Is it Time to Change Your Hat?, 2003

A one page informational sheet about skin cancer and the hat you wear. Sun Safety

“IF ONLY I COULD�? ~ “THERE IS ALWAYS A LOOPHOLE"? Hope and hopelessness experienced by the severely depressive and nondepressive

The aim of this research was to structure a conceptual model of hope and hopelessness based on dictionary definitions, and to verify this model on the basis of the experiences of the severely depressive and non-depressive elderly. This research has produced a substantive theory of hope and hopelessness which is based on the experiences of the depressive and non-depressive elderly, and on the concept analysis of hope and hopelessness based on English dictionary definitions. The patients who participated in the research were 65 years old and older men and women (n=22) who had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital because of major depression, and another group: the non-depressive elderly (n=21), who were recruited from the pensioners’ clubs. The data were collected in interviews using the Clinical Assessment Tool, developed by Farran, Salloway and Clark (1990) and Farran, Wilken and Popovich (1992), and it produced 553 pages of written text, which were analysed using the ATLAS/ti programme. ATLAS/ti is a tool for analysing qualitative data and is based on Grounded Theory. The medical and nursing records of the depressive elderly completed source triangulation. The concept analysis of hope and hopelessness was made on the basis of the definitions of English dictionaries (n=103), using semantic analysis and the ATLAS/ti programme. The most important hope-promoting factors were human relations, health and managing in everyday living. Autonomy, self-determination and feeling of security were highly appreciated among the elderly. Hopelessness, on the other hand, was most often associated with the same factors: human relations, health and everyday living. Especially, losses of significant others were experienced as strongly hope-diminishing. Old age had brought freedom from duties concerning others, but now, when you finally had an opportunity to enjoy yourself, you could not accomplish anything; you were clasped in the arms of total inability, depression had come. The most obvious difference in the life course of the depressive and nondepressive elderly was the abundance of traumatic experiences in the childhood and youth of the depressive elderly. The continuous circulation of fearful thoughts was almost touchable, and suicidality was described in connection with these thoughts. You were afraid to be awake and also to go to sleep. Managing day by day was the goal. The research produced the Basic Social Process (BSP) of hope: achieving - maintaining - losing, which expresses a continuous balancing between Being without and Being with. The importance of the object of hope was combined with the amount of hope and disappointment. The process of approaching defined the realisation of hope and the process of withdrawal that of losing. Joy and security versus grief and insecurity defined the Being with and Being without. Two core categories were found. The first one “If only I could�? reflects lack of energy, lack of knowledge, lack of courage and lack of ability. The other one “There is always a loophole�? reflects deliberate tracing of possibilities and the belief in finding solutions, and managing.

Lääkelogistisen palvelumallin tuoma muutos hoitohenkilökunnan työajankäytössä Itä-Helsingin palvelutaloissa

Tutkimuksen tarkoituksena oli selvittää lääkelogistisen palvelumallin tuomaa muutosta Itä-Helsingin palvelutalojen hoitohenkilökunnan työajankäyttöön. Tavoitteena oli selvittää, miten lääkelogistinen palvelumalli muutti hoitohenkilökunnan työajankäyttöä suhteessa lääkehuoltoon, välittömään ja välilliseen hoitotyöhön, muuhun työajan käyttöön sekä toimintakykyä tukevaan työhön. Ennakko-oletuksena oli, että lääkehuollosta vapautuisi muutoksen myötä työaikaa, joka voitaisiin kohdentaa välittömään ja asiakkaiden toimintakykyä tukevaan työhön. Raportointien välillä palvelutaloista oli lääkelogistisen palvelumallin myötä siirtynyt osa asiakkaiden lääkehoitoon liittyvistä tehtävistä apteekeille. Tutkimus toteutettiin survey-tutkimuksena käyttäen kokonaisotantaa Itä-Helsingin neljässä palvelutalossa. Työajankäyttötiedot koottiin hoitohenkilökunnan itseraportoimana marraskuussa 2005 (n=65) ja syyskuussa 2006 (n=70). Työntekijät täyttivät viiden päivän ajan kyselylomaketta, jossa työajankäyttö raportoitiin kymmenen minuutin jaksoissa luokiteltujen koodien mukaisesti. Tulokset kuvattiin prosentteina, keskiarvoina sekä alku- ja lopputilanteiden välisiä eroja vertailemalla Excelin ja SPSS:n avulla. Tulosten tilastollisessa tarkastelussa käytettiin Wilcoxonin merkkitestiä. Tutkimusaikana hoitohenkilökunnan lääkehuoltoon käyttämä työaika väheni. Vapautunut työaika kohdentui välittömän ja toimintakykyä tukevan työn sijaan välilliseen hoitotyöhön. Myös välittömän työajan prosentuaalinen osuus väheni. Muutosta voitaneen osin selittää syksylle 2006 sijoittuneella sähköisen asiakastietojärjestelmän käyttöönotolla. Ammattiryhmittäin suurin muutos tapahtui sairaanhoitajien kohdalla, jossa sekä välillisen työajan että muun työajan käyttö lisääntyivät merkittävästi. Palvelutalojen kesken esiintyi myös eroavaisuuksia käytetyn työajan suhteen. Tämän tutkimuksen perusteella lääkelogististen tehtävien ulkoistaminen on mahdollista sekä järkevää henkilökunnan ajankäytön näkökulmasta. Tiettyjä palveluja, kuten esimerkiksi osa lääkelogistisista tehtävistä, ulkoistamalla voidaan kohdentaa hoitohenkilökunnan työaikaa välittömään hoitotyöhön. Tulevaisuuden haasteena on hoitohenkilökunnan riittävyys ja palvelujen turvaaminen asiakkaille. Työajan kohdentaminen hoitotyön kannalta keskeisiin asioihin on tärkeä haaste työyhteisöille ja edellyttää selkeää johtamista.

Expectations of elderly people on the nurse-client relationship and interaction in home care : "When I see the nurse's smiling face it feels likes sunshine on a rainy and gloomy day"

The purpose of the thesis was to explore expectations of elderly people on the nurse-client relationship and interaction in home care. The aim is to improve the quality of care to better meet the needs of the clients. A qualitative approach was adopted. Semi-structured theme interviews were used for data collection. The interviews were conducted during spring 2006. Six elderly clients of a private home care company in Southern Finland acted as informants. Content analysis was used as the method of data analysis. The findings suggest that clients expect nurses to provide professional care with loving-kindness. Trust and mutual, active interaction were expected from the nurse-client relationship. Clients considered it important that the nurse recognizes each client's individual needs. The nurse was expected to perform duties efficiently, but in a calm and unrushed manner. A mechanic performance of tasks was considered negative. Humanity was viewed as a crucial element in the nurse-client relationship. Clients expressed their need to be seen as human beings. Seeing beyond the illness was considered important. A smiling nurse was described to be able to alleviate pain and anxiety. Clients hoped to have a close relationship with the nurse. The development of a close relationship was considered to be more likely if the nurse is familiar and genuine. Clients wish the nurses to have a more attending presence. Clients suggested that the work areas of the nurses could be limited so that they would have more time to transfer from one place to another. Clients felt that they would benefit from this as well. The nurses were expected to be more considerate. Clients wished for more information regarding changes that affect their care. They wished to be informed about changes in schedules and plans. Clients hoped for continuity from the nurse-client relationship. Considering the expectations of clients promotes client satisfaction. Home care providers have an opportunity to reflect their own care behaviour on the findings. To better meet the needs of the clients, nurses could apply the concept of loving-kindness in their work, and strive for a more attending presence.

Sexual Harassment in Education: It's Against the Law

An informational sheet about workplace sexual harassment produced by Iowa Commission on the Status of Women.

Sexual Harassment in Housing: It's Against the Law, 2001

An informational sheet about housing and sexual harassment produced by Iowa Commission on the Status of Women.

Réquiem por la muerte del yo artista

RÉQUIEM POR LA MUERTE DEL YO ARTISTA es un proyecto audiovisual en forma de performance sobre la música del compositor finlandés contemporáneo Einojuhani Rautavaara, los Requiem del poeta alemán Rainer Maria Rilke y la concepción filosófica del arte y su comercialidad del artista americano Andy Warhol. RÉQUIEM POR LA MUERTE DEL YO ARTISTA es mi sangre. Es mi compromiso. Trata sobre la dualidad entre el artista y la persona, y cómo esto afecta a nuestro arte. RÉQUIEM POR LA MUERTE DEL YO ARTISTA es una operación de corazón. Es provocación; es sobre vomitar tu mente y estar sediento de futuro. Es comerte a ti mismo. Pero sobre todo, es mi concepción de arte: arte es todo aquello por lo que el creador esté dispuesto a morir.

Protect Yourself from Domestic Violence

This booklet is a general summary of domestic abuse law and procedures in Iowa.

‘Poverty…, of course we have it…’ Notes for the analysis of an institutional

Based on testimonies by Cape Verdean individuals with different social condition and institutional responsibility on one hand and, on the other hand, on the consideration of the historical burden and the policies adopted after the independence, this article is focused on the creation of a social conscience about poverty and the manifestations of micro-violence through the action of institutions and NGOs committed in the eradication of poverty and prevention of behaviors potentially generating and perpetuating micro-violence and social exclusion. The political environment and the perception of an involvement of Cape Verdeans in a common destiny are deemed crucial to the achievement of these purposes.

The 411 Disability Disclosure: A Workbook for youth with Disabilities,

When you opened this workbook, you made an important decision! You made a decision to learn about disability disclosure and what it can mean for you. This workbook provides the expertise about disclosing a disability, and you provide the expertise about yourself. This workbook does not tell you what to do. Rather, it helps you make informed decisions about disclosing your disability, decisions that will affect your educational, employment, and social lives. In fact, making the personal decision to disclose your disability can lead to greater confidence in yourself and your choices. Disclosure is a very personal decision, a decision that takes thought and practice. Both young people with visible disabilities and those with hidden (not readily apparent to others) disabilities can benefit from using this workbook.