Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Digital Commons Network™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Walden University

Discipline
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 1261 - 1290 of 16251

Full-Text Articles in Entire DC Network

Nursing Home Leadership And The Connection To Fostering Quality Care In Nursing Homes, Daphne Hicks Dec 2025

Nursing Home Leadership And The Connection To Fostering Quality Care In Nursing Homes, Daphne Hicks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing homes in the U.S. state of Mayland experience a high volume of reports for abuse and neglect and are poorly ranked for responding to complaints, leading to a low overall rating. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore leadership practices that could result in improvement in quality of care and reductions in abuse and neglect, using a needs assessment and development of a logic model as a precursor for a formative evaluation. The framework applied was Lead Self, Engage Others, Achieve Results, Development Coalitions, and Systems Transformation. Eight nursing home administrators were interviewed to collect primary data, …


Transition-To-Practice Program For Aprn Msn Graduates, Jennifer Nneoma Nwosu Dec 2025

Transition-To-Practice Program For Aprn Msn Graduates, Jennifer Nneoma Nwosu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The transition from graduate education to clinical practice marks a pivotal point in the professional journey of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs). Despite rigorous preparation, many APRN MSN graduates struggle to adapt to the complex expectations of autonomous practice. The lack of structured mentorship, inconsistent orientation processes, and unclear performance expectations contribute to high stress, role confusion, and early turnover. This Doctor of Nursing Practice Executive Leadership project addressed this critical issue by evaluating whether an interprofessional team could achieve consensus on developing a best practice program to guide APRN MSN graduates’ transition to independent clinical practice. This initiative was …


The Lived Experiences Of African American Child Sexual Abuse Survivors And Their Relationships With The Perpetrators, Anita Joyner Dec 2025

The Lived Experiences Of African American Child Sexual Abuse Survivors And Their Relationships With The Perpetrators, Anita Joyner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child sexual abuse (CSA) can be detrimental to survivors well into adulthood and can affect the relationships of everyone with whom they are involved. Knowing the perpetrator is a determining factor in the equation and is associated with increased odds of behavioral health challenges among survivors. This is especially true within African American communities, where cultural violence results in an increased level of trauma. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the lived experiences of African American CSA survivors and their relationships with the perpetrators. As part of the phenomenological design, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with …


Early Depression Screening In Adults With Opioid Use Disorder, Ekaterina Versace Dec 2025

Early Depression Screening In Adults With Opioid Use Disorder, Ekaterina Versace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract This Doctor of Nursing Practice project involved the development and quality appraisal of a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for early depression screening in adults with opioid use disorder (OUD), addressing the absence of standardized, evidence-based screening protocols in addiction treatment settings. Guided by the practice-focused question of whether existing evidence supports the development and evaluation of such a guideline using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II) instrument, a systematic synthesis of 35 research articles was conducted, with 15 high-level studies informing guideline development. A multidisciplinary panel of four experts evaluated the CPG using the …


A Shareholder Primacy Mindset In The Benefit Corporation’S Top Management Team And Greenwashing Actions, Jonathan Wimberly Dec 2025

A Shareholder Primacy Mindset In The Benefit Corporation’S Top Management Team And Greenwashing Actions, Jonathan Wimberly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Benefit corporations exist to benefit society and generate profit for shareholders and stakeholders, but there is evidence that greenwashing is prevalent among these entities. Business leaders need to understand the extent to which a shareholder primacy mindset influences the collective top management team and drives greenwashing in benefit corporations. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to determine the relationship between the collective demographic characteristics of top management teams and a shareholder primacy mindset, and to assess the relationship between a shareholder primacy mindset in the top management team of a benefit corporation and greenwashing behavior. Upper echelons theory …


Impact Of Staff Education To Clinical Documentation Integrity Team, Leyna Belcher Dec 2025

Impact Of Staff Education To Clinical Documentation Integrity Team, Leyna Belcher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The doctoral project investigates the impact of education on Clinical Documentation Integrity (CDI) nurses in enhancing the accuracy and quality of clinical documentation within healthcare organizations. Clinical documentation plays a crucial role in accurately reflecting patient care and is essential for capturing proper diagnoses, coding, and reimbursement. In contrast, inaccurate or incomplete documentation can lead to misdiagnoses, poor patient outcomes, and financial deficits. Due to frequent updates in clinical guidelines and coding standards, CDI professionals require continuous, specialized training to stay informed with ever-changing medical terminology, disease processes, and coding regulations. By enhancing the CDI education, the aim is to …


Staff Education To Impact Staff Knowledge Of Depression Screening In Primary Care, Nkeiruka Chinwendu Unaegbu Dec 2025

Staff Education To Impact Staff Knowledge Of Depression Screening In Primary Care, Nkeiruka Chinwendu Unaegbu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary This doctoral project was a staff education program designed to improve depression screening among patients in an adult primary care setting. The practice problem addressed was the lack of standardized depression screening that led to inconsistent detection, delayed diagnosis, and fragmented mental health care. A move to address the issue is critical in nursing practice since nurses play a central role in early identification, patient advocacy, and integration of behavioral health into primary care. The practice-focused question guiding the project was, Will implementing a nursing staff education program impact their knowledge of Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for depression screening …


Psychological Capital Of Hospital Nurses In The United States During And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mary Jean Erschen-Cooke Dec 2025

Psychological Capital Of Hospital Nurses In The United States During And After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mary Jean Erschen-Cooke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to explore lived experiences, perceptions, and associated meanings reported by nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic to determine what protected their well-being. A plethora of research focused on the negative impact of exhaustion, compassion fatigue, moral distress, and burnout; however, there was a gap in information regarding supports for emotional, mental, spiritual, and physical health, particularly among U.S. nurses. The foundational theory of psychological capital (PsyCap), focusing on the positive psychological traits of hope, self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism, grounded this investigation. A basic qualitative research design yielded rich data from semistructured interviews with 16 nurses working full …


Factors Associated With Initial Psychogenic Non Epileptic Seizures (Pnes) Amongst Patients With/Without Epileptic Seizures (Es), Enow Ogork Dec 2025

Factors Associated With Initial Psychogenic Non Epileptic Seizures (Pnes) Amongst Patients With/Without Epileptic Seizures (Es), Enow Ogork

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychogenic nonepileptic seizure (PNES) is an important individual and public health concern, but inconsistent results exist in the literature in terms of the circumstances surrounding the initial occurrence of PNES among patients without a prior diagnosis of epilepsy. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent patient sex, number of medical comorbidities, sleep deprivation, head injury in the past, and eyes closed during seizures predict initial PNES among patients with or without PNES. The precaution adoption process model provided a framework for exploring how individuals become aware of health risks and decide to adopt preventive behaviors. Secondary …


African American Small Business Success Strategies, Zena Foster Dec 2025

African American Small Business Success Strategies, Zena Foster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract African American small businesses fail at disproportionately high rates, contributing to job losses, economic instability, and reduced wealth-building opportunities in underserved communities. African American entrepreneurs who fail to address strategic, operational, relational, financial, adaptive, and personal dimensions of business ownership increase the risk to the long-term sustainability of their businesses. Grounded in entrepreneurship theory and human capital theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore effective strategies African American entrepreneurs in the southeastern United States employ to sustain their businesses beyond five years. The participants were six African American small business owners who had operated their …


Generational Differences And Registered Nurses’ Intention To Leave An Organization, Mutabazi Sekimonyo Dec 2025

Generational Differences And Registered Nurses’ Intention To Leave An Organization, Mutabazi Sekimonyo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, and Generation Z converge in healthcare settings, their distinct values and work styles influence organizational culture, communication, and collaboration, ultimately affecting patient care outcomes. This study was conducted to explore the impact of generational differences on registered nurses’ intentions to leave their organizations or the nursing profession. By examining how these generational differences shape nurses’ intentions to leave their organizations, the study can help to identify challenges and opportunities for healthcare leadership. Through an analysis of generational expectations and workforce dynamics, this research aimed to inform strategies for supporting retention, enhancing job satisfaction, and …


The Underrepresentation Of Black Women In Executive Leadership Roles, Bre Hayward Dec 2025

The Underrepresentation Of Black Women In Executive Leadership Roles, Bre Hayward

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract The problem that was addressed through this study is that Black women are underrepresented in executive leadership roles in the United States. Grounded in Ladson-Billings’ critical race theory and Hill Collins’ Black feminist theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of Black women executives regarding the challenges they face in attaining executive leadership roles and their recommendations to address the underrepresentation of Black women in executive leadership roles. Data were collected using semistructured interviews of 13 adult Black female executive leaders in a private sector organization who had at least 2 …


The Experience Of Suicidal Ideation In Adults With Adhesive Arachnoiditis, Kathleen J. Haynes Dec 2025

The Experience Of Suicidal Ideation In Adults With Adhesive Arachnoiditis, Kathleen J. Haynes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in the United States. Chronic pain has been linked to death by suicide, and a considerable amount of research has examined how conditions that produce chronic pain increase the risk of SI and suicide attempts. Adhesive arachnoiditis (AA) produces chronic, intense pain and has not been well-studied. It was thought to be a rare condition, but the number of cases has grown dramatically in recent years. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) study was to explore the experience of SI in individuals with AA. The interpersonal theory of suicide was …


Learned Resiliency: Lived Experiences Of First Responders, Kevin Francis Sullivan Dec 2025

Learned Resiliency: Lived Experiences Of First Responders, Kevin Francis Sullivan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scholarly literature has found that post-traumatic stress impacts first responders; however, little attention has been paid to how first responders learn resiliency through post-traumatic growth (PTG). The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore a gap in the literature of first responders who learned resiliency through posttraumatic growth following a critical incident in the line of duty. The research study was grounded in Heidegger’s philosophy of hermeneutic phenomenology, guided by resiliency theory , and informed by post-traumatic growth theory. Seven first responders from multiple disciplines were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews designed to provide rich and reflective …


Strategies To Streamline Patient Appointments In Specialty Outpatient Care, Adama Drammeh Dec 2025

Strategies To Streamline Patient Appointments In Specialty Outpatient Care, Adama Drammeh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Outpatient addiction treatment centers face significant challenges from inefficient appointment scheduling systems that contribute to high no-show rates, delayed care, and weakened organizational performance. These barriers affect more than daily operations; they disrupt the flow of treatment, increase patient disengagement, and place additional strain on limited healthcare resources. For patients navigating substance use disorders, a missed appointment may jeopardize continuity of care and undermine recovery efforts. This integrative review explored strategies to improve scheduling efficiency and enhance patient engagement in outpatient addiction care. A systematic search of recent U.S. studies was conducted and appraised using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based …


Successful Strategies For Sustaining Women-Owned Businesses Beyond 5 Years, Antoinette Stowers-Lewis Dec 2025

Successful Strategies For Sustaining Women-Owned Businesses Beyond 5 Years, Antoinette Stowers-Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of successful strategies can lead to a high failure rate among small businesses. Women small business owners often express concerns about identifying successful strategies, which research shows are a key predictor of business sustainability. Grounded in entrepreneurship theory and participative leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore the successful strategies that some women small business entrepreneurs use to sustain their businesses beyond 5 years. The participants were five women small business owners from different sectors in the East Coast region of the United States who had sustained their businesses beyond 5 …


Self-Connection As A Mediator Between Exercise And Well-Being, Lauren Esmay Dec 2025

Self-Connection As A Mediator Between Exercise And Well-Being, Lauren Esmay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scientists and health professionals have established the connection among physical activity and overall wellbeing. In more recent years, scholars have also researched the correlation among increased self-connection with increased overall well-being. Nevertheless, insignificant data has been gathered to investigate the impact of predictor variables upon the connection between exercise and wellbeing. This research study examined the mediating effect of self-connection among the relationship between exercise and wellbeing. The current study’s purpose was to gain better insights on how self-connection predicts a person’s physical activity, contributing to comprehensive insights how exercise habits may predict a person’s wellbeing by using a cross-sectional …


Educator Experiences With Implementing Every Student Succeeds Act Equity Mandates For Students With Autism, Jameelah S. Lewis Dec 2025

Educator Experiences With Implementing Every Student Succeeds Act Equity Mandates For Students With Autism, Jameelah S. Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educating students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in under resourced schools remains a persistent equity concern in the United States. This study addressed a gap in the existing research, as prior studies have examined special education policy and school-level implementation challenges, but few have explored the experiences of general education teachers implementing inclusion in low-socioeconomic public schools. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the barriers general education teachers encounter in providing equitable education and their recommendations for improving inclusion. The study was guided by Ingram and Schneider’s (1993) social construction theory, which explains how marginalized groups …


Examining Job Demands And Resource Factors Impacting Job Satisfaction Amongst School Social Workers, Charmagne Williams Dec 2025

Examining Job Demands And Resource Factors Impacting Job Satisfaction Amongst School Social Workers, Charmagne Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate the relationship between job demands and resources and job satisfaction among school social workers in North Carolina. School social workers are vital members of the school ecosystem, supporting the development and well-being of students, families, and communities. Grounded in the Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theoretical framework, the impact of years of experience, caseload size, role ambiguity, burnout, and job autonomy on job satisfaction among school social workers was examined. The current study included 92 school social workers from twelve counties in the Sandhills and Research Triangle regions of North Carolina who completed …


Brain–Computer Interface Integration In Mental Health: Clinician Perspectives On Diagnostic Efficacy And Ethical Implications, Serena D. Sanders Dec 2025

Brain–Computer Interface Integration In Mental Health: Clinician Perspectives On Diagnostic Efficacy And Ethical Implications, Serena D. Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the integration of brain–computer interface (BCI) technology into mental health care, focusing on clinicians' perceptions, ethical concerns, and the practical challenges associated with its adoption. As technological advancements in healthcare continue to reshape clinical practices, understanding how emerging technologies like BCI can be incorporated into therapeutic settings is essential. The purpose of this research was to examine clinician perspectives on the potential benefits of and barriers to BCI and to explore the ethical implications of its use in therapy. Guided by the technology acceptance model and the ethical decision-making framework, this qualitative study utilized semi structured interviews …


Effective Digital Marketing Strategies For Small Businesses, Shannon Springob Dec 2025

Effective Digital Marketing Strategies For Small Businesses, Shannon Springob

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The inability of many small businesses to effectively use digital marketing is a critical challenge for small business owners. Small business owners who lack effective digital marketing strategies are at greater risk of facing failure. Grounded in the do-it-yourself (DIY) behavioral theory, this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was conducted to identify, analyze, and explore the effective strategies employed by small business owners in the development and implementation of effective digital marketing campaigns. The participants included six small business owners in the United States who have used DIY digital marketing strategies within their businesses. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Thematic analysis …


From Trauma To Triumph: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Posttraumatic Growth In Children’S Animated Films, Crystal Victoria Tasker Dec 2025

From Trauma To Triumph: A Qualitative Content Analysis Of Posttraumatic Growth In Children’S Animated Films, Crystal Victoria Tasker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children’s animated films have often been analyzed for problematic depictions of gender and cultural stereotypes, but far less attention has been given to how these narratives may portray psychological adversity and transformation. This study addressed this gap by examining how posttraumatic growth (PTG) is symbolized through the narrative arcs of ten Disney films released between 2013 and 2023. The purpose of this research was to explore how these films illustrate themes of emotional transformation, utilizing a theoretical foundation based on Tedeschi and Calhoun’s PTG model, which emphasizes five domains of growth following adversity: appreciation of life, enhanced relationships, personal strength, …


Small Business Owners’ Effective Strategies For Retaining Childcare Workers In Private Daycare Centers, Velma Williams Sanders Dec 2025

Small Business Owners’ Effective Strategies For Retaining Childcare Workers In Private Daycare Centers, Velma Williams Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective retention strategies can lead to employee turnover. Private childcare business owners who struggle to improve employee retention may find their business confronting attrition as a result. Grounded in job embeddedness theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry research project was to identify and explore effective retention strategies used by private childcare business owners to reduce high employee turnover rates. The participants were eight private childcare business owners who had implemented retention strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, public websites, and public documents. Through thematic analysis, five themes were identified: (a) providing competitive rewards and family support; (b) …


Addressing Nursing Shortages In Rural Hospitals: Strategies For Recruitment And Retention, Harrison Efosa Omoruyi Dec 2025

Addressing Nursing Shortages In Rural Hospitals: Strategies For Recruitment And Retention, Harrison Efosa Omoruyi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract The shortage of nursing staff in rural hospitals has created a critical workforce challenge in the United States, negatively affecting patient care, organizational performance, and community health. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify evidence-based strategies to improve the recruitment and retention of nurses in rural hospital settings. A search of literature published between 2021 and 2025 yielded 20 high-quality and good-quality studies that addressed the problem. Guided by Herzberg’s two-factor theory, thematic analysis revealed six overarching themes: (a) strategic improvements, (b) system efficiency and effectiveness, (c) service availability, (d) care models, (e) organizational support, and (f) …


Implicit Weight Bias Among Men In Allied Health Career Fields, Jessica Jensen Dec 2025

Implicit Weight Bias Among Men In Allied Health Career Fields, Jessica Jensen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study observed if there was a difference in the presence of implicit weight bias in men who work in allied health fields versus men not in allied health fields. Age and ethnicity (Hispanic/Non-Hispanic) were also observed in these groups as moderating factors to see if they also had differences in the effects between groups. The purpose of this study was to utilize an electronic weight-implicit association test (W-IAT) to identify any significant differences in the presence of weight bias between the two groups. Implicit weight bias in this population is problematic in that implicit bias, particularly implicit weight …


Effective Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies That Small Business Leaders Use To Improve Brand Reputation, William Cativo Dec 2025

Effective Corporate Social Responsibility Strategies That Small Business Leaders Use To Improve Brand Reputation, William Cativo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices in small businesses can damage brand reputation, reduce employee retention, and hinder sustainability. Small business leaders are concerned about these risks, as a large majority of consumers expect companies to act on environmental, social, and governance issues. Grounded in Carroll’s CSR pyramid, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies small business leaders in the Western United States use to enhance brand reputation. The participants were six small business leaders with effective strategies to enhance brand reputation. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and a review of 10 CSR reports. Thematic …


Expressing Diversity And Anxiety Among Graduate Psychology Students, Paola G. Garcia Betancourt Dec 2025

Expressing Diversity And Anxiety Among Graduate Psychology Students, Paola G. Garcia Betancourt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study examined the relationship between motivational factors that contribute to challenges in expressing diversity and the levels of anxiety experienced by graduate psychology students when discussing racial topics. The study was grounded in critical race theory, which posits that racism is embedded within social and institutional systems and influences interpersonal and educational dynamics. The purpose of the study was to determine whether motivational factors, as measured by the Color-Blind Racial Attitudes Scale, predicted anxiety levels, as measured by the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Emotional Distress Anxiety Short Form, and whether racial background moderated this relationship. Data were …


Elementary Teachers’ Use Of Sphero Robots To Teach Computational Thinking, Marquita Jackson Dec 2025

Elementary Teachers’ Use Of Sphero Robots To Teach Computational Thinking, Marquita Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The power of play has often been used in K–5 classrooms, but it has not always been implemented as a way to teach computational thinking skills. The use of educational robots such as Sphero have been explored, but not with young learners. The research problem addressed through this study was the lack of understanding of K–5 teachers’ experiences in using Sphero robots to teach computational thinking. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore K-5 teachers’ experiences in implementing Sphero robot activities and specifically to teach computational thinking. The conceptual framework included Magana’s T3 model and Angeli’s computational …


Examining Emotional Intelligence Strategies Of Human Resource Administrators For Women’S Leadership In Healthcare, Selenda Johnson Dec 2025

Examining Emotional Intelligence Strategies Of Human Resource Administrators For Women’S Leadership In Healthcare, Selenda Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender-based distinctions between leaders create differences in leadership methods that reshape their choices and teamwork approaches. Human Resource Administrators are concerned with how the lack of organizational support for Emotional Intelligence (EI) in female leaders influences them to leave, potentially leading to increased organizational costs. Grounded in Emotional Intelligence theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic study was to explore EI strategies used by healthcare administrators in the Southeastern United States to increase female leadership retention in their organizations. The participants were 6 HR administrators with at least 2 years of experience from healthcare organizations who successfully implemented EI strategies …


Assessing Health Literacy In Somali Women Living In The United States With Hypertension, Tawanna Morris Dec 2025

Assessing Health Literacy In Somali Women Living In The United States With Hypertension, Tawanna Morris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health literacy (HL) remains a critical public health concern, particularly among immigrant populations. This qualitative study explored how low health literacy relates to hypertension (HTN) management among Somali immigrant women. Low HL and chronic conditions such as HTN continue to affect this group disproportionately, emphasizing the need for targeted interventions. Guided by the Health Belief Model, this research examined Somali immigrant women’s perceptions of HL, how literacy levels influence hypertension management, and the barriers they encounter when managing their condition. Five Somali immigrant women who met the criteria participated in semi-structured interviews. All spoke English, were at least 18 years …