[Effect of self-management empowering model on the quality of life in adolescents and youths with major thalassemia]

Currently, medical advances ensure life-expectancy of chronic patients such as thalassemia. Improvement in the quality of life of these patients requires that medical treatment be combined with psychosocial support. The present study aimed at investigating the effect of self-management empowerment model on the quality of life in adolescents and youth with major thalassemia. This was randomized clinical trial in two groups. 70 Eligible adolescents and youths with major thalassemia were selected through census in Bushehr and Borazjan thalassemia center. Samples were allocated to case and control groups. Data collection tool was quality of life questionnaire [SF-36]. Intervention was performed in three stages. post-test was performed 1.5 months after pre-test in control group and 1.5 months after intervention in case group. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 18 and chi-square, independent t-test, and mann-witney [P<0.05]. There was no statistically significant difference in terms of demographic data between the two groups [P>0.05]. As a result, mean difference of eight dimensions of SF-36 quality of life were statistically significant between case and control groups before and after the intervention [P<0.0001]. Education based on self-management empowerment model has a great impact on the quality of life in adolescents and youth with major thalassemia

[Nursing students' views on problems in clinical education in the pediatric ward in Bushehr university of medical sciences]

Introduction: Clinical education is the most important part of nursing education and is expected to provide the students with necessary clinical skills. Nursing students face with many clinical education problems in pediatric ward. This study aimed to investigate the clinical education problems in pediatric ward

Method: This cross-sectional study was performed on forth year students and graduate nurses affiliated to Bushehr University of medical sciences. Methods of sampling were census. Data gathering tool was a questionnaire consist of two parts: 1 - Demographic characteristics 2 - Inventory problems of clinical education in pediatric ward. Reliability and validity of the questionnaire were measured. Data analyzed using SPSS version 18

Results: The most important difficulties in clinical education from the students' viewpoint were deficiency of facilities, lack of access to the Internet, lack of pediatric scientific journals in the hospital library, unsuitable hospital library location, and lack of students' evaluation based on training objectives by clinical educators, unclear curriculum and training objectives by clinical educators

Conclusion: It is recommended that nursing education administrators and planners improve students' learning and motivation by application of the results of this research

[Nursing philosophy: a need for professionalization]

Philosophy is a statement of ideas and values that can be expressed in an individual or common form among a group members such as a nursing school. Nurses should Know about their philosophy as well as their organization at the time of employment, nursing care and their communication with the patients. Nursing philosophy makes an approach toward function, knowledge and research. This also plays a major role in production and development of knowledge in domian of nursing and its professionalization. So, the goal of nursing philosphy is formation and conduct of nurses' function through nursing theories. Since, Knowing and better application of philosophy for all nursing personnel is based on cognition of basic philosophical concepts, and as this issue has not been clearly discussed in Bachelor's and master's degree periods, the researcher decided to study different aspects of philosophy and its role in nursing by her own experiences and through articles other valid scientific resources

[Effects of therapeutic touch before abdominal surgery on anxiety of female patients]

Therapeutic touch is one of the non-invasive nursing methods to relieve pain. In this method, energy is transferred from one person to another. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of therapeutic touch on preoperative anxiety in women with abdominal surgery. This was a quasi-experimental study, a clinical trial, carried out in Fateme Zahra Hospital of Boushehr. Participants were selected based on some characteristics such as age, ethnic status and educational level and they were randomized to receive either therapeutic touch or placebo the night before surgery. In order to assess the anxiety, Spielberg State Anxiety Index was used before and after intervention. Thirty participants completed the study. The mean difference of anxiety scores before and after treatment in therapeutic touch group was not significant by statistical non-parametric Mann Whitney U test [P<0/05]. Since the difference of anxiety scores between the two groups revealed the effectiveness of therapeutic touch on anxiety reduction, repetition of this study with more samples is recommended. Non-significant statistical difference can lie possibly either in low number of the subjects or some of the subjects' acquaintance with therapeutic touch in placebo group