Iran Journal of Nursing

  A quasi experimental study was performed to investigate the effect of teaching the leukemic children" s mothers on their performance for preventing infection in hospitals affiliated with Medical Education and Health Services Universities in Tehran (1995).

  A total of 35 leukemic children's mothers with at least five years of primary schooling, who lived in Tehran were selected randomly as the study group. Another 35 were selected for control. Both groups answered the questionnaire prior to teaching sessions. The study group was then assigned to classes held for the purpose. They were also given a booklet with some highlights for strengthening their knowledge Oil the subject. The post test form both groups were taken 4 weeks past the first meeting.

  The tool consisted of two parts. The first part questioned certain personal characteristics of the subjects and the second covered items regarding mothers" performance for protecting the child from infection. For statistical analysis T tests were employed.

  The results showed a significant difference between the pre and post teaching mean values in the study group. The mean score on the pre test for the study and control groups were 8.31 and 9.4 respectively while the post teaching mean scores for the study was 19.5 and 11.2 for the control

  group. Thus this difference turned out to be highly significant (p<0.01).

  Further McNemar test was employed for item analysis. On each item 3 significant difference of scores was noticed. Yet Pierson" s correlation test showed no significant relationship between personal characteristics of the mothers and their performance. A direct T test showed no significant relationship between marital status and teaching effect as well.

  Based on the findings, suggestion for further research was made and the nursing implications of the results discussed.