Ear cleaning using ear cleaners is recommended for the prevention of canine otitis externa. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of bacterial contamination in home- and clinical-use ear cleaners and identify characteristics associated with such a prevalence. To obtain data regarding home-use ear cleaners, 100 bottles of commercial ear cleaners were collected from clients who visited animal clinics with their dogs and completed a survey. Data for clinic-use ear cleaners were obtained by gathering 60 bottles of ear cleaners from private animal hospitals. Bacterial culture of the applicator tips and samples of the ear cleaners was performed. In addition, to determine the relationship between ear cleaner contamination and otitis externa (OE) in dogs, ear cultures were obtained from some of the dogs that visited the clinics. Approximately 5% and 4.91% of home- and clinic-use ear cleaner applicator tips, respectively, had bacterial contamination, although no contamination of the solution within the bottles was observed. Most of the contaminated ear cleaner tips were unclean on the outside given that the bottle was placed directly into the ear canal. The contamination rate was highest among owners who used ear cleaners once a week and among veterinarians who used the product for dogs with OE. We found no ingredients that affected the incidence of ear cleaner contamination.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate whether job satisfaction in clinical nurses was dependent on work intensity and whether physical discomfort mediated the relationships between these variables. METHODS: Structural equation modeling was used with a sample of 253 clinical nurses from four general hospitals. In the model, absolute work intensity, relative work intensity, and flexibility were considered as exogenous variables and physical discomfort as a mediating variable. Data were collected using self-report measures such as the Labor Intensity Questionnaire, the Rating of Perceived Exertion, and the Index of Job Satisfaction. RESULTS: The results of the structural equation modeling found that the higher scores on absolute and relative work intensity were positively associated with physical discomfort but only relative work intensity was significantly related to job satisfaction. Physical discomfort mediated the relationships between absolute work intensity and job satisfaction and between relative work intensity and job satisfaction. Among three kinds of work intensity, only relative work intensity had direct and indirect effects on job satisfaction. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that increase in relative work intensity might play an important role in decreasing job satisfaction in clinical nurses and a reasonable reward system considering relative work intensity could be necessary.
Hospitals, General ; Job Satisfaction* ; Negotiating ; Pliability ; Reward