Preventive Care in Nursing and Midwifery Journal

  Background and Objectives: Chronic Renal Failure (CRF) influence patients’ lifestyles, health statuses, and role functions, and lead to physical and psychosocial problems. Social support is an important copping mechanism by which quality of life and health status of patients improve. The aim of this study was to determine informational and instrumental support in hemodialysis patients in hospitals of Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, 2010.

  Material and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 84 patients with CRF who were referred to the hemodialysis centers of Zanjan were recruited to the study. The participants answered to the two sets of questionnaires: 1) demographic items 2) standard instrument of social support. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in the SPSS-16 .

  Results: The study showed that 20.3% and 29.7% of participants had optimal informational and instrumental support, respectively .

  Conclusion: More than two third of the patients did not have optimal social support. Regarding positive relationships between social support, quality of life and survival rate in hemodialysis patient, it is suggested that health care policymakers and managers consider the instrumental and informational support in order to improve quality of life in hemodialysis patient.

Background and Objectives: Patients undergoing hemodialysis are exposed to stress and pain due to approximately 300 punctures per year they receive for their arteriovenous fistula. Alleviation of the pain can improve acceptance of the procedure and quality of life among the patients. This study aimed to assess the effect of cryotherapy on arteriovenous fistula puncture pain among patients udergoing hemodialysis.

Materials and Methods: In this clincal trial, a convenience sample of 40 patients who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to the experiment and control groups. Pain was measured using the visual analogue pain scale at baseline and after the cryotherapy in Hugo Point in experimentd group and control groups. Data were analyzed using the descriptive (frequency, mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics(independent t-test, paired t-test, Chi-squared, Pearson's test) in the SPSS.

Results: At baseline, mean of the pain scores were 5.9±0.96 and 5.5±0.82 among the experiment and control groups, respectively. After the intervention, mean of the pain scores were 3.2±0.82 in the cryotherapy group and 5.1±1.25 in the control group (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Application of cryotherapy as a safe method with low side effects is suggested for pain control among patients with hemodialysis.

Background and Objectives: Motivation is an internal state that fosters human activities; and is associated with factors such as job satisfaction, quality of care and durability of nurses in their profession. The aim of this study was to review and describe work motivation among nurses around the world.

Materials and Methods: After searching the related keywords and removing the duplicates, we extracted data from three English and ten Persian articles. Quality of the articles was assessed using the STROBE Statement.

Results: Most of the articles had reported that nurses work motivation was low. The most important factors affecting nurses work motivation included altruism, appropriate and respectful interpersonal interactions, adequate wages, proper working hours and free time to do own things, high autonomy, authorities support and recognition of work experience, social reputation, and non discrimination in working conditions and payments.

Conclusion: It is suggested that the policymakers in nursing consider factors affecting the work motivation.