Effects of a nurse-led structured home visiting program on quality of life and adherence to treatment in hemodialysis patients.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the effects of a nurse-led structured home visit program on quality of life and adherence to treatment in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Methods: The study was quasi-experimental research in which 62 hemodialysis patients referred to Bu Ali hospital in Ardabil participated in two groups: Intervention (n = 31) and control (n = 31). The intervention included a structured and planned home visit program that was performed in five stages over 3 months. Data collection tools were a demographic information form, Kidney Disease Quality of Life Short Form (KDQOL-SF™) and End Stage Renal Disease Adherence Questionnaire (ESRD_AQ) which were completed by patients before, at the end of the first, second, and third month of intervention. SPSS v20 software and descriptive and analytical tests (Chi-square, t-test, ANOVA and repeated measure) were used for data analysis. Findings: Examining demographic characteristics showed that there is a negative and significant relationship between age and quality of life scores (P = 0.004), that is, with increasing age, the quality of life score decreases, but other demographic characteristics did not have a significant relationship with quality of life scores and adherence to treatment (P > 0.05).Also, the results showed that in the intervention and control groups, during the study, the scores of quality of life and adherence to treatment increased significantly, and this increase was significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P < 0.001).The scores of quality of life and adherence to treatment increased significantly both during the study in each group separately and between groups during the study (P < 0.001). Conclusions: According to the significant improvement in quality of life and adherence to treatment in patients following a home-visiting program during 3 months, these interventions can be utilized to improve quality of life and adherence to treatment of patients undergoing hemodialysis. Practice implications: Home visiting programs significantly improve the level of knowledge of patients undergoing hemodialysis and their family members, through their involvement in the care process. Having said that, it seems plausible to implement home visits in the standard care plans of hemodialysis patients.

The relationship between personality profile and self-care among patients with type 2 diabetes.

Background: As a chronic disease, diabetes needs special self-care behaviors until the end of life. Personality traits are considered to be effective psychological factors in controlling diabetes and self-care in patients with diabetes. The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between personality profile and self-care among people with type 2 diabetes. Methods: In this descriptive-correlational study conducted in 2021, 160 patients with type 2 diabetes referred to the diabetes clinic of Imam Khomeini Educational and Medical Center in Ardabil were selected by convenience sampling method. The data collection tools included the Diabetes Self-Care Activities questionnaire (SDSCA) and the short form of the Millon Multi-Axis Clinical Test (MCMI-3), which were completed through interviews with patients. Data were analyzed by SPSS software using descriptive statistics (mean, SD, and frequency) and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression). Results: Based on the results, apart from the obsessive personality disorder, which had a positive relationship with self-care behaviors, a significant negative correlation was observed between schizoid, avoidant, depressed, dependent, antisocial, self-harming, borderline, and paranoid personality disorders with self-care behaviors (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The results showed that there is a significant negative relationship between personality profile and self-care status of patients with type 2 diabetes. In other words, a person's personality profile can predict self-care behaviors. Accordingly, personality traits can be considered as one of the influencing factors on self-care in the educational programs of diabetic patients. Holding educational classes to empower patients using psychological interventions and teaching effective solutions can be an effective step toward increasing the level of mental-physical health and self-care of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Nurse-Physician Collaboration and the Professional Autonomy of Intensive Care Units Nurses.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Poor collaboration between the physicians and the nurses may interfere with nursing performance in patient care. This study aimed to determine the nurse-physician collaboration and professional autonomy of intensive care nurses. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: This descriptive correlational study was performed on 126 nurses working in the intensive care units (ICUs) of Ardabil, Iran. The data were collected using the Jefferson scale of attitudes toward physician-nurse collaboration' (JSAPNC) and the Dempster Practice Behavior Scale (DPBS). The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, and frequency) and inferential statistics (t-test, ANOVA, and Pearson). RESULTS: The mean score of the nurse-physician collaboration was found to be 47.83 ± 3.9, which indicates good collaboration between physicians and nurses in the ICUs. The results showed that 73% of the nurses reported a moderate autonomy and 27% of them considered their autonomy to be high. There was no significant relationship between the nurse-physician collaboration and the professional autonomy of the nurses (p >0.05). CONCLUSION: The nurses who participated in this study had a positive attitude toward collaboration with the physicians and a moderate level of professional autonomy. Interventions may be required to further enhance the level of nurse-physician collaboration and the professional autonomy of nurses. HOW TO CITE THIS ARTICLE: Aghamohammadi D, Dadkhah B, et al. Nurse-Physician Collaboration and the Professional Autonomy of Intensive Care Units Nurses. Indian J Crit Care Med 2019;23(4):178-181.

Violence against Nursing Students in the Workplace: An Iranian Experience.

Background Workplace violence has a great impact on the quality of patient care and satisfaction. This study aimed to determine the extent of violence experienced by nursing students, and its predisposing factors. Methods This was a cross-sectional study which was conducted on 150 nursing students in teaching hospitals of Ardabil University of Medical Sciences. A questionnaire form was used for data collection. Results Participants stated they were abused physically (12.7%), verbally (73.3%), racial (40.7%), and sexually (5.3%). The lack of awareness of the population about the tasks of the nursing students (40.0%) was the most important risk factor for violence against them. Conclusion The violence against nursing students is a common problem in the workplace. It is mainly caused by the lack of awareness of people from the duties of the nursing students. Therefore, it is necessary to educate the population about the responsibilities of nurses and nursing students.