Ethical conflicts reported by certified registered rehabilitation nurses

Psychological and neuropsychological assessment of children is focused on behavioral disorders of various dimensions (e.g., abilities and limits of perceptual, expressive, cognitive and emotional functions). Additionally neuropsychological diagnosis attempts to explain relationship between behavioral and brain states. The purpose of diagnosis formulated in this way requires careful selection of test procedures and overall integration of different kinds of data. Especially, severally handicapped cases need this kind of diagnostical approach. Limits of valid diagnostic conclusions are determined by many factors that affect coherent interpretation of the test scores (e.g. the lack of a consistently employed neurologic model of brain development to relate to behavioral functions, significant impairment with coexisting sensory and motor deficits, the different effects of brain lesion depending on age of onset, the interference of maturational and experimental variables with manifestation of brain damage).     

Preretirement planning of female registered nurses

Knowledge of preretirement planning among women has not been a major focal point for researchers. The purpose of this study was to test a model for understanding preretirement planning among working women and to describe and explain preretirement health and financial plans. A multivariate method of analysis was used with a sample of 145 working female registered nurses, 40 years of age or older, from a major health sciences institution. Data were collected with a mailed questionnaire that measured knowledge, beliefs, and attitudes of women regarding health and financial preretirement planning. The results of this study indicated that formal and informal methods of planning for retirement were limited. Knowledge of health maintenance issues and economic issues were found to be helpful in making plans for the retirement years. This study identifies strengths and weaknesses in the preretirement planning process of working women and contributes to the expansion of knowledge to reduce problems during retirement.     

Continuing education needs of hospital-based nurses in Alabama

Staff nurses (n = 403) and nurse executives (n = 82) were surveyed to determine the continuing education (CE) needs of hospital-based nurses in Alabama. Nurse executives preferred on-site, live offerings on Wednesday. Staff nurses preferred on-site, live offerings on Monday or Tuesday. Findings indicated that there was a difference in: (a) nurse executives' and staff nurses' perception of reimbursement policies, (b) nurse executives' and staff nurses' choice for days of week preferred, and (c) reimbursement policies and practices for RNs and LPNs.     

Transcultural nursing practice described by registered nurses and baccalaureate nursing students

Using Leininger's Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality as a framework, this research examined transcultural practices of nurses and students. A survey was administered to a convenience sample of registered nurses and senior baccalaureate students with 767 usable questionnaires returned. Neither group expressed confidence in their ability to care for culturally-diverse patients. Registered nurses (RNs) reported assessing cultural factors and modifying practices more frequently than did students. Respondents reported their beliefs about transcultural nursing were influenced by being with people of other cultures, their own personal values, and education. Analysis of the open-ended questions revealed two major themes. First, both nurses and students perceive an overwhelming need for transcultural nursing. Second, nurses and students respond to cultural challenges by modifying their care. Modifications are based on language and communication, pain perception and relief, religious and spiritual dimensions, gender and family roles, and other values. Results suggest that nurses and students are aware of culture, recognize that culture influences the care they provide, and modify their health teaching and nursing care based on culture. The use of a conceptual framework to help make modifications in care was not mentioned.     

Effectiveness and patient satisfaction with screening flexible sigmoidoscopy performed by registered nurses

CONTEXT: In December 1995, reported Salmonella enterica serotype Newport (SN) infections increased sharply in Oregon and British Columbia but not elsewhere in North America. Similar unexplained increases had been noted in 6 other states in the fall of 1995. OBJECTIVE: To determine the source of the outbreak(s). DESIGN: Case-control studies, environmental investigations, bacterial subtyping, and surveillance information review. SETTINGS: Oregon and British Columbia communities (winter 1995-1996) and Georgia, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, and West Virginia (fall 1995). PARTICIPANTS: Oregon and British Columbia residents with culture-confirmed SN infections and onset from December 1, 1995, through February 29, 1996, and healthy community controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Odds ratio (OR) of illness associated with exposures; distribution patterns and culture of alfalfa seeds and sprouts; subtyping of SN isolates. RESULTS: We identified 133 cases in Oregon and British Columbia; 124 (93%) occurred in patients older than 18 years; 87 (65%) were female. Case patients were more likely than community control subjects to report having eaten alfalfa sprouts in the 5 days preceding illness (41% [17/41] vs 4% [3/75]; OR, 17.0; 95% confidence interval, 4.3-96.0). Case isolates shared a distinctive pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern. The SN was grown from seeds and alfalfa sprouts. The distribution of 1 seed lot to multiple growers corresponded to the distribution of cases. Distribution of a second seed lot from the same European wholesaler corresponded to the location of the fall outbreak, which was characterized by a similar demographic profile. The PFGE pattern of fall outbreak isolates and confiscated sprouts and seeds was indistinguishable from the Oregon and British Columbia outbreak and differed from background isolates. CONCLUSIONS: The SN-contaminated alfalfa seeds were distributed to multiple growers across North America in 1995 and resulted in a protracted international outbreak scattered over many months. Current sprouting methods are inadequate to protect consumers from such events. Alfalfa sprouts may be an elusive but important vehicle for salmonellosis and other enteric infections.     

Declarations by registered nurses from the 1980s: an aid to the understanding of nursing today

This study is part of a more extensive project that aims to rescue significant aspects related to the evolution of nursing care from 1950s until 1990s. This study was developed using the technique of oral declaration by active and retired registered nurses, in the context of a school-hospital from the interior of the S?o Paulo State. The present study particularizes the outcomes regarding to 1980s. As result becomes evident the undertaken effort by nurses in the struggle for profession's recognition and prestige; intense and deep transformations related to nurse's new roles as leadership of the nursing staff and members of the medical team.     

The roller coaster supply of registered nurses: lessons from the eighties

The strong labor demand of the eighties for nurses has evaporated under reform proposals and cost constraints. In this study, the 1984 and 1988 National Sample Surveys of Registered Nurses (NSSRN) were used to examine the labor supply of nurses. Ordinary least squares and logistic regression analyses indicated that the responsiveness of registered nurses to the wage was greater than previous research has indicated. If wage growth is slow relative to other occupations due to a decreased demand for nurses, registered nurses will in turn reduce their supply of labor more than previous research has indicated. Whether the response by nurses will balance the reduction of demand by employers remains to be seen.     

A study of the educational and research priorities of registered nurses in rural Australia

This study set out to identify the educational and research priorities of registered nurses practising in rural and remote areas of Australia. It included two groups of participants, one which identified as rural and another which identified as remote. The findings for the rural cohort in the study are presented in this article. Research participants represented a national sample. The Delphi method was used to obtain the most reliable consensus of the nurse participants. In the final phase of the study, 13 high priorities were identified. Study findings highlight perceived needs for clinical nursing research and continuing education for nurses practising in rural Australia.     

Through the looking glass: the labor market for registered nurses in the 21st century

From the 1950s through the early 1990s, nurses enjoyed employment security. Now supply outstrips demand and nursing student enrollments are declining. What are the forces at work and how can the rules of the marketplace be used to predict the future?     

Perceptions and practice of universal blood and body fluid precautions by registered nurses at a major Sydney teaching hospital

Detection of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) and avian pathotyping of NDV isolates are extremely important because the appearance of virulent virus has significant economic consequences in terms of vaccination, eradication, and the ability to export poultry products. By using nucleotide and amino acid (aa) homology analysis, we could demonstrate that a NDV broiler isolate is a velogenic virus. This analysis was done after mean death time and intracerebral pathogenicity index tests gave inconsistent results. By establishing a nucleotide sequence dendrogram, we found that the disputed Ber-Tuvia was clearly in the same group as the known Herev-Laet, a velogenic isolate. The difference between Ber-Tuvia 92 and the Herev-Laet velogenic isolate was 6% as opposed to > 16% of the meso- and lentogenic isolates. The Ber-Tuvia isolate contains the Arg/Arg and Lys/Arg aa at positions 112, 113 and 115, 116, respectively, in the fusion protein cleavage aa sequence, which is typical for virulent NDV isolates.     

The effects of health care reforms on job satisfaction and voluntary turnover among hospital-based nurses

OBJECTIVES: Among the consequences of downsizing and cost containment in hospitals are major changes in the work life of nurses. As hospitals become smaller, patient acuity rises, and the job of nursing becomes more technical and difficult. This article examines the effects of changes in the hospital environment on nurses' job satisfaction and voluntary turnover between 1993 and 1994. METHODS: Data were collected in a longitudinal survey of 736 hospital nurses in one hospital to examine correlates of change in aspects of job satisfaction and predictors of leaving among nurses who terminated in that period. RESULTS: Unadjusted results showed decline in most aspects of satisfaction as measured by Hinshaw and Atwood's and Price and Mueller's scales. Multivariate analysis indicated that the most important determinants of low satisfaction were poor instrumental communication within the organization and too great a workload. Intent to leave was predicted by the perception of little promotional opportunity, high routinization, low decision latitude, and poor communication. Predictors of turnover were fewer years on the job, expressed intent to leave, and not enough time to do the job well. CONCLUSIONS: The authors conclude that although many aspects of job satisfaction are diminished, some factors predicting low satisfaction and turnover may be amenable to change by hospital administrators.     

Application of supervised and nonsupervised microcounseling paradigms in the training of registered and licensed practical nurses.

Studied the effect of supervision on the learning of interviewing skills within the microcounseling format, using 18 female registered and licensed practical nurses at the psychiatric ward of a midwestern Veterans Administration hospital. Ss were randomly assigned to a supervised, nonsupervised, or no-training control condition. Trained coders categorized 32 trainee utterances from pretraining and posttraining videotaped interviews as one or more microcounseling skills, opposite skills, or a miscellaneous skill. Analyses revealed a significant main effect indicating significant improvement in only the supervised group's combined use of opposite and microcounseling skills. A significant double interaction demonstrated significantly higher Ideal Therapeutic Relationship Scale ratings as a function of training condition and time. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

From frustration to red fury: a description of work-related anger in male registered nurses

This article is Part II of a three part article. Part I described work-related anger experiences of female registered nurses, and in this article findings from a companion study of male RNs are presented. In phenomenological interviews, male nurses describe their work environment as hostile, causing them to be on the defensive and less productive. Sources of angle included attacks from physicians, coworkers, and managers; lack of assistance and support from peers; and differential treatment based on gender. The men stated they were called upon for physical tasks rather than for their nursing knowledge. Severed relationships and feelings of guilt, powerlessness, isolation, humiliation, and incompetence were concomitant with, or consequences of, anger. Part III provides recommendations for channeling anger constructively.     

Utilization of echocardiography by internists and cardiologists: a comparative study

Basic phospholipase A2 (BPLA2) from the venom of Agkistrodon halys pallas has a strong ability to hemolyze erythrocytes. The asymmetrical unit of P2(1)2(1)2(1) crystal of BPLA2 contains two molecules. Self-rotation function was used to study the orientation relationship of these two molecules. Cross-rotation and translation functions were then used to determine the orientations and positions of the two molecules in the unit cell. The model building and preliminary structure refinement were carried out. The result shows that the two molecules in the asymmetrical unit of orthorhombic crystal are related by a non-crystallographic 2-fold symmetry axis.     

Utilization of psychotherapy research by practicing psychotherapists.

Surveyed 279 31–82 yr old Division 29 (Psychotherapy) members to examine the perceived gap between psychotherapy research and practice, correlates of research utilization, perceived problems of psychotherapy research, and research needs of therapists. A 51-item pretested mailed survey had a return rate of 73%. Results show that Ss reported low rates of psychotherapy research utilization and stated that they gained their most useful information from experience with clients. Behavioral and nondynamic orientations, as well as research production and consumption, were modestly correlated with utilization. Ss were critical of research that ignored the complex realities of the therapy situation. They favored research on typical populations and modes of treatment, especially if it described the treatment carefully and focused on process–outcome links, significant change events, and the therapeutic alliance. (46 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Component analysis of occupational stress inoculation applied to registered nurses in an acute care hospital setting.

The stress inoculation (SI) paradigm, which consists of education (ED), coping skills training (CST), and exposure to simulated stressors (EX), was applied to the occupational stress experienced by nurses. Occupational stress was operationally defined in terms of 13 dependent measures reflecting problem areas summarized by the acronym ReACT (retrograde complaints, assertiveness deficits, competency concerns, and time stress). ReACT also stood for the ingredients of the CST component (relaxation training, assertive skill building, cognitive restructuring, and time management instruction). To determine which SI components produce a treatment effect, 60 White female acute-care registered nurses (mean age 33.8 yrs) were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 active treatment cells: SI, CST, EX, ED, or no treatment (NT). Ss were administered a battery of tests that included the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory and Rathus Assertiveness Schedule. A MANOVA at posttest, and subsequent univariate analyses simultaneously considering 4-mo follow-up data, demonstrated that SI is an effective treatment with durable benefits and that CST is its principal ingredient. Additional demand-characteristics analyses indicated that these effects are not due to placebo-related phenomena. (54 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Opinions and use of the DSM system by practicing psychologists.

Recent articles criticizing the new DSM-III have renewed discussion of the issues of diagnostic systems in general. A 4-page questionnaire was sent to 601 psychologists in the National Register of Health Service Providers, 1978 to assess their use of and views on the current and projected DSM systems. 434 (73.4%) were returned. Results suggest that diagnosis by DSM-II is used mainly as required by agencies and insurance companies. Little else seems to influence the use of DSM-II. It was also found that the development of an alternative American Psychological Association manual is contingent on acceptance by 3rd-party payers. Findings are discussed with regard to their impact on the future of diagnosis and psychology. (11 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Ratings of salespersons by male customers: 1971.

H. W. Townsend's (see record 1953-00733-001) study with 100 male undergraduates indicates that perceptions of favorable and unfavorable qualities of retail salespersons have changed somewhat. Friendliness is no longer the most desirable characteristic by a large margin, but high pressure selling remains a major source of criticism. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)