Biomedical subjects
S A Stearns
Publications and source records attributed to S A Stearns.
DSCUs: a study of behavior before and after residence.
1. Environmental design, family involvement, consistent routines and activity programs designed to meet the special needs of persons with dementia are hallmarks of most dementia programs. There is a lack of research to support the usefulness of Dementia Specific Care Units (DSCUs) for residents of long-term care facilities that have irreversible dementia. 2. A specialized 24-bed DSCU was designed for those residents with cognitive impairment who would benefit from enhanced programming, and controlled and balanced environmental stimulation. 3. Assessments of residents' behavior and need for physical and chemical restraints were done one month prior to and two months after the opening of a DSCU. Of the 8 behaviors measured, 7 showed improvement and paired t-tests revealed this to be a statistically significant difference. 4. Even though causal claims cannot be made, the results strongly demonstrate an improvement in behaviors associated with dementia from pre- to post-measurement. There is a need for units to become increasingly able to meet the specialized needs of clients.
Understanding Huntington's disease: an overview of symptomatology and nursing care. Nurses must balance safety, quality-of-life issues, the need for personal choice, and the meaning of human dignity when caring for patients with Huntington's disease.
Patients and families who have been affected by HD deserve high-quality and dignified nursing care. The complexity and extent of losses and uncertainties imposed by this illness challenge nursing. We have briefly reviewed the current state of knowledge regarding the illness and the nursing interventions appropriate for working with people with HD. What is missing is an empirically validated body of interventions to guide nursing practice. Nursing research is needed to validate existing care practices, generate new interventions, and to begin to build theoretical explanations that assist nurses in providing care to people with Huntington's disease.
Hospice concepts in the care of end-stage dementia.
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