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PURPOSE.  The purpose of this descriptive study was to assess whether the Humpty Dumpty Falls Scale (HDFS) identifies hospitalized pediatric patients at high risk for falls. DESIGN AND METHODS.  The study was a matched case–control design. A chart review of 153 pediatric cases who fell and 153 controls who did not fall were pair‐matched by age, gender, and diagnosis. RESULTS.  High‐risk patients fell almost twice as often as low‐risk patients (odds ratio 1.87, confidence interval = 1.01, 3.53, p = .03). PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS.  A Falls Prevention Pediatric Program with the HDFS tool addresses the Joint Commission Patient Safety Goals, but further research is needed to examine HDFS sensitivity‐specificity.

The evolution of nursing as a profession requires the development of evidence-based practice based on outcomes and the ability by nurses to access and evaluate professional literature, both in print and on the Internet. To educate nurses to apply current research outcomes to nursing practice, an information literacy program was designed and implemented for first-semester associate degree nursing students in conjunction with a foundations in nursing course. The effectiveness of the program was evaluated using a 22-item questionnaire, both prior to the course and immediately after. A control group, students who did not receive the intervention, was also tested at both time points. Data analysis revealed that the information literacy program had both a positive effect on students' literacy skills and a negative effect on their attitudes toward the need for using these skills in nursing practice.

To examine the effect of bone mineral density (BMD) screening via dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) results on osteoporosis preventing behaviors (OPB), knowledge of osteoporosis, and health beliefs of men aged 50 years or older (N = 196) was evaluated. An experimental, 2-group longitudinal design was used. The independent variable was DXA, dependent variables were osteoporosis preventing behaviors, and mediating variables were general knowledge of osteoporosis and Health Belief variables. Half of the men had low bone density. Men diagnosed to be osteoporotic increased their calcium intake. Health belief variables predicted calcium intake and/or exercise. In addition, 9 men in the experimental group were taking medications to prevent/restore bone loss at Time 3. Healthcare providers play a significant role in assessing bone loss and preventing and treating osteoporosis in men. The cost of a DXA screen is far less than financial and social costs due to osteoporotic fractures.

This study determines the effects of 15 potential predictors on cardiac rehabilitation (CR) initiation: demographic information, measures of perceived severity, perceived susceptibility, perceived cardiac threat, social support, depression, comorbid conditions, left ventricular ejection fraction, strength of physician recommendation, and benefits and barriers. Results showed that greater strength of physician recommendation and less disease severity were significant predictors of higher levels of CR initiation; female gender was a marginally significant predictor of less CR initiation. The strength of the associations for these predictors varied. Strength of physician recommendation was the strongest predictor. This information can be used to increase the number of patients starting CR through programs designed to increase physician awareness of the importance of their recommendation, the continuing need to refer women to CR, and the need to design programs that meet women's needs.

The purpose of this pilot study was to determine if tailored nursing interventions based on personal knowledge of bone mineral density from a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry cause increases in knowledge of osteoporosis, health beliefs, or osteoporosis-prevention behaviors in postmenopausal women 50-65 years of age, 6 months after the intervention. The design for this pilot study was a two group quasi-experimental design. The treatment group received a tailored intervention; the control group did not. Outcome data were gathered at 6 months after dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. The tailored intervention was designed and given to each woman via telephone using her dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry results and osteoporosis questionnaire data that addressed her knowledge of osteoporosis and osteoporosis-prevention behaviors of calcium intake, exercise, smoking, and alcohol use. A written mailed copy of the intervention followed the telephone interview. Six months after the intervention, the women were mailed another osteoporosis questionnaire to determine if the tailored intervention made a difference in the outcome variables. A total 124 women between the ages of 50 and 65 (101 control, 23 treatment) comprised the sample. There was no difference in knowledge between groups. On the average, there were significantly more perceived barriers to calcium in the tailored group (mean = 13.48) than in the nontailored group (mean = 11.55) (t = 2.147; df = 122; p = .034). There were significantly more perceived barriers to exercise in the tailored group (mean = 14.39) than in the nontailored group (mean = 12.21) (t = .144; df = 122; p = .034). Daily calcium intake increased in both the tailored and the nontailored groups. The tailored intervention increased women's daily calcium intake from 614.28 to 1039.10 mg (t = -2.896; df = 22; p = .008). The nontailored group daily calcium intake increased from 587.91 to 916.30 mg (t = -3.541; df = 100; p = .001); there was no significant difference between the groups. Weight-bearing exercise behaviors decreased from 96.04 minutes to 59.2 minutes in the tailored group but increased slightly in the nontailored group from 81.47 to 87.26 minutes of exercise. Tailored interventions increased women's perceived barriers to calcium and exercise. Both groups increased calcium intake. The mixed findings of increased perception of barriers to calcium and exercise and decreased exercise behaviors indicate the need for further study. This important intervention has implications for orthopaedic nurses and healthcare professionals involved in health promotion and prevention of osteoporosis.

Purpose: To examine predictors of depressive symptoms among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐positive, pregnant women in Thailand. Design: Correlational, cross‐sectional study. Methods: Data were collected at prenatal clinics in five hospitals in Thailand from January 2004 to January 2006. One hundred twenty‐seven HIV‐positive pregnant women completed questionnaires in Thai on depressive symptoms, self‐esteem, emotional support, physical symptoms, and demographics. Simultaneous multiple regression was used to analyze predictors of depressive symptoms. Findings: Seventy‐eight percent of the 127 participants reported depressive symptoms to some degree. Physical symptoms (β= .192, p<.05) were positively associated with depressive symptoms, but self‐esteem (β=−.442, p<.001), emotional support (β=−.193, p<.01), and financial status (β=−.209, p<.01) were negatively correlated with depressive symptoms. Conclusions: The study results have added new knowledge about depressive symptoms and their predictors in HIV‐positive pregnant women in Thailand. Clinical Relevance: Depressive symptoms have been associated with faster progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome among HIV‐positive individuals. The high rate of depression in our study suggests that HIV‐positive pregnant women in Thailand should all be screened for depressive symptoms. Causes of physical symptoms should be identified and treated. Emotional support and self‐esteem should be strengthened for HIV‐positive pregnant Thai women.

This descriptive correlational study assessed school nurses’ knowledge of and perceived relevance of the Standards of Professional School Nursing Practice. Of the 1,162 Ohio school nurses sent questionnaires, 345 returned usable questionnaires (30%). The typical respondent was a 50-year-old Caucasian woman with 24 years of nursing experience, 12 years of school nursing experience, and a caseload of 3 public schools serving 1,500 students. Factors that positively related to the school nurses’ knowledge and perceptions of the relevance of the standards were age, advanced degree preparation, school nursing experience, and practicing in a metropolitan area. Factors that negatively related to knowledge and perceived relevance were practicing in a rural area and caseload of special needs students. Standards of practice provide a mechanism for defining and supporting practice roles for nurses. Thus, it is important to increase awareness and use of the standards, especially among school nurses practicing in rural areas.

The principles relevant to descriptive statistics differ both intuitively and statistically from the principles relevant to inferential statistics. Pedagogically, however, these principles are often taught in an interspersed fashion. This approach may confuse students. As they struggle to learn the principles of descriptive statistics, and before these principles have been mastered, the principles of inferential statistics are often overlaid. This overlay weakens students' frequently uneasy grasp on the principles of descriptive statistics. The purpose of this article is to develop a pedagogy of descriptive statistics clearly differentiated from inferential statistics. Emphasis is on bringing the students' intuitions into line with what descriptive statistics provide.