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Strategies Over Knowledge: Training Gaps Present In Caring For Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder For Pediatric And Student Nurses, Jasmine E. Johnson

Honors Thesis

With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) prevalence ever increasing among the pediatric population, nurses can expect to see an increase in the number of autistic patients within their clinical practice settings. Previous researchers have shown that pediatric nurses are required to overcome many barriers when working with autistic patients, and adequate training is necessary to achieve genuine patient-centered care. However, parents have reported less than optimal care received by their children with ASD within the healthcare system. Therefore, research is needed to determine where training could be improved for this patient population. This study aimed to identify where training deficits are …

The Effects Of Music Therapy On Pediatric Patients With Congenital Heart Defects In The Pre And Postoperative Setting, Janelle Marie Choy

Nursing | Senior Theses

Congenital heart defects is a prominent medical occurrence especially in pediatrics. These defects often require surgeries and extensive treatment plans. These treatment plans often include invasive surgeries and extensive treatment plans which can require long recovery times along with potential surgical complications. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy on pediatric patients with congenital heart defects in the pre and postoperative setting and how music therapy can be implemented in treatment plans to yield effective recovery results for these patients. This research is significant as elevated vital signs and preoperative anxiety are associated with an increased need …

Promoting Parental Comfort To Facilitate Conversations On Adolescent Sexual Health And Behaviors, Angelina Jolie Banes, Lauren Liddell

Nursing | Senior Theses

This thesis proposal will investigate the impact of a comprehensive digital sexual health education program on the comfort levels of parents and teens when discussing sensitive topics such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The research is guided by Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory, which emphasizes the need to assess and address individuals’ self-care deficits, including the ability to engage in safe and informed sexual behaviors. The research design is a quantitative, quasi-experimental study with a one-group pre and post-test design. The sample consists of 50 parents and 50 teens from Marin County, who will participate in an online …

Lost In Interpretation: The Lived Experience Of Nurse Interpreters In The Clinical Setting, Byron Batz

Dissertations

The use of language interpreters in the health care setting constitutes a vital part of provider-patient communication but remains a relatively unexplored phenomenon. Registered nurses (RNs) are often called upon to serve as interpreters when linguistically diverse patients constitute a large segment of the patient population. That RNs serve simultaneously in an interpreter role – in addition to clinical and advocacy roles – is a complex facet of contemporary nursing practice in a diverse U.S. culture. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to examine the lived experience of RNs serving as interpreters in health care institutions in Southern …

Mandatory Child Abuse And Neglect Reporting Behaviors Among Registered Nurses In New Mexico: A Statewide Comparative Study, Ingrid Ann Wilson

Nursing ETDs

Child abuse and/or neglect (CAN) is a global problem. Although nurses are mandated CAN reporters, a lack of reporting has been an issue. New Mexico (NM) is faced with higher child poverty and CAN-related substance-abuse compared to other U.S. states. This quantitative study aimed to explore factors influencing intended/actual CAN reporting behaviors among NM registered nurses (RN)s, examine relationships of these factors, and compare differences in reporting behaviors between rural and urban locations. A survey to a sample of RNs (N=146) showed factors associated with CAN reporting intended behaviors were work status (r=.21, p < .05), cues to action (r=.20, …

A Lifestyle Modification Intervention In Hispanic Adolescents With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Brianne Miller

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

U.S. population studies have confirmed that the Hispanic population has the highest prevalence and the worst prognosis for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (Katz et al., 2021). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to implement a multicomponent, lifestyle modification intervention in Hispanic pediatric primary care patients to combat the disease process and sequela of NAFLD. The PICOT question for this project was: In Hispanic adolescents aged 10-21 with obesity and NAFLD (P), what is the effect of a multicomponent, lifestyle modification intervention (I), on alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (O), over a 12-week time period (T)? A comprehensive literature search …

Type 1 Diabetes In The Classroom, Ursula Herrell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Type 1 diabetes [T1D] is an autoimmune disease that presents in a pathophysiological disorder as insulin deficiency. Managing this illness during childhood is a constant challenge of maintaining blood glucose levels within a healthy range, resulting in increased stress for children and caregivers. School attendance is one factor that may result in increased stress. Studies have highlighted the fact that teachers of students with T1D may receive little education regarding management of the disease and may be required to make accommodations which can result in confusion, miscommunication, and increased psychosocial stress. The goal of this research was to learn about …

Improving Nursing Comfort In Relation To Difficult Conversations, Sarah Clifton

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background/Purpose

Conversations between care providers and patients are integral to medicine and are the most performed “procedure” (Luff et al., 2016). In Pediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs) and Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Units (PCICUs), children of all ages with diverse diagnoses and needs are treated for critical illnesses and traumatic events. Therefore, providers frequently have difficult conversations with patients and their families. Pediatric critical care nurses are often invited to participate in these discussions. However, their role during, and after, these conversations is not always clear. The goal of this project was to evaluate the impact of an educational …

Childhood And Adolescent Obesity: Related Comorbidities And Interventions, Jasmine Wong

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background

The prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity in the United States has steadily risen over the years and has become a public health concern. Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex. Obese children and adolescents are at risk for poor health and poor quality of life. Furthermore, there are numerous comorbidities associated with childhood and adolescent obesity. While some of the associated diseases are acute, others can become chronic and result in lifelong conditions.

Objective

The purpose of the present thesis is to explore …

The Emerging Epidemic Of Type 2 Diabetes And Obesity Amongst Young Children, Juliana Morales

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background:

In the past years childhood obesity has increased tremendously and currently ⅓ of children in the United States are obese today. Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes are illnesses that can later on lead to more severe health complications when as a child enters adulthood. Children who are obese have a greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, and currently more than 80% of children who already are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are obese. In school and often by health care providers we are told daily physical activity and healthy diet are the best ways to maintain optimal health, …

Pick Your Plate: A Nutrition Education Study, Emmalyn Tucker

Honors College Theses

Childhood obesity has become a cause for concern among many nutrition experts. Childhood obesity can contribute to several health problems such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure. The large percentage of children affected with childhood obesity suggests a lack of essential nutrition education in our country. Junk food consumption and inadequate intake of the USDA’s MyPlate food groups have become essential areas for intervention. Multiple school-based nutrition education interventions have been explored to improve both children’s nutrition knowledge and improve healthy eating behaviors. “Pick Your Plate” is a nutrition education study designed to improve nutrition knowledge regarding junk …

Adolescent Mothers And Kangaroo Mother Care: A Scoping Review, Genna K. Rivers, Robin B. Dail Phd, Rn, Faan, Robin Dawson Phd, Rn, Cpnp-Pc

Senior Theses

Kangaroo mother care (KMC), the practice in which mothers hold their infants skin-to-skin against their bare chest, can increase bonding and attachment between mothers and their infants. However, there is not much research on the benefits of KMC within the adolescent or teen mother population (13-19 years old). The purpose of this scoping review was to identify how common KMC is within the teen mother population, determine how KMC varies based on social determinants of health and race/ethnicity within the adolescent mother population, and how KMC impacts adolescent mothers’ maternal attachment and bonding with their infants. PubMed and CINAHL databases …

The Influence Of Gender Bias On Male Nurses And Nursing Students In The Obstetric, Maternal, And Pediatric Nursing Profession., Julian Alvarez

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This literature review analyzes if gender bias influences the disproportionate number of male nurses and male nursing students in the pediatric, maternal, and obstetric nursing fields as compared to nursing as a whole. PubMed and CINAHL databases were utilized to find 15 research articles focused on the experiences of male nurses and male nursing students. These articles were compared amongst each other to find common themes of the male experience in the nursing fields of pediatrics, maternity, and obstetrics. The three common themes found were 1) Men tend to encounter situations where their professionalism will be monitored more closely when …

Effects Of Dance/Movement Therapy On Pediatric Oncology Patients, Kaitlin Callorina

Nursing | Senior Theses

Pediatric nursing specializes in caring for patients from birth through adolescence; therefore, pediatric nursing can be spiritually challenging but rewarding. This thesis will explore the questions:

• Does dance/movement therapy have the potential to improve the quality of life for children who are diagnosed with cancer?
• How does dance/movement therapy change the quality of life in pediatric cancer patients throughout their diagnosis and treatment?

To aid in answering these questions, this thesis will examine various research articles related to dance/movement therapy and other creative arts therapy as complementary medicine and integrating the activity into nursing care. Children who are diagnosed and …

“I Can’T Be The Nurse I Want To Be”: Stories Of Moral Distress In Pediatric Oncology Nurses’ Caregiving Narratives, Monica L. Molinaro

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

This thesis presents the caregiving narratives of nine pediatric oncology nurses that illustrate the embeddedness of their caregiving and moral distress within institutional contexts that limit their capacity to be the nurses they want to be. Informed by the concepts of moral distress, bearing witness, and narrative repair, a critical narrative methodology was employed to examine the nurses’ caregiving experiences in relation to broader discourses and neoliberal, corporatized health care settings. The nurses’ stories were marked by ambivalence and moral distress and are presented in four narrative themes, which illustrate: the nurses’ struggles to complete their tasks and address multiple …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Barriers To Breastfeeding, Cameron Watson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support Internship allows students to gain insight on breastfeeding practices through volunteering at University of Arkansas sporting events. Therefore, I chose to review prevalent barriers to breastfeeding that mothers in the United States face. These mothers were at least one of these: Hispanic, Marshallese, African American, disabled, employed, a veteran, living in a rural area, or a woman of the general American population. This topic is relevant because of the many benefits that breastfeeding provides for both the baby and the mother.

Tiny Tusks Internship: The Effect Of Health Care Providers' Education And Attitudes Toward Breastfeeding On The Mother's Decision To Breastfeed, Jocelyn Clark

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

There is a stigma surrounding breastfeeding in the public community, places of employment, and health care facilities. This paper focuses on the impact health care workers have on the mother's decision to breastfeed her infant, and her ability to continue breastfeeding as the primary source of infant nutrition. This paper includes experiences from an internship with Tiny Tusks, which provides breastfeeding support to mothers in the Northwest Arkansas area. Tiny Tusks allows for a better understanding of the community's breastfeeding needs and provides support to breastfeeding mothers in order to reduce the stigma associated with breastfeeding. In health care environments, …

Overcoming Obesity: Provider Reminders And Education In Pediatrics, Michelle Warren

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

The prevalence of pediatric overweight and obesity is rising globally (Di Cesare et al., 2019) and results in lifelong chronic health problems and an estimated annual healthcare cost of $14.1 billion (Trasande & Chatterjee, 2009). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to address overweight and obesity in patients between the ages of five and 12 years through the provision of provider reminders, education, and guidelines. Primary outcomes included frequency of diagnosis, frequency of patient referrals, return to see times, and frequency of patient nutrition and activity education while secondary outcomes included patient weight, body mass index (BMI), and …

Optimizing A Pediatric Dka Protocol In A Tertiary Care Hospital System In Northern West Virginia, Jennifer L. Burky

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Background: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is a serious complication of diabetes that occurs when the body compensates for insufficient insulin, producing dangerously high levels of ketones. Without proper treatment, DKA can be fatal. For that reason, staff in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) at a tertiary care hospital in northern West Virginia expressed concerns about the complexity of and lack of adherence to a poorly referenced and dated DKA treatment protocol.

Objective: The purpose of this project was to assess the feasibility and sustainability of optimizing the DKA protocol in the PICU. The primary objective was to implement an updated, …

Pediatric Emergency Department Nurse’S Knowledge And Attitudes Of Pediatric Fluid Resuscitation, Tannah Kimberly O'Brien, Kerry Nolte Phd, Fnp-C, Denise Downey Msn, Rn-Bc, Cpen, Debra Lajoie Jd, Phd, Msn, Rn, Esq., Allison Ivers Msn, Rn, Cnl, Kathleen Sultan Bsn, Rn, Cpen

Honors Theses and Capstones

Background: Rapid fluid resuscitation is essential to the management of pediatric shock, but there are many barriers to published guideline adherence. Limited evidence describing emergency department (ED) nurse’s knowledge and attitudes of fluid resuscitation exists. This study described pediatric ED nurse’s knowledge and attitudes of fluid resuscitation.

Methods: This single-site descriptive study used survey methodology. A 23-question survey was distributed to nurses in the ED at Boston Children’s Hospital. The survey measured nurse’s knowledge, attitudes, and perceived barriers to fluid resuscitation.

Results: Findings suggested gaps found between actual and perceived knowledge consistent with prior evidence. There was a 50.9% response …

An Evaluation Of Adolescent Concussion Management And Guidelines By Primary Care Providers In The Outpatient Setting: Dnp Scholarly Project, Mary Beth Newkirk

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

Understanding the pathology of a concussion has been a challenging task for many experts in healthcare. An agreed upon definition has yet to be developed and many health care providers are not properly educated to assess and care for those suffering from a concussion. Management of concussion in adolescents, a vulnerable population, requires even more consideration and training. The purpose of this study was to determine the knowledge current providers in the four-state region regarding sport-related concussion management in the adolescent population, to improve patient care and outcomes, and to improve knowledge learned through exposure to a clinical practice guideline-based, …

Effectiveness Of A Multi-Component Intervention Program For Treating Childhood Obesity, Suzy Free

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Childhood obesity is one of the most chronic childhood illness worldwide (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2019; World Health Organization [WHO], 2019). The prevalence of childhood obesity has been described as one of the most common chronic childhood conditions (CDC). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to reduce the BMI scores of obese children using a multi-component intervention program that incorporates healthy eating, physical activity, and family involvement. The Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice (JHNEBP) model was used to facilitate the implementation of this EBP project. The synthesis of the appraised literature established that utilizing …

What's All The Buzzy About? Using Cryotherapy And Vibration For Pain During Vaccinations In Children, Marta L. Byma

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Vaccinations are the most common painful needle procedure, with an estimated 12 billion injections given per year (CDC, 2019). The usual method for administration of vaccinations is through needle puncture, which is often painful. Children often report receiving a shot as one of the most feared and painful experiences (McMurtry et al., 2015). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to improve patient experiences by decreasing the pain that is associated with vaccinations through the use of a nonpharmacological method for comfort via the Buzzy® device. After thorough analysis and synthesis of the literature, the Buzzy® device that …

You're Not Forgotten: Effects Of Screening For Postpartum Depression Within A Pediatric Setting, Marrisa S. Culver

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Postpartum depression (PPD) is depression that occurs in women following childbirth occurring during the postpartum period and affects 1 in 7 women (The United States Preventive Services Task Force, 2019). The American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP] (2019), recommends that pediatric healthcare providers utilize their position to screen for PPD. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to implement a PPD screening intervention within a pediatric healthcare setting using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). The Academic Center for Evidence-Based (ACE) Practice Star Model guided this EBP project with evidence-based interventions developed after a comprehensive literature search. Implementation of …

Nitrous Oxide Use For Minor But Painful Pediatric Procedures, Samantha Kremer

Dissertations

Problem: Nitrous oxide (N₂O) is used for mild to moderate pain control and anxiolysis. Registered nurses (RN) as providers of N₂O administration may decrease the number of missed opportunities for pain control or anxiolysis. The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to evaluate the type of procedures and rate of N₂O administration by providers, and cost difference between them.

Method: A descriptive, cohort-design for pediatric patients in the Imaging and Sedation Department between October through November of 2017 and 2018. Data was compared between physicians in 2017 and either a physician or RN …

Incorporating Oral Health Care In Pediatric Primary Care Practice, Salamatu Yusif

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

The most common chronic disease in childhood is dental caries and is more prevalent than asthma and hay fever (HHS, 2000). Data show that in the United States from 2011-2014, 24% of children aged 2-5 years had experienced dental caries in their primary teeth, with 11% having untreated caries (Dye et al., 2017). Primary care clinicians have an important role to play in promoting children’s oral health as much as dentists because they have more contact with children. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to integrate an evidence-based oral health program for children in a pediatric primary care …

Creating Voice In School Nurses Through Increasing Self-Efficacy, Kate King

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Creating voice in school nurses is essential to implement and promote health care in schools. Increasing self-efficacy, the knowledge, practice and internal belief of the nurse that he or she is an expert, creates voice and thus, the ability to assist students and families navigate various concerns and health issues. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to increase selfefficacy by providing school nurses with an interactive educational module that focused on social modeling and persuasion, responses to stress reaction experiences and attainment and application of evidence based practice, all skills of self-efficacy. The interactive educational model was presented to …

In Situ Pediatric Mock Codes: The First Five Minutes, Josephine N. Ruiz

Doctoral Projects

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to use in situ simulation-based mock codes to evaluate the effectiveness of participants’ actions and perceived confidence, and to potentially reinforce and improve knowledge retention, skill acquisition, and confidence levels of nursing staff with regards to pediatric emergencies. Simulated drills were evaluated with a tool focused on high-performance teams and team dynamics as outlined by American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support 2016. Twenty-four simulated drills were conducted from January to February 2019. Each hour-long session was composed of pre-briefing, simulated drill or scenario, and debriefing and took place in empty patient …

Using A Kindle To Improve Parental Perceptions Of Pain In Their Children: A Dnp Scholarly Project, Andrew Gearhart

DNP Scholarly Projects

Patient satisfaction is an important goal for health care providers, as it is associated with treatment success, and patients are more likely to adhere to medical treatments when they are satisfied. Emergency departments are among the lowest ranked healthcare settings nationwide in terms of patient satisfaction. Pediatric patients often experience pain and/or anxiety while in the hospital setting and are at an increased risk of having unpleasant experiences while receiving care. The purpose of this DNP scholarly project is to determine whether the introduction of a Kindle Fire tablet was effective in decreasing parental perceptions of pain while their child …

Comparison Of Two Methods Of Pediatric Triage Education, Catherine Recznik

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction. The majority of pediatric emergency patients are seen in mixed-age emergency departments and triaged by general emergency nurses. Educational methods for teaching pediatric triage education to general emergency nurses have not been well studied, and previous studies of the use of the Emergency Severity Index in children have been performed primarily in centers that are high volume for pediatrics. Methods. A repeated measures, randomized crossover study comparing two different methods of pediatric triage education was conducted. Participants were general emergency triage nurses recruited from a general emergency department that is classified as low volume for pediatrics. Each participant was …