bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nursing links with higher education: a prescription for change in the 21st century*
Authors: Akinsanya Justus A
Published: December 2006

The relationship between nursing and higher education is reviewed in the light of the Project 2000 requirement that new colleges of nursing and midwifery in the United Kingdom should be linked with further and higher education It is suggested that nursing has had a long history of being linked with higher education and that the time has come for a more decisive view to be taken of the need for the profession to move its education fully into the mainstream of higher education Consideration of various changes in the National Health Service (NHS) in recent years indicates that educating nurses away from their professional colleagues has been detrimental to their progress in the current administrative and management organization of the NHS Given that cyclical change occurs in nursing about every decade, it is argued that the profession should concentrate on required changes at the turn of the century A personal prescription for change is offered as a possible way forward
The relationships between social skills, social support, self‐esteem and burden in adult caregivers
Authors: Robinson Karen
Published: December 2006

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between social skills, self‐esteem, social support and burden in a sample of adult caregivers The Gambrill and Richey Assertion Inventory, Rosenberg's Self‐Esteem Scale, Montgomery's Objective and Subjective Burden Scale, Norbeck's Social Support Questionnaire and Sarason's Social Support Questionnaire were administered to a convenience sample of 31 caregivers Unassertive caregivers had less available social support Those caregivers who felt more discomfort in situations also had less available social support Caregivers who had significantly more affection, affirmation and aid from within their social network were found to have higher self‐esteem Those with lower self‐esteem reported losing a greater number of important relationships in the past year Nonasserhve caregivers were more likely to experience lower subjective burden
A contribution of qualitative research to a better understanding of diabetic patients
Authors: Ternulf Nyhlin Kerstin
Published: December 2006

In spite of advances in the management of diabetes mellitus, late complications still present problems Research suggests that improved metabolic control, including the change of lifestyle, which requires the patient's own willingness and ability to adapt, could limit those complications This article is intended to provide the background to a long‐term research programme designed to gain a deeper understanding of diabetic patients’ perspectives in their attempt to adapt It describes an important phase in the programme, building on the conceptual categories emerging from a group of diabetic patients in a previous study (Ternulf Nyhlin et al 1987) It also uses the experiences of further groups of diabetic patients, in an attempt to show the usefulness of a cumulative approach towards the building up of a theoretical framework Some inherent methodological issues are discussed
Health locus of control and glycosylated haemoglobin concentration of implantable insulin pump recipients in Austria
Authors: Meize‐Grochowski A Robin
Published: December 2006

Thirty diabetic individuals in Austria were included in this study about health locus of control and glycosylated haemoglobin in implantable insulin pump recipients Multidimensional Health Locus of Control (MHLC) scores were generally consistent with the optimal values identified for other populations with chronic conditions Little relationship was found between MHLC scores and glycosylated haemoglobin values Areas for further research are identified
The good nurse: descriptions from the People's Republic of China
Authors: Davis Anne J , Hershberger Anne , Chun Ghan Lan , Ymg Lin Ju
Published: December 2006

This study is based on questionnaire data gathered from 33 students in the first dass of the first BSN programme in the People's Republic of China They were asked to describe the characteristics of a good nurse and characteristics of a bad nurse These students had just completed their pre‐nursing courses and were entering the nursing part of their education They identified personal qualities, behaviour and knowledge areas as the overall categories for these characteristics
Nurses and shiftwork: effects on physical health and mental depression
Authors: Skipper James K , Jung Fred D , Coffey Linda C
Published: December 2006

An examination was made of relationships between the physical health and mental depression of nurse shiftworkers and their scores on relevant social and work‐related variables Nurses on the day, afternoon, night and rotating shifts from five hospitals (n = 463) were surveyed using a mail‐back questionnaire Two alternative models were examined in the study The first model suggests that shift work influences the physical health and mental depression of nurses, which in turn affect social and work‐related variables including family relations, formal and informal social participation, solitary activities, job performance, and job‐related stress Shiftwork's disturbance of the body's circadian rhythm would exert a direct affect on nurses’ physical health and mental depression, which in turn would then affect other aspects of the nurses’ lives The second model suggests instead that shift work primarily affects social and work‐related variables, which then influence physical health and mental depression Circadian rhythm desynchronization, while still being a consequence of shiftwork, might not directly affect physical health and mental depression Contrary to either of the two models proposed for the study, shiftwork was not found to be significantly related to either the nurses’ physical health or mental depression However, certain factors, when considered in conjunction with the unique shift‐related job characteristics of nursing, may help to explain the study's unexpected findings
Literature review on the images of the nurse and nursing in the media
Authors: Bridges Jacqueline M
Published: December 2006

This study concentrates on the images of the nurse and nursing seen most commonly in the media and attempts to trace the images back to their origins and to explain their continued use, despite the rapidly changing role of the nurse in today's world The images have been derived mostly from the histoncal roots of nursing and sometimes as a reaction to the increasing influence of the feminist movement The author takes a look at the four main images of the nurse seen in the media, which are the ministering angel, the battleaxe, the naughty nurse and the doctor's handmaiden and then goes on to take a brief look at the other images commonly perpetuated by the media The author summarizes the probable effects of the media stereotypes on nurses themselves and the service they provide and also takes a look at attempts to dispel these stereotypes
A new clinical career structure for nurses: trial and evaluation. The South Australian experience
Authors: Koch Tina
Published: December 2006

A new clinical career structure for nurses was planned, introduced, implemented and evaluated in South Australia in 1986 The new structure was based on the Royal Australian Nursing Federation (South Australian Branch) Model, and its trial took place in 11 health units, involving 5000 registered nurses, or one‐third of the nurse workforce in South Australia The findings of the evaluation research were utilized by Government The sociopolitical context within which the evaluation of the new clinical career structure was implemented is re‐examined in this paper
Effects of early parent touch on preterm infants’ heart rates and arterial oxygen saturation levels
Authors: Harrison Lynda Law , Leeper James D , Yoon Mahnhee
Published: December 2006

A descriptive exploratory design was used in this study to evaluate the effects of early parent touch on the heart rates and arterial oxygen (O2) saturation levels of 36 preterm infants The infants were between 27–33 weeks gestahonal age at birth, and were free of congenital defects Infants were videotaped during parent visits on up to three separate occasions during the first month of life Parents were encouraged to interact with their infants as they usually would, and data on the infants’ heart rates and O2 saturation levels were recorded every 6 seconds on a portable computer that was interfaced with the infants’ monitors Mean O2 saturation levels were significantly lower during parent touch than during baseline periods on 45% of the visits, and significantly higher during parent touch periods on 19% of the visits O2 saturation variability was greater during periods of parent touch, and there were more abnormal O2 saturation values during parent touch than during baseline periods Mean heart rates during parent touch were significantly lower compared to baseline on 17% of the visits, and were higher during parent touch on 43% of the visits There were no overall differences in mean heart rates between baseline, parent touch and post‐visit classifications, although heart rate variability was greater during periods of parent touch The results indicate that preterm infants’ responses to early parent touch are variable, and suggest that blanket policies that limit parent touch during the early weeks of life may not be appropriate It may be more appropriate to teach parents to modify the types and amounts of touch they provide based on the infants’ physiologic and behavioural cues
Autonomy of primary nurses: the need to both facilitate and limit autonomy in practice
Authors: Johns Christopher
Published: December 2006

This paper explores the concept and implications of autonomy in relation to primary nurses It explores the need to limit this autonomy to ensure assigned patients receive a consistent and congruent quality of care Methods that enable primary nurses to demonstrate their pluralistic accountability, currently being used and tested in practice, are described, methods that limit the autonomy of primary nurses without compromising it
Nursing in transition: an analysis of the state of the art in relation to the conditions of practice and society's expectations
Authors: Th van Maanen Hanneke M
Published: December 2006

The discipline of nursing is in a process of rapid transition In this paper, the developments are discussed that have affected nursing in its advancement to a full‐grown profession Nursing and medicine are the products of Cartesian thinking that has fragmented our perspectives on man and his living world The consequences of this scientific viewpoint are reflected in all aspects of life Attention is paid to advances in nursing practice and education, the development of nursing research and the emergence of a nursing science These aspects are discussed in the context of professionalizahon and the position of nursing in the health care system and in society The study findings of the Styles Report Project on the Regulation of Nursing (1985) serve as a framework of analysis Links are made between the recommendations given in this report and the development of primary health care, the new tomorrow of a modern discipline
Significant others benefit from preoperative information
Authors: Hunt Raleigh Edith , Lepczyk Marybeth , Rowley Constance
Published: December 2006

Little attention has been given to the preparation of the patient's family prior to surgery, even though nurses’ clinical experience suggests that family members are often more anxious than the patient This study explored the knowledge and anxiety of spouses and significant others of patients preparing for cardiac surgery The subjects were selected by convenience from a preoperahve class offered at the hospital where surgery was to occur Before and after the class, the subjects completed a cardiac‐surgery knowledge test and an anxiety test The significant others were significantly more anxious than the patients prior to the dass. The anxiety level of significant others was significantly reduced after the class There were no statistically significant differences between pahents and significant others on the cardiac‐surgery knowledge test These results suggest that significant others may benefit from preoperahve instruction
The design of a stress‐management programme for nursing personnel
Authors: Lees Susan , Ellis Nick
Published: December 2006

This study identifies the Stressors and coping strategies of nursing staff (students, trained staff and those who had left the profession before qualification) in a variety of ward specialisms The research instruments included an open‐ended interview concerning pre‐nursing experience, perceived stressors and satisfactions, and ways of coping, and psychometric tests of self‐esteem, assertion, ways of coping and personality The five most frequently cited Stressors were understaffing, conflict with nurses, dealing with death and dying, overwork and conflict with doctors Experience of stressors was related to role and seniority of respondents, with different aspects of the same stressor differentially affecting nurses at different levels of experience Coping strategies also depended on experience Trained staff showed more use of problem‐focused ways of coping, whilst students and leavers relied more on emotion‐focused strategies to deal with stressful situations These differences were related to personality characteristics of respondents and to self‐esteem as well as to situational characteristics of the stressful episode Social support was important in tunes of work‐related stress, with students in particular making good use of peer group support Respondents were generally lacking in assertiveness and high in anxiety. Although self‐esteem was generally high, leavers scored markedly less than other subject groups in the areas of personal and social self‐esteem Leavers had little prior knowledge or experience of nursing before entering training and knew few nurses or doctors consequently, nursing failed to meet their expectations. Stress was identified as the major cause of attrition and the sources of stress are identified This study informed a major programme of stress‐management training for student nurses which began in 1988 at the North Wales School of Nursing and which is currently under evaluation. It includes relaxation therapy, assertiveness training, and on‐going group discussions which foster peer‐group support and which explore the Stressors and coping strategies relevant to different stages of training and ward specialisms.
The work style of students of mental health nursing undertaking the Project 2000 schemes of training: a logical analysis
Authors: Drummond John S
Published: December 2006

The work methods of students of mental health nursing are analysed to see which are best suited to facilitate the central educational aims of the Project 2000 schemes of training Supervised primary nursing is found to be best because it engenders a professional cognitive style and a heightened sensitivity to the empirical, research‐based culture It is argued that team nursing causes, in its practitioners, a bureaucratic cognitive style, which acts as a structural constraint upon the learning and mastery of the process skills advocated by the Project 2000 authors
Review of experiential learning theory research in the nursing profession
Authors: Spence Laschinger Heather K
Published: December 2006

In this paper, Kolb's theory of experiential learning theory is briefly outlined This overview is followed by a summary of research on the theory in nursing populations Moderate support for various propositions of the theory suggests that further research is warranted and that Kolb's model may be useful as a basis for developing instructional activities in professional nursing education programmes
Conceptual and theoretical approaches to patient care: associate versus baccalaureate degree prepared nurses
Authors: Newman Giger Joyce , Elaine Davidhizar Ruth
Published: December 2006

The purpose of the study was to determine if there is a relationship between types of entry‐level preparatory nursing programmes in which a nurse receives basic nursing education and conceptual and theoretical approaches to patient care A secondary purpose of the study was to determine if there is a relationship between entry‐level basic preparatory nursing education and nursing leadership, the ability to make nursing diagnosis, and implementation, as well as evaluation of the nursing process Three nursing practice categories were identified and included professional, all‐nurse and technical Useable data collected by short‐essay questionnaire from 343 out of 344 sample subjects were computed to determine the relationship, if any, between basic preparatory nursing education and conceptual and theoretical approaches to patient care Decisions about three null hypotheses were made at the 0 05 level of significance utilizing analysis of covanance and the 0 01 level of significance utilizing chi‐square analysis For Hypothesis 1, the main effect for degree work when covaned with Verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, Quantitative Scholastic Aptitude Test scores, time and age indicated a significance of 0 001 for all item associations in the professional, all‐nurse and technical categories utilizing analysis of covanance, and 0 001 utilizing chi‐square analysis For Hypotheses 2 and 3, the main effect for degree work when covaned with the aforementioned variables indicated a significance of 0 001 utilizing analysis of covanance, and 0 001 utilizing chi‐square analysis In conclusion, the findings from the study suggest that graduates of baccalaureate degree programmes do vary in conceptual and theoretical approach to nursing care in specific nursing care situations Further, there is a significant relationship between the level of basic educational preparation and the degree and proficiency of leadership demonstrated by a nurse in specifie nursing care situations, particularly when uncontrolled variables have been controlled Moreover, there is a significant relationship between educational preparation and degree of proficiency to which the nurse makes nursing diagnosis, executes and implements the nursing process, and evaluates the effects of nursing interventions.
Diabetic patients facing long‐term complications: coping with uncertainty
Authors: Ternulf Nyhlin Kerstin
Published: December 2006

A major problem of diabetes melitus lies in its complications Fourteen Type 1 diabetic patients with severe long‐term complications were interviewed on two occasions with the aim of gaining a deeper understanding of their coping strategies The study has a qualitative design and a grounded theory approach was used The data‐based categories ‘Coming to terms’, ‘Keeping going’ and ‘Making sense’ serve as a framework for the presentation of the substantive issues raised by the respondents It was found that the problem of uncertainty featured prominently
Nursing research in geriatric mental health*
Authors: Roberts Beverly L
Published: December 2006

As the population of older people in the world increases, concerns about the health and delivery of health care to these elderly people become increasingly more important Geriatric mental health arose as a nursing speciality in response to this concern over the health of older adults This paper focuses on a review of nursing literature relevant to the mental and cognitive health of older adults Implications for current practice and future research are explored
Patients' perceptions of music during surgery
Authors: Stevens Kay
Published: December 2006

Music, as an aesthetic and symbolic medium, has the ability to dispel much of the fear and anxiety associated with facing the unknown alone As such it is an ideal support for patients undergoing surgery where a non‐general anaesthetic is administered However, it is important to consider whether, from the patient's perspective, the inclusion of music in such a situation is considered to be helpful A pilot study conducted at an acute hospital involved interviewing 25 patients who, through an athtudinal scale and their interview responses, revealed positive support for the music that they listened to during their operation Their remarks focused on the ability of the music, as a familiar personal and cultural medium, to ease their anxiety, to act as a distractor and to increase their threshold of pain From a nursing perspective, such an application of music as therapy to reduce fear and anxiety may be viewed as being highly relevant to the work of the anaesthetic nurse, with regard to a more individualized and holistic approach to patient care
Peri‐operative anxiety in patients undergoing extracorporeal piezolithotripsy
Authors: Brown Sarah M
Published: December 2006

Twenty‐four patients undergoing extracorporeal piezohthotripsy took part in this study and underwent treatment on a Wolf Piezohth 2300 Lithotripter, which does not require any type of anaesthesia and enables the patient to be treated as an out‐patient Previous work has investigated anxiety states of patients during investigative procedures and found that information given prior to the procedure is beneficial in reducing the levels of anxiety reported Modern urological surgery carried out to remove kidney stones has progressed to non‐invasive techniques with the introduction of extracorporeal piezolithotripsy (EPL) However, little work has examined the patient's reaction to this new procedure Since patients undergoing EPL are awake throughout the procedure, it is possible to perform continuous assessment of anxiety by measurement of palmar sweat The results demonstrated significantly increased levels of palmar sweat throughout treatment, with a return to pre‐treatment levels afterwards This was demonstrated by just under 50% (n = 10) of patients who appeared to be agitated during treatment, and by the comments made by patients about their treatment One‐third of patients (n =8) described pain as far more severe than had been anticipated when asked if they could identify a cause for anxiety. It is recommended that adequate patient preparation and education prior to the procedure should be provided, but that such education must also include a warning that some discomfort may occur
The health education needs of families caring for a schizophrenic relative and the potential role for community psychiatric nurses
Authors: Brooker Charles
Published: December 2006

Community care policies for the mentally ill rely, to a large extent, on the informal contribution that often seems to be made willingly by families In financial terms alone, it has been calculated by the British Government that families caring for a relative with schizophrenia at home save the country 25 billion pounds a year Nearly 15 years ago, it was argued that community mental health services were failing to monitor the relationships in homes where this situation prevailed and provide the support mechanisms that were required Further, it has been noted that when there is an over‐emphasis on community care, family crises can become severe and remain undetected This paper reviews the literature relating to the needs of families caring for a schizophrenic relative at home It concludes that a major service that should be offered to families is education about the illness, schizophrenia, itself Strategies for undertaking this role are examined within the overall context of ‘psychosocial interventions’ and the literature on ‘high expressed emotion’ Finally, an experimental course, funded by the Department of Health, and located in the Department of Nursing at Manchester University, is described Here, community psychiatric nurses are being taught to recognize the value of health education for those living with a schizophrenic relative. As a consequence, a number of valuable initiatives have been developed and these are briefly outlined
Characteristics of students entering different forms of nurse training
Authors: Murray Michael , Charnbers Mary
Published: December 2006

Developments in nurse training need to be based upon an understanding of the characteristics and aspirations of students In this study, characteristics of a sample of registered nurses (n = 27) and students (n = 41) entering an undergraduate degree programme in nursing were compared with those of student nurses (n = 46) beginning training in a college of nursing It wasfound that the three groups differed in terms of their social background, their reasons for becoming a nurse, their views on nursing, their perceived social competence and their views on the role of the nurse vis‐à‐vis the doctor Certain sex and social class differences were also apparent The findings are discussed with reference to the selection of students for different forms of training and the content of current nurse training programmes
Towards defining the organization of nursing care in hospital wards: an empirical study
Authors: Thomas Lois H , Bond Senga
Published: December 2006

The method of organizing nursing care known as ‘primary nursing’ is increasingly being introduced into hospital wards on the assumption that it will have beneficial effects for both patients and staff Operational definitions of primary nursing, essential to provide replicable research into the organization of nursing care, are, however, lacking in available research literature This study describes the development of a questionnaire intended to identify and discriminate between three methods of organizing nursing staff and nursing work task allocation or functional nursing, team nursing and primary nursing The questionnaire was distributed to 36 ward sisters on 27 acute and rehabilitation care of the elderly wards. Questionnaires were returned from 17 wards, a response rate of 63% Findings indicate that few wards meet five or more criteria for classification as a particular method of nursing organization The findings illustrate the difficulties in matching and discriminating between wards in order to conduct research in which organizational modality is an independent variable
Child health records as a database for clinical practice, research and community planning
Authors: Hagelin Elisabet , Lagerberg Dagmar , Sundehin Claes
Published: December 2006

In considenng health information systems, great hope is attached to the use of child health records as a data source for research and community planning In order to test the completeness of child health records data and their agreement with other sources, information about living conditions, use of medical services and health problems in preschool children were studied in 707 child health centres' records The results show a considerable number of deficiencies in the system which could, to a certain extent, be remedied by improved instructions to the staff Health problems in the area of child care also need to be fully defined
Factors related to the use of community nursing services in The Netherlands
Authors: Kerkstra Ada , Vorst‐Thijssen Trees
Published: December 2006

This study aims to identify factors important in expiaining the nature of community nursing care received by patients in their homes because little is known about the relation between individual characteristics of patients receiving nursing care and the nature of care delivered by community nurses During a period of 2 weeks a representative sample of 137 community nurses and 49 community nurses' auxiliaries at 47 different locations paid a total number of 12 847 home visits to provide care to 3315 patients For each home visit, patient's characteristics, the nature of care delivered by the nurse and the length of the home visit was recorded The results suggested that three groups of patients could be identified in terms of the nature of nursing care received at home First, patients who were older, who were also receiving informal care and did not suffer from psychosocial problems, were most likely to receive assistance in their activities of daily living Second, patients suffering from multiple disorders, whose situation was assessed as unstable, and those who did not suffer from psychosocial problems were most likely to receive technical nursing care These patients were visited most often Finally, male patients suffering from multiple disorders, whose situation was assessed as unstable, especially when new mental or social problems emerged, were most likely to receive psychosocial support and education from the community nurse These visits appeared to be the most time‐consuming
The presentation of competence in health care
Authors: Meerabeau Liz
Published: December 2006

This paper briefly addresses the views of social reality which underpin our interpretation of data, and argues that a social actor's statement is one account in a potentially infinite series, in which the actor presents him or herself as morally competent This argument is illustrated by data from a study of subfertile couples, and other data from studies of parenting handicapped children There is, however, a disjunction between these calm measured self‐presentations, and the professional literature which describes a host of negative emotions This raises questions about how needs, particularly emotional needs, are defined in health care
The nursing process: raising the profile of emotional care in nurse training
Authors: Smith Pam
Published: December 2006

This paper reports on the results of a previous investigation into the ward learning environment for student nurses and its relationship to quality of nursing The emotional aspects of caring associated with the nursing process emerged as an important component of their relationship The nursing process, introduced during the 1970s, is described as both a philosophy and work method As a philosophy, it promotes a people‐centred rather than task‐centred approach to patients and raises the profile of emotional care Hochschild's definition and analysis of emotional labour in the workplace is used as a conceptual means to understanding the content of nurses' emotional work It is also used to assess the extent to which the predominant ideologies of nursing, articulated through the nursing process, were applied in the selection and training of nurses to be emotional labourers It is concluded that the nursing process is more successful as an ideology and less in providing a knowledge base with which to inform training and support for managing complex feelings
The base for exposure treatment in agoraphobia: some indicators for nurse therapists and community psychiatric nurses
Authors: Gournay Kevin J M
Published: December 2006

This study examines, using a randomised control trial, the question of the optimum base for exposure treatment with agoraphobic clients. The results have relevance for community psychiatric nurses and nurse behaviour therapists working with such problems and indeed for other behavioural practitioners While the results confirm the already extensive evidence for the efficacy of exposure in vivo for agoraphobic clients, the results show that in general there is no difference between outcome of treatment delivered from the patient's own home and the out‐patient clinic There are, however, a small number of clients who will not attend psychiatric out‐patient clinics for treatment but who will subsequently do well with home‐based treatment The reasons for the experimental findings and implications for psychiatric nurses are discussed
Counselling at the cultural interface: is getting back to roots enough?
Authors: Wright John
Published: December 2006

This paper attempts to view counselling in its cultural context The central issue addressed relates to the possibly unique position which psychiatric nurses occupy in relation to this issue It is argued that psychiatric nurses have an opportunity to challenge some of the complexities and assumptions of traditional conselling models, and contribute towards the development of a helping approach, for those who are culturally ‘different”, which is both authentic and flexible After tracing the notion of cultural identity and outlining the disempowering expenence of many from the cultural minority groups, when encountering the British psychiatric system, the writer considers the relevance of the Western counselling tradition in relation to those who are thus disempowered Viewed from the complexity of human expenence and cultural variability, it is claimed that many of the assumptions and premises of this tradition are themselves disempowenng An argument is made for that kind of authentic helping whose genesis is the recognition of clients in their cultural setting and which is flexible enough to respond to the individual and not merely her/his cultural grouping With such a framework, the writer feels that psychiatric nurses could occupy a vital role, whose goal would be to re‐empower individuals with diverse cultural traditions, at both a micro and macro level
An exploration of the role of the nurses' uniform through a period of non‐uniform wear on an acute medical ward
Authors: Sparrow Shelagh
Published: December 2006

The nursing staff on an acute medical hospital ward elected to wear their own clothes to work for a period of 2 months The trial was evaluated using a variety of research methods and it raised a number of issues about the role of uniform, about patients' perceptions of nurses and nurses' perceptions of their role The study has led to questions being raised about the assumptions that are made if uniform is worn and the appropriateness of a uniform dress
Self‐activeness and the need for help in domiciliary care
Authors: Raatikainen Ritva
Published: December 2006

The data in this paper are based on interviews of domiciliary care patients in Helsinki, Finland The aim of the study was to compare self‐active patients' (65) and non‐self‐active patients' (61) need for help and the help they received The findings demonstrated that patients who had, to some extent, a ‘better’ background, received support from their relatives, assessed themselves as physically and especially mentally healthier and were socially stronger, were also more often self‐active than patients, who had a ‘poorer’ background, received little support and felt more ill The non‐self‐active patients received help with some physical activities more often but not with mental and social problems The self‐active patients co‐operated better with the care providers and considered the quality of care to be higher than did the non‐self‐achve pahents
A case study: perspectives on a self‐care deficit nursing theory‐based curriculum
Authors: Berbiglia Violeta A
Published: December 2006

This case study provides a descriptive analysis of administrative, faculty and student perspectives on use of and satisfaction with Orem's Self‐Care Deficit Nursing Theory (SCDNT) in one baccalaureate nursing programme's curriculum elements of (a) goals and objectives, (b) materials, (c) content, (d) nursing foci, and (e) evaluation The need for such an analysis is indicated by the wide acceptance and use of the SCDNT in education and the absence of any similar study Curriculum is conceptualized in the context of the Curriculum Model for the Study of Schooling, USA Administrative representatives included the dean of nursing, the director of the nursing programme, the two curriculum chairpersons and the programme co‐ordinator The faculty and students from two specific courses provided the instructional and experiential perspectives Data collection included structured personal interviews and document review The investigator developed from the ideal perspective of the literature (Orem and related scholars) criteria for judging if the SCDNT indeed was implemented in the curriculum elements and the satisfaction with the theory The faculty perspective was the most similar to the ideal, and the administration's was the least similar Student and faculty perceptions were extremely similar All three perspectives were in near agreement with the ideal on the use of the SCDNT in goals and objectives, content and evaluation A major inconsistency was found. Each perspective expressed varying interpretations of the nursing process Pronounced patterns were examined, and implications for nursing education were stated.
Psychosocial predictors of healthy behaviours in women
Authors: Johnson‐Saylor Margaret T
Published: December 2006

The link between psychosocial factors and various health problems may be partially explained by the relationships of these factors to healthy behaviours The relationships of anger experience, anger expression, hostility and hardiness to healthy behaviours was investigated in 97 healthy women In multiple regression analysis, 25% of the variance in healthy behaviour was accounted for by hostility (12 5%), educahon (added 7 5%), and the combination of high anger experience/high anger‐out (added an additional 5%) This was especially significant in view of the significant relationship of hostility to both anger experience and anger out Although hardiness showed a significant positive correlation (r=0 23 P<0 05) with healthy behaviours, it did not enter the multiple regression equation The negative effects of hostility and chronic experience and overt expression of anger emerged as stronger than any positive association between hardiness and healthy behaviours. Implications for nursing include anger recognition and constructive management as areas of education and support These interventions should assist women in managing their health better and will provide fruitful areas for further study
The effect of an intervention programme on interactions on a continuing care ward for older people
Authors: Allen CI , Turner P.S
Published: December 2006

This study describes a project designed to enhance the quality of life of older people on a continuing care ward The aim of the interventions used was to increase staff/resident interaction levels The programme interventions focused on staff education and extra ward activities Interaction levels were measured using a previously published observation schedule which was adapted for use with this client group Inter‐rater reliability measures indicated that the adapted measure was still reliable The patients on the ward were also assessed to establish their level of dependency The findings indicated that, for the majority of observational categories, there were no significant differences, but those that were found were in the opposite direction to that predicted and indicated a reduction in interaction levels Possible explanations for this finding are discussed
Are nurses good patient educators?
Authors: Noble Caroline
Published: December 2006

Health care demands are rising rapidly as we move towards the year 2000 and effective health education is essential if increasing numbers of patients are to be nursed in the community and the effects of preventable illnesses are to be minimized It is therefore extremely pertinent to discuss how well nurses are educating their patients at present and what strategies the profession may need to consider in order to meet educational needs of the future It seems clear that nurses have a responsibility to provide the information that their patients require, although there remains some debate regarding whether they are the most appropriate member of the health care team to do so Recent studies show that nurses can be effective educators However, although many recognize the importance of this role, they still often lack the skills, knowledge, motivation and support required to organize and implement an adequate programme of patient education
Older adults: factors that predict the use of over‐the‐counter medication
Authors: Conn Vicki S
Published: December 2006

Previous research has found over‐the‐counter (OTC) medication use not easily predicted from physical symptom experience The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between older adults' use of OTC medications and mood, social, health and demographic variables Interviews were conducted with 186 adults aged 65 to 99 years The mood variables of anxiety and depression were measured by the Profile of Mood States The quality and degree of intimacy in a social relationship was measured by the Emotional Bondedness Scale OTC medication use was measured by assessing frequency of OTC medication use, the total number of categories of OTC medication used, and the use of OTC medications in response to symptoms Subjective health appraisal, number of chronic illnesses, number of prescriptive medications, the number of symptoms experienced in the previous month, and physician‐office visit frequency were recorded OTC medication use was predicted by the total number of symptoms experienced, emotional bondedness, age, anxiety, income, cohabitation status, and the frequency of physician‐office visits The total number of symptoms experienced accounted for more variance in OTC medication use than any other variable
Ageist attitudes among young adults: implications for a caring profession
Authors: Slevin Oliver ĎA
Published: December 2006

It is frequently suggested that younger adults are negative in their attitudes toward elderly people There are also claims that such attitudes develop as a result of the socially constructed phenomenon of ageism This paper briefly addresses the concept as it is presented in the literature and goes on to describe an attitudinal study which supports the existence of ageism An Attitudes Toward the Elderly inventory was administered to secondary school pupils during their final 2 years of schooling, to student nurses at the very beginning of their training and to qualified nurses It was found that the subjects did demonstrate negative attitudes and that there appeared to be a definite gender socialization influence, with females demonstrating less negative attitudes than males Contrary to expectations, entry into nursing did not lead to more positive attitudes but had the converse effect The influence of ageism and more specific professional socialization processes are suggested as explanations for these patterns Implications for nursing and other occupational groups involved in caring for the elderly are discussed
The outcome and experiences of first pregnancy in relation to the mother's childbirth knowledge: The Finnish Family Competence Study
Authors: Rautava Paivi , Erkkola Risto , Sillanpaa Math
Published: December 2006

The possible influence of the expectant mother's knowledge of childbirth on the outcome and experience of pregnancy and labour was investigated by means of a postpartum questionnaire in 1238 primiparae The mothers were divided into two groups according to their basic childbirth knowledge At birth, the conditions of newborns were equal in both groups when judged by Apgar scores The low knowledge level group had small‐for‐gestational‐age babies more frequently and these babies were also treated in the paediatric ward more frequently than those in the high knowledge group The latter group was significantly more critical towards the staff of the delivery room and the postnatal ward, the fathers of this group were also present at delivery significantly more frequently The low knowledge level group was significantly more unwilling to have another pregnancy in the near future or ever The results indicate that low childbirth knowledge is associated with a poorer pregnancy outcome It is a message to antenatal care staff of the need for support, supplementary education and careful obstetric surveillance Low childbirth knowledge may imply a set of problems, including those in interparental relationship, socio‐economic situation and need for close surveillance and improved education
Teaching activities of clinical instructors during the direct client care period: a qualitative investigation
Authors: Morgan Susan A
Published: December 2006

The lack of substantial research in the area of clinical teaching would suggest that this ‘heart’ of the nursing student's professional education has long been neglected Employing a qualitative descriptive methodology, this study explored the teaching activities that nine clinical instructors said they implemented during the direct client care period and the teaching activities that these nine clinical instructors said they would implement in response to a specific scenario of a clinical teaching event The unstructured interviews revealed that clinical instructors (a) noted role modelling the greatest number of times as a teaching activity but implemented it less frequently, (b) used verbalizations in the form of telling, asking, saying, discussing or talking as the primary teaching activity in the clinical area and in response to the specific scenario, (c) do not have opportunities to see other clinical instructors teaching in the clinical area, (d) have difficulty separating teaching activities and evaluation activities, (e) are eclectic in their use of learning theories, and (f) find articulating teaching activities that they implement during the direct client care period to be a complex task.
First‐line nurse managers: issues in the literature
Authors: Duffield Christine
Published: December 2006

The purpose of this paper is to describe the major issues from the literature which confront first‐line nurse managers The increasingly complex environment in which these managers function has, at the very least, significantly altered their role However, there are other issues confronting those in first‐line positions and these are discussed under four broad headings the role of first‐line nurse managers, role conflict and confusion, management skills and functions, and education for first‐line nurse managers
Nursing research: is there an obligation on subjects to participate?
Authors: Sim Julius
Published: December 2006

Studies of the ethics of medical and nursing research have focused principally on the more practical issues to do with the research process, such as informed consent and protection of subjects from harm A more fundamental question, which is often overlooked, is whether individuals are under any sort of obligation to participate as subjects in nursing research in the first place The conclusions which nurses reach on this issue will help establish the overall moral climate in which nursing research is conducted In this paper, three models of such an obligation are explored, one based on a notion of payment, one centred in the social contract, and one which seeks to estabbsh an unconditional obligation Each of these is seen to be flawed in various respects The delicate and potentially conflicting relationship between obligation and consent is then briefly examined In conclusion, it is argued that the notion of a ‘moral claim’ on participation in research is an ethically more acceptable approach than any strict sense of obligation
Case study of learning milieux: the modifying effect of the workplace
Authors: Yuen Felix
Published: December 2006

In examining the clinical environment that may influence the first‐year college graduate's attitudes toward continuing learning, four case studies were conducted in hospitals within the Illawarra Area Health Service, New South Wales The exploratory research attempts to determine the extent to which desired educational changes occur and where improvements could be made to the educational process This paper reports the research findings
An experiment in the development of empathy in student nurses
Authors: Hodges Selwyn A
Published: December 2006

Student nurses were assessed for their specific interview behaviour with patients after experiencing an empathetic training and a psychological‐mindedness experience The results show that empathy was not increased or decreased The reasons for the experimental findings are discussed