Recep Tayyip Erdogan University | Turkey
Zeynep Pehlivan Köksal is a dedicated nurse‐scholar currently serving as a Research Assistant (PhD) in the Department of Nursing at Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University’s Faculty of Health Sciences. A native of Trabzon, Turkey, she earned her undergraduate degree from Karadeniz Technical University’s Faculty of Health Sciences, graduating. Soon after, she embarked on her clinical journey working as a staff nurse at Private Imperial Hospital in Trabzon and then at Trabzon Kanuni Training and Research Hospital. In 2020, she transitioned into academia, joining Recep Tayyip Erdoğan University as a research assistant, a role she has since built on with doctoral responsibilities beginning. Dr. Pehlivan Köksal has a strong and growing scholarly profile. Her international publications include research on symptoms in cancer patients such as constipation and taste changes and their impact on quality of life, published in Supportive Care in Cancer, as well as qualitative work on nursing students’ experiences in intensive care settings. On the national front, she has authored multiple articles addressing topics such as social support, stress, sleep quality, patient comfort, symptom management, and nursing education. Her work bridges clinical practice and research, often taking the symptom burden of patients undergoing chemotherapy or hemodialysis as her focal point. Beyond journal articles, she has an extensive record of conference presentations, contributing to discourse in oncology nursing, integrative therapies, and evidence-based nursing practices across Turkey. Throughout her career, Zeynep has demonstrated both clinical empathy and scientific rigor, positioning her as a promising researcher committed to improving patient outcomes and advancing nursing science.
Featured Publications
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Akbal Demirci, Y., Aşik Özdemir, V., Pehlivan Köksal, Z., Genç Köse, B., & Pekmezci, H. (2025). Experiences and perceptions of Turkish nursing students during their first clinical placement in intensive care units: A qualitative study. Nursing in Critical Care.
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Pehlivan Köksal, Z., Nural, N., & Kesen, O. (2025). The effect of oral cryotherapy on taste alteration, appetite level, risk of malnutrition and quality of life in patients undergoing chemotherapy: A randomized controlled trial. European Journal of Oncology Nursing.
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Pehlivan Köksal, Z., & Nural, N. (2025). The effect of taste alteration on malnutrition and quality of life in patients undergoing chemotherapy. Supportive Care in Cancer.
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Pehlivan Köksal, Z., & Nural, N. (2024, December 1). Ayaktan kemoterapi alan hastaların yaşam kalitesi ve etkileyen faktörler: Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel çalışma [Quality of life and affecting factors in outpatients receiving chemotherapy: Descriptive and cross‑sectional study]. Ordu Üniversitesi Hemşirelik Çalışmaları Dergisi.
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Pehlivan Köksal, Z., & Aşik Özdemir, V. (2024, April 29). Hopelessness in patients receiving hemodialysis treatment in the COVID‑19 pandemic: A descriptive and cross‑sectional study. Samsun Sağlık Bilimleri Dergisi.