Advances in Nursing & Midwifery

Introduction

An education system is a collection of programs, methods and materials accordantly facilitating the achievement of special educational goals for learners. Designing an education system is prescribing or predicting desired educational methods to achieve expected changes in students’ knowledge, skills and emotions. With respect to the necessity of a particular type of learning or approach for each stage of knowledge acquisition, compound education methods may ease students to attain learning goals. The Purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to determine the effects of a compound education method of clinical training on conception and skill levels of sophomore nursing students in their cardiac clinical training.

Materials and Methods

What was named compound educational method in this study had been derived from theories of David Asubel, Hilda Taba and Floyd Robinson, through which a mix of two data-processing teaching methods, namely, inductive thinking and advanced organizer models were applied. 57 students were randomly divided into 2 control (28) and experimental (29) groups and taught during a 12-day lesson plan (1 credit unit of clinical training in cardiac ward). 3 main advanced organizers (clinical examination, chest X-ray study and assessment of cardiac patients) and oxygen therapy, respiratory physiotherapy as well as ECG reading were instructed and practiced. Some topics were also studied through clinical conference as well as group discussion and 8 critical situations for decision-making were practiced. All subjects were tested on the 1^st, 7^th and 12^th day of training. For the control group, the routine educational program was provided. Data collection tools included feedback cards, observation form for skill assessment and a questionnaire for drug information.

Results

Pre-and posttest scores were significantly higher in the experimental group than the control group in all educational domains. 

Conclusion

The compound method seems more effective on improving the cognition and skills of nursing student.

Introduction

Scrubbing of surgical team is an important precaution for postoperative infections. It is performed to disinfect the hands, leading to secondary infection reduction of surgical wound. The procedure is done mechanically and chemically with scrub solutions such as povidone iodine, alcoholic disinfectants, chlorhexidine etc. In Iran, the routine solution of scrubbing is povidone iodine (Betadine). The Purpose of this clinical trial was to compare the disinfectant effects of Betadine with Decosept on the hands of surgical team in Loghman-e-Hakim teaching hospital affiliated to Shaheed Beheshti Medical University.

Materials and Methods

30 operating room (OR) staff and students were selected by convenient sampling method. Each subject scrubbed 2 times with 1-week interval, first with Betadine and second with Decosept. All members of a surgical team in an operation scrubbed with a similar method and solution. Samples were collected from the hands before and after scrubbing for the first scheduled operation through instructing the procedure (hand washing with soap and water, rinsing, complete drying, application 15 ml of one of the solutions in three stages [at each stage, 5 ml and 1-minute interval], rinsing and complete drying), placing the hands in culture media and sending the samples to laboratory in standard condition for recording.

Results

Findings showed significant differences in the colonies of Gram-positive cocci, Gram-negative bacilli and fungi before and after scrubbing in each solution (P=0.0001). No positive case was found before and after the procedure with respect to Gram-negative cocci and Gram-positive bacilli. No significant difference was found between the effects of the 2 solutions before and after scrubbing.

Conclusion

Both solutions were effective on disinfecting the hands of surgical team.

Keywords:  Povidene (Betadine), Decosept, Scrubbing, Disinfection.

Introduction

Low birth weight as a result of premature labor or limited intrauterine growth is the most important measure of neonatal mortality. It has many causes of which air pollution has been recently gained attention. The Purpose of this historical cohort study was to determine the relationship between sulfur dioxide and low birth weight in term neonates of women referring to selected hospitals in Tehran in 2007.

Materials and Methods

225 women referring to selected hospitals and residing at 5-Km distance from stations for air pollution measurement were selected. An information form was used to collect data. Its validity and reliability were achieved by content and test-retest methods respectively. Women were divided into 2 groups of exposure (low and high) according to their contact with the pollutant. The groups were matched in terms of factors effective on low birth weight.

Results

Findings showed a significant relationship between sulfur dioxide and low birth weight (P<0.5, RR=3.96, CI=1.74-8.92).

Conclusion

With respect to the results, appropriate instructions should be provided for women residing at crowded areas of the city and necessary interventions carried out to decrease this pollutant.

 Keywords: Low birth weight infant, Sulfur dioxide, Pregnant women.

Introduction

Coronary artery disease is the most common cardiovascular disorder with the highest rate of mortality, disability and costs. The prevalence of its risk factors is rapidly increasing worldwide. The Purpose of this descriptive correlative study was to determine the relationship between higher-standard neck circumference and some risk factors (hyperlipidemia, hypertension) in women with coronary artery disease in hospitals affiliated to Medical Universities of Tehran in 2006.

Materials and Methods

199 women were selected by Poisson sampling method. Data were collected by an interview and documentation form in 2 parts: Demographics and clinical examination (blood pressure, neck circumference, body mass index).

Results

84.4% of the subjects had higher-standard neck. This was significantly related to high blood cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglyceride, systolic as well as diastolic pressures (P=0.05). A significant relationship was also found between higher-standard neck and some risk factors by controlling such personal factors as age, occupation, educational level, history of hyperlipidemia and hypertension, history of taking lipid- as well as blood-pressure reducing drugs, and duration of hyperlipidemia and hypertension (P=0.05).

Conclusion

With respect to the relationship between higher-standard neck and some risk factors in women with coronary artery disease, providing appropriate educational programs in this regard is suggested.

Keywords: Higher-standard neck circumference, Hyperlipidemias, Hypertension.

Introduction

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the most common causes of death and of the most significant health problems in the world. Understanding and modifying its risk factors can decrease complications and mortality rate of it. Planning in this regard requires information about present knowledge and performance of people. The Purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess knowledge and performance of teachers regarding coronary artery disease prevention and some of its related factors.

Materials and Methods

590 teachers in 5 educational zones of Tehran were selected by multistage sampling method. Data were collected by a self-completed questionnaire in 2 parts: knowledge about precipitating factors and preventive performance in 3 domains including nutrition, exercise and smoking and some of effective factors. Content and test-retest methods were applied to validate and made the questionnaire reliable (r=0.9) respectively.

Results

Most subjects were women (68.3%) and married (89.5%) with mean age 40.36. Findings showed that the majority of subjects (63.2%) had satisfactory knowledge regarding CAD (mean=14.93±2.60). 74.5% had moderate performance in nutrition domain while 63.4% had a weak performance in exercise. 78% had a satisfactory performance in smoking domain. A significant relationship was found between educational level and knowledge as well as gender and preventive performance respectively.

Conclusion

Findings showed that in spite of satisfactory knowledge of teachers regarding CAD risk factors, their preventive performance in some domains was not desirable. Thus, providing appropriate and efficient educational programs to improve nutrition and exercise is necessary in this influential population with a special focus on those with lower knowledge and performance levels.

Keywords: Knowledge, Performance, Coronary artery diseases, Risk factors, Prevention.

Introduction

Accidents are the first leading cause of death and injuries in Iran. However, specific data regarding nonfatal accidents are rare. The Purpose of this descriptive study was to identify an epidemiologic pattern of nonfatal accidents in Iran in 2004.

Materials and Methods

16740637 subjects were randomly selected over 1 year from 111626 families in 28 provinces. From each province, 2000 urban and 2000 rural families were selected. A questionnaire in 2 parts including demographic and accident as well as injury items was used for data collection after identifying its validity and reliability. The tool was completed by trained coworkers in the same condition.

Results

More than 9.2 million accidents occurred annually in the country with 36985 deaths and 73657 injuries leading to hospitalization. The prevalence of different nonfatal accidents was 444.3 in 100,000. The most prevalent accidents were traffic (237), falls (160.2) and impact (98.6) in 100,000 people. The prevalence was more in men than women with approximately equal amount in urban and rural areas.

Conclusion

Accidents are one of the most significant reasons of injuries and hospitalization in the country. Traffic accident rate is high compared with other countries. Therefore, planning and organizing preventive measures in this regard as a health priority and a key factor in promoting safety is recommended.

Keywords: Epidemiology, Nonfatal accidents, Urban and rural areas.   

Background

Schizophrenia is the most disabling mental disorder and patients with it experience much stress. Coping strategies, therefore, play a significant period in this regard and these patients may have difficulty in applying them. They usually use ineffective coping strategies.

Purpose

This descriptive study was conducted to determine coping strategies in schizophrenic patients referring to psychiatry clinics at hospitals affiliated to universities of medical sciences in Tehran in 2006.

Methods

90 schizophrenic patients were selected at two stages by quota and convenience sampling methods. The Ways of Coping Questionnaire was used0.

 for data collection after identifying its content and face validities and its reliability by internal consistency. Data were collected by self-report method and review of medical records.

Results

Findings showed that “resignation” (50.11%) and “self - soothing” (47.06%) were the first and second common strategies respectively. “Considering (41.38%),” “Positive reappraisal (40.86%),” “Ignoring (40.67%)” and “Acting (37.03)” were the third common strategies. Most subjects also used “Avoidance” and the minority of them applied “Problem-oriented” strategies.

Conclusion

Most subjects used “Avoidance” coping strategy.

Keywords: Schizophrenic patients, Coping strategy, Psychiatry clinic.

Introduction

Institutionalized children face with many stressful situations and problems. These are complicated during adolescence period with its critical condition. Hence, understanding efficient coping strategies toovercome difficult situations may satisfy the emotional needs of these adolescents and nature their cognitiveand psychological development. One of the issues with little evidence is the coping strategies they apply particularly in spiritual domain. It seems that lack of a conceptual or theoretical framework has been a lag for investigating in this regard. According to Theory of Reasoned Action, attitude and subjective norms regarding a behavior influenced by external factors are the most important predictors of a behavior.

     The purpose of this article is to provide a conceptual framework based on the theory, denoting a relationship between external factors including demographics (age and sex), personal factors (self-esteem, self-efficacy and hopefulness), spiritual attitude as well as subjective norms and spiritual coping of the adolescents as a focused behavior.

Keywords: Spiritual coping, Institutionalized adolescents, Theory of Reasoned Action.