Objective: Palliative care requires nurses to be knowledgeable about different aspects of the care that they provide for dying patients. This study, therefore, was conducted to examine oncology and intensive care nurses' knowledge about palliative care in Southeast Iran.Method: Using the Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing (PCQN), 140 oncology and intensive care unit (ICU) nurses' knowledge about palliative care in three hospitals supervised by Kerman University of Medical Sciences was assessed.Results: In PCQN, the mean score was 7.59 (SD: 2.28). The most correct answers were in the category of management of pain and other symptoms (46.07%). The lowest correct answers were in the category of psychosocial and spiritual care (19.3%).Significance of results: These findings suggest that nurses' knowledge about palliative care can be improved by establishing specific palliative care units to focus on end-of-life care. This establishment requires incorporation of an end-of-life nursing education curriculum into undergraduate nursing studies.

BACKGROUND: Pressure injuries are the third most expensive condition after cancer and cardiovascular disease. Nurses are responsible for the direct and continuous care, treatment, and prevention of pressure injuries. To achieve optimal quality care, nursing knowledge and attitudes must be based on the best scientific evidence. This study aimed to examine the knowledge and attitudes of nurses working in intensive care units of hospitals affiliated with Zahedan Medical Sciences University regarding the prevention of pressure injuries. METHODS: This was a descriptive analytic study involving 89 critical care nurses. Data analysis was conducted using a 3-part questionnaire: demographic data, knowledge, and attitudes of intensive care nurses toward the prevention of pressure injuries. Collected data were analyzed with SPSS version 19 (IBM, Armonk, New York), using descriptive and inferential statistics (such as Pearson correlation coefficient, independent t test, and analysis of variance). RESULTS: The results showed that the mean ± SD score of pressure injury knowledge was 0.44 ± 0.12, and the attitude of participants toward pressure injury prevention was 2.69 ± 0.47. Scores varied widely; “nutrition” showed the highest mean score (0.71 ± 0.45), but “etiology and development” (0.42 ± 0.21) and “classification and observation” (0.42 ± 0.24) showed the lowest mean scores. Of the different aspects of attitudes toward pressure injury prevention, “the impact of pressure injuries” showed the highest mean score (2.95 ± 0.56), and “confidence in the effectiveness of prevention” showed the lowest mean score (2.56 ± 0.46). A statistically significant relationship was observed between pressure injury knowledge and attitudes toward pressure injury prevention (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Pressure injury prevention is one of many nursing care priorities and is a key indicator of the quality of nursing care. In order to achieve optimal quality care in this area, nurse managers and other administrators should make efforts to improve nursing knowledge and attitudes based on the latest scientific evidence for pressure injury prevention.

Background and Aim: Information about spiritual needs and quality of life (QoL) is limited in Iranian cancer patients. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between spiritual needs and QoL among cancer patients in Iran. Methods: This correlational study included a convenience sample of 150 eligible cancer patients who were hospitalized in the oncology wards and outpatient clinics. Using two questionnaires; the spiritual needs survey and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QoL Questionnaire-C30 data were collected. The data were analyzed by SPSS software version 19. Results: Our findings showed that the total mean score of spiritual needs was (64.32 ± 22.22). Among the categories, the lowest score belonged to “morality and ethics” component (2.18 ± 1.64), and the highest score belonged to “positivity/gratitude/hope/peace” component (15.95 ± 5.47). The mean score of QoL was (79.28 ± 19.20). Among the categories, the lowest score belonged to “global health status” component (8.44 ± 3.64), and the highest score belonged to “functional” component (36.57 ± 10.28). Pearson correlation coefficient showed that spiritual needs score positively correlated with QoL (r = 0.22; P = 0.006). Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that information about the relationship between spiritual needs and QoL in patients with cancer. It should be improve QoL to meet spiritual need of these patients. In addition, the continuous and in-service education of cancer patients and nurses who work with them can be helpful in this area.

Introduction: This study investigated the effect of aromatherapy massage with lavender, chamomile, and rosemary oils on the depression and anxiety of elderly adults living in nursing homes. Methods: This randomized controlled trail was conducted on elderly adults living in nursing homes in Kerman, Iran. Through convenience sampling, 38 elderly adults were recruited and assessed using demographic questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS), respectively. Then, elderly adults were randomly allocated to either a control (19) or an intervention (19) group through block randomization. Elderly adults in the intervention group received aromatherapy massage using lavender, chamomile, and rosemary. Each massage session lasted 20 min and was performed three times per week for two three-week periods with an intervening one-week break, while their counterparts in the control group solely received routine nursing homes care services. HADS Scale completed with repeated measurements before the intervention, at the end of the third week, at the beginning of the fifth week and at the end of the seventh week. Results: According to the results, mean anxiety in the intervention group went from 11.9 ± 4 to 6.26 ± 3.38 (p <.0001), and the mean depression went from 9.94 ± 3.2 to 4.15 ± 2.14, indicating that anxiety and depression were significantly reduced com-pared with before intervention (p <.0001). Conclusion: Aromatherapy massage with lavender, chamomile, and rosemary oils is effective in significantly reducing anxiety and depression of elderly adults living in the nursing homes.