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-Why you should read this article: • To refresh your knowledge about routes of infection and risk factors in toxoplasmosis • To learn about toxoplasmosis knowledge and practices among pregnant women in Jordan • To understand the preventive practices required from pregnant women to avoid toxoplasmosis Background: Toxoplasmosis is a common zoonotic infection which, in pregnant women, can result in miscarriage, stillbirth or child disability. Prevention and education play a crucial role in reducing the risks of infection and complications. Aim: To assess the knowledge and practices of pregnant women in Jordan in relation to toxoplasmosis and its prevention. Method: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in a convenience sample of 583 pregnant women visiting a health centre, hospital or private gynaecology clinic in the Jordanian governorate of Mafraq. The governorate has the second-largest population of Syrian refugees in Jordan. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on participants' knowledge and practices. Results: Of the 583 participants, 75% had never heard of toxoplasmosis. Participants demonstrated, to varying degrees, some adequate knowledge of toxoplasmosis prevention and some adequate use of preventive practices. None of the sociodemographic characteristics of participants was predictive of their level of knowledge of toxoplasmosis, except nationality: Syrian women had a statistically significant lower level of knowledge than Jordanian women. Conclusion: There are gaps in knowledge and practices among pregnant women in Jordan in relation to toxoplasmosis and its prevention. Improved health education, particularly for female Syrian refugees living in Jordan, could enhance knowledge and practices, thereby reducing the risks of infection and complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing self-care is important aspects among patients with heart failure. However, few studies were conducted to assess self-care among patients with heart failure in Jordan. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the most and the least performed maintenance self-care behaviors and to examine the relationship between maintenance self-care behaviors and selected sociodemographics. A cross-sectional design utilizing a convenience sample of 226 patients with heart failure was used. The maintenance self-care mean was 53.89 and considered below the clinical target level (≥70). Asking for low salt item and performing physical exercises were the most performed self-care behaviors, while "trying to avoid getting sick" and "checking ankles for swelling" were the least performed self-care behaviors. Limited self-care behaviors indicated the need to implement cardiac education that may improve self-care behaviors. Cardiac education should target mainly patients with low income, low educational level, elderly, living alone, unemployed, and who are using traditional treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: This study aimed to investigate nurses’ perceptions of the nursing work environment in Jordanian hospitals. Background: Previous research has indicated a strong relationship between nurses’ work environment and their satisfaction at work. However, little is known about the situation in Jordan. Method: A cross‐sectional and descriptive design was used. A sample of 500 nurses was recruited. The study was conducted using the Individual Workload Perception Revised scale (IWPS‐R). Results: A sum of 382 out of 500 nurses from three health care sectors in Jordan responded to the questionnaires (response rate = 76.4%). The results indicate that nurses working in the public hospitals had significantly better perceptions about their work environment than nurses working in private and university hospitals. Older nurses with lower academic qualifications are more likely to be satisfied with their work. Furthermore, nurses who have good perceptions of support from their manager and peers, and a manageable workload are more likely to stay in their jobs. Conclusion: The public hospitals are currently considered a more suitable milieu for nurses in Jordan. Other health care sectors should work to enhance nurses’ working conditions. Implication for nurse manager: Providing a supportive work environment with a manageable workload will encourage nurses to stay in their hospitals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Implementation of isolation precautions from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been justified through research and clinical evidence. However, nurses' understanding and compliance with these precautions is still unknown. The aim of this study was to assess nurses' knowledge and practices in relation to isolation precautions in Jordan., Methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive design was used. The study took place in 8 hospitals in Jordan. A self-reported questionnaire and an observational checklist were developed based on the CDC (2007) isolation precautions guidelines., Results: A total of 247 questionnaires were returned out of 400, for a response rate of 61.7%. The results show that most nurses (90%) have good knowledge of isolation precautions. However, only 65% of nurses reported good compliance with isolation precautions. The results of a t test revealed that nurses with Bachelor's degrees perform better in knowledge examinations than nurses with 2-year diplomas (P < .001). However, there was no significant difference in knowledge and self-report practices scores based on nurses' previous training and existence of isolation guidelines in their units or wards (P > .05). The results of the checklists confirm that there is a low compliance with standard isolation practice. In addition, the checklist shows that a high percentage of units and wards do not use isolation signs (46.4%) and posters (34.5%)., Conclusions: This study revealed that educating nurses about isolation is not enough strategy to improve their compliance. It is important to adapt other strategies, such as supporting nurses by giving them a manageable workload, and providing more supplies and reminders of isolation precautions in the hospitals., (Copyright © 2018 Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)