Digital Commons Network^™

Healthcare Needs And Factors Related To Non-Use/Underutilization Of Veterans Healthcare Administration (Vha) Health Services Entitlements By Post 9/11 Women Veterans, Teresa A. Parsons

Dissertations

Women are the fastest growing population in the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), but only in recent history. U.S. military shift to an All-Volunteer Force (AVF) in 1973 resulted in a dramatic spike in women serving in the military. During the transition from active military to Veteran status, Veterans are eligible to apply to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) for benefits, including healthcare. In 2020, the VA estimated that over two million Women Veterans (WV) were living. The VA estimates the percentage of WV will rise to over 18% of all Veterans by 2046. In a report to Congress …

It Is What It Is...Enduring The Never-Ending: The Lived Experiences Of Parenting Adult Children With Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities, Siri Gurunam Kaur Khalsa

Dissertations

The parental home is the predominant place of residence for adults with developmental disabilities/ intellectual disabilities (DD/ID) (Heller et al., 2007). More than 75% of the adult population with DD/ID, living in the US, continue to have their basic needs provided by parents (Williamson & Perkins, 2014). This is based on the estimated statistic of 1.0 to 1.58% of the entire U.S. adult population has a developmental disability (Anderson et al., 2019; Fox et al., 2015). About 2.9 million adults with DD/ID live with a parent 55 years (Byun et al, 2006), with more than 25% of these parents older …

The Lived Experience Of Older Nepalese Women With Urinary Incontinence, Somi Panday

Dissertations

Urinary incontinence (UI) poses a significant challenge for women across different cultures, as their diverse perceptions of UI impact their decision-making and choices, which are influenced by personal beliefs and preferences. Although research on women's experiences with urinary incontinence has shown substantial progress, encompassing various cultural contexts, more studies are still needed to examine cultural factors and employ the framework of transcultural nursing theory. Additionally, limited research has explored the experiences of older women with urinary incontinence in Nepal. This descriptive phenomenological study aims to explore the lived experience of older Nepalese women dealing with urinary incontinence. By applying the …

Feasibility Of A Telehealth-Delivered Breathing Intervention For Patients With Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Aubree Carlson

Dissertations

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a debilitating chronic lung disease that affects approximately 100,000 individuals in the United States (US), with 30,000 to 40,000 new cases diagnosed each year. Dyspnea is experienced by 90% of patients with IPF and is correlated with reduced quality of life, anxiety, depression, and decreased survival time in this patient population. Breathing management techniques such as pursed lip and diaphragmatic breathing can reduce perceived dyspnea, however this symptom management strategy is not readily taught to patients outside of inpatient hospital settings and pulmonary rehabilitation programs, the latter of which only being accessed by 3% of …

The Nursing Process And Allegations Of Malpractice Against Perinatal Registered Nurses In Florida, Genifer Jones Johnson

Dissertations

The nursing process as a foundation of professional nursing practice organizes care around the components of assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation as required for professional registered nurses by the Florida Nurse Practice Act. Nurses who fail to comply with the Nurse Practice Act risk poor outcomes for their clients, disciplinary action from the State regulatory body, and legal action from the clients. This study was an examination of litigation claims against professional registered nurses in Florida who practice perinatal nursing seeking to identify and categorize allegations of negligence within the components of the nursing process. The expectation of this …

The Magnet Journey: Understanding The Role Of Unit Culture In Evidence-Based Practice Adoption, Kim Schippits

Dissertations

The purpose of this exploratory study was to identify salient cognitive beliefs and cultural assumptions that affect the emergence and maintenance of evidence-based practice (EBP) in the hospital setting.

Stroke Survivors' And Informal Caregivers' Perceptions Of Depressive Symptoms After Stroke: A Mixed-Methods Sequential Explanatory Study, Tanya L. Breckenridge-Trotter

Dissertations

Poststroke depression (PSD) is a frequently occurring complication of stroke that affects up to 30% of all stroke survivors in the first 24 months after stroke. PSD has been correlated with increases in hospital length of stay and hospital costs, increased physical morbidity and mortality, the risk for recurrent stroke at one year, decreased functional outcome, decreased cognitive function, and decreased quality of life post stroke. Estimates are >50% stroke survivors with depressive symptoms are left untreated due to lack of recognition. Moreover, depression in family caregivers of stroke survivors may negatively influence stroke recovery and stroke survivor quality of …

Lived Experiences Of Clinical Research Nurses: Competence And Expectations, Janine A. Kampelman

Dissertations

Currently, no specific nurse-credentialing certification exists in clinical research leading nurses to avoid certification or to obtain a certification below their current role and educational scope of practice. Although essential to the field, the clinical research nurse (CRN) is practicing with informal educational training and without formal scopes or standards of practice guiding her or his work in a clinical research setting. Knowing how clinical research nurses learn to perform clinical research practices will help identify experiences which enhance professional development leading to competence. Conceivably, learning experiences from this study can be used to formalize education for clinical research nurses …

The Perceived Level Of Self-Efficacy Of Direct Care Staff Who Complete Person-Centered Care Dementia Training In Long-Term Care Setting, Tammy B. Retalic

Dissertations

Education that enables direct care workers to provide person-centered care approaches to older adults with dementia is necessary to optimize quality of life and reduce unnecessary antipsychotic medication use in long-term care settings. A quasi-experimental repeated measure project design evaluated the effectiveness of a dementia training program (one of several interventions implemented to reduce antipsychotic medication rates) by measuring the perceived level of self-efficacy before the training, immediately after the training and four to six weeks after completing the training.

Exploring Nurse Faculty Decisions Related To Virtual Simulation During A Global Pandemic: A Quantitative Descriptive Study, Karen Braccialarghe

Dissertations

This research evaluates academic nurse faculty' decisions while implementing virtual simulation as a teaching method before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Secondary purposes of this study were to explore nurse faculty perceptions of the effectiveness of virtual simulation, the barriers and challenges faced while implementing virtual simulation, and perceived effectiveness of student learning outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic while utilizing virtual simulation. A survey, the Virtual Simulation Implementation Evaluation Tool (Braccialarghe, 2021) was developed by the researcher to answer the research questions. The tool was sent to nine simulation experts to rate content validity.

A convenience sample of nurse faculty …

Why We Work: Exploring The Relationships Between Work Rewards, Burnout, And Intention To Leave For Professional Nurses, Jacqueline Christianson

Dissertations

Nurse burnout leads to attrition from hospital nursing positions and the nursing profession prior to typical retirement age. Yet some nurses choose to stay despite burnout. Previous research indicates that nurses stay due to the rewards they receive from work but the relationships between different types of work rewards, work-related burnout, and intention to leave are poorly described. The ability to implement or execute altruistic behaviors may also represent an under-recognized work reward. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between work rewards, work-related burnout, and intention to leave nursing positions and the nursing profession and …

Effect Of An Rn-Facilitated Post Discharge Phone Call Hf Self-Management Strategy, Vivia O. Haye

Dissertations

Heart Failure (HF) is associated with substantial financial challenges resulting in exorbitant yearly costs, and frequent readmits to the emergency department. Post-discharge HF self-management is crucial to improve client outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental, project was to examine whether the implementation of an RN-facilitated post-discharge phone call that focused on HF self-management strategies reduced return emergency department (ED) visits within 72 hours in an urban South Florida hospital. Orem's self-care theory and the Meleis transition model were used for their success in managing chronic illnesses such as HF. Both examined if an RN facilitated post-discharge telephone call that …

The Relationship Between Self Reflection And Clinical Decision Making Skills In Undergraduate Nursing Students Enrolled In A Health Assessment Course, Joan Richards

Dissertations

Nurses' decision-making abilities and clinical judgment skills impact their patients' lives and are critical to their survival rates. Although new nurse graduates are expected to have these skills, they do not enter into their new practice with this ability. (Hart et al, 2013; Thompson, Aitken, Doran & Dowding, 2013; Bussard, 2014; Benner, Sutphen, Leonard, & Day, 2009). Reflective journaling is a teaching strategy identified to help students develop clinical judgment and decision-making skills and its practice have been associated with improved clinical decision making. (Lasater & Nielsen, 2009, Tanner, 2006; Wainwright et al, 2010; Goethals, deCasterle & Gastmans, 2012; Lavoie, …

Predicting Nurse Faculty Intent To Stay: A Quantitative Study Of Contributing Factors And Their Influence, Erica Frost

Dissertations

The United States faces a shortage of nursing faculty members, impacting the nation's ability to meet the demand for more nurses in the workforce. The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predicted nurse faculty members' intent to stay in academe. Dozens of factors were identified in the literature and grouped using Herzberg's (1966) motivation-hygiene theory of job satisfaction. An online questionnaire was administered to 402 full-time prelicensure baccalaureate nursing faculty in the United States. The survey measured personal, job, and organizational factors including demographics, emotional intelligence, resilience, educational preparation, self-efficacy, mentoring and orientation, interpersonal relationships, and satisfaction …

A Longitudinal Perspective Of Professional Quality Of Life And Intention To Stay Among Perinatal Registered Nurses During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Stacey E. Iobst

Sigma Foundation for Nursing Research Grant Reports

The purpose of this study is to examine the professional quality of life and intention to stay in the current job and nursing profession among perinatal nurses since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Long Term Care Home Residents' Experiences With Socially Assistive Technologies And The Effectiveness Of These Technologies: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review Protocol, Marilyn Macdonald

Sigma Foundation for Nursing Research Grant Reports

To document the experiences of LTC residents with the use of socially assistive technologies and the effectiveness of these technologies in decreasing depression, loneliness, and social isolation in LTC settings.

Predictors And Mediators Of Postpartum Depression (Ppd) And Experiences Of Accessing Mental Health Treatment For Ppd Among Syrian Refugee Women Settling In Turkey: A Mixed Methods Study, Taghreed Salameh

Sigma Foundation for Nursing Research Grant Reports

The purposes of this study of female Syrian refugees are to: (a) identify subtypes of PPD, (b) examine predictors and mediators of PPD, and (c) describe the experiences of mothers with PPD symptoms in accessing mental health treatment for PPD.

Exploring Sub-Cultural Adolescent Population Experiences Of Opioids [Escape Opioids], Rebecca Bates

Sigma Foundation for Nursing Research Grant Reports

The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences and under-researched core cultural characteristics (e.g., cultural values, norms, beliefs, attitudes) that may lead to opioid misuse among adolescents living in a high opioid-overdose environment.

Implementation Science And Nursing: Where Are We Now?, Claudia K. Y. Lai, Jun-Ah Song

General Webinars

This online seminar introduces the state of our knowledge on implementation science in relation to nursing. A brief introduction to the basic framework, key elements, and misconceptions in implementation science, illustrated with examples, will be presented.

Learning Outcomes:

- Articulate the state of knowledge in implementation science in relation to nursing

- Discuss the key elements of implementation science as well as some of its misconceptions

- Identify at least two available resources for continual learning on the subject and related funding opportunities

Climate Justice Perspectives And Strategies Implemented By Public Health Nurses And Their Community Partners, Jessica Leclair

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to understand PHN perceptions, strategies, and experiences with environmental and climate justice in the United States. In the first published study, a scoping review, I examined strategic actions nurses take to promote environmental justice through research, education, advocacy, and practice reported in peer-reviewed literature.

Stress, The Superwoman Schema And Cardiovascular Wellbeing Among Rural And Medically Underserved African American Women, Amnazo Muhirwa

Sigma Foundation for Nursing Research Grant Reports

This research aimed to enhance understanding of stress and cardiovascular health within rural, medically underserved African American women. It investigated their cardiovascular health status, explored their viewpoints on cardiovascular well-being, delved into their stress experiences considering their multifaceted identities, and evaluated the applicability of the Superwoman Schema framework in comprehending stress and coping patterns within this group.

Bipoc Students' Experiences With Social Justice Content In The Classroom, Oluwatoyin Olukotun, Adeline Paguirigan, Erica Bailey

Sigma Foundation for Nursing Research Grant Reports

The purpose of this study was to understand the experiences of Black, Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) students who engage with anti-racist and social justice content in their classrooms. A secondary aim was to center the voices of BIPOC students in the development of recommendations on culturally safe strategies for delivering anti-racist/social justice content in the classroom.

Climate Justice Perspectives And Strategies Implemented By Public Health Nurses And Their Community Partners, Jessica Leclair

Sigma Foundation for Nursing Research Grant Reports

The purpose of this study was to begin to examine effective public health practices that advance climate justice and population health by describing how PHNs and their community partners conceptualize climate justice, and how their visions and experiences can inform the partnership strategies and processes they utilize to advance climate justice.

Effectiveness Of Psychoeducational Intervention Among Patients With Advanced Cancer, Nurul Huda

Sigma Foundation for Nursing Research Grant Reports

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention (PEI) on psychological distress, anxiety, depression, coping, fatigue, and quality of life. We hypothesized that the psycho-educational intervention would: 1) decrease psychological distress, stress, anxiety, depression, and fatigue among advanced cancer patients; and 2) improve quality of life.

A Correlational Study Of Work Environment Factors And Organizational Commitment In Southern California Staff Nurses, Rosemary Haggins

Dissertations

The main purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to examine the association between work environment factors and organizational commitment in staff nurses working in southern California hospitals. Data were generated from 136 of the 205 (66%) purposely selected nurses attending a Sigma Theta Tau research conference.

Implementing Rowley's Aseptic Technique On Wound Care In A Home Health Setting, Kelechi E. Ogu

Dissertations

Pathogen contamination is a risk factor for patients with wounds in home-based care. At the project site, there was no current evidence-based wound care guidelines for the nurses to use during wound care. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental quality improvement project was to determine to what degree the implementation of Rowley's aseptic non-touch technique (ANTT) would impact wound healing when compared to the current practice among adult patients in a home health facility in urban Texas over four weeks. Jean Watson's health promotion theory and Prochaska's trans-theoretical model were utilized to guide this project. Data on wounds was retrieved …

Recognizing Burden In Unpaid Caregivers Of Patients With End Stage Renal Disease, Joanne Affinito

Dissertations

Aims and objectives. To analyze if an association exists in unpaid caregivers positive aspect of caregiving and self-assessed level of health have on their perceived degree of burden when caring for end stage renal disease patients.

Background. The literature has recognized caregiver burden as having negative consequences such as depression, anxiety or poor perceived health. Many caregivers are unprepared to take on their new role. There is limited research on the positive aspects experienced by caregiving and their perception of self-assessed health.

Method. A sample of 89 caregivers responded to an online survey distributed by The National Kidney Foundation using …

Experiences And Perceptions Of Rural Postpartum Women With Substance Use Disorders Inclusive Of Opioids Regarding Their Care, Debra L. Kramlich

Dissertations

Perinatal opioid use and neonatal withdrawal continue to rise rapidly in the face of the growing epidemic of opioid addiction in the United States, with rural areas more severely impacted. Despite several decades of research and development of practice guidelines, maternal and neonatal outcomes have not improved substantially. This focused ethnography aimed to address that gap by exploring rural women's experiences and perceptions of care to inform development of efficacious, holistic models of care to improve outcomes for these women and their children. Participant observations, oral accounts and formal interviews, and artifact review (i.e., health records, any print and electronic …

Trust In The Nurse And Perceived Quality Nursing Care By Adult Oncology Patients With Implantable Vascular Access Port Devices: A Mixed Methods Study, Lois Rajcan

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to obtain an understanding of nurse behaviors that promote trust and quality nursing care as perceived by oncology patients with totally implantable vascular access devices (TIVAD).

Exploring Relationships Between Practicing Registered Nurses (Rns) Pharmacology Knowledge And Medication Errors, Coleen Kumar

Dissertations

Medication errors result in significant negative patient outcomes and major costs to the health care system. Registered nurses (RNs) assume a major role in the medication administration process demanding high-level knowledge and skills.

This study aimed to determine if there was a relationship between practicing RNs' pharmacology knowledge and medication error occurrence.