April Manuel | Memorial University of Newfoundland (original) (raw)

Papers by April Manuel

PubMed, May 1, 2016

Background: Globally, about 8.6 million women die each year due to cardiovascular disease with ce... more Background: Globally, about 8.6 million women die each year due to cardiovascular disease with cerebral vascular disease being the third leading cause of death in women. The province of New-foundland and Labrador has one of the highest rates of vascular disease in comparison to the rest of Canada. Women in New-foundland and Labrador have higher rates of vascular disease than their female cohorts across Canada. A vascular risk reduction programfor women aged 35 to 65 years was developed and implemented in a rural and an urban setting. Purpose: An evaluation of the program was conducted to assess the impact of the program on participants' satisfaction and to assess how women were able to apply acquired knowledge into their everyday lives to improve their vascular health. Procedure: A thematic analysis of qualitative data collected during tvo focus groups (N=19) was completed. Findings: Three core themes were identified that captured the experiences of the women who participated in the program including Solidifying One's Risk, Translating Knowledge into Action, and Making a Change. Implications: Implementation of community-based vascular education programs must consider the context in which the program is delivered, the population's unique needs, and existing resources if they are to be successful in sustaining healthy lifestyle behaviours known to decrease one's riskfor vascular disease.

my thesis committee member whose understanding provided me with the courage to complete my resear... more my thesis committee member whose understanding provided me with the courage to complete my research despite my many moments of frustration. The two Organ Procurement Staff at the General Hospital, Max Bishop and Sandra White, whose knowledge and support were invaluable throughout my research. And to the individuals who shared their stories of organ donation with me. You have my sincere gratitude. Not only did you help me gain a fuller understanding of your organ donation experience but assisted me to realize the impact that it has had on your day to day lives.

Journal of Community Genetics, Jan 27, 2015

Efforts of social scientists to understand how individuals living in a family at risk for a genet... more Efforts of social scientists to understand how individuals living in a family at risk for a genetically linked condition make health care decisions, having brought to the forefront the contextual nature of risk perception. Using a grounded theory approach, this study examines the experiences of 29 individuals living in families at risk for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Attention is paid to how individuals (re)construct the meaning of being at risk in relation to the developing science of gene discovery. Findings highlight that individuals living in a family at risk for ARVC juxtapose existing scientific knowledge against experiential knowledge as they "awaken to" the fact that they or a family member are at risk. This process is pragmatic and fluid and contingent upon whether and how symptoms are aligned with the constructed image of the at-risk relative.

PubMed, Jul 16, 2010

The objective of this qualitative research study was to describe and interpret what life is like ... more The objective of this qualitative research study was to describe and interpret what life is like for individuals who have consented to donate the organs of a deceased relative for transplantation. This study captures the meaning of this phenomenon in a way to help nurses develop new insights into the lives of these individuals, enable them to implement strategies to better assist and support the family, and perhaps decrease barriers to organ donation. Thematic analysis of the participants' narrative descriptions identified five essential themes: the struggle to acknowledge the death, the need for a positive outcome of the death, creating a living memory, buying time, and the significance of support networks in the organ donation decision. The integration of these themes revealed the essence of the experience as creating of a sense of peace. These five themes and the essence of the experience are discussed in relation to the literature, followed by recommendations for future nursing practice, education, and research.

Journal of Genetic Counseling, Jul 1, 2014

Global qualitative nursing research, 2016

High fidelity human patient simulation has been used for many years by health sciences education ... more High fidelity human patient simulation has been used for many years by health sciences education programs to foster critical thinking, engage learners, improve confidence, improve communication, and enhance psychomotor skills. Unfortunately, there is a paucity of research on the use of high fidelity human patient simulation to foster teamwork among nursing, medicine and pharmacy undergraduate students. This study compared the impact of high fidelity and low fidelity simulation education on teamwork among nursing, medicine and pharmacy students. For the purpose of this study, two innovative teaching scenarios were developed based on the care of an adult patient experiencing acute anaphylaxis: one high fidelity using a human patient simulator and one low fidelity using case based discussions. A within subjects, pretest-posttest, repeated measures design was used with two-treatment levels and random assignment of individual subjects to teams of two or more professions. A convenience sa...

The experiences of adults living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator for cardiovascula... more The experiences of adults living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator for cardiovascular disease: a systematic review of qualitative evidence protocol

The past decade has seen a proliferation of available predictive genetic tests. These are the res... more The past decade has seen a proliferation of available predictive genetic tests. These are the result of one of the most significant scientific advances of the 21st century: the Human Genome Project. Social scientists have examined how the availability of genetic testing shapes the lived experience of at-risk people as well as subsequent health decision-making. Little attention has been paid to how the embodiment of risk is (re)shaped in light of changing genetic technologies or how experience of risk may in turn shape the development of genetics. A grounded theory approach was used to gain a fuller understanding of how 29 individuals living in a family at risk for Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy, in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, construct the meaning of being at-risk prior to, during, and following genetic testing in relation to the various stages of gene discovery and test availability. Three phases of constructing meaning were identified: (1) Awakening...

Cureus, Jan 3, 2018

Nursing, medicine, and pharmacy students have limited opportunities during their undergraduate pr... more Nursing, medicine, and pharmacy students have limited opportunities during their undergraduate programs to learn and practice together as an interprofessional team. This has prompted faculty at Memorial University of Newfoundland to explore the use of high fidelity simulated interprofessional education (HF-IPE) to help nursing, medicine, and pharmacy students learn about their roles, develop communication and collaboration skills, and foster teamwork. Research has shown that high fidelity simulated education can promote critical thinking, engage learners, improve confidence, and enhance psychomotor skills; however, there is limited data on the impact of HF-IPE on fostering teamwork. This technical report describes one HF-IPE scenario designed to foster teamwork among senior undergraduate nursing, medicine, and pharmacy students. The scenario is designed to promote an understanding of the roles of nursing, medical, and pharmaceutical professionals in an interprofessional team during ...

Canadian journal of cardiovascular nursing = Journal canadien en soins infirmiers cardio-vasculaires, 2016

Globally, about 8.6 million women die each year due to cardiovascular disease with cerebral vascu... more Globally, about 8.6 million women die each year due to cardiovascular disease with cerebral vascular disease being the third leading cause of death in women. The province of New-foundland and Labrador has one of the highest rates of vascular disease in comparison to the rest of Canada. Women in New-foundland and Labrador have higher rates of vascular disease than their female cohorts across Canada. A vascular risk reduction programfor women aged 35 to 65 years was developed and implemented in a rural and an urban setting. An evaluation of the program was conducted to assess the impact of the program on participants' satisfaction and to assess how women were able to apply acquired knowledge into their everyday lives to improve their vascular health. A thematic analysis of qualitative data collected during tvo focus groups (N=19) was completed. Three core themes were identified that captured the experiences of the women who participated in the program including Solidifying One&#39...

Global Qualitative Nursing Research, 2016

Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy/Dysplasia (ARVC/D) is a genetic condition that ca... more Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy/Dysplasia (ARVC/D) is a genetic condition that can cause fatal arrhythmias. The implantable cardioverter defibrillation (ICD) is a primary treatment for ARVC/D. Using a grounded theory approach, this study examines the experiences of 15 individuals living with an ICD. The ability to cope with and adjust to having an ICD is influenced by the acceptance of the ICD as something needed to survive, an understanding of the ICD’s function, existing support networks, and ones’ ability to manage everyday challenges. Coping well requires reshaping ideas about the meaning of being at risk and understanding how the ICD fits into that changing personal risk narrative. A thorough understanding of the unique needs of individuals with ARVC/D and of the specific factors contributing to the psychosocial distress related to having an ICD (vs. having the disease itself) is needed. Nurses must be prepared to provide ongoing support and education to this po...

Nephrology Nursing Journal, May 1, 2010

Canadian Journal of Nursing Research Archive, Feb 27, 2023

Background Genetics and genomics (GG) are transforming approaches to healthcare in Canada and aro... more Background Genetics and genomics (GG) are transforming approaches to healthcare in Canada and around the globe. Canadian nurses must be prepared to integrate GG in their practice, but modest research in this area suggests that Canadian nurses have limited GG competency. Countries that have integrated GG across nursing provided guidance to nurses about the practice implications of GG through regional nursing policy documents. These documents propelled action to integrate GG across nursing. Little is known about the GG content in the nursing policy document infrastructure in Canada. Purpose This study aimed to examine the guidance for GG-informed nursing practice as provided by Canadian nursing organizations in official professional documents. Methods Qualitative document analysis was used. A hybrid inductive/deductive analysis approach was used to analyze findings within the diffusion of innovation theory framework. Results There is an overall lack of depth and breadth of Canadian nursing documents that include content related to GG. Of the (n = 37) documents analyzed, four themes were generated including (a) GG guidance in nursing education; (b) regulators’ requirements for foundational GG knowledge, (c) Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) as an early catalyst to GG integration; and (d) early adopters in speciality practice. Conclusion There are opportunities to enhance the guidance available to Canadian nurses for the application of GG, through documents of nursing professional associations, nursing education accreditation organizations, and regulatory bodies. Findings suggest oncology and perinatal nurses are the early adopters which is an important consideration in future strategies to implement GG into Canadian nursing.

Thesis (M.N.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2004. Bibliography: leaves 92-100.

Canadian journal of cardiovascular nursing = Journal canadien en soins infirmiers cardio-vasculaires

The JBI Database of Systematic Reviews and Implementation Reports, 2015

ABSTRACT REVIEW QUESTION / OBJECTIVE The objective of the review is to explore the everyday life ... more ABSTRACT REVIEW QUESTION / OBJECTIVE The objective of the review is to explore the everyday life experiences of adult individuals living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator for cardiovascular disease. INCLUSION CRITERIA Types of participants This review will focus on adults who are 18 years or older and have had an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, including single and dual chamber implantable cardioverter defibrillators, for any duration of time for the management of cardiovascular disease. Participants with other co-morbidities or receiving other interventions in addition to the implantable cardioverter defibrillator will be included, regardless of the severity of cardiovascular disease. Types of intervention(s)/phenomena of interest This review will consider the phenomenon of interest of the everyday life experience of adults living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator. This may include how individuals living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator conceptualize their sense of wellbeing, how they cope with having an implantable cardioverter defibrillator, and how they manage their daily lives within the context of family relationships, the workplace, everyday roles, personal obligations, medical appointments, interactions with health care providers, disease progression and their spirituality. Context The context of the review includes the experiences of participants from all cultures, socioeconomic backgrounds and countries.

Nephrology nursing journal : journal of the American Nephrology Nurses' Association

The psycho-social effects of DNA testing for syndromes that cause a sudden cardiac death (SCD) ar... more The psycho-social effects of DNA testing for syndromes that cause a sudden cardiac death (SCD) are both variable and context-dependent. The meanings of risk and the experiences of vulnerability related to genetic testing are shaped by multiple factors, including relationships with other family members, the experience of living in the family at risk for a particular disease; one’s perception of self, sense of control, and understanding of the disease; and the modalities of treatment used.1-4