Impact of aromatherapy on anxiety among ICU nurses: A randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of aromatherapy with an essential oil blend containing lavender, bergamot, ylang-ylang, and sweet orange, compared with placebo, on perceptions of anxiety in ICU RNs.

Methods: Nurses recruited from six adult ICUs and a neonatal ICU participated in this blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled study, which took place over a 30-day intervention period.

Results: Although there were no statistically significant changes in anxiety pre- to postintervention or between the intervention and placebo groups, there were also no adverse events or untoward effects.

Progressive Mobility Protocol Reduces Venous Thromboembolism Rate in Trauma Intensive Care Patients: A Quality Improvement Project.

The intensive care unit (ICU) trauma population is at high risk for complications associated with immobility. The purpose of this project was to compare ICU trauma patient outcomes before and after implementation of a structured progressive mobility (PM) protocol. Outcomes included hospital and ICU stays, ventilator days, falls, respiratory failure, pneumonia, or venous thromboembolism (VTE).

Comparison of nonmicroprocessor knee mechanism versus C-Leg on Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire, stumbles, falls, walking tests, stair descent, and knee preference.

This study compared subjects' performance with a nonmicroprocessor knee mechanism (NMKM) versus a C-Leg on nine clinically repeatable evaluative measures. We recorded data on subjects' performance while they used an accommodated NMKM and, following a 90-day accommodation period, the C-Leg in a convenience sample of 19 transfemoral (TF) amputees (mean age 51 +/- 19) from an outpatient prosthetic clinic. We found that use of the C-Leg improved function in all outcomes: (1) Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire scores increased 20% (p = 0.

Reliability and validity of the occupational therapy attribute scale.

The Occupational Therapy Attribute Scale (OTAS) was developed as a systematic, valid, and reliable tool for use as a formative and summative assessment of occupational therapy (OT) student professional behavior during level II fieldwork. The purpose of this study was to investigate the validity and reliability of the OTAS as a summative assessment for level II fieldwork. Items were created by OT clinical educators during focus groups.

Distribution and cost of wheelchairs and scooters provided by Veterans Health Administration.

During fiscal years 2000 and 2001, the Veterans Health Administration provided veterans with more than 131,000 wheelchairs and scooters at a cost of $109 million. This national study is the first to investigate Veterans Health Administration costs in providing wheelchairs and scooters and to compare regional prescription patterns. With a retrospective design, we used descriptive methods to analyze fiscal years 2000 and 2001 National Prosthetics Patient Database data (cleaned data set of 113,724 records).

Comparison of mobility device delivery within Department of Veterans Affairs for individuals with multiple sclerosis versus spinal cord injury.

Individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS) report decreased satisfaction with their mobility devices compared with individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCIs). This study (1) investigated the demographic differences between veterans with MS (V-MS) and veterans with SCI (V-SCI) who were issued a wheelchair by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and (2) described differences in mobility device prescription. We merged two VHA databases to obtain demographic and wheelchair information for all V-MS and V-SCI in 2000 and 2001.

Demographic characteristics of veterans who received wheelchairs and scooters from Veterans Health Administration.

Little is known about the reasoning process clinicians use when prescribing wheeled mobility equipment (WME) or about the outcomes of this process, i.e., how many devices are prescribed, to whom, how often, and at what cost.

Disability studies and health care curriculum: the great divide.

Models or paradigms of disability are used to guide health care professionals' perceptions so that they can serve people with disabilities, enhance their futures, and facilitate the resources they need. Health care curricula, which in essence train students to make such decisions, are influenced by these models. The medical model, which locates disability within the individual, assumes the individual with a disability is a victim who must be cured or made more normal.