Nursing and Midwifery Studies
Volume:12 Issue: 4, Oct-Dec 2023

Medication errors are the most serious and common events threatening patient safety. Nursing interns make medication errors due to inexperience and inadequate supervision.

This study aimed to examine the effects of the clinical supervision model (CSM) on medication safety competency and knowledge of nursing interns.

This clinical trial was conducted in 2022 on 70 nursing interns. Data were collected using the Medication Safety Critical Element Checklist, the Medication Safety Knowledge Assessment, and the Manchester Clinical Supervision Scale. The CSM and routine supervision were conducted in six sessions for the intervention and control groups, respectively. Data were analyzed using the independent t-test, paired t-test, chi-square test, and repeated measures analysis of variance.

Between-group analysis showed that the difference between medication safety competence and knowledge scores in the control and intervention groups was not significant at baseline (P>0.05). Within-group analysis showed that medication safety scores in the intervention group increased significantly over time (P<0.001), in contrast to the control group (P=0.137). Within-group analysis revealed significant changes in medication safety knowledge scores in both the control and intervention groups before and after the intervention (P<0.05). However, between-group analysis showed that the increase was higher in the intervention group than in the control group (P<0.001). The mean Manchester Scale score for the intervention group was 127.2, indicating the significant effect of the CSM.

Implementation of the CSM improves the competence and knowledge of nursing interns in the area of medication safety.

Labor is an experience that requires confidence but can induce a feeling of fear. Women's readiness and self-efficacy for pregnancy and childbirth are issues in preventing long labor. The husband's support can increase the mother's childbirth self-efficacy. To determine the effect of husband education in childbirth support on women's childbirth self-efficacy and labor outcomes. A quasi-experimental study with pretest-posttest design was conducted from June to October 2022 at the Independent Midwifery Practice Centers of Pringsewu Regency, Indonesia. The participants were 138 pregnant women who were randomly allocated into two groups. The data collection instrument included the Childbirth Self-Efficacy Inventory (CBSEI), a questionnaire for assessing the husbands’ childbirth support knowledge and skills, and two questionnaires developed by the researchers to record respondents' characteristics and current pregnancy outcomes. Data analysis was performed using the chi-square test, the independent samples t-test, and the Multivariate analysis of variance. There was a significant increase in the husband's knowledge and skills in childbirth support, four domains of childbirth self-efficacy, pain, duration of the first and second stages of labor, and success of initiating breastfeeding (P <0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that of all variables, the variable most influenced by the intervention was first-stage self-efficacy expectancy, which was 0.746 (74.6%), while the variable least influenced was the duration of the first stage of labor, which was 0.199 (19.9%). Husband education in childbirth support can increase the mother's childbirth self-efficacy and birth outcomes.

Pain is one of the most common complaints of patients after coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of aromatherapy massage with passion flower and sesame essential oils on postoperative pain intensity among patients with CABG surgery. This double-blind randomized parallel trial was conducted from November 2019 to April 2020. Sixty candidates for CABG were conveniently selected from Chamran hospital, Isfahan, Iran, and randomly allocated to group A (aromatherapy massage with passion flower essential oil) and group B (aromatherapy massage with sesame essential oil). Aromatherapy massage for all participants was provided in four twenty-minute sessions on four consecutive days. Pain intensity was assessed before and thirty minutes after aromatherapy massage using a visual analogue scale. The Chi-square, independent-samples t, were used to analyze the data. The mean score of pain intensity in groups A and B was respectively 8.03±.08 and 7.23±1.38 on the first day, and 4.43±1.19 and 5.4±1.1 on the fourth day. A significant difference between the two groups was observed respecting the mean score of pain in the first, third, and fourth days (P < 0.05). Aromatherapy massage with passion flower essential oil is more effective than aromatherapy massage with sesame essential oil in significantly reducing pain intensity among patients with CABG surgery.

Sexual problems in couples during pregnancy can be attributed to changes in their sexual performance caused by physical and mental changes experienced during this period. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of couple-centered counseling, using the EX-PLISSIT model, on the sexual function of couples throughout pregnancy. In 2022, a randomized clinical trial was conducted in Hamadan, Iran. The study included 60 couples, with an equal distribution of 30 couples in each group. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was completed by the women before and four weeks after the intervention, while the men filled out the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) during the same time frame. Couple-centered counseling sessions were conducted using the principles of EX-PLISSIT, with four sessions. The data was analyzed using t-test, paired t-test, and Wilcoxon test. The mean FSFI and IIEF scores did not differ significantly between the two groups at baseline (P=0.16). After the intervention, the mean FSFI increased slightly in both groups, and this increase was statistically significant in both the intervention group (P<0.001) and the control group (P=0.01). Furthermore, after the intervention, the mean IIEF increased slightly in both groups, but the increase was statistically significant only in the intervention group (P<0.001). Counseling based on the EX-PLISSIT model can relatively improve the sexual performance of couples during pregnancy.

Exploring the determinants of unmarried women’s attitude towards Exclusive Breastfeeding (EBF) can help develop context-specific interventions that create a safe EBF culture among future mothers. Investigating the determinants of attitude toward EBF among non-health college female students in Saudi Arabia using path analysis. A descriptive exploratory study was conducted at three randomly selected university campuses (Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah) in Saudi Arabia. Using multistage cluster random sampling, 500 unmarried female students were enrolled in the study. Data were collected from February to May 2022 using a digital survey of four sections: personal data and prior breastfeeding exposure, attitude toward EBF scale, knowledge scale, and perceived social support scale. The data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis and path analysis. The highest percentage of the participants had a positive attitude toward EBF (59.8%), average levels of knowledge (46.0%), prior breastfeeding exposure (60.8%), and positive perceived social support (54.0%). The path model fits the data perfectly [χ2=0.000, DF=0, CIMN=0.000, GFI=0.999, NFI=0.999, CFI=0.999, PCFI =0.999]. Knowledge (β=0.301) perceived social support (β=0.227), and prior breastfeeding exposure (β=0.211) (P<0.001) directly and significantly predicted attitude toward EBF, with significant positive correlations with each other (P<0.001). The linear regression model predicted a 3.8% variance in attitude toward EBF, where increasing age (β=0.139, P=0.002) and income level (β=0.124, P=0.006) were significant predictors of positive attitude, however, the place of residence was not (β=0.016, P=0.724). Unmarried Saudi female university students' knowledge of EBF was the strongest determinant of their attitude toward EBF followed by perceived social support, prior breastfeeding exposure, and increased age and income level. Thus, targeted educational interventions and mass campaigns on EBF are crucial to promote EBF among future generations.

Body image (BI) and sexual functioning can be affected by the rapid and significant physical changes that occur during pregnancy and postpartum. This study investigated the relationship between mode of delivery, BI, and sexual function in postpartum women. This cross-sectional study was conducted between September and November 2021. A total of 203 postpartum women from five health centers in Sanandaj, Iran, were conveniently selected to enroll in this study. Data were collected using an instrument with four sections: demographic data, the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and the Cash and Pruzinsky Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). Descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression were used to analyze the data. In total, 112 and 91 women had a history of normal vaginal delivery (NVD) or cesarean section (CS), respectively. Compared with the NVD group, women in the CS group had a lower MBSRQ mean (251.95±27.99 vs. 236.75±35.22) and a slightly lower FSFI mean (68.43±9.62 vs. 70.63±11.67). Age of marriage, education (none-academic), occupation (employed), method of contraception (tubectomy), husband's occupation (unemployment), number of children (3-4), FSFI score and MBSRQ score were shown as effective factors on type delivery (P≤0.05). This study showed that women who had a CS were less satisfied with their BI than those who had a NVD. However, the two groups did not differ significantly in terms of their sexual function.

Intuition plays an essential role in caring for children with high-risk diseases and making appropriate decisions in critical situations. Understanding the context of intuition will lead to a more appropriate use of intuition. This study was proposed to explore pediatric nurses’ experiences of contextual factors influencing intuition formation in pediatric nursing. This qualitative content analysis was conducted on 16 nurses and 2 pediatricians in pediatric settings of Bandar Abbas hospitals, Iran, in 2020. Participants were purposefully selected with maximum variation in job position, age, and work experience. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews that focused on the occurrence of their intuition experiences and influencing factors. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the Graneheim and Lundman method of content analysis. To increase the trustworthiness of the data, the codes extracted were peer-checked, member-checked, and external-checked. The theme of "competence in the shadow of limitation and uncertainty" represented the context in which intuition occurred and was used in pediatric nursing. This theme was derived from the two categories “the limited scope and inexplicability of intuitive actions” and “rational mastery.” Despite the belief in the role of knowledge and experience in forming intuition, pediatric nurses were mostly reluctant to intervene based on their intuition. Organizational issues such as the limited and ambiguous nature of Iranian nurses' independent practice and the inexplicable nature of intuitive actions have limited pediatric nurses' use of intuition. Hospital leadership should moderate barriers to using intuition by changing mindsets, culture, and legislation.

The stillbirth rate in Mpumalanga province, South Africa, ranges from 21 to 27 per 1000 total births. The objective was to determine the community perceptions and understanding of factors contributing to stillbirths. A qualitative explorative study was conducted. The population comprised traditional birth attendants and women who had experienced a stillbirth in their lifetime. Purposive sampling was used to select the four hospitals and twelve women while snowball sampling was used to select five Traditional Birth Attendants. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed through Tesch's open coding method. Trustworthiness was ensured by considering the criteria of credibility, dependability, applicability, and transferability. The themes that emerged as general perceptions and understanding of stillbirth focused on participants' knowledge of stillbirth, perceived contributory causes, perceived prevention interventions, and traditional birth attendants' roles and interventions. Lack of knowledge, cultural practices, and health workers' attitudes were perceived to be contributory causes of stillbirth. The antenatal care health education content for women of childbearing age and traditional birth attendants needs to include the medical diseases that cause stillbirth.

Many articles published in this esteemed journal are related to aging issues such as physical resilience,[1] fear of falling,[2] functional independence and life satisfaction,[3] and social health[4] of older adults. These issues, which greatly affect the social participation and health of older adults, are largely related to city conditions and structures.Sociality is one of the inherent human characteristics. Active participation in society and human relationships necessitate being part of a community. Nowadays, most people live in cities.  It is crucial to uphold principles of justice within urban spaces to fulfill people's social needs.[5] Numerous theories have proposed in this field. One such theory is the "right to the city". The right to the city theory refers to the entitlement of every individual residing in a city to enjoy citizenship rights within the framework of urban spaces. This theory encompasses various social, economic, and political dimensions. This idea initially introduced by Henri Lefebvre in 1968, based on collective urban demands.[6] The components of the right to the city theory include the right to utilize urban spaces (such as physical access, control, and ownership of space, and urban vitality) and the right to participate (including urban decision-making, urban organization, and the production of space/right to urban citizenship). Implementing the theory of the right to the city can lead to significant outcomes such as security, employment, justice, social participation, and the preservation of human dignity for all individuals.[7]This theory aims to address social inequalities within cities under the influence of capitalism. According to this theory, the city is a social structure in which citizens possess rights. Therefore, cities should designed in a way that enables all members of society, regardless of their gender, age, social or economic status, to access available facilities and resources, including urban services, housing, and public spaces. The theory emphasizes the inclusion of all members of society, particularly vulnerable groups. Upholding civil, social, and human rights serves as the central theme of this theory. Latin American urban planners were the first to legalize this concept.[8] Among the vulnerable groups that make up a significant portion of urban populations today are older adults.In response to the growing population of older adults, primarily residing in cities, the concept of age-friendly cities introduced by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2007. According to the WHO, an age-friendly city encompasses open spaces and public buildings, transportation, housing, social participation, social respect and acceptance, civic participation and employment, communication and information, social support, and health services.[9] The components of an age-friendly city overlap with those of the right to the city theory. However, age-friendly cities specifically focus on older adults and address their unique needs and limitations. Geriatric nursing aims to provide nursing services in various physical, psychological, and social aspects to older adults, supporting their overall well-being. Increasing social participation is a vital indicator of social health among the older adults, as it can significantly affect their resilience and self-esteem.[10] From the perspective of geriatric nursing, achieving cities with age-friendly standards can viewed as part of realizing the goals set forth by the right to the city theory. Both concepts strive to reform cities to achieve social justice, equitable access, and non-discrimination, thereby combatting ageism.[7] However, it is important to note that the right to the city theory encompasses a broader range of individuals in society, pursuing broader political and social goals. Justice, autonomy, and dignity are among the most important ethical principles for older adults, which can significantly influence their quality of life.[11] Environmental characteristics of a city, including physical accessibility to essential locations, environmental safety, adequate recreational and welfare facilities, and affordability, are key requirements that contribute to active aging. If older adults perceive the city environment as unsafe or unsuitable, or if they have negative experiences of community engagement, they may gradually withdraw and become socially isolated, preferring to stay at home.[12]Despite several decades having passed since the introduction of the right to the city theory and the concept of age-friendly cities, these ideas have not thoroughly discussed in an interdisciplinary manner within urban studies. Many of their associated goals have not yet fully realized. Consequently, there appears to be a significant gap between theory and practice, reflecting the persistence of urban disparities and social inequalities affecting the older adults and other age groups.[7]What is clear is that both the right to the city and age-friendly city concepts necessitate the implementation of interdisciplinary policies and actions. Reforming cities to align with these concepts requires the active participation of stakeholders in decision-making processes, interdisciplinary consensus among researchers, and governmental support. Geriatric nurses can play a pivotal role in facilitating successful aging by providing guidance to entities responsible for older adults’ affairs, such as municipalities and welfare organizations. Additionally, establishing dedicated associations for older adults and promoting their active participation in artistic, cultural, and sports activities can contribute to creating a suitable platform for achieving age-friendly cities. Raising awareness about citizenship rights and generating public demand can also expedite the realization of positive changes.