Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Awareness Cultivation: Designing A Transcultural Patient Family Advisory Council, Lisa G. Peterson

Theses and Graduate Projects

This project explores the rationale that supports designing and implementing a transcultural patient family advisory council (PFAC) at a large academic center in the Midwest where eight disease-diagnosis based PFAC's already exist. Potential pitfalls and obstacles that could interfere with such a council being successful will also be reviewed. In addition, Madeline Leininger's theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality is applied to add support to this effort. Specifically, the stranger to trusted friend enabler explains how having such a committee can foster mutually beneficial relationships that demonstrate a change in culture and attitudes at this traditional physician-lead institution.

Caring Beyond Constraint: A Nursing Model Of Presence In A Time Limited Procedural Practice, Laura Becker

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this paper is to support the value of maintaining presence within a time limited procedural practice. Specifically, it presents the significance of a nursing presence model based on Jean Watson's human caring theory within an outpatient procedural endoscopy unit which has high patient volumes and time limited processes. It describes the process for developing a care model of nursing presence and methods used to integrate this model into practice. It also includes an evaluation of the methods to determine themes and make comparisons to determine effectiveness of theory integration into nursing practice.

Replicating Success: Developing An Educational Process For Improving Nursing Accuracy When Using A Patient Classification System, Dewey M. Moulton

Theses and Graduate Projects

The use of patient classification systems (PCS), within hospitals has been and still is utilized primarily for determining staffing requirements, based upon the projected needs of the patient. Since its conception in the 1950's, health care management has worked to develop a system that accurately depicts those needs to provide good patient care. Recently, a major tertiary health care center located in the Midwest region of the United States implemented a revised patient classification system within its acute care setting. Nurses were provided various levels of education regarding its use. Because of this, accuracy by nurses using the patient classification …

Thinking Differently: Developing A Fall Risk Assessment For The Emergency Department Setting, Carissa K. Fauks

Theses and Graduate Projects

When a patient falls in the hospital it ends up being costly for both the patient and the hospital. Having an awareness of risk factors that lead to an increase in patient falls becomes very important for all nursing staff. However, the contributing factors are not the same for every department in a hospital. The focus of this proposal is the development of a fall assessment that is specific to the emergency department. Age, cognition, elimination, physical mobility, and medications were the risk factors determined to be most important after a review of the literature. Once the fall assessment scale …

Staying Alive: A Nursing Care Model In The Technical Delivery Of Dialysis, Sylvia Moe

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project is to develop a model of a caring-healing transformational relationship by using Watson's caring theory to enhance the patient's experience on dialysis. The nursing model in a large tertiary hospital in the Midwest uses relationship-based care to identify nursing roles that will be used in the mentoring model. Transpersonal caring promotes the caring practice which is the essence of nursing and is associated with a greater sense of self-knowledge, self-control and well being with increased nurse satisfaction. It is the authentic caring knowledge and caring practice integrated in the environment for the delivery of the …

Nurturing The Novice: Lnitiating The Journey Of Transformational Shifts In The Development Of Future Nurse Mentors, Brenda Ranstrom-Llambes

Theses and Graduate Projects

The nursing profession is facing a shortage of 400,000 RNs by 2020 (Shirey, 2006), many of them holding Ieadership positions, This situation could lead to a large number of novice nurse leaders during a time when the demands for dynamic and effective leadership are growing in the evolving and complex healthcare environment. Now is the time to educate current leaders regarding the role they play in the success or failure of these novice leaders. By incorporating knowledge from Jean Watson's (1985, 2005) Caring Theory, Bernard Bass' (1985, 1998) Transformational Leadership Theory and Patricia Benner's (2001) adaptation of the Dreyfus Skill …

A Secondary Data Analysis Of The Practice Intervention Designed To "Wipe Out C. Difficile", Kimberly Aronhalt

Theses and Graduate Projects

Clostridium dfficile infection (CDI) recognized as a global healthcare-associated infection (HAI) causing infectious diarrhea, has increased in incidence, severity, and mortality among patients in the last three decades. Related health care costs to patients and health care facilities are enormous. To prevent HAIs healthcare organizations are charged to have infection prevention control programs in place to address CDI. Surveillance of CDI and prevention strategies are challenged to impact the transmission of CDI due to its anaerobic, spore forming characteristics. At a tertiary medical center, Wipe Out C. dfficile was a targeted approach for five high incident units to reduce CDI. …

Initiating A Faith Community Nurse Program In The Latino Community: Addressing The Health Care Disparity Of Increased Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes, Helen Jones

Theses and Graduate Projects

There are several related health concerns in the Latino community. These concerns include increased rates of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. The [MDH] Minnesota Department of Health reports some startling statistics regarding the costs to the community as well as the cost of care. A review of the literature reveals that the costs are staggering, and that several approaches can be helpful in addressing the health care disparity of increased rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes in the Latino population. Some approaches include the promotore model, a collaborative approach, and education of clergy and lay boards regarding the [FCN] …

Generational Perspectives In Public Health Nursing: Workplace Conditions That Impact Job Satisfaction And Retention, Marilyn Kittleson Deling

Theses and Graduate Projects

Today's nursing shortage is expected to continue due to the aging nursing workforce, as well as poor job satisfaction among nurses. Public Health Nursing is one area of the nursing workforce which is experiencing a nursing shortage, at the same time there is an increasing demand for public health nurses. One way nursing leaders can promote job satisfaction, while creating an environment of retention, is through accommodating generational preferences.

Today's nursing workforce consists of three generations: Baby Boomers, born from 1946-1962; Generation Xers, born from 1963- 1979; and Millennials (Generation Y), born from 1980-2000. Each of these generations represents different …

The Experience Of Internationally Born Nurses Working In Twin Cities Hospitals, Jolene C. Baker

Theses and Graduate Projects

This qualitative study explores through a phenomenological process, the experiences of five Internationally Born Nurses (IBNs) working in four hospitals in the metropolitan area of the Twin Cities, Minnesota. The IBNs were interviewed using Brenda Dervin's Sense-Making theory. This communication methodology presents the human being in phenomenological terms, as a body-mind-heart-spirit moving through time and space, with a past history, present reality, and future dreams or ambitions. The nursing theory underlying this study was drawn from Jean Watson's Caring Science as Sacred Science. In addition, the Christian worldview articulated by Shelly and Miller with particular emphasis on the concept of …

The Use Of Physical Activity To Promote Effective Coping And Life Skill Development In Minneapolis Sheltered Youth, Kathleen M. Welle

Theses and Graduate Projects

Homeless youth are a marginalized culture in our society. The resiliency of this population is remarkable. It is crucial that the transcultural nurse aid these youth in finding inner strength, making healthy choices, and being a source of support lbr the youth. By developing and implementing this rnodel of integration, the author was able to I organize a time of physical activity, social interaction, relationship building, and positive reinforcement. The processes and relationships unfolded throughout the sessions. The model of integration allowed the author to experience personal and professional growth, acknowledge the profound impact of teamwork, and practice the use …

A Matter Of Trust: The Impact Of Transcultural Communication Between Culturally Diverse Nursing Staff, Patricia Reed

Theses and Graduate Projects

The diversity in the U.S. population is increasing. Nurse Managers today are challenged by not only a changing health care system but also one that is more culturally diverse than ever. It is also important to recognize the influence culture has on personal relationships, productivity and performance. Expectations about work styles, communication patterns, role relationships, taking initiative and concepts of time are all examples of factors that are influenced by culture. The purpose of this project is to help nursing staff (registered nurses and patient care assistants) come to understand their cultural differences and how these differences impact their communication …

Identifying Institutional Barriers To Addressing Health Disparities, Julia Ashley

Theses and Graduate Projects

Very little progress has been made in decreasing health disparities in communities of color or for American Indians. Government agencies have a role to play in addressing health disparities through the development of policies that support community efforts to address these disparities. Three concepts provided the framework for research exploring barriers: a) imposition of dominant cultural values, b) marginalization and c) institutional racism. The purpose was to conduct qualitative research by interviewing six individuals from organizations that serve communities of color to discover themes related to their experiences with government funding. Two themes emerged related to the purpose of the …

Nurse To Nurse Communication: Conveying The Patient's Story, Cheryl Fisher Laine

Theses and Graduate Projects

The focus of this project is to gain a better understanding of report given from nurse to nurse at the change of shift, in an effort to make this process more efficient and satisfactory to the nursing staff. The importance of precise shift-to-shift communication is essential to safe care for the patient. Shift report can be a multi-faceted process that serves to provide nurses with vital patient information to facilitate clinical decisions and patient care planning. A shift report also provides nurses a forum for functions, such as patient problem-solving and collaboration. The author conducted a literature review which indicates …