Clinton E. Lambert

Work stress, hardiness, and burnout among hospital staff nurses.

The question of whether personality hardiness moderates the impact of job stressors on burnout was studied in 107 registered staff nurses from an urban, community hospital who responded to a self-administered questionnaire. Consistent with previous research, burnout was significantly associated with higher levels of perceived job stress and lower levels of personality hardiness. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses further indicated that work stressors (particularly stress due to workload) and hardiness were significant additive rather than interactive predictors of burnout. That is, hardiness had beneficial main effects in reducing burnout, but did not appear to prevent high levels of job stress from leading to high levels of burnout.

Psychological hardiness: state of the science.

Over the past 20 years there has been increasing interest in the concept, psychological hardiness. Hardiness is defined as a constellation of attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral tendencies that consist of three components: commitment, control, and challenge. The article presents a review and assessment of more than 50 journal publications on hardiness that have appeared since 1987. A presentation of the conceptualization of hardiness and the state of the science of hardiness is presented. Limitations in the current science of hardiness are delineated. These limitations include the identification of: factors related to conceptualization and instrumentation, the types of hardiness studies lacking in the current literature, and the types of subjects rarely used in hardiness research.

Relationships Among Faculty Practice Involvement, Perception of Role Stress, and Psychological Hardiness of Nurse Educators

This study examined the relationships of role stress and psychological hardiness and identified predictors of role stress in nurse educators overall and in those either involved or not involved in faculty practice. In addition, the study examined differences in psychological hardiness and role stress between nurse educators either involved or not involved in faculty practice. Data were obtained through three mailed self-report questionnaires from 871 nurse educators employed full-time in a National League for Nursing (NLN)-accredited school of nursing with both undergraduate and graduate programs. The findings revealed significant negative correlations between role stress and psychological hardiness and between components of role stress and components of psychological hardiness. Predictors of role stress were identified. No significant difference was found in role stress or in psychological hardiness between nurse educators involved and those not involved in faculty practice.

Intrathecal Adenosine A1 Receptor Agonist Attenuates Hyperalgesia Without Inhibiting Spinal Glutamate Release in the Rat

The analgesia effects of intrathecal adenosine A1 receptor agonist, R-PIA, on the hyperalgesia and CSF-glutamate release after formalin injection into the rat paw were evaluated. R-PIA significantly and dose-dependently attenuated increases in flinching behavior, and this attenuating effect was reversed by the adenosine A1 receptor antagonist, aminophylline. Morphine blocked flinchs, however MK-801 partially abolished. The increase in CSF-glutamate release evoked by formalin stimulation was inhibited by morphine but not by either R-PIA or MK-801. These findings suggest that the intrathecal adenosine A1 receptor agonist provokes analgesic effect via the postsynaptic action independent of an effect upon spinal glutamate release.

East Meets West: A Comparison Between Undergraduate Nursing Education in Japan and in the United States

An increasing number of foreign students, especially those of Asian ethnicity, are enrolling in graduate nursing programs in the United States. The transition of these students into graduate nursing programs is not always easy. While a language difference may pose difficulties, a more crucial problem is the difference that often exists between the basic educational nursing preparations of Asian and American graduate students. Some Asian-educated students entering graduate nursing programs may not be prepared to the same degree as their U.S.-educated counterparts. This article presents some of the critical differences in educational philosophy, nursing faculty, types of nursing programs, admission criteria, nursing classroom and clinical experiences, and professional licensure that exist between Japan and the United States. Recommendations are proposed that could help mitigate some of these differences and facilitate the transition of Japanese graduate nursing students into the U.S. educational system.

A review and synthesis of the research on role conflict and its impact on nurses involved in faculty practice programs.

A review of the literature is presented that offers an overview of state-of-the-art research on role conflict and its impact on nurses involved in faculty practice programs. The literature is described in terms of: 1) where the research has been reported; 2) who the researchers have been and from what discipline they have come; 3) the major theoretical perspectives used; 4) the unit of analysis studied; and 5) the research methods used.

Nursing Education on Women’s Health Care in Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand

Only within the last 3 decades have a select number of countries addressed issues surrounding the all-inclusive health and well-being of women. This factor has had a major influence on nursing education within these countries and the subsequent development of curricula. Because the preparation of nurses is pivotal in shaping a society’s health care agenda, this article compares and contrasts demographic characteristics, curricular frameworks, the role of the nurse, quality control of nursing curricula, and the focus of nursing courses related to women’s health care among the countries of Australia, Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. Recommendations based on infant mortality rates, life expectancy, leading causes of death, and country-based health care issues are provided to inform and guide the future focus of nursing education courses on women’s healthcare within these countries.

Faculty practice: Unifier of nursing education and nursing service?

This article presents a retrospective analysis of the Statement of Belief Regarding Faculty Practice that was issued by 13 nursing leaders on January 12, 1979. The analysis is performed in an attempt to gain an appreciation for and an understanding of the efforts that have gone into decreasing the separation between nursing education and nursing service through development and implementation of faculty practice programs within nursing. The statement was not the beginning of faculty practice programs, nor was it the first time that there had been recognition of the separation between nursing service and nursing education. However, it was the first time that leaders within nursing had issued a statement endorsing nursing faculty seeking careers as teachers and clinical practitioners. The literature regarding the separation of nursing education and nursing service in relation to faculty practice is reviewed and the comments of various individuals who were actively involved in issuing the statement of belief regarding faculty practice are synthesized. The impact of the statement is assessed and evaluated. The degree of implementation of the statement is discussed. A summary of the present status of the implementation of the statement of belief regarding faculty practice is provided with some suggested direction for the future.

Clinical nursing research: Its meaning to the practicing nurse

The ultimate purpose of clinical nursing is patient care. Clinical nursing research is a systematic inquiry into the problems encountered in nursing practice and into the modalities of patient care. Clinical nursing practice without clinical nursing research is clinical nursing practice built on instincts without validation. Clinical nurse researchers should strive to develop partnerships with clinical nurses. As a result, clinical nurses will recognize the significance of their role in nursing research and researchers will realize the benefits of their research to patient care.