Ahmet Kağan Özkaya

Aims: Clinical decision-making is a fundamental component of safe and effective nursing practice. Simulation-based learning (SBL) has emerged as an innovative educational strategy to support students’ clinical reasoning, professional development, and preparedness for practice. However, relatively little is known about how nursing students perceive simulation-based clinical decision-making experiences in relation to their professional identity, professional responsibility, and confidence. This study aimed to explore final-year nursing students’ experiences of a simulation-based clinical decision-making module (CDMM), with particular attention to their perceptions of professional identity, professional responsibility, and confidence in clinical decision-making.Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was conducted with twelve final-year nursing students from a state university in Turkiye. Participants completed a two-day simulation-based CDMM in March 2023 and subsequently participated in semi-structured individual interviews. Data were analysed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic analysis.Results: Four interrelated themes were identified: (1) transitioning towards the professional nursing role, (2) assuming responsibility for clinical decision-making, (3) developing confidence in clinical decision-making, and (4) recognising the value of SBL.Conclusion: Participants perceived the CDMM as a meaningful learning experience that supported their transition towards the professional nursing role, increased their awareness of professional responsibility, enhanced their confidence in responding to similar clinical situations, and highlighted the educational value of SBL. These findings suggest that structured simulation-based clinical decision-making experiences may help bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and clinical practice in undergraduate nursing education.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of training teachers using the video simulation method on their knowledge of epileptic seizure management and on their first-aid intervention skills. Methods: A survey was distributed to 250 participating teachers working in both private and public schools. The survey included basic demographic information, teachers’ awareness of epilepsy, and their knowledge of first aid measures. Subsequently, the teachers received a training session on general information about epilepsy, first response to epileptic seizures, and emergency procedures using the video simulation training method. Awareness and attitudes were reassessed using the same survey. Results: The study involved 250 participants with an average age of 39.76 years, 62.8% female, and 78.4% working in the public sector. Participants with connections to individuals with epilepsy had significantly higher pre-training correct response scores (p=0.026, p=0.001). 72.8% had received first-aid training, and 26.6% had performed first aid, but only 6.1% considered their knowledge sufficient. Before training, 94.4% recognized epilepsy as a neurological disorder. The awareness of epilepsy being treatable increased from 70.7% to 90.4% (p

Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common seizures in childhood. In most studies, iron deficiency was associated with FS, whereas serum calcium (Ca) levels were contradictory. This study evaluated the relationships of erythrocyte indices, serum Ca levels, and related factors among children with FS. Prospectively, patients aged six months to five years were included in the complex FS (n = 23), simple FS (n = 22) and febrile without seizure groups (n = 25). Patients with central nervous system infection, previous afebrile seizures, or chronic drug use were excluded. Total and ionized Ca, inorganic phosphate, vitamin D levels, erythrocyte count and indices, hemoglobin, hematocrit, pH, bicarbonate and lactate levels in blood were examined. The cutoff values of variables discriminating between the FS and control groups were established through receiver operating characteristic analysis. In the complex FS group, Ca and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) levels were lower than those in the control group (p = 0.004 for both) and albumin levels were lower than those in the simple FS group (p = 0.02). Ca levels were positively correlated with MCHC (r = 0.252, p = 0.039). In the FS group, the proportions of MCHC < 34.1 g/dL, Ca < 9.9 mg/dL, ionized Ca < 1.27 mmol/L and pH < 7.38 were more frequent (p = 0.003, p = 0.005, p = 0.044 and p = 0.035 respectively). Lower Ca and MCHC levels were associated with FS. The positive correlation between Ca and MCHC levels indicates a common pathogenetic mechanism. To our knowledge, the increased proportion of patients with low blood pH level in FS is a novel finding.

Background: Intracranial hypertension, which may have a number of different causes, is a medical emergency. Although difficult to identify due to non-specific symptoms, it must be treated appropriately. An early sign of intracranial hypertension is an increase is observed in the optic nerve sheath diameter. . Ultrasonography is a rapid and easy-to-apply method to detect an increase in optic nerve sheath diameter, and may be useful for the emergency diagnosis and treatment, as well as contributing to clinical follow-up. Case Presentation: In the present study, seven patients with clinical suspicion for rapid intracranial pressure were admitted. Clinical scenarios included traffic accident, metabolic imbalance, infection, and intracranial mass. The pediatric emergency specialist performed optic nerve sheath measurement by using ultrasonography and a dilatation was detected. All measurements were taken by the certified and experienced pediatric emergency specialist blinded to the patient's clinical state and also the specialist was under observation of a lecturer during the measurements. Except for one patient, the control optic sheath diameter measurements were performed in the period, when they had no complaint, and the values were determined to be normal. To our knowledge, this case series is the first one examined in Turkey. The data from cases was collected between 2015 and 2016. Conclusion: Optic nerve sheath diameter measurement is a non-invasive method that offers ease of diagnosis and follow-up of suspected intracranial hypertension.