Digital Commons Network^™

Effects Of English Proficiency On Nursing Student Empowerment And Intent To Leave The Program, Nadja James

Dissertations

Individual (learner) empowerment plays an important role in the learning environment. A more empowered student is more likely to be academically successful and complete their program of study. The findings of this study showed nursing students who felt less empowered had a greater intent to leave their nursing program. Many prelicensure nursing programs struggle with high attrition rates, especially minority students, including students from a culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) background. Since effective communication is crucial in the learning environment, students with lower English proficiency tend to struggle in that area. Communication issues affect CALD students’ sense of empowerment and …

Assessing Concussion Recovery With Dynamic Stability Methodologies, Kurt Otto Buchholz

Dissertations

The overarching purpose of this dissertation was to investigate methods and measures of dynamic stability with the final application being assessment within a concussed population. Of the three studies presented, the focus of the first two studies was on development of a new measure of dynamic postural stability, comparing it to traditional methods, and determining how it performed relative to traditional methods. In the first study, participants performed a forward hop while kinematic and kinetic data were collected. Comparison of the kinetic estimation of the center of mass to the kinematic estimation showed moderate to strong agreement. This allowed the …

Phenomenological Curiosity, Ryan Russell Katz

Dissertations

This transcendental phenomenological study focused on the phenomenon of curiosity. The aim of this research was to explore the following research question with seven research participants: What does curiosity mean? Supported by semi-structured, one-on-one, in-depth phenomenological interviews as the research method, the findings revealed (a) curiosity as an energy for learning and (b) six Curiosity Archetypes defined by the way each gathers, connects, and/or utilizes data to expand consciousness and sense of meaning via creativity. Grappling with curiosity as an energy for learning presents at least three significant educational implications: (a) if curiosity is an energy for learning, then learning …

Elementary Special Education Teachers' Perceptions Of Using The Best Practices Of Video Modeling, Social Stories, And Peer Mediated Interventions To Teach Social Skills For Individuals With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Naif Ahmed Aldawood

Dissertations

Statistical data from the Centers for Disease Control (2018) indicated autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects 1 out of 59 children in American schools. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions of special education teachers regarding teaching social skills for K-5 students with ASD; specifically, to see how teachers viewed the effective use of two promising practices (i.e., peer-mediated interventions and social stories) and one evidence-based intervention (i.e., video modeling). The experiences of special education teachers regarding teaching social skills to K-5 students with ASD were explored. Seven special education teachers from school districts in Colorado were interviewed …

Adapting The Ward Method For Use In The Private Voice Studio, Michael Patrick Kilcoyne

Dissertations

The Ward Method is a progressive approach to vocal music education designed for elementary and intermediate students in Catholic Schools. However, due to the solid foundation of vocal pedagogy inherent to the Method, as well as its philosophies of educational psychology that govern its structure and approach, the Ward Method has implications that go far beyond elementary parochial music education. The concepts of vocal and educational pedagogy that distinguish the Ward Method are presented and compared to historical and current sources. An description of the component elements of the method and how they are used in the context of a …

Model Selection For Longitudinal Data With Time-Dependent Covariates Using Generalized Method Of Moments, Maryann Nishimura Shane

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to establish measures that could be used to assess the relative fit of nested models with parameters estimated using the Generalized Method of Moments for longitudinal data with time-dependent covariates. A secondary data set collected from Filipino children was used as an example of model fitting to evaluate the quality of the assessment of fit of the Kullback-Leibler Information Criterion (KLIC) and a chi-squared statistic derived from the difference in the minimums of the quadratic forms of two candidate nested models. A simulation involving randomly-generated data sets was also used to evaluate the performance …

Childhood Maltreatment And Working Memory: Considering The Influence Of Anxiety And Emotion Dysregulation, Mackenzie Ann Peake Pohja

Dissertations

This study investigated female college students with and without a history of childhood maltreatment and working memory ability on a traditional and an emotional working memory task. Individual difference variables of current anxiety and emotion dysregulation were also assessed. Some research reports a working memory deficit among individuals with a history of childhood maltreatment. However, some research has not found a relationship between maltreatment history and working memory. Both anxiety and emotion dysregulation are known to be associated with childhood maltreatment. Also, anxiety and emotion dysregulation are associated with poor working memory performance. Previous research has not considered the influence …

A Mixed Methods Investigation Of Positive Behavior Interventions And Supports In A Midwest Middle School, Thomas Dittrich Jr.

Dissertations

The researcher investigated the difference between the implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) and student achievement scores and the number of failing grades in a Midwest United States suburban public middle school through a mixed methods research study. The collected and analyzed secondary data to complete quantitative research included numbers of office discipline referrals and failing grades, average daily attendance percentages, and percentages of students scoring proficient or advanced on the Missouri Assessment Program tests. Staff members, during the specified timeframe of the study, completed a Google Form survey and provided qualitative data. The z-test for difference in …

Longitudinal Relationships Between Sleep Problems And Externalizing Behavior In Children: Investigating Genetic And Temperamental Moderators, Gabriel Casher

Dissertations

The current study aimed to evaluate multiple longitudinal determinants of externalizing behavior problems in twins/triplets aged 7 to 12 years. Specifically, a prospective longitudinal design was utilized to assess relationships between age 5 sleep problems, age 5 temperament traits, and later externalizing problems. Additionally, heritability of sleep problems was assessed by utilizing the twin method, and genetic contributions of two specific genes – DRD4 and 5-HTTLPR – were evaluated. A total of 93 twins/triplets (40 boys and 53 girls) and their parents participated in the current study, and data were collected through self-report, parent-report, and molecular and behavioral genetic methods. …

Synthetic Cannabinoids: Characterizing Their Use And Cessation, Richard Vernon Turner

Dissertations

Since their introduction to the United States in 2008, synthetic cannabinoids became the most widely used recreational drug behind marijuana, then regressed to an estimated prevalence of less than 1%. Contrary to expectations for a drug declining in use, emergency department presentations and acute poisonings related to the use of synthetic cannabinoids are increasing. Alongside this phenomenon, a growing body of literature is beginning to uncover a relationship between psychosis and synthetic cannabinoid use. A current gap in the literature exists surrounding harm prevention methods and targeted intervention strategies for users of synthetic cannabinoids. To date, no known studies have …

Testing A Decision Making Model For Nursing, Daniel Bruce Coble

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test a decision making model for nursing developed in a previous qualitative study. Concepts in the decision making model were creativity, experience, leadership, education, risk taking, and informatics. The Chinese philosophy of Cosmogony and chaos theory provided the theoretical framework for the model. Analysis of Decision Making in Nursing (ADMN), a tool developed for this study, incorporated a bipolar scale of 81 items. Pilot testing indicated adequate reliability and validity of the ADMN.

The Meaning Of High-Quality Nursing Care Derived From King's Interacting Systems, Mary E. Gunther

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to conceptualize quality within a framework unique to nursing, King's Interacting Systems. Clarification of the concept within the metaparadigm and a nursing conceptual framework provides understanding of the domain and scope of nursing for the ultimate benefit of the patient. Gadamer's philosophical hermeneutics involves a dialogical interaction between the whole and parts of the text and between the horizons of the text and the interpreter. King's (1981) A theory for nursing: Systems, concepts, process was approached with the question: What are the characteristics of high-quality nursing care?

Benchmarking Nurse Sensitive Quality Patient Outcomes Across The Continuum Of Care, Carla G. Clark

Dissertations

The impact health care delivery changes have on nursing and subsequently on the health of individuals, families, and the community are unknown to the nursing profession as well as the public. Delineation of patient outcomes sensitive to nursing care and their benchmarks would enable the nursing profession to evaluate system changes being implemented. Establishing targets for patient outcomes will provide facilities with benchmarks to measure themselves against. The purposes of this study were first, to identify if the nurse sensitive patient outcomes identified by the AAN expert panel are appropriate and second, to establish benchmarks for these outcomes that are …

Vines In The Neotropics: Phylogenomics, Biogeography And Systematics In Passion Flowers (Passiflora Subgenus Decaloba Section Decaloba), Serena Acha

Dissertations

With 600 species, Passiflora is a large, morphologically complex and broadly distributed genus in Passifloraceae that represents a major challenge to scientists interested in understanding the evolutionary history of tropical vines. Passiflora has been divided into subgenera, super sections and sections. One of the most enigmatic and species-rich (~120 spp.) groups in Passiflora is section Decaloba, which occurs in the Neotropics and is particularly diverse in Andean montane forests. In this study, we used phylogenomic and population genomic approaches to investigate the evolutionary history, biologeography, species boundaries, and taxonomy of Passiflora section Decaloba. We sampled herbarium specimens, extracted …

Quality Of Life Of Adults With Congenital Heart Disease, Lynn M. Simko

Dissertations

Adults with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) are a new and growing population of patients who pose a challenge to both medicine and nursing. Medical and surgical advances have increased the number of adults with CHD. These advances may create Quality of Life (QOL) issues which were not previously considered. The purpose of this study was to collect data describing the QOL of adults with CHD in order for health professionals to develop appropriate information, counseling, and anticipatory guidance. This study was a case-control study design utilizing a QOL assessment tool, the Sickness impact Profile (SIP), along with a demographic questionnaire.

What Does Time Management Mean To You? Exploring Measures Of Time Management And Group Differences., Allison Burrus

Dissertations

For centuries people have been trying to find ways to effectively manage their time. Meanwhile, research in this area has lagged and provided inconsistent results about the outcomes (i.e., well-being and job performance) of the use of time management behaviors. A potential reason for the inconsistent results is the lack of a universal conceptualization of time management making it difficult to compare results. Further, it may be that certain groups use and/or interpret time management behaviors in different ways. This study investigated three of the most popular measures of time management concurrently. First, the measures were examined for statistical artifacts, …

The Role Of Multidrug Resistance Regulators Mara, Soxs, Rob And Rama In Regulating Virulence Traits In Salmonella Enterica, Srinivas Thota

Dissertations

Enteric pathogens sense numerous signals specific to the anatomical location in the intestine and integrate them with the complex regulatory networks to temporally and spatially regulate their virulence genes. MarA, SoxS, Rob and RamA are homologous transcription factors that belong to AraC family of proteins in Salmonella enterica that primarily were thought to be involved in rendering antibiotic resistance to bacteria by up regulating efflux pumps and down regulating outer membrane porins. The fact that these transcription factors respond to the same intestinal compounds that regulate virulence genes in Salmonella motivated us to look for other roles of these transcription …

Regional And Historical Influences On The Spatial Distribution Of Neotropical Trees, Maria Isabel Loza

Dissertations

At small spatial scales, the composition of species assemblages depends on local conditions and the dispersal of propagules from surrounding regions. In turn, processes taking place at broad temporal and spatial scales, including changes in regional physiography and climate, shape the species pools in these source regions. This dissertation seeks to understand the effects of regional and historical processes on the spatial distribution of Neotropical tree species. In chapter 1, I investigate regional enrichment of local species assemblages testing two hypothesis: i) local species assemblages are enriched by unfiltered species pools, which are composed of all species that can …

Accessibility To Resources For Homeless Documented Immigrant Families: A Case Study, Antaniece P. Carter

Dissertations

This study seeks to explore the experience of a homeless documented immigrant family attempting to access school and community resources. Research has shown that due to disadvantages including but not limited to lack of economic mobility, employment access, lone parent families, and cultural background, some immigrant families may face challenges accessing services (Arnold, 2004). Difficulty accessing services then can inhibit adjustment and may lead to homelessness.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the issue of homelessness as experienced by immigrants within an urban community. A case study will highlight the experience of a homeless immigrant family, as defined …

The Effect Of Union Affiliation On Salary For Female Community College Faculty, Kathleen Kanz White

Dissertations

There is a substantial pay disparity between the highest and lowest paid full-time community college faculty members, more so for women. Faculty unions, which are common at community colleges, are believed to increase pay equity, although research on unions is limited. This study provided evidence addressing gaps in the literature regarding the community college workforce and unionization in higher education. No previous research has been conducted at the community college level examining specific union affiliation and the role it plays in salary.

The purpose of the study was to examine salary variables for female community college faculty members employed in …

Recover Data In Sparse Expansion Forms Modeled By Special Basis Functions, Abdulmtalb Mohamed Hussen

Dissertations

In data analysis and signal processing, the recovery of structured functions (in terms of frequencies and coefficients) with respect to certain basis functions from the given sampling values is a fundamental problem. The original Prony method is the main tool to solve this problem, which requires the equispaced sampling values.

In this dissertation, we use the equispaced sampling values in the frequency domain after the short time Fourier transform in order to reconstruct some signal expansions, such as the exponential expansions and the cosine expansions. In particular, we consider the case that the phase of the cosine expansion is quadratic. …

Selected African American First-Time Teenage Mothers' Perceptions Of Nurse Caring Behaviors During The Postpartum Period, Danita R. Potter

Dissertations

Nurse caring behaviors are essential to improving health outcomes. However, there has been little research conducted that has investigated nurse caring behaviors during the postpartum period, particularly behaviors directed toward African American first-time teenage mothers. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe African American first-time teenage mothers' perceptions of nurse caring behaviors during the postpartum period. Watson's (1985) Theory of Human Caring was the conceptual basis of this study. Data were collected using the Caring Behaviors Assessment (CBA) instrument, a 63-item questionnaire that included two open-ended questions that were used to identify themes, and a 9-item demographic …

Compensation Of Staff Nurses Employed In United States Hospitals From 1960 To 1990, Pamela Frances Cipriano

Dissertations

Compensation for registered nurses employed as staff nurses in nonfederal hospitals from 1960 to 1990 was studied. Significant events of hospital financing, professional efforts to improve wages and working conditions, and the changing demand for nurses were also examined. Historical method was used to gather and interpret data, construct a salary time series, and describe events affecting the interaction of supply, demand, and wages in the nurse labor market.

Peripherally Inserted Central Catheters (Picc) And The Efficacy Of Tip Placement Confirmation With Ecg Ultrasound-Guided Technology And Chest Radiography, Elizabeth A. Morrell

Dissertations

The aim of this study was to appraise the efficacy of peripherally inserted central catheters (PICC) tip placement confirmation using a fully-integrated magnetic tracking system and ECG ultrasound-guided insertion technology performed at the patients' bedside by venous access nurses and validated by the post-insertion chest radiography (CXR) report. Labor costs and time were compared with the interventional radiology (IR) team and the venous access nurses to determine if there was a noteworthy cost difference with PICC insertions. PICCs have gained popularity due to improved ECG ultrasound-guided tip navigation technology. Real-time ECG ultrasound-guided technology is the safest, most accurate method of …

Development Of An Instrument To Measure Quality Of Nurses' Worklife, Beth A. Brooks

Dissertations

This study reports the development process and factor structure of a questionnaire to measure quality of nursing work life for registered nurses in hospital settings. Included is information on item generation, content validation, initial pilot testing, and results from the full study.

Decision-Making Between Nurse-Midwives And Clients Regarding The Formulation Of A Birth Plan, Mary Ellen Doherty

Dissertations

This descriptive qualitative study examined the interaction between nurse-midwives and clients during prenatal visits in the third trimester as they formulated a birth plan. The study was concerned with decision-making and the participative behaviors exhibited by the participants while engaged in the process. The theoretical framework undergirding the study was Kim's (1983b, 1987b) theory of collaborative decision-making in nursing practice. This field study was conducted using the participant observation approach of Schatzman and Strauss (1973) and the analytic ethnography perspective of Lofland (1995).

The Role Of Bro Culture In Exploration Of Why Women Leave It, Ana Krasteva

Dissertations

The goal of this exploratory study is to investigate ways in which whether the phenomena called the ‘bro culture’ may influence on women in the information technology (IT) workforce. It specifically seeks to determine whether bro culture has an impact on why women in IT move from one IT company to another; leave IT for a non-technical field; or leave the workforce entirely.

Although there is a plethora of studies on why women leave positions in IT, less understood is the impact and influence of bro culture on the decision.

My findings suggest that bro culture in the workplace is …

Educators’ Perceptions Concerning The Leading Factors Of Mathematics Achievement In Top-Ranking Nations Around The World, Kendra Snow

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of post-secondary mathematics educators from countries considered to be highly successful in the area of mathematics based upon results of international assessments. Four instructors were randomly selected from a homogenous sample within the nations of Canada, China, Japan, and Singapore to contribute information about the phenomenon of mathematical achievement. Frameworks from SRI International (2009), Matthews (2013), and Schoenfeld (2014) were integrated to design this study focused on curriculum, pedagogy and instructional approach, teacher knowledge and expectations, and organizational and social climate as possible factors that support student mathematical proficiency. Interviews …

Leading For Excellence: Leadership Behaviors That Cultivate A High-Achieving School Environment, Kristen Belknap

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-methods study was to determine the degree of importance for the 12-step principles proposed by Harvey et al. (2014) to create a K–12 school environment that fosters high student achievement as perceived by public school elementary principals. A secondary purpose was to explore and describe the leadership strategies for implementing the 12-step principles proposed by Harvey et al. to create a K–12 school environment that fosters high student achievement as perceived by public school elementary principals.

Methodology: An explanatory mixed-methods study was completed to examine the degree of importance each of the 12 leadership …

California Expert Principals’ Identification Of The Best Strategies For The Implementation Of A Transition From A Traditional Grading And Reporting System To A Standards-Based Grading And Reporting System: A Delphi Study, Sean Redmond

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this policy Delphi study was to identify the strategies California K-12 expert principals deem necessary for the implementation of a transition from a traditional grading and reporting system to a standards-based grading and reporting system, utilizing a panel of expert principals to rate the importance of the identified strategies and to recommend the best methods of implementing the five most important strategies.

Methodology: The Delphi method was utilized in this study. An expert panel of California K-12 principals was assembled, and three rounds of electronic surveys were administered. The first-round results identified strategies for implementing a …