Biomedical subjects

S P Small

Publications and source records attributed to S P Small.

9 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Measurement of fatigue in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and in asthma.

Despite recognition of a high prevalence of fatigue in individuals with chronic airflow obstruction conditions, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma, and its importance from a quality of life perspective, no research was found in which fatigue was measured directly in these populations. This may be due to a seeming lack of appropriate instruments for measuring fatigue in these populations. The purpose of this study, therefore, was to pretest an instrument, the Piper Fatigue Scale, which was developed to measure chronic fatigue in clinical populations. The outpatient sample consisted of 17 persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and 19 with asthma. Findings revealed that the visual analogue scale version of the Piper Fatigue Scale may not be appropriate for measuring fatigue in these populations. Instruments with validity and reliability for fatigue in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma need to be developed.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Preoperative hair removal: a case report with implications for nursing.

Preoperative hair removal has been a practice since the beginning of this century. Research in the 1970s and 1980s provide support for the contention that the procedure is unnecessary for wound asepsis and may increase the rate of surgical site infections (Seropian & Reynolds, 1971; Hamilton et al., 1977; Cruse & Foord, 1980; Court-Brown, 1981; Alexander et al., 1983; Winfield, 1986; Fairclough et al., 1987). However, some hospitals have continued routine preoperative hair removal long after dissemination of recommendations against it. This begs the question, 'Why is it that so often research findings are not applied in practice'. In Stroud v. General Hospital Corp. and Pollett (1993), a man died of sepsis resulting from cuts he gave himself after he was asked by a nurse, in complete violation of the hospital's preoperative skin preparation protocol, to clip hair from his abdomen. The court held the hospital liable for the nurse's negligent breach of its protocol. The case clearly supports findings in the literature that preoperative hair removal is potentially dangerous. It reinforces the importance of strict adherence to hospital protocols which have been put in place to protect patients' safety.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Assessment and intervention for ischemic chest pain: a case study with legal implications for nursing practice.

In order to reduce early and long-term mortality and morbidity from myocardial infarction, nurses must promptly and thoroughly assess chest pain, intervene quickly and evaluate the results of the interventions. In Kielley v. General Hospital Corp. et al, a patient suffered a massive heart attack while under observation on a cardiology unit. The court held the hospital liable for the nurses' breach of its chest pain protocol and for failing to have electrocardiograms done when the patient experienced pain. The case clearly illustrates the harm a patient may incur when nurses fail to properly assess and intervene. It reinforces the importance of adherence to hospital protocols that have been put in place to ensure patient safety.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Tracking student progress in a baccalaureate nursing program: academic indicators.

Identification of students "most likely to succeed" has long been a goal of educational institutions, from the perspective of both identifying valid and reliable admission criteria and decreasing attrition rates within a program. In this study, scholastic performance prior to admission to a baccalaureate nursing program was examined in relation to students' level of achievement in courses and their progression in the first two years of the program. Although their incoming averages indicated that both classes of students were at "low risk" for failure in university, only 60% of the 89 students in the two classes were progressing without interruption. Students who did well in high school tended to continue to do well in prerequisite university courses and later in nursing. Students who were behind in their class at the end of Year 1 or Year 2 in the nursing program had significantly lower mean averages on high school credits and on prerequisite university courses. These findings have implications for the admission and counselling of students and lead to the recommendation that similar studies across nursing programs and a prospective longitudinal study within the sampled program be carried out to validate and expand upon study findings.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Nutrition as a risk for cardiovascular disease in women: dietary intakes of nursing students.

The purpose of this study was to examine dietary intakes of female, baccalaureate nursing students, and to compare their intakes of those nutrients thought to influence cardiovascular health with the Canadian Recommended Nutrient Intakes. Forty-three subjects between the ages of 19-24 completed 3-day dietary records. Although energy intake was low, the student's dietary intakes of fat, protein, and carbohydrates were within acceptable limits. Intakes of sodium and cholesterol were similar to those found in previous studies of young women. Six of the students had BMIs over 27 placing them at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Longitudinal studies are recommended to provide for a better understanding of nursing students' dietary habits and to establish a basis for education regarding modification of cardiovascular risk.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

The smoking behaviour of grade 10 students.

The purpose of this study was to describe smoking behaviour among Grade 10 adolescents and to explore their knowledge of tobacco-related health risks. Seventy-eight males and 71 females, with a mean age of 15.2 years, completed self-administered questionnaires. Twenty-nine percent of the males and 21% of the females claimed to currently smoke, for an overall smoking rate of 26%. Student smoking was not related to gender or to parental smoking. However, students were more likely to smoke if they had a sibling who smoked (p = .0009). As well, students with more friends who smoked were more likely to smoke than students with fewer friends who smoked (p = .0000). The adolescents who smoked had a high level of knowledge regarding health risks of smoking, as did the nonsmoking adolescents. Because experimentation with and initiation of smoking begins in childhood and early teenage years, preventive measures should be started in early childhood.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1994

Energy and nutrient intakes of independently-living, elderly women.

A descriptive study was conducted to determine the energy and nutrient intakes of 34 independently-living, elderly women. Data were collected using the 24-hour recall method, and compared to the 1990 Canadian Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNI) for elderly women. Mean intakes of energy, calcium, and zinc were below recommended levels for the sample as a whole. The mean intake of folate was below recommendation for women in the age group 65 to 74 years. All other dietary intakes met or exceeded recommended amounts. No statistically significant differences were observed for energy or selected nutrient intakes by age (65 to 74 years old versus 75 to 83) or living arrangement (alone versus with other). Nutrition is an important aspect of health, and more nursing interventions can help elderly women to choose diets that support optimal health. Further comprehensive nutrition studies are needed to provide the relevant knowledge base.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed1993

Uncertainty in hospitalized patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The purpose of this study was to describe the perceptions of uncertainty of hospitalized patients with chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema. Fourteen men and 11 women were interviewed. Content analysis of the data yielded three themes of uncertainty, including managing home- and self-care, planning for the future, and the unpredictable course of the illness. Two themes that reflect coping resources also emerged from the data. These were positive thinking, and social support and material resources. The subjects were perceiving uncertainty in relation to their illness and hospitalization, and were endeavouring to manage it through the process of cognitive coping.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Perceived uncertainty, physical symptoms, and negative mood in hospitalized patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether perceived uncertainty and physical symptoms were related to negative mood in hospitalized patients with chronic bronchitis and/or emphysema. DESIGN: Descriptive correlational. SETTING: Five large teaching hospitals in a city in central Canada. SUBJECTS: The sample consisted of 15 men and 11 women ranging in age from 53 to 86 years. INSTRUMENTS: Mishel Uncertainty in Illness Scale; Somatic Scale of the Bronchitis Emphysema Symptom Checklist; and Tension, Depression and Anger Subscales of the Profile of Mood States. RESULTS: Only the variable of physical symptoms contributed to the negative mood of the subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, explaining 21% of the variance (p < 0.02). Of the four symptom categories measured (fatigue, dyspnea, congestion, and peripheral-sensory disturbance), only fatigue was a significant predictor (p < 0.006) of negative mood, accounting for 28% of the variance. CONCLUSION: Negative mood is evidence of impaired coping. The finding that fatigue contributed to negative mood provides support for the theoretic prediction that low energy interferes with an individual's ability to cope with a stressful situation.

Adaptation, Psychological↗