Impact of the Surgical Mask on the Patient-nurse Relation in Primary Care

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The goal of this study is to inspect the effect of nurses wearing the surgical mask on their patients' satisfaction with the relationship. All participants will initially be treated without the mask. Then, half will be treated with the mask and the other half will be treated without the mask.

Detailed Description
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The use of the surgical mask has well-known benefits for both the patient and the professional regarding the control of infection contamination. However, its use is left to individual criteria, and is passed on from generation to generation of nurses through experiential, intuitive knowledge. Studies are necessary to support the use of the surgical mask. Research indicates that wearing the mask affects perception of words, thus influencing patient-nurse communication. However, it might also affect the very nurse--patient relation. For example, it can convey the idea of personal distancing, which can either be appreciated by patients as dutiful professional care by the nurse, or viewed as a limit imposed on interpersonal communication and on the relationship. This study inspects patient satisfaction about (1) interpersonal aspects and (2) professionalism in the patient-nurse relationship when the mask is used.

Official Title
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The Impact of the Surgical Mask on the Relationship Between Patient and Family Nurse in Primary Care

Conditions
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Satisfaction, Personal

Intervention / Treatment
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* Device: Mask
* Procedure: Routine wound treatment


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Patients suffering from chronic wounds Age: 18 years or older Know how to read and write in Portuguese Confirmed autopsychic and allopsychic orientation Maintain previous relation with the nurse of at least 18 months Need at least two consecutive treatments with the nurse Exclusion Criteria: Failing to meet the above criteria

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Sequential Assignment
Interventional Model Description: All participants will initially be treated without the surgical mask. Then, half will be treated with the mask and the other half will be treated without the mask.
Masking: Triple


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: With Mask<br>Use of the surgical mask in one routine wound treatment appointment. | Device: Mask<br>* All participants will initially be treated without the mask. In the next appointment, half will be treated with the mask.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Without Mask<br>Routine wound treatment appointment without nurses wearing the surgical mask. | Procedure: Routine wound treatment<br>* All participants will initially be treated for their wounds without the mask. In the next appointment, half will again be treated for their wounds without the mask.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 30-item questionnaire assessing patient satisfaction with the nurse-patient relation (the PSQ-III) | Self-reported patient satisfaction after one appointment with the nurse about interpersonal aspects of the patient-nurse relation (7 items), communication (5 items) and nurse's technical quality (10 items). Responses are given on a 1 to 5 Likert scale. Higher scores correspond to greater satisfaction. | 1 day | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sensation of time | 1 question asked about how long patients and nurses felt that the appointment lasted | 1 day |