Introduction: In hypertensive patients M position (sitting, right arm at the level of heart and both plantar surface of foots on the floor) is the standard position for measurment of blood pressure since it reveals the “true” pressure. Materials and

Methods: It is a quaziexperimental study that compares effect of different positions of limbs on blood pressure of hypertensive patients. The sample size was consisted of 100 hypertensive patients. A questionnaire and a check list for systolic and diastolic blood pressure of the patients in different positions were used. One researcher collected all of the data. At first demographic data, weight and hight were recorded. After 5 minutes in sitting position in 3 different comparing positions, M (sitting, right arm at the level of heart and both plantar surface of foots on the floor), A (sitting, right arm hanging beside the body and both plantar surface of foots on the floor) and B (sitting, right arm hanging beside the body and right foot on the left knee), blood pressure was measured and recorded. The study methods included interview and physiologic measurement. The paired t-test for related measure was applied in order to analyse the data.

Results: The results showed that the difference of mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure in “A & M”, “B & M” and “B & A” positions was significant (paired t test, p<0.0001) and the mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure in “A” position was more than “M” position, “B” position was more than “M” position and “B” position was more than “A” position.

Conclusion: According to the findings of this study, “B” position has the greatest effect and “M” position has the lowest effect on increasing the systolic and diastolic blood pressure. This research indicated that attention to the limbs position during the measurement of blood pressure is very important.

Background & Aim: Stress is a main problem among nurses which affects their professional performance and personal life resulting in conflict between work and life. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of stress management on work-family conflicts.

Methods & Materials: In a quasi-experimental two-group study, 64 medical nurses were selected randomly to the study from Shahid lavasani hospital in Tehran. Data were gathered using a questionnaire including demographic characteristics, work-family conflict items, and nursing stress scale. Then, the experimental group participated in a 2-day stress management course. The questionnaire was completed by the participants one month later. Data were analyzed in the SPSS v.18.

Results: The mean work-family conflict score was 3.97 in the experimental group at baseline. It declined after the intervention to 3.357 (P<0.001). There was statistically significant difference between the two groups on work-family conflict after the intervention (P=0.007). There was a significant decrease in the job stress from baseline (46.52) to the post-intervention measurement (35.61) in the experimental group (P<0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in the mean of job stress after the intervention (P=0.014).

Conclusion: Stress management education declined work-family conflict and job stress among nurses. This education should be used in nursing clinical and educational training programs.

  Background & Aim: Insertion of chest tubes is a necessary measurement in chest trauma. The trauma patients need specific skills for self-care. This study aimed to determine the effect of using supportive-educative system on self-care skills in trauma patients with chest drainage system .

  Methods & Materials: In this quasi-experimental study, 62 trauma patients with chest-tube were selected from three surgery wards of Besat hospital in Hamadan from December 2012 to May 2013. Two wards were randomly allocated into the experiment group (n=31) and one ward was allocated into the control group (n=31). Participants were selected using convenience sampling. The supportive-educative system was designed based on the patients’ needs and was implemented to the experimental group in three consecutive days. The study instruments included self-care needs assessment form and self-care skills checklist. Measurements were completed once the patients were admitted to the wards and three days later by an external observer. Data were analyzed using t-test, Chi-squared test, Mann-Whitney and Wilcoxon tests with a 95% confidence level in the SPSS-16 . 

  Results: There were no significant differences between the two groups in the study variables at baseline (P>0.05). Although self-care skills in both control (P<0.01) and experiment (P<0.001) groups were improved, using educative-supportive system led to better self-care skills in the intervention group in compare to the control group (P<0.001) .

  Conclusion: In general, self-care skills of patients with chest drainage system could be improved by supportive-educative system. The improvement in the control group can be attributed to self-care trainings conducted routinely by doctors and nurses .

  Background & Aim: Mothers often feel anxious about giving care to their premature babies. This maternal stress is associated with negative attitudes and behaviors towards babies. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Kangaroo mother care on stress among mothers with premature babies .

  Methods & Materials: This quasi-experimental study was carried out on 46 pairs of mothers and their premature babies hospitalized in the ICUs of Shahid Sadooghi and Tamin Ejtemaee hospitals. The participants were selected using convenience sampling method and were assigned into two intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, the Kangaroo mother care was provided to the babies after breastfeeding for about 30 minutes once a day for four weeks. Maternal stress was measured using the Parental Stress Scale before and immediately after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the Chi-squared test, t-test, and Mann-Whitney test . 

  Results: The mean of stress score in mothers of the intervention and control groups were 102.0 ± 17.02 and 174.52 ± 18.25, respectively (P<0.001). The stress score was significantly different before and after the intervention among mothers of the intervention group (P<0.001) .

  Conclusion: The Kangaroo mother care decreased stress score among mothers who had premature babies. The Kangaroo mother care is strongly recommended to be used by mothers with premature babies .

Background & Aim: Poor oral care for the ventilated patients in intensive care units (ICU) can result in the accumulation of pathogens and respiratory infections. In this regard, in addition to the chemical methods, a mechanical method has been recommended to be added. However, concerning its effect on pneumonia, different findings have been reported. Therefore, this study was conducted to compare the effects of chlorhexidine solution with or without toothbrushing on the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia among patients in ICUs.

Methods & Materials: This was a single-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial conducted in two selected hospitals of Ahvaz city in 2014. A convenience sample of 68 ventilated patients was randomly allocated to the toothbrush group (34 patients) or the gauze swab group (34 patients) using R software. Both groups received 0.2% Chlorhexidine solution. The intervention was performed in both groups for 3 minutes twice a day for five days. At the end of the fifth day, the development of pneumonia was assessed using the Clinical Pulmonary Infection Score (CPIS). Data were analyzed by Chi-square and t-independent test through SPSS v.16.

Results: The two groups were similar for age, sex, cause of admission, level of consciousness, medication and tobacco use. The majority of patients (58.8%) were diagnosed with pneumonia (Group A: 55.9% and Group B: 61.8%). The Chi-square test showed no significant difference between the two groups for the development of pneumonia (P>0.05).

Conclusion: The use of Chlorhexidine solution with toothbrushing compared to using Chlorhexidine with swab could not reduce the development of pneumonia. However, due to its importance, further research is needed in this regard.

Background & Aim: The physiological and psychological changes in pregnancy, can affect the lives of couples. The present study aimed to determine the effect of sex education on the marital relationship quality of pregnant women.

Methods & Materials: This study is a quasi-experimental. In this study, 100 pregnant women referred to health centers in Zahedan in 2015, were selected and assigned into two groups of intervention and control (50 in each group). Data collection tool was the perceived marital relationship quality components questionnaire. Questionnaires were completed by the both groups before and six weeks after the sex education sessions. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics through SPSS software version 20.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P<0.05) in terms of age, the duration of marriage, gestational age and gravidity. In post-test measurement, the mean of the total score of marital relationship quality and components such as satisfaction, sexual excitement, love, commitment, intimacy, and trust, were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group. Analysis of covariance also showed that the total score mean for the marital relationship and its components had significant difference in the pregnant women in two groups, after sex education (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Given the effectiveness of sex education in the improvement of marital relationship quality in pregnant women, this educational intervention is recommended to be integrated into the education program and prenatal care of pregnant women in order to improve the couple’s relationship quality in pregnancy.

Background & Aim: One of the non-pharmacological ways to reduce labor pain is husband’s attendance during childbirth. So, the present study aimed to evaluate couples' attitudes toward husband’s attendance in delivery room.

Methods & Materials: This study was a descriptive-analytical survey conducted on 259 pregnant women and their spouses who referred to Alzahra hospital in Rasht, in 2014. Samples were selected by convenience method. A questionnaire was used to collect demographic data and assess attitudes of mothers and their husbands toward husband’s attendance in delivery room. Data were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS software version 17.

Results: The mean age for mothers was 26.42±5.59 years and for their husbands was 30.69±5.71 years. The mean score of mothers' attitudes toward husband’s attendance in delivery room was 102.99±13.47 which 97.3 percent had positive attitude, 1.9 percent had neutral attitude and 0.8 percent had negative attitude. The mean score of husbands’ attitudes toward husband’s attendance in delivery room was 100.88±14.36 which 91.9 percent had positive attitude, 5.8 percent had neutral attitude and 2.3 percent had negative attitude. Also, linear regression determined that there was a significant relationship between mother's education level and attitude score, so that attitude score increased about 0.19 with increasing level of education.

Conclusion: Given the high prevalence of couples’ positive attitudes toward husband’s attendance during labor and delivery, it is suggested that these findings be taken into account when designing essential facilities and measures for the implementation of mother-friendly hospital program and the promotion of natural delivery.