Siblings at birth: Professional philosophy and preparation

Increasingly more families are searching for caregivers and organizations that will accommodate their expectations to have siblings participate more actively in the childbearing experience. Family‐centered organizations need to translate their philosophy into flexible protocols that can facilitate family interaction and particularly sibling presence during labor and delivery. The authors articulate a professional practice philosophy and offer guidelines that can help nurses prepare clients for a family labor and delivery experience. It is the professional nurse who assumes the pivotal position in health care settings since she is charged with the responsibility of meshing nursing surveillance activities with organization and client values. The professional nurse must take the lead in developing family‐oriented education programs for the variety of clients that the organization serves. The presence of siblings at birth must be addressed by individual professionals and organizations, resolved as a contemporary controversy, and when sought by clients considered part of family‐centered care. Adult‐child interaction during the birth of a sibling may safeguard families from some introgenic effects of traditional hospital birth practices.     

Elderly women's attitudes toward sexual activity among their peers

This study investigated the attitudes of elderly (60–90 years old) women toward sexually active older adults. Sex, marital status, and living site were systematically varied in eight versions of a vignette depicting a sexually active older adult. Subjects (N = 120) were systematically assigned to one of eight versions of the vignette, yielding equal numbers (15) for each of the experimental cells. A semantic differential scale was used for subjects to rate the person in the vignette alternately as friend, family member, and church member.

Analysis of variance revealed no difference in relation to sex. Marital status of the person in the vignette did have an effect. Subjects’ attitudes were more positive toward married sexually active older adults than those who were widowed. In addition, subjects’ attitudes were more positive toward married sexually active older adults and widowed sexually active older adults living in an apartment than widowed sexually active older adults residing in a nursing home. In general, attitudes were positive toward sexual activity in older adults in all of the social relationships identified.     

Patterns of Inpatient and Outpatient Care for Asthma in Erie and Niagara Counties,Western New York State

We surveyed cognitively normal teens with and without chronic illness regarding the perceived physical and social impact of various chronic diseases including asthma.

The overall physical impact of asthma was perceived equivalently to diabetes and arthritis, but less than epilepsy, Down's syndrome, leukemia, and human immunodeficiency virus infection. However, asthma was rated to more commonly cause physical disability (p < 0.001) and restrict activities (p < 0.0005). The social impact of asthma was perceived equivalently to diabetes, but more favorably than the other chronic diseases surveyed. Specifically, teens with asthma were perceived as having fewer behavior problems, being more honest, popular, and fun to be around, but less adept at sports. Only 6 of 149 (4%) teens surveyed expressed any degree of reluctance to befriend peers with asthma.     

Stem and branch form of 20-year-old radiata pine in relation to previous land use

The growth and form of 20-year-old radiata pine stands were assessed in relation to previous land use in Sunny Corner State Forest, near Lithgow, N.S.W. Basal area and merchantable volume were higher in ex-pasture (grazed land) and ex-improved pasture (grazed and cropped sites) than in an ex-native forest site, but the trees on former pastures were more deformed. A range of defects including multiple leaders, forks, stem sinuosity, butt sweep and heavy branching were most prevalent in the ex-improved pasture site. Up to 44% of trees in the ex-improved pasture were severely deformed and less than 50 stem ha^?1 were considered suitable as sawlog quality trees. Only 12% of trees in the ex-native forest site had severe defects.

Soil and foliar chemistry data showed that stem and branch deformities increased with increasing site fertility, and that deformity was directly correlated with soil mineral-N concentrations.

Deformity was also correlated with foliar manganese, aluminium and calcium, and some defects were similar to symptoms of boron deficiency. The role of these elements in “poor form” requires further study. Stand density also appeared to affect deformity. The results suggest that high densities may partially counteract the effect of high site fertility in the development of stem and branch defects.