Experience of Iranian persons receiving hemodialysis: a descriptive, exploratory study

Patients living with end-stage renal disease experience different levels of physical and psychological disability that can impact on the type and level of social interaction in which they engage with others. The researchers concurrently collected and thematically analyzed the interview data that were generated from 21 participants who were undergoing hemodialysis in Iran. Four major themes were constructed from the analysis of the transcripts: living with fatigue; changes in self-image; patients' dependency on the device, place, and time of hemodialysis; and hiding the disease. The results from this study showed that the patients who were living with hemodialysis in Iran experienced altered social interactions with others. The culture of Iran resulted in the participants trying to hide their disease from others, which led to social avoidance, thus reducing the participants' social interactions with others. It is recommended that nurses include a comprehensive assessment of the social interactions of persons who are receiving hemodialysis in their overall nursing assessment and that this is reviewed on a regular basis.

Views of Iranian patients on life with cancer: a phenomenological study

Cancer is one of the major causes of death worldwide. The diagnosis of this disease can cause significant stress, which destroys the patient's hopes, dreams and expectations. The aim of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of 23 Iranian patients about life with cancer using in-depth and semi-structured interviews as the method of data collection. The data were analyzed using Benner's interpretive thematic analysis method. Four main themes were clarified by studying the patients' experiences of life with cancer: (i) cancer as a kind of divine test; (ii) a very bitter and debilitating experience; (iii) chemotherapy as the most difficult experience of cancer; and (iv) a continuous struggle. Life with cancer is full of suffering, stress and bitterness. Fear and hope are intertwined; this phase can be successfully endured by patience, tolerance and stability. It is also helpful if close relatives can raise the patient's morale. Certainly, in this process, religious beliefs, faith and culture-oriented interventions can significantly help patients deal with cancer.

Intraoperative variables associated with extubation time in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery

AIM

Decreasing mechanical ventilation and early extubation in patients has many clinical and financial benefits. Therefore, an awareness of some variables those are associated with extubation time can help nurses to plan appropriate care aimed at doing an early and safe extubation. In this study, we identified whether any intraoperative variables had a significant effect on the extubation time following coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

METHODS

The research was conducted in a university-affiliated hospital in Tehran, Iran. In this cross-sectional study, the data were collected by reviewing 93 files of eligible patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass graft surgery between December 2004 and March 2006. The data collection tool was a checklist consisting of some intraoperative variables: the number of grafts, the duration of time of the cardiopulmonary bypass and aortic cross-clamping, the use of the internal mammary artery, and the extubation time as the dependent variable. The data were analyzed by descriptive and analytical methods.

RESULTS

Extubation was achieved for 93 patients in a mean time of 7.19 +/- 3.00 h: 43% of the patients were extubated in <or=6 h and 57% of them were extubated in >6 h after surgery, classifying them into the early and delayed extubation groups, respectively. On statistical analysis, the duration of the aortic cross-clamping was found to have a significant effect on the extubation time.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that the duration of the aortic cross-clamping might play a role in the extubation time. Therefore, it is recommended that nurses consider this in their assessment of extubation as a shorter aortic cross-clamping time might lead to earlier extubation.

A new approach for teaching nursing ethics in Iran

Ethics is a core concept in nursing practice. However, traditional approaches to teaching ethics are not sufficient and ethicists have to devise creative new approaches for the new generation of students.

Two approaches to nursing: a study of Iranian nurses

BACKGROUND

Studying nurses' experience from a sociocultural perspective can contribute to improving knowledge and understanding in this field.

PURPOSE

To describe and compare three different groups of Iranian nurses' experiences of their profession.

METHODS

The study was conducted in Iran and Sweden. The data were collected from semi-structured telephone interviews and analysed with latent content analysis. The participants were three groups of registered nurses (RNs) (21 persons). All RNs were born and grew up in Iran. The first group (A) were educated and had worked in Iran but were now working and living in Sweden. The second group (B) were educated and worked in Sweden. The third group (C) were educated and worked in Iran.

FINDINGS

The nurses in Sweden worked with a patient-orientated approach while nurses in Iran worked with a task-orientated approach. Nurses in all three groups explained that they suffered from stress, had a heavy workload, were underpaid and understaffed. The findings showed that RNs working with a patient-orientated approach, experienced work satisfaction to a greater extent than RNs working with a task-orientated approach, although other aspects also influenced the nurses' situation considerably.

Earthquake relief: Iranian nurses' responses in Bam, 2003, and lessons learned

BACKGROUND

Man-made or natural disasters appear to be occurring more frequently around the world. It is important that nurses in all specialties should be prepared to care for people affected by disasters.

AIM

To explore Iranian Registered Nurses' experiences in disaster relief in the Bam earthquake, Iran in 2003.

METHODS

This study was qualitative with 13 participant nurses. Data were obtained through semi-structured serial interviews and analysed using the latent content method.

FINDINGS

Three general themes emerged: (a) the need for previously prepared practical protocols, (b) the need for qualified and real teamworking in the situation, and (c) the need to establish periodic comprehensive training programmes in disaster relief nursing.

CONCLUSION

It has become urgent for health agencies and related public services to collaborate, and for all health professionals to become knowledgeable about disaster preparedness. Crisis management, which has become more prevalent for many organizations, is an important strategic initiative for nursing, helping them provide the infrastructure to respond effectively to emergencies and unpredictable events. It is important in today's world that hospital and nursing organizations develop a strategic system to handle disaster situations.

Perceptions of nursing practice in Iran

It is difficult to clarify the characteristics of the nursing profession and the problems that exist within this field. Gaining an understanding of nurses' perceptions regarding their profession can improve knowledge on this subject. The aim of this qualitative study was to describe the perceptions of Iranian Registered Nurses (IRNs) concerning issues related to their profession. Data were collected from semi-structured interviews with 26 IRNs and analyzed with latent content analysis. Two different but interrelated themes emerged: (1) nursing perceived from an institutional and socio-cultural perspective, and (2) nursing that alternates between a routine medical-technical approach and a caring approach. The findings have implications for nursing practice and education in Iran, and can facilitate changes that could effectively improve the status of nursing in Iran.

Coping with breast cancer in newly diagnosed Iranian women

AIM

This paper reports a study exploring how Iranian women coped with newly diagnosed breast cancer and provides a foundation for cultural-based care.

BACKGROUND

Although research has indicated that coping strategies are associated with adaptation to breast cancer, and despite the number of women with newly diagnosed breast cancer increasing each year, there is no information on how Iranian women cope with breast cancer when compared with women of other cultures.

METHOD

In this qualitative study, 19 women with newly diagnosed breast cancer were interviewed during the period May-September 2004 about coping with their disease. Interviews were analysed using a content analysis method.

FINDINGS

The main themes emerging from this qualitative study included coping using a religious approach (acceptance of disease as God's will; spiritual fighting), thinking about the disease (positive thinking: positive suggestion, hope, intentional forgetfulness; negative thinking: hopelessness, fear, impaired body image), accepting the fact of the disease (active acceptance; passive acceptance), social and cultural factors and finally finding support from significant others.

CONCLUSION

Understanding how Iranian women cope with diagnosis of breast cancer is important to nurses involved in the process of healing. The majority of strategies used by Iranian women were positive, and religious faith played a major role in this. The findings of the study can be used to design a nursing approach to improve successful coping in Iranian women suffering from breast cancer, and can provide nurses and other healthcare professionals with deeper understanding of these women as they face this diagnosis.

Professional nursing in Iran: an overview of its historical and sociocultural framework

Nursing in Iran has progressed from the apprenticeship style of nurse training to the higher education sector, with the baccalaureate degree required for registered nurses. Despite these many changes since the Islamic Revolution, nursing is still striving for acceptance and recognition as a profession. This article describes how nursing is conceptualized and practiced in Iran and provides insight into underlying sociocultural forces that have affected the profession in recent years. Nursing education and research, the current status of nursing in the health care system, and the public image of nursing are described based on combining information from several sources: clinical experience, academic experience, and selected qualitative research findings on Iranian nurses' experiences and perceptions of their work. Because knowledge of modern Iranian nursing was inaccessible in English until very recently, this description adds to the literature on the nursing profession cross-nationally. It shows that in Iran, as in other West and East Asian countries, the image of nurses has not changed despite advances in nursing practice, education, and research, necessitating professional socialization and policy changes.

Smoking as a symbol of friendship: Qualitative study of smoking behavior and initiation of a group of male nurse students in Iran

The study of smoking initiation and behavior of nurses and nurse students is important when considering their professional health promotion roles. In the present qualitative study, 26 nursing students of all grades from two nursing schools in the capital city of Iran were surveyed to explore their reasons for smoking. Through in-depth and semistructured interviews, participants were encouraged to talk about their smoking behavior and explain initiating reasons freely. Majority of the participants began smoking before commencing nursing, while only a few initiated smoking after entering into nursing school. Reasons for smoking included belonging to a group and as a symbol of friendship and mutual trust. Indeed, peer group behaviors influenced most participates to commence smoking and social influences also emerged as a theme in this study.

Nursing experience in Iran

The aim of this study was to describe Iranian registered nurses' experience of nursing, and to discuss some of the sociocultural viewpoints that are relevant for such experience. Data were collected by asking 75 registered nurses (RNs) to write statements about their nursing experience. Written descriptions were analyzed by an interpretative phenomenological method. Four different themes emerged: (i) task-oriented nursing experience; (ii) caring-oriented nursing experience; (iii) altruism-oriented nursing experience; and (iv) difficulties experienced. Some participants explained nursing experience by describing a series of daily routine tasks. Others described experience by emphasizing how nursing was a caring profession, and some described their nursing experience from an altruistic viewpoint. Furthermore, the participants described nursing experience based on the relevant problems that they faced in everyday professional life. They expressed difficulties relating to work settings and also problems that were related to the sociocultural view of nursing in society. The nurses in general were dissatisfied with their work and this made them seriously consider leaving the nursing profession. The findings have implications for nursing management and education. These suggestions might enable changes that could effectively improve the status of nursing in Iran. An holistic approach is necessary to integrate these implications into a nursing system, both in practice and in education, for improving conditions that will facilitate a higher development of nursing in Iran.