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Biomedical subjects

A Bowman

Publications and source records attributed to A Bowman.

59 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Training chemical dependency counselors to treat nicotine dependence.

To test the effectiveness of providing chemical dependency (CD) staff with a knowledge-and-skills-building workshop on treatment of nicotine dependence, we employed a nested cross-sectional design with six outpatient CD programs in Nebraska (3 intervention, 3 control sites). Data on tobacco counseling provided by CD staff were obtained by telephone from sequential samples of smokers currently receiving alcohol treatment at each participating site. Intervention site clients with clinic visits after the staff training workshop were no more likely than intervention-site clients with clinic visits before the workshop to report having been counseled about their smoking (OR = 0.95, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.74-1.21). However, control-site clients were significantly more likely to report having been counseled about smoking during the second half of the study (OR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.49-3.08), even though staff training was not provided at control sites until data collection had been completed. These findings suggest that in some alcohol treatment programs simple monitoring of staff counseling practices may be sufficient to increase the frequency of attention to tobacco. In others, more intensive efforts might be needed to shift CD staff toward more consistent treatment of nicotine dependence.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Serum levels of CA 125 and TPS during treatment of ovarian cancer.

Two hundred and sixty ovarian cancer patients (including all FIGO stages) were enrolled in a prospective multicentre study. In this interim study we analyzed 206 patients receiving combined chemotherapy for at least 3 courses for two-year overall survival (OS). CA 125 and TPS were applied for monitoring treatment and the relationship between marker levels, marker changes and clinical assessments was established. Preoperative CA 125 or TPS levels were not correlated with OS in FIGO stage I and II patients. After 3 chemotherapy courses the marker levels were not correlated with OS in stage I and II. Partial debulking in stage II patients was a bad prognostic factor. CA 125 or TPS levels (using a CA 125 discrimination level of 25 kU/l and a TPS discrimination level of 100 U/l) after 3 courses of chemotherapy were highly significantly correlated with OS in FIGO stages III and IV patients: CA 125 two-year OS 67% versus 26% (p < 0.0001) and TPS two-year OS 55% versus 22% (p < 0.0001). The prognostic value of CA 125 levels after 3 chemotherapy courses could be further increased by combining CA 125 and TPS levels. When both CA 125 and TPS levels were below their respective discrimination levels, the two-year overall survival was 75%. When both levels were above the discrimination level, the two-year overall survival was only 17%.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Planning change in scheduling practices: a theoretical perspective.

The dynamic nature of today's health care environment requires innovation and creativity in organizational structure and management style. Some of the most essential concerns of nursing staff today are related to quality of working life, and perhaps a central focus for most nurse employees is a scheduling system which offers the flexibility necessary for them to respond to an active personal and professional life. This paper describes the utilization of change theory in operationalizing new scheduling practices with four unique nursing groups. The self designed master rotation and a self scheduling process are two examples of innovative change implemented by four nurse managers. Each participative management approach is presented in relation to the phases of Lewin's change process. Strategies include a needs assessment survey, facilitating staff participation in the design, implementation and evaluation of a new scheduling practice and encouraging group responsibility for the process and outcome of the planned change.

Decision Making, Organizational↗