Nursing Commons^™

Practical Approaches To Treating Patients With Bipolar Disorder, Jane E. Neu, Susan M. Denisco

Nursing Faculty Publications

Many patients present to a primary care setting with symptoms of a mood disorder. These symptoms may be indicative of an anxiety disorder or a depressive disorder, but they may also represent bipolar disorder, which is more common than many practitioners think. Correctly diagnosing bipolar disorder can be complex, because patients tend to seek treatment when they are experiencing the symptoms of depression or anxiety rather than mania or hypomania. Comorbid disorders such as substance abuse and anxiety disorders may complicate the clinical presentation. Failing to correctly diagnose bipolar disorder can have serious consequences in terms of patients' morbidity and …

Self-Mutilation In Adolescents: Recognizing A Silent Epidemic, Constance Glenn, Susan M. Denisco

Nursing Faculty Publications

This article describes the physical and emotional manifestations of self-mutilation behavior (SMB) in adolescents and provides information about diagnosis and treatment. The authors' own survey of school nurses' on-the-job experience with SMB is presented. Finally, the implications of the problem for nurse practitioners (NPs) who care for teens at risk for SMB are discussed.

Improving The Health Literacy Of Rural Elders: An Interdisciplinary Approach, M. Susan Jones, Marilyn M. Gardner, Janelle A. Peeler, Serena Merry Britt, Marilyn Lewis Graves

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Humor And Laughter May Influence Health: [Part] Ii. Complementary Therapies And Humor In A Clinical Population, Mary Payne Bennett, Cecile Lengacher

Nursing Faculty Publications

Our results support a connection between sense of humor and self-reported physical health, however, it is difficult to determine the relationship to any specific disease process. Whereas relationships between sense of humor and self-reported measures of physical well-being appear to be supported, more research is required to determine interrelationships between sense of humor and well-being.

Humor And Laughter May Influence Health. [Part] I. History And Background, Mary Payne Bennett, Cecile A. Lengacher

Nursing Faculty Publications

Articles in both the lay and professional literature have extolled the virtues of humor, many giving the mpression that the health benefits of humor are well documented by the scientific and medical community.The concept that humor or laughter can be therapeutic goes back to biblical times and this belief has received varying levels of support from the scientific community at different points in its history. urrent research indicates that using humor is well accepted by the public and is frequently used as a oping mechanism. However, the scientific evidence of the benefits of using humor on various health related outcomes …

Relief Of Symptoms, Side Effects, And Psychological Distress Through Use Of Complementary And Alternative Medicine In Women With Breast Cancer, Cecile A. Lengacher, Mary P. Bennett, Kevin E. Kip, Lois Gonzalez, Paul Jacobsen, Charles E. Cox

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Impact Of An Adherence Program On The Health And Outlook Of Hiv-Infected Patients Failing Antiretroviral Therapy, Michael F. Parry, Pamela Wright, Julie G. Stewart, Gavin Mcleod, James Tucker, Amy R. Weinberg

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: We prospectively studied the impact of an adherence counselor on the outcome of patients failing antiretroviral therapy because of nonadherence. Methods: Forty-six patients, identified as chronically nonadherent were enrolled. Individual attention was provided using the information, motivation and behavioral methodology. HIV RNA (viral load, in copies/mL), CD4 count (in cells/[mm.sup.3]), and body weight before and after the adherence counselor were measured. Qualitative outcome and patient satisfaction were assessed by deidentified third-party interviews. Results: Over half completed at least 1 year; only 8 patients were lost to follow-up. Mean CD4 counts increased significantly (P < .05) for completers at 6 and 12 months. Viral loads decreased between baseline and 6 months. Most clients reported subjective benefit from working with the adherence counselor. Conclusion: Although few clients showed complete virologic suppression, the value of an adherence counselor was validated. Longer term adherence programs should be evaluated.

Personal Respiratory Protection Use Among Confinement Workers, M. Susan Jones

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Neurobehavioral Functioning And Breastfeeding Behavior In The Newborn, Sharon Radzyminski

Nursing Faculty Publications

Objective: To determine whether central nervous system functioning has an effect on the normal, term infant's ability to breastfeed in the first day following birth. Design: Breastfeeding behaviors and neurobehaviors were evaluated at birth and at 24 hrs of age in two groups of neonates. One group of neonates was born to mothers who received epidural analgesia during labor, and one group was born to mothers who received no pain medication. Breastfeeding behavior was evaluated using the Preterm Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale, and the infant's neurobehaviors were evaluated using the Neurologic and Adaptive Capacity Score. Participants: Fifty-six breastfeeding mother-newborn dyads. …

Advances In Graduate Nursing Education: Beyond The Advanced Practice Nurse, Sharon Radzyminski

Nursing Faculty Publications

Historically, graduate education in nursing has been primarily concerned with the clinical role. In recent years it has been suggested that graduate education needs to consider alternate programs of study that prepare nurses for clinical leadership that are distinct from management and advanced practice roles. Graduate education is needed that focuses on the skills required to coordinate care and implement outcome-based practice and quality improvement strategies. Two models are currently being proposed that meet these objectives. The first is the population health nurse expert that functions on the macrosystems approach and the second is the clinical nurse leader which is …

Smoke-Free Laws And Indoor Air Pollution In Lexington And Louisville, Ellen J. Hahn, Kiyoung Lee, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, Adewale Troutman, Robert W. Powell

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Collaborative Management Of Hiv Infection In The Community: An Effort To Improve The Quality Of Hiv Care, Michael F. Parry, Julie G. Stewart, P. Wright, Gavin X. Mcleod

Nursing Faculty Publications

Our hospital led a multidisciplinary community team to improve the quality of care delivered to HIV-infected clients utilizing a disease management approach in a US metropolitan community of 150,000 people. Community needs assessment and client and community surveys were used to define the problems. Patient care flowcharting and the creation of an electronic patient database facilitated patient tracking across the entire community. Clinical guidelines and a consultation and referral immunology clinic standardized care practices. Measurable improvements in the quality of care were noted in multiple areas. Flowchart completion rates rose from 44% to 100%; medication adherence assessment rose from 82% …

Predicting The Use Of Personal Respiratory Protection Among Workers In Swine Confinement Buildings, M. Susan Jones

Nursing Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to identify the variables that influence the frequency of personal respiratory protection (PRP) use by workers in swine confinement buildings (SCBs). The study was designed to answer four research questions: 1). What is the validity and reliability of the Personal Respiratory Protection Survey (PRPS)? 2). How frequently do workers in SCBs wear PRP? 3). How do demographics, occupational histories, and self-reported respiratory health histories influence the use of PRP in SCBs? and 4). What are the relationships of the constructs (benefits, barriers, susceptibility, severity, norms) to the use of PRP by workers in SCBs? …

Sjogren’S Syndrome: Recognizing And Treating An Autoimmune Disease, Susan M. Denisco, Linda Ferro

Nursing Faculty Publications

Sjogren's syndrome, one of the most common autoimmune diseases, is characterized by cell-mediated lymphocytic infiltration of the exocrine glands, particularly the salivary and lacrimal glands. It receives little attention in the literature, and frequently goes unrecognized until progressive changes are apparent. This article aids nurse practitioners in diagnosing the disorder in its earliest stages and in initiating proper treatment.

Evaluation Of Needle Exchange Programs, Cheryl Delgado

Nursing Faculty Publications

Needle exchange programs exist in every major population area in the United States and in many other countries. Some operate legally under emergency health decrees issued by local departments of health, with the stated intention of risk reduction through the removal of used injection equipment from use by injection drug users. It is theorized that this results in a reduced transmission of human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis, and, possibly, other blood-borne diseases. Needle exchange programs also offer access to drug treatment programs for the participants. It is a difficult but necessary task to evaluate these programs. This article examines examples of …

Technology In Nursing Education, Cheryl Delgado

Nursing Faculty Publications

Before writing this article, a computerized literature search was clone using online library services, articles were printed from e-journals. and a word-processing program was accessed on a lap-top personal computer. Such use of technology is well established and pervasive in higher education. It is so common as to be often transparent. For the past 30 years. the world has been host to a phenomenon the RAND organization calls the "information revolution." The United States has been a leader in developing and absorbing the new technologies into the patterns of everyday life. Most Americans. if they think about it at all. …

Bulimia: Medical Complications, Philip S. Mehler, Cynthia Crews, Kenneth Weiner

Nursing Faculty Publications

Bulimia nervosa is a common eating disorder that predominantly affects young women. There are three main models of purging in bulimia. Resulting medical complications are related to the particular mode and frequency of purging. Commonly, there are oral and gastrointestinal complications along with serious electrolyte and endocrine complications. The majority of the medical complications of bulimia nervosa are treatable if diagnosed in a timely fashion. Some of these patients require inpatient hospitalization, and others can be managed along a continuum of outpatient care. The American Psychiatric Association has comprehensive treatment guidelines for the management of bulimia. Primary care physicians and …

Standards Of Holistic Nursing Practice As Guidelines For Quality Undergraduate Nursing Curricula, Noreen Cavan Frisch

Nursing Faculty Publications

The accreditation criteria of the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE) direct faculty to select nationally developed standards for professional practice to guide curricula and to articulate curriculum outcomes. Recently, the CCNE proposed that all undergraduate programs should adopt the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Essentials of Baccalaureate Education as one set of national standards for undergraduate and prelicensure programs. Standards of Holistic Nursing Practice, developed by the American Holistic Nurses’ Association, is an additional set of standards that assists in defining quality for undergraduate nursing education. Standards of Holistic Nursing shares major concepts with Essentials; however, it …

Faculty Development For Teaching Online: Educational And Technological Issues, Anne M. Barker

Nursing Faculty Publications

The purpose of this article is to describe the process of creating a faculty development program for online instruction. Both educational and technological issues are discussed. Factors that will facilitate and barriers that will impede the implementation of online courses are included. Many faculty concerns regarding online courses relate to the issues of quality and student learning. Faculty development activities are directed to ensure that courses are developed using sound educational theory and principles. Online courses are first about student learning; using the technology is second. Thus, faculty development programs must be two-pronged, involving instructional design and technology. It is …

Mobilizing Students And Community Partners To Enhance The Health Of The Rural Elderly, M. Susan Jones, Marilyn M. Gardner, Janelle A. Peeler, Marilyn Lewis

Nursing Faculty Publications

The Health Enhancement of the Rural Elderly (HERE) project is a federally funded grant project designed to empower the rural elderly in Butler and Edmonson counties to maximize their use of the health care system. This project was developed after identifying the needs of approximately 25% of the population in the U.S. that reside in rural areas. Of this population in rural Kentucky, 14-15% is 65 years or older (U.S. Bureau of Census, 2000). A higher incidence of chronic diseases, disabilities, difficulties with daily living activities, and cutbacks in social services have been identified as factors causing this population to …

The Effect Of Ultra Low Dose Epidural Analgesia On Newborn Breastfeeding Behaviors, Sharon Radzyminski

Nursing Faculty Publications

Objective: To determine whether a difference in breastfeeding behaviors could be observed between newborns whose mothers received epidural analgesia for labor pain relief and those newborns whose mothers received no pain medication in labor. Design: There were two groups of neonates in this study. One group was born to mothers who received epidural analgesia, and one group was born to mothers who received no pain medication for labor. Both groups were observed for initial breastfeeding behaviors using the Premature Infant Breastfeeding Behavior Scale following birth and at 24 hours. Central nervous system functioning in the newborn was measured with the …

Aprn: What Does It Stand For?, Julie G. Stewart

Nursing Faculty Publications

The American Nurses' Association (ANA) has advocated that all advanced practice nurses have one title, APRN. The various titles have been confusing for not only lay people, but also health professionals. Educational programs and requirements for advanced practice obviously are quite different, depending on what degree and certification one is aiming for.

Humor Response Scale, Mary Bennett

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Reliability And Validity Of The Hrs, Mary P. Bennett

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Mirthful Laughter On Stress And Natural Killer Cell Activity, Mary P. Bennett, Janice M. Zeller, Lisa Rosenberg, Judith Mccann

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Humor Response Scale, Mary P. Bennett

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Reliability And Validity Of The Hrs, Mary Bennett

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

State Mandated Prenatal Human Immunodeficiency Virus Screening At A Large Community Hospital, William Cusick, Julie G. Stewart, Michael Parry, Gavin Mcleod, Gerald Rakos, Chris Sullivan, John Rodis

Nursing Faculty Publications

Purpose: To describe the initial experience of state mandated prenatal HIV screening at a large community hospital.
Methods: HIV screening was provided to all pregnant women as of October 1, 1999. All HIV-positive women identified received aggressive antiretroviral therapy to reduce the likelihood for vertical transmission. Neonates were screened for HIV at zero, six, and 12 months of age.
Results: Seven pregnant women (0.3%) and two additional family members tested positive for HIV. All seven infants born to the identified HIV-positive women have tested negative for infection. We estimated that six of nine cases of HIV infection identified would have …

A Peer-Reviewed Program For Senior Proficiencies, Cheryl Delgado, Bonnie Mack

Nursing Faculty Publications

Many nursing program require a review and retest of skilled procedures before graduation. In this way the nursing school takes steps to ensure a competent graduate practitioner. At Cleveland State University this testing is known as Senior Proficiencies, and is done in the spring semester of senior year. In the past, this has been a time-consuming task for nursing resource laboratory personnel and a stressful event for students. In their course evaluations many students expressed concern and dissatisfaction regarding their infrequently used skills and the stress associated with the retesting. The skills evaluation was a negative experience for both faculty …

Concept Analysis Of Comfort, Mary Lou Siefert

Nursing Faculty Publications

Topic: The concept of comfort, although used frequently and throughout the nursing literature, has not been clearly or consistently defined. Purpose: To clarify the meaning of comfort by employing the systematic approach of an evolutionary concept-analysis method. Sources: Books, journals, professional organization position statements, electronic searches. Conclusions: A clear definition and meaning of comfort is needed, and thus the ability to use this concept empirically in order to further nursing knowledge development.