Effectiveness of Aromatherapy in Early Palliative Care for Oncology Patients: Blind Controlled Study

Background: Palliative care is the active holistic treatment of people of all ages who have serious health-related suffering as a result of severe illness, and especially of those who are close to the end of life. Palliative care is provided to cancer patients who experience serious suffering that cannot be relieved without professional intervention and that compromises physical, social, spiritual, and emotional functioning. A straightforward, low-risk, and affordable palliative care approach may be provided through aromatherapy, a type of complementary and alternative medicine. The study objective is to assess the comparative effectiveness of massage, aromatherapy massage, and massage combined with aromatherapy inhalation on cancer patients receiving palliative care. Methods: A total of 100 participants who were divided into four groups at random. The first group, designated as the control group, received standard hospital nursing care, the second group received massage only (using the odorless almond carrier oil), the third group received massage with lavender oil, and the fourth group received combined (inhalation and massage) aromatherapy. The Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL), given two weeks after aromatherapy, was used to examine participants’ perspectives of care. Results: On the RSCL, combined aromatherapy performed best. In terms of reported physical symptoms, psychological symptoms, and activities, there were statistically significant differences between the scores of the control group and each of the experimental groups. Nonetheless, the total quality of life score showed no significant difference between the control group and the massage only group (t = 0.529, p = 0.60). Conclusions: When paired with aromatherapy inhalation, massage has a positive effect on physical, psychological symptoms, activities, and overall quality of life for cancer patients receiving early palliative care. Nurses and other healthcare providers are recommended to support programs that provide message therapy to reduce reported bodily symptoms, psychological problems, and limited activities among cancer patients.Funding Statement This study was supported via funding from Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University project number (PSAU/2023/R/1444)

Nurses’ perceptions about and confidence in using an electronic medical record system

Introduction: Nurses are among the largest potential users of electronic medical record (EMR) systems in health care settings. Yet little is known about their perceptions and confidence toward using such systems. This study explored nurses’ perceptions toward and confidence in using the EMR system. Predictors for confidence status in using the system among nurses were postulated. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used. A sample of 169 nurses were recruited from a general governmental university hospital in Muscat, Oman. Results: Most of study participants did not have prior experience with EMR systems elsewhere. About half (52.1%) perceived that they were confident in using the system. A logistic regression model showed nurses who (a) had six or more years of experience in using the system, (b) perceived that their suggestions regarding improving the system were taken into consideration by the system managing team, (c) perceived that the changes introduced in the system were important to their work, and (d) perceived that the information retrieved through the system was updated, to be more likely confident in using the system. Discussion: When customizing the EMR system, the informatics team that manages the system is invited to more consider suggestions for improvement that are raised by nurses. More training on the system is suggested to increase confidence among nurses who had little experience in using the system. In order to enhance the preparation of future nurses with contemporary technology-driven health care practices, nursing schools officials are encouraged to include general computer information technology training into nursing curricula

Kegel Exercise Training Program among Women with Urinary Incontinence

A common condition with a large global prevalence and a persistent medical taboo for many people is urinary incontinence. Around one in three women globally are impacted by it. The most frequently suggested physical therapy treatment for women with stress incontinence or urge incontinence is Kegel exercise (also called pelvic floor muscle training). This study aims to assess the effects of a Kegel exercise training program among women with urinary incontinence. The study was conducted at three government hospitals in Egypt’s Port Said city’s outpatient gynecological clinic. The intervention design was quasi-experimental. In total, 292 women with urine incontinence who visited the research sites made up the subjects. The necessary data were gathered using an interview questionnaire. Improvements in urinary incontinence and quality of life were positively correlated with daily Kegel exercise practice. Urinary incontinence has statistically significant positive correlations with age (p = 0.026), respiratory rate (p = 0.007), and body mass index (p = 0.026) as women grow older. Urinary incontinence, being single, and increasing pulse, however, had adversely significant negative correlations (p = 0.031 and 0.020, respectively). Urinary incontinence affects women’s overall wellbeing, particularly in the emotional and social spheres, as well as their quality of life and their ability to participate in normal everyday activities. Following the adoption of the Kegel exercise training program, there was a substantial improvement in both urine incontinence and quality of life

Impact of Digital Device Use on Neck and Low Back Pain Intensity among Nursing Students at a Saudi Government University: A Cross-Sectional Study

As digital technology and online activities have become more widely accessible over the past few years, information and communication technology have grown in importance in all students’ lives. Most of them routinely use digital devices for a range of activities, primarily for online learning, activities, assignments, conversing, and Internet browsing. This study elucidated the relationship between neck and low back pain intensity and the use of digital devices among Saudi nursing students. A cross-sectional descriptive exploratory research design was applied using a convenience sample of 120 nursing students enrolled in an undergraduate nursing program at a Saudi government university located in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. A valid and reliable self-administered survey was employed. Data about sociodemographic characteristics, the Neck Disability Index and the Roland–Morris Disability Questionnaire were collected. The participants reported 9.1 ± 4.6 study hours on average per week. A total of 82.5% of them do not receive enough exercise, and 87.5% indicated daily use of digital devices. Around half (54.2%) of participants reported having neck pain of a mild intensity. About 60% of the participants regularly shift positions to rest their backs, 39.2% are only able to stand for limited periods due to back issues, and 39.2% expressed concern for others about what might happen to their health. Although there was an association between neck pain intensity and the age or gender of all research participants, there was a significant association between neck pain severity and marital status (χ2 = 15.226, p = 0.019). Our findings suggest that nursing students should maintain neutral neck and back postures on a regular basis to reduce pain, which could be attributed to extensive reading on digital devices

Comparison of nicotine and carcinogen exposure with water pipe and cigarette smoking.

BackgroundSmoking tobacco preparations in a water pipe (hookah) is widespread in many places of the world and is perceived by many as relatively safe. We investigated biomarkers of toxicant exposure with water pipe compared with cigarette smoking.MethodsWe conducted a crossover study to assess daily nicotine and carcinogen exposure with water pipe and cigarette smoking in 13 people who were experienced in using both products.ResultsWhen smoking an average of 3 water pipe sessions compared with smoking 11 cigarettes per day (cpd), water pipe use was associated with a significantly lower intake of nicotine, greater exposure to carbon monoxide (CO), and a different pattern of carcinogen exposure compared with cigarette smoking, with greater exposure to benzene, and high molecular weight polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), but less exposure to tobacco-specific nitrosamines, 1,3-butadiene, acrolein, acrylonitrile, propylene oxide, ethylene oxide, and low molecular weight PAHs.ConclusionsA different pattern of carcinogen exposure might result in a different cancer risk profile between cigarette and water pipe smoking. Of particular concern is the risk of leukemia related to high levels of benzene exposure with water pipe use.ImpactSmoking tobacco in water pipes has gained popularity in the United States and around the world. Many believe that water pipe smoking is not addictive and less harmful than cigarette smoking. We provide data on toxicant exposure that will help guide regulation and public education regarding water pipe health risk

Determination of Cutpoints for Low and High Number of Symptoms in Patients with Advanced Cancer

While patients with advanced cancer experience a wide range of symptoms, no work has been done to determine an optimal cutpoint for a low versus a high number of symptoms. Analytic approaches that established clinically meaningful cutpoints for the severity of cancer pain and fatigue provided the foundation for this study. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal cutpoint for low and high numbers of symptoms using a range of potential cutpoints and to determine if those cutpoints distinguished between the two symptom groups on demographic and clinical characteristics and depression, anxiety, and quality of life (QOL). Patients with advanced cancer (n=110) completed a symptom assessment scale, and measures of depression, anxiety, and QOL. Combinations of cutpoints were tested to yield one- and two-cutpoint solutions. Using analysis of variance for QOL scores, the F-ratio that indicated the highest between-group difference was determined to be the optimal cutpoint between low and high number of symptoms. A cutpoint of ≤12 symptoms (i.e., 0–12 is low, 13–32 is high) was the optimal cutpoint for total number of symptoms. Significant differences in depression, anxiety, and QOL scores validated this cutpoint. Psychological symptoms had higher occurrence rates in the high symptom group. Findings suggest that a threshold exists between a low and a high number of symptoms in patients with advanced cancer. Psychological symptoms were significantly different between patients in the low versus high symptom groups and may play an important role in QOL outcomes in patients with advanced cancer