ENGW 105

Ms. Jimisha Relerford

DISCIPLINARY RESOURCE
GUIDE
A Guide for Nursing Students

Disciplinary Resource Guide

I.

Journals
A. Nursing Ethics
Nursing Ethics is an international peer-reviewed journal that comprise of
articles on ethical and legal issues related to nursing. As nursing is a very hands-on
career, in which you develop personal connections with and physically handle
patients, you must be very knowledgeable on how to do so properly. You must be kept
up to date on changes in various regulations on patient care and handling.
B. American Journal of Nursing
The American Journal of Nursing (AJN) is the oldest broad-based nursing
journal in the world. It is a peer-reviewed journal that features evidence-based
articles, including original research and QI reports, case studies, and narratives. It also
consists of other forms of media that relate to the fieldsuch as artwork and poetry.
AJNs mission is to promote excellence in nursing and health care through the
dissemination of evidence-based, peer-reviewed clinical information and original
research, discussion of relevant and controversial professional issues, adherence to
the standards of journalistic integrity and excellence, and promotion of nursing
perspectives to the health care community and the public. The journal is valuable to
nursing student because it incorporates real-world current events occurring in the
health field and widens the lens through which a nursing student navigates.
C. The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing

The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing is a peer-reviewed publication. It offers a site

for discussion of issues that are relevant to the health and medical field. The journal
strives to present a variety of views on issues affecting nursing research, education, and
practice. It encourages the comprehensive discussion of a topic in order for the reader to
reach the fullest understanding of the topic possible. Because of its largely electronic
nature, the journal has the advantage of being accessible virtually everywhere while still
being able to increase the range of topics in which a nurse can be knowledgeable. It also
means that discussions by the readers can be more easily conducted.

II.

Critical Vocabulary
As a nursing major, there are terminologies with which you must familiarize
yourself. There will be countless words that you will encounter sooner or later, here are
some of them:
a. Acute/Chronic
An illness can be either acute or chronic. An acute disease or condition
appears suddenly and will persist for a short time before it disappears. With such a
condition, signs and symptoms will change (or worsen) rapidly. Some are less
serious, such as the common cold, but others, like a myocardial infarctionor a
heart attackwill require urgent care. On the other hand, a chronic disease or
condition slowly develops and worsens slowly over time. Some can even last a
lifetime, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Chronic diseases,
like osteoporosis, can cause an acute condition, like a broken bone. Whereas an
acute condition, like a first asthma attack, can develop into chronic asthma.
Illnesses that are characterized as being between acute and chronic are known as
subacute.
b. Diagnostic Imaging
Diagnostic imaging is a variety of methods during which diseases or
injuries can be detected, identified, and monitored. These methods are noninvasivemeaning that no surgery is required for the examination to be done
and can produce images of anatomical structures in the patients body. Often,

diagnostic imaging is used for the early detection of many health conditions in
order to prevent further, more expensive treatments and/or surgeries.
There are many types of diagnostic imaging: x-rays, computed
tomography (CT or CAT scan), nuclear scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI
scan) or nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR scan), and ultrasound.

X-rays are the most basic type of diagnostic imaging and use a
type of radiation called electromagnetic waves. It produces images
ranging from black to white; this is due to the fact that different
tissues or structures absorb different amounts of radiation. Often it
is used to check for bone injuries, but it is also used for procedures

such as mammograms.
CT scans produce cross-sectional images of the patients body. It is
used for the study of bone injuries, cancers, blood clots, signs of

heart disease, and internal hemorrhages.

Nuclear scans use a special camera to detect radioactivity in the
body. Before the procedure, the patient is given a small amount of
radioactive material either in a form that can be injected,
swallowed, or inhaled. They can help with the diagnoses of

cancers, injuries, and infections.

MRI scans use a large magnet and radio waves to produce images
of internal anatomical structures. They help with the diagnoses of

various conditions, such as tumors and torn ligaments.

Ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to look at internal
structures of the body and does not expose the patient to radiation.
A transducer is moved over part of the body; it sends out sound

waves which bounce off internal tissue. The device captures these
waves and the ultrasound machine creates images from the waves.
It is most known to be used to view the fetus during a pregnancy.
c. Dialysis
Dialysis, in biology, is a type of diffusion of a substance from an area of
higher concentration to an area of lower concentration through a semipermeable
membrane. As a nurse, dialysis is somewhat different; it is a treatment done for
patients whose kidneys cannot function properly. It is necessary when a patient
reaches end stage kidney failure, which means that their kidneys have lost 8590% of their functions. A dialysis machine does many things: (1) removes waste,
salts, and extra water to prevent build up; (2) keeps chemical balance (such as
potassium and sodium) in the blood; (3) helps control blood pressure.
There are two types of dialysishemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. In
hemodialysis, an artificial kidney (hemodialyzer) removes waste and extra fluid
and chemicals from the blood. In order for the hemodialyzer to gain access to the
patients blood, the doctor performs minor surgery to the arm or leg to make an
entrance. This access can be made either by making a fistula (a larger blood
vessel) via the joining of an artery to a vein under the skin or by making a graft
via the use of a soft plastic tube to join an artery to a vein. If neither procedures
are possible, sometimes a catheter is inserted into a large vein in the neck.
Peritoneal dialysis involves the clean up of blood inside the patients body.
Surgery is performed to place a catheter into the abdomen to create an access.
During the treatment, the abdominal areaor the peritoneal cavityis filled with

dialysate via the catheter. The blood stays in the blood vessels but the dialysate
draws extra fluids and waste out of the blood.
d. History of present illness (HPI)
The History of Present Illness, or HPI, is used for the description of the
symptoms or problems from the time of the onset of the condition or since the
previous talk with the doctor. An HPI can be done by interviewing or simply
asking the patient a series of questions. Eight elements is kept in mind in order to
make the process more efficient: onset, location, duration, character or symptoms,
aggravating factors, relieving factors, timing, and severity. This process helps the
diagnoses be more accurate in finding the specific condition, its causes, and thus
its treatments.
e. Hypertension/Hypotension
Hypertension, more commonly known as high blood pressure, is a
condition in which the force of blood against artery walls is high enough that the
tissue that compose the walls of the artery gets stretched beyond its limit. The
more blood the heart pumps and the narrower the arteries, the higher the blood
pressure. Continuous hypertension leads to damage to the heart and arteries and
may eventually cause heart attack or stroke. Hypotension, or low blood pressure,
in some people can cause dizziness and fainting. Its causes varies from
dehydration to serious disorders.
f. Inflammation

Inflammation occurs as a response to tissue injury. Signs of an

inflammatory response include redness, heat, swelling, and pain. Local
inflammation occurs when tissue is injured and inflammation mediators
(histamine, prostaglandins, and kinkins) are released. Subsequent reactions then
occur: blood vessels dilate which increases blood flow to the site as well as
produce redness and heat; blood vessel walls increase in permeability resulting in
the increase of blood proteins at the site to form fibrous capsule around it and an
increase of fluid at the site which dilutes the irritant but is a source of pain; and
chemotaxis which is the direct movement of white blood cells to the site. All of
these processes increase the count of white blood cells at and around the site in
order to increase phagocytosis.
Fever is a systemic inflammation. Inflammation mediators cause the brain
to increase the body temperature. An increase in body temperature kills or at least
inhibits the pathogens and is believed to enhance the activity of the immunity
system.
g. Palpitation
Palpitation, or heart palpitation, is a noticeably hard, fast, or irregular
heartbeat. Often they are not serious and are caused by stress, anxiety, or
consumption of stimulants (ex. caffeine and nicotine). However, palpitations can
also be a sign of a serious heart disease. Other causes include vigorous exercise,
specific medical conditions (ex. thyroid disease and anemia), hormonal changes
during menstruation, pregnancy, or menopause, and certain medications (ex. diet
pills and asthma inhalers).

h. Pathology
Pathology is a branch of medical science in which the examinations of
anatomical structures and bodily substances are used in order to make a diagnosis
of a disease or medical condition. There are two main types of pathology
anatomical pathology and clinical pathology. Anatomical pathology relies on the
diagnosis of disease based on the examination of tissues, organs, and even whole
bodies. Clinical pathology relies on bodily fluids like blood and urine for the
diagnosis of disease. Both of these divisions have their respective subfields. The
practice of both anatomical and clinical pathology is referred to as general
pathology.
i. Review of systems (ROS)
Review of Systems, or ROS, is an inventory of the body systems obtained
by asking the patient a series of questions pertaining to the signs and/or symptoms
they are experiencing or has experienced. The systems include constitutional
symptoms (like fever or weight changes), eyes, ears, and throat.
There are three types of ROSproblem pertinent, extended, and complete.
A problem pertinent ROS asks about the system directly related to the diagnosis
from the HPI (see above). An extended ROS asks about the system directly related
to the diagnosis from the HPI and a limited number of the other body systems. A
complete ROS asks about the system directly related to the diagnosis from the
HPI and all the other body systems.
j. Subjective

Subjective is a term used to describe symptoms that are perceived only by

the patient and are not evident to the examiner. The most common subjective
symptom is painsuch as headaches.

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III.

Organizations
A. Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI or ) Honor Society of Nursing
Sigma Theta Tau International is the second-largest nursing organization
in the world. It has about 500 chapters and 135,000 active members, all residing
in more than 85 countries. The organizations mission is advancing world health
and celebrating nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership, and service. The
organization was founded in 1922 by six nurses at the Indiana University Training
School for Nursesnow called the Indiana University School of Nursing. The six
founding nurses are Marie Tolle Wright, Edith Moore Copeland, Marie
Hippensteel Lingeman, Elizabeth Russell Belford, Elizabeth McWilliams Miller,
and Dorothy Garrigus Adams with Ethel Palmer Clarke as their director.
The founders chose the name Sigma Theta Tau () deriving from the
Greek words storg, tharsos, and timlove, courage, and honor. The
organizations vision is to be the global organization of choice for nursing. In
1936, it became the first organization in the United States to fund research in the
field of nursing.
Sigma Theta Tau International is involved in a robust number of things.
First, it has a few publicationsJournal of Nursing Scholarship, Worldviews on
Evidence-Based Nursing, Reflections on Nursing Leadership, STTIconnect, as
well as other scholarly books. These publications serve to keep the organization
members well-informed about current events in the field of nursing while still
somewhat specializing (ex. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing gives
members the opportunity to discover researches conducted recently). The

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organization also offers more than $200,000 in grants, scholarships, and awards to
fund nursing research, supports a number of education and research conferences,
and provides many resources in career development and nursing education to help
its members,
B. Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON)
The Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses, or APHON, is
an organization of more than 3,300 members in North America and worldwide.
The organizations core purpose is to support and advance nurses and their
practice in order to optimize outcomes for children, adolescents, and young adults
with cancer and blood disorders and their families. APHON was created because
there was a need to share practices and knowledge as a pediatric nurse. There was
also a need to create a community that would encourage the growth and
development of pediatric oncology nurses in the country.
APHON was founded in 1973 by four pediatric oncology nurses at an
impromptu meeting. They then went on to plan a special interest session for the
1974 Association for Care of Childrens Health (ACCH) conference. This first
session had an attendance of 40 nurses, who decided that their own professional
association dedicated to the care of children with cancer is necessary. Therefore,
on November 3, 1974, Association of Pediatric Oncology Nurses (APON) came
to be; it became incorporated in 1976. Since most members cared for hematology
in addition to oncology patients, they voted to become APHON, or Association of
Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses, in 2006. They expanded their core
purpose to include adolescents and young adults. They also partnered with the

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National Student Nurses Association (NSNA) and welcomed its first NSNA
member in 2007.
APHON is involved in multiple activities and publications. First, the
organization offers opportunities for nurses to continue earning education credits
and working toward/maintaining certification. Next, it has a Nursing Research
Grants Program to support nurse research for the advancement of care for children
with cancer. Finally, it has its own publicationJournal of Pediatric Oncology
Nursing (JOPON)to provide original, peer-reviewed research to advance
nursing care of young persons with cancer and blood disorders and their families.

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IV.

Employment Opportunities
1. Nurse Registrar (Silver Spring, MD)
https://rew11.ultipro.com/AME1053/JobBoard/JobDetails.aspx?
__ID=*FF57B5FAE95D84E9
Description

The Nurse Registrar serves as an expert resource for nurse-related issues in the
Certification Department by analyzing application data, transcripts, and
supporting documents to determine candidate eligibility for certification or
recertification. Responsibilities also include answering telephone calls
received via the Nurse Registrar telephone queue and communicating with
clinicians via telephone and email regarding eligibility and renewal

Duties

requirements.
Primarily responsible for reviewing individual certification and
recertification applications to ensure current eligibility requirements
are met. This includes detailed review and analysis of supporting
documentation, such as transcripts and validation of education forms,
and verification of registered nurse licenses. Refers applications to

Qualifications

Senior Nurse Registrar, as necessary.

Responsible for answering telephone calls received via the Nurse

Registrar queue, as scheduled by Manager, Certification Registration.

Communicates with applicants and faculty to clarify items submitted

for certification and recertification when requirements are not met.

Represents ANCC at exhibits and conferences, upon request.
Education:
Current Registered Nurse License, required. Baccalaureate in Nursing, or
equivalent work experience, required.
Experience:

5 years nursing experience

Customer service experience
Experience working with databases, including data entry

Skills:

Excellent written and verbal communication

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Competent user of Microsoft Office products

Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Ability to travel, with multiple overnight stays and weekends

2. Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Nurse/PICU RN (New York, NY) http://www.execusearch.com/job-seekers/241521/HealthServices-Healthcare?

utm_source=xml.nurse.com
Description

Conducts an individualized patient assessment, prioritizing the data

collection based on the infant or child's immediate condition or needs
within timeframe specified by client facility's policies, procedures or

protocols
Conducts ongoing assessments as determined by the infant or child's
condition and/or the client facility's policies, procedures or protocols

Qualifications

and re-prioritizes care accordingly

Develops plan of care that is individualized for the infant or child

reflecting collaboration with other members of the healthcare team

Education:

NYS Registered Nurse (RN) license

BLS and PALS certification

Experience:

2+ years of previous working experience within a Pediatric Intensive

Care Unit (PICU)

Skills:

Patient oriented
Great interpersonal skills
Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)
Strong attention to detail
Highly organized

3. Nurse Practitioner; Cancer Center Infusion Unit (San Francisco, CA)

http://jobs.nursingsociety.org/jobseeker/job/27132762/Nurse%20Practitioner%3B

15

%20Cancer%20Center%20Infusion%20Unit/UCSF/?
vnet=0&max=50&str=1&long=1&t735=120
Description

Assignments at this level may include the direction of continuity of

care for patients with multiple medical problems; providing direct
care to this group of patients, responsibility for occasional community
teaching programs, participation in program planning, and
development of patient education information. S/he consistently
projects a professional and courteous demeanor. The Nurse
Practitioner shall comply with the Medical Center House and

Telephone Standards.
UCSF Medical Center requires all Advanced Health Professionals
(AHP) to be credentialed through its Medical Staff Services Office
(MSSO) in order to practice and function in their clinical role. This
applies to both adult and pediatric AHPs in the inpatient and
outpatient clinical settings at all UCSF Medical Center sites
(Parnassus, Mt. Zion, Mission Bay, Satellite Clinics, et al).
Credentialing and approval of the Standardized Procedures takes
between 60-90 days and must be completed prior to the first working

Qualifications

day.
The flexibility to orient and work at all UCSF Medical Center

locations is required.
Education:

Registered Nurse as defined by the California Board of Registered

Nursing and
completion from a college or university based Nurse Practitioner

Program
Adult Nurse Practitioner (ANCC: American Nurses Credentialing

Center, or AANP: American Academy of Nurse Practitioners)

Active Nurse Practitioner licensure in the State of California
Active Registered Nurse licensure in the State of California
Active American Heart Association CPR certification

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Current NP Furnishing License and verification of experience to

furnish (if applicable)

Experience:

Three or more years Oncology experience

1-3 yrs. related experience as Nurse Practitioner

Skills:

Possesses the skills, knowledge, and abilities essential to successfully

perform the duties of the assigned position

The flexibility to orient and work at all UCSF Medical Center
locations is required

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V.

Style Guide
As a nursing major and for papers written for the field of nursing, the APA style
guide is followed. The format is as follows:
1 The Title Page
2 The Abstract
3 The Introduction
4 The Literature Review (if applicable)
5 The Body of the Paper (Results, Discussions)
6 The Conclusion
7 The Reference Page
Other important considerations are also incorporated in an APA style paper. These
include 1-inch margins on all sides, 12-point Times Roman font, double space
throughout, paragraph indent is 5-7 spaces, page numbers 1 inch from upper right corner
of every page including the cover page, first 2-3 words of the paper 5 spaces to the left of
the page number as running header on every page including the cover page.
In-text citations follow special rules as well. If a quote is a formal part of a
sentence, the citation must be put in parentheses in the sentence: Malthus (1798) based
his theory on two assumptions If the citation is not a formal part of the sentence, it is
put in parentheses after the sentence and before the period: The Out of Africa thesis is
informally used for the theory that Homo sapiens emerged in east Africa and then
migrated outward 100,000 to 200,000 years ago (McCannon, 2014, p. 58). If there are
more than two authors, one authors surname and et al. is used as citation: farm and
regional self-sufficiency (Gajewski et. al., 1992).

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References are on their own page and are formatted as a hanging indent, in which
the first line of each reference is flush left but the rest are indented. For example:

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References
1. Hadjiliadis, D. (n.d.). Acute vs. chronic conditions. In Medline plus. NLM National
Library of Medicine. Retrieved February 22, 2016.
2. Imaginis. (2010, August). Retrieved February 22, 2016, from
http://www.imaginis.com/faq/what-is-medical-diagnostic-imaging-and-radiology
3. Diagnostic Imaging. (n.d.). In Medline plus. NLM National Library of Medicine.
Retrieved February 22, 2016.
4. Dialysis. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2016, from http://www.merriamwebster.com/dictionary/dialysis
5. Dialysis. (2015). Retrieved February 23, 2016, from
https://www.kidney.org/atoz/content/dialysisinfo
6. History of present illness. (n.d.). Retrieved February 23, 2016, from
http://emuniversity.com/HistoryofPresentIllness.html
7. Goldberg, C. (2015, October). History of Present Illness (HPI). Retrieved February 22,
2016, from https://meded.ucsd.edu/clinicalmed/history.htm
8. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2015, November 10). High blood pressure (hypertension). Retrieved
February 23, 2016, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-bloodpressure/basics/definition/con-20019580
9. About High Blood Pressure. (2015, February 2). Retrieved February 23, 2016, from
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/AboutHighBloodPres
sure/About-High-Blood-Pressure_UCM_002050_Article.jsp#.Vs0C4pwrLIV
10. Mayo Clinic Staff. (2014, May 2). Low blood pressure (hypotension). Retrieved February
23, 2016, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/low-bloodpressure/basics/definition/con-20032298
11. Patton, K. T., & Thibodeau, G. A. (2014). The human body in health & disease (6th ed.).
St. Louis, MO: Elsevier/Mosby.
12. Heart Palpitations: Causes, Treatments, After Eating, Lying Down. (n.d.). Retrieved
February 25, 2016, from http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/what-causes-heartpalpitations

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13. Mandal, A. (2014, September 8). What is Pathology? Retrieved February 25, 2016, from
http://www.news-medical.net/health/What-is-Pathology.aspx
14. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Evaluation and Management Services
Guide.
15. Farlex. (n.d.). Subjective [Def. 1]. In The Free Dictionary. Retrieved February 25, 2016,
from http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/subjective
16. Hallas, D., & Feldman, H. R. (2006). A Guide to Scholarly Writing. NSNA IMPRINT.

Retrieved March 3, 2016, from

http://www.nsna.org/Portals/0/Skins/NSNA/pdf/Imprint_sept06_backschool_hallasfeldman.pdf