bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A symbolic awareness context identified through a grounded theory study of health visiting
Authors: Cowley Sarah
Published: December 2006

The purpose of the study, which is not yet complete, was one of theory building or conceptualization This was needed because of a lack of information about how health visitors identify which approach to use within any particular situation An overview of the method of grounded theory explains how data were collected and analysed Then, one major aspect of the emerging theory – a symbolic awareness context which seems to surround and influence interactions between health visitors and their clients – is outlined The analysis suggests that, when the interaction is examined in context, any one question, purpose or topic selected by health visitor or client as a specific focus, forms only a relatively small component part of the whole Strategies which enhance openness and consonance within the context are detailed The awareness context has implications for health visiting practice and organization
Theories of self‐care: their relevance to chemotherapy‐induced nausea and vomiting
Authors: Richardson Alison
Published: December 2006

Nausea and vomiting are reputed to be two of the most disruptive side‐effects associated with chemotherapy Pharmacological and behavioural interventions are well described in the literature, but sparse attention appears to have been focused upon the role of self‐care This paper outlines the problem of chemotherapy‐induced nausea and vomiting The concept of self‐care is described, including possible motivations to perform self‐care, and potential relationships between symptom perception and self‐care are noted It concludes with suggestions for theoretical work and future research studies concerning self‐care behaviour for nausea and vomiting induced by chemotherapy
Factors which influence how nurses communicate with cancer patients
Authors: Wilkinson Susie
Published: December 2006

Communication is one of the most important aspects of cancer nursing Evidence suggests nurses experience communication difficulties and frequently block patients from divulging their worries or concerns This paper focuses on a study which aimed to determine (a) the extent to which nurses facilitate or block patients and awareness of their verbal behaviours, (b) whether there is a relationship between nurses' verbal behaviours and levels of anxiety, social support, work support and attitude to death, and (c) nurses' difficulties in caring for cancer patients The study was conducted in a specialist and non‐specialist hospital Fifty‐four registered nurses completed three audio‐taped histories (one with a new cancer patient, a patient with a recurrence and a patient for pallative care), a self‐administered questionnaire and a semi‐structured audio‐taped interview The data were analysed using SPSSX The findings indicate an overall poor level of facilitative communication, with a patient's recurrence causing most difficulties There is evidence to suggest the way nurses communicate may depend on the environment created by the ward sister, the nurses' religious beliefs and attitude to death rather than specific education in communication skills
Symptom patterns in women with premenstrual syndrome complaints: a prospective assessment using a marker for ovulation and screening criteria for adequate ovarian function
Authors: Sveinsdottir Herdis , Reame Nancy
Published: December 2006

This study examined the symtom patterns of women seeking help for Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS) complaints Seven women who were less than 35 yrs, within 10% of ideal body weight and who had experienced a full‐term pregnancy, completed a daily health diary during an ovulatory menstrual cycle In the luteal phase, symptom summary scores of the PMS group increased (P<0 05) and were markedly higher (P<0 5) from baseline acyclic scores of four ovulatory women who denied menstrual‐related distress To examine seventy changes in individual symptoms, a total of 399 cases representing 57 symptoms from the seven 45‐day diaries were evaluated for menstrual cycle entrainment Of the 246 symptoms that met the criteria for a cycle phase change (62%), the classic PMS pattern of low/high seventy was the most common (40%) Seven different subtypes of the PMS pattern were identified, four of these subtypes demonstrated a seventy score elevation at ovulation as well as during the premenstruum For individual women, the majority of symptoms (65%) displayed only two pattern types, suggesting a common rhythmic entrainment of symptom intensity
A participant observation study of power relations between nurses and doctors in a general hospital
Authors: Porter Sam
Published: December 2006

The problem addressed in this paper is how nurse‐doctor power relations are manifested in a hospital setting A review of the literature identified four major ideal types of interaction between nurses and doctors in decision‐making processes These were unproblematic subordination, informal covert decision making, informal overt decision making and formal overt decision making on the part of nurses Each of these types was tested against empirical data gained from participant observation of interactions between the nurses and doctors working in an intensive care unit and a general medical ward It was concluded that while both the unproblematic subordination and the informal covert decision‐making types of interaction appeared superficially to be used frequently, closer examination revealed that, with the exception of nurse‐consultant interactions, nurses were less dependent on these subordinate modes of interaction than much of the literature suggested Formal overt decision making, despite official encouragement, was also infrequently utilized However, it was noticed that senior nurses especially used informal overt strategies to involve themselves in decision‐making sequences Use of such strategies had the effect of reducing though not eliminating the power differential between doctors and nurses
Role conflict in student nurses: towards a positive approach for the 1990s
Authors: Shead Helen
Published: December 2006

This review paper seeks to adopt a constructive approach towards the subject of the role conflict experienced by student nurses The significance of role conflict is explored, as are its causes and its effects on the student Role conflict is then discussed from the perspectives of social psychology in general and nursing in particular, and the paper concludes with an emphasis on the role of the nurse educator in helping the students deal actively and constructively with the role conflict that they will inevitably experience during their careers in nursing
The epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease in children: a pilot project
Authors: Joachim Gloria
Published: December 2006

A major shady about the epidemiology of inflammatory bowel disease in children was planned A pilot study of pre‐morbid variables among 42 children with the disease was undertaken Conducting a pilot study was an essential component of the research process, both in refining the data collection instrument and in maximizing the use of technology Results of the pilot study are described and the way in which they were used to prepare a better major study are discussed
Project 2000: the role of resistance in the process of professional growth
Authors: Robinson Jill
Published: December 2006

This paper attempts to use the work of Peter Marris on loss and change to provide a theoretical perspective on the role of resistance in the process of professional growth Nurse education is highlighted as an area of radical change with the implementation of Project 2000 in the United Kingdom Early data generated by exploratory work in one Project 2000 demonstration district are used to illustrate the potential emergence of areas of resistance to major educational reform It is argued that resistance to change has an adaptive function and is a necessary precursor to professional growth It is not necessarily indicative of intransigence but rather should be seen as part of any process of adaptation to changes which might undermine the validity of past systems of understanding the world in which we live
Conceptual frameworks and patterns of nursing curriculum
Authors: Sohn Kum Sook
Published: December 2006

Common concepts of conceptual frameworks and curriculum patterns are identified by studying all 18 English‐speaking, generic baccalaureate nursing programmes in Canada Four identified curriculum patterns use client systems, health illness, growth and development, and nursing roles as the primary curriculum organizer to sequence programme courses The nursing programmes commonly use nursing process, followed by growth and development, human needs, and family as secondary organizers to structure contents of programme course Identifying a curriculum by its organizers is useful to curriculum practice and research Nursing faculty can use the identified organizers as primary or secondary organizers in designing, changing or evaluating their curriculum It is also possible to use a nursing model with the identified organizers for an effective curriculum structure Research studies on conceptual frameworks could use primary and secondary organizers to compare strength and weakness among different nursing curriculum structures
The language of experiential learning
Authors: Burnard Philip
Published: December 2006

Experiential learning has been advocated as a means of helping students to learn about aspects of nursing This paper reports an analysis of two language styles identified during a research project that explored nurse tutors' and students' percephons of experiential learning Twelve nurse tutors and 12 student nurses were interviewed and the transcripts were analysed using a modified grounded theory approach The aspect of the findings reported here is that of the emergence of two language styles' used by some of the writers and practitioners in the field of experiential learning It is suggested that those language styles may form a ‘culture isogloss' or barrier between tutors and students
Conflicting paradigms of health visiting: a continuing debate for professional practice
Authors: Twinn Sheila F
Published: December 2006

The interpretation of health visiting practice has formed the focus of a professional debate amongst practitioners and those involved in health visiting education for many years More recently, changes in nurse education, government legislation and general anxiety about the future of health visiting have added to the intensity of the debate. In re‐examining the conceptual origins of health visiting, this paper proposes one possible explanation for this phenomenon in which the author describes four conflicting paradigms of practice The author argues that it is the tendency of practitioners to adopt one specific paradigm of practice which has contributed to the continuing debate and current professional uncertainty experienced by health visitors The author goes on to suggest a conceptual framework for practice developed from an epistemology of practice grounded in reflection in practice and the principles of health visiting It is argued that this approach to practice allows practitioners to reconsider their practice in terms of the values and beliefs underpinning health visiting rather than identified tasks and client groups It may also provide practitioners with the opportunity of developing and adapting strategies to meet current health needs rather than the traditions of practice
Changes initiated by a nursing supervision programme: an analysis based on log‐linear models
Authors: Paunonen Manta
Published: December 2006

The paper discusses the effects of a nursing supervision programme on nursing practices, more specifically on how nurses take their patients' needs into account The analysis is based on the need theory by Yura and Walsh and examines the changes initiated by the programme on the basis of the subjects' own experiences The study was earned out in three Finnish public health care organizations A total of 26 specially trained nurses took part in the supervision programme The data were collected by a questionnaire immediately before and after the programme and, in order to evaluate long‐term effects, 1 year later Log‐linear models were the main method of analysis The results indicate that the programme had some very favourable effects According to the nurses involved, their freedom of action and willingness to act, as well as nursing activity itself, had greatly improved The change was most noticeable in the case of willingness to act. The nurses also felt that the programme had helped them to understand better the relationship between these three components The results provide some useful clues with regard to the effects of nursing routines and the organization's nursing culture on the nurse's job and her activity
South African nurses' opinions of different organizations: policy implications
Authors: Rispel Laetitia , Buch Eric
Published: December 2006

There has been considerable debate in South Africa as to what type of organization would best represent the interests of nurses and facilitate their contribution to the achievement of changes in health care This paper reports the background to and findings of the opinions of nurses in South Africa of different organizations, namely a professional nursing association, a health worker organization and a trade union The results of the survey show that the South African Nursing Association has performed reasonably in meeting nurses' professional needs, but poorly in meeting their socio‐economic needs. There is dissatisfaction with some of the Association's policies, widespread ignorance about trade unions and health worker organizations and resistance to strike action The policy implications of the findings for the future organization of nurses in South Africa are explored
Assessing patients’pain: identifying reasons for error
Authors: Harrison Ann
Published: December 2006

Accurate pain assessment is vital for good medical care, and yet the literature indicates that nurses often provide inaccurate and biased estimates of their patients’pain The following paper reviews the methods used to assess nurses’accuracy, and reasons offered for the errors observed Practical options for improving pain assessment and pain management are discussed
The Burford Nursing Development Unit holistic model of nursing practice
Authors: Johns Christopher
Published: December 2006

This paper offers a new approach for developing a model of nursing emerging from and hence inherently compatible with a philosophy for practice It builds on the author's earlier work of describing a paradigm for writing a philosophy for practice The model is that of the Burford Nursing Development Unit in Oxfordshire, England
A study of the teaching and learning of the biological sciences in nurse education
Authors: Courtenay Molly
Published: December 2006

The study was designed to explore the teaching and learning of the biological sciences in nurse education m an attempt to identify why some students are failing to support their practice with theory Questionnaires were sent to third‐year nurse students (n= 140) and nurse teachers (n= 43) in three schools of nursing Several findings emerged from the study (a) the balance between the behavioural and biological sciences in nurse education was perceived by the students as being too much in favour of the behavioural sciences, (b) the level of knowledge from the biological science taught was perceived by the students as being inappropriate for RGN training, (c) teachers felt inadequately prepared to teach the biological science and, similarly, nurse students felt inadequately prepared in these sciences, and (d) self‐directed methods of teaching and learning, although used most frequently, were perceived by the students as being the most ineffective
An analysis of the concept of experience
Authors: Watson Stephen J
Published: December 2006

This paper is an analysis of the concept of experience It begins with an examination of some of the methods used m concept analysis Following this, an eclectic approach is taken by the combination of many aspects from some of the analysis methods discussed It shows that the term experience is used m four ways in normal nursing usage exposure to a particular event, emotion, information or situation, time spent in the service of nursing, the amount of knowledge gamed over a period of time, and an event, situation or emotion Various methods are used then to define experience and to delineate the meaning of experience in the profession of nursing It is made clear that the measurement of experience in quantitative terms is widespread, but that measurement m qualitative terms is less well understood, but may prove to be more important
The ethical enterprise of nursing
Authors: Allmark Peter
Published: December 2006

This paper examines the ethical nature of nursing Examples are taken from coronary care units A critical view is taken whereby it is felt that nursing models do not truly reflect this nature It is suggested that nurses make most ethical decisions without dilemma using intuition The traditions behind using this intuition are examined Such normative traditions may be summarized as teleological, deontological and axiological Lastly, it is suggested that nurses would benefit in several ways from some education in ethics
Loneliness among elderly people living in Stockholm: a population study
Authors: Holmén Kann , Ericsson Kjerstin , Andersson Lars , Winblad Bengt
Published: December 2006

The purpose was to investigate experienced loneliness among the elderly The material included 1725 people, aged 75 and over The study describes relationships between loneliness, social network, cognitive function and health Thirty‐five per cent experienced loneliness, and a higher percentage was found among women A gradual increase in loneliness was found up to the age of 90, after which a levelling was found Elderly persons living together with a partner experienced less loneliness There were no significant differences between those with and without children Ten per cent reported not having any friends and of these, one out of two experienced loneliness A high frequency of experienced loneliness was found among elderly people with reduced cognitive function Subjectively experienced bad health and loneliness were strongly related to each other, i e a person who experienced loneliness did usually not feel completely healthy
An evaluation of two systems of in‐patient care in a general hospital psychiatric unit I: staff and patient perceptions and attitudes
Authors: Long Clive G , Blackwell Claire C , Midgley Mane
Published: December 2006

This study reports a comparison of a single ward versus a two‐ward system of acute in‐patient care in a general hospital psychiatric unit It focuses on staff and patient perceptions and attitudes towards the two types of ward A continuous care ward system was preferred by the majority of staff who described an improvement in‘ward atmosphere’ Patients who had experienced both ward systems also preferred the continuous care system Both patients and staff felt that the continuous care system still needed to place greater emphasis on ‘ward atmosphere’ dimensions of involvement, support and spontaneity The implications of these findings for improving the functioning of the preferred ward are discussed
Ethical issues in interviewing*
Authors: Smith Lorraine
Published: December 2006

A study of the help‐seeking behaviours of alcohol dependent and problem drinking women raised a number of ethical issues It had been anticipated that the design of the study and the construction and approval of appropriate consent forms would eliminate the majority of problems. While this was true, a number of unforeseen points emerged during the course of the study related to interviewing women, discussing emotive issues and the responsibilities of the researcher vis‐à‐vis their samples This paper discusses the issues raised using specific examples drawn from the research study
The Case Management Model: an innovative approach to the delivery of patient care
Authors: Petryshen Patricia R. , Petryshen Pauline M
Published: December 2006

Because of trends in the health care environment, hospitals are restructuring to innovative patient care delivery systems The Case Management Model, with its emphasis on quality patient care and cost containment, is gaining widespread recognition throughout Canada and the United States In this paper, the Case Management Model is described in relation to nursing practice
Good nursing practice as perceived by clients: a starting point for the development of professional nursing
Authors: Åstedt‐Kurki Paivi , Haggman‐Laitila Arja
Published: December 2006

This paper presents clients’ experiences of health care and nursing services in the Finnish primary health care and hospital system These are described to find evaluation criteria for good nursing care and to point out challenges for development of the nursing profession
The role of the nurse in high‐quality patient care: a review of the literature
Authors: Fitzpatrick Joanne M , While Alison E , Roberts Julia D
Published: December 2006

A review of the literature reveals a range of the nurse's subroles within the service of nursing Competence in psychomotor, cognitive and affective skills is required for performance within each of these subroles to achieve the delivery of high‐quality nursing care
Cardiovascular disease prevention: knowledge and attitudes of graduate nursing students
Authors: Engler Marguerite M , Engler Mary B , Davidson Dennis M , Slaughter Robert E
Published: December 2006

Graduate nursing students were surveyed to determine the knowledge and attitudes of cardiovascular disease prevention Questionnaires were self‐administered to first‐year graduate nursing students (n= 50) in a school of nursing prior to and following a physiology course with cardiovascular disease prevention content In general, the results demonstrated that the respondents were least knowledgeable regarding the prevalence of smoking, the gender differences in high‐density lipoprotein (HDL)‐cholesterol levels, the influence of body weight on lipids and the recommended percentages of calories from dietary fat A significant improvement in knowledge was noted after the course Positive attitudes regarding the importance of cardiovascular disease prevention and the partnership between patients and clinicians necessary to manage risk were identified These attitudes did not change significantly following the course These results indicate that graduate education which emphasizes cardiovascular disease prevention increases knowledge Coupled with positive attitudes and healthy personal lifestyle behaviours, knowledge of cardiovascular disease prevention may enhance the ability of nurses to integrate preventive standards into clinical practice and ultimately decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease
Confidence as a factor in chronic illness care
Authors: Kirk Katherine
Published: December 2006

Confidence is generally regarded as a positive quality which enhances personal coping and success For those who are chronically ill and face a life of uncertainty, confidence becomes especially important In a recent qualitative study examining chronically ill patients’ perceptions of nursing care, confidence was found to be the grand essence which tied together all the informants’ experiences with good nursing care The informants entered the hospital with the expectation that the nurses would and could look after them Observing and receiving good nursing care reinforced this confidence In addition to this, the informants referred to confidence that was developed by the interest and value the nurses placed on the patient as an individual Showing an interest in the patient as an individual gave the patient confidence in self‐worth and in personal coping ability These two sources of confidence combined to give the informants confidence in their futures In the nursing literature the exploration of the concept of confidence is minimal This paper discusses confidence as a factor in the care of the chronically ill using data from the study for illustration
Skin problems beneath the breasts of in‐patients: the knowledge, opinions and practice of nurses
Authors: McMahon Richard , Buckeldee Jill
Published: December 2006

A survey of knowledge and nursing practice in relation to sub‐mammary skin problems was conducted among ward sisters and primary nurses in one district health authority Respondents identified a number of characteristics as predisposing factors, with obesity and poor hygiene being mentioned most frequently A very wide selection of nursing interventions was recommended, with nurses who mentioned pharmacologically active topical preparations reporting a significantly greater number of recurrences among patients than those who relied on less sophisticated regimes Nurses expressed a variety of opinions about the effect that this condition has on patients, ranging from no effect at all to pain and discomfort These findings highlight the lack of a coherent strategy for treating this problem and support the continuation of a research programme examining sub‐mammary skin problems and the nursing response to them
A view of the phenomenon of caring in nursing practice
Authors: Clarke Janice B , Wheeler Stephanie J
Published: December 2006

Care is regularly used as a suffix to nursing, in such well‐known phrases as ‘total nursing care’ and holistic nursing care’ While most care is provided by lay persons, there is little nursing research which focuses on the meaning of care, particularly in relation to the United Kingdom This small‐scale study investigates the meaning of care from the experience of six practising staff nurses in a British hospital and leads to a view of this phenomenon Phenomenology was the chosen methodology, which facilitated the emergence of an essential structure of caring which incorporated four major categories described as being supportive', ‘communicating’, ‘pressure’ and ‘caring ability’ It is suggested that, through gaining perspectives to enhance our understanding of the meaning of care, it will ultimately develop our understanding of nursing itself
Nursing models in a special hospital: cybernetics, hyperreality and beyond
Authors: Mason Tom , Chandley Mark
Published: December 2006

Two emerging themes that resulted from research earned out in a special hospital on the use of nursing models are identified The first theme to emerge was the tendency of the subjects to perceive the models as concrete entities thus undergoing a process of reification The second theme identified was the adherence to the models outside the contextual nature of the setting which limited their effectiveness A theoretical framework in which to locate the results of the study is explored using cybernetic learning theory and the notion of hyperreality, using the works of Jean Baudrillard A method for innovation and changing practice in the special hospital setting is suggested
The emerging role of the nurse teacher in Project 2000 programmes in England: a literature review
Authors: Crotty Margaret , Butterworth Tony
Published: December 2006

This paper explores the literature on the role of the nurse teacher in the United Kingdom, in order to support a research study on the role of the nurse teacher as it emerges in Project 2000 programmes in England Explicit within the reform of nurse education is a change in the role of the teacher It is being influenced, first, by the creation of colleges of nursing and midwifery and their links to higher education, secondly, by the content and academic level of the course and, thirdly, by the supernumerary status of the student Studies earned out on the activities nurse teachers undertake highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of the role Excessive paper work, meetings and lack of autonomy are given as dissatisfying aspects of their work leaving only a small proportion of their time for classroom and clinical teaching The literature suggests that the nurse teacher is required in Project 2000 to be a nurse, a teacher, a graduate in a specialist subject and clinically and academically credible The study, which is mentioned briefly in this paper, will critically analyse the key components of the role of the nurse teacher as it emerges in the Project 2000 courses in England The methodology and findings will be discussed in a later paper
Client education: a futuristic outlook
Authors: Fleming Valerie E M
Published: December 2006

This paper explores educational concepts in relation to client education, and more specifically the area of prenatal education In particular, it examines how nurses and women clients can work together to create education programmes aimed at enhancing decision‐making processes and developing knowledge which has the potential to emancipate women from the medical domination of the health services Traditional approaches to teaching and learning are challenged and the role of the nurse as a leader in a critical approach to curricula of client education programmes is considered
A case study identifying nursing staffs' perception of the delivery method of nursing care in practice on a particular ward
Authors: McCormack Brendan
Published: December 2006

The research describes how nursing staff on a general surgical ward in a district general hospital perceived the delivery method of nursing care in practice The study design was based on ethnographic methods and data were collected by diary keeping and semi‐structured interviews An organizational method based on the principles of primary nursing had been implemented on the ward for 2 years prior to the study commencing As well as talking in general terms about primary nursing, the nursing staff talked at some length about specific issues related to their practice
Qualitative research: meaning and language
Authors: Clarke Liam
Published: December 2006

Qualitative methodologies, for example those determined by ethnography, are being reported by a growing number of British nurses It is this author's contention that these studies are seriously deficient in areas such as sampling, reliability and, particularly, the attribution of meaning to statements given by interviewees Whilst it is acknowledged that this kind of research is necessary for analyses of inter‐personal relations, it is asserted that such analyses have inadequately dealt with psychological factors of perception and interpretation Although some of these problems may be partially resolved, there remains a requirement that such ethnographies acknowledge the tentative quality of their conclusions given the subjectivity of the methods used
Nursing deans: management of fiscal and human resources in graduate programmes
Authors: Barhyte Diana Young , Redman Barbara K
Published: December 2006

This study of deans of graduate programmes in nursing found that two‐thirds of them had discretionary funds and 'seed’ money for faculty scholarly endeavours Both 'seed’ money and ‘release’ time were associated with faculty productivity A small number reported that they could carry ‘hard’ dollars across fiscal years Differences among institutions by the nine Carnegie categories were found
The evaluation of a community coronary specialist nursing service in Northern Ireland
Authors: Duddy Irene , Parahoo Kader
Published: December 2006

Providing an efficient service depends partly on evaluation, which itself should take into account, amongst other things, the clients’ views This study set out to evaluate clients’ perception of a coronary specialist nursing service (CSNS) in one area health board in Northern Ireland Postal questionnaires were sent to a random sample of 70 clients of the CSNS Results showed that the majority expressed satisfaction with the service, as well as with the information they received prior to discharge into the community Their responses provide food for thought to those involved in the provision of such services
Relaxation imagery used for stress reduction in the prevention of smoking relapse
Authors: Wynd Christine A
Published: December 2006

Many ex‐smokers fail to remain abstinent after the completion of a formal cessation programme, and relapse rates of 60% to 80% are common Smokers identify stress as a major factor in relapse Healthy coping skills are required to prevent a return to smoking The effectiveness of relaxation imagery was investigated for reducing stress and prolonging abstinence in adult ex‐smokers Volunteer subjects (n= 76) were solicited after completing a local smoking cessation programme, and participants were randomly assigned to an experimental imagery group (n= 39) and to a control group (n= 37) Both groups met for a 3‐month period, and experimental group members received instruction in imagery techniques A 2 × 3 repeated‐measures MANOVA with post hoc procedures demonstrated significant changes in variables over time, resulting in enhanced imagery effectiveness, reduced stress, and greater abstinence for the group receiving imagery training Additionally, discriminant analysis revealed that higher stress and lower imagery effectiveness were prevalent in smoking recidivists Results indicate that as guided relaxation imagery is learned and practised, effectiveness of imagery is increased, perceived stress is reduced, and smoking abstinence is maintained
A family nursing approach to the care of a child with a chronic illness
Authors: Whyte Dorothy A
Published: December 2006

Chronic illness in childhood affects family functioning, and professional support is required when the child is being cared for at home The focus of concern for this study is the nursing contribution to the support of the family A longitudinal ethnographic study of the experience of four families caring for a child with cystic fibrosis provided data Analysis of the four case studies provides insight to the effect of cystic fibrosis on family interaction The genetic aspects and the life‐threatening nature of the illness are seen to have a profound effect on the parents’ lives The experience of crisis and the chronic burden of care are described. The context of long‐term care requires the nurse to share the illness trajectory with the families and to help family members to travel it together This is seen to require a high level of interpersonal skill and considerable emotional investment The issues for nursing are examined The research arose from practice, and it contributes to theoretical explanation of nursing interaction, and the relationship of systems thinking to understanding of the nursing situation The case for the development of family nursing practice to meet contemporary health care needs is argued
Nurses' educational preparation and knowledge concerning continence promotion
Authors: Cheater Francine Margaret
Published: December 2006

A survey of qualified and learner nurses was earned out in one health district in the Midlands, in England, to establish the level of their educational preparation and knowledge concerning continence management In spite of considerable advances in the management of urinary incontinence, in recent years, pre‐ and post‐registration education still focused predominantly upon palliative rather than therapeutic or rehabilitative nursing strategies Results indicated that many nurses, irrespective of grade, appeared to lack sufficient knowledge about incontinence upon which informed nursing practice should be based The implications of these findings for practice and education are discussed
A comparative study of intensive therapy unit and hospice nurses' knowledge on pain management
Authors: Fothergill‐Bourbonnais Frances , Wilson‐Barnett Jenifer
Published: December 2006

Caring for patients in pain is a pivotal function of nursing practice In particular, pain control is a primary concern of hospice nurses in order to ensure comfort in the terminal phase of the person's life, and also for nurses in intensive therapy units caring for patients who may have substantial pain related either to pathologic conditions or treatment interventions and who have difficulty communicating their pain This paper reports on a study which aimed to identify and compare the knowledge and the perceived adequacy and acquisition of knowledge of intensive therapy and hospice nurses pertaining to the theoretical, pharmacological and non‐pharmacological aspects of pain and its management using multiple‐choice, short‐answer and open‐ended questions The sample consisted of 52 intensive therapy and 48 hospice nurses who were further divided into beginners and experts The findings indicated that although the hospice nurses received higher knowledge scores than the intensive therapy nurses, both groups demonstrated lack of knowledge in specific content areas In addition, the findings demonstrated few differences between the beginners and experts The subjects, in general, were not confident about their knowledge of analgesics, nor did they believe that their basic nursing education had prepared them adequately to care for patients in pain The working environment and clinical work in hospital since qualification were perceived by the subjects to be the most influential experiences in learning about pain and its management
Women and distance education: a nursing perspective
Authors: Pym Frances R
Published: December 2006

It is only very recently that studies of distance learners have begun to consider gender as a variable Given the rapid growth of distance education programmes for nurses, it is appropriate to consider at this tune how educators can best meet the needs of these (mostly) women students Distance education tends to mean different things in different institutions, ranging from the ‘industrial model’ self‐study course package with limited teacher student interaction to the fully interactive audio and video conferencing of the ‘virtual classroom’ Each of these teaching/learning situations poses a different set of challenges, and each requires different solutions Using illustrations drawn from experiences with a BN programme for registered nurses in Atlantic Canada, and from the limited literature, this paper explores both women's participation in distance education and the barriers that sometimes prevent this, as well as the kind of support women distance learners need most m order to learn effectively
Student nurses' assessment of children in pain
Authors: Susan Price Patricia
Published: December 2006

A self‐administered questionnaire was developed to ascertain the criteria that student nurses used to assess children in pain The sample consisted of 17 second‐year registered general nurse students who had just completed their paediatric secondment The questionnaire required the students to provide their own definition of pain, to rate the pain of four hypothetical children, giving reasons for their ratings and provide data about their assessment of a child they had cared for Definitions of pain concentrated mainly on the physical effects of pain on patients The students attributed a wide range of pain ratings to the hypothetical children, though the reasons for reaching these differing conclusions were often based on similar statements There was limited reference to either personal episodes of pain or previous nursing experience In their own assessment of children in pain the students appeared to use all the acknowledged criteria The use of physiological signs was in some circumstances possibly inappropriate
Effects of communication with important social referents on beliefs and intentions to use condoms
Authors: Strader MarleneK , Beaman Margaret L , McSweeney Maryellen
Published: December 2006

Data from a 1989 survey using the condom attitude and belief instrument with 310 clients from two sexually transmitted disease dimes identified significant social referents who influence condom‐use intentions They are sexual partner, father and friends The present study found that communication with these referents had a positive net effect on beliefs about and intentions to use condoms Implications applicable for intervention programmes to increase condom use are to promote talking about condoms between the sexual partners and important social referents and to develop such communication skills
Job satisfaction of nursing staff working in hospitals
Authors: Cavanagh Stephen J
Published: December 2006

Job satisfaction remains an important consideration for both employer and employee and, despite numerous investigations, many questions about it remain unanswered Many research metholologies have been used with varying degrees of success However, the trend is now away from simple correlational studies towards modelling techniques Data from 221 female nurses working full‐time in hospitals were collected using questionnaires delivered with monthly salary cheques The model presented had many statistically significant path coefficients including (in order of size) benefits, participation in decision making, education, routine, promotion, and opportunity for advancement outside their institution The level of salary was not found to be a statistically significant factor in determining job satisfaction
Skills mix in Australian nursing homes
Authors: Pearson Alan , Hocking Susan , Mott Sarah , Riggs Anne
Published: December 2006

This study investigated the relationships between skills mix, resident dependency and the quality of care and life of residents in a stratified random sample of 200 non‐government homes in four Australian states The study considered various measures of skills mix including the qualifications of the staff (staffing mix), the exposure of staff to in‐service training and the leadership style of the director of nursing The only relationships found between staffing mix (that is, the proportion of qualified and unqualified staff) related to the positive effect of therapy staff on the variety of experience of residents Significant relationships between a number of other components of skills mix and the outcomes of care were found Specifically, exposure to in‐service training of staff and the leadership style of the director of nursing affected quality of care State enrolled nurses were found to be significantly less satisfied with their work than registered nurses or untrained nurse assistants Further studies are suggested in these areas and a review of skills mix in relation to them is recommended
Beyond empathy: expanding expressions of caring
Authors: Morse Janice M , Bottorff Joan , Anderson Gwen , O'Brien Beverley , Solberg Shirley
Published: December 2006

In this paper, a model describing nurses’ responses to patients who are suffering is presented The nurse's level of engagement with the patient is affected by whether the caregiver is focused on him‐/herself or on the sufferer (i e embodied with the patient) and whether the caregiver is responding reflexively or with a learned response Four types of communication patterns are identified engaged responses (first‐level) are used in a connected relationship, when the nurse responses reflexively and is focused on him‐/herself, the response is reflected, when the caregiver is patient‐focused, a learned response is labelled a professional response, and a self‐focused, learned response is labelled detached Examples of each type of response are provided
Secondary data in nursing research
Authors: Reed Jan
Published: December 2006

Secondary data are increasingly incorporated into nursing research studies, as nurses seek to capture and address the complexity of patient care There is, however, little discussion in methodological literature about this type of data, the meaning is taken for granted and the data are regarded as simple sources of information, which are convenient and cost‐effective This approach denies the social meaning of the data, and is likely to lead to misinterpretation of the content This paper discusses these analytical issues with reference to a research study which used secondary data (nursing care plans) in an examination of the ways in which nurses assess their patients Using this data led to an increased understanding of the social world in which assessment took place
Client–public health nurse relationships in child health care: a grounded theory study
Authors: Vehviläinen‐Julkunen Katri
Published: December 2006

Client–public health nurse relationships are considered to be important in nursing literature However, little research in nursing has touched this area The purpose of this paper is to describe a study of the patterns of interaction in terms of relationships between clients (mother and child under 1 year of age) and public health nurses in child health care at Finnish health centres The qualitative data were collected by observing client‐public health nurse interactions during visits In total, 1554 interactions were observed over 2 years from 20 visits to child health centres The grounded theory method was used in this study Various relationships were identified between child and mother, child and public health nurse and mother and public health nurse The relationship between child and mother during the visit was called a tender, protective and persuasive relationship The relationship between child and public health nurse was called a persuasive and entertainment relationship The main relationship between mother and public health nurse was called relationship supporting self‐confidence Suggestions for nursing practice and further research are made
Coping: an essential element of nursing
Authors: McHaffie Hazel E.
Published: December 2006

Coping: an essential element of nursing

How well a person copes is central in determining his or her well‐being, no matter how ill he or she is Without an accurate appreciation of what coping is and how it may be facilitated, attempts to help patients may be both ineffective and harmful But the subject is multifaceted and poses many problems for clinicians and researchers alike This paper attempts to synthesize available knowledge on coping from various disciplines and apply it to life as nurses know it
Ethical challenge in community health nursing
Authors: Duncan Susan M
Published: December 2006

Community health nurses frequently face situations involving ethical conflicts, but little research has been earned out in this area This paper, based on a study of dilemmas defined by 30 practising community health nurses in urban and rural British Columbia, Canada, presents an analysis of the situations that contain the most serious ethical conflicts for nurses working in the community Although issues related to client's rights, nurses’ interactions with colleagues and the system, and nurses’ rights were explored, nurses in the study reported that situations involving high‐risk parenting provided the most serious ethical challenges Strategies to help nurses caring for such vulnerable clients are described As well, this paper offers some discussion on implications for community health nursing practice and education in light of current changes and challenges
From helper to human: a reconceptualization of the nurse as person
Authors: Taylor Beverley J
Published: December 2006

This paper explores the nature of the nurse as person, as represented by nursing literature and in the author's own research, by considering the tendency nurses have to perceive as different the characteristics of nurses and patients as human beings Nursing scholars have tended to categorize nurses and patients into discrete ‘compartments’ that are convenient for descriptive purposes, but nevertheless have had a tendency to limit people's essential humanness The metaparadigm concept of person in nursing can take on a different meaning if people are regarded in terms of their oneness, rather than by their separateness A brief introduction will be given to some meanings generated in some nursing research, which described the effects of ordinariness as they were manifested by nurses and patients in everyday nursing unit life The possibility is raised that a reconceptualization of the nurse could describe the nurse, not only as a professional helper, but also as a human, whose effectiveness is enhanced through a sense of shared humanity with patients