Digital Commons Network^™

Perceived Power By Nurse Managers In Dialysis Units: A Qualitative Case Study, Janie Griner

Dissertations

Nurses comprise the largest workforce in health care but lack power despite their numbers. Nurses have suffered short-staffing, burnout, job dissatisfaction, unsafe work settings, and cumbersome technology for decades. The dialysis nurse manager is an important component of the dialysis unit and plays a role in the retention and recruitment of nurses. Using a case study approach this qualitative, thematic analysis described dialysis nurse managers’ perception of power in dialysis units. A review of the current research revealed a gap involving dialysis nurse managers’ perception of power in the dialysis unit. The following research question was developed: • How do …

Perceptions Of Stress In Community Clinic Nurses During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jomeka Smith

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the largest healthcare crises that has affected the entire healthcare industry. Community health nurses in the front-line roles are greatly threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic that has decimated healthcare systems. The well-being of nurses is vital to perform their full potential of adequate patient care. Increased demands and pandemic related stressors can increase the risk of mental health problems. Nurses work in a variety of healthcare settings, however, the expectations, the fear of the unknown, and changes in demands have largely contributed to the unprecedented stressors that accompany nurses in clinical settings. Stress among …

The Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health And Acculturation On Quality Of Life In Older Chinese American Adults With Chronic Pain: A Quantitative Study, Chi Lam

Dissertations

Despite a rapid increase in the older Chinese American adult population, there are very few research studies examining the impact of social determinants of health and acculturation on the quality of life in older Chinese American adults. The purpose of the study was to determine the impact of social determinants of health and acculturation on quality of life in older Chinese American adults with chronic pain. This quantitative, descriptive correlational study utilized Madeleine Leininger’s Transcultural Theory as its theoretical framework. Two research questions guided this study: (1) Was there a difference in the quality of life in older Chinese American …

Where Have All The Surgical Nurses Gone? Staffing Shortages In Surgical Departments Post Covid-19 Shutdowns, Phoenix Neal

Dissertations

March 2020 changed the healthcare field entirely. When the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the United States in early 2020, it was recommended that surgical departments nationwide shutdown altogether or at least decrease their workloads to exclusively emergent procedures. This step was taken both to save surgical equipment for more critical patients and to offload those staff members from surgical departments to more critical areas in the hospital systems.

This exploratory study was completed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 surgical department shutdowns on current surgical staffing. This research explored different factors such as health insurance availability, childcare availability, shift change, …

Nursing Faculty Perceptions Of Stress, Coping, And Intent To Leave The Profession In The Ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic: A Quantitative Study, Lynlee Morgan

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all of society to varying degrees; this impact was especially true in higher education due to an overnight transition to distance learning and incessant pivots to meet new guidelines and overcome obstacles. Nursing faculty were significantly impacted due to the responsibility of producing safe, qualified, competent practitioners to provide care in the clinical setting. The limitations in or exclusions from clinical experiences combined with the fact that faculty were managing personal concerns and had never encountered these unprecedented conditions exacerbated the challenge of preparing new nurses. This study was critical due to the faculty role and …

Chaos Is Not Rational: Nursing Leadership And Intuition In Disaster Preparedness And Response, Sarah Banks

Dissertations

Nurses are looked upon as leaders in disaster preparedness and response. Charged with making life-altering decisions, experienced nurse leaders utilize analytical and intuitive strategies to manage crisis situations. Rarely recognized by upper-level management and educational institutions, intuition is our natural ability to know something without any evidence or validation. Intuition allows us to make decisions in ever-changing circumstances when solutions are not obvious. Though difficult to explain, intuition is a powerful skill that gives nurse leaders the confidence needed to make decisions based on their previous experience. Experienced nurse leaders utilize intuition to arrive at a solution without conscious awareness …