This study uses a descriptive survey design to describe and examine the relationship among school nurses' level of education, years of experience, knowledge of asthma and identification of the school nurse's level of proficiency based on Benner's (1984) model of Novice to Expert. A convenience sample of school nurses employed in public schools within the state of Massachusetts with an RN degree (registered nurse) were sampled. The demographic data revealed that of the 325 participants who participated in the study, the majority of school nurses were female ranging in age from 40 to 50 (M = 47.0). The majority of nurses had a bachelor's degree in nursing and were employed in the nursing profession on an average of twenty-two years and in school nursing for ten years. Since the majority of the school nurses did not have a master's degree, they were not certified by a national certifying body. The majority of participants indicated that they had received certification through the Board of Education in Massachusetts. Most school nurses worked full time in a public school and were responsible for between six hundred and a thousand students. The majority of nurses indicated that they did not have a school-based clinic on site, nor did they have a school-based health center or clinic to refer students. There was little variability among sample characteristics with school nurses employed in Massachusetts being a fairly homogenous group. Those surveyed were sent a packet containing four questionnaires including one on demographics, as well as an asthma questionnaire, a questionnaire assessing chronic health problems in the schools, and a self-reporting questionnaire based on Benner's (1984) model. Further results of this study revealed that the majority of the school nurses had an average to above average knowledge of asthma. The three most common interventions performed by school nurses as well as non medical personnel for those students with chronic illness are nebulizations, inhalers, and peak flow meters. Based on the self-report model of Benner's (1984), these same nurses viewed themselves as expert in their level of practice. Mezirow's Adult Learning Theory as well as Benner's (1984) model of Novice to Expert were used to support the nurses level of practice based on experience, intuition and a constellation of meaning schemes developed from previous exemplars. Results of the study indicated that although the nurses surveyed were expert in their knowledge of basic nursing concepts, none had advanced practice level courses in advanced health assessment or clinical decision making in order to effectively manage the complexities of chronic illness such as ADHD, diabetes, and epilepsy, as well as asthma, the most common chronic illness in schools today.

No description available.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Boise State University, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-119). Also available online via the ProQuest Digital Dissertations database.

Thesis (M. Nurs.)--University of Hong Kong, 2006.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008. / Title from title screen (site viewed Jan. 15, 2009). PDF text: xi, 162 p. : col. ill. ; 8 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3316417. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Extreme professional nurse shortage exerts stress upon the conventional recruitment and retention efforts of administrators in health care institutions, causing administrators to seek alternative solutions, including the recruitment and hiring of foreign nurses. The productivity of the foreign nurse alternative, as evidenced by pass rates on registered nurse licensure examination and by retention of the recruited nurses at sponsoring institutions is low, raising questions about factors that contribute to lack of success and promulgate improvement of foreign nurse recruitment and orientation initiatives. This study describes and analyzes an attempt to assimilate Filipino nurses at a medical center in western Massachusetts of just under 1000 client beds during an 18% professional nurse position vacancy crisis, occurring in the mid 1980's. The initiative, involving the recruitment and socialization of a group of 37 graduate nurses from the Philippines to fill staff nurse position vacancies on a variety of clinical service units, is summarized in a case description. This study identifies significant factors to be considered by administrators who have responsibility for the planning and implementation of similar initiatives. The literature review relates cultural information in two areas necessary to understand the transcultural socialization of a Filipino nurse, the pre professional socialization and the professional socialization contexts. The literature review of the professional socialization area discusses important contextual factors in Filipino nurse employment, nursing practice and nursing education. The Wolf-Welsh Linkage Methodology and the Wolf Knowledge Diffusion/Utilization Inventory provided the framework for the study. The seven interrelated parts of the Methodology provided the basis for data collection and ex post facto analysis of the case data. Data sources included the researcher's own participant observations, available medical center documents, and interviewed persons. Periodicals and external reports supplemented these data. The analysis clarified key characteristics of the Filipino nurse socialization and related linkage activities that might have contributed to greater success in the medical center case. Nineteen recommendations for successful linkage in future foreign nurse initiatives comprise the concluding chapter of the study.

Research has shown that many patients find it difficult to understand and retain information that is conveyed verbally by medical professionals. One solution to this problem is to give patients this information in a written form so that it can be reviewed when needed to maximize retention and understanding. When implementing this solution, care should be taken that the patient education materials (PEMs) are written in a way that is easily understood by the patient. PEMs should also be of good quality, meaning that they are comprehensive, without bias, evidence based, relevant, and balanced. Well written PEMs are especially important within the field of audiology as many patients find it particularly difficult to understand audiological and vestibular information. PEMs related to many different diagnoses and treatment within the field of audiology have been evaluated to ensure that they are appropriate for patients, but this evaluation has not yet been done for PEMs pertaining to benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV). BPPV is a common cause of dizziness where episodes are triggered by head movements such as tipping the head back. For this study, 11 PEMs pertaining to BPPV were gathered from professional organizations online and 3 were gathered from audiology clinics local to East Tennessee. Reading grade level was determined using the Fry Method and the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG). Quality was determined using the DISCERN. The results of this study indicate that the current PEMs related to BPPV are not written at an appropriate reading level for patients as determined by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The conclusion of this study is that while some of the PEMs analyzed were found to be of good quality, many can and should be improved. Organizations such as the CDC and AHRQ have created materials to guide medical professionals through the process of improving their PEMs.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1993.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Michigan, 1993.

This study has evaluated outcomes of the care and educational intervention set up for children of Magalasi and the surrounding villages since 2003. Magalasi Village is located in the rural area of Zomba District in Malawi, Southern East of Africa. The study has investigated perceptions, attitudes and ultimately meanings that participants have attached to this intervention. In doing so, it has established the effectiveness of this intervention, which is based on based on the principle of partnership, and aimed at improving the care and education of young children of Magalasi Village. The study employed the narrative inquiry approach situated within a hermeneutic phenomenological framework. Data was collected from 35 community participants using conversational narratives and has been analyzed thematically. The study has generated numerous findings; way beyond assessing the objectives set out at the beginning of the intervention, 40 themes in total. The major findings are: a) the reversal of child neglect situation; resulting in improvement in the hygiene and personal care of nearly all children in Magalasi village; b) highly improved school performance of most children attributed to improved school preparedness and leading to most children enjoying and staying in school, and successfully completing primary education; c) highly appreciable nutritional support to children; and d) existence of challenges and tensions underlying the implementation process. Overall, the Muula Center is having a huge positive impact on the care and education of most children of Magalasi village with minimal financial and essential technical support. Therefore, the financial, technical and community ingredients that are responsible for the delivery of the care and educational services in this intervention need to be sustained for continued impact. Also, a good understanding of challenges and tensions underlying the implementation process bears the potential of identifying and addressing critical issues, which will lead to further strengthening of the efficacy of the intervention. / Graduate / khamachibwana@gmail.com