Nursing Commons^™

Clinical Observation Reflections From Students In An Interdisciplinary Palliative Care Course, Marcia Phillips, Susan Breakwell, Kim Minju, Margaret Faut Callahan

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into how a brief clinical observation encounter contributed to students’ experiences in an interdisciplinary palliative care course. This course was required of all graduate nursing students and was available as an elective for medical and other healthcare professions students at a healthcare sciences university. The students were required to spend approximately 8 to 12 hours attending interdisciplinary team meetings or accompanying a team on rounds and patient visits.

The students’ summary narratives of their observation experience were analyzed in this qualitative study that focused on six categories of feedback: (1) patients’ …

Predictors Of New Graduate Nurses’ Organizational Commitment During A Nurse Residency Program, Marilyn Meyer Bratt, Holly M. Felzer

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Retaining newly graduated nurses is critical for organizations because of the significant cost of turnover. Since commitment to an organization is associated with decreased turnover intent, understanding factors that influence new graduates’ organizational commitment is important. In a sample of nurse residency program participants, predictors of organizational commitment over time were explored. Perceptions of the work environment, particularly job satisfaction and job stress, were found to be most influential.

Nurse residency programs provide extended opportunities to model professional role behaviors for new nurses, enhance knowledge development and clinical application, and promote successful integration to the work environment (Bratt, 2009). Despite …

Family Planning, Natural Family Planning, And Abortion Use Among U. S. Hispanic Women, Dana Rodriguez, Richard J. Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Hispanics are the largest minority group in the U. S. and they contribute to over 50 percent of Catholics under the age of 25. The purpose of this study was to determine the patterns of contraceptive use (current and ever), natural family planning (NFP), and abortion among U. S. Hispanic women between the ages of 15 and 44 years and to compare their patterns of use to non-Hispanic women of the same age range. A particular interest was to determine the influence of faith on the choice of family-planning methods among the sexually active U. S. Catholic Hispanic women. Data …

Shared Care Dyadic Intervention: Outcome Patterns For Heart Failure Care Partners, Margaret Sebern, Aimee Woda

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Up to half of heart failure (HF) patients are readmitted to hospitals within 6 months of discharge. Many readmissions are linked to inadequate self-care or family support. To improve care, practitioners may need to intervene with both the HF patient and family caregiver. Despite the recognition that family interventions improve patient outcomes, there is a lack of evidence to support dyadic interventions in HF. Thus, the purpose of this study was to test the Shared Care Dyadic Intervention (SCDI) designed to improve self-care in HF. The theoretical base of the SCDI was a construct called Shared Care. Shared Care represents …

Developing A Screening Measure For Early Detection Of Depressive Symptoms: The Depressive Cognition Scale, Jaclene Zauszniewski, Abir K. Bekhet

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Nearly 10% of American adults experience depressive symptoms each year. Negative thought patterns associated with risk for depression can be identified using a psychometrically sound measure, such as the Depressive Cognition Scale (DCS). However, no meaningful cutoff score has been established for the DCS. This study used a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to establish a DCS cutoff score for risk for depression, using the Center for Epidemiological Studies–Depression Scale (CES-D) as the gold standard measure. In a national nondepressed sample of 629 adults, the ROC showed that the DCS accurately discriminated between participants with and without serious depressive thinking …

Secrets Of Successful Short Grant Applications, Patricia S. Groves, Susan M. Rawl, Mary E. Wurzbach, Nancy Fahrenwald, Marlene Z. Cohen, Donna O. Mccarthy, Julie Zerwic, Barbara Given, Donna L. Algase, Gregory L. Alexander, Vicki Conn

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Nursing doctoral programs prepare students for research-focused careers within academic settings. The purpose of this Editorial Board Special Article is to provide PhD students and advisors with suggestions for making the most of their doctoral experience. Editorial Board members provide their individual insights on the skills and attributes students must acquire during the course of their doctoral education in order to succeed. The authors provide practical tips and advice on how to excel in a PhD program, including how to select an advisor and a dissertation committee, the importance of attending conferences to increase visibility and develop a network of …

Randomized Comparison Of Two Internet-Supported Natural Family Planning Methods (Preliminary Findings), Richard J. Fehring, Mary Schneider

Randomized Comparison of Two Internet-Supported Methods of Natural Family Planning

The aims of this study were to determine and compare efficacy, satisfaction, ease of use, and motivation in using an internet-based method of Natural Family Planning (NFP) that utilizes either electronic hormonal fertility monitoring (EHFM) or cervical-mucus monitoring (CMM). Four hundred fifty women (mean age 30.1) and their male partners (mean age 31.9) who sought to avoid pregnancy were randomized into either an EHFM (N=228) or CMM NFP group (N=222). Both groups utilized a Web site that provided NFP instructions, an electronic charting system, and support from professional nurses. Participants were assessed for satisfaction, ease of use, and motivation in …

Sleep Characteristics In Patients With Whiplash-Associated Disorders: A Descriptive Study, Jay S. Greenstein, Barton Bishop, Jean Edward, Allen Huffman, Danielle Davis, Robert V. Topp

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Study Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore sleep habits and characteristics of patients with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD) presenting at an outpatient, chiropractic clinic using the Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Sleep Scale.

Methods: Fifty-one patients from an outpatient chiropractic and physical therapy clinic specializing in spinal rehabilitation participated in this cross-sectional, descriptive study. Data were collected using a descriptive survey, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Neck Disability Index (NDI), and the self-administered 12-item MOS Sleep Scale. Data analysis included descriptive statistics to describe pain, disability, and sleep characteristics of the study sample, and computation of …

A Survey Of Napnap Members’ Clinical And Professional Research Priorities, Kathleen J. Sawin, Linda C. Lewin, Victoria P. Niederhauser, Margaret A. Brady, Dolores Jones, Arlene Butz, Agatha M. Gallo, Christine A. Schindler, Cynthia A. Trent

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction

The purpose of this methodological article is to describe the development, implementation, and analysis of the survey used to determine NAPNAP members' ranking of research priorities, to describe the top priorities ranked by participants, and to determine if priorities differed by area of practice (primary, acute, or specialty care) or participant age.

Method

A cross-sectional descriptive design with an online survey was used. Completed by 324 NAPNAP members, the survey consisted of a demographic section and 90 statements in two domains: Clinical Priorities and Professional Role Priorities.

Results

Survey respondents strongly supported the top priorities with an average overall …

Does The Perception That Stress Affects Health Matter? The Association With Health And Mortality, Abiola O. Keller, Kristin Litzelman, Lauren E. Wisk, Torsheika Maddox, Erika Rose Cheng, Paul D. Creswell, Whitney P. Witt

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Using Debriefing For Meaningful Learning To Foster Development Of Clinical Reasoning In Simulation, Kristina Dreifuerst

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Debriefing is critical to learning from simulation experiences, yet the literature reports little research describing best practices within nursing. Debriefing for Meaningful Learning (DML) is a systematic process for debriefing in which teachers and students explicate different aspects of reflection and generate new meanings from simulation experiences. The purpose of this exploratory, quasi-experimental, pretest–posttest study was to test the relationship of DML on the development of clinical reasoning skills in prelicensure nursing students when compared with customary debriefing strategies and on students’ perception of quality of the debriefing experience. Analysis of data demonstrated a greater change in clinical reasoning skills …

Directive Versus Supportive Approaches Used By Midwives When Providing Care During The Second Stage Of Labor, Kathryn Osborne

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Introduction: Although the risks associated with using sustained and forceful maternal bearing‐down efforts during the second stage of labor have been well documented, most women who give birth in the United States bear down in response to direction from care providers about when and how to push rather than in response to their own physiologic urges. The purpose of this study was to describe the practices used by certified nurse‐midwives/certified midwives (CNMs/CMs) in response to maternal bearing‐down efforts when caring for women in second‐stage labor and to identify factors associated with the use of supportive approaches to second‐stage labor care. …

Biological Measurement In Intervention Research, Donna O. Mccarthy

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Stages Of Change In The Trajectory Of Postpartum Weight Self-Management, Jennifer M. Ohlendorf

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

To identify women's patterns of readiness to engage in weight self-management behaviors during the postpartum period.

Design

Prospective, longitudinal design with repeated measures, guided by the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM).

Setting

A tertiary perinatal center in an urban setting in the midwestern United States with approximately 3,000 births annually.

Participants

One hundred ninety-one (191) adult postpartum women.

Methods

Participants were surveyed in person during their postpartum hospitalizations, and by telephone at 4 and 8 weeks postpartum using the Stages of Change for Weight Management (SOCWM) and the Decisional Balance for Weight Management (DBWM) tools.

Results

There …

Weight-Management Information Needs Of Postpartum Women, Jennifer M. Ohlendorf, Marianne E. Weiss, Polly Ryan

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: To describe the weight loss information-seeking behaviors of postpartum women.

Study Design and Methods: The study is part of a larger longitudinal descriptive study of factors associated with women's self-management of their gestational weight loss after birth. Participants answered questions about weight loss information they planned to access, had received, wished they had received, and desired sources of information. A total of 250 women were enrolled during the postpartum hospital stay; 179 completed a 4-month follow-up.

Results: A large portion of the sample (53.3% of normal weight women, 79% of overweight women, and 81.4% obese women) identified plans to …

Challenges In Conducting Research After Family Presence During Resuscitation, Jane S. Leske, Natalie S. Mcandrew, Crystal-Rae Waltons, Annette E. Garcia, Karen J. Brasel

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Family presence during resuscitation (FPDR) is an option occurring in clinical practice. National clinical guidelines on providing the option of FPDR are available from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, American Heart Association, Emergency Nurses Association, and Society of Critical Care Medicine. The FPDR option currently remains controversial, underutilized, and not the usual practice with trauma patients. This article is based on the methodological and practical research challenges associated with an ongoing study to examine the effects of the FPDR option on family outcomes in patients experiencing critical injury after motor vehicle crashes and gunshot wounds. The primary aim of …

Normal Weight Is Associated With Significant Reductions In Cardiovascular Risk For Adults, Even In Those Who Were Overweight Or Obese As Children, Commentary On "Childhood Adiposity, Adult Adiposity, And Cardiovascular Risk Factors", Marilyn Frenn

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding Stress In The Operating Room: A Step Toward Improving The Work Environment, Robert V. Topp, Jill Berger, Anthony Vowels

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Job-related stress is an important factor predicting staff satisfaction and position turnover among nursing staff, particularly in the operating room. The purpose of this study was to examine the perceived amount of stress elicited by events in the perioperative environment, the frequency of those events, and the impact of those events on the perceived stress of operating room nurses (ORNs) and operating room technologists (ORTs). The Survey on Stress in the OR instrument, which was used to query the subjects, exhibited high internal consistency of all items. The findings indicated that the ORNs and the ORTs exhibited remarkable similarities between …

Perceptions Of Professional Practice And Work Environment Of New Graduates In A Nurse Residency Program, Marilyn Meyer Bratt, Holly M. Felzer

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

New nurses continue to face challenging work environments and high expectations for professional competence as they enter practice. Nurse residency programs are gaining prominence as a mechanism to ease new graduates’ transition to practice. This study examined new graduates’ perceptions of their professional practice competence and work environment throughout a yearlong nurse residency program. Employing a repeated measures design, data were collected at baseline, at 6 months, and at 12 months. Results showed that job satisfaction was significantly lowest at 6 months and highest at 12 months. Job stress was found to be lowest at 12 months and organizational commitment …

The Effect Of Acceptance Training On Psychological And Physical Health Outcomes In Elders With Chronic Conditions, Patricia Mcdonald, Jaclene Zauszniewski, Abir K. Bekhet, Laura Dehelian, Diana L. Morris

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

This pilot trial investigated the short and long-term effects of Acceptance Training (ACT) intervention on acceptance, perceived health, functional status, anxiety, and depression in elders with chronic conditions living in retirement communities (RCs). The ACT intervention combined Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy with music, relaxation, and guided imagery during six weekly 2-hour sessions. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 16 African-American and 46 White elders across four data collection points in six randomly selected RCs using well-established measures of perceived health, functional status, anxiety, and depression, and a measure of acceptance of chronic conditions adapted from a previous measure of acceptance of …

Prehabilitation Before Total Knee Arthroplasty Increases Strength And Function In Older Adults With Severe Osteoarthritis, Ann M. Swank, Joseph B. Kachelman, Wendy Bibeau, Peter M. Quesada, John Nyland, Arthur Malkani, Robert V. Topp

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Preparing for the stress of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery by exercise training (prehabilitation) may improve strength and function before surgery and, if effective, has the potential to contribute to postoperative recovery. Subjects with severe osteoarthritis (OA), pain intractable to medicine and scheduled for TKA were randomized into a usual care (UC) group (n = 36) or usual care and exercise (UC + EX) group (n = 35). The UC group maintained normal daily activities before their TKA. The UC + EX group performed a comprehensive prehabilitation program that included resistance training using bands, flexibility, and step training at least …

Challenge With Care: Reflections On Teaching Excellence, Stacee M. Lerret, Marilyn Frenn

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

A number of faculty have had no formal preparation to teach. Because little nursing research has focused on teaching excellence in recent years, when both nursing practice and approaches to teaching and learning have changed remarkably, this analysis integrates present perspectives and the research foundation for teaching nursing. A constant comparative method incorporating 27 doctoral student reflections and analysis of literature from 1960 to present resulted in four major categories: know and honor students, enthused, knowledgeable, and student centered. Linking the major categories, an Excellent Teacher Circle of Distinction emerged, described as “with enthusiasm and compassion the teacher engages the …

What Can Parents Do To Reduce Youth Obesity? An Initial Study With A Diverse Sample, Marilyn Frenn, Amy Heinrich, Claire Schmidt Dohmen, Jessica E. Pruszynski

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The body mass index (BMI) of diverse, low-income fifth grade students (n = 36) was regressed on physical activity (Child Adolescent Activity Log), percentage dietary fat (Food Habits Questionnaire), and the Food/Activity Parenting Practices Questionnaire. The model explained 50% of the variance in student BMI, adjusted R² = .50, F (4, 19) = 6.84, p = .001. Students accurately perceived their weight status. Students' perception of parenting strategies, along with dietary fat, was significantly associated with their BMI. Parent's (n = 14) BMI, not the child's, was associated with the strategies they used. Three parents tested an …

Women’S Perceptions Of Caesarean Birth: A Roy International Study, Jacqueline Fawcett, Cynthia Aber, Susan Haussler, Marianne E. Weiss, Sheila Taylor Myers, Jaye L. Hall, V. Lynn Waters, Charlette King, Marja-Terttu Tarkka, Anja Rantanen, Paivi Astedt-Kurki, Jennifer Newton, Virginia Silva

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this Roy adaptation model-based multi-site international mixed method study was to examine the relations of type of caesarean birth (unplanned/planned), number of caesarean births (primary/repeat), and preparation for caesarean birth to women’s perceptions of and responses to caesarean birth. The sample included 488 women from the United States (n = 253), Finland (n = 213), and Australia (n = 22). Path analysis revealed direct effects for type of and preparation for caesarean birth on responses to caesarean birth, and an indirect effect for preparation on responses to caesarean birth through perception of birth the …

Tailoring A Treatment Fidelity Framework For An Intensive Care Unit Clinical Trial, Linda L. Chlan, Jill L. Guttormson, Kay Savik

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background:

Treatment fidelity (TF) refers to methodological strategies and practices used to monitor and enhance the reliability and validity of behavioral interventions. Treatment fidelity monitoring enhances internal and external validity and is needed for study replication and generalizability.

Objectives:

The aim of this study was to describe the implementation, monitoring, and impact of TF in an intensive-care-unit-based clinical trial testing music for anxiety self-management with mechanically ventilated patients.

Method:

Development of the criteria was based on the Five-Component Treatment Fidelity Framework from the Treatment Fidelity Workgroup. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate adherence rates to the key TF criteria and …

Testing The Integrated Theory Of Health Behaviour Change For Postpartum Weight Management, Polly Ryan, Marianne E. Weiss, Nicole Traxel, Michael J. Brondino

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Aim.  This is a report of a correlational study to test the Integrated Theory of Health Behaviour Change within the context of postpartum weight self‐management including the impact of race/ethnicity and weight classification.

Background.  Women experiencing childbirth face increasing challenges to manage their weight postpartum. Little is known about women’s weight self‐management during the complex physiological and psychosocial transition of the postpartum period.

Methods.  Data were collected during the birth hospitalization and 4 months postbirth during 2005 and 2006. A quota sample of 250 postpartum women using two strata, race/ethnicity and prepregnant weight classification, were enrolled; 179 women completed the …

Autism Spectrum Disorder: Parenting Stress, Family Functioning And Health-Related Quality Of Life, Norah L. Johnson, Marilyn Frenn, Suzanne Feetham, Pippa Simpson

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is 1 in 110 persons in the U.S. Both parents of children with ASD are under stress that may impact their health-related quality of life (HRQL) (physical and mental health). The purpose of the current study was to explore the relationship of parenting stress, support from family functioning and the HRQL (physical and mental health) of both parents. Female (n = 64) and male (n = 64) parents of children with ASD completed Web-based surveys examining parenting stress, family functioning, and physical and mental health. Results of a Wilcoxon signed-ranks test showed that …

Knowledge Of Palliative And End-Of-Life Care By Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Margaret Callahan, Susan Breakwell, Rosemarie Suhayda

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Individuals requiring palliative care frequently receive inadequate or no treatment. As part of a 5-year study funded by the National Institutes of Health, all graduate nursing students, including student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs), at a single institution participated in a 2–credit-hour course titled Interdisciplinary Palliative Care. The project team sought to identify SRNAs’ knowledge and attitudes regarding palliative and end-of-life care and to determine potential roles for CRNAs in this growing area of practice.

Comparison Of The Effects Of Ice And 3.5% Menthol Gel On Blood Flow And Muscle Strength Of The Lower Arm, Robert V. Topp, Lee J. Winchester, Amber M. Mink, Jeremiah S. Kaufmann, Dean E. Jacks

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Context: Soft-tissue injuries are commonly treated with ice or menthol gels. Few studies have compared the effects of these treatments on blood flow and muscle strength. Objective: To compare blood flow and muscle strength in the forearm after an application of ice or menthol gel or no treatment. Design: Repeated measures design in which blood-flow and muscle-strength data were collected from subjects under 3 treatment conditions. Setting: Exercise physiology laboratory. Participants: 17 healthy adults with no impediment to the blood flow or strength in their right arm, recruited through word of mouth. Intervention: Three …

Staffing Excellence: Moving From Retrospective To Prospective Management Of Risk, Kathryn Rapala

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.