Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Coping Styles Of Nurse Practitioners And The Effectiveness Of These Styles In Managing Stress, Carol J. Kolarik Smith

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to identify the coping styles used by nurse practitioners and determine the effectiveness of these styles in managing stress. The Roy Adaptation Model for Nursing was the theoretical framework used for this study. The research question which guided the data collection was what are the coping styles of nurse practitioners and how effective are these styles in managing the stress relative to functioning in the expanded role of nurse practitioner? The sample of convenience consisted of 72 nurse practitioners from Mississippi (30) and Tennessee (42) who completed and returned the survey questionnaire. …

Impact Of Follow-Up Encounters By A Geriatric Nurse Clinician On Return Visits To The Emergency Department By Elderly Clients, Lynn Smith

MSN Research Projects

Wiedenbach's Theory of Nursing as the helping art was the framework for this quasi-experimental study. This study sought to determine the effects of a follow-up encounter by a Geriatric Nurse Clinician on return visits to the emergency department by elderly clients. A nonprobability quota sampling consisted of elders, 65 to 92 years of age with chronic health problems, who utilized the emergency department of a 474-bed urban hospital. Thirty subjects were randomly assigned to three equal groups: Groups A and B received either a telephone call or a home visit, while Group C received no follow-up encounter. Demographic data were …

The Effects Of A Teaching Program About Aids Prevention On The Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Of High School Students, Deborah Whitehead

MSN Research Projects

As the number of adolescents contracting Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) increases, the importance of educational interventions to change behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge regarding AIDS becomes more significant. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effects of a teaching program about AIDS prevention on the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of high school students. Orem's Self-Care Theory was used to guide this quasi-experimental study. The sample consisted of 49 twelfth-grade students who were drawn from two high schools in rural Northeast Mississippi. The Student Health survey was utilized to assess students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about AIDS. Descriptive analysis and …

Reinforcement Effects On The I.Q. Scores Of Institutionalized Children And Adults With Developmental Disabilities, Jody Robin Lewis

Masters Theses

Eighteen institutionalized school-age and adult subjects with severe/profound developmental disabilities were evaluated for the effects of self-selected reinforcement for correct responding on their I.Q. scores when tested with the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (Terman & Merrill, 1960) or the Leiter International Performance Scale (Arthur, 1952). Subjects were tested under both standard and reinforcement conditions. The results indicated that overall, subjects when tested under reinforcement conditions showed a significant increase in mean I.Q. scores when compared with the same subjects tested one month previously under standard conditions. Several features of the data reveal intriguing results with regard to subjects and related preexisting …

The Effect Of Ethanol On Bone Histomorphology, Rebecca L. Rodocker

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The effect of ethanol on bone histomorphology was studied using an isocaloric liquid pair feeding system to administer equal amounts of essential vitamins and nutrients to control and ethanol animals.

A bone remodeling sequence was induced in the lower right mandible by removal of the upper right molars. The bone remodeling unit, consisting mainly of the osteoclast and osteoblast, could then be studied microscopically to note any changes brought about by the administration of ethanol.

Although the method of ethanol administration was successful, the induction of unintended bone remodeling via the removal of a solid diet made analysis of the …

The Level Of Self-Confidence Related To Knowledge And Skills Of Nurse Clinicians Practicing In The Expanded Role, Myra E. Fitts

MSN Research Projects

The level of self-confidence attained in a particular role affects the ability to perform in that role. Self- confidence is not innate but is developed through the interactions and experiences one has. The purpose of this study was to identify the level of self-confidence related to knowledge and skills of nurse clinicians practicing in the expanded role. Benner’s (1984) framework. From Novice to Expert, provided the direction and structure for this descriptive study. Three hundred thirty- three nurse clinicians licensed to practice primarily in four southeastern states participated in this study. Data were collected using the Thibodeau/Hawkins Self-Assessment Scale and …

Reasons Community-Based Hospice Patients Require Hospitalization, Patricia Northcutt Stephens

MSN Research Projects

The philosophy of a community-based hospice program involves care of terminally ill patients in their homes. However, some patients do not remain at home and are hospitalized. This descriptive study was conducted to determine reasons community-based hospice patients require hospitalization. Orem's Theory of Self-Care and Theory of Nursing Systems provided the theoretical framework. A convenience sample of 9 hospice patient primary caregivers from a community-based hospice program in West Central Alabama participated. These caregivers provided care to 9 hospice patients over the age of 40 years who required hospitalization in 1990 and had since expired. During scheduled home interview visits, …

A Comparison Study Of Coping Mechanisms In Clients And Significant Others Of Home And In-Center Hemodialysis, Judy Stevens

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the coping mechanisms used by clients with end-stage renal disease and their significant others. This descriptive, comparative study was guided by the hypothesis: Clients and significant others of home hemodialysis use different coping mechanisms from the clients and significant others of in-center hemodialysis. Orem's Nursing Systems Theory provided the theoretical framework. The sample (N = 43) consisted of 12 home hemodialysis clients and 12 home significant others and 12 in-center hemodialysis clients and 12 in-center significant others who resided in East Central, West Central, and Central Mississippi. Data were collected utilizing the …

The Impact Of Using Barrier Touch On The Client's Perception Of Caring, Barbara Chatham

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if the client perceived any difference in caring when nurses wore gloves and when they did not.

Postpartum Health Education Needs: Perceptions Of First-Time Mothers And Health Care Providers, Lisa Elam Rowland

MSN Research Projects

A descriptive study was designed to answer the following research questions: 1) What are the postpartum health education needs perceived by first-time mothers in the hospital setting and in the primary care setting, and 2) What are the postpartum health education needs of new mothers perceived by health care providers in the hospital setting and in the primary care setting. Mercer's Theory of Maternal Role Attainment was used to guide the research. Forty-nine subjects participated in the study. The samples consisted of first-time mothers in the hospital (n=22), first-time mothers in the primary care setting (n=15), hospital health care providers …

A Comparison Study Of Coping Mechanisms In Clients And Significant Others Of Home And In-Center Hemodialysis, Judy Stevens

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the coping mechanisms used by clients with end-stage renal disease and their significal others.

Self-Perceived Health Concerns Of Early, Middle, And Late Adolescents, Diane Baker

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the self-perceived health concerns of early, middle, and late adolescents.

Nurse Practitioners' Attitudes Toward Geriatric Euthanasia, Carol Thompson

MSN Research Projects

Health care professionals are being confronted with dilemmas about when and if life should be prolonged for the elder. This situation has been intensified because of the development of technology and the aging of the population. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine nurse practitioners' attitudes toward geriatric euthanasia. Travelbee's Human-to-Human Relationship Model was the theoretical framework for this research. A sample of 47 nurse practitioners in Mississippi who had the probability of caring for the elder participated in this study. Nurse practitioners were asked to complete the Thompson Life- Prolonging Survey in which vignettes describing geriatric patients …

A Validation Of The Family Of Origin Scale Using Alcoholic And Mental Health Patients, Arthur J. Fedor

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to add to the knowledge of family of origin assessment by demonstrating the utility of the Family of Origin Scale (FOS; Hovestadt, Anderson, Piercy, Cochran, & Fine, 1985) as a posttreatment measure of change with clinical samples. In this context, a second feature of the study was a further validation of the FOS.

Eighty-one clinical subjects in inpatient alcoholism treatment centers and outpatient mental health clinics were administered the FOS prior to treatment and again following treatment. Although the pretest-posttest model of the study was a quasi-experimental design, the focus was on the FOS's …

An Examination Of The Long-Term Effects Of Authorized Training Programs On Injured Workers In The State Of Oregon, Grace Alice Han

Dissertations and Theses

The worth of rehabilitation programs should be measured in terms of their lasting impact on long-term employment. Vocational rehabilitation programs nationally and internationally appear to be falling short of their goal of long-term gainful employment. Competitive employment options for the injured worker appear to have leveled out, the pool of unemployed disabled workers appears to be rising, litigation and adversarial relationships are beginning to dominate the rehabilitation process, and costs of vocational rehabilitation are escalating. Increasingly, interest has focused on the long-term influence of vocational rehabilitation, particularly on the costly training programs, and on the employment and economic potential of …

Preventative Oral Health Services Provided By Nurses' Aides To Nursing Home Residents, Deborah Lewis Hardy

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purposes of this investigation were to identify: 1) what preventive oral health services were provided by nurses' aides to nursing home residents, 2) how frequent preventive oral health services were performed by nurses' aides, 3) who nurses' aides reported abnormal or suspicious findings detected in the resident's mouth, 4) what factors discouraged and encouraged nurses' aides performance of oral health services, and 5) how nurses' aides rated their oral health knowledge of services they performed. The study population was comprised of a random sample of 40 percent of nursing home facilities in southeastern Virginia. A 14-item questionnaire was administered …

Short-Term Effects Of The PoliswabR On Supramarginal Bacterial Plaque Removal And Gingival Health In A Spinal Cord Unit Population, Beth Elaine Mckinney

Dental Hygiene Theses & Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the short-term efficacy of a mechanical device (Poliswab^R) on supramarginal bacterial plaque removal and gingival health. The sample consisted of 15 residents in a spinal cord unit at the Hampton Veterans' Affairs Medical Center. A single blind, split-mouth, pretest-posttest design was used in the study with each subject serving as his own control. Over a two week period, each participant had his teeth cleaned once daily by a dental hygienist using a Poliswab^R containing sodium bicarbonate and dentifrice on one side of the mouth and a toothbrush without dentifrice …

Gender Effects On Recall, Clinical Judgement And Treatment Recommendations For A Combination Of Major Depression And Alcohol Dependence Symptoms, Jodi L. French

Psychology Theses & Dissertations

This study investigated the effect of client gender on several aspects of clinical decision-making processes and clinical judgement when a client presented with a combination of depressive and alcohol-dependent symptoms. Forty-four male and 44 female clinicians, who came from various mental health disciplines (i.e., psychology, social work, counseling, nursing, and psychiatry), volunteered to participate as subjects.

The subjects were assigned to hear one of four audiotapes (two male tapes and two female tapes) in which mock clients gave the same initial presentation of symptoms and problems. After listening to the tapes, the clinicians were asked to engage in a number …

Time Delay Neural Networks And Speech Recognition: Context Independence Of Stops In Different Vowel Environments, Gregory Andrew Makowski

Masters Theses

A series of speech recognition experiments was conducted to investigate time-dynamic speech recognition of stop consonants invariant of vowel environment using data from six talkers. The speech preprocessing was based on previous studies investigating acoustic characteristics which correlate to the place of articulation (Blumstein and Stevens 1979). The place of articulation features were statistically abstracted using four moments and the energy level of the speech sample.

Both statistical and neural network pattern recognition methods were used. Statistical methods included linear and quadratic discriminant functions, maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) and K-nearest neighbors (KNN). The neural network approach used was Time Delay …

Total Blood Cholesterol, Blood Triglyceride, And Blood Hdl Correlation, Rebecca Lynn Babler

Masters Theses

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the relationship between total blood cholesterol levels, blood triglyceride levels, and blood HDL levels in men and women 20 to 80 years of age. All subjects fasted for 12 hours prior to having their blood drawn.

The computer program SPSSX (SPSSX, Inc., 1988) was used along with subprograms CONDESCRIPTIVE, CORRELATION, and ANOVA. Pearson Product Moment Correlations were calculated for all subjects, for male subjects, and for female subjects.

The study revealed a low correlation coefficient between blood cholesterol levels and blood triglyceride levels for all subjects, female subjects and male subjects. There …

A Descriptive Study Of Commitment Practices In A Selected Jurisdiction, Louis A. Pesnicak

Community & Environmental Health Theses & Dissertations

This study examines the application of commitment procedures in one urban community in Virginia. The study investigated: the concordance rates of clinical recommendation for treatment and the outcome of the commitment hearing. the time lapse between detention of an individual and the hearing outcome. the presenting symptomatology and outcome. and the pre-detention compliance to treatment and outcome. The study's findings showed a concordance rate of 64% between clinical recommendation and outcome. It provided no significant differences in symptomatology/outcome, compliance/outcome, and time lapse/outcome. The lack of any significant findings seems to suggest that application of commitment laws might benefit from institution …

Effect Of Age On The Structure Of Meissner Corpuscles In Forepad Digital Pads Of Mice, Roger C. Mathewson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Meissner corpuscles in forepaw digital pads of albino mice were examined by light and electron microscopy to determine structural age-changes. After 1.5 months of age, no intraepidermal nerve fibers were seen extending from corpuscles. From young (1.5-6 months) to middle age (9-15 months), corpuscles became larger and more complex, gaining more horizontally arranged terminals, associated lamellae and connective tissue. At old age (18-26 months), corpuscles became small and lobulated, appearing disorganized. There was no loosening of the corpuscle-epidermal interface. An increase in collagenous connective tissue and basal lamina duplication occurred with advancing age. Ultrastructural age-changes consisted of disorganization of the …

Cephalometric Analysis Of Soft Tissue Profile Change Associated With Orthodontics And Orthognathic Surgery : A Long-Term Study, Douglas M. Brown

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of combined orthodontic and orthognathic surgical treatment upon the soft tissue profile, and to determine the correlation between soft tissue response and the following variables: type of surgery, genioplasty, lip thickness, method of surgical site closure, interlabial distance and eversion of the lower lip. Preoperative and long-term postoperative lateral cephalograms were traced for 327 patients (231 females, 96 males) who had been treated with orthognathic surgery (108 Le Fort I, 109 mandibular sagittal split, 110 combined Le Fort I and mandibular sagittal split surgery). The results indicated that strong correlations …

A Flow Cytometric Analysis Of Immunocyte Populations In Peripheral Blood And Pleural Effusions Of Patients With Cancer, Mandy L. Bohn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Two-color flow cytometric analysis was performed on paired samples of peripheral blood (PB) and pleural effusions (PE) of patients with metastatic malignancies. The purpose of these analyses was to test the hypothesis that there are significant differences in the distribution of immunocyte populations in the PE compared to that of the PB.

The majority of the pleural fluid immunocytes were CD3+ cells. The ratio of CD4+ to CD8+ cells was higher in the PE compared to PB. Levels of CD8+, CD19+ and CD14+ cells were not significantly different in the PE compared to the levels in the PB. CD16+CD56+ cells …

The Role Of T Cells In The Pathogenesis Of Periapical Lesions, John B. Wallstrom

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The pulps of mandibular molars of 15 athymic and 15 conventional rats were surgically exposed and left open to their oral flora. Each group was divided into 3 subgroups of 5 animals each. The rats were sacrificed after their pulps were exposed for 2, 4, or 8 weeks. After fixing, decalcifying, and embedding, the specimens were sectioned and stained with H and E. They were then examined under a microscopic grid and quantified by percentages of surface areas of bone, connective tissue, bone marrow, intrabony spaces, periapical lesions, and numbers of osteoclasts. This was done using a DataVoice computerized data …

The Fracture Strength Of Ceramic Brackets : An Update And Comparison, Christian P. Manley

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to compare the fracture strength of ceramic brackets which are currently on the market with ceramic brackets tested in a previous study at Loma Linda. Fracture strengths of standard edgewise ceramic brackets vs. pre-torqued ceramic brackets and bicuspid ceramic brackets vs. central incisor ceramic brackets were also compared.

A total of 160 Polycrystalline brackets, 8 categories in groups if 20, were tested for fracture strength. Each bracket was tested using the same testing model that was used in the previous study at Loma Linda. The brackets were tested by torquing a wire within the …

The Accuracy Of Sonographic Imaging (Dolphintm Digigraph) And Standard Lateral Cephalometric Radiographs : A Comparative Study, Michael D. Teichman

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Radiation due to x-ray exposure is a concern, and the development of the Dolphin™ DigiGraph represents an attempt to limit this exposure. The purpose of this paper was to compare measurements (using Ricketts analysis) obtained from conventional radiographic cephalometric tracings with those obtained by computerized digitizing with the DigiGraph. Forty-six patients from the Loma Linda University School of Dentistry graduate orthodontic clinic were digitized, and the results were compared to the x-ray tracings of these patients. The results showed that seven of the twenty-one variables examined exhibited a statistical similarity between the two methods (DigiGraph and x-ray tracing). An examination …

Histomorphometric Analysis Of Primate Periodontal Tissues Following Corticotomy In Orthodontics, Wuiteng Koh

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of specific cell types and structures at the active tooth movement site in corticotomized and non-corticotomized specimens obtained from a previous study, and to consider the hypothesis that corticotomy facilitated orthodontics is efficacious due to an inflammatory response rather than tooth-bone block movement. Specimens from 3 monkeys, each of which had a treatment and control quadrant in each arch, were sectioned, mounted on glass slides, and stained with Giemsa, haematoxylin, and Safranin stains. A histomorphometric analysis was performed with DataVoice™, a voice activated computer system which allowed for digitization of …

The Use Of Corrected Occlusal X-Ray For Determination Of Ald : A Comparative Study, Merlin D. Ekvall

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

In this study arch length discrepancy or ALD was studied in 50 untreated patients. The measurements obtained from Hilgers' corrected occlusal x-ray using his Occlusal Paralleling Instrument or O.P.I, were compared with those derived by four conventional methods, - "Eye balling," digital caliper determination, conventional mandibular x-ray, and the Rocky Mountain Data Systems computer analysis (31 cases). When using the OPI, results give a higher negative ALD as it takes into consideration the space required to level a curve of Spee.

Measurements were made by the author and 3 faculty members using the above methods. Statistical analysis of the means …

The Impact Of Variations In Buccolingual Thickness Of Maxillary Anterior Dentition On First Order Arch Form Adjustments, Craig A. Andreiko

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Pre-adjusted bracket systems offer the clinician the convenience of working with both fewer in number and smaller magnitude adjustments in the archwire. The purpose of this study was to examine the normal variations in the thickness of the six maxillary anterior teeth and how this relates to anticipated first order bends in the archwire. A second purpose was to examine these same teeth for bilateral symmetry.

Thirty casts from the Loma Linda University completed treatment files were examined with respect to variations in the thicknesses of the crowns at the level of the archwire plane. From these, the mean difference …