Belly models as teaching tools: what is their utility?

Marble/ball models are often used to represent newborn stomach capacity; however, their accuracy has not been determined. The objective of this review was to analyze data on newborn stomach capacity and determine whether marble/ball models serve as accurate representations. A literature search yielded limited data, most emanating from the early 1900s.

Peripheral intravenous extravasation: nursing procedure for initial treatment.

Tissue extravasation resulting from intravenous (IV) infiltration can occur as a complication of neonatal intensive care with varying degrees of morbidity. Serious extravasation can result in pain, infection, disfigurement, prolonged hospitalization, increased hospital costs, and possible litigation. Although most infiltrates resolve spontaneously after the IV catheter is removed, IV extravasations and tissue sloughing do occur in NICU patients.

Contraception and lactation.

The benefits of breastfeeding for both the infant and the mother are undisputed. Longer intervals between births decrease fetal/infant and maternal complications. Lactation is an effective contraceptive for the first 6 months postpartum only if women breastfeed exclusively and at regular intervals, including nighttime.

Polycystic ovary syndrome.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine disorder, affecting between 4% and 8% of reproductive aged women. This syndrome, a complex disorder with multiple components, including reproductive, metabolic, and cardiovascular manifestations, has long-term health concerns that cross the life span. The diagnostic criteria for PCOS are ovarian dysfunction evidenced by oligomenorrhea or amenorrhea and clinical evidence of androgen excess (e.

Designing a university-based lactation course.

A university-based lactation course was developed to provide lactation education to health care providers, with the goal of improving their knowledge, attitude, and skills in assisting American women to breastfeed. This is a key strategy for achieving the Healthy People 2010 objectives, and it addresses the identified need for education among health care professionals. The university as well as an enthusiastic lactation community provided multidisciplinary clinical experiences and classroom lectures to prepare public health students, nurses, midwives, and nurse practitioners to encourage and assist women in breastfeeding.

Gender differences in pain characteristics of chronic stable angina and perceived physical limitation in patients with coronary artery disease.

Chronic stable angina pectoris, the chest pain associated with reversible myocardial ischemia has detrimental effects on health-related quality of life, particularly in women. The limited research on gender differences in chronic stable angina suggests that angina may be experienced differently in women and that women report greater functional disability related to angina symptoms. No studies have examined gender differences in chronic stable angina from a multidimensional pain perspective or have included reliable and valid measures of pain that would facilitate comparing chronic angina patients with other chronic pain populations.

Cardiac instrument development in a low-literacy population: the revised Chest Discomfort Diary.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to pilot test a self-administered chest pain questionnaire, a revised version of the Chest Discomfort Diary (CDD-R), in a sample of patients with chronic angina selected from a population known to have low literacy.

Design: The study design was descriptive and correlational.

Sample: The study used a convenience sample of 27 subjects with documented history of coronary artery disease and angina.

Laparoscopic procedures: innovations and complications.

Over the past 10 years, general surgeons began widespread use of operative laparoscopic procedures. Keep in mind that with laparoscopy, as with all surgery, risks are involved. In general, the more advanced the procedures, the greater risk potential to the patient.

Management strategies for hormonal replacement therapy.

Every year for the next 10 years, approximately 4 million women will become perimenopausal. For these women an important decision is whether or not to use hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and if they decide affirmatively, then, for how long to use it. The health provider must be able to help the woman in her decision making process by identifying the risks, benefits, and contraindications to this therapy.

The social stress model of substance abuse among childbearing-age women: a review of the literature.

The Social Stress Model of Substance Abuse has been derived from numerous psychosocial theories and models. This model suggests that the likelihood of an individual engaging in drug abuse is influenced by the stress level and the extent to which it is offset by stress modifiers such as social networks, social competence and resources. This article synthesizes current empirical evidence for this model.

Paraneoplastic syndromes: a challenge for neuroscience nursing.

Neurologic paraneoplastic syndromes are medical and nursing challenges. Although neurologic paraneoplastic syndromes are relatively rare in the total cancer population, they may be more commonly seen in the acute neurologic setting. O'Neill et al estimate that 60% of persons with Eaton-Lambert syndrome and 50% of persons with subacute cerebellar degeneration have an underlying cancer.

Life change events and coping behaviors in families of children with cancer.

This study investigated life change events and coping behaviors in families of children with cancer compared with those who have physically healthy children. The sample consisted of 21 families with a child with cancer and 17 families with physically healthy children. All the children in the study were 6 to 12 years of age.

Issues affecting nursing's support for children with cancer.

During the past 17 years, pediatric oncology nursing has evolved from an unknown specialty into an organization exemplary of advanced nursing practice. Pediatric oncology nursing is now recognized as a distinct subspecialty within pediatric nursing. The Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses (APON), organized in 1976, has grown from an initial 10 members to 1200 members in 1990.

The development and testing of an instrument to measure self-efficacy in individuals with epilepsy.

The purpose of this study was to develop and test an instrument to measure self-efficacy in persons with epilepsy. With Bandura's self-efficacy theory serving as the conceptual basis for instrument development, the study was divided into two phases, an instrument development phase and a reliability and validity assessment phase. In phase one, self-efficacy and epilepsy literature along with discussions with epilepsy patients served as sources for item derivation.

Patterns of nausea and vomiting in children: nursing assessment and intervention.

Although aggressive treatments for childhood cancer have resulted in an increased cure rate, increased incidence of treatment-related side effects also has occurred. Nausea and vomiting are two common side effects of cancer treatment in children. This clinical review discusses nursing issues related to the treatment of nausea and vomiting in children.