Depression in schizophrenia: nursing care as a generalized resistance resource

The Adjustment Process for Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury

This study investigated the relationship between perceived changes in sense of coherence from pre- to postinjury and adjustment for a group of individuals with spinal cord injury. It was hypothesized that after a spinal cord injury, an individual's belief that he or she had significantly reduced his or her sense of coherence would be associated with reduced adjustment. Forty-eight individuals with spinal cord injury completed Antonovsky's Sense of Coherence Scale and Livneh and Antonak's Reactions to Impairment and Disability Inventory. Results indicated a positive relationship between adjustment and strengthened sense of coherence. Rehabilitation counselor implications are discussed.

A Walking Program for Outpatients in Psychiatric Rehabilitation: Pilot Study

The purposes of this quasi-experimental pilot study were to determine adherence to a 12-week group-based moderate-intensity walking program for sedentary adult outpatients with serious and persistent mental illness and to examine change from baseline to after the walking program in health status (mental and physical health, mood, and psychosocial functioning) and exercise motivation (exercise outcomes expectancies, exercise decisional balance). The 15 volunteers in this study were aged 21 to 65 years and enrolled in psychosocial rehabilitation; they participated in a 12-week walking program meeting three times per week for 1 hr, supplemented with four health information workshops delivered at the beginning of the study. Participants received individual exercise prescriptions determined by preprogram fitness testing and used heart rate monitors during walking sessions. Thirteen participants (87%) completed the study and attended 76% of the walking sessions. Overall, they walked at lower intensity than prescribed, with pulses within target heart rate ranges 35% of the time during Weeks 1 through 4, 26% of the time during Weeks 5 through 8, and 22% of the time during Weeks 9 through 12. However, mood improved (Profile of Mood States, t = -2.51, two-tailed, df = 12, p = .02), as did psychosocial functioning (Multnomah Community Ability Scale, two-tailed, df = 12, t = 2.49, p = .02). The findings indicate a walking group may be feasible for rehabilitation programs. In addition to the known cardiovascular risk-reduction benefits of regular walking, walking may improve mood and psychosocial functioning in adults with serious and persistent mental illness.

Evidence-based nursing-sensitive indicators for patients hospitalized with depression in Thailand

The aim of this study was to develop and validate nursing-sensitive indicators for patients hospitalized with depression in Thailand. The initial draft, consisting of 12 categories with 37 subcategories, was then evaluated by experts in the US and Thailand. Hospital records were then utilized to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the indicators. The finalized instrument consisted of 11 categories with 43 items with a validity of .98 and internal consistency of .88. This is the first set of indicators developed to evaluate nursing-sensitivity for patients hospitalized with a diagnosis of depression in Thailand. Having nursing indicators for depressed patients provides nurses with concrete tools to evaluate their work with depressed patients, allowing these staff to assess their work in a very specific, methodical, and consistent manner. When problems are discovered, both the staff and administration can work to address these issues through training, procedural changes, and departmental shifts.

Nursing home residents' sense of coherence and functional status decline

Functional status decline places an enormous burden on health care services and strategies to identify at risk subgroups are needed. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between sense of coherence (SOC) and functional status to determine if SOC can be used to identify at-risk subgroups. In a convenience sample (N = 65) of nursing home residents measures of functional status and SOC were compared at 2 times. The mean functional status score of the weak SOC group (n = 28) at Time 1 was 16.14 and 17.32 at Time 2 indicating functional status decline. The mean functional status score of the strong SOC group (n = 37) at Time 1 was 12.38 and 11.76 at Time 2 indicating improved functional status. Although these changes were not statistically significant the trends suggest that a weak SOC may indicate increased risk for functional status decline.