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Biomedical subjects

K D Pagana

Publications and source records attributed to K D Pagana.

16 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1990

The relationship of hardiness and social support to student appraisal of stress in an initial clinical nursing situation.

The stressful nature of the clinical experience of nursing students was examined within the context of Lazarus' theory of cognitive appraisal of stress. The students' evaluation of their initial medical-surgical clinical experience as a threat or a challenge was determined along with the hypothesized mediating variables of hardiness and social support. The sample of 246 students from seven different colleges and universities in Pennsylvania completed a hardiness measure, the Norbeck Social Support Questionnaire (NSSQ), and a Clinical Stress Questionnaire (CSQ). Although the correlations were low, hardiness was found to be positively related to the evaluation of challenge and negatively related to the evaluation of threat. Social support was positively related to the evaluation of challenge only when using a work-related measure of support. The hypothesis that social support would be negatively related to the evaluation of threat was not supported. This research raises important questions related to the theories of hardiness, social support, and cognitive appraisal of stress. Implications for further research in this area are offered.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Psychometric evaluation of the Clinical Stress Questionnaire (CSQ).

The purpose of the Clinical Stress Questionnaire (CSQ) was to assess the appraisal of stress in the clinical experience of nursing students as threatening or challenging. The CSQ consists of a 20-item Likert scale and some open-ended questions. The instrument was administered to 246 female nursing students from 7 different colleges and universities in Pennsylvania after their first day of their medical-surgical clinical experience. Alpha coefficients of .85 and .84 were obtained for the challenge and threat scales, respectively. Factor analysis supported construct validity. A paired T-test indicated that the students were significantly more challenged than threatened. However, the students' comments focused more on the negative aspects of stress and threat.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Stresses and threats reported by baccalaureate students in relation to an initial clinical experience.

Based upon the theory of cognitive appraisal of stress, an instrument was designed to describe the aspects of a clinical experience that were challenging or threatening. The qualitative data largely reflected the threatening, rather than the challenging, aspects of the experience. Thus, this research report provides a typological analysis of qualitative data describing the threatening nature of an initial medical-surgical experience for 262 baccalaureate students. Content analysis was used to determine the six predominant themes of threat which included personal inadequacy, fear of making errors, uncertainty, the clinical instructor, being scared or frightened, and fear of failure. The threats elaborated upon in this research should provide the instructor with some insight into understanding the stressors inherent in the clinical experience. The students' comments offer direction for nurse educators to pursue in facilitating therapeutic discussions with nursing students.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A practical plan for teaching oral communication skills.

The authors describe an effective method of incorporating public speaking skills into a senior level nursing course. The topics included in the 5 hours devoted to communication strategies are listed. The method of student practice and the comprehensive manner of providing feedback are described. Recommendations are included for incorporating public speaking skills at the undergraduate level.

Communication↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Writing strategies to demystify publishing.

Lack of knowledge of the publishing process and lack of motivation are major reasons why many nurses do not attempt to write an article for publication. The purpose of this article is to demystify the writing and publishing process. The eight major steps entailed in preparing a manuscript are described. Emphasis is focused on numerous motivational strategies necessary to initiate and complete a writing project.

Humans↗