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Keith Cash

Publications and source records attributed to Keith Cash.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Cues for the identification of pain in nursing home residents.

The aim of this section of a larger study was to identify the range of cues from which pain was inferred for a sample of residents with various levels of cognitive impairment in 15 UK nursing homes. Sixty-five nursing home staff and 36 informal carers of the 113 residents were interviewed. There was extensive use of body movements, facial expressions, and verbal and vocal cues and a considerable degree of interpretation of cues was used. There was little difference between the types of cue used by formal and informal carers, although informal carers tended to identify more of all types. There were differences in cues identified according to level of cognitive impairment, in particular, the interpretation of body movements. A simple model of the interaction between cognitive deficit, cue type and level of cue interpretation was proposed.

Aged↗
PubMed2004

A comparison of five pain assessment scales for nursing home residents with varying degrees of cognitive impairment.

The aim of the study was to compare five different pain assessment scales for use with people with different levels of cognitive impairment who resided in nursing homes. The verbal rating scale, horizontal numeric rating scale, Faces pictorial scale, color analogue scale and mechanical visual analogue scale were presented in random order to 113 residents. Cognitive impairment was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination. The use of the verbal rating scale was the most successful with this group, completed by 80.5% overall, and 36% of those with severe cognitive impairment. Repeated explanation improved completion rates for all the scales. Consistency between scores on the five scales was good for those with none to moderate cognitive impairment and poor for those severely impaired. This study showed no difference in pain scores according to cognitive status.

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PubMed2004

The language of spirituality: an emerging taxonomy.

BACKGROUND: This paper explores the relationships that exist between the language used to describe spirituality within nursing and the appropriateness of constructing a universal definition acceptable to all individuals. 'Spirituality' is a term that is increasingly used in nursing but there may be problems about exactly what the term means and how it is interpreted and understood by both nurses and patients. AIM: The aim of the paper is to explore some of the commonly cited definitions to establish if the concept of spirituality could be termed 'universal'. METHOD: This paper presents a discussion, based upon a literature review, of the nursing and health care databases, combined with manual searches. The review demonstrates how the term spirituality is being constructed within nursing suggesting that there are numerous definitions each with several layers of meaning. FINDINGS: From the review the authors have developed 'a spiritual taxonomy' that may explain and accommodate the different layers of meaning found within nursing and health care definitions. At the extreme left there is a spirituality based on religious and theist ideals, while at the extreme right there is a spirituality based upon secular, humanistic, existential elements. A middle way is explained containing elements from both the left and right but not as fundamental or radical. CONCLUSION: The authors argue that because there are so many definitions with different layers of meanings, spirituality can imply different things depending upon an individual's personal interpretation or worldview. The results of the review suggest nursing is constructing a 'blanket' definition of spirituality, which has a broad, almost inexhaustible set of defining characteristics. If this approach continues then there is a danger that the word may become so broad in meaning that it loses any real significance.

Emotions↗
PubMed2004

Meaning of spirituality: implications for nursing practice.

BACKGROUND: This research outlines some preliminary findings emerging from a grounded theory investigation into the 'meaning of spirituality'. These initial results raise some important questions about the terminology and language that nurses use regarding the term spirituality. It seems that many of the policy directives and statutory guidelines make two major assumptions regarding 'spirituality'. Firstly, patients and nurses are aware and understand the concept, and secondly, patients may require their spiritual needs to be met. These preliminary findings suggest that a dichotomy is emerging between professional assumption and patient expectation regarding the meaning of spirituality. AIM: The study had one broad research aim, to gain a deeper insight into how patients, nurses, and people from the major world religions understand the concept of 'spirituality'. DESIGN: A qualitative research design was used involving a grounded theory method of inquiry. It was felt that this qualitative method would aid the investigation of this subjective dimension of peoples' existence, enabling existing theoretical constructs and arguments to be tested. METHODS: The constant comparative method was used throughout the data collection and analysis. Analysis was undertaken at two levels, 'overview analysis' and 'line-by-line analysis'. This enabled the creation of categories and central themes. RESULTS: Constant comparative analysis resulted in the formation of several categories and central themes. Two categories presented and discussed in detail are 'definitions of spirituality', and 'diverse perceptions of spirituality'. CONCLUSION: It would seem that there is now an urgent need for nursing to evaluate and perhaps adjust its vision regarding what constitutes spirituality. Such an approach may serve to reduce the gap between policy and public expectation. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: It seems that there may be no 'precise' terminology associated with the language used to define spirituality, raising possible implications for nursing practice and nurse education.

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