A Phenomenological Exploration of the Experience of Parenting Half-Siblings Within a Blended Family

Blended families are a growing population and encompass a diversity of characteristics and family types. Among the different types of blended families are those with both stepchildren and mutual children. Research on the complex experience of parenting a mutual genetic child and a stepchild within a blended family is minimal. To better understand the unknown experience of such parents, this phenomenological study was conducted to provide an in depth description of the experience of simultaneously parenting mutual children and stepchildren within a blended family. In this phenomenological study the researcher conducted interviews with six participants who varied by gender, socioeconomic status, and age. The researcher followed Giorgi’s (2009) phenomenological method of data analysis. The findings of this study fit into six themes about these parents’ experiences of parenting half-siblings, including: I can parent, My children get along, We miss you, Let’s talk, It’s challenging and rewarding, and Different experiences. Among the conclusions of this research was the high value parents placed on the half-sibling relationship. Parents shared observations about their stepchildren taking time to adjust to the birth of the mutual child, half-siblings missing each other during visitations, and helping their mutual children navigate their experience and understanding of the stepchild’s visitations. Thus this research provided a rich description of the experience of parenting stepchildren and mutual children within a blended family. Such information might help inform custody arrangements as they affect the half-sibling relationship, evidence-based interventions, and family education in support of parents in blended families. The electronic version of this dissertation is available at Ohiolink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/et

A Phenomenological Exploration of the Experience of Parenting Half-Siblings Within a Blended Family

Blended families are a growing population and encompass a diversity of characteristics and family types. Among the different types of blended families are those with both stepchildren and mutual children. Research on the complex experience of parenting a mutual genetic child and a stepchild within a blended family is minimal. To better understand the unknown experience of such parents, this phenomenological study was conducted to provide an in depth description of the experience of simultaneously parenting mutual children and stepchildren within a blended family. In this phenomenological study the researcher conducted interviews with six participants who varied by gender, socioeconomic status, and age. The researcher followed Giorgi’s (2009) phenomenological method of data analysis. The findings of this study fit into six themes about these parents’ experiences of parenting half-siblings, including: I can parent, My children get along, We miss you, Let’s talk, It’s challenging and rewarding, and Different experiences. Among the conclusions of this research was the high value parents placed on the half-sibling relationship. Parents shared observations about their stepchildren taking time to adjust to the birth of the mutual child, half-siblings missing each other during visitations, and helping their mutual children navigate their experience and understanding of the stepchild’s visitations. Thus this research provided a rich description of the experience of parenting stepchildren and mutual children within a blended family. Such information might help inform custody arrangements as they affect the half-sibling relationship, evidence-based interventions, and family education in support of parents in blended families. The electronic version of this dissertation is available at Ohiolink ETD Center, www.ohiolink.edu/et

Teaching Nursing Delegation: An On-Line Case Study

This study examined a delegation content-focused multimodal instructional design based on constructivism and andragogy. These new teaching strategies were offered in a professional concepts course offered on-line during the final semester before graduation of an associates of nursing program. This study found supporting evidence that this pedagogical framework is effective in delivering essential delegation concepts and skills in an on-line course and contributing to student self-efficacy related to delegation abilities

Cognitive Load Measurement, Worked-Out Modeling, and Simulation

Using a cognitive load theory framework, this study investigated implementation of a worked-out modeling (WOM) prebriefing intervention on postsimulation knowledge acquisition and cognitive load experienced. A quasi-experimental quantitative design was used with a convenience sample of 61 senior-level nursing students who had previously participated in a simulation. The treatment group received the WOM intervention before simulation participation, and the control group received the usual presimulation interventions. A presimulation and postsimulation knowledge survey and a cognitive load measurement tool were administered after the simulation. Data indicated increased knowledge related to falls and situation, background, assessment, and recommendation in the treatment group and suggested that the treatment group experienced more intrinsic and germane load and less extraneous load. Overall, the cognitive load measurement tool was found reliable, although extraneous load measurement had poor reliability. In conclusion, further research concerning WOM is warranted, as is continued development and research concerning the cognitive load measurement tool

Preparing RN’s for the Online Learning Environment

Adult learners returning to online education can face considerable barriers to the successful completion of their degree. These obstacles may be due to work and family obligations, lack of familiarity with course and academic requirements, the use of educational technology, or lack of self-direction in their learning. The authors conceptualized, developed, and implemented a preparatory course in an RN-BS Online Completion program designed to familiarize students with online learning and technological and personal skill requirements that could lead to academic success. This article outlines course development and implementation, syllabus and course objectives related to distance learning, and assignments and rubrics developed to meet learning outcomes

Superconducting Pulse Conserving Logic and Josephson-SRAM

Superconducting digital Pulse-Conserving Logic (PCL) and Josephson SRAM (JSRAM) memory together enable scalable circuits with energy efficiency 100x beyond leading-node CMOS. Circuit designs support high throughput and low latency when implemented in an advanced fabrication stack with high-critical-current-density Josephson junctions of 1000$\mu$A/$\mu$m$^2$. Pulse-conserving logic produces one single-flux-quantum output for each input, and includes a three-input, three-output gate producing logical or3, majority3 and and3. Gate macros using dual-rail data encoding eliminate inversion latency and produce efficient implementations of all standard logic functions. A full adder using 70 Josephson junctions has a carry-out latency of 5ps corresponding to an effective 12 levels of logic at 30 GHz. JSRAM (Josephson SRAM) memory uses single-flux-quantum signals throughout an active array to achieve throughput at the same clock rate as the logic. The unit cell has eight Josephson junctions, signal propagation latency of 1ps, and a footprint of 2$\mu$m$^2$. Projected density of JSRAM is 4 MB/cm$^2$, and computational density of pulse-conserving logic is on par with leading node CMOS accounting for power densities and clock rates.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figure