Nursing Commons^™

The Efficacy Of An Audio Program And Discussion Guide In Promoting Exclusive Breastfeeding In Cameroon, Africa, Kathryn R. Reinsma

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Background: In the Northwest Region of Cameroon, approximately 90% of women initiate breastfeeding; however, only 34% continue exclusive breastfeeding for the recommended six months (Kakute, et al., 2005; WHO, 2008). Entertainment-education is a mass-media communication strategy of placing educational information into media such as television programs, movies, and radio programs (Siegel & Lotenberg, 2007). This form of behavioral change communication has proven effective in addressing health-related issues in developing countries.

Purpose: The aim was to design an audio program and discussion guide to test the hypothesis that an audio program and discussion guide improves exclusive breastfeeding knowledge, beliefs, benefits, self-efficacy, …

The Effects Of An Intervention Program On Nursing Burnout, Maria Rosa-Morales

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The risk for professional burnout has become commonly recognized and in the past several years has been a focus of research efforts. Nursing is one of the professions generating a high level of stress which results in burnout.

The purpose of this study was to test the effects of an intervention program for nurses who felt they were experiencing burnout. Nursing burnout was defined as a chronic condition of stress among nurses, which leads to a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and lack of personal accomplishment. The design used was a true experiment. Fifty-two nurses served as voluntary participants who …

Smoking Behavior Among Alabama Student Nurses : The Role Of Behavioral Beliefs And Normative Referencing, Judith Rausch

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine predictors of smoking behavior for the senior student nurses in the state of Alabama using Ajzen and Fishbein's Theory of Reasoned Action. Smoking prevalence by level of educational preparation and selected health behaviors were examined for relationship to cigarette use.

A sample of 11 schools of nursing were selected from Alabama's 34, using a random numbers table. There were 13 total programs as two of the schools had both A.D. and B.S. nursing programs. Thirty-two percent (N=555) of senior A.D., B.S. & diploma students nurses in Alabama responded to an 87 item …

The Modified Index Of Severity Scale, Marion Gamundoy

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

[No Abstract Included]

Measuring The Effectiveness Of Patient Teaching In Postpartum Patients, Nancy Racine

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

[Abstract Not Included]

The Effect Of Fetal Age On Skin Permeability In Guinea Pigs, Benita Stiles Whitted

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Preliminary investigation has indicated large decreases in fetal skin permeability during the latter half of gestation (Parmley and Seeds, 1970; Treager, 1966). The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the degree of skin permeability in fetal guinea pigs at various gestational stages. The test hypothesis was that these skins would show a significant decrease in permeability to tritiated water when tested at time increments through out the latter half of gestation.

In vitro skin permeability to tritiated water was measured in samples from 22 guinea pig fetuses. Gestational age ranged from 30 to 65 days in increments of five, …

The Effect Of Self-Help Support Groups On Self Esteem And Blood Glucose In Young Insulin-Dependent Diabetics, Linda L. Woertz

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Successful adaptation to diabetes is probably a function of many factors: the stress involved, the rewards, the motivation of the individual, and the self concept. The more optimal the self concept the more optimal the behavior may be. By helping the patient shape a positive self concept, a base can be built for blood glucose control (Bruhn, 1977, pp. 93-97). One method of improving self concept or self esteem may be through the development of self-help support groups for diabetics.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of self-help support group intervention on the levels of self …

Support Systems Of Mexican-American Women And Their Attitudes Regarding Infant Feeding, Susan Marie Krantz

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This was a descriptive study of 37 recently migrated to the United States, Spanish-speaking, Mexican-American women. Attitudes and support systems associated with their choice to breast or bottle feed their infants were studied. The purpose of this research was to answer the following questions:

1. What are the differences in the attitudes of Mexican- American primiparas who choose to breast feed and those who choose to bottle feed?

2. What are the differences in the practice, recommendations, and proximity of location of significant members of the women's support systems?

Twenty-one breast feeders and 16 bottle feeders were interviewed in Spanish …

The Effect Of Natural Measures To Aid In Sleep As Compared With The Use Of Flurazepam 30 Milligrams As Seen In The Hospitalized Male Patient, Myra Ladd Thompson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Sleep is necessary for physical and psychological restoration of the body. Studies indicate that tissue repair is augmented during sleep, showing that rates of protein synthesis and of mitotic division are higher at times of rest and sleep. Studies evaluating sleep-deprived subjects reveal that after loss of normal sleep, some types of memory and learning processes are impaired. These subjects generally become anxious and irritable, especially after loss of dreaming sleep.

Sleeping medications have been implicated by observers and researchers to be a cause of altered sleep patterns. These medications not only disrupt normal sleep cycles, but their continued use …

A Comparative Study On The Frequency Of Respiratory, Gastrointestinal, And Allergic Disorders Between Bottle-Fed And Breast-Fed Infants From Birth To Twelve Weeks Of Age, Sylvia C. Souza

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Questions concerning the advantages of breast-feeding have been debated since the introduction of commercially-prepared formula about 50 years ago. Some recognized benefits of breast milk include less respiratory as well as other Infections, less allergy in infancy and later life, and a lower morbidity rate in less-developed countries. From 1955 to 1971 in the United States there was a decline in the incidence of breast feeding related to several factors which included the introduction of formula, mothers returning to the work force, and strict maternity units' rules and routines. Since 1971 to the present there has been a resurgence in …

The Effect Of Nursing Discharge Counseling Sessions On The Pre-Discharge Anxiety Level Of The Neurotically-Depressed Female In A Community Hospital Setting, Deborah Snyder Galasso

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Discharge from the hospital has been identified as a time when patients are in need of additional nursing support. The prospect of leaving the protective hospital environment to return to the home environment with its life stresses can cause anxiety. This study was designed to test the effect of a nursing intervention, discharge counseling sessions, on the anxiety level of the neurotically-depressed female prior to discharge.

The null hypothesis guiding this study was: nursing discharge counseling sessions will have no significant (α=0.05) effect on the pre-discharge anxiety level of the neurotically-depressed female in a community hospital setting. The State-Trait Anxiety …

A Study Of The Physiological And Mental Effects Of Various Shift Patterns On Registered Nurses, Carolyn Taylor Smith

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The effects of shift work on circadian I an rhythms has become a subject of great Interest to many industries, hospitals, and sleep researchers. More and more recognition is being given to the results of these studies, especially the possible adverse effects on those working the night shift or a shift they are unable to adapt to adequately. Only a few of these studies, however, have been conducted on registered nurses, a major group involved with shift work.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects on nurses working the a.m. shift (7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.), …

Effects Of Relaxation Therapy On Anxiety In Depressed Clients, Patricia Anne Worret

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

During a psychiatric field placement, it was noted by this nurse researcher that patients with a diagnosis of depression often overtly displayed symptoms of anxiety. A brief literature review revealed that this anxiety-depression duality occurred frequently.

The purpose of this study was to determine if relaxation therapy was a therapeutic intervention which could be utilized by nurses to provide relief from the symptoms of the anxiety-depression syndrome. This was a clinical, quasi-experimental research investigation. The sample was chosen by a purposive, non-random selection of 20 experimental and 10 control subjects who were hospitalized with a diagnosis of depression in an …

The Effect Of Post-Hospital Nursing Intervention On Success In Breastfeeding, Melinda Hoskins

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to compare the proportion of women in the experimental group who had a successful breastfeeding experience following post-discharge nursing intervention with the proportion of women in the control group who had a successful breastfeeding experience without nursing intervention. Criteria defining success in breastfeeding were established before the study. Chi-square analysis was used to test for significance with the preset level of significance being α = 0.05. The sample comprised 25 mother-infant dyads with 12 in the experimental group and 13 in the control group. Both groups were similar in type of delivery (spontaneous or …

The Effects Of A Teen Mother Program On The Growth And Development Of The Child, Barbara Mccarthy

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Teen-aged childbearing is a serious social, economic and health problem which has now reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Teen pregnancies have been shown to produce infants of low birth weight, of higher risk to disease and of slower growth and development.

Many programs have been developed by the state and federal government to help the young mother better cope with the problems of pregnancy. These Teen Mother programs combine the opportunity to complete a high school education with instruction in the special skills needed for parenting. This study was designed to investigate the growth and development of the …

A Comparison Of The Empathy Of Registered Nurses Practicing Primary Nursing As Compared To That Of Registered Nurses Practicing Team Nursing, Carol Milardo Floriani

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Historically the most outstanding feature of the nursing profession has been its genuine concern for the human being, and quality care of the sick has been its manifestation. However, technology with its high level of development and pervasiveness in the culture of the United States has threatened not only our society at large but also the nursing profession. "Depersonalized" and "nursing" are contradictory terms, and if used together certainly cannot denote a high quality of nursing care. In order to meet this threat, concerned health care professionals are studying ways to increase the empathetic element in nursing care in order …

The Effect Of A Values Clarification Strategy On The Smoking Behavior Of Pregnant Women, Jean Eiber

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The null hypothesis of this study stated that there would be no significant difference (α=.05) in the change in smoking behavior following a teaching intervention to discourage smoking in pregnant women between those who completed a values clarifying strategy prior to the intervention and those who did not. Forty subjects were randomly assigned 20 to an experimental group and 20 to a control group. Both groups completed a pretest questionnaire concerning demographic data and smoking behavior. Information regarding the adverse effects on the fetus and on the developing child of smoking was presented to each subject by the researcher. The …

The Effect Of Primary Nursing On Nurse Job Satisfaction And Patient Satisfaction With Nursing Care, Karen Garrison

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Nursing as a profession has seen the loss of large numbers of practitioners through job dissatisfaction. In addition, recent studies testing professional growth among new graduates have demonstrated negative findings. Lack of responsibility and accountability have been indicated as potential causes of these problems which confront professional nursing.

In nursing modalities such as functional, case method and team nursing the lack of autonomy in providing care is visible. The team nursing approach fragments patient care; a nurse in this system is responsible for team members rather than directly for patients. The registered nurse does not have enough personal contact in …

The Effect Of Warmed Humidified Oxygen On The Temperature Of Depressed Newborns, Earlene Scharping

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of warmed humidified oxygen on the body temperature of depressed newborns and compare it to the effect of unwarned un-humidified oxygen administered under similar circumstances. The sample group consisted of a total of ten infants (five control and five experimental) with birth weights > 2000 gms who had an Apgar score of less than seven at birth and who required the administration of oxygen. The control group received oxygen in the routine delivery room manner (unwarned and un-humidified). The experimental group received oxygen which had been warmed to a temperature of …

Community Health Nursing Assessment And Counseling Of The Breast-Feeding Primipara, Donita Rotherham

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

An experimental study was conducted with twenty-one breast-feeding primiparas during the initial four-week post-partal period to test the effect of in-home community health nursing assessment and counseling on the breast-feeding success rate. It was hypothesized that mothers receiving assessment and counseling regarding physical, informational and psychosocial needs, would be more successful than those who were not counseled.

Criteria for success were: (1) breast-feeding at four weeks postpartum, (2) an adequate milk supply as evidenced by no need for formula supplementation to keep the baby satisfied, (3) an infant weight gain of one to two pounds during the four-week period, and …

Community Health Nursing Assessment And Counseling Of The Breast-Feeding Primipara, Donita Rotherham

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

An experimental study was conducted with twenty-one breast-feeding primiparas during the initial four-week post-partal period to test the effect of in-home community health nursing assessment and counseling on the breast-feeding success rate. It was hypothesized that mothers receiving assessment and counseling regarding physical, informational and psychosocial needs, would be more successful than those who were not counseled.

Criteria for success were: (1) breast-feeding at four weeks postpartum, (2) an adequate milk supply as evidenced by no need for formula supplementation to keep the baby satisfied, (3) an infant weight gain of one to two pounds during the four-week period, and …

Relationship Between Some Demographic Characteristics And Adverse Reactions Experienced By Women Undergoing A Therapeutic Abortion While Awake, Karen K. House

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

With the liberalization of abortion laws by the Supreme Court in 1973, American women have been able to obtain therapeutic abortions in hospitals and out-patient clinics in ever increasing numbers. With the increased number of women seeking abortions the medical field has responded with abortion procedures that are safe and relatively quick. With the speed doctors use to perform the procedure, many women may wish to take advantage of the medically safer method of abortion under local anesthesia. However, some women are unable to withstand the psychological and physical stress associated with a therapeutic abortion while awake. It would be …

Community Health Nurse Influence On Retiree Health Planning, Patricia Hora

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The number and percent of the population over the age of 60 in the United States is increasing. The majority of these people (96%) are functioning in their own homes (Shanas, 1965). Physical health is important to the enjoyment and utilization of the added years of life. Therefore it seems important to find ways to meet the older citizen before the time of illness and help him/her to develop health goals and plans that will facilitate an optimal level of functioning and improve the quality of life.

The purpose of this study was to describe a method of intervening at …

The Effect Of Planned Physical Activities On Deficient Motor Skills In Head Start Preschool Children, Darlene L. Robinson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

During the past few years many physicians, nurses, psychologists, teachers, and physical educators have begun to place more emphasis upon the developmental problems of children. As an outgrowth of this, more attention has been given the child showing mild to moderate motor problems. As a result of these more subtle difficulties going unrecognized and untreated, children may suffer from learning disorders, lack of acceptance by teachers and peers, maladaptive behavior and feelings of low self-esteem (Cratty, 1970; Kiphard, -1970; and Ferinden, 1972).

The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether planned physical activities would aid in remediation and/or modification …

The Effect Of Pre-Admission Crisis Nursing Intervention On The Anxiety Level Of Elderly Persons On Admission To A Nursing Home, Doreen C. K. Lee

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The experimental study attempted to determine whether pre-admission crisis nursing intervention had any effect on the level of anxiety of elderly people when they were transferred from an acute hospital to a nursing home.

The literature review related to trends in numbers of nursing homes and in the increase in longevity. Several articles indicated that the aged, as a group, lacked power to alter their situations. The need for patients to express their feelings and participate in their own decisions was stressed in various studies. Other theories discussed theoretical aspects and goals of crisis intervention. Several articles suggested that crisis …

A Descriptive Study Of Women's Attitudes Towards Obtaining Or Not Obtaining Papanicolaou Smears, Linda J. Shults

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

It was the purpose of this study to identify the attitudes of a selected group of women which influenced their participation in Papanicolaou testing. These attitudes were inferred from the reasons women gave for obtaining the test. The subjects were randomly selected from the telephone book of a medium-sized town in Southern California. The 135 women who participated in the telephone interview were considered to be the respondents in the study.

A review of the literature revealed that through the annual use of the Papanicolaou smear, approximately 11,000 deaths every year from uterine and cervical cancer could be prevented, Attitudes …

The Relationship Of Locus Of Control Of The Diabetic Patient And Compliance With Medical Regimen, Lois Daniel

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

The literature indicates that many diabetic patients do not adhere to their prescribed medical regimen and that there is a need to discover factors that stimulate compliant behavior. It has been proposed that the patient's decision to accept or reject treatment has many determinants. This study explored the effect of one such determinant, the locus of control (the source of the stimulus for a person's behavior). It was hypothesized that a person with an internal locus (one who believes his actions influence his future) would be more likely to comply with a medical regimen than one with an external locus …

Concerns Of Postnatal Mothers About Sexuality, Sheela A. Gideon

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

An exploratory study was designed to find out what questions mothers had about postnatal sexuality. A questionnaire was prepared by the nurse researcher to find out answers to the following questions.

1. What specific questions do mothers have about sexual relations following delivery?
2. Do mothers feel free to initiate discussion about resumption of intercourse following delivery?
3. Do mothers like their husbands to be included in the discussion?
4. When do mothers prefer to receive information regarding sexual relationships following delivery?

The questionnaire was mailed to fifty primipara mothers between three and four weeks after delivery. Mothers with pronounced anemia, heart and lung …

Exploration Of The Incidence Of Identified Emotional Disorders In Selected General Hospitals Of Nebraska, Arlene M. Van Horn

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A descriptive-comparative survey using content analysis of medical records has been done to determine the frequency with which emotional disorders are identified by medical personnel in the population hospitalized in small general hospitals in north-central Nebraska.

A systematic, random sample of medical records was taken from two hospitals arbitrarily included in the study on the basis of bed capacity and distance from mental health facilities.

Each medical record that was reviewed has been placed in a category based on whether an emotional disorder was identified in it by the medical personnel, or whether it contained recorded behaviors that could indicate …

Prenatal Instruction Of Breast Feeding Mothers, Anita Berry

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This experimental study tested the effect of prenatal instruction on the success of a group of mothers who desired to breast feed their infants. It was hypothesized that mothers receiving information on how to nurse their infants, how to prevent complications and how to cope with common problems of breast feeding would have a higher success rate than those not so instructed.

Criteria for success was that the mothers would have an adequate supply of milk to meet the nutritional demands of their infant without supplementation, would have fewer and less severe complications, and would express a higher degree of …