No abstract

Background Minority women, especially black and Hispanic women, have higher rates of coronary heart disease and resulting disability and death than do white women. A lack of knowledge of minority women's symptoms of coronary heart disease may contribute to these disparities. Objective To compare black, Hispanic, and white women's prodromal and acute symptoms of myocardial infarction. Methods In total, 545 black, 539 white, and 186 Hispanic women without cognitive impairment at 15 sites were retrospectively surveyed by telephone after myocardial infarction. With general linear models and controls for cardiovascular risk factors, symptom severity and frequency were compared among racial groups. Logistic regression models were used to examine individual prodromal or acute symptoms by race, with adjustments for cardiovascular risk factors. Results Among the women, 96% reported prodromal symptoms. Unusual fatigue (73%) and sleep disturbance (50%) were the most frequent. Eighteen symptoms differed significantly by race (P <.01); blacks reported higher frequencies of 10 symptoms than did Hispanics or whites. Thirty-six percent reported prodromal chest discomfort; Hispanics reported more pain/discomfort symptoms than did black or white women. Minority women reported more acute symptoms (P < .01). The most frequent symptom, regardless of race, was shortness of breath (63%); 22 symptoms differed by race (P < .01). In total, 28% of Hispanic, 38% of black, and 42% of white women reported no chest pain/discomfort. Conclusions Prodromal and acute symptoms of myocardial infarction differed significantly according to race. Racial descriptions of women's prodromal and acute symptoms should assist providers in interpreting women's symptoms.

The results of this study hold promise for this critical area of science that seeks to improve the outcomes of patients who experience life-threatening events.

This study examined intent to stay and the relationship between work satisfaction and burnout in a sample of new registered nurse graduates hired at a freestanding children's hospital. The following research questions were addressed: (1) Two years after initial employment, what is the percentage of new graduates who intend to stay on the job? (2) Is there a relationship between work satisfaction and burnout? (3) What is the turnover rate after the implementation of a support group program for new registered nurses? Of a target group of 75 new graduate nurses, 33 (44%) completed a modified version of Aiken's Revised Nursing Work Index and the Maslach Burnout Inventory. A majority of the registered nurses intended to stay on the job, with 87.9% reporting that they were satisfied with their current position and 97.0% reporting that they were satisfied with being a nurse. The correlation between job satisfaction and burnout was as follows: r = -0.684, F(1,30) = -21.71; p < .001. Of the participants, 39% reported an increase in the amount of time they spent with patients over the year, 27% reported an increase in the amount of time they spent documenting patient care, and 24% reported that the "quality of care" they were providing was better than 1 year ago. Before the implementation of a support group program for new graduates in 2006, the turnover rate was 7.6%; in 2009, the turnover rate was 5.7%.

Perioperative nurses are situated uniquely to promote good traffic control practices in the OR. This study was conducted to explore the effect of traffic patterns, specifically the number of people in the OR, on the incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs). Researchers analyzed 2,864 clean surgical procedures performed in 1995 in an academic medical center. Duration of surgery and American Society of Anesthesiologists' physical assessment score were statistically significant risk factors for SSIs. A rising trend in SSIs was observed as the number of people in the OR increased; however, it was not statistically significant. Risk factors for SSIs must be better understood to develop more effective prevention programs.

The Institute of Medicine recommended that 90% of clinical decisions should be evidenced based by 2020. Both the IOM and the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses identified evidenced-based practice (EBP) as a core competency for practice. EBP can reduce costs, improve patient outcomes, and ensure optimal nursing interventions. Because nursing faculty may have deficits in knowledge, attitudes, and competencies to teach EBP, few nursing students conduct EBP reviews. The purpose of this project was to develop EBP educational resources to increase nursing faculty knowledge and competency of EBP in a southeastern college with both a multicultural faculty and student body. A pre- and postsurvey design using Stevens' ACE Star Model of Knowledge Transformation and Evidence Based Practice Readiness Inventory (ACE-ERI) determined the effectiveness of the educational intervention. Results indicated that faculty's self-confidence about their competency in EBP increased significantly from presurvey to postsurvey, t(17) = -2.04, p = .028, but there was no significant change from pretest to posttest, t(17) = -0.576, p =.572, for the EBP knowledge component of ACE-ERI. The results of the study suggest that educational programs for RN-to-BSN faculty are vital in increasing participant's readiness for EBP. J Contin Educ Nurs. 2016;47(9):409-419.

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively review Humpty Dumpty Falls Scale (HDFS) scores using electronic medical records (EMR) reports at a pediatric hospital to determine characteristics related to falls, injuries, and performance of the HDFS tool. The specific research question was: Is there a significant difference in HDFS total scores between cases (children who fell) and controls (those who did not fall)? Results from 74 cases and 242 controls revealed the number of falls did not differ significantly between those who obtained high HDFS scores and those who obtained low scores. HDFS sensitivity was 57%, specificity was 39%. The pediatric patients who fell were mostly oriented and ambulating; falls with injury did not exceed 19%. Future case-control studies should use larger sample sizes across multiple institutions with EMR capability.

Pediatric nurses dealt with increased emotional work while remaining compassionate with their patients. Nurses indicated that they needed to understand their own life-worlds and that parents' day-to-day contingencies may affect parents' ability to remain with their hospitalized children. Participants were aware of judgmental attitudes which could interfere with the development of therapeutic relationships with parents, and therefore, with hospitalized children.