Digital Commons Network^™

Resource Allocation For Heterogeneous Wireless Networks Of Devices With Multi-Connectivity, Monika Prakash

Dissertations

This dissertation contributes to designing an effective resource allocation scheme for multi-connectivity (MC) networks. MC is a feature that allows devices to utilize the radio resources from more than one base station simultaneously. With MC anticipated to play a key role in satisfying the stringent QoS requirements of the next-generation networks (5G/6G), it is crucial to efficiently allocate the resources across multiple connections of one or more radio access technologies (RATs).
/="/">Currently, there is a huge demand on the availability of radio spectrum resources with a large volume of different types of data traffic (Internet-of-things, human-based, machine-machine) traversing the …

Evaluation Of The Proliferation Of Electromagnetic Radiation In Smart Indoor Environment And Subsequent Absorption On Human Head By Simulation And Factorial Analysis, Reshna Raveendran

Dissertations

Smart buildings using 5G and Internet of Things (IoT) acknowledge themselves as one of the undeniable byproducts occasioned from the fifth Industrial Revolution and are seen as the best solution adopted by the built environment. Smart buildings are publicized to carry a spectrum of benefits for building occupants ranging from actively saving electricity, ensuring operational efficiency to facilitating health support, wellness and productivity. Conversely, the negative aspects associated with smart buildings are often marginalized, and the limited research produced so far makes them seemingly non-existent. Literature review informs us that a smart building being subjected to external and artificial radiation …

Gay Male K-12 School Leaders' Self-Sabotaging Behaviors And Their Journey To Reclaiming Their Power: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Study, John Mccarthy

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this mixed-method explanatory study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by California gay male K-12 school leaders to explore the impact these behaviors have had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by California gay male K-12 school leaders to overcome these self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This mixed-method sequential explanatory study explored the lived experiences of eight gay male K-12 school leaders who self-identified that they have experienced self-sabotaging behaviors throughout their career. Purposeful, convenience, snowball sampling was utilized to identify gay men who met …

Bis(Tryptophan) Amphiphiles: Design, Synthesis And Efficacy As Antimicrobial Agents, Michael Mckeever

Dissertations

Amphiphiles play important roles in nature. These molecules contain both hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions, leading to some astonishing properties. The lipid bilayer of the cell membrane is a fascinating organization of amphiphilic phospholipids. Natural and synthetic amphiphiles, such as antimicrobial peptides, interact with the cell membrane. Such interactions can impact transport of molecules across the cell membrane, disrupting cell functions. In this work, a library of tryptophan-containing amphiphiles was synthesized and their antimicrobial properties were explored.

First, a library of bis(tryptophan) amphiphiles was synthesized. Preparation included a coupling reaction of a diamine with tryptophan residues, via their carboxy-termini, at …

A Quantitative Study On The Impact Of Adapted School Instruction As A Result Of Covid-19 Pandemic On Student Standardized Math Scores In A Midwest Public School District At The Middle School Level, Matthew Walker Buschman

Dissertations

The COVID-19 Pandemic has presented the educational system with challenges that have caused adaptive instruction techniques for all student populations in one way or another. The researcher chose to focus specifically on the impact of adaptive instruction as a result of the COVID-19 Pandemic in the area of mathematics by evaluating student growth on STAR Math Assessments at the Middle School level for a Midwest Public School District. Through evaluating the data from pre-adaptive instruction to post-adaptive instruction as a result of COVID-19, the researcher aimed to identify possible declines in growth as a result of adaptive learning from the …

Native Hawaiian Caregivers' Cultural Perspectives Of Pediatric Asthma Management, Donna-Marie Palakiko

Dissertations

Asthma remains the leading cause of chronic respiratory illness among Native Hawaiian children 0 to 17 years in Hawai'i. The National Asthma Education and Prevention Program (NAEPP) established asthma management guidelines which includes medical assessment and monitoring, education in partnership with the caregiver, control of environmental triggers, and medication adherence (National Asthma Education Prevention Program [NAEPP], 2007).
However, these guidelines do not consider the worldview, health beliefs, and cultural practices of caregiver, child, and family.

The purpose of this study was to describe how Native Hawaiian caregivers manage pediatric asthma, to understand which strategies are considered cultural practices, and to …

Phenomenological Study On Leaders With Heart: Examining The Effects Of Heart-Led Leadership With Remote Employees, Aries Sanders

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study is to examine and describe how exemplary leaders of remote teams lead from the heart, using Mark Crowley’s four principles to accomplish extraordinary results in organizations.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study examines and describes how exemplary leaders of remote teams at Fortune Global 500 companies who lead from the heart using Mark Crowley’s four principles accomplish extraordinary results in an organization. The research study is qualitative. The qualitative method was chosen to describe and understand the lived human experience. The study aims to uncover and explain patterns to make a scholarly contribution …

Female African American Higher Education Chief Executives: An Explanatory Mixed Methods Study Of Their Use Of Personal Power To Dismantle Self-Sabotage, La Toya Davis, Nee Goodrum

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed methods study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female African American higher education chief executives and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify the strategies employed by female African American higher education chief executives to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This explanatory mixed method study identified and described the lived experiences of eight female African American higher education chief executives across the United States. This research design encompassed a sequential data collection method using an electronic survey instrument …

Race, Masculinity, And Personality Development: Understanding The Black Male Experience In America, Veronica High

Dissertations

Although men from all racial backgrounds have several poor health outcomes, most of the research suggests that Black men have even worse health outcomes compared to White men (Bowman, 1989; Watkins & Neighbors, 2007; Williams, 2003). The majority of published research on masculinity, however, has primarily focused on samples of White men. The issue of how racism intersects with masculinity and its impact on Black men remains understudied and is a current area of focus in the field. The present study examined relationships between Black men on the cultural measures of masculinity and self-esteem, Dark Triad (narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism), …

The Effect Of Classroom And Clinical Learning Approaches On Academic Achievement In Associate Degree Nursing Students, Jo Anne Carrick

Dissertations

While many students compete aggressively to enter into nursing schools, those who succeed have no guarantee they will be successful in their nursing studies, graduating, and passing the National Council Licensing Exam for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN®). This study's objective was to gain a better understanding of how nursing students approach learning and to determine what characterizes the successful student. The study's design was based on the theoretical framework of the students' approach to learning, which ultimately impacts on the students' learning outcome.

This study followed a non-experimental causal-comparative study design using the Revised Approach to Studying Inventory - Short Version …

Differences In Preferred Teaching Strategies: A Quantitative Study Of Nursing Student Perspectives, Kaela L. Appleman

Dissertations

The preparation of nursing students to meet the demands of the nursing profession remains the goal of academic institutions worldwide. The most productive methods of preparation, including specific teaching strategies to attain that goal, have long been debated. This quantitative, nonexperimental study included an investigation of the most preferred teaching strategies among baccalaureate degree nursing (BSN) students in an effort to support the development of best practice recommendations for meeting the andragogical needs of adult learners and aid in the preparation of effective nurses who practice safely. The results of the study showed that BSN students most prefer hands-on, simulation-based …

Team Dynamics And Learning Behavior In Hospitals: A Study Of Error Reporting By Nurses, Lindsay Thompson Munn

Dissertations

Error reporting is the primary way that hospitals identify errors and near misses, and it is essential for organizational learning and improvement to occur. However, it is widely recognized that errors in hospitals are significantly underreported. As a result, there are numerous lost opportunities for health care organizations to learn from errors and improve the care delivered to patients.

The purpose of this study was to use the model of work-team learning as the theoretical foundation to examine the error reporting behaviors of nurses. The study examined the team factors of safety climate, leader inclusiveness, and psychological safety and their …

Female African American Deans’ Rise To Success: Navigating And Conquering Self-Sabotaging Behaviors By Taking Back Their Power, Davina Bailey

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female African American Deans in higher education and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by female African American Deans in higher education to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This sequential explanatory mixed-method study explored the lived experiences of nine female African American deans who acknowledged they had experienced self-sabotaging behaviors throughout their careers. The researcher distributed an electronic Likert scale survey to the participants to identify the most …

Trauma And Alcohol/Substance Use: The Role Of Self-Regulation Flexibility, Saankari Anusha Challa

Dissertations

Despite a high comorbidity rate between trauma/PTSD and problematic alcohol/substance use, there is only a small body of work investigating moderators and mediators in this relationship. Few studies have examined the role of self-regulation, composed of coping and emotion regulation, in the context of PTSD and problematic substance use. Prior work has generally measured self-regulation categorically, with strategies labeled as maladaptive or adaptive, and therefore failing to account for the adaptiveness of the strategy in particular contexts. The present study is the only one to date to examine self-regulation flexibility in the relationship between posttraumatic symptoms (PTSS) and problematic alcohol/substance …

Family Care Of Persons With A Brain Tumor, Paula R. Sherwood

Dissertations

Research has demonstrated that caregivers of persons with cancer and persons with dementia are at risk for negative consequences from providing care, such as increased mortality, depressive symptoms, and anxiety. However, there have been minimal efforts to describe the impact of providing care for persons with both oncological and neurological sequelae. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the care recipient's functional, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric status on the caregiver's level of burden and depressive symptoms for caregivers of persons with a primary malignant brain tumor, and to determine whether caregiver mastery and perceived adequacy of information …

Improving Clinical Alarm Fatigue And Alarm Management Competency Among Critical Care Nurses By Implementing A Unit Based Alarm Management Bundle, Stephanie Bosma

Dissertations

Clinical alarms are designed to signal an unsatisfactory patient physiological state, alert staff to malfunctioning medical equipment or systems, and warn the operator of potential hazards to the patient. While alarms interrupt the patients healing process, alarms also induce a crippling fatigue among nurses, known as alarm fatigue. The concept of alarm fatigue and clinical alarm management competency remains a common problem among nurses who work in the acute care setting. In the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) at a teaching hospital in Northeast Florida, alarm fatigue, consistent alarm management skills, and competency surrounding the use of the Philips physiologic …

Promoting Safe Sleep Education For At Risk Mothers, Breanna James

Dissertations

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is an unexplained scary phenomenon that has plagued parents for years until research determined there was a link between the infants sleeping position and sudden death. Local community leaders in health and advocacy review fetal and infant deaths on an annual basis to identify ways that infant mortality may be prevented. Barriers related to social determinants of health and lack of knowledge specific to safe sleep were identified root causes. Evidence-based recommendations for safe sleep set forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics have demonstrated effectiveness in reducing mortality. The purpose of the quality improvement …

Nursing Faculty Shortages: Perspectives From Deans And Directors Of Bsn Programs, Diane Porretta Fox

Dissertations

This study examined the shortage of nurse faculty in one Midwestern state. The purpose of the study was to identify facilitators and barriers to recruiting and retaining nurse faculty. Case studies were conducted, with the primary data source being semi-structured interviews with deans and directors of six nursing programs that offer the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. The interviews and a review of institutional artifacts informed the study.

A Constructivist Grounded Theory Of Spiritual Competencies Development In Counseling Supervision, Emmanuel Javert Nnadozie

Dissertations

Developing religious and spiritual competencies is paramount in the training of counselors to become effective in addressing clients’ religious and spiritual issues in counseling. Clinical supervision in practicum and internship courses is key to the development of these competencies, but questions as to how best they might be infused in counselor training remained. The purpose of the study was to create an explanatory theory of the process of the development of religious and spiritual competencies in clinical supervision. Utilizing grounded theory, experts in the field of supervision and spirituality were interviewed. The ways paradigm was used as a sensitizing concept …

Intimate Partner Violence Education For Pregnant And Postpartum Adolescents And Young Adults, Tatiana Filajdic

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem The commencement of intimate partner violence (IPV) often begins with relationships during adolescence and young adulthood; hence, young age is a risk factor. Young adult females, pregnant and post-partum adolescents are at high risk of experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV).

Methods A prospective, descriptive design evaluating the impact of three IPV education sessions offered over a three-month period at a non-profit shelter specific for young adult, pregnant and post-partum adolescents.

Results Twelve participants attended the sessions (N=12), and seven (n=7, 61.5%) of shelter residents attended at least one IPV education session. A two-proportion z …

Bisexual+ Women Of Color And Microaffirmations, Zori Paul

Dissertations

In the last decade, there has been an interest in exploring affirming identity factors for bisexual+ (bisexual, pansexual, queer, fluid, etc.) individuals that would promote positive mental wellbeing. However, there is a dearth in the current research that focuses on bisexual+ women of color and affirming factors unique to their intersecting racial/ethnic, sexual, and gender identities. By understanding what potential affirming factors, including bisexual microaffirmations, protect bisexual+ women of color from binegativity (bisexual specific discrimination), mental health professionals can provide and advocate for bisexual+ specific affirming care. This dissertation contains three studies: the first study explores how the experiences of …

Factor Structure And Construct Validity Of A Hospital Survey On Patient Safety Culture Survey Using Exploratory Factor Analysis, Maureen Falcone

Dissertations

Abstract

Objective: The purpose is to explore the underlying factor structure of the Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture Survey (HSOPS^®), to evaluate correlations between the factors, and to extend past work by further estimating its construct validity in a large sample.

Methods: A secondary data analysis using EFA and the AHRQ HSOPS^® database (December 2017 to October 2020), from nurses who shared their perceptions about hospital cultures of safety in the reporting of adverse events. Data were collected from 191,977 hospital nurse respondents in 320 U.S. hospitals.

Results: EFA obtained six factors with an eigenvalue >1 …

Exploring Psychological And Situational Factors That Influence Female College Students' Participation In Oral Sex, Margaret Bergeron

Dissertations

Although sexually transmitted infections (STI) are not officially reported via the route of transmission, the CDC (2016) reports that individuals who provide fellatio have the highest risk of oral transmission of a STI. Therefore, females who engage in fellatio are at risk for acquiring a STI. The majority of research studies on young adult heterosexual female sexual activities primarily focus on vaginal sex and the associated risks of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. Limited research exists on the oral sex behaviors of female college students and their understanding of the risk for contracting an STI through fellatio. The purpose of …

Factors Associated With Household Contacts' Tuberculosis Testing And Evaluation, Elvy G. Barroso

Dissertations

Contact investigation (CI) is one of the core elements of tuberculosis (TB) control. It is intended to achieve early identification of contacts who may have been exposed to a patient with infectious active TB and contacts who may benefit from treatment for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). LTBI is an infection in which the Mycobacterium tuberculosis organisms cause no signs and symptoms but the infection can be reactivated and develop into full-blown active TB disease. Failure to be identified as a contact is the primary reason for disease development in more than half of TB patients, thus a complete and timely …

When "First, Do No Harm" Fails: A Restorative Justice Approach To Workgroup Harms In Healthcare, Pedro L. Flores

Dissertations

In healthcare, workgroup mistreatment is a pervasive problem that begins during medical education (medical and nursing school) and becomes embedded in the “hidden curriculum of professionalism,” which dissuades and even punishes learners for talking about abuse they witness. Furthermore, the mistreatment of healthcare providers (HCPs) pervades all disciplines in the healthcare delivery chain due to a combination of cultural factors, systemic pressures, dysfunctional hierarchies, and leadership’s tolerance of intimidating and disruptive behaviors. Not surprisingly, 18% of U.S. HCPs have left the medical field since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and burnout, stress, anxiety, and increased workloads have been identified …

The Ripple Of Influence: The New Roi For Nonprofit Human Service Ceos, Lucinda Perry Jones

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how exemplary nonprofit human service CEOs lead their organizations through the lens of Grenny et al.’s (2013) six sources of influence.

Methodology: This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of 15 nonprofit human service CEOs and how they lead as influencers. Study participants were CEOs of basic needs organizations drawn from the Bank of America’s Neighborhood Builders^® award recipients from 2015-2020. The researcher collected qualitative data by utilizing an interview protocol and examining organizational artifacts.

Findings: Analysis of the qualitative data from 15 nonprofit human service CEOs yielded 14 …

The Road To Completion: Campus-Based Support Services That Lead To An Increase In Success Rates For Postsecondary Students With Foster Care Experience Using The Six Factors Of Student Success, Whitney Ortega

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the lived experiences of foster youth at California community colleges who have completed at least one major semester regarding the impact of their participation in campus support programs on their academic achievement.

Methodology: The researcher identified three community colleges within the state of California. Of this target population, purposeful sampling was applied to identify participants that were rich with information and that met specific criteria and 12 students with experience in the foster care system were identified. The researcher collected and coded data from in depth interviews.

Findings: …

The Lived Experience Of Being A Caregiver For A Family Member Dependent Upon Hemodialysis, Christine Kearney Turner

Dissertations

An identified gap in the literature exists regarding studies using an inductive approach that allow caregivers to describe the lived experience of caring for family members dependent upon hemodialysis for managing end stage kidney disease. This study used a purposive sample of six caregiver participants, male and female, with an average age of 36 using a descriptive, phenomenological approach designed to share experiences of providing care to a family member dependent on hemodialysis. The representative sample was recruited from a mid-sized hospital in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The investigator conducted face-to-face, semistructured interviews with participants. Using the …

Sexual Minority Thriving: Bouncing Beyond Adversity, Debra Crawford

Dissertations

Sexual minority individuals continue to face prejudice and discrimination due to their sexual minority identity. However, despite these negative experiences, many sexual minority individuals display resilience and thrive. Most of the literature on sexual minorities focuses on negative aspects of identifying as a sexual minority, rather than the positive qualities that these individuals possess that allow them to persevere. In a sample of 303 sexual minorities, this dissertation contained two studies. Study one investigated if posttraumatic growth mediated the relationship between resilience and thriving and if identity pride and existential anxiety moderated the relationship between resilience and thriving in a …

The Effect Of Self-Management Support Interventions For Adults With Mild Traumatic Brain Injury And Family Caregivers, Ann Thaiudom

Dissertations

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effect of a self-management support program for individuals with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and their family caregivers.

Design: The study design was a two-group randomized control trial.

Method: A total of 73 mTBI patients and their primary family caregivers were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=36) receiving the self-management support program plus usual care or the control group (n=37) receiving only usual care. The self-management program was developed based on the Individual and Family Self-management theory, and relevant clinical practice guidelines. The program consisted of self-management support assessment at …