Digital Commons Network^™

Adolescents' Perceived Importance Of And Satisfaction With Development Needs During Hospitalization, Jaclynn L. Lubbers

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was two-fold. First, was to examine the relative importance of needs of hospitalized adolescents. Second, was to measure perceived satisfaction with five selected developmental needs. This study was a replication of earlier work by Gusella, Ward, and Butler (1998). A descriptive design was utilized to answer the research questions. Fifteen hospitalized adolescents admitted to the general pediatrics unit provided the data for this study. Data analysis using summative means was performed to rank and compare importance and perceived satisfaction. Adolescents ranked medical information as their most important need during hospitalization followed by mobility, visits from …

The Lived Experience Of Student Nurses Providing Health Care Relief To Hurricane Mitch Victims In Nicaragua, Marci Jo Holstege

Masters Theses

International exchange and cultural immersion is becoming a favored way to educate nursing students on cultural diversity and cultural sensitivity. There is no research literature about student nurses rendering health care in a third world country after the turmoil of a natural disaster.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the lived experience of student nurses who provided health care relief to victims of Hurricane Mitch in Nicaragua. Their oral descriptions were tape recorded and transcribed verbatim. These descriptions were then analyzed using the Giorgi method. Four focal meanings emerged: a) culture shock, b) adjustments, c) lessons learned, …

The Needs Of Family Members In Crisis, Melanie A. Burghgraef

Masters Theses

The needs of family members of patients with severe brain injury were investigated using a descriptive-correlational design. A convenience sample of family members (N = 23) were surveyed with the Critical Care Family Needs Inventory (CCFNI). Need statements from the CCFNI were rank ordered, and a total score for the CCFNI was calculated. The majority of the top ranked needs consisted of assurance and information needs, which is consistent with other research using the CCFNI. Descriptive statistics were used to compare the results from this study with Lorenz’s study (1995).

Furthermore, this investigation attempted to reveal a relationship between family …

The Effectiveness Of Using Foot Orthotics As The Sole Intervention For The Treatment Of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome, Byron Horner

Masters Theses

Patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) is a common diagnosis treated by health care personnel. This study investigates the effectiveness of foot orthotics in the treatment of PFPS. Fourteen subjects experiencing PFPS participated. Each completed a Functional Pain Assessment (FPA) consisting of walking, stairs, biking, squatting and resting (sitting). Function was assessed using the Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADLS). After the initial FPA and ADLS. foot orthotics were placed in the shoes of participants and worn for the duration of the study. No other intervention was given. Follow-up testing was performed immediately after insertion of orthotics, after two weeks and again …

The Perceived Quality Of Life In Persons Performing Peritoneal Dialysis, Paula A. Armstrong

Masters Theses

This purpose of this study was to describe the quality of life in patients who independently performed peritoneal dialysis at home for the treatment of end stage renal disease.

A descriptive design was conducted using the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index-dialysis version. A convenience sample of 31 patients from a Midwest dialysis facility participated in the study Subjects were asked to rate their level of satisfaction and the level of importance of 35 aspects of life. The reported quality of life was reported to be satisfactory There was a moderate positive correlation between the time on dialysis and …

Advanced Practice Nurses' Knowledge And Attitudes On Pain And Pain Management, Joann E. Baar

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge and attitudes of advanced practice nurses regarding pain and pain management, and to determine if a relationship existed between education, experience, clinical specialty, and recent educational sessions on pain management, and scores on the Nurses’ Knowledge and Attitudes Survey. The convenience sample consisted of 78 advanced practice nurses or advanced practice nursing students in west Michigan. Data were collected via the use of mailed questionnaires. Dorothea Orem’s self-care deficit theory of nursing provided the theoretical framework for this study.

No significant differences in scores were found among those with different …

Mental Health In Oldest-Old Adults: An Investigation Of Self-Transcendence, Marsha Luchtman Harrison

Masters Theses

This study explored Reed’s theory of self-transcendence as a potential developmental resource and correlate of well-being within the long term care population. Self-transcendence is a healthy maturation process of expanding one’s conceptual boundaries inwardly through increased self-understanding; outwardly through investing in relationships with others and the environment; and/or temporally by integrating perceptions of one’s past and future in a way that enhances the present. A descriptive correlational research design examined the level of self-transcendence and the relationship of self-transcendence to depression among nursing home residents. The sample of 51 oldest-old adults ranged from 80 to 103 years old.

Participants were …

Examination Of Biomechanical Correction Technique™ As A Diagnostic And Treatment Classification System For Chronic Low Back Pain, Benjamin L. Asper

Masters Theses

Evidence supporting the use of one optimal treatment approach for low back pain is lacking in the research. Two models exist to aid in the formation of a diagnosis, the pathology-based model and the classification system. The pathology-based models use perceived pathology to arrive at a diagnosis, whereas, a classification system uses categories, criteria, and objective findings in order to place patients into a select group. The purpose of this research was to define a new examination and treatment approach called Biomechanical Correction Technique™ (BCT™) and report the treatment outcomes for a sample of low back pain patients with a …

Home Environmental Modifications: Consumer Experience And Satisfaction, Linda L. Mohney

Masters Theses

This study investigated consumer experience and satisfaction in choosing home modifications to accommodate a disability. This study used semi-structured individual interviews and qualitative analysis to gather information from six people with disabilities concerning their experience with and opinion of home modifications. Seven significant themes emerged: a.) the importance of an adviser and self-agency in the modification process; b.) the inability of participants to distinguish OT’s contributions c.) participant’s perception of OTs as part of a uni-disciplinary team; d.) ineffective execution of environmental interventions; e.) inadequate knowledge of applicable laws, standards, and codes; f.) a disability vs. client-centered perspective, and g.) …

Stress Urinary Incontinence Parous Versus Nulliparous Women Ages 18-35, Lisa Stoner, Michelle Way

Masters Theses

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is the unintentional loss of urine with activities such as sneezing, laughing, and coughing. Reports vary regarding age groups affected by SUI. Surveys were randomly distributed to women ages 18-35 in the family practice setting, in order to determine the incidence and reporting of SUI. It was found that there is a relationship between vaginal delivery and incidence of SUI. The percentage of women who reported symptoms of SUI to their health care professionals was 26.1.

Neonatal Outcome Based On Triple Serum Screening And Ultrasound Findings In Pregnancies With An Increased Risk Of Trisomy 18: Is Amniocentesis Always Necessary?, Loralee Hope Davison, Molly Rachel Kerr, Samantha Ann Mullin

Masters Theses

OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to evaluate whether a normal ultrasound following a positive triple marker serum screen reduces the risk of having a trisomy 18 fetus to a level that is less than the procedure-related risk for amniocentesis. STUDY DESIGN: A nonrandomized, non-concurrent cohort chart review was performed of all women who screened positive (risk > 1:250) for trisomy 18 by triple marker serum testing through Spectrum Health Downtown Genetic Screening Program from June 1996 through September 1999. Of the 13,618 serum samples screened, 158 were identified as being at an increased risk for trisomy 18. Pediatric outcome was obtained through …

The Correlation Between Quality Of Life And Social Support One Year After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery, Sarah S. Arnold

Masters Theses

A descriptive correlational design was used to examine the relationship between the level of social support and the perceived quality of life (QOL) of the patient following coronary artery bypass surgery (CABS) one year after the procedure. A total of 212 surveys were sent to the homes of former patients admitted to a mid-western hospital and 90 were returned. The Personal Resource Questionnaire (PRQ-85) was used to measure social support and the Quality of Life Index-Cardiac Version (QLI) was used to measure QOL.

The hypothesis of the study asserted that there was a positive correlation between the level of social …

Perceived Health Status, Preventive Health Behaviors, Formal Education, And Potential Barriers To Health Care In A Rural Population, Tori Renee Gaultier

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine preventive health behaviors, perceived health status, level of formal education, and potential barriers to health care in a rural northern mid-westem state using Leininger’s Cultural Care Theory. A short questionnaire was designed to identify factors that may influence health for rural residents. The sample consisted of 159 adults. The questionnaires were hand delivered to 299 randomly selected homes. Analysis was performed using descriptive and Chi-square statistics. The results supported an association between fewer preventive health behaviors and more potential barriers to health care (χ₂ = 36.72, p < .001). A higher level of formal education was associated with higher perceived health status (χ₂ = 13.99, p < .001). Potential barriers to health care were not found to be associated with lower perceived health status.

Efficacy Of Zinc Supplementation In Reducing The Incidence Of Recurrent Vaginitis, Bonnie R. Bartz

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of zinc supplementation in reducing the incidence of recurrent bacterial vaginosis (BY) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (W C ). Forty-one subjects were selected from researcher’s patients based on at least two episodes of vaginitis in a six-month period. A control group (placebo) and an experimental group (30 mg zinc gluconate) were randomly formed from this selection.

Evaluation of vaginitis status was accomplished through wet mounts, pH test, and KOH whiff tests at the initial, 3, and 6-month intervals. Subjects sought treatment for vaginitis when symptomatic.

A t-test analysis showed no statistically …

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Steve Mccafferty, John Filler, Nancy P. Gallavan, Le Ann Putney, Nancy Sileo, Kyle Higgins, Porter Troutman, Paul Meacham, Cyndi Giorgis, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Bill Pankratius, Lisa Bendixen, Joyce Nelson-Leaf

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Steve Mccafferty, John Filler, Nancy P. Gallavan, Le Ann Putney, Nancy Sileo, Kyle Higgins, Porter Troutman, Paul Meacham, Cyndi Giorgis, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Bill Pankratius, Lisa Bendixen, Rebecca Nathanson

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Unlv College Of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter, Steve Mccafferty, John Filler, Nancy P. Gallavan, Le Ann Putney, Nancy Sileo, Kyle Higgins, Porter Troutman, Paul Meacham, Cyndi Giorgis, Aimee Govett, Jean Henry, Lisa Bendixen, Jennifer L. Fabbi, Rebecca Nathanson

College of Education Multicultural & Diversity Newsletter

A newsletter discussing a variety of topics dealing with multicultural topics and diversity in education.

Reasonably Accomodating Race: Lessons From The Ada For Race-Targeted Affirmative Action, Sandra R. Levitsky

Minnesota Journal of Law & Inequality

No abstract provided.

Senator Frank R. Lautenberg: From And For New Jersey, Stephen M. Greenberg

Seton Hall Journal of Legislation and Public Policy

No abstract provided.

The Virtues Of Command And Control Regulation: Barring Exotic Species From Aquatic Ecosystems, Sandra B. Zellmer

Faculty Law Review Articles

The Clean Water Act asserts the ambitious goal of eliminating water pollution and protecting the chemical, physical, and biological integrity of U.S. waters. Yet the EPA, in enforcing the Act, currently exempts from regulation a significant source of pollution in U.S. waters: ballast-water discharges from commercial shipping vessels. Ballast water from commercial vessels is a primary vector for the introduction of exotic plant and animal species into U.S. waters. The invasion of these species poses an increasing threat to native biodiversity; the invaders prey directly on native fish and wildlife, compete for food and habitat, and introduce disease and parasites …

Public Perceptions Of Quick-Care Clinic And Hospital Emergency Department Capabilities: A Pre-Illness And Injury Analysis, Paul D Shapiro

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This dissertation examines the public and medical professionals' perceptions of the capabilities of quick-care clinic and hospital emergency departments. A probability-based survey was administered to three hundred and sixty-six adults in the Las Vegas metropolitan area detailing twenty-one medical conditions ranging in severity from an ingrown toenail to a child not breathing. For each scenario the respondent was asked to select either a hospital emergency department or a quick-care clinic as the appropriate facility for the proper treatment of each medical condition. Their responses were then compared to a medical benchmark which was established by a sample of one hundred …

Accessibility To Long-Term Care: A Comparison Of Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada And Clark County, Nevada, Schuyler Van Rensselaer Quick

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

There has been extensive debate in this country on the ability of the health care system to adequately distribute Long Term Care (LTC) to the elderly. Three perspectives have emerged to explain current problems in access to LTC by the elderly indigent: The Market Model Perspective, Weber's Bureaucratic Perspective, and the Neo-Marxist Perspective. This study will assess these three theories, by examining constraints to accessibility within two systems, Canada and the United States. The LTC delivery service systems of the Fredericton region of New Brunswick and Clark County, Nevada, were examined in the summer and fall of 1992, to ascertain …

The Effects Of Spiritual Care Nursing Education On Nurses' Comfort In The Delivery Of Spiritual Care, Carmen E Sterling-Fisher

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Spiritual care of patients has been an important part of nursing since Florence Nightingale's days, although the spiritual nature of nursing care is often overlooked in today's nursing community. According to Highfield (1992) and Lilley (1987), issues regarding the physical and psychosocial aspects of nursing care continue to predominate nursing literature despite the long standing documented value of spiritual aspects of nursing care (Burkhardt and Nagai-Jacobson, 1994; Robinson, 1994 and Ross, 1994), resulting in limited available learning opportunities related to spiritual care. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of an educational intervention concerning spiritual nursing care …

Bankruptcy Prediction: A Model For The Casino Industry, David William Patterson

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study shows the development of a discriminant model to predict failure or non-failure in the casino industry. The objective of the study is to provide a model developed for the casino industry using financial data from a sample of failed and nonfailed casinos. The data was provided by the Nevada Gaming Control Board from information they collect from all licensed casinos with over {dollar}1 million in annual revenue; The theoretical model developed for the study includes five constructs that indicate success or failure in the casino business. The five constructs are: Management, Location, Ambiance, Marketing and Financial Strength. Due …

A Downward Spiral: Young People, The Media, And Political Disengagement, Jacqueline M Maloy

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

This study examines whether political disengagement is related to the amount and/or type of television that young people watch. The study was conducted through survey research at University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with over one hundred undergraduate participants. It demonstrates that there is no relationship between the amount of television which students watch and their political engagement. However, it also demonstrates that there is a relationship between the types of television programs which students watch and their attitudes toward politics and politicians. Frequent viewers of local news feel less trusting toward the government in Washington, whereas frequent viewers of late-night …

Wounded Knee, 1973: Consummatory And Instrumental Functions Of Militant Discourse, Lucie Moya Melchert

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Little academic research exists of the American Indian takeover of the hamlet of Wounded Knee, South Dakota in 1973. This thesis is an analysis of the discourse of the Wounded Knee incident, which served dual purposes for the activists. First, American Indian discourse served as a reinforcing agent to American Indians, both at Wounded Knee and across the country. Second, the rhetoric was meant to effect change within the general American public. This thesis will adopt and expand on Randall Lake's 1983 theory of the consummatory function of rhetoric by dissecting the fascinating discourse that shaped the identity of the …

An Analysis Of Medical Futility Dilemmas, Eloise Angela Powell

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Medical futility has caused serious dilemmas in the fields of medicine and bioethics recently. It has become more confusing due to the use of high technological equipment and medicines that are given to prolong life and interrupt the natural process of death; Therefore, we have created a dilemma of medical futility. Until recently, not many steps have been taken to address futile or inappropriate care that is given to a large number of the population, but with healthcare costs rising substantially, the time has come when these issues must be addressed; This thesis will include a short history of medical …

Die Deutschen Enwanderer In Sacramento: German Immigrants In Sacramento, 1850--1859, Carole Cosgrove Terry

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

The economic and political conditions in Europe pushed German immigrants from their homelands, while the gold rush in California pulled them with dreams of riches. Some came directly from Germany, some made an intermediate stop in the United States, but, after arriving in California, many went to Sacramento. A small nucleus of permanent residents created an ethnic community where they practiced the German tradition of Vereinswesen, supported each other economically through loans and ready employment and, led by their Turnverein, continued practicing their customs and rituals emphasizing frivolity and celebration as they had in the "fatherland." Rather than assimilate, they …

Communicating The Risks And Hazards Of Methylmercury To The Ojibwe Population, Glenna Lee

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

Fatal poisonings due to the consumption of fish containing high concentrations of methylmercury have been well documented, and demonstrate that the consumption of mercury-contaminated fish and other organisms can contribute to adverse human health effects. Native Americans of the Great Lakes region are one of the populations potentially subjected to greater concentrations of methylmercury than the general population because fishery is an integral part of their culture. The purpose of this study is to investigate the Ojibwe of the Great Lakes region's understanding of the risks and hazards associated with the consumption of fish contaminated with methylmercury and increase their …

A High-Performance Liquid Chromatography System With Fenton's Reagent For Detection Of Gas-Phase Hydrogen Peroxide, Jun Liu

UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations

A simple quantitative HPLC method for analysis of gas-phase hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been developed. This method relies on conversion of sodium salicylate to dihydroxybenzoic acid, sodium salts by using Fenton's reagent (a mixture of H2O2 and ferrous iron) under the proper conditions. Hydroxyl radicals generated from Fenton's reagent will react with sodium salicylate and generate 2,3-, 2,4-, and 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (sodium salts), which can be quantitatively determined by HPLC-UV at wavelength 310 nm. The cryogenic sampling system was chosen to collect gasphase H2O2. The detection limit for this method is 0.03 ppm. The seasonal variation of H2O2 in Las …