Communication Commons^™

Blind Spot: Implicit Bias In Health Care And Its Awareness Among Nursing Students At The University Of Southern Mississippi, Debora Skaliks

Doctoral Projects

While prejudice and bias are eminent topics in our society, implicit bias or unconscious bias is not as easily detected. Even though implicit bias may be a familiar concept to many, numerous healthcare workers frequently do not recognize the extent of harm such biases can impose on patients' health and outcomes. The Blind Spot DNP project exposed in this research paper explores the relentless question of the correlation between implicit bias awareness, implicit bias education, and its impact on health care. This Doctor of Nursing Project (DNP) project aimed to analyze whether implicit bias education and testing could increase unconscious …

Theory Building As Integrated Reflection: Understanding Physician Reflection Through Human Communication Research, Medical Education, And Ethics, Andrea Vicini, Ashley P. Duggan, Allen F. Shaughnessy

Journal of Health Ethics

Grounded in a presupposition that a single explanatory framework cannot fully account for the expansive learning processes that occur during medical residency, the article examines developing physicians’ reflective writing from three disciplinary lenses. The goal is to understand how the multi-dimensional nature of medical residency translates into assembling educational experiences and constructing meaning that cannot be fully explained through a single discipline. An interdisciplinary research team across medical education, communication, and ethics qualitatively analyzed reflective entries (N=756) completed by family medicine residents (N=33) across an academic year. Results provide evidence for moving toward an integrated thematic explanation across disciplines. The …

Including A Chaplain And Culturally Sensitive Notary In End-Of-Life And Earlier Difficult Healthcare Issues, John Stonestreet

Journal of Health Ethics

Would patients and families benefit from a Doctor Body Cam? Linked from www.DoctorBodyCam.com, this article explores innovations providing accountability for ethical communication surrounding major healthcare decisions. One of the greatest challenges physicians face is living up to their own ideals, let alone others’ expectations, for high-stakes doctor-patient/family communication, especially at the end of life. From emotional strains to time limitations, a multiplicity of factors obfuscates the pursuit of excellence in this vital endeavor. Evidence suggests that, like nearly every other sector of healthcare and society, African American patients and families are most likely to get the short end of the …

Developing Cultural Competency In Anesthesia Through Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists, Emma To

Doctoral Projects

Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are the main anesthesia providers in over 70% of rural hospitals providing anesthesia. Each year, over 2,000 student registered nurse anesthetists (SRNAs) graduate and continue as licensed CRNAs. This Doctor of Nurse Practice (DNP) project emphasizes the importance of developing culturally competent providers in anesthesia by promoting early outreach in cultural competence education of SRNAs. Cultural competence is described as possessing characteristics of congruent attitudes, awareness, and conduct that provides and enables effective skills in cross-cultural encounters. Encompassing cultural competency education early in the SRNAs profession may provide valuable lifelong cultural skills that will benefit …

The Influence Of Parental Communication About Sexual Health On Quality Of Emerging Adult Romantic Relationships, Jaclyn Denise Powers

Master's Theses

The research on relationships between parent-child communication about sexuality and sexual communication between adult partners is currently lacking. The current study aims to examine the influence of parent-child sexual communication on adult sexual communication when those children reach adulthood and engage in romantic relationships. Parent-child sexual communication, attachment styles, sexual attitudes, and partner sexual communication were examined for influence on the physical and emotional relationship satisfaction of emerging adults. Study 1 included a quantitative analysis with 553 emerging adults participating in an online survey, and study 2 incorporated a qualitative analysis with an additional 7 emerging adults participating in online …

Group Empowerment Capacity And Capability In Associate Degree Schools Of Nursing In The United States, Christy Lee Savell

Dissertations

The purpose of conducting this research was to determine the perception of group empowerment capacity (EC) and group empowerment capability (E) among faculty and administrators in associate degree nursing programs (ADN) in the United States (U.S.), whether there was a significant difference in the scores of EC and E between the two groups and if there was a significant relationship between the mediating variables and EC. The study was conducted online with administrators and faculty of ADN programs throughout the United States (U.S.). Information letters with questionnaire links were sent to all members of the Organization of Associate Degree Nurses …

Overcoming The Loss Of Nonverbal Cues Encountered By The Adventitiously Blind: Reconstructing Relationships And Identity, Vernon Floyd Humphrey

Dissertations

In this study, couples shared their experiences adjusting to one of the members loss of sight. Through interviews, their narratives expressed their values, actions, inactions, successes, failures, needs, obstacles, and feelings. Participants explained their standpoint/perspective about vision loss, when it happened, how it affected them, how they reacted and responded, through hindsight how they thought they should have responded, and how they reconstructed a shared interpersonal relationship. Narratives about situations and events after the loss of sight revealed descriptions of their relationships and interactions with each other and other people in their circle. Through constant comparative analysis the individual narratives …

Maximizing Doctor-Patient Communication Of A Positive Hiv/Aids Test Result: A Best Practices Approach, Vikki Yashandra Spann

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine healthcare practitioner (HCP) communication of a positive human immodeficiency syndrome/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) test result in an effort to find best practices. The population of this study included healthcare practitioners who had to disclose a positive HIV/AIDS status to a patient. Data from specific accounts recalled by the healthcare practitioners were analyzed using grounded theory approach. The first research question was concerned with the strategies used by healthcare practitioners. The results indicated that there are two primary strategies used in HIV/AIDS disclosure: strategic interactive facilitation and strategic interactive force. The second and …

The Use Of Humor For Emotion Management On The Job: An Exploration Of 911 Communication Centers, Jennifer Dell Mclaughlin

Dissertations

This study sought to understand how humor affects a person’s ability to cope and manage their emotions in a high stress organizational environment. 911 communication centers are work environments where stress is commonplace, and the work environment can instantly become erratic and chaotic.

This study explored the role humor has in assisting organizational members with emotion management in a high stress job and the types of humor used by members to handle their job and cope with the stress.

The results suggest that humor is pervasive in 911 communication centers, and dispatchers use humor for personal coping, co-worker bonding, and …

The Rhetorical Strategies Of Pregnancy Support Centers Including The Visual Rhetoric Of Fetal Ultrasound Technology, Raymond Kyle Jones

Dissertations

This study examined the rhetorical strategies, including verbal and visual rhetoric, of pregnancy support centers that provide clients with fetal ultrasounds to persuade those who may be considering abortion as a means of resolving their unplanned pregnancy to carry to term. Qualitative data were gathered from 12 interviews of directors and ultrasound personnel from 7 states as well as from television advertisements and printed material. Eighteen research questions investigating the rhetorical transactions between centers and clients were answered. Rhetorical analyses were performed on the verbal and visual messages used in client interactions.

The grounded theory approach of inquiry resulted in …