THE KNOWLEDGE ON LYME BORRELIOSIS AND OTHER TICK-BORNE DISEASES AMONG NURSING STUDENTS FROM POLAND AND SLOVAKIA

Tick-borne diseases are infectious diseases transmitted by the bites of infected ticks. The most common vector-borne disease in Europe is Lyme borreliosis (LB). The number of the reported cases of LB has been steadily increasing. For this reason, it is important to undertake educational activities in the field of tick-borne diseases. The aim of the study was to investigate the level and scope of knowledge on tick-borne diseases among nursing students from Poland and Slovakia. The study sample consisted of 428 nursing students (192 students of the State School of Higher Education in Biała Podlaska, Poland and 236 students of the University in Presov, Slovakia). The knowledge of the surveyed students on tick-borne diseases is limited. Polish students demonstrated greater knowledge about LB, while students from Slovakia showed greater awareness of the threat posed by tick-borne encephalitis. Particularly worrying is the lack of knowledge on proper way of removal of a tick attached to the skin. Students recognize the need to broaden their knowledge on tick-borne diseases, which should be taken into consideration in realized studies curricula.

Water jet technology used in medicine

Tehnologija abrazivnog vodenog mlaza od nedavno se koristi uglavnom u industrijskim područjima. Ova tehnologija pruža nekoliko prednosti u usporedbi s konvencionalnim metodama. Trenutačno, to je uporaba u medicini. U radu se razmatra mogućnost korištenja tehnologije mlaza vode u medicini. U radu su opisane prednosti i uporaba u ortopedskoj kirurgiji, plastičnoj kirurgiji, neurokirurgiji, dermatologiji, urologiji te u oralnoj kirurgiji.Abrasive water jet technology has been recently used mainly in industrial areas. This technology provides several advantages in comparison with conventional methods. At present, it is used in medicine. This paper discusses the possibility of using water jet technology in medicine. The paper describes the benefits and usage in orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, neurosurgery, dermatology, urology, and in dental surgery

Water jet technology using at orthopaedic surgery

Rad se bavi mogućnošću uporabe tehnologije vodenog mlaza i njegovom preinakom za rezanje koštanog tkiva i bio-materijala. Sažima sadašnje stanje znanja, definira probleme s tehnološke i kirurške točke gledišta, kako bi se povećala kvaliteta liječenih klijenata. Članak predstavlja pregled i prvi korak ka uporabi tehnike vodenog mlaza u ortopediji, tijekom rastavljanja međuspoja između kosti i bedrenog stabla.The paper deals with potential uses of water jet technology and its modification for cutting of bone tissue and bio-materials. It summarises the present state of the art, defines problems from the technological and surgical point of view in order to increase the quality of treated clients. The paper represents an overview and the first step towards using water jet technique in orthopaedic surgery, during dissintegration of interface between bone and femoral stem

Age of the introduction of the first complementary food and determinants of its early introduction by Slovak mothers

Aim: To assess the age of introduction of complementary food (CF) and the factors leading to early introduction of CF (≤ four months). Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: In the period October 2011 to April 2012 we conducted research on 405 mothers of infants living in the Slovak Republic, particularly in the regions of Prešov (56.0%) and Košice (20.5%). The questionnaire, of our own design, integrated 13 factors. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics and logistic regression (95% CI). Results: The first CF was introduced at 5.5 months (M = 5.47; SD = 1.22; range 1.0 to 10.0). Early introduction of CF was identified in 24.2% of children. A significantly higher risk of early introduction of first CF was found in respondents with: lower maternal age (OR = 4.436), lower levels of education (secondary education without GCE/vocational qualifications - OR = 10.140), lower maternal awareness of healthy nutrition (OR = 2.996), lower levels of satisfaction with their financial situation (OR = 1.927), and in single mothers (OR = 5.143), and children receiving combined milk nutrition rather than purely breastfeeding (OR = 3.888). Conclusion: Recognition of the factors leading to early introduction of CF allows the implementation of effective prevention strategies by health professionals

Nutrition of the roma children and its impact on some indicators of health

Human health is to a large extent a reflection of the nature of his diet. Eating habits of the Roma community is a result of different ethno-culture, higher degree of poverty, lack of education, unemployment and lack of knowledge about nutrition. Nutrition of the Roma children in many ways replicates the deficiencies and errors at their parents – mainly inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables, relatively low intake of milk and milk products, and in contrast, the diet is dominated by inappropriate consumption of meat, white bread, sugary drinks and sweets. Wrong is also low number of daily meals. A positive phenomenon is the higher proportion of breast-fed children in the comparison of the majority population, as well as its longer duration. Inadequacy of the diet, of course, along with other factors, reflects the different anthropometric parameters of Roma children, blood pressure and serum lipids

Psychological strain between nurses

Aim: The aim of the study was to identify differences in perception of work (mental) workload among nurses providing acute and chronic nursing care. Design: Study design is cross-sectional and descriptive. Methods: The sample of respondents consisted of 97 nurses working in departments Neurology, Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit of the hospital St. James in Bardejov, University Hospital of L. Pasteur in Košice and University Hospital J. A. Reiman in Prešov. To measure psychological strain, Meister's questionnaire for neuropsychological strain was used. Results: Increased psychological strain was observed in nurses providing acute care versus nurses providing chronic care, particularly in job satisfaction, long-term tolerance, time constraints, high responsibility, nervousness, fatigue and satiety. In comparison with the population norm, nurses in acute care achieved significantly higher indicators of factor I (strain) and gross score as nurses in neurological care. A statistically significant relationship between psychological stress and age of nurses working in anesthesiology and intensive care departments was confirmed. Nurses with long term practical experience are exposed to intense mental stress (especially in the areas of strain and monotony). Conclusion: The results of our study suggest the reality that variable qualities of work related strain among nurses can lead to physical and emotional exhaustion

Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes towards Prevention of Pressure Ulcers

Background: Pressure ulcers (PU) remain a serious complication of immobile patients and a burden for healthcare professionals. The incidence and prevalence remain alarming. Knowledge and attitudes of nurses play a fundamental role in prevention. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and attitudes of nurses towards the prevention of PU in selected Slovak hospitals and find relationships and differences among selected variables. Methods: A quantitative exploratory cross-sectional design was chosen. Validated instruments were used. From the 460 randomly selected nurses, 225 (49%) participated in this research. Results: Results showed insufficient knowledge (45.5%) and attitudes (67.9%) of nurses towards PU prevention. There was a significant positive correlation found between the knowledge and attitudes (ρ = 0.300; p = 0.000). Nurses´ knowledge was significantly different within the level of education (p = 0.031) and work department (p = 0.048). Conclusions: Results showed insufficiencies in the knowledge and attitudes of nurses towards PU prevention. Therefore, it is essential to focus on general education and continuing education and practice of nurses. Further development of educational programs and frequent measurement of these two parameters can lead to a significant improvement in the quality of care provided