Digital Commons Network^™

Healthcare Institutions’ Influences On Health Literacy Levels In Mothers In Greensboro, North Carolina, Wole Ajala

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Immigrant populations experience persistent challenges within the U.S. healthcare system, including marginalization, discrimination, and limited access to understandable health information, which contribute to health disparities. Factors such as low income, cultural differences, and intersecting identities related to gender and race further compound these challenges. This qualitative phenomenological study examined how these social determinants of health influenced the health literacy experiences of African immigrant mothers in Greensboro, North Carolina. Data were collected through encrypted WhatsApp audio interviews with eight African immigrant mothers who had used healthcare services in the United States. Interview recordings were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using inductive thematic …

Strategies To Reduce Diagnostic Wait Times In Vha Facilities, Frankie Loadz Odlens Beaubrun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States, providing care to millions of veterans annually. Diagnostic service wait times affect veteran access to timely diagnoses and subsequent eligibility for disability benefits, vocational rehabilitation, and social services. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify evidence-based strategies to reduce diagnostic wait time within the VHA. The guiding review question addressed what strategies VA medical centers can use to reduce diagnostic wait times. Guided by Donabedian’s structure-process-outcome framework, a comprehensive literature search initially identified 487 sources across multiple databases. Subsequently, systematic screening and application …

Reducing College Dropout Rates Of People With Autism In Hillsborough County, Florida, Jennifer Warren

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement

Significant barriers exist for neurodivergent individuals when they try to access higher education and these barriers continue to disrupt their ability to persist and obtain a college degree or secondary professional education. By implementing targeted academic supports and increasing authentic inclusive education practices on campuses and in online education spaces, barriers can be reduced or eliminated. With clear actionable steps and intentional buy in from institutions, barriers present for teens and young adults with autism are removed and higher education.

Significant Findings

College students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are a growing population in higher education, but they …

Neurodiverse Secondary School Educators Transitioning To Online Teaching During Covid-19 Pandemic, Leane Pupo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic affected individuals, families, communities, and a variety of workplaces across the world. Many studies have addressed the impact of the emergency transition from on-ground to online on educators, students, and their families. However, while there is emerging literature on the impact of COVID-19 on neurodiverse individuals and on neurodiverse individuals in the workplace, there is little or no research on neurodiverse teachers. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of neurodiverse educators who transitioned from on-ground to online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bandura’s social cognitive theory of self-efficacy and Garmezy’s theory of resilience …

Open Education On Social Entrepreneurship: A Comparative Study Between Mexico And Bolivia To Scale Up Complex Thinking, Inés Alvarez-Icaza, Benito Javier Martinez-Briones, Liz Katherine Marco-Torrez, Evelyn Rondon-Jara

Higher Learning Research Communications

Objectives: This study examined the effectiveness of an open digital educational platform for developing complex thinking competencies through social entrepreneurship education among higher education students in Mexico and Bolivia. Specifically, it assessed changes in perceived systemic, scientific, critical, and innovative thinking and compared learning outcomes across both contexts.

Method: A quasi-experimental pre-post design was implemented with 601 participants (Mexico, n = 509; Bolivia, n = 92). Participants completed a validated 25-item, Likert-scale instrument assessing systemic, scientific, critical, and innovative thinking before and after engaging with the digital platform. Within- and between-group differences were analyzed using permutation-based statistical tests, complemented by …

Staff Education On Person-Centered Care Planning To Improve Cahps Scores, Raishonda Jefferson-Lampton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurse care managers (NCMs) play a central role in shaping patient experience, yet care plans are often developed based on clinical expertise and assessment data without a structured framework to ensure person‑centeredness. This doctoral project addressed the practice problem of inconsistent person‑centered care planning by implementing an educational intervention for NCMs within a managed care organization. Guided by the practice‑focused question—for NCMs in a managed care setting, does education in person‑centered care increase knowledge toward the goal of improving Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) survey scores?—the project evaluated changes in NCM knowledge following a targeted training session. …

K–8 Teachers' Perceptions Of The Barriers To Educating Chronically Absent Homeless Youth, Daniel James Pangrazio

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract The problem that was addressed through this study is that kindergarten through eighth-grade homeless students experience higher rates of chronic absenteeism and lower educational outcomes than their housed peers in California. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, the purpose of this study was to explore K–8 teachers’ perceptions of the barriers they face in educating chronically absent homeless youth. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 K–8 teachers from one California school district. Creswell and Guetterman’s five-stage coding process was used for data analysis. Four themes emerged: Teachers discussed (a) barriers to addressing student academic …

Male Teachers' Experiences On The Gender Imbalance In Early Education, Erika White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diversity in the ECE workforce has been shown to have a positive social and academic influence on children and families within the ECE setting. The problem addressed in this study was that in an urban eastern school district (UESD), there was an educator gender imbalance in early childhood education (ECE). Grounded in Smith’s rational choice theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of male preschool and kindergarten (P—K) teachers in UESD. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 13 male P—K teachers working in the UESD. Thematic analysis using inductive coding indicated male educators: …

Exploring Marital Resilience Through The Lived Experiences And Perception Of Spousal Support During Events Of Shared Stressors, Prince-James Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Marital resilience during shared stressors remains insufficiently understood, particularly when both spouses are simultaneously affected by the same external stressor and must adapt together over time. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore marital resilience through the lived experiences and perceptions of spousal support during shared stressors among individuals who had been legally married for 10 years or more, with specific attention to how participants described the shift from solo coping to dyadic coping over time. Bowlby’s attachment theory provided the theoretical foundation, and Senge’s learning organization theory served as the conceptual framework. Participants included 18 legally …

Staff Education On Early Sepsis Recognition For Medical-Surgical Nurses In The Acute Care Setting, Nadine Nzenga Udom

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this staff education project, I targeted early sepsis recognition and response among medical-surgical nurses. The practice gap at the site was nurses’ limited knowledge of sepsis indicators and screening tools, which contributed to delayed escalation of care. The practice-focused question guiding the project was “Does educating medical-surgical nurses on early sepsis recognition and response improve knowledge of early sepsis recognition and response?” I applied the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) and Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice (JHEBP) models to design a structured sepsis education program for nursing staff. I searched for peer-reviewed literature via databases accessed through the …

The Effect Of Burnout On Intention To Resign Among Adult Protective Services Investigators, Derek Frank Wachter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adult Protective Services (APS) workers play a crucial role in providing care, support, and services to older and adult clients with special needs. There was a lack of empirical data on the long-term retention of APS investigators and on how burnout affects their intentions to resign. Departments consistently rely on a cycle of using newer, less experienced investigators who may not know about community and state services or department policies and procedures to connect clients. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between personal, work-related, and client-related burnout and APS investigators’ intention to resign. Data …

Perceptions Of Fourth-Year Undergraduate College Students With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder On Academic Success, Olympia Shante Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study is the low graduation rate of students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) across the United States. Guided by Mezirow’s transformative learning theory, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of fourth-year undergraduate college students with ADHD on the academic support or methods that contributed to their perseverance in college. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 undergraduate college students who self-reported a diagnosis of ADHD and had successfully completed the first 3 years of their education. Through thematic analysis and open, inductive coding, the following …

Performance-Based Budgeting Implementation Strategies For Improving Financial Performance, Waleed Ibrahim Alsyaegh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of effective strategies for allocating organizational financial resources can lead to adverse business outcomes. Business managers are concerned about the ineffective allocation of financial resources, as it can impede financial performance and sustainability.Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to explore the performance-based budgeting strategies that business managers use to sustain financial profitability. The participants were 10 business managers who oversee subsidiaries that successfully implemented performance-based budgeting.Data were collected through semistructured interviews and the review of organization documents. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) traditional versus contemporary budgeting; (b) importance of …

Women Veterans’ Experiences Applying For Veterans Affairs Compensation For Military Sexual Trauma-Related Ptsd, Bridget Strong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Military sexual trauma (MST)—sexual harassment or assault during military service—is more common among women and is a leading cause of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Veterans Affairs (VA) disability for MST-related PTSD offers financial support, free healthcare, and validation, but women face barriers and uneven access to supports (veteran service organizations, trained advocates, trauma-informed clinicians), reducing their chances of favorable decisions. In this generic qualitative study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 11 purposively sampled women veterans representing diverse service eras, branches, and adjudication outcomes. Analysis was guided by feminist theory to shift focus from individual blame to structural factors, including how …

Public Policy Design In Georgia Child Support And Fatherhood, Troy Gathers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Child support policy in the United States has been widely studied as a method to ensure financial responsibility; however, existing research has identified concerns regarding enforcement practices and their disproportionate impact on African American noncustodial fathers in Georgia. Limited qualitative research examined how Georgia fathers experience and interprets these policies, creating a gap in understanding how policy implementation influences paternal engagement. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine how African American noncustodial fathers in Georgia perceived the child support process and to explore how modernization of enforcement policies might improve paternal engagement. Guided by policy feedback theory, this …

Investigating The Relationship Amongst Nursing Students’ Academic Self-Efficacy And Mindfulness, Joshua Josey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Undergraduate nursing education presents ongoing challenges related to student stress and persistence, and the COVID-19 pandemic further complicated these existing challenges for many students and programs. In this quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional study, the relationships among state mindfulness, trait mindfulness, and academic self-efficacy in undergraduate nursing students were examined and whether state and trait mindfulness predicted academic self-efficacy was tested. Participants were recruited through nursing student Facebook groups and completed an anonymous SurveyMonkey questionnaire that included the State Mindfulness Scale, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale, the Academic Behavioral Confidence Scale, and demographic items. Data were collected over 6 weeks ending August …

Staff Education To Improve Knowledge Of Evidence-Based Engagement Strategies To Reduce No-Show Rates, Jerrica Luster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High no-show rates in outpatient mental health settings remain a persistent barrier to effective care delivery, negatively affecting continuity of care, patient outcomes, and access to services. In the identified practice setting, inconsistent use of evidence-based engagement strategies beyond standard reminder practices contributed to missed appointments. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to evaluate whether a structured staff education intervention on evidence-based engagement strategies would improve staff knowledge as a foundation for enhancing appointment adherence. A quantitative pre- and posttest design was used to evaluate knowledge change following the intervention. Participants included outpatient mental health clinic …

Exploring Leadership Strategies And Personnel Integration Practices During The Post- Merger Phase Influence The Success Of Mergers And Acquisitions, Rebekah Dumas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) have been widely used as a growth strategy; however, many organizations fail to achieve their desired outcomes. This ongoing risk is a major concern for business leaders because ineffective post-merger personnel integration can disrupt workforce stability, reduce productivity, and hinder organizational performance. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore the strategies business leaders used to integrate personnel during post-merger transitions. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with eight business leaders from global corporations who had successfully executed mergers and acquisitions, along with a review of publicly available …

The Lived Experiences Of The Strong Black Woman Cultural Convention On Black Women Counselors’ Emotional Intelligence, Pranati Walker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotional intelligence (EI) is a critical competency for counselors due to the relational and emotionally demanding nature of counseling. Although existing literature explored EI among Black women broadly, limited research examined the experiences of Black women counselors (BWCs). This descriptive phenomenological study was guided by the philosophy of phenomenology and explored the lived experiences and impact of the SBW cultural convention on the EI of BWCs. The researcher explored the lived experiences of BWCs regarding the SBW cultural convention and its impact on emotional intelligence. Participant data from eight semi-structured interviews were collected. The participants identified as female gender identity, …

Exploring The Experiences Of Faculty Members Educating Students Virtually Post-Covid-19, Raven Ashley Richardson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted higher education, requiring institutions to rapidly transition to virtual learning environments and leaving faculty to manage increased workloads, stress, and challenges related to instructional quality and student engagement. The problem in this study is traditional faculty continue to experience these challenges in the post pandemic academic landscape, with implications for faculty wellbeing and student success. The purpose of this qualitative generic study was to explore experiences of traditional college faculty members educating students while transitioning from in-person to virtual learning environments post-COVID-19. Guided by the ecological systems theory, multilevel influences on faculty experiences were examined. …

Strategies Case Managers Use To Communicate With Limited English Proficient Patients, Joel Cruz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) face ongoing communication barriers that heighten medical errors and health disparities because nurse leaders in acute care settings lack empirically informed guidance on leadership practices that effectively implement language services. Grounded in transformational leadership (TL) theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore how nurse leaders perceive, experience, and enact strategies to address the language access needs of LEP patients. The participants were six nurse leaders from across the Midwest region, who successfully led nursing teams to improve communication with LEP patients. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, government proactive …

Effective Data-Driven Marketing Strategies Used By Independent Insurance Agency Owners To Acquire And Retain Clients, Yolanda Marie Gunn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective use of data-driven marketing strategies among independent insurance agency owners’ limits client acquisition and weakens retention in saturated markets, thereby jeopardizing financial stability, constraining sustainable growth, and reducing long-term competitiveness. Grounded in data-driven decision-making theory, this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore strategies independent insurance agency owners used to implement data-driven marketing practices to improve client acquisition and retention. Participants were six independent insurance agency owners in the southern United States with experience implementing data-driven marketing strategies. Data were collected through semistructured interviews, field notes, and publicly available agency marketing materials and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-phase thematic …

Social Support And Weight Management Behaviors Lived Experiences Of Overweight Native Hawaiian Women, Satu Gruenstein

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Hawaiian Islands have an alarming concentration of obesity and related chronic health issues and many Native Hawaiian women do not have access to culturally sensitive weight loss information. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to increase understanding of the lived experiences of middle-aged Native Hawaiian women, relating to weight loss, weight management, and the impact of social support and cultural factors on those experiences. The conceptual framework for the study included the models of social support and social networks. A phenomenological research design and purposeful sampling were used to conduct semistructured interviews with eight middle-aged Native Hawaiian women, …

It Strategies Used To Implement Enterprise Resource Planning Systems, Michele Doverspike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system implementation represents a significant challenge for small businesses, with failure rates that can lead to substantial financial losses and operational disruption. Information Technology (IT) managers in small businesses face a gap in evidence-based strategies tailored to their organizational context, increasing the risk of implementation failure and its associated financial and operational consequences. Grounded in general systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to explore the strategies IT managers use to implement ERP systems in small businesses in central Pennsylvania. The participants were six IT managers from small businesses in Pennsylvania who had …

Staff Education To Nurses To Increase Nursing Staff Knowledge On Qsofa, Pamela Robert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project evaluated the effectiveness of a structured staff education program aimed at improving nurses’ knowledge and confidence in early sepsis recognition and management using the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA) tool. Despite the availability of evidence-based screening methods, inconsistent application and limited nurse confidence were identified as key practice gaps. Guided by the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice model and the ADDIE instructional design framework, an educational intervention was developed and delivered to hospital-based nurses, focusing on qSOFA criteria, early identification of sepsis, and nurse-driven escalation pathways aligned with current clinical guidelines. A pre- …

Effective Small Business Leadership Strategies Used In Rural Areas To Optimize Employee Retention, Michelle Lynn Cathey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee retention remains a persistent challenge for rural small business leaders. The specific business problem addressed in this study was that some rural small business leaders lack effective leadership strategies to retain employees, which threatens organizational sustainability and workforce stability in rural communities. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore effective leadership strategies used by rural small business leaders in Northeast California to optimize employee retention. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with six rural small business leaders in Northeast California and were triangulated with publicly available documents, websites, and …

Factors That Contribute To Successful Supervision For Pretrial Defendants With Diagnosed Mental Health Disorders, Kisha Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals with mental health disorders are overrepresented in the criminal justice system, yet minimal evidence exists on how risk-based case management influences pretrial supervision. Existing literature focuses on post-conviction populations, with limited focus on pretrial defendants, particularly those with mental health disorders and gaps in how gender and mental health intersect to influence supervision outcomes. The study addressed the problem of whether risk-based case management improves pretrial outcomes for defendants with mental health needs and vary by gender or case management components. The purpose of this quantitative, non-experimental, retrospective design study was to examine the relationship between case management and …

How Positive Psychology Coaching May Influence Authentic Leadership Development, Amy Lynn Weilbacher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although organizations often articulate values driven missions, failure by leaders to consistently embody these values in practice can erode credibility and effectiveness. Organizational leaders need to understand the role of positive psychology coaching in authentic leadership development because mission credibility depends on the leaders’ enacted values. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how positive psychology coaching may influence authentic leadership development. This study was guided by a conceptual framework integrating positive psychology and authentic leadership. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 11 U.S.-based organizational leaders who participated in positive psychology coaching. Six key themes emerged …

Effects Of The Historical, Current, Social, And Political Influence Of White Supremacy On The Young, Black Male In Mobile, Alabama, Nicole Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown the negative effects of White supremacy and its historical influence on societal and political factors in the United States. These negative effects include excessive aggression, hate, and violence toward and degradation of Blacks, Indigenous, and people of color that lead to physical and mental health issues, identity crises, and trauma. However, studies have not examined the specific effects of the influence of White supremacy on the daily life of young adult Black males who have attended community college in Mobile, Alabama. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to identify the perceptions of such Black males …

Improving Advanced Practice Provider Knowledge Of Urinary Tract Infection In Geriatric Populations, Ashley Denise Lang

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Urinary tract infections (UTIs)in the geriatric population present unique diagnostic and management challenges. Improper classification and treatment plans contribute to increased morbidity, hospitalization, and mortality. This Doctor of Nursing staff education aimed to address a gap in Advanced Practice Provider knowledge regarding the differentiation of complicated versus uncomplicated UTIs in the geriatric population. Guided by the John Hopkins evidence-based practice model, a targeted educational intervention was developed and implemented. Evidence synthesis included 20 high-quality articles representing level 1-5 evidence. A pretest, educational PowerPoint presentation, and posttest were used to assess APP baseline knowledge and understanding of the education post-presentation. There …