L. H. Zoeller

Childhood Chronic Illness: A Comparison of Mothers’ and Fathers’ Experiences

Despite a growing emphasis on gender differences in parental response to childhood illness and disability, relatively few studies have compared how mothers and fathers adapt to having an ill child. This article explores how mothers and fathers of a child with a chronic illness viewed their experience and its impact on family life. Within families, parents typically had a shared view of the experience and its impact on their life as reflected in both the qualitative interview data and quantitative measures of family and individual functioning. In the minority of cases where parents held discrepant views, it was the mother who emphasized the negative aspects of the chronic illness situation. The results of this analysis support the growing emphasis among family researchers on exploring family strengths in the face of illness challenges and collecting data from multiple family members.

Career trends of master's prepared family nurse practitioners.

&NA; The purpose of this study was to examine the career trends of family nurse practitioner (FNP) graduates of one masters program. A questionnaire was mailed to all FNPs (A/= 113) who graduated 1‐11 years earlier; there was a response rate of 83%. The survey revealed that for both first and present jobs the majority were providing direct patient care as a primary care provider or practicing in an indirect role. The study findings indicate that for these graduates there is a long term commitment (demonstrated through continued employment) as well as opportunity to practice in the nurse practitioner role in a direct or indirect capacity.