Applied nursing research : ANR
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The aim of this study was to develop a modified Braden scale, to evaluate its predictive validity, and to identify a more valid pressure ulcer risk calculator for application in acute care hospitals in Mainland China among the modified Braden, Braden, and Norton scales. The initial modified Braden scale, with the addition of skin type and body build for height, was proposed in this study. Four hundred twenty-nine subjects who were admitted to two acute care hospitals in Mainland China within 24 hr and free of pressure ulcers upon admission were assessed with the initial modified Braden, Braden, and Norton scales by three nurse assessors. ⋯ The predictive validity test reported that the modified Braden scale demonstrated a better balance of sensitivity (89%) and specificity (75%) at a cutoff score of 16, with a higher positive predictive value (7%), than the Braden and Norton scales. This finding revealed that for this sample, the modified Braden scale is more effective in pressure ulcer risk prediction than the other two scales. Because the modified Braden scale is not 100% sensitive and specific, to increase clinical efficacy in the prevention of pressure ulcer, it is recommended that it be adopted combined with nursing judgment to predict pressure ulcer development in acute care settings in Mainland China.
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A feeding study conducted at a tertiary care center's neonatal intensive care unit tested a predictive model of bottle-feeding readiness and feeding outcomes. The study examined how bottle-feeding experience influences both bottle-feeding readiness and outcomes. The clinical coordinator played an integral role in the success of the research by coordinating the education of nurses, data collectors, and families; communicating with various interest groups; managing recruitment, enrollment, and participant tracking; and overseeing data collection.
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The purpose of this study was to determine the patient cues that emergency department (ED) nurses use to triage male and female patients with complaints suggestive of acute coronary syndromes (ACSs) and to determine if cues used by ED nurses to make clinical inferences varied by patient sex or nurses' demographic characteristics. Using clinical vignette questionnaires with different patient characteristics, ED nurses' triage decisions were evaluated to determine the patient cues used to predict ACS. ⋯ In addition, female vignette patients were more likely than male vignette patients to be assigned a suspected cause of cholecystitis for their presentation in a small subset of 13 (11:2; odds ratio, 1.653; 95% confidence interval, 1.115-24.47; p=.036). This study provides insight into the complex phenomenon of triage decision making and warrants further exploration.
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Pain is a common problem that affects the functional status and quality of life of people in all communities. This study explored the occurrence of pain and the pain self-treatment modalities used by 723 community residents. Mean worst pain scores were moderate to severe and interfered with all activities at a low-to-moderate level. ⋯ Current regimens were reported to relieve only 45% of pain. Twenty-eight percent of participants reported that they had not informed their primary care practitioner of their self-treatment choices. Knowledge of self-treatment choices is imperative in planning treatment regimens for pain or other health problems to prevent potential interactions or side effects.