Psychometric properties of the parents' fever management scale in a Turkish population

Aim: This paper reports a study designed to assess the psychometric properties (validity and reliability) of a Turkish version of the Australian Parents’ Fever Management Scale (PFMS). Background: Little is known about childhood fever management among Turkish parents. No scales to measure parents’ fever management practices in Turkey are available. Design: This is a methodological study. Methods: Eighty parents, of febrile children aged six months to five years, were randomly selected from the paedaitric hospital and two community family health centers in Sakarya, Turkey. The PFMS was back translated; language equivalence and content validity were validated. PFMS and socio-demographic data were collected in 2009. Means and standard deviations were calculated for interval level data and p values greater than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Unrotated principal component analysis was used to determine construct validity and Cronbach’s coefficient alpha determined the internal consistency reliability. Results: The PFMS was psychometrically sound in this population. Construct validity, confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis [KMO 0.812, Bartlett’s Specificity (χ² = 182.799, df=28, P < 0·001)] revealed the Turkish version to be comprised of the eight original PFMS items. Internal consistency reliability coefficient was 0.80 and the scale’s total-item correlation coefficients ranged from 0.15 to 0.66 and were significant (p<0.001). Interestingly parents reported high scores on the PFMS 34.52±4.60 (range 8-40 with 40 indicating a high burden of care for febrile children). Conclusion: The PFMS was as psychometrically robust in a Turkish population as in an Australian population and is, therefore, a useful tool for health professionals to identify parents’ practices, provide targeted education thereby in reducing the unnecessary burden of care they place on themselves when caring for a febrile child. Relevance to clinical practice. Testing in different populations, cultures and healthcare systems will further assist in reporting the PFMS usefulness in clinical practice and research

Management of Hypothermia: Impact of Lecture-Based Interactive Workshops on Training of Pediatric Nurses

This study aimed to determine the efficacy of interactive workshop on the management of hypothermia and its impact on pediatric nurses’ training. This is a pretest-to-posttest quasi-experimental descriptive study. Thirty pediatric nurses attended an interactive lecture-based interactive workshop on the management of hypothermia. Participants had to accept an invitation to the presentation before the training event. They completed the lecture, and a multiple-choice question test before and after the lecture was given. There was a significant improvement in mean test scores after the lecture when compared with those before the lecture (mean [SD], 15.5 [1.3] vs 5.0 [1.7], P G 0.001). The information gained in this study will be valuable as a baseline for further research and help guide improvements in the management of hypothermia with the ultimate goal of enhancing safe and quality patient care

The Impact of an Interactive Workshop on The Management of Urinary Catheterization on Nurses

The aim of this study was to determine whether a structured workshop for nurses promoting best practice technique for management of indwelling urinary catheters results in an improvement in knowledge on the subject. A one-group pre-post test quasi-experimental design using a convenience sample was used. Nurses attended a workshop utilizing interactive lecture approaches, and based on best practice technique for the management of indwelling urinary catheters. Participants (n = 30, 55% of those invited) completed a multiple choice question (MCQ) test, derived from topics to be covered in the workshop, prior to the intervention. The MCQ test was repeated after the workshop to assess retention and application of knowledge. There was a significant improvement in mean test scores after the workshop when compared with pre-workshop scores (mean = 16·9, SD = 1·1 vs. mean = 8·5, SD = 1·7, p < 0·001). It is concluded that interactive lecture workshops based on best practice techniques for the management of urinary catheterization help improve nurses’ knowledge. Such educational initiatives also help to overcome deficiencies in initial nurse training where preparation for quality catheter care can be lacking. Within the limitations of a small-scale single-group study of a convenience sample, the information gained in this study will be valuable in helping to establish a baseline for further research. It may also help guide improvements in the implementation of policies for improved management of the care provided to people with an indwelling urinary catheter with the ultimate goal of enhancing safe and quality patient care

Turkish parents' management of childhood fever: A cross-sectional survey using the PFMS-TR

PMID = 2450717