Laila Akhu-Zaheya - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Laila Akhu-Zaheya

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013

Background: Limited study on the use of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) among patients w... more Background: Limited study on the use of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), particularly in primary-care settings. This study seeks to understand the prevalence, types, expenditures, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of CAM use among patients with DM visiting outpatient primary care clinics. Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study of 240 diabetic patients. CAM is defined as a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional Western medicine. Data analysis was done using SPSS v. 19 and multiple logistic regressions were used to identify predictors of CAM use. Results: The prevalence of CAM use was 62.5 percent. Female were 1.8 times more likely than male in using CAM. Malays (75%) were the most frequent users, followed Indians (18%) and Chinese (6%). Biological therapy (50.0%) were the most widely used, followed by manipulative-body based systems (9.2%), energy system (8.8%), alternative medicine systems (4.6%) and mind-body system (1.7%). In biological therapy, a total of 30.4 percent, 24.2 percent, 13.3 percent, and 7.9 percent of diabetic patients consumed bitter gourd (Momordica Charantia), followed by Misai Kucing (Orthosiphon Stamineus Benth), garlic (Allium Sativum), and Sabah snake grass (Clinacanthus Nutans Lindau) respectively. The mean of the expenditure on CAM usage was RM 52.8 ± 101.9 (US $16.9 ± 32.5) per month. According to multiple logistic regression analyses, being Muslim (OR 5.258, 95 percent CI 2.952-9.368) had significant positive association with CAM use. Conclusions: The prevalence of CAM use was high among diabetics. Islam faith is predictor for CAM use among Type 2 DM patients. The most-common herbs used were bitter gourd (Momordica Charantia) and Misai Kucing (Orthosiphon Stamineus, Benth). Further studies on the anti-glycemic activity of the isolated compound may be needed in the future.

Cancer Nursing, 2009

Despite all advances in healthcare, provision of healthcare for cancer patients remains one of ma... more Despite all advances in healthcare, provision of healthcare for cancer patients remains one of major continuing challenges for healthcare professionals. One of these challenges is shorter hospital stay. In this fast-paced environment, identification of cancer patients' needs is limited yet necessary to initiate an appropriate treatment plan for this group of patients. The major purpose of this study was to identify healthcare needs of noninstitutionalized patients with cancer from Arab Jordanians' perspective. The study was conducted at a chemotherapy clinic of a major university hospital in Jordan. An exploratory descriptive design using a structured interview was used to collect the data. The questions of the interview composed of items of several scales including the Patient Need Scale. Sixty-two participants met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate. The participants were patients with cancer, were receiving chemotherapy, and were (a) Jordanian male or female patients, (b) able to communicate in Arabic, (c) 19 years of age or older, and (d) free from psychiatric or mental illnesses. Participants reported 70 existing needs (68.6%). However, 50% of these identified needs were perceived as being not met. Jordanian patients with cancer reported more healthcare needs than patients in Western cultures. Individualized comprehensive assessment of patients' needs from their perspective is essential to initiate an effective treatment plan. R ecent advances in healthcare systems have changed the pattern of diseases worldwide. Epidemiological studies in Jordan, an Arab developing country in the Middle East with 5.4 million people, have indicated that the characteristics of diseases have changed from most com-municable diseases to chronic illnesses such as cancer, which are the most common types of illnesses among Jordanians. 1 According to the Jordan National Cancer Registry, cancer is the second leading cause of death. The latest statistics of the Jordan National Cancer Registry revealed that 4,780 new

International Nursing Review, 2014

Background: A good safety system depends on having a culture that supports and encourages employe... more Background: A good safety system depends on having a culture that supports and encourages employees to report their errors and near misses. Since there has been no previous literature or current research studies in Jordanian hospitals that measure an organization's safety culture, the purpose of this study is to validate an Arabic version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC; 2009 version) and to measure health-staff perceptions of the safety culture in Jordanian Ministry of Health (MoH) hospitals. Methodology: A cross-sectional design using multistage stratified random sampling technique was selected. Results: A total of 287 respondents completed and returned the survey, representing a response rate of nearly 60%. Internal consistency of the instrument was measured by calculating Cronbach's coefficient alpha. A good overall score of 0.797 (range 0.12 to 0.85) was obtained. The highest positive participant response came from 'Teamwork within units' (average of 68%), although overall perception of patient safety was only 42%. Conclusion: The Arabic translation of the HSOPSC was found to be valid and reliable. Application of this tool and support for the patient safety culture should be priorities within the provision of health services in Jordan.

BACKGROUND S Si ig gn nif ific icance ance Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Jordan ... more BACKGROUND S Si ig gn nif ific icance ance Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Jordan Many patients have limited knowledge about cancer, a disease with many challenges Patients with cancer engage in health information-seeking behavior to meet their needs A pilot study evaluating Internet use among Jordanian patients w ith cancer showed that many are not seeking health information fr om any sources (Akhu-Zaheya, 2004)

Frontiers in Medicine, 2021

Working during an epidemic can be physically, emotionally, and morally demanding for nurses. In a... more Working during an epidemic can be physically, emotionally, and morally demanding for nurses. In addition to caring for patients, nurses are also responsible for looking after themselves and their families. The current study aimed to explore nurses' ethics in the care of patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A descriptive qualitative approach was adopted in order to gain an in-depth understanding of nurses' experiences of caring for patients with coronavirus. A purposive sample of 10 nurses working with patients with COVID-19 was recruited. Interviews were held with the nurses, and content analysis of the interviews was conducted. Each interview was transcribed, and the text was coded into manageable categories on the word, word sense, phrase, sentence, and theme levels before analysis. Three major themes related to the nurses' ethical commitments during the COVID-19 crisis emerged during the data analysis. These themes are as follows: the obli...

The Open Nursing Journal, 2022

Background: Hypertension is a significant challenge for healthcare systems globally. It is estima... more Background: Hypertension is a significant challenge for healthcare systems globally. It is estimated to cause 7.5 million deaths worldwide annually. Knowledge of hypertension plays a crucial role in behavioral changes required to prevent and manage the condition. This study aimed to assess the public's knowledge of hypertension’s risk factors, symptoms, complications, and treatment. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive, and exploratory study included a convenience sample of 723 Jordanian adults. The Hypertension Knowledge Test was used to measure the participants' knowledge of hypertension’s risk factors, symptoms, complications, and treatment. Results: The participants' mean score of total hypertension knowledge was 11.5 ±3.82 (52.2%), with 85.9% (n=621) having inadequate knowledge. Their mean scores for hypertension’s risk factors, symptoms, complications, and treatment were 7.45 ±2.35 (62.1%), 2.29 ±1.21 (45.8%), 1.38 ± 0.943 (46%), and 0.391 ± 0.603 (19.6%), re...

Leadership Styles and Nursing Care Management, 2018

Leadership Styles and Nursing Care Management, 2018

The purpose of this study is to assess stress level and sources of stress among nursing students ... more The purpose of this study is to assess stress level and sources of stress among nursing students in Jordan, as well as identifying the coping strategies utilized by nursing students. Participants included 597 nursing students from two faculties of Nursing in Jordan. A descriptive design was employed in this study. Participants were asked to complete demographic data, a perceived stress scale (PSS) and a coping behaviour inventory (CBI) scale. Results showed that of the participants, 286 (47.82%) had stress levels above the mean. The most common type of stressors perceived were related to assignment followed by stress related to patients’ care and stress from nursing staff and teachers. The most common coping behaviour utilized by the students was problem solving. Clinical educators and clinical staff should appreciate the complexity of students’ responses to stress, and as such, should not follow general principles in dealing with students in their clinical practice.

Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice, 2021

Objectives This study aimed to examine the impact of the influential factors (technical support, ... more Objectives This study aimed to examine the impact of the influential factors (technical support, training and learning, organizational culture, and infrastructure) on team effectiveness with the mediating role of e-collaborative use in hospitals. Methods A cross-sectional design was conducted in six private hospitals. About 434 participants were selected using a random sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire was developed to collect the data. Results The results of multiple linear regression showed that there was a significant impact of the influential factors (technical Support, training and learning, organizational culture, and infrastructure) on the team effectiveness (F = 40.198. p > 0.05). The results of simple linear regression showed a significant impact on the use of the e-collaborative tool on team Effectiveness (F = 261.445; p > 0.05). Also, the results showed that the use of e-collaborative tools had a significant impact as a mediating role in the rela...

Antecedentes: La cultura de seguridad del paciente es un aspecto fundamental en la determinacion ... more Antecedentes: La cultura de seguridad del paciente es un aspecto fundamental en la determinacion de la habilidad de las organizaciones de atencion sanitaria para abordar y reducir los riesgos de los pacientes. Las enfermeras desempenan un papel importante en la seguridad del paciente, porque son las responsables de la atencion directa y continua al paciente. Hay poca informacion conocida sobre la cultura de seguridad del paciente en los hospitales jordanos, sobre todo, desde la perspectiva de los proveedores de atencion sanitaria. Objetivo: El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la cultura de seguridad del paciente en hospitales jordanos desde la perspectiva de las enfermeras. Metodos: Se utilizo un diseno transversal y descriptivo. Un total de 658 enfermeras participaron en el estudio actual. Los datos fueron recopilados utilizando una version en arabe de la encuesta hospitalaria de la cultura de seguridad del paciente. Resultados: El trabajo en equipo dentro de las dimensiones de la ...

Journal of Global Infectious Diseases, 2021

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the effect of a hand hygiene (HH) and awareness campa... more Introduction: This study aimed to determine the effect of a hand hygiene (HH) and awareness campaign on knowledge and compliance with HH practices among health-care workers working staff in the main intensive care units and also to evaluate the rates of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) before and after the intervention. Methods: A prospective, interventional, pre–post design was utilized and carried out in three phases: the first stage was a 1-month preintervention stage to develop the foundation of the compliance rate of handwashing; the second stage was the interventional handwashing campaign; the third stage was the postintervention stage to improve the compliance rate of handwashing. Two instruments were used in this study: the HH Knowledge Questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization to assess HH knowledge and the Handwashing Questionnaire developed to evaluate HH washing. Results: HH knowledge has been increased from preintervention (M = 11.84, standard deviation ...

Leadership Styles and Nursing Care Management, 2018

Rehabilitation Nursing, 2007

Journal of Research in Nursing, 2011

The learning environment extends beyond the classroom, in a way, necessitating integration of com... more The learning environment extends beyond the classroom, in a way, necessitating integration of computer literacy with education, establishing e-learning culture within future nursing education and facilitating life-long learning, which goes hand in hand with reshaping the future of the nursing practice. Despite the rapid integration between computers and different health care issues, studies indicated that nursing students have extremely low levels of computer literacy. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the anxiety-related computer literacy rates of a few nursing students in Jordan. A convenient sample of 441 undergraduate nursing students was selected. A descriptive study utilised a self-administered questionnaire of the Arabic version of the Computer Anxiety Rating Scale and Computer Literacy Scale Data between 20 May and 30 July 2009. Study results indicated that there was a significantly negative relationship between computer anxieties and computer literacy rates...

CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 2011

Increasingly, cancer-related Web sites have been developed to provide information for patients. M... more Increasingly, cancer-related Web sites have been developed to provide information for patients. More needs to be done to understand the experience of men with cancer using the Internet. Heideggerian hermeneutics is the interpretive approach used to guide this study. Fifteen men with cancer who used the Internet were recruited through a prostate cancer support group and snowball sampling. Participants were individually interviewed and asked to tell stories of Internet use and practices. Transcribed interviews provided data for interpretive analysis. The overall constitutive pattern describing the men's experience is "cancer diagnosis as a problem to be solved." Five related themes included (1) seeking disease and treatments information from the Internet for decision making, to become comfortable with treatment plan; (2) organizing information to facilitate provider encounters and to monitor for reoccurrence; (3) evaluating Web information by credibility and usability with trust in the physician influencing the end decision point; (4) symptom management by knowing possibilities by hearing patient stories; and (5) navigating through the healthcare system politics and power. Men with cancer are incorporating Internet use into their cancer journey. They perceive changing provider-patient relationships when they participate in treatment decisions and monitor for reoccurrence.

CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 2009

The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate Internet use among Jordanian patients and careg... more The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate Internet use among Jordanian patients and caregivers. The study included a convenience sample of patients with different health problems and diseases and caregivers. A survey modified from a study by Dickerson et al was used. A total of 78 patients and caregivers participated (37 patients and 41 caregivers), and 56.4% of the respondents were Internet users. Among Internet users, the Internet accounted for only 4.6% of their sources of health information, while physicians accounted for 11.3% and 17.6% among users and nonusers, respectively. Twenty-five of the participants (32.0%) reported high dependence on the media to obtain health information. Among all participants, a surprising percentage (37.2%) did not seek health information from any sources. The results of the survey provide insight into the need to study information-seeking behavior in general before studying specific technology to seek health information.

Nursing Standard, 2013

It is useful for healthcare professionals to be able to identify the leadership styles and theori... more It is useful for healthcare professionals to be able to identify the leadership styles and theories relevant to their nursing practice. Being adept in recognising these styles enables nurses to develop their skills to become better leaders, as well as improving relationships with colleagues and other leaders, who have previously been challenging to work with. This article explores different leadership styles and theories, and explains how they relate to nursing practice.

BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013

Background: Limited study on the use of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) among patients w... more Background: Limited study on the use of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM), particularly in primary-care settings. This study seeks to understand the prevalence, types, expenditures, attitudes, beliefs, and perceptions of CAM use among patients with DM visiting outpatient primary care clinics. Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional study of 240 diabetic patients. CAM is defined as a group of diverse medical and healthcare systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional Western medicine. Data analysis was done using SPSS v. 19 and multiple logistic regressions were used to identify predictors of CAM use. Results: The prevalence of CAM use was 62.5 percent. Female were 1.8 times more likely than male in using CAM. Malays (75%) were the most frequent users, followed Indians (18%) and Chinese (6%). Biological therapy (50.0%) were the most widely used, followed by manipulative-body based systems (9.2%), energy system (8.8%), alternative medicine systems (4.6%) and mind-body system (1.7%). In biological therapy, a total of 30.4 percent, 24.2 percent, 13.3 percent, and 7.9 percent of diabetic patients consumed bitter gourd (Momordica Charantia), followed by Misai Kucing (Orthosiphon Stamineus Benth), garlic (Allium Sativum), and Sabah snake grass (Clinacanthus Nutans Lindau) respectively. The mean of the expenditure on CAM usage was RM 52.8 ± 101.9 (US $16.9 ± 32.5) per month. According to multiple logistic regression analyses, being Muslim (OR 5.258, 95 percent CI 2.952-9.368) had significant positive association with CAM use. Conclusions: The prevalence of CAM use was high among diabetics. Islam faith is predictor for CAM use among Type 2 DM patients. The most-common herbs used were bitter gourd (Momordica Charantia) and Misai Kucing (Orthosiphon Stamineus, Benth). Further studies on the anti-glycemic activity of the isolated compound may be needed in the future.

Cancer Nursing, 2009

Despite all advances in healthcare, provision of healthcare for cancer patients remains one of ma... more Despite all advances in healthcare, provision of healthcare for cancer patients remains one of major continuing challenges for healthcare professionals. One of these challenges is shorter hospital stay. In this fast-paced environment, identification of cancer patients' needs is limited yet necessary to initiate an appropriate treatment plan for this group of patients. The major purpose of this study was to identify healthcare needs of noninstitutionalized patients with cancer from Arab Jordanians' perspective. The study was conducted at a chemotherapy clinic of a major university hospital in Jordan. An exploratory descriptive design using a structured interview was used to collect the data. The questions of the interview composed of items of several scales including the Patient Need Scale. Sixty-two participants met the inclusion criteria and agreed to participate. The participants were patients with cancer, were receiving chemotherapy, and were (a) Jordanian male or female patients, (b) able to communicate in Arabic, (c) 19 years of age or older, and (d) free from psychiatric or mental illnesses. Participants reported 70 existing needs (68.6%). However, 50% of these identified needs were perceived as being not met. Jordanian patients with cancer reported more healthcare needs than patients in Western cultures. Individualized comprehensive assessment of patients' needs from their perspective is essential to initiate an effective treatment plan. R ecent advances in healthcare systems have changed the pattern of diseases worldwide. Epidemiological studies in Jordan, an Arab developing country in the Middle East with 5.4 million people, have indicated that the characteristics of diseases have changed from most com-municable diseases to chronic illnesses such as cancer, which are the most common types of illnesses among Jordanians. 1 According to the Jordan National Cancer Registry, cancer is the second leading cause of death. The latest statistics of the Jordan National Cancer Registry revealed that 4,780 new

International Nursing Review, 2014

Background: A good safety system depends on having a culture that supports and encourages employe... more Background: A good safety system depends on having a culture that supports and encourages employees to report their errors and near misses. Since there has been no previous literature or current research studies in Jordanian hospitals that measure an organization's safety culture, the purpose of this study is to validate an Arabic version of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC; 2009 version) and to measure health-staff perceptions of the safety culture in Jordanian Ministry of Health (MoH) hospitals. Methodology: A cross-sectional design using multistage stratified random sampling technique was selected. Results: A total of 287 respondents completed and returned the survey, representing a response rate of nearly 60%. Internal consistency of the instrument was measured by calculating Cronbach's coefficient alpha. A good overall score of 0.797 (range 0.12 to 0.85) was obtained. The highest positive participant response came from 'Teamwork within units' (average of 68%), although overall perception of patient safety was only 42%. Conclusion: The Arabic translation of the HSOPSC was found to be valid and reliable. Application of this tool and support for the patient safety culture should be priorities within the provision of health services in Jordan.

BACKGROUND S Si ig gn nif ific icance ance Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Jordan ... more BACKGROUND S Si ig gn nif ific icance ance Cancer is the second leading cause of death in Jordan Many patients have limited knowledge about cancer, a disease with many challenges Patients with cancer engage in health information-seeking behavior to meet their needs A pilot study evaluating Internet use among Jordanian patients w ith cancer showed that many are not seeking health information fr om any sources (Akhu-Zaheya, 2004)

Frontiers in Medicine, 2021

Working during an epidemic can be physically, emotionally, and morally demanding for nurses. In a... more Working during an epidemic can be physically, emotionally, and morally demanding for nurses. In addition to caring for patients, nurses are also responsible for looking after themselves and their families. The current study aimed to explore nurses' ethics in the care of patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A descriptive qualitative approach was adopted in order to gain an in-depth understanding of nurses' experiences of caring for patients with coronavirus. A purposive sample of 10 nurses working with patients with COVID-19 was recruited. Interviews were held with the nurses, and content analysis of the interviews was conducted. Each interview was transcribed, and the text was coded into manageable categories on the word, word sense, phrase, sentence, and theme levels before analysis. Three major themes related to the nurses' ethical commitments during the COVID-19 crisis emerged during the data analysis. These themes are as follows: the obli...

The Open Nursing Journal, 2022

Background: Hypertension is a significant challenge for healthcare systems globally. It is estima... more Background: Hypertension is a significant challenge for healthcare systems globally. It is estimated to cause 7.5 million deaths worldwide annually. Knowledge of hypertension plays a crucial role in behavioral changes required to prevent and manage the condition. This study aimed to assess the public's knowledge of hypertension’s risk factors, symptoms, complications, and treatment. Methods: This cross-sectional, descriptive, and exploratory study included a convenience sample of 723 Jordanian adults. The Hypertension Knowledge Test was used to measure the participants' knowledge of hypertension’s risk factors, symptoms, complications, and treatment. Results: The participants' mean score of total hypertension knowledge was 11.5 ±3.82 (52.2%), with 85.9% (n=621) having inadequate knowledge. Their mean scores for hypertension’s risk factors, symptoms, complications, and treatment were 7.45 ±2.35 (62.1%), 2.29 ±1.21 (45.8%), 1.38 ± 0.943 (46%), and 0.391 ± 0.603 (19.6%), re...

Leadership Styles and Nursing Care Management, 2018

Leadership Styles and Nursing Care Management, 2018

The purpose of this study is to assess stress level and sources of stress among nursing students ... more The purpose of this study is to assess stress level and sources of stress among nursing students in Jordan, as well as identifying the coping strategies utilized by nursing students. Participants included 597 nursing students from two faculties of Nursing in Jordan. A descriptive design was employed in this study. Participants were asked to complete demographic data, a perceived stress scale (PSS) and a coping behaviour inventory (CBI) scale. Results showed that of the participants, 286 (47.82%) had stress levels above the mean. The most common type of stressors perceived were related to assignment followed by stress related to patients’ care and stress from nursing staff and teachers. The most common coping behaviour utilized by the students was problem solving. Clinical educators and clinical staff should appreciate the complexity of students’ responses to stress, and as such, should not follow general principles in dealing with students in their clinical practice.

Journal of Interprofessional Education and Practice, 2021

Objectives This study aimed to examine the impact of the influential factors (technical support, ... more Objectives This study aimed to examine the impact of the influential factors (technical support, training and learning, organizational culture, and infrastructure) on team effectiveness with the mediating role of e-collaborative use in hospitals. Methods A cross-sectional design was conducted in six private hospitals. About 434 participants were selected using a random sampling technique. A self-administered questionnaire was developed to collect the data. Results The results of multiple linear regression showed that there was a significant impact of the influential factors (technical Support, training and learning, organizational culture, and infrastructure) on the team effectiveness (F = 40.198. p > 0.05). The results of simple linear regression showed a significant impact on the use of the e-collaborative tool on team Effectiveness (F = 261.445; p > 0.05). Also, the results showed that the use of e-collaborative tools had a significant impact as a mediating role in the rela...

Antecedentes: La cultura de seguridad del paciente es un aspecto fundamental en la determinacion ... more Antecedentes: La cultura de seguridad del paciente es un aspecto fundamental en la determinacion de la habilidad de las organizaciones de atencion sanitaria para abordar y reducir los riesgos de los pacientes. Las enfermeras desempenan un papel importante en la seguridad del paciente, porque son las responsables de la atencion directa y continua al paciente. Hay poca informacion conocida sobre la cultura de seguridad del paciente en los hospitales jordanos, sobre todo, desde la perspectiva de los proveedores de atencion sanitaria. Objetivo: El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar la cultura de seguridad del paciente en hospitales jordanos desde la perspectiva de las enfermeras. Metodos: Se utilizo un diseno transversal y descriptivo. Un total de 658 enfermeras participaron en el estudio actual. Los datos fueron recopilados utilizando una version en arabe de la encuesta hospitalaria de la cultura de seguridad del paciente. Resultados: El trabajo en equipo dentro de las dimensiones de la ...

Journal of Global Infectious Diseases, 2021

Introduction: This study aimed to determine the effect of a hand hygiene (HH) and awareness campa... more Introduction: This study aimed to determine the effect of a hand hygiene (HH) and awareness campaign on knowledge and compliance with HH practices among health-care workers working staff in the main intensive care units and also to evaluate the rates of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) before and after the intervention. Methods: A prospective, interventional, pre–post design was utilized and carried out in three phases: the first stage was a 1-month preintervention stage to develop the foundation of the compliance rate of handwashing; the second stage was the interventional handwashing campaign; the third stage was the postintervention stage to improve the compliance rate of handwashing. Two instruments were used in this study: the HH Knowledge Questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization to assess HH knowledge and the Handwashing Questionnaire developed to evaluate HH washing. Results: HH knowledge has been increased from preintervention (M = 11.84, standard deviation ...

Leadership Styles and Nursing Care Management, 2018

Rehabilitation Nursing, 2007

Journal of Research in Nursing, 2011

The learning environment extends beyond the classroom, in a way, necessitating integration of com... more The learning environment extends beyond the classroom, in a way, necessitating integration of computer literacy with education, establishing e-learning culture within future nursing education and facilitating life-long learning, which goes hand in hand with reshaping the future of the nursing practice. Despite the rapid integration between computers and different health care issues, studies indicated that nursing students have extremely low levels of computer literacy. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to assess the anxiety-related computer literacy rates of a few nursing students in Jordan. A convenient sample of 441 undergraduate nursing students was selected. A descriptive study utilised a self-administered questionnaire of the Arabic version of the Computer Anxiety Rating Scale and Computer Literacy Scale Data between 20 May and 30 July 2009. Study results indicated that there was a significantly negative relationship between computer anxieties and computer literacy rates...

CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 2011

Increasingly, cancer-related Web sites have been developed to provide information for patients. M... more Increasingly, cancer-related Web sites have been developed to provide information for patients. More needs to be done to understand the experience of men with cancer using the Internet. Heideggerian hermeneutics is the interpretive approach used to guide this study. Fifteen men with cancer who used the Internet were recruited through a prostate cancer support group and snowball sampling. Participants were individually interviewed and asked to tell stories of Internet use and practices. Transcribed interviews provided data for interpretive analysis. The overall constitutive pattern describing the men's experience is "cancer diagnosis as a problem to be solved." Five related themes included (1) seeking disease and treatments information from the Internet for decision making, to become comfortable with treatment plan; (2) organizing information to facilitate provider encounters and to monitor for reoccurrence; (3) evaluating Web information by credibility and usability with trust in the physician influencing the end decision point; (4) symptom management by knowing possibilities by hearing patient stories; and (5) navigating through the healthcare system politics and power. Men with cancer are incorporating Internet use into their cancer journey. They perceive changing provider-patient relationships when they participate in treatment decisions and monitor for reoccurrence.

CIN: Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 2009

The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate Internet use among Jordanian patients and careg... more The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate Internet use among Jordanian patients and caregivers. The study included a convenience sample of patients with different health problems and diseases and caregivers. A survey modified from a study by Dickerson et al was used. A total of 78 patients and caregivers participated (37 patients and 41 caregivers), and 56.4% of the respondents were Internet users. Among Internet users, the Internet accounted for only 4.6% of their sources of health information, while physicians accounted for 11.3% and 17.6% among users and nonusers, respectively. Twenty-five of the participants (32.0%) reported high dependence on the media to obtain health information. Among all participants, a surprising percentage (37.2%) did not seek health information from any sources. The results of the survey provide insight into the need to study information-seeking behavior in general before studying specific technology to seek health information.

Nursing Standard, 2013

It is useful for healthcare professionals to be able to identify the leadership styles and theori... more It is useful for healthcare professionals to be able to identify the leadership styles and theories relevant to their nursing practice. Being adept in recognising these styles enables nurses to develop their skills to become better leaders, as well as improving relationships with colleagues and other leaders, who have previously been challenging to work with. This article explores different leadership styles and theories, and explains how they relate to nursing practice.