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Reid, E. A. (1997). Living a divergent experience: the maternal perception of critical illness. Ph.D. thesis, , .
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Rodgers, J. A. (1994). A paradox of power and marginality: New Zealand nurses' professional campaign during war, 1900 – 1920. Ph.D. thesis, , .
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Woods, M. (1992). The ethical preparation and practice of nurses: a pilot research project. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: This research project studied the ways in which nurses are educationally prepared for, and responded to, ethical problems in practice. The study involved both descriptive and analytical-interpretive methods that provided information and insights on the given aims of the research. The research findings indicated that nurses were educationally ill prepared in the area of nursing ethics. It also maintained that nurses that nurses were quite able to correctly identify ethical issues in their practice, but felt restrained about their freedom to act autonomously in response to these issues
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Sherrard, I. M. (1996). Living with a damaged body. Ph.D. thesis, , .
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
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Woods, M. (1994). Nursing ethics education and contemporary concerns: a reflective report. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: This report builds upon previous research undertaken in 1992 entitled 'the ethical preparation and practice of nurses: a pilot research project'. The overall aim was to compare new data with the results and tentative conclusions of the earlier research. Following two years of data gathering and analysis and discussions with diverse groups of experienced nurses, the conclusions of the earlier study were re-appraised in light of the contemporary developments in nursing ethics. The main conclusion of the research was that several nurses already possessed an ethic that was appropriate for their practice, but that it was unrecognised by other health professionals
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Woods, M. (1997). Maintaining the nursing ethic: a grounded theory of the moral practice of experienced nurses. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: This thesis presents a study of the every-day moral decision making of experienced nurses. Eight experienced registered nurses participated in the completed research that is based on data gathered through interviews, document audit and literature review. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the extensive data gathered for the study. This methodology generated a theoretical description involving the antecedents, processes and consequences of nursing moral decision making.Nursing practice has moral content, if not an entirely moral purpose, and moral decision making is the central component of this practice, yet the ethical aspects of nursing practice remain a comparatively recent field of study. It is therefore essential to nurses and their patients that this process is adequately studied and theorised. To date, very few studies have been undertaken in this area in New Zealand. This study aims to at least partially redress this situation by offering insights through conceptualisation and theoretical description of nursing moral decision making.The findings of the study reveal that antecedents such as personal moral development, upbringing and social experiences, contribute to a 'nursing ethic' in the moral decision making of experienced nurses. Furthermore, the study shows that the context and individual and shared perceptions of moral events influence the degree of nursing involvement in ethical situations. Finally, the study maintains that an intrinsic and persistent nursing ethic guides ethical decision making in nursing. This ethic is an undeniable phenomenon of considerable significance to nursing practice and education
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Roy, D. E. (1995). Exploring the realities: the lived experienced of chronic rheumatoid arthritis. Ph.D. thesis, , .
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
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Pearce, L., Cuthbertson, S., Streat, S. J., & Hay, D. (1996). Dental hygiene in the critically ill: a randomised controlled trial of three methods. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: Introduction Critically ill patients cannot clean their own teeth. A variety of methods are used but as the best method is unknown we performed a prospective randomised double-blind controlled trial of three methods.Method Of 359 consecutive admissions to the Department of Critical Care Medicine between 31/01/97 and 25/05/97, 222 were excluded (62 edentulous, 6 unexaminable, 142 transferred alive and 12 dead or dying at 24 hours). The remaining 137 patients had quantitative (picture-linked, ordinal score) assessment of caries, peridontal status and plaque (in 12 segments of teeth) before randomisation (to the use of either toothbrush, jumbo swab or sonic toothbrush) by pre-assigned sealed envelopes. All teeth were cleaned (prescribed four hourly) with 0.2% chlorhexidine solution. Daily plaque scores were obtained (by an assessor (SC) blind to treatment allocation) until withdrawal, death or transfer.Results Toothbrush Jumboswab SonicPatients assigned 50 48 39Withdrawn within 24hrs. 9 3 5Patients remaining 41 45 34Percentage of teeth segments thatare pristine: pre treatment 45 50 51 after 2 days 74 57 90 F(2.63) = 5.00 p = 0.0097 More withdrawals for patient noncompliance after randomisation occurred in the sonic group (5/34 versus 3/86). Conclusion. By the second day the sonic toothbrush was the most effective in plaque removal with the toothbrush the next most effective method
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Idour, D. M. G. (1998). Stepping beyond the known – the lived experience of returning registered nurse students: an interpretive descriptive study.
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
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Bird, A. (1979). Social withdrawal among early patients in a long-stay psychiatric ward. Ph.D. thesis, , .
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Adamson, M. J. (1997). Action research: the journey from enrolled nurse to registration and beyond. Discovering a process to promote self-efficacy and professional development. Ph.D. thesis, , .
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Tangamonsiri, D. (1978). Teaching coping behaviour to psychiatric patients. Ph.D. thesis, , .
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Guilliland, K. (1998). A demographic profile of independent (self-employed) midwives in New Zealand Aotearoa. Ph.D. thesis, , .
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Gordon, M. J. (1988). View of the new – a case study of the perceptions of nurse tutors support and development in the first two years of their employment. Ph.D. thesis, , .
Abstract: This study was designed to explore the perceptions of Nurse Tutors, of their first two years following appointment to teaching positions, in a small regional Polytechnic . There was particular emphasis on factors they believed enhanced or impeded their performance, in the first two years of their employment.It was hoped the project would serve as a springboard for their development of support to assist Nursing Tutors during the first two years in their employment.The purpose of the study was not to examine the formal induction process, or the role of the staff development unit. Instead it aimed to focus on the experience of the Nursing Tutors within the Nursing school, and associated practicum teaching.An essentially qualitative approach was adopted. The aim being to discover patterns in the data from the research, and explore these themes with reference to relevant literature. Case study was chosen as the design framework for the study.Participants in the study were five Nurse Tutors who had joined the Polytechnic during the last two years and volunteered to participate in the study.Data was gathered by interview based on critical incidents, identified by participants. Themes identified from interview transcripts are discussed with reference to relevant literature. These themes indicated that tutors looked forward to their new role with anticipation, but that initial teaching experience was somewhat negative, and they did not feel well prepared. An important issue was congruency between the Nursing Curriculum (with focus on care), relationships with students and staff, and institutional constraints. The tutors coped with multiple demands, the three worlds of the Polytechnic , Health Care system and home (and for some degree study!). Participants were actively seeking strategies for successful teaching and able to reflect on aspects they wished to change. Although there were common elements , each participant demonstrated individual strengths and needs.The study concludes with suggestions for future action, including appropriate preparation prior to initial teaching, attention to initial workloads, exploration of buddying, discussion of what constitutes a safe, caring, learning and teaching environment and the relationship to the Nursing curriculum. It is suggested that collaborative sessions in order to share expertise in teaching and learning and/or action research may assist in support of new tutors (and ultimately benefit all staff)
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Mc Drury, J. (1997). Self assessment and reflective practice: exploring the meaning of self assessment and developing tools to facilitate reflective practice in nursing using a socio-cultural perspective. Ph.D. thesis, , .
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