Nursing (M.S.)

Little is known about personality traits of nurse practitioners (NPs). This information would be useful to the individual NP, the profession as a whole, and to foster educational offerings to mentor these traits in future NPs. The purpose of this study was to identify the personality traits of a sample of student nurse practitioners (SNPs) and NPs using the Guilford Zimmerman Temperament Survey (GZTS). The Model of Nursing Knowledge developed by Chinn & Jacobs-Kramer (1988) was used as the conceptual framework for this study. This Model defines the specifics of self and other as they relate in a conversation.

The GZTS was self administered by Internet access to the forty-four volunteer participants of 11 SNPs and 34 graduate NPs from a community in northwestern Pennsylvania. A comparison was made between these two groups and between the two groups and the Guilford data bank base population of 619 nursing student applicants (Guilford 1976). Trained staff from Career Assessment Concepts, Inc. of Erie, PA analyzed each individual's results. Grouped data was then forwarded to the researcher. No significant differences were found among the study participant group as compared to the normative base population of nursing student applicants. Of the ten personality traits according to Guilford, the study participants had mean scores higher in the areas of general activity, restraint, assertiveness, and masculinity (Guilford, Zimmerman, & Guilford, 1976).

Additional research within a larger nurse practitioner population is recommended. This will up date the data base population to include specific personality trait information for the nurse practitioner. This study was supported in part by a grant from Sigma Thetu Tau, International, Nu Theta Chapter.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between postmenopausal estrogen therapy and the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD), giving consideration to the other coexisting CAD risk factors of obesity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and CAD history. A retrospective descriptive research design was utilized. Data were collected using a researcher-designed survey that included subject interview and medical record review. The sample of 36 postmenopausal women was classified into 3 groups according to estrogen use: current users (n=9), past users (n=5), and those who had never used estrogen (n=22). The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics and nonparametric tests. A p=0.05 level of significance was used. A Fisher’s exact test showed no statistically significant differences among the estrogen groups in the presence of CAD or presence of obesity, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and CAD history. A Cramer’s V was used for analysis of relationships in the study. A low positive correlation (PH).26) was found between estrogen use and the presence of CAD, however this was not statistically significant. A strong positive relationship (r=1.00) was found between history of CAD and presence of CAD in past users of estrogen (n=5), which was significant at p=0.03. The benefit of estrogen therapy as a means of CAD prevention in postmenopausal women cannot be inferred from the results of this study.

The purpose of this research study was to determine if rural health clinics were adequately prepared for pediatric medical emergencies. Preparedness was determined based on availability of minimal basic equipment, medications, and training as identified by the Committee of Pediatric Emergency Medicine guidelines (AAP, 1992). This study focused on rural health clinics in Crawford, Forest, and Venango counties. Eleven clinics participated. It was found that none of the clinics had every piece of equipment, two of 11 (18%) had all medications, and 18% had all the staff with Basic life support certification. The preparedness scores ranged from 35% to 89%, with no clinics reporting all the items recommended for minimal preparedness.

Recommendations included increasing education of primary care providers to better prepare the rural health clinic environment. Further research studies, more published literature, and legislation to establish criteria for minimal equipment, medications, and training were identified to improve preparedness.

National efforts have been directed toward the reduction of vaccine preventable diseases through improved immunization rates. The purpose of this study was to determine the
immunization status of a rural childhood population. Percent of children with up-to-date immunization series and individual antigens was calculated at the ages of 12 and 24 months, and school entry. Percent of children with age appropriate immunization series was calculated at the ages of 3, 5, 7, 16, and 19 months, and school entry. Data were compiled using
school-based Certification of Immunization Records of 122 kindergarten students in a rural school district in northwestern Pennsylvania.

This study examines the correlation between stress and academic performance using the life events model to measure stress. Full-time nursing students enrolled in an associate degree program at a rural community college were participants in this study. This study concludes that there is a weak negative correlation between stress and grade point average; r=.2553 with a significance of .024. Further study is recommended to examine the effect of coping strategies, age, socioeconomic status on stress and its relationship to academic performance among community college students.

With patient education achieving a position of prominence in today’s healthcare industry, tools to make the process easier and more effective are necessary. Printed educational materials are the most common form of instructional materials used, and the most economical. Obese patients participating in the Fen/Phen Weight Management Program, require detailed instruction in three major areas, proper usage of the anorexiant drugs dl fenfluramine and phentermine, a healthy eating plan, and an exercise program.

A patient education manual was constructed following the Evaluating Printed Education Materials (EPEM) Model developed by Bernier and Yasko (1991). The manual discusses medication administration and side effects, a healthy eating plan, and an exercise program. The SMOG formula, developed by McLaughlin (1969), was used to place the manual at the eighth grade readability level.

As health promotion and disease prevention becomes more of the focus for the primary care patient, education materials will be in greater demand. Printed education materials can provide an easily accessible source of information for patients to learn from and refer to at home (Bernier and Yasko, 1991). With women composing the largest segment of the elderly population there is increasing need for women to participate in weight bearing physical activities to promote optimal health throughout the lifespan (Evans & Nies, 1997).

A strength training pamphlet was constructed using the Evaluating Printed Education Materials (EPEM) Model developed by Bernier and Yasko (1991). Nola Pender’s (1996) revised Health Promotion Model (HPM) was used as the theoretical framework. The pamphlet teaches the techniques of using strength training to prevent bone density loss. The nurse practitioners role was to develop a pamphlet on strength training which promotes wellness. The SMOG formula was used to place the pamphlet on a 7th grade reading level (McLaughlin, 1969).

The purpose of this project was to develop an educational web-site for the parents of children with chronic constipation. As the climate of health care continues to change, patient education becomes a greater responsibility for health care providers, assessing and meeting informational needs of patients and their families are integral parts of health care practice (Canobbio, 1996). The nurse practitioner, at the forefront of healthcare, can use this tool to help patient and their families to combat the feeling of powerlessness that so frequently accompanies a health crisis (Davidhizer, 1992).

Chronic constipation in children is a frequent complaint in the primary care setting (Kirchner, 1999). Both a physical and emotional problem, it exacts a huge toll on the psychological well being of the family by eroding the self esteem of the child, and also the parents and their belief that they can effectively parent (Di Lorenzo, 2000). There is a deficit of educational material on this topic, particularly on the Internet. The Internet is the place to which more and more parents turn for medical information and emotional support (Chi-Lum,1999).

This thesis is a compilation of literature, and conclusions looking at the relationship between relationship between depression and quality of life in the community based elderly. The literature provided a great deal of information discussion the prevalence of depression in the elderly, and the corresponding need for quality of life.

The Geriatric Depression Scale was used to measure elderly depression, and the Life Satisfaction Index was used to measure quality of life. The two tools are less than 25 items in length promoting the participant's ease in completion. The scoring of the two tools are inverted. A low score on the Depression Scale would indicate a low level of depression, where a high score on the Satisfaction Index would indicate a positive view of quality of life.

The research data will establish the existence of the relationship between depression and quality of life. Even though a statistically significant relationship was established, a low level of predictability was obtained.

The purpose of this research was to assess the effectiveness of acupuncture for adults aged 20 to 50 with acute low back pain. Very little research has been conducted in this area, but case studies indicate that acupuncture has the potential to shorten disability, decrease medical costs, and hasten pain relief.

This retrospective study examined the difference in perception of pain experienced by subjects before and after a single acupuncture treatment. Acute low back pain was defined in this study as pain of less than 3 months duration in the absence of a serious underlying pathology. The subjects were between 20 an 50 years of age. This convenient sample of 12 patients completed a 0 to 10 pain scale prior to a single acupuncture treatment and again the day after the treatment. Treatments were administered by two certified acupuncturists. The results were analyzed using a one-tailed dependent t-test and revealed that there was a significant decrease in the perception of pain 24 hours after acupuncture treatment.

This study will enhance the knowledge of the health care community, as well as encourage additional research into acupuncture as a way of easing pain and decreasing medical costs. Recommendations for further research are made.