Quality Improvement Project: Impacting Clinical Competency Through Faculty Preparation: A Standardized Teaching Guide Initiative, Caroline White

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Variability in clinical teaching practices can contribute to inconsistent faculty preparation and student learning experiences. This quality improvement project addressed the absence of a standardized clinical teaching resource within an Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program at a public technical college in the southeastern United States. The purpose was to implement a standardized, evidence-based clinical teaching guide to improve faculty confidence and clinical educator skill acquisition. Social Cognitive Theory provided the theoretical framework, and Lewin’s Change Theory guided practice change. A quantitative, quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used. Fourteen eligible nursing faculty and clinical instructors were invited to participate; 10 participated, …

Faktor-Faktor Yang Berhubungan Dengan Kejadian Prediabetes Pada Perawat Di Rumah Sakit X Tahun 2025, Putri Nurhaliza, Chandrayani Simanjorang, Agung Raharjo

Jurnal Biostatistik, Kependudukan, dan Informatika Kesehatan

Prediabetes dapat berkembang menjadi diabetes melitus dan meningkatkan risiko penyakit kardiovaskular. Selain itu, beban ekonomi juga meningkat akibat tingginya biaya pelayanan kesehatan dan penurunan produktivitas kerja. Salah satu kelompok berisiko prediabetes adalah perawat karena karakteristik pekerjaannya, seperti penerapan sistem kerja sif serta tingginya beban dan tekanan kerja yang dapat memicu stres. Penelitian ini dilakukan untuk mengidentifikasi faktor-faktor yang berhubungan dengan kejadian prediabetes pada perawat di Rumah Sakit X pada tahun 2025. Desain studi yang digunakan adalah cross-sectional dengan sumber data primer yang dikumpulkan melalui pengisian kuesioner dan data sekunder yang diperoleh dari laporan hasil medical check-up tahun 2025. Populasi dalam …

Impact Of Sexual Orientation On Syphilis Diagnosis Among African American Men In Colorado, Emmanuel Bhatti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Syphilis remains an ongoing public health concern among African American men. Elevated rates during the COVID-19 pandemic further underscored the need for focused attention on this population. The risk factors driving syphilis diagnosis among African American men during a pandemic like COVID-19 remain poorly understood. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine the association between sexual orientation and syphilis diagnosis among African American men in Colorado. Social cognitive theory was applied to understand the interaction among sexual orientation, HIV status, age, and syphilis diagnosis. Sexual orientation categories include men who have sex with men (MSM), men who …

Nurse-Led Remote Patient Monitoring In Outpatient Heart Failure, Jackline Ukadike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic heart failure (HF) remains a leading cause of avoidable hospital readmissions and emergency department visits due to delayed recognition of early symptom exacerbation between routine outpatient encounters. This doctoral quality improvement project evaluated whether the implementation of an evidence-based, nurse-led remote patient monitoring (RPM) standard operating procedure (SOP) improved early identification of symptom exacerbation compared to standard episodic care among adult heart failure patients (NYHA Class II–III) in an outpatient primary care setting over a 10-week period. Guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework, an evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) and escalation protocol were developed and appraised by a 3-member …

Harmonies Of Healing: A Secondary Data Analysis On Music Engagement And Quality Of Life In Older Adults, Theophilus Eben Nartey

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional secondary data analysis was to examine the relationship between music engagement and self-reported quality of life among adults aged 60 years and older, using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Guided by the Biopsychosocial-Spiritual (BPSS) framework, the study explored whether music engagement significantly predicted perceived well-being in later adulthood while accounting for chronic health conditions. Secondary data from the HRS public-use dataset were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 29. The final analytical sample consisted of 1,582 adults aged 60 years or older with complete data on all variables included in the …

A Phenomenological Hermeneutic Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Pre-Licensure Nursing Students’ First Semester Clinical Rotations Following Simulation Learning, Ogochukwu Vera Nnakwe

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This phenomenological hermeneutic study aims to understand the lived experiences of pre-licensure nursing students during their clinical rotation semester following simulation learning at Southeastern University. The guiding theory for this study is Kolb’s experiential learning theory (Kolb, 1984). Simulation learning in nursing education is a teaching approach that lets learners practice practical nursing skills in a safe environment without risking patient safety, thus bridging the gap between theory and practice (Mishra et al., 2023). It offers students opportunities to improve their knowledge of clinical skills and enhance their abilities (Koukourikos et al., 2021). The study involved a sample of 12 …

Barriers And Facilitators To Health Literacy Among Black Americans With Overweight And Obesity In South Carolina: A Mini-Ethnographic Study, Shelly Campbell-Timmons

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative mini ethnography adapted from traditional ethnography with limited time and scope, was to explore and understand perceptions of barriers and facilitators to health literacy among Black Americans with overweight and obesity in three South Carolina counties. Population data showed that approximately 40.3% of U.S. adults are obese. Moreover, Non-Hispanic Black communities are disproportionately affected by overweight and obesity despite efforts to combat the weight-related health risk. Still, limited health literacy should be the focus of public health strategies like teach-back and plain language communication, to address overweight and obesity prevalence and disparities. The study was …

Novice Nurses’ Perceptions Of Caring With Empathy In An Acute Care Hospital In The Northeastern United States: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Haley Zurcher

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand the essence of the experience of empathy among novice nurses in an acute care facility in the Northeast United States. The Central Research Question (CRQ) for this study was: What was the perceived experience/understanding of empathy by novice nurses working in acute care settings in northeastern Pennsylvania, United States? The study was guided by Bandura’s (1977) self-efficacy theory to examine how confidence, environmental influences, and personal beliefs shaped the development and expression of empathy in early nursing practice. The study was conducted at a large acute care hospital. The sample …

Progress, Poetry, And Peace: Romantic Ideals And The Present Day, Kristen Dawn Morgan Hess

Masters Theses

In the busy, technologized, and mechanized life that most people live today, it can be difficult to find true rest, comfort, and peace because the very technology and machinery that is marketed as providing these 21st-century amenities often fall short in their delivery. Taking a look backward at the Romantic era ideals presented in the poetry of William Wordsworth can offer people today the chance to gradually improve their mental, physical, and emotional health by slowing down, minimalizing, and moderating their lifestyles. This thesis talks about the historical background of three of Wordsworth’s poems— “Lines Written in Early Spring,” “The …

Re-Education On Chlorhexidine (Chg) Bathing Protocol Affects Patient Chg Bathing Compliance And Surgical Site Infection (Ssi) Rates, Mary Samantha Ross

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Surgical site infections (SSI) are considered a hospital-acquired infection, leading to increased hospital length of stay (LOS), readmission rates, increased cost, morbidity, mortality rates, and poor postoperative outcomes. The literature review demonstrated the benefits of preoperative Chlorhexidine (CHG) bathing, but called for standardized protocols, improved education, and patient compliance. Research and clinical experience supported the need for improved patient compliance with CHG bathing. Consistent SSI rates even after protocol changes called for re-education of nursing staff in addition to addressing patient compliance issues. Therefore, providing re-education on the updated protocol, which addresses patient compliance issues, can lead to a reduction …

Degree Assortativity And Estimation Of Degree Distribution In A Contact Network Of People Who Inject Drugs, Peter Geissert

Dissertations and Theses

This dissertation analyzes data from a respondent driven sampling (RDS) study of people who inject drugs in Portland, OR.  The objective was to assess assumptions for the use of weighted estimators to estimate a population physical contact (syringe sharing) network degree distribution.

Visualization of degree distribution for social and physical networks, Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests of difference, and kernel tests of equivalence were used for comparison of distributions. Spearman's rho and GAM non-parametric regression models were used to test for association and assess non-monotonic relationship. The validity of Markov chain assumptions for RDS was assessed using a transition matrix, Markov chain graphs, …

Starting To Feel Like A Clinician: Graduate Student Experiences Of Communication Partner Training For People With Aphasia, Katie A. Strong, Esther S. Kim, Aura Kagan, Nina Simmons-Mackie

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Communication partner training (CPT) is among the most evidence-based interventions for supporting people with aphasia, yet many speech-language pathologists report not implementing it in practice, and graduate students frequently report low confidence communicating with people with aphasia prior to targeted training. This qualitative descriptive study examined graduate students' experiences learning CPT through a course-embedded, multi-modal experiential approach with structured reflection. Written reflections from 79 first-year graduate students across two university programs served as the data source. Reflections were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: Learning by Design, reflecting students' metacognitive awareness of the pedagogical elements most meaningful …

When Students Use Ai Before They Learn To Think Clinically: Cognitive Offloading In Communication Sciences And Disorders Education, Salim Alani

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Generative artificial intelligence is becoming part of how students study, write, summarize, and prepare for coursework in communication sciences and disorders (CSD). Much of the current discussion in higher education has focused on plagiarism, academic integrity, and responsible technology use. Those concerns matter, but they do not fully address what may be a larger educational issue in professional preparation programs. Students can now generate polished explanations, study materials, treatment rationales, and clinical summaries quickly, sometimes before independently developing the reasoning skills those tasks are intended to build. This paper examines cognitive offloading in CSD education, defined here as the shifting …

Integrating Public Health Into Communication Sciences And Disorders Curriculum, Whitney D. Perkins, Yalanda M. Barner, Jennifer Wiles, Brandi Newkirk-Turner

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

The field of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) is increasingly integrating public health into its practice and research. This is because less than 10% of speech-language pathology and audiology graduate programs are housed within Colleges or Schools of Public Health (PH), reducing the likelihood that students in CSD have the opportunity for coursework and co-curricular activities that integrate PH and CSD. In this paper, we discuss the holistic approach we used to integrate PH into a CSD program at a Historically Black University. The approach was guided by PH and CSD accreditation standards and involved a didactic course, CSD courses …

Building Interprofessional Competency-Based Education Into Graduate Program Clinical Experiences: A Childhood Apraxia Of Speech And Sensory Processing Disorder Case Study Analysis, Kate Nealon, Zahava L. Friedman

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

Abstract

Supporting interprofessional competency-based education requires embedding educational opportunities within coursework and clinical experiences. This education prioritizes student engagement and learning from, with and about other professionals to support collaboration and communication amongst clinicians (CAIE, 2020). While the provision of interprofessional clinical opportunities is recommended, it is challenging to implement effectively in professional and pre-professional settings. Academic settings have the unique ability to provide interprofessional collaborative clinical experiences for students. This pilot study focuses on Speech Language Pathology (SLP) and Occupational Therapy (OT) clinical assessment experiences, specifically in the context of pediatric motor speech and sensory processing disorders. These disorders …

The Implementation Of Sel-Based Interactive E-Modules To Enhance Mental Health Literacy, Muhammad Arif Budiman Sucipto, Mulyani Mulyani

Jurnal Kajian Bimbingan dan Konseling

The mental health crisis among Generation Alpha students is concerning, marked by stagnating life purpose and digital academic pressure. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of an interactive SEL-based E-Module in enhancing students' mental health literacy, offering an innovative solution responsive to the digital era. Employing a Classroom Action Research design integrated with ADDIE. Thirty-two tenth-grade students with low initial literacy scores (mean pre-test = 42.3) participated through purposive sampling. The two-cycle intervention utilized a digital module featuring Private Mode (encrypted emotional journal) and Emergency Button (direct link to counselors). Data were collected through literacy scales, observations, interviews, and …

A Mixed Methods Study Of Inpatients’ Experiences, Priorities, And Health-Related Quality Of Life During High- Flow Nasal Cannula Therapy, Cintamani H. Ellsworth, Rebecca S. Bartlett

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Purpose: High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) is an oxygen delivery method with numerous benefits for severely ill patients. There is a paucity of research focused on the perspectives of patients receiving HFNC oxygen therapy. This study aimed to engage with patients to gain a clearer understanding of their experiences, priorities, and health-related quality of life.

Methods: A cross-sectional, mixed methods study was completed with 10 adult inpatients who had received HFNC oxygen therapy during their hospital admission. Semi-structured interviews and the Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Global Health Scale were used to identify participant perceptions of their physical and …

Under Pressure And Underrecognized: The Role Of Social Workers And Case Managers In Screening For Social Determinants Of Health In The United States, Melissa L. Habrat, Lindsay D. Nelson, David A. Nelson

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

Social determinants of health (SDOH) screening is increasingly embedded in clinical care, yet the work of asking, documenting, and responding to social needs often falls to social workers and nurses or professional case managers who operate under significant time, staffing, and system constraints. We conducted a narrative review to examine how SDOH influence outcomes, identify systemic and emotional barriers to effective screening, and synthesize evidence-informed strategies that support implementation. Across included sources, findings clustered into three domains: challenges in integrating screening (policy and accreditation pressure, staffing and resource constraints, EHR documentation and interoperability limits, closed-loop referral and cross-sector partnership gaps, …

A Reflection On Growing Up With Hyperacusis, Jemma-Tiffany Rosewater, Katherine Melton

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

I, the first author, explore here my personal experiences growing up with severe hyperacusis pain, a rare condition that significantly affected my childhood but also gave me a deeper understanding of how medical professionals interact with children. I discuss the many ways my condition was dismissed or misunderstood by doctors, and I examine the broader negative implications that this dismissal had on both my physical health and day-to-day life. This article also emphasizes the power and sway that the words of medical professionals hold compared to the voices of children. I reflect on how outdated yet common misconceptions about hyperacusis, …

Abstracts From The 2026 Health Care Systems Research Network (Hcsrn) Annual Conference, Dallas, Texas, Health Care Systems Research Network

Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews

The Health Care Systems Research Network (HCSRN) comprises 18 learning health systems with integrated care delivery and embedded research units. The network’s annual conference serves as a forum for research teams from member institutions to disseminate project findings, explore scientific collaborations, and share insights about population-based research practices that can measurably improve health and health care for all. The theme of this year’s conference was “Scaling Learning Health Systems: Data-Driven Pathways to Better Outcomes.” Abstracts presented at HCSRN 2026 are published in this issue supplement of the Journal of Patient-Centered Research and Reviews, the journal of record for HCSRN’s annual …

Prostate Cancer Survival Among Young Males Within The United States, Maxine M. Findlay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prostate cancer incidence has increased among younger men in the United States, and treatment affects both patient survival and family well-being. This quantitative retrospective study examined survival among young men diagnosed with prostate cancer who received chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and/or prostatectomy, while accounting for socioeconomic factors of residence and ethnicity. Social cognitive theory was the framework. Ordinal logistic regression was used to determine whether treatment method, socioeconomic factors of residence and ethnicity predicted survival among young men diagnosed with prostate cancer. Data was sourced from the National Cancer Database Participant User File 2004-2021 specific to prostate cancer. The study cohort …

Evaluating Medical Student Geriatric Competency Using A 5ms-Based Assessment Tool, Lauren R. Hersh Md, Amy Cunningham Phd, Mph, Xiya Wu Md

Cooper Rowan Medical Journal

INTRODUCTION

Driven by an aging Baby Boomer generation, the United States is navigating a demographic transformation with far-reaching implications that include increased demand for chronic disease management and long-term care as well as increased stress on both healthcare costs and infrastructure. Generating a workforce competent in the delivery of care to older patients with complex, multimorbid conditions is fundamental to addressing this shift. Recognizing that the development of primary and specialty care physicians skilled in geriatric care begins in medical school, the American Geriatric Society developed minimum competencies grounded in the Geriatric 5Ms (Mind, Mobility, Medication, Multicomplexity, and …

Knowledge, Practice And Perceived Barriers Of Healthcare Provider Adherence To The Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (Ndss) In Government Hospitals And Primary Healthcare Centers In Jazan, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study, Moatasem F. Hakmi, Alaa Mathkour, Yousef Zahrani, Rayan I. Binduhayyim, Saad S. Alqahtani, Muhammad Z. Iqbal

Saudi Medical Journal

Objective: To assess and compare healthcare providers' understanding of the Notifiable Disease Surveillance System (NDSS), alongside reported and perceived challenges, across public hospitals and primary healthcare centers in Jazan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 10 January 2025 and 30 December 2025 among health care providers at Jazan hospitals and primary healthcare centers (PHCs) (n = 420). Data were collected via structured self-administered questionnaire that included the following sections: demographic data, knowledge of the NDSS, reporting practices, competency of the Health Electronic Surveillance Network (HESN) and perceived barriers. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to …

Drooling In Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Narrative Review Of The Current Management Landscape, Kamel A. Alenazi

Saudi Medical Journal

Children with developmental or neurological disorders, such as cerebral palsy, present with impaired motor function, resulting in impaired swallowing, feeding, and drooling. The prevalence of chronic drooling radically changes from 0.5% in children >4 years to 60% in children with neurological ailments. Drooling can have a serious impact on the quality of life of affected children, which can create a sense of isolation and refusal by peers. In addition, drooling results in not only financial but also considerable emotional turmoil for caregivers of affected children, who are frequently confronted with difficulty managing the underlying neurological impairment of their child. In …

Scoping Review Of Mental Health Outcomes Of Cosmetic Procedures Among The Saudi Population, Hessah Alzahrani

Saudi Medical Journal

Objective: To comprehensively examine the mental health outcomes associated with cosmetic procedures among the Saudi population, with a particular focus on psychological well-being, self-esteem, anxiety, body image, and quality of life.
Methods: This scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology and reported following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. A structured search was performed across international databases, including PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, in addition to national Arabic databases. Studies investigating the psychological outcomes of both surgical (rhinoplasty and body contouring) and …

Quality, Patient Experience, And Service Gaps In Home Healthcare In Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review Aligned With Vision 2030, Eman Alawad, Rasha M. Mahrous, Lubna A. Elshaib

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To assess the quality of home healthcare (HHC) services, patient experience, and existing service gaps in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) statement. PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, and Google Scholar were searched for studies published between January 2011 and January 2025. Eligible studies included observational, qualitative, mixed-methods, and interventional studies conducted in Saudi Arabia that examined home healthcare quality, patient or caregiver experience, or service delivery gaps. Two reviewers independently screened studies, extracted data, and assessed methodological quality …

Implementing Diagnosis-Related Groups For Value-Based Healthcare In Saudi Arabia: A Systematic Review Of Evidence On Barriers And Facilitators, Racha M. Naim, Michelle A. Badore, Justin J. Needle

Saudi Medical Journal

Objective: To examine the barriers and facilitators to implementing Diagnosis-related groups (DRGs) in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, aiming to identify actionable insights for policymakers and stakeholders to advance value-based healthcare (VBHC) adoption effectively.
Methods: A systematic search of bibliographic databases and relevant grey literature was conducted. Data were synthesized using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to categorize barriers and facilitators across 5 domains.
Results: A total of 10 studies met the eligibility criteria. Key facilitators included the adoption of patient classification systems, standardized data sets, government policy support, and the availability of advanced health information systems. Barriers included …

Congenital Nephrotic Syndrome In Oman: A 20-Year Single-Centre Experience, Muzna Al Hashmi, Anisa Al Maskari, Sulaiman Al Saidi, Badria Al Ghaithi, Mohammed Al Riyami, Naifain Al Kalbani

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

Objectives: Congenital nephrotic syndrome (CNS) is a rare, severe disease presenting within the first three months of life, with limited prevalence data from Oman and the Gulf region. This study aimed to report 20 years' experience of congenital nephrotic syndrome (CNS) in a single centre in Oman. Methods: This retrospective study including children diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome in first 3 months of life, from January 2000 to December 2020 at Royal Hospital, Muscat, Oman. Results: A total of 26 patients were included in the study, with no gender predominance. Consanguinity was noted in 61.5% of patients and a …

Mentorship As A Catalyst For Change Readiness: A Qualitative Study Of How Effective Mentoring Mitigates Burnout And Turnover During Organizational Transformation, Jeffery M. Camp

Journal of Online Mentoring

This qualitative study examined how effective mentorship mitigates burnout and attenuates turnover intention during organizational change, foregrounding the perspectives of experienced mentors. Drawing on Biggs’s presage–process–product (PPP) model, data were collected through semi-structured interviews (n = 12) and two focus group discussions (n = 6 each), engaging 18 unique mentors employed in organizations with 1,000 or more employees. Thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase protocol yielded four themes: (1) mentorship as strategic facilitation of organizational change; (2) mentorship as provision of emotional and psychological support; (3) empowering mentees through relationship-building; and (4) applying adaptive and reflective strategies. …

Enhancing Early Detection Of Suicide Risk In Outpatient Settings Through Standardized Implementation Of The Ask Suicide Screening Questions Tool, Shayla Lee

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Suicide is a leading cause of death in the United States, highlighting the need for routine suicide risk identification. Evidence supports standardized suicide screening can promote early identification of suicide risk. A needs assessment at an outpatient mental health clinic identified the absence of a standardized suicide screening and referral process. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement the Ask Suicide-Screening Questions (ASQ) Tool and a standardized referral protocol. The aim was to evaluate ASQ documentation, referral rates, and staff self-efficacy over four weeks. Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Theory, Lewin’s Change Theory, and the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework guided …