ABSTRACT
National initiatives in the United States call for health research that addresses racial/ethnic disparities. Although grounded theory (GT) research has the potential to contribute much to the understanding of the health experiences of people of color, the extent to which it has contributed to health disparities research is unclear. In this article we describe a project in which we reviewed 44 GT studies published in Qualitative Health Research within the last five years. Using a framework proposed by Green, Creswell, Shope, and Clark (2007), we categorized the studies at one of four levels based on the status and significance afforded racial/ethnic diversity. Our results indicate that racial/ethnic diversity played a primary role in five studies, a complementary role in one study, a peripheral role in five studies, and an absent role in 33 studies. We suggest that GT research could contribute more to health disparities research if techniques were developed to better analyze the influence of race/ethnicity on health-related phenomena.
Subject(s)
Bariatric Surgery , Fertility , Obesity, Morbid/surgery , Postoperative Care , Preoperative Care , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Pregnancy Complications , Pregnancy OutcomeABSTRACT
Animal-assisted therapy has gained widespread support in a variety of health care settings, including critical care units. This article seeks to review some of the current animal-assisted therapy, define a structured program, and evaluate the potential ability of the therapy to enhance the progress and health of our patients.
Subject(s)
Animal Assisted Therapy , Critical Illness , Animals , Human-Animal Bond , HumansABSTRACT
Unresolved stress has been shown to have numerous adverse effects on the body. A review of the literature has revealed 2 major themes: (1) research that argues that massage has a direct relationship with positive health outcomes and (2) research that stresses that although there are little or no measurable physiological changes that occur from massage, patients' perceptions of stress and anxiety were significantly reduced. The simple act of touch-focused care, even a simple 5-min hand or foot massage, can be useful in lowering a patient's perceived level of stress. Further research is necessary on the benefits and risks of implementing massage therapy in the hospital setting.
Subject(s)
Massage , Stress, Psychological/therapy , Cost-Benefit Analysis , Education, Nursing, Continuing , Humans , Stress, Psychological/nursingABSTRACT
Individuals who do not have a spleen are highly susceptible to severe infections. The purpose of this article was to present vaccination guidelines for prophylactic treatment of sepsis following splenectomy. Nursing considerations for the prevention of sepsis after splenectomy are discussed.
Subject(s)
Critical Care/methods , Infection Control/methods , Postoperative Care , Sepsis/prevention & control , Splenectomy/adverse effects , Vaccination/methods , Bacterial Capsules/administration & dosage , Haemophilus Vaccines/administration & dosage , Humans , Immunization Schedule , Incidence , Influenza Vaccines/administration & dosage , Nurse's Role , Pneumococcal Vaccines/administration & dosage , Postoperative Care/methods , Postoperative Care/nursing , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Sepsis/epidemiology , Sepsis/etiology , Time FactorsABSTRACT
Diabetes is a disease that can increase the risks of developing cardiac problems, which can include coronary artery bypass graft surgery. These patients are at an increased risk of developing serious complications after this surgery, including deep sternal wound infections. In addition, nondiabetic patients may also develop this complication. Therefore, it is essential to monitor and maintain glucose levels after open heart surgery. This literature review discusses some of the studies in this area.
