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Dolphins continue to multiply
LETTERS SCHWARTZ ARTICLE: A SENSITIZER How moved I was to read Doris Schwartz's "Catastrophic Illness: How It Feels" in Part I of GN's feature on the care of the acutely ill older adult (Sept./Oct., p. 302). She indeed is a great lady who touches many lives as she continues to reach out to help all of us as nurses to be more sensitive to the patient and what the patient can teach US.
I'm also excited about GN's Older Authors of the Year Contest (Sept./ Oct., p. 293) whereby men and women who are 70 and older m a y write about their personal experiences in health care and what they have come to expect of the nurse. DORIS L. WAGNER, RN, Ind. DEMMERLE ARTICLE AIDS HOSPITAL INSERVICE T e r r i f i c ! - - B a r b a r a Demmerle's article " G e n e r a l Nursing C a r e " ( S e p t . / Oct. '82, p. 316). It is very good reading for the staff nurse in an acute hospital. I plan to use it in my inservice programs on the hospital units. D. ELIZABETH FREED, RN, Ind. CORRECTING ERRORS In Karen Kay Esberger's article "Staking a Claim" ( J u l y / A u g u s t , p. 246), there is a significant discrepancy between her references to Constance Ailekian's findings and the results Allekian reported in "Intrusions of T e r r i t o r y and Personal Space," Nursing Research, M a y / June 1973, p. 237. On page 247, Esberger cited Allekian's study as suggesting " t h a t patients in long-term chronic care facilities experience more anxiety than patients in acute care hospitals when their territory is invaded." However, although Allekian hypothesized that there would be a difference in the feelings of anxiety between these two patient groups (AIlekian, p. 237), her results showed no significant differences on either territory or personal space. This hypothesis was therefore rejected (Alle-
kian, p. 239). Page 247 of the Esberger article cites the Allekian study as showing that "persons hospitalized a year or more have been shown to evince greater anxiety over territorial and personal space intrusions than those who are hospitalized less than a year." Again, Allekian hypothesized that there would be such a difference, but her findings revealed no significant differences between patients hospitalized for more than a year or less than a year on either territory or personal space. This hypothesis was therefore rejected (Allekian, p. 239). Since these findings were interpreted incorrectly, readers might reach some false conclusions. Therefore, I think it beneficial to share these corrections. PATRICIA L. LANE, RN, La. Dr. Esberger replies: I see Ms. Lane's point. In the manuscript as s u b m i t t e d both quotes in question began with "'It has been f u r t h e r hypothesized t h a t . . . "' Apparently the original interpretation was lost in the editing process. The Editors reply: Ms. Lane and Dr. Esberger are both correct. The mistake was ours. This regrettable error points up the need f o r editors to be more careful and f o r authors to reject any editorial alteration unless it is correct. DOLPHINS CONTINUE TO MULTIPLY Good heavens, Geriatric Nursing certainly has a wide readership! To date we have received 77 letters from over 32 states, Canada, and Australia in response to my article " Y o u ' r e a W H A T ? What"s a Dolphin?" ( M a r . / A p r . '82, p. 118). Six new programs are in the process of forming in Pennsylvania, Kansas, Illinois, and New York. When some day there are Dolphins visiting residents in nursing homes around the world, the staff of G N can know they helped spread the word.
from topical lesions
ChloreJrium (chtorophyllin healing/ deodorizing ointment)
a
natural partner
to DERIFIL
Topical CHLORESIUM is an effective, soothing deodorizer for 9 Decubitus ulcers 9 Wounds of skin and soft tissue 9 Malignant lesions 9 Other chronic surface lesions Institutions and individuals c h o o s e C H L O R E S I U M because it is... Therapeutic. A proven healing aid for resistant lesions. Decubitus ulcers, for instance, often respond to CHLORESIUM Ointment when other treatment has failed. Safe. Soothing, nontoxic, virtually nonsensitizing.. Economical, Attacks problem odors at the source, makes cover-up deodorizers unnecessary. Available as ointment or solution, in tube and bottle sizes to suit your needs.
Send us your order, or request a trial supply.
Chloresium ~ &Dedfil... a natural
partnership company #tc. 470 MamaroneckAve., White Plains,NY 10605
V I R G I N I A T H O M A S , Pa. Geriatric Nursing January/February 1983 13
I'm also excited about GN's Older Authors of the Year Contest (Sept./ Oct., p. 293) whereby men and women who are 70 and older m a y write about their personal experiences in health care and what they have come to expect of the nurse. DORIS L. WAGNER, RN, Ind. DEMMERLE ARTICLE AIDS HOSPITAL INSERVICE T e r r i f i c ! - - B a r b a r a Demmerle's article " G e n e r a l Nursing C a r e " ( S e p t . / Oct. '82, p. 316). It is very good reading for the staff nurse in an acute hospital. I plan to use it in my inservice programs on the hospital units. D. ELIZABETH FREED, RN, Ind. CORRECTING ERRORS In Karen Kay Esberger's article "Staking a Claim" ( J u l y / A u g u s t , p. 246), there is a significant discrepancy between her references to Constance Ailekian's findings and the results Allekian reported in "Intrusions of T e r r i t o r y and Personal Space," Nursing Research, M a y / June 1973, p. 237. On page 247, Esberger cited Allekian's study as suggesting " t h a t patients in long-term chronic care facilities experience more anxiety than patients in acute care hospitals when their territory is invaded." However, although Allekian hypothesized that there would be a difference in the feelings of anxiety between these two patient groups (AIlekian, p. 237), her results showed no significant differences on either territory or personal space. This hypothesis was therefore rejected (Alle-
kian, p. 239). Page 247 of the Esberger article cites the Allekian study as showing that "persons hospitalized a year or more have been shown to evince greater anxiety over territorial and personal space intrusions than those who are hospitalized less than a year." Again, Allekian hypothesized that there would be such a difference, but her findings revealed no significant differences between patients hospitalized for more than a year or less than a year on either territory or personal space. This hypothesis was therefore rejected (Allekian, p. 239). Since these findings were interpreted incorrectly, readers might reach some false conclusions. Therefore, I think it beneficial to share these corrections. PATRICIA L. LANE, RN, La. Dr. Esberger replies: I see Ms. Lane's point. In the manuscript as s u b m i t t e d both quotes in question began with "'It has been f u r t h e r hypothesized t h a t . . . "' Apparently the original interpretation was lost in the editing process. The Editors reply: Ms. Lane and Dr. Esberger are both correct. The mistake was ours. This regrettable error points up the need f o r editors to be more careful and f o r authors to reject any editorial alteration unless it is correct. DOLPHINS CONTINUE TO MULTIPLY Good heavens, Geriatric Nursing certainly has a wide readership! To date we have received 77 letters from over 32 states, Canada, and Australia in response to my article " Y o u ' r e a W H A T ? What"s a Dolphin?" ( M a r . / A p r . '82, p. 118). Six new programs are in the process of forming in Pennsylvania, Kansas, Illinois, and New York. When some day there are Dolphins visiting residents in nursing homes around the world, the staff of G N can know they helped spread the word.
from topical lesions
ChloreJrium (chtorophyllin healing/ deodorizing ointment)
a
natural partner
to DERIFIL
Topical CHLORESIUM is an effective, soothing deodorizer for 9 Decubitus ulcers 9 Wounds of skin and soft tissue 9 Malignant lesions 9 Other chronic surface lesions Institutions and individuals c h o o s e C H L O R E S I U M because it is... Therapeutic. A proven healing aid for resistant lesions. Decubitus ulcers, for instance, often respond to CHLORESIUM Ointment when other treatment has failed. Safe. Soothing, nontoxic, virtually nonsensitizing.. Economical, Attacks problem odors at the source, makes cover-up deodorizers unnecessary. Available as ointment or solution, in tube and bottle sizes to suit your needs.
Send us your order, or request a trial supply.
Chloresium ~ &Dedfil... a natural
partnership company #tc. 470 MamaroneckAve., White Plains,NY 10605
V I R G I N I A T H O M A S , Pa. Geriatric Nursing January/February 1983 13