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Aim. To generate a substantive theory for understanding the phenomenon of nursing home care for older people in Taiwan. Background. Taiwanese culture shows great respect for older people and older people are traditionally cared for at home by their families. However, the older population in Taiwan is rapidly increasing and this demographic shift, together with various socio-economic changes, has resulted in nursing homes becoming a new and significant care option. Design. A grounded theory approach was used to study the residents and relatives from three nursing homes in Taiwan. Methods. Formal and informal interviews and participant observation data were collected over two months in each nursing home. Forty nursing home residents and 20 of their relatives were recruited. The data were analysed using the constant comparative method and involved the use of theoretical memos and theoretical sampling procedures. Results. The study found that nursing home care for older people in Taiwan is understood to be a process of forced choice, involving three stages; namely, 'becoming a problem', 'making a forced choice' and 'coping with the forced choice'. Conclusion. Taiwan is in a state of conflict with regard to providing care for older people, a situation in which the influence of traditional cultural and that of industrialisation exist side by side. The consequence of having to relocate older people into nursing homes means that both parties are the victims of this choice. Relevance to clinical practice. This conceptual explanation helps us to understand how the Taiwanese respond to the issue of care for older people and how they resolve their main concerns related to it. Subsequently, it is hoped that this will help health care practitioners to provide care more effectively to meet the needs of the Taiwanese with the aim of enhancing the standards of care for older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author focuses on nursing education. He says that there is a disconnect between the virtues of a liberal education and the requirements for competent nurses to work in the health services sector which can be seen in the curriculum. He discusses challenges facing curriculum in Great Britain and the effect of the transfer of nursing education to the higher education sector in the country. He says that nursing can flourish in a setting with few medical doctors, Western medical models, and large jospitals.

BACKGROUND: This research outlines some preliminary findings emerging from a grounded theory investigation into the 'meaning of spirituality'. These initial results raise some important questions about the terminology and language that nurses use regarding the term spirituality. It seems that many of the policy directives and statutory guidelines make two major assumptions regarding 'spirituality'. Firstly, patients and nurses are aware and understand the concept, and secondly, patients may require their spiritual needs to be met. These preliminary findings suggest that a dichotomy is emerging between professional assumption and patient expectation regarding the meaning of spirituality. AIM: The study had one broad research aim, to gain a deeper insight into how patients, nurses, and people from the major world religions understand the concept of 'spirituality'. DESIGN: A qualitative research design was used involving a grounded theory method of inquiry. It was felt that this qualitative method would aid the investigation of this subjective dimension of peoples' existence, enabling existing theoretical constructs and arguments to be tested. METHODS: The constant comparative method was used throughout the data collection and analysis. Analysis was undertaken at two levels, 'overview analysis' and 'line-by-line analysis'. This enabled the creation of categories and central themes. RESULTS: Constant comparative analysis resulted in the formation of several categories and central themes. Two categories presented and discussed in detail are 'definitions of spirituality', and 'diverse perceptions of spirituality'. CONCLUSION: It would seem that there is now an urgent need for nursing to evaluate and perhaps adjust its vision regarding what constitutes spirituality. Such an approach may serve to reduce the gap between policy and public expectation. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: It seems that there may be no 'precise' terminology associated with the language used to define spirituality, raising possible implications for nursing practice and nurse education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers is a growing public policy concern. Driven by a more informed consumer and the exploding costs of care, policy makers are looking for ways to integrate health-care research and long-term care practices in an effort to improve the quality of care and ultimately reduce costs. This paper presents a case study that demonstrates how training is being integrated at the facility level, utilizing a collaborative. The collaborative was a joint public-private partnership supported through resources from state, federal, and private agencies, with an overarching goal of delivering high-quality, easily accessible geriatric education and training. Direct care providers and other practitioners were recruited to attend a live, interactive videoconference that featured nationally known experts. The content of the educational program was drawn from nationally accepted guidelines that discuss appropriate procedures for wound cleansing, dressings, positioning techniques, proper nutrition and risk assessment protocols. Evaluation of the program indicated that the highest-rated objectives related to the application of training content in the implementation of treatment and prevention procedures important to quality patient care. An examination of publicly available data revealed that an escalating increase in the percentage of facilities in the state cited for deficiencies because of the incidence of pressure ulcers from 1996 to 1999 was reversed in 2000, subsequent to the videoconference. Future programs are planned to sustain the availability of opportunities for practitioners to get critical updates from the experts in the field via live interactive sessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: This paper explores the relationships that exist between the language used to describe spirituality within nursing and the appropriateness of constructing a universal definition acceptable to all individuals. 'Spirituality' is a term that is increasingly used in nursing but there may be problems about exactly what the term means and how it is interpreted and understood by both nurses and patients. AIM: The aim of the paper is to explore some of the commonly cited definitions to establish if the concept of spirituality could be termed 'universal'. METHOD: This paper presents a discussion, based upon a literature review, of the nursing and health care databases, combined with manual searches. The review demonstrates how the term spirituality is being constructed within nursing suggesting that there are numerous definitions each with several layers of meaning. FINDINGS: From the review the authors have developed 'a spiritual taxonomy' that may explain and accommodate the different layers of meaning found within nursing and health care definitions. At the extreme left there is a spirituality based on religious and theist ideals, while at the extreme right there is a spirituality based upon secular, humanistic, existential elements. A middle way is explained containing elements from both the left and right but not as fundamental or radical. CONCLUSION: The authors argue that because there are so many definitions with different layers of meanings, spirituality can imply different things depending upon an individual's personal interpretation or worldview. The results of the review suggest nursing is constructing a 'blanket' definition of spirituality, which has a broad, almost inexhaustible set of defining characteristics. If this approach continues then there is a danger that the word may become so broad in meaning that it loses any real significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the idea of clinical autonomy. Whilst there is a considerable literature on moral autonomy there is very little on clinical autonomy except as a sociological phenomenon. Using the results of interviews with Community Psychiatric Nurses in England, the three main theories that they have about clinical autonomy are examined. It is argued that there are substantial problems with these theories and an alternative way of understanding clinical autonomy is proposed, the idea of contractual space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laxmaiah Manchikanti,1,2 Vijay Singh,3 Kimberly A Cash,1 Vidyasagar Pampati11Pain Management Center of Paducah, Paducah, KY, 2Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, 3Pain Diagnostics Associates, Niagara, WI, USABackground: The literature is replete with evaluations of failed surgery, illustrating a 9.5%–25% reoperation rate. Speculated causes of post lumbar surgery syndrome include epidural fibrosis, acquired stenosis, recurrent disc herniation, sacroiliac joint pain, and facet joint pain among other causes.Methods: Patients (n = 120) were randomly assigned to two groups with a 2-year follow-up. Group I (control group, n = 60) received caudal epidural injections with catheterization up to S3 with local anesthetic (lidocaine 2%, 5 mL), nonparticulate betamethasone (6 mg, 1 mL), and 6 mL of 0.9% sodium chloride solution. Group II (intervention group, n = 60) received percutaneous adhesiolysis of the targeted area, with targeted delivery of lidocaine 2% (5 mL), 10% hypertonic sodium chloride solution (6 mL), and nonparticulate betamethasone (6 mg). The multiple outcome measures included the Numeric Rating Scale, the Oswestry Disability Index 2.0, employment status, and opioid intake with assessments at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months posttreatment. Primary outcome was defined as 50% improvement in pain and Oswestry Disability Index scores.Results: Significant improvement with at least 50% relief with pain and improvement in functional status was illustrated in 82% of patients at the 2-year follow-up in the intervention group compared to 5% in the control group receiving caudal epidural injections. The average number of procedures over a period of 2 years in Group II was 6.4 ± 2.35 with overall total relief of approximately 78 weeks out of 104 weeks.Conclusion: The results of this study show significant improvement in 82% of patients over a period of 2 years with an average of six to seven procedures of 1-day percutaneous adhesiolysis in patients with failed back surgery syndrome.Keywords: epidural adhesions, epidural steroid injections, epidural fibrosis

Laxmaiah Manchikanti,1,2 Kimberly A Cash,1 Carla D McManus,1 Vidyasagar Pampati11Pain Management Center of Paducah, Paducah, 2Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY, USABackground: Chronic low back pain without disc herniation is common. Various modalities of treatments are utilized in managing this condition, including epidural injections. However, there is continued debate on the effectiveness, indications, and medical necessity of any treatment modality utilized for managing axial or discogenic pain, including epidural injections.Methods: A randomized, double-blind, actively controlled trial was conducted. The objective was to evaluate the ability to assess the effectiveness of caudal epidural injections of local anesthetic with or without steroids for managing chronic low back pain not caused by disc herniation, radiculitis, facet joints, or sacroiliac joints. A total of 120 patients were randomized to two groups; one group did not receive steroids (group 1) and the other group did (group 2). There were 60 patients in each group. The primary outcome measure was at least 50% improvement in Numeric Rating Scale and Oswestry Disability Index. Secondary outcome measures were employment status and opioid intake. These measures were assessed at 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after treatment.Results: Significant pain relief and functional status improvement (primary outcome) defined as a 50% or more reduction in scores from baseline, were observed in 54% of patients in group 1 and 60% of patients in group 2 at 24 months. In contrast, 84% of patients in group 1 and 73% in group 2 saw significant pain relief and functional status improvement in the successful groups at 24 months.Conclusion: Caudal epidural injections of local anesthetic with or without steroids are effective in patients with chronic axial low back pain of discogenic origin without facet joint pain, disc herniation, and/or radiculitis.Keywords: chronic axial low back pain, discogenic pain, disc herniation, caudal epidural injections

Laxmaiah Manchikanti,1,2 Kimberly A Cash,1 Carla D McManus,1 Vidyasagar Pampati,1 Ramsin Benyamin3,41Pain Management Center of Paducah, Paducah, KY; 2University of Louisville, Louisville, KY; 3Millennium Pain Center, Bloomington, IL; 4University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, USAAbstract: Among the multiple causes of chronic low back pain, axial and discogenic pain are common. Various modalities of treatments are utilized in managing discogenic and axial low back pain including epidural injections. However, there is a paucity of evidence regarding the effectiveness, indications, and medical necessity of any treatment modality utilized for managing axial or discogenic pain, including epidural injections. In an interventional pain management practice in the US, a randomized, double-blind, active control trial was conducted. The objective was to assess the effectiveness of lumbar interlaminar epidural injections of local anesthetic with or without steroids for managing chronic low back pain of discogenic origin. However, disc herniation, radiculitis, facet joint pain, or sacroiliac joint pain were excluded. Two groups of patients were studied, with 60 patients in each group receiving either local anesthetic only or local anesthetic mixed with non-particulate betamethasone. Primary outcome measures included the pain relief-assessed by numeric rating scale of pain and functional status assessed by the, Oswestry Disability Index, Secondary outcome measurements included employment status, and opioid intake. Significant improvement or success was defined as at least a 50% decrease in pain and disability. Significant improvement was seen in 77% of the patients in Group I and 67% of the patients in Group II. In the successful groups (those with at least 3 weeks of relief with the first two procedures), the improvement was 84% in Group I and 71% in Group II. For those with chronic function-limiting low back pain refractory to conservative management, it is concluded that lumbar interlaminar epidural injections of local anesthetic with or without steroids may be an effective modality for managing chronic axial or discogenic pain. This treatment appears to be effective for those who have had facet joints as well as sacroiliac joints eliminated as the pain source.Keywords: lumbar disc herniation, axial or discogenic pain, lumbar interlaminar epidural injections, local anesthetic, steroids, controlled comparative local anesthetic blocks, NCT00681447

Laxmaiah Manchikanti, Kimberly A Cash, Vidyasagar Pampati, Yogesh MallaPain Management Center of Paducah, Paducah, KY, USABackground: While chronic neck pain is a common problem in the adult population, with a typical 12-month prevalence of 30%–50%, there is a lack of consensus regarding its causes and treatment. Despite limited evidence, cervical epidural injections are one of the commonly performed nonsurgical interventions in the management of chronic neck pain.Methods: A randomized, double-blind, active, controlled trial was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of cervical interlaminar epidural injections of local anesthetic with or without steroids for the management of chronic neck pain with or without upper extremity pain in patients without disc herniation, radiculitis, or facet joint pain.Results: One hundred and twenty patients without disc herniation or radiculitis and negative for facet joint pain by means of controlled diagnostic medial branch blocks were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups, ie, injection of local anesthetic only (group 1) or local anesthetic mixed with nonparticulate betamethasone (group 2). The primary outcome of significant pain relief and improvement in functional status (≥50%) was demonstrated in 72% of group 1 and 68% of group 2. The overall average number of procedures per year was 3.6 in both groups with an average total relief per year of 37–39 weeks in the successful group over a period of 52 weeks.Conclusion: Cervical interlaminar epidural injections of local anesthetic with or without steroids may be effective in patients with chronic function-limiting discogenic or axial pain.Keywords: chronic neck pain, cervical disc herniation, cervical discogenic pain, cervical epidural injections, epidural steroids, local anesthetics

With young adults today being further removed from the farm and exposed to negative press associated with a myriad of agriculture-related issues, it has become increasingly important for the animal agriculture industry to educate tomorrow's consumer today. Therefore, the objective of this study was to measure perceptions of college students on animal welfare and production agriculture topics. College students (n = 163) from Lincoln University, a small Historically Black University, representing a wide-array of majors and ranging academically from freshman to graduate level, were surveyed to determine their perceptions of animal welfare and production agriculture practices. A 5-point Likert-type response format scale was utilized, with "strongly agree" scored as 5 and "strongly disagree" scored as one. Cron-bach's a tests discerned reliability of each scale and "Animal Welfare", "Genetically Modified Organisms", and "Agriculture" were sufficient (α > 0.70) for further analysis with independent-samples /-tests. Students that participated were 44% female, 37% male (19% not indicated), and 89% stated they were between the ages of 18-23. Percentage of students that were raised in an urban or suburban area was 61%. Students reported being 43% African American, 33% Caucasian, 6% other ethnicities and 18% did not indicate their ethnicity. Collectively there were 38% freshman, 29% sophomores, 18% juniors, 9% seniors, 1% graduate students, and 5% did not indicate theiryear of school. Male and female attitudes differed only for the "Genetically Modified Organisms" scale. Females indicated significantly (P = 0.03) more negative attitudes toward "Genetically Modified Organisms" than males did. African American and Caucasian participants differed only in their attitudes toward "Agriculture" with Caucasian participants signifying more (P < 0.01) positive attitudes than African American participants. Rural students expressed more (P < 0.03) positive attitudes toward "Agriculture" and "Genetically Modified Organisms" than urban students. Overall student's attitudes were close to neutral on topics of "Animal Welfare", "Genetically Modified Organisms", and "Agriculture", but perceptions did differ by gender, ethnicity, and size of hometown with Caucasian men from rural areas exhibiting the most positive perceptions. Unquestionably, male and female students of any ethnicity, from urban, suburban, or rural settings, should be educated on all aspects of agriculture including focus on animal welfare and agriculture production practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Fluoroscopic guidance is frequently utilized in interventional pain management. The major purpose of fluoroscopy is correct needle placement to ensure target specificity and accurate delivery of the injectate. Radiation exposure may be associated with risks to physician, patient and personnel. While there have been many studies evaluating the risk of radiation exposure and techniques to reduce this risk in the upper part of the body, the literature is scant in evaluating the risk of radiation exposure in the lower part of the body. Methods Radiation exposure risk to the physician was evaluated in 1156 patients undergoing interventional procedures under fluoroscopy by 3 physicians. Monitoring of scattered radiation exposure in the upper and lower body, inside and outside the lead apron was carried out. Results The average exposure per procedure was 12.0 ± 9.8 seconds, 9.0 ± 0.37 seconds, and 7.5 ± 1.27 seconds in Groups I, II, and III respectively. Scatter radiation exposure ranged from a low of 3.7 ± 0.29 seconds for caudal/interlaminar epidurals to 61.0 ± 9.0 seconds for discography. Inside the apron, over the thyroid collar on the neck, the scatter radiation exposure was 68 mREM in Group I consisting of 201 patients who had a total of 330 procedures with an average of 0.2060 mREM per procedure and 25 mREM in Group II consisting of 446 patients who had a total of 662 procedures with average of 0.0378 mREM per procedure. The scatter radiation exposure was 0 mREM in Group III consisting of 509 patients who had a total 827 procedures. Increased levels of exposures were observed in Groups I and II compared to Group III, and Group I compared to Group II. Groin exposure showed 0 mREM exposure in Groups I and II and 15 mREM in Group III. Scatter radiation exposure for groin outside the apron in Group I was 1260 mREM and per procedure was 3.8182 mREM. In Group II the scatter radiation exposure was 400 mREM and with 0.6042 mREM per procedure. In Group III the scatter radiation exposure was 1152 mREM with 1.3930 mREM per procedure. Conclusion Results of this study showed that scatter radiation exposure to both the upper and lower parts of the physician's body is present. Protection was offered by traditional measures to the upper body only.