bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non‐necessary touch in the nursing care of elderly people
Authors: Routasalo Pirkko
Published: November 2003

This study describes the occurrence of non‐necessary touching, defined as spontaneous and emotional physical contact between the nurse and patient, in the nursing care of elderly people in long‐term care The analysis was based on observation of nursing situations, any verbal communication occurring in connection with touching was also recorded A total of 182 situations were studied in which 178 non‐necessary touches by the nurse and four by the patient were recorded Non‐necessary touching was used in connection with a wide range of activities making statements, making requests, waking up, encouraging, explaining, asking, comforting, teasing, telling off, hugging and thanking
Community psychiatric nurse education in the United Kingdom: 8 years of surveys and the issues raised
Authors: Bowers Len
Published: November 2003

Over the past 8 years annual surveys of the take‐up and development of community psychiatric nursing courses within the United Kingdom have been conducted under the auspices of the Standing Advisory Group on Community Psychiatric Nurse Education (SAGCPNE) They reveal a clear link between changes in funding structure and numbers of community psychiatric nurses (CPNs) undertaking training, with recently implemented arrangements resulting in rises in student numbers Rising numbers are not distributed evenly across course centres, with some courses showing more dramatic increases than others As a consequence of Project 2000 and the UKCC PREP (Post‐Registration Education and Practice policy), the surveys show that CPN courses have moved in many cases to diploma level and in some cases to degree level A number of issues are raised by the changes charted by the surveys Funding structures are set to change again within the next few years, and may have a negative impact upon CPN training Market pressures have led to greater secrecy over curriculum content at a time when more openness could lead to shared improvements and greater uniformity of courses In conjunction with these changes, government mental health policy has implications for CPN training These issues are discussed and some modest recommendations made
The management of the client with a leg ulcer: precarious nursing practice
Authors: Husband Linda Louise
Published: November 2003

The management of clients who present at the doctor's surgery with leg ulcers follows an accepted but often perilous course It is generally accepted custom and practice that the overall care of this client group is delegated to nurses without the medical practitioner first determining the nature of the underlying pathology The usual arrangement of care for patients with leg ulcers is such that the development of chronic wounds is almost inevitable The author, drawing on the medical and nursing literature and on the findings of her ongoing doctoral research, suggests that nurses in primary care should re‐examine this area of practice and consider alternative approaches that would emphasize the unique contribution professional nursing practice could bring to this patient group
Asking nurses about advocating for patients: ‘reactive’ and ‘proactive’ accounts
Authors: Snowball Jan
Published: November 2003

The concept of the nurse as patient advocate is not new, and the evolution of this role is briefly traced in this paper as a background to presenting the findings from a small‐scale qualitative study However, whilst there is much written there is a lack of empirical work describing nurses'understandings and experiences of advocacy and what there is often derives from the USA and centres on specialized groups such as mental health, paediatric or intensive care patients or those with a learning disability This study sought to explore understandings of the concept in a group of 15 adult nurses from general medical and surgical wards Audiotaped semi‐structured interviews were used for data collection Data were analysed using a method appropriate for qualitative studies Categories were generated and are presented here supported by direct participant quotes derived from the interview transcripts These include the importance of the therapeutic relationship as the key to advocacy, nurse and patient shared common humanity, the cultural environment of care in which advocacy occurs and descriptions of ‘reactive’ and ‘proactive’ dlevels of advocacy
Female genital mutilation: an overview
Authors: Wright Jane
Published: November 2003

The literature on female genital mutilation (also known as female circumcision) within a feminist theoretical context is discussed Issues of culture, politics and religion in the literature will be examined in relation to feminist thought and the paper will also assess the effects of female genital mutilation on women's health and status within developing societies Parallels with other similar practices in developed and developing countries will be drawn and policy strategies discussed
Does sharing a mother‐tongue affect how closely patients and nurses agree when rating the patient's pain, worry and knowledge?
Authors: Harrison Ann , Ahmed Busabir Ahlam , ObeidAl‐Kaabi Aha , Khahd Al‐Awadi Huda
Published: November 2003

A convenience sample of 50 hospitalized patients who had experienced major care from two nurses, one of whom shared their mother‐tongue (Arabic) and one of whom did not, were asked to rate, using 10‐point visual analogue scales, their current pain, worry about their medical condition, and knowledge about the medical investigations carried out The two nurses nominated by each patient were asked to rate their patient's pain, worry and knowledge using the same scales Pain assessments by the three respondent groups did not differ significantly, but only nurses sharing a mother‐tongue with the patient provided pain ratings which correlated significantly with those of their patients Both groups of nurses consistently rated patients as being more worried and more knowledgable than patients rated themselves Nurses, unlike patients, associated greater knowledge with greater worry The limitations of the study undertaken are reviewed Discussion centres on the implications of these findings for optimizing nursing care, including situations where nurse and patient do not share a cultural background and cannot converse readily
Effects of an environmental manipulation emphasizing client‐centred care on agitation and sleep in dementia sufferers in a nursing home
Authors: Matthews Ernest A , Farrell Gerald A , Blackmore AM
Published: November 2003

This study was designed to determine whether a change from a task‐oriented care approach to a client‐oriented care approach affects (a) the level of agitation and (b) 24‐hour sleep in residents suffering from dementia in a nursing home The levels of dementia and sleep of 33 nursing home residents were measured four times over 12 weeks (twice before and twice after the change in care approach) using the Cohen‐Mansfield agitation inventory and the dementia mood assessment scale Verbal agitation levels significantly decreased 6 to 8 weeks following the change, whereas more infrequent agitated behaviours, which were classified as ‘other’, significantly increased Daytime sleep increased initially after the change but then returned to baseline levels after 6 weeks While the main focus of the study was on residents ‘behaviour following an environmental manipulation, anecdotal observations of staff members interactions with residents indicated that they felt less rushed and were more tolerant of residents’ behaviour following the intervention
Is non‐judgemental care possible in the context of nurses' attitudes to patients' sexuality?
Authors: Hayter Mark
Published: November 2003

Developments in nursing practice in the United Kingdom are increasingly focusing on holistic models and approaches to care The recognition of the importance of sexuality and sexual orientation of patients is a significant aspect of holistic care This paper explores and discusses the literature in the arena of nurses' attitudes to patients' sexuality From this discussion the concept emerges that nursing needs to recognize the effect that attitudes towards patients' sexuality has on nursing care, and develop strategies that allow this to be reflected on The use of reflection facilitated by clinical supervision will be presented as a potential way forward
Intuition and rational decision‐making in professional thinking: a false dichotomy?
Authors: Cert Patrick Easen , Wilcockson Jane
Published: November 2003

A number of researchers have sought to understand what enables the ‘expert’ professional to achieve a rapid and effortless understanding of presenting situations Central to many of the explanations offered is the term ‘intuition’ It might be thought, therefore, that the word describes a coherent concept embracing certain related features and used with consistency A study of the literature suggests that this is not so ‘Intuition’ is more than a contested concept, it is also used in ways that lack both clarity and coherence Some of the confusion associated with the concept seems to stem from the belief that intuition is an irrational process As a consequence, it is assumed that intuition can be neither fully understood nor explained In this paper we discuss a number of issues relating to the nature of ‘intuition’ We argue that intuition may be understood as an irrational process that has a rational basis Intuitive thinking has certain essential features and involves the use of a sound, rational, relevant knowledge base in situations that, through experience, are so familiar that the person has learned how to recognize and act on appropriate patterns
Informal family caregiving to older people with dementia: research priorities for community psychiatric nursing
Authors: Adams Trevor
Published: November 2003

The paper reviews the literature relating to the provision of community psychiatric nursing to demented elderly people and their informal family caregivers, and develops priorities for research in that particular area of nursing Initially, the development of community psychiatric nursing with elderly demented people is examined Various theoretical models articulating the family's experience of dementia are examined as a basis for identifying various priorities for research in the area Empirical evidence relating to the efficacy of various interventions is briefly discussed Various priorities are made regarding the development of research relating to the development of community psychiatric nursing with elderly demented people and their informal caregivers Finally the paper is placed in the context of the present policy of refocusing psychiatric nursing on to people with serious and enduring mental disorders It is argued that this policy should include elderly demented people not just younger people with functional mental disorders
Discharge of elderly people from an accident and emergency department: evaluation of health visitor follow‐up
Authors: Runciman Phyllis , Currie Cohn T , Nicol Margaret , Green Lora
Published: November 2003

Elderly people discharged directly home from an accident and emergency department are known to be a vulnerable group The value of health visitor follow‐up in patients aged 75 years and over was assessed in a random controlled trial, 222 intervention patients were seen at home by a research health visitor shortly after discharge and screened for new dependency and support needs, appropriate community services then being offered These patients, and 192 controls for whom no special arrangements were made, were followed up four weeks later by a research occupational therapist New dependency, most commonly trauma‐related, was found in approximately 50%, and in the majority proved transient Advice and/or referral to a wide range of services was offered to 92% of the intervention group Service refusal rates were high in both groups Compared to controls, intervention patients received more services and were significantly more independent at four weeks Health visitor assessment was seen as helpful In order to identify elderly accident and emergency department
Quantitative methods in nursing research
Authors: Abrams Keith R , Scragg Alison M
Published: November 2003

This paper considers some of the general principles that are common to much of quantitative research in nursing In particular, the role of hypothesis testing is considered, and the use of estimation is emphasized Confidence intervals are advocated as a means of assessing both statistical and clinical significance These principles and methods are illustrated using examples taken from the nursing literature Finally, more complicated situations and the role of design are discussed
Nursing theory: everything the artist spits is art?
Authors: Timpson Joanne
Published: November 2003

This paper explores the concept and utility of nursing theory in and for the practice of nursing Working from the premise that many nurse practitioners appear uncertain as to the value of theory in relation to their everyday working experience, the paper investigates the contribution nursing theory makes in terms of sustaining and developing nursing as a practice discipline The fact that nursing theory remains at once poorly evaluated, articulated or understood appears to be compounded by a general perception of nurse theorists as being removed from the realities of the practice setting and by the confusion precipitated, not least, by the semantic ambiguity engendered by their writings The paper reviews the complex relationships extant between the development of nursing theory m regard to its utility for nursing practice, and concludes by suggesting a practice‐led perspective by which nursing theory may be better articulated and assimilated with in the discipline In order to facilitate the study, it has been necessary to investigate the historical, theoretical and philosophical imperatives pertaining not only to the development of nursing theory but to nursing research and nursing practice per se
Nursing students'experiences caring for cognitively impaired elderly people
Authors: Beck Cheryl Tatano
Published: November 2003

Over the next half century the population of moderately to severely demented individuals is projected to nearly triple Because high complex technology is usually not required in the care of cognitively impaired elderly people, these individuals may be the first patients nursing students are assigned to care for Despite the fact that these elderly people do not require ‘high tech’ care, then‐nursing care can be extremely challenging for nursing students In order to help prepare nursing students to meet this challenge, a phenomenological study was conducted to describe the meaning of nursing students'experiences caring for cognitively impaired elderly people Thirty‐seven undergraduate nursing students participated in the study Each student described in writing an experience he/she had had while caring for a cognitively impaired elderly person Using Colaizzi's phenomenological method to analyse these descriptions, five themes emerged Nursing students experienced a myriad of emotions such as frustration, sadness, fear and empathy Caring for cognitively impaired elderly people presented difficult challenges for nursing students to overcome Because of the difficulties encountered in caring for confused elderly people, nursing students utilized multiple nursing care approaches As a result of giving care to elderly people suffering from dementia, negative consequences ensued for some nursing students The positive outweighed the negative consequences in the phenomenological study Implications for nurse educators are addressed
The development of community psychiatric nursing: a professional project?
Authors: Godin Paul
Published: November 2003

In this paper the author argues that the development of community psychiatric nursing can be understood as a professional project However, the case of community psychiatric nursing cannot be adequately understood from mainstream literature on the subject of professionalization within the health care division of labour The inadequacy of such literature is that it either concentrates upon the pre‐eminent case of medicine or regards nursing's professionalization as being unitary The author posits that the professional projects of general nursing and community psychiatric nursing have different and even opposing interests To contextualize community psychiatric nurses'(CPNs') professional project the author examines the history of mental nursing, from which community psychiatric nursing evolved, the development of community mental health care, which allowed for the inception of community psychiatric nursing, CPNs'relationships with both psychiatrists, whose patronage assisted CPNs'initial growth as para‐professionals, and general practitioners, who later assisted a more functionally autonomous role for CPNs in primary care, and social policy towards community care that enhanced CPNs'growth In conclusion the author argues that recent government‐led changes in the management of community mental health care now impel CPNs to change the direction of their strategy for occupational survival and advancement
Health maintenance for the independent frail older adult: can it improve physical and mental well‐being?
Authors: Dungan Joyce M , Brown Abby V , Ramsey Mildred A
Published: November 2003

This descriptive study measured outcomes of a health maintenance programme (HMP) of regular exercise, health teaching and group participation on physical and mental well‐being in a convenience sample of frail older adults living independently Hand strength, range of motion (flexibility) and blood pressure were used as indicators of physical well‐being Self‐esteem and life satisfaction were used as indicators of mental health A pre‐test/post‐test design was used taking all measurements before starting the programme and after a 6‐month interval of participation Paired t‐tests of mean change scores, with each participant acting as his or her own control, showed statistical improvement in systolic blood pressure and range of motion in right ankle and in self‐esteem and life satisfaction using visual analogue scales Clinical improvement was demonstrated in all measurements and by participant evaluation of the programme
A concept analysis of empathy
Authors: Wiseman Theresa
Published: November 2003

The concept of empathy lies amid much confusion This analysis addresses that confusion using Walker and Avant's model of concept analysis, and looks at what empathy is is it trait or state, is it dynamic or static, and how is it recognized and measured' Implications of these findings are discussed, limitations of the study are acknowledged and areas for further work suggested
Do women want women health workers? Women's views of the primary health care service
Authors: Brooks Fiona , Phillips David
Published: November 2003

This paper sets out to explore key aspects of women's views of women GPs and practice nurses within primary health care settings The extent to which women actively seek female health workers for the provision of their primary health care needs, including preventive health care, is examined The findings presented m this paper are from a 3‐year research project employing both quantitative and qualitative methods, which aimed to develop an understanding of the role women primary health care workers play in the construction and provision of primary health care services for women The findings indicate that for specific ‘women's health issues’ the gender of the worker is clearly important for women However, for other health needs factors such as the personal approach of the provider become paramount Consideration of the role of the practice nurse suggests that there is considerable potential for practice nurses to further develop a specific role with women Although lack of awareness among women of nursing skills and expertise raises issues for the presentation of the role of the practice nurse within the primary health care service In conclusion the paper highlights that women's views should be understood in terms of a complex range of preferences and needs
Looking at discourse in a literature review of nursing texts
Authors: Traynor Michael
Published: November 2003

The issue of knowledge has generated much literature, recently from writers influenced by post‐modernism These writers argue that an epistemological space has existed since the time of the Enlightenment with which anyone concerned with value or truth has to grapple The analysis of nursing texts detailed in this paper gives an account of such grappling The link between discourse, knowledge and power is also explored Using a discourse analysis approach, this paper offers an examination of nursing texts on research, education, professionalization or conceptualizations known as nursing models It argues that groups in nursing have responded to the dominant biomedical discourse by seeking to re‐establish their activities within a different discourse, one involving caring, holism and, within research, a qualitative approach Others have aligned their search for appropriate truth claims with feminist projects After examining some of these responses, this paper attempts to point to some of the problems of aligning a professional strategy with one of political emancipation and philosophical shift The paper argues that the issue of a philosophical and moral base for nursing is particularly crucial at a time when so‐called market rationalism dominates not only in health care but in an increasing range of human activities
'Knowing the patient': a review of research on an emerging concept
Authors: Radwin Laurel E
Published: November 2003

Knowing the patient is an important concept emerging from recent studies of nursing practice The concept is relevant to therapeutic decision‐making Also, knowing the patient actualizes a cherished value in nursing the treatment of persons as unique individuals Investigators described that knowing the patient comprises two components the nurse's understanding of the patient and the selection of individualized interventions In addition, the nurse's experience with caring for patients, chronological time and a sense of closeness between the patient and nurse, are three factors consistently related to knowing the patient The concept has implications for practice, including that knowing the patient may result m positive patient outcomes Also, expert nurse decision‐making may be characterized by knowing the patient Recommendations for further research in this area include the clarification and refinement of the concept, as well as the examination of relationships between knowing the patient and outcomes of care
Nurses'conceptualizations of caring attitudes and behaviours
Authors: Dyson Jane
Published: November 2003

This paper outlines a study, which provided a pilot for part of a larger research project, to investigate Nurses'conceptualizations of caring The report gives an overview of previous work related to defining the concept of care before outlining the study undertaken A sample of nine qualified nurses was used and Kelly's repertory grid technique employed to elicit constructs within the concepts of caring attitudes and caring behaviours Grid data were analysed using cluster analysis and nine common themes were identified These themes were largely supportive of previous research studies It is proposed that in developing a theory of care, a synthesis should occur between Nurses'conceptualizations of the concept and their professional practice
Culture and the self: implications for the perception of depression by Australian and Vietnamese nursing students
Authors: Fry Anne J , Nguyen Tiep
Published: November 2003

The theoretical influence of self‐concept on cognitive and emotional aspects of behaviour was tested in an exploratory survey of 187 Australian and Vietnamese student nurse participants Symptoms of depression were depicted in either a family scenario or a context‐free list and were rated for perceived depression utilizing the Hopkins Symptom Checklist‐25 (HSCL‐25) Narrative data were also obtained Australians perceived significantly more depression than the Vietnamese who normalized the behaviours There was a significant interaction between culture and the context of depression, whereby the Vietnamese, in contrast with the Australians, perceived greater depression in the family scenario than in the list Thematic analysis of narrative data assisted interpretation by revealing Vietnamese themes of family and disruption of social harmony, philosophical and temporal approach to life and judgementalism Australians were more focused on individual concerns such as psychological disturbance and the need for independence Implications for transcultural nursing were drawn
Physical and social correlates of perceived psychological support among hospitalized AIDS patients
Authors: Kataoka‐Yahiro Merle R , Portillo Carmen J , Henry DNSc Suzanne , Holzemer William L
Published: November 2003

Persons living with HIV disease are faced with a broad array of physical and psychosocial problems across the trajectory of their illness Almost all will be hospitalized for nursing care during the course of their disease The purpose of this study was to explore the physical health and social correlates of perceived psychological support among hospitalized AIDS patients The sample consisted of 168 AIDS patients hospitalized with Pneumocystis carinu pneumonia (PCP) Each patient rated his or her psychological support and physical condition on a scale of 1–10 Self‐care ability was measured by the Quality Audit Marker Physiological and social variables were obtained from an audit of the patient record Stepwise regression analysis by sets indicated that only 12% of the variance was explained by the antecedent variables of physical health (self‐care ability, white blood count, perception of physical condition, and first PCP admission) and social (living alone and insurance status) correlates Self‐care ability and living alone were found to be significant predictors of self‐rating of perceived psychological support in this sample Further research is needed in the area of perceived psychological support among hospitalized AIDS patients as a basis for providing quality nursing care
Necrotizing fasciitis: a nursing perspective
Authors: Douglas Mary
Published: November 2003

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) has been around for many years but recent media attention has brought attention to this potentially fatal disease This paper examines the most recent descriptions of NF, and describes initial as well as advanced stages of the infection Treatment of NF is widely agreed upon by physicians in that broad spectrum antibiotics and immediate debridement are crucial to patient outcome Recent thoughts as to immune system response are briefly explored The client presented is an extremely unusual case where spontaneous remission occurred after 4 days, and so gives rise to the potential immune system theory
A theoretical framework created from a repertory grid analysis of graduate nurses in relation to the feelings they experience in clinical practice
Authors: White Alan
Published: November 2003

This paper outlines a theoretical framework that was created as a result of an investigation into the feelings graduate nurses have towards clinical practice The framework offers an explanation of the complexity of emotions which need to be considered when considering why it is that people react in the way they do to their environment The study from which this framework emerged was a repertory grid analysis of six graduates from an English university in their first year of practice From the elicited constructs six themes emerged feelings related to connectedness, feelings related to job satisfaction, feelings related to effectiveness, feelings related to ability, feelings related to threat to self, and feelings related to pressure of work
Labouring the emotions: expanding the remit of nursing work?
Authors: Phillips Sue
Published: November 2003

Emotional labour has been an important topic of debate in nursing because of its perceived importance to those involved in the delivery of health care and to those patients who receive that care The purpose of this paper is to consider what, if anything, this discussion has contributed to the sociological analysis of health care A number of contributions to that analysis emerge First, the discussion has revealed that emotional labour is a sizeable component of health care work which makes considerable demands on those delivering health care Second, emotional labour has consequences for the position of women, for nurses and for patients, in the health care workplace and in wider society Finally, the discussion on emotional labour has revealed a tension between the generally accepted theoretical move towards holism in health care and the practical reality of applying holistic health care in a society which continues to hold the scientific/biomedical paradigm in high regard
Nurses' accounts of cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Authors: Page Susie , Meerabeau Liz
Published: November 2003

The relationship between theory and practice has received considerable attention within the nursing literature This paper uses qualitative data from debriefing interviews with nurses following episodes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to illustrate the complexities of translating sanitized theory into the messiness of practice The interplay of affect and cognition on both learning from experience and on professional practice are explored The feelings engendered by the CPR event and the labour required for their management form the second and major part of the paper These are explored by examining the realities of a CPR event with its accompanying threat of death success and failure, dignity versus indignity and the place of appropriate emotions throughout
Using Spradley: an ethnosemantic approach to research
Authors: Parfitt Barbara A
Published: November 2003

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the use of Spradley's (1979) Developmental Research Sequence (DRS) as a research method In a recent study which I have carried out exploring the practice of expatriate nurses, I chose to use this method for data collection and analysis One major reason for the choice was that as a method within the qualitative paradigm it offered an explicit, systematic and rigorous approach to the collection and collation of the research data The aim of my study was to explore the common experience of expatriate nurses working in developing countries in primary health care and to identify the common values that influenced their practice DRS utilizes an ethnoscientific approach which incorporates a systematic study of the way of life of an individual or a community or group of people, understood through the process of ethnosemantic analysis or the study of the meaning within language Or more simply, it offers a way of understanding something of the reality of another person's experience from the way that he or she talks about it A major assumption of the method is that cultural groups or individuals organize their knowledge and subsequent rules for behaviour on the basis of culturally designated similarities and differences The paper sets out the DRS method using examples from my study It provides an opportunity to share my experience of using this method with others
Breaking the boundaries between nursing and sociology: a critical realist ethnography of the theory‐practice gap
Authors: Porter Sam , Ryan Sandra
Published: November 2003

This paper is a response to the challenges laid down by Hannah Cooke in a paper in the Journal of Advanced Nursing entitled ‘Boundary work in the nursing curriculum the case of sociology’ (Cooke 1993a) In her paper, Cooke noted that the outlook of nursing and sociology are inimicable because nursing's concentration on individuals is at variance with sociology's concern with wider social issues We argue that it is possible for nursing research to give due attention to social structures without losing its focus on individuals One methodology that could facilitate this broadening of nursing's epistemological boundaries is critical realist ethnography, which works under the assumption that the relationship between social structures and individual actors involves a two‐way process, in that while the enablements and constraints imposed by structures influence individual actions, those actions in turn either maintain or transform social structures To demonstrate how such a methodology could be applied in nursing research, we work through a case study concerning the theory–practice gap, arguing that the gap is neither the result of clinicians' ignorance of nor antipathy to theory, but is largely generated by the lack of resources enjoyed by nurses, which in turn is a reflection of the social structure of capitalism within which nurses operate
Reflection as infiltration: learning in the experiential domain
Authors: Andrew Mary Elisabeth
Published: November 2003

This paper discusses part of an ethnomethodological study of a short, post‐registration course in communication in palliative care The study describes the different perceptions, expectations and reflections of the participants and the facilitators as they engaged together in learning through role‐play, simulated interviews with patients and discussion The emotionally challenging nature of experiential teaching in palliative care appeared to present the facilitators of the course with a number of dilemmas The facilitators' reflections upon these dilemmas appeared to lead them to develop a series of strategies in an attempt to resolve them During the study it became clear that some aspects of these strategies were withheld from the participants These strategies and the reasoning behind them are described together with the participants ‘response The study demonstrates how the participants’ reflections upon the facihtatorled exercises led them to infiltrate the strategies adopted by the facilitators The purpose of these strategies and the significance of the participants' unearthing of them are interpreted within the conceptual framework of Schon's ‘reflective practitioner’ The findings are discussed in relation to current nurse education and the possible implications for curriculum planning and development
An exploration of parental perception of the nature and level of support needed to care for their child with special needs*
Authors: Hall Sandra
Published: November 2003

This paper is part of a study attempting to identify parental perception of support necessary to care for their child with special needs The existing literature has been analysed, revealing a paucity of studies relating to the parents' perception The study gathered data from questionnaires administered to 25 randomly selected parents who have children with special needs, exploring multi‐disciplinary support The other method used was conducting three semi structured interviews, with parents known to the paediatric team in the locality being studied The health professionals input, respite care and overall level of support have been studied from the questionnaires The interviews highlighted many areas where the paediatric community nurse could fulfil some of the parents' support needs The response rate was 19 questionnaires returned, covering 21 children, as two families had two children with special needs The results indicate that half the parents were satisfied with the support they received, with the main groups giving support being education and relatives, followed by health and social services
Professional nursing care in Tanzania: a descriptive study of nursing care in Ilembula Lutheran Hospital in Tanzania
Authors: Juntunen Anitta , Nikkonen Merja
Published: November 2003

The purpose of this ethnonursing study is to find new knowledge of the professional nursing care practised in a Bantu cultural context in Tanzania The main questions are How do Bantu nurses describe nursing? What components are there in professional nursing care in Ilembula Lutheran Hospital? The data were collected through participant observation, interviews and personal working diaries in Ilembula Lutheran Hospital Six Tanzaman nurses were interviewed The findings indicated that nursing was based on formal training on one hand, and on a natural mother‐child relationship on the other hand The idea of respect towards life, which is central to the Bantu philosophy of life, guided nursing care In professional nursing care there emerged curing and caring components Protection, encouragement and comfort were distinguished as the main constructs of caring
Qualified nurses lack adequate knowledge related to oral health, resulting in inadequate oral care of patients on medical wards
Authors: Adams Rachel
Published: November 2003

This study tested the theoretical proposition that qualified nurses lack adequate knowledge related to oral health, resulting in inadequate oral care of patients on medical wards The research was undertaken in a local district general hospital during January 1995 The project aimed to look at local practices of qualified nurses related to oral care of patients hospitalized in medical wards Extent of knowledge and current practice of care was examined using a questionnaire Open and closed style questions were used The sample comprised nurses on one elderly care ward and three general medical wards and the sample size was 34 The results revealed gaps in knowledge of oral care procedures In particular, a lack of assessment and documentation was highlighted However, the nurses indicated a high level of interest at updating themselves in this area of nursing The limitations of this study are discussed
The concept of hardiness: a brief but critical commentary
Authors: Low Jacqueline
Published: November 2003

This paper is a brief critique of the concept of hardiness While the concept is appealing in its potential to elucidate the relationships between stress, health and illness, I argue that there are problems with how the concept is defined, measured and applied In particular, the usefulness of the concept is diminished through class and gender bias
The study of biology as a cause of anxiety in student nurses undertaking the common foundation programme
Authors: Nicoll Lynne , Butler Michele
Published: November 2003

The subject of biology was identified as a cause of anxiety amongst student nurses on the common foundation programme (CFP), both verbally and in each of the written course evaluations, at a college of nursing and midwifery in the South of England The aim of this study was to identify the major causes of anxiety and identify methods of reducing this anxiety in the present students, as well as minimizing anxiety in those students commencing their nurse education Action research was considered the most appropriate design for this study Student nurse participation was encouraged throughout the study (n = 66) A modified Delphi technique was used to identify and prioritize the causes of anxiety and a student quality circles group was formed for the purpose of problem solving by the students This stimulated some of the biology teachers to form biology sub‐groups to consider the students' proposals Many changes were implemented A focus group data collection method was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the relevant changes for the present students The meeting was recorded and the tape examined for relevant data The data indicated that although the students perceive biology as a subject that causes anxiety they did acknowledge that many of the changes made by the teachers were a positive step towards reducing the anxiety Although the results were encouraging, it is noted that to gain a true understanding of the effect of the changes, further evaluation would need to be completed The use of triangulation may be considered more appropriate to enhance the quality of the data obtained
Student evaluation: a performance indicator of quality in nurse education
Authors: Cowman Seamus
Published: November 2003

This study, which forms part of a doctoral thesis, is derived from the increasing demand for economic models of nurse education as a process within a wider economic agenda which converts inputs (e g training costs) into outputs (e g registered nurses) In such a climate the pursuance and determination of quality in nurse education should be of fundamental concern to the nursing profession The development of models for evaluation and measurement of quality must take due cognisance of the stakeholders ‘interests and concerns, and student nurses, as the consumers of nurse education, must be regarded as major stakeholders This paper describes the use of the course experience questionnaire, an instrument designed to investigate the students’ perspective on teaching and learning The study incorporates a comparative analysis between Project 2000 students in Northern Ireland and students in the apprenticeship programme in the Republic of Ireland, from general, psychiatric, sick children's and mental handicap nursing This comparative analysis does provide the nursing profession with a level of feedback on which to make decisions in the interest of quality Nurse teachers should examine potential reasons why their programmes are poorly or highly rated and the actions that may be required to remedy imperfections on the one hand and the actions that may be taken to promote excellence on the other As nurse education continues to forge links with universities, nurse teachers, by adopting student evaluation as a performance indicator, can maximize an essential element in the web of public accountability
An evaluation of community nursing services for HIV/AIDS patients in Lothian, Scotland
Authors: Atkinson F Ian , Grant I , Lewis R , Sherval J
Published: November 2003

This paper reports on a postal questionnaire survey of district nurses' work with HIV positive patients Each nurse was asked to provide information about their contact with HIV positive patients and the level of training they had received in HIV/AIDS care The nature of nursing activities carried out for these patients was established along with levels of confidence the nurses had in being able to provide a high standard of care Where the nurses indicated less than full confidence they were asked to indicate what factors predisposed then‐ response Questionnaires were completed by 101 district nurses On average, each nurse made 1 25 visits to HTV‐infected patients in the two weeks preceding the study The nursing activities most commonly carried out for these patients were providing advice/counselling, carer support, general nursing care and specialist treatments The activities least commonly earned out were technical procedures, tests and assessments Nurses were most confident in providing a high standard in relation to general nursing care and least confident that high standards were being achieved in providing specialist treatments The most frequently encountered explanations offered by the district nurses for their lack of confidence in achieving a high standard were a lack of specialist training and a lack of experience with HIV‐infected patients
The theory‐practice gap in nursing: a new dimension
Authors: Hewison Ahstair , Wlldman Stuart
Published: November 2003

The existence of a theory‐practice gap in nursing in the United Kingdom has been an issue of concern for many years However recent events have resulted in a new dimension of the theory‐practice gap emerging This paper explores the origins of the contrasting values attributed to nurses and health care managers and identifies areas of conflict It is argued that the theory‐practice gap in nursing is being compounded by a more fundamental divergence of approaches to the delivery of health care and that this represents a major challenge to nurse educators Nursing is at a crossroads in its development, and if it is to survive it must incorporate some elements of the new managerialism whilst demonstrating to managers the importance of recognizing professional values The future of nursing can be secured, but it will involve partnership and cooperation with the new managers
Demand for post‐qualifying professional education in the health care sector in England
Authors: Calpm‐Davies Philomena J
Published: November 2003

The British National Health Service is proposing to establish local consortia for educational contracting, with the wider involvement and responsibility being devolved to service providers This paper addresses the economic considerations of purchasing post‐qualifying professional education in the English hospital sector, for hospital nurses, doctors and physiotherapists in England
Understanding healing: a conceptual analysis
Authors: Wendler M Cecilia
Published: November 2003

The practice of the healing arts has been a part of human history since ancient times Despite the development of related scholarly concepts in nursing such as caring, healing remains an enigma Using conceptual analysis a clear definition of healing within a Rogerian/Newmaman framework is explicated Case development assists in the understanding of healing as a concept, and questions arising from this definition provide focus for further scholarly work A result of this process of concept analysis was the development of a definition of healing which is clear and which fits the theoretical underpinnings of the unitary‐transformative paradigm Healing, as a core variable of interest in the study of health, provides important parameters for study The definition of healing which arose from the concept analysis is Healing is an experiential, energy‐requiring process in which space is created through a caring relationship in a process of expanding consciousness and results in a sense of wholeness, integration, balance and transformation and which can never be fully known