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Exemplary Senior Navy Female Leadership: A Study Of How Navy Female Leaders Use The Grit Characteristics Courage, Conscientiousness, Long-Term Goals, Resilience, And Excellence Versus Perfection To Create Extraordinary Results Within Their Organizations, Cache' Hapner

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe how exemplary senior Navy female leaders used five principles associated with grit (courage, conscientiousness, long-term goals, resilience, and excellence versus perfection) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organizations.

Methodology: This qualitative study used a phenomenological method to describe how eight senior Navy female leaders use five characteristics of grit to accomplish extraordinary results in their organizations. Respondents were purposively chosen. The researcher collected data through interviews, transcripts, and artifacts that were triangulated and coded for themes using NVivo software.

Findings: Exemplary senior Navy female leaders use …

Emergency Obstetric Simulation Drills As A Strategy To Execute A Multidisciplinary Protocol With Emphasis On Safety Culture Evaluation, Team Synergy And Team Competency: A Dnp Project, Malinda Forsythe Carmouche

Dissertations

The aim of this Doctor of Nursing Practice Project was to implement emergency obstetric simulation to defend against patient safety risk linked to healthcare professional team dynamics in the care of obstetric patients as recommended by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), The Joint Commission (TJC) and the Quality and Safety Education for Nurses Initiative (QSEN). Team training is evidenced to reduce the mismanagement of emergency obstetric events by coaching providers in delivery of safe, effective and coordinated care during crises. The setting for this project was a hospital specializing in care of women and newborns. Hospitals, as the employers of …

The Infinite Mindset: A Phenomenological Study Of Exemplary Student Affairs Leaders, Kevin Giang

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe how exemplary leaders in the field of student affairs perceive the practices of Simon Sinek’s Infinite Mindset Framework are embedded within their organizations to inspire the achievement of extraordinary results. A further purpose of this study was to understand the organizational supports and barriers these exemplary leaders perceive affect the development of an infinite mindset.

Methodology: Interviews were used to explore and describe how exemplary student affairs leaders perceive the five practices of Sinek’s Infinite Mindset are embedded within their organizations. The study seeks to explore and make …

We Don’T Have To Do All Of It Alone: A Phenomenological Study On How Mid-Level Leaders In Community Colleges Flourish Through Collaboration And Advocacy, Mackenzie Taylor Klinker Hutchins

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe the formal and informal leadership development experiences of mid-level leaders promoted within Washington State Community Colleges.

Methodology: This phenomenological study identified and described the formal and informal leadership development experiences of 17 mid-level leaders promoted within Washington State Community Colleges. Respondents were purposively chosen based on specific criteria and recommendations of two expert sponsors. The researcher collected data through semi-structured interviews, where the participants provided descriptive data that would aid in answering the study’s research questions.

Findings: Analysis of the qualitative data from 17 mid-level leaders promoted within …

Culturally Responsive Library Leadership In The California Community Colleges, Melanie Aponte Chu

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this ethnographic qualitative study was to identify and describe how community college library leaders utilize culturally responsive leadership strategies when leading their organizations, based on Horsford et al.’s (2011) Culturally Relevant Leadership (CRL) framework.

Methodology: This study identified and described culturally responsive leadership strategies of library leaders at the California Community Colleges (CCCs). As part of a thematic team, the researcher designed an interview protocol in alignment with the four dimensions of the CRL framework: professional duty, personal journey, pedagogical approach, and political context. Fourteen participants were identified and selected using criterion sampling, with participants meeting …

Where Have All The Surgical Nurses Gone? Staffing Shortages In Surgical Departments Post Covid-19 Shutdowns, Phoenix Neal

Dissertations

March 2020 changed the healthcare field entirely. When the COVID-19 pandemic swept through the United States in early 2020, it was recommended that surgical departments nationwide shutdown altogether or at least decrease their workloads to exclusively emergent procedures. This step was taken both to save surgical equipment for more critical patients and to offload those staff members from surgical departments to more critical areas in the hospital systems.

This exploratory study was completed to investigate the impact of COVID-19 surgical department shutdowns on current surgical staffing. This research explored different factors such as health insurance availability, childcare availability, shift change, …

The Lived Experiences Of Icu, Med-Surg, And Er Nurses In The United States Attempting To Breastfeed During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amy Seay

Dissertations

Breastfeeding is important to promote the health of both mothers and babies (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2021). Many mothers experience workplace barriers and stress which negatively impact breastfeeding duration (McCardel & Padilla, 2020; Nagel et al., 2022). However, a gap in the literature exists surrounding specific barriers and the impact of stress on U.S. nurses who breastfeed. Specifically, workplace challenges and stress among nurses resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic lack exploration.

This interpretive phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of ICU, Med-Surg, and ER nurses who attempted to breastfeed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Roy’s adaptation model was …

Nursing Faculty Perceptions Of Stress, Coping, And Intent To Leave The Profession In The Ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic: A Quantitative Study, Lynlee Morgan

Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted all of society to varying degrees; this impact was especially true in higher education due to an overnight transition to distance learning and incessant pivots to meet new guidelines and overcome obstacles. Nursing faculty were significantly impacted due to the responsibility of producing safe, qualified, competent practitioners to provide care in the clinical setting. The limitations in or exclusions from clinical experiences combined with the fact that faculty were managing personal concerns and had never encountered these unprecedented conditions exacerbated the challenge of preparing new nurses. This study was critical due to the faculty role and …

Exploring Employees’ Perceived Fairness And Effectiveness Of The Performance Appraisal Process And The Influence On Employee Retention, Cherica Buckner

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore employees’ perceived fairness and effectiveness of the performance appraisal process and the influence on employee retention. This study is based on a review of existing literature on performance management strategies. Drawing upon equity theory (Adams, 1963), human capital theory (Becker 1962, 1993), organizational justice theory (Greenberg, 1987), and expectancy theory (Vroom, 1964), the researcher explores talent management concepts to reveal the influence of employees’ perceptions of performance appraisals on employee retention. Collectively the theories form a theoretical framework highlighting the importance of Human Capital Development, including the effectiveness of performance appraisals, effective …

Flourishing In A Non-Traditional Workplace Using Technology-Assisted Imagery, Wendi Lord

Dissertations

There is a new, non-traditional workplace where employees collaborate digitally from various remote locations (Scully-Russ & Torraco, 2020). Despite the transition from office to remote workspaces, professionals still value happiness and dream of flourishing (VanderWeele, 2021). Researchers identified six distinct but correlated dimensions of flourishing including emotional health, physical health, meaning and purpose, character strengths, social connectedness, and financial security (Weziak-Bialowolska et al., 2021). The new workplace is forcing organizations to revamp traditional methods that facilitate well-being as in-person methods become less viable (Scully-Russ & Torraco, 2020). Fortunately, mobile applications effectively deliver training and interventions (Collins et al., 2020). Whether …

Mental Health Impacts On Personnel Responding To An Active Shooter Incident Within A Large Public Service Utility Company, Michael Weber

Dissertations

This study explores the long-term mental health impacts experienced by individuals who were both impacted by an active shooter event within their own organization and participated in the response operation to said event. Through purposive sampling, a population of 278 individuals from a large privately-owned public utility company, with greater than 20,000 employees, were provided a cross-sectional survey to assess for the presence and severity of indicated PTSD. This assessment was conducted using the Short Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Rating Interview (SPRINT) survey tool. A total of 118 participants completed the survey, the results of which determined that PTSD occurred in …

A Mixed-Methods Investigation Of How Student Goal-Setting For Improved Learner Behaviors Affects Intermediate Elementary Academic Achievement, Meghan Mcnulty

Dissertations

Education in the United States has changed significantly since its onset. Due to these changes, there is an increased need for social-emotional skills for success in school and in life. The study centered on how focusing intermediate elementary school students on improving their behavior could influence their academic achievement. Though there is much literature on social-emotional skills, self-efficacy, student agency, goal-setting, and academic achievement, few researchers have conducted studies to connect these concepts. In this study, students assessed their current behavioral skills using the mySAEBRS (Illuminate Education, n.d.). Using the results, students set improvement goals in one of three behavioral …

The Relationship Among Emotional Intelligence, Coping Strategies, And Occupational Burnout For Child Protective Service Workers, Yvette Longoria

Dissertations

There are low retention rates of child protective service caseworkers and this impacts the quality of care of the families served. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence, coping strategies and occupational burnout for CPS caseworkers. In addition, examining the relationship between education type, education level, and caseload size as it relates to emotional intelligence, coping strategies, and occupational burnout among child protective caseworkers. The theoretical framework utilized was the Transactional Theory of Stress and Coping. A convenience sampling was used to collect participants employed as FBSS or CVS caseworkers at Texas Department of …

Felicidad Aplataná: How Dominican Migrants Living In The Nordic Countries Make Sense Of Their Happiness, Ivanna Lajara

Dissertations

As globalization evolves and the number of migrants and cross-cultural interactions among world citizens increases, understanding various aspects of immigrants’ experiences, including their happiness and subjective well-being will become fundamental to organizations, governments, and societies. However, there are substantial cross-cultural differences in how people understand their happiness, make sense of experiences that influence happiness, and how large-scale social trends, such as globalization, relate to the individual migration perspectives (Uchida and Ogihara, 2012). Research affirms culture as a key factor influencing happiness (Ye et al., 2015) and living in a foreign country may not only impact one’s perspective on life, but …

Use Of Reddit For Social Science Research: A Review Of Current Use, Exploration Of Potential Sampling Error, And Practical Demonstration Using Reddit To Study Post-Pandemic Teacher Resignation, Caryn Davidson

Dissertations

This dissertation is comprised of three separate studies related to using the social media platform Reddit for social science research. The first paper provides an overview of current social science research that uses Reddit. The second paper explores the impact of sampling choices and potential sources of error when selecting Reddit data to study. The third paper maps the topics of a sample of posts tagged with the #Resignation flair in the r/Teachers subreddit from three months across school year 2021-2022 including reasons why teachers are leaving the post-pandemic classroom.

The practice of using Reddit for social science research is …

Socially Aware Natural Language Processing With Commonsense Reasoning And Fairness In Intelligent Systems, Sirwe Saeedi

Dissertations

Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) promises to deliver ever more user-friendly consumer applications, recent mishaps involving fake information and biased treatment serve as vivid reminders of the pitfalls of AI. AI can harbor latent biases and flaws that can cause harm in diverse and unexpected ways. It is crucial to understand the reasons for, mechanisms behind, and circumstances under which AI can fail. For instance, a lack of commonsense reasoning can lead to biased or unfair decisions made by Machine Learning (ML) systems. For example, if an ML system is trained on data that is biased or unrepresentative of the real …

Design, Simulation, Modeling, And Implementation Of Triboelectric Nanogenerator (Teng) Sensors For Automotive Applications, Sam Ali

Dissertations

Triboelectricity is a promising technique for energy harvesting in which mechanical energy converts to electricity for powering small electronic devices. This method of energy harvesting serves as an alternative to traditional battery power sources and can significantly benefit low-power sensing applications by generating unlimited electrical energy. This study focuses on the development of flexible triboelectric nanogenerators (TENG) and energy harvesting devices for various applications in the automotive industry.

The study is organized into four projects. In the first project, various polymeric materials were used to investigate the performance of different TENGs. Four designs (D1, D2, D3, and D4) of flexible …

Experiences Of Female Muslim International Graduate Students With Children In The U.S.: Strategies To Cope With Academics And Family Life, Nizoramo M. Haitova

Dissertations

The literature on adult students, and in particular, graduate students with children, reveals that female students often struggle to balance their studies and home life due to juggling multiple roles. To date, research on student mothers has primarily focused on domestic students, with few studies examining the experiences of international student mothers, and even fewer studying Muslim international student mothers. The purpose of this study was to understand the lived experiences of female Muslim international graduate students with children in the U.S., as well as to explore the coping strategies they employ in both academia and family life. Thus, the …

Modulatory Roles Of Human Adenovirus Type 3 In Extracellular Vesicle Development, Trafficking, And Inhibition, Ayodeji Oludare Ipinmoroti

Dissertations

Respiratory human adenovirus (HAdV) has been closely linked with acute respiratory infections such as pharyngitis and coryza (common cold). While some HAdV serotypes antagonize the immune system leading to meningitis, gastroenteritis, and acute hemorrhagic cystitis among other conditions, HAdV type 3 (HAdV3) predominantly infects the upper respiratory tract. Studies have shown that the release of small, membrane-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs), termed exosomes, may offer a mechanism by which certain viruses, enter cells via receptor-independent entry. EVs play a major role in both cellular homeostasis and intercellular communication under both healthy and pathological conditions. Firstly, in this study, we demonstrated that …

An Examination Of Well-Being Across Theories Of Career Development Using Latent Profile Analysis, Jessica Schultz

Dissertations

Multiple theories have been designed to better understand how elements of working can affect personal well-being (Dawis, 2005; Duffy et al., 2016a; Duffy et al., 2018). The Theory of Work Adjustment (Dawis, 2005), a classic trait-and-factor theory, proposes that job satisfaction is the result of how well the needs and values of the worker fit within the needs and expectations of the workplace. The Psychology of Working Theory (Duffy et al., 2016a) posits that acquiring decent work (i.e., jobs that provide safety, access to healthcare, adequate compensation, hours for rest, and congruent values) will lead to well-being. Additionally, this theory …

Metal Oxide Based Materials For High Performance Supercapacitors, Hammad Mueen Arbi

Dissertations

Recent years have seen a healthy rise in the research and development of sustainable and renewable energy storage systems due to the pressing need to conserve natural resources and cut energy use. Due to the rapid growth in global population lately, there is a tremendous demand for energy to fulfill the ever-increasing needs. Innovative alternative energy sources and energy storage techniques are of tremendous interest for dealing with these current world issues. One promising solution for this is the recent research trend for achieving reliable and cost-effective high power and high energy density energy storage devices. On the basis of …

Coordinated Location And Capacity Planning Of Fast Charging Stations For Electric Vehicles Using Multi Objective Approach, Asna Madathodika

Dissertations

With the growing concerns on the energy depletion and CO₂ emissions, electric vehicles (EVs) have marked a new paradigm in the transport sector. Installation of publicly accessible charging stations (CS), namely fast CSs are crucial for the large-scale deployment of EVs. However, randomly placing CSs without prior research affect EV owners, CS operators and grid operators. For instance, the location and size of charging stations affect the accessibility and convenience of EV users since users prefer charging stations that are easier to access without much traffic congestion in road networks. At the same time station should offer good service …

Reflections On A Promise: Student Experiences At A Two-Year Promise Institution And Their Educational Aspirations, Danielle Lemmerman

Dissertations

College students and their families have to shoulder more of the burden in college costs due to rising tuition. To deter students from adding to the national student loan debt, promise programs have been launched to eliminate cost as a barrier to postsecondary education. Programs vary in design and may cover partial tuition, full tuition, or both tuition and fees. Currently, there is a dearth of research on the experiences low-income students have attending a promise eligible institution, especially at the community college level. This qualitative case study explores the ways in which low-income undergraduate students describe their experiences at …

Effect Of Fandom On Sports Gambling, Drake Deitch

Dissertations

The goal in this study was to investigate the relationship between fandom and betting. The hypothesis was that sports fans who gambled on their favorite teams would be more likely to make irrational decisions based more closely on emotional attachment than logical thinking. A total of 191 fans of the Chicago Bears (n = 80), Green Bay Packers (n = 57), and Minnesota Vikings (n = 54) were recruited for the study. Participants completed a survey that assessed their knowledge of and love for the three teams. Results indicated fans were far more likely to bet on their team regardless …

Covid-19, Olfactory Functioning, And Depressive Symptoms, Kevin Davis Psy.D.

Dissertations

The focus in this study was to investigate whether people who continue to experience a disordered sense of smell after recovering from COVID-19 are more likely to have higher levels of depressive symptoms. Data collection involved two questionnaires: the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess depressive symptoms and the Assessment of Self-Reported Olfactory Functioning and Olfaction-Related Quality of Life (ASOF) to assess olfactory functioning. Additionally, general survey questions were asked to evaluate physical and mental health outcomes related to COVID-19. Results showed individuals who did not subjectively return to their baseline sense of smell after recovering from COVID-19 had lower …

Stories Of Me: Disability Identity Development In Persons With Adhd, Andrea R. Johnson

Dissertations

Theoretically, developing a strong sense of ADHD identity, adolescents can combat anxiety and stigma. Combatting anxiety and stigma can support student’s postsecondary success. How can teachers help? The study aims to explore the narratives of disability identity from the adult reflective perspective to identify potential recommendations for teachers. This mixed-methods study collected data through two semi-structured interviews of adults with ADHD, a focus group, and survey data from social media communities. The stories were analyzed for evidence of a sense of identity, pride, and self-esteem. The emerging themes provided recommendations for educators which included the need to foster relationships (teachers …

Single-Case Pilot Study For Longitudinal Analysis Of Referential Failures And Sentiment In Schizophrenic Speech From Client-Centered Psychotherapy Recordings, Travis A. Musich

Dissertations

Though computational linguistic analyses have revealed the presence of distinctly characteristic language features in schizophrenic disordered speech, the relative stability of these language features in longitudinal samples is still unknown. This longitudinal pilot study analyzed schizophrenic disordered speech data from the archival therapy audio recordings of one patient spanning 23 years. End-to-end Neural Coreference Resolution software was used to analyze transcribed speech data from three therapy sessions to identify ambiguous pronouns, referred to as referential failures, which were reviewed and confirmed by multiple raters. Speech samples were analyzed using Google Cloud Natural Language API software for sentiment variables (i.e., score, …

Exploring The Information-Seeking Behaviors And Decision-Making Processes Of Couples In Response To Unfamiliar Tornado Threats, Chih-Chun Rosie Lin

Dissertations

The unique disaster, tornado, causes significant damage and casualties in the US every year, and tornado warnings are crucial to helping people take protective action and reduce the negative impact, especially in an unfamiliar situation. It is important for authorities to better understand how households in low-risk areas rely on information, perceive risk, and make protective action decisions because tornadoes can occur in many geographic locations and might cause significant damage. However, tornado information search behavior and the dynamic decision-making process are not well understood in the existing literature. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of the interaction …

The Association Between College Instructors’ Trait Emotional Intelligence And Instructorstudent Relationship In A Uae Higher Education Institution, Salwa Habib Husain

Dissertations

The relationship between instructors and students in higher education institutions (HEIs) is a contributing factor to the students’ motivation to learn, emotional development and stability, and academic performance. The instructor’s trait Emotional Intelligence (EI) has been a focus in developing such positive relationships inside and outside the classroom setting. The extent to which instructors’ trait EI can contribute to a supportive and developmental relationship with students has not received due attention in research in the UAE. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the association between instructors’ trait EI and the Instructor-Student Relationship at one HEI in the …

Pathogen Risk Assessment On Arabian Felines In The United Arab Emirates, Laia Montserrat Stefano

Dissertations

The Arabian Peninsula has been known to harbour five species of felines, namely leopards (Panthera pardus), cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus), caracals (Caracal caracal), sand cats (Felis margarita), and wildcats (Felis silvestris). Currently, their situation in the wild is critical in the region and ex situ breeding efforts are the greatest hope to restore their populations. However, these efforts need to go hand-in-hand with focus on their health, since pathogens are known to be a serious threat to animals under managed care. Globally, the potential pathogens of these five species include viruses, …