scholarly journals Improving the informatics competency of critical care nurses: results of an interventional study in the southeast of Iran

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Somayeh Jouparinejad ◽  
Golnaz Foroughameri ◽  
Reza Khajouei ◽  
Jamileh Farokhzadian

Abstract Background Nursing informatics (NI) along with growth and development of health information technology (HIT) is becoming a fundamental part of all domains of nursing practice especially in critical care settings. Nurses are expected to equip with NI competency for providing patient-centered evidence-based care. Therefore, it is important and necessary to improve nurses’ NI competency through educational programs for effective using of HIT. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a training program on NI competency of critical care nurses. Methods This interventional study was conducted in 2019. Stratified sampling technique was used to select 60 nurses working in critical care units of three hospitals affiliated with a large University of Medical Sciences in the southeast of Iran. These nurses were assigned randomly and equally to the control and intervention groups. NI competency was trained to the intervention group in a three-day workshop. Data were collected using demographic questionnaire and the adapted Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment Tool (NICAT) before and 1 month after the intervention. Rahman in the US (2015) developed and validated the original NICAT to assess self-reported NI competency of nurses with 30 items and three dimensions (Computer literacy, Informatics literacy Information management skills). The NICAT is scored on a five-point Likert scale and the overall score ranges from 30 to150. Two medical informatics specialists and eight nursing faculty members approved the validity of the adapted version of NICAT and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha (95%). Results All 60 participants completed the educational program and returned the completed questionnaire. Majority of participants in the intervention and control groups were female (83.30%), married nurses (70.90, 73.30%) aged 30–40 years (51.6, 35.5%). In the pretest stage, both intervention and control groups were competent in terms of the NI competency and its dimensions, and no significant difference was observed between them (p = 0.65). However, in the posttest, the NI competency and its dimensions in the intervention group significantly increased with a large effect size compared with the control group (p = 0.001). This difference showed that the intervention group was proficient in the posttest stage. The highest mean difference in the intervention group was associated with the informatics literacy dimension and the lowest mean difference was associated with the informatics management skills dimension. Conclusions The improved scores of NI competency and its dimensions after using the training program implied the effectiveness of this method in enhancing the NI competency of nurses working in the critical care units. The application of the training program in diverse domains of nursing practice shows its high efficiency. The project is fundamental for improving nurses’ NI competency through continuous educational programs in Iran, other cultures and contexts.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Somayeh Jouparinejad ◽  
Golnaz Foroughameri ◽  
Reza Khajouei ◽  
Jamileh Farokhzadian

Abstract BackgroundNursing informatics (NI) along with growth and development of health information technology (HIT) is becoming a fundamental part of all domains of nursing practice especially in critical care settings. Nurses are expected to equip with NI competency for providing patient-centered evidence-based care. Therefore, it is important and necessary to improve nurses’ NI competency through educational programs for effective using of HIT. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a training program on NI competency of critical care nurses.MethodsThis interventional study was conducted in 2019. Stratified sampling technique was used to select 60 nurses working in critical care units of three hospitals affiliated with a large University of Medical Sciences in the southeast of Iran. These nurses were assigned randomly and equally to the control and intervention groups. NI competency was trained to the intervention group in a three-day workshop. Data were collected using demographic questionnaire and the adapted Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment Tool (NICAT) before and one month after the intervention. Rahman in the US (2015) developed and validated the original NICAT to assess self-reported NI competency of nurses with 30 items and three dimensions (Computer literacy, Informatics literacy Information management skills). The NICAT is scored on a five-point Likert scale and the overall score ranges from 30 to150. Two medical informatics specialists and eight nursing faculty members approved the validity of the adapted version of NICAT and its reliability was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha (95%). Results: All 60 participants completed the educational program and returned the completed questionnaire. Majority of participants in the intervention and control groups were female (83.30%), married nurses (70.90%, 73.30%) aged 30-40 years (51.6%, 35.5%). In the pretest stage, both intervention and control groups were competent in terms of the NI competency and its dimensions, and no significant difference was observed between them (p=0.65). However, in the posttest, the NI competency and its dimensions in the intervention group significantly increased with a large effect size compared with the control group (p = 0.001). This difference showed that the intervention group was proficient in the posttest stage. The highest mean difference in the intervention group was associated with the informatics literacy dimension and the lowest mean difference was associated with the informatics management skills dimension.Conclusions: The improved scores of NI competency and its dimensions after using the training program implied the effectiveness of this method in enhancing the NI competency of nurses working in the critical care units. The application of the training program in diverse domains of nursing practice shows its high efficiency. The project is fundamental for improving nurses’ NI competency through continuous educational programs in Iran, other cultures and contexts.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Somayeh Jouparinejad ◽  
Golnaz Foroughameri ◽  
Reza Khajouei ◽  
Jamileh Farokhzadian

Abstract Background Along with growth and development of health information technology (HIT), nursing informatics (NI) is becoming a fundamental part of all domains of nursing practice especially in critical care settings. Nurses at different levels of the nursing continuum are expected to equip with NI competency for providing patient-centered evidence-based care. Therefore, improvement of the nurses’ NI competency through educational programs is important and necessary for effective using of HIT. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a training program on NI competency of critical care nurses. Methods In this interventional study, 60 nurses working in critical care units at hospitals affiliated with a large University of Medical Sciences in the southeast of Iran were randomly and equally assigned to the control and intervention groups. NI competency was trained to the intervention group in a three-day workshop. Data were collected using demographic questionnaire and Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment Tool (NICAT) before and one month after the intervention. Results In the pretest stage, both intervention and control groups were at the “competent” level in terms of the NI competency, and no significant difference was observed between them ( p =0.65). However, in the posttest, the NI competency and its dimensions significantly increased in the intervention group with a large effect size compared with the control group ( p = 0.001). This difference showed that the intervention group achieved the “proficient” level in posttest stage. Conclusions The improved scores of NI competency and its dimensions after using the training program implied the effectiveness of this method in enhancing the NI competency of nurses working in the critical care units. The higher efficiency of the training program can be determined by its application in diverse domains of nursing practice. The project is a fundamental for improving nurses’ NI competency through continuous educational programs in Iran, other cultures and contexts.


BMC Nursing ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamileh Farokhzadian ◽  
Somayeh Jouparinejad ◽  
Farhad Fatehi ◽  
Fatemeh Falahati-Marvast

Abstract Background One of the most important prerequisites for nurses’ readiness to implement Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) is to improve their information literacy skills. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a training program on nurses’ information literacy skills for EBP in critical care units. Methods In this interventional study, 60 nurses working in critical care units of hospitals affiliated to Kerman University of Medical Sciences were randomly assigned into the intervention or control groups. The intervention group was provided with information literacy training in three eight-hour sessions over 3 weeks. Data were collected using demographic and information literacy skills for EBP questionnaires before and 1 month after the intervention. Results At baseline, the intervention and control groups were similar in terms of demographic characteristics and information literacy skills for EBP. The training program significantly improved all dimensions of information literacy skills of the nurses in the intervention group, including the use of different information resources (3.43 ± 0.48, p < 0.001), information searching skills and the use of different search features (3.85 ± 0.67, p < 0.001), knowledge about search operators (3.74 ± 0.14, p < 0.001), and selection of more appropriate search statement (x2 = 50.63, p = 0.001) compared with the control group. Conclusions Nurses can learn EBP skills and apply research findings in their nursing practice in order to provide high-quality, safe nursing care in clinical settings. Practical workshops and regular training courses are effective interventional strategies to equip nurses with information literacy skills so that they can apply these skills to their future nursing practice.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Somayeh Jouparinejad ◽  
Golnaz Foroughameri ◽  
Reza Khajouei ◽  
Jamileh Farokhzadian

Abstract Introduction To convert nurses of the critical care units into active users of evidence-based practices, their IT competency should be improved by appropriate planning. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a training program on nurses' IT competency in critical care units.Methods In this interventional study, 60 nurses working in critical care units of hospitals were randomly assigned into the control and intervention groups. The three-day workshop on IT skills training was conducted for the intervention group. Data were collected using demographic questionnaire and Nursing Informatics Competency Assessment Tool (NICAT) before and one month after the intervention.Results In the pretest stage, both groups were at the competent level with regard to the competency level and no significant difference was observed between them in the pretest. However, in the posttest, the IT competency of the intervention group significantly increased compared to the control group. This showed that the intervention group was at the proficient level.Conclusions Education enhanced the nurses' IT competency in critical care units. So, in order to provide nurses with the latest scientific information and to promote high quality evidence-based practices, related educational programs should be added to continuous educational programs for all clinical nurses.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elahe Fayyazian ◽  
Farnoosh Khojasteh ◽  
Farshid Saeedinezhad ◽  
Maryam Haghighi

Background: Pregnancy care and screening programs are very important, especially in high-risk pregnancies. However, few interventional studies have addressed mental and sexual health in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Objectives: The present study aimed to examine the effect of a sexual health promotion training program on sexual function of pregnant women with GDM referring to comprehensive health centers in Zahedan, Iran, in 2020. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was performed on 80 pregnant women with GDM (gestational age: 24 - 30 weeks). The participants were selected using multi-stage sampling method and randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. The participants in the intervention group received sexual health promotion training in four sessions (60 - 90 minutes) two sessions per week. The participants in the control group received routine care. The demographic information questionnaire was completed by the participants at the beginning of the study, and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) was administered before and four weeks after the completion of the sexual health promotion training program. The collected data were analyzed in SPSS software (version 22) using independent samples t-test, paired samples t-test, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), and chi-square test. Results: The results showed a statistically significant difference between the intervention and control groups in all subscales of sexual function (P < 0.05). Moreover, the results of ANCOVA for the total sexual function score showed that the women in the intervention group had significantly higher levels of sexual function (22.89 ± 3.24) compared to the women in the control group (16.78 ± 3.16) (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Given the positive and significant effect of sexual health promotion training on the sexual function of pregnant women with GDM, it is recommended to integrate this training program in prenatal care of these vulnerable women.


SLEEP ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. A180-A181
Author(s):  
Mustafa Jafri ◽  
Gabrielle Rosa-Acosta ◽  
Jose Flores Martinez ◽  
Elizabeth Schofield ◽  
Cy Wilkins ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction Untreated polycythemia leads to complications including thrombosis. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is commonly associated with secondary erythrocytosis, which testosterone therapy can perpetuate. Effects of positive airway pressure (PAP) on elevated hematocrit (HCT) is unknown. We hypothesize PAP adherence can reduce HCT in men with OSA and polycythemia. Methods Retrospective chart review of male outpatients with newly diagnosed OSA and HCT≥45% at or 3 months before polysomnography (PSG) was conducted. Intervention group consisted of patients initiating PAP for OSA. HCT within 6 months of PAP initiation and PSG were recorded for intervention and control groups, respectively. Primary endpoint was time-to-HCT reduction of HCT&lt;50% plus 3% decrease. Cox proportional-hazards analysis was used to assess time-to-HCT response. Demographics, smoking history, testosterone administration, STOP-Bang score, AHI, and PAP compliance data were obtained. Patients excluded if PAP not indicated, or if PSG, PAP compliance, or repeat HCT were unavailable. Results 41 men with OSA had HCT≥45%, of which 16 had HCT≥50%. Median age was 60 years and median BMI was 32 kg/m2. 28 started PAP. 21 met definition for PAP compliance within 6 months. Median AHI of intervention and control groups were 23 and 19 events/hr, respectively. Mean baseline HCT of both groups were 49 and 50, respectively. No significant difference in age, BMI, smoking history, testosterone therapy, and baseline HCT between both groups noted. 39% of intervention group exhibited HCT response at 1 or more longitudinal assessments, versus 38% of control. Intervention group had higher mean STOP-Bang than control (mean 5.9 vs. 4.6, p=0.01) and trended towards higher mean baseline AHI (27.4 vs. 19.0, p= 0.06). Time-to-event analysis controlling for STOP-Bang and AHI demonstrated PAP was not associated with time-to-HCT response (HR = 1.3, 95% CI = 0.4–4.4). In moderate-severe OSA patients, 40% of intervention group had HCT response compared to 14% of control, though difference was not significant (HR = 2.5, 95% CI = 0.3–20.0). Conclusion Moderate-severe OSA patients trended towards reduction in HCT with PAP, although not statistically significant. Testosterone administration did not affect HCT response to PAP in this cohort. Larger studies are required to determine HCT response to PAP in these patients. Support (if any):


Author(s):  
Matthew S. Chrisman ◽  
Robert Wright ◽  
William Purdy

Standing desks may reduce sedentary behaviors in college students. Students at one mid-size urban university in the Midwestern United States were randomized into intervention (n = 21) and control groups (n = 27) to assess standing time when given access to standing desks. The intervention group received visual and oral instructor prompts to stand, while the control received no prompts during a 50 min lecture. All students were provided with adjustable tabletop standing desks. ActivPAL accelerometers measured sitting and standing time. A brief survey assessed student preferences, including facilitators and barriers to standing. Mean standing time was greater in the intervention vs. control group (26 vs. 17 min, p = 0.023). Students tended to stand in the corners and edges of the room. Main facilitators for standing included to break up sitting, reduce back pain, and increase attention and focus; main barriers were not wanting to distract others or be the only one standing. In total, 87.5% of intervention group participants found five prompts to stand were adequate. Students increased standing time in class when provided with standing desks and instructor prompts to stand. Findings can inform the layout of classrooms and when and how to promote standing desks during lectures.


2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yukari Isaka ◽  
Ai Hori ◽  
Rie Tanaka ◽  
Masao Ichikawa

Abstract Background The method of communicating a positive cancer screening result should seek to alleviate psychological distress associated with a positive result. We evaluated whether the provision of information through a leaflet would help reduce psychological distress in a randomized controlled trial. Methods The participants were women aged 20–69 years who were about to undergo cervical cancer screening at health centers. Before the screening, they received hypothetical screening results, with a leaflet (intervention group, n = 493) or without it (control group, n = 479), randomly. Their psychological distress and intention to undergo further examination were then compared between the intervention and control groups. Results After the intervention (providing a leaflet with hypothetical screening results), psychological distress appeared to be higher in the control group than in the intervention group among those who received a hypothetical positive screening result (odds ratio: 2.57, 95% confidence interval: 1.87–3.54), while 95% and 97% of those in the intervention and control groups, respectively, reported that they would undergo further examination. Conclusions Information provision might help reduce psychological distress but not hinder further examination among women who screen positive for cervical cancer. Trial registration: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000029894. Date of Registration: November 2017.


Author(s):  
Cynthia Uchechukwu Ejike ◽  
Akinola Stephen Oluwole ◽  
Olaitan Olamide Omitola ◽  
Adedotun Ayodeji Bayegun ◽  
Islamiat Yetunde Shoneye ◽  
...  

Abstract Background We redesigned the Schisto and Ladders health educational board game and evaluated its potential to encourage compliance to school-based mass drug administration with praziquantel. Methods Two hundred and seventy-five children from six schools who rejected praziquantel treatment were divided into intervention and control groups. Before the intervention, preassessment interviews were conducted on their knowledge about praziquantel treatment and schistosomiasis. The Schisto and Ladders version 2 game as an intervention, and the Snakes and Ladders game as a control, were played for 6 mo. Postassessment interviews, including focus group discussions, were conducted. Results At preassessment, 0/98 (0.0%) children in the intervention group had heard of praziquantel compared with 2/177 (1.1%) in the control group. Similarly, 0/98 (0.0%) children in the intervention group did not know that praziquantel does not kill compared with 4/177 (2.3%) in the control group. The postassessment showed that 53/78 (67.9%) in the intervention group were aware of praziquantel compared with 2/177 (1.1%) in the control group (p=0.000). Similarly, 53 (69.7%) in the intervention group knew about the safety of praziquantel compared with 0/177 (0.0%) in the control group (p=0.000). Sixty-four children (65.3%) from the intervention group sought praziquantel treatment after the trial. Conclusions Schisto and Ladders version 2 is a useful sensitisation tool with which to encourage compliance to praziquantel treatment in schools.


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