Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Interventions To Combat Burnout In Intensive Care Unit Nurses, Emily C. Randall, Amber T. Mcclarty, Omotoyosi Ogedengbe

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: This literature review summarizes the knowledge, causative factors, associations/relationships, and interventions of burnout, positive work environments, and sleep quality in intensive care unit (ICU) nurses.

Objectives: To answer the question, how effective is a positive work environment compared to psychological interventions, specifically improved sleep habits, in reducing burnout in ICU nurses?

Methods: A literature search was conducted using combined keywords in 4 databases of 10 peer reviewed publications from 2016 to 2022. Information related to burnout, positive work environments, and sleep quality in intensive care unit (ICU) nurses was compared and summarized.

Results: There is sufficient evidence that positive …

Project Proposal Abstract For Bedside Nurses In Acute Care, Can Additional Education Contribute To Adequate Performance Of Prevention And Treatment For Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries?, Hannah Ly

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) are common preventable medical issues among patients receiving acute or critical care, such as cancer, spinal cord injuries, or heart disease. Despite the rapid development of healthcare, HAPIs remains one of the biggest challenges that affect patient outcomes, breach patient safety, and become an economic burden for many healthcare facilities worldwide. The healthcare members, especially nurses, often underestimate the harms because the issues are not a life-threaten concern in the inpatient setting. However, HAPIs can lead to emergency conditions such as sepsis. This study aims to access and provide additional education that acknowledges and improves …

Alternative Precautionary Measures Yielding Lower C. Diff Infection Rates In Healthcare Facilities, Matthew Kramer

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: An international healthcare concern is the persistent spread of Clostridium difficile, a Gram-positive spore forming bacterium that is responsible for the most common hospital-acquired infection, amongst patients.

Objective: A systematic review was performed to summarize evidence that the interventions utilized in healthcare facilities which indicate a patient’s precautionary status are insufficient, outdated, and commonly lead to infection in neighboring patient rooms. Databases such as PubMed, NCBI, Google Scholar, and APHA’s Medical Care were searched, covering the period from 2017-2022. Studies were included if their focus concentrated on C. diff and the precautionary measures taken by employees at healthcare …

Risk Assessments In The Reduction Of Medication Errors In Older Adults With Polypharmacy, Jacquelyn Blackwell

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Background: An increasing number of people are on multiple medications which is referred to as polypharmacy. Research has shown that polypharmacy increases the risk of adverse events related to medication errors, especially among elderly patients who are more sensitive to the effects of medication due to physiologic changes that occur due to aging. Information also exists on interventions that may decrease the likelihood of medication errors. However, there is a lack of research on the success of said interventions in preventing medication errors. This project aims to identify, develop, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed interventions, …

Reducing Diaper Dermatitis In The Nicu, Yesenia Alvira

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Purpose: This evidence-based project aims to support the acquisition of diaper dermatitis protocols that include nursing interventions, assessment tools, and educational opportunities for NICU nurses. Neonatal diaper dermatitis cases are common in the NICU due to the skin of neonates often being underdeveloped and sensitive to the environment. Diapers, especially, can irritate the perineal skin of neonates. Nurses who do not comply with standard perineal skin care can compromise the neonate's skin integrity. This can cause diaper dermatitis, which, if left untreated, can pose a risk of infection and cause pain to the neonate. Literature review: The review of …

How Does Sleep Effect Hospitalized Patients, Luke Stewart

Symposium of Student Scholars

In the time I spent in hospitals both for school and work, I saw a common trend of patients complaining they were exhausted. In the hospital vitals are taken every 4 hours, labs drawn multiple times throughout the night, provider rounds, and medication administration. With constant interruptions throughout the night it is no surprise patients constantly feel tired. Sleep is very important for not just the body’s health, but its ability to heal. The overall purpose of the research is 1) how can hospital staff ensure better sleep for patients that have been hospitalized and 2) what does constantly waking …

In Full-Term Pregnant Women With Gestational Diabetes, Does Induction Of Labor Increase The Risk Of The Patient Requiring An Emergency C-Section When Compared To Spontaneous Labor?, Melissa Hernandez

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Background: Gestational diabetes (GDM) during pregnancy can have serious complications where an induction might be recommended instead of waiting for spontaneous labor (SL) to occur. With all labor, there is a risk of an emergency cesarean section (c-section). Women with GDM might require induction for their safety and the safety of their babies. According to the Mayo Clinic, problems that arise with GDM include the infant with excessive birth weight, congenital defects, and hypoglycemia. Women might develop preeclampsia, birth trauma, or delayed wound healing. The purpose of this project is to compare induction versus SL in full-term mothers with …

Comparison Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Pharmacologic Intervention In Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment, Analily Wong, Collin Owen, Meghan Vatave

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a condition that can result in chronic health conditions that negatively impact a person’s life. Methods to treat AUD involve cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacologic intervention, including disulfiram (DIS), naltrexone (NTX), and acamprosate (ACA).

Objectives: The purpose of this review is to determine the efficacy of CBT compared to pharmacologic intervention within one year of treatment in adult patients who have been diagnosed with AUD.

Methods: A reference search was conducted using various databases to locate literature. Combined keywords and Boolean operators were utilized to reveal desired articles. A total of 10 …

Hipaachecker: A Web Based Application On Hipaa Technical Safeguards Assessment Of Android Mhealth Applications, Bilash Saha

Symposium of Student Scholars

Protecting personal health records is becoming increasingly important as more people use Mobile Health applications (mHealth apps) to improve their health outcomes. These mHealth apps enable consumers to monitor their health-related problems, store, manage, and share health records, medical conditions, treatment, and medication. With the increase of mHealth apps accessibility and usability, it is crucial to create, receive, maintain or transmit protected health information (PHI) on behalf of a covered entity or another business associate. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) provides guidelines to the app developers so that the apps must be compliant with required and addressable …

Interventions To Prevent The Incidence Of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia, Taylor Arnett

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: Healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) such as ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) are common complications patients can acquire after being hospitalized. These complications can be preventable through the implementation of appropriate methods of prevention. Objective: This study was designed to discover interventions healthcare facilities and staff can implement to help prevent the incidence of VAP. Method: Research was conducted using CINAHL, EBSCO, and PubMed. The commonly used phrases to find search results include “prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia” and “methods to reduce ventilator-associated pneumonia.” Articles were excluded if they were published prior to 2017 or were not written in the English language. Results: Five articles …

Interventions To Prevent Hospital Acquired Pressure Injuries, Astrid Geronimo

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: Hospital acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) are the most common preventable complication among critical care patients. This project is conducted to compare the effectiveness between the current implemented preventative measure versus the new measures that have data supporting their effectiveness. Brief Significance: Five articles were chosen that outlined the prevalence of hospital acquired pressure injuries in critical care patients and alternative interventions that have been effective in the prevention of HAPIs. These evidence-based interventions include: The application of multilayered foam dressing with hypo oxygenated fatty oils which would reduce sheer and provide support from the pressure of laying in the …

Maternal And Child Health Research, Delaney Harris

Symposium of Student Scholars

Breastfeeding infants is arguably the best way for an infant to receive not only their nutrition but also build up their antibodies and their immune health. Exclusively breastfed infants are also at a lower risk for sudden infant death syndrome as well as decreased risks for infant malnutrition. Being exclusively breastfed after the age of six months is proven to reduce the child’s susceptibility to sinus infections past infancy as well as protect against autoimmune diseases and respiratory allergies. As the number of children in a single household increases the likelihood of an infant being exclusively breastfed after 6 months …

Nurse Role In Preventing Substance Abuse, Catherine Williams

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: Pain is the number one reason why people seek medical attention, meaning pain management is an important intervention in caring for patients. However, over prescribing opioids has caused a major problem in healthcare. The United States is facing a crisis related to opioid abuse and opioid overdose deaths. A major contribution to this crisis is from an over prescription of opioids, which has caused a four-time increase in prescription opioid overdose death since 1999. It is the nurse’s responsibility to screen, assess, monitor, and educate patients about substance abuse. All patients while being triaged should be screened for abuse; …

Effectiveness Of Distraction Techniques In Reducing Pain And Anxiety During Pediatric Venipuncture, Gina Hernandez

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Venipuncture is consistently identified as one of the most painful and feared experiences of hospitalized children, often resulting in traumatic memories and resistance to future procedures. Currently, standard practice for pediatric venipuncture involves physical restraint, either by another person or by utilizing a restrictive tool. This proposal will explore the efficacy of various distraction techniques in mitigating pain and anxiety experienced by pediatric patients undergoing venipuncture. Current research shows that procedural pain and anxiety can be significantly reduced by implementing distraction techniques such as bubble-blowing, deep breathing, audiovisual distraction, and immersive virtual reality. Effectiveness of each technique varies based …

Nurse-Initiated Protocols Leading To Improved Patient Flow, Shanyne Douglas

Symposium of Student Scholars

As we grow and age as a population, more people are frequenting the emergency department (ED). Leading to an increase in ED capacity and longer wait times. These long wait times have been shown to lead to increased length of stay, decreased patient satisfaction, and increased mortality. There are many studies on ways to improve these ED challenges. The most common consensus is to improve patient flow. Patient flow is the patient's movement from admission to discharge. The best way to improve patient flow in the ED is to have a competent triage system. The Emergency Severity Index is what …

Educating Parents On Infant Safe Sleep To Reduce Sleep-Related Deaths, Marleni Cervantes

Symposium of Student Scholars

During my pediatric clinical rotation, I saw parents practicing unsafe sleeping practices with their infants. Infants would sleep with their pillows, blankets and in non-supine positions. There are around 3000 sleep related infant deaths annually in the United States (Patrick et al., 2021). To combat this issue a safe sleep education program should be implemented in labor and delivery and NICU units to ensure parents are getting the proper training before discharge. Parents will attend an education program before discharging from the hospital. The program will be completed in 2 days to ensure the parents are able to ask questions …

Reduction Of Analgesia Delivery Time Based On Pca Data, Jonathan Lynch

Symposium of Student Scholars

Evidence based practice changes motivated by reduced time between patient's reported pain onset and analgesia administration as shown by PCA research.

Preventing Clabsi In Bedside Nursing, Ashlyn Winegarner

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Central line associated blood stream infections, better known as CLASBIs, are a prominent problem in the hospital setting. Due to the direct connection between the blood stream and the outside world, these catheters are at great risk for growing infections that can spread to the bloodstream within hours. Research has been done on how compliant registered nurses are in regards to keeping these catheters sterile. A survey was conducted on one hundred and seventy-one nurses that concluded only seventy percent of the nurses were compliant in following the proper central line protocol. Another study was performed that introduced five …

Best Practice For Confirmation Of Nasogastric Tube Placement In Pediatric Patients, Joey Gondhalekar, Hannah Baines, Jacob Barcenas, Kaci Giles, Katie Crocker

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Background: Nasogastric (NG) tubes are used to provide nutrition or charcoal to patients who cannot swallow or are intubated. For pediatric patients, auscultation confirmation is often used to confirm placement despite the evidence that x-ray confirmation is a more accurate way to confirm placement. Incorrect placement leads to incidents of higher rates of healthcare acquired infections, financial strain on the hospital, and longer lengths of stay for patients.

Objectives: The objective of this evidence-based review is to review relevant published studies in determining the best practice for confirmation of NG tubes in pediatric patients.

Methods: A database search was …

Voice Assistant For Improving Patient's Lives: The Implementation And Case Study, Anh Duong

Symposium of Student Scholars

Over the last few years, the adoption of voice assistants in IoT devices has experienced rapid growth as a result of advanced technology alongside the development of artificial intelligence. According to a survey conducted by Juniper Research, over 2.5 billion digital voice assistants were being used in devices around the world by the end of 2018. By 2023, the number is expected to triple to 8 billion. Voice assistants (VA) have integrated into and become a part of human’s modern life with the purpose of making things more accessible and easier to use, hence, improving the users’ living experience. VA …

Prenatal Care: Access For All?, Jasmin Stewart

Symposium of Student Scholars

Prenatal care is an essential part of a woman’s pregnancy journey. It ensures that both mother and child are doing well, and helps to locate and diagnose any issues before they become complications. Without regular check ups, mothers will not be aware of life-threatening complications such as preeclampsia or placenta previa. Women in low socioeconomic brackets often do not have good access to prenatal care. Research studies have interviewed women and have stated many times there are no providers in the area where they live and they have to make long trips to see a doctor, which they cannot afford. …

Does Triage Education Reduce Classification Errors In The Ed?, Rachel Abukhdeir

Symposium of Student Scholars

IN A METRO ATLANTA LEVEL TWO EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, DOES THE APPLICATION OF TRIAGE EDUCATION REDUCE TRIAGE CLASSIFICATION ERRORS?

Abstract

Incorrect triage of patients leads to excessive wait times, an increase in length of stay, and escalating medical conditions. One of the most common triage systems in the United States is the Emergency Severity Index (ESI), a five-level triage system that focuses on prioritizing patient care based on the urgency of the patient’s illness. An assessment is performed by nurses to determine patients’ level of acuity. This method is subjective to the nurse performing triage. Currently, nurses have no or minimal …

Making Strides To Improve Quality Nursing Care, Arielle Holland

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: Over the last few decades America’s non-English (predominantly Spanish) speaking population has significantly increased and is predicted to continue rising in the coming years. With an increase in Spanish speaking patients and low numbers of nurses who are fluent, miscommunications between nurses and non-English speaking patients are inevitable. These language barriers lead to increased sentinel events, mistrust, and dissatisfaction with nursing care for patients and their families. The purpose of this research study is to call for reevaluation of current practices and implementation of more reliable techniques for communication between nurses and their non-English speaking patients. Methods: Two acute …

Improved Sleep In Acute Care Settings, Bryce Lyons

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background

Patients in the cardiac telemetry unit report poor sleep quality and sleep satisfaction.

Significance

Having quality sleep can make a huge impact on patient recovery and length of stay.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to find methods that promote patient sleep and satisfaction while in the hospital.

Literature Review

After researching, the best evidence for improved sleep quality in an acute care setting are methods that reduce or minimize the number of disturbances. A sleep menu can be easily incorporated in the cardiac telemetry and provides clients with items to block out sleep disturbances. A nightime protocol …

Relation Between Emotions And Students’ Code Quality Using Iot, Lisero Mugula

Symposium of Student Scholars

Programming can be a mentally demanding exercise. The objective of this study is to explore the effects emotions have on a programmer’s quality of code. Programmers in the study are given a Rainfall Problem to solve as their emotional data is collected simultaneously. Emotional data is collected using EMOTIV’s neuroheadset. There are 6 emotions tracked in this study: engagement, excitement, focus, interest, relaxation, and stress. One control group is relaxed prior to beginning the programming problem. An EEG-powered relaxation device called Muse is used to accomplish this task. Coding quality is measured based on 6 parameters: average, sum, count, sentinel, …

Cauti Prevention In The Icu, Kai Zheng, Christie Emerson, Nerma Redcross

Symposium of Student Scholars

Project Proposal Abstract

Background: ICU patients are often bedbound for extended periods. Routine insertion of a urinary catheter, lack of proper Foley care techniques, and reluctance to remove the urinary catheter increase the risk of CAUTI. Each day a catheter is left in place, the patient's risk for CAUTI increases by 5%.

Brief Literature review: The incorporation of the Plan-Do-Study-Act approach helped to reduce CAUTI by deliberately layering single interventions over an extended period of time, it allowed the nurses to fully adopt each intervention before moving on to the next.

Methods: Interventions included considering alternatives to indwelling urinary catheters, …

Reducing The Effects Of Sleep Deprivation On Nursing Staff, Haley Huckaby

Symposium of Student Scholars

Reducing the Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Nursing Staff Abstract

Bedside nurses overcome many obstacles during their weekly shifts, but one very preventable problem is still an issue. Sleep deprivation in nursing staff can lead to medication errors, decreased reactivity times leading to treatment delays, and subpar overall patient care; all of which directly compromises patient safety. Recent studies have found that the majority of nurses report fatigue interfering with their cognition and memory during their shifts and additionally even more nurses report having made a math error when drawing up and preparing medication for their patients. Despite sleep deprivation …

Prevention Of Pressure Ulcers Interventions, Halle Borgel

Symposium of Student Scholars

Pressure injuries continue to be a rising problem in hospitalized patients, specifically non-ambulatory patients. Without frequent turning and pressure relieving surfaces, patients may develop a pressure injury that costs them more and lengthens their hospital stay. By comparing frequent turning schedules and pressure relieving foam mattresses in the prevention of pressure injuries, thousands will be prevented. After a thorough search review on articles, five articles were selected in determining which prevention method happens to be the best. Although no articles researched the clinical prevention in foam mattresses and frequent turning, conducting a proposed project is effective. The proposed project consists …

Copd Rehabilitation Benefits, Jena Killian

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a progressive illness restricting airflow that is long term burden due to its uncurable nature and incapacitating symptoms such as dyspnea and a chronic cough. Pulmonary rehabilitation is shown to increase quality of life and exercise capacity. This project is aimed at emphasizing the benefits of PR and different approaches to increasing self-induced participation in rehab facilities and at home. From different articles gathered, there was a variety of tests completed including 6-min walk (6mWT), mMRC dyspnea scale, COPD assessment, pulmonary function test using incentive spirometer, etc. showing increased lung function and decrease symptom …

The Effectiveness Of Non-Pharmacological Interventions On Care And Length Of Stay In Babies With Neonatal Abstience Syndrome, Emily C. Gilliland

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Background: The number of babies born with Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) has had a dramatic increase nationally as substance use is becoming more prevalent. This syndrome is defined by symptoms of withdrawal developed when born and require admission for the baby to begin treatment. There are scoring tools that determine the usage, dosage, and frequency of Morphine, however these can be flawed with subjective scoring.

Brief Literature Review: Quality improvement methods have shown that moving away from the Finnegan Scoring System and transitioning to the “Eat, Sleep, and Console” method for withdrawal assessment has decreased the usage of scheduled …