Digital Commons Network^™

A Professional Model For Career Development: Mentoring And Circle Of Advisors, Donna M. Costello Nickitas

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The purpose of this educational activity is to provide a professional model for career development ensuring the learner identifies, appreciates, and creates successful pathways to selecting ideal mentors and advisors.

An International Nursing Exchange: The North Carolina/Republic Of Moldova Nursing Collaborative, Julie O'Neal, Luba Louise Ivanov

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Through an international nursing exchange of nurses between North Carolina and the Republic of Moldova, nurses collaborated to improve nursing practice, patient outcomes and enriched nursing education.

Advance Practice Nursing (Apn) Students Use Of Standardized Testing, Pamela Willson, Terry A. Throckmorton

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Graduate APN faculty use Standardized Testing to assess students' potential for certification examination success, to identify concepts needing remediation, and to identify strengths and weaknesses within the APN curriculum. In preliminary research, an APN score of 700 or above was found to be 99.5% predictive of certification success.

The Gerontological Nursing Leadership Academy (Gnla): International Outcomes And Impact, Deborah F. Cleeter Bailey, Pearl Ed G. Cuevas, Marie A. Rogers, Emily Simmons

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The Gerontological Nursing Leadership Academy (GNLA) has completed five cohorts of Fellows who are prepared and positioned to advance care for older adults in various practice settings. The 18 month long academy leadership development experience is built upon a triad mentoring relationship foundation and three learning domains. GNLA is hosted by the Honor Society of Nursing, Sigma Theta Tau International.

Gerontological Nursing Competency And Toolkit For Prelicensure Nursing Students In Deu And Non-Deu Settings, Tanya Marie Sudia, Dora Bradley, Nan Ketcham, Rebecca Meraz

Biennial Convention (CONV)

An innovative Gerontological Competency tool and toolkit were developed and tested among pre-licensure nursing students across a large southwestern state. Discussion includes comparisons between DEU and non-DEU settings. Strategies are presented for engaging collaborating nursing staff with pre-licensure students in a novel manner adaptable across national and international settings.

An Exploratory, Qualitative Study Of Perceptions Of A Hospital-Based Animal-Assisted Intervention Program, Elizabeth A. Richards, Kathleen Abrahamson, Yun Cai, Marguerite O'Haire, Krista Cline

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The purpose of this qualitative pilot study was to contribute to the body of knowledge surrounding the experiences and perceptions of hospital staff who have participated in a hospital-based animal assisted intervention program.

An Aging Population: Who Will Care For The Elderly?, Susan Cairone, Margie J. Hair

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The United States is facing a healthcare crisis as baby boomers age and develop complex healthcare issues, creating a significant need for nurses prepared with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to manage the complex care of the geriatric population. Are baccalaureate prepared nurses ready to care for the aging tsunami?

The Effect Of Music Relaxation Video On College Students' Anxiety And Physical Vital Signs, Grace Chu-Hui-Lin Chi, Dennis Cheek, Jerry L. Chi

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The music relaxation video is a safe and inexpensive technique that can be used for college students with anxiety. It also demonstrates beneficial effects on decreasing pulses and diastolic blood pressure. The findings can improve health among college students and can be easily utilized in educational institutions.

Virtual Life And Death: Preparing Nursing Students For End-Of-Life Care, Leona A. Konieczny

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Tuesday, November 10, 2015:

How does the educator prepare students for the profound experience of providing care at end-of-life? Technology can be used to provide the knowledge and skills needed before the nursing student faces this situation in the reality of the clinical experience. The learning laboratory using simulation provides exposure in the affective area. In a gerontological course prior to the clinical experience, nursing students meet a virtual patient. Over the course of the semester, the students meet, interview, and assess this a virtual female adult patient. There is an unfolding case study that is presented …

Leadership With Intention And Impact, Heidi K. Holmes, Veronique Boscart, Deborah F. Cleeter Bailey

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Saturday, November 7, 2015 and Sunday, November 8, 2015: Introduction: The Geriatric Nursing Leadership Academy (GNLA), prepares nurses to lead multidisciplinary teams to improve health care to older adults (STTI, 2015). In addition to scopes of influence that are assessed and developed, the GNLA also assists and supports each participant to develop and implement an interprofessional project centered on improving geriatric health outcomes (STTI, 2015). The measurement of success as a Fellow in the GNLA is not based on awareness and knowledge, but on behavioral changes and impact on care. My development and transition as a leader …

Using 3 Dimensional Simulation In Nursing Education, Renee R. Wright

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Saturday, November 7, 2015 and Sunday, November 8, 2015:

Simulation has been used since the 1960's in aviation and the armed forces. Today simulation is emerging as a teaching pedagogy. Simulated patient scenarios provide students with experiences they may not be exposed to in an actual clinical setting. Virtual simulation allows students to observe and care for patients in real life context. Thus allowing students to practice in safe and nonthreatening environment. Anxiety is decreased because no actual harm will to come to a live patient. Students can learn from their errors without putting the patient at …

Leadership Development Through The Nurse Faculty Leadership Academy (Nfla) And A Nurse Practitioner (Np) Education Project, Amita Avadhani, Ruthanne Kuiper, Barbara J. Patterson

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Saturday, November 7, 2015 and Sunday, November 8, 2015:

Background: Advancement of nursing education as well as its sustainability rests on the leadership skills of the nursing faculty. Therefore leadership development of novice nurse faculty is critical to the future of nursing education. Sigma Theta Tau International (STTI) and Elsevier sponsored Nurse Faculty Leadership Academy (NFLA) is a structured leadership-mentoring program designed to develop upcoming nursing faculty. The program encompasses expert guidance from a leadership mentor and the direction from a faculty advisor to facilitate the success of the faculty scholar through successful implementation of a nursing …

The Limitations Of Body Mass Index (Bmi) As An Obesity Assessment Scale And The Implications For Practice: A Nursing Perspective, Sinead Impey

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Saturday, November 7, 2015 and Sunday, November 8, 2015:

Rising obesity rates have a significant impact on morbidity, mortality and subsequent delivery of health services globally. Therefore accurate assessment of individual weight status is vital (Carpenter et al. 2013). Although, frequently used in clinical practice and research, the ability of the body mass index (BMI) to accurately assess obesity in individuals has been much criticised. Raising awareness among nursing staff of the limitations of BMI is important. By understanding the various inadequacies, the use of BMI as an assessment tool for obesity, and thereby a proxy measure …

Safety Auditing As A Nursing Accountability Measure For Hospital Fall Prevention, Nicole Huntley, Johanna Crock, Kaycee Shiskowsky

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Tuesday, November 10, 2015:

Preventing falls is important to patient safety. Despite 15 years of focused, evidence-based efforts our hospital was not consistently reducing falls to desired benchmarks. Decreasing falls through a sustainable culture change where healthcare providers are held accountable for intervention compliance was instituted. Institution of a baseline then quarterly Safety Audits by Fall Unit Peer Leaders in every hospital area. The Safety Audit Form is a visual representation of evidence and hospital policy based intervention requirements based on a patient's Fall Risk Assessment Score. The Safety Audits were performed from the Form and afforded …

Using Guided Imagery To Reduce Pain And Anxiety, Linda C. Cole

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Tuesday, November 10, 2015: Background: The Institute of Medicine in 2011 reported over 100 million American adults are affected by chronic pain which is more than the combination of those affected with heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. Also the United States is estimated spends up to $635 billion annually in medical treatment and lost productivity due to chronic pain. The 2007 National Health Interview Survey reported 38% of American adults use some form of integrative or complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine estimates CAM use accounts for $33.9 billion total …

Animal Assisted Therapy Effects On Quality Of Life, Jessica C. Carroll, Emily M. Amack, Madeline P. Curry, Amber M. Cessarich, Jenny D. Beaver

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Saturday, November 7, 2015 and Sunday, November 8, 2015:

Purpose: To see if animal assisted therapy improves quality of life in adult patients. PICO Question: In adult patients, will animal assisted therapy increase quality of life?

Components/Processes: We searched CINHAL and PubMed using the terms "animal therapy," "inpatient," "quality of life," "pet therapy," "mood," "anxiety," "depression," "QOL," "animal assisted therapy," "loneliness," "dog therapy," "cat therapy." We selected five articles: two were experimental, two were quasi-experimental, and one was qualitative.

Discussion of Results: Most of the studies supported animal-assisted therapy as a useful intervention for increasing quality of …

A Changed Approach In The Management Of Chronic Non-Cancer Pain In Older Adults, Lisa R. Binns-Emerick, Mary Beth Lepczyk, Claudia Jean Beverly

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Saturday, November 7, 2015 and Sunday, November 8, 2015:

Inappropriate use of opiate medication for the management of chronic pain by older adults is fraught with challenges for the patient as well as healthcare providers. The Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) recently changed the scheduling of hydrocodone combination products which created an opportunity to change pain management prescribing patterns and use for our elderly patients. The number of older adults, with their ever more complex needs, will continue to increase as the baby boomers age in our country thus having nurse leaders poised to address these needs within …

Family Caregivers' Perceptions Of The Resistiveness To Care They Experience Caring For People With Dementia, Pamela C. Spigelmyer

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Family caregivers today are co-providers of care, assuming care once provided by professional nurses. Although rewarding at times, providing care for people with dementia is challenging, stressful, and places the overall well being of the family caregiver at risk. Resistiveness to care is one notably stressful experience for family caregivers. Currently nursing research related to resistiveness to care focuses on observed behaviors but does not address family caregivers' perceptions of the episodes of resistiveness. Family caregivers' perceptions are their reality of the experience therefore, needs to be fully understood. Since perceptions of experiences drive the meaning assigned to the experience …

Leading Practices In Geriatric Care: Building A Dermal Defense Team Makes A Difference!, Desales Foster

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Monday, November 9, 2015: The task of building and maintaining a dermal defense team requires commitment from all hospital units and administration. This commitment begins with the creation of a champion role. Each unit in the hospital has a nurse champion who represents the unit and each champion performs monthly prevalence studies, educates staff, and communicates findings via email and poster presentations. Education of champions starts with NDNQI pressure ulcer education using the four modules to teach staff how to perform a prevalence study. Once this education was complete the staff rounds with the dermal defense team …

Driving Patient Outcomes Through Clinical Decision Support Systems And Nurse-Directed Protocols, Amy Glasofer

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Tuesday, November 10, 2015:

Background: Nurse-directed catheter removal protocols (NDCRPs) are a recommended strategy to promote prompt removal of unnecessary urinary catheters, thus reducing patient risk for catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). However, implementation of NDCRPs has not been widespread, and adoption of protocol recommendations is even lower. Clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) have the potential to improve patient outcomes by delivering evidence-based guidance to frontline nurses in the course of their workflow. This study explored the effect of a CDSS promoting NDCR on the rates of NDCR, CAUTI, and urinary catheter utilization at a mid-sized …

The Effects Of A Diabetes Support Group Among Underserved: A Feasibility Study, Patricia K. Gatlin, Jillian Inouye

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Diabetes is a global health care problem with increasing number in all countries. Particularly, underserved diverse individuals in the United States are among the hardest hit by diabetes, having higher rates of diabetes and poorer outcomes (Black, 2002; Hu, Shi, Rane, Jinsheng, & Chen, 2014; Lanting, Joung, Mackenbach, Lamberts, & Bootsma, 2005; Mokdad et al., 2001; Saydah & Lochner, 2010; Wild, McKnight, McConnachie, & Lindsay, 2010). Good self-management can improve glucose control and improve diabetes complications. However, this can be challenging to achieve due to multiple factors among the underserved (Black, 2002; Hu et al., 2014; Lanting et al., …

A Formative Program Evaluation Of Electronic Clinical Tracking System Documentation To Meet National Core Competencies, Lynette Smith, M. Laurie Branstetter

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Electronic clinical tracking systems are used in many educational institutions of higher learning to document advanced practice registered nursing students' clinical experiences. Students' clinical experiences are constructed according to the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties core competencies. These competencies form a basis for evaluation of advanced practice registered nursing programs. Healthcare clinicians and educators are expected to provide evidence-based clinical practices for students. No previous studies have evaluated the use of electronic clinical tracking systems to validate students' clinical experiences in meeting national core competencies. Medatrax, an electronic clinical tracking system, is evaluated using a formative program evaluation approach …

A Retrospective Study Exploring Nursing Sensitive Interventions For Patients On A Skilled Nursing Unit In A Rural Midwest Hospital, Carol-Ann Moseley

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Monday, November 9, 2015:

Purpose and Research Questions: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of nursing interventions on a skilled nursing unit (SNU) when a change in patient health status was identified. Patient characteristics were correlated with specific variables such as Rothman Index (RI) scores and 30-day readmission status. Nurses could then implement specific individualized interventions to improve patient outcomes. The study questions were: a) What are the characteristics of our SNU patients? and b) Can use of the RI discharge score alert the nurse to the need for increased interventions to lower …

Engaging Nursing Students In Health Promotion Research And Practice, Donna M. Callaghan

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Monday, November 9, 2015:

Purpose: The purpose of this presentation is to highlight nursing student engagement in a nursing faculty member's program of research. This program of research investigated the effects of three faith community nurse-led educational programs in promoting healthy behaviors in adults. Three pre-licensure nursing honors students participated in the implementation and evaluation of two of the health promotion programs. The development of the health promotion programs was based on the relationships identified by Callaghan (2003, 2005, 2006) among the variables of health-promoting self-care behaviors (Pender, Murdaugh, & Parsons, 2002), self-care self-efficacy (Bandura, 1997), and …

An Analysis Of Nursing Preparation To Meet The Demands Of The Largest U.S. Patient Population, Kim K. Kuebler

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Sunday, November 8, 2015:

Americans aged 65 and older compared to people aged 20-64 is expected to rise by 80% over the next decade. The oldest of the 80 million baby boomers reached age 65 in 2011 and, more than a quarter of all Americans - or three out of four - are estimated to have at least two or more chronic conditions or behavioral health problems. Currently 75% of the American population is living with and dying from symptomatic chronic conditions contributing to the costliest health care in the US. The Affordable Care Act has provided …

Self-Management And Weight Loss In Adolescents: A Systematic Review, Diane Thomason, Jennifer Kawi, Nada Lukkahatai, Kirsten E. Connelly, Jillian Inouye

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Tuesday, November 10, 2015:

Background: Evidence of parental support in weight loss of overweight and obese adolescents provide significant decrease in overweight adolescents compared to standard care or self-help in the short term and over the long term (Oude Luttikhuis et al., 2009). However, there is limited information on which parental components are effective in supporting the adolescent's self-management of weight loss.

Purpose: To develop a better understanding of effective parental support in self-management weight loss strategies for overweight and obese youth.

Methods: This integrative review evaluates the effects of current adolescent self-management weight loss interventions in …

Fighting A New Battle: A Bathing Care Standard For Caregivers Of Elderly Male Military Veterans With Delayed Onset Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Michelle Rose

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Monday, November 9, 2015 and Tuesday, November 10, 2015:

Despite many veterans' hopes that the invisible wounds of war can be healed; they leave scars. Most survivors of military combat who have experienced or witnessed life-threatening events such as, terrorist incidents, and serious accidents can adjust to incidents without lingering effects. Many years after a war, other aging veterans find themselves fighting a new battle as they strive to cope with delayed-onset posttraumatic stress disorder (DOPTSD). For many aging military veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) activities of daily living, particularly bathing can be an improbable, …

Transforming Care For Individuals With Developmental Disabilities: Innovations In Education, Catherine M. Mann, Lisa Sherry Ball

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Monday, November 9, 2015 and Tuesday, November 10, 2015:

Nursing faculty recognize individuals with developmental disabilities as an underserved community with unmet needs. Disparities in health care may be attributed to lack of health provider knowledge and comfort in caring for the population (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014; Ward, Nichols, & Freedman, 2010). In response to the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council's (NYS DDPC) call for proposals related to piloting, evaluating, and infusing innovative programs to educate and empower health care professionals to act as leaders in providing quality health care to people …

The Potential Role Of The Vagus Nerve In Hiv-Associated Cognitive Disorders, William Chance Nicholson, David E. Vance, Linda D. Moneyham

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Saturday, November 7, 2015 and Sunday, November 8, 2015:

With the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART), HIV replication is hindered and gross immune responses are reestablished for many; however, even in the presence of antiretroviral therapy, HIV stimulates constant activation of both the adaptive and innate immune systems which results in a chronic, mild inflammatory state. Despite improved outcomes with cART (e.g., decrease in HIV-associated dementias), adults with HIV continue to exhibit central nervous system mediated cognitive disorders when compared to the HIV negative population. The cognitive disorders, known as HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND), have been …

Virtual Patient And Simulation: Strategies To Teach End-Of-Life Care, Leona A. Konieczny

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Session presented on Monday, November 9, 2015 and Tuesday, November 10, 2015: How does the educator prepare students for the profound experience of providing care at end-of-life? Technology can be used to provide the knowledge and skills needed before the nursing student faces this situation in the reality of the clinical experience. The learning laboratory using simulation provides exposure in the affective area. In a gerontological course prior to the clinical experience, nursing students meet a virtual patient. Over the course of the semester, the students meet, interview, and assess this a virtual female adult patient. There is an unfolding …