The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of a nurse-driven mobility protocol on functional decline. A nonequivalent control group design was used; the independent variable was mobility protocol and dependent variables were functional status and length of stay. Older adults who participated in a mobility protocol maintained or improved functional status and had a reduced length of stay. Practice implications include an emphasis on ambulation in hospitalized older adults.
Children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (A.L.L.) receive treatment that relies on daily self- or parent/caregiver-administered oral chemotherapy for approximately two years. Despite the fact that pediatric A.L.L. is uniformly fatal without adequate treatment, non-adherence to oral chemotherapy has been observed in up to one-third of patients. Little is known about the reasons for non-adherence in these patients. This study employed Straussian grounded theory methodology to develop and validate a model to explain the process of adherence to oral chemotherapy in children and adolescents with A.L.L. Thirty-eight semi-structured interviews (with 17 patients and 21 parents/caregivers) and four focused group discussions were conducted. Three stages were identified in the process of adherence: (1) Recognizing the Threat, (2) Taking Control, and (3) Managing for the Duration. Doing Our Part was identified as the core theme explaining the process of adherence, and involves the parent (or patient) taking responsibility for assuring that medications are taken as prescribed. Understanding the association between taking oral chemotherapy and control/cure of leukemia (Making the Connection) appeared to mediate adherence behaviors.
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