Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Destination: New Kowledge, Satisfaction, Empowerment And Professionalism: The Journey Of A Bedside Nurse Researcher, Carolyn L. Davidson Rn, Phd, Paulette Kennedy Bsn, Rn, Ne-Bc, June Kellogg Bsn, Rn, Pccn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Responses Of Successful Latina Students To Academic Challenges Of Prerequisite Nursing Courses, Julie Wiggins Nadeau

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing schools struggle to prepare enough nurses to meet the health care needs of a diverse and aging population in the United States. Many students do not complete their degrees, contributing to the problem. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe how successful Latina students experience and respond to the academic challenges of prerequisite nursing courses. The nursing shortage; healthcare needs of Hispanic patients; student outcomes; self-efficacy, achievement goal orientation, and academic help-seeking; and Hispanic cultural values framed the study. Using semistructured private interviews, the researcher explored the lived experiences of 6 successful Latina students when …

Implementation Effectiveness Of Campus Tobacco-Free Policies, Amanda Fallin

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Tobacco use and secondhand smoke exposure are leading causes of preventable morbidity and mortality in the United States. Outdoor tobacco smoke exposure conveys many of the same risks as indoor secondhand smoke exposure. Tobacco-free campuses policies are an intervention to promote a positive social norm that encourages smoking cessation, as well as reduces exposure to outdoor tobacco smoke. This dissertation contains a review of the policy implementation literature; findings from a psychometric analysis of the newly developed Tobacco-free Compliance Assessment Tool (TF-CAT) to assess compliance with tobacco-free campus policies; and results of a campus intervention study to promote compliance. The …

Factors Predicting Physical Activity Among Older Thais Living In Low Socioeconomic Urban Communities, Phachongchit Kraithaworn, Yupapin Sirapo-Ngam, Noppawan Piaseu, Dechavudh Nityasuddhi, Kimberlee A. Gretebeck

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

This study was conducted to determine if specific factors (physical activity self-efficacy, sense of community, social support, perceived physical and mental health, and neighborhood environment and facilities) predicted physical activity among 258 older Thais living in six registered, low-socioeconomic, urban communities across metropolitan Bangkok. The theoretical model was based on integrated concepts from Pender’s Health Promotion Model and the Social Ecological Model. The hypothesized model was tested using path analysis.

The final model explained 33%, 51% and 22% of the variance in physical activity, physical activity self-efficacy and sense of community, respectively. Physical activity self-efficacy was the most powerful predictor …

Psychometric Properties Of A Measure Of Acceptance Of Long-Standing Health Problems, Patricia Mcdonald, Jaclene Zauszniewski, Abir K. Bekhet

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Acceptance of chronic illness is important for health promotion and for improving the quality of life of elders with chronic conditions. Thus, a reliable and valid measure of acceptance is needed for this population. Currently available measures of acceptance do not focus specifically on accepting chronic conditions. This study of 176 elders with chronic conditions examined the psychometric properties of an adapted measure of acceptance—the Ideas About Long-Standing Health Problems (IALHP) questionnaire. Although the findings provided beginning evidence for internal reliability and construct validity to support its potential usefulness in elders, further scale development is recommended.

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 …

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 Testing Of The Children's Resourcefulness Scale, Jaclene A. Zauszniewski, Abir K. Bekhet, Elizabeth Bonham

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

PROBLEM: Resourcefulness is known to reduce depression in adults, but its effects on children are less well known, possibly for lack of a psychometrically sound measure.

METHODS: This study examined the reliability and validity of the 32-item Children's Self-Control Scale (C-SCS), which measures resourcefulness, in 122 school-aged children.

FINDINGS: Standard scale refinement methods produced a 10-item scale with α = .72 and correlations with the C-SCS (r = .86), positive thoughts (r = .38), and depressive symptoms (r = –.32). Factor analysis revealed two factors: problem-solving and delay of gratification.

CONCLUSIONS: The 10-item scale may be …

The Influence Of Contraception On Abortion Among Women Of Reproductive Age In The United States, Richard J. Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

There is a common notion that contraception is necessary for women (and couples) to avoid unwanted pregnancies and abortions. The thesis of this paper is that contraception actually will lead to more (not less) abortions. On the other hand, the use of natural family planning (NFP) and the acceptance of fertility lend itself to the openness to life. The specific purpose of the paper is to describe the influence of contraceptive use and NFP on the likelihood of having an abortion among United States (US) women of reproductive age as found in Cycle 7 of the National Survey of Family …

Access To Adequate Outpatient Depression Care For Mothers In The Usa: A Nationally Representative Population-Based Study, Whitney P. Witt, Abiola O. Keller, Carrisa Gottlieb, Kristin Litzelman, John Hampton, Jonathan Maguire, Erika W. Hagen

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Maternal depression is often untreated, resulting in serious consequences for mothers and their children. Factors associated with receipt of adequate treatment for depression were examined in a population-based sample of 2,130 mothers in the USA with depression using data from the 1996–2005 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey. Chi-squared analyses were used to evaluate differences in sociodemographic and health characteristics by maternal depression treatment status (none, some, and adequate). Multivariate regression was used to model the odds of receiving some or adequate treatment, compared to none. Results indicated that only 34.8% of mothers in the USA with depression received adequate treatment. Mothers …

Dog Models Of Naturally Occurring Cancer, Donna O. Mccarthy

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Studies using dogs provide an ideal solution to the gap in animal models for natural disease and translational medicine. This is evidenced by approximately 400 inherited disorders being characterized in domesticated dogs, most of which are relevant to humans. There are several hundred isolated populations of dogs (breeds) and each has a vastly reduced genetic variation compared with humans; this simplifies disease mapping and pharmacogenomics. Dogs age five- to eight-fold faster than do humans, share environments with their owners, are usually kept until old age and receive a high level of health care. Farseeing investigators recognized this potential and, over …

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. Twenty seven 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 …

Feasibility Study Among Military Personnel With Traumatic Amputation During Military Combat Or Training, Michele (Shelly) R. Burdette-Taylor Phd, Msn, Rn-Bc, Cwcn, Cfcn

Dissertations

Military operations have resulted in a significant number of mangled extremities leading to traumatic amputations. Extremity injuries predominate, representing 50% to 70% of all injuries treated (Melcer, 2010). The majority of injuries sustained in Operation Endearing Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) are combined penetrating, burn and blast injuries, traumatic amputation, and infections from the multi-drug resistant organism, Acinetobacter (Melcer, 2010). The purpose of this study was to measure the quality of well-being and impact of events in a group of adults who served in the U.S. armed forces and sustained the loss of one or more limbs during any combat or …

Shrouded In Stigma: A Heuristic Study Of Living With Hiv, Neal Stacy Rosenburg

Dissertations

HIV-related stigma is a serious hindrance to addressing the recruitment, maintenance, and follow-up nursing care of HIV-infected persons. This study was anchored within the heuristic research model, which engaged both the researcher and participants in a dialogical and aesthetic manner to unveil the stigma of HIV. The close proximity of the researcher and study participants revealed the most visceral, emotional, and self-reflective nature of gathering data, while maintaining the integrity and rigor of a qualitative study. The purpose of this heuristic study was to examine the lived experiences of HIV-infected individuals relating to internalized stigma within an existential context. This …

The Cultivation And Practice Of Spiritual Care Expertise In An Inpatient Palliative Care Setting, Gail Elaine Pittroff

Dissertations

Caregivers involved in palliative care seek to understand problems and challenges at end of life through research to determine the best care for patients and their families. Spiritual care is a key component of quality end of life care, yet there is a paucity of research on spiritual care in inpatient settings at end of life in nursing literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the personhood and spiritual care practices of inpatient palliative nurse consultants. This study describes expert nurse’s experience of delivering spiritual care for patients and families at end of life in inpatient palliative care …

The Mother's Perspective: Understanding More About The Health Care Needs Of The Preschool Child With Autism, Margaret W. Bultas

Dissertations

Background Information: The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has dramatically risen over the last decades. It is known that children with ASD visit health care providers (HCP) more frequently than typically developing peers. Given behavioral and medical complexities of these children, mothers may experience barriers in this process. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of mothers’ experiences of taking their children to the HCP. Aims of this study were to reveal mothers’ concerns related to these experiences, examine resources and barriers affecting the quality of the visit, and discover more about the effect …

Caring Beyond Constraint: A Nursing Model Of Presence In A Time Limited Procedural Practice, Laura Becker

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this paper is to support the value of maintaining presence within a time limited procedural practice. Specifically, it presents the significance of a nursing presence model based on Jean Watson's human caring theory within an outpatient procedural endoscopy unit which has high patient volumes and time limited processes. It describes the process for developing a care model of nursing presence and methods used to integrate this model into practice. It also includes an evaluation of the methods to determine themes and make comparisons to determine effectiveness of theory integration into nursing practice.

Awareness Cultivation: Designing A Transcultural Patient Family Advisory Council, Lisa G. Peterson

Theses and Graduate Projects

This project explores the rationale that supports designing and implementing a transcultural patient family advisory council (PFAC) at a large academic center in the Midwest where eight disease-diagnosis based PFAC's already exist. Potential pitfalls and obstacles that could interfere with such a council being successful will also be reviewed. In addition, Madeline Leininger's theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality is applied to add support to this effort. Specifically, the stranger to trusted friend enabler explains how having such a committee can foster mutually beneficial relationships that demonstrate a change in culture and attitudes at this traditional physician-lead institution.

Replicating Success: Developing An Educational Process For Improving Nursing Accuracy When Using A Patient Classification System, Dewey M. Moulton

Theses and Graduate Projects

The use of patient classification systems (PCS), within hospitals has been and still is utilized primarily for determining staffing requirements, based upon the projected needs of the patient. Since its conception in the 1950's, health care management has worked to develop a system that accurately depicts those needs to provide good patient care. Recently, a major tertiary health care center located in the Midwest region of the United States implemented a revised patient classification system within its acute care setting. Nurses were provided various levels of education regarding its use. Because of this, accuracy by nurses using the patient classification …

Mother-Infant Synchrony During Infant Feeding, Barbara Reyna

Theses and Dissertations

MOTHER-INFANT SYNCHRONY DURING INFANT FEEDING By Barbara A. Reyna, PhD A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2010. Major Director: Rita H. Pickler, PhD Endowed Nursing Alumni Professor Department of Family and Community Health Nursing, School of Nursing Synchrony between a mother and her infant is fundamental to their developing relationship. Feeding is an essential activity that provides an opportunity for interaction between a mother and her infant and may lead to synchronous interaction. The purpose this study was to develop and test a …

Spermatogenesis: Laser Microdissection Optimization, Deborah Ann Hansen

Dissertations

Studies link paternal environmental exposures to pesticides, herbicides, and radiation to adverse reproductive outcomes such as developmental delays, malignancies, and structural birth defects. To date, 900 children of Vietnam veterans with presumed Agent Orange exposure receive VA presumptive service connected benefits because these children have Spina Bifida. To date, there are limited data to explain the underlying causal mechanisms whereby paternal environmental exposures result in adverse reproductive events. Laser microdissection (LMD) is the only technology that allows the isolation of cell subpopulations from complex tissues such as the testes without disturbing the cell’s bimolecular signature. LMD is essential in the …

Thinking Differently: Developing A Fall Risk Assessment For The Emergency Department Setting, Carissa K. Fauks

Theses and Graduate Projects

When a patient falls in the hospital it ends up being costly for both the patient and the hospital. Having an awareness of risk factors that lead to an increase in patient falls becomes very important for all nursing staff. However, the contributing factors are not the same for every department in a hospital. The focus of this proposal is the development of a fall assessment that is specific to the emergency department. Age, cognition, elimination, physical mobility, and medications were the risk factors determined to be most important after a review of the literature. Once the fall assessment scale …

Facial Expression Discriminates Between Pain And Absence Of Pain In The Non-Communicative, Critically Ill Adult Patient, Mamoona Arif-Rahu

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Pain assessment is a significant challenge in critically ill adults, especially those unable to communicate their pain level. At present there is no universally accepted pain scale for use in the non-communicative (cognitively impaired, sedated, paralyzed or mechanically ventilated) patient. Facial expressions are considered among the most reflexive and automatic nonverbal indices of pain. The facial expression component of pain assessment tools include a variety of facial descriptors (wincing, frowning, grimacing, smile/relaxed) with inconsistent pain intensity ratings or checklists of behaviors. The lack of consistent facial expression description and quantification of pain intensity makes standardization of pain evaluation difficult. …

Chhs December/January E-Newsletter, Dr. John Bonaguro, Dean, Vashon S. Wells, Editor, Wku College Of Health & Human Services

College of Health & Human Services Publications

No abstract provided.

Stamping Out Electrosurgery Smoke, Kay Ball

Nursing Faculty Scholarship

Did you know that perioperative nurses have twice the incidence of some respiratory problems as compared to the general population? This information surprised me too when the data from my doctoral research revealed this startling and unsettling fact.....What are we breathing in the OR?

Ua61/1 Wku Nursing Class 2010, Wku Nursing

WKU Administration Documents

Members of the 2010 nursing class: Laura Abernathy, Michelle Allison, Jana Anderson, Tanya Atkinson, Denise Bunner, Mollie Carter, Jared Crocker, Brittany Davidson, Laura Deaton, Drew Frey, Erin Garner, Brian Gaskins, Angie Gipson, Brianna Glover-Motley, Jeanette Granese, Jennifer Green, Lindsay Green, Erick Greer, Crystal Heady, Myranda Holder, Kelly Irvin, Katherine Kerr, Dawn Kimberlin, Wendi King, Amanda Lamb, Jody Lee, Angela Legge, Rebecca Lock, Tiffany McMinoway, Joe Middleton, Sherry Moore, Amber Nagornay, Renae Neldlinger, Laura Nuestro, Blair Ramsey, Heather Rasmussen, Lora Ray, Justin Reed, Kristin Richardson, Jacqui Rock, Regina Salai, Shelby Scillian, Sydney Scillian, Michael Sticar(?), Rachel Sither, Amanda Smith-Gaspar, Sarah Somers, …

Coronary Heart Disease Knowledge And Risk Factors Among Filipino-Americans Connected To Primary Care Services, Alona N. Dalusung-Angosta

Nursing Faculty Research

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death of Filipino-Americans (FAs). Despite the growing numbers of FAs in the United States, little is known about their CHD knowledge and risk factors.

The purposes of this study were to examine the baseline knowledge and risk factors of CHD among FAs and to describe the relationships between knowledge, sociodemographic, and socioeconomic characteristic variables of FAs between the ages of 35-75 years.

The study sample consisted of 120 FAs (N = 120) who were connected to primary care services. Data were collected from three primary care clinics in Las Vegas, …

Direct Care Workers Perceptions And Practices Related To Quality Of Life In Long Term Care, Karen M. Kinyon

Dissertations

The focus of this case study was to discover how DCWs define success in their practice and what institutional and individual factors contribute to their successful practices. It describes how DCWs perceive quality of life for NH residents and how their practices reflect quality of life indicators. The conceptual model for which this research is based on was developed around the concepts that individual and institutional factors contribute to the successful practices of direct care workers; and, how these DCWs perceive quality of life influences how they practice to promote quality of life for nursing home residents. Using a case …

Using No-Show Modeling To Improve Clinic Performance, Laura P. Sands, Joanne K Daggy, Mark Lawley, Deanna Willis, Debra Thayer, Christopher Suelzer, Po-Ching C. Delaurentis, Ayten Turkan, Santanu Chakraborty

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

‘No-shows’ or missed appointments result in under-utilized clinic capacity. We develop a logistic regression model using electronic medical records to estimate patients’ no-show probabilities and illustrate the use of the estimates in creating clinic schedules that maximize clinic capacity utilization while maintaining small patient waiting times and clinic overtime costs. This study used information on scheduled outpatient appointments collected over a three-year period at a Veterans Affairs medical center. The call-in process for 400 clinic days was simulated and for each day two schedules were created: the traditional method that assigned one patient per appointment slot, and the proposed method …

Newbery Award Winning Books 1975–2009: How Do They Portray Disabilities?, Melissa Leininger, Tina Taylor, Mary Anne Prater, Melissa Allen Heath

Faculty Publications

Newbery books represent quality literature that has a profound social-emotional impact on its readers, yet these books have not been systematically evaluated for their portrayal of characters with disabilities. Thirty-one Newbery Award and Honor books from 1975–2009 were identified and portrayed 41 main or supporting characters with disabilities. These books were evaluated using the Rating Scale for Quality Characterizations of Individuals with Disabilities in Children’s Literature. Results indicate the representation of Newbery characters with disabilities is not proportionate to the current U.S. population of students with disabilities. Further, racial representation portrayed in these books is not representative of the diverse …