Digital Commons Network^™

A Pilot Project On Improving Icu Nurses’ Confidence In Early Defibrillation, Adetutu Obadina

Doctoral Projects

Early recognition of shockable cardiac rhythms and timely defibrillation are critical components of effective resuscitation during in-hospital cardiac arrest. Despite established guidelines from the American Heart Association (AHA), nurses may experience uncertainty or reduced confidence when identifying shockable rhythms and delivering timely defibrillation during cardiac arrest events. The purpose of this project was to examine whether a structured educational intervention incorporating simulation-based training could improve intensive care unit (ICU) nurses’ confidence and knowledge in recognizing shockable rhythms and performing timely defibrillation. A pre-and post-intervention design was implemented among ICU nurses at a large academic medical center between September and October …

Implementing An Online Mental Health Intervention For Educators, Angela Cheney

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

The primary objective of this project was to assess the impact of the New Directions Behavioral Health Employee Assistance Program, an online intervention, on teacher stress and well-being. Teacher participation was recruited through email, flyers, and in-person discussions. The study used a mixed-method design, including pre- and post-project surveys of the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) to measure changes in stress, and the System Usability Scale (SUS) to evaluate the ease of use of online intervention. The intervention aimed to increase teachers’ self-awareness of stress and anxiety, provide strategies for prevention and early intervention, and support overall mental wellbeing. Paired-samples t …

Key Insights From The International Icu Diary Conference 2025, Peter Nydahl, Bev Ewens, Anne Sophie Debue, Xavier Fiorilla, Kristin Gabriel, Alessandro Galazzi, Louise Gallie, Nikolas Groth, Carly Hickey, Mark Hudson, Fiona Lynch, Nicola Maxwell, Margo Van Mol, Caroline Renner, Louise Rose, Kate Tantam, Lioudmila Karnatovskaia, Christina Jones

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

We report on the 2025 International ICU Diary Conference that provided a comprehensive update on current knowledge, innovations and global practices related to ICU diaries. Held in a 6-week online format, the event featured 23 speakers and was attended by mean 69.7 (SD 20.5) participants per session. Topics included development of ICU diaries, use in special settings, digital diaries, survivors' and families' experiences, Post-Intensive-Care Syndrome and follow-up and implementation projects. Highlights were innovative solutions for digital diaries and the report of persons with lived and living experiences with diaries, changing the focus on humanising critical care. Relevance for Practice: ICU …

Volume 17, Christian O’Neill, Kyara Greene, Savva Sidorov, Laura Bisaillon, Luke Clemmer, Hannah Gordon, Kitt Benson, Taylor Blount, Rachel Danzitz, Nicholas Duellman, Chase Gionis, Hima Fernando, Seth Franzyshen, Onyx Gonzalez, Bryan Lin, Samantha Start, Ysabel Wells, Maggie Duncan

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction Dr. Amorette Barber, Director, Office of Student Research

From the Editor Dr. Hannah Dudley-Shotwell

Cover Artist’s Statement Maggie Duncan

On Mentoring Dr. Yulia Uryadova

Ukrainian Resistance in the Face of Russification: Nestor Makhno and Anarchism

by Christian O’Neill

Life Vest by Kyara Greene

Isolation and 16S rRNA Identification of Bacteria from Fire Department Connection Pipe by Savva Sidorov

The Effectiveness of Planned Exercise in Reducing ADHD Symptoms in Children by Laura Bisaillon & Luke Clemmer

Linguistic Analysis on Confidence and Communication Strategies with Disparities Between Sign Fluency and Hearing Impairment by Hannah Gordon

Freedmen in Indian Territory by Kitt …

Navigating The Nicu Without Words: A Case Study Of A Spanish-Speaking Mother’S Healthcare Experience, Emma Norris

Poster Presentations

Research on NICU experiences largely focuses on majority-language families; non-English-speaking families are understudied (Cleveland, 2008). The Family Integrated Care model promotes parent-infant connection and shared decision-making to improve outcomes (Wreesmann et al., 2020). Language barriers impede parent-provider communication, increasing miscommunication and parental anxiety (Kynoe et al., 2020; Ardal et al., 2011). The purpose of this research is to explore communication experiences and barriers between English-speaking and bilingual NICU nurses and a Spanish-speaking NICU mother.

Exploring Student Feelings, Knowledge Related To Menstruation And Menstrual Education: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Ella A. Handel

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Menstrual, reproductive, and sexual health education in the United States remains inconsistent in both content and delivery. This inconsistency often leaves adolescents underprepared for developmental milestones such as menarche and contributes to ongoing stigma and discomfort surrounding menstruation. This study examined participants’ feelings and perceptions related to menstruation and menstrual education. Using a cross-sectional descriptive survey design, a mixed-methods approach was employed to collect data from 29 college students aged 18 to 19 years at a large public university in Arkansas. Quantitative data from Likert-scale items were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative open-ended responses were reviewed and organized into …

The Prevalence Of Stress Fractures In Relation To Red-S Syndrome Among Various Sports In Collegiate Female Athletes, Lilianna G. Couch, Marilou D. Shreve

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: RED-S is a risk factor for bone stress injuries in female athletes. Athletes that compete in sports that involve repetitive movements of impact are prone to stress injuries. The treatment of stress fractures requires addressing all potential causes of the injury to accelerate healing and prevent reinjury. Since RED-S is a well-established risk factor for stress injuries, early detection of RED-S is crucial to prevent long term negative health consequences in athletes including the development of stress fractures. It is also confirmed that certain sports have a higher prevalence of reported stress fractures in female athletes such as cross …

Digital Decoding Of The Multidimensional Pain Experience In People Living With Dementia, Kreshnik Hoti, Ipsit V. Vahia, Paola Chivers, Jeffery David Hughes

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: Understanding how pain manifests in people living with dementia can facilitate pain management but evidence from large real-world studies is limited. Through digitally compiled large number of pain assessments, we explore how behavioural indicators manifest across all widely used domains of pain assessment. Methods: This is a population based observational study with data from aged care homes across Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Pain assessments were conducted over a period of 5.3 years in 89 230 residents living with advanced dementia. The primary outcome was to determine pain indicator occurrence across pain levels and explore their predictive …

Tiny Tusk Internship: Gut Instincts: A Review Of Literature On The Impact Of Breastfeeding On The Infant Gut Microbiome, Rayla Payne

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this systematic review was to investigate both the short- and long-term benefits that breastfeeding has on the infant gut microbiome. The PICOT question was: In full-term infants, how does exclusive breastfeeding compared to mixed or formula feeding influence the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome throughout the first 12 months of life? For this research, EBSCOhost, CINAHL, and the National Library of Medicine databases were searched to find relevant studies and systematic reviews. Terms such as “breastfeeding and infant gut microbiome” were used to conduct the search. Other terms used included “breastfeeding OR formula feeding”, “human …

Total Intravenous Anesthesia Versus Inhalation Anesthesia For The Prevention Of Post Operative Nausea And Vomiting: A Comprehensive Literature Review, Francesca A. Diflorio

Nursing Undergraduate

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common complication defined as the occurrence of nausea and/or vomiting within the first 24–48 hours following surgery. While nausea represents the subjective urge to vomit, vomiting involves the physical expulsion of gastric contents; both remain among the most distressing postoperative complications, strongly associated with the type of anesthesia administered. According to Timerga and Befkadu (2024), the incidence of PONV ranges from 25% to 30% in the general surgical population and may increase to as high as 80% among high-risk patients. Complications resulting from PONV can further prolong recovery and negatively impact patient outcomes, …

Ai Literacy In The Nursing Informatics Community: A Needs Assessment, Jerri Westphal

Doctoral Projects

Nursing informatics professionals are required to lead AI integration in healthcare, yet their baseline AI literacy, competency, and educational needs have not been formally assessed. This descriptive needs assessment examined AI literacy, competency, adoption readiness, and engagement among nursing informatics professionals, concurrently identifying educational priorities and preferred learning modalities. A cross-sectional survey was administered to members of the American Nursing Informatics Association (ANIA) and the broader community (N = 194). The N.U.R.S.E.S. framework (Hoelscher & Pugh, 2025) informed the survey instrument's domain structure. Five composite indices were developed: AI Familiarity, Knowledge, Attitude, Competency, and Use. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation …

Fingernail Enhancement Microbiomes Study, Kendall E. Bare

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Policies in healthcare regarding fingernail enhancements have not been supported by current science. This study examined bacterial colony growth on gel nail enhancements, regular nail polish, and bare natural nails to evaluate which condition harbors the least bacterial microbiota. The hypothesis proposed that gel enhancements would demonstrate the lowest bacterial counts compared to regular polish and unpolished nails. This investigation was conducted in the context of a local healthcare system dress code policy permitting only regular nail polish in clinical settings. Six participants volunteered and underwent nail swabbing in a microbiology laboratory using sterile cotton applicators and a neutral solution. …

The Lived Experience Of Nursing Students Sitting With Patients: A Phenomenological Study, Emma L. Dalton

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In an inpatient healthcare setting, patient sitters play a key role in maintaining the safety of patients who are exhibiting acute psychiatric or behavioral issues. These sitters are often nursing students working as nurse technicians. There is a gap in the literature surrounding sitting with patients, also known as specialling, concerning the lived experiences of nursing students assigned to be patient sitters as part of their job. The aim of this phenomenological study is to elucidate their experiences. The research question guiding this study is: what is the lived experience of nursing students working as patient sitters? Student nurses …

Clinical Pathway For Rhogam Administration In The Emergency Department, Lauren Kyzar, Amy Bigham

Appalachian Student Healthcare Research Review

Background: Clinical pathways in emergency departments (ED) are designed to standardize patient care and reduce variability in clinical practice. In a rural hospital setting, the ED management of RhoGAM administration in pregnant patients with vaginal bleeding varied by provider with no standard of care achieved. This approach raised concerns about potential patient safety issues.

Methods: In response, the local emergency department medical director, in conjunction with local perinatal providers developed a clinical pathway to standardize care and optimize RhoGAM administration. The clinical pathway was implemented to the local ED providers over a three-month period. Retrospective chart review for Type and …

Newly Registered Nurses With Neurodiversities: A Qualitative Study Of Their Experiences During Transition To Professional Practice, Heather Wallace

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Abstract Introduction: Transition-to-practice (TTP) programs play a crucial role in bridging the academic-to-practice gap for newly licensed Registered Nurses (NLRNs) and improving first-year retention rates. However, these programs may fall short in addressing the specific needs of NLRNs with neurodiversities (NLRN-ND). Neurodiversity (ND) encompasses Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Tourette Syndrome, and the 3 Ds – Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, and Dysgraphia. Unsupportive environments for disclosing neurodiversity and requesting accommodations may contribute to the 10-25% NLRNs leaving their jobs within the first year, with 1-3% exiting the nursing profession altogether. Objectives: This study aimed to (1) explore NLRN-ND …

Exploring Teamwork Between Virtual And Bedside Nurses, Caitlin Weinheimer

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Advancing technologies and the use of telehealth have expanded in hospitals to include telenursing. Telenursing introduces a unique dynamic where virtual and bedside nurses work together as a remote team to provide patient care. Published literature reports that teamwork among nurses and healthcare professionals impacts patient and workforce outcomes. However, there is a gap in exploring teamwork between virtual and bedside nurses. Addressing this knowledge gap is critical to ensure positive patient and nursing workforce outcomes in hospital-based telenursing settings.

Objective: To generate a grounded theory that explains teamwork between virtual and bedside nurses in the hospital setting. A …

Implementation Of A Standardized Short Stay Pain Protocol To Reduce Pain In Short Term Care Facility, Maggie O'Brien, Kenzie Reuter, Holly Hansen, Elle Wichmann

Celebrating Scholarship and Creativity Day (2018-)

Pain is a common symptom across all areas of nursing care, yet it is often undertreated in skilled nursing facilities, particularly among residents receiving rehabilitation services. Pain in this population may result from a variety of causes, including musculoskeletal conditions, wounds and pressure injuries, neuropathic pain, and chronic illnesses. A review of Minimum Data Set (MDS) reports and resident pain reports from the short-term rehabilitation unit revealed a concern of disparity. Long-term care residents demonstrated strong quality indicator scores (9.21 out of 10), while short-term stay residents scored significantly lower (2.76 out of 10). This discrepancy raised concerns about pain …

The Eating Patterns Of College Students In Appalachia, Corinne A. Geffen

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Historically, the Appalachian region of the United States has higher levels of poverty than other areas of the country. Food insecurity rates are highest for households with incomes below the poverty line. Americans with food insecurity who participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) consume more ultra processed foods (UPFs). Higher rates of UPF consumption can lead to an increased risk of noncommunicable diseases. The production of UPFs is a trillion-dollar industry that puts profits over public health. This is now a global health concern as noted by the World Health Organization. An ethnographic investigation was conducted to understand …

Undergraduate Nursing Students’ Reactions To Germ Exposure Based On The Big 5 Personalities, Elizabeth Macdonald

Honors Scholar Theses

Despite extensive didactic and clinical training, variability in adherence to infection prevention practices in undergraduate nursing students exists. Individual differences, such as personality, may help to explain this inconsistency. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which the Big Five personality traits were associated with self-reported pathogen mitigation or avoidance behavior in undergraduate nursing students. An online survey design was used with undergraduate nursing students. Participants were presented with scenarios depicting different pathogen exposures and asked to indicate their likelihood of engaging in pathogen mitigation behaviors. The Big Five personality traits were also assessed, and bivariate …

Community Perceptions Of A Hospital-Based Doula Program In Mobile, Alabama, Sarah Laney

Honors Theses

Background: The maternal mortality ratio in the United States is much higher than the mortality rate for women who live in other countries with similar Human Development Index scores. Black women are more likely to die than their white counterparts. Most of these deaths are preventable. Patients feel like they are being ignored, or that they are not being seen. Doula care is a possible solution to these problems.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess patient understanding and perception of doulas as well as comparing desire for doulas to demographics and past experiences to search for relationships. …

A Program Evaluation Of A Family-Based Healthy Weight Program For Overweight And Obese Children And Their Families, Ashley Heimbouch, Margaret Platel, Kelly Betts

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

This project’s purpose was to complete a program evaluation of the Building Healthy Families (BHF) program to determine its effect on children and their families’ health outcomes. The specific aims of success were 1) an improved perception of health-related quality of life for children and parents and 2) decreased body mass index (BMI) percentiles for age and sex in children from baseline measurements and scores compared to measurements and scores at 3 months and 6 months of program completion. The project was completed in a community setting on the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Western Nebraska campus, and the population …

In-Vitro Testing Of Light Wavelength To Detect Clots In Neonatal Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Circuitry, Amanda Holmes

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Neonates requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) are at high risk for thrombotic complications, which contribute substantially to morbidity and mortality. Current circuit surveillance methods rely on intermittent visual inspection and indirect laboratory markers, both of which often detect thrombosis only after clinically significant progression. Optical approaches offer a non-invasive alternative for earlier clot visualization, yet the influence of illumination wavelength on detection performance under realistic ECMO conditions remains incompletely characterized.

Methods: This study evaluated wavelength-dependent clot detection performance in a controlled in-vitro neonatal ECMO circuit model using a portable imaging prototype designed to emulate bedside workflow. Twelve independent ECMO …

Minimizing Musculoskeletal Injury Risk In Health Care Professionals With Education On Physical Activity Recommendations, Emma H. Foran

Honors College Theses

Working in healthcare settings that require patient handling is physically demanding - over 80% of providers involved in patient handling report work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Injuries or exacerbation of a previous injury may occur if the individual cannot tolerate heavy workloads. Injuries that cause lost work time or work restrictions impact the healthcare team, may alter quality of life, and impact employee income. A practical way to minimize these effects is to prevent WMSDs. Training providers to use proper body mechanics, practice patient handling, and engage in regular exercise designed to increase muscular strength and endurance through resistance training improves …

How Employment-Based Clinical Experience During Undergraduate Education Influences Transition To Practice: A Qualitative Systematic Review, Seung A. Park, Marion Eckert, Rebecca Sharp, Belinda Clark, Micah D.J. Peters

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Aim: To synthesize qualitative evidence on the experiences of undergraduate nursing students and new graduate nurses engaged in formal paid employment models or health-related work during their undergraduate studies, to examine how these employment-based clinical experiences influence their transition to nursing practice, and to identify elements that facilitate or hinder this transition. Design: Qualitative systematic review. Methods: Searches were conducted in MEDLINE, Embase, Emcare (Ovid), CINAHL Complete (EBSCOhost), ERIC (ProQuest), and gray literature sources, including ProQuest Dissertations and Theses and Google Scholar. No date or country limits were applied, although only English-language studies were included. The review followed JBI methodology …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Factors That Affect Breastfeeding In Public, Caroline E. Bene

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this review was to explore factors that impact women’s decision to breastfeed in public or not. The PICOT question used was: ‘What Factors Affect Women’s Decision to Breastfeed in Public or Not?’ Two platforms, EBSCOhost and The National Library of Medicine, were used to identify 15 peer-reviewed journal articles on factors affecting women’s decision to breastfeed in public or not. The factors that impact a women’s decision on whether it is acceptable to breastfeed in public stems from the media stigmatizing that breastfeeding should be a private action. Research done yielded results of both positive and negative …

The Relationship Between Mc1r Gene Variants For Red Hair And Clinical Responses To Anesthesia, Analgesia, And Pain: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Mary Clark Allen

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Genetic variations of the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) are commonly associated with red hair and pale skin. Research has linked MC1R variants with alterations in anesthetic response, pain perception, opioid sensitivity, and pain-related fear. Existing literature presents inconclusive findings, highlighting the need for further investigation.

Purpose: This review aims to synthesize current evidence concerning the role of MC1R variants in altering physiologic responses.

Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted by accessing CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PubMed through the University of Arkansas Libraries OneSearch platform. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 20 peer-reviewed articles were extracted for review. …

The Prevalence Of Amenorrhea In Relation To Red-S Syndrome Among Various Sports In Collegiate Female Athletes, Ruby S. Holland, Marilou D. Shreve

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: RED-S is a common risk factor for amenorrhea in female athletes. Athletes that compete in high-intensity sports or without adequate caloric intake, are at risk for low energy expenditure which may disrupt hormonal balance. As development of RED-S is a well-established risk factor for amenorrhea, early detection and correction is crucial to prevent long term health consequences.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explore if there is a correlation between RED-S score and amenorrhea in female athletes.

Methods: An online survey was distributed to approximately 220 female athletes at the University of Arkansas using Qualtrics. The 69-question …

Exploring Policy Change To Support Early Diagnosis Of Congenital Heart Defects (Chd) In New Mexico, Kelsey Carson Leibenhaut

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is not a new or rare problem; it has likely always been a leading cause of childhood morbidity and mortality and clocks in today as the most frequently occurring birth defect, affecting an estimated 1 in 100 newborns (CDC, 2025). Prior to the middle of the 20th century, there was little to be done about CHD, as no treatments existed. Everything changed with the advancement of options for surgical repair of CHDs, significantly prolonging lifespans and improving quality of life for affected individuals. Despite these incredible advancements, babies are born with CHD every day, leading to …

Ambient Air Pollution In New Mexico: Nurse Practitioner Awareness, Mckenzie Hemmes, Grayson Kemp

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Ambient air pollution is a significant public health concern in New Mexico and contributes to respiratory disease, cardiovascular illness, and adverse pregnancy outcomes (Dominski et al., 2021; Di et al., 2022). Despite well-established evidence linking environmental exposures to health outcomes, environmental exposure screening is not routinely incorporated into clinical practice. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to improve environmental health literacy (EHL) among advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in New Mexico and to increase their intention to integrate ambient air pollution exposure screening and mitigation counseling into routine clinical practice. A virtual educational intervention guided …

A Planetary Health Approach To Address Food Insecurities In New Mexico, Mariah Kennell

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Food insecurity remains a persistent public health concern throughout New Mexico, impacting both rural and urban populations and contributing to significant health disparities. Limited access to affordable, locally sourced fresh foods exacerbates chronic disease burden and undermines community health. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to conduct a comprehensive policy analysis to identify feasible state-level strategies to improve food access through strengthening local food systems. Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention POLARIS policy analysis framework, a structured evaluation of existing and potential state and community-level policies was conducted. The analysis incorporated stakeholder interviews with …