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Biomedical subjects

C Windsor

Publications and source records attributed to C Windsor.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Patients' perceptions of seclusion: a qualitative investigation.

Twelve patients receiving acute in-patient psychiatric care in Queensland, Australia, participated in semi-structured interviews to elicit their perceptions of seclusion. All respondents had experienced time in seclusion within the 7 days prior to interview. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed and analysed using content analysis. Five major themes emerged: use of seclusion, emotional impact, sensory deprivation, maintaining control and staff-patient interaction. The prevailing negativity towards seclusion underscores the need for ongoing critical review of its use. In particular, the relationship between patient responses to seclusion and the circumstances in which seclusion takes place requires greater consideration. Interventions such as providing information to patients about seclusion, increased interaction with patients during seclusion, attention to privacy and effective debriefing following seclusion may help to reduce the emotional impact of the practice.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1998

Mediating conflict and control: practice challenges for nurses working in palliative care.

A work-based professional development program was offered to a group of registered nurses working in palliative care. The goal of the program was to improve skills in psychosocial care (Yates et al., 1996). Participants were encouraged to reflect critically on their practice experience within a group setting. The focus of the group discussion and reflection were shared practice incidents. Each participant was given the opportunity to identify and describe an incident from their professional practice that presented a challenging issue within palliative nursing. This paper explores the themes of conflict and control, evident within the collection of fifteen practice incidents and discusses the nurses' role as mediator. The concepts of patient advocacy and professional autonomy are challenged through the nurses' experience of providing care within a hierarchical and bureaucratic health service. The outcome of reflection for the organization is most effective when shared experience and collective action (rather than individual practice) are the focus.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Rethinking cultural sensitivity.

The concept of cultural sensitivity is located within the tradition of anthropology and the history of colonisation and immigration in Australian society. This history provides a basis for examining the largely uncritical introduction of cultural considerations to the discipline of nursing. This paper argues that contemporary understandings of multiculturalism in nursing and health care policy tend to obscure, ignore and thus perpetuate notions of racial superiority. Recent works in transcultural nursing are used to illustrate the way in which ahistorical and therefore quite arbitrary traits are attributed to particular cultural groups. This perspective, given legitimacy in terms of cultural sensitivity, encourages political neutrality and thereby avoids questioning the discriminatory practices embedded in fundamental social relations.

Anthropology, Cultural↗
PubMed1985

Evaluation of impotence in older men.

Careful evaluation was carried out in 93 men older than 50 with erectile dysfunction. Their mean age was 61 years and the disorder had been present for a mean of 4.5 years. While 14 men (15%) had psychosocial factors that may have been pertinent, only 2 scored poorly on an Affect Balance Scale and 3 were receiving psychoactive medications. Results of nocturnal penile tumescence were abnormal in 91%. In 39% penile-brachial pressure indices were suggestive of pelvic vascular disease and in 9% were consistent with a pelvic "steal syndrome." Pelvic or peripheral nerve conduction disorders were also commonly seen in 54%. Endocrinopathy may have contributed to the dysfunction in 35%. Twenty-one men had diabetes mellitus, two new cases of hypothyroidism were discovered and hypogonadism was diagnosed definitely in four and considered likely in five others. Coexisting medical conditions were found in more than 90% of the men, especially hypertension, use of antihypertensive medications and atherosclerotic disease. Previous prostatectomies (19%) and vasectomies (30%) were common in the surgical histories. Given the wide range of disorders uncovered in older men complaining of impotence, diagnostic study of potential causes may lead to a more rational approach for the evaluation and management of these men.

Aged↗
PubMed1982

Selection of optimal screen-film combination for use in the neonatal intensive care unit.

This report describes evaluation of screen-film combinations for use in the newborn intensive care unit. Since most infant population studies are performed using portable techniques, screen-film combination speeds consistent with those techniques were used. The first phase, a phantom study, was evaluated by nine radiologists from three institutions. A surprising degree of uniformity was noted in their selections of the best system, and their overall selection correlated closely with their assessment of resolution. The screen-film combinations that were rated first and second best were then compared in clinical trials. Both supported the preference expressed in the phantom studies, the first choice system consistently selected as best.

Clinical Trials as Topic↗