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JULY – DECEMBER 2009 VOL-10, NO.2 BENEFITS AND BARRIERS OF EVIDENCE BASED NURSING PRACTICE * Mala T, M.Sc (N) ABSTRACT Though nursing is moving towards a research base for practice, it does not yet exist for many nursing procedures and skills. It is the responsibility of all nurses to be aware of the reasoning or rationale underlying what they do and be willing to alter their practice when research brings more specific information. Evidence Based Nursing Practice (EBNP) is a strategy that integrates research and practice. Although it contributes significantly to the practice of the profession, it also presents with some difficulties in its implementation. This article attempts to summarize the benefits and barriers of Evidence Based Nursing and suggests specific strategies to promote the same. OVARIAN CANCER: IS IT REALLY A SILENT KILLER OF WOMEN? * Sandra K Cesario, M.S., Ph.D ABSTRACT Ovarian cancer has been referred to as a “silent killer” because of the vague onset of early warning signs and the lack of diagnostic screening tests. However, with appropriate education and support, women who are vigilant of bodily changes signaling the possible diagnosis of ovarian cancer can be treated early and significantly improve their chances of survival. The incidence of ovarian cancer is rising in developing countries. The nurses’ knowledge of the warning signs, country specific incidences, and ever changing treatment modalities for this disease contribute to improved outcomes. While ovarian cancer occurs less frequently than many other cancers, its lethality makes it worthy of attention. Increased public awareness of the signs and symptoms can break the silence of its insidious onset and lives can be saved. The purpose of this article is to discuss the incidence and symptomology of ovarian cancer, the trends in diagnosis and treatment and the role of the nurse in educating and caring for women at risk for this deadly disease PERCEIVED BODY IMAGE IN STOMA PATIENTS * Ida Nirmal, M.Sc (N) ABSTRACT Illness involving a change in the body creates severe psychological difficulties on individuals and they find it difficult to cope with the same. Surgeries involving stoma cause body image alteration and can have negative impact both physically and psychologically. A descriptive study was conducted in the surgical wards and stoma clinic of the Christian Medical College, Vellore to determine the perceived body image among stoma patients. A total of fifty subjects with stoma were included in the study. Results demonstrated that majority (64%) of them experienced negative perception about their body image. Findings of the study urge that a definitive nursing strategies are necessary to help patients with stoma to express their feelings and improve their body image. EFFECTIVENESS OF PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION IN SLEEP DEPRIVATION * Shalini M, M.Sc (N) ABSTRACT Sleep is fundamental for physiological and psychological well being. All individuals require certain period of rest so that the body can regain energy and rebuild stamina. A pre experimental study was conducted among 30 subjects suffering from sleep deprivation who were admitted in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) at Apollo Hospitals, Chennai. They were selected by purposive sampling method. This study was aimed to find the effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) therapy upon the sleep pattern of the patients in the Critical Care Unit. Progressive muscle relaxation therapy was administered to the study subjects for 3 days and their sleep was assessed before and after PMR. Majority of the subjects (73.3%) had moderately adequate sleep and 26.6% had inadequate sleep before progressive muscle relaxation therapy whereas after progressive muscle relaxation therapy, most of them had adequate sleep (66.6%) and none had inadequate sleep. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF NURSING RESEARCH * Vathsala Sadan, M.Sc (N)., Ph.D ABSTRACT Today, nurses are challenged with the rapidly changing health care system. Nursing research is becoming a major focus contributing to practice, education and policy. Reviewing the history of research helps to understand the current status and to plan for the future of nursing research. This article presents briefly the historical development of nursing research and its scope for the future. ROLE OF NURSES IN COCHLEAR IMPLANT SURGERY * Sumathi J, M.Sc (N) ABSTRACT For centuries people believed that only a miracle could restore hearing to the deaf. A prosthetic device called cochlear implant can be implanted in the inner ear to restore partial hearing to those who are profoundly deaf. Patients with hearing impairment do not have a surgical problem that responds to the simple interventions of the surgical implantation. The preoperative expectations of the patient and family greatly affect the postoperative satisfaction and the use of the implant. Therefore, these patients and their families require attention and counseling before they embark on the life changing journey of cochlear implantation. It requires a collaborative effort involving patient, family members, school teachers, audiologist, speech/hearing therapist, nurses and surgeons. Nurses are in the best position to coordinate the necessary changes to the health practice of the patient through proper education. This paper is an effort to provide information for nurses to widen their knowledge on cochlear implantation and rehabilitation. EFFECTIVENESS OF SEMI SITTING POSITION DURING THE SECOND STAGE OF LABOR ON MATERNAL AND NEONATAL OUTCOMES AMONG PRIMIGRAVIDAE * Kannaki R, M.Sc (N) ABSTRACT The labor and birth process is an exciting, painful and anxiety provoking situation to a woman. In a relatively short period, particularly in the second stage of labor they experience one of the most profound changes in their lives. Helping the woman to obtain a position that is safe and as comfortable as possible is an important nursing responsibility. An experimental study was conducted in the labor ward of Andhra Mahila Sabha, Chennai among 60 primigravidae in second stage of labor selected by systematic random sampling technique. This study was aimed to find the effectiveness of semi sitting position during the second stage of labor on maternal and neonatal outcomes among primigravidae. The maternal outcome was assessed in terms of frequency and duration of uterine contractions at 10 minutes interval for 30 minutes and duration of second and third stage of labor. APGAR score at 1 and 5 minutes was assessed to determine the neonatal outcome. The results revealed that the subjects in the experimental group experienced good uterine contractions, shorter duration of second and third stage of labor, good APGAR score and less discomfort than the women in the control group. FACTORS INFLUENCING THE LEARNING OF COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSING * Navaneetha M, M.Sc (N) ABSTRACT Education is the foundation of democracy. The learning ability of the student decides his/her academic performance. Hence, this study was done to identify the various factors that affect the learning of community health nursing and to determine the association between the factors and selected demographic variables. A cross sectional survey with 68 samples from 3rd and 4th year B.Sc Nursing students was done. Demographic proforma, DREEM (Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure) and Rosenberg self esteem tool were used. Results revealed that 77.94% of students felt that the environment was more positive than negative to learn and majority of the students had high self esteem (77.94%). Association was found only for self esteem and religion (p<0.05) and gender (p<0.05). Regression analysis showed that the self esteem affects student learning. |