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Context: Medical waste (MW) is all waste materials generated at health care facilities. MW naturally is hazardous for environment and subsequently for human. Waste minimization (WM) is the latest alternative for risk reduction. All hospital staff generally and nurses specially can play an active role through education and the implementation of measures to reduce medical wastage and their environmental effects. Aims: This study is aimed to compare nurses and other staff functions in selected hospitals in Isfahan about waste minimization strategies. Settings and Design: This is a descriptive analytical study. The study tool was a researcher -designed questionnaire in five area of waste minimization based on WHO recommendation. Materials and Methods: There were 90 nurses and other staff from randomized selected public and private hospitals of Isfahan as the sample of this research. This study was done in 2009. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were analyzed by t-test using SPSS16. Results: Nurses mean score of WM performance was 58.16 (12), and others was 58.56 (12.18) (of max 100). There was no significant difference between nurses and others mean score of WM performance according to t-test. There was not significant difference between WM performances of two studied groups in public and private hospitals based on t-test. Comparing between two studied groups mean scores by waste minimization areas indicated that nurses have done significantly better in source reduction area and other staffs have acted better in waste segregation (P < 0.05). Conclusions: All of hospital staff specially, nurses have an important role in qualified waste management practice of hospitals. Totally mean score of WM performance in hospitals (nurses and other) was average. With regard to other countries activities, this result is disappointing. So, it is necessary to plan educational programs for hospital staff, especially nurses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Numerous researches have been carried out to indicate that organizational justice (OJ) is a variable that anticipates many other variables in organizations, especially in hospitals. Organizational behavior (OCB) is one of the most important variables. Aims: We aimed to study the relationship between OJ and OCB of nurses in selected hospitals in Isfahan. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive correlational study. The research was conducted among nurses of selected hospitals in Isfahan. Statistical Analysis Used: Data were gathered using two questionnaires of OJ, and OCB. The t-test, chi-square, and Pearson correlation test were used to analyze the data through SPSS version 13. Results: In general, the mean score (SD) of OJ among nurses was 41.2 (16.2) and the mean score of OCB was 57.7 (18). Finally, there was no significant relationship between OJ, civil virtue, and sportsmanship. There was a significant relationship between OJ, OCB, courtesy, and conscientiousness. Conclusion: As the scores of OCB and OJ among nurses were average in selected hospitals, the managers of the hospitals should improve the perception of justice among nurses. Today, organizations need efficient and expert workers to achieve their goals, and to grow and improve in all aspects. In fact, the efficiency and effectiveness of organizations depend on the staffs, especially in hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Health systems search for ways of making their services more responsive to patients and the public The new framework of the World Health Organization (WHO) for assessment of health system performance has determined health, responsiveness and fairness of financing as the main goals. This study aimed to compare patients' and nurses' view points about responsiveness among a sample of public and private hospitals of Isfahan, Iran. METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted on 160 nurses and also equal number of patients. Data were collected by a valid and reliable questionnaire designed by WHO. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. Scores were reported as mean (standard deviation). RESULTS: Mean score of responsiveness was 2.4(0.58) in nurses and 2.3(0.54) in patients but the difference was not statistically significant (out of a maximum of 4). The corresponding figures were significantly different (p = 0.009) regarding patients' viewpoints in public [2.2(0.4)] and private hospitals [2.3(0.5)]. CONCLUSIONS: Proper satisfaction about responsiveness was not provided in studied hospitals, based on the nurses' and patients' points of view. Public hospitals, in spite of their high costs, had a worse situation about responsiveness; the improvement of this situation necessitates managerial policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]