Nursing process education: A review of methods and characteristics.

The concepts of the nursing process have been assigned as important plans for the curricula and continuing education programs in the nursing discipline. This paper focuses on the main characteristics of the educational methods applied in training programs in the nursing process or nursing care plan. The original studies were extracted from the PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, Science Direct and, Web of Science databases, following two-step screening by two reviewers. Accordingly, 21 papers were included in the study based on inclusion criteria. According to the results, 42.85% of educational methods were computer-based while 57.15% were non-computer based. Computers were used as the main educator (14.28%) or as an assisted-tool (25.57%). The lecture-based training, as one of the non-computer based educational tools, was the most frequent method observed across the studies (33.3%). There are two frequently used measures of evaluating the educational programs learner's knowledge of nursing process (28.75%) and their attitude toward the program (23.80%). The results suggested that in order to improve educational methods for the nursing process, computers, mobile phones, and other available technologies should be integrated with the traditional educational methods. Also, comprehensive measures should be applied for evaluating them.

A unique framework for the Persian clinical guidelines: addressing an evidence-based CDSS development need.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: One of the prerequisites to develop Computerised Decision Support Systems is Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) which provide a systematic aid to make complex medical decisions. In order to provide an automated CPG, it is needed to have a unique structure for the CPGs. This study aims to propose a unique framework for the Persian guidelines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 20 Persian CPGs were selected and divided into the creation and validation sets (n=10 for each). The first group was studied independently and their headings were listed; wherever possible, the headings were merged into a new heading that was applicable to all the guidelines. The developed framework was validated by the second group of the guidelines. RESULTS: Studied guidelines had a very heterogeneous structure. The number of original headings was 249; they were reduced to 14 main headings with 16 subheadings in a unique developed framework. The framework is able to represent and cover 100% of the guidelines. CONCLUSION: The heterogeneity of guidelines was high as they were not developed based on the unique framework. The proposed framework provides a layout for designing the CPGs with a homogeneous structure. Guideline developers can use this framework to develop structured CPGs. This will facilitate the integration of the guidelines into electronic medical records as well as clinical decision support systems.

Assessing the Prevalence and Treatment of Malnutrition in Hospitalized Children in Mofid Children's Hospital During 2015-2016.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition in hospitalized patients causes problems in treatment and increases hospitalization duration. The aim of this research was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized children. METHODS: Children aged 1 month to 18 years (n = 1186) who were admitted to medical and surgery wards of Mofid children's hospital from November 2015 to February 2016, entered the study. We measured different anthropometric variables in patients with malnutrition. Also, nutritional counseling was performed and three months follow-up was done. RESULTS: Patient data were registered in questionnaires particularly for children 2 years old and less. 597 children under 2 years of age and 607 children over two years entered the study. The data analysis was done by SPSS version 22.0 (Chicago, IL, USA). The t test inferential method was used in comparing variables. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Based on the body mass index (BMI) Z score, and in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) cut-off, among children over 2 years, 9% were diagnosed as overweight or obese, 54% were within the normal range and 37% were underweight at time of admission. In the underweight group, 43% were mildly, 21.2% were moderately and 35.8% were severely underweight. Based on the weight for length Z score in patients less than 2 years of age at time of admission, 6% were overweight, 60% were in normal range and 34% were underweight. Among children with malnutrition, 21% had mild, 3.0% had moderate and 10% had severe malnutrition. No significant meaningful relation was found between prevalence of malnutrition and severity of illness. In the moderate to severe undernutrition group, nutritionist counseling was done. Comparison of BMI and weight, before and after admission (the baseline and the follow up visits), was done by means of repeated measurements. Comparison of the patient's weight at time of admission with weight at 1, 2 and 3 months after the first nutritional consultation showed statistically meaningful difference (P value < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Growth indices need to be evaluated in every hospitalized child. Nutritional consultation is useful in children with malnutrition. The main purpose of early diagnosis of malnutrition is to prevent its progression, and also to design a useful, applicable and cost-effective nutritional intervention for malnutrition treatment.