Digital Commons Network^™

Stakeholder Perspectives: Implementation Of Local School Wellness Policies In The Kent Intermediate School District, Adrienne A. Wallace

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore attitudes and perception of stakeholders (teachers, principals, nutrition service directors, nutrition service supervisors, school nurses, nutrition specialists and administrators) toward the implementation of the local school wellness policy in public schools within Kent County, Michigan. The subjects of interest were stakeholders from more than 300 schools and 20 public school districts within the Kent Intermediate School District. Subjects responded to a survey assessing their perspectives regarding the implementation of the local school wellness policy pursuant to the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010 an Obama-era policy, the results were then examined using …

Using Participatory Action Research To Make Diabetes Education Accessible For People With Visual Impairment, Ann Sawyer Williams

Dissertations

The three million people who have both visual impairment and diabetes (PVID) represent a large underserved population in the United States. Diabetes self-management education (DSME) is essential for effective management of diabetes. Numerous guidelines exist for making DSME fully accessible to PVID. No national diabetes organization produces basic DSME materials in accessible format, and few DSME programs are fully accessible to PVID. This dissertation used a Participatory Action Research (PAR) approach to discover ways to increase the accessibility of the DSME materials and programs of the Diabetes Association of Greater Cleveland (DAGC) for PVID, adding access for PVID to an …

Eye Examination:Satisfying A Quality Care Measure In Diabetes, Meera Shekar

Dissertations

Abstract

Purpose: Diabetic retinopathy (DR), a microvascular complication occurs in patients with poorly controlled diabetes mellitus (DM). A known risk of increased visual impairment associated with DM occurs in patients when the glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c) increases over 7.0%. Therefore, an annual retinal assessment as a quality care measure in diabetes management is necessary. The conducted study aimed to evaluate the documentation of an annual eye exam in all patients with DM in a private family practice clinic and to investigate any possible association between HbA1c level.

Method: This quality improvement study included a retrospective medical record review in …

A Quantitative Comparative Analysis Of Early Learning And Developmental Programs In High Poverty And Low Poverty Counties In Missouri, Tracy Jenkins Pelot

Dissertations

The researcher completed a quantitative comparative content analysis of early childhood developmental programs in high-poverty and low-poverty counties across the state of Missouri. The researcher discussed the importance of early childhood programs in the longevity of academic, professional success and long-term health benefits. Although lawmakers, educators, parents and policy makers emphasized the immense importance of early childhood education, the state of Missouri had not completed an evaluation of early childhood developmental programs for over 15 years. The last study (Fuger et al., 2003), completed in 2003, only evaluated early childhood programs described as part of the state’s Missouri Preschool Project …

The Impact Of Learning Contracts On Eating Habits Groups, Jose Jones

Dissertations

The purpose of the study was for the researcher to explore adult education techniques and tools that could be used to explore eating habits within research study groups. The participants enrolled in the research study groups brought their own way of thinking on eating habit discussions based on their unique experience in life. The researcher explored different techniques that could help improve the participants’ quality of life and other positive solutions to benefit the participants. This research study explored the impact of learning contracts on participants with eating habit research-based study groups. The study explored the degree to which learning …

A Correlational Study Of Academic Locus Of Control, Study Preparation, And The Praxis Ii, Elizabeth Polzin

Dissertations

For school counseling candidates, the culmination of the pathway to state certification and/or licensure lies in a passing score on a standardized test. Within the state of Missouri, this test is the Praxis II. Within the state of Missouri, an achievement gap on the pass rates of the Praxis II existed between Caucasian and African American students. Participants in this study, both male and female, attended a Midwestern, private university and spanned a wide range of ages, all older than 20 years. The participant population included African American and Caucasian students. This dissertation sought to explore potential contributors to the …

An Evaluation Of Early Childhood Education Programs: The Parents’ Perspective Of Quality Care, Buu Chau Thai

Dissertations

Early childhood education (ECE) programs play a critical role in the social, emotional, and cognitive development of children and help to prepare them for kindergarten. Recognizing the benefits of ECE programs, state and federal governments have made notable efforts to make these programs more accessible. However, with various federal, state, and local governments involved in administering and funding ECE programs, a complex, fragmented, and oftentimes confusing system ensued, making the ECE landscape very difficult for parents to navigate. Parents are often the primary decision-makers when selecting educational programs for their children. Studies often focus on practitioners’ or researchers’ perspectives on …

Teacher And Administrator Knowledge, Beliefs, Attitudes, And Practices Related To Equity In A Suburban California School District, Arcia Dorosti

Dissertations

This dissertation is a case study of one district’s efforts to reduce the disparities in

educational outcomes among its ethnic groups as well as the disparities in educational

outcomes between its economically disadvantaged students and its students that are not

economically disadvantaged. The literature reviewed began with the larger historical

context around equity issues in education and then discussed in-school and out-of-school

factors affecting educational outcomes. The methods used included interviews with

teachers and administrators, site visits, and classroom observations. The results

summarized the successes and remaining challenges facing the district as it continues its

desired journey towards more equitable …

Living The Dream: The Stories Of Female Foster Youth Alumni With Graduate Degrees, Deshunna Ricks

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify and describe the institutional and noninstitutional sources of support that California female foster youth alumni perceive enabled them to successfully complete a graduate degree.

Methodology. The methodology of this study is a multiple-case study design with utilization-focused sampling to explore the information-rich stories of female foster youth alumni with advanced degrees. Semistructured interviews were utilized to collect data from all of the participants.

Findings. The data collection and analysis resulted in six themes for institutional supports: (a) financial aid, (b) academic resources, (c) mental health services, (d) academic advising, …

Evaluating The Kentucky Association Of Extension 4-H Agents Annual Conference Using The Re-Aim Framework, Michael Elijah Wilson

Dissertations

The Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (REAIM) evaluation framework, as first introduced by Glasgow, Vogt, and Boles (1999), offers a straightforward method for evaluating Extension related programs. In this study, the RE-AIM framework is used to evaluate the Kentucky Association of 4-H Extension Agents (KAE4-HA) annual conference by examining pre-existing organizational data and records that include the results from KAE4-HA post-conference surveys that had never been reviewed as part of a comprehensive program evaluation.

This dissertation is divided into five chapters. Chapter I provides an overview of the study. Chapter II reviews the history of Extension in Kentucky, program …

Reflection, Insight, And Critical Thinking In Nutrition Diagnostics Graduates, Kristen Jane Williams

Dissertations

Dietitian nutritionists are challenged with processing information and making clinical decisions as part of the nutrition diagnostic process, hence it is important to understand how dietitian nutritionists think and make clinical judgments (Goodman et al., 2018; Trostler & Meyers, 2008). Two major processes underlie decision-making: experiential (intuitive) and rational (conscious) thinking (Croskerry et al., 2017). The reflection process is a metacognitive skill thought to influence thinking (Croskerry, 2017). This mixed methods study was designed to investigate the difference in thinking styles, selfreflection, and insight between graduates of a Dietetic Internship and a combined Master of Science/Dietetic Internship, as well as …

Leader Impact On Vision/Mission, Patricia Davis

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the lived experiences of how a subsequent human social services nonprofit leader navigates, negotiates, and/or modifies the original vision/mission of the founding leader. Subsequent leaders for this study included leaders in place after the founding leader moved on. In the world of nonprofit organizations, leadership changes are as common as in the for-profit field but hold additional challenges regarding what drives the organization. For profit businesses bottom line is profit, and nonprofit organizations have a bottom line of changed lives, two very different reasons for being in business. The …

The Influence Of The Educational Environment On College Student Activity Behaviors, Helen M. Ziegler

Dissertations

Healthy Campus 2020, an initiative that provides a framework to support campuses in improving the health of their students, staff, and faculty, recognizes physical activity as one of the top eleven priorities for positively influencing health risk behaviors in college populations (American College Health Association, 2012). However, there is not much research to support the best way to influence physical activity behaviors and what types of programs and facilities can provide the greatest impact. The purpose of this study was to investigate which components or programs within the higher education environment have the greatest influence on college students’ intention to …

Consuming Victory: American Women And The Politics Of Food Rationing During World War Ii, Kelly Cantrell

Dissertations

Life on the home front formed the most ubiquitous American experience during World War II. Americans in the early 1940s found themselves caught in a rapidly evolving world, which wrought changes both great and small on their daily lives. This project explores women’s responses to some of that change. The federal government created wartime agencies to control and direct most elements of daily life from public opinion, to factory production, to employment practices, to family food procurement. The Office of Price Administration was charged with creating a food rationing program to insure steady availability of foodstuffs at home while suppling …

Geographic Variation In Rock Wren (Salpinctes Obsoletus) Song Complexity, Nadje Amal Najar

Dissertations

Birds sing to advertise for mates and repel rivals, but there is enormous variety in how they do this. One of the best-studied and most intriguing questions in the field is how song varies in complexity from one bird to the next, at all taxonomic levels. Several studies have found associations between migratory behavior or latitudinal gradients and song complexity, but it remains unclear how universal this pattern is or what factors may be driving it. This small body of literature suffers from several problems, perhaps the most glaring of which is the lack of systematic, population-level studies. The main …

Body Image And Participant Characteristics In Emerging Adults, Amber Green

Dissertations

Positive evaluations of one’s body, or positive body image, is associated with healthy outcomes. Conversely, negative evaluations of one’s body, or negative body image, is a significant risk factor for unhealthy outcomes including eating disorders. Yet, these constructs have not been explored conjointly or in individuals with self-reported levels of positive and negative body image. The goal of the current study was to examine associations among positive, negative, and average levels of body image and a set of participant characteristics including body mass index (BMI), fitness levels, psychological well-being, and attitudes/behaviors toward social media in emerging adults (N = 439). …

Primary Care Physician Delivered Brief Behavioral Intervention For Adult Obesity And Associated Health Conditions, Julia C. Huston

Dissertations

Obesity is a chronic health condition with prevalence rates that have continued to rise steadily over the past 30 years to the point that it has now been declared a global epidemic and a serious public health concern. Obesity is associated with significant physical and economic costs, primarily resulting from co-occurring health conditions that increase the risk of morbidity including type II diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, stroke, coronary heart disease, and respiratory problems. Despite the dissemination of several obesity treatments, including pharmacotherapy, lifestyle modification, and bariatric surgery, the prevalence and severity of obesity continues to rise. Federal guidelines recommend the use …

Examining Relationships Of Social Media To Customer Equity Of The National Basketball Association, Jiyoung Park

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role Facebook plays in the sport management context, and to understand the relationship that exists between customer equity and social media, in a professional sport league in the U.S. While it is only one of many social media platforms, Facebook has over one billion users (Facebook, 2018) and it connects people with communities and similar interest groups such that it can enhance social relationships. Sport organizations should understand how social media can influence sport fans, and this can be examined by looking at the Facebook page of the National Basketball Association …

Bariatric Surgery Regain And Long-Term Weight Loss Among Women: Self-Efficacy, Social Support And Health Promotion Lifestyle Behaviors, Raelene Z. Brooks

Dissertations

Although bariatric surgery appears to produce success in a short period of time immediately after surgery, weight regain over time in this population cannot be ignored. Understanding the relationship between potential psychosocial predicting post-surgical variables influencing bariatric surgery may prevent long-term weight regain. The purpose of this research is to examine self-efficacy, social support, and lifestyle habits and their relationship to long term weight loss and regain in women post bariatric surgery. Weight regain is observed as early as 18 months to 2 years after bariatric surgery. Patients face challenges sustaining the dramatic lifestyle changes required to ensure positive long-term …

Nurse-Led Triage Clinic In An Hiv Supportive Housing Apartment Community, Sally Breen

Dissertations

Problem: HIV-positive persons living in supportive housing who were otherwise homeless are reported to have better health outcomes than those who remain homeless. This was a quality improvement project to obtain baseline information regarding the implementation of onsite nursing services for individuals and their families residing in an HIV-positive supportive housing apartment community in an urban Midwestern city. Methods: A nurse triage clinic was implemented in partnership with the Doorways organization. Two registered nurses staffed the clinic two days per week. Data was collected on demographics and clinic utilization over a nine-week period. Results: Of the apartment residents, N=95, the …

Implementing A Caps Simulation To Increase Nursing Education Practice Students’ Self-Awareness Of Attitudes And Beliefs About Poverty, Melissa Ehmke

Dissertations

Problem. The purpose of this project is to determine if college students who are currently in nursing school, will benefit from the addition of a poverty simulation to positively influence their self-awareness and individual-level beliefs and attitudes towards poverty, therefore being able to serve those in poverty fully and guide them to appropriate resources.

Methods. Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) and Doctoral Nursing Practice (DNP) students participated in a three-hour Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS). A twenty-one item Attitude Toward Poverty Scale short form (ATPS) survey was completed pre and post-simulation participation.

Results. Significant improvements resulted in three of …

Evaluation Of Educating Registered Nurses Prior To Implementing New Evidence-Based Protocol: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (Eras), Lisa Brooks

Dissertations

Evidence-based protocols promote standardization of care and patient safety. The inclusion of major stakeholders is imperative to the success of implementation of a new protocol. The “Enhanced Recovery After Surgery” (ERAS) protocol was implemented at the Veterans Administration Medical Center – St. Louis prior to formal education of direct-care registered nurses (RNs), a major stakeholder group. Due to the lack of knowledge, the RNs who were expected to implement and adhere to the ERAS protocol were not prepared and displayed a lack of confidence. Subsequently, an educational training intervention was designed and executed with thirty-five RN participants. Prior to this …

Factors That Influence Students’ Decisions To Either Drop Out Or Graduate From High Schools In A Western Kentucky School District, Donna Kay Crouch

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to identify and examine trends in the themes and patterns revealed in the qualitative analysis of the focus group interviews. Data were derived from responses from 21 graduates and six dropouts who answered questions from interview guides. Findings from the analysis indicate both graduates and dropouts experienced similar barriers throughout their academic career. The barriers identified were institutional, situational, and dispositional. Six themes were identified from the three barriers. They included employment, educational/remediation services, attendance, discipline and/or legal issues; educational values, and student-educator relationships. According to the data, these themes were not mutually exclusive …

The Role Of Self-Care As It Pertains To Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, And Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Suicide Prevention Crisis Hotline Staff, Crystal T. Henson

Dissertations

The present study was designed to explore the role of an agency/supervisor to increase self-care participation among suicide prevention crisis hotline staff. The impact self-care participation was found to increase compassion satisfaction while decreasing both burnout and secondary traumatic stress in this population of helpers. Self-care is meant to be a preventative measure to help increase an individual’s overall well-being and can also impact job satisfaction. As helpers, self-care is often recommended to those individuals with whom they are working; however, helpers have historically not followed their own recommendations. Research has shown that those helpers with higher levels of compassion …

Deconstructing Negative Stereotypes, Myths And Microaggressions About Black Women: Reconstructing Black Women’S Narrative, Identity And The Empowering Nature Of Ethnic Identity, Patricia Luckoo

Dissertations

This research study retraces the lives of Black women in America through a microscope that emphasize the historical formulation of Black women's identity and how the distorted figures of stereotypes have emerged and manifested into contemporary microaggressions. The work explores two central inquiries: The first, quantitative study, examines slavery as the malignant marker that has shaped Black women's identity, socioeconomic status, educational progress and political frameworks. The study theorizes that microaggressions towards Black women pose serious harm to their overall psychological sense of self-efficacy and empowerment. However, ethnic identity has within it the resource to combat microaggressive attitudes. The second, …

Direct And Indirect Controls On Bee Community Composition, Caroline Marie Devan

Dissertations

Bees are important pollinators, critical for the continued survival of plants in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. Diverse bee communities have been shown to increase richness in plant communities and plant reproduction depends upon bee community richness. Yet there is growing concern that pollinators, especially bees, are declining globally. This dissertation focuses on evaluating the mechanisms responsible for bee community composition in order to promote bee conservation in natural systems and their restoration in human-dominated urban and agricultural landscapes.

Bee populations are impacted directly by three things: floral resources, nesting resources and risk, primarily from natural enemies. Bees are indirectly …

The Association Of Kangaroo Mother Care, Energy Conservation, And Bonding In Preterm Neonates, Dorothy Forde

Dissertations

Purpose:To examine the association of kangaroo mother care (KMC) on energy utilization and bonding as evidenced by reduced biochemical markers of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) degradation, hypoxanthine (Hx), xanthine (Xa), and uric acid (UA), and (allantoin), a measure of oxidative stress in preterm infants 24-36 weeks gestation. A secondary objective was to compare specific physiological parameters using bedside monitoring and perfusion and oxygenation of the gut using near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during 1 hour of KMC compared to incubator care.

Study design: A randomized controlled trial (RCT) examining the effects of 1-hour of KMC or 1-hour incubator care on urinary markers …

Oxygen Consumption In Sepsis, Julie Graham

Dissertations

Background: Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that can lead to septic shock and death. With over 300,000 annual cases (AHRQ, 2011) costing a staggering $1.5 billion (Health Care Utilization Project Brief #185), the importance of sepsis is becoming clear. However, some basic biological mechanisms are poorly understood. Study Purpose: This study investigated the relationships between select demographics, resting energy expenditure (REE), serum lactate, SOFA score mortality index, oxygen consumption [by way of measuring net oxygen consumed, (V02) and net carbon dioxide produced (VC02)], and sepsis. Specific Aims: Aims were to describe 1) patient demographics, serum lactate, SOFA score mortality index, …

Nursing Students Perceptions Of Their Role In The Learning Process, Tracy Linn Booth

Dissertations

Nurse educators have identified oversaturated curriculum as a factor influencing adequate preparation of nursing students for beginning practice. The dynamic nature of healthcare contributed to content laden curriculum. As advances in knowledge, science, and technology emerged, nurse educators' added content to nursing education curriculum in an effort to prepare students sufficiently with the knowledge and skills needed as a new nurse. To address the issue of content saturation, the current trend in nursing education is to move from a traditional curriculum to a concept-based curriculum. The concept-based curriculum approach emphasizes student centered learning; student centered learning employs teaching strategies that …

Treatment-Related Decisional Conflict, Quality Of Life, And Comorbid Illness In Older Adults With Cancer, Jeannette M. Kates

Dissertations

As the aging population the nation increases, cancer diagnoses in this age group will also increase. The many chronic medical conditions associated with older adults will be confounded by a diagnosis of cancer. Older adults with cancer are at risk for physical, psychological, and functional decline as a result of not only the cancer, but also the cancer treatment. This study utilized a cross-sectional, descriptive, correlational study design to explore the relationships between and among treatment-related decisional conflict, quality of life and comorbidity in older adults with cancer.