Digital Commons Network^™

Educating Nurses On Mental Fatigue, Tawanna Ann Canty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Education correlates with nurse performance and avoiding mental fatigue. This project attempted to answer the question, “Educating nurses on mental fatigue will increase knowledge” focusing on educating rehabilitative nurses regarding mental fatigue. The project was guided by the Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate model. Twenty rehabilitative nurses were administered a pretest consisting of 10 multiple-choice test questions. They received education on mental fatigue through PowerPoint presentations and handouts. After completing the education, participants were administered a posttest with the same 10 questions. An evaluation tool consisting of six questions was completed measuring an increase in knowledge after the posttest. …

Relationship Between Food Insecurity, Depression, And Race/Ethnicity Among U.S. Adults Aged 60–69 Years, Patrick E. Crandon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Food insecurity (FI) and depression among older populations in the United States are public health concerns. Although FI has declined in the United States, it is a psychosocial stressor prevalent among the growing population of adults over 60. It is unknown to what extent FI contributes to depression among racial/ethnic minorities in this population. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to examine the relationships between FI and race and depression among U.S. adults aged 60–69 years when adjusting for other variables. The social-ecological model was used to understand the interplay between individual and environmental factors that may …

Health Education Practices For Middle Eastern Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, Walaa Daffaalla

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a complex women’s health condition that reduces women’s quality of life, leading to health complications, such as menstruation issues, infertility, insulin resistance, risk of type 2 diabetes, depression, anxiety, emotional stress, being overweight or obese, and more. Research on PCOS has focused on the etiology and complications in women from different ethnicities. But limited research has explored the experiences and perspectives of Middle Eastern (ME) women in the United States with PCOS related to PCOS health education. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives and experiences of ME women of reproductive …

Staff Education To Promote Probiotic Breastfeeding Therapy, José Diaz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in children under 5. In addition, there are 22 million babies born underweight each year which also contributes to the infant mortality rate. Some reasons for the inability to thrive and survive are the infants' immature system, allostatic load inadaptability, and undiversified and underdeveloped microbiota. Human breast milk (HBM) provides lifesaving nutrients, which prevents necrotizing enterocolitis and mortality. In addition, probiotic supplementation helps reduce late-onset sepsis, morbidities, and mortality. A literature review provided substantial evidence that HBM and probiotics can improve an infant's microbiota, thus improving thrivability and survivability. Probiotics offset the …

Relationship Of Acetaminophen And Alcohol To Incipient Renal Insufficiency: The Role Of Race In Estimating Glomerular Filtration Rate, Preston Eledu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There are increasing concerns about the incorporation of race in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) prediction equation. which has been used to measure renal function in studies that have shown a relationship between therapeutic dose of acetaminophen and light-moderate alcohol use to incipient renal insufficiency. The purpose of this study was to assess the same relationship, using a redefinition of renal insufficiency based on the chronic kidney disease–epidemiology collaboration creatinine-based eGFR, with and without race, and exploring the potential impact of race in the hypothesized relationship. Data from the 2003-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were analyzed using …

Tuberculosis-Associated Knowledge, Stigma, And Health Seeking Behavior Among Traders In Onitsha Main Market, Anambra State, Nigeria, Benedeth N. Ezeosim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The utilization of tuberculosis (TB) health care services in a Nigerian state has not been optimal. Many residents do not utilize available health care resources when they experience symptoms of TB. Although much is known about the determinants of health seeking behavior (HSB), there is a gap on how TB knowledge and TB related stigma among traders in one main market contribute to HSB. This study examined the effect of TB knowledge and TB related stigma on HSB among traders. The health stigma and discrimination and health belif models served as the theoretical foundation. A quantitative cross-sectional analytical survey design …

Improving Self-Efficacy Of Primary Care Providers With Assessment Of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy, Kimberly Paddock Farr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDiabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is one of the most common complications of diabetes. DPN contributes to significant pain, debility and injury to diabetic patients. The majority of diabetic patients are managed in the primary care practice (PCP) setting. A local chapter of a nurse practitioner association identified a lack of knowledge of current evidence-based guidelines for effective screening and assessment of DPN in the PCP environment. The practice-focused question for this project was to determine if an educational intervention on evidence-based screening and assessment would improve nurse practitioner’s knowledge with DPN screening and diagnosis in PCP. Mezirow’s transformative theory of …

The Relationship Between Preterm Birth Rates, Sociodemographic Factors, And Prenatal Care, Natasha Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reducing preterm births is a local, national, and global public health priority. Preterm birth rates continue to rise with evident racial and ethnic differences. The purpose of the quantitative study was to analyze the Mississippi Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS) Phase 8 data to investigate the association between preterm births, timing of prenatal care, insurance types, and marital status among 5,666 women who gave birth in Mississippi between 2016 - 2020 using logistic regression. The social-ecological model was used to explain the impact of preterm births at the individual, interpersonal, and policy levels. Marital status was shown to be …

Nurse Perceptions Of Nonacademic Factors That Influence Undergraduate Nursing Student Retention And Persistence To Graduation, Marianne Gray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Having an adequate supply of nurses is critical to maintaining the health care system. The problem for this study was that undergraduate nursing students were leaving a local Midwest community college’s nursing program before obtaining a degree. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of the program’s recent graduates, regarding nonacademic factors that they believe helped to facilitate their success. Jeffreys’s nursing universal retention and success model served as the conceptual framework. The research question was focused on identifying nurse graduate perceptions of nonacademic factors that contributed to their success. A basic qualitative research design was …

Experiences Of Women Faculty Using Meditative Practices Through Workplace Health Promotion In Ontario, Kelly Lynn Henley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace stress is pervasive and changes to the postsecondary teaching and learning environment have contributed to stress among women faculty and adversely impacted their personal well-being. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how the constructs in the health belief model (HBM) play a role in the use of worksite wellness initiatives to manage stress and promote wellness among women postsecondary faculty in Ontario. The research questions were designed based on the HBM to examine the participants’ perceptions of severity and susceptibility to workplace stress, perceived benefits and barriers to participation, motivation to participate, and self-efficacy. Women faculty …

African Public Leadership On Technology Readiness And Diffusing The Circular Economy In Sub-Saharan Africa, Evans Jakpa-Johns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sub-Saharan Africa is not yet ready to embrace the digital and the fourth industrial revolution, and there remains a literature gap about technology readiness and effective technology diffusion to support a circular economy transition in West and East African countries. The purpose of this qualitative, multiple case study was to describe African public leadership experts' views on how sub-Saharan African leaders can enable technology readiness and the technology diffusion needed for a successful transition to a circular economy. A multiple case study design was used to collect data from a purposeful sample of 14 African public leadership experts. Semistructured interviews, …

Associations Between Substance Use And Obesity Among Native American Adolescents, Joseph Jude Janosky

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity and substance use are two significant public health issues among Native American adolescents. Despite much evidence linking obesity and substance use during adolescence to several long-term health conditions and increased morbidity and mortality, evidence describing the relationship between current substance use and obesity among Native American adolescents is lacking. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate associations between current substance use – specifically alcohol, marijuana, and tobacco products – and obesity among Native American high school students, when adjusted for sex, soda consumption, and physical activity. Rosenstock’s health belief model served as the theoretical foundation for this …

Professional Development Needs Of Early Childhood Educators Teaching Children With Challenging Behaviors, Latashia L. Kelly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractEarly childhood educators have struggled to teach children with challenging behaviors, which can lead to suspension and expulsion. Although early childhood educators have limited professional development training in challenging behaviors, they are often not equipped to teach children with challenging behaviors. There is little research on how early childhood educators perceive their current training regarding teaching children with challenging behaviors. Exploring early childhood educators’ perceptions can determine what they need to teach children with challenging behaviors for a thriving classroom environment. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to better understand educators’ perceptions regarding the type of professional development …

Experiences With Access To Seeking And Maintaining Home Health Care Services In Low-Income Communities, Staci Yvette Kennedy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHome health care services (HHCS) are a cost-effective service option often underutilized by individuals living in low-income communities. For this population, barriers to care may result in higher health care costs and poor health outcomes. Gaps in literature indicated a need to explore experiences of accessing and maintaining home health care among individuals living in low-income communities. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to gain insight into how individuals living in low-income communities perceive their access to HHCS. The conceptual framework used for this phenomenological study was Penchansky and Thomas’s model of access, which addresses access from seven …

The Impact Of Economic Uncertainty On Nonprofit Leaders’ Decision To Expand Services, Shawndra Maine

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) play a pivotal role in lower socioeconomic communities. Leaders of nonprofits are frequently faced with multiple, complex, and often-competing objectives. This qualitative case study was conducted to explore and understand how economic uncertainties impact an NPO and, specifically, how economic uncertainty has affected nonprofit executives’ development of strategies and decision making regarding expanding services. Data were collected through interviews and review of secondary data and the organization’s website from the executive director, president/chief executive officer, and funders. The Baldrige Framework of Excellence was used to support the foundations of this study. The collected data were analyzed, and …

Consideration Of Mindfulness Intervention For Hispanic Adolescents In A School Setting, Kierra Mcshine Gregory

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hispanic adolescents’ accessibility to treatment options for depression is met with limitations associated with financial barriers and cultural misalignment. This research study aimed to bring to light an alternative psychotherapy treatment through the foundations of mindfulness interventions. The goal was to understand the experience of Hispanic adolescents when engaging in mindfulness in a school setting. The purpose of this study was to gather information about the experiences of Hispanic adolescents using mindfulness to support mental health practitioners, school counselors, and behavioral interventionists to provide treatment options that are accessible and meet the needs of this culture group. This explanatory case …

Referral Source, Visit Modality, And The Delivery Of Diabetes Education In Pennsylvania, Alan Minor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes education is a principal component of optimal diabetes care that is often underutilized despite the known benefits that include reductions in complications as well as improved glycemic control and self-management knowledge. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the association between the completion of diabetes education, referral source, and visit modality. Because the completion of diabetes education is multifaceted, Levesque’s theoretical framework of health access, which incorporates dimensions of the accessibility of services and the abilities of potential users in the utilization of health services, was used to ground the study. A retrospective chart review was conducted …

Illegal Unreported And Unregulated Fishing And Overfishing Policymaking In A Caribbean Island Country, Anya J. Moses

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small island developing states, especially those within the Caribbean community, are faced with the challenges of overfishing and illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing activities. Despite global legal reforms, enforcement continues to be ineffective. In the policymaking process, the perspectives of those critically impacted are rarely taken into consideration The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the issues leading to the lack of inclusion of fisherfolk knowledge in the policymaking process and policies that promote SDG 14. The goal was to explore the importance of fisherfolk involvement in the policymaking process. The research question focused on identifying the …

The Correlation Between Nurse Staffing And Quality Of Care Outcomes Within Nursing Homes In Mississippi, Nyeshia Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. population aged 65 years old and older is steadily increasing. Some of thispopulation resides in nursing homes; thus, the necessity for quality care provided in nursing homes has increased. Consistent, quality care remains a constant challenge for the government, nursing home administrators, health care consumers, and researchers. Nurse staffing has been identified as a critical structural measure that affects the quality of care and outcomes in nursing homes. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between nurse staffing and quality of care outcomes in Mississippi’s nursing homes. Donabedian’s structure, process, and outcome (SPO) model …

Staff Education On Diabetes Self-Management For Patients, Happiness Ifeoma Oguariri

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDiabetes mellitus, a disease in which the body does not metabolize, store, and excrete. glucose appropriately, presents an economic and health burden in the United States. Summary of recent evidence shows that nurses lack adequate education in providing. diabetes self-management education to patients. Research also shows that providing. nurses with education increases their knowledge of the disease and empowers them to teach their patients self-care. Framed within the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation model of instructional design, the purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice program was to plan, implement, and evaluate a staff education. program on diabetes self-management. …

Development Of A Standardized Novice Neonatal Nurse Orientation Program, Joanne Rau Pasinski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) are fast-paced units requiring skilled nurses to care for a unique patient population. Orientation of new nurses to the NICU can be challenging for both the orientee and the preceptor. Offering an evidence-based practice orientation program by an accredited organization that is specific to NICU can be a valuable tool for both the preceptor and the orientee as well as enhance nurse, patient, and organizational outcomes. The project question explored if use of the Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) 15-module nursing orientation program for RNs in a NICU increased their …

Adult Attitudes And Adverse Childhood Experiences: Implications For Child Maltreatment, Carla M. Santana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, approximately $124 billion is spent annually on mental health and medical diagnosis as a result of the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences. These experiences can result in both mental and physical illness as well as a pattern of instability across the lifespan, which may affect adult attitudes toward child maltreatment and perpetuate the cycle of abuse. The purpose of this quantitative regression study was to examine any association between a person’s adverse childhood experiences and attitudes of what defined child maltreatment. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was the framework. A total of 98 participants took part …

Implementing Music Therapy Into Behavioral Healthcare To Treat Autism Spectrum Disorder, Arthur George Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThis study explored how best to implement Music Therapy (MT) in any hospital setting when working with autistic children, teenagers, and adults. Baldrige’s theory and concepts were used as a benchmark to facilitate all findings through the research conducted. Multiple factors affect the workforce and the existing staff at a large medical facility in the Western United States. The methodology employed included interviews with two behavioral health leaders using structured questions. This was an ideal research setting given that over fifty providers, including doctors, psychiatrists, and therapists, who work daily with the ASD population. Key findings included MT treatments at …

Adult Physical Inactivity In Baltimore, Md, Christopher Aitken

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The goal of this portfolio is to identify low cost, high access, and high participation community programs that will promote increased leisure time physical activity amongst Baltimore City adults ages 18 and older.

Significant Findings: Adults in Baltimore City, Maryland are less physically active on average than the rest of the United States (County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, 2022). A sedentary lifestyle places adults at greater risk of depression (Luo et al., 2022), low overall mood (DeMello et al., 2018), obesity (Ali & Kunugi, 2020), and higher hospitalization rates for comorbid mental health problems (Gupta et al., 2023). …

Preventing Consequences Of Adverse Childhood Experiences (Aces) In Black Youths In Oakland, Ca, Althea M. O'Brien

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: The goal of this Social Change Portfolio is to create a prevention program that could be utilized by the counselor for Black youth in Oakland, California who have experienced adverse childhood experience (ACEs) in order to strengthen protective factors in Black youth, thus preventing future behavioral, mental, physical health, and downstream consequences (Bhushan et al., 2020).

Significant Findings: The population of focus are Black Youths, which are affected by ACES at disproportionate rates (Bhushan et al., 2020). According to the 2020 California Surgeon General’s Report, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is a health crisis; more than 6 out of …

A Phenomenological Examination Of Single Mothers Rising Out Of Poverty, Shaunta Hemingway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transitional factors that help mothers to acquire higher education, community resources, and stable employment and the family dynamics that impact their success are often shadowed by domestic violence, chronic poverty, substance use, mental health, and public assistance. There are 12 million single-parent households in the United States, of which 80% represent single mothers as primary caregivers to children; the majority of which are living below the poverty level. Few extant studies have employed a strengths-based approach to investigate how single mothers rise out of poverty. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to gain an understanding of the lived …

Risk Factors Associated With The Development Of Type Ii Diabetes-Related Complications, Jessica Danielle Lucas Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

By 2040, it is estimated that 642 million people ages 20 to 79 will have Type II diabetes, thereby making it a heavily studied topic among scholars. As more people are diagnosed with Type II diabetes each year, the literature is slowly shifting to long-term complications. However, the many risk and protective factors that exist have created gaps in the literature. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between participation in diabetes self-management classes, mental health, physical health, BMI, smoking status, exercise, and possible diabetes complications (diabetes-related retinopathy and diabetes-related kidney disease). The gap in the literature …

Moderators Of Peripheral Neuropathy On Overall And Cardiovascular Mortality In People Without Diabetes, Adeoye Muideen Adenekan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Peripheral neuropathy (PN), a group of common heterogeneous disorders with varied etiologies, is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality. PN presents both as a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge to physicians and other healthcare providers. Socioeconomic moderators of PN in adults without diabetes in the United States have not been well studied. The consequences of PN can be devastating and include foot ulcers, amputations, a general decline in the quality of life, and death. The overall prevalence of PN in the United States is 13.5% in adults with diabetes and 11.6% in adults without diabetes. Clearly, these statistics indicate a public …

Food Safety And Free Trade Area In East Africa, Diana Ogwal Akullo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Africans experience high incidences of foodborne diseases annually leading to poor public health, yet there is limited information on implementation of food laws in Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya from the perspectives of public officials with knowledge of and experience with implementing food laws, policies, and regulations to inform policy on food security and safety and help mitigate foodborne diseases and associated trade concerns between countries. The study’s research question involved identifying the perceptions of public officials on the impact of food laws on the food safety delivery systems in Uganda, Ethiopia, and Kenya. The study applied complex adaptive system theory …

Heart Attack Related Firefighter Fatalities And Compliance With Nfpa 1582, Ernest Lindqvist

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Heart attacks have been the leading cause of on-duty firefighter fatalities for many years. Firefighters are subjected to health risks due to occupational practices and exposure to hazards. Firefighter fatality investigative reports suggest that comprehensive medical screenings consistent with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 1582 standard would reduce deaths from heart attacks. The purpose of this study was to explore the extent to which fire departments comply with the NFPA 1582 standard. Using contextual interaction theory and a generic qualitative inquiry design, data were collected from fire departments that had a heart attack-related firefighter fatality incident. Semistructured interviews were …