Mohammed ALBashtawy

Self-Medication among School Students.

Self-medication, usually with over-the-counter (OTC) medication, is reported as a community health problem that affects many people worldwide. Most self-medication practice usually begins with the onset of adolescence. A school-based cross-sectional study was conducted in Mafraq Governorate, Jordan, using a simple random sampling method to select 6 public schools from a total of 34 schools. The total sample consisted of 422 school students from Grades 7 through 12. Measures of central tendency and χ2 were used to compare the difference between the categorical variables. The prevalence of self-medication among the participants was 87.0%. Nearly 75% of self-medication was used for pain relief. The prevalence of self-medication among school students is very high and increases with age. School nurses and other local health-care workers must coordinate with school principals to disseminate health education campaigns about safe use of medication to provide awareness and education to school students, parents, and families.

Knowledge of Philadelphia University students regarding blood donation

To assess the knowledge of Philadelphia University students regarding blood donation.

The Relationship Between Social Support and Adherence to Healthy Lifestyle Among Patients With Coronary Artery Disease in the North of Jordan

Numerous studies have shown that social support improves health behaviors in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between adherence to a healthy lifestyle, and social support and selected sociodemographics among patients with CAD. Cross-sectional descriptive design was used. A convenient sample of 153 patients with CAD was recruited from the cardiac clinic in an educational hospital in the north of Jordan. One hundred and thirty-three patients completed the interview. Social support was the most significant predictor—t(124) = 9.51, p < .001—which explained 60% of variance in adherence to a healthy lifestyle. Providing patients with adequate social support improves adherence to a healthy lifestyle. More attention should be given to the elderly and patients with low income to enhance adherence to a healthy lifestyle. The applications of this study in practice provide a guide for nursing clinical assessment of social support for patients facing CAD.

Oral Health Patterns Among Schoolchildren in Mafraq Governorate, Jordan

Little is known about the oral hygiene patterns among schoolchildren in Jordan. A school-based cross-sectional study was performed from January to March 2010. A simple random sampling method was used. Each student participant completed a detailed questionnaire regarding oral hygiene habits. Data were coded and analyzed using SPSS software version 16. The chi-square was used, odds ratio (OR) and the 95% confidence limits (Cl) for gum bleeding were estimated. The results showed that nearly one fourth of the children indicating that they brush their teeth twice or more daily (regular pattern). Furthermore, 17% of the schoolchildren never brush their teeth at all. There is a higher proportion, 22.1%, of rural children that never brush their teeth compared to 14.6% of the urban students. Dental flossing among primary schoolchildren in Mafraq Governorate is very rare: 97.2% of the children stated that they had never used dental floss in their life. Furthermore, one fourth of the schoolchildren did not have a tooth brush. While 15.0% of them have a shared toothbrush with their families. The findings of this study indicate that oral health habits in Mafraq Governorate are poor and need to be improved. Based upon these finding, community-oriented oral health programs should be established.

Workplace violence toward emergency department staff in Jordanian hospitals: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Workplace violence against emergency department staff (EDS) is considered one of the most common and widespread phenomena of violence in the hospital setting. Purpose: The purpose of this research is to determine the incidence of workplace violence and the predictors of violent behavior against EDS working at hospitals in Jordan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was used to investigate the workplace violence experiences of a convenience sample of 355 EDS working at 8 government-run and 4 privately run Jordanian hospitals. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire that was developed for this study. Results: Nearly three quarters (72%) of participants reported being exposed to violent acts. Patients and their relatives were identified as the main perpetrators of this violence. The contributing factors to workplace violence identified by the participants included overcrowding, lack of resources, staff shortages, and the absence of effective antiviolence policies. Conclusions/Implications for Practice: Policies and legislation related to workplace violence should be instituted and developed. Furthermore, EDS should be trained to deal with violent incidents and to understand violence management policies.

Exploring the competency of the Jordanian intensive care nurses towards endotracheal tube and oral care practices for mechanically ventilated patients: an observational study.

Oral care is an important feature of nursing; it is known that oropharynx is considered the main reservoir of bacterial colonization, so the removal of oral infection is a major duty of all health care providers, particularly nurses. We performed this study to explore endotracheal tube and oral care practices for mechanically ventilated patients of Jordanian intensive care nurses, and to study Jordanian intensive care nurses’ practices during, prior to, and post endotracheal tube and oral care for mechanically ventilated patients. Endotracheal tube and oral care of Jordanian intensive care nurses for mechanically ventilated patients was compared with recommendations for endotracheal tube and oral care of American Association of Critical Care Nurses and guidelines of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Non- participant structured observational design was conducted using a 24 -item structured observational schedule. The findings show that nurses different in their oral care practices; did not follow American Association of Critical Care Nurses recommendations; and therefore delivered lower-quality oral care than predictable. Important inconsistencies were observed in the nurses’ hyperoxygenation, respiratory assessment techniques and infection control practices.

Exploring the reasons why school students eat or skip breakfast.

BACKGROUND Breakfast is considered to be the most important meal of the day. It provides the essential nutrients needed for the days activities. AIMS To determine the prevalence of breakfast consumption and to assess the nutritional status of students aged 12-18 years. METHODS A school-based study carried out between September and October 2014 involved 1,303 school students from grades 7 to 12, aged 12 to 18 years, who completed a questionnaire on breakfast consumption. The chi-square test was used. An odds ratio and 95% confidence interval determined the predictive factors for skipping breakfast. RESULTS The prevalence of breakfast consumption was 52.3%, statistically decreasing with age. Adjusted logistic regression analysis reflected a statistically high consumption among 12-15 year olds, those with highly educated mothers and those with low family income. CONCLUSION For the target groups at risk, a community and school-based health education programme, conducted by school nurses and other healthcare providers, would be beneficial.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of parents/guardians regarding pediculosis in the Umm el-Jimal district of Jordan

The aim of this study is to assess the prevalence of pediculosis capitis in one district in Jordan, and to determine the knowledge, attitudes and practices of parents/guardians regarding head lice. The study was performed in Jordan’s Umm el-Jimal district from February 2010 to May 2010, and involved the surveying of 105 randomly selected households containing a total of 213 children. The households’ parents were interviewed for their knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding pediculosis, and afterward their children’s hair was checked for head lice via a 5-min visual scalp examination. Chi-square testing was used to analyse the data, with statistical significance assumed at p < 0.05. The prevalence rate of pediculosis among the 213 children was found to be 14.6%. Parental knowledge of head lice was found to be very limited; only 35.2% of the parents/guardians correctly answered 10 of the 20 questions (50%), and only 17.1% correctly answered 14 questions (70%). More than 94% of the parents reported feeling shame upon learning that their children were infested with pediculosis, and nearly 90% felt too ashamed to ask for help from a healthcare provider. Many parents used traditional/local techniques that they believed to be effective in managing pediculosis; 61% of the parents applied kerosene to the scalps of infested individuals, 39.9% used medical shampoo and 37.6% used special combs. There is a clear deficiency in Jordanian parents’ knowledge of, and practices concerning, pediculosis capitis. It is recommended that the Jordanian Ministry of Health and local health departments work together to ensure the dissemination of accurate and consistent head lice information to families.

Epidemiology of Nonfatal Injuries Among Schoolchildren.

Nonfatal injuries are considered as one of the major public health hazards affecting schoolchildren, and the majority of these injuries occur at school or in the home. A cross-sectional study was conducted over a period of 3 months, March–May 2015. The participants were 4,355 Jordanian schoolchildren in Grades 7–12. The Pearson χ2 test was computed, and the odds ratio was used to determine the magnitude of various risk factors for nonfatal injuries among schoolchildren. The overall incidence of nonfatal injury was 33.9%. The group most likely to sustain nonfatal injuries was boys, aged 12–15, in Grade 7, whose parents had a low level of education or a high family income. Injury prevention in schools and at homes is a cornerstone for protection or reducing the incidence of injuries. School nurses have a duty to follow up and examine the accident reports and evaluate whether safety policies are applied and are effective in different school settings. Furthermore, health and education authorities should develop a national program for preventing injuries.

Electronic versus paper records: documentation of pressure ulcer data

BACKGROUND The documentation of patient data on health records is a vital component of the care process. Accurate and complete recording of this data is a necessary practice. The adoption of electronic health records to improve the quality of nursing documentation is on the rise. OBJECTIVES This study compares the accuracy and completeness of pressure ulcer data documentation between electronic and paper records. DESIGN A descriptive, comparative design with a retrospective review of patient records. Settings and sample: Two hospitals were chosen purposefully, one using electronic recording of patient data and the other using paper records. METHODS In the first phase, all hospitalised patients aged 18 years and over were inspected for pressure ulcers. In the second phase, the files of patients with pressure ulcers were audited. RESULTS Of the 52 patients with ulcers found in the hospital that used an electronic system, 43 of their records documented the pressure ulcers (83%). Of the 55 patients with pressure ulcers in the hospital using paper records, 39 files had corresponding documentation of the presence of a pressure ulcer (71%). CONCLUSION In terms of accuracy and completeness, more comprehensive documentation practice was found on the electronic health records compared with paper records. However, both types of systems have shortcomings in the practice of pressure ulcer data documentation.