Abstract: Patients with myisthenia gravis (MG) face major pulmary problems as a part of the disease process. In this descriptive study, changes in selected pulmonary functions (respiratory rate, negative inspiratory force, tidal volume and forced total capacity) in 14 patients diagnosed with mild or moderate MG were measured every two hours from 8.00 a.m. to 8.00 p.m. Females comprised 64% of the sample while 36% were males. All subjects received anticholnesterase medication, and some subjects received additional treatment modalities. Most of the subjects were non-smokers or previous smokers, but two subjects continued to smoke. Ninety-three recent of the sample had forced vital capacities less than 60% of their predicted values. Myasthenic forced vital capacities were significantly lower (p=.0000) than those predicted for normal subjects. The inspiratory force for the sample was low sat 8:00 a.m. as well as in females over 55 years of age. There was a wide variation in total volume to normal values derived from random tables and predicted equations ws not significant. Th major implications from this study are the need to assess pulmonary function in the hospitalized myasthenic every two hours, and the need for a program of coughing, deep breathing and sighing after medication administration when the muscles are strongest

Abstract: This research project was undertaken with the aim of making teaching and learning processes in the first year of the programme explicit to ensure successful strategies could be replicated and limitations addressed. Action research methodology was utilized to explore which tutors and students the philosophy of teaching, the student/tutor relationship, preferred learning styles and teaching methods, and influences on student learning. Findings elucidated that the philosophy and teaching methods used in the programme were congruent with the goals of the Polytechnic,, the curriculum aims, and current nursing ideologies. Students preferred small group, interactive teaching, did not always rate their ability accurately, and tended to downgrade their ability and did progressively less preparatory work for classes as the year progressed. Factors that impacted on the learning of this mainly mature group were external to the programme and included paid employment, family responsibilities, unexpected life events, lack of time and/or space to study, and financial problems. The research was used to determine the structure of the first year of the 1994 Bachelor of Nursing programme which articulated more clearly the process and pathway for students to become self directed learners. The research process was challenging and provided many useful insights for tutors and students

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: The aim of this study is to investigate whether clinicians consider women have different needs to men. To identify what specific treatment clinicians provided for women with alcohol and drug problems and ascertain whether various clinician variable, are elated to differences in beliefs and treatment provision.The questionnaire items for this study were included in the National Centre for Treatment Development (Alcohol, Drug & Addiction) New Zealand wide telephone survey of alcohol and drug clinicians. Independent interviewers surveyed 217 clinicians. Clinicians were first asked whether they believed women with alcohol and drug problems have differing treatment needs to men. Clinicians responses were compared with various clinician Socio-demographic characteristics (gender, age, ethnicity, professional group, years working in the alcohol and drug treatment field, work setting, qualifications/courses attended, location, and personal alcohol use).Key findings are that almost a quarter (24%) of the clinicians surveyed did not believe that women have different treatment needs to men. However the majority (76%) of clinicians do believe that women have different treatment needs to men. Furthermore findings from this study suggest that significant differences exist in relation to clinicians' practice in new Zealand in relation to clinician, gender, work setting (Crown Health Enterprise, outpatient and residential), and gender mix of caseload

Abstract: A review of the current status of midwifery in NZ and potential for its' development