Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Does End Of Life Terminology Influence Decisional Conflict In Surrogate Decision Makers?, Dawn Fairlie

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This study investigated the relationship between end of life terminologies and decisional conflict in surrogate decision makers using a convenience sample of 234 adults age 50 and older at active adult communities, and senior centers in New Jersey. Participants were randomized into two groups, and each received a vignette that was personalized. The vignettes varied only in the use of the words "Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)" and "Allow Natural Death (AND)". The Decisional Conflict Scale (DCS) was administered.

There was no difference in total DCS score based on AND and DNR versions. However, AND respondents perceived their decision as a …

Examining The Association Of Medication Complexity With Health-Related Quality Of Life In Older Adults Receiving Community-Based Long Term Services And Supports, Claudia Ann Beck

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

While the complexity of a medication regimen is a concern for all individuals, it is of significant concern for community-dwelling older adults who often require multiple medications to treat chronic health problems. Health related quality of life (HRQoL) has been identified as a key quality outcome measure when assessing care of older adults, particularly those with long-term care needs. Although the use of multiple medications has been widely explored in the literature, there is a paucity of data regarding the combination of several medication-related factors (number of active medications, therapeutic drug class, and medication regimen complexity) and HRQoL in older …

The Relationship Of Nursing Career Perception Congruence And Perceived Social Support On Hispanic Middle School Female Nursing Career Choice, Karen Vicino Bourgeois

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of nursing career perception congruence and perceived social support on Hispanic middle school females' nursing career choice. A non-experimental descriptive, cross sectional design examined the relationship in a convenience sample of 200 Hispanic middle school females from the New York tri-state area. Instruments used to measure nursing career choice, nursing career perception congruence, and perceived social support, were: (1) the Nursing Career Choice Questionnaire (NCC); (2) Attitudes, Values, and Beliefs Scale (AVBS); and (3) the Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (CASSS) .Multinomial logistic regression analyses indicated support for the …

"If She Can Do It, So Can I": An Ethnography Of A Supportive Living Environment For Women In The Criminal Justice System And Their Children, Regina Cardaci

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

There are now more women in prisons and jails than at any time in United States history. A large number of these women will be returning to the community. Women returning to the community after release from prison or jail face numerous challenges to successful reentry, e.g., securing housing and employment. In addition, following separation and care of their children by others, women with children struggle to resume their roles as mother.

This dissertation is an exploration of a program that assists women transitioning from incarceration to the community. This program helps women by helping to develop job skills and …

The Lived Experiences Of Nurses Caring For Dying Pediatric Patients, Danna Leigh Curcio

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research study was to explore the lived experiences of nurses caring for dying pediatric patients. Nurses and health care professionals may at times have difficulty adjusting and processing when life ends and this may have the potential to interfere with patient care. Reflection on past events and actions enable critical discovery of strategies to benefit both nurses and patients. The method for conducting this research study was from a qualitative phenomenological perspective exploring the lived experiences of nurses caring for dying pediatric patients. The philosophical underpinning of Merleau-Ponty (2008), in combination with the research method of …

The Lived Experience Of Young Adult Burn Survivors' Use Of Social Media, Marie S. Giordano

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to illuminate the meaning of social media use by young adult burn survivors. Five females and four males, aged 20-25, who sustained burns > 25%, were interviewed. Van Manen's (1999) phenomenological methodology provided the framework for this study. The meaning of the context of the lived experience is described in the five essential themes of identity, connectivity, social support, making meaning, and privacy. These young adult burn survivors, having experienced the traumatic effects of a burn during adolescence, use social media as a way of expressing their identity, while being cautious about privacy. Part …

Active Listening: Developing Skills For Patient Advocacy In Health Care, Dina Limandri

Open Educational Resources

No abstract provided.

Understanding Workplace Reciprocity Of Emergency Nurses: A Qualitative Study, Christine M. Corcoran

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Emergency nurses work with other health care providers under uncertain conditions to provide care to patients with all kinds of illnesses and afflictions from all walks of life. Despite implications that they must work together to accomplish their tasks, there are few studies that explore the relationships among emergency department personnel. Furthermore, there are even fewer that focus on the way emergency nurses work together to provide care to their patients. The purpose of the study was to understand the lived experience of workplace reciprocity of emergency nurses through the use of a qualitative phenomenological method. Nurses with three or …

Identifying And Addressing Sources Of Measurement Error In The Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire, Eileen Gigliotti, William Ellery Samuels, June Como, Tofiga Gamidova, Brian Gordon, Peter Acerios

Publications and Research

Background and Purpose: The Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire (NSSQ) provides a rich portrait of one’s perceived social support including network size/composition and quality of support. Analyses of quantitative research reports and critiques of the NSSQ revealed non-negligible measurement error. We document evidence of measurement error, report potential sources of this error, and present forthcoming psychometric testing. Methods: Quantitative evidence of measurement error from the NSSQ literature provided the basis for initial hypotheses concerning sources of error in network nomination and support ratings. We then conducted cognitive interviews to investigate these hypotheses. Results: Cognitive interviews revealed evidence of respondents’ miscomprehension and …

An Exploration Of Self-Management Support In The Context Of Palliative Nursing: A Modified Concept Analysis, Bridget Johnson, Liz Rogerson, Jurate Macijauskiene, Aurelija Blaževičienė, Patricia Cholewka

Publications and Research

Background
The role of self-management is often ambiguous, yet, it is an important area in clinical practice for palliative nurses. A clear conceptual understanding, however, of what it represents is lacking.

Method
This paper reports an analysis of the concept of self-management support in palliative nursing. Avant and Walker's method was used to guide this concept analysis. A search of electronic databases (1990–2013), use of internet search engines and supplementary hand searching produced an international data set of reviews, empirical research, editorials, protocols and guidelines.

Results
Based on the analysis self-management support in palliative nursing has been defined as assessing, …