Iran Journal of Nursing
Year:2018 | Volume:31 | Issue:111 |Papers Count:10

Background & Aim: Infection is the most common cause of hospitalization in hemodialysis patients and has become the second major cause of death. Lack of hygiene by staff increases the chance of infection. This study aimed to investigate the effect of infection control on the knowledge and performance of hemodialysis nurses in Tabriz. Materials & Methods: This randomized clinical trial study was conducted on 48 hemodialysis nurses in Tabriz, 2016. Nurses were randomly divided into the two groups of intervention (n = 27) and control (n = 21). Data were collected, using demographic form, a questionnaire of awareness of infection control, and checklist of performance. Training program was administered through face-to-face training and providing training package. Questionnaire and checklist were completed prior to and after the intervention in both groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics with SPSS 18. Results: The two groups were not different in terms of demographic data. The average score of knowledge and performance of the two groups before and after intervention was not significantly different. Educational intervention increased knowledge (P = 0. 050) and practice in hand washing (P = 0. 001), disinfection of the dialysis unit (P = 0. 001), use of catheter (P = 0. 011), and needle insertion or removing of fistula (P= 0. 001) in the intervention group. Conclusions: Infection control training can increase knowledge and performance of hemodialysis nurses. Given the importance of awareness and performance of nurses about infection control methods, training courses to enhance their knowledge and improve their performance seems essential.

Background & Aim: Nowadays, health professionals consider lifestyle as one of the most important health determinants, and many risk factors of mortality can be controlled by understanding it. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the elders’ lifestyle and their general health status in Neyshabur. Methods & Materials: This observation of analytical type was conducted on 150 elderly people, selected by a multi-stage cluster sampling method. In this study, data were collected by a questionnaire comprised of demographic characteristics, life style, and 28 questions on General health (GHQ-28). Data were analyzed, using SPSS software version 20. Results: The results showed that 84. 7% of elderly people had a moderate lifestyle and 58% were healthy in terms of general health. There was a positive and significant relationship between the total score of life style and total score of general health (P<0. 05). In addition, there was a significant relationship between age and education level with total score of life style (P<0. 05). Conclusion: Findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between lifestyle and general health. Therefore, identifying the effective factors in the general health of the elderly can help the elderly to understand the potential consequences of their actions and encourage them to change their life style.

Background & Aim: Professional socialization is a process in which a person acquires the values, norms, behaviors, and social skills, and internalizes the sense of identity and commitment to a discipline. This process takes place officially and unofficially at faculties during the study period and continues toward the completion of nursing education and entering the work environment. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate nursing students’ perceptions on the role of instructors and institute in their professional socialization. Materials & Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, all nursing students (n=175) were studied at the end of the 2, 4, 6, and 8 semesters in Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, 2017. A questionnaire was used to collect data on demographic characteristics, instructors characteristics, and institute characteristics. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS (V. 13) and descriptive – inferential statistics. Results: The results showed that in the professional socialization of nursing students, the role of instructors was moderate to high and the role of the institute was moderate to low. Among the characteristics of the instructors, the personality traits and educational behaviors had a higher mean score. In this study, compassion, professional communication, preparation of the students for professional responsibilities, and the making a connection between the subjects and nursing values were reported as significant features of instructors in socialization. Students' perceptions on personality traits (P = 0. 023), the nature of the relationship (P =0. 002 and educational behaviors (P =0. 014) differed significantly in different semesters. The institute did not play a significant role in the professional socialization of students so that only 19 individuals (13. 1%) were satisfied with socialization. Conclusion: In this study, students' perceptions of the role of instructors and institutes were varied in different semesters, and it was found that instructors, in comparison to the institution, played a better role in the professional socialization of nursing students. It is recommended that the role of the institution should be improved in the process of professional socialization of nursing students.

Background & Aim: Infertility is a painful emotional experience that is associated with stress. The aim of this study was to determine relationship between percieved social support and infertility stress in the wives of infertile men. Material & Methods: In this cross-sectional study performed on 83 wives of infertile men in 2016-2017, using the Newton Fertility Problem Inventory, infertiliy stress and its subscales, including social concern, sexual concern, relationshiop concern; rejection of childfree lifestyle; and, need for parenthood were determined. The information about percived social support was also collected using FSSQ. The data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: The results of this study showed that infertility stress was at a high level in most wives of infertile men, and percieved social support also had significant negative relationship with all subscales, including social concern (P < 0. 01), sexual concern (P < 0. 001), relationship concern (P < 0. 001), rejection of childfree lifestyle (P < 0. 01) need for parenthood (P < 0. 05) and global stress (P < 0. 001). Conclusions: It seems that women are pron to stress in case of infertility, regardless of male or female factor. However, the level of this stress decreases with increasing perceived social support in the wives of infertile men. Thus, it may be possible to decrease the stress and concerns of these women by providing them more social support.

Background & Aim: Caring for children with cancer is a distressing experience for parents. This experience can lead to parents’ care burden. This study explored care burden among parents of children with cancer and its related factors. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 85 parents of children with cancer who referred to Shohada Hospital in Tajrish, Tehran were selected through a convenience sampling method and based on the entry characteristics. Caregiver Burden Scale (CBS) and a demographic information questionnaire were used. Descriptive Statistics, independent-samples T test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’ s correlation analysis and multivariate linear regression analysis (stepwise method) were used in data analysis in SPSS (v. 19) software. Results: The mean score of parents’ care burden overall was 52. 68 ± 9. 83, 17. 6%, 71. 8%, 10. 6% had little, moderate and severe burden, respectively. Regression analyses indicated that the factors associated with care burden were medical diagnosis (Acute myeloid leukemia and then Ewing Sarcoma), the number of hospitalization, the income status of parents and the age of parents. These variables accounted for 58% of the variance in care burden. Conclusion: The results indicated that care burden in parents of children was moderate. Heavy caregiver burden was associated with medical diagnosis, the number of hospitalization, the income status of parents, and the age of parents. Therefore, it is necessary to identify factors affecting the incidence of care burden and design appropriate interventions to reduce care burden in parents and improve quality of care.

Background & Aim: Studies on nurses' clinical competence and its related contextual factors have controversial and sometimes unexpected results. Regarding the role of nurses' clinical competencies in the quality of nursing care, this study aimed to determine the clinical competency of nurses working in Shahid Beheshti Hospital in Kashan from their own point of view and that of head nurses. Materials & Methods: In this cross-sectional study, in 2017, we analyzed clinical competence of 145 nurses working in different wards of Shahid Beheshti Hospital of Kashan, Iran, from their own perspectives and the perspectives of 19 head nurses. The instrument used was Nurse Competence Scale, which is a 73– item questionnaire organized into seven competence categories measuring helping role, teaching– coaching, diagnostic functions, managing situations, therapeutic interventions, ensuring quality and work role. The level of competence was assessed on a scoring scale of 0-100. The frequency of competency utilization in clinical practice was assessed on a four-point Likert scale. Data was analyzed by SPSS-13, using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Nurses’ score of clinical competence was 67. 08 ± 15. 21 from their own viewpoint that was at the good level. They also possessed 77. 0 ± 13. 14% of competency utilization. However, with a mean score of 78. 24 ± 11. 80, head nurses believed that they are at the excellent level of clinical competence. A positive correlation was found between nurses' clinical competence and their skill utilization (r = 0. 845, P = 0. 001). Conclusions: The level of clinical competencies and the extent to which nursing skills are employed by nurses was high from the viewpoint of nurses and head nurses. Moreover, a positive relationship was found between clinical competence and the level of competencies utilization in clinical settings.

Background & Aim: The prevention of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) can decrease the duration of mechanical ventilation, length of hospital stay, and healthcare costs. One of the interventions is raising the head of bed (HOB) to 45 degrees. This study was perfomed with the aim of determining the effect of the HOB elevation to 45 degree on the incidence of VAP on hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Materials & Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial. It consisted of 80 patients who were under mechanical ventilation and hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit (ICU) from February to July 2016 in the selected governmental hospitals affiliated to Iran University of Medical Sciences. The samples were assigned to two groups, i. e. control and intervention, using a randomised block method. The patients in intervention and control groups had HOB elevation to 45 degree and routine position for three consecutive days. In both groups, HOB elevation in every shift was measured using the goniometer and was recorded by nurses in the angel of bed form. At the end of the third day, ventilator-associated pneumonia was evaluated, using the Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS). Data analysis was performed with chi-square, Fisher’ s exact test, and T-Test via SPSS v. 20. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between two groups with regard to VAP (Pvalue= 0. 002). The incidence of VAP were 52. 5% in the control group and 20% in the intervention group. Conclusion: According to the results of this study, HOB elevation of 45 degree were effective in preventing VAP. Hence, it is recommended that the patients hospitalized in ICU, and under mechanical ventilation, should be positioned 45 degree according to their conditions.

Background & Aim: Rapid growth of aging population in recent years and its profound impact on socioeconomic conditions caused comprehensive attention to this issue. Therefore, this study investigates the lifestyle of elderly people in Ilam Materials & Methods: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 370 elderlies of Ilam who were recruited by systematic random sampling. Data was collected in 2016 by a three-part questionnaire including (1) Demographic data (2) a researcher-made questionnaire to measure aggression, adaptability, social capital, religious orientation, relative deprivation, and alienation variables (3) and elderly life style questionnaire and was analyzed by Pearson’ s correlation coefficient, ANOVA, and multiple regression, using SPSS-PC (v. 20). Results: The findings revealed that the respondents’ life style was Favorable (111. 43). A significant direct correlation was found between social capital (r = 0. 243) and adaptability (r = 0. 240) and life style (p < 0. 005). There was also a significant indirect relationship between alienation (r =-0. 337), aggression (r=-0. 349), relative deprivation (r=-0. 223), and life style (p<0/005). No significant relationship was found between age, income, religious orientation and life style. Stepwise regression analysis showed that the variables of aggression, alienation, and adaptability have explained almost 25 percent (r2 = 0. 246) of life style variations (P < 0. 001). Conclusion: Regarding the findings and considering the growing population of elderly in this city, it is suggested to apply appropriate approaches to strengthen the positive factors and adjust the negative factors related to the feelings of life style in this population.