BSc (Hons) Nursing

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://eresearch.qmu.ac.uk/handle/20.500.12289/7259

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Can Aftercare Following an Attempted Suicide Decrease the Risk of Deliberate Self-Harm Repetition?
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Background In Scotland, an estimated 68 individuals under the age of 25 attended accident and emergency (A&E) at least in the once three months prior to committing suicide between 2010 and 2012 (ISD 2014). Nurses and other healthcare professionals working in A&E departments have an important role in maintaining the wellbeing of deliberate self-harm (DSH) patients. A&E departments are in the frontline of treating a large number of DSH patients, they play an important role in suicide prevention and also in preventing repetition (Bridge et al. 2012; Ting et al. 2012). Given that A&E departments are often the initial step in the care for young adults presenting with DSH, it is essential aftercare is offered as a possible solution to prevent repetition. Aims This research proposal aims to examine the support and aftercare given to young adults presenting to accident and emergency after attempted suicide. The intention would be to establish the levels of aftercare offered to young adults and discover whether a link exists between the absence of aftercare and increased DSH repetition rates. Methods The study would be conducted using an interpretive qualitative approach and an inductive research design. The method of data collection would consist of semistructured interviews, comprising of open questions, to gain an insight into the experiences of young adults who have deliberately self harmed. The results would be used to discover if young people receive aftercare and if this reduces the likelihood of repetition. It is hoped the proposed study would raise awareness of the importance of aftercare for those presenting with DSH.
What are Parkinson's disease patients' experiences of sleep as a hospital in-patient?
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Background Parkinson's disease, second to Alzheimer's disease, is the most common neurodegenerative disorder in Europe and the USA (Nussbaum and Ellis 2003). There is an estimated 6.3 million sufferers worldwide, 120,000 of these being in Britain (European Brain Council 2011). The literature has highlighted that motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease have a higher degree of recognition than the non-motor symptom, such as sleep disorders. However, the studies examining them have highlighted the negative impact they have on the patient's quality of life (Skogar et al 2012; Diederich and McIntyre 2012).There is also recognition in the literature that sleep problems can be found in three population groups; Parkinson's disease patients, older people and hospitalised patients (Walker, Hand, Cookey and Gray 2011; National Sleep Foundation (NSF) 2003; Pilkington 2013). Whilst studies examine sleep disorders in Parkinson's patients, there are none that can be found that look into the experience of sleep of Parkinson's patients admitted to hospital. Aims This study proposes to explore the experiences of Parkinson's patients of sleep during a hospital admission in the last 6 months, determine if there were any enhancements made to the care they received from nurses that positively impacted upon their sleep and determine any further training or education needs of nurses to improve patient care. Methods This would be a qualitative descriptive explorative study and purposive sampling would be employed. Semi-structured interviews would then be conducted in the
How do single rooms influence the wellbeing of the older adult during a hospital admission?
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
This research proposal aims to investigate the influence single rooms may have on the older adults wellbeing during a hospital admission. Hospital design is changing towards a higher prevalence of single rooms (Scottish Government 2008) and in order to determine the suitability, patients need to be included in the research process. This study wishes to investigate factors influencing the participant's wellbeing during a single room stay. Potential participants will be invited to take part in the study while they are still in hospital. The participants wishing to participate will be interviewed to gain qualitative data on whether or not the single room has affected their wellbeing. In addition a deeper understanding into factors influencing their wellbeing will be explored and finally their thoughts, opinions and perceptions of single rooms. Constant comparative data analysis will occur until theoretical saturation has been reached. The results from this study hope to provide nurses and other healthcare professionals (HCP) with information into what it feels like from the patient's point of view. It will provide HCP with the necessary evidence to plan and coordinate care with the appropriate interventions. The findings will help predict whether or not further research is needed. Keywords: Hospital design, single rooms, multiple occupancy rooms (MOR), wellbeing, older adult, loneliness, isolation, privacy, sense of security, patient satisfaction, safety, advantages, and disad
Do adult smokers who are resistant to a period of compulsory smoking abstinence experience higher stress levels during an elective orthopaedic admission than those who are accepting of it?
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Background Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death with recent figures indicating that over 13,000 deaths each year in Scotland are attributable to smoking (ScotPHO 2012). Cigarette smoke is a known carcinogen causing a multitude of diseases not just for the smoker themselves but for those around them. In 2006 the Scottish Government responded to the high mortality rate by implementing new laws that strictly prohibit smoking inside any public premises to reduce exposure to second-hand smoke (Smoking, health and social care (Scotland) Act 2005). Hospitals are required to have smoke-free policies in place and in Scotland this year these laws are set to extend to encompass the entire grounds in addition to buildings, further restricting smokers. No research has been conducted in Scotland on what impact being resistant to smoke-free policies has on the individual, during a period of hospital-generated smoking abstinence. Aims This study would be conducted to identify if individuals who are resistant to a period of compulsory abstinence are represented in a population accessing elective orthopaedic services. Furthermore, how the stress levels of those resistant compare to the accepting group will be assessed, with the intention of determining if a relationship can be inferred between resistance to a period of compulsory abstinence and stress levels. Methods This is a prospective correlational survey study. It would utilise accidental and quota sampling methods to attain an achieved sample from an elective orthopaedic population in a large Edinburgh hospital. Data collection would be conducted using a series of questionnaires, the results of which would be statistically analysed using descriptive statistics. Further analysis by inferential statistics would be conducted using Analysis of variance statistical test. This seminal research would provide findings on the topic that has thus far not been studied in Scotland. The findings will establish if a relationship between resistance towards compulsory smoking abstinence exists and will be a platform for experimental research into the nature of this relationship. This will help develop a knowledge base in this area to inform nursing practice and policy.
What Factors Influence Nurses' Adherence to the Implementation of Daily Sedation Holds; a Key Component of the Ventilator Care Bundle
(Queen Margaret University, 2015)
Background: Critically ill patients in intensive care usually require invasive mechanical ventilation as part of their treatment and as such are often administered sedatives to increase their tolerance of invasive mechanical ventilation so as to promote their comfort and safety (Kress et al 2003, Arroliga 2005, Weinert & Calvin 2007). Nurses are primarily responsible for the titration and administration of sedatives. Over-sedation can increase the duration of mechanical ventilation which can in-turn impact on the risk of patients developing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia (VAP) (Ibrahim, Tracy, Hill, Fraser, & Kollef, 2001, Schweickert et al., 2004, Grap, 2009, Sedwick et al., 2012). Therefore an optimal level of sedation is often endorsed however achieving this level of sedation can be quite difficult and challenging (Berry et al 2010). Hence, the use of ventilator care bundle which has daily sedation holds as one of it key component has been recommended. Daily sedation holds has proven to reduce the risk of over-sedation and consequently the duration of mechanical ventilation (Kress et al 1996, 2000, 2007; Mehta et al 2008, Gammon et al 2005). Nurses' adherence to the implementation of daily sedation hold is therefore very crucial. Aim: The purpose of this research proposal is to explore the factors that influence the adherence of nurses to daily sedation hold; a component of the ventilator care b
Nurses' attitudes to delivering person-centred care in a Scottish intensive care unit with an unrestricted visiting policy: an exploratory qualitative study.
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
It is well known that an intensive care unit (ICU) admission is, both physically and emotionally, a stressful time for the patient and family. Family members may feel helpless and feel the only thing they can do for their loved one is to stay by their side for as long as possible. National policy is striving to create a more person-centred environment to care given in hospital. The effectiveness of the delivery of person-centred care can be effected by the number of visitors and the duration of their stay. However, studies have found that visitors can increase patient's satisfaction and improve overall outcomes. It is hoped that this research will explore nurses' attitudes to delivering person-centred care in a Scottish intensive care unit with an unrestricted visiting policy. In order to achieve this aims, an exploratory qualitative study with semi-structured interviews with nurses from a Scottish ICU will be conducted. This research hopes to capture nurses' attitudes towards the selected ICU's visiting policy in order to identify inhibiting factors to providing effective person-centred care as well as make suggestions as to how to overcome these factors.
What knowledge and understanding do ward nurses' have, in relation to the effectiveness of pain management of people with severe dementia in Scotland?
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Background There are approximately 90,000 people living with dementia in Scotland, with this number expected to double in the next 25 years. Dementia describes an array of brain diseases, which are characterised by a progressive decline in intellectual and mental function. In the end stages of their illness, people with dementia find communication increasingly difficult. Age is the highest risk factor for both dementia and pain. Communication has an essential role in pain management in a hospital setting. The most common form of pain assessment is self report, where the patient informs the nurse that they are in pain. Therefore if a person with severe dementia is in hospital and they have communication difficulties, then it is more challenging for nurses' to assess and manage their pain. Pain assessment and management is an important aspect of a nurses' role therefore they should be able to carry out efficient pain assessments. Aims This study will be conducted in order to gain a better understanding of nurses' experiences, while working on general medical ward, of pain management for people with dementia, in Scotland. This research would allow for the identification of whether further training and education is required in order to improve the nursing care of people with dementia. Methods The research study will follow a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive approach. Purposive sampling is used and the criteria would include registered nurses' with more than 6 months experience in their current post on a general medical ward. The method of data collection will be through interviews, lasting no longer than 30 minutes. Open-ended questions will be used throughout the interview. The data will be transcribed by an independent researcher, then analysed. The results will aim to develop theories and understanding of pain management for people with severe dementia in Scotland. A further aim is to highlight the need for further research of this topic in Scotland.
Do Scottish Coronary Care Unit nurses have negative perceptions towards monitor alarms and therefore showing signs of becoming alarm fatigued?
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Background Alarm fatigue occurs when healthcare staff are exposed to a large number of monitor alarms causing them to become desensitised and increasing their reaction time to the monitor alarms (Horkan, 2014). This therefore has a negative affect on the safety of the patients. Alarm fatigue stems from the fact that 85-95% of monitor alarms do not need clinical intervention or are not truly representative of a change in a patient's condition (The Joint Commission, 2013). Nursing staff therefore begin to lose trust in the monitoring systems and do not respond to the monitor alarm appropriately. Some nursing staff have admitted using dangerous interventions in a bid to try reduce the number of alarms such as lowering alarm volumes, setting alarm limits outside appropriate ranges and disabling alarms (Korniewicz et al, 2008). These interventions can have devastating consequences for the patient, with 80 patients dying due to an alarm related incident in America between 2009 and 2012 (The Joint Commission, 2013). Aims From reviewing the literature it has been established that there have been no studies carried out on alarm fatigue in Scotland on Coronary Care Unit (CCU) nurses. Therefore, the study's aim is to establish whether Scottish CCU nurses have negative perceptions towards monitor alarms and therefore, showing signs of becoming alarm fatigued. The study will also establish whether Scottish CCU nurses have an understanding of the term alarm fatigue. Method A quantitative descriptive survey design will be used to achieve the research aims. A multi-stage cluster sampling approach will be used to create the sample. The sample will be made up of Scottish CCU nurses with more than six months of experience working in a CCU. A self-administered online questionnaire will be used as the data collection tool. The data collected on the perceptions Scottish CCU nurses have towards monitor would assess whether nurses are showing signs of becoming alarm fatigued. The data will be analysed using descriptive statistics including percentages displayed in pie charts.
Exploring the work of breast care nurses in providing nutritional advice to women who are having chemotherapy for breast cancer.
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
This dissertation provides a critical review of literate surrounding the role of breast care nurses in providing nutritional advice to women with breast cancer. From the literature, four themes emerged which informed the aims for the research. The aims of the research are to explore; Breast care nurses (BCNs) perceptions of nutritional problems experienced by women who are undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer; BCNs knowledge of the evidence for nutritional interventions; BCNs perceptions of the nutritional information needs of women having chemotherapy for breast cancer and the role, challenges and support needs of BCN in providing nutritional advice. This study proposes to use narrative inquiry to interview breast care nurses about their experiences of providing nutritional advice. Following this, the breast care nurses will partake in a focus group to allow the ideas generated from the interviews to be clarified, enhanced and discussed. This research will develop practice by providing insight into the experiences and challenges which breast care nurses have in providing nutritional advice.
Does stigma affect how Scottish acute care nurses provide care for people with a diagnosis of depression?
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Background Depression is a mental illness that can host many different damaging symptoms affecting 350 million people across the world and is a main contributor to disability (WHO 2015). Depression can lower a person's mood and change the way they think to such an extent that they can struggle to function and complete tasks that they once enjoyed (Wasserman 2011). Many people who suffer with depression do not seek professional help; this is due to the fear of social stigma and feelings of shame (Rusch et al 2013). Stigmatising behaviour can not only be identified socially but from staff within the hospital setting (Waterworth et al 2015). In order to reduce the reluctance of people to seek professional help for depression more needs to be done to reduce the negative social stigma of depression. Aims This research proposal aims to discover if stigma of depression impacts the care nurses provide within the acute setting by establishing in what ways people receiving care may have been aware of this stigma. This explorative research proposal is the first phase of a wider study, aiming to use the information collected to generate a new understanding of how to reduce stigma to create nursing theory that will improve the standards of care provided to patients with a diagnosis of depression. Methods This explorative study would be conducted using an inductive phenomenological approach. Qualitative semi-structured interviews would be used to gather the thoughts, feelings and perceptions of 8-10 participants on their experiences of stigmatising behaviour within an acute ward setting. The findings would be used to generate a new understanding of how stigma possibly held by acute care nurses can impact the care they provide. The findings of this study would hopefully aid further research in the attempt to reduce the stigma of depression.
Look - Phase 1 of a Participatory Action Research cycle: To explore the support required by older people, both with and without a diagnosis of dementia, in order to enable them to reside longer within their communities.
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Attempts to reduce the health and social care costs of an increasing proportion of older people in societies worldwide has led to a drive to find ways of supporting older people, two key themes, namely the roles played by the physical and social environments. In addition, the literature highlighted the need to involve older people in research to establish what they feel they require to age successfully within their own communities. Therefore, the purpose of this research proposal is to explore the support required by older people, both with and without a diagnosis of dementia, in order to enable them to reside longer within their communities by carrying out the LOOK phase of a community-based participatory action research cycle. A qualitative research methodology will be employed to explore the thoughts, feelings and perspectives of residents and family members of a sheltered-housing community within Fife in relation to the role of both their physical and social environments in supporting ageing in place. A purposive sample will enable selection of suitable participants. Access will be negotiated in consultation with both health and social care providers and ethical considerations will be foremost throughout the research process. The World Café format will be utilized in order to gather data. Additionally, participants will be invited to take part in semi-structured interviews thus enabling triangulation. Thematic analysis of data should yield information which will help address the aims of the research question. The purposive nature of the sample limits the study's generalizability; however, strategies to enhance quality and rigour will be employed throughout. The findings of this study will add to the body of evidence required in order to enable our communities to become truly age and dementia-friendly.
What is the nurses' experience of using Electronic Early Warning Scoring System on the ward?
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Background Recording and monitoring of vital signs is an important part of nursing care in the acute setting. Paper based Early warning scoring charts are inundated with mistakes such as incorrect addition of scores, incomplete charts and infrequent observations being carried out. Electronic early warning scoring system reduce the amount of incomplete charts and decrease patient mortality however, there is some conflicting results in relation to the technology. As nurses are the principal users the implementation phase and the user experiences are two key aspects to ensuring the early warning system is used effectively to improving patient. The aim of this research is to understand the nurse's experiences using electronic early warning scoring system in a general ward Design A Qualitative approach (hermeneutic phenomenological) to generate rich data about nurses experiences. Methods Using a purposeful sampling technique data will be collected by interviewing 10-12 nurses on the ward that use electronic early warning scoring system on their ward. Implications for Practice Data obtained from the proposed study will add to nursing literature in relation to experiences of adopting new technology into a clinical ward. This will aid the future implementation of a EWS system in a ward environment.
What knowledge and understanding do nurses in the Emergency department have caring for people with Dementia?
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Background About one fifth of people who attend emergency departments are older people (Downing and Wilson. 2005) with an estimated 298,867 attendances; by people who have dementia at Emergency Departments in the UK each year (Luengo-Fernandez, Leal, and Gray, 2010). Lack of dementia knowledge in hospital staff, together with demanding workloads and pressure on beds means that people with dementia are often labelled as difficult and staff often medicate or transfer them on to a psychiatric hospital since they don't know how to deal with the nature of dementia (Moyle et al. 2008). Aims This study aims to identify the knowledge and understanding nurses within emergency departments have of the care of patients suffering from dementia. This study will investigate whether nurses' education needs are being met or whether a specific education needs to be developed. Methods The study uses an exploratory descriptive study and the research design would be a quantitative survey followed by qualitative semi structured interviews. The sample would be nurses with more than 1 years' experience within emergency departments. Data will be collected through questionnaires with open and closed questions. Sub sample of the total sample would then be followed up with semi structured interviews. Results would be used to support the development of further training programmes to meet the learning needs of nurses which in turn will improve the current situation so that people with dementia receive care that takes into account their individual needs and human dignity (Moyle et al. 2010).
What aspects of clinical leadership affects staffs' perceived levels of workplace stress?
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
There are many different leadership styles that have been adopted over the years in the nursing profession. Effective leadership within nursing is vital as strong nursing leaders are crucial if there is to be an effective contribution from nurses. The literature identified that leadership is influential in creating the workplace culture, it was also claimed that the workplace culture has an influence on both staff nurses and patients well-being. There is limited literature exploring the staff nurses' perceptions of their nurse managers' leadership and workplace stress. Of the literature that was identified it was suggested that one of the ways to help reduce or manage staff stress levels is effective leadership, yet did not state what that the most effective way to manage it was. The purpose of this research proposal is to explore staff nurses perceptions of clinical leadership and its influences on their perceived workplace stress. An exploratory descriptive design has been adopted to explore nurses' thoughts, feelings and opinions to gain in-depth accounts of their experiences. The use of a focus group followed up by one-to-one interviews has been utilised, the focus group allows the topic to be discuss and highlight any talking points that can be probed further during the interview. The study will take place within an acute teaching hospital, the author will form the research team. A purposive sampling strategy will be utilised to invite the staff nurses working within general medical wards to participate in the study. A sample of 10-15 nurses will take part in a focus group followed be individual semi-structured interviews to explore their perceptions of clinical leadership and its influence on their workplace stress. It is hoped that allowing the reflection upon the experiences it will enhance the researchers' knowledge and understanding. The findings from this study may be adopted to inform further research within this topic area. It is hoped that the findings will help improve future nursing practice, as it will provide insight into what aspects of clinical leadership are the most effective in managing stress in the workplace.
An exploratory study of how nurses understand and experience caring for alcohol dependent patients in an acute medical ward.
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Alcohol dependency is a growing problem in Scotland. It is a complex condition associated with a number of detrimental health outcomes, consequently causing an increase in the number of patients in hospital who are alcohol dependent. Despite this, assessment and management of alcohol problems in hospital is frequently poor. There is limited research exploring nurse's experiences of caring for this patient population within the acute ward setting, particularly across Scotland and the rest of the UK. This research project proposes to explore how nurses understand and experience caring for alcohol dependent patients in an acute medical ward. The key objectives within this are to (1) explore the thoughts, opinions and perceptions nurses have towards caring for alcohol dependent patients, (2) explore factors which facilitate and impede nursing care of alcohol dependent patients and (3) aid further research to improve overall care of alcohol dependent patients. This proposed research study will use a qualitative research design using principles of hermeneutic phenomenology. A purposive sampling strategy will be utilised with aspects of convenience. The data will be collected through semi structured interviews and analysed using Ricoeur's theory of interpretation. The results of this proposal aim to contribute to nursing practice by aiding further research on the area as well as guiding recommendations for practice and education in order to improve overall care for patients with alcohol dependency.
Are Individuals who are living with aphasia as a result of a stroke satisfied with the quality of their communication?
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Background: Whilst the incidence of stroke is increasing, the mortality rate is decreasing. This highlights that individuals are more likely to live through a stroke than in previous years. With this, comes the increased incidence of individuals living with long term side effects as a result - one of the main examples of such side effects is aphasia. Aphasia is a disorder which affects an individual's ability to read, speak, write or understand language. Current guidelines state that individuals with aphasia should be provided with adequate support regarding their communication requirements. Furthermore, this is reinforced in the Nursing and Midwifery (NMC) code of conduct and the person centered practice framework. Aims: This research will be conducted in order to establish whether or not individuals who are living with aphasia are satisfied or dissatisfied with their quality of communication following a stroke. Ascertaining this will allow the requirement for further research to be identified. Such research will establish a way in which communication quality could be improved for individuals living with aphasia. Methods: Semi-structured interviews will be conducted with each participant in their homes with the aid of an experienced speech and language therapist. Augmentative communication will be employed in order to aid the participants in the form of Talking Mats. Blank notebooks will be given to each participant in order for them to record any thoughts and feelings they may have following their discharge from hospital when they are settling back in to their home lives. These notebooks will be adapted with emoji stickers as an aid for individuals who cannot write the words in themselves.
The use of comprehensive pain assessment tools when assessing pain in patients with advanced dementia: an exploration of the nurse decision-making process
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
AIM: The aim of this study is to find out whether there is a relationship between the nurse decisionmaking process in assessing pain in severe dementia and elevated levels of salivary alpha amylase which is a known indicator of pain (Shirisaki et al. 2007; Nater and Rohleder 2009; Tsuchiya et al. 2014). BACKGROUND: In 2010 there were approximately 71,000 people in Scotland living with dementia of whom 2,300 were under the age of 65. Over the next 25 years this figure is expected to double as a result of an ageing population and an increase in life expectancies (The Scottish Government 2010). In 2013 there were an estimated 83,000 people living with dementia in Scotland, this demonstrates a trend of increasing cases (Alzheimer Scotland 2013). Pain in people with dementia is commonly under-assessed and under-treated. People living with severe dementia are often not able to communicate their pain which can lead to pain being overlooked by staff (Monroe et al.2012). This can induce stress and unnecessary suffering. Pain can also alter people's behaviour which highlights the importance of assessing pain if there is a change in behaviour out with the norm when providing care for someone with dementia (Care Quality Commission 2014). Prevalence of chronic pain in this patient group has been reported as 43% ( Leong et al. 2006), 47% (Torvik et al. 2010) and 68% (Zwakhalen et al. 2009). In light of this it can be seen that treating pain in dementia is increasingly important. METHODS: This descriptive correlational study will explore nurse decision-making processes in assessing and treating pain in dementia. This study will be conducted to explore if there is a correlation between salivary á-amylase levels and nurses' responses to the questionnaire on personal valuation of differing observational signs of pain and use/non-use of comprehensive pain assessment. The salivary á-amylase levels will serve as a non-invasive objective measure of pain in this patient population. Elevated levels of salivary á-amylase have been shown to be an effective, non-invasive indication of pain (Shirisaki et al. 2007; Nater and Rohleder 2009; Tsuchiya et al. 2014).
How can doll-therapy facilitate a more person-centred approach to meeting ADL needs of older people with dementia in acute care?
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Dementia is a progressive disease of brain tissue that causes various cognitive symptoms such as memory loss, reduced clarity of thought and changes in feelings, behaviour and thinking. Currently the number of older adults with dementia in Scotland is around 90,000 and roughly two thirds of people in hospital beds are over the age of 65; an estimated 30% of them have dementia. Dementia affects each individual in different ways; however, generally admission to an acute hospital is a very stressful experience which disrupts the routine of the person with dementia. Acute care environments are challenging for people with dementia due to established routines and nursing staff's busy schedules that do not allow for the flexibility in approach to care that many people living with dementia require. The evidence suggests that some members of nursing staff feel that people with dementia are a disruption to their workday and they do not know how to manage some of the behavioural symptoms of dementia such as wandering and aggression. This highlights the importance of identifying a method of providing care to people with dementia that would result in them having a better care experience and would assist nurses in providing this care in a person-centred way. Doll therapy is a relatively new practice that utilises dolls in order to improve social wellbeing and quality of life for people living with dementia. There is currently very limited evidence underpinning doll therapy and what does exist does not include its use in acute care settings. From the existing evidence it appears that doll therapy has the potential to benefit some older adults with dementia, however, although it is a new practice, doll therapy has already generated a great deal of controversy. Many nurses perceive the use of dolls for older adults with dementia to be infantile and unethical which poses a great challenge to the development of this therapy. The purpose of this research proposal is therefore to explore the possible benefits that doll therapy could bring to older adults with dementia during an acute hospital admission. However, due to the negative preexisting opinions many nurses have towards this therapy, it will be conducted using a Participatory Action Research methodology. This research aims to work alongside participants on an acute medical ward in one NHS Health Board to work towards making acute care settings more person-centred for people with dementia. Group interviews and ward observations will be the methods utilised to plan the implementation approach as well as provide a continuous approach to evaluation throughout the entire process. The findings of this research will be utilised to inform future research cycles and to act as the first study to focus on the use of dolls for older adults with dementia in acute care settings.
The ward-based In-Reach service improves referral and uptake numbers of people with stroke to the Edinburgh Leisure Exercise After Stroke programme; A service evaluation.
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
Question: Did the In-Reach service impact the referral and uptake numbers for the Edinburgh Leisure Exercise After Stroke (ELEAS) programme? Did the ELEAS programme impact the participants' functional ability, quality of life and mental well-being? Design: Service evaluation using a retrospective study design. Secondary analysis of data collected during the In-Reach service at the Royal Infirmary Hospital, Edinburgh (RIE) and the ELEAS programme. Data was analysed using SPSS software and relevant tests. Participants: Admissions to the RIE stroke ward during 2014 who accessed and completed the outcome measures at the In-Reach service and the ELEAS programme (n=25). Study Context: The In-Reach service involved a stroke-specialised exercise instructor offering exercise sessions, advice and sign-up to the ELEAS programme. Outcome Measures: Data included the number of referrals for the In-Reach service and subsequent uptake of the ELEAS programme, and results from the 10 Metre Walk test (10MWT), Timed Up-and-Go test (TUAG), Stroke Impact Scale (SIS) and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-Being Scale (WEMWBS). The previous five years referral and uptake numbers to the ELEAS programme were included. Results: The In-Reach service referral numbers were higher than the previous five years average referrals to the ELEAS programme, with uptake of the ELEAS programme also higher. The results of the ELEAS programme after 3 months indicated significant improvements in the 10MWT, TUAG, WEMWBS and most of the SIS domains (statistical significance level was set at p=0.05). Conclusions: The In-Reach service offers a promising service development to improve the referral pathway and participation uptake to the ELEAS programme. The ELEAS programme results were inconclusive due to lack of control group comparative, therefore, more research is necessary.
What are patient perception of cardiac rehabilitation programmes (CRPs)?
(Queen Margaret University, 2016)
The intention of this research proposal is to explore, promote and evaluate patient's perception on participation in cardiac rehabilitation programmes (CRPs) and gain their views on how to promote an increase in the uptake and adherence to CRPs. Cardiac rehabilitation programmes (CRPs) can assist in maintaining a decrease about 25% in morbidity and mortality by supporting patients in recovering physical and psychosocial health through modifying risk factor (Grace et al. 2011). Cardiac rehabilitation is effective, nevertheless, uptake rates are still low with only about 45% participation. Moreover, about 30% of non-participants expressed a lack of interest in partaking in the CRPs. The literature review revealed that why a lot of patients were not offered or referred to CRPs. It also examines where CRPs can take place to encourage the highest rate of participant; this might be community-based, home-based, or centre-based CRPs. The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE 2013) indicated that patients preferences should be considered and CRPs must be approachable for those who requires it. The study will take place in Lothian and its localities over a period of 12 months, Twentyfive potential participants will be encouraged to partake in the research. Individuals who are enthusiastic to contribute will be interviewed to gain qualitative data on their experiences, perception, opinion, thought and insights. It is anticipated that by conducting out this proposal research, an explanation of reasons for non-uptake of CRP's will be discovered and offer a vital source for nurses and the Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) acquiring evidence from practice about contemporary CR. It would validate a method of developing CRPs for patient/family who can not participate due to various reasons.