Donna R. Hodnicki

Going Home: African-American Caregiving for Adult Children with Human Immunodeficiency Virus Disease

The caregiving literature has focused on European-American caregivers who are providing care to spouses or parents with Alzheimers disease. The article reports ethnographic research exploring aspects of caregiving by rural African-American mothers for adult children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. Eight African-American mothers were interviewed to elicit cultural domains of caregiving. Two major domains were a personal relationship with God and Gods will. Taken together, these domains framed the context in which African-American mothers understood HIV disease, provided care, and resolved the death of their adult child.

Immersion research education: students as catalysts in international collaboration research.

ANDERSON K.H., FRIEDEMANN M.L., BŰSCHER A., SANSONI J. & HODNICKI D. (2012) Immersion research education: students as catalysts in international collaboration research. International Nursing Review Background:  This paper describes an international nursing and health research immersion program. Minority students from the USA work with an international faculty mentor in teams conducting collaborative research. The Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT) program students become catalysts in the conduct of cross-cultural research. Aim:  To narrow the healthcare gap for disadvantaged families in the USA and partner countries. Methods:  Faculty from the USA, Germany, Italy, Colombia, England, Austria and Thailand formed an international research and education team to explore and compare family health issues, disparities in chronic illness care, social inequities and healthcare solutions. USA students in the MHIRT program complete two introductory courses followed by a 3-month research practicum in a partner country guided by faculty mentors abroad. The overall program development, student study abroad preparation, research project activities, cultural learning, and student and faculty team outcomes are explored. Results:  Cross-fertilization of research, cultural awareness and ideas about improving family health occur through education, international exchange and research immersion. Faculty research and international team collaboration provide opportunities for learning about research, health disparities, cultural influences and healthcare systems. The students are catalysts in the research effort, the dissemination of research findings and other educational endeavours. Five steps of the collaborative activities lead to programmatic success. Conclusions:  MHIRT scholars bring creativity, enthusiasm, and gain a genuine desire to conduct health research about families with chronic illness. Their cultural learning stimulates career plans that include international research and attention to vulnerable populations.BACKGROUND This paper describes an international nursing and health research immersion program. Minority students from the USA work with an international faculty mentor in teams conducting collaborative research. The Minority Health International Research Training (MHIRT) program students become catalysts in the conduct of cross-cultural research. AIM To narrow the healthcare gap for disadvantaged families in the USA and partner countries. METHODS Faculty from the USA, Germany, Italy, Colombia, England, Austria and Thailand formed an international research and education team to explore and compare family health issues, disparities in chronic illness care, social inequities and healthcare solutions. USA students in the MHIRT program complete two introductory courses followed by a 3-month research practicum in a partner country guided by faculty mentors abroad. The overall program development, student study abroad preparation, research project activities, cultural learning, and student and faculty team outcomes are explored. RESULTS Cross-fertilization of research, cultural awareness and ideas about improving family health occur through education, international exchange and research immersion. Faculty research and international team collaboration provide opportunities for learning about research, health disparities, cultural influences and healthcare systems. The students are catalysts in the research effort, the dissemination of research findings and other educational endeavours. Five steps of the collaborative activities lead to programmatic success. CONCLUSIONS MHIRT scholars bring creativity, enthusiasm, and gain a genuine desire to conduct health research about families with chronic illness. Their cultural learning stimulates career plans that include international research and attention to vulnerable populations.

The Sea of Life: A Metaphorical Vehicle for Theory Explication:

Metaphorical expression is viewed as a fundamental way of symbolizing used to develop nursing theory. The Sea of Life poem depicts a metaphor for explicating a theoretical structure derived from principles of the human becoming theory: Transforming occurs in the revealing-concealing of valuing. The Sea of Life, an original poem, sets forth the idea that unique meanings are cocreated through human-environment relationships. The concepts of valuing, revealing-concealing, and transforming are linked through the poem to lived experiences. The easily recognizable concrete lived experiences which flow from the poem are re-conceptualized to formulate research questions.

Critical Thinking in African American Mothers Who Care for Adult Children with HIV: A cultural analysis

This research study defines critical thinking in nursing and examines the thinking processes revealed by 15 African American mothers who are caregivers to adult children with HIV. The purpose of this cultural analysis was to compare the mothers’ decision-making processes with their critical-thinking processes. Their culture, heritage, faith, and value of family influenced caregivers in this study. Their testimony revealed the patterns of creating a different path of care, weaving together resources, choosing among negative alternatives, and selecting stories to tell. Mothers’ decisions were based on complex and holistic knowledge of their situations and culture and could be termed multilogical, a type of thinking considered necessary for managing complex situations. Health providers can benefit from an understanding of these decision-making processes.

Nominations for excellence: collegial advocacy for nurse practitioners.

&NA; This study examined physician nomination data submitted for Syntex Nurse Practitioner of the Year Awards for 1988, 1989, and 1990. The physicians identified nurse practitioner contributions to patient care, community service/outreach, and education and research. A content analysis of the text data yielded themes within four major domains that described outstanding nurse practitioners in mutual practice relationships with physicians. The domains were clinical expertise, holistic caring, patient‐centered activism, and leadership. The findings in this study indicated that physicians value the contributions of nurse practitioners that enhance the quality and scope of health care for patients within a mutual practice.

APRN Prescribing in Georgia: An Evolving Environment

Purpose While it took over 20 years to achieve legal authority to write prescriptions in Georgia, effective July 1, 2006, nearly 40% of Georgia advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are still not using this method of prescribing. An investigation was conducted to identify the current practice environment and barriers to practice in order to identify causes for this lack of participation and implications for advanced practice nursing and the provision of health care. Data sources A survey of APRNs in Georgia in 2011 describes demographics, practice environment, APRN education, barriers to practice, and prescribing activity. Conclusions Georgia is one of the most restrictive states in terms of APRN scope of practice, and has an anticipated escalation of underserved population with health disparities demanding attention. Implications for practice Many of the identified barriers are common to APRNs nationwide, but specific barriers to Georgia APRNs are being strategically addressed. Policy changes are recommended to enhance the practice environment of APRNs to support the delivery of quality care.PurposeWhile it took over 20 years to achieve legal authority to write prescriptions in Georgia, effective July 1, 2006, nearly 40% of Georgia advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) are still not using this method of prescribing. An investigation was conducted to identify the current practice environment and barriers to practice in order to identify causes for this lack of participation and implications for advanced practice nursing and the provision of health care. Data sourcesA survey of APRNs in Georgia in 2011 describes demographics, practice environment, APRN education, barriers to practice, and prescribing activity. ConclusionsGeorgia is one of the most restrictive states in terms of APRN scope of practice, and has an anticipated escalation of underserved population with health disparities demanding attention. Implications for practiceMany of the identified barriers are common to APRNs nationwide, but specific barriers to Georgia APRNs are being strategically addressed. Policy changes are recommended to enhance the practice environment of APRNs to support the delivery of quality care.

Glaucoma screening: an important role for NPs.

Glaucoma continues to be a major cause of blindness and visual impairment in the United States today. However, with early detection through screening followed by prompt treatment, sight can be spared. This article discusses the pathophysiology of both acute open-angle and acute and chronic angle-closure glaucoma and describes the high-risk population. The rationale behind obtaining an accurate intraocular pressure reading and converting the scale reading to mm Hg is explored. A step-by-step outline of the procedure for Schiotz tonometry is presented. Nurse practitioners who are functioning within primary care settings can provide valuable early detection screening to high-risk clients and make timely referrals for further evaluation.