[Educational needs assessment of patients with epilepsy among patients, nurses and physician: a comparative study]

Provision of essential information to patients is essential in medical services. However, results of patient education surveys show that medical personnel's perceptions may not align with those of patients about educational needs. This study was carried out to determine and compare educational priorities between patients and medical personnel. In this cross-sectional study, 69 patients with epilepsy, and 85 medical personnel [physicians and nurses] working in neurology, neurosurgery and pediatrics units were recruited. Data were gathered using a questionnaire consisting of three subsets with a total of 28 items. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA. More patients [58.2%] were male. Mean age was 30.8 years. Mean ages of nurses and doctors were 29.8 and37.8 years, respectively. Mean score of items regarding the disease in patients group was significantly higher than the medical personnel [P=0.00]. Mean score of items about life style was higher in patients and nurses than the doctors [P=0.001]. There were no significant differences about informational priorities of the drug therapy subset between three groups [P=0.53]. Education needs assessments should be done by considering patients' educational priorities in order to meet their educational needs

Analyzing the knowledge and attitude of nurses regarding medication error and its prophylactic ways in educational and therapeutic hospitals of Khorramabad

Medication errors are the most common avoidable causes of iatrogenic injuries in patients. One out of every three medication errors occurs when a nurse prescribes drug to a patient. Since medication instructions are among the most important parts in the patient's treatment process, their inappropriate application can lead to many serious consequences such as incomplete or incorrect therapy, as well as legal problems. The present study was carried out to verify the knowledge and attitude of nurses regarding medication error, and its prophylactic ways in educational and therapeutic hospitals of Khorramabad in 2005. The samples of this descriptive cross-sectional study included 85 randomly selected nurses who worked in educational and therapeutic hospitals of Khorramabad in 2005. Data collection instruments were a questionnaire and the structured interview. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software [version13], Chi-square and descriptive statistic test. Analyzing the data indicated that the nurses stated the most important causes of medication errors as follows: inadequate number of nurses[100%], night and repeated long shifts [83.7%], personal problems of the nurses [79%], presence of the patients' attendants and crowded wards [79%], and inappropriate environmental conditions of the wards [73.3%]. Fear of receiving reprimands and punishment [88.45], triviality of errors [57%], and unsupportive attitude of the nursing officials [50%] were the most frequently cited reasons for not reporting the medication errors. Moreover, adequate nurse to patient ratio [98.8%], staff continuing education [96.5%], and adequate information about medications [69.8%] were reported as the most important ways to prevent medication errors. Also 62.8% of the cases had moderate knowledge regarding medication error and its prophylactic ways. The data analysis showed that from the nurses' viewpoints, some interventions including increasing adequate nurse to patient ratio, improving environmental conditions of work, reducing environmental distractions such as interruptions and stressors, increasing staffs' information about medications, increasing the role of clinical pharmacologists, creating medication error reporting systems, supportive attitude of nursing officials, focusing on causes of errors, and improving controlling and supervising systems can have remarkable effects on reducing medication errors. Moreover, both individual and systems have to be taken into consideration when rules and regulation concerning medication error reporting and prevention are made

[Medical staff attitude toward parents' participation in the care of their hospitalized children]

Family-centered care, which has become the cornerstone for pediatric nursing practice, supports the integrity of child and family health. It brings families a unique care and improves child and family health. Families are recognized as an essential part of a specialized child care during illness. They are expected to be skilful in child care both in and out of health care facilities. This study was carried out to determine health caregivers' attitude toward parent participation in the care of their hospitalized children at Madani pediatric hospital- Khoramabad in 2004. This is a descriptive-analytical study. One hundred and sixty nine caregivers were selected through convenient sampling method. Data were gathered using a questionnaire including demographic and parents' attitude questions. The questionnaire had 36-item. The data were analyzed via SPSS computer software and using descriptive and analytical methods. Results indicated that the average of participants' attitude score was 92.28 +/- 12.55. Most of subjects had neutral attitudes toward parents' participation in their children's care. Positive attitude were significantly related with marital status [P < 0.04], having children [P < 0.04] and being a nursing student [in comparison with medical students] [P = 0.04]. The caregivers' attitudes toward parents' participation in the care of their hospitalized children were neutral. The students' and staffs' attitudes should be modified by taking part in continuous training programs