Purpose
This study aimed to develop and examine the effects of a mobile application-based self-management program for Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN) in colorectal cancer patients.
Methods
This study used a nonequivalent control group and a pretest-posttest design. Eighty-three patients with colorectal cancer undergoing neurotoxic chemotherapy were included in the study (experimental group, n=41; control group, n=42). The self-management program for CIPN consisted of an eight-week program (for individual training and telephonic coaching). CIPN 20, a CIPN assessment tool, and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire-C30 scale were used to assess CIPN, disturbance of activities of daily living, and quality of life, respectively. The study was conducted from December 7, 2018, to August 20, 2019. For data analysis, descriptive statistics, a test of homogeneity in the pretest, independent t-tests, and repeated-measures analysis of variance were used.
Results
In the experimental group, significant improvements were found in CIPN (F=5.88, p=.018) and disturbance of activities of daily living (F=8.26, p=.005) compared to those in the control group. There was no significant difference in the interaction between the groups and time in terms of quality of life.
Conclusion
Our results indicate that the mobile application-based self-management program used in this study is effective and could be used as a nursing intervention for cancer patients with CIPN.

Purpose
The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence and risk factors associated with the unplanned removal of nasogastric (NG) tubes in neurocritical patients.
Methods
Data were collected retrospectively from the medical records of 479 patients admitted to the tertiary hospital's neuro-intensive care units (NCU). Subjects were divided into two groups depending on whether there was unplanned NG tube removal. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors.
Results
Unplanned removal of NG tubes occurred in 35.9% of patients. The incidence of unplanned NG tube removal was 47.2 per 1,000 patient days. Intubated time of the NG tube was 3.96 days in patients with unplanned removal. Risk factors associated with unplanned removal were men (Odds Ratio [OR]=2.19), epilepsy (OR=9.99), traumatic brain injury (OR=5.50), stroke (OR=4.42), improvement of Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) (OR=1.08), delirium (OR=1.88), physical restraint (OR=2.44), and drainage or decompression purpose (OR=1.67).
Conclusion
Unplanned removal of NG tubes occurred very frequently in neurocritical patients. Care should be taken for patients with neurological diseases who show improvement in their level of consciousness but are still confused due to brain lesions or delirium to reduce it. The application of physical restraints cannot guarantee the prevention of unplanned NG tube removal. Therefore, nurses need to assess the condition of patients and NG tubes frequently.In particular, more attention should be paid to using NG tubes for decompression or drainage purposes. It is also proposed to actively review the NG tube removal plan through periodic evaluation.

Citations

• Impact of the restraint decision tree for physical restraint use in South Korean neurointensive care units
  Jaejin Kang, Sol Kim, Minji Lee, Hyunjoo Na
  Nursing in Critical Care.2024; 29(5): 1110.     CrossRef

Purpose
This study was conducted to verify the effects of foot bathing on peripheral neuropathy, sleep disorder, and fatigue in gynecologic patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: There were 30 participants in this study who had been diagnosed with gynecologic cancer and were undergoing chemotherapy. Among them, 15 were in the experimental group of the K university hospital and 15 in the control group of the other K university hospital in D city. The experimental group received foot bathing once a day for 30 minutes over 10 days, an hour before bedtime, while the control group did not receive any foot bathing. Results: The results of the study showed that the experimental group that received foot bathing had significant changes in objective peripheral neuropathy (p=.021), sleep disorder (p=.002), and fatigue (p=.030), as compared to the control group. However, no significant difference was found between the experimental and the control groups regarding subjective peripheral neuropathy (p=.256). Conclusion: Hence, our study confirmed that foot bathing can be an effective nursing intervention to reduce peripheral neuropathy, sleep disorder, and fatigue in gynecologic patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy.

Citations

• The impact of peripheral neuropathy symptoms, self-care ability, and disturbances to daily life on quality of life among gynecological cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a cross-sectional survey
  Sohee Mun, Hyojung Park
  Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing.2022; 28(4): 296.     CrossRef

Purpose
This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of exercise on Chemotherapy-induced Peripheral Neuropathy (CIPN).
Methods
The medical databases PubMed, EMBASE, and CINAHL, and several Korean databases were searched until December 2020. Additionally, a manual search was conducted. The risk of bias was assessed using the revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials. The Review Manager 5.3 version of the Cochrane Library was used to estimate effect size through meta-analysis.
Results
Nine studies were included. The most common types of exercise reported were yoga, combined aerobics and strength exercise, and combined strength and balance exercise; each was backed by two studies. Four randomized controlled trials were meta-analyzed, and five studies were synthesized qualitatively. A significant effect on CIPN was found using meta-analysis (standardized mean difference=-0.28, 95% confidence interval=-0.47~-0.09, p=.004). As a result of qualitative synthesis, groups that did exercises were reported to have significantly lessened CIPN symptoms than control groups in three studies. In one study, the exercise group showed significant reduction in CIPN symptoms. And in another, the exercise group was more relieved of CIPN symptoms than the control group, although the difference was not significant.
Conclusion
The results indicate that exercise should be part of the regimen for patients who are receiving or have completed neurotoxic chemotherapy, for relieving CIPN symptoms. However, these results should be interpreted cautiously, especially due to the limited number of studies and the small number of participants. Therefore, further well-designed studies with sufficient numbers of participants are required.

Citations

• The impact of peripheral neuropathy symptoms, self-care ability, and disturbances to daily life on quality of life among gynecological cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a cross-sectional survey
  Sohee Mun, Hyojung Park
  Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing.2022; 28(4): 296.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
The aims of this study were to describe the incidence rate of delirium and to identify factors influencing delirium in neurological intensive care unit patients.
METHODS
The participants were 193 critically ill patients with neurological disorder from Chonbuk national university hospital in Jeonju. Data were collected between April 1 and November 25, 2017 using four structured questionnaires: Confusion Assessment Method for the Intensive Care Unit, Glasgow Coma Scale, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II, and Karnofsky Performance Scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, χ2 test, Mann-Whitney U test, and logistic regression using the SPSS/WIN 24.0 program.
RESULTS
The incidence rate of delirium was 11.9%. Delirium was related with age, length of stay in intensive care unit, Glasgow Coma Scale score, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score, Karnofsky Performance Scale score, use of physical restraint, antihypertensive drugs, and anticonvulsants. Logistic regression analysis showed that age, length of stay in intensive care unit, use of physical restraint, and anticonvulsants were factors influencing delirium in neurological intensive care unit patients.
CONCLUSION
Delirium was related to demographic, clinical, medication-related, and environmental factors in patients in neurological intensive care units. Therefore, nurses should consider the patient's age, length of stay intensive care unit, use of physical restraint, and anticonvulsants in assessing delirium in neurological intensive care unit patients. Delirium prevention programs considering these factors may be effective for such patients.

Citations

• Factors-related to the severity of delirium among older adults in neurologic intensive care units: A retrospective study using electronic medical record data
  Ae Young Cho, JiYeon Choi, Jung Yeon Kim, Kyung Hee Lee
  Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing.2025; 27(2): 166.     CrossRef
• Risk Factors for Delirium in Trauma Intensive Care Unit Patients
  Jongran Kim, Jeong-Ah Ahn
  Korean Journal of Adult Nursing.2020; 32(6): 623.     CrossRef