Pilot Studies and Investigators

2008-2009 Pilot Studies and Investigators

PI: Melissa Avery, PhD, RN, CNM, FACNM

Exercise for American Indian Women with Gestational Diabetes: A Pilot Study

Diabetes is a serious health problem that is increasing in the United States along with obesity, a significant risk factor for diabetes. Diabetes is increased among American Indians and this extends to pregnancy, and specifically to gestational diabetes.

The purpose of this study is to test the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial of an exercise intervention designed specifically for American Indian women with gestational diabetes (GDM). The primary aim is to examine the feasibility of a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing an 8 week exercise intervention for the treatment of GDM with usual care in the American Indian community.

PI: Carolyn Garcia, PhD, MPH, RN

Pilot of a Coping Intervention Developed for Latina Adolescent Females

Latina adolescents demonstrate unacceptably high rates of depression and suicidal ideation, indicating they are an at-risk group for developing mental health problems that persist through adulthood or might result in premature death. Ability to cope with stress, or the lack of ability, directly influences the adolescents' mental and physical health status.

The aims of the P20 pilot study are to determine the potential social environmental effects of a longitudinal coping intervention, namely 1) school involvement outcomes including a) Latina adolescent self-reported school connectedness and b) school attendance rates, derived from school records and 2) family connectedness outcomes, namely Latina adolescent self-reported family and parent connectedness.

PI: Wendy Looman, PhD, RN, CNP

Correlates of Quality of Life for Rural and Urban Families of Children with VCFS

VCFS (Velocardiofacial syndrome), also known as Shprintzen syndrome, DiGeorge sequence or syndrome, and 22q11 deletion syndrome, is one of the most common genetic disorders in humans (second only to Down syndrome), with an estimated prevalence of 1 in 2,000 live births.

The primary aim is to describe and explore chronic illness characteristics and contextual factors (model of care and rural/urban status) and their relationship to health related quality of life (QoL) among individuals with VCFS and their families. The secondary aim is to determine whether the chronic Illness-QoL relationship is moderated by Care Coordination and Family-Centered Care among families of children with VCFS.

2007-2008 Pilot Studies and Investigators

PI: Lisa Carney-Anderson, PhD, MS, BA

Co-PI: Kathy Fagerlund, PhD, CRNA, RN

The Perioperative Experience of Parkinson's Disease Patients

Surgical patients with Parkinson¿s Disease (PD) have been reported to suffer complications due to PD medication withdrawal. During the perioperative period, little is known about the symptoms experienced as a result of PD medication withdrawal.

The purpose of this pilot study is to examine the perioperative experience of PD patients. The aims are: 1) describe the perioperative experience of PD patients in their own words, 2) determine if there is a change in PD symptoms following surgery and PD medication withdrawal, 3) characterize the population of PD patients who have elective in-patient surgery, 4) evaluate effectiveness of recruitment methods and the ability to recruit sufficient numbers of PD patients having surgery for larger future studies, and 5) test the reliability of a modified Hoehn and Yahr Parkinson's Disease staging instrument for telephone administration.

PI: Susan O'Conner-Von, DNSc, RNC

Field Test of a Web-Based Program to Help Youth Cope with Cancer Treatment

Children diagnosed with cancer are subjected to many painful procedures throughout the course of treatment. Unlike adults, treatment-related pain is more prevalent in children than tumor-related pain. Procedures such as lumbar punctures, bone marrow aspiration, and intravenous insertion are common sources of pain. Children diagnosed with cancer report that they fear pain more than the cancer.

The overall goal of this field test is to evaluate and refine the beta version of a web-based educational program designed to provide preparation for adolescents undergoing painful procedures during cancer treatment. This study is being conducted in two phases. In Phase 1, the aim is to study the validity of the Knowledge Questionnaire developed by the PI. In Phase 2, the aim is to conduct a field test of the beta version of a web-based educational program designed to provide preparation for painful procedures for adolescents undergoing cancer treatment.

PI: Bonnie Westra, PhD, MS, BSN

Predictive Modeling for Improving Incontinence and Pressure Ulcers in Homecare

The purposes of this study are to develop predictive models for outcomes of incontinence and pressure ulcers in homecare, and to determine whether interventions are associated with differences in outcomes using a cutting edge method of knowledge discovery in data bases (KDD).

The goal of KDD is to generate hypotheses, expressed as models, which can be verified by traditional statistical methods and expert knowledge. The specific aims of this study are to: 1) identify agency, patient, and support system characteristics that are associated with outcomes of incontinence and pressure ulcers, and 2) identify which interventions are associated with prevention, improvement, stabilization, or deterioration of outcomes for incontinence and pressure ulcers.

2006-2007 Pilot Studies and Investigators

PI: Linda Halcon, PhD, MPH, RN

Recruitment Strategy for Testing Tea Tree Oil Treatment of Bacterial Infections

In recent decades there has been a marked increase in difficult to treat skin and underlying tissue infections associated with Gram-positive bacteria, notably methicillin-resistant and -sensitive Staphyloccoccus aureus. New strategies are needed to treat these wounds, and tea tree oil is particularly well suited because it has demonstrated antimicrobial properties and few adverse effects.

This study aims to determine a sound recruitment strategy by identifying appropriate adult populations with wounds of interest and establishing partnerships with their clinicians and clnical services.

PI: Ruth Lindquist, PhD, RN, FAAN

Acupuncture for Prevention/Treatment of Atrial Fibrillation in CABG Surgery Patients

Coronary artery disease is a serious chronic disease that has a trajectory from the early onset or disease to patient death. The course of the disease, the severity of its symptoms (and consequently, health-related quality of life) may be impacted along the disease trajectory - indeed, the trajectory may be altered by changes in patients' health behavior and nursing and medical intervention directed at symptom identification and management. Prevention of symptoms or early intervention to control symptoms may be a significant determinant of costs and trajectory of recovery of patients after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery.

The primary aim of this research is to determine the feasibility, safety, and acceptability of the use of acupuncture to prevent and/or treat atrial fibrillation after CABG. Secondary aims are to evaluate the potential efficacy of the use of acupuncture, specifically to determine: 1) whether patients who receive acupuncture therapy prior to CABG remain free of atrial fibrillation throughout their hospitalization until time of hospital discharge; 2) whether the use of acupuncture can convert patients in atrial fibrillation to normal sinus rhythm if administered after CABG surgery, and 3) if so, whether normal sinus rhythm endures to hospital discharge.

PI: Cheryl Robertson, PhD, MPH, RN

Modeling Psychological Functioning in Refugees

There is limited existing theory about refugee mental health to inform the development of supportive interventions specific to the needs of trauma survivors. Since most studies have been condicted in clinical settings, there are even fewer tools available to guide community-based interventions.

This study will include secondary analysis of data from a subset of 449 participants in an epidemiological study of the prevalence of trauma and torture and associated factors in local Somali and Oromo communities. The overall aim is to develop and refine a theoretical model of trauma-related psychological health that will allow us to identify predictive and potentially alterable mediators to target interventions. The analysis will also porvide a means to identify the high-risk trauma survivors most likely to benefit from interventions. By identifying alterable mediators and helping target high-risk individuals, the theoretical model will allow further improvement of a piloted community-based refugee stress and coping intervention.

2005-2006 Pilot Studies and Investigators

PI: Linda L. Chlan, PhD, RN

Test of Research Protocol for Mechanically Ventilated Patients

Approximately 1.5 million patients per year receive mechanical ventilation to support respiratory insufficiency from a variety of causes. A patient is often sedated to achieve ventilatory patient synchrony, to reduce anxiety and to promote rest. However, sedation is associated with significant side effects and negative outcomes such as lengthened time of mechanical ventilation.

This study will test the feasibility of an intervention research protocol proposed to examine the effectiveness of a non-pharmacological approach using a music intervention. The aim of the larger study is to determine whether patient-directed music intervention is more effective in reducing exposure to sedative medications than noise-abatement headphones or usual Intensive Care Unit (ICU) nursing care. The secondary aim is to determine if those using patient-directed music intervention receive ventilatory support, stay in the ICU for a shorter amount of time, and experience less stress that those who wear noise-abatement headphones or receive the usual ICU nursing care.

[Photo credit:
Richard Anderson]

PI: Martha Kubik, PhD, RNC

School Nurses and Primary/Secondary Prevention of Obesity

Schools are important social environments that provide access to most children and adolescents. School nurses, as key providers of school-based health services have the potential to reach a majority of young people through individual and/or population-focused preventive health services that aim to reduce and prevent overweight/obesity and decrease health disparities. In this role, school nurses will help shape the health trajectories of school-aged youth and influence morbidity and mortality associated with overweight and obesity, both now and later in life.

The primary aim of this study is to determine current roles and responsibilities of school nurses related to primary and secondary prevention of childhood overweight/ obesity, at both an individual (student) level and a population (school) level. Secondary aims are: 1) to determine school nurses' knowledge of and experience with preventive health strategies targeting overweight/obesity that occur at a population or school level; 2) to assess school nurses' beliefs and attitudes about their role in promoting and supporting the development of healthy dietary and physical activity behaviors among students and school staff, as well as their role in fostering a supportive healthy school environment; and 3) to examine the correlation between personal factors (age, health status, eating habits) and job-related factors (hours worked, knowledge, competing responsibilities) and school nurse's involvement with both individual and population level activities aimed at preventing overweight/obesity among students and staff.

PI: Marsha Lewis, PhD, RN

Prototype for Recruitment and Consent of Persons with Dementia and Their Families

The trajectory of dementing illnesses is one of decline over a period of years. The family is the primary care provider for the person with dementia for many of these years. The ability to come together as a family and learn about the course of the dementing illness, what to expect, discuss the decision-making needs and plan for the future while the person with dementia is able to participate, could ameliorate some of the stress, provide the family with resources as they begin this journey, and produce positive outcomes for the family and the person with dementia.

This proposal seeks to test a strategy for recruitment of persons with early-stage dementia and their family caregivers to participate in a study of the kinds of issues and decisions facing early-stage dementia families. Study aims are to: 1) develop strategies for recruiting persons with early-stage dementia and their family caregivers, 2) develop strategies for consenting persons with early-stage dementia, 3) determine the decision-making needs of families at the point of transition when a family member is diagnosed with dementia, and 4) examine the feasibility of including family members and persons with dementia in a group discussing their decision-making needs.

PI: Gretchen Zunkel, PhD, RN, CNS

Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction for Couples Coping with Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is both an acute stressor and also a chronic illness that is experienced by the entire family and takes place over time. A woman diagnosed with breast cancer functions within a complex, interactive context that includes the personal qualities and attributes she brings to the illness experience, her personal environment (the family and support systems), and the cultural and economic environment of cancer care. Psychosocial interventions are generally considered to be an integral part of comprehensive medical care. Research is needed to determine which therapies are most effective at what times in the illness trajectory as an augmentation to biomedical treatment.

The purpose of this pilot study is to implement and evaluate a Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) protocol as a psychosocial intervention with 15 women who have a diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer and their male partners (n=30 participants). The short-term goals of the pilot study are to determine the feasibility and acceptability of an 8-week intervention protocol for couples to enhance coping and stress reduction, and to evaluate the outcome measures for effectiveness and appropriateness. The long-term goal is to develop a program that provides treatment for psychosocial adjustment to cancer for both patient and partner.