Biomedical subjects

L M Nagle

Publications and source records attributed to L M Nagle.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1999

A matter of extinction or distinction.

In view of fiscal constraints and the increasingly technical environments of health care, the essential and unique contributions of all health care providers, including nurses, are being challenged. This article examines current challenges to the role of nurses and the future of nursing as a unique discipline. As the work of nurses becomes increasingly defined by the technologies of care, what will distinguish nursing from other disciplines and nurses from other care providers? Can nurses lay claim to uniqueness in their knowledge base, technical competencies, and caring behaviors? Other types of workers are increasingly rendering elements of clinical care traditionally provided by nurses. As we move into the next millennium, will nursing become extinct or distinct as a health care profession?

Attitude to Health↗

PubMed1998

The meaning of technology for people with chronic renal failure.

The article is based on the findings of a hermeneutic study that focused on the experience of individuals receiving hemodialysis for chronic renal failure. The purpose of the research was to begin to understand the experience and meaning of technology for these individuals. Three themes reflected the dimensions of the participants' individual and collective experiences: coming to terms with loss and limitations, abiding with technology, and enduring the treatment environment. Overall, the participants found themselves struggling to remain embodied while being transformed by a reluctant partnering with technology.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1997

The patient care process: pathways in transition.

Developing patient care processes to include multiple activities of care, the continuum of care, primary diagnoses and co-morbid conditions, risk factors and outcomes of care improves patient care management in general. The Patient Care Process (PCP) is one initiative utilized to support standards of care and optimal resource utilization in our organization. This paper will focus on the issues and opportunities identified with the use of patient care plans, particularly the uniqueness of a new level of outcomes monitoring and evaluation.

Critical Pathways↗

PubMed1997

Transforming resource utilization data into information.

In view of increasing financial pressures, resource utilization management and review have become a primary focus for many healthcare organizations. Utilization strategies have been supported and enhanced by information technologies in many organizations. This paper describes the development and implementation of an on-line application for resource utilization review. Developed for use by clinicians and case managers, access to on-line utilization data has markedly influenced strategic clinical and financial decisions. Recommendations for future use and revisions are provided.

Data Display↗

PubMed1997

Health-related outcomes management: moving forward standing still.

In response to increasing economic and political pressures, administrators and other health-care professionals have become increasingly concerned with health-related outcomes management. The categories of outcomes in health care have been identified within administrative, economic, and clinical realms. Great emphasis has been placed in the literature on the importance of measuring and using outcome data for decision making. Despite this emphasis, little progress has been made in either the science or the art of outcomes management. Furthermore, integrating the art and science into systematic processes for outcomes management has been done with limited success. This paper focuses on the state of outcome concepts, measurement, collection, and evaluation. Strategies will be offered to move the conceptualization and operationalization of outcomes management forward.

Data Collection↗

PubMed1996

The superhighway to nursing science and practice.

Nursing is evolving within a societal context of shifting paradigms and pervasive technology. Information technology offers untold possibilities to enhance the mechanisms of health care delivery. The capacity for comprehensive access to and integration of information and knowledge suggests a holistic approach that transcends time, settings, and providers. Moreover, the interface between nursing practice and nursing informatics provides an opportunity to create new science and to expand the boundaries of nursing knowledge.

Humans↗

PubMed1995

Establishing a meaningful relationship: case costing and clinical practice.

The authors provide an overview of the defining principles guiding the movement toward managed care in an organization. Specifically, the significance of linking case specific costs to clinical practice activities and how this supports outcome monitoring will be discussed. Sustaining a cost-quality balance in the delivery of health care is predicated on the development of integrated financial and clinical information systems.

Case Management↗

PubMed1995

A decision support system to meet the fluctuating needs of a hospital nursing unit.

Regardless of the care taken in generating a nursing unit staff schedule, changes in patient census and acuity as well as staff illnesses and unexpected absenteeism create unanticipated "gaps" in a schedule. Due to a lack of timely information on staff availability and nursing preferences, filling these vacancies can be costly and time consuming. We propose that by combining a revised staffing structure with an integrated database management system, a decision support system can be developed. This can enable non-management staff to make substantial time and cost saving decisions while maintaining the highest level of patient care.

Decision Support Systems, Management↗

PubMed1991

Theoretic diversity: evolving paradigmatic issues in research and practice.

Although research and practice differ in that one is the building of knowledge and the other the application of that knowledge, it is suggested herein that there are interesting parallels to explore between the evolving debate on research methods and the emerging theoretic debates on practice. On the basis of the Canadian experience and the trend toward adoption of a single-theory approach, the authors argue for theoretic diversity in nursing practice settings.

Humans↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Working toward clinical nursing excellence.

The professional nursing literature offers limited explication of the meaning of clinical nursing excellence, thus few strategies to facilitate and maintain excellence in practice. The purpose of this paper is to describe a workshop that was designed to give definition and practice directions for the concept of "clinical nursing excellence". Workshop participants were the nursing leaders of a large Canadian university teaching hospital. The program structure was presented by a working committee from within that group and the content was provided by those in attendance. The objectives for this two-day workshop were: 1. To identify characteristics of clinical nursing excellence within the organization. 2. To describe programs, activities, and functions (current and future) that are consistent with clinical nursing excellence. 3. To identify those factors inhibiting and supporting clinical nursing excellence within the institution. 4. To promote networking and communication between nursing leaders within the Nursing Department. 5. To promote Departmental/Directorate development of a plan for further enhancement of clinical nursing excellence. This cooperative workshop was deemed a worthwhile endeavour for all participants. Nurse administrators may find the process and or products of this workshop useful for identifying departmental strategies to enhance nursing practice.

Clinical Competence↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Attitudes toward computers. A test of construct validity.

A study was undertaken to examine the factors that influence student and registered nurse attitudes toward computers. This article provides a report of the psychometric findings related to the use of Stronge and Brodt's Nurses' Attitudes Toward Computerization questionnaire. The convenience sample consisted of 394 registered nurses employed in a large metropolitan hospital and 299 baccalaureate student nurses. Principal component analysis was performed identifying three factors for the nurse sample, including nurses' work, organizational issues, and barriers to use. Four factors emerged in the student sample: nurses' work, barriers, organizational issues, and efficiency issues. These findings were inconsistent with previous studies and the underlying categories identified by Stronge and Brodt. Further development of the understanding of the substantive components of attitudes toward computers is recommended.

Adult↗