<p> Forty years after Kramer's (1974) seminal work, Reality Shock, new graduate nurses continue to have difficulty transitioning to the registered nurse (RN) role. The purpose of this phenomenological study explores the lived experience of new graduate nurses who completed a Veterans Affairs externship program in their senior year of nursing coursework and its perceived impact on their successful transition into the practice role 3-24 months following graduation. Benner's (1984) Novice-to-Expert Model, Karmer's (1974) Reality Shock Theory, and Selder's (1989) Life Transition Theory support a framework for this study. Twelve telephone interviews were conducted using van Manen's (1990) method for researching the lived experience. One overarching theme "feeling confident" and three main categories, "transitioning to the RN role," "making decisions," and "interacting with professionals," were identified from the data. Externship programs assist the student to comfortably and smoothly transition as a new graduate nurse by offering additional clinical and practice experiences. Given the complexity of today's health care environment, there is a growing need to better prepare the graduate nurse for their transition into nursing practice. Externship programs can serve this purpose. </p>

<p> Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate relationships among learning styles, overall GPA, and major in undergraduate students enrolled in professional programs in the department of Health, Physical Education, and Sport Sciences. Methods: This study compared the learning styles of the students to their overall GPA, using the Computerized Assessment Program- Styles of Learning (CAPSOL&copy;) Form B and self-reported GPA. Results: Participants consisted of 231 Health, Physical Education, and Sport Sciences undergraduate students. Correlation was found between preferred learning styles and actual overall GPA, major and actual overall GPA, and self-reported GPA and actual overall GPA. Conclusion: Health, Physical Education, and Sport Sciences undergraduate students resulted in preferred learning styles of individual, sequential, and bodily kinesthetic.</p>

<p> During end-of-life care, nurses face ethical dilemmas on a daily basis with minimal operative scholastic preparation and professional expertise. The diverse source of ethical quandaries includes patient care issues related to legalities, inappropriate medical interventions, social roles, and professional and personal values. Ethical discourse in end-of-life care occurs within institutions where policies, professional relationships, and economic factors constrain ethical reflection. Thus, it is imperative that ethics education take into account the professional and social context of nursing, in addition to traditional teachings focused on many principles and theories, codes of conduct, and legal ramifications. The purpose of this research was to explore how experienced nurses' successfully resolved day-to-day ethical dilemmas during end-of-life care. This study utilized narrative analysis to analyze data generated from one-on-one interviews with six hospice nurses. The semi-structured interviews were conducted in two phases. Using core story creation, several different ethical dilemmas were identified divulging struggles with key stakeholders. Thematic analysis was then used to create three main themes: Ethics within Practice, Ethical Knowledge, and Ethical Solutions discussed within the framework of situational context, deliberations, and ethical actions. The results gained from this research provide information on how to improve nursing ethics education through the use of narratives of experienced nurses. The nurses used in this research told their stories depicting a keen awareness of ethical conflicts situated by contextual factors including social, political, and personal issues. Their deliberations were informed through formal, experiential, and intuitive knowledge creating a sense of phronesis as they negotiated the right course of actions. The nurses solved ethical predicaments by either following rules or choosing acts of resistance. It is my contention that the results of this study will empower practicing nurses and nurse educators to appreciate and incorporate context and different forms of knowledge to inform ethical discourse. We can utilize the experienced nurses' wisdom to improve nursing ethics education which ultimately translates to providing better deaths for patients.</p>

<p> Childhood obesity is a major public health concern. The multiple effects of obesity in childhood are long-reaching. Since weight loss and maintenance are very difficult, prevention of obesity is important. Schools have been identified as an important environment for obesity prevention interventions since most children spend a large portion of the day at school. The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to determine if the Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) Alabama intervention improved weight status, fitness levels, and health knowledge and behaviors. A 2-by-2 repeated measures ANOVA was performed to determine whether differences exist between intervention and comparison students at pretest and posttest. Measures that were explored included BMI Z-scores, Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) scores, nutrition knowledge and behavior scores, and physical activity knowledge and behavior scores. Significant advances were observed among intervention students in contrast to comparison students from pretest to posttest for physical fitness (as measured by the PACER), and nutrition and physical activity knowledge. No significant improvements were found for weight status, nutrition behavior, or physical activity behavior. A high prevalence of obesity was observed at pretest. It may be difficult for a primary obesity prevention program to be successful among fifth grade students with such high prevalence rates. A greater effect may be found when intervening with younger children. While schools alone cannot turn the tide on childhood obesity, it is unlikely that improvements can be made without the involvement of schools and programs such as HEAL.</p>

<p> The practice of <i>rueda casino</i> (or <i>salsa casino </i>) has increased worldwide in the last four decades, and the physical, psychological, and psychosocial effects of this dance may improve the health and wellness of participants. There is limited literature defining rueda casino as a social dance and previous findings are from interventions with Latin dance practices. This qualitative description focused on the nature of rueda casino integrating perspectives of archival data from interviews with three experts and the researcher's observations on this partnered and group dance in Mexico City. The findings present rueda casino as a form of dance that has a beneficial impact on the participant's body, self-confidence, cross-gender identity, social integration, and social being, and it opens up possibilities for further research to consider rueda casino as part of an integrative approach to wellness. </p><p> La pr&aacute;ctica de rueda casino (o salsa casino) ha incrementado a nivel mundial en las &uacute;ltimas cuatro d&eacute;cadas, y los efectos f&iacute;sicos, psicol&oacute;gicos y psicosociales de este baile pueden mejorar la salud y bienestar de los participantes. La literatura que describe rueda casino como un baile social es limitada y resultados previos se limitan a estudios con intervenciones con pr&aacute;cticas de baile Latino. Esta descripci&oacute;n cualitativa se enfoca en la esencia de rueda casino. Integra perspectivas, sobre esta forma de baile en pareja y grupal, obtenidas de informaci&oacute;n archivada en entrevistas a tres expertos y las observaciones de la investigadora en la Ciudad de M&eacute;xico. Los resultados muestran que la forma de baile rueda casino tiene un impacto que beneficia al participante en aspectos f&iacute;sicos, de autoconfianza, de identidad de g&eacute;nero, de integraci&oacute;n social, y ser social. Adicionalmente, abre posibilidades para futuras investigaciones que consideren rueda casino como parte de un acercamiento integral al bienestar. </p>

<p> This action research study explored the complex nature of homeless adults and their perceptions of barriers to mental health services. Barriers to mental health services and a lack of resources for homeless adults are social justice issues explored in the study. The participants were homeless adults with a history of substance abuse, diagnosis of Hepatitis C (HCV) infection, and mental illness. A qualitative approach allowed for data analysis which described the experiences of homeless adults living with HCV infection. Due to the stigma assigned by HCV based on the prevalence of HCV being contracted by substance abuse, a defined high-risk behavior, the homeless adults were not offered mental health services. As a result, the homeless adults did not get treatment.</p>

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1939.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1940.

Thesis (M.S.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1941.

Thesis (M.P.H.)--University of Michigan, 1946.