Journal of

Background: The present study performed with the purpose of nursing care quality assessment and its association with process management in Shahid Beheshti hospital of Kashan in 2014.

Materials and Methods: In this applied, cross sectional and correlation study with the purpose of assessing the nursing care quality, 200 hospitalized patients who had more than 48 hours length time selected randomly conducting modified four parts SERVQUAL questionnaire in likert scale. In order to evaluate hospital performance based on process management model (EFQM) Excellence model questionnaire was utilized. Data analyzed using SPSS software version 16 by descriptive statistics and multivariate regression tests at a significance level of less than 0.05.

Results: Data extracted from 200 completed questionnaires analyzed. Respondents included 104 women and 96 men. The mean duration of hospitalization was 6.9 ±12.9 hours and the mean age of patients was 37 ± 12.02 years. Total nursing quality services were more than average and it assessed good (3.8 ± 0.92).Scores of Shahid Beheshi hospital were 215.66 and 217.64 in empowerment and results EFQM dimensions respectively. Multivariate regression coefficient was assessed 0.57.

Conclusions: Based on study results, it is necessary to make use of new management system and professional training to nurses in order to improve nursing quality services in hospitals. 

Background: Regarding to the importance of controlling health care expenditure, necessity for proper distribution of health care resources and appropriate utilization of hospital resources through inappropriate services reduction for patients, this study aimed to assess suitability of brain CT scans, based on American College of Radiologists (ACR) appropriateness criteria in Shahid Beheshti Hospital affiliated to Kashan University of Medical Sciences (KAUMS).

Materials and Methods: This cross sectional and retrospective study was conducted in internal and surgery triage unites of an academic hospital in KAUMS to determine the appropriateness of brain CT scans. A General physician reviewed 361 medical records of patients through the check list based on ACR appropriateness criteria. Collected data was classified in three areas including appropriate, possibly appropriate and inappropriate. Data was analyzed using SPSS through descriptive statistics such as Index of dispersion  and chi-square test.

Results: Study findings revealed that among delivered CT scans, 310 (85.9%) appropriate, 38(10.5%) possibly appropriate and 13(3.6%) were inappropriate. The maximum and the minimum inappropriate brain CT scans rate 4 (4.17 %) were related to patients with Ataxia and zero (0 %) were related to patients with Headache, respectively.

Conclusion: Based on ACR appropriateness criteria, Brain CT scans were not utilized appropriately. In order to depict utilization review of radiology procedure in Iran, Developing a national guideline is necessary. To detect the effective factors regarding formulating targeted intervention, more comprehensive studies in various hospitals, different specialty and radiology modality seems necessary.