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Biomedical subjects

Ruth Davidhizar

Publications and source records attributed to Ruth Davidhizar.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Nursing attitudes and beliefs in pain assessment and management.

AIMS: This paper reports a study to determine nurses' attitudes towards pain assessment tools and the relationship of these attitudes to education and experience. BACKGROUND: The issue of pain management is of interest to caregivers nationally and internationally. For example, in the United States of America, the National Health and Medical Research Council set guidelines to assist clinicians in pain management. Research on whether healthcare teams use pain assessment tools has yielded contradictory findings. METHODS: Using an open-ended questionnaire developed for this study, which was based on Fishbein and Ajzen expectancy-value model, a convenience sample of 52 nurses on an acute care unit were asked: (1) What do you believe about the assessment of pain? (2) What do you believe about the use of pain assessment tools? and (3) What do you believe about the use of pain assessment tools in improving the patient's outcome? The nurses then rated their attitudes about each belief and how each belief made them feel. The data were collected in 2003. Results. When Fishbein and Ajzen's formula for calculating attitude was used, attitude scores ranged from -6 to 28 with an overall mean score of +8.3. The amount of education and experience of each nurse and the attitude measure in regard to the use of pain assessment tools were compared. CONCLUSIONS: The Fishbein and Ajzen model provides a useful way to obtain information on the attitude of nurses towards the use of pain assessment instruments. To provide further information, this study with an open-ended instrument should be followed with a fixed-response survey with a larger sample size and in various settings.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2006

When the leader has a group in a difficult situation.

A novice leader can be unnerved when faced with a group that has rigid time constraints and the personal responsibility to ensure group task is accomplished. The leader may become overwhelmed with obstacles that are difficult to control. However, use of careful group leadership strategies can make what seems like a daunting task doable and can allow the group to successfully meet goals and objectives.

Administrative Personnel↗
PubMed2006

Learning to care for older adults in an associate degree nursing program: a discovery process.

The older adult interview assignment becomes a discovery process in which the students realize that the older adult is a person to be cared about. This experience is then transferred to other older adults as worthy of care. In the author's first experience with this assignment, students selected unknown interview candidates from extended care facilities. The students found the experience interesting, but did not necessarily discover that person as a person worthy of care. In this class assignment, the outcome seemed more meaningful to students because of the selection criteria of a known candidate, often a grandparent or relative, or neighbor. Because the elderly candidate already had a relationship with the student, the interview content became a gift and a legacy to the student. Now able to identify with older adults as persons like themselves, the experience of caring was transferred to older adults in clinical settings. Students found that their elderly clients with acute and chronic conditions, as well as those with neurological diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's were also worthy of care. It can then be said that the interview process as a teaching-learning strategy for nursing students not only promotes caring for older adults, but also facilitates the transfer of caring to all older adults in need of nursing care.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Taking criticism.

The manner in which criticism is dealt with is one of the important behaviors to master in a healthcare work environment: 1.) respond calmly, 2) use a problem solving approach, 3) avoid blaming others, 4) increase the complainers feelings of power, 4) increase feelings of power, 5) communicate respect, 6) do not respond to criticism with an e-mail, 7) forgive the complainer and not hold a grudge; and 8) let the buck stop as soon as possible, and 9) take criticism seriously. Dealing with criticism will never be easy. It just isn't! But using a reasoned approach will help, and get us back to why we entered healthcare - to take care of patients.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2005

Intercultural communication in nursing education: when Asian students and American faculty converge.

In the context of globalization and changing American demographics, it is becoming increasingly important to understand and communicate effectively with people from diverse cultural and racial/ethnic backgrounds. This article applies the framework of cultural variability and intercultural communication research literature to examine and highlight the different communication behaviors of Asians and non-Asians in the United States. The meanings of various verbal and nonverbal behaviors of Asian students are examined to clarify their communication patterns. Culture-based assumptions are identified, and measures to improve intercultural communication in nursing education are provided.

Asia↗
PubMed2005

Joinng the ranks: nurses as role models.

The average age of today's nurse is 45. The average age of today's nurse educator is 55. Not only is the mean age of nurses increasing, but the United States is also facing a national nursing shortage crisis--with fewer and fewer nurses both in the field and entering the profession. Massive advertising campaigns highlighting flexible nursing opportunities, increased incentives from health care agencies in need of nurses, and newly created flexible shift opportunities for nurses include strategies aimed at addressing this shortage. Fortunately, nursing education programs are seeing an increase in applicants, and many schools of nursing are filling their slots for new students to capacity. But this problem will not be solved by solely tempting new recruits.

Education, Nursing↗
PubMed2005

Moving up the career ladder: staff nurses writing for publication.

Facilitating the knowledge and abilities of staff nurses interested in climbing an organization's career ladder helps the nurse, the profession, and patients. Strategies to overcome obstacles and promote collaboration in writing for publication are addressed.

Career Mobility↗
PubMed2005

What if your nursing student is from an Asian culture?

Nursing faculty are educating an increasing number of Asian and Asian American students. There is a paucity of literature on how to facilitate their growth into professional nurses given their unique cultural differences. In order to optimize their educational experience, nursing faculty need to have a working knowledge of the cultural underpinnings of Asian American students. Building on two real scenarios, this article provides footnotes for understanding the rationales of the behaviors of Asian and Asian American students. The Cultural Assessment Model by Giger and Davidhizar (2004) provides the framework for the analysis. Based on this cultural knowledge, strategies and tips for improving communication with Asian and Asian American students are presented.

Asian↗
PubMed2005

Creating a professional image.

Teaching can be a rewarding experience and teaching can also be a terrifying adventure, especially for the beginner. As a teacher you are looked upon as an expert in your subject. You are also expected to know all the answers to all the questions. You are expected and expect yourself to be organized and to know how to present the material in a way that your students will gain information easily. If you are an experienced nurse this may be achieved with some work because you can pull from your past experience and you know what works and what doesn't work. However, for the first time teacher, this new and wonderful experience to teach others can be so overwhelming you don't know where to start. This paper provides tips for the new teacher in order to make teaching a satisfying experience for both nurse and patients.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed2005

An investigation of factors associated with infant mortality in two midwest counties.

The retrospective research study was designed to investigate the relationship between infant mortality and the six variables of early prenatal care, immaturity, maternal age, Maternal education, and socioeconomic status in two midwestern counties. Data from birth and birth and death cohort records were analyzed. The Health Belief Model was used as the theoretical framework. Its constructs were explored for potential influence on infant mortality. A significant relationship existed between the six variables and infant mortality. Based on the results of this present study, the constructs of the Health Belief Model hold promise for the development of effective interventions to affect the behavior that will reduce infant mortality.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Benevolent power.

The nurse's ability to use "benevolent power" can be a very useful tool in relating to patients. Use of "benevolent power" takes advantage of the nurse's power and authority by virtue of positions. However, rather than focusing on the nurse's needs or manipulating the patient in a negative way, use of"benevolent power" allows the nurse to respond to the patient situation in a way which is beneficial and positive for the patient.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2005

The benefits of saying "thank you" for the ordinary rather than the extraordinary.

The little effort of saying "thank you" or of writing and sending a "thank you" can have benefits far beyond the value of the moments involved. "Thank you" can motivate, validate, and give positive reinforcement. "Thank you" for the ordinary as well as the extraordinary can enhance the nurse's interpersonal relationships immeasurably and make it well worth the time spent. You can't afford to not say thank you frequently and graciously to those around you.

Administrative Personnel↗
PubMed2004

Guidelines for citing multiple authors.

Authors who write with others often encounter author-citation problems. Who should be and who should not be listed as an author? When is acknowledgment rather than authorship appropriate? Should the most well-known person always be listed first? How should faculty who help students publish be listed? This experienced author, coauthor, reviewer, and editor, provides answers to these questions.

Authorship↗
PubMed2004

The change in values that drives the nursing shortage.

In the 21st century we are eagerly trying to recruit candidates into the nursing profession in order to provide safe care to patients and address the national nursing shortage. There are fewer and fewer individuals who retain the value of helping others for purely altruistic reasons. It is only when a recruitment and retention plan is tied to the values and motivators of the modern employee that health care agencies can hope to address the shortages in staffing. Providing motivation for a nursing care giving role which is physically difficult, psychologically draining, and frequently demanding time beyond the 8 hours of a shift, requires a consideration of the values held by 21st century adults. Nevertheless, when values held by the modern day job seeker are considered enticing strategies can be designed and can lead to job satisfaction and stability among employees. As employees realize that LPNs fill vital roles in the health care team and can assist in responding to RN vacancies, it is essential that employers of LPNs be fully cognizant of values that are prevalent in our society and respond to these values in terms of agency recruitment and retention policy.

Altruism↗