Iranian Journal Of Nursing and Midwifery Research
Volume:27 Issue: 2, Mar-Apr 2022

Despite the importance and prominent role as a clinical, theoretical, and research approach in nursing practice, humanistic care nature and boundaries are not explicit and challenging for nurses to understand. This study was conducted to clarify the concept of humanistic care in nursing.

Based on Rogers’s evolutionary concept analysis, keywords such as “humanistic car *,” “caring behave *,” “humanistic nurs *,” “humanistic model of care,” were searched in PubMed, SCOPUS, Science Direct, Web of Science, WILEY, Springer, SAGE, ProQuest, SID, Iranmedex without time limit until November 2018. Sixty‑five documents in nursing and ten documents in the medical discipline were finalized for thematic analysis.

Nine attributes of the humanistic care, including “excellence in clinical literacy,” “creating a healing environment,” “a comprehensive and unique viewpoint,” “contribution to clients’ adaptation and flourishing of their talents,” “unrequited love and affection,” “preservation of human dignity,” “real presence,” “constructive dynamic interaction,” and “nurse’s self‑care,” were recognized. Assessing the historical and evolutionary course of the concept’s semantic tendency revealed three periods: The focus in first, second, and third was on the nurse‑patient relationship, quantitative tendency/ measurement, and metaphysics/spiritual humanism, respectively. The comparison of interdisciplinary differences indicated greater semantic comprehensiveness and depth in the nursing discipline.

Clear and practical definition and identification of humanistic care in nursing can be helpful in the further development of existing knowledge, instrumentation, designing guidelines, clinical interventions, knowledge translation, and correction of concept misuse. The identified antecedents and consequences can be in various aspects of clinical management.

As the 2019 coronavirus spreads rapidly around the world, it has caused widespread fear and anxiety in various populations. This study aimed to explore the psychological effects of COVID‑19 on patients with this disease.

A qualitative study was conducted with a phenomenological approach. A purposive sample of 11 patients with COVID‑19 was recruited. Data were collected from the beginning of March to the beginning of June 2020 using semi‑structured interviews and they were analyzed according to Van Manen’s method. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Initially, 315 codes were extracted. During data analysis and comparisons, the codes were reduced to 108. Ultimately, 10 categories, 38 subcategories, and 3 themes emerged. The theme of “behavioral responses” including 5 categories (Remorse, Fear and despair, Death anxiety, Growth, Support), “disease‑caused helplessness” including two categories (Failure, Denial), and “decline of social networks” including three categories (Rejection, Stigma, Feeling guilty).

After understanding the findings of this research, nurses working in the wards of patients with COVID‑19 can better consider the importance of assessing and analyzing the psychological challenges and experiences of these patients during the course of illness and quarantine. Findings also enhance the identification and organization of training needs during such a pandemic and the design of nursing programs to meet them.

Oral care plays a significant role in reducing the incidence of Ventilator‑Associated Pneumonia (VAP) in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of three oral care protocols on the incidence of VAP in Mechanically‑Ventilated (MV) patients hospitalized in ICUs.

This parallel randomized clinical trial was performed in 2019 on 71 MV adult patients with endotracheal intubation hospitalized in ICUs. The patients were divided into three groups: a 7‑day oral care by using swab (group 1), two‑times‑brushing group (group 2), and four‑times‑brushing group (group 3) by using chlorhexidine. The data related to the incidence of pneumonia were analyzed during several days using Chi‑square and ANOVA tests.

The incidence of pneumonia on the fourth day of the intervention in the first group (35.00%) was significantly higher than that of the two intervention groups (10.00%) (χ2 = 5.86, df = 2, p = 0.03)). The mean score of modified clinical pulmonary infection in the third group was significantly lower seven days after the intervention than before the intervention (p </em>= 0.04) and the fourth day of intervention (p </em>= 0.003). In the first group, this score was significantly higher in the fourth day of the intervention than the seventh day (p </em>= 0.003).

Based on the results, the oral care protocol, including four‑times‑brushing, reduced the risk of VAP more than two times brushing. Therefore, the use of this protocol is recommended to provide a minimum level of oral care and reduce the risk of VAP in MV patients.

Post‑Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that can result from direct or indirect contact with traumatic events. The current study aimed to evaluate PTSD and its related factors in nurses caring for COVID‑19 patients.

This study was a descriptive correlational study. Using convenience sampling methods, 395 nurses were enrolled in the study. The study instruments included demographic information, Impact of Event Scale‑Revised (IES‑R), and General Health and Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation test, t</em>‑test, ANOVA, and multiple regression analysis.

The mean (SD) age and work experience of the participants were 33.79 (6.74) years and 9.47 (6.47) years, respectively. Most nurses (86.60%) experienced PTSD. Multiple linear regression results showed general health (R</em>2 = 0.51, p </em>= 0.001), job insecurity (R</em>2 = 0.51, p </em>= 0.042), decision latitude (R</em>2 = 0.51, p </em>= 0.037), and high age (R</em>2 = 0.51, p </em>= 0.049) to be associated with an increase in PTSD, and having high social support (R</em>2 = 0.51, p </em>= 0.043) was associated with a decrease in PTSD in nurses.

Nurses have experienced high levels of PTSD after the fatal outbreak of COVID‑19 disease. Stressful conditions associated with an increased likelihood of this disorder should be identified, and coping skills such as decision latitude (control) and social support should be strengthened to prevent the symptoms of this disorder in nurses.

Vulvovaginal candidiasis is the second most common cause of vulvovaginal infections. Due to the increasing resistance to synthetic antifungal drugs, the use of drugs with a natural origin is a priority. The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of Arnebia euchroma </em>with vaginal cream clotrimazole 1% United States Pharmacopeia (USP) for the treatment of vulvovaginal candidiasis.

This triple‑blind trial study was performed on 112 women with diagnosed Candida vaginitis clinically and by a laboratory test, patients were randomly divided into two groups receiving Arnebia euchroma </em>and vaginal clotrimazole (56 people per group) in clinics and medical centers Ahvaz (Iran) from April 2018 to April 2019. Clinical and laboratory symptoms were recorded at the beginning of the study and 1 week after the end of treatment by a researcher‑made questionnaire. Data analysis were performed using SPSS software v‑23. p </em>< 0.05 was considered significant.

After the intervention, vaginal culture was negative in terms of Candida in 17 (36.17%) patients of the Amoeba euchroma </em>group and 37 (69.81%) patients of the clotrimazole group. The Chi‑square showed that there was a significant difference between the culture results in both groups (c</em>2 = 10.10, df = 1, p </em>= 0.001). No differences were observed between the two groups in terms of vaginal symptoms based on adjustment for age and using a logistic regression model.

A vaginal cream containing Arnebia euchroma </em>could reduce the complaints of vulvovaginal candidiasis. But, future studies with larger sample sizes and different dosages are recommended.l

Autonomy is an essential factor in the nursing profession. Nurses’ autonomy can improve care quality, decrease mortality in patients, and attenuate job stress. This study aimed to investigate professional autonomy and its relationship with job stress among nurses working in Intensive Care Units (ICUs).

This descriptive correlational study was conducted at Urmia nursing school in Iran in 2020. Three hundred ninety‑eight nurses working at the ICUs entered the study. Data was collected using the Dempster Practice Behavior Scale (DPBS) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) questionnaire. Independent t‑test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine the relationship between demographics and study variables. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationship between professional autonomy and job stress of nurses.

The mean (SD) of total professional autonomy and job stress score of nurses was, respectively, 102. 11(91. 88), and 115. 53(12. 42), indicating moderate autonomy and job stress. Professional autonomy had a significant positive correlation with job stress (r </em>= 0.51, p </em>< 0.001). It also had a significant positive correlation with work experience in ICU (r </em>= 0.12, p </em>= 0.014).

ICU nurses have moderate autonomy and job stress, and their autonomy is a significant positive predictor of their job stress. University authorities are recommended to develop practical strategies to enhance nurses’ autonomy and eliminate factors that cause job stress in ICU nurses in order to preserve nurses’ health, improve the quality of nursing care, and increase patient safety

Nursing care happens with the artistic presence of the nurse in the care setting. Despite its importance in nursing, yet many ambiguities surround its definition and characteristics. The aim of this study was to analyze the concept of nursing care.

This concept analysis was conducted using Walker and Avant’s approach. An extensive literature search was done in the Medline, CINAHL, Embase and SID databases to find articles published in English between 1988 and 2019. The search keywords were “care”, “nursing care”, “concept”, “concept analysis”, and similar words. According to Walker and Avant’s approach, after selecting the concept and determining the aim of analysis, 3742 references were reviewed and 68 articles and 2 books were selected to determine and extract the defining attributes, antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents of the nursing care concept. 

The three main defining attributes of the concept were relationship, compassion, and professional action. The antecedents were nurse‑related, client‑related and environment‑related, and the consequences were for nurses, clients and community.

The defining attributes, antecedents, and consequences determined in the present study help better understand the concept of nursing care. This study highlights the importance of the communicative, caring, and advocacy roles of nurses and their compassionate professional action in the promotion of individual and community health.

Caregivers of stroke patients have many problems due to caring for patients. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Persian Version of the Bakas Caregiving Outcomes Scale (BCOS) in caregivers of stroke patients.

This methodological study was conducted in 2018 with 191 caregivers of stroke patients. In order to assess the scale validity and reliability, the face, content, internal consistency, stability of the scale, and construct validity (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis) were done.

The scale face and content validity qualitatively were checked and confirmed by caregivers’ and experts’ opinions. In the reliability, Cronbach’s alpha was obtained to be 0.93. The test‑retest was conducted on 30 participants and showed good stability after 2 weeks. The Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) for the total scores was reported to be 0.94. The Kaiser‑Meyer‑Olkin p </em>value was 0.90, Bartlett’s sphericity test was significant (p </em>< 0.001), in the exploratory factor analysis, 2 factors with 14 items were extracted. The confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the appropriate model with 14 items (removal of item 13) with two factors at the expected level.

The Persian version of the 14 items of the BCOS indicates satisfactory reliability, and validity in the Iranian caregivers of stroke patients.

Medical personnel, especially nurses, are at the forefront of the global COVID‑19 epidemic. This study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the level of health anxiety in nurses caring for patients with COVID‑19.

This cross‑sectional, descriptive study was performed on the 340 nurses working in 3 selected educational and medical centers affiliated with Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Iran. The participants were selected through census method in April and May 2020. The instrument used was the Health Anxiety Inventory. It includes 18 items in 3 subdomains. Descriptive statistics and the nonparametric Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to analyze the data.

The mean (SD) total health anxiety score of nurses was 24.68 (4.30), and 91.76% of participants had moderate health anxiety. Moreover, there was a statistically significant relationship between health anxiety level and the demographic variables of gender (Z = −4.54, p </em>< 0.001), marital status (ᵡ23 = 32.54, p </em>< 0.001), parenting (Z = −4.16, p </em>< 0.001), family relationships (Z = −2.30, p </em>= 0.020), work experience (ᵡ24 = 19.32, p </em>< 0.001), and the workplace (ᵡ22 = 41.24, p </em>< 0.001)

The results showed that the level of health anxiety of nurses who cared for COVID‑19 patients was moderate. Therefore, it is recommended that the necessary measures be taken to manage health anxiety in this group.

Patients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) are at risk of eye disorders such as Exposure keratopathy (EK) due to impaired blinking and incomplete eye closure. The aim of this study was to assess the effects of passive blinking exercise (PBE) on EK among patients in ICUs.

This single‑blind, randomized, clinical trial was conducted in 2017. The study participants included 51 patients purposively recruited from the three ICUs of Valiasr Teaching Hospital, Arak, Iran. Through coin tossing, one eye of each participant was randomly allocated to the intervention group and the other to the control group. The eye in the control group received routine eye care, whereas the eye in the intervention group received routine eye care and PBE for a week. EK prevalence and severity were assessed daily for 7 consecutive days using fluorescein eye staining papers and an ophthalmoscope with a cobalt blue filter.

The study groups did not significantly differ from each other in terms of the baseline prevalence and severity of EK. After the intervention, the prevalence of EK (χ</em>2 </em>= 13.44, df = 1, p </em>< 0.001) and the prevalence of grade II EK (χ</em>2 </em>= 8.33, df = 1, p </em>= 0.003) in the intervention group were significantly lower than the control group.

PBE is effective in significantly reducing EK prevalence and severity among patients in ICUs. Therefore, critical care nurses are recommended to use PBE for EK prevention and management.

Mental concerns of living donors can be a solid barrier to logical and informed decision‑making for organ donation. The present study explores living donors’ mental concerns and problems during the process of decision‑making for organ donation. 

The present study was performed using qualitative content analysis. Twenty‑one participants were selected by purposive sampling. The data were collected and recorded through semistructured interviews and analyzed by MAX Qualitative Data Analysis software 12, based on Graneheim and Lundman’s contractual content analysis method.

Data analysis extracted 425 codes, 13 subcategories, 3 main categories, and 1 core theme (conflict between doubt and certainty). The three main categories were individual barriers and concerns (faced by the donor), interpersonal concerns and barriers (experienced by the family), and socio‑organizational concerns and barriers (at the community).

Based on the results, donors have significant concerns and face major problems when deciding on organ donation. Therefore, health‑care professionals should take into account organ donors’ concerns, raise awareness of donor associations, and formulate policies to increase living donors’ satisfaction.

Complications experienced by women during menopause affect their self‑efficacy and can cause a negative attitude toward this period and lifestyle changes. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a life skills program on the perception of aging and self‑efficacy in postmenopausal women. 

This study was performed as a field trial on 70 postmenopausal women referring to Imam Ali and Navaab Safavi health centers in Isfahan, Iran, in 2018–19. The eligible subjects were randomly divided into experimental and control groups using a number table. The experimental group received the life skills program in five sessions and the control group shared their experiences in two sessions. Data were collected using a demographic characteristics form and the Ageing Perceptions Questionnaire (APQ) and General Self‑Efficacy Scale (GSE) and were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical tests in SPSS software. 

The results revealed that the mean score of aging perception immediately and 1 month after the intervention in the experimental group was significantly lower than that in the control group (p < </em>0.001). There was a significant increase in the self‑efficacy score in the experimental group immediately (F</em> 1,67 = 121.89, p < </em>0.001) and 1 month after the intervention (F</em>1,67 = 121.89, p < </em>0.001) compared to the control group.

This life skills program was able to reduce the perception of aging and physical complaints during menopause and improve self‑efficacy in women. Therefore, the implementation of this intervention is recommended in women.

Several factors play a role in Needlestick Injury (NSI). We aimed to determine the association of NSI with psychomotor performance in health care workers.

In this cross sectional study, demographic, occupational characteristics, and needlestick history were completed for 357 health personnel of a university hospital of Tehran in 2019 through a checklist. Psychomotor performance was measured using a pursuit aiming test.

Most of the NSI occurred in nurses. The mean age of the workers with a positive history of NSI was significantly lower compared to their peers with a negative history, and similarly, they had lower work experience. After adjustment for the confounding variables, the correct pursuit aiming test had a borderline association with the occurrence of the NSI.

Psychomotor performance had a borderline association with the history of NSI.

Some studies have shown that Socioeconomic Status (SES) is positively related to insulin resistance among different population groups, except for pregnant women. Therefore, we examined the relationship between SES and Homeostasis Model Assessment‑Insulin Resistance (HOMA‑IR) index as well as mediating variables.

This study was performed on 138 primiparous healthy women at 6–10 weeks of pregnancy. The association between SES and HOMA‑IR was analyzed by regression analysis, and mediating variables were determined by mediation analysis.

SES score was positively correlated with HOMA‑IR index [β </em>= 0.02, t</em>101 = 2.20, p </em>= 0.03, 95% CI: (0.00–0.05]. The higher percentage of mediation was related to maternal weigh (70.80%). Job activity had a protective effect on the association between SES and HOMA‑IR (‑62.50%). The total percentage of two mediators was 25%.

The positive relationship between SES and (HOMA‑IR) in early pregnancy may provide a way to control this condition.