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Background and purpose: One of the main goals of nursing education is training appropriate and efficient nurses. The purpose of this study was to discover the perceptions of nursing students and their teachers about professional competency of academic staff. Materials and methods: In this qualitative content-analysis approach study, the data were collected through unstructured in-depth interviews [30 individual and 1 focusing (Focus Group) interviews]. The participants were chosen using purposeful sampling from Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Iran, during July 2012 to June 2013. Formal or conventional qualitative content analysis was performed. Results: 11 categories and 4 themes were achieved. The themes included making the theoretical training efficient and useful (with 4 subthemes), gaining qualificative nursing science and skills (with 4 subthemes), making the clinical education efficient and effective for students (with 8 subthemes), and making the evaluation logical and objective (with 3 subthemes). Conclusion: This study found four basic themes of professional competency of academic staff and the indicators related to these features according to nursing students and their teachers' viewpoints. These findings can be used for designing evaluation and assessment tools for professional competency of academic staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The monitoring of the patients' hemodynamic status and vital signs is a routine practice in ICU and the use of a low-cost and soothing method to maintain stable physiological parameters is necessary. This study aimed at investigating the effect of music on the vital signs and SpO2 of patients after open heart surgery. Materials and methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial (RCT) conducted on 60 patients hospitalized in the open heart surgery ICU of Mazandaran Heart Center. Patients were randomly assigned into case and control groups. In the case group, the patients listened to the music, which they selected before, through headphones for 30 minutes, while headphones without playing any music were used for patients in the control group. Vital signs and SpO2 of the patients were assessed before the intervention, immediately, 30 and 60 minutes after the intervention. The data were analyzed using Chi-square; T -test and repeated measure statistical tests. Results: Findings showed that music led to a significant decrease in the rate of heart beat, systolic blood pressure, and mean arterial pressure and a significant increase in SpO2 rate (P<0.05) was also observed. But music had no significant effect on the respiratory rate and diastolic blood pressure (P>0.05). Conclusion: As a non-pharmacologic, inexpensive, non-invasive method and without any side effects, music can improve the vital signs of the patients after open heart surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Coma results from brain damage and patients in intensive care units (ICU) are often more at risk for sensory deprivation. This study compares the effects of familiar and unfamiliar voices on recovering the consciousness level in comatose patients. Materials and methods: This double blind clinical trial (patient and assessor) was performed in 45 traumatic comatose patients with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) ⩽8 within the age range of 15-75 years, admitted to ICU training centers affiliated to Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences. The subjects were randomly allocated into three groups. Group A was stimulated with a familiar voice, group B's auditory stimulation was done by the researcher introduced as a nurse) and no intervention was done for group C (control group). The interventions were conducted twice a day for 1-5 minutes. The level of consciousness was measured using the GCS scale. To analyze the data descriptive and inferential statistics (Logrank Test) were used. Results: In the day before the intervention the mean levels of GCS in groups A, B, and C were 6.40, 5.66, and 5.53, respectively. Logrank test revealed significant differences between the groups in the time to reach CGS= 15 which happened sooner in group A (P<0.0001). Conclusion: Familiar voice could highly influence the auditory level of patients in ICU. Therefore, auditory stimulation programs are recommended for comatose patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]