Digital Commons Network^™

Postoperative Delirium Education, Aaron Wede

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Surgical patients, aged 65 and older, comprise the largest surgical population. Increased age correlates with an increased incidence of postoperative delirium. Postoperative delirium (POD) can drastically increase healthcare costs, length of hospital stay, and overall morbidity and mortality. A clinical reference tool was created to have available for perioperative staff members at a 200-bed community hospital in the Midwest. The tool describes risk factors, prevention methods, and treatment options for POD. The initial implementation of the project was achieved with a PowerPoint presentation which was created to summarize the information found in the literature review and to instruct perioperative staff …

Self-Care In Bsn Students: Developing A Self-Care Plan, Jamie Davis Brandon

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Stress is an issue of concern in nursing practice and nursing education. Stress leads to burn out and compassion fatigue in the nurse and student nurse. To combat stress, professional organizations advocate for self-care practices. Research indicates self-care practice can reduce stress levels and increase health and wellness. An evidenced-based DNP project was conducted over a seven-week time frame during a mental health nursing course to educate senior BSN students on different dimensions of self-care to reduce stress levels and increase use of self-care practices.

Text Message Intervention For Latino Adults To Improve Diabetes Outcomes In An Urban Free Clinic Setting, Sharon R. Allen

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Introduction: This text message intervention sought to help patients at a free clinic in the Southeastern U.S. that have uncontrolled diabetes (DM) (A1C > or = 7) improve their DM clinical and behavioral outcomes, and thereby help them to live healthier, more hopeful and productive lives as they deal daily with this chronic illness. Eight weeks of educational text messages were sent to help improve DM care and outcomes. Method: Free clinic patient Latino adults with DM (n=25) pre-post one group design. Results: Statistically significant results (p < .05) were seen in three (SKILLD, p=.001, DSES, p = .000, and SDSCA, p = .042) of the four tools/surveys administered. A1C improvements were significant from the pre-intervention (M = 9.10, SD = 1.51) and the trended post-intervention values/results (M=8.26, SD = 1.29, t [21] = 2.79, p = .0110). Discussion: Does personalized communication, education and follow up for patients at the free clinic improve diabetes knowledge, self-efficacy and self-care? This text message intervention shows great promise to improve outcomes for diabetes self-management.

Frailty Screening In Cardiac Surgery Patients: Improving Risk Stratification, April P. Hargett

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Frailty has been noted throughout the literature to have a negative effect on patient outcomes especially in patients undergoing major surgical interventions such as cardiothoracic surgery. Preoperative assessments have historically included assessment of all body systems, however fails to evaluate patients for baseline physical functioning or frailty. The American College of Cardiology has recommended frailty screening on all cardiac surgery patients; however, facilities have failed to educate staff providing care to this population on the impact of frailty and use of commonly used frailty screening tools. This project hypothesized that Cardiothoracic Surgery Nurses and providers would have improved knowledge and …

Improving Self-Efficacy In Persons Experiencing Chronic Back Pain, Mechell Smith

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The effects of chronic pain are extensive and negatively impact the health of an individual. Negative impacts of chronic pain include issues with sleep, cognitive processes, mood/mental health, cardiovascular health, relationships, and overall quality of life. Self-efficacy is an important predictor of outcomes associated with persons experiencing chronic pain. The use of technology in healthcare is supported in the literature and is a promising way to enhance self-efficacy of those experiencing chronic pain. An evidenced-based project was conducted at a rehabilitation and pain specialty office in the northeastern part of North Carolina. The project evaluated if text message reminders of …

The Impact Of Social Factors On Readmission Rates Of Heart Failure Patients, Lashwanda Richardson

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Heart Failure is the most common reason for readmission among Medicare fee-forservice patients. While there are medical and health related factors such as medication adherence and comorbidities that contribute to heart failure readmissions, there are many social factors that cause readmission as well. This thesis will focus on the impact social factors have on heart failure patients that lead to their readmission. It will also discuss evidence-based interventions that reduce readmissions and improve the performance of hospitals on their 30-day readmission performance measure. Reducing readmissions in patients with heart failure will reduce hospital costs. It will also help to close …

Interventions For Afterschool Programs To Decrease The Likelihood Of Childhood Obesity, Anna R. Boyd, Lauren E. Hendricks, Elexus T. Morton, Kayleigh S. Phillips, Corie Vanarsdale, Msn

Anna Vaughn School of Nursing Undergraduate Work

This systematic research review (SRR) looked at the epidemic of childhood obesity and subsequent complications. Afterschool programs (ASPs) were targeted as a key area where children spend many hours each day and, therefore, an ideal place for obesity interventions. The purpose of this SRR was to search the current benefits ASPs can have on decreasing the risk and prevalence of childhood obesity and to answer the research question, "What are nursing interventions within ASPs that decrease the risk of obesity in children in the United States of America?" Childhood obesity influences nurses in many areas, including inpatient hospitals, schools, and …

A Systematic Review: Infant And Maternal Mortality And Morbidity In Developing Countries, Michayla Evans, Jamie Jeemon, Christiana Strysko, Lauren Toole, Patricia Catts, Rn, Phd

Anna Vaughn School of Nursing Undergraduate Work

Maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates are high within developing nations. The World Health Organization reports 800 women die daily due to pregnancy and labor complications (Maternal mortality, 2016). These complications are related to a wide variety of perinatal problems including preeclampsia and prolonged labor. Infant morbidity and mortality is related to infections, asphyxia, and low birthweight (Newborns: reducing mortality, 2016). The purpose of this systematic review was to research current literature to answer the question: “What are the nursing interventions to decrease maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in developing countries?”. This systematic research review included a sample …

Provision Of Survivorship Care Plans In Hard To Reach Patient Populations, Jenna Cowan, Jennifer Kerkvliet

College of Nursing Faculty Publications

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments [page] 1
The Case for Survivorship Care Plans [page] 3
Accreditation Standards for Survivorship Programs [page] 4
Hard to Reach Patient Populations [page] 5
Methods [page] 6
Models of Collaboration to Reach Survivors of Urological Cancers [page] 8
Model #1 [page] 9
Model #2 [page] 13
Summary of Collaborations [page] 16
References [page] 18

Efficacy Of Technology-Based And In-Person Health Education For Behavior Change In College-Aged Women, Madeline Bremel

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether an in-person or technology based bone health intervention improved bone health knowledge and behaviors in college-aged women. Methods: 30 college-aged women were randomly divided into three groups: personal intervention (n = 10), technological intervention (n = 10), and control (n = 10). Both intervention groups received identical information regarding the importance of bone health and the appropriate behaviors for maintaining strong bones including weight-bearing exercise, calcium consumption, and vitamin D consumption. The technology group received the information via an online video, and the personal group via a one-on-one …

Measuring Socio-Economic Status Of An Urban Squatter Settlement In Pakistan Using Wami Index, Nousheen Pradhan, Tazeen Saeed Ali, Fauzia Basaria Hasnani, Shireen Shehzad Bhamani, Rozina Karmaliani

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To determine the socio-economic status of a peri-urban community.
Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Deh Chuhar village, Gaddap Town, Karachi from December 2015 to February 2016. The Water/Sanitation, Assets, Maternal Education and Income Index was used. All variables were given a score on the scale of 0-8. The resulting index was illustrated in the form of quintiles.
Results: : A total of 254 households were surveyed. Total population was 2117 with mean number of household members being 8±4. Mean index score was 0.39±0.14 and the median score was 0.375. Percentile distribution of the score indicated that 152(60%) …

Nurses' Breastfeeding Knowledge And Confidence After Education Session, Anna Caroline Tillman

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Education is an essential part of the nursing profession. Nurses should be teaching their patients every day, ensuring they understand the most reliable evidence-based practices. In breastfeeding education, however, there is a lack of education to expectant mothers on common breastfeeding methods, how to overcome common barriers, and general breastfeeding knowledge. If nurses can be effectively educated in breastfeeding knowledge and build their confidence in teaching their patients, then mothers will receive more thorough and helpful breastfeeding education. The hope in educating both nurses and mothers is to increase breastfeeding exclusivity rates to meet Healthy People2020 goals.

Objective: The …

Leadership Development In The Nursing Student, Jessica Shaw

Senior Honors Projects

I am your typical type A honors nursing student. In several of my clinical courses, I received constructive criticism regarding my performance. The common theme throughout each rotation was leadership, or the lack thereof. I was itching to do something to break the trend. In our syllabi under expected course outcomes it said things like, “integrate principles of leadership,” and, “assume a leadership role.” To me, this was far too vague and there had never been a mention in the syllabi or the classroom of how leadership is defined or what it should look like in the nursing field. My …

Culture Care Needs Of Puerto Rican Women Receiving Hiv Care From Nurse Practitioners In New York City, Michele Crespo-Fierro

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this mini-ethnonursing research study was to discover, describe, and interpret culture care values, beliefs, expressions, practices and needs of Puerto Rican women receiving HIV care from nurse practitioners (NPs) and other providers in New York City. The emic, or insider, perspective of Puerto Rican women living with HIV was the focus of this study and Leininger’s Culture Care Theory (CCT) provided the theoretical framework. Various enablers of the CCT, including Leininger’s Sunrise Enabler to Discover Culture Care, guided the design andimplementation of the study. Six key and twelve general informantswere interviewed and data from the interviews were …

Perceived Health: A Grounded Theory Study On How Young Black Men Process Their Health, Layla L. Qaabidh

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

This dissertation explored the perceptions young, Black men have regarding their health. It also sought to understand behaviors young, Black men engage in to maintain their health.

Factors Influencing Physical Activity Among Immigrants From South India: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Jaya Abraham

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: In the United States (U.S), the percentage of diabetes and coronary artery diseases is higher among Asian Indian immigrants compared to other ethnic groups. Although research has been useful in describing patterns of physical activity among South Asian groups, very little is known about the factors influencing physical activity among Asian South Indian (ASI) immigrants. There is very limited research performed on the individual, social, cultural and environmental factors influencing physical activity among ASI immigrants.

Purpose: The study purpose was to explore the factors influencing physical activity with the following primary and secondary aims: The primary aim …

Bridging The Gap Between Food Insecurity And Subsequent Child Body Mass: Mediating Effects Of Dietary Quality And Feeding Styles In Low-Income Hispanic Preschoolers, Nipa Kamdar

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Low-income Hispanic preschoolers face disproportionately high prevalence of food insecurity (FI) and obesity. Consumption of low-cost, energy-dense foods to compensate for FI leads to excess body-mass. FI parents may adopt feeding styles that contribute to decline in children’s dietary quality. Feeding style describes the amount of demandingness (i.e., control of children’s eating) and responsiveness (i.e., warmth used to express demandingness). FI may indirectly contribute to obesity through dietary quality and feeding style.

Purpose: This study investigated: 1. if dietary quality mediated the relationship between food security status (FSS) at Time 1 (T1) and child body-mass at Time 2 (T2), …

Causes Of Late Preterm Infant Hospital Readmission Rates In Relation To Feeding, Kaitlyn Reid

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Background:

In the U.S., late preterm (LP) births, which occur at 34^0/7-36^6/7 weeks gestation, make up the largest and fastest-growing group of preterm births. Although there is a trend of increased rates of LP infant readmissions compared to term infant readmissions, the relationship between LP infant morbidities and method of feeding has not been extensively studied.

Objective:

The purposes of this study were to 1) identify the primary causes of LP infant hospital readmissions and, 2) correlate the primary causes of LP infant hospital readmissions with the method of feeding.

Methods:

The design of this nonexperimental …

Elementary School Teachers' Student Health Concerns And Knowledge Of Resources, Aubrey Gahagan

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Teachers are with their students an average of seven to 10 hours a day, five days a week. The substantial amount of time teachers spend with their students allows them to provide helpful insight into health problems children face. The purpose of this study was to identify elementary school teachers’ concerns for student health and to assess their knowledge of resources that address those health concerns. A convenient sample of 86 teachers from three elementary schools in Northwest Arkansas was surveyed. Surveys were used to identify the three main concerns teachers have for their students. A cross-sectional design was used …

Can Using A Smartphone Application Improve The Ability Of Law Enforcement Officers To Recognize Commercially Sexually Exploited Children And Report Them To Child Welfare Authorities?, Sheree Goldman

Doctoral Projects

The commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC) is a crime of abuse that is frequently unrecognized because mandated reporters may be unfamiliar with the indicators. Commercially sexually exploited minors participate in sex acts in exchange for money, goods, or services. At least 200,000 American children are believed to be victims of this crime each year (County Welfare Director Association of California, 2015). Victims often go undiscovered and experience significant health issues. A public health model is used to explain the context of victimization and the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to discover victims and connect them with needed services. A randomized …

Introduction Of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery For Colorectal Surgical Patients: A Quality Improvement Project, Amanda R. Mcvey

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The purpose of this practice project was to develop and introduce an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol for colorectal surgical patients at a tertiary care center in southern Illinois. Project aims included reviewing available literature and study outcomes to develop an evidenced-based ERAS protocol for colorectal surgery and educating anesthesia providers about ERAS to introduce the evidenced-based ERAS protocol for colorectal surgery. An educational presentation and learning assessment tool were developed and subsequently presented to the anesthesia providers at the host facility. The first step toward implementing the protocol is education, as such, the results of the assessment questions …

An Investigation Of The Impact Of Family Dynamics On Obesity Among African American Adolescent Girls, Tina Mcdyess

Dissertations

Children who are overweight and obese are more likely to maintain their weight status into adulthood (Fletcher, Cooper, Helms, Northington, & Winters, 2009; World Health Organization [WHO], 2015). The prevalence of obesity has shown a more consistent increase among African Americans aged 2-19 (Flegal, Carroll, Kit, & Ogden, 2012; Ogden, Carroll, Kit, & Flegal, 2012; Ogden, Carroll, Kit & Flegal, 2014) with an even greater disparity among African American girls (Ogden & Carroll, 2010). Family dynamics is one of the many factors of the environment that has been linked to obesity among children and adolescents. The purpose of this study …

The Impact Of Diabetes Mellitus On Burns And Standard Burn Treatments, Emma Shepard

Senior Honors Theses

Burns are complex injuries that trigger the stress response and result in increased blood glucose. Diabetes mellitus, an endocrine disorder with abnormal glucose regulation, can significantly alter the risk for burns and the treatment of burns. Pre-existing diabetes mellitus complicates burn treatments and healing ability. Diabetes mellitus may also develop directly from an unregulated stress response to the burn. The consideration of diabetes mellitus affects wound care, medications, and nutrition for burn patients. As patient advocates, nurses are responsible for caring for burn patients with awareness of endocrine complications. This paper provides a detailed overview of the pathophysiology, complications, and …

Obstetric Nurses’ Perceived Barriers To Immediate Skin To Skin Contact After Cesarean Birth, Joelene Sarmiento Balatero

Doctoral Projects

Despite the strong evidence supporting immediate skin to skin contact (SSC) after birth, research suggests that patients who undergo cesarean births do not have the same opportunities for SSC as patients who undergo vaginal births. There are limited studies regarding provider attitudes surrounding the practice of immediate SSC after cesarean birth. The aim of this research was to understand obstetric nurses’ perceived barriers to immediate SSC after cesarean section.

An exploratory qualitative design was used for the project. The semi-structured, open-ended interviews were conducted via video conferencing. Conventional content analysis methods were used to analyze the data, which yielded the …

Perceptions Of College Students Towards Healthcare Provisions On Campus, Sarah Houtz

Honors Theses

Healthcare on university campuses is not a new concept. There is little evidence surrounding the effectiveness and adaptability of services provided to students by providers or healthcare facilities located on campus. Literature describes individual concepts of healthcare resources provided on campus including convenience, holistic care, abilities to refer to off campus specialty clinics, and factors related directly to the patient’s beliefs and values. However, there is a considerable gap in tools used to measure opinions directly related to the services, quality, perception, initiatives, and overall satisfaction with the provisions provided by healthcare professionals located on university campuses. Of the 23 …

The Beneficial Effect Of Weight Reduction On Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes Following Bariatric Surgery Is Attenuated In Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Ahmed Dalmar, Maharaj Singh, Bennet Pandey, Christopher Stoming, Zoe Heis, Khawaja Afzal Ammar, M. Fuad Jan, Indrajit Choudhuri, Thomas Y. Chua, Jasbir Sra, A. Jamil Tajik, Arshad Jahangir

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Weight loss after bariatric surgery is associated with reduction in adverse cardiovascular outcomes; however, the impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on reduction of cardiovascular outcomes after bariatric surgery in morbidly obese patients is not known. We retrospectively assessed differences in cardiovascular events after laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB)–induced weight loss in patients with and without OSA before and after propensity score matching for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and major comorbidities between the two groups and determined predictors of poor outcomes. OSA was present in 222 out of 830 patients (27 per cent) who underwent LAGB between 2001 …

Development And Validation Of A Silhouette Scale To Measure African-American Mothers’ Perception Of The Body Size Of Their Two To Four Year Old Children, Joan Buckley

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: In the United States (U.S.), the Center for Disease Control (2011 – 2014) reported that one-third of adults and 17% of children between the ages of two and nineteen are obese. Obesity in the U.S. is higher in the African-American groups comprising 13.2 % of the U.S. population. With the link between obesity and chronic diseases, such as, diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers there is a necessity to understand and reverse the consequences of obesity. There is a need to change the development of obesity/adiposity from childhood to adulthood in African-Americans. Exploring the parent’s awareness of …

An Exploration Of Barriers To Health Care Access Among Uninsured Patients: Using The Moderating Effect Of Patients’ Enablement, Enedelia L. Jessup

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT On March 23, 2010, Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) to increase value of care, improve clinical outcomes, decrease health care costs, and increase affordability in health care access. The purpose of the study attempts to examine the moderating effects of patient enablement impacting barriers, low socio economic status, and unmet basic needs, toward health care access in uninsured populations post ACA. Only certain aspects of patient enablement in self-management of an individual’s health care goals have been conducted with uninsured populations with barriers toward health care access. The research design was a quantitative, exploratory, …

Cross-Cultural Adaptation Of The Instrument Readiness For Hospital Discharge Scale - Adult Form, Talita Honorato Siqueira, Vanessa Da Silva Carvalho Vila, Marianne E. Weiss

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective:

to perform the cross-cultural adaptation of the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale - (RHDS) Adult Form for use in Brazil.

Method:

a methodological study was conducted in 2015, in Brazil’s federal capital, following the eight stages scientifically established.

Results:

analysis proved the maintenance of semantic, idiomatic, cultural, and conceptual equivalences and kept both the face and content validity of the original version. The judging committee and the pre-test participants declared they understood the RHDS items and answer scale.

Conclusion:

the instrument is culturally adapted for Brazil and can be used as one of the stages for planning hospital discharge. …

Nurses' Health And Professional Quality Of Life, Deborah Amason

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Nurse's Health and Professional Quality of Life

Abstract

This study investigated relationships between general health (GH), professional quality of life (PQL) and perceived stress (PS) of nurses at a 382-bed southeastern hospital.

Background: Several studies showed that GH and PQL are associated. The health, quality of life, and perceived stress of nurses was a growing concern in the hospital. Nurse leaders needed data to inform evidence-based efforts to promote nurse health and improve quality of life while reducing stress.

Design: This cross-sectional correlation study measured GH, PQL, and PS using four validated and reliable instruments: The Medical Outcomes Short Form …