Digital Commons Network^™

Rehabilitation Nurses' Attitudes And Behaviors Related To Sexuality Of Rehabilitation Patients, Renae Boss Potts

Masters Theses

Sexuality is intrinsic to the nature of human beings. If nurses are to practice holistically, issues concerning sexuality are relevant to nursing practice. The attitudes and behaviors that rehabilitation nurses express regarding the care of rehabilitation patients were explored in this descriptive study. One hundred and one members of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) responded to the Williams - Wilson Sexuality Survey (WWSS). The possible range of scores on the attitude scale was 11 - 66. The actual results ranged from 21 to 65, with a mean of 48 and a standard deviation of 10. The higher the attitudinal …

Relationship Of Perceived Self-Efficacy Of Disease Management And Hospital Utilization Among Patients With Heart Failure, Linda K. English

Masters Theses

This secondary analysis examined the relationship between perceived self-efficacy of disease management and hospital admissions for heart failure patients based on Bandura’s social learning theory. A convenience sample of 76 patients who were receiving home care services were visited over the course of several weeks. Data were collected at baseline, 3, and 6 months using the Self-Management Tool adapted from the work of Lorig et al. (1996).

Data indicated a weak negative statistically significant relationship between perceived self-efficacy of disease management and hospital utilization at 3 months (r = -.33, p = .01). In addition, hospital utilization decreased over time, …

Perceived Problem Areas For Adults Living With Diabetes, Valda Tolliver

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to examine the perceived problem areas for adults living with diabetes. A descriptive design using the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID) among a convenience sample of 24 African Americans provided the data in this study. King’s (1971) conceptual framework for nursing provided the theoretical foundation.

Data indicated that 83% of the sample did not perceive living with diabetes as a serious problem. However, the majority of them identified food deprivation and coping with diabetes, in addition to worrying about the future and possible serious complications from the disease as problematic. These results suggest …

Does Mutual Goal Setting Make A Difference In Level Of Self-Efficacy For Patients With Congestive Heart Failure Receiving Home Care, Avis A. Rogers

Masters Theses

This secondary analysis evaluated the effect of a mutual goal setting nursing approach on the level of self-efficacy to manage disease in general in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). The conceptual frameworks utilized were King's theory of goal attainment and Bandura's theory of self-efficacy. The primary study used a convenience sample of 54 patients who had been admitted to two home healthcare agencies with the primary diagnosis of CHF. Data were collected at baseline, 3-months and 6-months. The data collection tool was the Self-Efficacy Tool, which was from Outcome Measures for Health Education and other Health Care Interventions (Lorig, …

Body Image Perception Of Adolescents With Diabetes, Cathleen E. Kessler

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare body image of adolescents with diabetes to adolescents without diabetes in order to increase the awareness of the psychological, emotional, and spiritual effects that diabetes may have on an adolescent’s consistently evolving body image. Neuman’s systems model was applied as the theoretical framework.

A Body Image Questionnaire was completed by two groups of adolescents, one group with diabetes and one group without diabetes. Both groups completed a 100 item Body Image Questionnaire (What I Think About Me). The questionnaire consisted of 45 physical traits and 55 Actors that influence or correlate to …

Exploring The Relationship Between Life Experiences And Quality Of Life In Patients With Heart Failure, Sharon Vanleeuwen

Masters Theses

This was a secondary analysis of data from 86 home care patients from a primary study by Kline (1999) of home care outcomes for persons with heart failure. Surveys were used to collect data on quality of life, energy/fatigue levels and functional abilities. In the secondary analysis, the relationships between functional abilities and energy/fatigue levels with quality of life in heart failure patients were examined using a Pearson’s r correlation. Parse’s theory of human becoming was used as the framework for this study.

The life experiences of persons with heart failure were examined in this study focusing specifically on functional …

The Relationship Between Critical Thinking Skills And Perceived Self-Efficacy In Associate Degree Nursing Students, Christine M. Overly

Masters Theses

The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to determine if a relationship exists between critical thinking skills and self-efficacy in Associate Degree nursing students. A convenience sample of 30 nursing students in their second year of an Associate Degree RN program was used. The framework for this study utilized Bandura's social cognitive theory and Benner's nursing theory of skill acquisition and development. Critical thinking skills were measured by the California Critical Thinking Skills Test. Self-efficacy was measured by the Generalized Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale. Demographic data of age, gender, marital status, number of dependents, employment status, and income were obtained …

Quality Of Life In A Heart Failure Population, Diane S. Rexford

Masters Theses

The purpose of this secondary analysis was to identify what impact nursing approaches had on quality of life over time in a heart failure population. The sample was those patients who were receiving home care for heart failure.

The theoretical framework was the King theory of goal attainment. This secondary analysis used data from the study by Dr. Kay Setter Kline, Home Care Outcomes for Heart Failure: A Test of Two Nursing Interventions. The specific tools utilized were a demographic tool and the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index: Cardiac Version III. The subjects received nursing approaches from graduate …

Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Effective Clinical Teachers, Sylvia A. Counts

Masters Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify which characteristics of clinical teachers were considered most important by associate degree nursing (ADN) students and Acuity, and to investigate whether the perception of effective clinical teacher characteristics (ECTC) change as the student advances toward graduation. Imogene King’s conceptual framework for nursing served as the framework for this study. Faculty and students were surveyed using the Clinical Teacher Characteristic Instrument (CTCl). The collected data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. A Mann-Whitney U test was used to investigate if there were significant differences in perceptions between faculty and students. A Kruskal-Wallis test …

Nurse Managers' Responses To Chemically Impaired Nurses, Dorothy Taylor Moon

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of nurse managers toward chemically impaired nurses and to understand how managers respond to nurses in their charge. The research further examined whether certain demographic characteristics influenced the nurse managers' attitudes.

A descriptive research design with a probability convenience sample was used. The sample consisted of 83 nurse executives from throughout Michigan. The sample was randomly selected from the roster of the Michigan Organization of Nurse Executives (MONE). Data were obtained through a mailed survey.

Analyses of the data revealed that while managers held different attitudes and perceptions toward impaired …

The Sexual Assault Exam: A Comparison Of Physical Findings And Legal Outcomes Between An Emergency Department And Free Standing Nurse Examiner Program, Linda L. Rossman

Masters Theses

The study objective was to compare the documentation of physical findings and legal outcomes of women evaluated in an emergency department (ED) and freestanding nurse examiner program (NEP). The study was a retrospective cohort analysis of consecutive female patients presenting after sexual assault to either the ED or to the NEP.

Genital injuries were documented in 19% of the ED group, in 74% of the 1997 NEP group and 77% of the 1998 NEP group. These differences were statistically significant (x²=75.75; df=2; p=.000). In 24% of the ED patients and 21% of the 1997 NEP patients, warrants were …

Knowledge About Stroke In Adults From Rural Communities, Julie Billett

Masters Theses

Fifty middle to low-income adult clients of a rural family care center were surveyed in a descriptive correlational study in order to determine their abilities to identify the signs and symptoms of a stroke and their knowledge of stroke risk. Additionally, Pearson’s Correlation Coefficient was used to ascertain whether the participants’ level of knowledge was related to their actual stroke risk, as identified by the American Heart Association’s Stroke Risk Tool Descriptive analysis of the item responses revealed that the percentage of the sample correctly identifying individual signs and symptoms ranged from 44 to 77%. When actual stroke risk was …

Physical Therapists' Perceptions Concerning The Determination Of Fibromyalgia Interventions: A Qualitative Study, Elizabeth Jayne Levengood

Masters Theses

This qualitative explored some of the concepts under which physical therapists in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area operate when treating patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. Four physical therapists with at least two years’ experience working in local pain clinics were interviewed. The data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed into themes. Seven categories of physical therapists’ perceptions concerning the determination of interventions were developed: (a) Factors affecting decision-making, (b) physical therapeutic interventions, (c) decision-making in the absence of intervention guidelines, (d) judgments of effectiveness according to clinical findings, (e) judgments of effectiveness through consultation, (f) perceptions of intervention decisions, and (g) perceptions …

Attitudes On Euthanasia And Physician-Assisted Suicide Based On Age, Gender, Religion And Level Of Education In Muskegon County, Gail Merrill

Masters Theses

Study Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the attitudes regarding euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide in the Muskegon County area with regard to age, gender, religion and the level of education.

Design: Surveys of Muskegon County residents. This survey was conducted over a 3-month period of time with 225 individual surveys completed.

Setting: The surveying was conducted at various businesses throughout Muskegon County.

Participants: The survey included residents of Muskegon County who were 18 years of age or older. The people who were not residents of Muskegon County or who were under the age of 18 were excluded …

Three Dimensional Gait Analysis Following The Adeli Treatment For Cerebral Palsy: A Case Report, Troy Lase

Masters Theses

This case report describes the use of three-dimensional gait analysis to identify kinematic changes following the Adeli suit treatment. The suit's original design was to decrease the effects of weightlessness in space but has been modified to become the primary modality for the Adeli treatment used to treat cerebral palsy. Data were quantitatively produced by three-dimensional gait analysis before and after treatment were used to identity any changes in gait. Following the Adeli treatment, instrumented gait analysis showed that no clinically significant changes in four critical events of gait following the Adeli treatment occurred.

Pet Bonding And Pet Bereavement Among Adults, Kelli Brosam

Masters Theses

This study was designed to examine the relationship between the intensity of bonding and grief responses among adults following the death of their dogs or cats. Three hypotheses were considered: 1) The strength of the bond between an adult and a pet will predict the intensity of grief following the death of that pet. Specifically, adults who are more strongly bonded with a pet will experience more intense grief following the death of that pet than adults who are less strongly bonded. 2) Regardless of type of animal, women will be more highly bonded to pets, and women will report …

Depressive Symptoms And Academic Achievement In Fourth Grade Students, Michelle L. Harrison

Masters Theses

The relationships among depressive symptoms, peer acceptance, and academic competence were examined in 43 fourth-grade students using a self-report measure of depression (Children's Depression Inventory); a teacher-rated measure of depression (Behavior Assessment System for Children — Teacher Rating Scale); peer acceptance and peer rejection; and grade point average. Results indicated higher levels of self-reported depression than previously found in children of this age. Correlations between self-reports of depression and peer rejection and self-reports of depression and grade point average were significant. The current study also found a significant positive correlation between the two depression scales (Children's Depression Inventory and Behavior …

Perceptions Of Prison Guards By Prison Visitors And Nonvisitors, Frances N. Huber

Masters Theses

Social interaction has been found to be a large factor in the recidivism of criminals. Many prison inmates have limited access to social interaction with other inmates as well as those outside of prison. This creates tension between inmates, guards, and society. The breakdown of barriers to open communication between inmates and others may be beneficial to the rehabilitation of criminals. Providing more access to visitations, telephone calls, and electronic mail reduces inmate aggression and encourages compliance to the prison and social rules. In addition, interaction with those outside of the prison acts as a continual reminder to an inmate …

The Effectiveness Of Non-Directive Play Therapy On Decreasing Inappropriate Behavior, Heather M. Sawyer

Masters Theses

The present study investigated the effectiveness of non-directive play therapy, operationalized as non-contingent attention (NCA), no-demands, and an enriched environment, on three developmentally normal children with a history of abuse or neglect. A single-case reversal-replication design was employed. Baseline consisted of contingent attention, demands, and a relatively non-enriched environment. Results indicated that for one of the participants, NCA, no-demands, and an enriched environment successfully decreased inappropriate play behaviors. More specifically, destructive and disrupted play behaviors occurred much less frequently in both treatment conditions compared to the two baseline conditions. The other two participants did not show any clear pattern of …

Adult Perceptions Of Their Relationships With Siblings Diagnosed With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Paula K. Aguilar

Masters Theses

How young adults' perceptions of their relationships with their siblings with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder differ from the perceptions of other young adults having non-disordered siblings were examined. Participants' perceptions of warmth, conflict, and rivalry with their siblings were measured using the Adult Sibling Relationship Questionnaire. The results indicated that perceptions of warmth, conflict, and rivalry were not significantly different for these two groups. An inverse relationship between warmth and rivalry was found for participants having siblings with ADHD. As feelings of warmth increased, feelings of rivalry decreased. Findings suggest future research in this area is needed for results that …

The Construct Validity Of The Behavior Assessment System For Children (Basc) And The Preschool And Kindergarten Behavior Scale (Pkbs), Lindsay A. Barton

Masters Theses

The Behavior Assessment System for Children (BASC) and the Preschool and Kindergarten Behavior Scales (PKBS) are two relatively new behavior assessment scales that measure emotional and behavioral problems of children. The BASC is designed to evaluate the behavior and self-perceptions of children aged two and a half to eighteen years old. The PKBS is designed to evaluate social skills and problem behavior patterns of preschool and kindergarten aged children including the ages of three, four, five, and six years old. There are no studies in the empirical literature comparing the preschool form of the BASC and the PKBS behavior rating …

A Longitudinal Descriptive Study Of Service Delivery Employing Collaborative Classroom-Based Or Pull-Out Service Delivery, Courtney L. Benefiel

Masters Theses

This study investigated whether there was a difference in SLP behaviors during 40 minutes of speech-language intervention using a collaborative classroom-based model of intervention versus 40 minutes of traditional pull-out intervention. Additionally the study evaluated whether there was a difference in the amount of child practice productions of IEP goal behaviors during 40 minutes of speech-language intervention provided in the classroom versus 40 minutes of intervention provided in the pull-out speech room. One-half of the subjects participated in the collaborative classroom-based model, while the other half participated in the traditional pull-out intervention. Four hours of classroom-based or pull-out treatment were …

The Effects Of Strength Training On The Bone Mineral Density Of Aerobically Trained Perimenopausal Women, Jill Marie Kowalski

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if a strength training program has an effect on the bone mineral density of aerobically trained perimenopausal women. The study also hoped to determine if high intensity strength training with low repetitions will result in a greater increase in bone density as compared with low intensity strength training with high repetitions. The duration of the study was six months.

The participants were twenty-five aerobically trained perimenopausal female volunteers. They were randomly selected to be in one of three groups. Group 1 was the aerobic control where the participants continued with their aerobic …

High-Risk Drinking Levels Among Master's-Level Graduate Students At A Mid-Size Midwestern University, Susan R. Winterhalter

Masters Theses

This study has quantitatively examined the high-risk drinking levels of graduate students at a mid-size Midwestern university. The sample (N=204) was studied to investigate the hypothesis that the high-risk drinking level of graduate students is lower than the average national high-risk drinking levels of undergraduate college students. Specifically this study has quantitatively (Core Alcohol & Drug Survey) evaluated the at-risk drinking levels of graduate students and sought answers to the following thesis questions: 1) Do graduate students who participate in at least one hour of service per week report a lower level of high-risk drinking than those who do not …

Protective Factors Of Verbal Aggression, Yuria Morimoto

Masters Theses

The present study aimed to examine the negative long-term outcomes of parental verbal aggression in childhood. It also examined the roles of problem-solving coping skills, family cohesion, and a parental emotional bond as moderators of negative psychological outcomes. Sixty-four-male and169 female university students were recruited from psychology courses and completed a demographic questionnaire, measures of physical maltreatment, psychological maltreatment, family cohesion, parental emotional bonding, and use of coping strategies. Psychological adjustment was assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory, the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Aggression Questionnaire, and the Inventory of Interpersonal Problems. Results indicated that individuals reporting greater verbal aggression histories …

Perceived Parenting Style, Adolescent Family Life Satisfaction, And Self-Esteem As Predictors Of Adolescent Substance Use, Megan Cox

Masters Theses

This study was conducted to identify predictors of adolescent substance use. Eighty-seven junior high school students completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Adolescent Family Life Satisfaction Index, Parental Authority Questionnaire, and the Michigan Alcohol and Other Drug School Survey. When examining self-esteem, adolescent family life satisfaction, and perceived parenting style, it was found that the authoritarian father parenting style was the best predictor of total adolescent substance use and, more specifically, tobacco use. Self-esteem and the authoritarian father parenting style were found to be the best predictors of adolescent alcohol use. Furthermore, the authoritarian father parenting style was significantly correlated with …

Family Environment, Family Structure, And Personality Traits Of Adult Children, Michelle A. Rallins

Masters Theses

There have been several studies on the long-term impact of divorce on children; however there have been relatively few studies on the personality characteristics of adult children of divorce. This study investigates the personality traits and family environments of young adults from varied family structures. College students (n = 75) completed the Personality Research Form (PRF-E) and the Family Environment Scale (FES) and demographic forms. A multivariate of analysis (MANOVA) was conducted. The results revealed no significant differences in regard to personality or family environments between young adults from intact families and divorced families. There were, however, marginal differences in …

Identification And Characterization Of Zinc-Responsive Genes In Pseudomonas Fluorescens, Thomas L. Wilson

Masters Theses

Genes responsive to elevated concentrations of zinc were identified via transposon mutagenesis in the common soil bacterium, Pseudomonas fluorescens ATCC13525. Some of these genes were essential to maintain metal homeostasis in the bacterial cell. DNA sequences of the transposon-tagged genes were determined by DNA sequencing of arbitrary PCR products. DNA sequence analysis indicated that one gene was similar to P-type ATPases responsible for transporting metal ions out of the cell. The corresponding mutant was sensitive to zinc, cadmium, and lead indicating that this gene may be responsible for defending Pseudomonas fluorescens against these metal ions. Four zinc-induced genes shared similarity …

The Safety And Efficacy Of Resistance Training For Chronic Heart Failure Patients, John B. Coleman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the safety and efficacy of resistance training (RT) in chronic heart failure (CHF) patients. Two retrospective CHF patient groups were assessed pre and post 4-week participation at the Borgess Health and Fitness Center CHF Clinic. The first group participated only in monitored aerobic exercise (AG, N= 10), while the second group participated in monitored aerobic exercise along with the six experimental RT exercises (ARG, N= 10). The safety parameters measured during the aerobic and RT exercises were incidence of new onset arrhythmia and rate pressure products (RPP). The efficacy parameters measured were …

Vicarious Traumatization: An Examination Of The Effects Of Exposure To Traumatic Material In Child Abuse Counselors, Stacey A. Waller

Masters Theses

Counselors who deliver services to children who have suffered maltreatment confront on a daily basis horrific examples of human suffering inflicted on society's most vulnerable members. Such repeated exposure may put these professionals at risk for adverse psychological consequences, including vicarious traumatization (VT), which can include symptoms similar to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The present study examined the unique effects of providing trauma services to children on 34 counselors who work primarily with child survivors of maltreatment. While the prevalence of PTSD symptoms in this sample was low, respondents reported higher levels of depression and emotional exhaustion than found in …