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Feasibility Study Among Military Personnel With Traumatic Amputation During Military Combat Or Training, Michele (Shelly) R. Burdette-Taylor Phd, Msn, Rn-Bc, Cwcn, Cfcn
Feasibility Study Among Military Personnel With Traumatic Amputation During Military Combat Or Training, Michele (Shelly) R. Burdette-Taylor Phd, Msn, Rn-Bc, Cwcn, Cfcn
Dissertations
Military operations have resulted in a significant number of mangled extremities leading to traumatic amputations. Extremity injuries predominate, representing 50% to 70% of all injuries treated (Melcer, 2010). The majority of injuries sustained in Operation Endearing Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) are combined penetrating, burn and blast injuries, traumatic amputation, and infections from the multi-drug resistant organism, Acinetobacter (Melcer, 2010). The purpose of this study was to measure the quality of well-being and impact of events in a group of adults who served in the U.S. armed forces and sustained the loss of one or more limbs during any combat or …
The Experiences Of Expatriate Teachers In International Schools: Five Ethnographic Case Studies, James S. Anderson Edd
The Experiences Of Expatriate Teachers In International Schools: Five Ethnographic Case Studies, James S. Anderson Edd
Dissertations
An increasingly global economy has produced a growing demand for teachers to work in international schools. However, data about teachers who elect to move abroad and work in international settings are limited. The lack of research in this area is surprising, given the relatively large number of expatriate teachers who work in international schools. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of how expatriate teachers perceive their experiences in international schools and the role that these perceptions may play in their decisions to continue at a school or to seek other employment. In order to explore …
Teaching, Learning, And Writing In The Third Space: A Study Of Language And Culture Intersecting With Instruction, Susan Toma-Berge Edd
Teaching, Learning, And Writing In The Third Space: A Study Of Language And Culture Intersecting With Instruction, Susan Toma-Berge Edd
Dissertations
The purpose of this dissertation was to compare the characteristics and attributes of an effective first grade teacher of writing to English learners through the lens of the "third space." The "third space" represents a place where sociocultural theory interacts with language and culture, and authentic, integrated literacy instruction. Because there is no empirical evidence to support the theory of the "third space" the observation and interview data were analyzed using literature that draws on three areas of study: English learners, first grade literacy, and urban schools. The key findings from this study produced three themes that came about by …
A Critical Reflection On Advanced Practice Nursing, Patricia Quinn Phd
A Critical Reflection On Advanced Practice Nursing, Patricia Quinn Phd
Dissertations
Legitimation of the Nurse Practitioner (NP) and advanced practice nursing is explored using the framework of critical theory and the case study methodology of Yin. Three different cases are analyzed using classic themes of critical theory - oppression, alienation and ideology and false consciousness. Three publishable articles comprise this portfolio. First is "Looking for love (legitimation) in all the wrong places - A critique of Nurse Practitioner effectiveness literature". This article reviews the literature of NP effectiveness and offers an analysis of the failures and problems of these positivistic studies. Article two is "At least some of us are still …
Thai Patients' Experiences Of End-Stage Renal Disease: A Path Through An Unknown World, Chuleeporn Piyasut Phd
Thai Patients' Experiences Of End-Stage Renal Disease: A Path Through An Unknown World, Chuleeporn Piyasut Phd
Dissertations
The purpose of the study was to explore how Thai end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients manage the challenges of living with hemodialysis. The participants were Thai ESRD patients, who were receiving hemodialysis in one of the central provinces in Thailand. A grounded theory approach was employed in this study as it focuses on social processes grounded in individual experiences of participants in the study. The participants included 30 ESRD patients, aged 26-75, who had been undergoing hemodialysis from 6 months to 12 years. Individual in-depth interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed by using Atlas.ti. Data analysis revealed "a …
Breastfeeding And Mothers With Chronic Health Conditions, Blanche Landis Phd
Breastfeeding And Mothers With Chronic Health Conditions, Blanche Landis Phd
Dissertations
Breastfeeding and Mothers with Chronic Health Conditions Breastfeeding may be most beneficial for women with specific chronic illness and may decrease the risk or prevent those illnesses from developing in their children. This study examined the initiation and duration rates of mothers identified as having asthma, hypertension, and diabetes; differences between the three groups in their efforts to breastfeed, and associations between determinants/outcomes of breastfeeding and behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and perceived control of mothers using Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A retrospective quantitative methodology was used to compare rates of initiation and duration, the differences between the three …
California Charter School Closures: Perspectives And Advice From Nine Former Charter School Directors, Jennifer Reiter-Cook Edd
California Charter School Closures: Perspectives And Advice From Nine Former Charter School Directors, Jennifer Reiter-Cook Edd
Dissertations
Charter schools have been categorized as "everyone's reform" (Bracey, 2004); they are a type of public school, first established in 1992, that normally has fewer restrictions than most public schools and that serves a student body that, in many circumstances, has consciously opted to attend the school. Charter schools have promised high student achievement and program options that would create healthy competition in the American educational market. Currently, in California alone, there are approximately 800 active charter schools that serve more than 340,000 pupils. As we close in on nearly twenty years of charter school reform, many charter schools could …
The Effect Of Shapedown On Habits And Self-Esteem For Overweight And Obese Children, Susan Bonnell Phd
The Effect Of Shapedown On Habits And Self-Esteem For Overweight And Obese Children, Susan Bonnell Phd
Dissertations
Obesity in children is increased in the United States and globally which creates both physical and psychological health risks and co-morbidities affecting the development of positive self-esteem (Sinton & Birch, 2005; Whetstone, Morrissey, & Cummings, 2007). The development of poor self-esteem in children increases the risk of problem behaviors such as aggression, crime, teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol use, tobacco use, and eating disorders (Brook et al., 2007). Treatment of childhood obesity is multifaceted, requiring behavioral and lifestyle changes for both child and family to achieve a healthy weight (De-Santis-Moniaci & Altshuler, 2007; Plourde, 2006; Ritchie, Crawford, Hoelscher, & Sothern, …
Revitalization, Reinvigoration And Motivation Of Survivors In Changed, Restructured And Downsized Organizations: A Study Of Leadership Challenges In Local Government, Ronald L. Baza Edd
Revitalization, Reinvigoration And Motivation Of Survivors In Changed, Restructured And Downsized Organizations: A Study Of Leadership Challenges In Local Government, Ronald L. Baza Edd
Dissertations
Over the past two-plus decades, corporate mergers, government consolidations, workforce downsizings and plant closures have increased dramatically; as a consequence, millions of workers around the nation have lost their jobs. Not surprisingly, researchers have begun to focus considerable attention on downsizing, restructuring and revitalization efforts as a means for understanding organizations undergoing major transformation. Although the studies that have been conducted have dealt with a wide range of issues associated with organizational downsizing and restructuring, there is an absence of research examining mid and upper level managers' perceptions of the efficacy of their efforts to revitalize their downsized organizations and, …
Battery And Abuse In The Elderly: A Forensic Analysis, Amy Y. Carney Phd, Mfs, Np
Battery And Abuse In The Elderly: A Forensic Analysis, Amy Y. Carney Phd, Mfs, Np
Dissertations
Elder abuse is a recognized social problem in the United States. First labeled as "granny battering" and originally studied under the umbrella of family violence, maltreatment of the elderly has received more funding and research in recent years. Multiple aspects of elder abuse have been examined in the literature including measures for detection, assessment, and documentation. Although studies have examined the circumstances surrounding abuse as well as theories of causation and characteristics of the abuser and the abused, studies of the relationship between the abuser and the abused are less well documented. The purpose of this research was to examine …
Understanding Charter School Governance: A Case Study Of A Conversion Charter School Board Of Directors, David Mark Silver Phd
Understanding Charter School Governance: A Case Study Of A Conversion Charter School Board Of Directors, David Mark Silver Phd
Dissertations
The charter school movement has been at the forefront of educational reform since the 1990s. The majority of charter school research has focused on academic achievement and issues of access, equity, and funding. Less attention has focused on charter school governance, yet evidence suggests that governance challenges represent a significant impediment to the long-term sustainability of this movement. This qualitative case study examined the operations of a board of directors in a conversion charter school. The study included observations of monthly board of directors meetings over a 16-month period (February 2008–June 2009), interviews with members of the board of directors …
Social Capital And Economic Empowerment: A Longitudinal Analysis Of The Relationship Between Changes In The Value Of Accumulated Assets And Measures Of Social Capital Among Rural South African Women, Robert Charles Gailey Phd
Social Capital And Economic Empowerment: A Longitudinal Analysis Of The Relationship Between Changes In The Value Of Accumulated Assets And Measures Of Social Capital Among Rural South African Women, Robert Charles Gailey Phd
Dissertations
This longitudinal study explored the relationship between household asset accumulation over time and measures of social capital among impoverished rural South African women. The study re-analyzed an existing data set from a 2001–2005 study done in eight villages in South Africa. The original study investigated the impact of a microfinance and education intervention on the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and intimate partner violence. This study re-analyzed interview responses from 739 households in the original data set and used multiple regression analysis to explore the relationship between measures of cognitive social capital (CSC) and structural social capital (SSC) and household economic welfare …
The Relationship Between Reading Fluency, Writing Fluency, And Reading Comprehension In Suburban Third-Grade Students, Mary Leonard Palmer Edd
The Relationship Between Reading Fluency, Writing Fluency, And Reading Comprehension In Suburban Third-Grade Students, Mary Leonard Palmer Edd
Dissertations
The topic of reading fluency is of great importance in education today. Research has shown a significant positive relationship between reading fluency and reading comprehension. However, little is known about writing fluency and its connection with reading comprehension. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between reading fluency, writing fluency, and reading comprehension. First, using the principles of assessing reading fluency, I designed a writing assessment and measured the writing fluency of 54 3rd graders. I examined the writing assessments as they related to the students' reading fluency and reading comprehension scores. Secondly, I performed a quasi-experimental …
Application Of Systems Engineering Science To The Healthcare Environment, Jonathan Mack Phd, Msn, Anp, Rn
Application Of Systems Engineering Science To The Healthcare Environment, Jonathan Mack Phd, Msn, Anp, Rn
Dissertations
This Doctoral dissertation consists of a research portfolio examining the application of systems engineering techniques to the healthcare environment. The portfolio consists of three final publishable articles submitted to meet the program requirements for the, Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing degree from the University of San Diego, Hahn school of Nursing and Health Sciences. Article one is titled; "Use of a bed projection tool to predict ICU bed needs." This article describes the dissertation research study in which a bed projection tool was piloted on an ICU unit to determine the tool's ability to predict inpatient bed requirements. Article 2 …
The Lost-Boys Phenomenon: Case Studies Of San Diego High School Males, Richard Stakelum Edd
The Lost-Boys Phenomenon: Case Studies Of San Diego High School Males, Richard Stakelum Edd
Dissertations
By most measures of success—e.g., academic Grade Point Average (GPA), graduation rates, participation in extracurricular and civic activities, and college enrollment—adolescent males are less successful than females. Young males are falling behind in reading and writing and are more likely to be involved in truancy, violence, crime, suicide, and substance abuse. While the nation mobilized to address historical gender discrimination issues for females since the 1970s, there has not been a similar effort mounted to assist adolescent males. The trends alluded to in the previous paragraph have begun to be recognized by popular-press authors. Some have begun to refer to …
Indigenous Leadership: A Talking-Circle Dialogue With Cree Leaders, Julia L. Buchanan Phd
Indigenous Leadership: A Talking-Circle Dialogue With Cree Leaders, Julia L. Buchanan Phd
Dissertations
The study of leadership is gaining popularity as evidenced by the increasing number of leadership development programs in both corporate and academic environments. Therefore, the way that leadership is defined becomes important. Unfortunately, the majority of literature on leadership emphasizes a Eurocentric or Western perspective. This study explored the leadership-related thinking and practices embraced by a First Nations population in Canada: nehiyawak or the Cree people. As the research evolved, the study also ended up exploring both cultural differences with respect to knowledge and knowing and the ethical issues involved with permitting non-native researchers to study native groups. The latter …
Using Internet Videoconferencing To Connect Fashion Students With Apparel Industry Professionals, Vera Bruce Ashley Edd
Using Internet Videoconferencing To Connect Fashion Students With Apparel Industry Professionals, Vera Bruce Ashley Edd
Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy, benefits and student perceptions of using Internet videoconferencing and a web camera to connect college and university fashion students with apparel industry professionals. A total of 70 college and university fashion students, three instructors, and three apparel industry professionals participated in this introductory study. Data was collected through pre and post surveys from all three groups. Industry professionals were invited as guest speakers into the classroom via Internet videoconferencing using Skype and a web camera. The findings in the study indicated that students, instructors, and apparel industry professionals overwhelmingly benefited …
Predictors Of Job Satisfaction And Burnout In Travel Nurses, Marcia Faller Phd, Msn, Rn
Predictors Of Job Satisfaction And Burnout In Travel Nurses, Marcia Faller Phd, Msn, Rn
Dissertations
This study examined various individual and work environment characteristics and their influence as predictors of travel nurse job satisfaction and burnout. In addition it described travel nurses; a population of nurses that has not been previously studied. An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used in order to take advantage of the exploratory nature of the qualitative portion in describing the attitudes and motivations of travel nurses in detail; and to further explain the findings from the quantitative portion of the study. The quantitative portion of the study used a descriptive correlational methodology with secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional …
Violence, Depression, Parental Stress, And Child Neglect Among High Risk Postpartum Women, Kristen D. Lambert Phd, Msn, Rn
Violence, Depression, Parental Stress, And Child Neglect Among High Risk Postpartum Women, Kristen D. Lambert Phd, Msn, Rn
Dissertations
The purpose of this study was to characterize a vulnerable population of postpartum women at risk for family violence and maladaptive outcomes and to determine the degree the identified attributes increase the risk of child neglect and psychological aggression. Lazarus' Appraisal Theory and Scaer's Traumatic Spectrum framework provided a conceptual basis to examine the interrelationships between intimate partner violence (IPV), depression, previous traumatic history, and child neglect. A descriptive correlation design using secondary analysis of longitudinal data collected for the Healthy Families San Diego Clinical Trial was used. Standardized measures including the CTS, CTS2, CTSPC, CES-D and PSI were administered …
Latina First Year Experience: Factors That Contribute To Persistence From The First To The Second Year In Higher Education, Guadalupe Rodriguez Corona Edd
Latina First Year Experience: Factors That Contribute To Persistence From The First To The Second Year In Higher Education, Guadalupe Rodriguez Corona Edd
Dissertations
There is limited research that identifies the university, familial and community factors that support the persistence of Latinas in higher education from the first to second year. The research that does exist has tended to focus on how institutional programs and activities have failed to work for first-generation students. Therefore, there is a need to study the persistence of Latinas in higher education that is as focused on discovering what works as it is with documenting what is ineffective. Research that focuses on Catholic universities is especially needed since many Latinas come from Roman Catholic families and, consequently, Catholic universities …
The Role Of Higher Education In Advancing Nurse Practitioners: A Look At The Institutional Decision Calculus Of A Health Sciences University, Debra Jo Johnson Phd
The Role Of Higher Education In Advancing Nurse Practitioners: A Look At The Institutional Decision Calculus Of A Health Sciences University, Debra Jo Johnson Phd
Dissertations
In 2004, professional nursing joined the ranks of other health professions by altering accreditation standards for nurse practitioners, which now mandate that their terminal degree advance beyond the master's degree currently required for the doctor of nursing practice (DNP). This research examines the decision-making process involved in implementing a web-based DNP program in 2008 at a college of graduate nursing embedded in a health sciences university. Findings from two case studies, one of faculty and one of administrators, provide a narrative description of the institution, the decision process, and then describe how institutional and external factors influenced the process. Institutional …
Strategic Planning: Contextual Factors That Facilitated And/Or Challenged The Implementation Of Strategic Planning In Two Nonprofit Organizations, Devadhasan Masilamony Phd
Strategic Planning: Contextual Factors That Facilitated And/Or Challenged The Implementation Of Strategic Planning In Two Nonprofit Organizations, Devadhasan Masilamony Phd
Dissertations
As the nonprofit sector continues to grow in size and importance in American society, successful organizations proactively initiate strategic planning so they can be more responsive to changing circumstances, underlying trends, and shifting demands. At times, however, organizations develop elaborate plans that are never implemented. Unfortunately, there is less systematic research about strategic planning in the nonprofit sector than in the for-profit sector and even less research documenting whether or not the plans that get developed in nonprofit organizations actually get implemented. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how strategic planning improves the effectiveness of two nonprofit …
Balancing Act: A Study Of International School Heads' Efforts To Manage The Professional And Personal Aspects Of Their Lives, Christiane Pj Sorenson Edd
Balancing Act: A Study Of International School Heads' Efforts To Manage The Professional And Personal Aspects Of Their Lives, Christiane Pj Sorenson Edd
Dissertations
Interest in the topic of professional and personal life balance has increased exponentially over the past several decades. The topic even is listed by the current First Lady of the United States as a priority item to be addressed during her husband's first four years in office. While studies have been conducted about the professional/personal balance of corporate executives and other professionals, including government employees, there has been almost no direct study of balance in educational professionals' lives. This study investigated school heads' perceptions about the factors that impact their ability to achieve balance between their professional and personal lives. …
The Impact Of A Clinical Mentor Program On Patient Outcomes, Cynthia M. Steckel Phd
The Impact Of A Clinical Mentor Program On Patient Outcomes, Cynthia M. Steckel Phd
Dissertations
The increasing complexity of patient care requires an expert nurse to navigate the hospital stay, yet today's workforce brings a declining supply of seasoned nurses, creating a patient need/nurse expertise gap. The clinical mentor role was developed to bridge this gap and create a safety net, using expert nurses, relieved of a patient assignment, to provide oversight for quality patient care. Results reported elsewhere showed improvements in failure to rescue and pressure ulcers six months before and after implementation. The purpose of this study was to examine the long-term impact of this new care model over the subsequent three years …
Extending Our Understanding Of Social Belonging: College Students' Use Of Technology, Psychosocial Well-Being, And Sense Of Community In University Life, Sara Kathleen Henry Phd
Extending Our Understanding Of Social Belonging: College Students' Use Of Technology, Psychosocial Well-Being, And Sense Of Community In University Life, Sara Kathleen Henry Phd
Dissertations
Postsecondary education marks a transitional time in the lives of young adults. During this time, traditional-aged college students confront a substantial number of developmental challenges that are extraordinarily diverse and complex (Evans, Forney, & Guido-DiBrito, 1998). Erikson's (1968) theory of psychosocial development posited that the major developmental task of early adulthood is to establish close intimate relationships. The development of mature interpersonal relationships (Chickering & Reisser, 1993) is a critical priority if students are to successfully integrate into their social worlds and persist to graduation. Early theoretical models proposed by both Spady (1970) and Tinto (1975, 1993) linked institutional commitment …
Postconflict Community Development In Sierra Leone: Western, Cultural, And National Influences, Whitney Mclntyre Miller Phd
Postconflict Community Development In Sierra Leone: Western, Cultural, And National Influences, Whitney Mclntyre Miller Phd
Dissertations
Sierra Leone was torn apart by a terrible eleven-year civil war. Rebel forces raped and murdered civilians, burned down crops and villages, and looted homes and community structures in a quest to overturn the long-corrupt government. Since 2002 communities have begun the process of developing toward a sustainable peace. Using grounded theory and inductive analysis, this qualitative research study conducted during the summer of 2009 examines the development efforts of two communities in the Northern provinces of Sierra Leone, Lungi and Makeni. Findings reveal that there are three influences playing a role in their development: western, cultural, and national. This …
The Contributions Of The Unwanted, Claudia Estela Chavez Mckay Phd
The Contributions Of The Unwanted, Claudia Estela Chavez Mckay Phd
Dissertations
According to the U.S. Constitution as construed by the Plyler v. Doe, 457 U.S. 202 (1982) Supreme Court Case, all children in the United States - from kindergarten through grade twelve - have a right to a free public education regardless of citizenship; however, undocumented students seeking to continue their education beyond high school face multiple barriers. Little is known about the actual experiences of undocumented students who have acquired a university degree. The purpose of this study was to understand the collegiate experiences of undocumented students, specifically the process of persisting through college graduation and their contributions to society …
Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Of High Risk Infants, Lisa E. Miklush Phd, Msn, Rnc, Cns
Neurodevelopmental Outcomes Of High Risk Infants, Lisa E. Miklush Phd, Msn, Rnc, Cns
Dissertations
Background: Infant developmental research has revealed amazing physical, cognitive, and social capacities of the human infant. Along with this knowledge is a growing appreciation of numerous factors that have the potential to impact the individual infant's developmental trajectory, either enhancing or compromising the eventual outcome. Enhanced understanding of those factors that shape infant developmental trajectories will provide an evidence base for the establishment of a supportive environment for the youngest members of society. Purpose: To determine the relationship between neurodevelopmental outcome and gestational age, birth weight, Apgar scores, NICU admission, infant gender, maternal depression, home environment, and parent-child interaction. Methodology: …
An Empirical Look At The Relationship Between Personality Type And The Challenges Of Telecommuting, Jacquelyn E. Brown Phd
An Empirical Look At The Relationship Between Personality Type And The Challenges Of Telecommuting, Jacquelyn E. Brown Phd
Dissertations
The concept of telecommuting dates to the early 1970s when Dr. Jack Nilles, who coined the phrase telecommuting, realized that many of the commuters contributing to rush-hour traffic congestion simply went to an office, sat at a desk and used a phone to conduct their business. Since then, telecommuting has become a viable alternative work arrangement for approximately 45 million individuals in the United States. Despite the popularity of this arrangement, there has been little empirical work done to investigate the advantages and challenges associated with telecommuters; to address this issue this dissertation used two survey instruments to electronically gather …
Shared Presence: Caring For A Dying Spouse, Lana Sue Mclouth Kanacki Phd, Ms, Rn
Shared Presence: Caring For A Dying Spouse, Lana Sue Mclouth Kanacki Phd, Ms, Rn
Dissertations
There is limited research on female spouses and their end-of-life experience with their dying husbands. The purpose of this study was to explore wives' perceptions of hospital and hospice care at their husbands' end-of-life. The grounded theory method was used for this study. Data were collected over thirteen months and then transcribed and coded for meaning. Participants were 25 elderly widows (62-103 years of age) with 19 husbands' deaths in a hospice setting and 6 in the hospital. They were widowed from 6 months to 10 years after the death of their spouses. They were good informants with excellent recollections …