Beverley Temple

Oppression: A Concept Analysis and Implications for Nurses and Nursing

PURPOSE To synthesize the literatures discussions on oppression and to explore its implications for nurses and nursing. SOURCE Published literature. CONCLUSION Oppression requires a set of norms that are determined by a dominant group and a belief of the inferiority of those outside the dominant group. The attributes of oppression are unjust treatment, the denial of rights, and the dehumanizing of individuals. Nurses and the nursing profession both work with oppressed groups and are themselves an oppressed group. By helping their oppressed and vulnerable patients resist the status quo, nurses will begin resisting their own oppressed environment, which will eventually lead to freedom for their patients and themselves.

Evaluation of a Diabetes Education Program's Non-Attendees: The Program Response

Diabetes self-management educational programs have been shown to improve patient outcomes. However, attendance at clinics is often poor. Prairie Health Matters (PHM) staff noticed that 31% of people referred to the program never came. Missed appointments contribute to increased program delivery costs and longer wait lists for services. A cross-sectional descriptive approach was taken to evaluate the demographic and other characteristics of attendees and non-attendees and their reasons for non-attendance at the PHM diabetes/heart health educational programs. A random list of PHM program clients was used to conduct a telephone survey to determine the reasons for not attending the PHM program. The survey found that attendees were more likely to be older, come from lower income brackets and be retired. Non-attendees were more likely to be working full-time than attendees. The proposed response of the PHM staff to these findings included changing appointment times and how they interacted with clients, including developing a website and using more e-mail communications. The proposed changes are congruent with current literature demonstrating effective strategies for improving client attendance.

The influence of staff training on challenging behaviour in individuals with intellectual disability: a review.

Many individuals with intellectual disability engage in challenging behaviour. This can significantly limit quality of life and also negatively impact caregivers (e.g., direct care staff, family caregivers and teachers). Fortunately, efficacious staff training may alleviate some negative side effects of client challenging behaviour. Currently, a systematic review of studies evaluating whether staff training influences client challenging behaviour has not been conducted. The purpose of this article was to identify emerging patterns, knowledge gaps and make recommendations for future research on this topic. The literature search resulted in a total of 19 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Articles were separated into four staff training categories. Studies varied across sample size, support staff involved in training, study design, training duration and data collection strategy. A small sample size (n = 19) and few replication studies, alongside several other procedural limitations prohibited the identification of a best practice training approach.

A descriptive qualitative examination of knowledge translation practice among health researchers in Manitoba, Canada

BackgroundThe importance of effective translation of health research findings into action has been well recognized, but there is evidence to suggest that the practice of knowledge translation (KT) among health researchers is still evolving. Compared to research user stakeholders, researchers (knowledge producers) have been under-studied in this context. The goals of this study were to understand the experiences of health researchers in practicing KT in Manitoba, Canada, and identify their support needs to sustain and increase their participation in KT.MethodsQualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 26 researchers studying in biomedical; clinical; health systems and services; and social, cultural, environmental and population health research. Interview questions were open-ended and probed participants’ understanding of KT, their experiences in practicing KT, barriers and facilitators to practicing KT, and their needs for KT practice support.ResultsKT was broadly conceptualized across participants. Participants described a range of KT practice experiences, most of which related to dissemination. Participants also expressed a number of negative emotions associated with the practice of KT. Many individual, logistical, and systemic or organizational barriers to practicing KT were identified, which included a lack of institutional support for KT in both academic and non-academic systems. Participants described the presence of good relationships with stakeholders as a critical facilitator for practicing KT. The most commonly identified needs for supporting KT practice were access to education and training, and access to resources to increase awareness and promotion of KT. While there were few major variations in response trends across most areas of health research, the responses of biomedical researchers suggested a unique KT context, reflected by distinct conceptualizations of KT (such as commercialization as a core component), experiences (including frustration and lack of support), and barriers to practicing KT (for example, intellectual property concerns).ConclusionsThe major findings of this study were the continued variations in conceptualization of KT, and persisting support needs that span basic individual to comprehensive systemic change. Expanding the study to additional regions of Canada will present opportunities to compare and contrast the state of KT practice and its influencing factors.

Provision of Smoke-Free Homes and Vehicles for Kindergarten Children: Associated Factors

Many children continue to be exposed to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) each day. To describe the factors associated with providing a smoke-free home (PSFH) and vehicle (PSFV) for kindergarten children, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in Manitoba, Canada, with 551 mothers and primary caregivers responding. A social-ecologic model of health behavior guided the study. In the bivariate analysis, being better educated, living with a partner, and having a higher income were associated with PSFH. In the multivariable logistic regression analysis, the variables most predictive for PSFH were living with a partner and the mothers self-efficacy, and for PSFV, the most predictive variables were the mothers self-efficacy and ETS knowledge. Smoking behaviors are complex and must be considered broadly within all levels of influence if nurses are to assist parents in protecting their children.