Digital Commons Network^™

Understanding The Structure And Dynamics Of Conjugated Polymers By Deuteration And Neutron Scattering, Zhiqiang Cao

Dissertations

Semiconducting conjugated polymers (CPs) open opportunities to develop a new generation of lightweight, printable, low-cost, deformable, and large-area electronic devices. CPs are characterized by complex chain dynamics and heterogeneous molecular structure with large degrees of conformational freedom.

Chain conformation (i.e., chain rigidity and local backbone planarity) dictates the delocalized electron cloud along the polymer backbone which greatly influences the optical and electronic properties of conjugated polymers. For the first time, we indicate that using variable-temperature scattering and spectroscopy characterizations allows confirmation of the single-chain state to measure the molecular chain conformations. We found a critical role of side chains and …

Social Spaces, Places, And Substance Use In Shaping Queer Identities, Alessandra Milagros Early

Dissertations

Research has suggested that queer people may be more likely than their cisgender heterosexual counterparts to use substances. Largely, these higher rates are commonly explained through frameworks of victimization or (ab)use that render substance use as a form of coping or inherently problematic. While some queer people do use substances to cope, the social spaces, places, and contexts in which use often occurs are often obscured or ignored. More recently, contemporary queer criminologists have explored queer substance use and have considered how it is intimately linked to social space, place, identity formation, and community building. This dissertation draws from queer …

Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Experiences With Online Case-Based Learning (Cbl) During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jessica Verplaetse

Dissertations

In spring 2020, in-person learning for nursing students was canceled in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. All courses, including clinical courses, abruptly transitioned to online formats. A significant gap in the literature exists regarding baccalaureate (BSN) nursing students' experiences with online learning during this timeframe. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore BSN students' experiences with online learning during the spring 2020 semester.

Out Of The Briar Patch: Diffusion And Sustainability Of Nurse-Managed Practice, Linda Campbell

Dissertations

Community-based nurse-managed practice (CBNMP) offers local populations the opportunity to contract directly with professional nurses for primary health care services. Despite provision of high quality care below the average cost of primary care providers, an estimated 21 percent decline in the number of academic CBNMPs was documented between 1989 and 1998.

A multiple case study was conducted to address the overall research question: What factors are believed to facilitate or hinder the innovation development process of CBNMP in prevalent practice contexts? A model synthesizing concepts from the Theory of Diffusion of Innovations and the Theory of Community as Partner was …

Vicarious Learning And Perceived Self-Efficacy Among Pre-Licensure Nursing Students During Pediatric End-Of-Life Situations, Stephanie Clark

Dissertations

Despite decades of acknowledgement among nursing academics and organizations, end-of-life (EOL) nursing education is significantly lacking. Insufficient EOL care education leaves nursing students feeling ill-prepared to adequately care for clients and their loved ones at EOL. Though the literature reveals a recent increase in didactic and simulation-related EOL education sporadically being integrated into nursing curricula, minimal research addresses important topics of pediatric EOL care and provision of therapeutic communication, considered critical to EOL care. End-of-life clinical experiences, particularly in pediatrics, are limited for pre-licensure nursing students. Though effective, simulations can be costly and timely to execute, are restricted by limited …

Online Education: Benefits And Challenges For Refugee Students, Roza Badritdinova

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Currently, only 3% of refugees are pursuing higher education opportunities compared to the 37% higher education participation rate globally. There is an urgent need for quality academic work to leave behind the endless descriptive accounts of refugee life and move toward identifying effective strategies and successful solutions that could facilitate the integration of refugees into higher education. Technology has proffered some hope in providing access to public education for marginalized populations. This study looked specifically at how one online education organization attempts to address refugee education and multiple barriers that prevent the majority of the world’s university-age refugee youth …

Sociodemographic And Health-Related Risks For Loneliness And Outcome Differences By Loneliness Status In A Sample Of Older U.S. Adults, Laurie A. Theeke

Dissertations

Loneliness is a prevalent problem for older adults and has been shown to be associated with negative physical, psychological, and social variables. There has been limited research focusing on the relationship of loneliness to health. There is a gap in the literature when it comes to understanding how the problem of loneliness relates to the health of older adults in the United States.

The purpose of this study was to address this gap in the literature through the testing of two models, the first model represented the postulated risks for loneliness and the second model represented the postulated outcomes for …

The Relationships Between And Among Parental Perceptions Of Family-Centered Care, Parental Beliefs, And Parental Stress In The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Kelly Keefe-Marcoux

Dissertations

Children hospitalized for critical care require increasingly complex and technical care, which can be very stressful for parents. Awareness of the importance of parents' role while their child is receiving critical care is vital to deliver care within a family-centered philosophy that is mutually beneficial to parents and nurses. This descriptive correlational study examined the relationships between and among parental perception of Family-Centered Care (FCC) nursing practices, parental beliefs regarding their role and their hospitalized child, and parental stress during their child's admission to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). This study utilized the Family-Centered Care theoretical framework to examine …

Evaluating Middle School English Language Learners’ Science And Literacy Proficiency, Yasemin Ozkaya

Dissertations

The academic success and English proficiency of ELL students are receiving more attention as a result of the growing number of ELL students and the demand for accountability and assessment in education. It is widely accepted that ELL students struggle on state standardized tests because they lack the cognitive academic language abilities needed to succeed on extensive subject evaluations (Thakkar, 2013). According to Abedi and Dietel, ELLs' academic performance lags behind that of other segments of population, and the attainment gap reduces only slightly over time (2004).

The NWEA archival data of 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students who attended …

Novel Corrosion Detection Methods For Understanding Polymer Model Coatings During Immersion, Christopher Scanlon

Dissertations

Coatings mitigate corrosion on assets in varied environments by acting as barriers to aggressive molecules while maintaining adherence to the asset substrate. Eventually, the coatings will be breached or defects in the coatings will transition into breaches. Then, the performance of breached coatings no longer depends on film barrier properties, but on the lateral (x, y-axis) resistance to cathodic delamination as a new type of adherence strength at the polymer-substrate interface. The adherence strength in turn mitigates substrate dissolution (corrosion). Currently, the literature lacks a direct means to detect the earliest onset of coating failure using a nondestructive method and …

Claiming Health: Mammography-Screening Decision Making Of Older, Urban African-American Women, Barbara A. Fowler

Dissertations

There have been few researchers in nursing and the behavioral sciences that examined the social contexts and processes that may influence mammography-screening decision making of older, urban, lower-income AA women. Researchers, public health officials, and nurses in education and clinical practice may use the findings of this study to increase use of mammography screening. Grounded Theory (GT) research methods were used to develop, expand, and verify the basic social psychological process (BSP) and interrelated concepts emerging from the data, and understand the potential influences of related factors on mammography-screening decision making in this group of AA women.

Mating Burrows In The Fiddler Crab Leptuca Pugilator: How A Key Resource Is Contested, Constructed, And Shared, Zachary Michael Lane

Dissertations

The Atlantic sand fiddler crab, Leptuca pugilator, is found on sandy, vegetated beach across a large portion of the United States’ Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coasts and is iconic in regions where dense populations of the species occur for its charismatic courtship, competitive, and foraging behaviors. The social dynamics of the species are complex. Reproductively active males maintain mating territories in the dangerous heat of the intertidal zone, away from their food source at the water’s edge, where they inhabit specialized mating burrows. These mating burrows are essential to successful female reproductive success, and when it is time …

Softening Corners: How A Carefully Considered Hospitality Operation Impacted An Educational Institution, Jennie Moran

Dissertations

Enter quickly, as I am afraid of my happiness!

(Derrida, 2000, p.131)

This research project is an attempt to bridge the gap between the philosophical ideals of hospitality and the hospitality industry, by examining how a carefully considered hospitality operation impacted an educational institution over the course of eight years. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that the application of the philosophical ideals to a commercial hospitality setting yielded profoundly positive results. The primary research was compiled by the author conducting a case study of her own food business, Luncheonette which was located in the National College of …

The Association Between Pelvic Floor Dysfunction And Mental Health In Natal Females With A Focus On Native American Populations, Lexxie Gramke

Dissertations

Purpose

Over half of natal females in the United States suffer from pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD). PFD can increase risk of mental health sequelae; however, no studies have been conducted examining the association between mental health and PFD in the Native American (NA) population. This dissertation aims to evaluate the association between PFD, with a focus on overactive bladder (OAB), and mental health in females with specific attention to NAs.

Methodology

A current state of the science review examined the literature for associations between OAB with depression and anxiety in females. Utilizing this literature review, a theoretical model was constructed …

Experiences Of Student Nurses In Saudi Arabia: The Impact Of Clinical Exposure On Their Decision To Continue Or Leave Nursing, Eshtiaq Al Faraj

Dissertations

Muslim majority societies' religious perspective towards nursing as a predominantly female profession has been suggested as one possible reason behind the nursing shortage and problems of retention. A literature review indicated that no research has been directed toward student nurses' pre-registration experiences in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Therefore this study looked at the experiences of Saudi student nurses to explore the extent to which student nurses' experiences during pre-registration education impacted on their decision to choose nursing as a future career following exposure in the clinical environment. An ethnographic and interpretive phenomenological approach was adopted.

The Relationships Among Social Support From Staff In The Clinical Learning Environment And Student Perceptions Of Stress And Self-Esteem, Karen A. Montalto

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the social support baccalaureate nursing students obtain and desire from staff nurses in the clinical learning environment. Relationships with perceived stress and self-esteem were also investigated. Barrera and Ainlay's (1983) framework for social support provides the conceptual base for the study. The sample population (N = 87) were selected randomly from NLN accredited schools of nursing.

A descriptive correlational design was utilized to investigate relationships among the variables. Three instruments and a demographic data sheet were utilized to collect data. The instruments included the Revised Inventory of Socially Supportive Behaviors (RISSB) …

Exploring The Fifth Quarter: An Enquiry Into Offal Eating In Contemporary Irish Food Culture, Its History, And Its Future, Niall Toner

Dissertations

Animal offal and organ meats seem to have all but disappeared from domestic cuisine in Ireland, despite the recent renaissance in the country’s food culture. This thesis has examined the extent and nature of the consumption of these comestibles in contemporary Irish food culture, and the perceived decline in offal’s popularity in Ireland in the past fifty years. It also sought to discover whether offal and organ meats might have a place in the future of our cuisine, and whether the consumption of more offal and organ meats in Ireland might contribute towards a more sustainable food production system, and …

Case Study On Increasing The Amount Of High School El Students College And Career Ready, Octavio Patino

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative multicase study was to describe the leadership practices of high school principals who work with their staff to close the college and career achievement gap for English language learners (ELLs) based on Anderson and Ackerman Anderson’s (2010) change model (mindset, behavior, culture, and systems).

Methodology: This qualitative multicase study was conducted through interviews with four high school principals of Title I schools in California. I selected qualitative methods because they describe the leadership practices that worked with their staff to close ELLs’ college and career readiness (CCR) gap.

Findings: Close examination of data from …

Missed And Prior Diagnoses In Children Later Diagnosed With Autism, Maire Diemer

Dissertations

Awareness of autism is rising, yet social determinants of health continue to impact rates, ages of diagnosis, and diagnostic load. Different psychiatric labels carry stigmas; unequal rates of diagnoses may indicate biases in the healthcare system. This study investigates six prior diagnoses (ADHD, disorders of conduct, adjustment, anxiety, mood, and intellectual disability) assigned to children who are later diagnosed with autism. The study investigates how race, sex, and geographic factors were associated with age of diagnosis and diagnostic load. This study utilized a sample of 13,850 children aged 2-10 who were diagnosed with autism on Missouri Medicaid between 2015 and …

A Grounded Theory Study Of The Grief Process In Women Who Experienced Perinatal Loss Prior To 1980, Tina L. Saunders

Dissertations

Approximately one million women suffer from perinatal loss (PL) in the United States annually. Societal and provider knowledge and attitudes about the psychological effects of PL and the need for care and support have improved significantly since the 1980s. Anecdotal evidence indicates that experiencing PL still affects women decades later; however, its impact on their grief process and long-lasting effects has not been researched. These narratives are vital to informing support and care. The purpose of this study was to develop a theoretical framework describing grief processes and long-lasting effects on women experiencing PL before 1980.

Professional Development For Classified Managers Within The Business Services Departments At California Public School Districts, Juliet Castorena Orozco

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this Delphi study was to identify and describe professional development topics required to prepare classified managers in California public school district business services departments as effective leaders as perceived by a panel of experts. This study also sought to identify the degree of importance of each professional development topic and the best strategies to address those topics as perceived by a panel of experts.

Methodology. A Delphi research design was used to identify and describe professional development strategies necessary to prepare classified managers in the business services division of California public school districts. The Delphi panel …

Gold(I)-Hydroarylation In Polymer Modification – Alkynes And Alkenes With Unexpected Reactivity, Samuel B. Hunt

Dissertations

Polymer modification is crucial for developing new properties and materials from recalcitrant waste polymers. Synthetically, polymers possess a chemical inertness that renders their functionalization challenging. Specifically, the omnipresence of C–H bonds in all commercial polymers endows their chemical resistance. Thus, developments in C–H activation chemistry are crucial to polymer diversification processes and allow for fundamental insight into the role of material processing conditions on novel chemical reactions. Au(I)-chemistry has recently come to the fore owing to a unique chemical reactivity nonexistent with other transition metals. The alkynophilicity of Au(I), in tandem with their insensitivity to common polymer processing conditions (air, …

Deciphering Description: A Study Of The Works Of Joseph Conrad, Autumn Pearson

Dissertations

This project analyzes Conrad’s use of description in his narratives in light of the 1897 Preface to ‘Narcissus.’ Conrad’s elevation of description stands in contrast to Gérard Genette’s account of narrative theory but within the space Mieke Bal makes for the reconsideration of description within the theory. Narrative theory provides the terminology for specific narrative moments in which Conradian description can be analyzed—the narrative opening, the narrative pause, and various narrative levels. In addition to analyzing Conradian works, the project traces the evolution of Conrad’s thinking about description throughout the course of his career and invites the reader to rethink …

Effect Of An Experiential Learning Model For Simulation Design On Clinical Nursing Judgment Development In Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Joyce Victor

Dissertations

Simulation is an experiential learning process used in nursing education to develop and evaluate competencies, including clinical judgment (Berragan, 2011; Jeffries, 2012), yet the effectiveness of simulation in nursing education is not sufficiently evaluated (Foronda, Liu, & Bauman, 2013) and simulation design is not adequately theory-based (Kaakinen & Arwood, 2009; Rourke, Schmidt, & Garga, 2010; Jeffries, 2012; Rodgers, 2013). In this study, Kolb's Model of Experiential Learning (Kolb, 1984; 1999) was employed to create an experiential learning simulation design. A quasi-experimental study was used to test the effects of this new design on clinical nursing judgment development and its relationship …

The Experience Of Transitioning For The Transgender Person: An Appreciative Inquiry Approach To Advance Gender Affirming Care, Shelley Evans

Dissertations

The process of transitioning has a significant impact on improving quality of life among transgender and nonbinary people (Johansson et al., 2010). Transitioning is the act of moving towards a gender identity that feels more aligned with internal identity (Rankin & Beemyn, 2012). However, despite promising research that supports the benefits of medical, social and/or legal transitioning, the understanding of the experience has not been fully explored (Evans et al., 2021), and it is a barrier to advancing the delivery of gender affirming care among nurses, other health care providers, and health care organizations. There is a need to awaken …

Predicting Suicide Attempt Histories With Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial Regression: A Combined Psychological And Demographic Approach With Military Personnel, Aleksandr Karnick

Dissertations

Nearly 50,000 individuals die by suicide each year and, despite only representing 7% of the population, military veterans represent nearly 14% of suicides. As a critical public health concern, research has been directed toward identifying risk factors for suicide. Over the last 50 years of research, nearly 3,000 separate effect sizes for suicide risk factors have been identified, but this research has made little progress toward identifying individual suicide risk and predictive capacity remains low. Although research from medicine and traumatic injury suggest that public health interventions that are implemented broadly can be highly effective at reducing risk for other …

Primed For Sport Coaching: A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study Of A Six-Week Intervention, Pete S. Paciorek

Dissertations

This six-week pilot study was conducted using grounded theory from “What Works in Character Education” (Berkowitz & Bier, 2014) and specifically the “PRIMED for Character Education” framework (Berkowitz, 2021) applied to 11 high school sport coaches. The three key ideas of focus were on whether the PRIMED framework could increase the coach-participants’ commitment to character education, self-efficacy as character educators, and self-identification as Servant Leaders in an effort to “nurture the flourishing of human goodness” (Berkowitz, 2021) of our youth and, in this case, specifically, high school student-athletes.

With millions of youth involved in sport in North America and across …

Person-Centred Caring Towards Improvement Of Diabetic Foot Care Compliance In Rural Primary Health Care, Kwazulu-Natal, Anné Joubert

Dissertations

This study aims to identify how registered nurses could achieve person-centred caring to improve diabetic foot care compliance in the rural primary healthcare context in KwaZulu-Natal. The objectives were to:

- Determine the experiences of patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus regarding person-centred caring in the management of foot care.

- Describe the experiences of registered nurses regarding person-centred caring in the management of diabetic foot care.

- Explore current practices of registered nurses regarding diabetic foot care.

- Compare data from in-town clinics to out-of-town clinics.

- Develop a person-centered caring, guideline-based in-service training program for registered nurses in …

Stigma As A Treatment Barrier In Trauma Exposed College Students, Lydia Sigurdson

Dissertations

Exposure to a traumatic event puts an individual at risk for subsequent psychological distress. Though trauma exposure is common in undergraduate students, college mental health services remain severely underutilized. One reason may be stigma associated with mental illness. The current study investigated the role of stigma on treatment seeking behaviors in trauma-exposed college students. Qualifying participants were randomly assigned to one of two stigma conditions. One week following measure completion, participants received an email offering a free, brief, self-guided intervention described with a stigmatizing label (“trauma symptoms”) in one condition, and as a broad problem (“stress”) in the other. It …

Home And Community-Based Service Utilization Patterns For Seniors With Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementias, Margaret E. Saari

Dissertations

Half a million Canadians are living with Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Approximately half these individuals live in the community, supported by informal caregivers. In this population, utilization of formal services is low and patterns of utilization are not well understood. Previous studies examining predictors of service use have examined services in isolation however, often multiple services are utilized, with little coordination between services.

The purpose of this study was to provide a better understanding of the community-based services utilized concurrently by seniors with dementia and their caregivers.