Digital Commons Network^™

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 …

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 …

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 …

A Social Network Study To Improve Collaborative Partnerships Among The Southeastern Health Equity Council (Shec), Candace Forbes Bright, Hannah Scott, Braden Bagley, Jonathan Dennis

Faculty Publications

This report presents research conducted on the relationships among and attributes of members of the Southeastern Health Equity Council (SHEC, herein Council) to provide recommendations for partnerships, collaboration, and the recruitment of new members. The background, methods, results, and recommendations are outlined in detail throughout this report. Social networks are measured and defined as connections among people, organization, and/or other units. SNA is a valuable and innovative tool for recognizing strengths and weaknesses in collaborative partnerships. The evaluative study presented herein can be replicated in other councils within the Regional Health Equity Councils to improve collaborations not only among SHEC …

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 …

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 …

Gulf States Health Policy Center Community Research Fellows Birmingham, Al Evaluation Report, Candace Bright, Braden Bagley

Faculty Publications

The Gulf States Community Research Program (GSCRP) program took place in Birmingham between January 10th, 2017 and May 16th, 2017. This report reflects the implementation and evaluation of a community based participatory training (CBPR) program for this cohort of community members. The report provides data on the assessment of the program’s effectiveness in promoting the role of underserved populations in research by enhancing the capacity for CBPR. In assessing the social network development of the cohort, we seek to understand effectiveness in bridging many community roles to serve the purpose of addressing health disparities. Specifically, the report assesses if the …

Gulf States Health Policy Center Community Research Fellows Mobile, Al Evaluation Report, Candace Bright, Braden Bagley

Faculty Publications

The Gulf States Community Research Program (GSCRP) program took place in Mobile between January 10th, 2017 and May 9, 2017. This report reflects the implementation and evaluation of a community based participatory training (CBPR) program for this cohort of community members. The report provides data on the assessment of the program’s effectiveness in promoting the role of underserved populations in research by enhancing the capacity for CBPR. In assessing the social network development of the cohort, we seek to understand effectiveness in bridging many community roles to serve the purpose of addressing health disparities. Specifically, the report assesses if the …

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.

Comparative Analyses Of Zebrafish Anxiety-Like Behavior Using Conflict-Based Novelty Tests, Elana V. Kysil, Darya A. Meshalkina, Erin E. Frick, David J. Echevarria, Denis B. Rosemberg, Caio Maximino, Monica Gomes Lima, Murilo S. Abreu, Ana C. Giacomini, Leonardo J.G. Barcellos, Cai Song, Allan V. Kalueff

Faculty Publications

Modeling of stress and anxiety in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) is increasingly utilized in neuroscience research and central nervous system (CNS) drug discovery. Representing the most commonly used zebrafish anxiety models, the novel tank test (NTT) focuses on zebrafish diving in response to potentially threatening stimuli, whereas the light-dark test (LDT) is based on fish scototaxis (innate preference for dark vs. bright areas). Here, we systematically evaluate the utility of these two tests, combining meta-analyses of published literature with comparative in vivo behavioral and whole-body endocrine (cortisol) testing. Overall, the NTT and LDT behaviors demonstrate a generally good cross-test correlation …

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 …

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 …

William Walker And The Seeds Of Progressive Imperialism: The War In Nicaragua And The Message Of Regeneration, 1855-1860, John J. Mangipano

Dissertations

For a brief period of time, between 1855 and 1857, William Walker successfully portrayed himself to American audiences as the regenerator of Nicaragua. Though he arrived in Nicaragua in June 1855, with only fifty-eight men, his image as a regenerator attracted several-thousand men and women to join him in his mission to stabilize the region. Walker relied on both his medical studies as well as his experience in journalism to craft a message of regeneration that placated the anxieties that many Americans felt about the instability of the Caribbean. People supported Walker because he provided a strategy of regeneration that …

A Motivational Profile Of Nurses Who Pursue Doctoral Education, Tomekia Yvette Luckett

Dissertations

The need for nurses to pursue doctoral education is imperative to the professionalization of the discipline of nursing in light of the changing healthcare environment. Presently, < 1% of the nursing workforce possesses a doctoral degree (“Transforming Nursing Education,” 2016), albeit recommendations from the Institute of Medicine (IOM) (2010) admonish the need to increase the number of doctoral-prepared nurses. The need to understand characteristics of nurses who seek doctoral education is critical in planning long-term strategies for nursing education in the United States (US) (Kovner, Brewer, Katigbak, Djukic, & Fatehi, 2012). In conjunction with describing characteristics of nurses pursuing doctoral education, this research describes the motivational orientation and factors of registered nurses (RNs) pursuing doctoral education.

A descriptive correlational design was utilized to examine concepts relating to motivational orientation of RNs pursuing doctoral education. Participants were divided into two categories: (a) RNs seeking the Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) degree and (b) RNs pursuing the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree. A total of 173 RNs enrolled in either a Ph.D. or DNP program in the Gulf South region of the US comprised the final sample. Binary logistic regression was utilized …

Decreasing Cost In The Gi Endoscopy Suite By Utilizing Best Sedation Practices, Casey Brianne Mancini

Doctoral Projects

Colorectal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death in the United States (Mandel, Tanner, Lichtenstein, Metz, Katzka, Ginsberg, & Kochman, 2008; Siegel, DeSantis, & Jemal, 2014). Because this lethal disease claims lives of many people every year, more patients are undergoing screening colonoscopies, which have greatly aided in decreasing the number of colorectal cancer deaths (Siegel et al., 2014). The most common form of sedation for colonoscopies is moderate sedation with a benzodiazepine and an opioid (Cohen, Hightower, Wood, Miller, & Aisenberg, 2004; Lera dos Santos, et. al., 2013). However, sedation by anesthesia providers using propofol is becoming more …

Provider Based Interventions To Mitigate Risk For Opioid Pain Medication Abuse Among Adult Patients In A Primary Care Setting, Sheree Lamara Conley-Donaldson

Doctoral Projects

Mental and substance use disorders are predicted to exceed all physical disease processes causing major disability by 2020. Misuse and overdose of opioid pain medications is a significant public health concern in the United States. Approximately 1 in 4 patients receiving prescription opioids in primary care settings struggle with misuse. Half of all opioid prescriptions are written by primary care providers, including nurse practitioners. The purpose of this DNP project was to determine if nurse practitioner providers are implementing evidence-based practice guidelines including screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) to mitigate risk of prescription opioid pain medication misuse …

An Analysis Of Ed Nurse Opinion Of Their Ed Nurse Manager Leadership Characteristics And Outcomes, Charlotte Ann Gore

Dissertations

The purpose of this cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study was to examine ED staff nurses’ opinions of their ED nurse managers’ full range of leadership characteristics , the degree to which the characteristics correlate with specific outcomes of leadership behavior, and how the results of the measure and subscale compare to other nursing groups in literature. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire 5X Rater Form (MLQ 5X Rater Form) was used to measure ED staff nurses’ opinions of their ED nurse managers, along with an ED Staff Nurse Demographics Questionnaire to gather information about the characteristics of the population. The population for this …

Defining Deliberate Practice In Supervised Dietetics Education, Kevin D. Haubrick

Dissertations

Deliberate practice serves as a potential framework to understand what activities, attributes, and characteristics make an individual an expert in their chosen field or profession. Historically, deliberate practice activities included those that were highly structured with purposeful goals, frequent repetition, and active feedback with immediate remediation. Deliberate practice has never been defined within the context of supervised dietetics education; therefore, the purpose of this research was to develop a valid and reliable instrument to define deliberate practice in supervised dietetics practice, based on the opinions of practitioners and educators in dietetics and allied health professions. Segment one of the research …

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 …

Patients' Perspective Of Disease And Medication Adherence For Type 2 Diabetes In An Urban Area In Bangladesh: A Qualitative Study, Sheikh Mohammed Shariful Islam, Tuhin Biswas, Faiz A. Bhuiyan, Kamrun Mustafa, Anwar Islam

Faculty Publications

Background: Patients’ perspective of diabetes and adherence to its prescribed medications is a significant predictor of glycemic control and overall management of the disease. However, there is a paucity of such information in Bangladesh. This study aimed to explore patients’ perspective of diabetes, their experience of taking oral hypoglycemic medications and explore factors that contribute to medication adherence in patients with type 2 diabetes in Bangladesh.

Methods: We conducted in-depth face-to-face interviews with 12 type 2 diabetes patients attending a tertiary hospital in Dhaka city between February and March, 2014. Participants were purposively sampled representing different age groups, …