Designing and psychometric the measure for determining the professional competence of nursing faculty members

Of the significant processes for educational quality promotion is to evaluate the teachers' competency. This study has been conducted with the goal for Designing and psychometric the Measure for Determining the Professional Competence of Nursing Faculty Members. The present research is the qualitative part of a sequential exploratory combined study of the concept known as competency where first through a qualitative study, a questionnaire with the appropriate items has been extracted from nursing teachers being evaluated by the students, and then this questionnaire has been psychometrically tested via a methodological study. The face validity has been evaluated by considering nursing students and nursing faculty staff and the content validity by nursing experts' judgment. The construct validity has also been done using exploratory factor analysis. In the content validity stage, the total mean of tool validity index has been calculated 0.92.The minimum item impact score obtained in qualitative face validity was 3.4.The results of the construct validity brought about 4 factors: commitment and follow-up for making the theoretical and clinical education effective, student nurturing, mastership ethics and character, the capability for educational and research management. Alpha-Cronbach was achieved 0.96 and reliability with re-test as 0.94. The questionnaire has been designed using the main stakeholders' experiences and then psychometrically tested. And it can be employed for evaluating nursing faculty staff professional competency

effects of listening to preferred music on pain intensity after open heart surgery

Pain is a common phenomenon after surgery. Cardiac surgeries are no exception and patients generally experience acute pain after these surgeries. Inadequate pain management after cardiac surgery predisposes patients to many complications. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of listening to preferred music on pain intensity after open heart surgery. This study was a randomized clinical trial [RCT] conducted in open heart intensive care unit [ICU] of a university hospital in Sari, Iran. A total of 60 patients who were scheduled to undergo open heart surgery were randomly allocated in two groups. Patients in the intervention group [n = 30] listened to their preferred music by headphones for 30 minutes, whereas those in the control group [n = 30] did not listen to music. Using a Numerical Rating Scale [NRS], pain intensity was measured among the patients before the intervention, and immediately, 30 minutes and one hour after the intervention. Data was analyzed by Chi-square test, student's t-test and repeated measures analysis of variance [ANOVA]. Mean pain intensity in the intervention group before, immediately after, 30 minutes and one hour after the intervention were 5.8, 3.1, 2.5 and 2.4, respectively. Corresponding numbers in the control group were 4.7, 4.7, 4.8 and 4.9, respectively. Repeated measures ANOVA showed music to significantly reduce pain intensity [p = 0.0001]. Music can be effective as a non-pharmacological, inexpensive, non-invasive and side effect free method for pain management after open heart surgery.

[ relation between BMI with exercise test in individuals with cardiac ischemic pains]

Prevalence of over weight and obesity is increasing in the world. Those over weight are more susceptible to cardiovascular diseases than other individual's. Studies indicate that body fat distribution has a determining role in the identification of risk factors. Also, the relation between BMI, cardiac ischemic pains and exercise test condition in such patients, is in need further investigation. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between BMI with exercise tolerance test in patients with cardiac ischemic pains, who were referred to the Cardiac Center of Mazandaran Province, in Sari Township. In this case control study considering the BMI in ischemic patients, 65 were selected as case and 65 persons as control using Tread mill and according to Bruce Protocol, results and tolerance test time was recorded. Independent T test was used for comparison of quantitative indexes mean, while x[2] test using SPSS software was used for comparison of the ratio of persons with the qualitative features. Data indicated mean weight of 57.1 kg and height of 1.64m in the case group. Also, 58.5% had history of hyperlipidemia [Cholesterol higher than 200mg/dl] and 78.8% with history of blood sugar [higher than 120mg/dl [P<0.001]. Even 63.6% had hypertension of 140/90 mm Hg. Our findings showed that BMI in the case and control groups were [26.95 +/- 3.94] and [25.95 +/- 3.49] respectively. Moreover, a significant relationship between high BMI with cardiac ischemic pains and exercise tolerance test [P<0.001] were demonstrated. Cardiac ischemic pains in individuals with high BMI is common. Exercise tolerance test as one of the non invasive and less expensive procedures, can be an indicator of cardiac ischemic disease

[Study regarding the effects of calendula officinalis cream in healing of pressure sores]

Pressure sore is common among patients with prolonged stay in hospitals or homes. Treatment of such sores is costly and performed by various procedures. Considering the effective role of calendula officinalis in treatment of sores, ulcers and cutaneous inflammations, this study is conducted to determine the effect of this cream in healing pressure sores. This is a pre/post comparative clinical trial done on 20 patients with pressure sores who received the recommended treatment. The condition of patients such as, duration of pressure sore, and the extent of the sore were recorded. The sore was washed with normal saline, dried, followed by applying calendula cream three times a day for a duration of 4 weeks. Each week, the extent and rate of healing was observed and recorded. The rate of healing in patients under our study was 56.6%. Majority [55%] of patients had partial healing. The time of healing was in weeks 3.5 +/- 1.2 [P<0.001]. The complete healing occurred in the 3[rd] and 4[th] week, subsequent to the beginning of the treatment. Considering the availability of the cream and its affordability, it can be used in the treatment of pressure sores. In addition, it can be used as a drug for treatment of patients who are in hospitals and/or in their homes