Journal of Client-Centered Nursing Care
Volume:9 Issue: 4, Autumn 2023

This letter describes the results of the authors' investigations and conclusions regarding the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the multidimensional poverty of vulnerable populations.

Corresponding author:  Nader Aghakhani, Email: nader1453@umsu.ac.ir
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Mothers with disabled children often express emotions, such as aggression and criticism toward their children. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of solution-focused narrative therapy (SFNT) and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) on managing the expressed emotions of mothers of boys with gross motor disabilities.

This quasi-experimental study has a pre-test-post-test design with intervention and control groups. The research population consisted of all the mothers of children with gross motor disabilities referred to the “Success Counseling Center” in Tehran City, Iran, in 2022. A total of 45 eligible mothers were selected and randomly assigned to three groups: Two intervention groups and one control group (each 15). The SFNT was held in nine 90-minute sessions and the MBSR therapy in eight 90-minute sessions. The data were collected with the level of expressed emotion (LEE) scale and analyzed using descriptive statistics, such as frequency, percentage, Mean±SD, and the multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and LSD post hoc test in SPSS software, version 26. The significance level was set at P<0.05.

The post-test results showed a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of expressed emotion of the three groups (P<0.05). However, compared to MBSR, SFNT demonstrated greater efficacy in reducing mothers’ expressed negative emotions (P<0.05).

Both therapies effectively reduced expressed negative emotions in mothers with disabled male children. However, SFNT had a greater effect on expressed emotion compared to MBSR. In addition to pharmacological treatments, psychological interventions (SFNT and MBSR) can help mothers of boys with gross motor disabilities manage their expressed emotions and care for their children better.

Infertility is recognized as a stressful and critical experience worldwide and across cultures and disrupts individual, marital, family, and social stability. Religion serves as a source of support in dealing with health-related problems. This study investigates the relationship between religious coping mechanisms and health-promoting lifestyle (HPL) among Iranian infertile women.

A cross-sectional correlational study was conducted on 177 infertile women referring to the Sarem Sub-specialized Infertility Treatment and Research Center in Tehran City, Iran, 2019. The subjects were recruited by continuous sampling. The data in this study were collected using a demographic information form, the Iranian religious coping scale (IRCS), and the health-promoting lifestyle profile-II (HPLP-II). Statistical analyses, including the independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation coefficient, were performed using SPSS software, version 22. The significance level was set at P<0.05.

The highest mean was related to active religious coping (7.86±2.39), while passive religious coping (2.89±1.76) and negative feelings towards God (3.95±2.07) had the lowest mean scores. The Mean±SD score of health-promoting lifestyle was 128.34±13.46; the score range was 52-208, lower than the median score of the scale. A weak but significant inverse relationship was observed between negative feelings towards God and HPL (r=-0.19; P=0.013) and its three subscales: Physical activity (r=-0.18; P=0.019), nutrition (r=-0.21; P=0.011), and interpersonal relationships (r=-0.21; P=0.01). Also, a weak yet statistically significant inverse association was observed between passive religious coping and interpersonal relations (r=-0.18; P=0.029).

Considering that the mean HPL score of infertile women was lower than the median score of the scale, community-oriented education and care programs are recommended to improve HPL in infertile women. Teaching and strengthening positive/active religious coping strategies to improve HPL are also advised.

Nurses significantly contribute to the healthcare system, constituting the highest number of healthcare staff. A positive attitude or mindset at work increases the ability to carry out the organization’s duties, tasks, and plans. This study investigates the relationship between work effectiveness and work engagement of nurses in the selected hospitals affiliated with Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran City, Iran, in 2021.

This descriptive cross-sectional study has employed a correlational design. A total of 255 nurses working in selected hospitals affiliated with IUMS were recruited through proportionate stratified sampling. The study data were collected using the utrecht work engagement scale (UWES) and conditions for work effectiveness questionnaire II (CWEQ-II). Statistical analyses involved descriptive statistics, the independent t-test, analysis of variance, the Pearson correlation, and regression in SPSS software, version 22. The significance level was set at P<0.05. 

The Mean±SD work effectiveness among nurses was found to be 37.31±7.41, indicating their medium-to-high work effectiveness. Also, their Mean±SD work engagement was 68.96±15.48, indicating the high work engagement of nurses. There was also a significant positive relationship (r=0.656, P<0.001) between the total work effectiveness score and work engagement. The results showed that the “support” dimension of work effectiveness exhibited the highest correlation with work engagement (r=0.606, P<0.001). Also, the “absorption by work” dimension of work engagement had the highest correlation with work effectiveness (r=0.653, P<0.001).

According to the study results, increasing the work effectiveness of nurses necessitates the creation of a positive attitude and perspective through managerial actions.

Timely diagnosis and effective treatment of delirium, a clinical syndrome, significantly impact the outcomes of patients in intensive care units (ICUs). Despite its significance and prevalence, delirium continues to be underdiagnosed. This study aims to determine the knowledge and capability of ICU nurses in Iraq in recognizing delirium syndrome.

This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 154 nurses working in the ICUs of hospitals in Babylon, Al-Diwaniyah, and Karbala cities, Iraq, in 2022. The subjects were recruited by the census. The study data were collected using a demographic questionnaire, case vignettes, and the delirium knowledge questionnaire (DKQ) to assess participants’ characteristics, delirium recognition, and delirium knowledge. The data were analyzed using an independent t-test and Pearson correlation coefficient in SPSS software, version 22. The significance level was set at P<0.05.

The Mean±SD score of nurses’ overall knowledge was 46.73±14.34. The Mean±SD score for their understanding of delirium’s incidence, symptoms, signs, and effects was 43.57±17.70, whereas the Mean±SD score for knowledge of its risk factors and causes was 49.7±18.74. Their overall ability to recognize delirium had a Mean±SD score of 1.44±1.13. There was a significant relationship between knowledge of delirium, participation in a delirium training course (P=0.008), and work experience in ICUs (P=0.046). 

Given the results of our study, it is crucial to develop plans for increasing the knowledge and recognition ability of ICU nurses in Iraq regarding delirium.

Substance abuse disorders are associated with serious medical and psychiatric problems. Besides the undesirable side effects following drug-assisted treatment in drug abusers, sudden discontinuation of drug use can cause unpleasant symptoms. This study investigated the impact of reality therapy (RT) on drug cravings and mental health among clients of therapeutic community (TC) centers in Ahvaz City, Iran, in 2022.

This quasi-experimental study adopted a pre-test-post-test design with a control group. The study population consisted of all clients of TC centers of Ahvaz in 2022. Of whom 40 clients were selected as the sample using convenience sampling. In the next step, they were randomly assigned into the experimental and control groups (20 subjects in each group). The data were collected by using the desires for drug questionnaire (DDQ) and the general health questionnaire 28 (GHQ-28). The subjects in the experimental group attended eight 90-minute sessions of RT, whereas those in the control group received no intervention. The obtained data were analyzed using analysis of covariance. The significance level of all tests was considered to be ≤0.05.

RT significantly affected drug cravings and mental health of the clients of TC centers (P<0.001).

Based on the study findings, RT is recommended for reducing drug cravings and improving mental health of people undergoing drug rehabilitation.

People with knee osteoarthritis have a low quality of life due to joint pain and stiffness, severely limiting their daily activities. This study aims to investigate the impact of self-acupressure on the pain, joint stiffness, and physical functioning of patients with knee osteoarthritis.

This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 78 patients aged 50 to 70 with knee osteoarthritis, referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital and private orthopedic clinics in Ahvaz City, Iran, in 2018. The patients were recruited based on the inclusion criteria and then randomly assigned to three groups: self-acupressure (n=26), sham (n=26), and control (n=26). Patients in the intervention group applied daily self-acupressure to 5 specific points around their knees for 8 consecutive weeks. The sham group applied pressure on the points different from those used by the intervention group. The control group received no intervention. The study data were collected using the Western Ontario and McMaster osteoarthritis index (WOMAC), visual analog scale (VAS), and a checklist for daily recordings of pain medication. The obtained data were analyzed using the chi-square test and analysis of variance in SPSS software, version 20. The significance level was set at P<0.05.

The comparison of changes within the group showed that the intensity of pain in the intervention group decreased over time (P<0.0001). Also, the joint stiffness, physical functioning, and total WOMAC score significantly decreased in the intervention group (P<0.0001). The frequency of analgesic use was also reduced in the intervention group over time (P=0.026).

According to the results, self-acupressure effectively reduces the intensity of pain and joint stiffness and improves the physical performance of older adults with knee osteoarthritis. Overall, this easy and affordable intervention is recommended for this group.

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled many educational institutions to employ flexible learning options (FLO), requiring technology integration in teaching. Digital immigrant nurse educators, who are educators born before 1985, may need help adopting FLO due to their limited technological knowledge and skills. This study explores the challenges digital immigrant nurse educators face in adopting FLO as a teaching strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Employing a qualitative phenomenological research approach, we researched 6 digital immigrant nurse educators with at least 10 years of teaching experience in the nursing institution at the College of Health Sciences of Mindanao State University in Marawi City, Philippines. These educators, expressing difficulty in adopting FLO, were purposively selected and interviewed from October 2021 to April 2022. Interviews were conducted through a scheduled Zoom meeting. For this purpose, an interview guide with open-ended questions was used. Colaizzi’s method of analysis was applied to analyze the data. 

We identified 4 themes representing the challenges digital immigrant nurse educators face in adopting FLO. The themes comprised a lack of technological knowledge and skills, difficulty adjusting to new teaching methods, inadequate technological resources, and emotional stress and exhaustion.

Given the challenges experienced by Filipino digital immigrant nurse educators in integrating FLO amid the pandemic, this study recommends providing support and resources to improve these nurse educators’ technical knowledge and skills. Continuous education is crucial for successfully integrating FLO into their teaching practices.