Emotional intelligence of nurses caring for COVID-19 patients: A cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to assess the emotional intelligence of nurses caring for COVID-19 patients. METHODS: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that was conducted from May to July 2020 in Tehran, Iran. Nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 were requested to fill in Bradbury and Graves's questionnaire online using a questionnaire in electronic format. RESULTS: Finally 211 nurses completed the questionnaires. Most of the nurses were working in critical care wards and caring for critical patients (61.6). Nurses' emotional intelligence was reported to be 63.19 (8.22). In general, the nurses' emotional intelligence was moderate. Between the dimensions, self-awareness and self-management had the highest scores. Also, the lowest score was related to self-management. The ward type and complexity of care had no effect on the scores of emotional intelligence. Nurses caring for patients with moderate disease severity had a higher relationship management score than nurses caring for critically ill patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The total score of emotional intelligence was moderate. Due to the continuation of the COVID-19 pandemic and the possibility of mental and physical fatigue of health care workers, improving emotional intelligence can be effective in resilience and stability of the psychological status of employees.

A mediating role for mental health in associations between COVID-19-related self-stigma, PTSD, quality of life, and insomnia among patients recovered from COVID-19.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with COVID-19 often suffer from psychological problems such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and self-stigmatization that may negatively impact their quality of life and sleep. This study examined mental health as a potential mediating factor linking self-stigmatization and PTSD to quality of life and sleep. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional design, 844 people who had recovered from COVID-19 were called and interviewed. Data were collected using structured scales. Structural equation modeling was applied to assess fitness of a mediation model including self-stigma and PTSD as independent factors and quality of life and insomnia as dependent variables. RESULTS: Mental health, COVID-19-related self-stigma, and mental quality of life were associated. Insomnia, PTSD, and COVID-19-related self-stigma displayed significant direct associations (r = .334 to 0.454; p < .01). A mediation model indicated satisfactory goodness of fit (CFI = 0.968, TLI = 0.950, SRMR = 0.071, RMSEA = 0.068). Mental health as a mediator had negative relationships with COVID-19-related self-stigma, PTSD, and insomnia and positive associations with quality of life. CONCLUSION: Mental health may mediate effects of COVID-19-related self-stigma and PTSD on quality of life and insomnia. Designing programs to improve mental health among patients with COVID-19 may include efforts to reduce negative effects of PTSD and COVID-19-related self-stigma on quality of life and insomnia.

Comparison of group motivational interviewing and multimedia education on elderly lifestyle.

BACKGROUND: Many of the problems caused by aging can be delayed and the health of the elderly maintained by improving and applying a healthy lifestyle during old age. Therefore, the researcher has designed and implemented a study aimed "compare the impact of group motivational interviews with multimedia education on improving lifestyle in the elderly." METHODS: This study is triple blind before and after clinical trial was performed on three groups of thirty (n = 90) of the elderly with mean age 63.41 ± 6.88 who were members of the elderly centers of Tehran city neighborhoods with average to unfavorable lifestyle score. The first test group was subjected to group motivational interviewing during five sessions. The second test group was subjected to distant multimedia training. No training was given to the third group as the control group. After 3 months, the lifestyle questionnaire was completed in three groups. The results were analyzed by these techniques as statistical tests such as mean, standard deviation, relative frequency, and absolute frequency were used. The inferential statistical tests such as paired t-test and one-way ANOVA were used, respectively, to compare the pre- and post-mean scores and in each group and compare the mean scores of lifestyle dimensions in three groups. RESULTS: Both motivational interviewing and multimedia education have been effective in changing the lifestyle of the elderly, but according to the findings, motivational interviewing has a greater impact on elderly lifestyle. The total lifestyle score in four areas such as nutrition, self-care, mental health, and physical activity was significantly different in the three groups after the intervention (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Each educational program can somehow improve behavioral skills in individuals. Effective teaching methods should address the learning difficulties and inability to learn during the aging period. The results of this study can be a step toward the elaboration of strategies for education and promotion of healthy lifestyle in the elderly.