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Unconscious Bias In United States Marine Corps Leadership Doctrine: Examining Microaggressions Through Document Analysis, Patrick Butler

Dissertations

This dissertation employed a document analysis format to examine Marine Corps leadership education doctrine for microaggressions. The United States Marine Corps (Marine Corps or USMC) is the military service with the least diverse officer cadre in terms of sex, gender identity, and race. The study results show a pattern of repeating unconscious bias-related content within the Marine Corps’ documents. Such patterns can negatively affect minority members in terms of their health, acceptance, and performance within the organization. The results also document an overriding bias-culture which puts Marine Corps leadership in a dilemma of trying to encourage conformity to traditional organizational …

Correlates Of Health Literacy And Perceptions Of Burden Among Caregivers Of Persons Diagnosed With Chronic Illnesses, Mubarak Aldawsare

Dissertations

Background/Rationale: Greater attention is needed on factors effectively supporting caregivers because poor well-being of caregivers can hamper overall patient outcomes. Lack of awareness of caregiver burden has implications for healthcare systems globally. Caregivers may encounter various levels of burden as a result of providing long-term care to individuals diagnosed with one or more chronic illnesses. Caregivers with inadequate health literacy are more likely to experience feelings of uncertainty, and as a result, caregiver burden. Little is known about the impact of the health literacy of caregivers on the level of burden when providing care to individuals with complex care …

Pertenecemos: Trajectories Of Belonging, Knowing, And Discovering For Underrepresented Undergraduate Communicative Disorders And Sciences Students In California State Universities, Marcella C. Mccollum

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to identify the ways that seniors in undergraduate programs in speech, language, and hearing sciences engaged with the department as they entered into their undergraduate programs, the factors that they considered when deciding whether to apply to graduate school in speech-language pathology, and perceptions of supports and barriers to entering into graduate school. This study partnered with seniors enrolled in public California university programs designed for future speech-language pathologists. A mixed methods design was utilized to provide a holistic account of student experiences. Three major themes emerged from the study. Throughout the process within …

The Role Of School Counselors In Advocating For Social Justice For All Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amna Jaffer

Dissertations

The field of K–12 school counseling has evolved to embrace social–emotional and mental wellness aspects of students in addition to academic and career/college readiness. Social justice advocacy has been added to the role of school counselor by professional and educational entities. What is less clear is how well-versed school counselors are in social justice advocacy competencies, whether they are equipped to lead and advocate for social justice, barriers and accomplishments in doing so, and ways in which this role may be further developed and integrated into the field of school counseling, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. As …

Academic Trajectories Of Students With Disabilities And Caregiver Perspectives On Distance Learning In The Covid-19 Pandemic, Charlene Lee

Dissertations

As research on student learning during the COVID-19 pandemic continue to emerge, there remains a dearth of research on students with IEPs and how their caregivers experienced remote learning in a pandemic school year. This study examined the academic trajectories of students with IEPs and their caregivers’ perspectives towards distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Measures included academic data extracted from the 2018–2019 school year and 2020–2021 school year and a survey of parental and caregiver opinions of the pandemic’s impact. Student academic data (N = 270) revealed a significant decrease in reading but not math trajectories. Notable differences were …

Faculty And Administrator Perspectives On Campus Internationalization At Selected California State University And University Of California Campuses: Individual Efforts And Interconnected Roles, Parinaz Zartoshty

Dissertations

This explanatory mixed-method research study explored campus internationalization trends by examining the practices of faculty and administrators engaged in campus internationalization efforts at selected four-year public institutions in Northern California. Most survey respondents and interviewees recognized the importance of internationalization, prompted greatly by their own personal transformational “international” journey, making them identifiable champions who can assist in promoting internationalization efforts. Most maintained that the system and their individual institutions do not provide adequate incentives to those faculty who are not personally motivated to engage in international activities and acknowledged internationalization does not float to the top of priorities. In instances …

Student Engagement And Universal Design For Learning (Udl): A Community College Case Study, Candice R. Nance

Dissertations

Community colleges have a significant impact on education. The community college population includes some of the most vulnerable students who have the most to gain from educational attainment. The objective of this mixed-methods case study was to investigate the practical implications and impact of Universal Design for Learning (UDL) on student learning, engagement, and sense of belonging. Forty-nine students participated in this study from seven sections of an asynchronous introduction to business course at a California community college during the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings suggested that the UDL intervention increased students’ final grade percentages, exam scores, and group project scores while …

Core Principles Of Early Childhood Education Through The Lens Of California's Transitional Kindergarten Teachers And Administrators, Furwa T. Rizvi

Dissertations

California's public-school system recently introduced another grade level, Transitional Kindergarten, as an opportunity to offer universal access to early education for all 4-year-olds. Elementary school teachers and administrators must be well prepared to support and education these young children. This dissertation focuses on four key principles to ensure high-quality learning: Developmentally Appropriate Practices, Social and Emotional Learning, Dual Language Learning, and Early Intervention. To gain a better understanding of teacher and administrator perspectives on these core principles of early childhood education, a comprehensive survey was administered online, with a total of # teacher and # administrator respondents. Results indicate that …

A Description Of Impostor Phenomenon In Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologists, Jeffrey R. Darna

Dissertations

Background: Imposter Phenomenon (IP) is an evolving, multidimensional construct defined as self-perceived intellectual phoniness and professional ineptitude frequently experienced by individuals working in high performance or competitive environments. IP consequences include psychological distress, role under-optimization, and professional paralysis. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthesiologists (CRNAs) are at risk for impostorism; however, IP presence, intensity, and career effects are unknown.

Purpose: The study measured IP in CRNAs and determined the relationship between IP and select sociodemographic and practice variables.

Methods:

Design: A descriptive, cross-sectional correlation design measured IP using an Internet-based survey from a random sample of 170 members of the American …

Remifentanil Patient Controlled Analgesia Use In Laboring Women: A Feasibility And Acceptability Study, Joshua Carr

Dissertations

Background/Purpose: Interest in remifentanil patient controlled analgesia (RPCA) as a treatment for labor pain has increased due to its unique pharmacodynamics and effectiveness on pain control among parturients. Despite its promise, RPCA remains infrequently used in the US. The purpose of this study was to 1) examine the implementation and acceptability of a new RPCA protocol in the labor and delivery ward of a mid-sized hospital, and 2) identify the attitudes and beliefs of healthcare workers in a real-world clinical setting.

Theoretical/Conceptual Framework: The holistic nature of Comfort Theory can account for the proposed mechanisms contributing to the …

Transitions In Palliative Care: Referral Time And Healthcare Utilization In Advanced Stage Colon, Rectal And Lung Cancer Patients., Ann Lawani

Dissertations

Background: Despite lung, colon, and rectal cancer being the leading and third leading cause of cancer-related death among both men and women respectively, few studies have examined Palliative Care Consultation (PCC) on healthcare utilization (HCU) in individuals with advanced stage diagnosis in this disease cohort. Extant research shows advanced stage cancer patients receive aggressive treatments, within the last 30 days of life. Palliative care is linked to less aggressive cancer treatment, and palliative interventions applied early, at diagnosis of advanced cancer, is more favorable for improving symptom and disease management. Patients and family members with early PCC are better informed …

Cardiology Implications Of Ed Covid-19 Patients In An Underserved Rural Health Care Environment, Pedro Colio

Dissertations

Background/Purpose: Positive COVID-19 patients with chronic comorbidities have been associated with severe cardiac complications (e.g., STEMI, NSTEMI, myocarditis, pericarditis, AF) specifically among underserved communities. Acute STEMI and NSTEMI are cardiac conditions associated with ruptured atherosclerotic plaque leading to significant myocardial injury. AF, the most common arrhythmia leading to cerebrovascular accidents, is also common in hospitalized patients with severe illnesses. Myocarditis and pericarditis are inflammatory heart conditions associated with acute viral infections. According to the literature, these cardiac issues have been linked as complications of COVID-19. COVID 19 is an emerging, complex, and costly public health challenge globally with potential lifelong …

Phenomenological Study Of The Lived Experience Of New Graduate Nurses Caring For Hospitalized Patients Living With Dementia, Geline Buenconsejo

Dissertations

Title. Phenomenological Study of the Lived Experience of New Graduate Nurses Caring for Hospitalized Patients Living with Dementia.

Purpose. This study explored new graduate nurses’ lived experiences in caring for hospitalized patients living with dementia.

Background. The first twelve months of transitioning from student to professional nurse in acute care settings are the most stressful, emotionally challenging, and mentally exhausting for new nurses striving to apply newly acquired skills into practice. Some of the most challenging patients for nurses to care for are hospitalized patients living with dementia (PtLWD). With the projected increase in the number of patients with dementia …

Trauma Recidivism: Threat Orientations And Recurrent Injury Perceptions, Molly Bauer, Ann M. Mayo

Dissertations

Purpose: To describe select sociodemographic and clinical variables, threat orientations, and the perceived likelihood of recurrent injury (PLRI) of individuals deemed at risk for trauma recidivism (TR).

Background: Injuries and violence are the leading cause of traumatic death among persons aged 1 to 44 in the United States. Trauma recidivism occurs when an individual experiences more than one significant injury requiring hospital care in a five-year period. The relationship between a trauma recidivist’s perception of recurrent injury and orientation towards a threat remains unclear.

Conceptual Basis: Trauma recidivism risk factors contribute to forming an individual’s PLRI. When individuals acknowledge the …

Institutional Commitment For Cancer Pain Management By Hospice Nurses, Catherine M. Beattie

Dissertations

Ineffective pain management continues to pose a significant public health problem. Barriers to pain management include physicians and nurses, patients and families, and regulations. Even nurses who have learned to manage pain may not do it effectively because they feel that it is not a priority within their institution. The purpose of this study was to assess what hospices do to support pain management and hospice nurses' knowledge of pain management.

The research questions assessed pain management knowledge of hospice nurses compared to that of other nurses; source of knowledge; the relationship between pain management knowledge and nurse variables; what …

The Hustler Award Program, Julia N. Biayi

Dissertations

Problem: Hospitalized adults are at increased risk of falling due to multiple aspects, including but not limited to changes in health status, the environment, pain, weakness, confusion, and prolonged immobility. This project focused on the question: How will the utilization of the Hustler Award Program decrease fall rates in an adult inpatient medical-surgical unit?

Method: A prospective quality improvement pilot study focused on a 24-bed medical-surgical unit in a Midwest, 487-bed metropolitan-based facility.

Results: The results captured are for the evaluation period occurring from September through November 2021. The staff responded to 52-bed exit alarms, which yielded a response rate …

Impact Of Preoperative Psychological Evaluations On Bariatric Surgery Outcomes, Melanie A. Caustrita

Dissertations

Obesity is a major global health challenge affecting 603.7 million adults and is a risk factor for common illnesses such as diabetes mellitus II, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and poorly controlled hypertension. Americans have the highest rate of obesity. Patients with a body mass index (BMI) > 35 with one or more obesity related complications should be considered for bariatric surgery. Forty percent of patients seeking obesity treatment have at least one psychiatric illness with mood and anxiety disorders being the most common. Preoperative screening is recommended to identify patients with psychosocial risk factors that may lead …

Implementation Of The Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool In The Ambulatory Care Setting, Racquel Hermosura Ballinger

Dissertations

Falls remain a concern for healthcare organizations nationally. Fall rates at the site remained a concern, so an evidence-based approach was sought. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental quality improvement project was to determine if the implementation of Boynton's Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool (BMAT) used in conjunction with current fall practices would impact fall rates among patients 65 years and older undergoing a colonoscopy. The project was implemented in an ambulatory care setting in Southern California over four weeks. Sister Callista Roy's middle-range nursing theory, the adaptation model, and Neuman's systems theory were the scientific underpinnings of the project. Data …

Perceived Readiness For Practice Of Senior Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Janet Kay Reagor

Dissertations

Nursing education is designed to assist students to become beginning practitioners and clinical experiences are essential to this process. As competition for clinical sites increases, educators need to establish best practices of clinical experiences. This mixed method study examined the psychometric properties of a readiness for practice tool, and explored the effects of a clinical internship experience on the perception of readiness for practice of 483 senior baccalaureate nursing students in Kansas and Missouri. Matched results from data collected twice during the semester confirmed that the clinical internship experience increased perception of readiness for practice, with the most benefit coming …

The Impact Of Hospital Nursing Resources On Postsurgical Outcomes For Patients With Opioid Use Disorder, Rachel E. French

Dissertations

Opioid use disorder (OUD) is common, with the rate of opioid-related hospitalizations doubling from 2006 to 2016. Surgical patients with OUD are at significantly higher risk of prolonged length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and readmission. Postoperative care for patients with OUD is particularly challenging for nurses whose responsibilities include pain and withdrawal management, care team coordination, patient assessment, and patient teaching. A large body of evidence suggests better outcomes for surgical patients when they are cared for in hospitals with strong nursing resources. This study sought to determine whether variations in nursing resources (i.e., education, staffing, and work environment) were …

Mental Health Stigma And Law Enforcement Officers, Moses Park

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological research was to describe the perception of law enforcement officers (LEOs) about the stigmatizing behavior they experienced from fellow officers in their organization, after they sought mental health services, following a traumatic event they were involved in.

Methodology: The methodology for this research study will be qualitative from a phenomenological perspective. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews with a purposive sample of 12 active and retired LEOs who served in southern California.

Findings: After the analysis, seven major findings were yielded. The major findings of the study are: (a) Within the law enforcement …

Music As A Form Of Therapy In The K-4 Special Education Classroom: A Phenomenological Study, Roger Hattaway

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the perceptions of elementary K-4th grade teachers on the effects of music therapy as it pertains to academics and behavioral incidents in the special education classroom (Gooding, 2010).

Methodology: This qualitative study used a phenomenological design to ascertain the perception of the teachers on the impact of music therapy regarding academics of students in the K-4 grade special education classroom. The data were collected using the descriptive narrative to ascertain the perception of the changes in academics and behavior gathered from the interview questions.

Findings: Analysis of the …

Exemplary Latino School District Superintendents’ Use Of Emotional Intelligence As They Lead Their Organizations, Ivan Chaidez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the emotional intelligence strategies that exemplary Latino school district superintendents use as they respond to leadership challenges in their school organizations based on Goleman’s (1995) four domains of emotional intelligence (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management). A secondary purpose of the study was for exemplary Latino superintendents to explain how their use of emotional intelligence strategies supported their success and tenure as they responded to leadership challenges in their school organizations.

Methodology: This multicase study was conducted through interviews of five exemplary Latino public school district superintendents in …

School Administrator Preparation In Special Education: A Cross-Case Analysis, Emily Ruiz

Dissertations

Special education has been part of public education for 46 years and has evolved considerably in that time. Despite improvements made in special education law, there remains a disconnect between law and current practices. Several studies suggest this disconnect is associated with administrators’ insufficient preparation for supporting special education in their schools.

This study utilized an explanatory sequential design to study Southern California school principals’ special education preparation. During the first phase of the study, the researcher emailed surveys to administrators who were selected using a stratified random sampling strategy. Unfortunately, the response rate was too low to employ the …

A Study Of The Challenges Faced By Students Who Identify As Refugees Who Have Experienced Interrupted Education And Trauma, Merdin Mohammed

Dissertations

Every year, more than 65 million people are displaced worldwide. These refugees, asylum seekers, and internally displaced people flee conflict, poverty, environmental degradation, and other conditions forcing them from their homes. In 2020, the number of individuals internally displaced reached 82.4 million; of this total, 26.4 million were refugees. In 2021, of the 11,411 refugees resettled in the United States, 8.6% resettled in California. When refugee students come to San Diego, the majority resettle in the neighborhoods of City Heights and El Cajon. These refugee children have lived on the road or in refugee camps, faced consistent interruptions to a …

Executive Peer Advisory Groups: Who They Are? What Are Their Benefits? Why Do Members Join And Stay?, Andrew Feghali

Dissertations

Executive peer advisory groups (EPAGs) are exclusive organizations in which chief executive officers (CEOs) and presidents of businesses can problem solve business challenges, discuss business strategies, share best practices, and solve critical growth and performance issues. Executive peer advisory groups are based on the premise that the collective experience and resources of peer groups empower like-minded executives to solve challenges more effectively and more rapidly than they could do on their own. A key component of EPAGs is the forum, in which six to 16 members meet, typically monthly, in small-group sessions to function as each other’s personal advisory boards. …

Examining The Cross-Cultural Competence Of United States Christian Missionaries Engaged In Developing Indigenous Leaders: A Mixed Methods Study, Craig W. Goodman

Dissertations

For the past two millennia, missionaries have crossed from one culture to another to bring the Christian message to all cultures of the world. Questions about the effectiveness of these mission efforts have been asked and researched by many; however, one key question remains unanswered: what personal attributes help a person to be more competent at crossing cultures as they interact with people from other cultures? Although cross-cultural competence has been studied in a variety of fields over the past 50 years, the models and assessments used have never been applied to Christian missionaries.

To address this deficiency, this parallel …

Understanding Food Waste Behavior And Ways To Influence Positive Change And Waste Reduction, David Hubinger

Dissertations

Environmental problems such as pollution, climate change, and food waste can be influenced by social attitudes and human behavior. Solutions to address environmental problems involve a series of actions by society and individuals, which can prove difficult to implement because changes induced by pro-environmental behavior often cannot be seen immediately by individuals or may not generate appreciable, direct benefits. The purposes of the quantitative correlational study are threefold: first, examine environmental attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and overall behavioral intent to reduce household consumer food waste among a sample of consumers; second, to examine the extent to which select …

Black Beyond Measure: An Antideficit Exploration Of Cultural Capital Within A National Society Of Black Engineers (Nsbe) Chapter At A Predominantly White Institution (Pwi), Rhonda Harley

Dissertations

Historically, Black students have been excluded from Predominately White institutions (PWI) longer than welcomed to attend and matriculate (Harper et al., 2009). Due to this lack of inclusion, African American students' educational experiences often center on academic disparities, inequality of opportunity, and under-preparedness in career planning within the American education system. While there has been a fair amount of research on the lack of representation of Black students in the engineering disciplines, the heavy focus on quantitative data offers little insight into the unique ways students succeed and overcome institutional and systemic barriers in pursuit of their degree. Undergraduate experiences, …

Improving The Retention Of United States (U.S.) Government Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics (Stem) Employees, Jeffrey Myers

Dissertations

The U.S. government workforce has been consistently shrinking since a peak in the 1990s. At the same time, the need for technologically-savvy government workers has dramatically risen in this same period. This divergence in the demand for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) employees challenges government leaders to retain these highly demanded workers in the public sector.

Decades of psychological research across many industries has investigated what motivates workers and how best to incentivize them to increase productivity. Maslow and Herzberg, among others, theorized that adult workers have both intrinsic and extrinsic needs that drive their behaviors and resultant productivity. …