Preparing Compassionate Nurses: Infusing School Mission and Values in Undergraduate Education.

ABSTRACT: In preparation for a curriculum revision, a cross-sectional, descriptive mixed-method research study sought to describe senior-level students' perspectives of Mercy and Jesuit faith-based tradition values integration in a pre-licensure BSN program. Integration of values was examined in both clinical settings and didactic classes. Students strongly articulated the importance of the school's values and mission to their future role as professional nurses. However, although value integration is occurring, greater attention to mission and values is needed in the clinical area.

Student Nurses' Perceptions of Mercy: A Qualitative Study.

Mercy is a valued nursing attribute. It often identifies faith-based educational institutions, clinics, and hospitals and has been a quality valued and taught by the Catholic Sisters of Mercy through nursing's history. This qualitative study explored the meaning of mercy as expressed by undergraduate nursing students attending a faith-based nursing school. This article presents the findings of a question posed to students: What does mercy mean to me? Nursing practice and education implications are also presented.

Current evidence on the attitudes, knowledge and perceptions of nurses regarding evidence-based practice implementation in European community settings: a systematic review.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is an approach that influences healthcare worldwide. Systematic research in the relevant biomedical literature was conducted using the Medline-Pubmed interface until August 2012. Six studies were included in the review. All of these studies had a cross-sectional study design, and 4 of them conducted a postal survey, using different questionnaires for data collection purposes. This review supports previous literature suggesting that community nurses have a positive attitude toward EBP. However, although EBP implementation is considered to be a professional imperative, the integration of recent evidence into clinical practice seems to be a cumbersome process.

Hope for Ostomates: A Carbon and Zeolite Impregnated Polyester Fabric Inhibits Urine Odor in Cancer Patients: A Randomized Experimental Study.

OBJECTIVE: Many individuals with bladder cancer have undergone a surgical urostomy and often complain of being self-conscious of the unpleasant smell of their own urine. The focus of this study was to test the efficacy of a pouch cover made of a carbon and zeolite containing polyester material to inhibit the smell of urine by comparing two trained dogs' response time in detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in urine, with and without the fabric covering the samples. METHODS: This study used a randomized, blinded experimental design to evaluate the efficacy of a fabric to interfere with two highly trained dogs' ability to detect specific VOCs present in the urine of prostate cancer patient. Ninety urine samples were analyzed in this study. RESULTS: Prior to the experiment, both dogs accurately detected VOCs in the uncovered test urine samples of men with prostate cancer with a sensitivity and specificity of nearly 100%. Both dogs recognized the "uncovered" urine samples of men with prostate cancer within two seconds. When the test sample was covered with the study fabric, the test urine samples were detected within 30-40 seconds and in some instances the dogs were not able to identify the covered samples, whatsoever. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study demonstrate that the carbon and zeolite containing polyester fabric did significantly interfere with the ability of the dogs to detect VOCs in urine of men with prostate cancer. The fabric may show promise as a pouch cover in controlling offensive urine odor which many ostomates experience.

Home Healthcare Nurses' Attitudes, Confidence, and Engagement in Evidence-Based Practice.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is becoming standard in today's healthcare arena and home care organizations are not exempt from integrating evidence into practice to improve patient outcomes. There is a scarcity of research literature that examines the behaviors and attitudes of home healthcare nurses (HHNs) regarding EBP. In this study, a descriptive survey design was used to investigate HHNs' a) information-seeking behaviors when providing nursing care, b) administrative support for EBP (as perceived by HHNs), c) attitudes toward EBP, and d) EBP engagement and confidence in providing EBP nursing care. Self-reported data were collected by internet and paper survey. The survey consisted of a 65-item questionnaire that included the Nurses' Attitudes Toward Evidence-Based Practice Scale, which has previously established validity and reliability. A convenience sample of 95 HHNs participated in the study. Results suggest HHNs' EBP attitudes are positive. A positive and significant relationship was found between attitudes and hours worked (r = 0.21, p = 0.047) and educational level (r = 0.45, p = 0.0001); 95% confidence level. Confidence levels in providing EBP care were moderate, and HHNs did not perceive EBP as an agency priority. HHNs need to be supported and encouraged in the facilitation of EBP, a task made easier when they are knowledgeable about EBP, have confidence in their EBP skills, and have the support of their organizations.

Breast health of US women religious (nuns).

Breast cancer is a major health problem and concern of women religious in the USA. Although they have been identified as a high-risk population, only a limited number of breast health studies have been conducted. The purpose of this study was to explore breast-related health practices (breast self-examination [BSE], clinical breast examination [CBE], and mammography) of women religious residing in the United States. A survey design was used to collect a national sample. The probability sample consisted of 1,615 women religious between the ages of 24 and 99 (mean age = 64.5). Nearly 71% of the respondents reported performing BSE; 22.7% monthly. Sixty-nine percent of participants reported having a mammogram within the past year. Nearly 70% of the respondents reported having had a CBE within the past year. Several factors for not performing BSE or having mammogram are described by this population. Findings suggest a need for increase engagement by women religious in breast-related health practices.

Determining registered nurses' readiness for evidence-based practice.

BACKGROUND: As health care systems worldwide move toward instituting evidence-based practice (EBP), its implementation can be challenging. Conducting a baseline assessment to determine nurses' readiness for EBP presents opportunities to plan strategies before implementation. Although a growing body of research literature is focused on implementing EBP, little attention has been paid to assessing nurses' readiness for EBP. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess registered nurses' readiness for EBP in a moderate-sized acute care hospital in the Midwestern United States before implementation of a hospital-wide nursing EBP initiative. DESIGN AND METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was used; 121 registered nurses completed the survey. The participants (n= 121) completed the 64-item Nurses' Readiness for Evidence-Based Practice Survey that allowed measurement of information needs, knowledge and skills, culture, and attitudes. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and a post hoc analysis. RESULTS: The majority (72.5%) of respondents indicated that when they needed information, they consulted colleagues and peers rather than using journals and books; 24% of nurses surveyed used the health database, Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). The respondents perceived their EBP knowledge level as moderate. Cultural EBP scores were moderate, with unit scores being higher than organizational scores. The nurses' attitudes toward EBP were positive. The post hoc analysis showed many significant correlations. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Nurses have access to technological resources and perceive that they have the ability to engage in basic information gathering but not in higher level evidence gathering. The elements important to EBP such as a workplace culture and positive attitudes are present and can be built upon. A "site-specific" baseline assessment provides direction in planning EBP initiatives. The Nurses' Readiness for EBP Survey is a streamlined tool with established reliability and validity.

Physician assistant students' attitudes and behaviors toward cheating and academic integrity.

PURPOSE: To examine physician assistant (PA) students' attitudes towards academic integrity. Three integrity factors were assessed: academic environment, personal cheating behaviors, and perceived seriousness of specific cheating behaviors. METHODS: After receiving local IRB approval, an anonymous online survey was disseminated to PA students at the University of Detroit Mercy. Ninety-four potential participants were contacted through the university's email account. Respondents were directed to an online site to complete the academic integrity survey. This descriptive study was part of a larger study of students in the whole college, including the PA department, in order to determine baseline data prior to instituting a college-wide honor code. RESULTS: The response rate was 52% (n = 49). The majority of respondents (86%) indicated "never" having seen another student cheat during an exam. Respondents perceived cheating during a test or exam campuswide as occurring "never" (47%) or "very seldom" (42%). All (100%) respondents reported that they had "never" personally turned in work done by another student or purchased from a "paper mill." All participants (100%) responded "never" to not taking vital signs and reporting approximates. A few respondents (8%) reported getting test questions and answers from another student. Respondents' perceptions of the seriousness of cheating behaviors varied. Working with others when asked to do individual work was considered "not cheating" by 14% of respondents; 35% indicated that not taking vital signs and reporting approximates was less serious than cheating. CONCLUSIONS: PA students have a self-reported high level of integrity in general course assignments, tests and exams, and clinical courses. This apparent high level of academic integrity may be a result of admissions practices and of various program practices throughout the curriculum, including an honor agreement acknowledged by PA students that reinforces what is expected of them.

Ab initio investigation of the autoionization process Ar*(4s3P2, 3P0)+Hg --> (Ar-Hg)+ + e-: potential energy curves and autoionization widths, ionization cross sections, and electron energy spectra.

Multireference configuration interaction (MRCI) calculations have been performed for the Ar*(4s3P2,0) + Hg collision complex. Feshbach projection based on orbital occupancy defines the entrance channel resonance states and provides their potential energy curves as well as resonance-continuum coupling matrix elements, which are turned into an autoionization width function by Stieltjes imaging. Coupled cluster calculations with singles, doubles, and pertubative triples [CCSD(T)] give the exit channel potential of ArHg+. The Hg20+ core is treated by a scalar-relativistic effective core potential, reparametrized to reproduce experimental excitation and ionization energies. Spin-orbit interaction is included for the Ar* open 3p shell. The nuclear motion is treated within the local complex potential approximation. Ionization occurs for 85% (3P0) and 98% (3P2) of the symmetry allowed close collisions. Calculated ionization cross sections show good agreement with experimental data. The difference potential of the collision complex is remarkably flat down to internuclear separations of 8a0 and leads to very sharp peaks in theoretical electron energy spectra for single collision energies. After accounting for the experimental energy distribution and the resolution function of the spectrometer, a very satisfying agreement with experimental electron energy spectra is found, including subtle differences due to spin-orbit coupling. Theoretical input appears indispensable for an analysis of the measured data in terms of potential energy curves and autoionization width functions.