The role and function of the HIV/AIDS coordinator nurse in Japan.

HIV/AIDS coordinator nurses (CNs) are key professionals in ensuring the provision of quality health care to patients with HIV/AIDS and to their families. Through this case study, the functions of the HIV/AIDS CN in Japan were identified, and an initial model of the HIV/AIDS CN role was developed. Four categories of responsibility were identified: (a) assessment, (b) diagnosis of nursing problems, (c) coordination, and (d) other related nursing activities. The category of other nursing activities included four subcategories. These were (a) consultation, (b) patient education, (c) expansion of the patient's support network, and (d) administrative or office work. These categories and subcategories contribute to an understanding of the role of the HIV/AIDS CN.

[The effect on bowel sounds of very hot compresses applied to the lumbar region].

In Japan, very hot moist compresses applied to the lumbar region have been used to promote intestinal movement and flatus or defecation. This skill was based on empirical knowledge. One of the purposes of this study is to make clear the effect of very hot compresses on intestinal movement. The other purpose is to prove the safety of the skin where very hot compresses applied. The sample consisted of 8 healthy female volunteers, ranging in age from 27 to 47 with a mean age of 37.4. A very hot compress was applied to the lumbar region for 10 minutes. The results were as follows: 1) Bowel sounds immediately after hot compresses increased 1.7 times compared with bowel sounds before the hot compresses. 2) Skin temperature of the back increased to 41.1-43.1 degrees centigrade under the hot compresses, then decreased rapidly. 3) Blood flow to the back during hot compresses, increased to 156%. Blood flow to the upper arm also increased. 4) Body temperature, pulse rate and blood pressure were not remarkably changed by the hot compresses. The results of the experiments show that very hot compresses applied to the lumbar region affect intestinal movement. And the results suggest that a very hot compress is a useful nursing skill to promote flatus or defecation.

[The concept of caring applied to nursing education--based on Milton Mayeroff's work].

This paper is intended to explore the way to apply the concept of caring in nursing education. In particular, the authors examined the concept based on Mayeroff's work. During the past two decades in the United States, the "Curriculum Revolution" shifted the paradigm from a content-driven curriculum to one that emphasized transaction and interaction with caring as a core concept. M. Mayeroff asserts that the primacy of caring is to help the other grow. A teacher should know a student personally and adjust her/his behavior to response of the student. She/He can believe that the student will develop her/his potential. If faculty effectively, organized the curriculum to offer the environment of interaction students could learn caring as a nurse through their daily activities. Also a teacher is able to play a role model for caring.

[Analysis of the concept of care/caring-structure of attributes identified from qualitative and quantitative research].

The concept of care/caring has been recognized as the central component of nursing in the United States of America since the 1980s. Although caring is the essence and the central focus of clinical nursing, the term has several meanings, and there is no consensus regarding its definition. The concept of care/caring should be examined not only from the nurse's perspective, but also from the patient's perspective. The purpose of this research is to identify the common characteristics of the concept of care/caring from both the patient's and nurse's perspectives, and to clarify the structure of the concept of care/caring in the English articles. Thirty qualitative research papers written by 21 authors and 17 quantitative research papers written by 9 authors were sampled. From the analysis of the 47 articles, 5 categories and 13 sub-categories were identified as attributes of care/caring. The 5 categories were 1) Characteristics of Nurse, 2) Nursing Activities, 3) Patient-Nurse Relationship, 4) Caring Outcomes, and 5) Others. As the next stage of the research, the concept of care/caring in Japanese nursing should be analyzed. It must be determined whether the concept of care/caring is also the central component of nursing in Japan and if so can these identified characteristics of the concept be applied to the concept of care/caring in Japanese nursing.

[St. Luke's College of Nursing: student's motivation for selecting both nursing program and St. Luke's College for study].

In 1989, we published "A Study of Students' Motivation for Selecting a Nursing Program". Now, as the circumstances surrounding nursing education and the social situation are changing, we studied this matter again. The purpose of this survey is a) to find the motive for selecting a nursing program as well as this college, and b) to compare the results with those of the previous study. The questionnaire delineating reasons for selecting a nursing program and St. Luke's College were distributed to the 392 students who entered this college from 1989 to 1995. The response rate was 93.9%. The findings were as follows: 1) Many students selected a nursing program as an occupational choice. Responses noted that "nursing is worth while work", "nursing provide a service to people". They also selected nursing as "a way of life" so that "they would be able to grow" and "be useful to others". These results were almost the same as those of the previous study. 2) In the last two years, students demonstrated a tendency to choose two or three reasons for selecting a nursing program. The number of students who chose the reason "for myself" and "as a study" also increased. 3) "Christianity" was a unique reason for choosing this college. "Good quality of education", "high estimation of graduated", "recommendation of others" were also main reasons. Over the last 13 years, there was no change in motivation for selecting a nursing program. However, students showed a tendency to provide several reasons for choosing nursing. There was an increase in the number of students who were 1) interested in nursing for their own satisfaction and 2) who saw nursing as a intellectual study.

[Clinical study on serum immunosuppressive factors in gastric cancer patients--with special reference to preoperative ferritin levels and influence of surgical stress].

Serum ferritin values were measured preoperatively in 83 patients with gastric cancer and were found to be significantly higher than in normal subjects and mammary cancer patients. They were also significantly higher in healthy men than in women and in gastric cancer patients at stages I and IV than in those at stage III. There was no significant correlation between the serum ferritin value and various immunologic parameters. OK-432 serially administered pre- and postoperatively (A) and only postoperatively (B). The ferritin value increased markedly at one week postoperatively, reaching a peak at two weeks; at four weeks, it was reduced toward the value at one week. However, these changes in ferritin value showed no significant difference between groups A and B.

[Intracerebral germinoma developing in the right basal ganglia--report of a case followed up by CTscan and review of the literature (author's transl)].

Recently, a case of intracranial germinoma in the right basal ganglia was experienced in our department. He was a 14-years old boy with left motor hemiparesis. On repeated CT studies (7 times), developmental process of the tumor was observed for about 2 years. The tumor developed from the right putamen and invaded toward it's neighboring area (right basal ganglia, thalamus and hypothalamus). As the tumor grew larger, multiple cysts were formed in the tumor tissue and dislocation of ventricles occurred. On 21 December 1978, right temporal craniotomy was performed and a piece of the tumor was removed. It's tissue was diagnosed as germinoma by pathohistological examination. As the effect of postoperative 60Co irradiation and chemotherapy (Vicristine, CCNU), tumor stain (high density area) on CT scann disappeared and remained only as a well margined low density area. On CT scan in September 1979, recurrence sign was not noted. Clinical features of the germinoma located in the basal ganglia has not been well known, because of it's rarity. As a result of the survey of 7 cases reported in the Japanese literature and our case, it has been made clear that most of them are characterized by motor hemiparesis in the early stage, not accompanied by intracranial hypertension.