OBJECTIVE: The analysis of arterial blood gases is a method that is frequently used to evaluate the efficiency of pulmonary gas exchange, to determine the acid-base balance of the blood, monitor the effects of respiratory therapy and assess the effectiveness of mechanical ventilation. Through an evaluation of ABG analysis we are able to gain information about the acid-base balance and oxygenation of the patient. Many different methods have been developed to facilitate the analysis of acid-base balance. In this article, I have described the method I have used in my classes that I have found to be very effective in teaching arterial blood gases analysis.
METHODS: The analysis of arterial blood gases is a method that is frequently used to evaluate the efficiency of pulmonary gas exchange, to determine the acid-base balance of the blood, monitor the effects of respiratory therapy and assess the effectiveness of mechanical ventilation. Through an evaluation of ABG analysis we are able to gain information about the acid-base balance and oxygenation of the patient. Many different methods have been developed to facilitate the analysis of acid-base balance. In this article, I have described the method I have used in my classes that I have found to be very effective in teaching arterial blood gases analysis.
RESULTS: The analysis of arterial blood gases is a method that is frequently used to evaluate the efficiency of pulmonary gas exchange, to determine the acid-base balance of the blood, monitor the effects of respiratory therapy and assess the effectiveness of mechanical ventilation. Through an evaluation of ABG analysis we are able to gain information about the acid-base balance and oxygenation of the patient. Many different methods have been developed to facilitate the analysis of acid-base balance. In this article, I have described the method I have used in my classes that I have found to be very effective in teaching arterial blood gases analysis.
CONCLUSION: The analysis of arterial blood gases is a method that is frequently used to evaluate the efficiency of pulmonary gas exchange, to determine the acid-base balance of the blood, monitor the effects of respiratory therapy and assess the effectiveness of mechanical ventilation. Through an evaluation of ABG analysis we are able to gain information about the acid-base balance and oxygenation of the patient. Many different methods have been developed to facilitate the analysis of acid-base balance. In this article, I have described the method I have used in my classes that I have found to be very effective in teaching arterial blood gases analysis.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) encompasses the series of activities that are made in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest until advanced cardiac life support is available. The practice of combining mouth-to-mouth ventilation and chest compression. CPR as it is administered today, was first initiated in the late 1960’s. The guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation were developed and improved over the years. The most recent adjustment was made in 2000 when Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care guidelines were revised and an international standard was achieved. This article treats the changes made in CPR guidelines in 2000.

OBJECTIVE: Intravenous (I.V.) therapy is the administration of fluid solutions directly into the blood circulation. It is prescribed to ensure and maintain fluid and electrolyte balance and to provide parenteral nutrition in patients unable to obtain sufficient nutrients. It is also widely used in the administration of medications and for transfusions of blood and blood products. Depending upon the age of the patient, the clinical profile, the length of the treatment or the peculiarities of the particular solution, intravenous therapy may be administered via a peripheric or central catheter. The nurse is responsible for initiating an order for intravenous therapy, monitoring it, and preventing complications. A nurse, therefore, must be aware of the characteristics of the solution to be given to the patient as well as know its effects. Nurse must be able to correctly calculate the flow rate of the I.V. fluid, properly insert the peripheric I.V. catheter, ensure that the desired amount of the solution is accurately and reliably administered, be able to detect all indications of possible complications in the insertion of the I.V. catheter and during the course of the therapy, and manage such complications if they occur. This article provides information needed for the safe management of intravenous therapy.
METHODS: Intravenous (I.V.) therapy is the administration of fluid solutions directly into the blood circulation. It is prescribed to ensure and maintain fluid and electrolyte balance and to provide parenteral nutrition in patients unable to obtain sufficient nutrients. It is also widely used in the administration of medications and for transfusions of blood and blood products. Depending upon the age of the patient, the clinical profile, the length of the treatment or the peculiarities of the particular solution, intravenous therapy may be administered via a peripheric or central catheter. The nurse is responsible for initiating an order for intravenous therapy, monitoring it, and preventing complications. A nurse, therefore, must be aware of the characteristics of the solution to be given to the patient as well as know its effects. Nurse must be able to correctly calculate the flow rate of the I.V. fluid, properly insert the peripheric I.V. catheter, ensure that the desired amount of the solution is accurately and reliably administered, be able to detect all indications of possible complications in the insertion of the I.V. catheter and during the course of the therapy, and manage such complications if they occur. This article provides information needed for the safe management of intravenous therapy.
RESULTS: Intravenous (I.V.) therapy is the administration of fluid solutions directly into the blood circulation. It is prescribed to ensure and maintain fluid and electrolyte balance and to provide parenteral nutrition in patients unable to obtain sufficient nutrients. It is also widely used in the administration of medications and for transfusions of blood and blood products. Depending upon the age of the patient, the clinical profile, the length of the treatment or the peculiarities of the particular solution, intravenous therapy may be administered via a peripheric or central catheter. The nurse is responsible for initiating an order for intravenous therapy, monitoring it, and preventing complications. A nurse, therefore, must be aware of the characteristics of the solution to be given to the patient as well as know its effects. Nurse must be able to correctly calculate the flow rate of the I.V. fluid, properly insert the peripheric I.V. catheter, ensure that the desired amount of the solution is accurately and reliably administered, be able to detect all indications of possible complications in the insertion of the I.V. catheter and during the course of the therapy, and manage such complications if they occur. This article provides information needed for the safe management of intravenous therapy.
CONCLUSION: Intravenous (I.V.) therapy is the administration of fluid solutions directly into the blood circulation. It is prescribed to ensure and maintain fluid and electrolyte balance and to provide parenteral nutrition in patients unable to obtain sufficient nutrients. It is also widely used in the administration of medications and for transfusions of blood and blood products. Depending upon the age of the patient, the clinical profile, the length of the treatment or the peculiarities of the particular solution, intravenous therapy may be administered via a peripheric or central catheter. The nurse is responsible for initiating an order for intravenous therapy, monitoring it, and preventing complications. A nurse, therefore, must be aware of the characteristics of the solution to be given to the patient as well as know its effects. Nurse must be able to correctly calculate the flow rate of the I.V. fluid, properly insert the peripheric I.V. catheter, ensure that the desired amount of the solution is accurately and reliably administered, be able to detect all indications of possible complications in the insertion of the I.V. catheter and during the course of the therapy, and manage such complications if they occur. This article provides information needed for the safe management of intravenous therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The first step of the multi-step nursing process is comprehensive data collection. Physical assessment (PA) methods were first used in nursing in North America in the sixties. Although PA is an integral part of nursing care, it is not being taught in the majority of undergraduate nursing programs in our country (Turkey). This work is a pilot study attempting to assess clinical nurses’ knowledge and application of physical assessment methods; their thoughts on the necessity of PA; whether the hospitals expect the nurses to know and apply PA; and where the nurses got their training in PA.
The study was completed between November 2003-January 2004 in comparable wards of a university hospital and a private hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. The study sample comprised of 132 subjects, all the nurses in the surgical, cardiology, neurology, intensive care and internal medicine wards of the two hospitals, who gave consent to participate in our cross-sectional survey. The subjects were asked to fill-out a demographic questionnaire and three sheets of Likert Scale questions about their level of knowledge, their need and frequency of use of 39 different PA items. Data were entered and analysed in SPSS statistical package.
The majority of the subjects (% 86.4) thought that physical assessment skills were necessary for their work. We identified measuring vital signs as the most widely known and used PA item in our study population. In contrast, intra-ocular examination was the least known PA item. We used ANOVA testing to examine the effect of work-years (p>0.05: no effect) and the type of hospital ward (p<0.05: statistically significant effect) in ‘knowledge and use of PA methods’. Education level, type of ward nd work-years were strongly associated with a self reported need to use PA methods (p<0.05). We also determined a statistically significant difference between the two hospitals with regards to their knowledge, frequency of use and need to use PA methods (p<0.05).

METHODS: The first step of the multi-step nursing process is comprehensive data collection. Physical assessment (PA) methods were first used in nursing in North America in the sixties. Although PA is an integral part of nursing care, it is not being taught in the majority of undergraduate nursing programs in our country (Turkey). This work is a pilot study attempting to assess clinical nurses’ knowledge and application of physical assessment methods; their thoughts on the necessity of PA; whether the hospitals expect the nurses to know and apply PA; and where the nurses got their training in PA.
The study was completed between November 2003-January 2004 in comparable wards of a university hospital and a private hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. The study sample comprised of 132 subjects, all the nurses in the surgical, cardiology, neurology, intensive care and internal medicine wards of the two hospitals, who gave consent to participate in our cross-sectional survey. The subjects were asked to fill-out a demographic questionnaire and three sheets of Likert Scale questions about their level of knowledge, their need and frequency of use of 39 different PA items. Data were entered and analysed in SPSS statistical package.
The majority of the subjects (% 86.4) thought that physical assessment skills were necessary for their work. We identified measuring vital signs as the most widely known and used PA item in our study population. In contrast, intra-ocular examination was the least known PA item. We used ANOVA testing to examine the effect of work-years (p>0.05: no effect) and the type of hospital ward (p<0.05: statistically significant effect) in ‘knowledge and use of PA methods’. Education level, type of ward nd work-years were strongly associated with a self reported need to use PA methods (p<0.05). We also determined a statistically significant difference between the two hospitals with regards to their knowledge, frequency of use and need to use PA methods (p<0.05).

RESULTS: The first step of the multi-step nursing process is comprehensive data collection. Physical assessment (PA) methods were first used in nursing in North America in the sixties. Although PA is an integral part of nursing care, it is not being taught in the majority of undergraduate nursing programs in our country (Turkey). This work is a pilot study attempting to assess clinical nurses’ knowledge and application of physical assessment methods; their thoughts on the necessity of PA; whether the hospitals expect the nurses to know and apply PA; and where the nurses got their training in PA.
The study was completed between November 2003-January 2004 in comparable wards of a university hospital and a private hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. The study sample comprised of 132 subjects, all the nurses in the surgical, cardiology, neurology, intensive care and internal medicine wards of the two hospitals, who gave consent to participate in our cross-sectional survey. The subjects were asked to fill-out a demographic questionnaire and three sheets of Likert Scale questions about their level of knowledge, their need and frequency of use of 39 different PA items. Data were entered and analysed in SPSS statistical package.
The majority of the subjects (% 86.4) thought that physical assessment skills were necessary for their work. We identified measuring vital signs as the most widely known and used PA item in our study population. In contrast, intra-ocular examination was the least known PA item. We used ANOVA testing to examine the effect of work-years (p>0.05: no effect) and the type of hospital ward (p<0.05: statistically significant effect) in ‘knowledge and use of PA methods’. Education level, type of ward nd work-years were strongly associated with a self reported need to use PA methods (p<0.05). We also determined a statistically significant difference between the two hospitals with regards to their knowledge, frequency of use and need to use PA methods (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The first step of the multi-step nursing process is comprehensive data collection. Physical assessment (PA) methods were first used in nursing in North America in the sixties. Although PA is an integral part of nursing care, it is not being taught in the majority of undergraduate nursing programs in our country (Turkey). This work is a pilot study attempting to assess clinical nurses’ knowledge and application of physical assessment methods; their thoughts on the necessity of PA; whether the hospitals expect the nurses to know and apply PA; and where the nurses got their training in PA.
The study was completed between November 2003-January 2004 in comparable wards of a university hospital and a private hospital in Istanbul, Turkey. The study sample comprised of 132 subjects, all the nurses in the surgical, cardiology, neurology, intensive care and internal medicine wards of the two hospitals, who gave consent to participate in our cross-sectional survey. The subjects were asked to fill-out a demographic questionnaire and three sheets of Likert Scale questions about their level of knowledge, their need and frequency of use of 39 different PA items. Data were entered and analysed in SPSS statistical package.
The majority of the subjects (% 86.4) thought that physical assessment skills were necessary for their work. We identified measuring vital signs as the most widely known and used PA item in our study population. In contrast, intra-ocular examination was the least known PA item. We used ANOVA testing to examine the effect of work-years (p>0.05: no effect) and the type of hospital ward (p<0.05: statistically significant effect) in ‘knowledge and use of PA methods’. Education level, type of ward nd work-years were strongly associated with a self reported need to use PA methods (p<0.05). We also determined a statistically significant difference between the two hospitals with regards to their knowledge, frequency of use and need to use PA methods (p<0.05).