[in Japanese]

View full abstract

　To estimate the appropriate tourniquet pressure for venipuncuture, tourniquets made of gum-tube or elastic belt were fastened around the upper arm of 12 healthy subjects with the length adjusted to 95% to 75% of the upper arm circumference. Tourniquet pressure, vein overswelling score and pain score were recorded. Tourniquet pressure was linearly increased according to the fastening strength in both tourniquets. Average pressures after fastening the gum-tube at 95% and at 75% of upper arm circumference were 38.6 mmHg and 166.4 mmHg respectively, whereas the average pressures after fastening an elastic belt at 95% and at 75% of upper arm circumference were 20.1 mmHg and 121.2 mmHg respectively. Using the gum-tube fastening, 9 subjects showed detectable overswelling at 90% (68.2mmHg) and overswelling increased at 85% (92.6mmHg) tightening. Thereafter, overswelling did not further increase at 80% and 75% tightening. Using the elastic belt fastening, eight subjects showed detectable overswelling at 90% (45.6mmHg) and overswelling increased at 80% (94.9mmHg) tightening. Thereafter, overswelling did not increase at 75% tightening. These data suggested that the appropriate tourniquet pressure for venipuncture ranges from 70-95 mmHg in gum-tube tourniquet and from 45-95 mmHg for elastic belt tourniquet. If the tourniquet pressure is greater than the range described here, overswelling of the vein did not increase but subjective pain perception increased in the subjects.

View full abstract

　The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of foot massages on physiological and psychological indicators, which reflect stress condition in healthy women volunteers. The subjects were 12 healthy adult women (23-44 years of age) who received both 20 minute foot massages and 20 minutes of quiet bed rest. Plasma catecholamines, plasma serotonin, blood pressure, pulse, VAS, and POMS were measured. The results showed that plasma noradrenaline, blood pressure, and pulse decreased with foot massages, and plasma serotonin increased. In simultaneously measured VAS and POMS, sensations of comfort, relaxation, and energy increased, and tension-anxiety, depression-mood dips, fatigue, and confusion decreased. This demonstrated that foot massages affect physiological and psychological indicators of stress, and suggests that they are an effective means to improve physiological and psychological stress responses of the level that are held by healthy adult women.

View full abstract

　A study was conducted to clarify the usefulness of a cold compress applied to the occipital area. The study was based on subjective responses from 13 male subjects (aged 54.9±5.1 years) to whom an ice pillow was applied in a humid room, in order to obtain a profile of moods states (POMS), blood pressure, respiratory rate and heart rate variability during cold compress application.
　On the basis of subjective responses, 7 males were classified as a “comfort group” and 6 as a “non-comfort group.” With regard to the main effect on POMS, there were significant intergroup differences in tension-anxiety (T - A), depression (D), and fatigue (F). Blood pressure and respiratory rate did not differ significantly. With regard to heart rate variability, interaction was observed only for heart rate (p＜0.001).
　In terms of individual assessment, those who developed T - A, F on POMS were considered to be in the “non-comfort group.” In these individuals, respiratory rate, heart rate and LF/HF changed markedly, and each index was related to a negative mood in terms of POMS.
　The present study confirmed the usefulness of a cold occipital compress in the “comfort group,”but suggested undesirable subjective and physiological effects in individuals who did not derivecomfort from a cold compress.

View full abstract

　The purpose of this study was to investigate physiological effects of footbath (FB) on cardiovascular and autonomic nervous functions. These were evaluated by heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), skin temperature (T), skin blood flow (F), heart rate variability (HRV) and baro-reflex sensitivity (BRS), during and after FB in a supine position. Low frequency spectra (LF) and high frequency spectra (HF) were calculated from HRV, and the index of sympathetic nervous activity was LF/HF and parasympathetic nervous activity was HF. Nineteen healthy male students (mean age = 21.3±3.4 years) took FB (40℃) after a rest in supine position. Time protocol of FB : 15 min rest → 15 min FB → 30 min rest (0 -15 min after FB-1, 15-30 min after FB-2). The results are shown below. HR showed significant decrease after FB-1 and 2. Systolic and diastolic BP showed significant decrease after FB-2. HF showed significant increase after FB-1 and 2. LF/HF showed significant increase during FB. BRS showed significant increase after FB-1. Foot T, chest T and foot F showed significant increase during FB, and maintained the levels after FB-1 and 2. In conclusion, it was confirmed that FB activated peripheral circulation without over load against the cardiovascular system. Then, FB controlled autonomic nervous balance, and activated parasympathetic nervous activity. These might be cause the effects of relaxation and sleep induction.

View full abstract

　To estimate the appropriate tourniquet pressure for venipuncture, we examined the relation between tourniquet tension and the overswelling rate of the vein in 60 healthy volunteers ranging 20 to 75 years of age. And we also examined relations between the overswelling rate and physical factors. Tourniquets made of elastic belt were fastened around the upper arm, 5cm proximal from the cubital fossa. Fifty-eight subjects (26 male and 32 female, age ; 48.7±19.5, height ; 161.5±7.7 cm, and weight ; 60.3±15.7 kg, systolic pressure ; 116.4±15.5mmHg) were analyzed. Tourniquet pressure showed on almost linear correlation with tension, 1.5 kg ; about 20 mmHg, 2 kg ; about 40 mmHg, 2.5 kg ; about 65 mmHg, 3 kg ; about 90 mmHg, and 3.5 kg ; about 120 mmHg. Overswelling rate of vein increased from 2 kg of tension to 3 kg of tension, but slightly decreased at 3.5 kg of tension. Cross section of vein also increased with the tension strength up to 3 kg, then slightly decreased at 3.5 kg of tension similar to overswelling of the vein. These findings suggested that the appropriate tourniquet tension for venipuncture ranges from 2-3 kg (pressure 40-90mmHg). Physical factors such as body weight, body mass index (BMI), triceps skinfold (TSF), and upper arm circumference were reversely correlated with the overswelling rate before and after tourniquet fastening at 3 kg.

View full abstract

　Aim : The purpose of this study is to clarify the skills of an expert nurse to support oral intake for people with dysphagia by using tools.
　Method : Two methods are used to collect data : one is the participant observation by video recording and the other the semi-structured interviews while watching the recorded video. The research participant is a nurse.
　Results : Tool-body assimilation is found in the expertise of a nurse. She treats the tools, a spoon and a brush for oral care, as extensions of her index finger, there by sensing various information inside the mouth to assess the status of people with dysphagia. Moreover, her attitude toward oral care is original in that she puts importance on implementing it even during eating to encourage functional normalization of a swallowing reflex trigger zone. When supporting oral intake, she puts a spoon on the tongue after checking for the position to assess the function of the tongue ; and uses an oral brush before, during and after eating to remove dry or glutinous tongue coating (she calls it a "facial mask"), which allows functional recovery of the tongue sensor to encourage swallowing. In case of near-choking, she regards it as a normal swallowing function as it is a sign of coughing and eliminating tongue coating on one’s own.

View full abstract

　The purpose of this study was to clarify physiologically and psychologically the relaxation response on the learning process of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) in community patients. The response was evaluated by heart rate variability, shortened version of Profile of Mood States (POMS), and Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire (SEQ). 6 community patients practiced PMR with twice a day for two weeks.
　As a result, there was a increase of vagus nerve activity, calculated by the spectrum analysis of heart rate variability. The activity was more increased after one week and two weeks than the beginning of the PMR practice. The scores of the shortened version of POMS were increased positively showing the existence of larger relaxation response. In the SEQ, the scores mounted up through the learning process of PMR showing the sleep improvement effect of PMR.

View full abstract

　The purpose of this experiment was to clarify whether the soaking a single leg in hot water has an effect on physiological parameters on the contralateral leg. In addition, the optimum time periods for local heating was examined by measuring the surface skin temperature, the subcutaneous temperature, and the skin blood flow. This experiment was conducted on eleven healthy women between the ages of 21-34. They were required to sit in chair at least 30 minutes before soaking began. After that, they soaked one leg below the knee level in hot water (41-42 degrees C) for 50 minutes. After soaking, they remained seated for 20 minutes while their surface skin and subcutaneous temperature and skin blood flow of both legs was measured at the medial knee point. The major findings were as follows : First, the surface skin and the subcutaneous temperature and the skin blood flow significantly increased in both legs. Second, the peak of blood flow occurred at 35-40 minutes into soaking. These findings indicated that soaking a single leg in hot water can promote peripheral vasodilation of the contralateral leg.

View full abstract

　This study was designed to identify concept of “Individualized nursing care” by analyzing literature of Japanese nursing care in accordance with Rodgers’ concept analysis methods. The purposes of this study are to define the concept of Japanese “Individualized nursing care” , and consider actual situation of Individualized nursing care. References analyzed in the present study were extracted from Japana Centra Revuo Medicina databases. The attributes were nursing practice : ①Guidance, ②Concerned, ③Supporting. Antecedents were : ①｛Patient’s situation｝ : Everyday life behavior, Ability, Feelings, ②｛Background of the situation｝ : Self-knowledge, Life, Personality, Medical history, Experience, Family, ③｛Current nursing care｝ : Field of nursing, Practice, Nursing posture. Primary consequences were : ①Progress, ②Improvement, ③Trial, ④Bad influence. Based on these results, Individualized nursing care can be defined as follows : Individualized nursing care results for shift to a desirable condition, when the nurse knows the patient’s situation and background, and put existing nursing practice together or regulate, change, improve existing nursing based on it.

View full abstract

　It is unclear about what is different about pre-post comparison of skill acquirement in the process of acquiring the fundamental of nursing. In this research, it analyzed by photography, prepost comparison of skill acquisition in the fundamental nursing skills of ” enema” and “urethral catheterization” of 23 female students in university of nursing to clarify the difference. In the pretest, the students had the skills but the procedure lacked smoothness. In the post-test, the students changed their work position and posture to more natural ones compared with the pre-test : they found ways of placing the article more effectives, used both hands move skillfully, concentrated the hands line of motion, and required less time. The basic data for the clarifying and the fundamental of nursing education was achieved, namely, how to use the body which is the element of the practicing and the articles and using both hands skillfully and so on, changed into the skill acquisition.

View full abstract

　The purpose of this study is to examine the progress and results of research of touch/massage in nursing through a systematic review of domestic and international literature. An analysis was conducted using the method of systematic review (Cooper 1998) and the criteria of bias risk assessment (van Tulder et al 2003). The results of research were follows ; 1) nurses’ touch have effects of stress, anxiety and pain reduction under stress, 2) hand and foot massage forr esidents of nursing homes and hospices and cancer patients have effects of comforting and relieving symptoms, and 3) whole-body/back massage have effects of relaxation, relieving pain, and elevating skin temperature. The finding that touch while talking is more effective in stress reduction than talking alone provides a suggestion for practice. Study conditions, populations, touch/massage methods, control groups, or measurement indexes or timing varied yet in research. It seems necessary to conduct reexaminations under more-controlled research in the future.

View full abstract

[in Japanese]

View full abstract