In general, nurses do not draw blood samples from the arm with an intravenous (IV) infusion line to avoid the risk of causing undesirable effects of IV fluids on the blood data. However, the mechanism of how an IV fluid affects blood samples that is collected from the arm with an IV line in place has not been clearly understood. This study intended to compare the blood data of samples collected from the sites proximal to and distal to the IV site with those of samples collected from sites on the other side of the body that was not affected by an IV line using male Japanese white rabbits. An electrolyte solution (Solita-T No. 3G) was infused into the left auricular vein by considering the auricle of the rabbit as the human upper limb, and blood samples were collected from sites proximal to and distal to the IV site on the left auricle and from the right auricular vein. The analytical results revealed that total protein, albumin, sodium, chloride, calcium, and magnesium levels for samples from the sites proximal to the IV site were significantly lower, and blood glucose and potassium were significantly higher than the results of samples from the right auricle. No significant differences were observed in any of the parameters tested between the data of samples from the sites distal to the IV site and from the right auricle, although certain degrees of effects were observed in some data in a limited manner. In conclusion, the study revealed sites proximal to the IV site on the same arm to be inappropriate for blood sampling, while suggesting the possibility of sites distal to the IV site as an appropriate choice of blood sampling sites.

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 Although cold compresses are applied as part of nursing care to relieve inflammatory symptoms induced by infusion phlebitis, the most appropriate temperature for such compresses has not been investigated scientifically. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate scientificallythe most appropriate temperature for a cold compress in order to inhibit the inflammatoryreactions induced byinfusion phlebitis in a rat model. After creation of experimental phlebitis on the tail, cold compresses at tail surface temperatures of 10℃, 15℃ and 20℃ were applied to the lesions. Control rats received no compresses, and were investigated for gross findings as well as skin swelling. The results of this studydemonstrated clear differences in the size of skin swelling among the three cold compress groups. The most effective temperature for inhibiting the inflammatory reactions was 20℃.

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 In the muscular dystrophy ward, long-term care is provided to patients with motor dysfunction. In this ward, the nurses position the patients in a timely manner, almost without needing to interact with them about their preferred position. The objective of the present study is to descriptively explore how this nursing art is structured. We conducted participant observation on 3 nurses working in this ward and interviewed them individually.
 The study revealed the following information. Positioning is a nursing art in which it is difficult to separate “doing” the act of positioning from “being aware of” feelings and intentions of the patient. Nurses interpret the feelings and intentions of patients by correlating what nurses perceived at that time and place with the patient's everyday behavior and previous communications. This correlation is established on the basis of verbal and pre-verbal layers, or in other words, from temporal layers, such as ； physically visible signs revealed by the patient's body, the projected mood, sense derived from touching the body, physical sensations like pain and comfort that the patient has been sharing with the nurse, and anticipated movements or feelings of patient guessed mainly from the appearance.

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 The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of anxiety reduction before an operation by relaxation breathing techniques. The participants were 15 patients who would be having a myomectomy or abdominal total hysterectomy by general anesthesia and open surgery.
 The intervention was to instruct the breathing techniques when an operation was decided on in the outpatient department. We submitted participants to breathing techniques that were conducted for three minutes every day from one week before hospitalization. During the term that breathing techniques were conducted, we measured STAI (State anxiety) and experience of breathing techniques. Also, we measured STAI and nervous activity (HF, LF/HF, heart rate) on the day of hospitalization.
 As a result, the STAI score after the breathing techniques was significantly decreased compared with before breathing techniques from one week before hospitalization. And, HF (index of parasympathetic nervous activity) was significantly increased. Heart rate and LF/HF (index of sympathetic nervous activity) did not change. Further, the STAI score was significantly decreased on the day of hospitalization.
 It was suggested that the reduction of anxiety before operation was due to the breathing techniques.

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 By means of questionnaire and interview, this study was conducted to clarify the experience and attitudes of nurses to induration caused by intramuscular injection of drugs used in the psychiatric field. The results indicated that many nurses had experience of patients with induration and were aware of the inconvenience it caused and the anxiety felt by the patients. The characteristics of induration differed according to the pharmaceutical modality employed, and induration caused by particularly long-acting injections was massive and serious. Nurses were found to treat induration in various ways, but no definitive approach had become established or accepted. Many nurses felt that their method of care did not significantly ameliorate induration to any degree, and that sympathy and concern were all they could offer their patients. They felt that they were unable to offer effective care. However, they nevertheless continued to employ standard methods for prevention and care of induration.

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 The aim of this study is to develop an effective educational instruction method to move patients. For this purpose, we attempted to detect changes in subject's integrated electromyogram (iEMG) during simulated moving using assistive devices and the principles of body mechanics.
 Study subjects included seven females aged 19 years. Their surface electromyogram was measured at the following four locations on the body during simulated moving : the biceps brachii, trapezius, erector spinae, and quadriceps femoris muscles. Measurements were taken before and after we taught the subjects the principles of body mechanics. After instruction, we observed a significant decrease in the iEMG for the biceps brachii and trapezius muscles. However, statistically significant difference was not detected in the value for the erector spinae and quadriceps femoris muscle. With the aid of assistive devices, the iEMG significantly decreased further for the biceps brachii muscle. In addition, the value for the trapezius, erector spinae, and quadriceps femoris muscles also decreased, but not significantly. These results confirm that applying the principles of body mechanics and using assistive devices can reduce physical stress when moving patients, and the date of iEMG can help to develop an effective educational instruction method to move patients.

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 The Japanese Society of Nursing Art and Science Technological Achievements Committee Positioning Management Team conducts activities that are widely publicized to clinical nurses by verbalizing positioning performed by nurses from existing research findings and clinical knowledge. Till date, literature reviews of the definition of positioning in nursing and the practices of clinical nurses related to positioning have published results of studies on tools devised during positioning. The present literature study was conducted to elucidate factors related to “arts (proficient skills)” in positioning performed by nurses from reports focusing on the positioning practiced by nurses. Of the 2,241 reports searched for terms related to positioning in the Japan Medical Abstracts Society database (1999-2013), 67 reports on positioning practiced by nurses were included in this study. Results revealed that factors related to “arts (proficient skills)” in positioning performed by nurses arose from the “thoughts” and “ideas” of nurses toward patients and involved practicing nursing “tailored to the patient” to comfort patients and alleviate their stress.

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