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The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of preoperative fasting and fluid limitation in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Although traditional long-term fasting is not recommended in current preoperative guidelines, this is still a common intervention. Visual analogue scale was used to assess hunger, thirst, sleepiness, exhaustion, nausea and pain; State and Trait Anxiety Inventory was used to assess the preoperative anxiety of 99 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Mean time of preoperative fasting and fluid limitation were, respectively, 14.70 ± 3.14 and 11.25 ± 3.74 h. Preoperatively, 58.60% of the patients experienced moderate anxiety. Patients fasting 12 h or longer had higher hunger, thirst, nausea and pain scores. The mean trait anxiety score of patients fasting 12 h or longer was statistically significantly higher. Receiving nothing by mouth after midnight preoperatively is a persisted intervention and results in discomfort of patients. Clinical protocols should be revised and nurses should be trained in current fasting protocols.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vapocoolant spray administration prior to subcutaneous (SC) low molecular weight heparin injection on local ecchymosis, hematoma, and pain. This randomized controlled study was carried out on 64 patients (n = 128 injections) in an orthopedics and traumatology clinic. After randomization, vapocoolant spray and then heparin injection was applied on one arm. The second necessary dose of heparin was applied to his or her other arm as a placebo by a water spray. Then, the pain of the patients was assessed. After 2 days, ecchymosis and hematoma were evaluated. Significant lower pain scores were determined in applications in which the vapocoolant spray was used. There was no statically significant difference between the mean diameter values of ecchymosis in both arm groups. There was no hematoma on the injection site after injections. However, this method did not create any significant reductive effect on ecchymosis. Nurses are advised to take advantage of vapocoolant spray effects prior to SC heparin injection.

The aim of this study was to compare the measurement values obtained with a non-contact infrared thermometer, a tympanic thermometer and a chemical dot thermometer. The research population was composed of students studying in two departments of a university in Ankara. A total of 452 students who fit the inclusion criteria of the study and volunteered to participate were included in the sample. Body temperature measurements with different thermometers were performed by the same researcher at the same room temperature. Data were analyzed in a computerized environment by SPSS 15.0 statistical program pack and Bland-Altman graph. Mean age of healthy young adults participating in the study was 19.66 ± 0.94, and 55.1% of them were female. The agreement limits for non-contact infrared and chemical dot was between -1.30 and 0.32°C; for non-contact infrared and tympanic was between -1.26 and 0.13°C; and for chemical dot and tympanic -0.89 and 0.74°C. It was determined that, although the measurement values of the tympanic membrane and chemical dot thermometers conformed with each other, the conformity of the non-contact infrared thermometer was weak.