Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Nursing Students' Self-Efficacy And Attitude: Examining The Influence Ofthe Omaha System In Nurse Managed Centers, Cherie Mooy

Master's Projects

Self-efficacy, or confidence, as an outcome behavior has been identified as influencing nursing job satisfaction and retention. Clinical learning environments and teaching strategies that build and support perceived self-efficacy are critical aspects of preparing new nurses for their entry and continuing role as professional nurses in today's information-intensive data-management healthcare environment. The purpose of this pre-test post-test study is to measure, using the C-scale (Grundy, 1992), nursing students' self-efficacy to perform patient assessment in Nurse Managed Centers (NMC) after one semester of using the Omaha System documentation framework. Nursing students' attitudes of preparation for using Standardized Nursing Languages (SNL) in …

Fostering Clinical Judgment During Preceptorship, Susan Mcniesh

Master's Projects

The role transition from student nurse to new graduate nurse commonly includes a preceptor relationship. Preceptorships are often the culminating nursing education experience for senior baccalaureate nurses and are used as well for orienting new graduates as they begin their staff nurse role in the hospital setting. The preceptee is paired with an experienced nurse who is charged with supporting, teaching, and exemplifying safe and competent patient care. In many cases preceptors are ascribed the task of independently validating the preceptee's ability to exercise clinical judgment. Today's health care environment requires nurses to be proficient critical thinkers. Patients need more …

Demographics And Perceptions Of Work Environment For Registered Nurses, Pamela Brotherton Sedano

Master's Projects

Registered nurses (RNs) are the lifeblood of hospitals. Therefore, retaining skilled nurses is necessary to insure the viability of these institutions. A two-year longitudinal, non-experimental research study utilized a descriptive design to compare the perceptions of RNs who remained on their units to those who left or changed units over a two-year time period. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether there was a statistically significant difference between these two groups. Results in several areas indicate that further evaluation is necessary by nurse managers and administration. This information could help retain RNs as well as attract qualified nurses …

The Meaning Of The Death Of Adult Child To An Elder, Latricia Diane Weed

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this inquiry is to develop an initial understanding and description of the meaning of the experience of an elder after the death of an adult child. A significant research gap exists in studying elder bereavement and the death of an adult child. The research sample was obtained from elderly participants who were known by the researcher to have had the experience of the death of an adult child. A snowball

Responses to the qualitative questions in this study were analyzed using the existential phenomenological method as described by Thomas and polio (2002). Data was reviewed by the …

Staff Perceptions Of Workload And Care Requirements For Incontinent Patients In Long-Term Care Settings, Amy M. Crickmer

Master's Projects

In response to the Omnibus Reconciliation Act (OBRA) mandate "to ensure that a resident who is incontinent of bladder receives the appropriate treatment and services to restore normal bladder functioning ... " (Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), 1989, p.5333), several studies were designed and implemented to demonstrate that incontinence interventions worked. The research also showed that staff behaviors did not change and toileting programs were not carried forward once studies were completed. What was missing from the research was any mention that certified nursing assistants (CNAs) were asked to participate in the planning phase of an incontinence program. …

The Effect Of Body Position And Mattress Type On Interface Pressure In Quadriplegic Adults-A Pilot Study, Parivash Moody

Master's Projects

Dental morbidity is a chronic problem that affects a child's ability to attend school, to learn, and to enjoy good health. Of all childhood diseases, oral disease ranks as one of the highest and is considered one of the most common and the least treated. The prevalence of dental caries is high among children and adolescents in school populations. This study explored the prevalence of dental caries in a California Central Coast middle school during the 2002-03 school year (N=526). Findings indicated that severe dental caries existed in both boys and girls and in students of various ethnic groups. Approximately …

Nurse Practitioners' Characteristics And Job Satisfaction, Priscilla Wild

Master's Projects

PURPOSE: To identify demographics and job satisfaction levels of currently working nurse practitioners (NPs) in California. DATA SOURCES: A mail-in survey was used to gather data The Mueller McCloskey Satisfaction Scale was sent to a randomized sample of 200 California NPs with active licensure. Descriptive statistical analysis of usable data was employed. CONCLUSIONS: NPs reported high levels of job satisfaction. Aspects of the job that showed significant levels of satisfaction were schedules, flexibility of hours, and interprofessional relationships. NPs were least satisfied with not having professional opportunities such as participation in nursing research, writing/publishing, and belonging to a department/nursing committee.

Assessing Health Beliefs About Colonoscopy, Katherine Gipsh

Master's Projects

The purpose of this study was to assess by questionnaire health beliefs related to colorectal cancer screening ( colonoscopy) in a population 50 years of age and older. The Health Belief Model provided the theoretical framework for data collection. This study was a non-experimental exploratory survey. A total of 42 subjects (31% male and 69% female) completed a 14-item questionnaire that covered psychological factors including health beliefs. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Results of this study shows there is a need for appropriate health education to trigger people to take preventive action ( colonoscopy). Community based health education …

Investigating The Correlation Between Nurses' Spiritual Well-Being And Spiritual Care Perspectives, Marion Lieber Reyes

Master's Projects

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between nurses' spiritual well-being (using the JAREL Spiritual-Well Being Scale) and their perspectives of spiritual care (using the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale). Both instruments use Likert-scale ratings. An additional survey obtained general demographic information including an item regarding spirituality in nursing in-service participation. A total of 130 registered nurses (23%) participated in the study. The data was analyzed using SPSS in which a Pearson's r correlation was performed on the JAREL and SSCRS scores. The results were statistically significant for a positive correlation between nurses' spiritual well-being and …

Providing Education And Support For Rural Palliative Care Nurses In Western Australia: An Intervention Study, Ruth Mcconigley

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Rural palliative care nurses (RPCNs) in Western Australia (WA) are a small population, who have embraced the specialist palliative care role since the first palliative care service in rural WA began in 1990. However, there are some challenges involved with being a specialist nurse in a generalist health care setting. fu particular, there is a suggestion in the literature that RPCNs may be professionally isolated, may be prone to burnout, and may therefore experience decreased job satisfaction and may consider leaving the palliative care field.