Perceptions of spirituality and predictors of competence in spiritual care among nursing students in five middle eastern countries: A cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Spiritual Care is integral to holistic nursing; however, it often remains underprovided due to a lack of education. OBJECTIVE: This study examined perceptions of spirituality and predictors of competence in spiritual care among nursing students in Middle Eastern countries. DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was used. PARTICIPANT/SETTING: Nursing students (n = 785) from five universities in Middle Eastern countries were included. METHODS: Participants completed the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale-Arabic and Spiritual Care Competency Scale. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to identify the predictors of perceived competence in spiritual care. RESULTS: Nursing students showed positive attitudes towards spirituality, with a mean score of 5.1 (SD = 0.60) on the Spiritual Care-Giving Scale-Arabic. However, their perceived competence in providing spiritual care was low to moderate with a mean score of 79.0 (SD = 32.0) on the Spiritual Care Competency Scale. The bivariate analysis indicated significant relationships between students' spiritual care competence and gender, previous exposure to spirituality education, willingness to undergo spirituality training, and total spirituality score. Finally, significant predictors of higher competence included regular admission status, prior spiritual education, willingness to undergo spiritual care training, and higher personal spirituality scores. CONCLUSION: Nursing students in the Middle East have positive attitudes towards spirituality, but low to moderate competence in providing spiritual care. The influence of personal spirituality on competence underscores the importance of fostering a supportive environment for students to reflect on their beliefs. Comprehensive curriculum revisions and training programs, along with the recognition of the impact of personal spirituality, are essential to prepare future nurses for holistic people's care.

Obstacles of Online Learning Facing Nursing Students after the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Background: After the COVID-19 pandemic, the online style of instruction started to replace the traditional style in Jordan. Aims: This study aims to (1) assess the nursing students' perceived obstacles to online learning in Jordan; (2) explore significant relationships between participants' characteristics and their perceived obstacles; and (3) assess for significant differences in the perceived obstacles based on participants' characteristics. Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive design was utilized in this study. A convenient sample of 325 nursing students responded to a self-reported questionnaire utilizing Google Forms. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the dataset using the SPSS software. Results: The mean scores of the obstacles to online learning were 2.94 (SD = 0.95) for the academic obstacles subscale, 2.90 (SD = 0.83) for the technological obstacles subscale, and 3.25 (SD = 1.00) for the administrative obstacles subscale. Significant associations were found between participants' characteristics and perceived obstacles to online learning. For instance, the type of university was significantly associated with academic (r = -0.32, p < 0.01), technological (r = -0.21, p < 0.01), and administrative obstacles (r = -0.32, p < 0.01). Furthermore, significant differences were found in the perceived obstacles based on the participants' demographic and studentship-related characteristics. Conclusions: According to their perceptions of online learning, nursing students in Jordan face three types of obstacles: academic, technical, and administrative. Decision-makers should intervene to enhance the online learning experience by overcoming the reported obstacles.

Student nurses' knowledge about the management of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia: Multi-national survey.

BACKGROUND: Chemotherapy-induced neutropenia is a serious global health concern. It is essential that student nurses who are the future of healthcare are equipped with the right knowledge to care for the unique needs of patients with neutropenia. OBJECTIVE: The study assesses student nurses' knowledge of neutropenia management and examines the difference in their knowledge with regard to their demographics. DESIGN: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used. SETTINGS: Participants for this survey were recruited from four nursing schools from three countries: Jordan, Oman, and Saudi Arabia. PARTICIPANTS: The study sample comprised 230 student nurses representing all three countries. METHODS: Online data collection was implemented. A message including the link to the study questionnaire was sent to students through their university portal. Demographic data and the neutropenia knowledge questionnaire were collected. RESULTS: The student nurses showed poor knowledge of neutropenia and its management (mean = 10.1 out of 30). The bridging students (M = 12.6, SD = 9.8) had significantly higher mean total knowledge scores than the regular students (M = 9.8, SD = 5.5) (t = 2.9, df = 38.9, p = 0.006). However, students who had received previous education about neutropenia management (M = 11.6, SD = 5.0) had significantly higher mean knowledge scores than those who had not (M = 9.5, SD = 5.6) (t = -2.73, df = 134.8, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: The study findings underscore the overarching necessity to improve students' knowledge of neutropenia and its management. However, addressing this concern is multifaceted and requires deliberate effort from various agencies. Developing innovative strategies to increase the coverage of oncology nursing in the curriculum, improving faculty expertise, enhancing staff nurses' knowledge and skills, provision of funding, and adoption of oncology-related competencies in the nursing program need to be explored as key solutions.

Attitude of Jordanian Nursing Educators Toward Integration of Disaster Management in Nursing Curricula.

OBJECTIVE: Nursing education plays a significant role in preparing nurses for disasters; it helps in increasing their knowledge about disasters. The purpose of this study was to explore the attitude of nursing educators in Jordan toward the integration of disaster preparedness contents in nursing curricula. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was used. The instrument comprises 51 Likert-scale items; 150 questionnaires were distributed to nursing educators in all of the private and government universities. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS), version 22 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY). RESULTS: One hundred thirty-one (131) results were collected with an 87% response rate. All participants perceived that the integration of a disaster course in nursing curricula is quite important. Findings indicated a lack of nursing educators' life experiences regarding disaster management. No significant differences were found in terms of age, area of experience, or years of teaching. Incorporating disaster management courses into nursing curricula will help resolve the lack of knowledge. CONCLUSION: Nursing educators have a low level of knowledge in disaster management. This highlights the necessity for preparing nursing educators for disasters by encouraging their participation in disaster management training. Therefore, they will circulate this information adequately to students accordingly.

Effect of an educational programme on the attitudes towards patient safety of operation room nurses.

BACKGROUND: A culture of patient safety is one of the cornerstones of good-quality healthcare, and its provision is one of the significant challenges in healthcare environments. AIM: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a surgical safety educational programme on the attitudes of nurses to patient safety in operating rooms (OR). DESIGN: An interventional one-group pre-/post-test design, which sought to measure changes in OR nurses' attitudes toward patient safety culture. METHODS: A simple random sampling technique was used to recruit 66 OR nurses working at six Royal Medical Service hospitals in Amman, Jordan. All participants took part in a 4-hour educational workshop. Pre-tests and post-tests were done. RESULTS: The results of this study showed that OR nurses' attitudes towards a culture of patient safety was originally negative; significant improvement after attending the programme was found (3.3 ± 0.20 versus 3.8 ± 0.30). There was a negative correlation between years of experience and nurses' attitudes towards patient safety. CONCLUSIONS: Incorporating courses about safety culture into continuing education programmes may improve nurses' attitudes towards patient safety. Nurses should be qualified to play an important role in creating a culture of patient safety.

Burden Among Parents of Children With Cancer in Jordan: Prevalence and Predictors.

BACKGROUND: A diagnosis of cancer in children affects the children themselves and their entire family. Cancer treatment places parents under continuous stress and increases their life burdens. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the burden level and predictors as perceived by Jordanian parents of children with cancer. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey design was used to conduct the study in 2 hospitals. A sample of 264 parents of children with cancer was recruited. Data were collected using 2 instruments: the Zarit Burden Interview and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. RESULTS: The mean burden score was 38.1 (SD, 16.6), and 75.4% of parents experienced mild to severe levels of burden. Having a chronic disease, financial constraints, high levels of anxiety and depression, a child with advanced cancer, and a child experiencing pain, nausea, and vomiting predicted higher levels of burden. CONCLUSIONS: Characteristics of both parents and children affect perceived levels of burden, and thus both should be taken into consideration by healthcare providers, and nurses in particular. Various interventions can be suggested to reduce the parents' burden, including financial support, psychiatric care, and focused management of symptoms. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Powered by Editorial Manager and ProduXion Manager from Aries Systems Corporation, assessment of burden and screening for at-risk parents is of high importance and could be conducted briefly at admission and repeated thereafter. Healthcare institutions may need to offer various types of interventions for parents who are at high risk of burden to improve their quality of life and reduce their suffering.

Lifestyle and Dietary Factors and Prostate Cancer Risk: A Multicentre Case-Control Study.

This study aims to explore the association between fruit and vegetable intake, high fat, body mass index (BMI) score, physical activity, and the occurrence of prostate cancer among Jordanian men. A case-control study was conducted in three large referral hospitals. The sample included 165 prostate cancer patients in the case group and 177 healthy participants in the control group. The results showed that smoking (odds ratio [OR] = 0.32; 95% confidence interval [CI] = [0.18, 0.57]), a history of prostate infection (OR = 0.21; 95% CI = [0.11, 0.38]), high-fat intake (OR = 0.44; 95% CI = [0.23, 0.85]), and increased mean of BMI (OR = 1.08; 95% CI = [1.02, 1.13]) increased the likelihood of developing prostate cancer. Healthy diet and giving up smoking are recommended, as they may contribute to a reduction in the incidence of prostate cancer. More randomized clinical trials in this area are needed to strengthen the available evidence and reduce the effects of confounding variables.

Jordanian oncology nurses' knowledge of managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting.

BACKGROUND: health practitioners, especially oncology nurses, play an important role in assessing and managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV). Oncology nurses need adequate knowledge and skills to optimally assess and manage CINV in oncology settings. AIM: the study intended to assess Jordanian oncology nurses' knowledge of assessing and managing CINV. METHODS: a cross-sectional design was used to survey 229 oncology nurses working in oncology units in three hospitals. FINDINGS: most participants were female (62.9%). The age rage was 21-55 years, with a mean age of 29.9 years (SD=6.2). The mean overall knowledge score was low at 4.7 (SD=3.5) (95% CI=4.40-5.01). Poor knowledge of CINV assessment and management were noted. CONCLUSION: oncology nurses' knowledge about the assessment and management of CINV is inadequate, and improvements in knowledge are needed. An educational intervention is recommended, which needs to be tested to ensure that it is both effective and feasible to provide.

Risk Factors for Breast Cancer among Jordanian Women: A Case-control Study.

BACKGROUND: The interaction between inherited mutated genes and environmental factors is believed to play a crucial role in cancer development. The main aim was to identify lifestyle-related risk factors for breast cancer among Jordanian women. METHODS: A hospital-based multicenter case-control study was conducted in Jordan in 2016. Overall, 405 cases and 418 controls, in 3 large hospitals where cancer patients are treated, participated. The prevalence of individual and groups of cancer-related risk factors was estimated descriptively using percentages and odd ratios with their correlated 95% Confidence interval (CI). The predictors of the occurrence of breast cancer were determined using logistic regression to estimate unadjusted association and adjusted association. RESULTS: Women in the case group (mean=49.2 yr, SD 10.2) were older than those in the control group (mean=45.9, SD 10.9). Physical activity (sufficiently active) (OR=2.76; 95% CI=1.96-3.87) and fruit and vegetable intake (good or optimal) (OR=1.71 95% CI=1.25-2.35) were found to be associated with reduced breast cancer risk. However, calcium intake (>3 times a week) (OR=0.51; 95% CI=0.34-0.77) was associated with increased risk of breast cancer. CONCLUSION: Lifestyle risk factors were identified, and certain modifications to lifestyle are needed. Women's awareness of these factors should be raised through appropriate channels, as a priority of the health authorities. Increasing the amount of high-quality research in this area remains one of the best ways to fight breast cancer, reducing its incidence and associated morbidities.

Compliance of Jordanian registered nurses with infection control guidelines: a national population-based study.

BACKGROUND: This national study aims to evaluate compliance of Jordanian staff nurses with infection control guidelines. METHODS: Cross-sectional, descriptive design was used. Proportional-multistage, probability sampling was used to obtain a sample of 10% of all staff nurses working in Jordanian hospitals. Standardized self-reported instruments were used to evaluate the compliance. RESULTS: The total sample consisted of 22 hospitals, of which 8 were governmental, 7 military, 5 private, and 2 university-affiliated hospitals. Of the total 889 participating nurses, 52.6% were females, 81.9% holding a bachelor degree. The mean age was 29.0 years (standard deviation [SD] = 5.9) with a mean of experience of 6.9 years (SD = 5.8). According to the scale categories, 65.0% of participants demonstrated "high compliance," 32.3% "weak compliance," and 2.7% "unsafe compliance." Nurses who received infection control training in the hospital demonstrated higher compliance (mean = 120.2, SD = 13.6); than those who never received such training (mean = 115.8, SD = 15.2), P < .001. Nurses who work in university affiliated hospitals demonstrated higher compliance than other types of hospital (P < .001). CONCLUSION: This study provides information about infection control practices in various health care sectors in Jordan. Results from this study expected to guide efforts to develop educational tools, programs, and curricula to improve infection control practices in Jordan.