Judith A. Spross

Identifying major concerns of persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome: a replication.

A descriptive study was conducted at two major medical centers in Boston to identify and categorize major concerns of persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Thirty-four subjects were interviewed using a semistructured instrument, developed by Spross and her colleagues while at the National Institutes of Health. Obtained by referral from nurses caring for them in in-patient and outpatient settings, the majority of subjects were Caucasian, homosexual males from the Boston metropolitan area. The mean age of subjects was 33.6, with 71% less than 35 years old. Subjects reported an average of 3.2 hospitalizations since the AIDS diagnosis had been made; average time since diagnosis was 8 months. Information obtained from subjects included impact of diagnosis, major concerns and sources/types of support perceived to be helpful. Five themes were identified: uncertainty of the future; desire to maintain health; social unacceptability; fatigue; and weight loss.

Shaping advanced nursing practice in the new millennium.

OBJECTIVES To provide a review of converging themes and trends that are shaping advanced practice nursing roles in oncology nursing. DATA SOURCES Review and research articles, text-books, and organization documents. CONCLUSIONS The current managed care environment provides many opportunities and challenges for oncology advanced practice nurses. Advanced practice nurses have both clinical and organization competencies that enable them to mediate the clinical needs of patients and organization goals within the health care system. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE Advanced practice nurses can help shape their roles and practice by active participation in the development of systems to support access to clinical and financial information for effective decision making, collaboration among disciplines, and incorporating evidence-based care in their clinical practices.

Committee evolution in a medical center.

Development of the Nursing Research Committee in the Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital, Hanover, New Hampshire, is described. Six problems were identified, and ways in which the committee solved the problems are discussed.

Directory of Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs in the United States, 2005

Interest in clinical nurse specialist (CNS) programs continues to increase as market demands for CNSs have risen. Schools of nursing are responding to this demand by expanding existing programs and opening new programs. In 2003, the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists (NACNS) published a Directory of Clinical Nurse Specialist Programs. Since that publication, NACNS has continued to update this directory as they receive written notification of new programs or changes in program offerings. This year, the Education Committee of NACNS updated the existing Directory information using data from the 2004 American Association of Colleges of Nursing and NACNS survey of clinical nurse specialist masters level programs. This article provides a current list of CNS programs in the United States.

Pancreatic cancer: Nursing challenges

Abstract Although pancreatic cancer is not a common tumor, the care of the person with pancreatic cancer is complex, particularly when the pancreas is resected. Nursing care can make a difference in a patients recovery and in rehabilitation. There is a need for more documentation of the needs of this population both from clinicians who care tor persons with pancreatic cancer and from researchers. A particular need for research is in the area of preoperative cognitive and psychomotor assessment of patients undergoing resection, and their postoperative adjustment. Since this tumor is rare, such documentation could best be accomplished by multi-institutional collaboration.