A systematic review of the measurement properties of self-care scales in nurses.

BACKGROUND: Self-care is a necessary measure against occupational injuries of nurses and improves nursing performance at the bedside. Nurses have different scales to measure self-care, and researchers are confused about choosing valid and reliable scales. This systematic review aimed to evaluate the measurement properties of self-care scales in nurses to identify the best available scales. METHODS: Four databases (PubMed, Web of Science, SCOPUS, and ProQuest) were systematically searched, with no date limiters, until 9 Jun 2023. A manual search was performed with Google Scholar and the reference list of articles to complete the search. Studies aiming to develop or determine the measurement properties of self-care in nurses were included. Based on Consensus-Based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments, the methodological quality of the studies was determined, and the result of each study on a measurement property was rated (sufficient, insufficient, or indeterminate). The quality of the evidence was graded using a modified Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach (high, moderate, low, or very low). These processes were used to make recommendations and identify the best scale to assess self-care in nurses. RESULTS: Out of 8601 articles, six articles with five different scales were included. Only internal consistency was reported across all scales. Criterion validity, measurement error, responsiveness, feasibility, and interpretability, were not reported in any of them. Content validity was reported only in two studies with inconsistent results and low-quality evidence. None of the scales had methodological quality with a rating of very good and sufficient high-quality evidence for all measurement properties. CONCLUSIONS: None of the scales is strongly recommended to measure self-care in nurses. Only the Professional self-care scale is temporarily recommended until their quality is assessed in future studies. Considering that the content of the examined scales does not meet all the professional self-care needs of nurses, designing a valid, reliable, and specialized scale for nurses is needed.

Effectiveness of Psychological First Aid E-learning on the Competence and Empathy of Nurses in Disasters: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the effect of psychological first-aid (PFA) E-learning on the competence and empathy of nurses in disasters. METHODS: In a randomized controlled trial, 50 nurses were randomly assigned to 2 intervention and control groups, and psychological first-aid training sessions were implemented for the intervention group. The data were collected using the personal information form, a researcher-made questionnaire to measure competence, and the Davis Empathy Questionnaire. RESULTS: Two groups were homogeneous in terms of competency (P = 0.691) and empathy (P = 0.363) in the preintervention phase. The intervention group had more competence in the next stage than before the intervention (P < 0.0001). In the post-intervention phase, the intervention group had more competence compared with the control group (P < 0.0001). The overall effect size of PFA E-learning training on the nurses' competency was 1.9. Regarding empathy, in the post-intervention phase, the subscale of personal distress (P = 0.014) was significantly lower in the intervention group and the perspective-taking subscale was higher than in the control group (P < 0.0001). However, there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of all scores of empathy and the subscale of empathic concern (P > 0.05). The overall effect size of PFA E-learning training on the nurses' empathy was 0.44. CONCLUSIONS: It is suggested to provide training, including a PFA E-learning model, for nurses and other therapists in disaster situations.

Comparison of challenges of the nursing educational system in Iran and Turkey.

OBJECTIVES: This study compares the challenges of the nursing educational system in Iran and Turkey at the undergraduate, postgraduate, and Ph.D. levels. DESIGN: A narrative review. DATA SOURCES: A comprehensive computer-based search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, ISI web of knowledge, Cochrane, Google Scholar, and Science direct databases, without time limit, until May 2022. Finally, 31 article were finally included in the study. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses 2020 guidelines were used. RESULTS: Some challenges of the nursing educational system were common to the two countries such as: problems in the student enrollment system, the need to add courses to improve critical thinking skills and problem solving and creativity, lack of part-time courses for postgraduate and doctoral students, lack of attention to training community health students, employment of students in hospitals without assessment of clinical skills, lack of job opportunities for PhD students in hospitals. In Turkey, compared to Iran, there are strengths in the nursing educational system, including: have an accreditation program, giving importance to the discussion of research and evidence-based care in undergraduate and strengthening the clinical skills of doctoral students. CONCLUSIONS: Iranian policymakers can use the strengths of the Turkish nursing education system, which is close to Iran in terms of context, to help improve this education system. Given the many challenges the two countries face in this regard, we suggest that by comparing and modeling the nursing education system of leading countries in this field such, both Iran and Turkey take effective steps to grow and improve the nursing education system.

Effects of light stroking massage with olive oil on acute pain severity and number of taken non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs among outpatients with extremities trauma: A double-blind, placebo-controlled superiority trial.

INTRODUCTION: Currently, analgesics are used to alleviate acute pain after trauma; however, these drugs cause some undesirable adverse effects. Hence, there is a need for nonpharmacological methods to reduce trauma-induced pain. This study investigated the effects of massage with olive oil on acute pain severity and number of taken non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) among trauma patients. METHODS: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled superiority trial, 42 outpatients who suffered from superficial injury in upper or lower extremities were randomly assigned to olive oil and placebo groups. Patients received a 5-min light stroking massage on the trauma site twice a day for nine consecutive days with 10 drops of either olive oil or placebo (liquid paraffin). Also, they received NSAIDs and applied cold and warm compresses on the trauma site. The pain severity (a 0-10 numerical pain rating scale) and the number of NSAIDs were recorded at four points of time, including before the intervention (baseline), and on the third, sixth, and ninth days of intervention. RESULTS: There was a significant difference between the study groups in mean ranks of the number of NSAIDs taken on the baseline and third days (P = 0.02, P = 0.009). Considering the number of NSAIDs taken during nine days as a covariate, a significant decrease in the pain severity was found in two groups during the nine days (Ptime< 0.001). However, pain reduction over time was more significant in the olive oil group (Ptime*group = 0.001). Also, mean changes in the pain severity compared to the baseline were significant on the sixth (P = 0.001) and ninth (P = 0.002) days of the intervention in favor of the olive oil group. CONCLUSION: Administration of light stroking massage with olive oil as a complementary method seems to be potentially effective in reducing the pain severity and use of NSAIDs among patients with trauma to the extremities.

Evaluating the Effect of Peer-Assisted Education on the Functioning in Family Caregivers of Patients with Schizophrenia: A Clinical Trial Study.

BACKGROUND: High levels burden of long-term care of patients with schizophrenia can disrupt the functioning of family caregivers. This study evaluated a peer-assisted education method on family caregivers' functioning of patients with schizophrenia. METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial, 64 family caregivers of schizophrenia patients in military hospitals of Tehran, Iran, were selected and randomly allocated to intervention and control groups, in 2018-2019. The peer-assisted education was performed in the experimental group for six 1-hour sessions and the family functioning was measured in both groups by the Family Assessment Device Scale. The data were analyzed by SPSS software ver. 16.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) and group differences at a level of P-value <0.05 were considered as significant. RESULTS: There was no significant differences between groups in the pre-intervention phase in all dimensions of family functioning (P>0.05). There were significant differences between intervention and control groups, in the post-intervention phase in mean problem-solving dimension (11.80 vs. 15.53, P=0.012) and in 2 weeks after intervention, in the dimensions of roles (21.71 vs. 23.43, P=0.015), affective involvement (19.03 vs. 21.59, P=0.017), behavior control (23.90 vs. 26.93, P=0.045), general functioning (27.15 vs. 31.40, P=0.013), and total family functioning (134.12 vs. 153.09, P=0.001). CONCLUSION: The peer-assisted education significantly influenced the functioning of family caregivers of schizophrenic patients and can be recommended to improve the functioning of caregivers.

The Effects of Kangaroo Care on the Sleep and Wake States of Preterm Infants.

BACKGROUND: Developing interventions that improve deep sleep and quit awake is important to improve the quality of care that is provided to preterm infants. PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of kangaroo care and in-arms-holding on the sleep and wake states of preterm infants. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial design was employed in 2011-2012. Seventy-two stable preterm infants with gestational ages of 32-37 weeks and their mothers were recruited from the neonatal intensive care unit of Valiasr Hospital in Tehran, Iran. Seventy participants completed the trial. In the preintervention phase, nurses placed all of the infants, clad only in diapers, in supine position in their incubator for 20 minutes. Next, the infants in the kangaroo care group were placed onto their mothers' bare chest, whereas those infants in the in-arms-holding group were cradled in their mothers' arms, with the head and back supported by the mother's left arm. The intervention period lasted for 70 minutes. In the postintervention phase, the infants were returned to their incubators and placed in supine position for 20 minutes. The observer recorded the status of the infants during the three phases of study. RESULTS: There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of state distribution in the preintervention phase. However, the kangaroo care group had longer periods in deep sleep (p < .001) and in the quiet awake/alert state (p = .004) during the intervention phase and less time in the light sleep or drowsy state (p < .001) and in the actively awake state (p = .02) than the in-arms-holding group. No significant group differences were found in terms of crying. CONCLUSIONS: Kangaroo care appears to increase the length of time that preterm infants spend in deep sleep and quiet awake states as compared with simply being held in their mothers' arms. Replication of this research will strengthen the results.