Current Issue : April - June Volume : 2012 Issue Number : 2 Articles : 8 Articles
Background: This study aimed to illuminate the meaning of the patientââ?¬â??nurse communication during a hospital stay as\nnarrated by patients after a myocardial infarction (MI).\nMethods: Narrative interviews from 10 patients were analyzed, using a phenomenological-hermeneutic method.\nResults: The nursing dialogue meant a safe mooring point on the trajectory from initial chaos after a MI to a reoriented\nlife. Nursesââ?¬â?¢ presence and availability for non-verbal and verbal communication created a trustful relationship where new\nknowledge was acquired and motivational strength for life-style changes was mobilized. A person-centered perspective\nwas preferred, where relatives were invited into the conversation.\nConclusions: These results highlight that patientââ?¬â??nurse communication based on the patientââ?¬â?¢s view is possible in acute\ncare after MI, and is an issue of attitude rather than time. Trust lays the foundation for a person-centered communication\nand is developed through the nurseââ?¬â?¢s presence and availability not only in the emergency phase, but throughout\nhospitalization. Discussions focused on personal action plans with emphasis on the patientââ?¬â?¢s health assets may facilitate a\nsuccessful rehabilitation....
Background. Missing data are a significant problem in health-related quality of life (HRQOL) research. We evaluated two\nimputation approaches: missing data estimation (MDE) and assignment of mean score (AMS). Methods. HRQOL data were\ncollected using the Medical Outcomes Trust SF-12. Missing data were estimated using both approaches, summary statistics were\nproduced for both, and results were compared using intraclass correlations (ICC). Results. Missing data were imputed for 21\nparticipants.Mean values were similar, with ICC > .99 within both the Physical Component Summary and theMental Component\nSummary when comparing the two methodologies. When imputed data were added into the full study sample, mean scores were\nidentical regardless of methodology. Conclusion. Results support the use of a practical and simple imputation strategy of replacing\nmissing values with the mean of the sample in cross-sectional studies when less than half of the required items of the SF-12\ncomponents are missing....
Background: Mobile technologies allow students the opportunity to enhance learning while away from the traditional\r\nclassroom setting. However, educational outcome research is lacking in the use of mobile health (m-health) applications in\r\nhealthcare professional practice development.\r\nObjectives: The aim of this pilot study was to discover whether male and female urinary catheter insertion videos\r\ndelivered via iPods increases students� skills competency and self-confidence levels.\r\nMethods: A prospective replicated study including second year, semester two, undergraduate nursing student participants\r\n(NSP) (N=16) was conducted: nine control participants (no video iPods) and seven intervention participants (video iPods).\r\nNursing students attending a mandatory skills class in a learning resource center (LRC) in a School of Nursing located in\r\nNorthern California were asked to participate in the study. NSP completed a questionnaire regarding previous clinical\r\nexposure to urinary catheterizations and levels of competency and confidence in performing the skills prior to taking a\r\nrequired skills course. Directly following the completion of the questionnaire, the participants� viewed a professional\r\nvideo and a clinical faculty demonstrating the skills. Thereafter the NSP were provided practice time with evaluative\r\nfeedback. At the completion of the class, the intervention group was provided video iPods and the control group was\r\nafforded no technology for a period of two weeks. Following the two weeks, the NSP completed a follow-up questionnaire\r\nand a clinical evaluation of their urinary catheterization skills in the LRC.\r\nResults: Close to zero variation in urinary catheterization competency scores were determined because all of the NSP\r\nscored high in this area and, therefore meaningful comparisons were not determined. The confidence levels for performing\r\nthe catheterization skills did not significantly change by group, procedure, or time and neither were the two-way\r\ninteractions between group and time, nor between procedure and time significant.\r\nConclusions: Video iPods may be used to enhance nursing skills. However, the results of this pilot study do not suggest a\r\nsignificant change in competency or confidence levels in performing the clinical skills. Further investigation is necessary\r\nbecause increasing the number of participants, video-viewing time, and monitoring the length of time-on-learning may\r\nhave a positive influence on future student affect and learning outcomes....
Background. Nursing homes face challenges in the coming years due to the increased number of elderly. Quality will be under\npressure, expectations of the services will rise, and clinical complexity will grow. New strategies are needed to meet this situation.\nModern clinical information systems with decision support may be part of that. Objectives. To study the impact of introducing an\nelectronic patient record system with decision support on the use of warfarin, neuroleptics and weighing of patients, in nursing\nhomes. Methods. A prevalence study was performed in seven nursing homes with 513 subjects. A before-after study with internal\ncontrols was performed. Results. The prevalence of atrial fibrillation in the seven nursing homes was 18.8%. After intervention, the\nproportion of all patients taking warfarin increased from 3.0% to 9.8% (P = 0.0086), neuroleptics decreased from 33.0% to 21.5%\n(P = 0.0121), and the proportion not weighed decreased from 72.6% to 16.0% (P < 0.0001). The internal controls did not change\nsignificantly. Conclusion. Statistics and management data can be continuously produced to monitor the quality of work processes.\nThe electronic health record system and its system for decision support can improve drug therapy and monitoring of treatment\npolicy....
Background: Australia, like many other countries is facing a shortage of qualified nurse educators and this has potential\r\nto impact enormously on the quality of nurses working in health services.\r\nMethods: This paper discusses the findings of action research recently completed within a Queensland University,\r\ninvolving a range of nurse educators.\r\nResults: The paper explores some of the challenges to role satisfaction and suggests two strategies to build capacity,\r\nconnection, satisfaction and productivity in Australian nurse educators that may be relevant for international colleagues.\r\nConclusions: The first solution is to establish a self-sustaining, solution-focused Community of Practice for nurse\r\neducators. The second solution is to disseminate an effective, easy to remember teaching framework that draws upon\r\nprinciples of Transformative learning, a pedagogy that is relevant for nurses, because they will need to work with\r\nvulnerable populations, and graduates will need to be equipped with skills, compassion and be committed to social action....
A recently issued report from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in the United States on the Future of Nursing included a\nrecommendation that nurses should receive leadership development at every level in order to transform the healthcare system.\nCharge nurses, at the frontline of patient care in acute care settings, are in key positions to lead this change. This paper presents\nfindings from research conducted with nurses in the Tenet Health System. Charge nurses from ten facilities who attended a oneday\nwork shop were surveyed to gain insight into the experience of being a frontline leader in today�s acute care environment.\nThe relationship of these findings to the IOM report and the implications for both the Tenet Health System and other healthcare\norganizations that are working to support nurses who assume these challenging roles are discussed....
Background/Objective: Proficiency in computerized documentation systems is an essential element of most areas of\nnursing practice today. Community health is one example of an area of nursing practice where computerized\ndocumentation systems help in the provision of high quality care. Nursing students must learn the basic principles of and\nbegin to participate in the practices of computerized nursing documentation. It is, therefore, the responsibility of nursing\nfaculty to promote student involvement in this important process.\nMethods: Two different faculty experiences with students participating in computerized nursing documentation were\ndescribed using different electronic systems, a notebook computer system and a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) system.\nResults/Conclusions: After reviewing the results of this descriptive experience, it is recommended that before students\nparticipate in computerized documentation, they receive written instructions. Sample charts, practice under direct faculty\nand staff guidance, and standardizing the learning experience are imperative. Educating the student in a technological\nenvironment is no longer optional for nurse faculty as the accurate documentation, transmission and management of data\nassures that the best practices are maintained, the proper billing of visits can be ensured, and the communication between\nthe nursing student and community health nurses, as well as all members of the multi-disciplinary team is fostered....
This paper reports on an evaluation of a Clinical Scholar Program initiated at a hospital in Western Australia. The aim of the\r\nprogram was to build the capacity of nurses and midwives to conduct research and evidence-based practice within the hospital.\r\nThe program was based on a previous program and consisted of six teaching days and four hours per month release for proposal\r\npreparation. At the end of the program participants were asked to complete a short anonymous questionnaire. The answers were\r\nanalysed using standard processes of qualitative analysis. Themes emerging from the data included program strengths, individual\r\ngains, ability to conduct research, and areas for improvement. The findings highlighted that, while the participants considered that\r\nthey were more knowledgeable and confident to conduct research, they still required support. The Clinical Scholar Program has\r\nprovided a way to increase the capacity of clinicians to participate in research activities....
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