Digital Commons Network^™

Comparing Top Industry Demands For Talent To General Studies Curriculum For Competitive Job Acquisition, Gregory Sansone

Dissertations

University General Studies degrees are rapidly increasing in enrollment, driven by an increased focus on college completion. Yet, non-traditional, non-science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) degrees are perceived as less competitive in the job market upon graduation. This study finds that students predominantly acquire skills in three areas, analysis, critical thinking, and communication, regardless of courses taken. Variability in salary suggests that the degree was not a factor in the graduates’ ability for wage earning. Through a combination of skills outcomes for external job postings, natural language processing on course syllabi outcomes, General Studies graduates’ course records, and a survey …

Frequent Top Leadership Transitions And Their Effect On Followers: The Moderating Roles Of Followership Characteristics And Organizational Culture, William Butler

Dissertations

Modern for-profit, large businesses are often organized as a collection of business units, with each unit having a top leader responsible for the unit’s results. While there is much literature about CEO transitions, there is scant literature about leadership transitions at an individual business unit level. Moreover, there is no literature concerning frequent leadership transitions at this level. This study developed and validated a new measure to assess employee perceptions of top leadership transition frequency. To measure employee reactions to perceived top leadership transition frequency, the EVLN scale was utilized. This study identified that employee Exit or Neglect are likely …

The Color Of Conduct: A S.I.S.T.A.'S Tale Of Race, Housing, And Higher Education, Natasha Gibson-Winston

Dissertations

S.I.S.T.A., suffering in silence to be acknowledged, is an acronym that symbolizes the hidden voices of Black women in higher education and abroad. This study examined the experiences of a graduate student woman of color impacted by university housing policies and practices as a judicial student conduct officer at a historically white institution. Using autoethnography as a methodology, grounded in critical race theory (CRT) as a theoretical framework, this qualitative study aims to highlight the ways Black women can and have been harmed in predominantly white spaces and processes within higher education. The application of the aforementioned frameworks found the …

Academic Nurse Educator Attitudes Regarding Their Role Educating Ethnically And Racially Diverse Nursing Students: A Focused Ethnography, Melissa Lillian Weir

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to explore academic nurse educator attitudes, specifically beliefs and values, regarding their role educating ethnically and racially diverse students through the lens of culturally relevant pedagogy. Focused ethnography methodology was applied through all phases of this research. Interviews with 14 academic nurse educators provided insight into a subculture of nursing. Themes that emerged from data analysis included strengths perspective, teacher-student relationships, diversity as an asset, crucial or difficult conversations, and ethnicity and race setting the narrative. In addition, assimilation and white privilege were discussed due to compelling and varied responses from participants.

Engaging Experts: Overcoming Trust In Risky Environments, Cynthia Goodwin-Sak

Dissertations

In business-to-business sales environments, sellers may choose to bring their go-to expert to a customer meeting, even when there is an expert available who may be more skilled in the product being discussed. The purpose of this study is to identify if an intervention of data, trust transference, ingroup identity, or a combination, influence the choice of expert a salesperson engages for a customer meeting. We tested this question through a series of vignettes and hierarchical linear modeling. The sample came from a US-based technology company, and salespeople in the United States.

We found that trust transference influenced both choice …

Experiences Of Self-Reported Bullying In Minority Nurses Within Acute Care Hospital Workplace Settings, Ekta A. Srinivasa

Dissertations

The Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) defines workplace bullying (WPB) as the repeated mistreatment of a person(s) in the work environment by one or more perpetrator(s) that is detrimental to the health of the targeted individual(s). WPB is considered a universal phenomenon prevalent throughout the world and the United States across a variety of professionals and non-professionals with severe consequences to individuals, groups, and organizational morale. Thirty-five percent of all the known workforce in the United States, across all genders, races, and ethnicities are bullied at work. Racial/Ethnic minority female nurses, as a significant subset of nurses, may be bullied at …

Minority Nursing Students' Perceptions About Help-Seeking When Under Stress: A Basic Qualitative Study, Marjorie Attis-Josias

Dissertations

Nursing students experience many situations that lead to stress. Stress can have many adverse effects on students, including attrition, and minority nursing students often grapple with a unique set of stressors related to their status as minorities. This study was conducted to close the gap in the literature about minority nursing students' beliefs and attitudes about help-seeking for stress. A basic qualitative design was utilized to answer one research question, How do minority nursing students describe their experiences with help-seeking when under stress? Individual interviews were conducted with 12 ethnic and racial minority students enrolled in their third or fourth …

Does Optic Flow Provide Information About Actions?, Hannah Masoner

Dissertations

Optic flow, the pattern of light generated in the visual field by motion of objects and the observer’s body, serves as information that underwrites perception of events, actions and affordances. This visual pattern informs the observer about their own actions in relation to their surroundings, as well as those of others. This study explored the limits of action detection for others as well as the role of optic flow. First-person videos were created using camera recordings of the actor’s perspective as they performed various movements (jumping jacks, jumping, squatting, sitting, etc.). In three experiments participants attempted to detect the action …

From Family Storytelling To Emancipatory Knowing: Bearing Witness To The Resistance Of Black Women Leaders In Higher Education, Eboni Sterling

Dissertations

We, in the Black community, have preserved our existence and histories through storytelling. The blessing of stories passed from one generation to the next serves as survival signposts. Amidst this tradition, ongoing dominant narratives work to mischaracterize and dehumanize members of the Black community, specifically Black women. The unique and intersectional position of Black women leaders invites an onslaught of racial challenges in any sector. However, a complex relationship exists between Black women leaders in academia and the metanarratives manufactured by dominant groups. While often viewed as entertainment, the cultural practice of storytelling can incite empowerment and emancipation of the …

The Changing Of Ambulatory Care: Provision And Utilizations As Influenced By The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act, Heather Marie Brom

Dissertations

Nurse practitioners (NPs) represent a growing healthcare provider workforce, which is poised to assist with the shortages of physicians and growing demand for healthcare services driven by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Restrictions to NP scope of practice may present a barrier to meeting this need. This research sought to determine if NP scope of practice laws were altered in response to passage of the ACA and to examine changes in the number of NPs, to test for differences in the delivery of ambulatory care in the United States, and to characterize ambulatory practice by state-level NP scope of practice …

The Relationships Among Job Satisfaction, Length Of Employment, And Mentoring Of Nursing Faculty, Zelda Suzan

Dissertations

The shortage of faculty in nursing education programs has been well documented by the National League for Nursing. Job satisfaction is important in retaining nurse educators, and one New York nursing program was interested in examining the potential impact of mentoring on satisfaction. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine job satisfaction, measured by the Job Descriptive Index/Job in General scale (JDI/JIG), between nurse faculty participants in formal mentoring programs compared to participants receiving an informal type of mentoring. In addition, the length of employment was examined as a possible factor in predicting job satisfaction. The theoretical framework …

Can An Expert Opinion Mitigate Racially Biased Diversion Decisions? An Empirical Examination In The Context Of Reoffense Risk Assessment, Riley Davis

Dissertations

This study aimed to better understand the circumstances in which the racial identity of a justice impacted person can extraneously influence post-conviction placement decisions based on specialized re-offense prediction tools, specifically decisions at the crux of community supervision and jail time. Participants (N = 448) were exposed to one of nine conditions (3 descriptors of racial identities 3 levels of risk information) in which they were asked to rate their agreement with risk findings, rank the categorical risk of a hypothetical justice-involved person, and make management decisions (i.e., incarceration or community supervision; mandated treatment). It was hypothesized that participants …

Educational Priorities For The Future Of Emergency Nursing, Anna Maria Valdez

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how and to what extent current societal and healthcare trends will impact the educational needs of the emergency nurse. Additionally, this study sought to draw upon that information to facilitate the development of expert consensus about the major educational priorities for emergency nurses during the time period of 2008-2018. While there is a limited amount of current research related to the societal and healthcare trends that are impacting emergency nursing, an extensive literature review produced no studies that identified educational priorities in emergency nursing. A mixed methodology, qualitative-then-quantitative study design using a …

Overcoming The Imposter Phenomenon: Exploring The Strategies Secondary Educators Used To Cope During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Barbra J.C. Bedwell

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this descriptive mixed-method study was to explore and describe the coping skills used by secondary teachers who identified as experiencing the impostor phenomenon (IP) by the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) (Clance, 1985) to overcome the nine behavioral characteristics of IP during the transition to distance learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology. This descriptive mixed-methods research design used both quantitative and qualitative techniques to identify teachers with IP and explore the coping techniques they used during distance learning. First, a quantitative 20-question diagnostic survey, the CIPS, was used to identify teachers with IP. …

Mothers With Chronic Illness And Their Spouse/Partner: Uncertainty, Family Hardiness, And Psychological Wellbeing, Margaret Cordell Noreuil

Dissertations

Mothers with chronic illness are expected not only to manage their chronic illness but also to continue to manage both family and work roles and obligations. The ability to manage various roles, and do them well, is difficult for healthy mothers; for a mother living with chronic illness, it may be impossible.

The purposes of this study were to: (1) describe levels of uncertainty, family hardiness, and psychological wellbeing in mothers with a chronic illness and their spouse/partner; (2) test for direct and moderating effects of uncertainty and family hardiness on psychological wellbeing in mothers and their spouse/partner; (3) examine …

Special Education Teacher Burnout: Examining The Role Of Educator Preparation Programs In Prevention, Brittany L. Straub

Dissertations

Teacher burnout is increasingly problematic, especially for special education teachers who have a unique set of job responsibilities. Survey and interview data was used in this phenomenological study to examine how the educator preparation program (EPP) experience and self-authorship journey of early career special education teachers impact their potential to experience burnout. Data findings regarding level of self-perceived burnout, recollections of being or not being taught stress management and coping strategies in their EPPs, recollections of the self-authorship journey, and intentions for remaining in the career are shared in this dissertation. The essence of this phenomenon can be summed up …

Components Of Effective Instructional Coaching: Examining Instructional Coach, Teacher, And Principal Perspectives, Becky Mathison

Dissertations

Instructional coaching has been shown to be an effective way to improve teacher practice through structured partnership and goal-oriented collaboration. This qualitative study examined the perspectives of instructional coaches, teachers, and principals on the presence of six key components of effective instructional coaching programs: building relationships, remaining connected to students, developing leadership skills, modeling for teachers, building in plan time, and remaining focused on the goal. An examination of the data collected via open-ended surveys and semi-structured interviews indicated that the Aqua Valley School District may strengthen their instructional coaching program through addressing how coaches build relationships, remain connected to …

A Phenomenological Study On How Exemplary Community College Chief Human Resource Officers Lead From The Heart To Accomplish Extraordinary Results, Angela Love

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe how exemplary community college chief human resource officers lead from the heart using Crowley’s (2011) four principles (building a highly engaged team, connecting on a personal level, maximizing employee potential, and valuing and honoring achievements) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organizations.

Methodology: This qualitative study used a phenomenological method to describe how eight exemplary community college chief human resource officers lead from the heart using Crowley’s (2011) four principles (building a highly engaged team, connecting on a personal level, maximizing employee potential, and valuing and honoring achievements) to accomplish …

Voices Of Associate Degree Nursing Rns About The Pursuit Of The Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Degree, Christie M. Candelaria

Dissertations

New developments in health care delivery, changes in the demographics, and the increasing complexity of health problems of the general population require baccalaureate prepared nurses. However, the educational preparation of the majority of nurses in the workforce is the diploma and associate degree level. This project study explored the reasons that hindered the graduates of the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program of a community college in South Texas from pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. ADN-prepared nurses will have to go through a transformation process as they pursue the BSN. Mezirow‟s transformational learning theory served as the …

A Convergent Parallel Mixed Method Study On The Experience Of Coping During High-Risk Pregnancy And Prescribed Bed Rest, Ellen Boyd

Dissertations

Antepartum bed rest and hospitalization is frequently prescribed for high-risk women experiencing pregnancy complications. Bed rest may result in problems for the high-risk mother including isolation, boredom, anxiety, depression, and separation from their families. The aim of this study is to analyze the coping behaviors of high-risk pregnant women hospitalized and prescribed bed rest. Also, to describe the lived experience of high-risk pregnant women hospitalized and prescribed bed rest. A convergent parallel mixed method design was used to analyze the coping behaviors of 40 high-risk pregnant women. A secondary analysis of data from the Brief Cope Scale (Carver, 1997) was …

The Balance We Seek: A Sequential Narrative Analysis Of Childhood Cancer Blogs, Catherine Mcgeehin Heilferty

Dissertations

The research aimed to identify the narratives and themes about the experience of parenting a child with cancer, analyze the social interaction present in illness blogs created by parents of children with cancer and identify the reasons expressed by parents in the blogs for writing and publishing online.

A Study Of The Socialization Of Accelerated Bsn Graduates, Linda Eileen Wolf

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the socialization of accelerated BSN graduates who had been employed in the workforce for 2 to 3 years. Socialization was examined as a calling, not in terms of job socialization, which is the focus of research on socialization in the literature. Eight interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with graduates of a school of nursing at an urban university in Northeast Ohio. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's (1978) procedural steps. The following assertions emerged: Assertion 1: The feeling of being a nurse, an attribute of professional identity, coincided with the occurrence …

The Lived Experience Of Aging: Listening To The Oldest-Old, Julia A. Pusztai

Dissertations

Although embraced as desirable by most, living into very old age is largely unexplored as a distinct season of life, with increased, varied, and cumulative changes during a unique time of vulnerability and frailty. The purpose of this study was to listen to the oldest-old, and to explore their lived experience of growing old. This hermeneutic phenomenology study examines the experience of finding meaning and living with losses and gains in advanced old age.

This study design included three separate interviews one month apart with participants over 85 years of age. Purposive sampling resulted in 13 participants, 5 being male …

Employee Engagement, Brain-Based Psychological Safety, And The Sales Professional, Cheri Sherman

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this correlational study was to determine what relationship, if any, existed between employee engagement and psychological safety as measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Academy of Brain-based Leadership’s S.A.F.E.T.Y.™ Assessment and Pulse Survey domains of security, autonomy, fairness, esteem, and trust.

Methodology: A quantitative, correlational methodology was used for this study. The post-hoc sample comprised of 61 high-performing sales professionals working in California. Participants completed the three assessments online via SurveyMonkey. The data were analyzed using a Spearman correlation.

Findings: This study resulted in multiple findings, including a statistically significant relationship between …

An Investigation Of Single-Sex Classrooms In An Urban, Public School Ninth Grade Academy, Vivian Johnson

Dissertations

The American education system is continually in pursuit of equity, mirroring our nation’s pursuit of equity for citizens and non-citizens in all areas of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There should not be discrimination towards any individual on the basis of sex, race, or physical disability. A person’s sex has always been a consideration within the confines of the American educational system. The question as to whether or not separating the sexes is advantageous for boys and girls to give them the opportunity to excel academically in the classroom learning environment is worth serious contemplation. Especially, when considering …

Correlation Of Personal Finance Class And Credit Scores, Betty W. Fagan

Dissertations

It is has become a concern: the number of people struggling with personal finance and credit scores. It is for this reason that this study scrutinizes the possible influence of one factor on the other. It is undeniable that personal finance influences some futuristic financial decisions and goals, but has the relationship been proven? This study aims to evaluate the correlation between personal finance and financial literacy, using a sample of 15 to 30 high-school students and teachers. The study collected data through interviews and surveys. The data collected were used to formulate the correlation between the course’s success and …

Stigmatization Experiences Of Hiv Infected Women: A Focused Ethnography, Marsha J. Bennett

Dissertations

Few studies address the multiplicity of psychological, social, and cultural influences on women's behavior as a result of their HIV infection. The purpose of this study was to analyze: (a) women's experiences of living with HIV disease from the perspective of the women's stigmatized status, and (b) a subculture of HIV infected women with a set of relationships, behaviors, events, and rituals that imparted meaning into being a woman infected with HIV in this society. Adult women were referred from their primary care providers and nurses, and consented for participation. A focused ethnography using individual interviews, group interviews, and participant …

A Descriptive Mixed-Methods Study Examining Resilience And Transitioning To Adulthood Among Emerging Adults With Disabilities, Jennifer Emilie Mannino

Dissertations

Transitioning to adulthood is not without challenges. The move away from family influence towards independence and self-determination is filled with uncertainty. Increased challenges and vulnerabilities in transitioning are evident among emerging adults with disabilities because they face additional challenges related to their disability over and above what others of this developmental stage experience.

A Phenomenological Study Of Exemplary Corporate Learning And Development Leaders Leading From The Heart, Randa Jad-Moussa

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how corporate learning and development leaders lead from the heart using Mark Crowley’s (2011) 4 principles (building a highly engaged team, connecting on a personal level, maximizing employee potential, and valuing and honoring achievements) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organizations.

Methodology: This study followed a qualitative phenomenological research study to describe the lived experiences of exemplary corporate learning and development leaders. Eight corporate learning and development leaders were selected from the target population in publicly traded technology companies in the state of California. Each of the corporate learning and …

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 …