Medical Humanities Commons^™

Fixed And Variable Costs At Critical Access Hospitals, Jeremy J. Lyman

All ETDs from UAB

Cost structures (the ratio of fixed to variable costs) vary across and within indus-tries. Hospital managers and policymakers can make better decisions when they under-stand cost structures, including marginal costs (the change in the total cost that arises when the quantity produced is increased by one unit). Although some studies have inves-tigated hospital cost structures, the results have been mixed and less than definitive, and very little attention has been given to critical access hospitals and marginal costs specifi-cally. Rural hospitals, including critical access hospitals, have increasingly experienced financial distress. Between 2005 and 2019, 159 rural hospitals closed across the …

Impact Of Registered Nurse Staffing Ratio On Nursing Home Operating Margins And Quality Measure Star Ratings, Douglas R. Whitman

All ETDs from UAB

Today’s nursing homes are under immense pressure from government regulators to improve quality while the government simultaneously tightens reimbursement rates. These two forces squeeze operating margins. The question facing nursing home operators is how to improve quality without breaking the bank. This study looks at the association of more registered nurses (RN) with quality and margins in U.S. nursing homes. This research project fills literature gaps which previously found improved nursing home quality correlates with more RNs. However, prior studies used self-reported data and typically considered only two or three quality measures. This study uses recently released electronic payroll data …

The Effect Of Gi Patients' Health Literacy Levels On Gi Patients' Health Outcomes, Dae Hyun Kim

All ETDs from UAB

The paper in this dissertation provide empirical evidence on the effect of GI patients’ health literacy levels on GI patients’ health outcomes. The findings of this study contribute to existing body of literature on health literacy and health outcomes. Furthermore, the findings also offer both theoretical and practical implications to physicians, healthcare administrators, and policymakers. Overall, the results of this study show that GI patients’ health literacy levels are negatively associated with GI patients’ health outcomes (hospital length of stay, readmission, and complication). However, partial support was shown for different types of GI surgeries accentuating the negative association between GI …

An Innovative Editing Service For Medical Students, Lisa Price

Libraries Scholarship

Background: The Library serves students, staff and faculty of the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine and related Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. Students face the daunting yet crucial tasks of preparing Personal Statements for residency, scholarship and other applications. Students and residents are also encouraged to seek publication opportunities. We recognized a need for proofreading and editing assistance, and one of our librarians had the background and experience to provide such a service.

Description: We developed a flyer announcing available services and distributed it within the library, at student and residency orientations, committee meetings and other appropriate campus events. …

Night Shifts, Salvator Vicario

Journal of Wellness

No abstract provided.

Metaphors We Think By, Aldis H. Petriceks

Journal of Wellness

N/A

Assessment Of Structural Competency In Baccalaureate Nursing Students: A Descriptive Study, Elle J. Del Gallo

Senior Honors Projects, 2010-2019

Cultural competence has been investigated extensively in nursing education to better prepare nurses to care for individuals of diverse backgrounds. While developing cultural competence is important to address individual care needs, it may not address the social and structural factors that influence health. Structural competency describes the ability to assess not only cultural factors that affect health disparities, but also structural inequalities and stigmas that can alter a patient’s presenting symptoms and risk for certain diseases.

Estimating Body Mass Through Bone Mineral Density Studies Using Dexa (Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry), Kaitlin Harstine

Master's Theses

Identification of a decedent is one of the primary goals of forensic anthropologists. In order to do this, one must build a biological profile based on the remains that are provided. Sex, age, ancestry, and stature are four of the most common, however a fifth addition piece of information that could be beneficial is body mass. The goal of this research is to explore the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and body mass, using data collected from dual x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scans of 107 collegiate football athletes. Athletes are a good fit for this study because they have achieved …

Preserving Ancient Cultures Through Medicinal Narratives, Mckenzie Jewel Moss

Honors Projects

“Preserving Ancient Cultures through Medicinal Narratives” is a comprehensive project that takes an interdisciplinary approach to understanding the effects that culture has on health. The project as a whole includes the initial work and readings I performed to better understand differences in healing between the cultures found throughout South America, where Inca culture is still prevalent, and that of the Unites States, as well as an independent documentary. The documentary contains my own personal commentary complemented by video clips of interviews I performed with individuals living in South America.

Picturing Health; Picturing Life: Visual Illness Narratives Of Women With Type 2 Diabetes, Sarah Gurley-Green

Educational Studies Dissertations

The prevalence of diabetes in the U.S. reached 23 million people between 2012 and 2017 and consumed one-quarter of the overall healthcare dollars. Remembering the suffering and pain of individuals behind these numbers becomes difficult and incalculable. Black American women are the most affected by type 2 diabetes (T2D), compared to their white counterparts, as well as twice as likely to be diagnosed with T2D and 2.5 times more likely to die from T2D. Therefore, understanding the problem requires the fundamental consideration of how these women cope daily with this complex illness while often struggling with complex lives. This narrative …

Patient Perspectives: Four Pillars Of Professionalism, Laura Yvonne Bulk, Donna Drynan, Sue Murphy, Patricia Gerber, Roberta Bezati, Sacha Trivett, Tal Jarus

Patient Experience Journal

Professionalism is a core component of healthcare practice and education; however, there is often not a consistent description of professionalism, and current definitions lack a key perspective: that of the patient. This study aimed to deepen understandings of patients’ perspectives on how professionalism should be enacted by healthcare providers. Using a phenomenological approach informed by constructivist theory, the study team conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups with 21 patients to ascertain their views on professionalism. Data analysis was conducted using a constant comparative approach wherein initial analysis informed subsequent data collection. Participant themes fell into four pillars of professionalism: taking …

Hx Of, Bonni Boles

Akesis

My purpose in creating this comic strip was to tell a story that depicts some of the struggles I have had with the health care system and how a patient's history can go overlooked. I suffered from chronic insomnia for over 10 years before a licensed professional counselor, someone tasked with actually listening to me, helped me to get on medication to help with sleep. My mental health, and general health, problems became much less severe and more manageable after finally sleeping regularly.

Sleep hygiene has been found to not have much success with chronic insomnia. I didn't need someone …

Skull And Cervical Spine Study, Paul J. Mangiafico

Akesis

Anatomical drawings are a really fun way to understand and appreciate the structure and the complexity of the human body. The material used to create this drawing was a #2 mechanical pencil.

Twin, Amy L. Courtney

Akesis

Reflective essay about being an identical twin who no longer looks identical.

Remedy, Michael Cyr

Akesis

In keeping with this issues’ theme this piece is meant to highlight the subtle places terminal illness hides biologically, socially and spiritually and how and where it is expressed, sometimes despite the best efforts of the patient or caregivers. This piece also makes effort to convey the importance of humanity in medicine and highlight loving connection as an important part of the arsenal we use against sickness.

Hexis Habitus, Jessica Rehrig

Akesis

This photograph is one that was taken years ago after gymnastics practice. It was mindlessly taken: poor quality, out of frame, buried amongst memories saved in a rarely viewed album. At the time, it captured nothing more than a habitus, a commonplace that seemed unnecessary to freeze in time.

Years have passed since training, and our hands no longer serve as an outward reflection of diligence and dedication. Today those calluses exist in the internal habitus of our character, and in one mindlessly taken, poor quality, out of frame photograph.

Clay And Stone, Jess W. Rempel

Akesis

Clay handprints on a canyon wall in southern Utah, found after the people who made them had gone. The Navajo sandstone of the canyon wall dates to the Jurassic period, with a record of eons revealed by the water that carved the canyon away. People love to leave their mark on places that make marks on them: some of the earliest recorded graffiti in Pompeii simply read "Gaius was here." I enjoyed stumbling upon the hand prints which allowed me into the hikers' experience, and their joy could add to the lasting impression that place made upon me. Our experiences …

Corporeal Quintessence, Jordan Lamb, Michael Cyr

Akesis

In keeping with the theme of “Historia Habitus” this collection is meant to illustrate how the physical form is a living history, with every movement written into the striations of the human musculature. The old adage “you are what you eat” is easily extended to “you are what you do”. Contemplate the hours and repetitions that have gone into sculpting the highlighted regions of our model/athletes. We hope this collection stimulates reflection on what the body can tell you about your past and what your, or perhaps your patient’s, lifestyle can predict about the future.

The Journey Of Life, Rolene Yousefyan

Akesis

The materials used to create this piece were oil pastels. The inspiration behind this piece was the importance of mental health awareness along with our ability to grow and become who we are today based on our past experiences and history.

Our Histories, Our Horizons: A Letter To Our Readers

Akesis

Volume 5, Issue 1 marks a new chapter in the history of our narrative medicine journal as we realize an important goal of Akesis—establishing a foothold on the Portland campus of UNE. Our hope is that Akesis becomes a familiar name among students, faculty, and staff, and that our call for submissions and issue publications are events everyone anticipates and enjoys. This issue also welcomes six new editors to Akesis, students representing a diverse sampling of UNE’s graduate and professional programs from both campuses. The success of this issue’s call for submissions is due to the efforts of …