Southeast Asian parents raising a child with autism: a qualitative investigation of coping styles.

Autism is a developmental disability increasing in incidence over the past decade. Parents of children with autism experience prolonged levels of stress and isolation. Using qualitative research design, nine parents of children with autism participated in this study that focused on the effect of autism on the family, coping styles, and support systems. The target population was first-generation Southeast Asian American parents. Results revealed nine coping style patterns: (a) denial/passive coping, (b) empowerment, (c) redirecting energy, (d) shifting of focus, (e) rearranging life and relationships, (f) changed expectations, (g) social withdrawal, (h) spiritual coping, and (i) acceptance. The school was considered the primary supportive entity. Although findings may not be unique to the Southeast Asian group, the research provides an in-depth perspective on their lived experience, their struggles, and strengths. Insight gained from this investigation can help school nurses better understand the affect of autism on families, identify specific needs, and address these needs by advocating for appropriate supportive programs.

Nursing students' attitudes about home health nursing.

In an effort to address the home care nursing shortage, this pilot study was designed to measure nursing students' attitudes toward home health nursing and to test the Home Health Attitude Questionnaire developed specifically for this study based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. Senior undergraduate nursing students and registered nursing to bachelor of science in nursing students completed the questionnaire.

The Omaha System and quality measurement in academic nurse-managed centers: ten steps for implementation.

Measuring and describing client problems, nursing interventions, and outcomes is a challenge in nursing care. This study reviews the literature about the use of the Omaha System and describes the steps used to introduce and implement the Omaha System as a documentation and outcome measurement system in academic nurse-managed centers. The goal of the article is to provide a guide for nurse educators to develop and implement a quality measurement system that can be used in clinical settings by undergraduate students. The Omaha System is a strategy to introduce and incorporate evidence-based practice in the undergraduate nursing clinical experience.

Barriers to screening for domestic violence in the emergency department.

The identification of victims of domestic violence is important to prevent further abuse and injury. The purposes of this pilot project were to identify potential barriers emergency department registered nurses encounter in screening patients for domestic violence and to assess nurses' educational backgrounds for continuing education and training needs. The most significant potential barriers to screening identified were a lack of education and instruction on how to ask questions about abuse, language barriers between nurses and patients, a personal or family history of abuse, and time issues. These findings may benefit other researchers who are trying to determine the continuing education needs of emergency department staffs.

Perceived barriers for ethnically diverse students in nursing programs.

This qualitative research study examined the perceived barriers and factors that hindered or facilitated ethnically diverse students' completing their nursing education. It builds on a large qualitative study conducted by Yoder in 1996, describing the processes nurse educators use when teaching ethnically diverse students and the perceived special needs of these students. Seventeen recently graduated ethnic minority RNs in Central Coastal California were interviewed using an open-ended questionnaire. These nurses represented Latino, Portuguese, Asian, and African-American population groups. Grounded theory methodology was used for data analysis. The findings identified the needs and barriers that ethnically diverse nursing students may encounter while completing their nursing education. In addition, data revealed supportive factors that helped these students cope with the barriers.

Grandparent caregiving role in Filipino American families.

The purpose of this preliminary study was to explore the Filipino American grandparent caregiver role of grandchildren. This descriptive qualitative study utilized three data collection methods: demographic information sheet, focus group, and field notes. The Filipino American grandparents were recruited from a church in Honolulu, Hawaii. Thematic analysis was used to analyze narrative data. Filipino American grandparents view the grandparenting caregiving role as a normative process rather than a burden in which families take on responsibilities as part of cultural beliefs and norms such as pakikisama, utang na loob, and authoritarianism. Pakikisama is family unity and closeness and Utang na loob is mutual reciprocity "the give and take" and obligation in relationships.

Nursing care makes a difference. Application of the Omaha System.

Nursing classification systems enable practitioners to describe their contributions to client care. The results of this study indicated an improvement in the outcome ratings, using the Omaha System, as a result of nursing interventions for 47 clients with chronic mental illness receiving services in three academic nurse-managed centers. The Omaha System was found to be a valid and reliable nursing documentation tool for outcome and quality of care measurement for clients with mental illness. This study describes how the Omaha System was used by undergraduate nursing students who were caring for adults with mental illness in nurse-managed centers.