Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Home Health Care Nurses' Knowledge Of Advance Directives, Jennifer L. Zoeteman

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe home health care nurses' knowledge of advance directives. Dorothea Orem's Theory of Self-Care guided this descriptive correlational study which investigated the relationship between knowledge of advance directives and the variables of nursing educational preparation and years of nursing experience. A convenience sample of 40 subjects employed by a Michigan home care agency completed a 39 item questionnaire adapted from Crego and Lipp (1998). The mean knowledge score was 84.68%. Analysis of the demographic profile showed no significant difference in knowledge levels by educational preparation. Years of nursing experience was found to have …

Examination Of Therapeutic Alliance And Dependent-Care Agency In The Context Of Complementary And Alternative Therapy Utilization By Mothers For Their Children With Asthma, Mary C. Vanderwal

Masters Theses

Complementary and alternative therapies (CAT) are being used by increasing numbers of individuals as both self-care and dependent-care strategies. Nursing leadership is needed to provide guidance and support to individuals using CAT Nurse-client relationships that center on therapeutic alliance may be a vehicle for supporting appropriate use of CAT as self-care and dependent care modalities. Eighty-seven mothers whose asthmatic children were involved in a 6-month glyconutritional supplementation trial were surveyed to evaluate their perceptions of therapeutic alliance using the Kim Alliance Scale (KAS). Greater that 90% of the sample perceived therapeutic alliance most of the time in relationship with the …

Comparison Of Maternal Perception Of Birth: Labor Induced By Misoprostol Vs Spontaneous Labor, Kristine E. Barber

Masters Theses

This study was a comparison of the maternal perception of birth with spontaneous labor vs. labor induced by misoprostol. Perception of control, a primary factor linked with satisfaction in childbirth, was also evaluated.

Levine’s Conservation Principles guided this study. Many studies have evaluated misoprostol’s effectiveness and safety, but none have evaluated patients’ perception of their birth experience when receiving the drug. An awareness of this aspect is essential to evaluate the drug’s effect on the integrity of the whole individual.

A convenience sample of women who delivered at one regional hospital were given two questionnaires to complete before discharge. There …

The Effect Of Supportive Education, As A Tertiary Nursing Intervention, On The Quality Of Life Of Patients With Heart Failure, Julie A. Switek

Masters Theses

Quality of life in patients with heart failure is poor. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of a supportive educational nursing intervention on quality of life. The quality of life of two groups of patients with heart failure were compared, the control group that received placebo interventions and the experimental group that received a supportive educational intervention. The instrument utilized in this study was the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index; Cardiac Version III. Betty Neuman’s systems model was the theoretical framework that guided this research. Independent and paired T-tests were utilized to analyze the …

A Survey Of Illinois Speech-Language Pathologists Regarding Sensorimotor Techniques, Patricia Ann Finley

Masters Theses

Research studies have suggested improvement in communication deficit areas when sensory integrative techniques involving sensorimotor stimulation are implemented to facilitate speech-language therapy objectives. Therefore, a questionnaire was designed by the examiner to identify the extent of awareness, training, incorporation, and co-treatment of sensorimotor techniques of Illinois speech-language pathologists. The subjects were also asked to rate the effectiveness of different sensorimotor techniques and to rate the benefits when incorporating sensorimotor techniques into therapy. Subjects consisted of 232 speech-language pathologists who completed the questionnaire.

Results revealed that speech-language pathologists working in rehabilitation had a higher awareness level about sensorimotor techniques than those …

The Relationship Between Exercise Knowledge And Exercise Self-Efficacy For The Prevention Of Osteoporosis, Suzanne M. Leclaire

Masters Theses

The conceptual framework for this study was Self-efficacy (Bandura, 1977), based on Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986). The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between exercise knowledge and exercise self-efficacy for the prevention of osteoporosis in young adults. Population selection was based on clinical research findings that bone health is affected by habits early in life, such as calcium intake and establishing regular exercise, which affect bone health in later years. The study was a secondary data analysis of 353 females and males 18 to 35 years of age, primarily Caucasian (92.9%). Results from …

Relationship Between Nursing Nutrition Knowledge And Attitudes And Identification Of Malnutrition In The Acute Care Setting, Susan D. Kendziorski

Masters Theses

Malnutrition is widespread in healthcare and effective protocols are needed to identify those at risk. Nurses are well suited to carry out screening for malnutrition because they are in close contact with the patient and are responsible to coordinate each patient's care. In order to perform this role nurses must have nutrition knowledge and the skills to complete an accurate nutrition screen. The purpose of this study was to examine relationships between nursing nutrition knowledge, nursing attitudes towards nutrition, and the accurate completion of a nutrition screening protocol. Patient's charts were reviewed for accurate completion of the nutrition screening protocol …

Pragmatic Behaviors And Competency Levels Of Typically Developing And High Risk African American Preschoolers, Jennifer Dodd

Masters Theses

The pragmatic behaviors and competency levels of typically developing (TD) and high risk (HR) African American preschool children were assessed through the use of the Pragmatic Coding System (PCS, Hyter & Dodd, 1999). Ten children were videotaped within two play settings (i.e., dramatic play and manipulative toy play) for a total of twenty minutes. Results indicated that TD and HR children used the same types of pragmatic behaviors in both play settings. Frequency differences, however, were found between the two groups. Typically developing children produced a significantly greater number of initiations, total responses, multi word responses, one word responses, no …

The Incidence Of Caregiver Reported Sensory Processing Disorders In Children Who Are Experiencing Traumatic Stress Reaction, Ann K. Viviano

Masters Theses

The purpose of this research project was to determine whether children who are experiencing traumatic stress reaction to childhood neglect· or abuse demonstrate sensory processing disorders. It was hypothesized that since neurodevelopment has been disrupted in children who have been exposed to trauma or neglect, sensory processing abilities may also be disrupted.

The Sensory Profile, a judgment-based caregiver questionnaire, provides a standard method to measure a child's sensory processing abilities and to profile the effect of sensory processing on a child's functional performance. A convenience sample of 25 children, with documented traumatic stress reaction due to abuse and/or neglect, …

Effects Of Adult Modeling On Literacy Behaviors Of Head Start Preschoolers, Stephanie L. Kerbel

Masters Theses

This project explored the uses of literacy artifacts in the dramatic play of preschool children from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds who live in poverty in Kalamazoo County. The purpose of this 9-week study was to determine the impact of adult modeling on the frequency and quality of use of literacy artifacts during the dramatic play of at-risk preschoolers. Two Head Start classrooms received different types of intervention: (a) a literacy-enriched dramatic play area with adult modeling for 5 minutes at the start of each play period ( once per week); and (b) a literacy-enriched dramatic play area without adult …

The Relationship Between Income And The Ability To Follow The Prescribed Medication Plan In Elderly Persons With Heart Failure, Lori Houghton-Rahrig

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between income, and obtaining and taking of medications as prescribed. The conceptual framework used for this study was Madeleine Leininger's cultural care diversity and universality theory. This secondary analysis used the initial data from the primary study. “ Home Care Outcomes for Heart Failure: A Test of Two Nursing Approaches" (Kline, 1999). A convenience sample of 70 home care clients with heart failure were interviewed using a Likert scale format. A non-parametric correlation using Spearman’s rho depicted a weak relationship between annual income and taking the medication …

The Effect Of Supportive-Educative Nursing Interventions On The Hospital Readmission Rates Of Patients With Heart Failure, Patrice M. Whitaker

Masters Theses

The prevalence of heart failure (HF) is increasing and patients with HF are frequently readmitted to hospitals soon after discharge, at great cost. Improving self-care and reducing hospitalizations in this group is vital. This study, based on Dorothea Orem’s ( 1995) self-care deficit theory, evaluated supportive-educative vs. placebo nursing interventions. The study results were drawn from a larger longitudinal study done by Dr. Kay Setter-Kline, Ph.D., R.N.

The study sought to determine if supportive-educative nursing interventions reduced the rehospitalization rate for patients with HF. The Self-Management Tool was utilized for data collection, after being adapted from the Chronic Disease Self-Management …

School Nurses Asthma Knowledge And Management, Roles And Functions, Carolyn Levi

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore school nurses’ asthma knowledge, and how they implemented their clinical practice within the school setting. The study also examined the role and functions of the school nurse to compare for continuity. This study examines the relationship of school nurses’ educational level and length of experience upon asthma knowledge.

A self-report survey design was used to collect data. Instrument modification was initiated prior to use. The theoretical basis for this study was the Neuman Systems Model. Results were analyzed in order to investigate relationships and findings. The findings of this study showed no …

Comparison Of Traditional Pull-Out Therapy Versus Collaborative Classroom-Based Services On Articulation Skills, Pamela S. Davidson

Masters Theses

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the improvement of articulation skills of children who received speech services through collaborative classroom-based intervention versus those who were provided services through traditional pull-out therapy. Nine children in first and second grades were treated using a collaborative classroom-based model and eleven first and second grade children were provided treatment in a pull-out setting. All twenty students were assessed using the Secord Contextual Articulation Tests (S-CAT) (Secord & Shine, 1997) at the beginning and end of the study. Children treated in the classroom setting weekly received 30 minutes of intervention time from …

Individual Phonological Awareness Intervention For Children With Phonetically-Based Reading Difficulties, Kara E. Hilgenberg

Masters Theses

Many researchers have reported that phonological awareness training is highly related to the acquisition of pre-reading skills (Ball & Blachman, 1991; Lundberg, Frost, & Peterson, 1988) and that phonological awareness should be a part of any good reading curriculum (Adams, 1990; Blachman, 1989). In addition, when phonological awareness is taught in the classroom it has been proven that class averages of phonological awareness skills improve (Blachman, 1991; Barnes, Smitley, & Throneburg, 1998). However, the research also suggests that students with speech and/or language disorders often exhibit poor reading skills (Gillam & Carlile, 1997; Menyuk & Chestnick, 1997). The purpose of …

The Surveillance Of T-Lymphocytes In The Human Blood Stream, Ivan Temesvari

Masters Theses

T-Lymphocytes (T-cells), one of the many different lymphocytes, are the precursors of disease detection. Their primary purpose is to maintain a healthy immune system. They use the blood vasculature (blood stream) and lymphatic system to circulate throughout the body. Study of a T-cells journey throughout the human blood stream is useful to understand how they can detect disease, such as cancer, in an efficient and effective manner. T-cells are to be thought of as the good cells in our body searching to destroy the bad cells (cancer/infectious cells). The thymus lies in the anterior mediastinum, which is directly behind the …

The Effects Of Collaborative Versus Traditional Service Delivery On Narrative Language Arts Curricular Goals, Shara C. Barlage

Masters Theses

This study investigated the improvement of narrative language arts curricular goals in 140 school-aged children in first and second grade from an east central Illinois elementary school. The progress of non-communication disordered children as well as children with documented speech-language deficits was evaluated. Five classrooms (3 first and 2 second grade) received collaborative classroom-based lessons from the speech-language pathologist (SLP) and classroom teacher. Narrative curricular goals were targeted during whole-class collaborative lessons provided once a week for 30 minutes and incorporated children's storybooks as the theme. The subjects with speech-language deficits in the collaborative group received speech-language services from the …

The Use Of Gesture To Facilitate Early Communication In Language Delayed Children, Jamie L. Labuda

Masters Theses

This study investigated the effectiveness of gesture to facilitate communication in young children with language delays. Two children with expressive language delays, ages 18 and 22 months, served as participants. The children were exposed to intervention which targeted six vocabulary words verbally and through gesture, in two 45-minute treatment sessions weekly over a six-week period. Parent education and a home component were also included. A single subject multiple baseline across behaviors design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of gesture in intervention. Results indicated that both participants demonstrated an immediate response to gestural treatment, as seen in the production of …

A Neuropsychological Perspective On The Efficacy Of Typical And Atypical Medication Treatment For Chronic Schizophrenia Regarding Executive Functioning, Eric Hart

Masters Theses

This study investigated the efficacy of current medication treatment procedures for chronic schizophrenics on neuropsychological measures. A total of twenty participants from the Coles County Mental Health Center, who met DSM-IV criteria for chronic schizophrenia, volunteered to be administered the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST)-64 card version as a means of assessing neuropsychological executive functioning. A total of twenty participants free of any diagnosable psychological disorder also volunteered to be administered the WSCT-64, which served as a control group. The staff psychiatrist at the Coles County Mental Health Center completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in order to …

Narrating Identities: Adult Children Of Alcoholics And Their Social Support Systems, Laura J. Wolff

Masters Theses

This study examines communication between adult children of alcoholics and the social support systems that result from their relationships with their alcoholic parents. These relationships may form either with the alcoholic parent or with others around them. Surveys and a focus group were used to draw information from participants concerning social support systems, communication patterns, coping methods, and critical incidents that occurred during childhood. Adult children of alcoholics were also found to suffer from interpersonal problems, dependency problems, poorer communication skills, approval seeking tendencies, and intimacy problems. The findings of this report suggest that good social support minimizes the negative …

The Effects Of Mentoring On Staff Nurses' Job Satisfaction, Karen Delrue

Masters Theses

The shortage of registered nurses in the nation’s healthcare organizations calls for an exploration of avenues that can impact recruitment and retention. The practice of mentoring has demonstrated a positive impact on job satisfaction in previous studies. The purpose of this study was to determine if RNs would identify having mentors in their professional careers and to examine differences in levels of job satisfaction compared to those without a mentor. This study also explored whether or not the perceived quality of the mentor affected job satisfaction. Data were collected through the use of standardized questionnaires from a probability sample of …

Perceived Knowledge Of Heart Failure And Adherence To Self-Care Recommendations, Cheryl Lynn Van Ess

Masters Theses

During the last decade, research has indicated that patient education is an essential component in the comprehensive management of heart failure. However, few data are available that evaluate how effective that education is and the relationship between knowledge and self-care adherence. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between patients’ perceived knowledge of heart failure and their reported self-care adherence with diet, exercise, and medication in the management of their chronic disease. Orem’s self-care theory provided the framework for this study.

This study was a secondary analysis of the baseline data collected from a self-reporting questionnaire …

A Secondary Analysis Of Twelfth Grade Students And Their Engagement In Risk Behaviors, Dana L. Morton

Masters Theses

This study was a secondary analysis of data from a national survey of 135 high schools throughout the nation, including both rural and urban settings. A sample of 14,056 twelfth grade students participated in the survey. This study explored the relationships between religious attendance, perceived importance of religion, and smoking and consumption of alcohol in adolescents. Very little research was found on the relationship between religion and adolescent health, indicating a need for more investigations. This study found that the greater number of times an individual attended religious services the less they reported engaging in smoking and drinking. Future intention …

Rehabilitation Nurses' Attitudes And Behaviors Related To Sexuality Of Rehabilitation Patients, Renae Boss Potts

Masters Theses

Sexuality is intrinsic to the nature of human beings. If nurses are to practice holistically, issues concerning sexuality are relevant to nursing practice. The attitudes and behaviors that rehabilitation nurses express regarding the care of rehabilitation patients were explored in this descriptive study. One hundred and one members of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) responded to the Williams - Wilson Sexuality Survey (WWSS). The possible range of scores on the attitude scale was 11 - 66. The actual results ranged from 21 to 65, with a mean of 48 and a standard deviation of 10. The higher the attitudinal …

Study To Test Nursing Smoking Cessation Interventions On The Stage Of Behavior Change Of Smokers, Barbara J. Goudie

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to test the effect of smoking cessation interventions given by nurses on the stage of behavior change of smokers. Prochaska & Velicer’s (1997) trans-theoretical model of behavior change was used to provide direction for the study. The sample was a convenience sample of ten. The subjects were patients on the medical/surgical floors of a general hospital who met the selection criteria. Demographic information and smoking history were obtained from the patients, and an intervention based on a protocol developed from Prochaska’s health promotion model was given to each subject One month after the intervention …

Perceived Problem Areas For Adults Living With Diabetes, Valda Tolliver

Masters Theses

The purpose of the study was to examine the perceived problem areas for adults living with diabetes. A descriptive design using the Problem Areas in Diabetes Scale (PAID) among a convenience sample of 24 African Americans provided the data in this study. King’s (1971) conceptual framework for nursing provided the theoretical foundation.

Data indicated that 83% of the sample did not perceive living with diabetes as a serious problem. However, the majority of them identified food deprivation and coping with diabetes, in addition to worrying about the future and possible serious complications from the disease as problematic. These results suggest …

Relationship Of Perceived Self-Efficacy Of Disease Management And Hospital Utilization Among Patients With Heart Failure, Linda K. English

Masters Theses

This secondary analysis examined the relationship between perceived self-efficacy of disease management and hospital admissions for heart failure patients based on Bandura’s social learning theory. A convenience sample of 76 patients who were receiving home care services were visited over the course of several weeks. Data were collected at baseline, 3, and 6 months using the Self-Management Tool adapted from the work of Lorig et al. (1996).

Data indicated a weak negative statistically significant relationship between perceived self-efficacy of disease management and hospital utilization at 3 months (r = -.33, p = .01). In addition, hospital utilization decreased over time, …

Physical Therapists' Perceptions Concerning The Determination Of Fibromyalgia Interventions: A Qualitative Study, Elizabeth Jayne Levengood

Masters Theses

This qualitative explored some of the concepts under which physical therapists in the Grand Rapids, Michigan area operate when treating patients with fibromyalgia syndrome. Four physical therapists with at least two years’ experience working in local pain clinics were interviewed. The data were transcribed, coded, and analyzed into themes. Seven categories of physical therapists’ perceptions concerning the determination of interventions were developed: (a) Factors affecting decision-making, (b) physical therapeutic interventions, (c) decision-making in the absence of intervention guidelines, (d) judgments of effectiveness according to clinical findings, (e) judgments of effectiveness through consultation, (f) perceptions of intervention decisions, and (g) perceptions …

Does Mutual Goal Setting Make A Difference In Level Of Self-Efficacy For Patients With Congestive Heart Failure Receiving Home Care, Avis A. Rogers

Masters Theses

This secondary analysis evaluated the effect of a mutual goal setting nursing approach on the level of self-efficacy to manage disease in general in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). The conceptual frameworks utilized were King's theory of goal attainment and Bandura's theory of self-efficacy. The primary study used a convenience sample of 54 patients who had been admitted to two home healthcare agencies with the primary diagnosis of CHF. Data were collected at baseline, 3-months and 6-months. The data collection tool was the Self-Efficacy Tool, which was from Outcome Measures for Health Education and other Health Care Interventions (Lorig, …

Body Image Perception Of Adolescents With Diabetes, Cathleen E. Kessler

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare body image of adolescents with diabetes to adolescents without diabetes in order to increase the awareness of the psychological, emotional, and spiritual effects that diabetes may have on an adolescent’s consistently evolving body image. Neuman’s systems model was applied as the theoretical framework.

A Body Image Questionnaire was completed by two groups of adolescents, one group with diabetes and one group without diabetes. Both groups completed a 100 item Body Image Questionnaire (What I Think About Me). The questionnaire consisted of 45 physical traits and 55 Actors that influence or correlate to …