Browsing by Author "Edirisinghe, N. P"

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Correlates of Severe Pain: Descriptive Study among Patients with Cancer in Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2022-09-15) Edirisinghe, N. P; Makuloluwa, P. T. R; Amarasekara, A. A. T. D; Goonewardena, C. S. E
The most prevalent and unpleasant symptom that cancer patients encounter is pain. Pain is a highly subjective feeling resulting from the intricate interaction of bio-psycho-social aspects of the individual. The study aims to describe the correlates of severe pain in cancer patients in Sri Lanka. Methods: The descriptive study involved 384 cancer patients from Apeksha Hospital, Maharagama. Patients over 18 years who experienced cancer pain for three months or more, related to the primary lesion, secondary lesions, radiation, or chemotherapy were eligible. Patients whose pain is due to a non-cancerous source, triggered under three months of the assessment, and those who are too frail or disoriented with evidence of brain metastases are either unable or unwilling to give informed consent were excluded. The patients fulfilling inclusion criteria were recruited using the consecutive sampling method. The correlates of severe pain were determined using logistic regression A validated Sinhala version of the Short Form Brief Pain Inventory and a pre-tested socio-demographic questionnaire was used to collect data. The correlates of severe pain were determined using logistic regression. Statistically significant correlation was shown between severe pain and ‘male gender’, (AOR=1.723; p=0.035); ‘being in marriage’ (AOR =1.947; p=0.026); ‘patients with no perceived family commitments’ (AOR=1.8; p=0.013) and pain of three months or more duration (AOR = 1.76; p=0.021). In conclusion it is discovered that the severe pain is positively correlated with males, ‘being in a marriage,’ ‘no perceived family commitments, and in pain for over a three months duration.
Open Access
The Impact of Sleep Quality on the Quality of Nursing Care Provided by Shift Working Nurses: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study in Sri Lanka
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2023-11-01) Nawarathne, L. C; Edirisinghe, N. P; Turale, S.; Amarasekara, T. D.
The requirement for nurses to work in shifts is a critical issue for their health and well-being. Working in shifts disturbs sleeping patterns and degrades sleep quality. This may affect the performance of nurses as well as has adverse effects on health. There is a paucity of information on this topic in the context of Sri Lanka. Using a descriptive cross-sectional study, it was aimed to assess the relationship between quality of sleep and nursing care among nurses in two selected government hospitals. The Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index was used to assess sleep quality while nursing care was assessed by three visual analog scales, and fully completed 279 questionnaires were analyzed. A statistically significant association was identified between shift type worked by duration and minor and moderate nursing errors. However, the self-reported error rates were mostly at low rates or unreported. Comprehensively, sleep quality was not associated with the error rates perceived in this study. Results would have been more effective if circadian rhythms and different shifting strategies were assessed. Evaluating selfreported errors limited the study comparatively. There was no overall association between sleep quality and the errors perceived. Current policies, staffing plans, and mechanisms to assist nurses in coping should be updated and implemented in a timely manner in nursing practice.
Open Access
Prevalence of Stress and Associated Factors among Field Midwives in Sri Lanka during the COVID-19 Pandemic
(Faculty of Humanities and Sciences, SLIIT, 2023-11-01) Pathirana, J. M. P; Edirisinghe, N. P; Amarasekara, T.D.
The COVID-19 outbreak has had a significant impact on people’s physical and mental health. Globally, the stress faced by healthcare workers during COVID-19 has been investigated. The aim of the study was to describe the level of perceived stress, and associated factors, among field midwives (FMs). A descriptive crosssectional study of FMs in selected Medical Officer of Health (MOH) regions in the Matara district was carried out. FMs were among the subjects, while those on maternity leave and without at least six months of professional experience were not included. Data were collected using validated Perceived Stress Scale-10, and a pretested socio-demographic questionnaire. Data analysis was done using descriptive statistics, and a Chi-square test. The study participants had a mean age of 41.43±12.01. Results indicated that 27.6% of the FMs experienced low stress, 51% experienced moderate stress, and 21.4% reported high perceived stress levels. The presence of any chronic diseases (95% CI, 0.077-0.966, OR=0.274, p=0.034) and economic status (95% CI, 1.079- 1.261, OR=6.374, p=0.011) showed statistically significant associations with perceived stress. In conclusion, the majority of FMs were moderately 74 (51%) stressed during the COVID-19 pandemic.