Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Respiratory Illnesses In Women And Children From Ghana: Problem Identification And Intervention, Stephanie Dale

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Rural communities in the upper east region of Ghana currently cook with traditional coal pots that produce increased levels of smoke resulting in rapid fuel consumption, increased air pollution, and high levels of respiratory illness in the women and children who use them. New stoves have been developed that remain similar to the traditional ones in use but are designed to provide a variety of benefits such as lowering the cost of fuel, reducing air pollution, and decreasing rates of respiratory illness in women and children. The purpose of this research study was to identify why women have not begun …

Development And Evaluation Of Trauma Informed Care Education For Licensed Nurses, Kristina O'Meara

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Trauma informed care nursing education is crucial. Trauma informed care is a method of providing health care which understands the likelihood of past and present traumatic events in patients and families. The experience of past or present trauma often led to chronic diseases, substance abuse disorder, fragmented health care, fears surrounding health care, chronic stress, and other negative health consequences. The purpose of this project is to increase licensed nurses’ awareness and ability to practice trauma informed care in clinical practice, as well as promote policy initiation within the health care facilities. Method planning integrated the Knowledge to Action Cycle. …

Promoting Parental Comfort To Facilitate Conversations On Adolescent Sexual Health And Behaviors, Angelina Jolie Banes, Lauren Liddell

Nursing | Senior Theses

This thesis proposal will investigate the impact of a comprehensive digital sexual health education program on the comfort levels of parents and teens when discussing sensitive topics such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The research is guided by Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory, which emphasizes the need to assess and address individuals’ self-care deficits, including the ability to engage in safe and informed sexual behaviors. The research design is a quantitative, quasi-experimental study with a one-group pre and post-test design. The sample consists of 50 parents and 50 teens from Marin County, who will participate in an online …

Give Love With Lovenox: Improving Nurse Education On Lovenox Prophylaxis To Reduce Pulmonary Embolism Risk On The Postpartum Unit, Jennifer G. Domingo Rn

Master's Projects and Capstones

This quality improvement project aims to improve nurse education about Lovenox prophylaxis to reduce the risk of pulmonary emboli – post-discharge – amongst high-risk postpartum women who underwent vaginal and cesarean deliveries on the family baby unit. This project took place in a Family Baby/Postpartum Unit at Hospital SC. This unit has a total of 25 beds with an increased prevalence of pulmonary embolism following cesarean delivery. Nurses were given anonymous pre- and post-survey questionnaires and provided educational sessions with distributed handouts. A unit needs assessment was conducted using the 5 P’s. Out of the 72 nurses on the staff …

Implementation Of A Protocol To Improve The Intake Assessment And Treatment With Suboxone Among Patients’ Dependent On Opioids On Two Mental Health Crisis Units, Maeghan Dillon

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Background: In 2021,106,699 people died from a drug overdose and of these deaths, over 75% were related to illicit or prescription opioids (Centers for Disease Control, 2023). At two in-patient community crisis stabilization units for psychiatric care, many patients have a comorbid diagnosis of a substance use disorder and another mental illness. Treatment with Buprenorphine/naloxone (Suboxone) is associated with decreased opioid overdoses and related deaths; however, Suboxone inductions have not been a part of admission treatment.

Methods: This quality improvement (QI) project initiated a Suboxone protocol for eligible patients on two crisis in-patient stabilization units. The outcomes …

Lost In Interpretation: The Lived Experience Of Nurse Interpreters In The Clinical Setting, Byron Batz

Dissertations

The use of language interpreters in the health care setting constitutes a vital part of provider-patient communication but remains a relatively unexplored phenomenon. Registered nurses (RNs) are often called upon to serve as interpreters when linguistically diverse patients constitute a large segment of the patient population. That RNs serve simultaneously in an interpreter role – in addition to clinical and advocacy roles – is a complex facet of contemporary nursing practice in a diverse U.S. culture. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to examine the lived experience of RNs serving as interpreters in health care institutions in Southern …

Mandatory Child Abuse And Neglect Reporting Behaviors Among Registered Nurses In New Mexico: A Statewide Comparative Study, Ingrid Ann Wilson

Nursing ETDs

Child abuse and/or neglect (CAN) is a global problem. Although nurses are mandated CAN reporters, a lack of reporting has been an issue. New Mexico (NM) is faced with higher child poverty and CAN-related substance-abuse compared to other U.S. states. This quantitative study aimed to explore factors influencing intended/actual CAN reporting behaviors among NM registered nurses (RN)s, examine relationships of these factors, and compare differences in reporting behaviors between rural and urban locations. A survey to a sample of RNs (N=146) showed factors associated with CAN reporting intended behaviors were work status (r=.21, p < .05), cues to action (r=.20, …

Wound Care For Unhoused Youth, Diana Altman, Monse Villasenor, Grace Fry, Maddy Johnson, Matthew Messenger

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Wound Care For Unhoused Youth

Introduction

We partnered with a non-profit organization designed to serve the unhoused youth, ages 18-25, who have a day program as well as an overnight shelter. They have 30 beds and reserve 20 of those beds for individuals who are “residents,” who commit to staying for several nights and work towards finding more permanent options. The other 10 beds are for individuals to use for a single night, but these are not always guaranteed, you must sign up to save a spot. The day program has various activities ranging from painting to resume workshops and …

A Lifestyle Modification Intervention In Hispanic Adolescents With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Brianne Miller

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

U.S. population studies have confirmed that the Hispanic population has the highest prevalence and the worst prognosis for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (Katz et al., 2021). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to implement a multicomponent, lifestyle modification intervention in Hispanic pediatric primary care patients to combat the disease process and sequela of NAFLD. The PICOT question for this project was: In Hispanic adolescents aged 10-21 with obesity and NAFLD (P), what is the effect of a multicomponent, lifestyle modification intervention (I), on alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (O), over a 12-week time period (T)? A comprehensive literature search …

Social Media Addiction Among Nursing Students And Its Related Factors, Akgün Yeşiltepe, Bedriye Cansu Demirkiran, Sevgi Demir Çam

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: Social media use has become an indispensable part of our lives as a result of technology advancement and is quite high among students.

Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design. Participants were 289 students from the Faculty of Health Sciences at Artvin Coruh University, Turkey. The Social Media Addiction Scale (SMAS) was used to obtain data. T-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and Bonferroni analysis were used to analyze the data.

Results: The participants’ mean SMAS score was 81.03 ± 34.79, which was moderate. A weak and positive correlation was found between social media addiction and daily …

Antibiotic Over Prescription For Upper Respiratory Tract Infections, Amina Boudaia

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Antibiotic overuse is a major contributor to antibiotic resistance that is estimated to be responsible for 23,000 deaths annually in the United States (Durante et al., 2017; Garcia et al., 2016). Upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) are speculated to be a leading contributor to the overprescribing of antibiotics (Aplin-Snider et al., 2020). The purpose of this project was to address the PICOT question: Does the implementation of patient education posters and protocol plus online training modules for providers (I) over an 8-week period or 30 patient charts (T) help to decrease antibiotic overprescription (O) in upper respiratory tract infections (P) …

Child Abuse From A Nursing Perspective: Assessment And Implications, Ashtyn Spring

Senior Honors Theses

Nurses experience the relationship dynamics between pediatric patients and their families firsthand. Being informed by the goals of holistic care, nurses should be assessing for unhealthy dynamics among pediatric patients and their caregivers so they can respond appropriately when a potential for abuse is present. Healthcare workers have the duty to provide safety and healing to their patients. Through the unique contact nurses have with patients, their training for accurate assessment skills, and their responsibility as healthcare workers, nurses are placed with the opportunity to help children out of abusive situations. Prompt identification of the potential for abuse can prevent …

Improving Nursing Education Curriculum As A Tool For Strengthening The Nurse–Client Relationships In Maternal And Child Healthcare: Insights From A Human-Centered Design Study In Rural Tanzania, Kahabi Isangula, Eunice Pallangyo, Eunice Ndirangu

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background. There are growing evidence of poor nurse–client relationships in maternal and child health (MCH). The nursing curriculum forms an important entry point for strengthening such relationships, consequently improving client satisfaction with nurses' competencies, confidence in the formal healthcare system, healthcare-seeking practices, continuity with care, and MCH outcomes.

Objective. MCH nurses and clients were invited to design an intervention package (prototype) to improve nurse–client relationships using a human-centered design (HCD) approach.

Methods. A multi-step HCD approach was employed to first examine the contributors of poor nurse–client relationships using nine focus group discussions with nurses and clients and 12 key informant …

Promoting Parental Comfort To Facilitate Conversations On Adolescent Sexual Health And Behaviors, Angelina Jolie Banes, Lauren Liddell

Nursing | Student Research Posters

This thesis proposal will investigate the impact of a comprehensive digital sexual health education program on the comfort levels of parents and teens when discussing sensitive topics such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The research is guided by Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory, which emphasizes the need to assess and address individuals’ self-care deficits, including the ability to engage in safe and informed sexual behaviors. The research design is a quantitative, quasi-experimental study with a one-group pre and post-test design. The sample consists of 50 parents and 50 teens from Marin County, who will participate in an online …

Integrative Review: Factors Impacting Effective Delegation Practices By Registered Nurses To Assistants In Nursing, Carol Crevacore, Elisabeth R. Jacob, Linda L. Coventry, Christine Duffield

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim

To identify the evidence on factors that impact delegation practices by Registered Nurses to Assistants in Nursing in acute care hospitals.

Design

An integrative review.

Data Sources

Database searches were conducted between July 2011 and July 2021.

Review Methods

We used the 12-step approach by Kable and colleagues to document the search strategy. The (Whittemore & Knafl. 2005. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 52(5), 546–553) integrative review framework method was adopted and the methodological quality of the studies was assessed using Joanna Briggs critical appraisal instruments.

Results

Nine studies were included. Delegation between the Registered Nurse and the …

Eating Disorders: Barriers To Peer And Self Recognition And The Ability To Seek Or Give Help, Savannah Mcvey

Honors College Theses

A lack of knowledge concerning eating disorders has been found to play a major role in self-recognition, peer recognition, and barriers to seeking treatment at all. More specifically, straight men were more often not able to identify these issues in themselves or others. Theories that have been presented involve the image of eating disorders being a “woman’s issue” and a possible obsession with weight lifting and changing one’s body to take on a more masculine build. Combatting this issue needs to begin in the form of basic education on college campuses due to the prevalence in this particular age group. …

Childhood And Adolescent Obesity: Related Comorbidities And Interventions, Jasmine Wong

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background

The prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity in the United States has steadily risen over the years and has become a public health concern. Obesity is defined as a BMI at or above the 95th percentile for children and teens of the same age and sex. Obese children and adolescents are at risk for poor health and poor quality of life. Furthermore, there are numerous comorbidities associated with childhood and adolescent obesity. While some of the associated diseases are acute, others can become chronic and result in lifelong conditions.

Objective

The purpose of the present thesis is to explore …

The Emerging Epidemic Of Type 2 Diabetes And Obesity Amongst Young Children, Juliana Morales

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background:

In the past years childhood obesity has increased tremendously and currently ⅓ of children in the United States are obese today. Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes are illnesses that can later on lead to more severe health complications when as a child enters adulthood. Children who are obese have a greater risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, and currently more than 80% of children who already are diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes are obese. In school and often by health care providers we are told daily physical activity and healthy diet are the best ways to maintain optimal health, …

Pick Your Plate: A Nutrition Education Study, Emmalyn Tucker

Honors College Theses

Childhood obesity has become a cause for concern among many nutrition experts. Childhood obesity can contribute to several health problems such as type 2 diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure. The large percentage of children affected with childhood obesity suggests a lack of essential nutrition education in our country. Junk food consumption and inadequate intake of the USDA’s MyPlate food groups have become essential areas for intervention. Multiple school-based nutrition education interventions have been explored to improve both children’s nutrition knowledge and improve healthy eating behaviors. “Pick Your Plate” is a nutrition education study designed to improve nutrition knowledge regarding junk …

Academic Allyship In Nursing: Deconstructing A Successful Community-Academic Collaboration, Jason Hickey, Mike Crawford, Patsy Mckinney

Quality Advancement in Nursing Education - Avancées en formation infirmière

Public health and social care systems in Canada are frequently racist and discriminatory towards Indigenous people and exacerbates health inequities that Indigenous people experience. In New Brunswick, there are a range of culturally informed health and social services being offered within First Nations communities and by Indigenous organization that operate outside of reserves. Some of these services and organizations rely on support from non-Indigenous allies to meet the needs of their community members.

However, it can be challenging for non-Indigenous people to engage in allyship due to unconscious bias, false assumptions, and lack of cross-cultural understanding. Effective allyship can also …

Unit Knowledge And Practice Of Emergency Nursing Interventions At A Tertiary Public Cardiac Health Center In Uganda, Harriet Namukwaya, Cliff Asher Aliga, Grace Nakate, Judith Mutyabule

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Research suggests that many of the millions of deaths and long-term disabilities resulting from acute cardiovascular events and other emergency conditions are preventable if effective emergency care services were readily available. Effective emergency care requires trained and competent staff, including registered nurses. Most educational pathways do not adequately prepare nurses to deliver sensitive health care services for those with acute illness and injury. This includes Uganda, where few capacity-building initiatives have targeted emergency nursing care delivery, leading to knowledge and practice gaps.

Purpose: This study aimed to assess emergency nursing knowledge and clinical practice at a tertiary …

Influence Of Cultural Competency Program On Bias In A Community Volunteer Program, Melodie L. Anderson

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Individuals may express hesitancy in volunteering in community health programs that directly interface with persons experiencing poverty due to poverty biases. Failure to understand the issues and needs of those experiencing poverty may factor into disparities and inequities along the social determinants of health, leading to poorer population health, well-being, and quality of life.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was in volunteers (mentors) of community health programs (P) how does a cultural competency program (I) compare to the standardized training program(C) influence bias (0) over 8 weeks (T)?

Evidence: An evidence review indicated …

Addressing Stress In Graduate Nurse Practitioner Nursing Students, Shandria K. Sawyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project was developed to address the issue of high stress levels among graduate nursing students, which is a common phenomenon that increases the risks of mental health disorders, professional burnout, and poor-quality patient care among students and professional nurses after earning their degrees. This project sought to utilize a simple educational intervention delivered online to impart coping skills to graduate nursing students to assist them in reducing their stress levels. The intervention was a brief, single-session, self-guided educational module featuring informational and participative elements related to stress causes, the impacts of stress, and stress reduction techniques. In total, 11 …

Examining Perceived Stress And Diet Quality Among Low-Income Families Engaged With A Nutrition-Based Food Assistance Program, Kelsey R. Wolfe, Kathryn L. Dambrino, David Phillippi, Laura Gray

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Introduction: Evidence suggests poor-quality diets and high levels of stress have negative impacts on health, especially in low-income families in the southern United States. Nutrition-based food assistance programs were developed to meet nutritional needs of food insecure clients. The purpose of this scholarly project was to explore the relationship between perceived stress and diet quality among low-income families engaged with a nutrition-based food assistance program.

Methods: A retrospective and observational design was used to analyze previously collected survey responses from clients participating in a nutrition-based food assistance program in Nashville, TN (N = 425). Descriptive statistics and Spearman’s …

The Outcome Of A Multidimensional Intervention Strategy For The Management Of Generalized Anxiety Disorder In An Internal Medicine Setting, Nicholas Davidson

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Anxiety disorders are very prevalent in the United States. The most common type, Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), affects 6.8 million adults every year. GAD can cause significant deficits in a person’s ability to function, decrease their quality of life and increases a person’s risk of attempting suicide. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to improve the outcomes of adults diagnosed with GAD in an internal medicine setting by implementing a protocol composed of a combination of interventions. A thorough literature search was conducted to find the best available evidence to support the project. A total of 11 …

Diet, Exercise, Self-Monitoring, Technology, And Motivational Interviewing For Weight Loss In Adults, Ashleigh D. Warburton

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Obesity, an epidemic in the United States (US), affected 42.4% of adults as of 2017-2018 (Hales, 2020). Comorbidities associated with obesity, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes (Orringer et al., 2020), are some of the leading causes of death in the US (Kochanek et al., 2020). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to answer the following PICOT question: In adult patients aged 19 years or older who are considered overweight or obese as measured by body mass index (BMI) of ≥ 25 kg/m2 (P), how effective is diet and exercise combined with self-monitoring, a phone application, …

A Multimodal Approach To Decreasing Hesitancy And Increasing Uptake Of The Covid-19 Vaccine In The Family Care Setting, Meghan Zwierzynski

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Since December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has swept across the world, infecting and killing millions of people, making it one of the worst pandemics in history (WHO, 2021). However, the rates of confirmed cases and deaths have slowed since the discovery of the COVID-19 vaccine. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to decrease vaccine hesitancy and increase uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine in the family care setting. The Iowa Model-Revised (Iowa Model Collaborative, 2017) is a practical, effective multi-step change process that acted as a guide for the EBP project. A review of literature showed …

Behavioral Intervention To Increase Condom Use Among Men Who Take Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis And Have Sex With Men, Marek J. Piszczatowski

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

In the absence of an effective vaccine, the introduction of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in 2012 offered a promising new approach to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention. However, the introduction of a single-pill regimen which helps to prevent HIV transmission created, in men who have sex with men (MSM) population, a phenomenon referred to as risk compensation resulting in PrEP replacing consistent condom use as a preventive measure (Freeborn & Portillo, 2018; Kumar et al., 2020; Montaño et al., 2018; Ramchandani & Golden, 2019; Traeger et al., 2018). The purpose of the evidence-based practice project was to implement a single, one-on-one …

Improving Osteoporosis Screening Rates Of Women In A Primary Care Setting, Kristine E. Davis

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Osteoporosis is caused by caused by low bone mass, microarchitecture disruption and increase in skeletal fragility (Rosen & Drezner, 2021). This disease presents as a silent disease without any clinical manifestations and increases risk for bone fracture. The purpose of this Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) project was to increase screening rates for osteoporosis in the female population by mailing a patient reminder letter to the home of qualifying patients in the primary care setting and to determine if mailing a patient reminder letter would increase screening rates. The Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice for Nurses and Healthcare professionals (JHEBP) model was used …

Back To The Basics With Smart Goals: A Multimodal Intervention For Adults Who Have Type 2 Diabetes, Alyssa L. Snyder

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Diabetes, the seventh leading cause of death in the United States (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020a) and the ninth leading cause of death worldwide (World Health Organization [WHO], 2020), has increased by 70% over the last two decades (WHO, 2020). Type 2 diabetes (T2D), the most prevalent type accounting for 90% to 95% of diagnosed cases (CDC, 2020a), affects individuals of all ages and often results in major health problems including stroke, heart attack, and kidney disease. The purpose of this patient-centered, evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a multimodal intervention on hemoglobin …