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Interprofessional Role Clarification Among Licensed Health Care Practitioners In Rural And Smaller Community Hospitals, Dianne E. Allen

Dissertations

Enhancement of healthcare systems has increased the demand for healthcare practitioners (HCPs) to share client care by functioning in a variety of roles within interprofessional teams. When these roles are integrated into team practice, the outcome can be collaborative sharing of client care responsibilities but without sharing, team members can experience uncertainty as to what their contributions should be. Understanding this shift in practice begins with role clarification, whereby HCPs have self-awareness about their own roles, and then gain an understanding of the roles of others in their collaborative practitioner groupings. Interprofessional role clarification (IPRC) is thought to be necessary …

A Quantitative Study Of Moral Distress In Vha Nurses, Mary E. Kelly

Dissertations

Ethical issues continue to be an important aspect in the practice of professional nursing. The complexities of nursing practice begin in nursing school and continue throughout a nurse's career. Advances in health-care technology, emphasis on cost-effectiveness, and higher acuity level patients in hospitals lead to ethical conflicts and a phenomenon known as moral distress. Moral distress constitutes a serious problem in nursing practice. Studies regarding moral distress correlate the phenomenon to nurse turnover, intent to leave, burnout, job dissatisfaction, and stress. Moral distress differs from experiencing an ethical dilemma in that moral distress is the inability to do what one …

When Nurse-Teachers Become Ill: A Narrative Inquiry Into The Personal Illness Experiences Of Three Nurse-Teachers, Jasna K. Schwind

Dissertations

In this inquiry I explore how a personal serious illness of three nurse-teachers impacts their teaching and nursing practice. My interest in illness stories emerges in response to my own experience of becoming a patient thirteen years ago. As a result of this circumstance I became curious to learn how other nurse-teachers may experience personal illness events. To help me think about my puzzle I chose Connelly and Clandinin's narrative inquiry, where narrative is both the method and the phenomenon of study. In this research my two co-participants and I talk about what it is like for a person, who …

The Effects Of Lecture Capture Design On Student Performance In An Online, Asynchronous Nonmajors Biology Course, Melissa Ann Gutierrez

Dissertations

Lecture capture technology, the ability to provide multimedia recordings of instructional content, has become an essential technology for online learning. One of the ways online courses have tried to appeal to the digital lifestyle of today’s students is providing different lecture capture styles, such as audio (podcasts), video, or interactive videos, due to the popularity of mobile media players providing anytime and anywhere learning. Although lecture capture technology provides educators with a diverse set of tools on how content is delivered, studies have shown mixed results on the impact of lecture capture styles on learning.

For this study, the main …

Predicting Attrition Among Human Anatomy And Physiology I Students In Community Colleges, Benjimen Sessums

Dissertations

Anatomy and Physiology (A&P) courses are offered at almost every postsecondary educational institution in the United States enrolling over 450,000 students each year across the United States with an overall attrition rate between 30-40%. Approximately 150,000 of these students will not be successful the first time they attempt A&P. This constitutes one of the highest attrition rates of all undergraduate degree courses with this size of yearly enrollment.

A&P courses often serve as gateway course required for the continuation and completion of several biological degree fields. Many health-related professional programs such as nursing, paramedicine, and other allied health vocations require …

A Study On Vivian Fine’S Chamber Concerto For Cello And Six Instruments, Andrea Beltran Landers

Dissertations

The music of American composer Vivian Fine (1913-2000) has fallen into obscurity despite its high quality. Her musical career has led her from being a child-prodigy at the piano to being a part of the elite inner circle of avant-garde composers in New York in the early 1930s, and ultimately to a faculty position at Bennington College in the 1960s. Due to the stability and job security that the academic world brought to Fine, she was able to dedicate most of her time to composition. The Chamber Concerto for Cello and Six Instruments belongs to this fruitful period in her …

Faculty Perception Of The Impact Of Covid-19: A Descriptive Case Study Analysis, Traci Pooler

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to get an understanding of college faculty experiences and perceptions of student learning outcomes during forced virtual instruction in the spring 2020 semester. The study was limited to faculty who taught at one of the 18 member institutions of the Association of Kentucky Colleges and Universities (AIKCU). Factors such as the discipline being taught were considered. Other factors considered were faculty experience with virtual instruction, the availability of technology for faculty and students, and the support provided to students and faculty amid the transition to virtual instruction. The survey reviewed responses from each AIKCU …

Agreement Of Psychiatric Diagnoses Within And Between Groups Of Mental Health Clinicians From Different Disciplines, Wade Mcguire

Dissertations

The development of therapy as a treatment option for mental health problems has led to the creation of different disciplines. Each discipline has developed its own conceptualization of classification and treatment of mental health problems. These conceptualizations have led to different areas of focus for each of the disciplines, specifically counseling, psychology, and social work. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether these areas of focus influence how each discipline diagnoses. For this study, data was collected by having clinicians provide diagnoses for three fictitious clients. The vignettes for the clients were taken from a psychopathology textbook to …

The Effects Of Personalized Learning On Student Achievement, Keile Phillips

Dissertations

Although many studies have been conducted on personalized learning strategies, teacher attitudes and perceptions, and student engagement, few studies have focused on personalized learning and its impact on student achievement when compared to the traditional classroom. The purpose of this study was to determine if personalized learning increased student achievement in three school districts by analyzing student assessments for three consecutive school years. The study utilized data from three school districts located in Western Kentucky for the 2016-2017, 2017-2018, and 2018-2019 school years. The data were collected from Renaissance Learning for math and reading. In addition to examining the students’ …

Concurrent Study Of The Impact Of An Institutionalized Diversity Plan On The Perceived Sense Of Academic Achievement, Sense Of Belonging, And Program Completion Among African American Students In A Midwest Community College, Tyianna Thompson

Dissertations

This dissertation explored how an institutionalized diversity plan impacts perceived academic achievement, sense of belonging, and program completion among African American students. The concurrent mixed-methods methodology followed a single case study design to explore the impact of an institutionalized diversity plan in a Midwest community college. Both quantitative and qualitative data were gathered and analyzed. The results of this study revealed that although diversity and inclusion programs are somewhat effective in higher education, more needs to be done to satisfy the needs of minority students in higher education. According to the findings of this study, most students felt a sense …

An Improvement Science Approach To Understanding Adaptive Leadership As A Tool For Diabetes Educators To Teach Patient Self-Efficacy, Allie Carter

Dissertations

Background: Worldwide diabetes is estimated at 415 million, and that number is expected to increase to 642 million by 2040 (Roberts et al., 2017). Certified Diabetes Care and Educational Specialists (CDCES) and other health care providers strive to teach patients with diabetes skills that assist them in developing and maintaining self-efficacy. Current education methods are not always enough to help a patient navigate effects of their diabetes. Using the adaptive leadership principles can provide educators an interventional practice that facilitates patient self-management. This study explores the effectiveness of adaptive leadership when applied to the diabetes education delivery and confirms the …

"Can These Bones Live?": The Relationship Between Transformational Leadership And Church Revitalization, Gerald Gifford

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between Transformational Leadership Theory and church revitalization. The researcher attempted to answer two questions. (1) To what extent do pastors who led Kentucky Baptist Convention churches through a successful revitalization exhibit the characteristics of Transformational Leadership? (2) What, according to the pastors, were the primary causes of the revitalization? The MLQ survey by Mind Garden, Inc. was used to investigate the first question by comparing a target sample with a comparative group who did not lead a revitalization. Scoring on the MLQ confirmed that those in the target sample were transformational leaders. The comparative group, …

Administrative Leaders' Viewpoints About The Significance Of Art Education In Schools, Jennifer Luckett

Dissertations

The value of art education and people’s perspective of its value have been subjects of research throughout the years. Art programs are usually the first to be eliminated when there are budget cuts in the public-school systems. This study examines policy, history, and teachers’, parents’, and students’ viewpoints of the value of art education. It also analyzes the researched value that an art education provides. As there is little to no research on administrative leaders’ viewpoints, this research study utilized Q-methodology to determine administrators’ viewpoints on their personal value of art education. The main goal of this research was to …

Developing Mental Health And Wellness Awareness In Schools, Leah Wood

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic increased concerns for anxiety and depression in adolescents (Jones et al., 2021). As these concerns increased, students’ coping skills and mental health declined (Meherali et al., 2021). This mixed-methods study based in improvement science sought to develop mental health supports for teachers and students in a secondary setting. A mental health team convened for the purpose of this study completed a root cause analysis for a high school to determine the barriers to mental health supports. We identified the problem and potential barriers preventing proper mental health education and supports for teachers, students, and parents. The analysis …

Examining The Relationship Between Psychological Well-Being And Academic Performance Among First-Year College Students In A U.S. Mid-South University, Ya-Hsin Hsiao

Dissertations

This study examined the relationship between psychological well-being and college students. In addition, I looked at how COVID-19 impacted their psychological well-being. I used Ryff and Keyes’ (1995) 18-item Scale of Psychological Well-Being (SPWB-18) to measure participants' psychological well-being. Other demographic information such as race, gender, first-generation college student status, college readiness, and Pell Grant eligibility were collected from the WKU’s Institutes of Research.

Data were analyzed using multiple regressions that controlled for the effects of ethnicity, gender, first-generation status, and socioeconomic status. Moreover, the impact of COVID-19 on psychological well-being was evaluated and reported. In this dataset, the internal …

Using Transformative Leadership To Understand White Male Community College Presidents And Their Efforts To Improve Outcomes For All Students, Ruthanne Keenan Orihuela

Dissertations

This critical constructivist study was grounded in the belief that there is an urgent need to address attainment gaps between White students and students of color at community colleges, that equity-minded leadership is needed to address these gaps, and that the call for transformative leadership must be answered not solely by leaders with minoritized identities alone but also by leaders with privileged social identities who comprise the majority of community college presidents. The intent of this study was to examine the ways in which White male community college presidents come to understand their privilege and navigate their roles as leaders …

Technology Integration In School-Based Physical Activity, Taemin Ha

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to understand the current practice of technology use for physical activity promotion in K-12 schools in the United States by conducting two studies. Using a quantitative research design, study one aimed to identify the current practice of technology use in school-based physical activity promotion. Study two investigated what attributes contribute to the use of technology in schools for physical activity facilitation and promotion. A sequential explanatory mixed-methods study design was used for study two, and Rogers’ (2003) diffusion of innovations theory served this study as a theoretical framework. A total of 367 registered Active …

The Intersection Of Queer And Atheist Identities: A Critical Inquiry, Jennifer Geiman

Dissertations

The purposes of this study were to explore the lived experiences of queer atheists, to examine how they were impacted by various oppressive systems, and how to assess their needs might be better met by counseling psychologists and other mental health clinicians. The two research questions of focus were: Q1 What are the lived experiences of individuals who hold intersecting queer and atheist identities? Q2 How might individuals who hold intersecting queer and atheist identities be better served by counseling psychologists? While extant literature on the experiences of queer people and how to support them clinically has grown in the …

A Double-Edged Sword: Lived Experiences Of Hispanic/ Latino Nursing Students Who Speak English As An Additional Language, Esmeralda Araceli Clark

Dissertations

As the population of the United States continues to become more diverse, the nursing profession is working toward diversifying its nursing workforce. Diversification of the nursing profession is linked to improved patient outcomes and culturally competent care. The experiences of minority nursing students with English as an additional language (EAL) have been studied including some interventional studies. Still, there is a gap in exploring the experiences of Hispanic/Latino nursing students with EAL. The literature described EAL as the most significant risk factor for non-acceptance into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program for any group of otherwise qualified applicants. Since …

The Lived Experience Of Registered Nurses And Registered Midwives In St. Kitts And Nevis, Raiden Alexandra Gaul

Dissertations

At the beginning of the 20th century, St. Kitts and Nevis had one of the highest infant mortality rates in the Caribbean. However, unlike some Caribbean nations with similar historical and socioeconomic factors that continue to suffer from significant health disparities, St. Kitts and Nevis implemented strategic health reforms that have led to dramatic improvements in maternal and neonatal health outcomes. One of the strategic reforms designed to address these poor health outcomes was to mandate that all registered nurses in St. Kitts and Nevis pursue certification in the post-basic midwifery program. The purpose of this study was to examine …

Threading Memory: Performing Animacy In Text, Memorial, And Travel, Alex Keith Davenport

Dissertations

This dissertation explores the process of creating and touring a community-sourced memorial quilt for the anti-mountaintop removal activist Julia “Judy” Bonds, who died in 2011. As a practice, the project positions memorialization as a possible framework for social movements to utilize when faced with loss that allows for actions that honor members of the movement while still engaging in consciousness raising and organizing efforts. From a theoretical standpoint, the practice of memorialization—especially when it is intentionally designed to align with the practices/legacy of the person(s) being remembered—is also considered through an object oriented ontology perspective, providing insight into the affective …

Essays On Risk Preferences, Altruism, And Life Events, Fitri Safira

Dissertations

In this applied microeconomics dissertation, we study the effect of religiosity and life events on risk preferences and how happiness affect altruism. We begin with the first chapter by examining the relationship between high-risk health behavior and religiosity. Religious beliefs can impact an individual's behavior, including their future health. The 2021 CDC analyses shows that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are still common, with an estimated 1 in 5 people in the US having an STI, and 13% of persons in the US with age 12 years old and above consuming any illicit drugs. We estimate the effect of religiosity on …

A Mixed Methods Study On Urban Educators’ Feelings Of Preparedness To Implement Practices That Impact Social And Emotional Learning In A Mid-Pandemic Environment, Emily Dittmer

Dissertations

The purpose of the mixed methods study was to evaluate urban educators’ perceptions of their preparedness to implement social and emotional learning strategies in their classrooms/workspaces as well as to understand what the educators’ experiences were as their students returned to a five day a week school schedule after a year and a half of disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Those involved in the study included educators from four K-8 public charter schools located in an urban Midwestern environment. Quantitative data was obtained through the administration of two identical surveys that were completed by volunteer participants at two different …

Synthesis, Sintering, And Electronic Conductivity Studies Of Medium- And High-Entropy Perovskite Oxides, Sai Ram Gajjala

Dissertations

The application of the entropy concept to stabilize oxide systems opens the possibility of discovering new materials with unique structural and functional properties. High-entropy alloys and oxides, which are based on the entropy stabilization concept and composed of multi-principal elements, have the potential to tailor structural and functional properties to meet specific needs. The study of lanthanum-based perovskite materials that benefit from the entropy stabilization approach is a promising area of research.However, the inherent randomness of multi-principal elements presents new challenges, making it difficult to predict their behavior. To understand these difficulties, we have initiated a methodical investigation of La-based …

Cultivating Community: Investigating Performances Of Community In Ecovillage Settlements, Alex Lockwood

Dissertations

This dissertation considers the subject of ecovillages, intentional ecologically-oriented sustainable communities developed in the U.S., and the different understandings of community involvement, structure, and challenges that members of these communities confront in their efforts at managing these time and labor-intensive settlements. Informed by the work of performance ethnographers and critical phenomenologists, I consider twelve interviews I conducted on-site and electronically with people living in ecovillage settlements. Taking these interviews and my own observations from on-site visits to two ecovillages as entry points, I conducted a phenomenological analysis informed by a critical phenomenological ethos of these accounts, highlighting five motifs that …

Relationship Between Rehabilitation Counselors’ Experiences, Burnout, And Professional Collaboration During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Sharika Lawanda Sproling

Dissertations

Sharika L. Sproling, for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Rehabilitation, presented on [March 31, 2023], at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.TITLE: RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN REHABILITATION COUNSELORS’ EXPERIENCES, BURNOUT, AND PROFESSIONAL COLLABORATION DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMICMAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Thomas UptonThe purpose of this quantitative study is to explore the relationships between rehabilitation counselors’ experiences, burnout, and professional collaboration during the COVID-19 pandemic. These counselors represent an understudied population at risk of burnout, especially regarding its relationship to collaboration. Prior research has established how burnout can occur at the individual and organizational levels, and those who provide direct care have a greater risk …

Decoding The Public Service Announcements (Psas) Of Hiv/Aids: Evaluating Botswana's Aids Messages And Their Impact On 15 - 24 Ages, Enole Ditsheko

Dissertations

The study is grounded in the concept of “Start where the people are” (Nyswander, 1956) which suggests that effective health campaigns that promote prevention strategies to enhance the quality of life for those targeted must be rooted in the prevalent cultural practices and religious values of the receivers of the slogans, themes, and taglines. Health campaigns that superimpose the values of the outsiders promoted as universalized solutions have limited effectiveness.

Sub-Saharan Africa has only 1.3 billion people out of an estimated eight billion of which China and India each recording above two billion, cumulatively accounting for more than half of …

Interruptions And The Novice Emergency Nurse: A Focused Ethnography, Lisa Ann Winchester

Dissertations

The emergency department is a unique, unstudied, chaotic environment where novice emergency nurses are frequently interrupted. Novice emergency nurses’ impressions, values, beliefs, and attitudes attributed to interruptions were unknown. No prior research has explored the phenomenon of interruptions for the novice emergency nurse. A qualitative, focused ethnographic study was undertaken to understand novice emergency nurses’ impressions, values, beliefs, and attitudes about interruptions within the emergency department. Eleven nurses participated in semi-structured interviews via Zoom. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six phases of thematic analysis revealed three main themes (Values, Beliefs, and Attitudes) and 11 subthemes. Novice emergency nurses learn within a …

Bangkokscape: An Original Composition For Ensemble, Attakorn Sookjaeng

Dissertations

Bangkokscape is a piece in three movements for an ensemble comprising flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, alto saxophone, French horn, trumpet, trombone, piano, percussion, and double bass. The composition aims to suggest sceneries and senses of the capitol city of Thailand, Bangkok, inspired by the composer’s personal experience. The movements are titled: “Sacred” “Acronychal,” and “Awakening,” respectively. My compositional approach is the result of an exploration of the influence of Japanese aesthetics in contemporary classical music and elements of Thai traditional music. The concept of ma—a silent space, Buddhism, the influence of nature and culture, pentatonic collections, and polyphonic stratification are …

Characteristics Of Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Mentoring Relationship Practices In Secondary Education Settings: A Case Study, Bonnie Jeanne Palmer

Dissertations

The use of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) mentors in public school systems and other organizations has grown comparably with our economy’s increasing demand for STEM industry professionals. However, inspiring students to pursue STEM careers by using STEM industry professionals as mentors requires an understanding of effective mentor practices. Limited research exists that focuses on the mentoring practices students respond to as they make academic and career plans. The purpose of this study was to investigate and identify practices that promote STEM careers among youth. The study sought to answer the question, “What STEM mentor practices, behaviors, and roles …