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Meredith Wallace

Publications and source records attributed to Meredith Wallace.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2005

Finding more meaning: the antecedents of uncertainty revisited.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to explore the extent to which several antecedents explained the uncertainty of men who were undergoing the watchful waiting management option for prostate cancer. BACKGROUND: Uncertainty plays a significant role in explaining various outcomes in the chronically ill. However, little is known about the factors that accompany and modify uncertainty. For uncertainty to predict the outcomes of individuals coping with illness, it is imperative to understand its accompanying antecedents. DESIGN: The study used a correlational single group non-experimental design. METHODS: The convenience sample completed a one-time mailed questionnaire aimed at measuring the antecedents of uncertainty. RESULTS: A total of 19 participants completed questionnaires. The results revealed significant relationships between level of education and length of time with illness and uncertainty. Stepwise multiple regression indicated that education explained 52% of the variance in uncertainty. CONCLUSIONS: This study strengthens the relationship between both education and length of time with illness, and uncertainty. It further supports the Uncertainty in Illness Model and enhances the understanding of the factors that influence uncertainty in the sample. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study assisted in the identification of factors that influence uncertainty in men undergoing the watchful waiting management option for prostate cancer. Future study should examine the role of antecedents in explaining uncertainty in additional populations and using alternative measures, when necessary.

Aged↗
PubMed2005

Isolation followed by integration: a model for development of a separate geriatric course.

Because of the growing population of older adults in America, nursing faculty throughout the United States have been consistently challenged during the past decade to use the most appropriate methods to strengthen geriatric content in baccalaureate nursing programs. The question of whether to integrate content throughout the curriculum or offer a stand-alone geriatric nursing course has been explored extensively, but no ultimate conclusion has been found. With the support of a grant for geriatric curriculum integration from the John A. Hartford Foundation, one university began the journey to integrate geriatric nursing curriculum throughout all baccalaureate nursing courses. However, at a curriculum evaluation meeting held halfway through the grant period, faculty expressed the need to have concentrated content earlier in the program that could serve as a foundation on which to build geriatric knowledge. Faculty unanimously voted to create a geriatric nursing course to be offered to students during their second year of baccalaureate study.

Accreditation↗
PubMed2004

The watchful waiting management option for older men with prostate cancer: state of the science.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To summarize the recent literature and report the issues and controversies surrounding watchful waiting as a management option for prostate cancer. DATA SOURCES: All recent, published articles describing the experience, outcomes, and quality of life of men undergoing watchful waiting and the psychoeducational interventions tested in this population. DATA SYNTHESIS: The outcomes of men living with prostate cancer often do not vary greatly from men who are cured from the disease through radical prostatectomy or brachytherapy. Limited intervention studies have been aimed at improving these outcomes among those who have chosen watchful waiting. CONCLUSIONS: A paucity of information remains surrounding interventions to support men undergoing watchful waiting for prostate cancer. A consensus must be reached on who is most appropriate for watchful waiting. Watchful waiting does not mean doing nothing. Men who undergo watchful waiting should be assured that it is an active, deliberate process, not an opportunity to be overlooked by the healthcare system. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Future nursing care and research must concentrate on understanding the experience of men who are undergoing watchful waiting and interventions to improve outcomes in this population.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2004

Sexuality.

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Assessment and management of pathological and problem gambling among older adults.

The incidence of gambling among older adults has risen significantly over the last decade. Pathological and problem gambling disorders among older adults have devastating consequences including stress, alcohol abuse, loss of income and assets, treatment nonadherence, malnutrition, safety risks related to associated alcohol usage and financial losses, and increased psychiatric problems such as depression. This article reviews the theoretical frameworks and literature concerning gambling incidence, prevalence, behavior, diagnostic tools and interventional strategies for older adults, as well as nursing assessment, care planning, and management of gambling disorders.

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PubMedDate not supplied

The journey toward geriatric excellence in a non-research-intensive university.

In response to the unprecedented rise in the U.S. older adult population, nurse educators have intensified efforts to produce graduates who are sensitive to older adults' health care concerns. Critical to accomplishing this goal is strengthening curricula to include specialized gerontological content. Although the science of gerontological nursing has grown significantly over the past several decades, large-scale research projects are often confined to research or doctoral level universities in which typically more support is available. Faculty members in smaller universities in which a great number of nursing students are educated do not always have the resources to readily contribute to science. Such a challenge was faced by one nursing school in a small Jesuit New England university. This article illustrates a process to develop excellence in gerontological nursing education, as well as to promote scholarship and collaboration among faculty members at baccalaureate or master's level universities. Three years ago, the John A. Hartford Foundation, in collaboration with the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, awarded grants to select nursing programs for curricular enhancement. Implementation of this project at a small Jesuit university led to synergy among faculty that resulted in joint publications, presentations, and newly funded projects. In addition, the school earned local and national recognition for excellence in gerontological nursing education/care. The process leading to the outstanding success of this curricular endeavor is presented as a replicable model for schools in other baccalaureate or master's level settings.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Is there a nurse in the house? The role of nurses in assisted living: past, present, and future.

The large increase in the number of older adults in the United States has mandated more supportive housing options. Assisted living facilities (ALFs) were developed as a necessary, desirable, and available residential option for older adults. The lower cost of ALFs compared with skilled nursing facilities and the emphasis on greater autonomy within these facilities are appealing to older consumers and their families. However, although many ALF residents have chronic health care needs, the roles and availability of nurses in these facilities vary greatly. This article discusses the history and creation of ALFs, the current role of nurses within these facilities, and the many factors influencing nursing in the assisted living industry. The role of nurse practitioners in these facilities is discussed. Finally, a vision for the future of nursing in ALFs is presented.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Promoting spiritual knowledge and attitudes: a student nurse education project.

PURPOSE: The spiritual dimension of holistic nursing is an area that has been neglected within nursing education. The purpose of this project was to develop and test a spirituality-focused nursing student education project designed to enhance the knowledge and understanding of spiritual care among nursing students. The researchers anticipated that the pilot program would result in a spiritually focused clinical experience that could be permanently implemented in the course and integrated throughout other clinical courses in the curriculum. METHODS: The Spirituality and Spiritual Care Rating Scale (SSCRS) was used to measure students' knowledge and understanding of spirituality and spiritual care. Following the administration of the pretest, a set of educational strategies was implemented to promote the spiritual knowledge and attitudes of nursing students. Examples of strategies used included a half-day educational presentation as well as the incorporation of presence, prayer, reminiscence, and chapel visits into resident care. RESULTS: Significant differences were seen between student total pretest and posttest scores on the SSCRS (t = -2.893, P = .018) as well as individual instrument items when compared before and after the intervention. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: This pilot project focused on a spirituality-focused nursing student education project designed to enhance the knowledge and understanding of spiritual care among nursing students. Results indicated that the pilot program was beneficial and should be disseminated more widely.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Uncertainty and quality of life of older men who undergo watchful waiting for prostate cancer.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To explore uncertainty, anxiety, and the personal manner in which uncertainty is understood, and explain the health-related and affective quality of life (QOL) of men who undergo watchful waiting for prostate cancer. DESIGN: Descriptive, quantitative, survey approach. SETTING: United States. SAMPLE: A national sample of 21 men diagnosed with prostate cancer (mean age = 76 years) who had elected to receive no treatment for their disease. METHODS: 19 subjects who met the criteria contacted the researcher and completed the mailed questionnaire. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES: Uncertainty and QOL. FINDINGS: Moderate yet significant relationships were found between each of the independent variables. Significant relationships were found among uncertainty, anxiety, and the perception of danger (a dimension of QOL). Using hierarchical multiple regression, a model was built to explain 60% of the variance in this QOL dimension. CONCLUSIONS: This study supports that men who undergo watchful waiting are uncertain and that this uncertainty results in their perception of danger and influences their affective health-functioning QOL. This study lends further support for the Uncertainty in Illness Model in the watchful waiting population. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The findings of this study imply that increased teaching and patient care management regarding watchful waiting are needed both before and after the treatment decision has been made. This study provides the framework for further study on interventions to improve the QOL of this population.

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PubMedDate not supplied

Development, implementation, and evaluation of a geriatric nurse education program.

Substantial gaps exist between the number of older adults requiring competent geriatric care and the number of nurses able to provide it. The purpose of this study was to develop, implement, and evaluate a geriatric nurse education program to ensure nurses meet the needs of the increasing elderly population. Establishing partnerships between individuals in academia and those in a clinical practice was imperative in the development of the program. Content for the program was created with the assistance of a geriatric nursing consultant and approved by the State Nurses Association. The program was piloted with 18 participating nurses. Using paired ttests, pretests and posttests revealed significant improvements in the level of knowledge and attitudes toward older adults. As a result of the program, participants showed improved attitudes toward and increased knowledge of older adults' needs, and further program development and dissemination are planned nationally and abroad.

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