Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Quality Of Life Of The Hemodialysis Patient, Tammy Bronson

Masters Theses

There are over 250,000 people currently afflicted with end-stage renal disease and the number is rising every year. Although kidney transplant is the treatment of choice, lack of viable organs limits this option. Hemodialysis is the most common treatment modality for end stage renal disease. Quality of care is continuously monitored by physicians, nurses and dietitians, however there is also the need to examine the quality of life of the hemodialysis patient. This study replicated the works of Ferrans and Powers (1993).

Overall quality of life and four sub-scales (health and functioning, social and economic, psychological/spiritual, and family) were evaluated …

Training Hospital-Employed Nurses To Use Automatic External Defibrillators: Evaluation Of Knowledge And Skills Immediately Post-Training And At Six Months, Susan Patrice Brown

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations (1964–2006)

Numerous studies have demonstrated the importance of early defibrillation in patients suffering a cardiac arrest. The increased awareness of the importance of early defibrillation and the growing availability of Automatic External Defibrillators (AEDs) has prompted the American Heart Association (AHA) to recommend that AED training be incorporated into Basic Life Support (BLS) programs for all hospital personnel expected to respond to a patient in cardiac arrest.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the retention of knowledge and skills of hospital-employed nurses in their use of an AED after a training program. A secondary goal was to determine if …

The Effect Of Nursing Interventions On Thermoregulation And Neuromotor Function In Very Low Birthweight Infants, Leanne Monterosso

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The prone position is used routinely in neonatal intensive care units worldwide in the nursing of preterm infants because of reported beneficial psychological effects This position can, however, lead to development of flattened posture very low birthweight (VLBW) infants and contributes to both short and longer term implications for functional motor development of upper and lower extremities. To date limited research has been undertaken to investigate methods of reducing flattened posture and its related negative outcomes temperature instability is also a problem for VLBW infants and no nappy exists that meets postural size and thermoregulation requirements. The purpose of this …

A Revision Of The World Health Organisation Psychiatric Disability Assessment Schedule, Daniel Rock

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The burden schizophrenia places on the individual, on the family and on society in general is determined more by the associated disability rather than the manifest symptoms. Therefore, measurement of disability provides a baseline for evaluating change and directing treatment. This research has two main aims. The primary purpose of this study was to develop and validate a contemporary revision of the World Health Organisation-Psychiatric Disability Assessment Schedule (1988). Data used was based on data from the WHO Collaborative Study on Determinants of Outcome of Severe Mental Disorders (Sartorius et al., 1986). The second aim of this study was to …

Factors That Malawian Adolescents From Co-Educational Secondary Schools Of Lilongwe And Mchinji Identity As Affecting Their Ability To Discuss Sexual Issues, Susan K. Geloo

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The purpose of this study was to explore the factors Malawian adolescents from co-educational secondary schools identified as affecting their ability to discuss sexual issues. A sample of 149 adolescent students from the coeducational secondary schools of Lilongwe and Mchinji districts was surveyed. Their ages ranged from 14-18 years of age. The schools and participants were chosen using cluster-sampling and data were obtained via a questionnaire. The questionnaire comprised of demographic variables, sources of sexual information, participant's sexual life, the sexual issues participants consider important and their ability to communicate sexual issues comfortably with different community members. Data were analysed …

Parental Grief Responses To Perinatal Loss, Lisa M. Peacock

Masters Theses

An exploratory, descriptive design was used to examine parental grief and coping responses to perinatal loss. Florence Selder's Life Transition Theory (1989) was used as the conceptual fiamework. A survey approach was used for data collection. This included basic demographic questions, the Perinatal Bereavement Scale and the Jalowiec Coping Scale. A convenience sample was obtained, consisting of 24 women and 6 men in northern Michigan communities who had experienced a perinatal loss at some time in the past. Data were collected by an anonymous mailed survey. The results of the study revealed that all parents in this sample did exhibit …

Marijuana Photonovel, A Year Up In Smoke, M. Susan Jones

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

A Comparison Of The Effects Of Moderate- And High-Carbohydrate Diets On Coronary Heart Disease Risk Factors: A Pilot Study, Margaret Helen Fernandez, Julia Ava Niehaus Soper

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

This pilot study compared the effects of two diets on total cholesterol to high- density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio, body mass index, and waist circumference. A diet of 15% protein, 55% or more carbohydrate, and 30% or less fat was compared to a diet of 30% protein, 40% carbohydrate, and 30% fat. Lipid levels and anthropometric measurements were obtained on 18 adult males with moderately elevated lipid levels before and after 12 weeks of dietary intervention. Analyses showed variances between and within the study groups in the areas of anthropometric measurements and lipid levels; no statistically significant differences between the groups …

Investigation Of A Southeastern Community's Knowledge And Intent To Use A Nurse Practitioner, Elizabeth Ann Park

Masters Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

The concept of the advanced practice nurse was first conceived in the 1960s in an effort to provide patients with adequate primary health care. Changes in the health care delivery system since that time have facilitated this role. The past ten years has seen an increasing number of physicians utilizing nurse practitioners (NPs) in their practices.As physicians consider this alternative, they are interested in knowing how their patients will accept this change.Review of the literature regarding the health care consumer's acceptance of the NP as a health care provider revealed that the majority of the research, thus far, has been …

Yale Nurse: Yale School Of Nursing Newsletter, December, 1998, Yale University School Of Nursing

Yale School of Nursing Alumni Newsletters and Magazines

This issue features research at the School and the opening of an Office of Research and Policy.

Please contact the Yale Historical Medical Library if you need a higher resolution version.

Culturally Congruent Care: Predictors Of Patient Satisfaction Among Adult Mexican Americans, Shannon Marie Dowdall, Alma Rosa Flores, Karyn Elizabeth Taplay

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

Predictors of patient satisfaction among hospitalized adult Mexican Americans were examined in this pilot study. Acculturation as determined by the Acculturation Rating Scale for Mexican Americans-II (ARSMA-II), ethnicity of the nurse, age, gender, socioeconomic status, level of education and marital status were examined as predictors of patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction was measured by the Patient Satisfaction Inventory (PSI). The pilot study was conducted in an acute care setting in the lower Rio Grande Valley, where 81 participants provided the data. The questionnaires were offered in both English and Spanish. Two qualitative questions were asked regarding the patients' perception of culturally …

Entry-Level Competencies Needed By Bsns In Acute Healthcare Agencies In Tennessee In The Next Ten Years, Marjorie S. King

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The research focused on the identification of entry-level competencies needed by Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) graduates who will begin employment in acute healthcare agencies in the next 10 years in Tennessee. The purpose of the study was to gain increased awareness of the competencies needed by graduates of BSN programs in Tennessee in order to meet the demands of the acute healthcare agencies, in light of present and anticipated changes in the healthcare delivery system. The opinions of nurse educators, nurse administrators, recently graduated BSNs, and experienced BSN graduates were solicited to assess congruency of perceptions. In addition, …

Religiosity And Sexual Activity Among Older Adolescents, Richard J. Fehring, Kerry H. Cheever, Karyn German, Connie Philpot

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

This study investigates religiosity, sexual activity, and sexual permissiveness among older adolescents. Eighty-two college students completed a survey that measured religiosity, sexual permissiveness, self-esteem, frequency of recent sexual encounters, and motivators for sexual activity or abstinence. Guilt, prayer, organized religious activity, and religious well-being predicted fewer sexual encounters. Orthodox beliefs, participation in organized religious activities, and highly-rated importance of faith predicted less permissive sexual attitudes. We conclude that guilt and religious activity can be good motivators for decreasing sexual encounters. We recommend that health practitioners encourage participation in religious activity among adolescents.

The Use Of Emergency Contraception: College-Age Students' Knowledge And Attitudes, Dollie J. Cadden

MSN Research Projects

The emergency contraceptive pill is a method of postcoital contraception. The method, often called the morning after pill, is relatively unknown, both among potential users and some health care providers. Morning after pills are available at the health centers of many universities. Recently, proposals have appeared in the academic and popular press to expand the availability of emergency contraceptive pills. On college campuses, where many students risk becoming pregnant but where few pregnancies are wanted, there may be a considerable unmet need for expanded availability of emergency contraceptive pills. At this time, few studies have documented the prevailing knowledge, attitudes, …

Acts Of Resistance: Nurses' Personal Narratives, Maryanne Garon Dnsc

Dissertations

Acts of resistance can be expressions of creativity, protest or non-cooperation by oppressed groups. Resistance is seen as always present in the face of domination. Acts of resistance can help us to understand how the powerless mediate power relations, and they can actually give hope to the powerless. This study looked at the issues of power and resistance through critical and feminist perspective. A central concept of feminist theory is that women, and thus nurses as a women's profession, are oppressed. This study looked at female nurses' acts of resistance, which were defined as speaking up or taking action about …

Classifying Quality Nursing Care Initiatives: Framework For Ambulatory Surgery Nursing Practice, Beth Ann Swan

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

The demand for information about quality is greater now than ever. Despite the significance of quality to consumers, providers, and insurers of health care, information related to this phenomenon, although plentiful, has been plagued by the lack of consistent definitions, frameworks, and outcome measurements. This inconsistency leads to the inability to compare and evaluate patient outcomes from study to study and across practice settings. Assessing recovery, including symptom distress and functioning, is increasingly significant because extended operations requiring longer anesthesia are being performed in the ambulatory surgery setting. Outcomes must be linked to specific processes, and outcome information should include …

The Differences In Health Beliefs And The Frequency Of Mammograms Among Older Women, Angela E. Hall

Master's Projects

Increasing age is the primary risk factor for breast cancer, yet older women underutilize mammography for early detection. The purpose of this study was to explore any differences in perceived benefits, perceived barriers, and physician recommendation rate between older women who do and those who do not follow current mammogram screening guidelines. A convenience sample of women over 65 years old (N = 70), completed the Health Belief Model questionnaire on mammography. The findings indicate a statistical difference in the perceived benefits to mammograms between the two groups (t = 2.72, p = .008). There was no statistical difference in …

Length Of Pregnancy And Birthweight Between Black And White Women, Christine Herdt

Master's Projects

The pregnancies of Black women are complicated by adverse outcomes, such as prematurity and low birthweight, at twice the rate of complications in pregnancies of White women (Taylor, Katz, & Moos, 1995). Early access to and adequate utilization of prenatal care services are essential for successful pregnancy and birth outcomes (Rowley, 1994). The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a difference in length of pregnancy and birthweight between Black and White women at risk for preterm birth in a Preterm Delivery Prevention Program. A chart review of 79 clients enrolled in the Preterm Delivery Prevention Program …

Ua61/1 Wku Nursing Class 1998, Wku Nursing

WKU Administration Documents

Members of the 1998 nursing class: Amy Aaron, Angie Atwood, Jane Austin, Alexander Barko, Valerie Blanton, Winston Burton, Stacie Carpenter, Kim Carter, Vicky Compton, Tamara Daugherty, Deborah Davidson, Shenenne Froggett, Robert Gilbert, Angelia Gilliam, Clyda Haley, Kelly Hamilton, Leanne Jackson, Karen Lowe, Jason O'Bryan, Crystal Parker, Gail Petty, Linda Remo, Dan Thomas, Cynthia Toohey, Michelle West and Edna Witcher.

Nurses Alumni Association Bulletin, Fall 1998, Betty Piersol, Elizabeth K. Prisnock, Marian E. Smith, Margaret Summers

Nursing Alumni Bulletins

1998-1999 Meeting Date Calendar

1999 Annual Luncheon & Meeting Notice

Fall Social

Officers and Committee Chairs

Bulletin Publication Committee

The President's Message

Treasurer's Report

News About Our Graduates

Highlight Of 1998

Operation Smile

Scholarship Funds At Work

Romania Trip

Double Honors

Doris Bowman

Memorial Service For Janet Hindson "A time for everything"

On the Lighter Side

Twenty Ways to Kill an Organization

Happy Birthday

Fiftieth Anniversary

Resume Alumni Association Meetings

Alumni Office News

Committee Reports

• Bulletin
• By-Laws
• Relief Fund
• Social
• Scholarship
• Development
• Nominating

Luncheon Photos

In Memoriam, Names of Deceased Graduates

Class News

Certification Reimbursement Application

Relief Fund Application

Scholarship …

Conceptual Metaphor In The Health Care Culture, Cheryl D. Glennon Dnsc, Ms, Rn

Dissertations

The conceptual metaphor has meaning only when understood within the cultural framework which gives rise to the conceptualization. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interaction of cognition (conceptual metaphor) and culture as manifest during intercultural communication in teaching-learning sessions between health care providers and patients. An ethnography of communication (Hymes, 1974; Saville-Troike, 1989) was the method employed to investigate the use of metaphor by patients, nurses and other health care professionals. Patients were viewed as a sojourner group in the health care culture; nurses and their health care partners were seen as a host group. Data were …

Yale Nurse: Yale School Of Nursing Newsletter, September 1998, Yale University School Of Nursing

Yale School of Nursing Alumni Newsletters and Magazines

This issue features the celebration of the School's 75th anniversary and the start of the Dean appointment for Catherine L. Gillis DNSc, RN, FAAN

Please contact the Medical Historical Library if you need a higher resolution version.

The Effects Of Personalized Dietary Education On Glycosylated Hemoglobin Levels In Adult Diabetic Patients, Lacey Gentry

MSN Research Projects

Diabetes mellitus is a complex and multifactorial disease process with numerous debilitating outcomes if improperly managed. This chronic illness requires continuing medical care and education to prevent acute exacerbations and to reduce the risk of long-term complications. The primary manifestation, hyperglycemia, can be the result of various elements. One major cause of hyperglycemia is inappropriate dietary intake which results in detrimental short- and long­ term effects. A glycosylated hemoglobin measurement can be utilized as a marker in monitoring long-term glycémie control. This quasi-experimental study examined the effect of personalized dietary education on glycosylated hemoglobin levels in adult diabetic patients. The …

Coping Mechanisms Of Older Adults With Diabetic Foot Ulcers, Mary M. Snuggs

MSN Research Projects

Diabetic foot problems are a significant cause of foot and limb amputation (Dorgan, Birke, Moretto, Patout, & Rehm, 1995). Because o f the devastating physical and psychological effects of amputation, aggressive treatment o f diabetic foot problems is warranted to prevent loss o f limb. Promotion o f effective coping is one successful method o f therapeutic treatment. According to nursing theorist Betty Neuman (1995), effective coping with external stressors is imperative for an individual’s health, harmony, and personal integrity. This study was conducted to describe the coping mechanisms o f older adults with diabetic foot ulcers. The research question …

A Comparison Of Practice Patterns Of Nurse Practitioners In Collaborative Practice And Those In Independent Practice Arrangements, Lee Wallace

MSN Research Projects

Nurse practitioners provide health care in a variety of settings, which can be subdivided into two broad categories: collaborative practice, indicating physician and nurse practitioner practice in the same setting, and independent practice, indicating physician preceptor not in the same facility. This study’s purpose was to determine if differences exist in practice patterns of nurse practitioners in collaborative and independent practice. This descriptive, conparative study was guided by the American Nurses Association Social Policy Statement. The setting was the predominately rural state of Mississippi. The sample

Physical Fitness Perceptions And Exercise Participation Of Older Adults, Kristi J. Spruell

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this descriptive exploratory study was twofold: to determine if older adults are exercising and to examine their perceptions of physical fitness. Nola J. Pender's Health Promotion Model provided the theoretical framework for this study. The following research questions guided the study: (1) Are older adults participating in adequate exercise?; (2) Do older adults perceive themselves as physically fit?; (3) Do older adults perceive motivators to exercise?; and (4) Do older adults perceive barriers to exercise? A convenience sample of 40 adults, ages fifty and above, was obtained from a primary care clinic in a suburban area in …

Congestive Heart Failure Clients' Knowledge Level About Self-Care Measures, Phyllis Savage

MSN Research Projects

Almost 5 million Americans are living with congestive heart failure (CHF) today with over 400,000 new cases diagnosed annually (American Heart Association, 1997; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, 1996; Konstam et al., 1994). Despite medical advances, mortality rates remain high for CHF. Lack of knowledge was cited as a frequent cause of clients' noncompliance with prescribed self-care regimen. Client education has been indicated as beneficial in promoting a better self-understanding of CHF. In order to successfully provide education to CHF clients, health care providers must first be able to assess clients' prior knowledge about the condition. The purpose of …

Correlation Of Rate Of Compliance To A Prescribed Treatment Regimen With Sense Of Power Experienced By Elders With Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Elly Vance

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between elderly diabetics' sense of power and their rate of compliance to a prescribed treatment regimen. The researcher hypothesized that there would be no significant correlation between sense of power and rate of compliance to a prescribed treatment regimen. The Health Care Practice Scale - Part A (HCPS-A) and the Health Care Practice Scale- Part B (HCPS-B) were administered to 16 Type II diabetics who were 65 years or older. Statistical analysis using Pearson r^ found no significant relationship ; therefore, the researcher failed to reject the hypothesis. The researcher …

Grief Experiences Of Widowed Women Based On Length Of Bereavement, Brenda Shelton

MSN Research Projects

Death of a spouse is a stressful life event that carries the increased threat of illness developing as a consequence. Spousal loss is a situation that primarily affects women because women usually live longer than men and most wives are younger than their husbands. As widowhood affects more women then men, there is a need for understanding patterns of grief reactions in women. The focus of this descriptive study was to compare the differences in grief experiences of widowed women based on length of bereavement. The purpose of this study was to examine the differences in grief experiences by women …

The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On Adolescents' Knowledge And Attitudes About Violence, Jean E. Szorady

MSN Research Projects

Violent injury is among the leading causes of death in adolescents. Adolescents' immaturity and underdeveloped impulse control put them at risk of acting rashly, thus at higher risk for violent injury. This significant public health problem is a preventive objective of Healthy People 2000. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an educational intervention on adolescents' knowledge and attitudes about violence. The nurse practitioner in a school or family clinic is in a unique position to intervene with adolescent clients using an educational intervention. Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory served as the theoretical framework for the research. …