Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M J Schank

Publications and source records attributed to M J Schank.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

An instrument to measure professional nursing values.

PURPOSE: To describe the Nursing Professional Values Scale (NPVS), its development, reliability and validity, and its derivation from the Code of Ethics of the American Nurses Association. DESIGN: The NPVS was tested on 599 subjects, including baccalaureate and masters' students and practicing nurses. The students were enrolled in one of 25 programs selected at random from all NLN accredited programs in the United States. Practicing nurses were randomly selected from a State Board of Nursing list. METHOD: A 44-item, norm-referenced instrument with a Likert-scale format was tested. The responses of participants to this instrument were subjected to principal axis factor analysis with varimax rotation. FINDINGS: Eight factors were identified, accounting for 58% of the total variance. The two major factors were Caregiving and Activism. CONCLUSIONS: Initial results showed a high level of reliability and validity for the NPVS. The NPVS is a useful instrument for measuring professional nursing values and enhancing professional socialization.

Ethics, Nursing↗

Describing parish nurse practice using the Nursing Minimum Data Set.

The purpose of this study was to describe parish nurses practice using the framework of the Nursing Minimum Data Set (NMDS). Nineteen parish nurses practicing in 22 faith communities collected data using standardized nursing classification systems (North American Nursing Diagnosis Association [NANDA] Taxonomy and Nursing Intervention Classification [NIC]). A database was developed for quantitative analysis. Nurses recorded 1,557 encounters for services provided to 776 individuals. Over the period studied, the nurses recorded 1,730 nursing diagnoses and 3,451 nursing interventions. The most frequent nursing diagnoses and nursing interventions are reported and emphasized health promotion and illness prevention. The parish nurse roles of educator, counselor, referral agent, and advocate/facilitator, described in the literature, were consistent with the findings of this study. A focus group of the parish nurses provided validation of the results of the database descriptions of practice. The nurses also identified issues related to the use of NANDA and NIC in documenting practice.

Christianity↗

Toward building an international consensus in professional values.

Although the importance of professional values has been espoused and national codes for nurses exist, there is a lack of systematic study to ascertain the commonalities of values among professional nurses. As part of a larger international study of professional values, nursing students from England and the USA (n = 130) were surveyed to determine congruence of values. The Professional Values Scale (PVS) instrument was used to collect data. Results showed a high degree of congruence among nursing students. The incongruencies found may be related to cultural differences in education and practice.

Adult↗

Health care delivery in faith communities: the parish nurse model.

Religious institutions and nurses have a common bond--both are committed to empowering individuals to achieve their full potential and believe in the self-care capacity of individuals. The purpose of this study was to examine parish nursing as an evolving model of care within faith communities. Annualization of monthly reports and parish nurse interviews revealed that parish nurse activities contributed to the empowerment process and to the attainment of Healthy People 2000 objectives.

Community Health Nursing↗

Health and social support among older women in congregate housing.

This study of community-dwelling elderly women found that perceptions of positive health status and adequate social support do not decline with age, even among the old old. The relationship between health status and social support reflects the reciprocal nature of person and environment found in the ecologic model.

Aged↗

Health care diaries of young women.

The purpose of this study was to describe young women's self-care activities related to health maintenance and symptom management. Seventy-six young adult women kept a daily health diary for 3 weeks. They reported a total of 1,213 health maintenance practices. The self-care interventions used to manage symptoms were varied and specific to the reported symptoms. The most frequently reported illness management activity was the use of over-the-counter medications. The self-care measures selected by these young women reflect deliberate approaches to their situations. The findings suggest that nurses in the community should use young adult health promoting and health maintaining behaviors as a basis for designing interventions.

Adult↗

Importance of professional nursing values: a national study of baccalaureate programs.

Research about professional nursing values is scarce. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were different perceptions about professional nursing values between senior baccalaureate nursing students and their faculty. The Professional Nursing Behavior Instrument (PNB) used in this research was based on the nursing role behaviors identified in the AACN's (1986) Essentials Report as exemplars of seven essential values. A national sample of 10 public and 16 private baccalaureate programs resulted in a return of 656 students (57%) and 350 faculty (70%). Faculty values were significantly higher than students' (p < .045) with faculty valuing equality, human dignity, and freedom more highly. Enrollment or employment in a public or private institution or studying ethics, theology, and philosophy did not significantly affect values. Faculty with more teaching experience had higher value scores (p < .004).

Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate↗

Health status, health perceptions, and health behaviors of young adult women.

A descriptive, exploratory study of 76 young adult women enrolled in a women's health course at a large, midwestern university was undertaken to identify their current health status, health perceptions, and general health behaviors. Two groups of young adult females participated, nursing students (n = 38) and non-nursing students (n = 38). The panel of young adult women in this study reported their health as good or excellent, viewed health as very important and generally used positive health practices. However, data revealed that the lifestyles of many respondents were not conducive to promoting or maintaining health. Negative health practices identified were drinking and driving, non-performance of self breast examinations, ineffective stress management strategies and poor dietary and exercise habits. No significant differences were noted between nursing and non-nursing students.

Adult↗

Young adult women: lifestyle and health locus of control.

A study of 76 young adult women, 38 nursing students and 38 non-nursing students, examined their lifestyle practices and health locus of control (HLOC). Findings revealed a significant difference between reported lifestyle practices and the career choice of these young adult women. The lifestyle practice areas in which the most notable differences occurred included: use of seat belts, frequency of alcohol use, frequency of junk food intake, use of illegal drugs and hours of sleep per night. While differences in HLOC were evident between nursing and non-nursing students, no relationship was found between a young woman's HLOC and her lifestyle practices. The differences in HLOC showed that nurses were more frequently pure internal whereas most non-nurses were found to be double externals. The pure chance category had the fewest number of respondents. The difference in lifestyle practices between these young adult women can be explained in part by curriculum variations, as can the difference in HLOC patterns.

Adult↗

Profile: frail elderly women, maintaining independence.

While several published studies have examined the interactions of health status and social support in the general population or elderly segment of the population, there has been no reported study that specifically examines the health status and social support of frail elderly women, aged 85 years and older. This study reports on the findings of a research study that examined a group of frail elderly women, residing in the community. It focuses on why and how these women are able to live independently. The relationships between health status and social support and between health status and the process of ageing are explored. The study reveals the importance of social support assessments of this group as a prerequisite to effective health care policy, professional health education programmes, and community resource development.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Maintaining health and independence of elderly women.

1. There is a paucity of research specific to elderly women in the nursing literature. Research is needed in this area because older women have different patterns of aging than men. 2. Since older women are the most rapidly growing segment of American society, there is a need to maintain their health and independence while minimizing the effects of chronic illness. 3. Elderly women with a reported health status of excellent or good indicated they had a greater degree of social support than respondents reporting a fair or poor health status. 4. Women residing in private housing reported having an excellent or good health status and a greater degree of social support more frequently than women in public housing.

Activities of Daily Living↗

The leadership/management role: a differentiating factor for ADN/BSN programs?

The resurgence of the ADN/BSN issue relative to educational preparation and roles and the concomitant development of positions taken by the professional associations and National Commission on Nursing pointed to the need for study of current ADN/BSN curricula and utilization of graduates. Based upon a brief historical literature review and ADN/BSN competency statements, the leadership/management role was selected for study as a possible differentiating factor between these programs. Findings from a statewide study of ADN and BSN programs and a representative sample of nurse executives indicated that an education and service dilemma exists relative to this role. The majority of ADN program directors noted that a leadership/management component should be part of ADN curricula, whereas BSN program directors did not concur. Nurse executives utilized ADN graduates in leadership/management positions and stated that length of experience was an influencing factor in selection. Numerous other findings showed a discrepancy in beliefs and practices among educators and nurse executives. This survey demonstrates the need for curriculum changes and role clarification. The leadership/management role may be a viable area for consideration.

Administrative Personnel↗

The potential of expert systems in nursing.

The newly emerging technology of expert systems will not replace nursing decision-makers and problem-solvers, but it does promise to serve them as effective "intelligent assistants." An examination of what expert systems are, where expert systems are being used, whether they are possible and economically feasible in nursing, and the benefits, limitations, and future of expert systems, suggest that there is the potential for the development and use of expert systems in some areas of nursing practice, administration, and education. It is the role of nursing administrators to identify and to support the development of those applications that are the most promising.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗