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Sutton, D. M. (2008). Nurses have an important role in managing intermittent claudication. Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand, 14(4), 20–22.
Abstract: The author reviews the diagnosis, treatment, and management of intermittent claudation. She uses a case study to illustrate successful management of the condition.
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Hunt, M. (2006). Nurses can enhance the pre-operative assessment process. Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand, 12(10), 20–22.
Abstract: This reports on an initiative at Whakatane Hospital, where a Nurse-Led pre-assessment (NLPA) was delivered at an outpatients clinic. NLPA involves taking a comprehensive medical history, a nursing assessment, physical examination, airway assessment, ordering appropriate investigations and carefully documenting the process and results. More valuably, it provides an opportunity for the patient to participate in planning their care. The aim of this initative was to short circuit delays and congestion in existing pre-assessment clinics, streamline the pre-assessment process and reduce the number of patient visits to hospital. Reducing cancellations of surgery (often on the day of surgery) and “did not appear” (DNA) numbers were also objectives. After a small pilot, a six-month trial was funded by the Ministry of Health. Over the six-month trial, 373 patients attended NLPA; 178 patients required anaesthetist review before surgery, and 198 could proceed directly to surgery following NLPA. An anonymous postal survey was made of patients, who indicated satisfaction with the service. Other outcomes are discussed, and the trial was deemed successful. Follow up plans have been disrupted by restructuring at the hospital and the clinic has yet to be implemented.
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Evans-Murray, A. (2004). Meeting the needs of grieving relatives. Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand, 10(9), 18–20.
Abstract: This article examines the role of nurses working in intensive care units who may need to work with families as they face the death of a loved one. How the nurse communicates with relatives during these crucial hours prior to the death can have profound implications on their grief recovery. Universal needs for families in this situation have been identified in the literature, and include: hope; knowing that staff care about their loved one; and having honest information about their loved one's condition. A case study is used to illustrate key skills and techniques nurses can employ to help meet these universal needs. In the first stage of grief the bereaved is in shock and may feel a sense of numbness and denial. The bereaved may feel confused and will have difficulty concentrating and remembering instructions, and they may express strong emotions. Studies on families' needs show that honest answers to questions and information about their loved one are extremely important. It is often very difficult for the nurse to give honest information when the prognosis is poor. Good communication skills and techniques are discussed, in which hope is not offered at the expense of truthfulness, and the nurse facilitates the process of saying goodbye and expressing emotions. Practical techniques, such as including the family in basic care such as foot massaging and simple hygiene routines, may also be used to move the family from being bystanders to the impending death, to comforters.
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Brinkman, A., & Caughley, B. (2004). Measuring on-the-job stress accurately. Kai Tiaki: Nursing New Zealand, 18(8), 12–15.
Abstract: The authors discuss the usefulness of a generic tool to measure job stress in New Zealand workplaces, and report on a study using one such generic tool. The study involved sending questionnaires to all staff (193) who had worked at a regional women's health service for a minimum of six months. The mailed package contained the Job Stress Survey (JSS), the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12), demographic questions (including cultural safety), shift work questions, and a blank page for “qualitative comment”. Over 12,000 pieces of data were collected from the study but this article focuses only on the results of the JSS. The JSS can be used to determine a “job stress index” and can also be used to measure “job pressure” and “lack of organisational support”. For this study, job stress index scores were calculated and organised by occupational groupings. Midwives, nurses and doctors all cited inadequate or poor quality equipment, excessive paperwork, insufficient personal time, and frequent interruptions, as their top stressors. Three of these four stressors fall within the job pressure index. The results of the survey prompted organisational changes, including: extensive discussions; equipment being updated; management being made aware of the depth of concern felt by staff; the creation of a place for staff to have personal time; and coping intervention strategies were initiated. The authors suggest that no generic measure of job stress can fully evaluate stressors unique to a particular work setting. They support additional items being constructed and administered to assess stressors that are idiosyncratic to a particular occupational group.
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Martin, M. M. Spiritual dimensions in health.
Abstract: The basic research question was " Do people find a spiritual dimension important in defining health and if so what is their understanding of a spiritual dimension in health and healing? A descriptive cross section survey was carried out using a questionnaire to gather data from different groups of people including providers, consumers and teachers of health and health care
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Pybus, M. W. (1993). Public health nurses and families under stress: promoting children's health in complex situations. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: A description of the interaction between Public Health Nurses and stressed families that include children. It includes the perspective on the relationship of both the Nurses and the families ending with a classification of the goals of the service
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Heenan, S. M.(retired). (1978). On-going – a 4 week assessment of ward situations, staff utilisation and nursing care index. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: The author does not have a copy of the project.
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Churcher, R. L., Bowden, J., Grogan, J., Grofski, H., Parker, J., & Berry, A. (2000). Recovery room nursing – conditions and practice. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: This report is the results of a national survey to establish base-line information about recovery room nursing. Factors addressed are: general statistics, physical conditions, staffing, orientation and education, support networks and procedure performed
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Thompson, J. (2000). Budgeting for nursing services. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: The author suggests that a nursing service would benefit by using the concept of budgets and budgeting control, in terms of management accounting and its applicability to a hospital based nursing service. The main objective of this study was to suggest a possible line of approach towards the construction of an information system designed to yield reliable and useful data, without which there can be little hope of any truly effective guide to the development of nursing services.
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Wenmoth, J. D. A. (2000). Involuntary unemployment: A grounded theory analysis of the experience of five nurses. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: This study outlines the use of grounded theory strategy to analyse the experience of nurses who become involuntarily unemployed. It then proceeds to develop a theoretical framework that explain the common patterns in this experience. Using the Glasser and Strauss (1967) Grounded Theory approach, empirical observation was undertaken expressly for the purpose of generating insights which may lead to new understanding of the subject of this study. Using two inter-related procedures known as theoretical sampling and constant comparative analysis, data is systematically collected, coordinated and subjected to an ongoing analysis. Theory is then 'grounded ' in the real world. The study involved in depth interviewing of five mid-career nurses who were involuntarily unemployed. The data was transcribed and analysed to yield theoretical concepts and categories that were integrated into propositions to explain common patterns. It will be argued that this experience is a grieving process that is more that just grieving a job loss. It is proposed that there are three phases – 1. Personal devastation due to losses experienced.. 2. A period of healing. 3. Recovery and re-establishment of the 'new' person.
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Nevatt, E. A. (2000). Occupational health care: An entrepreneurial venture in New Zealand.
Abstract: A description of the establishment and the first year's operation of an occupational health service set up as a limited liability company and offering contracted fee- for- service health care for employees of clients' businesses. The report tells how the two nurses established the company and how the company secured contracts, it describes the delivery of health care in the workplace. The nurses' perception of their work and the client managers' evaluation of the service are included.
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Paterson(now Fleming), B. L. (2000). The types of information nurses pass on to other nurses verbally regarding their patients, which is not discussed in the legal nursing record. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: This study was undertaken in a combined medical/surgical unit in an acute general hospital in New Zealand using the grounded theory research methodology. It aimed at identifying the types of information nurses pass on verbally regarding their patients, but which they do not document in the legal nursing record.
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Churcher, R. L., Bowden, J., Grogan, J., Grofski, H., Parker, R., & Berry, A. (2000). Trends in theatre nurse education. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: This reports the results of a national survey to ascertain what direction education of theatre nursing personnel is taking. It includes method and content preselection, orientation and in service education/ staff development phases of education. Options for the future are also addressed.
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Booth, W. (1997). Towards partnerships in praxis. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: This action research project explored the factors that helped or hindered student nurse clinical learning from the perspective of nurse educators, practitioners and students. Participant analysis of their own discussions identified both common and disparate views regarding the student's learning experience. Researcher analysis identified five practical and three organizational issues that influenced the development of more effective partnerships between these three stakeholder groups that would facilitate student clinical learning. The practical issues were how to deal with the 'problem' people in the learning process, how to clarify and develop the various roles in the learning context, how to generate more effective communication, how to respond more effectively to the impact of the changing environment, and how to maximize 'moments of learning'. The organizational issues were identified as the schisms between the disparate personal and organizational cultures that direct the way educators, practitioners and students, perceive, think, feel and act
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Fleming, V. E. M. (1994). Partnership, power and politics: feminist perceptions of midwifery practice. Ph.D. thesis, Author, Palmerston North.
Abstract: Provides an interpretative critique of the partnership of a group of independent midwives and their clients in urban NZ. Uses a theoretical basis grounded in the principles of feminism, incorporating aspects of critical social science and post-modernism, to underpin both the methodological approach and the data analysis. Utilises the concepts of subjectivity, power/knowledge and praxis as tools for analysis of data which is collected through semi-structured interviews.
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