Embracing the population health framework in nursing research.

Individuals' health outcomes are influenced not only by their knowledge and behavior, but also by complex social, political and economic forces. Attention to these multi-level factors is necessary to accurately and comprehensively understand and intervene to improve human health. The population health framework is a valuable conceptual framework to guide nurse researchers in identifying and targeting the broad range of determinants of health. However, attention to the intermediate processes linking multi-level factors and use of appropriate multi-level theory and research methodology is critical to utilizing the framework effectively. Nurse researchers are well equipped to undertake such investigations but need to consider a number of political, societal, professional and organizational barriers to do so. By fully embracing the population health framework, nurse researchers have the opportunity to explore the multi-level influences on health and to develop, implement and evaluate interventions that target immediate needs, more distal factors and the intermediate processes that connect them.

The relational nature of case manager resource allocation decision making: an illustrated case.

We used ethnographic methods in the tradition of Spradley (1979) and constant comparative analysis to explore case manager resource allocation decision making. We interviewed; observed and shadowed 11 case managers within a children's home care program in a regional health authority in western Canada as they went about their daily work over a 5-month period. Our findings provide knowledge about the little-understood set of processes at the micro level of resource allocation. Although the case manager considers many factors, reported elsewhere (Fraser, Estabrooks, Allen, & Strang, 2009), they balance and weigh these factors within a relational context. The purpose of this article is to use Jenna's story as a case example to illustrate how the case manager balances and weighs the factors that influence their resource allocation decisions within this context. Jenna's story demonstrates the complex and multidimensional processes that are embedded in the relational nature of resource allocation decisions. We discuss home care case manager resource allocation decisions as viewed through the lens of relational ethics.

Factors that influence case managers' resource allocation decisions in pediatric home care: an ethnographic study.

BACKGROUND: Case managers make decisions that directly affect the amount and type of services home care clients receive and subsequently affect the overall available health care resources of home care programs. A recent systematic review of the literature identified significant knowledge gaps with respect to resource allocation decision-making in home care. METHODS: Using Spradley's methodology, we designed an ethnographic study of a children's home care program in Western Canada. The sample included 11 case managers and program leaders. Data sources included interviews, card sorts, and participant observation over a 5-month period. Data analyses included open coding, domain, taxonomic, and componential analysis. RESULTS: One of the key findings was a taxonomy of factors that influence case manager resource allocation decisions. The factors were grouped into one of four main categories: system-related, home care program-related, family related, or client-related. Family related factors have not been previously reported as influencing case manager resource allocation decision-making and nor has the team's role been reported as an influencing factor. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study are examined in light of Daniels and Sabin's Accountability for Reasonableness framework, which may be useful for future knowledge development about micro-level resource allocation theory.

Lower urinary tract symptoms in older adults undergoing hip arthroplasty: a feasibility study.

PURPOSE: We undertook a feasibility study to explore the prevalence of preoperative and postoperative lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in older adults undergoing elective hip arthroplasty and to determine whether a larger prospective study was warranted. METHOD: Subjects awaiting elective hip arthroplasty were recruited preoperatively from an orthopedic office and preadmission clinic at 1 university-affiliated hospital. LUTS and related quality of life were measured prehospitalization and 6 weeks postoperatively using the American Urological Association Symptom Index and quality-of-life score. Postvoid residual urine and the 24-hour pad test were used to assess bladder emptying and continence status. RESULTS: Sixteen participants (9 males, 7 females, mean age 74 years) completed the study. Preoperatively, 15 participants reported at least 1 symptom and none had discussed these with a healthcare professional. The most common LUTS were nocturia, frequency, and urgency. Postoperatively, all reported symptoms, with 8 (53%) experiencing increased symptoms with a negative impact on quality of life for 3. Recruitment was a major barrier in conducting the study and would need to be taken into account in further studies of the topic. CONCLUSION: Despite recruitment issues, we suggest larger studies of LUTS in older adults undergoing surgery are warranted to further understand potential problems and risks in transition from hospital to home. Future studies should include identification of potential reasons for increased LUTS, including urinary tract infection.

A context of uncertainty: how context shapes nurses' research utilization behaviors.

Context has often been cited as a significant factor in shaping research utilization behavior, yet scholars have been unable to provide specific detail as to how and why it is important. From an ethnographic study of research utilization in a pediatric intensive care unit, we determined that the primary characteristic of this nursing unit was uncertainty. We identified four major sources of uncertainty: (1) the precarious status of seriously ill patients, (2) the inherent unpredictability of nurses' work, (3) the complexity of teamwork in a highly sophisticated hospital environment, and (4) a changing management. We found that uncertainty shaped nurses' behaviors such that research use was irrelevant. Reducing uncertainty is a necessary precursor to any increase in research utilization by nurses. Future knowledge translation strategies need to begin by decreasing and managing uncertainty.

A randomized clinical trial of elk velvet antler in rheumatoid arthritis.

This article examines the effects of elk velvet antler on joint pain and swelling, patient/physician global assessment of disease activity, functional ability, quality of life, blood levels of C-reactive protein, and adverse events in persons with stage 2 to 3 rheumatoid arthritis experiencing residual symptoms after standard treatment. Patients (N=168) were enrolled in a 6-month randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Instruments included the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale, the Health Assessment Questionnaire, tender and swollen joint counts, and 100 mm-length visual analogue scales, along with blood tests. There were no significant differences between groups on any measures. The pattern of change of the measures across time points was essentially the same for both groups. Although some patients reported clinical improvements in their symptoms, there were no statistically significant differences between groups. Overall, elk velvet antler does not effectively manage residual symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Learning to care for spiritual needs: connecting spiritually.

Despite mandates to provide spiritual care, confusion persists among nurses about spirituality, spiritual needs, and related roles. To discover how practicing nurses acquire knowledge for spiritual care, the authors chose a grounded theory design. They constantly compared and analyzed verbatim transcribed interview data to find the core variable, categories, and properties. Connection, manifesting as a state, act, or process, appeared throughout the data. Categories emerged as Needing Connection, Nurturing Connection, Learning Connection, and Living Connection. Nurses used a cyclical, intertwined, and progressive learning process of opening to, struggling with, and making connections between numerous discrete personal and professional experiences. Shifting attention between these interconnected experiences fueled knowledge acquisition. Whether referring to how nurses learn, what they do, or with whom, the theory Connecting Spiritually joined categories into a cumulative experiential learning process that explained how nurses learn to care for spiritual needs.

The road less traveled: nursing advocacy at the policy level.

A frequent observation made about nursing advocacy at the policy level is its absence-or at least its invisibility. Yet there is a persistent belief that nurses will participate in advocacy at the societal level in matters of health. Although gaps exist in our knowledge about how to advocate at the policy level, the authors suggest that a number of other factors contribute to the disconnect between what nurses are expected to do in terms of policy advocacy and what they actually do. There are two main purposes in this article: to review the epistemological foundations of advocacy in nursing, and to present a discussion of other factors that limit our participation in policy advocacy. The authors discuss challenges within the discipline, in the practice context, and at the interface of the worlds of policy and nursing practice. The article concludes with a discussion of possible strategies for moving forward.

Ethical considerations for nurses in clinical trials.

Ethical issues arise for nurses involved in all phases of clinical trials regardless of whether they are caregivers, research nurses, trial co-ordinators or principal investigators. Potential problem areas centre on nurses' moral obligation related to methodological issues as well as the notions of beneficence/non-maleficence and autonomy. These ethical concerns can be highly upsetting to nurses if they are not addressed, so it is imperative that they are discussed fully prior to the initiation of a trial. Failure to resolve these issues can place both the conduct and the results of research in jeopardy.

Clinical trials with complementary therapies.

As interest in complementary and alternative therapies grows, nurses can expect to be asked for advice regarding their use, but there are few clinical studies on which nurses can base their responses. Conducting research with complementary therapies is therefore important for nursing, but there are some pitfalls in doing research with these products, particularly if one is using standard clinical-trials methods. In this article, the authors outline some of those pitfalls based on their experience conducting a clinical trial to examine the effects of elk velvet antler on symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. They discuss design issues related to justification, method, and ethics and explore some important regulatory issues of which nurses should be aware. Some recommendations are presented to help nurses engaging in such research to avoid problems that could interfere with the smooth conduct of their studies.

Scholarly teaching and scholarship of teaching: noting the difference.

Scholarly teaching and the scholarship of teaching are being discussed more frequently in the nursing education literature, yet a clear distinction between the two is often not made. In this paper we will identify the differences between the two and the role each plays in faculty evaluation. We argue that all faculty members should be scholarly teachers but not all will or should engage in the scholarship of teaching.

Pad tests and self-reports of continence in men awaiting radical prostatectomy: establishing baseline norms for males.

AIMS: In this study, we report normal pad weight gain in a group self-reported continent men and compare the self-report data with the 24-hr pad test and the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Subjects awaiting radical prostatectomy were consecutively recruited. Exclusion criteria were a previous history of urologic surgery, reported urinary incontinence, or a medical problem which could affect bladder function. RESULTS: Two hundred forty five men were enrolled. All were Caucasian, mean age 62.7 years, mean Gleason score 6.5, and mean PSA 8.3. At initial interview, all described themselves as continent of urine and 26 declined the 24-hr pad test because they were emphatic that they were continent. Of the 220 remaining, mean pad weight gain was 4.0 g on 24-hr pad test (SD 3.8; range 0-35.0 g), mean IPSS score was 7.23; 95 subjects scored > or = 8 (moderate), 13 scored > or = 20 (severe). The IPSS single Quality of Life (QOL) question and the 24 hr pad weight were not correlated; the summary IPSS score and pad weight had a correlation of 0.16 (P = 0.02) and the QOL question and the summary IPSS score had a correlation of 0.63 (P < 0.001). IPSS QOL scores were worse for those recording > or = 8 (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The range of weight gain between 0 and 35 g suggests that self-report alone of urinary continence is an inaccurate measure of continence for research purposes. We propose that a pad weight gain of 8 g or less is indicative of urinary continence in men.

The notion of evidence in evidence-based practice by the Nursing Philosophy Working Group.

Questions concerning the nature of evidence in evidence-based practice have kindled debate within nursing and other health care disciplines. Such questions include the ends for which evidence is sought, the form(s) of evidence, and the values underlying evidence-based practice. In this article, some of the issues, contradictions, and tensions implicit in these questions are highlighted. It is imperative that the nursing profession continue to explore the philosophic perspectives that underscore evidence-based practice and their implications for decision making in nursing practice.

Building capacity through a collaborative international nursing project.

PURPOSE: To discuss: (a) physical, human, organizational, social, and cultural capital and (b) empowerment as two theoretical foundations for building capacity. METHODS: These theoretical notions are examined in an analysis of a joint project between the Department of Nursing, University of Ghana and the Faculty of Nursing at the University of Alberta, Canada. FINDINGS: Capacity for the management of international development projects was enhanced at both sites. Building capacity required mutual trust, tolerance of ambiguity, and a willingness to step into the unknown.

Ethological methods to develop nursing knowledge.

Researchers from various fields use ethological methods to systematically observe, describe, and measure animal and human nonverbal behavior. The purpose of this article is to argue that their application in nursing will benefit development of descriptive-level knowledge about complex behavioral phenomena. To advance the argument for applying these methods in nursing, we examine the compatibility of the philosophical assumptions underlying ethology with nursing, assess if ethology can help nursing achieve some of its aims, and determine the benefits of using ethology when observation of a phenomenon is required. Neonatal pain is used to illustrate how ethology can be used to develop descriptive-level nursing knowledge and midrange theory.

Elk velvet antler in rheumatoid arthritis: phase II trial.

The purpose of this phase II clinical trial was to examine safety of elk velvet antler taken concurrently with rheumatoid arthritis medications and to determine efficacy by dose to enable sample size estimation and dose standardization for a larger study. Forty patients with stage II rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 arms of 10 patients each. One group received placebo and the other 3 groups received 2, 4, or 6 capsules (215 mg) of elk velvet antler with appropriate placebos to total 6 capsules daily. All subjects continued to take their arthritis medications. Outcome variables were reported adverse events and health status. At 1 month, there were no significant differences between groups in number of adverse events or health status. The greatest improvement was in the 6 elk velvet antler group, the least was in the placebo group. Differences were not statistically significant. It was concluded that elk velvet antler can be taken safely in conjunction with a number of rheumatoid arthritis medications and should be studied further to assess efficacy.