Rostrum of Asclepius Vol 6, No. 2 (2007): April - June 2007

The aim of this review is to present the therapeutic properties of music and its effect on both mental and physical illness, throughout the centuries as it is presented in published studies. Six articles from the international bibliography and fourteen articles from the Greek bibliography are reviewed in order to present the utility of music as a therapeutic method through the centuries and as an alternative healing method of nowadays. Ancient Greeks used refrains for the healing of men and animals and to prevent difficult and disastrous weather phenomena. Egyptians used to believe that musical notes hold magical powers. In African culture; music has an important role in healing ceremonies. According to the ideology of Greek philosophers the aim of healing is to restore the disturbed balance between body and soul. In classical ages, as Harmidis says, the treatment of headache is consists of the using of leaves from a certain plant in combination with specific refrains. Without chanting those refrains the medicine is useless. We are informed by the writing of Seneca that Maecena used music to eliminate fear so as to fall asleep. ΤΟ ΒΗΜΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΟΥ | ΤΕΥΧΟΣ 2ο 2007 2 In Renaissance, the era of conquers and philosophy, art and science, medicine was renewed and sow as music which gained human experienced basis and ability to express. In Islam, the dominant belief is that body is the house of soul and therefore the body will keep on complaining until the soul is healed. By the 20th century scientists have neither observed nor studied the effect of music in physiological parameters in the human body. In 1950, the American Society of Music Therapy was founded and so it formed the first center of clinical implementation and research of music therapy

Keywords: music, therapy, alternative therapies, nursing

Elderly patients’ views and their interaction with health care systems are very important as the subpopulation of older people in the European Community is increasing. Αim The objectives of this project were the observation and recording of certain changes that occur in psychological state of elder patients during their hospitalisation and a comparison between Greek and British patients. Material And Methods The sample of this pilot study consisted of 145 elder patients in Greece and British hospitals. Data was collected through a semi structured interview. Results The analysis of interviews revealed the following psychological parameters: Prospect, Acceptance of illness, Fear of death, Loneliness, Feeling of abandonment, and Suicide tendencies. The country of origin has the bigger effect in the parameters "Loneliness" and "Fear of death". The British patients experience extreme loneliness while fear of death is predominant among the Greek sample. Conclusions British patients seem not to fear so much death itself but rather life which is dependent to others and the pathological situations that will bring embarrassment against himself and others. Therefore, some of these patients have a tendency to discuss euthanasia rather express suicidal ideas, which however remains a complicated subject with various ethical, legal, religious and moral issues involved.

Keywords: Elderly patient, Psychological reactions, Hospitalization, Quality research

The results of an historical research regarding the start of the use of the term "Nosileutiki (nursing)" in the Modern Greek language are presented. The present research focuses on the study of the Minutes of the Administrative Body of the Evangelismos Hospital from 1900-1963, on a few available Minutes of the Administrative Body (Eforeia) Nursing School of the Evangelismos Hospital as well as on the 1908’s Internal Regulation of the same hospital. The results revealed that in the 1908’s Internal Regulation of the Evangelismos Hospital there is a reference to the nursing staff of the hospital under the term "prosopikon nosileias". In the Minutes of the Administrative Body of the Evangelismos Hospital from 1900-1935 the year of the initiation of Administrative separation of the Nursing School from the Nursing services of the hospital, as the Nursing School started to be administrated by its own Administrative Body called "Eforeia", the term "nosileia (nursing care)» started to be used in the nursing units taught in the School but nowhere is mentioned the term "Nosileutiki". In 1932 Minutes of the Administrative Body (Eforeia) of the Nursing School the term "nosileutikon prosopikon" is for fist time mentioned. Moreover, in the Minutes of the Administrative Body of the Evangelismos Hospital in 1935 referred to the Christmas allowance provided to the staff, the term «nosileutikon prosopikon" is used again, while the use of the same term is repeated in the year 1936. In the ΤΟ ΒΗΜΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΟΥ | ΤΕΥΧΟΣ 2ο 2007 2 posterity Minutes of the Administrative Body of the Evangelismos Hospital until the year 1963 both of the terms "prosopikon nosileias" and "nosileutikon prosopikon" were used, while a gradual predominance of the second term is apparent. Nevertheless, the term "Nosileutiki” was not found in the documents studied. Key words: The term "Nosileutiki (nursing)", Minutes, Evangelismos hospital, Greece

Keywords: Term "nursing", minutes, "Evangelismos" hospital, Greece

The pulse oximetry is a widely used non invasive method for monitoring the arterial oxygenation. The doctors and the nurses are persons which are in charge for right interpretation of measurements, receiving suitable interventions for the management of patients. Aim: To assess nurses' and doctors’ knowledge of pulse oximetry and identify training needs. Material and method: Participants in this study were 376 doctors and nurses from critical and general care settings in seven hospitals in Greece. The data collection was done through a self-administered questionnaire. Frequency of use, critical care experience, and opinions about education needs were included in demographic data. The knowledge test consisted of a 15 item, multiple-choice questionnaire, designed by researchers based on international bibliography. Results: A 70,7% of participants, use pulse oximeter often and 66,3% consider that is very useful in daily clinical practice. 83,7% didn’t have some type of past education while more than 81,4% believes that they need further education. The average score for all (on a 15-point scale) was 8,5. Ιn particular, the average score for each team had as follows: 10,5±2,7 for the specialized doctors, 9,6±3,1 for residents, 7,8±3,3 for the nurses and 7,4±3,4 for the nurse assistants. Low percentages of right answers were observed mainly in the questions about principles on which the pulse oximetry are based, clinical application and limitations, as well as normal ranges. Conclusion: The comprehension of pulse oximetry is insufficient, mainly in the nursing staff while totally is observed the need for further education

Keywords: pulse oximetry, knowledge, medical staff, nursing staff

Class attendance of a didactic lecture consists one of the most important factors, which has impact on students” performance at university. The attendance of the lecture, mainly at the education of professionals of health, is a matter of great importance. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of class attendance upon the final examination result of students in Nursing HTEI of Athens. Method and material : Τhe sample of the study consisted of 204 student nurses who were enrolled in the surgical Nursing of 3rd semester and 184 student nurses who were enrolled in the course of Emergency Nursing of 6th semester, during the 2005-06 teaching session. Results : The results of the study showed that, from the students who had attended classes in the “Surgical Nursing” of 3rd semester, 63.5% succeeded in the final exam of the lesson, whereas from the students who had not attended the class, 36,5% succeeded in the final exam of the lesson, ρ

Keywords: class attendance, intermediate evaluation, performance of nurses

Aim: The aim of the current study was to determine whether gentle body exercise has a positive impact on the HDL and LDL levels of cholesterol and levels of trigyceryl in people aged up to 50 years old with normal body weight. Material and Method: The sample consisted of 40 healthy persons aged up to 50 years old with normal body weight, which they did not have a cardiovascular disease history, a diabetes history, or a hormonal disorder history. Furthermore, those people were found with high levels of triglycelyl and LDL cholesterol, and low levels of HDL cholesterol, in the context of a preventive laboratory control. After they applied a gentle body exercise program, they were re- examined for the determination of the LDL/ HDL cholesterol levels and triglyceryl levels in a time period of three and six months. Results: The application of a gentle body exercise program in the form of walking, led in a gradual decrease of triglyceril levels and LDL levels, and increase of HDL cholesterol levels. Conclusion: The positive impact of body exercise in the metabolism of lipids has already been proved. The decrease of triglyceryl levels and LDL cholesterol levels and the increase of HDL cholesterol levels constitute two of the most important factors for the prevention against atheromatosis development. The application of a gentle body exercise program in the form of walking, as shown in the current study, it can be an acceptable and an applicable way of exercise for a large number of people.

Keywords: Dislipidaemie, body exercise