Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Comparison Of Burned Patients' Perception Of Pain With Nurses' Perception Of Patients' Pain, Merri Diane Walkenstein

Theses and Dissertations

Pain is a universal experience. Caring for people in pain is a central aspect of nursing practice. Many studies have been done to determine the physical and psychosocial mechanisms of the pain sensation, in addition to methods of relief. Very little has been done, however, dealing specifically with the pain experienced by the burned patient.

People hospitalized with thermal injuries complain most often of the intensity and long duration of their pain experience. Due to the large number of persons sustaining thermal injuries every year, it is apparent that nurses must familiarize themselves with methods of evaluation and intervention to …

Loneliness: A Study Of Adult Clinic Patients With Metastatic Cancer, Katherine Norfleet Berry

Theses and Dissertations

Loneliness is a topic of growing concern in the literature. Despite inherent difficulties in measuring such a personal experience, the present study was undertaken in order to gain knowledge concerning emotional needs of the dying cancer patient.

The conceptual frameworks for loneliness of Francis and Brown were combined and added to Bowen’s theory of “family reaction to death” to formulate the framework for this research. The relationship of secondary loneliness among adult clinic patients with metastatic cancer, and openness of their relationship system with a significant other was explored using the structured interview method. The loneliness scale and relationship system …

The Relationship Between Maternal Self-Concept And Demonstration Of Adaptive Behavior, Barbara Woodland Fleming

Theses and Dissertations

The study examined whether adaptive maternal behaviors correlated with a positive self-concept measurement. The adaptive behaviors observed were those which the literature suggested indicate a positive response to the changes of the puerperium. The study aimed at assisting the nurse in assessing the self-concept level of clients. The researcher also hoped to contribute to the continued development of nursing theories and the application of the theories to the arena of clinical practice.

The Effects Of Prepared Childbirth On Length Of Labor In Low-Risk Primiparae, Beth S. Mollick

Theses and Dissertations

The hypothesis that prepared low-risk primiparae would experience shorter labors than unprepared low-risk primiparae was not upheld in the findings of the present study. The findings of the present study did appear to validate the findings of several other similar studies which reported no differences in length of labor between prepared and unprepared women. Suggestions for further study of some questions raised by the present study have been made.

Clean Technique Intermittent Catheterization As An Alternative To The Indwelling Urethral Catheter, Christine Heuston Lessels

Theses and Dissertations

Research has documented numerous risks and complications in the use of indwelling urethral catheters.¹ In spite of this, indwelling catheters are still widely used for the management of incontinence.²

During the past four decades, studies have shown that incontinence can be managed or resolved in many patients by using intermittent catheterization. Early investigators used elaborate sterile technique and included only patients with neurogenic bladder as a result of spinal cord injury.³ Later studies showed favorable results in patients with incontinence of non-traumatic etiology--even in patients previously dependent on an indwelling urethral catheter.⁴ The early literature on …

The Relationship Between Self-Esteem And Duration Of Low Back Pain, Betty Sue Holliday Ashby

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between self-esteem and duration of low back pain. Low back pain is one of the most common types of chronic pain. Sternbach et al. (1973) have estimated that the chief complaint of at least seventy percent of the patients presenting at the Pain Clinic associated with the School of Medicine of the University of California, San Diego is back pain. They feel that the major reason for this phenomena is the failure of physicians to recognize it as a psychosomatic illness. Erena (1978) concurs with this conclusion. He notes that …