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Development Of An Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline On Linear Growth Measurement Of Children, Jan Foote, L. Brady, A. Burke, J. Cook, M. Dutcher, K. Gradoville, J. Groos, K. Kinkade, R. Meeks, P. Mohr, D. Schultheis, B. S. Walker, K. Phillips Dec 2011

Development Of An Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline On Linear Growth Measurement Of Children, Jan Foote, L. Brady, A. Burke, J. Cook, M. Dutcher, K. Gradoville, J. Groos, K. Kinkade, R. Meeks, P. Mohr, D. Schultheis, B. S. Walker, K. Phillips

Jan M. Foote

Growth is an important indicator of child health; however, measurements are frequently inaccurate and unreliable. This article reviews the literature on linear growth measurement error and describes methods used to develop and evaluate an evidence-based clinical practice guideline on the measurement of recumbent length and stature of infants, children, and adolescents. Systematic methods were used to identify evidence to answer clinical questions about growth measurement. A multidisciplinary team critically appraised and synthesized the evidence to develop clinical practice recommendations using an evidence-based practice rating scheme. The guideline was prospectively evaluated through internal and external reviews and a pilot study to …


Pyloric Channel Stricture Secondary To High-Dose Ibuprofen Therapy In A Patient With Cystic Fibrosis, E. Bell, R. Grothe, V. Zivkovich, Jan Foote, J. Wellendorf Dec 2011

Pyloric Channel Stricture Secondary To High-Dose Ibuprofen Therapy In A Patient With Cystic Fibrosis, E. Bell, R. Grothe, V. Zivkovich, Jan Foote, J. Wellendorf

Jan M. Foote

OBJECTIVE: To describe a case of pyloric channel stricture secondary to high-dose ibuprofen therapy in a pediatric patient with cystic fibrosis. CASE SUMMARY: A 12-year-old white girl started taking high-dose ibuprofen to treat the pulmonary manifestations of cystic fibrosis. The peak plasma concentration at dose initiation was within the accepted therapeutic range. Approximately one month later, the patient developed emesis and intolerance of solid foods, which persisted for several months and resulted in a weight loss of seven kilograms. The patient was referred to a pediatric gastroenterologist, who performed an upper endoscopy and subsequently diagnosed a pyloric channel stricture. The …


Getting A Healthy Start. Feeding Issues In The First Year Of Life, Jan Foote Dec 2011

Getting A Healthy Start. Feeding Issues In The First Year Of Life, Jan Foote

Jan M. Foote

No abstract provided.


Engaging Racial Autoethnography As A Teaching Tool For Womanist Inquiry, Janette Taylor, Melissa Lehan Mackin, A. Oldenburg Dec 2011

Engaging Racial Autoethnography As A Teaching Tool For Womanist Inquiry, Janette Taylor, Melissa Lehan Mackin, A. Oldenburg

Melissa Lehan Mackin

Racial autobiography, self-narratives on how one learned about the idea of race, has been underutilized as a tool to familiarize and orient students in the process of critical inquiry for nursing research. The aims of this article are to explore how racial autoethnography: (1) repositions students to effect an epistemological change, (2) challenges dominant ideology, and (3) functions as a link between the student and critical theories for use in nursing research. Students engage in and share reflective narrative about a variety of instructional materials used in the course. Reflective narratives are presented in a framework that addresses white racial …


Fall Prevention Practices In Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing Units Described By Nurse Managers, L. Shever, M. Titler, Melissa Lehan Mackin, A. Kueny Dec 2011

Fall Prevention Practices In Adult Medical-Surgical Nursing Units Described By Nurse Managers, L. Shever, M. Titler, Melissa Lehan Mackin, A. Kueny

Melissa Lehan Mackin

The purpose of this article was to describe nursing practices (e.g., assessment, interventions) around fall prevention, as perceived by nurse managers in adult, medical-surgical nursing units. One hundred forty nurse managers from 51 hospitals from across the United States participated. Descriptive frequencies are used to describe nurse manager responses. The most commonly used fall risk assessment tool was the Morse Fall Risk Assessment Tool (40%). The most common fall prevention interventions included bed alarms (90%), rounds (70%), sitters (68%), and relocating the patient closer to the nurses' station (56%). Twenty-nine percent of nurse managers identified physical restraints as an intervention …


Becoming A Registered Nurse: The Nurse Extern Experience, K. Starr, Virginia Conley Nov 2011

Becoming A Registered Nurse: The Nurse Extern Experience, K. Starr, Virginia Conley

Virginia M. Conley

Little is known about the perceptions of nursing students externing in newly developed hospital-based programs that focus on socialization and transition to the registered nurse (RN) role rather than on institutional recruitment and retention goals. This qualitative study explored student nurse externs' expectations, experiences, and benefits of participation in a student-focused externship program. Externs wanted to gain experience with skills and learn what it was like to be an RN. Goals were met or exceeded by becoming comfortable in the externship role, growing in skill performance and confidence, and becoming members of the healthcare team. The experience fostered growth from …


Integrating Massage Into Rural Caregiving At End-Of-Life, Virginia Conley, D. Kempson Nov 2011

Integrating Massage Into Rural Caregiving At End-Of-Life, Virginia Conley, D. Kempson

Virginia M. Conley

No abstract provided.


Informational Needs Of Caregivers Of Terminal Patients In A Rural State, Virginia Conley, M. Burman Nov 2011

Informational Needs Of Caregivers Of Terminal Patients In A Rural State, Virginia Conley, M. Burman

Virginia M. Conley

Home care of a terminally ill family member is stressful, especially in rural areas. This qualitative study sought to determine informational needs of rural caregivers and how that information is obtained. Although most caregivers stated satisfaction with available information, mostly obtained from physicians and nurses, their behavior belied their satisfaction. Assertive and self-reliant, they used informal communications rather than written information to meet most of their needs. Approaches home care nurses can use to help caregivers obtain important information are presented.


National Health Policy Influence On Medicare Home Health, Virginia Conley, M. Walker Nov 2011

National Health Policy Influence On Medicare Home Health, Virginia Conley, M. Walker

Virginia M. Conley

National health policy regulates the delivery of Medicare home health services. These services have grown exponentially over the past several years. Current challenges to service delivery revolve around attempts to contain costs while ensuring quality of and access to care. To meet these challenges, providers must be aware of the societal and ideological influences on national health policies that impact service delivery. This article uses Wong's model of the progression of health care reform to address past health policy influences on Medicare home health delivery, investigate recent sociological trends for relevance to health policy, and propose changes based on current …


Patient And Parent/Guardian Perspectives On The Health Care Of Adults With Mental Retardation, Sarah Voss Horrell, William Maclean, Virginia Conley Nov 2011

Patient And Parent/Guardian Perspectives On The Health Care Of Adults With Mental Retardation, Sarah Voss Horrell, William Maclean, Virginia Conley

Virginia M. Conley

Individuals with mental retardation and their parents/guardians have long been neglected in health care research. In this study we used a qualitative methodology to describe the experiences adults with mental retardation and their parents/guardians have with the delivery of primary care services. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 12 adults who had mental retardation and 9 parents/guardians. The grounded theory approach was utilized to guide data collection and analysis. Findings suggest an overall positive experience with primary care services. Unique themes were identified that distinguished parent/guardian experiences from those of adults with mental retardation, who focused on immediate, concrete issues …


Reconceptualizing The Core Of Nurse Practitioner Education And Practice, M. Burman, A. Hart, Virginia Conley, J. Brown, P. Sherard, P. Clarke Nov 2011

Reconceptualizing The Core Of Nurse Practitioner Education And Practice, M. Burman, A. Hart, Virginia Conley, J. Brown, P. Sherard, P. Clarke

Virginia M. Conley

PURPOSE: The movement to the doctor of nursing practice (DNP) is progressing rapidly with new programs emerging and curricular documents being developed. We argue that the implementation of the DNP is a good move for nursing, provided that we use the opportunity to reconceptualize the core of advanced practice nursing, especially nurse practitioner (NP) practice. DATA SOURCES: Theory and research articles from nursing focused on advanced practice nursing, NPs, and doctoral education. CONCLUSIONS: The foundation of NP education is currently based essentially on borrowed or shared content in assessment, pharmacology, and pathophysiology. We argue that the heart and soul of …


Beyond Knowledge Deficit To A Proposal For Information-Seeking Behaviors, Virginia Conley Nov 2011

Beyond Knowledge Deficit To A Proposal For Information-Seeking Behaviors, Virginia Conley

Virginia M. Conley

TOPIC: Nursing assessment of knowledge of informational needs. PURPOSE: To present of a brief evolutionary analysis of knowledge deficit in terms of its significance, application, and use, and to present a proposal diagnosis, "information-seeking behaviors." SOURCES: Literature review of knowledge deficit and "information-seeking behaviors." CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge deficit is a nursing diagnosis that is significant for identifying a patient's need for education or knowledge. Its application has revealed limitations to validity and subsequent use. "Information-seeking behaviors" is proposed as an alternative diagnosis. Antecedents and defining characteristics are presented and areas for future research proposed.


Developing A Scholarship Community, S. Cumbie, C. Weinert, S. Luparell, Virginia Conley, J. Smith Nov 2011

Developing A Scholarship Community, S. Cumbie, C. Weinert, S. Luparell, Virginia Conley, J. Smith

Virginia M. Conley

PURPOSE: To report the results of a multidisciplinary, interinstitutional writing support group established to facilitate faculty scholarly productivity. ORGANIZING CONCEPT: The road to scholarship can be filled with many obstacles, among them time constraints, teaching and meeting demands, student needs, office interruptions, and lack of colleagueship. The problems associated with lack of colleagueship, in particular, can be compounded for faculty who work in isolated contexts with few, if any, senior faculty to serve as mentors. METHODS OF DEVELOPMENT: The Western Writers Coercion Group evolved over a 2-year period from a small group of nursing faculty at a single institution to …


Nursing Management Innovations: A Need For Systematic Evaluation, J. C. Mccloskey, M. Mass, Carol Watson, C. Gongaware, Diane Huber, M. Blegen, M. Johnson, A. Kasparek, C. Delaney, K. Kelly Nov 2011

Nursing Management Innovations: A Need For Systematic Evaluation, J. C. Mccloskey, M. Mass, Carol Watson, C. Gongaware, Diane Huber, M. Blegen, M. Johnson, A. Kasparek, C. Delaney, K. Kelly

Diane Huber

While emphasis in nursing is placed on research on clinical interventions, there has been little attention to the equally important management interventions. The concept of a management intervention or innovation is introduced here and five types of management innovations in nursing are identified. An overview of the research base for four of the innovations demonstrates the need for systematic evaluation.


Assessing Postpartum Fatigue, Diane Gardner, B. Campbell Nov 2011

Assessing Postpartum Fatigue, Diane Gardner, B. Campbell

Diane Huber

No abstract provided.


The Ccmc's National Study Of Case Manager Job Descriptions: An Understanding Of The Activities, Role Relationships, Knowledges, Skills, And Abilities, H. Tahan, Diane Huber Nov 2011

The Ccmc's National Study Of Case Manager Job Descriptions: An Understanding Of The Activities, Role Relationships, Knowledges, Skills, And Abilities, H. Tahan, Diane Huber

Diane Huber

Defining the roles and functions of case managers is crucial in today's healthcare environment and necessary for the case management field. One way to address this issue is through the examination of case managers' job descriptions used in various healthcare organizations. The study reported herein used qualitative analysis procedures and the latent class cluster analysis method to examine a national sample of 1028 job descriptions of case managers. The study identified the activities, role relationships, knowledge, skills, and abilities of case managers working in varied settings. It also described the changes that occurred in the practice of case management, based …


Case Managers' Roles And Functions: Commission For Case Manager Certification's 2004 Research, Part Ii, H. Tahan, W. Downey, Diane Huber Nov 2011

Case Managers' Roles And Functions: Commission For Case Manager Certification's 2004 Research, Part Ii, H. Tahan, W. Downey, Diane Huber

Diane Huber

The Commission for Case Manager Certification (CCMC) conducted its third case managers' role and functions study in 2004 for the purpose of validating the currency and relevancy of the certified case manager examination. The results of this study are shared in an article of 2 parts. Part I, which was published in the previous issue of this journal, discussed the process the CCMC used for the development of the Case Managers' Role and Functions Survey Instrument and the identification of new 6 essential functions and 6 knowledge areas that describe case management practice. These findings were based on the survey …


Managing Forces Of Change: Commission For Case Manager Certification Looks To The Future, Diane Huber, H. Tahan Nov 2011

Managing Forces Of Change: Commission For Case Manager Certification Looks To The Future, Diane Huber, H. Tahan

Diane Huber

No abstract provided.


Conflict And Retention Of New Graduate Nurses, Diane Gardner Nov 2011

Conflict And Retention Of New Graduate Nurses, Diane Gardner

Diane Huber

No abstract provided.


A Nursing Management Minimum Data Set. Significance And Development, Diane Huber, C. Delaney, J. Crossley, M. Mehmert, S. Ellerbe Nov 2011

A Nursing Management Minimum Data Set. Significance And Development, Diane Huber, C. Delaney, J. Crossley, M. Mehmert, S. Ellerbe

Diane Huber

Building on Werley's nursing minimum data set, the authors identified a nursing management minimum data set (NMMDS). This collection of core data elements is needed by nurse administrators to make management decisions and compare effectiveness across institutions.


Survey Results. Who Helps You With Your Work?, M. Blegen, Diane Gardner, J. Mccloskey Nov 2011

Survey Results. Who Helps You With Your Work?, M. Blegen, Diane Gardner, J. Mccloskey

Diane Huber

No abstract provided.


Acuity And Case Management: A Healthy Dose Of Outcomes, Part I, Diane Huber, K. Craig Nov 2011

Acuity And Case Management: A Healthy Dose Of Outcomes, Part I, Diane Huber, K. Craig

Diane Huber

PURPOSE OF STUDY: This article presents acuity and dosage as two concepts that describe how the business case for case management (CM) can be made. Dosage and acuity concepts are explained as client need-severity, CM intervention-intensity, and CM activity-dose by amount, duration, extent, and timing. Concepts are related to the practice of CM using evidence-based knowledge and methods to develop instruments that measure and score pivotal CM actions. The purpose of this series of three articles is to introduce the two concepts of dosage and acuity, discuss their importance for making the business case for CM and for translation into …


Assessing Career Commitment. The Role Of Staff Development, Diane Gardner Nov 2011

Assessing Career Commitment. The Role Of Staff Development, Diane Gardner

Diane Huber

Staff development and inservice educators may be called on to respond to their organizations' need to recruit and retain nurses. One important role is to promote professional commitment and loyalty. This article describes the Gardner Career Commitment Scale as a tool for use in human resources management and decision making to assess career commitment.


The Diversity Of Case Management Models, Diane Huber Nov 2011

The Diversity Of Case Management Models, Diane Huber

Diane Huber

Case management is experiencing rapid growth and evolutionary transition. This article explores the diversity and richness of case management models found in practice. Interdisciplinary communication in case management programs can be facilitated by an awareness of discipline-specific definitions and models. A categorization of models is described as a device to stimulate multidisciplinary case management collaboration.


Career Commitment In Nursing, Diane Gardner Nov 2011

Career Commitment In Nursing, Diane Gardner

Diane Huber

There are different patterns and styles to careers in nursing. The concept of career commitment in nursing is explored, and the results of some research are discussed for their implications for nursing careers. A longitudinal, repeated-measures descriptive survey was used to measure career commitment and explore its relationship to turnover and work performance in 320 newly employed registered nurses at one hospital. Career commitment scores dropped significantly over the first year. Although career commitment does correlate with turnover, and there is a relationship with job performance, the direct association is weak. Career commitment is not a stable phenomenon in the …


Fatigue In Postpartum Women, Diane Gardner Nov 2011

Fatigue In Postpartum Women, Diane Gardner

Diane Huber

Childbirth and the responsibilities of parenting after birth require a great deal of energy. Fatigue in postpartum women is a concern for maternal-child nurses because of the impact on the health and parenting ability of the mother. To determine fatigue levels and types, 35 women who vaginally delivered were surveyed at 2 days, 2 weeks, and 6 weeks postpartum. This sample was found to be mildly fatigued, with situational and/or psychological fatigue. Nurses can intervene by assessing postpartum fatigue and using teaching/counseling methods for knowledge preparation and for clients at risk.


Achieving "Meaningful Use" Of Electronic Health Records Through The Integration Of The Nursing Management Minimum Data Set, B. Westra, A. Subramanian, C. Hart, S. Matney, P. Wilson, S. Huff, Diane Huber, C. Delaney Nov 2011

Achieving "Meaningful Use" Of Electronic Health Records Through The Integration Of The Nursing Management Minimum Data Set, B. Westra, A. Subramanian, C. Hart, S. Matney, P. Wilson, S. Huff, Diane Huber, C. Delaney

Diane Huber

OBJECTIVE: To update the definitions and measures for the Nursing Management Minimum Data Set (NMMDS). BACKGROUND: Meaningful use of electronic health records includes reuse of the data for quality improvement. Nursing management data are essential to explain variances in outcomes. The NMMDS is a research-based minimum set of essential standardized management data useful to support nursing management and administrative decisions for quality improvement. METHODS: The NMMDS data elements, definitions, and measures were updated and normalized to current national standards and mapped to LOINC (Logical Observation Identifier Names and Codes), a federally recognized standardized data set for public dissemination. RESULTS: The …


Nursing Management Minimum Data Set (Nmmds), Diane Huber, L. Schumacher, C. Delaney Nov 2011

Nursing Management Minimum Data Set (Nmmds), Diane Huber, L. Schumacher, C. Delaney

Diane Huber

The Nursing Management Minimum Data Set (NMMDS) is the research-based management data set that meets the nurse executives need for a specific nursing management data capture system that will produce accurate, reliable, and useful data for decision making. The authors update the development of the NMMDS and discuss the 17 NMMDS across-settings elements. Also discussed are the applications of the NMMDS to clinical practice and some ways in which the NMMDS can benefit both nurses and patient/client care.


The Nursing Management Minimum Data Set, Diane Huber, C. Delaney Nov 2011

The Nursing Management Minimum Data Set, Diane Huber, C. Delaney

Diane Huber

No abstract provided.


Patient Preferences And Discharge Planning Transitions, Diane Huber, E. Mcclelland Nov 2011

Patient Preferences And Discharge Planning Transitions, Diane Huber, E. Mcclelland

Diane Huber

Discharge planning is an urgently needed nursing intervention. The purpose of this article is to investigate the importance of patient and family preferences and participation for discharge planning and to describe the pilot testing of an instrument to measure patient preferences for discharge planning. The results identified a lack of congruence between patients' and caregivers' preferences, suggesting the need to assess both patients' and families' preferences early and incorporate this in discharge planning that begins at admission to a hospital. The instrument, Patient Participation Preferences Assessment (PPPA), is shown to be a useful, reliable, and valid instrument that can be …