Resilience as the predictor of quality of life in the infertile couples as the most neglected and silent minorities.

BACKGROUND: It has been demonstrated that infertility can affect quality of life (QoL) in infertile couples. Resilience is considered a protective factor against the distress caused by infertility and the quality of life status. There is a new definition for Fertility Quality of Life that evaluates particularly the impact of infertility on various aspects of life. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this couple-based study, the main objective was investigating the quality of life based on the gender and resilience of infertile couples. Measurement tools were three questionnaires including a demographic one, a quality of life of infertile couples questionnaire and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. Data analysis was done through paired t-test and linear multiple regressions test. RESULTS: Overall the difference of mean score for QoL is statistically significant (P > 0.001) between men and women (69.48% vs 58.87%), which means that QoL status was positive in men and neutral in women. In addition, the mean score of male resilience was more than female resilience (P = 0.009). The results showed there was a significant and positive correlation between the QoL status and resilience score (P = 0.008, r = 0.13) (P < 0.1), and resilience (ß = 0.04 and P = 0.04) had a significant protective effect on the quality of life. CONCLUSION: Low resilience status in infertile couples is better to be considered as a risk factor compromising the quality of life and infertility consolers should keep in mind this issue and provide a comprehensive and holistic approach for a better outcome of infertility treatment. ABBREVIATIONS: QoLICQ: Quality of Life in Infertile Couple Questionnaire; CD-RISC: Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale; IVF: in vitro fertilisation; ART: assisted reproductive technique; PTSD: posttraumatic stress disorder; IUI: intrauterine insemination; ICSI: intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Being torn by inevitable moral dilemma: experiences of ICU nurses.

BACKGROUND: Ethical decision-making of nurses could affect patients' recovery and also decrease medical costs. To make ethical decisions, ICU nurses experience complicated ethical conflicts. Considering the multi-dimensional process of ethical decision-making, the present study was conducted to describe the experiences of ICU nurses regarding ethical decision making. METHOD: The present research is a qualitative study with conventional content analysis approach that was done in 2020. Fourteen ICU nurses were interviewed using a semi-structured in-depth interview method. The interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Granheim and Landman approach. RESULTS: Being torn by inevitable moral dilemma was defined as the main category which contained the categories of conflict with professional self, feeling squeezed between self-authority and demands of others, and Surrounded by organizational limitations. CONCLUSIONS: Results of the present study showed that moral dilemma is a situation in which the nurses are forced to choose between two options based on their equipment and facilities. In these situations, the nurses would hesitate between their internal conflicts and confusion between choosing their own benefits and patients' benefits. To prevent ethical challenges in decision making, it is necessary to educate healthcare team about ethical dilemmas and empower the personnel for encountering ethical challenges.

Predictors of Quality of Life in Infertile Couples.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted with the aim of examines the quality of life of infertile couples and their relationship with the practical resilience of infertile couples referring to Yazd's centers of infertility. METHODS: This research is a descriptive-correlational study. The research population consisted of all infertile couples who referred to Infertility Centers in Yazd, Iran in the winter of 2016. Sampling was conducted in a non-random and accessible manner. The instrument used in the research included a) demographic information questionnaire, b) Conner and Davidson's Resilience Scale, and c) quality of life infertile couples questionnaire. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 17 at a significant level of P < 0.05. To describe the data, descriptive statistics methods were used and the inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient, regression, independent t test, and variance analysis) were used to test the research hypotheses. RESULTS: People (202 couples) participated in this research. Three variables of resilience (ß = 0.04, P = 0.04), gender (ß = -0.22, P < 0.001), and education level (ß = 0.21, P < 0.001) had a prediction coefficient and there was a significant relationship with quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that resilience, gender, and education predict the quality of life of infertile couples. In the infertile couples counseling program, resilience should be considered as a coping factor.

The effect of empowerment program on empowerment level and self-care self-efficacy of patients on hemodialysis treatment.

BACKGROUND: Patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who receive dialysis confront the burdens of long-term illness and numerous physical problems. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a quasi-experimental study. The selected patients from Gorgan Dialysis Centre were randomly assigned into an empowerment group (n = 40) and a control group (n = 40). Instruments comprised scales of Empowerment and the Strategies Used by People to Promote Health (SUPPH). Data were collected at baseline and at 6 weeks following the intervention. The data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics through SPSS (version 17). RESULTS: The results indicate that scores of the empowerment (P ≤ 0.001) and self-care self-efficacy (P = 0.003) in the empowerment group showed a significantly greater improvement than the control group. CONCLUSIONS: The study supports the effectiveness of the empowerment program to promote empowerment level and self-care self-efficacy of hemodialysis patients.