Digital Commons Network^™

Administration Of Post-Operative Analgesia, Liora J. Valinsky

Theses : Honours

Pain is one of the major problems encountered by patients who have undergone surgery. The relief of pain is an important part of their treatment, and is both a nursing and a medical responsibility. Analgesics, both narcotic and non-narcotic, are usually prescribed by doctors on a pro re nata, or ‘as needed' basis. The responsibility for administration lies with the nurses, and they choose the type and quantity of drug to be given. Research into the area of pain relief has shown that both nurses and doctors need further education in the judicious use of analgesics, particularly narcotics. This study …

The Effect Of An In-Service Lecture On Diabetes On Nurses' Attitudes To Diabetes Patient Education, Jennifer A. Walters

Theses : Honours

Patient education has been shown to be a major factor in improving the compliance and self-care skills of diabetic patients, thereby improving the quality of life for the patient. Nurses have an important role in diabetes patient education. Research has indicated, however, that barriers such as lack of knowledge and negative attitudes may prevent nurses from effectively delivering this care to their patients. The purpose of this experimental study was to determine whether increasing the knowledge of registered nurses through an in-service lecture on diabetes would improve their attitudes towards diabetes education. The conceptual framework for the study proposed that …

Cognitive Learning Outcomes In A Cardiac Nursing Course: A Pilot Study, Amanda J. Whittle

Theses : Honours

This study measured the cognitive learning outcomes of registered nurses who completed a short cardiac nursing course. This course was held in a metropolitan teaching hospital during four weeks in September, 1989. The author grouped the twenty participants into one of two groups according to prior acute cardiac nursing experience; (1) those who had less than six months post-basic cardiac nursing experience; and (2) those who had six months or more post-basic cardiac nursing experience. A pre-course test and post-course test was given to the participants to measure the dependent variable, that is, cognitive knowledge. Using as case-comparative design, the …

Altered Level Of Consciousness: Validity Of A Nursing Diagnosis., Joan Staggs Grant

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Perception Of Loneliness By Adolescents Who Are Mildly Mentally Retarded., Beverly Desmond Hansen

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Self-Care Actions Of Chronic Schizophrenics Associated With Meeting Solitude And Social Interaction Self-Care Requisites., James L. Harris

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Two Methods Of Dangling On Heart Rate And Blood Pressure In Postoperative Abdominal Hysterectomy Patients., Gretchen Montaree Schaefer Mcdaniel

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Job Satisfaction Among Nurse Educators., Janet Sue Brookman

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of The Factors Of Empowerment As Perceived By Persons With End-Stage Renal Failure., Laurie Ruth Murray

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Between Selected Variables And The Self-Esteem In Adolescent Females., Portia Lanette Foster

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Connecting: Meeting The Needs Of Family Caregivers., Shirley Rogers Rawlins

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Physiologic Response To Exercise In Clients With Mitral Valve Prolapse Syndrome., Elizabeth Wright Norris

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Of Knowledge And Health Locus-Of-Control Of Early Adolescent Males To The Use Of Smokeless Tobacco., Deborah Lynn Scott

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Lived Experience Of Staying Healthy In Rural Black Families., Carol Thompson Smith

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Self-Esteem In Children With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder., Anne Horlock Shealy

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Meaning Of Chronic Low Back Pain: A Phenomenological Study., Josie Allen Martin

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Self-Selected Monotonous Sounds On The Night Sleep Pattern Of Postoperative Open Heart Surgery Patients., Joan Wolfe Williamson

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Keep On Going: Caregiving By Spouses Of Cva Patients In The Home., Sandra Kay Hutto Faria

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

A Q-Analysis Of The Stressors Of Adult Female Nursing Students Enrolled In Baccalaureate Schools Of Nursing., Phillis Diann O'Mary Harbin

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Diffusion Of A Management Innovation In The Nursing Division Of A Veterans Administration Hospital, Tammy F. Lio

Master's Theses

No abstract provided.

Conflict Resolution Among Terminally Ill Cancer Patients And Their Families: How Nurses Intervene, Mary Ann Wolfenson

All Student Theses and Dissertations

All interpersonal relationships have conflict as well as peace and harmony. An otherwise healthy family who has a member with terminal cancer of the breast or prostate will experience increased conflict because of all the changes that occur with this prognosis. The problem explored in this study was how nurses facilitated conflict resolution among terminally ill patients and their families. The research design consisted of presenting nurses with two scenarios demonstrative of a family conflict with pain control and anorexia as the foci. Each scenario had five responses which each nurse was asked to rank order in terms of nursing …

Efficiency Of The Thermal Jacket On The Delivered Temperature Of Prewarmed Crystalloid Intravenous Fluid, Danny R. Bowen

Theses and Dissertations

A quasi-experimental research design was used to determine the relationship between the flow rate and the delivered temperature of prewarmed crystalloid intravenous solutions when using the Thermal Jacket™, an insulation device designed for intravenous fluid bags, as compared to a conventional blood warming apparatus. One control and three experimental groups were used.

Fluids in Group 1 (control group), Group 2, and Group 4 were prewarmed in a microwave oven to 41.45 ± 1.05 ° C. Fluids in Group 3 were left near ambient room temperature and measured at 22.05 ± 0.45 ° C. Fluids in the control group were infused …

Multiple Role Women And Their Spouses: Variables Effecting Family Functioning, Julie C. Novak Dnsc, Cpnp, Ma, Rn

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of age, education, perceived child care support, social support, role conflict, coping and marital adjustment on family functioning as experienced by multiple role women and their spouses. The family has long been recognized as the most important contextual influence in human growth and development. Nurses have been working with families for generations, especially in community and mental health nursing. It is only in the last decade, however, that there has been an increasing interest in family research among nurses reflected in a trend away from individual-focused studies and toward a …

Pregnancy Outcome In Military And Civilian Women, Karen Messersmith Heroman Dnsc

Dissertations

Low birth weight and prematurity account for much of the morbidity and mortality in the neonatal period as well as for much of the cost in newborn care. The purpose of this investigation was to determine if two groups of pregnant women, military enlisted and civilian dependents, differed in selected risk factors (smoking, alcohol consumption, weight gain, prenatal care, work patterns, life stress, and social support) or in pregnancy outcome (infant birth weight and gestational age). The House (1981) theory of stress, social support, and health served as the framework for this study. Since little has been published on pregnancy …

Needs Of Families Of Adult Cardiac Surgery Patients During The Intensive Care Stay, Michael L. Williams

Masters Theses

The purposes of this research were to identify needs of family of adult cardiac surgery patients during the intensive care stay, by whom these needs were met, and to identify demographic variables that were associated with identified family needs. Thirty-one families of adult cardiac surgery patients ranked 45 need statements using the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory. The need to have questions answered honestly was identified as the most important need by the families in this study. Nurses were identified as the person who met most of the needs of the families. Some significant differences in needs between spouses and …

Showering In Labor: An Effective Pain Management Alternative, Kathleen A. Austin

Masters Theses

Health care professionals continue to be concerned about the relief of pain and anxiety associated with childbirth. There are recent anecdotal reports in the literature which describe showering as an effective nonpharmaceutical alternative for labor pain management. The effectiveness of showering can most likely be explained physiologically by the "gate control" theory of pain.; The purpose of this descriptive-correlational study was to examine the labor patient's perception of the effectiveness of showering as a comfort measure and the relationship between showering in labor and outcome variables such as analgesia use, anesthesia use, and childbirth satisfaction. After approval by appropriate human …

Staff Nurse Identification Of Nursing Diagnosis From A Written Case Study, Sharon Etheridge

Masters Theses

A descriptive study was conducted to determine how well medical-surgical and critical care staff nurses identified the same nursing diagnoses and defining characteristics from a written case study. A convenience sample of 83 staff nurses from four acute care institutions participated in the study.; Of the total diagnostic statements made, 42.9% were the same as those identified by experts in the case study. Three nurses (3.6%) correctly identified all five nursing diagnoses in the written case study. An additional seven (8.4%) nurses correctly identified four of the nursing diagnoses. The demographic characteristics of these nurses were varied. No statistical relationship …

Perceptions Of Registered Nurses Toward Two Patient Classification Systems, Sarah J. Follen

Masters Theses

Patient classification systems provide a means of delineating nursing activities that a patient requires. The majority of patient classification systems consist primarily of delegated services or functional tasks. Two other areas of nursing care, independent and interdependent services, are not a part of most workload measurement systems.; Two patient classification systems were developed for this study. One was designed using primarily delegated services, and the second designed according to the Clinical Practice Model of Nursing (Wesorick, 1988) and consisted of independent, interdependent, and delegated services. The researcher studied how registered nurses perceived each instrument: how acceptable was each instrument to …

Cardiac Rehabilitation: Client's Perceived Adequacy Of Education Related To Adjustments Following Myocardial Infarction, Mary E. Flikkema

Masters Theses

Heart disease significantly impacts the lifestyles of clients. Psychosocial difficulties such as anxiety, depression, marital and family conflict are documented in the literature. Various methods and aspects of adjustment have been studied to assist the client with adaptation to changes in exercise, diet, weight reduction and smoking.; This descriptive study used a correlational design to investigate the relationship between the client's perceived adequacy of cardiac rehabilitative education with postdischarge fears and adjustments. Thirty clients participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program completed a self report questionnaire regarding level of preparedness in the areas of exercise, diet, work/activity, sexual functioning, and social …

Facilitating The Nursing Process For The Nursing Diagnosis "Alteration In Thought Processes", Meridell Veen

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if nurses who were given a tool to facilitate assessment of thought processes would collect more assessment data, diagnose "alteration in thought processes" more frequently, and include a care plan for this diagnosis more often. A quasi-experimental pre-treatment/post-treatment design was used. An inservice program about the Level of Cognitive Function Scale (LOCF) was the treatment.; Of the 40 randomly selected subjects from the 199 adult critical care nurses at a metropolitan hospital, 20 completed the study with pre-treatment and post-treatment data. Data were collected by scoring patient assessment/care plans pre-treatment and 4 …