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JANUARY – JUNE 2002 VOL-3, NO.1 BECOMING A PUBLISHED AUTHOR – THINKING THEN WRITING * Maggie Jo St John, B.Sc (Hons), M.Sc., MBA ABSTRACT IJCNE, like other journals, provides you with guidelines for presenting and submitting an article. This article provides you with some guidelines for an earlier stage: getting started on the writing process. Writing is discussed from a reader-oriented, non-linear process perspective. The format and move structure of a research paper are illustrated to provide a framework for the presentation of your research and results. The roles of planning and critical thinking are highlighted. THE ART OF QUESTIONING * Vijayalakshmi Satheesh, R.N., R.M., M.Sc (N) ABSTRACT Questioning is a very ancient method of teaching used by Socrates, who actually invented it. It really came from the character of the Greek people, who loved asking questions and arguing. Questioning is used by almost every faculty in the class-room and there is a need for all instructors to improve their questioning techniques. The key to successful questioning is asking questions at an appropriate cognitive level that stimulates a response. According to bloom’s taxonomy of six levels of educational objectives, each level requires a response which uses a different kind of thought process. Based on this, questions can be framed which will stimulate higher order thinking among students. This article describes the art and technique of questioning, which will help nurse educators to acquire and use questioning skills effectively and ask stimulating and challenging questions, which in turn will improve the quality and quantity of student participation. HUMAN ANTHRAX – EXPERIENCE OVER TWO DECADES * M.K. Lalitha, M.B.B.S., M.D. ABSTRACT Anthrax is a zoonotic illness caused by Bacillus anthracis. The organism has attracted a great deal of attention in recent times due to the bioterrorism events taking place all over the world. The Vellore experience has however, revealed that the disease is enzootic among animals and consequently endemic in humans in this region. The Vellore district in the State of Tamilnadu lies in the belt where the reported incidence of anthrax is the highest in India. So far, about 75 cases of human anthrax have been detected in this region. Majority (45/75) were cases of anthrax meningo-encephalitis having a very bad prognosis. The practice of handling infected meat from an animal died of anthrax has been found to be the contributory factor. The disease needs to be prevented with proper legislation of meat handling as well as effective immunization of animals. ROLE OF THE NURSE IN CHEMICAL BURNS OF THE EYE * Meenakshi Sekar, R.N., R.M., M.Sc (N) ABSTRACT Strong acids and alkali inflict considerable damage to the eye. Early recognition and prompt treatment will help to limit the damage to the eye, and preserve sight. The management of chemical burns of the eye varies from simple irrigation to procedures like amniotic membrane grafts and limbal stem cell transplantation. In this process, the role of the nurse is important. In this article the main causes of chemical burns, the common chemicals causing injuries, and ocular effects of those injuries in the first twenty-four hours, after the first few days, and later on are discussed. The management of chemical burns of the eye, from the immediate phase to the reparative phase is highlighted. The role of the nurse in the immediate, intermediate and in the postoperative period is emphasized. A case study report of a patient with chemical burns of the eye is documented. A COMPARISON OF KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDE, PRACTICE AND SOCIAL SUPPORT BETWEEN EXCLUSIVE AND NONEXCLUSIVE BREAST FEEDING MOTHERS AT MALDIVES * Mariam Shafeeg, R.N., R.M., M.Sc (N) ABSTRACT A descriptive comparative study was carried out on 300 primigravida mothers who delivered at government hospitals of Maldives. A comparison was done between the knowledge, attitude, practice and social support of exclusive and non exclusive breastfeeding mothers. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. Results showed that the proportion of mothers who were giving exclusive breastfeeding was 21.7% and non-exclusive breastfeeding was 78.3%. The recent practice of these mothers showed that they were giving prelacteal feeds and among the most common fluids were water and fruit juice. The proportion of mothers who had adequate knowledge was more in the exclusive group than the non-exclusive group and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.001). Although positive attitude and provision of social support were more in exclusive group (83.1% vs 74.5% and 93.8% vs. 92.3%), they were not statistically significant (p=0.187 and p=0.794). However overall findings suggest that Maldivean mothers have positive attitude towards breastfeeding and good social support. EFFECT OF TWO ENDO TRACHEAL SUCTION PROTOCOLS * Santham Sweet Rose, R.N., R.M., M.Sc (N) ABSTRACT One of the many problems encountered in caring for patients with endotracheal tubes or tracheostomies is the provision of safe suction which enhances adequate oxygenation. In order to prevent or minimize the untoward consequences of endotracheal suction like arterial oxygen desaturation, decreased arterial oxygen tension, atelectasis, broncho constriction, cardiac arrhythmias and sudden death, a number of preventive techniques have been tried with varying degrees of success. They are hyperinflation with room air, hyperinflation with 100% oxygen insufflations during suction. This study was done in the ChristianMedicalCollegeHospital (CMCH), Vellore to determine the effect of two endotracheal suction protocols on tissue oxygenation of patients who needed mechanical ventilation during the course of hospital stay and who had no preexisting lung disease. A comparative design was used. The study sample consisted of 60 subjects. The prescribed protocol 1 (hyperoxygenation alone) was administered to one group of 30 subjects and protocol 2 (combination of hyperoxygenation and hyperinflation) was administered to another group of 30 subjects. The study findings revealed that protocol 1 which was used in treating the hypoxia and maintaining the normal tissue oxygenation levels involved less manipulation of the instrument, less time and man power and was less complicated. HYPERTENSION * Joy Kezia Rajaguru ABSTRACT This paper documents and unravels the descriptive study on the prevalence of hypertension and the knowledge of the people regarding hypertension in two rural communities in Vellore district in South India. In a total of the 810 people (> 35 years) assessed, 69 were found to have high blood pressure (> 130/90 mm Hg). A structured questionnaire was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the health education program on hypertension. Before the health education program, only 35.42% of the population had adequate knowledge on hypertension and after the health education program there was an increase in the level of knowledge (60.76%). It is concluded that health education would serve as a powerful and vital component in educating a major portion of the rural population and increases the knowledge. CONTINUING EDUCATION SERIES – NO:II * Jayarani Premkumar, R.N., R.M., M.Sc (N) This article is the continuation of the previous article, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) Pathophysiology – Part I. In this article, the details of Assessment of TBI is discussed. ABSTRACT Assessment of patients with traumatic brain injury is an important and vital function of the medical and nursing team. Nursing management of the TBI patients is based upon highly developed nursing assessment and clinical reasoning skills. Well developed critical thinking skills are the foundation of all decision making. Assessment is an ongoing process and appropriate interventions are carried out to stabilize an injured patient to prevent further complications.
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