Quality of Life of Palestinian Patients on Hemodialysis: Cross-Sectional Observational Study.

Background: Hemodialysis is life-saving and life-altering, affecting patients' quality of life. The management of dialysis patients often focuses on renal replacement therapy to improve clinical outcomes and remove excess fluid; however, the patient's quality of life is often not factored in. Objective: This study aimed to explore the factors affecting the quality of life of patients on dialysis in Palestine using the Kidney Disease Quality of Life (KDQOL-SFTM) questionnaire. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional observational study was conducted at multiple dialysis centers in Palestine, including 271 participants receiving renal replacement therapy. Demographics, socioeconomic, and disease status data were collected. The Arabic version of KDQOL-SFTM was used to assess dialysis patient quality of life. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS to find correlations among patient factors and the questionnaire's three main domains, the kidney disease component summaries (KDCS), mental component summaries (MCS), and physical component summaries (PCS). Results: Mean KDCS, MCS, and PCS scores were 59.86, 47.10, and 41.15, respectively. KDC scores were lower among participants aged 40 years or older, with lower incomes, and with diabetes. PCS and MCS scores were lower among patients aged >40, less educated, and lower-income participants. There was a positive correlation between MCS and KDCS (r = 0.634, P-value <0.001), PCS and KDCS (r = 0.569, P-value <0.001), as well as MCS and PCS (r = 0.680, P-value <0.001). Conclusion: In this study, the KDQOL-SFTM questionnaire revealed lower PCS scores among hemodialysis patients in Palestine. Furthermore, the three domains of the questionnaire were adversely affected by patient income and education status. In addition, physical role, work status, and emotional role showed the lowest scores among the three main domains. Therefore, continuous assessment of patients' quality of life during their journey of hemodialysis using the KDQOL-SFTM along with the clinical assessment will allow the healthcare professionals to provide interventions to optimize their care.

Awareness of Delirium by ICU Nurses.

Delirium is a critical issue in the intensive care unit (ICU), and the correct diagnosis and treatment of this disorder by the ICU team are doubtful on many occasions due to a lack of information. This research is intended to test the awareness and control of ICU delirium by the ICU nurses. A nonexperimental, quantitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using a previously adopted and translated to Arabic and validated questionnaire. The sample include nurses who work in ICUs of 10 Palestinian hospitals (private and public) located in the West Bank and Jerusalem participated in this study; each gave consent to be part of this study. Approval was received from the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the Ethical Committee at Birzeit University. Version 19 of the Social Sciences Statistical Package (SPSS) software was used to analyze the data. The results showed that ICU nurses hold moderate to low levels of knowledge and lack of adequate clinical experience to handle delirium. Delirium is a common complication in the ICU that increases morbidity and mortality and increases the length of ICU stay, therefore the cost of health care rise and the quality of life is decreased. In clinical practice, there are no assessment guidelines and protocols for patients with delirium.

Nurses' Attitude, Behavior, and Knowledge Regarding Protective Lung Strategies of Mechanically Ventilated Patients.

The management of critically ill patients is complicated and often involves complex devices including mechanical ventilators (MVs), which may be associated with many complications. Protective lung strategies (PLSs) are used to prevent complications associated with MVs, but nurses may not possess adequate knowledge to optimize the efficacy of PLSs. This article reports findings from what is thought to be the first study in Palestine that explores critical care nurses' knowledge about PLSs. The purpose of this study was to assess the critical care nurses' attitude, behavior, and knowledge regarding PLSs of mechanically ventilated patients. This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at both public and private hospitals in Palestine. The sample included nurses who worked in intensive care units and cardiac care units and utilized a previously developed and validated questionnaire. The result of the study concludes that the majority of the Palestinian critical care nurses agree with the utilization or application of PLSs but have a severe lack of knowledge about the strategies. This highlights the need to provide additional educational programs related to the optimum use of mechanical ventilation.