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Mary Stevens

Publications and source records attributed to Mary Stevens.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Manual handling and the lawfulness of no-lift policies.

Recent discussions over the plight of a woman who had spent a year sleeping in her wheelchair because the local NHS trust refused to allow her to be lifted into bed highlight the dilemma facing nurses when they are required to manually handle patients (Andrews and Robinson 2003). Nurses are acutely aware that the manual handling of patients can result in back injury (McGuire and Dewar 1993). Yet they are also aware that they owe a duty to patients to provide nursing care to meet their needs and that might only be achieved through manual handling. There is evidence that hospitals in particular have still not met the requirements of the Manual Handling Operations Regulations (Trevelyan 2000). The hazards of working in the community environment have generally been better addressed as part of the assessment for and delivery of individual care packages. This article considers the law's approach to balancing the opposing needs of nurses' and patients' health needs.

Back Injuries↗
PubMed2004

Validity and reliability of a behavior-based food coding system for measuring fruit, 100% fruit juice, vegetable, and sweetened beverage consumption: results from the Girls Health Enrichment Multisite Studies.

BACKGROUND: This paper presents the rationale, reliability, and validity of a behavior-based food coding system for measuring fruit (F), juice (J), vegetable (V), sweetened beverage, and water consumption in children. METHODS: Coding algorithms for FJV, sweetened beverages, and water were developed for use with the Nutrition Data System for Research (NDS-R). Two hundred and ten 8- to 10-year-old African American girls at four field centers completed two 24-h dietary recalls at baseline and at 12 weeks follow-up after a weight gain prevention intervention. Differences in mean baseline consumption of selected food variables and other selected nutrients across the four field centers were analyzed. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for reliability across 2 days of food recalls and 12-week test-retest reliability correlations were calculated. For the purposes of this paper, nutrient intake estimates were considered construct validators of food intake, and validity was assessed by correlating the coded food variable servings with nutrient intake. RESULTS: ICCs varied from zero (0.001 for beta carotene equivalents) to moderate (0.44 for sucrose), indicating substantial instability in consumption or reporting. Twelve-week test-retest correlations were slight to moderate (0.09 for lycopene to 0.49 for folate). FJV consumption was negatively related to percent energy from fat (r = -0.28; P = 0.001) and positively related to other nutrients. Sweetened beverage consumption was positively related to energy, sucrose, fructose, and vitamin C consumption. CONCLUSIONS: This behavior-based food coding system demonstrated construct validity among 8- to 10-year-old African American girls and can measure the desired food groups.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2004

Evaluation of quality control procedures for 24-h dietary recalls: results from the Girls Health Enrichment Multisite Studies.

BACKGROUND: Quality control methods are key components of dietary assessment, but have rarely been evaluated. METHODS: One hundred forty-four 8-10-year-old African-American girls at three field centers completed two 24-h dietary recalls at baseline before a pilot weight gain prevention intervention (one recall collected in-person and one by telephone). The dietary recall data were initially reviewed by the dietary interviewer (Phase 1), then by a local lead nutritionist at the field center (Phase 2), and then by the Nutrition Coordinating Center (NCC) (Phase 3); any differences identified by NCC were reconciled (Phase 4). Bland-Altman and generalizability theory methods were used to assess agreement of consumption for selected food variables and nutrients between phases. RESULTS: Only small differences occurred. Quality control procedures primarily reduced the variances of nutrients rather than caused the means to shift. Most of the variability among phases was due to individual level variability in dietary intake. CONCLUSIONS: Decisions to review dietary recall data beyond local review should be based on the level of precision and accuracy required for the study outcomes and the availability of financial resources.

Black or African American↗
PubMed2004

Legal requirements for safe handling in community care.

CASE STUDY: Andrea, a district nurse, together with home carers from the local social services department, has been caring for a wheelchair-bound patient with multiple sclerosis for 3 years. The patient requires assistance with going to the toilet and going to bed. She has always been reluctant to be moved using a hoist because of sudden spasms and this causes her great anxiety. Now the patient is refusing to be move mechanically and will only consent to being lifted manually. Andrea and the home care staff are concerned that this might place them at risk of injury and argue that it is against the trust and local authority moving and handling policy, which has a no-lift clause. Andrea would like to refuse to manually lift the patient but decides to check the legal position first.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2003

Fat-sugar see-saw in school lunches: impact of a low fat intervention.

PURPOSE: To determine the long-term effects of a low fat intervention on sugar content in school lunches METHODS: We calculated contributions of total sugars, 6 specific sugars, and selected nutrients in National School Lunch Program meals served in 56 former intervention, 20 randomly selected control schools that had participated 3 years before in a low fat intervention, and 12 additional schools from neighboring school districts that had never been exposed to the intervention, whose goal was the lowering of total fat to under 30% of calories and saturated fat to under 10% calories. Analysis of variance adjusted for region was used to compare treatment groups. Pearson partial correlations controlling for the effects of region and treatment group were used to assess the strength of sugar and fat relationships. RESULTS: Three years after the low fat intervention, former intervention, control and unexposed schools lunches were similar in mean total sugars (25% of calories), and "added" sugars (e.g. sucrose, glucose, galactose, and maltose) at 15% of calories; and differed only in their lactose content. As percent of calories from fat or saturated fat in lunches decreased, that from sugars increased. Lunches that met reduced saturated fat goals were significantly higher than those not meeting goals in percent of calories from sugars both in meals as offered (27.6 +/- 0.3% vs. 26.2 +/- 0.3 SE p =.004) and as served (26.5 +/- 0.4 vs. 23.9 +/- 0.4 p =.009). Lunches meeting reduced total fat goals were significantly higher only in percent of calories from sugars as served. Seventy-five percent of total sugar in lunches offered was from chocolate milk, fruit/fruit juices, and white milk. More "added" sugar came from high micronutrient foods, such as fruit, fruit juices, and chocolate milk than from desserts and entrees. CONCLUSIONS: The existence of a fat-sugar "see-saw" makes it important to emphasize substitutions of fat and saturated fat with starches and fiber in school lunches.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Using a virtual care scenario to enhance student learning.

A series of care scenarios were developed entitled 'eWARD' that complement traditional teaching methods employed in the education of nursing students. This article discusses the development of one of these scenarios, which was based on a stroke rehabilitation theme, in relation to its theoretical underpinnings as well as its implementation and evaluation.

Adolescent↗