Digital Commons Network^™

Achieving Cultural Competence Through The Use Of Community Health Workers: Open Cities Health Center's Approach, Dorii Gbolo

Theses and Graduate Projects

The purpose of this project is to identify objectives necessary for incorporating a Community Health Worker (CHW) program within an urban Federally Qualified Community Clinic setting, for the purpose of enhancing the culturally specific care provided by the clinic. CHWs offer our current fragmented and complex health care system an opportunity to improve the health of underserved populations in our country. The use of CHWs dates back to the 1960's as an attempt to expand health care to the underserved residing in poor communities.

If one is poor, an immigrant, or just different from the norms of our society receiving …

How One's Cultural View Of Obesity Affects Care Giving, Marietta Kramper Farris

Theses and Graduate Projects

As the United States faces the challenge of obesity it is important to understand the cultural aspects of caring for these patients. Leininger's Transcultural Nursing Theory is used as a framework for the development of an educational program for health care professionals. The obese patients receiving care should be able to count on their care givers to appreciate the biases, stigmatization and discrimination of the culture in which they live. A review of the history of cultural views of obesity and thinness is used as a starting point. An in-depth review of related research is presented to detail bias, stigmatization, …

Supporting Lactation: Beyond Nutrition, Desiree' M. Bertilrud

Theses and Graduate Projects

Breastfeeding provides nutritional, health, immunological, psychological, economical and environmental benefits. Despite the abundance of scientific evidence and public health campaigns, the United States fails to meet national goals for breast feeding rates. Numerous barriers to lactation are identified and explored. However, by far, returning to work has the greatest impact on the duration of breastfeeding. Employers and organizations who support breastfeeding are the recipients of a multitude of benefits. The purpose of this project is to identify the strategic steps to establish a lactation room in an outpatient clinic setting for employees to support maternal-child relationships, foster employee satisfaction, and …

Teaching The Teacher Program To Assist Nurse Managers To Educate Nursing Staff In Ecuadorian Hospitals, Sheri P. Palmer, Sondra Heaston

Faculty Publications

Continuing education for hospital staff nurses is a concern worldwide. Current research shows that continuing education among nurses can positively affect patient outcomes (O’Brien, T., Freemantle, N., Oxman, A, et al., 2002. Interactive continuing education workshops or conferences can improve professional practice and patient outcomes. Journal of Evidence Based Nursing. 26 (5)). Seeing a need for improved patient outcomes among hospitals in Ecuador, we conducted a teaching the teacher program to assist nurse managers to carry-out continuing education in their hospital system. This teaching the teacher program was established through the collaboration between one College of Nursing in Utah, USA …

Knowledge Of Pain Management In Older Adults As A Content Area For Continuing Professional Education For Licensed Nurses, Wanda Cleveland Dubuisson

Dissertations

The research of the last 30 years has revealed the inadequacy of pain management in the older adult. Although evidenced-based clinical practice guidelines exist to direct the management of pain in the older adult, health care providers are either unaware or lack the proper understanding of the guidelines. This study investigated the differences in knowledge of pain management in older adults when examining licensed acute care nurses and extended care nurses. It sampled 118 acute care nurses working in two hospitals in Mississippi and 78 extended care nurses working in six extended care facilities (ECF) in Mississippi.

Based upon the …

Can Rote Learners Be Transformed Into Critical Thinkers Through A Concept – Mapping Intervention?, Raisa B. Gul, Shanaz Hussein Cassum, Khairulnissa Ajani

Book Chapters / Conference Papers

Critical thinking is an important outcome of higher education in any discipline. International literature reveals that teaching strategies—such as reflections, self-directed learning, questioning, and concept mapping—which ask for active engagement of students in their learning, foster critical thinking. Social context of the learning environment, and the instructor’s competence and approach to teaching also influence students’ critical thinking abilities. Contrary to the required teaching practices, didactic teaching and rote learning are still prevalent in most teaching institutions and disciplines in Pakistan. The focus of this paper is to report on the process and findings of a quasi-experimental study in which students …

Application At The Bedside: Moving From Knowing How To Knowing Why In Nursing, Joyel J. Brule

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The nursing field is beginning to emerge as a profession with curricula that emphasis nursing as a discipline distinguished from a medically dominated paradigm. This changing focus places emphasis on professional competence upon graduation and entry into practice to foster fitness for purpose within an environment of continuously changing expectations of the nurse by society. Despite a growing body of research on transition into practice, a gap exists as to when this transition occurs and how this finding may influence educational preparation of nurses. This qualitative, exploratory study examined nurses’ perceptions of their transformation from novice to professional practitioner by …

Sense Of Humor, Stress And Coping, And Outcomes In Children's Lives, Lambertha Okhuizen-Stier Phd, Mph, Rn

Dissertations

Children are confronted with many stressors in their environment which may bring about symptoms such as anxiety, sadness, worry, aggressiveness, hyperactivity, restlessness, or low self esteem (Sharrer & Ryan-Wenger, 2002). To prevent the short and long term effects of stress, children may use coping strategies to manage or alter stressful life events (Lazarus & Folkman, 1984). This study explores the relationships between stress and sense of humor among school-age children. A sample of 106 students (and parents/guardians) in the San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) returned self-report instruments packets containing the Multidimensional Sense of Humor Scale for Children, and the …

The Relationships Among Adaptive Behaviors Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Their Family Support Networks, Parental Stress, And Parental Coping, Heather Roberts Hall

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the adaptive behaviors of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), their family support networks, parental stress, and parental coping and the relationships among these variables.

Background: Autism is the fastest growing diagnosed developmental disorder. When parents receive a diagnosis of autism for their child, mothers and fathers are affected differently. The costs to families of children with autism are personal, social, and affect family finances and day to day living. Parents of a child with autism are at high risk for increased stress levels. The child’s socially unacceptable behaviors and communication …

Emergency Department Nurses' Experience Relating To Hospital Acquisition: A Phenomenological Study, Bernadette Deprez

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Critical Care Nurse Personality And Methods Of Coping After A Critical Incident, Sandra Huggins

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Efficacy Of The Marquette Method Of Natural Family Planning, Richard J. Fehring, Mary Schneider, Mary Lee Barron

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of the Marquette Method (MM) of natural family planning (NFP) as a method of avoiding pregnancy. Study Design and Methods: This was a 12-month retrospective evaluation of the MM system of NFP. Two hundred and four women (mean age, 28.6 years) and their male partners (mean age, 30.3 years) who sought to learn a method for avoiding pregnancy with the MM from four clinical sites were taught to track their fertility by self-observation of cervical mucus, by use of an electronic monitor that measures urinary levels of estrone-3-glucuronide and luteinizing hormone, and by use of …

Efficacy Of The Marquette Method Of Natural Family Planning, Richard J. Fehring, Mary Schneider, Mary Lee Barron

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose: To determine the effectiveness of the Marquette Method (MM) of natural family planning (NFP) as a method of avoiding pregnancy.

Study Design and Methods: This was a 12-month retrospective evaluation of the MM system of NFP. Two hundred and four women (mean age, 28.6 years) and their male partners (mean age, 30.3 years) who sought to learn a method for avoiding pregnancy with the MM from four clinical sites were taught to track their fertility by self-observation of cervical mucus, by use of an electronic monitor that measures urinary levels of estrone-3-glucuronide and luteinizing hormone, and by use of …

An Educational Initiative To Promote Evidence-Based Practice, Laurel Ann Ecoff Phd, Ms, Rn, Nea-Bc

Dissertations

Evidence-based practice (EBP), recognized as essential in providing quality patient care and achieving optimal outcomes, is the integration of the best research evidence, patient preference, and clinician expertise. Healthcare providers must attain expertise in integrating EBP into the clinical setting. Fellowships are one strategy reported in the literature to assist nurses in acquiring needed knowledge and skills for evidence-based care. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an educational intervention, the Evidence-Based Practice Institute (EPBI), to teach nurses the process of EBP for project implementation to improve nursing and patient outcomes. This descriptive study used a …

The Influence Of Religiosity, Gender, And Language Preference Acculturation On Sexual Activity Among Latino/A Adolescents, Lisa M. Edwards, Richard J. Fehring, Keyona M. Jarrett, Kristin Haglund

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this study was to determine the main and interactive effects of religiosity, gender, and language preference acculturation on sexual activity among 570 Latino/a adolescents from the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth. Results indicated that adolescents who viewed religion as very important, had frequent church attendance, and had more traditional attitudes on sexuality were less likely ever to have sex compared with adolescents who were less religious. Those with frequent church attendance and high traditional attitudes had fewer lifetime and recent sex partners. Unassimilated religious youth were less likely ever to have sex, had fewer lifetime and …

Reducing Sexual Risk With Practice Of Periodic Secondary Abstinence, Kristin Haglund

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: Test a novel intervention to help sexually experienced girls increase abstinence behaviors and attitudes. Design: A quasi-experimental repeated measures design using qualitative and quantitative data. Setting: Two alternative public schools. Participants: Thirty-three females whose mean age was 16 and who were 79% African American participated. Most (79%) had experienced a pregnancy. Intervention: A 6 session, weekly, interactive intervention was delivered. Data were collected at baseline, last session, and at 5 and 7 month follow-ups. Main Outcome Measures: Measured outcomes related to abstinence included participants’ reasons, behaviors, stages of change, and attitudes. Results: The most common reason for abstinence was …

Coping Difficulties After Hospitalization, Judith Fitzgerald Miller, Linda Piacentine, Marianne E. Weiss

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Coping difficulties of 113 adults 3 weeks after hospital discharge were identified using the Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale and a brief focused telephone interview (11-item guide). Overall, low difficulty scores were reported (M = 23.9, SD = 18.2, range = 0 to 100). Qualitative data reveal specific coping difficulties in the categories of stressors, specific difficulties, caring for self, managing the condition, family, advice needed, contact with the health care system, and what they wished they knew before discharge. A core theme of biographical reconstruction emerged.

Aggressive Vs Conservative Phototherapy For Infants With Extremely Low Birth Weight, Brenda H Morris, William Oh, Jon E Tyson, David K Stevenson, Dale L Phelps, T Michael O'Shea, Georgia E Mcdavid, Rebecca L Perritt, Krisa P Van Meurs, Betty R Vohr, Cathy Grisby, Qing Yao, Claudia Pedroza, Abhik Das, W Kenneth Poole, Waldemar A Carlo, Shahnaz Duara, Abbot R Laptook, Walid A Salhab, Seetha Shankaran, Brenda B Poindexter, Avroy A Fanaroff, Michele C Walsh, Maynard R Rasmussen, Barbara J Stoll, C Michael Cotten, Edward F Donovan, Richard A Ehrenkranz, Ronnie Guillet, Rosemary D Higgins

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: It is unclear whether aggressive phototherapy to prevent neurotoxic effects of bilirubin benefits or harms infants with extremely low birth weight (1000 g or less).

METHODS: We randomly assigned 1974 infants with extremely low birth weight at 12 to 36 hours of age to undergo either aggressive or conservative phototherapy. The primary outcome was a composite of death or neurodevelopmental impairment determined for 91% of the infants by investigators who were unaware of the treatment assignments.

RESULTS: Aggressive phototherapy, as compared with conservative phototherapy, significantly reduced the mean peak serum bilirubin level (7.0 vs. 9.8 mg per deciliter [120 …

The Sweat Lodge Ceremony As Experienced By Nurses A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Patricia L. Engstrom

Theses and Graduate Projects

Nursing must reconnect with its roots found in the teachings of Florence Nightingale and be open to ancient indigenous wisdom, focusing on caring, healing and being present. To practice as culturally competent healers, nurses must grow in self awareness and an ability to understand cultural and spiritual practices, as well as communicate with and show respect to people from all walks of life. A Hermeneutic Phenomenological study was done by interviewing three participants to explore what it was like for Master in Arts nursing students participating in an Augsburg College Department of Nursing Immersion to experience a Sweat Lodge Ceremony; …

The Use Of Healing Touch In Adults With Hepatitis C Virus Receiving Interferon And Ribavirin: A Pilot Study, Margaret Ann Taylor Phd, Msn, Cns, Htcp/I

Dissertations

In the United States, an estimated 3.2 million individuals are infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) the nation's most common chronic blood-borne viral infection. The number of deaths from HCV was predicted to triple within the next two decades. The most effective treatment for HCV is a combination of interferon and ribavirin; however, as many as 92% of patients experienced fatigue as a side effect. The severity of this symptom caused some patients to skip dosages or even stop the required medication regimen before it was completed. The primary purpose of this pilot study was to test the feasibility of …

Exploring A Model Of Transcultural Nursing Practice That Promotes Cultural Care Preservation/Maintenance, Margaret Sormana

Theses and Graduate Projects

Migration is increasing due to instability in most parts of the world. Immigrants are faced with the choice to either maintain their unique cultural heritage or adopt the culture of the host country. Most immigrants desire to maintain their cultural heritage which requires balancing the values of their cultural heritage with those of the host country. Balancing includes silence which can reinforce self-blame when the values are in conflict. This project sought to break these patterns by engaging a group of Somali women in creative artistic activities. Based on Leininger's model of Cultural Care Diversity and Universality (1985), Watson's Human …

Body Mass Index And Health Related Quality Of Life In Elementary School Children: A Pilot Study, Lei Zhang, Peter J. Fos, William D. Johnson, Vafa Kamali, Reagan G. Cox, Miguel A. Zuniga, Theresa Kittle

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: We investigated the relationship between Body Mass Index (BMI) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) indicated by baseline health status in elementary school children. Methods: Data were obtained via parents whose children enrolled in an elementary school, kindergarten to fourth grade, in southern Mississippi in spring 2004. Parents completed the SF-10 for Children, a brief 10-item questionnaire designed to measure children's HRQOL on a voluntary basis. Results: A total of 279 parents completed the questionnaires for their children. On average, physical and psychosocial summary scores, major indicators for HRQOL, were significantly higher among the elementary school children in our …

The Lived Experience Of Registered Nurse (Rn) Reiki Practitioners: A Phenomenologic Study Using Computer-Mediated Communication., Wendy J. Waldspurger-Robb Dnsc, Rn, Cne

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Rapid Response Team: Increases Patient Outcomes And Nursing Staff Satisfaction., Holly Tavianini Rn, Bsn, Mshsa, Cnrn, Anne Rabert Mhsa, Rn, Ccrn, Ne-Bc, Georgiann Morgan Rn, Ccrn -Csc, Steven Pyne Rrt

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Nursing Attitudes Regarding Suicidal Patients Before And After Staff Education In Preparation For Hospital-Wide Suicide Assessments., Karen Burke Rn, Gail Stern Msn, Edward R. Norris Md, Fapa, Fapm, Carol A. Foltz Phd, Ralph A. Primelo Md, Michael Kaufmann Md, Terry A. Capuano Mba, Msn, Rn, Fache, Ne-Bc

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

An Introduction To Qualitative Research In The Hospital Setting., Lynn M. Deitrick Rn, Phd

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Toward A Smoke-Free Or, Kay Ball

Nursing Faculty Scholarship

The hazards of surgical smoke are well documented. So why are many smoke evacuation systems going unused?

You can write all the surgical smoke evacuation policies in the world, spell out exactly what you expect to be done and provide the resources needed for compliance, but if you ignore the human element — the surgeons and staff who populate your ORs — then you aren't going to change behavior. Here's how you can educate your teams about the hazards of surgical smoke and get them to use evacuators when necessary.

Nurses Alumni Association Bulletin, Fall 2008, Paula Levine, Elizabeth K. Prisnock, Sally H. Wagner, John J. Wagner

Nursing Alumni Bulletins

Meetings and Annual Luncheon

Table of Contents

Officers for 2008-2009

President's Message

Treasurer's Financial Report

Alumni Scholarship Funds and Endowment Fund

Resume of Minutes

Alumni Office News

Committee Reports

Annual Giving Contributors

Janet C. Hindson Award

Award Qualifications

Janet C. Hindson Recipient and Nominees

Recipient's Acceptance Speech

Ode to Sally

Sally's Appreciation

News About and From Our Graduates

Happy Birthday

Interview with a Nurse

Memories

Fiftieth Anniversary Class

2008 Luncheon Attendees

Luncheon Photos

In Memoriam

Class News~ 2008

Additional Information

Application For Nurses Scholarship Fund Application

Application For Certification

Application For Relief Fund Benefits

Hotels

Campus Map

Notes

A Multidisciplinary Concept Analysis Of Empowerment : Implications For Nursing., Valerie Lander Mccarthy, Linda Holbrook Freeman

Faculty and Staff Scholarship

According to the Institute of Medicine, nursing has failed to effectively shape the health care system and to advocate successfully for patients. Empowerment may be a potent tool to fulfill these responsibilities, yet nurses have not benefited from considering application of the concept to the continuum of health care advocacy in their communities, in their relationships with clients, and in their professional roles within health care organizations. This paper uses concept analysis to examine the attributes, characteristics, and uses of empowerment within diverse disciplines to clarify its meaning and explore its potential application to nursing's challenges that cross settings, disciplines, …

Rain Rhythms: Fall 2008, College Of Nursing & Professional Disciplines

RAIN Rhythms

No abstract provided.