Biomedical subjects

Lori Candela

Publications and source records attributed to Lori Candela.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

A case for learning-centered curricula.

Nurses must be able to anticipate and manage the care of patients with complex conditions in a rapidly changing, highly technological health care environment. Yet many of today's nursing programs are failing to provide curricula to meet the changing needs of students who will work in that environment. Typical teacher-centered programs are content heavy and focus on what faculty want to teach, not what students need to learn. Learning-centered education shifts the focus from teaching to student learning. Learning-centered programs identify student learning outcomes that are reflective of current nursing practice, use authentic assessment, and provide learning experiences that move students toward the achievement of outcomes. This article describes the major benefits of a learning-centered curriculum, and a model depicts the dynamic relationship among learning experiences, assessment, and student learning outcomes. We also offer suggestions for nursing faculty who are considering the move from teacher-centered to learning-centered curricula.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

First job experiences of recent RN graduates: improving the work environment.

OBJECTIVE: To determine registered nurses' (RNs) perceptions of their first nursing position experience, and if they left the position, why. BACKGROUND: Little information is available regarding job perceptions of RNs in practice for 5 years or less. Nurses with negative perceptions of first job experiences may soon leave the position, thus doing little to alleviate staffing shortages and wasting precious recruitment and orientation resources. Therefore it is important to understand how recent RN graduates view their first job. METHODS: The Survey of Nurses' Perceptions of First Job Experience was mailed to 3077 RNs licensed in Nevada who graduated from their basic nursing program within the last 5 years. Completed surveys were received from 352 respondents. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the sample and perception responses. ANOVA and t tests were used to compare total scores with selected demographic variables. RESULTS: Thirty percent of respondents left in 1 year and 57% left by 2 years. Patient care issues, such as unsafe nurse-patient ratios, were perceived as the most negative aspects and the most frequent reason for leaving. CONCLUSIONS: The findings have implications for nursing and hospital administrators for improving the work environment and retention rates of recent RN graduates.

Adult↗

PubMed2004

Vitamin B12 deficiency: issues in nursing care.

Vitamin B12 deficiency is a relatively common occurrence with potentially devastating consequences. The wide range of etiologies and symptoms makes it imperative for the nurse to use a comprehensive approach to assessing and managing the patient with vitamin B12 deficiency.

Humans↗

PubMed2002

Nurse practitioner: reflecting on the future.

The role of the nurse practitioner was first conceptualized in the late 1960s. Today, there are approximately 70,000 nurse practitioners in practice, they receive third-party insurance reimbursements, and they are in many specialty practices, as well as working in primary care practices promoting health and disease prevention. In the future, economics will shape our health care industry, placing a greater demand for nurse practitioners in this trillion-dollar marketplace. This article explores the evolving role of the nurse practitioner in education, practice, and research to meet the challenges of the health care needs into the 21st century.

Forecasting↗

PubMed2002

Caring for a patient with Listeria endocarditis: use of antibiotic desensitization.

Occurrence of Listeria endocarditis is rare, and the mortality rate is high, 100% in untreated cases. The use of antibiotics, specifically ampicillin, is considered a first-line treatment. Coadministration of ampicillin and gentamicin provides a synergistic effect in killing the bacteria. Antibiotics are among the most common causes of hypersensitivity reactions. Of all antibiotics, penicillin is the one that most often causes a reaction. Skin testing adds time until treatment, and all patients with sensitivity to penicillin may not be detected. In the case presented, the patient had antibiotic desensitization with ampicillin. He did not have any allergic reactions to the drug. However, his history of allergy to penicillin was uncertain, so perhaps he did not have a true, serious penicillin allergy. Also, most likely he was anergic and could not mount an immune response to ampicillin, even if truly allergic. Therefore, his response may not be a typical response to antibiotic desensitization. Understanding possible hypersensitivity reactions can help guide the medical and nursing management of patients having antibiotic desensitization.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Aesthetic knowing: understanding the experience of chronic illness.

Aesthetic knowing can help students gain a deeper understanding of a client's life with chronic illness. Simply asking clients to describe what their illness means is not enough. Having clients express themselves through a form such as a drawing, poetry, song, pictures, letters, or any form comfortable to the clients often reveals critical information that can change the direction of planned nursing care. This article presents the process and outcomes of asking nursing students to do an aesthetic project with one of their clients whose case they managed in the community during the semester.

Adolescent↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Ethical debates: enhancing critical thinking in nursing students.

The use of classroom debates can be helpful in teaching ethical content that is often nebulous and difficult for students to comprehend and apply. Debates enhance critical thinking skills through researching issues and developing a stance that can be supported in scientific literature. The authors describe a student debate project involving ethical issues with chronically ill clients. Many students changed their views during the debates. Students evaluated the debates as a positive learning experience.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Developing a unit-specific falls reduction program.

Though an extensive amount of literature addresses the significance of patient falls and mechanisms to identify those at high risk, much less has been written regarding units in which nearly every patient fits the high-risk category. In addition, little information describes specific interventions designed to protect at-risk patients. In response to a record number of falls in the Transitional Care Unit at an acute care facility, an interdisciplinary team was developed to review patient falls, design a unit-specific falls reduction program, and begin its implementation. In the subsequent 6 quarters, the number of patient falls was reduced by 57%.

Accidental Falls↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Renal regulation of extracellular fluid volume and osmolality.

In order for our body cells to function properly, they must be surrounded in extracellular fluid that is relatively constant with regard to osmolality. The kidneys, in concert with neural and endocrine input, regulate the volume and osmolality of the extracellular fluid by altering the amount of sodium and water excreted. This is accomplished primarily through alterations in sodium and water reabsorption, the mechanisms of which differ within each nephron segment.

Absorption↗