Introduction Communication skills and acceptable levels of spiritual intelligence (SI) are the prerequisites of the nursing profession, which can significantly impact the individual and organizational performance of nurses. This study aimed to investigate the competency and self-efficacy of communication and its relationship with the SI of nurses. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2021 and included 312 nurses working in a COVID-19 hospital in the south of Iran. The data collection instruments were the Standard Communication Competence Scale, Communication Self-Efficacy, and SI Questionnaires. Data were analyzed with SPSS software version 23 using descriptive and inferential statistics, and t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple linear regression were performed at 5% significance level. Results The mean scores of nurses’ communication competence, communication self-efficacy, and SI were 89.11 ± 7.32 out of 180, 64.45 ± 5.61 out of 120, and 147.13 ± 11.26 out of 210, respectively. A direct and significant correlation was observed between competence (r = 0.527, p<0.001) and communication self-efficacy (r = 0.556, p<0.001) with spiritual intelligence. The dimensions of spiritual intelligence, including the ability to deal with and interact with problems, self-awareness, love and affection, general thinking and doctrinal dimension, and dealing with moral issues, were identified as predictors of nurses’ communicative competence and self-efficacy (p<0.05). There was a positive and significant correlation between nurses’ competence and self-efficacy with their age (p<0.05). The nurses’ mean communication competence and self-efficacy score were different regarding their level of education and the number of shifts (p<0.05). The mean scores of self-efficacy revealed a statistically significant difference between the participants’ gender and the number of patients under observation (p<0.05). Moreover, the nurses’ SI significantly correlated with age, and the mean scores of this intelligence had statistically significant differences regarding gender (p<0.05). Conclusion The nurses’ communication competence and self-efficacy were at a moderate level. Considering the correlation and predictive role of SI and its dimensions, it is recommended to promote problem-solving skills, improve self-awareness, and pay attention to moral standards to nurture communication competence and self-efficacy among nurses.

BACKGROUND:Sexual assertiveness plays a crucial role in the quality of sex, as well as in investigating and treating sexual problems. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of assertiveness-based sexual training on the quality of marital relationships of married female students.METHODS:This quasi-experimental study was done in southeastern Iran in the academic year of 2017. A total of 80 married women were chosen from university students through convenience sampling, and they were assigned to the intervention (n = 40) and control (n = 40) groups. Data were collected using the Perceived Relationship Quality Components Inventory. For the intervention group, assertiveness-based sexual counseling was provided in four sessions (90–120 min each session). The posttest was performed 12 weeks after the last counseling session. Independent t-test and covariance analysis were employed to analyze data using SPSS version 21 software.RESULTS:After the intervention, the two groups revealed a significant difference in their respective mean total score of the quality of various dimensions of marital relationships (P = 0.0001). This indicates that assertiveness-based sexual counseling has improved this mean total score in the intervention group compared to the control group.CONCLUSION:Given the positive impact of assertiveness-based sexual training on the quality of students' marital relationships, the integration of sexual training with focus on assertiveness in usual sexual counseling will help therapists to improve the quality of marital relationship from the perspective of women.

Background Universities should be sensitive to the needs and expectations of students. This study aimed to analyze the gap between perceptions and expectations of students of Jiroft University of Medical Sciences about the quality of educational services. Methods This descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 213 medical, nursing, and midwifery students. Census method was used to sampling. The data were collected using a multi-dimensional questionnaire (SERVQUAL-22 items). Finally, the data were analyzed by T-test, ANOVA, and correlation coefficient. the significance level was considered as 0.05. Results The mean age of the participants in this study was 21.62 ± 1.79. Of students 132 (62%) were female and 186 (87.3%) were single. There was a quality gap in all dimensions of the quality of educational services (empathy, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and tangibility). The highest quality gap was observed in the empathy dimension − 8.66 (4.2) and the smallest gap was observed in the tangibility dimension − 4.18 (4.4). Average score of educational services gap in reliability dimension in terms of education of mothers (p = 0.01), and average score of educational services gap in reliability dimension (p = 0.009), tangibility dimension (p = 0.015) and overall score (p = 0.039) in terms of their fathers’ education were significant. Conclusions The results indicate that the expectations of the students in all aspects of the quality of educational services (empathy, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and tangibility) are more than their perceptions. Thus, the authorities must take the necessary measures to meet the expectations of students.

IntroductionThe word "sexual satisfaction" means a person's pleasant feelings towards sexual intercourse (1) and includes the individual's satisfaction from sexual activity until reaching orgasm (2). According to the World Health Organization (WHO) definition, sexual health is the integration and coordination of the mind, the senses and the individual's body that leads to putting one's social and rational efforts in the direction of personality promotion, and ultimately leads to communication and love among individuals. Therefore, any disorder that leads to the elimination of this coordination and integration results in sexual dysfunction and, as a result, dissatisfaction with sex (3).The latest theory on sexual function includes 6 components for female sexual function. The sexual desire component is an individual's desire to engage in sexual activity. The sexual arousal component is stimulation of physiological responses in sexual organs, which includes swelling of the vagina, labia and clitoris in women. The slippery or moisture component is vaginal secretions that increase due to arousal and lead to slipping. The orgasm component is characterized by rhythmic contractions of the uterine muscle and external one third of the vagina and anal sphincter. The satisfaction component is the sexual satisfaction from intercourse with the spouse, satisfaction with sexual relations and satisfaction with the whole marital life. The pain component is the amount of vaginal pain during sexual intercourse and postpartum (4).Various studies have investigated the prevalence of sexual dysfunction. For example, the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in Iranian studies includes Birjand's finding of 60.3% (5), Yazd's finding of 73.2% (6), and Sabzevar's finding of 63.21% (7). In non-Iranian studies, the prevalence of sexual dysfunction is 40% in the United States and Sweden, 29.6% in Malaysia and Turkey (8), 69% in Egypt (9), and 35% in China (10).Optimal sexual function and sexual satisfaction results in warmth and passion in couples. It would protect them against many diseases and mental and physical disorders. For example, there is a relationship between sexual satisfaction and reducing heart attacks in men and reducing incidence of migraine headaches, symptoms of premenstrual syndrome and chronic arthritis in women (11). In contrast, people who have Abstract Objectives: Sexual decency is one of the false beliefs among women about sexual function, and women who have this belief choose an inactive and passive sexual role. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of decisiveness-based sexuality counselling on sexual function among married female students at the University of Sistan and Baluchestan. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study used a pre-test-post-test design and was conducted on 80 married female students who were selected and randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 40) or control (n = 40) groups. The data collection tool was Rosen's Sexual Function questionnaire. The intervention group, after the ...

Results: DZ showed a significant effect on all parameters of sperm, testicular tissue and testosterone (P<0.01). DZ reduced sperm viability by 62% but pretreatment with 100 mg/ kg chicory extract reduced approximately 24% of DZ effects. Straight moving decreased and zig-zag moving, vibrating and non-motile motility increased in sperms. The greatest effect of DZ on sperm morphological abnormalities was increased sperms with tail malformations. Exposure to DZ decreased the sperm count by more than 70%. In addition, weight, size, Leydig, spermatogonia, primary spermatocyte and spermatid cells and serum levels of testosterone were decreased (P<0.01). Chicory extract at the dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg (P<0.01) reduced the effects of DZ but on increasing the dose, its detoxifying effect is reduced.Conclusions: Exposure to DZ reduced male fertility. Chicory extract at a concentration of 100 mg/kg can reduce the detoxifying effect of DZ.