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Spartan Daily, May 6, 2014, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 142, Issue 38

A Novel Method For Assessing Medication-Related Adverse Outcomes In A Community Hospital, Christopher M. Patty

Doctoral Projects

The use of medications for hospitalized patients is universal, and unfortunately medication-related adverse outcomes are common. The accurate assessment of medication-related harm in hospitalized patients is foundational to the development of an effective hospital medication safety program. Every hospital has its own unique "fingerprint" of harm, accurate determination of the nature of medication-related harm specific to each hospital is necessary to facilitate prevention of that harm with specific and effective interventions. This project has provided a community hospital with its first systematic methodology for assessing medication-related harm. The methodology is adapted from that used in a recent national-level study.

Several …

Nurses' Perceptions Of Structural Empowerment: A Practice Review Process Pilot, Andrea M. Lee-Riggins

Doctoral Projects

Nurses are professionally and morally obliged to monitor and evaluate nursing practice via active participation in review mechanisms that are designed to promote patient safety and care delivery, thereby improving patient care quality (American Nurses Association [ANA], 1988, 2001, 2004; O'Rourke, 2006). The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to develop, pilot, and evaluate a nurse practice review process with frontline nurses within Fresno Heart & Surgical Hospital (FHSH), a small specialty hospital, affiliated with Community Medical Centers (CMC) in Fresno, California. A nurse practice algorithm was subsequently developed and structural empowerment was assessed with the …

Neuroimaging And Eyewitness Testimony, Madysen Gardner

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

This paper will explore how breakthroughs in neuroscience, specifically neuroimaging, can be used to validate eyewitness testimony. Though the use of direct evidence is decreasing, due to findings of numerous wrongful convictions that were based on eyewitness testimonies, it is still an element of many criminal trials today. Cross-examination is used to validate eyewitness testimony because memories are fallible. Cross-examination can successfully determine if a witness is telling the truth, but it cannot determine if a memory is true. This has resulted in juries convicting individuals based on questionable eyewitness testimony. Neuroscientists have found that neuroimaging methods, such as functional …

Attitudes Toward The Way Courts Deal With Criminals, Chelsea Van Aken

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

The way courts treat criminals depends on a variety of factors. This paper examines how age, sex, and race affect an offender’s treatment during sentencing. These variables were collected using the 2010 General Social Survey and were tested using the SPSS 20.0 Student Version Statistical Software. The independent variables include age, race, and sex, while the dependent variable is the way courts deal with criminals. The hypotheses that were tested stated that older individuals, nonwhite persons, and men would believe that courts deal too harshly with criminals. The conclusion found that none of the variables showed a significant correlation; therefore, …

The Unfair Sentencing Act: Racial Disparities And Fiscal Consequences Of America's Drug Laws, Kristin Zimmerman

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

In 1986, the United States government attempted to combat the perceived war on drugs by enacting mandatory drug laws, with a primary focus on incarcerating crack offenders. The result of this was a mass influx of African Americans to US penitentiaries and minimal to zero reduction of crack convictions. Because the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 recognized 100 grams of cocaine as equivalent to one gram of crack, it has been perceived not as a war on drugs, but as a war on a war on minorities. The mass incarceration of drug offenders also led to severely damaging fiscal consequences …

Academic Affairs Division Newsletter, May 2014, San Jose State University

Academic Affairs Division Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Spartan Daily, May 1, 2014, San Jose State University, School Of Journalism And Mass Communications

Spartan Daily (School of Journalism and Mass Communications)

Volume 142, Issue 37

System Safety Principles: A Multidisciplinary Engineering Perspective, Joseph Saleh, Karen Marais, Francesca Favaro

Faculty Publications

System safety is of particular importance for many industries. Broadly speaking, it refers to the state or objective of striving to sustainably ensure accident prevention through actions on multiple safety levers (technical, organizational, and regulatory). While complementary to risk analysis, it is distinct in one important way: risk analysis is anticipatory rationality examining the possibility of adverse events (or accident scenarios), and the tools of risk analysis support and in some cases quantify various aspects of this analysis effort. The end-objective of risk analysis is to help identify and prioritize risks, inform risk management, and support risk communication. These tools …

Tax Credit For Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Purchases, Kara Virji-Gaidhar

The Contemporary Tax Journal

No abstract provided.

I Am Not Your Victim: Anatomy Of Domestic Violence - Analysis Of The Beth Sipe Autobiography, Shawna Germain

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

This paper is an analysis that defines and describes the patterns of recognized intimate partner violence, and looks at the physical, social, psychological, and economic aspects of abuse. It correlates these aspects to the personal experiences of Beth Sipe according to her autobiographical account in I Am Not Your Victim, which serves as a model example of a domestic abuse relationship. This analysis also discusses the societal implications of abuse, which encouraged changes like the Violence Against Women Act, and how that made resources and shelters available to women in similar situations.

Ramifications Of Quiz Format On Retention And Online Studying, Mary Still, Jeremiah Still

Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Development And Evaluation Of A Geriatric Mood Management Program, J.W. Huh, Erin Woodhead, Sarah Brunskill, Christine Gould, Kathleen Mcconnell, J. Lisa Tenover

Faculty Publications

To address the needs of older veterans with mood disorders, the VA Palo Alto Health Care System Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center developed a program that offers mental health services delivered by geriatrics-trained providers.

The Stigmatization Of Individuals Convicted Of Sex Offenses: Labeling Theory And The Sex Offense Registry, Carla Schultz

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

The sex offender registry currently lists over half a million U.S. citizens as sex offenders. Modern day legislation directed toward sex offenders was born in an era of public fear and rash decision-making. Terrible consequences have since been identified as resulting from the labeling of sex offenders via the registry. These unintended consequences socially, economically, and psychologically influence the lives of sex offenders. Labeling theory states that individuals who are given a label eventually subscribe to that label; in other words, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. In the case of sex offenders, this can only mean more damage to society. …

The Experience Of Latino Parents Of Hospitalized Children During Family Centered Rounds, Lisa Ann Walker-Vischer

Doctoral Projects

Problem: Hospitalization of a child is stressful. The parental role is altered and parents have a primary need to receive timely information. Family centered rounds (FCR) provide a mechanism to exchange information and facilitates shared decision making with the medical team while parents advocate for their child's needs. FCR has been linked to increased satisfaction and improved outcomes. A recent study suggests that Latino parents have a suboptimal experience related to language barriers and a lack of empowerment. The purpose of this study is to describe the experience of Latino parents of hospitalized children during FCR in a public safety …

Pilot Study: Avoiding Readmissions Of Heart Failure Patients Across Transitions Of Care, Analiza Baldonado

Doctoral Projects

Background: A major problem facing the U.S. healthcare system is avoidable hospital readmissions. Patients with Heart Failure (HF) face variety of barriers to health care and are at higher risk for readmissions. To address this problem, evidence-based interventions focused on safe transition from hospital to home are needed.

Methods: A quality improvement pilot project was implemented to evaluate the feasibility of evidence based interventions in preventing avoidable readmissions. The project setting was in a 900 bed health care system. The descriptive statistical methods were means and frequencies. The Transition Coordinator (TC) enrolled a convenience sample of 30 participants. The evidence …

Social Media: An Effective Tool For Risk And Crisis Communication?, William Kelly

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

California Graffiti Removal Programs: Benchmarking San José’S Graffiti Abatement Program Against Best Practices In The Cities Of Long Beach, San Diego, And Santa Ana, Samantha Silva Tavares

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.

Reducing "Failure To Rescue" Occurrences: A Pilot Project Incorporating High-Fidelity Simulation During Mock Codes, To Enhance Pediatric Nurses' Clinical Knowledge And Skills, Denise Dawkins

Doctoral Projects

Thanks to advances in technology, the survival rate of infants and children with critical illnesses has improved. One consequence has been an increase in the acuity levels of hospitalized pediatric patients, which may heighten the risk of in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest. Patient safety can be compromised by nurses who do not detect subtle clinical changes in a patient's condition, do not perform accurate interventions, or do not apply critical thinking (failure to rescue). The Institute of Medicine (10M) in 1999 estimated that approximately 100,000 people died each year as the result of poor care.

Patients and families place great trust in …

Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive Methods, Same-Day Initiation And Early Removal, Sandra Mary Loehner

Doctoral Projects

Objective: The study was conducted to identify the early removal rate of Long-Acting Reversible Contraceptive (LARC) methods and factors associated with early removal.

Study Design: A non-experimental descriptive design based upon retrospective chart review of electronic medical records (EMR) was used. There was a total of 96 subjects, ages 15-47 years who had a LARC method inserted within a 12-month time period and subsequent removal within 6-months of insertion date. Subjects were grouped according to same-day insertion versus non-same-day insertion.

Results: Seventy percent of study subjects with early removal had their LARC method inserted under a same-day protocol. Most subjects …

Electronic Medical Record In The Simulation Hospital: Does It Improve Accuracy In Charting Vital Signs, Intake, And Output?, Carel M. Mountain

Doctoral Projects

The introduction of electronic health records has created a shift in the way nursing care is delivered (McBride, Delaney, & Tietze, 2012; Furukawa, Raghu, & Shao, 2010). A factor which heavily influences a nurse’s ability to navigate and utilize EMR is adequate education in the use of computerized documentation (McBride, et al., 2012). There is an increased risk for error at the bedside without the correct knowledge and skills regarding EMR documentation (Kelly, Brandon, & Docherty, 2011). This skill should be introduced during the pre-licensure education of the nurse.

Two groups of associate degree nursing students attending a small community …

Self-Reported Neurogenic Bowel And Bladder Management In Acute Hospitalized Chronic Spinal Cord Injured Patients: Its Role In Clinical Practice, Mary Lupe Jimenez

Doctoral Projects

Patients with spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCI/D) are at risk for mismanaged bowel care during acute hospitalization, which can lead to numerous medical complications ranging from loss of personal dignity and privacy to many serious medical conditions, some of which are life threatening. Additionally, mismanagement of bowel care during acute hospitalization may lead to costly extended hospital stays. The project was to describe bowel and bladder care for SCI/D patients during acute hospitalization using a self-reported questionnaire submitted by approximately 46.6% of SCI/D patients from the Veterans' Affairs Central California Health Care System. The self-report questionnaire was designed by …

Chronic Non-Cancer Pain In The Ed: Are Nurses Sbirt-Ready?, Dorothy James Moore

Doctoral Projects

Emergency department (ED) Registered Nurse (RN) understanding of chronic pain management is critically important. By some estimates, 30% of all opioid pain medications in the United States (US) are prescribed from EDs. At the same time, prescription drug abuse is America’s fastest growing drug problem. While RNs have significant contact time with chronic pain patients who may also be drug abusers, RNs often use the stigmatizing label, “drug-seeking” for certain key patient behaviors and may not feel confident intervening constructively with these patients. This project reviews literature pertaining to SBIRT use for substance abuse in the ED and surveys ED …

Impact Of Cue-Based Feeding Protocol On Premature Infants' Outcomes And Hospital Length Of Stay, Diana Michele Easley Cormier

Doctoral Projects

The project was an oral feeding practice change from traditional, gestational-age/volume-driven feeding progression to developmentally-based, infant-driven feeding progression. The infant-driven (cue-based) feeding protocol was implemented with goals to improve premature infants' feeding outcomes, and decreased the infant's length of hospitalization. The project was designed to implement a cue-based feeding protocol for oral feeding initiation and progression, within the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at Community Regional Medical Center (CRMC), and then retrospectively evaluate the impact of the cue-based feeding protocol on feeding outcomes. In order to realize full implementation of a NICU feeding practice change, multiple components, such as electronic …

Immigration Control And The Punitive Turn, Eduardo Batista

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

The “punitive turn” describes the penalizing and disciplinary focus the United States has implemented in regulating problem populations since the late 1970s. This period has welcomed the era of mass incarceration in which the US penal population has exploded to levels not seen anywhere else in the world. The rise in the use of prisons and jails has been accompanied by the retrenchment of the welfare state, attacks on affirmative action policies, continued segregation in education and housing, and a growing gap between the rich and the poor. All of these have essentially erased the gains made by the Civil …

Democracy, Prison, And Public Safety Realignment: Renewing Our Imagination, Kimberly Turner

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

The American carceral condition has waged a 200-year-old struggle where the lives of the guilty, the innocent, and the victimized have taken center stage in a debate centered on rehabilitation, reformation, and revenge. The drama has undergone a number of revisions from great scholarly authors, multidisciplinary intellectuals, and literary muses. Despite a number of new renderings, the central themes of the American prison have remained constant, and just as there have been builders of prisons, there have been forces intent on their destruction. The current state of the American carceral condition has burgeoned since the neoliberal political and economic shift …

Long-Term Physical And Mental Health Effects Of Domestic Violence, Kavita Alejo

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Domestic violence is an issue affecting people of all ages, races, genders, and sexual orientations. Violence against men and same-sex domestic violence are often considered less of a threat to society and to the people involved, but it is important to understand that male-on-female violence, female-on-male violence, and same-sex violence all involve serious consequences to the victim’s and batterer’s short- and long-term health. This paper determines whether men or women suffer from more long-term health problems caused by domestic violence by comparing the currently published statistics on the prevalence of domestic violence in heterosexual and homosexual relationships, and analyzing the …

The Lingering Killer: Agent Orange, Sharon Ungerfeld

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

This paper explores the utilization of the chemical herbicide, Agent Orange, as it was sprayed over Vietnam during the Vietnam War in 1961 to 1971. The United States government, military, and corporations acted irresponsibly by creating the chemical and spraying it as a war tactic. The outcome of the spraying includes detrimental socioeconomic impacts, environmental degradation, and health problems. The socioeconomic impact is explained with statistics and an explanation of loss of job and education capabilities. With data on the destroyed trees and vegetation, this paper demonstrates the degree to which the environment faced harm. The health effects of Agent …

Ethics And The Use Of Coercion In The Treatment Of Psychiatric Patients, Jen Rushforth

Themis: Research Journal of Justice Studies and Forensic Science

Involuntary psychiatric treatment occurs under such conditions as the medicating or placing in treatment facilities of patients without their consent. Such involuntary treatment has been litigated in the Supreme Court; however, the Court’s rulings have been applied to incarcerated persons, with the notable exception of the 1975 ruling in O’Connor v. Donaldson, a case argued as a civil rights violation. Using O’Connor v. Donaldson as a framework, this paper argues that forcing non- violent psychiatric patients to take medication, or be otherwise treated against their will, is an unethical practice and must be discontinued. This practice of forcible treatment violates …

Government Clean Air Regulations And Tesla Motors, John B. Wills

Master's Projects

No abstract provided.