Looking back to the future.
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Faculty, Nursing↗
Biomedical subjects
F C Biley
Publications and source records attributed to F C Biley.
Energy fields nursing: a brief encounter of a unitary kind.
This paper explores the practical application of Martha Rogers' Science of Unitary Human Beings using a brief case study to illustrate the central concept of energy fields. Pattern manifestation appraisal and deliberative mutual patterning gave guidance for the care of a patient who had recently had a bilateral mastectomy. It is suggested that far from being a complicated and esoteric framework, the Science of Unitary Human Beings will have considerable impact on future nursing practice.
Adaptation, Psychological↗
Issues in intensive care visiting.
In order to obtain a contemporary view of the visiting hour regimes in intensive care units (ICUs) in the UK, a national telephone survey was performed. 122 geographically representative units were contacted, representing 42% of the total number of units in the UK. 107 units gave consent to participate in the study, of which 66 units allowed visiting at any time of the day. Many of these units however restricted the number or kind of visitors and only 19% could be regarded as having 'true' open visiting, that is, visiting at any time of the day for any age of child, any member of the family, or friends. Several of the topics arising from the study are discussed in more detail, for example the childhood risk of infection and/or psychological trauma and the needs of the family. Based on the available research evidence, a more liberated view of hospital visiting is necessary, with relaxation of what often amount to restricted visiting regimes. Several recommendations for further research are made.
Adolescent↗
An exploration of issues relating to feminism and nurse education.
This paper explores the issue of feminism in relation to nursing and nurse education. As a result of this exploration, the authors suggest there is a need for a move away from traditional patriarchal approaches to nurse education, towards an educational programme based on empowerment principles that maximises the potential of feminine patterns of thinking.
Education, Nursing↗
Some determinants that effect patient participation in decision-making about nursing care.
Until recently patients were expected to be the passive recipients of nursing care. This passive role has been changing, and nurses are now being actively encouraged to promote the inclusion of patients in decision-making. However, this stance is being taken with very little empirical evidence to support it, and the evidence that does exist appears to indicate that patients do not always welcome this more active role. A modified grounded theory approach was utilized in order to discover how patients feel about participating in decision-making about nursing care. Eight informants were interviewed informally, 7-10 days following discharge from hospital after undergoing surgical intervention. A state of category saturation was not achieved and the analysis of the data can only tentatively suggest the existence of three 'second order' categories that describe situations that effect patient choice and participation in decision-making about their nursing care. The first category, 'If I am well enough...', describes the states of 'Being too ill' to be involved in decision-making to 'Being well' which allows greater involvement. The second category, 'If I know enough...', describes situations that, first, require technical knowledge, 'Nurse knows best', where patients prefer to take a passive role in decision-making; secondly, less technical matters about which patients require information but still prefer to be passive; and finally an 'I know best' situation where patients prefer to be actively involved in activities of living. The third category, 'If I can...', describes the organizational constraints or freedom that can either restrict or encourage choice and participation in decision-making. Limitations and recommendations that arise from the study are discussed.
Activities of Daily Living↗
The perception of time as a factor in Rogers' Science of Unitary Human Beings: a literature review.
This literature review examines an operationalization of Martha Rogers' Science of Unitary Human Beings. The principle of helicy and the theory of accelerating evolution has been used by a number of authors as a theoretical framework for the exploration of how patients, particularly those who are elderly, perceive the passage of time. Although there is no conclusive evidence to support the aspect of Rogers' theory of accelerating evolution that suggests that as people grow older they perceive time as passing more quickly, there is evidence that suggests that different elderly patients can have a variable perception of the passage of time. For example, some patients perceive the passage of time as rapid and will be happy to sit quietly. Others may perceive the passage of time as occurring more slowly and will require diversional therapy. A conclusion is reached that nurses should include individual assessments of the patients' perception of the passage of time in order to identify accurately the degree of need for diversional activities.
Aged↗
Stress in high dependency units.
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Adaptation, Psychological↗
Nurses' perception of stress in preoperative surgical patients.
It is generally recognized that the stress of hospitalization and hospital treatment can impede the recovery of patients and in some cases cause potentially life-threatening physiological changes. Previous studies have indicated that nurses do not accurately perceive worry, anxiety and stress in patients. In order to assess how accurately nurses perceive worry, anxiety and stress in their patients, questionnaires were designed and distributed to a group of preoperative patients and nursing staff from general surgical wards, in order to discover how closely these two groups considered various situations and events as causing worry in preoperative patients. The results showed that whilst there was a considerable level of agreement between the two groups for the rank order of the 26 items in the questionnaire, nursing staff consistently assessed patients as worrying considerably more than the patients actually reported themselves. The nurses in the study were therefore over-estimating the degree of worry, anxiety and stress in their patients.
Adaptation, Psychological↗
Effects of noise in hospitals.
Excessive noise in health care settings can induce headaches, cause irritability, prolong wound healing and increase sensitivity to pain. Simple measures, such as wearing soft-soled shoes, closing doors to areas with excessive noise (the television or sluice rooms) and choosing equipment with quieter alarms, can improve patient outcomes and result in a better working environment for hospital staff.
Health Facility Environment↗