Nurses’ Knowledge Level about High-Alert Medications

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate nurses' knowledge of high-alert medications. Method: This descriptive study was conducted in the clinics of a university hospital where high-alert medications were frequently administered. The study population comprised of 187 nurses. Nurses' Knowledge of High-Alert Medications Questionnaire was used for evaluation. The items were rated on a 3-point Likert type scale. The scale has two subscales: “Drug administration” and “Drug regulation”. Results: In the study whose sample included 77 nurses, the response rate was 57%. The correct response rate was 61% for the “Drug administration” subscale and 62.1% for the “Drug regulation” subscale. The item with the lowest correct response rate (7.8%) in the “Drug administration” subscale was “Chemotherapeutic drugs’ doses should be calculated according to body surface area in adults and according to body weight in children”. The item with the lowest correct response rate (10.4%) in the “Drug regulation” subscale was “For pediatric dosage calculations, teaspoon units should be used”. Conclusion: The results of the present study supported the assumption that nurses' knowledge of high-alert medications is inadequate

Comparison of the Different Dyspnea Scales in Patients with Complaints of Dyspnea

Giriş: Kronik Obstrüktif Akciğer Hastalığı (KOAH)'nda dispne semptomunun doğru olarak tanımlanması tıbbi tedavinin planlanması veetkili bakımın verilmesinde önemli bir unsurdur. Amaç: Bu çalışma, KOAH'lı hastalarda dispnenin şiddetinin değerlendirilmesindeModifiye Borg Skalası (MBS), Medical Research Council Scale (MRCS) ve Görsel Kıyaslama Ölçeği (GKÖ)'ni karşılaştırmak ve ölçeklerinklinik kullanımını değerlendirmek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Yöntem: Araştırmanın örneklemini, Zonguldak Uzunmehmet Göğüs ve MeslekHastalıkları Hastanesi'nde KOAH tanısı alan, olasılıksız örnekleme yöntemi ile seçilen ve araştırmayı katılmayı kabul eden 50 hastaoluşturdu. Hastaların solunum fonksiyon testleri, arteriyel kan gazı analizleri yapıldı ve üç farklı dispne ölçeği ile dispne şiddetlerisorgulandı. Bulgular: Hastaların dispne şiddetleri; MBS ortalaması 4.20 ± 2.10, MRCS ortalaması 2.48 ± 1.05, GKÖ ortalaması ise 5.30 ±2.79 olarak saptandı. Solunum fonksiyon testi parametrelerinden FEV1/FVC değeri ile MBS (r = -.42, p = .002) ve GKÖ (r = -.34, p = .016),FEV1% değeri ile MRCS (r = -.31, p = .025) arasında, kan gazı analizi parametrelerinden PaO2 değeri ile MBS (r = -.47, p = .000), GKÖ (r= -.49, p = .000), MRCS (r = -.46, p = .001), SaO2 değeri ile MBS (r = -.46, p = .001), GKÖ (r = -.45, p = .001) ve MRCS (r = -.45, p = .001)arasında anlamlı bir ilişki bulundu. MBS, MRCS ve GKÖ'nin birbirleriyle güçlü derecede ilişkili olduğu saptandı. Sonuç: Günümüzdedispne şiddetini saptamak için en sık kullanılan; MBS, MRCS ve GKÖ birbirleriyle ilişkili ölçeklerdir. Background: Accurate identification of the symptom of dyspnea in the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is curicial inplanning of medical treatment and delivering of effective care. Objectives: Our aims were to compare the Modifiye Borg Scale (MBS),Medical Research Council Scale (MRCS) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) in the assessment of the severity of dyspnea in patients withCOPD and to evaluate clinic utilization of these scales. Methods: The sample of the study consisted of 50 patients with COPD who are inZonguldak Uzunmehmet Chest and Occupational Diseases Hospital, who are selected by random sampling, and who agreed to participate inthe study. The patient's pulmonary function tests and arterial blood gas analysis has been performed and their dyspnea severity has beenevaluated using three different dyspnea scales. Results: The mean dyspnea severities measured by MBS, MRCS and VAS were 4.20 ± 2.10,2.48 ± 1.05, 5.30 ± 2.79 respectively. There was significant correlation the value of FEV1/FVC which is the parameters of pulmonaryfunction tests with MBS (r = -.42, p = .002) and VAS (r = -.34, p = .016); FEV1% and MRCS (r = -.31, p = .025); PaO2 which is theparameters of arterial blood gas analysis with MBS (r = -.47, p = .000), VAS (r = -.49, p = .000), MRCS (r = -.46, p = .001); SaO2 with thevalue of MBS (r = -.46, p = .001), VAS (r = -.45, p = .001) and MRCS (r = -.45, p = .001). It was found that MBS, MRCS and VAS werestrongly correlated with each other. Conclusion: Today, the most commonly used to determine the severity of dyspnea, MBS, MRCS andVAS scales are related scales to each other

The effect on pain of three different methods of intramuscular injection: A randomized controlled trial

This paper is the report of a study to determine the effect on pain of internally rotating the foot, pointing the toes down and/or using the Z-track technique during intramuscular injection and to investigate differences in pain perception related to gender and body mass index. A randomized controlled trial was carried out from September to November 2010 on 75 patients receiving diclofenac sodium intramuscularly at a university hospital in Zonguldak, Turkey. The primary outcome measure collected was pain intensity, measured on a visual analogue scale. Each subject received three injections by the same investigator using three different techniques. The three techniques were randomly allocated, and the subjects were blinded to the injection technique being used. After each injection, another investigator, who had no prior knowledge of which injection technique was used, immediately assessed pain intensity using the visual analogue scale. Research findings demonstrated that the Z-track and internally rotated foot techniques significantly reduced pain intensity during intramuscular injection. Statistically significant differences in pain intensity were observed between the three injection techniques. The results supported the hypothesis that the internally rotated foot and Z-track techniques significantly reduce pain intensity

The effect on pain of three different nonpharmacological methods in peripheral intravenous catheterisation in adults

Aims and objectivesTo compare the effectiveness in reducing pain during peripheral intravenous catheterisation of coughing, blowing into a spirometer and squeezing a stress ball. BackgroundPeripheral intravenous catheterisation is widely performed by nurses; it causes pain and discomfort to patients. DesignThis was a single-blind randomized controlled study. MethodsThe sample of the study consisted of 120 males who came to donate blood. Before the peripheral intravenous catheterisation, the individuals were divided by a simple randomisation method into four groups: a coughing group, a blowing into a spirometer group, a stress ball squeezing group and a control group. During the procedure, the pain levels felt by the individuals were assessed using the visual analog scale by a nurse who was blinded to the procedure. FindingsThe mean pain of the individuals in the coughing group was found to be 19.5mm (SD: 13.6), that of the spirometer group was 28.3mm (SD: 20.2), that of the stress ball group was 32.1mm (SD: 23.8) and that of the control group was 45.5mm (SD: 19.5). Statistical analysis showed a significant difference between the mean pain scores of individuals in the control group and those of individuals in the coughing, spirometer and stress ball groups. ConclusionThe techniques of squeezing a stress ball, blowing into a spirometer and in particular coughing, depending on the potential mechanism of the Valsalva manoeuvre and diverting attention, are effective techniques in reducing the pain of peripheral catheterisation procedures. Relevance to clinical practiceIt is important that nurses should be aware of pain and stress experienced by patients during invasive procedures. For this reason, nurses should have knowledge of proven nonpharmacological methods which can reduce pain to a minimum

From Myth to Meaning: Semiotic Reading Of Çırpınırdın Karadeniz

Ahmet Cevad, is a literate who narrates values paradigm of Turkish’s existence adventure as national approachment. He wants to waken national spirith in his the historical, social, moral arts. There was a time that people were died, and expelled because they face to Soviet ideology. At such a time he tells social identity, history and Turkishness. Cirpinirdin Karadeniz is a text that entity invitation conscious, brings up spirith’s fragment to the agenda. Social layer of Turkish history is reflected as information-love in the phenomenon of the ideal of Turkish universe dominance are is in state, nation and society. In this study, it is the aim that reading indicator Çirpinirdin Karadeniz and its structure layer’s analysis and the designate the message

Yatağa bağımlı hastalarda yatak banyosunun yaşam bulgularına etkisi

This study was a descriptive research carried out to determine the effects of bathing on vital signs in bedridden patients. The study was carried out in neurology unit of a university hospital between the dates of February 1 and May 1 2008. The sample of the study consisted of 36 adult patients. The patients were bathed with plain warm water of 40-41;deg;C. The mean bath time was 13.1 ;plusmn;1.5 minutes. The vital signs of the patients were measured before bathing, just after bathing and 30 minutes after bathing. The data were analysed using repeated measures for ANOVA. The mean age of the patients was 68.5 ;plusmn; 10.8 years, 53% of them was men. The systolic blood pressure readings tended to drop 30 minutes after bathing when compared with those before bathing and just after bathing (p;lt;0.05). The body temperature readings significantly decreased just after bathing and 30 minutes after bathing (p;lt;0.001). At the end of the study, the bed bath has effective in decreasing the of systolic blood pressure and body temperature.Bu çalışma yatağa bağımlı hastalarda yatak banyosunun yaşam bulguları üzerine etkisini belirlemek için yapılmış tanımlayıcı bir çalışmadır. Çalışma 01.02.2008 ile 01.05.2008 tarihleri arasında bir üniversite hastanesinin nöroloji yoğun bakım kliniğinde yapılmiştır. Araştırmanın örneklemini 36 erişkin hasta oluşturmuştur. Araştırmada hastalara 40-4l°C lik suyla silme banyosu verilmiştir. Banyo süresi 13.1 + 1.5 dakikadır. Hastaların yaşam bulguları; banyodan hemen önce, banyo işlemi bittiğinde ve banyodan 30 dk. sonra değerlendirilerek analiz edilmiştir. Verilerin analizinde tekrarlayan ölçümler için varyans analizi kullanılmıştır. Çalışma kapsamına alman hastaların yaş ortalaması 68.5±10.8 'dür ve %53'ü erkektir. Araştırmadan elde edilen verilerle yapılan analiz sonucunda; hastaların sistolik kan basıncında banyodan 30 dakika sonra (p0.05), vücut sıcaklığında da banyodan hemen sonra ve 30 dakika sonra anlamlı derecede düşme olduğu saptanmıştır (p0,001). Çalışma sonucunda yatağa bağımlı hastalarda yatak banyosunun, sistolik kan basıncı ve vücut sıcaklığını düşürmede etkili olduğu bulunmuştur