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T Suominen

Publications and source records attributed to T Suominen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2004

Nurses' ethical perceptions about coercion.

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY: The purpose of this study was to describe Finnish psychiatric nurses' ethical perceptions about coercive measures in acute psychiatric setting. METHODS: The data were collected with a questionnaire developed for this study. The sample included 170 Finnish psychiatric nurses on acute wards in five psychiatric hospitals. The data were analysed using frequency and percentage distributions, mean and standard deviations. The internal consistency of the instrument was explored with Cronbach's alpha. The association between the background variables and the sum score of the items of the questionnaire was tested with Mann-Whitney U-test and Kruskal-Wallis test. The open-ended question was analysed with content analysis. RESULTS: Some psychiatric nurses perceived coercive measures as ethically problematic. In particular, the implementation of forced medication (18%), four-point restraints (16%) and patient seclusion (11%) were perceived as ethically problematic. Female nurses and nurses who worked on closed wards perceived the measures to be more problematic than male nurses and nurses who did not work on closed wards. CONCLUSION: In Finland, special attention has been paid to ethical questions related to the care of psychiatric patients and to the enhancement of patients' rights, yet the majority of the nurses participating in the survey did not perceive coercive measures as ethically problematic. More research on this issue as well as further education of the personnel and more extensive teaching of ethics in nursing schools are needed to support the ability of the psychiatric personnel to identify ethically problematic situations. In addition, it is important to consider new measures for generating genuine moral reflection among the personnel on the usage of coercive measures as well as on their effectiveness and legitimacy in the psychiatric care.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Physicians' attitudes towards the use of complementary therapies (CTs) by cancer patients in Finland.

This study describes physicians' attitudes towards the use of complementary therapies (CTs) by cancer patients in Finland. Responses to 33 Likert-type statements were received from 234 physicians; the response rate was 50.6%. The questionnaire items were analysed separately and using five sum variables. Data analysis was based on descriptive statistics, chi-square and t-tests and analysis of variance. Attitudes among physicians and oncologists in particular were quite critical. Over four-fifths of the physicians (86%) were doubtful whether CTs should be used at all, given the scarcity of solid research evidence on their benefits. Three quarters (75%) referred to unknown risk factors, half (51%) were of the opinion that CTs should not be used in cancer care at all. On the other hand 58% believed that CTs could help to relieve stress and anxiety among cancer patients, and 79% wanted to see scientific testing to establish the effects of CTs. The most positive attitude towards CTs was shown by general practitioners and non-specialized physicians. Positive attitudes were associated with personal CT use, with recommending CTs to patients and with a high level of interest to participate in CT training. The physicians did not believe the specific CTs singled out for investigation would help patients to recover from cancer. They thought that the use of CTs by cancer patients was motivated by future hope, a determination to do everything possible to cure the cancer and the perception of CTs as a last resort. The result that professional attitudes towards CTs are quite critical in Finland presents a very special challenge to the relationship between physicians and patients: it is crucial that physicians know enough about CTs so that they can discuss the issue with patients and provide relevant advice and guidance on their use.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Staff empowerment in Finnish intensive care units.

The purpose of this study was to describe staff empowerment in Finnish intensive care units. The data were collected with a questionnaire comprising demographic background and empowerment items. The concept of empowerment was divided into three components: behavioural, verbal and outcome empowerment. The questionnaire was sent to all registered nurses at Finnish intensive care units (ICUs). Eight hundred and fourteen replied, giving a response rate of 77%. The ICU nurses demonstrated confidence in their own skills and competencies, although least so in the domain of outcome empowerment. Experience of behavioural, verbal and outcome empowerment increased linearly with age. The length of nursing experience was positively associated with behavioural, verbal and outcome empowerment. Experience in ICU nursing correlated positively with verbal and outcome empowerment. Motivation, job satisfaction, respect of job autonomy and the fact that the job of ICU nurses commanded respect in society were associated with behavioural, verbal, and outcome empowerment.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Attitudes of patients with breast and prostate cancer toward complementary therapies in Finland.

This study aimed to describe the attitudes of patients with breast cancer and those with prostate cancer toward complementary therapies. The data were collected with a postal questionnaire administered to 216 patients with breast cancer (response rate, 55.4%) and 1 90 patients with prostate cancer (response rate, 54.9%) in southern and southwestern Finland. The questionnaire was composed of 44 Likert-type statements, which were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi2 tests, t tests, and two-way analyses of variance. More than half (54%) of the patients with breast cancer and 45% of the patients with prostate cancer believed that people with cancer may benefit from complementary therapies, although they did not think these therapies actually could cure cancer. More than half of the respondents were dubious about using complementary therapies as long as there was no solid scientific evidence. Most believed that complementary therapies were used because they gave people hope (women, 88%; men, 72%) or "something to cling to" (women, 83%; men, 76%). The respondents believed most in dietary therapies and least in healing. There was much confusion and uncertainty about the professional competencies and expertise of the people who provided complementary therapies. Approximately one fourth of the respondents had spoken to their physician about complementary therapies. Only a few had talked about the matter with nursing staff. About half of the respondents thought that physicians and nurses took a negative attitude toward complementary therapies. In both groups, patients who had talked with their physician about complementary therapies tended to show a more positive attitude.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

German nursing students' knowledge of and attitudes to HIV and AIDS: two decades after the first AIDS cases.

German nursing students' knowledge of and attitudes to HIV and AIDS: two decades after the first AIDS case This study describes German nursing students' (n=180) knowledge and attitudes relating to HIV/AIDS, their homophobia level, willingness to care for people with AIDS, and their approach to possible sexual risk behaviours. A questionnaire was used to collect the data (response rate 97.8%). The results indicated that the nursing students had a rather high knowledge level concerning AIDS. However, there were gaps of knowledge, such as regarding AIDS immunopathology or the symptoms of the disease. Single nursing students and those having cared for a person with AIDS had a more thorough knowledge about the disease. In general, the attitudes towards AIDS and people with AIDS were tolerant and positive, and homophobia was only found with a small minority. Students having positive attitudes towards people with HIV/AIDS had less homophobia compared to those having negative attitudes towards persons suffering from AIDS. Those with positive attitudes were more willing to care for patients with HIV/AIDS, while those with a high homophobia level were less willing to do so. In addition, students having a high AIDS knowledge level tended less towards negative attitudes and homophobia than those with a low level of knowledge. The implications of the research for nursing education will be discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Self-care in adults with asthma: how they cope.

The purpose of this study was to find out how well adult asthma patients in Finland cope with self-care in three areas of asthma treatment. The areas of physical, psychological and social asthma treatment were examined. Associations between demographic background data and self-care were also studied. Data (n = 130) for the study were collected using a questionnaire specially developed for this study. A deductive perspective was employed in data analysis. Respondents showed fairly good competence in self-care in all three areas of asthma treatment. However, up to 30% of the asthma patients had pets and 16% were smokers. Extra stress was reduced by exercise and positive thinking. Humour was also important in helping most of the respondents cope mentally. Social support played a significant part in fighting the sense of powerlessness which is caused by asthma. According to the results, women coped better than men in the social area of self-care.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1999

What asthma patients know about their illness and its treatment.

The purpose of this paper is to describe what adult asthma patients in Finland know about asthma and its treatment. The data were collected with a questionnaire specifically developed for this study. The response rate was 86.6% (n = 130). The respondents' knowledge scores were quite high: 34% had good knowledge, 51% had fairly good knowledge, and 15% had satisfactory knowledge of their disease and its treatment. Women knew more about asthma and its treatment than men (p = 0.043). The item on which there was most uncertainty related to whether it is possible to prevent asthma. The most surprising finding was that as many as 30% believed that the only way to reduce asthma symptoms is by effective medication.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Attitudes to HIV/AIDS.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1999

Informed consent for short-stay surgery.

This study in the context of short-stay surgery is based on a definition according to which informed consent consists of five elements: consent, voluntariness, disclosure of information, understanding and competence. The data were collected in four district hospitals in southern Finland by using a structured questionnaire. The population consisted of short-stay and one-day surgery patients (n = 107). Data analysis was based on statistical methods. The results indicated some problems in the realization of informed consent. Most commonly, consent was expressed by voluntary admission. Most patients had indicated their voluntary consent by making their decision independently. There were also certain problems with information. The respondents were least well informed about the drawbacks of anaesthesia and about alternative forms of treatment. The patients had not understood all the information they had received; problems of understanding were greatest with information about the advantages and disadvantages of anaesthesia. Problems were also reported with competence. These patients had the most difficulty in assessing the advantages and drawbacks of different treatments and anaesthesia.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Attitudes of professionals, students and the general public to HIV/AIDS and people with HIV/AIDS: a review of the research.

This paper provides a review relating to the attitudes of health care professionals, students and the general public to HIV/AIDS and people with HIV/AIDS. This is done by describing the literature on attitudes to HIV and AIDS in three fields of research: medicine/nursing, psychology and the social sciences. In addition, we look at the countries in which research has been conducted in these issues and at the variety of tools and methodological approaches used and at the participants studied. The review shows that, during the 1990s, the research interest in issues related to HIV/AIDS attitudes has rapidly increased. Most of the work on HIV and AIDS has been done in the United States, with the main focus on empirical research using questionnaires. The attention has mostly been on students and their attitudes to AIDS/HIV and sexual behaviour, but increasing interest has also been shown in the attitudes of health care personnel and students. As it seems that attitudes have been highly resistant to change, more consideration needs to be given to finding appropriate ways of educating the general public, students and health care professionals. A comprehensive analysis is also needed of the different tools used in measuring attitudes and in international comparisons of the attitudes of adolescents, health care professionals and students towards AIDS and AIDS patients.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1998

Nursing research in Finland from 1958 to 1995.

PURPOSE: To review the methods and content of nursing research carried out in Finland between 1958 and 1996. University-level nursing education and research started in Finland in 1979. In 1997, there were seven universities with nursing programs and, in all of them, active international collaboration. SCOPE: First emperical and nonemperical studies were identified, then the research topics and research methods were analyzed. Some historically interesting evaluations were also documented. SOURCES: Articles published in the Yearbook of Nursing (1958-1988, n = 228), in the Finnish Journal of Nursing Science (1989-1995, n = 116), and all Finnish licentiate and doctoral theses (n = 104). METHOD: Content analysis. FINDINGS: The number of research articles and theses is increasing. Nursing practice has been the most common research topic, and especially primary health care and surgical and medical care. Questionnaires and interviews are the methods used most often, observational methods are rare. Most research is discriptive. CONCLUSIONS: In the future, research is recommended in nursing care of children and adolescents as well as evaluative research.

Finland↗
PubMed1998

[Living with enlarged prostate].

An ageing man has been the focus of nursing research only rarely. Therefore, the aim of this study was to describe the meanings that men aged 65 or over attached to living with enlarged prostate before the transurethral resection of prostate. The data were collected by interviewing seven ageing men, who have had transurethral resection of the prostate. The data were analysed using Giorgi's method, which is based on phenomenology. Living with enlarged prostate has an effect on ageing men's physical, social and emotional well-being. Because of problems with voiding they avoided physical exercise and outdoor activities. They were also fatigued, since they have to go to the toilet many times at nights. It was possible that the voiding need was so sudden and frequent that the men limited their social participation. The symptoms caused by an enlarged prostate had often lasted for a long period. They have also affected on sex life and aroused depression and shame in ageing men.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1998

Review of Finnish nursing research from 1958 to 1995.

This article provides a review of Finnish nursing research between 1958 and 1995. It is based on an analysis of the articles published in the Finnish Yearbook of Nursing from 1958-1988, in Nursing Science (Hoitotiede) from 1989-1995 as well as all licentiate and doctoral theses in nursing. The overview describes the content, sources of information and level of analysis in the works concerned.

Education, Nursing, Graduate↗
PubMed1997

Nursing culture--some viewpoints.

The concept of culture is closely interwoven with the values espoused by a community. Culture is a deep structure that finds expression in people's knowledge, beliefs, convictions, morals, and laws. A few possible ways of approaching the culture of nursing are provided by rituals, gender and power.

Ceremonial Behavior↗
PubMed1997

Research in intensive care nursing.

The results of a questionnaire study about intensive care nursing in Finland indicate that the chief problems in intensive care nursing are concerned with staff coping resources, quality development and patient experiences. Questions on staff stress and coping have been researched quite extensively. Earlier studies have described intensive care nursing as highly stressful and pointed to numerous problems related to coping. It is clear that intensive care nursing warrants closer attention in research.

Attitude to Health↗
PubMed1997

[Nursing research in Finland from 1950s to the present].

In Finland nursing education and research in universities was established in 1979. Research in nursing, however, was done in some amount even before in other disciplines and in the Institute of Nursing Research. In this article, nursing research during 1958-1995 is described, based on the articles in the Finnish Yearbook of Nursing (1958-1988), in the Journal of Nursing Science (Hoitotiede, 1989-1995) and academic licentiate and doctoral dissertations. The analysis indicates strong growth of nursing research in Finland since 1950s. The content of research is multidimensional. The nature of research is quantitative and descriptive; many of the doctoral dissertations in 1990s are qualitative. The research interest has been mainly the patient. Articles in research methods and concept analysis are rare.

Clinical Nursing Research↗