scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Author

Ann Louise Caress

Bio: Ann Louise Caress is an academic researcher from University of Huddersfield. The author has contributed to research in topics: Palliative care & Health care. The author has an hindex of 33, co-authored 107 publications receiving 3044 citations. Previous affiliations of Ann Louise Caress include University of Manchester & Manchester Academic Health Science Centre.


Papers
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The view that palliative care is one aspect of district nursing work that is universally valued as it lends itself to being an exemplar of excellence in terms of the potential for realizing the ideals of nursing practice is reiterated.
Abstract: This paper reports findings from a study conducted in one community health care trust where 62 members of the district nursing team (grades B-H) were interviewed. An adaptation of the critical incident technique was used to determine factors which contributed or detracted from high quality care for a number of key areas including palliative care. The centrality of knowing the patient and his/her family emerged as an essential antecedent to the provision of high quality palliative care. Factors enabling the formation of positive relationships were given prominence in descriptions of ideal care. Strategies used to achieve this included establishing early contact with the patient and family, ensuring continuity of care, spending time with the patient and providing more than the physical aspects of care. The characteristics described by the community nurses are similar to those advocated in 'new nursing' which identifies the uniqueness of patient needs, and where the nurse-patient relationship is objectified as the vehicle through which therapeutic nursing can be delivered. The link with 'new nursing' emerges at an interesting time for community nurses. The past decade has seen many changes in the way that community nursing services are configured. The work of the district nursing service has been redefined, making the ideals of new nursing, for example holism, less achievable than they were a decade ago. This study reiterates the view that palliative care is one aspect of district nursing work that is universally valued as it lends itself to being an exemplar of excellence in terms of the potential for realizing the ideals of nursing practice. This is of increasing importance in the context of changes that militate against this ideal.

251 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A lack of comparable research in the cleft field is identified to examine parents' experiences and needs at different stages of their children's lives, and research is needed to investigate how both mothers and fathers might experience the long-term and complex treatment journey as children become older and to elicit their views about decision making for cleft treatments.
Abstract: This review brings together for the first time the existing quantitative and qualitative research evidence about the experiences of parents caring for a child with a cleft. It summarizes salient themes on the emotional, social and service-related experiences of parents and critiques the literature to date, comparing it with wider, selected literature from the field of children's long-term conditions, including disability. The review suggests that there are similarities and differences between the literatures, in terms of research focus and approach. Similarities are found across children's conditions in the perspectives of parents on emotional, social and service-related aspects, although much of the cleft literature is focused on the early stages of children's lives. However, the quality of cleft research to date about parents' experiences has also been variable, with a narrow emphasis on cross-sectional, deficit-orientated psychological approaches focused mainly on mothers. Despite a substantial literature, little qualitative research has examined parents' perspectives in-depth, particularly about their child's treatment journey. This contrasts with the wider children's literature, which has traditionally drawn not only on psychological approaches but also on the broader perspectives of sociology, social policy, nursing and health services research, using both qualitative and quantitative methods, often in integrated ways. Such approaches have been able to highlight a greater range of experiences from both mothers and fathers, about caring for a child with a long-term condition and views about treatment. The review identifies a lack of comparable research in the cleft field to examine parents' experiences and needs at different stages of their children's lives. Above all, research is needed to investigate how both mothers and fathers might experience the long-term and complex treatment journey as children become older and to elicit their views about decision making for cleft treatments, particularly elective surgeries.

137 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The objective of this literature review was to review recent literature to identify whether such variability remains in community palliative care services and whether such patterns are inequitable.

115 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A narrative literature review highlights the dearth of information on the needs of carers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and the need for future research.
Abstract: Aims and objectives. The objectives of this narrative review were to identify: (1) The information and support needs of carers of family members with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; (2) appropriate interventions to support carers in their caregiving role; (3) information on carers’ needs as reported in studies of patients living with COPD in the community. Background. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a major health problem in the UK resulting in significant burden for patients, families and the health service. Current National Health Service policies emphasise, where medically appropriate, early discharge for acute exacerbations, hospital-at-home care and other models of community care to prevent or reduce re-hospitalisations of people with chronic conditions. Understanding carers’ needs is important if health care professionals are to support carers in their caregiving role. Design. A narrative literature review. Methods. Thirty five papers were reviewed after searching electronic databases. Results. Few studies were identified which addressed, even peripherally, carers’ needs for information and support, and no studies were found which described and evaluated interventions designed to enhance caregiving capacity. Several studies of hospital-at-home/early discharge, self care and home management programmes were identified which included some information on patients’ living arrangements or marital status. However, there was little or no detail reported on the needs of, and in many cases, even the presence of a family carer. Conclusions. This review highlights the dearth of information on the needs of carers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and the need for future research. Relevance to clinical practice. There is little research based knowledge of the needs of carers of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and interventions to assist them in providing care. This knowledge is critical to ensure that carers receive the information they need to carry out this role while maintaining their own physical and emotional health.

110 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper discusses the challenges of implementation, preparation of staff, and alignment with the organizational agenda and emphasizes that shared governance is an ongoing and fluid process, requiring continual assessment and re-evaluation in order to be flexible and responsive to an ever-changing environment.
Abstract: New forms of leadership are required if staff are to be effectively engaged and involved in decision-making and promoting clinical effectiveness. One such mechanism is shared governance and shared leadership to ensure practice is both practitioner owned and organizationally supported. Empowering staff is a great challenge requiring effective planning, preparation and commitment. Establishing the process of shared governance requires effective leadership, implementation of a suitable framework, multidisciplinary working and examination of the organization's structure and culture. This paper discusses the challenges of implementation, preparation of staff, and alignment with the organizational agenda. It emphasizes that shared governance is an ongoing and fluid process, requiring continual assessment and re-evaluation in order to be flexible and responsive to an ever-changing environment. The Christie model provides a sustainable framework for moving practice forward and successful implementation has led to greater coordination of practice development and sharing of best practice.

109 citations


Cited by
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Reading a book as this basics of qualitative research grounded theory procedures and techniques and other references can enrich your life quality.

13,415 citations

Christopher M. Bishop1
01 Jan 2006
TL;DR: Probability distributions of linear models for regression and classification are given in this article, along with a discussion of combining models and combining models in the context of machine learning and classification.
Abstract: Probability Distributions.- Linear Models for Regression.- Linear Models for Classification.- Neural Networks.- Kernel Methods.- Sparse Kernel Machines.- Graphical Models.- Mixture Models and EM.- Approximate Inference.- Sampling Methods.- Continuous Latent Variables.- Sequential Data.- Combining Models.

10,141 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Used effectively, with the leadership of an experienced qualitative researcher, the Framework Method is a systematic and flexible approach to analysing qualitative data and is appropriate for use in research teams even where not all members have previous experience of conducting qualitative research.
Abstract: The Framework Method is becoming an increasingly popular approach to the management and analysis of qualitative data in health research. However, there is confusion about its potential application and limitations. The article discusses when it is appropriate to adopt the Framework Method and explains the procedure for using it in multi-disciplinary health research teams, or those that involve clinicians, patients and lay people. The stages of the method are illustrated using examples from a published study. Used effectively, with the leadership of an experienced qualitative researcher, the Framework Method is a systematic and flexible approach to analysing qualitative data and is appropriate for use in research teams even where not all members have previous experience of conducting qualitative research.

5,939 citations

Journal ArticleDOI

2,707 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Low literacy is associated with several adverse health outcomes and future research, using more rigorous methods, will better define these relationships and guide developers of new interventions.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To review the relationship between literacy and health outcomes DATA SOURCES: We searched MEDLINE, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), Educational Resources Information Center (ERIC), Public Affairs Information Service (PAIS), Industrial and Labor Relations Review (ILLR), PsychInfo, and Ageline from 1980 to 2003 STUDY SELECTION: We included observational studies that reported original data, measured literacy with any valid instrument, and measured one or more health outcomes Two abstractors reviewed each study for inclusion and resolved disagreements by discussion DATA EXTRACTION: One reviewer abstracted data from each article into an evidence table; the second reviewer checked each entry The whole study team reconciled disagreements about information in evidence tables Both data extractors independently completed an 11-item quality scale for each article; scores were averaged to give a final measure of article quality DATA SYNTHESIS: We reviewed 3,015 titles and abstracts and pulled 684 articles for full review; 73 articles met inclusion criteria and, of those, 44 addressed the questions of this report Patients with low literacy had poorer health outcomes, including knowledge, intermediate disease markers, measures of morbidity, general health status, and use of health resources Patients with low literacy were generally 15 to 3 times more likely to experience a given poor outcome The average quality of the articles was fair to good Most studies were cross-sectional in design; many failed to address adequately confounding and the use of multiple comparisons CONCLUSIONS: Low literacy is associated with several adverse health outcomes Future research, using more rigorous methods, will better define these relationships and guide developers of new interventions

1,863 citations