[Occupational violence in nursing students in Arak, Iran]

Nursing students are often exposed to verbal abuse and/or physical assaults from patients and patients' families during the course of their training. Although, past studies have explored violence against nurses, a little attention has been paid by researchers to workplace violence against nursing students. The aim of this study is to identify and explore influencing factors on workplace violence in nursing students during their training programs. In this descriptive study, 271 nursing students completed a reliable and valid questionnaire. Participants were working in teaching hospital affiliated to Arak University. In total, 74.9% and 7.38% of the respondents stated that they had been verbally abused and physically assaulted during their training program in the previous 12-months period, respectively. Most of physical attacks were happened by patients whereas most verbal abuses by patients' families. There were no statistically significant differences between sex and different years in violence. Nursing students are often exposed to violence during the course of their training programs. Nursing students require training on how to prevent and respond to workplace violence, and this important topic should be incorporated into the nursing students' curriculum

[Barriers to the reporting of needlestick/sharps injuries among nursing and midwifery students in Arak, Iran]

Nursing and midwifery students are at risk needlestick/sharps injuries [NSIs/Sis]. Actual number of NSIs/SIs among students due to insufficient reporting it is not clear in Iran. The aim of this study was to explore the barriers of not reporting of NSIs/SIs among nursing students. This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Arak University of Medical Sciences in 2009. 207 and 68 nursing and midwifery students were participated in study, respectively. A questionnaire, consisting two sections of demographic information and questions about exposure to [NSIs/SIs] and frequency and barrier reporting of NSIs/SIs, was completed by students. According to the findings, 43% and 20.5% of nursing and midwifery students had experienced at least one contaminated NSIs/Sis in the past 12 months. Only 44.9% [n=40] and 50% [n=7] of the nursing and midwifery who had experienced NSIs/Sis in the previous year, were reported all exposures to NSIs/Sis, respectively. The most important the reasons for not reporting injuries consisted of low probabilities of the infection risk of the injury source, not familiar with reporting process and fear of decreasing evaluation score. NSIs/SIs and non-reporting of NSIs/SIs were highly prevalent in nursing and midwifery students. More education programs should be directed at students to increase their awareness of about NSIs/SIs. Also nursing and midwifery student's instructors should give positive responses to nursing students for reporting NSIs/SIs

[Burn out in caregivers of patients with stroke and its related factors]

Introduction: Most of stroke survivors become dependant to their families for their daily living. However, no attention has been paid to mental and physical status of the caregivers of stroke patients in Iran. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of burn out in caregivers of stroke patients, one and three months after the stroke

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study in which 140 caregivers of stroke patients were recruited to the study from a hospital in Arak. The caregivers completed the Zarit Burden Inventory in hospital, and one and three months after discharge

Results: Most of the caregivers were spouses of the patients [70.71%; n=95]. The mean age of the caregivers was 57.1 years old. Of all caregivers, 30.71%, 48.57% and 20.71% suffered from mild, moderate and severe burn out, respectively at three months after the stroke. The caregivers' burn out was significantly increased at the follow up measurement. The caregivers' burn out was associated with the level of dependency and age of the patients, and also gender and relativity of the caregiver, and the time spent for daily care [p<0.05]

Conclusion: Care of patients with stroke causes caregivers to experience a sense of burn out. Age, level of patient's dependency, gender, relativity, and the time spent on care are associated with the burnout. Appropriate interventions should be implemented to reduce such burn outs

[Frequency of risk factors for atherosclerosis in children with family history of premature myocardial infarction]

Clinical manifestations of coronary artery disease such as myocardial infarction generally have onset from middle age onwards. However, studies indicate that the atherosclerotic process begins to develop during childhood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the frequency of risk factors for atherosclerosis in children with family history of premature myocardial infarction in Arak city in 2007. This was a cross sectional study in which 209 children and adolescents aged 3-18 years with a family history of early onset myocardial infarction were selected base on convenience sampling. Total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-C], high density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-C], triglycerides, blood pressure, weight and height and fasting blood sugar were investigated. Data were analyzed by SPSS. The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia were 28.2% and 20.1% respectively. 19.1% of these individuals had HDL-C values lower than 35mg/dL. 19/1% of them had LDL-C levels higher than 129 mg/dL. 4/31% presented hypertension and 28/71% had excessive weight. There was no relationship between hyperlipidemia and fasting blood sugar. However, there was significant association between hyperlipidemia and level of BMI and blood pressure [P<0.05]. More than a quarter of children had at least one risk factor for atherosclerosis. Obesity was identified to be significantly associated with hyperlipidemia. These results emphasis the importance of evaluating children and adolescents with family history of early onset myocardial infarction for atherosclerotic disease

Frequency, type and causes of medication errors In student nurses

Medication errors in healthcare environment are considered as a serious threat to patients' health. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency, type and causes of medication errors of nursing students. This was a descriptive study conducted in Arak University of Medical Sciences. Seventy six student were selected through census method of sampling. A questionnaire, consisting two sections of demographic information and questions about medication errors, was completed by students. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. According to findings, 17.1% of students reported medication errors and 43.42% reported impending medication errors. The most common type of error was wrong dose of medication, the most common cause of which was poor pharmacologic knowledge. Heparin, Dopamin, Dubotamin, Vancomycin, Phenytoin and Captoprile were the most prevailing drugs about which the students reported errors. Results showed that the rate of medication errors in nursing student was high. It seems that some causes of medication errors are related to poor pharmacological knowledge, drug calculation and so on. According to the results, it is imperative to realize the weak points of students or educational program and plan to resolve them

Determining the effect of touch on arterial blood oxygen saturation in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome

The use of complementary and alternative therapy is increasing and touch is one of them but several studies have indicated that premature neonates hospitalized in neonatal intensive care unit receive very little touch. The purpose of this research was to determine the effect of touch on arterial blood oxygen saturation in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome. This is a clinical trial with repeated measures that was performed on 37 neonates with respiratory distress syndrome. An information record form was used for data collection. The information record form was consisted of two parts: demographic information and a table for recording oxygen saturations. Oxygen saturation was measured by Nelkor pulse oxy meter. Information was collected in 3 sequential days. Arterial blood oxygen saturation was controlled 5 minutes before touch, then samples undergone 5 minutes touch and then in 5 and 15 minute intervals arterial blood oxygen saturation was controlled again. Data was analyzed using repeated measure ANOVA. Findings showed that in the first day, arterial blood oxygen saturation in 5 minutes before, and 5 and 15 minutes after touch were 95/67, 95/91, 96 respectively. In second day, arterial blood and oxygen saturation in 5 minutes before, and 5 and 15 minutes after touch were 95/72, 96/05, 96/08 respectively. In third day, arterial blood oxygen saturation in 5 minutes before, and 5 and 15 minutes after touch were 95/75, 96/16, 96/13 respectively. Arterial blood oxygen saturation in 5 and 15 minutes after touch were more than 5 minutes before touch in each 3 day [p<0.01]. But there was no significant difference between 5 and 15 minutes after touch. Data analysis also showed no significant difference comparing arterial blood oxygen saturation in the 3 days. Findings suggested that premature neonates physiologically responded to touch. Nurses working in NICUs must be educated about the importance of touch in providing care for these neonates. Findings showed that touch is useful for premature neonates and this fact can be a start point for other investigations