Digital Commons Network^™

Minorities In Nursing: The Experience Of Incivility In Nursing Education, Tammy Williams

Dissertations

The aim of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of minority nursing students with nursing faculty's incivility. Six students of varied ethnicity participated in the study. The guiding theoretical framework for the study included Roy's adaptation model and Clark's conceptual model for fostering civility in nursing education. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Colaizzi's (1978) phenomenological method for qualitative research was used to guide the data analysis of the student's experiences with faculty incivility. Seven themes emerged related to nursing faculty uncivil behaviors including: learning environment, unfair treatment, student faculty relationships, demeaning/belittling, emotional impact, adaptive behaviors, and …

Automated Medication Dispensing Cabinet And Medication Errors, Marie Walsh

Dissertations

The number of deaths due to medical errors in hospitals ranges from 44,000 to 98,000 yearly. More than 7,000 of these deaths have taken place due to medication errors. This project evaluated the implementation of an automated medication dispensing cabinet or PYXIS machine in a 25-bed upper Midwestern critical access hospital. Lewin's stage theory of organizational change and Roger's diffusion of innovations theory supported the project. Nursing staff members were asked to complete an anonymous, qualitative survey approximately 1 month after the implementation of the PYXIS and again 1 year later. Questions were focused on the device and its use …

An Outcome Evaluation Of An Evidenced-Based Leadership Framework On Nursing Retention In A Tertiary Medical Center, Robbie G. Rabe

Dissertations

An evidence-based leadership (EBL) framework is an intervention designed to facilitate organizational changes such as the reduction of nursing turnover and the improvement of nursing job enjoyment. This project provides an overview of the effect of nursing turnover on an organization, presents the components of the EBL framework, and provides an evaluation of the influence of EBL on nursing turnover and job enjoyment. The EBL framework provided a method for reducing variance in leadership skill and behavior by outlining specific methods necessary to reduce inconsistency. The project objective was to determine if the implementation of an EBL framework for 820 …

Fatigue And Co-Occurring Symptoms In Women With Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Claire Jungyoun Han

Dissertations

The aims of this dissertation study were: [First part of the dissertation study] 1. To explore the relationships among fatigue and co-occurring symptoms (i.e., abdominal pain, depression and anxiety). (1-a) the relationships between abdominal pain and fatigue; and (1-b) whether psychological distress (i.e., depression and anxiety) mediates the effect of abdominal pain on fatigue, across-women and within-woman; and [Second part of the dissertation study] 2. To determine (2-a) if latent classes (i.e. subgroups) of women with IBS could be identified based on the symptom cluster severity of fatigue, abdominal pain, depression and anxiety, (2-b) if these latent classes differed on …

Someone Like Me: The Impact Of Engagement On High Achieving First Generation Community College Students In California’S Central Valley, Emily Berg

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this comparative phenomenological study was to describe how the impact of engagement factors between high achieving Central Valley, California first generation community college students enrolled in college honors programs and high achieving Central Valley first generation community college students who are not enrolled in college honors programs compares with regard to engagement factors of interaction with faculty, interaction with student peers, time on the college campus, participation in oral and written reports, the application of critical thinking skills, and other student identified factors related to disruption in their lives on their academic achievement in college.

Methodology: …

The Experience Of Early Mobility After One Week Of Hospital-Acquired Deconditioning, Lila S. Moersch

Dissertations

Abstract

Older adults who are hospitalized spend most of their time in bed. Prolonged bed rest and immobility in older adults may result in deconditioning of the muscles, leading to a loss of muscle mass and strength. The loss of muscle mass results in weakness and reduced physiological functioning post-hospital discharge. Immobility is especially problematic in older adults who naturally lose muscle mass and strength due to the aging process. Older adults who experience weakness post-hospital discharge face challenges with mobility. The purpose of this study was to describe the early mobility experiences of adults who are 60 years old …

Help Seeking For Mental Health Problems In Mental Health Counselors: Prevalence, Barriers, And Predictors, Carol A. Miller

Dissertations

This study surveyed a sample of 255 mental health counselors in the United States and used descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, one-way ANOVA, and logistic regression analysis to investigate the prevalence of mental health problems and help seeking, the perceived barriers to, and predictors of help seeking for mental health problems among mental health counselors. In this sample, 62.6% (n = 159) reported they had experienced a mental health problem during the time since licensure. Of those, 13.2% (n = 21) reported they had not received treatment. “Handling the problem on my own” was the most cited barrier to help seeking, …

A Mixed Methods Examination Of Generational Faculty Perceptions When Developing Online Courses, Jelena Fleming

Dissertations

As technology continues to change rapidly, online learning altered higher education. As a result, instructional designers and instructional technologists became more critical in supporting faculty in online course design. Transitioning courses to the online environment created external barriers, such as no training and support, primarily for faculty who never taught online. Instructional designers and instructional technologists helped address external barriers among full-time and adjunct faculty and provided a positive online course development experience. Therefore, the researcher conducted a mixed-methods examination of generational faculty perceptions experienced during online course development at a small Midwestern institution. The researcher investigated a difference between …

Evaluation Of The Genetic And Structural Variations Of Camel Hemoglobin, Amanat Ali

Dissertations

The single-humped Arabian camel (Camelus dromedarius) thrives in the hot arid Arabian desert. Many unique adaptations permit it to accomplish this. Camel erythrocytes or red blood cells (RBCs) have a peculiar elliptical shape and are amenable to large variations in physical conditions resulting from dehydration and rehydration cycles. The oxygen transport protein hemoglobin is found abundantly in RBCs and is also believed to behave differently in camels. While several physiological and biochemical studies have been performed on camel hemoglobin, very little is known about genetic and structural adaptions in this protein. The camel genome harbors several unique variations …

Development And Validation Of A Food Frequency Questionnaire For The Adult Emirati Population For Use In Epidemiological Studies, Najoua El Mesmoudi

Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Applications Of Land Surface Temperature From Satellite Remote Sensing Over The United Arab Emirates (Uae), Abduldaem Saeed Farea Qasem Alqasemi

Dissertations

In cities worldwide, increasing urbanization causes major land use and land cover changes on the surface of the Earth. It has been identified as being one of the most important anthropogenic effects on the climate. As a result, rapid population growth and the rise in industrialization in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) may have created substantial environmental stress and consequence for life quality. Remote sensing-based Land Surface Temperature (LST) is significantly essential for different studies. Satellite images obtained by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) are used to retrieve LST. This research consists of an introduction and five components of …

Examination Of Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (Ces) On Depressive And Anxiety Symptoms Of Caregivers: A Double Blind Experimental Study, Reginald Gerard Jefferson

Dissertations

The caregiver population has recently been recognized in society as a population highly susceptible to problems related to increased anxiety, burden, and abnormal psychological well-being. This experimental pretest post-test 2-group double-blind study was designed to measure the efficacy of cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) on anxiety and depressive symptoms of caregivers. Changes in anxiety and depressive symptoms were identified using pre- and posttest measures of State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory. Caregivers were assigned a pre-coded CES device. Neither the researcher nor the caregiver knew whether a device was active or sham until the completion of the entire study. This …

Building Integrated Photovoltaics: Barriers And Drivers In The United Arab Emirates, Daniel Efurosibina Attoye

Dissertations

Buildings consume about 40% of the total annual energy produced globally; however, under the extreme hot climate of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this reaches almost 80%. From an architectural perspective, this study focuses on Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) as a multi-functional, innovative solar technology that provides on-site renewable energy. Researchers affirm that BIPV has the potential to convert the building from a consumer of energy, to a producer of renewable energy while advancing net-zero targets, and maintaining building aesthetics, functionality, and structural stability. Along with other technical and economic benefits, BIPV can also contribute towards advancing the global energy …

The Impact Of The Proposed Mathematics Enrichment Program On The Uae Students’ Mathematical Literacy In Light Of The Pisa Framework, Hanan Shaher Almarashdi

Dissertations

Mathematical literacy is an important skill that students must possess, as it helps students understand and use mathematics in the real world. The main aim of this dissertation is to investigate the impact of a proposed mathematical enrichment program developed based on the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) framework. This assessment is particularly important because it is on the National Agenda as the UAE aspires to be among the top 20 countries in the world in PISA by 2021. An explanatory mixed method design was adopted to achieve the purpose of this study. Subjects included were 102 grade 10 …

Stochastic Delay Differential Equations With Applications In Ecology And Epidemics, Hebatallah Jamil Alsakaji

Dissertations

Mathematical modeling with delay differential equations (DDEs) is widely used for analysis and predictions in various areas of life sciences, such as population dynamics, epidemiology, immunology, physiology, and neural networks. The memory or time-delays, in these models, are related to the duration of certain hidden processes like the stages of the life cycle, the time between infection of a cell and the production of new viruses, the duration of the infectious period, the immune period, and so on. In ordinary differential equations (ODEs), the unknown state and its derivatives are evaluated at the same time instant. In DDEs, however, the …

Noncognitive Factors: Deaf And Hard Of Hearing Graduates’ Perceived Influence On College Readiness, Cindi Swenson

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe how deaf and hard of hearing college graduates perceive the extent to which Farrington’s (2012) five noncognitive factors influenced their ability to successfully complete a four-year college degree.

Methodology: This phenomenological study identified and described the extent to which noncognitive factors influenced deaf and hard of hearing college graduates’ ability to successfully attain their college degree. Eight participants were selected through purposeful sampling based on criteria including being a resident in California and graduating with a four-year college degree between 2017 and 2020. The researcher conducted semi-structured interviews …

The Impact Of Medicare Insurance Plans Upon Healthcare Services Utilization Considering Patients' Characteristics And Their Access To Medical Care, Steven Stout

Dissertations

The annual average cost of healthcare for services utilization by a Medicare beneficiary is projected to grow from about $10,000 to over $16,000 by 2023. As an ongoing initiative to address this trend, the federal government contracts with private insurance companies and other entities, called Medicare Advantage Organizations (MAOs), to develop and administer alternative health insurance plans designed to contain service utilization and costs. One feature of some Medicare Advantage plans is the presence of risk-bearing contracts with primary care physician organizations that voluntarily accept financial responsibility for the overall cost of care for patients attributed to them. In this …

Investment Advisor Succession Planning: Attitudes, Norms, And Control, Don Mueth

Dissertations

This study investigated succession planning intentions of investment advisors who lead their small businesses. We employed the theory of planned behavior to better understand the attitudes, norms and perceptions of control that impact these business leaders’ intentions to plan. Our research included a pilot study of interviews with 10 investment advisors and a main study of advisor survey responses. With a sample size of 198 participants, we analyzed survey responses measuring traditional TPB constructs as well as involvement in outside activities. Using two-step structural equation modeling, our model fit was acceptable, and our results supported our hypotheses that beliefs, attitudes, …

Phenomenological Study On The Impact Of Servant Leadership For Establishing A Culture Of High Performance As Perceived By Middle School Principals, Alison L. Wills

Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore and describe middle school principals' perceived impact of servant leadership constructs developed by Patterson (2003) for establishing a culture of high performance.

Methodology: This phenomenological qualitative study described the lived experiences of middle school principals' use of Patterson's (2003) seven servant leadership constructs for establishing a culture of high performance in Orange County, California. The researcher was part of a thematic team of eight peer researchers and two faculty advisors. Data collection included virtual, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews using a protocol developed by the thematic team. Observations and artifacts for triangulation …

The Impact Of Teacher Beliefs On Classroom Technology Use: A Case Study On The Interplay Between Teachers’ Beliefs About Students And Technology And Their Classroom Technology Practices With A Primarily Minority Student Population, Tracee Miller

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to assess the intersection of teachers in urban public schools’ digital beliefs and with their technology practices in the classroom, especially in classrooms where most students are students of color. It examines some subtopics of the primary research question, including what beliefs tech-savvy teachers hold about how technology should be used in classrooms, whether teachers use technology to empower students and encourage creativity, whether teachers integrate students’ self-created digital identities in a classroom setting, and how school- or district-level expectations and support regarding technology integration into classroom settings impact teachers’ implementation and students’ experiences. …

A Quantitative Study Of Collaborative Theories Of Action, Teacher Collective Efficacy, And The Behaviors Of Student Self-Directedness, Melissa Ann Huff

Dissertations

This quantitative study was conducted to investigate the relationships among teacher collective efficacy, espoused theories of collaboration, collaborative theories in use, the gap between these theories, and student self-directedness. Costa and Kallick (2014) and Tough (2016) suggested student success is more than just academic. Frey, Hattie, and Fisher (2018) indicated student success is achieved when students develop a self-directed disposition. Based on the historical work of Argyris, Putnam, and Smith (1987), establishing the difference between espoused theories and theories in use, espoused theories of collaboration, collaborative theories in use, and the gap between these theories of action were investigated. The …

Searching For A “Home”: Examining The Experiences Of Confucian Asian College Students With Third Culture Kid Backgrounds, Yuima Mizutani

Dissertations

Third culture kids (TCKs) spend their childhood and adolescence outside of their home countries. Because of their unique backgrounds, TCKs and adult TCKs face challenges including identity development, low self-esteem, lack of connection with their home countries, posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, adjustment disorder, and others. Although the number of TCKs is increasing due to globalization, this population has been understudied. Moreover, most existing research has focused on TCKs in Western countries. Few researchers have studied Confucian Asian adult TCKs; that is, adult TCKs from China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and others. Confucian Asian countries have collectivistic cultures …

Racial Battle Fatigue And Black Male Higher Education Administrators, Joshua Walehwa

Dissertations

Racial Battle Fatigue was first coined by Dr. William A. Smith as a theory describing the burnout of African Americans in higher education institutions. While much of the current research focuses on the faculty and student experiences, in various formats, this provides an autoethnography capturing the various phases of a Black Male higher education administrators experience with experiencing and coping through Racial Battle Fatigue. The belief behind this approach focuses on the value of storytelling and autoethnography in particular in research, the interconnected nature of life experiences that impact professional life as well as the reverse, and a call to …

Identification And Characterization Of Novel Genes And Genetic Interactions That Influence Iba Metabolism, Vanessica Jawahir

Dissertations

Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) is an endogenous storage auxin important for maintaining appropriate indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) levels that influences primary root elongation and lateral root development. IBA is metabolized into free IAA in the peroxisome in a multistep process similar to fatty acid β-oxidation. Although many components specific to IBA metabolism and peroxisome function have been identified, our understanding is incomplete. I sought to identify novel components of IBA metabolism or peroxisome function by conducting a forward genetic screen for Arabidopsis thaliana plants with enhanced resistance to IBA. I identified Long chain acyl-CoA synthetase 4 (LACS4) as a novel gene functioning …

Predictors Of Unprotected Sex For Teens At Pregnancy Testing, Mary Margaret Aruda

Dissertations

This study explored factors which predict unprotected sexual activity in adolescent females.

The Meaning Of Grieving For Families Living With Aids, William K. Cody

Dissertations

The purpose of this nursing study, guided by Parse's human becoming theory, was to investigate the meaning of grieving for families living with AIDS. Parse's research methodology was used to uncover the meaning of grieving for the participant families and to integrate the findings with Parse's theory.

Nursing Students' Perceptions Regarding Faculty Feedback, Deborah Hartzog Chatham

Dissertations

Higher education researchers in a variety of disciplines have explored instructor and student perceptions of what constitutes feedback that is useful and timely. Researchers agree that students desire feedback but are often not sure of how to interpret or use faculty comments. Students vary in an understanding of what constitutes feedback. Nursing researchers have conducted fewer studies to determine student concerns regarding faculty feedback. Nursing faculty differ in perceptions of what constitutes effective feedback. Nursing faculty use various forms of feedback, such as written comments, audio recordings, and automatically generated feedback. These variations suggest nursing faculty do not always know …

Brain-Based Learning Principles Applied To The Teaching Of Basic Cardiac Code To Associate Degree Nursing Students Using The Human Patient Simulator, Jean Marie Wortock

Dissertations

Neurobiology research has enhanced our knowledge about the brain, and subsequently learning. This perspective is revolutionizing education. New teaching strategies are being developed with learning as the focus. Nurse educators can utilize these strategies to optimize student learning, especially in stressful situations. Few situations are as stressful for health care providers as when a patient goes into cardiac arrest. Improved critical thinking and code proficiency are needed to effectuate better patient outcomes. Skills learned through simulation increase critical thinking both in classroom and laboratory settings and can, ultimately, be transferred to patient situations. This study examined different strategies for increasing …

The Quest For Treatment: Cancer Patients' Experience Of Phase I Clinical Trials, Carol H. Mack

Dissertations

Phase I clinical trials of new anticancer drugs and therapies, while critical to the development of new treatment, rarely benefit participants directly. Despite the potential risks and unknown benefits, however, many patients willingly enter these trials. Researchers know little about their motivation for doing so or the effect of their participation on their quality of life. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe, from the perspective of the patient, the essential structure of the lived experience of participating in Phase I clinical trials. This study used a phenomenological approach, assuming that the way to understand a phenomenon …

Attitudinal Barriers To Cancer Pain Management In Iceland, Sigrour Gunnarsdottir

Dissertations

Attitudes about pain among patients, their family members and the lay-public can be barriers to cancer pain management. The aim of this dissertation was to evaluate attitudinal barriers to cancer-pain management in the general population of Iceland, and to evaluate relationships between barriers and background variables. A secondary aim was to evaluate the prevalence of pain of various origins in the population. The study is guided by a framework by Ward and colleagues, where attitudinal barriers (e.g. fear of addiction) interfere with pain management (under-utilization of analgesics) and consequently quality of life. The present study targets the antecedent variables (attitudes).