Dyspnea coping strategies in Korean immigrants with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Purpose: Patients with lung disease develop coping strategies to relieve dyspnea. The coping strategies of Korean immigrants, however, are poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to describe the strategies that Korean immigrants with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) use to cope with dyspnea and to compare similarities and differences in coping strategies between the two conditions.

The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder, mood states, functional status, and quality of life in oncology outpatients.

Context: Oncology patients are at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other comorbid mood states, which are associated with decreases in functional status and quality of life (QOL). However, few studies have investigated the relationship between PTSD, other mood states, functional status, and QOL in oncology outpatients.

Objectives: This study had four aims: 1) determine the percentages of patients with PTSD and partial PTSD; 2) evaluate for differences in demographic and clinical characteristics among patients with PTSD, partial PTSD, and no PTSD; 3) evaluate for differences in mood states, functional status, and QOL among the three PTSD groups; and 4) evaluate whether demographic and disease characteristics were predictors of PTSD.

Symptoms and functional performance in Korean immigrants with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Objectives: People with chronic obstructive lung diseases often experience a variety of symptoms. Few studies, however, have described these symptoms in detail. This study sought to examine concurrent symptoms, symptom clusters, and the effects of symptoms on functioning in Korean immigrants with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Job satisfaction of advanced practice nurses in the Veterans Health Administration.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe the level of job satisfaction and barriers to practice for advanced practice nurses (APNs) employed by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).

Data Sources: The Misener Nurse Practitioner Job Satisfaction Survey (MNPJSS) and an investigator-developed questionnaire were completed by a self-selected, convenience sample of 1,983 APNs who responded to an internal VHA email invitation (61% response rate) to participate in an anonymous on-line survey.

Conclusions: Respondents reported being minimally satisfied with their job overall, most satisfied with their benefits and least satisfied with professional growth and intrapractice collegiality.

Nurse coaching to explore and modify patient attitudinal barriers interfering with effective cancer pain management.

Purpose/objectives: To describe a complex coaching intervention to help patients with cancer pain explore beliefs and attitudinal barriers interfering with pain management. Patients were coached to explore beliefs about pain, communications about pain management, and the use of analgesics and nonpharmacologic interventions.

Data Sources: Published journal articles, abstracts, and psychology textbooks.

Nutritional adequacy in patients receiving mechanical ventilation who are fed enterally.

Background: Inadequate nutritional intake in critically ill patients can lead to complications resulting in increased mortality and healthcare costs. Several factors limit adequate nutritional intake in intensive care unit patients given enteral feedings.

Objective: To examine the adequacy of enteral nutritional intake and the factors that affect its delivery in patients receiving mechanical ventilation.