Does functional assessment of individuals aged 80-plus give rise to scientific discussion – considerations based on literature review

Introduction and objective. For many years, Europe has been struggling with the problem of an aging society. It is obvious that everyone would like to live longer while retaining good psycho-physical health and social activity. This, however, is influenced by many factors, such as health, which may be a form of limitation in everyday life or in performing social roles in accordance with the norms. Objective. The aim of the study was to analyze the use of scales for functional assessment of basic and complex daily living activities in individuals aged 80+ in various EU countries. Materials and method. Potentially essential articles were obtained through review and analysis of the PUBMED (MEDLINE) database by entering the following keywords: functional activities of daily living, ADL, IADL, complex activities of daily living, basic activities of daily living. Article selection was based on the following inclusion criteria set by the authors and the appointed Advisory Board. Results. Assessment of independence and fitness of elderly persons in the area of basic and complex activities of daily living provides information on the quality of life of senior individuals. Analysis of research data used for comparing functional independence of senior persons on the basis of ADL and IADL scales is difficult due to the discrepancies, which may be confusing for researchers studying this area. Conclusions. The use of different methodologies for assessing functional fitness of elderly individuals makes it difficult to interpret, compare and practically apply the outcomes. Standardization of research methods used for assessment of basic and complex daily living activities in 80+ persons would enable comparing the obtained data in an interdisciplinary perspective

Assessment of selected quality fields of nursing care in neurosurgical wards: a prospective study of 530 people – multicenter studies

Robert Ślusarz,1 Monika Biercewicz,2 Ewa Barczykowska,3 Beata Haor,4 Mariola Głowacka5 1Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing Department, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Bydgoszcz, 2Clinic of Geriatrics, 3Nursing Department, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, 4Faculty of Health Science, University of Humanities and Economics in Wloclawek, Wloclawek, 5Institute of Health Sciences, State School of Higher Professional Education in Plock, Plock, Poland Background: One of the elements influencing the assessment of nursing care quality is the assessment of the nurse’s functions that determine the nurse’s particular tasks. The aim of this work was to assess selected tasks involved in the nurse’s caring function, which influence nursing care quality on neurosurgical wards, on the basis of patients’ and nursing staff’s opinions.Materials and methods: The research was carried out on neurosurgical wards in Poland on a group of 455 patients and 75 nurses. In order to assess nursing care quality, an author’s original questionnaire (Questionnaire – Patient Satisfaction) was used.Results: Statistically significant differences concerned particular groups (both patients and nurses) in the assessment of selected issues: providing information about performed activities and operations (P=0.000 and P=0.040), respecting personal dignity and assuring discretion during the operations (P=0.000 and P=0.001), speed of response to patient’s requests (P=0.000 and P=0.000), time availability of nurses for the patient (P=0.000 and P=0.000), providing information about further self-care at home (P=0.032, P=0.008), and nurses’ attitude (kindness, courtesy, tenderness, care) to patients (patient’s assessment only P=0.000).Conclusion: Selected tasks in the field of the caring function of nurses were assessed differently by particular groups. There were no statistically significant differences in the assessment of particular tasks in the opinions of patients and nurses, which means that both examined groups similarly assessed tasks involved in the nurse’s caring function, which influence nursing care quality. Keywords: care quality, caring function, nurse, neurosurger

Depression, social factors, and pain perception before and after surgery for lumbar and cervical degenerative vertebral disc disease

Renata Jabłońska,1 Robert Ślusarz,1 Agnieszka Królikowska,1 Beata Haor,1 Anna Antczak,1 Maria Szewczyk2 1Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing Department; 2Department of Surgery Nursing, Faculty of Health Science, The Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, The Nicolaus Copernicus University,Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Poland Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of psychosocial factors on pain levels and depression, before and after surgical treatment, in patients with degenerative lumbar and cervical vertebral disc disease.Patients and methods: The study included 188 patients (98 women, 90 men) who were confirmed to have cervical or lumbar degenerative disc disease on magnetic resonance imaging, and who underwent a single microdiscectomy procedure, with no postoperative surgical complications. All patients completed two questionnaires before and after surgery – the Beck Depression Inventory scale (I–IV) and the Visual Analog Scale for pain (0–10). On hospital admission, all patients completed a social and demographic questionnaire. The first pain and depression questionnaire evaluations were performed on the day of hospital admission (n=188); the second on the day of hospital discharge, 7 days after surgery (n=188); and the third was 6 months after surgery (n=140).Results: Patient ages ranged from 22 to 72 years, and 140 patients had lumbar disc disease (mean age, 42.7±10.99 years) and 44 had cervical disc disease (mean age, 48.9±7.85 years). Before surgery, symptoms of depression were present in 47.3% of the patients (11.7% cervical; 35.6% lumbar), at first postoperative evaluation in 25.1% of patients (7% cervical; 18.1% lumbar), and 6 months following surgery in 31.1% of patients (7.5% cervical; 23.6% lumbar). Patients with cervical disc disease who were unemployed had the highest incidence of depression before and after surgery (p=0.037). Patients with lumbar disc disease who had a primary level of education or work involving standing had the highest incidence of depression before and after surgery (p=0.368).Conclusion: This study highlighted the association between social and demographic factors, pain perception, and depression that may persist despite surgical treatment for degenerative vertebral disc disease. Keywords: degenerative disc disease; depression, intervertebral disc, surger

Measuring scales used for assessment of patients with traumatic brain injury: multicenter studies

Robert Ślusarz,1 Renata Jabłońska,1 Agnieszka Królikowska,1 Beata Haor,1 Ewa Barczykowska,2 Monika Biercewicz,3 Mariola Głowacka,2 Justyna Szrajda4 1Neurological and Neurosurgical Nursing Department, 2Nursing Department, 3Clinic of Geriatrics, 4Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Torun, PolandBackground: Application of adequate numeric scales is essential for assessment of a patient’s condition. The scales most commonly used by the therapeutic team for assessment of a patient with traumatic brain injury (TBI) include deficit scales, functional scales, and scales assessing quality of life. The purpose of this study was to establish the relationships between the particular scales used for assessment of patients with TBI.Methods: This multicenter study included 159 patients with TBI. The direct observation technique was used. Two measurements were made (at hospital admission and discharge) using standardized assessment scales, ie, the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), the Functional Capacity Scale (FCS), the Functional Index “Repty” (FIR), and the Glasgow Outcome Scale.Results: Patients with mild impairment of consciousness were most numerous in the examined group at both admission and discharge, ie, 118 (78.8%) and 134 patients (89.3%), respectively. The mean score for functional capacity measured with the FCS was 34.41 points (71.7%) on the day of admission and 41.87 points (87.2%) on the day of discharge from hospital. A significant correlation was found between results obtained using the GCS and results on the FIR, on both the day of admission [R t(n-2) =7.612=0.530; P=0.00] and the day of discharge [R t(n-2) =8.998=0.595; P=0.00]. Further, a high correlation was found between the FCS and the FIR (rs= -0.854 on day of admission and rs= -0.840 on day of discharge).Conclusion: The majority of examined patients had mild impairment of consciousness. A moderate correlation was found between the GCS and the scales assessing activities of daily living. A high correlation was found between FCS and FIR, which may result from the similarities between the analyzed tools in the scope of their construction and application.Keywords: head trauma, assessment tools, numeric scale