Digital Commons Network^™

Living With Loss: The Lived Experience Of Spousal Bereavement In Men Aged 40 To 60., Luann Miller Daggett

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Young Women's Experiences Of Dating Violence: A Phenomenological Study., Melinda E. Rush

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Meaning Of Stroke In Elderly Women: The Lived Experience., Edith L. Hilton

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of Personality Characteristics And Stress On Physical Illness, Carly A. Andersen

Honors Projects

Recent research has indicated that personality characteristics and stress may influence the incidence of illness (Dreher, 1995). The majority of studies have examined personality characteristics and stress in acutely and chronically ill populations. However, this phenomenon has not been extensively studied in healthy populations. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among personality characteristics, subjective stress, and physical illness in a sample of undergraduate students. This study tested a moderator model in which personality characteristics interact with stress to influence the incidence of physical illness using hierarchical multiple regression. Study participants included 55 undergraduate students selected from …

Maternal Identity In Previously Infertile And Never Infertile Women, Christal L. Saffee

Masters Theses

M the United States approximately one in five couples are infertile. Infertility can be a major life crisis to the affected individuals. This study compared the difference in maternal identity in previously infertile women as compared to never infertile women during the postpartum period. The conceptual framework used in this study was symbolic interactionist theory. Maternal identity was measured by Myself as Mother (Walker, 1977) scale in both groups of women. Demographic information was collected on each participant in the study. Previously infertile women's maternal identity scores were significantly lower than those scores of fertile women (t=-8.63 df=51 p=.00). This …

An Examination Of Patient And Nurse Perceptions Of Stressors During The Electrophysiology Study, Donna J. Thurn

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to (a) identify the perceived stressors of patients undergoing an electrophysiology study (EPS) and (b) compare them to the stressors identified by nurses caring for those patients.

A descriptive two group comparative design with a non-probability convenience sample was used. Data were obtained using self report questionnaires. The sample consisted of 25 patients undergoing an EPS and 25 nurse responses. Data analyses included a comparison of the ordering of stressors according to perceived concern by the patient and the nurse. While similar items were identified, there was a difference in the perceived order of …

Therapeutic Touch For Treatment Of Chronic Pain Related To Fibromyalgia, Lois M. Christian

Masters Theses

Therapeutic touch (TT) has been used to treat persons with many different illnesses, especially those with chronic pain. The purpose of this study was to determine if TT reduces fibromyalgia pain.

In this study five TT treatments were given to each of 10 female subjects with fibromyaIgia from 36 to 59 years old using a quasi-experimental single-subject design.

Using a visual Analogue Scale (VAS) to measure the subject's pain before and after each of 5 TT treatments, a repeated measures ANOVA was employed to analyze the data. .A significant difference in pain levels was found between the pre- and post-test …

Lunar Phases, Time Variations, And Birthrate In Western Michigan, Janet Mitchell

Masters Theses

Staffing standards in the labor and delivery units of hospitals are based on estimates of the number of patients who will be admitted. Anecdotally, patients, visitors, and healthcare professionals frequently comment that the occurrence of the fell moon brings about an increase in the number of laboring women. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between birthrate and time of day, day of the week, month of the year and new and full moons. Martha Rogers' theory, the Science of Unitary Human Beings, was used as the theoretical framework.

A descriptive ex post facto design using retrospective …

The Effect Of Social Support On The Psychological Adaptation Of An Individual Receiving An Alternate Form Of Nutrition Therapy, Kristin J. Ladd

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of social support on an individual's psychological adaptation to an alternate form of nutrition support. Betty Neuman's Systems Model provided the framework for this study. A descriptive correlational design was chosen for this study and data were collected using a questionnaire methodology. Proposed data analyses measures were Pearson's product moment correlation, t- Test, and Mann-Whitney U. The targeted sample size for this study was 20 patients with cancer or gastrointestinal disorders, however, termination of the study occurred when only four individuals were recruited after five months of data collection. This …

Ambulatory Surgery Nurses' Perceptions Of Their Ability To Provide Individualized Patient Care, Rebecca L. Brown

Masters Theses

This descriptive correlational study examined the extent to which nurses in an ambulatory surgery practice environment perceive their ability to individualize patient care. As patients shift to the outpatient setting, it is important to look at the effect this may have on individualizing patient care, a concept rooted in the foundation of the profession of nursing. Registered nurses from four ambulatory surgery sites within one large health care system in western Michigan were asked to rate the frequency which they performed select nursing care actions using the 45-item .Ambulatory Individualized Care Index (AICl). modified from van Servellen's (1988a) Individualized Care …

Differences Between The Nursing And Family Member Role In Acute Pain Assessment In Senior Nursing Students, Debra L. Fitzpatrick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore how nursing students’ decisions regarding pain assessment and analgesic use may be influenced by the role the student assumes in hypothetical situations, specifically the role of nurse or family member. It was hypothesized that there would be no statistically significant difference in pain assessment, in choice of analgesic dose, and in concerns about analgesics.

A descriptive correlational design was used. A sample of 83 senior nursing students within two weeks of graduation was used. The instrument used was one of two surveys created by McCaffery and Ferrell (1997). All respondents were asked …

The Lived Experiences Of Persons Dependent On Hemodialysis, Molly A. Kidner

Masters Theses

End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) affects almost 300,000 people in the United States. The growth rate is estimated at six to seven percent per year. Of these, over 182,000 chose hemodialysis as the treatment regimen to sustain their lives. Qualitative research is relatively absent specific to this population.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the lived experiences of persons dependent on hemodialysis. Four self-identified persons dependent on hemodialysis were asked to describe their experiences of being a person dependent on hemodialysis. The verbal descriptions were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. These descriptions were analyzed for meaning using the …

Relationship Between Pulse Oximetry Measurements And Admission To A Hospital In The Wheezing Pediatric Population, Christine K. Dunnuck

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the usefulness of pulse oximetry measurements as an objective measure of the severity of wheezing in pediatric emergency clients as demonstrated by subsequent admission. An ex-post facto study design with a retrospective chart review was used. Subjects (n=198) ranged in age from one month to 17 years. Consecutive admissions and random sampling of those discharged were used. Hypotheses were: (a) lower initial pulse oximetry measurements would increase the likelihood of admission and (b) younger patients would be admitted with higher pulse oximetry measurements.

Chi-square analysis and one way ANOVA statistical testing demonstrated …

Gender Differences In Importance Of Stroke Health Beliefs In Timing Of Seeking Treatment For Acute Stroke Symptoms, Brenda S. Nyenhuis

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe gender differences in importance of stroke health beliefs in timing of seeking treatment for acute stroke symptoms. The data came from a larger study titled ‘Discovering Factors Related to the Timing of Seeking Health Care for Acute Stroke Symptoms” (ODonnell, Roberts, Ruhlandt, & Baer, 1999). The current study included 51 subjects who were asked to rate the importance of 13 belief statements on their decision to seek treatment. The Health Belief Model (HBM) was the conceptual framework for this study.

Data were analyzed using frequencies, percentages and Mann-Whitney U. There were no …

The Effect Of An Initial Clinical Nursing Experience In A Nursing Home On Associate Degree Nursing Student Attitudes Toward The Elderly, Rita Lareau

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the change in associate degree nursing (ADN) students’ attitudes toward the elderly following an initial clinical nursing experience in a nursing home. The Neuman Systems Model (Neuman, 1995) was the conceptual focus for the research. A convenience sample of ADN students in a basic nursing care clinical course at a community college was used. The Kogan Attitudes Toward Old People Scale (Kogan, 1961) was utilized to assess student attitudes toward the elderly. A pretest was administered at the beginning of the course prior to the nursing home experience, and a post-test was …

Quality Of Life Of The Hemodialysis Patient, Tammy Bronson

Masters Theses

There are over 250,000 people currently afflicted with end-stage renal disease and the number is rising every year. Although kidney transplant is the treatment of choice, lack of viable organs limits this option. Hemodialysis is the most common treatment modality for end stage renal disease. Quality of care is continuously monitored by physicians, nurses and dietitians, however there is also the need to examine the quality of life of the hemodialysis patient. This study replicated the works of Ferrans and Powers (1993).

Overall quality of life and four sub-scales (health and functioning, social and economic, psychological/spiritual, and family) were evaluated …

Unplanned Hospitalization Of A Child: Perceptions Of Stress, Family Life Events, And Coping Resources, Jennifer Lee Moes

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify the parental perceptions of family stress, family life events, and coping strategies of a family whose child is hospitalized in the pediatric unit.

A descriptive correlational design with a non-probability convenience sample consisted of 30 parents or primary caretakers of a child who was hospitalized in pediatrics. Data was obtained with three instruments; 1) demographic questionnaire assessing current perceived stress of the family, 2) Family Inventory of Life Events (FILE); and 3) Family Crisis Oriented Personal Evaluation Scales (F-COPES).

Data analysis included three correlations between (a) pile-up and perceived family stress, (b) …

The Knowledge Of Dementia Among Nursing Staff Working In Special Care Units, Julia M. Gray

Theses

Dementia is a growing concern among the elder population. Special Care Units in long-term settings are becoming common placements for elders with dementia. The nursing staff within Special Care Units ideally have additional training in dementia. The purpose of this thesis is to examine the knowledge of dementia among nursing staff working in Special Care Units.

Health Promotion Behaviors In Midlife Women In Alabama., Mona Lynn P Lester

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Psychoneuroimmunology And Healing Touch In Hiv Disease, Jo Lynne Wheeler Robins

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effects of Healing Touch (HT) on well-being and neuroendocrine function in individuals living with HIV disease. A total of 27 males completed the 4-week HT intervention. Each weekly HT session lasted 30 minutes and consisted of only the chakra connection, Because of the small sample size and the impact of gender on neuroendocrine and immune function, women were not included in this study Dependent variables included well-being as measured by three well-being and two psychological distress instruments, serum serotonin, salivary DHEA and cortisol, and a variety of enumerative and functional measures …

Great Suffering, Great Compassion: A Transcultural Opportunity For School Nurses Caring For Cambodian Refugee Children, Teresa L. Tellep

Master's Projects

The unique cultural ways of Cambodian refugee families, combined with the physical and psychological health problems inherent in their refugee experience, present challenging and rewarding opportunities for school nurses to engage in the process of transcultural nursing. The authors discuss the profound and devastating impact of the refugee experience upon the mind, body, and spirit of Cambodian children. The purpose of this exploratory and descriptive study was to understand the nature and meaning of a school district's cross-cultural team's experiences of providing health care for Cambodian refugee children. Focus group interviews of school nurses and Cambodian liaisons were conducted, utilizing …

The Relationship Among Organizational Experiences And Career Outcomes As Perceived By African-American Nurse Managers., Mary Hunter Hill

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Predictors Of Exercise Activity Among Rural Thai Older Adults., Taweeluk Vannarit

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Caregiver Caring Behaviors As Perceived By Hiv -Positive African -American Women., Daphne Kennedy Williams

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Reflective Process In Nursing Clinicals Using Journaling And Dialogue, Rita Van Horn

Dissertations

Method. Two case studies describe the experiences of (1) 17 students who worked individually in the hospital clinical setting and who answered specific questions about problem solving in a written journal and (2) 20 students who were paired in the clinical setting and who answered the same questions together in a journal shared by the pair. In both case studies the experience was 9 weeks. The written journal questions were designed around a problem-solving process and thoughts and feelings about the clinical experience. A rubric adapted from Boud, Koegh, and Walker’s (1985) reflective model was used to analyze the journal …

The Flame, Winter 1999, Mennonite College Of Nursing

The Flame (1985-present)

The Flame is a newsletter of Illinois State University's Mennonite College of Nursing

A Revision Of The World Health Organisation Psychiatric Disability Assessment Schedule, Daniel Rock

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The burden schizophrenia places on the individual, on the family and on society in general is determined more by the associated disability rather than the manifest symptoms. Therefore, measurement of disability provides a baseline for evaluating change and directing treatment. This research has two main aims. The primary purpose of this study was to develop and validate a contemporary revision of the World Health Organisation-Psychiatric Disability Assessment Schedule (1988). Data used was based on data from the WHO Collaborative Study on Determinants of Outcome of Severe Mental Disorders (Sartorius et al., 1986). The second aim of this study was to …

Identification Of Barriers To Adherence To Prescribed Schedules For Self-Monitoring Of Blood Glucose, Victoria E. Sawhill

Masters Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify barriers to adherence to prescribed self-monitoring blood glucose (SMBG) schedules. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 40 diabetic patients from a rural northern Michigan community, ages 18-84, who completed the modified Barriers to Self-Monitoring Blood Glucose Scale (BSMBG) (Jones, Remley, & Engberg, 1996). The study’s theoretical framework was the Health Belief Model (HBM) (Rosenstock, Strecher, & Becker, 1994).

The modified BSMBG scale had a reliability coefficient of 0.95 using Cronbach’s alpha. Individual barrier scores were varied indicating a need for individualized assessment of barriers to SMBG. Data analysis demonstrated …

Acute Care Nursing: Are Perceived Work Stressors Different For Nurses Working In Critical Care And Non-Critical?, Mary Jane Rolf

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine, using King’s Conceptual Framework, “stressful” nursing situations that might affect critical care (CC) and non-critical care (NCC) nurses in an acute health care setting. Similarities that existed between the two groups were evaluated using responses to Gray-Toft and Anderson s Nursing Stress Scale (NSS).

The sample of 131 included registered nurses and licensed practical nurses at a 300-bed acute care tertiary hospital in Northern Michigan representing two critical care areas and three non-critical care areas. The NSS, letter of explanation and waiver, and return envelope were sent to participants’ homes. Data indicate …

What Are Female University Students' Perceptions Of Their Healthcare Needs?, Kathleen K. Loose

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to gain a greater awareness of the self-perceived healthcare needs of female university students. An anonymous questionnaire was sent to a random sampling of the total female enrollment at a midwest university. A Healthcare Concern Score was tabulated on 230 completed questionnaires. There were 21 items identified as concerns. Students in the 17-24 year old age bracket had a higher healthcare concern score than individuals in the 24-53 year old age bracket. Orem’s Self-care Deficit Theory (1991) was the conceptual framework for this study. The majority of identified concerns fell within the category of …