International Journal of Community Based Nursing and Midwifery
Year:2013 | Volume:1 | Issue:4|Papers Count:8

Background: Managing and coping with occupational stress as a recognized problem in the modern era, is vital and important. Nursing is by nature a stressful occupation. Continuous and long-term stress can result in physical, psychological, and behavioral problems in nurses. We aimed to assess occupational stress in nurses working in surgical, internal and psychiatric wards in teaching hospitals of Shiraz, southern Iran.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 180 nurses were selected among nurses working in surgical, internal and psychiatric wards of 4 teaching hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using questionnaires containing Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and demographic information. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software. t test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used as appropriated.Results: The results of the study indicated that nurses of surgical and internal wards showed significantly higher level of occupational stress in most scales of occupational stress, except relationship, compared with nurses working in psychiatric wards. There was no significant correlation among scales of occupational stress and age, marital status, work shifts and experience. However, we found a significant correlation with some scales of occupational stress and sex and education level.Conclusion: The findings suggest that occupational stress varies within different wards in the hospitals. Occupational stress should be prevented and controlled early and nurses should be supported in this regard.

Background: The traditional roles of managers are insufficient in today’s evolving healthcare market. Therefore, they need to improve management practices through playing new roles. So the present study aimed to explore the roles of nurse managers in the context of Iranian health care system.Methods: A qualitative content analysis with semi-structured interviews was used in this study. The study settings included the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Nursing and Midwifery Schools, public hospitals, and Nursing Associations in Tehran, Iran. A purposive sample of twenty six nurse managers was recruited in this study.Results: The main theme found was “socio-political roles”, with the five subcategories as roles: “managing boundaries”, “integrator”, “convincing agent of change”, “governance of the profession”, and “promotion of the profession”. The study indicated by playing socio-political roles nurse mangers gained many advantages for the profession.Conclusion: While studies have focused on the traditional roles of nursing managers, the concept of socio-political roles opens a new field of work. Hence, should be made to pay close attention to the significant roles of nursing managers in the current context of health care. In keeping pace with changes and by enacting their socio-political roles, nursing managers can facilitate the achievement of major professional and healthcare goals.

Background Injuries resulting from sharp and cutting objects and exposure to patients’ blood and other body fluids are considered as one of the most important occupational hazards facing health care personnel due to exposure to blood-borne viruses such as Hepatitis B and C and HIV. The aim of this study is to investigate occupational hazards that involve safe handling of sharp and penetrating objects by nursing staff working in paediatrics hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (2006–2009).Methods In this descriptive study, nursing personnel employed at the paediatrics hospitals of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire containing two parts; part one was related to demographic information and part two focussed on details of injurious incidents. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 16.Results The study population reported 134 needle stick injuries (134HCWs exposure group, 380 HCW1s not exposure group). The incidence rate of NSI was 26.07% (8.17% per year). In most cases, needles (40.3%) and vein catheters (28.36%) were accounted for injuries. IV access (31.33%) and recapping of needles (20.9%) were most common action resulted to exposure. There was no statistically significant difference in demographic variables except in work experience between two groups.Conclusion Based on the findings of this study, the incidence rate of NSI among HCWs working in paediatrics wards was less than those of other studies in different countries. This might be related to inadequate reporting, and also our results emphasize the importance of training and education of nursing personnel for reporting needle stick injuries.

Background: Falling is a major health threat for the elderly and has a significant impact on their well-being and quality of life. Yet, falls are preventable among the elderly. We sought to determine the effectiveness of an educational intervention in reducing the fear of falling and improving balance among the elderly visiting Jahandidegan center in Shiraz, Iran.Methods: A preliminary study was conducted to determine the validity and reliability of the Modified Fall Efficacy Scale (MFES) for the Iranian elderly. Then, 40 individuals, 17 males and 23 females, between 60 and 74 years old were selected for the survey. The inclusion criteria were “MFES” score of less than 8 and Berg Balance Scale (BBS) score of less than 45. After completing the demographic questionnaire, MFES, and BBS, the participants were randomly allocated to the training or control groups. In the training group, each participant took part in one fall prevention class per week for 8 consecutive weeks. On the other hand, the control group received no interventions. BBS and MFES were completed immediately after the intervention. Finally, the data were analyzed using independent sample t-test and Chi-square test. Besides, P<0.05 was considered as statistically significant.Results: A statistically significant difference was found between the two groups regarding BBS and MFES mean scores (pre-post 8 weeks) (P<0.001). The intervention reduced the fear of falling by 26.5% and improved balance by 4.3%.Conclusion: The study results indicated that attending the training classes was effective in decreasing the fear of falling and improving the balance.

Background: Intrauterine device (IUD) is a safe and efficient method for preventing pregnancy favored by many women. Menorrhagia is the most common complication of using copper IUD. We aimed to compare the effect of tranexamic acid and mefenamic acid on the reduction of copper IUD-induced menorrhagia.Methods: In this randomized controlled trial, 84 women who were using IUD (TCu-380) with complaints of menorrhagia were randomly divided into two equal groups (mefenamic acid and tranexamic acid).The pictorial blood assessment chart (PBAC) was used to measure their bleeding rate. These groups used the capsules in two consecutive cycles and PBAC chart was completed for the samples in three consecutive cycles. The results were analyzed using statistical tests and SPSS software.Results: Tranexamic acid significantly reduced the amount of bleeding compared with mefenamic acid in the first cycle (P<0.05). A significant difference was seen in mean bleeding days in the two groups before and after treatment during the first month (P<0.05). In the second cycle, both drug treatments were equally influential on the reduction of bleeding days and decreased the bleeding period. In both groups, a significant difference was observed between the first and second cycles of treatment (P<0.05).Conclusion: Treating IUD-induced menorrhagia (TCU380) using tranexamic acid was more effective than mefenamic acid in emergency setting for reducing bleeding days and amount of bleeding. Also, it had faster treatment effects in decreasing the amount and number of bleeding days.

Background: Labor pain is one of the most intense pains. Physiological, personality, psychological, cultural, and environmental factors are related to the labor pain. Pain is a strong stressor which can have great impacts on women’s reproductive, mental, and physical health; therefore, its harmful effects should be reduced. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the relationship between the personality traits and the labor pain intensity.Methods: This correlational study was conducted on 220 parturient women who fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the study from December to February 2012 through a demographic questionnaire, Five Factor Inventory (FFI) including 5 personality traits (neuroticism, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and extraversion), and NPRS scale which was used to determine the labor pain intensity. The data were analyzed through the SPSS software (version 16) using Pearson correlation and multiple regression tests.Results: The results of this study showed that among the demographic factors, only the number of childbirths had a significant negative correlation with the labor pain score (r=-0.21, P<0.01). Also, a significant correlation was observed between the labor pain score and agreeableness (r=20, P<0.05) and openness (r=0.19, P<0.05). However, among the personality traits, only agreeableness was a positive predictor of the labor pain score (b=0.27, P<0.01).Conclusion: The main finding of this study was that some personality traits, such as agreeableness, were predictors of labor pain. Thus, if women with specific personality traits are identified, appropriate measures can be taken to prepare them for labor pain by providing them with suitable consultation.

Background: The physical activity for people with MS largely affects the amount of fatigue. Increased appropriate physical activity tends to decrease the amount of fatigue. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of aerobic and aerobic with stretching exercises on fatigue in people with MS.Methods: The randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted on the members of the MS Society of Tehran, Iran.120 subjects were admitted between November 2009–April 2011; they were diagnosed with clinically definite multiple sclerosis and Expanded Disability Status Scale scores 1.0 to 5.5 and randomly assigned to two exercise groups and one control group. Outcome assessment was performed at baseline and the end of 3 month period using a checklist containing some demographic, disease variable and fatigue severity scale. The exercises consisted of stretching with aerobic and aerobic exercises. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 18.0.Results: Independent t test showed that there are significant differences between the two exercise groups in the pretest (P<0.005). Analysis of Variance showed that there were significant differences between the exercise groups before and after the intervention (P<0.001).Conclusion: Stretching with aerobic exercises showed significant improvement in fatigue compared to aerobic exercises alone.

Background: Infertility can affect the quality of life of infertile couples. The aim of this study was to develop and measure psychometric properties of “Quality of Life in Infertile Couple Questionnaire” (QOLICQ).Methods: This study was conducted in two qualitative and quantitative phases. Qualitative method involved semi-structured interviews of a purposive sample of 34 infertile couples. A content analysis of the data produced the dimensions of quality of life in infertile couples. By reviewing the literature and interviewing infertile couples, QOLICQ with 95 Likert-type items was developed. Content validity index (CVI) was measured by a panel of 10 experts and 10 infertile couples based on the “relevance”, “clarity”, and “simplicity” on a four point scale. Then, construct validity was measured by 150 infertile men and women. Internal consistency and test retest was measured.Results: In analyzing the content validity index, items with more than 79% validity were kept and the items in the questionnaire were reduced to 79. Factor analysis showed seven factors in the questionnaire. An internal consistency of 0.71-0.95 and a test-retest reliability of 0.81-0.94 were calculated.Conclusion: QOLICQ, which includes 72 Likert-type items in 7 dimensions, is a valid and reliable questionnaire for measuring the quality of life of infertile couples. Due to the lack of a valid and reliable instrument for measuring quality of life in infertile couples in Iran, using this questionnaire is suggested. Measuring other types of validity, such as discriminate and concurrent validity, are recommended.