The last post? Defending nursing against the postmodernist maze

Is postmodernism in many ways the empiricist-liberal tradition at the inevitable end of its intellectual and political tether? Or is postmodernism the ‘laughter of genius’ that art and argument in their traditional forms are dead? Can postmodernism be applied to social and economic issues whilst carrying a denial of the manner by which Western thought has shaped these issues? Can postmodernism provide moral pathways to help us with contemporary ethical issues? How can postmodernist thought encompass the activities of nurses, particularly in the area of psychiatric care? Can nurses afford postmodernist suppositions in the face of suffering and pain? If postmodernism exists, does it exist everywhere (as does nursing) or is it a more localized event?     

Evaluation of a program on self‐esteem and ego‐identity for Korean nursing students

Nursing students with high levels of self‐esteem and a strong ego‐identity maintain a level of self‐integrity that enables them to participate successfully in shared group values and interests while simultaneously meeting their own needs. Self‐esteem and ego‐identity are associated with academic achievement, major (area of study) satisfaction, and life satisfaction in undergraduate students. This study evaluated a brief group program for Korean nursing students that focused on promoting positive self‐esteem and ego‐identity development. Twenty‐three Korean nursing school students participated. Changes in the students' ego‐identity and self‐esteem were quantitatively examined. Scores for ego‐identity and self‐esteem increased significantly for the students who participated in the group, while scores in the control group remained the same. The program is judged as an effective method for nursing educators or college mental health providers to utilize in order to promote affirmative ego‐identity and self‐esteem in nursing students. Additionally, the program contributes to helping students achieve developmental goals during their college life.     

Association of cardiovascular emerging risk factors with acute coronary syndrome and stroke: A case‐control study

In this study, we estimated the risk of acute coronary syndrome and stroke associated with several emerging cardiovascular risk factors. This was a case‐control study, where an age ‐ and sex‐matched acute coronary syndrome group and stroke group were compared with controls. Demographic and clinical data were collected through patient interviews, and blood samples were taken for analysis. In the bivariate analysis, all cardiovascular risk factors analyzed showed as predictors of acute coronary syndrome and stroke, except total cholesterol and smoking. In the multivariate logistic regression model for acute coronary syndrome, hypertension and body mass index, N‐terminal section brain natriuretic peptide and pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A were independent predictors. For stroke, the predictors were hypertension, diabetes mellitus, body mass index, and N‐terminal section brain natriuretic peptide. Controlling for age, sex, and classical cardiovascular risk factors, N‐terminal section brain natriuretic peptide and pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A were independent emerging cardiovascular risk factors for acute coronary syndrome, but pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A was not for stroke. High levels of cardiovascular risk factors in individuals with no episodes of cardiovascular disease requires the implementation of prevention programs, given that at least half of them are modifiable.