The aim of the present study is to compare how towels made of different materials (cotton and synthetic material) influence the effects of bed baths. The subjects comprised 16 healthy women, who underwent partial bed baths of their back, legs and arms with the same method on different days using different types of towels on each day. Towels made of cotton and synthetic materials were used, and all towels were 47×17 cm in size. Each towel was soaked in 200 mL of water and heated to 55.0±0.2℃. The bed bath effects for each type of towel were compared after being evaluated using the multidimensional indices of skin temperature, deep temperature, blood pressure, heart rate (HR), short form of the profile of mood states (POMS-SF), wakening and relaxing visual analogue scale (VAS) and a Likert scale for the texture of each type of material. Results indicated that for both cotton and synthetic towels, the subjects’ HR temporarily decreased during the bed bath and after the bed bath was completed, significant decreases in POMS score, and reductions in wakening and increases in relaxation were observed (P ＜0.05). Bed baths did not lead to any marked changes in autonomic nervous activity but during bed baths with cotton towels only, sympathetic nervous activity (LF/HF) decreased significantly (P ＜0.05). For both types of towels, skin temperature in the precordial area and forearms, and deep body temperature rose for a short time after starting the bed bath (P ＜0.05). With the synthetic towels, skin temperature in the peripheries (forearms, right fingertips) also rose (P ＜0.05). With regards to texture after completion of the bed bath, the synthetic towels were evaluated as having a more appropriate level of softness (P ＜0.05). The above results suggest that although both synthetic and cotton towels offer good partial bed bath effects that are almost identical, synthetic towels offer superior warmth and texture.

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　This study evaluated the efficacy of using a microwave heating method to heat bed bath towels in comparison with the method using hot water. Heating efficiency and the persistence of towel temperature were used to assess temporal changes. Firstly, we devised seven patterns for arranging eight towels by modifying the layout and folding of the towels during the heating process. The towels were then heated for 3 minutes using microwaves and the internal temperature, the highest temperature on the top of the towel, and the average temperature of both surfaces were measured. The towel patterns that showed the highest heating efficiency or the longest persistence of towel temperature were selected for comparison with towels that were heated using hot water (50℃). The pattern in which the towels were folded and positioned in a single line closely touching each other maintained their temperature longer than that of the towels heated using hot water. In this configuration, the highest surface temperature recorded for microwave heated towels exceeded that of hot water heated towels, and it was maintained for up to 12 minutes. In addition, microwave heated towels maintained the highest internal temperature and average surface temperature longer than that of hot water heated towels for up to 8 minutes but became lower after 10 minutes. Taken together these findings suggest that it is necessary to select the heating method based on the application and situation in which the towel will be used.

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　This study aimed to determine the optimal standing position for nurses from the patient’s perspective, i.e., the position where patients feel it is easiest to talk with a nurse at their bedside. Twenty-three subjects acted as simulated patients. The subjects were asked where it was easy to talk with a simulated nurse. This research was conducted according to a quasi-experimental design.
　The average distance between patients and nurses was 134.7±26.9 cm. Of 23 patients, 30.4% indicated that they preferred a distance less than 120 cm (i.e., within their personal space), whereas 26.1% preferred a distance of 120-130 cm. A majority of subjects (65.2%) reported that it was easy to talk to a nurse standing at a position 45±10° relative to the top of the patient’s head.
　The conclusions were as follows : 1. The position where patients thought it was easy to talk with a simulated nurse was 120-130 cm from their head, near their feet. 2. About 70% subjects preferred an orientation of 45±10° relative to the top of their head. 3. If conversations were repeated, closer positions were preferable. 4. The position that nurses think is optimal may differ from patients’ preferences.

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　Hot compress application, using steamed towels at 60℃, was performed for 10 min on the backs of 21 healthy women (age range, 19-24 years) in a supine position. The same subjects were investigated as both the experimental group (hot compress used) and control group (hot compress not used), and skin surface temperature and skin blood flow at eight sites on the upper body were measured and compared between before and after the application. The site at which the fastest and greatest increase in skin temperature was observed outside the application site was the middle finger, with an increase of 1.2℃ during 10 min of application and 1.7℃ at 30 min after the end of the application. Skin blood flow in the middle finger increased 1.5-fold during application and 1.3-fold at 30 min after the end of the application. Skin surface temperatures on the back, back of the neck, anterior chest, palm, back of the hand, and middle finger of the right hand during and after the application were significantly higher in the experimental group than in controls, but no significant intergroup differences were observed for skin surface temperatures on the upper arm and forearm. Indications and timing of implementation of 10-min application of hot compresses at 60℃ to the back in a supine position must be determined based on the finding that peripheral skin surface temperatures rise rapidly, and that skin temperature increases ≥1℃ are sustained even at 30 min after ending the application.

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　Extravasation of medical drugs may elicit severe skin pain or swelling at the site of delivery, often producing a skin ulcer that is difficult to heal. However, the type of care for extravasation offered by nurses may vary, and its effectiveness is inconsistent. We have employed a protocol for standard treatment of drug extravasation that is safer and more effective, using disposable rubber gloves and some ice to achieve a comfortable temperature (about 17℃). We found that this approach was effective because our patients did not develop any severe skin ulcers, and their comfort was improved by the use of a cold compress.

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　The aim of the present study was to compare the effects of three different types of disposable wet towels used in bed baths. The subjects comprised 13 healthy women who underwent partial bed baths of their back, legs, and arms on different days and used different types of towels on each day (thick mesh type or thick or thin nonwoven fabric types). All of the towels were the same size, and each towel was heated to 55.0℃ in a thermostatic device. The bed bath effects were evaluated using deep temperature, skin temperature, blood pressure, heart rate (HR), short form of the profile of mood states (POMS-SF), wakening and relaxing visual analog scale (VAS), and a Likert scale for the texture of each type of towel material. The deep temperature increased for all the towel types directly after bed bath completion. For the nonwoven fabric towels (thick or thin types), there were no marked changes in autonomic nervous activity. For the thin type, increased skin temperature on both heel regions was noted directly after bed bath completion, and high evaluations of the soft texture and decreased POMS scores for tension-anxiety and decreased wakening (P ＜0.05) were observed. For the thick type, skin temperature dropped directly after completion of the bed bath, and the POMS confusion scores significantly increased. With the thick mesh type towels, increased parasympathetic nervous activity (HF) directly before bed bath completion, increased skin temperature in both heel regions directly after bed bath completion, decreased blood pressure, and lower POMS vigor and confusion scores (P ＜0.05) were observed. These results demonstrated that, of the three types of towels that were examined, the thin nonwoven fabric towels offered the best heat-retaining properties and texture for partial bed baths.

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　The aim of the present study was to compare the suitability of cotton towels and synthetic towels as materials for bed baths with regard to infection prevention. Four types of towel materials were selected. They were commercially available unused cotton towels (unused cotton towels), cotton towels that had been washed and sterilized after being used for bed baths (reused cotton towels), commercially available unused synthetic towels (wet nonwoven fabric), and synthetic towels comprising wet nonwoven fabric from which moisture and components had been removed (dry nonwoven fabric). The counts of surviving common bacteria, colon bacillus, and Staphylococcus aureus for each of the four materials were determined using the Petrifilm method. The wet and dry nonwoven fabrics were negative for common bacteria, but approximately 260 cfu/100 cm² bacteria were detected in the unused cotton towels (no hygiene issues). Reused cotton towels contained approximately 10 times of the amount of bacteria (approximately 2,360 cfu/100 cm²) than in unused cotton towels. In addition, no colon bacillus or S. aureus was detected in towels of any of the four materials. These results suggest that the amount of common bacteria on the reused cotton towels that are frequently used at clinical sites in Japan should be considered for infection prevention. The fact that common bacteria were detected on cotton towels regardless of whether they were unused or reused clarified that reused cotton is not a safe material for bed bath towels with regard to infection prevention.

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　Aromatherapy is the practice of using aromatic plant-derived essential oils for many applications, including mood enhancement, pain relief, wound healing and improved cognitive function. In general, French type aromatherapy is known as medical aromatherapy contributing to preventive medicine and medical treatment. In contrast, British type aromatherapy is used mainly for the purpose of relaxation driven by aroma. In Japan where the British type is well pervasive, reproducible effects of essential oil-treatment on various disorders have not been fully established. Recently, medical aromatherapy is noted as an attractive option of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in view of medical economy. To recognize medical aromatherapy as a CAM in Japan, the establishment of evidence regarding both treatment methods of essential oils and their effects is required.
　To estimate current status of aromatherapy in Japan, I researched essential oil-related articles reported from 2011 to November, 2013, using the software of Japan Medical Abstracts Society as the keywords of essential oils and effects. In this study, the total number of articles tested here was 136. The results showed that basic experimental, clinical case, and reference- and opinion poll-based studies were about 62.5, 30.1 and 6.6%, respectively. In almost studies tested here, effects of essential oils were not examined analytically and mechanistically. This suggests that analytical studies of both essential oils themselves and their effects are required. On the basis of these results above, I discussed the perspective on medical aromatherapy as a promising nursing skill.

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