Public health awareness of climate change's impact on health.

OBJECTIVE: Climate change impacts the public's health. People are at risk for extreme weather events in the 21st century. The purpose of this study was to assess Public Health agencies' awareness of climate change's impact on health, and what protective and preventive strategies the agencies have in place. METHOD: Using mixed method research, a survey was designed to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Following IRB approval, surveys were sent to eight Public Health agencies in the USA's rural and urban Midwest, and rural Alaska. ANALYSIS: Quantitative data were analyzed using simple frequencies and means. Qualitative data were analyzed using content analysis and Public Health frameworks. RESULTS: Thirty-three agency personnel completed the surveys. All agencies identified emerging, new health problems. Seven agencies had climate change doubters and/or opposition from the community regarding climate change reality. All eight agencies were underfunded. CONCLUSION: Public Health agencies need financial resources to prepare for climate change threats and events. Climate change is a global reality. The world needs to collectively work together on this issue.

10-Year Study of Christian Church Support for Domestic Violence Victims: 2005-2015.

Religious beliefs play a significant role in the lives of victims of domestic violence. Victims find strength in their faith and would rather endure the violence at all costs to keep a family or a marriage together, than to compromise their faith by leaving. This 10 -year study explored the climate of support for victims of domestic violence among Christian clergy and church members between 2005 and 2015. Using a convenience sample, surveys were sent out to congregations in the Upper Midwest in 2005 and 2015. The survey included demographics; two items measuring perception of domestic violence in the congregation and community; six Likert Scale items regarding agreement with statements concerning leaving an abusive marriage; four "Yes-No" items regarding the impact of faith in leaving, support of the congregation, community resources, and clergy as counselors. The clergy's survey had the same questions plus open-ended questions about their skills in counseling victims, their congregation's support for victims, community resources, and beliefs that could impact a victim's choice in leaving. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, simple frequencies, and bivariate correlations. Narrative data were analyzed using content analysis. The results of this study indicated that change is slow. Members want their clergy to become more educated in counseling and in speaking about domestic violence from the pulpit. Clergy felt comfortable in making referrals for professional counseling, while the majority of members would prefer counseling with their pastor if they were in a violent relationship. Both clergy and members want to create a safe and supportive environment for victims/survivors of violent relationships. Findings from this study exemplify the need for pastors to remove the silence about domestic violence in their congregations and address the misunderstood social religious beliefs that may bind a victim to the violence.

10-Year Study of Christian Church Support for Domestic Violence Victims: 2005-2015.

PURPOSE: This 10 -year study explored the climate of support for victims of domestic violence among Christian clergy and church members between 2005 and 2015. METHOD: Using a convenience sample, surveys were sent out to congregations in the Upper Midwest in 2005 and 2015. The survey included demographics; two items measuring perception of domestic violence in the congregation andcommunity; six Likert Scale items regarding agreement with statements concerning leaving an abusive marriage; four 'Yes-No' items regarding the impact of faith in leaving, support of the congregation, community resources,and clergy as counselors. The clergy's survey had the same questions, plus open-ended questions about their skills in counseling victims, their congregation's support for victims, community resources, and beliefs that could impact a victim's choice in leaving. ANALYSIS: Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, simple frequencies, and bivariate correlations. Narrative data were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: The results of this study indicated that change is slow. Members want their clergy to become more educated in counseling and in speaking about domestic violence from the pulpit. Clergy felt comfortable in making referrals for professional counseling, while the majority of members would prefer counseling with their pastor if they were in a violent relationship. Both clergy and members want to create a safe and supportive environment for victims/survivors of violent relationships. Findings from this study exemplify the need for pastors to remove the silence about domestic violence in their congregations and address the misunderstood social religious beliefs that may bind a victim to the violence.

The feasibility of a purpose-renewal intervention after treatment for early stage breast cancer: A brief report.

This feasibility study evaluated the acceptability, implementability, and preliminary efficacy of a brief purpose renewal intervention (the Compass Course) using a one-group pretest-posttest design. Fifteen women who had completed treatment for early-stage breast cancer enrolled in the study. Twelve completed the eight-session group intervention that was designed to help participants identify daily priorities (actual and aspired) that most align with their personal strengths, values, and sources of meaning, that is, their inner compass. The intervention was found to be acceptable and implementable. Preliminary pre- and post-intervention outcomes suggested that participants experienced greater purpose in daily life at posttest but that they did not make demonstrable changes in their activities or roles. Results suggest that the Compass Course was feasible and further study related to purpose renewal for adults with early-stage cancer is warranted.

Exploring the Lived Experience of Difficult Sleep and Good Sleep Among Psychiatric Inpatients.

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore psychiatric inpatients' reflections on their experiences with sleep throughout their lives. Fourteen patients in an acute care behavioral health unit agreed to participate in this study. Participants met individually with a researcher to reflect on times in their lives when they experienced good sleep; times when they had difficulty sleeping; and times when difficult sleep was resolved. The major findings of the study indicated that feeling alone with life problems triggered difficult sleep; while feelings of belonging and purpose were associated with good sleep.

Nurses' experiences caring for incarcerated patients in a perinatal unit.

Studies indicate that psychological support of a mother during labor greatly increases the well-being of the mother and the infant. Nurses caring for incarcerated women in birthing centers, provide the only caring support these women have a possibility of receiving. However, there is a dearth of studies that explore nurses' perception of their role in caring for female offenders. The purpose of this article is to present a study that explored nurses' perception of caring for incarcerated women in a perinatal setting. Findings of the study indicated that nurses have difficulty working around the shackles that tied a laboring offender to the bed, and found the guards in the room to be intrusive. Some nurses advocated for the patients; others felt that the women were getting what they deserved. Most nurses struggled with the emotions of the incarcerated mom leaving behind her newborn upon return to prison.

The power of music.

A group of students with a passion for global health issues experience the power of music to bridge differences in language and culture.

Partner violence, depression, and recidivism: the case of incarcerated women and why we need programs designed for them.

The number of women in prison in the United States has been growing rapidly over the last 30 years. A large percentage of the incarcerated women have been victimized by violent partners and family members. Some of these women have been forced with threats of violence by their abusers to participate in illegal activities. Most of the women have children and many of the women will never see their children while in prison. Incarcerated women who have experienced intimate partner violence are at risk for depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide. Recidivism for women prisoners is associated with depression. In spite of the cost of recidivism and the growing overcrowded conditions in women's prisons, there are no known studies in the literature that test the effectiveness of a gender-sensitive intervention to reduce depression in incarcerated women as a means of reducing recidivism. The purpose of this paper is to illuminate the need for an effective cognitive therapy program that is designed specifically to reduce women's depression by raising awareness of inherited negative messages, affirmation of self and others, and empowerment through goal setting. The INSIGHT program is introduced as an example of a gender-sensitive program.

Assessing and addressing domestic violence experienced by incarcerated women.

A significant percentage of incarcerated women are victims of domestic violence, forced to be involved in illegal activity orchestrated by their abusive partners. Because intimate partner violence is not routinely assessed in prisons, the impact of partner violence is not always recognized or addressed.

Bittersweet knowledge: the long-term effects of an international experience.

Although many schools of nursing are offering international experiences for students, there has been minimal research that demonstrates a link between what students experience in these international programs and the subsequent long-term effects on their personal and professional lives as nurses. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to describe the effects of an international nursing student experience on participants' later personal and professional lives. The participants were 6 nurses who had completed a student international experience in Guatemala 2 years prior. Data collection methods included individual written narratives and a focus group. The overarching theme of the experience was that the participants had gained "Bittersweet Knowledge." Three themes supported this over-arching theme: "Coming to Understand" represented the positive side of the experience, "Unsettled Feelings" represented the uncomfortable side of the experience, and "Advocating for Change" represented the ongoing response to the experience.

Meaning of INSIGHT participation among women who have experienced intimate partner violence.

This phenomenological study explored the meaning that women with violent partners found in participating in a 20-week group cognitive therapy program called INSIGHT. Through a two-step interview process, ten women who had experienced intimate partner violence described what it meant to them to decide to participate in INSIGHT; what was meaningful about the program; and what influence the program had on their lives. Findings indicated an overarching theme that described a process of Rescuing Self. This study adds support for the utility of interventions, such as INSIGHT, that nurture self-emergence among women who have experienced intimate partner violence.

Death as a transformation of wholeness: an "aha" experience of health as expanding consciousness.

A nurse-patient clinical experience is presented from a unitary transformative perspective. The experience is interpreted through Newman's theory of health as expanding consciousness. A brief description of Newman's theory is given in order to provide the reader with Newman's key terms and fundamental philosophical principles. The nurse-patient healing partnership is explained using Newman's terminology and theory of health as expanding consciousness. The purpose of this article is to advance the critical importance of uncompromised and nonfragmented nursing care in partnership with the irreducible whole person.

The meaning of participation in an international service experience among baccalaureate nursing students.

Nine nursing students volunteered their spring break to provide nursing service in a rural, economically challenged area of Guatemala. The students were involved in all aspects of planning and preparation for the international experience. All nine students participated in a qualitative study which sought to describe the meaning of participation in an international service experience among baccalaureate nursing students. Data were collected through reflection journals, evening group conversations in Guatemala, written narratives, and a post-experience focus group interview. Six themes were uncovered using content analysis: (a) Clarification of career path/goals, (b) Improved understanding of social justice and globalization issues, (c) Motivation to continue service work, (d) Discovering the reciprocity of relationships with others, (e) Appreciation for the whole person, and (f) Finding a way to respect the sacredness of the experience. This study lends support for the positive benefits of short-term international experiences for nursing students.

Identifying underserved ethnic populations within a community: the first step in eliminating health care disparities among racial and ethnic minorities.

As set forth by the United States Department of Health and Human Services in Healthy People 2010, the primary goal of the national health promotion and disease prevention plan is to eliminate the health care disparities among racial and ethnic groups. This disparity is due, in part, to unequal health access. However, equal access to health care alone would not eliminate the difference. The health care provided must be culturally competent to be effective. Before providers can effectively begin strategizing ways to provide culturally sensitive health care for the people they serve, they first need to identify the groups of people in their service areas. A clinical example will be used to demonstrate public health nursing's role in accessing and advocating for uncounted populations as a fundamental beginning for eliminating disparity in health care delivery.