Health Care Practice (health + care_practice)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Medical journals and effective dissemination of health research

HEALTH INFORMATION & LIBRARIES JOURNAL, Issue 4 2001
Aravinthan Coomarasamy
Clinical medical journals have not been effective in meeting the information needs of practitioners and bridging the gap between clinical research and practice. The slow adoption of results of clinical research is at least partly due to the failure of clinical journals to disseminate information in a way that would motivate practitioners to change practice. Although implementation is primarily a local process, medical journals are in a unique position to advance implementation by modifying their focus and adjusting their contents. Strategies that may be useful include publication of pre-appraised evidence summaries and ,clinical bottom-lines' and giving importance to systematic reviews and large evaluative research articles as they represent higher levels of evidence and have greater potential to change practice. Clinical journals should encourage researchers to consider how and by whom the findings will be used and provide information on implications for implementation such as possible strategies that may work, cost-effectiveness, side-effects and potential barriers to implementation. Medical journal publishers should explore ways to cooperate so that findings of landmark clinical trials could be shared thus reducing the ,scatter' of medical information. Electronic media offers numerous advantages such as quick accessibility and linking of information, and medical journals should capitalize on such innovations. There is a paradigm shift in health care practice as evidence is consciously and explicitly incorporated into individual patient care. Medical journals need to change to reflect this change in practice and provide practitioners with valid and relevant information. [source]


The principal components model: a model for advancing spirituality and spiritual care within nursing and health care practice

JOURNAL OF CLINICAL NURSING, Issue 7 2006
MPhil, McSherry Wilfred BSc
Aim., The aim of this study was to generate a deeper understanding of the factors and forces that may inhibit or advance the concepts of spirituality and spiritual care within both nursing and health care. Background., This manuscript presents a model that emerged from a qualitative study using grounded theory. Implementation and use of this model may assist all health care practitioners and organizations to advance the concepts of spirituality and spiritual care within their own sphere of practice. The model has been termed the principal components model because participants identified six components as being crucial to the advancement of spiritual health care. Design., Grounded theory was used meaning that there was concurrent data collection and analysis. Theoretical sampling was used to develop the emerging theory. These processes, along with data analysis, open, axial and theoretical coding led to the identification of a core category and the construction of the principal components model. Methods., Fifty-three participants (24 men and 29 women) were recruited and all consented to be interviewed. The sample included nurses (n = 24), chaplains (n = 7), a social worker (n = 1), an occupational therapist (n = 1), physiotherapists (n = 2), patients (n = 14) and the public (n = 4). The investigation was conducted in three phases to substantiate the emerging theory and the development of the model. Results., The principal components model contained six components: individuality, inclusivity, integrated, inter/intra-disciplinary, innate and institution. Conclusion., A great deal has been written on the concepts of spirituality and spiritual care. However, rhetoric alone will not remove some of the intrinsic and extrinsic barriers that are inhibiting the advancement of the spiritual dimension in terms of theory and practice. Relevance to clinical practice., An awareness of and adherence to the principal components model may assist nurses and health care professionals to engage with and overcome some of the structural, organizational, political and social variables that are impacting upon spiritual care. [source]


Achieving clinical excellence through evidence-based practice: report of an educational initiative

JOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2002
Jennifer Sleep rgn, ba (hons)
We live in a political and professional climate which requires us to define, maintain and seek to improve the quality of all aspects of health care practice, not least via underpinning decisions and actions with robust evidence. In order to meet this challenge, staff must be clinically competent, reflective about their practice, committed to delivering a ,First Class Service' and able to work in a truly multidisciplinary way (as opposed to the unidisciplinary model frequently seen in operation). In addition, they need to be research ,literate' and able to contribute positively to the management and sustainment of planned change. For managers, the role of staff development in order to meet these goals is not inconsiderable. This paper discusses the process and outcomes of a successful educational initiative which sought to meet the plethora of challenges that face managers and their staff in the course of trying to achieve these goals. [source]


Practice development: a concept analysis

JOURNAL OF NURSING MANAGEMENT, Issue 6 2000
BSc (Hons), J. Unsworth MSc
Aims This analysis sets out to explore the nature and scope of the concept of practice development. Background The last 10 years has seen a growing interest in the development of health care practice. However, the exact nature of practice development remains poorly articulated and nebulous. Literature from nursing, medical, accountancy, social work and counselling is used to identify the critical attributes of the concept. Data analysis The analysis uses the techniques developed by Walker & Avant (1995) to collect information on the use of the concept from the literature and to construct cases. Key issues Many of the attributes of practice development are shared by other related concepts such as innovation. However, four critical attributes of practice development were identified and illustrated through case construction. Conclusions An understanding of the nature and scope of practice development is essential if the role of the Practice Development Nurse is to be evaluated. The critical attributes and empirical referents identified in this analysis provide a framework for both role development and evaluation. [source]


Legal, social, cultural and political developments in mental health care in the UK: the Liverpool black mental health service users' perspective

JOURNAL OF PSYCHIATRIC & MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 1 2002
S. A. Pierre BA(HONs) MSc PhD RMN
Documentary evidence suggests that attitudes among local health and social services professionals towards the concept of user involvement in health and social care remain deeply polarized, a position characterized by commentators simultaneously as praise and damnation. Perhaps user involvement in health and social care will enhance, and it appears to resonate with the logic of, participatory democracy, in localities where the centralization of power has posed questions as to the nature and purpose of local governance in public services provision. The problems experienced by Britain's black and ethnic minorities within the mental health system have been the subject of exhaustive social inquiry. This essay attempts to explore the way in which legal, social, cultural, and political developments interface with mental health care practice in the UK, in order to assist those responsible for mental health services provision to deliver services that are in line with the Government's expectation of a modernized mental health service that is safe, sound, and supportive. An exploration of these developments within the European, national (UK), and local (Liverpool) contexts is undertaken. An appropriate local response to national priorities will ostensibly cut a swathe through the barriers confronted by the ethnic minority mental health service user in the cross-cultural context, an important prerequisite for the implementation of genuine user involvement. [source]


2001 Fellows off the American Academy off Nurse Practitioners

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 8 2001
Article first published online: 24 MAY 200
The Fellows of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (FAANP) Program has been established by the Academy to recognize nurse practitioners who have made outstanding contributions to health care practice, research, education or policy and to facilitate leadership in the nurse practitioner profession. Priority initiatives of FAANP are the development of leadership and mentorship programs for nurse practitioners. In addition, a yearly Think Tank is held to discuss the future of nurse practitioners and health care outside the confines of traditional thinking. The American Academy of Nurse Practitioners is pleased to present the 2001 Fellows. The 16 new Fellows were inducted at the Academy National Conference in Orlando on June 28, 2001. [source]


Role of dopamine transporter SPECT for the practitioner and the general neurologist

MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue S7 2003
Wolfgang H. Oertel
Abstract The accurate clinical diagnosis of parkinsonism may be impeded by atypical presentations and confounding comorbidity. The presence of parkinsonism is misdiagnosed in up to a quarter of cases in general practice. Movement disorder specialists misdiagnose parkinsonian syndromes using histopathological findings as the "gold standard" in up to 10% of cases. Dopamine transporter SPECT represents a simple and fast method to confirm nigrostriatal degeneration in a given patient. This study provides several case reports to illustrate when dopamine transporter SPECT might be carried out and discusses whether dopamine transporter SPECT should be used in primary health care practice or by general neurologists in uncertain cases. Ideally, all possible cases of parkinsonism should be referred to a neurologist experienced in the field of movement disorders. If this could be achieved then the role of dopamine transporter SPECT in the general practitioner's or local neurologist's practice would be extremely limited. Future studies must clarify whether it is cost effective to generously perform dopamine transporter SPECTs to minimize the time until parkinsonism can be diagnosed. © 2003 Movement Disorder Society [source]


An overview of continuing interprofessional education

THE JOURNAL OF CONTINUING EDUCATION IN THE HEALTH PROFESSIONS, Issue 3 2009
Scott Reeves PhD ScientistArticle first published online: 2 SEP 200
Abstract Interprofessional education, continuing interprofessional education, interprofessional collaboration, and interprofessional care are moving to the forefront of approaches with the potential to reorganize the delivery of health professions education and health care practice. This article discusses 7 key trends in the scholarship and practice of interprofessional education: conceptual clarity, quality, safety, technology, assessment of learning, faculty development, and theory. [source]


Guidance and Justification in Particularistic Ethics

BIOETHICS, Issue 4 2000
Ulrik Kihlbom
This paper argues that, contrary to a common line of criticism followed by scholars such as Helga Kuhse, a particularistic version of virtue ethics properly elaborated, can provide sound moral guidance and a satisfactory account for moral justification of our opinions regarding, for instance, health care practice. In the first part of the paper, three criteria for comparing normative theories with respect to action-guiding power are outlined, and it is argued that the presented particularistic version of virtue ethics actually can provide more guidance than the universalistic theories favoured by Kuhse and others. In the second part of the paper it is claimed that universalist normative theories have serious problems accounting for the role that moral principles are supposed to play in the justification, of moral opinions, whereas the present version of virtue ethics accommodates a plausible alternative idea of justification without invoking moral principles or eschewing objectivity. [source]


Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Database: Resource for Evidence-Based Practice

JOURNAL OF OBSTETRIC, GYNECOLOGIC & NEONATAL NURSING, Issue 2 2000
Lynn Clark Callister RN
The Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth database is an ongoing meta-analysis of evidence documenting effective health care practices for childbearing women and their neonates. It is proving invaluable to nurse educators, researchers, clinicians, and administrators working in a variety of health care delivery settings. Evidence-based nursing practice that is safe and effective can enhance rather than overpower pivotal and celebratory life events such as childbirth. [source]


The Americans With Disabilities Act and Medical Providers: Ten Years After Passage of the Act

POLICY STUDIES JOURNAL, Issue 4 2001
Ellen W. Grabois
This article discusses the impact of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) on health care providers in the last decade. Even though some ADA training has been provided for health care providers, more education will help to improve access to their offices, improve health care practices for their patients with disabilities, and be an incentive for the providers to help raise the consciousness of the rest of the community about the ADA. [source]


Insulin initiation among adults and children with diabetes in the United Kingdom

PRACTICAL DIABETES INTERNATIONAL (INCORPORATING CARDIABETES), Issue 4 2006
NDNCert, PGCE Head of Department (Integrated Health, RE Davis MPhil, Social Care)
Abstract There is no doubt that insulin therapy is effective in the management of people with diabetes. Indications for the use of insulin are agreed, but wide variations exist in the practice of starting people with diabetes on insulin. Current health care practices in the United Kingdom are increasingly being based on scientific evidence. This literature review concentrates on current insulin initiation practice, examining the evidence base for the insulin regimens used, the process for determining starting doses and the decision making process involved. It concludes that there are wide variations in practice among the multidisciplinary team and that there is little published regarding the commencement of people with type 2 diabetes on insulin. It is likely that custom and habit still play a large role in current practice. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Sexual Health Among U.S. Black and Hispanic Men and Women: A Nationally Representative Study

THE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 2010
Brian Dodge PhD
ABSTRACT Introduction., Little is known about the prevalence of sexual behaviors among the black and Hispanic populations in the United States outside the context of sexual risk and disease transmission in "high-risk" samples. Aim., This study sought to establish current rates of sexual behaviors, sexual health care practices (i.e., experiences with testing and diagnosis of sexually transmitted infections [STIs]), and condom use in a probability sample of black and Hispanic adult men and women in the United States. Main Outcome Measures., Sexual behaviors including solo masturbation, partnered masturbation, receiving oral sex and giving oral sex, vaginal intercourse, and anal intercourse were assessed. Self-reported rates of HIV and other STI testing, and self-reported history of STI diagnosis were examined. Also assessed were rates of condom use during most recent and past 10 vaginal intercourse events. Methods., Data from a probability sample of 1246 black and Hispanic adults were analyzed to explore sexual behaviors, condom use, and STI testing and diagnosis trends. Results., Masturbation, oral sex, and vaginal intercourse were prevalent among black and Hispanic men and women throughout the life course. Anal intercourse and same-gender sexual activities were less common. Self-reported rates of HIV testing were relatively high but varied by gender across age groups. Similarly, rates of testing for other STI were high and differed by gender across age groups. Overall rates of condom use among black and Hispanic men and women were relatively high and did not appear to be related to a variety of situational factors including location of sexual encounter, relationship status, other contraceptive use, and substance use during sexual activity. Conclusion., These data provide a foundation for understanding diverse sexual behaviors, sexual health-care practices, and condom use among the general population of black and Hispanic men and women in the United States. Dodge B, Reece M, Herbenick D, Schick V, Sanders SA, and Fortenberry JD. Sexual health among U.S. black and Hispanic men and women: a nationally representative study. J Sex Med 2010;7(suppl 5):330,345. [source]


Time use, tempo and temporality: Occupational therapy's core business or someone else's business

AUSTRALIAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY JOURNAL, Issue 3 2003
Louise Farnworth
A primary assumption underlying occupational therapy intervention is that peoples' use of time, or their participation in activities, is related to their overall well-being and quality of life. However, the translation of this assumption into occupational therapy practice often is not only invisible, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to sustain in current health care practices. This paper outlines current research and literature related to relationships between peoples' time use, tempo and temporality, and their well-being, and will discuss implications for occupational therapy theory, practice and research. [source]