Nursing (M.S.)

The purpose of this study was to identify battered women in a health setting. The sample studied were 100 women in a local family planning clinic. 50 who reported themselves as having been battered within the last year and 50 who did not. Data was obtained by using a copywritten tool, the Abuse Risk Inventory (ARI). The tool included two parts: demographic data in which the client identified herself as having been battered and a survey entitled Interpersonal Relationships. The questionnaire was distributed to the sample population at a family planning clinic.
The researcher compared the means of the ARI of the two groups. The difference between the means analyzed was using a t TEST. Findings were significant at the p<.01 level. Several demographics were observed; among them Length of Relationship, Annual Income, and Physical Abuse for both the Respondent and Partner. Observations of the ARI means were made in each category.

Approximately 50 million adults in the United States either have elevated blood pressure or are taking antihypertensive medications. Unfortunately only 21% of hypertensive patients are being properly treated in the United States. After reviewing the literature the researcher found no studies that compare knowledge level of nonpharmacological treatments of hypertension and actual blood pressures in older adults.

The propose of the research was to assess the relationship between knowledge level about nonpharmacological treatments for hypertension and blood pressure control in older hypertensive adults. Knowledge of nonpharmacological treatments of hypertension was evaluated with the use of a survey. After the subjects completed the survey the researcher measured their blood pressures with a sphygmomanometer. Mean blood pressures were calculated for all the various knowledge levels. The Pearson r test was utilized to test for a correlation between knowledge level of nonpharmacological treatments of hypertension and blood pressure in the subjects.

The targeted convenience sample was approximately 34 middle aged adults ages 45 years and older that can read English. The setting was in the lobby of a northwest Pennsylvania pharmacy. The subjects were responding to a free blood pressure screening and were asked to participate in the study.

The research hypothesis was that persons with an increased knowledge level of nonpharmacological treatments of hypertension will have lower blood pressures. The study found a negative correlation between blood pressure and nonpharmacological treatments of hypertension, but they were not found to be statistically significant.

Throughout history, humankind has experienced the unpleasant sensation of pain. Pursuant to this, relief from the discomfort of pain has been sought through whatever means conceivable including the use of magnets. This study was done to help provide a basis for the decision as to weather or not health care providers should advocate the use of static magnets in pain management. The theoretical framework of this study was the Four Conservation Principals by Myra Levine (1969), specifically the conservation of patient energy regarding the inflammatory process.

This research studied the effects of commercially available medical magnets, of varying size, on a convenient sample of 10 patients from the northwestern Pennsylvania area having somatic pain for more than one month. The McGill Pain Questionnaire was used at baseline, 24 hours, and 7 days after beginning magnetic therapy. The Student t test revealed a statistically significant improvement after 24 hours, which continued at 1 week, as measured by the three parameters of the McGill Pain Questionnaire that were addressed. To be considered significant the t value had to be greater than 1.833. The three parameters were: The Number of Words Chosen which had a net improvement of t = 3.1058 (p - 0.0009), the Present Pain Index which had a net improvement of t = 6.5000 (p < 0.0001), and the Pain Rating Index which had a net improvement oft = 5.3930 (p < 0.0001). Magnetic therapy continues to be vigorously studied and shows promising results (Whitaker & Adderly, 1998).

Literature indicates that mammography is the single most effective method of screening for breast cancer. Several patient-related barriers to mammography for older women have been described (Costanza, 1994).

A survey of mature women was conducted in Chautauqua County, New York to determine if women who engaged in moderate physical activity, such as walking 15 to 30 minutes five to seven days per week also obtained yearly mammograms. The tool utilized was a researcher-developed survey that assessed the frequency of mammography screening as recommended by the American Cancer Society, and regular participation in moderate physical activity. The sample consisted of 66 mature women between the ages of 50 and 75. Most participants had a regular place for health care and most frequently went to a physician’s office for their health care. All the study participants were covered by some type of health insurance. Patient-related barriers to mammography screening reported by Weinberg et al. (1997) were not perceived as barriers by these research participants. The results of this study indicated that women who engaged in moderate physical activity were less likely to obtain yearly mammograms. The hypothesis that mature women who engage in the health promoting behavior of regular moderate exercise are more likely to obtain routine mammograms was rejected.

This non-experimental research study explored the motivational orientations/reasons and psychological motivational dimensions of life space and life chance of registered nurses participating in adult continuing nursing education. The psychological motivational dimensions were then related to participation/persistence and non-participation/drop out according to Roger Boshier's 1973 model of continuing education. This information is valuable to educators in identifying learning needs, planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating continuing education activities for registered nurses. The Education Participation Scale and a Demographic Survey were the tools utilized to collect data from 50 registered nurses attending three different "all day" (7-8 hours) non-college credit continuing nursing education classes offered by an education center in northwestern Pennsylvania. The characteristics of the total sample and statistical treatment/tests included determining the distribution of scores on the EPS for each of the seven motivational factors, the minimum/maximum score and range for each factor, the central tendency and variability for each factor, the Pearson product-moment correlations and the analysis of variance through the one way ANOVA: F-test. The level of significance utilized throughout was p=0.5. Significant motivational factors included professional advancement followed by cognitive interest and educational preparation. The first two factors identified are life space psychological motivational dimensions and the last factor listed is a life chance psychological dimension. According to Boshier’s model, registered nurses are more likely to participate and persist in continuing nursing education than to not participate or dropout. This prediction is dependent on congruency with self/others, and social, psychological, and subenvironmental variables.

Research indicates that the rate of immunizations of preschool children living in rural areas is lower than 90%. These too-low rates have been attributed to many factorsin the literature. The need was identified for research into what barriers, if any, parents encounter in getting their children the appropriate immunizations. The objective of this study was to discover if parents living in Wattsburg and Corry, in Erie County Pennsylvania, perceived any reasons for difficulty in getting their preschool children the immunizations they need. Interviewers were trained to use the interview questionnaire in order to maximize interviewer consistency, and to protect the subjects' anonymity. The target population was parents or primary caregivers of children under the age of 7 who resided in either Wattsburg or Corry in rural northwestern Erie County, Pennsylvania. The sample was a convenience sample. The 51 subjects were interviewed using a structured script and survey questionnaire, at three grocery stores located in the two areas of interest. Coupons and magnetic coupon holders were given as incentives to the parents to encourage completion of the interview. Subjects consisted of anyone who was the parent or primary caregiver of a preschool child under the age of seven and willing to complete the interview. The survey consisted of 34 questions designed to elicit both qualitative and quantitative data. The use of a small accidental sample was a limitation of this study. Results of this study confirm the hypothesis. Some parents of preschool children in these two areas do report barriers to immunizations and well child care.

Literature indicates that the majority of primary care providers are not meeting the health care needs of their adolescent patients. A survey of parents of adolescents with Down syndrome was conducted to determine the parents’ perception of the extent to which primary care providers are addressing the unique needs of their adolescent patients with Down syndrome. The tool utilized was a researcher developed survey that assessed the frequency of performance of multiple health care screenings and education as recommended by Guidelines for Adolescent Preventative Services, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Down Syndrome Medical Interest Group. The sample consisted of the parents of seven female and six male adolescents with a mean age of 15.77 years. The results from this study indicated that primary care providers were not addressing the unique health care needs of their adolescent patients with Down syndrome.

There has been a large increase over the last 10 years in the use of herbal remedies by the general population of the United States (Greenwald, 1998). The FDA does not regulate herbal remedies as drugs but as nutritional supplements (Glisson, Crawford, & Street, 1999). Up to 75% of patients are self-medicating with herbal remedies without consulting primary care physicians and practitioners (Glisson et al., 1999). There is a potential for drug-drug interactions, side effects from inappropriate dosing, and delay in the treatment of serious medical conditions with self-medication with herbal remedies (Barnes, Mills, Abbott, Willoughby, & Ernst, 1998) Understanding the reason for the nondisclosure of herbal remedy use is critical to the improvement of physician-patient communication and patient care and safety (Glisson et al.)).

A self-administered survey was conducted in a large rural primary care facility to further define demographics of herbal remedy users, to assess why they choose to utilize herbal remedies, and to assess the patient-provider communication barriers concerning herbal remedy use. The survey had an 86.5% return rate and showed that in this population sample of 865 subjects, 49% had used herbal remedies at some time. The herbal remedy users were more likely to be 36 to 45 years of age (%2=7.2, p=0.01), have about the same household income as nonusers, 2 be married, have some college or vocational education (% =13.4, p=0.001) or bachelor degree (X2=9.8, p=0.01), and, like nonusers, rate their overall health as "good" on the day of the survey.

In summary, the percent of herbal remedy users in primary care practices is much higher than the previous studies have shown. Fifty-seven percent of all subjects had not offered or asked information about herbal remedies from their providers and staff. Ninety-five percent of respondents had not been asked about them by the staff. Communication barriers may be causing a situation where herbal remedy users might have drug/herbal remedy interactions that would affect their medical care. Suggestions are offered for better provider/patient communication as well as future research.

Literature indicates that pediculosis capitis is a common contagious communicable disease among school age children. It is only exceeded in frequency by the common cold. Presently, there is no pesticide treatment that is 100% effective. Recent studies have shown that some lice are becoming resistant to the recommended pesticides. To ensure effective treatment, three steps are involved: use of the lice killing product in the safest most effective way, meticulous removal of all nits (lice eggs) and the treatment of personal articles and the environment.

This study, utilizing a self-administered researcher designed questionnaire, first gathered information regarding current occurrences, screening practices, policies, and protocols used by elementary school nurses in Mercer and Crawford Counties in northwestern Pennsylvania. The sample consisted of 17 practicing school nurses with a mean 14.7 years of experience in this field. The results from this study indicated that these school nurses were not currently implementing all of the interventions needed to make up an effective pediculosis prevention program. These survey results were then incorporated into the development of a protocol to be utilized by school nurses as a guideline for pediculosis preventive practices.