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An Investigation Of The Relationship Of Nurses' Perceptions Of Human Resource Practices And Autonomy In Practice And Patients' Perceptions Of Satisfaction With Nursing Care And Organizational Climate For Service, Barbara A. Niedz

Dissertations

This study developed and tested theory to better understand the marketing construct of service quality, in a hospital setting. Marketing theory proposed that positive relationships exist between patients' perceptions of service quality and the following independent variables (a) nurses' perceptions of human resource practices, (b) nurses' perceptions of autonomy in practice, (c) patient satisfaction with nursing care, and (d) patients' perceptions of organizational climate for service.

Family System Patterns Of Cohesiveness And Autonomy: Relationship To Family Members' Health Behavior, Carol J. Loveland-Cherry

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between family system patterns of cohesiveness and promotion of autonomy and individual family members' health directed behavior in single-parent and two-parent families.

Temporal Perspective, Professional Identity, And Perceived Wellbeing, Phyllis S. Brenner

Dissertations

Theory development efforts directed toward both the discipline and profession of nursing are critically important. To address a number of issues and questions relevant to the profession of nursing, a synthesized conceptual model based on the construct of expanding awareness of consciousness was derived from the works of Bentov, Hall, Newman, and Zerubavel. Additionally, the new Miller and Polentini tool of professional identity was tested. The specific problem statement of this study was: What are the relationships among the concepts of professional education, quantity and quality of work experience, temporal perspective, professional identity, and perceived global wellbeing? The ex post …

Low-Income Women With Genital Herpes: Recognizing And Managing Their Fear Trajectory, Shirley Countryman Gordon

Dissertations

Every illness tells a story and this study tells the story of low income women with genital herpes. The purpose of this research was to generate a substantive theory about the response of low income women to the critical event of being diagnosed with genital herpes. Data were collected from taped in-depth, interviews from a purposive sample of sixteen (16) low income women who had been diagnosed with genital herpes. Informal interviews were also conducted with five (5) health care providers and several clinic staff members on issues related to stigma and the experience of being diagnosed with genital herpes. …

A Description Of The Maternal Decision-Making Process Regarding Circumcision, Cathy L. Rozmus

Dissertations

Mothers, as dependent-care agents for their child, must make multiple decision concerning the health care of the child. One of the first decisions that must be made by mothers of male children is a decision for or against circumcision. A conceptual framework consisting of Orem's (1988) model of deliberate action during dependent-care and Fishbein and Ajzen's (1975) theory of reasoned action was proposed as an explanation of the maternal decision-making process. A qualitative study was conducted to determine if the proposed conceptual framework could provide an accurate description of the maternal decision-making process regarding circumcision. Interviews were conducted with 20 …

Professional Values Of Licensed Practical Nurses And Time Post Initial Licensure: A Correlational Study, Linda A. Otero

Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation was to explore the correlation between professional values of licensed practical nurses working in long term care settings and time post initial licensure. A quantitative non-experimental correlational research design was used to capture self-reports of professional values of licensed practical nurses then determine if and to what extent a relationship exists between professional values and time post initial licensure. The Nurses Professional Values Scale- Revised (NPVS-R) instrument was used to capture the professional values of 101 LPNs employed in long term care settings in Vermont and correlate the results with time post initial licensure. The …

Does Using A Surgical Safety Checklist Improve Surgical Readiness?, Christina A. Colombo Goodall

Dissertations

Previous studies supported training multidisciplinary teams using an evidence-based tool such as the Comprehensive Surgical Checklist (CSC) to promote communication, teamwork, and safety. Evidence showed the CSC's four-phased approach reduced avoidable adverse events that were problematic in the single-phased checklist of the studied organization for completing the TimeOut. The aim of this quality-improvement project was to increase safe surgical readiness by adopting the CSC and creating surgical-team awareness of the Phase I Preprocedure Check-In elements.

The Relationship Of Denial Of Illness And Compliance With Inhaled Preventive Medications In Adults With Asthma, Elizabeth F. Mcgann

Dissertations

This descriptive, longitudinal, exploratory study was designed to investigate the relationship between denial of illness and compliance with inhaled preventive medication in adults with asthma. The association of severity of asthma in relation to denial and compliance was also examined.

Testing The Effect Of A Resident-Focused Hand Hygiene Intervention In A Long-Term Care Facility: A Mixed Methods Feasibility Study, Kathleen Aumann Morales

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test the feasibility and acceptability of a resident-focused hand hygiene intervention within a long-term care facility, using a mixed methods design. The study followed an exploratory sequential design. The strands were implemented sequentially, starting with qualitative data collection and analysis. The qualitative strand began with direct observation which is the gold standard to monitor hand hygiene adherence. Next, interviews of six residents and six staff members were completed using a semi-structured interview guide. Qualitative findings informed the second strand, which had a quantitative emphasis. The quantitative strand of the study was a quasi-experimental …

Internal Family Systems Informed Supervision: A Grounded Theory Inquiry, Daniel A. Reed

Dissertations

Internal family systems (IFS) is a meta-model of psychotherapy growing in popularity in the United States and internationally. In this process-oriented model, the psychotherapist supports clients in getting into relationship with parts of their experience to offer relief for aspects of themselves that have been stuck in tiring protective roles and provide corrective experiences for vulnerable aspects of themselves that have been stuck with limting beliefs and overwhelming feelings.

Coinciding with the IFS model's increased popularity, the evidence base for the efficacy of psychotherapists using IFS with clients continues to increase. In 2015, the United States Department of Health and …

The Transformation Of Nursing Practice In The Acute Care Hospital, Bernadette M. Forget

Dissertations

The Delphi method elicited the opinions of 12 expert nurses regarding the knowledge, skills, relationships, and resources that were most important to the transformation of nursing practice in the acute care hospital.

Educators’ Perceptions Of Restorative Justice, Care, Inclusion, And Disability: A Phen[Women]Ological Study, Jennifer Hull

Dissertations

In the State of Illinois, changes are taking effect related to classroom culture and educational policy is moving from “safe schools/zero tolerance” policies to restorative justice practices. Through a feminist disability studies lens, the focus of this a phen[women]ological study of the lived experiences of six educators from two different schools in Illinois and their perceptions of restorative justice, care, inclusion, and disability was to ask: How are educators making sense of restorative justice practices? What are the implications for students with disabilities? Five topics of significance surfaced, including (a) caring; (b) restorative justice and inclusion; (c) impact of technology; …

Perceptions Of A Traditional High School Bell Schedule In The 21st Century, Shelley Gates

Dissertations

The daily bell schedule in a comprehensive high school has a significant impact on teaching and learning, school climate, and the well-being of students and staff. An increasing emphasis on the need for students to have strong critical thinking, problem solving, collaboration, and creativity skills provides an impetus for questioning the length of traditional class periods. This change leadership plan focuses on one school’s effort to examine their current school day schedule to determine what, if any, changes should be made to insure alignment between the daily bell schedule and the school’s mission and goals. Based on the work of …

Managerial Caring, Multicultural Competence, And Organizational Commitment In A Department Of Nursing, Eileen A. Sullivan-Kaplan

Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to investigate the relationships among caring behaviors, multicultural competence of nursing managers, and the organizational commitment of those managers and their staff members. Additionally, a qualitative component was added in order to maximize the contributions of the staff member participants to the study.

Composure Behaviours Of Advanced Beginner Nurses And Their Effects On The Wellness Outcome Among Selected Orthopaedic Patients: Basis For Action Plans, Bea-Gracia M. Cruz

Dissertations

The study determined the effects of the COMPOSURE behaviours of advanced beginner nurses on the wellness outcome among selected orthopaedic patients and used quasi-experimental 2-group pretest posttest design.

Differences In Coping Between Parents Of Mentally Handicapped Children And Parents Of Non Handicapped Children, Cynthia Chatham

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to ascertain if there was a difference in perceived effectiveness of coping behaviors between mothers and fathers of a mentally handicapped child and mothers and fathers of a non handicapped child. The conceptual framework was derived from the work of Lazarus (1961) and Pearl in and Schooler (1978). Utilizing a descriptive design, 64 parents (28 parents of a mentally handicapped child and 36 parents of a non handicapped child) were surveyed using the Family Coping Inventory (FCI). Twenty-eight parents of a mentally handicapped child completed an additional instrument, the Coping Health Inventory for Parents …

Generation Of An Explanatory Model Of Human Caring In Registered Nurses, Deborah O. Davenport

Dissertations

The idea of caring is central to nursing. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to qualitatively explore caring attributes or characteristics of registered nurses (RNs) and how these caring characteristics are thought to evolve. The goal of this study was to generate an explanatory model of human caring in RNs.

Coping With Appraised Threat Of Breast Cancer: Primary Prevention Coping Behaviors Utilized By Women At Increased Risk, Diane R. Lancaster

Dissertations

Breast cancer affects nearly one in nine women and is a leading cause of cancer related deaths among this group. Yet, little is known about how high risk women deal with this health threat. Conceptualized within the Neuman Systems model, the purpose of this study was to examine how women with family histories of breast cancer appraise and cope with their breast cancer risk. Using a descriptive correlational design, a convenience sample of 209 women responded to a mailed questionnaire.

Parent Transition From The Newborn Intensive Care Unit (Nicu) To Home, Carole Ann Kenner

Dissertations

The purpose of this descriptive study was to describe parental responses to caring for infants in the home following their infant's discharge from the Newborn Intensive Care Unit (NICU). The study's methodological design was naturalistic inquiry. Data were collected via tape recordings during home visits (weeks one and four after discharge) to ten families. Data were analyzed for themes, patterns, and categories. Five mutually exclusive categories emerged: (1) Informational Needs; (2) Anticipatory Grief; (3) Parent-Child Development; (4) Stress and Coping; and (5) Social Support. These five concepts provide the foundation of a beginning theoretical framework to help understand the parental …

Differentiating Successful And Unsuccessful Nursing Students, Trilla A. Mays

Dissertations

Administrators of nursing programs in community colleges are aware of the need to retain and to graduate students to meet the growing demand for licensed practical nurses (LPNs). High attrition in a 2-year nursing program in South Carolina affected the number of students either graduating as a LPN after completing the third semester, or continuing in the program to become a registered nurse (RN). Guided by Jeffreys's nursing undergraduate retention and success model, this causal comparative study investigated the differences between students who were and were not successful in the initial 3 semesters of the program. Archival student records for …

Health-Seeking Behavior And Health Services Use By Latino Men In A Rural Iowa Community, Neil Scot Macnaughton

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was twofold: (a) to describe and compare the health-seeking behavior and health services use by Latino men, linked to the meatpacking industry, within the context of the community in which they reside; and (b) to describe and analyze the capacity of one typical Iowa community to respond to its changing ethnic composition, specifically with the provision of care to this immigrant group.

The Meaning Of Stressful Life Experiences As Described By Nine To Eleven-Year-Old Children: A Phenomenological Study, Gloria Jacobson

Dissertations

The preponderance of literature regarding stress and children has been based on adults' perceptions of how children view stressful life experiences. A qualitative study using the phenomenological method was conducted to answer the question: What is the meaning of stressful life experiences as described by nine to eleven-year-old children?

The Effects Of Environmental Turbulence On Nurse Performance, Jeanne Salyer

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of environmental turbulence on nurse performance.

The Shortage Of Expert Nephrology Nurses And Patient Quality Care Indicators A Quantitative Cross-Sectional Study, Karen J. Gaietto

Dissertations

This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the problem regarding the shortage of expert nephrology nurses and potential consequences or outcomes on patient quality care indicators in the dialysis setting. The research study collected demographic data by survey method from 34 Ohio chronic dialysis units on nursing tenure, nephrology experience, education level, certification status and age. The corresponding Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Quality Incentive Program (CMS QIP) aggregate patient data for each unit was obtained for comparison. Chronic dialysis units with higher level of nursing experience and education were compared to chronic dialysis units with less experienced and educated registered nursing …

The Cognitive Development And Perceptions About Nursing As A Profession Of Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Theresa M. Valiga

Dissertations

Baccalaureate nursing programs purport to prepare nurses who have a professional view of nursing and of the nurse and who are capable of making independent nursing decisions, dealing with the uncertainty of many nursing situations, dealing with abstract ideas, and accepting the diversity of beliefs, values, attitudes, life styles, life goals, and decision making patterns employed by persons with whom they interact. The former goal of baccalaureate nursing programs can be referred to as the development of a professional perception about nursing, and the latter goal can be referred to as the development of cognitive structures. While both of these …

The Relationship Of Organizational, Personal, And Interpersonal Factors To Role Conflict, Role Ambiguity, And Role Strain In Head Nurses, Bonita A. Pilon

Dissertations

This study described the relationship of organizational interpersonal, and personal factors to head nurse role conflict, role ambiguity, and role strain. Data were collected from 195 head nurses employed in 17 Alabama hospitals. Personal characteristics measured included age, experience, education, and personality. Organizational characteristics measured were hospital bed size, hospital financial base, clinical area, type of nursing care modality, number of employees supervised, number of role sender groups, and number of non-subordinate role sender groups. The interpersonal factor of leadership style was measured. The dependent variables were role conflict, role ambiguity, and role strain. Role episode theory guided the study. …

Intergenerational Health Promotion In African-Americans, Donna Behler Mcarthur

Dissertations

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people over the age of 25 and is largely preventable through behavioral changes. Diet and physical activity patterns, which may be amenable to change through age- and generation-appropriate interventions, have not been extensively tested in school-based programs. The purposes of this study were to: (1) Assess the impact of a school-based intervention in promoting healthy cardiovascular behaviors in elementary school children; and, (2) Evaluate the efficacy of elementary school children as conduits of health promotion information for older generations. Three inner city public elementary schools located within a one mile radius …

Domains Of Nursing Practice: Application Of Benner's Model, Rebecca J. Patterson

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to use hermeneutical phenomenology to describe the clinical knowledge embedded within the everyday practice of senior nursing students and registered nurses. This study employs Benner's (1984) research on the nature of clinical expertise as a framework. An examination of the relationship of the research subject's practice to Benner's seven domains of nursing practice was undertaken.

Nurse Faculty Mentoring: Job Satisfaction And Mentoring Of Nurse Educators In A Baccalaureate Nursing Program, Debra Bohlender Walker

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of mentoring of nursing faculty and job satisfaction with intent of nursing faculty to stay at their current academic institution. A quantitative, descriptive design was used with a convenience sampling of baccalaureate nursing faculty from three mid-central schools of nursing in the United States. A revision of Fagan's Career Development Questionnaire was distributed via SurveyMonkey to professional e-mail addresses of 172 baccalaureate level nursing faculty, both online and onsite, who do not teach in a clinical laboratory or clinical settings. The total number of returned surveys was 54. A result …

Factors Associated With Health Care Personnel Intentions To Respond To A Public Health Event, Susan B. Connor

Dissertations

Health care personnel (HCP) are an important link in emergency response. Yet, researchers have reported that not all HCP intend to respond when a public health event (PHE) occurs. Ajzen's theory of planned behavior (TPB) was the theoretical framework for this study.

The objective of this study was to explore factors associated with HCP intentions to respond to a future PHE.