Communication, as a key element in providing high-quality health care services, leads to patient satisfaction and health. The present Cross sectional, descriptive analytic study was conducted on 70 nurses and 50 patients in two hospitals affiliated to Alborz University of Medical Sciences, in 2012. Two separate questionnaires were used for nurses and patients, and the reliability and validity of the questionnaires were assessed. In both groups of nurses and patients, nurse-related factors (mean scores of 2.45 and 2.15, respectively) and common factors between nurses and patients (mean scores of 1.85 and 1.96, respectively) were considered the most and least significant factors, respectively. Also, a significant difference was observed between the mean scores of nurses and patients regarding patient-related (p=0.001), nurse-related (p=0.012), and environmental factors (p=0.019). Despite the attention of nurses and patients to communication, there are some barriers, which can be removed through raising the awareness of nurses and patients along with creating a desirable environment. We recommend that nurses be effectively trained in communication skills and be encouraged by constant monitoring of the obtained skills.

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Introduction: The final goal of root canal therapy is to remove of the most bacteria from the root canal. This study aimed at comparing the antibacterial effects of a diode laser with a wavelength of 940nm and silver nanoparticles and the synergic effects of both techniques on Enterococcus faecalis. Methods: Ninety single-rooted human teeth were decoronated and prepared with rotary files. The samples were irrigated with sodium hypochlorite and EDTA17%. Then they were autoclaved and contaminated with E. faecalis suspension (1.5 × 108 CFU/mL) for 21 days. The samples were fixed in a microtube and were randomly divided into 4 experimental (n=20) groups and a negative control group (n=10) as follows: Group 1: hypochlorite sodium 5%, Group 2: silver nanoparticle, Group 3: diode laser, and Group 4: diode laser and silver nanoparticle. The samples were obtained from dentin chips before and after the intervention. The data were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric test. Furthermore, alterations in bacterial colonies were entered using the Wilcoxon signed ranks test (α=0.05). Results: There was a significant decrease in colony counts for all groups after interventions (P value<0.05). Also, all groups showed more reductions in colony counts compared with the negative control group (P value <0.004). There was a significant reduction for group 1 in comparison with other groups (P value <0.001) and this group had an extreme decrease of colony counts (RCC=100%). There was an important differential between silver nanoparticles and diode laser groups in bacterial counts (P value<0.001) and silver nanoparticles (RCC=83.15%) had more efficiency than the diode laser (RCC=41/33%). RCC of group 4 was 68/52%. Conclusion: Followed by sodium hypochlorite 5%, silver nanoparticles were the most effective antibacterial substances. The 940 nm laser diode had less antibacterial effect compared to its use with silver nanoparticles.

Background: The process of becoming a mother is one of the most satisfying and fulfilling events in women's lives. Maternity for the first time can be stressful and also can increase anxiety in women. Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the effect of an empowerment training program on the difficulty of transitioning to parenting as well as parenting stress of primiparous mothers. Methods: The sample of this quasi-experimental study consisted of 78 primiparous women who were selected due to convenient sampling. Participants completed the demographic, difficulty in transition to parenting, and parenting stress questionnaires before and after the study. The participants received four training sessions (the first session was face to face at 3-5 days after childbirth and subsequent training sessions were conducted by telephone at 2, 4, and 6 weeks postpartum) based on the self-efficacy model. Results: The mean age of the participants in the study was 27.012 ± 4.99 years. The results of the Wilcoxon test showed that training significantly reduced parenting difficulty (P value = 0.0001, z = -7.626) and parental stress (P value = 0.0001, z = -7.50). The mean score of parenting difficulty decreased from 97.02 ± 17.34 to 81.65 ± 15.45, and the mean parental stress score decreased from 80.08 ± 22.53 to 61.13 ± 12.20. The results also indicated that education in all four domains (responsibility and commitment, satisfaction, self-esteem, and personal commitment) significantly reduced the difficulty of the transition to parenting (P value = 0.0001). According to the results, training has also been effective in reducing the difficulty of transitioning to parenting in terms of maternal concerns, enjoyment, change in life, new challenges of mother’s postpartum feeling. Conclusions: The outcomes of the present study highlight the effectiveness of empowerment training on the difficulty of the transition to parenting as well as parenting stress in primiparous mothers.