Digital Commons Network^™

Gavage Program For The Preterm Infant, Amanda K. Guina

Master's Projects and Capstones

Preterm infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit, are susceptible to hospital acquired infections due to their immature immune systems. To mitigate this occurrence a change project will be implemented to decrease the incidence of nosocomial infection in this population. The project will be focusing on preterm infants working on full nipple feeds. Our project is aiming to discharge this population home with a nasogastric tube to work on feedings, rather than remaining in the hospital. Chart Audits were conducted pre-program and found approximately 18 patients acquired blood stream infections and 2 acquired MRSA. The method used to assist in …

Improving Breastfeeding Rates By Using Glucose Gel To Treat Newborn Hypoglycemia, Madena Barak

Master's Projects and Capstones

Newborn hypoglycemia occurs in 5-15% of newborns during the postnatal period (Weston et al., 2016). Typical treatment for hypoglycemia includes supplementing with formula, which causes a decrease in breastfeeding rates, decreasing patient satisfaction, and interfering with maternal-infant bonding. To combat this issue, a large community hospital in Southern California used Lewin’s Theory of Planned Change to implement an alternative intervention for the treatment of newborn hypoglycemia. Evidence based articles as well as collaboration with surrounding hospitals was used to support the use of oral dextrose gel instead of supplemental formula to treat newborn hypoglycemia. The hospital’s revised treatment protocol on …

A Challenge To Inclusive Excellence: What We Can Learn From A Jesuit Catholic University, Terri Lewis-King

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper draws attention to the ethics of the organization (institutional structure) to fulfill its mission by examining what does it mean that a Jesuit higher education institution strives for "inclusive excellence". From a staff member lens, what does the campus climate tell us about how that impact is felt. The result of this project are tools for professionals to use in their assessment and development of organizational support for staff.

Assessing The Applicability Of Hofstede's Cultural Dimensions For Global 500 Corporations' Facebook Profiles And Content, Kevin D. Lo, Richard D. Waters, N. Christensen

Organization, Leadership, and Communication

This research examines how Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions are reflected on the official corporate Facebook pages from 259 organizations on Fortune magazine’s Global 500 list. This research is grounded in original indices to measure the six dimensions across Facebook’s “About Us” section, the textual updates provided by the companies, as well as the media that they share (photographs and videos). This is the first attempt to create a conceptualization of Hofstede’s dimensions for organizational social media use. The results paint a mixed picture indicating that the global nature of these corporations is echoed in a somewhat similar overall presence on …

Seven Foundational Principles Of Population Health Policy, Dhrubajyoti Bhattacharya, Jay Bhatt

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

In 2016, Keyes and Galea issued 9 foundational principles of population health science and invited further deliberations by specialists to advance the field. This article presents 7 foundational principles of population health policy whose intersection with health care, public health, preventive medicine, and now population health, presents unique challenges. These principles are in response to a number of overarching questions that have arisen in over a decade of the authors' collective practice in the public and private sectors, and having taught policy within programs of medicine, law, nursing, and public health at the graduate and executive levels. The principles address …

Epistemology, Wisdom, And Social Transformation: Strategies At The Forefront Of The Contemplative Movement In Higher Education, Nicola Smith

Doctoral Dissertations

American society is currently experiencing a surging interest in contemplative practices. The secularization and professionalization of contemplative practices can be seen in the adoption of mindfulness-based approaches in sectors as wide-ranging as technology, nonprofit, and higher education. Amongst all these fields, institutions of higher education play a unique role within the contemplative movement in that the academy lays claim to the powerful social roles of producing and disseminating knowledge and, subsequently, of shaping societal values and behaviors.

In conducting this qualitative study, the researcher analyzed 1) what the academics in the contemplative movement expressed through their speech regarding the activities …

The Development, Implementation, And Evaluation Of A Transgender Health Resource Bundle, Lovejeet Kaur

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Transgender populations experience disproportionate social and health disparities that can negatively impact quality of life. Healthcare barriers due to gender based discrimination and lack of medical insurance and culturally competent providers contribute to low levels of access to preventative health care screenings, resulting in sub-optimal health outcomes. The unique health circumstances of transgender individuals have been understudied in the literature. As a result clinicians are often under-informed of their specific health maintenance needs and screening guidelines. To help address this disparity, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) student at the University of San Francisco facilitated the collaborative assessment, development, implementation …

Nursing Student Work-Study Internship: Partnering To Bridge The Education-To-Practice Gap, Jonalyn M. Wallace

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

Discussed for decades, the need for transitional experiences bridging educational and practice settings gained momentum in the mid-1970s with the release of Kramer’s groundbreaking book Reality Shock: Why Nurses Leave Nursing. Nursing student internship programs were developed in the 1970s as one effort to address this issue. The Northern California Region of Kaiser Permanente partners with five universities to conduct the Nursing Student Work-Study Internship Program (WSP). The program provides senior level nursing students with a paid internship in clinical practice settings, working under the supervision of RN preceptors. The aim of the program is to improve the …

Reducing Mortality From Severe Sepsis And Septic Shock: A Macro System Approach, Scott D. Baker

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Healthcare organizations must be able to provide quality patient care from arrival to disposition that is both expedient and safe. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality ranks septicemia as the number one most expensive condition treated in U.S. hospitals, resulting in aggregate costs of $20.3 billion or 5.2% of the total aggregate cost for all hospitalizations. Starting October 2015, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services began tying financial reimbursement to improvement of sepsis outcomes. For success to be achieved, organizations should partner with prehospital providers to improve sepsis care, similar to partnerships which have historically improved acute myocardial …

Education Through Simulation, Melody A. Padilla-Collings

Master's Projects and Capstones

SourceURL:file://localhost/Users/Mac/Desktop/653Abstract.docx

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine if education through simulation was effective in an undergraduate ADN nursing program to improve nursing confidence, knowledge, skill competency, and nursing care. Two groups of second year RN students were selected in their fall semester to participate in a before and after survey to compare traditional learning (required course readings, assignments, and lectures) with the PROMPT Birthing Simulator that allows hands on, interactive learning, and feedback in preparation for the Mother-Baby clinical setting. The first PDSA cycle with Group A revealed 21% were confident in their knowledge with the traditional …

Issues In Patient Information Transmission: Standardizing Home Health Admission, Philippa Thomas

Master's Projects and Capstones

When 84 patients, current and former, complained about lack of information during the intake process within five months period, a uniform "Patient Screening Tool" (Appendix L) was developed to improve the admissions process to this home health agency. Intake staff is responsible for receiving accurate information from the referral sources, confirming qualifications to receive services, and initiating education about services to the patient. While the population served has a wide range in age, diagnoses, discharge settings and cultures, the majority are over 65, frail, homebound and are returning home after hospital, SNF or rehabilitation settings.

Data were collected through evidence …

When For-Profit Companies Evaluate Potential Nonprofit Partners Focused On Youth Development, What Is The Role Of Symbolic Brand Association In That Evaluation?, Eric Fischer

Master's Projects and Capstones

Literature suggests that, “symbolic associations refer to the abstract cognitions that translate the values of the organization, personality traits associated with the brand and even emotions” (Michaelidou, Micevski, & Cadogan, 2015, p. 1658). Here, in order to measure the value of clear and powerful symbolic brand associations for nonprofits as they seek corporate support, commercial managers evaluated the symbolic brand associations of five nonprofit organizations devoted to youth development through sport. This type of commercial-nonprofit linkage warranted analysis due to the association benefits offered by both sport and youth. Professionals in this sector, standard literature from both commercial and nonprofit …

Effect Of Non-Monetary Incentives On Women's Competitive Inclination: Experimental Evidence From Ancona, Italy, Kalkidan Shebi

Master's Theses

This study investigates how monetary incentives versus non-monetary incentives affect women’s decision to enter a competitive environment. This study was conducted in Ancona Italy, in a controlled laboratory experiment with a total of 60 participants; of which 29 were male and 31 were female. Participants were given mathematical addition problems to solve under alternative incentives. How they received these incentives differed based on their preference to enter or withdraw from the competition. The study also included components that assessed risk preferences and willingness to pay for the non-monetary incentive in the experiment. Results show no significant difference in performance scores …

Reducing The Incidence Of Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers By Enhancing The Role Of Unit-Based Skin Champions, Anne V. Loewenthal

Master's Projects and Capstones

Reducing the Incidence of Hospital-Acquired Pressure Ulcers by Enhancing the Role of Unit-Based Skin Champions

Abstract

Hospital Acquired Pressure Ulcer continues to be an alarming issue in today’s healthcare systems. Often preventable, it is a significant nursing role and a frequently used benchmark for quality care. Studies have shown that hospital-acquired pressure ulcer (HAPU) complications have been associated with “up to 60,000 deaths each year in the United States” (AHRQ, 2014). A major health problem, it presents grave consequences on the patient’s well-being, significant treatment and recovery delays, increase length of inpatient stays, and have become a “never” event from …

Improving Patients' Pain Management Through Proper Documentation, Virzen Merina

Master's Projects and Capstones

The aim of this project was to improve pain documentation on the Surgical Unit as a means to enhance caregiver communication on finding the best methods to manage patients’ pain. Effectively managing patients’ pain leads to better patient outcomes, increased patient and nurse satisfaction, and decreased length of hospitalization. The setting is a not-for-profit hospital in Southern California. The microsystem selected is the 32-bed capacity Surgical Unit that mainly admits pre- and post-surgical patients, but also accommodates non-surgical, telemetry, and trauma cases.

To improve pain assessment documentation, collaboration was sought with the multidisciplinary team (IT department, clinical nurse specialists, and …

The 12 Steps Of Addiction Recovery Programs As An Influence On Leadership Development: A Personal Narrative, Mitchell Friedman

School of Education Faculty Research

My participation in a 12-step addiction program based on the principles and traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) has been critical for my leadership development. As I worked to refrain from addictive behaviors and practiced 12-step principles, I experienced a shift from individualistic, self-centered leadership towards a servant leader orientation. I thus consider the 12-step recovery process, which commenced in 2001, a leadership formative experience (LFE) as it had the greatest influence on my subsequent development. My experience of thinking about and rethinking my life in reference to leadership and followership lends itself to a personal inquiry. It draws on work …

A Reflective Hybrid Approach To Connecting Leadership Style And Stakeholder Perspective, Huw Jones, Keith O. Hunter

Organization, Leadership, and Communication

Using quantitative analysis and reflection techniques, we examine employee perception of leadership style and perceived results within organizations based in Whistler, Canada. We are primarily concerned with results in terms of organizational culture towards 3 key stakeholder groups, customers, community, and employees. The observed differences in results between transformational and transactional leadership provide a basis for enriching the mapping of leadership style to desired outcomes.

Implicit Theories And Perceptions Of Academic Changes Among Teachers In Lasallian Secondary Schools In The San Francisco New Orleans District, Heidi M. Harrison

Doctoral Dissertations

A central issue in education is whether teachers are preparing students to succeed and serve a rapidly changing world. In Catholic Lasallian schools, teachers are called to accomplish the Church’s ministry of education and therefore to continually renew and adapt their practices to prepare students for their contemporary society and to live out Christian values in service to others.

This study focused on the fundamental beliefs and perceptions of teachers who implement academic changes in Lasallian schools. It utilized the psychological framework of implicit theories (Dweck, 2000) as its theoretical rationale. The purpose of the study was to investigate the …

San Francisco Bay Area School Districts Contracted With California Public Employees' Retirement System (Calpers) And The Impact Of The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act Of 2010, Michael David Blanco

Doctoral Dissertations

San Francisco Bay Area school districts contracted with California Public Employees’ Retirement system (CalPERS) and the impact of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010

This qualitative study examined the impact of high cost CalPERS medical plans on the participant’s school district in regards to the 2020 Cadillac Tax, the types of administrative action the participants have taken to comply with the mandated reporting to the IRS, and the types of administrative measures the participants have taken to comply with the offer of coverage to employees working a minimum of 30 hours per week. The theoretical framework used …

Improving The Patient Experience By Implementing Patient-Centered Care In A Community Hospital, Richard A. Billingsley Dnp, Mha, Rn

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Health care is a complex business currently undergoing extensive reform. These changes require new methods of care deliver and ways in which health care organizations are operating. At the forefront of this change effort is the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, which is transforming health care from a volume-based, fee-for-service process to the delivery of services that have value, improve quality outcomes, increase satisfaction, elicit greater efficiency, demonstrate improved safety outcomes, show cost-effectiveness, promote better access to services, and result in high reliability between providers and organizations. The goal of providing a more positive health care experience is …

A Population Health Approach For Community Health Improvement, Sandra Gregg

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Providence Health & Services (Providence), a not-for-profit Catholic health care system serving five western states, established an organizational vision of Creating healthier communities, together (Providence Health & Services, 2014). This vision served as the catalyst for the alignment of divisional initiatives to positively impact community health status. To effectively achieve its vision, the organization committed to the incorporation of population health principles in the development of an infrastructure to expand the reach and impact of community investments, along with the establishment of effective processes for inter-divisional collaboration and compliance with community benefit mandates. Thus, in 2015, Providence established a community …

Impetus To Transform: Essential Nursing Leadership Development Through Simulation, Mary J. Mette

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

A nurse manager’s ability to effect positive change and inspire others to higher levels of achievement is related to his or her leadership style in the practice setting, as well as the culture present in the organization as a whole. The aim of this Doctor of Nursing evidence-based change in practice project was to create an educational modality that supported training nurse leaders through innovation and creative problem solving in today’s acute healthcare setting.

A survey was administered to 48 frontline managers in a Northern California healthcare system to access the gaps and voids in their ability to integrate …

Five Seemingly Insurmountable Challenges Related To Attaining Long-Term Value From Theorizing About Information Systems, Steven Alter

Business Analytics and Information Systems

Recent articles such as Avison and Malaurent (2014) and Grover and Lyytinen (2015) question taken-for-granted assumptions about the centrality of theory in research published in leading journals and the near necessity of following repetitive scripts that sometimes are an obstacle to creativity. This paper goes a step further by providing examples and observations that illustrate five seemingly insurmountable challenges related to attaining long-term value from theorizing about information systems.

1) Divergent definitions of basic terms makes it extremely difficult to accumulate IS knowledge.

2) The IS discipline seems to take for granted that knowledge must take the form of theory. …

Reinventing The Medical Request Process In A Correctional Healthcare Setting, Leah Murphy

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project was developed as part of a Clinical Nurse Leader course of study with the goal of gathering and evaluating microsystem data, and the creation and implementation of a process improvement project. The project was conducted in a correctional setting which houses male and female detainees with a wide variety of medical needs. The project addressed long wait times for detainees who have submitted a request for services from the medical department. The goal of this project was to reduce wait times for medical requests, and provide service for a greater number of patients. This project is needed because …

Envisioning A Trauma-Sensitive Public Health Department: Implications For Practice, Policy, And Research, Victoria Lopez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Historically, the concept of trauma and long-term sequelae has rested primarily in the fields of psychology and psychiatry. However, recent attention and research around the health implications of trauma have unmasked this concept as a pervasive public health issue. This has catalyzed a movement to create a paradigm shift that transforms a formerly myopic understanding of trauma towards one that acknowledges the complexity and wide reaching impact trauma. At the core of this paradigm shift is an understanding of the interconnectedness between trauma and socio-ecological constructs at the individual, family, community, and organizational level. Public health departments are well positioned …

Caring For Those Who Care The Most: Bill Wilson Center Wellness Program Assessment, Anne Cunniffe Marcy

Master's Projects and Capstones

Executive Summary

Bill Wilson Center (BWC) is a community-based not-for-profit organization that provides mental health services, shelter, and support services to homeless youths and families in Santa Clara County. The agency currently has 137 staff members in the mental health division. The agency currently does not have an existing wellness program. The goal of this project is to evaluate the needs of the employees and what type of wellness activities they are interested in. BWC’s employees are the agency’s most valuable assets. Only through top performance can the agency continue to provide the highest level of services to more than …

A Workaround Design System For Anticipating, Designing, And/Or Preventing Workarounds, Steven Alter

Business Analytics and Information Systems

Idealized system design produces requirements reflecting management intentions and “best practices.” This paper proposes a workaround design system (WDS) for anticipating, designing, and/or preventing workarounds that bypass systems as designed. A WDS includes a process and an interactive “workaround design tool” (WDT) for identifying and evaluating foreseeable workarounds based on work system theory and a theory of workarounds. This paper summarizes the conceptual background and explains the form, use, and implications of the proposed WDS and WDT.

The idea of WDS addresses significant gaps in practice and research. Designers should have methods for identifying likely obstacles and anticipating and evaluating …

Vap Prevention In The Cticu, Pres Lorenzo

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (2015) has cited ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) as the most common infection in the ICU. In 2014, four episodes of VAP were identified in the 25-bed adult cardio-thoracic ICU (CTICU), a dynamic clinical environment within an academic medical center in Northern California specializing in complex cardiac surgery patients, including heart and lung transplants. In early 2015, the CTICU embarked on an evidence-based project to decrease the number of episodes of VAP to zero. Using the ACE Star Model of Knowledge Transformation as the theoretical framework and the CUSP (Comprehensive Unit-based Safety Program) standards as …

Cracking The Code Of Process Safety Culture With Organizational Network Analysis, Keith O. Hunter, Elliot M. Wolf

Organization, Leadership, and Communication

Organizations in the chemical process industry invest considerable amounts of time and resources managing change and implementing best practices to maintain safe operations and achieve operational objectives. Consequently, most executives and senior managers responsible for performance rely on formal organizational structure to achieve these objectives. However, front line employees responsible for ensuring safe operation of hazardous chemical processes are often influenced more by the informal than the formal organization in their daily activities. The dynamics of informal networks among workers are critical determinants of strong operational discipline (OD), process safety culture, and business performance. Yet, organizational social networks are often …

Transitional Care Services: A Nurse-Led Quality Improvement Project, Debra Conroy-Mccue

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

With the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) and a national requirement for health care providers and systems to deliver care that is safe, outcome driven, and cost effective, Dignity Health (DH) as part of the hospital engagement network (HEN) launched an initiative called the “No Harm” campaign to reduce all-cause avoidable hospital readmissions. The project, led by a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) student and readmission team, sought to achieve a 20% reduction in preventable readmissions by December 2014. After having achieved initial success in implementing transitional care services for patients with heart …