ABSTRACT: Background: Contemporary learning environments have fewer structured learning activities and more self-directed learning tasks guided through consultation with academics. Such tasks are predominately projects problem-based where the student is required to follow a freely guided road map to self-discovery while simultaneously achieving the desired learning outcomes for a particular course. However, many students struggle to adjust to a learning environment where they are being increasingly encouraged to undertake Self-Directed Learning (SDL). Aim of the Study: is to determine nursing students' readiness for self-directed learning at Faculty of Nursing – Assiut University Subject and method: A descriptive explorative research design was utilized. The study sample constituted of 520 students enrolled in the second, third, and fourth academic year (2010-2011) at Faculty of Nursing-Assiut University. Tool of the study: Each student was submitted to Self-directed learning readiness scale. It consisted of 41 items divided into three factors: 13 items covered self-management(SM); 13 items covered desire for learning (DL); and 15 covered characteristics of self-control factor (SC). The possible responses of this part were five point Likert Scale: Strongly disagree scored (1), disagree scored (2), not decided scored (3), agree scored (4) , and strongly agree scored (5). Results: shows that all of the study subjects agreed about factors of self-directed learning readiness and there were highly statistically significant differences for all of them (**P≤ 0.001). The mean scores of self management and desire for learning factors were significantly highest among the third year students in comparison to other academic years; characteristics of self-control factor was highest among fourth year students. While, mean scores of self directed learning readiness were lowest among second year students as regard to all factors of self directed learning readiness. Conclusion and recommendations: On top of this results the researcher suggesting of applying this scale will promote an educational climate that will foster adult learning principles, gradually promoting student autonomy and mutual responsibility for learning in a non-threatening environment and, hence, a reduction in student anxiety.

A positive and enriched learning environment can influence a students' perception of the healthcare facility as a possible future employment site. The aim of the present study was to explore student nurses' perception regarding their nursing role. A descriptive design was used in the present study. The study subjects constituted of 763 students who were enrolled in the four academic years (2012-2013) at Faculty of Nursing-Assiut University, and internship year respectively. Results: Mean scores were highest among the four academic years as regard to administration, care giver, communication, and teaching respectively. While, among internship year students care giver was the highest mean score followed by communication, administration and teaching respectively with a highly statistically significant difference for all factors (**P≤ 0.001).Conclusions: Four academic years students perceived administration highest mean score followed by care giver, communication, and teaching as the main roles of nurses. While, among internship year students care giver was the highest mean score followed by communication, administration and teaching respectively with a highly statistically significant differences. Recommendations: Nurse Educators and practitioners are responsible for the development of nursing students’ perception and working as a role model and interactions that provides the context for student learning and professional socialization

A positive and enriched learning environment can influence a students' perception of the healthcare facility as a possible future employment site. The aim of the present study was to explore student nurses' perception regarding their nursing role. A descriptive design was used in the present study. The study subjects constituted of 763 students who were enrolled in the four academic years (2012-2013) at Faculty of Nursing-Assiut University, and internship year respectively. Results: Mean scores were highest among the four academic years as regard to administration, care giver, communication, and teaching respectively. While, among internship year students care giver was the highest mean score followed by communication, administration and teaching respectively with a highly statistically significant difference for all factors (**P≤ 0.001).Conclusions: Four academic years students perceived administration highest mean score followed by care giver, communication, and teaching as the main roles of nurses. While, among internship year students care giver was the highest mean score followed by communication, administration and teaching respectively with a highly statistically significant differences. Recommendations: Nurse Educators and practitioners are responsible for the development of nursing students’ perception and working as a role model and interactions that provides the context for student learning and professional socialization

Back ground: Patient safety is moving up the list of priorities for hospitals and health care delivery systems, but improving safety across a large organization is challenging. Aim of the study was to measure the perception of nurses about factors of safety climate at Assiut University Hospital. The study sample included all nurses general medical & surgical and oncology departments (n=212). The questionnaire sheet consisted of two parts: 1st part related to personal characteristics of the study sample (department, gender, age, qualifications, and years of experience). 2nd part of the questionnaire consisted of 52 items which consider factors of safety climate it divided into ten factors: 1st was related to free communication flow which contains six items; 2nd was related to continuous improvement which contains five items; 3rd that related to reporting / rules compliance which contains three items; 4th was related to patient / family involvement which contains three items; 5th which related to supervisors' safety leadership which contains four items; 6th which related to allied professional ' safety leadership which contains four items; 7th which related to patient safety committee leadership which contains four items; 8th which related to rules/ equipment availability which contains six items; 9th which related to worker attitudes and contains thirteen items; and finally , 10th which related to organizational factors contains five items. The possible responses of this part were: (3) for agree, (2) for neutral and (1) for disagree. Reliability of the tool was done and revealed that the tool is highly reliable (α = 0.92). Results donates there were a highly percentage as regard to most of the safety climate factors (free communication flow, continuous improvement, patient / family involvement, supervisors' safety leadership, allied professional ' safety leadership, worker attitudes, and organizational factors) except the patient safety committee leadership, and rules/ equipment availability in all the selected departments. There were a highly statistically significant differences among the study subjects as regard to factors of safety climate in the following sequence free communication , continuous improvement , patient & family involvement , supervisors' safety leadership, allied professional safety leadership, rules & equipment availability, workers' attitudes, and organizational factors (p0.001**). While, there were no statistically significant differences as regard to reporting & rules compliance and patient safety committee leadership. Conclusions: There is a highly statistically significant difference among the studied nurses as regard to safety climate at Assiut University Hospital. More than half of nurses agree about factors of safety climate in the studied departments.Recommendations: In the light of the results the study recommended that it is Important for hospital administration to evaluate employees' perception regarding their risk-management programs and patient safety committee and rules and equipment availability. Future hospital studies might examine the effect of safety climate on nurses' job satisfaction, nurses' turnover, productivity rates, accident and incidence rates, and patient satisfaction.

Back ground: Patient safety is moving up the list of priorities for hospitals and health care delivery systems, but improving safety across a large organization is challenging. Aim of the study was to measure the perception of nurses about factors of safety climate at Assiut University Hospital. The study sample included all nurses general medical & surgical and oncology departments (n=212). The questionnaire sheet consisted of two parts: 1st part related to personal characteristics of the study sample (department, gender, age, qualifications, and years of experience). 2nd part of the questionnaire consisted of 52 items which consider factors of safety climate it divided into ten factors: 1st was related to free communication flow which contains six items; 2nd was related to continuous improvement which contains five items; 3rd that related to reporting / rules compliance which contains three items; 4th was related to patient / family involvement which contains three items; 5th which related to supervisors' safety leadership which contains four items; 6th which related to allied professional ' safety leadership which contains four items; 7th which related to patient safety committee leadership which contains four items; 8th which related to rules/ equipment availability which contains six items; 9th which related to worker attitudes and contains thirteen items; and finally , 10th which related to organizational factors contains five items. The possible responses of this part were: (3) for agree, (2) for neutral and (1) for disagree. Reliability of the tool was done and revealed that the tool is highly reliable (α = 0.92). Results donates there were a highly percentage as regard to most of the safety climate factors (free communication flow, continuous improvement, patient / family involvement, supervisors' safety leadership, allied professional ' safety leadership, worker attitudes, and organizational factors) except the patient safety committee leadership, and rules/ equipment availability in all the selected departments. There were a highly statistically significant differences among the study subjects as regard to factors of safety climate in the following sequence free communication , continuous improvement , patient & family involvement , supervisors' safety leadership, allied professional safety leadership, rules & equipment availability, workers' attitudes, and organizational factors (p0.001**). While, there were no statistically significant differences as regard to reporting & rules compliance and patient safety committee leadership. Conclusions: There is a highly statistically significant difference among the studied nurses as regard to safety climate at Assiut University Hospital. More than half of nurses agree about factors of safety climate in the studied departments.Recommendations: In the light of the results the study recommended that it is Important for hospital administration to evaluate employees' perception regarding their risk-management programs and patient safety committee and rules and equipment availability. Future hospital studies might examine the effect of safety climate on nurses' job satisfaction, nurses' turnover, productivity rates, accident and incidence rates, and patient satisfaction.

Autism is a neurological disorder characterized by qualitative impairments in social interaction, qualitative impairments in communication, and restricted repetitive, stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Autistic Spectrum Disorders are relatively common without known etiology can be found in 80-90% of cases. The aim of this study is to recognize the risk factors for Autistic Spectrum Disorders at Assiut City. The study was descriptive research design; it was conducted in all autism centers at Assiut city which includes 7 centers and included 47 parents who agree to participate in this study selected by convenient sample. The study included a structured interview sheet; this sheet divided into two parts Socio demographic characteristics, and parent’s knowledge about risk factors of Autism. The main findings of the study are: male represent a higher prevalence (72.3%) rate of autism than females (27.7%), and autistic children were more prevalent among families living in urban areas (80.9%) than rural (19.1%). The present study clears that (63.8%) of the fathers and 61.7% of the mothers had university level, the majority (85.1%) of autistic parents’ children hadn’t consanguinity degree while only (14.9%) from them had consanguinity from first degree (cousin), the vast majorities (97.9%) of studied children haven’t family history of autism; the present study found that all mothers of studied children hadn't any history of rubella, diabetes, thyroid and infectious diseases while only (4.3%) were exposed to eclampsia. The study recommended that, increase of public awareness about the risk factors of autism and its prevention by community leaders, mass media, and others especially at rural area. The curriculum of medicine and nursing faculties should include the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (risk factors, diagnosis and different treatment methods). Further studies should be conducted and gained a lot of attention for Autistic children and their parents.

Autism is a neurological disorder characterized by qualitative impairments in social interaction, qualitative impairments in communication, and restricted repetitive, stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities. Autistic Spectrum Disorders are relatively common without known etiology can be found in 80-90% of cases. The aim of this study is to recognize the risk factors for Autistic Spectrum Disorders at Assiut City. The study was descriptive research design; it was conducted in all autism centers at Assiut city which includes 7 centers and included 47 parents who agree to participate in this study selected by convenient sample. The study included a structured interview sheet; this sheet divided into two parts Socio demographic characteristics, and parent’s knowledge about risk factors of Autism. The main findings of the study are: male represent a higher prevalence (72.3%) rate of autism than females (27.7%), and autistic children were more prevalent among families living in urban areas (80.9%) than rural (19.1%). The present study clears that (63.8%) of the fathers and 61.7% of the mothers had university level, the majority (85.1%) of autistic parents’ children hadn’t consanguinity degree while only (14.9%) from them had consanguinity from first degree (cousin), the vast majorities (97.9%) of studied children haven’t family history of autism; the present study found that all mothers of studied children hadn't any history of rubella, diabetes, thyroid and infectious diseases while only (4.3%) were exposed to eclampsia. The study recommended that, increase of public awareness about the risk factors of autism and its prevention by community leaders, mass media, and others especially at rural area. The curriculum of medicine and nursing faculties should include the Autistic Spectrum Disorder (risk factors, diagnosis and different treatment methods). Further studies should be conducted and gained a lot of attention for Autistic children and their parents.

Renal failure is a life-threating condition in which there is a buildup of waste and fluid in the body due to severe deterioration of kidney function. The prevalence of both acute and chronic renal failure is high in the Arab World. The aim of this study: is to assess the nurses' knowledge and practice related to nursing care of children undergoing hemodialysis at Assiut city. Descriptive and analytic research design was adopted to meet the aim of this study. Subject and methods: This study was conducted in Pediatric Nephrology and Dialysis Unit in Assuit Children University Hospital, El–Mabarah Hospital and El–Eyman General Hospital. The study included convenience sample of 48 nurses from different Nephrology Units at Assiut City. There are two tools used for collecting data in the study, tool one is a structured interview questionnaire sheet consists of two parts: First Part concerned with personal data of the studied nurses as: nurses’ name and age. Second Part concerned with nurses knowledge regarding renal failure and hemodialysis. Tool two a structured observational checklist sheet to evaluate the nurses' practice Result: The main results of study demonstrated that there is no statistical significant difference between the nurses' knowledge and their practice regarding nursing care of children undergoing hemodialysis. There is statistical significant difference between the nurses' knowledge scores and their practice with age. Conclusion: The most of AUH nurses had higher score of knowledge related to renal failure and hemodialysis than the ministry of health hospitals. Nurse's practice regarding hemodialysis children in nephrology unit at Assiut university children hospital is higher than that of nurses working at the Ministry of Heath Hospitals. Recommendations: Continuous nursing educational and in-service training programs on Kidney dialysis to upgrade the knowledge and skills of practicing nurses, Periodic monitoring of nurses knowledge and practice to evaluate the level of nurses.