Digital Commons Network^™

Identifying Health Priorities For A Vulnerable Underserved Population In Uganda, Africa Using Community Base Participatory Research And The Photovoice Approach, Cheryl Wallin

Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to give voice to an underserved and vulnerable population in Uganda, Africa to advocate for health priorities. Nineteen members of the village of Namagera, identified as a leper colony, were selected by community members and volunteered to participate in every element of this study. Descriptive phenomenology was the guiding philosophy and community-based participatory research methods and photovoice provided the lens for social action. Leininger's theory of culture care diversity and universality (Leininger & McFarland, 2006) anchored the study in cultural caring and the community nursing practice model (Parker et al., 2020) kept …

Using Education To Improve Medication Adherence In Hypertension, Chinyere Oghide

Dissertations

Antihypertensive medication non-adherence is a common problem in healthcare. Currently, the project site has no program to increase medication adherence (MA) in their hypertensive patients. Therefore, the purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental quality improvement project was to determine if the implementation of the Million Hearts program impacted the adherence to antihypertensive medication among adult patients, with known hypertension (HTN) in a primary care clinic setting in New York, over a four week period. Orem's self-care theory and Ajzen's theory of planned behavior were the project's theoretical foundation. Data on MA was measured using the Hill-Bone Medication Adherence Scale HB-MAS scale …

A Mixed Method Investigation Of Industry Recognized Credentials And Academic Achievement Among Urban Schools In The State Of Missouri, Christopher L. Mcneil

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to gather the effectiveness of the Industry Recognized Credentials in preparing Career and Technical Education students’ postsecondary opportunities. This study sought to explore if students’ exposure to Career and Technical Education (CTE) programing and attainment of Industry Recognized Credentials leads to positive postsecondary placement for Kansas City Public High School students. The researcher collected data from the 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 school years.

The researcher conducted a t-Test for difference in proportions, and the data revealed that the percentage of graduates attaining IRC for 2020-2021 was significantly higher than the previous years. The …

Identification Of Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Clinical Procedural Skills Used In Practice: Examination Of Frequency Of Use, Importance Of Skill, And Training For Skill, David R. Want

Dissertations

With primary care NPs functioning in varied settings and roles requiring additional CPS knowledge and skills, NPs have expressed lack of preparedness regarding CPS. Although some evidence identified those CPS considered important to and frequently performed by NPs, the literature provides insufficient evidence to identify the CPS performed most frequently and rated as most important by primary care NPs in practice, and existing curricular standards lack clarity regarding which CPS to include in program curricula. This project aimed to conduct a practice analysis of the most frequently performed and most important CPS to primary care NPs in one region of …

Development And Evaluation Of A Nurse Practitioner-Directed Medication Adherence Program For Adults With Hypertension In An Academic Medical Center, Adrienne E. Thorne

Dissertations

Hypertension affects one in three American adults and is the leading modifiable risk factor of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease deaths (Arnett et al., 2019). Medication adherence to antihypertensive medications plays an important role in controlling hypertension. Adherence is affected by multiple factors such as medication side effects, multiple medication regimens, and being asymptomatic, as well as social and economic factors, patient-related factors, therapy-related factors, comorbid conditions, and health care system factors (Egan, 2019). Frequent interactions between patients and providers and medication refill reminders have shown to improve medication adherence in cardiac patients (Lambert-Kerzner et al., 2015), thus this project focused on …

Self-Directed Simulation: Examining Self-Efficacy In Nursing Students Using Innovative Video Strategies, Kristen L. Mattox

Dissertations

Psychomotor nursing skills are a fundamental part of curricula for all schools of nursing no matter the degree level of the program. Demands placed on schools to produce a generalist nurse with the ability to safely practice in the clinical setting is high. There is no standard method of teaching or evaluation regarding psychomotor nursing skills, and there is much room for studies to demonstrate best practice. On top of the already mentioned high demands placed on schools of nursing are the demands of content-saturated nursing curricula on the students. Nursing students are placed under stress-producing situations that create high …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Training Used For The Implementation Of A Peer Support Program To Support Second Victims, Karen Adamouski-Marion

Dissertations

In many health care organizations, the needed support for second victims, or care of the caregiver, is lacking or unavailable. This was true of the Inova health system organization at the conception of this project. This paper describes the process of establishing the need for a peer support program and evaluating the effectiveness of the selected peer support training program to meet the needs of the peer supporters, the team members they serve, and the organization. Unfortunately, unanticipated and tragic events will happen to excellent health care team members; the results are often anxiety, depression, guilt, and fear. The effects …

Hipaa Applied To Jigsaw: A Collaborative Communication Improvement Project, Margaret P. Smallwood

Dissertations

Purpose: To translate the Jigsaw Method of Cooperative Learning into a strategy to improve collaboration in healthcare education through formal online discussions. The Jigsaw Method concept will be utilized to identify any enhancements in collaborative communication among healthcare professionals.

Significance: Communication failures lead to increased healthcare costs, patient care errors, and greater inefficiency in healthcare delivery. This project can improve collaborative communication that can help to eliminate these failures.

Design: The design is a mixed method, using quantitative and qualitative strategies for data collection and analysis.

Method: Online discussions were reformatted into constructive segments using the Jigsaw Technique and implemented …

The Role Of Self-Efficacy And Academic Mindset On Middle School Math Achievement For At Promise Youth: An Explanatory Study, Michael Lockwood Mansfield

Dissertations

California’s accountability system has blended its focus on noncognitive factors of achievement as well as evidence of academic growth. School districts are becoming increasingly interested in developing noncognitive factors in their students to help increase student achievement. With the wide variety of mandates and responsibilities schools are shouldering, it will be important to continue developing methods to increase all school accountability metrics in relation with each other. This research aims to explore the relationship between noncognitive factors and mathematics achievement as measured by the Northwest Evaluation Association’s Measure of Academic Progress assessment (MAP). This study surveyed 8th graders throughout a …

Closing The Gaps: Understanding And Disrupting Deficit Thinking And Exclusionary Discipline Practices In A Latinx School, Edgar Ivan Alcaraz

Dissertations

Improving the academic outcomes for low-income underserved students has become imperative for districts who are committed to equity and justice. School cultures that emphasize college and career readiness for all have been found to improve the academic achievement of low-income students of color. This dissertation explores the efforts of a Latino middle school principal striving to build a college and career readiness culture. Deficit thinking, coupled with exclusionary discipline practices, were the biggest challenges to overcome while promoting a college and career readiness culture. The findings of this study highlight the need to address and disrupt these ideologies as a …

The Criteria For Developing A Tk-12 Ethnic Studies Model Curriculum, Taunya Marie Jaco

Dissertations

Over the past five decades, educators have been working to develop authentic Ethnic Studies courses that can be implemented in both higher education and K-12 schools. Ethnic Studies has been documented to be effective in growth in several metrics used to assess student "achievement." Despite its results, there is much debate as to whether or not Ethnic Studies should be a high school graduation requirement in California K-12 schools. This study explores key policies on Ethnic Studies in California, particularly the legislative mandate to develop a K-12 Ethnic Studies model curriculum. Through an exploratory documentary film study, this dissertation investigates …

Exploring The Deleterious Connection Between Tradional School Discipline Practices And Male Latino Students Who Have Endured Adverse Childhood Experiences: An Exploratory Study In Northern California., Sonia Vargas

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to critically evaluate the deleterious connection between traditional school discipline practices and male Latino students who have endured adverse childhood experiences. This study examined Latino male students’ testimonials and understanding of their educational trajectories as they encounter adverse childhood experiences as well as their perceptions towards punitive disciplinary practices. This exploratory research utilized a documentary film design methodology and examined the perceptions of Latino male students, counselors, administrators and district official in an urban school district located in northern California. The study drew upon qualitative data collected in video format through student participants’ and …

Experiences, Attitudes, And Perceptions Of Female Adjunct Clinical Instructors Teaching Male Pre-Licensure Nursing Students, Amanda E. Shilo

Dissertations

The global shortage of nurses is a problem that has serious consequences. Recruitment of men into nursing has been seen as one possible solution to both diversify the profession, and fill the shortfall, but there are multiple barriers for males in nursing. These barriers are reported as they first contemplate a career in nursing, during nursing education, and as they transition into the profession. This results in decreased retention and success, with males leaving nursing in higher numbers than their female peers. Clinical instructors are described as an essential source of encouragement and support for nursing students, yet are also …

Faculty Tools And Techniques Used To Assess Associate Degree Nursing Student Learning While Using Handheld Digital Devices, Miriam A. Yarnall

Dissertations

Many nursing programs utilize digital eBooks as well as nursing applications that contain specialized nursing tools. A gap in the literature review demonstrated the need for research into the best practice for assessing student learning obtained with handheld digital devices. The purpose of this research study was to explore the tools and techniques nursing faculty members use to assess the nursing student's ability to retain the information that had been obtained through the handheld digital device. One of the questions that was examined in this research was as follows: How do nursing instructors assess Kolb's experiential learning theory with the …

Retention Of Experienced Nurses: A Phenomenological Approach To Understanding Workplace Challenges, Janice Sinoski

Dissertations

The attrition of experienced registered nurses from bedside nursing represents a growing concern in the healthcare industry and compounds a national and global nursing shortage. Experienced nurses possess valuable assessment, communication, and critical thinking skills associated with improved patient outcomes. The problem is experienced registered nurses retiring before the age of retirement eligibility. The gap in the literature provided an opportunity for a descriptive, phenomenological qualitative study to explore the lived experiences of experienced nurses to determine which factors influence nurses' decision to retire early. Constructs of the conceptual framework were identified using the Nursing Services Delivery Theory's open system …

Promoting Prep Uptake In Primary Care Practice For The Prevention Of Hiv Transmissions, Sokonie S. Reed

Dissertations

The nation is charged with the great task of eradicating human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) by year 2030. PrEP is an acronym for pre-exposure prophylaxis. Multiple clinical trials have recognized it as a safe and highly effective regimen that includes taking a daily dose of an antiretroviral medication to prevent HIV transmissions. The regimen is backed by prominent healthcare organizations like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that have developed guidelines for PrEP implementation. Yet, there is a nationwide problem of low provider uptake of PrEP. Investigators in the literature on PrEP implementation concur that PrEP, as a preventative …

An Evaluation Of The Healthfulness Of The Hospital Food Environment, Cynthia E. Horton Dias

Dissertations

Though nurses may have knowledge about the health promoting benefits of a healthy diet, many do not consume enough fruits or vegetables. For hospital shift nurses to achieve healthy eating while at work, environmental barriers were reportedly the most challenging to overcome. To better understand the hospital food environment from the nurses' perspective, two mechanisms for workplace food acquisition were studied: 1.) hospital consumer food environment, which includes cafeterias, vending machines, and gift shops; and 2.) free food at work.

Improving Patient Satisfaction At An Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility, Ahmed Hariri

Dissertations

Patients hospitalized in Inpatient Rehabilitation facilities (IFRs) have complex needs that impact their satisfaction with care. The project site sought to improve patient satisfaction at discharge. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental quality project was to determine if the implementation of the Studer Group's Hourly Rounding® tool would impact patient satisfaction at discharge among adult patients in an IRF in rural California over four weeks. The theoretical foundations of the project utilized Roy's model of adaptation and Lewin's planned change theory. The total sample size was N=50, n=25 in the comparative and n=25 in the implementation group. Discharge scores were …

Perceptions Of Southwest Missouri Public School K‒12 Teachers And Building Principals In Regard To Preparedness Of Culturally Responsive Teaching, Katie C. Kensinger

Dissertations

Over the past two decades, K‒12 public education demographics have reflected an increase in student diversity while over 80% of the teaching population remains White (Ramirez et al., 2016). As student demographics evolve, public schools must adjust to provide all students with an education relevant to their backgrounds and experiences (Jones-Good, 2015). Teachers must prioritize and be prepared to teach diverse groups of students (Gay, 2018). This mixed-methods study included an analysis of teacher and principal perceptions of their level of preparedness for culturally responsive teaching in four southwest Missouri school districts with diverse student populations. The focus was placed …

Empowering Nurses Of Minority In The Face Of Incivility And Bullying: Through The Lens Of Phenomenology, Corrine M. Floyd

Dissertations

Up to 85% of nurses have reported exposure to incivility in the workplace (Hunt and Marini, 2012). The often-subtle nature of incivility toward nurses in a minority population may partially explain why it remains a problem. Healthcare organizations realize the need for civility to counter the high turnover rate, staff shortages, and low job satisfaction reported by nurses, but lack understanding of how nurses of a minority population perceive incivility and bullying. This study aimed to answer the research question how do nurses with minority representation experience incivility and bullying versus empowerment in the workplace? A descriptive phenomenological design used …

Improving Tobacco Cessation Processes For Behavioral Health Professionals In Primary Care, Iesha R. Floyd

Dissertations

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to develop evidence-based tobacco cessation recommendations through a pre-program evaluation of current tobacco cessation processes at a Federally Qualified Health Center in Casa Grande, Arizona. The primary investigator explored tobacco screening and counseling practices within the behavioral health department. The project took place alongside two similar projects focused on the pharmacy and primary care departments. Together the three projects functioned together to develop evidence-based recommendations, for implementation by future Doctor of Nursing Practice student cohorts.

Provider-Focused Lgbtqia+ Education: A Quality Improvement Effort, Amir W. Raad

Dissertations

The purpose of this quality improvement doctoral project was to implement an educational session at Southwest Behavioral & Health Services (SB&H) in rural Kingman, Arizona. The provider education focused on promoting transformational change in mental health provider awareness through education on health disparities, health related risk factors, interpersonal communication, and cultural sensitivity specific to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning, intersex, and asexual/allies population (LGBTQIA+).

Computational Studies Of Carbon Nanocluster Solidification, Chathuri C. Silva

Dissertations

A subset of micron-size meteoritic carbon particles formed in red giant atmospheres show a core-rim structure, likely condensed from a vapor phase into super-cooled carbon droplets that nucleated graphene sheets (~40Å) on randomly oriented 5-atom loops during solidification, followed by coating with a graphite rim. Similar particles form during slow cooling of carbon vapor in the lab.

Here we investigate the nucleation and growth of carbon rings and graphene sheets using density functional theory (DFT). Our objectives: (1). explore different computational techniques in DFT-VASP for various carbon structures and compare the results with literature, (2). investigate the nucleation and growth …

An Examination Of The Impact Of Student Loan Debt On Alumni Giving, Ashley N. Nickell, Molly B. Hurley

Dissertations

This study examined the effect of student loan debt on alumni’s willingness and ability to donate to their alma mater, including other identity-based motivating factors associated with an alumnus’ decision whether or not to donate. Participants of this study were recent (2015-2020) graduates of a doctoral program in the healthcare field in the Midwest, and were purposefully selected to answer questions regarding their income, loan debt, decision to give in monetary or non-monetary ways, and financial literacy education/financial preparedness. Data were gathered from virtual interviews that were transcribed and coded for emergent themes. The findings revealed that the majority of …

The Impact Of The Absent African American Father: Findings And Implications, Tambra Cross

Dissertations

This study focused on the difficulties and challenges experienced by sons who had absent fathers. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of sons who grew up with absent fathers and the effects on them as adults at home, in school, in their neighborhoods, and their decision-making processes. The sample consisted of eight men who grew up with absent fathers. Data were collected using face-to-face, structured and semi-structured interviews. Results indicated that participants' lived experiences of home life were characterized by financial and emotional hardships resulting from not having a father's earnings and care. The …

Comparison Of Pre-Licensure Bsn Student Outcomes Between Team-Based And Traditional Learning Methods, Tressa J. Pedroff

Dissertations

The increased complexity of healthcare systems requires nurses to have a different skillset, largely not provided in today's nursing curricula. Team-based learning is one possible teaching strategy believed to increase nurses' critical thinking and teamwork self-efficacy. Currently, there is insufficient objective data available that demonstrates improved academic performance and perceptions of teamwork skills in pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing students.

The purpose of this study is to compare the effects of team-based learning and traditional lecture-format teaching strategies among pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing students in a Foundations of Nursing Practice course.

Emotional Intelligence Education And Civility In Nursing Education: A Basic Qualitative Study, Vicki A. Ireland

Dissertations

Incivility in nursing is a multidimensional problem that requires a new, innovative approach to managing complicated interpersonal behaviors. Emotional intelligence has emerged as an essential skill for the nursing profession, as these competencies have been associated with enhanced interpersonal interactions and may be effective in cultivating a civil academic and clinical environment. As little was known about how nursing faculty integrated such essential concepts in their curriculum and teaching, the purpose of this study was to gain an understanding of how undergraduate nursing faculty incorporated formal and informal emotional intelligence strategies to foster civility in baccalaureate nursing education. Additionally, faculty …

Identifying Factors Influencing Pediatric Professionals' Self-Reported Collaborative Practice Behaviors, Susan Kilroy

Dissertations

The aim of this study was to: (1) determine the impact of interprofessional American Heart Association (AHA) resuscitation courses on health care professionals' self- reported collaborative practice behaviors (CPBs); (2) identify differences between the three professions of nursing, medicine, and respiratory therapy on self-reported CPBs; and, (3) describe which specific CPBs were most strongly associated with health care professionals' perceptions of interprofessional teams and enhanced patient care in clinical practice.

Becoming A Teacher: A Case Study On Student Teacher Professional Identity Construction During The Education Practicum In A Normal University In China, Jingxin Cheng, Xiaodi Li, Ming Yi

Dissertations

Previous studies have presented a clear link between teachers’ professional identity construction and teacher effectiveness and have considered the teacher professional identity as a pivotal factor to teachers’ effectiveness, decision-making about their career, commitment to the profession, as well as engagement in professional development (Beijaard et al., 2004; Day et al., 2005; Lasky, 2005; H. Y. Wang, 2020). Positive experiences in terms of teacher professional identity construction during education practicum holds potential to promote student teachers’ professional commitment, specifically, their belief in the value of the teaching profession (Hong, 2010; M. R. Zhao, 2013). This case study examined teacher professional …

Profitably Risky: A Study Of Medicare Capitation Contracts For Primary Care Medical Practices, Michael Wieck

Dissertations

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is seeking to move medical providers from a fee-for-service reimbursement model to a value-based reimbursement model. In this dissertation, we studied the financial rewards and risks that accompany capitation contracts. We employed Poisson regression to estimate health-care utilization of beneficiaries under the care of primary care providers with varying levels of capitation. Then, we calculated capitation contract results for primary care practices using Monte Carlo simulations. We used three methods to predict medical payments for beneficiaries: (1) empirical probability distributions of annual medical payments, (2) theoretical probability distributions of annual medical payments, and …