Digital Commons Network^™

Increasing Confidence And Self-Efficacy In Council Leaders In A Multi-Site Healthcare System, Kambree Baxter, Shelby Do

Biennial Convention (CONV)

This EBP project aimed to provide SDM council leaders (CL) across a 27-site healthcare system, including 7 Magnet and 10 Pathway facilities, with resources to build leadership confidence via a virtual workshop. The goal was to improve CL’s self-efficacy, staff engagement, and nurse satisfaction.

A gap was identified in resources to support shared decision making (SDM) CLs during their elected term. Feedback showed CLs lacked knowledge and self-efficacy to lead effectively. Higher self-efficacy predicts leadership success. To improve CLs' confidence and staff engagement, a workshop was developed to support leadership skills, including meeting management, technology, curated role education, open discussion, …

Improving Safe Practices For Firearm Storage In A Pediatric Primary Care Setting, Lisa Callahan, Clark Callahan

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Firearm injury contributed to 15,706 pediatric deaths in 2019 (Xu et al., 2021). The number of children injured in these accidents exceeded motor vehicle collisions for the first time in 2019 (Andrews et al., 2022). While such events are preventable, gun violence is the leading cause of death in children under 19 years of age (Andrews et al., 2022). Thus, there is an urgent need to stop this source of pediatric morbidity and mortality.

Objectives: The aim of this DNP project was to evaluate whether providing a trigger lock safety device with firearm storage training using the Health Promotion …

A Strategic Leadership Approach To Build An Innovative Culture Through Ebp, Qi, And Research, Angela G. Bennett, Emily Calabro

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Healthcare organizations face mounting pressure to improve patient outcomes while reducing costs in a rapidly changing environment. Strong leadership is essential to foster a culture of inquiry and innovation that drives evidence-based practice (EBP), quality improvement (QI), and research. However, barriers such as resource limitations, risk aversion among managers, and a lack of clear frameworks for frontline staff can impede these efforts. This initiative addressed these challenges by empowering nurses at all levels to engage in scholarly activity and lead improvement efforts.

Methods: A team of three nurse leaders within a 12-hospital system developed a comprehensive program including …

Assessment Of Cultural Competence Of Nursing Faculty, Nitha Mathew Joseph, Rebecca L. Tsusaki, D’Hania L. Miller, Doncy Joji Eapen, Marie Mcbee, Mary Ellen Trail Ross, Olivia Fitch, Riza V. Mauricio, Sara Lewandowski, Melanie Mcewen

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: Nurses’ cultural competence is vital in improving patients’ experiences and reducing health disparities. Cultural competence should be integrated into nursing curricula to prepare nursing students to deliver culturally competent care. Unfortunately, not all nursing educational practices are culturally competent. Institutions and agencies for advancing nursing education have acknowledged the importance of cultural competence in nursing education. Few studies have critically examined nurse faculty readiness and preparation in cultural competence in the United States. Therefore, we aimed to assess cultural competence among nurse faculty at a large nursing school in the Southwestern United States.

Methods: Using convenience sampling, a cross-sectional, …

Exploring The Impact Of Caring For Patients Diagnosed With Iv Drug Use Endocarditis At End Of Life, Kendrea Lea Todt

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Purpose/Problem Statement: Caring for patients with substance use disorder is a challenge for nurses, especially patients who use intravenous (IV) drugs and contract endocarditis. Infective endocarditis is a cardiac infection with a high mortality rate, and yet this disease receives little attention in the media or research. IVDU-IE has been referred to as the Cinderella of Cardiology. Nurses disposition young patients in the prime of their lives to hospice care, funeral homes, morgues, or home to die. The purpose of this modified photo elicitation phenomenological study was to explore the impact of caring for patients diagnosed with IVDU-IE at the …

Nurse Leader Job Satisfaction And Impact On Retention In The Us: A Secondary Data Analysis, Marguerite Rowell, Linda Ann Briggs

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Nursing leaders play a vital role in ensuring high-quality patient care and maintaining organizational stability. However, their job satisfaction and retention rates are often less studied than those of staff nurses. High turnover among nurse leaders disrupts care delivery, increases operational costs, and negatively impacts patient outcomes. This study, grounded in Herzberg's Motivation-Hygiene Theory, explores how motivators (recognition, professional growth) and hygiene factors (salary, working conditions) influence job satisfaction and retention.

Utilizing secondary data from the 2022 HRSA National Sample Survey of Registered Nurses (NSSRN), this research addresses gaps in understanding the factors that enhance satisfaction and retention among nurse …

Tapering Opioids In Older Adults With Chronic Pain, Carolyn D. Concia

Biennial Convention (CONV)

As the older adult population increases, so does the prevalence of conditions associated with chronic pain (Tinnirello et al., 2021). Chronic pain, defined as lasting longer than three months, affects approximately 20.8% (50.2 million) of adults (Nahin et al., 2023; Yong et al., 2022; Zelaya, 2020), of whom almost 20.5 million are age 65 and over (Rickard et al., 2023). Pain is the leading cause of disability, costing up to $635 billion annually (Turk et al., 2022; Institute of Medicine, 2011). Chronic pain in older adults causes significant suffering (Dahlhamer et al., 2016), social isolation (Tsang et al., 2008), increased …

Global Advocacy Academy: Preparing Nurses For Engagement At The United Nations And Beyond, Aric Michael Shimek, Janice Evans Hawkins, Sarah E. Gray

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: As global citizens and informed healthcare leaders, nurses are key to addressing global health challenges and are uniquely positioned to advocate for vulnerable populations worldwide. This presentation shares a successful model for preparing nurses with advocacy skills to improve global health outcomes by fostering collaboration among healthcare stakeholders.

Methods: The six-week virtual academy, led by former Liaisons to the United Nations (UN), is designed to equip nurses with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to contribute to good health and well-being for all through global advocacy efforts. Participants gain insights into nursing organization consultative status with the UN, their own …

Use Of A Group Art Project To Promote Reflection, Connection And Retention In An Rn-To-Bsn Course, Sonya Lynn Kowalski, Elaine Webber, Jaime Sinutko

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to assess the impact of a group art project on student perceptions of community formation and commitment to program completion within a Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-to-BSN) hybrid cohort.

Background: Researchers have found that an increase in bachelor’s prepared nurses can have a positive impact on the quality and safety of patient care and improve outcomes¹. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) recommends a seamless transition for associate degree nurses to obtain a BSN degree² . However, for 4 years in a row the …

Critically Thinking Through A Multiple-Patient Simulation: Applying Real World Principles, Danielle E. Ely, Becky Fights, Allison Johnson, Rachelle Fuller, Karrie Osborne, Jane Milleman, Pamela K. Brelage

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background Simulating multiple-patient care scenarios enables nursing students to put prioritization and time-management into practice prior to working as registered nurses in the healthcare environment. This project aimed to implement and evaluate a multi-patient simulation.

Method Senior nursing students enrolled in leadership and management experience a multi-patient simulation in which learners are assigned various roles to support four diverse patients. Students exercise autonomy in problem solving as the patient situations unfold around them. Students navigate admissions, transfers, discharges, patient noncompliance, medical complications, and complex family dynamics. After participation, students completed an evaluation of the experience.

Results After approval from the …

Standardizing Ed Tech Onboarding Through Collaboration To Enhance Competency And Workplace Culture, Stephen Hoefler, Gabriel Mchugh, Vincent Ma, Sydney Faust, Ryan Chan, Daniell Basinillo, Tai Li Harrill, Gabriella Farruggia, Aseem Jain, Daniel Wray, Daniel Zaragoza, Emmanuel Jisrawi, Maria Cheung, Zaina Alzawad

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Purpose: Emergency Department Technicians (ED Techs) are vital to supporting nursing services and optimizing patient care in high-acuity EDs. However, the lack of a standardized onboarding curriculum has led to inconsistent skill acquisition, variable competency levels, and gaps in preparedness among ED Techs. This project seeks to design and implement a structured onboarding curriculum to standardize training, ensure competency, and enhance consistency in practice. Addressing these gaps will improve care quality and promote a collaborative work environment.

Methods: The ED Tech Council conducted an Essential Skills Inventory Survey to identify core competencies for onboarding, inviting ED Techs to list up …

Responding To Violence In Your Community: Developing A Forensic Nursing Training Program, Natalie Calow, Paula Reiss, Barbra Bachmeier, Darienne Kreeger

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Non-fatal violent crimes in the United States have surged since the Covid-19 pandemic. These patients often end up in an emergency department due to their injuries and often preservation of evidence is crucial in adjudicating their criminal case. If a patient dies as a result of a crime, there are forensic pathologist and medical examiners that complete a forensic exam and collect evidence but what if a patient survives the crime? Therefore, there is an increase demand for medicolegal services and a need for forensic care in the hospital setting. Forensic Nurses are specially trained to bridge the gap between …

Intimate Partner Violence And Adverse Birth Outcomes During Covid-19 Pandemic: A Prams Analysis, Doncy Joji Eapen, Krystin Matthews, Lydia Manikonda, Vyoma Soni, Courtney Byrd-Williams

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a serious public health problem that affects millions in the United States. Pregnancy-related violence is a risk factor for adverse maternal and pregnancy outcomes. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented unique challenges for pregnant women. While a growing body of literature has examined the influence of the pandemic on IPV, a few studies have evaluated the effect on those who were pregnant during COVID-19, and its association with adverse birth outcomes. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of IPV during pregnancy before and during the COVID-19 pandemic and compare its association with adverse …

Perceptions And Behaviors Related To Social Determinants Of Health Among Associate Degree Nurses, Jodi L. Sutherland, Jolene Kittle, Deborah Palmer, Samantha R. Lewis

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background/Purpose: Evidence suggests that the social determinants of health (SDOH) impact in-utero infant development, youth development, and adult health across an individual’s lifespan. The purpose of this pilot research study is to examine associate degree nurses’ perceptions, and their behaviors related to SDOH.

Theoretical Framework: Benner’s (2000) novice to expert framework was used to guide the study.

Methods: A cross-sectional study utilized a 20-item online survey titled ‘Perceptions on Social Determinants of Health” as well as demographic items to understand associate degree nurses’ perceptions and behaviors related to SDOH. Institutional Review Board approval was received from the principal investigator’s …

Exploring Diverse Nursing Specialties: A Round-Robin Discussion With Sigma Iota-Phi Nurses, Danielle E. Shaver, Heather L. Briere

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Clinical instruction in nursing programs is essential for developing foundational skills and competencies, yet it cannot encompass the full breadth of specialties within the nursing profession. Given the vast and diverse scope of nursing practice, students may not have the opportunity to explore or engage with all the varied fields in which nurses work. This limitation often leaves students with a narrow understanding of the many career paths available within nursing (Milsom & Coughlin, 2015). Providing mentorship, fostering networking, and exposing students to diverse specialties are crucial to bridging this gap and preparing future nurses for the wide-ranging roles within …

Parental Uncertainty And Information Needs For Children With Developmental Disabilities, Heejung Choi

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Parents of children with developmental disabilities experience persistent and multifaceted uncertainty, starting with the initial recognition of developmental issues and continuing throughout their child’s life (Chao et al., 2018; Sartore et al., 2021; Scherr et al., 2020). Understanding what information can reduce uncertainty is crucial for alleviating stress and improving the well-being of both parents and their children with developmental disabilities (Smythe et al., 2021).

Aim: This qualitative study aimed to address the gap in identifying the most effective information for reducing parental uncertainty across different life stages of such children.

Method: This study employed a qualitative design. In-depth …

Poverty Experience To Address Clinical Outcomes In Community Health, Denise Isibel

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Simulation serves as a valuable augmentation to direct clinical care or practice within healthcare settings. In Community health, students spend time in a variety of agencies experiencing a variety of vulnerable populations. One issue that crosses over these populations is poverty.

The poverty rate in America is 11.1 % (Shrider, 2024).A key competency in nursing education related to population health is understanding how poverty affects patients. This simulation related to the poverty allows students to understand many people in poverty are not all homes less but live next door and may be one paycheck away from catastrophe.

The experience starts …

Responding To The Association Of Secondhand Tobacco Smoke And Mental Illness: A Systematic Review, Pooja Bhattarai, Bassema Abu-Farsakh, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Secondhand tobacco smoke (SHS) exposure represents a significant yet often overlooked public health challenge affecting over a billion people globally (World Health Organization 2021). Individuals exposed to SHS exposure inhale over 7,000 chemicals, including nicotine and other toxic substances, which adversely impact physical health (Carreras et al., 2019; Nadhiroh et al., 2020; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2024). However, growing evidence suggests SHS exposure may increase the likelihood of poor mental health outcomes (Van der Eijk & Woh 2023, Zeng et al., 2016) Addressing SHS exposure not only requires acknowledging its impact but also respecting the …

Revolutionizing Nursing Informatics: Using Ai For Students To Develop Ehr Alerts And Faculty Grading, Barbara Kupferschmid, Rhonda Rae Schoville, Jeffrey Drake

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Problem: Nurses need to develop specialized knowledge and competence to optimize the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology. This study evaluates the use of AI in a Nursing Informatics graduate-level course assignment focused on designing an EHR alert. The evaluation focuses on both students and faculty. Students conducted a literature search with AI tools and compared them to other databases. AI was also used to create an alert design and workflow analysis. Faculty used AI to grade the assignment utilizing a rubric.

Methods: An IRB-exempt retrospective descriptive design was used with a convenience sample of 103 Doctor of Nurse Practitioner …

Cyshcn: Religion And Spirituality With Qol Theoretical Frameworks, Translating Knowledge, Julia Dankanich

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: There are 14 million U.S. children with a special health care need. Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs (CYSHCN) are a broad, unique subgroup of children with diverse experiences with medical, psychosocial, and behavioral challenges. Children rating themselves as being more spiritual, but not religious, rated themselves as happier compared to children who were less spiritual. However, quality of life (QoL) scores are lower for CYSHCN. Factors influencing QoL for CYSHCN and their caregivers are incompletely understood. Religion and spirituality for CYSHCN and their caregivers impacting QoL is understudied. Research on QoL with theorical frameworks in this …

The Effects Of Resilience Enhancing Nursing Program Among Pregnant Teenagers, Thailand, Ampaiwan Boonkaewwan, Umaporn Kuasit, Nantiya Khoynueng, Ratchneewan Ross

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The situation of teenage pregnancy in Chawang district, Thailand has become a significant problem and of social concern. Teenage pregnant women who lack resilience are more likely to face adversity, including the risks and complications associated with physical and mental health.

A quasi-experimental one group pre-post test repeated measures design was used to test the effects of a resilience enhancing nursing program on resilience, knowledge of contraception, and the decision-making of contraceptive use during the postpartum among pregnant teenagers, Chawang district, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand. Purposive sampling was used to select 20 adolescent pregnancies based on the inclusion criteria. The …

Scheduled Nurse-Led Visits: Responding To Specialty Care Access Limitations In Neuroscience Clinics, Charlene Grace Alforque Platon, Teresa Bell-Stephens, Cynthia Dorantes Cortez, Briana Williams, Chrystal L. Lewis

Biennial Convention (CONV)

BACKGROUND: As a result of high demand, outpatient clinics nationwide are pressured to effectively serve more patients.¹ Registered nurse (RN) interventions,² including RN-led visits (LV), have emerged as a strategy to increase quality patient care. RN-LVs encompass a wide range of services, including disease management,³ treatment follow-up,⁴ patient education,1 and care coordination.2 RN-LVs are not conducted by advanced practice nurses;⁵ however, RN-LVs demonstrate promising patient outcomes. The impact of these visits on patient access remains underreported within the ambulatory specialty care setting.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to elucidate ambulatory RNs’ experiences with …

Perceptions Of Stress And Coping Strategies Of Generation Z Nursing Students In The Clinical Setting, Elizabeth Hammond-Ritschard

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The clinical learning environment is very stressful for student nurses, especially among undergraduate Generation Z nursing students. Faced with higher expectations, and perfectionism, Generation Z has been labeled the Anxious Generation. There are mounting concerns with nursing students’ ability to cope and handle stressful situations in the clinical setting. Stress negatively impacts student nurses in the clinical environment. Students often experience anxiety, fear, and an inability to effectively appraise and apply effective coping strategies. The inability to cope with stressors in the clinical setting may lead to inadequate problem-solving, resulting in poor student performance and possible harm to the patient. …

A Hospital Based Residency Program For Newly Arrived Internationally Educated Nurses To The Usa, Jaclynn Morgan, Torri Nicole Trojand

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Purpose: The purpose of this abstract and research is to establish the efficacy of a hospital-based nurse residency program for newly arrived internationally educated nurses to the United States.

Background: Healthcare institutions are recruiting Internationally educated nurses (IEN) to fill gaps in staffing (Spetz et al., 2013). Internationally educated nurses are coming from an entirely different country and healthcare system and are then placed into foreign clinical settings amongst a foreign culture and having to find their place within the culture at the same time (Rosenkoetter et al., 2017). Literature delineates that an approach to support IENs is needed to …

L.E.A.Ding Change To Prevent Workplace Violence, Rebekah Powers, Nancy Ornelas, Carol Boswell, Christina Ramdeo

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The purpose of this project was to enhance nurses’ knowledge and evaluate parts of the current workplace violence prevention program. Learning objective: participants will gain strategies to engage nurses in workplace violence prevention.

Healthcare workers are 5 times more likely to experience an injury from workplace violence than other professions. According to the Texas Center for Nursing Workforce Studies (TCNWS) 2022 employer Nurse Staffing Study: Workplace Violence Against Nurses survey workplace violence awareness training was the most common training provided. De-escalation training was cited as an effective workplace violence strategy (TCNWS, 2022).

As part of a comprehensive plan to implement …

A Concept Analysis Of Entrenched Toxic Cultures In Nursing Academia, Becky Good, Kristen Kirby, Karen J. Foli

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: Toxic cultures in nursing academia are environments characterized by incivility, bullying, and harassment, all concepts well defined in the literature (Beckmann et al., 2013; Clark, 2013; Fry & Schmer, 2021). While some toxic cultures can be addressed with targeted interventions, others are more widespread, established, and difficult to dismantle (Beitz & Beckmann, 2023; Clark & Ritter, 2018; Coates, 2024; Goldberg et al., 2013; Olsen et al., 2020). Specific data are scarce; however, as negative behaviors persist and intensify, we believe the unexplored phenomenon of entrenched toxic culture (ETC) emerges.

Purpose: This concept analysis aims to define ETCs in nursing …

Capacity Building For Mental Health Of Older Persons: A Participatory Action Research, Theresa Aragones Guino-O, Zorinna Macahis Luague, Uenavil Anne Empaces Junio, Evalyn Elardo Abalos

Biennial Convention (CONV)

There is a projected increase in the older population worldwide by 2050. This creates disconcerting implications in Philippine society, where a trend of elderly persons living alone and with minimal resources to meet their health maintenance and treatment needs is observed. These important concerns relate to mental health and need to be addressed through research-based interventions that are effective and sustainable. The aim of the study was to assess, implement, and evaluate socially and culturally acceptable interventions for the mental health of older persons together with the participants residing in Barangay Calindagan, Dumaguete City, Philippines. Participatory action research was chosen …

Adult From Heart To Sole: Screening And Early Identification Of Congenital Heart Disease, Tami L. Jakubowski, Simranjot Mann, Emma Cartnick, Sarah Curtis, Carole Kenner, Marina Boykova

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: This pilot study explores a non-invasive, low cost screening method for identification of congenital heart disease (CHD).

Methods: A survey was distributed via social media platforms(Facebook, LinkedIn, webpages). Study participants were asked if they have a CHD diagnosis, other health problems, and whether they have a specific crease on either or both feet. This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board at The College of New Jersey and the Medical Advisory Board Research Committee of the Adult Congenital Heart Association.

Results: All study participants(n= 53) were over the age of 18 years, 69.6% were female (n=37), …

Examining The Influence Of Inlow’S Diabetic Foot Screen On Podiatry Referral Rates, Wendy A. Tiburcio Mateo

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Implementing Inlow’s sixty-second-foot screening tool to increase the referral rate to podiatry in diabetic patients.

Methods: Assessing for foot abnormalities on diabetic patients using Inlow's tool

Results: 96% of the diabetic patients were referred to podiatry. Decreased complications in diabetic patients.

Conclusions: Inlow’s tool is reliable and valid. It proved to be effective in identifying foot abnormalities in diabetic patients, increasing the referral rate to podiatry.

Integrating Standardized Nursing Terminologies Into A Nursing Curriculum Conceptual Framework, Ana Choperena, Virginia La Rosa-Salas, Nuria Esandi-Larramendi, Mercedes Pérez-Díez Del Corral, Begoña Errasti-Ibarrondo, Sonsoles Martín-Pérez, Clara Cabrera-Moreno, Dorothy Jones

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Purpose: The aim of this work is to present the Nursing Educational Framework (NEF) as an opportunity to integrate core elements of a humanistic person/family-centered view and as guidance in structuring a relationship-based curriculum.
Data sources: Empirical and theoretical literature studies were reviewed to define the framework rationale and its components.

Data synthesis: A deductive/inductive collaborative expert-informed approach was undertaken to develop this evidence-based codesigned framework. Its mission, along with unique components, implementation strategies, and outcomes, were successively integrated into the framework to guide nursing knowledge, learning, and curriculum development. A hermeneutic collaborative process of circular reflection was used in …