Complementary, alternative, and other noncomplete decongestive therapy treatment methods in the management of lymphedema: a systematic search and review.

Objectives: (1) To provide a critical analysis of the contemporary published research that pertains to complementary, alternative, and other noncomplete decongestive therapies for treatment of lymphedema (LE), and (2) to provide practical applications of that evidence to improve care of patients with or at risk for LE. TYPE: This study meets the defining criteria as a systematic search and review because it includes varied study types. All studies that met the inclusion criteria were evaluated for weight of evidence and value.

Systematic review of physical activity intervention studies after cardiac rehabilitation.

Coronary heart disease significantly impacts the morbidity, mortality, and health care economy of our population. Enrollment into cardiac rehabilitation (CR) after cardiac events improves patient outcomes; however, physical activity (PA) behavior decreases significantly in the years following completion of CR. This article reviews the literature regarding interventions to maintain or increase PA after CR.

Review of family-centered interventions to enhance the health outcomes of children with type 1 diabetes.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic literature review was to examine family-centered interventions that enhance the health outcomes of children with type 1 diabetes. The review summarizes the interventions and outcome measures that consisted of A1Cs, family relationships, and family conflict.

Methods: Multiple electronic databases were searched from their start date to September 2008 for reports of studies that examined family-centered interventions among children with type 1 diabetes.

Coping difficulties after hospitalization.

Coping difficulties of 113 adults 3 weeks after hospital discharge were identified using the Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale and a brief focused telephone interview (11-item guide). Overall, low difficulty scores were reported (M = 23.9, SD = 18.

Building research productivity in an academic setting.

This article describes the methods that one academic nursing unit used to move from receiving no National Institutes of Health funding to a top-20 ranking. A 1995 school task force recommended changes to move toward greater research productivity, including increased external funding. The school created a research infrastructure to support both the scientific development of research studies and the production of high-quality external grant applications.

Development of a computerized database for evaluation of nurse practitioner student clinical experiences in primary health care. Report of three pilot studies.

A computerized database for the collection of patient encounter information by nurse practitioner students provides insight into the number and diversity of cases seen. Menu-driven data entry and controlled vocabulary in the form of diagnostic clusters provide a mechanism to categorize and analyze the data. Faculty are able to review student clinical experience by quantitative measures such as number of patient encounters, diagnostic cluster of the encounter, and patient demographic data.

Criteria for assessment of nausea, vomiting, and retching.

Purpose/objectives: To promote accurate patient assessment, effective patient teaching, and useful research design and outcomes by defining the concepts of nausea, vomiting, and retching; to review the usefulness of self-care guides in assessing the patient's symptom experience.

Data Sources: Journal articles, the author's clinical experiences.

Data Synthesis: The concepts of nausea, vomiting, and retching may be difficult for patients to describe and for nurses to assess.