Digital Commons Network^™

Prostate Cancer Screening Survey Among African-American And Their Partners, Angela James

Dissertations

The purpose of this translational research project was to survey adult African-Americans and their partners to explore inhibitors and facilitators to PC screening.

Circadian Body Temperature And Activation Rhythms And The Well-Being Of Independent Older Women, Diana J. Mason

Dissertations

This study examined changes in the circadian parameters of body temperature and activation and their relationship to the well-being of the older woman.

Nurse Educators' Perceptions Regarding Faculty Participation In University Governance, Janet J. Gross

Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to identify nurse educators' perceptions of faculty participation in university governance

Evaluating The Impact Of Post Discharge Callback On Patients With Copd Exacerbation, Stephanie L. Staten

Dissertations

The purpose of this project was to evaluate the impact of a post-discharge callback within 72 hours of discharge on medication adherence, attendance to post discharge follow up clinic visit, and 30-day readmissions in COPD patients. A secondary purpose was to explore reasons why patients who are discharged with a diagnosis of COPD exacerbation, did or did not adhere to their medications and keep their post-discharge follow up clinic visit during the 30-days following hospital discharge.

Nurse Delegation Decision Making: Impact On Nurse Job Satisfaction, Lynn Carol Parsons

Dissertations

The purpose of this experimental study was to ascertain if a structured educational intervention (versus a mimic intervention) was followed by a statistically significant increase in nurse delegation decision making knowledge and nurse job satisfaction.

Reducing The Use Of Multiple Restraints In The Psychiatric Emergency Department, Juliet Nneka Udo

Dissertations

The purpose of the quantitative quality-improvement project was to implement the interprofessional collaborative practice model (ICPM) education program for providers, as an evidence-based intervention in reducing the use of multiple restraints in the psychiatric emergency department.

Testing The Efficacy Of Research-Based Instructional Material For Improving The Competence Of Clinical Instructors In Guiding Nursing Students In Practical Activities In Tanzania, Rehema C. Mligo

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the efficacy of research-based instructional material for improving the competence of clinical instructors in guiding nursing students in practical activities in Tanzania.

An Exploratory Study Of The Barriers Of Pediatric Palliative Care Programs And Their Relationships To Funding, Mary Maureen Kirkpatrick Mclaughlin

Dissertations

This study, a sequential mixed methods design, used quantitative techniques and a qualitative, phenomenological approach. The quantitative phase addressed the research question: Does the reimbursement of services for the delivery of pediatric palliative care differ between types of funding, and is funding related to directors' perceptions of obstacles to the delivery of care? The qualitative phase addressed the research question: What are the barriers that CHI PACC directors' experience in their roles and how do they overcome them?

An Analysis Of A Governance Model In Nursing Service, Linda R. Stumpf

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of governance type on culture, nurse work satisfaction, nurse retention, and patient satisfaction with care in acute care hospitals.

The Moderating Effect Of Religion On Death Distress And Quality Of Life Among Christian Cancer Patients In The United States With Muslim Cancer Patients In Saudi Arabia, Doaa A. Almostadi

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine whether religiosity has a moderating effect on the relationship between death distress and quality of life among patients facing a life-threatening cancer diagnosis.

Compassion Fatigue And Satisfaction Among Nurses At A State Psychiatric Hospital: An Opportunity To Educate, Santhi Avula

Dissertations

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aims to bring awareness to psychiatric nurses at NOPH about CF and burnout and educate them on ways to improve resiliency and compassion satisfaction as professional nurses.

PICOT: How do psychiatric nurses at NOPH (P) who are at increased risk for CF benefit from a webinar-based educational intervention (I) to identify and reduce symptoms of CF and improve compassion satisfaction (O) one month after intervention (T) compared to preintervention (C)?

Leadership In Early Childhood Special Education, Kelly Ramirez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to identify what early childhood special education (ECSE) teachers describe as essential knowledge and skills that experienced principals need to know and be able to do to support the three elements of the California Professional Standards for Education Leaders (CPSEL) of Standard 2, Instructional Leadership. Element A: Professional Learning; Element B, Curriculum and Instruction; Element C: Assessment and Accountability.

Methodology: This qualitative phenomenological study identified 12 ECSE teachers who described the essential knowledge and skills that experienced principals need to know and be able to do to support the CPSEL standards. …

More Than Just A Grade: Factors Influencing Secondary Students’ Engagement With Digital Feedback, Mandy Prior

Dissertations

The increasing use of technology in secondary education has shifted teacher feedback practices to digital environments. While digital feedback offers many promising affordances, the factors that influence how students engage with and use digital feedback are not well understood. Previous research indicates that digital feedback poses unique challenges for engagement. New paradigm feedback models seek to identify processes and actions that promote feedback engagement. However, these models require further study in digital and pre-higher education contexts. This qualitative single-case study investigated the factors influencing secondary students' engagement with digital feedback. Data included 24 student interviews conducted across four grade levels …

Administrators' Perception Of The Effectiveness Of Trauma-Informed Practices In Disciplinary Decisions, Rebecca Cahill

Dissertations

This research study examined administrators’ perceptions of the effectiveness of trauma-informed practices in disciplinary decision-making. Ten elementary school assistant principals were interviewed about their experiences with trauma-informed practices following a student referral. The participants also submitted behavioral expectation matrices and discipline flowcharts for analysis. The participants recognized and valued the underlying elements of trauma-informed practices (relationships, context, support, and cultural factors). However, they lack a clear understanding of and processes for full implementation of trauma-informed practices into disciplinary decision-making. Given the increase in negative student behavior and teacher requests for support, more research is needed to identify a process(es) for …

Comparing Student Outcomes Related To The Implementation Of The 3de Program, Amanda Burks

Dissertations

This study examines the impact of the 3DE program on ninth-grade student achievement in a Title I high school in Metro Atlanta. The 3DE program is a cohort-based model that utilizes interdisciplinary teaching paired with case study methodology; the program aims to support students as they make the difficult transition from middle to high school. This study focuses on two research questions, comparing the academic achievement of students in the 3DE program with those in the broader ninth grade population, measured by their scores on the Algebra I end of course (EOC) exam as well as the ninth-grade literature EOC. …

High School Principals’ Experiences Implementing The Whole-Child Approach To Education, Elise Heaton

Dissertations

The prevalence of the whole-child approach to education has grown significantly as schools recognize that students' needs extend beyond academics to include their social, emotional, mental, and physical well-being. This approach emphasizes nurturing all aspects of a child's development to ensure they thrive in a diverse and ever-evolving world. This phenomenological qualitative case study explores the lived experiences of high school principals as they implement the whole-child approach to education. Through data collected via various methods, including interviews, document analysis, and site observations, this study provides an in-depth examination of how principals navigate the complex demands of addressing the multifaceted …

Improving Diabetes Self-Management Skills Among Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Through Weekly Education, Carthia Joachim

Dissertations

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is one of the major health issues worldwide, which has led to many health complications, such as cardiovascular disease, nerve damage that leads to limb amputation, kidney damage, and even death (Sameer et al., 2020). Lack of self-care management is one of the reasons diabetes is becoming such an issue in society. Studies have shown that T2DM outcomes can be improved by implementing diabetes self-management education (DSME) (Hailu et al., 2019). The study evaluated the effectiveness of DSME intervention in adult patients with T2DM over 12 weeks in Orlando, Florida. Using a structured education program, the …

Barriers To Effectively Integrating Technology Into The Classroom, Laura Beth Mccarty

Dissertations

This study examined barriers to integrating 1:1 technology into the post-Covid classroom, with an emphasis on determining whether student misuse of technology was a new barrier seen in schools across the United States of America. An online survey instrument was developed to examine existing barriers as well as student misuse of technology as a new barrier. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the relationships between these variables, and descriptive statistics were examined to determine which variables were barriers to the effective integration of technology into the classroom. When examining existing barriers, lack of technology training and support remained a …

The Nurse Faculty Compassion Instrument: A Methodological Study, Nancy Pritchard

Dissertations

As nursing shortages rise, nursing faculty have the important responsibility of increasing the number of nursing school graduates that enter the nursing profession. Unfortunately, attrition and retention continue to prevent nursing students from graduating on time or at all. Nursing faculty compassion has been identified as one important factor that could decrease nursing student attrition and increase nursing student retention and program completion. Compassion is a concept built upon the constructs of forming connections, empathetic behaviors, student suffering and faculty recognition of needs, and alleviation of suffering. No existing instruments measure all of these constructs. Some existing tools that measure …

The Role Of Mentorship In Teachers' Intent To Persist In P-12 Public Education, Collins Robinson

Dissertations

Soaring attrition rates among teachers in public education have led researchers to attempt to obtain more insight into teaching intent to persist in American, public P12 education. Mississippi schools are allowed to join the MDE Division of Educator Effectiveness. This single division focuses on enhancing specific areas: “Mentoring and Induction programs, Mississippi Professional Growth system, Mississippi Teacher Residency, and Recognition Programs.” (Steen, 2024). The purpose of the study was to determine if there exists a statistically significant relationship between Mississippi public education teachers’ mentorship experience, mentorship effectiveness, and intent to persist. Secondly, this study was expected to determine to what …

Uncovering The Causal Configurations Of Successful Nonviolent Regime Change Movements: A Systems Thinking And Fuzzy Set Analysis, William Scott Hinson

Dissertations

Under what conditions do nonviolent regime change movements succeed? While the literature on nonviolent resistance has shown several variables to be highly correlative in affecting regime change, little research to date has shown which configuration of conditions leads to regime change in differing polities and repressive environments. In this dissertation, Systems Thinking (ST) and fuzzy set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) are employed to analyze 25 randomly selected cases of nonviolent regime change movements drawn from the NAVCO 2.1 dataset. The principle of equifinality in ST and fsQCA directs the research to explore multiple sets of conditions that can lead to …

Teacher Perceptions Of Students With Disabilities And Their Ability To Meaningfully Participate In An Inquiry-Based Mathematics Model, Lori Luthy

Dissertations

This study focused on a school district in the Midwest region of the United States, which implemented a new inquiry-based math curriculum for all kindergarten through fifth-grade students during the 2021-2022 school year. The purpose of this study was to determine elementary general education and special education teachers’ perceptions of students with disabilities and their ability to learn mathematics at high levels from inquiry-based instruction. Also, the implications of deficit thinking were investigated. In addition, end-of-the-year progress results were compared to determine if implementing an inquiry-based model of mathematics increased student achievement. The population for this study consisted of educators …

A Phenomenological Study Of Social-Emotional Learning (Sel) Through Covid-19, Maria Iracema Da Rocha-Alvarez

Dissertations

Purpose: This phenomenological study aimed to identify and describe the social-emotional learning (SEL) strategies used by elementary teachers in California before and during the shift to distance learning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The study also sought to determine which SEL strategies were most effective in supporting students’ emotional well-being in a virtual learning environment.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological approach was used to explore the lived experiences of elementary teachers who implemented SEL strategies before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected through 20 interview questions aligned with the research objectives to gain insight into effective SEL practices during virtual …

Relationship Of Stress, Family, And Social Support, And Job Satisfaction To Burnout Among Family Nurse Practitioners Employed In Primary Care Clinics In Mississippi, Laura-Jean Scott Brooks

Dissertations

In the realm of healthcare, burnout is the invisible monster that has infiltrated every facet of the industry with grossly visible results. From provider turnover to patient errors, burnout has lifelong effects on the healthcare provider and patient care. This researcher seeks to study variables and the relationship to burnout among Family Nurse Practitioners who practice in primary care in Mississippi. The Review of the Literature demonstrated a lack of findings in burnout among family nurse practitioners. Most of the literature reviewed focused on burnout among registered nurses. The guiding hypothesis of the research study was that social and family …

Impact Of Safety Training On Employee's Perceptions Of Organizational Safety Culture, Brooke Reid-Graves

Dissertations

Workplace safety and well-being are vital for all workers, regardless of their profession (Young et al., 2022). Studies show that providing employees with training focused on recognizing hazards and implementing safety practices is essential for reducing occupational risks (Namian et al., 2020; Rose & Rae, 2017). Research underscores the importance of fostering a positive organizational safety culture for risk reduction (Berry et al., 2020; Downey, 2019). Understanding the impact of safety training on shaping an organization’s safety culture is key to promoting safe working environments (Mahjoub, 2013).

This study utilized the perspectives of high school staff regarding safety training and …

K-12 Education And The Covid-19 Pandemic, Candice Beasley

Dissertations

This quantitative study aimed to explore how schoolwide closures during the COVID-19 pandemic affected student academic performance in selected Mississippi school districts and to examine the instructional strategies schools used during these closures. While there has been global research on the pros and cons of different teaching methods during and after the pandemic, specific data for Mississippi is still limited.

The researcher collected publicly available data from the Mississippi Department of Education. Student performance results from the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) for the years 2019 to 2021 were analyzed to see if academic performance changed due to the pandemic …

The Relationship Between Task-Oriented Self-Efficacy, Openness To Experience And Internal & External Barriers To Social Work Educators To Teach Online Courses, Nancy Swindle

Dissertations

This study investigated the attitudes of social work faculty at accredited programs in the United States toward teaching online courses. An online survey was used to gather data on faculty members' internal and external barriers to teaching online, their openness to new experiences, and their confidence in creating and teaching online social work courses. Correlation and bivariate analyses were used to understand the relationships between these variables. The results showed positive relationships between years of teaching experience, faculty age, and self-efficacy scores, as well as between years of experience and professional training. However, these relationships were not statistically significant. Similar …

Academic Nurse Leaders’ Application Of Bolman And Deal’S Leadership Orientation Framework, Jasmine Bratton

Dissertations

While Academic Nurse Leaders (ANLs) are vital to the functioning and quality of nursing programs in academic settings, many enter their roles with limited or no prior academic leadership and management experience. The inadequate preparation and development of ANLs remains a critical concern. For this reason, ANLs positions can be challenging and hard to fill. Although ANLs can hold various titles and positions across different academic institutions, this study specifically focuses on Deans, Directors, and Department Chairs working in the New York State area. Bolman and Deal’s (2021) four-frame model of leadership offers a framework that can be used to …

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier De Saint-Georges' "Overture" From L'Amant Anonyme: A Transcription For Wind Ensemble, Lindsay H. Guilbeau

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to transcribe the orchestral Overture from Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges’ only opera with a surviving score, L’Amant Anonyme, for wind ensemble. Transcribing this portion of L’Amant Anonyme by a Black composer from the Classical era not only provides the opportunity to expose the wind band community to an underrepresented composer but also gives this work an additional medium to be performed in. Bologne was dubbed “Le Mozart Noir” or “Black Mozart” by French concertgoeres of the time, and the nickname has not yet disappeared. This title, whether or not intentional, pus him in …

Elucidating The Mechanism Of Interleukin-17a Signaling In The Pathogenesis Of West Nile Virus, Farzana Nazneen

Dissertations

West Nile Virus (WNV), a neurotropic flavivirus transmitted by mosquitoes, is a leading cause of viral encephalitis in the United States and remains a significant public health concern. Unfortunately, no vaccine or therapeutic intervention is available against WNV infection. Previous studies, including ours, demonstrated that interleukin-17A (IL-17A) signaling increases the cytotoxic potential of CD8⁺ T cells to facilitate WNV and parasite clearance; however, the molecular mechanism is not understood. IL-17 receptor C (IL-17RC) is an obligatory co-receptor with IL-17 receptor A (IL-17RA) for signaling induced by IL-17A, IL-17A/F, and IL-17F. In this study, we found that IL-17RC deficient ( …