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Re-Linkage To Hiv Care Among Persons Living With Hiv (Plwh) With A Gap In Care Of Six Months Or More, Jamie Lynn Mignano

Dissertations

Despite widespread attention to the HIV care continuum over the past several years, little attention has focused on the 45% of PLWH that are not retained in care who are responsible for more than 60% of new HIV infections. The gaps in the HIV care continuum are further compounded by the disproportionate burden of HIV among individuals affected by social and economic disparities. The purpose of the study was to identify potential community level and individual level characteristics of re-linkage to HIV care among out of care people living with HIV (PLWH). Andersen's Behavioral Model (ABM), a health services research …

Brand And Culture Fusion: How Marketing Directors Lead Brand And Culture Alignment At Private Non-Profit Higher Education Institutions, Erin Hales

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to identify and describe, through the lens of activity theory (AT), the challenges and best practices of marketing directors at private, non-profit higher education institutions on how they lead brand and culture alignment.

Methodology: This phenomenological study collected, analyzed, and triangulated data through 15 semi-structured interviews and the collection of artifacts. Data was then coded into themes, frequencies were calculated, and data was organized into the four categories of AT: tools, rules, community, and division of labor.

Findings: Examination of the data found that marketing directors experienced six challenges representing all four …

Employee Engagement, Brain-Based Psychological Safety, And The Sales Professional, Cheri Sherman

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this correlational study was to determine what relationship, if any, existed between employee engagement and psychological safety as measured by the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES) and the Academy of Brain-based Leadership’s S.A.F.E.T.Y.™ Assessment and Pulse Survey domains of security, autonomy, fairness, esteem, and trust.

Methodology: A quantitative, correlational methodology was used for this study. The post-hoc sample comprised of 61 high-performing sales professionals working in California. Participants completed the three assessments online via SurveyMonkey. The data were analyzed using a Spearman correlation.

Findings: This study resulted in multiple findings, including a statistically significant relationship between …

An Investigation Of Single-Sex Classrooms In An Urban, Public School Ninth Grade Academy, Vivian Johnson

Dissertations

The American education system is continually in pursuit of equity, mirroring our nation’s pursuit of equity for citizens and non-citizens in all areas of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There should not be discrimination towards any individual on the basis of sex, race, or physical disability. A person’s sex has always been a consideration within the confines of the American educational system. The question as to whether or not separating the sexes is advantageous for boys and girls to give them the opportunity to excel academically in the classroom learning environment is worth serious contemplation. Especially, when considering …

Correlation Of Personal Finance Class And Credit Scores, Betty W. Fagan

Dissertations

It is has become a concern: the number of people struggling with personal finance and credit scores. It is for this reason that this study scrutinizes the possible influence of one factor on the other. It is undeniable that personal finance influences some futuristic financial decisions and goals, but has the relationship been proven? This study aims to evaluate the correlation between personal finance and financial literacy, using a sample of 15 to 30 high-school students and teachers. The study collected data through interviews and surveys. The data collected were used to formulate the correlation between the course’s success and …

A Qualitative Study Of Nursing Living-Learning Communities, Renee N. Bauer

Dissertations

Living-learning communities, although not a novel concept, have been known to promote student performance and a sense of collegiality. Because nursing is essential to the medical profession, nursing student retention and pass rates are of paramount importance. Attrition tends to happen to nursing students in their first formative years (Newton & Moore, 2009). Therefore, this study was conducted to explore findings associated with living arrangements and residential factors promoting and deterring retention. Although most studies on this topic have utilized quantitative methods, this qualitative comparative case study, involving two universities in Indiana during the winter of 2014, examined the personal …

Stigmatization Experiences Of Hiv Infected Women: A Focused Ethnography, Marsha J. Bennett

Dissertations

Few studies address the multiplicity of psychological, social, and cultural influences on women's behavior as a result of their HIV infection. The purpose of this study was to analyze: (a) women's experiences of living with HIV disease from the perspective of the women's stigmatized status, and (b) a subculture of HIV infected women with a set of relationships, behaviors, events, and rituals that imparted meaning into being a woman infected with HIV in this society. Adult women were referred from their primary care providers and nurses, and consented for participation. A focused ethnography using individual interviews, group interviews, and participant …

The Meaning For Elders Of Receiving Family Care, Janice D. Crist

Dissertations

This dissertation reports findings from an interpretive phenomenological study which addressed the question, ";How central, for elders, in their everyday concerns and practices, is the experience of receiving family care?"; The investigator collected data using interviews, observations and questionnaires with a purposive sample of nine elders in their. homes. Data were collected from each elder two to five times.

Findings were that eight of nine elders (1) incorporated both their illness and help from family members comfortably into their lives while still viewing themselves as autonomous; (2) had positive relationships with their family carers; (3) viewed the acceptability of receiving …

An Examination Of The Behavior Patterns Of Two Utah Male Adolescents Who Committed Suicide: Comparative Case Studies, Marlene P. Bacon

Dissertations

Although the literature indicates that there is a large body of professional knowledge available about adolescent suicide, the body of literature focusing on adolescent suicide indicates that very little is known about the lifelong behavior patterns of teens who commit suicide. The purpose of this beginning study was to increase the understanding of the development of behavior patterns of Utah adolescent males who commit suicide. The major research questions were the following: (a) What individual factors, environmental factors, and critical life incidents were perceived by informants as being important in the development of behavior patterns over the lifetime of two …

The Relationships Of Social Support, Rumination, Posttraumatic Growth, And The Length Of Time Following A Combat-Related Amputation Among Operation Enduring Freedom And Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans, Bonnie B. Benetato

Dissertations

As the U.S. enters its sixth year of ongoing military operations in Iraqi and Afghanistan, the U.S. is witnessing a new generation of injured veterans. Sixty-five percent of military injuries result from improvised explosive devices (IEDs) Combat-injured amputees are typically young and physically fit, and have an optimistic prognosis for having a normal life expectancy and returning to near preinjury levels of physical activity.

Presence In Nursing Practice: A Critical Hermeneutic Analysis, Alicia L. Bright

Dissertations

Presence, although it involves action at times, is a humanitarian quality of relating that is ethically generated and has real-world implications for both patient and nurse. It is an interpersonal process characterized by sensitivity, holism, intimacy, vulnerability, and adaptation to unique circumstances that results in enhanced mental wellbeing for nurses and patients, and improved physical wellbeing for patients. Knowing and being with are foundational to being present.

The Attraction Of Nursing Academia To Practicing Nurses: A Phenomenological Study, Edna R. Magpantay-Monroe

Dissertations

Nursing faculty shortage is a critical issue that required investigating because the demand for producing nurses is increasing. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the phenomenon of why nursing academia is attractive to practicing nurses. Using a phenomenological research design, the study focused on exploring the lived experiences of 20 practicing nurses in the teaching profession. Written reflections and semi-structured interviews were used to gather the data. The major findings of the study provided insights into the participants' passion for teaching and continuous learning. The themes that emerged as viable and sustainable recruitment and retention strategies are: …

A Descriptive Mixed-Methods Study Examining Resilience And Transitioning To Adulthood Among Emerging Adults With Disabilities, Jennifer Emilie Mannino

Dissertations

Transitioning to adulthood is not without challenges. The move away from family influence towards independence and self-determination is filled with uncertainty. Increased challenges and vulnerabilities in transitioning are evident among emerging adults with disabilities because they face additional challenges related to their disability over and above what others of this developmental stage experience.

A Phenomenological Study Of Exemplary Corporate Learning And Development Leaders Leading From The Heart, Randa Jad-Moussa

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to describe how corporate learning and development leaders lead from the heart using Mark Crowley’s (2011) 4 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 study followed a qualitative phenomenological research study to describe the lived experiences of exemplary corporate learning and development leaders. Eight corporate learning and development leaders were selected from the target population in publicly traded technology companies in the state of California. Each of the corporate learning and …

Annotation In Nurse Education: Towards A Hermeneutic Understanding, Paul J. Regan

Dissertations

To explore the meaning of annotation in nurse education within higher education.

Annotation is a common practice in higher education pedagogy aimed at communicating the lecturer's comments about an assignment back to the student. A literature review identified a dearth of research available to inform annotation and its use in nurse education was generally inductive and learnt from experiences of giving and receiving annotation feedback.

Predictors Of Retention And Passing National Council Licensure Examination For Registered Nurses, Nancy Susan Elkins

Dissertations

The current nursing shortage has challenged colleges to educate nurses at a faster pace than in previous times. Successful completion of the nursing programs and passing the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) exam is important for the students, faculty, and nursing programs. The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate the possible predictors of completing the baccalaureate nursing program at a college in the eastern part of the United States and passing the NCLEX-RN licensure exam. Using Spearman's classical test theory and Seidman's retention formula as theoretical foundations, this study investigated historical data from 2 graduating …

Examination Of Gaming In Nursing Education And The Effects On Learning And Retention, Tracey L. Hodges

Dissertations

The college environment brings together adult learners from diverse backgrounds who have different goals, personal and work experiences, and learning styles. These learners have the ability to learn in as many ways as educators have ways to teach them and learn better when actively engaged in the learning process. This reality makes it important for adult educators to incorporate a variety of teaching methods in their courses to meet the needs of these learners. Gaming is one such teaching method, with the potential to reach a wide and diverse population of adult learners.

The primary purpose of this study was …

Irritable Infants: Their Childhood Characteristics, Madalynn M. Neu

Dissertations

Although 16% to 26% of infants are irritable or colicky, little is known about their behavior as children. The purpose of this study was to compare the sequelae of six to eight year old children who had infant colic with those who did not. Characteristics of children were compared in terms of temperament, problem behavior, intelligence, executive function, and parent stress.

Development Of Antepartal Data Set Elements For Nurse-Midwifery Care, Amy J. Levi

Dissertations

The use of minimum data sets (MDS) has become integral to managing information in health care. The American College of Nurse-Midwives is redesigning the Nurse-Midwifery Clinical Data Set to function as a MDS to improve efficiency of data management and aggregation of data for all types of nurse-midwifery practices. The purpose of this study was to identify the processes of care used by certified nurse-midwives (CNM) providing antenatal care to assist with the construction of the antepartal portion of the Midwifery MDS. Donabedian's (1980) conceptual model for quality in health care guided the study.

The Lived Experience Of Associate Degree Nursing Education: Conditions And Barriers In The Learning Environment That Shaped Students' Learning, Identity Development, And Success, Darlene M. Del Prato

Dissertations

This qualitative study examined how 13 students, from 3 ADN programs, experienced nursing education. Students' constructed the formal curriculum in three central ways: knowledge acquisition as privileged, disconnect between teaching, learning, and assessment, and clinical learning as evaluation. Participants' perspectives about the informal curriculum revealed two themes: supportive relationships with faculty as a critical condition of learning and development, and faculty incivility as a barrier to learning, development, and professional identity. In addition, students' felt a need to identify and enact unspoken norms of an ideal nurse. Faculty were key in promoting or hindering students' learning, development, and successful navigation …

Pap Smear Guideline Adherence Among Non-Immigrant Hispanic Women Of Mexican Origin, Dulce M. Warren

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to add to the body of knowledge about the high rates of cervical cancer among non-immigrant Hispanic women of Mexican origin (NIHWMO). This problem was studied by investigating predictors of Pap smear guideline adherence. The specific aims of this study were to 1) to investigate the effect of acculturation, familism, fatalism, provider trust, cultural congruence, HPV knowledge, and generational level on Pap smear guideline adherence, 2) investigate the moderating effects of acculturation on familism, fatalism, provider trust, cultural congruence, HPV knowledge, and generational level on Pap smear guideline adherence, 3) examine the characteristics of …

Silenced In History: A Historical Study Of Mary Seacole, Bonnie M. Harmer

Dissertations

This study sought to uncover the factors that contributed to the historical disappearance of Mary Seacole from the literature from 1900 through to the 1980s. By the late 1990s she was celebrated as a nursing pioneer and the first nurse practitioner. Seacole, a Creole woman from Jamaica with outstanding clinical skills, was refused the opportunity to join the nurses who Nightingale recruited for the Crimean War campaign. Undaunted by the rejection, Seacole paid for her own voyage and established a boarding house and clinic near the front lines. Her courage and positive patient outcomes were recognized by the military officers. …

A Mixed-Methods Exploration Study On Trauma-Informed Practices Used To Dismantle The School-To-Prison Pipeline In Public And Private Schools In The City Of St. Louis, Jennifer Lauren Gabrian

Dissertations

Since the release of the Missouri Model for Trauma-Informed Schools approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) in 2019, school leaders were given the opportunity to start the process of meeting the emotional and fundamental needs of students. With the effects of trauma reaching all diverse groups of race, gender, economic status, and community surroundings, there is an increased need to use the education system to reach students emotionally. Though the model is a blueprint for schools, school districts are not required to adopt this model and implement it within their districts. Due to the recent pandemic, …

Making A Life: A Grounded Theory Of Living In A Nursing Home As A Working-Age Adult, Eileen C. Specchio

Dissertations

Although working-age (22-64 years of age) nursing home residents represent 12% of the total nursing home beds (CDC, 2002), little research exists on what it is like to live in a nursing home as a working-age adult.

The purpose of this study was to develop a substantive theory, using grounded theory analytic methods to describe and explain how working-age disabled nursing home residents perceive their everyday life in a nursing home.

Exploration Of Patients' Spiritual/Religious Beliefs And Resuscitation Decisions, Elizabeth A. Freitas

Dissertations

The resuscitation decision, which has the potential to reverse a premature death or prolong the dying process, is complex and can be associated with spiritual/religious beliefs, values, and quality of life. The consequences of the resuscitation decision make it imperative that healthcare providers have an understanding of patients' spiritual/religious beliefs and how those beliefs are associated with their resuscitation decisions. The objective of this study was to determine the associations between hospitalized patients' spiritual/religious beliefs and their resuscitation decisions.

Clinical Nurses Transitioning In A Faculty Role: A Cultural Analysis Of The Nursing Profession, The Academic Discipline Of Nursing, And The Academic Professorate, Cheryl L. Schriner

Dissertations

Nursing faculty are initially socialized into the culture of the nursing profession and then must transition into the culture of the academic discipline of nursing as they assume their new professorial role. This study explored how cultural similarities and differences influenced the transition of clinical nurses into a faculty role. The study was guided by Peterson and Spencer's (1990) model of organizational culture and Schlossberg's (1995) adult transition theory.

Concerns, Coping, And Quality Of Life Of Mexican American Breast Cancer Survivors, Mary M. Lopez

Dissertations

Coping is a challenge for breast cancer survivors and may result in a poor quality of life (QOL). The primary purpose of this mixed method study was to examine the effects of acculturation, optimism, and breast cancer concerns on coping styles and to determine the effect coping styles have on the QOL of Mexican American breast cancer survivors. A 1-group ex post facto, descriptive, correlational design with path analysis was used to determine the direct, indirect, and total effects of the causal antecedents on coping and QOL.

Relationships Among Parental Alcoholism, Sense Of Belonging, Resilience And Depressive Symptoms In Korean People, Hyunhwa Lee

Dissertations

Although adult children of alcoholics (ACOA) are at risk for alcohol or other drug abuses and serious emotional problems, including depressive symptoms, "resilient" ACOAs grow up striving to adapt, survive and succeed under stressful conditions. Recent studies have reported that one of the key factors increasing resilience is sense of belonging, which also protects individuals from depressive symptoms. However, the relationships among depressive symptoms, sense of belonging, and resilience have rarely been studied in ACOAs. Therefore, this descriptive and comparative study between ACOAs and non-ACOAs aims to explore the relationships among parental alcoholism, sense of belonging, resilience, and depressive symptoms, …

Nursing Student And Faculty Perceptions Of The Characteristics Of Effective Instructors In The Simulated Clinical Experience, Bridget K. Parsh

Dissertations

Effective clinical nursing instructors are essential to maximizing the educational experience of nursing students. Due to a shortage of clinical placement sites and advancements in technology, today's nursing students are increasingly learning clinical judgment and decision making in the simulated clinical experience (SCE) with human patient simulators. In this environment, SCE instructors assist students to acquire knowledge and skill in decision-making in a controlled, risk free, hospital-type clinical environment.

Female Assistant Superintendents: Using Personal Power To Overcome Self-Sabotage, Kristen Miller

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this explanatory mixed-method study was to identify and describe self-sabotaging behaviors experienced by female assistant superintendents and to explore the impact these behaviors had on their career development. A secondary purpose of this study was to identify strategies employed by female assistant superintendents to overcome self-sabotaging behaviors.

Methodology: This explanatory sequential mixed-method study described the experiences of ten female assistant superintendents in California. The first phase of the study was quantitative and included an online survey designed to identify female assistant superintendents’ most prevalent self-sabotaging behaviors and the impact they had on their career …