Digital Commons Network^™

Breaking Cultural Stigma Associated With Mental Health Among Black Immigrants, Chika Ijioma

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: Immigrants are the fastest growing segment of the United States population with 10% identifying as black and all are widely affected by mental illness especially, during the immigration process. The lack of health insurance impacts access to health and mental health care. The study aims to decrease perceptions of mental health stigma and improve knowledge with relation to mental illness in the black immigrant population after an educational program.

Methods: The project used a descriptive, observational pre-post-test design with an educational program. It collected quantitative data in the pre-post-survey via paper and pencil, using coded data …

Evaluation Of Dirfloortime® On Mother’S Depression, Anxiety, And Stress, Hailey Vanderleest

Dissertations

This paper reports the results of a retrospective record review and qualitative questionnaires of mothers of children with neurocognitive disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The aim was to examine the relationship between DIRFloortime® use in children with ASD and ADHD and PHQ-8 scores for depression, GAD-7 scores for anxiety, and PSS-10 scores for perceived stress among the children’s mothers. The results showed no statistical significance between DIRFloortime® use in children and PHQ-8, GAD-7, and PSS-10 scores for mothers. Qualitative questionnaires did report improvements in quality of life. Implications for the need of evidence-based developmental …

Intimate Partner Violence Screening In The Emergency Department, Rebecca Stuerman

Dissertations

Problem: Intimate partner violence [IPV] is a public health concern that affects one in three women worldwide. IPV can be addressed through identification and early intervention with minimal risk to the patient. The emergency department is an important setting for screening given the frequency with which people who experience abuse may present with IPV-related injuries and other related concerns (depression, suicidality, etc.). Successfully implementing a validated tool for screening and providing early access to resources and referrals may help to mitigate the longterm negative impacts of IPV. The need for increased staff education was a major barrier to screening for …

The Experiences Of Black American Older Adults Managing Pain: A Nursing Ethnography, Sheria G. Robinson-Lane

Dissertations

Pain can negatively affect quality of life for Black elders. They are less likely to report pain concerns and have voiced pain needs adequately met. To better understand the pain management experiences and concerns of Black elders, an ethnographic study was completed within an urban, low-income, elder housing facility.

Implementing Trauma-Informed Care Curriculum In A Doctoral Nursing Program, Mary D. Brown

Dissertations

Purpose: Trauma is highly prevalent with 70% of individuals encountering at least one traumatic event during their lifetime and approximately 30% experiencing four or more events (Wheeler & Phillips, 2021). Despite the dramatic impact of trauma, there is minimal literature to assist nurses in caring for patients with a trauma history. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the implementation of a virtual, asynchronous trauma-informed care (TIC) educational program for Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) students at a midsized, Midwestern public university using knowledge, attitudes, and competency scores as outcome measures.

Methods: This program evaluation (PE) project was an …

Screening For Food Insecurity In A Suburban Pediatric Urgent Care, Rachel Foutz

Dissertations

Problem: Screening for Social Determinants of Health (SDOH), including food insecurity (FI) should be done on a regular basis at a child’s pediatrician. Many children in the state of Missouri do not have a pediatrician or do not regularly see their pediatrician and are therefore never being screened for FI.

Methods: This observational descriptive quality improvement (QI) project utilized a prospective observational analysis to implement a voluntary FI screening tool in a pediatric only urgent care. The project sampled pediatric patients aged two days to 21 years of life. All participants were given local resources after completing the screening. The …

Acute Agitation Intervention Tool For Reduction Of Polypharmacy, Brooks J. Propst

Dissertations

Introduction: Patients with behavioral health diagnoses are among the highest risk for
aggression. For pediatric patients with behavioral health needs, urgent treatment is
needed for aggressive behavior, due to the potential unwanted outcomes. The purpose of this Quality Improvement (QI) pilot project was to implement an Acute Agitation Intervention Tool that uses the Broset Violence Checklist (BVC) to guide
pharmacological intervention for mild and moderate to severe agitation in pediatric
patients with behavioral health needs ages 8 to 18 to decrease the number of medications that patients are getting per agitation event over a 12-week period.

Methods: This QI included …

Implementing Obesity Management Guidelines In Rural Primary Care, Taylor Bell

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: In the United States, obesity is one of the leading causes of death among Americans and rates of obesity continue to rise. Geographic location significantly affects the number of obesity cases, with rural areas being affected more than other locations. Despite this, obesity continues to be undertreated by rural primary care providers.

Method: This quality improvement (QI) pilot project utilized a descriptive, observational design to evaluate the implementation of an evidence-based clinical practice guideline algorithm for obesity management in a rural primary care clinic. An algorithm was implemented on patients aged 18-60 years and with a BMI of …

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: Improving Outcomes Through Early Identification, Tina Lusk

Dissertations

Problem: Failure to identify and treat attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with academic underachievement, social difficulties, negative physical and mental health effects. Evidence suggests approximately 3% of a broad-based population sample and roughly 13% of an at-risk population are undiagnosed despite significant symptomology (Downey & Zun, 2018; Madsen et al., 2018; Okumura et al., 2019). The United States (U.S.) has no structured screening system for ADHD. Consequently, children receive no referral for diagnosis or treatment to mitigate its effects.

Methods: The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) Model for Evidence-Based Practice using the Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) cycle guided …

Self-Care Practices In Doctoral Nursing Students And Effects On Educational Experience, Megan Lutman

Dissertations

Problem: Doctoral nursing students are often faced with stressors on top of their schooling, one of which is continuing to work while pursuing their education. This in combination with normal life stressors can be challenging. The purpose of this project was to survey doctoral nursing students on what their current self-care practices.

Methods: An exploratory needs assessment project was created to gather data from Doctor of Nursing practice (DNP) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) nursing students in an urban, mid-sized, Midwestern, public university to identify current self-care practices, barriers to self-care, preference of self-care practices, and the impact these …

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, …

Physical And Psychological Effects Of Qigong Exercise In Community-Dwelling Older Adults: An Exploratory Study, Pei-Shiun Chang

Dissertations

Older adults need exercise programs that correspond to age-related changes. Qigong exercise, a type of Chinese traditional medicine exercise, is a gentle low-impact exercise and is safe for older adults. Qigong interventions have resulted in improved psychological well-being, muscle strength, flexibility and balance in Asian adults with chronic conditions. However, little data are available on the effects of Qigong exercise on older adults' health in the United States. The purpose of the study was to explore feasibility, adherence, and preliminary efficacy of an 8-week Qigong exercise intervention in community-dwelling older adults in the United States.

Determinants Of Spiritual Well-Being In Adults Newly Diagnosed With Heart Failure: Primary Palliative Care Applied, Valerie Joy Smith

Dissertations

Guided by Roy's Adaptation Model (Roy, 2009) and using a descriptive, correlational, comparative design, sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, race, marital status, income), coping, primary palliative care (PPC, spiritual needs, social support, decision-making [DM] engagement, psychological support, PPC information and education provision, goals of care discussion, and care coordination across settings and times), spiritual well-being (SWB), and advance directive (AD) completion in response to living with a HF diagnosis within the previous 12 months were described and the potential relationships and differences between the variables explored.

Spirituality, Religiosity, And Perceived Ability To Provide Spiritual Care In Nursing Students, Shannon O'Connell-Persaud

Dissertations

The objective of this study was to explore nursing students' spirituality, religiosity, and perceived ability to provide spiritual care.

Exploring The Lived Experience And Meaning Of Resilience For Nurses: A Descriptive Phenomenological Inquiry, London Draper Lowe

Dissertations

Using descriptive phenomenological investigation, this study shed light on the phenomenon of resilience for nurses in high acuity clinical settings. The purpose of this study was to explore, understand, and describe experiences of resilience by nurses in the clinical setting who demonstrate characteristics of resilience and investigate the meaning these experiences held for them. Another purpose for this study was to increase the knowledge base that nurses and nurse educators have regarding resilience including what factors contribute to the emergence and maintenance of resilience.

The Impact Of Offense Type, Race, And Disclosure On Perceptions Of Employability: Can Bias Towards Hiring A Person With A Criminal History Be Mitigated?, Rheanna Lee Standridge

Dissertations

Individuals with a prior criminal history experience many barriers in the reintegration process, including their ability to gain stable employment. Finding employment for this population is especially important in reducing potential of recidivism. However, research has demonstrated that returning residents experience negative attitudes from employers which are exacerbated by pre-existing stereotypes. Because returning residents are often stereotyped, research suggests that the fear of finding employment is confounded by how they disclose their criminal history to hiring managers. Further, previous research suggests that hiring decisions are impacted by not only offender status, but also by their offense type and race. Although …

Development And Psychometric Performance Of The Family Willingness For Caregiving Scale (Fwcs), Cindy A. Wilk

Dissertations

Family members and close friends of ICU patients receiving mechanical ventilation often sit helpless at the bedside. Participation in care of their loved one may improve adaptation to the stressful situation and better prepare them for caregiving after discharge. The primary aim of this study was to develop and test the psychometric properties of the Family Willingness for Caregiving Scale (FWCS). The impetus for scale development was the lack of a valid instrument to measure caregiver willingness of family members for the ICU patient. The Facilitated Sensemaking Model (FSM) and adapted Psychosocial Assessment Model (PAM) provided the theoretical foundation for …

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 …

Student Engagement And The Impact Of Successful Completion In A Virtual Alternative Program, Nicole Almiria Davis

Dissertations

The focus of this study was to examine the correlation between student engagement and successful completion of online alternative courses during the summer session from June 2022 through July 2022. The research questions focused on the difference in engagement levels between students who completed the course and those who did not complete the course. The study was motivated by the growing importance of alternative online programming in education. This study also aimed to fill gaps in existing research that failed to directly connect student engagement to the success of online programs. The findings provide valuable insights for school leaders, teachers, …

Trust, Levels Of Functioning, And The Plc Process In A Midwest Middle School: A Case Study, Nancy Fuchs

Dissertations

This dissertation investigated the connections between professional learning communities (PLCs), trust, and targeted interventions to promote increased functioning within adult groups. In contemporary education environments, collaborative efforts and shared decision-making became integral to achieving organizational goals. However, adult groups faced challenges such as communication breakdowns, conflicts, and lack of cohesion, impeding collective efficacy.

The study critically analyzed the theoretical foundations of PLCs and the potential to foster professional growth and collaboration. PLCs were characterized by ongoing learning, reflective dialogue, and a shared commitment to improvement. By providing a structured framework, PLCs offered opportunities for individuals to engage in meaningful interactions, …

Psychological Needs Satisfaction In Teaching: A Mixed Methods Analysis On The Impact Of Evaluation Systems On Teacher Intrinsic Motivational Outcomes Using Self-Determination Theory, Matt Gaglio

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between psychological need satisfaction, motivational regulators, and intrinsic motivational outcomes regarding teacher evaluation systems related to the self-determination theory. The study consisted of 144 participants from two school districts and 18 school buildings. Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling showed that psychological need satisfaction positively predicted autonomous motivation and in turn, positively predicted enjoyment and pressure, while also negatively predicting value. Psychological need satisfaction also negatively predicted controlled motivation with autonomy and competence, but positively predicted relatedness. Controlled motivation positively predicted enjoyment, but negatively predicted pressure and value. Twenty …

Hippocampal Volume And The Detection Of Mild Cognitive Impairment In An Older Adult Population: Assessing Performance On Cognitive Screeners Administered In-Person And Electronically, Kristen Fabrizi

Dissertations

The present study investigated how performance on in-person and electronic neuropsychological assessment measures predicted subcortical hippocampal volume and cognitive decline consistent with mild cognitive impairment. It was hypothesized that the Montreal Cognitive Assessment would display better predictive strength than the Cogstate Brief Battery when evaluating subcortical hippocampal volume measured via structural magnetic resonance imaging. It was further hypothesized that the Montreal Cognitive Assessment would be more sensitive to predicting group membership to the diagnostic classification of mild cognitive impairment compared to the Cogstate Brief Battery. The sample included 445 older adult participants selected from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative 3. …

Foster Parent Knowledge And The Need For Information - Sharing Technology, Amy Lynne Averbuch

Dissertations

In 2023, the United States child welfare system suffers from disorganization, role ambiguity, and deficient transparency. With 12 contempt of court strikes for the system’s Director in 2022, it is clear why child welfare actors are unable to successfully perform. Foster parents, a key stakeholder in the proper care of children, report being unable to successfully perform because they are raising children with significant needs and trauma while having to locate and navigate child welfare system laws, policies, and procedures on their own. The purpose of this research project was to 1 ) identify whether foster parents know who is …

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.

Vicarious Learning And Perceived Self-Efficacy Among Pre-Licensure Nursing Students During Pediatric End-Of-Life Situations, Stephanie Clark

Dissertations

Despite decades of acknowledgement among nursing academics and organizations, end-of-life (EOL) nursing education is significantly lacking. Insufficient EOL care education leaves nursing students feeling ill-prepared to adequately care for clients and their loved ones at EOL. Though the literature reveals a recent increase in didactic and simulation-related EOL education sporadically being integrated into nursing curricula, minimal research addresses important topics of pediatric EOL care and provision of therapeutic communication, considered critical to EOL care. End-of-life clinical experiences, particularly in pediatrics, are limited for pre-licensure nursing students. Though effective, simulations can be costly and timely to execute, are restricted by limited …

Sociodemographic And Health-Related Risks For Loneliness And Outcome Differences By Loneliness Status In A Sample Of Older U.S. Adults, Laurie A. Theeke

Dissertations

Loneliness is a prevalent problem for older adults and has been shown to be associated with negative physical, psychological, and social variables. There has been limited research focusing on the relationship of loneliness to health. There is a gap in the literature when it comes to understanding how the problem of loneliness relates to the health of older adults in the United States.

The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature through the testing of two models, the first model represented the postulated risks for loneliness and the second model represented the postulated outcomes for …

The Relationships Between And Among Parental Perceptions Of Family-Centered Care, Parental Beliefs, And Parental Stress In The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Kelly Keefe-Marcoux

Dissertations

Children hospitalized for critical care require increasingly complex and technical care, which can be very stressful for parents. Awareness of the importance of parents' role while their child is receiving critical care is vital to deliver care within a family-centered philosophy that is mutually beneficial to parents and nurses. This descriptive correlational study examined the relationships between and among parental perception of Family-Centered Care (FCC) nursing practices, parental beliefs regarding their role and their hospitalized child, and parental stress during their child's admission to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). This study utilized the Family-Centered Care theoretical framework to examine …