Objective: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) affects the life of the family caregiver as well as the patient. This study aimed to determine the care burden and related factors among family caregivers of Turkish ALS patients. Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 108 ALS patients and their informal caregivers through face-to-face interviews at home. The data were collected using the ALS Functional Rating Scale, Zarit Burden Interview, European Quality of Life-Five Dimensions Questionnaire, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results: The mean age of the caregivers was 48.1 ± 13.4 years; the vast majority were female, and they were either spouses or children of the patients. While 49.1% reported moderate or severe burden, the quality of life was moderate (mean 70.4 ± 22.8). The caregiver burden was related to sex and the functional state of the patient, as well as caregiver factors such as the relation to the patient, sex, health status, time spent for care, and living in the same house with a limited environment. Walking ability, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, tracheostomy, and communication problems were not associated with the burden. Furthermore, burden was associated with the caregiver’s quality of life, social support, anxiety, and depression. Conclusions: The present study draws attention to the fact that the care burden in family caregivers of ALS patients is high and their quality of life is impaired. Our findings reveal that not only ALS patients but also caregivers need to be supported with an organized and planned system.

Introduction and aim. University students have been demonstrated in the literature to be a group particularly vulnerable to mental health problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between the fear and anxiety levels of nursing students regarding the COVID-19 pandemic and their compliance with standard precautions. Material and methods. The sample consisted of 509 volunteer students. Data were collected using a Personal Information Form, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale (FCV-19S), the COVID-19 Anxiety Scale (CAS) and the Compliance with Standard Precautions Scale (CSPS). Results. The FCV-19S, CAS, and CSPS mean scores of the students were respectively 17.49±5.24 1.99±3.54 and 13.46±3.61. There was a moderate correlation (p0.05) and CAS (p>0.05). Conclusion. It was determined that students had a moderate fear of COVID-19 and a low level of anxiety over COVID-19. However, fear of COVID-19 and COVID-19 anxiety levels were not correlated with compliance with standard precautions.

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, COVID-19 tanısı nedeniyle yatarak tedavi gören hastaların hastalık algısı ve etkileyen faktörlerin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı nitelikte olan bu çalışmanın örneklemini bir pandemi hastanesinde 01 Mart-31 Mayıs 2021 tarihleri arasında yatarak tedavi gören 150 hasta oluşturmuştur. Veriler “Hasta Tanıtıcı Soru Formu” ve “COVID-19 Hastalık Algısı Ölçeği (COVID-19 HAÖ)” kullanılarak toplanmıştır. Verilerin değerlendirilmesinde sayı, yüzde, ortalama, standart sapma, bağımsız örneklem t testi ve ANOVA testi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Hastaların yaş ortalaması 54.14±15.89, %52.0’sinin kadın, %44.7’sinin ilkokul mezunu, %36.7’sının emekli, %66.7’sinin evli, %50.0’sinin en az bir kronik hastalığı olduğu bulunmuştur. COVID-19 HAÖ puan ortalaması 3.84±0.80; tehlikelilik alt boyut puan ortalaması 3.92±0.93; bulaştırıcılık alt boyut puan ortalaması 3.78±0.99 olarak hesaplanmıştır. Cinsiyet, eğitim durumu ve tedaviye uyum ile COVID-19 HAÖ puan ortalaması arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamalı fark bulunmuştur. Sonuç: COVID-19 tanısı alan hastaların hastalık algısının yüksek olduğu bulunmuştur. Bulgular eşliğinde hastalık algısının belirlenmesinin hastalık ve tedaviye uyumu kolaylaştıracağı söylenebilir.

Amaç: Bu araştırma hemşirelerin COVID-19 pandemisi sırasında yaşadıkları ölüm kaygısı düzeyini belirlemek amacıyla yapılmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Araştırma 01 Ekim – 31 Ekim 2020 tarihleri arasında, bir pandemi hastanesinde çalışan 313 hemşire ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Verilerin toplanmasında tanıtıcı soru formu ve Thorson-Powell Ölüm Kaygısı Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Çalışmada hemşirelerin orta düzeyde ölüm kaygısı yaşadığı, özellikle yoğun bakım ünitelerinde ve acilde 24 saat çalışan, psikolojik destek gereksinimi yüksek olan hemşirelerin Thorson-Powell Ölüm Kaygısı Ölçeği puan ortalamasının istatistiksel olarak anlamlı ve yüksek olduğu saptanmıştır (p

Postoperative paraplegia is a rare but devastating complication of lumbar disc herniation surgery that often results in long-term functional dependence and complex nursing care needs. This case report describes the application of Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory in the nursing care of a 45-year-old man who developed permanent paraplegia following lumbar disc herniation surgery despite revision surgery. The patient's clinical condition was further complicated by an advanced infected sacral pressure injury, malnutrition, hypoalbuminemia, previous gastrointestinal bleeding, and polyneuropathy, resulting in extensive self-care deficits. Nursing care was systematically planned according to Orem's theoretical framework by assessing the patient's self-care agency, therapeutic self-care demands, self-care deficits, and appropriate nursing systems. Four individualized nursing care plans were developed by integrating Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory with NANDA International (NANDA-I) nursing diagnoses, the Nursing Interventions Classification (NIC), and the Nursing Outcomes Classification (NOC). Nursing interventions focused on pressure injury management, mobility support, promotion of self-care activities, nutritional management, patient and family education, and rehabilitation. During follow-up, no additional pressure injuries, contractures, infections, or recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding were observed. The patient actively participated in rehabilitation within his functional capacity, while family caregivers supported the continuity of care as dependent-care agents. This case demonstrates that Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory provides a practical and systematic framework for individualized nursing care in patients with complex postoperative neurological complications. Integrating theory-based nursing care with standardized nursing languages may facilitate clinical decision-making, promote self-care agency, and support rehabilitation outcomes in similar patients.

Objective: This study was intended to investigate the relationship between the nurses’ compassion fatigue (CF) and caring behaviors. Methods: This is a descriptive-correlational study and was performed with 389 nurses across Türkiye. The research data were collected through the “Compassion Fatigue Scale” and the “Caring Behaviors of Nurses Scale (CBNS).” Independent t-test was used for evaluation of data, one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between more than 1 independent group, and Pearson correlation was used to test the relationship between the scales that were used. Results: Among the participants, 77.9% were female, the mean age was 29.84 ± 6.78 years, and the mean weekly working hours were 56.93 ± 24.25. The total mean score on the CF scale was 74.37 ± 22.15, and the total mean score on the CBNS was 4.88 ± 0.68. There were significant differences between the age and gender variance of nurses and the total scores and subscale mean score on the CBNS, as well as between the working hours and daily working hours and the total scores and subscale mean score on the CF scale. There were no statistically significant differences between the scores and subscale scores on the CF scale and CBNS. Conclusion: The CF of nurses was higher than the mean, and their perception of caring behaviors was high in this research. It could be recommended to take institutional actions to reduce the CF of nurses.