Education Commons^™

Preventing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: Educating Emergency Room Nurses, Dana M. Ferrazzano

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

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is the second most common hospital acquired infection and is primarily found in the intensive care units. The presence of an endotracheal tube is the primary risk factor for developing VAP. Many times the process of intubation occurs pre-hospital, in the emergency room (ER) or in the operating room. Ventilator associated pneumonia is associated with increased hospital stay and costs. Evidence-based guidelines have been developed to decrease the occurrence of VAP and decrease patient mortality. Preventative measures are initiated on the intensive care unit once the patient is transferred. The purpose of this study was to evaluate …

Engaging Students In Art Beyond The K-12 School Environment, Melanie Ducharme

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

This purpose of this thesis is to investigate a unit of instruction for a mural project with a community organization.

The question I sought to answer through this research was: How can I design a unit of instruction in collaboration with a local organization that will potentially engage students in a community-based work of art while also promoting a sense of community among the students?

Though this thesis research, I learned to collaborate with an organization to create a hypothetical unit of instruction. Also, I wanted to discover how I can create a learning experience that is engaging and personally …

Educating Nursing Students On Emergency Preparedness: A Pilot Program, Sandra N. Burnock

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

The purpose of this project was to determine if a disaster preparedness educational intervention for nursing students’ could engage students in personal preparedness and enhance their willingness to respond during a public health emergency. The United States (U.S.) is among the top five countries in the world that experience frequent natural disasters (Guha-Sapir et al., 2012). With over 3.1 million nurses in the U.S. (AACN, 2011) and their importance to healthcare, the nursing profession plays a crucial role in the ability of the nation to prepare for and respond to disasters. Currently, however, nurses in the U.S. lack the knowledge, …

Studying Science, Renee Johnson-Thornton

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

Although nearly equivalent percentages of black and white students entering college aspire to earn degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), a much smaller percentage of black students than white undergraduates complete STEM degrees (HERI, 2010). Thirty-six percent of black undergraduates who initially pursue STEM fields and go on to earn bachelor’s degrees switch to non-STEM majors, and 29.3 percent leave college before graduating, a rate 10 percentage points higher than that of their white counterparts (19.8 percent) (Chen, 2013). In the environmental sciences, of the 4,802 degree recipients in 2010, 81 percent (3,879) were white and only 2 …

Exploring Nurses' Knowledge About Heart Failure Before And After The Implementation Of A Heart Failure Education Program, Suzanne H. Richmond

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

Heart failure (HF) has become a national epidemic, with 5.7 million Americans currently living with HF. Although HF is incurable, it is manageable if health care professionals apply current practice guidelines to patient teaching. Nurses are charged with providing comprehensive education about HF self-­‐management and it is imperative they stay abreast of evidence-­‐based guidelines. The purpose of this project was to explore the current HF knowledge of Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) registered nurse Care Managers employed at the Providence Veterans Administration Medical Center (PVAMC). The logic model and Knowles andragogy theory assisted this researcher in the creation of a …

Nurses' Knowledge Related To Heart Failure Essentials, Ann Mary Garris

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

Heart Failure is a complex syndrome which continues to be a major health issue in the United States and worldwide. Strategies and educational interventions implemented by hospitals to reduce hospital admissions and readmissions for this costly chronic disease have not been consistently successful. Patient education is an important strategy for the management of HF to improve quality of life, optimize patient outcomes, and reduce the use of healthcare resources by reducing readmissions. The purpose of this program development was to increase nurses’ knowledge regarding HF education to be provided to HF patients prior to discharge from the acute care setting. …

Surgical Skills For The Aprn Student: A Low-Fidelity Simulation Experience, Jason C. Heath

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

There are many contemporary areas of practice available to the ACNP to date that encompass a surgical component of practice. Surgical specialty settings require a practitioner to be competent in a specialized base of knowledge as well as possess a fundamental set of psychomotor skills to practice competently. Unlike the training of the PA, ACNP programs do not typically address surgical theory or skills. The purpose of the program was to increase graduate nursing student confidence in basic surgical skills. The review of the literature examined the differences between the educational preparation of the PA and the NP, expansion of …

Educational Innovation Brief: Educating Graduate Nursing Students On Value Based Purchasing, Kristen M. Farrell

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

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act implemented value-based purchasing to raise the bar on quality care and patient satisfaction in healthcare facilities. The time has come to educate graduate nursing students on the reality of quality indicators and the impact that advanced practice nurses will have on these initiatives. This educational brief describes implementation of an educational session developed for graduate nursing students on VBP and the APN role. The content for the education was derived from an extensive literature review, The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing, and the clinical experience of the author. The education was …