Dawn Garrett-Wright

Parental Perception of Preschool Child Body Weight

Obesity in preschoolers has risen dramatically in the last decade. Although studies have demonstrated that parents of preschoolers have incorrect perceptions of their childs body weight, little is known about the factors that may be associated with these perceptions. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between parental perceptions of preschool child body weight and parental psychosocial factors. Quantitative analyses included descriptive statistics, correlations, and regression analyses. More than one third of the children in the sample were at risk for being overweight or were already overweight. However, less than 6% of parents felt that their child had an elevated body weight. Results from univariate logistic regression analyses demonstrated that the parents health literacy level was a significant predictor of the accuracy of their perceptions regarding their childs body weight (p < .05). Parental concern regarding child weight and perceived level of efficacy did not significantly predict the accuracy of their perceptions. Results from this study indicate that assessing parental perceptions of preschool child body weight can help providers accurately understand how parents view their children and lead to tailored educational interventions. In addition, the results support previous research suggesting that parental health literacy is a key to providing high-quality family-centered care.

Anabaptist Community Members' Perceptions and Preferences Related to Healthcare

The plain Anabaptists are thought to differ from mainstream U.S. health care beliefs and practices. Many non-Anabaptist health care providers have limited knowledge of the specific health beliefs and preferences of Anabaptists, which can lead to misunderstandings. The purpose of this descriptive qualitative study was to collect information from Anabaptist community members related to health care beliefs and preferences in their communities. Participants, who were members of various plain Anabaptist communities, completed a questionnaire containing openended questions about health issues. Seven themes emerged in results: (1) health viewed as a gift from God that provides the ability to work; (2) concern about exposure to chemicals and food additives as health risks; (3) the use of a variety of resources from lay members in the community in addition to seeking information from professionals; (4) the desire to use natural remedies first with outside care being sought when deemed necessary; (5) barriers to seeking professional healthcare as mainly related to cost, time, and provider attitudes; (6) maintaining a good diet, being active, and having good dental care as important preventative activities; and (7) expectation of respect, engagement, and care from providers.

Poster Presentations as a Teaching Strategy in Web- Based Courses

DISTANCE EDUCATION, for a single course or for the entire program, is being used increasingly in nursing education. As in the traditional classroom, educators in online, web-based nursing programs incorporate a variety of teaching strategies to promote student engagement and active learning. Poster presentations are an example of one such teaching strategy. Creating posters requires students to not only gain information about a specific topic, but also to analyze the information and disseminate it to others. Posters offer opportunities for students to be creative in the delivery, of information and to receive feedback from their peers and faculty (Billings & Halstead, 2009). For a hybrid undergraduate nursing leadership and management course, with classes offered on alternate weeks in the traditional classroom setting and via the Internet, students are required to complete a group poster presentation and post it online. They are given a list of possible topics pertaining to course material, including leadership theories, quality improvement, change theories, recruitment and retention, managing in an intergenerational environment, and modes of care delivery. (See Figure 1 for an example.) Up to six students who select the same topic may work together, as a group, to develop the poster and present it online. For many students, this is their first exposure to developing a professional poster. Before proceeding with the assignment, they are given verbal and written guidelines and a grading rubric; they also have the opportunity to view examples of finished posters. The online presentation is conducted using the discussion board feature of the Blackboard course management tool; a forum on the discussion board is established for displaying the posters. The students have used Blackboard in previous courses in the nursing program. For the assignment, students are required to view all posters and ask questions of their peers. The discussions take place over a one-week period. The role of the instructor is that of facilitator and evaluator. As facilitator, the instructor checks on postings in a timely manner and responds when necessary to correct or clarify information. From time to time, the instructor submits questions or comments to enhance the discussion. The grading rubric outlines criteria pertaining to content, appearance, and adherence to APA style. The rubric is given to students with the course syllabus to ensure that they understand expectations for the assignment. Once posters are submitted, the instructor uses the rubric for evaluation and to provide feedback to students. (See Figure 2.) Expense is one factor frequently cited as a disadvantage when posters are used as a teaching strategy. Not all students have the means to purchase the supplies needed to develop a professional poster (Billings & Halstead, 2009). With the presentation of posters online, this concern is eliminated. Posters are used in various health care settings as a means of providing education to nursing staff and at professional conferences to disseminate research findings. Thus, this assignment is intended to be beneficial to students in their professional careers (Larive & Bulska, 2006; Miller, 2007). Another benefit of the assignment is the development of teamwork. Students must work together to gather information, design the poster, and respond to questions, all valuable skills for preparing nursing students to working with members of interdisciplinary teams in health care settings. This assignment promotes critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and the use of technology to disseminate information I skills that are vital for socialization into the role of the professional nurse. The authors plan to continue to use online poster presentations as a teaching strategy and as both a formative and summative evaluation method in other courses. It is hoped that this method of presenting posters may lead to opportunities for students to disseminate information to other audiences, including nursing leaders in the community who will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide additional feedback. …

A Survey of School Nurses’ Perceptions of Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Therapies

Complementary, alternative, and integrative therapies (CAIs) involve the use of practices outside of mainstream, conventional medicine. Few studies have been conducted on nurses’ perception and knowledge of CAI therapies. There is limited information on the protocols school nurses must follow in their practice on CAI use. The purpose of this study is to assess school nurses’ perception and knowledge of CAI therapies. A cross-sectional, nonexperimental survey study design was used, and participants were sampled with a cross-sectional convenience method. Members of four state School Nurses Associations were invited to participate in the study. Of the 290 participants, 100% of certified school nurses and 63% of non-certified school nurses believed CAI therapies have a place in their current practice (χ2 = 1.83, df = 1, p < .05). The study found that school nurses believe CAI therapies have a role in the school setting; however, the participants were not comfortable with assessing and administering these therapies.

Nurses’ Perceptions of Competence in Providing Spiritual Care:

Purpose: The study examined nurses’ perception of competence in providing spiritual care. Design of Study: A descriptive correlational research design with a convenience sample was used. Method: Participates completed a demographic questionnaire and the Spiritual Care Competence Scale, which has six domains: assessment and implementation of spiritual care, professionalization and improving the quality of spiritual care, personal support and patient counseling, referral to professionals, attitude toward the patient’s spirituality, and communication. Findings: The domain of communication had the most favorable perception among participants and the domain of professionalization and improving the quality of spiritual care had the least favorable perception. Conclusions: It is important for nurses to have the opportunity to gain knowledge regarding this significant component of holistic care.

A descriptive study of bathing practices in acute care facilities in the United States

HIGHLIGHTSBath basins are potential reservoirs of microorganisms linked to health care–associated infections.There were no standardized procedures for patient bathing.Standardized procedures for use, storage, and disposal of bath basins are lacking. Background: Patient bathing basins are a potential source of health care–acquired infections. This descriptive study was designed to describe current patient bathing procedures and the cleaning and storage of disposable bath basins after use. Methods: After instrument validation, a 20‐item questionnaire designed by the researchers was delivered electronically to infection prevention professionals working in acute care facilities in the United States. Descriptive statistics including frequencies and percentages were used to analyze the data. Results: A total of 344 participants completed the survey. Of those responding, most were employed in facilities with ≤300 beds and accredited by the Joint Commission. Many of the facility staff assisting patients with bathing were nursing aides. Participants reported varying bathing procedures in their facilities. Conclusions: A collaborative approach is needed to ensure standard and efficient procedures that focus on quality, safety, and patient satisfaction. A mechanism to continually evaluate patient bathing practices should also be developed to address evolving changes in the health care system.

Addressing Compassion Fatigue and Stress of Special Education Teachers and Professional Staff Using Mindfulness and Prayer

Alternative therapies are promising nursing interventions for improvement of compassion fatigue in educators working in special education. A convenience sample of 27 teachers and professional staff working in special education participated in a quasi-experimental pilot study and completed a pre/posttest of demographic questions, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (10-item) and Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL). All attended a presentation on stress, compassion satisfaction (CS), mindfulness, prayer, and social support. Nearly, one half received weekly electronic text message reminders encouraging use of mindfulness and prayer. All were offered support groups. Use of alternative therapies was self-selected and self-reported. Significant improvement occurred in posttest PSS scores (p = .0485) of participants with the highest reported levels of use of mindfulness. ProQOL CS scores (p = .0289) and PSS scores (p = .0244) significantly improved when evaluating difference in means between groups with the highest levels and lowest levels of prayer and mindfulness. ProQOL burnout scores (p = <.0001) increased from pretest to posttest. Findings were not significant in regard to reminders and social support.

Nurse Educators’ Occupational and Leisure Sitting Time

Prolonged sitting time (ST) is a risk factor for all-cause mortality, independent of physical activity. Nurse educators are particularly at risk due to limited physical activity, older age, and the increasing use of computers. This descriptive correlational study was designed to explore the ST of nurse educators in relation to their self-reported health status and general health indicators. A convenience sample of 56 nurse educators was recruited, and participants completed demographic items, general health questions, and the Workforce Sitting Questionnaire (WSQ; Chau, van der Ploeg, Dunn, Kurko, & Bauman, 2011). More than one half of the participants were either overweight or obese based on their body mass index (BMI). Sitting time domains for “watching TV” on a non-working day (r = 1.00) and during “other leisure activities” on a non-working day (r = 1.00) were associated with a current diagnosis of diabetes. These findings add to an understanding of the effects of ST on health risks for nurse educators.