bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Feelings of oncology patients about being nursed in protective isolation as a consequence of cancer chemotherapy treatment
Authors: Campbell Tanya 
Published: March 2003

Feelings of oncology patients about being nursed in protective isolation as a consequence of cancer chemotherapy treatment This qualitative research explores the feelings of oncology patients nursed in protective isolation following high‐dose chemotherapy. Five patients described their feelings about the isolation experience during audio‐taped interviews lasting between a half and one hour. Tapes were transcribed and analysed, with emergent themes considered in relation to the other interviews and to the literature. The research findings indicate that cancer patients have specific concerns with regard to their experience in the isolation environment, which fall into four distinct categories of: ‘being shut in’; ‘coping with the experience’; ‘being alone’; and ‘maintaining contact with the outside world’. In addition, patients have concerns with regard to the experience of having cancer, that impinge upon the isolation experience. These are: ‘having cancer’; ‘suffering chemotherapy’; ‘knowing what to expect’; and ‘developing relationships with the health professionals’. The core variable is ‘something that I have to go through’. The nature of the relationship between the categories led to the development of an integrative model for exploring the feelings of cancer patients nursed in isolation. Most of the informants coped well with the isolation experience and described feeling supported by the nursing staff. Their overriding concern in fact, reflected a desire to receive information about their disease and reassurance regarding their treatment. Being in isolation appears to inhibit communication about these issues.
Minimal interventions for problem drinkers: a review of the literature
Authors: Watson Hazel E. 
Published: March 2003

Minimal interventions for problem drinkers: a review of the literature There is an increasing body of literature concerning the role in health promotion for nurses working in many health care settings. It has been argued that this role should include identifying those individuals whose life‐style increases their risk of developing health problems, as well as providing appropriate advice and information. Life‐style factors which may contribute to ill‐health include problem drinking. This literature review presents a critique of studies of brief, or minimal, interventions for problem drinkers which have been conducted in both primary care and acute settings. The concept of minimal interventions is explored and the potential for nurses to assume a role in delivering such interventions is discussed.
Non‐response in survey research: a methodological discussion and development of an explanatory model
Authors: Barriball K. Louise , While Alison E. 
Published: March 2003

Non‐response in survey research: a methodological discussion and development of an explanatory modelThis paper demonstrates that the different sources of non‐response in survey research must be considered by researchers in order to minimize the potential for bias, and that careful planning and management during sample selection, sample recruitment and data collection can control the extent of response failure. The findings of an interview survey of nurses and nurses’ aides illustrate, however, that the success of strategies designed to reduce the loss of data in survey research depends upon researchers acknowledging the complex relationships that exist between non‐response phenomena throughout the research process.
Emotional and physical health of spouse caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and stroke
Authors: Wright Lore K. , Hickey Joanne V. , Buckwalter Kathleen C. , Hendrix Shirley A. , Kelechi Teresa 
Published: March 2003

Emotional and physical health of spouse caregivers of persons with Alzheimer’s disease and strokeProviding care for a cognitively impaired spouse can adversely affect caregivers’ health. It is not known how early in the caregiver’s ‘career’ emotional and physical health deteriorates. The progressive deterioration associated with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) may have different effects on caregivers’ health when compared with the potential recovery following a stroke. An exploratory study was conducted with 42 couples, equally divided among early phase AD, ischaemic stroke after hospital discharge, and well controls. Couples were evaluated at baseline (time 1), 6 months (time 2) and 1 year (time 3). At time 1, depression was significantly higher in AD and stroke caregivers when compared to controls. Over time, depression increased significantly for AD caregivers with 21% evidencing moderate to severe depression at time 1 and 50% at time 3. For stroke caregivers there was a significant interaction effect with race: white stroke caregivers’ depression increased over time while African American stroke caregivers’ depression decreased. Physical health was not significantly different for the three groups and remained stable over time. Cognitive and functional impairment levels of care recipients were significantly related to stroke caregivers’ but not AD caregivers’ depression. Long‐term counselling and support to family caregivers is advocated.
The culture of midwifery in the National Health Service in England
Authors: Kirkham Mavis 
Published: March 2003

The culture of midwifery in the National Health Service in EnglandThe culture of midwifery in the National Health Service was examined in order to foster understanding of the context of midwifery practice. In‐depth interviews were conducted with midwives in five, very different, sites across England. The culture which emerged was one of service and sacrifice where midwives lacked the rights as women which they were required to offer to their clients. There was a lack of mutual support and of positive role models of support with considerable pressure to conform. Guilt and self‐blame were common as was learned helplessness and muting. The dilemmas of this culture are considered and the resistance which it offered to change in relationships. Change was either resisted, brought about by stealth or strategically planned to equip midwives to change their culture.
Improving patients’ postoperative sleep: a randomized control study comparing subcutaneous with intravenous patient‐controlled analgesia
Authors: Dawson Lisa , Brockbank Katrina , Carr Eloise C.J. , Barrett Richard F. 
Published: March 2003

Improving patients’ postoperative sleep: a randomized control study comparing subcutaneous with intravenous patient‐controlled analgesia One hundred female patients undergoing major reconstructive plastic or gynaecological surgery were randomized to either receive subcutaneous patient‐controlled analgesia (PCA) (bolus dose 2·5 mg diamorphine in 1 ml with a 20‐minute lockout) or intravenous PCA (bolus dose 0·5 mg diamorphine in 1 ml with a 5‐minute lockout). Data were collected by questionnaire and interview to evaluate the intervention on pain scores, quality of sleep on the first postoperative night, postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and overall patient acceptability. The subcutaneous PCA group experienced less ‘worse pain’ (P < 0·01) and less sleep disturbance due to pain (P < 0·001). Subcutaneous PCA would appear to offer patients a safe and effective means of analgesia and may offer significant advantages over the intravenous route of administration.
Grief and social support after the death of a spouse
Authors: Kaunonen Marja , Tarkka Marja‐Terttu , Paunonen Marita , Laippala Pekka 
Published: March 2003

Grief and social support after the death of a spouse The death of a spouse is one of the most stressful events in a person’s life. Social support has been shown to be widely beneficial in moderating the effects of both chronic and acute stress. The answers of Finnish widows and widowers (n=318) were analysed in order to investigate the sources of social support, what is the nature of support received, and whether social support is connected with coping with grief. The Hogan Grief Reactions Checklist was used to describe the grief as well as answers to open‐ended questions about what helped the widowed persons cope with their grief. Kahn’s theory of social support was used as a framework in the content analysis of the open‐ended answers. The results showed that Finnish widows and widowers receive social support most often from their own family and friends. They perceived the received support most helpful, but also the support that the grieving person can give to other family members is seen as important. Results suggest that those who had had social support were able to grieve by allowing themselves to disorganize and experience panic behaviour.
‘A heavy and blessed experience’: a psychoanalytic study of community Macmillan nurses and their roles in serious illness and palliative care
Authors: Jones Alun 
Published: March 2003

‘A heavy and blessed experience’: a psychoanalytic study of community Macmillan nurses and their roles in serious illness and palliative care This paper explores the psychoanalytic ideas of containment as described by Wilfred Bion and applies them to the work of community Macmillan nurses and to the ways in which they might understand and structure therapeutic conversations with people that are seriously ill. Case vignettes show the application of psychoanalytic thinking in context. The discussion offers the idea that the impact of physical illness is such that the emotional issues of patients, their families and fellow palliative care workers can saturate nurses. To protect themselves, nurses and other health workers might assimilate the emotional traumas of others into physical symptoms, and so they are ignored or overlooked in favour of drug therapies, pre‐occupations with breaking through silences and other concrete or demonstrable methods of treatment. An environment is needed in which a person with serious illness and his or her family member is helped to make sense of their experiences and so integrate them into a meaningful life continuum. Similar provisions are needed for nurses. Appropriate methods of clinical supervision might help these important provisions.
The power of women as nurses in South Africa
Authors: Van Der Merwe Anita S. 
Published: March 2003

The power of women as nurses in South Africa An epistemological analysis of the power of women as nurses in one of the larger and more deprived regions of South Africa, KwaZulu‐Natal, was carried out. The premises of the standpoint theory were used as a justificatory strategy for participant selection. A fourth premise of rurality was added to the existing three premises of race, class and gender. A phenomenological research approach incorporating two to three in‐depth interviews with each participant following a flexible guideline was utilized. Key concepts and realities such as powerlessness, powerfulness and empowerment were explored and a total of 44 audio‐taped interviews was transcribed. Data analysis was aided by a software programme for qualitative data analysis (NUD.IST) and focused on the exploration and development of themes, categories, relationships and condensed forms of outcomes. Detailed attention was given to ethical considerations such as anonymity, freedom of expression and rapport. The credibility of the study was enhanced through prolonged engagement, thick descriptions and the input of three experienced researchers. In reflecting on powerlessness, women as nurses belonging to the enrolled category were alienated as they were severed from the nursing profession and from the ruling gender of men. They were lost in routine activities, were misused, maternalized and domesticated at home and at work. These phenomena were voiced more strongly by the rural group of women. Registered nurses created their own freedom, often away from their men as in divorce, and sought solutions concerning powerlessness in more distant terms. They communicated a sense of empowerment in terms of education and personal qualities. Culture rather than race was emphasized as an essence of women’s oppression. Recommendations of the study focused on ways to limit categorial division, of aligning scope of practices with current health care practices in South Africa and further research regarding the value of the fourth premise of the standpoint theory is suggested.
Nursing science: the transformation of practice
Authors: Parse Rosemarie Rizzo 
Published: March 2003

Nursing science: the transformation of practice World‐wide transformations in nursing practice are evolving as more nurses are embracing extant nursing theories and frameworks in order to fortify their unique contributions to the healthcare system. This article specifies the importance of and the ethical considerations arising when using nursing knowledge from within the school of thought of the discipline to guide practice. The ideas set forth are in stark contrast to the general nursing process with its medical model‐driven diagnostic systems now proliferating in nursing practice in the global healthcare community. Both challenges and opportunities are present in the transformation of practice to a nursing knowledge base.
Managing urinary incontinence in the nursing home: residents’ perspectives
Authors: Robinson Joanne Patterson 
Published: March 2003

Managing urinary incontinence in the nursing home: residents’ perspectives The purpose of this study was to develop a substantive theory describing and explaining cognitive, psychosocial, and behavioural aspects of living with urinary incontinence in a nursing home. Using grounded theory methodology, data were obtained from interviews, participant observation, and minutes from meetings of resident advisory councils, and analysed concurrently using the constant comparative method. Three nursing homes located in the metropolitan area of a major American city served as sites for the study. Ethical approval was obtained from the administrator of each facility and institutional review board of a major university. Ten residents served as primary participants, consenting to provide one audiotaped formal interview, subsequent opportunities to observe and discuss their methods of bladder control, and access to their health care records. Another 33 residents from these facilities served as secondary participants, providing opportunities for observation and informal interview when their bladder control needs, issues, or methods were visible to the investigator and seemed relevant to the evolving theory. Data were collected over a period of 17 months. Findings suggest that nursing home residents with actual or potential urinary incontinence engage in a process called managing urinary incontinence. Managing urinary incontinence occurs in the context of believing that it is an inevitable part of ageing and seeking to protect physical, psychological, and social integrity. Managing urinary incontinence is a dynamic process with consequences that are influenced by the degree to which six specific strategies are used with satisfaction by the resident and supported by staff and significant others. Implications for nursing practice and research are discussed.
Graduate nurses: critical thinkers or better decision makers?
Authors: Girot Elizabeth A. 
Published: March 2003

Graduate nurses: critical thinkers or better decision makers? This study evaluates the difference in development of critical thinking across four groups of nurses at different stages of the academic process and their perception of their decision‐making ability in practice. With the move of nurse education into institutes of higher education nationally, there are no empirical data in the UK to suggest that graduates practice any differently from their non‐graduate colleagues. An opportunistic sample of 82 nurses, was chosen from recent admission on a pre‐registration degree programme, to mature graduates, as well as a group of experienced, non‐graduate practitioners. A quasi‐experimental, between‐subjects design was used. A series of one‐way ANOVAs was used to analyse the difference in critical thinking across all four groups, employing the Watson–Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal. Additionally, the Jenkins Clinical Decision‐Making in Nursing Scale was used to determine the differences in decision‐making ability in practice across three of the groups with clinical experience. Furthermore, a correlation was undertaken to determine what relationship, if any, existed between critical thinking and decision‐making in practice. It was found that there was no significant difference in the critical thinking skills across all groups studied, supporting the findings of other studies in the USA, which examined the cognitive skills of students undertaking graduate programmes. However, in their practice, it was found that those exposed to the academic process were significantly better at decision‐making than their non‐academic colleagues. Finally, no relationship could be found between the development of critical thinking and decision‐making in practice, suggesting that more work needs to be done to look carefully at both critical thinking skills and decision‐making in practice and the tools used to measure these.
The experiences of Taiwanese women caring for parents‐in‐law
Authors: Chao Shu‐Yuan , Roth Patricia 
Published: March 2003

The experiences of Taiwanese women caring for parents‐in‐law Using grounded theory, semistructured in‐depth interviews were conducted to explore the experiences of Taiwanese women who were caregivers for their parents‐in‐law. Thirty‐one Taiwanese women aged 23–58 participated in this study. ‘Just doing’ emerged as the core category and reflected the Taiwanese women caregivers’ process of striving to continue to fulfil the demands of their role during the period of commitment to their parents‐in‐law’s care. The related categories surrounding the core category in the paradigm for this study include: being called, caring for, holding up, keeping harmony, and maintaining filial piety. ‘Being called’ reflected the reasons that these women became caregivers to their parents‐in‐law under circumstances heavily influenced by cultural expectations. ‘Caring for’ provided the context for activities involved in providing daily comfort, keeping watch and seeking assistance when necessary. The category of ‘holding up’ reflected the caregiver’s interpretation of her duty, the extent of the difficulties she experienced and her responses to those difficulties. A philosophy of life, which strongly emphasizes ‘keeping harmony’ influenced how the caregiver interpreted her caregiving role and her ability to ask for assistance or more resources to overcome difficulties posed by the situation. Maintaining filial piety was identified as a primary duty, a lifelong commitment and a desired outcome. However, striving to achieve this outcome resulted in differing caregiver perceptions, ranging from serenity to personal self‐sacrifice. The findings clearly suggested that caregiving behaviours were influenced by cultural expectations when the parent‐in‐law was ill. This study of Taiwanese women caregivers’ experiences may be beneficial in facilitating the development of a comprehensive policy for long‐term care as well as suggesting possible intervention strategies for individual and family care. Recommendations for future research focus on cultural determinants of caregiving roles and coping strategies.
Levels of satisfaction of ‘low‐risk’ mothers with their current health visiting service
Authors: Bowns  , Crofts  , Williams  , Rigby  , Hall  , Haining  
Published: March 2003

Levels of satisfaction of ‘low‐risk’ mothers with their current health visiting service Aims and objectives To assess the expressed levels of satisfaction of ‘low‐risk’ mothers with the current health visiting service. Setting Sheffield, England, Autumn 1997. Methodology Self‐completion, postal questionnaire (initial postcard reminder followed by a second letter and questionnaire) to a sample of 403 mothers assessed as ‘low priority’ by their health visitor. Questions largely related to maternal opinion of the adequacy of the health visiting service delivered during the first 9–12 months. The local research ethics committee approved the study. Results A corrected response rate of 75% with little evidence of significant bias. A high proportion (86%) of women stated that they were either ‘fairly’ or ‘very’ satisfied with the service they had received from their health visitor with regard to their baby. A lower proportion (72%) was equally satisfied with the service they had received in respect of their own health. Despite an average number of approximately 10 contacts in relation to infant health with the health visitor during the first year of life, some 6% of women wanted more frequent contacts, particularly in the first few weeks. Study limitations The questionnaire was designed specifically for the study and validation was limited. The study population comprised a selected, ‘low‐risk’ group. Conclusions The number of reported contacts with the health visitor seemed to greatly exceed those indicated by a basic child health surveillance programme. The overall level of maternal satisfaction is high, though a minority of women would like more support. Dissatisfaction was expressed with the lack of an appointment system for clinics, poor punctuality in home visits, and inappropriate or inadequate advice.
A case for case studies: exploring the use of case study design in community nursing research
Authors: Bergen Ann , While Alison 
Published: March 2003

A case for case studies: exploring the use of case study design in community nursing research The case study has become an accepted vehicle for conducting research in a variety of disciplines. However, the meaning behind the term is not always made explicit by researchers and this has given rise to a number of assumptions which are open to challenge, and to questions about the robustness of the method. This paper explores some of the issues arising from one particular definition of case study research, used in a study by Yin which examined the practice of case management in community nursing. Four main areas are discussed. First, defining ‘case’ is seen to pose questions about the relationship of the phenomenon to its context, the degree of researcher control over case definition, the limits to what may constitute a ‘case’ and what is meant by the term ‘unit of analysis’. Second, the relevance of external validity to case study research is supported through the use of a number of tactics, in particular Yin’s concept of replication logic, which involves generalizing to theory, rather than to empirical data. Third, the use of method triangulation (multiple methods of data collection) is advanced as a means of enhancing construct validity in research where data converge around a particular theory. Finally, the relationship of the case study to theory construction, through the prior development of ‘propositions’ is discussed. Each of these issues is applied to the design and conduct of a research study based closely on Yin’s multiple case study framework. Thirteen ‘cases’ were selected of case management practice and data were collected through interviews and examination of literature and documentation, to explore the suitability of community nurses for the role. It is concluded that, given the appropriate subject matter, context and research aims, the case study method may be seen as a credible option in nursing research.