Digital Commons Network^™

Performance Of Pervious Geopolymer Concrete Made With Locally Available Recycled Concrete Aggregates In An Arid Environment, Faizu Habibu Anwar

Dissertations

This dissertation aims to develop sustainable pavement materials to address environmental challenges in arid environments, specifically in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These challenges include the depletion of natural resources, excessive cement production, industrial waste accumulation, and stormwater runoff flooding. Cement-free pervious concrete made with geopolymer and recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) are presented as sustainable solutions to these issues. The porous nature of pervious concrete reduces stormwater runoff while using RCA and geopolymer reduces dependence on limited natural resources and mitigates the environmental impact of cement production by incorporating industrial waste materials. In this thesis, the use of pervious geopolymer …

الحماية الجزائية للأطفال من المواد الإباحية (دراسة تأصيلية تحليلية مقارنة), Hamed Ahmed Alderei

Dissertations

Criminal Protection of Children from Pornographic Materials: A Comparative Analytical Study

This dissertation investigates both the substantive and procedural criminal protections for children against pornography, focusing on the national legislations of the United Arab Emirates. The UAE legislator has implemented these protections through the Child Rights Law ("Wadeema") and the Law on Combating Rumors and Cybercrimes. In contrast, Jordan and Egypt have each taken a singular approach, with Jordan addressing the issue under the Cybercrime Law and Egypt through the Child Rights Law. The study examines the broader scope of the UAE's criminal protection measures and their application in courts, …

Tackling Toxicity And Harassment In Online Environments Through The Use Of Artificial Intelligence, Heba Saleous

Dissertations

With the increase in popularity of online communities, such as social media platforms, online games, and chatroom servers, there is a need to improve chat and content moderation. Platforms have reported an increase in the prevalence of toxic behavior and hate speech. Meanwhile, moderators are reporting difficulties in keeping up with the amount of data to check as well and the type of content they are exposed to, which further harms their own mental health. The main objective of this work is to address the challenges that exist within online communities with the rising prevalence of hate speech. Additionally, some …

Use Of Cement-Free Geopolymer Composites In Different Construction Applications, Joud Mohamad Hewalla

Dissertations

The demand for sustainable and eco-friendly construction materials has driven significant interest in the development of cement-free Geopolymer (GP) composites. A comprehensive scientometric analysis was conducted, highlighting a steady increase in research on geopolymer materials since 2013, with fire resistance, corrosion protection, and repair being the most studied applications. However, gaps remain in areas like 3D printing, heavy metals absorption, rehabilitation and repair, screed flooring, and shotcrete. The review emphasized the need for further investigation into lifecycle assessments and the potential use of diverse alumina- and silica-rich binders to enhance the environmental and mechanical properties of geopolymers. Accordingly, this thesis …

How Do Lgbt Employees Assess Their Firm’S Organizational Culture Regarding Lgbt Leadership?, Philippe Honore

Dissertations

This study explored Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Trans (LGBT) employees’ perceptions and assessments of their firms’ organizational cultures and, in particular, the opportunities within the culture that can lead to upper management positions for those who identify as LGBT. The research sought to understand the extent to which inclusivity efforts are reflected in real career progression opportunities for openly LGBT employees working in San Diego County. Employing a convergent parallel mixed-methods research design, the study incorporated quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews to achieve a comprehensive understanding of participant’s perspectives and experiences. The decision to use both methods allowed the research …

Reducing Restraint Use And Workplace Violence With The Broset Violence Checklist, Alexandria Anderson

Dissertations

Problem: Psychiatric mental health nurses have an increased rate of workplace violence due to the acuity of patients they care for. When aggressive behavior cannot be resolved verbally, physical methods such as restraints may be utilized. Restraint use can result in unwanted consequences for both the patient and the nurse. Predicting risk of violence can be useful at reducing violence and restraint use through early risk identification.

Methods: The Broset Violence Checklist (BVC) was implemented as a way to predict aggression risk in an in-patient psychiatric unit within a mid-western hospital. This study utilized a pre- and post-intervention approach to …

Fabrication And Evaluation Of Multicomponent Biomimetic Scaffolds For Bone Tissue Engineering, Mozan Osman Hassan

Dissertations

Bones have an inherent ability to remodel, but critical-size defects can hinder regeneration, leading to delayed healing or non-union fractures. Traditional bone grafts have limitations, such as donor site morbidity and immune rejection, driving the need for synthetic bone substitutes. Bone tissue engineering (BTE) addresses this by developing biomimetic scaffolds that replicate bone properties. This research aimed to fabricate composite scaffolds from strontium (Sr) and zinc (Zn) doped nano-hydroxyapatite (nHAp), collagen, and poly(lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA). Different doping percentages of Sr/Zn (1%, 2.5%, 4%) were used to fabricate the scaffolds using supercritical CO2 (ScCO2) and electrospinning techniques. Scaffolds were then analyzed for …

The Effect Of A Self-Guided Simulation Tool On Anxiety Related To Clincal Practice Among Baccalaureate Nursing Students During Their First Clinical Rotation, Karen M. Vargas

Dissertations

Research has demonstrated that anxiety can have a detrimental effect on learning and performance. Of great concern is the impact of anxiety on nursing students. By extension, additional research has shown that nursing students experience extremely high levels of anxiety, higher than many students in other programs. Specifically, nursing students have moderate to severe levels of anxiety due to many aspects of the educational program, but particularly when beginning clinical practice. Anxiety when beginning clinical practice among nursing students can cause negative outcomes in learning and performance. That is, when nursing students experience severe anxiety, they may experience the inability …

An Exploration Of The Influence Of Nursing Education Culture On The Integration Of Nursing Informatics Competencies Into A Collaborative Nursing Program Curriculum, Stephanie Atthill

Dissertations

Information communication technologies are becoming a customary part of the way in which nurses provide care. Consequently, it makes good sense to ensure that nursing informatics competencies are integrated into nursing curricula to prepare graduates for practice. However, few schools of nursing within Canada have fully integrated nursing informatics competencies into their curricula. Nursing education culture appears to influence decision-making, and the development of organizational priorities. Nonetheless, there are no known studies examining how nursing education culture impacts nursing informatics curriculum development endeavours. Therefore, this study aimed to address the following research questions: 1) In what ways does a nursing …

Nursing Faculty Members' Intentional Use Of Strategies That Promote Civility In The Bsn Classroom, Linda-Jo Pallotto-Russo

Dissertations

The purpose of this case study was to gain an understanding of nursing faculty members' intentional use of three research-based strategies that have been shown to promote civility in the BSN classroom. Specifically, Ajzen's (1985) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) was used to analyze nursing faculty members' reports of their attitudes, normative beliefs, and control beliefs about the use of three research-based strategies that have been shown to promote civility in their classroom. Azjen theorized that individuals base their behaviors on intention and intentions are based on the individuals' attitudes toward the behavior, their perceptions of how others wanted them …

The Effect Of Attitudinal Dynamics Of Inpatient Nurses On The Use Of A Mobile Electronic Health Record, Mark Ambler

Dissertations

The implementations and ongoing use of mobile information systems could enhance nursing workflows at the point of care. However, when a system is not perceived as easy to use or useful, the frequency of its use is decreased. This non-experimental quantitative study conducted a survey of inpatient bedside nurses and nurse leaders to determine how their perceptions and attitudes affected the use of mobile technology. Statistically significant positive correlations were found when the participants were asked if the mobile system gave them greater control over their work. A statistically significant relationship was found between bedside nurses and nurse leaders, where …

Student Nurse Perspectives On The Impact Of Longitudinal Home Visits To People With Dementia And Their Carers, Wendy J. Grosvenor

Dissertations

Multiple deficits have been identified in dementia education by UK policy makers and, from September 2015, the Department of Health mandated that undergraduate healthcare curricula included dementia. Here I explore one particular novel approach, the Time for Dementia Programme, which had at its core longitudinal learning from people with dementia and their carers.

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of visits to the homes of people with dementia and their carers as part of the Time for Dementia Programme. To do this it explored adult nursing students' perceptions of their professional learning and practice and career destination.

A Delphi Study On The Use Of Simulation In Undergraduate Nursing Education, Diana L. Bailey

Dissertations

The lack of traditional clinical sites for nursing students has prompted a surge in simulation as an innovative teaching strategy in undergraduate nursing education. The International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INASCL) developed the INACSL Standards of Best Practice: SimulationSM to direct schools of nursing in implementing high-quality simulations. As simulated experiences replace traditional clinical experiences, it is imperative that simulated experiences replicate real-life patient scenarios. The purpose of this Delphi study was to establish consensus on the use of the INACSL Standards of Best Practice: Simulation in undergraduate nursing education. The conceptual frameworks guiding this study were …

Screening, Brief Intervention, And Referral To Treatment For Pregnant Women, Rebekah Feeney

Dissertations

Abstract

Background: In the United States, 10-20% of pregnant women reported using drugs during pregnancy. Current recommendations are to screen for drug use in all patients and provide a brief intervention and referral to treatment. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the impact of implementing a standardized screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) protocol for first-trimester pregnant patients who are seen in the obstetrical department.

Methods: The Tobacco, Alcohol, Prescription Medication, and Other Substance Use (TAPS) screening tool was administered to first-trimester pregnant women, 13-45 years of age, seen in the obstetrical department from …

Screening For Depression Post Acute Coronary Syndrome, Alyssa Graham

Dissertations

Background: Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and depression have profound impacts on patient outcomes. Patients who experience ACS are at increased risk of developing depression, which is associated with an increased risk of death and recurrent cardiac events. The evidence following ACS events promotes routine depression screening. The purpose of this project was to identify early depression in patients 65-99 years of age who had a recent diagnosis of ACS during their hospitalization.

Methods: This quality improvement (QI) project was a prospective descriptive observational design implementing a depression screening protocol to evaluate post-ACS referrals within 7-14 days of screening from February …

An Insider's Perspective To Mentoring Novice Math And Science Teachers In A University Mentoring Program: A Self-Study, Krishna R. Millsapp

Dissertations

Novice teachers benefit from individualized and cohort mentoring to help them successfully navigate student teaching and the first years of independent teaching. However, schools are experiencing a rise in attrition rates post-pandemic, especially in math and science. Mentoring, goal setting, and community-building are deemed important for retaining novices and providing them with individualized support as they navigate instructional challenges and professional responsibilities. This self-study investigates the experiences of a mentor while leading a new Professional Development & Mentoring Program for math and science novices. Educative mentoring and Hegarty’s Reflective framework helped guide the reflections of the mentor as mentoring strategies …

Service-Learning's Impact On The Development Of Undergraduate Nursing Students' Soft Skills, Cheryl A. Passel

Dissertations

This mixed-methods study through a constructivist lens, focused the actions, thoughts, and perspectives of undergraduate nursing students who participated in one nursing course with a service-learning component. The four-fold purpose of this study was to answer the following questions: (1) As a teaching strategy, how does one undergraduate nursing course with a service-learning component enhance the development of soft nursing skills? (2) How were empathy and self-awareness evident in the students who participated in this study? (3) What did these students do, say, and feel that gave evidence of any development of soft skills? (4) How did the soft skills …

Examining The Adjustment And Coping Trajectories In Healthy Siblings Of Children With Life-Threatening Conditions, Joanne Tay

Dissertations

Siblings of children with life-threatening conditions are often referred to as "forgotten" mourners as focus tends to be on the ill child and parents. With limited knowledge about siblings' experience, it is challenging to provide appropriate supports.

The purpose of this dissertation was to examine and expand current evidence about siblings' experiences to guide research and clinical practice.

The Lived Experience Of Faculy Support With Generation Z Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Amy Shearer

Dissertations

Baccalaureate nursing education requires a high level of academic performance for both acceptance and completion of the program. Nursing students often identify faculty as a source of support to persevere through this rigorous educational program. In 2013, a new generation of students entered nursing education: Generation Z. It is unclear as to how the unique characteristic of Generation Z will align or differ with Millennial nursing students regarding their need for faculty support. Husserl's descriptive phenomenological method was used to explore pre-licensure baccalaureate Generation Z nursing student experiences of faculty support.

Clinical Nurse Experts' Experience Of Transitioning To The Novice Nurse Educator Role, Crystal Toll

Dissertations

Clinical nurse experts are often recruited into educator roles based solely on clinical expertise. Without support and mentorship, clinical nurse experts struggled with transitioning into the educator role. The purpose of this study was to understand the experience of new nurse educators' transition from a clinical nurse expert to novice nurse educator and to examine the perceptions of supports and barriers. Transitional theory provided the conceptual framework and informed the development of the interview protocol. The research questions focused on the experience of transitioning from expert to novice and on identifying supports and barriers that influenced transition. Using a case …

The Meaning Of Life’S Broken Fragments: A Constructive Theology Of Fragmentation Grounded In Dietrich Bonhoeffer’S Theological Ethics, Meghan Toomey

Dissertations

Understood comprehensively, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s legacy offers contemporary American Catholicism a contextual approach to theological ethics that can meaningfully inform the development of an ethics of resistance to totalitarian and pseudo-religious forces that dominate U.S. politics today. Unfortunately, Catholic scholarship on Bonhoeffer overall has failed to grasp the full scope of his work and to incorporate his biography and the historical and theological context in which he lived. This dissertation brings Bonhoeffer into dialogue with modern and postmodern American Catholic theological contexts, specifically engaging Bonhoeffer’s concept of analogia relationis, his incarnational Christocentrism, and his embrace of contextual ambiguity. This dissertation is …

Experiences Of School Climate Among Sexual Minority Students Of Color, Brandon Westerman

Dissertations

Since the 1980’s educational research regarding sexual minority students has continued to expand. Researchers have found that school climate can have a profound impact on sexual minority students’ outcomes, including their mental health and academic success. However, much of the research on the effects of school climate upon sexual minority students consists of studies that are predominantly composed of White participants, or the researchers do not address other aspects of participant identity. Based on the concept of intersectionality, it is known that an individual’s experiences are shaped by all their identities, not just a singular one. The purpose of this …

Jesus, The Temple, And Early Christian Memory, Scott K. Brevard

Dissertations

Jewish identity during the Second Temple period (515 BCE – 70 CE) was complex, multifaceted, and variable, but many studies of this period treat Jewish attitudes toward one key feature, the Jerusalem temple, as simple and uniform. I aim to complicate this notion by examining early Christian traditions of Jesus’s relationship with the temple. Early Christian memory constructed, transformed, and transmitted traditions about the past into their present contexts. Examining early Christian memory, as represented by canonical and non-canonical gospel traditions in the first three centuries CE, allows scholars to ask how certain figures, institutions, or beliefs were remembered and …

“I Really Like The Idea Of Being The Source Of Change”: The Perspectives Of Black And Latine Youth Experiencing Low Income About How Personal Change Occurs In Out-Of-School Group Programs, Kevin Miller

Dissertations

Structured out-of-school programs (OSPs) can be contexts in which youth can be producers of their own positive change (Eccles & Gootman, 2002). However, despite a considerable body of research documenting the benefits of participating in OSPs, there is a lack of knowledge about how youth of color in low-income communities define positive personal change in OSP settings. As a result, many OSPs and interventions designed for youth of color rely on adult practitioners’ or researchers’ perspectives of the change process, which may weaken program impact and fail to holistically meet youths’ developmental needs. This study uses a critical realist scientific …

A Womanist Narrative Ethics Of Survival: An Exploration In African American Meaning Making, Lashaunda Janeice Reese

Dissertations

This project creates a womanist narrative ethics of survival framework using literary analysis, sociological and theological comparisons, and reflections on moral dilemmas in fiction and history. Steeped in the African American woman’s experiential perspective, this framework provides an alternative viewpoint through which to examine and analyze ethical issues arising in the context of marginalized bodies. Integrating the Christian faith, the history of chattel slavery in the United States, and the expanding field of African American literature and literary theory, this work posits that fiction provides a rich platform to work through thick moral dilemmas, affording a concrete ethical framework to …

Racializing Digital Campus Spaces: A Critical Phenomenological Approach To Understanding (Re)Production Of Whiteness In Digital Campus Ecology, Victoria Elizabeth Callais

Dissertations

The landscape of higher education campus environments continues to change as student populations diversify (Parsons, 2023; Renn & Reason, 2013) and campus spaces extend into the digital realm. This critical phenomenological study examined organizational features that racialize digital campus ecology by examining the phenomena of interest, racialized digital campus spaces (RDCS). Through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with undergraduate students that focused on their experiences with RDCS and semi-structured interviews with administrators that focused on the organizational infrastructure and campus digital culture, findings revealed a complex understanding of campus ecology when reflecting on issues around race. I introduce Augmented Reality …

Addressing Gatekeeping Challenges In Counselor Education: A Grounded Theory, Vanessa Pauline Gill

Dissertations

This constructivist grounded theory study explored how counselor educators navigate remediation and gatekeeping challenges in CACREP-accredited programs. Fifteen counselor educators with at least one challenging gatekeeping experience participated in semi-structured interviews conducted via Zoom. All interviews were recorded and transcripts were completed. Data was analyzed using grounded theory methodology and analysis efforts were organized using the MAXQDA 2024 software. Data analysis involving constant comparison methods and memo-writing generated an emerging theory describing counselor educators’ journey from uncertainty to increased confidence in addressing remediation issues. The theory illuminates how experiential learning, reflective practice, and supportive professional relationships inform this developmental process. …

Infertility’S Impact On Couples’ Functioning, Elizabeth Sanders

Dissertations

Historically, infertility has been a taboo topic of discussion and is often avoided in conversation because of the stigmatization of the diagnosis. According to the World Health Organization (2022), infertility affects 186 million individuals globally. However, there seems to be a gap in the research as it pertains to the psychological well-being and treatment of men and women diagnosed with this condition. While it has become less of a feared topic, it still is not discussed or researched enough, thus further exacerbating the gap in research on mental health and treatment options. The following dissertation completed a critical review of …

Investigating The Neurovascular Correlates Of Cognitive Function In Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury Using Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy, Donna Yali Chen

Dissertations

Individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) have a 13 times greater risk of cognitive impairment than able-bodied individuals and commonly report symptoms of depression and anxiety. The reports of cognitive impairment in individuals with SCI are independent of concomitant brain injury. Although the direct cause of cognitive impairment in individuals with SCI is unknown, key contributors may include comorbid depression, chronic pain, anxiety, fatigue, brain injury, or cardiovascular dysfunction. Previous studies have focused on SCI at the level of the spinal cord but have under-investigated the supraspinal levels. Due to the lack of neuroimaging studies on SCI rehabilitation, it is …

Enhancing Community Flood Resilience By Incorporating Landscape Hydrological Sensitivity And Connectivity, Wenlong Feng

Dissertations

Rapid urban expansion and dramatic climate change have significantly increased the intensity and frequency of floods worldwide. With rising flood risks, conventional flood defense strategies that rely on structural measures become ineffective. The present designations for flood-prone areas, such as FEMA's flood maps, are becoming unreliable. Flood risk management is shifting toward enhancing community flood resilience, highlighting the importance of non-structural approaches. Landscape resilience has become a foundation of community flood resilience. However, past urban development typically undermined natural hydro-ecological functions and landscape resilience because of poor recognition of landscapes' ecological role, hydrological sensitivity, and hydrological connections. This study aims …