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Background: Performance appraisal is an essential component of health care organizations for the improvement in quality of patients' care. Awareness of managers' and employees' perception of performance appraisal can lead to improved performance appraisal quality. The purpose of this study was to compare the perception of performance appraisal among managers and nursing staff of hospitals affiliated to Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. Materials and Methods: This descriptive-analytical and cross-sectional study was conducted among 75 managers and 313 nurses in 2014. The participants were selected through a two-stage quota-random sampling. Data were collected using two researcher-made questionnaires (nursing managers and nurses' questionnaires). Data were analyzed using descriptive and statistical tests using the Software Package for the Social Sciences software. Results: The mean score of managers' and nurses' perception of the current performance appraisal was 56.8 (14.2) and 51.4 (14.5), respectively. A significant difference was observed between managers' and nurses' perception of performance appraisal (P = 0.004). The participants' perception was examined in terms of performance appraisal method, the consequences of performance appraisal, and the necessity of performance appraisal. In general, perception of managers was more positive than employees. Conclusions: The evaluation of the perception of nurses revealed deficiencies in the process of performance appraisal. Moreover, managers had a more positive perception than employees toward the current pattern of performance appraisal. The results of this study can be effective on the decisions of authorities in this field.

Background: Performance appraisal system can be an effective role to improve the infants’ health in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The most important challenge of the nurses’ performance appraisal system is that the process is not conducted correctly. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the effect of the appraisal interview on the performance scores of the nurses in NICU. Materials and Methods: A randomized clinical trial study was conducted with 71 nurses in two selected hospitals of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2018. The participants worked in the NICU and were selected through convenience sampling method, and then, were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The intervention was an appraisal interview which was done by head nurses, who attended a training workshop to know how to conduct an appraisal process. Control group was appraised without an interview. The performance scores of both groups were collected through approved Nurse Appraisal Tool, developed by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education for nurses, and analyzed by SPSS Software before and after the intervention. Results: Independent t ‑test showed no significant differences in mean scores of nurses’ performance appraisal before the intervention between the two groups ( p = 0.91), but independent t ‑test showed that these scores were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control ( p = 0.007). Conclusions: According to the findings, nurses’ performance scores can be increased through an acceptable performance appraisal system with an interview process.

Background: Despite advances in diabetes treatment, the rate of readmission is still relatively high among these patients, especially in older population. Various factors may predict readmission in these patients; hence, the aim of this study was to assess the role of psychosocial factors in predicting readmission among diabetic elderly hospitalized in selected hospitals of Isfahan. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study conducted from January to September 2016, 150 diabetic elderly hospitalized in selected hospitals affiliated with Isfahan University of medical sciences were chosen using a convenient sampling method. The initial information was collected by a three-part questionnaire consisting of (a) demographic characteristics, (b) 21-item depression, anxiety, and stress scale (DASS-21), and (c) multidimensional scale of perceived social support (MSPSS). Further information about readmission was gathered 3 months after completing the questionnaires through a phone call follow-up. Descriptive and inferential statistics (discriminant function analysis test) were used to analyze the data. Results: During 3 months after discharge, 44% of hospitalized diabetic elderly were readmitted. Analytical model predicted the readmission status of 109 individuals (of total 150 persons) in the studied units (success rate of 72.2%). Among predicting factors, depression and social support had the most and the least important roles in predicting readmission rate, respectively. Conclusions: Interventions to improve mental status (i.e., decreasing levels of depression, anxiety, and stress) and develop social support are suggested to reduce the risk of readmission among diabetic elderly patients. Nevertheless, future studies are needed to verify the value of such interventions.

Background: Over the years, the concept technology has modified, especially from the viewpoint of the development of scientific knowledge as well as the philosophical and artistic aspects. However, the concept of technology in nursing are still poorly understood. Only small qualitative studies, especially in Iran, have investigated this phenomenon and they just are about information technology. The aim of this study is to gain a better understanding of the concept of technology in the view of Iranian nurses. Materials and Methods: This study was qualitative explorative study which was done with a purposeful sampling of 23 nurses (staffs, supervisors and chief nurse managers) working in Isfahan hospitals. Unstructured interviews were including 13 individual interviews and 2 focused-group interviews. In addition to this, filed notes and memos were used in data collection. After this data transcribing was done and then conventional content analysis was used for data coding and classification. Results: The results showed that there are various definitions for technology among nurses. In the view of nurses, technology means using new equipment, computers, information technology, etc). Data analysis revealed that nurses understand technology up to three main concepts: Change, Equipment and Knowledge. Conclusions: In deep overview on categories, we found that the most important concept about technology in nursing perspective is equipment. Therefore, it is necessary to develop deep understanding about the possible concepts technology among nurses. We suppose that technology concepts must be defined separately in all disciplines.