Digital Commons Network^™

Experiences Of Self-Reported Bullying In Minority Nurses Within Acute Care Hospital Workplace Settings, Ekta A. Srinivasa

Dissertations

The Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI) defines workplace bullying (WPB) as the repeated mistreatment of a person(s) in the work environment by one or more perpetrator(s) that is detrimental to the health of the targeted individual(s). WPB is considered a universal phenomenon prevalent throughout the world and the United States across a variety of professionals and non-professionals with severe consequences to individuals, groups, and organizational morale. Thirty-five percent of all the known workforce in the United States, across all genders, races, and ethnicities are bullied at work. Racial/Ethnic minority female nurses, as a significant subset of nurses, may be bullied at …

Does Optic Flow Provide Information About Actions?, Hannah Masoner

Dissertations

Optic flow, the pattern of light generated in the visual field by motion of objects and the observer’s body, serves as information that underwrites perception of events, actions and affordances. This visual pattern informs the observer about their own actions in relation to their surroundings, as well as those of others. This study explored the limits of action detection for others as well as the role of optic flow. First-person videos were created using camera recordings of the actor’s perspective as they performed various movements (jumping jacks, jumping, squatting, sitting, etc.). In three experiments participants attempted to detect the action …

Minority Nursing Students' Perceptions About Help-Seeking When Under Stress: A Basic Qualitative Study, Marjorie Attis-Josias

Dissertations

Nursing students experience many situations that lead to stress. Stress can have many adverse effects on students, including attrition, and minority nursing students often grapple with a unique set of stressors related to their status as minorities. This study was conducted to close the gap in the literature about minority nursing students' beliefs and attitudes about help-seeking for stress. A basic qualitative design was utilized to answer one research question, How do minority nursing students describe their experiences with help-seeking when under stress? Individual interviews were conducted with 12 ethnic and racial minority students enrolled in their third or fourth …

From Family Storytelling To Emancipatory Knowing: Bearing Witness To The Resistance Of Black Women Leaders In Higher Education, Eboni Sterling

Dissertations

We, in the Black community, have preserved our existence and histories through storytelling. The blessing of stories passed from one generation to the next serves as survival signposts. Amidst this tradition, ongoing dominant narratives work to mischaracterize and dehumanize members of the Black community, specifically Black women. The unique and intersectional position of Black women leaders invites an onslaught of racial challenges in any sector. However, a complex relationship exists between Black women leaders in academia and the metanarratives manufactured by dominant groups. While often viewed as entertainment, the cultural practice of storytelling can incite empowerment and emancipation of the …

An Evaluation Of A Shared Leadership Training Program, Lavonda Ann Allen

Dissertations

The purpose of the quantitative quasi-experimental equivalent time series study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a work based shared leadership training program in a less than 200 bed hospital in rural, south-central United States. Nursing shortages and the current emphasis on quality are factors that make recruitment and retention of nurses important to healthcare organizations. Organizational support for bed side decision making can improve staff nurse satisfaction, thereby facilitating recruitment and retention of nursing staff. Work based action learning training programs are a mechanism to improve team members' use of shared leadership and decision making. A review of literature …

Examining Nurse Educators' Stages Of Concern About The Teaching Innovation Of Simulation As Clinical Experience, Lynnette Marie Schreiner

Dissertations

There exists a critical need to boost the overall number of baccalaureate-prepared registered nurses to accomplish goals for providing high-quality healthcare for all United States citizens (Institute of Medicine, 2011). Given the limited number of sites needed to facilitate clinical learning experiences for pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing students, using simulation as a technologically modern innovation in nursing instruction is an approach to help overcome the lack of traditional clinical opportunities. The purpose of this study was to examine the nurse educators' concerns about using simulation by determining 1) the intensity of nurse educators' stages of concern about using simulation as clinical …

Specifying The Psychomotor Domain Of The Construct Of Nursing Competence, Joni L. Jones

Dissertations

The measurement of an individual's predicted performance in his/her field is a requirement of many professions. The NCLEX-RN® is the measurement tool used to determine whether or not new graduates of registered nursing programs are competent to enter the profession. Although there are three domains of learning in nursing (cognitive, affective, and psychomotor) the only domain tested for licensure is the cognitive. Many factors contribute to the lack of testing in the psychomotor area. One of the major impediments is that the entry-level psychomotor domain for registered nursing has yet to be defined. The purpose of this study was to …

Drawing My Story: Children's Experiences In The Hospital, Christy Marguerite Gifford Solorio

Dissertations

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Crossing the Quality Chasm recommended an increased focus on patient-centered care to improve patients' experience in health care; however, patient-centered care aimed directly at children remains elusive. While the IOM report states that health care cannot be improved without the direct engagement of patients, few studies directly engage children, as patients, to better understand children's experiences in health care from the child's point of view.

The Changing Of Ambulatory Care: Provision And Utilizations As Influenced By The Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act, Heather Marie Brom

Dissertations

Nurse practitioners (NPs) represent a growing healthcare provider workforce, which is poised to assist with the shortages of physicians and growing demand for healthcare services driven by the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Restrictions to NP scope of practice may present a barrier to meeting this need. This research sought to determine if NP scope of practice laws were altered in response to passage of the ACA and to examine changes in the number of NPs, to test for differences in the delivery of ambulatory care in the United States, and to characterize ambulatory practice by state-level NP scope of practice …

Can An Expert Opinion Mitigate Racially Biased Diversion Decisions? An Empirical Examination In The Context Of Reoffense Risk Assessment, Riley Davis

Dissertations

This study aimed to better understand the circumstances in which the racial identity of a justice impacted person can extraneously influence post-conviction placement decisions based on specialized re-offense prediction tools, specifically decisions at the crux of community supervision and jail time. Participants (N = 448) were exposed to one of nine conditions (3 descriptors of racial identities 3 levels of risk information) in which they were asked to rate their agreement with risk findings, rank the categorical risk of a hypothetical justice-involved person, and make management decisions (i.e., incarceration or community supervision; mandated treatment). It was hypothesized that participants …

The Relationships Among Job Satisfaction, Length Of Employment, And Mentoring Of Nursing Faculty, Zelda Suzan

Dissertations

The shortage of faculty in nursing education programs has been well documented by the National League for Nursing. Job satisfaction is important in retaining nurse educators, and one New York nursing program was interested in examining the potential impact of mentoring on satisfaction. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine job satisfaction, measured by the Job Descriptive Index/Job in General scale (JDI/JIG), between nurse faculty participants in formal mentoring programs compared to participants receiving an informal type of mentoring. In addition, the length of employment was examined as a possible factor in predicting job satisfaction. The theoretical framework …

Educational Priorities For The Future Of Emergency Nursing, Anna Maria Valdez

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine how and to what extent current societal and healthcare trends will impact the educational needs of the emergency nurse. Additionally, this study sought to draw upon that information to facilitate the development of expert consensus about the major educational priorities for emergency nurses during the time period of 2008-2018. While there is a limited amount of current research related to the societal and healthcare trends that are impacting emergency nursing, an extensive literature review produced no studies that identified educational priorities in emergency nursing. A mixed methodology, qualitative-then-quantitative study design using a …

How Persons With Schizophrenia Experience Connecting With Mental Health Professionals, Susan V. Brammer

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to develop a substantive theory that explains how persons with schizophrenia (PWS) experience connecting with mental health professionals (MHPs). Nine PWS, clients from two community mental health centers, were asked to recount their interactions with MHPs. The interview transcripts were analyzed through the grounded theory methodology of Strauss and Corbin (1998). The interactional problem between PWS and MHPs stems from the stigma associated with schizophrenia. The central concept emerged from the data analysis as Connecting Through Humanness. Connecting Through Humanness is a three-part process where PWS identify whether MHPs stereotype them as schizophrenics or …

Overcoming The Imposter Phenomenon: Exploring The Strategies Secondary Educators Used To Cope During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Barbra J.C. Bedwell

Dissertations

Purpose. The purpose of this descriptive mixed-method study was to explore and describe the coping skills used by secondary teachers who identified as experiencing the impostor phenomenon (IP) by the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS) (Clance, 1985) to overcome the nine behavioral characteristics of IP during the transition to distance learning in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methodology. This descriptive mixed-methods research design used both quantitative and qualitative techniques to identify teachers with IP and explore the coping techniques they used during distance learning. First, a quantitative 20-question diagnostic survey, the CIPS, was used to identify teachers with IP. …

The Perceptions Of Educators On Transition Planning & The Postsecondary Transition Readiness Outcomes Of Students With Disabilities, Marisa Duarte

Dissertations

The purpose of this quantitative descriptive research was to gain the perspective of educators on transition planning for students with disabilities in two public school districts in the state of Kentucky. The Individual Disabilities Education Act and Workforce Innovation Opportunities Act are laws requiring students with disabilities to be transition ready upon their graduation from high school. A sample of 12 educators, representing two Kentucky districts, who participate in transitioning students with disabilities, completed The Secondary Educator Transition Questionnaire survey. Data from the districts’ state report cards indicated students with disabilities were not transition ready in comparison with students without …

Assessing The Relationship Between Mandatory Faculty Development For Online Career College Instructors And Transformative Learning, Tremayne Simpson

Dissertations

Online teaching and learning has become a primary focal point for higher education administrators. Institutions have focused their strategic plans to maximize opportunities to grow their campuses, through distance education. A consistent issue that has surfaced with distance education initiatives is teacher preparation for online education. The issue is further compounded in proprietary institutions that may have limited resources and guidance for structuring effective faculty development programs. It is beneficial for faculty program developers to implement adult learning concepts into their courses to improve the overall training transfer for instructors. Transformative learning is an adult learning theory that focuses on …

Components Of Effective Instructional Coaching: Examining Instructional Coach, Teacher, And Principal Perspectives, Becky Mathison

Dissertations

Instructional coaching has been shown to be an effective way to improve teacher practice through structured partnership and goal-oriented collaboration. This qualitative study examined the perspectives of instructional coaches, teachers, and principals on the presence of six key components of effective instructional coaching programs: building relationships, remaining connected to students, developing leadership skills, modeling for teachers, building in plan time, and remaining focused on the goal. An examination of the data collected via open-ended surveys and semi-structured interviews indicated that the Aqua Valley School District may strengthen their instructional coaching program through addressing how coaches build relationships, remain connected to …

Mothers With Chronic Illness And Their Spouse/Partner: Uncertainty, Family Hardiness, And Psychological Wellbeing, Margaret Cordell Noreuil

Dissertations

Mothers with chronic illness are expected not only to manage their chronic illness but also to continue to manage both family and work roles and obligations. The ability to manage various roles, and do them well, is difficult for healthy mothers; for a mother living with chronic illness, it may be impossible.

The purposes of this study were to: (1) describe levels of uncertainty, family hardiness, and psychological wellbeing in mothers with a chronic illness and their spouse/partner; (2) test for direct and moderating effects of uncertainty and family hardiness on psychological wellbeing in mothers and their spouse/partner; (3) examine …

Chlorhexidine Gluconate Bath Project: A Program Evaluation, Yavesh Crawford

Dissertations

Patients' safety outcomes are a reliable measure of how well a unit performs within any hospital. One of the most impactful patient safety factors is bloodline infections within the hospital. Blood line infections are associated with over 28,000 fatalities in the United States. The cost of central line bloodstream infection (CLABSI) in the United States is over $2 billion annually. Therefore, there is a need for a way to reduce CLABSI rates within care facilities. Considering the possible interventions, this program evaluation chose chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing to reduce infections. To establish the efficacy of the proposed solution, the program …

Participation In An Online Faculty Development Program To Support Novice Nursing Faculty, Janis Kay Mcmillan

Dissertations

The lack of nursing faculty is negatively impacting the much-needed growth in the number of registered nurses needed in the United States, which is projected to increase alarmingly in the next five to six years. There are fewer programs that exist today to prepare nurses specifically to become nursing faculty so that the Registered Nurses (RNs) who may choose to become nursing faculty are doing so without specific training in education. There is a lack of support and preparation that could assist in the initial transition period, leaving new nursing faculty to struggle. Faculty development via online modules would go …

Living With Hiv Disease: A Phenomenological Study Of A Group Of Older Black/African American Women, Judith C. James-Borga

Dissertations

Black/African American women are disproportionately affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease. The purpose of this study was to gain an in-depth understanding of the experiences of a group of lower socioeconomic, older Black/African American women, who were living with HIV disease. A purposive sample of ten participants was obtained and data was collected through unstructured interviews. Using the phenomenological stance of Merleau Ponty, and guided by van Manen's methodological processes, seven essential themes emerged: transcending adversity and becoming; using knowledge as empowerment; dealing with HIV stigma; concealing and revealing; tending to their emotional life; and caring for others while …

Radar Remote Sensing For Land Surface Studies Over The United Arab Emirates, Muhagir Hisham Elkamali

Dissertations

This dissertation is concerned with the land surface deformations related to anthropogenic activities and how a monitoring strategy can be established for nationwide studies. The main objective of this dissertation is to study land surface fluctuations in regional and local scales over the dry semi-arid climate of the United Arab Emirates with the relation to subsurface layers mechanisms and groundwater dynamics. Radar Interferometry techniques have been developed to detect and monitor land surface movement from space with very high accuracy. This dissertation investigates the implementation of these techniques over highly decorrelated surfaces. The detected land surface movements have been correlated …

Special Education Teacher Burnout: Examining The Role Of Educator Preparation Programs In Prevention, Brittany L. Straub

Dissertations

Teacher burnout is increasingly problematic, especially for special education teachers who have a unique set of job responsibilities. Survey and interview data was used in this phenomenological study to examine how the educator preparation program (EPP) experience and self-authorship journey of early career special education teachers impact their potential to experience burnout. Data findings regarding level of self-perceived burnout, recollections of being or not being taught stress management and coping strategies in their EPPs, recollections of the self-authorship journey, and intentions for remaining in the career are shared in this dissertation. The essence of this phenomenon can be summed up …

A Phenomenological Study On How Exemplary Community College Chief Human Resource Officers Lead From The Heart To Accomplish Extraordinary Results, Angela Love

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe how exemplary community college chief human resource officers lead from the heart using Crowley’s (2011) four principles (building a highly engaged team, connecting on a personal level, maximizing employee potential, and valuing and honoring achievements) to accomplish extraordinary results in their organizations.

Methodology: This qualitative study used a phenomenological method to describe how eight exemplary community college chief human resource officers lead from the heart using Crowley’s (2011) four principles (building a highly engaged team, connecting on a personal level, maximizing employee potential, and valuing and honoring achievements) to accomplish …

Life Histories Of Blackqueer Adults: Why And How They Support Blackqueer Youth, Javania Michelle Webb

Dissertations

To set the tone for this qualitative study and the enriched data discovered, bell hooks (2001) says, “if we love each other and embrace our diverse sexualities, we create an environment where there is no sexuality that cannot speak its name” (p. 207). This critical narrative analysis portrays the reasons why BlackQueer adults choose to mentor and embolden BlackQueer youth. Life History methodology brought their experiences to life. Lesbian, Gay, and Gender Nonconforming (LGGNC) youth learn to conceal certain attributes associated with being Queer. They are compelled to consider and give context to their family, K-12 school personnel, and community …

A Study Of The Socialization Of Accelerated Bsn Graduates, Linda Eileen Wolf

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate the socialization of accelerated BSN graduates who had been employed in the workforce for 2 to 3 years. Socialization was examined as a calling, not in terms of job socialization, which is the focus of research on socialization in the literature. Eight interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with graduates of a school of nursing at an urban university in Northeast Ohio. Data were analyzed using Colaizzi's (1978) procedural steps. The following assertions emerged: Assertion 1: The feeling of being a nurse, an attribute of professional identity, coincided with the occurrence …

The Lived Experience Of Aging: Listening To The Oldest-Old, Julia A. Pusztai

Dissertations

Although embraced as desirable by most, living into very old age is largely unexplored as a distinct season of life, with increased, varied, and cumulative changes during a unique time of vulnerability and frailty. The purpose of this study was to listen to the oldest-old, and to explore their lived experience of growing old. This hermeneutic phenomenology study examines the experience of finding meaning and living with losses and gains in advanced old age.

This study design included three separate interviews one month apart with participants over 85 years of age. Purposive sampling resulted in 13 participants, 5 being male …

The Balance We Seek: A Sequential Narrative Analysis Of Childhood Cancer Blogs, Catherine Mcgeehin Heilferty

Dissertations

The research aimed to identify the narratives and themes about the experience of parenting a child with cancer, analyze the social interaction present in illness blogs created by parents of children with cancer and identify the reasons expressed by parents in the blogs for writing and publishing online.

A Convergent Parallel Mixed Method Study On The Experience Of Coping During High-Risk Pregnancy And Prescribed Bed Rest, Ellen Boyd

Dissertations

Antepartum bed rest and hospitalization is frequently prescribed for high-risk women experiencing pregnancy complications. Bed rest may result in problems for the high-risk mother including isolation, boredom, anxiety, depression, and separation from their families. The aim of this study is to analyze the coping behaviors of high-risk pregnant women hospitalized and prescribed bed rest. Also, to describe the lived experience of high-risk pregnant women hospitalized and prescribed bed rest. A convergent parallel mixed method design was used to analyze the coping behaviors of 40 high-risk pregnant women. A secondary analysis of data from the Brief Cope Scale (Carver, 1997) was …

Voices Of Associate Degree Nursing Rns About The Pursuit Of The Bachelor Of Science In Nursing Degree, Christie M. Candelaria

Dissertations

New developments in health care delivery, changes in the demographics, and the increasing complexity of health problems of the general population require baccalaureate prepared nurses. However, the educational preparation of the majority of nurses in the workforce is the diploma and associate degree level. This project study explored the reasons that hindered the graduates of the Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program of a community college in South Texas from pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. ADN-prepared nurses will have to go through a transformation process as they pursue the BSN. Mezirow‟s transformational learning theory served as the …