Digital Commons Network^™

Grade 9 Teachers' Perceptions Of Habits Of Mind And Academic Success, Alana Margeson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Grade 9 students' academic failure has been documented to lead to future academic failure at the secondary level. Research has shown that lack of persistence and problem solving behaviors when dealing with adversity have multiple consequences, including low self-esteem and dropout. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine Grade 9 teachers' perceptions related to the use of Habits of Mind, a program designed to address the dispositions of thinkers when faced with problems such as resilience or persistence. Guided by Bandura's social cognitive learning theory, which holds that environment relates directly to behaviors and feelings of …

The Use Of Compassionate Release Policies For Elderly Offenders, Lindsey Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This research examined the use of compassionate release policy in response to the fastest-increasing segment of the prison population- elderly offenders. Though this policy is an approach to this problem, there was little available research regarding which correctional organizations in the United States adopt compassionate release and how it is used. The purpose of this nonexperimental comparative quantitative study was to examine the use of the policy in neighboring and distant state correctional systems relative to those organizations that used the policy more frequently to determine if the leader-laggard theory of policy diffusion was an effective policy-implementation framework. The research …

An Educational Program For Primary Nursing, Marsha-Gail Mcdonald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

To increase continuity of care and reduce clinical errors, management in an inpatient rehabilitation unit of a private, nonprofit hospital chose to change the care delivery model to primary nursing; unit nurses had inadequate understanding of primary nursing, creating a gap in practice. The purpose of this project was to develop an educational program on primary nursing to address the question of how education on primary nursing would impact the understanding of the model among the nurses in the patient rehabilitation unit of the project site. Rogers's diffusion of innovation model provided a framework for developing the educational program. The …

Leaders' Perceptions Of The Sexual Misconduct Reporting System In The Military, Catherine Elaine Mincey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an unwarranted number of men and women that experience an unwanted sexual contact occurrence while on active duty, that is not reported through the military's sexual harassment or sexual assault system channels. A reporting system that is cumbersome and ineffective may hinder a leader's perception in implementing effective sexual harassment and sexual assault policies and procedures. The purpose of this descriptive multiple case study was to explore the ways a reporting system influenced the decision making processes of leaders and the importance of a fluent information flow through communication channels regarding the reporting system for sexual misconduct within …

Perceptions Of Failed Foster Care, Nathaniel Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The purpose of this action research study was to investigate social workers' perceptions of the problems that prevent successful family reunifications after foster care. The study explored social workers' perceptions of barriers that prevent family reunifications in central Mississippi. Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory as the framework, the research question explored the problem from multiple levels of practice including family, individual, institutional, and community. The focus group approach aligned with the project goal by allowing participants opportunities to share experiences and perspectives regarding family reunifications. The study used a purposive sample of 10 participants who were practicing licensed social workers …

Nursing Staff Education For Heart Failure Disease Management, Kerri Murphy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Heart failure (HF) has a global significance for the older population and is the most common reason for hospitalization. Patients with HF can reduce their risk for hospital readmissions and adverse outcomes through self-management of their disease. Nurses are responsible for educating patients about HF self-management; however, nurses at the project site lacked sufficient understanding and confidence to perform adequate HF patient education, creating a gap in practice. This project was guided by Pender's health promotion model and adult learning theory with the goal to increase nurses' knowledge and confidence with the self-management principles of HF. The purpose of this …

Predictive Relationships Between School Counselor Role Ambiguity, Role Diffusion, And Job Satisfaction, Daya Patton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of clarity about professional roles and responsibilities of school counselors has resulted in role ambiguity and role diffusion among this group of professionals. Role ambiguity and role diffusion contribute to job dissatisfaction. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine whether role ambiguity and role diffusion predicted school counselor job satisfaction after controlling for years of experience as a school counselor, and to examine whether role ambiguity, role diffusion, and job satisfaction differed for school counselors at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. The theoretical framework was role theory, which conceptualizes how job roles within organizations …

Recognizing And Anticipating Stress Related Complacent Behavior In Manufacturing Industries, Ricardo Alberto Pineda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Numerous safety studies suggest that stress complacency related accidents in manufacturing industries continue to cause injuries or fatalities because of the absence of emotional resources for leaders, who are unable to prevent accidents when these conditions exist. Leaders of the manufactory industries may not have the appropriate emotional measures which are significant to recognize employees' underlying complacent behavior. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to evaluate the relationship between leaders' emotional intelligence resources and their ability to manage to prevent injuries and fatalities in the workplace. The research questions address key traits of emotional intelligence regarding emotional perceptions …

Impact Of A Formal Mentorship Program On Frontline Nurse Managers, Tonya Ranee Roth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are numerous factors that influence a nurse manager's job satisfaction and intention to remain in a job. The purpose of this project was to evaluate whether a formal mentorship program for nurse managers impacted job satisfaction and intention to remain in a job. A pilot program was developed and 15 nurse managers from 2 hospitals in the Pacific Northwest participated in a 6-month mentorship program. The program was guided by mentorship enactment theory and Kouzes and Posner's exemplary leadership framework. Using the Leadership Profile Inventory (LPI) and the Nurse Manager Practice Environment Scale (NMPES), job satisfaction, intention to stay …

Care Intervention And Reduction Of Emergency Department Utilization In Medicaid Populations, Eno J. Rouse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Expansion of Medicaid and private health insurance coverage through passage of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 was expected to increase primary care access and reduce emergency department (ED) use by reducing financial burden and improving affordability of care. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in utilization patterns that exist among the Medicaid population that participated in an optimal level of care (OLC) intervention inclusive of appointments scheduled to primary care providers. Using the integrated behavior model as a theoretical framework, the key research question focused on determining if there was a difference in ED use …

Hypertension Experience Of Foreign-Born West African Immigrant Women In The United States, Assumpta Onyinye Ude

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Foreign-born African immigrants (FBAI) have a high rate of severe hypertension (HTN) and psychosocial-cultural factors have underlying roles in this, as in other chronic diseases. Literature lacks studies on FBAI women living with HTN. This study explored the HTN experience of FBAI women in the Washington Metropolitan area. This qualitative phenomenological study, was guided by a theoretical framework that included the Health Belief Model, Patient Centered Access to Health Care and the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping. Highly educated health care professional of 15 women participated in in-depth interviews. Thematic analysis was used for data analysis. Key findings included …

Late Adolescent Mothers' Homelessness And Pregnancy Experiences While Living In Transitional Housing, Beverly Vendryes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The numbers of homeless adolescent mothers have been increasing over the past decade. Previous studies have focused on homeless individuals, but no studies examined late adolescent mothers' homelessness and pregnancy experiences while living in transitional housing. Using a phenomenological methodology, this study explored the lived experiences of 7 adolescent mothers, 18 to 24 years old, who were homeless, pregnant, and living in transitional housing. The social construction of reality theory provided the framework and interpretive lens for this study. Social networking and snowball sampling were used for participant recruitment. Through in-depth interviews, data coding and analyses were conducted to identify …

Intraoperative Neurophysiological Monitoring Reimbursement Post International Classification Of Diseases-10, Cindy A. Akkerman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

International Classification of Diseases the 10th Revision (ICD-10) was implemented October 1, 2015, and there was little knowledge how the transition to ICD-10 would impact the revenue cycle for intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring medical practices in Oklahoma. This correlational quantitative study examined the changes in dependent variables of reimbursements due to the change from ICD-9 to ICD-10 for independent variables of intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring procedure codes. The reimbursements from 2014 were compared to reimbursements from 2016. Prices were adjusted for inflation to 2016 dollar values. Annual reimbursements decreased for all intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring procedures examined except the remote monitoring code. The …

Wounded Warriors And Their Transition To The Community College Classroom, Virgil Nathaniel Adkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many postsecondary institutions face challenges when veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or traumatic brain injury (TBI) enroll in college and become student-veterans. Staff and faculty may need to better understand how to accommodate these student-veterans as they transition from military to student life. The purpose of this study was to explore the perspectives of 3 groups at a Texas community college regarding classroom accommodations for student-veterans with PTSD or TBI: (a) student-veterans with PTSD or TBI, (b) the faculty, and (c) the disability counselors. Schlossberg's theory assessing an individual's assets and abilities in transition was the conceptual framework for …

Lived Experiences Of African American Involved With An Incarcerated Intimate Partner, Sharon V. Alston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) accumulates annual data from state department of corrections. The information that the BJS accumulates annually is relevant to this study because it shows the possibility of the many African American women as well as other women in need of assistance while their loved one is incarcerated. The purpose of this study was to explore lived experiences of African American women involved with an incarcerated spouse, partner, or mate. The focal point of interest was how lived experiences affect African American women's physical and psychological well-being. The theoretical framework for this study comprised both the …

The Relationship Between Parents' And Caregivers' Demographics And Their Knowledge About Congenital Heart Disease, Adeola Barakat Animasahun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of knowledge regarding congenital heart disease (CHD) among the Lagos populace is leading to late presentation, late diagnosis and poor outcomes. The purpose of the research was to document the level of knowledge of parents and caregivers regarding CHD using the Leuven questionnaire for assessing knowledge of parents on CHD (LKQCHD). A quantitative correlational cross-sectional study, with purposeful convenience sampling strategy, was used. Health belief model was the theoretical framework used. Primary data of demographic information such as gender, age, the level of education, and the number of years of accessing care were obtained using a survey. The …

Multicultural Competency In Online Counseling Courses: Before And After A Multicultural Counseling Course, Sheryl Attilee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The importance of multicultural counseling training received much attention for decades, however, studies on effective training focused on multicultural counseling training in a face-to-face environment with minimal focus on online training environments. These studies found that face-to-face interactions had the most impact on multicultural training. Therefore, the current study was an evaluation of online master's counseling students' and graduates' multicultural attitudes to determine the effectiveness of online multicultural training using Banks' transformative approach. The research questions focused on the significant difference in participants' recalled multicultural attitude scores (know, care, and act) before an online multicultural counseling course as compared to …

Burnout Among Child Welfare Social Workers In Louisiana, Kimberly Marie Bainguel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout among child welfare social workers negatively affects social workers and the social welfare system. The purpose of this action research study was to explore what child welfare social workers do to alleviate burnout. The practice-focused research questions for this study center on two elements: (a) the experiences of burnout among child welfare social workers employed by the Department of Family and Children services in the southeastern region of the United States and (b) the social work practices used to alleviate burnout. The conceptual framework for this study was the Maslach theory on burnout. Action research study procedures were used …

Evaluating The Frequencies Of Self-Reported Mental Health Conditions In Affluent Youth, Philip Bondurant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

American youth are facing a mental health crisis. Rates of depression and suicide continue to rise among all children ages 12-17. While there is considerable research on the mental health of underserved children, much less is known about the mental health status of youth from affluent communities. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of community health assessment (CHA)-driven mental health interventions on the youth of affluent communities. Using a pre and post evaluation model, this study compared the frequencies of self-reported depression and suicide ideation for students in Grades 8, 10, and 12, and geographic location …

Relationship Between Skilled Nursing Facility Nurse Staffing Levels And Resident Rehospitalizations, Crystal Spring Bowens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Readmission of skilled nursing facility (SNF) residents has become a financial and quality-of-care concern for facility leaders. SNF administrators do not know whether nurse staffing levels are impacting readmission rates. The Affordable Care Act included measures to monitor and improve quality and to penalize SNFs that have high readmission rates. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between SNF nurse staffing levels and readmission rates using the Skilled Nursing Facility Readmission Measure (SNF RM). The theoretical framework for the study was Donabedian's structure, process, outcome model. The research questions addressed the relationship between nurse staffing …

African American Women's Understanding Of How Family Values Contribute To Social Aggression, Elsa Bernice Butts

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found that social aggression has increased among African American females. Researchers have reported that the family value systems of many African American families endorse aggressive behaviors. Beliefs of fighting verbally and physically for self-worth and equality have been embedded in the socialization process for some African American females. It is important to explore the influence of family values on socially aggressive behaviors among this population. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of African American females in early adulthood and to understand how their socially aggressive behaviors are influenced by their family values. …

A Phenomenological Examination Of Heterosexual Men Who Experience Psychological Abuse, Raymond Carson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although sexual and physical abuse have clear definitions, psychological abuse is difficult to define and conceptualize. Though men can and have experienced psychological abuse, there is limited research on heterosexual men's experiences with psychological abuse and much of the research on abuse has been on women. Therefore, this qualitative phenomenological study, grounded on control theory, the social choice framework, and narrative theory, was conducted to investigate how heterosexual men describe their experiences with psychological abuse. A phenomenological qualitative approached with purposeful sampling was used to draw a sample of heterosexual male participants (N = 6), ages 30 to 42 were …

Strategies For Managing Employee Self-Expression In The Workplace, Heather A. Cavise

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that 50% to 70% of higher education employees in the United States are disengaged in the workplace. Some higher education institutions are negatively affected by imposing strict guidelines restricting employees' freedom of self-expression in the workplace. Using Herzberg's 2-factor theory of motivation as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies used by higher education institution leaders to manage workplace self-expression without negatively affecting motivation and work productivity. The population was 9 leaders from 3 higher education institutions in central and northern New Jersey. Data collection was conducted through semistructured interviews and …

African American Women's Perceptions Of Self-Value In The Transition To Natural Hair, Tekeilla Darden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scholars have reported on the upsurge of African American women wearing their kinky, or natural, hair and the issues surrounding their choices. The wearing of natural African American hair has not been fully accepted in mainstream society. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how African American women understand self-value in the process of wearing their natural hair. The ethnic and racial identity model, critical race theory, and the strong Black woman collection were the conceptual frameworks used to connect identity, race and racism, and a collective vulnerability to the African American woman's hair journey. The study included …

Counselor Educators' Social Justice And Advocacy Beliefs And Relationship To Their Actions, Marcia Colantha Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Using Bandura's social learning theory as a frame, this quantitative survey study examined the relationship between attitudes and beliefs of counselor educators and the importance they placed on taking social justice as well as advocacy action in their personal and professional lives. Two survey instruments, the Social Issues Advocacy Scale and the Social Justice Scale, were given to faculty members of graduate counselor education programs to examine the question of whether a statistically significant relationship exists between faculty attitudes and beliefs regarding the value of social justice and advocacy, and faculty taking action in social justice and advocacy initiatives in …

An Exploration Of Mental Health Practitioners' Perceptions Of Ethical Requirements And Self-Care As Means To Maintain Professional Competence, Ebony Denise Coleman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A mental health practitioner must refrain from partaking in any mental health work if personal problems interfere with his or her ability to provide services in a competent manner. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how mental health practitioners manage personal problems to stay ethically compliant. Previous research has indicated that a significant amount of literature has revealed the causes and damaging effects of burnout among mental health workers. However, there remains an important gap in the current literature that links burnout directly with competently providing quality care. Ethical compliance, self-care, and mental health practitioners' perceptions were …

Awareness, Stress, And Income As Contributors In Medicare Part B Late Enrollment, Bishnu Hari Dhaurali

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medicare Part B is one of the federal health insurance programs available to senior citizens in the United States. Unlike Medicare Part A, Part B enrollment is not automatic, and those missing their initial enrollment period are assessed a 10% or more penalty in addition to their monthly premium rate for the rest of their lives. This problematic enrollment policy has impacted senior citizens who have missed Part B enrollment windows, creating for them an added financial burden when many are transitioning to fixed incomes. Guided by social construction theory and using a nonprobability, convenience sampling approach, the likelihood coefficient …

African Americans' Perceptions Of The Impact Of The War On Drugs, Tammy Drayton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The War on Drugs has been a contested issue in the United States for decades. Many believe that African Americans are targeted by the government and become victims of the penal system as a result of anti-drug policies. The purpose of this ethnographic study was to explore the impact of the war on drugs on African American men, women, and young adults from their perspectives. Racial threat theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected through interviews with and observations of 30 African American participants who had experiences directly and indirectly with the War on Drugs. Participant were …

Work Engagement, Job Satisfaction, And Nurse Turnover Intention, Yolanda Marie Edwards-Dandridge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, the high turnover rate of registered nurses and indications of a future shortage of registered nurses is detrimental to healthcare organizations. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine whether, in hospitals, work engagement and job satisfaction predicted registered nurse turnover intention. The theoretical framework was Fishbein and Ajzen's theory of reasoned action. Probability sampling was used to identify 155 participants, all full-time registered nurses with 2 or more years of employment in New York hospitals. Data, obtained from surveys, were analyzed via multiple linear regression. The results revealed that only job satisfaction predicted turnover …

Stigma, Help-Seeking Behaviors, And Use Of Services Among College Students With Self-Reported Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Angelina Marie Feagin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

People experiencing mental health illnesses such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who do not receive mental health treatment services (MHTS) are at a higher risk of committing crimes. The research problem of this study was to fill the gap in the literature concerning gender, sex at birth, and gender identity differences as predictors of attitudes toward perceived stigma in help-seeking behavior (HSB) and use of MHTS. The sample size included 5,000 participants in the de-identified secondary data set of students from 26 universities and colleges across the United States. The Healthy Minds Study collected these data in 2016-2017 using the …