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Edith Cowan University

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Articles 3601 - 3619 of 3619

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Clinically Practising Nurses' Perceptions Of Professionalism, Diane E. Twigg Jan 1990

Clinically Practising Nurses' Perceptions Of Professionalism, Diane E. Twigg

Theses : Honours

This study describes clinically practising nurses’ perceptions of professionalism and compares these with reports of nurses’ perceptions of professionalism in the published literature. A phenomenological approach was chosen to identify and interpret the phenomena (professionalism). Ten Registered Nurses representing a range of clinical nursing positions were interviewed on the subject. Data were analysed using an interpretive methodology which identified themes and meanings. Credibility of results was established through participant validation of the identified themes and meanings and by researcher and data triangulation. The study identified six themes common to all participants’ descriptions: expertise based upon a sound education, continued learning, …

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Personal Practice Of And Beliefs About Breast Self Examination In Students Of Nursing, Charles Lancaster Jan 1990

Personal Practice Of And Beliefs About Breast Self Examination In Students Of Nursing, Charles Lancaster

Theses : Honours

Epidemiological data reveal that breast cancer is a major health problem to women today. Although there are no known means for preventing it, detection and early diagnosis of breast cancer can be readily made through Breast Self Examination (BSE), an inexpensive, non-invasive, cost--effective procedure undertaken by women themselves. Yet, while most women have heard of BSE, very few perform it. By employing Pender's (1987) Health Promotion Model (HPM) as the theoretical nursing framework, it is possible to study reasons for this noncompliance. In this study, two areas are looked at specifically: perceived susceptibility to breast cancer and perceived benefits from …

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Optimal Axillary Thermometer Placement Time For Recording Neonatal Temperature, Athalie Johnston Jan 1990

Optimal Axillary Thermometer Placement Time For Recording Neonatal Temperature, Athalie Johnston

Theses : Honours

Since body temperature is a reflection of neonatal wellbeing, taking and recording an accurate temperature is an important nursing role. Research has shown that axillary temperature adequately reflects core body temperature and is the recommended site for neonates. However, researchers have been unable to agree on the length of thermometer placement time to record an accurate axillary temperature. The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal thermometer placement time to record the maximum axillary temperature in newborn infants using a descriptive correlational design. Axillary temperatures were taken using a convenience sample of 100 healthy, term neonates between 38 …

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Measuring Midwives Accuracy Of Estimating Blood Loss, Christine J. White Jan 1990

Measuring Midwives Accuracy Of Estimating Blood Loss, Christine J. White

Theses : Honours

This study focused on the assessment of blood loss during childbirth by attending midwives. It is very important that the volume of blood loss during childbirth be reported with accuracy. However, it is traditionally accepted that the most commonly used method of estimating blood loss is' inaccurate, This study attempted to determine the accuracy of the attending midwives' visual estimation of blood loss, during vaginal delivery, by measuring all blood loss with electronic weighing scales and comparing it to their visually estimated figures. One hundred and seven women, booked for confinement at a large metropolitan hospital, were selected for the …

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Umbilical Cord Separation Time In Infants, Helen Bailey Jan 1990

Umbilical Cord Separation Time In Infants, Helen Bailey

Theses : Honours

Umbilical cord separation vary throughout the world. This variation makes it difficult to advise parents when the umbilical cord will separate. The purpose of this study was to determine the length of time until umbilical cord separation for a sample of babies born in Perth. A descriptive study was conducted at two hospitals using two different cord care methods. Data were collected on a convenience sample of 228 babies by a structures telephone interview. Mothers were contacted at home after cord separation and asked questions about the study variables. Influencing variables included type and frequency of cord care, sex, mode …

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The Effect Of Shift Length On The Number Of Needlestick Injuries In An Acute Private Hospital, J. Mcmahon Jan 1990

The Effect Of Shift Length On The Number Of Needlestick Injuries In An Acute Private Hospital, J. Mcmahon

Theses : Honours

Needlestick injuries present a hazard to both nurse and patient in that they may be the source of transmission of Hepatitis B and the human immunodeficiency virus. It is therefore important to study the factors which either precipitate or prevent needlestick injury. This study examined the effect of shift length on the number of needlestick injuries. Variables which were tested included length of shift, location of work, time of shift, and time within shift. A descriptive survey was used to demonstrate a relationship between any of these variables and the occurrence of needlestick injuries. The study included two data sources: …

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Effect Of Ice Therapy On Post Partum Perineal Pain And Wound Condition, Sheila Klimczyk Jan 1990

Effect Of Ice Therapy On Post Partum Perineal Pain And Wound Condition, Sheila Klimczyk

Theses : Honours

The application of ice to the perineal wound is a common treatment in the post partum period. There is little research available that evaluates the efficacy of ice therapy. This study examined the effects of ice therapy on the perineal wound in the first 24 hours post partum. An experimental design was used to test the hypothesis that the application of ice to the perineal wound, in the first 24 hours post partum, produces a significant reduction in reported pain and use of oral analgesia, and improvement in wound condition. A convenience sample of 58 post partum women from a …

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The Post-Discharge Medication Compliance Of Elderly Medical Patients: Incidence And Influencing Factors, Donna L. Mitchell Jan 1990

The Post-Discharge Medication Compliance Of Elderly Medical Patients: Incidence And Influencing Factors, Donna L. Mitchell

Theses : Honours

This study was designed to estimate the extent to which elderly patients complied with their medication regimens post-discharge from three general medical wards of an acute hospital in Perth. Relationships between medication compliance and age, education, cognitive function, medication supervision, number of drugs taken, number of doses per drug per day, regimen recall and drug knowledge were observed. The sample of the study was the general medical patients of three medical wards who were 60 years or older, fluent in the English language, returning to a home in the metropolitan area with no full-time nursing care needs and discharged during …

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The Development Of The 'Nursing Home/Hostel - Quality Of Life Index': A Tool To Measure The Quality Of Life Of Permanent Residents In Geriatric Care Institutions, Linda Pettit Jan 1989

The Development Of The 'Nursing Home/Hostel - Quality Of Life Index': A Tool To Measure The Quality Of Life Of Permanent Residents In Geriatric Care Institutions, Linda Pettit

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this study was to develop the 'Nursing Home/Hostel: Quality of Life Index' (NH/H:QLI). This was to be a tool which would indicate the 'quality of life' of elderly residents in geriatric care institutions, such as nursing homes and hostels. Several means were employed to establish the validity of the tool. These were: consultation with experienced geriatric nurses, an examination of similar types of tools and correlation with another already established tool; Bigot's Life Satisfaction Index. The reliability of the NH/H:QLI was established by determining how well the scores correlated on a test re-test format. Kendall's Tau was …

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'Night Duty' : A Study Of Nurses' Attitudes Toward Night Duty, With Implications For Hospital And Nursing Management, Beth Louise Brown Jan 1989

'Night Duty' : A Study Of Nurses' Attitudes Toward Night Duty, With Implications For Hospital And Nursing Management, Beth Louise Brown

Theses : Honours

Research specifically related to the needs and attitudes of nurses to night duty is in its infancy. Nurses have previously been included in studies related to circadian rhythms, and job satisfaction but only recently have complex aspects of the adaptation to working at night in health care institutions been given consideration. Shift work in general, has been identified as a stressful, occupational health hazard. Nurses cannot be compared to other shift workers. Chronobiological research now confirms that many individuals are unable to adapt to night work. This is in contrast to the historical management view which held the opinion that …

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Cognitive Learning Outcomes In A Cardiac Nursing Course: A Pilot Study, Amanda J. Whittle Jan 1989

Cognitive Learning Outcomes In A Cardiac Nursing Course: A Pilot Study, Amanda J. Whittle

Theses : Honours

This study measured the cognitive learning outcomes of registered nurses who completed a short cardiac nursing course. This course was held in a metropolitan teaching hospital during four weeks in September, 1989. The author grouped the twenty participants into one of two groups according to prior acute cardiac nursing experience; (1) those who had less than six months post-basic cardiac nursing experience; and (2) those who had six months or more post-basic cardiac nursing experience. A pre-course test and post-course test was given to the participants to measure the dependent variable, that is, cognitive knowledge. Using as case-comparative design, the …

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Human-Environment Process: Replication And Refinement Of A Study Of Rogers' Principle Of Integrality, Virginia Susan Meggitt Jan 1989

Human-Environment Process: Replication And Refinement Of A Study Of Rogers' Principle Of Integrality, Virginia Susan Meggitt

Theses : Honours

The purpose of this study was to test Rogers' principle of integrality by asking: Does a varied harmonic auditory environment increase the perceived restfulness of patients, who are hospitalised in order to heal following surgery? This study modified a previous study (Smith, 1986) which showed that varied harmonic sound had a more positive effect on the perceived restfulness of healthy subjects than did quiet ambience. This experimental study tested 22 post-operative inpatients, using a non-equivalent control group design with pretest and posttest. Varied harmonic sound was provided by audiotaped sequences of music and narrative; quiet ambience was achieved by maintaining …

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Personal And Professional Practices Of Breast Self-Examination In Nurses, Julia Agars Jan 1989

Personal And Professional Practices Of Breast Self-Examination In Nurses, Julia Agars

Theses : Honours

Breast cancer is the most frequently occurring cancer in females in Western Australia (W.A.). Despite technological advances the death rate from breast cancer is not decreasing. With the hope of reducing the mortality rates, preventative measures are being encouraged for the early detection of breast cancer. The Cancer Foundation of W.A. promote the performance of Breast Self Examination (BSE) on a monthly basis. The purpose of this study is to determine the frequency of BSE practice amongst nurses and the incidence of nurses teaching BSE to patients. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is used as a theoretical framework. This model …

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Occupational And Life Stress In Nursing: Is There A Relationship?, Christopher Billam Jan 1989

Occupational And Life Stress In Nursing: Is There A Relationship?, Christopher Billam

Theses : Honours

A population of two hundred and twenty nurses involved in direct patient care in a regional hospital were surveyed to assess if a relationship exists between occupational and life stress. A cross sectional survey design was used. The questionnaire contained four distinct categories: demographic information, Nurses' Stress Scale, a Life Events Inventory and a social support scale. A return rate of 49.5% was obtained, and several completed questionnaires were rejected, leaving the data from 1.04 questionnaires to be analysed. The nurses in this population reported low scores tor both occupational and life stress. However, the instrument used to calculate the …

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An Investigation Into The Effects Of Preoperative Teaching On The Self Reported Levels Of Anxiety Of Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery, Megan Inglis Jan 1989

An Investigation Into The Effects Of Preoperative Teaching On The Self Reported Levels Of Anxiety Of Patients Undergoing Elective Surgery, Megan Inglis

Theses : Honours

Over the last twenty years there has been a considerable amount of research conducted into the effects of preoperative teaching on postoperative recovery. While it is well known that preoperative instruction assists patients to recover from their operation, the mechanisms by which this occurs are not clear. One mechanism which may improve postoperative recovery is preoperatively. This research the reduction of anxiety examined the effects of preoperative teaching on preoperative levels of anxiety in patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy or herniorrhaphy. Twenty eight patients had their preoperative anxiety levels measured by a widely used questionnaire known as the State Trait Anxiety …

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Administration Of Post-Operative Analgesia, Liora J. Valinsky Jan 1989

Administration Of Post-Operative Analgesia, Liora J. Valinsky

Theses : Honours

Pain is one of the major problems encountered by patients who have undergone surgery. The relief of pain is an important part of their treatment, and is both a nursing and a medical responsibility. Analgesics, both narcotic and non-narcotic, are usually prescribed by doctors on a pro re nata, or ‘as needed' basis. The responsibility for administration lies with the nurses, and they choose the type and quantity of drug to be given. Research into the area of pain relief has shown that both nurses and doctors need further education in the judicious use of analgesics, particularly narcotics. This study …

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Patient Attitudes Toward Self-Medication During Hospitalization, Elizabeth A. Reilly Jan 1989

Patient Attitudes Toward Self-Medication During Hospitalization, Elizabeth A. Reilly

Theses : Honours

This study explored patient attitudes toward the behaviour of self-medication during hospitalization using Ajzen's and Fishbein's model of Reasoned Action {1980}. The goal of Ajzen's and Fishbein's model is to predict and understand an individual's behaviour. This study adapted the model and identified seven variables which were thought to influence a person's intention to self-medicate. Two hypotheses were developed based upon the relationships between the variables in the model and their predicted effect upon the behaviour of self-medication. Correlational statistics were performed to determine the general relationships between a subject's specific and general attitudes toward the behaviour of self-medication, their …

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The Effect Of An In-Service Lecture On Diabetes On Nurses' Attitudes To Diabetes Patient Education, Jennifer A. Walters Jan 1989

The Effect Of An In-Service Lecture On Diabetes On Nurses' Attitudes To Diabetes Patient Education, Jennifer A. Walters

Theses : Honours

Patient education has been shown to be a major factor in improving the compliance and self-care skills of diabetic patients, thereby improving the quality of life for the patient. Nurses have an important role in diabetes patient education. Research has indicated, however, that barriers such as lack of knowledge and negative attitudes may prevent nurses from effectively delivering this care to their patients. The purpose of this experimental study was to determine whether increasing the knowledge of registered nurses through an in-service lecture on diabetes would improve their attitudes towards diabetes education. The conceptual framework for the study proposed that …

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A Submission For The Award Of An Associate Diploma In Health Education, Claremont Teachers College Jan 1974

A Submission For The Award Of An Associate Diploma In Health Education, Claremont Teachers College

Research outputs pre 2011

Health education is a process which effects changes in the health practices of people and in the knowledge and attitudes related to such changes. Education is an internal process for the individual concerned. He educates himself, even though his education is assisted by such means as contacts with health workers, appeals directed to him, information made available, clarification of issues, alternatives, and consequences as a basis for a rational choice. Education thus places responsibility on the individual and is essentially different from a compliance approach. It involves motivation, communication and decision-making. Planned education must take into account the relevant knowledge …

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