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Background & Aim: Patients’ preferences in breaking bad news to the patients may vary from one culture and society to another. This study aimed to determine patients' preferences for breaking bad news.
Methods & Materials: This scoping review study was conducted on the articles published in databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, Proquest, Embase, and Medline (PubMed) up to the end of December 2023. After removing the duplicate results. The titles and abstracts of the articles were reviewed to observe the probable connections with the review question, and the unrelated items were omitted. The original articles, which were published in English entered into the study. The articles that have reported patients’ preferences in emergency settings or parents’ preferences for breaking bad news, were excluded from the study. The textual data were extracted from the remaining articles and then analyzed using conventional content analysis.
Results: Fifty-nine studies included in this review about the patients’ preferences were classified into four categories: “the right to know what is happening to them”, “receiving emotional support”, “participating in decision-making”, and “observing the requirements of giving the bad news to the patients”. Nonetheless, there were variations in patients' preferences among different backgrounds.
Conclusion: Given the influence of the patient’s background in breaking bad news, the existing solutions in Western communities may not be practical or completely useful for Eastern. The results of this study can be used to observe patients’ preferences in breaking bad news from different backgrounds.

Background & Aim: Nurses are considered one of the most important members of the healthcare system in facing pandemics, including COVID-19. This study was conducted to explain nurses' experiences in caring for patients diagnosed with COVID-19.
Methods & Materials: This study was a qualitative systematic review. A structured search was conducted using CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Pub Med, Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, MedNar, and ProQuest. All qualitative studies describing nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with Covid-19 were included. This review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for systematic reviews. Themes and narrative statements were extracted from included papers using the JBI SUMARI data extraction tool.
Results: The findings of 46 qualitative studies were included in this systematic review. From the data analysis, four themes "Professional Development", "Psychological exhaustion", "Care Challenges" and "Work-family conflict" were extracted.
Conclusion: Nurses have experienced conflicts between their work and family and challenges when caring for patients with COVID-19. Hence, they were psychologically under pressure but professionally developed. To ensure the survival of nurses in critical situations, all their needs must be carefully monitored and the necessary support provided to them.

Background & Aim: Hazardous alcohol use is the most prevalent form of alcohol misuse, distinct from harmful or dependent use. This drinking behavior is a widespread practice among males, leading to a myriad of health and social challenges. Preventing hazardous alcohol use is crucial to reducing negative consequences and avoiding more severe forms of alcohol misuse. There has been no systematic review of its risk factors. This study aims to provide comprehensive information on hazardous alcohol use risk factors in adult males by systematically summarizing current evidence.
Methods & Materials: The protocol was registered with PROSPERO. PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, EBSCOhost (APA PsycArticles), and Google Scholar were searched. The inclusion criteria were English-language observational studies published between 2012 and 2022 with male participants aged 18 to 65. Two reviewers carried out the quality assessment. A narrative synthesis was conducted to synthesize the findings.
Results: Out of 6,842 records yielded from the systematic search, 20 studies were included. All of these were cross-sectional studies with 19 out of 20 classified as high quality and one as moderate. The included studies identified several factors that increased the risk of hazardous alcohol use including lower education level, positive family history of alcohol use, smoking, high alcohol density neighborhoods, depressive symptoms, drinking motives, and negative life events. Little research has been done on other variables that may also play a role.
Conclusion: Several risk factors for hazardous alcohol use were identified. Future research, particularly longitudinal studies, is recommended to validate these findings.

Background & Aim: Medication errors are a significant concern in healthcare, with effective management largely dependent on understanding its causes and reporting practices. This study aims to explore the experiences of Jordanian nurses in relation to medication error occurrence and reporting within the Jordanian context and the factors that may influence their decisions to report or not.
Methods & Materials: A qualitative descriptive approach was used. 24 nurses from three different hospitals were interviewed. The hospitals included a major governmental institution, a private facility, and a university hospital, ensuring diverse healthcare settings. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis, and the study was reported guided by the COREQ checklist.
Results: Three major themes were identified: Obsolete policies and guidelines, Adapting to an Unhealthy Environment, and Trying to adjust: creating own definition for medication errors. In our study, medication errors emerged as a pervasive issue across Jordanian hospitals, attributed to both systemic failures and individual practices. Despite existing policies, participants reported frequent medication errors due to obsolete guidelines, lack of adherence, and an environment that hinders effective medication administration.
Conclusion: The study reveals the critical issues of medication errors in Jordanian hospitals due to outdated policies and challenging environments. It emphasizes the need for updated protocols and a culture supportive of error reporting. Addressing these factors is essential for improving patient safety and healthcare quality.

Background & Aim: Fatigue is a commonly reported issue in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), often overlooked or inadequately addressed in Jordan and globally. This study aimed to assess illness-related fatigue in COPD people, its contributing factors, and its impact on their quality of life (QOL).
Methods & Materials: A cross-sectional correlational design was employed, recruiting 200 people from four hospitals in Jordan between April and May 2021. Participants completed Arabic versions of the self-administered Fatigue Severity Scale and the WHOQOL questionnaire.
Results: The study revealed a high level of fatigue among COPD people, with an overall mean fatigue score of 5.07±0.62. Particularly noteworthy was the association between heightened fatigue levels and factors such as disease-related disability and interference with daily responsibilities. The overall mean QOL score was low (2.665±0.39), with the physical domain displaying the lowest mean score (2.6±0.47). Fatigue and QOL were significantly and negatively correlated.
Conclusion: COPD people in Jordan experience substantial levels of fatigue, negatively impacting their QOL. Unfortunately, fatigue is often unnoticed in healthcare services. Addressing fatigue should be a crucial aspect of treatment plans for these people. Particularly during pandemics or service disruptions, additional attention is needed to manage fatigue among COPD people effectively. Digital health interventions may offer opportunities to enhance continuity and quality of care, especially during challenging times.

Background & Aim: While virtual reality holds promise for enhancing patient management and experience during chemotherapy, its use remains limited. The present study aimed to test the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy of smartphone-based virtual reality relaxation (SVR) in chemotherapy patients.
Methods & Materials: In this pilot study, 29 participants were divided into two groups. The SVR group (n=14) experienced a 10-minute virtual reality intervention, while the control group (n=15) received standard care and guided imagery leaflets. Outcomes such as comfort, anxiety, pain, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and pulse rate were evaluated at baseline and post-chemotherapy. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) questionnaire and open-ended questions evaluated SVR’s acceptability. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics, non-parametric t-tests, and thematic analysis.
Results: The SVR intervention appears feasible, as evidenced by a high recruitment rate of 93.75% (30 out of 32 eligible patients) and a retention rate of 96.67% (29 out of 30 participants), despite one withdrawal. The SVR group showed significant comfort improvement (P=0.002), significant changes in pulse rate (P=0.047), and SBP (P=0.023) compared to the control group. Anxiety, pain, pulse rate, and DBP showed no significant differences. A significant TAM variable (P<0.001) confirmed the intervention's acceptability. Qualitative feedback showed no serious side effects and patients reported positive experiences.
Conclusion: The SVR intervention, feasible and acceptable, significantly improved comfort and altered pulse rate and SBP in chemotherapy patients. It shows potential as an oncology care strategy. Further validation is needed through large-scale trials.

Background & Aim: The challenges of mothers residing at hospital while their ill babies are admitted to a neonatal care unit are understudied and poorly documented. Unfavorable living arrangements and tension between mothers and staff can disrupt their well-being and create feelings of helplessness. This study explored how mothers experienced having to stay at a lodging residence of a public hospital while their newborns were admitted to a neonatal care unit.
Methods & Materials: This qualitative content analysis study was conducted through face-to-face, in-depth interviews between March 2021 – April 2021. Data were gathered from 13 mothers who lodged at a public hospital for at least two weeks, were able to speak Sesotho, English, and/or Afrikaans, and were above 18 years of age. Data were analyzed using Tesch's eight steps in the coding process.
Results: Data analysis resulted in five categories, each with subcategories. The main categories are "Lodging environment", "Emotional experiences", "Nursing care of babies", "Interaction with staff", and "Participant perspectives". Participants' ages ranged between 23 and 37 years. Three participants had a spouse while the other ten were unmarried and were single parents.
Conclusion: The mothers were not optimistic about their lodging experiences, the nursing care of their newborns, and their interaction with healthcare professionals. Hence, they require intervention to alleviate conditions that cause unnecessary stress and anxiety. Health professionals and hospital managers must accommodate the needs of mothers who have no choice but to reside at the hospital when their newborns are admitted for extended periods.

Background & Aim: Palliative care is an approach designed for critically ill patients, improving their quality of life and alleviating suffering through early detection, proper assessment, and treatment of pain and other problems, whether physical, psychosocial, or spiritual. The purpose of this study was to assess nurses' knowledge of palliative care and attitudes toward caring for dying patients and their relationship with evidence-based practice.
Methods & Materials: A cross-sectional study design was employed to collect data from 565 nurses working in primary healthcare organizations from January 2022 to March 2023. An online questionnaire included four parts: demographic and professional characteristics, PCQN, FATCOD, and EBPQ questionnaires. An independent T-test, One-Way ANOVA, and Kendall tau rank correlation coefficient, hierarchical multiple regression were performed.
Results: Nurses’ palliative care knowledge level was low (mean score: 9.06±2.93). The majority of nurses (93%) have a neutral or negative attitude toward caring for dying patients (94.50±12.41). The obtained score (4.39 ±1.05) on the EBPQ scale indicates an average level of competence in evidence-based practice. Work experience (β=0.534; <0.001) and competencies in evidence-based practice (β=0.136; p=0.001) are statistically significant factors that affect knowledge of palliative care. The aspect of Knowledge/skills in EBP is the most significant (β=0.122; p=0.005).
Conclusion: An insufficient level of nurses' knowledge about palliative care and a neutral or negative attitude towards caring for dying patients were revealed. The results also indicate that much attention and resources should be directed toward improving the level of knowledge of nurses in the field of evidence-based practice.

Background & Aim: Since family caregivers play an important role in providing care for patients in need of palliative care, it is important to focus on and examine their care ability in fulfilling the expected roles. Therefore, this study aimed to perform a psychometric evaluation of the Caring Ability of the Family Caregivers of the Patients in Need of Palliative Care Scale (CAFCPNPCS).
Methods & Materials: The present study is methodological research that evaluates the psychometric characteristics of the CAFCPNPCS by measuring face validity, content validity, construct validity (confirmatory factor analysis and divergent validity), and internal consistency in 412 family caregivers of the patients in need of palliative care, who were selected through convenient sampling. The data were analyzed using SPSS 24 and LISREL 8.8.
Results: According to the confirmatory factor analysis, the 5-factor model with 31 items was confirmed with the values RMSEA=0.05, CFI=0.95, and GFI=0.88. The divergent validity was measured by the estimation of the correlation between the caring ability score with the care burden score (which was measured by Zarit Burden Interview) of the family caregivers of the patients in need of palliative care. Cronbach's alpha (α) was reported to be 0.85 for the whole scale and 0.781-0.852 for other dimensions.
Conclusion: CAFCPNPCS is a valid and reliable tool that can evaluate the caring ability of the family caregivers of patients in need of palliative care. Based on the results, it is recommended to utilize this scale to determine these caregivers’ ability to provide care and to examine the effectiveness of interventions to improve the dimensions of their caring ability.