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Biomedical subjects

Patricia Agre

Publications and source records attributed to Patricia Agre.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The case for development of a new test of health literacy.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To review the need for reading assessments for patients with cancer, review existing reading assessment tools, and make a case for a new tool specific to patients with cancer. DATA SOURCES: Published articles, experiences, and discussions with published authors in the field of literacy. DATA SYNTHESIS: Valid and reliable tools that assess word recognition and comprehension exist for general use in health care. Word-recognition tests do not always predict comprehension, and a commonly used comprehension test has sections assessing only very low, second year of high school, and graduate-level skills. CONCLUSIONS: A new tool, developed specifically for patients with cancer, may better capture reading ability and comprehension. It is being evaluated for use in a clinical setting. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: If nurses know their patients' reading levels, they can plan more effectively for teaching self-care and discussing decision making. Outcomes related to health and satisfaction may improve if poor readers are given materials they can understand.

Decision Making↗
PubMed2002

Preferences in surgical waiting area amenities.

The purpose of this needs assessment was to determine which waiting area amenities family members deem important to make them comfortable when waiting for news about surgical patients. A literature review was conducted, perioperative staff members were interviewed and surveyed, and family members were interviewed and surveyed. The findings indicate that family members have preferences for specific amenities. Items of highest importance include the service of a surgical nurse coordinator and a private room for consulting with physicians. Items of average importance include beepers and educational materials about the procedure. Items of least importance include a food cart and soft music.

Anxiety↗
PubMed2002

Creating a CD-ROM program for cancer-related patient education.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To describe the process of developing a cancer-related patient and family education CD-ROM program and initial evaluation results. DATA SOURCES: Published research, theory, practice, and personal experience. DATA SYNTHESIS: CD-ROM programs can be far more comprehensive than the booklets and videotapes used more commonly in patient education. Developing CD-ROM programs requires funding, organizational skills, access to content experts, and a team composed of people who have the varied skills required for a finished multimedia product. The time frame for CD-ROM production is often longer than that of other patient-education formats. Published reports and this institution's experience confirm that patients accept this medium. Evaluation to date suggests that CD-ROMs may be more useful to patients and their families than any other single information source. CONCLUSIONS: CD-ROM technology is more expensive than videotapes and booklets, but it allows for greater depth of content and may satisfy a broader range of educational needs than other media. Funding often can be obtained through foundations and with unrestricted educational grants from pharmaceutical companies. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Nurses can lead multidisciplinary teams to produce CD-ROMs for their patient populations. These programs can be used before a patient has a first consultation to introduce a cancer or treatment and anytime during cancer diagnosis and treatment. They can reinforce one-on-one teaching or provide greater depth of content than ever could be provided in individualized teaching sessions. They can facilitate patients' self-directed learning and may allow nurses and doctors to teach on a different level. These programs also can complement patients' Internet searches either by creating a solid foundation for further investigation or by confirming the reliability of information gained through a variety of Internet sources.

CD-ROM↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Online cancer patient education: evaluating usability and content.

PURPOSE: Two patient education CD-ROMs were converted to a web-based environment. This article reports on users' evaluations of the programs' usability and content. DESCRIPTION OF EVALUATION: Subscribers to a center's web newsletter were asked to view one of two web programs and to complete a survey. The first 150 respondents were offered a free patient education CD-ROM of their choice, but users continued to respond to the survey even after a notice stated that 150 responses were received. A total of 301 surveys were completed (Colorectal Cancer Program 168; Chemotherapy Program 133). RESULTS: Sixty-eight percent of Colorectal Cancer Program respondents and 50% of Chemotherapy Program respondents considered the program to be more useful or much more useful than any other source of information on the topic. A majority of users for both programs preferred to view the information on the Internet rather than on CD-ROM. Many users reported trouble accessing certain segments of the media. Common complaints included the inability to open video or audio clips and the length of time needed for each page to load, despite a high-speed Internet connection. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Internet use is high, with 60% of US households reporting having used the Internet to search for health information. However, little is known about user satisfaction with specific sites and what about them users like or do not like. It is hoped that these and other user evaluations will help web site authors and developers improve their sites.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A perioperative nurse liaison program: CNS interventions for cancer patients and their families.

Cancer surgery causes stress and anxiety for families and patients. Knowing that communication between family and health care professionals is traditionally fragmented during the perioperative period, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center developed a family-centered program to improve information exchange. This article describes the Perioperative Clinical Nurse Specialist program and the process by which ongoing communication of clinical information and psychosocial support for waiting relatives occurs. Good communication during the preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative period is characteristic of quality care at a critical time. The subject program serves to bridge the gap in the continuum of perioperative care.

Cancer Care Facilities↗