Kathryn Hoehn Anderson

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.

Migrant and minority family members in the intensive care unit. A review of the literature

Statistics show that people with migrant and minority background as patients are significant in numbers in the intensive care unit. This also puts family members in the perspective of nursing because family members are an inherent part of the intensive care unit. Family-centered care is perhaps most applicable to vulnerable populations like migrant family in the intensive care unit to meet family member’s needs. But very little is known about the situation of migrant and minority family members in the intensive care unit. The aim of the study was to explore the state of the science regarding family-centered care in the intensive care unit of patients with migration background in general and with a possible focus on major migrant populations in Austria—Former Yugoslavian und Turkish origin. A literature review investigated research articles that contained information on migrant and minority family members in the intensive care unit. Key points in the relevant articles were identified and categorized into themes with an explanation of findings at the end. Seventeen articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. No article was found regarding groups of major migrant population groups in Austria. The included articles uncovered five predominant themes: importance of cultural norms, communication, family dynamics, universal caring, and nursing/provider deficit in culturally competent care. In order to provide adequate nursing care a more cohesive body of information on more specific geographic and cultural populations is recommended. Because of the complete lack of research regarding migrant families of Former Yugoslavian and Turkish origin into Austria, an exploration of this population is recommended.ZusammenfassungMenschen mit Migrationshintergrund als Patienten auf einer Intensivstation sind eine zahlenmäßig relevante Größe. Dies hebt auch die Bedeutung von Angehörigen von Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund hervor, da Angehörige zum festen Bestandteil einer Intensivstation gehören. Familienzentrierte Pflege (family centred care) ist ein wichtiger pflegerischer Ansatz, um sich auf die Bedürfnisse von vulnerablen Gruppen wie Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund zu beziehen. Über die Situation von Angehörigen auf der Intensivstation mit Migrationshintergrund ist allerdings wenig bekannt. Das Ziel dieser Studie besteht darin, im Rahmen einer Literaturanalyse den Forschungsstand zum Thema Familienzentrierte Pflege auf der Intensivstation hinsichtlich ihrer inhaltlichen Ausrichtungen unter dem Aspekt von Familienangehörigen mit Migrationshintergrund zu beleuchten. Aufgrund der Bedeutung für Österreich soll besonderes Augenmerk auf Ex-Jugoslawien und Türkei, die als die größten Migrationsgruppen gelten, gelegt werden. Zentrale Themen innerhalb der Artikel wurden kategorisiert, beschrieben und erklärt. Siebzehn Artikel wurden in die Literaturstudie eingeschlossen. Fünf zentrale Themen konnten identifiziert werden: Bedeutung kultureller Normen, Kommunikation, Familiendynamik, generelle Pflege und fehlendende kulturelle Kompetenz seitens der Pflegenden. Keine Studie konnte identifiziert werden, die sich mit der Situation von Migranten aus Ex-Jugoslawien und der Türkei auseinandersetzen. Um zielgruppenspezifische Pflege anbieten zu können ist mehr Forschung über die Besonderheiten spezifischer Gruppen von Menschen mit Migrationshintergrund generell und die Zielgruppen der Menschen aus Ex-Jugoslawien und der Türkei im Speziellen notwendig.

Patients with cancer and family caregivers: management of symptoms caused by cancer or cancer therapy at home.

SummaryPeople are diagnosed with cancer sooner nowadays thanks to increased awareness and improvements in cancer screenings. Patients are able to live longer due to cancer treatment regimens; however, they suffer the consequences of living with cancer and therapy-related symptoms. Symptom management is challenging for both patients and family caregivers. Therefore, family members must be integrated in the patient’s care plan. For this review, a literature search was conducted to determine what types of interventions were available that involved family members of cancer patients with the management of cancer and therapy-related symptoms. The following interventions were found that were designed for the family caregivers or both the patient and caregiver to aide with symptom management: pain intervention program, massage therapy, telephone intervention, self-efficacy improvement, coping enhancement and a multidimensional intervention. A positive effect was noted in all the studies, but several had no significance in the patient intervention group but did in the caregiver intervention group. However, studies indicated decreased symptom intensity for various symptoms, decreased symptom distress for both the patient and caregiver, increased self-efficacy of the family member, and increased satisfaction with certain interventions. Further research should be conducted on both existing interventions to better determine their effect and on family symptom management of cancer patients as they need support from healthcare professionals as well.ZusammenfassungAufgrund der Verbesserungen in der medizinischen Diagnostik und Fortschritten in der Krebstherapie werden Krebserkrankungen heute früher erkannt und die Lebenserwartung der Betroffenen erhöht. Unverändert bleibt der schwierige Umgang mit krankheits- und therapiebedingten Symptomen. Deren Bewältigung stellt sowohl für die Betroffenen als auch für ihre (pflegenden) Angehörigen eine besondere Herausforderung dar. Aus diesem Grund müssen auch Familienmitglieder in die Betreuung der Krebspatientinnen und -patienten mit einbezogen werden. Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Studie wurde ein systematisches Literatur-Review durchgeführt, um einen Überblick zu bestehenden Interventionen zu erhalten, welche Familienmitglieder in das Management von krebs- und therapieinduzierten Symptomen einbinden. Folgende Interventionen konnten identifiziert werden: Schmerzinterventionsprogramme, Massagetherapie, telefongestützte Interventionen, Interventionen zur Verbesserung der Selbstwirksamkeit, Interventionen zur Verbesserung der Krankheitsbewältigung sowie eine multidimensionale Intervention. In allen untersuchten Studien konnten bei Patienten und Patientinnen und/oder deren Angehörigen positive Effekte auf das Symptomerleben bzw. deren Bewältigung durch die jeweils durchgeführten Interventionen nachgewiesen werden. Um die Wirksamkeit bestehender Interventionen und die Einbindung von Familienmitgliedern in das Symptommanagement untersuchen zu können, sind weitere Forschungsarbeiten notwendig.

Assessment of Barriers to Screening Mammograms for Rural, Poor, Uninsured Women and a Community Plan of Action

ABSTRACT This project determined the barriers to obtaining screening mammograms for women aged 40–64 years in rural northwest Georgia, sampling 20 poor and uninsured women and 5 key community professionals. Data were collected from the women participants regarding mammogram screening beliefs about their susceptibility, barriers encountered, and benefits identified. The same women and key community providers were interviewed about their perception of barriers to receiving mammograms. The women experienced more barriers and believed that they had a greater susceptibility to developing breast cancer compared to previous research. The most overwhelming barrier was cost. A community plan was developed to address screening needs.