Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

R Shearer

Publications and source records attributed to R Shearer.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Increasing self-confidence through self-talk.

There are varied opinions on the commonness of self-talk. Some feel self-talk is engaged in more by persons who feel insecure and question their performance (Cauchon, 1994). Others feel self-talk is a process people use continually to describe and interpret the world, accurate or inadequate as the case may be. (Hansen, Rhode, and Wolf-Wilets, 1991; Braiker, 1989). Regardless of how much self-talk the nurse is aware of in interacting with clients and intrapsychically, it is important to assess thoughts for their logic or illogicality. Illogical thoughts should be replaced by positive words of encouragement, which will in turn raise the client's or nurse's self-concept and level of self-confidence. Making self-talk positive is always good nursing practice.

Communication↗
PubMed1996

Using humor to cope with stress in home care.

Home care and hospice nurses constantly face stressful situations with patients and caregivers, working from the field and meeting the expectations of the workplace and their own personal and family goals. This article explores the many ways humor can be used by the nurse in relieving stressors encountered every day.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1995

Hidden scars: posttraumatic stress disorder.

Memories of traumatic incidents or experiences can cause deep but invisible scars. Without intervention, the emotional pain associated with the incident can continue unabated. For the most part, painful memories are likely to be suppressed. However, when a memory is "triggered" for some reason, a variety of symptoms may occur which may be termed "posttraumatic stress disorder" (PTSD). A nurse can use an understanding of unhealed psychological scars to gain awareness of unresolved personal stress. In addition to personal reflection, as nurses assess and care for patients, it is important to be alert to indications of unresolved emotional pain.

Adjustment Disorders↗
PubMed1993

Soft-spoken managers: a blend of communication styles.

Traits of a soft-spoken person are sometimes seen as negative qualities for managerial positions. Yet, using this technique together with an assertive style can produce clear communication to promote effective relations and to achieve managerial objectives.

Communication↗
PubMed1992

Arctic contaminants: sources, occurrence and pathways.

Potentially toxic organic compounds, acids, metals and radionuclides in the northern polar region are a matter of concern as it becomes evident that long-range transport of pollution on hemispheric to global scales is damaging this part of the world. In this review and assessment of sources, occurrence, history and pathways of these substances in the north, the state of knowledge of the transport media--the ocean and atmospheric circulation--is also examined. A five-compartment model of the northern region is developed with the intent of assessing the pathways of northern contaminants. It shows that we know most about pathways of acids, metals and radionuclides and least about those of complex synthetic organic compounds. Of the total annual inputs of anthropogenic acidic sulphur and the metals lead and cadmium to the Arctic via the atmosphere, an estimated 10-14% are deposited. A water mass budget for the surface layer of the Arctic Ocean, the most biologically active part of that sea, is constructed to examine the mass budget for one of the major persistent organochlorine compound groups found in remote regions, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCH), one isomer of which is lindane. It is concluded that both the atmosphere and the ocean are important transport media. Even for the HCH substances which are relatively easily measured and simple in composition compared to other synthetic organics, we know little about the occurrence and environmental physical/chemical characteristics that determine pathways into the food chain. More environmental measurements, chemical characterization studies and environmental chemical transport modelling are needed, as is better knowledge of the circulation of the Arctic Ocean and the marine food web.

Acids↗
PubMed1990

A comparison of a controlled release (CR/ZOK) formulation of metoprolol, once daily, with conventional metoprolol tablets, twice daily, in mild to moderate hypertension.

In a randomized double-blind multicenter study in 100 hypertensive patients, the effect of once daily (od) dosing with a new controlled release (CR/ZOK) formulation of metoprolol was compared with that of twice daily (bid) dosing with metoprolol conventional tablets. Eligible patients had a resting seated diastolic blood pressure (DBP) greater than or equal to 95 mm Hg and less than 110 mm Hg at the end of a 6-week open placebo run-in. The active treatment phase lasted 8 weeks. The starting dose was 100 mg od in the CR/ZOK group (N = 53) and 50 mg bid in the tablet group (N = 47). The dose was increased to 200 mg od and 100 mg bid, respectively, in nonresponders (DBP greater than 95 mm Hg) at the end of the first 4-week period. Approximately 40% of both groups received concomitant diuretic therapy throughout the study. The SBP, DBP and HR were reduced compared to baseline in both treatment groups after 4 and 8 weeks. After 4 weeks, 85% of the CR/ZOK group and 74% of the tablet group had DBP less than 95 mm Hg. After another 4 weeks, the corresponding figures were 93% and 93%. There was no statistically significant difference between the treatment groups in the decrease in either SBP, DBP or HR, nor was there any difference in the percentage of responders. Both treatments were equally well tolerated. In conclusion, the antihypertensive effect of once daily dosing (100-200 mg) with the new CR/ZOK formulation of metoprolol is as effective as that of twice daily dosing (50-100 mg) with conventional metoprolol tablets.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Detection of tumor cells in bone marrow of patients with prostatic carcinoma by immunocytochemical techniques.

We used a mixture of antisera to prostatic specific acid phosphatase, prostatic specific antigen, epithelial membrane antigen and cytokeratin to examine multiple marrow aspirates from patients with local (15) and metastatic prostatic carcinoma (15), and benign prostatic hypertrophy (10). We found moderate to large numbers of tumor cells in the bone marrow of 11 of 15 (73 per cent) patients with known metastatic disease and small numbers of abnormal cells in 2 of 15 (13 per cent) patients with apparently local disease. No tumor cells were found in patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy, and only 2 patients with metastatic disease had tumor cells in the bone marrow when conventional hematomorphological preparations were examined. These findings suggest that immunocytochemistry can increase the detection rate of metastatic prostatic carcinoma cells. Further followup of larger numbers of patients with local carcinoma will reveal whether the presence of micrometastases denotes a poor prognosis.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Helping the client with chronic disability achieve high-level wellness.

Clients with chronic disability often define themselves in terms of their sick role. Today, many healthcare professionals and laypersons alike prefer to view the individual as a unified whole striving toward high-level wellness. Thus, a client may be diagnosed with a physical illness, a chronic illness, or a disability but may still work to attain high-level wellness by functioning in an integrated way with the environment. This article describes the client with chronic disability in relation to high-level wellness and provides techniques nurses can use to facilitate a client's positive adjustment.

Chronic Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Loneliness and the spouse of the geriatric patient. Seven guidelines may keep a spouse's loneliness from becoming overwhelming.

Loneliness is a painful human experience to which spouses of the geriatric patient are particularly vulnerable. The nurse is frequently in a position to assess not only the patient but the spouse. When factors that may lead to loneliness are present, the nurse can intervene to prevent loneliness. When symptoms of loneliness are present in the spouse or patient, the nurse may act to alleviate disabling feelings of isolation.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Dilemma for the nurse manager: the stress of caring 'too much'.

Nurse managers are prime candidates for caring too much. Caring is an integral part of nursing. The act and art of caring in a relationship is one of the features that distinguishes nursing from other professions. Caring also is a positive trait for managers involved at the institutional level. When the new manager takes a brief case full of work home every night, does not take a vacation, shows up at work on the weekends, and thinks of little else besides the job it is likely that the manager is experiencing the dilemma of caring too much. Being this involved in work responsibilities can have devastating effects on relationships at home as well as at work. It is important for the nurse manager in this situation to initiate strategies that can put work responsibilities back in perspective so that work becomes one of a well-balanced assortment of interests and priorities.

Burnout, Professional↗