Laurie Grubbs

The relationship of perceived benefits and barriers to reported exercise behaviors in college undergraduates.

&NA; This study examines current exercise habits and perceived benefits and barriers to exercise in a sample of 147 undergraduate university students. It found a significant relationship between perceived benefits and barriers to exercise and current exercise habits. Benefits most often associated with regular exercise habits relate to physical performance and appearance. Barriers most often associated with sporadic or nonexistent exercise habits relate to physical exertion and time constraints. A greater understanding of perceived benefits and barriers to exercise may assist health care providers and educators to establish methods for promoting exercise for the improved physical and mental health of a college‐age population.

Comparative Analysis of Body Mass Index, Consumption of Fruits and Vegetables, Smoking, and Physical Activity Among Florida Residents

The purpose of this study was to compare body mass index (BMI), consumption of fruits and vegetables, smoking, and physical activity in residents of the 7 Florida counties with the highest reported BMI to residents of the 7 Florida counties with the lowest reported BMI utilizing 2002 data from the Florida Department of Health Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Results showed that survey respondents in counties with the lowest mean BMI consumed significantly more fruits and vegetables, compared to respondents in counties with the highest BMI. A positive relation between mean BMI and consumption of fruits and vegetables remained when controlled for physical activity, but not for smoking. Education about the importance of increased fruit and vegetable consumption, as well as physical activity, are important factors in the campaign against obesity.

The critical role of exercise in weight control.

Exercise appears to play a critical role in the loss and maintenance of body weight. Diet alone has met with only temporary success because metabolic rate is decreased with extreme calorie restriction. This decrease persists after the dieting period has ended, often leading to rapid weight regain and the “yo-yo effect.” In some instances, exercise alone has been effective for weight loss; however, success varies according to the gender of the subjects and to the type, intensity and duration of the exercise. Exercise programs of low to moderate intensity, long duration and high frequency seem to be most beneficial, with the most popular forms of exercise being walking/Jogging, cycling and swimming. The purpose of this article is to explore the differences between diet and exercise, low vs. high intensity, short vs. long duration, and land vs. water exercise as these differences pertain to weight loss, food intake and energy balance.

Predicting depressive symptoms and self-care in patients with heart failure.

OBJECTIVE To examine relationships among heart failure (HF) physical symptoms, social support, social problem-solving, depressive symptoms, and self-care behaviors in outpatients with HF. METHODS Cross-sectional data were collected from 201 outpatients. Structural equation modeling was used in this preliminary analysis to examine the relationships among the study variables. RESULTS HF physical symptoms and social support were predictors of depressive symptoms and self-care behaviors. Social problem-solving also predicted self-care behaviors. Social support mediated the relationship between HF physical symptoms and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Social support may influence depressive symptoms and self-care behaviors, whereas social problem-solving may impact self-care behaviors. Future research should examine causality and sub-components of social problem-solving on these outcome variables.

A comparison of self-reported self-care practices of pregnant adolescents.

Recent research has suggested that effective prenatal care is significantly related to positive outcomes for the teen mother and her infant. One aspect of prenatal care is the efforts of the pregnant teen to care for herself, often called self-care practices. The purpose of this article is to compare the self-reported self-care activities of pregnant teenagers who sought prenatal care during the first trimester of their pregnancies with those of pregnant teens who delayed prenatal care until the third trimester. The subjects were adolescent girls who were enrolled in prenatal care programs or who had recently delivered in Florida. Interview analysis suggested that both groups had an adequate knowledge level regarding diet, exercise, and other topics related to self-care during pregnancy. Although pregnant teens practice similar self-care behaviors regardless of when they enter prenatal care, there are many problems that may lead to poor pregnancy outcomes and can remain undetected when prenatal care is delayed.

Factors associated with depressive symptoms in patients with heart failure.

Home healthcare clinicians commonly provide care for individuals with heart failure (HF). Certain factors may influence the development of depressive symptoms in those with HF. This cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational pilot study (N = 50) examined interrelationships among HF symptoms, social support (actual and perceived), social problem-solving, and depressive symptoms. Findings indicated that increased HF symptoms were related to more depressive symptoms, whereas higher levels of social support were related to fewer depressive symptoms. The use of more maladaptive problem-solving strategies was also associated with more depressive symptoms. Study results have implications for home healthcare clinicians providing care for individuals with HF, indicating a need for programs that strengthen coping skills and resources (i.e., social support and problem solving) in an effort to decrease the risk of developing depressive symptomatology.

The Response of Higher Education to the Shortage of Nursing School Applicants

This survey revealed that the majority of nursing schools responding, both public and private, required a 2.5 GPA for admission and that this standard had not been lowered in response to the nursing shortage. In general, responses indicated a belief that those students admitted with a GPA of less than 2.5 were not as likely to be successful in the program. Although some research in higher education suggests that more stringent requirements tend to improve the status of the college and therefore improve the quality of the applicants, the results of this survey did not support this. However, those schools that had increased their admission standards had done so within the past five years and, therefore, the effects of these changes may not yet be realized. The number, variety, and level of difficulty of prerequisite courses had remained constant and, in some cases, increased. Lowering the number and level of difficulty of prerequisite courses was not being done even with a decrease in the applicant pool. Required nursing courses were being offered on a more frequent basis by some schools to attract more students by increasing flexibility within the program and to increase the number of times during the year that students can be admitted. More time and money were being spent to improve the image of nursing and to recruit qualified students into the profession. Efforts were also being made to make it feasible for associate degree nurses to return for their bachelors degree in nursing.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Basal-bolus insulin therapy and glycemic control in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A review of the literature

Purpose: To present an integrative review related to basal‐bolus insulin therapy and glycemic control in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Data sources: A search of the Cochrane, Medline (first search and PubMed), and CINAHL electronic databases was conducted from 2004 through 2011 using the search terms “basal‐bolus insulin therapy, sliding scale insulin, glycemic control, and adult.” Conclusions: Comparisons were made of glycemic control, safety, adverse events, body weight, and insulin dose showing basal‐bolus insulin therapy to be at least equal, if not superior to sliding scale insulin for the patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Overall patients using basal‐bolus insulin therapy experienced better glycemic control, fewer hypoglycemic events, and had less weight gain. Implications for practice: Basal‐bolus insulin therapy is recommended over sliding scale insulin for achieving glycemic control in both the inpatient and outpatient setting because of a reduced number of occurrences of hyper‐ or hypoglycemic events. This could translate to decreased hospitalizations, decreased length of stay, decreased healthcare costs, and improved patient outcomes.

A study of the relationship of nursing interventions and cognitions to the physiologic outcomes of care in a simulated task environment

This study, based on the Expert Performance Approach, examined the clinical nursing performance of participants who were introduced into a simulated task environment requiring them to administer care to a client experiencing an exacerbation of Congestive Heart Failure. This was undertaken to identify cognitive and physiologic variables that differentiate performance levels among participants. Data on participant actions and verbal reports were coded to characterize their relationship with physiologic responses of the Human Patient Simulator. The results demonstrated that physiologic responses to nursing interventions reflect a reliable pattern that can be used to differentiate performance levels.

Transitioning Florida NPs to opioid prescribing

Abstract: Prior to statutory changes in prescriptive authority for controlled substances, this study examined the knowledge gaps and prescribing limitations of Florida advanced registered nurse practitioners regarding opioids. Study results revealed statistically significant knowledge gaps in the areas of federal and state guidelines; opioid classes and proper doses; risk assessment skills; monitoring of treatment; and confidence in dealing with challenges of opioid prescribing.