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Biomedical subjects

J J Mathews

Publications and source records attributed to J J Mathews.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Managerial decisions for computerized patient care planning.

Computerized care plans can save nurses time and generate consistent, readable documents. However, this does not ensure that they will be used effectively. The nurse manager must make informed decisions about content and amount of data to be collected if care plans are to be both individualized and consistent. A key consideration is whether they should be based on nursing diagnosis or on patient population type. Decisions about storage and use can influence efficiency, cost and continuity of care.

Nursing Diagnosis↗
PubMed1991

The alternative birth movement in the United States: history and current status.

The alternative birth movement is a consumer reaction to paternalistic and mechanistic medical obstetrical practices which developed in the United States early in this century. Alternative birth settings developed as single labor-delivery-recovery rooms in the hospital or as free-standing birth centers. Both alternatives offer family-centered, home-like, low technological maternity care. In order to overcome physician resistance to non-traditional maternity care, alternative birth center policies eliminate all women who are expected to have a complicated pregnancy or delivery. Physician resistance to alternative birthing is publicly based on the issue of maternal and infant safety. Additional issues, however, are that physicians fear economic competition and resist loss of control over obstetric practice. This paper (1) traces the historical antecedents and social factors leading to the alternative birth movement, (2) describes the types of alternative birthing methods, and (3) describes ways in which the obstetrical community has maintained and rationalized dominance over the birthing process.

Authoritarianism↗
PubMed1989

A directed approach to the dizzy patient.

We initiated a prospective study of the dizzy patient to identify key factors on which a directed evaluation could be based. This study used a standardized history, physical examination, and basic laboratory evaluation totalling 66 items to assist collection of relevant clinical information on 125 patients. Diagnosis was based on the emergency physicians' diagnosis. This was modified when necessary based on one month of follow-up using diagnostic criteria adapted from previous studies. The most common disorder was some form of peripheral vestibular disorder, found in 54 patients (43%). These patients were typically vertiginous and were managed successfully as outpatients. Despite correlations with multiple factors, this diagnosis was best predicted by positive Nylen-Barany test with either vertigo, vomiting, or both with 94% specificity and 43% sensitivity. Potentially serious causes were identified, including medication-related, seizure, stroke, transient ischemic attacks, vertebral-basilar insufficiency, hypertension, pericarditis, arrhythmias, and all those requiring hospitalization. The best predictors, either older age, lack of vertigo, or neurologic deficit, could identify 86% of "serious" dizziness with 42% specificity. The following tests were of low yield and may be done in a directed manner based on a brief history: Valsalva, carotid stimulation, Romberg and Quix tests, mental status examination, complete blood count, serum electrolytes, and BUN. Our results do support routine testing of glucose in all patients and monitoring rhythm in patients age 45 and older. Such a directed approach could rapidly classify a significant number of dizzy patients and forego many time- and cost-intensive elements of provocative examination and laboratory testing.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Clinical use of the olecranon-manubrium percussion sign in shoulder trauma.

We conducted a study to assess the efficacy of the use of osteophony in the evaluation of shoulder trauma. Evaluation of the shoulder includes the physical examination and often a radiographic series. We studied the usefulness of the olecranon-manubrium percussion (OMP) test, a physical diagnostic procedure performed in shoulder trauma. The bell of the stethoscope is placed over the manubrium, both elbows are flexed at 90 degrees, and the olecranon is percussed. In the normal examination with no disruption of bony conduction, both sides should produce a crisp equal sound. In the event of a dislocation or fracture with disruption of bony conduction, the affected side should be duller in pitch and intensity. We evaluated the utilization of the OMP test to assess its accuracy when used as a screening test for radiographs in conjunction with the physical examination and radiographic examination. Ninety-six patients were prospectively evaluated by the OMP test and also received radiographs. In those patients who had radiographic abnormalities, 40 of 47 (85.1%) had an abnormal OMP sign. In those patients without radiographic abnormalities, none had an abnormal OMP sign. In assessing anterior shoulder dislocations, 11 of 13 (84.6%) had an abnormal OMP sign (P less than .02). After relocation, 100% had a normal OMP sign. Of those with clavicular fractures, nine of nine (100%) had abnormal OMP signs (P less than .005). Of those with a fracture of the humerus, 16 of 20 (80%) revealed an abnormal OMP test (P less than .01). The test was not significant in assessing acromio-clavicular joint abnormalities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Emergencies↗
PubMed1986

Occupational stress within the paramedic profession: an initial report of stress levels compared to hospital employees.

We report a study of occupational stress in 374 paramedics. Results indicate that this profession experiences a high degree of job-related stress relative to other medical personnel. In a component analysis of this stress the results show that job stress manifests itself as job dissatisfaction, organizational stress, and negative patient attitudes, but not as frequently as somatic distress.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

The communication process in clinical settings.

The communication of information in clinical settings is fraught with problems despite avowed common aims of practitioners and patients. Some reasons for the problematic nature of clinical communication are incongruent frames of reference about what information ought to be shared, sociolinguistic differences and social distance between practitioners and patients. Communication between doctors and nurses is also problematic, largely due to differences in ideology between the professions about what ought to be communicated to patients about their illness and who is ratified to give such information. Recent social changes, such as the Patient Bill of Rights and informed consent which assure access to information, and new conceptualizations of the nurse's role, warrant continued study of the communication process especially in regard to what constitutes appropriate and acceptable information about a patient's illness and who ought to give such information to patients. The purpose of this paper is to outline characteristics of communication in clinical settings and to provide a literature review of patient and practitioner interaction studies in order to reflect on why information exchange is problematic in clinical settings. A framework for presentation of the problems employs principles from interaction and role theory to investigate clinical communication from three viewpoints: (1) the level of shared knowledge between participants; (2) the effect of status, role and ideology on transactions; and (3) the regulation of communication imposed by features of the institution.

Communication↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Paramedics: knowledge base and attitudes towards AIDS and hepatitis.

We surveyed 420 paramedics employed by a large metropolitan fire department to determine the effects of educational seminars on their knowledge base, perceptions, and attitudes about AIDS and hepatitis B. All surveys were completed on an anonymous, voluntary, and confidential basis. Our educational efforts improved the paramedics' knowledge base concerning the medical manifestations of AIDS, identification of risk factors, modes of transmission, and means of infection control, but had no impact on paramedics' fear of contracting AIDS. While paramedics have a strong fear of contracting AIDS, we note that they underestimate their risk of acquiring hepatitis B. Only 17% of paramedics surveyed had received the hepatitis vaccine, despite attending an infectious disease seminar addressing the occupational risks of acquiring hepatitis B infections during the previous year. Further educational efforts to address the paramedics' attitudes about AIDS, as well as to encourage paramedics to recognize hepatitis B exposure as a significant personal health risk, are currently being pursued.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Rejuvenating orientation to increase nurse satisfaction and retention.

The current nursing shortage has forced nursing managers to examine the reasons for nurse turnover and to evaluate institutional programs and policies that may strengthen staff nurse retention. For the past two decades, the nursing profession has concluded that nurse retention is linked to job satisfaction. Accordingly, employers have attempted to improve job satisfaction by permitting self-scheduling, nurse selection of unit assignment, and bonus pay for less desirable shifts. In spite of these and other efforts designed to retain nurses, the turnover rate generally has remained high.

Humans↗