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Biomedical subjects

J C Scherubel

Publications and source records attributed to J C Scherubel.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1994

Measuring clinical confusion in critically ill patients.

Confusion is frequently undetected by nurses due to superficial patient interviews. This is potentially dangerous for critically ill patients because they may injure themselves and prolong their recovery. Reliable and valid methods of identifying those at risk for developing confusion are needed. As part of a larger study, we tested three measures of confusion in a medical intensive care unit. The Mini-mental State Examination, Clinical Assessment of Confusion-A and Visual Analog Scale of Confusion were administered to 53 critically ill patients for 3-8 days yielding 140 sets of data. Psychometric analyses demonstrated the MMSE, CAC-A and VAS-C were reliable, valid instruments in this population. High correlations were found between instruments, and in over 75% of study days there was agreement in all test scores and clinical assessment of confusion.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1993

Nursing care hours of patients receiving varying amounts and types of consultation/liaison services.

Psychiatric comorbidities in the general hospital population have been found to increase the cost of health care. This descriptive study provides an in-depth analysis (including nursing hours), of general hospital patients receiving low, medium, and high intensity consultation/liaison (C/L) services from C/L psychiatrists and C/L nurses using computerized databases and the medical record. The results show that there are significant differences among the subgroups receiving varying amounts of C/L services. This study has particular significance for C/L nursing as many C/L nursing interventions are focused on both the patient and the delivery of nursing care by the staff nurse.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗
PubMed1989

Isolating the impact of psychiatric consultations in the general hospital: psychiatric comorbidities and nursing intensity.

The amount of nursing services represents a substantial portion of the total cost of hospital treatment of medical/surgical patients. Patients receiving psychiatric consultations were compared to matched patients (DRG and LOS) who did not receive psychiatric services on the intensity of their nursing service needs. These two groups were then compared on the measure of nursing intensity before and after the timing of the consultation. Those who received a consultation had significantly lower intensity scores prior to seeing the psychiatrist. Although patients receiving psychiatric consultations did not show a significantly greater reduction in nursing acuity relative to their baseline levels than did the matched control patients, the amount of time the psychiatrist spent with consultation patients was positively related with the change in nursing intensity post-consultation.

Costs and Cost Analysis↗
PubMed1989

The unification model: a collaborative effort.

The Rush unification model unites clinical practice with nursing education. In this system, nursing faculty possess joint responsibilities to the college of nursing and to a specific unit in the medical center. Collaboration among managers, clinical specialists, educators, and researchers leads to achievement of unit, college, and departmental goals. The collaborative process among the leadership group members in the medical intensive care unit, consisting of the unit leader, the assistant unit leader, the clinical nurse specialists, and the practitioner-teachers, is described in detail to show how utilization of the skills and strengths of each team member increases the benefits to the unit and the patient.

Education, Nursing↗
PubMed1988

Comparison of two systems to measure the severity of illness.

Using two systems of rating inpatient severity of illness, teaching hospital patients were classified into 15 common medical DRGs. The two systems were then analyzed and compared regarding conceptual differences, ability to predict costs within DRGs, and potential future resource usage with case-mix classifications.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1985

Selected pre-admission and academic correlates of success on State Board Examinations.

The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine student performance prior to and following admission to a baccalaureate nursing program in comparison with their performance on the individual sections of the State Board Test Pool Examinations (SBE) and an overall assessment of Pass-Fail on the SBE. The following hypothesis guided the study: It is possible to determine which variables are most influential in predicting success on SBEs. Additional research questions addressed the relationship between theoretical and clinical nursing courses and SBE performance, the pertinence of various demographic variables, and differences between students passing and failing SBEs. The sample was composed of the 139 Class of 1980 graduates for whom SBE results were available. Data pertaining to individual course grades, grade point averages, credit hours earned prior to admission, school attended prior to admission, previous academic degree, race, and all SBE scores were obtained. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed the junior or senior year cumulative clinical nursing theory GPA had the highest weighting in each section of the SBE and for Pass-Fail SBE. Cumulative clinical nursing theory GPAs were more highly correlated with SBE performance than were cumulative clinical nursing practicum GPAs. The pre-admission liberal arts and cumulative GPAs were also highly correlated with performance. In addition, the number of credit hours earned prior to admission, school attended, and race of the student were found to significant factors. Significant differences between students passing and failing SBEs were found in regard to their level of performance in course work.

Achievement↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Competency outcomes for learning and performance assessment. Redesigning a BSN curriculum.

In an atmosphere in which disgruntled students appeal to their legislators for intervention and faculty give few unsatisfactory clinical grades, the faculty of this state supported school of nursing began a two-step process to strengthen the assessment of students. The first step consisted of the appointment of a testing committee to provide faculty with ongoing assistance with test construction. The next concerned clinical evaluation.

Competency-Based Education↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The impact of computerized documentation on nurses' use of time.

With increased consideration being given to technological supports as a way to increase productivity, much attention is being paid to automated documentation systems. The purpose of this study was to determine (A) if bedside documentation technology decreased the time nurses spent in documentation activities and (B) if time of day, location, and quality of documentation differed between automated and nonautomated units. Nurses on the automated unit were able to decrease time spent in documentation activities and they were able to increase time spent in direct patient care. Some increase in standby time also was reported. Nurses were not able to increase patient loads as a result of this technology alone. Managers must consider ways to maximize use of time saved as a result of technology. Nurses on the automated unit were able to update care plans more easily and, along with other professionals, reported both positive and negative aspects of the printed output.

Efficiency, Organizational↗