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Evaluating The Effect Of A Rest Team Tea Cart On Nurse-Reported Comfort, Healing, And Empathy, Danielle A. Lisiecki Edd, Msn, Rn, Barbara A. Kilbride Ms, Bsn, Rn

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Abstract

In response to the increasing emotional and physical demands placed on healthcare professionals, a not-for-profit health system in Southwest Florida implemented a wellness initiative, focusing on the intentional care of the spirit through its Spiritual Services, Resilience Education Support Team (REST), and its area Faith Community Nurses (FCN), called the REST Tea Cart service. Initially, the REST Tea Cart was designed to promote emotional well-being by providing staff members with complimentary tea, cookies, and inspirational note cards, aiming to create moments of peace and respite during the workday. It would grow much more, expanding beyond the hospital’s walls and …

Conservative Anabaptists Descriptions Of Delay, Comfort In Connectedness, And Ease In Cultural Tension When Seeking And Responding To Healthcare, Matthew D. Hottle

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Introduction: Conservative Anabaptists are a large ethnic religious population that continues to grow in the United States. These groups are known to experience adverse health-related outcomes. Therefore, the concept of transcending health values has been developed to better understand how conservative anabaptists describe seeking and responding to healthcare. The purpose of this study is to (1) gather empirical evidence about the concept of transcending health values and (2) use the evidence to contribute to the body of knowledge of nursing.

Method: The study used qualitative-directed content analysis guided by the core qualities of transcending health values: delay in health-seeking behaviors, …

Practice Matters: Measles, Maria E. Main, Melissa K. Travelsted, Maire M. Blankenship

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Measles has re-emerged as a significant public health concern, with an estimated 10.3 million global cases and more than 100,000 deaths in 2023, primarily among young children. In the United States, measles incidence has risen sharply due to declining vaccination rates and increased international travel, resulting in a growing number of locally transmitted outbreaks. Faith community nurses, who play key roles in health education, advocacy, and illness prevention, are uniquely positioned to support community-level efforts that reduce measles transmission. This article addresses key aspects of measles epidemiology, clinical presentation, and complications, emphasizing the virus’s high communicability and potential for severe …

Membership Information

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

No abstract provided.

Matrescence: An Emerging Concept For Birth Worker Practice, Kelsey B. Green

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

The maternal mental health (MMH) crisis, affecting up to 25% of birthing individuals, is exacerbated by significant gaps in perinatal support. While birth workers are uniquely positioned to provide care, they often lack specialized training beyond basic screening checklists to address the complex transition to motherhood, defined as matrescence. This clinical innovation proposal outlines a matrescence-informed educational curriculum, guided by the Comprehensive Model of Mental Health during the Perinatal Period. The intervention is designed to build tangible, implementable skills, training birth workers to: (1) operationalize matrescence as a psychoeducational tool to normalize distress; (2) use clinical differentiation to distinguish the …

The Impact Of High-Fidelity Simulation On Graduate Nursing Students’ Knowledge And Confidence In Septic Shock Management, Shaden Mustafa

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) Doctorate of Nursing (DNP) project was to create and evaluate the impact of high-fidelity simulation-based training (SBT) on graduate nursing students’ knowledge and confidence in diagnosing and treating septic shock. Outcomes were measured with pre- and post-simulation tests featuring competency questions and Likert-scale confidence ratings.

Accordingly, the two research questions guiding this project were: (1) How effective is high-fidelity simulation training in improving students’ knowledge and competence in managing septic shock? (2) How effective is high-fidelity simulation training in enhancing students’ confidence when caring for patients with septic shock?

Septic shock was selected …

Quality Improvement (Qi) Project Aimed At Reducing 30-Day Hospital Readmissions For Patients With Congestive Heart Failure (Chf) Through Checklist Implementation, Gary Gutierrez

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) remains a leading cause of preventable 30-day hospital readmissions,

especially in outpatient and transitional care settings. This quality improvement (QI) initiative was

launched within a private internal medicine practice in Essex County, New Jersey, to address this issue

by implementing a standardized CHF management checklist. The checklist focused on four key

components: (a) comprehensive medication reconciliation, (b) tailored patient education, (c) timely

follow-up appointments, and (d) improved interdisciplinary communication. By integrating evidence-

based practices into a structured workflow, the QI project aimed to improve care coordination,

empower patients to manage their condition, and reduce preventable …

Evaluating Fall Prevention Outcomes: Fall Rates, Staff Fall Knowledge, And Perceptions On Safety Culture, Priscilla Greco

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: The practice problem addressed in this project was the elevated fall rates on a 46-bed medical–surgical unit with a reported sentinel fall event, prompting the need to evaluate the current fall prevention program.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In nursing staff on a medical–surgical unit (P), how does the implementation of an evidence-based fall prevention program evaluation using AHRQ tools (I), compared with no formal program evaluation (C), influence staff knowledge, perceptions of safety culture, and fall rates (O) over 8-weeks (T)?

Evidence: Evidence supporting this project emphasized that structured staff education, strong communication, …

The Use Of Storytelling In Covid-19 Vaccine Promotion: A Scoping Review Of Interventions And Campaigns, Suha Ballout, Sabreen A. Darwish, Patricia J. Kelly, Teresa Keller, Ross Shegog, Basil H. Aboul-Enein

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

BACKGROUND: The development of the COVID-19 vaccine, a groundbreaking scientific advancement, also fueled vaccine hesitancy mainly due to vaccine misinformation and the limited public understanding of the new technology and its rapid pace of development and deployment. A variety of public health communication strategies have been used that include engaging the community in identifying and developing messages, using culturally appropriate communication methods, applying behavioral health principles, and storytelling. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess the most relevant evidence from the research literature on storytelling interventions to mitigate COVID vaccine hesitancy during the pandemic.

METHODS: A scoping review …

Seizures In Camp Settings, Sandra Shapiro, Taylor Gilman, Tamar Sternfield, Jolie Skivington

CompassPoint

Managing seizures in the summer camp environment presents unique challenges, requiring not only medical attention but also empathy and understanding from both peers and caregivers. Approximately 0.5–5% of children and adolescents will experience at least one afebrile seizure by adolescence and there is a 3.6% risk of experiencing at least one seizure in an 80-year-lifespan (Murphy et al., 1995 as cited in Wilfong, 2025). Recognizing how to support a child with seizures during the camp season is essential to promoting their safety and well-being while also ensuring they have a positive and inclusive camp experience.

Nursing At Summer Camp: Piloting A Novel Clinical Rotation Experience For Undergraduates In Pediatrics, Vanessa Lugo

CompassPoint

Nursing schools have traditionally relied on inpatient settings as the primary venue for clinical placement for undergraduate courses. However, the availability of clinical placement sites has diminished in recent years for reasons that include faculty retirements, problems with administrative support and coordination in large hospital systems, and intensified competition among health-profession schools for a limited pool of rotation sites (Chesney et al., 2021; American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2022). Clinical placement sites became especially sparse during the COVID-19 pandemic, when many facilities prohibited on-site student instruction (Kaveh et al., 2022; Ridgway et al., 2022). Nursing schools in rural areas …

Developing Nurse Knowledge And Confidence In Telehealth Delivery For Ptsd Care, Bisilola M. Yinusa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) prevalence increasing and telehealth becoming more integrated into mainstream healthcare practice, it is critical to ensure that nurses are adequately trained to deliver evidence-based, trauma-informed care through digital modalities. The identified practice problem centered on the limited telehealth competency among nurses, particularly in communication strategies, confidence, and clinical readiness for PTSD care via virtual platforms. This doctoral project was a staff education initiative designed to enhance the telehealth delivery of trauma-informed care for patients with PTSD. The purpose of this project was to evaluate whether the structured educational intervention improved nurses’ knowledge and confidence in …

Staff Education On Burnout For Mental Healthcare Staff Mitigation Strategies For Psychiatric Outpatient Staff, Kadine Foreman-Westly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this project is to determine whether implementing a staff education program in a psychiatric clinical setting can improve healthcare staff knowledge of strategies to prevent burnout. The project addresses a critical practice problem: a lack of structured education programs specifically targeting burnout recognition and management among mental healthcare staff. Burnout not only negatively impacts staff well-being but also affects patient safety and the overall quality of care. This project was designed to fill this gap by providing an educational intervention, with effectiveness measured through pre- and post-intervention surveys assessing staff knowledge. This staff education project was strengthened …

The Importance Of A Pressure Injury Prevention Program In Acute Hospital Settings, Sarah Orial

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: The identified practice problem for this project was the lack of a standardized pressure injury prevention program in a 350-bed acute care hospital. The lack of a standard program could be leading to increased hospital-acquired pressure injuries. PICOT: In adult inpatients in a medical/surgical unit (P), does the implementation of a standard unit-based pressure injury prevention program (I) compared to the current practice (C) increase the percentage of nursing skin risk assessment documentation (O) over a 10-week period (T)?

Evidence: The literature supports the development of standard pressure injury prevention programs and continuing education to …

Operationalizing Flourishing In Bsn Nursing Education: A Cipp- Driven Strategy, Kennedy E. Hochstedler, Elizabeth Morse

DNP Projects

Operationalizing Flourishing in BSN Nursing Education: A CIPP- Driven Strategy

Cv: Pamela Taylor (Nursing), Pamela Taylor

Nursing Department Faculty Curricula Vitae

No abstract provided.

Holistic Approaches To Lyme Disease Symptom Management, Leah Van Antwerp

Honors Theses

Lyme disease is a multisystem tick-borne infection that can lead to long-lasting symptoms even after standard antibiotic therapy, with Lyme arthritis being one of the most common and persistent complications. Due to limited research on this issue, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) will be discussed as a reference for understanding treatment options because it is a similar condition. Since many people continue to experience debilitating pain and reduced quality of life after treatment for Lyme disease, holistic approaches have become increasingly popular for symptom management. This literature review examines three holistic modalities-yoga, acupuncture, and diet modifications- and their effectiveness in alleviating arthritic …

Clinical Practice Guideline On Reducing Catheter -Associated Urinary Tract Infections (Cautis), Nkechi Christiana Udah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The project was a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for early catheter removal to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). At the project site, the practice gap was the surgical nurses’ nonadherence to clinical guidelines for reducing CAUTIs. This gap resulted in inconsistent catheter care practices and delays in catheter removal. The purpose of this CPG was to enhance surgical nurses’ knowledge and adherence to clinical guidelines for reducing CAUTI rates. The following practice-focused question guided the project: In hospitalized patients in acute care settings, does early removal of the urinary catheter compared to leaving the catheter until discharge reduce the …

A Quality Improvement Project: Faculty Education On Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion Principles, Ashley Mcdoulett

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

According to the literature, social injustices, inequities, and implicit bias influence health outcomes in marginalized populations. To eliminate health disparities, nurses should be prepared to provide care that addresses these issues, and faculty should be able to effectively integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) principles into the nursing curriculum. A literature review suggests the integration of DEI into nursing education is lacking, and by offering an educational session for faculty on best practices for curriculum incorporation, this project aimed to address that gap. The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) model guided this project. RE-AIM emphasizes targeting a population to …

Implementation Of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocols To Improved Maternal Pain Management, Stefanie Sherman

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Cesarean sections remain the most common surgical procedures in the United States, but they come with significant risks, including increased pain, infection, longer recovery, and higher health care costs. Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) guidelines outline an evidence- based, multidisciplinary approach that optimizes surgical recovery and improves outcomes. The primary goal of this project was to evaluate the impact of the implementation of ERAS guidelines in a community hospital with women undergoing scheduled cesarean sections on postoperative pain management as measured by aggregate pain scores. The Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice was used to guide this quasi-experimental pre-post project, which …

Enhancing Sepsis Prevention In Long-Term Care Facilities: Development Of An Infection Prevention Sepsis Toolkit, Emmalyn A. Tuhin

Student Scholarly Projects

Objectives: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to create, validate, and refine an Evidence-Based Sepsis Prevention Toolkit to enhanced early sepsis recognition and interprofessional coordination of care within long-term care facilities (LTCFs).

Background: Sepsis remains a leading cause of mortality and preventable transfer to the hospital for the elderly residents within the LTCFs. A significant practice gap persists because sepsis in this population often presents atypically, resulting in delayed or inaccurate diagnosis and treatment.

Methods: This project was guided by the following PICOT question: For healthcare professionals caring for patients aged 65 years and older …

Facilitating Timely Initiation Of Hiv Care Through An Interdisciplinary, Algorithm-Guided Approach, Courtney Harris

DNP Projects

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Initiation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) within twenty-four hours of an HIV diagnosis is safe, shortens time to viral suppression, improves retention in care, and contributes to reduced HIV transmission at the community level (Bacon et al., 2021). Despite this evidence, patients across the United States do not universally receive timely HIV care (Bertolino et al., 2023). Barriers to early ART initiation include lack of staff buy-in, logistical challenges, and socioeconomic factors affecting patients (Doshi et al., 2023).

LOCAL PROBLEM: A small HIV care clinic in the southern United States observed a similar discrepancy, noting inconsistent timely initiation of …

Mental Wellness: Breaking Down Barriers To Mental Health Treatment For Veterans, Merita Dallta

Capstones

No abstract provided.

Quality Improvement Project: Reducing Hospitalizations In The Long-Term Care Setting, Nenna Nzeocha

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Hospitalizations in the long-term care setting can lead to higher costs incurred by skilled nursing home residents and a poorer quality of life. This quality improvement (QI) project evaluated whether an educational intervention on the Reducing Avoidable Facility Transfers (RAFT) model impacted hospitalization rates in the skilled nursing facility (SNF), while also assessing the confidence level of facility staff on the intervention. The project utilized Lewin’s change theory and the Donabedian model framework and was aimed at developing interventions that impact hospitalizations in the SNF using the RAFT model. A quasi-experimental design was used and consisted of a pre-and-post implementation …

Quality Improvement Project: Improving Emergency Medication Administration Safety In An Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Sandra Anusiem

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Psychiatric emergencies contribute to medication safety issues due to increased stress, inconsistent practices, and communication breakdowns. The problem was high rates of medication errors in psychiatric emergencies due to the lack of a structured, standardized medication management protocol. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project aimed to reduce medication errors in administering emergency medications in an inpatient psychiatric unit by using the Medication Administration Cross-Check (MACC) checklist. The project was completed using a quasi-experimental research design guided by the Donabedian Model of Healthcare Quality and Lewin’s Change Model. Pretest and posttest knowledge, confidence, attitude, and perceptions were obtained …

Quality Improvement Project: Nursing Faculty Mental Health Literacy Assessment And Evaluation, Elesha Roberts

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Mental illness is a major healthcare concern affecting young adults enrolled in college. College students enrolled in nursing programs in particular face intense academic pressure due to the demands and rigor of the program. Students commonly report symptoms associated with depression, anxiety, and suicide. Nursing faculty often do not feel comfortable approaching students about these concerns and other related mental health issues. Many faculty members lack the knowledge and skill to identify mental health issues and provide resources to support students in need. Faculty should be mental health literate and aware of campus resources. The purpose of this quality improvement …

Improving Self-Efficacy Among Clinical Instructors: The Impact Of Communication Education On Handling Lateral Violence, Emma Guidry

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The quality improvement (QI) project aims to determine if clinical instructors perceive changes in self-efficacy in communication skills specific to lateral violence (LV) situations secondary to an educational intervention. Currently, clinical nurse instructors lack education specifically addressing communication strategies to utilize when LV occurs in the clinical setting. Banduras Social Cognitive Theory, Lewin’s Change Theory and the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) were employed as frameworks in the development of this project. Methods used in this quasi-experimental design project include administration of the Self Efficacy to Address Disruptive Behaviors Scale (SADBS) survey to project participants, nursing clinical instructors. The evidence-based practice (EBP) intervention …

Quality Improvement Project: Improving Nurse Competency In Caring For Patients With Dementia With Behavioral Disturbances In Long-Term Care, Lashunta Jackson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Dementia-related behavioral and psychological symptoms (BPSD) present major challenges for nurses in long-term care settings, often leading to inconsistent care, staff stress, and safety risks. Evidence-based, person-centered interventions are proven to improve outcomes but are frequently underutilized due to limited staff training. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to improve nursing staff competency in managing residents with dementia and behavioral disturbances through structured, evidence-based education. The problem identified was a lack of dementia-specific knowledge and confidence among nurses, which contributed to suboptimal care and increased behavioral incidents. A quasi-experimental pre-/post-intervention design guided by Knowles’ Adult …

Investigating The Mechanisms By Which Gut Microbiome Dysbiosis Contributes To The Autoimmune Response In Multiple Sclerosis, Abigail Houtrouw

Honors Theses

This literature review explores the multifaceted relationship between gut microbiome (GM) dysbiosis and multiple sclerosis (MS), highlighting key themes that advance understanding of disease pathogenesis and therapeutic potential for treatments targeting the gut. The review underscores the immune system dysregulation in MS, emphasizing the roles of T cells, B cells, and microglia in neuroinflammation and demyelination. Historically, MS pathogenesis was thought to be driven mainly by T-cell dysregulation, but current research highlights the additional roles of B-cells and microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS). Additionally, this literature review identifies GM alterations and dysbiosis as critical …

Reducing Opioid Overdose Harm Through Narcan Access And Education, Shane Alexander Role Alihan, Jared Timothy Chua, Siwapond (Taylor) Yuen, Matthew Reynon

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

Background: The overuse of opioids has led to an epidemic that affects the health of young adults in Sacramento, CA. Social and economic factors have influenced the use of opioids which has led those individuals to acquire an addiction and dependency to such drugs. This age group is typically engaged in college and career-minded endeavors. Thus, the impact on this age group is substantial, requiring impactful interventions.

Aim: The purpose of this intervention is to provide a foundation for educating those affected by opioid overdose. This strategic goal is to equip students at the University of the Pacific’s Entry-Level …