Invasive species and coal bed methane development in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming.

One of the fastest growing areas of natural gas production is coal bed methane (CBM) due to the large monetary returns and increased demand for energy from consumers. The Powder River Basin, Wyoming is one of the most rapidly expanding areas of CBM development with projections of the establishment of up to 50,000 wells. CBM disturbances may make the native ecosystem more susceptible to invasion by non-native species, but there are few studies that have been conducted on the environmental impacts of this type of resource extraction. To evaluate the potential effects of CBM development on native plant species distribution and patterns of non-native plant invasion, 36 modified Forest Inventory and Analysis plots (each comprised of four 168-m2 subplots) were established in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming. There were 73 168-m2 subplots on control sites; 42 subplots on secondary disturbances; 14 on major surface disturbances; eight on well pads; and seven on sites downslope of CBM wells water discharge points. Native plant species cover ranged from 39.5 +/- 2.7% (mean +/- 1 SE) in the secondary disturbance subplots to 17.7 +/- 7.5% in the pad subplots. Non-native plant species cover ranged from 31.0 +/- 8.4% in the discharge areas to 14.7 +/- 8.9% in the pad subplots. The control subplots had significantly less non-native species richness than the combined disturbance types. The combined disturbance subplots had significantly greater soil salinity than the control sites. These results suggest that CBM development and associated disturbances may facilitate the establishment of non-native plants. Future research and management decisions should consider the accumulative landscape-scale effects of CBM development on preserving native plant diversity.

Effect of hospital type, insurance type, and gender on the treatment of cardiovascular disease in middle-aged adults.

The cost and duration of cardiovascular care was studied for 4,804 episodes of hospitalization in patients between 45 and 64 years of age. Men were more likely than women to be treated in urban medical centers for shorter, more expensive hospital care; women were more likely to be treated in rural hospitals for longer, less expensive care. Cost of treatment per day was not dependent on the type of insurance, but Medicaid claims (which represent low income patients) were associated with greater lengths of stay.

Health promotion lifestyles of women experiencing crises.

Women who are experiencing crisis situations, including homelessness, are often perceived as passive victims of their social, economic, and personal circumstances. A few studies have challenged the stereotype of homeless women as passive victims and demonstrated that they are active in seeking solutions to their problems (Hodnicki, Horner, & Boyle, 1992; Montgomery, 1994; Thrasher & Mowbray, 1995). This study surveyed women receiving assistance at a nurse-managed clinic that serves a homeless population to determine their health promotion strategies. On the basis of this study's findings, health care providers are encouraged to recognize and build on the strengths of women in crises at both the individual and community levels of care.

A comprehensive primary health care delivery model.

Primary health care has emerged as a key element in the health care delivery system. A well-organized system of primary care is needed to reduce the fragmented, often parallel approaches currently seen in the delivery of health care. Important aspects of primary care include not only comprehensive services and continuity of care to the individual client but health assessment and intervention to meet the community needs as a whole. A nursing model is presented for comprehensive interdisciplinary primary health care practice, education, and research. A unique aspect of this model is the partnership with the community, which is an essential component for operationalization of the model. Use of this model will provide an opportunity for cost-effective, acceptable, accessible, and holistic health care that better meets the needs of the community.

Using self-help support groups: a framework for nursing practice and research.

Social support groups are receiving increased attention in professional literature and the media and the number of groups is growing. Nurses are often urged to utilize social support groups as part of client care. These groups cannot be effectively used by nurses unless they are approached from the framework of the nursing process. This approach helps assure individualization of referrals and evaluation of the support group in relation to the client's needs. Based on the literature reviewed and the proposed nursing process framework, many research questions are identified.

Morning sickness. The client's perspective.

Thirty-nine women attending a prenatal clinic completed a questionnaire and were interviewed to gather information on early pregnancy nausea as it affected their daily lives: what actions they tried to alleviate the problem; whether those actions helped; and their source of information on the problem. Results of the preliminary study indicate that the nurse's suggestions for alleviating the discomfort cannot be limited to long-standing textbook remedies since no one action helped a majority of the clients. Suggestions for continued research are given.