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Introduction: Clinical education is a fundamental part of nursing professional education. One method of education is the implementation of the preceptorship program, in which clinical nurses are responsible for educating nursing students. The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the preceptorship training program for the participation of clinical nurses in the education of nursing students. Methods: This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2023 at the teaching hospital in Tehran, Iran. The sample consisted of 66 nurses from a teaching hospital selected using the accessible method and randomly were put into two groups. The workshop addressed the educational needs of preceptors and students, their readiness for their role, and strategies to effectively support students. Prior to the study, the nurses' level of participation was assessed utilizing a valid IMSOC questionnaire that gauged their involvement in guiding nursing students. The participation rate was reassessed after one month using the same questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS version 19. Findings: The two groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic characteristics. The average score for nurses' participation in the education of students before the intervention was 101.84 ± 15.42 in the test group and 107.24 ± 10.53 in the control group; these two groups were not significantly different (P = 0.10). After the intervention, the scores reached 118.90 ± 15.11 in the test group and 106.21 ± 11.96 in the control group, indicating a significant difference (P < 0.001). A comparison of the nurses' participation scores in the test group indicated a significant difference from the pretest to the posttest, with the improvement in all nurses's participation scores (P < 0.001). However, in the control group, this difference was not significant (P = 0.41). Conclusion: The preceptorship training program is effective in light of increasing the participation of clinical nurses in the education of nursing students. This program can improve various aspects, such as motivation, satisfaction, commitment, implementation, and obstacle removal. Considering the importance of clinical training for nursing students and the essential role of preceptors, it is recommended that managers and health trustees in all university hospitals implement a preceptorship training program to increase the participation of clinical nurses in the education of nursing students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Mentorship involves a voluntary, collaborative, and non-hierarchical relationship where an experienced individual shares knowledge with a less-experienced individual. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a mentorship program on anxiety levels and pre-internship exam scores among senior nursing students. Methods: This quasi-experimental research was conducted on 37 nursing students in the sixth semester of the School of Medical Sciences in Saveh in the year 2023. Participants were selected based on initial criteria using a census method and were then randomly assigned to two groups: the control group (19 participants) and the intervention group (17 participants). The mentoring program for the intervention group was implemented one month before the pre-internship exam and consisted of six sessions, each lasting two hours, over two weeks (three sessions per week). Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire, the Sarason Anxiety Questionnaire, and pre-internship exam scores. SPSS software version 23 was utilized for data analysis. Results: The mean anxiety exam scores in the two control and intervention groups did not exhibit a statistically significant difference before the intervention (P = 0.34). However, the mean anxiety exam score of the intervention group students after the intervention (5.89 ± 15.11) was significantly lower than that of the control group students (7.04 ± 21.42) (P = 0.007). Additionally, the results showed that the mean anxiety exam scores of the intervention group students before (5.77 ± 17.53) and after the intervention (5.89 ± 15.11) had a statistically significant difference (P = 0.013). Furthermore, the mean pre-internship exam scores of the intervention group students (1.71 ± 17.72) were significantly higher than those of the control group students (1.15 ± 16.46) (P = 0.014). Conclusion: The mentorship program resulted in a reduction of exam anxiety in nursing students and improved their performance in the pre-internship exam to the extent that the exam scores of the participating students were higher than those of other students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a developmental neurological disorder that threatens individuals’ social interactions and communication by limiting their activities and personal interests. Aim: The present study aimed to assess the effectiveness of compassion-focused therapy in helping attitudes and the work-related flow of autism child mentors in the rehabilitation centers of Mazandaran, Iran. Method: The research method was a quasi-experimental study with a pretest-posttest, control group, follow-up design. The sample population included all male and female mentors of autistic children in the rehabilitation centers of Mazandaran in 2020. In total, 30 mentors were selected by voluntary sampling and divided into a test and a control group by simple random sampling (15 per group). Eight sessions of therapeutic intervention were provided to the study groups. Post-test and follow-ups were conducted for both groups after therapy. Data were collected using Nickell’s Helping Attitude Scale (1998) and Bakker’s Work-Related Flow Scale (2008). Data analysis covariance analysis was performed in SPSS version 25. Results: Findings demonstrated a significant difference between the mean scores of the test and control groups regarding helping attitudes and work-related flow among autism child mentors in the post-test stage (p<0.01). Further, compassion-focused therapy was effective in helping attitudes (0.84) and work-related flow (0.91) of autism child mentors. Conclusion: Results indicate that compassion-focused therapy can potentially improve helping attitudes and the work-related flow of autism mentors in different situations. Therefore, incorporating this educational intervention into the rehabilitation agenda of these mentors appears to be quite beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the military and political roles undertaken by Artabazus from the Pharnacid dynasty and by his family members during the Persian-Macedonian wars. The ups and downs and accomplishments in a family's career all the way from the Persian Empire to the Macedonian Kingdom are analyzed. Aristocratic families held important missions both in the Persian and Macedonian court hierarchy. Their loyalty was a prerequisite for the continuation of the system. Here, in the context of Artabazus' family, the function and importance of aristocratic families within the imperial system are explored. From this perspective, the notable historical events of the period are reexamined. Furthermore, the inclusion of a local Rhodian family into the imperial system through kinship to the Persian satrap by marriage and this family's climbing the steps of the political career is also mentioned. Apart from a comprehensive bureaucratic system established for the governance of the Persian satrapies, satraps also had officials and staff consisting of their relatives under their command. By this means, Mentor and Memnon assumed such public and military duties as ruling some cities in the Troad region and commanding the Greek mercenaries. But belonging to a deeprooted aristocratic family did not guarantee political success. The wrong steps taken might mean the loss of respectability of the whole family. There are three critical turning points in the public careers of Artabazus and his family. The first is his failed revolt as the satrap of Dascylium against Persian king Artaxerxes III resulted in life in exile at Pella. Meanwhile, Mentor preferred to take refuge in Egypt. The second is Mentor's alliance with the king and his accomplishments during the Egyptian revolt, which put an end to Artabazus' exile in c. 342 BC and resulted in the rehabilitation of the family members in the Persian system. When Darius III came to the throne, the family gained its prior dignity and was highly influential in the war Alexander waged against the Persians. Particularly in Asia Minor, Memnon and Pharnabazus successfully conducted the naval battle against Alexander. In Central Asia, Artabazus, his sons (Arsames, Ariobarzanes, and Cophen) and Thymondas held important positions and fought alongside Darius III against Alexander. The third critical event is their siding with Alexander after the death of Darius III. Behind them was the Persian Empire fallen apart, and this timealbeit not long-lasting-they managed to acquire a place within the Macedonian Kingdom. Alongside Alexander the Great, to whom they proclaimed their loyalty, they actively fought against the revolting and resisting local peoples in Bactria, a nd Sogdiana. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: One of the most important principles of counseling is proper use of communication skills; nonverbal communication is one of the most effective ways of available communications. This research has been performed to study students' viewpoints on advisors’ nonverbal communication skills in schools of health and allied health sciences of Kashan University of Medical Sciences. Methods: In a descriptive cross-sectional study, 202 students of schools of health and allied health sciences of Kashan University of Medical Sciences were asked about their viewpoints toward advisors’ nonverbal communication skills. Students were selected through stratified random sampling. A self-made questionnaire was used to assess nonverbal communication skills considering five dimensions through 39 statements. Students' satisfactions with advisors were evaluated by a separate question. Validity of the questionnaire was confirmed via content validity, and its reliability was confirmed using Cronbach’s Alpha (α=0.96). Data was analyzed using descriptive statistic and nonparametric inferential tests (Mann Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis, Friedman, and Spearman correlation test). Results: The total score of nonverbal communication skills of thesis supervisors was 3.39±0.71 ( out of 5). The highest means belonged to “advisors’ appearance” (3.76±1.10) and “their facial expression during consulting” (3.54±1.07). The score of students’ satisfaction with advisors was 3.36±1.28 accordingly. Spearman test showed a significant correlation between students' satisfaction with advisors performance and the five dimensions of nonverbal communication skills (α<0.05). Conclusion: According to the results, the level of nonverbal communication skills and students' satisfaction with advisors were moderate. It seems necessary for faculties under investigation to develop effective strategies to promote their communication skills. This could increase the level of satisfaction among students and improve the quality of counseling sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]