Background & Aim: Communication is one of the basic concepts which nursing students must learn. Nurse instructors&apos behaviors have key role on effective clinical education. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of situational leadership model on nursing students&apos communication competency.

Methods & Materials: In this before-after trial, we recruited the students who had medical & surgical practicum in the second semester and summer of 1385-86 in public hospitals in Arak. They were selected randomly and then allocated to case (n=40) and control (n=35) groups. In the first week of practicum (before), we measured the students&apos communication competency using a self-structured questionnaire. For intervention, we defined behavioral objectives and designed a diagnosis form for identifying level of maturity and a feedback form for the students. After orientation of the students with behavioral objectives, we accompanied with main instructors based on their maturity levels in caring and applied effective leadership style. Along with the practicum period, we supervised the students&apos level of maturity in different nursing care skills. In the end (after), we measured the students&apos competency. We analyzed the data in SPSS, version 13.

Results: The results showed that there was significant difference before and after the intervention (P<0.001). Also, there was significant difference between two groups (P<0.001). Self-evaluation showed no significant differences between students&apos competency in two groups (P=0.335).

Conclusion: The situational leadership model would promote nursing students&apos communication competency.

Background & Objective: High levels of assertiveness and low levels of anxiety are important factors that result in suitable communication. They also increase intellectual abilities, abstract thought, power & autonomy, and personal well-being among nursing and midwifery students. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between assertiveness and anxiety among midwifery and nursing students.

Methods & Materials: In this correlational, cross-sectional study, 173 nursing students (68 males & 105 females) were recruited using census and rational methods. Seventy seven midwifery students were also recruited using census method. Data were collected using a self-report tool including "personal information form", "Trait Spilberger Anxiety", and "Assertion Inventory" (AI) of Gambrill & Richey. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods.

Results: Results showed that more than half of the nursing and midwifery students (59.5% and 59.7%, respectively) had moderate assertiveness. Also, 43.3% and 36.4% of them had moderate and high levels of anxiety. Pearson correlation test revealed that assertiveness and anxiety had negative correlations in nursing (r=-0.51, P<0.001) and midwifery (r=-0.449, P<0.001) students. Some demographic variables had significant correlations with assertiveness and anxiety among the students.

Conclusion: Regarding the relationship between assertiveness and anxiety and their effect on mental health, as well as educational and occupational functions of the students, more attention is needed to pay to theses issues. Also, it seems that appropriate interventions should be planned to increase assertiveness and to decrease anxiety among the students.

In the many definitions that are accompanied with nursing, in addition to the scientific aspect, art has always been mentioned. Since Florence Nightingale introduced nursing as an art, several theorists have emphasized the aesthetic aspect of nursing in their literature. However, many experts believe that the word "art" has been accepted in nursing without deep thought and criticism.To judge the statement: "Nursing is an art", it seems that it is necessary to review the similarities and differences of "art" concept in nursing and other fields literature. Art has a complex and multidimensional meaning that is the backbone of many theories presented however, they each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Nursing has artistic properties but this characteristic is referred to as folk art and not to specific features of art. In comparing these theories with the concept of art used in nursing, it is essential to note that art in nursing refers to skills of nursing. In other words, nursing is not a kind of fine art.From the aesthetic perspective, nursing can be easily defined as a form of art however, we must put great importance in the inseparable words of "aesthetic" and "art of nursing". With such a connection, we are able to introduce and capture the true spirit of both art and nursing. In this article, we have reviewed the most important definitions and theories of art as a "specific term", and as "skill", where they have linked nursing to art. Moreover, we have discussed their similarities and differences.

Background & Objective: Professional socialization is defined as the process of acquiring knowledge and skills and internalizing values, attitudes, and norms to develop professional identity. This process occurs primarily during formal education programs and continues during orientation to hospital settings. The aim of this study was to clarify professional socialization concept and to identify its attributes, antecedents and consequences in nursing context.

Methods & Materials: Rodgers&apos evolutionary method of concept analysis was used to facilitate clarification of professional socialization concept in nursing. The search, performed on scientific databases using the keywords: &apossocialization&apos, &aposprofessional socialization&apos and &aposnursing&apos, resulted in findings of a sample of 446 papers covering the period 1995 to 2009 represented the disciplines of nursing and related sciences. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 47 articles and four books were included in the final analysis. The process was audited by two independent experts to ensure neutrality and credibility of the study and to reduce the potentials for bias.

Results: The result of the analysis showed that professional socialization is a complex process consisting of four critical attributes: learning, being interactive, developing, and being adaptive. Comprehensive educational programs, competent role models, and provision of adequate field experiences were antecedents for these attributes. The widespread and diverse consequences of professional socialization depend on personal, situational, and organizational factors. Thus, while occurrence of socialization process generates benefits, its nonoccurrence entails severe consequences.

Conclusion: Professional socialization process is a complex, diverse, dynamic, ongoing, inevitable, and unpredictable process. This process can have both positive and negative consequences on professional development. However, negative consequences are more prominently documented in the literature. Thus, successful socialization requires establishing facilities in education and practice. The purpose of this revolutionary concept analysis was to focus on significance and how-to-apply ways of the concept in nursing. These findings not only are added to the body of knowledge, but also serve as an important impetus for further theory development and research in nursing.

Background & Aim: Healthcare classification systems help to gather information and process health data. Nursing management focus on developing computerized records to answer legal, managerial and clinical needs. The Classification systems help organizations to use nursing data. This study investigated informational and structural needs of nursing data classification.

Methods & Materials: This descriptive-comparative study was carried out in 2009. Current classification systems for nursing were investigated and their specifications were gathered in a questionnaire. The items were prioritized by experts in four degrees. Using statistical analysis items with a priority over 80 percent (average 2.4) were selected.

Results: Findings about nursing diagnosis, intervention and outcomes showed that diagnosis item (average 2.93 out of 3), intervention item (average 2.52 out of 3), and outcome item (average 2.84 out of 3) should be presented in the system. Structure of nursing data classification was identified as a hierarchical and combinational classification. The computerized terminology (average 1.86 out of 3) had no priority.

Conclusion: It is suggested to make decisions for standardizing nursing data to use in computerized systems. Since, nursing system in Iran is moving toward defining tariff for nursing services, coding nursing care components will help this plan to be developed.

Background & Aim: Quality of health care services shows the degree of achievement of health outcomes. From ethical and legal perspectives, nurses should be responsible for quality of presented care. Retired nurses can help to elaborate real and valuable concepts related to effective factors on quality of nursing care due to their experiences. The aim of this study was to explore the perspectives of retired nurses on factors that affect quality of nursing care in Semnan.

Methods & Materials: In this qualitative content analysis method, 20 retired nurses were invited to the study using purposeful sampling. Data were collected mainly using semi-structured interviews. The analysis was carried out using content analysis.

Results: Findings of the study yielded to three significant themes including: 1) necessity of humanistic relationships 2) suitable selection and education (3) planning and organizing nursing cares related to quality of nursing cares.

Conclusion: Findings of this study explored perspectives of retired nurses on the effective factors on quality of nursing care. The three themes emerged in the study should be mentioned in planning programs.

Background & Aim: Patient satisfaction has been recognized as a key indicator of health care quality which is used by accreditation agencies to monitor quality of care in hospitals. A high proportion of health caregivers are nurses. The services provided by nurses are significantly influential in satisfaction of patients. The aim of this study was to assess patients&apos satisfaction from nursing care in hospitals of Iran University of Medical Sciences in 2010.

Methods & Materials: In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 200 patients from different wards (except for special wards, Emergency department, Pediatric and Psychiatric wards) at the time of discharge from hospital through multistage sampling method. Data were collected using Patient Satisfaction Instrument (PSI). Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, chi-square and regression analysis.

Results: Majority of patients (72%) were moderately satisfied. Patient satisfaction had a significant relationship with the type of ward (P≤0.001), and type of hospital (P≤0.001). Of demographic variables, only patients&apos level of education was significantly associated with patient satisfaction (P≤0.019).

Conclusion: In this study, patients were moderately satisfied from nursing care services. Educating hospital staff, especially nurses and encouraging them to actively participate in activities to promote patient satisfaction should be a priority for hospital management. We should also consider that in a competitive market of health and treatment care giving, institutions that put patient satisfaction as their main goal are more successful.

Background & Aim: Patients adherence to medical recommendations requires new and effective strategies. Promoting self-efficacy is considered as an important measurement to help patients to participate in their own treatment protocol. This study was conducted to determine the effect of a nursing intervention on improving self-efficacy and reducing cardiovascular risk factors in patients with cardiovascular diseases in a public hospital in Urmia.

Methods & Materials: In this single group before/after study, 81 patients with at least two cardiovascular adjustable risk factors were recruited. The self-efficacy intervention was presented to the patients and one of their family members. The self-efficacy was scored before, immediately and one month after the intervention. The Cardiovascular risk factors were measured before and one year after the intervention. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA with repeated measures, paired t-tests, and McNemar test were used to analyze data.

Results: Overall self-efficacy scores and its sub-groups were significantly improved after one month. There were significant differences in the mean BMI, HDL, LDL, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, and weight before and one year after the intervention. The number of smokers and patients with hyperlipidemia were significantly decreased one year after the intervention. However, there were not significant differences in the number of overweight patients and patients with hypertension before and after the intervention.

Conclusion: Results showed that our intervention to improve self-efficacy had positive effect on the overall self-efficacy score and the scores of its subgroups. Our intervention was also effective in controlling cardiovascular risk factors and in reducing the frequency of smokers and patients with hyperlipidemia. It seems that combination of medical orders with self-efficacy improving interventions on patients and their families are influential in controlling cardiovascular risk factors.

Background & Aim: Violence in workplaces threatens safety of personnel. Among health care personnel, nurses are more exposed to verbal and physical violence. The aim of this study was to assess confrontation of nurses with verbal and physical violence in hospitals of Babol University of Medical Sciences.

Methods & Materials: In this field study, all of nurses employed in hospitals of Babol University of Medical Sciences (n=302) were recruited to the study. Data were gathered using standardized questionnaire including four parts. Data were analyzed using descriptive and analytic (Chi square and Fisher&aposs exact test) statistics.

Results: More that 70% of the nurses had an experience of violence during their work period. Male nurses were more exposed to violence than the female nurses. Most of the violence was done by patients&apos relatives (40.4%).

Conclusion: The results showed that most of the participants had the experience of violence done by patients&apos relatives. In order to minimize violence in hospitals, preventive strategies including proper management, proper protection, and public education should be considered.

Background & Aim: Most of the recent studies in nursing education have been focused on outcomes of learning. Conventional clinical nursing education, which emphasizes on skill acquisitions, may not encourage students to adopt meaningful or deep learning approaches. This study examined the effect of Concept Mapping on learning approaches among nursing students.

Methods & Materials: In this quasi-experimental study, 53 nursing students were randomly divided into two control (n=25) and experimental (n=28) groups. We taught concept mapping for the nurses in the experimental group to use it in caring patients and learning clinical skills. The control group received traditional nursing care plan lessons. Before and at the end of the intervention, the students&apos approach to learning was assessed using the Study Process Questionnaire. Data was analyzed using independent t test.

Results: No statistically significant difference was found between the control and experimental groups on demographics, surface and deep approaches to learning at the beginning of the study (P>0.05). Deep approach to learning increased significantly in the experimental group after the intervention (P=0.03). There was also statistically significant difference in the deep approach to learning between two groups (P=0.02). No statistically significant difference was found in the surface approaches to learning between two groups.

Conclusion: The results of this study provided empirical support for the use of concept mapping as a meta cognitive intervention to increase students&apos meaningful learning and academic achievement.

Background & Aim: Hypothermia is a main side effect during surgery in which blood pressure, heart rate, intra cranial pressure, oxygen consumption, pain and discomfort increase. The rate of cesarean section in Iran is three times more than global standard. This study aimed to investigate effect of pre-warmed intravenous fluid therapy on prevention of shivering after general anesthesia in cesarean section.

Methods & Materials: A total of 62 women undergoing general anesthesia for elective cesarean section were randomly allocated into two intervention and control groups. In the intervention group, patients received pre-warmed serum (37°C) and in the control group, patients received serum at room temperature (25.5°C). The postoperative shivering and some homodynamic parameters of the participants were assessed in recovery room.

Results: The mean of body temperature in the intervention and control groups were 35.9°C±0.48 and 35.42°C±0.6, respectively (P<0.05). The incidence of post operative shivering in the intervention and control groups were 13% and 35%, respectively (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Infusion of pre-warmed serum (37°C) would prevent postoperative shivering and could improve nursing care for women underwent general anesthesia in cesarean section.

Background & Aim: Web-based technologies provide new opportunities for education, research and professional development of nursing. Nurses have few opportunities to use the Internet due to managers&apos obligations not to use the Internet in work hours, and their traditional attitudes to nursing practice. Establishment of a national nursing portal is a useful way to resolve some of these problems. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the experiences of development of nursing portals in some countries and provide helpful recommendations.

Methods & Materials: This was a descriptive- comparative study. Using systematic review of the literature, the least features for nursing portal structures and contents were identified. Then, the identified features were assessed in selected countries through observation or communication with the portal board.

Results: Personalization, user&aposs profile, search engine, platform-independent display, SSO capability, security mechanisms and collaborative capabilities, clinical guidelines, continuing education, electronic learning courses, and evidence-based nursing processes were common features in the nursing portals.

Conclusion: Development of a specialized comprehensive portal that has all of the desirable features can be achieved through clear definitions of strategies on portal development, maintenance, and analysis of user&aposs requirements. The main requirement to integrate services and contents provided by the portal include specific and integrated structure of all entities in nursing services systems.

Background & Aim: Motivated faculty promotes nursing students&apos educational level which leads to community health promotion. Attempts should be made to recognize and analyze motivating factors including expectations. This qualitative study attempted to clarify expectations of faculty of Tehran nursing schools on management system.

Methods & Materials: This was a qualitative study. The participants were 14 nursing faculty members of Tehran, Shahid Beheshti, Artesh, Shahed, and Baghiatallah Universities located in Tehran. Purposive sampling was used to recruit the participants. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with the participants. Qualitative content analysis was used to analyze the data.

Results: Expectations of nursing faculty were explained in eight categories: empowerment of the faculty, organizational support, fairness, appropriate performance evaluation, providing appropriate working conditions, applying appropriate management strategies, attention to welfare and financial problems and promoting quality of education and research.

Conclusion: Understanding the expectations of the nursing faculty and trying to meet them can improve performance of the faculty. Meeting these expectations can enhance motivation and job satisfaction among the faculty.

Background & Aim: The objective of this study was to investigate perspectives of managers regarding change management in nursing and midwifery schools.

Methods & Materials: In this qualitative study, we used a descriptive exploratory approach with triangulation. We used snow ball sampling to recruit faculty members of nursing and midwifery schools in Tehran. The participants were included in the study if they had at least 1-year experience as a faculty member. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews in which a guide and field notes were used. Data were saturated after observing repetition of the codes. Latent content analysis was used for data analysis. The trustworthiness was achieved using a prolonged field experience, member check, peer check and sharing the content with two qualitative research experts.

Results: Ten participants (seven females and three males) aged 38-54 were interviewed. Three participants were employed in highly recognized management levels. Immediately after interviews, conceptual codes were extracted. Suggested themes were classified as concentration in management, managers&apos characteristics, and attitude toward change.

Conclusion: Accordingly, the concept of change management was postulated as the purpose of this study. Furthermore, its influencing factors were identified. The results of this study can be used by faculties of the nursing and midwifery schools to use them according to their organizational culture.

Background & Aim: Quality of nursing care is a major issue in nursing management. In the last year of nursing studies (internships) in Iran, nursing students are going to independently carry out responsibilities of graduated nurses. Patients&apos satisfaction is a main indicator for nursing care quality. This study was to determine the correlation between the quality of caring behaviors among internship students with the patients&apos satisfaction with nursing care quality.

Methods & Materials: In this cross-sectional study, 200 patients were selected using convenience sampling method from the hospitals affiliated to the Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Data were gathered using two questionnaires including: 1) quality of the caring behaviors and 2) patient satisfaction with nursing care quality questionnaire (PSNCQQ). Data were analyzed using statistical tests in the SPSS-13.

Results: Regarding quality of caring behaviors, the subscale scores of the knowledge and skills were good and patient education was low. The relationship between the nurses and patients, and nursing morality were in average level. Regarding the patient satisfaction, the highest level of satisfaction was related to nursing knowledge and skills and the lowest level was related to the patient education. Significant correlation was found between the total quality of the caring behaviors with the patients&apos satisfaction and their subscales (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Based on the findings, patients are more satisfied with the caring behaviors of the students who focus on the communication with patients, nursing ethics, and especially patient education during the care.

Background & Objective: Nursing students usually experience various types of stress. Lack of stress coping strategies result in more stress, incompatibility, manifestation of disorders, and mental health problems. This study carried out to assess the methods of coping with stress among nursing students.

Methods & Materials: In this cross-sectional study, 358 male and female bachelor of nursing students studying at Tehran University of Medical Sciences during the first semester of 2011-2012 were selected. Data were collected using the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situation and a demographic questionnaire. The data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in the SPSS-14.

Results: There were 66.2% female and 33.8% male students in the study. The age of the students ranged 17-29 years. Most of the students aged 20-22 years (45%), were single (90.8%), were habitants of Tehran (53.1%), had an average economic status (72.1%), and were employed (20.9%). Of all, 19.3% had experienced stressful events in the last three months. A small number of the students (4.7%) suffered from chronic diseases. The nursing students mostly used problem-oriented coping style (56%). The emotion-oriented method was used among 45.99% of the students and the avoidance-oriented style was used among 39.34% of the students. There were no statistically significant relationship between the coping styles and the demographic characteristics.

Conclusion: The problem-oriented, emotion-oriented, and avoidance-oriented styles were the most frequent styles used by the students, respectively. The mental health, particularly among nursing students who deal with patients and have important role in the health system, is important and requires special attention. The stress coping styles should be inserted in the educational curriculum of the nursing schools.

Background & Aim: Nurses are informed from patients needs using effective mutual communications. This study aimed to explore the communication strategies between nurses and patient.

Methods & Materials: This study had a qualitative approach with the content analysis method. Participants included 23 nurses, patients and their families in medical and surgical wards of Imam Khomeini hospital of Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using interviews and observations. The first and second interviews were conducted unstructured. The semi-structured interviews were then conducted according to the derived concepts from the first and second interviews. We used observation in order to gain a deeper understanding and verifying data from interviews. The observations focused on the interactions between nurses and patients during mutual communications.

Results: A final theme was emerged through the data analysis: adaptation of nurses&apos attitudes and performances. This theme derived from three main categories: caring according to acute needs of patients, creating a professional realm, and participation. The caring according to acute needs of patients included subcategories such as identifying patients&apos acute needs and nurses&apos communication behavior. Creating the professional realm implicated on the clarifying roles and maintaining of privacy communication. Participation was defined as the audience and content.

Conclusion: The findings showed that nurses, in response to the underlying conditions of nursing care, assimilate their attitudes and performances to be able to meet their professional needs and their patients&apos needs. In fact, the main character of nurse-patient communication is nurses&apos active role and patients&apos passive role.

  Background & Aim: Access to quality care is important in delivering health services. Patients' safety and satisfaction are indicators of quality of care evaluation. Competent nurses may deliver quality care . This study aimed to investigate the impact of using competent nurses on patients’ safety and satisfaction .

  Methods & Materials: In t his interventional study with non-equivalent control group, we selected 120 patients admitted to the emergency department of Imam Khomeini hospital in 2012 using convenience sampling method . Nursing care for the experimental group (n=40 ) was provided by nurses who had high competency scores and in the control group ( n=80), nursing care was provided by usual emergency department nurses . Data were collected using the patient satisfaction with nursing care quality (PSNCQ), and patient safety inventory. Data were analyzed in the SPSS v.16 using descriptive and inferential statistics . The significance level for all statistical tests was considered at P<0.05 .

  Results: Mean age of the intervention and control groups were 48.1 ( ±12.5) and 40.5 ( ±16.7), respectively (P<0.018). There was a significant difference between the two groups in terms of employment (P<0.009). The two groups were similar in terms of other variables such as gender, marital status, level of education, having health insurance , and the reasons for seeking admission . The results showed that there were significant differences between the two groups in patients’ safety and satisfaction with nursing care (P<0.001). Regression test was used to eliminate the effects of age and job satisfaction the results showed effect of intervention on the patients’ safety and satisfaction with nursing care .

  Conclusion: These findings indicated that using competent nurses in providing nursing care promotes patients’ safety and satisfaction with nursing care. Training nurses focusing on the level of competency is required in scheduling, staffing, and implementing nursing care to enhance safety, patient satisfaction , and quality of care.

  Background & Aim: The effect of perceived stress on students’ health depends on their coping abilities. Resilience is a coping strategy for dealing with the stress. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the perceived stress with resilience in undergraduate nursing students .

  Methods & Materials: In this cross-sectional study, 309 undergraduate nursing students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences were selected during the first semester of 2012-2013 using the stratified sampling method. Data were collected using the Perceived stress scale and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics in the SPSS-14 . 

  Results: Findings revealed that most of the students (99.3%) had a moderate or high perceived stress. There was a statistically significant relationship between the perceived stress with the resilience (P £ 0.001, r=-0.38) .

  Conclusion: The school of nursing should provide facilities and opportunities for students in their 4-year educational program to learn stress management strategies including increasing resilience ability.

  Nearly a century has passed since the establishment of nursing education programs in Iran. The first nursing school was established in 1916 (1294 Solar Hijri) in Urmia and moved to Tabriz after a year due to the World War.

  Also, nursing research in Iran has a history of nearly half a century. Nursing research in Iran first began independently in 1970s (1350s SH) with starting admission in master of nursing by nursing schools. Before that, nurses usually participated in studies as an assistant. Most nursing research in this decade included descriptive research performed by master students as their dissertations which were mainly guided by non-nurse supervisors.

  In 1980s (1360s SH), nursing research became more analytical and nurses began to analyze the contributing factors in addition to their description and conduct epidemiological studies. The research findings were often presented in medical congresses, however few scientific congresses were held by nursing and midwifery schools in this decade which had significant role in current status of nursing research.