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Impact Of A Standardized Handoff Tool Between Gastroenterology And Pacu Nurses’ Communication And Satisfaction, Matthew Kahmann

Dissertations

Impact of a Standardized Handoff Tool between Gastroenterology and PACU Nurses’ Communication and Satisfaction

Abstract

Problem: Patient handoff between nurses is a critical moment where it is imperative that complete and accurate information is exchanged. Handoff of patient information can be complex, and the use of unstructured, non-standardized handoffs could result in poor communication leading to the omission of pertinent information and a decrease in patient safety and staff satisfaction. Several studies have found the use of standardized handoff tools improve communication, decrease omission of critical information, and improve staff satisfaction. While the use of standardized handoff tools is best …

Evaluation Of A Substance Abuse Screening Tool In The Pediatric Emergency Room, Jody Sims

Dissertations

Abstract

Background: Substance abuse among adolescents is one of the most serious social health problems in the United States. The prevalence of alcohol use in adolescents is as high as 80%, while opioid overdose deaths among adolescents have risen by greater than 50% in the last 10 years. Alcohol, tobacco, and other substance use has also increased among youth and is not being properly evaluated in the pediatric hospital setting. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the use of a substance abuse screening tool with SBIRT trained staff in the pediatric emergency room setting.

Methods: The CRAFFT substance …

Improving Pediatric Asthma Outcomes Through Pictorial Asthma Action Plans, Julia Donovan

Dissertations

Problem: Asthma is the leading chronic disease of children and the leading cause of childhood emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, and missed school days. Asthma action plans (AAPs), including photographs or pictures of asthma medications, symptoms, triggers, and devices, have improved parents’ understanding of their child’s asthma and have increased their comfort level in caring for their child.

Methods: An interventional pre-post study with a mixed-method research design, at a large, urban, primary care pediatric clinic with two locations, evaluated the effectiveness of a pictorial AAP on a child’s asthma control. A pictorial AAP was provided, and a childhood asthma …

Self-Care, Resilience, Self-Compassion, And Burnout In Doctoral Nursing Students: An Exploratory Needs Assessment, Logan Justice

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: In the United States, one in three nurses experience symptoms of burnout, and doctoral nursing students are additionally challenged to juggle multiple school, work, and life demands (Reith, 2018; Woo et al., 2020). The purpose of this project was to explore the current self-care practices of doctoral nursing students to understand how self-care relates to resilience and burnout.

Methods: This exploratory needs assessment utilized a convenience sample of Doctor of Nursing practice (DNP) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) nursing students at a medium sized midwestern university. An electronic data collection survey was constructed to assess student self-care practices, …

The Impact Of Collaboration, Problem Solving, And Creativity On Computer Programming Education For Middle School Girls, Amanda Meek

Dissertations

Despite high scores and abilities, girls lose interest in science and math throughout middle school. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, jobs in the computer science research field will grow 19% by 2026; however, only 18% of the bachelor’s degrees in computer science are earned by women in the United States (ComputerScience.org, 2021). New technology and inventions are being created without the benefit of more diverse perspectives and input from females. There is a need to engage girls and maintain their interest throughout middle school and beyond. Additional research needs to be conducted about the impact and best practices …

Family Dining: Food And Drink In The Sopranos – A Gastrocritical Approach, Lisa Davies

Dissertations

This thesis uses gastrocriticism to explore food and drink in the 86 episodes of the long-form narrative HBO television series The Sopranos. Gastrocriticism is an emerging branch of literary criticism that draws on scholarship from a range of disciplines such as sociology, anthropology and cultural studies. A deeper understanding of the series was gained by using a structured framework of enquiry to explore narrative, setting, characterisation and genre through the lens of food and foodways. The Sopranos is a story of an Italian-American crime family and food is abundant in the series and bound up with the identity of …

Does Convenience Come With A Price? The Impact Of Remote Testimony On Expert Credibility And Decision-Making, Ashley Jones

Dissertations

Legal cases involving expert testimony, especially by forensic mental health professionals, is increasingly relying on remote testimony to reduce associated costs and increase availability of such services. There is some evidence to show that expert testimony delivered via videoconference (VC) is comparable to expert testimony delivered in person; however, the most compelling evidence for this claim is unpublished. Other evidence across disciplines showed relative comparability between VC and in-person modalities across various types of outcomes. Based on both unpublished and published findings, this study tested the hypothesis that minimal differences in measures of expert credibility, efficacy, and weight assigned to …

Racial Differences In The Strong Black Woman Schema And Its Relationship To Health Behaviors And Perseverance, Raegan Bishop

Dissertations

Black women face a number of poor health outcomes, with 50% of Black women 20 years and older suffering from cardiovascular disease, and a diabetes incidence rate that is almost double that of White women. Health behaviors like physical activity, diet, and stress management can assist in reducing the onset and worsening of these diseases. However, Black women are less likely to engage in these behaviors compared to women of other races. Additionally, even when Black women do engage in positive health behaviors, they see fewer positive results than White women. One potential influencer in the complex relationship that Black …

Social Spaces, Places, And Substance Use In Shaping Queer Identities, Alessandra Milagros Early

Dissertations

Research has suggested that queer people may be more likely than their cisgender heterosexual counterparts to use substances. Largely, these higher rates are commonly explained through frameworks of victimization or (ab)use that render substance use as a form of coping or inherently problematic. While some queer people do use substances to cope, the social spaces, places, and contexts in which use often occurs are often obscured or ignored. More recently, contemporary queer criminologists have explored queer substance use and have considered how it is intimately linked to social space, place, identity formation, and community building. This dissertation draws from queer …

Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Experiences With Online Case-Based Learning (Cbl) During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jessica Verplaetse

Dissertations

In spring 2020, in-person learning for nursing students was canceled in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. All courses, including clinical courses, abruptly transitioned to online formats. A significant gap in the literature exists regarding baccalaureate (BSN) nursing students' experiences with online learning during this timeframe. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore BSN students' experiences with online learning during the spring 2020 semester.

Exploring The Fifth Quarter: An Enquiry Into Offal Eating In Contemporary Irish Food Culture, Its History, And Its Future, Niall Toner

Dissertations

Animal offal and organ meats seem to have all but disappeared from domestic cuisine in Ireland, despite the recent renaissance in the country’s food culture. This thesis has examined the extent and nature of the consumption of these comestibles in contemporary Irish food culture, and the perceived decline in offal’s popularity in Ireland in the past fifty years. It also sought to discover whether offal and organ meats might have a place in the future of our cuisine, and whether the consumption of more offal and organ meats in Ireland might contribute towards a more sustainable food production system, and …

A Grounded Theory Study Of The Grief Process In Women Who Experienced Perinatal Loss Prior To 1980, Tina L. Saunders

Dissertations

Approximately one million women suffer from perinatal loss (PL) in the United States annually. Societal and provider knowledge and attitudes about the psychological effects of PL and the need for care and support have improved significantly since the 1980s. Anecdotal evidence indicates that experiencing PL still affects women decades later; however, its impact on their grief process and long-lasting effects has not been researched. These narratives are vital to informing support and care. The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical framework describing grief processes and long-lasting effects on women experiencing PL before 1980.

Professional Development For Classified Managers Within The Business Services Departments At California Public School Districts, Juliet Castorena Orozco

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify and describe professional development topics required to prepare classified managers in California public school district business services departments as effective leaders as perceived by a panel of experts. This study also sought to identify the degree of importance of each professional development topic and the best strategies to address those topics as perceived by a panel of experts.

Methodology. A Delphi research design was used to identify and describe professional development strategies necessary to prepare classified managers in the business services division of California public school districts. The Delphi panel …

A Network Analysis Examining Dissociation And Suicide Risk In Military Veterans And Non-Veterans, Nicole Caulfield

Dissertations

Higher rates of dissociation are related to more severe psychopathology, psychiatric comorbidity, and poorer response to treatment, yet there is limited research examining dissociation as a transdiagnostic factor. In particular, examining dissociation in a Veteran sample is vital, as Veterans have been shown to have higher trauma exposure and dissociation rates than non-Veterans. Dissociation has been linked to several adverse outcomes related to Veterans, particularly suicide, as dissociation may increase the possibility of a suicidal act because of intensified disconnect from the body. However, research examining the relationship between dissociation, suicide, and additional related factors has been limited, given the …

Sit Less, Move More: A National Study Of Physical-Activity Behavior And Cancer, Stella O. Nwogugu

Dissertations

Physical activity is associated with lower risks of cancer, the second leading cause of death among Americans. Yet, sedentary behavior is the prevailing lifestyle for about 80% of American adults. Additionally, cancer survivors remain significantly inactive, even though physical activity has been shown to decrease risk of cancer and cancer recurrence, improve tolerance of cancer therapy, and reduce mortality. This research explores the relative impact of personal agency, social support, and key demographic variables on physical-activity behavior for a national sample of adults as well as how these relationships differ for cancer survivors and their counterparts.

Development Of Graphene And Graphene Derivative Advanced Functional Additives: Mechanism And Application In Asphalt Formulations And Thermal Interface Management Materials, Dana Pinson

Dissertations

The overarching focus of my research is the use of graphene and graphene derivatives to enhance polymer properties. My first focus area was the prevention of oxidative degradation of asphalt through the incorporation of a graphene oxide (GO) -based nanoparticle filler to enhance oxygen barrier properties. Primary amine terminated polyisobutylene was synthesized via cationic polymerization followed by post polymerization chain end modification in a range of molecular weights and covalently grafted via the primary amine to graphene oxide aerogel (aGO) to create a polyisobutylene grafted graphene oxide (PIB-g-GO) nanoparticle. PIB-g-GO was then mixed into a substitute asphalt matrix at various …

Enabling Energy Efficiency In Connected And Automated Vehicles Through Predictive Control Techniques, Farhang Motallebiaraghi

Dissertations

The transportation sector is a significant contributor to global energy consumption and emissions, necessitating the development of sustainable transportation systems. In this regard, connected and automated vehicles (CAVs) have emerged as a potential solution to transform the transportation industry. By harnessing advanced mapping and location technologies, Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communication, CAVs offer the promise of improving efficiency, reducing traffic congestion, and enhancing safety and comfort. However, the adoption of CAVs also brings about various challenges, including energy efficiency concerns that need to be addressed to fully realize their potential benefits. This dissertation investigates energy-efficient control techniques for transportation …

Moral Discourses Of Atheist Organizations: Moral Contrasts, Symbolic Boundaries, And Collective Identities, Alexander Fether

Dissertations

This dissertation examines the ways atheist organizations construct morality and valorize atheist identities. Focusing on a discursive resources approach, wherein “atheist” is a social category whose meaning is contested, this analysis examines how representations of “atheists” are sedimented by the ways individuals and organizations communicate about atheism, religion, morality, secularism, and other relevant concepts which constitute this identity.

Examining the websites of two prominent atheist organization, Qualitative Content Analysis is used to identify the strategies used to legitimate atheist identities, discredit religion, and construct a coherent atheist morality. I describe the way atheist organizations engage in boundary work to challenge …

Leadership Identity Development Among Aspiring Women Leaders In Higher Education: A Phenomenological Study Of Formal Mentoring, Malia E. Roberts

Dissertations

Men have held the majority of presidencies, vice-presidencies, deanships, and other top administrative positions on college campuses since 1950 (Parker, 2015). The disproportionately low representation of women holding leadership roles in higher education is even more urgent considering few women ever reach the senior most leadership levels (Hannum et al., 2015). As such, the American Council on Education not only identified the need to increase the presence of women in leadership positions and to cultivate a pipeline of future leaders, but also the need to provide formal leadership training opportunities for women (Howard & Gagliardi, 2018). While various higher education …

The Skin I’M In: A Critical Content Analysis Of Picture Books Written By Black Authors, Angela Latrece Justice

Dissertations

This study seeks to explore the experiences of Black male protagonists in picture books. The following question guided this study: How do Black authors demonstrate a commitment to social justice? The theoretical framework that guides this study is Critical Race Theory (CRT), which aids in understanding how Black authors use experiential knowledge to represent experiences that challenge dominant ideologies about Black males. The sample consists of 20 pictures books all written by Black authors and published within the United States from 2018 to 2021. The deductive and inductive approaches to critical content analysis is used as it is effective for …

(Re)Envisioning Factors Contributing To Black Men’S College Success: An Ecological And Critical Reflection Using Photovoice, Collette Brown Rogers

Dissertations

This research uses modified photovoice combined with an ecological and antideficit approach to amplify the voices of Black men who have completed college degrees. The study explores the question: What factors contribute to college completion for Black men? Using a qualitative approach and the Ethos platform to collect images, photo captions, and critical reflection data from a purposive sample of five Black men. Data analysis included inductive and deductive coding, data organization within the ecological systems, and member checking to validate the findings. The study acknowledges the unique challenges Black men face in pursuing higher education. It emphasizes the importance …

A Pesar De Todo: A Phenomenological Study On Latinx Undergraduate Students Choosing Their Academic Majors, Flor Carabez

Dissertations

The Latinx population is the largest non-White group in the United States (U.S.) (U.S. Census Bureau, n.d.; Excelencia in Education, n.d.). Nonetheless, members of this community still experience adversity in a myriad of areas, including college degree attainment (Blankenberger et al., 2017; Dueñas & Gloria, 2020; Flores, 2021; Garcia, 2020; Gloria & Castellanos, 2012; Gonzales et al., 2015; Lamont Strayhorn, 2008; Mejia‐Smith & Gushue, 2017; Mora, 2022; Moreno, 2021; Seider et al., 2019; Suwinyattichaiporn & Johnson, 2020; Vásquez, 2013). Stifling college degree attainment is problematic as Americans consider it a tool for upward economic mobility (Cohen & Kisker, 2009; Dwyer …

Social And Emotional Learning: An Examination Of Perspectives On Using Faith-Based Supports As An Option In Public-School Communities, Remus Galvin

Dissertations

The present study involved an examination of perspectives on offering faith-based support as an option on an individual basis for social and emotional learning (SEL) within a public-school community. The research consisted of a survey of former and current public-school students and parents (N = 26) and a focus group interview of five former and current school administrators to gather their perspectives of their tenure within public schools and the need to provide access to faith-based supports within a public-school community. After analyzing the data, a majority of the survey participants agreed that access to faith-based supports for SEL …

Pathways To Offending: Domestic Sex Trafficking, Julie Williams

Dissertations

Multidisciplinary professionals across criminal justice, public policy, education, and health and

human services have all attempted to understand the complex phenomenon of sex trafficking to assist victims, correct offenders, and prevent future abuse. However, current research has struggled to agree on terms, definitions of terms, best measures of prevalence, and recommendations to address sex trafficking in the United States. This review of current literature aims to offer a synthesized framework to conceptualize domestic sex trafficking perpetrator behaviors (what they do), their uses of force, fraud, and coercion (how they do it), and their motivations and justifications/rationalizations for those behaviors (why …

A Rudimentary Framework Of The Emergence Of Naturally-Occurring Mentorships, Aaron S. Baker Cervantes

Dissertations

Cross-age relationships between youth and adults that develop organically outside the construct of youth programs are examples of natural mentoring relationships. In the United States, research has demonstrated the positive impact of these mentorships. Scholars have begun applying concepts learned from natural mentoring to formal mentoring schema; however, much work is yet to be done in examining how these relationships emerge and the factors that impact their development. Designed in partnership with a private secondary school in rural México, this study aimed to unpack these questions using a grounded theory approach. Current students, alumni, and teachers participated in the study …

Identity And Public History, William Holderfield

Dissertations

This paper considers the creation of identity and self through interaction with museums. By understanding whether there is a correlation between how someone views themselves and their placement within society and the national narrative, consideration of alternative actions in combating social issues is possible. Likewise, through this knowledge, there is the potential for museums and public spaces to become of greater interest as places where topics relating to social concerns are presented and discussed. A qualitative research method was used to gather evidence of the correlation between identity and museums and revealed a relationship between identity and self-understanding and museum …

Sibling Experiences With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Analysis, Katherine Golden

Dissertations

This study explored the lived experiences of adult siblings of a child with autism utilizing the framework of ambiguous loss theory (Boss, 1999). An exploratory analysis of the sibling experience began with the research question: What are the lived experiences of adult siblings of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder? Further analysis used the theoretical framework of ambiguous loss theory with the secondary question: How have adult siblings been affected by ambiguous loss in their experiences with a sibling with autism spectrum disorder? Heidegger’s (1962) hermeneutic phenomenological approach was utilized to guide the semi structured in-depth interviews and to analyze …

Stream-Evolving Bot Detection Framework Using Graph-Based And Feature-Based Approaches For Identifying Social Bots On Twitter, Eiman Alothali

Dissertations

This dissertation focuses on the problem of evolving social bots in online social networks, particularly Twitter. Such accounts spread misinformation and inflate social network content to mislead the masses. The main objective of this dissertation is to propose a stream-based evolving bot detection framework (SEBD), which was constructed using both graph- and feature-based models. It was built using Python, a real-time streaming engine (Apache Kafka version 3.2), and our pretrained model (bot multi-view graph attention network (Bot-MGAT)). The feature-based model was used to identify predictive features for bot detection and evaluate the SEBD predictions. The graph-based model was used to …

Characterization Of Immunomodulatory Properties Of Manuka Honey: Potential Mitigation Against Colon Cancer, Razan Jamil Masad

Dissertations

The focus on using alternative natural products for cancer prevention and treatment has been increasing over the past decade. Among these natural products, Manuka honey (MH) has been extensively investigated for its antimicrobial, wound healing, and anticancer effects. The current study aimed to characterize the immunomodulatory capacity of MH using both in vitro and in vivo approaches and investigate its potential to modulate anti-tumor immune responses in a preclinical model of colorectal cancer. We demonstrate that MH can directly act on macrophages to induce gene expression of several inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and the production of TNF-a, a major proinflammatory …

Perceptions Of The Veterans Administration And Mental Health Treatment Seeking Intentions Among Veterans, Hilary Hines

Dissertations

Among the veteran population there is a trend of underutilizing mental health services despite the higher number of veterans with mental health diagnoses. Though previous research has examined barriers to mental health care such as stigma and a warrior mentality, there may be additional barriers that emanate from the system to which veterans are entitled and encouraged to use, the Veterans Administration (VA). This study examined the mediational relationships among perceptions of the VA, attitudes about seeking mental health treatment at the VA, and intentions to seek mental health treatment at the VA among veterans. Data from 96 veterans were …