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A Comparative Study Of Two Methods Of Obtaining Midstream Urine Specimens, S. Maxine Page

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to find out if the procedure developed by the investigator for obtaining midstream urine specimens for culture from adult female outpatients would produce less contamination than the procedure most often used in the selected outpatient department. Following a review of pertinent literature, two relatively equivalent groups of twenty-two adult females with medical or surgical problems were selected. Persons with symptoms of urinary tract infection were excluded from the study. One group was subjected to the control procedure, designated as Procedure A. Procedure A was an unsupervised procedure involving the use of soap and water …

The Extent To Which Patients Follow Their Low-Cholesterol Diets, Beverly Jo Peterson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This exploratory study was conducted to discover to what extent patients follow their low-cholesterol diets. If they did not, the reasons were investigated. It was hoped that the findings would aid in defining areas of instruction which need greater emphasis when patients receive instruction concerning a low-cholesterol diet.

An interview guide was used as a data gathering tool. The dietitians at one private teaching hospital recorded all dietary prescriptions sent to them during the specified period and ten physicians were contacted for permission to include their patients in the study. The patients were then contacted by telephone and the interviews …

The Affect Of Activities In The Intensive Care Unit On Patients, Dorothy Millholland Mottweiler

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to find out whether there is a relationship between what the patient can see and hear of on-going activities in the intensive care unit and patient stress. The descriptive survey method was used. A checklist was developed from several sources in literature. Data were collected by observation of individual patients in two intensive care units and by recording their behavior on the checklist. Recording of stress signs was done for five minute intervals every thirty minutes for eight hours, making sixteen intervals for every eight hour period. Nineteen separate patient observations of eight hour …

Altered Body Image Following Radical Mastectomy, Julia Lee Anne Mcconnell

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify reactions and adjustments to the altered body image following radical mastectomy. It was felt that nurses could be of more assistance to women facing this experience if they knew and understood the common reactions which occur.

Other studies have indicated that major areas of adjustment focus upon dress and appearance. Sexual and social relationships, and curiosity of others. The disruption of a body image makes necessary certain adjustments in the individual's perceptions of himself.

The method of research in this study was descriptive survey with the use of partially structured interviews. Thirty-five …

The Nature And Sources Of Patients' Pretest Knowledge Of The Diagnostic Test, Electroencephalography, Dorothy Weeks

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study was conducted to determine the nature and sources of patients' pretest knowledge and understanding of the diagnostic procedure, electroencephalography. A review of literature on electroencephalography and patients' involvement in diagnostic procedures revealed that patients need to be informed about scheduled electroencephalography in order to reduce their anxiety, thereby improving the technical quality of the test. Nursing literature contained many statements encouraging nurses to inform patients about diagnostic procedures. No literature was found concerning the teaching role of physicians in informing patients, although both patients and technicians look to the physician as the expected source of patients' pretest information. …

A Comparison Of Blood Pressure Readings Taken On Preoperative Patients During Hospital Admission And One And One-Half To Three Hours Later, Susan Lee Woodward

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A "before-after" type experimental study was conducted to find an advantageous time to record baseline blood pressure readings on preoperative patients, which could be referred to following surgery and interpreted as representative of normal for the patients. A review of medical and nursing literature revealed that there is a need to established a blood pressure reading indicative of normal for each patient prior to surgery. Because literature substantiated its acceptance, the ausculatory method of taking indirect arterial blood pressure readings was the technique utilized in this study. Sixty conveniently selected general elective surgical patients, twenty-five to forty-five years of age, …

Neurological Complications Following Open Heart Surgery, Lavaun Ward Sutton

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The propose of this exploratory study was to gather data for analysis on possible predisposing or related factors in the development of neurological com plications following open heart surgery as well as to determine the scope and frequency of symptoms exhibited, indicative of cerebral damage. In addition, the researcher hoped to learn the outcome of these patients through information on the duration and resolution of symptoms, noting type and degree of residual problems as well as the incidence of mortality. A review of the literature provided background information for this study. This review indicated that although considerable attention has been …

A Comparison Of Axillary And Rectal Temperatures In Children, Doris Payne

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study was conducted on seventy-five children, three to eight years of age. The purpose was to compare a three-minute axillary with a three-minute rectal temperature. Known factors which might influence the findings were eliminated. These were emotional stress, physical exercise, antipyretic medications, cooling and heating measures, gastro-intestinal disturbances, and croupettes or oxygen tents. The range of the difference between the temperatures was from 0.8 degrees to 2.2 degrees with the mean difference of 1.13 degrees. A little less than half of the temperatures had one degree of difference. An additional thirty-two per cent were within 0.2 degrees of being …

A Comparative Study Of Discomfort Experienced By Surgical Patients On Three Selected Postoperative Days, Lillian Barker Bartlett

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A descriptive survey was conducted to compare the discomfort experienced on three selected postoperative days to determine if there is one day identified by the patient as the most uncomfortable and to assess the symptoms of which he might complain. A checklist of twelve symptoms common to postsurgical patients was administered on the evenings of the second, third and fourth postoperative days by the researcher. Findings indicated that nineteen or 56 per cent of the thirty-four patients interviewed stated that the second day was most uncomfortable, nine or 27 per cent the third and six or 17 per cent the …

Factors Which Deterred Twenty-Three Selected Patients From Utilizing Public Health Nursing Services, Lora Wood Welch

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A study was conducted to identify factors which deterred twenty-three selected epileptic patients from utilizing public health nursing services. The literature was reviewed in areas relating to factors which may contribute to or deter patients use of clinic or public health services.

The descriptive survey approach employing an interview guide was used. Data on the guide were classified in two areas: (1) personal characteristics and (2) participant responses. The participant responses were further categorized according to (1) perception of the public health department and public health nursing services, (2) perception of the needs of the epileptic patient and his parents, …

The Use Of A Programmed Textbook In Diabetic Patient Education, K. Helen Emori

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study was done to test the effectiveness of a programmed textbook as a method of teaching diabetic patients at home. The textbook used was prepared from a programmed filmstrip provided by the United States Public Health Service. The study was conducted in connection with the Los Angeles County General Hospital Metabolic Clinic and the White Memorial Hospital Lipid Clinic. A group of 37 patients who met the criteria of an I.Q. of at least 60, a reading level of at least the second grade, and who would be returning to the clinic within four weeks were included in the …

The Incidence Of Cancer Of The Cervix In A Selected Group Of Women, Charleene W. Riffel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

It was the purpose of this study to find out the incidence of cancer of the cervix in a selected group of Seventh-day Adventist women. This was to be accomplished by an exfoliative cytological survey of smears for cervical cancer and the relation of the incidence found to the age, race, marital status, pregnancy status, geographic origin and endocrine therapy of the participants. These participants were the 2248 women who had cervical and/or vaginal smears made while in San Francisco to attend a religious conference in July of 1962.

From a review of literature it was found that cancer of …

Falls Sustained By Patients In A Selected Nursing Home, Katty Joy Fenton

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study was done to learn how the incidence of falls was related to certain, selected factors such as ambulatory state, sex, location of occurrence and time of occurrence in the nursing home chosen for the study and to make recommendations for increasing the safety of nursing home patients.

The descriptive-survey was the method used in the study. The data were made available in the form of 235 incident reports which had been collected over a five-year period in the selected nursing home. There were 213 of these records which described falls of various types so the study was limited …

The Relationship Of Central Venous Pressure To Hemorrhage In Open Heart Surgery, Mable Reynolds

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The problem of this study was to review 100 open heart surgical cases in a selected hospital to determine the changes occurring in central venous pressure in relation to blood loss.

The review of literature revealed that central venous pressure is an important factor in determining immediate postoperative care of open heart surgical patients. If central venous pressure falls below the normal range of 5 to 10 centimeters of water, hemorrhage is suspected. If central venous pressure is elevated between 15 and 20 centimeters of water, cardiac tamponade is suspected.

The descriptive survey method of research was used. Medical records …

Patients With Transistor Pacemakers : Their Problems In Adjusting To Daily Living, Miriam L. Moore

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

It was the purpose of this study to gain greater insights into the problems and needs of patients with artificial pacemakers. The problem was to find out in what ways the pacemaker affected the patients' manner of living and what problems they had had in adjusting to a new way of life.

The method of the study was the descriptive survey; an interview guide was the tool. Seven patients who had been electronically paced for periods of four weeks to two and one half years were interviewed in their homes. The ages of the three men and four women ranged …

The Effect Of Talking On Oral Thermometry, Norma E. Eldridge

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In this study an experiment was done to find out the effect of talking upon subsequent oral thermometry. A need for such a study was seen in 1) the apparent indifference of nursing service personnel to possible influences of talkativeness on sublingual temperature evaluations and 2) the seeming want of experimental evidence to indicate that talking does change the sublingual temperature. The sixty-one female students who volunteered as subjects were of the health professions at a selected university. For a thirty-minute period the subjects observed the restrictions of no eating, drinking, smoking, gum-chewing, mouth-breathing or talking. Three minute control oral …

A Study Of Door Pulls On Isolation Carts In A General Hospital For Evidence Of Contamination, Mary Alice Harper

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of the study was to find out if isolation carts were serving as a means of cross infection. Literature pertaining to sources of possible contamination on hospital units written in the past five years were reviewed.

Using the descriptive survey as the method of study, effort was made to find out if isolation carts were a means of cross infection on the hospital unit. Two laboratory cultures were obtained from both door pulls on all isolation carts used by nursing units. This was done over a three month period from December 12, 1963 to March 11, 1964. The …

A Study Comparing The Effectiveness Of Two Methods Of Treating Ammoniacal Diaper Rash, Leola Eldean Gerrans

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study was conducted to find out if there was any significant difference in the effectiveness of two methods of treating ammoniacal diaper rash. The experimental method with parallel groups and a single variable was used. The instructions for hygienic measures were the same in the control and experimental groups. The variable was that the mothers of the infants of the experimental group used an ointment containing vitamins A and D in addition to the hygienic measures. A review of literature on diaper rash was done at the library on the Los Angeles campus of Loma Linda University. No study …

Correlation Of The Maternal Interest And Attitude Toward Breast Feeding Of Senior Students In A Selected School Of Nursing, Bonnie Boyts Wilkens

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A descriptive survey study was carried out at a selected baccalaureate school of nursing in an effort to find out if the maternal interest of senior students of nursing would affect their attitudes toward breast feeding. It was hypothesized that a student who scored high on maternal interest would have a positive attitude toward breast feeding and conversely a student who scored low on the maternal interest scale would have a negative attitude toward breast feeding. Maternal interest was measured by the use of twelve questions adapted from a questionnaire formulated by D. M. Levy, a prominent psychiatrist. Attitudes towards …

The Reaction Of Hospitalized Children To Food, Lois Masat Magnussen

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Hospital personnel are becoming more aware of the fact that hospitalization is traumatic to the emotional life of the young child. Since eating habits and emotions are so closely allied, it is probable that the young child's eating pattern will be affected during hospitalization. The purpose of this study was to determine the reaction of children between the ages of one through four to food during the first three days of hospitalization at the White Memorial Hospital. The method chosen to obtain this information was the descriptive survey. The tools used were a checklist for the researcher to record her …

Identification In The Preparation And Administration Of Medications, Anna J. Yuhasz

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to: (1) determine specific factors that contributed to medication errors during the identification process of medication preparation and administration, and (2) present these findings as an aid to minimize or eliminate factors which contribute to medication errors.

To conduct this study the descriptive survey was used. Seventeen medication nurses were observed on three medication rounds. A total of 688 patient contacts and 933 prepared medications were observed and tabulated. The tool of research used to collect data was an observation check sheet developed for this study.

The data collected were analyzed under two broad …

A Study Of Interpersonal Techniques In The Emergency Room, Malcye Wisdoma Bush

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to assess nurse-patient interaction in the stress-producing situation of a hospital emergency room. The problem was to ascertain if interpersonal techniques in the emergency room were therapeutic or nontherapeutic.

The following subproblems were studied: (1) Does the interaction between professional nursing personnel and emergency room patients tend to be more therapeutic than the interaction between nonprofessional nursing personnel and emergency room patients? (2) What interpersonal techniques are most used by nursing personnel in the emergency room? (3) Does the type of patient influence the therapeutic or nontherapeutic interaction of the nursing personnel in the …

A Survey Of Patient-Centered Health Teaching Programs In A Selected Group Of Medical Institutions, Marian Davenport Hamilton

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to find out what patient-centered health teaching programs are currently being carried on in medical institutions belong to the Association of Seventh-day Adventist Self-Supporting Institutions. This organization is composed of representatives of the General Conference of the church and representatives of various private enterprises. Objectives of medical institutions belonging to this organization include care of the sick, and the improvement of patents' health through education of the patient.

A descriptive survey included all A. S. I. medical institutions licensed for overnight care of patients. These institutions were located in 29 states. The survey was …

Factors Affecting The Rest Of The Hospitalized Cardiac Patient, Julia M. Bensonhaver

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A study was conducted to determine factors which can promote and prevent the rest of the hospitalized cardiac patient. Literature was reviewed in the areas of patients' opinions about their hospitalization and pertinent concepts in medical and nursing literature regarding cardiac rest. A study was not found which polled cardiac patient specifically regarding their ability to rest. Most authorities in this area strongly advocate rest for the cardiac patient, but there is disagreement of how and how long the patient should rest.

A questionnaire was sent to seventy cardiac patients who had been hospitalized in the nine months prior to …

Survey Of Concepts Held By Bedside Nurses Relative To The Prevention Of Pressure Sores, Joan Winifred Sommer

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study was concerned with the problem of determining what understandings the bedside nurse has of the principles involved in the prevention of pressure sores. Since pressure sores are still a problem in nursing care, a study such as this was needed to ascertain the knowledge of the bedside nurse relative to their prevention. The immediate purpose of the study was to determine the concepts held by bedside nurses by asking them to state what they did to prevent pressure sores. The long range purpose was to contribute to better in-service education through the use of information gained in the …

A Study Of Patients With Recently Diagnosed Diabetes To Ascertain Extent Of Utilization Of Instruction, Ruth Yvonne Stafford

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This descriptive study was conducted to discover to what extent patients with diabetes utilized instruction received. If they did not, the reason why would be searched for. It was also hoped that area of instruction could be defined which needed greater emphasis while the patient was hospitalized at the time of diagnosis.

The interview with the aid of the interview guide was chosen as a data-gathering tool. The guide was complied and approve. Patients were selected from a review of medical records in the selected hospital, and their physicians contacted for permission to include their patient(s) in the study. The …

Effects Of Music Therapy And Personal Interaction On The Preoperative Patient, Phyllis Jean Nix

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This study was conducted to discover the effects of (1) an interpersonal relationship and (2) an interpersonal relationship and music therapy on preoperative patients in a selected hospital.

The descriptive survey was chosen as the method of study. A checklist and a tape recording of selected music were used as a tool of research. Two groups of preoperative patients were given nursing care by the researcher. Patients in Group One received care with an aim toward developing an interpersonal relationship, while patients in Group Two received the same as Group One with the addition of music therapy.

Findings revealed a …

A Comparison Of The Effectiveness Of The Compression Breast Binder With The Supporting Brassiere Or Supporting Breast Binder, Wanda M. Bristol

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

[Abstract Not Included]

A Study To Ascertain Why A Selected Group Of Women Do Or Do Not Have Cervical Smear Cytologic Examinations For Cancer Detection, Jeanette Rudy Earnhardt

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

It was the purpose of this survey to find out the awareness of a selected group of Seventh-day Adventist women regarding the importance of cervical smear examinations in cancer detection; and to identify the need for health teaching in the prevention and control of uterine cervical cancer among women of this group. The 1715 women attending meetings at the General Conference Session in San Francisco July of 1962, who completed questionnaires were considered to be the participants in this study.

A review of literature revealed that through the use of yearly exfoliative cytology examinations, the approximately 14,000 annual deaths from …

Prediction Of Scholastic Success For Students Of Nursing, Rachel M. Anderton

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether a combination of grade point averages from high school and one year of prescribed courses in a liberal arts college could be used as a tool in the prediction of scholastic success in two selected schools of nursing.

A descriptive survey of grades and test results was done on 121 students from these schools. The nursing school CPA and results from the state board test pool were used as criteria of success. Total GPA's from secondary school and college, and grades in English, science and non-science subjects were the predictors.

The …