This descriptive study was designed to explore the attitudes of rehabilitation nurses, occupational therapists, and physical therapists toward people with disabilities. Attitudes were measured by using the Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons Scale, Form B (ATDP-B). The sample included 150 rehabilitation nurses, 57 occupational therapists, and 43 physical therapists in southeast Texas. Findings suggest that the majority (67%) of the healthcare professionals had positive attitudes toward people with disabilities. Occupational therapists had significantly higher scores than the rehabilitation nurses and physical therapists. Practice setting, age, educational level, and amount of experience had no significant effect on attitude scores. ATDP-B scores tended to increase with work experience, but not to a statistically significant degree. An analysis of the rehabilitation nurses' attitude scores showed that practice setting, age, and educational level had no significant effect. Experience seemed to be correlated with higher attitude scores, although the relationship was not statistically significant.

A discouraging trend in many specialty nursing organizations is the stagnant or declining membership. The research committee of the Southeast Texas Chapter of the Association of Rehabilitation Nurses (ARN) collected data and studied this trend to determine what changes would be necessary to increase membership. Using Herzberg's motivational theory as a framework, a review of the literature was initiated. There were few current studies on this issue, but relevant information was found about nursing's emerging workforce, as well as implications of the growth of magnet hospitals, which affect whether nurses join specialty nursing organizations. A multifaceted data-collection approach using convenience samples was designed. First, relevant literature was reviewed. Second, a survey was sent by e-mail to other ARN chapters. Third, a telephone survey on other specialty organizations in the geographic region was completed. Finally, members of the local ARN chapter and four other specialty organizations, as well staff nurses in the geographic area, were given questionnaires to complete. Descriptive statistics and cross tabulations were used to determine why nurses do and do not join specialty organizations (N = 81). The most frequent reasons for joining an organization were to increase knowledge, benefit professionally, network, and earn continuing education units. Reasons for choosing not to participate were family responsibilities, lack of information about these organizations, and lack of time. Ways to reverse the decline in membership are discussed.

Delegation is an essential process that allows nurses to function more effectively and efficiently. The Association of Rehabilitation Nurses' (ARN) Southeast Texas Chapter research committee developed a survey to study registered nurses (RN) practices and knowledge of delegation to unlicensed assistive personnel. State boards of nursing determine delegation practices, so the survey was sent only to Texas ARN members. Benners' Novice to Expert theory was used to study delegation practices based on years of experience, certification, and education. Survey Monkey was used with a questionnaire developed by the research committee. Descriptive statistics analyzed data from the survey's 73 respondents, and chi-square measured significance of differences based on years of experience and certification (yes or no). Data show that delegation knowledge does not necessarily translate to practice, especially when looking at specific tasks performed by certified rehabilitation registered nurses (CRRNs) and non-CRRNs. The data support continued study of this important issue; 93.7% of respondents say delegation requires further discussion.

Halo skeletal traction may be used to immobilize a patient's head and neck following a cervical fracture. Prevention of infectious reactions around the pin sites of halo traction is a priority in rehabilitation nursing practice. Although prophylactic treatment of skeletal pin sites is a generally accepted practice, there is great diversity of opinion and very limited systematic investigation as to how the sites should be treated. In this article, the author reviews the literature on pin site care and suggests a protocol based on the current literature.

Patient privacy issues play a significant role in healthcare policy. However, concern for patient privacy may not always carry over into patient care activities. An Association of Rehabilitation Nurses chapter research committee undertook a study to assess rehabilitation nurses' knowledge of proxemics, personal space, and territoriality and their application in rehabilitation nursing practice. The theoretical framework was Hall's 1966 theory of proxemics. A pretest-posttest design with a 1-hour educational intervention was used with a convenience sample of rehabilitation nurses (N = 43). The tests consisted of 12 multiple-choice questions and 1 open-ended question related to practice. Paired-samples t tests of pretest and posttest scores demonstrated improvement in posttest scores (p <.0005). Analyses of variance were conducted to determine whether there were any differences on the posttest scores when looking at education level, years of work experience, years of work experience in rehabilitation nursing, and certification. Higher education levels correlated with higher test scores (p < .005). Although findings are limited by sample size, results indicate that rehabilitation nurses are not familiar with the impact of proxemics. The nurses'application of these principles in the open-ended question indicates that a patient's personal space in a healthcare setting is determined by the nurse, not the patient. The implications that result from a call to action on these issues are discussed.