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P Crawford

Publications and source records attributed to P Crawford.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Men in nursing: ambivalence in care, gender and masculinity.

This paper briefly reviews some aspects of the history of men in nursing and suggests that for centuries men have been at the forefront of caring work, and that it was in the mid-nineteenth century when shifts in the nature of masculinity and femininity occurred, spearheaded by Florence Nightingale, which resulted in nursing becoming feminised. Drawing on techniques of oral history, this paper presents the experiences of two men who pioneered the return of men into nursing, and how their work changed in the course of their working lives. Both men saw a shift away from institutional hierarchies towards a more patient centred model, which accompanied comparable developments in their own thinking in different fields of nursing. There were differences in the work they did and how they constructed their pasts, yet there were also similarities in the way they developed their philosophy of caring for patients.

Historiography↗
PubMed1999

The language of mental health nursing reports: firing paper bullets?

A great deal of the caring work of nursing is accomplished and mediated through language. This paper attempts to characterize some of this language in quantitative and stylistic terms in an attempt to characterize the genre of nursing report language. Nursing students (n = 26) and graduate nurses (n = 3) viewed a videotape of a person being interviewed by a psychiatrist and produced written reports. These showed a large proportion of words relating to the person and to feelings and needs, compared to existing databases of the English language in general. The language produced by the participants also contained many modal or modifying words and is similar to spoken rather than written English in terms of the proportion of lexical content. There was much diversity in their descriptions and the vocabulary used to refer to the client. Graduate nurses showed more scepticism of the evidence provided by the video and advocated more investigation and questioning of the client. The use of standard forms and techniques of expression suggests that these reports were assembled on a language production line. Finally, we advocate a more systematic approach to educating nursing students about the power of the language they use.

England↗
PubMed1999

Gender difference in management of epilepsy-what women are hearing.

This study reports the results of a questionnaire survey of female members of the British Epilepsy Association (BEA). The women were asked about their concerns about their epilepsy with respect to being female, and, in particular, asked about the information they had been given on important topics such as contraception and pregnancy. A questionnaire was sent to 6000 BEA female members of whom 1855 (31%) replied. Forty-six percent of the women (mainly aged between 26 and 45) stated that they currently used some form of contraception. The most frequently used method was the condom (34%). Twenty-two percent of the women using contraception were taking the oral contraceptive pill whilst a further 4% were using a hormonal contraceptive injection. Fifty-one percent of the women aged between 16 and 55 claimed not to have received any advice about possible interactions between contraception and antiepileptic drug therapy. With regards to pregnancy, 34% claimed they had not received any advice and 25% had not discussed pregnancy with anyone. The women planning to have children over the subsequent 2 years received the greatest amount of advice about epilepsy and pregnancy, although 20% still claimed not to have received any information. Thirty-four percent of the women in the study stated that they were either menopausal or post-menopausal. Twenty-nine percent of women who had taken hormone replacement therapy in the past reported an increase in seizure frequency compared with 18% amongst current users. This survey has shown that women with epilepsy want, and need, more information and counselling about issues relating to contraception, pregnancy and the menopause.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

Best practice guidelines for the management of women with epilepsy. The Women with Epilepsy Guidelines Development Group.

Clinical guidelines for the treatment of epilepsy have been published. A statement on management issues for women with epilepsy has recently been produced by the American Academy of Neurology which has raised awareness of the issues facing women with epilepsy. The communication presented here aims to review current literature on specific issues relating to women with epilepsy, and proposes graded recommendations for its management within a UK health care framework.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed1999

Women with epilepsy: their views about their treatment and care.

This study reports the results of a questionnaire survey of female members of the British Epilepsy Association. The women were asked about their epilepsy and its management. A questionnaire was sent to 6000 BEA women members of whom 1855 (31%) replied. The majority of women (89%) stated they currently take older antiepileptic medications, either as monotherapy or in combination with others. Newer antiepileptic drugs were prescribed to 30% of women. The most frequently mentioned antiepileptic drug side-effects were tiredness and forgetfulness. Seventy percent of the sample considered that the lack of energy had at least a moderate impact on their life. Thirty-eight percent of women would have liked better seizure control whilst 32% agreed that they would prefer to change to a medication with fewer side-effects. However, 49% were reluctant to change their medication. Fifty-nine percent stated that they see their hospital specialist regularly whilst half the sample (49%) saw their GP regularly. Hospital specialists on the whole, played a more active role in the management of epilepsy than GPs. Many women (68%) felt that their GP's main task appeared to be to write prescriptions and 40% felt that they knew more about their epilepsy than their GP. However, the women generally perceived that their GP or hospital specialists were sympathetic to their condition and their concerns.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Changes in self-esteem in black and white girls between the ages of 9 and 14 years. The NHLBI Growth and Health Study.

PURPOSE: We examined changes in self-esteem and feelings of competence with physical appearance and social acceptance over approximately 5 years in 1166 white and 1213 black girls, aged 9 and 10 years at baseline. METHODS: Maturation stage and body mass index (BMI) were assessed annually. Biennially girls completed Harter's Self-Perception Profile for children. Changes were analyzed in the context of race, sexual maturation, BMI, and household income. Longitudinal regression models were used to compare trends with age in global self-worth, physical appearance, and social acceptance. RESULTS: Mean global self-worth showed little change over ages 9-14 years in blacks (p = 0.09) but decreased in whites (p < 0.001). Mean physical appearance scores for both races declined between ages 9 and 14 years (blacks, p < 0.001; whites, p < 0.001). Mean social acceptance scores increased for both races between ages 9 and 14 years (blacks, p < 0.001; whites, p < 0.001). For all three scores, these changes differed between blacks and whites (all three p values, < or = 0.002). Adjustment for maturation stage, BMI, and household income did not alter the significance or direction of racial differences in the changes with age in global self-worth and physical appearance scores. Self-worth, physical appearance, and social acceptance scores decreased with increasing BMI. Decreases in physical appearance and social acceptance scores with increasing BMI were smaller in blacks than in whites (p < 0.05). After adjustment for maturation stage and household income, racial differences in social acceptance scores depended on BMI (p < 0.05) but not on age (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS: This article reports the first data on self-esteem scores by age for a large population of black girls aged 9 and 14 years and concludes that self-esteem does not follow the same developmental pattern in black as in white girls. A reason for black girls' higher and more stable self-worth and their greater satisfaction with their physical appearance compared to white girls may be racial differences in attitudes toward physical appearance and obesity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Epilepsy needs revisited: a revised epilepsy needs document for the UK.

We revisit epilepsy needs in the United Kingdom, and update our previous publication to take into account new epidemiological data, changes in investigation and treatment and trends in the organization of health and other caring agencies. This document attempts to define and quantify the scope, content and standards of services required, from primary care settings to specialized centres. Reference is also made to the role of other agencies.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

An audit of topiramate use in a general neurology clinic.

The purpose of this study was to look at the efficacy and side effect profile of topiramate in a neurology unit. Using case notes, 94 patients who had been treated with topiramate were identified: 48 patients had taken part in clinical trials of topiramate, 46 received topiramate once licensed. Of these patients 24% had a greater than 50% decrease in seizure frequency. Patients with primary generalized epilepsy (n = 12) had a greater reduction in seizures compared with those with partial epilepsies (n = 70) P > 0.03. There was a high incidence (41%) of side effects, particularly psychiatric problems, leading to withdrawal of therpay in 41% of patients. Seven patients were admitted to hospital as a result of psychotic symptoms or depression. The incidence of psychotic symptoms (12%) was significantly higher for patients receiving topiramate compared with 191 patients attending the department on gabapentin (0.5%) and 270 patients attending the department on lamotrigine (0.7%) P < 0.001. 'Abnormal thinking', consisting of mental slowing and word-finding difficulties, occurred in 31%. The incidence could be significantly reduced by using 25 mg dose increments fortnightly as opposed to 100 mg weekly (P > 0.03). Although topiramate is an effective antiepileptic drug, its use is accompanied by a high incidence of particularly psychiatric side effects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Fruits without labour: the implications of Friedrich Nietzsche's ideas for the caring professions.

Seldom is the work of philosophers invoked by health professionals when examining aspects of care from a philosophical perspective. Instead, students of health care, especially nurses, have been introduced to 'philosophies' which are often superficially examined and poorly understood. This practice fails to develop in students an appreciation of the work of philosophers or to acquire the art of critical thinking. The introduction of models and theories of nursing in the past three decades has alerted nurses to the importance of possessing critical skills in order to identify sound theory and implement good practice. This paper goes beyond mere philosophising and examines aspects of mental health care from the perspectives of one of nineteenth century Europe's most notable philosophers, Friedrich Nietzsche. It argues that understanding his work can enhance one's ability to reflect on nursing practice, as well as bringing a new dimension to how we analyse 'mental health' problems. His work provides many insights into how we can improve our understanding of the effect of mental illness and mental health care on the individual, and how we conceptualise the process of care. This paper provides an overview of his life's work, his impact on the history of ideas and develops some of the more provocative implications of his work for mental health care.

Empathy↗
PubMed1998

Ministering to madness: the narratives of people who have left religious orders to work in the caring professions.

This paper examines the life stories of 14 men and women who spent time in religious communities and who subsequently took up work in the caring professions. Their accounts reflect the alignment between the ethics of care and those of religious life, the centrality of contemplation and self-examination to both Christianity and psychotherapy. There are further correspondences between their narratives and recent academic interest in the spiritual aspects of health care. They also describe profound changes and moments of uncertainty which parallel other transitional experiences like grieving or unemployment. For many respondents also, caring for others is part of caring for oneself. Disappointment with the religious life and isolation on leaving it appear to have brought the respondents into a close relationship with those who suffer mental illness. It is almost as if they seek to heal the distress in their own lives by proxy.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Development of a computer-assisted learning software package on dental traumatology.

The development of computer-assisted learning software packages is a relatively new field of computer application. The progress made in personal computer technology toward more user-friendly operating systems has stimulated the academic community to develop computer-assisted learning for pre- and postgraduate students. The ability of computers to combine audio and visual data in an interactive form provides a powerful educational tool. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a computer-assisted learning package on dental traumatology. This program contains background information on the diagnosis, classification, and management of dental injuries in both the permanent and the deciduous dentitions. It is structured into chapters according to the nature of the injury and whether injury has occurred in the primary or permanent dentition. At the end of each chapter there is a self-assessment questionnaire as well as references to relevant literature. Extensive use of pictures and video provides a comprehensive overview of the subject.

Computer-Assisted Instruction↗
PubMed1997

Towards a rhetoric of spirituality in mental health care.

The spiritual dimension of care is frequently alluded to in the nursing literature, but rarely examined in terms of what it means in practice or how it might be taught to students entering the profession. Some of those most in need of spiritual care are people suffering from mental illness or psychological distress. The aim of this paper is to explore the different meanings of spirituality and to suggest ways in which the spiritual care of clients can be implemented. It further recommends which aspects of spirituality could usefully be included in nursing curricula. The paper concludes by alerting nurses to the causes and manifestations of spiritual apathy in contemporary health care and calls for a rhetoric that will counter the jargon of cost analysis which currently prevails in the health services.

Curriculum↗
PubMed1997

Effects of supplemental oxygen on forearm vasodilation in humans.

Supplemental O2 reduces cardiac output and raises systemic vascular resistance in congestive heart failure. In this study, 100% O2 was given to normal subjects and peak forearm flow was measured. In experiment 1, 100% O2 reduced blood flow and increased resistance after 10 min of forearm ischemia (flow 56.7 +/- 7.9 vs. 47.8 +/- 6.7 ml.min-1.100 ml-1; P < 0.02; vascular resistance 1.7 +/- 0.2 vs. 2.4 +/- 0.4 mmHg.min.100 ml.ml-1; P < 0.03). In experiment 2, lower body negative pressure (LBNP; -30 mmHg) and venous congestion (VC) simulated the high sympathetic tone and edema of congestive heart failure. Postischemic forearm flow and resistance were measured under four conditions: room air breathing (RA); LBNP+RA; RA+LBNP+VC; and 100% O2+LBNP+VC. LBNP and VC did not lower peak flow. However, O2 raised minimal resistance (2.3 +/- 0.4 RA; 2.8 +/- 0.5 O2+LBNP+VC, P < 0.04). When O2 alone (experiment 1) was compared with O2+LBNP+VC (experiment 2), no effect of LBNP+VC on peak flow or minimum resistance was noted, although the return rate of flow and resistance toward baseline was increased. O2 reduces peak forearm flow even in the presence of LBNP and VC.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Epilepsy and pregnancy: good management reduces the risks.

It is vital to review medication before pregnancy to minimise the risk of a malformed fetus. The risk of fetal malformation can be at least double for women on the commoner anticonvulsants, especially if these are taken in combination. Two newer anticonvulsants (gabapentin and lamotrigine) appear to be less harmful to the fetus. One-third of women with epilepsy have an increase in seizures during pregnancy. The fetus appears to be relatively resistant to the mother's seizures, though (rarely) intrauterine deaths have occurred. As well as fetal malformation, children born to women with epilepsy are at greater than normal risk of still birth, neonatal and prenatal death, haemorrhagic disease of the newborn, low Apgar score and low birth weight. With careful management the majority of women with epilepsy will have a better than 90% chance of a normal baby, but getting a medication right before pregnancy is essential.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗