ABSTRACT
Fatigue is one of the most common symptoms experienced by patients receiving dialysis. When patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease are admitted to acute care settings, they require management of their often profound fatigue. CKD, renal pathology, and renal fatigue are examined in relation to a case study.
Subject(s)
Fatigue/prevention & control , Kidney Failure, Chronic/nursing , Patient Education as Topic , Renal Dialysis/nursing , Self Care , Adult , Fatigue/etiology , Fatigue/nursing , Female , Humans , Kidney Failure, Chronic/complications , Kidney Failure, Chronic/therapy , Nursing Assessment , Quality of Life , Renal Dialysis/adverse effectsABSTRACT
PURPOSE: With the numbers of cancer diagnoses increasing annually and the aging of the global citizenry, it is certain that more nurses with expert competencies in cancer care will be needed. Nursing students must have a broad understanding of cancer content in order to provide safe, effective care in the clinical setting as they learn to recognize their own experiences in caring for cancer patients. Experienced nursing educators are aware that student nurses bring into any clinical learning situation their unique knowledge, values, fear, uncertainty and bias. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of nursing students caring for cancer patients. METHOD: This descriptive qualitative study included participants who were Junior or Senior Baccalaureate nursing students and had provided care for at least one patient with cancer during clinical experiences. Focus group interviews were transcribed verbatim for analysis and coding using accepted qualitative techniques. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed student experiences to be varied in the type of cancer patient experiences. Four prevalent sub-themes emerged regarding student experiences: caring for patients and families, interactions between students and healthcare providers, student experiences with dying patients, and students' prior experiences with cancer. Further discussion with students revealed a student perspective for strengthening cancer in the curriculum. CONCLUSION: Preparing students to be comfortable with cancer patients across the cancer illness trajectory will provide students with the necessary skills to gain confidence in their cancer patient care.
Subject(s)
Attitude of Health Personnel , Empathy , Neoplasms , Nurse-Patient Relations , Students, Nursing/psychology , Clinical Competence , Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate , Fear , Female , Focus Groups , Health Services Needs and Demand , Humans , Interprofessional Relations , Male , Neoplasms/nursing , Neoplasms/psychology , Nursing Methodology Research , Oncology Nursing/education , Prejudice , Professional-Family Relations , Qualitative Research , Terminal Care/psychology , UncertaintyABSTRACT
In 2006, there were 46 million surgical procedures performed in the United States, all of which would have typically included waiting by the family and/or friends. A grounded-theory approach was used to examine the experiences of waiting family members during surgery of a loved one. A convenience sample of 32 family members of patients undergoing surgery were interviewed in two surgical waiting rooms. Constant comparison of the data was performed until saturation of categories was achieved. The resulting middle-range theory, maintaining balance during the wait, described the family member's struggle for balance during the surgical wait. Four domains were identified: focusing on the patient, passing the time, interplay of thoughts and feelings, and giving and/or receiving support. Study findings showed that understanding this struggle for balance during a surgery is imperative for nurses who often interact with family members and need to address their needs.
Subject(s)
Family/psychology , Stress, Psychological/epidemiology , Surgical Procedures, Operative , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Aged , Emotions , Family Nursing , Female , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Male , Middle Aged , Social Support , Stress, Psychological/physiopathologyABSTRACT
An exciting expansion of online educational opportunities is occurring in nursing. The use of a WebQuest as an inquiry-based learning activity can offer considerable opportunity for nurses to learn how to analyze and synthesize critical information. A WebQuest, as a constructivist, inquiry-oriented strategy, requires learners to use higher levels of thinking as a means to analyze and apply complex information, providing an exciting online teaching and learning strategy. A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all of the information learners work with comes from the web. This article provides an overview of the WebQuest as a teaching strategy and provides examples of its use.
