Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Minnesota, 2007. / (UMI)AAI3291503. Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-12, Section: B, page: 7926. Adviser: Linda H. Bearinger.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of California, San Francisco, 2009. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 71-02, Section: B, page: . Adviser: Margaret Wallhagen.

<p> Culturally sensitive care is thought to take into account a person's specific cultural values and preferences when providing mental health care services. Latinos currently comprise 17% of the total U.S. population at 50.5 million and persons of Mexican heritage constitute over 66% of all Latinos in the United States. Persons of Mexican heritage experience higher rates of mental health issues and illness with 30% lifetime incidence versus 20% incidence for Anglos. Few studies have focused on the mental health treatment preferences for persons of Mexican heritage. Treatment preferences could reflect personal characteristics, acculturation perspective about mental health issues and illness, and experience with treatment. Mass media may also influence treatment preferences and mental health information-seeking. The purpose of this study was to describe preferences for mental health treatment services for persons of Mexican heritage living in the Southwest along the United States-Mexico border. Twenty-one participants were interviewed individually and their responses analyzed using Atlas-ti qualitative analysis software. The participants reported twenty-five mental health treatment preferences. The top six preferences&mdash;medication, going to the doctor, social and family support, counseling and herbal medicines, were consistent throughout demographic categories of age, gender, income, generational status, insurance status, education, and acculturation. Self-management interventions and integrative medicine were also reported as treatment preferences. Participants reported media use of television, internet, books and magazines, in-person interaction, and radio as primary mental health information sources. Media influences on mental health included education/information, hope, normalization, and a catalyst for conversation. Ascribed meanings for anxiety, depression, substance abuse, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder included cognitive, behavioral, and interactional reports. Mental health services for persons of Mexican heritage should include varying holistic mental health treatment practices, recognizing the need for understanding of potential meanings for mental health issues and illness. Persons of Mexican heritage report the desire for the same types of allopathic care including medications and counseling as Anglos in the US. Additionally, self-management interventions and integrative medicine therapies, as well as innovative media outreach methods were reported as integral to the holistic treatment process of obtaining help for mental health issues and illness.</p>

<p>Incivility is a low-level form of violence that has been found to threaten safety and has gained increasing attention from healthcare leaders. Incivility at work causes distractions and threatens the culture of safety. Locations providing mental health services are among such high-risk areas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse leader&rsquo;s educational approach to improve civility in the mental health (MH) nursing workplace using assertiveness training with role-play. </p><p> The civility score in this study was measured by staffs&rsquo; perceptions of eight items: respect; conflict resolution; cooperation; anti-discrimination; value differences; diversity acceptance; personal interest; and reliability of team members. In this study, the principal investigator (PI), a MH nurse leader, prepared and implemented a six-month plan of evidence-based actions intended to improve civility and to strengthen the sense of community. </p><p> Role-play exercises were included in assertiveness training sessions. Personalized brochures that summarized information and future direction for improving civility were prepared and distributed. </p><p> Civility awareness and assertiveness were reinforced by sharing literature, facilitating discussions, and practicing occasional role-plays to problem-solve past and current incivilities as they surfaced. Follow-up measurements showed a rapid and sharp increase in civility, with improved scores for each of the eight items. These findings support continued use of assertiveness training with role-play as an effective approach for improving civility in a culturally diverse MH nursing staff. Limitations of this study are discussed. </p>

<p> The purpose of this project was to translate evidence-based literature into policy and practice guidelines in order to improve leadership standards and skills among nurse managers and improve patient outcomes and the quality of care. Guided by the American Nurses Credentialing Center Magnet Model and Lewin's change theory, which sets the framework for creating exceptional nursing leaders, a literature search was conducted from studies ranging from 2010 to 2012 from several databases. Inclusion criteria were based on the presence of one or more leadership styles discussed in the articles and the impact of leadership style on nursing satisfaction. A total of 25 articles were found during the electronic search, but only 7 articles met the inclusion criteria for analysis. The results of this review revealed that transformational leadership enhanced nursing satisfaction rates, while transactional leadership and situational leadership contributed to low levels of nursing satisfaction rates. This project contributes to positive social change for nurse managers because there is limited research available that focuses on leadership styles and its implication for practice. This project will inform the work of nurse managers by illuminating the importance of leadership styles on nursing satisfaction and work environment conditions.</p>

<p> Healthcare today is constantly transforming as hospital systems are challenged to maximize productivity and value. Factors such as occupational stress, difficult working conditions, unresolved conflict, lack of leadership, and increased complexity of healthcare foster disruptive and uncivil behavior and directly impact work performance, patient safety, and the physical well-being of those providing or supporting the care given to patients. The objectives of this study were to: 1. assess the prevalence of incivility within a large metropolitan healthcare organization, 2. determine differences in the frequency of incivility within select occupational groups, and 3. examine the relation between incivility and productivity, organizational commitment, job satisfaction, and workplace stress. The study was a cross-sectional, correlation design, using survey methodology. Data were collected from employees working in one organization consisting of an acute care facility, outpatient centers, and ambulatory locations. The study population included direct and non-direct patient care job categories and physicians.</p>

<p> There is little research addressing caregiver stress while in the hospital setting. This study sought to answer the question, Would utilization of an oncology care partner program during hospitalization increase communication and preparedness for discharge while decreasing caregiver stress? A two phase study was utilized to generate standard of care data and data resulting from the intervention. A quantitative pre and post survey method was used. Qualitative data was included from conversations between the researcher and subjects. Communication and comfort upon discharge improved with the intervention, but there was no significant change in caregiver stress levels. Though this study had a small sample size, there are positive implications for the patient, family caregiver, nurses and hospital. The utilization of such a program has merit and further research is needed to validate the findings.</p>