Digital Commons Network^™

Exploring Health Literacy In The Acute Care Setting In A Rural Border Region, Shiloh A. Williams

Dissertations

Health literacy is important to ensuring patients have the necessary knowledge and skills needed to actively participate as a member of their own healthcare team. Patients with low health literacy are at increased risk for poor outcomes and limited participation in decisions affecting their health or treatment plan. Using the Social Ecological Model (SEM) as a framework, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between medical-surgical registered nurses, medical-surgical patients and the registered nurse's (RN) assessment of their patient's health literacy of those who live in a ruralborder region. The study's sample consisted of 84 pairs of …

Delineating The Exocytic Fusion Machinery Required For Mast Cell Exocytosis, Pratikshya Adhikari

Dissertations

Mast cells undergo exocytosis to release a wide array of inflammatory mediators by utilizing membrane fusion proteins-SNAREs (soluble-N-ethyl-maleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) along with essential regulatory Munc18 and Munc13 proteins. Accumulating evidence in mast cell biology suggests the existence of distinct pools of mast cell mediators. However, the precise mechanism underlying the release of each mast cell mediator is not clear. To determine whether different exocytic machineries are required for differential mediator release, I used reconstitution to investigate the differential role of Munc18s in fusion machinery regulation. Munc18a and Munc18c stimulated VAMP2 and VAMP3-mediated lipid mixing, whereas Munc18b only …

The Experiences And Expressions Of Compassion Among Critical Care Nurses, Mark S. Walker

Dissertations

Compassion is a core attribute of nursing practice and is associated with improved patient satisfaction and outcomes. For the last several decades, nurse researchers have been focused on the concept of compassion fatigue. Only recently has compassion appeared in nursing literature. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and expressions of compassion among critical care nurses.

This dissertation includes a literature review of compassion within nursing education and practice, how it is currently defined, and a review of the empirical data. Next, two interpretative phenomenological qualitative studies were conducted. One study explored the experiences of compassion …

Faculty Perceptions Of Nursing Student Retention In Community College Associate Degree Programs: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Lauri Jones

Dissertations

Understanding the factors that influence nursing students to stay or leave a nursing program is vital to ensure our population has prepared nurses to care. Low student retention leads to fewer nurse graduates, negatively impacting the nursing shortage. Although several factors contribute to the nursing shortage, with many well beyond the influence of nursing education programs, student retention is a factor where nurse educators can play a pivotal role. Research indicates that students perceive faculty relationships as influential to their success, satisfaction and retention in education programs. However, a gap in the literature exists on faculty perspectives of student retention, …

Examining The Relationship Between Therapists’ Attachment-Related Characteristics And The Process And Outcome Of Psychotherapy, Char M. Houben

Dissertations

Although psychotherapy researchers have gleaned greater understanding about how client attachment classifications influence the outcome of psychotherapy, relatively few studies have investigated therapists’ effects and have yielded inconclusive results (Steel et al., 2018). In the current study, we investigated how therapist attachment affects changes in the working alliance and client psychological distress over a course of psychotherapy treatment. We evaluated attachment in a sample of 23 therapist trainees from a university-based training clinic in the U.S. with the recently validated, transcript-based Therapist Attunement Scales (TASc; Talia & Muzi, 2017), which measures attunement by moment-to-moment discursive markers from a single psychotherapy …

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 …

Applications Of Simulation Analysis To Generate Reference Points And Evaluate Management Control Rules In Three Eastern Us Fisheries, Laura Solinger

Dissertations

Myriad sources of uncertainty are characteristic of or impact all commercial and recreational fisheries, contributing uncertainty to the determination of stock status. In the face of these uncertainties, fisheries managers tend to reserve fishery resources from the management targets to allow for variability. Simulation analysis is a useful tool to complement and extend formal stock assessment models to better inform managers of the risk that a management strategy results in an overfished stock or overfishing occurs over some period of time. Three examples of simulation analysis are presented to address risk-tolerance and development of management thresholds for three commercially important …

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 …

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 …

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 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 …

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 …

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 …

Re-Linkage To Hiv Care Among Persons Living With Hiv (Plwh) With A Gap In Care Of Six Months Or More, Jamie Lynn Mignano

Dissertations

Despite widespread attention to the HIV care continuum over the past several years, little attention has focused on the 45% of PLWH that are not retained in care who are responsible for more than 60% of new HIV infections. The gaps in the HIV care continuum are further compounded by the disproportionate burden of HIV among individuals affected by social and economic disparities. The purpose of the study was to identify potential community level and individual level characteristics of re-linkage to HIV care among out of care people living with HIV (PLWH). Andersen's Behavioral Model (ABM), a health services research …

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 …

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.

Predictors Of Retention And Passing National Council Licensure Examination For Registered Nurses, Nancy Susan Elkins

Dissertations

The current nursing shortage has challenged colleges to educate nurses at a faster pace than in previous times. Successful completion of the nursing programs and passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam is important for the students, faculty, and nursing programs. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the possible predictors of completing the baccalaureate nursing program at a college in the eastern part of the United States and passing the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Using Spearman's classical test theory and Seidman's retention formula as theoretical foundations, this study investigated historical data from 2 graduating …

A Mixed-Methods Exploration Study On Trauma-Informed Practices Used To Dismantle The School-To-Prison Pipeline In Public And Private Schools In The City Of St. Louis, Jennifer Lauren Gabrian

Dissertations

Since the release of the Missouri Model for Trauma-Informed Schools approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in 2019, school leaders were given the opportunity to start the process of meeting the emotional and fundamental needs of students. With the effects of trauma reaching all diverse groups of race, gender, economic status, and community surroundings, there is an increased need to use the education system to reach students emotionally. Though the model is a blueprint for schools, school districts are not required to adopt this model and implement it within their districts. Due to the recent pandemic, …

Female Assistant Superintendents: Using Personal Power To Overcome Self-Sabotage, Kristen Miller

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female assistant superintendents and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by female assistant superintendents to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This explanatory sequential mixed-method study described the experiences of ten female assistant superintendents in California. The first phase of the study was quantitative and included an online survey designed to identify female assistant superintendents’ most prevalent self-sabotaging behaviors and the impact they had on their career …

Testing Barriers To Non-Suicidal Self-Injury With College Students: Narcissistic Traits As Moderators, Philip Stoner

Dissertations

Research on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has produced mixed findings, resulting in a lack of clarity regarding these behaviors (Klonsky & Meuhlenkamp, 2007). To address this, Hooley and Franklin (2018) developed the Benefits and Barriers Model (BBM) to provide a comprehensive understanding of NSSI, in which they identified the barriers that commonly prevent people from engaging in these behaviors (e.g., self-esteem, shame, and peer-bonding motivations/social norms). They also identified adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as a distal predictor of NSSI, which aids people in overcoming the barriers to engaging in these behaviors. Recent NSSI literature has shown that college women in the …

A Quantitative Study Examining Intentional Teaching Of Social Emotional Skills, Christina Scrivner Huse

Dissertations

In a world where children are likely to experience early-life trauma, relationships matter, and trust is a key in forming healthy working relationships. Intentionally teaching adults and teachers how to evoke calmness in ourselves and breathe to handle negative situations, trusted educators can then teach children to do the same. It is important that educational leaders, and other stakeholders, explore what works best to help children overcome trauma and become resilient and productive adults. This study examined the relationship between social, emotional, and behavioral skills of students entering kindergarten who have been intentionally taught skills needed for resiliency by highly …

The Pontem Path: A Case Study Of A Catholic Bridge Program Focusing On College Readiness, Sean Green

Dissertations

The Department of Education’s 2018 report on the “Condition of Education” indicated nearly 60% of all children under the age of 18 had parents without a bachelor’s degree. When the statistics were broken down by race, the numbers were far higher. For Black children, that number was 74%; for Hispanic children, that number was 79%; for Pacific islander, it was 78%; and for American Indian/Alaska native, it was 80%. This gap in education has had a tremendous economic impact on families, reverberating through generations. According to Georgetown’s 2015 study on the economics of college majors, a college graduate makes $1 …

Understanding Quality Of Life In Adolescents Living With Advanced Cancer, Cynthia J. Bell

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to advance theoretical understanding of how an adolescent with incurable cancer prepares for end-of-life (EOL). A theoretical model was developed to link awareness, acceptance, and willingness to take action to EOL preparedness (knowledge about EOL, acknowledgement of grief and emotion, identification of the meaning of death and spirituality, and conceptualization of personal plan) and communication about EOL preferences and priorities; and to determine impact on quality of life (QOL).

Effects Of Exercise On Physiologic And Psychologic Outcomes In Patients With End Stage Renal Disease On Hemodialysis: A Quasi-Experimental Study In Lebanon, Ghada Ballout Dunbar

Dissertations

End stage renal disease (ESRD) is a public health problem that is expected to continue to rise and has overwhelming effects on individuals' psychological, physical, and emotional wellbeing. Treatment options include hemodialysis (HD), which is a lifesaving procedure for patients suffering from ESRD where a dialysis machine and a dialyzer are used to clean and purify the blood as their kidneys are not functioning normally. This patient population will suffer from muscle atrophy and weakness due to inactive lifestyle and lack of physical activity. They also question their existence, are extremely stressed, and are afraid of death.

Examining The Relationship Among Civic Attitudes, Civic Engagement Behaviors, And A Sense Of Community In A Sample Of Nurses, Catherine Rewakowski

Dissertations

Nurses are called to advocate for those they serve, and civic engagement is a way to advocate for health-related issues. However, there is sparse evidence of frequency and types of civic activities in which professional nurses engage. A review of literature found that sense of community and civic attitudes are constructs shown to influence civic participation but are not well-studied among professional nurses. The purpose of this study is to gain an understanding of civic engagement among nurses by examining civic engagement activities and factors that influence engagement.

The Lived Experience In The Clinical Setting Of Nursing Students With Disabilities, Amy Luckowski

Dissertations

With the implementation of the 504 Rehabilitation Act, the American with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA), more students with disabilities are being admitted into universities and into nursing programs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences in the clinical setting of nursing students with disabilities. Moustakas's psychological phenomenology was utilized to describe the meaning of the student's experiences. A purposeful sample of 13 junior and senior baccalaureate nursing students with disabilities from two northeastern baccalaureate nursing programs who had at least one semester of clinical experience were interviewed …

Exploration Of Factors That Promote Continued Volunteer Engagement Of American Red Cross Disaster Health Services Nurses, Kathleen V. Eid-Heberle

Dissertations

The purpose of the research study was to explore factors that promote continued volunteer engagement of American Red Cross Disaster Health Services (DHS) nurses.

Older Hispanic Women With Health Care Provider Diagnosed Osteoarthritis: Experience And Perceptions Of Culturally Competent Care, Claudia A. Oglivie

Dissertations

Arthritis is the leading cause of disability among U.S. adults over the age of 65. Osteoarthritis, the most common form of arthritis, has an incidence rate that increases with age with the highest rates among women. Hispanic women are more affected than any other racial or ethnic group. Little is known about how Hispanic women respond to having osteoarthritis and how they manage its symptoms and limitations. Few studies have examined the specific experiences and perceptions of this population. We do not know how differences in incidence, access to care, disease burden, and activity limitations affect the treatment of Hispanic …

Adoptive Parents' Lived Experience Of Bonding With Their Adopted Infants: A Phenomenological Study, Sharon M. Bator

Dissertations

Nurses' roles facilitating bonding between adoptive parents and their infants have been premised on the idea that the experience is the same as for biological parents. Developmental theorists Bowlby (1969) and Erikson (1959) maintained that bonding between an adoptive parent and their adopted child is essential for normal growth and development. The purpose of this study was to study the experience of bonding between adoptive parents and children.