Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Effect Of Acceptance Training On Psychological And Physical Health Outcomes In Elders With Chronic Conditions, Patricia Mcdonald, Jaclene Zauszniewski, Abir K. Bekhet, Laura Dehelian, Diana L. Morris

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

This pilot trial investigated the short and long-term effects of Acceptance Training (ACT) intervention on acceptance, perceived health, functional status, anxiety, and depression in elders with chronic conditions living in retirement communities (RCs). The ACT intervention combined Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy with music, relaxation, and guided imagery during six weekly 2-hour sessions. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 16 African-American and 46 White elders across four data collection points in six randomly selected RCs using well-established measures of perceived health, functional status, anxiety, and depression, and a measure of acceptance of chronic conditions adapted from a previous measure of acceptance of …

Prehabilitation Before Total Knee Arthroplasty Increases Strength And Function In Older Adults With Severe Osteoarthritis, Ann M. Swank, Joseph B. Kachelman, Wendy Bibeau, Peter M. Quesada, John Nyland, Arthur Malkani, Robert V. Topp

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Preparing for the stress of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery by exercise training (prehabilitation) may improve strength and function before surgery and, if effective, has the potential to contribute to postoperative recovery. Subjects with severe osteoarthritis (OA), pain intractable to medicine and scheduled for TKA were randomized into a usual care (UC) group (n = 36) or usual care and exercise (UC + EX) group (n = 35). The UC group maintained normal daily activities before their TKA. The UC + EX group performed a comprehensive prehabilitation program that included resistance training using bands, flexibility, and step training at least …

Perceptions Of Professional Practice And Work Environment Of New Graduates In A Nurse Residency Program, Marilyn Meyer Bratt, Holly M. Felzer

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

New nurses continue to face challenging work environments and high expectations for professional competence as they enter practice. Nurse residency programs are gaining prominence as a mechanism to ease new graduates’ transition to practice. This study examined new graduates’ perceptions of their professional practice competence and work environment throughout a yearlong nurse residency program. Employing a repeated measures design, data were collected at baseline, at 6 months, and at 12 months. Results showed that job satisfaction was significantly lowest at 6 months and highest at 12 months. Job stress was found to be lowest at 12 months and organizational commitment …

Challenge With Care: Reflections On Teaching Excellence, Stacee M. Lerret, Marilyn Frenn

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

A number of faculty have had no formal preparation to teach. Because little nursing research has focused on teaching excellence in recent years, when both nursing practice and approaches to teaching and learning have changed remarkably, this analysis integrates present perspectives and the research foundation for teaching nursing. A constant comparative method incorporating 27 doctoral student reflections and analysis of literature from 1960 to present resulted in four major categories: know and honor students, enthused, knowledgeable, and student centered. Linking the major categories, an Excellent Teacher Circle of Distinction emerged, described as “with enthusiasm and compassion the teacher engages the …

What Can Parents Do To Reduce Youth Obesity? An Initial Study With A Diverse Sample, Marilyn Frenn, Amy Heinrich, Claire Schmidt Dohmen, Jessica E. Pruszynski

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The body mass index (BMI) of diverse, low-income fifth grade students (n = 36) was regressed on physical activity (Child Adolescent Activity Log), percentage dietary fat (Food Habits Questionnaire), and the Food/Activity Parenting Practices Questionnaire. The model explained 50% of the variance in student BMI, adjusted R² = .50, F (4, 19) = 6.84, p = .001. Students accurately perceived their weight status. Students' perception of parenting strategies, along with dietary fat, was significantly associated with their BMI. Parent's (n = 14) BMI, not the child's, was associated with the strategies they used. Three parents tested an …

Women’S Perceptions Of Caesarean Birth: A Roy International Study, Jacqueline Fawcett, Cynthia Aber, Susan Haussler, Marianne Weiss, Sheila Taylor Myers, Jaye L. Hall, V. Lynn Waters, Charlette King, Marja-Terttu Tarkka, Anja Rantanen, Paivi Astedt-Kurki, Jennifer Newton, Virginia Silva

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this Roy adaptation model-based multi-site international mixed method study was to examine the relations of type of caesarean birth (unplanned/planned), number of caesarean births (primary/repeat), and preparation for caesarean birth to women’s perceptions of and responses to caesarean birth. The sample included 488 women from the United States (n = 253), Finland (n = 213), and Australia (n = 22). Path analysis revealed direct effects for type of and preparation for caesarean birth on responses to caesarean birth, and an indirect effect for preparation on responses to caesarean birth through perception of birth the …

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parenting Stress, Family Functioning And Health-Related Quality Of Life, Norah L. Johnson, Marilyn Frenn, Suzanne Feetham, Pippa Simpson

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is 1 in 110 persons in the U.S. Both parents of children with ASD are under stress that may impact their health-related quality of life (HRQL) (physical and mental health). The purpose of the current study was to explore the relationship of parenting stress, support from family functioning and the HRQL (physical and mental health) of both parents. Female (n = 64) and male (n = 64) parents of children with ASD completed Web-based surveys examining parenting stress, family functioning, and physical and mental health. Results of a Wilcoxon signed-ranks test showed that …

Testing The Integrated Theory Of Health Behaviour Change For Postpartum Weight Management, Polly Ryan, Marianne Weiss, Nicole Traxel, Michael J. Brondino

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Aim.  This is a report of a correlational study to test the Integrated Theory of Health Behaviour Change within the context of postpartum weight self‐management including the impact of race/ethnicity and weight classification.

Background.  Women experiencing childbirth face increasing challenges to manage their weight postpartum. Little is known about women’s weight self‐management during the complex physiological and psychosocial transition of the postpartum period.

Methods.  Data were collected during the birth hospitalization and 4 months postbirth during 2005 and 2006. A quota sample of 250 postpartum women using two strata, race/ethnicity and prepregnant weight classification, were enrolled; 179 women completed the …

Tailoring A Treatment Fidelity Framework For An Intensive Care Unit Clinical Trial, Linda L. Chlan, Jill L. Guttormson, Kay Savik

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background:

Treatment fidelity (TF) refers to methodological strategies and practices used to monitor and enhance the reliability and validity of behavioral interventions. Treatment fidelity monitoring enhances internal and external validity and is needed for study replication and generalizability.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to describe the implementation, monitoring, and impact of TF in an intensive-care-unit-based clinical trial testing music for anxiety self-management with mechanically ventilated patients.

Method:

Development of the criteria was based on the Five-Component Treatment Fidelity Framework from the Treatment Fidelity Workgroup. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate adherence rates to the key TF criteria and …

Comparison Of The Effects Of Ice And 3.5% Menthol Gel On Blood Flow And Muscle Strength Of The Lower Arm, Robert V. Topp, Lee J. Winchester, Amber M. Mink, Jeremiah S. Kaufmann, Dean E. Jacks

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Context: Soft-tissue injuries are commonly treated with ice or menthol gels. Few studies have compared the effects of these treatments on blood flow and muscle strength. Objective: To compare blood flow and muscle strength in the forearm after an application of ice or menthol gel or no treatment. Design: Repeated measures design in which blood-flow and muscle-strength data were collected from subjects under 3 treatment conditions. Setting: Exercise physiology laboratory. Participants: 17 healthy adults with no impediment to the blood flow or strength in their right arm, recruited through word of mouth. Intervention: Three …

Implementation Of A Virtual Journal Club In A Clinical Nursing Setting, Jill Berger, Heather K. Hardin, Robert V. Topp

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Healthcare practice is increasingly focused on delivering care that is based on published research evidence. Staff development nurses can institute journal clubs to teach nursing staff critical appraisal of research articles and ways to translate research findings into clinical practice. Unfortunately, attending meetings regularly is often a challenge for nurses, and relatively few have the knowledge and expertise to adequately critique research articles. One way to bridge the limitations of accessibility and limited research expertise of journal club members is to establish a virtual journal club. This article describes one hospital's experience with developing a virtual journal club.

Staffing Excellence: Moving From Retrospective To Prospective Management Of Risk, Kathryn Rapala

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Religiosity And Sexual Risk Behaviors Among Latina Adolescents: Trends From 1995 To 2008, Lisa Edwards, Kristin Haglund, Richard Fehring, Jessica E. Pruszynski

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine trends in the influence of religiosity on sexual activity of Latina adolescents in the United States from 1995 to 2008 and to determine if differences existed between the Mexican American and other Latina groups.

Methods: The sample comprised the subset of unmarried, 15–21-year-old (mean 17 years) Latina female respondents in the 1995 (n=267), 2002 (n=306), and 2006–2008 (n=400) National Survey of Family Growth (NSFG) datasets. Associations between religiosity (importance of religion and service attendance) and history of ever having sex, number of sex partners, and …

Effect Of Topical Menthol On Ipsilateral And Contralateral Superficial Blood Flow Following A Bout Of Maximum Voluntary Muscle Contraction, Robert V. Topp, Lee J. Winchester, Jessica Schilero, Dean E. Jacks

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose/Background: Various doses of topical menthol are commonly applied prior to, during, and after exercise to relieve pain although there is limited empirical evidence examining the physiological effects of this treatment. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two different doses of menthol (3.5% and 10%) on blood flow and arterial diameter before and after an acute bout of three isokinetic maximum voluntary muscular contraction (MVMC) of the quadriceps and hamstrings.

Methods: Blood flow and arterial diameter of the right and left popliteal arteries were measured with an ultrasound Doppler prior to and after subjects completed …

Pilot Evaluation Of An Internet-Based Natural Family Planning Education And Service Program, Richard Jerome Fehring, Mary Schneider, Kathleen Raviele

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy, knowledge of fertility, and acceptability of a web-based natural family planning (NFP) education and service program.

Design: A 6-month repeated measure longitudinal evaluation pilot study.

Setting: A university based online website.

Participants: The website was piloted with 468 volunteer women seeking NFP services. Of these participants, 222 used the automatic online fertility charting system to avoid pregnancy. The 222 charting participants had a mean age of 29.9 years (SD=5.6), 2.2 children (SD=1.9), 37% were postpartum, and 47% had regular menstrual cycle lengths.

Intervention: Nurse-managed web-based NFP education and service program.

Outcomes: …

Implementing A Virtual Journal Club In A Clinical Nursing Setting, Robert V. Topp

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Healthcare practice is increasingly focused on delivering care that is based on published research evidence. Staff development nurses can institute journal clubs to teach nursing staff critical appraisal of research articles and ways to translate research findings into clinical practice. Unfortunately, attending meetings regularly is often a challenge for nurses, and relatively few have the knowledge and expertise to adequately critique research articles. One way to bridge the limitations of accessibility and limited research expertise of journal club members is to establish a virtual journal club. This article describes one hospital's experience with developing a virtual journal club.

Creating A Therapeutic Milieu In Retirement Communities, Abir K. Bekhet, Jaclene A. Zauszniewski

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Elderly persons’ relocation to retirement communities is a stressful event that requires person-milieu adjustment. Research has shown differences in relocation adjustment for elders residing in different retirement communities. A secondary analysis used findings from a study of relocated elders in order to determine whether certain therapeutic factors were lacking in retirement communities where elders had difficulty in adjusting. Study participants were 104 elders who relocated to six retirement communities in Northeast Ohio. This study analyzed qualitative data from the researchers’ observations and field notes and narratives obtained from the elders who participated in the original study. The analysis focused on …

Quality And Cost Analysis Of Nurse Staffing, Discharge Preparation, And Postdischarge Utilization, Marianne E. Weiss, Olga Yakusheva, Kathleen Bobay

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objectives. To determine the impact of unit-level nurse staffing on quality of discharge teaching, patient perception of discharge readiness, and postdischarge readmission and emergency department (ED) visits, and cost-benefit of adjustments to unit nurse staffing.

Data Sources. Patient questionnaires, electronic medical records, and administrative data for 1,892 medical–surgical patients from 16 nursing units within four acute care hospitals between January and July 2008.

Design. Nested panel data with hospital and unit-level fixed effects and patient and unit-level control variables.

Data Collection/Extraction. Registered nurse (RN) staffing was recorded monthly in hours-per-patient-day. Patient questionnaires were completed before discharge. Thirty-day readmission and ED …

Fit Into College: A Program To Improve Physical Activity And Dietary Intake Lifestyles Among College Students, Robert V. Topp, Jean S. Edward, S. Lee Ridner, Dean E. Jacks, Karen Newton, Patricia Keiffner, Deborah Woodall, Kathleen P. Conte

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine whether a 10-week program could improve physical activity, physical fitness, body weight, dietary intake, and perceptions of exercise and diet among college 30 healthy college freshmen. Outcomes were measured at baseline, and following the 10-week program. The weekly sessions incorporated constructs of the Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change and were administered by fitness interns who were junior or senior college students enrolled in health-related majors. The participants presented with low physical activity, physical fitness, and poor dietary intake, and 50% were overweight/obese (BMI > 25). Participants demonstrated gains in their physical fitness …

Balancing The Scale: Directions For Future Research For Perinatal Advanced Practice Nurses, Lisa Hanson, Leona Vandevusse, Heidi Paquette

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Outcomes And Cost Analysis Of The Impact Of Unit-Level Nurse Staffing On Post-Discharge Utilization, Kathleen Bobay, Olga Yakusheva, Marianne E. Weiss

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effects Of A Closed-Chain, Eccentric Training Program On Hamstring Injuries Of A Professional Football Cheerleading Team, Jay S. Greenstein, Barton N. Bishop, Jean S. Edward, Robert V. Topp

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

Hamstring injuries are a common occurrence among professional football cheerleaders. The purpose of this study is to identify the effects of an eccentric, closed-chain hamstring exercise intervention on hamstring injury–associated pain during the course of the football season among professional football cheerleaders.

Methods

Forty-three female cheerleaders participated in an eccentric, closed-chain hamstring exercise intervention protocol provided by doctors of chiropractic that incorporated loops of elastic-band or Thera-Band Loops (Hygenic Corporation, Akron, OH) during practice and at home during the regular football season. Hamstring injury–related pain was assessed in June, during team selection; in September, at the start of the …

Peer Effects And The Freshman 15: Evidence From A Natural Experiment, Olga Yakusheva, Kandice A. Kapinos, Marianne E. Weiss

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

This study investigates the importance of peer effects in explaining weight gain among freshman college students. We exploit a natural experiment that takes place on most college campuses in the US - randomized roommate assignments. While previous studies suggest that having an obese spouse, friend, or sibling increases one's likelihood of becoming obese, these social interactions are clearly non-random. We collect data from female students living on campus at a private Midwestern university at the beginning and end of their first year of college. Our findings suggest that the amount of weight gained during the freshman year is strongly and …

Myocardial Dysfunction In An Animal Model Of Cancer Cachexia, Hui Xu, Danielle Crawford, Kirk R. Hutchinson, Dane J. Youtz, Pamela A. Lucchesi, Markus Velten, Donna O. Mccarthy, Loren E. Wold

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Aims

Fatigue is a common occurrence in cancer patients regardless of tumor type or anti-tumor therapies and is an especially problematic symptom in persons with incurable tumor disease. In rodents, tumor-induced fatigue is associated with a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and increased expression of biomarkers of muscle protein degradation. The purpose of the present study was to determine if muscle wasting and expression of biomarkers of muscle protein degradation occur in the hearts of tumor-bearing mice, and if these effects of tumor growth are associated with changes in cardiac function.

Main methods

The colon26 adenocarcinoma cell line was …

Characteristics Of The Menstrual Cycle After Discontinuation Of Oral Contraceptives, Claudia L. Nassaralla, Joseph B. Stanford, Diane Daly, Mary Schneider, Karen C. Schliep, Richard Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background: Menstrual cycle function may continue to be altered after discontinuation of oral contraceptives (OC). Few studies have been published on the effects of recent OC use on menstrual cycle parameters; none have examined characteristics of the menstrual flow or the quality of cervical mucus. The purpose of this retrospective matched cohort study is to assess biomarkers of the menstrual cycle after discontinuation of OCs.

Methods: Among a sample of women who daily recorded observations of menstrual cycle biomarkers, 70 women who had recently discontinued OCs were randomly matched by age and parity with 70 women who had …

Promoting Natural Family Planning, Richard Jerome Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Prediction Of Vo2 Peak Using Sub-Maximum Bench Step Test In Children, Robert V. Topp, Dean E. Jacks, Justin B. Moore

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study was to develop a valid prediction of maximal oxygen uptake from data collected during a submaximum bench stepping test among children ages 8-12 years. Twentyseven active subjects (16 male and 11 female), weight 36.1 kg, height 144.4 cm and VO₂ 47.4 ± 7.9 ml/kg/min participated. Subjects completed a maximal oxygen consumption test with analysis of expired air and a submaximal bench stepping test. A formula to predict VO_2max was developed from height, resting heart rate and heart rate response during the submaximum bench stepping test. This formula accounted for 71% of the variability …

Measuring Use Of Resourcefulness Skills: Psychometric Testing Of A New Scale, Abir K. Bekhet

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Highly resourceful individuals have been found better able to meet life's challenges and to experience more positive health outcomes. Although psychometrically sound measures of resourcefulness exist and resourcefulness training trials show that the intervention increases adaptive functioning and enhances quality of life, there is no direct measure of intervention fidelity. This study examined the reliability and validity of an 8-item Resourcefulness Skills Scale (RSS), which measures the frequency with which intervention recipients use specific resourcefulness skills. The RSS was found to have acceptable internal consistency (� = .78), criterion-related validity (�'s = .50 and .52 with other resourcefulness scales), and …

Psychometric Properties Of The Pressure To Move Scale In Relocated American Older Adults: Further Evaluation, Abir K. Bekhet, Jaclene Zauszniewski, Wagdy E. Nakhla

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The number of elders who relocate to retirement communities is increasing exponentially, and their ability to exercise free choice, personal control, and autonomy has been associated with relocation adjustment and positive outcomes in regard to physical, emotional, and social well-being. Although a measure of relocation controllability (the degree of personal control associated with the move) exists, there is limited evidence of its psychometric adequacy. This study tested the reliability and validity of the Pressure to Move Scale (PTMS). A convenience sample of 104 American elders who relocated to six Northeast Ohio retirement communities was recruited. Study participants completed the nine-item …

Advancing Nursing Education Science: An Analysis Of Nln's Grant Program 2008-2010, Joanne R. Duffy, Marilyn Frenn, Barbara Patterson

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The National League for Nursing has responded to the increasing need for nursing education research through its grant program. Significant growth in proposals has intensified competition for funds and challenged the Nursing Education Research Advisory Council’s review process. The purpose of this article is to explore the NLN’s nursing education research proposals from 2008 to 2010 in order to improve performance and provide guidance to future nursing education researchers. Beginning with the 2008 grant cycle, a database was developed to assist in performance improvement. A total of 113 proposals were submitted; of those, 24 were funded for a success rate …