Susan Kowalski

Use of aromatherapy with hospice patients to decrease pain, anxiety, and depression and to promote an increased sense of well-being

This study measured the responses of 17 cancer hospice patients to humidified essential lavender oil aromatherapy. Vital signs as well as levels of pain, anxiety, depression, and sense of well-being were measured (using 11-point verbal analogs). Each subject was measured on three different days before and after a 60-minute session consisting of (1) no treatment (control); (2) water humidification (control); or (3) 3-percent lavender aromatherapy. Results reflected a positive, yet small, change in blood pressure and pulse, pain, anxiety, depression, and sense of well-being after both the humidified water treatment and the lavender treatment. Following the control session (no treatment), there was also slight improvement in vital signs, depression, and sense of well-being, but not in pain or anxiety levels.

Preliminary outcomes of a local residency programme for new graduate registered nurses

AIM The present study reports preliminary findings regarding new graduate nurses participating in a year-long local residency programme at two hospitals in Las Vegas, NV. BACKGROUND Nurse resident programmes are purported to increase the level of clinical competency and professional transition in new graduate registered nurses (RNs) and to decrease first-year turnover rates. The effectiveness of this programme was assessed using data of the first two cohorts participating in this new residency programme. METHOD Clinical competencies, anxiety, stress, professional transition and retention were measured on 55 nurse residents who have participated in the nurse residency programme. RESULTS The findings indicate improved clinical competency throughout the programme, a decreased sense of threat, and improved communication and leadership skills. The first-year cohorts employment retention rate was 78%, and the second-year cohort is presently 96%. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study demonstrate the positive impact of a year-round residency programme for new graduate RNs. Implications for nursing management The need for a consistent nurse workforce demands that new graduates be transitioned into competent practitioners as soon as possible. Nurse residency programmes can provide this support and decrease replacement costs involved in high turnover.

Postural balance in young adults: the role of visual, vestibular and somatosensory systems.

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to examine what sensory system predominates to maintain balance (e.g., visual, vestibular, and somatosensory) among people in their twenties and thirties. Data sources: A subset of individuals from a larger descriptive cross‐sectional study was assessed. A sample of 194 (males = 28%, females = 72%) young adults in the second and third decades of life had anthropometric measurements (height, weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, and leg length) taken and body mass index and waist‐to‐hip ratio were calculated. Balance was assessed using the NeuroCom Balance Master machine. Results: There was a significant difference among the three sensory systems for postural balance among the young population, F (2, 576) = 111.741, p < .001. Post hoc Bonferroni tests were maintained at the 0.05 level which showed significance for the visual system compared to vestibular and somatosensory system: visual (M = 93.7, SD = 2.07); vestibular (M = 90.4, SD = 2.74); and somatosensory (M = 90.0, SD = 3.13). Based on the results, the visual system is the predominant sensory system used by young adults to maintained optimal postural balance. Significance for Practice: There is very little known about balance of younger adults. If balance issues are identified early in adult life it is possible to prevent exacerbation of balance decline as one age. If nurse practitioners are aware of what dominant sensory systems for balance young adults use, perhaps strategies to preserve these can avoid falls as they age.

Job Stress, Mentoring, Psychological Empowerment, and Job Satisfaction Among Nursing Faculty

The National League for Nursing endorses mentoring throughout nursing facultys careers as the method to recruit nurses into academia and improve retention of nursing faculty within the academy. A nationwide sample of 959 full-time nursing faculty completed a descriptive survey comprising a researcher-created demographic questionnaire plus Drehers mentoring scale, Gmelchs faculty stress index, Spreitzers psychological empowerment scale, and the National Survey for Postsecondary Facultys job satisfaction scale. Results showed that 40% of the sample had a current work mentor. Variables showed significant relationships to job satisfaction (p < 0.01): mentoring quality (0.229), job stress (-0.568), and psychological empowerment (0.482). Multiple regression results indicated job satisfaction was significantly influenced (p < 0.01) by the presence of a mentoring relationship, salary, tenure status, psychological empowerment, and job stress. The regression model explained 47% of the variance in job satisfaction for the sample.

Student stress and academic performance: Home hospital program

The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether nursing students assigned to a home hospital experience less stress and improved academic performance. Students were assigned to a home hospital clinical placement (n = 78) or a control clinical placement (n = 79). Stress was measured using the Student Nurse Stress Index (SNSI) and Spielbergers State Anxiety Inventory. Academic performance included score on the RN CAT, a standardized mock NCLEX-RN(®)-type test; nursing grade point average; and first attempt pass-fail on the NCLEX-RN. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups for age, gender, marital status, ethnicity, or score on the nurse entrance examination. There were significant changes in SNSI over time but not between groups. Academic load and state anxiety showed an interaction of time by group, with the home hospital group showing reductions over time, compared with the control group.

Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy as Predictors of Success in Smoking Cessation:

The purpose of this study was to compare psychological, biophysical, and socioeconomic variables as predictors of success in smoking cessation adherence among adults who have participated in a smoking cessation program. The purposive sample (N = 75) was selected from participants of 10 smoking cessation programs in Texas who were measured for self-esteem and self-efficacy at the beginning of their program using the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Stantons revised Self-Efficacy for Smoking Cessation Questionnaire. Subjects self-reported their smoking/nonsmoking status and use/nonuse of the nicotine patch at the end of their program via postcards and at 3 months later through a phone interview with the researcher. Using discriminant analysis, the psychological variables correctly classified 75% of the subjects at the 3-month follow-up as smoking or nonsmoking (based on their preprogram scores of self-esteem and self-efficacy). With this sample, the biophysical and socioeconomic variables were insignificant in their ability to predict smoking cessation adherence.

Comparing NET and ERI Standardized Exam Scores between Baccalaureate Graduates Who Pass or Fail the NCLEX-RN©

In the United States, nursing programs are commonly evaluated by their graduates success on the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN©). The purpose of this paper is to describe a change in NCLEX-RN© success rates following the addition of standardized exams throughout our programs curriculum, and to compare these exam scores between graduates who pass NCLEX-RN© and those who do not. Our results indicate an 8.5% change (p < 0.000) in the NCLEX-RN© pass rate from our previous 5-year mean pass rate, and significant differences in standardized test scores for those who pass the NCLEX-RN© compared to those who do not (p < 0.03). We conclude that our selected standardized exam scores are able to significantly identify graduates who are more likely to pass NCLEX-RN© than not.

Methodological Quality and Scientific Impact of Quantitative Nursing Education Research over 18 Months

ABSTRACT The methodological quality of nursing education research has not been rigorously studied. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the methodological quality and scientific impact of nursing education research reports. The methodological quality of 133 quantitative nursing education research articles published between July 2006 and December 2007 was evaluated using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI). The mean (± SD) MERSQI score was 9.8 ± 2.2. It correlated (p < .05) with several scientific impact indicators: citation counts from Scopus (r = .223), Google Scholar (r = .224), and journal impact factor (r = .21 6); it was not associated with Web of Science citation count, funding, or h Index.The similarities between this studys MERSQI ratings for nursing literature and those reported for the medical literature, coupled with the association with citation counts, suggest that the MERSQI is an appropriate instrument to evaluate the quality of nursing education research.

Budd–Chiari syndrome from an advanced practice nurse perspective

Purpose: To provide nurse practitioners (NPs) with a case study and literature review of Budd–Chiari syndrome (BCS). This rare liver disease has a multitude of clinical presentations that NPs may encounter in the primary care setting. Data source: A literature search was conducted in Pub‐Med and CINAHL using key search words. Information for the case study was obtained from a patient and his gastroenterology specialist, who is a foremost expert in this field. Conclusion: BCS is complex and may be difficult to diagnose because of its atypical clinical presentation. Delayed diagnosis can affect the quality and quantity of a patient’s life. Increasing NPs’ awareness about this rare condition through a case presentation and review of the literature emphasizes the major factors for accurate diagnosis. Implications for practice: Knowledge of BCS can assist the NP in identifying this syndrome and making prompt, appropriate referrals.