Digital Commons Network^™

A Secondary Data Analysis Of The Practice Intervention Designed To "Wipe Out C. Difficile", Kimberly Aronhalt

Theses and Graduate Projects

Clostridium dfficile infection (CDI) recognized as a global healthcare-associated infection (HAI) causing infectious diarrhea, has increased in incidence, severity, and mortality among patients in the last three decades. Related health care costs to patients and health care facilities are enormous. To prevent HAIs healthcare organizations are charged to have infection prevention control programs in place to address CDI. Surveillance of CDI and prevention strategies are challenged to impact the transmission of CDI due to its anaerobic, spore forming characteristics. At a tertiary medical center, Wipe Out C. dfficile was a targeted approach for five high incident units to reduce CDI. …

Sexual Harassment At Work Place: Are You Safe?, Anila Naveed, Ambreen Tharani, Nasreen Alwani

School of Nursing & Midwifery

In today's world women are increasingly participating in the realm of work force, yet they are facing many obstacles in their way. Sexual harassment is one of those obstacles. Sexual harassment at work place is prevalent in every society. It could happen to anyone but women are the targeted victims. Sexual harassment is considered as a traumatic event and the victim may end up in having physical and mental sufferings that hinders a person to work effectively. At an organisational level this may result in decrease work effectiveness, decreased work productivity, high absenteeism, high turnover, and low staff morale. Hence …

Understanding The Perspective Of Adolescent Siblings Of Children With Down Syndrome Who Have Multiple Health Problems, Carol Ann Graff

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to obtain information from adolescent siblings of children with Down syndrome (CWDS) regarding their perceptions of living with a child who has Down syndrome (DS). Twenty-three adolescents between 12 and 19 years of age who lived with a child who had DS and additional health problems including cardiac, endocrine, gastrointestinal, hematological, neurological, and behavioral conditions were interviewed individually. After examining the tape recorded interviews, major themes revealed both positive and negative aspects of living with a child with DS who has major health problems. However, overall the adolescents reflected more positive experiences …

Listening Sessions With Latinas: Documenting Life Contexts And Creating Connections, Ruth Ann Belknap, Leona Vandevusse

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: To use listening sessions with groups of Latinas to develop a contextual understanding of the lives of immigrant women to inform program development and ultimately better serve the community's needs for domestic violence services.

Design and Sample: This study was exploratory and descriptive, mixing qualitative listening sessions with quantitative methods. Seven listening group sessions were facilitated with 63 women participating.

Measures: Data included information from a short demographic questionnaire, texts of narrative from the sessions, and tallies of thematic comments made during the listening sessions.

Results: Themes derived from aggregated data from the listening sessions …

Adn Program Benchmarking Using Standardized Exams For Assessment And Remediation, Amy J. Waters

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

The purpose of this research investigation was to determine the correlational values between testing scores when utilizing the Assessment Technologies Institute™, LLC (ATI) standardized content exams during the third and fourth semesters of an associate degree nursing (ADN) program, and the sub-scale scores in the same content areas of the comprehensive final exam, the ATI RN-Predictor, taken during the final weeks of nursing school. The RN-Predictor is used to assess graduating students’ preparedness for the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®). A Level II, nonexperimental, correlational study design utilized convenience and retrospective sampling of academic variable data of …

The Effect Of Using A Turn Clock To Cue Patient Repositioning For Pressure Ulcer Prevention In An Acute Care Setting, Julie Wiens

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, a nursing care quality indicator, are becoming increasingly common in United States acute care facilities. In fiscal year 2007, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recorded 257,412 “avoidable” Stage III and Stage IV pressure ulcers acquired in our nation’s hospitals on patients who were admitted to receive care for their primary diagnosis (CMS, 2007). Pressure ulcers are associated with pain and suffering, loss of function, increased length of stay, increased morbidity and mortality, and significant financial burden (Ayello & Lyder, 2008). In October 2008, the CMS discontinued payments for additional costs associated with pressure ulcers …

Mobile Librarian Service To The Wayne State University College Of Nursing, Nancy A. Wilmes

Library Scholarly Publications

In recent years, College of Nursing faculty and students have visited the Science and Engineering Library (which houses the Nursing Collection) less frequently to obtain reference assistance and research support. Nursing faculty and students are using online resources for their research, but these patrons still need to be able to ask questions and obtain clarification about: database search strategies, electronic journal access and full-text document delivery. To address these important resource and service issues, the Nursing Librarian Liaison has been offering reference service and research support in person, on-site in the Wayne State University College of Nursing office building. This …

A Critical Reflection On Advanced Practice Nursing, Patricia Quinn Phd

Dissertations

Legitimation of the Nurse Practitioner (NP) and advanced practice nursing is explored using the framework of critical theory and the case study methodology of Yin. Three different cases are analyzed using classic themes of critical theory - oppression, alienation and ideology and false consciousness. Three publishable articles comprise this portfolio. First is "Looking for love (legitimation) in all the wrong places - A critique of Nurse Practitioner effectiveness literature". This article reviews the literature of NP effectiveness and offers an analysis of the failures and problems of these positivistic studies. Article two is "At least some of us are still …

New Mothers' Perceptions Of Their First Encounter With A Health Care Provider, Katherine Ure

Master's Theses or Doctor of Nursing Practice

Since its genesis, health care has been developing and evolving to meet the needs of the population it serves. Hospital length of stay after childbirth has progressively decreased over the past 29 years initially in response to public pressure to reduce the medical aspect of childbirth. More recently, the decrease in length of stay has accelerated in response to cost-containment pressures (Eaton, 2001). This investigation examined new mothers’ perceptions of their maternal role attainment through their initial interaction with a health care provider. Ramona Mercer (1990) stated in Parents at Risk that there is a pressing need to facilitate early …

The Influence Of Psychosocial Factors On Academic Performance Of Adolescents: A Quality Assurance Project, Saleema A. Gulzar, Tazeen S. Ali, Amina Aijaz, Neesha Hussain

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Adolescence is a time of rapid psychological and physiological changes and is associated with anxiety and mental distress. This project looks at the potential of school-based programs to reduce these negative effects of academic performance in both the short- and long-term. This study was conducted in a private school in Karachi, Pakistan between October 1998 and December 2006 on 305 students with low academic performance. Results show that students scoring low grades had a mean of 55 + 2.8 and postintervention score of 56 + 2.6. The intervention package significantly created a difference in reducing the number of students receiving …

Adolescents' Preferences For Primary Care Provider Interactions, Kristine C. Schaeuble, Kristin Haglund, Melissa Vukovich

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

PURPOSE. Adolescents receive less primary care than other age groups. One reason may be the negative ways that providers sometimes interact with adolescents. The purpose was to develop knowledge regarding adolescents' preferences for provider interactions.

DESIGN AND METHODS. Design was descriptive and mixed method. Donabedian's healthcare quality model guided the study. Data were collected via focus groups and a survey.

RESULTS. Twenty-four adolescents participated. Four themes described their preferences: forming a relationship, supporting independence, assuring confidentiality, and conveying caring.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Care that is congruent with adolescents' preferences may improve quality of, and access to, care and, ultimately, …

A Qualitative Study Of Role Transition From Rn To Apn, Sandra L. Spoelstra, Lorraine B. Robbins

Peer Reviewed Articles

Role transition from registered nurse to advanced practice nurse is a difficult process. A qualitative thematic analysis guided the integration of various experiences of 24 students in a twocredit, web-based role development course in a Master’s of Science in Nursing program at a large Midwestern university. Findings supported that students had developed an understanding of the core competencies and complexity of the advanced practice nurse role, and that beginning role transition had occurred. An overarching theme, ‘the essence of nursing’ was evident. Three subthemes supported the occurrence of role transition, which included the importance of: a) building a framework for …

Barriers And Facilitators To Prenatal Care For Pregnant Latina Women In Cobb County, Georgia, Carol Holtz, Annette Bairan

Journal of Global Initiatives: Policy, Pedagogy, Perspective

This research study seeks to identify factors that serve as barriers and/or facilitators to prenatal care for Latina women and to provide data to assist health care providers, health care agencies, and policy makers in developing programs that maximize access to prenatal care for Latina women. In addition, other groups may also find this data useful, such as scholars in Latin American studies, immigration, cultural diversity, minority health care, and health care in general. The research questions consist of the following: (1) What do indigent pregnant (or recently delivered) Latina women believe about prenatal care? (2) What are the barriers …

Understanding Nurses’ Experiences Of Providing End-Of-Life Care In The United States Hospital Setting, Susan Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

Nurses perform a vital role in the care of dying patients and their families. Hence, experiences of nurses are a meaningful source from which to advance holistic end-of-life care. In this study, a hermeneutic phenomenological perspective was used to explore the phenomenon of end-of-life nursing care. Details derived from a scientific exploration into the experiences of 13 registered nurses who provided care for patients and families at end-of-life in the inpatient hospital setting offer understandings regarding this important phenomenon. The hermeneutic phenomenological methods of Max van Manen guided data collection and analysis. Three main themes described the participants’ experience of …

Initiating A Faith Community Nurse Program In The Latino Community: Addressing The Health Care Disparity Of Increased Obesity And Type 2 Diabetes, Helen Jones

Theses and Graduate Projects

There are several related health concerns in the Latino community. These concerns include increased rates of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. The [MDH] Minnesota Department of Health reports some startling statistics regarding the costs to the community as well as the cost of care. A review of the literature reveals that the costs are staggering, and that several approaches can be helpful in addressing the health care disparity of increased rates of obesity and Type 2 diabetes in the Latino population. Some approaches include the promotore model, a collaborative approach, and education of clergy and lay boards regarding the [FCN] …

Promoting Motivation Towards Community Health Care: A Qualitative Study From Nurses In Pakistan, Saleema A. Gulzar, Muhammad Shahid Shamim, Ali Khan Khuwaja

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Based on the extensive health care needs of Pakistani population, the idea of Community Health Nursing was introduced in 1985. The educational nursing institutes adopted nursing curriculum in order to produce competent nurses to meet the rising demands of society. However, very few numbers of nurses choose community health nursing as their career pathway in Pakistan. Based on the current observation, enhancing motivation among graduate nurses has always been viewed as a great challenge for the academic nursing institutions. This study was intended to explore motivating and de motivating factors in nurses towards community Health Nursing. By utilizing self concept …

Age-Related Differences In Perception Of Quality Of Discharge Teaching And Readiness For Hospital Discharge, Kathleen Bobay, Teresa A. Jerofke, Marianne E. Weiss, Olga Yakusheva

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Breastfeeding And Mothers With Chronic Health Conditions, Blanche Landis Phd

Dissertations

Breastfeeding and Mothers with Chronic Health Conditions Breastfeeding may be most beneficial for women with specific chronic illness and may decrease the risk or prevent those illnesses from developing in their children. This study examined the initiation and duration rates of mothers identified as having asthma, hypertension, and diabetes; differences between the three groups in their efforts to breastfeed, and associations between determinants/outcomes of breastfeeding and behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and perceived control of mothers using Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). A retrospective quantitative methodology was used to compare rates of initiation and duration, the differences between the three …

Commencement Program 2010, Loma Linda University

Commencement Programs

CONTENTS

1 | Message from the President

3 | 2010 Events of Commencement

4 | The Academic Procession

6 | Significance of Academic Regalia

8 | The Good Samaritan

9 | University History Highlights

11 | Loma Linda University Song - "Healing Love"

12 | The Speakers

22 | The University Honorees

36 | The School Honorees

59 | The Programs

• School of Medicine, 60
• School of Pharmacy, 77
• School of Dentistry, 83
• School of Science and Technology and School of Religion, 99
• School of Nursing, 112
• School of Allied Health Professions - Physical Therapy, 121
• School of Allied Health …

The Course Council: An Example Of Student-Centered Learning, Deborah Himes, Barbara Heise

Faculty Publications

To promote student-centered learning, a course council was established in a beginning undergraduate nursing course. A student representative was selected by peers to attend a monthly course council meeting with faculty. Representatives were asked to query classmates in their section of eight students regarding opinions, questions, and concerns about the course and then bring those views to the council. In this monthly, small group, open dialogue setting, students spoke freely about experiences in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical settings. The stage was set for reflection, problem solving, and decision making involving students and faculty. Student input led to meaningful course …

The Lived Experience Of Faith Community Nurses Living The Call To Health Ministry, Deborah Mobley

Theses and Dissertations

Faith community nursing is one of the newest specialized practices of professional nursing. A faith community nurse is an actively registered professional nurse, who serves as a paid or volunteer staff member in a faith community. The faith community nurse promotes health and wholism of the faith community, its groups, families, and individual members. A faith community, as in a church, synagogue or mosque, is an organization of individuals and families who share common beliefs, values, religious doctrine, and faith practices that influence their lives. The faith community functions as a client system for the faith community nurse. The purpose …

Nursing Students: Untapped Resource For Running Computerized Patient Simulators, Starla Aragon, Amy Kotter, Patricia K. Ravert, Suzan E. Kardong-Edgren

Faculty Publications

High-fidelity simulation (HFS) is sweeping the nation as a legitimate and exciting new resource for nursing educators. As with most new technologies, HFS is not without its difficulties. It can be a costly program to run and may also cause anxiety among the faculty required for implementation. There is a simple solution to help increase the ease of its implementation: using student workers. This article discusses how using students to help run the simulations can not only reduce overall cost and anxiety associated with this new technology but also increase learning among those participating in HFS.

Generational Perspectives In Public Health Nursing: Workplace Conditions That Impact Job Satisfaction And Retention, Marilyn Kittleson Deling

Theses and Graduate Projects

Today's nursing shortage is expected to continue due to the aging nursing workforce, as well as poor job satisfaction among nurses. Public Health Nursing is one area of the nursing workforce which is experiencing a nursing shortage, at the same time there is an increasing demand for public health nurses. One way nursing leaders can promote job satisfaction, while creating an environment of retention, is through accommodating generational preferences.

Today's nursing workforce consists of three generations: Baby Boomers, born from 1946-1962; Generation Xers, born from 1963- 1979; and Millennials (Generation Y), born from 1980-2000. Each of these generations represents different …

The Experience Of Internationally Born Nurses Working In Twin Cities Hospitals, Jolene C. Baker

Theses and Graduate Projects

This qualitative study explores through a phenomenological process, the experiences of five Internationally Born Nurses (IBNs) working in four hospitals in the metropolitan area of the Twin Cities, Minnesota. The IBNs were interviewed using Brenda Dervin's Sense-Making theory. This communication methodology presents the human being in phenomenological terms, as a body-mind-heart-spirit moving through time and space, with a past history, present reality, and future dreams or ambitions. The nursing theory underlying this study was drawn from Jean Watson's Caring Science as Sacred Science. In addition, the Christian worldview articulated by Shelly and Miller with particular emphasis on the concept of …

A Comparison Of The Wishes Of Hospitalized Patients Regarding Prayer From Healthcare Professionals In Religious Based And Non Religious Based Healthcare Facilities, Jessica White, Tracy Polley

Graduate Research Projects

Aim

This paper examines patient’s desire for prayer from their health care providers and looks at the difference in prayer frequency between religious and non-religious based hospitals.

Background

Continued debate surrounds this concept: How much spiritual care should be integrated into the medical field? Many theorists have included spirituality as an integral part to holistic care. Therefore healthcare providers should address prayer and spirituality.

Method

A convenience sampling of 93 patients was taken from a government and a religious based hospital in southeastern Tennessee. The questionnaire used was specifically designed for the study. Information collected included demographics, religious affiliation, habits …

Nursing Turnover As Related To Patient Mortality, Melinda Helton, Zoila Leon, Rhonda Simmons

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Immune Function And Health Outcomes In Women With Depression, Cherie Howk, Mary P. Bennett

Nursing Faculty Publications

This research reports immune function and health outcomes in women with depression, as compared with a nondepressed control group. Using Psychoneuroimmunolgy theory and a descriptive comparison design, scores on the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to divide 40 non-hospitalized Caucasian women between the ages of 18 and 65 years into either the control or depression comparison group. Women with depression were found to report significantly more incidences of illness over the previous two months and they were found to have significantly more indicators of illness at the time of the exam as compared to the controls. However, contrary to …

Dialysis Communication Record, Paul Howells Rn,Bsn,Mba,Cnn, Susann R. Groller Rn, Bsn, Mba

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Vision, Grit, And Collaboration: How The Wisconsin Center For Nursing Achieved Both Sustainable Funding And Established Itself As A State Health Care Workforce Leader, Lea Acord, Gina Dennik-Champion, Sally Peck Lundeen, Suzanne Schuler

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

In 2001, a dedicated group of nurses from across Wisconsin came together to discuss how to create a state center of expertise on key nursing workforce issues. The result was the establishment of the Wisconsin Center for Nursing (WCN) in 2005. Since that time, through its statewide Board of Directors, WCN has clarified and targeted specific state workforce needs and identified gaps that exist in addressing those needs. During its five-year existence, WCN has received funding from a variety of sources, and volunteers have spent hundreds of hours working on behalf of the organization. Finding a sustainable base of funding …

The Effect Of Shapedown On Habits And Self-Esteem For Overweight And Obese Children, Susan Bonnell Phd

Dissertations

Obesity in children is increased in the United States and globally which creates both physical and psychological health risks and co-morbidities affecting the development of positive self-esteem (Sinton & Birch, 2005; Whetstone, Morrissey, & Cummings, 2007). The development of poor self-esteem in children increases the risk of problem behaviors such as aggression, crime, teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol use, tobacco use, and eating disorders (Brook et al., 2007). Treatment of childhood obesity is multifaceted, requiring behavioral and lifestyle changes for both child and family to achieve a healthy weight (De-Santis-Moniaci & Altshuler, 2007; Plourde, 2006; Ritchie, Crawford, Hoelscher, & Sothern, …