Digital Commons Network^™

Web-Based Cognitive Behavioral Intervention For Older Adult With Arthritis Fatigue; A Feasibility And Acceptability Study, Jeungok Choi, Miaomiao Shen, Rae Walker

Sigma Foundation for Nursing Research Grant Reports

The purpose of this project is to develop a web-based cognitive behavioral intervention (Web-CBI) and to test feasibility and acceptability of Web-CBI for older adults with arthritis fatigue.

Nurses' Experiences In Assessing Decision-Making Capacity Of Older Patients, Peggy N. Flannigan

Dissertations

A qualitative study was undertaken to explore and describe nurses' experiences in assessing decision-making capacity of patients over age 65 years. Their experiences with surrogate decision-makers were also described including specific health care decisions for which surrogate decision-makers were sought.

Testing And Refining An Integrated Ethically-Driven Environmental Model Of Clinical Decision-Making In Emergency Settings, Lisa Adams Wolf

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was to explore the relationship between multiple variables within a model of critical thinking and moral reasoning that support and refine the elements that significantly correlate with accuracy and clinical decision-making.

Increasing Testicular Self-Examination Practices In Male College Students, Christopher Mccoy

Dissertations

A significant number of males attending colleges and universities in the United States have limited or no current knowledge of testicular cancer and screening practices (Tosun, Gul, & Arikan, 2020).

Lack of knowledge of testicular cancer and practice of testicular self-examinations.

The evidence-based health promotion project aimed to increase testicular self-examination practices in male college students and increase their knowledge of testicular cancer.

Implementation Of A Validated Health Literacy Tool With Teach-Back Education In A Super Utilizer Patient Population, Maribeth Lebreton

Dissertations

As health care costs continue to rise in the United States, there are associated concerns over use of services and where the utilization is occurring. Consumption of large amounts of health care resources has been attributed to a specific patient population, called the Super Utilizer patient population. An evidenced-based practice improvement project was developed and implemented in Lancaster County, called Care Connections. The purpose of the practice improvement project was to design, implement and evaluate health literacy and teach-back education in a Super Utilizer patient population.

Improving Screening And Referral For Hereditary Cancers In New Breast Cancer Patients, Lisa J. Henczel

Dissertations

Breast cancer is a commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Early recognition and identification of those at risk for germline mutations have been difficult at the project site due to patients' lack of knowledge of their family cancer history, which is critical to improving access to the hereditary cancer program. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental quality improvement project was to determine if the implementation of Kiran et al.'s family cancer history nursing telephone prompt impacted screening and referral rates to the provincial hereditary cancer program among adult patients recently diagnosed with breast cancer at an urban outpatient cancer clinic located …

A Phenomenological Study Of The Shared Governance Experience For Nurses Working In The Pharmaceutical Industry, Adele Mueller

Dissertations

Healthcare has evolved over the past 30 years in response to exciting and tumultuous changes. Challenges encompassed innovative strategies to improve patient safety outcomes while facilitating a shared governance platform that resulted in best practice, enhanced job satisfaction, and improved patient outcomes. Nurses comprise the largest and fastest growing segment of healthcare occupations. A significant number of nurses have successfully transitioned into roles within the pharmaceutical industry to protect vulnerable patients. As a core value of nursing practice, the existence of shared governance or the change in the experience for nurses who had made this transition affects the nursing profession …

Factors Influencing The Development Of Advanced Practice Nursing In Singapore, Madrean M. Schober

Dissertations

The development of advanced practice nursing (APN) roles has become a worldwide trend as healthcare planners explore innovative options for the provision of healthcare services. The integration of these new nursing roles presents a dynamic change for healthcare professionals and the systems in which they practice. Suitable policies should ideally support the inclusion of APN roles and their practice potential, however, a review of the literature found no evidence that demonstrated relevant policymaking, these policy processes and subsequent implementation of the intent of policy. The aim of the research was to investigate APN policy development from the beginning periods of …

Key Strategies For Preparing Your Students For The Next Gen Nclex®, Rhonda Lawes

Nursing Faculty Prep Webinars (Sigma and Lecturio)

As a nursing faculty member, you already know about the new NGN question formats. However, would you like to learn how to teach your students key strategies to help them succeed on these new types of questions? Let a veteran NCLEX® educator show you how you can best prepare your students for encountering case studies, bow-ties, and trend items. We are excited to invite you to an interactive and practical session that will equip you to prepare your students to face the NGN.

Factors Associated With Newly Graduated Nurses' Intent To Leave Current Position In U.S. Acute Care Hospitals: A Descriptive Research Study Using Secondary Data Analysis, Mary N. Meyer

Dissertations

This study aimed to identify the individual, unit-based, and hospital-based characteristics correlated with new nurse intent to leave their current positions (ITLcp) in U.S. acute care hospitals.

Integrating Unfolding Case Studies And Lab Curriculum, Liza Willis

Next Generation NCLEX Webinars (Sigma and OADN)

This presentation will describe the authors squo; transition from static to unfolding multi-patient case studies that incorporate the knowledge students gain from theory courses and integrate it into their application-based lab curriculum.

The Efficacy Of An Antenatal Probiotic Intervention To Reduce Residual Group B Streptococcus, Emily M. Malloy

Dissertations

Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a leading cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. The current prevention strategy involves universal antenatal screening for GBS and IV intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) for those who test positive. Despite this approach, up to 80% of cases of early onset GBS neonatal disease are in infants born to birth givers who screened negative for GBS, which can be described as residual GBS.

Probiotics are a primary prevention strategy for antenatal GBS. This was a substudy of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Participants in the parent study were randomized to probiotics verses placebo and the major …

The Influence Of Contextual Characteristics, Individual Characteristics, And Health Behaviors On Patient Satisfaction For African American Men Treated For Prostate Cancer In North Carolina, Angelo D. Moore

Dissertations

Patient satisfaction is an outcome of health services utilization; however, health services utilization can be predicated by contextual characteristics, individual characteristics, and health behaviors (Andersen, 2008). Since prostate cancer is one of the medical conditions that disproportionately affects the mortality of African American men (AAM) in North Carolina, it is imperative to evaluate the factors or combination of factors that influence patient satisfaction for AAM diagnosed and treated for prostate cancer.

A modified version of Andersen's Behavioral Model for Health Services Use was used to guide this study (Andersen, 2008). The model has four broad domains: contextual characteristics, individual characteristics, …

Facilitators And Barriers To Evidence-Based Cancer Pain Management, Linda H. Eaton

Dissertations

Evidence-based pain management (EBPM) is essential in relieving cancer pain. This dissertation explores nurse-level and organization-level factors for adopting, implementing, and sustaining EBPM practices. A descriptive cross-sectional mixed methods design involving two inpatient oncology units was used for this study.

Implementation Of Established Guidelines To Determine The Correlation Of Antipsychotic Use And Fall Rate Occurrence Amongst Inpatient Long-Term Care Residents, Cynthia L. Hardy

Dissertations

The use of psychotropic medications may impact fall rates among senior adults. Despite evidence-based approaches to minimize psychotropic medications use, the project site had a gap in implementing one leading to high fall rates. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental quality improvement project was to determine if the implementation of the Center for Assisted Living Guidelines for Reducing the Use of Antipsychotic Medications in Nursing Homes would impact fall rates when compared to current practice among geriatric patients in a long-term care facility in rural New Mexico over four weeks. Neuman's Systems Model provided the theoretical underpinnings for this project.

Reducing Polypharmacy By Improving The Geriatric Evaluation By Utilizing The Virtual Video Connect, Adolphus Bailey Jr., Gina Kelly-Vasquez

DNP and Student Works

The issue of polypharmacy in the geriatric population requires continual monitoring to reduce adverse patient outcomes, such as falls, drug interactions, and mortality. Over the years, several resources have been used to help to mitigate potential polypharmacy by healthcare professionals. Unfortunately, many healthcare providers don't know how to use these lists, or patients' health conditions predicate prescribing potentially inappropriate medications. Employing telehealth technologies that are mainly designed to assess geriatric syndromes of older adults can improve veterans' access to care and coordination and enhance the quality of life. The presented PICOT question is: In geriatric veterans (P), what is the …

Emergency Obstetric Simulation Drills As A Strategy To Execute A Multidisciplinary Protocol With Emphasis On Safety Culture Evaluation, Team Synergy And Team Competency: A Dnp Project, Malinda Forsythe Carmouche

Dissertations

The aim of this Doctor of Nursing Practice Project was to implement emergency obstetric simulation to defend against patient safety risk linked to healthcare professional team dynamics in the care of obstetric patients as recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), The Joint Commission (TJC) and the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses Initiative (QSEN). Team training is evidenced to reduce the mismanagement of emergency obstetric events by coaching providers in delivery of safe, effective and coordinated care during crises. The setting for this project was a hospital specializing in care of women and newborns. Hospitals, as the employers of …

Blueprints For Well-Being Modeling The Way Through Human-Centered Leadership And Pathway To Excellence, Lucy Leclerc, Christine Pabico

Group: American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC)

As the ground in healthcare continues to shift beneath our feet, we can now confidently describe the world we live in as peripandemic. Not quite pandemic and not quite postpandemic. Assuredly, the ship of hope that we'd return to a "normal" prepandemic state has sailed. Persistent workforce turbulence alongside persistent high-acuity and high-volume patients has created what one nurse leader describes as "the eye of the hurricane that never moves on."

Linking Midwifery Practice To Outcomes: A Delphi Study, Holly P. Kennedy

Dissertations

How is excellence in the profession of midwifery defined? Does excellence result in improved outcomes for the recipient(s) of midwifery care. These are the questions that the profession of midwifery grapples with today within the context of a changing health care arena. The purpose of this research was to (a) describe exemplary midwifery practice, (b) link specific aspects of the process of exemplary practice to specific outcomes, and (c) initiate the development of an exemplary midwifery model of care.

Cognitive Dysfunction In Older Breast Cancer Survivors, Adele Crouch

Dissertations

Up to 75% of the more than 3.5 million breast cancer survivors (BCS) living in the United States report cognitive dysfunction. However, little is known about cognitive dysfunction among older BCS, who may be at greater risk. Therefore, the purpose of this dissertation was to characterize cognitive dysfunction in older BCS. Specific aims included:

(1) synthesize the literature regarding cognitive dysfunction in older BCS

(2) examine the relationships between a) objective cognitive function (immediate memory, delayed memory, attention, executive function-working memory, verbal fluency) and subjective cognitive function (attention); b) demographic factors, medical factors, treatment factors, and cancer-related symptoms (depressive symptoms, …

Refining The Earr Tool In Pediatric Oncology, Ginny Schulz, Susan Hayashi, Mohrmann Caroline

General Submissions: Presentations (Oral and Poster)

The purposes of this study were to ensure the Pediatric Oncology Education on Audiogram Results and Recommendations (EARR) Tool is feasible and acceptable to parents, audiologists, and oncology providers and to describe the health literacy and self-efficacy of parents who are accepting of the EARR Tool.

Dimensions Of Quality Of Care: African-Americans' Perspectives, Marie N. Fongwa

Dissertations

In this descriptive study, data related to African Americans' dimensions of quality of care in the San Francisco Bay Area of Northern California were collected using focus group and a Modified Delphi approach. In-depth focus group interviews explored and described participants' (a) level of quality of care knowledge, (b) perceptions, feelings/opinions about available health care services, (c) satisfaction with available health services, and (d) perspectives on how such services can better serve their health care needs. The Delphi technique was used to validate and achieve consensus on the focus group information. Seven focus groups were conducted (N = 35). Twenty-two …

Effectiveness Of A Nurse Leader Mentorship And Support In The Acute Care Setting: A Program Evaluation, Kymberlee Shutts

Dissertations

A solution to rising nurse leader attrition may include focused mentorship into the role. A health system in Northeast Florida developed a nurse leader mentorship program for nurses who were new to the leader role or new to the organization during the coronavirus disease of 2019 pandemic. This nurse leader mentor program was designed to help new nurse leaders feel more comfortable in the role and create a relationship with a mentor. In the program, a full-time Nurse Mentor was assigned to meet with new nurse leaders periodically over the first year in their role. The nurse mentor program aimed …

By The Grace Of God: The Lived Experience Of Mothering An Infant While Recovering From Chemical Dependency, Kathy R. Higgins

Dissertations

What is it like to mother an infant while recovering from chemical dependency? That question is answered by this research into one of our country's major public health issues. Research and literature related to drug use by women is generally lacking. Both members of the mother-baby dyad begin their relationship in a vulnerable state and are at great risk for problems. The predominant qualitative method used by nurse researchers has been grounded theory. This method results in describing a process; however, understanding the process and its meaning to those who live it every day is required to better deal with …

Improving Outcomes Through Patient Empowerment At Transition Of Care: A Fall Prevention Program For Stroke Survivors, Tiffany M. Hoke

Dissertations

Stroke survivors fall 7 times more annually than same-aged healthy adults; and most fall within the first 2 to 6 months post stroke after transition of care home from the acute setting. These falls cause hip fractures and other bodily injury, further compounding post-stroke mobility, fear of falling, social isolation, and social dependence while collectively yielding poorer outcomes at greater financial burden.

To date, no fall prevention program has targeted stroke survivors as they prepare for transition of care home from the acute setting.

The purpose of this practice inquiry is to develop an evidence-based fall prevention program aimed at …

Educational Intervention To Mitigate The Effects Of Bullying In The Student Nurse Population, Dawna E. Rutherford

Dissertations

Bullying behaviors are an unfortunate part of the nursing profession. Prominent organizations condemn behavior such as bullying, because of potential harm it could have upon nurses and healthcare. Researchers established the potential detriment of bullying to nurses and have investigated prevention interventions yet limited information regarding interventions for the student nurse population exists. Though complete eradication of bullying from the nursing profession is unlikely, nursing students need to have the appropriate skills to mitigate bullying behaviors.

The goals of the study were to: (1) analyze the state of the science regarding bullying interventions in the nursing profession, (2) evaluate the …

Individual Perceptions Related To Fall Risk Among Older Adults In Acute Care Setting In A Saudi Arabian Hospital, Zuhar S. Altaymani

Dissertations

Despite a plethora of research examining fall risk, including numerous fall prevention strategies, falls remain the most common adverse event among the elderly. Frail older adults are at higher risk for falls. With the increase in the geriatric population and their risk for frailty, it is imperative to address the limitations of both diagnosis and treatment of frailty, and the concurrent fall risk for older adults in Saudi Arabia by examining self-perception of fall risk. In older Saudi Arabian adults, falls are a serious health issue affecting up to 49.9% of elderly people, often resulting in fractures, traumatic brain, and …

Capturing The Advanced Practice Nursing Voice For Implementation Of Preventive Services, Eva A. Meyers

Dissertations

The United States of America, as the richest nation in the world, must determine how to allocate more resources toward health promotion, prevention, and the public health of its citizens. This exploratory study investigates the phenomenon of the advanced practice nurse as healthcare clinician for improved implementation of clinical and community preventive services. Multiple case study is the qualitative method used to examine the voice of nurse practitioners in three practice settings, and to hear the national perspective from six nurse members of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. A nursing—health services research (N-HSR) paradigm became the foundation for a …

Objective Physical Activity And Sleep Characteristics Measurements Using A Triaxial Accelerometer In Eight Year Olds, Susan A. Harrington

Dissertations

Secular trends demonstrate that young children are less active and sleep less. Inequity in an individual's energy balance is known to have poor health outcomes. Academic achievement, academic behavior, and weight status are proxy indicators for health and psychosocial outcomes in this study. Current guidelines in place for sleep and physical activity in childhood are the result of data collected in the form of self-reports. Quantification and qualification of physical activity dimensions and sleep characteristics are essential not only for the purpose of clearly establishing parameters but also for the intent of verifying optimal health outcomes and evaluating interventions related …

Predictors And Correlates Of Fatigue In People Living With Hiv/Aids, Joachim G. Voss

Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to: describe the intensity of fatigue by selected person, environment, and health/illness variables in (n = 372) men and women with HIV/AIDS; to explore the potential confounding effects between fatigue and depression; and to test the UCSF Symptom Management Model (UCSF-SMM) through identifying predictors and correlates of fatigue related to physical and mental health. This study was a secondary data analysis based upon a previous descriptive survey.