Dependency in Activities of Daily Living Following Limb Trauma in Elderly Referred to Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Kashan-Iran in 2013

Background: Activities of daily living (ADL) are an important indicator of health and independence in elderly. It provides useful information for proper planning in the field of elderly care. Trauma in elderly population is frequent and can negatively affect the independence in ADL. Objectives: The purpose of the present study was to evaluate elderly independence in activities of daily living (ADL) following limb trauma and its related factors in patients referred to trauma emergency ward of Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Kashan, Iran, in 2013. Patients and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 200 traumatic patients admitted to trauma emergency ward of Shahid Beheshti Hospital in 2013. The questionnaire used in this study had three parts as demographic data, information related to trauma and ISADL (independency scale of activities of daily living). ISADL was completed in emergency ward to declare pretraumatic status; it was also completed 1 and 3 months after trauma. Statistical analysis was conducted by Chi-square test, One-way and two-factor ANOVA, and Multiple regression analysis. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS software, version 16. Results: The average age of participants was 70.57 ± 9.05 years. In total, 80.5% of the elderly were completely independent in ISADL before trauma; this decreased to 13.5% one month after trauma. Besides, 32% of the elderly were completely or relatively dependent three months after trauma. Two-factor ANOVA showed a significant association between the scores of ISADL, the time interval and the type and location of an injured organ, and having the surgery as a treatment. Conclusions: More than three-quarters of the elderly were independent in ISADL before the trauma, but trauma in elderly patients had a substantial negative effect on patients' ability and ADL function

A study on improving nursing clinical competencies in a surgical department: A participatory action research

Aims: The purpose of the present study was to improve clinical competencies in nursing staff in a selected surgical department in Kashan/Iran during 2016�2018. Design: This was a participatory action research. Methods: This action research was implemented in four steps of problem identification, planning, action and reflection. Interviews, focus groups and observation were used for the qualitative part. Conditions of Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II, job satisfaction and patients' satisfaction questionnaires were completed before and after the study. Qualitative content analysis, paired and independent t test were used for data analysis. Results: Three main problems could affect the clinical competencies including professional insufficiency, basic shortages and external influences. Three changes were implemented in the surgical department including improving education, involving nursing students in patients' education and increasing the motivations by peer evaluation and selecting the nurse of the week. The changes significantly increased patients' satisfaction, nurses' job satisfaction and work effectiveness. © 2020 The Authors. Nursing Open published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd

Patients and Health Professionals Views on Caring in Diabetes Disease

Background: Diabetes is a common problem with severe complications. The control of diabetes needs a close and honest relationship between patients and health professionals. The views of these two groups might influence the professional relationship. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to identify the views of diabetic patients versus the views of diabetic care professionals on the content of caring. Patients and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted with the content analysis method. The participants consisted of adults who had suffered from diabetes for a minimum of one year, and health care professionals working in diabetes care centers. Fifteen patients and fifteen health professionals participated in the interviews. Results: The findings present four main themes which are as follows: what caring is and what means to care, the obstacles in providing care, the outcomes of caring, and specialist community-based care as a crucial intervention in diabetes care, the themes were identified and based on the data analysis, It appeared that patients were more outcome centered, while health professionals were more process- centered in the context of caring. Conclusions: It appeared that patients were more outcome centered, while health professionals were more process -centered in the context of caring

Knowledge of Mothers in Management of Diarrhea in Under-Five Children, in Kashan, Iran

Background: Diarrhea has been considered as a major cause of mortality in children aged less than five years old. Most of these deaths are due to dehydration and mis management or delayed management of the disease. Most of the diarrhea episodes are treated in the home by mothers. Therefore the mothers’ knowledge in management of diarrhea is likely related to its mortality and morbidity. Objectives: This study designed to evaluate the knowledge of the mothers with children under five years old about diarrhea and its management and to identify the relation of the knowledge content with some demographic characteristics. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 430 mothers who had at least one child aged below five years old were selected by cluster sampling. The mothers were asked to complete the 22 items questionnaire designed to evaluate their knowledge of diarrhea. Some demographic characteristics such as age, number of children, education of the mother and her spouse and the source of knowledge also were recorded. Subsequently, the data analyzed using descriptive statistics and chi-square test. Results: Most of the mothers were 25-30 years old (43.8%). Slightly more than half (55.6%) had just one child. The health center, educational programs and the personal reading were the main sources of the knowledge about the treatment (43.7%). Twenty eight point eight percent of the mothers had a good knowledge in diarrhea diagnosis and its treatment, while the 46.5% had medium and 24.7% suffered low knowledge. The knowledge of the mothers had significant relationship with the age of the mother, education of the father, number of children, occupation of the mother, and the source of the knowledge. Conclusions: The mothers studied in this research had inadequate knowledge about diagnosis and treatment of diarrhea. The educational programs must be an essential part of the health centers programs

Effects of Zataria Multi-Flora, Shirazi thyme, on the Severity of Premenstrual Syndrome

Background: Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) is a common problem in women. Zataria multiflora Boiss is a valuable plant. This herbal plant has been used in different conditions. Objectives: The study was performed to investigate the effects of Zataria multiflora Boiss to control PMS symptoms. Materials and Methods: This study was a double-blinded, prospective randomized trial. The study population was the college students living in the dormitories of Isfahan University. Eighty-eight eligible students were randomly divided to intervention and control groups. Students completed the prospective record of the impact and severity of menstrual symptoms (PRISM) calendar including 30 PMS symptoms for four menstrual cycles (two cycles before, and two after the intervention). The intervention group received pearls containing 20 mg of Zataria multi-flora essence (four pearls each day) for two menstrual cycles, seven days before menstruation. The mean difference of PMS severity score between groups was analyzed with Mann-Whitney U test. The difference in frequency score of symptoms was analyzed using repeated-measure analysis of variance. Results: Thirty-eight students in intervention and 37 students in placebo group completed the study. The groups had no significant difference regarding the severity of PMS. Both groups showed a significant improvement in PMS severity score after the intervention. The repeated-measure analysis of variance showed that the frequency of symptoms decreased significantly in the cycles, but it was not different in intervention and placebo groups. Conclusions: Our findings did not support the use of Zataria multiflora Boiss in premenstrual syndrome