Exploring the Human Factors Affecting Health Service Managers: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: In recent decades, managing health-service systems has faced multiple challenges. Identifying and resolving these challenges promote the efficiency and effectiveness of hospital activities. AIM: The present study aimed to explore the human factors affecting health service managers.MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this qualitative study, in-depth unstructured interviews were conducted with 29 employees who were in close contact with the health service managers. All the interviews were transcribed verbatim. Data were collected using purposeful sampling and were analysed using conventional content analysis via MAXQDA software.RESULTS: A group of 29 participants were interviewed (male 65.5%, female 34.4%). "Managing managers" has been identified as the primary theme with four supporting secondary themes including the inappropriate appointment of managers, the impact of human and social needs of managers, influential employees, and disrupting organisational communications. These are the challenges faced by managers in managing human resources in health-service organisations.CONCLUSION: Results showed that employees manage their managers within the organisation so that they can prevent managers from concentrating on their management affairs and tasks resulting in the distortion of management practices. The results of this study can help the key policy makers and planners in health-service organisations to guide the organisation to pursue its goals through appointing appropriate managers and identifying influential employees

The impact of cataract surgery on depression in elderly Iranian patients: a case–control study

Background: Cataract-related vision impairment is clearly associated with depressive symptoms in old age. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cataract surgery on depression among elderly Iranian patients.Methods: In this case–control study, a total of 113 elderly patients with and without cataract who were admitted to Buali-Sina Hospital in Sari, Mazandaran, Iran were evaluated. Ophthalmological examinations were first performed at the beginning of the study and then four months later; demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained for all patients. Additionally, depression was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for all patients during the study period.Results: A statistically significant difference was found between the mean depression score in patients without cataract (3.28), patients with cataract surgery (3.74), and patients without cataract surgery (5.60) (P = 0.024). On the other hand, there was no statistically significant differences between the mean depression score in patients with cataract surgery and patients without cataract (P = 0.582). However, a statistically significant difference was observed between the mean depression score after cataract surgery in men (1.70) and women (4.94) (P < 0.001). Visual function improved in all bilateral cataract patients who had surgery in one eye. Also, the results of this study showed that in all unilateral cataract patients who had eye surgery, visual function in the left and right eyes improved.Conclusion: We conclude that depression is more prevalent in patients with cataract compared to those without cataract. In addition, cataract surgery seems to be associated with reduced depression and better visual acuity in elderly patients with cataract

The Impact of Cataract Surgery on Depression in Elderly Iranian Patients: A Case–Control Study

Background: Cataract-related vision impairment is clearly associated with depressive symptoms in old age. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of cataract surgery on depression among elderly Iranian patients. Methods: In this case–control study, a total of 113 elderly patients with and without cataract who were admitted to Buali-Sina Hospital in Sari, Mazandaran, Iran were evaluated. Ophthalmological examinations were first performed at the beginning of the study and then four months later; demographic and clinical characteristics were obtained for all patients. Additionally, depression was assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) for all patients during the study period. Results: A statistically significant difference was found between the mean depression score in patients without cataract (3.28), patients with cataract surgery (3.74), and patients without cataract surgery (5.60) (P = 0.024). On the other hand, there was no statistically significant differences between the mean depression score in patients with cataract surgery and patients without cataract (P = 0.582). However, a statistically significant difference was observed between the mean depression score after cataract surgery in men (1.70) and women (4.94) (P < 0.001). Visual function improved in all bilateral cataract patients who had surgery in one eye. Also, the results of this study showed that in all unilateral cataract patients who had eye surgery, visual function in the left and right eyes improved. Conclusion: We conclude that depression is more prevalent in patients with cataract compared to those without cataract. In addition, cataract surgery seems to be associated with reduced depression and better visual acuity in elderly patients with cataract

The Relationship of Social Capital With Job Satisfaction And The Quality of Nursing Care In Critical Care Nurses

Introduction and Objective: Social capital is an important factor influencing job satisfaction and the quality of nursing care provided by nurses. This study aimed to examine the relationship between social capital, job satisfaction, and quality of nursing care among critical care nurses working in critical care wards (CCWs). Methods: A descriptive-analytical study was carried out in 2018, on nurses working in the critical care wards (CCWs) of Mazandarn University hospitals located in Sari, Iran. The study included 195 participants who completed a demographic questionnaire, Nahapiet and Ghoshal's Social Capital Questionnaire, Spector's Job Satisfaction Survey, and the Quality Patient Care Scale. The collected data were analyzed using both descriptive (Percentages, means, and standard deviations) and analytical statistics (Analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation coefficient and Univariate regression analysis). Results: The study's findings demonstrated a significant and positive correlation between social capital and both job satisfaction (p=0.001) and the quality of nursing care (p=0.001). Social capital was identified as an independent variable that accounts for 20% of the changes in job satisfaction and 41% of the changes in the quality of nursing care. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of social capital in promoting job satisfaction and improving the quality of nursing care among CCW nurses. The findings demonstrate that social capital is a key factor that can significantly impact the quality of care provided to patients. Therefore, nursing managers must recognize the value of social capital and take active steps to promote it within their organizations

Effect of auditory stimulation on traumatic coma duration in intensive care unit of Medical Sciences University of Mazandarn, Iran

Background: Sensory deprivation is one of the common complications of coma patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of a familiar voice to consciousness level in coma patients. Methods: A total of 13 patients with traumatic coma (8 ≥ Glasgow′s coma scale [GCS]) admitted in ICU ward were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The experimental group was treated twice a daily each time 15 min with a familiar recorded MP3 sound for 2 weeks. The control group received only natural voices of environment. GCS applied to evaluate patients′ level of consciousness. Finding: Findings showed that duration to reach GCS = 15 was significantly shorter in the experimental group (χ 2 = 12/96, P < 0/001). Conclusion: These findings imply that providing familiar auditory stimulation programs for coma patients in the ICU could be effective

A comparison of the diagnostic power of the Full Outline of Unresponsiveness scale and the Glasgow coma scale in the discharge outcome prediction of patients with traumatic brain injury admitted to the intensive care unit

Background and Aim : This study aimed to determine whether the Full Outline of Unresponsiveness (FOUR) score is an accurate predictorof discharge outcome in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients and to compare its performanceto Glasgow coma scale (GCS). Materials and Methods: Thisis diagnostic study conducted prospectively on 53 TBI patients admitted to ICU of education hospitals of Medical Science University of Mazandaran during February 2013 to June 2013. Data collection was done with a checklist including biographic, clinical information and outcome. The FOUR score and GCS were determined by the researcher in the first 24 hours. Outcomes considered as in-hospital mortality and poor neurologic outcome (Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) 1-3) in discharge time from the hospital. Results: In terms of predictive power for in-hospital mortality, the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was 0/92 (95% CI. 0/81-0/97) for FOUR score and 0/96 (95% CI. 0/87-0/99) for GCS. In terms of predictive power of poor neurologic outcome, the area under the ROC curve was 0/95 (95% CI. 0/86-0/99) for FOUR score and 0/90 (95% CI.0/79-0/96) for GCS as evidenced by GOS 1-3. The cut-off of 6 showed sensitivity and specificity of total four score predicting poor outcome at 0/86 and 0/87 while the cut-off of 4 showed the value of in hospital mortality at 0/90 and 0/90. The total GCS score showed sensitivity and specificity 0/100 and 0/61 at cut-off 7 in predicting poor outcome while in predicting mortality at cut-off of 4 this range was 0/100 and 0/92. Conclusion: The FOUR score is an accurate predictor of discharge outcome in TBI patients. Thus, researchers recommend for therapeutic Schematizationto use in neurosurgical patients at admission day

Prevalence of postoperative pressure ulcer: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Introduction: A pressure ulcer is a serious safety issue in healthcare systems. The patient’s rate of infection with an ulcer, especially a postoperative ulcer, is critical, as it is dictated by factors such as being in a fixed position during surgery, the type of anesthesia used, the duration of surgery, and patient-related factors. The present study was conducted to carry out a systematic assessment of the prevalence of a postoperative pressure ulcer and to find its general prevalence using a meta-analysis. Methods: The researchers searched databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Science Direct, the Thomson Reuters’ Web of Science (WOS). For English articles published online between January 2000 and October 2015 on the subject of a pressure ulcer, a total of 19 articles were ultimately selected based on the study inclusion criteria. Then results were analyzed in Stata-11. Results: The 19 articles qualified for entering the meta-analysis examined a total of 9527 patients. The studies estimated the general prevalence of a postoperative pressure ulcer as 18.96% (CI 95%: 15.3–22.6); the prevalence by gender was reported as 10.1% (CI 95%: 7.2- 13.01) in men and 12.8% (CI 95%: 8.3-17.2) in women. Stage 1 ulcer had a 17.02% prevalence (CI 95%: 11.04- 22.9), stage 2 a 6.7% prevalence (CI 95%: 3.8- 9.7), stage 3 a 0.9% prevalence (CI 95%: 0.2-1.6), and stage 4 a 0.4% (CI 95%: -0.05-0.8) prevalence. Conclusion: The prevalence of a postoperative pressure ulcer is high among the entire population; however, it is still higher in women than in men. The prevalence of a stage 1 ulcer is higher than the prevalence of the other stages of an ulce

The study of the relationship between value creation and customer loyalty with the role of trust moderation and customer satisfaction in Sari hospitals

Background: Healthcare providers are competitive, owing to heightened customers’ awareness and expectations of health care services. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between customer value creation and loyalty with mediator trust and customer satisfaction. Methods: This is a cross sectional survey study. Participants were 196 patients referred to private hospitals in Sari city, Iran from May to June 2014 which were selected by convenience sampling method. Data were collected using questionnaires. Data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling software Smart PLS. Results: The results revealed a relationship between customer value creation and customer loyalty in a Sari city private hospital, and customer satisfaction and trust, mediate the relationship between customer value creation and customer loyalty. The results also revealed significant positive relationship between customer satisfaction and trust (p=0.000 r=0.585). Conclusion: customer satisfaction and trust mediate the relationship between customer value creation and customer loyalt

The role of regular internet usage on social behavior of students

Aim: This study was aimed to investigate the role of internet usage on social behavior of the students. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 175 university students. The samples were selected randomly from 333 Arabic students and divided into low (8 h a week) internet user groups. The data were collected via social behavior and demographic questionnaires. To analyze the data, t-test was used. Results: The findings indicated that social behavior and subscales, i.e. participation, interpersonal interaction, social positive and negative consequences of students are significantly different in low and high internet user groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Internet is the strongest communication tool, which affects all aspects of human life. This technology is also related with social behavioral aspects of students who participated in this study. Therefore, in social studies, the effects of internet usage in people's behavior could be considered as an effective variable

Quality of life and depression in caregivers of patients with breast cancer

Abstract Background Caregivers have a considerable role in caring and recovery of cancer patients. They may experience psychological problems such as depression, anxiety and decreases in quality of life (QOL). Present study aimed to explore depression and quality of life and their relationship among care givers of patients with breast cancer . Methods In this cross sectional study, enrolled 63 care givers of women with breast cancer attending IMKH hospital in Iran as outpatients during 2009–2010. In order to assess the QOL and depression, we used Caregiver QOL Index-Cancer (CQOL-C) and Beck Depression Inventory respectively. Results We found depression has strong negative correlation with QOL and participants with depression were more likely to have a poorer overall QOL. Conclusions Depression has some effects on QOL of breast cancer patients’ care givers. Assistance and giving information through education and intervention from healthcare professionals is the key of improve the ability of caregivers to enhance their QOL.</p