i-manager's Journal on Nursing (JNUR)


Volume 1 Issue 3 August - October 2011

Research Paper

Using Lived Experiences of Adults to Understand Chronic Pain: Sickle Cell Disease, an Exemplar

Maxine A. Adegbola*
*Assistant Professor, School of Nursing University of Texas at Arlington, Texas.
Adegbola, M.A. (2011). Using Lived Experiences of Adults to Understand Chronic Pain: Sickle Cell Disease, an Exemplar. i-manager’s Journal on Nursing, 1(3), 1-12. https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.1.3.1520

Abstract

Healthcare provision pertaining to painful, chronic conditions can best be optimized by developing positive healthcare provider (HCP)-patient relationships that minimize fragmented care. Nurses, with their holistic, humanistic approach provide a multidimensional focus that fosters individualized and effective outcomes for chronic events. The chronic pain phenotype is subjective, difficult to assess, define and effectively manage. Individuals with one such chronic syndrome, sickle cell disease (SCD), are living longer with pain that is poorly defined and inadequately managed. In addition to using quantitative assessment, clinicians and researchers must use substantive qualitative inquiry to understand the pain from the individual’s perspective, define, and appropriately manage the pain. Combined quantitative and qualitative inquiry can help clinicians and researchers gain insights into pain experiences. This manuscript summarizes the importance of including a narrative (qualitative) inquiry, to offer a holistic, comprehensive and humanistic approach to understanding chronic pain from the individual’s perspective and subsequently positively impacting care delivery. All nurses in the academy-educators, clinicians and researchers need to include a qualitative approach to care delivery, investigation and evaluation of the phenomenon pain, and intentionally demonstrate care. The experiences of individuals with chronic sickle cell disease (SCD) pain are used as an exemplar.

Research Paper

A time study on measuring and recording of blood pressure in selected wards of a tertiary care hospital of North India

Jogindra Vati* , Masih Dayal**
* Senior Lecturer, National Institute of Nursing Education(NINE) PGIMER, Chandigarh.
Vati, J., and Dayal, M. A time study on measuring and recording of blood pressure in selected wards of a tertiary care hospital of North India. i-manager’s Journal on Nursing, 1(3), 13-17. https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.1.3.1521

Abstract

The blood pressure (BP) measurement and recording is one of the many nursing activities performed by nurses. Mostly conventional non-invasive auscultatory method is used in measuring blood pressure that is an indirect measurement of arterial pressure. Nurses spend a large quantum of time of duty hours on this procedure. Despite the time spent by nurses for different nursing activities documented in the literature, but empirical evidence on time study specifically on blood pressure measurement is lacking in Indian scenario. Hence an attempt was made to estimate the time taken in measuring and recording the blood pressure. Fifty operational nurses were selected conveniently from 13 randomly selected wards of a tertiary care hospital. A total 250 observations (five on each subject) were made during morning, evening and night hours with the help of pretested electronic stopwatch. The data revealed that to carry out all steps of the procedure, the average time taken by a nurse was132.4 seconds (2.2 minutes). On the average they spent 6 seconds (range 5.4-6.45 seconds) to assemble the articles either from nursing station or from one patient to another and 1-2.1 seconds in explaining the procedure to the patient. Whereas in carrying out the actual procedure that comprised of fifteen steps, they took an average of 115.3 seconds and 9.73 seconds to record the readings in the nurses document sheet. The nurses working in special wards took more time than the nurses working in medical wards.

Research Paper

Alcohol versus Sterile water cleaning for newborn umbilical cord care

Ranjani. P* , Baby S. Nayak**, Sonia R. B D'souza***, Maria Pais****, Manjula*****
*-**-***-**** Manipal College of Nursing, Manipal University, Manipal, India.
***** Canara College of Nursing, Bailur Educational Trust, Kundapur, India.
Ranjani, P., Nayak, B.S., D'souza, S.R.B., Pais, M., and Manjula (2011). Alcohol versus Sterile water cleaning for newborn umbilical cord care. i-manager’s Journal on Nursing, 1(3), 18-24. https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.1.3.1522

Abstract

Concern about the umbilical cord care arises when there is delay in the cord separation or cord infection. Greater percentage reduction in the cord separation time by using sterile water than alcohol has been reported. Randomized control trial was carried out at postnatal wards of medical college attached hospitals of Udupi district among 80 newborns. The analysis revealed, no significant difference in the cord separation time, and cord infection rate of newborn umbilical cord treated with alcohol and sterile water. The cost spent for the alcohol group is three times more than that of sterile water group. The birth weight, gender of newborn and parity of mother had no effect on the time of separation of the umbilical cord. Sterile water cleaning is safe and cost effective means of umbilical cord care in term infants.

Research Paper

Uterine Prolapse in Madhesh: Gender, Reproductive Rights and Development

Mukesh Kumar Mishra* , Tej Prasada Adhikari**
* Lecturer, Department of Social Science, NIMS College, Lalitpur, Nepal
** Lecturer, Department of Population Studies, R.R Campus, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Mishra, M.K., and Adhikari, T.P. (2011). Uterine Prolapse in Madhesh: Gender, Reproductive Rights and Development . i-manager’s Journal on Nursing, 1(3), 25-36. https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.1.3.1523

Abstract

Uterus prolapse (UP) is a severe public health concern among married women of Madhesh and is poorly addressed by the state. It has multiple effects in the lives of married women. Systematic studies evaluating the impacts of Uterine prolapse on Madheshi Women’s life is not carried out in Nepal. This study sheds light on the investigation of, whether gender beliefs and gender-skewed cultural practices have association with high prevalence of UP and what are the impacts and predictors of UP for Madheshi women?

Case Study

Transitioning to practice: A nursing student peer mentoring leadership initiative

Margaret Bagnardi*
*Assistant Professor, Nursing James Madison University Harrionsburg, Virginia.
Bagnardi, M. (2011). Transitioning to practice: A nursing student peer mentoring leadership initiative. i-manager’s Journal on Nursing, 1(3), 37-42. https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.1.3.1524

Abstract

The current changes and challenges for the future of our healthcare system necessitates a renewed look at what the Baccalaureate prepared Registered Nurse (RN) looks like for the 21st century. There is urgency as we face increasing healthcare costs, inconsistent utilization of services and a demand for better, less costly and better organized healthcare for the nation. Nurses need to be the leaders in all facets of care from the patient bedside to administrative settings, and these leadership traits need to be nurtured early on in Registered Nurses’ education.A national survey “Bridging the Preparation Gap” (The Advisory Board Company, 2008) indicated that new graduate nurses scored the lowest in the areas of delegation of tasks, ability to anticipate risk, ability to prioritize, conflict resolution, and ability to keep track of multiple responsibilities. Fostering these leadership skills can be accomplished by introducing concepts early in the students’ nursing education, empowering them to perceive themselves as future leaders, and defining and creating a safe environment for them to practice those skills.

Review Paper

What Does It Mean to Use Intuition? Towards anUnderstanding Using Concept Analysis

Jamela M Martin*
*PhD Student, University of Virginia, School of Nursing.
Martin, J.M. (2011). What Does It Mean to Use Intuition? Towards an Understanding Using Concept Analysis. i-manager’s Journal on Nursing, 1(3), 43-50. https://doi.org/10.26634/jnur.1.3.2812

Abstract

Intuition has been defined by a variety of sources and used in many ways since the early days of philosopher Kant and mathematician Einstein. However the term 'intuition' remains quite vague in description, as varying disciplines have interpreted the meaning, use, and significance differently. Nurses use intuition frequently when caring for patients, both sick and well. Intuition often guides decision-making and can influence all phases of the nursing process. A further understanding of this concept may help define what intuition in nursing means and can enhance our ability to recognize its use in care settings. The purposes of this concept analysis are to further understand of the concept of intuition and to increase the general awareness of its use in nursing, to help care providers and educators recognize intuition as an important form of nursing knowledge, and to discern whether the use of intuition should be encouraged in nursing practice. Methods for analysis included comprehensive searches of medical literature databases and other library databases for sources outside of nursing or medical literature, and hand searches of reference lists. Using a constructivist view, with theory development as the major goal, the use of constructed borderline, related, contrary, invented, and illegitimate cases of intuition are analyzed.