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1.
Pain Manag Nurs ; 19(3): 277-287, 2018 06.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-29398346

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A valid and reliable instrument is needed to assess acute pain in critically ill patients unable to self-report and who may be transitioning between critical care and other settings. AIM: To examine the reliability, validity, and clinical utility of the Multidimensional Objective Pain Assessment Tool (MOPAT) when used over time by critical care nurses to assess acute pain in non-communicative critically ill patients. METHODS: Twenty-seven patients had pain assessed at two time points (T1 and T2) surrounding a painful event for up to 3 days. Twenty-one ICU nurses participated in pain assessments and completed the Clinical Utility Questionnaire. RESULTS: Internal consistency reliability coefficient alphas for the MOPAT were .68 at T1 and .72 at T2. Inter-rater agreement during painful procedures or turning was 68% for the behavioral dimension and 80% for the physiologic dimension. Validity was evidenced by decreases (p < .001) in the MOPAT total and behavioral and physiologic dimension scores when comparing T1 and T2. Nurses found the tool clinically useful. CONCLUSION: The MOPAT can be used in the critical care setting as a helpful tool to assess pain in non-communicative patients. The MOPAT is unique in that the instrument can be used over time and across settings.


Subject(s)
Acute Pain/prevention & control , Critical Illness , Pain Measurement , Acute Pain/nursing , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Intensive Care Units , Male , Middle Aged , Nursing Process , Reproducibility of Results , Time Factors
2.
J Health Psychol ; 19(5): 602-17, 2014 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-23471761

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of problem-solving education on self-efficacy and distress in informal caregivers of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation patients. Patient/caregiver teams attended three 1-hour problem-solving education sessions to help cope with problems during hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Primary measures included the Cancer Self-Efficacy Scale-transplant and Brief Symptom Inventory-18. Active caregivers reported improvements in self-efficacy (p < 0.05) and distress (p < 0.01) post-problem-solving education; caregiver responders also reported better health outcomes such as fatigue. The effect of problem-solving education on self-efficacy and distress in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation caregivers supports its inclusion in future interventions to meet the multifaceted needs of this population.


Subject(s)
Caregivers/education , Caregivers/psychology , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/psychology , Neoplasms/psychology , Neoplasms/therapy , Problem Solving , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Anxiety/psychology , Fatigue/psychology , Female , Health Behavior , Humans , Longitudinal Studies , Male , Middle Aged , Patient Education as Topic , Power, Psychological , Quality of Life/psychology , Self Efficacy , Surveys and Questionnaires
3.
J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs ; 41(6): 774-85, 2012.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22861492

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To describe the neonatal health risks (hypothermia, hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, respiratory distress, the need for a septic workup, and feeding difficulties) experienced by late preterm infants (LPIs) from a large multisite study and determine how these risks were affected by gestational age at birth. DESIGN: Descriptive analysis of prospective data obtained as part of the AWHONN Late Preterm Infant Research-Based Practice Project. SETTING: Fourteen hospitals located through the United States and Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Late preterm infants (802) born at gestational ages between 34 0/7 and 36 6/7 weeks. METHODS: Nurses at each site obtained consent from the mother of the infant. The data about the infant were gathered from the infant's medical record. RESULTS: Thirty-six percent of LPIs were initially cared for in a special care nursery; approximately one half of these infants were eventually transferred to a well-baby nursery. Of the 64% of LPIs initially cared for in a routine nursery, 10% were transferred to a special care unit or neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). More than one half of LPIs experienced hypothermia, hypoglycemia, feeding difficulties, hyperbilirubinemia, and respiratory distress and/or needed a septic workup. The risk for these problems was higher in infants of younger gestational ages. Thirty-two percent of the infants were bathed during the first 2 hours of life, and by 4 hours, more than two thirds had had their first bath. Fifty-two percent received kangaroo care during the first 48 hours of life. CONCLUSION: These findings support those of smaller studies indicating that LPIs are at high risk for developing health problems during their neonatal hospitalization. Nurses may be able to ameliorate some of these health problems through early identification of problems and simple, inexpensive interventions such as avoiding early bathing and promoting kangaroo care.


Subject(s)
Infant Care/methods , Infant, Premature, Diseases/mortality , Infant, Premature, Diseases/therapy , Infant, Premature , Neonatal Nursing/methods , Birth Weight , Bottle Feeding/statistics & numerical data , Breast Feeding/statistics & numerical data , Canada , Critical Care/methods , Databases, Factual , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Gestational Age , Hospital Mortality/trends , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Infant, Premature, Diseases/diagnosis , Intensive Care Units, Neonatal , Nursing Research , Pregnancy , Prospective Studies , Risk Assessment , Survival Rate , Time Factors , Treatment Outcome , United States
4.
Support Care Cancer ; 20(8): 1885-93, 2012 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21964642

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This repeated measures, prospective study was designed to explore and describe symptom dimensions, depressive symptoms, and uncertainty in newly diagnosed oropharyngeal and laryngeal cancer patients during and 1 month following treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A non-probability sample of 21 oropharyngeal and laryngeal cancer patients receiving definitive radiation completed the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale, Beck Depression Inventory, and Mishel's Uncertainty in Illness Scale at treatment initiation, and at 5, 9, and 12 weeks. RESULTS: A common pattern of 11 symptoms, which changed as treatment progressed, was problematic for patients. Physical symptoms increased by 50% at week 5 and 9. Depression was experienced by 24% of patients. Uncertainty was found to be high at all time points and unexpectedly remained unchanged over time (p = 0.73). Positive correlations (p < 0.05) were found among number of symptoms, symptom distress, and depressive symptoms. Uncertainty was correlated (p < 0.05) statistically only to symptom distress. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to identify uncertainty in illness among oropharyngeal and laryngeal cancer patients and found it to be higher than for other cancer populations. Findings provide insights into the uncertainty of living through treatment and provide information for patient care. The consistent pattern of high levels of uncertainty during and 1 month after treatment suggests that the uncertainty related to acute illness could extend into chronic uncertainty which may interfere with a cancer survivor's adaption to daily living after treatment. Further research is needed to investigate other variables that influence uncertainty during treatment as well as 1 to 6 months after treatment for head and neck cancer.


Subject(s)
Laryngeal Neoplasms/complications , Laryngeal Neoplasms/psychology , Laryngeal Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/complications , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/psychology , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/radiotherapy , Uncertainty , Chi-Square Distribution , Depression/epidemiology , Female , Humans , Laryngeal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Laryngeal Neoplasms/pathology , Male , Middle Aged , Neoplasm Staging , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/drug therapy , Oropharyngeal Neoplasms/pathology , Prevalence , Prospective Studies , United States
5.
Am J Crit Care ; 20(5): e103-14, 2011 Sep.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21885453

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: No standard oral assessment tools are available for determining frequency of oral care in critical care patients, and the method of providing oral care is controversial. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effects of a systematic program of oral care on oral assessment scores in critically ill intubated and nonintubated, patients. METHODS: Clinical data were collected 3 times during critical care admissions before and after institution of a systematic program of oral care in 3 different medical centers. The oral care education program consisted of instruction from a dentist or dental hygienist and a clear procedure outlining systematic oral care. The Beck Oral Assessment Scale and the mucosal-plaque score were used to assess the oral cavity. Data were analyzed by using linear mixed modeling with controls for severity of illness. RESULTS: Scores on the Beck Scale differed significantly (F = 4.79, P = .01) in the pattern of scores across the 3 days and between the control group (before oral education) and the systematic oral care group. Unlike the control group, the treatment group had decreasing scores on the Beck Scale from day 1 to day 5. The mucosal-plaque score and the Beck Scale scores had strong correlations throughout the study; the highest correlation was on day 5 (r = 0.798, P < .001, n = 43). CONCLUSIONS: Oral assessment scores improved after nurses implemented a protocol for systematic oral care. Use of the Beck Scale and the mucosal-plaque score could standardize oral assessment and guide nurses in providing oral interventions.


Subject(s)
Critical Illness , Diagnosis, Oral/methods , Oral Health , Adult , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Dental Care/nursing , District of Columbia , Female , Humans , Male , Maryland , Middle Aged , Oral Health/standards , Virginia
6.
Psychooncology ; 20(6): 615-22, 2011 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21626610

ABSTRACT

UNLABELLED: Family caregivers of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) patients are at risk for experiencing significant psychological distress yet screening caregivers has not been well studied. OBJECTIVE: This analysis explored the psychometric characteristics of the Distress Thermometer (DT) by examining its relationship, sensitivity, and specificity relative to the Brief Symptom Inventory 18 (BSI-18) and the Multidimensional Fatigue Symptom Inventory (MFSI) in a sample of allogeneic HSCT caregivers and patients. METHODS: Longitudinal data were drawn from an ongoing intervention study for HSCT caregivers and patients. Data from one hundred and fifty-six English-speaking adults where patients (n = 65) were receiving their first allogeneic HSCT with at least one adult caregiver (n = 91) were eligible for this analysis. Study questionnaires were administered at baseline, initial discharge, and 6 weeks following discharge. RESULTS: Construct validity was supported by significant relationships (p<0.001) between the DT and the BSI-18 GSI and the MFSI-Emotional subscales for caregivers and patients. The diagnostic utility of the DT for patients was good (AUC = 0.85±0.05, p = 0.001), while for caregivers it was poor (AUC = 0.61±0.08, p = 0.28). A DT cut point of 5 was supported for patients (sensitivity = 1.0, specificity = 0.68), while for caregivers there was less confidence (sensitivity = 0.70, specificity = 0.52). Caregivers and patients reporting a higher number of problems had a greater level of distress (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the validity of the DT in screening for distress in HSCT caregivers and patients. Although the diagnostic utility of the DT for HSCT caregivers may be limited, understanding factors associated with distress can guide practice for this understudied population.


Subject(s)
Adjustment Disorders/diagnosis , Caregivers/psychology , Cost of Illness , Depressive Disorder/diagnosis , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/psychology , Mass Screening , Pain Measurement , Surveys and Questionnaires , Adjustment Disorders/psychology , Adult , Aged , Caregivers/education , Depressive Disorder/psychology , Fatigue/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Problem Solving , Psychometrics/statistics & numerical data , Reproducibility of Results
7.
J Palliat Med ; 14(3): 287-92, 2011 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-21265631

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Accurate assessment in hospice patients who cannot communicate their pain is almost impossible, increasing their risk for unrecognized and inadequately managed pain. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this article is to describe a series of small-scale projects aimed at developing and refining an instrument to assess acute pain in noncommunicative hospice patients. METHODS: Project 1 was a clinical project in which focus groups with hospice nurses yielded an adaptation of an existing pain assessment measure that was named the Multidimensional Objective Pain Assessment Tool (MOPAT) and had behavioral and physiological subscales. Projects 2 and 3 tested the MOPAT in 30 cognitively impaired/nonresponsive hospice inpatients and 28 alert and oriented hospice inpatients, with study nurses and hospice nurses rating pain with the MOPAT before and after a pain-relieving intervention and rating its clinical usefulness. Projects 3 and 4 analyzed the reliability, validity, and clinical utility of the MOPAT. RESULTS: Overall internal consistency reliability of the MOPAT was demonstrated with Cronbach's α coefficients of 0.79 before and 0.84 after the pain-relieving intervention. The behavioral and physiological subscale scores changed significantly (p < .035) after pain medication, demonstrating sensitivity to changes in pain. Principal components factor analysis revealed two factors matching the subscales and accounting for 66% of the variance. Nearly all the hospice nurses found the MOPAT helpful, easy to use and understand, and conducive to use in daily practice. CONCLUSION: The MOPAT has preliminary evidence of reliability, validity, and clinical utility. Full-scale psychometric testing in hospice and acute care hospital patients is currently underway.


Subject(s)
Communication , Hospice Care , Pain Measurement/methods , Adult , Aged , Female , Focus Groups , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pain Measurement/nursing , Psychometrics , United States
8.
J Adv Nurs ; 66(11): 2510-9, 2010 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20735502

ABSTRACT

AIM: This paper is a report of a study of the type, frequency, and level of stress of ethical issues encountered by nurses in their everyday practice. BACKGROUND: Everyday ethical issues in nursing practice attract little attention but can create stress for nurses. Nurses often feel uncomfortable in addressing the ethical issues they encounter in patient care. METHODS: A self-administered survey was sent in 2004 to 1000 nurses in four states in four different census regions of the United States of America. The adjusted response rate was 52%. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, cross-tabulations and Pearson correlations. RESULTS: A total of 422 questionnaires were used in the analysis. The five most frequently occurring and most stressful ethical and patient care issues were protecting patients' rights; autonomy and informed consent to treatment; staffing patterns; advanced care planning; and surrogate decision-making. Other common occurrences were unethical practices of healthcare professionals; breaches of patient confidentiality or right to privacy; and end-of-life decision-making. Younger nurses and those with fewer years of experience encountered ethical issues more frequently and reported higher levels of stress. Nurses from different regions also experienced specific types of ethical problems more commonly. CONCLUSION: Nurses face daily ethical challenges in the provision of quality care. To retain nurses, targeted ethics-related interventions that address caring for an increasingly complex patient population are needed.


Subject(s)
Burnout, Professional/epidemiology , Ethics, Nursing , Job Satisfaction , Nursing Staff , Patient Rights/ethics , Advance Directives/ethics , Age Factors , Bioethical Issues , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Clinical Competence , Conflict of Interest , Cross-Sectional Studies , Decision Making/ethics , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Nursing Research , Nursing Staff/psychology , Nursing Staff/supply & distribution , Personnel Staffing and Scheduling/ethics , Personnel Turnover , Surveys and Questionnaires , Terminal Care/ethics , United States/epidemiology
9.
Cancer Nurs ; 33(2): E24-32, 2010.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20142739

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) generates multiple problems that vary in complexity and create significant distress for both patients and their caregivers. Interventions that address patient and family caregiver distress during allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) have not been tested. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of conducting an individualized dyadic problem-solving education (PSE) intervention during HSCT and estimate a preliminary effect size on problem-solving skills and distress. METHODS: The PSE intervention consisted of 4 sessions of the Prepared Family Caregiver PSE model. Data were collected with an interventionist log, subject interviews and standardized questionnaires. RESULTS: Of the 34 adult dyads screened, 24 were ineligible primarily because of being non-English-speaking (n = 11) and inconsistent caregivers (n = 10). Ten dyads (n = 20) were enrolled, and 8 dyads (n = 16) completed the intervention. Of the 31 sessions, 29 were completed (94%). Worsening patient condition was the primary reason for sessions to be incomplete. Patients attended 90% of the sessions; caregivers attended 74%. Reasons for missed sessions included patient symptom distress and limited caregiver availability. Dyads reported being very satisfied (mean, 4.8 [SD, 1.8]; range, 1-5), stating "an opportunity to talk" and "creative thinking" were most beneficial. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that dyads can participate in PSE during HSCT and view it as beneficial. Participants identified the active process of solving problems as helpful. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Targeted interventions that promote effective, meaningful behaviors are needed to guide patients and caregivers through HSCT. Future research recommendations include testing a version of PSE with fewer sessions, including spousal and nonspousal caregivers and those who are non-English speaking.


Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Family/psychology , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/psychology , Patient Education as Topic/organization & administration , Problem Solving , Stress, Psychological/prevention & control , Attitude to Health , Caregivers/education , Caregivers/psychology , Cognitive Behavioral Therapy , Feasibility Studies , Female , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Models, Educational , Models, Nursing , Nursing Education Research , Patient Care Planning/organization & administration , Program Evaluation , Statistics, Nonparametric , Stress, Psychological/diagnosis , Stress, Psychological/psychology , Transplantation, Homologous
10.
J Pediatr Nurs ; 25(2): 108-18, 2010 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20185061

ABSTRACT

Continuous infusion medications are associated with fatal adverse events in pediatric intensive care units. The effect of computerized orders on detecting infusion pumps programming errors has never been studied. Using a crossover design, we examined the effect of using computerized orders for continuous infusions as compared with that of using handwritten orders on nurse ability to detect infusion pump programming errors, time required to verify pump settings, and user satisfaction. The computerized orders saved nurses time but did not improve their ability to detect infusion pumps programming errors. Nurses preferred computerized orders. High error rate was related to manual calculations and inconsistent use of computerized orders.


Subject(s)
Clinical Competence , Infusion Pumps/adverse effects , Infusions, Intravenous , Medical Order Entry Systems , Medication Errors/prevention & control , Adult , Computer Simulation , Cross-Sectional Studies , Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions , Female , Humans , Intensive Care Units, Pediatric , Male , Medication Errors/statistics & numerical data , Middle Aged , Pediatric Nursing/standards , Pediatric Nursing/trends , Quality of Health Care , Risk Assessment , Safety Management , Young Adult
11.
Issues Ment Health Nurs ; 31(2): 103-11, 2010 Feb.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-20070224

ABSTRACT

The mental health consequences of living with intimate partner violence (IPV) are substantial. Despite the growing awareness of the incidence of depression and PTSD in women experiencing IPV, few studies have examined prospectively the experience of IPV during pregnancy and the impact of the abuse on women's mental health. As a component of a larger clinical trial of an intervention for pregnant abused women, 27 women participated in a qualitative study of their responses to the abuse in the context of pregnancy and parenting. Results indicate that women's changing perceptions of self was related to mental distress, mental health, or both mental distress and mental health.


Subject(s)
Attitude , Domestic Violence/psychology , Domestic Violence/statistics & numerical data , Sexual Partners , Spouse Abuse/psychology , Spouse Abuse/statistics & numerical data , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/epidemiology , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychology , Adult , Female , Humans , Male , Parenting , Pregnancy , Prospective Studies , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/diagnosis , Surveys and Questionnaires , Time Factors
12.
J Pediatr Pharmacol Ther ; 15(3): 189-202, 2010 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-22477811

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES: The use of continuous infusion medications with individualized concentrations may increase the risk for errors in pediatric patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE) for continuous infusions with standardized concentrations on frequency of pharmacy processing errors. In addition, time to process handwritten versus computerized infusion orders was evaluated and user satisfaction with CPOE as compared to handwritten orders was measured. METHODS: Using a crossover design, 10 pharmacists in the pediatric satellite within a university teaching hospital were given test scenarios of handwritten and CPOE order sheets and asked to process infusion orders using the pharmacy system in order to generate infusion labels. Participants were given three groups of orders: five correct handwritten orders, four handwritten orders written with deliberate errors, and five correct CPOE orders. Label errors were analyzed and time to complete the task was recorded. RESULTS: Using CPOE orders, participants required less processing time per infusion order (2 min, 5 sec ± 58 sec) compared with time per infusion order in the first handwritten order sheet group (3 min, 7 sec ± 1 min, 20 sec) and the second handwritten order sheet group (3 min, 26 sec ± 1 min, 8 sec), (p<0.01). CPOE eliminated all error types except wrong concentration. With CPOE, 4% of infusions processed contained errors, compared with 26% of the first group of handwritten orders and 45% of the second group of handwritten orders (p<0.03). Pharmacists were more satisfied with CPOE orders when compared with the handwritten method (p=0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: CPOE orders saved pharmacists' time and greatly improved the safety of processing continuous infusions, although not all errors were eliminated. pharmacists were overwhelmingly satisfied with the CPOE orders.

13.
Oncol Nurs Forum ; 36(3): E107-25, 2009 May.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-19403439

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To present a comprehensive summary of the existing research literature related to prevalence and correlates of depression in adult patients with head and neck cancer to establish a knowledge base for future research. DATA SOURCES: Quantitative studies in English measuring depression or mood in adults with head and neck cancer published from 1986-2008. DATA SYNTHESIS: A substantial body of knowledge exists regarding prevalence, correlates, and predictors of depression in patients with head and neck cancer. Prevalence rates of depression are high at diagnosis, during treatment, and in the first six months following treatment, and mild to moderate depression may continue for three to six years after diagnosis. Certain patient demographic characteristics (e.g., marital status, education), symptoms, and specific time points in the illness trajectory (e.g., time of treatment) are correlated with depression. Specific patient variables at diagnosis, such as depression, can predict depression at later time points. CONCLUSIONS: Additional research should assess symptoms using consistent depression instruments or clinical interviews based on specific criteria in patients with head and neck cancer. Specifically, multisite studies should be conducted to increase sample sizes. Research related to symptom clusters and the effect of clusters on patients is needed. Longitudinal studies that examine depression and patient characteristics, symptoms, type of treatments, and the correlates of depression across the trajectory of illness are important. Replication of existing research using multiple patient and clinical characteristics to explore predictors of depression may reveal profiles for patients most at risk. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: This comprehensive summary of existing research literature related to the prevalence and correlates of depression among adult patients with head and neck cancer provides evidence-based information that can be used by oncology nurses in their practice.


Subject(s)
Depression/epidemiology , Depression/nursing , Head and Neck Neoplasms/epidemiology , Head and Neck Neoplasms/nursing , Humans , Prevalence
14.
Am J Bioeth ; 8(4): 4-11, 2008 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-18576241

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE/METHODS: This study investigated the relationship between ethics education and training, and the use and usefulness of ethics resources, confidence in moral decisions, and moral action/activism through a survey of practicing nurses and social workers from four United States (US) census regions. FINDINGS: The sample (n = 1215) was primarily Caucasian (83%), female (85%), well educated (57% with a master's degree). no ethics education at all was reported by 14% of study participants (8% of social workers had no ethics education, versus 23% of nurses), and only 57% of participants had ethics education in their professional educational program. Those with both professional ethics education and in-service or continuing education were more confident in their moral judgments and more likely to use ethics resources and to take moral action. Social workers had more overall education, more ethics education, and higher confidence and moral action scores, and were more likely to use ethics resources than nurses. CONCLUSION: Ethics education has a significant positive influence on moral confidence, moral action, and use of ethics resources by nurses and social workers.


Subject(s)
Bioethics/education , Education, Nursing/statistics & numerical data , Ethics, Nursing/education , Ethics, Professional/education , Morals , Social Work/education , Social Work/ethics , Adult , California , Decision Making , Ethics Committees, Research , Ethics Consultation , Female , Humans , Male , Maryland , Massachusetts , Middle Aged , Nurses/statistics & numerical data , Ohio , Professional Competence , Regression Analysis , Social Work/statistics & numerical data , Surveys and Questionnaires
15.
Med Health Care Philos ; 11(1): 27-34, 2008 Mar.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17939060

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Reports suggest that some health care personnel fear retaliation from seeking ethics consultation. We therefore examined the prevalence and determinants of fear of retaliation and determined whether this fear is associated with diminished likelihood of consulting an ethics committee. METHODS: We surveyed registered nurses (RNs) and social workers (SWs) in four US states to identify ethical problems they encounter. We developed a retaliation index (1-7 point range) with higher scores indicating a higher perceived likelihood of retaliation. Linear regression analysis was performed to identify socio-demographic and job characteristics associated with fear of retaliation. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine whether fear of retaliation was associated with less likelihood of seeking consultation. RESULTS: Our sample (N = 1215) was primarily female (85%) and Caucasian (83%) with a mean age of 46 years and 17 years of practice. Among the sample, 293 (48.7%) RNs and 309 (51.3%) SWs reported access to an ethics consultation service. Amongst those with access, 2.8% (n = 17) personally experienced retaliation, 9.1% (n = 55) observed colleagues experience retaliation, 30.2% (n = 182) reported no experience with retaliation but considered it a realistic fear, and 50.8% (n = 305) did not perceive retaliation to be a problem. In logistic regression modeling, fear of retaliation was not associated with the likelihood (OR = 0.64; 95% CI = 0.22-1.89) or frequency of requesting ethics consultation (OR = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.27-2.38). CONCLUSION: Fear of retaliation from seeking ethics consultation is common among nurses and social workers, nonetheless this fear is not associated with reduced requests for ethics consultation.


Subject(s)
Ethics Consultation , Fear , Nurses/psychology , Organizational Culture , Social Work , Ethics, Clinical , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Socioeconomic Factors , United States
16.
Res Nurs Health ; 30(5): 558-68, 2007 Oct.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17893936

ABSTRACT

We examined social support as a protective factor in the relationship between lifetime exposure to traumatic events and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptomatology among urban women. Seventy-six women who sought care in a trauma center for injuries from physical or sexual violence completed an interview. When tangible support, rather than total social support, and the interaction of tangible support and lifetime trauma were tested, tangible support moderated the relationship between lifetime trauma and PTSD. Given the complex etiology of lifetime trauma, risk for future trauma and the health needs of women who have experienced trauma, a broader range of intervention strategies that include attention to tangible support need to be developed and evaluated.


Subject(s)
Adaptation, Psychological , Battered Women/psychology , Social Support , Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/psychology , Violence/psychology , Adolescent , Adult , Female , Humans , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Poverty , Rape/psychology , Regression Analysis , Spouse Abuse/psychology , Urban Population
17.
Res Nurs Health ; 30(4): 445-58, 2007 Aug.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17654483

ABSTRACT

Although several variables have been correlated with nursing job satisfaction, the findings are not uniform across studies. Three commonly noted variables from the nursing literature are: autonomy, job stress, and nurse-physician collaboration. This meta-analysis examined the strength of the relationships between job satisfaction and autonomy, job stress, and nurse-physician collaboration among registered nurses working in staff positions. A meta-analysis of 31 studies representing a total of 14,567 subjects was performed. Job satisfaction was most strongly correlated with job stress (ES = -.43), followed by nurse-physician collaboration (ES = .37), and autonomy (ES = .30). These findings have implications for the importance of improving the work environment to increase nurses' job satisfaction.


Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Job Satisfaction , Nursing Administration Research/organization & administration , Nursing Methodology Research/organization & administration , Nursing Staff/psychology , Adult , Aged , Burnout, Professional/etiology , Burnout, Professional/psychology , Cooperative Behavior , Female , Health Facility Environment , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Nurse's Role/psychology , Nursing Staff/organization & administration , Personnel Loyalty , Personnel Turnover , Physician-Nurse Relations , Professional Autonomy , Risk Factors , Salaries and Fringe Benefits , Sensitivity and Specificity , Workload , Workplace/organization & administration , Workplace/psychology
18.
West J Nurs Res ; 29(3): 344-56; discussion 357-364, 2007 Apr.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17420524

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of the interventions for improving mental health of caregivers of people with stroke by synthesizing individual studies. A meta-analysis was performed to summarize findings of intervention studies of caregivers of elderly stroke patients. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis and a publication bias were tested. The overall mean weighted effect size (MWES) for the four studies is 0.277 (Z = 3.432, p = .001) with a 95% CI .118 to .435 (N = 718) indicating that the intervention was effective in improving the mental health of informal stroke caregivers. The MWES for the education program was 0.354 (Z= 2.613, p < .01) and for the support program was .234 (Z = 2.335, p= .02). The MWES for the Europe study was .219 (Z= 2.613, p < .01) and for the United States was .922 (Z = 3.287, p = .001). The results show that overall interventions improved mental health of informal stroke caregivers. The small number of studies included in the meta-analysis limits the generalizability of results while supporting the need for more research in this area.


Subject(s)
Caregivers/psychology , Family/psychology , Health Education/organization & administration , Health Promotion/organization & administration , Mental Health , Stroke/nursing , Aged , Caregivers/education , Data Collection , Data Interpretation, Statistical , Europe , Female , Health Services for the Aged , Home Nursing/psychology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Outcome Assessment, Health Care , Program Evaluation , Research Design , Respite Care , Self-Help Groups/organization & administration , Sensitivity and Specificity , Social Support , United States
19.
Nurs Res ; 55(6): 391-401, 2006.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17133146

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: More patients are receiving healthcare services from nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs). These providers are likely to be confronted with a variety of ethical issues as they balance quality care with their patients' rising cost concerns. However, very little is known about the ethical conflicts and causes of these conflicts experienced by these clinicians in their daily practice. OBJECTIVE: To identify ethical concerns and conflicts NPs and PAs encounter related to managed care in the delivery of primary care to patients and the factors that influence ethical conflict. METHODS: A cross-sectional self-administered mailed questionnaire was sent to 3,900 NPs and PAs randomly selected from primary care and primary care subspecialties in the United States (adjusted response rate, 50.6%). Respondents were surveyed on ethical issues and concerns, ethics preparedness, and ethical conflict. Bivariate and multiple linear regression analyses were used to evaluate predictors of ethical conflict. RESULTS: Insurance constraints were reported to have interfered with the ability to provide quality patient care by 72% of respondents, with 55.3% reporting daily to weekly interferences. Nearly half of respondents (47%) have been asked by a patient to mislead insurers to assist them in receiving care. A perceived obligation to advocate for patients, even if it means exaggerating the severity of a patient's condition, was the single most significant predictor of ethical conflict, explaining 25% of the variance. DISCUSSION: NPs and PAs are experiencing ethical conflict often associated with their perceived professional obligations to advocate for patients. Being well-prepared in ethics and having sufficient professional independence help clinicians balance the ethical complexities and demands of meeting patients' needs within a constrained healthcare system.


Subject(s)
Conflict, Psychological , Managed Care Programs , Nurse Practitioners/ethics , Physician Assistants/ethics , Professional-Patient Relations/ethics , Adult , Conflict of Interest , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Health Services Accessibility/ethics , Humans , Linear Models , Male , Middle Aged , Multivariate Analysis , Patient Advocacy/ethics , Professional Autonomy , United States
20.
J Am Board Fam Med ; 19(6): 557-65, 2006.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-17090789

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Examine physicians' attitudes toward the incorporation of psychosocial factors in diagnosis and treatment and identify barriers to the integration of evidence-based mind-body methods. METHOD: Random sample of primary care physicians and physicians from selected non-primary specialties was drawn. A total of 1058 physicians completed a 12-page survey. RESULTS: The response rate was 27%. Although a majority of physicians seem to recognize the importance of addressing psychosocial issues, approximately one third believe that addressing such factors would lead to minimal or no improvements in outcomes. A minority reports their training regarding the role of psychosocial factors was effective, and relatively few indicate interest in receiving further training in these areas. Males were less likely to believe in the importance of addressing psychosocial factors. Additional factors included perceptions that training was poor in these areas; feelings of low self-efficacy to address psychosocial issues and the perception that such factors are difficult to control; lack of knowledge of the evidence-base supporting the role of psychosocial factors; and lack of time and inadequate reimbursement to address the psychosocial domain. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the need for more comprehensive training in the role of psychosocial factors in health. In addition, the finding that physicians identify lack of time and inadequate reimbursement as significant barriers suggests that the current health care delivery system may, in many respects, be antithetical to the biopsychosocial model.


Subject(s)
Patients/psychology , Practice Patterns, Physicians' , Psychophysiology , Attitude of Health Personnel , Evidence-Based Medicine , Female , Health Care Surveys , Humans , Male , Psychology , United States
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