Biomedical subjects

M P Mellors

Publications and source records attributed to M P Mellors.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

The use of life review to enhance quality of life of people living with AIDS: a feasibility study.

People living with AIDS (PLWA) are confronted with uncertainty and their own mortality at an earlier than expected age. Life review, an intervention that has the potential to increase life satisfaction in the elderly experiencing transition points in their lives, may have a similar effect when used with PLWA. Therefore, the purpose of this feasibility study was to explore the use of life review in a sample of 20 PLWA through a randomized controlled trial of its effectiveness in decreasing depressive symptoms and in increasing self esteem, quality of life, and purpose in life. Compared to the control group, the treatment group had an improved overall quality of life and self-esteem over 12 months, less depressive symptoms over 12 months, and a greater purpose in life at 3 months. The effects that were seen were mainly small to medium effects. The findings from this feasibility study suggest the potential value of life review to enhance quality of life, purpose in life, and self-esteem, and to decrease depressive symptoms in PLWA. Further research is needed with a larger sample and with other groups such as PLWA experiencing virologic failure.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMed2001

Transcending the suffering of AIDS.

The overall purpose of this qualitative study was to describe how patients with AIDS (PWAs) transcend the emotional and physical suffering of their illness. Content analysis of the interviews of 5 PWAs resulted in 3 main themes: creating a meaningful life pattern, connectedness, and self-care. The results of this study provide presumptive evidence that PWAs can transcend the suffering associated with a life-threatening illness and live meaningful and productive lives. Nurses who anticipate actual and potential growth in PWAs will be able to validate such experiences and feelings and encourage further development.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Adherence to combination therapy in persons living with HIV: balancing the hardships and the blessings.

Evidence from clinical trials demonstrates the benefits of combination therapy in persons living with HIV (PLWHIV); however, there is little information about the patient's experience when taking a complex regimen. Thus, the primary purpose of this preliminary study was to describe the everyday experience of PLWHIV who were prescribed combination therapy in order to identify a potential intervention to enhance adherence to this regimen. The secondary purpose was to examine the association between adherence to combination therapy and quality of life. The researchers purposively sampled six PLWHIV (two women and four men) to reflect the diverse demographic characteristics of the population of PLWHIV. The themes that evolved were decision making, difficulties, problem solving, and quality of life. Clinical indicators provide only one measure of the effectiveness of combination therapy. When the informants described the outcome of this therapy as "having their life back," they spoke of having quality in their lives that they viewed as more than their physical health.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

HIV, self-transcendence, and quality of life.

Self-transcendence is a developmental characteristic that expands one's boundaries of the self to take on broader life perspectives, activities, and purposes that help one discover or make meaning of one's life. However, no quantitative studies were found in the research literature that focused on self-transcendence or on the relationship between self-transcendence and quality of life in people infected with HIV. To examine these variables in this population, 46 HIV-positive subjects completed Reed's Self-Transcendence Scale and Ferrans and Powers' Quality of Life Index. The results demonstrated that overall self-transcendence for this sample was relatively high; quality of life was higher than that reported in previous research; and there were some significant group differences among the three HIV clinical categories.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Managed care and the nurse's ethical obligations to patients.

The goal of managed care is to control health care costs by such means as keeping people healthy and decreasing the length of hospital stays. This change in health care delivery has resulted in work redesign programs, lay-offs, cross-training, and the use of an increasing number of nonprofessional care providers. The challenge for nursing, as a result of these changes, is how to fulfill its obligations of fidelity and due care. The authors discuss these ethical responsibilities and the impact that managed care is having on the fiduciary relationship between nurse and patient. Four strategies that nurses can use to fulfill their obligations include engaging in personal reflection, communicating and collaborating, protecting patient's rights, and evaluating patient outcomes.

Beneficence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Incentives in research: ethical issues.

The participation of some subjects in research may be association with their receiving some compensation for their time and effort. Is the use of monetary or other nonmonetary incentives ethical? Do incentives make a study so enticing that it is difficult to resist being a participant? The authors discuss some relevant ethical questions that a researcher needs to address when providing stipends to study subjects. Additionally, there is a discussion of implications for nurses such as acquiring knowledge of research and ethics, creating an environment in which the patient's questions and any issues can be discussed, advocating for the patient who is being asked to participate, and the nurse's responsibilities when asked to help with recruitment efforts.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Ethical issues and the new staff mix.

The role of the professional nurse is changing due to the effects of work redesign programs, downsizing, and the increasing use of unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). Nurses recognize that they cannot provide all aspects of the patient's care; however, nurses generally lack the knowledge and skill to delegate effectively. If nurses cannot delegate appropriate tasks to others, mistrust those to whom they are delegating tasks, and show limited respect toward UAP when delegating and supervising their work, there is the distinct possibility that patients will not receive quality care. The authors examine the ethical issues of respect for persons, trust, and promoting patient well-being, as well as the nursing issues related to accountability and responsibility when delegating care. There are several recommendations provided to enable nurses to reduce the threat of compromised patient care created by this new staff mix.

Clinical Competence↗