Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

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 …

An Examination Of The Impact Of Covid-19 On The Job Satisfaction And Emotional Well-Being Of Icu Nurses, Laura Ruth Daffron

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Healthcare systems have been demonstrably altered because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Resources were stretched and patient conditions deteriorated on a scale previously unseen, leaving nurses at the forefront to face the adversities brought about by the pandemic. In this study, a questionnaire was utilized to better understand how COVID-19 has impacted the stress level, resilience/well-being, moral distress, job satisfaction/enjoyment, practice environment, and intent to remain in the nursing profession of nursing alums from East Tennessee State University. This study focused on a subset of nurses working in critical care, to consider the impact that the pandemic had on ICU nurses’ …

Prospective Generation Z Nurses: Expectation Of The Workforce In Connotation To The Great Resignation, Amelia Borders

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Great Resignation has left an impact on the entirety of the American workforce. Coupled with the burnout rates caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems have been trying to find solutions to inhibit the nurse shortage. While solutions that focus on symptoms of the problem may work for a short period of time, hospitals will continue to encounter issues with staffing nurses and will need to find a new solution (Laskowskil-Jones & Castner, 2022). A possible solution would be for hospitals to recruit and retain prospective Gen Z nurses. In a quantitative study completed at a single university in …

Doing Death Better: Practical Ways For Healthcare Professionals To Care For The Dying Patient And Their Families, Andrea Wilson

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Healthcare professionals care for patients with unique personal, cultural, religious, and medical needs, but these needs are not always met in a way that ensures the patient and their families are being treated as unique individuals. This paper first provides an overview of the physiological aspects of dying and how to educate patients and their families regarding expectations in end-of-life. The impacts of the death of a child and a parent were explored, and areas in need of more resources for these individuals were identified. The beliefs and practices of Hindu, Native American, and Islamic cultures were discussed, and lessons …

A Survey To Highlight Areas Of Focus For Patient Care In Settings Utilizing Medical Interpretation, Azayzel Deregis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis recounts my personal experience working as a volunteer medical interpreter for the Language and Culture Resource Center at East Tennessee State University. The result of my time spent volunteering as a medical interpreter, shadowing professional medical interpreters, and witnessing patient-provider interactions during interpreted sessions was an inspiration to study medical interpretation further and delve into the challenges faced by patients who require medical interpreters. During my time researching this topic, I found that the United States is severely lacking in Spanish medical interpreters—with some healthcare facilities employing no medical interpreters—even though the size of the Hispanic population is …

Nursing Students, Bullying, And Burnout: A Study On Bullying By Medical Staff Members Against Nursing Students In The Clinical Setting And Its Relation To Nursing Student Burnout, Kihley Bellamy

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The present study investigated the existence of bullying by medical staff members in the clinical setting as experienced by nursing students, the existence of burnout among these students, and if such students perceive feelings of burnout as directly related to experiences of bullying. Undergraduate main campus traditional Bachelor of Science in nursing students at East Tennessee State University in their second, third, fourth, or fifth semesters were invited to participate in the study. Participants (n=52) were required to complete an online survey that regarded bullying, burnout, and how participants perceive the relation between the two variables. The study shows that …

The Effects Of The Transition From Pre-Nursing To Nursing On Mental Health, Andrew J. Davis, Paige R. Mullins, Kimberly A. Sell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mental health is an ever-growing crisis among adolescents and young adults, with suicide as second leading cause of death and the number of those negatively affected continually on the rise. Transitions are one of the major stressors prevalent among these age groups, placing individuals at risk for mental health deficits. This quantitative voluntary response comparative study assesses the transitional mental health of pre-nursing students and students in the nursing program at East Tennessee State University. Emailed to all with a declared major of pre-nursing or nursing, this study measured mental health using evidenced based assessment tools. The PHQ-9 for depression …

Nursing Student Perceptions Of Health Care Worker Appearance And Compassion, Skill, Knowledge, And Trustworthiness, Sophia Quick

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Many health care facilities enforce strict dress code policies prohibiting visible body modifications, including tattoos, piercings, and vibrant hair colors. As popularity of body modifications among young adults surges, facilities may be forced to adapt policies as these workers enter the workforce. While some evidence exists related to patient perceptions of health care workers with body modifications, there is little about how nursing students perceive them. This study aimed to describe undergraduate, pre-licensure nursing students’ perceptions of health care worker appearance on compassion, skill, knowledge, and trustworthiness.

Methods: Using cross-sectional design, an on-line Likert-type survey was used to collect …

A Descriptive Study Of Male Victims Of Sexual Assault Seen For A Sexual Assault Forensic Medical Examination, Madeleine Prince

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Ten percent of all victims who report a sexual assault (SA) are male (Department of Justice, 2013), yet there has been little research on their experiences. Further study on the unique characteristics of male SA victims is warranted. The purpose of this study is to explore, identify, and analyze variables of male SA victims who received a SA forensic medical examination (SAFME), and identify implications and areas for future research. Data from the SAFME charts were entered into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Male victims were compared to female victims from the same data set. …

Effect Of A Self-Care And Self-Awareness Education Program On Resilience To Burnout And Depression In Clinically Experienced Nursing Students, Andrew Taylor

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose was to examine the effect of a self-care educational intervention on nursing student resilience and thus the potential for compassion fatigue, depersonalization, burnout, depression, and inadequate self-care. A one-group pretest-posttest research design was applied to a convenience sample of 104 nursing students near the end of their last semester in a baccalaureate nursing program. The measurements were demographics, a psychometric resilience scale, program evaluation, and reflection question. The intervention was a standardized, intensive 30 min training program on the high degree of stress and burnout nurses face and the core self-care methods that can promote resilience to these …

The Effects Of Nursing School Peer Tutoring On Tutors, Yelyzaveta Soboleva

Undergraduate Honors Theses

An integrative review was used to examine the effects of being a tutor versus not being a tutor. The matrix method was used to guide the research process, to identify articles that met the inclusion criteria, and to reduce data into common topics of peer tutoring. The results of the integrative review yielded 20 articles and suggested that students in the position to assist others are more confident in communicating in groups and have higher knowledge in the subject they help with than their fellow peers. The literature showed that students in the position to assist others have defined personal …

Effect Of Gender On Intentional Learning Orientation, Sarah Anderson, Loyd Lee Glenn

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Knowledge of how gender affects learning is scarcely understood in the realm of nursing education. Prior studies have indicated certain learning styles are predictors of passing board examinations. Pinpointing specific learning styles could improve educational outcomes and produce thoroughly equipped nurses. Previous researchers have studied the differences in learning preferences according to gender; however, no studies have solely concentrated on gender specific learning preferences among undergraduate nursing students. Learning Interest, as well as Goal Orientation, were found to be statistically significant between genders.

Nursing Students’ Knowledge And Understanding Of Acute Cystitis, Kayla Weber

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Acute cystitis (AC) is characterized by a sudden inflammation of the bladder caused by bacteria. The severity of AC ranges from mild to severe and may be recurrent, especially in at-risk populations. Bacteria in the bladder may travel further into the urinary system, causes urinary tract infections (UTI’s) resulting in urosepsis. Hygienic procedures play a large role in decreasing the bacteria that causes AC, so it is important for nursing students to understand and correctly apply the knowledge learned throughout the curriculum. This study focused on the knowledge and understanding nursing students have about AC. To determine this information, a …

Student Perspectives On Working In Interdisciplinary Teams To Implement Mhealth, Elina Chun

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Interprofessional education of students in healthcare professions can lead to positive outcomes for students that are unique in a university setting. The purpose of this thesis is to describe benefits and challenges students encounter when working with students of other majors. This study used a convenience sample of students working on a university project to implement mHealth. Participants responded to two surveys with quantitative and qualitative questions. Students reported greater appreciation for diversity, the necessity of communication skills, and self-awareness of their own responsibilities in a team.

Stigma For Caring For Those With Mental Health Issues In The Student Nurse Community: A Survey, Matthew Boyd

Undergraduate Honors Theses

People living with a mental health issue is elevated both nationally and internationally, and the likelihood of a person interacting with someone who has a mental health issue is high. It is even higher for those who work in the health care profession, so understanding their attitudes on this matter is important. As a review of current literature reveals, there is not only stigma in the health care system, but there is also stigma among health care professionals and students. One of the groups of students that has not been researched to a great extent is nursing students and the …

I Survived The Icu: Post-Intensive Care Syndrome From Patient And Nursing Perspectives, Catherine Bynum

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Excerpt from Introduction

After a head-on collision with a drunk driver, Kathy Torpie had a long road to recovery ahead of her. After three weeks in the intensive care unit (ICU), sedation, and mechanical ventilation, she was left with a set of symptoms coined Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) (Torpie, 2005). PICS is defined as “a condition that encompasses new or worsening impairments in the patient’s physical, cognitive, or mental status arising after critical illness and persisting beyond the acute hospitalization” (Makic, 2016, p. 172). With technological advancements, ICU survival rates are on the rise. Now that survival has increased, it …

Perceptions Of Male Nursing Students About Working In Women’S Health, Jose Mari Lawrence Mitra

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study explores the opinions and experiences of East Tennessee State University (ETSU) male nursing students after they have completed their clinical rotations in obstetrics (OB). Participants are interviewed about their preconceptions and post-experience perspectives regarding the clinical rotation. After analyzing the interviews, the students’ perceptions appeared to be grounded in their perceived level of comfort with women’s health nursing. Themes include (1) preconceptions, (2) welcoming, (3) rejecting, and (4) culture.

Use Of Music To Reduce Anxiety In Short Wait Periods For Patients Receiving Care In An Urgent Care Clinic, Rebecca Anne Parker

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

The concept of waiting has received limited attention in the world of research. In modern society, waiting has become a commonplace event, especially in healthcare. Although the waiting experience can produce anxiety, healthcare environments can be easily manipulated in order to increase human comfort and reduce situational anxiety. One such way of accomplishing this is to introduce music to an environment. This paper will discuss the findings related to short wait periods, anxiety, and music within the literature, and the findings within this research study. This study found listener-selected music to be statistically effective in reducing anxiety for patients …

Bsn Students’ Satisfaction And Self-Confidence In Simulation-Based Learning, Aubrey Winum

Undergraduate Honors Theses

As nurse educators prepare students to enter the real world, they are challenged to create learning methods that develop confident and competent nurses. While new graduate nurses have much to learn, they are expected to be able to work as a team, think critically, and provide a safe environment for patients. A nursing program at a small, liberal arts college in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains utilized simulation-based learning experiences to prepare students for the many situations they may face as a future nurse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact these experiences had on …

Move More, Stress Less: Exploring The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Test Anxiety In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Ashleigh Cleveland

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between physical activity and test anxiety in undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students. Participants (N=69) were first, second, and third year undergraduate nursing students at a small, private university in the southeastern United States. The Westside Test Anxiety Scale was administered along with questions regarding the type of physical activity performed each week and the number of minutes of physical activity performed each week. A Pearson r correlation coefficient and descriptive statistics were analyzed. Results were inconclusive regarding the relationship between physical activity and test anxiety. Survey results indicated 97% of students …

Senior Bsn Students’ Confidence, Comfort, And Perception Of Readiness For Practice, Megan Ashley Wray

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In order for new graduate nurses to practice confidently, senior nursing students must be adequately prepared to assume the role of a nurse in a professional setting. This study, using the Casey-Fink Readiness for Practice Survey, focused on identifying senior Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students’ level of comfort/confidence performing various skills and perception of readiness for practice as new graduate nurses. All participants had recently completed their senior preceptorship course. Participants completed the survey and descriptive statistics were used to analyze data, while free response answers were studied and key words were identified to categorize responses into themes. …

Older Adults Perspectives Of Bed Bathing, Nikki D. Sumner, Katherine C. Hall Phd

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this qualitative pilot study is to explore the patient perspectives about what it is like to receive a bed bath. Examining studies of bath basins versus alternative methods has shown a decrease in the spread of nosocominal infections. However, there is not sufficient evidence evaluating the patient perspectives of assistive bed bathing and interactions with nurses and nursing support staff. This information can provide healthcare providers, especially nurses, with a better understanding of patient perspectives and values. It also supports the national healthcare approach towards patient-centered care.

Patients’ Perceptions Of Nurses As Role Models Of Healthy Behaviors, Sarah C. Baker

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Nurses are caregivers who are instrumental in improving patient outcomes through providing hands-on care and health education. In addition to performing prescribed interventions and providing instruction to patients, nurses can also have a positive impact by modeling healthy behaviors for their patients (Blake & Harrison, 2012). Nurses educate patients on the importance of maintaining healthy habits such as eating well, getting enough sleep and exercise, and avoiding alcohol and drug use; however, studies demonstrate that nurses have similar difficulty maintaining healthy lifestyles as the general population’s and in some cases are even more prone to develop problems with unhealthy habits. …

Nursing Students' Interest In And Perceived Barriers To International Clinical Experience, Bethany Rowell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

East Tennessee State University has a variety of international travel opportunities for general education within its undergraduate study abroad program. Some opportunities even exist within specific degree programs. Despite the literature purporting the benefits acquired from clinical experience abroad, the College of Nursing has yet to incorporate an international component to its BSN curriculum. This study explores College of Nursing students' interest in participating in international clinical experiences and the perceived barriers for students who are willing to travel.

Nurses' Knowledge Of Eating Disorders, Carly S. Price

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Eating Disorders are a range of disorders marked by abnormal eating habits. These habits can often have a detrimental effect on the body and have the potential to complicate acute medical problems if they are a pre-existing condition. Due to this, it is important that members of the healthcare team be aware of the nature of these disorders from both a physical and mental health perspective in order to provide the best, most holistic care. In this study, individuals with nursing experience in acute medical and acute psychiatric care were asked 11 questions concerning the assessment and knowledge of eating …

Culture Counts: An Analysis Of Cultural Awareness And Competency Among Nursing Students, Ariel Starr Tate

Undergraduate Honors Theses

As cultural diversity becomes increasingly significant in the field of nursing, so does its inclusion in accredited Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) programs. An analysis of one university’s school of nursing program curriculum was conducted to measure the cultural awareness and competency of nursing students progressing through BSN and ADN accredited programs, using the Cultural Awareness Scale (CAS) survey and a qualitative survey. Results indicated BSN students and senior level students score higher on average compared to ADN students and junior level students respectively. However, low means overall and only 15% to 18% …

Do Stress Levels Differ Between First Semester Nursing Student Early In The Semester Vs. The End Of The Semester?, Alissy Heisey

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study intends to determine how stress levels change over time in nursing students in the Baccalaureate program at East Tennessee State University. The instrument utilized for this survey was the Perceived Stress Scale by Mind Garden, Inc. This survey was passed at the beginning of the semester and at the end of the semester. There was no-significant difference found between the two time spots, leading us to conclude that the level of stress perceived by nursing students is a steady factor during their school semester.

Nurse’S Perceptions Of Visitor’S Adherence To Transmission-Based Precautions, Jocelyn K. Spenillo

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Transmissions based precautions are measures implemented in various clinical health care settings as a means to prevent the transmission of infectious diseases and decrease instances of healthcare acquired infections (HAI). HAI’s result in increased cost to hospitals, longer hospitalization for patients, increased patient suffering, and fatal patient outcomes. While staff member adherence to transmissions based precautions are mandated through various organizations and hospital policies, a review of literature indicates little research has been conducted regarding visitor compliance with transmission-based precautions. The potential implications in healthcare from visitor non-adherence acquired infections are unknown; revealing a gap in literature and supporting the …

The Perception Of Latino Mothers’ Experience With The Healthcare System In East Tennessee, Christopher G. Bush

Undergraduate Honors Theses

As the Hispanic population continues to grow in the United States, especially in the South, it is critical for healthcare workers to provide culturally competent care as required by certain laws. The Latina experience is of significant importance due to the role Latina mothers play in their families and communities. It is necessary to understand the perspective of this population and the experience of the Latina mother in regards to healthcare; specifically, how have language barriers hindered care, what perceptions of bias or discrimination have been encountered, and how do these factors influence their healthcare decisions and outcomes. Research has …

Tobacco Use And Attachment Style, Mary Heath Wise

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tobacco has been recognized as the number one cause of preventable death in America and results in almost 5.2 million years of potential life lost each year. The use of tobacco products is highly correlated with pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, and other forms of chronic illness in America. Within the last ten years new tobacco products have been trending in the tobacco market such as the water pipe/hookah and e-cigarettes. With e-cigarettes and other newer forms of tobacco on the rise, it is important to look at the underlying factors for using all kinds of tobacco products as a means …