Nursing Commons^™

Development Of A Standardized Nursing Curriculum For The Alabama Community College System: A Critical Case Study, Alice G. Raymond

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to describe how the Alabama Community College System (ACCS) standardized their nursing curriculum. A single research question was the focus of the study: “How did the ACCS develop its standardized nursing curriculum?” The sub questions were, “who were the key players in the process?”, “Who had the positions of power and dominance, and who did not?”, “Who were included and who were excluded in the process?”, “What were the reasons for inclusion and exclusion?”, and “What were the contextual elements that influenced the development of the curriculum?”

Data from multiple sources were gathered. …

The Efficacy Of Oral Dexmedetomidine As An Anesthetic Pre-Operative Medication And As A Deterrent To Emergence Delirium, Brian W. Mountain

Masters Theses

Introduction: Emergence delirium (ED) has been described as “…a mental disturbance during the recovery from general anesthesia consisting of hallucinations, delusions and confusion manifested by moaning, restlessness, involuntary physical activity, and thrashing about in bed”(Sikich & Lerman, 2004). This phenomenon has been considered a common post-anesthetic problem in children and adults since its description in the literature in 1960. According to Cole, Muray, McAllister & Hirshberg (2002), ED occurs most frequently in the initial ten minutes of recovery, but many children who arrive in a post-anesthesia recovery area asleep experience agitation later during recovery. There are multiple definitions of ED …

The Identification And Description Of The Reasons Provided By Soldiers For Reenlisting In The U. S. Army Medical Department, Thomas Ray Coe

Doctoral Dissertations

The retention of healthcare personnel, especially in the profession of nursing, continues to remain a critical issue. The ability to adequately and safely staff healthcare facilities to provide inpatient and outpatient care and emergency services is dependent on maintaining a well trained and experienced professional and paraprofessional workforce. This issue is of particular importance to the enlisted members of United States Army Medical Department (AMEDD) and the United States Army Nurse Corps. This qualitative descriptive research study identified many topics influencing the retention of enlisted personnel in the AMEDD.

The work environment, economic factors, personal and professional issues were identified …

Recovery Of Midlife Women From Myocardial Infarction, Sherri Linn Stevens

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the experiences of midlife women who have experienced a myocardial infarction and returned home to recover. A phenomenological research method based on the philosophy of Merleau-Ponty was used for the study. The researcher interviewed 8 women ranging in age from 45 to 65. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using the approach of Pollio and Thomas. Most of the transcribed interviews were read and discussed in the Phenomenology Research group. A thematic structure was identified from the shared themes of the women participants. For the women in this study the experience of …

The Experience Of Faith-Based Disaster Response: A Qualitative And Quantitative Analysis, Deborah Jean Persell

Doctoral Dissertations

After hurricanes Katrina and Rita, faith-based organizations were among the most trusted and efficient organizations responding in New Orleans. The primary purposes of this study are twofold: 1) to understand the experience of faith-based disaster response for those charged with organizing and executing such a massive, grassroots effort, those delivering direct service, and the survivors who seek and receive assistance; 2) to understand the impact of the disaster event and levels of hope in the lives of those who provide and receive assistance. These research purposes were achieved by using a mixed methods research design that included ethnographic participant-observer field …

Breast Brachytherapy Outcomes Evaluation, Margaret S. Pierce

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

No abstract provided.

Health And Functioning Of Older Adults Volunteering For Habitat For Humanity, Janet W. Brown

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

No abstract provided.

Moderate Intensity Exercise Training Reverses Functional Aerobic Impairment In Hiv-Infected Individuals, Kenneth D. Phillips`

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

No abstract provided.

Faculty Wisdom As Teaching Culture Care Within The Indigenous Context Of The Southeastern United States, Sandra J. Mixer

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

This poster presents an ethnonursing research study guided by the culture care theory entitled Nursing Faculty Care, Expressions, Patterns, and Practices Related to Teaching Culture Care and conducted within the environmental context of urban and rural baccalaureate nursing programs in the Southeastern United States. The goal of the study was to discover faculty care that facilitated teaching students to provide culturally congruent and competent care. Four universal themes with universal and diverse patterns which supported the themes were discovered. The themes were faculty care as embedded in Christian religious values, beliefs, and practices; faculty teaching culture care without an organizing …

How Patients And Nurses Experience The Acute Care Psychiatric Environment, M.M. Shattell, M. Andes, Sandra Thomas

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

The concept of the therapeutic milieu was developed when patients’ hospitalizations were long, medications were few, and oneto- one nurse–patient interactions were the norm. However, it is not clear how the notion of ‘therapeutic milieu’ is experienced in American acute psychiatric environments today. This phenomenological study explored the experience of patients and nurses in an acute care psychiatric unit in the USA, by asking them, ‘What stands out to you about this psychiatric hospital environment?’ Three figural themes emerged, contextualized by time, which was a source of stress to both groups: for patients there was boredom, and for nurses, pressure …

Life Trajectories Of Female Child Abuse Survivors Thriving In Adulthood, Sandra Thomas, J.M. Hall

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Nursing

A narrative study of thriving adult female survivors of childhood maltreatment was undertaken to discover how they had achieved success. Life trajectory patterns, turning points, and setbacks were identified. Data consisted of 81 interview transcripts derived from a series of three interviews, spaced over 6 to 12 months, with 27 survivors. The childhood abuse was intrafamilial, beginning as early as infancy and continuing, in most cases, until participants left home. The onset and pace of the healing trajectory were quite variable, including a roller-coaster pattern as well as patterns of slow, steady progress and continued struggle. Four types of redemption …