Effectiveness of Emotional Intelligence Training on the Quality of Life of Mothers of Children with Leukemia

 AbstractBackground and Objectives: Leukemia is highly prevalent among children, and affects the family in addition to the child's life. The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of training emotional intelligence on the quality of life of mothers of children with leukemia.Materials and Methods: The present quasi-experimental pretest-posttest uncontrolled study was conducted on 35 mothers of children with leukemia selected by convenient sampling from those attending selected hospitals affiliated to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using mothers’ and children’s demographic details and the Persian version of Caregiver Quality of Life Index-Cancer questionnaire. Participants were assessed over 4 two-hour educational sessions using group discussion method (5 to 8 people). Two weeks after the intervention, questionnaires were completed by mothers again.Results: The results obtained using paired t and Wilcoxon tests showed significant reductions in the scores of mothers' quality of life two weeks after intervention in disruptiveness, and mental, physical, and financial concern dimensions (P<0.005) and a significant increase in positive adaptation dimension (P<0.005).Conclusion: The results obtained showed that training emotional intelligence skills can improve the quality of life of mothers of children with leukemia. It is therefore recommended that these skills be taught to mothers in order to improve their quality of life.Keywords: Emotional Intelligence, Quality of Life, Mothers, Children, Leukemia

Content Validity of Defining Characteristics of the Nursing Diagnosis of "Spiritual Distress"

Background: Spiritual distress negatively affects well-being, and its effects are much stronger and more permanent than the positive aspects of spirituality. Since spiritual distress has destructive effects, the introduction and validation of defining characteristics, which are most likely expressive of spiritual distress in the client, can be applied in the daily use of this nursing diagnosis for the quick identification of individuals with spiritual distress, designing targeted and culture-based nursing care, and cost reduction.Aim: The present study was performed with aim to assess the content validity of the defining characteristics of nursing diagnosis of "spiritual distress".Method: This methodological study was performed based on the six steps of Fehring's diagnostic content validity model. A total of 40 nursing experts participated in the study to validate 74 defining characteristics. Descriptive statistics and Fehring's diagnostic content validity model were used for data analysis.Results: Contents validity of 74 defining characteristics was assessed. Six defining characteristics were identified as primary that four were introduced by North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA), four were considered as irrelevant and 64 were identified as secondary that 29 were introduced by NANDA. The total score of diagnostic content validity was 0.68.Implications for Practice: Validation and identification of defining characteristics as representative of nursing diagnosis of spiritual distress can be effectively applied to help quick and correct identification and provide targeted and optimal nursing care

The Effect of a Peer-Group Support Intervention Program on the Tensions of Mothers with Premature Neonates Admitted to the Intensive Care Units in Babol, Iran

Abstract Introduction: Admission of premature neonates to the neonates intensive care unit (NICU) encounters mothers with tension, which affects mother-neonate relationship. The current study aimed at investigating the impact of peer support on the tension of mothers of premature infants admitted to NICUs of the selected hospitals in Babol, Iran. Methods: The current before-and-after, two-group, quasi-experimental study, was conducted on 40 mothers with neonates who recently admitted to NICU in order to participate in peer-group support program. The amount of tension in the study participants was measured, before and after the intervention and the results were compared with those of the control group, using parental tension scale: NICU. Results: The average tension in the intervention and control groups before and after the intervention, and comparison of measures between the groups were125.2 (23.10), 135.2 (19.88), 33.35 (8.19), and 49.40 (18.63), respectively. There was a significant difference between the mean score of tension before and after the intervention in both the study groups. There was no significant difference in tension scores between the two groups, before and after the intervention. Conclusions: Hospitals should meet the requirements o

Evaluation of the Clinical Performance of Nurses Employed in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Introduction: Nurses are as the most important health care providers who require extensive knowledge and skills in this field. Despite the high importance of the issue, our knowledge of the current status of clinical performance and levels of nursing skills in the neonatal intensive care units is very low. The present study was done with the aim of determining the status of clinical performance of neonatal nurses in the NICU. Methods: The present research is a descriptive study, through which the clinical performances of 96 neonatal nurses were observed in eight areas. Data collection was done using a researcher-made Scale. The data were analyzed with SPSS version 21. Results: The neonatal nurses’ clinical performances were acceptable (69.74%) in all the areas which includes vital signs control, daily cares, respiratory cares, infants feed, vessels' access, medicine prescription, phototherapy and using required equipment for neonates (such as warmer, Infusion pump, Defibrillator, Incubator, Ventilator and Phototherapy).The highest and lowest practices were assessed in the fields of infant nutrition (84.11%) and equipment utilized (51.93%), respectively. Conclusions: The nursing skills in the study areas seems within an acceptable range, which could be due to the NICU nurses’ interests in this field. In order to improve the performance of nurses in areas where there is a weakness, we suggest considering the importance of these care and disadvantages due to negligence

The Effects of Spiritual Care on Anxiety in Adolescents with Cancer

Introduction: Anxiety is one of the psychological complications of cancer in adolescents and it is due to various factors. Since this complication leaves undesirable effects on physical and mental health and also on the adolescents’ quality of lives, one of the main nursing cares in adolescents with cancer is using various strategies to reduce the anxiety. Experience of living with cancer shows spirituality creates purpose and meaning in life for patients.Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effects of spiritual care on anxiety in adolescents with cancer.Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study with one- group time-series design. 32 hospitalized adolescents were selected by purposeful sampling method based on the inclusion criteria. The spiritual care program was performed for adolescents in 6 sessions of 45 minutes class during their hospitalization. Data was collected by questionnaires of “personal and clinical characteristics” and “Speilberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory”. The data were analyzed with the SPSS-19 software using descriptive and inferential statistical tests.Results: According to the results of this study, the difference between the mean score of pretest (55.96±11/34) and posttest (42.84±6/19) was significant. However the difference between mean scores of posttest and follow up (48.40±7/18) was not significant (P < 0.001).Conclusion: Implementation of spiritual care by nurses may affect the mental situation of adolescents with cancer and is a suitable method to reduce anxiety. Therefore it is necessary for nurses to use spiritual interventions during implementation of comprehensive nursing care.  Cite to Article: Torabi F, Sajjadi M, Nourian M, Borumandnia N, Shirinabadi Farahani A. The effects of spiritual care on anxiety in adolescents with cancer. Supportive and Palliative Care in Cancer 2016; in press

The Effect of Spiritual Care on Adjustment of Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

Background: Diabetes is a stressful condition, which affects identity and psychosocial dimensions in adolescent then they need to be adapted. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of spiritual care on adolescents' adjustment with Type 1 diabetes. Materials and Methods: This randomized controlled clinical trial study was performed on 52 adolescents with Type 1 diabetes mellitus members of Sanandaj Diabetes Association (Sannadaj city, Kurdistan province, Iran), who were selected through convenience sampling and randomly divided into two groups (26 in each group). Spiritual care in the intervention group was performed in group form and daily for 6 sessions. Data were collected using "Baseline Characteristics Questionnaire", and "Lazarus and Folkman Coping Strategies Questionnaire" before and after the intervention and three weeks later. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 19.0. Results: Chi-square test indicated the difference between the groups according to the level of education (p=0.048). Therefore, the effect of this variable was moderated. The mean of overall adjustment score in control group before and after providing intervention in the intervention group and during the follow-up period was 94.92±13.04, 90.12±10.96, and 92.08±13.34, respectively. The mean of overall adjustment scores in the intervention group before and after intervention and during the follow-up period were 104.08±23.35, 112.46±17.09, and 117.35±16.05, respectively; also t-test result showed a significant effect of intervention type (

The Effect of Audio-Visual Distraction on Catheterization Pain among School-Age Children

Background: Catheterization is the most common cause of pain and distress in children, which causes physical and psychological dysfunctions and disrupts the treatment. Therefore, the control of this type of pain should be considered as a priority for nursing care. The audio-visual distraction can be used to reduce the intensity of pain. Aim: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of audio-visual distraction on catheterization pain among school-age children. Methods: This randomized clinical trial included 64 school-age children assigned into intervention and control group in Qods Hospital during 2016. Oucher face pain intensity scale was utilized to evaluate the intensity level of pain.  Catheterization duration was also recorded in this study. Data were analysed in SPSS software (Version.18) through descriptive statistics, t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, and Spearman correlation analyses. Results: The mean ages of the intervention and control groups were 7.8±1.4 and 7.7±1.6, respectively. The results of the Mann-Whitney U test showed that the mean pain intensity was lower in the intervention group after using the three-dimensional glasses (P=0.01). Spearman correlation test results indicated that there were no significant differences between different ethnicities (P=0.37) and birth ratings (r=-0.061, P-value=0.63) in terms of mean pain intensity.  Implications for Practice: According to the results, the use of distraction methods could  reduce the pain. In addition, they facilitated medical procedures. The role of variables, such as age, gender, and duration of catheterization should be considered in pain intensity

Parent–Infant Attachment in Infants with Respiratory Assist Devices Hospitalized in Intensive Care Units: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Hospitalization of an infant in an intensive care unit may disrupt the normal process of parent-infant attachment. This study aimed to evaluate the quality of attachment and determine its related factors in parents of infants with respiratory assist devices.Methods: This correlational descriptive study was conducted with 180 parents of infants with respiratory assist devices hospitalized in Mofid Children Hospital in Tehran, Iran. The data gathering instrument consisted of a demographic questionnaire and the Parent-Infant Attachment Questionnaire. The data was analyzed through SPSS version 22.Results: The total score of attachment was 57.43+ and among the dimensions of the attachment questionnaire, the quality of attachment had the highest score. Also in parental and infant demographic variables, the previous history of hospitalization, father's age, and unit type were significantly correlated with attachment score. Moreover, regression results revealed that parent–pediatric attachment score of parents of infants admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit is 1.97 units less than that of the parents whose infants were admitted to NICU. And with the increase in father’s age, the rate of the parent–pediatric attachment to the child decreases by 0.19 and the history of the previous hospitalization leads to an increase in attachment to the infant by 3.76 units.Conclusion: Although the overall score of attachment in the parents of pediatrics dependent on the respiratory devices in the present study was undesirable, but the respiratory assisted device did not affect the parent-pediatric attachment score. Therefore, further studies are recommended to more accurately determine the relevant factors of the parent-pediatric attachment

The Effect of Abdominal Touch on Nutritional Tolerance in Premature Infants: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trail

Background The most common cause of death during neonatal period is prematurity. Nutritional tolerance is very important in this period. If during this period the problems of feeding the preterm infant are not resolved, chronic disorder occurs in normal growth. Materials and Methods In this randomized controlledclinical trial we selected 60 preterm infants in the neonatal intensive care unit of Motahhari Hospital in Urmia, Iran, and randomly assigned to control and intervention groups. The infants were touched using Field technique by olive oil in two steps in the morning and evening, with a time of 15 minutes by first researcher. Nutritional tolerance was evaluated using the "Daily Observation Chart" and by gavage milk volume, abdominal circumference, the frequency of defecations and gastric residual volume. The data were collected during 4 consecutive days and the results were compared on the fourth day, with the first day. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 17.0. Results According to the results, the abdominal circumference after touch was less in the intervention group (1.77±1.38) compared to the control group (1.43±1.22) (

The Mediating Role of Spiritual Health in Adherence to Treatment in Patients with Cancer

Background: Adherence to the treatment regimen is among the behaviors, which predict the successful control of the disease and decrease its intensity and negative consequences, which is influenced by several factors. The patient’s beliefs and attitudes toward the disease are effective factors in disease management and adherence to treatment, and spiritual health is one of these influential variables. Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the mediating role of spiritual health in adherence to treatment in patients with cancer. Methods: In this descriptive correlational study, the participants were 234 Iranian patients with cancer, who were selected through convenience sampling, admitted to the oncology wards of 9 selected teaching hospitals in the northern, southern, eastern, and western provinces of the country, as well as the capital in 2021. The research instruments included the Demographic and Clinical Information Questionnaire, Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and Morisky Medication Adherence Scale-8. The path analysis was done to determine the factors related to the degree of adherence to treatment, taking into account the mediating role of spiritual health. Results: The mean age of the participants in the study was 47.27 ± 15.36. The mean scores for spiritual health and adherence to treatment were 76.70 ± 13.75 and 6.47 ± 2.1, respectively. A positive and significant relationship was found between spiritual health and adherence to treatment (P-value < 0.05). The variables of marital status, the time of diagnosis, and being a religious person had a direct effect on spiritual health, and the time of diagnosis indirectly affected treatment adherence. Conclusions: According to the results, the level of spiritual health and adherence to the treatment in patients with cancer was moderate. In addition, the variable of diagnostic time affected adherence to treatment indirectly. Besides, in examining the factors affecting spiritual health, the findings indicated the effect of the variables “being religious”, “marital status”, and “the time of diagnosis”. In addition to strengthening spiritual health, it is necessary to highlight the need to follow therapeutic diets in these patients. Therefore, it is suggested to consider a program to meet the patients with cancer spiritual needs along with the physical care program.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio