Digital Commons Network^™

Impact Of 9/11 Attacks And Federal Funding On The National Guard’S Organizational And Operational Focus, Michael Christopher Mcmahon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a problem in the United States national security enterprise related to the National Guard’s organizational responsibilities to state and federal governments, and it was unknown whether this hybrid structure caused capabilities to diverge between pre-9/11 and post-9/11 national security priorities. This quantitative study’s purpose was to investigate the use of Congressional funding to determine how and to what degree the National Guard’s capabilities diverged from the United States national security priorities from pre-9/11 to post-9/11 periods. Organizational change and stream analysis conceptual frameworks identified organizational challenges in overcoming inertia and resistance to change. The statistical analysis included public …

The Damages Of Outstanding Veterans Disability Compensation Claims, Lisa Marie Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Department of Veterans Affairs failed to process service disability claims promptly, which resulted a backlog from 1993 to present. This impacted veterans by limiting medical care and affected their quality of life. For the past 30 years or longer, military veterans have complained about their quality of life and the status of their service-connected disability claim. The fundamental purpose of the study was to discover how veterans’ quality of life was affected while waiting for their final word on disability comprehensive benefits and or their appeal cases. Human resource theory and the Institutional Analysis and Development assessment were used …

The Effects Of Stress Reduction For Healthcare Workers On Covid Units, Rosita Cynthia Mctaggart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rise of the COVID pandemic was a surprise to many. Since Florence Nightingale, society has suffered from various epidemic infectious diseases. This specific educational project was developed because of the stress and the aftereffects experienced by many healthcare workers coping with the working conditions related to COVID. This educational project is important because according to the World Health Organization, a healthy environment is a place for physical, mental, and social well-being, which supports optimal health and safety. Healthcare workers should be provided an educational program to assist them in minimizing stress. Havelock’s and Lewin’s theory of change was chosen …

Early Childhood Teachers’ Perspectives Of Job-Related Stressors And Decisions To Remain In Or Leave The Profession, Michelle Mertic

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early childhood teachers are leaving the profession at high rates, citing job-related stress as the reason for their departure. These vacancies have a detrimental effect on the children enrolled in these programs and their future school readiness. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore early childhood teachers’ perspectives of job-related stressors and how those stressors impact their decisions to remain in or leave the teaching profession. The conceptual framework used in the study was the coping-competence-context theory of teacher stress. The research questions addressed early childhood teachers’ perspectives of job-related stressors and how those stressors impacted teachers’ decisions …

Educating Nurses On The Progression Of Chronic Kidney Disease, Andrea Georgia Mignott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe increasing prevalence and incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major healthcare burden in developed and developing countries. A gap in nursing practice was identified in a teaching and referral hospital located in Jamaica. Nurses in the organization lacked requisite knowledge and current evidence-based practice guidelines on CKD and therefore could not teach patients diagnosed with CKD. The purpose of this project was to educate nurses regarding the progression of CKD, with the aim of slowing the disease process. This Doctor of Nursing Practice project explored whether educating nurses on the progression of CKD would increase their knowledge …

Strategic Management Practices For Responsible Mining In Artisanal And Small-Scale Mining Projects, Cornelius Mireku-Antwi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Irresponsible management practices in the Artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) industry result in wasteful mineral resource recovery and utilization. The lack of ASM managers' ability to implement responsible mining inhibits the ability to grow revenues and profits. Grounded in Mckinsey’s 7S framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies ASM managers use to establish responsible mining while also improving revenues and profits. The participants were five ASM managers from five ASM companies in Ghana. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and company public documents such as published annual reports. The four themes from the thematic …

An Educational Program To Enhance Knowledge And Communication For Nursing Staff Who Care For Dementia Patients, Behnaz Mohammadi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDementia is a progressive chronic disease that requires skilled nursing care. Staff at a skilled nursing facility were not using best practices to prevent and manage the psychological and behavioral symptoms of dementia. The purpose of this DNP project was to implement a dementia care education to address this gap in knowledge. The question for the evidence-based educational project was whether the program increased knowledge, promoted positive attitudes, and increased confidence in dementia care staff. A 5-hour workshop was presented in person, twice in two weeks. The person-centered care model served as a framework for the project. Nursing staff (N …

Exploring The Experiences Of Black Male School Counselors In Us Public Schools, Torrenzo Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem associated with this research inquiry is that Black males are underrepresented in school counselor positions in K-12 schools. Although studies exist in the literature that highlight their importance in the education arena, the impact of Black males working in the school counseling profession has not been well-researched. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive, phenomenological study was to understand the unique experiences of Black male school counselors regarding their underrepresentation in the school counseling profession. The conceptual framework guiding this study is Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological psychological method and social constructivist theory was the theoretical framework. Procedural processes associated with …

An Examination Of Small And Midsize Defense Business Corporate Lobbying, Gene Moran

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Large companies lobby U.S. Congress in more significant numbers than small companies and gain a clear advantage in funding acquisitions. But little is known about what conditions influence or disincentivize small and midsize businesses, those with revenues of $5 million to $1 billion, from participating in congressional lobbying. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the gap in the research literature by focusing on small and midsize defense company executives who address the conditions surrounding congressional lobbying. The study’s theoretical framework was Benet’s polarities of democracy, emphasizing polarity relationships of participation and representation and diversity and equality. The …

Association Between Therapeutic Interventions And Quality Of Life In People With Autism, Taline Movsessian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research exploring the impact of autism interventions on the quality of life (QoL) of adults with autism is scarce. This correlational, cross-sectional survey study was conducted to determine the association between seven interventions—behavioral, social, mental health, daily living skills, vocational, mindfulness, and medications—and the QoL and mental health of adults 18 years and older with autism with no intellectual disability living in Canada. A national sample of 182 autistic adults completed the survey that used the WHOQOL-BREF and Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale to measure subjective QoL and mental health, respectively. Behavioral, mental health, and medications were the mostly used …

Strategies For Employees To Effect Change To Improve Performance Of Public Organizations, Ibrahim Nasamu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Seventy percent of organizations fail in their organizational change initiatives because of failure to involve employees in the change process. Some managers lack the strategies to implement change initiatives successfully. Using Kotter’s eight-step change model as the conceptual framework, this qualitative single case study was conducted to explore public sector managers’ strategies to include employees in implementing organizational change. Semistructured interviews were used to identify the strategies public sector managers use to include employees in implementing organizational change. Interviews were conducted with eight participants who met the inclusion criteria for this study. Data analysis included methodological triangulation and Yin’s 5 …

Human Service Professionals’ Perceived Ability To Support Title I Schools During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Michael Dewayne Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human service professional practitioners (HSPPs) who work in Title I schools help students overcome challenges including absenteeism and behavioral problems and serve as liaisons between the school, family, and student. The pivot to online education during the COVID-19 school shutdowns meant that HSPP services also pivoted. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to understand how HSPPs perceived their ability to serve Title I students during the pandemic through the lens of Bandura’s self-efficacy theory. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 15 HSPPs who delivered services to Title I students before and during the pandemic. Participants reported their service delivery …

Life Experiences Of Head Start Teachers In A Midwestern Region Pursuing Higher Education, Jeanette O. Keyes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe 2007 Head Start Reauthorization Act mandated that all Head Start teachers have at least an associate degree and 50% of teachers within each Head Start program should have a baccalaureate degree in early childhood education. The problem addressed in this study was that Head Start teachers from a Midwestern region encountered barriers as they pursued higher education to meet mandated requirements to continue employment. The purpose of this study was to explore the life experiences, barriers, coping strategies and views of support needed by Head Start teachers who were completing their degrees. Tinto’s academic and social integration model and …

Nurses’ Role In Reducing Mental Health Stigma In Health Care, Angel Vivian Mbome

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many patients with mental illness around the world face mental health-related stigma. Compared to other health care workers, nurses express the highest level of stigmatizing attitudes toward mentally ill patients. The purpose of this project was to change staff nurses’ attitudes in a long-term care facility by educating them on mental health stigma. The practice-focused question guiding this study was whether educating staff nurses on mental health stigma changed nurses’ attitudes and behavioral intentions towards people with mental illness. This project was guided by the constructivist theory of learning. Seventeen staff members voluntarily participated in a 30-minute nursing staff education …

Effects Of Socioeconomic Status, Demographic Characteristics, And Education On Sarcopenic Obesity, Moruf Oladele Olaleye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The general problem is that although the body of research about obesity is robust, there is a lack of research addressing the problem of sarcopenic obesity. Specifically, there is a lack of research examining the statistical significance of the relationship between the independent variables of socioeconomic status, demographic characteristics, and education and the dependent variable of sarcopenic obesity. This research may advance practice and policy by lending support for developing interventions to address factors that have a statistically significant relationship with sarcopenic obesity. The purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to identify independent variables among socioeconomic, demographic, and education …

Terrorism Preparedness, Collaboration, And Organizational Culture In The National Capital Region, Anderson Percival Padmore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Terrorism preparedness is essential for federal, state, and local governments. However, literature indicated that local governments may not be ready to respond to a terrorist event. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine terrorism preparedness levels related to collaboration in the National Capital Region (NCR) of the United States to determine first responders’ perspectives regarding challenges of organizational change. The research questions for this study concentrated on the evaluation of terrorism- preparedness and organizational changes among first response agencies since 2014, Schein’s ideas of organizational cultural change were the theoretical foundation. Four NCR public safety agencies were …

Retention Of African American Male Teachers In Elementary And Middle Schools, Marla West

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe representation of African American male teachers in elementary urban schools has decreased. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate administrators’ and African American male teachers’ perceptions of how administrators are challenged to support the retention of African American male teachers in elementary and middle schools in the focus urban school district. Social, cognitive, and transformational leadership theories were used as a framework to guide the study. Research questions addressed how administrators perceive the ways they support the retention of African American male teachers and how African American male teachers perceive that support. Purposeful sampling was used …

Kindergarten Teachers' Perspectives On School Readiness In Children Who Attended Military Installation Childcare Centers, Juliana Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Limited literature exists on the effectiveness of prekindergarten programs located on military installations in the United States. The children who attend these programs may not receive school readiness preparation equivalent to that received by their peers who attend community-based prekindergarten programs, which follow different guidelines. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the kindergarten readiness of children who attended preschool on military installations as described by teachers in community-based kindergarten classrooms. Pianta's work on school readiness formed the conceptual framework of this basic qualitative study. The research question addressed how kindergarten teachers describe school readiness in children …

Gestational Weight Gain, Level Of Education, And Infant Mortality Among African American Women, George Lee Amanambu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

African American (AA) women in Mississippi have a higher burden of infant mortality, especially those with low income and educational levels, as compared to other regions of the country. However, it is unknown if abnormal gestation weight gain (GWG) is contributing to this increased burden. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the association between GWG (25-35lbs), level of education, income, and infant mortality among AA women with normal prepregnancy body weight who were between 30 to 47 years old in the state of Mississippi from 2016 to 2018. Biopsychosocial and ecosocial models were used as the theoretical foundation to design …

Strategies Of Successful Project Managers Leading Virtual Teams, Allison Harris Bean

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some project managers lack strategies to effectively lead virtual project teams, which can result in a lack of clear project direction, collaboration and communication, and empowerment to solve problems within the team. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies project managers use to lead virtual teams effectively. The participants were three project managers in. the United States who worked exclusively with virtual teams and had a minimum of one year of experience leading a virtual project team. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: …

American College Of Obstetricians And Gynecologists Postpartum Hemorrhage Protocol, Rasheedat Romoke Adewumi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is the most significant cause of maternal deaths during or after childbirth. Due to a high PPH rate, a tertiary care facility in the Southwest United States implemented the Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (ACOG) protocol anticipating decreasing PPH rates. This quality improvement project was designed to evaluate whether implementation of the ACOG PPH protocol reduced the incidence of PPH. The practice-focused question was “What is the effect of the implementation of the ACOG PPH protocol on the incidence of PPH?” The Iowa model was selected to guide the project toward accomplishing its goals. The incidence of …

Left Behind: Intersectional Stigma Experiences Of African American College Women With Adhd, Angela Lynnette Anderson-Elahi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American college women with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can experience intersectional stigmas based on race, gender, and learning disability. Intersectional stigmas affect African American college women in self-esteem, social acceptance, and academic progress. The scholarly community has not published literature regarding intersectional stigma experienced by African American college women with ADHD. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of African American college women who had encountered intersectional stigma based on race, gender, and ADHD. Goffman’s social stigma theory and Crenshaw’s intersectional stigma theory served as the theoretical and conceptual frameworks to explore how African …

Increasing Nurses’ Knowledge Of Richmond-Agitation Sedation Score Assessment And Documentation Through Education, Kara Jeanne Beaulieu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) are critically ill and faced with numerous physical and psychological stressors that often require a multidisciplinary approach to improve outcomes and relieve suffering. Patients are given sedation to tolerate invasive treatments and procedures. Using the Richmond-Agitation Sedation Score (RASS), nurses assess objective findings and the level of sedation a patient is experiencing, and titrate sedation according to an ordered RASS score. Ineffective and inaccurate use of the RASS score leads to patients being oversedated and demonstrates a lack of understanding of how to appropriately use the RASS score assessment tool. The purpose of …

Adolescents’ Perspective On Social Media Contributing To Suicidal Ideations And Attempts, Shavon Mariah Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social media has become mainstream over the past decade, with new applications that adolescents can download to stay in consistent contact with their peers. Though social media can enhance the ability for communication, it seems to also have the ability to alienate, burden, and exacerbate depression and potential self-harm. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore five adolescent’s perspective on social media contributing to suicide ideations and attempts. The theoretical research was built upon Joiner’s interpersonal theory of suicide. Two research questions were explored in this study, which were the adolescent’s perspective on social media triggering suicidal ideations …

Factors That Determine Utilization Of The Canadian School-Based Human Papilloma Virus Vaccine Programs, Diane Gloria Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the world and is the known causative agent of many HPV-associated cancers in both males and females. HPV vaccination rates in Canada are significantly lower than other developed countries and this finding is poorly understood as Canadian adolescents have access to free-of-charge HPV vaccines through school-based vaccination programs. This quantitative descriptive study used an online survey to collect data from 992 eligible respondents. This study identified predisposing, enabling, and need factors characterized by the Andersen behavioral model of health services use which facilitate or impede the use of …

Using Integrated Staff Education To Increase Medication Adherence In A Mentally Ill Population, Tiffany Dawn Burke-Lott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure to adhere to medication regimens is a serious problem that affects both the patient and the health care system. Psychiatric patients have the lowest rates of adherence, as low as 24%. The evidence shows that nonadherence to medication is a global challenge in the field of mental illness and is linked with a poor prognosis. Patients who are nonadherent to medications experience exacerbations of their mental illness, which can lead to rehospitalization, poor psychosocial outcomes, relapse of symptoms, reduced effectiveness of subsequent treatment, wastage of limited health care resources, increased substance abuse, poor quality of life, and increased risk …

Secondary Data Analysis Of The Association Of Screen Time With Selected Health Behaviors, Kellany Cadogan Noland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The noticeable disparity in youth access of preventive healthcare and youth’s tendency towards excessive screen time have been linked to poor health outcomes. This issue prompted the current study, which had three core purposes: to identify associations between screen time and selected health behaviors, to identify target sociocultural and personal determinants of youth health, and to provide evidence to prompt innovation in promoting youth health via screen-based strategies. The social cognitive theory provided a context for triadic reciprocity between youth personal factors, environmental factors, and behaviors. A quantitative secondary analysis was completed using SPSS-27 to identify whether there was an …

Nurses' Experiences Caring For Patients With Opioid Use Disorder, Pamella Maureen Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past 2 decades, opioid use in the United States has taken thousands of lives, reached the level of epidemic in 2017, and has been an area of study among scholars. The problem is health care professionals, including nurses, lack training on how to care for people with opioid use disorder (OUD). Nurses are at the frontline of patient care and understanding the nurses’ experiences in the care of patients with OUD may help to improve the patients’ quality of care. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to develop an understanding of the experiences of nurses with …

Psychological Capital And The Relationship Between Authentic Leadership And Employee Well-Being, Bianca Cardenas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is not known whether authentic leadership predicts employee well-being, and whether psychological capital moderates the relationship between authentic leadership and employee well-being. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine the extent that authentic leadership predicted employee well-being and whether psychological capital had a moderating effect on the relationship between authentic leadership and employee well-being. The two theoretical frameworks that supported this study included the authentic leadership theory and social exchange theory. The research design consisted of a quantitative, correlational study using multiple and hierarchical regression analysis. The two research questions that guided this study examined whether perceived …

Fall Clinical Practical Guideline In A Psychiatric Hospital, Wendy Carroll Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Psychiatric hospitals are a unique environment and therefore pose unique challenges in preventing falls. Current evidence suggests that multidisciplinary committees to update clinical practice guidelines (CPG) will reduce falls and improve patient care in the acute inpatient psychiatric setting. The purpose of this study was to examine current evidence and develop new CPG with a goal to decrease falls in an inpatient psychiatric hospital. The Iowa model collaborative was used as a framework to develop the CPG to promote quality care and serve as an implementation model that supports the training of evidence-based practice. The methodology, design, and data analysis …