Abstract: A Heideggerian Hermeneutical Analysis (HHA) approach was used for a study of returning registered nurse students (RRNS) from a nursing/health management context. In essence a descriptive interpretive study the intent has been to unveil the common meanings embedded in the lived experience of RRNS return to formal (advanced) studies. The phenomenon or issue of interest was pursued in the form of a question: What is meaningful and significant for participant RRNS in their everyday world on re-engaging in formal (advanced) nursing studies?Research from the RRNS viewpoint is scarce, so the focus of the study was to understand what RRNS themselves found to be the highlights of the experience. Participants included RRNS coming from a management background and, therefore, very much at the cutting edge of rapid and continuing change in health care provision. In addition to personal and professional reasons for returning to study, what the narratives disclosed was the compelling need experienced by the RRNS to increase understanding of changing requirements in the workplace. They looked for new possibilities to transform management of nursing/health services and for learning experiences favorable to that purpose. A key aspect of their concern related to the interactive nature of their lived experience as a RRNS with the entire context of their everyday world, that is, with the connections and relations between the study-work-homespace.Fourteen RRNS from an established university nursing programme participated in an expended non-structured interviews lasting 60 – 90 minutes. The interviews were held during 1993 in places selected by participants, some in the home but mostly in the work setting. With the consent of the participants interviews were audiotaped and then transcribed. The texts (transcriptions) were analysed hermeneutically using Heideggerian phenomenology, a particular tradition of philosophy whose concern is the meaning of Being. The concern is to make visible participants' experience of their 'world'. In this instance, it was the everyday 'world' of the participant RRNS and the lived meanings of what they experienced on return to formal (advanced) studies. Hence everyday lived experience is the focus of attention in Heiedeggerian phenomenology. In this research approach what is sought is understanding not explanation. It is a premise of phenemenology that, in general, an understanding of the meaning and significance of the lived experience can be required from the 'things' (the phenomena under study) themselves. Approaching a participant as an expert by virtue of directly experiencing the phenomenon, is basic to phenomenology. Hermeneutic analysis of the texts of the participant RRNS affirmed the authenticity of those assumptions.The study revealed several common or major themes, two relational themes and one constitutive pattern were identified through the process of textual interpretation. The constitutive pattern expressing the full complexity of the relations and connections between the themes, was found to be present in all fourteen texts; the nature of a constitutive pattern being 'that it's always there'. The constitutive pattern 'Nursing is Dwelling in Thoughtful Concern as Context Calls Forth', emerged as the major finding of the study. This pattern witnesses to the pragmatism that is inherent in nursing and commonly found in nurses' responses to the challenges presented by continuing and rapid change. For the participant RRNS nursing had become a way of engaging their energies in the workplace as appropriate to a given place, time and culture. The two relational themes accent particular aspects of the constitutive pattern. 'Nursing' is a whole pile of things'; and 'Curriculum: Reflective Openness' reveal the inherent meanings of the constitutive pattern. Firstly, that nursing is diverse in practice and has many dimensions; and,, secondly, that a curriculum befitting the diversity of nursing requires us to constantly challenge ad test the learning experiences we provide for RRNS.The fourteen participants traversed diverse pathways to acquire the understanding and skills required for altered health care structures. Adopting new relationships and 'leaping-ahead' (Heidegger, 1962), to be able to see the whole picture of what was being experienced in nursing/health care, reveals the RRNS becoming-as interpreters for both colleagues and clients. Leaping-ahead is reflective of thoughtful concern as the pattern of responding to presenting need. This way of living a life transforms work. The participant RRNS disclose that, dwelling in such a way in nursing/health work opens up a future of possibilities which brings all the presenting needs into focus. Sharing the story of their lifeworld as RRNS, the participants have exemplified the ' reflective openness' Senge(1990) advocates, as being a pre-requisite for 'learning organisations'. Contemporary oganisations require us to challenge our own thinking as well as being free to speak our minds ('participant openness'). Since, however much we value our daily life practices and understandings, they need to be 'always subject to test and improvement'. In effect, what the participants have bestowed on us is that, within the framework of a curriculum for RRNS and the content learning of a given course, we must generate a process of learning amenable to both individual and group requirements

Abstract: A study of the care given by Nurses measuring the quantity of care available against the quantity demanded by the patients at the time of survey

Abstract: A study to examine the effects of pre- information ( what a Nurse learns about a patient before they meet) on clinical inference and Nursing actions, in a simulated Nurse- Patient situation. It was hypothesised that the nature of the pre-information will influence the way the patient is perceived and the resulting Nursing actions. The research was conducted in an obstetrical setting. There were 55 subjects within three groups. Two groups comprised student midwives and the third group was of second year comprehensive Nursing students near completion of clinical experience in maternal and child health nursing. A 5 minute videotape sequence of a role played post natal patient was made for use in the research. All subjects were given the same initial pre-information, viewed the videotape and gave written description of what they saw on the videotape and their response ( as the Nurse in the situation). This data provided a base line for each subject. Subject were then given additional pre-information concerning the patient's physical condition, her baby's condition or formed part of the control group ( receiving no additional information) The procedure was repeated. These responses were then compared with the base line for each subject. Responses were coded by means of content analysis. Group data was analysed using multivariate one way analysis of variance graphical display. The results indicated support of the hypothesis that the nature of the pre-information does influence the way in which a Nurse perceives a patient and resulting Nursing actions. Implications of these findings for Nurses are discussed

Abstract: Grounded theory was used to investigate the lives of quadriplegic people living in the community. The model indicates that people move between dependence and independence according to several factors

Abstract: It is evident from the prevalence of items in the popular press and incased research by health professional that, over the last two decades, menopause as been discussed more openly. However, medical information is still largely oriented toward menopause as a disease with emphasis on the pharmacological interventions needed to correct the disease. Literature in medical and nursing journals is also predominantly oriented towards menopause as a state of oestrogen, nurse researchers and feminists writers are challenging this viewsThe aim of the research was to discover how women gain knowledge about menopause, and how they make decisions about “managing” their menopause. In the study knowledge was defined as being more than information. It is seen as being more than information. It is seen as understanding derived from synthesis of data about menopause collected from various sources. Eleven women aged 46-55 recruited through a letter in the researcher's local newspaper, were interviewed. The resulting data was analysed by the constant comparison method as used in grounded theory.A descriptive model was developed including the basic social process of “integrating menopause into midlife”. A tertiary level of education and good social support were found to be associated with the women being seekers of knowledge about their menopause. These women, the majority of the participants, revealed themselves as being self-controlling with respect to their menopause. Among the few who had allowed their menopause to be managed by others, if they experienced adverse effects of the treatment, then there was a move toward greater self management.,Generally, nurses were not seen by the participants as possible sources of information. That finding highlights menopause as an area of health education in which nurses have the potential to play a more active role

Abstract: New Zealand's older population is gradually increasing. This will men the number of people with problems related to psychological and general well-being will also rise. When compared to women, men do not live as long, are more likely to die from intentional injury and use primary health services less. There is a paucity of research on older men, particularly within a New Zealand context. Because nurses work closely with people in primary, secondary and tertiary care settings they are well placed to undertake research and utilise research findings from studies relating to the older adult to promote health and well -being. The intention of the present study was to gain a greater understanding of those factors which impact on the well-being in older men. Based on Wan, Odell and Lewis's (1992) model of general well-being, mental, social and physical well-being indicators were investigated to examine their relationships to overall psychological well-being and physical health.The data for the present study was collected from a non-probability sample of 217 males (over 65 years) residing in the Wanganui area. Multiple regression analysis reveled that of the mental, social and physical indicators only satisfaction with social supports and number of visits to the doctor in the previous 12 months were significantly related to psychological well-being, and number of medications and illness/disabilities were significantly related to physical health as measured by self ratings of health.Findings are discussed in relation to the literature. It ids clear that nurses, and other health professionals, need to be aware of the relationship between objective health status and subjective well-being, and the distinction between the quality and quantity of support in order to provide effective care to older men. Finally the general limitations and future research implications are discussed

Abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disease of the connective tissues. People with rheumatoid arthritis often experience chronic pain, chronic fatigue and functional impairment for a large apart of their lives. The cause of rheumatoid arthritis is unknown, with three times more women than men being affected. There are many women who live with rheumatoid arthritis throughout much of their adult lives. Women with rheumatoid arthritis face the challenges and stresses of parenting, partnerships, and employment along with the need to cope with a chronic and increasingly debilitating disease.A review of the literature related to rheumatoid arthritis reveals a dearth of qualitative research, with few studies that focus specifically on women even though they constitute a significant percentage of the client group. Little is known from the clients' perspective of what it is like to live with chronic rheumatoid arthritis. This study, a single-participant case study using a phenomenological analysis, explores one woman's' reality of living with rheumatoid arthritis. As this woman's story unfolds, it is revealed how daily living with rheumatoid arthritis had been incorporated into a new way of being-in-the world. Her way of being-in-the-world is such that rheumatoid arthritis is very much a reality, impacting on most aspects of her life. Yet it does not dominate, as she continues with a very full and active life despite this disease