Comparison of Marital Satisfaction of Nurse Couples and Those Whose Spouse is not a Nurse and Predicting Factors that Determine their Marital Satisfaction

Context: The nature of the nursing profession is one of the effective factors in the marital satisfaction of nurses. Objectives: This study aimed to examine the level of marital satisfaction in nurse couples in comparison to those whose spouse is not a nurse and predict factors that determine their marital satisfaction. Methods: Following a cross-sectional design, a total of 252 nurses working in educational hospitals in western and northwestern cities of Iran were recruited for this study. Participants were selected using the convenience sampling method. Data were collected using a two-part questionnaire: (1) items related to socio-demographic characteristics; and (2) items related to ENRICH Marital Satisfaction (EMS) Scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS v 21.0. Results: The mean (SD) age of participants was 32.4 (6.39) years. Marital satisfaction was higher among employed nurse couples, those with rotating shifts, those with a lower number of night-work shifts per month, those with personal housing, and those whose spouse was a nurse. Also, a significant association was found between income level and marital satisfaction (P = 0.002, F = 6.67). Conclusions: According to the findings, nurse couples had higher marital satisfaction in comparison to those whose spouse was not a nurse. Nurses reported their marital satisfaction as moderate. Paying attention to the livelihood conditions of nurses, providing more flexibility, and giving nurses the right to choose to set a monthly work schedule can improve their marital satisfaction. © 2022, Author(s)

The impact of nurses' perceptions of systems thinking on occurrence and reporting of adverse events: a cross-sectional study

AIMS: To assess systems thinking level and its relationship with occurrence and reporting of adverse events in Iranian nurses. BACKGROUND: Systems thinking has recently emerged important element of patient safety and quality improvement in health care systems. It helps healthcare professionals to understand the different elements of healthcare systems, the interrelatedness, and interdependencies of these elements in the healthcare systems. METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was carried out in ten teaching hospitals in Tehran, Iran. A total of 511 nurses were selected using simple random sampling. Systems thinking was measured using the validated Systems Thinking Scale. Data analysis was performed by descriptive analyses, independent t-test, and logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The average score for total systems thinking was a mean of 49.45 (SD = 12.10; range 0-80). In total, 67.5 of participants reported the experience of the occurrence of adverse events leading to harm to patients and 65.2 of them responded as having appropriate adverse events reporting behaviors. Nurses who had higher scores in systems thinking were found to be more likely to report adverse events (Odds ratio = 1.07; 95 CI = 1.05 - 1.09), whereas they were less prone to experience adverse events (Odds ratio = 0.97; 95 CI = 0.95 - 0.98). CONCLUSION: Our results indicated that the nurses' systems thinking level was moderate. Systems thinking had a significant role in preventing the occurrence of adverse events as well as improving the reporting of adverse events. Therefore, it is recommended to enhance the competency of nurses' thinking systems to prevent the occurrence of adverse events and to improve the reporting of adverse events. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nursing managers need to focus on the systems thinking weaknesses and the occurrence and the reporting of adverse events in policymaking, practice, and research. Also, systems thinking should be integrated with the health care system for preventing the occurrence of adverse events and improving reporting of adverse events. They should support, lead, and allocate the essential pragmatic strategies and resources for the involvement of all health care members in policymaking