Asian and native Hawaiian family caregiver satisfaction with palliative care services in nursing homes.

AIM: The aim of this study was to gauge Asian and native Hawaiian family satisfaction with palliative care services in two nursing homes in Hawaii, US. METHODS: This is a mixed-method study using a convergent design. Nine nursing home family caregivers who had received palliative care services took part. They completed a Famcare-2 satisfaction survey and participated in a 1-hour interview. Descriptive analyses and directed content analysis were completed and results were compared. RESULTS: The Famcare-2 results indicated that family caregivers were satisfied with palliative care services. The interviews provided in-depth information on the major areas discussed in the survey-management of patient physical symptoms and comfort, information, family support, and patient psychological care. CONCLUSIONS: There is a need to address family caregiver and interdisciplinary nursing home staff communication based on culturally appropriate approaches for palliative as well as end of-life care services among Asians and native Hawaiians.

What's new in alternative therapies for asthmatic children?

Nurses require current information about popular complementary and alternative medicine for pediatric asthma. This integrative review searched scientific literature in PubMed and WEB of Science from 2004 to 2009 via key terms: asthma complementary medicine, nursing complementary pediatric asthma, asthma herbal, and herbal pediatric asthma. Nine journal articles met the inclusion criteria of containing data collection and analysis for biologically based therapies for pediatric asthma. Evidenced-based research on this focus topic is still in its initial stages. Two themes of maximizing the diet and augmenting conventional therapy with Traditional Chinese Medicine may serve as conduits of patient education.

Malama na makua i na keiki me ka hano: Native Hawaiian Parents Caring for Their Children with Asthma (Part 2).

Objective: Native Hawaiian children have the highest prevalence of asthma among all ethnicities in Hawai'i. Malama Part 2 describes continuing research, exploring contemporary native Hawaiian parents' perspective, and experience of caring for their children with asthma in the context of uncertainty while living on the islands of Hawai'i, Kaua'i, Maui, Moloka'i and Lana'i. Design: Descriptive qualitative approach by means of directed content analysis using focus groups was applied to this study. Eight open-ended questions elicited asthma history, asthma management, and how the Hawaiian culture affects parents' health practices. Directed content analysis applied Mishel's Uncertainty in Illness Theory (UIT) to guide data collection, organization, and analysis. Sample: Thirty-three native Hawaiian parents with a child with asthma met in 9 separate focus groups during 2012-2015 on the islands of Hawai'i, Kaua'i, Maui, Moloka'i, and Lana'i. Results: The study's findings were congruent with the first Malama study results of focus groups on O'ahu. Contextual influences including indigenous worldview, cultural values, history, and assimilation and acculturation factors affected native Hawaiian parents' perceptions and experiences with conventional asthma care. Moreover, Hawaiian parents living on islands outside of metropolitan O'ahu reported geographic barriers that contributed to their uncertainty. Conclusion: Political action is required for comprehensive medical care, health education, and nursing services to be delivered to families living on all islands. Integrating Hawaiian cultural values, involving 'ohana, and applying complementary alternative therapies as well as standard asthma management will strongly support native Hawaiian parents caring for their children with asthma.