Journal of Caring Sciences
Volume:3 Issue: 2, Jun 2014

Maintaining body temperature and reducing stress are important challenges in bathing preterm infants. Swaddle bathing, which includes in itself the principles of developmental care, can be used as a low-stress and appropriate bathing method for premature infants. Given the limitations of the researches carried out on this bathing method, the present study was conducted with the aim of comparing the effects of swaddled and conventional bathing methods on body temperature and crying duration in premature infants. In this randomized clinical trial study, 50 premature infants hospitalized in Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) who were eligible for the study were divided by random allocation into two experimental and control groups. The infants in the experimental group were bathed using the swaddle bathing method and the infants in the control group were bathed using the conventional bathing method. Body temperature was measured 10 minutes before and 10 minutes after the bath. To record the crying, the infant's faces were filmed during the bath. The data were analyzed using chi-squared test, independent t-test, paired t-test and Mann-Whitney U test. The mean temperature loss was significantly less in the swaddle-bathed newborns compared to the conventionally-bathed newborns. Furthermore, crying time was significantly less in the experimental group than in the control group. Given the positive effect of swaddled bathing in maintaining body temperature and reducing stress, it can be used as an appropriate bathing method in NICU.

The essence of professional nursing is caring and so, nursing education must make caring as a significant part of their curricula. In this regard, little research exists about how nursing students perceive caring. The aim of this study is to investigate the nursing student's perception toward caring and thus, the impact of socialization process on their perception of caring will be determined. A cross-sectional study was done among all first and fourth-year nursing students (n=230) in Tabriz and Urmia faculties of nursing, 2012. Data were collected using Larson’s Caring Questionnaire that assessed the importance of nursing care behaviors (n=50) in six dimensions: "being accessible", "explains and facilitates", "comforts", "anticipates", "trusting relationship" and "monitors and follows through". The importance of caring behaviors was evaluated by the first and fourth-year nursing students in moderate to high level and also, the both groups considered higher ranks for "monitors and follows through" and "being accessible" and lower ranks for "anticipates" and "trusting relationships". The fourth-year students only ranked "explains and facilitates" higher than the first-year students, but the "comforts" dimension is not differed significantly between groups. The findings demonstrated that nursing education in this study has not likely succeeded in producing intended changes in the nursing student's perceptions. It is recommended to exactly find the perceptual changes or in principle the professional socialization process of nursing students, more research using longitudinal designs be conducted to examine the differences in student's perceptions of caring upon entering and completing the nursing program.

Aging has a profound effect on all the body organs and quality of life. One of the appropriate interventions is exercises such as walking. Nevertheless, the risk of falling and its complications are lower in stationary walking than walking on ground. Due to the higher life expectancy in women than men, the increasing number of elderly, and the low quality of life of women compared to men, this study aimed to assess the impact of stationary walking on the quality of life of the elderly women. In this clinical trial, 66 household elderly women covered by health centers of Maragheh were randomly selected and divided into experimental and control groups. Six weeks exercise intervention was conducted. The participants completed the quality of life questionnaire of the elderly, before and after the intervention. SPSS software was used to analyze the data. Mean scores of quality of life, in various aspects of the experimental group, before and after intervention, showed significant difference; there was no statistically significant difference in the control group. In addition, there was a significant difference in the mean and standard deviation of different aspects of quality of life in pre- and post-test of experiment and control groups. Using regular and constant exercise program such as stationary walking can increase the quality of life of the elderly women. It can improve healthy aging and having a healthy life at this age, too. Therefore, it is recommended to have stationary walking program in daily lives of the elderly.

Assessment of family functioning is essential prior to planning any family-based intervention for cancer patients. In an extensive literature review, any relevant studies related to the functions of Iranian families with cancer patient was not found. Therefore, the aims of present study were to investigate the function of Iranian families with a male cancer patient and its related factors from patients’ perspectives. This was a descriptive- corelational study in which 101 men with cancer admitted to Tabriz Shahid Ghazi hospital were participated by convenience sampling method. Family assessment device was used for data collection that investigates family functioning in problem solving, communication, roles, affective involvement, affective responsiveness, behavior control, and general functioning domains. Also, demographic characteristics were collected. The higher score indicates better family functioning. Data analyzed by SPSS software version13 using descriptive and inferential statistics is including independent samples t-test, one-way ANOVA and Pearson correlation tests. Male participants in this study reported inappropriate family functioning in all domains. The lower score was on communication and the higher score was on behavior control domain. There was significant statistical correlation between patients’ perception of family functioning with the participants’ education level and job, while, there was no significant correlation between patients’ score of family functioning with age, life situation, number of children, age of senior child, marriage duration and time passed since diagnosis. Inappropriate family functioning reported by the male cancer patients indicates importance of providing consultation services for cancer patients and their family.

The management of asthma during adolescence has specific challenges and is likely influenced, to some extent, by the patient's belief in their ability to affect change, their self-efficacy. Bolstering self-efficacy could potentially improve an adolescent’s ability to self-manage their asthma. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a triggers’ educational-modifying intervention on self-efficacy among adolescents diagnosed with asthma living in Iran. Sixty adolescents, aged 12 to 18 years, diagnosed with asthma participated in this randomized clinical trial. Participants randomly assigned to the control group received standard care while those assigned to the experimental group participated in a 5 week, nurse led, triggers modifying educational intervention in specialized clinics of lung in Tabriz, Iran. The self-efficacy scale developed by Bursh et al., was used for data collection. The level of self- efficacy in two groups before intervention was not statistically significant, while the post intervention measures were statistically significant. Intervention was effective in improving adolescents’ self-efficacy. Since this type of intervention has the potential to improve Self- efficacy in adolescents with asthma, it is suggested that adolescence directly education about asthma triggers along with modulating triggers will be of value and parent‐centered could be diminished. The need for such interventions emphasizes in clinic and outpatient clinics.

Suicide is a great economical, social and public health problem. It is prevalent worldwide and has a lot of negative effects on individuals, families and society. Depression is often prelude to Suicide. An important part of the treatment of the mentally ill patients is spiritual-religious psychotherapy which should be done after physical treatment. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of spiritual and religious group psychotherapy on suicidal ideation in depressed patients. 51 depressed patients with suicidal ideation from Razi hospital (Tabriz, Iran) participated in this clinical trial. To collect Data questionnaire was used which included demographic and Beck Suicide Scale Ideation. Experimental group participated in 10 sessions of group psychotherapy. Each section lasted 1 hour. Two weeks after the last section post test was done. Statistical software SPSS ver 13 was used for data analysis. Results of independent t-test revealed no difference between two groups in terms of suicidal ideation before intervention but after study there is a statistical difference. Also the results of ANCOVA test showed a significant relationship between spiritual group therapy and decrease in suicidal ideation, so that this intervention can make 57% of variance in suicidal ideation of experimental group. Regarding positive effect of spiritual and religious group psychotherapy on decreasing suicidal ideation of depressed patients, we suggest this intervention to be held in Psychiatric Wards and also more study on depression and other psychiatric patients with greater sample size would be helpful.

Ineffective communication is a main factor in engender of unwanted hospital errors and impede suitable patient care. SBAR technique (Situation-Background- Assessment- Recommendation) is a standard tool for building communication among healthcare professionals. While educating the SBAR technique requires appropriate educational methods, but this issue has been less investigated. So, the aim of present study was to compare the effect of educating the SBAR technique with role play and lecturing on communication skills of nurses in transferring patients to next shift. This quasi-experimental study conducted by participating 78 nurses who assigned to role play and lecturing groups randomly. SBAR technique was educated to each group separately. At the end of the learning session in each group, the skills of the participants in performing SBAR technique were investigated by the standard SBAR scale. Data analysis was performed by using SPSS statistical software version 11.5. Comparison the total score of performing SBAR technique using independent samples t-test showed statistical differences between mean score of role play and lecturing groups. Similarly, comparison the scores of skill in performing each four parts of SBAR technique showed statistical differences between two groups. Role play is an effective educational method in teaching SBAR technique for nurses and it can be used as a tool for build effective communication between healthcare professionals.

Self-esteem is an important potential indicator in etiology, diagnosis and treatment of patients with severe mental illness. ECT is a popular treatment for these patients that can effect on their self-esteem and reinforce their problems. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of supportive nursing care in increasing self esteem of patients receiving ECT. This clinical trial was conducted in the Baharan psychiatric hospital of Zahedan. A total of 70 cases of patients who received ECT were randomly allocated to control (n=35) and intervention (n=35) groups. The data were collected by demographic characteristics questionnaire and Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (RSES). Intervention group received the supportive nursing care. The control group received only routine treatment. Self esteem level was measured and compared before and after intervention for two groups. The data was analyzed by SPSS using the χ2, t-test and ANCOVA. Results showed that both groups were homogeneous on the socio- demographic characteristics. The mean self esteem in the intervention group compared with the control group was significantly increased. While controlling the effects of individual and social variables, the result shows significant differences between two groups in the mean scores of self esteem after the intervention. The results suggest that supportive nursing care can have positive effect on self esteem of patients receiving ECT. It is recommended to use this method for increasing self esteem of these patients.