Digital Commons Network^™

Medication Reconciliation, Competency, Timely And Effective Care, And Hospital Readmissions, Perry Theodore Nichols

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospital readmissions within 30 days of discharge result in significant multimillion-€dollar penalties to thousands of Medicare-€eligible hospitals throughout the United States and are indicators of suboptimal patient healthcare leading to less than ideal health outcomes for previously hospitalized patients. The purpose of this correlation study was to examine the relationship between medication reconciliation, nursing workforce competency, timely and effective care, and Medicare-€eligible hospital 30-€day readmission rates. The sample of 269 hospitals came from the population of Medicare-€eligible hospitals throughout the United States. Complexity theory and the general model of readmission were theoretical frameworks grounding this study. Secondary data were from …

Influence Of Police Officer Fear And Use-Of-Force Outcomes, Michele D. Stafford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police officer and community relations tensions have heightened with increases in publicized deadly use-of-force incidents on social media platforms. Though some deadly force encounters have been justified because officers stated they feared for their lives, little is known about the impact fear has on police officers' actions. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the impact fear plays when officers implement use-of-force continuum practices during encounters with civilians. Schacter and Singers' two-factor theory of emotion was used as the conceptual framework for this study. The key research question examined the influence of police officer fear as a factor …

Perceptions Of Fatherhood Programs From The Experiences Of Uninvolved Fathers, Rahsaan Roland Turpin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Past researchers have reported that father absence and low engagement affects 24 million children in the United States. African American fathers make up the largest group with low involvement. Fatherhood programs support men in their roles, yet little is known about why this group still exhibits low engagement. Using the family systems theory as a foundation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of African American fathers who participated in fatherhood programs and their engagement after these programs. This study used purposeful sampling and semi-structured interviews to collect information from 9 African American men aged …

Secondary Teachers' Perceptions Of Professional Development's Role For Instruction In Inclusive Settings, Dwight Erving Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with disabilities (SWDs) are being placed in inclusive settings. The problem is that in many cases, teachers who are assigned to these students may not have necessary training in special education. Lack of such teacher training can lead to deficits in learning for SWDs. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify secondary general education teachers' perspectives on professional development (PD) regarding teaching SWDs in inclusion classroom settings. The conceptual framework for this study was Bandura's self-efficacy construct as presented in social cognitive theory. For teachers, self-€efficacy may influence instructional practices, classroom climate, and attitudes toward educational processes. …

Promoting Nursing Communication Competence On A Spinal Cord Injury Unit, Tishon L. Creswell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The power to communicate effectively and respectfully in the health care setting promotes job satisfaction, retention, and healthy relationships. Ineffective communication is one of the major causes of sentinel events, incivility, nurse turnover, and workplace hostility in the health care environment. This project examined a communication competence educational program on a spinal cord injury (SCI) nursing department and its potential to improve communication competence. The project question explored whether an educational series on incivility and creating healthy relationships would increase communication competence in nurses on the SCI unit. The project used the high reliability solutions for health care model communications …

Race Matters: Administrators Perspectives On Affirmative Action In Higher Education, Terry Hogan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Legal challenges and statewide bans regarding the use of affirmative action as an admissions policy have affected the way higher education administrators must comply with these mandates to receive federal funding. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives and experiences of college and university administrators at public and private U.S. colleges and universities regarding the implementation of race-based and race-neutral admissions policies. Critical race theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 9 administrators at U.S. institutions of higher education. Data were organized, sorted, and coded to reveal 4 themes: holistic …

Role Of Primary Care Providers And Integrated Disease Surveillance In Chad, Dhoud Stave Gischel Samba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the Republic of Chad, primary care physicians play a central role in the detection and control of outbreaks and are critical actors in the integrated disease surveillance system through mandatory reporting. Feedback on such surveillance must reveal the needs and perceptions of these physicians. These needs and perceptions were examined using a questionnaire survey distributed to a sampling of 20 physicians in Chad. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the role of primary care providers in the integrated disease surveillance to identify factors that impact complete, quality, and timely reporting. The theory of planned behavior was …

Diffusion Of Innovations And Labor Market Challenges: A Multiple Case Study From Angola, Édney Marco Cardoso Dos Santos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A gap exists in the literature between general diffusion of technological innovations and socioeconomic development that results in an ambiguous connection between theory, academia, and professional practice. To inform governments in sub-Saharan Africa on how to achieve the diffusion of innovation for economic development through the voices of regional stakeholders, this qualitative multiple case study was conducted to gain deeper understanding on the views of stakeholders on rapid technology diffusion and its implication on labor market challenges within their regions of Angola. Information from semistructured interviews with 8 adult participants, male and female, born and residing in impoverished communities in …

Female Persistence In Fully Online Allied Health Programs At A Career College, Melissa A. Wertz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Persistence to program completion is critical for online students. Retaining online students is a struggle in higher education with online persistence rates being significantly lower than nononline students. In this qualitative case study the perceptions of female graduates who persisted in a fully online allied health program at a career college were investigated. Using Tinto's theory of student departure and self-determination theory, the characteristics, attitudes, and motivations of female online learners explored to discern their perceived success in the online classroom. The research questions focused on participants' perceptions, skills, and attitudes that contribute to their success, experiences with support services, …

Regulatory Effects On Traditional Financial Systems Versus Blockchain And Emerging Financial Systems, Samuel Edwin Addo Baidoo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The expansion of the Internet led to disruptive business and consumer processes, as existing regulations do not cover the scope and scale of emerging financial technologies. Using organization economic theory as the foundation, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine and compare the financial regulatory impact on traditional and emerging financial systems across a variety of factors including organizational type, predicted users, operational concerns, reasons for cost increases, and changes in business practices as a result of the regulatory environment. Data were collected through a survey of 227 adult Americans who engage in the financial sector and are …

Female Veterans' Combat Experience And Ptsd On Male Partners' Psychological Distress And Relationship Quality, Theresa Denise Abraham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female veterans' combat exposure to trauma places them at risk for developing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which has consequences for healthful reintegration to family and civilian life. Previous research found that wives who provide continuous care to male veterans with PTSD experience symptoms of psychological distress; however, little research has been conducted on the influence of female veterans' PTSD on their intimate male partners' (IMPs) psychological well-being. A multivariate correlational design was used to examine the influence of female veteran PTSD on psychological distress and relationship quality in IMPs. The couples' adaption to traumatic stress model was used as the …

Experiences Of Formal Caregivers Providing Dementia Care To American Indians, Damon Grew Peter Syphers, C.J. Schumaker, Ronald P. Hudak

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a significant public health concern for all elders in the United States. It is a particular concern for the American Indian (AI) population, which is one of the fastest aging populations in the United States and the smallest, most underrecognized, and most culturally diverse group in the country. A formal caregiver understanding of AD in the AI population is scarce. This phenomenological study was designed to discern what is known about AD in the AI population by exploring the cultural beliefs and experiences of formal caregivers who provide care for AI dementia patients. Specifically, this study …

Socialization Agents That Puerto Rican College Students Use To Make Financial Decisions, Enid Alvarez, Steven Tippins

Journal of Sustainable Social Impact

Using consumer socialization theory as theoretical framework, the purpose of this quantitative, nonexperimental, cross-sectional study was to identify the information sources that Puerto Ricans college students use to gather financial knowledge. A sample of 198 Puerto Rican college students answered a portion of the College Student Financial Literacy Survey. The research question addressed the preference of four financial information sources, including parents, peers, media, and school. A combination of descriptive statistics, one-way analysis of variance, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and multiple linear regression confirmed that participants preferred to gather financial knowledge from parents. Researchers, educators, and policymakers may use this …

Separated By The Child Welfare System: The Journey Of One Set Of Fraternal Twins, Jocelyne Coan Bond

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study explored the separation of twins in foster care and examined how their lived experiences relate to their interpersonal relationships as adults. Many researchers have studied the long-term impact of nontwin sibling separation in foster care, but little is known about the separation of twins, leaving a significant gap in existing literature. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences twins who were separated in foster care as relates to their interpersonal relationships during adulthood. A qualitative, narrative approach was used to gather the lived experiences of one set of twins. The research questions examined how …

Papanicolaou Test Status Among Inner-City Adolescent Girls In Accra, Ghana, Collins Kwesi Asamoa-Afriyie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cervical cancer is an emerging public health problem in developing countries. Globally, it is the 3rd most common malignancy in women after breast and colorectal cancers and 4th most frequent cancer in women, with an estimated 570,000 new cases and 311,000 deaths in 2018. Cervical cancer screening in the developed countries is credited with the reductions in cervical cancer morbidity and mortality during the last 50 years. However, nearly 90% of cervical cancer deaths occur in less developed countries. Ghana has a cervical cancer rate of 26.4%. Further, it is the highest cancer incidence faced among women 25 to 44 …

Gifted Students In Poverty's Perceptions Of Blended Learning, Darren Chase Crutcher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students who are raised in poverty and are not adapted to technology use have less positive learning experiences with technology usage than other students. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore students' perceptions of blended learning among gifted students who are enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program in a public high school district in the southeastern United States. Davis's version of the technology acceptance model was used as the conceptual framework. The research questions explored the perceptions of these gifted students when they are taught using blended learning in terms of their attitudes, perceived usefulness, perceived …

Community Education Through A Stroke Champion Program, Michele Gribko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stroke is the fifth leading cause of death and primary cause of long-term disability in the United States. Public awareness of stroke symptoms and ability to activate the emergency medical system (EMS) quickly are essential for early treatment. At a large Joint Commission-certified Comprehensive Stroke Center with over 6,000 employees, a stroke champion program that included both clinical and nonclinical volunteers was initiated to determine whether stroke champion volunteers could learn and disseminate information about stroke symptoms and the importance of activating EMS within their community. Roger's diffusion-of- innovation framework was used to design and evaluate the outcome of the …

Geospatial Analysis Of Care And Mortality In The 2014 Liberia Ebola Outbreak, Marion Carlton Kinkade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014 to 2016 had more than 28,000 suspected, probable, and confirmed cases. It was the largest Ebola outbreak in history. Of the 28,000 cases in the three Ebola-affected countries, Liberia had 10,000 cases with almost 5,000 deaths. The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) entered Liberia along the border of Guinea and moved to the capital city of Monrovia where the virus spread. Ebola Treatment Units (ETUs) were constructed throughout the response in locations where there were available facilities versus distance to care challenges. This study examined the association of distance from villages to ETUs …

Pregnant African American Women Breastfeeding Intentions, Beliefs, Attitudes And Perspectives, Janelle S. Mcclain, Phd

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Breastfeeding is the best infant feeding source of nutrition for infants in their early stages of development. However, there is a fundamental gap in the number of African American women that initiate breastfeeding compared to White, Asian, and Hispanic mothers. Social cognitive theory was used to explore the breastfeeding intentions, beliefs, perceived barriers, and perceptions on breastfeeding through a basic qualitative research method. To capture the essence of the lived experiences of African American pregnant women, a purposeful sample of 13 African American pregnant women were invited to participate in the study. Two focus groups discussions pertaining to breastfeeding intentions …

Parents' And Health Professionals' Perceptions Of Asthma Medication Noncompliance Among Puerto Rican Children, Luz E. Nieves

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Children of Hispanic origin have the highest prevalence of asthma of all ethnic groups in the United States, especially Puerto Rican children, who have a prevalence of 12.9%. Treatment nonadherence has been identified as one contributing factor. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the reasons for nonadherence to the asthma treatment regimen among Puerto Rican children. Parents and health care providers of asthmatic children were interviewed regarding their beliefs about asthma as a disease, its effect on the child's life, and their experience with asthma treatment. Two models served as the theoretical framework: the health belief model …

Abstract Hiv Testing And Multiple Sexual Partnerships Among Men In Nigeria, Kelvin Meyeyin-Bala

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low Human Immunodeficiency Virus [HIV] test uptake and multiple partnerships among men in Nigeria are contributing factors to HIV transmission. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine the relationship between HIV test uptake, sociodemographic characteristics, HIV knowledge, attitude, and multiple sexual partnerships. The health belief model provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from the 2013 Nigerian National Demographic Health Survey, which surveyed 17,359 Nigerian men ages 15-49 years. Chi-square and binary logistic regression analysis showed that sociodemographic variables (age, residence, marital status, religion, wealth status, ethnicity, and educational level), HIV test uptake, HIV knowledge, …

Teacher Job Satisfaction And School Leadership, Saroya N. Pendleton-Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teacher Job Satisfaction and School Leadership

by

Saroya N. Pendleton-Brown

MSA, Fayetteville State University, 2011

BBA, Baker College, 1993

AAS, Jordan College, 1991

Doctoral Study Completed in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Education

August 2019

The problem in a middle eastern school was the high annual rate of teacher attrition, which is above 25% per year. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine teacher perceptions of the attrition rates as they relate to the school leadership style at this study site. Herzberg's theory of motivation, which provides insights regarding job satisfaction, …

Strategies For Implementation Of Electronic Health Records, Carlene Vassell-Webb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Implementation of electronic health records (EHRs) is a driver for the improvement of health care and the reduction of health care costs. Developing countries face substantial challenges in adopting EHRs. The complex adaptive system conceptual framework was used to guide this single case study to explore strategies that health care leaders used to successfully implement the EHR system. Data were collected from 6 health care leaders from an island in the Caribbean using a semistructured interview technique. Data were analyzed using the Bengtsson's 4-stage data analysis process, which includes decontextualization, recontextualization, categorization, and compilation. The results of the study yielded …

Cameroonian Immigrants ' Behaviors, Beliefs And Knowledge Of Type 2 Diabetes: In Minnesota, Brendabell Ebanga Njee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nondiabetic immigrants from Cameroon who migrate to Minnesota lack knowledge of risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes and face challenges accessing health care services. Nondiabetic immigrants from Cameroon lack culturally appropriate health care services and therefore find it difficult to follow providers' recommendations. This phenomenological study explored the perceptions and experiences of nondiabetic immigrants from Cameroon regarding access to affordable, quality health care services as well as their behaviors, beliefs, and knowledge of type 2 diabetes self-management. Bronfenbrenner's social ecological model provided the theoretical framework. Research questions addressed access to affordable health care services, knowledge, and perception of type …

Socioeconomic Status, Water, Sanitation, Hygiene, And Economic Cost Of Childhood Diarrheal Diseases In Uganda, Sarah Birungi Nahalamba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Worldwide, diarrhea is the second leading cause of death in children aged under 5, yet it is both preventable and treatable. Several studies have established the effects of exposure to inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) on diarrhea prevalence, but little was known on how the interactions of socioeconomic status and WASH influence the economic cost of treatment of diarrhea. This retrospective cross-sectional survey study was focused on assessing the correlation between socioeconomic status, WASH, and household cost of treatment of diarrhea among children aged under 5 in Uganda using the multiple exposure-multiple effect model. Secondary data from the 2015/16 …

Reading Perceptions Of Hispanic English Language Learner Families In New York City, Ligoria Berkeley-Cummins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically, Hispanic English language learners (ELLs) in the United States have had low reading achievement and low high school graduation and college entry rates, which has limited their employment opportunities. Although research indicates parental involvement is important to reading success, little is known about Hispanic ELL parents' perspectives on their children's reading development. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand how parental involvement in 3rd grade Hispanic ELLs' reading development, as perceived by their families, may contribute to these students' reading proficiency. The framework for this study was Hedegaard's model of children's learning and development. The participants …

Using Sociodemographic Approach To Examine Health Services And Hiv/Aids Awareness In Nigeria, Mercy I. Ebosie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine community health services and HIV/AIDS awareness in rural communities in Abia State Nigeria in respect to the sociodemographic factors of level of community health services, level of education, and community leaders' influence. Two questions guided the research process: To what extent are sociodemographic factors associated with HIV/AIDS awareness, and what is the relationship between level of community health services and extent of HIV/AIDS, as perceived by residents of these communities. A mixed method paradigm was used. A sample of 131 participants, who were HIV/AIDS patients, were purposively drawn from a population of …

Nudge Theory's Perceived Influence On Fmla Among Midwestern Metropolitan Nonprofit Arts Organizations, Eliza Gordner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) has had significant influence on both for-profit and nonprofit employers since it was enacted in 1993. Because nonprofit organizations often have more limited resources than for-profit organizations, implementing family and medical leave policy mandates can be problematic. Arts-related nonprofit organizations often have even fewer resources available yet must still ensure legal compliance and market competitiveness while continuing to focus on meeting their missions. Even if a smaller nonprofit organization is not subject to the FMLA, it is subject to other federal, state, and local employment laws, and the organization must decide whether to …

Exploring The Factors Responsible For Occupational Stress Among Police Officers In Nigeria, Ahmed Lateef

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over 90 percent of police officers in Nigeria are confronted with psychological illness and injuries as a result of occupational stress, which is compounded by a lack of attention to police officer welfare by government, insufficient annual leave, and poor salaries that contribute to poor performance. Using Karasek's demands on decision and control model as the foundation, the purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the impact of occupational stress on police officers in a metropolitan police agency in Nigeria. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 senior police officers who had at least 20 years experience in …

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 …