Khlood Salman

Health Beliefs and Practices Related to Cancer Screening Among Arab Muslim Women in an Urban Community

In this exploratory study I investigated the participation status in breast and cervical cancer screening of a group of American immigrant Arab Muslim women (AMW). Perceived knowledge of and barriers to screening participation, relationships among demographic variables, health practice and beliefs, and self-reports of traditionalism and acculturation also are studied. Factors including religious and cultural beliefs, economic concerns, and modesty and embarrassment were considered. To reach the goals of Healthy People 2010 (HP 2010), an effective and meaningful educational initiative to raise awareness about breast and cervical cancer of AMW will require specific interventions consistent with their cultural and religious traditions.

Somali Immigrant Perceptions of Mental Health and Illness An Ethnonursing Study

Purpose: Knowledge of Somali immigrants’ mental health care beliefs and practices is needed so that nurses can promote culturally congruent care. The purpose of this study was to explore, discover, and understand mental health meanings, beliefs, and practices from the perspective of immigrant Somalis. Method: Leininger’s qualitative ethnonursing research method was used. Thirty informants (9 key and 21 general) were interviewed in community settings. Leininger’s ethnonursing enablers and four phases of analysis for qualitative data were used. Results: Analysis of the interviews revealed 21 categories and nine patterns from which two main themes emerged. The themes are the following: (a) Our religion significantly influences our mental health and (b) Our tribe connectedness, cultural history, and khat usage are significant in mental health. Conclusions: Somali cultural and religious beliefs and practices influence their health care choices. Implications: The findings will improve care by promoting culturally congruent care for the Somali immigrant population.

Influenza immunisation status among nursing students

This four-phase evidence-based practice initiative was designed to determine preliminary contextual characteristics of collegian nursing students in receiving, or their lack of receiving, the flu vaccine. Subsequently, strategies were developed to improve and maintain the students’ participation in flu vaccines. This study relates to the welfare of student nurses and patients in their care. Students perform patient care in hospitals, clinics, and other settings where patients in compromised health are especially vulnerable to influenza. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the 2009 H1N1 pandemic resulted in more than 12,000 influenza-related deaths in the US. The Joint Commission requires hospitals and long-term care facilities to provide on-site access to influenza immunisation to staff and licensed independent practitioners; however, no provisions for student nurses are specified. Employer-mandated influenza immunisation as a term for employment was associated with a significant increase in healthcare employees receiving the flu vaccine, but, in the main, students are currently not mandated to receive the flu vaccine. A one-day reduction of influenza-like illness for every two college and university students vaccinated has been reported. Therefore, improving influenza immunisation rates may have academic and performance benefits for nursing students.

Nurse Educators Establishing New Venues in Global Nursing Education

Nurses represent the largest number of health care workers worldwide, but they are currently underutilized for global health practices. This may be due to the fact that global health programs are not incorporated in nursing education in many countries. The World Health organization (WHO) recognized the importance of building capacity and having well-prepared nurses who are able to exchange knowledge and expertise worldwide, but did not offer practical solutions. A nursing Super course recognizes the gap between what WHO advocates for and what needs to be done in nursing education to achieve well prepared nurses. A solution suggested is to develop well-structured contents that are applicable and can be shared among nursing programs worldwide. A nursing Supercourse is proposed to provide lectures prepared by expert nursing educators and researchers in global health. The nursing Supercourse has emerged from the parent Supercourse that is a virtual library of lectures developed by world experts in public health and medicine. It represents a global library of over 4,300 public health and medical lectures and a network of over 56,000 public health professionals in 174 countries of the world. These lectures are written in different languages, prepared in easy format, and can be accessed through the internet. In other words does not require the usage of any advanced technology. The Supercourse educational technology has been used successfully in Epidemiology education focusing on multiple topics in public health such as non- communicable disease prevention (NCD), chronic diseases, disaster preparedness, environmental health, and others. Training of nursing students in global health while there are attending nursing programs needs to be a part of the national and international health efforts for disease prevention and health promotion.

Evidence-based initiative to improve influenza immunisation participation among undergraduate nursing students

This evidence-based practice study presents the outcome of specific intervention strategies that have been implemented to improve the immunisation status among undergraduate nursing students in a local university. These interventions included education about the importance of the influenza vaccine, email reminders about convenient times and influenza clinic locations, raffles, and an appeal to the moral responsibility that healthcare personnel have to their patients to increase immunisation. Despite these strategies, the overall percentage of nursing students receiving the influenza immunisation only slightly improved: from 43.1% (influenza season 2010–2011) to 46.3% (influenza season 2011–2012). Similar outcomes have been found with employers who have sought to improve employee influenza immunisation rates without mandating immunisation. Given the clinical settings where students are engaged, schools of nursing, regulatory agencies, and clinical sites should not overlook the impact of students on patients regarding influenza. In order to promote patient welfare, while employer-mandated influenza immunisation as a condition for employment becomes more prevalent, perhaps a similar approach may be required to promote influenza immunisation among nursing students.

Understanding Jordanian Women’s Values and Beliefs Related to Breast Cancer: A Focused Ethnography

Purpose: To understand Jordanian women’s beliefs and values related to breast health and how these beliefs influence their decisions to receive breast cancer screening. Design: A focused ethnography method was used; 31 key informants were recruited from Ma’an city located in the southern part of Jordan. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Data Analysis: Leininger’s four phases of qualitative data analysis. Findings: Three major themes were identified: (a) Feeling of embarrassment, fear, denial, and lack of knowledge are common experience among women regarding breast cancer screening; (b) Hesitancy on the part of health care professionals to offer education about breast health and screening; and (c) Willingness to learn about breast health and cancer screening. Conclusions: Based on the findings, it is recommended that nurses be trained about breast assessment and additional resources mobilized for mammography and health promotion programs targeting rural Jordan.