Use of sunscreen in health care professionals. The health belief model.

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship among perceived susceptibility, demographic variables, and use of sunscreen in health care providers, using the Health Belief Model Questionnaire. The sample consisted of 90 participants from the Southeast, ages 24 to 60 years. This sample included nurses, pharmacists, psychologists, nurse practitioners, and physicians. Demographics revealed that 63% had postgraduate or professional degrees, 91% were white, 88% were women, 4% had a family history of skin cancer, and 4% had a personal history of skin cancer. Participants at actual high risk and those at actual low risk reported appropriate perceived susceptibility scores. However, those whose actual risk was average, perceived their risk to be low. There was no significant relationship found between actual risk of developing skin cancer and use of sunscreen. There was a significant relationship between age and perceived susceptibility to skin cancer. The older the subject, the higher the perceived susceptibility. Health care providers have the ability to influence individuals to use sunscreen. Accurately perceived susceptibility to skin cancer will increase the likelihood of health care providers recommending sunscreen to their patients.

Pregnant teenagers' reasons for seeking or delaying prenatal care.

The purpose of this descriptive study was to explore the reasons that pregnant teenagers do or do not seek prenatal care during the first trimester of pregnancy. Interviews were conducted with a volunteer sample of 49 pregnant adolescent girls, 13 to 18 years old, in primary care settings. The informants' self-reported reasons for seeking early prenatal care included feeling ill, being worried about themselves, wanting a pregnancy test, and the teen's mother insisting that she begin prenatal care. Reasons for delaying care included not recognizing pregnancy symptoms, denying being pregnant, fear of parents' response to the pregnancy, and lack of financial resources. The findings suggest that pregnant adolescents who sought early prenatal care had adequate family support and a stronger knowledge base about pregnancy than those who delayed care. Nurses and other health care personnel in clinical practice should provide information about the symptoms and signs of pregnancy and about the importance of initiating early prenatal care, in all encounters with preadolescent and adolescent girls and their mothers, to increase the likelihood that teens will seek early prenatal care if they become pregnant.

Women's satisfaction with couplet care nursing compared to traditional postpartum care with rooming-in.

The purpose of this study was to compare patient satisfaction with two types of nursing care postpartum: traditional nursing care with rooming-in versus mother-baby (couplet) nursing care. A descriptive comparative research design was used. Questionnaire responses were obtained from 71 women who received traditional postpartum care with rooming in and 64 women who received couplet care on the same unit 6 months later. Women in both groups were satisfied with nursing care given to themselves and infants, with no difference in satisfaction between groups. The traditional model of having a nurse for the baby and different nurse for the mother can be as satisfying to women as having one nurse for the mother-baby couplet when rooming-in is encouraged and implemented.

A comparison of self-reported self-care practices of pregnant adolescents.

Recent research has suggested that effective prenatal care is significantly related to positive outcomes for the teen mother and her infant. One aspect of prenatal care is the efforts of the pregnant teen to care for herself, often called self-care practices. The purpose of this article is to compare the self-reported self-care activities of pregnant teenagers who sought prenatal care during the first trimester of their pregnancies with those of pregnant teens who delayed prenatal care until the third trimester. The subjects were adolescent girls who were enrolled in prenatal care programs or who had recently delivered in Florida. Interview analysis suggested that both groups had an adequate knowledge level regarding diet, exercise, and other topics related to self-care during pregnancy. Although pregnant teens practice similar self-care behaviors regardless of when they enter prenatal care, there are many problems that may lead to poor pregnancy outcomes and can remain undetected when prenatal care is delayed.

PIP: Nurse practitioners interviewed 48 adolescents who were either pregnant or had just delivered to learn how they cared for themselves. The teens were attending or had attended prenatal clinics in Florida. They were divided into 2 groups: 34 teens who began prenatal care in the 1st trimester and 12 teens who did in the 3rd trimester. 73% of teens in the early group considered prenatal care as a self-care activity, while just 1 in the late group did. All but 1 teen practiced self-care throughout the pregnancy, sometimes before formally entering prenatal care. 94.1% in the early group and 83.3% in the late group reported that family members helped with self-care. Some nutrition self-care activities were increased intake of milk and vegetables and a decrease of elimination of fatty foods and caffeine. 97% in the early group and 75% in the late group enrolled in the Women, Infants, and Children program. 54% in the early group and 41% in the late group used vitamin and mineral supplements. 67.6% in early group and 75% in late group either continued or began to exercise during pregnancy. 35.2% in the early group and 41.6% in the late group took more time to sleep and rest. Even though some teens abused substances before pregnancy, they all reported no drug or alcohol use during pregnancy. 3 early-group teens and 1 late-group teen still smokes cigarettes, even though they knew it was unhealthy for the baby. Most teens avoided strenuous activities, e.g., team sports. Even though the teens practiced self-care, delay of prenatal care can still lead to poor pregnancy outcomes. An increased need exists for health education or self-care in public schools and during routine preventive health care, mass media campaigns on pregnancy signs and symptoms and early prenatal care, and support from parents and other family members.

Early postpartum discharge: implications for HMOs.

Early postpartum discharge, defined as discharge of the postpartum mother and newborn infant from the hospital 12-24 hours after delivery, has been shown to be a safe, well-accepted, economical alternative to the traditional hospital stay. Because of consumer pressure to treat pregnancy and birth as a healthy rather than an illness state, the current trend is toward decreased medical intervention and increased self-care for the postpartum mother and infant. Many HMOs have instituted such programs, and others may want to consider this consumer preference and implement early postpartum discharge programs to increase consumer satisfaction and, at the same time, decrease health care costs. This literature review summarizes various early discharge programs including preadmission criteria, early discharge criteria, procedures, complications, consumer satisfaction, staff training, and cost effectiveness.

The response of higher education to the shortage of nursing school applicants.

This survey revealed that the majority of nursing schools responding, both public and private, required a 2.5 GPA for admission and that this standard had not been lowered in response to the nursing shortage. In general, responses indicated a belief that those students admitted with a GPA of less than 2.5 were not as likely to be successful in the program. Although some research in higher education suggests that more stringent requirements tend to improve the status of the college and therefore improve the quality of the applicants, the results of this survey did not support this. However, those schools that had increased their admission standards had done so within the past five years and, therefore, the effects of these changes may not yet be realized. The number, variety, and level of difficulty of prerequisite courses had remained constant and, in some cases, increased. Lowering the number and level of difficulty of prerequisite courses was not being done even with a decrease in the applicant pool. Required nursing courses were being offered on a more frequent basis by some schools to attract more students by increasing flexibility within the program and to increase the number of times during the year that students can be admitted. More time and money were being spent to improve the image of nursing and to recruit qualified students into the profession. Efforts were also being made to make it feasible for associate degree nurses to return for their bachelors degree in nursing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)