Background:Fatigue is one of the most common issues related to cancer. Social support has direct effects on health status and coping with illness. This study investigated the relationship between the perception of social support and fatigue in patients with cancer.Materials and Methods:This descriptive/correlational study was conducted in Omid Hospital in Isfahan, Iran in 2014. One hundred and twenty-five cancer patients receiving chemotherapy were included in the study. Study participants were selected using consecutive sampling. Data were collected using the Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS), Perceived Social Support Scale, and a demographic characteristics questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive and analytical statistical tests in SPSS software.Results:Mean (SD) of patients’ fatigue and perceived social support scores were 40.63 (11.59) out of 100 and 49.33 (7.85) out of 100, respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient showed an inverse relationship between fatigue and social support, however, this relationship was not significant. Multiple regression test was used to detect which dimension of perceived social support was a better predictor of the reduction in fatigue score. This test showed that the best predictor was informational support (B = −0.35, p = 0.004).Conclusions:Results showed a negative relationship between fatigue and perceived social support in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Therefore, social support interventions can help reduce fatigue.

Background & aim:Cancer as an uncomfortable experience for everyone causes a lot of mental and physical discomfort. Cancer-related fatigue is one of the most common symptoms which cancer patients experience during illness or treatment. This study was conducted to determine factors related to fatigue in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Methods: The current descriptive analytical study was done on 117 cancer patients under chemotherapy treatment in Sayyed Al-Shohada hospital. Patients were selected through convenience sampling in 2013. Data was collected using Cancer Fatigue Scale (CFS) and demographic characteristics questionnaires. Obtained data analyzed by descriptive and analytical statistical tests. Results: Most of the participants had low fatigue (74.4%). The physical dimension had the highest scores (15.52±4.43) among fatigue's various dimensions including the cognitive, physical, and emotional fatigues. Physical fatigue had a direct relation with age (p<0.001) while it related reversely to age (p<0.001) and education level (p<0.001). There were significant statistical differences in the fatigue mean scores between genders (p<0.05) and marital status (p<0.001). Conclusion:The results showed that all of the participants have experienced fatigue at different levels. The fatigue scores were higher in elders, women, low education, divorced and widowed people than others. This issue indicated the importance of paying attention to these people in curative, supportive and educational programs. To achieve this goal, overcoming or at least reducing the fatigue strategies should be taught to the mentioned groups.

Background and aims: Digital technologies promise great opportunities to overcome current challenges in the care sector. Examples include the growing presence of robotic systems and society’s reliance on mobile, the internet, and social media. Despite substantial advances, challenges in the nursing use of digital technology persist. A lack of good empirical reviews of current technologies in the literature prompted us to conduct this review. Methods: This study was conducted using a narrative review method. We reviewed studies published from 2010 to 2022. Data were collected by searching different English and Persian databases, namely, Google Scholar, Elsevier, PubMed, ProQuest, and Scientific Information D atabase (SID). Search terms were "digital technology," "social media," "monitoring technologies," "eHealth services," "nursing care," "digital technology application," and "innovative technology." Results: Evidence shows that digital technology in the field of nursing care is classified into three types (types of digital technology in nursing, advantages and disadvantages of digital technology, and challenges and attitudes of nurses in the use of digital technology in nursing care). Each dimension was examined separately. This study uses digital technology in nursing care: Information and communication technology (ICT), ambient assisted living, assistive devices, monitoring/sensors, robotic technology, and virtual reality. Conclusion: Despite substantial advances, digital technology challenges persist in nursing use. Nurses must catch up with rapid changes in digital technologies and their impact on society, limiting their potential benefits to nursing practice and patient care. To respond to these challenges and prepare for the future, nursing must begin the immediate transformation into a digitally enabled profession that can respond to the complex global challenges facing health systems and society.

Background and aims: Chemotherapy medications have narrow therapeutic index and high toxicity and hence, chemotherapy medications errors (CMEs) are very common and are associated with serious consequences. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the types, severity, contributing factors, and preventive strategies of CMEs in patients with cancer. Methods: This narrative review was conducted in 2021. Data were collected through searching the Google Scholar, Elsevier, PubMed, ProQuest, Scientific Information Database (SID), Magiran, IranDoc, and IranMedex databases. Search key terms were "adverse events", "medication error", "cancer", "patient safety", "safety management", "chemotherapy", "antineoplastic agents", "neoplasm", and "cancer". Results: In total, 125 articles were retrieved and finally, eighteen articles were reviewed. Findings came into four main categories, namely types of CMEs, causes of CMEs, severity of CMEs, and strategies to prevent CMEs. The four main types of CMEs are prescription, dispensing, preparation, and administration errors. Prescription and preparation errors are the most common CMEs. Conclusion: Strategies such as computerized physician order entry software, educational programs for nurses, improvement of nurses’ work conditions, and employment of well-trained nurses are recommended to reduce CMEs and improve patient safety.