Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Evidence-Based Practice Norms Among Bedside Nurses In Magnet-Designated Hospitals: A Q Methodology Study, Rachel Ramsey

Dissertations

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a recognized standard of professional nursing due to its positive impact on care quality and patient outcomes. Despite ongoing efforts to maximize EBP at the point of care, current estimates indicate that only 30% of healthcare decisions are evidence-based. Individual and organizational factors are commonly identified for their influences on EBP in nursing, but group factors have been largely unexplored. Group-level factors, such as norms, are essential to investigations of phenomena that occur within multilevel organizations (i.e., hospitals) where individuals work in groups. Understanding the EBP norms that emerge among groups of nurses in direct care …

A Delphi Study To Explore Successful Implementation Of The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme From A Principal's Perspective, Hilary Reynolds

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the essential elements needed to implement the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) standards and practices from the perspective of elementary school principals who have successfully implemented the programme.

Methodology: This research study examined the essential elements needed for elementary schools as they transition to an IB PYP. This study illustrated the framework for the implementation of the study. Additionally, a description of the population, target population, and the sample used for the study was explored. The instrumentation, data collection procedures, and description of data analysis were then explained. …

The Postsecondary Success Of Historically Marginalized Black And Latino Male Students: Examining Factors That Impact College Readiness Preparation And Persistence, Molly Croghan, Ebonie Davis, Janci Finkley, Zehra Khan, Yvette Levy, Evans Mudanya, Lizbeth Roman

Dissertations

This qualitative research study investigates the multifaceted factors influencing the postsecondary success of historically marginalized Black and Latino male students, with a particular emphasis on understanding the impact of college readiness preparation and persistence. Employing a comprehensive research design, the study integrates semi-structured interviews with high school teachers and counselors, and Black and Latino male freshmen and sophomores to provide a holistic exploration of the challenges and opportunities within the educational journey. Situated within an interpretive phenomenological paradigm, this study elucidates the experiential realities and viewpoints of the subjects, thereby illuminating the socio-cultural, institutional, and individual factors shaping their trajectories …

Exploring Nurses' Perceptions Of Nursing Presence In The Mental Health Setting, Joy Scharfman

Dissertations

Nursing presence is a core relational phenomenon in nursing. It involves devoting attention to being with and connecting with another, which is essential for providing holistic, person-centered care. There is scant research on the experience of nurses practicing in mental health settings who use presence in the care they provide.

This research aims to understand the lived experience of nurses providing nursing care and engaging with presence in the mental health setting.

The Process Of Restoring Personal Integrity: Mitigating The Emotional Cost Of Medical Errors, Marie M. Prothero

Dissertations

This constructivist grounded-theory study was conducted to explore the emotional response to and recovery process following a medical error causing harm to a patient. The study participants were 37 registered nurses (30 women and 7 men), and unstructured interviews provided rich, detailed data. Through an inductive analysis of these errors, a taxonomy of errors is proposed. The Circumstance of Error Model was developed, and five distinct error circumstances were identified: accidental, unanticipated, distracted, unrecognized/unknown, and external. By linking the circumstances of error types with the recovery process, new insights were obtained. These insights resulted in a theory, reestablishing competency, that …

Nonprofit Leader Experiences In Sector-Bending After Lean Six Sigma Training: Tension, Concepts, And Changed Behaviors, Beverly Codallos

Dissertations

Government, business, and nonprofit represent three distinct types of organizations governed by different legal frameworks designed to facilitate collective action (DiMaggio & Anheier, 1990). The emergence of hybrid forms and increasing isomorphic pressures in the nonprofit sector (Bromley & Meyer, 2017; McCambridge, 2014) have challenged the traditional separation of organizational forms. This study explored the phenomenon popularized as sector-bending, “a wide variety of approaches, activities, and relationships that are blurring the distinctions between nonprofit and for-profit organizations, either because they are behaving more similarly, operating in the same realms, or both” (Dees & Anderson, 2003, pg. 16). This qualitative study …

Improving Adjunct Nursing Instructors' Knowledge Of Student Assessment In Clinical Courses, Kelly Vowell Johnson

Dissertations

Utilization of adjunct nursing instructors to teach clinical courses is a common occurrence in nursing programs. Adjunct clinical instructors are often expert clinicians, but they have limited experience in teaching and lack the expertise needed to be successful in the educator role, such as knowledge of student assessment. Faculty development programs that focus on student assessment can provide adjunct clinical faculty members with the necessary knowledge to become effective educators and ensure student, faculty, and program success.

The purpose of this study was to examine to what extent a faculty development workshop on evaluating students in clinical courses affected adjunct …

The Complexities Of Using Digital Game-Based Learning For Writing Instruction: An Exploratory Multiple-Case Study Of Two Teachers, Sean D. Bowden

Dissertations

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) is an innovative learning approach for engaging and teaching students across various content areas. There is a shortfall in the extant literature on DGBL for writing instruction specifically. The purpose of this exploratory multiple-case study was to gain a greater understanding of (a) how teachers plan and deliver writing instruction using a DGBL approach, (b) how they evaluate the impact DGBL has on students’ writing, and (c) the shared experiences two teachers have with using DGBL for writing in two different contexts. Flow theory, activity theory, and TPACK comprised this study's theoretical foundation.

Two teachers with …

The Role Transition Characteristics Of New Registered Nurses: A Study Of Work Environment Influences And Individual Traits, Martin S. Manno

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore how the environmental influences and individual traits of new registered nurses within the first year of clinical practice create positive and negative performance outcomes in the areas of clinical competence, confidence, retention and job satisfaction.

Student–Faculty Engagement Solutions For Retention Of Racially Minoritized Students, Rayza Rolon Nieves, Kevin M. Wathen, Jordan M. Watson, Shanee E. Haynes

Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the importance of student–faculty interactions for racially minoritized students. Persistent challenges in low retention rates for racially minoritized students have been a focal point of scholarly investigation for decades (Carey, 2004; Kinzie et al., 2008). Despite research indicating that engagement between students and faculty is crucial for improving student retention, these interactions are constrained (Cox et al., 2010). The presence of effective student–faculty engagement can foster students’ persistence, while the absence of engagement can create a negative academic experience, especially for racially minoritized students.

Tinto’s theory of student departure (1975, 1987, 1993) is one of the …

The Effects Of A Same Gender And Same Race Coaching Intervention On The Resilience Of Black Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Sagine Bien-Aimé

Dissertations

Reports from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and National Academy of Medicine (NAM) state that it is important to increase the number of underrepresented racial minorities in the health professions. Although the Black population is increasing in the United States, Black students continue to be underrepresented in nursing. Researchers indicate that when Black students are supported in positive environments and with accessible coaching, academic success may be fostered. It is important to understand the extent to which students are resilient. An evidence-based virtual coaching intervention may lead to increased resilience and academic success. Accordingly, the influence of …

Development Of A Model To Guide The Implementation Of Simulation-Based Education In Under-Resourced Nursing Education Institutions In Lesotho, Pule Solomon Moabi

Dissertations

The changing landscape of nursing education to competency-based education has strengthened the importance of simulation learning in the process of developing the required graduate competencies. In Lesotho, simulation-based education was adopted in 2012 with the support of external experts but with no clearly defined model to suit resource-constrained nursing education institutions.

To develop a model that will guide implementation of simulation-based education for resource-constrained nursing education institutions in Lesotho.

Regert And Police Reporting Among Individuals Who Have Experienced Sexual Assault, Carol Anne Marchetti

Dissertations

Sexual assault (SA) is the most widely underreported violent crime in the United States. Reporting is significant because it is through this process that people access resources that can mitigate psychiatric and other health consequences of SA. The purpose of this study was to describe regret among individuals who have experienced SA regarding their decision of whether or not to report the assault to the police. The Ottawa Decision Support Framework underpins this study and posits that evaluation of regret, a powerful negative emotion, influences the decision-making process.

Returning To School After A Pandemic: K-6 Special Education Teachers Perspectives On Students With Disabilities Returning To School In Regard To Mindset, Behavior, Social Connections, And Academic Achievement, Andrea Xenios

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine K-6 special education educators’ perceptions of the impact on students with disabilities returning to school after the trauma of a pandemic for 2 years with regard to behavior, academic achievement, mindset, and social connections.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed 10 special education teachers who taught before, during, and after the pandemic in Orange County, CA. Semi-structured open ended interview questions was the main source of data collection with other sources including observations, and artifacts. Data was coded and the researcher analyzed the data for themes and patterns.

Findings: The study …

Help Or Hindrance: Latinx College Graduates’ From Stem Majors Perceptions Of University Culture Following Vincent Tinto’S Theoretical Framework Of Student Persistence, Carmen Gonzalez, Carmen Lucia Gonzalez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Latinx college graduates who have achieved STEM degrees perceive the culture of their university and the STEM program they were enrolled in as supporting or not supporting a Latinx college student’s persistence to graduation.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological approach was the methodology selected for this study. This phenomenological research captured and described the lived experiences of study participants through interviews and artifacts.

Findings: The findings of this research illustrate (a) Research participants all perceived that creating relationships with STEM program faculty was important in supporting them toward degree completion, …

Readers’ Workshop Model Impact Urban Primary Students’ Motivation And Reading Progress, Narissa Waller

Dissertations

In order to assess the impact of the Readers' Workshop on academic success and literacy progress of primary students in an urban Midwest primary school, the researcher conducted a study. Through this study, the researcher aimed to determine whether the implementation of the Readers' Workshop positively affected the academic and literacy progress of primary students in an urban setting. Student progress was analyzed by comparing their assessment scores and reading levels in fall 2022 and spring 2023. The study aimed to identify effective teaching practices that can be implemented to bridge the achievement gap between urban students and their counterparts. …

Testing A Reflection Education Intervention On Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Level Of Reflection During Online Clinical Post Conference, Jaime Hannans

Dissertations

The majority of faculty-student interactions are at low cognitive levels during nursing clinical post conference (CPC), a time often utilized for reflective thinking. Strategies have been implemented to promote or even teach reflection, but the level of reflection or impact of the intervention in nursing, such as the relationship to student attributes or clinical reasoning, is often not evaluated.

The specific aims of this study are to (a) test the effect of a reflection education intervention on the baccalaureate students' level of reflection during online CPC, (b) examine the relationship between student attributes and level of reflection, and (c) examine …

A Design Thinking Mixed-Methods Study On Deliberate Practice And Building Collective Efficacy For Teachers In The Midwestern United States, Brian Elder

Dissertations

Educational research identified teacher efficacy as a primary driver for student learning and building a positive school culture (Hattie, 2018). However, understanding how to build and support the self and collective efficacy of teachers remained unclear and an elusive process for in-service teachers. The following research study used a design thinking mixed-methods study to explore how professional development rooted in a criteria of deliberate practice worked to build professional capacity of teachers and increase teacher efficacy (Ericsson, 2020). The research project initially began embedded at an independent school in a Midwestern city before expanding to include 15 in-service teachers representing …

Integrating Computer Vision In Construction Progress Monitoring: A Comprehensive Analysis And Future Perspectives, Muhammad Sami Rehman

Dissertations

This dissertation presents an in-depth exploration of the integration of Computer Vision (CV) in Construction Progress Monitoring (CPM), a field that has traditionally relied on manual and document-centric approaches. Such traditional CPM techniques lead to poor tracking of project progress, resulting in delays, cost overruns, bitter stakeholder relationships, schedule changes, and legislative proceedings to settle construction claims. The primary objective of this research is to investigate the potential of CV technology to transform CPM into a more efficient, accurate, and automated process. This is achieved through a series of comprehensive studies encompassing a systematic review, critical appraisal, barrier analysis, feature …

A Novel Data Fusion Fr Amework To Enhance Contextual Awareness Of The Autonomous Vehicles For Accurate Decision Making, Henry Alexander Ignatious

Dissertations

Autonomous driving has the potential to bring significant changes and benefits to various aspects of transportation. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) use a combination of advanced sensors, cameras, radar, lidar, GPS, maps, and AI algorithms to perceive their environment, make decisions, and control their movements. Though there is a significant increase in the AVs utility, there are several challenges associated with the AVs among which ensuring safety and security for a reliable drive is still an existing challenge. The majority of accidents involving the AVs result from faulty decision-making resulting in fatal incidents. Multiple elements contribute to the flawed decision-making in autonomous …

Clinical Supervisors Competency And Readiness To Supervise Telehealth Practices, Myriam Buitrago

Dissertations

The growing effectiveness of telehealth as an alternative practice is gaining acceptance not only by professionals in the healthcare field but also by people who have benefited from this approach. New training and supervision practices are required to meet the new telehealth approach. Clinical supervision is a new profession identifying the competencies that define their best practices. However, telehealth is forcing us to evaluate and redefine them to meet the new telehealth requirements. This study used two assessments, the Supervisor competence self assessment and the supervisor evaluation and the Supervisor Competence Scale, to measure supervisors' self-evaluation of their performance as …

An Exploration Of The Effects And Clinical Presentations Of Premature Birth Within The Latinx Population, Diana Hill

Dissertations

There are roughly ten percent, or 15 million, preterm births every year across the world. Therefore, it is vital to understand the impact on their development across cognitive, academic, socioemotional, and behavioral levels. A vast amount of research has shown that children who are born prematurely are more at risk of facing challenges across various areas of their development. However, the majority of the research samples have been limited within their scope, leaving behind a gap in research focused on specific subgroups within the population. By delving into the unique context of the Latinx population, this study endeavors to shed …

Cultural Agility Competency Of Relationship Management As A Leadership Imperative: A Study Of Charter School Administrators, Monica Christensen

Dissertations

As the United States has become more diverse, research on Culturally Responsive School Leadership strategies and practices and research on Culturally Agility competencies has expanded. While interest has continued to grow in both of these areas of focus, little was known in the intersectionality of these two areas as it relates to cultural competency within K-12 charter schools. More specifically, little was known about how charter school administrators are culturally agile when managing relationships in their organization. Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe how charter school administrators are culturally agile when managing relationships in …

Barriers That Exemplary Principals Have Overcome To Increase Parent Participation At The School Site, Sandra Quintanilla

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the barriers exemplary principals have overcome to increase parent involvement at their school sites. This study explored how principals develop strategies to overcome barriers impeding parent involvement. Using those strategies, principals enhance parent involvement at their school sites.

Methodology: A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted, consisting of interviews to collect data from elementary school principals who have successful parent involvement at their school sites. First, the principals were interviewed in 60 min sessions. The data collected were analyzed to understand individuals’ beliefs and motivation.

Findings: Data analysis revealed that …

A Double-Edged Sword: Lived Experiences Of Hispanic/Latino Nursing Students Who Speak English As An Additional Language, Esmeralda A. Clark

Dissertations

As the population of the United States continues to become more diverse, the nursing profession is working toward diversifying its nursing workforce. Diversification of the nursing profession is linked to improved patient outcomes and culturally competent care. The experiences of minority nursing students with English as an additional language (EAL) have been studied including some interventional studies. Still, there is a gap in exploring the experiences of Hispanic/Latino nursing students with EAL. The literature described EAL as the most significant risk factor for non-acceptance into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program for any group of otherwise qualified applicants. Since …

Returning To School After A Pandemic: K-12 School Mental Health Practitioners’ Perspectives Returning To School In Regard To Mindset, Behavior, Performance, And Social Connections, Viridiana Benitez Esparza

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine K-12 school mental health practitioners’ perceptions of their experiences working with students following the 2-year educational/social/emotional trauma of the COVID-19 pandemic with regard to the mental health practitioners’ mindset, behavior, performance, and social connections. Methodology: The researcher conducted a phenomenological study examining particular experiences of participants to understand their perspective during a phenomenon (McMillan & Schumacher, 2006). This qualitative study interviewed 12 school mental health practitioners who served in K-12 public schools after the pandemic in Los Angeles County, California. Semi-structured interview questions were used for data collection and aligned …

Students' Attitudes Toward Computers At The College Of Nursing At King Saud University (Ksu), Osama A. Samarkandi

Dissertations

Computer knowledge and skills are becoming essential components technology in nursing education. Saudi nurses must be prepared to utilize these technologies for the advancement of science and nursing practice in local and global communities.

Little attention has been directed to students' attitudes about computer usage in academic communities in Saudi Arabia. Their attitudes about the use of computers for the enhancement of learning are relatively unknown. Few research studies have been identified that explicate Saudi Arabian nursing students' attitudes toward computer usage for the acquisition of knowledge and skills.

Males and females matriculate at King Saud University (KSU), but attend …

Shepherds Leading The Flocks: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study Of Church Leaders Managing Church Membership During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rbetrice Phillips

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe experiences of church leaders adapting the Scarneo (2019) intrapersonal and interpersonal socioecological influences while managing membership during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Methodology: This study used a qualitative phenomenological approach with a socioecological justification with open-ended interview questions investigating the lived experiences of the participants. This study aimed to gather data from sample size 10 church leaders in Los Angeles County, California plus a snowball sampling of referred church leaders who managed during COVID-19. In this study, the collection of narratives through semi-structured interviews provided the data which was analyzed …

Steminism: Analyzing Factors That Improve Retention Of Women In Stem, Kira Carter, Jane Kelley, Jason Vasser-Elong, Rc Patterson

Dissertations

Our co-authored research ‘Steminism: Analyzing Factors That Improve Retention for Women as STEM Majors’ analyzed factors that contributed to the retention of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programs at Missouri University of Science & Technology (Missouri S&T). Women make up half of the US population, and while careers in (STEM) are an integral part of the US economy, women are underrepresented in these career fields. The purpose of our dissertation is to address the underrepresentation of women in STEM majors. Our methodology included homogeneous sampling to collect qualitative data. More specifically, we consulted with academic advisors and …

Open Strategy For Social Impact: An Action Research Study Of A Multistakeholder Open Strategy Planning Process, Jo Pang

Dissertations

As social and environmental challenges become increasingly dire, organizations are focusing on creating positive social impacts beyond generating profits. Traditional strategic planning tools were originally created for the purposes of profit maximization and are not sufficient for organizations with the aim of addressing complex social issues. Open strategy offers a promising alternative by increasing multistakeholder involvement in the formulation of organizational strategy. Existing research has supported the idea that multistakeholder collaboration is an effective means for creating positive social impact since societal challenges are too complex for any one organization to sufficiently address. Despite these promises, there are risks and …