Objective: The aim of the present study is to assess the practices of nurses towards standard precautions at Azady
Teaching Hospital in the City of Kirkuk.
Methodology: A descriptive study, which uses the assessment approach and it was conducted on nurses from January
18th, 2009 to September 30th, 2009, using non-probability sampling a purposive sample of (37) subject (male and
female nurses) who worked at surgical wards in Azady Teaching Hospital in Kirkuk city was selected. Two study
instruments were utilized for proper data collection [questionnaire and observational checklist]; a questionnaire was
developed for the purpose of the study. It was comprised of two parts which included the nurses' demographic
characteristics and Information related to the setting of the sample (surgical wards). A pilot study was carried out for
the period of January 18th, 2009, to February 2nd, 2009 to determine the observaƟonal checklist reliability through
the use of (Inter–rater). A panel of (19) experts was involved in the determinaƟon of the observaƟonal checklist
content validity. Data were analyzed through the application of descriptive statistical data analysis approach
(frequency, percentage, mean of scores and standard deviation), and inferential data analysis approach (chi-square).
Results: The study findings revealed that the majority (91.9%) of the nurses did not get training sessions regarding
infecƟon control and (83.4%) of them had not parƟcipated conƟnuous learning about infecƟon control. According to
the level of practices towards standard precautions, it has revealed that poor practices of standard precautions by
surgical wards nurses had shown in surgical wards.
Recommendations: The study recommended that special education programs can be designed and presented to the
surgical ward nurses and to all the hospital staff in order to increase their awareness towards infection.
Aluminum doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (AZO) with different doping concentrations were prepared by Nd-YAG laser ablation of target in deionized water. The characterization of these nanoparticles was performed using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photoluminance spectroscopy (PL). FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of vibrational bonds for ZnO NPs and AZO NPs. SEM images illustrated that the size and shape of the NPs changed with changing the number of laser pulses. Photoluminescence peaks exhibited two emission peaks, one at the UV region and the second in the visible region, which were modified as the number of laser pulses and doping concentration were ch
... Show MoreThe research was aimed to identify fruits morphological characteristics of 33 taxa belonging to the Lepidieae tribe from Brassicaceae. The characteristics of the fruit's general shape, apex shape, dimensions, colors, surface ornamentation, and beak were determined, the results indicated the importance of each of those characters in isolated species, In general, all the tribe's fruits were open capsule and short silicula. According to the dimensions of fruit, three species can be distinguished as a group with dimensions greater than 20mm, as in Brossardia, Coluteocarpus, and Didymophysa, and depending on the shape, it was possible to differentiate the species within this group, while the other species were less than 20 mm. in dimensi
... Show MoreTaking into account the significance of food chains in the environment, it demonstrates the interdependence of all living things and has economic implications for people. Hunting cooperation, fear, and intraspecific competition are all included in a food chain model that has been developed and researched. The study tries to comprehend how these elements affect the behavior of species along the food chain. We first examined the suggested model's solution properties before calculating every potential equilibrium point and examining the stability and bifurcation nearby. We have identified the factors that guarantee the global stability of the positive equilibrium point using the geometric approach. Additionally, the circumstances that would gu
... Show MoreSwarming is one of the most important virulence factors used by bacteria to invade new sites. This study aimed to test the effects of gentamicin on swarming motility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, both phenotypically and molecularly. The present results revealed that 11/25 isolates had gentamicin MIC of 1024 µg/ml. However, gentamicin at sub-minimal inhibitory concentration significantly (P< 0.05) reduced the diameter of swarming in all P. aeruginosa isolates. Noticeably the mean and median swarming diameter before treatment with gentamicin 5.557 and 5.816 cm respectively had significantly (P < 0.001) reduced to 0.871 and 0.766 cm respectively. At the molecular level, amrZ (a global regulator
... Show MoreA simple, fast, and sensitive spectrophotometric method was suggested for the determination of Bromhexine Hydrochloride (BHH) in its pharmaceutical formulations. The method depends on the diazotization of BHH by sodium nitrite in acidic medium to produce the corresponding diazonium salt. The latter is coupled with phloroglucinol reagent in alkali medium to form a yellow water soluble azo-dye which has a maximum absorption at 405 nm with a molar absorptivity of 2.7×104 l.mol-1.cm-1 and Sandellʼs sensitivity of 0.01517 µg.cm-1. Beerʼs low is obeyed within a concentration range of 0.25-15 µg.mL-1 of BHH. The LOD and LOQ values of the proposed method were 0.087 µg.mL
Wastewater treatment plants operators prefer to make adjustments because they are more cost effective, to use the existing tank instead of building new ones. In this case an imported materials would be used as bio-loads to increase biomass and thus maintain efficiency as the next organic loading increases.In the present study, a local substance "pumice stone" was used as a biological carrier in the aeration tank, and the experiments were carried out in five stages: without biological carriers, filling ratio of 4%,10%,20%, and25% with pumice stone, the maximum organic loading at each stage (1.1884, 1.2144, 1.9432, 2.7768, 3.3141)g BOD /l.d respectively.Other experiments were carried out to determine the best filling ratio, the SS remova
... Show MoreIn this research, salbutamol sulphate (SAS) has been determined by a simple, rapid and sensitive spectrophotometric method. Salbutamol sulphate in this method is based on the coupling of SAS with diazotized ρ- bromoaniline reagent in alkaline medium of Triton X-100 (Tx) to form an orange azo dye which is stable and water-soluble. The azo dye is exhibiting maximum absorption at 441 nm. A 10 - 800 µg of SAS is obeyed of Beer's law in a final volume of 20 ml, i.e., 0.5- 40 ppm with ε, the molar absorptivity of 48558 L.mol-1.cm-1 and Sandell's sensitivity index of 0.01188 µg.cm-2. This new method does not need solvent extraction or temperature control which is well applied to determine SAS in d
... Show MoreThe current investigation aimed to test the alterations of the levels of obestatin hormone, lipid profile and cardiac function markers in relation to hyperglycemia in patients with non-insulin diabetes mellitus. The study included 118 diabetic subjects (56 males, 62 females) and 60 healthy non-diabetic subjects (30 males, 30 females). Diabetic and healthy subjects were age-matched. Serum levels of obestatin, lipid profile markers including total cholesterol (STC), triglycerides (STG), low and high density lipoproteins (LDL-C and HDL-C), as well as cardiac function markers including, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase enzymes were determined in all subjects. The findings revealed a remarkable decrease in the level of serum obestati
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