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Full-Text Articles in Nursing

The Effect Of Providing End Of Life Care On The Mental Health Of Critical Care Nurses, Christy Nelson Jan 2023

The Effect Of Providing End Of Life Care On The Mental Health Of Critical Care Nurses, Christy Nelson

Master's Projects

Critical care nurses are providing care to acutely ill patients now more than ever and may experience moral or emotional distress due to providing end of life care to their patients. The purpose of this literature review is to determine the mental health effects of a critical care nurse providing palliative end of life care. A literature search using PubMed and CINHAL was conducted and fourteen published articles between 2012-2023 were included in this review. Several interventions were identified which may be useful in decreasing burnout and moral distress in critical care nurses. Overall, nurses experienced the most negative mental …


Efficacy Of Gabapentin Versus Benzodiazepines In The Management Of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome, Douglas R. Fredona Jan 2023

Efficacy Of Gabapentin Versus Benzodiazepines In The Management Of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome, Douglas R. Fredona

Master's Projects

Alcohol abuse, complicated by a dependency relationship, is the third leading modifiable cause of death in the United States. In patients with chronic alcohol use disorder who experience a sudden cessation or significant decrease in alcohol consumption, half will experience symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Benzodiazepines are the typical first line treatment for alcohol withdrawal. However, benzodiazepines carry with them significant risks and side effects. As a result, ongoing research has taken place to find either an alternative treatment or a method of reducing total benzodiazepine dosage during treatment. Gabapentin is a medication that is primarily used for seizure control …


Assessing Culture Competence Among Nurses In An Acute Care Setting, Maleka Virani May 2009

Assessing Culture Competence Among Nurses In An Acute Care Setting, Maleka Virani

Master's Projects

The aim of the study was to assess cultural competence among nurses in an acute care setting. A 25-item questionnaire developed by Campinha-Bacote (2003) titled Inventory to Assess Cultural Competence Among Health Care Providers (IAPCC-R) along with a demographic survey were utilized to assess cultural competence among 100 nurses in an acute care hospital. The results of the study indicated that 70% of nurses (n=63) were culturally aware and 30% (n=27) were culturally competent. There was no statistical significance between the level of cultural competence and years of experience, educational degree or self rating of 'being culturally competent'. The findings …


The Cost Of Negative Perceptions Of The Work Environment Among Intermediate Intensive Care Unit Nurses, Joselyn Peralta Dec 2006

The Cost Of Negative Perceptions Of The Work Environment Among Intermediate Intensive Care Unit Nurses, Joselyn Peralta

Master's Projects

This descriptive study assessed the perceptions of the work environment and the retention plans among registered nurses (RNs) who worked in the Intermediate Intensive Care Unit at a tertiary university hospital. Results from the Moos Work Environment Scale found that nurses perceived high levels of work pressure and low levels of clarity, coworker cohesion, and supervisor support. Results indicated that the intent to leave the unit was dependent on the nurses having other options in nursing, desiring further education, an undesirable scheduling process and unsafe patient care. The direct and indirect costs to hospitals could be offset by developing strategies …


Does Culture Influence The Needs Of Critical Care Families?, Naomi Alston May 2006

Does Culture Influence The Needs Of Critical Care Families?, Naomi Alston

Master's Projects

Purpose: This study explores ICU patient's family member needs, particularly Vietnamese and Latino families. Design: Convenience sampling at 24 bed ICU in acute care community hospital serving ethnically diverse population. Methods: Non-experimental survey with pretest-posttest design using Demographic sheet, Critical Family Needs Inventory (CCFNI), and Needs Met Inventory (NMI). Information pamphlets were distributed. Data analysis was by ethnic groups using measures of central tendency and descriptive statistics. Findings: CCFNI results indicate family members of all ethnicities experience the same priority of needs; support and information are top two needs. English, Spanish and Vietnamese pamphlets met information needs of the majority …


Nurses' Perception Of Family Presence During Resuscitation, Josephine Njoku Dec 2005

Nurses' Perception Of Family Presence During Resuscitation, Josephine Njoku

Master's Projects

Background Family witnessed resuscitation (FWR) is the concept of allowing family members at bedside during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Studies have shown that the lack of standard policies by hospitals regarding FWR forces nurses to make different decisions regarding family presence at bedside during resuscitation. The framework for this study is Sandman's teleological model. Objectives To examine nurses' perceptions of having family members present during adult cardiac resuscitation. Methods A descriptive study of 57 registered nurses (n = 57) from northern California was conducted. Participants completed a mailed survey consisting of a 22-item Likert scale questionnaire titled "Family Presence Risk-Benefit Scale." Results …


Perceived Social Support Among Chinese American Hemodialysis Patients, Kaklam Wong May 2005

Perceived Social Support Among Chinese American Hemodialysis Patients, Kaklam Wong

Master's Projects

Social support is linked to improved health outcomes both in Western and Asian societies and is a vital factor in a patient's adjustment to end-stage renal disease and its treatment regimen. This study explored perceived social support among 46 Chinese American hemodialysis patients in San Francisco's Chinatown using the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire plus open-ended questions. Findings unexpectedly revealed low levels of perceived social support and lack of tangible support especially in elder patients. We can no longer assume that traditional family cultural values are providing adequate social support for this population.


Pain Management Through Music Therapy, Dereck H. Ko May 2004

Pain Management Through Music Therapy, Dereck H. Ko

Master's Projects

In 1999, approximately three quarters of patients admitted to emergency departments reported pain (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 2000). Managing pain pharmacologically alone may not be enough because pain perception is a complex phenomenon that consists of both physiological and psychological components (Trauger-Querry & Haghighi, 1999). Music therapy is one of the systematic applications in treatment of physiological and psychological aspects of an illness or disability (Cook, 1981).The objectives of this study were to measure the pain intensity index PPI (Melzack) level before after the intervention with music therapy to investigate if music therapy is effective for pain …


Barriers To Domestic Violence Screening In The Emergency Department, Lisa Yonaka Dec 2003

Barriers To Domestic Violence Screening In The Emergency Department, Lisa Yonaka

Master's Projects

Are you in a relationship in which you're being abused? That is not an easy question to answer or ask. Identification of those who are victims of domestic violence is important to prevent further abuse and injury. The purpose of this non-experimental study was to determine barriers of Emergency Department Registered Nurses screening patients for domestic violence. 33 ED RNs completed a short anonymous questionnaire that was developed by Dr. Mary Lou Moore, Wake Forrest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The most significant barriers to screening identified, were the lack of education on how to ask questions about abuse, language barriers, …


Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of An Anaphylaxis Training Program For Unlicensed Assistive Personnel, Jean A. Litarowsky Jan 2003

Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of An Anaphylaxis Training Program For Unlicensed Assistive Personnel, Jean A. Litarowsky

Master's Projects

This study evaluated a training program designed to prepare unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP) in high school settings to recognize and respond effectively to an anaphylactic emergency. Subjects included 53 adults employed by a high school district in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. A training model was developed based on Bandura's theory of sources of self-efficacy. Knowledge and perceived self-efficacy of participants were measured before and after the training program to determine if a theory-based anaphylaxis recognition and epinephrine auto-injector training program would increase participants' knowledge and self-efficacy in responding to an anaphylactic emergency. Paired t-tests revealed significant improvement …


The Differences Between Women And Men In The Length Of Time Between Onset Of Cardiac Symptoms And Undergoing A Cardiac Catheterization, Anita Gertsch Jan 1997

The Differences Between Women And Men In The Length Of Time Between Onset Of Cardiac Symptoms And Undergoing A Cardiac Catheterization, Anita Gertsch

Master's Projects

Coronary artery disease is a leading cause of death among women. Even so, research suggests that women continue to receive less aggressive cardiac treatment than men. The purpose of the research was to determine if there was a time difference in initiation of cardiac catheterization in a selected population of men and women. A chart review was completed on adult women (n=20) and men (n=20), with varied adult ages, at a hospital based cardiac catheterization laboratory in Northern California. The charts were chosen randomly from the daily catheterization list. Data collection included age, gender, preferred spoken language, pay source, prior …