Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Experiences Of Black American Millennials: A Qualitative Study Of Internalized And Externalized Coping In The Face Of Racial Trauma, Natalia Angelique Giles

Doctoral Dissertations

The experiences Black Americans have faced when standing against racial trauma have impacted the Black community for generations. Though previous generations faced overt styles of racism throughout the eras of slavery and Jim Crow, the invalidation and discrimination have remained consistent within the experiences of the Black American millennial (BAM) generation. Current experiences BAMs face are a combination of both overt and covert styles of racism, which increase mental exhaustion, reduce motivation, and leave the individual psychologically defenseless. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of BAMs in the face of racial trauma. This qualitative research …

A Quality Improvement Project On Anxiety Management Before Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, Kiera Paulo

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: This Quality Improvement project sought to determine if a brief progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) session could decrease patient anxiety before receiving intramuscular (IM) injections for ketamine-assisted therapy. Problem: The Kerstin Helgason, NP clinic does ketamine-assisted therapy, and many patients express anxiety beforehand, either due to a fear of needles or nerves surrounding the medication treatment. Intervention: This project implemented a brief progressive muscle relaxation therapy for patients with anxiety before receiving their IM injection. Measures: The patient’s anxiety levels were measured before and after the PMR therapy using a five-point Likert scale ranging from none to very severe. Results: …

Community Health Worker Program: Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases In Children, Julia L. Newell

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Abstract

Background: Childhood obesity, asthma, and untreated mental health conditions, are three examples of chronic non-communicable diseases (CNDs) that pose a host of negative consequences later in life. Community health workers (CHWs) are in a unique position to address these negative health externalities by leveraging linguistic, cultural, and socioemotional connectedness within their communities.

Local Problem: Minority children in the Central Valley of California, face additional risk factors for the development of CNDs. CHWs working in this area require enhanced training on CNDs to improve their practice.

Methods: In partnership with Save the Children (STC), the University of San Francisco (USF) …

Mental Health And Experiences Of Pregnancy Among Black Women And Birthing People With Type 1 Diabetes (T1d), Madeleine E. Marcus

Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation explored the potential effects of intersections of oppression (i.e., anti-Black racism, diabetes discrimination, and sexism) on mental health and pregnancy experiences among Black women and birthing people with Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Previous studies about pregnancy and T1D have included mainly white, cisgender women. Three participants qualified for inclusion in the present study and participated in semi-structured interviews, which the researcher analyzed using an interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) framework. Participants described feeling uncertain about whether aspects of their pregnancy experiences were related to obstetric and/or medical racism. Similarly, participants sometimes seemed uncertain about how racism may affect their …

Improving Minors' Access To Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder: A Policy Analysis, Sara Jane Hamilton

Master's Projects and Capstones

As the opioid epidemic continues to have devastating effects on our communities, medications to treat opioid use disorder (MOUDs) are severely underutilized especially for adolescents. Unlike adults, minors need parental approval before obtaining MOUDs presenting a key barrier to timely treatment. Being able to treat adolescents as soon as they are ready is critically important for people with OUD, and while cost and other barriers have been addressed in the literature, there is a paucity on how parental consent affects the accessibility of treatment. This paper aims to explore a potential policy in California that addresses the lack of access …

Meet Me In The Middle: A Scoping Review On Understanding Adolescent Needs In Climate Communication, Gwendolyn Monica Hoff Anderson

Master's Projects and Capstones

The greatest effects of climate change are likely to be felt by youth. Young people are disproportionately affected by climate change due to their critical developmental stage and lack of power, and they experience both higher severity and prevalence of mental health issues related to climate change. Strong emotions have long been recognized as potential catalysts for action, or they may lead to paralyzing feelings of being overwhelmed. Climate communication is a critical tool to spark climate concern and encourage action. Activism, in turn, may help youth manage their anxiety about climate change. This scoping review examines emerging evidence on …

Burnout: An Examination Of How Human Services’ Cultures Impact Person-Centered Care And Job Satisfaction, Ebony Webb

Master's Projects and Capstones

In a world that demands the constant requirement of adaptability and technology, the need for ‘hands on the ground’ continues to persist, and perhaps even grow. This research project explores burnout in the healthcare and nonprofit settings, as a pre-existing and ongoing issue, that was brought to centre-stage during the Covid-19 pandemic. The researcher explores the intersections of burnout with workplace culture, person-centered care (PCC), sweat equity and duty-of-care, through expert interviews and literature reviews. Data collected provides an immediate understanding of current workplace cultures and environments for human service providers, in both healthcare and nonprofit sectors. While the data …

Therapeutic Gardening For Addiction Recovery, Hugo A. Rivera Lopez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: The use of evidence-based alternative forms of therapy like horticulture therapy and therapeutic gardening is underutilized in substance use recovery programs in the United States. As the country continues to struggle with addiction, it is important that recovery programs look to and incorporate these alternative therapies into official curricula. Currently, 46.3 million individuals living in the United States are living with a substance use disorder (U.S Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2022).

Context: The intervention was implemented at an all-male substance use treatment facility in San Jose, CA that houses up …

Therapeutic Gardening For Mental Health In Substance Use Recovery, Stephanie E. Schafer

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

As the clinical nurse leader (CNL) in this project, I used the “[CNL]

Essential 1: Background for Practice from Sciences and Humanities” (Competencies and Curricular Expectations for Clinical Nurse Leader Education and Practice, 2013) and its competencies to focus on designing nursing care for a clinical or community-focused population based on biopsychosocial, public health, nursing, and organizational sciences and to synthesize evidence for practice to determine appropriate application of interventions across diverse populations. With the help of the CNL competencies and collaboration with the healthcare team, we created and implemented a therapeutic garden for residents in a substance use …

Surviving The Stigma: Incorporating Mental Health Literacy To Increase Help-Seeking In California First Responders, Yvonne C. Newson

Master's Projects and Capstones

First responders are at risk of developing mental health problems due to repeated exposure to traumatic incidents, increasing their chance of developing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, substance abuse, suicidal ideation, and suicide. Unfortunately, first responders do not recognize that they may have a mental illness and are reluctant to seek help. This paper will discuss the prevalence of mental health problems among first responders and the barriers to their help-seeking. These barriers include the stigma around mental illness within the culture, the assessability of professional help, and the lack of mental health literacy regarding their well-being. Further discussion will focus …

Decreasing Restraint Use By Utilization Of Agitation Assessment And Verbal De-Escalation Strategies In An Inpatient Non-Psychiatric Hospital, Kiera Paulo

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Background: This paper reviews the literature on ways to decrease the use of restraints in hospitals – specifically the use of agitation assessments and verbal de-escalation to be implemented in healthcare facilities to decrease the number of restraints being used to manage undesirable patient behavior and workplace violence incidents. Problem: Restraints have been shown to impede the nurse-patient relationship and cause emotional and physical trauma to staff and patients. They are no longer considered preferred management and in some circumstances can be considered abuse. Intervention: Agitation assessments and verbal de-escalation have been shown to produce less aggressive behavior and decrease …