Journal of Student Nursing Research
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The Organization of Student Nursing Research (OSNR) is a organization at Penn that promotes awareness of current nursing research and encourage students to get involved in research, in a way that interests them. It is a forum for students to voice their views on current nursing-related topics and serve as an opportunity for students to publish their work in a student-run research journal--The Journal of Student Nursing Research (JOSNR). We welcome all interested students to get involved in our organization as a regular member or to take on officer/editorship positions. It is a great opportunity to improve writing and editing skills and meet other students who are passionate about research and academia. If you are interested or have any questions, please e-mail us at: OSNR.Penn@gmail.com
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Publication Use of Chemotherapy in Pregnant Breast Cancer Patients(2009-09-17) Schmitt, MaryWith fertility now possible at a later age, women find themselves at an increased risk for concurrent breast cancer diagnosis. Due to the teratogenic effects of most chemotherapeutic agents, difficult decisions must be made regarding the best outcomes for both mother and baby. Depending on the stage of their cancer, the gestational age of the fetus, and the timing of the diagnosis, women must choose between a therapeutic abortion, safer surgical modalities, a modified treatment plan beginning in the second or third trimester, or postponement of the treatment until the baby is born. Oncology and OB/GYN nurses need to be aware of these complex cases and offer advanced support and care to meet the needs of their patients.Publication The Ethics of Gestational Surrogacy and the Need for Legal Reform(2014-03-28) Meyerowitz, Shira LThe ethical and legal dilemmas surrounding gestational surrogacy are complex and abounding. A gestational surrogate is paid to be implanted with a fertilized ovum genetically unrelated to her and carry a pregnancy for a commissioning couple. the legal determination of maternal rights and the enforceability of surrogacy contracts are among many ethical dilemmas. Nurses must effectively communicate with gestational surrogacy parties and understand that ethical dilemmas may arise. This brief report summarizes the perspectives that pregnancy may be unethical due to alienation and dehumanization, that anti-surrogacy arguments are flawed, and that it is difficult to deem surrogacy as immoral, and finally discusses four paradigms for determining legal maternity. In conclusion, federal legislation to standardize surrogacy laws is recommended and elaborated upon.Publication A Fence for the Wind(2014-03-09) Hildebrand-Turcik, CaitlinPublication The Effect of Family Therapy On Weight Loss in Children and Adolescents(2008-01-29) Crumpler, Laura AObjective. To examine the current evidence on the use of family therapy as a treatment for obesity in children and adolescents. Research Design and Methods. CINAHL, Medline, PubMed, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Library were searched for studies containing keywords: family therapy and weight loss and family therapy and obesity. Articles were limited to primary research articles from 1990 to the present pertaining specifically to children and/or adolescents. Results. Eighteen articles met the inclusion criteria. All articles found family therapy to be an effective means of treating obesity in children and adolescents as demonstrated through significant reductions in overweight measuring variables following treatment. However, the behavioral and educational components of family therapy varied among studies. Additionally the designs of most studies were poor and failed to control for important variables. Therefore, focusing on the specific variables of family therapy, parental weight loss, adherence, maintenance, and additions to family therapy allowed for accurate conclusions to be drawn. Conclusions. Although family therapy is shown to be a successful treatment for obesity in children and adolescents, no specific method of treatment proves to be better than the others. Future research needs to build upon current knowledge of family therapy by including control groups receiving alternate treatments or standards of care. Despite the need for more research, the success of family therapy in existing studies suggests that health care providers should utilize families in the treatment of pediatric obesity.Publication Including Adolescents and Young Adults in Decisions at the End-of-Life(2013-07-15) Berger, Rebecca SOver 3000 young people die of chronic illnesses annually in the United States. Health care providers often struggle to include these patients in end-of-life planning. The purpose of this inquiry is to examine the current literature addressing the inclusion of adolescents and young adults in decision-making at the end-of-life. A systematic search of the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, ISI, and Cochrane revealed 9 articles relevant to this topic. The results show that adolescents and young adults want to be included in end-of-life decisions and often have similar values as their parents and providers when making these decisions. The major limitations are the limited population sample of the studies, in terms of size and patient characteristics, and inconsistencies with the ages of participants in the studies. Ideas for further research, in addition to implications for clinical practice will be discussed in this paper.Publication Assessment of Physical Fitness of Girls on the Go Program Participants(2008-09-09) Ramsey-Lefevre, Allison; Volpe, Stella LuciaBackground: Less than half of children and adults meet physical activity recommendations. Effective interventions are especially needed to improve physical activity in African American females because they report less physical activity than their Caucasian and male counterparts. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the Girls on the Go after-school program on the physical fitness of its participants. Methods: Half-mile run times for "Girls on the Go" participants were collected at the beginning of the program and three months later at the conclusion of the program. Only three participants were present for both runs. Results: Due to the small sample size, no statistical analysis was conducted, but there appears to be no significant differences between pre- and post-tests. Discussion: Possible explanations for the lack of change from pre- to post-test are discussed. The results of this study could be used to inform further research.Publication Nursing Advocacy for Optimal Palliative Care of Patients with Advanced Cancer(2013-07-15) Kossman, Debra AThe purpose of this paper is to review selected research findings about obstacles to palliative care for patients with progressive cancer and discuss the role that oncology and palliative care nurses play in helping to remove these obstacles.Publication Mentoring for Nursing Research: Students' Perspectives and Experiences(2008-01-29) Persichilli, Joseph M; Daniels, Tammy VThis paper explores the connection between nursing research and mentorship. The importance of nursing research and the concept of mentoring are discussed based on a review of the literature. Using personal experiences of undergraduate research assistants, positive outcomes of mentorship are explained. Outcomes cited include collaborative effort on projects, future aspirations, preparedness for evidence-based practice, improved patient care, personal and professional development, and increased exposure and awareness of research. The relevance of mentoring to current and future nursing research is described.Publication The Impact of Informational Materials on Psychosocial Responses to HPV Diagnosis and Management(2013-07-14) Palacios, JoselleCervical cancer screenings, colposcopy, and a diagnosis of human papillomavirus (HPV) increase anxiety in clients. Researchers have investigated several interventions to reduce emotional distress in clients, including disseminating informational leaflets and brochures, offering educational and counseling services, and hypnotherapy. There is insufficient evidence, however, for the effectiveness of informational leaflets in reducing anxiety and improving knowledge and client satisfaction. This article examines the utility of such an intervention and explores ones that may be more effective in reducing anxiety prior to, during, and after HPV and cervical cancer screening and management. Because HPV follow-up can involve several steps that take place over approximately two years, it is important to keep clients engaged in the system along the way. This article also examines if informational interventions increase client knowledge of cervical cancer and its cause, HPV and what impact this has on follow-up.Publication Perinatal Mental Health in Same-Sex Female Couples(2009-09-17) Sigal, YanaPerinatal depression and increased stress levels may be more prevalent in same-sex female couples than heterosexually active couples. Several studies have illustrated that lesbians are at greater risk for heightened stress and anxiety around the time of pregnancy and family planning (Trettin, Moses-Kolko, & Wisner, 2005). Improved education for health care providers may lead to greater awareness ofhow to cater to alternative families. Simple changes like using gender-neutral pronouns such as "partner" or "significant other" instead of "father of the baby", "boyfriend", or "husband" can make a safer atmosphere for lesbian couples. Creating a comfortable environment for same-sex female couples can lead to disclosure of sexual orientation, which provides information for the health care provider on how to best serve that couple; this could ensure optimum care and decrease the risk of perinatal depression in this population.