Education as an effective strategy to promote nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors in street children.

BACKGROUND: Lack of nutritional knowledge and ineffective attitudes can complicate the problems faced by this group of street children and have significant effects on their behaviors. This study aimed to examine the effect of nutrition education on nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of street children in Kerman in 2021. METHODS: This experimental study was conducted on 70 street children supported by Aftab Children Support Center in Kerman in 2021. The participants were selected using convenience sampling and were divided into two intervention and control groups using a random number table. A nutrition distance education program was implemented using an educational compact disk (CD) for the participants in the intervention group, while the children in the control group did not receive any training. The children's nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors were assessed before and one month after the intervention using the Nutritional Behavior Questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed with SPSS software (version 22) using the chi-square test, paired and independent samples t-test, and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). RESULTS: The results revealed a significant difference in nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors after the intervention (p < 0.001) due to the effect of the nutrition training program. Accordingly, the mean scores of the participants in the intervention group for nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors increased by 11.45, 14.80, and 6.05 units after the intervention compared to their scores before the intervention. Furthermore, the effects of the training program on the participants' nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors were 89.6%, 91.5%, and 64.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study concluded that training based on nutrition education improved the children's nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors. Thus, the officials in charge of promoting the health of vulnerable groups in the community need to provide the necessary facilities to implement effective training programs for street children and encourage them to participate in training programs.

Nurses' knowledge, attitude, and practice regarding osteoporosis prevention and its correlation with their nutritional behaviors.

Background: Nurses have good opportunities to communicate with osteoporotic patients and the public as well as convey osteoporosis prevention education to them. Therefore, nurses require specific knowledge, attitude, practice (KAP), and desirable nutritional behaviors for osteoporosis prevention and treatment strategies. Little is known about the KAP for osteoporosis prevention and nutritional behaviors among nurses in Iran. Purpose: The present study was conducted to evaluate nurses' KAP and nutritional behaviors for osteoporosis prevention. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 195 nurses working in three hospitals in southeastern Iran. Nurses were selected using a stratified random sampling method between April and June 2020. The data collection tools included questionnaires of KAP and nutritional behaviors to prevent osteoporosis. Findings: According to the findings, nurses' knowledge regarding osteoporosis prevention was high level (20.23 ± 3.79) and their attitude (72.71 ± 6.97), practice (48.25 ± 6.38), and nutritional behavior scores (110.12 ± 13.68) were desirable. In addition, nurses' KAP regarding osteoporosis prevention was correlated with their nutritional behaviors (p = 0.001). Conclusions: Given the high levels of knowledge, desirable practices, and in Iranian nurses regarding the prevention of osteoporosis, they can play a significant role in changing KAP and nutritional behaviors of people to prevent this disease. To this end, educational and support programs should be implemented in clinical and community settings to develop a healthy lifestyle in the community.

Improving the informatics competency of critical care nurses: results of an interventional study in the southeast of Iran.

BACKGROUND: Nursing informatics (NI) along with growth and development of health information technology (HIT) is becoming a fundamental part of all domains of nursing practice especially in critical care settings. Nurses are expected to equip with NI competency for providing patient-centered evidence-based care. Therefore, it is important and necessary to improve nurses' NI competency through educational programs for effective using of HIT. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a training program on NI competency of critical care nurses. METHODS: This interventional study was conducted in 2019. Stratified sampling technique was used to select 60 nurses working in critical care units of three hospitals affiliated with a large University of Medical Sciences in the southeast of Iran. These nurses were assigned randomly and equally to the control and intervention groups. NI competency was trained to the intervention group in a three-day workshop. Data were collected using demographic questionnaire and the adapted Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment Tool (NICAT) before and 1 month after the intervention. Rahman in the US (2015) developed and validated the original NICAT to assess self-reported NI competency of nurses with 30 items and three dimensions (Computer literacy, Informatics literacy Information management skills). The NICAT is scored on a five-point Likert scale and the overall score ranges from 30 to150. Two medical informatics specialists and eight nursing faculty members approved the validity of the adapted version of NICAT and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach's alpha (95%). RESULTS: All 60 participants completed the educational program and returned the completed questionnaire. Majority of participants in the intervention and control groups were female (83.30%), married nurses (70.90, 73.30%) aged 30-40 years (51.6, 35.5%). In the pretest stage, both intervention and control groups were competent in terms of the NI competency and its dimensions, and no significant difference was observed between them (p = 0.65). However, in the posttest, the NI competency and its dimensions in the intervention group significantly increased with a large effect size compared with the control group (p = 0.001). This difference showed that the intervention group was proficient in the posttest stage. The highest mean difference in the intervention group was associated with the informatics literacy dimension and the lowest mean difference was associated with the informatics management skills dimension. CONCLUSIONS: The improved scores of NI competency and its dimensions after using the training program implied the effectiveness of this method in enhancing the NI competency of nurses working in the critical care units. The application of the training program in diverse domains of nursing practice shows its high efficiency. The project is fundamental for improving nurses' NI competency through continuous educational programs in Iran, other cultures and contexts.

The Effectiveness of a Time Management Workshop on Job Stress of Nurses Working in Emergency Departments: An Experimental Study.

INTRODUCTION: One of the main risk factors for poor health is a high level of job stress. Time management skills can greatly reduce job stress. The current study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a one-time management training workshop on job stress among nurses working in emergency departments. METHODS: This randomized experimental study was carried out with 80 nurses working in emergency departments affiliated with a university of medical sciences. The intervention was an 8-hour workshop on time management. Pre- and posttest data were collected by demographic questionnaire and an occupational stress inventory before and 1 month after intervention. Data were analyzed using descriptive, chi-square, t test, Fisher exact, and analysis of covariance statistics. RESULTS: The mean of job stress in the intervention group increased after the intervention (186.22, SD = 22.97) from baseline (182.52, SD = 34.39) compared with the mean of job stress in the control group (204.42, SD = 22.42) and (204.35, SD = 22.45). The control group had a significantly higher job stress score before the intervention (t = -3.37, P = 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference between the intervention and control group in job stress scores after intervention (t = -3.56, P = 0.77). DISCUSSION: The time management skills training program did not reduce the moderate-high levels of job stress of nurses in emergency departments. Addressing other sources of job stress, besides time management, is needed.

Nurses' perceptions of systems thinking and safe nursing care: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: To assess nurses' perceptions of systems thinking, safe nursing care and the correlation between them. BACKGROUND: Systems thinking and safe nursing care are the key elements of quality improvement approaches, such as accreditation and patient safety programmes. However, these two variables have not been well studied in different health care settings. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 300 nurses were selected using the stratified random sampling method. The data were collected using a demographic data form, systems thinking scale and assessment of safe nursing care questionnaire. RESULTS: The scores of nurses' perceptions of systems thinking (63.25 ± 9.20) and safe nursing care (4.13 ± 0.60) were above average. A positive correlation was found between systems thinking and safe nursing care (r = .66, p < .001), and its dimensions: nursing skills (r = .61, p < .001), psychological needs (r = .56, p < .001), physical needs (r = .51, p < .001) and teamwork (r = .56, p < .001). CONCLUSION: Regarding the correlation between systems thinking and safe nursing care, nurses and other medical professionals, especially novices, are recommended to strengthen their systems thinking skills to improve the safe nursing care. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Nurse managers should deal with organisational condition and factors affecting some poor aspects of systems thinking and safe nursing care. They must lead, support and allocate resources to the foundations of systems thinking to achieve safe nursing care.

The effect of anger management skills training on anger status of the people with HIV.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the effect of anger management skills training on the anger status of people with HIV. DESIGN AND METHODS: This interventional study was conducted on 60 people with HIV. The intervention group was trained on anger management skills. Data were collected using Spielberger's State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-II. FINDINGS: The intervention group's training on anger management skills showed a significant reduction in mean scores of the state-trait anger, and anger expression as well as a significant increase in mean scores of anger control-out and anger control-in. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Expert counselors, psychologists, community health, and psychiatric nurses are recommended to train anger management skills to people with HIV.

Psychosocial Needs of the Families With Hospitalized Organ Transplant Patients in an Educational Hospital in Iran.

Nurses are required to understand and meet the physiological needs of the family members of the patients hospitalized in transplant wards of the hospitals. Considering the importance of this issue, this study aimed to investigate the psychosocial needs of the families with an organ transplant patient. The study employed a cross-sectional design and was conducted in Afzalipour Educational Hospital affiliated to the Kerman University of Medical Sciences in 2018. The 45-item questionnaire of the psychosocial needs was applied to assess the psychosocial needs of the families with an organ transplant patient, including kidney, liver, and bone marrow. The quota sampling method was used and 230 participants completed the survey. Data were analyzed using descriptive mean and SD and analytical statistics independent t-test, anova, and Pearson's correlation coefficient tests by SPSS 22 (version 22, SPSS, Chicago Inc., IL). The results indicated that the mean scores of psychological needs of families with transplanted patients hospitalized in three wards of bone marrow, kidney, and liver were at a high level (143/16 ± 12/29). The mean scores of psychosocial needs in the bone marrow transplantation ward (148/60 ± 8/18) were significantly higher than those of the patients hospitalized in the liver (141/24 ± 16/41) and kidney (141/25 ± 11/30) wards. A significant difference was observed among the three wards of the liver, kidney, and bone marrow transplantation with regard to the provided support, information, and proximity. To improve the psychological needs of the family members with patients hospitalized in transplant wards and reduce their mental reactions, they should be provided with more precise information about the patient's treatment procedure.

The psychosocial needs and quality of life of family caregivers of patients with organ transplant.

BACKGROUND: Families of patients with organ transplants experience many problems, both with the onset of illness and during the hospitalisation of their relative for an organ transplant. The healthcare providers try their best to give high-quality care to patients. However, they neglect quality of life and psychosocial needs of family caregivers. AIMS: This study aimed to assess the psychosocial needs and quality of life of the family caregivers of post-transplant patients and the relationship between these two variables. METHODS: This descriptive correlational study was conducted on liver, kidney and bone marrow transplant wards in the largest transplant centre affiliated with a university of medical science in south-eastern Iran. The sample included 230 family caregivers of post-transplant patients, who were selected using quota sampling. Data were collected using the 45-item questionnaire of psychosocial needs (the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory) with five dimensions (assurance, comfort, information, proximity and support), and the Short Form-36 Quality of Life questionnaire with eight scales (physical functioning, physical problems, emotional problems, social functioning, pain, vitality, mental health and perception of health). In the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory, 1 indicates not important and 4 very important. In the Short Form-36 Quality of Life questionaire, 0 indicates the worst health and 100 the best health. RESULTS: The participants rated the mean of their psychosocial needs as important (3.18 ± 0.27). Also, the mean of quality of life of participants was at an undesirable level (45.17 ± 92.66). The psychosocial needs of the caregivers showed a poor, inverse significant relationship with their quality of life (r = -0.16, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The results showed that with increasing psychosocial needs of family caregivers of post-transplant patients, their quality of life declines. Healthcare providers should implement developed plans and appropriate strategies to fulfil psychosocial needs and improve the quality of life of family caregivers of these patients.

Improving the professional competency of psychiatric nurses: Results of a stress inoculation training program.

It is essential to conduct cognitive-behavioral interventions on nurses' professional competency. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of a stress inoculation training (SIT) on professional competency of psychiatric nurses. This was an experimental study, in which 70 psychiatric nurses were allocated to two intervention and control groups (35 in each group) using cluster random design. A SIT program was conducted for the intervention group. Data were gathered by competency inventory for registered nurse (CIRN) before and one month after SIT. The participants in the intervention group reported higher scores on professional competency and its dimensions compared to those in the control group one month after SIT. The increased scores of professional competency and its dimensions after using the SIT implied the effectiveness of this method in enhancing the professional competences of psychiatric nurses. The higher efficiency of SIT can be determined by its application in diverse domains of medical professions.

Nurses' professional competency and organizational commitment: Is it important for human resource management?

BACKGROUND: Professional competency is a fundamental concept in nursing, which has a direct relationship with quality improvement of patient care and public health. Organizational commitment as a kind of affective attachment or sense of loyalty to the organization is an effective factor for professional competency. OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to evaluate the nurses´ professional competency and their organizational commitment as well as the relationship between these two concepts. METHODS AND MATERIALS: This descriptive-analytic study was conducted at the hospitals affiliated with a University of Medical Sciences, in the southeast of Iran in 2016. The sample included 230 nurses who were selected using stratified random sampling. Data were gathered by three questionnaires including socio-demographic information, competency inventory for registered nurse (CIRN) and Allen Meyer's organizational commitment. RESULTS: Results showed that professional competency (Mean±SD: 2.82±0.53, range: 1.56-4.00) and organizational commitment (Mean±SD: 72.80±4.95, range: 58-81) of the nurses were at moderate levels. There was no statistically significant correlation between professional competency and organizational commitment (ρ = 0.02; p = 0.74). There were significant differences in professional competency based on marital status (p = 0.03) and work experience (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The results highlighted that the nurses needed to be more competent and committed to their organizations. Developing professional competency and organizational commitment is vital, but not easy. This study suggests that human resource managers should pursue appropriate strategies to enhance the professional competency and organizational commitment of their nursing staff. It is necessary to conduct more comprehensive studies for exploring the status and gaps in the human resource management of healthcare in different cultures and contexts.