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Papers submitted to The University of Kansas School of Nursing in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Nursing Honors Program
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Publication Emotional Tone Coding Using an Abbreviated Rating Scale(2013-08-01) Sims, Rebecca; Williams, Kristine; Herman, Ruth; Williams, Kristine; Herman, Ruth; Neuberger, GeriIntroduction: The Emotional Tone Rating Scale (ETRS) is used to evaluate nursing communication with older adults in dimensions of care, respect, and control. Psychometric analysis of the original scale indicates that several of the 12 items overlap and that two, instead of three factors are indicated (control and person-centered). A scale was reduced to 8 items to diminish redundancy and reduce burden for raters. Background: This Pilot Study is part of a larger research study entitled Changing Talk to Reduce Resistiveness to Dementia Care. The specific aim of the larger study is to improve staff communication with nursing home residents who have dementia to reduce resistiveness to care (RTC). The intervention is a three-session staff training program on communication skills associated with avoiding RTC. The ETRS is used to evaluate the communication skills. Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate whether the 8 and 12 item scales measure the same factors. Theoretical Framework: The ETRS is designed to measure nursing communication based on concepts and theories of person-centered care for older adults. Methodology: Twenty raters each listened to 20, 1 minute audio recordings of nursing home care, presented in a powerpoint presentation. These clips were previously rated using the 12-item scale. They rated the nurse's communication on the ETRS. Factor analysis was used to compare similarities of the original and abbreviated scales. Findings: Factor analysis revealed that the 12-item scale data and the 8-item scale data resulted in highly comparable negative correlations between person-centered and controlling scales. Factor analyses of the original 12-item scale and the 8-item scale produce similar solutions. Discussion: The two factors person-centered communication and controlling communication are similar with the shortened 8-item tool as with the previous 12-item scale the shortened version and will be used for future use. This shortened scale will help to reduce redundancies and rater burden.Publication Is There an App for That? Developing an Evaluation Rubric for Apps for Use with Adults with Special Needs(2013-08-01) Malone, Meghan; Peterson, Moya; Peterson, Moya; Neuberger, GeriBackground: Societal need for technological support constantly evolves. Many mobile applications (apps) are now easily accessible, especially for the special needs population. Little literature exists discussing the usefulness, value, and evaluation of applications in this population. Apps have the potential to enhance the independent lives of adults with Down syndrome. One example is iDress which provides the user with the temperature and the clothing selection that is appropriate for that temperature. Purpose: The purpose was to identify apps that could enhance the lives of adults with Down syndrome. Methodology: Apps were chosen based on ease of use and applicability to the population. A tool was developed previously based on Harry Walker's evaluation rubric. The tool provides evaluations in application, feedback, adjustability, ease of use, cost and benefit. Each app was scored 1-4 and an average of each area calculated. Qualitative data were gathered from participants (adults with special needs and family members). Participants selected from a convenience sample, were required to be English speaking and capable of touch technology. Results/Conclusions: Through analysis of qualitative and quantitative data, conclusions were drawn that touch technology and the apps that use it, can be beneficial in the lives of adults with Down syndrome. Apps that were rated low were due to participants' inability to communicate and understand directions or physical inability to use touch technology. Adults that were able to participate in the study rated most apps useful and applicable to their daily lives, specifically iDress. Findings indicate that adjustments, based on participants verbal and education capabilities, are needed for apps to be fully effective in the target population. ThePublication The Relationship Between RN Job Enjoyment and Intent to Stay: a Unit-Level Analysis(2013-08-01) Joyce, Lora; Choi, JiSun; Choi, JiSun; Neuberger, GeriJob satisfaction is crucial for RN retention. Yet, little is known about the relationship between RN job enjoyment and intent to stay at the patient care unit level. This study examined the relationship between RN workgroup job enjoyment and RN workgroup intent to stay on five types of acute care hospital units. A descriptive, correlational design was employed using 2011 data from the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) RN survey. Two-level linear regression analyses were performed at the unit level. The sample consisted of 5,062 units (116,563 RNs; 723 hospitals). Included unit types were Critical Care, Step-Down, Medical, Surgical, and Medical-Surgical. Controlling for unit (nurse staffing, RN education, RN unit tenure) and hospital (Magnet status, bed size, teaching status, geographical location) characteristics, RN workgroup job enjoyment was positively associated with RN workgroup intent to stay across all five unit types. Findings from this study provide evidence that RN workgroup job enjoyment contributes significantly to RN workgroup intent to stay. Nursing administrators and managers wishing to achieve higher RN retention rates should develop strategies to enhance RN job enjoyment on a unit-by-unit basis.Publication Assaults on Nursing Personnel(2013-08-01) Johnson, Branka; Dunton, Nancy; Miller, Peggy; Dunton, Nancy; Miller, Peggy; Neuberger, GeriIntroduction: Nurses are frequent victims of workplace violence. Little research has been done that examines multiple factors related to assaults against nurses. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship of the rate of physical injury assault against hospital nurses with characteristics of assailants, of the nursing workforce, unit types, and hospital types. By providing insight into the factors that are associated with assaults on nursing staff, hospitals may be able to develop initiatives that decrease the number of assaults or decrease the severity of injuries. Methodology: This was a cross-sectional, correlational study based on unit-level analysis. A convenience sample of 372 eligible units in 33 hospital members of the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI) were invited to participate. Eligible unit types included adult and pediatric medical, surgical, and medical-surgical, neonate, obstetrics, perioperative, psychiatric, and emergency services. Twenty-seven hospitals submitted data from 180 units. Data were collected under a protocol approved by the University of Kansas Medical Center's Institutional Review Board. Incidents of physical and sexual assaults were recorded in a log available at the nurses' station of each participating unit during October 2012 Findings: The analysis revealed the frequency of assaults, the characteristics of the nursing staff most frequently assaulted, unit types on which assaults are most common, and characteristics of assailants. Teaching hospitals in this sample accounted for the most cases of assaults with 68.3% of the total reported, whereas non-teaching hospitals had 22% and academic medical centers 9.8% of the total incidents. Among unit types, neonate, pediatric and obstetric units reported no assaults. Emergency departments, adult and psychiatric units reported the most assaults. All reported assaults were of a physical nature. Out of 92 assaults, 24 resulted in injury, of which 23 were minor and 1 was moderate. Patients were assailants 89 times with the remaining 3 being visitors or other. Assailants were usually male (55.4%) and assaultees were usually female (66.3%). The assaultees were mostly registered nurses (78.3%). Discussion: Most assaults on nurses occurred on adult medical and surgical units, psychiatric units, and in emergency services. Most assaults did not result in injury. Most assailants were patients. To reduce the incidence of assaults on nurses, hospitals could target interventions on these four unit types. Potential interventions could include implementing easy-to-use reporting systems, staff training on patient de-escalation, increase surveillance and security measures. Disclosures: Research was sponsored by the NDNQI under contract to the American Nurses Association.Publication The Journal of BSN Honors Research, Volume 6, Issue 1, Summer 2013(2013-08-01) Johnson, Branka; Joyce, Lora; Malone, Meghan; Sims, Rebecca; Dunton, Nancy; Miller, Peggy; Choi, JiSun; Peterson, Moya; Williams, Kristine; Herman, Ruth; Neuberger, Geri