This study discovers, describes, and explains the personal experiences, perceptions, and care meanings of Jordanian women who have suffered postpartum depression. Most postpartum cases often are misdiagnosed as exclusively psychological and untreated by health care professionals without consideration to the cultural meanings of this problem. Understanding the experiences of these women is important, as their expressions often are contextually and culturally influenced. Using Leininger's Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality, a purposive sample of 22 Jordanian women diagnosed with postpartum depression, living in Sydney, were interviewed. The ethnonursing research method and data analysis procedures were used. Results revealed that Jordanian mothers experienced severe loss of control over emotions of loneliness, hopelessness, and feelings of being a bad mother. Three major themes focusing on the care meanings and experiences of Jordanian women are discussed: (a) Care means strong family support and kinship during the postpartum period, (b) care is carrying out and fulfilling traditional gender roles as mother and wife, and (c) care is preservation of Jordanian childbearing customs as expressed in the celebration of the birth of the baby.

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SPECIALIZATION IN NURSING is a phenomenon that occurs worldwide. In New South Wales, Australia, the positions of clinical nurse specialist (CNS) and clinical nurse consultant (CNC) were formally established only in the last decade. How these positions developed and the responses to the roles are considered in this article. In 1990/1991, we surveyed 568 specialist nurses (CNSs and CNCs) working in the Sydney metropolitan area to identify their perceptions of what they ought to be doing and what they were actually doing in the performance of their roles. The results revealed discrepancies in perceptions of the potential role and the actual role. Comments indicated the challenging nature of the roles and thematic analysis of the comments identified problem areas related to role performance, such as workload and role conflict. Further research should be undertaken to explore the origins of role expectations and current role satisfaction.

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This paper addresses the issues surrounding clinical credibility and describes how a Hong Kong specialist nurse teacher maintains clinical credibility. The aim is to explore the credibility of the nurse teacher in relation to the clinical knowledge and skills that will enhance postgraduate students' clinical scholarship. The paper describes a model for maintaining specialist teachers' clinical credibility and innovative strategies to achieve this goal.

Jordan is typical of many developing countries in that the improving health services have significantly reduced child and infant mortality. A high fertility rate coupled with this reduction in mortality has increased the numbers of those living to adulthood and into old age. This paper identifies, in broad terms, areas where service delivery might be considered for implementation thereby improving the well-being in the elderly person. 965 residents of Jordan 55 to 95 years of age were sampled from Amman, Irbid and the surrounding suburbs. All subjects were designated, from a medical examination, as having or not having a chronic illness. Student's t-test comparing the Jordan subjects' mean scores on the six dimensions of the NHP with previously reported data suggested that although the instrument was faithfully translated there might exist significant cultural differences. Similarly, differences between males and females suggested a possible gender bias in the interpretation of the items. All chronically ill subject groupings had higher (poorer) mean scores on all dimensions. Healthy elderly males and females have a better perceived well-being than their chronically ill counterparts.