The purpose of this study is to develop and evaluate the feasibility of an assessment tool to prevent aspiration pneumonia in the respiratory care for people who require nursing care. This tool aims to enhance home care nurses’ assessment ability and to clarify the process of judgement of care. First, this tool was developed on the basis of the findings of interviews with home care nurses and previous studies. The tool was composed of 4 care components, including “assessment items” and “care objective” of each component. Eight home care nurses participated in this study and by caring for eight clients in collaboration with the researcher. The results showed the high feasibility of the tool in home care, and that it enhanced home care nurses’ assessment and judgement ability regarding ventilation and cough. Additional research is warranted to evaluate the tool with partially revised assessment items.

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　This study was designed to evaluate the degree of stress in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization using a femoral artery or vein.
　The subjects in this study were nine patients (5 males and 4 females, 53-84 years) who underwent cardiac catheterization using a femoral artery or vein. To evaluate autonomic nervous function, salivary α-amylase activity (sAA) and ECG were measured and low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) components were calculated from a spectral analysis of heart rate variability of ECG. Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used as a subjective evaluation. Approval for the present study was obtained from The University of Tsukuba Ethical Committee.
　sAA levels tended to increase during forced bedrest compared with immediately after examination, and levels significantly decreased (p ＜0.01) following release from bedrest. This was accompanied by similar changes of LF/HF, which reflects sympathetic nerve activity. Also, VAS at one hour after release from bedrest decreased significantly (p ＜0.05) in comparison with the other periods.
　In conclusion, our results suggest that sympathetic nerve activity increased during forced bedrest after the examination, followed by a decrease after release from bedrest. Furthermore, uncomfortable sensation were decreased after release from bedrest. Therefore, since stress in patients undergoing cardiac catheterization increases during forced bedrest, appropriate nursing care is required to reduce stress, depending on the situation.

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　The present study was conducted to examine psychological and physical responses to a video of forests in a basic manner, involving 24 healthy adults (12 males and females) in their twenties (mean age : 21.67±1.31 years old). In the study, footage of forests and a control video of other scenes were used. A twenty-minute experiment was conducted in which the subjects watched the videos and took a five-minute rest prior to and following viewing them. The results obtained using the semantic differential (SD) technique and heart rate variability were used as assessment indices, and self-completed questionnaires, including the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and profile of mood state (POMS), were implemented before and after the experiment to examine their reactions to the images of forests. After viewing the video, the subjects felt calm and a sense of abundance, and received a favorable and dynamic impression. There were marked increases in VAS scores for “pleasantness” , “calming” , and “refreshing” (p ＜0.001 to 0.01), and a significant decrease was noted in “Tension-Anxiety” of the POMS (p ＜0.01). The heart rate variability indicated a marked change in parasympathetic nerve activity. The results suggested that the appropriate use of pleasant, soothing scenes and their lingering effects may increase pleasantness and relaxing effects of the video.

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　Purpose : The aim of this study was to review the relationship between defecation and fluid intake, and the effects of fluid intake on constipation.
　Method : Relevant literature from PubMed, CINAHL, Japan Medical Abstracts Society (Ichushi) web version, was searched using the key words : constipation, fluid intake, water intake. Meeting criteria were 7 (surveys) and 7 (interventional studies), which were reviewed and analyzed using Cooper’s method.
　Results : Stool weight diminished when fluid intake was less than 500mL per day ; studies suggested that fluid intake of less than 500mL per day lead to constipation. However, if subjects took 500mL or more daily and were constipation, it was unknown how much fluid intake was required for constipation reduction. In addition, there was no evidence that increasing fluid in take could treat constipation could unless there was evidence of dehydration.
　Conclusion : There was no evidence that increasing fluid intake could treat constipation unless there was existing evidence of dehydration.

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　The aim of this study was to examine physiological effects of hot stimulus to one foot (HSOF) with steamed towel (covering four steamed towels over one foot) on cardiovascular dynamics and autonomic nervous functions, especially, on peripheral circulation of contra-lateral foot. The subjects of the study were 15 healthy male students (22.4±1.1 yrs). They performed HSOF after a rest in supine position. The protocol of HSOF was 15 min rest followed by 15 min HSOF and recovery period of 30 min rest. The parameters including heart rate, blood pressure, skin temperature of both feet and heart rate variability were evaluated during and after HSOF in a supine position. All data were expressed in mean±SE. HSOF resulted in a decrease of the heart rate (74.2±2.5 bpm⇒63.1±2.2 bpm), systolic blood pressure (112.6±2.3 mmHg⇒104.3±2.4 mmHg) and diastolic blood pressure (69.7±1.8 mmHg⇒61.2±1.5 mmHg), as well as activated parasympathetic nervous activity (439.5±149.2 msec²⇒1278.9±414.5 msec²), suppressed sympathetic nervous activity (5.12±0.73⇒1.94±0.34) and increased skin temperature of both feet (increases : 1.42±0.25℃, 0.72±0.14℃). Therefore, it became clear that HSOF promotes peripheral circulation, including that of contra-lateral foot, due to suppressed sympathetic nervous activity.
　In conclusion, it was confirmed that HSOF activated peripheral circulation including contra-lateral foot without over load against the cardiovascular system. Then, HSOF controlled autonomic nervous balance, and activated parasympathetic nervous activity. These might cause the effects of relaxation and sleep induction.

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　The purpose of this study was to clarify the reactions occurring at the sites of intramuscular injections and the influence of specific injection methods. The subjects were nurses and patients at a psychiatric hospital. Our investigation was based on the original records, and we divided the injections into long-acting injections and other types, and compared them. For long-acting injections, nurses used larger needles and selected the buttocks as the injection site, employing injection of air without massage. Leakage of drug solution, bleeding, pressure pain, and indurations were observed in 19.2% of the patients, and the frequency of these reactions was unaffected by the type of injections employeds. Leakage of drug solution showed no significant correlation with thickness of the needle, injection site, injection of air, or use of massage. Induration was confirmed in 10.9% of patients, many of whom received injection frequently. It was possible for induration to occur in patients who had shown leakage of drug solution, internal hemorrhage, or numbness at the time of the previous injection. Some patients showed chromatosis and atrophy, pain, bleeding, or leakage of drug solution at the induration site.

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　This study aimed to evaluate the use of box sheets in reducing shear and wrinkles in comparison with standard sheets. In this study, box and standard sheets of 22 healthy women (average age : 24.0±3.0 years) were surveyed for shear and wrinkles after 60 minutes of recumbency and 30 minutes in the head-up position. These sheets were marked for measuring shear. As a result, both sheets had more shear along the length of the bed than in the horizontal direction and significantly more wrinkles in the middle of the sheets than in other areas (p ＜0.05). While the subject was in the head-up position, significantly more wrinkles were observed in the lower area of the sheets than in the upper area (p ＜0.05), while more shear was observed in the upper area than in the lower area (p ＜0.05). While in the recumbent position, the middle and lower part of the box sheets were significantly less wrinkled as compared to the standard sheets (p ＜0.05). Based on the above observations, box sheets with a bursiform near the head allows the toe side to be pulled with moderate power when making the bed ; further, box sheets have less wrinkles, and no significant difference in shear was seen when compared to the standard sheets. This confirmed that box sheets were useful for patients under medical treatment.

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　In Japan, nurses carry out multiple cooling of the occipital area, axilla, groin, dorsum, and neck for patients with high fever. This multiple cooling approach is based on standard nursing practice, but there is actually no evidence of its effectiveness for reduction of fever, or its physiological basis.
　A study was conducted to clarify the usefulness of multiple cooling for patients by examining changes in deep body temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate variability. The study subjects were 3 males for whom multiple cooling was applied for relief of fever within the range 38.0－38.3℃. Subject 1 showed a decrease in deep body temperature of 0.4℃, but this was due to a natural temperature drop, and not to the multiple cooling treatment. The subject’s HF increased slightly (indicating relaxation), but blood pressure, heart rate, and other indicators remained stable. Subjects 2 and 3 showed no significant decrease in body temperature (+0.16℃and+0.29℃, respectively). Subject 2 showed a decrease in diastolic pressure and an increase in heart rate. Subject 3 showed an increase in blood pressure and variability of the heart rate.

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