Page 439 - Encyclopedia of Nursing Research

406 n PHYSIOlOGY

interventions that cross disciplines can mit- inflammation relationships (Thompson &
igate suffering, prevent complications and voss, 2009; Winkelman, 2010). Technology
P save lives. Physiological homeostasis is com- and funding trends support the use of
plex and the incorporation of many perspec- biomarkers in national research initia-
tives in health care has the greatest potential tives (www.researchamerica.org/uploads/
to develop comprehensive care. healthdollar08.pdf; Frazier, Sparks, Sanner,
Incorporated into a wide range of both & Henderson, 2008). The use of biomarkers
grand and middle range theories, physiologi- will likely expand with the development of
cal investigations build understanding about biobanks or other large repositories of genetic
human responses to health and disease. Some material (Williams, Schepp, McGrathe, &
models of nursing that explicitly use physio- Mitchell, 2010).
logical concepts in the theoretical framework leaders in clinical research have
include the Neuman Health Systems Model investigated physiology related to cardiac
(e.g., bodily structure and internal func- monitoring (Drew et al., 2010), neonatal
tion are assessed and supported; Neuman development (Brown, 2009; lyon et al., 2010),
& Fawcett, 2002, pp. 16 and 17); the Human gender (Heitkemper, landis, & Woods,
Response to Illness Model (e.g., the interac- 2010), mood (Woods & Mitchell, 2005), and
tion of physiological processes with psycho- caregiving (Berg & Woods, 2009; Douglas,
social factors; Mitchell, Gallucci, & Fought, Daly, Kelley, O’Toole, & Montenegro, 2005).
1991); The Roy Adaptation Model (e.g., These topics have helped develop insight
physiological regulator systems are used to into homeostasis across the life span and
promote adaptation; Meleis, 2007, p. 293), the the interaction between physiology and
Orem Self-Care (e.g., meeting biologic needs human experiences in health and disease.
is a goal of nursing care; edwards, 2000), and Clinical research is also linking physiology
Johnson’s Behavioral Systems (e.g., nursing with patient safety, such as identifying vital
intervenes to reduce stress to the ingestive, signs or heart rate variability with patient
eliminative, and sexual subsystems for recov- risk for adverse events and applying lessons
ery/goal achievement; Meleis, 2007, pp. 280 learned to nursing education (Rathbun &
and 281). Midlevel theories that incorporate Ruth-Sahd, 2009).
physiology into nursing research and practice exemplars of translational physiological
include acute pain management (Good, 1998) research are investigations into the identifi-
and biobehavioral approaches to stress man- cation and management of chronic, debili-
agement (Kang, Rice, Park, Turner-Henson, tating disease. Nurses have been leaders and
& Downs, 2010). collaborators in funding projects related to
Physiologic research in nursing acute and chronic pain. Other exemplars of
embraces basic, clinical, and translational translational research are illustrated with
science. For example, nurse researchers are investigations using physiological factors to
using an animal model to investigate chro- prevent pressure ulcers, to promote urinary
nobiolological contributions to chronic crit- continence, and to manage fatigue. A large
ical illness (Hanneman, McKay, Costas, & body of nursing research has contributed to
Rosenstrauch, 2005; McCarley, Hanneman, the assessment of pain in nonverbal patients
Padhye, & Smolensky, 2007). Other nurse and evaluated of the effects of nonpharma-
researchers use basic research techniques cological management of acute and chronic
to determine genetic and proteomic asso- pain (Page, Fennelly, littleton-Kearney,
ciations with transplant rejections (Cashion & Ben-eliyahu, 2008; National Institute of
et al., 2010; Driscoll et al., 2006), tobacco Nursing Research, 2010).
cessation (Ahijevych, 2009; Ashford et al., Physiology is incorporated into nursing
2010), and psychoimmunology, stress, and research, education, and practice. emerging