Background and objectives: The chronic nature of heart failure requires long-lasting consumption of various medications. Despite the therapeutic benefits of heart failure medications, about 50% of patients with heart failure don’t adequately adhere to their medications as prescribed globally. This study aimed to determine medication adherence levels among Jordanians with heart failure and its influencing factors. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 164 patients with heart failure attending cardiac clinics in the north of Jordan. The Medication Adherence Scale was used to measure medication adherence. Results: Overall, 33.5% of patients had high adherence, and 47% had partial to poor adherence. The proportion of patients with good to high adherence was significantly higher among patients younger than 60 years, having >high school level of education, being married, living with somebody, and having insurance. Conclusions: Patient-centered approach, targeting age, level of education, marital status, and health insurance coverage, should be developed using evidence-based guidelines to enhance adherence to medication and health outcomes in Jordanian patients with heart failure. The development and implementation of new and feasible strategies, particularly suited to Jordan’s healthcare system capabilities, is important to improve medication adherence.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of slow deep breathing relaxation exercise (SDBRE) in reducing patients’ pain levels during chest tube removal (CTR) post coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. In 2019, fifty post-CABG patients were conveniently selected from a cardiac intensive care unit in Jordan’s major referral heart institute. The patients were randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a control group. A total of 25 patients were assigned into the experimental group who received slow deep breathing relaxation Exercise (SDBRE) alongside the conventional care before CTR. The remaining 25 patients constituted the control group (50%) that had CTR following conventional care. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to measure the participants’ pain levels during three phases: before CTR (Time 1), 5-min post CTR (Time 2), and 15-min post CTR (Time 2) to compare the intervention effect between the two groups. The data analysis findings for the control and intervention group of patients showed that there was a statistically significant decline in their pain level across time for both groups (H = 32.71, P < 0.01; H = 47.23, P < 0.01) respectively. The intervention group had significantly lower pain levels than the control group at Time 2 (3.50 [1.20, 5.30] vs. 7.90 [7.00, 9.00], P < 0.01) and Time 3 (0.00 [0.00, 1.30] vs. 3.60 [2.40, 4.10] P < 0.01). Using SDBRE during CTR is an effective technique for reducing pain which can minimize the need for analgesics and their associated adverse effects.

Smoking is a major public health threat resulting in increased morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of current smoking among different adult populations in Jordan, including Jordanians, refugees, and migrants and determine the factors associated with smoking. A cross-sectional survey was conducted during the period of June–September 2021 among Jordanians, Syrian refugees (both urban and camp refugees), and migrants living in four governorates in Jordan, including Amman, Zarqa, Mafraq, and Irbid. The selection of the four governorates was based on criteria related to the presence of Syrian refugees in host communities. The highest prevalence of cigarette smoking was among urban Jordanians (51.1%), followed by non-camp refugees (46.7%), while the highest prevalence for waterpipe (43.2%) and dual smoking (28.7%) was among non-camp refugees. Being male, aged 25–45 years old, unemployed, and having less than a high school education, as well as being urban Jordanians, were all associated with higher odds of cigarette smoking. Being male, unemployed, and urban Jordanians or non-camp refugees were variables associated with higher odds of waterpipe smoking. The study findings indicate that the identification of smoking prevalence in Jordan and its associated factors, including gender, educational level, employment status, regional area, migration, and exposure to traumas, should be considered by healthcare providers to formulate smoking cessation programs tailored to their needs and ultimately reduce smoking prevalence.

Objective. This study was aimed at testing the psychometric properties of the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) checklist for the Diagnostic Statistical Manual version 5 (DSM-5) (PCL-5) among the Lebanese population and at identifying the prevalence of PTSD. Design. A cross-sectional survey of PCL-5 among 950 Lebanese, using the online survey platform by Google Form, was conducted. Snowball recruitment was used to identify participants for the survey. Results. Face, content, construct, discriminant, and convergent validity had been accomplished through the survey. The reliability using Cronbachs alpha, composite, and average variance extracted was identified as superior. We also found that more than half of the participants (55.6) scored 33 or above which is the cut-off score for a likely diagnosis of PTSD. Conclusion. The current study provides further support for the validity and reliability of the Arabic version of PCL-5 among non-Western populations. This supports using the checklist in the screening of probable PTSD.

Although the current management of COVID-19 is mainly focused on efficacious vaccine and infection control, the most common psychological reactions (such as fear and anxiety) associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have not been investigated and even neglected in patients with heart failure who are at greater risk for morbidity and mortality. We assessed COVID-19 related fear and anxiety among patients with heart failure and determined their associated factors. A cross sectional survey was conducted among 300 consecutive patients with heart failure during the period of March 2021–June 2021. Almost 50.7% of patients had fear of COVID-19 and 36.3% had coronavirus anxiety. Age > 55 was significantly associated with increased odds of fear (OR = 2.6) and anxiety (OR = 4.3). Patients with angina were more likely to have fear (OR = 3.0) and anxiety (OR = 2.2) and patients with chronic lung disease were more likely to have fear (OR = 3.0) and anxiety (OR = 3.3). Increased age, having angina, and having chronic lung disease were associated with increased odds of fear of COVID-19 and coronavirus anxiety. Psychological support needs to be integrated in patient care with special attention to physiological risk factors that are associated with COVID-19 comorbidities.

Background: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) exposes nursing students to high workloads, emotional demands, and high-risk performance. Understanding perceived stress, coping strategies, and influential factors may enhance students’ clinical experiences and outcomes. Aim: To assess perceived stress levels, identify coping mechanisms, and explore associations between stress, coping mechanisms, and demographic factors among nursing students during their Intensive Care Unit (ICU) clinical. Setting: The study was conducted across three campuses of the Higher Colleges of Technology (HCT) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Methods: A cross-sectional study design with a total sample of 127 undergraduate nursing students was conducted. Data were collected using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Coping Behavior Inventory (CBI). Results: Students reported a moderate level of perceived stress (mean = 1.87, SD = 0.80). The highest-ranking stressors reported included assignments and workload, with (mean = 2.12, SD = 0.91), followed by peer-related stress (mean = 1.98, SD = 1.03). The most reported coping mechanism among students was the problem-solving mechanism (mean = 2.23, SD = 0.95), followed by the transference mechanism (mean = 2.17, SD = 1.00), and staying optimistic (mean = 2.15, SD = 0.95). Stepwise regression showed that the significant predictors of overall stress were avoidance coping, β = 0.65, p < 0.001, and transference coping, β = 0.24, p < 0.001, explaining 63% of variance, R² = 0.63. Problem-focused coping negatively predicted environmental stress, (β = -0.21, p = 0.021), highlighting its protective role. Conclusion: This research underscores the nursing students’ moderate stress experienced during ICU nursing placements due to workload and peer pressure. Use of problem-focused coping strategies reduced stress, while maladaptive avoidance coping strategies increased stress. Stress was strongly predicted by avoidance and transference coping confirming the necessity for coping skills instruction in nursing. Teaching stress coping and resilience building in clinical education will improve students’ well-being, performance, and preparedness for critical care nursing.