Iran Journal of Nursing
Year:2009 | Volume:22 | Issue:61|Papers Count:9

Background and Aim: Cancer produces many problems in all dimensions of human life. and cause increased supportive needs patients. Dramatic increase in the number of cancer patients, different treatments and health care costs highlights the need for a better social setting towards a healthy life.  Present study determines the correlation between perceived social support from different and supportive sources and size social network with quality of life in cancer patients.Material and Method: A descriptive correlational design was used for this study. Using continuous sampling 220 patients from Firoozgar, Hazrat-e-Rasool hospitals and Emam Khomeini (rah) Cancer Institute recruited for participation in the study. They were asked to respond to Nortouse Social Support (SSQ) and the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index- cancer version (QLI-CV) questionnaires. The computer software SPSS 13 was used for data analysis. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, spearman correlation and multiple linear regression tests were used.Results: Findings showed that more than half of the patients (56.4%) had experienced a moderately good quality of life, and most of them perceived moderate social support from their middle-sized social networks. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between quality of life and perceived social support (rs=0.415, P=0.00), particularly support from spouses and family members. Also, there was statistically significant positive correlation between quality of life and size of social network (rs=0.245, P=0.00). Multiple linear regression test showed that 31.6% of variation in the quality of life was related to perceived social support, type of treatment and economic status. Conclusion: Oncology nurses are recommended to apply the finding for enhancing the social networks of cancer patients and give them suitable support. Study results demonstrated that perceived social support, type of treatment and economic status accounted for 31/6% of variations of quality of life and a large amount of variance remains unexplained, so further researches is needed.

Background and Aim: The main role of a nurse is caring. To take care of patients is achievable only through communicating them, but, the results of previous studies have revealed that due to lack of communicative skills, nurses are unable to communicate properly, a problem about which patients keep complaining very often. The present study is an attempt to determine the barriers to application of communicative skills by nurses from the perspectives of nurses and patients. Material and Method: This study is descriptive analytical study and adopts a problem–solving perspective. The research samples (90 nurses and 45 patients) were selected through simple sampling method from two academic hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health services (Imam Khomeini and Valiy-e ASR). Two survey instruments within Lickert scale format were designed separately for two groups of nurses and patients. The instruments contained the barriers to application of communicative skills by nurses. These barriers were classified into four categories: barriers related to nurses, patients, nurses and patients and environment. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics.   Results: The results showed that from the nurses’ perspective the most and the least important barriers were patient–related communication barriers, and nurse–patient-related communication barriers, respectively; Whereas from the patients’ perspective, the most and the least important barriers were nurse–related communication barriers, and nurse- patient related communication barriers, respectively. Conclusion: Nurses consider factors specific to patient as the most important barriers for nurses to use their communicative skills; yet for patients those specific to nurses were selected as the most important barriers. A strategy entitled “Establishing a Committee for Ensuring Quality of Nursing Services with an Emphasis on Nurses’ Communicative Skills" was proposed to increase use of communicative skills by nurses when interacting with patients.

Background and Aim: Occupational injury is one of the most important occupational health problems. Researches show that 52.5 percent of occupation injuries are related to sleep problems. Shortage of sleep and low quality of sleep affects daily performance. According to the literature, nurses are susceptible to occupational injuries 4.27 times more than physician. Material and Method: In this cross sectional study, association of sleep problems and occupational injuries in nurses was examined. One hundred ant two nurses were selected by random sampling method. Self- report questionnaire were used to gather data.Results: Based on the result, chronic fatigue (76.5%) and shortage of sleep (81.4%) were the most prevalent occupational injury and sleep problem, respectively. The findings showed that there was no statistical significant relationship of “amount of sleep”, “disturbance in integrity of sleep”, and “early awake morning” with occupation injuries.Conclusion: According to the results, nurses face to occupational injuries abundantly. Most of nurses have rotating shift schedule. That is why providing suitable facilities to reach in normal pattern of sleep can help to promote performance and service delivery and also, increase clients satisfaction quality of services.

Background and Aim: Rapid changes in the environment have exerted significant pressures on hospitals to incorporate patient satisfaction in their strategic stance. Both academicians and managers are interested in discovering how patients form their satisfaction levels and behavioral intentions. One of the developed models for measuring patient satisfaction is known as Pivotal Core Peripheral (PCP) attributes that has been applied in this research. Material and Method: A descriptive survey was carried out in 2006. The population was patients of Amir-Aalam and Vali-Asr hospitals affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services. The sample consisted of 500 patients selected through convenience sampling. A questionnaire was developed based on Pivotal Core Peripheral attributes model. Cranach’s Coefficient Alpha rendered the reliability of the questionnaire as 0.98. Data were gathered and analyzed by SPSS using descriptive and inferential statistics.Results: Mean values for pivotal, core, and peripheral variables were, respectively 4.45, 4.33, and 4.10 for Vali-Aasr hospital, and 4.57, 4.50, and 4.21 for Amir-Aalam hospital. A statistical significant difference was seen between the mean scores of core attributes of patients in 2 hospitals.  Conclusion: Although the mean score in three areas in two hospitals were more than the test value (i.e. 3.5), upgrading the quality of variables with lower mean scores is recommended.

Background and Aim: Falls are one of the major health problems among older adults, affecting the quality of life and leads to serious problems in societies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of falling down among older people living in Khoramabad and determine related risk factors.Material and Method: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 400 older adults aged 60 and older, living in Khoramabad participated. Sampling was done by multi-stage clustering method. The semi-structured questionnaire was applied for data collection and was completed by the co-researchers. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 15.0, using descriptive statistics, Chi- square test, Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney test.Results: The samples compromised of 52.5% male and the rest of them were female, their level of education was 4% diploma and higer, 3% guidence school, 17% primary school and rest of them were illiterate. The most of them aged 60-64years (29%) and the least of them were older than of 85 years (6%). The prevalence of falling down was 24.8%. The findings suggested a statistically significant relationship of the usage of assistance devices; the way of bathing; chronic conditions such as arthritis, stroke, visual impairments, disorientation, depression, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and incontinency (urinary and fecal) with falling down, but there wasn't a statistically significant relationship of taking drugs separately, exercise, opium misuse with falling down.Conclusion: The findings showed that one of four older people experienced falling down during one year period. Assessment of factors related to falling down needs multidisciplinary team collaboration. Health care system should organize a special system for falling down and fractures, also providing suitable environmental modifications with physical and mental status, using suitable assistance devices, and determining older people at risk, providing family/patient education about strategies of preventing falls.

Background and Aim: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease and an increasing health problem worldwide. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of educational intervention focusing on Health Belief Model on self care behaviors of diabetic patients.Material & Method: This was a clinical trial study in which the study population consisted of diabetic patients attending in 4 hospitals in Tehran in 2006. Seventy and one patients were selected and randomly assigned to either intervention group (35 patients) or control group (36). After determining their education needs using the health belief model, education program was implemented for intervention group. At the initial visit and two month after education, self care behaviors, HBM's domains and awareness of patients were assessed using an interview schedule and a questionnaire. SPSS software (version 12) was used for statistical analysis.Results: Independent T test didn’t show any statistically significant difference between two groups in the awareness, self care behaviors and HBM's domains before the educational program (P>0.05). After implementing the program, the same test indicated a statistically significant difference between two groups in HBM's domains (P<0.05), except in perceived barriers and perceived benefits domains (P>0.05). Also, a statistically significant difference was seen between two groups in self care behaviors domains (P<0.05), except in foot care domain (P>0.05). After education, paired T test and wilcoxon test indicated a statistically significant difference in mean and median of awareness, perceived susceptibility, perceived severity, self efficacy and self care behaviors in intevention group (P<0.05). Conclusion: Implementing education program based on Health Belief Model is useful to predict and change self care behaviors of diabetic patients.

Background and Aim: Teenagers and adolescents are considered as the future parents and responsibles; therefore, their health status is of great importance and must be taken into consideration to prevent fore coming problems. The main purpose of this study was to assess physical health status of 14-18 years old high school male students at some educational districts in Tehran, Iran at 2006.Material and Method: In this descriptive study, variables included assessment of physical growth (height; weight), health status of vision, hearing, mouth and tooth, as well as vertebral column. Two hundred and sixteen boys aged between 14-18 years, from 36 high schools, were assessed after selection by multistage random sampling. The data collection tools consisted of a questionnaire and observation record sheets.Results: The median values for weights and heights of the students (except for one group) were higher than the median point of N.C.H.S. In comparison to the N.C.H.S percentiles, the weights of 59.7% and the heights of 51.4% of the subjects were between percentiles 50 to 97. The findings showed that 21.3% of the students had astigmatism in one or both eyes, 4.2%, had hearing loss in one or both ears, 69% had a decay in their permanent teeth, and the average DMFT was 3.44±23.72, and 8.8%, 2.8% and 6.9% of the students had scoliosis, lordosis and kiphosis respectively. The relationship of the fathers education and the number of children in the family with DMFT index were statistically significant (p<0.05).Conclusion: The present study shows the importance and necessity of focusing on more prevalent physical disorders (such as oral health, mal-nutrition, vision & skeletal status) in boy’s high schools and applying simple screening procedures, referrals and emphasizing their importance to the authorities.

Background and Aim: Communication between mother and neonate is very important during neonatal period. One method of non verbal communication is skin contact of mother and neonate. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of skin contact of mother on vital signs and behavioral state of premature neonates hospitalized at Bahman and Shahid Sadoughi hospitals, Yazd. Material and Method: In this clinical trial, samples were 50 premature neonates between 32-36 weeks of gestational age (25 in experimental group and 25 in control group). Data was collected via a demographic questionnaire, an observational check-list, and also, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and axillary temperature were recorded. The data was collected 10 minutes before and after skin contact between mother and premature neonate, in control group. Results: There was no statistically significant difference between two groups in terms of weight, gestational age, sex, type of delivery and mother age. The results demonstrated that skin contact decreased pulse rate (P≤0.001) and respiratory rate (P≤0.001), increased axillary temperature (P=0.02) and had a positive effect on the behavioral state (P£0.001). Conclusion: The results suggest that skin contact between mother and premature neonate reduces pulse and respiratory rate and increases axillary temperature and have a positive effect on behavioral state of the neonate (ranges from arouse to deep sleep).