Digital Commons Network^™

Academic Success Factors Influencing Linguistically Diverse And Native English Speaking Associate Degree Nursing Students, Josie L. Veal

Dissertations

To address the healthcare needs of vulnerable populations, nursing educators should evaluate educational preparedness and identify which factors influence a successive academic trajectory in nursing school. A prospective design was used to determine the relationships and differences among the anatomy and physiology course grade, self-efficacy, linguistic diversity, language acculturation, and components of the National League for Nursing pre-admission exam for registered nurses and first semester nursing course grades of linguistically diverse and native English speaking associate degree nursing students. A relationship exists between the PAX-RN composite score, anatomy mean grade, language diversity, and general self-efficacy score, the Nursing Pharmacology and …

Purposeful Simulation Role Assignment, Erica Fay Alexander

Dissertations

In order to efficiently use simulation resources, nursing students are often assigned various simulation roles. A double-blind, randomized control trial was conducted to explore the impact of purposeful simulation role assignment, using preferred learning styles, on prelicensure nursing students' clinical reasoning. A convenience sample of pre-licensure nursing students from a mid-western college of nursing were assigned with either the experimental or control group. Participants in the experimental group were assigned simulation roles that were congruent with their preferred learning style. Participants in the control group were assigned simulation roles that were not congruent with their preferred learning styles. The participants' …

Study Of The Incorporation Of Sustainability Topics Into The Accounting Curriculum At Missouri Four-Year Colleges And Universities, Kimberly Ulrich

Dissertations

Businesses around the world voluntarily utilize corporate sustainability reporting to display non-financial information along with their financial results to satisfy the curiosity of their stakeholders. The United Nations played a key role in the evolution of sustainability over time and development of reporting standards. Eventually governments may require thorough coverage of financial and non-financial information in one comprehensive integrated report. To meet this demand, the accounting curriculum must include sustainability reporting topics for accounting students. Leading research and this dissertation demonstrated a holistic approach was best. The most successful higher education institutions incorporated sustainability practices throughout their institutions in addition …

Design Thinking As A Common Language Between Higher Education And Employers, Johnna Denning-Smith

Dissertations

This qualitative study explores student skill preparedness for the work force through semi-structured interviews and focus groups with current college students, faculty members, and employers. Responses from study participants were transcribed, coded, and thematically organized into the following four categories of skills that employers seek in recent college graduates: critical thinking skills, resiliency, workplace skills, and discipline specific skills. The findings include participant perceptions of the importance of these skills and whether higher education effectively prepares recent graduates for the workforce. As part of this discussion, design thinking is presented as a bridge between these groups and as a solution …

Comparison Study: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Acceptance And Commitment Therapy For Trauma, Colleen Marie Kirsch Hiltz White

Dissertations

There is a need for more evidenced based treatments for adolescents with trauma related disorders. Currently, Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF CBT) is the gold standard, but clients and clinician need the ability to choose between effective treatments. This study completed a direct comparison between six weeks of treatment in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Trauma and TF CBT via telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic. Treatments were measured using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale and the Child PTSD Symptom Scale. Both treatments were found to be effective in reducing trauma related symptoms in two 12-year-old females.

Generational Diversity: Absenteeism Examined Through Perceptions Of Organizational Justice And Authentic Leadership, Ebony Lisa Spencer-Muldrow

Dissertations

This study explored the impact of authentic leadership (AL) on employee perception of organizational justice and employee propensity to engage in negligible absences—those that could be avoided by the employee but are not. The study sought an understanding into possible differences between the absence behaviors of the Millennial generation and Generation X. Data were collected from 214 participants primarily located in the Midwest United States. Participants were nearly equally distributed between the two target populations. Participants completed a comprehensive, web-based survey comprised of Colquitt’s (2001) Organizational Justice Measure (OJM) and the Walumbwa et al. (2008) Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ), along …

Mindfulness And Social Emotional Learning: The Lived Experience Of Students Learning English As A Second Language, Lara Catherine Donnelly

Dissertations

In a phenomenological case study, the author sought to gain an awareness of the lived experiences of 4th and 5th grade ESL students, their parents, and their teachers who participated in the MindUp mindfulness curriculum. The author was interested in the relationship between the mindfulness curriculum and SEL based on the perspective of all three participant groups. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 3 students, at least one parent of each of those three students, and the two classroom teachers who conducted the MindUp lessons. Five main themes developed from coding of the raw data: (1) positive impact on students; (2) …

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

Dissertations

Abstract

Up to 85% of nurses have reported exposure to incivility in the workplace (Hunt & 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 …

Predictors Of Positive Outcomes In Treating Individuals Diagnosed With Idd And Comorbid Psychiatric Disorders, Jacob Omondi Wasonga

Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the use of a new treatment protocol, the systemic treatment plan (STP) by identifying the predictors of positive treatment outcomes for individuals diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and comorbid mental health conditions. This study examined the relationship between challenging behaviors, psychiatric conditions, and positive treatment outcomes for individuals with IDD and co-occurring disorders, particularly those individuals whose treatment was driven by the STP. A linear regression analysis was conducted to determine which challenging behaviors and psychiatric disorders best predict positive outcomes in systemically engaged treatment. The results from this study …

Racial/Ethnic Identity Modeling: An Exploration Of The Effects Of Bilingualism On Racial/Ethnic Identity Expression And Self-Esteem In Multiple-Race Black/African American Adults, Tritia Miyako Finley

Dissertations

The psychological well-being and racial/ethnic identity expression of bilingual multiple-race individuals mixed with Black/African American and another minority racial/ethnic category are largely underrepresented topics in current scholarly literature despite their growing population in the United States. In the current study, the sociohistorical and political processes of colonialism and coloniality were discussed to provide context for the critical examination of familial foreign language ability (FLA), self-esteem (SE), and Black/African American racial/ethnic identity (BRI) expression among multiple-race Black/African American adults (N = 204). Using structural equation modeling, results indicated that higher levels of FLA were related to higher levels of SE. …

An Analysis Of Gothic Conventions In Abu Al-Reesh’S Umm Al-Duways And Saadawi’S Frankenstein In Baghdad, Amna Matar Khalfan Mohammed Al Neyadi

Dissertations

Gothic as a literary form first appeared in late eighteenth-century British literature, when Horace Walpole described the second edition of his novel, The Castle of Otranto (1764), as a Gothic story. From that time, and throughout the nineteenth century, Gothic continued to exist in English literature and other European nations’ works of literature. This dissertation aims at proposing and delineating the existence of Gothic elements in modern Arabic novels. In doing so, this research demonstrates that the Gothic genre is part of contemporary Arabic novels, even though Arab literary criticism pays less attention to this fact. This study focuses on …

Recognition Of Gender Microaggressions In The Workplace: The Case Of Predisposition And Propensity To Recognize, Alicia Ako-Brew

Dissertations

This study examined the individual factors that affect the recognition of gender microaggressions in the workplace. A total of 220 subjects participated in this study. Specifically, this study revealed how social dominance orientation, ambivalent sexism and gender discrimination perceptions toward women affect a third-party observer’s recognition of gender microaggressions perpetrated against women. In addition, this study examined the effect of role congruence on the propensity to recognize gender microaggressions. Role congruence stems from role congruity theory which posits that a woman in a leadership or masculine role will receive positive or negative evaluations based on the degree to which she …

An Examination Of Optimal Level Of Ceo Narcissism: Why, How, And When Narcissism Impacts Firm Performance, Scott Boswell

Dissertations

Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) may have narcissistic tendencies that impact the firm and its performance. We explore the definition of narcissism, how it is measured, and when it might be optimal or harmful to the firm’s performance. Leaders exhibiting higher scores on one or more Dark Triad traits often are viewed negatively both inside and outside the firm. Should such negative perceptions disqualify a leader who displays a measure of a Dark Triad trait? This research answers the primary question, is there an optimal level of CEO narcissistic traits and if so, are there moderating factors that impact the level? …

The Relationship Among Perfectionism, Perceived Stress, And Coping In Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Amanda Finley

Dissertations

Perfectionism in nursing students is an understudied problem that may affect student and workforce success. Perfectionism has been linked to increased stress and less effective coping styles, as well as depression, anxiety and other psychological alterations. However, it has rarely been studied in nursing students. Studying perfectionism in this population is important because it may increase the likelihood that new nurses will struggle with the stress of practice and it could be a significant factor in early career attrition. The purpose of this descriptive, correlational study was to gain a better understanding of the incidence of perfectionism in a nursing …

Assessing A Cognitive Model Of Trauma-Related Sleep Disturbance, Rebecca Chesher

Dissertations

Sleep disturbance is a symptom of many mental health disorders that may negatively affect cognition and mood. Trauma-related sleep disturbance is a core reaction of traumatic stress and PTSD, similar to symptoms experienced by individuals with insomnia or other sleep-wake disorders. Although the cause and symptom progression of trauma-related sleep disturbance may be very different, research and clinical practice assess and treat it with measures and interventions designed for general insomnia. Using a cognitive model of insomnia modified for trauma-related sleep disturbance, the current study assessed the relations between select trauma and sleep variables within the proposed constructs of: 1) …

Chronicling Resident And Staff Outcomes Throughout The Implementation Of A Professional Nursing Practice Model In One Midwest Continuing Care Retirement Community: A Longitudinal Analysis, Kimberly Michele Bergen-Jackson

Dissertations

This research used a case study approach to chronicle the process of seeking the American Nurse Credentialing Center's Pathway to Excellence in Long-Term Care designation in one Midwest community. The PTE-LTC practice standards framework guided the implementation of professional nursing practice which focused on a positive practice environment, shared decision-making, accountability for resident care, and the leadership development of nursing staff. These practice standards are outlined in the study and incorporated the major components necessary to implement Professional Nursing Practice and Shared Governance in long-term care. The components of the designation process over a five-year period were documented and compared …

Lived Experiences Of Nursing Autonomy: A Phenomenological Exploration, Rebekah Dubrosky

Dissertations

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the meaning that acute care, bedside nurses' assign to their autonomous actions. A feminist critique of the nursing work environment was applied using standpoint theory. This was balanced and supplemented by a post-modern critique using Foucault's method of assessing power and knowledge in relation to the discipline of a profession. This study was designed to explore how issues of gender, knowledge, and power affected participants' interpretations of their autonomous actions. This study used a qualitative, phenomenological approach with an emergent design. Purposive sampling was used to find registered nurses currently working …

Risk Perception, Safe Work Behavior, And Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Critical Care Nurses, Soo Jeong Lee

Dissertations

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) are a major occupational health problem among nurses. Existing interventions have not totally eliminated the risk for WRMSDs. Safe work behavior and risk perception may play an important role in modifying this risk.

The aims of the study were to identify factors influencing safe work behaviors related to patient handling and risk perceptions about risk of musculoskeletal injury among critical care nurses; and examine the relationship between safe work behavior and risk perception.

Predictors Of Hiv/Aids Related Stigma And Discrimination Among Anglophone Caribbean Women, Kimberly A. Hires

Dissertations

The effects of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) global epidemic continue to emerge decades after the first wave of infection. One key aspect of the HIV epidemic that is significantly impacted by culture and knowledge of HIV transmission is stigma, specifically HIV/AIDS related stigma and discrimination (HASD). The Caribbean region has the second highest HIV prevalence rate in the world. In 2011, there were approximately 13,000 new infections and 10,000 AIDS related deaths among adults and children in the Caribbean. Three Anglophone nations significantly impacted by the HIV epidemic are Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica. HASD has been identified …

Examining Health-Related Decision Making Patterns Of African Americans With Coronary Heart Disease: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Tiffany Ann Love

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the themes that affected the day-to-day health-related decision making of African Americans managing coronary heart disease (CHD). Understanding the lived experience of African Americans with CHD can offer health care providers additional strategies to improve disease management. A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was utilized to explore: (1) what is the lived experience of managing CHD among older African Americans? (2) What is the essence of health-related decision making among older African Americans living with CHD? Two audio taped 30 to 60 minute open ended in-depth interviews per participant.

A Randomized Controlled Trial Of An Individualized Preoperative Education Intervention For Symptom Management Following Total Knee Arthroplasty, Rosemary Ann Wilson

Dissertations

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common surgical procedure for the treatment of patients with pain and immobility as a result of osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis. Pain-related interference, pain and nausea are recovery-limiting in these patients in the immediate postoperative period. Preoperative educational interventions that include pain communication and management information have been shown to decrease pain in joint replacement patients (McDonald & Molony, 2004). This randomized controlled trial compared usual preoperative education to an individually delivered preoperative education program.

Development Of A Church-Based Educational Program To Increase Prostate Cancer Screening For Black Men 40 And Older, Dawn Marie Silvera-Ndure

Dissertations

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United States and is one of the leading causes of cancer death among men of all races. However, African-American men are at particularly high risk. These men are diagnosed more often with prostate cancer, are diagnosed later, and are more than twice as likely to die from prostate cancer than are Caucasian men. A strategy to address this inequity was to develop a community based program that would reach this at risk population. The goal of the project was to develop an evidence-based, theory-supported education and referral program to …

Culture Change And Quality Of Life In Elderly Persons Living In Long Term Care, Carol S. Jones

Dissertations

Quality of life in long term care (LTC) is a concern for many stakeholders. The elders who are living in LTC facilities, their families, the staff, and government and policy makers are all interested in providing quality care and quality of life to those persons living within the facility. Culture change is one way for LTC facilities to begin to give decision making to the residents, and to increase quality of life of these elders. There are different culture change models that embrace the concept of person-centered care. No matter which model is chosen, the essence of the change is …

Factors Associated With Nurses' Perceptions Of Patient Safety Culture In One University Hospital In China, Xianqiong Feng

Dissertations

The purposes of this study are to understand nurses' perceptions of patient safety culture in one Chinese university hospital and to explore the factors that are associated with those perceptions. A cross-sectional design with a self-administered questionnaire survey was administered to a total of 300 registered nurses and nurse managers from one university hospital in the Southwest part of China in September and October 2008.

Remote Hospitals And Hospital Value Based Purchasing, Nicole Adams

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to identify remote hospitals and then assess their performance in the first three years of the Hospital Value Based Purchasing program. A definition for remote hospital was created using clinical outcome literature and travel time. The hospitals were then identified as those hospitals more than 60 minutes driving time from the next nearest hospital by using geographic information systems software (n = 127). The remote hospitals' payment adjustments and raw quality scores were be compared with non-remote hospitals. Remote hospitals have done well in the first three years improving their payments over time. However, …

Relationships Of Professional Nurse Characteristics And Nurse Staffing To Adverse Patient Outcomes, Monica A. Redekopp

Dissertations

Despite major changes in the health care environment, limited research has been conducted to guide the changing roles of nurses or to examine the impact of professional nurse characteristics on patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between professional nurse characteristics of years of experience, educational level, and professional certification; nurse staffing variables; and adverse patient outcomes of falls, falls with injury, hospital acquired pneumonia, and hospital acquired pressure ulcers. Donabedian's Structure-Process-Outcome framework (Donabedian, 1980) and the Nursing Role Effectiveness Model (Irvine, Sidani, & Hass, 1998) were adapted to guide an examination of the relationship …

A Study Of The Relationship Between Resilience And Personal Constructions Of The Experience Of Moving To Congregate Housing Among Older Adults, Heather M. Young

Dissertations

This study explored personal constructions of the experience of moving into a congregate housing facility as one component of individual adaptation to a life transition. The life span construct served as an organizing framework, suggesting examination of the dynamics of both continuity and change. A central research focus was the role of resilience, an enduring personal characteristic, in the process of adaptation to relocation and personal change. A naturalistic approach was taken that included in-depth interviews and participant observation in a new congregate housing facility. Quantitative data were used to stratify the narratives according to adaptational outcomes and level of …

Bedside Nurse Recognition Of Delirium In The Medical-Surgical Setting, Bridget Ann Denzik

Dissertations

Delirium in adults aged 65 and older is a common occurrence in the acute care setting and is often unrecognized by bedside nurses. Delirium can trigger a negative cascade of events resulting in an increase in morbidity and mortality, functional decline, longer length of stay, and high rates of post hospital institutionalization and has a significant socioeconomic impact. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to establish a solid foundation using scholarly literature to support the development of a delirium prevention, recognition, and treatment program in the medical-surgical acute care setting applying the program logic framework. The goal was …

Synthesis Of Biologically Active Phosphorus Heterocycles, Giri Gnawali

Dissertations

This dissertation work is divided into two parts. The first part is focused in the development of methodology for the synthesis of phostones and phosphonosugars and advancement thereof. The second part is focused in the development of affinity probes based on analogs of natural products cyclophostin and the cyclipostins.

Phostone (3) and phosphonosugars are cyclic phosphonates. The anomeric carbon of sugar is replaced by a phosphorus atom. The synthesis of phostones has been achieved starting form the key intermediate, γ,δ-epoxy vinyl phosphonate (1). The palladium catalyzed ring opening of γ,δ-epoxy vinyl phosphonates by a nucleophile results …

Stacked Convolutional Recurrent Auto-Encoder For Noise Reduction In Eeg, Eoghan Keegan

Dissertations

Electroencephalogram (EEG) can be used to record electrical potentials in the brain by attaching electrodes to the scalp. However, these low amplitude recordings are susceptible to noise which originates from several sources including ocular, pulse and muscle artefacts. Their presence has a severe impact on analysis and diagnoses of brain abnormalities. This research assessed the effectiveness of a stacked convolutional-recurrent auto-encoder (CR-AE) for noise reduction of EEG signal. Performance was evaluated using the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) in comparison to principal component analysis (PCA), independent component analysis (ICA) and a simple auto-encoder (AE). The Harrell-Davis quantile …