Issues in comprehensive pediatric nursing
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Issues Compr Pediatr Nurs · Apr 1993
Comparative StudyParental perceptions and support strategies in caring for a child with a chronic condition.
The purpose of this article is to compare fathers' and mothers' perceptions of a child's chronic condition and to compare strategies used by fathers and mothers to support themselves during critical times. Analysis of data focused on questionnaires from 38 fathers and mothers (19 paired parents) who had children with chronic conditions. Results showed that, although parental perceptions of the child's chronic condition were similar, their responses to the situation were not the same. Fathers and mothers relied on different strategies to support themselves during critical times.
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Issues Compr Pediatr Nurs · Jul 1992
Infant colic and maternal mental health: nursing research and practice concerns.
This study compared the mental health of 12 mothers who had infants with colic to 12 mothers of infants without colic. Colic was defined as infant fussing/crying of at least 2 hours/day for at least 5 out of 7 days, infant cry high-pitched and pain-sounding, and maternal report of infant inconsolability. ⋯ Mothers of infants with colic had multidimensional psychological distress; they reported more bodily dysfunction, fears, disordered thinking, depression, anxiety, fatigue, hostility, impulsive thoughts and actions; and they had stronger feelings of personal inadequacy or inferiority. Implications for nursing research and practice are discussed in the context of study findings.
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Issues Compr Pediatr Nurs · Oct 1991
Comparative StudyChildren's ratings of postoperative pain compared to ratings by nurses and physicians.
Children's ratings of their postoperative pain were compared to nurses' and physicians' ratings of the children's postoperative pain. Children and adolescents were able to rate their pain using a visual analogue scale (VAS). ⋯ Also, the correlation between nurses and physicians was highly significant, indicating that the use of a VAS may help nurses and physicians explore the cues used to estimate children's pain. This dialogue may enhance communication and collaboration between professionals about pain management strategies specific to each child's pain experience.
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Issues Compr Pediatr Nurs · Apr 1991
Case ReportsChronic sorrow in mothers of chronically ill and disabled children.
A qualitative study is presented following the hybrid model of concept development to examine the emotions present in mothers who care for their chronically ill children at home. In particular the study attempts to examine the presence or nonpresence of chronic sorrow in three mothers through the use of observation and intensive interview techniques and by following the Schatzman and Strauss (1973) method of field research. The population for this study varied in diagnosis, sex, age, prognosis, and family structure. ⋯ Although many different reactions have been presented in the literature regarding the emotions of parents of chronically ill children, chronic sorrow has not been one of them. The examination of this emotion has been disease specific. The presence of this emotion in this population has implications for nurses working in all care settings.
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The purpose of this descriptive study was to survey the parents of well children to determine the ethical principles that influenced the decisions they made in regard to hypothetical choice of treatment options. Sixty-one parents responded to a mailed survey designed to measure the principles of autonomy, beneficence/nonmaleficence, and justice. ⋯ Open-ended questions regarding the principle of justice revealed many frustrations of the sample population regarding the health care system. The study identified the need for nurses and other health care providers to be aware of the influence these ethical principles have on decision making and the importance of autonomy to the parents of well children.