[Effect of progressive muscle relaxation program on self-efficacy and quality of life in caregivers of patients with multiple sclerosis]

MS is a disease of the central nervous system affecting all economic, financial, social, and emotional aspects of individual, family, and community. Performing continuous care leads to chronic stress in caregivers of patients and this in turn threatens their self-efficacy and quality of life. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of progressive muscle relaxation on self-efficacy and quality of life in caregivers of patients with multiple sclerosis. This was a controlled clinical trial in which 70 family caregivers of MS patients were investigated. The study population was divided into two age- and sex-matched case and control groups. Progressive muscle relaxation techniques were employed for the case group for three months [90 sessions] and its application was followed using a self-report checklist. After three months, self-efficacy and quality of life questionnaires were re-filled by members of both groups. Data were analyzed using descriptive and presumption statistical tests while a p /= 0.05]. Several interventions such as progressive muscle relaxation program with low cost, good safety and effect can help reduce the stress of family caregivers of patients in particular those with chronic diseases such as multiple sclerosis and thus leading to an increase in their self-efficacy, care quality, and quality of life

[General health and its association with sleep quality in two groups of nurses with and without shift working in educational centers of Iran University of Medical Sciences [IUMS]]

The health condition of nurses as caregivers influences the quality of care received by patients. To reach the maximum performance, nurses themselves need be health. Nurses, because of the nature of their career confront many types of stresses in their work environment and they are among people that are prone sleep disorder because of working in morning, evening, night and especially, rotation shifts. The aim of this study is comparison of the general health and sleep quality of nurses in two groups of without shift and with shift working in IUMS- 2006. It was a descriptive - analytical study. The setting was hospitals affiliated to IUMS. Five hundreds and twenty nurses were recruited using stratified random sampling. To survey the general health and sleep quality of nurses General Health Questionnaire - 28 and Pitsberg Sleep Quality Index tools were used. Chi - Square test indicatod that there was a significant difference between general health of without shift and with shift workers, so that general health of without shift workers was better than rotation shift ones. The sleep quality of without shift nurses was also better than rotation shift ones [r=0.692, P<0.001]. There was a direct correlation between general health state and sleep quality [P<0.001]. Based of the finding of this study, appropriate and efficient managmant and careful planning of working shifts is suggest to reduce sleep disturbances in nurses. Promotion of nurse's quality of sleep can promote their general health and eventually promotes the quality care of patients

comparative study of the general Health among staff nurses with fixed or rotating working shift

Long time working shifts and its related tiredness threatens the health of staff nurses in various dimensions. If nurses don't experience a good general health, they would not be able to deliver good patient care. The health status of nurses as caregivers influences the quality of care received by patients. Therefore, in order to reach the point of maximum performance, it is necessary for nurses to be healthy. This study aims to compare the general health among two groups of staff nurses with either fixed or rotating working shift in educational health care centers of Iran University of Medical Sciences in year 2006. This comparative study was conducted with a sample of 520 nurses. A GHQ-28 tool was used to survey the general health of staff nurses participated in this study. The findings showed that 72.3% of nurses with fixed working shift had good general health, 18.8% had nearly good general health and 8.8% had bad general health. Of nurses with rotating working shift, 62.3% had good general health, 26.2% had nearly good general health, and 11.5% had bad general health. The results of Chi- Square test showed a statistically significant difference in general health of nurses with fixed working shift compared with nurses with rotating working shift, indicating that the nurses with fixed working shift have better general health [P < 0.005]. Because nurses are responsible for society and patient's health taking their general health into consideration is of great importance. Based on findings of the present study, the researchers recommend the nurse managers to plan staff schedules in the form of fixed working shifts, in order to minimize untoward influences of rotating working shifts