Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Perceived Benefits' And Barriers' Effect On Occurrence Of Exercise In Women, Denise K. Petersen

Masters Theses

Perceived benefits and barriers affect exercise occurrence. The purpose of this study was to determine the affect of perceived benefits of and perceived barriers to exercise in women, ages 20-69. A descriptive correlational design was used to determine this relationship. A convenience sample of 61 women were surveyed using the Exercise Benefits/Barriers scale, the activity section of the Health Promoting Lifestyle Profile, and demographical data. Data were analyzed using a Pearson's r correlation and an independent t-test. The hypothesis of a decrease in occurrence of exercise as perceived barriers increased and the hypothesis of an increase in occurrence of exercise …

Perceived Concerns Surrounding The Utilization Of Physical Therapy Aides In Michigan, Jill Bydalek, Greta Swasey-Hadlock

Masters Theses

Utilization of support personnel to perform physical therapy treatments has been a controversial topic in the physical therapy profession for many years. As Managed Care and other health care changes emerged, physical therapists have been pressured to cut costs while maintaining productivity. The use of non-licensed personnel became common place to meet these demands. The purpose of this study was to investigate five research questions. First, to what extent do physical therapists delegate patient treatment and utilize physical therapy aides in Michigan? Secondly, does aide utilization differ based on: the ways in which aides are identified to patients, various settings …

Examination Of The Reliability And Validity Of Rancho Los Amigos Observational Gait Analysis, Heather Groth, Sarah Novak

Masters Theses

The Rancho Los Amigos Observational Gait Analysis system (Rancho OGA) is a standardized approach utilized to assess gait impairment for various diagnoses. Physical therapists, orthotists, and physicians utilize Rancho OGA for clinical decision making and recommending treatment interventions for gait disability. This study examined the reliability and concurrent validity of Rancho OGA from gait files obtained from the GVSU/Mary Free Bed Center for Human Kinetic Studies. Comparisons were made between computerized 3-D gait analysis and Rancho OGA data from videotaped records of cerebral palsy gait to determine the level of agreement utilizing the Kappa statistic and percent agreement. Results indicated …

Validation Of The "Timed Up And Go" Test As A Functional Mobility Assessment Tool In The Pediatric Population, Susan Carman, Christina Rook, Cathy Ruprecht

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the concurrent validity of the Timed Up and Go (TUG) as an assessment of functional mobility in the pediatric population. The TUG scores were correlated with the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI). Eighteen subjects with a variety of cognitive and physical disabilities, aged 6 to 7 years, were recruited. A one-tailed Spearman’s Rank Correlation Coefficient was used to analyze the scores. A weak inverse relationship between the TUG and PEDI scores (r_s = -0.386, p = 0.075) was found when the scores from all participants were analyzed. A moderate inverse …

The Relationship Between A Functional Throwing Performance Test And Strength Of Various Scapular Muscles, Karen L. Bos, Kellie S. Gehrs, A. Louise C. Hester

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between the strength of the upper trapezius, middle trapezius, lower trapezius, and serratus anterior, and overhead throwing accuracy in 52 female collegiate softball players. The correlation between manual muscle testing (MMT) and hand-held dynamometry (HHD) was also examined. The Functional Throwing Performance Index (FTPI) was used to measure throwing accuracy. Spearman’s correlation analysis demonstrated no correlation between the strength assessments and throwing accuracy, as measured by the FTPI. Moderate correlations were found between MMT and HHD strength assessments of the lower and middle trapezius and serratus anterior muscles. A poor …

The Effect Of An Osteoporosis Prevention Program On Knowledge And Self-Efficacy, Kathryn Hayter

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an Osteoporosis Prevention Program on knowledge and self-efficacy for exercise and calcium intake. Bandura’s Self-Efficacy Model was used which describes efficacy expectations and outcome expectations as predictors of behavior.

A quasi-experimental design with pre-test and post-test was used with 32 women, age 40-62, at an urban outpatient center. The experimental group attended an Osteoporosis Prevention Program.

There were significant post-test differences between groups for osteoporosis knowledge and osteoporosis self-efficacy for calcium intake but not for osteoporosis self-efficacy for exercise. Additionally, paired t-tests found a significant improvement in scores pretest …

Quality Of Life In The Hospice Patient, Sidney S. Brush

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if terminally ill patients experience a change in perceived quality of life between admission to a hospice program and after having been in the hospice program for three weeks.

A repeated measures design with a convenience sample was used The sample consisted of 56 subjects who completed the Missoula-Vitas Quality of Life Index (MVQOLI). Twenty completed the second MVQOLL Data were obtained from the scores of this self-assessment tool. Data analysis included a comparison of the relationship of the first and repeated scores. No significant differences were found between the MVQOLI scores …

Concurrence Of Decreases In Barometric Pressure And Spontaneous Rupture Of Membranes In Term Gravid Women, Linda M. Owen

Masters Theses

A retrospective design was used to examine the relationship between spontaneous rupture of membranes in term gestation gravid women and decreased barometric pressure of ten millibars or greater in the twenty-four hours proceeding the rupture of membranes. Delivery logbooks and charts of all women who were admitted to a Midwestern Hospital in 1997-1998 with spontaneous rupture of membranes (N-533) were examined and data from the Midwest Climate Center was utilized to determine the changes in barometric pressure within the twenty-four hours proceeding the documented rupture of membranes.

No correlation was elucidated between the timing of spontaneous rupture of the amniotic …

Adolescent Knowledge About The Relationship Between Exercise And Prevention Of Osteoporosis, Alice M. Padilla

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to assess the intact of an educational intervention on adolescent knowledge concerning exercise as an osteoporosis preventive behavior. This study examined whether there was a knowledge gain in each group (girls and boys) after receiving the education intervention and it investigated the difference in knowledge gain between groups.

This was a secondary analysis of data from a study that used a pre-experimental pretest-post-test, no control group design. There were 82 boys and 102 girls who completed the Healthy Bones Knowledge Questionnaire as a pre-test, received an education intervention based primarily on nutrition, then completed …

Lunar Phases, Time Variations, And Birthrate In Western Michigan, Janet Mitchell

Masters Theses

Staffing standards in the labor and delivery units of hospitals are based on estimates of the number of patients who will be admitted. Anecdotally, patients, visitors, and healthcare professionals frequently comment that the occurrence of the fell moon brings about an increase in the number of laboring women. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between birthrate and time of day, day of the week, month of the year and new and full moons. Martha Rogers' theory, the Science of Unitary Human Beings, was used as the theoretical framework.

A descriptive ex post facto design using retrospective …

The Effect Of Social Support On The Psychological Adaptation Of An Individual Receiving An Alternate Form Of Nutrition Therapy, Kristin J. Ladd

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of social support on an individual's psychological adaptation to an alternate form of nutrition support. Betty Neuman's Systems Model provided the framework for this study. A descriptive correlational design was chosen for this study and data were collected using a questionnaire methodology. Proposed data analyses measures were Pearson's product moment correlation, t- Test, and Mann-Whitney U. The targeted sample size for this study was 20 patients with cancer or gastrointestinal disorders, however, termination of the study occurred when only four individuals were recruited after five months of data collection. This …

Early Nursing Interventions And Their Effect On Fatigue In Patients Receiving Chemotherapy, Karla J. Baker

Masters Theses

Fatigue is the number one side effect that patients experience when they receive chemotherapy. They do not always expect it or know what to do when it effects their entire life. This study described the affect of early nursing interventions on fatigue caused by chemotherapy. This descriptive, two group comparative study used a convenience sample of patients, receiving chemotherapy for the first time, to determine the degree of fatigue they experienced. A tool by Barbara Piper RN (1997) was used to describe the effect of early intervention on fatigue experienced by cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Internal consistency of this tool …

Fetal Infant Mortality In Kalamazoo, Lisa A. Wullschleger

Masters Theses

The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the incidence rates of five pre-selected perinatal variables that existed within the white and non-white groups of fetal, infant deaths that occurred in Kalamazoo County between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 1997. The variables were prenatal care, birth weight, estimated weeks of gestation, and maternal, fetal, infant medical complications. The question posed was as follows: Is there a difference in incidence rates of the variables between the white and non-white perinatal deaths in Kalamazoo County?

A sample size of 50 cases was studied. Kotelchuck's instrument tool (1994), the Adequacy of …

Needs Of Families Of Severe Traumatic Brain Injured Individuals During The Critical Care Experience, Victoria L. Meyers

Masters Theses

Traumatic brain injury occurs without warning, disrupts the life of the individual and family, causing stress. The purpose of this descriptive study was three part: to identify the needs of families of severe traumatic brain injured (TBI) individuals during the critical care experience, to identify who met those needs, and to obtain qualitative data regarding nursing care. Family Systems Theory provided the theoretical framework to support this study.

A convenience sample from a large Midwestern teaching institution consisted of 28 family members of severe TBI individuals. The sample received by mail a demographic profile, a questionnaire (Critical Care Family Needs …

Ambulatory Surgery Nurses' Perceptions Of Their Ability To Provide Individualized Patient Care, Rebecca L. Brown

Masters Theses

This descriptive correlational study examined the extent to which nurses in an ambulatory surgery practice environment perceive their ability to individualize patient care. As patients shift to the outpatient setting, it is important to look at the effect this may have on individualizing patient care, a concept rooted in the foundation of the profession of nursing. Registered nurses from four ambulatory surgery sites within one large health care system in western Michigan were asked to rate the frequency which they performed select nursing care actions using the 45-item .Ambulatory Individualized Care Index (AICl). modified from van Servellen's (1988a) Individualized Care …

Differences Between The Nursing And Family Member Role In Acute Pain Assessment In Senior Nursing Students, Debra L. Fitzpatrick

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to explore how nursing students’ decisions regarding pain assessment and analgesic use may be influenced by the role the student assumes in hypothetical situations, specifically the role of nurse or family member. It was hypothesized that there would be no statistically significant difference in pain assessment, in choice of analgesic dose, and in concerns about analgesics.

A descriptive correlational design was used. A sample of 83 senior nursing students within two weeks of graduation was used. The instrument used was one of two surveys created by McCaffery and Ferrell (1997). All respondents were asked …

Quality Of Life For Women Living With Advanced Breast Cancer, Maureen Mika Eberly

Masters Theses

Parse’s Human Becoming Theory of nursing and research methodology were used to describe the structure of the meaning of quality of life for women living with advanced breast cancer. Three core concepts surfaced: grieving-adjusting remaining connected to ordinary life events, reinforcing-distancing relationships preserving individuality, and choosing opportunities clarifying purpose. Through conceptual integration these emerged as valuing the connecting-separating of powering unique ways. This study enhances the knowledge on quality of life, expands Parse’s theory of nursing, and demonstrates the value of Parse’s methodology for uncovering the meaning of lived experiences. Implications for further research and practice are discussed.

Effective Clinical Teaching Behaviors As Perceived By Associate And Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Students, Karyn L. Abrahamson

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to identify the most effective clinical teaching behaviors (ECTB) perceived by Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) and Baccalaureate Degree Nursing (BSN) students. An exploratory, descriptive design was implemented. ADN and BSN students (N=55) were surveyed using the Clinical Teaching Evaluation (CTE) instrument designed by Fong (1991). The CTE consists of 25 teaching behaviors 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 ECTB between the two groups were identified by a Mann Whitney U procedure.

The study findings indicate …

Physician Perceptions Of Behaviors Associated With The Nurse Practitioner Role, Elizabeth J. Sperry

Masters Theses

While the number of nurse practitioners (NPs) continues to grow, their role and scope of practice can be misunderstood. King’s interacting systems framework was the theoretical basis for this study. This descriptive study asked a convenience sample of physicians (n=128) to indicate their agreement with 37 behaviors for the NP role. The sample was 74.2% male, 49.2% ages 41-50, and 63 .2% practiced primarily in an office setting. Bambini’s (I995) modification of Hupcey’s (1994) instrument was used and internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s alpha .97. Behaviors perceived as most appropriate for NPs were those that related to education. A …

The Relationship Between Physician Knowledge, Physician Background, Experience With Nurse Practitioners And Role Expectations For The Nurse Practitioner, Heidi Brands Flamming

Masters Theses

This descriptive study examined the relationship between physician knowledge and role expectations as influenced by experience with nurse practitioners. The sample consisted of 111 physicians practicing in West Michigan. Data was collected using a combination of instruments--a nurse practitioner role behavior tool (Hupcey, 1994) and nurse practitioner/physician role appropriate vignettes (Davidson & Lauver, 1984). Physician knowledge of the nurse practitioner role was significantly higher (t = -2.85; p = .005) for the group of physicians who had practiced with a nurse practitioner as compared to the group of physicians who had not practiced with a nurse practitioner. Role expectations between …

Learning Needs Perceived By The Patient Considering Radiation Therapy And The Radiation Oncology Nurse, Kathleen E. Bell

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to describe the congruency between what the patient who is considering radiation therapy perceives his learning needs to be and what the radiation oncology nurse perceives the learning needs of the patient to be. This descriptive design used convenience sampling. The subjects consisted of 56 patients and 8 radiation oncology nurses who were recruited from a regional hospital system with two separate radiation oncology settings.

Data were obtained after the radiation oncology nurse provided an overview of the (a) purpose of radiation therapy, (b) type of radiation prescribed, (c) mechanism of radiation action, (d) …

The Relationship Of Selected Health Beliefs And Exercise Adherence 8 To 12 Months After A Cardiac Event, Jill Stone

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to examine differences between health beliefs and cardiac exercise adherence at 6-12 weeks after a cardiac event as compared to 8-12 months post event. Twenty five subjects participated at time one and time two by answering mailed questionnaires designed to measure perceived benefits, perceived barriers, self-efficacy, exercise adherence, and demographic data.

Data analysis did not reveal a significant difference in exercise adherence or perceived benefits, but results did support a statistically significant difference in perceived barriers (p=.02) and self-efficacy (p=.03) from time one to time two. Subjects perceived higher levels of barriers related to …

The Impact Of Fast Forword On Phonological Awareness And Literacy Skills, Melissa Nulty

Masters Theses

This study investigated the impact of Fast ForWord on individual children's phonological awareness and reading skills as well as general language and auditory processing skills. Five children, ages six through eight years, served as experimental subjects. The duration of participation in the Fast ForWord (FFW) training program was approximately 2 hours per day, 5 days a week, for 6 to 8 weeks. Fast ForWord training was completed when the subject reached at least 90 percent completion on five of the seven training exercises or when it was determined by the Fast ForWord professional that the child had received maximum benefit …

Functional Outcome Measures Following Isometric Quadriceps Strengthening In Individuals With Knee Osteoarthritis, Rochelle Cibor, Damon Collier, Kris Cooper

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine if the strength gained from the performance of a six week isometric training program for the quadriceps femoris would result in improvements in the disability level, strength, pain, stiffness, and functional abilities of patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Twelve subjects with symptomatic knee OA were randomly assigned to either control or experimental groups, with the experimental group completing a six week isometric program. Pre- and post-test measures included strength assessment on the Biodex and completion of the WOMAC Osteoarthritis Index. Results indicate that experimental subjects had significant improvements in strength and disability …

The Lived Experiences Of Persons Dependent On Hemodialysis, Molly A. Kidner

Masters Theses

End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) affects almost 300,000 people in the United States. The growth rate is estimated at six to seven percent per year. Of these, over 182,000 chose hemodialysis as the treatment regimen to sustain their lives. Qualitative research is relatively absent specific to this population.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to discover the lived experiences of persons dependent on hemodialysis. Four self-identified persons dependent on hemodialysis were asked to describe their experiences of being a person dependent on hemodialysis. The verbal descriptions were tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. These descriptions were analyzed for meaning using the …

Collaboration Versus Pull-Out Intervention: Effects On Vocabulary Acquisition And Classroom Communication, Jennifer J. Sturm

Masters Theses

This study investigated improvement in curricular vocabulary in school-aged children grades kindergarten through third at two different elementary schools. One school received collaborative classroom-based language lessons from the teacher and speech-language pathologist (Collaborative School). The other school received regular instruction from the classroom teacher without the input of the speech-language pathologist (Traditional School). The speech-language pathologist provided services to the children with speech or language IEP goals at the Collaborative School primarily in the classroom through these language lessons. The students who received speech or language therapy at the Traditional School received services solely through the pull-out model of intervention. …

A Comparison Of The Health Belief Model And Stages Of Change In Exercise Behavior Construct In Cardiac Rehabilitation Patients, Tracey Phillips

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the STAGES theoretical constructs in the uncovering of influencing factors associated with exercise compliance behaviors in cardiac rehabilitation subjects.

Sixty subjects who had experienced a cardiac event and who were attending a phase II outpatient cardiac rehabilitation program participated in this study. A questionnaire regarding health beliefs and exercise behavior classification was administered. Questions pertained to general health motivations, effectiveness of the intervention, perception of disease severity, perception of susceptibility and the stage of exercise behavior.

An analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc comparison statistical …

A Comparison Of Nutritional Knowledge, Eating Attitudes, Training Regimens, And Body Composition Between Normal And Abnormal Menstruating Female Adolescent Cross Country Athletes, Dena Maureen Block

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare factors that may influence menstrual irregularities of female adolescent high school cross-country runners, ranging from 13-18 years of age. A survey was utilized to determine the subjects age, year in school, exercise history, menstrual history, and training regimens and where the subjects sought nutritional information. The groups were separated according to their current menstrual status. One group (normal) consisted of subjects who currently had a normal menstrual cycle for at least one year (n=17), while the other group (abnormal) (n=18) experienced an irregular menstrual cycle.

A twenty item questionnaire was administered to …

Physical Therapist Characteristics And Practices That Affect Patient Willingness To Comply With Home Exercise Programs, Greg Angell, Andrea Glaspie, Melinda Winters

Masters Theses

Home exercise programs are a vital part of sustaining physical therapy treatment effectiveness and encourages the patient to become an active participant in their care. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between compliance with therapeutic home exercise programs (HEP) and the patient’s perception of a physical therapist’s characteristics such as appearance, demeanor, role modeling behaviors, and humanistic traits. 250 survey questionnaires were distributed to seven outpatient physical therapy clinics in west Michigan with a 49.6% return rate. The results of this study demonstrate physical therapist personality traits and clinical practices were perceived by patients to be …

The Pre-Absorptive, Instantaneous Effects Of Natural And Refined Sugar On Quadriceps Peak Torque, Brian Adams, Kevin Valdes, Scott Vanzanten

Masters Theses

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of natural and refined sugar at an instantaneous, pre-absorptive level on quadriceps peak torque and to measure any prolonged effect on normal, healthy subjects. The experimental group (n=40) was randomly assigned to sugar testing order, with refined sugar testing occurring on one day and natural sugar testing occurring on the opposite day. The control group (n=10) followed the same protocol but held distilled water in their mouth. Isokinetic peak torque was recorded for each subject at three intervals, pretest, post-test I (~1 min.), and posttest n (-15 min.). Results showed …