Nursing Faculty Publications Copyright (c) 2013 Western Kentucky University All rights reserved. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub Recent documents in Nursing Faculty Publications en-us Fri, 26 Apr 2013 01:34:34 PDT 3600 A Collaborative Educational Innovation in an Old Order Mennonite Community http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/57 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/57 Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:11:40 PDT Forming collaborative, interprofessional partnerships to facilitate the education of future healthcare providers to serve diverse cultures is an overarching goal of Area Health Education Centers (AHECs) and supported by the Institute of Medicine (IOM, 2005). This article describes the process of creating and sustaining a collaborative interprofessional health promotion and educational project with an old order Mennonite (OOM) community in south central Kentucky. This ongoing project began over a decade ago and involves the collaborative efforts of the South Central Kentucky AHEC, the School of Nursing at Western Kentucky University (WKU), a family practice residency program affiliated with the University of Louisville but located at T.J. Samson Community Hospital in Glasgow, KY, and family members residing in an OOM community.

]]> M. Susan Jones PhD et al. Comparison of Workplace Protection Factors for Different Biological Contaminants http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/56 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/56 Sun, 06 May 2012 15:53:57 PDT This study compared workplace protection factors (WPFs) for five different contaminants (endotoxin, fungal spores, (1→3)-β-D-glucan, total particle mass, and total particle number) provided by an N95 elastomeric respirator (ER) and an N95 filtering facepiece respirator (FFR). We previously reported size-selective WPFs for total particle numbers for the ER and FFR, whereas the current article is focused on WPFs for bioaerosols and total particle mass. Farm workers (n = 25) wore the ER and FFR while performing activities at eight locations representing horse farms, pig barns, and grain handling facilities. For the determination of WPFs, particles were collected on filters simultaneously inside and outside the respirator during the first and last 15 min of a 60-min experiment. One field blank per subject was collected without actual sampling. A reporting limit (RL) was established for each contaminant based on geometric means (GMs) of the field blanks as the lowest possible measurable values. Depending on the contaminant type, 38–48% of data points were below the RL. Therefore, a censored regression model was used to estimate WPFs (WPFcensored). The WPFcensored provided by the two types of respirators were not significantly different. In contrast, significant differences were found in the WPFcensored for different types of contaminants. GMs WPFscensored for the two types of respirators combined were 154, 29, 18, 19, and 176 for endotoxin, fungal spore count, (1→3)-β-D-glucan, total particle mass, and total particle number, respectively. The WPFcensored was more strongly associated with concentrations measured outside the respirator for endotoxin, fungal spores, and total particle mass except for total particle number. However, when only data points with outside concentrations higher than 176×RL were included, the WPFs increased, and the association between the outside concentrations and the WPFs became weaker. Results indicate that difference in WPFs observed between different contaminants may be attributed to differences in the sensitivity of analytical methods to detect low inside concentrations, rather than the nature of particles (biological or non-biololgical).

]]> Kyungmin Jacob Cho et al. Education is the Key to the Prevention of Lawnmower Accidents http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/55 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/55 Wed, 02 May 2012 10:01:25 PDT Sherry R. Lovan Comparing Perceptions of the Nursing Profession Among Associate and Baccalaureate Nursing Students and Registered Nurses http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/54 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/54 Tue, 01 May 2012 10:35:39 PDT The inconsistencies between the perception of the profession of nursing and the reality of practice can lead to problems in student attrition or result in disillusionment with a career in nursing after a new graduate enters practice. With the nursing shortage reaching critical levels, it is important to examine possible discrepancies that exist and address strategies to reduce them.

For this study, a quantitative design was selected to explore how the perception of the nursing profession compared among first-semester associate degree nursing students, first-semester baccalaureate nursing students, and registered nurses. A convenience sample N = 238 included 69 ADN students, 38 BSN students, and 131 registered nurses. Each participant completed the Perceptions of Professional Nursing Tool (PPNT) which measured perceptions utilizing the tenets of nursing Practice, Values, and Public Image.

French and Kahn's (1962) person-environment fit model served as a framework for this study. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and psychometric computations (factor analysis, Cronbach's alpha, and inter-scale correlations). Research questions asked (a) What differences existed among the groups in regard to demographics? (b) What differences in the perception of the profession of nursing existed among the groups? and (c) To what extent does organizational context (ADN program, BSN program, and RN) affect the perceptions of nursing when controlling for demographics? Research questions were analyzed with ANOVA and/or ANCOVA techniques utilizing SPSS.

Findings revealed significant differences regarding demographics among the groups were age, healthcare experience, healthcare position, and education. The tenet of Practice was different among the groups (RNs scored higher); Values and Public Image revealed no significant differences. When controlling for demographic controls, Practice and Public Image were significantly different among the groups. BSN students and RNs revealed the most difference in their view of the public image of nursing (BSN students thought the public viewed nursing image higher than the RNs.

Recommendations for practice include (a) encouraging respect among nurses with all levels of education, (b) providing accurate information about nursing practice, (c) requiring a class about the profession to prospective nursing students, (d) incorporating RNs in practice into the classroom to talk about their work, and (e) addressing nursing stereotypes through frequent classroom examples from the media followed by discussions.

]]> Sherry R. Lovan Being a Good Nurse and Doing the Right Thing: A Replication Study http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/53 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/53 Fri, 27 Apr 2012 07:21:38 PDT This qualitative research, a replication of Smith and Godfrey’s study published in 2002, investigated the qualities of a good nurse and the role ethics played in decision-making. After reviewing the limitations of Smith and Godfrey’s work, the current study implemented modifications related to the research questions, sample selection, data collection, and utilization of software for data analysis. The original study identified seven categories that related to being a good nurse and doing the right thing. In this study, the use of relational analysis led to the recognition of four categories: (a) personal traits and attributes, (b) technical skills and management of care, (c) work environment and co-workers, and (d) caring and caring behaviors. To understand what it means to be a good nurse and do the right thing is a complex task; however, this research adds to the small amount of empirical data that exists to describe those characteristics.

]]> Sheila Catlett et al. Student Empathy: A Learning Experience http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/52 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/52 Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:55:18 PDT A class of senior students in a community nursing course wrote Dear Diary journal entries that conveyed a deep understanding of empathy. This assignment served to connect the students with people in different stages of life. The Dear Diary journal entries provide an example to effectively demonstrate how classroom assignments can encourage students to place themselves in another’s shoes, the basis for empathy.

]]> Sherry R. Lovan Occupational Health Assessment: A Tool for Nursing Faculty http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/51 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/51 Fri, 27 Apr 2012 06:48:57 PDT Sherry R. Lovan et al. Using YouTube to Bridge the Gap Between Baby Boomers and Millennials http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/50 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/50 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:59:17 PST Dawn M. Garrett-Wright Ph.D. (c), RN et al. Transforming a RN to BSN Program to an On-line Delivery Format http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/49 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/49 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:48:51 PST Cathy H. Abell et al. Poster Presentations as a Teaching Strategy in Web-Based Courses http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/48 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/48 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:39:15 PST Beverly Siegrist et al. Nurse Practitioner and Pharmacist Interactions: Implications for Effectiveness of Interdisciplinary Health Care Teams http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/47 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/47 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 07:15:08 PST The Institute of Medicine report, “The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health,” makes specific recommendations for removing barriers to advanced practice nursing scope of practice. The report also makes important recommendations concerning interdisciplinary teamwork. This article examines the challenges on the professional working relationship between nurse practitioners and pharmacists and provides some insight into the difficulties faced as health care practitioners attempt to work toward the goal of collaborative efforts to advance the care of our patients.

]]> Mary P. Bennett et al. Multidimensional Factors Affecting Well-Being: A PNI Based Model for Therapeutic Nursing Intervention. http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/46 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/46 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:36:45 PST This paper is posted to assist graduate nursing students and others who are interested in my early PNI theory development work. The paper documents development and initial testing of a midrange theory of the effects of various nursing interventions on the psychoneuroimmunological (PNI) network. The hypothesized effects of interventions on various immune factors and subsequent health outcomes are explored, with special interest given to the use of PNI theory in nursing. More traditional nursing theory design principles are imbedded in this theory, including a definition of nursing and nursing intervention, as well as outlining how nurses educated at various levels might use the theory. Examples of how the theory might be tested are also included. This early work was foundational for later studies by myself and others, testing various PNI based propositions. Some of this work is posted on the WKU TopSCHOLAR website as well as published in various professional journals.

]]> Mary P. Bennett Particle Size on Respiratory Protection Provided by Two Types of N95 Respirators on Agricultural Settings http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/45 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/45 Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:19:53 PST The objective of this study was to compare size-selective workplace protection factors (WPFs) of an N95 elastomeric respirator (ER) and an N95 filtering facepiece respirator (FFR) in agricultural environments. Twenty-five healthy farm workers ranging in age from 20 to 30 years voluntarily participated in the study. Altogether eight farms were included representing three different types: two horse farms, three pig barns, and three grain handling sites. Subjects wore the ER and FFR while performing their daily activities, such as spreading hay, feeding livestock, and shoveling. Aerosol concentrations in an optical particle size range of 0.7–10 µm were determined simultaneously inside and outside of the respirator during the first and last 15 minutes of a 60-minute experiment. For every subject, size-selective WPFs were calculated in one-minute intervals and averaged over 30 minutes. For the ER, geometric mean WPFs were 172, 321, 1013, 2097 and 2784 for particles of 0.7–1.0, 1.0–2.0, 2.0–3.0, 3.0–5.0, and 5.0–10.0 µm, respectively. Corresponding values for the FFR were 69, 127, 324, 893, and 1994. The 5th percentiles for the ER and FFR were higher than the Assigned Protection Factor of 10 and varied from 28 to 250 and from 16 to 225, respectively. The results show that the N95 ER and FFR tested in the study provided expected level of protection for workers on agricultural farms against particles ranging from 0.7 to 10 µm. The WPFs for the ER were higher than those for the FFR in all size ranges, and the WPFs for both respirators increased with increasing particle size.

]]> Jacob Cho Kyungmin et al. The Accuracy of Referral for Portable Lipid Analyzers in an Old Order Mennonite Population http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/44 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/44 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:40:35 PST The primary purposes of this study were to: 1) examine the accuracy for referral of two portable lipid analyzers (PLAs) in an old order Mennonite population through a comparison to a national standardized reference laboratory, 2) examine the relationship of total cholesterol values with other known cardiovascular risk factors, and 3) foster the continued participatory model of health care service in this community. The self-selected sample was composed of 42 adult members of an old order Mennonite community residing in south central Kentucky. A descriptive correlational design was used in this study. There were clinically relevant variations in the total cholesterol and LDL-C in both of the analyzers. Additionally, there was a correlation between total cholesterol values and age. The study also facilitated the participatory model used with this community previously as the community members assisted in planning, implementing, and evaluating this project.

]]> Maria E. Main et al. A Colorectal Cancer Screening Project in an Old Order Mennonite Community: Capstone Project Technical Report http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/43 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/43 Thu, 09 Sep 2010 09:45:25 PDT The purpose of this project was to determine if colorectal cancer (CRC) screening education and community access to fecal occult blood tests (FOBT) is associated with an increase in the uptake of FOBT in an old order Mennonite community. Utilizing a modified cultural model, an educational offering on CRC screening and access to FOBT in the community was delivered to a self-selected sample of age-eligible participants. Thirty-three age eligible residents completed the CRC screening questionnaires and received education on CRC screening. Twenty-nine of the age-eligible participants were found to be at average risk and twenty-three elected to receive FOBT testing kits. The most commonly reported previous CRC screening was colonoscopy; however, only 30% of the population had completed any previous CRC screening. This project was successful in increasing the uptake of FOBT in an old order Mennonite community through the provision of culturally appropriate education and the delivery of FOBT within the community using a modified cultural model. If the high FOBT uptake is maintained in other OOM/Amish populations FOBT is a viable CRC screening tool in these populations.

]]> Maria Eve Main Mobilizing Students and Community Partners to Enhance the Health of the Rural Elderly http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/42 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/42 Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:25:49 PDT The Health Enhancement of the Rural Elderly (HERE) project is a federally funded grant project designed to empower the rural elderly in Butler and Edmonson counties to maximize their use of the health care system. This project was developed after identifying the needs of approximately 25% of the population in the U.S. that reside in rural areas. Of this population in rural Kentucky, 14-15% is 65 years or older (U.S. Bureau of Census, 2000). A higher incidence of chronic diseases, disabilities, difficulties with daily living activities, and cutbacks in social services have been identified as factors causing this population to be compromised in their success with health care.

]]> M. Susan Jones et al. Immune Function and Health Outcomes in Women with Depression http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/41 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/41 Tue, 08 Jun 2010 07:38:52 PDT This research reports immune function and health outcomes in women with depression, as compared with a nondepressed control group. Using Psychoneuroimmunolgy theory and a descriptive comparison design, scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to divide 40 non-hospitalized Caucasian women between the ages of 18 and 65 years into either the control or depression comparison group. Women with depression were found to report significantly more incidences of illness over the previous two months and they were found to have significantly more indicators of illness at the time of the exam as compared to the controls. However, contrary to what has been documented in some earlier studies of depression, women with depression were not found to have significantly different immune function measures as compared to the control group. There was also no significant correlation between scores on the BDI and natural killer cell cytotoxicity in this study. While these findings support a connection between depression and both increased self-report of illness and increased signs and symptoms of minor illness or inflammation on physical exam, this study was not able to document that these effects were related to decreased immune function, as measured by natural killer cell activity or white blood cell counts.

]]> Cherie Howk et al. The Power of a "Word Cloud" in Marketing a Nursing Program http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/40 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/40 Wed, 26 May 2010 09:25:57 PDT Cathy H. Abell et al. The Effects of an Educational Program on Faculty Stages of Concern Regarding the Use of Interactive Video Services (IVS) in Undergraduate Nursing Education http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/39 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/39 Wed, 26 May 2010 09:25:57 PDT Cathy H. Abell et al. Community-Based Nursing Education at the Campsite http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/38 http://digitalcommons.wku.edu/nurs_fac_pub/38 Wed, 21 Apr 2010 10:50:08 PDT M. Susan Jones et al.