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Pastoral Effectiveness : A Study Of Differences Among Comparison Groups Of Seventh-Day Adventist Clergy, Peter Swanson

Dissertations

Problem. Methods of comparison are required to evaluate pastoral effectiveness. This study was an examination of statistically significant differences among contrasted groups of clergy to identify characteristics and performance patterns associated with productivity and effectiveness.

Method. Pastors from Anglo Seventh-day Adventist churches in North America and Canada were assigned to five groups that were evaluated using the Adventist Pastor Inventory, Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire, Pastoral Tasks Survey, and Pastoral Tasks Questionnaire. Ministers who baptized 50 or more persons within 3 years were compared with those who baptized 10 or fewer in the same period and clergy rated most effective …

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 …

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 …

Quality Of Life For Women Living With Advanced Breast Cancer, Maureen Mika Eberly

Masters Theses

Parse’s Human Becoming Theory of nursing and research methodology were used to describe the structure of the meaning of quality of life for women living with advanced breast cancer. Three core concepts surfaced: grieving-adjusting remaining connected to ordinary life events, reinforcing-distancing relationships preserving individuality, and choosing opportunities clarifying purpose. Through conceptual integration these emerged as valuing the connecting-separating of powering unique ways. This study enhances the knowledge on quality of life, expands Parse’s theory of nursing, and demonstrates the value of Parse’s methodology for uncovering the meaning of lived experiences. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.

Hiv Risk Factors In Migrant Farmworkers, Gina Rosenberg

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the HIV/AIDS knowledge level and risk behaviors in Hispanic migrant farm workers in west and southwest Michigan. A secondary data analysis was performed to measure HIV/AIDS-related knowledge and risk behaviors. Overall knowledge level and risk behavior scores were developed for further data analysis. A Pearson R Correlation Coefficient was calculated and showed that the relationship between knowledge level and risk behaviors was not statistically significant.

Coefficients were also calculated for age, educational levels, and number of months spent in Michigan first with the knowledge level index, and then with the risk behavior …

Factors Involved In The Decision To Utilize The Emergency Department For Health Care, Teri R. Simpson

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons people choose to use the Emergency Department (ED) for health care. Roy's adaptation model was used as the conceptual framework for this study. A convenience sample of patients were interviewed during one weekday eight hour period. The interview addressed such factors as reason for visit, age, race, gender, living situation, income, and health insurance provider. Data analysis using descriptive methods revealed the person most likely to choose the ED for health care is a Caucasian female in her early twenties with a median income of $15,000. She is a blue …

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 …

Patient Perception Of The Role Of The Nurse Practitioner In Primary Care, Betsy J. Mulder

Masters Theses

As nurse practitioners (NP) provide services to a variety of health care consumers, there remains ambiguity regarding their scope of practice. This descriptive, comparative study asked a convenience sample of patients who have had contact with nurse practitioners (n = 56), and those patients who have had no contact with nurse practitioners (n = 51), to indicate their agreement with the appropriateness of behaviors for the NP role. A questionnaire used by Bambini (1995) was modified for this study with an alpha reliability of .95. Perceptions of behaviors were ranked according to the level of perceived appropriateness. None of the …

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) …

Resource Consultation Model In Gifted Education To Support Talent Development In Today's Inclusive Schools, Robert J. Kirschenbaum, Dorothy Ciner Armstrong, Mary S. Landrum

Peer Reviewed Articles

This article discusses the advantages and challenges that educators of gifted, talented, and creative students may encounter when taking on the new role of classroom consultant rather than, as they have typically done previously, directly providing programming and services to the students themselves. A discussion of the use of the consultation model within a gifted education program concludes the article.

Evaulating Bankruptcy Mediation, William J. Woodward Jr.

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Values-Ethical Dimension: Do Bsw Students In State-Supported And Religiously Affiliated Programs Differ?, Wade Milton Tyler

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Although an important aspect of any baccalaureate social work program is the inculcation of social work values, there has not been an abundance of studies in this area. Many of those that exist have been criticized for their methodology in measuring values. It is appropriate to examine that which has been termed the "fulcrum" of social work practice relative to the educational processes which purport to put that fulcrum in place. The purpose of this study was to compare BSW students in religiously-affiliated institutions of higher education with those in state-supported institutions on three dimensions: adherence to social work values, …

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict, Situational Formality, And Personality As Causes Of Interpersonal Equivocation., Richard Steven Bello

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This study explores the causes of a widespread and important communication phenomenon, interpersonal equivocation. Literature is reviewed which shows clearly that a sufficient cause of interpersonal equivocation is situational avoidance-avoidance conflict, but also which suggests the possibility of additional situational (formality of social setting) and trait (self-monitoring) precursors of equivocation. Using a questionnaire technique, participants were asked to imagine themselves in three different interpersonal situations, which were manipulated to vary the level of situational formality. In addition, in each situation, they were asked to respond to a question from their hypothetical conversational partner. These questions were designed to manipulate the …

High School Biology Students' Participation In A Year-Long Sequence Of Analogical Activities: The Relationship Of Development Of Analogical Thought To Student Learning And Classroom Interactions., Marcella Wichser Hackney

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

This research explored development of analogical thought through high school biology students' participation in a year-long sequence of analogical activities. Analogizing involves: selecting a familiar analog; mapping similarities and differences between the analog and less familiar target; making inferences from the analogy; evaluating validity of the inferences; and ultimately, understanding the biological target (Holyoak & Thagard, 1995). This investigation considered: student development of independence in learning through analogical thought, student learning of biology, the relationship between development of students' analogical thinking and students' learning of biology, and the quality of student interactions in the classroom. This researcher, as teacher participant, …

Reflections Of Science And Technology In American Drama From 1913 To 1941., Charles Keith Cockrell

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The growth of science and technology exploded in the first half of the twentieth century. At the same time America was developing for the first time a dramatic literature that was worthy of international respect. Beginning in 1913, when the young Eugene O'Neill wrote his first plays, this study traces the appearances of science and technology in the drama from that year until the start of World War II. Special attention has been given to the clock, the car, electronic communications, scientists, dehumanization in the machine age, technology as religion, and film. The drama of the era reveals a previously …

A Transformational Reengineering System That Supports Software Maintenance Using A Graph Representation For The Identification Of An Object-Oriented Software Architecture., Ramachenga Reddy Valasareddi

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The process of maintenance and enhancement of legacy software systems is a laborious and unavoidable task. Often these systems lack structure or modularity, as they were developed using programming languages and paradigms that do not incorporate object-oriented features and sound design principles. The software engineer's task can be simplified if tools are available to identify object like features in the code. These tools can help transform the non-object-oriented code to object oriented code. This research describes a comprehensive and systematic process for transformational reengineering of legacy systems. Research in reengineering is mainly focused on clustering techniques that group procedures present …

Precursors For Chemical And Photochemical Vapor Deposition Of Copper Metal., Alicia Marie James

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The colorless square-planar cluster [CuN(SiMe3)2] 4, which contains four Cu(I) ions with four bridging amide groups, was studied as a precursor for chemical and photochemical vapor deposition of Cu metal. The cluster phosphoresces in CH2Cl2 solution and in the solid state at room temperature. Its electronic spectrum in CH 2Cl2 consists of two intense bands which are assigned to symmetry-allowed 3d → 4p transitions; the phosphorescence is also likely to be metal-centered. Solid [CuN(SiMe3)2]4 luminesces with approximately the same spectrum as that of the CH2Cl2 solutions. At 77 K, the solid-state luminescence red-shifts slightly. The emission lifetime in glassy Et2O …

Interactions On Minerals And Organic Materials Along The Salinity Gradient In Barataria Basin, Louisiana., Jessica Anne Kastler

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Changes in the associations among mineral and organic materials in estuaries may control the nature and quantity of organic material (OM) preserved in sediment deposits or cycled in the water column. Estuarine sediment-OM attachments were examined using descriptive analyses and experiments to assess their response to salinity changes and the bioavailability of sedimentary OM. Desorption experiments compared the amount of organic carbon extracted from sediment in rinses of different salinity. Uptake experiments monitored changes in carbon and bacteria concentrations to compare the bioavailability of dissolved and sedimentary OM. Clay mineralogy, surface area and elemental analysis of suspended and deposited sediment …

Holding Back The Waters: Land Development And The Origins Of Levees On The Mississippi, 1720-1845., Jeffrey Alan Owens

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Man's efforts to control flooding on the Mississippi began about 280 years ago, but the first 130 years has been neglected in scholarly literature. In spite of abundant primary sources, most histories of flood control on the Mississippi revolve around hydraulic engineering and the contributions of state and federal levee bureaucracies---factors which had almost no impact on the creation of the levee system. Engineers did install the first levee at New Orleans and levees on their own plantations in the 1720s, but the extension of the levee line thereafter was almost entirely the work of private land developers supervised at …

The Names Project Aids Memorial Quilt: A Novelistic Approach To Decoding The Layers Of Meaning In The "Pieced" Social Drama., Louis Edward Myers

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

In this study, I focus on the AIDS crisis as a social drama, and evaluate the various functions the AIDS Memorial Quilt plays within that drama. Using Victor Turner's concept of social drama I first discuss the breach, crisis, redression, and reintegration stages. I identify two fundamental breaches in the AIDS drama---the health breach and the moral/religious breach. As regards the crisis phase of the drama, I identify specific crisis performers and performances. Although many attempts were made at redression, I conclude that most attempts were not successful as redressive acts. Rather than "solve" or "set straight" particular issues within …

A Description And Analysis Of The Scholarly Response Paper As An Academic Genre: Determining How Linguistic, Social, And Psychological Variables Affect Its Success/Failure And The Professional Credibility Of Its Author., Lynna Dunn Peneguy

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The study of various documents and genres within professional discourse communities can provide valuable insight into what does or does not constitute successful written communication within such groups. The primary purpose of the current study was to examine scholarly response papers published in five different "English" journals in order to (1) define and describe the scholarly response paper and (2) explore various theories/rules/studies which could be used to gauge its success: in this case, Grice's Maxims, studies of semantic (denotative and evaluative) verb force, Lakoff's Rules of Politeness, and studies of language intensity. Findings showed that the primary purpose of …

Spatial Modeling Of Coastal Landscapes: Methodological And Scientific Applications., Mary Louise White

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

A number of issues related to landscape scale ecological modeling of the wetlands of southern Louisiana are examined in this study. First, using geostatistical methods, a new contour map of the wetland habitats in the Terrebonne basin of southern Louisiana is constructed from data collected in 1994. This map is proposed as the best field verified habitat map of the Terrebonne basin and contains statistical confidence intervals associated with the habitat contours. Second, the problem of how to evaluate the success of a landscape model prediction is investigated. The multiple resolution goodness of fit parameter Ft(k) is evaluated in detail …

Enhancing The Process Of Testing Object -Oriented Systems., Ihssan Salim Alkadi

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Testing is a crucial step in the overall system development process. Using testing techniques that support features of the underlying software paradigm more effectively tests program than do testing techniques that support features of other paradigms. Systems developed with the object-oriented paradigm require techniques that support object-oriented features such as inheritance, data abstraction, encapsulation, and dynamic binding. Many techniques that are used to test systems developed with the structured paradigm are not sufficient for the testing of object-oriented systems. The goal of this research is to develop methods that will improve the process of testing object-oriented systems. Specifically, emphasis is …

Quantitative Modeling And Information System Support For Just -In -Time Partnership., Faisal Badi Al-Khateeb

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

Just-in-Time (JIT) supply calls for frequent, small deliveries, which arrive on time, with the quantity and quality required. For JIT to be effective there should be a cooperative relationship between the buyer and the supplier. They should work together to enhance their competitive positions in the market place. This study extends the quantitative models published in the literature to provide more realistic models for JIT operations and evaluates the costs and benefits of JIT partnerships to help in the negotiation process between the partners. We provide a new model for the optimization of the joint total relevant cost of the …

Powerless Speech: The Effects Of Gender, Gendered Intensifiers, And Attitudes Toward Women On Speaker Credibility., Frances E. Brandau-Brown

LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine powerful and powerless speech styles in relation to sex of speaker, sex of respondent, and attitudes toward women. Based on research by Bradac, Mulac, and Thompson (1995) it was proposed that the powerless speech style variable, intensifiers, could be divided into separate masculine and feminine domains. The Attitude Toward Women scale was used to classify respondents as either liberal or traditional. From this classification predictions were made using Expectancy Violation Theory to formulate a priori hypotheses about respondent perceptions of speaker competence, trustworthiness, and masculinity. Multivariate, univariate and post-hoc tests revealed that …