Nursing Commons^™

Racing To 100%: A Certification Initiative For Surgical Technicians., Marlene Leidy Bsn, Rn, Cnor, Hope Johnson Bsn, Rn, Cnor

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Sore No More: The Power Of A Microscope In Skin Integrity., Tracie Heckman Msn, Rn, Cmsrn, Denise Pisciotta Bsn, Rn.

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Re-Design For The Time: Matching Management With Customer Needs., Maureen Bredbenner Rn, Cnor, Toni Holcomb Bsn, Rn, Cnor, Louann Newman Rn, Cnor

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Chapter: The Advanced Practice Nurse In The Community, Kellie Smith, Molly A. Rose

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Objectives

After reading this chapter, the student should be able to do the following:

1. Briefly discuss the historical development of the roles of the advanced public health nurse and the nurse practitioner

2. Describe the educational requirements for population-focused advanced practice nurses

3. Discuss credentialing mechanisms in nursing as they relate to the role of the advanced practice nurse

4. Compare and contrast the various role functions of population-focused advanced practice nurses

5. Identify potential arenas of practice

6. Explore current issues and concerns related to practice

7. Identify five stressors that may affect nurses in expanded roles

Identifying And Co-Managing The Hiv-Infected Adult: A Guidebook For Primary Care Clinicians, Jason Leider, Susan F. Lelacheur, Julie G. Stewart Dnp, Mph

Nursing Faculty Publications

This guidebook was designed to help primary care clinicians improve their performance in terms of HIV identification and co-management. Surmounting barriers to opt-out screening, making an HIV diagnosis, and preventing transmission and opportunistic infections will be discussed, as will selection of initial therapy and considerations for patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART).

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 …

Empirical Data Mining: Conservation Of Nursing Energy And Care Capacity In Medical-Surgical Hospital Work Environments, Ann L. Hendrich

Dissertations (1 year embargo)

Ann L. Hendrich

Loyola University Chicago

EMPIRICAL DATA MINING: CONSERVATION OF NURSING ENERGY AND CARE CAPACITY IN MEDICAL-SURGICAL HOSPITAL WORK ENVIRONMENTS

Nurses are a critical component of the hospital care delivery system and provide essential observation and surveillance of inpatients. Mounting evidence describes an association between nurse staffing, the nurse work environment, and patient and nurse outcomes. In particular, more registered nurse hours per patient day have been linked to reduced patient mortality. However, recent studies indicate that only a minority of nursing time is dedicated to patient observation and assessment of vital signs. Therefore, increasing the proportion of nursing …

Differences In Substance-Related Risk Behavior Between Dual And Triple Diagnosed Severely Mentally Ill Adults, Michelle Hampton, Linda Chafetz, Carmen Portillo

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine whether differences exist between adults with dual and triple diagnoses with regard to substance-related risk behaviors. This secondary analysis was a cross-sectional study. There were 252 subjects with dual and triple diagnoses recruited from residential crisis programs in San Francisco. Using descriptive and logistic regression analyses, subjects in the two groups were compared with regard to demographic data, types of substances, and routes of administration used in the previous 30 days to determine risk for exposure and/or transmission of human immunodeficiency virus/hepatitis C virus. When compared to the dual diagnosis group, subjects …

Managing The Healthcare Needs Of Adolescents With Autism Spectrum Disorder: The Parents' Experience, Julie Strunk

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe the experiences of parents who manage the health needs of an adolescent with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Qualitative interviews were conducted with parents from 10 families of adolescents with ASD residing in Virginia. Data were analyzed using Clark Moustakas’ method of analysis of data in which the phenomenologist asks the following questions: What are the individual’s experiences, and in what context did they experience them? This study maximized credibility by using three strategies: prolonged engagement, peer debriefing, and member checking. “Parents needing help” emerged as the essence of the parents’ experiences. …

The Relationship Between Staff Nurse Perception Of Nurse Manager Leadership Behavior And Staff Nurse Job Satisfaction In A Hospital Applying For Magnet Recognition Status, Lorraine B. Bormann

Nursing Faculty Publications

Hospitals are challenged to understand factors related to staff nurse retention in the context of the nursing shortage slowdown (Huselid, 1995; Mancino, 2008; Mancino, 2009). Leadership is a major factor in organizational success (Gandossy & Guarnieri, 2008; Gettler, 2003; Wooten & Crane, 2003) and nurse managers are the direct link between the executive nurse leaders and the registered nurses (RN) in the staff position (Taunton, Boyle, Woods, Hansen, & Bott, 1997).

Studies show that nurse manager leader behaviors influence staff nurse job satisfaction (Blegen, 1993; Irvine & Evans, 1995; Lashinger & Finegan, 2005). A primary role of the nurse leader …

Occupational Health Assessment: A Tool For Nursing Faculty, Sherry R. Lovan, M. Susan Jones

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Review Of Instruments To Measure Breastfeeding Beliefs And Intent Among Nulliparous Black College Women, Jaime L. Eunice

HIM 1990-2015

United States breastfeeding rates are below Healthy People 2020 national goals, with African American women at the lowest rates. According to the theory of planned behavior, intention is a strong determinant of actual behavior. The purpose of this review is to uncover how researchers can best measure attributes that influence the intention to breast feed in the African American college aged population of nulliparous women. Tools to measure breastfeeding knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, cultural and social norms will be identified. Searches of health databases and Google Scholar located peer-reviewed journals using keywords such as Black, African American, instrument, female and student. …

Sensory Experiences Of Children With An Autism Spectrum Disorder And Nursing Interventions For Over Stimulation, Felicia Ballentine

HIM 1990-2015

Background: Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are a group of neuro-developmental disorders that are characterized by impaired social interaction, communication, and restricted or repetitive behavior. Children with an ASD also display significant sensory experiences due to sensory disintegration. This integrative review of literature examines the sensory experiences of children with an ASD and determines nursing interventions that will enable them to better cope within the hospital setting. Method: an extensive search of databases and current literature on sensory experiences of children with an ASD and interventions that facilitate coping. Results: Children with an ASD experience a wide range of sensitivity and …

Factors Predicting Exercise Behavior Of Graduate Students, Bibha Gautam

Theses and Dissertations

Graduate school is often experienced as a time of increased demands/expectations resulting in heightened levels of stress due to academic work, family responsibilities, job demands, financial pressure, and other life related issues. Besides stress, graduate school also brings about significant physical inactivity due to the shift of the immediate priority to academic accomplishment. Reports of increasing prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors among students highlight that this group may have particular risk not well-identified. Yet, relative risk can be reduced by lifestyle modifications, such as eating well, exercising, and stress reduction. The majority of the risk factors, to a …

Identifying Drug-Seeking Behaviors In The Emergency Department, Randi M. Bush Burman

HIM 1990-2015

Pain is the leading cause of Emergency Department (ED) visits making it one of the primary concerns of the emergency medical field. The experience of pain is subjective and unique to every individual making it difficult to effectively manage. As a result, the subjective nature of pain is also commonly associated with drug-seekers often claiming to have pain simply to receive narcotics to support their addiction. There have been numerous studies completed to determine how to effectively recognize drug-seeking. This integrative literature review will identify the common behaviors that have been seen as indicators of drug-seeking in the ED. The …

Differences In Student Beliefs About Physical Activity In The Prevention Of Obesity During Pre-Adolescence And Adolescence., Elaine Hilton

Nursing Masters

Background: Obesity is a nationwide public health problem. During adolescence, individuals develop distinctive lifestyles which influence their personal habits and overall health. Adolescents, therefore, are an integral group to target to modify the decreasing activity levels observed during that period of life. Health education programs and national initiatives have been developed to change these alarming trends, but adolescents have been show to decrease their physical activity level despite having gained knowledge on the risks of obesity. Adolescents, therefore, are an important group to target to try to alter this tendency so that they develop healthier lifestyles and offset obesity related …

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 …

Faculty’S Perceptions Of Students’ Abilities To Utilize Self-Regulated Learning Strategies To Improve Critical And Reflective Thinking In Making Clinical Decisions: A Methodological Study, Amber Lynn Donnelli

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

With the rapidly changing health care system, new nurses are expected to be able to collect pertinent data, access resources, prioritize information, solve problems, and ultimately make sound clinical decisions (Kuiper, 2005). Supporting evidence has shown that using self-regulated learning strategies (SRLS) increases the development of critical and reflective thinking within the clinical reasoning context (Kuiper & Pesut, 2004). Despite the fact that instruments have been developed to examine students’ perception of the use of SRLS, there is no existing instrument to measure nursing faculty’s perceptions of a student’s ability to utilize self-regulated learning strategies in the clinical setting. This …

The Development And Validation Of A Tool To Measure Self-Confidence And Anxiety In Nursing Students While Making Clinical Decisions, Krista Alaine White

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Clinical decision making (CDM) is a cornerstone skill for nurses. Self-confidence and anxiety are two affective influences that impact the learning and adeptness of CDM. Currently, no instruments exist that measure perceived self-confidence and anxiety level of undergraduate nursing students related to CDM. The purpose of this research was to develop, test, and establish psychometric properties for a quantitative instrument that measures the levels of self-confidence and anxiety experienced by undergraduate nursing students while making clinical decisions. The new tool is entitled the Nursing Anxiety and Self-Confidence with Clinical Decision Making (NASC-CDM) scale. The tool is a self-report, Likert-type instrument …

Enhancing The Cultural Competence Of Women’S Health Nurses Via Online Continuing Education, Ella T. Heitzler

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

By 2050, current minority groups will comprise almost half of the US population further challenging healthcare providers and nurses to deliver culturally competent care. Numerous organizations have published documents supporting cultural competence and its incorporation into nursing curricula has been encouraged since 1986. However, practicing nurses, specifically those providing care to childbearing women and families, continue to acknowledge their lack of cultural competence. This is concerning as large health disparities exist between culturally diverse women and cultural competence can lead to greater health equality and better client care. Studies have shown face-to-face education increases the cultural competence of healthcare providers; …

Graduating Bsn Students' Ebp Knowledge, Ebp Readiness And Ebp Implementation, Ludy Sm. Llasus

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Emphasis on evidence-based practice (EBP) in healthcare delivery increased the expectation that nurses utilize research findings to make informed clinical decisions, and guide their nursing actions and interactions with clients in a constantly changing and increasingly complex healthcare environment. Increasing demand for patient safety and quality healthcare requires that translation of best possible evidence into practice is needed to ensure improved patient outcomes. Nursing education is responsible for preparing and providing society with knowledgeable and competent nurses who are ready to engage in EBP for improved patient outcomes.

The purpose of this non-experimental, descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study was to describe …

Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Are Ed Providers Identifying Which Patients Are At Risk?, Barbara Stuart, Barbara Mandleco, Renea L. Beckstrand, Sondra Heaston

Faculty Publications

Objective: To identify patients with specific ED discharge diagnoses reporting symptoms associated with a mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), compare frequency/severity of MTBI symptoms by discharge diagnosis, investigate head injury education provided at ED discharge, and learn about changes made by MTBI patients after injury.

Methods: The Post Concussion Symptom Scale, a demographic questionnaire, and open-ended questions about the impact the injury had on patients' lives were completed by 52 ED patients, at least 2 weeks after injury, discharged with concussion/closed head injury, head laceration, motor vehicle crash (MVC), or whiplash/cervical strain diagnoses.

Results: Between 1 and 23 MTBI symptoms …

Oncology Nurses' Impact Scores For Obstacles And Supportive Behaviors At The End Of Life, Joan M. Collett

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Oncology nurses provide end-of-life (EOL) care to their patients daily. Oncology nurses' perceptions regarding how to provide quality care to dying patients could be an important addition to the ongoing research on quality EOL care. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of specific obstacle and supportive behaviors in EOL care as perceived by hospital-based oncology nurses. This study extended the work of Beckstrand, Moore, Callister, and Bond (2009).

Methods: A 69-item questionnaire adapted from previous studies (Beckstrand & Kirchhoff, 2005; Beckstrand, Smith, Heaston, & Bond, 2008) was sent to 1,000 nurses who were members of …

Emergency Nurses' Perception Of Department Design As An Obstacle To End-Of-Life Care, Ryan Jay Rasmussen

Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Of the 119.2 million visits to the emergency department (ED) in 2006, it was estimated that about 249,000 visits resulted in the patient dying or being pronounced dead on arrival. In two national studies of emergency nurses' perceptions of end-of-life (EOL) care, ED design was identified as a large and frequent obstacle to providing EOL care. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of ED design on EOL care as perceived by emergency nurses.

Methods: A national, geographically dispersed, random sample of 500 members of the Emergency Nurses Association were sent a 25-item questionnaire regarding ED …

Nurse Practitioner Barriers To Reporting Child Maltreatment, Steven Lee Barlow

Theses and Dissertations

Each year approximately 1,000,000 child become the victims of abuse or neglect. The detrimental effects of child maltreatment (CM) have been well documented and create significant problems for the survivors and for society as well. All fifty states have enacted mandatory reporting laws to combat the CM epidemic. As mandated reporters, nurse practitioners and nurse midwives (APRNs) have the opportunity and responsibilities to identify and refer potential victims of CM, in this study a significant percentage choose not to report their suspicions. Respondents to the study survey identified several potential barriers to APRN reporting such as lack of education and …

The Last Frontier: Rural Emergency Nurses' Perceptions Of End-Of-Life Care, Virginia Claudia Giles

Theses and Dissertations

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 to providing end-of-life (EOL) care. This study was completed to discover what the size, frequency, and magnitude of obstacles were in providing EOL care in rural emergency departments as perceived by rural emergency nurses.

Methods: A 58-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 barriers to providing EOL care in rural emergency departments. …

The Experiences Of Families Raising Children With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus: A Qualitative Investigation, Carol A. Loucks

Theses and Dissertations

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), a common, chronic disease, affects the patient as well as the family. It requires daily vigilance in blood sugar monitoring, dietary management and insulin administration. Research has examined the impact of T1DM on family adaptation and relationships. However, few current data describes parents' perceptions of challenges. The purpose of this study was to identify challenges and impact on the family perceived by parents raising children with T1DM. Using a qualitative descriptive design, 21 parents raising children with T1DM participated in audio-recorded focus groups. At the time of the interviews the children ranged in age from …