Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

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.

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, …

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, …

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.

Religiosity And Sexual Activity Among Older Adolescents, Richard 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.

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 …

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 …

Religiosity, Sexual Activity, And Attitudes Of Sexual Permissiveness Among Older Adolescents, Richard Fehring, K Cheever, K German, C Philpot

Richard J Fehring

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.

Factors Associated With Critical Care Nurses' Communication With Non-Communicative Patients In The Icu, Michelle Binns

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hospitalized individuals are isolated from their familiar environment at the onset of illness. Those individuals who are non-communicative are detached from the world and from life, as they previously knew it. Although nurses have long since recognized the importance of communication, patients still report the lack of iy. This study was done to identify factors influencing critical care nurses to communicate with their noncommunicative patients.

The overall results of the study indicate that nurses are aware of the importance of verbal communication with patients who may be intubated, paralyzed, unconscious, comatose or neurologically impaired and are not deterred by them. …

A Comparison Of Childbirth Class Attendance And Presence At Delivery And Father-Infant Acquaintance/Attachment, Susan Diane Bernath

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The relationship between parent and child is one of the most important and most studied of all human relationships. The purpose of this descriptive study was to compare first-time fathers’ attendance at an entire series of prepared childbirth classes and presence at the delivery with father-infant acquaintance/attachment at three to four months post-birth. First-time fathers living with the infant’s mother were asked to complete the How I Feel About My Baby Now scale and a demographic survey. Two groups of fathers were compared. The first group attended classes, and the other group did not attend classes. Results of a statistical …

Use Of Child Safety Seats Among Mexican Parents In A Small South Dade Community, Maria Beltran

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the use and misuse of child safety seats among Mexican parents. Data were collected via personal interview and by use of the SAFE KIDS BUCKLE UP Child Safety Seat Checklist Form. This study used a descriptive comparative design. The convenience sample consisted of 63 Mexican mothers with at least one child under the age of four (index child). The findings showed that Mexican parents tend to misuse or not use child safety seats. Most parents were not aware of the misuse, and receiving prior information on the use of child safety seats …

An Assessment Of Nurses' Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Patients With Sickle Cell Disease, Marie Osline Etienne

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive comparative, correlational study examined nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). The literature suggests that SCD patients are inadequately managed by nurses, resulting in unnecessary suffering, delayed treatment, and prolonged hospitalization. The study was conducted on a convenience sample of 109 registered nurses (RNs) working in southeast Florida. The data, collected via self-administered questionnaires using the Nurses Knowledge Base Inventory (Lorenzi, 1993) and the Sickle Cell Disease Attitude Questionnaire, were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistics. Knowledge was not found to be correlated with attitude. A perplexing finding was the inverse relationship between education …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Ua61/1 Wku Nursing Class 1998, Wku Nursing

WKU Archives Records

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.

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.

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 …

Diet Adherence Factors Affecting Diabetic Older Adults, Laurie Schluter

MSN Research Projects

Diabetes is a chronic disease which affects a significant portion of the United States population. Effective management requires adherence to a prescribed dietary regimen. Many diabetics have difficulty adhering to their recommended diet. This descriptive study explored diabetic diet adherence in older adults. The following research question guided the study: What are the factors that affect diabetic diet adherence in older adults? Sr. Callista Roy's adaptation theory provided direction for the study. Thirty two diabetic patients age 45 years and older in Louisiana comprised the sample. The sample included rural and urban patients of a home health agency and a …

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 …

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 …

Factors Influences Adolescents' Choice And Discontinuation Of Depo-Provera, Carey E. Mccarter

MSN Research Projects

Long-term contraceptives are a needed measure for prevention of unintended pregnancies. Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (Depo-Provera), a long-term injectable contraceptive, is particularly useful for adolescent women. Despite the widespread use of Depo- Provera, limited data exist in the literature on continuation rates, especially among adolescents. The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine the factors which influence the choice and discontinuation of Depo-Provera among adolescents. The Health Belief Model served as the theoretical framework to guide this study. The convenience sample consisted of adolescent females (N = 14) . The instrument utilized for the collection of data was the McCarter …

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 …

Alternative Health Practices Of Homebound Adults In Northeast Mississippi, Jenny Barnes

MSN Research Projects

More people are relying on alternative practices and less conventional therapies for a wide variety of problems. Alternative therapies have gained increasing popularity, recognition, and usage in the past decade. Minimal knowledge exists regarding the alternative health care practices of the essentially homebound population who may be more likely to use alternative forms of health care due to the difficulty in leaving home and in following with certain cultural beliefs and practices. The focus of this descriptive study was to describe the alternative health practices of home health clients and how these practices may effect care in the primary care …

Adolescent Mother-Infant Attachment: Self-Identification Of Problems That May Impede The Process, Desiree Snow

MSN Research Projects

As of 1992, nearly 1 out of every 10 births in the United States was to a single adolescent female (National Center for Health Statistics, 1994). Becoming an adolescent parent is known to elicit significant psychosocial changes. Most adolescents are not capable of accepting all of the responsibilities of the maternal role and the attachment process. The theoretical framework of Erikson's Psychosocial Theory reflects the concept of adolescent parenting constituting a potential crisis situation. The adolescent is torn between self-satisfaction and attending to the needs of the infant, which correlates with role confusion, as explained in the developmental stage of …