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Clinical Practice Update On A Temperature Guideline To Decrease Intraoperative Hypothermia In Patients Undergoing General Anesthesia, Ashley Rigdon

Doctoral Projects

Intraoperative hypothermia is a common problem within the operating room. Anesthesia inhibits the body’s normal thermoregulatory response to hypothermia, redistributing heat from the core to the periphery (Brandt et al., 2009). In the event of hypothermia, the incidence of infection triples as there is an increased risk for blood loss, increased risk for cardiac complications, and the thermal discomfort of patients (Brandt et al., 2009). Following a recent clinical practice guideline can help prevent hypothermia.

A descriptive project was organized utilizing current literature. The sample for this study is 45 CRNAs practicing at a multiple system healthcare facility in the …

Increasing Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists Clinical Self-Efficacy Using Peer Mentoring, Megan Christine Bass

Doctoral Projects

The purpose of this project is to determine if clinical self-efficacy is increased in SRNAs at The University of Southern Mississippi after participation in the peer mentoring program. The project was a one-group pre and posttest design in a sample of SRNAs who received peer mentoring. To evaluate the students’ perceived clinical self-efficacy before and after the peer mentoring educational intervention, the Rowbotham and Schmitz Student Self-Efficacy scale (SSE) (2013) was adapted and administered to second-year SRNAs (N=17). Clinical performance, skill and knowledge development, social interaction with clinical faculty, and coping with clinical stress are the four areas evaluated by …

Evaluation Of Delivery Methods Of Chemical Dependency And Wellness Education, Marissa Coggin

Doctoral Projects

Anesthesia practice is learned in a stressful environment, and these stressors may lead to the students’ development of maladaptive coping mechanisms. Despite significant improvements in our understanding of addiction and our approaches to combat this problem, the risk of substance misuse remains high in nurse anesthesia students. Education and intervention are imperative when taking preventative measures. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to determine whether delivery method of chemical dependency/wellness educational program effects the level of understanding of anesthesia providers and substance misuse and the development of healthy coping mechanisms.

In determining whether the delivery …

Implementing Computerized St-Segment Analysis Utilizing 5-Lead Ecg Cables During The Perioperative Period For Myocardial Ischemia Detection In Patients At Risk For Cardiovascular Disease, Lauren Robertson

Doctoral Projects

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States (U.S.) annually (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2011). Mississippi has a disproportionately higher percentage of citizens likely to have CVD (Mississippi State Department of Health [MSDH], n.d.). The numerous stressors related to surgery are alone enough to increase the demand of the heart and lead to ischemia of the myocardium. Surgical stressors combined with preexisting CVD can exponentially increase the risk of ischemia. It is estimated that over a third of all surgical patients have ischemic heart disease. Puelacher et al. (2015) reported 40% …

Administering Dexamethasone Prior To Peripheral Nerve Blocks, Jacob Millwood

Doctoral Projects

Post-operative pain creates burdens for the patient and their family members while also drastically increasing the price of cost to the healthcare system. The Institute of Medicine Committee on Advancing Pain Research, Care, and Education states that the annual economic cost of chronic pain in adults is $560-630 billion (IOM, 2011). Regional anesthesia has been shown to provide potent analgesia that often times leads to a reduction in systemic analgesic requirements, opioid related side effects, general anesthesia requirements, and possibly the incidence of chronic post-operative pain. There are several adjunct medications that can be combined with peripheral nerve blocks to …

Proposed Practice Change To Perform Ultrasound Lung Scans Immediately Following Upper Extremity Peripheral Nerve Blocks To Rule Out A Pneumothrax, Robert Gaston

Doctoral Projects

Regional anesthesia is a technique that can be used for a variety of surgeries. There are risks involved when regional anesthesia is performed. Specifically when upper extremity nerve blocks are performed a potential complication is a pneumothorax. The purpose of this DNP project was to propose a practice change to perform ultrasound (US) lung scans immediately following upper extremity peripheral nerve blocks to rule out a pneumothorax. A needs assessment was conducted at the host facility to determine if the anesthesia providers were aware that US was a method that could be useful for detection of a pneumothorax. Currently, the …

Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation In The Obese Patient Population An Intervention To Enhance Oxygenation: A Quality Improvement Project, Justin Smith

Doctoral Projects

Obesity is a comorbidity that can be challenging to the anesthetist. Patients who are obese are at risk for rapidly desaturating after becoming apneic during the induction of a general anesthetic. This rapid desaturation is mainly attributed to their decreased oxygen reserve that is a result of their obesity. Mississippi is known to have a disproportionately higher percentage of citizens who are obese, compared to other states (Johnson, 2016). Desaturation in the obese is important to avoid because it leads to atelectasis and prolongs recovery. When an anesthetist is providing a general anesthetic to the obese patient population, it is …

The Relationship Between Parental Leave Policies And Infant Mortality: Global Policies, Local Practices, Jennifer Balcazar

Honors Theses

Study objective: Increased maternity leave has been shown to have a positive impact on maternal and child health, and increases the length of time that mothers breastfeed their infants. After childbirth, working women must decide if/when they will return to the workforce. These decisions are based on many factors. The purpose of this project is to determine the impact of current United States’ (US) family leave policies on Mississippi mothers’ decisions to return to work after the birth of their first child.

Study Design and Methods: A comprehensive survey was developed to collect information about mothers’ decisions to return to …

Subanesthetic Ketamine For Postoperative Analgesia: An Evidenced-Based Project, Jeremy Vance

Doctoral Projects

Roughly 100 million surgical procedures are performed in the United States (U.S.) each year and more than 80% of these patients experience acute postoperative pain. Pain costs the U.S. an estimated $560 to $635 billion annually and is a significant contributor to national rates of mortality, morbidity, and disability. Despite these findings, patients continue to receive suboptimal postoperative pain relief.

The adjunct administration of subanesthetic ketamine is opioid-sparing and can improve the effectiveness of a multimodal pain management approach. This project used an exploratory descriptive design to examine how an evidence-based presentation impacted the clinical practice of certified registered nurse …

The Use Of Culturally Sensitive Education On Organ Donation And Its Impact On Attitudes And Willingness To Donate Organs, James Winters

Doctoral Projects

In regards to transplantation, ethnic minorities are disproportionately affected by the donor shortage. The high morbidity rates and decreased willingness to donate commonplace among these demographics has created a devastating imbalance. Increasing minority donor presence will make the allocation process more favorable for minority candidates. The current study entailed the provision of a culturally sensitive educational intervention to sixty-five (n=65) students at the University of Southern Mississippi. Surveys were administered pre/post intervention to assess knowledge and attitudes towards donation. Pre-intervention data reflected findings from prior research, post-intervention data showed that the intervention was able to mitigate these findings and that …

Implementing Nerve Blocks For Patients Undergoing A Bilateral Mastectomy With Immediate Reconstruction: A Practice Change, Corey Beene Auerswald

Doctoral Projects

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women. A mastectomy is one of the first line treatments for breast cancer, but it is associated with considerable postoperative pain. Literature suggests current methods of pain management are ineffective and regional anesthesia can help reduce postoperative complications following a bilateral mastectomy with immediate reconstruction. Information from the literature review was used to inform five anesthesia providers at a rural hospital in Mississippi about the benefits of regional anesthesia for patients having a mastectomy. A presentation was given to anesthesia providers regarding the benefits of paravertebral blocks (PVB) for …

The Development Of A Wayfinding Smart Phone Application As A Large Healthcare Facility Investment Opportunity, Jessie Fortson Marshall

Doctoral Projects

Health care is a continually growing field. New hospitals are constantly being built, while older facilities are experiencing renovation and expansion. With this growth comes a set of difficulties for patients as they try to navigate through large, multi-building facilities. Most large facilities have multiple parking garages, numerous buildings, and medical towers with an unending number of floors. Patients are forced to rely on directional signage to find their destination that is often insufficient. Attempting to navigate through large facilities is often overwhelming for visitors leading to frustration and stress.

New technology has allowed a convenient solution to this problem …

Implementing The Use Of Intracuff Alkalinized Lidocaine Among Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists: A Practice Change Proposal, Shawn Taylor

Doctoral Projects

Patients today are experiencing comorbidities predisposing them to increased risk under general anesthesia. Emergence cough reflex is a response that can lead to hemodynamic alterations occurring during emergence and the postoperative period for many patients requiring general endotracheal tube anesthesia (GETA). It is proposed that 38% to 96% of patients receiving GETA will experience coughing during emergence (As, Iqbal, & Ali, 2009; Watkins, Lee, White Jr, & Mundy, 2012).

The use of intracuff alkalinized lidocaine is an intervention shown to be effective in previous studies at blunting this response during anesthesia emergence. Through verbal communication with CRNAs, it was discovered …

The Effects Of In-Service Education On Workplace Incivility For Crnas, Tran King

Doctoral Projects

Workplace incivility (WPI) affects many healthcare providers, including Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists. This project was an exploration of the prevalence, nature, and sources of WPI affecting CRNAs. The project’s intervention was an in-service education on WPI for CRNAs. The purposes of the project were to measure the effectiveness of the in-service education in increasing awareness of CRNAs about WPI; and to offer a practice change proposal in terms of a policy against WPI in the anesthesia department.

A Needs Assessment Survey and Demographic Data Information form were distributed from Survey Monkey to participants’ email by way of blind copy. Data …

Implementation Of The Sleep Treatment And Education Program For Students (Steps) In Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Nicolina Marie Vaught

Doctoral Projects

In the pursuit of graduate level education, student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) undertake curricula requiring an immense investment of time attending didactic classes and clinical training, studying, and completing assignments. The required time commitment combined with the stress accompanying these responsibilities have the potential to leave the SRNA with inadequate time for an optimal amount of sleep, contribute to sleep disturbances, and ultimately result in sleep-related fatigue (SRF). SRF in the SRNA population is a problem because it is imperative for both patient and student safety that SRNAs attain adequate sleep to allow for optimal cognitive function.

This DNP project …

Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist Simulation Training With The Use Of Cognitive Aids In Malignant Hyperthermia Recognition And Treatment, Daniel Martin

Doctoral Projects

One of the most stressful times in the life of a student registered nurse anesthetist (SRNA) is during the integration of didactic work with that of clinical anesthesia practice (Chipas et al., 2012). One method that has been proven effective in other avenues of student nursing education is the use of procedural simulation labs. These simulation labs allow SRNAs to experience what it is like to be in the operating room setting, while also showing distinct differences within each case, treatment, and the importance to be familiar with all aspects of anesthesia. The purpose of this project was to examine …

Preoperative Fluid Therapy To Decrease Postoperative Nausea And Vomitting In High Risk Populations: Practice Change Outcomes, Brandi Scarbrough Carmichael

Doctoral Projects

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) continues to be a negative complication that impacts patient satisfaction and potentiates unfavorable patient outcomes. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNA) are in a unique position to help alleviate this problem. However, CRNAs must be vigilant in utilizing evidence-based practices that decrease PONV and identifying patients who have increased risk factors for developing PONV.

For this doctoral project, an educational in-service on the use of preoperative fluid therapy to decrease PONV in high risk populations was held with participating CRNAs. This doctoral project’s main purpose was to evaluate CRNAs’ willingness to make a practice change after …

The Influence Of Parental Communication About Sexual Health On Quality Of Emerging Adult Romantic Relationships, Jaclyn Denise Powers

Master's Theses

The research on relationships between parent-child communication about sexuality and sexual communication between adult partners is currently lacking. The current study aims to examine the influence of parent-child sexual communication on adult sexual communication when those children reach adulthood and engage in romantic relationships. Parent-child sexual communication, attachment styles, sexual attitudes, and partner sexual communication were examined for influence on the physical and emotional relationship satisfaction of emerging adults. Study 1 included a quantitative analysis with 553 emerging adults participating in an online survey, and study 2 incorporated a qualitative analysis with an additional 7 emerging adults participating in online …

How To Effectively Improve Nurse-Physician Communication, Savannah R. Lacoste

Honors Theses

A study of the issue of Nurse-Physician communication, its causes, effects, importance, and possible improvements through research. The results suggest both physicians and nurses agree that nurse-physician communication is an important problem, and can be effectively improved in many ways including: a required nurse-physician communication class for pre-medical and pre-nursing students at an undergraduate level, improved and structured communication tools, and inter-professional education (IPE) between nurses and physicians. The research provides the outlooks of twenty-five nurses and twenty-five physicians independently, as well as demonstrating the nurse-physician disconnect through data comparison and analysis.

Physiological Effects Of A Novel Fes Cycling Protocol On A 34-Year-Old Individual With Chronic Paraplegia, Kay Ann Simmons

Honors Theses

Background and Purpose: Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at a higher risk of sedentarism and the health risks that are associated with inactivity (Gorgey, Dolbow, Dolbow, Khalil & Gater, 2015). Because this population has limited exercise options due to paralysis, a new protocol of resistance-guided, high intensity interval training functional electrical stimulation (FES) cycling was developed to allow people with SCI to utilize their paralyzed legs as opposed to their overused arms. This new protocol is important as it provides an opportunity to restore body composition to a more favorable muscle to fat ratio decreasing obesity and increasing …

Recombinant Expression And Purification Of Amyloid-Β In E. Coli, Wisam M. Beauti

Honors Theses

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder that affects people older than 65 years 1,2,5. It is characterized by the presence of extracellular plaque deposits that are seen specifically in the brains of AD patients 4,5. These plaques are mainly comprised of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide aggregates. Aβ plaque production and deposition is believed to drive AD pathogenesis. Studying these proteins is crucial to understanding aspects of AD in order to develop possible therapeutic treatments. Recombinant expression of Aβ can also provide a handle to introduce mutations in the protein to further study their structure-function relationships. However, synthetic Aβ monomer …

Incivility: The Lived Experiences Of Nursing Students, Stephanie M. Pecua

Honors Theses

In this paper, the experience of incivility on nursing students was explored. This project aimed to answer the question: How do acts of incivility among nursing students affect the victims emotionally, psychologically, and physically? A significant part of answering this question involved exploring the meaning of the experience of incivility to the participant students. The research design was qualitative with a phenomenological approach. The participants of the study consisted of 5 volunteer, current nursing students attending the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at The University of Southern Mississippi-Gulf Park campus during the fall 2016 semester. The participants were asked …

An Exploration Of The Effects Of Pronoun Usage In Questionnaires On The Measurement Of Anxiety Sensitivity, Destiny B. Reynolds

Honors Theses

Previous research in the psychology of language has found that first- and second-person pronouns have different uses beyond simply referring to different subjects. First-person pronouns are thought to forge a stronger association between self-concept and emotion (Meissener, 2008), while second-person pronouns are inherently self-distancing (Park, Adyuk & Kross, 2015). The present study sought to apply this knowledge to self-report questionnaires to determine whether pronoun usage influenced self-report scores of anxiety sensitivity. Both the ASI-3 and a second-person revised version were given to participants during prescreening, baseline, and post-anxiety-intervention measures and assessed for differences. Prescreen analysis revealed that the revised ASI-3 …

Perceptions Of Iontophoresis Amongst Mississippi Athletic Trainers, Jessica E. Ringo

Honors Theses

Research in the field of modalities is growing quickly, however there is a substantial lack of evidence for the use of iontophoresis, especially in the field of Athletic Training. Due to this, the perceptions of iontophoresis have been impacted amongst clinically practicing athletic trainers. Per this survey, while Mississippi licensed athletic trainers are aware of, and have a general knowledge of how to use iontophoresis, there is a lack of uniformity amongst the parameters and pathologies, consistent with those found in the literature. Of the 37.5 athletic trainers who utilize iontophoresis in their clinical setting, none of them reported using …

The Msaabcr Operon Mutant Staphylococcus Aureus Is Deficient In Persister Cells, Aaliyah D. Cole

Honors Theses

Persister cells comprise a phenotypic variant that shows extreme antibiotic tolerance resulting in chronic infections. While this phenomenon has posed a great threat in public health, mechanism underlying their formation in Staphylococcus aureus remains largely unknown. Increasing evidence of the presence of persister cells in recalcitrant infections underscores the great urgency to unravel the mechanism by which these cells are developed. The Elasri Research group characterized msaABCR operon that plays roles in regulation of virulence, biofilm development and antibiotic resistance. It was hypothesized that the operon also plays a role in persister cell formation. In this study, the persister cell …

Nurse Knowledge, Attitude, And Compliance Related To Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, Ellen A. Suss

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine nurses’ knowledge of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the attitude they have towards patients with MRSA, and how well they comply with MRSA protocols. Forty-six nurses participated in this study. A questionnaire assessing knowledge, attitude, and compliance was distributed via email to graduates of the University of Southern Mississippi. The survey had three sections to assess each variable, with 17 true/false questions about knowledge, 10 questions about attitude, and 6 questions about compliance. Overall, nurses in this study had adequate knowledge of MRSA, aside from overt lack of knowledge regarding antibiotic treatment. …

Understanding Stigma In Pre-Nursing College Students, Claire E. Coxwell

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to understand patterns of stigma among pre-nursing students. Past research has suggested that college students stigmatize mental illnesses. This study builds upon existing research and looks at how pre-nursing students perceive some mental illnesses. The goal of the study was to find out if there are differences in the way that pre-nursing students stigmatize people with substance use disorders (alcohol and drug abuse) and eating disorders (anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa). Using an electronic data collection tool, 523 pre-nursing students were invited to take the Attitudes to Mental Illness Questionnaire (AMIQ) and respond to …

Professional Nursing Values: Accounts Of The Witnessed, Ashley N. Costello

Honors Theses

In this research, the lived experience of nursing students in the clinical setting, specifically experiences relating to professional nursing values, were explored. This project aimed to answer the following questions: 1) How do student nurses describe observations of professional nursing values exhibited or violated by licensed nurses during the students’ clinical rotations? (2) What meaning do student nurses’ assign to and extract from their observations, particularly as it relates to how students believe it will influence their own future nursing practice? This research was qualitative with a phenomenological approach. Eight participants enrolled in senior level nursing clinical courses at The …

How Parenting Style Relates To Adolescent Substance Abuse In An At-Risk Male Population, Bailee R. Brewer

Honors Theses

Parents have an important role in their children’s development. There is evidence that parenting behaviors such as parental involvement, monitoring of children, and inconsistent discipline play a role in adolescent substance use. The purpose of this study is to document perceptions of parenting behaviors among youth at a residential boot camp facility for at-risk adolescents, and to relate those perceptions to youths’ self-reported history of substance use. This study adds to previous research on parenting behavior by examining the parenting behaviors reported by troubled youth, rather than the more typically studied normative youth. Additionally, this study tests whether previously reported …

An Exploratory Study Of The Utilization Of Evidence-Based Pharmacological Treatment On Heart Failure Patients In Mississippi And Its Impact On Readmission, Keri A. Barron

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of adherence to evidence-based guidelines for pharmacologic management by select Mississippi hospitals and their hospital readmission rates. This was an exploratory study with a retrospective design. This design offered insight into the relationship between readmissions of heart failure patients and adherence to the national guidelines for the pharmacologic treatment of heart failure. The study took place in a hospital in the southeastern section of the United States. Data were collected from a database of patients with heart failure seen between January 2011 and June 2014.

The unit of analysis for …