Time Management Behaviors and Emotional Intelligence in Head Nurses in Emergency and Intensive Care Units.

BACKGROUND: Time management is of particular importance in nursing. One of the most effective variables associated with time management is emotional intelligence (EI). This study assessed the relationship between time management and EI and the level of EI and time management skills in head nurses in emergency and intensive care units. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on all head nurses in the emergency and intensive care units of nine educational hospitals at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in Iran in 2015 using Bradberry-Greaves' EI and Macan's Time Management Questionnaires. RESULTS: Participants' total time management score was (104.15 ± 6.98); total EI score was (128 ± 15.80). There was no significant relationship between overall EI and time management skills. There was a significant relationship between age and the emotional self-awareness dimension of EI (p = .027) and the mechanics dimension of time management (p = .037), and between work experience and overall time management skills (p = .049) and the mechanics dimension of time management (p = .038). CONCLUSIONS: Specific EI and time management skills may help head nurses to cope with the challenges they face, which may improve the quality of nursing care. Nursing leaders should consider the importance of time management and EI in increasing motivation and satisfaction of nursing staff and improving quality of care.

Spiritual wellbeing and perceived uncertainty in patients with multiple sclerosis in south-east Iran.

BACKGROUND: The increasing incidence of multiple sclerosis (MS) over the previous decade in Iran has been examined in the literature. This chronic and unpredictable disease creates psychological impairment, including uncertainty, among patients. It is important to examine the extent of uncertainty experienced by patients with MS and their spiritual wellbeing. It could also be useful to assess the relationship between these two variables. PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between spiritual wellbeing and uncertainty among MS patients in south-east Iran. METHOD: The sample in this cross-sectional, descriptive study comprised 200 non-hospitalised patients with MS referred to a disease centre in Kerman (south-east Iran). Using the Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale (MUIS-C) and spiritual wellbeing scale (SWB), data were collected and analysed. RESULTS: The study results showed that the total mean score of SWB was 93.81 (SD=15.25). The mean score of the sub-scale of religious wellbeing was greater than the sub-scale of existential wellbeing (50.80 vs 43.01). The mean score of uncertainty scale was 67.20 (12/35). The highest mean score belonged to the sub-category of ambiguity (32.24±7.90). Pearson correlation test showed that perceived uncertainty score negatively correlated with spiritual wellbeing (r=-0.345; p=0.000), existential wellbeing (r=-0.421; p=0/00) and religious wellbeing (r=-0.172; p=0.015). CONCLUSION: MS patients should be offered opportunities to reflect on their experiences, feelings, actions and reactions to spirituality to enhance the possibility of using their personal experiences as part of positive and constructive learning. The study results suggest that information about spirituality and spiritual care should be included in the continuous and in-service education of MS patients and nurses working with them.

High maternal hemoglobin concentration in first trimester as risk factor for pregnancy induced hypertension.

BACKGROUND: High maternal hemoglobin (Hb) concentration was considered a risk factor for the developing of pregnancy hypertension. The purpose of this study was to determine whether high maternal Hb concentration in first trimesters associated with pregnancy induced hypertension in Iranian nulliparous women. METHODS: This study was carried out in teaching hospital in Sari, Iran. Samples were obtained from 1008 women who were almost on their 14(th) week pregnancy and were admitted to prenatal clinic of this hospital from October 2008 to December 2009. Their blood pressure was normal. After measuring Hb at first visit, they were divided into groups (11≤Hb<13.2 and Hb≥13.2). Pregnancy induced hypertension in these groups were compared. RESULTS: In normal Hb group, 14(2.75%) women had hypertension and in high Hb group, 21(4.2%) had hypertension (p=0.045). High hemoglobin concentration in the first trimester showed a risk factor for pregnancy induced hypertension (OR= 2.462; 95% CI, 1-6.9). CONCLUSION: The results showed that women with high hemoglobin concentration in the first trimester carried an increased risk of pregnancy induced hypertension.