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P Moynihan

Publications and source records attributed to P Moynihan.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2002

A questionnaire assessment of nutrition knowledge--validity and reliability issues.

OBJECTIVE: This study describes an evaluation of validity and reliability measures in a questionnaire designed to assess knowledge of applied nutrition in children participating in an after-school care dietary intervention programme being undertaken in an area of high social disadvantage. DESIGN: Three domains were assessed: Knowledge of Applied Nutrition (KN), Knowledge of Food Preparation (KP) and Perceived Confidence in Cooking Skills (PC). Four pilot studies were undertaken to determine item reliability, test-retest reliability, discrimination and difficulty indices, and content, cognitive and face validity. SETTING: Primary schools in Dundee, Scotland and Newcastle upon Tyne, England. SUBJECTS: Ninety-eight children aged 11 years. RESULTS: The final instrument comprised 36 questions (18 KN items, 9 KP items and 9 PC items) presented on four sides of paper, which could be self-completed in less than 15 minutes. Question formatting included open and closed structures (KP) and multiple choice (KN and PC) items. All knowledge questions could be answered correctly by 5 to 95% of the target population, with discrimination scores ranging from 0.06 to 0.83. Retest reliability scores were significant (KN 0.458, KP 0.577, PC 0.381, ) and internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha) of each component was also significant. CONCLUSION: The test meets basic psychometric criteria for reliability and validity and forms a suitable instrument for measuring changes associated with intervention work aimed at improving food and dietary knowledge.

Child↗
PubMed2000

The British Nutrition Foundation Oral Task Force report--issues relevant to dental health professionals.

A recent report on diet and oral health by the British Nutrition Foundation reviews the anatomy, microbiology and pathology of a number of oral diseases including dental caries, tooth-wear, oral cancer, periodontal disease and enamel defects. The role of nutritional factors in the aetiology and prevention of these oral diseases is discussed. The report states that improvements in the levels of caries in the UK are halting and remain unacceptably high in some 'at risk groups'--including the socially deprived. It states that a two-pronged attack, i.e. reduced frequency of consumption of sugary foods and use of fluoride is necessary to address the problem. To address the increased prevalence of oral cancer avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol and increasing fruit and vegetable consumption are recommended. Recommendations for approaches to improve oral health are made for health authorities, industry, schools and health professionals and it is recommended that the Government make adequate resources available to improve oral health preventive strategies.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

The day the lights went out: one charge nurse's nightmare.

The synergy model can be applied to many clinical situations. As nursing leaders evolve, competencies required to effectively respond to unexpected events silently develop. Applying the Synergy Model to this exemplar helped to articulate the charge nursing's leadership in ensuring a safe practice environment. The model provides a framework to more fully describe the multiple dimensions of a charge nurse's role, and acknowledges the richness of knowledge and competence that charge nurses often contribute to complex clinical situations.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1996

Dietary sources of calcium and the contribution of flour fortification to total calcium intake in the diets of Northumbrian adolescents.

Increased Ca intake by adolescents is desirable. In order to achieve this, information on the current dietary sources of Ca by this age group is essential to enable change to build on existing habits. This paper addresses two issues: first, the dietary sources of Ca for adolescents are reported and, second, the importance of fortification of flour with Ca to present-day Ca intakes was determined. In 1990 the diets of 379 children aged 12 years were assessed using the 3 d dietary diary and interview method. Computerized food tables were used to calculate the contributions of different food groups to total Ca intake. The Ca content of each food was subdivided into naturally occurring Ca and Ca from fortification, and data were analysed to give the daily intake of each. The four most important sources of Ca were milk (25%), beverages (12%), puddings (10%) and bread (9%). Fortification of flour accounted for 13% of total Ca intake. When the contribution of fortification was removed, the proportion of subjects with intakes of Ca below the lower reference nutrient intake (Department of Health, 1991) increased more than fourfold, to 10% of girls and 12% of boys. Milk is contributing less to Ca intake than in the past and increased consumption should be encouraged. Ca fortification of flour remains an important source of Ca. Therefore, unless dietary habits are modified to ensure adequate Ca from other sources, increased consumption of unfortified products from outside the UK will lead to a further reduction in Ca intake.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Making a transition from quality assurance to quality improvement.

Health care leaders now recognize the importance of adding continuous quality improvement activities and the measurement of clinical outcomes to their longstanding quality programs. From other industry leaders, they have learned that there is great promise on quality/cost returns when quality programs focus on measuring performance outcomes rather than just using the longstanding process of measuring variation in staff and system capacity processes. The purpose of this article is to describe how one urban acute care hospital is taking steps to change its quality paradigm and therefore change its quality program, which until recently consisted largely of unrelated quality assurance activities and projects. The new system will be a truly coordinated hospital wide continuous quality improvement program that will align quality activities with the mission of the organization and focus on the measurement of outcomes.

Hospital Restructuring↗
PubMed1995

Parent participation.

Ultimate care of the critically ill child is contingent on a parent-professional partnership that acknowledges both the needs and the strengths of families. In providing pediatric care, parent participation maintains and empowers parents to care for their child. Models of care must include programs that support reempowerment rather than dependence of families. The challenge of including parents as partners in care is one of the most rewarding privileges and responsibilities of pediatric nurses.

Breast Feeding↗
PubMed1980

The tRNAAGYSer and tRNACGYArg genes from a gene cluster in yeast mitochondrial DNA.

Yeast mitochondrial DNA-pBR322 recombinant DNA molecules screened for rRNA genes were used as a source of DNA for mitochondrial tRNA gene sequence analysis. We report here the sequences of yeast mitochondrial tRNA genes coding for a tRNAAGYSer and a tRNACGYArg. The tRNAAGYSer sequence deduced from the gene is the first reported sequence of a yeast tRNAAGYSer. It is also the second yeast mitochondrial tRNASer gene to be sequenced, and demonstrates unequivocally the presence of mitochondrial encoded serine tRNA isoacceptors. The tRNACGYArg sequence deduced from the gene is the most AT-rich (82%) tRNA sequence ever reported. Whereas all the mitochondrial genes sequenced to date exist singly on the genome and are separated by long stretches of AT-rich DNA, the tRNAACYSer and tRNAcgyarg genes exist in tandem, separated by only 3 bp. This gene arrangement strongly suggests that mitochondrial tRNA genes may be transcribed into multicistronic precursors.

Base Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Special nutritional needs of surgical patients.

Hospital-induced malnutrition has long been recognised as a problem, particularly as the very group of people who find themselves in a hospital for treatment, whether for long- or relatively short-term treatment are, almost by definition, at risk. This paper seeks to identify the causes of treatment induced malnutrition and discusses methods that can be successfully used to overcome this avoidable condition.

Basal Metabolism↗