The image of nursing, as perceived by Iranian male nurses

The stereotypical public image of nursing is a major concern for male nurses around the world. In this study, we explored how Iranian male nurses perceived the public view of nurses, and their perceptions of themselves. A qualitative descriptive design and content analysis were used to obtain data from 18 purposely-selected male hospital nurses with a baccalaureate nursing degree in Tabriz, Iran. Semistructured interviews were conducted and analyzed. Two main themes emerged: (i) the outsider's view of nursing, which referred to the participants' perceptions of their public image; and (ii) the insider's view, which related to the male nurses' perceptions of themselves. Results included personal transition into a positive professional self-image through the educational process, and continued public perception of nursing as a female profession ill-suited for a man. Strategies to improve the insider's and outsider's views of nursing are listed to help recruit and retain more Iranian male nurses

On BC-generalized Landsberg Finsler metrics

Abstract Equality of hh -curvatures of the Berwald and Cartan connections leads to a new class of Finsler metrics, socalled BC-generalized Landsberg metrics. Here, we prove that every BC-generalized Landsberg metric of scalar flag curvature with dimension greater than two is of constant flag curvature

Coping With Stress in Iranian School-Age Children

Background: Methods learnt by children to cope with stress will be used in their adolescence. Failure to learn adaptive coping strategies causes some mental, physical and behavioral problems which continue until adulthood. Objectives: The current study was conducted to investigate the methods of coping with stress among Iranian school-age children. Patients and Methods: A descriptive study was conducted in which a randomly selected sample of 839 students of third to fifth grade of primary school in Tabriz, Iran participated. The data were collected using the Schoolagers` Coping Strategies Inventory questionnaire. SPSS software was employed to analyze the data by percentage, absolute frequency, and linear regression test. Results: All coping methods inserted in the questionnaire were used by students. More than 70% of students mentioned “pray”, “say I’m sorry or tell the truth”, and “try to relax, stay calm” out of 26 cases of coping strategies. According to more than 60% of children, “pray”, “say I’m sorry or tell the truth”, and “draw, write, or read something” were the most useful coping methods and “pick on someone” and “yell or scream” were not mostly used by the children under study. Conclusions: Children use variable methods to cope with their stress. Therefore, parents, health trainers and school authorities should distinguish non-adaptive methods of children and teach them the adaptive coping strategies

The lived experiences of patients post coronary angioplasty: A qualitative study

© 2014 Society for Vascular Nursing, Inc. Few qualitative studies have focused on the experiences of patients post angioplasty. A deep understanding of patient experiences of care and the way a treatment can affect their everyday life is particularly important in chronic disease management. The aim of this study was to explore experiences that patients undergo after angioplasty. Using a phenomenological study design, 15 patients participated in individual, face-to-face, semistructured interviews. Data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. The following core themes emerged from the analysis, which reflect the experiences of patients post angioplasty: (a) Angioplasty is a milestone in the patient's life, (b) living with a mended heart, and (c) psychological distress as an integral part of the patient's life. Participants after angioplasty went through both positive and negative changes in their life. Understanding these experiences is essential to modifying high-risk behaviors while supporting patients through their rehabilitation

Recipients' experiences after organ transplantation

Background: After organ transplantation, many patients have diverse experiences; they face many changes in the physical and emotional aspects of their life. Patients' understandings of the post-transplantation period influence their adaptation to the changes. There is a need to improving the knowledge of patients' unique experiences of post-transplantation period and the changes occur in their life. Objective: To explore the experiences of organ recipients in the post-transplantation period. Methods: In a qualitative research using a hermeneutical phenomenological approach, data were collected from April 2015 to June 2016. Participants were consisted of 15 patients who received organ chosen using a purposive sampling method. In-depth semi-structured interviews were held with them. The collected data were analyzed using Diekelmann's hermeneutical analysis approach. Results: The data analyses led to the development of 3 main themes and 17 subthemes as "back from the grave" with the subthemes of "organ as the God's deposit," "God as the source of life," and "new life" "chapter of prosperity" with the subthemes of "the spring of the body," "recovery," "peace and joy," "benevolent and good behavior," "renewal," "opportunity of being together again," "golden age," "positive perspective," "the sense of normality," "the return of health," and "spiritual evolution" and "the fall" with the subthemes of "a lack of energy," "the mirage of transplantation," and "hell on the earth." Conclusion: The patients had diverse experiences of the post-transplantation period, which varied from the feeling of exhilaration and youth to losing energy and the wish for not undertaking organ transplantation. © 2018, Iranian Society for Organ Transplantation

Recipients' experiences after organ transplantation

Background: After organ transplantation, many patients have diverse experiences; they face many changes in the physical and emotional aspects of their life. Patients' understandings of the post-transplantation period influence their adaptation to the changes. There is a need to improving the knowledge of patients' unique experiences of post-transplantation period and the changes occur in their life. Objective: To explore the experiences of organ recipients in the post-transplantation period. Methods: In a qualitative research using a hermeneutical phenomenological approach, data were collected from April 2015 to June 2016. Participants were consisted of 15 patients who received organ chosen using a purposive sampling method. In-depth semi-structured interviews were held with them. The collected data were analyzed using Diekelmann's hermeneutical analysis approach. Results: The data analyses led to the development of 3 main themes and 17 subthemes as "back from the grave" with the subthemes of "organ as the God's deposit," "God as the source of life," and "new life" "chapter of prosperity" with the subthemes of "the spring of the body," "recovery," "peace and joy," "benevolent and good behavior," "renewal," "opportunity of being together again," "golden age," "positive perspective," "the sense of normality," "the return of health," and "spiritual evolution" and "the fall" with the subthemes of "a lack of energy," "the mirage of transplantation," and "hell on the earth." Conclusion: The patients had diverse experiences of the post-transplantation period, which varied from the feeling of exhilaration and youth to losing energy and the wish for not undertaking organ transplantation. © 2018, Iranian Society for Organ Transplantation

Reforço ao corte de vigas em betão armado recorrendo a painéis em micro betão auto compactável reforçado com fibras metálicas de pneus reciclados

No passado recente, o grupo de investigação "Structural Composites" da Universidade do Minho e a empresa CiviTest – Pesquisa de Novos Materiais para a Engenharia Civil, Lda. têm realizado vários estudos experimentais e numéricos avançados, em parceria, que permitiram a aquisição de conhecimento e o desenvolvimento de materiais de matriz cimentícia reforçados com fibras recicladas (BRFR), nomeadamente as provenientes da indústria da reciclagem de pneus. A investigação desenvolvida tem evidenciado que as fibras recicladas possuem elevadas potencialidades como reforço efetivo do betão, nomeadamente no reforço ao corte. No presente trabalho pretende-se apresentar os resultados relativos à avaliação da eficácia do reforço ao corte de vigas em betão por intermédio da aplicação de finos painéis em microbetão auto-compactável reforçado com fibras de aço de pneus reciclados nas faces de vigas de betão armado existentes. Para tal foram efetuados ensaios comparativos de resistência ao corte entre vigas em betão armado de referência (viga I com 1.25 x 0.17 x 0.30 m3 ; alma com 0.09 m) e vigas similares reforçadas na alma com painéis de 2 cm de espessura em microbetão auto-compactável reforçado com fibras recicladas usando dois sistemas distintos de fixação às respetivas vigas em betão armado. A eficiência da aplicação dos referidos painéis em vigas demonstrou que é possível obter aumentos de capacidade de carga da ordem dos 250 % em vigas não fendilhadas e em vigas previamente fendilhadas. Os resultados e conclusões obtidos são apresentados na presente publicaçã

Cognitive reactivity: cultural adaptation and psychometric testing of the Persian version of the Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity Revised (LEIDS-R) in an Iranian sample

Cognitive reactivity (CR) to the experimental induction of sad mood has been found to predict relapse in recovered depressed patients. The Leiden Index of Depression Sensitivity Revised (LEIDS-R) is a self-report measure of CR. The aim of the present study was to establish the validity and reliability of the Persian version of the LEIDS-R. The participants were recovered depressed and non-depressed Iranian individuals (n = 833). The analyses included content validation, factor analysis, construct validity, and reliability testing. Preliminary construct validation analysis confirmed that factor analysis was appropriate for the Persian version of the LEIDS-R. Factor analysis displayed similar factor loadings to the original English version. The total internal consistency of the translated version, which was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha coefficient, was equal to 0.90. The test-retest reliability of the total score was equal to that of the test-retest conducted after a two-week interval at 0.94. Content validity, face validity, and construct validity, as well as reliability analysis were all found to be satisfactory for the Persian version of the LEIDS-R. The Persian version of the LEIDS-R appears to be valid and reliable for use in future studies, and has properties comparable to the original version and to that obtained in previous studies