Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

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 …

Self -Regulated Learning In Junior Baccalaureate Nursing Students In Selected Southern Schools Of Nursing., Kelly Anne Mcgarvey Goudreau

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Estimating The Probability For Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation In Medicare Recipients After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery., Judy Lynea Bezanson

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Evaluation Of The Effect Of Home Care Interventions On The Self-Care Agency And Hospital Readmission Rate Of Patients With Congestive Heart Failure, Patricia K. Rau

Masters Theses

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is prevalent and patients with CHF incur costly hospital readmissions. It is crucial to reduce rehospitalizations and improve self-care in these patients. This blind experimental study based on Dorothea Orem’s self-care deficit theory evaluated two nursing interventions provided to 49 home care patients with CHF from 42 to 94 years of age in western Michigan. The study results were drawn from a larger longitudinal study in progress by researcher Dr. Kay Setter-KIine, RN. PhD. One group received supportive-educative interventions and the other received placebo interventions. The study sought to determine if supportive-educative nursing interventions improved medication …

Is There A Relationship Between Stages Of Change And Perceived Self-Efficacy Related To Exercise Among Low Risk Pregnant Women?, Rebecca Weiner

Masters Theses

The theoretical framework used for this study was based on Prochaska and DiClemente’s (1983) Transtheoretical Model. The purpose of the study was to determine if there is a relationship between stage of change (pre-contemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance) and perceived self-efficacy regarding exercise among low risk pregnant women. Data was obtained through a survey of 140 low risk pregnant women from two private obstetricians’ offices. Participants were between 18 and 43 years old and primarily Caucasian (75%) and high school educated (85%). Each participant was successfully categorized into a stages of change based on their reported exercise behavior. The levels …

The Relationship Between Grandparent Caregiver Reactions And Support Group Participation, Karen F. Rishel

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between support group participation by grandparent caregivers and reactions to their care-giving situation. There were 25 grandparents primarily Caucasian, and from rural areas or small towns. All were high school graduates and nearly half attended college. A descriptive correlational design was used, and the conceptual framework was Dowdell's adaptation of Given's model on caregiver strain.

No correlations were found that were statistically significant between the number of groups attended and the sub-scales of Given's Caregiver Reaction Assessment. This may have been related to the sample size. Although …

Anthropological Differences Between Contraception And Natural Family Planning, Richard J. Fehring, William Kurz

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Almost twenty years ago, Pope John Paul II in his apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio called on scholars to study the anthropological and moral differences between the recourse to the natural rhythms of a woman’s menstrual cycle (i.e., natural family planning) and contraception (1). Although natural family planning (NFP) and contraception can both be used to prevent pregnancy, there are conspicuous differences between use of natural methods and contraception. Most people, however, have difficulty in distinguishing what the differences are and in understanding why some religious groups, health professionals, and other members of society consider contraception (but not natural family planning) …

Through The Eye Of The Beholder: Multiple Perspectives On Quality In Women's Health Care, Jaynelle F. Stichler, Marianne E. Weiss

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Quality is an illusive concept with different meanings to different people. Providers often define quality in terms of patient outcomes, professional standards of practice, predetermined criteria used to measure quality, and even subjective opinion. Patients describe quality in terms of the interpersonal aspects of care, how well they were treated, and the responsiveness of the provider to their needs. This qualitative study using a semi-structured interview defined quality from the perspectives of patients, physicians, nurses, and payers associated with a hospital-based women's service line, and how the attributes of quality varied among the multiple groups. The study also described how …

Alcohol And Tobacco Use In Japan Among Adolescents With Chronic Kidney Disease., Mitsue Maru

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Examination Of A Structural Model Of Empowerment And Patient Satisfaction., Jennie Echols-Hurst

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

The Use Of Ice For Pain Associated With Chest Tube Removal., Jenny Lynn Sauls

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Nurses' Experiences With Spirituality And End -Of -Life Issues., Karen Elizabeth Miller Brown

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Nocturnal Urine Production, Sleep-Related Breathing Disturbances, And Elevated Hba(1c) Level In Type 2 Diabetics., Eileen Ruth Chasens

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Coping Behaviors And Drug Use Among Fifth- And Sixth -Grade Students., Barbara Lynne Logan Wallom

All ETDs from UAB

No abstract provided.

Orchestrated Synergism: The Nurse-Leader As Facilitator In Collaborative Caring, Nancy C. O'Rourke

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Little is known of the way that nurses' roles have evolved within a hospital setting in which efficient and affective interventions include caring for sicker patients. The emergence of the Patient Care Coordinator (PCC) is one role that nursing developed to participate in an interdisciplinary collaborative team approach to caring for sicker patients.

This qualitative study examined the exemplary role of eleven PCCs who practice in a regional nonprofit medical center. Research methodologies included interview, non-participant observation, and analysis of historical data. Interview questions were developed from the literature review on collaboration, caring, expertise, communication, and knowing the patient. Cognitive …

The Health Belief Model And Self Breast Examination In Nurses, Valerie L. Holwerda

Masters Theses

The relationship between frequency of self breast examination and health belief model variables was assessed using a convenience sample of nurses. The self-administered survey measured perceived susceptibility, perceived seriousness, perceived benefits, perceived barriers, health motivation, and confidence on 5-point Likert-type scales previously developed by Champion (1993). Individual items measured the frequency of self breast examination and demographic variables. Correlational statistics were used to determine relationships. The results of the data analysis using the Spearman correlation found that perceived benefits (p=.027), health motivation (p=.0289) and confidence (p=.008) were positively correlated with frequency of self breast examination. Perceived barriers (p=.0002) were negatively …

Neonatal Intensive Care Nurses' Perceptions Of Participation In Ethical Decision Making In The Care Of Imperiled Newborns, Dennis W. Philpott

Masters Theses

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to empirically examine the extent of Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurse participation in the ethical decision making process. The study also examined the relationship of nurse participation and satisfaction in ethical decision making to age, years of experience, level of education, and religious participation. This study attempted to describe what NICU nurses believe their role should be in the ethical decision making process. Koblberg’s theory of moral development was the theoretical framework. Data were obtained through the use of a survey mailed to Registered Nurses employed in a level III NICU. …

The Effects Of Mutual Goal Setting On Fourth-Graders' Adherence To The Food Guide Pyramid Recommendations, Jacquelyn S. Kiefer

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if, at the conclusion of a two week nutrition program, students involved in mutual goal setting would exhibit more positive nutrition behaviors than students not involved in mutual goal setting.

Pre-test 24-hour dietary recalls were collected on the experimental group (n = 18) and the control group (n = 19). The experimental group and the investigator then mutually set goals related to dietary practices. Both groups received nutrition education (4 classes). At the conclusion of the education and the mutual goal setting intervention, post-test 24-hour dietary recalls were collected. The data were …

Relationship Of Osteoporosis Knowledge And Perceived Susceptibility To Osteoporosis Among Hispanic Women, Johannie M. Troncoso

Masters Theses

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine the relationship of osteoporosis knowledge to perceived susceptibility to osteoporosis among Hispanic women. The Health Belief Model (Rosenstock, Strecker, & Becker, 1994) was the theoretical framework for the study. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 54 Hispanic women, ages 18 years and older, from two different areas in a Mid-Western state. The final sample, based on the inclusion criteria, constituted 41 subjects. The participants completed the Osteoporosis Knowledge Test (OKT) developed by Kim, Horan, and Gendler (1991) and the Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale (OHBS) also developed in 1991 by …

The Effectiveness Of An Education Intervention Related To Knowledge Increase Among Adolescents Regarding Dietary Calcium And Prevention Of Osteoporosis, Deborah K. Fast

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention for 6th - 11th grade adolescents regarding dietary calcium and the prevention of osteoporosis. This was a secondary analysis of data from a study that used a pre-experimental pre-test-post-test; no control group design. Eighty-two boys and 102 girls completed the Healthy Bones Knowledge Questionnaire (HBKQ) as a pretest, received an educational intervention based primarily on dietary calcium intake, then completed the questionnaire again as a post-test.

As a group, the students demonstrated a significant increase in correct answers to calcium-related HBKQ items (t = 3.31, p …

Comparison Of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners' And Pediatric Residents' Care Of Extremely Low-Birth-Weight Infants, M. Gary Karlowicz, Jennifer L. Mcmurray

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Objective: To compare outcomes and charges of health care delivery to extremely low-birth-weight infants by neonatal nurse practitioners (NNP) and pediatric residents.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: A 56-bed neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) in a university teaching hospital.

Methods: Study population included all infants with birth weights less than 1000 g who were admitted to the NICU during the 2-year period between September 1, 1994, and August 31, 1996. Infants who died earlier than 12 hours of age, or who were admitted after 1 week of age or with major malformations, chromosomal abnormalities, or congenital infections were excluded. There …

Outcomes Of Pregnancy In Women With Cystic Fibrosis, Bethany Jean Geldmaker

Theses and Dissertations

Medical advances in disease management has improved quality of life for women with cystic fibrosis (CF) and now enables them to consider pregnancy. The purpose of the study was to examine women's perceptions of how the demands of having CF influenced their ability to care for their children and continue to meet their own health needs. The study design was grounded theory methodology with a complementarity research technique to incorporate qualitative and quantitative data collection. Participants were 12 women recruited over the Internet and through an adult CF newsletter who completed questionnaires for demands of illness (DOlI) and self care …

Personal Values And Work Satisfaction Of Registered Nurses Working In Hospitals, Marie M. Prothero, Elaine S. Marshall, Donna M. Fosbinder, Leland J. Hendrix

Faculty Publications

Personal values are increasingly recognized as important factors in work environments, including health care systems (Cameron & Whetten, 1995; Covey, Merrill, & Merrill, 1995; Fagermoen, 1997). The personal values of nursing students have been explored (Eddy, Elfrink, Weis, & Schank, 1994; Sivberg & Petersson, 1997) as have those of nurses, in the context of work design (Koerner, 1993 ). Factors of nurses' work satisfaction have also been studied extensively (Avallone & Gibbon, 1998; Brown, Naughton, & Nolan, 1998; Johnston,1997; Kangas, Kee, & McKee-Waddle,1999; Seymour & Buscherhof,1990). However, little is known about the personal values of nurses as they relate to …

Influence Of Public Image Of Nurses On Nursing Practice, Miyuki Takase

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Many researchers believe that nurses live in a dual structure, encompassing both the social and nursing worlds. They contend that these two worlds have contrasting views toward nurses. This is, while nurses are guided to establish professional status, society still expects them to remain in a dependent role. This conflict is assumed to have a negative impact on nurses’ psychological and functional states (Kalisch & Kalisch, 1983 & 1987). However, this assumption has not yet been explored sufficiently. The aim of this descriptive correlational study was therefore to investigate the relationships among the public image of nurses, nurses’ self concept, …

Perceived Social Support Of Family Members Of Aged Care Facility Residents And Its Relationship With Family Members Well-Being And Their Support Of Relatives In Residential Care, Christine Toye

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

When elderly people are cared for In Aged Care Facilities (ACFs) it is known that their family members frequently suffer negative effects. These effects may be alleviated by social support and, because they feel better, family members may then offer more support to residents. In this study, the researcher tested a model with a sample of 213 family members of ACF residents. Predictive relationships were hypothesised among incentives for family members to support residents, stress related factors, the perceived formal and Informal support of family members, their psychological wellbeing, and the support they offered to residents. The researcher also developed …

Faculty And Student Perceptions Of Effective Clinical Teachers, Patricia Frontczak

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify ADN faculty and ADN student perceptions of the most effective clinical teaching characteristics (ECTC). An exploratory, descriptive design was implemented. ADN faculty and ADN students were surveyed using the Clinical Teacher Characteristics Instrument (CTCI). The CTCI consists of 20 characteristics of clinical teachers that are ranked on a five point Likert-type scale according to importance. The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Significant differences in perceptions of the most ECTC between the two groups were identified by a Mann Whitney U procedure. A t-test was performed to identify differences of perceptions …

A Study Of Nursing Students And Intrinsic Spirituality, Christine Anderson Madsen

Master's Projects

This paper describes some theoretical perspectives of spirituality, the concepts of spiritual care and spiritual needs, and barriers to providing spiritual care as described in the literature. The two most frequently described barriers are lack of comfort with the topic and lack of education. Because there is so little written about the discussion of spirituality in schools of nursing, a descriptive study using nursing students on the central coast of California was conducted. The Spiritual Involvement and Beliefs Scale (SIBS) was used to measure intrinsic spirituality. This study looked for relationships between the scores on this scale, and the students' …

Update - December 1999, Loma Linda University Center For Christian Bioethics

Update

In this issue:

-- John and Alice Wong establish bioethics endowment
-- Richard Rice receives Templeton Award
-- "Humans" and "Persons" in Christian Bioethics (Commentary)
-- Mechanically Restraining the Ill and Elderly: Ethical Problems and Proposals
-- Clinical Ethics Consultation
-- Learn to minister in the clinical setting