Copyright (c) 2009 All rights reserved. http://works.bepress.com/therouxr Recent documents in Rosemary Theresa Theroux en-us Sun, 31 May 2009 12:44:48 PDT 3600 http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/13 http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/13 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:48:24 PDT OBJECTIVE: To critically review qualitative research on women's decision making about the use of hormonal and nonhormonal remedies for the menopausal transition. DATA SOURCES: Computerized searches in CINAHL, MEDLINE, Medscape, and PsychINFO databases, using the keywords decision making, hormone therapy, herbal remedies, attitude toward hormone therapy, and qualitative research; and ancestral bibliographies. STUDY SELECTION: Articles from indexed journals from 1982 to 2001 in the English language relevant to the keywords were evaluated. Sixteen studies met inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. DATA EXTRACTION: Study findings were organized into several categories and compared and contrasted across publications and categories. DATA SYNTHESIS: Half of the researchers described decision making as a weighing of benefits and risks. Women's considerations, beliefs, and values, as well as interaction with the environment, were primary influences on the process. CONCLUSIONS: Major gaps in care for midlife women were identified. Women need information about the process of menopause and the range of available options for menopause management. Nurses can play a major role in providing information, counseling, and developing decision aids. Women's values and beliefs, cultures, life contexts, and desire for involvement in the decision should guide interventions. Rosemary T. Theroux Aged *Decision Making Estrogen Replacement Therapy Female *Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Humans Menopause Middle Aged Nurse's Role Nurse-Patient Relations Nursing Methodology Research Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal Patient Education *Women's Health http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/12 http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/12 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:48:21 PDT Purpose: To review the findings of qualitative studies about how women made the decision about using either hormone therapy (HT) or nonprescription remedies for the menopausal transition. Presented June 14, 2005, at Association of Women's Health, Obstetric, and Neonatal Nursing National Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah. Rosemary T. Theroux Menopause Estrogen Replacement Therapy Decision Making Patients Women's Health http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/11 http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/11 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:48:19 PDT Abstract not available. Rosemary T. Theroux *Adaptation, Psychological Family Female Humans Infant Care Male Parents Postnatal Care Postpartum Period Pregnancy *Pregnancy, Multiple Prenatal Care http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/10 http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/10 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:48:15 PDT Purpose: To review the findings of qualitative studies about how women made the decision about using either hormone therapy (HT) or nonprescription remedies for the menopausal transition. Presented April 2, 2004, at Eastern Research Society, 16th Annual Scientific Sessions meeting, Quincy, MA. Rosemary T. Theroux Menopause Estrogen Replacement Therapy Decision Making Patients Women's Health http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/9 http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/9 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:48:12 PDT Discusses the need for screening of all women patients for intimate partner abuse as part of usual assessments. Rosemary T. Theroux Adult Female Humans Infant, Newborn Male Narration *Nurse's Role *Nurse-Patient Relations Pregnancy Pregnancy Complications Prenatal Care Risk Factors Spouse Abuse Trust Truth Disclosure United States http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/8 http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/8 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:48:09 PDT PURPOSE: To explore graduate nurse practitioner students' perceptions of their experiences when learning to perform pelvic examinations in the laboratory and performing them in subsequent clinical rotations. One group was taught by faculty with voluntary peer examination, and the other two groups were taught by standardized patients (SPs). DATA SOURCES: Surveys with open- and closed-ended (responses on Likert scales) items administered twice during 3 consecutive years to students enrolled in an advanced health assessment course. CONCLUSIONS: All groups reported feeling anxious while learning pelvic exam techniques and in subsequent clinical experiences. SPs provided immediate feedback to students, decreased their feelings of anxiety, and increased their confidence in performing examinations. Students who were taught pelvic examination techniques by SPs rated their learning experiences more positively and reported a better understanding of exam techniques than students who learned to perform exams by voluntary examination of classmates. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Graduate nursing programs should consider locating and using SP programs for teaching pelvic examinations in advanced health assessment courses. Although more cost-effective, voluntary peer examination was a less effective teaching method. Rosemary T. Theroux Anxiety *Attitude of Health Personnel Clinical Competence Education, Nursing, Graduate Faculty, Nursing Gynecology Humans Interprofessional Relations Needs Assessment *Nurse Practitioners Nursing Assessment Nursing Education Research Nursing Methodology Research *Patient Simulation Peer Group *Pelvis Physical Examination Pilot Projects Preceptorship Program Evaluation Self Efficacy Shame http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/7 http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/7 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:48:06 PDT Previous methods for teaching genital examinations to nurse practitioner students enrolled in a laboratory portion of an advanced health assessment course have included videotapes, plastic models for both male and female genital examinations, and voluntary examinations of a classmate for the female exam. Standardardized patients are specially trained consumers who teach physical examination techniques during the student's performance of the examination. Medical schools have successfully used these patients to teach physical assessment. The purpose of this study was to determine if standardized patients were the best method for graduate nurse practitioner students to learn genital examinations in comparison to previous teaching methods. Presented April 21, 2004, at National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty National Meeting, San Diego, CA. Rosemary T. Theroux Physical Examination Genitalia Nurse Practitioners Education, Nursing, Graduate Patient Simulation http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/6 http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/6 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:48:03 PDT Objective: To describe women's experiences when making decisions about the use of hormonal or nonprescription remedies during or after the menopausal transition. The specific aims were to identify the influences on women's decisions, identify their counseling needs, and describe how women evaluated the care and counseling provided. Design: A qualitative descriptive approach was used. Semi-structured, tape recorded interviews were conducted with seven women who were currently making a decision about menopausal management and at two subsequent points after the initial interview. Transcripts were analyzed using content analysis with grounded theory techniques. Findings were validated with study participants at the end of the study to assure trustworthiness. Results: Women's priorities were feeling well and returning to their former level of functioning. Their decision-making was a non-linear process that consisted of several stages in which women became aware and made sense of symptoms, sought information about management options, assured safety, weighed benefits and risks, tried various prescription and non-prescription remedies, judged the efficacy of their choice, and re-evaluated their decision. If symptoms were severe or quality of life was low women reconciled the risks of hormone therapy before trying this option. Women were unsure about the meaning of research findings about the safety of hormone therapy and felt anxiety about using hormone therapy. Decision-making was influenced by women's needs, perception of risks and benefits, and beliefs about menopause and its management. Conclusions: Decision support can be provided through individual counseling, group support programs, internet sites, and articles in consumer literature, and should be tailored to each woman based on her individual preferences. Presented October 14, 2006, at North American Menopause Society Annual Scientific Sessions meeting, Nashville, TN. Rosemary T. Theroux Menopause Estrogen Replacement Therapy Decision Making Patients Women's Health http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/5 http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/5 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:48:00 PDT PURPOSE: To review the research on women's self-treatment of vaginal symptoms, describe factors influencing this phenomenon, identify evidence-based interventions, and suggest strategies for nurse practitioners (NPs) to promote safe and effective self-treatment decisions by women. DATA SOURCES: Research articles identified through Medline and CINAHL databases. CONCLUSIONS: The primary factors influencing women's decisions to self-treat vaginal symptoms were personal (attitudes, beliefs, values, knowledge and experience, and emotions) and environmental (culture, social networks and norms, media, and life context). IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Women's self-diagnostic skills and decision making for self-treatment can be improved through education and support from NPs. The traditional office visit may not provide an opportunity to teach women appropriate self-care because many women do not access providers for advice or information. Different methods of providing information to large numbers of women through consumer publications need to be developed and evaluated. Rosemary T. Theroux Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal *Decision Making Drugs, Non-Prescription Female Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice Health Promotion Helping Behavior Humans Models, Psychological Nurse Practitioners Nurse's Role Nurse-Patient Relations Nursing Assessment Nursing Methodology Research Patient Acceptance of Health Care Primary Health Care Questionnaires Self Medication Social Support Women http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/4 http://works.bepress.com/therouxr/4 Tue, 01 Apr 2008 10:47:58 PDT Increasing numbers of women use self-diagnosis and self-treatment in response to vaginal symptoms. I used the grounded theory method to generate theory on women's self-care. Data collection consisted of interviews with 11 women and 3 pharmacists and content analysis of text from consumer literature and advertisements for vaginal antifungal products. The basic problem experienced by women was the need for rapid and convenient relief of symptoms. To accomplish this, women used the four-stage process of "bypassing the middleman," which enabled them to resolve the problem in a timely manner. Media, economics, and social networks were primary influences on women's self-care. Rosemary T. Theroux Adult Antifungal Agents Candidiasis, Vulvovaginal Decision Making Drugs, Non-Prescription Female Humans Interviews Middle Aged Self Care Vagina *Women's Health