Sunday, April 29, 2012

Blog #15: Additonal source to my previous bibliography

Rajesh Kumar, Nancy. "Stress and Coping Strategies among Nursing Students." Nursing and
Midwifery Research Journal 7.4 (2011): 141-51. Web.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Research Blog #15: Final Abstract and Bibliography

Abstract:
My research paper focuses on how studying nursing can actually lead to serious risks. Although my paper states that all college students are predisposed to feeling stressed out, I strongly emphasize how nursing students have a tendency to experience more stress than the average student who is not in a professional area program. Therefore, the central idea of my research paper is that since nursing students are at a heightened risk for feeling stressed out, they are indeed also more at risk for having depressive and/or suicidal thoughts. The reason for them being at an increased risk is a result of long study hours, limited personal time, feelings of worry and doubt, difficult clinicals, and pressure to not fail. Attempts to lessen the occurance of this problem have been made. Nursing students can be helped academically and mentally through their rigorous curriculums with the help of an authority figure. However, the students must first realize that someone is willing to help them, rather then them feeling like the ones who constantly needs to do the caregiving.


Bibliography:

                                                                 
Durkheim, Émile, and George Simpson. Emile Durkheim; [selections from His Work,. New   
              
          York: Crowell, 1963. Print.

Goetz, CS. "Are You Prepared To S.A.V.E. Your Nursing Student From Suicide?" Journal Of
            
          Nursing Education 37.2 (1998): 92-95. Web.

Hardy, Sally, J. Carson, and Ben L. Thomas. Occupational Stress: Personal and Professional

             Approaches. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Stanley Thornes, 1998. Print.

Holmes, Ronald M., and Stephen T. Holmes. Suicide: Theory, Practice, and Investigation.  
              
          Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2005. Print.

R. Khachatryan, et al. "P03-302 - Evaluation Of Suicidal Behaviour And Depression Among
            
          Nursing Students In Northern Greece." European Psychiatry 25.(2010): 1370. Academic
            
         Search Premier. Web.

Vye, Christopher, Kathlene Scholljegerdes, and I. David Welch. Under Pressure and
            
         Overwhelmed: Coping with Anxiety in College. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2007. Print.

Whitaker, Leighton C., and Richard E. Slimak. College Student Suicide. New York: Haworth,
              
         1990. Print.

W Sawatphanit, et al. "Depression, Stress, Emotional Support, And Self-Esteem Among
              
         Baccalaureate Nursing Students In Thailand." International Journal of Nursing
              
         Education Scholarship 2.1 (2005): Web.

Young, Lynne E., and Barbara L. Paterson. Teaching Nursing: Developing a Student-centered

             Learning Environment. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007. Print.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Research Blog #14: Book Review #5

1.)


2.)

Hardy, Sally, J. Carson, and Ben L. Thomas. Occupational Stress: Personal and Professional

            Approaches. Cheltenham, United Kingdom: Stanley Thornes, 1998. Print.

3.)

This book offers the general insight of how stressful certain professions are. This book also offers studies of different types of occupations corresponding to different stress levels and triggers. It also includes studies of students and stress, with a lengthy list of studies done particularly with those studying nursing.

4.)

Sally Hardy is a lecturer in Nursing.
Jerome Carson is the senior lecturer in Clinical Psychology at Manchaster School of Management.
Ben Thomas is the chief nursing advisor at the Maudsley Hospital.

All three contributors to this book have experience in settings where stress is relavent and where they were able to gather information and data among the people ho are at high risk.

5.) Key Terms:

Occupational Stress Indicator (OSI): a comprehensive measure of stress, including work-place stressors, strategies used to cope with stress, general behaviour, the individual's current state of health, both physical and mental, and job satisfication

Emotional Exhaustion: a chronic state of physical and emotional depletion that results from excessive job demands and continuous stress.

6.) Quotations:

"The study raises a very important issue. It is that student health and social care professionals experience both academic and clinical pressures, unlike non-vocational student groups." (Page 35)

A study was done to see whether or not nursing students were really under a lot of stress. The results of the study determined that nursing students are at their worst during their clinicals. Student health care professionals are under pressures that other students are not.

"While stress can be a product of working and caring for people, it is still an occupational hazard that can be controlled and managed like any other." (Page 181)

Stress is hazardous towards students, especially those studying a health care profession. This stress has the potential to lead to depression, which only builds up and continues to get worse and worse throughout the student's academic career.

In one study, nursing students were asked how their training could be made less stressful. Out of all the individuals, "29% felt individual therapy or personal tutor support" could help them achieve this. (Page 35)

In my paper, I plan on incorporating the idea that personal therapy among nursing students can help prevent a student from having suicidal or depressive behavior. Therefore, it is on a positive note that these students want the same thing, individual therapy. They perhaps also need a personal tutor who can help support them during the most difficult aspects of their academic careers, such as during clinicals and/or certain classes.

7.)

This book is beneficial to my overall research project by providing me with specific studies which conclude that nursing students are at high risk for feeling stressed out and/or burntout. I liked this book because of its studies and how it explicitly explains different stress theories with a general focus on certain occupations. I also liked this book because not only does it offer solutions to prevent student stress, but it also includes what the students believe can potentially work to help them to succeed.

8.)

This book is similar to previous books that I have research, however it includes a lot of studies. This book reminds me of Teaching Nursing: Developing a Student-centered Learning Environment. Both of these books both address that there is a problem among nursing students and it is that they are under too much stress. However, the only difference is that one of the books offers a learning approach and the other discusses why this approach is necessary.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Research Blog#12: Book Review #4

1.)

2.)

Young, Lynne E., and Barbara L. Paterson. Teaching Nursing: Developing a Student-centered

            Learning Environment. Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2007. Print.

3.)

This book focuses on how a "learner-centered teaching approach" is the most effective way to help nursing students succeed. This book also focuses on the fact that since nursing programs are so difficult, the educators must give students their full attention. Overall, this book offers both students and educators of nursing how to get the most out of their experiences.

4.)

Lynne E. Young is the associate director of graduate education for a nursing school. She is currently involved in many studies including nurse education. As mentioned in her book, she focuses on one specific method of nurse education which includes a "learner-centered teaching approach."

Barbara L. Paterson has written numerous publications relating to the field of nursing.

5.) Key terms:

transactional distance: the psychological distance that occurs in learners (often caused by miscommunication and psychological gaps occurring between the learner and the instructor)

dialectic: a tension between seemingly opposing forces of health and student stress where the tension itself becomes the site of interest rather than the binary poles of stress or health



6.) Quotations:

"...the experiences of disconnect or tension becomes part of the classroom texture that may be named by students, or arise indirectly through student behavior." (Page 427)

-I decided to use this quote because it uses the words "disconnect" and "tension." Emile Durkheim suggested that suicide is the result to a lack of connection between the individual and its society. Perhaps among nursing students there is a lack of connection within the students which inevitably causes there to be tension.


"...the tension of student health and stress/disease is only one of many contradictions students experience in classroom and clinical settings." (Page 426)
&
 "Student stress is an expected aspect of any academic experience. However, research suggests that student nurses have additional stressors within clinical experiences that differentiate the nursing population from other academic and health-related disciplines." (Page 426)

-I chose the following two quotes above because they represent exactly what I am trying to prove in my paper. Nursing students are involved with a great deal of stress, not only compared to students in other fields but also in other health-related disciplines. Hence, "Sometimes nurses need to know more than what the doctor does."
"The ideal of student-centered teaching is that rather than students expending energy determining what the teacher wants, they explore and discover what they want and need to know." (Page 545)

-I chose this quote because it sums up what the student-centered teaching approach really means. I plan on using this as a solution in my paper.

7.)

My research topic focuses on how nursing students are at greatest risk in comparison to students who are not in a professional program. This material offers solutions on how educators can help their students cut back on the stressors that their program inevitably causes upon them. Initially, I planned on including solutions in my paper that involve intense academic advising for nursing students. However, after reading segments of this book, I now have specific methods that have been created by a nursing program director.


8.)

I felt this book was especially unique in comparison to previous books I researched because it contains useful material. For example, only in this book was I able to find ways in which teaching nursing can change in order to help the student prosper without as much stress caused by feeling isolated or alone.

Friday, April 6, 2012

Research Blog #13: Interview

I have interviewed Patricia Woodin-Weaver, Ed.D.

I have learned a lot from my interview with Patricia. During my interview with her, I asked her the following the questions:

-Suicide is something that is quite common now nationwide, especially amongst college students. As a result, colleges/universities have been coming up with ways (i.e. programs, etc.) to reduce the amount of suicides from occuring. Are there any programs in which you have come across that appear to be beneficial?

Patricia has provided me with information regarding the Jed Foundation. The Jed Foundation consists of progams that aim to reduce the rate of suicide as well as emotional distress among college and university students.

-Do you believe when students resort to suicide, that this is mostly due to a lack of assistance provided for them?

Patricia replied by saying, "Within college work, were putting a lot of emphasis on prevention services by educating all the constitutions on the college campus. Were doing training in all these departments in the college community so that they are aware of warning signs and are comfortably encouraging students to get help."


-Why are students at such a heightened risk for suicide? Do you believe professional students such as those of the nursing school are at an even higher risk? And if so, why?

Patricia has provided me with information regarding why students are at such a heightened risk for suicide. One article she gave me states, "Just as the demographics of the current generation of college students have changed considerably from the past, so have their needs, including their mental health needs" (NASPA Journal, Vol. 41, no.1 Fall 2003). "In addition, there has been a marked increase in both the number of students with serious psychological problems on campus and the number of students seeking counseling services" (NASPA Journal, Vol. 41, no. 1 Fall 2003).


-What are some depressive and/or suicidal symptoms amongst college students?

Patricia has provided me with a list of symptoms among distressed students:

Psychological:
-Marked changes in concentration and motivation
-Feelings of intense sadness
-Lack of interest and social isolation
-Crying spells
-Hopelessness
-Suicidal thoughts or statements of intention

Academic:

-Deterioration in quality of work
-Missed assignments or appointments
-Repeated absences from class or not participating in the study or social groups
-The student continually seeks special accomodations (e.g, late papers, extensions on projects, postpones, exams, etc.)
-Essays or projects have themes of hopelessness, social isolation, rage, or despair
-Inappropriate disruption or monopolization of classroom time

Physiological:

-Deterioration in physical presence or hygiene
-Visible increase or decrease in weight
-Visibly and chronically tired or having sleep difficulties (problems falling asleep or getting up from bed)
-Complaining about stomach pains, feeling nauseous, or having headaches
-Shaking or tremors
-Restlessness

http://rhscaps.rutgers.edu/consultation-and-intervention/for-faculty-staff/distressed-students

I chose Patricia since she is a staff psychologist here at Rutgers' Counseling, Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program and Psychiatric Services (CAPS). I also chose Patricia because she is extremely educated and motivated towards helping out students here at Rutgers. 

Research Blog #13: Interview

I have interviewed Patricia Woodin-Weaver, Ed.D.

I have learned a lot from my interview with Patricia. During my interview with her, I asked her the following the questions:

-Suicide is something that is quite common now nationwide, especially amongst college students. As a result, colleges/universities have been coming up with ways (i.e. programs, etc.) to reduce the amount of suicides from occuring. Are there any programs in which you have come across that appear to be beneficial?

Patricia has provided me with information regarding the Jed Foundation. The Jed Foundation consists of progams that aim to reduce the rate of suicide as well as emotional distress among college and university students.

-Do you believe when students resort to suicide, that this is mostly due to a lack of assistance provided for them?

Patricia replied by saying, "Within college work, were putting a lot of emphasis on prevention services by educating all the constitutions on the college campus. Were doing training in all these departments in the college community so that they are aware of warning signs and are comfortably encouraging students to get help."


-Why are students at such a heightened risk for suicide? Do you believe professional students such as those of the nursing school are at an even higher risk? And if so, why?

Patricia has provided me with information regarding why students are at such a heightened risk for suicide. One article she gave me states, "Just as the demographics of the current generation of college students have changed considerably from the past, so have their needs, including their mental health needs" (NASPA Journal, Vol. 41, no.1 Fall 2003). "In addition, there has been a marked increase in both the number of students with serious psychological problems on campus and the number of students seeking counseling services" (NASPA Journal, Vol. 41, no. 1 Fall 2003).


-What are some depressive and/or suicidal symptoms amongst college students?

Patricia has provided me with a list of symptoms among distressed students:

Psychological:
-Marked changes in concentration and motivation
-Feelings of intense sadness
-Lack of interest and social isolation
-Crying spells
-Hopelessness
-Suicidal thoughts or statements of intention

Academic:

-Deterioration in quality of work
-Missed assignments or appointments
-Repeated absences from class or not participating in the study or social groups
-The student continually seeks special accomodations (e.g, late papers, extensions on projects, postpones, exams, etc.)
-Essays or projects have themes of hopelessness, social isolation, rage, or despair
-Inappropriate disruption or monopolization of classroom time

Physiological:

-Deterioration in physical presence or hygiene
-Visible increase or decrease in weight
-Visibly and chronically tired or having sleep difficulties (problems falling asleep or getting up from bed)
-Complaining about stomach pains, feeling nauseous, or having headaches
-Shaking or tremors
-Restlessness

http://rhscaps.rutgers.edu/consultation-and-intervention/for-faculty-staff/distressed-students

I chose Patricia since she is a staff psychologist here at Rutgers' Counseling, Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program and Psychiatric Services (CAPS). I also chose Patricia because she is extremely educated and motivated towards helping out students here at Rutgers.