Could refereed care remove judgment bias?

The experience of nursing in Saudi Arabia has brought mixed reactions from Australian nurses. Some are shocked by the conditions they found in the local hospitals and the restrictions on women's lives which apply to them as well. For others, Saudi offers the chance to earn a high income, travel easily and extensively and experience a unique ancient culture. Conditions can often be very different from those cultured in nursing contracts, so the principle caveat interior, buyer beware, should be your guide. Here two nurses recount their own experiences of nursing Saudi style.     

Reflection and patterns of knowing in nursing

Over the last decade nursing has progressed from a reliance on empirical theory applied to practice to a recognition that experience develops knowledge that can guide the actions of practitioners. Reflection is a means of surfacing experiential knowledge, and students may begin to use reflection as their experience of nursing accumulates. As Carper was a key figure in widening that knowledge accepted as knowing in nursing beyond the empirical, it is both justified and recommended that her work should be incorporated into reflective practice. Johns has integrated Carper's work in his model of guided reflection and this paper briefly examines this combination. The main focus is on two further patterns of knowing: unknowing and sociopolitical knowing. These patterns are examined and the contribution they could make to reflective practice is discussed.     

A nursing journey through discursive praxis

This paper argues that conceiving nursing as a form of praxis, encompasses amongst other things, the critical reflection upon one's nursing practice in order to work out and understand internal and external constructions of personal theories. This reflective examination will demonstrate the implicit knowing that nurses develop as a result of their personal, day to day practice. Highlighting this knowing and incorporating the richness of their practice experience becomes the basis for their own personal nursing praxis.     

Chiral separations by capillary electrophoresis in process chemistry

BACKGROUND: Conducting research in clinical settings can be problematic for many nurses in practice due to lack of experience and support. METHOD: Research collaboration between clinical nurse specialists and staff nurses in clinical settings can promote development of their research process skills. RESULTS: Strategies identified can be applied by clinical nurse specialists involved in continuing education and staff development in clinical practice through further research development. CONCLUSION: Collaboration among clinical nurse specialists and staff nurses provides a unique and strong link that transcends degrees and roles to make substantial contributions to professional nursing practice.     

Ombudsman: a new role for advanced practice nurses in psychiatric-mental health nursing

TOPIC: The role of ombudsman for advanced practice nurses in psychiatric mental health nursing. PURPOSE: To describe the role of ombudsman and its fit with nursing as seen in the Price Spratlen Ombudsing Model. SOURCE: The author's own experiences as both an advanced practice nurse and an ombudsman. CONCLUSION: Because of downsizing, reorganization, and a general trend toward mutual distrust in large organizations, being an ombudsman has been named one of the "25 hottest careers." Advanced practice nurses in psychiatric mental health nursing, by virtue of their knowledge of interpersonal, preventive, and systems theories, are in a unique position to fill this role.     

Sublethal effects of an organophosphate insecticide on the European eel, Anguilla anguilla

Recent research has found that family caregivers do not discuss their caregiving in terms of tasks but instead describe their care as shaped by concerns, commitments and goals. The purpose of this paper is to challenge the ways in which nurses approach the family caregiving process and to explore possibilities for evolving nursing knowledge by questioning existing practice in the light of developing insight into the ways in which being a family caregiver is meaningful. A critique of the philosophical orientations of rationalism and empiricism provides a platform to discuss the merits of a Heideggerian phenomenological approach in assisting nurses to better understand family caring experience. Such critique serves to support the notion of displacing the traditional scientific view as the prime means of disclosing truth, acknowledging alternative ways of knowing.     

Effect of leuprolide acetate in treatment of abdominal pain and nausea in premenopausal women with functional bowel disease: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study

Many contemporary scholars have challenged the current culture of graduate education and have suggested a need to reform nursing scholarship. The purpose of this study was to describe and analyse the common practices and shared lived experiences of nurses who are students or teachers in doctoral education. Participants recruited from across the United States included 15 nurses, five of whom were current faculty members in doctoral programmes in nursing and 10 who were currently enrolled as students in doctoral programmes. Data collected from extended, non-structured interviews were analysed hermeneutically using the interpretive phenomenology of Heidegger and Gadamer as the philosophical background. The results of this study reveal that the practices of scholarship, reading, writing, thinking and dialogue are inseparable and belong together. Analysing and describing how the practices of scholarship belong together will contribute to extending an understanding of how the practices of writing can be preserved in contemporary doctoral education. 'Preserving' refers to how teachers and students perpetuate and sustain these practices in ways that are meaningful and transformative and in ways that are oppressive. This study explores the experiences that are central to becoming a scholar and suggests how their meaningfulness can be sustained and extended into the next millennium.     

Fractional clearances of low molecular weight proteins in lead workers

The phenomenon of wanting to help another is a universal human experience. Individuals reach out to others in order to fulfill personal commitments, to assist loved ones, or to meet professional obligations. The purpose of this research using Parse's method was to generate the structure of this experience as lived by nurses. Findings indicate that the lived experience of wanting to help another is directing nurturing intentions amidst uplifting affirmations with others while dissonant constraints unfold new possibilities. Findings are discussed in light of Parse's theory in order to expand the knowledge base of nursing. Similarities and differences with research findings on the experiences of nurturance and caring are presented. Implications for practice and further research are specified for nurses encountering persons who express their desire to help another.     

A liver-specific isoform of the betaine/GABA transporter in the rat: cDNA sequence and organ distribution

This paper discusses the findings of a quantitative study of nurses' willingness to care for patients with AIDS. It identifies several factors that enable nurses to confront the fear of AIDS nursing and to turn fear into compassion, and negative attitudes into positive ones. These factors include professional values, organizational support, group identity, patients' responses, spirituality, family and friends with AIDS, knowledge about AIDS, and the importance of personal choice. The value of these factors are further supported through personal statements made by nurses on AIDS-dedicated units as they express their feelings, thoughts, and positive experiences and expectations regarding AIDS nursing.     

Nurses' knowledge and opinions about the nursing research process in The Netherlands

Nursing research is just gaining ground in The Netherlands, as it is in every European country. Therefore, this study had the purpose of discovering to what extent Dutch nurses in the clinical areas have acquired research-based knowledge since it was introduced into the country, in the 1970s. Questionnaires, which included provision for demographic data, were distributed to 110 nurses, comprising head nurses, recently qualified nurses and final-year student nurses. A 65% response was achieved and the findings revealed that nursing research as a concept was not new to the Dutch nurses. They claimed they had obtained their knowledge through nursing training, reading, conferences and other sources such as mass media. The head nurses were the most knowledgeable followed by the recently qualified nurses and then the student nurses. However, the respondents claimed that their knowledge was superficial. The need to extend nurses' knowledge through support and encouragement in relation to nursing research seminars and conferences is recommended.     

Integrating writing into psychotherapy practice: A matrix of change processes and structural dimensions.

Research on therapeutic writing indicates that it can offer a range of physical and psychological benefits. There is no consensus, however, concerning how writing achieves these benefits. To address this question, the authors propose a matrix framework with emotional-cognitive change processes (what can be activated) along its horizontal dimension and abstract-concrete structure (how the processes are activated) along its vertical dimension. On the horizontal dimension, writing can encourage clients who are distant from their emotional world to approach or to modulate emotional intensity, and to create meaning and coherence. Along the vertical dimension, these processes can be activated through tasks that vary in structure, including programmed writing, diaries, journaling, autobiography, storytelling, and poetry. Finally, the authors consider constraints on writing that apply to particular client groups. The matrix framework is meant to encourage clinicians to use therapeutic writing and to assist researchers in framing questions to advance our knowledge of writing as a therapeutic practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pursuing the kernel of truth in the psychotherapy of schizophrenia.

This article concerns the utility of pursuing the kernels of truth in the delusions of schizophrenic patients as a means of empathizing with their unique personal experience of events. Pursuing the kernel of truth implies listening for the real interpersonal experiences past and present that are represented within delusions, as opposed to focusing on derivatives of infantile fantasy. This orientation restores the rights of the schizophrenic person as a perceptive observer of events with a valid, although not commonly understood, point of view. A clinical case example is presented in which the delusion of being raped while others stand idly by both literally and metaphorically described a wide variety of interpersonal experiences which had shaped the patient's life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Concentration and temperature dependence of viscosity in lysozyme aqueous solutions

Women scheduled for breast biopsy procedures experience heightened anxiety about the outcomes of their diagnostic procedures. Perioperative nurses have unique opportunities to provide quality nursing care for patients awaiting breast biopsy procedures and their definitive diagnoses. The prevalence (ie, 50%) of benign breast disease in women of reproductive age and the anxiety related to the threat of breast cancer are important nursing concerns. This article addresses the breast clinic nurse's role in meeting the emotional and informational needs of women scheduled for breast biopsy procedures. The human response to illness (HRI) model is used as a framework for understanding the phenomenon of anxiety within this context. The HRI model provides a basis for delivering quality nursing care through the development of an enhanced role for the breast clinic nurse.     

Developing a patient education program: overcoming physician resistance

Scientific expertise in the management of diabetes was an important factor in overcoming physician resistance to the education program. Nurses have expertise, and their expertise must be acknowledged for them to be viewed as leaders. Not only are nurses responsible for sharing their expertise with other nurses, it is equally important for them to share their expertise with the physicians, who may appreciate receiving any information that can help them improve their patients' outcomes. The components that are essential for success in pioneering a new program are good listening skills, a willingness to cooperate, self-confidence, scientific knowledge, vigilance, determination, and a clear vision. Patient outcomes will improve when nurses use their scientific knowledge base and leadership skills through patient-centered nursing practice, planned change strategies, and advanced practice nursing.     

Group process in nursing: possibilities and limits

This work shows studies and reflections about the utilisation of groups in nursing assistance. As an aim sought to identify, through nurses perspective, aspects about their motivations to work with groups, their source of knowledge and relevant points of their experience with groups. The results demonstrates that nurses recognise the therapeutic value of groups in assistance and provide suitable conditions to its development. However, difficulties to handling groupal situations are limiting elements to develop this activity that reveal the human sentiment meander, indicating that nurse group co-ordinator needs, beyond theoretical establishment, to practice by their self-knowledge to provide an ambient and a interpersonal relationship able to obtain the real significance of this activity.     

Enhancing scholarship and community service in historically black colleges and universities

A project designed to enhance scholarship and community service at Historically Black College and University nursing programs was conducted. The project outcomes and unique opportunities from these experiences are described. The discussion centers on how 2 schools and individual participants used their experiences to enhance their professional development, provide education and opportunities to minority student nurses, and participate in community service in predominantly African American communities.     

Struggling for control: the care experiences of 'difficult' patients in mental health services

Although there is increasing recognition of the existence of 'difficult' patients who present particular challenges to mental health nurses, no research has been conducted into their perceptions of services and their experiences of care. This study identifies mental health service users who are defined by nurses as 'difficult' and explores their perceptions of their care experience. The results support earlier studies which suggested that 'difficult' patients challenge nurses' competence and control: despite their different roles both nurses and 'difficult' patients were aware of the struggle to gain or retain a notion of control. Respondents were able to identify the qualities of nurses and nursing interventions which had a positive effect on their care experience. Where nurses were perceived to demonstrate respect, time, skilled care and a willingness to give patients some control and choice in their own care, feelings of anger were reduced. These findings are discussed within the conceptual framework of 'power over' and 'power to' and implications for practice and research are considered.     

Healing the wounds of organizational injustice: Examining the benefits of expressive writing.

Clinical and health psychology research has shown that expressive writing interventions—expressing one's experience through writing—can have physical and psychological benefits for individuals dealing with traumatic experiences. In the present study, the authors examined whether these benefits generalize to experiences of workplace injustice. Participants (N = 100) were randomly assigned to write on 4 consecutive days about (a) their emotions, (b) their thoughts, (c) both their emotions and their thoughts surrounding an injustice, or (d) a trivial topic (control). Post-intervention, participants in the emotions and thoughts condition reported higher psychological well-being, fewer intentions to retaliate, and higher levels of personal resolution than did participants in the other conditions. Participants in the emotions and thoughts condition also reported less anger than did participants who wrote only about their emotions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Decision-making models of Finnish nurses and public health nurses

This study described nursing decision-making models and variables related to these models. For this purpose a 56-item Likert-type questionnaire was constructed according to the Dreyfus model of skill acquisition as applied to nursing by Benner and information processing theory. The target group consisted of 100 registered nurses working in inpatient clinics and 100 public health nurses working in preventive health care. The decision-making variables explored were nurses' experience, education and knowledge as well as the nature of the nursing task and context. The results revealed four different types of decision-making: (a) unquestioning/questioning decision-making, (b) creative-diversive decision-making, (c) patient/nurse-oriented decision-making, and (d) rule- and situation-based decision-making. The most important factors related to decision-making were experience and the nature of the nursing task and context.     

Storytelling: a holistic foundation for genetic nursing

The article discusses the need for a paradigm shift in how genetic nurses think about genetic information and genetic testing. It conceptualizes a theoretical model to depict the relationships among storytelling, holism, and genetic nursing practice. Four themes are discussed to explain why storytelling is necessary for clinical genetics: knowing the patient as a whole person, honoring the preciousness of personhood and the essence of humanness, uncovering power imbalances that inhere in therapeutic relationships, and listening to people's values and beliefs that affect decision making. The benefit of storytelling for developing and disseminating knowledge in genetic nursing is examined.