Opportunities and Challenges of E-learning for Nursing Students at the Beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Iran: A Qualitative Content Analysis.

Background: Given the limited presence of students in universities and the closure of educational centers, including nursing schools, during the COVID-19 outbreak, there has been a significant shift toward e-learning. However, there is a lack of research in this area. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the experiences of undergraduate nursing students with e-learning during the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020. Materials and Methods: This qualitative-descriptive study focused on 12 undergraduate nursing students from the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. The participants were selected using purposive sampling. In-depth and semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect the data. The collected data were analyzed using MAXQDA10 and conventional content analysis. The study was conducted between May and September 2020. Results: Analysis of the findings led to the emergence of 11 subcategories and two main categories: E-Learning opportunities and Challenges of E-Learning, providing a comprehensive description of the experiences reported by the participants. Conclusions: Unforeseen crises, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic, can significantly affect the quality of education by disrupting face-to-face learning. To mitigate such disruptions, it is crucial to plan and establish infrastructure that supports alternative modes of education, such as e-learning. Additionally, providing training to students and educators on effectively utilizing digital platforms and producing electronic content can help ensure a smoother transition during crises.

Relationship between professional self-concept and perceived organizational support with family functioning in nurses in Isfahan, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Vocational issues affect nurses' family functioning in long term. So the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between professional self-concept and perceived organizational support with nurses' family functioning. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This descriptive correlational study conducted in hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and 250 nurses who met the inclusion criteria participated in this study. The samples were selected conveniently from December 2022 to August 2022. To collect data, Cowin's professional self-concept questionnaire, Eisenberger's perceived organizational support questionnaire, and Epstein's family function measurement were used. Data collection was done in one step and cross-sectional. Descriptive statistics and inferential methods of data analysis consisted of Pearson's correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression were used. Data were analyzed with statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 22. RESULTS: One of the six dimensions of professional self-concept consisted of staff relations significantly predicted the family function of nurses (P = .004). No significant relationship was found between perceived organizational support and nurses' family function (P = .825). CONCLUSION: Promoting the healthcare organizations' human climate may improve nurses' wellbeing and hereby their family functioning which could further improve quality of healthcare services. It may be worthwhile to suggest supporting interpersonal and interprofessional relationships to ensure a healthy professional life for the nurses.

The Effect of Mindfulness on Posttraumatic Growth of Mothers of Premature Infants Admitted to Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) on Posttraumatic Growth (PTG) in mothers of premature infants admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) in Iran. Sixty mothers were selected by convenience sampling and assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention group received two MBSR sessions each week over the course of three weeks. The Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI) was used to collect data before, immediately after, and 1 month after the intervention. Based on repeated measures ANOVA, group-by-time interaction effect was significant and there was a statistically significant difference in the mean PTG scores of mothers in the two groups over time (p = 0.004). MBSR increased PTG in mothers. As a result, it is suggested that this approach be used in psychological support programs for mothers who have premature infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units.

Comparing the effect of emotional freedom technique on sleep quality and happiness of women undergoing breast cancer surgery in military and nonmilitary families: A quasi-experimental multicenter study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare the effect of emotional freedom technique (EFT) on sleep quality and happiness of women who underwent breast cancer surgery and lived in military and nonmilitary families. DESIGN AND METHODS: The patients were randomly divided into four groups of military intervention (n = 34), nonmilitary intervention (n = 33), military control (n = 31), and nonmilitary control (n = 35). Data were collected using demographic information form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, and Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. FINDINGS: The mean scores of sleep quality and happiness in military and nonmilitary intervention groups improved significantly immediately and 1 month after the intervention compared to control groups (p < 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference between the military and nonmilitary intervention groups regarding the mean scores of sleep quality and happiness before, immediately, and 1 month after the intervention (p > 0.05). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Given the efficacy of EFT in improving sleep quality and happiness, it is recommended that this technique be taught to nurses to implement in the entire process of providing nursing care to cancer patients.

Postpartum depression and its correlates: a cross-sectional study in southeast Iran.

BACKGROUND: Postpartum depression has a negative impact on both infants and women. This study aimed to determine the correlates of postpartum depression in women in southern Iran. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed on 186 mothers who had recently given birth to a baby. Data were collected using the demographic form, Quality of Prenatal Care Questionnaire, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS), Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 items (DASS-21) 3 days after delivery and EPDS and DASS-21 6 months after childbirth. RESULTS: Postpartum depression (PPD) was 24.2% and 3.2% 3 days and 6 months after delivery, respectively. Anxiety, Prenatal Care Quality and educational level predicted 34.0% of the variance of PPD 3 days after delivery (R2 = 34.0%). Anxiety, type of delivery, and stress predicted 24% of the variance of PPD 6 months after delivery (R2 = 24.0%). CONCLUSIONS: With an increase in stress and anxiety and a reduction in the quality of prenatal care, the risk of postpartum depression increases. Therefore, attention to the quality of prenatal care and postpartum stress and anxiety should be carefully evaluated to prevent PPD. Psychological support and interventions are recommended to promote the mental health of women before and after childbirth.

The Relationship Between Nurse's Professional Quality of Life, Mindfulness, and Hardiness: A Cross-Sectional Study During the COVID-19 Outbreak.

Background: In the pandemic of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease, various factors, such as workplace factors, and psychological variables, can affect the occupational status of nurses. This study aimed to assess the relationship between nurses' professional quality of life, mindfulness, and hardiness during the outbreak of COVID-19. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 239 nurses from two medical centers in Rafsanjan, Iran. Quota sampling was performed from August to November 2020. A demographic form, the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL), the Freiburg Mindfulness Questionnaire-Short Form (FMI-SF), and the Occupational Hardiness Questionnaire (OHQ) were used to collect data. Results: The mean age of the participants was 33.20 ± 6.85 years. The majority of the participants were female, married, and employed. Compassion Satisfaction (CS), Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS), and Burnout (BO) were all moderate among nurses. Hardiness was the best predictor of compassion satisfaction. Mindfulness was the best predictor of both secondary traumatic stress and burnout. Psychological hardiness and mindfulness had the greatest impact on nurses' quality of professional life during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusion: Caring for COVID-19 patients may lead to BO, CF, and STS; identifying predictors of these can inform the development of interventions to mitigate or minimize BO, CF, and STS in nurses caring for these patients. Furthermore, in order to improve nurses' quality of professional life, psychological hardiness, and mindfulness, necessary psychological programs and interventions should be designed and implemented.

The Effect of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction on Posttraumatic Stress of Mothers With Premature Neonates Admitted to a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Mothers experience posttraumatic stress disorder with the birth of a premature neonate. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction on posttraumatic stress of mothers with premature neonates in Iran. Sixty mothers with premature neonates were selected by using convenience sampling and stratified random allocation. Mindfulness-based stress reduction was trained and mean posttraumatic stress disorder was measured. Mean posttraumatic stress scores of the 2 groups were statistically significant immediately and 1 month after the intervention (independent t test, P < .05). Posttraumatic stress of both groups reduced over time, but this reduction was more significant in the intervention group (repeated-measures analysis of variance, P < .05). Concerning the positive role of mindfulness-based stress reduction in posttraumatic stress disorder of mothers, it is recommended to use this approach in care programs of mothers with premature neonates.

Use of complementary and alternative medicine in general population during COVID-19 outbreak: A survey in Iran.

OBJECTIVE: Some epidemic diseases such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have caused many physical, psychological, and social challenges, despite the existence of treatment strategies. Many people are looking for complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) to prevent such diseases. The present study was performed to determine how some types of CAM were being used during the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran. METHODS: The present study had a cross-sectional descriptive correlational design. All Iranian residents above 17 years old were eligible to participate in the study. A total of 782 participants completed a demographic information questionnaire, a questionnaire about their use of CAMs and a questionnaire about their satisfaction with the CAMs they used. Web-based sampling was conducted from 20 April 2020 to 20 August 2020. RESULTS: Of the participants, 84% used at least one type of CAM during the COVID-19 outbreak. The most used CAMs were dietary supplements (61.3%), prayer (57.9%), and herbal medicines (48.8%). The majority of the participants (50%-66%) have used CAMs to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 or to reduce anxiety caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. CAM use was associated with sex, having children, place of residence, COVID-19 status, and source of gathering information about CAM (P < 0.05). All 32 participants who had been infected with COVID-19 used at least one type of CAM for treatment or alleviation of the disease symptoms. CONCLUSION: During the COVID-19 outbreak, some types of CAM, particularly nutritional supplements, medicinal herbs, and prayer, were commonly used to prevent COVID-19 and reduce pandemic-related anxiety.

Chronic Patients' Activation and Its Association with Stress, Anxiety, Depression, and Quality of Life: A Survey in Southeast Iran.

A better perception of the factors associated with patient activation, as a way to improve self-management, is the most important step in planning patient-centered education for chronic disease management. Therefore, the present study is aimed at investigating the relationship between activation, stress, anxiety, depression, and quality of life (QOL) in patients with chronic diseases. This correlational study was performed on 293 chronic patients admitted to coronary care units (CCUs) in one of the hospitals in Rafsanjan. The Patient Activation Measure (PAM), Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF), and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21) were used to collect data. The data were then analyzed using SPSS 22. A significant positive correlation was observed between general QOL and PAM (P < 0.001). In addition, a significant negative correlation was found between PAM, stress (P = 0.032), and depression (P = 0.025). The results of multivariate linear regression indicated that only physical and psychological subscales of QOL significantly predicted PAM (B = 0.24; 95% confidence interval; P value < 0.05). Owing to the fact that some subscales of QOL have a determinant role in the PAM of chronic patients, healthcare providers are recommended to plan and implement the necessary interventions to improve the QOL and the health outcomes of chronic patients.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder During the COVID-19 Outbreak in Iran: The Role of Social Dysfunction.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 epidemic has both physical and psychosocial consequences for the general population. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between the prevalence of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and social dysfunction during the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran. This cross-sectional web-based study was conducted on 1000 Rafsanjani citizens in southeastern Iran. Data were collected by using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 and the General Health Questionnaire from March 15 to March 30, 2020. The prevalence of GAD was 27.8%. The mean score of social functioning was 9.71 ± 2.66, and all participants had social dysfunction. Multivariate logistic regression test showed a significant correlation between anxiety and social functioning (confidence interval [CI], 1.16-1.30; p < 0.001), sex (CI, 1.49-3.04; p < 0.001), and concern about COVID-19 (CI, 1.38-2.73; p < 0.001). The COVID-19 epidemic had negative psychosocial consequences in the general population in Iran.

The Effect of Abdominal Massage on Gastrointestinal Functions: a Systematic Review.

INTRODUCTION: abdominal massage with regular and rhythmic movements has been used to treat some symptoms of diseases. OBJECTIVES: to review data collected from randomized controlled trials regarding the effect of abdominal massage (AM) on gastrointestinal functions (GFs). METHODS: we conducted a systematic review of articles accessible through PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. All eligible English RCT- published articles related to the effect of AM on GFs were included in the study from the time of their acceptance until June 2019. RESULTS: ten studies with 464 patients met the inclusion criteria. Three studies reported that AM alleviated constipation symptoms in patients with multiple sclerosis, cancer, and elderly adults. In three studies, AM increased bowel movements in people with constipation and patients undergoing skeletal traction. The results of three studies conducted on intensive care patients showed that AM improved GFs, and decreased abdominal circumference and distension. Two studies showed the effectiveness of AM in reducing the gastric residual volume. However, one study indicated no significant difference between the intervention and control groups. The results of two studies showed that AM did not affect laxative intake, nausea or vomiting, frequency of defecation, and food intake. Furthermore, AM did not decrease ventilator-associated pneumonia in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. The studies reported no adverse effects of AM. CONCLUSIONS: there was promising evidence for the effect of AM on GFs. However, further studies are needed to measure the unknown dimensions of AM in patients.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine Usage and Its Determinant Factors Among Infertile Men in Iran.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the use of some Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) techniques in infertile men. Materials and methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 102 infertile men referred to the only center of infertility in Kerman, Iran using convenience sampling. Data were collected using a two-part researcher-made questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistics (chi-square test and logistic regression) with SPSS 16. Results: According to the present study, 72.5% of subjects used at least one of the CAM methods in the past year. Among them 28.4% of the subjects have used one CAM technique, 13.7% have used two techniques, 8.8% have used three techniques, 9.8% have used four techniques, and 11.8% have used more than four techniques since the last year. None of the socio-demographic characteristics had significant association with being the user of complementary and alternative medicines. Conclusion: The results showed that almost three quarters of the infertile men used CAM indicating a high prevalence of CAM usage among them.

Environmental Risk Factors for Multiple Sclerosis: A Case-control Study in Kerman, Iran.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have addressed the environmental risk factors for multiple sclerosis (MS). Concerning contradictory results and change of epidemiologic patterns and the role of environmental factors, in the present study, some risk factors, especially environmental factors, on MS were studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective case-control study conducted among 120 patients with MS and 360 healthy individuals in Kerman, Iran. Inclusion criteria included (1) MS disease, diagnosed by a neurologist according to the McDonald criteria, and (2) tendency to participation in the study. Exclusion criteria included (1) suffering from cognitive disorders; (2) incomplete questionnaire; and (3) continuous migration. Data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of personal information and some environmental factors. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. RESULTS: The results showed that diet was associated with a higher risk of MS with the odds ratio (OR) of 14.46 and 95% confidence interval (CI) of 3.02-69.21 (p < 0.001) for vegetarian and OR of 11.74, 95% CI of 4.66-29.57 (p < 0.001) for animal diets. Similarly, vitamin D supplementation contributed to MS risk (OR: 2.27, 95% CI: 1.32-3.89; p < 0.001). In contrast, history of using cow's milk during infancy resulted in a lower risk of MS (OR: 0.33, 95% CI: 0.20-0.52, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that different lifestyles including using cow's milk during infancy and avoiding only vegetarian and animal diets may reduce MS risk in southeastern Iran. More studies are suggested to investigate the controversial finding of the negative effect of vitamin D supplementation in this area.

The relationship between emotional intelligence and critical thinking skills in Iranian nursing students.

Background: Critical thinking skills are one of the most important competencies in successful clinical performance of nursing students. Emotional intelligence is also one of the concepts related to critical thinking and can play an important role in the ability to think. Thus, this study was conducted to investigate the relationship between emotional intelligence and critical thinking in nursing students. Methods: This was a quantitative, descriptive-correlative Study. Participants were nursing students in different levels. To collect data, California Critical Thinking Test (form B) and Bar-On Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire were used. Then, data were analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS 16 software. Results: Pearson correlation test showed no significant correlation between the total score of critical thinking skills and each of its components with the total score of emotional intelligence and its component, except for empathy (p=0.001), in nursing students. Conclusion: The findings revealed a significant relationship between empathy and critical thinking skills in nursing students. Using these elements as teaching techniques for nursing education courses can be very helpful in developing good nurse-patient relationships and improving patient care.