Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Student Nurse Knowledge And Confidence Regarding Childhood Immunizations, Heather Westergard

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Immunization training is essential for nursing students. However, Brigham Young University's (BYU) Nursing Program lacks data regarding the current curriculum's effect on vaccination knowledge and confidence. Purpose: The purpose of the study is to explore BYU nursing students' knowledge and confidence regarding vaccinations. Methods: Nursing students at BYU in the second and fourth semesters were surveyed using pre-and post-test questionnaires designed to measure student nurses' knowledge of and confidence about immunizations. To help evaluate current curricula established immunization content was taught during both the public health course and pediatric course via direct instruction, assigned reading, quizzes, exams, lab, and …

The Contributing Factors To Student Nurse Medication Administration Errors And Near Misses In The Clinical Setting As Identified By Clinical Instructors, Kristen M. Selig

Theses and Dissertations

The report, To Err is Human, by the Institutes of Medicine (IOM, 2000) brought attention to medication safety in the United States healthcare system. While advances have been made in patient safety, including electronic medication dispensing systems, electronic medication administration records, and scanning systems, it is estimated that 7,000 to 9,000 people die each year due to medication errors (Tariq et al., 2019). The medication administration process involves steps from prescribing to administration. However, nurses administering the medications are the final check point. James Reasons’ Swiss Cheese Model of Accident Causation illustrates the role that systems play in medical errors. …

The Process Of Identity Management In Individuals Living With Systemic Scleroderma, Donald David Miller

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The Process of Identity Management in Individuals Living with Systemic Scleroderma

Background: People with chronic illnesses may struggle to adapt psychologically to the illness experience and have feelings of identity loss, self-diminishment, and biographical disruption. This, in turn, may limit people’s ability to engage in optimal self-management. Systemic scleroderma is a debilitating, stigmatizing, and life limiting progressive chronic illness with significant disfiguring effects. Little is known about the identity management process in people with scleroderma. The purpose of this study was to generate a grounded theory of the identity management process in people with systemic scleroderma.

Methods: Grounded theory …

Hiv Risk And Prevention Needs Among Young Women In Kibra, Kenya, Florine Ndakuya-Fitzgerald

Theses and Dissertations

While HIV infection trends in most groups have been declining, certain population groups including young women globally, and especially those who reside in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), continue to experience increasing HIV risk. In Kenya, young people aged 15-24 years have been reported to have the highest number of new HIV infections, with young women being twice as likely to be infected as their men counterparts. The rate is even higher among young women residing in urban areas.

A review of the literature demonstrates that while studies guided by behavioral theories have yielded results in response to HIV, there is still …

Physician Behaviors, Nursing, And Other Obstacles In End-Of-Life Care: Additional Critical Care Nurse Perceptions, Elizabeth Elouise Willmore

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Critical Care Nurses (CCNs) frequently provide end of life (EOL) care in intensive care units (ICUs). Barriers to EOL care in ICUs exist and have been previously published, but qualitative reports from CCNs themselves remain scarce. Qualitative data exploring barriers faced during ICU EOL care may increase awareness of obstacles and help remove them. Objective: Excluding family experiences, what are the major themes recounted by CCNs when asked to share common obstacles experienced in providing ICU EOL care? Methods: Members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses were randomly surveyed and responses to a single qualitative question were used. …

Heart Failure Self-Management, Svetlana Zaharova

Theses and Dissertations

Heart failure is a chronic health problem. Heart failure is costly for society, resulting in high morbidity and mortality which accounts for large public spending on this disease. Heart failure (HF) management is complex and requires coordination between patients, families, and their health team members. Self-management (SM) of HF is an important component of chronic disease management and, when done well, aids in preventing HF exacerbations and unnecessary hospitalizations. There are gaps in nursing knowledge of as to which strategies best account for successful outcomes of SM in HF and which patient attributes help contribute to better SM. To clarify …

Perceived Stress, Salivary Cortisol, And Depression In Adults Diagnosed With Postconcussion Syndrome; A Pilot Study, Christine Fish-Huson

Theses and Dissertations

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) affects approximately 1.7 million persons in the United States annually, 75% are categorized as mild (mTBI). Most persons who experience mTBI will recover, however an estimated 10% will develop Postconcussion Syndrome (PCS). Evidence supports a relationship between perceived stress, salivary cortisol, and depressive symptoms in persons after TBI; however, there are no known studies exploring these relationships in the PCS patient population. A sample of 17 men and women diagnosed with PCS were recruited from Southwest and Central Virginia. Data collection included the Rivermead Postconcussion Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale-10, Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale and the …

A Preliminary Evaluation Of An Academic Support Program, James Colin Bumby

Theses and Dissertations

The responsibility for graduating students is a school responsibility. A large urban Midwestern research university created the Nursing Endeavor Program (NEP) to ensure that students from underserved minorities, first generation, and/or low income are enabled to graduate successfully. There is a 100% retention rate for the period from admission to the nursing major in the junior year; however, in the pre-nursing years, the retention rate is only 50%. The role transition from pre-nursing student to student nurse can be challenging and stressful. A qualitative phenomenographic research approach was utilized to identify the factors facilitating and the factors hindering this transition. …

Deciding To Call The Shots: Awareness, Agency, And Shelter-Bbuilding During Home Birth Planning, Jessica Coburn

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the decision-making process for women who choose planned home birth. Medical studies suggest that there is a greater risk of perinatal death (3.9 vs. 1.8 deaths per 1,000 births) associated with planned home birth. There is professional disagreement about provision of home birth perinatal services and social and economic barriers to home birth. The percent of home births in the United States rose by 71 percent from 2004 to 2014, indicating the presence of elements other than risk and cost in the decision-making process for planned home birth. In this dissertation, I …

Using Critical And Transformative Theory To Describe Basic Palliative Care In The Acute Care Setting, Tammy Neiman

Theses and Dissertations

The population of chronically ill, older adults is expected to grow in the coming years as the baby boomer generation ages. The Institute of Medicine recommends that all healthcare providers have a basic competency in palliative care, also referred to as basic palliative care. The definitions and descriptions to date are vague and do not provide an in-depth description of how basic palliative care differs from the care provided by specialists. The purpose of this study was to describe nurses’ understanding and perceptions of basic palliative care in the acute care setting. Focus group and individual interviews were utilized for …

Pediatric Nurses' Experiences Of Identifying And Managing Constipation In Hospitalized Children, Eileen Sherburne

Theses and Dissertations

Pediatric nurses care for hospitalized children with constipation daily. Pediatric nurses’ timely identification and management of constipation in hospitalized patients can be key to preventing long-term problems with chronic constipation and promoting child well-being. The purpose of the study was to investigate the experiences of pediatric nurses regarding their identification and management of constipation in hospitalized children. The Theory of Planned Behavior (TBP) informed this qualitative study. Participants for this phenomenological investigation were 21 pediatric nurses. Nurses provided care in the inpatient setting in a freestanding 292 bed magnet-designated pediatric hospital. In depth interviews were conducted to explore participants’ perspectives …

Evaluation Of Student Competence In Simulation Following A Prebriefing Activity: A Pilot Study, Sarah Black Beman

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Simulation-based learning (SBL) shows promise to potentially improve clinical competence in nursing education. The efficacy of evidence-based prebriefing activities and valid and reliable systems to evaluate those strategies is a gap in the literature. Preliminary evidence shows that prebriefing can improve participant outcomes. The goal of this pilot study was to compare the outcome of clinical competence for prelicensure nursing students based on assignment to one of the following prebriefing activities: standard, careplan, or concept mapping. Methods: This is a quasi-experimental double-blind, posttest only, comparison-group design, pilot study. The participants were from an associate degree professional nursing program. Out …

The Meaning Of Nursing Education As Described By Students With Learning Disabilities, Jacqueline Lee Reep-Jarmin

Theses and Dissertations

The numbers of students with learning disabilities (LD) in post-secondary education settings is rising (National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), 2016). The Americans with Disabilities Act, Amendments Act was passed in 2008, since that time little research has been done to reflect any impact of the original ADA (1990) being amended. Research is needed about the experiences of students with learning disabilities in higher education, and more specifically nursing education. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the lived experience of nursing education from the perspective of students with learning disabilities, and delineate the essence of …

Multi-Symptom Management In Hospice Patients During End-Of-Life Transition, Ashley N. B. Sirianni

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this quality improvement project is to compare the provider’s perception following an educational model of using single symptom management versus multi-symptom management during the end-of-life transition in adult patients for improved quality of life outcomes. The appraised evidence indicates that it is critical to have anticipatory medications at the patient’s residence to manage multiple symptoms rather than focusing exclusively on a single symptom management such as pain management. In February 2016, the author conducted an educational model among hospice providers for increasing knowledge and awareness of multi-symptom management. Thirty (n = 30) Clinical Nursing Directors, Licensed Practical …

Analyzing The Leadership Skills Of Nurses Through Mentoring Relationships, Barbara Jean Siwula

Theses and Dissertations

Mentoring relationships have the ability to create healthier working environments for nurses by encouraging better communication, teaching necessary leadership skills, and creating unity among nurses. In the same respect, mentoring relationships can instill negative habits, creating a cycle of ineffective leadership. Therefore, it is vital mentoring relationships be analyzed to ensure that nurses are being taught effective leadership skills that will lead to a healthy workplace environment. The purpose of this study is to analyze the leadership skills of nurses though mentoring relationships. Data collection consisted of a mixed methods study completed by student, certified and registered nurses from various …

Exploring The Factors Of Persistence For African American Senior Nursing Students, Yolanda Nelson

Theses and Dissertations

African American nursing students experience commonalities within their college experience. Often these students may be faced with challenges, barriers, and/or struggles that may place a hindrance on their success in meeting their educational goals. This qualitative study used a phenomenological approach to explore African American female nursing students perceptions of faculty-student relationships and its implications for persistence. Four African American female nursing students and two nursing faculty agreed to participate in this study. This research study offers an examination of past and present research regarding the history of African American nursing students, health disparity, social justice and diversity within the …

Use Of Secure Messaging By United States Veterans And Significant Others, Claudia S. Derman

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

USE OF SECURE MESSAGING BY UNITED STATES VETERANS AND SIGNIFICANT OTHERS

By

Claudia S. Derman

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2014

Under the Supervision of Professor Karen H. Morin, PhD, RN, ANEF, FAAN

The purpose of this study was to describe the topics discussed using secure messaging (SM), the pattern of use of SM, and whether the themes discussed and/or the pattern of use varied based on gender and age of the SM user. Secure messaging is an example of a technology that focuses on patient-centered communication. Secure messaging allows patients to communicate with their clinicians using the Internet and …

The Use Of Ultrasound As An Adjunct To X-Ray For The Localization And Removal Of Soft Tissue Foreign Bodies In An Urgent Care Setting, Stacy Lane Merritt

Theses and Dissertations

Embedded soft tissue foreign bodies are common complaints of patients presenting to rural urgent care centers. The removal of soft tissue foreign bodies present challenges for the healthcare provider when objects are radiolucent and cannot be identified on readily available diagnostic imaging modalities such as plain radiographs (X-rays). Ultrasound has been introduced in the literature as a useful adjunct to X-rays for the localization and removal of soft tissue foreign bodies. The purpose of this research utilization project was to report the use of bedside ultrasound by healthcare providers as an adjunct to X-ray for the localization and removal of …

An Analysis Of The Values Influencing Neonatal Nurses' Perceptions And Behaviors In Selected Ethical Dilemmas, Deborah A. Raines

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify the values influencing the nurse's perception and choice of behavior in a hypothetical clinical situation. The theoretical framework was Rokeach's (1973) Theory on the Nature of Human Values and Value Systems. A descriptive study using a mailed survey was conducted on a random sample of 331 members of the National Association of Neonatal Nurses. Data on individual nurses' values, perception of information and behavioral choices were collected with an investigator developed questionnaire, consisting of a values scale (alpha =.82) and an information scale and choice alternatives related to three hypothetical vignettes: a …