The Nursing clinics of North America
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Culture has been defined as the thoughts, communications, actions, customs, beliefs, values, and institutions of racial, ethnic, religious, or social groups. A culture of nursing refers to the learned and transmitted lifeways, values, symbols, patterns, and normative practices of members of the nursing profession of a particular society. To serve the unique and diverse needs of patients in the United States, it is imperative that nurses understand the importance of cultural differences by valuing, incorporating, and examining their own health-related values and beliefs and those of their health care organizations, for only then can they support the principle of respect for persons and the ideal of transcultural care.
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Problem solving using a collaborative approach may reduce the risk of falls in the nursing home. Interventions need to be tailored to the individual's cognitive and physical impairments as well as be feasible in the particular long-term care setting. Polypharmacy, Vitamin D deficiency, delirium, and urinary incontinence are among several risks for falls that are discussed in this article.
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Nurs. Clin. North Am. · Mar 2009
ReviewThe Clinical Scholar Model: Evidence-based practice at the bedside.
The Clinical Scholar Model serves as an effective framework for investigating and implementing evidence-based practice (EBP) changes by direct care providers. The model guides one in identifying problems and issues, key stakeholders, and the need for practice changes. It provides a framework to critique and synthesize the external and internal evidence. Three EBP projects conducted at a large tertiary care facility in northern New England illustrate the process of using the Clinical Scholar Model.
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Nurs. Clin. North Am. · Mar 2009
Effect of a preoperative instructional digital video disc on patient knowledge and preparedness for engaging in postoperative care activities.
This project determined the effects of developing and implementing a preoperative instructional digital video disc (DVD) on patients' level of knowledge, preparedness, and perceived ability to participate in postoperative care activities. Content areas that were incorporated into the preoperative instructional DVD included: pain management, surgical drainage, vital signs, incentive spirometry, cough and deep breathe, chest physiotherapy, anti-embolism stockings/sequential compression device, ambulation, diet/bowel activity/urine output, and discharge. ⋯ The instructional media product was found to be effective in increasing pre-operative knowledge and preparedness of patients and their families. Nurses reported higher levels of knowledge and engagement among patients and their families related to postoperative activities.
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Nurs. Clin. North Am. · Mar 2009
ReviewA collaborative approach to building the capacity for research and evidence-based practice in community hospitals.
The use of best evidence to support nursing practice and the generation of new knowledge to use in practice are hallmarks of excellence. Nurses at the bedside, however, often lack the resources and knowledge necessary to change the traditional nursing culture to one in which the use of evidence is incorporated into daily care. This article describes the experience in two hospitals using a program designed to give nurses the skills needed to engage in evidence-based care.