Nursing Diversity: The Knowledge Of Cultural Diversity And Its Impact On The Interaction Level Within The Nursing Workforce, Wadea H. Beheri

Dissertations

The healthcare industry is increasingly diverse in the workforce and the patient population. Diversity is both an asset and a challenge. Nursing shortages make it imperative that diversity be leveraged to improve the interaction among nursing colleagues and nursing retention. This study investigated the impact of diversity on the interaction level among nurses, the impact of this interaction on potential nursing turnover, and the influence of cultural diversity on multicultural sensitivity.

Peer Collaborative Clinical Decision-Making In Virtual Reality Nursing Simualtion, Thye Peng Ngo

Dissertations

In nursing education, it is common for students to collaborate and make decisions as a group in simulations. One of the vital nursing competencies is students' ability to make sound clinical judgments and decision-making in simulation. Teamwork among students in simulation significantly affects their critical thinking and clinical reasoning. However, how students collaborate and make decisions in simulation is a complex phenomenon and not well studied and understood. In addition, most existing decision-making frameworks, such as Tanner's Clinical Judgment Model and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing's Clinical Judgment Measurement Model, focus solely on individual decision-making. Alternatively, teamwork …

Deficit-Oriented Language Use: Understanding The Effects Of Deficit-Oriented Labeling On First-Generation Students, Jeff Foulkes, Jeff Foulkes

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this sequential mixed methods study was to describe how first- generation undergraduate college students perceive that deficit-oriented and strengths- based language has impacted them during their first year of study. A further purpose of this study was to identify how these students overcome the negative influences that are associated with deficit-oriented language.

Methodology: A sequential mixed methods research design was chosen to address the research questions for this study. Using a convenience sampling approach, the survey was disseminated to all first-year students in a specific program at a single university. Once the quantitative survey data were …

The Impact Of Social-Emotional Competence On Academic Achievement And Career Success Within Urban School Systems, Lashanda R. Boone, Keesha Byrd, Susan Grimes, Jamesha Purdiman, Cierra Wourman

Dissertations

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the critical role of social-emotional learning (SEL) in urban education through the lens of educators working in a diverse middle school setting in St. Louis, Missouri. With a focus on understanding educators' perceptions and experiences, this study aims to explore the effectiveness of SEL programs in addressing the various needs of students, particularly those from marginalized communities. The researchers use a qualitative approach, utilizing surveys with open-ended questions to gather insights from middle school teachers, counselors, support staff, and administrators. The study dove into various aspects of SEL implementation through rigorous data collection and analysis, including …

A Phenomenological Study On The Effectiveness Of Induction Programs To Prepare Second- And Third-Year Teachers To Meet The Needs Of All Students After The Covid-19 Pandemic, Mary Henschel

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative descriptive study was to identify and describe how second- and third-year elementary school teachers who participated in induction programs perceived the efficacy of the induction programs in preparing them to design and implement effective instructional programs to meet the needs of all students after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methodology: This phenomenological qualitative descriptive study explored and described second- and third-year teachers participating in induction programs to learn how the induction programs support new teachers after the COVID-19 pandemic. Using convenience sampling, structured interviews were held with 12 participants from Los Angeles County to learn …

Nursing Faculty Experience With Current Retention Strategies And Interventions: A Qualitative Study, Monique Mccurvin

Dissertations

Nursing faculty shortage is a growing concern in the nursing profession. The effects of insufficient nursing faculty are the declining numbers of nursing students admitted to nursing schools. Nursing faculty shortage precipitates the nursing shortage and further threatens public health. Government and private agencies have implemented strategies to retain nursing faculty; however, it is imperative to understand how they respond to the strategies in place and if the strategies influence them to stay. To answer the research question and sub-questions, what hygiene factors (for example physical/emotional work environment, interpersonal interactions, salary, job satisfaction, job security) influence experienced nurse educators' decision …

Exploring Evidence-Based Practice Norms Among Bedside Nurses In Magnet-Designated Hospitals: A Q Methodology Study, Rachel Ramsey

Dissertations

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a recognized standard of professional nursing due to its positive impact on care quality and patient outcomes. Despite ongoing efforts to maximize EBP at the point of care, current estimates indicate that only 30% of healthcare decisions are evidence-based. Individual and organizational factors are commonly identified for their influences on EBP in nursing, but group factors have been largely unexplored. Group-level factors, such as norms, are essential to investigations of phenomena that occur within multilevel organizations (i.e., hospitals) where individuals work in groups. Understanding the EBP norms that emerge among groups of nurses in direct care …

A Delphi Study To Explore Successful Implementation Of The International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme From A Principal's Perspective, Hilary Reynolds

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify the essential elements needed to implement the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (IB PYP) standards and practices from the perspective of elementary school principals who have successfully implemented the programme.

Methodology: This research study examined the essential elements needed for elementary schools as they transition to an IB PYP. This study illustrated the framework for the implementation of the study. Additionally, a description of the population, target population, and the sample used for the study was explored. The instrumentation, data collection procedures, and description of data analysis were then explained. …

A Descriptive Study Of The Effects Of Exposure To Violence In An Inner City Community On Aspects Of Adolescent Identity Development During This Critical Phase, Deborah L. Schiavone

Dissertations

Inner city youths are at particular risk for violence. The social effects of violence on our adolescents have profound implications on their development, now and as they mature into adulthood. The purpose of this study was to describe the effects of exposure to violence in an inner city community on aspects of adolescent identity development during this critical phase. The collection of data was pursued to answer specific questions: (a) what are adolescents' experiences with exposure to violence in their community as revealed in their self narratives, (b) what interpretations and meanings do adolescents ascribe to their exposure to violence …

The Postsecondary Success Of Historically Marginalized Black And Latino Male Students: Examining Factors That Impact College Readiness Preparation And Persistence, Molly Croghan, Ebonie Davis, Janci Finkley, Zehra Khan, Yvette Levy, Evans Mudanya, Lizbeth Roman

Dissertations

This qualitative research study investigates the multifaceted factors influencing the postsecondary success of historically marginalized Black and Latino male students, with a particular emphasis on understanding the impact of college readiness preparation and persistence. Employing a comprehensive research design, the study integrates semi-structured interviews with high school teachers and counselors, and Black and Latino male freshmen and sophomores to provide a holistic exploration of the challenges and opportunities within the educational journey. Situated within an interpretive phenomenological paradigm, this study elucidates the experiential realities and viewpoints of the subjects, thereby illuminating the socio-cultural, institutional, and individual factors shaping their trajectories …

Exploring Nurses' Perceptions Of Nursing Presence In The Mental Health Setting, Joy Scharfman

Dissertations

Nursing presence is a core relational phenomenon in nursing. It involves devoting attention to being with and connecting with another, which is essential for providing holistic, person-centered care. There is scant research on the experience of nurses practicing in mental health settings who use presence in the care they provide.

This research aims to understand the lived experience of nurses providing nursing care and engaging with presence in the mental health setting.

The Process Of Restoring Personal Integrity: Mitigating The Emotional Cost Of Medical Errors, Marie M. Prothero

Dissertations

This constructivist grounded-theory study was conducted to explore the emotional response to and recovery process following a medical error causing harm to a patient. The study participants were 37 registered nurses (30 women and 7 men), and unstructured interviews provided rich, detailed data. Through an inductive analysis of these errors, a taxonomy of errors is proposed. The Circumstance of Error Model was developed, and five distinct error circumstances were identified: accidental, unanticipated, distracted, unrecognized/unknown, and external. By linking the circumstances of error types with the recovery process, new insights were obtained. These insights resulted in a theory, reestablishing competency, that …

Nonprofit Leader Experiences In Sector-Bending After Lean Six Sigma Training: Tension, Concepts, And Changed Behaviors, Beverly Codallos

Dissertations

Government, business, and nonprofit represent three distinct types of organizations governed by different legal frameworks designed to facilitate collective action (DiMaggio & Anheier, 1990). The emergence of hybrid forms and increasing isomorphic pressures in the nonprofit sector (Bromley & Meyer, 2017; McCambridge, 2014) have challenged the traditional separation of organizational forms. This study explored the phenomenon popularized as sector-bending, “a wide variety of approaches, activities, and relationships that are blurring the distinctions between nonprofit and for-profit organizations, either because they are behaving more similarly, operating in the same realms, or both” (Dees & Anderson, 2003, pg. 16). This qualitative study …

South Asian Women Together In A Health Initiative (Sathi): A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial, Abida R. Dhukai

Dissertations

Canadian South Asian women have high rates of cardiovascular disease and low rates of physical activity. The primary objective of this study was to assess feasibility (recruitment, retention, engagement, acceptability) of the South Asian women Together in a Health Initiative (SATHI) using the Medical Research Council's guidance framework. The secondary objectives were to determine potential effects of SATHI on physical activity, anthropometric risk, and self efficacy. Exploratory analysis of the relationship of self-efficacy and step count was also undertaken.

SATHI was a 12-week pilot randomized controlled trial of South Asian women, ages 24-39, in the …

Improving Adjunct Nursing Instructors' Knowledge Of Student Assessment In Clinical Courses, Kelly Vowell Johnson

Dissertations

Utilization of adjunct nursing instructors to teach clinical courses is a common occurrence in nursing programs. Adjunct clinical instructors are often expert clinicians, but they have limited experience in teaching and lack the expertise needed to be successful in the educator role, such as knowledge of student assessment. Faculty development programs that focus on student assessment can provide adjunct clinical faculty members with the necessary knowledge to become effective educators and ensure student, faculty, and program success.

The purpose of this study was to examine to what extent a faculty development workshop on evaluating students in clinical courses affected adjunct …

The Role Transition Characteristics Of New Registered Nurses: A Study Of Work Environment Influences And Individual Traits, Martin S. Manno

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore how the environmental influences and individual traits of new registered nurses within the first year of clinical practice create positive and negative performance outcomes in the areas of clinical competence, confidence, retention and job satisfaction.

The Complexities Of Using Digital Game-Based Learning For Writing Instruction: An Exploratory Multiple-Case Study Of Two Teachers, Sean D. Bowden

Dissertations

Digital game-based learning (DGBL) is an innovative learning approach for engaging and teaching students across various content areas. There is a shortfall in the extant literature on DGBL for writing instruction specifically. The purpose of this exploratory multiple-case study was to gain a greater understanding of (a) how teachers plan and deliver writing instruction using a DGBL approach, (b) how they evaluate the impact DGBL has on students’ writing, and (c) the shared experiences two teachers have with using DGBL for writing in two different contexts. Flow theory, activity theory, and TPACK comprised this study's theoretical foundation.

Two teachers with …

Student–Faculty Engagement Solutions For Retention Of Racially Minoritized Students, Rayza Rolon Nieves, Kevin M. Wathen, Jordan M. Watson, Shanee E. Haynes

Dissertations

This qualitative study examined the importance of student–faculty interactions for racially minoritized students. Persistent challenges in low retention rates for racially minoritized students have been a focal point of scholarly investigation for decades (Carey, 2004; Kinzie et al., 2008). Despite research indicating that engagement between students and faculty is crucial for improving student retention, these interactions are constrained (Cox et al., 2010). The presence of effective student–faculty engagement can foster students’ persistence, while the absence of engagement can create a negative academic experience, especially for racially minoritized students.

Tinto’s theory of student departure (1975, 1987, 1993) is one of the …

Splanchnic Oxygenation And Feeding Intolerance In The Very Low Birthweight Infant, Melissa C. Dollings

Dissertations

Feeding intolerance is common in preterm infants but can be an ominous precursor of necrotizing enterocolitis, a life-threatening gastrointestinal disease. The definition and management of feeding intolerance vary widely. This research examined the relationship between feeding intolerance, intrauterine factors, extrauterine factors, and intestinal immaturity and circulatory immaturity in the premature, very low birthweight infant. It also explored the use of splanchnic oxygenation (a marker of intestinal perfusion) as an objective measure of feeding intolerance.

The Effects Of A Same Gender And Same Race Coaching Intervention On The Resilience Of Black Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Sagine Bien-Aimé

Dissertations

Reports from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) and National Academy of Medicine (NAM) state that it is important to increase the number of underrepresented racial minorities in the health professions. Although the Black population is increasing in the United States, Black students continue to be underrepresented in nursing. Researchers indicate that when Black students are supported in positive environments and with accessible coaching, academic success may be fostered. It is important to understand the extent to which students are resilient. An evidence-based virtual coaching intervention may lead to increased resilience and academic success. Accordingly, the influence of …

Development Of A Model To Guide The Implementation Of Simulation-Based Education In Under-Resourced Nursing Education Institutions In Lesotho, Pule Solomon Moabi

Dissertations

The changing landscape of nursing education to competency-based education has strengthened the importance of simulation learning in the process of developing the required graduate competencies. In Lesotho, simulation-based education was adopted in 2012 with the support of external experts but with no clearly defined model to suit resource-constrained nursing education institutions.

To develop a model that will guide implementation of simulation-based education for resource-constrained nursing education institutions in Lesotho.

Experience Of Parents Caring For A Chid With An Acquired Disability, Brad Phillips

Dissertations

Parents caring for a child with an acquired disability often report a negative impact on physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual health associated with caregiver burden related to their child's complex health needs. This is further complicated by additional challenges related to the loss of a previously healthy child. Traditional patterns of loss follow linear, time-bound stages that have been observed to be unrelated to the experiences of these specific parents and their families. Therefore, the concept transforming loss has been developed to better understand how these parents navigate loss and find meaning in spite of their suffering.

The purpose of …

Effects Of A Nurse-Led Transitional Rehabilitation Programme (4cs-Tburp) For Adult Burn Survivors: A Pilot Randomised Controlled Trial, Jonathan Bayuo

Dissertations

Rehabilitation is a key component of burn care which seeks to improve functional outcomes and optimise the post-burn recovery process. Burns rehabilitation is in a young stage in Mainland China, and it is only in recent years that it is considered a significant part of burns management. Rehabilitative support, where available, is often passive with a significant emphasis on managing only physical problems. The emergence of the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) heightened this gap as it led to either suspension or limited availability of outpatient services. Subsequently, post-burn recovery outcomes, including quality of life, psychological functioning, sleep pattern, and physical role …

Regert And Police Reporting Among Individuals Who Have Experienced Sexual Assault, Carol Anne Marchetti

Dissertations

Sexual assault (SA) is the most widely underreported violent crime in the United States. Reporting is significant because it is through this process that people access resources that can mitigate psychiatric and other health consequences of SA. The purpose of this study was to describe regret among individuals who have experienced SA regarding their decision of whether or not to report the assault to the police. The Ottawa Decision Support Framework underpins this study and posits that evaluation of regret, a powerful negative emotion, influences the decision-making process.

New Graduate Nurses' Described Experiences Of Coping With Stress In The Clinical Setting, Leticia D. Acevedo

Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore how new graduate nurses describe their experiences of coping with stress in the clinical setting. The theoretical foundation for this study was the Lazarus and Folkman stress, appraisal, and coping theory. The main research question for this study was: How do new graduate nurses describe their experiences of coping with stress in the clinical setting based on the Lazarus and Folkman stress, appraisal, and coping theory? Four underlying research questions were drawn from the theoretical foundation to address how the new graduate nurses cope with stress based on the concepts …

Returning To School After A Pandemic: K-6 Special Education Teachers Perspectives On Students With Disabilities Returning To School In Regard To Mindset, Behavior, Social Connections, And Academic Achievement, Andrea Xenios

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to determine K-6 special education educators’ perceptions of the impact on students with disabilities returning to school after the trauma of a pandemic for 2 years with regard to behavior, academic achievement, mindset, and social connections.

Methodology: This qualitative study interviewed 10 special education teachers who taught before, during, and after the pandemic in Orange County, CA. Semi-structured open ended interview questions was the main source of data collection with other sources including observations, and artifacts. Data was coded and the researcher analyzed the data for themes and patterns.

Findings: The study …

Help Or Hindrance: Latinx College Graduates’ From Stem Majors Perceptions Of University Culture Following Vincent Tinto’S Theoretical Framework Of Student Persistence, Carmen Gonzalez, Carmen Lucia Gonzalez

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore how Latinx college graduates who have achieved STEM degrees perceive the culture of their university and the STEM program they were enrolled in as supporting or not supporting a Latinx college student’s persistence to graduation.

Methodology: A qualitative phenomenological approach was the methodology selected for this study. This phenomenological research captured and described the lived experiences of study participants through interviews and artifacts.

Findings: The findings of this research illustrate (a) Research participants all perceived that creating relationships with STEM program faculty was important in supporting them toward degree completion, …

A Study Of Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Reflection On Their Caring Practice Through Creating And Sharing Story, Poetry, And Art, A. Lynne Wagner

Dissertations

Aesthetic approaches to reflective practice are not well understood nor widely used in nursing education. This descriptive, qualitative, multiple-case study investigated three baccalaureate nursing students' experience reflecting on practice through story, artistic expression, and sharing and how such reflection influenced their perception of caring. Data, collected and transcribed over 14 weeks, included interviews with each participant, the participants' written stories, poetry, art, and journals, as well as the researcher's participant observation of each class. In each case, thematic patterns around process, product, and meaning emerged and appropriate exemplars were identified. Data synthesis further led to a multi-case understanding of process, …

A Novel Data Fusion Fr Amework To Enhance Contextual Awareness Of The Autonomous Vehicles For Accurate Decision Making, Henry Alexander Ignatious

Dissertations

Autonomous driving has the potential to bring significant changes and benefits to various aspects of transportation. Autonomous vehicles (AVs) use a combination of advanced sensors, cameras, radar, lidar, GPS, maps, and AI algorithms to perceive their environment, make decisions, and control their movements. Though there is a significant increase in the AVs utility, there are several challenges associated with the AVs among which ensuring safety and security for a reliable drive is still an existing challenge. The majority of accidents involving the AVs result from faulty decision-making resulting in fatal incidents. Multiple elements contribute to the flawed decision-making in autonomous …

Playing God: A Phenomenological Study Of Women's Decision-Making Regarding Selective Reduction Of Higher Order Multiple Pregnancies, Kate Collopy

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore women's experiences regarding their decisions to undergo or forgo selective reduction of their higher order multiple pregnancies. The purposive sample consisted of seven women who had conceived higher order multiple pregnancies as the result of in vitro fertilization. Four participants had chosen to undergo reduction while three participants opted to forgo reduction. Van Manen's (1990) phenomenological method was used for data collection and analysis. Participants were asked to respond to the question, "What was it like to make the decision whether or not to reduce your higher order multiple pregnancy?"