Thesis (M.Nurs.)--University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Also available in print.

M.Cur. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

In the first study, a literature review and semi-structured interviews with experienced scrub nurses (n=25) and consultant surgeons (n=9), identified ‘communication’, ‘teamwork’, ‘situation awareness’ and ‘coping with stress’ skills as important skills for scrub practitioners. The second study used focus groups (n=4 groups) of experienced scrub nurses (total n=16 participants) to sort and label the extracted non-technical skill data, from study 1, into skill categories and underlying elements. The focus groups also generated ‘behavioural markers’ describing good and poor performance of those elements. This preliminary taxonomy contained eight categories with 28 underlying elements. An expert panel, comprising two psychologists and a subject matter expert used an iterative process, with reference to the system design guidelines, to refine the taxonomy. The resulting prototype was called the Scrub Practitioners’ List of Intraoperative Non-Technical Skills (SPLINTS) system which had three skill categories – ‘Situation awareness’; ‘Communication and teamwork’; ‘Task management’, each of which had three underlying elements. The third study tested the psychometric properties of the prototype SPLINTS system. Scrub practitioners (n=34) attended a single-day evaluation session where they received training (5 hours) and practice (1 hour) using the SPLINTS system before rating the scrub practitioner’s behaviour seen in standardized surgical video scenarios (n=7) (1 hour). Within-group agreement was acceptable (<i>r</i>_wg &gt;.7) for the three skill categories and for six of the nine elements. Future work will assess the usability of SPLINTS system in the operating theatre environment. This project has provided scrub practitioners with a structured method for training and assessing an important aspect of performance, which could help to reduce adverse events in the operating theatre.

There are a number of factors recognised as significant for nursing staff retention. These include, a lack of organisational care, bullying (commonly referred to as horizontal violence), and high workload acuity. However, there does not appear to be any indication that these factors influence the retention of nurses within the speciality of acute perioperative nursing. A descriptive study using postpositivist methodology and triangulation of methods was designed to answer the question: What are the critical factors that influence staff retention in an acute perioperative environment? Forty-eight (n = 48) perioperative nurses answered a questionnaire in relation to individual needs, provision of nursing care and administration and management. Four (n = 4) nurses subsequently participated in a focus group interview that explored in more depth, the survey data related to the following characteristics: Educational opportunities; Level of workload acuity; Rostering flexibility; Management; Established policies/Quality assurance; Graduate orientation programs and Professional relationships in an acute perioperative setting. Data analysis revealed that > 90% of respondents agreed that these characteristics are important for job satisfaction and influence staff retention in an acute perioperative environment. A sense of belonging appears to be the most important theme that emerged from the qualitative data. Job satisfaction and staff retention are attained when nurses have a sense of belonging in the workplace. To achieve these, nurses need to identify barriers, develop their communication and leadership skills and determine the ideal professional practice model. The themes (Figure 5), "Finding time" and increased "sick leave", in relation to workload acuity are new findings that provide a platform for future research.

This study was devised to test the hypothesis, "Does a preoperative interview between the operating room nurse and the surgical patient effect the nurses' level of empathy toward the patient?" The theoretical and conceptual foundation was based on Carl Rogers' theory that a high level of empathy has a positive effect on therapy outcomes. Nursing research has also demonstrated the importance of empathetic understanding in order to equip the nurse to meet the patient's needs.Two hospitals which had not utilized preoperative interviews were selected, and nurses from one hospital participated in the experimental group which initiated preoperative visits while nurses from the other hospital participated in the control group which did not visit preoperatively. The changes in empathetic levels of the nurses were assessed using the Barrett-Lennard Relationship Helper Scale. Analysis of covariance was used to test the hypothesis which was accepted at .05 significance level.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 47306

No description available.

There are a number of factors recognised as significant for nursing staff retention. These include, a lack of organisational care, bullying (commonly referred to as horizontal violence), and high workload acuity. However, there does not appear to be any indication that these factors influence the retention of nurses within the speciality of acute perioperative nursing. A descriptive study using postpositivist methodology and triangulation of methods was designed to answer the question: What are the critical factors that influence staff retention in an acute perioperative environment? Forty-eight (n = 48) perioperative nurses answered a questionnaire in relation to individual needs, provision of nursing care and administration and management. Four (n = 4) nurses subsequently participated in a focus group interview that explored in more depth, the survey data related to the following characteristics: Educational opportunities; Level of workload acuity; Rostering flexibility; Management; Established policies/Quality assurance; Graduate orientation programs and Professional relationships in an acute perioperative setting. Data analysis revealed that > 90% of respondents agreed that these characteristics are important for job satisfaction and influence staff retention in an acute perioperative environment. A sense of belonging appears to be the most important theme that emerged from the qualitative data. Job satisfaction and staff retention are attained when nurses have a sense of belonging in the workplace. To achieve these, nurses need to identify barriers, develop their communication and leadership skills and determine the ideal professional practice model. The themes (Figure 5), "Finding time" and increased "sick leave", in relation to workload acuity are new findings that provide a platform for future research.

M.Cur. / Refined equipment, heightened technology and improved surgical techniques in the field of ophthalmology have all resulted in a marked shift towards ambulatory, outpatient surgical treatment and day surgery and therefore shortened hospital stay for patients. This leaves patients and their next-of-kin with the responsibility for own care after treatment. To be able to accomplish this, they need adequate and relevant health education. Nurses are faced with the responsibility of imparting this information in order to enable patients to make decisions or choices that will address their health behaviour and thus influence their lifestyle. It is therefore necessary to use strategies of health education that will bring about this change of behaviour. One such strategy is values clarification. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the health education experience of patients undergoing ophthalmic day surgery before and after the health educator attends a workshop in values clarification. The study was conducted in two phases, with a workshop in values clarification as intervention between the phases. During Phase 1, phenomenological interviews were held with patients before the health educator attended the workshop in values clarification. The health educator then attended a workshop in values clarification. Thereafter, phenomenological interviews were again held with patients. Data analysis was done and findings were compared and discussed together with a literature control. The trustworthiness of the study was determined according to Lincoln and Guba's model. Conclusions and recommendations were made and guidelines, based on findings, were set for preoperative health education of patients undergoing ophthalmic surgery.

This experimental study was designed to determine the effectiveness of a structured preoperative teaching programme for the adult surgical patient as measured by several indicators. The major questions asked in this study were: What are the effects of a structured preoperative teaching programme upon the adult surgical patient's length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, number of analgesics administered postoperatively, recall of knowledge explained preoperatively, and satisfaction with his preoperative teaching. This study was conducted over a four month period, on one surgical ward of a large general hospital. A total of forty subjects met the criteria of the study, and their informed consent was obtained. The first twenty subjects were assigned to the control group, and received the unstructured, pre-existing preoperative instruction from the staff nurses. The second twenty subjects made up the experimental group and received structured preoperative teaching in small groups conducted by the investigator, with the aid of a slide-taped programme developed specifically for the study. Prior to discharge, each subject was given two questionnaires to complete, and data were collected by means of a patient profile sheet. The two groups of subjects were found to be similar when compared on selected characteristics. The alternative hypotheses of the study were analyzed by means of a t-test, and chi square test at the .05 level of significance. The results revealed no significant effect of the structured preoperative teaching programme upon the adult surgical patient's length of hospital stay, postoperative complications, number of analgesics administered postoperatively, or the degree of satisfaction attained from the preoperative teaching he received. However, statistical significance was found for the patient's ability to recall knowledge explained preoperatively. Implications of this study and recommendations for future research were also suggested. / Applied Science, Faculty of / Nursing, School of / Graduate

This project represents the ever-changing methods surrounding Enhanced Recovery after Surgery and the protocols that compose it. The purpose of this study is to expand education of ERAS guidelines and improve patient outcomes through furthering staff education. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery has been a part of perioperative departments worldwide after being introduced in the 1990s by Northern European general surgeons and has been adapted and modified since its introduction (ERAS Society History, 2022). The preoperative and postoperative process is ever-changing and is difficult for staff to keep up with. Many staff members find it difficult to stay on top of the most recent protocols. From clerical staff to nurses to surgeons there is a breakdown in the process of ensuring patients receive the optimal benefits if ERAS. This presentation will serve to both educate viewers on the latest ERAS recommendations as well as help develop and define a workflow for ensuring staff members have the most updated guidelines available to streamline the process and provide the best recovery experience for patients.