Background: Pulmonary changes and their respiratory consequences in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) could lead to many physical complications and are one of the major causes of hospitalization. Objectives: In this regard, the present study explores the efficacy of self-care training on spirometric indices of COPD patients. Methods: This clinical trial was performed on 70 patients with COPD who had been admitted in 2017 to Ali Ibn Abi Talib Hospital in Zahedan, Southeast Iran. The subjects were recruited through convenience sampling based on the inclusion criteria and were subsequently randomized to the intervention and control groups. The self-care program was administered to the intervention group during eight 30-minute sessions organized within 4 weeks. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and Vitalograph Alpha Spirometer. Data were analyzed in SPSS V. 21 using chi-square, Independent t-test, and Paired t-test at the significance level of 0.05. Results: The results of 8 sessions of self-care training revealed that the mean FVC index of patients before self-care education was 43.40 ± 8.54 in the intervention group and 46.54 ± 10.73 in the control group. After the educational program, the mean score of this index changed significantly in the intervention group (48.62 ± 9.30) (P = 0.01), but no such alteration occurred in the control group (47.11 ± 10.27) (P = 0.16). Furthermore, the mean FEV1 index of the two groups differed significantly after the self-care program (P = 0.01). Conclusions: Given the impact of self-care training on improving spirometric indices in patients with COPD, it is recommended that nurses help ameliorate breathing status of these patients and relieve their symptoms by providing them with self-care instructions.
Background: There are several factors such as noise and light, which affect the sleep quality of patients admitted to the cardiac care unit (CCU) and cause sleep disorders in these individuals. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to compare the impact of applying eye masks and earplugs as well as implementing the quiet time (QT) protocol on the sleep quality of patients hospitalized in the CCU of Ali Ibn Abi Talib Hospital in Zahedan. Methods: This clinical trial was performed on 135 CCU patients. Subjects meeting the inclusion criteria were chosen through convenience sampling. The patients were divided into three groups (control, eye mask and earplugs, and QT protocol) and were matched in terms of background variables. The subjects were studied over three days after admission. On the first night, the patients' sleep quality was determined by the Verran and Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale (VSH), and on the second and third nights, the interventions (eye mask and earplugs and QT protocol) were administered. The next day, as the post-test, patients' sleep quality was measured again. ANOVA test was used to determine and compare the mean sleep quality of the three groups, and the chi-square test was employed to compare the qualitative variables in the three groups. Results: After the intervention, the mean score of sleep disturbance was significantly different between the control and the two experimental groups. Also, the mean score of sleep efficacy was higher in the eye mask and earplugs group than the other two groups, indicating a better sleep quality in this group. Conclusions: As low-cost devices with no side effects, eye masks and earplugs can improve the quality of sleep in [CCU] patients, and nurses could utilize them to help reduce environmental factors, which disturb patients' sleep.
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) affects various aspects of quality of life (QoL), and self-care is the most important form of primary care and one of the main factors involved in the process of treating chronic diseases and improving the patients’ QoL. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the effect of self-care education on the QoL of TB patients. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 110 TB patients referred to the TB coordinating Center in Zahedan, Southeastern Iran, in 2018, are studied. Participants were selected using convenience sampling and were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 55) and control (n = 55) groups. Data were collected using the tuberculosis quality of life-version 2 (TBQol-v2). For the intervention group, first, patients and their caregivers were divided into groups compromising of 4 to 6 members, and then three sessions of self-care education, including lectures and questions and answers meetings, each lasted for 30 minutes (in total 120 minutes) were provided to each group. Data were analyzed in SPSS version 21 using descriptive statistical tests, independent t-test, paired t-test, and chi-squared test. Results: Mean of the total QoL score of the two groups before the intervention was 67.56 ± 5.99 and 67.09 ± 5.03, respectively, indicating no significant difference (P = 0.65). But after providing the intervention, the mean score of patients QoL in the intervention group (74.84 ± 4.90) was significantly higher than the control group (67.98 ± 0.68) (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Since self-care education can effectively enhance the QoL of TB patients, it is recommended to provide such educations for both treatment and follow-up of these patients along with directly observed treatment, short-course (DOTS).
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