Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Providing Holistic And Spiritual Nursing Care, Jessika D. Gore

Senior Honors Theses

Holistic nursing is care of the whole person, which addresses physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and relational aspects of health. Historically, nursing has always integrated these aspects into providing care. Nursing developed out of religious orders and was predominantly a way to serve God by serving the poor and the sick. Florence Nightingale believed that nursing was her calling from God and her faith and spirituality influenced every aspect of her care. Nurses today are often fearful of addressing the spiritual needs of their patients, despite research that demonstrates the importance of providing care in these areas. Nurses can use interventions …

Travesty Of Trust: A Critical Look At Racial And Ethnic Discrimination In The Healthcare Setting, Thea A. Beaty

Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to review the overarching purpose of healthcare, examine race-related disparities in minority patient outcomes within specific fields of medical practice, and discuss whether these disparities are the result of racial discrimination within the clinical setting, or are due at least partially to genetic and environmental factors, followed by an examination of how cross-cultural education for healthcare professionals can be improved to equip medical personnel with the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to provide effective care to a culturally diverse patient populace. The benefits of recruiting a culturally and linguistically diverse team of healthcare providers …

The Challenges And Blessings Of Missionary Nursing In Africa, Jordan E. Woosley

Senior Honors Theses

Nursing is a popular career choice in the twenty-first century, and there are many opportunities within the profession to serve. An American nurse has the ability to utilize nursing skills in Africa and share knowledge with the locals. The American nurse may face challenges when adapting to the African culture and healthcare but also may be blessed by the work and ministering to the people. The American nurse faces specific challenges such as educational differences, lack of facilities and equipment, unique diseases, and poor sanitation. In spite of these challenges, the American missionary nurse is able to grow through this …

Barriers To Diabetes Care In Appalachia: Challenges Faced By Healthcare Providers, Megan Cullinan

Senior Honors Theses

Appalachia is a region of the United States that is characterized by high rates of poverty, low levels of education, elevated incidence of chronic disease, and inadequate healthcare. Compared to the national average, the area has an elevated incidence of Type 2 diabetes. Though this disease process is an issue that must be addressed by healthcare providers, these providers face many challenges and barriers to providing adequate care for this disease in the Appalachian population. Barriers to care include geography with limited transportation, an inadequate number of healthcare personnel, patient inability to afford healthcare, patient attitudes toward diabetes care, and …

A School-Based Intervention Of Adolescent Obesity Prevention In At-Risk Youth, Leah M. Potecha

Senior Honors Theses

Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States, affecting individuals of all ages. Adolescents are particularly susceptible to obesity due to their decrease in physical activity, as well as to the greater availability of foods void of nutritional value. Adolescents’ impressionable natures and changing bodies also contribute to their increased weights. To combat the problem of obesity, many schools have implemented obesity prevention programs. Most of these programs are based on physical education and nutrition education. However, some schools have started mentorship programs, or worked with organizations that employ mentorship programs, to prevent obesity. The Lynchburg Healthy Living program …

Surgical Delay For Hip Fracture Clients And The Use Of Clopidogrel: An Integrative Review, Phoebe Genevieve Waller

Senior Honors Theses

Abstract

Hip fractures in elderly patients have very high postoperative mortality rates and the number of hip fractures in the United States is expected to increase exponentially before 2030. Early surgery is essential to improve outcomes, but patients on clopidogrel (Plavix) have a high risk for increased bleeding if surgery is performed within the usual 72 hour window. This paper presents literature and research addressing the dangers of delaying surgery versus undergoing surgery before the effects of the clopidogrel are gone. Based on articles published after 2006, most researchers advocated earlier surgical intervention than previously recommended and emphasized an individualized …

Nature Versus Nurture: A Study Of Adopted And Biological Children And Their Behavioral Patterns, Courtney Janaye Grenke

Senior Honors Theses

Nurses encounter many different populations of people every day and they must know how to treat them. Adopted children are a population that nurses encounter and there are disagreements concerning whether they are at an increased risk for developing behavioral problems as compared to biological children. It is also debated whether genetics or environment plays a more prominent role in childhood development. Most studies conclude that adopted children are at an increased risk for more behavioral problems due to the unique struggles and challenges they must overcome with genetics playing a bigger role than environment. Nurses can use this information …

A Social Controversy: Autism Spectrum Disorder's Correlation To The Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccination, Lindsay A. Frye

Senior Honors Theses

A 1998 research study lead by Dr. Andrew Wakefield linked the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccination as a probable cause to autism spectrum disorder. This publication has started a significant debate among healthcare professionals and instigated an anti-vaccination movement within the general population. This vaccination controversy was started by parents who readily accepted Wakefield’s findings as truth and frequently would choose to withdrawal the administration of vaccinations from their children’s care plans. There has also been disapproval by healthcare professionals over Wakefield’s study since numerous research teams have been unable to replicate his findings. This disagreement surrounding the MMR vaccination is likely …

A Study Of Expressed Emotion In Psychiatric Nurses And Its Relation To The General Role And Effects Of Emotions In Nursing, Lauren A. Buck

Senior Honors Theses

Nurses play a vital role in the health and care of a patient. Through that care, the nurse has the ability to improve the patient’s experience or ruin it. A vital component influencing the care provided are the emotions the nurse displays toward her coworkers, patients, and patients’ family members. The emotions of a nurse may positively or negatively impact a patient. The studies that examine the impact of the nurse’s emotions on patient’s outcomes are varied and few. The communication and emotion of nurses are likely to impact their care and, from that, the patient’s outcome; however, there is …

The Adverse Effects Of The Cardiopulmonary Bypass Machine, Shannon Renee Steidl

Senior Honors Theses

Throughout the United States, the use of the cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) machine during cardiac surgery has become a widely employed practice. Although this machine has simplified cardiac surgery by allowing the heart to be stopped, the technology also causes adverse effects on a patient’s body and cognitive functions. These include complications of the inflammatory system, heart, lungs, kidneys, and brain. Using the CPB can not only cause physical harm, but it can also lead to cognitive decline that can affect the patient’s quality of life. Studying the CPB in terms of its adverse effects is imperative to making any effort …

Anencephaly: Concepts Of Personhood, Ethical Questions, And Nursing Care, Jessica L. Ryskamp

Senior Honors Theses

Anencephaly is a neural tube defect that severely limits the lifespan of affected infants. While these infants have no higher brain function, they are still persons, and should be given the same moral and ethical considerations as healthy infants. With this in mind, organ donation procedures should follow the same guidelines that apply to other donors. Because a large part of nursing care for anencephalic infants is palliative care, nurses need appropriate training to care effectively for both the infant and the family, providing for physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual needs.

Infant Pain Management, Breanne Ziraldo

Senior Honors Theses

Emphasis on infant pain management has recently become prominent in the medical field. Though it was once thought that infants do not feel pain or remember pain, this thinking has changed due to recent research on the subject. This research has found that infants’ underdeveloped nervous systems actually leads to increased pain rather than decreased pain as previously thought. Research has also found that there are long-term developmental risks associated with prolonged or unmanaged pain in infancy. However, this has not been applied to clinical practice. Studies show that infants are still being under-medicated, if medicated at all, for painful …

Prevention Of Mother-To-Child Transmission (Pmtct) Of Hiv In The Sub-Saharan Africa Region With A Focus On Uganda, Emily K. Franks

Senior Honors Theses

With the rise of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the past thirty years, people of all ages, infants to elderly alike, all over the world, suffer from its adverse effects. Even an unborn baby in-utero can contract this virulent infection by means of mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) (Sweeney, 2005). Infants and children diseased in this way comprise 90% of the estimated 800,000 new cases of HIV in children seen each year, but the region hit hardest, however, is Sub-Saharan Africa, with the country of Uganda historically having the highest incident rate for a time (Stringer, E.M., et al. 2008). Therefore, the purpose …

A Literature Review: Current Trends In Holistic Nursing, Angela J. Wolf

Senior Honors Theses

There is scarcity of documentation that seeks to define spirituality relating to holistic nursing; consequently, a literature review was formulated to define spirituality and guide nursing practice towards recognizing the importance of and implementation of spiritual care. By researching the current trends in peer-reviewed journals from the past three years and analyzing associated articles, this paper addresses the need for a comprehensive definition of spirituality. Key concepts such as belief, values, interconnectedness with self, others and God, energy, hope and transcendence will be analyzed, and the accumulated data will be complied into a framework that is easy for a nurse …

Letter To The Editor On Doctor Of Nursing Practice....", Hila J. Spear

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

Nursing Theory And Knowledge Development: A Descriptive Review Of Doctoral Dissertations, 2000–2004, Hila Spear

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Within the profession of nursing, nursing theory, conceptual models, and knowledge development continue to be points of discussion and debate. Some suggest that nursing research must either test or develop nursing theory, whereas others believe that research germane to practice can legitimately incorporate what is commonly referred to as borrowed theory. This descriptive analysis of nursing doctoral dissertations (N = 207) conducted from 2000 to 2004 focused primarily on the inclusion or exclusion of nursing theories. Almost half (45.4%) of the dissertations studied theories from fields other than nursing, 27.1% of the researchers studied nursing theories, and 27.5% of the …

Evidence-Based Nursing Practice: Making Progress And Making A Difference, Hila J. Spear

Faculty Publications and Presentations

No abstract provided.

A Study Of The Relationships Among Secondary Traumatic Stress, Coping, And Years Of Service In Firefighter/Emergency Medical Service Personnel, Lynne S. Sanders

Faculty Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine relationships among stress, coping, and years of service in rescue personnel. One hundred sixteen voluntary subjects employed in Fire/EMS service in a small southern city participated in the study. Subjects completed a demographic questionnaire, The Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS), and The Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS).

The incidence of symptomatic stress for the sample was 19.8 percent, higher than the general population but comparable to rates found in other studies of rescue workers. Calls involving children were rated as most disturbing by the subjects. There was no relationship found between years …

The Community Awareness Rape Education (Care) Program For High School Students, Virginia Wright, Shanna Akers, Suzanne Rita

Faculty Publications and Presentations

According to national statistics, 17% of rape victims are between the ages of 13 and 17 years; however, this age group has limited access to information about sexual assault. In light of this fact and the widely held belief that sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) have a responsibility to educate others about sexual assault, we developed an educational program for adolescents.