Psychometric Testing of the Presence of Nursing Scale: Measurability of Patient Perceptions of Nursing Presence Capability of Nurses in an Academic Medical Center

Introduction: Nursing presence occurs when nurses expend themselves on the behalf of a unique patient. This phenomenon requires further research to develop instruments. The Presence of Nursing Scale (PONS) measures the patient’s perspective (Kostovich, 2012). Psychometric testing of PONS-Revised using exploratory factor analysis is warranted to further develop a reliable and valid measure of nursing presence. Contextual workplace variables need exploration in inpatient settings for correlation with nursing presence. Method(s): A convenience sample of 122 adult inpatients from ten acute-care nursing units in a Southeastern Magnet hospital were surveyed to conduct the first psychometric testing of this revised instrument using exploratory factor analyses. Seven research questions evaluated potential correlations between the PONS-R, patient satisfaction using nurse-sensitive measures of HCAHPS, nursing unit-specific workforce factors and patient demographic factors. Results: PONS-R demonstrated high internal consistency reliability (r = .974), test-retest reliability (statistically significant at the .01 level) and divergent validity (p=.002). PONS-R compared to nurse HCAHPS measures was statistically significant at the .01 level, (r = .736). EFA revealed one factor (eigenvalues over 1), with a weak secondary factor centered on intimacy factors suggesting addition of items and repeated study with a larger sample size to further psychometrically develop the instrument. Unexpected negative correlations were found with unit-workforce factors including average RN experience level (r= -.185, significant at the .05 level), and average RN age (r = - .218). An unexpected positive correlation was found - percentage of Associate degree nurses (r = .269, statistically significant at the .05 level. The Triangle region was correlated with a higher PONS-R score (p = .038; n=4), otherwise no statistically significant correlations were found for PONS-R and patient demographics nor patient-specific variables such as estimated number of RN providing care, nor length of stay on the unit. Discussion & Conclusions: Further psychometric testing is indicated with larger samples and perhaps with the inclusion of intimacy factor items. Additional correlational studies focused on other patient quality outcomes measures with expansion of nurse demographics is indicated to explore for confounding variables

Water Conservation in Industrial Filtration Operations

The washing of a solute from filter cakes was investigated for both saturated and unsaturated washing conditions. Systems used in this experimental study were 0.065 NaCl solution as the filtrate in an aluminum hydrate filter cake and 0.1 Normal HCL solution as the filtrate in a column packed with glass beads. The filtrate concentration as a function of the flow rate of wash water and of the volume of effluent from the packed bed was measured. The amounts of filtrate removed from the bed during saturated washing, and washing employing repetitive steps of saturation followed by evacuation were compared. Also, the amounts of wash water required to lower the filtrate concentration to essentially zero were contrasted. It was determined that the saturated wash condition was more efficient in removing the filtrate from compressible cakes, while the reverse was true for porous, incompressible cakes. Computer programs were developed to simulate both saturated and unsaturated washing conditions

Psychometric Testing of the Presence of Nursing Scale: Measurability of Patient Perceptions of Nursing Presence Capability of Nurses in an Academic Medical Center

Introduction: Nursing presence occurs when nurses expend themselves on the behalf of a unique patient. This phenomenon requires further research to develop instruments. The Presence of Nursing Scale (PONS) measures the patient’s perspective (Kostovich, 2012). Psychometric testing of PONS-Revised using exploratory factor analysis is warranted to further develop a reliable and valid measure of nursing presence. Contextual workplace variables need exploration in inpatient settings for correlation with nursing presence. Method(s): A convenience sample of 122 adult inpatients from ten acute-care nursing units in a Southeastern Magnet hospital were surveyed to conduct the first psychometric testing of this revised instrument using exploratory factor analyses. Seven research questions evaluated potential correlations between the PONS-R, patient satisfaction using nurse-sensitive measures of HCAHPS, nursing unit-specific workforce factors and patient demographic factors. Results: PONS-R demonstrated high internal consistency reliability (r = .974), test-retest reliability (statistically significant at the .01 level) and divergent validity (p=.002). PONS-R compared to nurse HCAHPS measures was statistically significant at the .01 level, (r = .736). EFA revealed one factor (eigenvalues over 1), with a weak secondary factor centered on intimacy factors suggesting addition of items and repeated study with a larger sample size to further psychometrically develop the instrument. Unexpected negative correlations were found with unit-workforce factors including average RN experience level (r= -.185, significant at the .05 level), and average RN age (r = - .218). An unexpected positive correlation was found - percentage of Associate degree nurses (r = .269, statistically significant at the .05 level. The Triangle region was correlated with a higher PONS-R score (p = .038; n=4), otherwise no statistically significant correlations were found for PONS-R and patient demographics nor patient-specific variables such as estimated number of RN providing care, nor length of stay on the unit. Discussion & Conclusions: Further psychometric testing is indicated with larger samples and perhaps with the inclusion of intimacy factor items. Additional correlational studies focused on other patient quality outcomes measures with expansion of nurse demographics is indicated to explore for confounding variables

Exploring Intersecting Program Elements in Longer-Term Concurrent Disorder Services for Adults: A Qualitative Evaluation

Previous research highlights multiple factors that impact the attainment of client-identified recovery goals in substance misuse treatment programs. However, fewer studies examine how programs meet the broad range of needs expressed by clients through their intersecting elements of service delivery. This study seeks to develop an understanding of intersecting program and recovery elements in relation to an overall framework for programming, focusing on how overlapping elements of treatment ventured to support clients in multiple areas of their recovery. Qualitative interviews were conducted with clients (n=41) in three longer term substance use treatment programs, and data from interviews were analysed using analytic induction and constant comparison strategies to surface emergent themes. Data analysis yielded six main findings. These included: Education; Goal Setting; Routine and Stability; Spiritual Development; Exercise; and Transitional Planning. Respondents indicated that programs must focus on bolstering the development of each element across multiple treatment domains (such as group therapy and counselling) to best support clients in achieving recovery outcomes

The burden of multiple sclerosis: A community health survey

© 2008 Jones et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licens

State Of The Science Of Nursing Presence Revisited: Knowledge For Preserving Nursing Presence Capability

Nursing presence has been a central focus for theorists, researchers, educators, and practicing professional nurses for over a half a century. Knowledge development and measurement of this experience is crucial at a time when human communication is becoming more impersonal, and nursing presence capability is potentially declining. A literature search was conducted using Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature and other discipline-specific databases. Extensive manual review of all relevant journals, reference lists, and additional publications were explored and synthesized. This article provides an updated state of the science report on nursing presence in regard to cross-discipline conceptual comparison, nursing theoretic model development, and instrument development

Process for extracting ethanol from fermentation broths for direct blending into gasoline while preserving the broth for recycling

Describes a method of producing ethanol from a fermentation source for direct blending into gasoline to form gasohol by extracting ethanol from the fermentation broth with a non-toxic solvent compatible with gasoline. The invention includes extraction outside of the fermentor and the recycling of the extracted broth back to the fermentor. An extracting column is used for the extraction and recycling and the extract can be dried before blending it with the gasoline. The preferred solvent is an alkylate