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Prevention Management Of Postoperative Nausea And Vomiting In Ambulatory Setting: How Well Are We Identifying Patients With Motion Sickness?, Sheila A. Capasso

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) and postdischarge nausea and vomiting (PDNV) continue to be a serious problem in the ambulatory setting. These symptoms are among the most undesired complications following surgery and can adversely affect the quality of recovery for many patients. Previous research has concluded that the identification of risk factors for PONV/PDNV is a first step in developing effective prevention strategies. The purpose of this study was to examine the incidence of PONV/ PDNV in the ambulatory setting in female clients who were treated with transdermal scopolamine (TDS) for motion sickness as compared to those patients who were …

Online Learning Modules And Nursing Students' Knowledge Of Tuberculosis, Monica L. Kunkel

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Tuberculosis is identified as a major global health issue. Recommendations for increased training for health professionals from both the Institute of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health have been outlined. Nursing curriculum tools developed by the National Tuberculosis Consortium and presented through online learning modules were utilized in an experimental study of baccalaureate nursing students. Knowles’ Theory of Adult Learning provided the theoretical framework for the study. The test scores on a thirty question multiple-choice exam of students who participated in the intervention are compared to those of students who only participated in the regular course content. Although the …

Contributing Factors To Hospital Readmissions, Susan M. Amalfitano

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Aims and objectives. To investigate the elderly patient’s perspective about the reasons for discharge to home being unsuccessful, resulting in rehospitalization. Background. Elderly patients have a high rate of readmission to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Starting in October of 2013, hospitals having a high rate of readmission of patients with heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction (MI), and pneumonia (PNA) will face financial penalties. Evidence indicated that by utilizing risk prediction tools and incorporating transition interventions the risk of a hospital readmission may be reduced. Design. A qualitative, descriptive design was used. Methods. In 2013, a student investigator …

Intra-Femoral Sheath Time: Does It Increase A Patient's Risk For Developing A Hematoma?, Colleen O'Brien Planchon

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Despite advancements in technology and medication therapy, coronary artery disease continues to remain the number one cause of death. Treatment for coronary artery disease requires life style modifications, medication therapy, percutaneous coronary interventions, and sometimes coronary artery bypass surgery. Though percutaneous coronary interventions are considered safe and are commonly occurring procedures, there are still risks for complications. One of the most frequently occurring complications is hematoma of the femoral artery site. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was an increased incidence of hematomas in individuals undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with associated sheath times of less than …

A Palliative Care Program Evaluation, Kathleen M. Robinson

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Palliative care is a growing field in response to the healthcare needs of people suffering with the consequences of serious health issues. As an evolving specialty, palliative care needed criteria to denote and measure quality. National leading specialist in palliative care have developed and promoted standards for care and excellence in this field, however, it is critical for palliative care programs to evaluate the manner and extent to which these standards are incorporated into their care. A program evaluation of an existing Palliative Care Program at a VA hospital was undertaken. National guidelines and standards, that specify preferred structures and …

Booking The Appointment: A Strategy To Reduce Readmissions In Heart Failure Patients, Lindsey Moran

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Heart failure (HF) is a chronic condition that is the cause for many hospitalizations in the United States. Hospital readmission is a common problem in many chronic conditions, especially heart failure. The purpose of this research was to determine if scheduling a follow-up appointment with a primary care provider (PCP) or cardiologist prior to hospital discharge decreases 30-day readmission rates in patients with a primary diagnosis of HF. A quasi-experimental, two-group study was performed at The Miriam Hospital, a 247-bed acute care hospital, with a sample of 60 patients. A retrospective chart audit was performed to determine if 30-day readmission …

Implementation Of A Nurse-Driven Mobility Protocol In Critical Care, Kim M. Uustal

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Prolonged immobilization plays an important role in negative outcomes of critically ill patients. Immobility is widely documented in the literature as a cause of increased mortality and complications. Despite the growing evidence in support of early mobility, many ICUs are unable to effectively integrate early/progressive mobility into their daily practice. Literature supports early mobilization and physical therapy as a safe and effective intervention that can have a significant impact on functional outcomes. A progressive mobility tool may help to force a daily structured assessment of current mobility status, which supports the critical thinking process by the nurse and team to …

An Exploration Of The Barriers In The Prevention And Control Of High Blood Pressure Among West African Immigrants In Rhode Island, Ntaobasi Patrick Udeh

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

This is a report of a pilot study to explore the barriers to the prevention and control of high blood pressure by West African immigrants in Rhode Island. The incidence of high blood pressure is high in African Americans with many possible contributory factors documented. However, little is known about possible barriers to the control of high blood pressure among specific black ethnic populations such as West African immigrants living in Rhode Island. A qualitative research design employing a semi-structured interview was utilize to explore the issue. The barriers to high blood pressure management reported by these West Africans immigrants …

Association Between Breastfeeding And Infant Growth: A Probable Reverse Causality, Shraddha Vyas

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Much conflicting results exist in the association between breastfeeding and infant growth. One of these confusions is related to the temporal sequence between breastfeeding practice and infant growth.

Objective: This study aimed at examining the association and investigating a possible reverse causality between breastfeeding and infant growth.

Method: Infant Feeding Practices Survey II, a national longitudinal database with repeated measurements, following women prenatally and until one year postpartum (N=2914) was used. Mixed linear model assessed the impact of breastfeeding from the 2nd, 4th, 6th and 9th months on infant growth at the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 12th months, respectively. …

A Qualitative Study Of An Urban Community Garden: Creating Healthier Neighborhood Environments, Lauren Workman

Theses and Dissertations

Neighborhoods influence population level health; the places where people live, work, and grow are an essential setting for health promotion interventions. In efforts to create healthier neighborhood environments, there is a movement to better understand neighborhood social characteristics. The neighborhood social environment potentially includes social relationships (including trust and cohesion), networks, norms, and the resources that may be generated from relationships. In addition, more work is needed to learn about how people may become engaged in neighborhood initiatives. Community gardens are a 1) potential strategy to promote health at community and individual levels 2) mechanism to involve community members in …

Nurses' Attitudes Towards Drug-Seekers In The Emergency Room, Megan E. Gernt

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Emergency department patients often present with a chief complaint of pain. There is a unique population of patients who present with this chief complaint in an effort to obtain narcotics for non-medical use. This population is often referred to as drug-seekers and there is little information available to define what exactly nurses mean when they use this term. This study utilized a descriptive survey design to gain a better understanding of nurses’ use of the term drug-seeker. Respondents agreed on a variety of behaviors that lead them to identify patients as drug-seeking and expressed a frustration with this population of …

Race, Ethnicity, And Differential Perceptions Of Sexual Victimization (Assault), Kaleea Regina Lewis

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this pilot study is to ascertain how a sample of female college students perceives a hypothetical victim of a fabricated sexual assault. Participant perceptions of the sexual assault were explored through three distinct parameters: (1) victim responsibility attributes, (2) levels of trauma suffered due to the experience, and (3) levels of social support. This study addressed the two following research questions: (1) how does the hypothetical sexual assault victim's race and ethnicity affect how the study parameters are assessed and (2) how do participants perceive a hypothetical sexual assault victim, when presented in different races and ethnicities, …

Survivorship, Infertility And Parenthood: Experiencing Life After Cancer In Puerto Rico, Karen Elizabeth Dyer

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

While incidence rates are increasing for many cancers in Puerto Rico, mortality rates are declining (Torres-Cintron, et al. 2010), resulting in growing numbers of survivors and creating a situation in which long-term survivorship concerns are beginning to emerge as priorities. The importance of quality-of-life among survivors of cancer is increasingly being recognized among healthcare providers, although there remains a gap in knowledge of how young adult survivors cope with long-term treatment-related physical effects, such as infertility, and of the impact of cancer on survivors' social relationships and future goals.

Because understandings of "cancer survivorship," as well as of reproduction, vary …