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Introduction: Nurse’s competency plays an important role in achieving health system objectives. One of the problems in health care system in various countries is the level of nurses' competencies. The aim of this study was to determine clinical competency and psychological empowerment of nurses and their correlation with demographic characteristics.

 

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-correlational study, 170 subjects were selected through simple random sampling method among the nurses of social security hospitals in Tehran. Data was gathered by the questionnaire with three parts: personal-social characteristics, “Clinical Competency Questionnaire" and "Psychological Empowerment Spreitzer". Validity and reliability were confirmed in previous studies. Data were analyzed by SPSS/13.

 

Findings: The highest mean score in clinical competency was seen in managerial capabilities dimension (44.41±5.8) and the lowest mean score also was seen in diagnostic procedures dimension (13.94±1.84). The highest mean score in psychological empowerment was in competency dimension (9.4±1.38) and the lowest mean score also was in independence dimension (8.37±1.72). In addition, there was a significant correlation between the number of staff in ward, educational status of nurses and some dimensions of clinical competency and psychological empowerment and also between the working experience in current ward and some dimensions of clinical empowerment and clinical work experience and some psychological empowerment dimensions (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Based on the higher rate of managerial capabilities and diagnostic procedures, in opposite of nurses impact and independence, retraining programs, continuing education or in-service education programs for nurses, giving more authority and more responsibility to nurses can promote sense of independence in all nurses

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Abstract Introduction: Organizational culture and employee attitude towards information technology are considered as the factors influencing successful implementation of information systems. The aim of this research was to determine the related factors to Hospital Information System (HIS) acceptance according to Competing Values Framework. Materials and Methods: In this descriptive-correlative study, the conceptual model was proposed according to the related literature, and it was confirmed by the views of 7 experts. The two-part questionnaire including "HIS Acceptance" and "Organizational Culture Assessment Instrument" with total of 90 questions was developed based on the model variables. The validity of the questionnaire was obtained by content validity ratio, and its reliability was measured by calculating Cronbach’s Alpha. The research data was gathered through distributing the questionnaires among 400 users of HIS in the considered hospitals by using stratified sampling method. To test the conceptual model, Structural Equation Modeling and path analysis methods were used by applying LISREL Software version 8.7. Findings: The Normed Chi Square Index (1.88) showed that the model had fitness with the gathered data. The indices included Goodness of Fit Index=0.98, Comparative Fit index= 0.98, Adjusted Goodness of Fit index=0.94, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation= 0.047. According to the research model, the correlation of developmental culture and Perceived Usefulness (P=0.020) and the correlation of developmental, also hierarchical cultures and HIS use (P=0.019) were statistically significant. Conclusion: The results of testing the research model indicated that developmental and hierarchical cultures are related to HIS acceptance. In order to facilitate and improve HIS acceptance, it is recommended that the related authorities embark on fostering an environment with tendency towards developmental and hierarchical culture in the hospitals.

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  Abstract

  Introduction: Stressful and unpredictable conditions in the pre - hospital emergency medical staff by imposing additional psychological pressure can affect and cause serious consequences in the long run. The aim of this study was to determine the burnout, dimensions and its related factors in the operational staff of medicine emergency.

  Materials & Methods: This descriptive- correlation study was conducted on 114 operational staff of medicine emergency in Shahroud city . They were selected through convenient sampling method. The instruments used were included personal and professional information form and "Maslach Burnout Questionnaire". Content validity and test- retest reliability were measured. Data was analyzed by SPSS/16.

  Findings: Most staff had a moderate level of burnout in terms of reps (53.78%) and severity (43.82%) Burnout (in all dimensions) was the most of the personnel at the moderate level. There was a significant correlation between burnout and age (P<0.001), work experience (P=0.02) and working hours (P<0.001) but no significant correlation between marital status (P=0.18) and educational level (P=0.09).

  Conclusion: Burnout among emergency medicine personnel was moderate level. Also it was noted that burnout increases as age and work experience of personnel rises. Education in order to decrease the impact of burnout condition further precaution is suggested.

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  Introduction : Using the organizational excellence models as a framework for evaluating the performance has been used by many leading organizations in the world. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of Bardaskan city health network by using the model of the European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM).

  Materials & Methods : In this descriptive study, 25 managers, officials and experts in Bardaskan Health Network, Iran, participated in year 2013. Data collection instrument, (Performa Approach) was based on the EFQM Model. Validity of the instrument was measured by content validity and reliability by test re- test. Score for each of the nine criteria according to RADAR logic was calculated. Collected data were analyzed by SPSS/16.

  Findings : The total score of Bardaskan Health network was 211.8 out of 1000. Enablers got 138.5 and results 73.3 points. Percentage scores for each of the nine criteria of the model was as follows: leadership 26%, strategy 34 . 3%, employer 31 . 1%, resource and partnership 30%, processes 21 . 4%, customer results 6%, employer results 20 . 7%, society results 16 . 6% and key performance results 21 . 7%. Strategy criteria have the most and customer criteria have the lowest score. ‎

  Conclusion: Bardaskan health network performance was evaluated as moderate low. More Focus to improve initiatives on the weakness area which has more effectiveness on the performance of the network is suggested.

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Introduction: Nurses more than other occupational groups are exposed to violence in the workplace. Their attitude to manage their exposure to violence in the workplace violence is effective. This study aimed to determine the effect of workplace violence prevention program on attitudes of nurses towards the management of violence and aggression in patients and their families. Materials & Methods: This study is a quasi-experimental pre-posttest one group study carried out on 65 nurses working in emergency department of Edalatian Imam Reza hospital in Mashhad. Intervention contain three-day seminar for continuing education. Data was collected by "Prevention of Violence in Emergency Department" (MAVAS) where lower scores indicating a positive attitude. Validity of the study scale measured with content validity and reliability with alpha coefficient was confirmed. Data analyzed with SPSS/16. Findings: The average scores of attitude to the management of violence was 30.69±4.41 before the intervention and increased to 29.00 ± 4.41 after the intervention (P=0.021). But of external factors, internal, position, these changes were not significant. Conclusion: Education can improve Attitude to violence in the management dimensions. Further studies are needed to implement educational interventions with different content and methods, the effectiveness of educational programs in this regard to consider

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Introduction: Among all age groups, young people are one of the most risky groups. Hence health-related behavior promotions can reduce exposure of this group to the risk factors. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of health promotion intervention on health-related behaviors in university students. Materials & Methods: The method of this study was quasi-experimental. In total 30 students from psychology, educational sciences and knowledge and information Science from faculties of Psychology and Educational Sciences of Semnan University were selected through convenience sampling method. Then the subjects were randomly assigned to two groups of intervention (15 persons) and control (15 persons). Data was collected using “Health Promotion Lifestyle Profile-II”. Face and content validity were confirmed by two health psychologist and two psychometric and reliability of the instrument was obtained through internal consistency and test-retest method. The experiment group received 10 educational sessions. Evaluation was conducted at pre-test, post-test and follow-up stages. Final data were analyzed using SPSS/22. Findings: The health promotion intervention had statistically a significant effect on improvement of college students health-related behaviors in post-test (54.07±9.88) and follow-up (50.73±8.07) than pre-test (69.27±13.12) for intervention group compared to control group (F= 16.224, and P≤0.001). The effect size was 0.375. Conclusion: Health promotion intervention can increase healthy behaviors in college students and protect them against risky behaviors. To reduce risky behaviors, educational health-promotion intervention programs are suggested.

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Introduction: Nursing students’ communication skills lead to their health services. The present study aims to determine the impact of communication skills training on nursing students’ satisfaction in relation with patients.

Methods: This semi-experimental study consists of one group of pre and posttest. 35 nursing students through simple random sampling were selected. Data was collected by a demographic data, “queen-dom communication skills test” (the validity and reliability has been approved in previous studies), and “nursing student satisfaction in communicating with patients”. The validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by content validity from 10 lecturers and its reliability was measured by Cronbach’s Alpha from 10 students. Data was analyzed by SPSS 21.

Results: In pre-intervention stage, the average nursing student satisfaction rate in communicating with patients and its different aspects changed from 2.48 in patient’s clinical state (min) to 3.46 in verbal communication state (max). In post-intervention stage, the average parameters changed from 3.68 in patients’ clinical state to 4.50 in verbal communication state. In post-intervention stage, the average nursing student satisfaction rate was more than the average (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: Communication skills training for nursing students leads to increase in their satisfaction with patients. It is suggested that nursing teaches and managers pay more attention to communication skill training in both theoretical and practical courses.

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Introduction: Body image is the internal embodiment of individual's external appearance. The poor perception of body image can lead to several issues. This study is conducted with the aim to study the correlation between women’s body image satisfaction and demographic factors with the role of sport participation in the Boukan city in 2015.

Methods: This study is a descriptive–correlational study. 130 participants in Boukan city (women with between 20 and 30 years) who were willing to participate (half of the participants were athletes and the other half non-athletes) were selected through random sampling. Data was collected with the demographic questionnaire and the “Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire” (MBSRQ). Cronbach's alpha 0.69 and 0.60 concurrent validity was obtained in this study. Data was analyzed by SPSS/20.

Results: The score of the body image had negative correlation with the age (-0.39), weight

(-0.29 and years of marriage (-0.39). In contrast, the body image had positive correlation with physical activities (0.63) and the height of participants (0.31). Women's body image scores is approximately explained with 46% variance of the predictor variables. For body image score, physical activities were the best predictor and the weight was the second best predictor. Moreover, there was a significant difference between body image and its subscales in active and inactive groups (t = 9.350, P ≤ 0.05).

Conclusions: Analysis showed a difference in body image between athletes and non-athletes participants. In addition, physical activity was the best predictor of body image. Therefore, participation in physical activities is recommended for improving the body image satisfaction.

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Introduction: Euthanasia is one of the most controversial issue in the field of medical ethics. Nurses in ICU are faced with challenges of separating terminally ill and brain death patients from devices. The aim of this study is to explore the perception of ICU nurses regarding euthanasia.

Methods: This is a qualitative study with conventional content analysis approach that conducted on 30 nurses who was working in ICUs of one of Urmia hospitals. Participants were selected using purposive sampling method. Data were collected using 5 focus groups interview. Data analyzed using Graneheim & Lundman method. Accuracy of the data were stabilized with the four criteria of credibility, confidentiality, conformability and transferability.

Results: Three main themes and seven subthems were extracted. The main themes were: the understanding of euthanasia, positive attitudes towards euthanasia, and negative attitudes toward euthanasia.

Conclusions: Most nurses do not have accurate knowledge regarding euthanasia and have different and sometimes contradictory perceptions regarding euthanasia. Lack of legislation and related regulations caused more confusion. Therefore, training courses and legal clarification is needed on this issue.

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Introduction: The ability to communicate effectively with patients is considered as one of the most important characteristics of nurses. The aim of this study was to determine facilitators and barriers of communication between the nursing student and patient during 2000-2015.
Methods: In this systematic review, full text of articles related to nurse -patient communication were retrieved from English and Persian databases (PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, ProQuest, Magiran, SID and Medlib). Using the "Nursing Students", "Patients" and "Communication” search strings and their equivalent in Persian language, the titles of articles were searched. In addition, the data extraction form which was developed according to the study’s objectives was used to collect data. From the 38 related papers that were identified, 26 articles were excluded because they were not in line with the inclusion criteria. Nine additional studies relevant to the research were directly added through manual search. In total, 21 English and Persian papers were identified and considered in this review.
Results: Seventeen of 21 articles (80.96%) were descriptive studies, of which four (19.04%) were qualitative studies. Six of 17 descriptive articles (35.29%) were from intervention studies. Twelve of the papers (57.14%) were conducted in Iran and nine (42.86%) were investigated in other countries. The results showed that improving the nursing students’ theoretical knowledge and clinical experience of communication, giving feedback, listening, empathy and assertiveness skills, and cultural and social characteristics of the wards were facilitators or inhibitors of the communication between the nursing students and patients.
Conclusions: Based on the findings, individual, educational and environmental factors may act as facilitators or inhibitors of the communication between nursing student and patient. As such, it is suggested that nursing educators teach students about these factors and consider them in practice.

 

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Introduction: By increasing the shift and its effects on health, identifying factors that can contribute to reducing shifting problems is essential. The purpose of the present study is to determine the correlation between sport activity, nutritional patterns and drug abuse with the health consequences of shifting in nurses.
Methods: In this descriptive-correlational study, the statistical population consisted of all nurses (455 people) employed in educational hospitals in Bojnourd. In this study, 228 subjects were selected using randomized stratified sampling method. A “Survey of Shift Workers Questionnaire” and “Life Style Questionnaires” were used to collect data. Reliability and validity of these questionnaires have been measured in previous studies. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 22.
Results: Correlation coefficient between sport activity and shifting health outcomes (r = -0.463, P < 0.0001) and correlation coefficient between nutritional patterns and shifting health outcomes (r = -0.183, (P < 0.005) were negative and significant. Also, the correlation coefficient between drug abuse and shifting health outcomes was positive and not significant. (r = 0.116, P = 0.80). Regression analysis showed that only sport activity can predict the shifting health outcomes in nurses (R² = 0.214, P < 0.0001).
Conclusions: Sport activity and nutrition patterns have a negative and significant correlation with shifting health outcomes in nurses. Furthermore, the role of predictive shifting health outcomes effects was also confirmed by sport activity. Therefore, it is recommended to provide conditions for conducting sport activity courses in order to reduce the nurses' shifting health outcomes.
 

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Introduction: Infertility and the therapeutic course of therapies have devastating effects on the mental and physical health of some infertile people, especially women. Supportive-psychological interventions will promote the health of infertile women. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) therapy on self-efficacy, quality of relationships and meaning of life in infertile women.
Methods: This study was a semi-experimental design with pretest-posttest design with control group. The statistical population consisted of infertile women referred to the Mehr private infertility treatment clinic in summer of 2017 in Rasht. A total of 45 people were selected through purposive sampling method and then randomly assigned to three groups. Data were collected from the “Infertility Self-Efficacy Scale”, “Quality of Relationship Inventory” and the “Meaning in Life Questionnaire”. The validity of the instruments was reviewed and approved in previous studies. In the present study, reliability of the instruments was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha. One of the experimental groups received training on the basis of “Acceptance and Commitment Therapy during the eight sessions, and the other group received training based on “Compassion Focused Therapy” for eight sessions. The control group did not receive any training. Data analysis was performed using SPSS.21.
Results: Two effective treatments are self-efficacy, improving the quality of relationships, and promoting the meaning of life in infertile women. Therefore, education based on both therapeutic methods as an effective intervention method is recommended for empowerment and promotion of infertile women's health. There was a significant difference between the mean of self-efficacy, the quality of relationships and its sub-scales, and the meaning of life and its dimensions in the experimental and control groups in the post-test (P≤0.01). However, there was no significant difference between the two experimental groups.
Conclusions: Two effective treatments are self-efficacy, improving the quality of relationships, and promoting the meaning of life in infertile women. Therefore, education based on both therapeutic methods as an effective intervention method is recommended for empowerment and promotion of infertile women's health.
 

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Introduction: Divorce can put people›s mental health at risk and adjustment can help. The aim of study was to determine the effectiveness of «Forgiveness-Based Group Counseling» on post-divorce women›s adjustment.
Methods: The research method was quasi-experimental and its design was pretest-posttest with control group. The study population was all divorced women referring to crisis intervention center of welfare center of Torbat Heydariyeh city in 2016. The sample consisted of 30 individuals who were selected through the available sampling method from eligible applicants to participate in a forgiveness-based group counseling and randomly assigned to two experimental and control groups (15 in each group). The research instrument was the “Fisher›s Divorce Adjustment Scale”. Content validity of the questionnaire and reliability were assessed by Cronbach›s alpha. The intervention group received «Forgiveness-Based Group Counseling» in 6 sessions of 90 minutes. Data were analyzed using SPSS. 22.
Results: «Forgiveness-Based Group Counseling» has a significant effect on increasing self-worth, abandonment, reducing anger, passing through grief, social intimacy, and social self-worth, and overall post-divorce adjustment (p <0.05).
Conclusions: «Forgiveness-Based Group Counseling» increases women›s adaptation after divorce. Therefore, it is recommended to use this method to increase adjustment and reduce post-divorce problems.

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Introduction: Life expectancy plays an important role in people's adaptation to the issue of divorce, and lack or low life expectancy causes psychological damage. The present study was conducted with the aim of identifying life expectancy factors in women after divorce.
Methods: The current research was conducted with the qualitative approach of conventional content analysis. The statistical population of the present study included experts including academic lecturers in the field of psychology from Zanjan Islamic Azad University, Qom University and Zanjan University and experts in the field of family and divorce as well as women after divorce from several psychology centers in Zanjan city in in 2022.
Data collection was done by semi-structured interview method. Data analysis was done using the conventional content analysis method and in MAXQDA. 2020.
Results: Findings showed 8 main themes and 33 sub-themes including: factors of independent financing (with 3 sub-themes), factors related to personality characteristics (with 4 sub-themes), factors related to group education through media and culture building (with 4 sub-themes), factors related to counseling and psychotherapy (with 4 sub-themes), factors related to family support, social support, government support (with 7 sub-themes), factors related to empowerment and having a goal (with 7 sub-themes), factors related to healthy lifestyle (with 2 sub-themes) and factors related to spirituality (with 2 sub-themes).
Conclusions: The existence of 8 main themes including factors of independent financing, factors related to personality characteristics, factors related to group education through media and culture, factors related to counseling and psychotherapy, factors related to family support, social support, and government support. It showed factors related to empowerment and having a goal, factors related to healthy lifestyle and factors related to spirituality. Therefore, it is suggested to use the results of the present study to increase the life expectancy of divorced women.
 

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Introduction: Marital infidelity, like many other social phenomena, is a multi-faceted, complex and extensive event that involves many potential factors. The present study was conducted with the aim of determining the structural model of predicting attitudes towards marital infidelity based on attachment with the mediation of ways of coping in married men and women in Tehran.
Methods: The research method used was descriptive correlation. The statistical population of the present study included all married men and women in Tehran in 2023. 420 people were selected by convenience sampling from counseling and psychotherapy centers in the 3rd district of Tehran. The research instruments included a demographic questionnaire, "Revised Adult Attachment Scale", "Attitudes towards Infidelity Scale", and "Ways of Coping Questionnaire". The validity of the instruments was measured using content validity using a qualitative method, and reliability was measured using the internal consistency method by calculating Cronbach's alpha coefficient. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS. 26 and Amos.24.
Results: Secure attachment (P<0.01, β=0.300) negatively and significantly, and anxious (P<0.01, β=0.549) and avoidant attachment (P<0.01, β=0.583) positively and significantly predict the attitude towards marital infidelity. Secure attachment with the mediation of emotion-focused coping (P<0.01, β=-0.265) and problem-focused coping (P<0.01, β=-0.308), anxious attachment with the mediation of emotion-focused coping (P<0.01, β=0.296) and problem-focused coping (P<0.01, β=0.255) and avoidant attachment with the mediation of emotion-focused coping (P<0.01, β=0.335) and problem-focused coping (P<0.01, β=0.344) predict the attitude towards marital infidelity.
Conclusions: The attachment predicts positive attitudes toward infidelity through the mediation of emotion-focused coping and problem-focused coping. Therefore, it is suggested that family counselors and psychologists focus on attachment and coping ways in couple therapy to correct people's attitudes toward infidelity.