The effect of time management education on critical care nurses' prioritization: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Nurses are at the forefront of patient care, and time management skills can increase their ability to make decisions faster. This study aimed to assess the effect of a time management workshop on prioritization and time management skills among nurses of emergency and intensive care units. METHODS: This randomized clinical trial was performed with 215 nurses. The educational intervention about time management was held in the form of a workshop for the intervention group. The time management questionnaire was completed by both groups before, immediately after, and 3 months after the intervention. RESULTS: Most participants were female (n=191, 88%), with a mean age of 31.82 years (range, 22-63 years). Additionally, the participants' work experience ranged from 1 to 30 years (mean±standard deviation, 8.00±7.15 years). After the intervention, the mean score of time management increased significantly in the intervention group, but no significant difference was observed in this regard in the control group. The results also revealed a significant difference between the intervention and control groups regarding the mean score of time management 3 months after the intervention (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Time management training helped nurses adjust the time required to perform and prioritize various tasks.

Quality of Nurses' Communication with Mechanically Ventilated Patients in a Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the quality of the relationship between nurses and patients under mechanical ventilation. METHODS: This observational study, performed in a cardiac surgery intensive care unit in Iran, selected 10 nurses and 35 patients through simple random and convenience sampling, respectively. One of the researchers observed 175 communications between nurses and patients in different work shifts and recorded the results according to a checklist. Nurse and patient satisfaction with the communication was assessed by using a six-item Likert scale, 8 to 12 h after extubation. RESULTS: Most of the patients were male (77.1%), while most of the nurses were female (60%). Patients started over 75% of the communications observed. The content of the communication was related mostly to physical needs and pain. Besides, the majority of patients used purposeful stares and hand gestures, and head nod for communication. Most of the communications between patients and nurses were satisfied 'very low' (45.7% in nurses, versus 54.3% in patients). However, 'complete satisfaction' was lower in nurses (0%), compared with patients (5.7%). No statistically significant correlation was found between patients' and nurses' satisfaction and demographic variables. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed that communication between nurses and mechanically ventilated patients was built through traditional methods and was based on the patients' requests. This issue might be the cause of an undesirable level of their satisfaction with the communication, given that effective communication can lead to understanding and meeting the needs of the patients.

Quality of Nurses' Communication with Mechanically Ventilated Patients in a Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Unit

Objetivo. Describir la calidad de la relación entre las enfermeras y los pacientes sometidos a ventilación mecánica. Métodos. Estudio observacional realizado en una Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos de Cirugía Cardíaca en Irán. Se seleccionaron 10 enfermeras y 35 pacientes mediante muestreo aleatorio simple y de conveniencia, respectivamente. Se observaron 175 comunicaciones entre las enfermeras y los pacientes en diferentes turnos de trabajo. Los resultados se registraron de acuerdo con una lista de verificación. La satisfacción con la comunicación de las enfermeras y de los pacientes se evaluó mediante una escala Likert de 6 ítems, de 8 a 12 horas después de la extubación del paciente. Resultados. La mayoría de los pacientes eran hombres (77.1%), mientras que en las enfermeras predominó el sexo femenino (60%). El 75% de las comunicaciones observadas las iniciaron los pacientes. El contenido de la comunicación estaba relacionado principalmente con las necesidades físicas y el dolor. La mayoría de los pacientes usaron las miradas intencionadas, los gestos con las manos y los movimientos de la cabeza para comunicarse. La mayoría de las comunicaciones fueron 'ligeramente satisfactorias' (45.7% para enfermeras versus 54.3% para pacientes). Sin embargo, la satisfacción general fue menor en las enfermeras (0%) en comparación con los pacientes (5.7%). No se encontró correlación estadísticamente significativa entre la satisfacción de los pacientes y de las enfermeras con las variables demográficas estudiadas. Conclusión. Los resultados mostraron que la comunicación entre las enfermeras y los pacientes con ventilación mecánica se construyó a través de métodos tradicionales y se basó en las solicitudes de los pacientes. Esta situación puede ser el motivo del nivel indeseable de satisfacción con las comunicaciones, las cuales son esenciales para comprender y satisfacer las necesidades de los pacientes.

Objective. To describe the quality of the relationship between nurses and patients under mechanical ventilation. Methods. This observational study, performed in a cardiac surgery intensive care unit in Iran, selected 10 nurses and 35 patients through simple random and convenience sampling, respectively. One of the researchers observed 175 communications between nurses and patients in different work shifts and recorded the results according to a checklist. Nurse and patient satisfaction with the communication was assessed by using a six-item Likert scale, 8 to 12 h after extubation. Results. Most of the patients were male (77.1%), while most of the nurses were female (60%). Patients started over 75% of the communications observed. The content of the communication was related mostly to physical needs and pain. Besides, the majority of patients used purposeful stares and hand gestures, and head nod for communication. Most of the communications between patients and nurses were satisfied 'very low' (45.7% in nurses, versus 54.3% in patients). However, 'complete satisfaction' was lower in nurses (0%), compared with patients (5.7%). No statistically significant correlation was found between patients' and nurses' satisfaction and demographic variables. Conclusion. The results showed that communication between nurses and mechanically ventilated patients was built through traditional methods and was based on the patients' requests. This issue might be the cause of an undesirable level of their satisfaction with the communication, given that effective communication can lead to understanding and meeting the needs of the patients.

Objetivo. Descrever a qualidade da relação entre as enfermeiras e os pacientes submetidos a ventilação. Métodos. Estudo observacional realizado em uma Unidade de Tratamento Intensivo de Cirurgia Cardíaca no Irã. Se selecionaram 10 enfermeiras e 35 pacientes mediante amostra aleatória simples e de conveniência, respectivamente. Se observaram 175 comunicações entre as enfermeiras e os pacientes em diferentes turnos de trabalho. Os resultados se registraram de acordo com uma lista de verificação. A satisfação com a comunicação das enfermeiras e dos pacientes se avaliou mediante uma escala Likert de 6 itens, de 8 a 12 horas depois da extubação do paciente. Resultados. A maioria dos pacientes eram homens (77.1%), enquanto que nas enfermeiras predominou o sexo feminino (60%). 75% das comunicações observadas foram iniciadas pelos pacientes. O conteúdo da comunicação estava relacionado principalmente com as necessidades físicas e a dor. A maioria dos pacientes para comunicar-se usavam as olhadas intencionadas, os gestos com as mãos e os movimentos da cabeça. A maioria das comunicações foram 'ligeiramente satisfatórias' (45.7% para enfermeiras versus 54.3% para pacientes). Porém, a satisfação completa foi menor nas enfermeiras (0%) em comparação com os pacientes (5.7%). Não se encontrou correlação estatisticamente significativa entre a satisfação dos pacientes e das enfermeiras com as variáveis demográficas. Conclusão. Os resultados mostraram que a comunicação entre as enfermeiras e os pacientes com ventilação mecânica se construiu através de métodos tradicionais e se baseou nas solicitações dos pacientes. Esta situação pode ser o motivo do nível indesejável de satisfação com as comunicações, as quais são necessárias para compreender e satisfazer as necessidades dos pacientes.