The relationship between internet addiction, sleep quality, and psycho-social problems among secondary school students in Erbil, 2023-2024.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to show the association between internet addiction (IA), sleep quality, and psycho-social problems among secondary school students DESIGN: A cross-sectional, descriptive, and correlational study design was used. SAMPLE: A total of 557 students from four secondary schools in Erbil were selected using multistage cluster sampling MEASUREMENTS: The questionnaires of this research contained socio-demographic data, Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Pediatric Symptom Checklist-Y (PSC-Y) questionnaire. RESULTS: Findings indicated that students displayed a mild IA, averaging a score of 42.9 ± 19.18. Furthermore, the average sleep quality (PSQI) score was 8.95 ± 2.75, indicating moderate sleep disturbance, and the average score for psycho-social problems was 27.78 ± 13.29. Importantly, there was a strong and positive association between IA and psycho-social issues, as shown by a correlation coefficient of 0.31 (p < .001). Sleep quality was correlated with IA and psychosocial issues (p < .001, correlation values: .23 and .27, respectively) CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the urgent need for health policymakers and nursing managers in Erbil to develop targeted interventions, such as awareness campaigns and digital well-being programs in school curricula, to mitigate the interlinked issues of IA, sleep quality, and psycho-social problems among students.

The effect of educational interventions by nurses through Orem's self-care theory on the ability of self-care in myocardial Infarction patients in public sector hospital: A quasi-experimental study.

Objectives: To assess the impact of educational intervention by nurses guided by Orem's theory to reinforce the self-care abilities of patients experiencing myocardial infarction. METHODS: The prospective, quasi-experimental case-control study was conducted from September 2020 to April 2021 at Dr. Ruth K.M. Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, and comprised myocardial infarction and heart failure patients with comorbidities diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The patients were randomised into experiment group A and control group B. Group A received educational intervention one day before and one day after discharge in line with the American Heart Association guidelines. Two 30-45-minute sessions of seven modules were conducted. Group B received routine information from ward staff. Assessment was done at baseline and first month and second month post-intervention using the Heart Failure Self-Care Index version 6.2. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 80 patients, 40(50%) were in group A; 27(76.5%) males and 13(32.5%) females. The remaining 40(50%) patients were in group B; 20(50%) males and 20(50%) females. The overall age of the sample ranged 36-65 years and 48(60%) had a previous history of heart failure. The mean score of maintenance, management, confidence and overall self-care were significantly higher in group A compared to group B (p<0.05). Conclusion: Nursing self-care educational intervention based on Orem's theory was found to be highly effective among patients of myocardial infarction and heart failure with respect to their self-efficacy ability.

Health related quality of life and associated factors among patients treated for ischaemic heart disease in two public sector hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan.

Objectives: To determine the level of health-related quality of life among patients treated for ischaemic heart disease in two public-sector tertiary care settings. METHODS: The analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from July to September 2021 at two tertiary care hospitals in Karachi after approval from the ethics review boards of the National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases and the Dow University of Health Sciences, and comprised patients of either gender treated for ischaemic heart disease after being diagnosed within the preceding year who were coming for follow-up in the outpatient department. Data was collected using the short version of the World Health Organisation quality of life tool. Association of socio-demographic and clinical variables with health-related quality of life was explored. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 300 patients aged 25-85 years, 212(70.7%) were males and 88(29.3%) were females. The mean total quality of life score was 6.1+/-1.4, while mean general health was 52.6+/-10.5. The lowest score among quality of life subscales was for environmental 44.7+/-15.1, while the highest score was for psychological 60.1+/-10.7 domains. Quality of life was significantly associated with patients' age, education, comorbidities, marital status, monthly income, body mass index, activities of daily living and smoking status (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: ischaemic heart disease patients had average health-related quality of life in all domains, but showed low quality of life in the environmental domain.

Peripheral intravenous catheter-induced phlebitis in a tertiary hospital of Karachi: a cohort study.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to determine the incidence of peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC)-induced phlebitis and its predictors among adult patients hospitalized at Dow University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: A sample of 258 adult patients admitted in the selected wards and planned for peripheral intravenous catheter insertion were recruited through consecutive sampling during March to May 2019. Daily follow-ups were performed to observe signs of phlebitis using a validated tool. The cohort was followed until discharge, removal of peripheral intravenous catheter, or study conclusion. RESULTS: Of 258 patients studied, 139 (53.9%) were females. A significant number of the participants 104 (40.3%) were young adults of age 20-40 years. The incidence of phlebitis was 39.1%. Tuberculosis (TB), peripheral intravenous catheter dwell time before initial assessment, administration of IV fluids, and dissatisfactory nursing care at Day 1 were associated significantly with the development of phlebitis. There was a doseresponse relationship between the catheter dwell time in hours before initial assessment and the development of phlebitis. CONCLUSION: This study found an increased incidence (39.1%) in three months of PIVC-induced phlebitis among adult patients. In addition to patient-related and PIVC-related risk factors considered in this study, PIVC-induced phlebitis is found to be significantly associated with the level of PIVC care provided by nurses. Continuous nursing education, developing standard care plans for PIVCs, and proper documentation of care are recommended.

Effectiveness of implementation of standard clinical pathway through healthcare professionals among acute myocardial infarction patients undergoing angiography / angioplasty in a public tertiary care hospital, Karachi.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of acute myocardial infarction standard clinical pathway among acute myocardial infarction patients on length of stay in public tertiary care setting. METHODS: The quasi-experimental non-randomised study was conducted at the Department of Cardiology, Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, from September to December 2018, and comprised acute myocardial infarction patients. Those admitted before the implementation of acute myocardial infarction standard clinical pathway formed the control group, while those admitted after the implementation were in the intervention group. Acute myocardial infarction standard clinical pathway was implemented and the interventional clinical practices of healthcare professionals, including cardiologists, postgraduates, residents, nurses and critical care technicians, were assessed using a standard checklist. Data was analysed using SPSS 21. RESULTS: Of the 100 participants, 50(50%) were in the control group; 31(62%) males and 19(38%) females. The intervention group also had 50(50%) patients; 35(70%) males and 15(30%) females. Regarding effectiveness of the implementation of standard clinical pathway, length of hospital stay reduced significantly in the intervention group compared to the control group (p=0.003). CONCLUSIONS: The implementation of acute myocardial infarction standard clinical pathway reduced the length of hospital stay of acute myocardial infarction patients.

Effect of nurse led education on anxiety level among coronary artery bypass grafting pre-operative patients.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify the effect of nurse-led pre-operative education in minimizing the level of anxiety among patients waiting for Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting. METHODS: This experimental study was accomplished at National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases. Out of 136, there were 80 patients identified with the presence of anxiety using AKUADS 4 to 6 weeks before CABG. Data were collected by the primary researcher from July 2016 to December 2016. Patients with anxiety were divided into experimental and non-experimental groups. After pre-operative education to the experimental group, patients from both groups were re-assessed for anxiety level one week before CABG. RESULTS: Data were assessed through non-parametric Wilcoxon sign ranked and Mann Whitney tests. It was found that anxiety reduced significantly in post-assessment among experimental group participants. No significant difference was found for pre-anxiety assessment between experimental and non-experimental groups. It was noted that post assessment anxiety differed significantly between experimental and non-experimental groups. CONCLUSION: Pre-operative education was found effective to decrease level of anxiety among patients waiting for CABG. There was no significant difference between pre and post assessment among patients from non-experimental group.