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Oncology nurses can increase their knowledge regarding this symptom cluster and work to diminish the cluster components by using SSBM in adult leukemia patients.

BackgroundSickle cell patients suffer from many physical, psychological, and social problems that can affect their quality of life. To deal with this chronic condition and manage their disease and prevent complications associated with the disease, they must learn skills and behaviours. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of self-management programs on quality of life in these patients.Material and MethodsSamples of this quasi-experimental study, which included 69 patients with sickle cell disease referring to the Thalassemia Clinic of Shafa Hospital, were entered into the study by census method. Patients received a self-management program using the 5A model for 12 weeks, while their quality of life before the intervention were assessed at the twelfth week and thirty-sixth week using SF-36 questionnaire. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, paired t-test, Wilcoxon test, Hotelling's T2, and repeated measures test.ResultsThe eight dimensions and the total QoL score after intervention were significantly increased compared to those before the intervention (P<0.001). Repeated measures test showed that the mean score of eight QoL dimensions and the total QoL score decreased in the thirty-sixth week, compared to twelfth week. However, it was significantly enhanced in comparison with the intervention baseline (P<0.05).ConclusionsCurrent study revealed the efficacy of self-management interventions on the quality of life in patients with sickle cell disease. Therefore, application of this supportive method could be useful to empower the patients and help them to manage the disease.

Background:Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is currently the fourth cause of mortality worldwide. Patients with COPD experience periods of dyspnea, fatigue, and disability, which impact on their life. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of short-term inspiratory muscle training on exercise capacity, exertional dyspnea, and pulmonary lung function.Materials and Methods:A randomized, controlled trial was performed. Thirty patients (27 males, 3 females) with mild to very severe COPD were randomly assigned to a training group (group T) or to a control group (group C). Patients in group T received training for 8 weeks (15 min/day for 6 days/week) with flow-volumetric inspiratory exerciser named (Respivol). Each patient was assessed before and after 8 weeks of training for the following clinical parameters: exercise capacity by 6-min walking test (6MWT), exertional dyspnea by Borg scale, and pulmonary lung function by spirometry. Patients used training together with medical treatment. The data were analyzed using paired t-test and independent t-test.Results:Results showed statistically significant increase in 6MWT at the end of the training from 445.6 ± 22.99 to 491.06 ± 17.67 meters? (P < 0.001) and statistically significant decrease in dyspnea from 3.76 ± 0.64 to 1.13 ± 0.36 (P = 0.0001) in the training group but not in the control group. The values for exercise capacity and dyspnea improved after 8 weeks in group T in comparison with group C (P = 0.001 and P = 0.0001, respectively). No changes were observed in any measure of pulmonary function in both groups.Conclusions:Short-term inspiratory muscle training has beneficial effects on exercise capacity and exertional dyspnea in COPD patients.

Background: Chronic pain is one of the most prevalent symptoms in patients with acute leukemia and can affect patients' Quality of Life (QOL) that is a significant factor in assessment of cancer treatments. Also, the goal of curing hematological malignancies is to reach to increased survival and improvement of patients; and this goal will be fulfilled when QOL in patients is promoted. Objectives: The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between chronic pain and Health-Related QOL (HR-QOL) in patients with acute leukemia under chemotherapy in Ahvaz City, Iran. Patients and Methods: This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 90 patients (age range, 18-50 years) with acute leukemia under chemotherapy referred to Shafa Hospital in Ahvaz, Iran. The participants were selected through convenient sampling. The outcome measures included the Iranian version of the Short-Form 36 (SF-36) health survey, Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for assessing the pain, and demographic questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using ANOVA, t-test, chi-square, with the significance level of 95%. Results: The average of pain severity was 6.03 ± 2.06, and the total average of HR-QOL was 46.83 ± 3.62, and the lowest average belonged to physical function (42.17 ± 25.75). No significant difference was found in the average pain between the two genders (P = 0.487); however, there was a statistically significant difference between HR-QOL and gender (P = 0.005). Moreover, no significant difference was detected between the average pain severity and acute leukemia type (P = 0.152). The findings also revealed a significant relationship between pain severity and aspects of HR-QOL, So that, all aspects of QOL were decreased with increased pain severity. Conclusions: The results of the study indicate that chronic pain and HR-QOL in patients with acute leukemia in Ahvaz are in a very adverse condition and require serious reform. The findings of the study can be helpful in the clinical decisions and health care programs to the therapeutic team.

Background: Leukemia is a common cancer among adults with growing prevalence in Iran. This disease affects different aspects of the patient, especially their quality of life. One of the methods to promote hygiene and health and, consequently, quality of life is to empower the family of the patient. Objectives: The effect of family-based empowerment on quality of life in patients with leukemia was studied in this research. Methods: This study was a clinical trial conducted on 46 adult patients with leukemia together with 46 of their family members in 2015. Eligible patients were selected by the available method and randomly placed in two groups of test and control. Tools for gathering data included a demographic questionnaire about the patient and their family member and a specified questionnaire about the quality of life of patients with cancer. Family-based empowerment intervention was held for research samples in the test group based on its quadruple steps (perceived threat, self-efficiency promotion, increase of self-esteem through educational participation, and assessment) in six 90-minute sessions and a second test was conducted a month and half after the intervention. Data were analyzed using the SPSS 20 statistical software. Results: Results of chi-square test reflected that both groups of test and control were similar in terms of demographic information (P > 0.5). Moreover, statistical independent T-test did not show a significant difference in aspects of quality of life in test and control groups before the intervention (P = 0.98) while this test showed a significant difference in both groups after the intervention (P = 0.00), except for the spiritual aspect (p=0.2). Paired T-test indicated a significant increase in aspects of quality of life in the test group after the intervention (p=0.00) while this test reflected a reverse significant difference in general aspect of quality of life in the control group (P = 0.006). Conclusions:In general, results of this research showed that implementing family-based empowerment pattern has been effective for increasing quality of life in patients with leukemia.

Purpose Currently, revisions in education and evaluation in the nursing domain are necessary to increase the clinical competence of graduates. The aim of this study was to compare nursing students’ clinical competence using the portfolio method with conventional education and evaluation methods in clinical education. Methods In this pretest–posttest quasiexperimental crossover study, all six-semester undergraduate nursing students of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences were classified into four groups. They were selected based on the use of portfolio and conventional methods during their apprenticeship. Then, they were educated using conventional and portfolio methods. Their clinical competence was measured by a self-appraisal questionnaire. Data were statistically analyzed with independent and paired t -tests. Results There were significant differences between average scores of clinical competence in all three domains before and after study in portfolio-based education method ( P =0.0001). Furthermore, the average difference in scores before and after internship between the two educational groups in all three domains — cognitive ( P =0.002), affective ( P =0.0001), and psychomotor — ( P =0001) was significant. Similarly, there was a significant difference in total average scores of clinical competence between the two methods ( P =0.0001). Conclusion The results showed the effect of educational method on increasing the clinical competence of nursing students in a clinical unit. This new method can be used as a combination of education, evaluation and student-centered methods.

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