Quality of Life in Women with Cancer and Its Influencing Factors

Introduction: Studies show that some of the factors such as pain and psychological changes could decrease the quality of life of patients with cancer. The understanding of these factors can enhance the effectiveness and process of cancer treatment. Therefore this study was conducted to investigate the quality of life in women with cancer and its influencing factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study which was carried out in the city of Tabriz in the northwestern part of Iran in 2016. The sample consisted of 150 women diagnosed with cancer. The EORTC QLQ-C30 (version 3) was used for evaluating the quality of life of the women. The collected data were analyzed in the SPSS ver. 13 using descriptive and inferential statistics. Also, t-test and ANOVA test were applied to investigate the correlation between the dimensions of quality of life and socio-demographic variables. P < 0.05 denoted as statistically significant. Results: The results showed that the quality of life in the function and symptoms dimensions were in acceptable levels. In the function dimension, the highest and lowest scores belonged to the cognitive and emotional domains, respectively. Also, those women who had the symptoms of insomnia and fatigue, and reported the pressure due to financial burden of cancer treatment had a significantly lower quality of life. A low score was reported in general health dimension. No statistically significant relationships were reported between the socio-demographic characteristics and the women’s quality of life and its dimensions. Conclusion: Since sleeplessness and fatigue reduce the quality of life in women with cancer, nursing interventions are required to relieve cancer-related symptoms. The financial burden of cancer treatment is high. Therefore, governmental and insurance agencies should help with the costs paid by the patients and prevent from reducing their quality of life

Identification of the components for investigation of the psychological strength of nursing applicants: A qualitative study

Aim: There is a lack of clarity about the components which would signify appropriate psychological strengths among nursing student candidates. This study was conducted to identify such components from the viewpoint of the clinical nurses and nursing instructors. Design: A qualitative study. Methods: This study comprised qualitative research using a conventional content analysis approach. Participants were 25 nurses and nursing instructors. Data were collected in audio-recorded and transcribed semi-structured interviews and were analysed using MAXQDA10 software. Results: Analysis revealed four main categories including "anger management," "Stress/distress management," "self-belief" and "aptitude for hard work.". Conclusions: This study identified core components for future investigations into the psychological strengths of nursing applicants. This study provides specific testable hypotheses for future research endeavours. It is recommended that the researchers investigate the appropriateness of the components identified in this study to assess the psychological strength of the applicants in the longitudinal studies

Cancer Screening: Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Healthcare Personnel

Background: It is crucial for medical personnel to be aware of cancer symptoms and engage in appropriate screening practices. This study aimed to investigate the knowledge of Iranian healthcare staff regarding cancer warning symptoms, their attitudes towards cancer risk factors, and their willingness to undertake cancer screening tests.Method: This cross-sectional study involved administering validated questionnaires to 145 medical staff. In addition to descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) were utilized to compare knowledge, attitudes, and performance of cancer screening tests. Pearson's correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between demographic and occupational variables and participants' knowledge and attitudes regarding cancer risk factors and screening practices.Results: The mean knowledge and attitude scores were 7.97 ± 2.01 and 35.41 ± 4.69, respectively. Among the 125 female participants aged 25-57 years, only 44% performed monthly breast self-examinations, 22.1% sought specialist physicians for breast cancer screening, and only 20.51% of female participants over the age of 40 underwent mammography. Regarding cervical cancer screening, 27.2% had undergone annual Pap smear tests, and 17.6% referred to a specialist for annual pelvic examinations. Among staff older than 45 years (24 participants), only one had undertaken an occult blood test and colonoscopy for colorectal cancer screening.Conclusion: Although most healthcare workers demonstrated awareness of cancer warning signs, they did not engage in regular preventive screening practices. Regular educational programs should be implemented to encourage healthcare personnel to perform routine cancer screening

Effectiveness of Text Messaging and Face to Face Training on Improving Knowledge and Quality of Life of Patients undergoing Hemodialysis: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: The quality of life of patients undergoing hemodialysis is lower; to improve their living conditions, patients need further training. This study conducted to compare the effectiveness of two methods of text messaging and face to face education on knowledge and quality of life of patients under hemodialysis. Methods: In a semi-experimental study, 60 patients undergoing hemodialysis in Sina-teaching hospital of Tabriz, Iran were selected by convenience sampling and randomly allocated into three groups: two intervention groups: text massaging (p=20), face to face group (n=20) and one control group (n=20). Their knowledge and quality of life were assessed and compared by Chronic Hemodialysis Knowledge Survey (CHeKS) and Kidney Disease Quality of Life-short form (KDQOL-SF) questionnaires. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 13. Results: After intervention, the knowledge of text messaging and face to face groups was significantly more than the control group (p<0.001), but the quality of life scores after intervention had not any significant difference among the three groups (p=0.762). Intra-group comparisons showed that quality of life in face to face group have been significantly increased (p=0.015). Conclusion: Text messaging and face to face was effective on improving knowledge of patients undergoing hemodialysis. However, the effectiveness of these methods on quality of life needs further evaluations in different setting for longer times in hemodialysis patients

Factors affecting false calls to prehospital Emergency medical services and analyzing The recorded false calls in the dispatch center

INTRODUCTION: False calls to the prehospital emergency medical service (EMS) can divert EMS concentration from people with life-threatening conditions to a false situation and also affect the lives of the at-risk people.MATERIAL AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study, was conducted in 2019. The population consisted of 28 Dispatchers personnel and 130 emergency medical technicians located in 24 urban bases, and the recorded messages of 450 false calls to the prehospital EMS were also analyzed. Both personnel perspectives on the false calls questionnaire and false call content evaluation checklist were used to collect data.RESULTS: The most influential factors in the incidence of false calls were the dimensions of public education (4.38 ± 0.5) and instructions and guidelines (4.28 ± 0.51), respectively. “Insufficient knowledge of people about the sensitivity of EMS work” from the public education dimension (4.60 ± 0.54) and “Lack of codified rules for dealing with false calls to the EMS” from the instructions and guidelines dimension (4.48 ± 0.71) were the most important factors. type of requests from EMS were mostly unnecessary conversations (52.4%) and dispatching an ambulance (21.3%).CONCLUSIONS: Given the importance of emergency, it is required to promote the general public knowledge and culture, as well as stricter rules and training programs for all ages, should be considered to reduce false calls. On the other hand, prehospital emergency medical dispatcher personnel should be trained on how to deal with false calls

Self-Esteem Challenges of Nursing Students: An Integrative Review

Introduction: Self-esteem among nursing students is important in providing high-quality serviceto clients, yet each study in this field has described only a portion of existing relevant knowledge.Integrative review studies are the best practice for identification of existing nursing knowledge.The purpose of this study was to determine self-esteem challenges among nursing students. Methods: An integrative review was conducted in this study. The databases ProQuest, Medlineon PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar and Iran Medix were used for the review. The articleswere retrieved in three steps, including searching by search terms, reviewing the proceedingsbased on inclusion criteria and final retrieval and assessment of the available full texts. We used alist of keywords, including nursing, self-esteem and challenges and mixed them with "AND" and"OR" as a search strategy. Papers were included and eligible if they were associated with problemsrelated to nursing students’ self-esteem. Those studies that focused only on the self-esteem ofregistered nurses or patients were excluded. Search results were limited to the years 1960-2014. Results: Our findings showed three major challenges, including challenges associated withinconsistency in determining the level of students’ self-esteem, self-esteem associated challengesin professionalism of students, and the psychosocial challenges pertaining to the consequences oflow self-esteem. Conclusion: The findings suggest there is a need for more qualitative research to explore thefactors that contribute to self-esteem in nursing students with a particular focus on the factorsthat increase or decrease self-esteem. In addition, strategies to maintain and increase self-esteemneed to be designed, implemented and evaluated

Emergency medical technicians occupational stress scale: development and validation

INTRODUCTION: Several stress factors are experienced by emergency medical technicians (EMTs), the identification and management of which may be a major challenge due to the lack of valid and reliable instruments. This study aimed to develop a relevant and easy-to-use occupational stress scale (OSS) for EMTs with adequate psychometric properties. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A mixed method with an exploratory sequential design was used in this research. Items were generated based on the existing literature and a qualitative study, followed by testing the content and face validity of the items. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was done with a random sample of 247 EMTs. Also, internal consistency and stability reliability were investigated. RESULTS: From the initial 74 items, 20 with content validity ratio and content validity index were removed. In EFA, the item set resolved to a 50-item scale in the six dimensions include: Patient and family conditions, Environmental and occupational conditions, Traumatic consequences, Supportive management problems, Lack of support, and Interpersonal and individual tension. Cronbach's alpha and Intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) showed excellent reliability. CONCLUSIONS: The OSS-EMT represents a psychometrically derived instrument that identified important stressors for EMTs., and is probably among the first studies in Iran. While explaining the methodology precisely, this study evaluated the validity and reliability of the OSS in EMTs based on principles of survey instrument development and validation

Spirituality in Cancer Care: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Spirituality is an important aspect of health care that has been proposed in nursing over the past decades. It is recommended as an inseparable component of holistic nursing. This study aims to explore the nurses’ and patients’ perception of spirituality in cancer care. Method: In a conventional qualitative content analysis, data was collected through purposive sampling by semi-structured deep interviews with 17 participants (10 patients and 7 nurses) in oncology units of hospitals in Tabriz, and was analyzed simultaneously. Robustness of data analysis was evaluated by the participants and external control. Results: The emergent main theme was the "spirituality raising interactions". This theme consisted of three sub-themes of "spiritual elevation in cancer care", "spiritual care barriers", and "religion-based strategies". Patients with cancer understand cancer as an opportunity for belief correction, closeness to God, and awareness of death as reincarnation. Nurses had poor skills in assessing and responding to patients' spiritual needs and there were no support from organizations and clergymen for them in addressing spiritual distress of patients. However, they were a source of energy, joy, hope, and power for patients through their empathy, compassion, and openness. Patients and nurses used strategies based on religious beliefs for strengthening their spiritual dimension. Conclusion: Spiritual care requires a patient-centered approach in communication. Communication in which the religious and spiritual beliefs of patients are considered as a valuable source of spiritual coping, and which gives them the feeling of empathy, trust, passion, and joy. For reduction of barriers, the integration of spiritual care issues in the curriculum of nursing and service training programs is recommended. Care environment must be changed for religious practices and spiritual advisors and clergymen should help patients and nurses in coping with spiritual distress. Keywords: Spirituality, Religion, Spiritual care, Cancer, Content analysi

The association of compassionate care and coping with disease among patients undergoing hemodialysis

Abstract Background Compassionate care is one of the concepts that is important to the care of patients with chronic diseases, especially for patients undergoing hemodialysis who deal with all kinds of problems and sufferings. This study aimed to measure the level of compassionate care from the perspective of hemodialysis patients and to assess the relationship between compassionate care and coping with the disease. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted on 240 patients undergoing hemodialysis in two hemodialysis centers. The participants were selected by random sampling method. Data were collected by the Schwartz Center Compassionate Care Scale (SCCCS) and the Brief COPE scale. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS (version 26) software using ANOVA, t test, and Pearson's correlation coefficient. Results The mean score of compassionate care from the perspective of patients on hemodialysis was 101.20 ± 17.47 out of 120. Among coping strategies, problem-focused strategies which are considered efficient were used more than other emotional-focused and avoidance coping strategies. Moreover, there was a significant and positive relationship of compassionate care with problem-focused and emotional-focused strategies (p < 0.05). Conclusion According to the results, providing compassionate care for patients on hemodialysis could help them to cope with their disease. Moreover, the results showed that providing compassionate care is associated with positive coping strategies. Therefore, it is suggested for healthcare working in the hemodialysis units provide high-quality compassionate care and help the patients and their families to cope with their chronic diseases