Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M I Fitch

Publications and source records attributed to M I Fitch.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

Fostering research growth in a nursing department.

Introducing research objectives in nursing departments is presenting challenges for nurse administrators. Where does one begin? The Nursing Department at Toronto General Hospital implemented a number of strategies to make the vision, "research integrated with daily practice", a reality. The strategies served to translate the vision into concrete actions. Three broad themes are used to describe the strategies--bringing resources together, raising awareness about research and conducting research projects. This article describes some of the strategies we implemented in anticipation that other Nursing Departments may benefit from our experiences.

Hospitals, General↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Five years in the life of a nursing research and professional development division.

The Nursing Research and Professional Development Directorate was established to support the growth of research of professional practice in the Nursing Department. Designed as an innovative work structure, it elicited high commitment from its members, contributed to their satisfaction and freed their creative potential. The organizational structure and processes were designed to satisfy the important work criteria of involvement in decision-making, equity, dignity, security, job challenge, autonomy, mutual trust and open communication. The Directorate not only brought together expertise in research and professional development but also created mechanisms to ensure the expertise was available at the bedside. With a mandate of developing and transmitting knowledge, the availability of that knowledge in the practice arena is a mark of our success. This article describes our formative experiences including the structure, processes and outcomes of our work. The challenges we faced are also discussed.

Humans↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Predicting psychological distress in patients with cancer: conceptual basis and reliability evaluation of a self-report questionnaire.

UNLABELLED: BACKGROUND/MATERIALS AND METHODS: A battery of instruments intended to predict the likelihood of future psychosocial distress in patients with cancer was developed and tested. The battery consists of newly-developed items for constructs relating to social support and to past coping experiences. Embedded within the past coping items are items on future illness-dependent expectations. The battery also incorporates previously developed instruments for recent stressful life events (Sarason) and the presence of anxiety or depression (SCL-90-R). The reliability of the entire instrument was determined in 2 similar groups of patients with cancer. RESULTS: The illness-dependent expectations items were stable and internally consistent. The past coping and social support items possessed stability, but did not possess sufficient internal consistency for either to be used as a scale. The recent stressful life event scores were not stable in either patient group over the two week retest interval. For the SCL-90-R, internal consistencies and stability coefficients are acceptable for all symptom dimensions with the exception of the stability coefficient for hostility.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Health promotion and early detection of cancer in older adults: assessing knowledge about cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To identify the knowledge level concerning cancer in older Canadian adults. DESIGN: Descriptive. SETTING: Urban community in Canada. SAMPLE: Convenience sample of 513 adults over the age of 55 (72% female; 68% born in countries other than Canada). METHODS: A self-report questionnaire, the Cancer Knowledge Survey for Elders, was administered to participants in their native language (eight different language groups). Distribution was through community workers and public healthy nurses who worked with older adults. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Knowledge about cancer, language group, length of time living in the country. FINDINGS: The highest number of correct responses (87%) was for the item "Can some cancers be cured if they are discovered early?" The highest number of wrong answers (67%) was for the item "Can a bump or bruise to the body cause cancer?" Sixty-six percent did not consider age as a risk factor. For all but three items, the proportion of English language to non-English language individuals with correct answers was significantly different individuals whose native language was not English were less knowledgeable about cancer. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: This study offers a basis for a large multicultural survey. Should the observations be confirmed in a larger sample, implications exist for public education about the risk factors and signs and symptoms of cancer, especially with individuals for whom English is not a native language. CONCLUSIONS: In this sample, specific areas were identified in which knowledge about cancer was lacking. In particular, the increased risk of cancer with advancing age was not recognized by a significant portion of study participants.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Patients' knowledge of and attitudes toward the management of cancer pain.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To examine patients' knowledge of and attitudes toward the management of cancer pain and to identify, from the patients' perspectives, factors contributing to effective and ineffective pain relief. DESIGN: Descriptive, correlational. SETTING: Ambulatory care oncology facility in Canada. SAMPLE: Convenience sample of 42 patients receiving oral pain medication for chronic cancer-related pain. METHODS: Participants completed a modified version of the Patient Pain Questionnaire and a demographic questionnaire and responded to two open-ended questions. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Patients' knowledge of and attitudes toward cancer pain management and their perceptions of factors contributing to effective and ineffective pain relief. FINDINGS: Many patients locked knowledge of the principles involved in effective cancer pain management and had unrealistic concerns about taking pain medications. Significant negative relationships were found between pain intensity ratings and factors such as patients' knowledge of pain management, their level of satisfaction with pain relief, and their perception of the goal of pain management. Patients identified a number of impediments to effective pain relief, including concerns about addiction and various side effects to pain medications. CONCLUSIONS: Many patients have inadequate knowledge about the management of cancers pain and have unrealistic concerns about taking pain medications, both of which have been identified in the literature as barriers to effective cancer pain management. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: A need exists for patient education that addresses patients' misconceptions and concerns about using pain medications and the principles involved in effective cancer pain management.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Breast cancer detection practices of south Asian women: knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To explore knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices regarding breast cancer detection practices among South Asian women. DESIGN: Descriptive exploratory design. SETTING: Toronto, Ontario, Canada. SAMPLE: 57 South Asian women, age 40 and over, who are first generation immigrants from India and Pakistan and speak one of the four languages identified for the study--Hindi, Punjabi, Gujarati, or Urdu. METHODS: An interview guide was designed specifically for this study. It contained questions regarding knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and practices about breast self-examination (BSE), clinical breast examination (CBE), and mammogram. In addition, questions assessing the variables of the Health Belief Model and health motivations also were included. The data were obtained during face-to-face interviews in the primary language of the participating woman. The interviews were transcribed and translated into English. FINDINGS: 12% of the participants practiced BSE monthly, 49% had undergone at least one CBE during their lives, and 47% had never had a mammogram. The majority (54%) said they did not know very much about breast cancer. While 21% of the women said detecting cancer early was important, only 5% reported that cancer could be cured. Age, education, or mother tongue showed no statistically significant relationship with the breast health practice scores. However, proficiency with the English language (p = 0.009) and number of years in Canada (p = 0.009) had a significant relationship with the breast health practice scores. The significant explanatory factor for the variable breast health practices was a cue to action (p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: South Asian women with minimal knowledge of breast cancer did not engage in breast cancer detection practices. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE: This segment of the population of immigrant women needs to be better informed about breast cancer and the benefits of breast cancer detection practices.

Adult↗