Edema-reducing effect of tapping on the plantar arches and calves using a commercially available massage device was investigated in twenty-six geriatric residents of health service facilities. The circumference of the feet and legs was measured two times daily over six consecutive days, and the tapping was performed for 30 minutes in the last three days after the evening measurement.
During the tapping period, the circumference readings in the morning shortened 8 mm on the average, when compared to those in the previous evening, while the shortening was 2 mm on the average during the control period.
The subjects were divided into groups according to the presence or absence of cardiac diseases, whether the subjects were taking diuretics or not, and style of movement. In all of the groups, the mean readings of the morning circumference in the tapping period were significantly shorter when compared with those in the control period.
In conclusion, the tapping on the plantar arches and calves using a massage device is an effective aid to reduce the leg edema of the aged, regardless of whether the elderly person has cardiac diseases or is taking diuretics.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study is to developed a nursing career assessment scale and to evaluate its reliability and validity. As the first investigation, free description survey were sent to randomly selected 90 nurses to collect careeritems (the collection rate : 87.8% & the valid answer rate : 94.9%). Following analysis of 499 proposed career items, 62 items were subsequently selected to form a questionnaire. The second investigation included choosing 375 nurses, and the questionnaires were subsequently sent to them (the collection rate : 73.9% & the valid answer rate : 99.6%).
Factor analysis of the 62 career items (the principal factor method, varimax rotation) revealed that the items were composed of 43 items four subscales (implementation and pursuit of quality nursing : α=.912, development and adjustment of interpersonal relationships : α=.866, self-capability development : α=.802, and accumulation of diverse experiences : α=.802). Cross validation to the attributes was identified, therefore, the proposed career scale has sufficient reliable coefficient and validity and is considered useful to scale career assessment for nurses.

View full abstract

This study was undertaken to investigate the psychology and behavioral characteristics of patients with hepatitis C during the period from diagnosis to the present. From the data collected by interviews, sentences expressing changes in the liver condition or important transition of disease were extracted and compared, to identify 4 phases of disease. Hese phases approximately corrseponded to the course of the patients' liver disease, beginning with chronic hepatitis and advancing into liver cirrhosis and eventually into liver cancer. Then, sentences related to the psychology and postures to treatment of patients in each disease phase were extracted, and sentences were grouped into categories by their meaning. The patients continued exchanging information with other patients, while receiving treatment from physicians they relied on. After diagnosis, the patients continued to have anxiety or concerns about cancer and ambiguous aspects of self-control methods. The nature and severity of these concerns varied among different phases of the disease. These needs of patients should be dealt with as issues of nursing. They suggest the necessity of nursing intervention through providing education and support to patents, tailored to each phase of the disease.

View full abstract

To ascertain postoperative lifestyle in patients who undergo total hip arthroplasty (THA), a questionnaire surver was administered to 243 THA patients to clarify the relationship of lifestyle to: 1) time after surgery; and 2) residential modifications and improvements. In addition, 12 THA patients were visited at home to provide thorough and concrete guidelines for nursing assistance. Results of the questionnaire survey showed that risk of dislocation was significantly higher for patients who underwent THA>3 years earlier compared to other groups, confirming the necessity of follow-up observations.
In addition, risk of dislocation was significantly lower for patients who modified or improved their place of residence compared to other groups, suggesting that adjusting the living environment can help prevent dislocation. Furthermore, the results of home visits showed that some THA patients change their living environments using tools and modifying movements, while other THA patients who did not change their living environments repeatedly experienced dislocation. The results of the present study suggest that, besides ascertaining lifestyle pre- and post-operatively, providing individual guidance to match individuals with their living environments is necessary when providing care to patients who have undergone THA.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to identify the influence of cognition during anxiety on the mental health of inpatients by attempting to confirm cross validity of a cognition scale of illness-related anxiety, and to determine which cognition sub-scale affects mental health most severely. Mental health was measured by using a general health questionnaire (12 items: GHQ-12). The subjects consisted of 317 patients in general hospitals. Using a causal relationship model, the standardized coefficient of cognition during anxiety and mental health was 0.487 (p<0.01), indicating a moderate correlation and yielding the result that stress cognition appears to have an influence on mental health. In addition, among those sub-scales of cognition during anxiety, "the loss of purpose and value" is believed to have a significant influence on mental health, thus demonstrating the importance of intervention during periods of anxiety related to loss of purpose and value. These results suggest that nurses should intervene during times of stress by assessing inpatients' cognition and behavior to anxiety in order to maintain inpatients mental health.

View full abstract

The purpose of the present study is to elucidate the process during which students face difficulty and the method by which they cope with certain situations during clinical training so that the teaching staff may gain insight into future training in clinical pediatric nursing. Interviews were conducted by posing semi-structured questions to 21 nursing students on the bewilderment or difficulty that they experienced during the training. Consequently, the following emerged from the process in which the students became distressed during the training (from (1) to (4)) and their methods for coping with the problems (from A to C). The reasons given for "deterrence mainly concerning clinical activities" were: (1) Discomfort with strange children or uneasy feeling with new sick children; (2) Threat felt at facing sick children; (3) Discouragement at not completing nursing technology; and (4) Complex integration process and application of nursing methodology. The structure for coping mechanism was described as: A. Persistent and continued efforts; B. Application of the leader's advice and copying the nursing pattern that has been indicated; and C. Mutual encouragement among students. These findings indicated that procedures, such as understanding the difficulty that students experience in training in clinical pediatric nursing, explaining the importance of continuous efforts in training, offering psychological support, joining the students in continuing the study by showing models, and conducting conferences where experiences are acted out by the students themselves and presented in an affirmative manner, will be one approach to success in such a training program.

View full abstract

The objective of this study is to examine the taste sensitivity of mentally handicapped persons. The subject in this study was 25 persons who participate in day care activities and 25 inpatients were adjusted for sex, age, and primary diagnosis. The entire process of the investigation was conducted by the head nurses at the departments where the subjects received care. The taste sensitivity test was conducted by dropping taste solutions into subjects' mouths, and each subject filled out a self-report questionnaire regarding lifestyles. The measurements of taste sensitivity of those who participate in day care activities were as follows: sweetness 3.4 ± 1.6, saltiness 3.1 ± 1.6, sourness 4.0 ± 1.6, and bitterness 4.4 ± 1.8. Those of the inpatients were as follows: sweetness 4.4 ± 1.9, saltiness 3.1 ± 2.0, sourness 4.4 ± 2.3, and bitterness 5.4 ± 2.5. A slight difference in lifestyles was seen between the two groups. The average measurements of sensitivity to the four types of taste, sweetness, sourness, and bitterness, were lower in the group of day care participants compared with the inpatients, suggesting higher taste sensitivity in the former. There was a significant difference in the sensitivity to sweetness (P<0.05).

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop an instrument to measure the self-care of outpatient with hypertension. The subjects consisted of 105 outpatient with hypertension. The questionnaire was made which based on conceptual framework of the self-care of outpatient with hypertension. The factor structure of the self-care of outpatient with hypertension consisted of 3 factors and 27 items by the factor analysis. These factors were named, eating management factor, exercise management factor and stress management factor. Self-Care Agency Questionnaire and Preventive Health Behavior Scale were used in establishing criterion-related validity. Scores of their self-care were positively correlated with those of their each scales. The reliability coefficient α showed 0.911. The validity and reliability of this scale were established.

View full abstract

The present study focuses on improving skin care for elderly hospital patients during ECG electrode replacement. The purpose of the study is to investigate the effectiveness of the sukina method as a skin care treatment for ECG electrode attachment sites on elderly patients. The sukina method entails applying sukina kuren to the attachment site and wiping it off with a dry towel.
The subjects were 59 inpatients who obtained permission with installed ECG monitors, and effectiveness was determines as described below by comparing the conventional method and the sukina method.
1) The sukina method electrode exchange period was three days during which skin abnormality (p<0.002) and itching (p<0.002) did not occur.
2) The sukina method did tend to cause skin abnormality and itching seasonally (winter) on the fifth electrode exchange day.
3) The sukina method is suited to skin care at the time of the electrode exchange of the elderly patients because it has the moisture retention effect that reduces allergic contact dermatitis by the electrode.

View full abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between workplace environment or assertiveness and burnout risk among novice nurses in university hospitals.
We carried out an investigation in 20 university hospitals in which the directors of nursing service departments accepted our request to cooperate in our research program. These hospitals had been selected from all university hospitals 102 listed in The Hospital Catalog in Japan. The subjects were 1203 hospital novice nurses with the consent to participate in our research, who had been employed since April, 2003. They were investigated with questionnaires in June 2003.
Multiple logistic regression analyses showed the followings; Physical Exhaustion related to family sickness in the last year, reality shock, job satisfaction, workload, overtime work, hope of job change, social support of colleagues and assertiveness. Emotional Exhaustion/Depersonalization related to heavy sickness of themselves in the last year, job satisfaction, salary satisfaction, workload, overtime work, hope to change of job, social support outside of work and assertiveness. Personal Accomplishment related to clinical areas, heavy family sickness in the last year, assignment satisfaction, support from senior nurses and assertiveness. It was suggested that a low point of assertiveness in novice nurses is a direct predictor of burnout risk.

View full abstract