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Servant Leadership Towards Cultural Competency And Critical Thinking: A Mixed Methods Study In Zambia, Jill Marie Brown

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

There is a paucity of occupational therapy literature related to the professional development process that occurs when students participate in immersive, international servant leadership experiences in developing countries. A scarcity of literature exists on how such culturally rich experiences can influence the development of the participating students’ dispositional critical thinking and cultural competency skill sets. This mixed methods study depicts how a 3-week servant leadership experience in Zambia, Africa, measured the acquisition of dispositional critical thinking and cultural competency skill sets in novice to experienced occupational therapy students. Moreover, this study infuses a constructivist grounded theory approach to uncover a …

Community-Based Occupational Therapy Practice Among Older Adults: A Delphi Study, Kristin Domville

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

This capstone project explores the socio-political environment of current and potential community-based occupational therapy (OT) services among community-dwelling older adults, including the current state of community-based OT practice and the current awareness of OT’s potential impact on health and wellness among community-dwelling older adults. The goal is to identify how to increase the presence of OT in community settings to decrease the occupational injustice among the older adult population. The research method used is the Delphi Method, an anonymous structured communication between experts in the field of community-based OT practice and the older adult population. Experts, provided real-world knowledge and …

Harnessing Nature For Occupational Therapy: Interventions And Health Promotion, Gina Ferra Kaplanis

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Literature is beginning to emerge which states that participation in natural environments can be restorative, provide much needed physical activity and assist with health promotion and prevention of illness. Theories such as Attention Restoration Theory (Kaplan, 1995) and Biophilia Hypothesis (Wilson, 1993) support the benefits for participation in natural outdoor environments. Health benefits of participation in nature including accessing Vitamin D, improving balance, attention restoration, reduced myopia, stress reduction are widely present in literature. Despite the health benefits of participation in nature, occupational therapists rarely complete interventions in the natural environment. Principles of adult learning and occupational adaptation were used …

Impact Of Shoulder Pathology On Individuals With Distal Radius Fracture: A Mixed Methods Study, Sarah Beth Doerrer

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The purpose of this convergent parallel mixed methods study was to expand the understanding of the impact of shoulder pathology on individuals with distal radius fracture (DRF). This included describing the population that had shoulder pathology, comparing participants who had shoulder pathology with participants who did not, and exploring their experiences. The occupational adaptation model guided this study. Recruitment for this study included 45 patients post DRF. Each participant completed a short questionnaire after informed consent was obtained which asked demographic information such as age, gender, race, date of injury, and if the dominant hand was fractured. Over 9 weeks, …

Occupational Therapy Practitioner Knowledge And Use Of Medicaid Home And Community Based Service Waivers, Alyssa Zaffos

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Medicaid Home and Community Based Service (HCBS) waivers have allowed adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to remain in the community rather than transition to institutionalization. HCBS waivers vary drastically from state to state limiting consistency in services offered to adults with IDD within the community. Majority of HCBS waivers offered to adults with IDD do not fund occupational therapy as a habilitative service due to a variety of reasons. Many adults with IDD are negatively impacted by not receiving necessary services. After preliminary research, it was noted that there is limited information regarding occupational therapy practitioner knowledge of …

Development Of A Caregiver Education Support Tool For Family Caregivers Of Older Adults With Dementia, Sarah Guariglia

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

For every person diagnosed with dementia, four family members are affected and burdened with providing care. Providing familial care is associated with greater psychological, social, and emotional burden on the caregiver. Caregivers are not provided with adequate education to support successful caregiving and aging in place. This capstone project developed and piloted a caregiver education support tool to simplify the process of finding caregiver education. Five caregivers participated in interviews to guide the development of the support tool, next completed the Likert questionnaire, and tested the caregiver education support tool. Four themes were identified: (1) burden, (2) loss, (3) unmet …

Occupation-Based Practice In Occupational Therapy, Sarah Psillas

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: The positive impact of occupation and well-being has been documented throughout the literature, however, the direct link of using occupation-based practice (OBP) and improvement of client outcomes has not been well established. This research study considered what OBP is, what the constructs are that comprise it, and how facilitators and barriers impact its use. Results: Results of this grounded theory study included four main constructs of occupation-based practice (actual occupation, meaningful and purposeful value, therapeutic intent, and engaged participation) as well as the theory of OccupationalTherapist’s Dynamic Use of Occupation-Based Practice. This theory explains the dynamic process that a …

Creating Confident And Connected Families: A Program To Improve Parental Self-Efficacy In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Kelly Simpson

Occupational Therapy Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) require life sustaining intervention for weeks to months after birth. This intervention is remarkably stressful for both the infant, who is ill-equipped to handle life outside the womb, and for the parents who are filled with fear and stress due to the illness of their son or daughter. The experience of hospitalization can lead to stress, shame, anxiety, and even post-traumatic stress disorder for families of NICU infants. Knowledge about the unique stressors, challenges, and needs for support of preterm infants has proven helpful to boost confidence and feelings of wellbeing within …

Effect Of Aflibercept On Macular Retinal Layers And Peripheral Non Perfusion In Subjects With Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy, Swetha Bindu Velaga

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: The relation between UWF fluorescein angiography (FA) and retinal non-perfusion were studied previously. The relationship between retinal thickness and retinal non-perfusion in subjects with diabetic retinopathy has not been studied using SD-OCT and UWF. Thus, in this current study we used SD-OCT to visualize the individual layers of retina and to evaluate whether the extent of non-perfusion is correlated with macular retinal layer thickness in subjects with PDR with no diabetic macular edema.

Methods: In this prospective longitudinal multicenter, randomized study a total of 36 eyes of thirty six subjects were included in final analysis. Subjects with any history …

Practice Makes The Deficiency Of Global Motion Detection In People With Pattern-Related Visual Stress More Apparent, Jana Wegrzyn

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Pattern-related visual stress (PRVS) refers to the perceptual difficulties experienced by some individuals when exposed to high contrast striped patterns. People with PRVS were reported to have reduced sensitivity to global motion at baseline testing and the difference disappears at a second estimate. The present study was to investigate the effect of practice on global motion threshold in adults with and without PRVS. Methods: A total of 101 subjects were recruited and the Wilkins & Evans Pattern Glare Test was used to determine if a subject had PRVS. The threshold to detect global motion was measured with a random dot …

Long Term Efficacy Of A Supraciliary Micro-Stent Combined With Cataract Surgery In The Treatment Of Glaucoma, Michael Robert Mcfarland

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the long-term efficacy of supraciliary micro-stent implantation in combination with phacoemulsification in the treatment of mild-moderate primary open angle glaucoma (POAG). Methods: Retrospective data of patients previously enrolled in the “Study of an Implantable Device for Lowering Intraocular Pressure in Glaucoma Patients Undergoing Cataract Surgery” (COMPASS trial), in which patients with mild-moderate POAG had undergone either cataract surgery alone or cataract surgery combined with implantation of a supraciliary micro-stent, were collected. Eligible patients had since exited the trial and had 5-8 years of postoperative data available. The primary outcome measure was …

A Clinical Documentation Practice Improvement To Increase Insurance Reimbursement, Allison R. Hamilton

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: The National Institute Mental Health (2015) estimated there were about 44.7 million people diagnosed with a serious mental illness and 62.9% of those diagnosed were without mental health services. The loss of services was due to unemployment, reoccurring hospitalization, inabilities to care for themselves, and lack of participation in societal norms (World Health Organization [WHO], 2014). According to Insel (2011/2015), the U.S. cost of mental healthcare was an estimated $57.5 billion in 2006. This cost was not due to actual care but associated with the economic burden of job loss and the excessive use of community resources. The Affordable …

Relationship Between Emotional Intelligence And Resilience Among Newly Licensed Registered Nurses Transitioning To The Professional Role, Lee Fong-Hong

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: With the current nursing shortage there are fewer experienced nurses and more newly licensed registered nurses (NLRNs) in the workplace. This shortage may be due in part to inconsistencies between role expectations learned in school and the practice environment. These inconsistencies may make it challenging to transition from nursing school into professional healthcare organizations. Nurses with certain person-level traits, including resilience and emotional intelligence, may be more likely to make a successful transition into practice. Findings may improve our understanding of what person-level traits are important for making the successful transition to the workforce. Purpose: The current study explored …

Improved Use Of Interact To Decrease 30-Day Readmissions From A Skilled Nursing Facility, Folasade Omobowale Adewunmi

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: The rising cost of health care in relation to rehospitalizations continues to be a challenge. Medicare 30-day readmissions have an annual estimated cost of $17.4 billion. Irrespective of these costs and the continued improvement in the quality of care, skilled nursing facilities (SNF) still face high readmission rates. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to enhance SNF care processes by improving the utilization of the electronic medical record software program “INTERACT” to increase early identification and treatments of patients to minimize 30-day hospital readmissions. Theoretical Framework: The theory of planned behavior by Icek Azjen was used. …

Evaluating The Knowledge And Attitudes Of Orthopedic Nurses Regarding The Use Of Sphm Algorithms As A Standard Of Care, Terry L. Doire

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Healthcare workers are ranked among one of the top occupations for musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) injuries that affect the muscles, the bones, the nervous system and due to repetitive motion tasks (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). Numerous high-risk patient handling tasks such as lifting, transferring, ambulating and repositioning of patients cause injuries that can be prevented when evidence-based solutions are used for safe patient handling and mobility (SPHM) tasks.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the knowledge and attitudes of orthopedic nurses regarding the use of SPHM algorithms as the standard of care …

Implementing A Culturally Sensitive Intervention For Haitian Patients Non-Adhering To Hypertensive Medications, Guilaine Gabriel-Percinthe

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: The pervasiveness of hypertension (HTN), morbidity, and mortality in Haitians immigrants are frightening. Nonadherence with hypertensive medications, disease management, lifestyle modifications, and cultural and spiritual beliefs, including prayer; faith healing; use of herbal teas; and a diet that is deficient in potassium, rich in sodium, high in fat, cholesterol, and carbohydrates result in increased prevalence of HTN and disability in the Haitian community. Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to examine the existing system for adherence to hypertensive medications, standardized clinical practice guidelines, identify patients at risk for nonadherence to hypertensive medications, disease management, medical follow-up, …

Lived Experience Of Post-Licensure Nurses In A Perioperative Clinical Rotation, Amy Stahley

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A projected deficit in the perioperative workforce of 32,000 perioperative nurses retiring by 2024, creates an inability to meet the nursing needs of the United States population. The need for experienced perioperative nurses has been increasing while the availability of nurses with perioperative education has been decreasing. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of post-licensure nurses who participated in a perioperative clinical rotation within their baccalaureate nursing program and did that experiential experience affect the recruitment and employment for perioperative nursing to halt the impending shortage. The integrations of Kolb’s experiential learning theory and …

An Educational Initiative To Promote Self-Care Practices In Hispanic Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Geralde S. Bridges

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) has become pandemic and is predicted to increase among Americans. Hispanic Americans are at high risk for the disease. T2D is a causative factor in many chronic illnesses among adults in the United States. A major contributing factor to poor adherence to diabetes treatment plans is knowledge deficit related to the disease, its management, and its complications. Therefore, education in self-care practices is critical in diabetes management.

Purpose: The purpose of this evidence-based quality improvement project (QIP) was to promote self-care practices among T2D Hispanic patients through a diabetes self-management education (DSME) program. The project …

Use Of Evidence-Based Test Development In Pre-Licensure Nursing Programs: A Descriptive Study Of Faculty Beliefs, Attitudes And Values, Richild Berrick

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Effective testing in pre-licensure nursing programs is a challenge in nursing education. Implementing evidence-based test development is essential to successful assessment of students’ competence and preparation for licensure. Purpose: Identifying the beliefs, attitudes and values of nursing faculty will contribute to the use of best practices in student assessments, ultimately contributing to increased retention of competent students and increasing the workforce within the healthcare industry. Theoretical Framework: This study is based on Rokeach’s theory of beliefs, attitudes and values. Methods: A quantitative descriptive research methodology was used in this study using survey data collection. A purposive, non-probability, convenience sample …

Emergency Department Nurses: Post Code Pause, Lynn Alice Hauck

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: The consistent witnessing of death and critical incidents takes an emotional toll on the emergency department (ED) nurses. In addressing critical incident events, research has shown us that debriefing nurses after a traumatic event helped reduce stress and, in turn, decreased staff turnover in the ED at an acute care facility (Hirschinger, Scott, & Hahn-Cover, 2015). Purpose: The purpose of this DNP project was to implement a Post Code Pause (PCP) debriefing tool in conjunction with the hospital’s Unit Practice Council (UPC) members and the ED direct patient care nurses for use after adult and pediatric cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), …

Baccalaureate Nurses’ Experiences And Understanding Of Adults Living With Sickle Cell Disease, Shelia Ann Reid

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a chronic, genetic blood disorder with most treatment interventions geared toward the acute phase of the disease, which often leads to fragmented care. In Canada, the teaching of SCD occurs without a genetic competency, resulting in miscommunication, misunderstanding, and inadequate nursing care. Purpose: This investigator examined baccalaureate nurses’ experiences and understanding of working with adults living with SCD. Methods: A semi-structured interview guide was used to explore baccalaureate nurses' experiences and understanding of working with young adults living with SCD. Results: Lindseth and Norbergs’ (2004) interpretation of Ricoeur’s hermeneutic interpretative phenomenological approach was used …

Philippine-Based Filipino Women And Breast Cancer, Elizabeth S. Azutillo

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background. The rate of breast cancer incidence in the Philippines has increased in recent years. Three out of 100 Filipino women will contract breast cancer before age 75; one out of 100 will die before age 75. Purpose. The study was used to determine the level of knowledge of the respondents about breast cancer and breast cancer screening modalities, the relationship of the level of knowledge and frequency of breast self-examination (BSE) performance; the predictive ability of their health perceptions; modifying variables for their intent to perform BSE, submit to screening mammography, and engage in clinical breast exam (CBE); their …

Factors Affecting The Outcome Of The National Council Licensure Examination Among Nontraditional Learners From Associate Degree Nursing Programs, Angela Cristina Gaud

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background. The composition of student population in higher education is a reflection of a globalized society and current socioeconomic conditions. Characteristics of nontraditional adult learners have a significant impact in the achievement of their academic goals. A more diverse composition of students enrolled in nursing programs poses an important challenge to NCLEX-RN pass/fail outcomes. Studies that explore or predict the factors associated with NCLEX-RN performance amongst nontraditional adult learners after graduation are limited.

Purpose. This study analyzed how the demographic, social, and psychological factors observed in the characteristic profile of the nontraditional adult learner are related to NCLEX-RN performance for …

Grit Associated With New Graduate Registered Nurse Initial Competency, Joan Marie Kavanagh

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The delivery of highly reliable health care is in jeopardy as many new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) enter clinical roles under-prepared for demands of professional practice. Identifying and addressing challenges to safe practice early in the onboarding process were paramount for patient safety at a large Midwestern healthcare system (HCS). Post-hire and pre-practice Performance Based Development System (PBDS) assessments were administered to more than 7,600 NGRNs between January 2011 and December 2018. Only 19% of NGRNs demonstrated entry-level competencies and practice readiness; 26% were unsafe for novice independent practice. Data analysis revealed no differences in competence ratings by nursing degree …

Increasing Hospice Nurses’ Knowledge And Improving Attitudes On Pain Assessment In Dementia Patients, Lyn Marie Peugeot

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: Patients with dementia have difficulty articulating pain due to cognitive deficits incommunication, sensation, and overall physical decline due to the aging and disease process. Patients who have dementia are considered at-risk for uncontrolled pain due to under-assessment, under-treatment, or untreated pain. Current research notes gaps exist in pain assessment among nurses’ due to knowledgedeficits and attitudes on pain assessment for dementia patients. Barriers regarding the utilization of evidence-based behavioral pain assessment tools are related to nurses’ knowledge deficit and skills competency.

Purpose: The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to increase hospice nurses’ knowledge and improve attitudes …

Handoff Communication Among Senior Nursing Students: A Phenomenological Study, Juanita Hanley-Gumbs

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Despite discussions in health care regarding poor communication and its link to patient safety, it was revealed in the literature that many student nurses are inadequately prepared to conduct handoff communication. Student nurses have difficulty in this area due to limited or no experience with the handoff process, which jeopardizes patient safety. The purpose of this research study was to understand how senior nursing students make meaning of their lived experiences with handoff communication. The guiding research question for this study is: How do senior nursing students make meaning of their lived experiences with handoff communication during the change-of-shift report …

Technostress In Nursing And The Big Five, Paula Hope Jackson

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Information about technostress is scant in the nursing literature even with the ubiquitous amount of technology used in thehospital setting as well as the Big Five personality traits. The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence of technostress among hospital nurses and to examine the relationship between technostress and nurses’ personality traits measured by the Big Five Inventory -- openness to experience, consciousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism (OCEAN). The Technostress Creator instrument developed by Tarafdar, Tu, Ragu-Nathan, and Ragu-Nathan (2007) was utilized to identify the percentage of technostress in the five subscales of techno-overload, techno-invasion, techno-complexity, techno-insecurity, and …

Increasing Self-Efficacy And Bystander Cpr Rates: A Train-The-Trainer Program, Amanda Constantino

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background: The majority of cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital, yet a significant portion of the population are not trained to provide bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR). BCPR initiated during an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has numerous benefits and increases positive patient outcomes and survival rates. There is currently a lack of structured training programs that focus on increasing BCPR training rates for OHCA, therefore, the number of individuals trained in BCPR remains low within communities despite evidence showing the clear benefits.

Purpose: The purpose of this evidence-based project was threefold: (a) to increase the number of community members within …

Injury Prevention Inclusion In Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Nursing Curricula, Ali Marie Galindo

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Integrating injury prevention into healthcare education has been recommended for over 10 years. However, the literature reveals little about how injury prevention is incorporated into nursing curricula. This study aimed to evaluate if unintentional injury prevention was being taught in pre-licensure baccalaureatenursing education. The Essentials of Baccalaureate Education for Professional Nursing Practice (2008), the Recommended Baccalaureate Competencies and Curricular Guidelines for Public Health Nursing (2018), and the Institute of Medicine’s Initiative on the Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health (2011) were utilized as the driving forces to support injury prevention inclusion. The research questions inquired if pre-licensure baccalaureate CCNE-accredited …

Physical And Optical Properties Of Provisional Crown And Bridge Materials Fabricated Using Cad/Cam Milling Or 3d Printing Technology, Niranjan Joshi

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Objective: This study compared the physical and optical properties of provisional crown and bridge materials fabricated using CAD/CAM or 3D printing technology. Aim: To compare the biaxial flexural strength, microhardness, translucency parameter and gloss of provisional resin discs fabricated by milling PMMA blocks, versus two different resins printed using 3D printers. Hypothesis: There is no difference in the flexural strength, hardness, translucency and gloss of provisional resins fabricated by different digital technologies. Materials and methods: 90-disc shaped specimens for provisional resins were fabricated using a common digital file. These samples were equally distributed in three groups of 30 each. Group …