials

Postpartum sexual function of women and the effects of early pelvic floor muscle exercises

Objective. To evaluate the effects of early pelvic floor muscle training after vaginal delivery on sexual function. Design. Prospective randomized study. Settings. Urogynecology clinic of a tertiary medical center in Istanbul, Turkey. Population. Total of 75 primiparous women. Methods. Pelvic floor-muscle strength was assessed during rest and straining in primiparous women in their 4th postpartum month, after which the women were randomized into training (n = 37) and control (n = 38) groups. Patients were re-evaluated in the 7th postpartum month. Main outcome measures. Female sexual function and pelvic muscle strength scores. Results. Desire, pain and total female sexual index scores were significantly higher in the 7th month compared to 4th month in both groups (p 0.05). All domains except satisfaction were significantly higher in the training group compared with the controls. Pelvic floor-muscle strength was found to be increased in the 7th month in the training group (Wilcoxon rank test, Z = 4.123, p 0.05). Conclusion. Pelvic floor-muscle training improves pelvic floor-muscle function, and starting after the puerperal period, exercise appears to have positive effects on female sexual function