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The Perfect Storm: Unexpected Birthing Experiences And Perinatal Mood Disorders, Joanne G. Goldbort

Dissertations

Intrapartum nurses play a significant role in shaping the lived experience of a woman's birth. Examining the lived experience of women's birth can serve as a critical component in nursing practice as a means to improve patient care outcomes with regards to the development of a perinatal mood disorder. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine women's unexpected birth experience in order to ascertain what contributions from these women's stories might be made to enhance nursing care. Husserl's descriptive phenomenology was the qualitative research design used to examine women's unexpected birth experience, defined as any or all of …

Assessing Facilitating Factors And Barriers To Body Mass Index Screening Among School Nurses, Ann M. Stalter

Dissertations

Child obesity among school age children is epidemic in the United States (U.S.). A critical review of literature was completed that concluded that Body Mass Index (BMI) screening for early identification and growth surveillance is needed for successful school-based obesity prevention intervention programs. This study used total survey design methods to identify the BMI screening practices of school nurses (SNs) and to identify the facilitating factors and barriers to BMI screening in public elementary schools among school age populations.

The Experience Of Violence And Help-Seeking Among Mothers Of Adult Chronically Mentally Ill Individuals, Darcy A. Copeland

Dissertations

Mothers of mentally ill adults are frequently primary caretakers. If mentally ill individuals become violent, mothers are most often victims. In their role as primary caretakers, mothers are knowledgeable regarding their children's illnesses. They are also familiar with the mental health system, including criteria for involuntary hospitalization. Mothers can identify signs of decompensation in their mentally ill children and recognize their need for hospitalization. They cannot, however, always access mental health treatment due to their children's refusal and/or not meeting legal criteria for involuntary hospitalization. This is problematic, particularly for mothers whose mentally ill, adult children have a history of …

Problem Behaviors In The Male Partners Of Adolescent Mothers: A Comparison Of Age-Discrepant And Age-Consistent Relationships, Julie K. Baylor

Dissertations

Adolescent girls in relationships with adult males are more likely to become parents than those involved with adolescent males. Studies are few and limited by confounding socioeconomic characteristics and considerable missing data. This study of low-income pregnant adolescents compares the problem behaviors of the babies' fathers who are at least 5 years older than the mother (age-discrepant) with those who are less than 5 years older (age-consistent).

Functional Status Of Older Adults After Hip Fracture, Christina L. Garcia

Dissertations

This dissertation is composed of three manuscripts addressing functional status of adults age 65 years and older after hip fracture. The first manuscript is a review of the literature on the impact of gender, age, comorbidities, pain, depression, self-efficacy, cognitive status, and social support on functional status of older adults after hip fracture. Further research on the relationships among these factors will assist healthcare providers in early identification of adults age 65 years and older after hip fracture at risk of decline in functional status. Results of this literature review led to a concept analysis aimed to provide clarity of …

Factors That Influence Contraceptive Decision-Making In African American Women, An Intergenerational Perspective, Allyssa L. Harris

Dissertations

African American women represent a unique group of women in the United States and have a long history of lack of reproductive freedom. Slavery and forced procreation, sterilization abuses, the Eugenics movement, and federally mandated contraception have all impacted on African American women's independence in contraceptive decision-making. Given this population's history, it is important for healthcare providers to understand African American women's contraceptive decision-making, as women often seek their guidance. The purpose of this dissertation research was to discover the intergenerational influences on African American women's contraceptive decision-making. The specific aims of this study were to: (1) develop an understanding …

The Relationship Between The Abnormal Electrophysiological Features And The Degeneration In Cognition, Behavior, Daily Functioning, And Global Presentation Manifested By Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease, Ezra C. Charles Holston

Dissertations

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an increasingly prevalent neurologic disorder characterized by progressive degeneration in cognition, behavior, and daily functioning. Identification of methods designed to enhance the accuracy and efficiency of early diagnosis would allow for proactive care including timely implementation of treatment modalities. Toward this goal, this secondary analysis was designed to examine the relationship between clinical symptoms (cognitive, behavioral, and daily functioning) and abnormal electrophysiological features in individuals with AD.

Psychometric Evaluation Of The Knowledge, Skills, And Attitudes - Part I: Patient-Centered Care Scale (Ksai-Pccs): A Pilot Study, Patricia E. Esslin

Dissertations

Recognition that adverse events are a significant cause for morbidity and mortality has led to a rise in global efforts to improve patient safety. Adaptations are needed in healthcare institutions and at the educational preparatory level for all healthcare providers. One change surrounds the significance of patient-centered care, an important concept new to healthcare over the last decade. The problem concerns the ability of healthcare educators to effectively measure knowledge, skills, and attitudes of student nurses in relation to the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (QSEN) patient-centered care competencies. The primary purpose of this study was to test the …

The Impact Of Social Media On Improving English Learning Skills: A Case Study Of Uae, Sameer O. A Baniyassen

Dissertations

Social media are one of the current forms of media that have diverse qualities and characteristics. Today, the use of social media is growing day by day at a significant rate. It is in this domain that students can virtually meet with their classmates and their teachers. They can communicate issues that are of significance and are related to their learning process. This study aimed to explore how social media platforms could affect English learning skills and to find whether social media could improve English language skills. The current study used mixed methods involving quantitative and qualitative approaches, such as …

Investigating Leadership Behavior Spawning Innovation Performance In Uae’S Telecommunication And Ict Industry, Ali Abdalla Saeed Khalfan Alnaqbi

Dissertations

The significance of leadership behaviours comes in creating a climate for innovation to support individual creativity within innovation performance. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between transformational and transactional leadership behaviours, climate for innovation, individual creativity and innovation performance. Additionally, this study explored the mediation role of climate for innovation perceptions to be supportive of individual creativity. Data were collected online from 139 staff and leaders who were working in various ICT and telecommunication industries in UAE, a developing country, and SLP- SEM were used to analyse the data. The results of this study revealed positive …

Treatments For Cancer Given Orally: Patients' Perceptions Of Distress Due To Financial Toxicity, Ellen Carr

Dissertations

Purpose/Aims: For adult participants who have received or are receiving treatment for hematologic and solid tumor malignancies given orally, this study describes the relationship between participants’ experience of financial toxicity (FT), the participants’ perception of distress associated with FT, and participants’ self-identified adherence to prescribed treatments in the context of FT.

Background: FT has emerged as an additional source of distress for cancer patients. The costs of treatments given orally can be prohibitively expensive for patients. Therefore, these patients may experience considerable distress and may not adhere to treatments as prescribed.

Method: Descriptive cross-sectional correlational design study of a sample …

A Delphi Study Of Effective Strategies And Supporting Activities For Reducing Chronic Absenteeism With Tk-5th Grade Students, Phillip Shelley

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify strategies expert Student Services Administrators/Attendance Supervisors recommend as most effective for reducing chronic absenteeism with TK-5th Grade public school students. In addition, it was the purpose to rate the effectiveness of the identified strategies, and to identify activities that would support the implementation of the most effective strategies.

Methodology: This study used a Delphi method, consisting of three rounds, to collect data from expert Student Service Administrators/Attendance Supervisors. In Round 1, expert panel members were asked to identify strategies to reduce chronic absenteeism with TK-5th grade students. In Round 2, …

Dysmenorrhea And Related Factors In Taiwanese Adolescent Girls, I-Chen Lu

Dissertations

The purpose of this cross-sectional, correlational study was to validate the factors that are related to dysmenorrhea in Taiwanese adolescents. The specific aims were to describe the perceived dysmenorrhea pain symptom experience (SE), related self-care strategies (SCS), and perceived effectiveness of self-care strategies (PESS); to explore the relationships between SE, SCS, and PESS; and to explore the influence of contextual factors on SE, SCS, and PESS. A conceptual framework based on the revised Symptom Management Model was developed and guided this study.

Self Efficacy, Self Reliance, Adherence To Self Care, And Glycemic Control Among Cherokee With Type 2 Diabetes, Diana D. Mashburn

Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes is responsible for disability and shortened life span among Native Americans. Adherence to recommendations for diet, exercise and medication is essential to optimizing outcomes. Few studies of self care have included Native American participants.

Among Cherokee adults, aims are to (a) describe self efficacy, Cherokee self reliance, adherence to self care recommendations and glycemic control; (b) explore the relationship between self efficacy and Cherokee self reliance; and (c) predict glycemic control from self efficacy, Cherokee self reliance, adherence to self care recommendations, and personal characteristics.

The Relationships Between Health Literacy, Self-Efficacy And Readiness For Change To Health Promotion Behaviors In Urban Black Women, Millie A. Hepburn

Dissertations

Black women have been shown to experience higher rates of morbidity and mortality as a result of stroke, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and overweight or obesity than women of other races/ethnicities. The ability to avert certain health problems, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, stroke and overweight or obesity is known to be directly related to active engagement in health promotion behaviors, yet Black women are consistently less likely to engage in these behaviors than are white women. Improved understanding of the various factors that impact individual health promotion behaviors to reduce risk, such as health literacy, self-efficacy and readiness …

The Influence Of Self-Esteem And Self-Silencing On Self-Efficacy For Negotiating Safer Sex Behaviors In Urban Bahamian Women, Shane L. Neely-Smith

Dissertations

The rapidly increasing rate of HIV/AIDS among Bahamian women is daunting for the future of Bahamian society. Despite many concerted efforts, scientists are unable to find a cure for HIV disease and are faced with the multiple challenges that treatment and management strategies bring for persons living with AIDS. As a result, there is a major focus on HIV prevention. The purpose of this study was to understand the characteristics that put urban Bahamian women at risk for HIV/AIDS so that gender appropriate and culturally sensitive prevention interventions could be developed and implemented. A cross-sectional, correlational survey design was used …

Predictors Of Quality Of Life Of Elderly End-Stage Renal Disease Patients: An Application Of Roy's Model, Celia G. Hay

Dissertations

There is increasing recognition that what matters most to chronically ill patients is how well they are able to function and how they evaluate the quality of day-to-life. Understanding the impact of chronic illness and associated treatment on functioning and well-being in the physical and psychosocial dimensions of older people's lives is essential. In 2004, over half of all new patients starting dialysis were 65 years of age or older (USRDS, 2004). The physical and psychosocial impact of end-stage renal disease may lead older hemodialysis patients to withdraw from treatment and die from uremia, rather than live with seriously diminished …

An Investigation Of Suffering Through The Examination Of The Lived Experiences Of Hospice Patients, Junko M. Mills

Dissertations

Although there is a historical and philosophical link between nursing and the suffering of people, a review of literature revealed that there are only a limited number of articles treating suffering conceptually or analytically, and the experience of suffering is under-analyzed. Further, a review of literature also revealed that the lived experiences of hospice patients, which were identified to be an appropriate place to begin an investigation of suffering, have not been well investigated. Accordingly, the two aims of this study were to describe the lived experiences of hospice patients, and to understand what their experiences can inform us about …

Leading For Excellence: Behaviors And Strategies Of Assistant Superintendents Of Curriculum And Instruction That Support A High-Achieving School Environment, Robert Sherlock

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 assistant superintendents of curriculum and instruction (ASCIs). A secondary purpose was to explore and describe the leadership strategies for implementing 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 ASCIs.

Methodology: This explanatory mixed-methods research design used qualitative and quantitative data to analyze …

Clinical Nurses' Perceptions Of Nursing Informatics Competencies, Steven D. Hobbs

Dissertations

This is a descriptive study undertaken to identify competencies and supporting knowledge and skills in informatics perceived to be necessary by nurses for nurses engaged in clinical practice. This study applied a non-experimental, descriptive research design to a quantitative survey performed through web-based technology. Based upon the foundational work of Staggers, Gassert, and Curran (2001, 2002), the goal was to substantiate with clinical nurses and their direct nurse supervisors the clinical competencies that Staggers' identified for Beginning and Experienced clinical nurses through a Delphi methodology of nursing experts. All study facility Registered Nurses received an e-mail inviting their participation. Respondents …

Patient Satisfaction With Postpartum Teaching Methods Used By Nurses, Debra L. Wagner

Dissertations

Background. Maternity nurses have a responsibility to provide extensive teaching to new mothers after they deliver their babies prior to discharge from the hospital. Since patient satisfaction is an important indicator of nursing care quality, it is incumbent upon nurses to know which method of discharge teaching enhances satisfaction.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between new mothers' interaction with nurses using different methods to provide postpartum discharge teaching and their satisfaction with nursing care. The relationship between new mothers' background variables and the level of their satisfaction with nurses' teaching methods was also explored. …

Predictors Of Overall Perceived Health In Patients With Heart Failure, Beverly A. Carlson

Dissertations

Overall perceived health (OPH) is a powerful and independent predictor of negative health outcomes and low health-related quality of life and is conspicuously low in patients with HF (HF).

The purpose of this study was to determine the key variables associated with OPH in persons with HF and to evaluate the variability in OPH attributable to each.

Factors That Influence Health-Related Quality Of Life And Satisfaction With Care Among Adults At A Community-Based Aids Service Organization, Robert T. Dodge

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (a) to describe health-related quality of life and satisfaction with care among adults at a community-based AIDS service organization, and (b) to identify the socio-demographic variables that influence health-related quality of life and satisfaction with care. The theoretical frameworks that guided this study were the Wilson and Cleary's (1995) health-related quality of life conceptual model of patient outcomes and Ware's (1978) taxonomy of patient satisfaction. The research design consisted of a nonexperimental, descriptive and correlational study that was designed to describe health-related quality of life and satisfaction with care among adults at a …

The Mirror Behind The Mask: Experiences Of Five People Living With Hiv/Aids Who Practice Santeria, Theresa A. Varela

Dissertations

This qualitative study was an exploration of the experiences of five persons living with HIV/AIDS who practice Santería. Santería is an Afro-Cuban religion derived from the Yoruba tradition in which African orishas (deities) are syncretized with Catholic saints for worship. Spirituality and religion have been described as essential to the well being and healing processes of people living with HIV/AIDS. Historically, persons with HIV/AIDS and practitioners of Santería, have experienced stigmatizing public reactions. Three areas explored were: how do persons with HIV/AIDS manage living with their disease, what role does the religion of Santería play in their experiences, and what …

The Relationship Of Stroke Patients' Functional And Cognitive Status And Caregivers' Resilience To Caregiver Burden, Margaret D. Nolan

Dissertations

Currently it is estimated that 795,000 persons experience a stroke every year. Of that number up to one-third of survivors will be permanently disabled. It is neither financially feasible nor desirable to place these disabled stroke survivors in long-term care facilities to provide them with the needed assistance if they can be cared for at home. Frequently, the care of these patients is assumed by family members or friends. However, providing care has been shown to be burdensome for some caregivers of stroke patients (Johnson, 1998; Scholte op Reimer, deHaan, Pijnenborg, Limburg, & van den Bos, 1998a; Van Puymbroeck, Hinojosa, …

The Process Of Adoptive Parenting, Julie A. Luetschwager

Dissertations

Nurses assist families as they shift and change over their lifecycle. Maternity nurses work closely with biological families as they integrate the infant into the family unit; however, the nurse's role with adoptive families focuses on caring separately for the birth mother and the infant being relinquished for adoption. This study seeks to describe the process of adoptive parenting from the perspective of the adoptive parent. An exploratory field design based on grounded theory methodology was used.

Revisiting Rural Crime: The Contributions Of Labor Markets And Interdependency, Kristina J. Thompson

Dissertations

Although rural communities – which are home to nearly 20 percent of the U.S. – have experienced disruptive labor market restructuring, few studies examine how such events influence rural crime. Moreover, general methodological approaches to rural crime treat rural places as isolated and unaffected by the broader labor market conditions around them, despite a growing body of sociological literature which suggests that urban and rural communities have varying degrees of interdependence. Drawing from urban crime theories emphasizing the importance of place and systemic relations, this dissertation explores how shifting labor market conditions and extra-local labor market opportunities influenced crime in …

Impact Of A Standardized Asthma Education Program For Children Ages 8-12 Years Old With Moderate To Severe Persistent Asthma On Health Outcomes: A Pilot Study, Felesia Renee Bowen

Dissertations

Asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood causing significant physical, emotional and financial burden. The purpose of this study was to pilot recruitment strategies, instruments and experimental protocols to determine the feasibility of conducting a larger randomized control trial (RCT) and to evaluate educational, behavioral and physiological health outcomes for children ages 8 to 12 years of age with moderate to severe persistent asthma.

The Effectiveness And Perceived Effectiveness Of Simple Reminiscence Therapy Involving Photographic Prompts For Determining Life Satisfaction In Noninstitutionalized Elderly Persons, Tommie L. Norris

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness and perceived effectiveness of simple reminiscence therapy using photographic prompts on the life satisfaction of noninstitutionalized elderly persons. The Self-Anchoring-Life Satisfaction Scale (SALSS) was used to measure life satisfaction. Erikson's Developmental Theory and the concept reminiscence formed the theoretical framework for this study.

Cultural Discovery In Nursing Practice: The Experience Of Nurses Who Work With Vietnamese, Evelyn Labun

Dissertations

The purpose of this investigation was to generate a substantive theory of cultural discovery among nurses who work with Vietnamese. A grounded theory approach involving dimensional analysis was employed.