The Effectiveness of Doctoral Program in Nursing in Iran Based on the Patrick Model

Background: Doctoral program in nursing aims to train nursing professionals and managers to improve the quality of care and ultimately to promote public health. Some critics believe that in Iran this program mostly focuses on training instructors and researchers and neither improves the function and position of nursing discipline nor meets the needs of the community. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of nursing doctoral program based on the Patrick model from the perspective of nursing doctoral students. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 90 nursing students who were conveniently selected from seven nursing schools. A questionnaire designed based on the Patrick model was used. Descriptive statistics, simple and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Percentage of the effectiveness scores was reported. Results: The mean score of effectiveness of the nursing doctoral program was 84.76 ± 2.73, which assumed a good level. Multiple regression analysis showed that job status and being native in the field of education explains 11% of the variance in the effectiveness score. Conclusions: Although the efficacy of nursing doctoral program is good, however, it needs revision to enhance the outcomes of the program in order to meet public needs and to increase learners’ satisfaction

Effectiveness of an operating room master of science program based on Kirkpatrick’s model

Background: Evaluation is one of the most critical issues in the training process. Kirkpatrick’s model is one method in educational evaluation that can accurately evaluate programs. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an operating room master of scienc (MS) program om based on Kirkpatrick’s model. Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using convenience sampling with 46 students and graduates from the operating room MS degree at the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2020-2021. A valid and reliable questionnaire with 47 items in three levels of reaction, learning, and performance was used to evaluate the opinions of graduates and students. The survey was sent to their email addresses and returned to the researcher after completion. Results: Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model showed that the overall evaluation of the operating room program was 70.97±9.32, which can be considered a moderate level. Students’ satisfaction with the program was moderate (68.00±14.97); their learning (84.54±15.69) and performance (84.30±9.28) were evaluated to be at a reasonable level. Conclusion: Considering the average effectiveness of the whole program, it is suggested that the educational managers of the operating room department plan and attempt to increase their indicators by considering the weaknesses and strengths of the program

Caring for Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease in Nursing Homes: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Introduction: Gradual and inevitable deterioration of mind and self causes wide ranges of somatic, emotional, and financial needs in patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Nurses have a main role in preparing a suitable environment and care for patients. The aim of this research was to understand caring experience and perspective of staff in nursing homes. Method: In a qualitative study, 10 female and three male caregivers in Iranian nursing homes were selected based on purposeful sampling. The subjects were interviewed and data was analyzed using content analysis method. After data immersion, interview texts were transcribed verbatim and initial codes were extracted. These initial codes were re-evaluated and categorized. Results: Nearly 850 initial codes were extracted and categorized as three main themes of aspects, bases, and characteristics of care. In addition, 17 sub-themes were identified. Conclusion: Caring for patients’ with Alzheimer’s disease consists of physical routines. Other aspects of care receive limited attention and are provided unprofessionally, based on common sense and personal experience. Employing and continuous education of trained staff in assessment and caring of patients with Alzheimer’s disease can improve the environment of nursing homes, the quality of the provided care, and patients’ quality of life.. Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, Care, Nursing home, Qualitative research, Experienc

Reinforcement Behavior Therapy by Kindergarten Teachers on Preschool Children’s Aggression: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Aggression is a kind of behavior that causes damage or harm to others. The prevalence of aggression is 8–20% in 3–6 years old children. The present study aimed to assess the effect of training kindergarten teachers regarding reinforcement behavior therapy on preschoolers’ aggression. Methods: In this cluster randomized control trial, 14 out of 35 kindergarten and preschool centers of Mohr city, Iran, were chosen using random cluster sampling and then randomly assigned to an intervention and a control group. All 370 kindergarten and preschool children in 14 kindergarten were assessed by preschoolers’ aggression questionnaire and 60 children who obtained a minimum aggression score of 117.48 for girls and 125.77 for boys were randomly selected. The teachers in the intervention group participated in 4 educational sessions on behavior therapy and then practiced this technique under the supervision of the researcher for two months. Preschoolers’ aggression questionnaire was computed in both intervention and control groups before and after a two-month period. Results: The results demonstrated a significant statistical difference in the total aggression score (P=0.01), verbal (P=0.02) and physical (P=0.01) aggression subscales scores in the intervention group in comparison to the control group after the intervention. But the scores of relational aggression (P=0.09) and impulsive anger (P=0.08) subscales were not statistically different in the intervention group compared to the controls. Conclusion: This study highlighted the importance of teaching reinforcement behavior therapy by kindergarten teachers in decreasing verbal and physical aggression in preschoolers

The Effect of Self-Care Education on Emotional Intelligence and HbA1c level in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

Background: The role of Emotional Intelligence (EI) in glycemic control in type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) has not been fully understood. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of self-care education on EI and hemoglobin glycosylated (HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: In this randomized controlled clinical trial, 48 patients with type 2 DM referred to Shahid Motahari Diabetes Center in 2015 were divided into an intervention and a control group using block randomization. The study data were collected using Bar-On questionnaire and blood testing immediately and two months after the intervention. The educational content was presented to the intervention group through 1-1:30-hour sessions held once a week for 8 continuous weeks. The control group, however, only received the clinic’s routine cares. Results: The results showed a significant difference in the mean level of HbA1c in the intervention group before and two months after the intervention (P=0.003). However, this difference was not significant in the control group. Moreover, the mean of EI was higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (P=0.08). Conclusion: Self-care education improved the HbA1c level and EI among the patients with type 2 DM. Therefore, it is recommended that health care providers, specially nurses, should train the diabetic patients for self-care, which can lead to better glycemic control. Trial Registration Number: IRCT201408188505N

The Association Between Menarche Age and Birth Weight, Mother and Older Sister’s Age of Menarche

Background Age of menarche is a sign of the beginning of the ability to reproduce and is usually a turning point for the development and maturity and puberty. Regulatory factors in the onset of menarche age are not well understood, but in developed countries, it is thought that about half of the variations in the onset age of menarche is associated with genetic factors. Objectives To determine the association between menarche age, birth weight and the mother and older sister’s age of menarche; the subjects of this study were Shirazifemaleprimary, middle and high schools students in 2014 - 2015. Methods This is a cross-sectional study, which was done on 2000 girls aged 9 - 18 years. In the first stage, sampling of schools in 4 regions was randomly assigned to clusters. Then, the students in each school were selected purposively. The questionnaires filled in by the participants contained demographic items, menarche age, and birth weight. Data were analyzed through SPSS (version16), using Chi-square test and ANOVA. Results The majority of the subjects (n: 1294, 64.7%) had normal menarche age (11 - 14 years old).There was no relationship between menarche age and birth weight (P: 0.67).However, it was significantly associated with the students’ mother and older sister’s age of menarche (P: 0.001). Conclusions According to the findings, menarche age was within the normal range (11 - 14 years) in the majority of the subjects. There was a significant positive association between menarche age in both mothers and girls. In other words; girls reach menarche age earlier than their mothers. Thus, and mother and older sister’s menarche age can be a proper criterion to predictit in girls

Job satisfaction and related factors among Iranian intensive care unit nurses

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study is to determine the levels of job satisfaction and to collect information about the factors affecting job satisfaction of Iranian ICU hospital nurses. Results The participants included 124 nurses working in the ICU section of hospitals in the city of Amol in Iran, who were selected by census method. The instruments for gathering the information included Demographic Information Questionnaire and also the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire. The results revealed that the average score of job satisfaction among ICU nurses was 2.50 ± 0.51. Also job satisfaction among women was higher than men (P = 0.03, t = 0.4). One way analysis of variance showed a significant relation between job satisfaction level with employment status and overtime work. Also older nurses had higher levels of job satisfaction. Hospital directors and managers, can use the results of this study in order to have a deeper understanding of job satisfaction among nurses, and the factors affecting it

Impediments to the formation of intensive care nurses� professional identify

Background: Nurses face challenges regarding professional identify. Being unaware of these challenges and not owning positive professional identify leads to a lack of self-confidence. Thus, nurses face problems in interpersonal communication and lose their attachment to their profession. Few studies have engaged with impediments to forming positive professional identity in relation to intensive care nurses. Objective: The purpose of this study is to investigate the impediments to forming positive professional identity in nurses working in intensive care unit. Research design: In this study, the conventional content analysis method was used in order to obtain the impediments to forming positive professional identities in nurses. Data were collected through 15 semi-structured interviews and 2 focus group interviews from March 2015 to June 2016. Purposive sampling was used and participants were recruited until data saturation was reached; they were then analyzed using the conventional content analysis method. Participants and research context: In total, 24 intensive care unit nurses from one hospital in Northern Iran were selected through purposive sampling. Ethical consideration: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. Findings: Four main themes of professional identity challenges were extracted from the analysis of the data: neglect of professional status of nursing; distrust of nursing knowledge; unprofessional performance; and low professional attraction. Discussion and conclusion: Nurses stated that the neglect of the professional status of nursing and distrust of nursing knowledge have always been a hindrance in forming a positive professional identity. They also mentioned that unprofessional performance and low professional attraction are the other influencing factors in this regard. Thus, detecting these factors can guide nurses and their managers towards creating positive professional identity, and as a result, will improve their job satisfaction, professional advancement, and durability. © The Author(s) 2018

Factors affecting nursing students' professional self-concept in Iran: a qualitative study

INTRODUCTION: Professional self-concept is a contextualized multidimensional concept that describes the subjective experiences and feelings of nurses with regard to nursing roles. Professional self-concept starts to develop during the academic years. Yet, there is still limited understanding about the factors affecting nursing students' professional self-concept, which is a potential problem. Poor professional self-concept negatively affects nurses' clinical practice, job satisfaction, and retention in the profession.Aim: This study aimed to explore factors affecting Iranian nursing students' professional self- concept from the perspectives of nursing students, nursing instructors, and hospital nurses. METHODS: This exploratory qualitative study was carried out from June 2018 to April 2019. Participants were four hospital nurses, three clinical nursing instructors, and four nursing stu- dents who were purposively selected from the Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. Data were gathered via in-depth semi-structured interviews and were analyzed via con- ventional content analysis proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. FINDINGS: In total, 610 primary codes were generated and grouped into eleven subthemes and five main themes. The main themes of the study were professional instructors, competent nur- ses, informed choice of nursing profession, difficulties of nursing profession, and congruence between students' personal-professional values and nursing profession. CONCLUSION: Professional self-concept is affected by different personal, educational, envi- ronmental, and social factors. Nursing instructors, hospital managers, and nurse managers can use the findings of this study to support nursing students, promote their professional self-con- cept, and ensure their retention in the profession. KEYWORDS: Professional self-concept, Nursing, Student, Qualitative study, Iran Fattori che influenzano il concetto di seÌ professionale degli studenti infermieri in Iran: uno studio qualitativeINTRODUZIONE: il concetto di seÌ professionale è un concetto multidimensionale contestualiz- zato che descrive le esperienze e i sentimenti soggettivi degli infermieri riguardo ai ruoli infer- mieristici. Il concetto di seÌ professionale inizia a svilupparsi durante gli anni accademici. Tuttavia, c'è ancora una comprensione limitata dei fattori che influenzano il concetto di seÌ professionale degli studenti infermieri, che è un potenziale problema. La scarsa concezione di seÌ professionale influisce negativamente sulla pratica clinica, sulla soddisfazione lavorativa e sulla conservazione nella professione degli infermieri. OBIETTIVO: questo studio mirava a esplorare i fattori che influenzano il concetto di seÌ profes- sionale degli studenti infermieri iraniani dal punto di vista degli studenti infermieristici, degli istruttori infermieristici e degli infermieri ospedalieri. Metodi: questo studio qualitativo esplorativo è stato condotto da giugno 2018 ad aprile 2019. I partecipanti erano quattro infermieri ospedalieri, tre istruttori di infermieristica clinica e quattro studenti di infermieristica che sono stati appositamente selezionati dalla Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran. I dati sono stati raccolti tramite interviste semi- strutturate approfondite e sono stati analizzati tramite l'analisi del contenuto convenzionale proposta da Graneheim e Lundman. RISULTATI: in totale, sono stati generati 610 codici primari e raggruppati in undici temi secon- dari e cinque temi principali. I temi principali dello studio erano istruttori professionisti, infer- mieri competenti, scelta informata della professione infermieristica, difficoltaÌ€ della professione infermieristica e congruenza tra i valori personali-professionali degli studenti e la professione infermieristica. CONCLUSIONE: il concetto di seÌ professionale è influenzato da diversi fattori personali, educa- tivi, ambientali e sociali. Istruttori infermieristici, dirigenti ospedalieri e dirigenti infermieri- stici possono utilizzare i risultati di questo studio per supportare gli studenti infermieristici, promuovere il loro concetto di seÌ professionale e garantire la loro permanenza nella profes- sione. PAROLE CHIAVE: autoconcetto professionale, infermieristica, studente, studio qualitativo, Ira