Pediatric Nursing Commons^™

The Effects Of Music Therapy On Pediatric Patients With Congenital Heart Defects In The Pre And Postoperative Setting, Janelle Marie Choy

Nursing | Senior Theses

Congenital heart defects is a prominent medical occurrence especially in pediatrics. These defects often require surgeries and extensive treatment plans. These treatment plans often include invasive surgeries and extensive treatment plans which can require long recovery times along with potential surgical complications. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of music therapy on pediatric patients with congenital heart defects in the pre and postoperative setting and how music therapy can be implemented in treatment plans to yield effective recovery results for these patients. This research is significant as elevated vital signs and preoperative anxiety are associated with an increased need …

Unveiling New Realities: An In-Depth Analysis Of Virtual Reality's Impact On Postoperative Adolescents, Julia Tolentino

Nursing | Senior Theses

The traditional approach to postoperative pain management heavily relies on opioids, but there’s been a surge in their misuse and adverse effects, leading to a significant public health concern. This has led healthcare providers to incorporate a multimodal approach aimed at reducing opioid dependence. This proposal introduces an immersive component, virtual reality (VR), not as a replacement for opioids but as a complementary tool offering distinct advantages for enhancing postoperative pain management. By immersing patients in a virtual environment, VR effectively distracts them from pain and discomfort, allowing for reduced opioid dosages and mitigating the risk of opioid misuse. Additionally, …

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 …

A Pulse For Progress – Examining The Efficacy Of Best Nursing Developmental Care Practices For Children With Congenital Heart Disease At Risk For Developmental Delay In The Pcicu: A Prospective Quasi-Experimental Cohort Study, Jasmyn Jansen

Nursing | Senior Theses

Emerging advances in pediatric cardiovascular surgery have significantly decreased the mortality rates in infants born with critical congenital heart disease (CHD), in turn, leading to increasing prevalence in adolescence and adulthood. At the same time, developmental delays (DD) are on the rise among children with CHD. Recent research suggests that prolonged exposure to the pediatric cardiac intensive care unit (PCICU), with its environmental stressors, negatively implicates neurodevelopment raising the question, and risk, of DD. In January 2023, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued a scientific advisory calling hospitals to implement developmental care practices for hospitalized infants and young children with …

Unlocking Vr Magic: Duration Of Anxiety Relief For Pediatric Needle Procedures, Anna Angelica Guzman Mendoza

Nursing | Senior Theses

There have been various studies that show the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) being used as a non-pharmacologic and distraction method on school-aged children ranging from 6-12 years old. Despite this research, there has not been a follow-up with the use of VR and its duration of effect between each patient visit within this certain population. This study focuses on measuring the participants’ anxiety and pain levels during the needle-related procedure. The assessment tools that will be used to measure these important variables are the Children’s Fear Scale and Wong-Baker’s FACES scale. The participants of this study will be placed …

Chronic Atopic Dermatitis: Symptom Management Using Moisturizers Among Asian American Pediatrics, Ethan J. Brillantes

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Atopic Dermatitis (AD), also commonly known as eczema, affects 31.6 million (10%) of the United States Population, with 13% being Asian American or Pacific Islander. A cure is not present for AD; however, the best way to treat AD is with symptom management. While there are many pharmacological treatments that aid with symptom management such as topical or oral corticosteroids, there are also non pharmacological treatments such as moisturizers that can aid with symptom relief of AD as well. Objective: The literature review explores moisturizer use and other non pharmacological methods for symptom management of AD and provides understanding …

Enhancing Athletic Participation: Continuous Glucose Monitoring For Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes Athletes, Danielle Santiago

Nursing | Senior Theses

The difficulties that children and teenagers with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM) encounter are discussed in this thesis, with a focus on how fear of hypoglycemia (FOH) and actual hypoglycemia associated with this chronic illness affects their ability to engage in physical activities, especially organized sports. A common challenge for children diagnosed with T1DM is meeting the daily recommendation of 60 minutes of daily moderate to vigorous physical activity. The purpose of the proposed study is to evaluate if participation in structured exercise (physical education classes and after-school sports) increases among school-aged children who wear continuous glucose monitors (CGM) when …

Furry Friends & Brighter Futures: Enhancing The Life Skills Of Toddlers With Autism Through Animal Assisted Therapy, Abigail Rosales Tolentino

Nursing | Senior Theses

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) encompasses a broad spectrum of challenges that impact social interaction, communication, and behavior. While Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) stands as a common therapeutic approach, there is a growing recognition of the need for personalized interventions. Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) emerges as a promising avenue for enhancing social interactions. This study focuses on the utilization of dogs in AAT for toddlers aged 12 to 36 months with confirmed ASD diagnoses. The experimental group will undergo a combined intervention involving standard ABA therapy alongside weekly AAT sessions, whereas the control group will receive standard ABA therapy alone. Pre- …

Medically Accurate Evidence-Based Sex Education And Abstinence-Only Sex Education: Impact On Teen Pregnancies In The United States, Nicole Chiu

Nursing | Senior Theses

The U.S. has funded abstinence-only programs to combat pregnancy rates for a long time. With numerous factors contributing to teen pregnancies, there have been a lot of ways that people have decided to try to decrease the number of teen pregnancies. For example, schools have either decided that they intend to fully educate their teenage students using medically accurate evidence-based sex education or come from a more conservative approach and give abstinence-only education. The objective of this investigation is to identify whether evidence-based sex education or abstinence-only sex education is more effective at combating teen pregnancy and abortion rates. This …

Using Family Focused-Care Solutions To Improve Child’S Quality Of Life, Joshua M. Del Sol

Nursing | Senior Theses

Chronic illness in children impacts not only themselves but their families too. Everyone in the family supports each other and provides each other with pretty much all our physiological needs including our emotional needs. Parents/caregivers are the role models for their young children and really shape the person they become because basic values and their early relationships are formed. A family provides that consistent balance in our life that is the center of our life at a young age. When children are diagnosed with a chronic illness, parents may feel responsible, ashamed, guilty, or angry. Families may turn on each …

The Impact Of Social Media On Adolescents, Victoria Phung

Nursing | Senior Theses

Social media is constantly developing and changing with unique features and apps being introduced on a day-to-day basis. Numerous individuals utilize social media to post about their life online, create connections with others, and create content. Adolescents, ages 11 to 18, are going through a substantial period of development and growth and are easily influenced by the things and people surrounding them. Because of this, adolescents can have both negative and positive experiences and feelings toward social media. It can cause adolescents to frequently compare themselves to the individuals they follow online; however, it can also be used for self-expression. …

The Effects Of Loud Nicu Environments On Premature Infants And Interventions To Help Minimize Noise, Elsy Gramajo

Nursing | Senior Theses

Noise in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) often exceeds recommended safe noise levels and has been found to have negative effects on premature infants and their health. Some of these effects can be changes in their heart rate, respiratory rate, and sleep patterns. In addition, negative effects, such as hearing loss, can cause permanent damage that impact children's long-term development. A preterm infant is an infant born before 37 weeks’ gestation. Being born prematurely comes with its own problems and many risks. Attempting to survive in an environment that causes more stress is not healing. Understanding the effects of …

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, …

First Generation Filipino Children And The Risk Of Childhood Obesity: Influence Of Screen Time, Krystal Joy Joy Ragasa

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Obesity is an epidemic in the United States and among all Asian subgroups, Filipinos are particularly at a much higher risk. Obesity raises the risk of acquiring other health complications, especially for those who develop obesity at a younger age. Research has shown that children who engage in higher levels of screen time are more likely to become obese, resulting in screen time restrictions and recommendations. Additionally, rates of obesity are higher in immigrants. There is a gap in the explanation of screen time’s effect on childhood obesity for first generation Filipino children.

Aim: The purpose of the proposed …

Visitor Restrictions And Patient- And Family-Centered Care In Pediatric Nursing, Carney Morrow

Nursing | Senior Theses

This research proposal will explore the impacts of visiting restrictions on the ability of pediatric nurses to provide patient- and family-centered care (PFCC). Literature evaluated will pertain to the benefits of PFCC for patients, families, and staff in terms of both emotional and physical outcomes, as well as the impacts of recent visitor restrictions, largely implemented due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The purpose of this study is to determine the current perceptions of pediatric nurses on their ability to provide PFCC to patients, and how this has changed before and after visitation restrictions were put into place. The proposed study …

Best Practices For The Prevention And Treatment Of Microcytic Hypochromic Anemia In Infancy, Janelle Paredes

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Microcytic hypochromic anemia is the most common nutritional deficiency in the world. This type of anemia is commonly found during infancy due to the lack of iron-fortified foods after six months of age. The effects linked to this deficiency can cause developmental delays and behavioral disturbances in infants if not treated immediately. Therefore, it is important for nurses to find the best practices to prevent microcytic hypochromic anemia to decrease its prevalence in infancy.

Objective: To find the best nursing practices for the prevention and treatment of microcytic hypochromic anemia in infancy.

Methods: This research will utilize …

The Opioid Crisis: Evaluating Current Practices And Outcomes For Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Deborah A. Mendoza

Nursing | Senior Theses

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) in the infant are severe symptoms from opioid exposure in utero. These symptoms include: “central nervous system irritability, autonomic over-reactivity, and gastrointestinal tract dysfunction” (Ko et al., 2016). The treatment for NAS can be a combination of drug therapy and non-pharmacological interventions, but a standardized treatment is lacking. A review of this literature aims to evaluate the available interventions that lead to decreased symptom severity, reduction of length of hospital stay, and a reduction in the use of drug therapy. As a result of the literature review, the nurse researcher supports the standardization of treatment and …

Effects Of Heavy Screen Time On The Adolescent, Taylor Lim

Nursing | Senior Theses

In today’s modern age, the great majority of society utilizes many readily available technological inventions. Adults have incorporated these creations not only into their daily lives, but also into the lives of their children. The current Covid-19 pandemic has taken away a key component of pediatric development, which is in-person schooling. Most children are attending school via online classes and a laptop, which adds more time on top of their usual daily screen time exposure. The current literature has studied the effects of high screen time consumption on the pediatric patient pertaining to body mass index, sleeping patterns, lifestyle habits …

The Youthful Pandemic, Brook Sahlemariam

Nursing | Senior Theses

This paper attempts to examine the neurological, physical, and societal effects of e-cigarette use among youth and young-adults in North America. Furthermore, the paper investigates the parallels between e-cigarette users, tobacco users, and dual users in regard to behavioral patterns, reasons for use, and age of initiation.

The Relationship Between Low Socioeconomic Status And Mortality Rates Of School Age Children Related To Motor Vehicle Accidents, Rubi Calderon-Rodriguez

Nursing | Senior Theses

The purpose of this study is to assess nurses’ perceptions on the relationship between low socioeconomic status and high mortality rates of children due to motor vehicle accidents(MVAs). MVAs are the leading cause of death among children four years and older. Studies reviewed in this paper support that low socioeconomic status is associated with high child mortality rates caused by motor vehicle accidents. Factors contributing to these high mortality rates include: the lack of or improper use of restraints, low parental education attainment levels, black or Hispanic race, and environmental risks of low socioeconomic areas. A mixed methods study is …

Hospitalization And Child Development: Effects On Sleep, Developmental Stages, And Separation Anxiety, Vanessa Cahayag

Nursing | Senior Theses

Childhood development has been an important topic for those in the medical field, as well as parents. The way a child develops can determine the way they act, think, and mature. Hospitalizations, acute and chronic, may affect the process of proper child development. Literature is reviewed to support the presented pilot study that focuses on the immediate effects of hospitalization on a child’s sleep disturbances, regression to lower developmental stages, and separation anxiety. The collected data determined the need for refinement of the survey tool and presented with possible correlations between hospitalizations and childhood development.

The Effect Of Dance Movement Therapy On The Mood Of Hospitalized Psychiatric Adolescents, Amy Chiu

Nursing | Senior Theses

Mental illness in children has increased over all aspects throughout the years to right now (CDC, 2019). Many of these children do get treatment for these disorders but there are still a percent that do not receive any treatment or find effective ways to maintain non-pharmaceutical alternatives for mood stabilization. The alternative therapies that are introduced in hospital settings plays a role in allowing for alternative therapies to be apart of the treatment plan for patients. Dance Movement therapy (DMT) is an alternative therapy that uses movement to conduct change in patient’s emotions based on their own choices of movement …