Introduction: Midwifery practice is involved with clinical judgments which have direct effect on mother&aposs and embryo&aposs health. A midwife should be able to make vital decisions based on her knowledge and skills in emergency situations. A midwife can reach correct decisions by using critical thinking.

Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional, descriptive-comparative study we compared critical thinking of the first and last trimester baccalaureate and post graduate midwifery students of Medical Sciences Universities of Tehran. A total of 259 qualified students of 2002-2003 educational year were selected by census method. After description the goals and methods of study, we applied California critical thinking skills test (form B) in order to measure level of student&aposs critical thinking. This test is a valid tool for measuring critical thinking and skills, including analysis, inference, deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning and evaluation. Scores were analyzed by statistical tests (ANOVA, t test and Pearson correlation coefficient).

Results: No significant difference between total critical thinking scores of first and last trimester students was found but the scores of critical thinking of the last trimester students showed a significant decrease in Tehran University (p=0.009) and a significant increase in Iran University (p=0.007). No significant difference was found in skills of critical thinking among students. In last trimester students, scores of inductive reasoning showed a significant decrease in Tehran University (p=0.001) and a significant increase in Iran University. There was a significant decrease in evaluation ability scores in Tehran and Azad (open) Universities (p=0.002) a significant increase in these scores was found at Iran University (p=0.008).

Conclusion: According to the results of this study, despite importance of critical thinking, enough attention is not being paid to it during the educational course. The current midwifery education strategies are unable to increase level of critical thinking in students. It is essential to utilize new teaching strategies and active learning methods.

Background & Aim: Premature infants undergo painful and stressful procedures during care and treatment. Nurses can help to reduce short- and long-term effects of pain caused by diagnostic and therapeutic procedures using various methods including music therapy. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of music therapy on physiological pain responses of premature infants during and after blood sampling.

Methods & Materials: This was an experimental study with crossover design conducted on 20 premature infants hospitalized in the intensive care unit of a hospital affiliated to the Tehran University of Medical Sciences for a five months period in 2010-11. Infants were randomly allocated in two groups of experiment and/or control. Each infant was considered as its own control. We assessed the physiological pain responses caused by blood sampling such as heart rate and oxygen saturation level. Infants in the experiment group listened to the Transitions music five minutes before until 10 minutes after the blood sampling. The responses were recorded and reviewed ten minutes before until ten minutes after the blood sampling in both groups and physiological changes were detected. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Chi-square tests in the SAS and SPSS.

Results: Results showed significant difference in heart rate between the experiment and control groups during needle exit (P=0.022). There was also significant difference in heart rate between experiment and control group in the first 5 minutes of blood sampling (P=0.005).

Conclusion: Results showed that music therapy could reduce some physiological responses of pain during and after blood sampling. Music therapy can be used as a beneficial intervention following painful procedures such as blood sampling in the NICU.