Page 379 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

346 n NuTRITION IN INFANCy AND CHILDHOOD

or lack of implementation. Instrument devel- supportive research indicates that more
opment to measure the nursing process has advanced students and practicing nurses
N been reported in the literature. Researchers revise and adapt the nursing process within
have designed quantitative studies using the realities of practice. Some nursing pro-
such strategies as attitudinal questionnaires cess researchers, as well as those that study
with complex analyses, intervention studies clinical judgment (decision making), call
intended to compare group outcomes, retro- for a new model that reflects a more holistic
spective studies, and questionnaires assess- approach to analyzing patient situations and
ing documentation. Other research strategies arriving at individualized care that is open to
to study implementation issues have been multiple ways of knowing and the evolving
inductive in nature. Researchers have used contexts of the environment and the patient.
extensive literature analyses on the subject, One future direction might be generating
grounded theory approaches, action research, theory-based practice models for individ-
direct observation with field recording, and ualized patient care and testing the effec-
cooperative inquiry to describe and under- tiveness of these new process models. This
stand these phenomena. research may contribute greatly to the new
There is a considerable amount of unpub- outcomes-focused initiatives shaping future
lished dissertation work in the united States nursing research.
addressing issues and concerns about edu-
cational variations, environmental impact, Sally Phillips
and barriers in attitude and structure to the
full implementation of the nursing process.
Intervention studies have attempted to influ-
ence attitude and behavior with motivational NutritioN iN iNfaNcy
therapy, increased education through inno-
vative teaching strategies and on-site inser- aNd childhood
vice, and skills-reinforcement strategies.
Throughout the reported studies, a clear
theme emerges. The profession of nursing Nutrition in infancy and childhood refers
holds a high value for the nursing process. to dietary intake necessary to support opti-
There is a belief that the nursing process is mal growth and developmental processes
the best vehicle to individualize patient care. from birth through the school-aged years.
Nurses verbally articulate this commitment Substantial research attention has focused
and value on behalf of the profession and on the role of nutrition in health promo-
practice of nursing, but consistently, the data tion and disease prevention across the life
support the reality that nurses do not use course of infants and young children from
the nursing process in practice and that the diverse populations. Dietary intake is now
assumptions and characteristics of the nurs- recognized as a major component of health
ing process are not supported as tested in a promotion and a modifiable determinant of
myriad of research approaches. numerous chronic diseases including hyper-
Researchers interested in this field in the tension, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes, some
future might take some direction from this forms of cancer, and coronary heart disease.
review as well as from clinical judgment. Accumulated data indicate that many of these
There are strong indications that a scientific, disease processes begin early in life and are
analytical, systematic approach to patient influenced over time by potentially modifi-
care is of value to the novice student who able behaviors including patterns of dietary
experiences the complexities of the human intake. Obesity, now recognized as a global
condition in early training. However, equally challenge to the health of children, is the