Staff Education To Address Workplace Violence Against Staff, Julie Ann Childers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project, the primary focus was on addressing knowledge of workplace bullying within the hospital setting. The project involved developing and implementing an educational program to raise awareness, prevent workplace bullying, and effectively respond to it among healthcare staff. Workplace bullying harms physical and emotional well-being, reduces productivity, increases absenteeism, and increases turnover. The practice-focused question was as follows: In a hospital setting, does implementing a workplace violence (WPV) prevention education program for healthcare workers lead to increased knowledge of WPV incidents, awareness, and management among staff? Using evidence-based strategies and resources, the DNP …

Early Atopic Dermatitis And Risk Of Later Autism Spectrum Disorders, Annissa Courtney Heslope-Mathieu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early-onset atopic dermatitis (AD) affects approximately 10-20% of children in the United States, and emerging evidence suggests potential links between early immune dysregulation and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Limited research has examined whether early AD serves as a specific risk factor for later ASD diagnosis. Guided by life course theory, the purpose of this study was to examine whether AD diagnosed within the first two years of life predicts later diagnosis of ASD among U.S. children younger than five years. A secondary analysis of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study was conducted using a retrospective cohort design. The sample included 2,949 …

Staff Education To Improve Diabetes Management Knowledge For Primary Healthcare Providers, Helen Njoku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

I developed this Doctor of Nursing Practice staff education project to improve primary healthcare providers’ knowledge of diabetes management. Given the vital role nurses, advanced practice providers, and physicians play in patient education, chronic illness management, and care coordination, this issue must be addressed within nursing practice. The practice-focused question guiding this project was: Among primary healthcare providers, does implementing a structured diabetes education training program, compared to the current standard practice, improve provider knowledge in diabetes management? The purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a targeted education intervention session. As analytical strategies, I employed expert …

Students’ Perceptions Of The Use Of Technology In Rural Elementary Schools, Evadney Moncrieffe - Jumpp

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rapid technological advancements have transformed educational experiences, optimizing learning outcomes while providing interesting experiences to learners and educators. More insight was needed on how students perceive learning via technology, as this information can shape how teachers implement technology, especially in rural elementary schools. The main purpose of this research was to investigate the perceptions of students in rural areas between Grades 1–5 regarding the increased use of technology education. The research questions concerned how students in rural elementary schools perceive (a) the use of technology in education and (b) the quality of the teaching–learning process when using or mediating technological …

Fire Service Leadership Cost-Effective Strategies To Reduce Sudden Cardiac Death, Kathryn Marie Bernardo-Preston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract A high incidence of on-duty firefighter sudden cardiac death (SCD) results in increased costs and decreased organizational performance. Fire department leaders are concerned about the financial burden of SCDs as they put strain on departmental budgets and subsequently limit operational readiness. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore how fire department leaders used cost-effective strategies to reduce SCD episodes among on-duty firefighters. Participants comprised six fire department leaders located on the East Coast of the United States who had successfully implemented strategies to minimize firefighter SCD. Data were collected using …

Faculty Perceptions Of Student Use Of Critical Thinking And Clinical Judgment In Prelicensure Alternative Pediatric Clinical Education, Vanessa Lee Lugo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Both the changing healthcare environment and diverse pediatric care needs highlight the importance of exploring nontraditional clinical placements for entry-level pediatric nursing students to assess their critical thinking (CT) and clinical judgment (CJ). Many graduates are unprepared for pediatric care, creating safety risks and gaps in meeting children’s healthcare needs. The purpose of this study, guided by communities of practice theory, was to explore faculty experiences with and perceptions of CT and CJ use at alternative pediatric clinical sites for prelicensure undergraduate students in the Northeastern United States. Eleven nursing faculty with recent experience working in nontraditional pediatric sites and …

Managerial Strategies To Increase Employee Retention In The Health Care Industry, Albert Scales Iii

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover remains a significant business concern for Hawaiian health care organizations. Health care organization leaders are concerned about employee retention because of its implications for organizational effectiveness and the continuity of customer care. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore successful strategies used by eight purposively selected health care leaders in Hawaii to improve employee retention. Thematic analysis of semistructured interview data and public organizational documents revealed six themes: (a) competitive compensation and benefits, (b) professional development and training, (c) recognition and rewards, (d) work–life balance and flexibility, (e) …

Underrepresented And Understudied: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of African American Women In Policing, Brenda Goss Andrews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women are underrepresented in policing and understudied in the research. Grounded in Collins’ Black feminist thought, whose theme seeks to empower Black women to speak in their authentic voices, this qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 12 African American female officers from Midwest departments. It examined how the intersection of race and gender shaped their workplace realities. The purpose of the study was to gain perspectives from the participants on strategies to recruit and retain African American female officers. Historically, policing has been a gendered and hypermasculine profession, making it difficult for African American female officers …

Navigating Blended Family Dynamics: Lived Experiences Of Newly - Married Black American Couples With Children, Nichole King-Price

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Remarriage offers the opportunity to create new family structures, giving individuals second chances to forge meaningful connections and develop new family dynamics. This study involved investigating the experiences of newly-married Black American couples with children as they faced challenges inherent to blended family dynamics. The objective was to understand how these families navigated the complexities of integrating different family systems during their formative years. Using a basic qualitative research design, the study was guided by Bowen’s family systems theory, which emphasizes how individuals construct knowledge within their socioemotional contexts. A convenience sample of nine spouses from blended families was purposefully …

Reducing Youth False Confessions With Attorney Presence, Rosa Bowden-Maccalla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Interrogation techniques are influenced by the interrogator's style and the individual being interviewed. Most law enforcement agencies use adult-centered interrogation methods, leading to suboptimal results when working with youth. The research has focused on youth offenders in the interrogation room and the choices they make, often leading to false confessions when an attorney is absent. This suggests that the presence of legal representation helps protect youths' vulnerability, suggestibility, and rights, thereby reducing the likelihood of false confessions. This qualitative collective case study aimed to understand why youth offenders falsely confess by collecting seven anonymous questionnaires from multigender U.S. practicing attorneys …

Narratives Of First-Generation Mexican American Bilingual Licensed Counselors, Marleny Soriano

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the growing demand for mental health services in Spanish, bilingual counselors are often ill-equipped to provide services in Spanish and frequently enter state-required supervised licensure without adequate training or opportunities for clinical supervision to support their growth as bilingual counseling professionals. The purpose of this qualitative narrative inquiry was to answer the research question: What are the narratives of first-generation Mexican American bilingual counselors during supervised licensure? Guided by Anzaldua’s Borderlands Theory as a conceptual framework, data were collected from eight participants through semi-structured virtual interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Findings revealed four themes mirroring the stages of …

Improving Alcoholism Treatment Through Adverse Childhood Events Score Education, Miranda Cobenais

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary I conducted this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project to improve knowledge and clinical practice among mental health professionals. The problem identified at the project site was the limited awareness and use of Adverse Childhood Events (ACE) assessments in treating alcoholism. The practice focused question for this project was: Will educating staff on how ACE scores can improve treatment of alcoholism increase staff knowledge regarding the importance of assessing ACE scores to decrease relapse rates? The purpose of this doctoral project was to evaluate if an educational intervention can enhance staff understanding of the connection between ACEs …

Best Practices To Reduce Patient Falls In Skilled Nursing Facilities In Virginia, Kianna J. Tinsley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient falls in skilled nursing homes highlight the need for effective, evidence-based strategies to reduce falls and improve residents' quality of life. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify administrative strategies for reducing patient falls within skilled nursing facilities. The review question centered on the most effective strategies and best practices that healthcare administrators can use to reduce patient falls and injuries and increase patient satisfaction. The Donabedian model served as the theoretical framework, providing a strong foundation for evaluating health services and quality of care to reduce patient falls. A comprehensive literature review identified 50 relevant articles, …

Effective Leadership Strategies That Enhance Banking Employees’ Productivity, Biljana Matevska

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective leader-follower relationships in banks can negatively affect productivity. Branch bank leaders in New Jersey are concerned that low productivity reduces the quality of service provided to clients. Based on leader-member exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project is to identify and explore effective strategies that some leaders in the banking industry in New Jersey use to build leader-follower relationships for increasing and sustaining worker productivity. Participants were six bank managers in New Jersey who had implemented strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of publicly available industrial documents, and three themes were identified …

Exploring Effective Strategies For Optimizing Financial Investments In Healthcare Technology, Bashir Adeniyi Agboola

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective optimization of the billions of dollars spent annually on healthcare technology threatens the sustainability of healthcare systems and exacerbates inequities in patient access. Healthcare technology leaders who lack effective investment optimization strategies risk reducing the operational effectiveness of their healthcare system. The purpose of this qualitative, pragmatic inquiry was to explore the effective strategies that healthcare technology leaders use to optimize financial investments in healthcare technology to improve the patient care experience and equitable access to healthcare services. The participants were nine healthcare technology leaders who used optimal financial investment strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a …

Overseas Military Transition And Post-Military Job Retention, Chea Hale-Hernandez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adjustment from military life to the corporate or civilian world can be challenging for some individuals who have served in the armed forces. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of U.S. military veterans transitioning from overseas service to civilian employment and to identify the factors contributing to long-term job retention. The military transition theory and turnover contagion theory grounded this study. The participants consisted of 20 male veterans representing the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, and Army National Guard in Dayton, Ohio. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and public documents. Two themes …

Fort William First Nation People’S Perceptions Of Receiving Nursing Care To Meet Their Wholistic Health Needs, Kara Morriseau

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There was limited knowledge of First Nations people’s experiences receiving nursing care to meet their wholistic health needs in Northern Ontario. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive description study, grounded in the two-eyed seeing framework and the Indigenous wholistic theory, was to explore First Nations people’s descriptions of receiving nursing care to meet their wholistic health needs in Northern Ontario. The study took place in the community of Fort William First Nation, a First Nations community in Northern Ontario. With approval from the Chief and Council of Fort William First Nation, semistructured interviews were conducted in person and on Zoom …

Socioecological Stressors During Covid-19 Among Urban Refugee Youth In Kampala, Uganda: A Qualitative Descriptive Analysis, Sikky Shiqi Chen, Carmen H. Logie, Frannie Mackenzie, Moses Okumu, Robert Hakiza, Brenda Katisi, Daniel Kibuuka Musoke, Aidah Nakitende, Isha Berry, Bay Bahri, Peter Kyambadde

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Limited studies have examined pandemic-related stressors among urban refugee youth in low and middle-income humanitarian countries (LMICs), such as Uganda. We explored the lived experience of COVID-19-related stressors among urban refugee youth in Kampala, Uganda. We analyzed qualitative data (text messages, WhatsApp chats, photos) collected in an interactive mobile health intervention with 346 refugee youth aged 16–24 in Kampala. Findings revealed stressors across socioecological levels: individual (e.g., financial-related distress), social (e.g., limited social interactions), community (e.g., food insecurity), and policy (e.g., unprecedented lockdowns). Findings can inform social work organization pandemic preparedness strategies for economic empowerment and social cohesion with youth.

Identifying Best Practices To Decrease The High Rate Of 30-Day Rehospitalization Of Patients With Dementia From Skilled Nursing Facilities, Mavis Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract As CMS continues to prioritize quality care over quantity and positive patient outcomes, hospitals and nursing homes must ensure that their mission and goals align. The high rehospitalization rate is a current and ongoing concern among policymakers and healthcare administrators. Adverse patient outcomes and increased financial costs to both patients and Health Service Organization (HSO) administrators highlight the need to identify best practices to help reduce rehospitalization. The purpose of this integrative review is to identify best practices for reducing the high rate of 30-day rehospitalization among patients with dementia in skilled nursing facilities (SNF). The review question that …

Strategies To Reduce Safety Accidents In Chemical Facilities, Travon Eshawn Herriotte

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chemical-industry accidents remain a persistent threat capable of injuring workers, damaging communities, and destabilizing organizations, despite decades of safety regulations and technological advancements. Chemical facility managers, workers’ families, emergency responders, local communities, and entire supply chains bear the burden of every preventable failure. Grounded in human capital theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic research project was to identify and explore effective strategies that managers use to reduce safety accidents in chemical facilities. The participants were six managers from chemical facilities in the eastern United States. Data were collected using semistructured and publicly available documents. Through reflexive thematic analysis, five …

Automating Academia: Implications Of Genai Use In Doctoral Research And Online Mentoring, Cheryl Burleigh, Andrea M. Wilson

Journal of Online Mentoring

This study critically examines the use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI), specifically ChatGPT, in the development of doctoral dissertation proposals, highlighting both its potential and its ethical implications. Through a content analysis of a dissertation proposal created using ChatGPT, the study investigates how GenAI supports structural organization, academic writing, and citation formatting while exposing significant concerns related to fabricated references, methodological misalignment, and diminished scholarly rigor. Although GenAI accelerates the proposal-writing process, its outputs often lack the depth, coherence, and originality expected at the doctoral level, thereby threatening the integrity of academic research. Findings reveal that GenAI-generated content may deceive …

Lived Experiences Of Caregivers Navigating The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act For Their Disabled Children, Natasha Weber Holmes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was designed to guarantee equitable access to special education services for children with disabilities. Yet, disparities persist in how caregivers navigate protections. They often face barriers related to limited legal knowledge, inconsistent school support, and systemic inequities, leaving many unable to fully advocate for their children. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis study was to explore lived experiences of caregivers as they engaged with the IDEA to secure services for their children with disabilities. Guided by the legal consciousness and empowerment theories, the study involved examining how caregivers interpret and act upon …

Book Review: Best Practices For Mentoring In Online Programs: Supporting Faculty And Students In Higher Education, Cheryl Burleigh

Journal of Online Mentoring

This book review examines Ko and Zhadko’s (2023) practical guide to designing and sustaining mentoring systems in virtual learning environments. The review highlights the book’s dual focus on faculty and student mentoring, emphasizing structured, institutionally supported models that promote collaboration, professional growth, and learner persistence. Key strengths include the inclusion of actionable tools and templates, as well as thoughtful attention to both synchronous and asynchronous mentoring modalities. However, the book relies largely on descriptive approaches, with limited empirical evidence and less balanced depth across faculty and student mentoring discussions. Overall, the book is positioned as a timely and valuable resource …

Psychological Experiences Of Law Enforcement Officers Responding To Critical Incidents Alone And With A Partner, Lydia Abernethy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The role of law enforcement officers is to restore peace and safety when chaos occurs, which can be life-threatening and stressful as officers respond to the critical incidents unfolding. For this study, a qualitative approach and phenomenological framework were utilized to gain insight into the first-hand psychological experiences of officers responding to critical incidents. Police officers work in demanding environments that can lead to mental health conditions such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Peer support and communication among coworkers have emerged as a potentially important factor, as officers would share traumatic events with other officers. Therefore, my research focused …

Clinical Practice Guideline: Self-Care Management For Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (Copd), Scholastica Nnedimma Ihejirika

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary The DNP project is a clinical practice guideline (CPG) quality improvement project to guide nurses in caring for patients admitted with chronic obstructive disease (COPD). The quality issue identified was an increased readmission rate for patients with COPD in the facility, of which knowledge and awareness remain extremely low. An annual target of 19.36% was set by the facility to track the readmission rate of patients with COPD, and according to statistics from the facility, from July 2021 to June 2022, the rate was 25.7%; from July 2022 to June 2023, the readmission rate increased to 26%, thus necessitating …

Development Of An Educational Intervention To Enhance Nurses’ Knowledge And Intent To Implement Evidence-Based Diabetes Self-Management In Clinical Practice, Anne Marie Sieyou Ngouane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was purposed with closing critical gaps in staff knowledge and adherence to diabetes self-management protocols in a busy primary care clinic. Rising readmission rates and uneven use of American Diabetes Association (ADA) standards signaled an urgent need for a structured approach to staff education. To address this, a one-hour interactive training session was created that blended teaching, evidence-based handouts, and a practical diabetes care checklist. Staff learning was measured through pretest and posttest, confidence and adherence used a 5-point Likert-scale survey, and 21day readmission data tracked patient outcomes. The project question asked if …

Enhancing Anxiety Identification In Adult Patients, Wonda Crump

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this Doctor of Nursing (DNP) project, I focused on implementing a staff education program for anxiety screening at a health and wellness clinic. Mental health conditions, particularly anxiety disorders, are common in primary care settings. Research shows that anxiety affects millions of adults, yet many cases remain undiagnosed. The practice problem that I identified was that many patients with anxiety disorders were going undiagnosed during regular clinic visits. The clinic had no standard process for screening anxiety, and staff members had a knowledge deficit on the proper use of anxiety assessment tools. This gap in practice led to missed …

Evaluation Of Unmet Needs Of Vulnerable Populations And At-Risk Communities Through Disaster Management Planning, Ryan Austin Crowe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This community-based non-profit organization aimed to aid those most in need by providing critical social services. The client organization has been selected numerous times as a recipient of federal disaster case management programs, often not until a year after the disaster, resulting in distrust of the federal government and organizations contracted to perform recovery services. Providing services to areas impacted has been difficult due to contract delays. The practice research question addressed in this study was: How can a client organization address the one-year service gap frequently associated with federal contracts through a disaster management planning system? The purpose of …

Cultural Influences Experienced By Self-Identified Hmong College Students, Nkaujntsa Lovy Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore how self-identified Hmong college students aged 18–24 perceived their culture’s influence on their academic experiences. The study examined the relationships shaping individual identity and their effects on academic pursuits. A basic qualitative inquiry approach was used to interview ten Hmong undergraduate students enrolled in colleges across the United States. Semi-structured interviews facilitated data collection guided by the ecological systems theory, while thematic analysis and inductive coding were employed to identify patterns and develop themes from the data. The themes identified in the study were family as the central influence, negotiating conflicting …

A Qualitative Study Of Medical Cannabis Policy For Multiple Sclerosis In Kansas And Colorado, Haydn Primrose

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medical cannabis may alleviate symptoms associated with multiple sclerosis (MS), yet access to cannabis-based treatment (CBT) remains inconsistent across U.S. states. The research problem was that state policy variation and administrative implementation produce inequitable access and clinical uncertainty for individuals with MS and for clinicians and policymakers responsible for compliant care decisions. Existing literature on cannabis for MS primarily addresses symptom relief, including spasticity reduction, pain relief, and improved sleep quality; however, access policies vary by state. The purpose of this qualitative systematic review was to synthesize evidence on policy and administrative barriers shaping access to medical cannabis for MS …