Ahmad Ayed | Arab American University (original) (raw)
Papers by Ahmad Ayed
Open Journal of Nursing
Background: The rapid change of health care delivery affirms the need for a change in the culture... more Background: The rapid change of health care delivery affirms the need for a change in the culture of nursing education through identifying the challenge to nursing faculty that many teach in the way they were taught, and suggesting a focus on the exploration of new teaching methods and student learning, rather than only focus on content coverage. Objectives: To examine the impact of concept mapping on caring efficacy of Palestinian nursing students. Methods: A quasi-experimental design, pre-post test, two groups (intervention and control group) were used. Convenience sample of 80 (40 participants in each group) nursing students from Arab American University, Jenin. Caring Efficacy was measured by Caring Efficacy Scale. The statistical tests such as t-test (independent and paired t-test) were used to examine the effect of concept mapping on caring efficacy of the fourth year nursing students at their clinical training. Results: Independent-samples t-test revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups in caring efficacy (t = 2.589, df = 78, P = 0.011); students in the intervention group showed higher level of caring efficacy than students in the control group during their clinical training. Conclusion: Concept mapping was found to be an effective teaching method for nursing students. The use of concept mapping is useful in enhancing meaningful learning.
Open Journal of Nursing, 2018
Purpose: The purpose of this review was to identify the best evidence on the effectiveness of usi... more Purpose: The purpose of this review was to identify the best evidence on the effectiveness of using high fidelity simulation technology for learning outcomes in nursing education. Methods: An integrative review was used to assess the effectiveness of high fidelity simulation in nursing education. Data search was between 2008 to 2018 using Google Scholar, Scopus,
Midwives and nurses should use the standard precautions as the basic level of infection control p... more Midwives and nurses should use the standard precautions as the basic level of infection control precautions when delivering care to all patients, regardless of their presumed infection status. Therefore midwifes and nurses should have sound knowledge and compliance with standard precaution. Aim of the study: The study aimed to assess the level of the compliance of standard precautions among the midwives and nurses in the Palestinian Hospitals. Method: A cross sectional study was conducted from May to June 2015 on 81 midwives and nurses from Palestinian hospitals. The data were collected from labor rooms and postpartum departments of Palestinian hospitals. Data were collected using pretested questionnaire on 81 midwives and nurses selected by convenience sample. Results: The current study showed that the average of standard precautions knowledge level and compliance are 74.6% and 83.8% respectively. There are an association between age, education, work experience, and compliance with standard precautions at p < 0.05 (0.000, 0.031, and 0.043) respectively. At the same time no significant association between training courses and compliance to standard precautions at p < 0.05 (0.191). Conclusion: The midwives and nurses in the current study for both knowledge and compliance have high level regarding standard precautions. There is an association between age, education, work experience , and compliance with standard precautions. Recommendations: Knowledge of midwives and nurses should be updated; the importance of latest evidence-based practices of infection control in continuing education/training program should be emphasized; and training programs for newly midwives and nurses about standard precaution and at regular intervals should be provided .
Background: Palliative care (PC) is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and... more Background: Palliative care (PC) is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification, impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems like physical, psychosocial and spiritual. Palliative care is traditionally viewed as being the intense care of a patient who is close to death. In recent years, the scope of palliative care has expanded to include patients who may live for many years with end stage organ failure or cancer. Aim of the Study: The study aimed to assess the nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards PC among nurses working in selected hospitals in Northern districts, Palestine. Subjects and methods: Descriptive, cross sectional study was used for conducting the study, A purposive sample consisted of 96 nurses invited to participate in the study. Data collected through; nurses' socio-demographic characteristic, knowledge level, and Attitude level towards PC which is developed by the researchers. Validity and pilot study were examined. Results: Study results have shown that 20.8 % of the respondents had good overall knowledge towards PC, 59.4 % had training of palliative care, and 6.2 % of participants had good attitude towards PC. There was a significant difference between Nurses' qualification, experience, and training of palliative care towards Knowledge of PC. Conclusion: The nurses had poor knowledge, but their attitude towards PC was moderate. Recommendations are that due attention should be given towards PC by the national health policy and needs to be incorporated in the national curriculum of nurse education.
Stress is one of the issues that nursing student face during their transition from theoretical ed... more Stress is one of the issues that nursing student face during their transition from theoretical education to clinical application and it can affect the psychosocial status; it may influence academic performance and student well-being. Aim of the study: This paper aims to identify sources of stress and the intensity of stressors facing baccalaureate nursing students in clinical training in governmental and private hospitals in Palestinian Universities. Background: Stress among nursing students is familiar especially in training as the student exposed to new area with different types of patients, professionals, equipment's, instructors and hospitals; these stressors mostly affect the student's ability to achieve good outcome. Method: This descriptive study use face-to-face questionnaire. Results: the mean total response degree about the stress factors due to the career, training environment, working with various kinds of patients, and the evaluation by supervisors were medium (2.52, 2.59, 2.81, 2.59) respectively. There is relationship between the degree of the stress factors towards the university, place of training, years of study, and training period, F= 3.858(0.002), 3.194(0.042), 4.214 (0.015), 4.778(0.009) respectively. Conclusions: stress that nursing students face must be consider as an important factor that affect their achievement and ability to have good experience, there are differences between the variables which needs more attention trying to decrease the number and intensity of these stressors.
Background: Palliative care clinical nurse specialists play an important role in specialist palli... more Background: Palliative care clinical nurse specialists play an important role in specialist palliative care. They spend time with patients and their families, helping them come to terms with an array of complex emotional and practical problems, facilitating communication, giving information and advice about treatments and also offering expertise in controlling pain and other distressing symptoms. Aim of the study: The purpose of this study was to assess the PC knowledge using PCQN of BSN students in Arab American University/ Jenin, Palestine.Subjects and methods: Descriptive, cross sectional study was used for conducting the study, A convenience sample 198 nursing students were included from the two respective nursing levels third year and fourth year. Data collected through; demographic characteristic and PC knowledge. The PCQN scale was used as the tool to assess the PC knowledge level. Results: The total percentage rate on the PCQN was 40.58% (SD=13.89011). There is no statistically significant difference at (p < 0.05) between PC knowledge and gender, academic level, personal or professional experience with palliative care, and course of palliative care (0.377, 0.896, 0.741, and 0.829) respectively. Highly statistically significant relation according age (p˃0.000).Conclusion: Clinical Relevance: third and fourth level BSN students had lack adequate information on palliative care, and did not meet the AACN expectation of a generalist registered nurse.
Health care professionals are constantly exposed to microorganisms. Many of which can cause serio... more Health care professionals are constantly exposed to microorganisms. Many of which can cause serious or even lethal infections. Nurses in particular are often exposed to various infections during the course of carrying out their nursing activities. Therefore nurses should have sound knowledge and strict adherence to infection control practice. Aim of the study: The study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and practice of infection control among nurses in governmental hospitals of Palestine Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted between November, 2014 and January, 2015 in governmental hospitals found in North West bank districts. Data were collected using pre tested questionnaire on 271 nurses selected by purposive sample. Collected data were checked, coded and transferred to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Frequency, Mean and other statistics were calculated. P-value less than 0.05 were set as statistically significant. Results: the current study revealed that, approximately half (53.9%) of the studied sample had fair knowledge level (>80%). However, the majority (91.1%) of the studied sample had Good practice (>80%). No significant statistical differences were found between mean knowledge scores towards age, years of experience, and training course (f=2.263, 1.607, 0.210) respectively at p < 0.05(0.082, 0.188, 0.647) respectively. Significant statistical differences were found between mean knowledge scores towards gender and qualification (F = 4.205, 4.531) respectively at p < 0.05 (0.041, 0.012) respectively. No significant statistical differences were found between mean practice scores towards age, years of experience, training course, and qualification(f=1.482, 2.625, 0.129, 0.727) respectively at p < 0.05(0.220, 0.051, 0.720, 0.484) respectively. Significant statistical differences were found in mean practice scores only in relation to gender, (F = 8.569) at p < 0.05 (0.004). Conclusion: Based on findings of the current study, it can be concluded that inspite of having good practice level regarding infection control, nurses had fair knowledge level. Recommendations: Updating knowledge and practice of nurses through continuing in-service educational programs; emphasizing the importance of following latest evidence-based practices of infection control in continuing education / training program; providing training programs for newly nurses about infection control and at regular intervals; and a replication of this study using observation checklist should be done to assess the level of practice.
Standard precautions are the basic level of infection control precautions which are to be used, a... more Standard precautions are the basic level of infection control precautions which are to be used, as a level of precautions and recommended when delivering the care to all patients, regardless of their presumed infection status. Therefore nurses should have sound knowledge and compliance with standard precaution. Aim of the study: The study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and compliance of standard precautions among the nurses in the southern hospitals of Palestine. Method: A cross sectional study was conducted between March and May 2015 in three governmental hospitals(Alia hospital in Hebron city, Al Hussain hospital in Beit Jala, and Abu Al Hassan hospital in Yatta and three private hospitals Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron city, Al-Mizan Hospital in Hebron city, and Bethlehem Arab Society hospital in Bethlehem city) found in south West bank districts. Data were collected using pretested questionnaire on 204 nurses selected by convenience sample. Collected data were checked, coded and transferred to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Frequency, Mean and other statistics were calculated. P-value less than 0.05 were set as statistically significant. Results: the current study revealed that 78 (38.2%) had fair knowledge, and 77(37.8%) had good knowledge of standard precautions. However, approximately one quarter 49 (24.0%) of the studied sample had poor knowledge level. According to their compliance, more half 108 (52.9%) of the participants had fair level, 93(45.6%) had good level and only 3(1.5%) had poor level.Conclusion: the nurses in the current study for both knowledge and compliance have fair level regarding standard precautions. However, one quarter still had poor knowledge level. Recommendations: Updating knowledge and compliance of nurses through continuing in-service educational programs; emphasizing the importance of following latest evidence-based practices of infection control in continuing education / training program; providing training programs for newly nurses about standard precaution and at regular intervals; and a replication of this study using observation checklist should be done to assess the level of compliance.
Background: Organizational factors are considered to be the cornerstone in achieving psychologica... more Background: Organizational factors are considered to be the cornerstone in achieving psychological and professional security at work, which in turn are positively reflected in job performance both quantitatively and qualitatively. Aim of the Study: The study aimed to assess night shift and education / training developmental factors on performance of professional nurses in north West Bank governmental hospitals. Subjects and methods: A quantitative descriptive study utilized stratified random sampling of 185 nurses. A self administered questionnaire was developed with a response rate of 97%. The questionnaire was validated by experts, and reliability was obtained by Cronbach's alpha coefficient was (0.86) Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: The overall level of night shift factor affecting performance of professional nurses was high (79.0 %) and ; the education / training developmental factors moderate (68.8%) as perceived by nurses. It was found that there are significant differences at α = 0.05 between the total score of night shift and education / training developmental factors towards workplace in favor to Dr. Nazal Hospital. Conclusion and recommendation: The night shift and education/ training developmental factors affected the performance of the professional nurses. The findings of this study provide recommendations and suggestions to improve the performance of professional nurses in governmental hospitals such as: reduce the strain of long work hours on night shift and motivation t. Providing continuous professional development of nurses in service training program.
Background: Nursing is a highly stressful occupation. Nurses are particularly at risk from stress... more Background: Nursing is a highly stressful occupation. Nurses are particularly at risk from stress-related problems, with high rates of turnover, absenteeism, and burnout. At the same time, it should be noted that stress is unavoidable and may even be desirable to a certain degree. At moderate levels, stress is a motivator and improves a worker's participation in his or her job. However, when stress becomes excessive, it may become distracting, de-motivating, and even hazardous. Aim of the Study: The study aimed to explore the work related stress sources and its effects on the physical and mental health among Palestinian nurses working at intensive care units and neonatal units at ministry of health hospitals Rafedia, Thabet Thabet, and Khalil Solaiman hospitals at North West Bank Cities. Design: Descriptive, cross sectional design utilized in the current study. Sample: 82 Palestinian nurses were included and working in the 3 hospitals affiliated to ministry of health. Procedure: Data collected through nurses' socio-demographic characteristic, work related stress, physical and mental health problems Scale which is developed by the researchers. Validity and pilot study were examined. Results: Study results have shown that the most common type of work-related stress for Palestinian nurses was due to dealing with death and dying followed by workload. Nearly half of nurses were suffering from physical and mental illnesses. Our study proved a highly statistically significant relation between mental problems and working stress and statistically significant relation between working stress, physical problems. Conclusion and recommendation: Work related stress affect physical and mental health of Palestinian nurses, so they need to provide continued administrative support, appropriate training programs to deal with potentially stressful conditions in the health facility.
Background: Diabetes mellitus, a non-communicable disease and a major public health problem. It i... more Background: Diabetes mellitus, a non-communicable disease and a major public health problem. It is a chronic disorder of metabolism characterized by partial or complete deficiency of the insulin hormone. Diabetes, which historically has been a phenomenon in older people, has now crept into the lives of young children. Self– cared diabetes involves a complex set of tasks and the key to successful management of diabetes is adherence to these tasks. Diabetes self-care education is a critical element of care for all people with diabetes and necessary to improve patient outcomes. Design: Quasi-experimental design utilized in the current study. Sample, include176 patients attending diabetic clinics of primary health care centers in Northern West Bank districts (Nablus, Tulkarem, Jenin, Tubas, Salfit, and Qalqellia). Research instrument: Two tools developed by the researchers, a structured questionnaire for participants and an observational performance checklist. First tool: A structured questionnaire developed to assess participants' knowledge and self-care practices. Second Tool: An Observational self-care practices checklist developed by the researchers to observe self-care practices of diabetic children. Aim of the study: to assess specific knowledge of diabetes mellitus and self-care practices accompanied with observational self-care practices checklist by researchers among children with type 1 diabetes mellitus, based on Orem self-care theory a health education program was developed and administered in the targeted clinics. Procedure: the study was conducted in two phases; phase I pre-test for both the intervention and control groups. The intervention group attended health education program and the control group received routine care. After 3 months from intervention program, phase II post-test with the same tool applied for both the intervention and control groups. Results: The mean scores of diabetic knowledge in the intervention group at post-test was higher than pre-test 1.94&1.619respectively. For self-care practices was 3.53 in post-test and 2.73 in pre-test. For observational self-care practices checklist in insulin injection technique was 3.45 in post-test and 2.56 in pre-test. For blood glucose test was 3.68 in post-test and 2.84 in pre-test. For urine test for glucose and ⁄or ketones was 3.39 in post-test and 2.07 in pre-test. In addition, for hygiene care was 1.89 in post-test and 1.54 in pre-test at P. value 0.05.Conclusions: The current study indicate that the intervention program utilizing Orem's self care theory is effective in transferring diabetic children from wholly or partly compensatory to educative ⁄ supportive system to accomplish self care practices.
Background: Breast self-examination is a simple, very low cost, noninvasive with no special mater... more Background: Breast self-examination is a simple, very low cost, noninvasive with no special material/tool requirements; and it is an effective diagnostic method for breast cancer which only takes five minutes to apply. Aim of the Study: The study aimed to assess the level of BSE knowledge, attitude, and practice among female nursing students in AAUJ. Subjects and methods: Descriptive, cross sectional study was used for conducting the study, a regular random sample has been used, 97 female nurses students from nursing department of Allied Medical Science Faculty/AAUJ were included. Data collected through; nurses' socio-demographic characteristic, knowledge level towards BSE, Attitude level about BSE, and practice level towards BSE Scale which is developed by the researchers. Validity and pilot study were examined. Results: Study results have shown that 15.5% of the respondents had good overall knowledge towards BSE, The major source of information about BSE (57.6 %) was mass media in the study, 75.3% of participants had positive attitude towards BSE, and 4.1% practice BSE always every month. There was a significant difference between age and academic level towards Knowledge of BSE. At the same time, there was a significant difference between overall knowledge and practice of BSE (P= 0.000). Conclusion and recommendation: Most female nursing students had poor knowledge about BSE and did not perform BSE. Mass Media is an important source of information about BSE to improve awareness among the community.
Open Journal of Nursing
Background: The rapid change of health care delivery affirms the need for a change in the culture... more Background: The rapid change of health care delivery affirms the need for a change in the culture of nursing education through identifying the challenge to nursing faculty that many teach in the way they were taught, and suggesting a focus on the exploration of new teaching methods and student learning, rather than only focus on content coverage. Objectives: To examine the impact of concept mapping on caring efficacy of Palestinian nursing students. Methods: A quasi-experimental design, pre-post test, two groups (intervention and control group) were used. Convenience sample of 80 (40 participants in each group) nursing students from Arab American University, Jenin. Caring Efficacy was measured by Caring Efficacy Scale. The statistical tests such as t-test (independent and paired t-test) were used to examine the effect of concept mapping on caring efficacy of the fourth year nursing students at their clinical training. Results: Independent-samples t-test revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups in caring efficacy (t = 2.589, df = 78, P = 0.011); students in the intervention group showed higher level of caring efficacy than students in the control group during their clinical training. Conclusion: Concept mapping was found to be an effective teaching method for nursing students. The use of concept mapping is useful in enhancing meaningful learning.
Open Journal of Nursing, 2018
Purpose: The purpose of this review was to identify the best evidence on the effectiveness of usi... more Purpose: The purpose of this review was to identify the best evidence on the effectiveness of using high fidelity simulation technology for learning outcomes in nursing education. Methods: An integrative review was used to assess the effectiveness of high fidelity simulation in nursing education. Data search was between 2008 to 2018 using Google Scholar, Scopus,
Midwives and nurses should use the standard precautions as the basic level of infection control p... more Midwives and nurses should use the standard precautions as the basic level of infection control precautions when delivering care to all patients, regardless of their presumed infection status. Therefore midwifes and nurses should have sound knowledge and compliance with standard precaution. Aim of the study: The study aimed to assess the level of the compliance of standard precautions among the midwives and nurses in the Palestinian Hospitals. Method: A cross sectional study was conducted from May to June 2015 on 81 midwives and nurses from Palestinian hospitals. The data were collected from labor rooms and postpartum departments of Palestinian hospitals. Data were collected using pretested questionnaire on 81 midwives and nurses selected by convenience sample. Results: The current study showed that the average of standard precautions knowledge level and compliance are 74.6% and 83.8% respectively. There are an association between age, education, work experience, and compliance with standard precautions at p < 0.05 (0.000, 0.031, and 0.043) respectively. At the same time no significant association between training courses and compliance to standard precautions at p < 0.05 (0.191). Conclusion: The midwives and nurses in the current study for both knowledge and compliance have high level regarding standard precautions. There is an association between age, education, work experience , and compliance with standard precautions. Recommendations: Knowledge of midwives and nurses should be updated; the importance of latest evidence-based practices of infection control in continuing education/training program should be emphasized; and training programs for newly midwives and nurses about standard precaution and at regular intervals should be provided .
Background: Palliative care (PC) is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and... more Background: Palliative care (PC) is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification, impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems like physical, psychosocial and spiritual. Palliative care is traditionally viewed as being the intense care of a patient who is close to death. In recent years, the scope of palliative care has expanded to include patients who may live for many years with end stage organ failure or cancer. Aim of the Study: The study aimed to assess the nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards PC among nurses working in selected hospitals in Northern districts, Palestine. Subjects and methods: Descriptive, cross sectional study was used for conducting the study, A purposive sample consisted of 96 nurses invited to participate in the study. Data collected through; nurses' socio-demographic characteristic, knowledge level, and Attitude level towards PC which is developed by the researchers. Validity and pilot study were examined. Results: Study results have shown that 20.8 % of the respondents had good overall knowledge towards PC, 59.4 % had training of palliative care, and 6.2 % of participants had good attitude towards PC. There was a significant difference between Nurses' qualification, experience, and training of palliative care towards Knowledge of PC. Conclusion: The nurses had poor knowledge, but their attitude towards PC was moderate. Recommendations are that due attention should be given towards PC by the national health policy and needs to be incorporated in the national curriculum of nurse education.
Stress is one of the issues that nursing student face during their transition from theoretical ed... more Stress is one of the issues that nursing student face during their transition from theoretical education to clinical application and it can affect the psychosocial status; it may influence academic performance and student well-being. Aim of the study: This paper aims to identify sources of stress and the intensity of stressors facing baccalaureate nursing students in clinical training in governmental and private hospitals in Palestinian Universities. Background: Stress among nursing students is familiar especially in training as the student exposed to new area with different types of patients, professionals, equipment's, instructors and hospitals; these stressors mostly affect the student's ability to achieve good outcome. Method: This descriptive study use face-to-face questionnaire. Results: the mean total response degree about the stress factors due to the career, training environment, working with various kinds of patients, and the evaluation by supervisors were medium (2.52, 2.59, 2.81, 2.59) respectively. There is relationship between the degree of the stress factors towards the university, place of training, years of study, and training period, F= 3.858(0.002), 3.194(0.042), 4.214 (0.015), 4.778(0.009) respectively. Conclusions: stress that nursing students face must be consider as an important factor that affect their achievement and ability to have good experience, there are differences between the variables which needs more attention trying to decrease the number and intensity of these stressors.
Background: Palliative care clinical nurse specialists play an important role in specialist palli... more Background: Palliative care clinical nurse specialists play an important role in specialist palliative care. They spend time with patients and their families, helping them come to terms with an array of complex emotional and practical problems, facilitating communication, giving information and advice about treatments and also offering expertise in controlling pain and other distressing symptoms. Aim of the study: The purpose of this study was to assess the PC knowledge using PCQN of BSN students in Arab American University/ Jenin, Palestine.Subjects and methods: Descriptive, cross sectional study was used for conducting the study, A convenience sample 198 nursing students were included from the two respective nursing levels third year and fourth year. Data collected through; demographic characteristic and PC knowledge. The PCQN scale was used as the tool to assess the PC knowledge level. Results: The total percentage rate on the PCQN was 40.58% (SD=13.89011). There is no statistically significant difference at (p < 0.05) between PC knowledge and gender, academic level, personal or professional experience with palliative care, and course of palliative care (0.377, 0.896, 0.741, and 0.829) respectively. Highly statistically significant relation according age (p˃0.000).Conclusion: Clinical Relevance: third and fourth level BSN students had lack adequate information on palliative care, and did not meet the AACN expectation of a generalist registered nurse.
Health care professionals are constantly exposed to microorganisms. Many of which can cause serio... more Health care professionals are constantly exposed to microorganisms. Many of which can cause serious or even lethal infections. Nurses in particular are often exposed to various infections during the course of carrying out their nursing activities. Therefore nurses should have sound knowledge and strict adherence to infection control practice. Aim of the study: The study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and practice of infection control among nurses in governmental hospitals of Palestine Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted between November, 2014 and January, 2015 in governmental hospitals found in North West bank districts. Data were collected using pre tested questionnaire on 271 nurses selected by purposive sample. Collected data were checked, coded and transferred to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Frequency, Mean and other statistics were calculated. P-value less than 0.05 were set as statistically significant. Results: the current study revealed that, approximately half (53.9%) of the studied sample had fair knowledge level (>80%). However, the majority (91.1%) of the studied sample had Good practice (>80%). No significant statistical differences were found between mean knowledge scores towards age, years of experience, and training course (f=2.263, 1.607, 0.210) respectively at p < 0.05(0.082, 0.188, 0.647) respectively. Significant statistical differences were found between mean knowledge scores towards gender and qualification (F = 4.205, 4.531) respectively at p < 0.05 (0.041, 0.012) respectively. No significant statistical differences were found between mean practice scores towards age, years of experience, training course, and qualification(f=1.482, 2.625, 0.129, 0.727) respectively at p < 0.05(0.220, 0.051, 0.720, 0.484) respectively. Significant statistical differences were found in mean practice scores only in relation to gender, (F = 8.569) at p < 0.05 (0.004). Conclusion: Based on findings of the current study, it can be concluded that inspite of having good practice level regarding infection control, nurses had fair knowledge level. Recommendations: Updating knowledge and practice of nurses through continuing in-service educational programs; emphasizing the importance of following latest evidence-based practices of infection control in continuing education / training program; providing training programs for newly nurses about infection control and at regular intervals; and a replication of this study using observation checklist should be done to assess the level of practice.
Standard precautions are the basic level of infection control precautions which are to be used, a... more Standard precautions are the basic level of infection control precautions which are to be used, as a level of precautions and recommended when delivering the care to all patients, regardless of their presumed infection status. Therefore nurses should have sound knowledge and compliance with standard precaution. Aim of the study: The study aimed to assess the level of knowledge and compliance of standard precautions among the nurses in the southern hospitals of Palestine. Method: A cross sectional study was conducted between March and May 2015 in three governmental hospitals(Alia hospital in Hebron city, Al Hussain hospital in Beit Jala, and Abu Al Hassan hospital in Yatta and three private hospitals Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron city, Al-Mizan Hospital in Hebron city, and Bethlehem Arab Society hospital in Bethlehem city) found in south West bank districts. Data were collected using pretested questionnaire on 204 nurses selected by convenience sample. Collected data were checked, coded and transferred to SPSS version 20 for analysis. Frequency, Mean and other statistics were calculated. P-value less than 0.05 were set as statistically significant. Results: the current study revealed that 78 (38.2%) had fair knowledge, and 77(37.8%) had good knowledge of standard precautions. However, approximately one quarter 49 (24.0%) of the studied sample had poor knowledge level. According to their compliance, more half 108 (52.9%) of the participants had fair level, 93(45.6%) had good level and only 3(1.5%) had poor level.Conclusion: the nurses in the current study for both knowledge and compliance have fair level regarding standard precautions. However, one quarter still had poor knowledge level. Recommendations: Updating knowledge and compliance of nurses through continuing in-service educational programs; emphasizing the importance of following latest evidence-based practices of infection control in continuing education / training program; providing training programs for newly nurses about standard precaution and at regular intervals; and a replication of this study using observation checklist should be done to assess the level of compliance.
Background: Organizational factors are considered to be the cornerstone in achieving psychologica... more Background: Organizational factors are considered to be the cornerstone in achieving psychological and professional security at work, which in turn are positively reflected in job performance both quantitatively and qualitatively. Aim of the Study: The study aimed to assess night shift and education / training developmental factors on performance of professional nurses in north West Bank governmental hospitals. Subjects and methods: A quantitative descriptive study utilized stratified random sampling of 185 nurses. A self administered questionnaire was developed with a response rate of 97%. The questionnaire was validated by experts, and reliability was obtained by Cronbach's alpha coefficient was (0.86) Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results: The overall level of night shift factor affecting performance of professional nurses was high (79.0 %) and ; the education / training developmental factors moderate (68.8%) as perceived by nurses. It was found that there are significant differences at α = 0.05 between the total score of night shift and education / training developmental factors towards workplace in favor to Dr. Nazal Hospital. Conclusion and recommendation: The night shift and education/ training developmental factors affected the performance of the professional nurses. The findings of this study provide recommendations and suggestions to improve the performance of professional nurses in governmental hospitals such as: reduce the strain of long work hours on night shift and motivation t. Providing continuous professional development of nurses in service training program.
Background: Nursing is a highly stressful occupation. Nurses are particularly at risk from stress... more Background: Nursing is a highly stressful occupation. Nurses are particularly at risk from stress-related problems, with high rates of turnover, absenteeism, and burnout. At the same time, it should be noted that stress is unavoidable and may even be desirable to a certain degree. At moderate levels, stress is a motivator and improves a worker's participation in his or her job. However, when stress becomes excessive, it may become distracting, de-motivating, and even hazardous. Aim of the Study: The study aimed to explore the work related stress sources and its effects on the physical and mental health among Palestinian nurses working at intensive care units and neonatal units at ministry of health hospitals Rafedia, Thabet Thabet, and Khalil Solaiman hospitals at North West Bank Cities. Design: Descriptive, cross sectional design utilized in the current study. Sample: 82 Palestinian nurses were included and working in the 3 hospitals affiliated to ministry of health. Procedure: Data collected through nurses' socio-demographic characteristic, work related stress, physical and mental health problems Scale which is developed by the researchers. Validity and pilot study were examined. Results: Study results have shown that the most common type of work-related stress for Palestinian nurses was due to dealing with death and dying followed by workload. Nearly half of nurses were suffering from physical and mental illnesses. Our study proved a highly statistically significant relation between mental problems and working stress and statistically significant relation between working stress, physical problems. Conclusion and recommendation: Work related stress affect physical and mental health of Palestinian nurses, so they need to provide continued administrative support, appropriate training programs to deal with potentially stressful conditions in the health facility.
Background: Diabetes mellitus, a non-communicable disease and a major public health problem. It i... more Background: Diabetes mellitus, a non-communicable disease and a major public health problem. It is a chronic disorder of metabolism characterized by partial or complete deficiency of the insulin hormone. Diabetes, which historically has been a phenomenon in older people, has now crept into the lives of young children. Self– cared diabetes involves a complex set of tasks and the key to successful management of diabetes is adherence to these tasks. Diabetes self-care education is a critical element of care for all people with diabetes and necessary to improve patient outcomes. Design: Quasi-experimental design utilized in the current study. Sample, include176 patients attending diabetic clinics of primary health care centers in Northern West Bank districts (Nablus, Tulkarem, Jenin, Tubas, Salfit, and Qalqellia). Research instrument: Two tools developed by the researchers, a structured questionnaire for participants and an observational performance checklist. First tool: A structured questionnaire developed to assess participants' knowledge and self-care practices. Second Tool: An Observational self-care practices checklist developed by the researchers to observe self-care practices of diabetic children. Aim of the study: to assess specific knowledge of diabetes mellitus and self-care practices accompanied with observational self-care practices checklist by researchers among children with type 1 diabetes mellitus, based on Orem self-care theory a health education program was developed and administered in the targeted clinics. Procedure: the study was conducted in two phases; phase I pre-test for both the intervention and control groups. The intervention group attended health education program and the control group received routine care. After 3 months from intervention program, phase II post-test with the same tool applied for both the intervention and control groups. Results: The mean scores of diabetic knowledge in the intervention group at post-test was higher than pre-test 1.94&1.619respectively. For self-care practices was 3.53 in post-test and 2.73 in pre-test. For observational self-care practices checklist in insulin injection technique was 3.45 in post-test and 2.56 in pre-test. For blood glucose test was 3.68 in post-test and 2.84 in pre-test. For urine test for glucose and ⁄or ketones was 3.39 in post-test and 2.07 in pre-test. In addition, for hygiene care was 1.89 in post-test and 1.54 in pre-test at P. value 0.05.Conclusions: The current study indicate that the intervention program utilizing Orem's self care theory is effective in transferring diabetic children from wholly or partly compensatory to educative ⁄ supportive system to accomplish self care practices.
Background: Breast self-examination is a simple, very low cost, noninvasive with no special mater... more Background: Breast self-examination is a simple, very low cost, noninvasive with no special material/tool requirements; and it is an effective diagnostic method for breast cancer which only takes five minutes to apply. Aim of the Study: The study aimed to assess the level of BSE knowledge, attitude, and practice among female nursing students in AAUJ. Subjects and methods: Descriptive, cross sectional study was used for conducting the study, a regular random sample has been used, 97 female nurses students from nursing department of Allied Medical Science Faculty/AAUJ were included. Data collected through; nurses' socio-demographic characteristic, knowledge level towards BSE, Attitude level about BSE, and practice level towards BSE Scale which is developed by the researchers. Validity and pilot study were examined. Results: Study results have shown that 15.5% of the respondents had good overall knowledge towards BSE, The major source of information about BSE (57.6 %) was mass media in the study, 75.3% of participants had positive attitude towards BSE, and 4.1% practice BSE always every month. There was a significant difference between age and academic level towards Knowledge of BSE. At the same time, there was a significant difference between overall knowledge and practice of BSE (P= 0.000). Conclusion and recommendation: Most female nursing students had poor knowledge about BSE and did not perform BSE. Mass Media is an important source of information about BSE to improve awareness among the community.