The Journal of neuroscience nursing : journal of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses
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Multicenter Study
Factors associated with hospital arrival time for stroke patients.
Patients who experience a sudden ischemic stroke can benefit from administration of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) to reduce the resulting disability, yet few arrive in time to be eligible for tPA administration. The purpose of this study was to determine (a) the stroke warning signs that most commonly result in the decision to seek hospital care, (b) who makes the decision to seek hospital care, (c) the most common mode of transportation to the hospital, (d) hospital arrival time in relation to the onset of the first warning sign, and (e) factors most associated with hospital arrival time for stroke survivors. Using a descriptive, cross-sectional design, data from a convenience sample of 50 stroke survivors and/or their companions (family, friends, or others seeking hospital care for the patient) were obtained by face-to-face interview during the patient's hospital stay using a structured interview guide developed by the investigator. ⋯ Patients arriving by private car or taxi and those perceiving their incomes as comfortable had the longest arrival times, suggesting public education efforts also should target people from higher socioeconomic groups. The nonsignificant associations between hospital arrival time, warning signs, and other demographic characteristics of initiators suggest there may be other unmeasured behavioral factors that play a more important role in reducing hospital arrival time for stroke patients. Further study of additional factors associated with early hospital arrival time is recommended to support educational efforts for early stroke treatment and prevention.
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Review Case Reports
Hyponatremia in the patient with subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Hyponatremia commonly occurs in patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Two mechanisms have been proposed as causes: syndrome of inappropriate anti-diuretic hormone and cerebral salt wasting. Physical examination and laboratory results can assist a clinician in identifying which mechanism is responsible and thus determine proper treatment. When hyponatremia is treated promptly and appropriately, patients' sodium levels return to normal without detrimental effects.
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Although quality of life is extensively defined as subjective and multidimensional with both affective and cognitive components, few instruments capture important dimensions of the construct, and few are both conceptually congruent and user friendly for the clinical setting. The aim of this study was to develop and test a measure that would be easy to use clinically and capture both cognitive and affective components of quality of life. Initial item sources for the Fox Simple Quality-of-Life Scale (FSQOLS) were literature-based. ⋯ Psychometric evaluation of the FSQOLS included item-total correlations, principal components analysis with varimax rotation revealing two factors explaining 50% variance, reliability estimation using alpha estimates, and item-factor correlations. The FSQOLS exhibited significant convergent validity with four popular quality-of-life instruments: the Ferrans and Powers Quality of Life Index, the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy Scale, the Short-Form-36 Health Survey, and the General Well-Being Scale. Content validity of the scale was explored and supported using qualitative interviews of 14 participants with lung, colon and ovarian cancer, who were a subgroup of the sample for the initial instrument testing.
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Chronic sorrow has been described in the caregivers of individuals with myelomeningocele, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, cancer, and premature infants. Most studies have reported small numbers of fathers for comparison with mothers. One unpublished study compared chronic sorrow and depression. ⋯ Chronic sorrow is a potential barrier to parental understanding of their child's care and diagnosis. Based on these findings, separate assessments of each parent and timely interventions are warranted. Further research should include more than 1 measure of chronic sorrow and delineate the dimensions being measured.
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Following acute multiple trauma, hypothalamic stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system and adrenal glands causes an increase in circulating corticoids and catecholamines, or a stress response. In individuals with severe traumatic brain injury or a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 3-8, this response can be exaggerated and episodic. A term commonly used by nurses caring for these individuals to describe this phenomenon is storming. ⋯ Diagnosis is commonly made solely on clinical assessment, and treatment is aimed at controlling the duration and severity of the symptoms and preventing additional brain injury. Storming can pose a challenge for the nurse, from providing daily care for the individual in the height of the storming episode and treating the symptoms, to educating the family. Careful assessment of the individual leads the nurse to the diagnosis and places the nurse in the role of moderator of the storming episode, including providing treatment and evaluating outcomes.