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Aims and Objectives: To examine the hand hygiene beliefs and practices of Turkish nursing students and the effectiveness of their handwashing., Background: Handwashing is the most important part of preventing cross-infection, but there is a considerable amount of evidence that shows that the handwashing technique of nurses and nursing students is not always very effective., Design/methods: This research was carried out in two stages and is type of descriptive, analytical and observational. The study comprised 563 students from a Faculty of Nursing. Besides evaluating the nursing students' sociodemographic data, we assessed their beliefs and hand hygiene practices using a Hand Hygiene Beliefs Scale (HHBS) and Hand Hygiene Practices Inventory (HHPI) and also used with "Derma LiteCheck" device to assess how effectively they washed their hands. The STROBE checklist was used., Results: The handwashing frequency of the female students was significantly higher. The scores on both the HHBS and the HHPI were significantly higher among the female students compared to the males. The dirtiest areas of the hand were determined as nails (nail beds, beneath the nails), skin between the fingers and fingertips., Conclusions: The results of our study indicate that although student nurses have positive perceptions about hand hygiene and appear to have developed good habits, the effectiveness of their handwashing is poor., Relevance to Clinical Practice: It is of great importance that UV light and florescent gel are made readily available both at nursing schools and in hospitals and other health institutions since these elements are useful in providing immediate visual feedback for a full assessment of handwashing behaviour., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Aims and Objectives: To explore the effect of immobility on sacral tissue oxygen saturation in patients lying on a supporting surface in supine position., Background: Guidelines in regard to preventing pressure ulcers recommend that patients lying on a standard bed should change their positions every 2 hr and that patients on a supporting surface should change their positions every 4 hr. But there is no strong evidence that justifies this practice., Design: Quasi-experimental., Methods: Data for the research were collected over the period October 2014-March 2015 at Anesthesiology and Reanimation and Neurosurgery Clinic Intensive Care Units. A total of 46 patients matching the research criteria were left in the supine position for 4 hr without having a position change, during which time sacral tissue oxygen saturation was measured every hour on the hour. Sacral tissue oxygen saturation was measured with the InSpectra Tissue Oxygenation Monitor., Results: Mean sacral tissue oxygen saturation was 73.4% at baseline and was then measured as 74.9% at the first hour, 72.3% at the second hour, 71.9% at the third hour and 71.9% at the fourth hour. The changes observed between measuring times were not found to be statistically significant (p = .09)., Conclusions: No statistically significant differences were found between sacral tissue oxygen saturation values recorded over a period of 4 hr in immobile patients lying on a supporting surface in the supine position. However, it was observed that sacral tissue oxygen saturation values did not change significantly depending upon the type of supporting surface that was being used., Relevance to Clinical Practice: The study outcome supports changing the position of a patient lying on a supporting surface every 4 hr and provides evidence that justifies the recommendation made in the guidelines., (© 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)