Background:Test anxiety often leads to poor academic performance. This study aimed to determine the effect of computer-based tests on nursing students’ test anxiety.Methods:This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2016 on 39 nursing student with anxiety score under 128 on Spielberger’s State-Trait Inventory (STAI). They were randomly allocated to computer-based tests (CBT) and paper-based test (PBT) group. Prior to exam, all students completed Sarason’s Test Anxiety Scale (TAS). We administered CBT for students in experimental group. Data were analyzed using independent t-test and one-way ANOVA.Results:Students mean test anxiety score was 11.94 and 11.32 in CBT and PBT groups, respectively. 47.4% of students in CBT group and 29.4% of those in PBT group experienced higher test anxiety, while the difference was not significant (p=0.56).Conclusions:Despite, there was no significant difference between anxiety score of two groups; but students’ test anxiety score was higher in CBT group. With the current increase in computer-based assessment, educational administrators must be aware of and plan for the possible unfavorable effects of computer assisted testing, such an anxiety. Future studies are needed to evaluate and compare the effect of different type of student testing such as distance testing or CBTs using new information technologies such as laptop, tablet or mobile phone on students’ test anxiety and performance.

Background and aims Pain management is one of the most important responsibilities of nurses in an intensive care unit (ICU). It is difficult to perform pain assessment appropriately in patients who are unable to report their pain. This study is aimed to determine the impact of implementing the critical care pain observation tool (CPOT) on the amount and frequency of analgesics' administration in ICUs. Materials and methods This interventional study was conducted in 2014. Sixty nurses and 240 patients were studied. This study was carried out in three phases: first the data about amount and frequency of analgesic administration were extracted from patients' medical files. Then the CPOT was implemented into the nursing assessment process and finally, nurses' performance regarding the amount and frequency of analgesic administration was recorded. This data obtained before and after intervention were analyzed using chi-square and independent t-test p values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results In this interventional study, we found that there was no difference in the demography and cause of ICU admission before and after implementation of CPOT (age p = 0.937, gender p = 0.996, and the cause of admission p = 0.996). We found that after implementing the CPOT into the nursing assessment process, the amount of analgesics administered (7.95 ± 8.77 mg vs. 11.01 ± 11.04 mg, p = 0.018) and the frequency of administration (2.91 ± 1.38 vs. 4.16 ± 0.99, p <0.001) increased significantly. Moreover, there was a significant increase in the frequency of pain assessment per patient per day in nursing practice after implementation of CPOT as compared to the practice before (7.2 ± 2.48 vs. 1.03 ± 1.63, p <0.001). The mean pain scores before and after the intervention (5.5 ± 1.08 vs.2.2 ± 0.48) were also significantly different. Conclusion Applying CPOT, as an objective mean of pain assessment, was effective in improving the performance of ICU nurses in assessment and management of patients' pain. It increased the amount and frequency of analgesic administration. We can recommend that COPT is a useful tool for assessment and management of pain in ICU patients and should be implemented in all ICUs. How to cite this article Modanloo M, Mohsenpour A, et al. Impact of Implementing the Critical Care Pain Observation Tool on Nurses' Performance in Assessing and Managing Pain in the Critically Ill Patients. Indian J Crit Care Med 2019;23(4):165-169.

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Background: Cancer is one of the most important health problems, which cause anxiety. Owing to physical and psychological problems it may lead to thinking about impending death. Logotherapy is the most powerful method to treat problems that exist in nature. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of group logotherapy on spirituality and death anxiety in patients with cancer. Methods: This randomized clinical trial study was done on patients with cancer referred to Imam Khomeini Hospital in Sari in 2017. Sixty-four eligible patients were selected from the oncology clinic using convenience sampling method. Patients were randomly allocated to the control and intervention groups (n = 32). Group logotherapy was done for the intervention group for five weeks. Data was gathered through a questionnaire, including demographic, Templer Death Anxiety Scale (DAS), and Spirituality Questionnaire (SQ) one week before and one week after the intervention. Data were analyzed in SPSS V. 16 software using independent t-test, Wilcoxon, and Mann-Whitney U test. The significant level was considered 0.05. Results: There were no significant differences in death anxiety and spirituality scores between the two groups at baseline, indicating that the two groups were matched in terms of death anxiety and spirituality. Before the logotherapy, the mean score of death anxiety in both groups was high (more than 8). After the logotherapy, the mean and SD of death anxiety score in the intervention and control groups were 7.14 ± 4.12 and 9.76 ± 2.64, respectively, there were statistically significant differences in death anxiety scores between the groups (P < 0.05). There were statistically significant differences between the mean of spirituality score in the intervention group before and after the logotherapy (P < 0.05), but it was not significant in the control group, indicating that group logotherapy was effective in increasing the spirituality score. Conclusions: Based on the findings, group logotherapy can increase the spirituality score of the patients. Moreover, the logotherapy may result in decreasing death anxiety, and spirituality-oriented meetings may be beneficial for patients.