Digital Commons Network^™

Predictors Of Quality Of Life In The Chronic Hemodialysis Patient, Pamela B. Simmons

Dissertations

This was a descriptive, correlational, predictive study designed to investigate the relationships between treatment-related stress, satisfaction with nursing care, and depression in the chronic hemodialysis patient and to determine which were predictive of quality of life (QoL). Demographic variables and selected clinical indicators were also assessed for their ability to predict QoL.

The Use Of Guided Imagery To Enhance Power For Smoking Behavior Change, Christine A. Wynd

Dissertations

Cigarette smoking is known to be a risk factor in several fatal disease syndromes. Despite increasing knowledge of the danger, thirty-one percent of all Americans continue to smoke (Thornberry et al., 1986). Individual responsibility for behavioral change is indicated for successful, long-term smoking abstinence. However, there is need for continued systematic study of interventions which assist clients in their pursuit of healthier lifestyle change. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of guided imagery for enhancing client power relevant to smoking behavior change.

Masters In Nursing Students' Experiences As A Member Of A Virtual Classroom On The Internet, Carla L. Mueller

Dissertations

There is a growing demand for masters prepared nurses to meet the health care needs of the population. However, adult students find that multiple role responsibilities make it difficult to participate in the leisurely pace of the youth-centered model of traditional higher education. Courses in virtual classrooms on the Internet have been established to provide more convenient access to graduate nursing education. However, few attempts at systematically investigating and rigorously assessing the experiences of graduate students involved in courses in virtual classrooms on the Internet have been published. Disciplined investigation of students' experiences is warranted in order to fully explore …

The Experience Of Post-Craniotomy Pain Among Persons With Brain Tumors, Rebecca Elizabeth Foust

Dissertations

Post-craniotomy brain tumor patients often experience pain in the post-surgical period which can negatively affect recovery and surgical outcomes. Research with this population has focused on pharmacological treatments of post-craniotomy pain and measurement of pain intensity. Little is known about how these patients experience the quality of their pain and how this pain is managed. The purpose of this dissertation was to provide an in-depth description of the experience of post-craniotomy pain during the post-surgical period.

Women With Correctable Fetal Anomaly Participating In Perinatal Team Counseling: An Exploratory Study, Maria R. Reyes

Dissertations

Fetal anomalies are the second leading cause of infant death, and a major cause of long-term infant disability. Approximately 3% of U.S. births are complicated by major fetal anomalies. Advances in prenatal technologies, changes to universal screening standards, and changes in maternal characteristics have increased the likelihood of fetal anomaly detection. However, currently, we lack the research necessary to evaluate current intervention strategies used to assess what women need to effectively cope with the emotional turmoil that accompanies a prenatal diagnosis. Likened to a significantly traumatic life-event, women diagnosed with a fetal anomaly describe negative emotional responses such as anxiety, …

Anticipating Mothering In The Mexican Origin Woman, Susan M. Baxley

Dissertations

Not all women experience pregnancy and motherhood in the same way. There needs to be a greater understanding of how Mexican origin women experience pregnancy and anticipate mothering since Hispanics comprise the largest and fastest growing minority group in the United States. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive inquiry was to explore the meaning of attachment, commitment, and preparation during pregnancy as an anticipatory phase of mothering for the Mexican origin woman giving birth in the United States.

Nursing Students' Perceptions Of Briefing In Simulation, Beena Maret

Dissertations

Briefing for a clinical simulation in nursing school is an information session that sets the stage for a meaningful simulation activity. Improper or inadequate briefing practices can impact the quality of learning nursing students receive through clinical simulation experience. The purpose of this study, guided by the novice to expert and social cognitive theories, was to explore accelerated baccalaureate nursing (ABN) students' perceptions of their briefing experiences and how the briefing experiences influenced the acquisition of clinical skills and knowledge. Twelve ABN students from a school of nursing in one of the Northeastern states were interviewed through e-mail correspondence. Thematic …

Low-Income Women With Genital Herpes: Recognizing And Managing Their Fear Trajectory, Shirley Countryman Gordon

Dissertations

Every illness tells a story and this study tells the story of low income women with genital herpes. The purpose of this research was to generate a substantive theory about the response of low income women to the critical event of being diagnosed with genital herpes. Data were collected from taped in-depth, interviews from a purposive sample of sixteen (16) low income women who had been diagnosed with genital herpes. Informal interviews were also conducted with five (5) health care providers and several clinic staff members on issues related to stigma and the experience of being diagnosed with genital herpes. …

Does Using A Surgical Safety Checklist Improve Surgical Readiness?, Christina A. Colombo Goodall

Dissertations

Previous studies supported training multidisciplinary teams using an evidence-based tool such as the Comprehensive Surgical Checklist (CSC) to promote communication, teamwork, and safety. Evidence showed the CSC's four-phased approach reduced avoidable adverse events that were problematic in the single-phased checklist of the studied organization for completing the TimeOut. The aim of this quality-improvement project was to increase safe surgical readiness by adopting the CSC and creating surgical-team awareness of the Phase I Preprocedure Check-In elements.

Testing The Effect Of A Resident-Focused Hand Hygiene Intervention In A Long-Term Care Facility: A Mixed Methods Feasibility Study, Kathleen Aumann Morales

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and acceptability of a resident-focused hand hygiene intervention within a long-term care facility, using a mixed methods design. The study followed an exploratory sequential design. The strands were implemented sequentially, starting with qualitative data collection and analysis. The qualitative strand began with direct observation which is the gold standard to monitor hand hygiene adherence. Next, interviews of six residents and six staff members were completed using a semi-structured interview guide. Qualitative findings informed the second strand, which had a quantitative emphasis. The quantitative strand of the study was a quasi-experimental …

Internal Family Systems Informed Supervision: A Grounded Theory Inquiry, Daniel A. Reed

Dissertations

Internal family systems (IFS) is a meta-model of psychotherapy growing in popularity in the United States and internationally. In this process-oriented model, the psychotherapist supports clients in getting into relationship with parts of their experience to offer relief for aspects of themselves that have been stuck in tiring protective roles and provide corrective experiences for vulnerable aspects of themselves that have been stuck with limting beliefs and overwhelming feelings.

Coinciding with the IFS model's increased popularity, the evidence base for the efficacy of psychotherapists using IFS with clients continues to increase. In 2015, the United States Department of Health and …

Perceptions Of A Traditional High School Bell Schedule In The 21st Century, Shelley Gates

Dissertations

The daily bell schedule in a comprehensive high school has a significant impact on teaching and learning, school climate, and the well-being of students and staff. An increasing emphasis on the need for students to have strong critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and creativity skills provides an impetus for questioning the length of traditional class periods. This change leadership plan focuses on one school’s effort to examine their current school day schedule to determine what, if any, changes should be made to insure alignment between the daily bell schedule and the school’s mission and goals. Based on the work of …

Managerial Caring, Multicultural Competence, And Organizational Commitment In A Department Of Nursing, Eileen A. Sullivan-Kaplan

Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the relationships among caring behaviors, multicultural competence of nursing managers, and the organizational commitment of those managers and their staff members. Additionally, a qualitative component was added in order to maximize the contributions of the staff member participants to the study.

Differentiating Successful And Unsuccessful Nursing Students, Trilla A. Mays

Dissertations

Administrators of nursing programs in community colleges are aware of the need to retain and to graduate students to meet the growing demand for licensed practical nurses (LPNs). High attrition in a 2-year nursing program in South Carolina affected the number of students either graduating as a LPN after completing the third semester, or continuing in the program to become a registered nurse (RN). Guided by Jeffreys's nursing undergraduate retention and success model, this causal comparative study investigated the differences between students who were and were not successful in the initial 3 semesters of the program. Archival student records for …

Health-Seeking Behavior And Health Services Use By Latino Men In A Rural Iowa Community, Neil Scot Macnaughton

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to describe and compare the health-seeking behavior and health services use by Latino men, linked to the meatpacking industry, within the context of the community in which they reside; and (b) to describe and analyze the capacity of one typical Iowa community to respond to its changing ethnic composition, specifically with the provision of care to this immigrant group.

The Effects Of Environmental Turbulence On Nurse Performance, Jeanne Salyer

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of environmental turbulence on nurse performance.

The Shortage Of Expert Nephrology Nurses And Patient Quality Care Indicators A Quantitative Cross-Sectional Study, Karen J. Gaietto

Dissertations

This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the problem regarding the shortage of expert nephrology nurses and potential consequences or outcomes on patient quality care indicators in the dialysis setting. The research study collected demographic data by survey method from 34 Ohio chronic dialysis units on nursing tenure, nephrology experience, education level, certification status and age. The corresponding Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Quality Incentive Program (CMS QIP) aggregate patient data for each unit was obtained for comparison. Chronic dialysis units with higher level of nursing experience and education were compared to chronic dialysis units with less experienced and educated registered nursing …

Promoting Mobile Government Services In The Uae: A Moderated Parallel Mediation Analysis Of The Impact Of Ad Content On Intention, Asma Shaheen Saif Sultan Al Awani

Dissertations

This thesis investigates the role of ad content in influencing citizens’ intention to use mobile government (mGovernment) services in the UAE. mGovernment delivers services through the use of mobile devices to citizens anytime and anywhere in order to increase citizen happiness and satisfaction. mGovernment has been launched as a strategic initiative by the UAE government, and one of the most important success factors for the initiative is increasing the number of citizens who use mGovernment services. Previous research has focused mainly on the factors driving technology acceptance and user intention to use self-service technologies. In contrast, the present research focuses …

A Comparison Of Cooperative Learning And Collaboration In High School Geometry Classes Including Geometry In Construction, Shelley Gates

Dissertations

Currently offered at over 450 high schools in the United States, Geometry in Construction is an interdisciplinary course that provides students with the opportunity to learn Geometry content through the process of constructing a single-family home. Highly functioning cooperative groups are a critical element of the Geometry in Construction program. Cooperative learning is an effective instructional strategy that increases student achievement (Slavin, 2011) and also provides opportunities for students to develop collaboration and teamwork skills. Collaboration and teamwork are critical 21st century skills that are highly valued by employers and therefore worthy of consideration as foundational skills to be taught …

Advocating For The Adoption Of A Comprehensive Work-Based Learning System, Shelley Gates

Dissertations

Work-Based Learning (WBL) is an instructional strategy that has the potential to help students make powerful connections to the world of work leading to the development of viable post-secondary plans and successful careers. This study advocates for the implementation of a structured continuum of WBL experiences for all students at a large suburban high school. The benefits of WBL for students, the school, the community, and employers are examined. The impact of WBL is analyzed through the lenses of educational, economic, social, political, and ethical perspectives. The negative aspects of the prevailing culture of college for all is discussed. The …

Parental Perceptions Of Family Social Supports In Families With Children With Epilepsy, Kim Alexander Decker

Dissertations

The current study utilizes initial baseline data from a National Institutes of Health-funded pilot study titled, "Creating Avenues for Parent Advocacy: An Intervention for Parents of Children with Epilepsy and Significant Learning Problems" (Buelow, 2010). The relationships of family needs (need for information, family and social support, financial support, help related to explaining to others, child care, professional support, and community services), family empowerment, and quality of life (emotional, time, and activity) to parental perceptions of family social supports in families with children with epilepsy were explored. Family needs for financial support, help regarding explaining to others, and professional support, …

How Exemplary Urban Superintendents Build Trust With And Between School Board Members, Damon J. Wright

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was to identify and describe what strategies exemplary urban superintendents perceive as most important to build trust with school board members using the 5 domains of competence, consistency, concern, candor, and connection. In addition, it was the purpose of this study to identify and describe strategies exemplary urban superintendents perceive as most important to build trust between board members.

Methodology: In this explanatory sequential mixed-methods study, surveys and interviews were used to secure data from exemplary superintendents to identify, emphasize, and highlight the strategies they used to build trust with and …

Best Practices For Addressing The Achievement Gap For Hispanic Elementary Students, Megan C. Greene

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to identify and describe effective instructional strategies for English language arts and mathematics perceived by expert fourth and fifth grade elementary teachers in southern California to reduce the achievement gap in high poverty and high English language learner (ELL) elementary schools.

Methodology: The researcher selected a qualitative research design to describe the instructional strategies used by teachers in three southern California school districts. Through in-depth, semi-structured, open-ended interviews, the researcher provided an examination of the instructional strategies used to address the needs of high poverty and high ELL elementary schools. Teachers …

Effectiveness Of Alternative School Interventions In Reducing Incidences Of Violence In Schools And Improving Attendance And Graduation Rates, Norman Robinson

Dissertations

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine whether alternative school interventions were effective in reducing the incidences of violence in schools and improving attendance and graduation rates, whether positive behavior intervention supports were effective intervention strategies in school violence prevention initiatives, and whether parental and community involvements were necessary for intervention strategies and supports to be effective in school violence prevention initiatives. I was concerned about the negative impact violence had on academics, health, the school environment, and within the community. I expected to identify as many problem types as possible and research similar problems in other areas to …

The Lived Experience Of Spiritual Well-Being Amongst Informal Caregivers Of Persons With Dementia On Palliative Care Living At Home, Michael Baumgardner

Dissertations

Title. The Lived Experience of Spiritual Well-Being Amongst Informal Caregivers of Persons with Dementia on Palliative Care Living at Home.

Purpose.This study explored the lived experience of spiritual well-being amongst informal caregivers of a person with dementia who were living at home and enrolled in palliative care.

Background. Patients with dementia comprise the third leading diagnosis in palliative care patients and many receive informal care from family members. Palliative care improves quality of life in patients and their informal caregivers. However, little is known about spiritual well-being in the setting of caregiving of persons with dementia on palliative care. …

A Mixed-Methods Investigation Of The Turnaround Model In A Midwestern Public High School, Ronald E. Joyner

Dissertations

School reforms in the 21st century led the educational systems in the United States to raise levels of achievement in order to compete globally with international students. The intention of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) initiative was to reduce the achievement gap among student subgroups, compared to high achieving students. The School Improvement Grant (SIG) served as a funding resource for underperforming schools to quickly improve academically. Schools underperforming for five consecutive years received mandates from the state and federal governments to select a turnaround model to increase student achievement. This mixed methods study investigated the implementation of the …

How Do Social Care Managers In Disability Services Experience Regulation And Inspection?, Deirdre Connolly

Dissertations

Regulation is one of the ways in which the State seeks to ensure that health and social care services are safe for those that are using them. The Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) is the regulatory body in Ireland charged by the State to assure the public that these services are safe. This study set out to understand how social care managers, in the role of person in charge (PIC) of residential services for adults with disabilities, experience HIQA’s regulatory process and to explore how these experiences impact on social care managers, and on service improvement more generally.

An Investigation Of Three Subjective Rating Scales Of Mental Workload In Third Level Education, Nha Vu Thanh Nguyen

Dissertations

Mental Workload assessment in educational settings is still recognized as an open research problem. Although its application is useful for instructional design, it is still unclear how it can be formally shaped and which factors compose it. This paper is aimed at investigating a set of features believed to shape the construct of mental workload and aggregating them together in models trained with supervised machine learning techniques. In detail, multiple linear regression and decision trees have been chosen for training models with features extracted respectively from the NASA Task Load Index and the Workload Profile, well-known self-reporting instruments for assessing …

An Evaluation Of Learning Employing Natural Language Processing And Cognitive Load Assessment, Mrunal Tipari

Dissertations

One of the key goals of Pedagogy is to assess learning. Various paradigms exist and one of this is Cognitivism. It essentially sees a human learner as an information processor and the mind as a black box with limited capacity that should be understood and studied. With respect to this, an approach is to employ the construct of cognitive load to assess a learner's experience and in turn design instructions better aligned to the human mind. However, cognitive load assessment is not an easy activity, especially in a traditional classroom setting. This research proposes a novel method for evaluating learning …

Exploring The Leadership Experiences Of Male Military Spouses: An Exploratory Qualitative Inquiry, Christina L. Parsons

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore the leadership experiences of male military spouses who serve as primary caregivers in the home. The primary objective of this research was to illuminate the voices of male military spouses from the various branches of military service to share their lived experiences and with specific regard to their leadership qualities. The goal of this research is to allow male military spouses to use their own words to describe their leadership experiences and to understand the context of that leadership inside the military culture. Pleck’s Gender Role Strain was used as the …