Abstract
The purposes of this study were (1) to reduce the gap in nursing between theory and practice by applying to nursing practice selected nursing theory as identified in literature, and (2) to determine the quality of nursing care given when nurses carried out their unique functions in seven selected areas.
The study was conducted in a university hospital over a period of eight weeks on two, twenty-six-bed general surgical units, one experimental and one control. The nurses on the experimental unit were allowed to function independently in seven chosen areas: (1) frequency of taking and recording temperature, pulse, respiration, and blood pressure (2) grouping of patients (3) insuring personal hygiene (4) allowing usual habit patterns (5) promoting mobility (6) providing diversional therapy, and (7) relieving pain. In these areas nurses assessed patients' needs and initiated appropriate nursing measures.
The total number of patients admitted to the experimental unit during the eight-week period of the study was 152. The control unit had 164 patients. The usual staff consisted of five nurses for a twenty-four-hour period on each unit.
A researcher was available at all times during the project. Her role was to collect data and to assure that the nursing care instituted in the seven selected areas was carried out.
Tools used to implement nursing care were the nursing history and the nursing care plan.
Tools used to measure change in nursing care were: (1) ranking of patients' needs (2) nurses' satisfaction questionnaire (3) physicians' satisfaction questionnaire (4) length of time required for patients to achieve independence, and (5) the number of p.r.n. medications given.
The statistical analyses seemed to indicate that there was little change in the quality of nursing care given during the period of the study and thus the practice-theory gap was not reduced.
LLU Discipline
Nursing
Department
Nursing
School
Graduate School
First Advisor
L. Lucile Lewis
Second Advisor
Bruce Branson
Third Advisor
Wynelle J. Huff
Fourth Advisor
R. Maureen Maxwell
Fifth Advisor
Charlene W. Riffel
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Degree Level
M.S.
Year Degree Awarded
1969
Date (Title Page)
1-1969
Language
English
Library of Congress/MESH Subject Headings
Nursing Care; Clinical Nursing Research; Nursing Theory; Philosophy, Nursing
Type
Thesis
Page Count
viii; 150
Digital Format
Digital Publisher
Loma Linda University Libraries
Copyright
Author
Usage Rights
This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights.
Recommended Citation
True, Gail; Honda, Chieko; Keegan, Lynn Gates; Marsa, Ann; Mobley, Ila J.; Oldham, Esther; Robertson, Betty; Ross, Annette M.; and Steele, Beverly, "Effect on Quality Nursing Care When Nurses Assume Selected Unique Nursing Functions" (1969). Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects. 1932.
https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/1932
Collection
Loma Linda University Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Collection Website
http://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/
Repository
Loma Linda University. Del E. Webb Memorial Library. University Archives