Nursing Commons^™

Health-Risk Behaviors Of Adolescents In Southwest Mississippi, Irene J. Martin

MSN Research Projects

Early mortality among youth in the United States has prompted research to determine precipitating causes. It is believed that health-related behaviors are learned early in life and persist into adulthood. During the developmental period of adolescence, coping behaviors which may have positive or negative effects on teens' lives are adopted. These behaviors predispose adolescents to preventable premature death, disease, and social problems. The purpose of this descriptive study was to replicate and expand the research done by St. Lawrence and Brasfield (1991). This replicated survey expanded the population to include adolescents in Grades 7 and 8, ages 12 to 14 …

Coping Strategies And Effectiveness In School-Age Children With Cystic Fibrosis, Carmen M. Redlin

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the coping strategies and effectiveness in school age children with cystic fibrosis.

Benefits Of The Geriatric Nurse Clinician Role Within The Hospital Setting: A Quasi-Experimental Study, Gena Anne Vail

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this quasi-experimental study was to assss the benefits to the patient of the geriatric nurse clinician role within the hospital setting.

Comparison Of Level Of Satisfaction By Hiv-Infected Clients Who Have Received Care From Nurse Practitioners And Physicians In Outpatient Settings, Michael Hoffman

MSN Research Projects

Few studies have been done that examine the acceptance of nurse practitioners as providers of care by persons infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of satisfaction with care as experienced by the HIV-infected client in an outpatient setting who has received care from both nurse practitioners and physicians. The Health Belief Model (HBM) developed by Rosenstock, Hochbaum, and Kegeles in the 1950s, and specifically the concept of self-efficacy, was chosen as the conceptual framework for this study. In this descriptive study the null hypothesis examined was there will be …

Comparison Of The Incidence Of Couvade Syndrome Among Fathers Who Attend Childbirth Classes And Fathers Who Do Not Attend Childbirth Classes, Jenean H. Smith

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of Couvade Syndrome among those fathers who attended childbirth classes and those who did not attend childbirth classes.

Coping Styles Of Nurse Practitioners And The Effectiveness Of These Styles In Managing Stress, Carol J. Kolarik Smith

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to identify the coping styles used by nurse practitioners and determine the effectiveness of these styles in managing stress. The Roy Adaptation Model for Nursing was the theoretical framework used for this study. The research question which guided the data collection was what are the coping styles of nurse practitioners and how effective are these styles in managing the stress relative to functioning in the expanded role of nurse practitioner? The sample of convenience consisted of 72 nurse practitioners from Mississippi (30) and Tennessee (42) who completed and returned the survey questionnaire. …

A Comparison Study Of Coping Mechanisms In Clients And Significant Others Of Home And In-Center Hemodialysis, Judy Stevens

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the coping mechanisms used by clients with end-stage renal disease and their significal others.

The Level Of Self-Confidence Related To Knowledge And Skills Of Nurse Clinicians Practicing In The Expanded Role, Myra E. Fitts

MSN Research Projects

The level of self-confidence attained in a particular role affects the ability to perform in that role. Self- confidence is not innate but is developed through the interactions and experiences one has. The purpose of this study was to identify the level of self-confidence related to knowledge and skills of nurse clinicians practicing in the expanded role. Benner’s (1984) framework. From Novice to Expert, provided the direction and structure for this descriptive study. Three hundred thirty- three nurse clinicians licensed to practice primarily in four southeastern states participated in this study. Data were collected using the Thibodeau/Hawkins Self-Assessment Scale and …

Postpartum Health Education Needs: Perceptions Of First-Time Mothers And Health Care Providers, Lisa Elam Rowland

MSN Research Projects

A descriptive study was designed to answer the following research questions: 1) What are the postpartum health education needs perceived by first-time mothers in the hospital setting and in the primary care setting, and 2) What are the postpartum health education needs of new mothers perceived by health care providers in the hospital setting and in the primary care setting. Mercer's Theory of Maternal Role Attainment was used to guide the research. Forty-nine subjects participated in the study. The samples consisted of first-time mothers in the hospital (n=22), first-time mothers in the primary care setting (n=15), hospital health care providers …

Impact Of Follow-Up Encounters By A Geriatric Nurse Clinician On Return Visits To The Emergency Department By Elderly Clients, Lynn Smith

MSN Research Projects

Wiedenbach's Theory of Nursing as the helping art was the framework for this quasi-experimental study. This study sought to determine the effects of a follow-up encounter by a Geriatric Nurse Clinician on return visits to the emergency department by elderly clients. A nonprobability quota sampling consisted of elders, 65 to 92 years of age with chronic health problems, who utilized the emergency department of a 474-bed urban hospital. Thirty subjects were randomly assigned to three equal groups: Groups A and B received either a telephone call or a home visit, while Group C received no follow-up encounter. Demographic data were …

The Effects Of A Teaching Program About Aids Prevention On The Knowledge, Attitudes, And Behaviors Of High School Students, Deborah Whitehead

MSN Research Projects

As the number of adolescents contracting Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) increases, the importance of educational interventions to change behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge regarding AIDS becomes more significant. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the effects of a teaching program about AIDS prevention on the knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of high school students. Orem's Self-Care Theory was used to guide this quasi-experimental study. The sample consisted of 49 twelfth-grade students who were drawn from two high schools in rural Northeast Mississippi. The Student Health survey was utilized to assess students' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors about AIDS. Descriptive analysis and …

Reasons Community-Based Hospice Patients Require Hospitalization, Patricia Northcutt Stephens

MSN Research Projects

The philosophy of a community-based hospice program involves care of terminally ill patients in their homes. However, some patients do not remain at home and are hospitalized. This descriptive study was conducted to determine reasons community-based hospice patients require hospitalization. Orem's Theory of Self-Care and Theory of Nursing Systems provided the theoretical framework. A convenience sample of 9 hospice patient primary caregivers from a community-based hospice program in West Central Alabama participated. These caregivers provided care to 9 hospice patients over the age of 40 years who required hospitalization in 1990 and had since expired. During scheduled home interview visits, …

Self-Perceived Health Concerns Of Early, Middle, And Late Adolescents, Diane Baker

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify the self-perceived health concerns of early, middle, and late adolescents.

The Impact Of Using Barrier Touch On The Client's Perception Of Caring, Barbara Chatham

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if the client perceived any difference in caring when nurses wore gloves and when they did not.

A Comparison Study Of Coping Mechanisms In Clients And Significant Others Of Home And In-Center Hemodialysis, Judy Stevens

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the coping mechanisms used by clients with end-stage renal disease and their significant others. This descriptive, comparative study was guided by the hypothesis: Clients and significant others of home hemodialysis use different coping mechanisms from the clients and significant others of in-center hemodialysis. Orem's Nursing Systems Theory provided the theoretical framework. The sample (N = 43) consisted of 12 home hemodialysis clients and 12 home significant others and 12 in-center hemodialysis clients and 12 in-center significant others who resided in East Central, West Central, and Central Mississippi. Data were collected utilizing the …

Nurse Practitioners' Attitudes Toward Geriatric Euthanasia, Carol Thompson

MSN Research Projects

Health care professionals are being confronted with dilemmas about when and if life should be prolonged for the elder. This situation has been intensified because of the development of technology and the aging of the population. The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine nurse practitioners' attitudes toward geriatric euthanasia. Travelbee's Human-to-Human Relationship Model was the theoretical framework for this research. A sample of 47 nurse practitioners in Mississippi who had the probability of caring for the elder participated in this study. Nurse practitioners were asked to complete the Thompson Life- Prolonging Survey in which vignettes describing geriatric patients …

Health Locus Of Control And Spiritual Well-Being Of Participants In Narcotics Anonymous, Melinda Hamlin

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to determine the relationship between health locus of control and spiritual well-being of participants in Narcotics Anonymous .

Erickson, Tomlin, and Swain's (1983) Modeling and Role- Modeling provided the conceptual framework. The sample was composed of 20 men and women who were participants in Narcotics Anonymous and 18 years and older. Data were collected by a gatekeeper to maintain anonymity. Three questionnaires were used: Multidimensional Health Locus of Control Scale, Spiritual Well-Being Scale, and a Demographic Data Sheet. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, the Pearson Product Moment Correlation procedure, and content …

Spiritual Needs Of Chronically Ill Elders: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Susan Cox Hammond

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning and significance of the spiritual nature and needs of chronically ill elders.

Analysis Of Cholesterol Screening Practices, Jane Mattina

MSN Research Projects

Cardiovascular disease, which consists of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and cerebrovascular accidents, affects over 82 million American adults and is currently the leading cause of death in the United States. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identifies high-blood cholesterol as one of the main risk factors in the development of these diseases. Furthermore, 71 million Americans report having a high-blood cholesterol level, yet only about one third of those people have it under control (CDC, 2014c). The National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) guidelines recommend that adults 20 years or older be screened …

Characteristics Of Hospice Nurses And Nurse Clinicians In Primary Care Settings, Glenda Avery

MSN Research Projects

Literature review revealed that hospice nurses and primary care nurse clinicians were similar in nursing philosophy, practice, and professional qualities suggesting that a hospice setting may be a new role dimension for primary care nurses. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare demographic characteristics, personality characteristics, and death anxiety levels among hospice nurses and primary care nurse clinicians. The conceptual framework was Modeling and Role Modeling by Erickson, Tomlin, and Swain (1983). A descriptive ex post facto design was used to answer five research questions. The 16 PF Personality Factor Questionnaire, Temp1er Death Anxiety Scale, and the Demographic …

Effects Of An Academic Community Health Nursing Program On Self-Reported Functions And Competencies Of Entry Level Public Health Nurses, Charlotte Powell

MSN Research Projects

This quasi-experimental study investigated the effects of an academic community health nursing program on functions and competencies of entry level public health nurses. The primary purpose of this study was to ascertain if additional knowledge regarding functions and competencies expected of public health nurses, acquired in an academic setting at the baccalaureate level, would improve self-reported functions and competencies of public health nurses. This study was based on King's (1981) conceptual model for continuing nursing education and her Theory of Goal Attainment. This model depicts the interrelatedness and importance of nurses continuing their nursing education which leads to effective goal …

Relationship Between The Effective Use Of Coping Strategies By Spouses Of Clients With Myocardial Infarctions And Their Knowledge Level Of The Psychological And Emotional Effects, Sue Bryant

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between the effective use of coping strategies by spouses of clients with myocardial infarctions and their knowledge level of the psychological and emotional effects of a myocardial infarction. In particular, will spouses with greater knowledge of the psychological and emotional effects of a myocardial infaraction cope more effectively than those with less knowledge? Coping effectiveness was measured by the Jalowiec Coping Scale. Knowledge level of the psychological and emotion effects was tested by the Heart Attack Knowledge Scale. The subjects were drawn from local cardiologists' offices in central Mississippi. The …

Effects Of Antihypertensive And Cardiac Drugs And Level Of Depression In Community-Based Elders, Angela Hays

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this ex post facto study was to determine the effects of antihypertensive and cardiac drugs on the level of depression in community-based elders. Roy's Adaptation Model provided the theoretical framework for this study. Data were collected using the Brink Geriatric Depression Scale and the Drug Information Sheet. These questionnaires were administered to 40 subjects ages 55 and older who were taking antihypertensive and/or cardiac drugs or neither antihypertensive nor cardiac drugs. One null hypothesis and five directional hypotheses guided this study. The null hypothesis stated that there would be no difference in mean depression scores among the …

Relationship Between Level Of Burden In Family Caregivers And Life Satisfaction In Homebound Elders, Lorraine G. Hamm

MSN Research Projects

As the number of homebound elders in America increases, stresses on family caregivers for the group may develop. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between level of burden in family caregivers and life satisfaction in homebound elders. Roy's Adaptation Model was used to guide this descriptive correlational investigation. The sample consisted of 53 family caregiver/homebound elder dyads and was drawn from among clients of a home health agency in rural northwest Alabama. Participants were interviewed in their homes during routine nursing visits. The Burden Scale was used to assess the level of burden in family caregivers …

Knowledge And Acceptance Of The Nurse Practitioner Role By Rural Community Leaders, Jo-Ann M. Vandergriff

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between rural community leaders' knowledge of the role of the nurse practitioner and rural community leaders' acceptance of the nurse practitioner as part of the community health care system. King's (1981) conceptual framework for nursing provided the direction and structure for this descriptive correlational study. Fifteen subjects, who held a position of leadership within a rural northeast Mississippi county, participated in the study. Data were collected using the Modified Kviz Knowledge Questionnaire and the Modified Kviz Acceptance Questionnaire and were analyzed using the Pearson product moment correlation. The hypothesis for …

Effects Of An Educational Program On Perceived Environmental Risk And Identification Of Corrective Actions Related To Falls Among Community-Based Elders, Mary Davis

MSN Research Projects

Injury from falls is a prevalent problem among the elderly population. There is not only high morbidity associated with falls, but also a high mortality rate. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of an education program on perceived environmental risks and corrective actions related to falls among community-based elders. Johnson's Behavioral System Model provided the conceptual framework for this study. A quasi-experimental posttest only control group design was used to test the two hypotheses : The knowledge level of perceived environmental risks for falls will be higher among elders who participate in a falls prevention education …

Comparison Of Family Needs Of Parents Of Chronically Ill Children Who Participate In A Parental Support Group Versus Those Who Do Not, Kim Wilson Hardin

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the dimensions of family needs of parents of chronically ill children in rural northeastern Mississippi who participate in a parental support group, and the dimensions of family needs of parents who do not participate.

Relationship Between Creativity And Self-Esteem In Elders Living In The Community, Sandra Cross

MSN Research Projects

This descriptive correlational study explored the relationship of creativity and self-esteem in elders living in the community.

Coping Strategies And Health Locus Of Control In Women With Chronic Hypertension, Mary Ledford

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to determine the coping strategies most often used, their perceived effectiveness, and their correlation to health locus of control in women with chronic hypertension. The nonrandomized sample (N = 35) were women ages 35-65 years from a rural northeast Mississippi community. The subjects were primarily middle-aged, white, and of middle socioeconomic status. The theoretical framework for this study was Roy's Adaptation Model. Data collection were accomplished with the Personal Information Checklist, the Jalowiec Coping Scale, and the Health Locus of Control Scale. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson product …

Perceptions Of Weight, Health Status, Health Conception, And Health-Promoting Lifestyle In Normal Weight And Morbidly Obese Women, Donna Dean

MSN Research Projects

The purpose of this descriptive study is to determine the differences in perceived weight, perceived health status, health conception, and health-promoting lifestyle in normal weight and morbidly obese women.