Investigation of knowledge and attitudes of military nurses about epilepsy

BACKGROUND

The knowledge and attitudes of military nurses are important for the quality of care of the individuals they care for.

AIM

This descriptive study aimed to determine the knowledge and attitudes of military nurses towards epilepsy.

METHOD

An introductory information form, an epilepsy knowledge scale, and an epilepsy attitude scale were used to collect data from 115 military nurses through social media.

RESULTS

The average score of the epilepsy knowledge scale was 14.04 ± 2.25, and that of the epilepsy attitude scale was 57.23 ± 4.39. While education, marital status, and having a relatives who are patients with epilepsy (PWE) did not affect knowledge and attitudes, encountering an epileptic seizure affected attitudes.

CONCLUSION

The knowledge of military nurses regarding epilepsy was high, and their attitudes towards the illness were positive.

Soğuk İklimin İş Kazalarının Oluşumuna Etkisi: Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi’nde Bir İşyeri Örneği

İş sağlığı ve güvenliği konuları kapsamında sıcaklıkla ilgili olaylar, tüm dünyada kaygı oluşturmaya devam etmektedir. Uzun süre sıcak ya da soğuğa maruziyetle çalışanlarda dikkat ve konsantrasyon bozuklukları, ağır fiziksel işlerde zorlanma, yorgunluk, bitkinlik, vücudun asit baz dengesinde değişimlere bağlı kan dolaşımının etkilenmesi ve ayrıca bunlara bağlı düşmeler işe uyumun azalması hem medikal tedavi gerektiren hastalıklara hem de uzuv kayıplarına varabilen yaralanmalara neden olabilmektedir. Fakat bu konuda yapılan çalışmalarda iş kazalarının kesin ve birincil etmeni olarak soğuk ya da sıcak iklim doğrudan hedef gösterilemeyebilir. Bu korelasyonel/ekolojik araştırmada; Türkiye’de en soğuk iklime sahip illerinden biri olan Erzurum’da araç bakım onarımı ile uğraşan bir fabrikada son 6 yıla ait iş kazası verileri incelenerek konunun önemine vurgu yapılmaya çalışılmıştır. İş kazalarının yoğunlukla soğuk geçen aylarda gerçekleştiği, Ortalama ve Medyan (ortanca) iş kazası sayıları incelendiğinde ise 6 yıl içerisinde toplam 40 iş kazasının olduğu görülmüştür. Bu fabrika özelinde az sayıda iş kazası olması nedeniyle istatistiksel anlamlı bir ilişki tespit edilmemiştir. Bununla birlikte Erzurum ilinde soğuk havanın Ekim ayında başlayarak Nisan ayına kadar yoğunlukla hissedildiği göz önüne alındığında bu dağılım soğuk iklimin iş kazalarına etkisi olduğu yönünde bir bulgu olarak kabul edilebilir. Soğuk hava koşullarının hâkim olduğu Erzurum ilinde tüm işkollarını içerecek şekilde serinin genişletilmesi ile iklimin iş kazası ve yaralanmalarına etkisinin ayrıntılı incelenmesinin iş sağlığı ve güvenliği uygulamalarına katkı sağlayacağı sonucuna varılmıştır.

The effect of epilepsy self-management on productivity at work

BACKGROUND

Epilepsy is a significant public health concern and the most common neurological disorder. Lack of understanding of the disease may magnify the challenges faced by employees with epilepsy, including effective management of symptoms, and full participation in workplace and work productivity.

AIM

Study aimed to evaluate epilepsy self-management skills of working individuals with epilepsy and to determine the impact of it on productivity at work.

METHODS

The study adopted a cross-sectional design and involved 111 individuals with epilepsy. Data collection was carried out using a socio-demographic characteristics form, the "Epilepsy Self-Management Scale" and the "Endikot Work Productivity Scale."

RESULTS

The average age was 35.76 ± 3.39 in the study. The majority of the participants (57.7 %) were women. Additionally, 33.3 % were private sector employee, and 39.6 % held a bachelor's degree. The mean score of the Epilepsy Self Management Scale was 3.91 ± 0.15, the total score of Endikot Work Productivity Scale was 39.84 ± 6.33. A negative significant correlation was observed between epilepsy self management and work productivity. Moreover, women (3.94 ± 0.17) and healthcare workers (3.97 ± 0.06) had higher scores of epilepsy self management. While men (40.43 ± 0.15) demonstrated higher productivity scores, public servants (35.61 ± 0.34) had lower scores compared to others (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings of this study suggest that improved self-management of epilepsy among working individuals leads to increased work productivity. The epilepsy-management skills of women and healthcare workers was higher. Furthermore, men exhibited lower productivity levels, while woman and public servants displayed higher.

The Impact of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors on Productivity at Work: A Factory Example

Abstract Objective: Healthy lifestyle behaviors such as physical activity, adequate and balanced nutrition and not using tobacco have been cited as factors impacting employee productivity in the workplace. Aim: The aim of the study was to determine the impact of healthy lifestyle behaviors on productivity of workers. In addition, to investigate the association between effective factors on healthy lifestyle behaviors and productivity. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, 227 workers in a factory were included. Socio-demographic characteristics form, “Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale-II" and "Endikot Work Productivity Scale" were used to collect data. The participation rate was 90%. Results: Most of the workers were in the age group of 26-35 (33.5%). 52 % of them were male and 52.9% of them had Bachelor's Degree. The mean score of Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors Scale was 127.00±18.03, and Endikot Work Productivity Scale was 23.33±15.07. A negative and significant correlation was found between the Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors and the Endikot Work Productivity Scale. The productivity score of women (25.38±13.96) were higher than that of men (p

Third-hand Smoking Beliefs in Patients with Cancer

OBJECTIVE

Exposure to third-hand smoke (THS) represents an important health concern in many indoor environments. This study was conducted to test the beliefs of cancer patients about THS and to examine associations with effective factors.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 119 patients who were being treated for cancer in the oncology clinic of a University Hospital. The data were collected using a face-to-face questionnaire. This study consisted of the introductory characteristic form and the "Turkish Form of the Beliefs About Third-hand Smoke Scale".

RESULTS

The mean age was 58.52±14.01, with 73% of the participants being female, and 58% reported not smoking. They had a moderate Third-hand Smoke Scale (3.53±0.45). The impact of THS on health was 3.92±0.48 and Persistence in the Environment was 3.21±0.57. Education, smoking, and having cancer relatives were significantly associated with the THS scale scores.

CONCLUSION

None of the participants had previously heard of the concept of THS. Beliefs about the harms of THS exposure were moderate. They believed that THS has a more harmful impact on health than its persistence in the environment. Graduate degrees, smoking, and those with cancer relatives believed the harms of third-hand exposure more than the others.

Impact of parenting styles on preschoolers' behaviors

In this editorial, I comment on the article "Association of preschool children behavior and emotional problems with the parenting behavior of both parents" which was published in the latest issue of "World Journal of Clinical Cases" that demonstrates the prevalence of behavioral disorders in preschool children. Therefore I am focused on parenting which is the most effective factor shown to affect the development and continuity of these behaviors. The management of child behavior problems is crucial. Children in early ages, especially preschoolers who are in the first 5 years of life, are influenced by dramatic changes in various aspects of development, such as social, emotional, and physical. Also, children experience many changes linked to different developmental tasks, such as discovering themselves, getting new friendships, and adapting to a new environment. In this period, parents have a critical role in supporting child development. If parents do not manage and overcome their child's misbehavior, it could be transformed into psychosocial problems in adulthood. Parenting is the most powerful predictor in the social development of preschool children. Several studies have shown that to reduce the child's emotional and behavioral problems, a warm relationship between parents and children is needed. In addition, recent studies have demonstrated significant relationships between family regulation factors and parenting, as well as with child behaviors.

Development and Validation of Information Technology Scale in Nursing

BACKGROUND

 The implementation of information technology (IT) in patient care is on the rise. The nursing workforce should be prepared for using such technology to support the delivery of patient-centered care. The integration of informatics into nursing practice has been progressing at a slower rate than the development of advancements and in which areas nurses use IT is still not clear.

OBJECTIVE

 Our objective was to develop a new instrument to determine the usage of IT in nursing practice.

METHODS

 A methodological study was conducted with factor analyses. A total of 498 registered nurses in a university hospital (n = 374) and primary care centers (n = 124) participated in the study. A questionnaire consisting demographic characteristics and an item pool with 50 statements were used to collect data. The validity and reliability of the instrument were statistically tested by computing the Keiser-Meier-Olkin (KMO) and Bartlett tests, an exploratory factor analysis, descriptive statistics, Cronbach's α, and a confirmatory factor analysis.

RESULTS

 The instrument extracted eight factors comprising 39 items that explained 55% of the variance: professional autonomy(α = 0.82), data sharing/communication(α = 0.80), data management (α = 0.79), professional development (α = 0.71), administration (α = 0.76), research (α = 0.76), informing (α = 0.68), and classification of interventions (α = 0.75). Total reliability was 0.936. KMO index and a measure of sampling adequacy were high (0.936); the Bartlett test of sphericity was significant (p < 0.005).

CONCLUSION

 Study provided the evidence for the factor structure, internal consistency, reliability, and responsiveness of the 39-item "The Information Technology Scale in Nursing." Further testing of the developed instrument with a larger number of nurses from various backgrounds and different settings is recommended.

FULL TEXTS-COVID 19 PANDEMİSİNDE ARAŞTIRMA-YAYIN VE EĞİTİM SÜREÇLERİNE BAKIŞ KONGRESİ

Değerli Meslektaşlarımız ve Katılımcılarımız, Sizleri 15-16 Ocak 2021 tarihlerinde çevirim içi olarak gerçekleştireceğimiz ve ana temasını "Pandemi ile Değişen Tıp Eğitimi ile Klinik ve Temel Araştırmalar" olarak belirlediğimiz COVID-19 Pandemisinde Araştırma-Yayın ve Eğitim Süreçlerine Bakış Kongresi’ne davet etmekten büyük bir onur ve mutluluk duymaktayız. Kongremiz Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü’nün ‘Journal of Basic and Clinical Health Sciences (JBACHS)’ dergisi etkinliği olup, Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Bilimsel Araştırma Projeleri ve T.C. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı tarafından desteklenmektedir. Kongremiz sağlık alanında eğitim ve araştırma ile aktif olarak uğraşan disiplinler arası bilim insanlarını bir araya getirmeyi ve pandemi döneminde eğitim, araştırma ve yayınlar açısından yaşadığımız farklılıkları değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Yükseköğretim Kurulu Üyesi ve Sağlık Bakanlığı Bilim Kurulu Üyesi olan Prof. Dr. Zeliha KOÇAK TUFAN ‘PANDEMİNİN GÖLGESİNDE YÜKSEKÖĞRETİM’ isimli açılış konuşmaları ile bizleri onurlandıracaklardır. Genel konferanslar, tıp eğitimi ile klinik ve temel araştırmalarda yetkin bilim insanları tarafından sunulacaktır. Kongrede sunulan tüm bildirilerin özet metinleri ve yayına kabul edilmiş olan sözel bildirilerin tam metinleri Journal of Basic and Clinical Health Sciences (ESCI- Emerging Sources Citation Index ve ULAKBİM) COVID-19 ek sayısında yayınlanacaktır. T.C. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı, Orman Genel Müdürlüğü tarafından kongremizde sözel bildiri sunan, konuşmacı ve kurullarda yer alan hocalarımız adına fidan dikilecek olup sertifikası gönderilecektir. Böylece Geleceğe Nefes olmaya bizler de katkı sağlamış olacağız. İlk defa gerçekleştireceğimiz çevirim içi kongremizin sağlayacağı bilgi paylaşımının COVID-19 pandemisiyle her geçen gün değişen ve adapte olmaya çalıştığımız eğitim, araştırma ve yayın gibi dinamik süreçlere katkısı olacağı düşüncesindeyiz. Sizlerin değerli katkıları kongremizi bilimsel anlamda zenginleştirecek ve farklı kılacaktır. Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi, Sağlık Bilimleri Enstitüsü, ‘Journal of Basic and Clinical Health Sciences’ Dergisi ailesi olarak sizleri aramızda görmekten mutluluk duyacağız. Saygılarımızla,

Stigma Perceptions of Public Employees Concerning Covid-19 Disease

Abstract Aim: The Covid-19 pandemic has caused people to be exposed to negative attitudes and stigma. The aim of the study was to investigate the stigma perceptions of public employees concerning Covid-19 and to determine variables thought to be related. Materials and Methods: Study adopted descriptive design was conducted between 4/11/2021 and 1/1/2022. 351 employees in two public workplaces responded to the research. The Stigmatization of Covid-19 Questionnaire was delivered to the employees through online platform. The participation rate was 63.8%. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 Package program. Results: The majority of the participants (42.5%) fell within the age group of 36-45 years. 69.2% of them were male, and 61.8% were workers. While the mean score of self-stigma associated with Covid-19 was 50.61±9.73, stigma toward others was 78.68±13.01. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of age, gender, education, marital status, history of previous Covid, and stigma toward others. Conclusion: Self-stigma perceptions of employees were low while the toward others were high. The factors such as age, gender, education, marital status, previous experience of Covid-19 affected employees’ perceptions of stigma associated with Covid-19. The findings of the study highlight the importance of intervening early to provide psychological or social support for employees.

A cultural adaptation study of nursing informatics competency scale

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study is to examine the factor structure, internal consistency reliability and responsiveness of an instrument related to the informatics competency of nurses.

BACKGROUND

Informatics is a scientific discipline that needs to be integrated into nursing practice. There is no current and valid tool to measure the informatics competency of nurses in Turkey.

DESIGN

This study has a methodological design.

METHODS

The Self-Assessment of Nursing Informatics Competency Scale-18 was used to collect data. The original scale was translated into Turkish in a process of forward and back-translation. Data were collected in a setting of 190 respondents with a random subsample in a hospital. Internal reliability was tested using Cronbach's alpha. The factor structure of the instrument was determined through exploratory factor analysis. Factorial invariance was tested in a multi-group confirmatory factor analysis.

RESULTS

Exploratory analysis with varimax rotation extracted three factors comprising 18 items that explained 62.1 % of the variance: applied computer skills (α=.91), role (α=.67) and basic computer skills (α=.77).

CONCLUSION

The current version of the instrument is well grounded in the theoretical framework of informatics competence in nursing practice.