PURPOSE: The purpose of this research is to compare pre and post-surgical exercise self-efficacy and outcome expectations for exercise among TKA patients who do and do not receive prehabilitation (exercise intervention before surgery).

METHODS: 31 participants (22 female, 9 male) scheduled for a TKA from a single orthopedic practice were randomly assigned to a Control (CON) or a prehabilitation (PRE) group following baseline testing. Outcome variables at baseline testing included the Self-Efficacy for Exercise (SEE) scale and the Outcome Expectations for Exercise (OEE) scale. In addition to baseline (T1), participants completed the outcome data collection protocols just prior to surgery (T2) and at 1 (T3) and 2 (T4) weeks following surgery.

RESULTS: Repeated measures ANOVA were conducted examining the effect of group (PRE vs. CON) over the four data collection points (Baseline, T2, T3 & T4). Significant main or interaction effects were explored further by calculating Fischer’s least significant difference post hoc comparisons. Conducting a RM-ANOVA with time (T1, T2, T3, T4) [F (1, 18) = .42, p = .53] and group (PRE vs CON) [F (1, 18) = .03, p = .86] and interaction of group and time [F (1, 18) = .69, p = .419] as the sources of variability indicated no significant effect of the time, group or group x time on SEE. The SEE, of the PRE appeared to be consistently maintained over the study, and actually trended upward after their TKA at T3 and T4, but did not significantly increase. Differences in OEE within the sample over the duration of the study indicated a significant time effect [F (1, 18) = 4.57, p = .04]. Post hoc analysis indicated that the CON group significantly declined between T2 and T4; however the PRE group did not significantly change.

CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate self-efficacy for exercise was unaffected by the preoperative exercise intervention (prehabilitation), while the outcome expectations for exercise improved in the PRE group. This improvement in outcome expectations for exercise may contribute to improve compliance with post operative rehabilitation exercises among TKA patients.

Methods: This was a qualitative descriptive study. Focus groups included 20 Mexican American young women, primarily first and second generation, mean age 14.5 years (SD= 2.5). Data were analyzed with categorical analysis.

Findings: Participants described key components of DV and identified cultural aspects that may serve to promote healthy dating relationships.

Conclusions: Family-based interventions to promote exploration of gender roles and parent-child communication may foster biculturalism as well as promote healthy dating relationships and prevent violence within this cultural group.

Clinical Relevance: In the United States, 10% to 40% of teens experience DV. Hispanic females experience more physical DV than their White peers.

Introduction: The postpartum period is a challenging time for family planning, especially for women who breastfeed. Breastfeeding delays the return of menses (lactational amenorrhea), but ovulation often occurs before first menses. For this reason, a protocol was developed to assist women in identifying their return of fertility postpartum to avoid pregnancy.

Methods: In this prospective, 12-month, longitudinal cohort study, 198 postpartum women aged 20 to 45 years (mean age, 30.2 years) were taught a protocol for avoiding pregnancy with either online or in-person instruction. A hand-held fertility monitor was used to identify the fertile period by testing for urinary changes in estrogen and luteinizing hormone, and the results were tracked on a web site. During lactational amenorrhea, urine testing was done in 20-day intervals. When menses returned, the monitor was reset at the onset of each new menstrual cycle. Participants were instructed to avoid intercourse during the identified fertile period. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to calculate unintentional pregnancy rates through the first 12 months postpartum.

Results: There were 8 unintended pregnancies per 100 women at 12 months postpartum. With correct use, there were 2 unintended pregnancies per 100 women at 12 months.

Conclusion: The online postpartum protocol may effectively assist a select group of women in avoiding pregnancy during the transition to regular menstrual cycles.

Methods:  This study used a quantitative methodology with a cross-sectional design. A convenience sample was used to recruit 248 nurses. Data were collected at a Chinese university hospital between August and October 2008.

Results: More than half (61.3%) of nurses had positive perceptions of patient safety culture. Nurses responded most positively to two dimensions: teamwork within units and organizational learning. Nurses responded most negatively to staffing and non-punitive response to errors. Four factors were found to be associated with patient safety culture: nurses’ perception of managers’ trustworthiness (P < 0.001), organizational safety prioritization (P < 0.001), length of unit nursing experience (P = 0.004), and managers’ safety commitment (P = 0.023).

Conclusions:  To improve patient safety culture, nurse managers should focus on the identified factors and adopt multiple strategies. Specifically, nurse mangers should try to build trust with nurses, demonstrate sincere safety commitments, and set patient safety as a true priority.