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Introduction: Alterations in taste and smell are among the most distressing symptoms experienced by haemodialysis patients. There is limited research on the relationship between these two symptoms and malnutrition in haemodialysis patients. This study aimed to investigate alterations in taste and smell in hemodialysis patients and their relationship with malnutrition. Methods: This cross‐sectional study was carried out with 149 hemodialysis patients at the dialysis centers of three state hospitals. The Taste and Smell Dysfunction Questionnaire was used to assess the changes in patients' taste and smell, and the Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), as well as the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) tool, were utilized to evaluate their nutritional status. Findings: A substantial percentage (45.6%) of patients reported an altered sense of smell, and 40.2% reported an altered sense of taste. The aspect of taste that was most abnormal was bitterness (46.7%); 53.0% of the patients were at moderate risk of malnutrition by PNI score, and 14.8% were categorized as malnourished by CONUT score. Malnutrition was related to dialysis vintage: a 1‐year increase in vintage was associated with an increased risk of malnutrition (OR: 1.17, 95% CI 1.02–1.32, p < 0.001). Altered taste was associated with malnutrition: one‐unit increase in the standard deviation of the taste subdimension score was associated with a relative risk of malnutrition (OR: 6.89, 95% CI 1.67–28.39, p < 0.001). A one‐unit increase in the standard deviation of the smell subdimension was associated with relative risk of malnutrition (OR: 1.35, 95% CI 1.10–1.64, p < 0.001). Discussion: Malnutrition was found in a significantpercentage of hemodialysis patients. Altered taste and smell and the durationof dialysis treatment were significantly associated with malnutrition scores It isrecommended that healthcare professionals regularly assess alterations in tasteand smell in hemodialysis patients, as these alterations may be associated withmalnutrition, and manage these alterations accordingly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was carried out to understand and explain nursing students' experiences of operating room (OR) practice via distance education and their perceptions of career goals, feelings, and thoughts within the scope of social cognitive career theory (SCCT). The study used a qualitative design based on Heidegger's hermeneutic phenomenological approach. Data were collected through a semi-structured interview program by conducting face-to-face interviews on the ZOOM meeting software. All interviews were completed in one month. The COREQ (Consolidated criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research) checklist, which consists of items that should be included in qualitative research reports, was used to report the study. The study was conducted with 13 students. Two themes and six sub-themes were elicited from the study data. The themes were (1) away from the operating room (in the context of being a student in the operating room practice performed with distance education) and (2) the operating room nursing as a career goal (in the context of students' perceptions of becoming an operating room nurse in the future). In the light of the results of this study, the importance of clinical OR practice at the end of the Covid-19 process before graduation has emerged for the future of surgical nursing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a study conducted in Turkey that examined the relationship between health locus of control and participation in colorectal cancer screening programs. The study found that individuals with a higher internal health locus of control were more likely to participate in screenings. It also identified risk perception and knowledge level as factors influencing participation. The study suggests that interventions should focus on addressing these psychosocial factors to increase participation. However, it is important to note that the study was conducted at a single health center and may not be applicable to the entire population. [Extracted from the article]

Background: To effectively manage sexual dysfunction in women reporting overactive bladder, it is essential to know how patients perceive these problems, their lives, and their strategies. Aim: In this study we aimed to understand the sexual life experiences of women with multiple sclerosis (MS) who report overactive bladder from their point of view. Methods: This study included 12 women with MS and was conducted as a qualitative study with a hermeneutic phenomenological framework. The data were evaluated by using Van Manen's thematic analysis method. The Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist was used. Outcomes: In this study, thematic codes of sexual symptoms in women with MS with overactive bladder were defined and evaluated. Results: As a result of the analysis of the data, four main themes and nine subthemes were identified. The main themes were "sexual self-concept," "sexual relationships," "sexual function," and "coping with problems". Subthemes such as body image, sexual esteem, the meaning of sexuality, communication, intimacy, coping with overactive bladder and sexual problems, and getting support showed that overactive bladder symptoms negatively affected women's sexual health. Clinical Implications: Given the variety of sexual problems experienced by women with MS who report overactive bladder, these problems should be a routine part of clinical evaluation. Strengths and Limitations: This study is to our knowledge the first to examine the sexual life experiences of MS women reporting overactive bladder in depth based on the holistic view of sexuality theory. However, the sample is small and includes only women with MS who have reported overactive bladder. Conclusions: The sexual experience of women with MS who reported overactive bladder was multi-dimensional. Women with MS cope with their sexual problems alone and cannot receive the necessary support from their husbands, nurses, or other health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this work is to synthesize and interpret qualitative research examining the experiences of nurses providing care for patients with COVID‐19 in acute care settings in the early stages of the pandemic in different countries. Background: The prevalence of disasters, including the pandemic, is increasing globally. It is important to understand nurses' experiences in depth to effectively manage extraordinary events that may occur in the future. Design: This is a thematic meta‐synthesis study. Methods: Electronic databases, including CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, OVID, and Scopus, were searched for publications from December 2019 to October 2020. The search was updated for publications to 30 May 2022. The thematic synthesis method was used to analyse and interpret the data. Findings The experiences of the nurses giving care to patients with COVID‐19 were grouped under four themes: (1) Difficulties encountered in the care of patients with COVID‐19; (2) mixed emotions experienced in the care of patients with COVID‐19; (3) coping strategies that nurses used in the management of the pandemic; (4) the benefits of the COVID‐19 to nurses. Conclusion: Nurses faced many difficulties and experienced mixed emotions while providing care for patients with coronavirus disease. Perceived social support was seen as the most important strategy for coping with these difficult situations. It is important to be aware of the difficulties and emotions experienced by nurses and support them during the COVID‐19 pandemic for the management of future pandemics. Summary statement: What is already known about this topic? During the COVID‐19 pandemic, the health sector was affected most.Nurses were on the front lines and faced many challenges. What this paper adds? Nurses perceived the COVID‐19 pandemic as a unique experience for their professional identity and personal development despite the difficulties they faced.They saw social support, which would make them feel valuable, as the most important coping strategy. The implications of this paper Lessons learned from nurse experiences in the early stages of the pandemic should be taken into account when planning for a pandemic or other disaster situations.Politicians, health‐care organizations, and nurse managers should increase social support to ensure the well‐being of nurses in busy work environments such as pandemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nature and unpredictable prognosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) make pregnancy and motherhood challenging experiences for women with the disease. Using the thematic synthesis method, we aimed to systematically interpret and synthesize data from qualitative research examining the motherhood experiences of women with MS. The analyses revealed three analytical themes: "Deciding to become a mother," "The journey during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period," and "Surviving as a mother with multiple sclerosis." For women with MS, being a mother, pregnancy, and the postpartum period were complex and challenging issues. During this period, most women felt lonely, thought that they were contradictory and inadequately informed by healthcare professionals and that they could not get enough social support. Despite all the difficulties, being a mother was a source of motivation for them. This meta-synthesis study provides healthcare professionals with an in-depth understanding of the experiences of women with MS with pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum period, and motherhood from their perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spasticity is one of the main symptoms that is most common in patients with Multiple Sclerosis and causes increased disability. The aim of this study is to understand the experiences of patients with Multiple Sclerosis about their spasticity from their perspective. This study was conducted as a qualitative study with a Hermeneutic phenomenological framework. The data were evaluated by using VanManen's thematic analysis method. As a result of the data analysis, four main themes were elicited, namely, "the meaning of spasticity for the patient," "the difficulties of living with spasticity," 'coping with spasticity," and "the new me created by spasticity." It was understood that spasticity is a symptom that brings about difficulties in psychological, social, and working life as well as physical difficulties. Nurses should be aware of the psychological symptoms as well as the physical symptoms that patients experience due to spasticity and should create a patient-specific management program. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: to examine the relationship between illness perception, illness cognition, and other sociodemographic characteristics of individuals with diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) and their complementary alternative therapies (CAM) use within the framework of self-regulation model (SRM). This cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out with 220 individuals with DFU in the Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases outpatient clinic of two training and research hospitals between December 5, 2020, and June 5, 2021. Research data were collected by using the Patient Information Form, Brief Illness Perception Scale (BIPS), and Illness Cognition Questionnaire (ICQ). Descriptive statistical methods and the Mann-Whitney U test were used to were used in the evaluation of the data. The determinants of the CAM use status of the patients were evaluated by logistic regression analysis. It was determined that 136 (61.81%) patients who used CAM mostly preferred herbal methods. Patients' mean scores were 42.23 ± 5.66 on the total BIPS, 39.65 ± 16.01 on the total ICQ. Increasing age, female gender, increased disease perception (BIPS) and disease cognition (ICQ) increased the use of CAM (Nagelkerke R2:0.552; Model: x2 = 168.579 p = 0.00) It was determined that our patients frequently preferred CAM. Predictors of CAM use were identified as female gender, advanced age, illness perception, and illness cognition. Accordingly, for effective management of DFU, besides the comprehensive evaluation of individuals with DFU and the provision of wound care by health care professionals, illness perceptions, illness cognition, and CAM use should be considered carefully. • The use of complementary alternative therapy is common in patients with diabetic foot ulcers. • Patients with diabetic foot ulcer mostly prefer herbal methods. • The use of complementary alternative therapy increases in women and with advancing age. • As disease perception and disease cognition increase, the use of complementary alternative therapy increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study was conducted to explore the effect of inadequately conducted compulsory distance education on the professional identity (PI) development process from nursing students' perspective. Design and Methods: The study used a qualitative design based on Heidegger's hermeneutic phenomenological approach. The data were analyzed by using Van Manen's thematic analysis. Results: The themes of the study were: (1) an inadequate, compulsory, uncertain, and difficult experience, (2) negative impact on PI development. Practice Implications: It is important for educators to realize that the PI development of nursing students is affected during the distance education process. In this context, students can be included in clinical practice in small groups before graduation in addition to online learning in terms of PI development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taste changes and malnutrition are two important problems in patients with different types of cancer. This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between malnutrition and subjective taste changes experienced by cancer patients receiving outpatient chemotherapy. The study used a cross-sectional design and was carried out with 1382 patients with cancer receiving outpatient chemotherapy. Of the patients, 63.1% experienced taste changes. It was determined that 8.8% of patients had malnutrition according to the Mini Nutritional Assessment. The mean scores of patients experiencing malnutrition and being at risk for malnutrition from all sub-dimensions of The Chemotherapy-induced Taste Alteration Scale (CiTAS) were found to be higher than the patient group evaluated to have normal nutrition. It was determined that a unit increase in the scores of the parageusia and phantogeusia subscales of the CiTAS increased the risk of malnutrition by 3.36 times (%95 CI= 2.68–4.02). In line with these results, we recommend that patients with cancer receiving chemotherapy should be routinely evaluated in terms of taste changes in clinical practice and that they should be followed up in terms of malnutrition in the presence of taste changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Non-compliance with diet and fluid restriction is an important and common health behavior problem in the hemodialysis population and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Therefore, investigating the perceptions and experiences of patients undergoing hemodialysis regarding diet and fluid restriction is very important in terms of achieving the management of diet and fluid restriction. Methods: This is a meta-synthesis study. CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, OVID, and Scopus electronic databases were utilized for the literature review. Studies were critically evaluated using the Joanna Briggs critical appraisal tool. Qualitative data were extracted, meta-summarized, and then meta-synthesized. The thematic analysis method was used in the analysis of the data. Results: This review consisted of 23 qualitative studies. The experiences of patients undergoing hemodialysis about diet and fluid restriction were classified into three main themes, namely, "the meaning of diet and fluid restriction for the patient", "perceived barriers", and "patient's own management strategies for diet and fluid restriction". Conclusion: The results of the synthesis in our study indicated that patients undergoing hemodialysis perceived diet and fluid restriction as a complex and challenging process involving a constant struggle. Some personal, social, and systemic barriers perceived by the patients made compliance with diet and fluid restriction even more difficult. More importantly, it was determined that most of the patients were not supported enough in the management of diet and fluid restriction and that they had developed strategies in their own right. In line with these results, we recommend that individual counseling services for diet-fluid restriction of patients undergoing hemodialysis should be increased, the obstacles perceived by the patient should be considered while planning patients' diet-fluid restriction, and that the planning should be realistic and feasible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working in agriculture may cause serious health problems due to heavy working conditions and chemical exposure. This Husserlian phenomenological qualitative study was conducted with 22 women working in greenhouse agriculture to investigate the health and social problem(s). In the evaluation of the data, Colaizzi's seven‐step content analysis method and thematic analysis were used. The Kappa analysis was performed with two independent experts to measure the reliability of comparative fit, and the value obtained in the analysis was 1.00 (perfect fit). Based on the content analysis, six themes were defined. All participants indicated that they had different reproductive health‐related problems. Some participants stated that their children had respiratory system‐related problems and that they were subjected to physical, verbal/emotional and sexual violence by their husbands. It is important to provide health education, counselling services and screening programmes for women who work in greenhouse agriculture and thus are in the at‐risk group for poor health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study investigates the relationship between fear of breast cancer, risk factors, and early diagnosis behavior of women aged 20 or above. Method: It is a descriptive cross‐sectional study. Findings: It was found that 17.3% of the women conducted breast self‐examination, 14.0% underwent clinical breast examination, and that 9.3% of them underwent mammography. The predictors regularly affecting early diagnosis behaviors were identified through logistic regression. Different predictors for breast cancer diagnostic behaviors were found in each age group. Practice Implications: This study is important in terms of taking into account the age factor in the practices aiming to increase the diagnostic behavior of healthcare personnel, especially nurses. Conclusion: It was concluded that there were different predictors of breast cancer diagnostic behaviors in both age groups of the women in the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergency crisis management due to the COVID-19, in many countries around the world, the education system structured according to formal education has been tailored to the distance education system This study was carried out to comprehensively investigate and understand the experiences of nursing students towards web-based education in Turkey, which is applying distance education today due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted as a qualitative study with a Hermeneutic phenomenological framework. Data collection was terminated when data saturation was reached. The sample of the study consisted of 14 student nurses. The data were evaluated using Van Manen's thematic analysis method. The analysis of the data revealed three themes: "COVID-19 and the distance education that comes with it", "barriers to distance education", and "dilemmas regarding distance education in terms of nursing education". In the study, nursing students perceived personal, infrastructural, technical equipment, and pedagogical barriers to distance education. Although students were aware of some of the opportunities offered by distance education, they defined the lack of clinical practice as an important deficiency and inadequacy in terms of nursing education and stated that they were worried about this issue. In terms of the successful applicability of distance education in nursing education, it is important to be aware of the barriers and to try to reduce them, and to increase strategies that will strengthen clinical learning as an alternative to clinical education, which is an integral part of nursing education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this meta-synthesis study, 47 qualitative studies that were conducted with a total of 2234 female participants aged between 18 and 75 years in 22 different countries were analyzed. The women were found to not participate breast cancer screening behaviors due to personal, social, and system barriers. Women's personal barriers were determined as fear, embarrassment, breast cancer perceptions and beliefs, lack of motivation, lack of knowledge, socioeconomic status, and negative experiences. Culture and stigma were identified as social barriers. Health insurance coverage, accessibility of health care services, and the attitudes of health care workers were classified as system barriers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Aim Study design Results Conclusion Relevance to Clinical Practice Education in end‐of‐life care (EoLC) is essential for improving the knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of intensive care nurses.This study aimed to evaluate the effect of online awareness education, based on the End‐of‐Life Nursing Education Consortium, on the knowledge levels, attitudes and behaviours of intensive care nurses.This single‐centre randomized controlled study. This study was performed in a tertiary intensive care unit in a university‐affiliated hospital. Seventy‐six intensive care nurses were selected and equally randomized. In the education, the group was given an EoLC awareness education programme on an online platform as 40–60‐min sessions once a week for 4 weeks. The descriptive Information Form, EoLC Knowledge Test and the Nurses' Attitudes and Behaviours towards the EoLC Scale were used. In the study, intensive care nurses' knowledge, attitude and behaviour levels towards EoLC were evaluated before and after 4 weeks (±3 days) following the education.When the mean post‐education scores of the nurses in the education group were compared with the control group, it was found that their mean scores on the EoLC Knowledge Test (p = .001, Cohen's d = 1.354, 95% CI = 3.240–6.549), the attitude sub‐dimension (p = .001, Cohen's d = 1.520, 95% CI = 4.510–7.858), the behaviour sub‐dimension (p = .001, Cohen's d = 1.425, 95% CI = 3.206–6.214) and the total attitude and behaviour (p = .001, Cohen's d = 1.927, 95% CI = 8.408–13.643) were statistically significantly higher than those of the control group.This study showed that EoLC awareness education positively affected nurses' knowledge, attitudes and behaviours. Accordingly, planning EoLC awareness education online at regular intervals may be recommended for intensive care nurses.Intensive care nurses may be given online EoLC awareness education to positively affect their knowledge, attitudes and behaviours about EoLC. Online EoLC education can be effective in terms of reaching a large number of nurses, time and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the relationship between nursing students' perceptions of clinical instructor caring and their professional behaviors. Method: This study used a descriptive and cross‐sectional design. The data were analyzed with Pearson's correlation and Linear regression analyses. Results: The professional behaviors of nursing students were found to increase their desire to become a nurse in the future with "instills confidence through caring" and "supportive learning climate" subscales but to decrease their desire to be an academician in the future. Conclusion: As students' perceptions of clinical instructor caring increased, their status of applying professional behaviors was found to increase, as well. Practical Implication: Descriptive characteristics and clinical instructor caring are related to high professional behaviors in nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship of caring behaviors with moral sensitivity, emotional intelligence and descriptive characteristics in intensive care nurses. Method: Descriptive study. The sample of this study consisted of 156 nurses. The data were collected using introductory information form, caring behaviors inventory, moral sensitivity questionnaire, and emotional intelligence scale. The factors affecting caring behavior were determined using stepwise multiple linear regression. Finding: It was determined that high education level, working in shifts, as well as appraisal of emotion subscale of emotional intelligence scale and also autonomy, expressing benevolence, and following praxis subscales of moral sensitivity questionnaire were high predictors for caring behaviors. Practice Implications: Descriptive characteristics, moral sensitivity, and emotional intelligence are related to high caring behavior in intensive care nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study was to evaluate self‐management by individuals with a serious mental illness and an additional chronic disease. Design and Methods: Heidegger's hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used. The study was carried out with 12 participants with a serious mental illness and an additional chronic disease. Results: The participants had a diagnosis of schizophrenia and diabetes (75%). Based on the data, the difficulties faced by the patients in chronic disease management were determined as three themes: (a) personal‐related difficulties, (b) family and society‐related difficulties, and (c) healthcare system‐related difficulties. Practice Implications: Nurses' interventions to accurately inform other clinicians and leading professional groups in the community will support individuals with serious mental illnesses to improve their self‐management by reducing the burden of stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Breast Cancer Perception Scale was developed using a well-supported theory, thought to be associated with breast cancer prevention behaviors. The aim of this study is to develop the Breast Cancer Perception Scale based on the Health Belief Model and conduct psychometric analysis. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted with women aged 20 or above with a methodological design. The scale study was conducted with 572 women who were not diagnosed with breast cancer and willing to participate in the study. Results: The results of the exploratory factor analysis revealed that the scale is made up of six sub-dimensions (perceived knowledge, perceived treatment belief, the perceived need for a health check, perceived stigma, perceived fear, perceived risk) and 24 items, which explain the 74.36% of the total variance. The model obtained from the confirmatory factor analysis was within the limits of the acceptable fit index and factor loads between 0.655 and 0.998. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of the scale sub-dimensions was determined as 0.815-0.950. Conclusion: The overall psychometric evaluation results of the Breast Cancer Perception Scale found it to be a valid and reliable instrument that can be associated with multi-dimensional cases, such as healthy life behaviors in women, breast cancer diagnostic behaviors, family history, traumatic experiences regarding breast cancer, and the level of breast cancer knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute pesticide poisoning is an important public health problem. This research was done for the purposes of retrospectively examining the relationships between the recorded pesticide poisonings and socio-demographic factors. This retrospective descriptive study was conducted between December 2017 and February 2018. It was examined that thirty-two cases presented for pesticide poisoning between January 1, 2008 and December 31, 2017 to the Emergency Service of the Kumluca Public Hospital. The hospital records were used to collect the research data. The χ² test and logistic regression analysis were used, as well as descriptive statistics. It was found that 12 cases used pesticides to commit suicide, and 9 cases presented to psychiatry polyclinics after a suicide attempt. It was found that pesticide poisoning was mostly in spring. The poisonings occurred most often via the gastrointestinal tract, inhalation, skin respectively. It was found that poisoning in order to attempt suicide in women we re higher, and accidental and professional poisonings in men were higher. In the logistic regression analysis, it was found that the use of pesticides to commit suicide differed according to the gender (OR = 0.070, p < 0.05). This study revealed the existence of pesticide poisonings, and especially, suicidal attempts due to pesticides in a rural area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]