Nursing Commons^™

A Spatial Analysis Of Functional Outcomes And Quality Of Life Outcomes After Pediatric Injury, Nathaniel Bell, Sami Kruse, Richard K. Simons, Mariana Brussoni

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

Changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) are more regularly being monitored during the first year after injury. Monitoring changes in HRQoL using spatial cluster analysis can potentially identify concentrations of geographic areas with injury survivors with similar outcomes, thereby improving how interventions are delivered or in how outcomes are evaluated.

METHODS:

We used a spatial scan statistic designed for oridinal data to test two different spatial cluster analysis of very low, low, high, and very high HRQoL scores. Our study was based on HRQoL scores returned by children treated for injury at British Columbia Children's Hospital and discharged …

Vaccination Perceptions Of School Employees In A Rural School District, Janelle Macintosh, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy, Renea L. Beckstrand, Lacey M. Eden, Jennifer Orton

Faculty Publications

Background: There continues to be a need for increases in adult vaccination rates, especially among those working in environments which may easily become communicable disease outbreak centers, such as school employees in the school environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate why rural Utah school employees were non-compliant with the influenza and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines, as well as to identify their views on mandatory vaccination policies.

Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to all school employees in a rural Utah school district. Data analysis included frequencies and measures of central tendency and dispersion for quantitative items …

Vaccination Perceptions Of School Employees In A Rural School District, Janelle L. B. Macintosh

Faculty Publications

Background: There continues to be a need for increases in adult vaccination rates, especially among those working in environments which may easily become communicable disease outbreak centers, such as school employees in the school environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate why rural Utah school employees were non-compliant with the influenza and measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines, as well as to identify their view on mandatory vaccination policies.

Methods: A questionnaire was distributed to all school employees in a rural Utah school district. Data analysis included frequencies and measures of central tendency and dispersion for quantitative items …

Role Modeling Clinical Judgment For An Unfolding Older Adult Simulation, Kathie Lasater, Elizabeth A. Johnson, Patricia K. Ravert, Doris Rink

Faculty Publications

Nurse educators must foster development of clinical judgment in students to help them provide the best care for the increasing population of older adult patients. This article reports qualitative findings from a mixed-methods study that focused on clinical judgment in the simulated perioperative care of an older adult. The sample was composed of treatment and control groups of prelicensure students (N = 275) at five sites. The treatment group watched a video of an expert nurse role model caring for a patient similar to the simulation patient, whereas the control group did not watch the video. Four weeks after simulation, …

Enhancing Leadership Skills In Clinical Practicum: A Medical Surgical Nursing Class Experience, Gisela Schmidt

Faculty Publications

The healthcare system in the United States of America (USA) with its complex environment and fast-paced changes requires well-prepared professional nurses; with outstanding leadership skills to address the demanding challenge. Nursing schools need to prepare students for that role. To fulfill this commitment, a Medical Surgical II course from a Baccalaureate Nursing Program incorporated into its clinical experience the student team leader role. Leadership skills need to be learned. Instructors cannot expect nursing students to surge through leadership theory, graduate, be exposed to real world situations; and then simply assume leadership positions without hands-on exposure. Preparing nursing students during their …

Population Focused Nursing: Advocacy For Vulnerable Populations In An Rn-Bsn Program, Melissa Jones, Paul Smith

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to describe an innovative learning activity for online RN-BSN students designed to foster advocacy for vulnerable populations. The Vulnerable Population Advocacy Assignment, included as a component of the online Population-Focused Nursing class, provides students with the opportunity to identify and develop an awareness of issues impacting vulnerable populations and to advocate for policy changes that will influence the health of individuals, families, and populations. RN-BSN students build on previous knowledge and skills in professional communication and advocacy as they develop a policy statement designed to address health disparities impacting local, national, and global populations.

Routine Versus Ad Hoc Screening For Acute Stress Following Injury: Who Would Benefit And What Are The Opportunities For Prevention, Nathaniel Bell, Boris Sobolev, Stephen Anderson, Robert Hewko, Richard K. Simons

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

Screening for acute stress is not part of routine trauma care owing in part to high variability of acute stress symptoms in identifying later onset of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The objective of this pilot study was to assess the sensitivity, specificity, and power to predict onset of PTSD symptoms at 1 and 4 months using a routine screening program in comparison to current ad hoc referral practice.

METHODS:

Prospective cross-sectional observational study of a sample of hospitalized trauma patients over a four-month period from a level-I hospital in Canada. Baseline assessments of acute stress (ASD) and subsyndromal ASD …

The Relationship Between Select Demographic Characteristics And Body Mass Index Among Native Hawaiian And Other Pacific Islander Caregiving Adults, Jane Lassetter Phd, Rn, Lauren Clark Phd, Rn, Faan, Sharla E. Morgan Fnp, Lora Beth Brown Phd, Gwen Vanservellen Phd, Rn, Faan, Katrina Duncan Fnp, Betsy S. Hopkins

Faculty Publications

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders (NHOPIs) are people with genetic origins in Hawaii, Samoa, or other Pacific Islands (Hixson, Hepler, & Kim, 2012). NHOPI prevalence of overweight or obesity is among the highest in the world. Nauru, a Pacific Island nation, is considered the most obese country in the world with an overweight and obesity prevalence of 93% (WHO, 2011). Hawaii’s overall prevalence of overweight or obesity is 52.1%, but the prevalence for Native Hawaiian residents is 69.6% (Hawaii Department of Health, 2011). Inasmuch as NHOPIs are one of the fastest growing ethnic groups in the U.S. (Hixson et …

Factors That Influence The Development Of Compassion Fatigue, Burnout, And Compassion Satisfaction In Emergency Department Nurses, Stacie Hunsaker, Dale Maughan, Sondra Heaston

Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to determine the prevalence of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout in emergency department nurses throughout the United States and (b) to examine which demographic and work-related components affect the development of compassion satisfaction, compassion fatigue, and burnout in this nursing specialty.

Design and Methods: This was a non-experimental, descriptive, and predictive study using a self-administrated survey. Survey packets including a demographic questionnaire and the Professional Quality of Life Scale version 5 (ProQOL 5) were mailed to 1,000 selected emergency nurses throughout the United States. The ProQOL 5 scale was used …

Creating A Gold Medal Olympic And Paralympics Health Care Team: A Satisfaction Survey Of The Mobile Medical Unit/Polyclinic Team Training For The Vancouver 2010 Winter Games, D Ross Brown, Behrouz Heidary, Nathaniel Bell, Leanne Appleton, Richard K. Simons, David C. Evans, S Morad Hameed, Jack Taunton, Kosar Khwaja, Michael O'Connor, Naisan Garraway, Peter Hennecke, Donna Kuipers, Tracey Taulu, Lori Quinn

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

The mobile medical unit/polyclinic (MMU/PC) was an essential part of the medical services to support ill or injured Olympic or Paralympics family during the 2010 Olympic and Paralympics winter games. The objective of this study was to survey the satisfaction of the clinical staff that completed the training programs prior to deployment to the MMU.

METHODS:

Medical personnel who participated in at least one of the four training programs, including (1) week-end sessions; (2) web-based modules; (3) just-in-time training; and (4) daily simulation exercises were invited to participate in a web-based survey and comment on their level of satisfaction …

Intraosseous Vascular Access For Alert Patients, Stacie Hunsaker

Faculty Publications

Nurses are often faced with the challenge of starting an IV line in a patient who is dehydrated, has suffered trauma, or is in shock. Even the efforts of the most skilled clinician may fail, while valuable time is lost. Intraosseous access is a rapid, safe, and effective route for delivering fluids and medications, and is recommended by numerous professional and specialty organizations for both pediatric and adult patients. Yet many clinicians remain unaware of the procedure. This article outlines the procedure and devices used, describes support for use in the literature, and discusses various considerations and nursing implications.

Intraosseous Vascular Access For Alert Patients, Stacie Hunsaker

Faculty Publications

Nurses are often faced with the challenge of starting an IV line in a patient who is dehydrated, has suffered trauma, or is in shock. Even the efforts of the most skilled clinician may fail, while valuable time is lost. Intraosseous access is a rapid, safe, and effective route for delivering fluids and medications, and is recommended by numerous professional and specialty organizations for both pediatric and adult patients. Yet many clinicians remain unaware of the procedure. This article outlines the procedure and devices used, describes support for use in the literature, and discusses various considerations and nursing implications.

Femoroacetabular Impingement: A Guide To Diagnosis In Primary Care, Alec Rimmasch Jr., Patricia K. Ravert

Faculty Publications

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) has been a diagnosis for approximately a decade in the medical field. Although FAI was once considered uncommon, it is now documented as 1 of the most common hip disorders. FAI is a variance or overgrowth within the femoral head neck space, acetabular ring, labrum, or cartilage. Patients with FAI frequently present in a general practice setting and endure months of pain and physical therapy before a correct diagnosis is ascertained. Understanding FAI and appropriate treatment and diagnostic procedures will facilitate early diagnosis in the primary care setting, providing the best chance for patient recovery.

Study Abroad Programs: Using Alumni And Graduate Students As Affiliate Faculty, Sheri Palmer, Debra Wing, Leslie Miles, Sondra Heaston, Karen H. De La Cruz

Faculty Publications

To expand student appreciation of global health and diversity, many schools of nursing offer study abroad programs. However, this type of labor-intensive program can be difficult in light of faculty shortages and constrained resources. The authors discuss how these issues were addressed using alumni and graduate students as affiliate teachers in 3 clinical study abroad settings.

Underutilization Of Primary Care Providers In Treating Opiate Addiction, Jennifer Jenkinson, Patricia K. Ravert

Faculty Publications

There are inadequate numbers of care providers or treatment programs to treat opioid abuse. Although many primary care nurse practitioners care for patients who are dependent on or abuse opioids, they are not allowed to prescribe the schedule 3 medications to treat them. This option is available to primary care physicians with additional training. This article discusses the effectiveness of opioid substitution therapy in a primary care setting, the patient populations, patient satisfaction, and barriers preventing primary care providers from providing treatment to opioid patients. Nurse practitioners can help overcome some of these barriers and improve access to this underserved …

Nln/Jeffries Simulation Framework: State Of The Science Summary, Patricia K. Ravert, Julie Mcafoees

Faculty Publications

In summer 2011, a research task force from the International Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL), in consultation with Dr. Pamela Jeffries, invited international nursing researchers and educators to participate in a project to evaluate state-of-the-science and existing research regarding the simulation model/framework (Jeffries, 2005, Jeffries, 2007). The model/framework was developed to define simulation education variables and provide an organized guide. The 21 researchers and educators worked on one of five teams, one for each of the five existing major model/framework constructs (Teacher, Student, Educational Practices, Outcomes, and Simulation Design Characteristics).

Cultural Aspects Of Latino Early Childhood Obesity, Lauren Clark, Susan L. Johnson, Mary E. O'Connor, Jane H. Lassetter

Faculty Publications

The problem of Latino childhood obesity is well known, and experts agree that the sooner it is addressed in a child’s life, the better. Strong evidence from nationwide studies suggests that obesity begins in infancy for Mexican Americans. National data demonstrate the dramatic increase in weight-for-recumbent length above the 95th percentile (using the NCHS growth chart) among Mexican American children between National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) (Ogden et al., 2006). High rates of childhood obesity affect the long-term health potential of children, since childhood obesity tracks into …

Debriefing Simulations: Comparison Of Debriefing With Video And Debriefing Alone, Shelly J. Reed, Claire M. Andrews, Patricia K. Ravert

Faculty Publications

Background: Debriefing as part of the simulation experience is regarded as essential for learning. Evidence concerning best debriefing practices from the standpoint of a student nurse participant is minimal, particularly when comparing debriefing types. This study evaluated the differences in the student experience between two debriefing types: debriefing with video and debriefing without video (debriefing alone). Method: Nursing students participating in an intensive care simulation were randomized into one of the two debriefing types: debriefing with video (n = 32) and debriefing alone (n = 32) following simulation completion. After debriefing was completed, studentswere asked to complete a debriefing experience …

Medical Home Model Of Patient-Centered Health Care, Sandra N. Berryman, Sheri P. Palmer, James E. Kohl, Jon S. Parham

Faculty Publications

The medical home offers a patient-centered model of care. The foundation of a medical home is the organized and continuous interprofessional care of patients.

Use Of A Blog In An Undergraduate Capstone Course, Shelly J. Reed, Debra Edmunds

Faculty Publications

A blog was utilized in a nursing capstone course to allow a venue for reflection and used in two separate capstone course. Focus group interviews were conducted to obtain student views of the blog and blogging activity. Students were positive about blog use, and identified the blog as helpful for debriefing/reflection, socialization and connectedness with peers, as well as progression toward becoming a registered nurse following graduation.

Virtual Collaboration In The Online Educational Setting: A Concept Analysis, Henny Breen

Faculty Publications

This study was designed to explore the concept of virtual collaboration within the context of an online learning environment in an academic setting. Rodgers’ method of evolutionary concept analysis was used to provide a contextual view of the concept to identify attributes, antecedents, and consequences of virtual collaboration. Commonly used terms to describe virtual collaboration are collaborative and cooperative learning, group work, group interaction, group learning and teamwork. A constructivist pedagogy, group-based process with a shared purpose, support and web-based technology are required for virtual collaboration to take place. Consequences of virtual collaboration are higher order thinking and learning to …

A Mixed Methods Study Of Maternal Competence And Self-Efficacy Theory In First-Time, Low-Income Mothers., Debra Copeland, Bonnie Lee Harbaugh

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Late-Life Body Mass Index And Dementia: An Integrative Literature Review, Sarah Slade, Patricia K. Ravert

Faculty Publications

Dementia and obesity are significant public health concerns. Alzheimer's disease affects 5.3 million adults, while 72.5 million adults are obese. Emerging evidence linking body mass index (BMI) and dementia suggest that, although a high BMI in midlife is associated with a greater risk for dementia, a high BMI in late life is considered protective and should not necessarily be considered a risk factor for dementia. Beginning in midlife, practitioners should trend patient BMI numbers. Major fluctuations during this time should be monitored and nutritional counseling and cognitive screenings offered to help patients maintain a healthy BMI and detect early cognitive …

Cost-Effective Asthma Treatments For Uninsured Or Underinsured Pediatric Patients, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy, Emilianne Dougall, Renea L. Beckstrand

Faculty Publications

Nurse practitioners should constantly compare a medication's potential effect with its associated cost, thus identifying the most cost-effective treatment plan. Such an approach is warranted for both pediatric and adult patients. Prescribing medications for children who are uninsured or underinsured can be especially challenging, particularly for those patients diagnosed with a chronic health condition requiring routine treatment and follow-up. Asthma can be such a chronic illness for which the cost associated with treatment may become a barrier to compliance with the treatment plan. Cost-effective treatment options for asthma in the pediatric patient are presented.

Situated Peer Coaching And Unfolding Cases In The Fundamentals Skills Laboratory, Deborah O. Himes, Patricia K. Ravert

Faculty Publications

Using unfolding case studies and situated peer coaching for the Fundamentals Skills Laboratory provides students with individualized feedback and creates a realistic clinical learning experience. A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-intervention data was used to evaluate changes in student ratings of the course. An instrument was used to examine students' self-ratings and student comments about each lab. We found that students' ratings of the lab remained high with the new method and self-evaluations of their performance were higher as the semester progressed. Students appreciated the personalized feedback associated with peer coaching and demonstrated strong motivation and self-regulation in learning. …

Situated Peer Coaching And Unfolding Cases In The Fundamentals Skills Laboratory, Deborah O. Himes, Patricia K. Ravert

Faculty Publications

Using unfolding case studies and situated peer coaching for the Fundamentals Skills Laboratory provides students with individualized feedback and creates a realistic clinical learning experience. A quasi-experimental design with pre- and post-intervention data was used to evaluate changes in student ratings of the course. An instrument was used to examine students' self-ratings and student comments about each lab. We found that students' ratings of the lab remained high with the new method and self-evaluations of their performance were higher as the semester progressed. Students appreciated the personalized feedback associated with peer coaching and demonstrated strong motivation and self-regulation in learning. …

Oncology Nurses' Obstacles And Supportive Behaviors In End-Of-Life Care: Providing Vital Family Care, Renea L. Beckstrand, Joan Collette, Lynn Callister, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy

Faculty Publications

Purpose/Objectives: To determine the impact of obstacles and supportive behaviors in end-of-life (EOL) care as perceived by hospital-based oncology nurses.

Design: A 69-item mailed survey.

Setting: National random sample.

Sample: 1,005 nurse members of the Oncology Nursing Society who had provided EOL care for patients with cancer.

Methods: Three mailings yielded 380 usable responses from 912 eligible respondents, resulting in a 42% return rate.

Main Research Variables: Size and frequency of EOL care obstacles and supportive behaviors for patients with cancer in a hospital setting.

Findings: Results of this research demonstrate the need for more EOL education and help in …

Exploring Barriers To Organ Donation In The African American Communities Of California, D. R. Law, Susan Mcniesh

Faculty Publications

There are a disproportionate number of African-Americans on transplant waiting lists across the country. The outcomes of a transplant are greatly improved when the donor and the recipient are from the same ethnic group. Sadly, the demand for cadaver organs in the African-American community exceeds the supply. Researchers in the past have sought to identify barriers to organ and tissue donation. To date, the studies have been conducted in the eastern and southern regions of the United States. This study examines whether the previously identified barriers are applicable in the African-American communities of California. A revised version of the Bone …

Emergency Nurses' Suggestions For Improving End-Of-Life Care Obstacles, Renea L. Beckstrand, R. Daniel Wood, Lynn C. Callister, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy, Sondra Heaston

Faculty Publications

Introduction: More than 123 million ED visits are reported annually. Many patients who arrive for care to help extend their lives instead die while in the emergency department. Emergency departments were designed to save lives rather than to provide optimal end-of-life (EOL) care. Emergency nurses care for these dying patients and their families. The purpose of this study was to determine what suggestions emergency nurses have for improving EOL care.

Methods: Emergency nurses were asked which aspects of EOL care they would like to see changed to improve how patients die in emergency departments. Of the 1000 nurses surveyed, 230 …

The Last Frontier: Rural Emergency Nurses’ Perceptions Of End-Of-Life Care Obstacles, Renea L. Beckstrand, Virginia C. Giles, Karlen E. (Beth) Luthy, Lynn C. Callister, Sondra Heaston

Faculty Publications

Introduction: Caring for dying patients is part of working in a rural emergency department. Rural emergency nurses are prepared to provide life-saving treatments but find there are barriers or obstacles to providing end-of-life (EOL) care. This study was completed to discover the size, frequency, and magnitude of obstacles in providing EOL care in rural emergency departments as perceived by rural emergency nurses.

Methods: A 57-item questionnaire was sent to 52 rural hospitals in Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nevada, and Alaska. Respondents were asked to rate items on size and frequency of perceived obstacles to providing EOL care in rural emergency departments. …