Jordanian Nurses Research Articles

Challenges facing oncology nurses in Jordan: A qualitative study.

The literature shows that oncology nurses have more stressors than nurses in other units. They face many challenges both within and outside the work environment that affect them negatively. Most of the reviewed studies concerning these challenges were conducted in developed countries. The purpose of this study was to explore the challenges experienced by oncology nurses in Jordan during their daily practice. A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted. Semistructured individual face-to-face interviews were conducted with 24 nurses. Participants were selected from oncology departments in one of the biggest governmental hospitals in Jordan. Two main themes were drawn from the data analysis. The first discussed the personal challenges that oncology nurses encountered. These included emotional attachment to patients and difficulties in separating work and personal life. The second related to organizational challenges in the work environment, which included the nurses' lack of authority to inform patients about their diseases, nursing staff and supply shortages, and a lack of orientation programs. All of these factors affected the psychological status of the nurses. The results of this study indicated that the working environment for oncology nurses is highly stressful and demanding and these nurses face many challenges in their work. The understanding and consideration of these challenges by stakeholders, managers, and organizational leaders would lead to improvements in the nurses' psychological state, thereby enhancing the quality of care in these units and helping with staff retention.

Secondary traumatic stress among emergency nurses: Prevalence, predictors, and consequences.

Nurses working in emergency units are in direct contact with traumatic events. Trauma effects do not solely affect patients and their caregivers and, rather, extend to secondarily influence nurses themselves. Secondary exposure to trauma may result in symptoms similar to symptoms experienced by the patient themselves. No previous study investigated the secondary traumatic stress among emergency nurses in Jordan. To identify prevalence, predictors, and consequences of secondary traumatic stress among nurses working in emergency departments. A descriptive correlation design was utilized to collect data using self-report questionnaires from 202 nurses working at eight emergency departments in Jordan. The study revealed that almost half of the sample reported high to severe levels of secondary traumatic stress. The analyses showed that nurses who demonstrated lower empathy (P=.016) and greater coping capacity (P<.001) tended to develop more secondary traumatic stress. Organizational factors were not significant predictors of secondary traumatic stress. A significant proportion of emergency nurses suffer secondary traumatic stress that is found also to be associated with psychical factors. Emergency nurses need to consider the consequences of secondary traumatic stress on their health and quality of care provided.

Workplace bullying and its preventive measures and productivity among emergency department nurses

BackgroundWorkplace bullying has adverse effects on nurses’ productivity and emotional well-being and increases nurses’ desire to leave their jobs. Bullying is a common phenomenon that has been reported worldwide. Emergency Department (ED) nurses are particularly exposed to bullying as a result of their job stressors and demands.PurposesTo examine the prevalence of bullying and the impact of preventive measures on productivity among Jordanian ED nurses; and to examine bullying in relation to personal and organizational factors.MethodsWe surveyed ED nurses in five hospitals in Amman, Jordan – two government hospitals and three private hospitals. The eligibility criteria for the study, met by 134 persons, were having at least an associate degree and having worked in the ED for at least six months. We used a four-part questionnaire that included demographic data, the Negative Acts Questionnaire, questions on prevention of bullying, and a health and productivity survey. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics.ResultsA total of 120 ED nurses joined the study, an 89.6% response rate. The majority of participants were male (65%) and their mean age was 29.4 years. Ninety percent of the participants reported being bullied. Nurses with less experience in the ED were exposed to more bullying compared to other nurses. Of nurses who reported being bullied, 61.7% reported associated decreased productivity, including the ability to respond to cognitive demands, provide support, appropriate communication, safe care, and competent care. The overall mean score for the prevention of bullying questionnaire was 94.51 out of 168 (SD = 23.43). Drilling down, the highest mean score was for the “Individual sub-scale”, and the highest item mean score was for “I know the process of how to report bullying”.ConclusionBullying is prevalent among ED nurses in Jordan; it has significantly influenced the nurses’ perception of their productivity and the quality of care they provide. Although nurses reported adopting measures to prevent bullying, they were insufficient to address this widespread problem.Implications for nursing and health policyBullying is a common occurrence in nursing practice in Jordan, as in other places. It has a detrimental effect on the quality of health care. Accordingly, interventions, which we describe, should be undertaken to minimize the incidence and impact of bullying.

Nurses' satisfaction with barcode medication-administration technology: Results of a cross-sectional study.

Medication administration is a critical task of nurses that, if not done appropriately, can lead to fatal errors. New technologies, including barcode medication administration, are intended to decrease medication errors and enhance verification of medication-administration rights. Therefore, in this study, we examined the effect of introducing barcode medication administration on nurses' satisfaction and identified correlates of nurses' satisfaction with barcode medication administration. A descriptive, cross-sectional design using self-reported questionnaires was utilized to recruit 207 nurses from three public hospitals. Participants reported being moderately satisfied with barcode medication administration, especially with its efficacy and safety aspects. Their satisfaction had a significant negative correlation with their age, nursing experience, and experience using barcode medication administration, and a significant positive correlation with barcode medication-administration training satisfaction, computer competence, comfort with using barcode medication administration, and perceived job productivity using barcode medication administration. This study provides important information about Jordanian nurses' satisfaction with barcode medication-administration technology and provides greater understanding of different clinical correlates to barcode medication-administration satisfaction. It is recommended that effective barcode medication-administration training and computer skills training be provided prior to establishing barcode medication administration in hospitals and that the safety features of barcode medication administration be integrated in clinical education and training.

Quality of nursing work life and related factors among emergency nurses in Jordan.

ObjectivesThe objective of this study is to assess quality of nursing work life (QNWL) and related factors among nurses working in emergency room (ER).MethodsA cross‐sectional descriptive design was employed. Data were collected from a convenient sample of nurses working in ER Eligible participants were required to complete a demographic and work related variables sheet, the Brooks Quality of Nursing Work Survey (BQNWLS).ResultsA total of (186) nurses participated in the study. Study participants reported a BQNWL mean score of (M = 140.15, SD = 28.34) indicating a moderate BQNWL. Additionally, the participants scored moderate levels on all BQNWL subscales. The mean score of BQNWL was statistically better for nurses who had training courses on emergency department (t = −2.663, P = 0.008). However, no other statistically significant differences were found in BQNWL scores in regarding to demographic and work related variables.ConclusionThe results of this study reported a noticeable alteration in QNWL among nurses working in ER. The nurses had a moderate QNWL levels. Also, the results emphasized on the importance of conducting further interventional research studies in the future to establish effective measures to enhance nurse QNWL. Consequently, this may improve the provided nursing care for the patients and their families.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Workplace bullying and its preventive measures and productivity among emergency department nurses

BackgroundWorkplace bullying has adverse effects on nurses’ productivity and emotional well-being and increases nurses’ desire to leave their jobs. Bullying is a common phenomenon that has been reported worldwide. Emergency Department (ED) nurses are particularly exposed to bullying as a result of their job stressors and demands.PurposesTo examine the prevalence of bullying and the impact of preventive measures on productivity among Jordanian ED nurses; and to examine bullying in relation to personal and organizational factors.MethodsWe surveyed ED nurses in five hospitals in Amman, Jordan – two government hospitals and three private hospitals. The eligibility criteria for the study, met by 134 persons, were having at least an associate degree and having worked in the ED for at least six months. We used a four-part questionnaire that included demographic data, the Negative Acts Questionnaire, questions on prevention of bullying, and a health and productivity survey. Data analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics.ResultsA total of 120 ED nurses joined the study, an 89.6% response rate. The majority of participants were male (65%) and their mean age was 29.4 years. Ninety percent of the participants reported being bullied. Nurses with less experience in the ED were exposed to more bullying compared to other nurses. Of nurses who reported being bullied, 61.7% reported associated decreased productivity, including the ability to respond to cognitive demands, provide support, appropriate communication, safe care, and competent care. The overall mean score for the prevention of bullying questionnaire was 94.51 out of 168 (SD = 23.43). Drilling down, the highest mean score was for the “Individual sub-scale”, and the highest item mean score was for “I know the process of how to report bullying”.ConclusionBullying is prevalent among ED nurses in Jordan; it has significantly influenced the nurses’ perception of their productivity and the quality of care they provide. Although nurses reported adopting measures to prevent bullying, they were insufficient to address this widespread problem.Implications for nursing and health policyBullying is a common occurrence in nursing practice in Jordan, as in other places. It has a detrimental effect on the quality of health care. Accordingly, interventions, which we describe, should be undertaken to minimize the incidence and impact of bullying.

Areas of Knowledge Deficit and Misconceptions Regarding Pain among Jordanian Nurses

BackgroundNurses must be highly knowledgeable and skilled regarding pain and its management to ensure optimal pain relief. However, nurses worldwide were found to have knowledge deficits and poor attitudes toward pain. Thus identifying the major areas of knowledge deficit regarding pain and incorporating these areas in nursing undergraduate education and nursing continuing training could improve nurses’ knowledge and attitude toward pain. AimsThe purpose of this study was to assess Jordanian nurses' knowledge and attitude toward pain using the Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes Survey (NKAS) and to identify the areas of deficit in nursing knowledge toward pain among Jordanian nurses. DesignCross sectional descriptive study. SettingsFour Jordanian hospitals (governmental, private, teaching and royal medical services). Participants/SubjectsNurses working in intensive care units (ICUs), emergency department, and surgical, medical and oncology wards in. MethodsThis descriptive study used data from 417 nurses who completed the NKAS tool. The passing score for the NKAS survey was individually calculated for each nurse. Moreover, we examined each item to identify the percentage of correct answers for each of the 39 questions. ResultsThe percentage of correct response ranged from 18% to 92%. Only four nurses achieved an overall score of 80% or greater and none of them achieved a 100% correct response. We revealed extensive knowledge deficits among Jordanian nurses, particularly in pain assessment and its pharmacotherapeutics components. Moreover, we found that Jordanian nurses held many negative attitudes and misconceptions about pain. ConclusionsInsufficient knowledge and attitudes among nurses toward pain is a worldwide problem. However, recognizing the areas of knowledge deficit and establishing educational interventions based on these deficits could improve nurses’ knowledge and attitudes regarding pain and their clinical practice.

Jordanian Nursing Homes: Admission Policy Analysis

DESCRIPTION OF PROBLEM SITUATION: Although the elderly have many physical, mental, and psychosocial needs, nursing homes are still a new emergent concept in Jordan. Moreover, the elderly who have access to nursing homes, are often not admitted, based on specific criteria, nor have access to governmental funds. The elderly that are admitted to nursing homes are admitted for a myriad of reasons, such as families&amp;rsquo; desires, referrals from the ministry of social welfare due to socioeconomic issues, health issues (i.e. disability), and absence of caregivers (Al-Qudah, 2011). What is lacking in Jordan, is a well-defined admission and screening tool that clearly defines eligibility for nursing home admission&#x0D; &#x0D; POLICY ALTERNATIVE: The policy alternative is leaving Jordanian elderly with special needs in their homes without receiving appropriate care predisposing the elderly to a higher risk of health complications. North Carolina has been chosen as an example of a state that implements a screening tool for admission. &#x0D; &#x0D; RECOMMENDATIONS: The Ministry of Social Development might tailor the NC Medicaid forms (Level I and Katz and MoCA, and Level II of the NC Medicaid screening tool) as an admission screening policy that could be successful in identifying the eligible older adults to admit to nursing homes and receive designated aids from the Jordanian governmental organizations.

The effect of a breastfeeding educational workshop on clinicians' knowledge, attitudes and practices

Background Counselling, education and support from health professionals is key to increasing breastfeeding practices. Aim To evaluate the effectiveness of a breastfeeding educational workshop on Jordanian nurses' and midwives' knowledge, attitudes and practices towards breastfeeding. Methods A convenience sample of 82 nurses and midwives were recruited and randomly assigned into intervention and control groups. A pre-test was conducted for both groups and a post-test was conducted 2 weeks after the intervention for both groups. Findings The results showed significantly higher mean and standard deviation in the intervention group (M=11.73; SD=2.6), compared to the control group (M=8.38; SD=2.59) after conducting the workshop (P&lt;0.001), indicating that the workshop was beneficial in improving knowledge and practice towards the importance of breastfeeding. Conclusion The 2-hour educational workshop increased health professionals' knowledge and this may lead to improvements in practice and better breastfeeding outcomes.

Medication Administration Errors: Perceptions of Jordanian Nurses.

Medication administration errors (MAEs) have short- and long-term implications on patients' health as well as on hospitals' accreditation and financial status. The purpose was to explore Jordanian nurses' perceptions about MAEs. A cross-sectional design was used with a convenience sample of 470 nurses. The most common types of MAEs were wrong time (32.6%) and wrong patient (30.5%). In addition, night shifts accounted for 42.9% of MAEs; the factor that contributed the most to MAEs was workload. Developing effective quality assurance programs in relation to medications and medication administration in all Jordanian health care settings is vital to ensure patient safety. Nursing educators in clinical and academic settings need to reinforce the importance of medication rights as well as medication calculation. A distraction-free zone should be created and reinforced in all medication rooms.

Neonatal nurses' knowledge and beliefs about kangaroo mother care in neonatal intensive care units: A descriptive, cross-sectional study.

The aim of this study was to assess Jordanian neonatal nurses' knowledge and beliefs toward the application of kangaroo mother care in the neonatal intensive care unit. A cross-sectional, descriptive survey was performed using a convenience sample of 229 nurses. The findings revealed that the majority of the nurses agreed that kangaroo mother care was beneficial to both mothers and infants; however, 47.2% believed that it was not feasible for all preterm infants. The majority of nurses believed that kangaroo mother care should be restricted to infants on intravenous treatment, intubated, or with an umbilical catheter. The majority of the nurses correctly answered questions regarding kangaroo mother care. A significant relationship was found between the nurses' knowledge and their beliefs toward kangaroo mother care. The findings of this study provide insights into Jordanian nurses' knowledge and beliefs toward the kangaroo mother care approach. If addressed, these findings will help improve the practice and nursing care for preterm infants.

Self-evaluation and professional status as predictors of burnout among nurses in Jordan.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the contribution of self-evaluation, professional status and several demographic factors in predicting burnout among nurses in Jordan. This study was performed on a stratified convenience sample of 350 nurses from 6 hospitals. Modified versions of burnout inventory, self-evaluation scale, and professional status scale were developed, validated and used in this study. Burnout, self-evaluation, and professional status are all found to be at moderate levels. Furthermore, self-evaluation and professional status are found to be important predictors of burnout. On the other hand, although type of hospital and educational level are found to be associated with the level of burnout, overall none of the studied demographic factors was found to be a significant predictor of burnout among nurses in Jordan.

Jordanian Nursing Student and Instructor Perceptions of the Clinical Learning Environment.

This study explores perceptions of Jordanian nursing students and clinical instructors related to clinical training and the learning environment. Interpretative phenomenological qualitative approach was used in this study. semi-structured focus group interviews in two Jordanian Universities Results: The study identified four themes focused on the experiences of these participants. Themes were attributes of clinical training placement, attributes of clinical instructors, attributes of clinical nursing curriculum and student's attributes. The first theme had two subthemes "Structure and nature of clinical placement" and "Nurses' collaboration". The study recommendations are: nursing schools should plan students' clinical experience taking into consideration the challenges associated with these attributes.

Exploring woman –Nurse interaction in a Jordanian antenatal clinic: A qualitative study

BackgroundEffective woman-nurse interaction is critical in providing quality nursing care and would improve the health outcomes and the level of women's satisfaction with health and nursing services. AimTo explore how Jordanian nurses and pregnant women perceive their interaction during antenatal visits. MethodsA descriptive qualitative study was conducted using a purposive sample of twelve pregnant women and twelve nurses. Data were collected through four focus group discussions organized at an antenatal clinic of a large hospital in Jordan. The data were analyzed using Giorgi's four stages of data analysis. FindingsApproaches to interaction; barriers to interaction; quality of interaction were the main themes emerged from the data. Nurses and pregnant women also provided suggestions for strengthening the womannurse interaction during antenatal visits. ConclusionThe different aspects of interaction described by the participants of this study may raise awareness and appreciation of the important roles health care providers can play in promoting the health outcomes of pregnant women when effective interaction is built and strengthened. Relevant policies and guidelines on improving appointment systems, and continuing education on communication skills and health education would be needed. More attention is required to adopt appropriate antenatal clinical guidelines and protocols to meet women's needs in Jordan.

End-of-life Decisions at Neonatal Intensive Care Units: Jordanian Nurses Attitudes and Viewpoints of Who, When, and How

PurposeTo explore factors predicting neonatal nurses' attitude towards end-of-life decisions in neonates, and to describe the nurses' viewpoints on end-of-life decisions; barriers to end-of-life decision making; parents', nurses', and ethical committees' involvement in the process of end-of-life decision making; and who should regulate end-of-life decisions regarding neonates. Design and MethodsA cross-sectional descriptive correlational design was applied. Sample included 279 neonatal nurses working in 24 neonatal intensive care units across Jordan. Data were collected using internationally-accepted questionnaires. Descriptive and inferential statistics were applied in data analysis. ResultsMost nurses perceived that everything possible should be done to ensure a neonate's survival, even when they suffer severe prognosis (80%) and irrespective of the burden of the child's disability on the family (75%). Almost all nurses (96%) were against administering drugs with the purpose of ending the neonate's life and 63% were against continuing current treatment without adding others. The nurses' perceived effect of end-of-life decisions on their everyday life, and the importance of religious values to the nurses' personal lives, significantly predicted pro-life attitude scores. According to 80% of the nurses, legal constraints were the most significant barriers to end-of-life decision making. The majority of nurses (84%) indicated that non-religious bodies should establish end-of-life regulations for neonates. ConclusionGenerally, nurses' attitude was supportive of life saving decisions at end-of-life, regardless of the survival odds and the probable health outcomes of the neonates. Practice ImplicationsNeonates' end-of-life care, and parents' bereavement care, should be standard practices in every NICU, worldwide.

Exploring the psychological status of Jordanian nurses working with cancer patients.

This study aims to explore the psychological status of nurses working with cancer patients in Jordan. Literature shows that nurses face many stressors in their job, in particular oncology nurses. Some of them have psychiatric illness such as anxiety and depression. Most of the reviewed studies were conducted in developed countries, and none in the Middle East. A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted, whereby interviews were conducted with 24 nurses that were selected from the oncology departments of one governmental hospital. Participants identified coping with death and dying in nursing care and some cultural issues (that they encountered) as the main factors that influence their psychological well-being, which in turn may have contributed to a reduced quality of care for patients. Findings indicated that the working environment within oncology is highly stressful, which might negatively affect the nurses' job satisfaction and the quality of care that they provided. Findings of this study could help health care managers to understand the impact of psychological stressors on nurses' performance, and the importance of improving the psychological status of oncology nurses.

A Survey on Sexual Counseling for Patients With Cardiac Disease Among Nurses in Jordan.

Recovery among patients with cardiac disease also requires attention to their sexual health. However, cultural, religious, and social factors may make Arab Muslim patients reluctant to disclose their sexual concerns and nurses hesitant to discuss patients' sexuality matters. The aim of this study was to explore sexual counseling (SC) among nurses in Jordan in terms of responsibility, confidence, and practice. This was a descriptive, correlational study. Staff nurses were recruited from 10 hospitals in Jordan. Nurses completed the cardiac version of the Survey of Sexuality-Related Nursing Practice and reported their demographics. The sample consisted of 379 nurses (female, 59%; mean age, 28.1 years). A significant proportion of nurses viewed assessment/discussion of patients' sexuality matters as not within their responsibilities (39%), did not feel confident to address sexuality matters (50%), and rated themselves as not at all/not very knowledgeable about sexuality (60%). Few nurses were routinely integrating SC in clinical practice (9%). Sexual counseling was associated with nurses' gender (male, higher confidence and practice) and previous training on sexuality in nursing practice. Nurses in Jordan, especially female nurses, are neither prepared nor competent to provide SC. Nurses need focused education on sexuality to optimize patients' sexual health.

The relationship between perceived competence and perceived workplace bullying among registered nurses: A cross sectional survey

BackgroundWorkplace bullying is one of the most prevalent work-related psychological and physical issues in health care facilities. Workplace bullying has detrimental effects not only on the bullied person/persons but also on health care facilities and care quality and patient safety. AimsTo examine the prevalence of workplace bullying and the relationship between workplace bullying and perceived competence among Jordanian registered nurses working in private hospitals DesignA cross-sectional survey study. SettingData were collected from registered nurses working in seven private hospitals in the Capital of Amman. ParticipantsParticipants were 269 registered nurses who had a minimum of a bachelor degree, passed the hospital's competency nursing examinations, able to read and understand English, and were able and willing to complete the survey. MethodsThe Negative Act Questionnaire-Revised, and Nurse Professional Competence scale were used for data collection. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to assess predictors of greater reporting of perceived workplace bullying. FindingsAlmost 43% of the participants perceived themselves to be victims of severe workplace bullying while more than 31% perceived themselves to be victims of occasional workplace bullying. Person-related bullying was the most frequently reported type of workplace bullying followed by work-related bullying. Age, gender, and sum score on Nurse Professional Competence scale explained significant amount of variance in perceived workplace bullying. ConclusionThe majority of Jordanian nurses working in private hospitals perceive themselves as victims of either occasional or severe workplace bullying. Amongst all related variables, perceived competence is the most significant predictor of perceived workplace bullying.

Prevalence of low back pain and associated factors among nurses in Jordan.

Low back pain (LBP) is a significant work-related problem, especially among nurses. This is due to its high prevalence and impact on the healthcare system, either directly through treating affected nurses, or indirectly through the decrease in nurses' productivity. The aim of this study is to measure the prevalence rates of LBP among nurses in Jordan, and to uncover the associated factors and consequences. A cross-sectional design study. Data were collected through a data collection sheet, developed based on literature, from seven public hospitals and one university hospital over a period of 2 months. A total of 384 nurses completed the data sheet with a response rate of 76.8%. Current prevalence of LBP was 69% (n=265), 1-year prevalence was 78.9% (n=303), while accumulative prevalence was 83.6% (n=321). Factors associated with LBP were older age, female gender, being overweight, and having longer experience in nursing; 40% of nurses agreed that the LBP increased their number of sick leaves, 58.7% agreed it lowered their productivity, and 9% reported that it forced them to change unit. LBP is a significant work-related problem among Jordanian nurses, with high-prevalence rates, and debilitating medical and professional consequences. Interdisciplinary efforts are needed to reduce these consequences.

Association of Comorbid Burden and Patient Outcomes of Residents With Dementia in Jordanian Nursing Homes.

Medical and psychiatric comorbidity in individuals with dementia is often associated with serious adverse health outcomes. Using a convenience sample of 76 residents with dementia in Jordanian nursing homes, the current study aimed to examine the relationship among comorbid burden, ability to verbally self-report symptoms, severity of dementia, and patient outcomes of pain and agitation. Comorbid burden and ability to verbally self-report symptoms were found to be significant predictors of patient outcomes of pain and agitation. However, the ability to verbally self-report symptoms did not explain the relationship between comorbid burden and patient outcomes. Nurses must understand the impact of comorbid burden and the ability to verbally self-report symptoms regarding pain and agitation in individuals with dementia. [Journal of Gerontological Nursing, 44(7), 50-58.].