Digital Commons Network^™

Examination Of Gaming In Nursing Education And The Effects On Learning And Retention, Tracey L. Hodges

Dissertations

The college environment brings together adult learners from diverse backgrounds who have different goals, personal and work experiences, and learning styles. These learners have the ability to learn in as many ways as educators have ways to teach them and learn better when actively engaged in the learning process. This reality makes it important for adult educators to incorporate a variety of teaching methods in their courses to meet the needs of these learners. Gaming is one such teaching method, with the potential to reach a wide and diverse population of adult learners.

The primary purpose of this study was …

Irritable Infants: Their Childhood Characteristics, Madalynn M. Neu

Dissertations

Although 16% to 26% of infants are irritable or colicky, little is known about their behavior as children. The purpose of this study was to compare the sequelae of six to eight year old children who had infant colic with those who did not. Characteristics of children were compared in terms of temperament, problem behavior, intelligence, executive function, and parent stress.

Predictors Of Retention And Passing National Council Licensure Examination For Registered Nurses, Nancy Susan Elkins

Dissertations

The current nursing shortage has challenged colleges to educate nurses at a faster pace than in previous times. Successful completion of the nursing programs and passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam is important for the students, faculty, and nursing programs. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the possible predictors of completing the baccalaureate nursing program at a college in the eastern part of the United States and passing the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Using Spearman's classical test theory and Seidman's retention formula as theoretical foundations, this study investigated historical data from 2 graduating …

Development Of Antepartal Data Set Elements For Nurse-Midwifery Care, Amy J. Levi

Dissertations

The use of minimum data sets (MDS) has become integral to managing information in health care. The American College of Nurse-Midwives is redesigning the Nurse-Midwifery Clinical Data Set to function as a MDS to improve efficiency of data management and aggregation of data for all types of nurse-midwifery practices. The purpose of this study was to identify the processes of care used by certified nurse-midwives (CNM) providing antenatal care to assist with the construction of the antepartal portion of the Midwifery MDS. Donabedian's (1980) conceptual model for quality in health care guided the study.

The Lived Experience Of Associate Degree Nursing Education: Conditions And Barriers In The Learning Environment That Shaped Students' Learning, Identity Development, And Success, Darlene M. Del Prato

Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how 13 students, from 3 ADN programs, experienced nursing education. Students' constructed the formal curriculum in three central ways: knowledge acquisition as privileged, disconnect between teaching, learning, and assessment, and clinical learning as evaluation. Participants' perspectives about the informal curriculum revealed two themes: supportive relationships with faculty as a critical condition of learning and development, and faculty incivility as a barrier to learning, development, and professional identity. In addition, students' felt a need to identify and enact unspoken norms of an ideal nurse. Faculty were key in promoting or hindering students' learning, development, and successful navigation …

Silenced In History: A Historical Study Of Mary Seacole, Bonnie M. Harmer

Dissertations

This study sought to uncover the factors that contributed to the historical disappearance of Mary Seacole from the literature from 1900 through to the 1980s. By the late 1990s she was celebrated as a nursing pioneer and the first nurse practitioner. Seacole, a Creole woman from Jamaica with outstanding clinical skills, was refused the opportunity to join the nurses who Nightingale recruited for the Crimean War campaign. Undaunted by the rejection, Seacole paid for her own voyage and established a boarding house and clinic near the front lines. Her courage and positive patient outcomes were recognized by the military officers. …

Pap Smear Guideline Adherence Among Non-Immigrant Hispanic Women Of Mexican Origin, Dulce M. Warren

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to add to the body of knowledge about the high rates of cervical cancer among non-immigrant Hispanic women of Mexican origin (NIHWMO). This problem was studied by investigating predictors of Pap smear guideline adherence. The specific aims of this study were to 1) to investigate the effect of acculturation, familism, fatalism, provider trust, cultural congruence, HPV knowledge, and generational level on Pap smear guideline adherence, 2) investigate the moderating effects of acculturation on familism, fatalism, provider trust, cultural congruence, HPV knowledge, and generational level on Pap smear guideline adherence, 3) examine the characteristics of …

Concerns, Coping, And Quality Of Life Of Mexican American Breast Cancer Survivors, Mary M. Lopez

Dissertations

Coping is a challenge for breast cancer survivors and may result in a poor quality of life (QOL). The primary purpose of this mixed method study was to examine the effects of acculturation, optimism, and breast cancer concerns on coping styles and to determine the effect coping styles have on the QOL of Mexican American breast cancer survivors. A 1-group ex post facto, descriptive, correlational design with path analysis was used to determine the direct, indirect, and total effects of the causal antecedents on coping and QOL.

Clinical Nurses Transitioning In A Faculty Role: A Cultural Analysis Of The Nursing Profession, The Academic Discipline Of Nursing, And The Academic Professorate, Cheryl L. Schriner

Dissertations

Nursing faculty are initially socialized into the culture of the nursing profession and then must transition into the culture of the academic discipline of nursing as they assume their new professorial role. This study explored how cultural similarities and differences influenced the transition of clinical nurses into a faculty role. The study was guided by Peterson and Spencer's (1990) model of organizational culture and Schlossberg's (1995) adult transition theory.

Exploration Of Patients' Spiritual/Religious Beliefs And Resuscitation Decisions, Elizabeth A. Freitas

Dissertations

The resuscitation decision, which has the potential to reverse a premature death or prolong the dying process, is complex and can be associated with spiritual/religious beliefs, values, and quality of life. The consequences of the resuscitation decision make it imperative that healthcare providers have an understanding of patients' spiritual/religious beliefs and how those beliefs are associated with their resuscitation decisions. The objective of this study was to determine the associations between hospitalized patients' spiritual/religious beliefs and their resuscitation decisions.

A Mixed-Methods Exploration Study On Trauma-Informed Practices Used To Dismantle The School-To-Prison Pipeline In Public And Private Schools In The City Of St. Louis, Jennifer Lauren Gabrian

Dissertations

Since the release of the Missouri Model for Trauma-Informed Schools approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in 2019, school leaders were given the opportunity to start the process of meeting the emotional and fundamental needs of students. With the effects of trauma reaching all diverse groups of race, gender, economic status, and community surroundings, there is an increased need to use the education system to reach students emotionally. Though the model is a blueprint for schools, school districts are not required to adopt this model and implement it within their districts. Due to the recent pandemic, …

Female Assistant Superintendents: Using Personal Power To Overcome Self-Sabotage, Kristen Miller

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female assistant superintendents 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 assistant superintendents to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This explanatory sequential mixed-method study described the experiences of ten female assistant superintendents in California. The first phase of the study was quantitative and included an online survey designed to identify female assistant superintendents’ most prevalent self-sabotaging behaviors and the impact they had on their career …

The Relationship Between The Stage Of Moral Development And The Frequency Of Dishonest Behaviors In The Classroom And Clinical Setting In Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Diann C. Cooper

Dissertations

Nursing is consistently ranked for its honesty and integrity. It is guided by a set of standards for ethical practice. However, nursing students participate in academic dishonesty at rates similar to non-nursing students. In addition, those who participate in academic dishonesty are more likely to be dishonest in the clinical setting. Dishonesty in clinical can directly impact patients and staff putting both at risk of harm. While in their nursing program, decision making is guided by the American Nurses Association (ANA) Code of Ethics, which is taught during the program. Specifics on the time spent and method used to teach …

The Art Of Leadership In Times Of Crisis, Valissa Tisdale

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to identify and describe strategies exemplary Navy command master chiefs (CMDCM) used to lead in crisis using the Five Critical Tasks of Strategic Crisis Leadership (sense making, decision making and coordination, meaning making, accounting, and learning; Boin, ’t Hart, Stern, & Sundelius, 2017) during the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. In addition, it was the purpose to understand and describe the experiences of exemplary Navy CMDCM during a time of crisis.

Methodology: This study utilized a qualitative multiple case study research design. Qualitative data were collected through standardized, semistructured open-ended interviews. …

The Lived Experience Of Thriving Nursing Students, Nicole M. Mentag

Dissertations

As the demand for qualified nurses increases, nursing education is responsible for preparing students for healthcare challenges. Nursing education focuses on academic success measures, including licensure examination passage, graduation rates, and grade point average. Though these outcomes are important, they fail to capture the complexities of student success. Thriving, the conceptual framework for this study, is a phenomenon within higher education that expands on the traditional measures of success and integrates cognitive and psychological aspects of the college experience. This study utilized interpretive phenomenology to understand the meanings of the lived experiences of thriving undergraduate nursing students. Semi-structured interviews were …

Nurses' Voice: The Meaning Of Voice To Experienced Registered Nurses Employed In A Magnet Hospital Workplace, Julie A. Beck

Dissertations

Magnet Hospitals are healthcare environments that have recognized excellence in nursing care. These accredited Magnet Hospitals, a term coined in the early 1980's, were seen to have the ability to attract nurses. These hospitals have quantitatively documented greater patient satisfaction, greater nurse autonomy, lower incidence of nursing burnout and greater nursing retention. As healthcare faces one of its most significant nursing shortages, Magnet Hospitals illustrate an organizational and corporate strategy that aims to recognize nursing and hopefully retain and recruit nurses during this challenging time.

While there are numerous quantitative studies that examine aspects of Magnet Hospitals such as nursing …

Leadership And Political Skill Preparedness Of The Doctoral Prepared Nurse, Wanda Montalvo

Dissertations

The Institute of Medicine Future of Nursing report recommended the development of more nurse leaders at every level and across all settings. The Accountable Care Act has led to a reformed healthcare system, placing a growing demand for nurse leaders. The doctoral prepared nurse must be able to fulfill leadership roles to educate future generations of nurses, translate research into practice, and influence organization-level research to meet federal performance indicators.

Testing Barriers To Non-Suicidal Self-Injury With College Students: Narcissistic Traits As Moderators, Philip Stoner

Dissertations

Research on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has produced mixed findings, resulting in a lack of clarity regarding these behaviors (Klonsky & Meuhlenkamp, 2007). To address this, Hooley and Franklin (2018) developed the Benefits and Barriers Model (BBM) to provide a comprehensive understanding of NSSI, in which they identified the barriers that commonly prevent people from engaging in these behaviors (e.g., self-esteem, shame, and peer-bonding motivations/social norms). They also identified adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as a distal predictor of NSSI, which aids people in overcoming the barriers to engaging in these behaviors. Recent NSSI literature has shown that college women in the …

Online Continuing Nursing Education: A Study Of Factors Related To Nurse Practitioner Participation, Elizabeth A. Friedlander

Dissertations

Although online continuing nursing education (CNE) is now available via the Internet, few published studies suggest nurse practitioner (NP) interest but a lack of participation. A needs assessment using a triangulated design was conducted to explore the factors involved in NP participation in online CNE. Rogers' (2003) Diffusion of Innovations Model served as the study's theoretical framework. A self-reported survey with a link to an online version of the survey was mailed to a random sample of 1000 RN/NPs in Massachusetts. A 42% response rate yielded n=411 of which 62% (n=253) expressed interest, while only 31% (n=129) had participated in …

"If I Cry Less I Can Fit In More Play Dates": Mothers' Experiences With Time Famine, Nancy M. H. Pontes

Dissertations

As time has become an increasingly valued resource of our postmodern world, many individuals are experiencing a phenomenon called ";time famine,"; the chronic perceived shortage of time. Mothers are especially vulnerable to time famine as they assume multiple roles. Previous researchers hypothesized that these mothers are at increased risk for sickness and death. However, epidemiological studies do not support this premise primarily because these women tend to be younger and relatively free of chronic diseases.

The purpose of this qualitative research was to explore six mothers' lived experiences of time famine and how it impacts their family health within a …

The Lived Experience Of Breast Cancer-Related Lymphedema In African American Women, Deborah A. Collins-Bohler

Dissertations

African American patients have been reported as having a greater number of aggressive cancer treatments compared to Caucasians (McWayne & Heiney, 2005; Meeske et al., 2009; Ridner & Dietrich, 2008), and have higher incidence of BCRLE due axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and radiation intervention (Thomas-MacLean, Miedema, Tateemichi, 2005). Research regarding BCRLE has used BCRLE samples comprised almost exclusively of married and well-educated Caucasian women. Few studies (Bowman, Deimling, Smerglia, Sage, & Kahana, 2003; Eversley et al., 2005; Joslyn, 2002; McWayne & Heiney, 2005) have included sizeable numbers of African American breast cancer survivors. No studies have been found that …

Antecedents Of Control Over Nursing Practice, Marla Jean Weston

Dissertations

Control over nursing practice (CONP) is a participatory process through which nurses have input and engage in decision making about the context of practice and unit operations related to nursing practice. CONP has been associated with a number of positive outcomes related to nurse satisfaction, nurse status, effectiveness of patient care, and quality of patient outcomes. However, no comprehensive model has been created nor comprehensive analysis been conducted related to approaches for increasing CONP. This study tested a hypothesized model of antecedents to CONP developed from a review of the literature in nursing, psychology, and organizational management using a complexity …

Feminism & Nursing Education: Pedagogy, Content & Influences In Baccalaureate Nursing Programs, Nancy J. Michela

Dissertations

The research study described and analyzed feminist learning strategies from the viewpoint of nurse educators teaching in accredited baccalaureate nursing programs in the United States. Participants were three comparative groups of nurse educators. A pilot group was nursing faculty from The Sage Colleges. Group I were faculty who had intimate knowledge and expertise of FLS. Authors of article advocating the use FLS were members of this group. Group II was a comparison group of nurse educators chosen from the Web site http://allnursingschools.com.

The study investigated how and to what degree feminist beliefs and values influenced nurse educators, nursing curriculum and …

A Study Of Relationships Among Three Assessment Methods For Nurse Anesthetists, Nicholas W. Gabriel

Dissertations

The current measures of competency for nurse anesthetists for recertification are continuing education units for each biennial recertification cycle, and records of current practice and state licensure. Recently, the National Board of Certification and Recertification of Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA) adopted new standards that include a written examination every 8 years, an increase of 40 continuing education units per year, and completion of four core competency modules each four-year recertification cycle. However, little is known about the validity of these competency measures.

The purpose of this study was to determine relationships between written examination scores, self-assessment scores, and performance scores in …

A Quantitative Study Examining Intentional Teaching Of Social Emotional Skills, Christina Scrivner Huse

Dissertations

In a world where children are likely to experience early-life trauma, relationships matter, and trust is a key in forming healthy working relationships. Intentionally teaching adults and teachers how to evoke calmness in ourselves and breathe to handle negative situations, trusted educators can then teach children to do the same. It is important that educational leaders, and other stakeholders, explore what works best to help children overcome trauma and become resilient and productive adults. This study examined the relationship between social, emotional, and behavioral skills of students entering kindergarten who have been intentionally taught skills needed for resiliency by highly …

Nursing A Sense Of Humor, Pamela B. Minden

Dissertations

Recent decades have witnessed growing empirical interest in the relationship between humor and health. Most clinical studies have explored humor primarily as an adjunct to more traditional therapies. While a number of these substantiate the salutary benefits of laughter, they offer only tentative methods for its evocation. The viewpoint of those whose health has been alleged to be improved by humor has been underrepresented in the relevant literature. The current study bridges gaps in that literature by evaluating the Humor Group, a unique therapeutic modality which used humor deliberately as the focal point of treatment.

To What Extent Are At-Risk Preschoolers Effectively Prepared For Kindergarten?, Eliza Santos Lopez

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent Kinder Hearts School’s at-risk preschoolers are effectively prepared with readiness skills for kindergarten academic success. Based on schoolwide assessments, program mandates, and policy changes, an evaluation of this specific program in a Midwest school could determine whether the instructional model used was indeed effective. This study consisted of analyzing data from three student categories: children who attended private preschool programming, children who attended the school’s at-risk program, and children who had no schooling. The data collected was used to determine professional development needed, grant funding allocation, and program delivery …

Mental Construal And Alterations In Emotional Memory, Olivia D. Beers

Dissertations

Psychological distancing refers to a shift from a psychologically immersed perspective that involves thinking about the details of an event (concretely) or stepping back from it and watching the event from an outside point of view (abstractly)––this can help individuals change how they feel about the experience. Investigating how construal levels affect emotional memories may provide more insight into how individuals may potentially alter the recall of their memories. The current study reflects a new examination of the effect of primed high and low construal levels on the recall of positive and negative arousing stimuli. This study included a pilot …

An Exploration Of The First Year Of Nursing Practice: Continued Formation As Registered Nurses In The 21st Century, Carol A. Sheldon

Dissertations

A challenge to health care in the 21st Century is preparing and integrating newly registered nurses (RNs) into the health care system. The most ill and infirm are often the recipients of nursing care provided by new RNs, thus the quality and safety of care may be dependent on these new RNs. Four research questions based on a review of the literature has guided this study. A three-phase sequential explanatory mixed-method approach, using both quantitative and qualitative strategies, was designed to look at nurse self-concept and clinical decision making from the end of the nurse preparation program through the first …

How Can Design Thinking Transform Diversity Initiatives For Architectural Trade Organizations In The United States?, Leroy Stewart

Dissertations

This study intended to assess design thinking as a variable regarding its utilization as a tool to increase the number of African American architects in the United States. The research was grounded in the speech given by Whitney Young to the American Institute of Architects (AIA) in 1968, and the initial partnership between the AIA and the National Organization of Minority of Architects (NOMA) in 2001 to increase the number of African American architects to 15,000 by 2030. Through the qualitative methodology, via descriptive phenomenological analysis (DPA), fourteen participants, all of whom were African American licensed architects, were interviewed to …