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Navigating A Difficult Transition In Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Clinical Case Study, Tina Hyman, Michael Salinero, Francisco Javier Jimenez-Carcamo, Margarita Pallares, Maribel Matos

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Over the past 20 years, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) patients and providers have seen an increase in options to treat PAH. Currently, there are choices for the delivery of medications approved to treat patients with PAH where at one point the only option was intravenous (IV) therapy. This case study details the transition from IV Epoprostenol to oral Treprostinil for the treatment of a 53 year old female diagnosed with severe Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension whose quality of life became unbearable by the IV medication delivery route. This patient was a synchronized swimmer in her youth and her passion for water …

Implanting Loop Recorders In A Hospital Unit Versus The Electrophysiology Laboratory: A Retrospective Chart Review, Marie Paule Lafontant, Valerie E. Smith, Nohemi Sadule Rios, Marsha Camille Lambert

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Introduction: Cardiac arrhythmias and unexplained syncopal episodes remain a challenge for clinicians to diagnose. The recent creation of the smallest Implantable Loop Recorder (ILR) assists in identifying the causes behind cardiac and neurological events. The current study aimed to compare the practice of implanting loop recorders at the bedside in the Cardiac and Vascular Care Unit (CVCU) to implantations in the Electrophysiology Laboratory (EP Lab).

Methods: This study was a retrospective review of electronic medical records. Data abstraction included implantation dates, time of admission and discharge, length of stay (LOS), number of healthcare staff involved, and cost of the procedure. …

Exploring Nurses’ Feelings On Floating: A Phenomenological Study, Marie Paule Lafontant, Dean Blevins, Charlene Romer, Paul G. Ward

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Introduction: Mandatory floating is a strategy used to address changes in nurse staffing caused by unforeseeable staff call outs, increase in patient acuity, or census. However, it has an impact on nurses' satisfaction and retention. Therefore, it is important to understand how nurses feel when mandated to float and the effects floating could have on nursing practice.

Methods: Husserl's transcendental phenomenological design guided the study. Data collection was done through individual, semi-structured interviews. Giorgi's six steps served as a basis for data analysis.

Results: Nurses believed that changes needed to be made to the floating process to ensure safe continuity …

Evaluation Of The Clinical Competency Advancement Program, Nada Wakim, Nohemi Sadule Rios, Suzanne Balbosa-Saunders, Eve Butler, Becky Montesino King

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Introduction: A major challenge facing nursing administrators and recruiters is the recruitment and retention of bedside nurses. Clinical career ladder programs are used as recruitment and retention tools by many hospitals. The Clinical Competency Advancement Program (CCAP) is a clinical career ladder program developed by a health system in South Florida to help retain clinical nurses at the bedside. The purpose of this study was to assess nurses’ attitudes related to the CCAP, by both participants and non-participants, to determine the perceived barriers and benefits of the program.

Methods: This study used a descriptive comparative design. A convenience sample of …

Letter From The Deputy Editor: Hardwiring A Culture Of Clinical Inquiry From Day One, Roberto L. Roman Laporte

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Letter From The Editor-In-Chief: Publishing In Peer-Reviewed Journals, Nohemi Sadule Rios

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

No abstract provided.