Maternal, Child Health and Neonatal Nursing Commons^™

Screening And Follow Up For Postpartum Depression: How To Improve Practice, Mallory Matusik

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Postpartum depression (PPD) is one of the most common mental health conditions, affecting one in seven women during their reproductive years (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [ACOG], 2018). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to improve screening and management of PPD using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) screening tool and a protocol for appropriate treatment and follow up care for PPD. A protocol was created by the project leader with information on screening and diagnosis, follow up, and treatment for PPD. The protocol also included information on how to assess for suicidal and/or homicidal ideation …

Game-Based Refresher Training For Registered Nurse Providers Of Neonatal Resuscitation, Renee Billner-Garcia

Doctoral Projects

Based on evidence suggesting resuscitation provider knowledge and skill decay can occur as soon as four weeks post-training, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends more frequent resuscitation refresher training. While current resuscitation training and education practices center on simulation training, its cost in terms of supplies, equipment, and personnel may be creating barriers to increasing the frequency of refresher training. This quality improvement project implemented a game-based, refresher training for registered nurse providers of neonatal resuscitation with a focus on improving the time to initiation of positive pressure ventilation (PPV) per Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) guidelines. Using commonly available free …

The Road Ahead: An Occupational Therapy Manual To Infant Development For Parents In The Nicu, Nicole Suzuki-Uyeno

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Occupational therapists have been collaborating with the parents of our tiniest patients in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) for quite some time. They have a wealth of information and expertise in the area on infant development and parent education. Admitting a baby to the NICU is a shock for most parents and can take a toll on a family. The role of the occupational therapist is to help educate the family and to provide the tools to safely take care of their baby and to smoothen the transition from the hospital to home.

In the NICU, the OT has …

Tiered Centralized Education In The Transition-To-Practice Program To Improve Nurses' Level Of Confidence On Nursing Sensitive Indicators Outcomes, Froiland Agana Ascaño

Doctoral Projects

A tiered Centralized Education in the Transition-to-Practice (TTP) Program is crucial to improving nurses' Level of Confidence on nursing-sensitive quality indicators. The benefits of a structured orientation program taught by trained content experts are evident in the literature. In addition, training transition-to-practice RNs during onboarding with training and assessment sessions throughout the orientation program to increase frequency provides skills acquisition. This study examined the impact of a house-wide education program on the nurses' confidence levels of CLABSI prevention, a measured nursing-sensitive quality indicator. This quasi-experimental quality improvement study measured the confidence and comfort levels of transition-to-practice RNs and identified that …

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 …

Increasing Patient Satisfaction Of Post-Cesarean Mothers: An Evidence-Based Practice Quality Improvement Project, Amanda Jones

DNP Projects

Introduction: The first hour after delivery, referred to as the “Golden Hour” or “Sacred Hour,” is when the mom, baby, and the support person get 1-hour of uninterrupted bonding time together. This time is critical because it promotes neonatal thermoregulation, decreases newborn stress levels, improves mother–newborn attachment, and encourages breastfeeding. Unfortunately, most cesarean births do not receive the Golden Hour and instead experience delayed bonding time.

Purpose: The purpose of this Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) project was to incorporate the Golden Hour for post-cesarean section mothers in a mid-sized community-based hospital in XXX, CT in order to increase patient satisfaction post-c-section; …

Child Mortality In Africa And South Asia: A Multidimensional Research And Policy Framework, Rachel Kimani, Samwel Gatimu

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Globally, progress has been made to address the diagnosis and management of common and avoidable acute illnesses that contribute to child mortality. Nevertheless, regions across sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia continue to have the highest rates of mortality in children younger than 5 years, with most deaths occurring after discharge from health facilities, indicating a gap in care following hospitalisation.

Benefits Of Exercise In Pregnant Women, Jenna Renee Barretto

Nursing | Senior Theses

Exercise is an important lifestyle habit to include in one's daily routine. Remaining physical activity during pregnancy is important. According to the CDC, pregnant women should, “Get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity during pregnancy and the postpartum period.” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2021). This paper will encompass a range of topics that highlight the benefits of exercise from a physiological as well as a mental health standpoint. Although more research needs to be conducted to solidify the benefits of exercise, the articles that were collected demonstrate how it can help mothers have a healthy pregnancy. …

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 …

Healthcare Providers' Experiences With A Clinical Mentorship Intervention To Improve Reproductive, Maternal And Newborn Care In Mwanza, Tanzania, Kahabi Isangula, Columba Mbekenga, Tumbwene Mwansisya, Loveluck Mwasha, Lucy Kisaka, Edna Selestine, David Siso, Thomas Rutachunzibwa, Secilia Mrema, Eunice Pallangyo

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Introduction: There is increasing evidence suggesting that clinical mentorship (CM) involving on-the-job training is one of the critical resources—friendly entry points for strengthening the knowledge and skills of healthcare providers (HCPs), which in turn facilitate the delivery of effective reproductive, maternal, and newborn health (RMNH) care. The article explores the experiences of HCPs following participation in the CM program for RMNH in eight districts of Mwanza Region in Tanzania.

Materials and Methods: A qualitative descriptive design employing data from midterm project review meetings and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with purposefully selected HCPs (mentors and mentees) and District Medical Officers (DMOs) …

Caregiver Satisfaction Of Telehealth Initiatives For Developmental Surveillance And Evaluation In Pediatric Autism Spectrum Disorder, Aashiyana Patel

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

PURPOSE: To examine parental satisfaction of a telehealth program aimed to improve the identification and diagnosis of pediatric ASD in Northwest Arkansas.

DESIGN/METHODS: caregivers referred to the Access for Autism clinic received a satisfaction survey regarding the telehealth practices the clinic employs. This 5-point Likert scale survey was designed to measure six different constructs associated with telehealth satisfaction: assurance, empathy, reliability, responsiveness, usability, and patient satisfaction

CONCLUSIONS: Telehealth is a suitable alternative to attending medical appointments. The key finding indicated that 40% of caregivers believed the level of care received to be equal in telehealth and in-person appointments.

Necrotizing Enterocolitis Rates In Preterm Infants, Alexis Howard

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Breast milk and donor human milk is used in the prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in preterm infants born prior to 37 weeks gestation and those with very low birth weight. This process occurs through direct breast feeding and tube feeding. The aim of this study was to compare the use of breast milk and donor milk to the use of formula feed in preterm infants. A systematic review was conducted using articles collected from CINAHL and PubMed and was guided by PRISMA guidelines. A total of 15 studies that met criteria were analyzed by purpose, variables, study design, population …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Barriers To Breastfeeding Surrounding Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Brianna Purser, Quinn Owen

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

It is known that breastfeeding is beneficial to mothers and their children, and it is recommended that mothers exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of their infant's life. Despite this, in the United States only 1 in 4 infants is exclusively breastfed for the first six months. After being an intern for Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support, a program designed to facilitate and educate about breastfeeding, we have seen firsthand the barriers to breastfeeding. The goal of this literature review was to investigate barriers to breastfeeding specifically surrounding neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and how to address those …

The Effects Of Perinatal Nutrition In The Prevention Of Postpartum Depression, Olivia Glasgow

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

With the exponential rise in reported cases of postpartum depression, medical workers within the psychiatric and research communities seek to discover new methods to prevent its onset. The purpose of this study is to compile the available research that has been conducted to investigate the relationship between perinatal nutrition and the prevention of postpartum depression. Nineteen peer-reviewed articles were gathered from medical databases based on their ability to report evidence on the increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids or vitamin D and their prophylactic therapy against postpartum depression. Overall, many articles suggest a positive association as individuals’ mental health screenings …

Willow Creek Internship: The Effects Of Delayed Bathing On The Health Of Mothers And Newborns Post-Birth, Cara Yates

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The implications of newborn bathing have become a rising topic in couplet care. The practice of bathing after birth can be linked to many things such as glucose control, temperature stability and exclusive breastfeeding. The timing of the initial bath also has effects on immediate skin to skin time between newborn and mother and therefore effects the initial bonding period post birth. This paper explores the current research on this practice.

Pediatric Specific Assessment Modalities In Pediatric Blunt Trauma Cases: A Literature Review, Haley Ranne

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

With unintentional injury being the number one cause of death of children in the United States, it warrants the need for successful, cost effective ways to improve identification of severe injury and prevent mortality in children. The purpose of this review is to compile literature related to pediatric specific trauma assessments in the instance of blunt trauma. Twenty peer-reviewed articles that were published in notable journals were analyzed to include in this review. There are several assessments that are being utilized in pre-hospital and hospital emergency settings today, such as the Shock Index (Pediatric Age Adjusted), Pediatric BIG Score, and …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Barriers To Breastfeeding Surrounding Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Quinn Owen, Brianna Purser

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Breastfeeding has proven itself beneficial to both baby and mother for many reasons. However, many mothers do not breastfeed their infants. In fact, only 1 in 4 mothers breastfeed for the first 6 months of life. Experiences in the clinical setting and knowledge gained as interns for Tiny Tusks, a breastfeeding and infant support group for sporting events at the University of Arkansas, sparked the desire to understand the staggering statistic.This literature review seeks to understand barriers to breastfeeding, specifically, barriers to breastfeeding as it pertains to neonatal intensive care units (NICU).

Alleviation Of Atopic Dermatitis Symptoms By Implementation Of Standard And Alternative Treatments, Nika Sayvongsa

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a chronic dermatological disease caused by a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. This is a common condition that is primarily diagnosed among children, but can persist throughout adulthood. Twenty peer-reviewed articles are analyzed in this expanded literature review. Various methods were implemented throughout these studies, including randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and single-blind studies; all of the studies shared the objective of evaluating AD alleviation with the use of either standard treatment modalities or alternative/ complementary therapies.

Using A Food Insecurity Screening Tool In The Nicu, Emily Coffman Bsn, Rn, Fatina Caldwell Bs, Bsn, Rn, Cpn, Cpen, Mackenzie Box Bsn, Rn, Uche Anani Md, Faap, Christin Fritz Md, Mph, Bobby Bellflower Dnsc, Nnp-Bc, Faanp

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background: Infants admitted to the NICU are disproportionately born to low-income families. This, combined with unique financial challenges of their long-term stay, may predispose caregivers to food insecurity (FI). FI among caregivers has far reaching implications for the health of infants who are already vulnerable related to comorbidities from their NICU stay.

Methods: Using the Iowa model to successfully engage key stake holders and begin a small pilot study, a randomized preintervention chart audit was performed (n=30) to evaluate if FI was identified by NICU Social Worker (SW). The FI screening tool was administered by nursing to a separate group …

The Relationships Between And Among Parental Perceptions Of Family-Centered Care, Parental Beliefs, And Parental Stress In The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Kelly Keefe-Marcoux

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Children hospitalized for critical care require increasingly complex and technical care, which can be very stressful for parents. Awareness of the importance of parents’ role while their child is receiving critical care is vital to deliver care within a family-centered philosophy that is mutually beneficial to parents and nurses. This descriptive correlational study examined the relationships between and among parental perception of Family-Centered Care (FCC) nursing practices, parental beliefs regarding their role and their hospitalized child, and parental stress during their child’s admission to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). This study utilized the Family-Centered Care theoretical framework to examine …