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Graduate Curriculum Committee Report - February 8, 2024, Graduate Council

Curriculum Committee Reports

No abstract provided.

Thermoregulation In Colorectal Patients: Heating Co2 Insufflation Gas, Alejandro Conde, Alieu Jawara, Laura Savage, James Alberding Dnp, Michael Godbold

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: 600,000 colorectal surgeries are performed annually in the United States, with 26-90% experiencing some form of unintended hypothermia. Consequences of hypothermia include surgical site infections (SSIs), delayed wound healing, cardiac dysrhythmias, and increased hospital length of stay. Utilization of the laparoscopic approach to intra-abdominal colorectal surgery uses un-warmed CO₂ gas. Multiple studies demonstrate the addition of heated CO₂, for insufflation, reduces intraoperative hypothermia.

LOCAL PROBLEM: This project was implemented at a facility in Tennessee. On average, 250 laparoscopic colorectal cases are performed at this facility annually. Participants were adult colorectal surgical patients, 18 years …

Year-2 Progress Report On Numerical Methods For Bgk-Type Kinetic Equations, Steven M. Wise, Evan Habbershaw

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Mathematics

In this second progress report we expand upon our previous report and preliminary work. Specifically, we review some work on the numerical solution of single- and multi-species BGK-type kinetic equations of particle transport. Such equations model the motion of fluid particles via a density field when the kinetic theory of rarefied gases must be used in place of the continuum limit Navier-Stokes and Euler equations. The BGK-type equations describe the fluid in terms of phase space variables, and, in three space dimensions, require 6 independent phase-space variables (3 for space and 3 for velocity) for each species for accurate simulation. …

Tcwp Newsletter No. 373, Tennessee Citizens For Wilderness Planning

Tennessee Citizens for Wilderness Planning Newsletters

No abstract provided.

"Use Of Clinical Mental Health Counseling Student And Client Recording In Practicum: An Overview Of Cacrep Training Programs In The Saces Region", Mona Gallo, Daniel Romero, Daniel Melear

Educational Psychology & Counseling Publications and Other Works

SACES CACREP accredited clinical mental health counseling practicum training handbooks were explored to discover the designated use of video recording and review during practicum. Results from an artifact review indicated a lack of standardization across programs. Implications for future research and clinical counseling programs practicum experiences are presented.

Satellite Image Use For Citizen-Based Monitoring & Verification: An Examination Of Trust & Risk, Rebecca D. Frank, Stephanie Kruger

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

Satellite imagery is used for citizen-based monitoring and societal verification in the context of nuclear non-proliferation and arms control agreements by an expanding community of analysts (e.g., Al-Sayed, 2022; Mian et al., 2017; Niemeyer, 2009). The use of satellite images by non-state actors in order to examine the development of, for example, weapons facilities has been facilitated by the increasing availability of satellite data from a variety of sources (e.g., “Trainspotting, with Nukes; Open-Source Intelligence,” 2021). This type of monitoring can be applied to a broad range of activities, including carbon emissions, human rights, disaster response, and archaeology (e.g., Casana …

Repository Staff Attitudes About Coretrustseal Requirements, Rebecca D. Frank

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

CoreTrustSeal (CTS) is a community-based certification system for trustworthy data repositories (TDRs) in which repositories submit documentation which is reviewed by a panel of representatives from current members (e.g., CoreTrustSeal, 2023b; Corrado, 2019; Dillo & De Leeuw, 2018). In comparison with other TDR certification systems (e.g., nestor, ISO 16363), CTS currently has the largest and most active membership, with 94 certified repositories as of October 2023 (CoreTrustSeal, 2023a).

The community focus of CTS, coupled with the fact that reviewers are drawn from CTS certified repositories, brings urgency to the need to understand how staff members of CTS certified repositories view …

Expertise & Perceptions Of Risk In Coretrustseal Certification, Rebecca D. Frank, Ammar Mustufa, Timothy Poteet

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

This poster examines the relationship between risk perception and expertise among staff members of CoreTrustSeal certified repositories. Findings indicate that relationships exist between level of education and professional role and survey respondent attitudes about potential sources of risk and the CoreTrustSeal checklist sections. This poster will examine these findings in greater detail.

Are We Practicing What We Preach? Towards Greater Transborder Inclusivity In Information Science Systematic Reviews, Stephanie Krueger, Rebecca D. Frank

School of Information Sciences -- Faculty Publications and Other Works

Abstract. Inclusiveness has been investigated in different ways by Information Science (InfoSci) researchers, often as a line of social justice inquiry. Systematic reviews (SRs), which bridge the gap between research and practice, are a key example of research impacted by inclusiveness. “Transborder” inclusiveness—the ability of researchers from different institutions, regions, and countries to ac-cess information, and the inclusion of information from researchers in regions and countries where English is not an official language in major collections of InfoSci research—influences how researchers perform SRs. Although this topic has been identified in other disciplines involved in Evidence Based Practice (EBP) such as …

Fy 2024 Original Budget Document, University Of Tennessee

Budget Documents

No abstract provided.

Bridging Biological Systems With Social Behavior, Conservation, Decision Making, And Well-Being Through Hybrid Mathematical Modeling, Maggie Renee Sullens

Faculty Publications and Other Works -- Mathematics

This dissertation defense presentation highlights the power of hybrid mathematical modeling and addresses crucial issues such as:

1️. The Impact of Industry Collapse on Community Mental Health: A Complex Contagion ODE Model.

2️. Budget Allocation and Illegal Fishing: A Game Theoretic Model.

3️. Reactive Scope Model with an Energy Budget and Multiple Mediators: An ODE Model

The overarching theme of Hybrid Mathematical Modeling beautifully captures the essence of this work, demonstrating its potential to unravel ecological issues while addressing the intricate interactions between humans and the environment.

Implementation Of An Evidence-Based Guideline To Improve Vital Sign Assessment And Documentation In The Emergency Department, Mary Darden Mason, Jennifer Lynn Smith, Laura Sturla

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: The emergency department (ED) is a fast-paced area at risk for medical errors. Studies have found that patients with abnormal vital signs (VS) experience preventable adverse events and worse process outcomes, such as extended length of stay (LOS) times and increased readmission rates. Despite ongoing reports of VS inconsistencies, there remains a lack of evidence-based VS assessment and documentation standards across healthcare, which results in missed opportunities to mitigate deficits in quality of care.

LOCAL PROBLEM: The project site, a 19-bed rural ED in Maryland, lacked a standardized process delineating VS assessment frequency for the ED nurses, …

Implementation Of A Continuing Education Module On Triage Practices For Pediatric Emergency Room Nurses, Catherine Nicholson, Lindsey Lakas, Marian Malone

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: More than 35 million U.S. children visit the emergency department (ED) each year. Triage is the family’s first interaction with the healthcare team and a crucial component of care that directs the course of the ED visit. The use of standardized triage protocols, like the Emergency Severity Index (ESI) algorithm, is shown to improve overall patient health outcomes in the pediatric ED. For triage algorithms to be safe and effective, continuing education for pediatric ED nurses is important.

LOCAL PROBLEM: Patients at a local pediatric emergency department are being inaccurately triaged - assigned a higher or lower acuity level …

Implementation Of A Screening, Brief Intervention, And Referral To Treatment Protocol For Treatment Of Opioid Use Disorder In Post-Carceral Populations, Adaora Ede, Mary Johnson

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a pressing public health issue in the US affecting marginalized populations the most. Within the correctional setting, 65% of inmates are affected with OUD, worsening health outcomes when untreated.

LOCAL PROBLEM: This evidence-based practice (EBP) project targeted justice-involved individuals with co-occurring OUD at a behavioral health clinic in Johnson City, Tennessee. This project aimed to improve outcomes related to recidivism and relapse through clinician education and the implementation of a Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) protocol.

METHODS: Johns Hopkins Nursing Evidence-Based Practice Model (JHNEBP) was the guiding EBP model for the …

Response From Sacscoc - Program Closure - Mppa, University Of Tennessee, Knoxville

SACSCOC Documentation

No abstract provided.

Mindfulness-Based Educational Module For Nurses Caring For Pediatric Mental Health Patients, Brianna Mai Desjardins, Katherine Marie Newnam

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: Emergency pediatric nurses have the added stress of not only caring for medical patients but must also care for patients experiencing mental health issues. Many nurses feel unprepared to care for this specialized patient population. To bridge this gap, mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have been shown to provide nurses with the skills needed to care for mental health patients. This same concept can be applied to pediatric patients. Pediatric-focused mindfulness-based techniques can be used to help pediatric patients manage their symptoms.

LOCAL PROBLEM: The setting for this project was an urban pediatric emergency department in East Tennessee. At the state …

Evaluation Of Registered Nurses’ Knowledge And Confidence In Encouraging Cardiac Surgery Patients To Participate In Digital Education, Katelin A. Welch, Jewyl Gibson

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Abstract

Background: Cardiac surgery remains a necessary means of medical management for cardiac disease. Patient anxiety is a common mental health challenge experienced by cardiac surgical candidates. Preoperative educational videos can reduce anxiety and improve the surgical experience.

Local Problem: This project was conducted for hospital nurses caring for cardiac surgery patients. Cardiac patients are assigned digital education to educate them about their procedures. Regardless of availability, nurse and patient engagement of the material is low. Competing nursing priorities prevent nurses from disseminating education to cardiac surgery patients, thus increasing patient anxiety. Educating nurses on utilizing digital surgery …

Using Mobile Apps To Improve Medication Adherence In Patients With Hypertension, Elliot Loughran, Jewyl Gibson

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: Medication non-adherence (MNA) is one of modern medicine's most prominent challenges, directly contributing to increased healthcare expenditures, poorer health outcomes, and higher mortality rates. Patients diagnosed with hypertension (HTN) are often disproportionally impacted by MNA. In recent years, mobile medication applications (MMAs) have emerged as a promising intervention to address MNA, offering medication reminders, patient-specific education, and adherence tracking data.

LOCAL PROBLEM: This project was hosted by a primary care office in Johnson City, TN, which, before this project, had no standard practice for addressing MNA. The AIM of this project was to assess if MMAs could …

Implementation Of Standardized Contraceptive Education To Improve Larc Initiation In Postpartum Individuals, Gracie E Clayton, Melissa M. Hessock, Amanda Flood

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: Approximately 50% of pregnancies in the United States are unintended, leading to negative health, psychosocial, and financial outcomes. Supported methods for preventing unintended pregnancies are promoting education and access to highly effective contraceptive methods, including long-acting reversible contraceptives (LARCs). Studies demonstrate counselor knowledge and bias contribute to underutilization of LARCs, highlighting the need for standardized education.

LOCAL PROBLEM: The setting for this practice improvement project was a rural obstetrical unit in Tennessee where there was no standardized postpartum contraceptive education. Rates of contraceptive use at postpartum discharge were low. The purpose of this project was to implement …

Psychosocial Consequences Of Diagnosed Malignant Melanoma, Savanna Eve Smallwood-Corcoran, Mary Johnson, Lindsay Frazier

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: Psychosocial consequences frequently accompany the diagnosis of malignant melanoma (MM), such as fear, anxiety, burden, and distress. Patients are not receiving the proper psychiatric care needed to address the psychosocial consequences they are experiencing. Patients diagnosed with MM have expressed a lack of assessment and supportive care by providers to address psychosocial consequences they are experiencing.

LOCAL PROBLEM: The setting for the quality improvement project was a private dermatology clinic in Knoxville, Tennessee. There was no standard procedure for anxiety screening at the site. Comparable to published studies, there is a lack of procedures for screening patients …

Pediatric Vaccine Pain Management & Perceptions Of Caregivers And Nursing Staff: An Evidence-Based Project, Madison K. Bears, Tami H. Wyatt

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Background: In an age with many diseases controlled through immunization and herd immunity, the significance of immunization can wane in public memory. In children, injection pain is an obstacle to vaccination and can cause anxiety around medical visits, healthcare avoidance, delayed immunizations, and needle fear (McMurty et al., 2015; Shah & Sui, 2019; Taddio et al., 2022). Evidence-based vaccine pain relief techniques are described in the literature (Shah et al., 2009; Wu et al., 2022; Taddio et al., 2015), yet their use in practice is minimal (Taddio et al., 2022).

Local Problem: An evaluation of a pediatric clinic …

Acute Stress Disorder And Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Screening In Pediatric Trauma Patients, Samantha Irizarry, Marian Malone, Megan Waddell

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: Two-thirds of U.S. children and adolescents report experiencing one or more potentially traumatic events by age seventeen. 13.4% of the North Carolina pediatric population ages 0-17 have undergone two or more traumatic adverse childhood experiences, compared to 14% of the U.S. population. Early identification reduces the by-products of underdiagnosis of ASD and PTSD, such as mental illness, developmental delays, poor academic performance, and challenges with social interactions.

LOCAL PROBLEM: The project site is a level-one pediatric trauma hospital in Charlotte, North Carolina, seeing more than 130,000 patients annually. Before project implementation, there was an absence of ASD …

Reducing Iatrogenic Opiate Withdrawal In The Picu: An Evidence-Based Practice Improvement Project, Kaitlin Kirk Ogle, Marian Malone, Will Guider

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: Current recommendations to reduce pain associated with mechanical ventilation is the administration of opiate and benzodiazepine infusions for Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) patients. If these infusions are weaned too quickly, iatrogenic withdrawal syndrome (IWS) often occurs. IWS symptoms include tachycardia, hypertension, diaphoresis, fever, irritability, tremors, clonus, hyperactive reflexes, vomiting, and diarrhea. Untreated IWS can lead to life-threatening complications.
LOCAL PROBLEM: The PICU at the project site contains fourteen beds and treats critically-ill pediatric patients. There was no standardized withdrawal assessment tool in practice. The purpose of this project was to implement the Withdrawal Assessment Tool-Version 1 …

The Effect Of Focused Client Education On Case Management & Readmission Rates In Homeless Individuals With Co-Occurring Disorders Admitted To A Jail Diversion Program, Pallavi Rao, Mary Johnson

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Background: Individuals with both mental illness(es) (MI) and substance use disorder (SUD) occurring simultaneously are known as having co-occurring disorders (COD). The rates of COD found among homeless individuals (H-COD) are higher than in the general population. The presence of both conditions prevents H-COD individuals from overcoming their hardships and places them at a higher risk of being involved in the criminal justice system.

Local Problem: Jail diversion programs (JDPs) admit a high rate of H-COD clients nationally and locally at the project site in Knoxville (JDP-K). The Office on Homelessness reported about 80% of those admitted to JDP-K are …

Improving Human Papillomavirus (Hpv) Vaccination Rates Through Age-Based Flagging, Savannah Jo Garcia, Karen Lasater

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

DNP SCHOLARLY PROJECT ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Over forty million Americans are currently infected with human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV can cause life threatening cancers of the cervix, vagina, vulva, penis, anus, and throat. Only half of U.S. adolescents have completed the HPV vaccine series.

LOCAL PROBLEM: The setting for this evidence-based improvement project is a rural family practice clinic in Texas. Texas has the largest group of teenagers not protected against HPV in the country. The project’s purpose is to investigate the effect of age-based flagging on adolescent vaccination rates in a rural community through evidence-based practice.

METHODS: Project …

Identifying Risk And Improving Outcomes: Application Of The Gad-7 Screening Tool Used Among Patients With Chronic Pain In An Outpatient Setting, Connor J. Cochran, Mary Johnson

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Background: It is estimated that chronic pain affects one in every five adults and that one in every three adults will be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder within their lifetime, indicating an overlap in both chronic pain and anxiety. Early identification of anxiety in the outpatient setting has the potential to increase identification and referral rates to specialized care.

Local Problem: An outpatient primary care facility that treats patients with chronic pain located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was the project setting. Prior to implementation, there was no standard process for identifying anxiety in patients.

Methods: The Iowa model of Evidence-Based Practice …

Implementation Of School-Based Wellness Program For Adolescents In Rural East Tennessee, Taylor Kaitlyn Medlin, Marian Malone, Chelsea Burrell-Weddle

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND:

One in five children and adolescents are obese in the United States. Society has influenced adolescents' ability to make healthy decisions (CDC, 2021). Adolescents living in rural areas are 55% more likely to have comorbidities related to obesity compared to children in urban areas (Berlin et al., 2013).

LOCAL PROBLEM:

Claiborne County is ranked among the least healthy counties in Tennessee (0-25% out of 100%). The county’s newspaper shows 10% of its residents have become more obese in the last ten years. Tennessee public schools collected data showing of 22.7% of students were obese, and 17% were overweight. …

Sleep Hygiene Interventions For Hospitalized Pediatric Patients, Courtland E. Kunz, Marian Malone

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Adequate sleep is found to improve overall physical and mental health. Unfortunately, hospitalized children receive significantly less sleep than what is recommended by the National Sleep Foundation.

LOCAL PROBLEM: Patient and family feedback at the project site demonstrated inadequate sleep and a noisy hospital environment. The objective of this EBP project is to improve sleep for the hospitalized pediatric patient.

METHODS: The Johns Hopkins Evidence Based Practice Model for Nurses and Healthcare Providers was used as the framework for this project. The PROMIS Sleep Disturbance 4a questionnaire was the tool used to measure pediatric patients’ …

Initiating A Skin-Care Bundle In The Emergency Department To Decrease Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries In Geriatric Patients, Suzanne Babcock, Pamela Hardesty

Graduate Publications and Other Selected Works - Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

BACKGROUND: Adults 65+ comprise 15.2% of the United States (U.S.) population and 17.9% of Emergency Department (ED) visits. Aging causes changes to skin, including thinning and loss of elasticity. Annually, in the U.S., 2.5 million individuals develop Pressure Injuries (PI), causing 60,000 deaths. Hospital acquired PIs in the U.S. cost $26.8 billion annually, over $10,000/patient and increase the length of stay by greater than four days.

LOCAL PROBLEM: This project occurred in a 27-bed Geriatric Accredited Emergency Department in a southeastern U.S. city where patients 65+ comprise 40% of the patient volume annually. PIs can begin developing within two hours. …

Undergraduate Council Minutes Of Meeting November 28, 2023

Undergraduate Council Meeting Minutes

No abstract provided.