[Cultivating nursing core competencies in college students].

Departments of nursing in Taiwan junior colleges teach a comprehensive range of core competency skills; provide the healthcare system with entry level nursing professionals able to deliver complete care services; and help students prepare for and earn their nursing licenses. Framed by current junior college nursing department curricula and considerations of professional core competency, this paper examines the role of core nursing competencies in college education goals as they influence college curriculum design and clinical practicum programs. The achieved result should be a professional curriculum that incorporates general education, basic medical, and professional nursing elements that is capable of nurturing professional nursing school graduates able to execute their professional duties and earn the respect of patients, their families and society.

[A project to reduce rejection of newborn screening blood specimens for congenital metabolic diseases].

Defective blood specimens used to screen congenital metabolic diseases in newborns cause specimens to be rejected and necessitate that a heel stick be performed again. Such results in delayed diagnoses and family complaints. The purpose of this project was to reduce the incidence of blood specimen rejection. The project was carried out from March 1, 2006 to February 28, 2007. Project team members identified the causes of specimen problems using onsite observation, document review and quizzes on specimen collection knowledge. Three causes were found, including incorrect blood collection procedures, lack of pre-job training and continuing education, and disorganized blood collection work station. Five strategies were proposed to reduce the rejection of blood specimens: (1) establish standard operating procedures for blood specimen collection done to screen for congenital metabolic diseases; (2) design blood specimen collection training courses; (3) make a list of common errors encountered in blood specimen collection; (4) designate a specific person to organize the work station and (5) maintain an accurate monthly record of specimens rejected. After the completion of the project, the objective was achieved. The percentage of the rejected specimens fell from 19.5% to 3.8% per month and nurse scores on specimen collection knowledge increased from 68 to 92. In order to ensure the correctness of blood specimen collection, appropriate pre-job training and periodical on-job training courses for staff are further suggested.

[Aromatherapy in nursing practice].

Aromatherapy is the use of essential oils which are distilled from aromatic plants to obtain holistic effects on the mind, body, and spirit. Among nurses, aromatherapy is the second most commonly used complementary therapy. The chemical components of essential oils, such as ketones, aldehydes, and esters, determine the specific effects of the essential oils. Essential oils may be administered by inhalation, bathing, or massage to decrease anxiety, pain, and fatigue, and improve wound healing. As neuronal, liver, and kidney toxicity, as well as skin allergies may occur, it is recommended not to use essential oils on a regular basis. Research has provided evidence on the effects of essential oils, but further research is needed to identify the effects of their interaction with medications, and whether there are any side effects or contraindications. Consequently, it will provide a scientific base on the use of essential oils and enhance the possibilities for the use of essential oils in health care.

[Health behaviors of middle-aged adults].

Middle age is the term used to describe the transition between early and late adulthood. Declining physical functions and increased stress resulting from family and work obligations create important health challenges among middle-aged adults, therefore maintaining good health behaviors is particularly important for members of this population. Work responsibilities make it particularly hard for many middle-aged adults to participate in health-related activities. The purpose of this paper is to integrate literature related to health behaviors of middle-aged adults to understand their behavior practice and characteristics. In Taiwan, middle-aged adults (especially male breadwinners) are more likely to use tobacco, alcohol, and betel nut, with these behaviors tending to be clustered. Gender-specific strategies for managing multiple substance use and abuse and better enforcement of public health policies are needed to promote positive health behaviors among middle-aged Taiwanese adults.

Exercise motivation and processes of change in community-dwelling older persons.

Although exercise is important for the health of older persons, many older persons fail to participate in exercise. Knowledge and skills about changing exercise behavior is needed for health professionals to develop appropriate interventions to engage older persons in exercise. The purpose of this study was to determine how exercise processes of change were used by community-dwelling older persons to engage in exercise. A cross- sectional correlational design was employed. Cluster sampling was used to obtain potential subjects. A sample of 167 older persons participated in the study. The age of the participants ranged from 65 to 89 years (M = 73.7, SD = 6.14). Each participant was interviewed face-to-face with the investigator reading the questions and marking the answers on the Exercise Stages of Change Questionnaire and the Exercise Processes of Change Questionnaire. The results revealed that half of the older persons were underactive or inactive. One- way ANOVAs and Scheffe post-hoc analyses revealed that 10 processes of change were significantly different among the stages of change (all p values <.05). The study findings provide guidance in designing exercise interventions to increase compliance of older persons with exercise.