Effects of iranian healthcare transformation plan on discharge against medical advice

Background: The Health care transformation plan (HCTP) is expected to improve the regulations and quality of the provided services in hospitals. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Effects of Iranian healthcare transformation plan on discharge against medical advice (DAMA) of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. Method: This descriptive-retrospective study was performed 2630 patients discharged during the two half-yearly time intervals before (2013-2014) and after (2015-2016), respectively. Data collection was by standard form of DAMA issued by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education. Data analyses were performed by descriptive statistics and inferential statistics. SPSS-16 software was used in this study and P values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: The level DAMA before and after introduction of the Healthcare Reform was 4.5 and 4.11 percent, respectively, which did not differ significantly (p = 0.889). In addition, there was no significant difference in the discharge level by age groups, hospital departments (p = 1), gender (p = 0.57), or holydays (p = 0.73). Conclusion: Our study did not find any evidence for the impact of the HCTP on frequency of the DAMA and the factors associated to it. However, the overall results implied necessity of a more comprehensive and integrated planning regarding supply of the required facilities, equipment, and human resources, as well as enlargement of physical space of treatment centers within the framework of this large-scale, nationwide program. © 2020, Hampstead Psychological Associates. All rights reserved

Translation and psychometrics of instrument of professional attitude for student nurses (IPASN) scale

Background: Achieving professional identity is one of the research priorities, and considering the importance of professional attitude among student nurses, it is necessary to identify a scale that is able to measure their achievement in professional attitude. Objectives: The present study was conducted with the aim of translation and psychometrics of instrument of professional attitude for student nurses (IPASN) scale. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the translation and psychometrics of �instrument of professional attitude for student nurses scale� was performed based on the model of Wild et al. The third to eighth semester nursing students of Ilam University of Medical Sciences comprised the research population who were 300 students. After translation and retranslation, the editorial comments of the scale designer were applied. Then, content validity, face validity, confirmatory factor analysis, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the Persian version were calculated. Data were analyzed using SPSS software version 20 and EQS6.1. Results: The confirmatory factor analysis of the 28-item scale with its 8 sub-scales was confirmed by deleting the statement 7 and moving the items 10, 15, and 18. The reliability of the internal consistency was calculated to be α = 0.89 for the total scale, and (0.89), (0.45), (0.67), (0.69), (0.69), (0.73), (0.70), and (0.93) for the sub-scales, respectively. Pearson�s correlation coefficient was r = 0.79 for test-retest reliability (P < 0.005). Conclusions: This study shows that the modified Persian version of the instrument of professional attitude for student nurses scale with 27 statements is valid and reliable, and can be used to assess the nursing students towards their professional life. © 2020, Author(s)

Effects of the crude venom of hemiscorpius lepturus (Scorpionida: Hemiscorpiidae) on mortality rate of white mice

Hemiscorpius lepturus (H. lepturus) is the most venomous scorpion in Iran. Its venom can damage vital body organs and cause fatal consequences. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of this scorpion venom on the mortality rates of mice. This experimental study was conducted on two groups of mice (treatment and control) weighing between 27 and 30 grams of the same age and race. In the treatment group, 1 micro liter of diluted crude venom of H. lepturus scorpion in 0.1 ml of normal saline was injected with suitable syringe. The control group received 0.1 ml of sterile normal saline. Data obtained from the groups were recorded and analyzed with Chi square and Fisher's exact tests. The results showed that H. lepturus venom could cause death by as much as 82 percent over 6 to 240 hours. The initial major symptoms of poisoning in mice after injection of venom included humping, lack of nutrition, immobilization, and piloerection. In final stages of life, contractions, severe shaking of legs and occasional moanings were observed, which continued until an hour before death. Not all injections of H. lepturus venom are fatal, in cases where mice had local wounds due to venom injection, they survived. It can be concluded that the injection-induced ulcers in mice are appropriate immune responses against this venom. © 2019, Connect Journal