Digital Commons Network^™

Situation Awareness And Cognitive Load In Nursing Students Managing A Computer-Based Virtual Reality Simulated Deteriorating Patient, Tracy Chesney

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: When a patient’s baseline clinical state shifts to a worse clinical state requiring a transfer to a higher level of care within the healthcare system, it is the hallmark of a deteriorating patient situation. Up to 37% of newly licensed nurses fail to identify and manage a deteriorating patient partly due to inexperience and a lack of expertise, contributing to lower situation awareness (SA), specifically in cue perception. Long-term memory schema development leads to expertise that allows individuals to develop higher SA necessary to identify and effectively manage patient deterioration. Expert nurses access long-term memory schema in managing deteriorating …

The Ethical Contribution Of Cultural Diversity As A Social Determinant Of Health, Pooja Patel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The dissertation examines how cultural diversity as a social determinant of health, aligned with human life, human dignity, human rights, and human equity provides an ethical contribution. My explanation of the ethical contribution of cultural diversity as a SDOH refers to a quadrant of topics that expands the approach of the UNESCO Declaration of Bioethics and Human Rights. The UNESCO approach addresses cultural diversity in relation to human dignity and human rights. I adopt a quadrant of topics that aligns human dignity with human life and human rights with equity. Aligning these topics in the quadrant (dignity/life and rights/equity) explains …

Evaluating Sex Differences In The Neuroimmune Response Following Neuroinflammation And Relief Due To Nanotheranostic Treatment, Brooke Deal

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Until recently, the majority of preclinical neuroinflammatory studies were performed on males. Because of this, less is known about the female neuroinflammatory response to injury, formation of pain, or response to pain-relieving therapies. The neuroinflammatory response is multifaceted with neuronal, glial, and immune cells all contributing to the induction and resolution of neuroinflammation. During this response, macrophages typically undergo an upregulation of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) leading to the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which is linked to neuronal sensitization and pain. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) attenuate PGE2 by the inhibition of COX-2. A limitation with NSAIDs is that due to the …

Exploring The Effects Of Psychosocial Factors And Relationships To Postpartum Depression Symptoms Among Iranian Immigrant Women Living In Canada: A Cross-Sectional Study, Monica Gola

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Immigrant women’s health garners attention as migration creates changes in social networks and parenting needs. The effect of psychosocial factors, such as maternal self-efficacy, measured by ability to manage parenting responsibilities, social support and cultural postpartum practices on postpartum depression symptoms are not well known in Canadian immigrant women. Methodology: A cross-sectional descriptive survey design guided by Bandura’s Reciprocal Determinism was used to explore the relationships between psychosocial factors including: maternal self-efficacy, social support, cultural postpartum practices; and symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD) among recent Iranian immigrant women living in Canada. Results: A total of 114 participants completed the …

The Ethics Of Governance Of Data Analytics In Healthcare, Andrew Harrington

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Recent literature and studies on data governance usually focus on data ethics and governance from a specific country or industry, which has been mostly business, without considering the larger global impact that is affected. Data is a worldwide asset; thus, its implications and considerations should be viewed as such. Hence, this dissertation attempts to incorporate this view by weaving together topics in healthcare, such as the blending of finance and delivery, data governance at the micro and macro levels, data analytics in healthcare, ethics of AI and information management, and technology’s impact on end-of-life practices. Through highlighting these areas of …

Dolphin Behavioral Responses To Uncrewed Aerial Systems As A Function Of Exposure, Height, And Type, Savannah Damiano

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) are becoming a standard tool in the study of cetaceans, however, a comparative assessment of animal responses to UAS has not been established to gauge the most effective systems for cetacean study. We utilized Dolphin Quest Bermuda’s eleven bottlenose dolphins as subjects for such an investigation taking place over five weeks in 2022 and five weeks in 2023. The dolphins were evaluated for investigative behavioral responses to six off-the-shelf UAS types and a custom fixed wing system. Each UAS was flown in decreasing height vertically above the main dolphin lagoon to evaluate dolphin behavioral responses in …

The Persuasive Use Of Public Relations In Saudi Arabia 2030 Vision, Talal Alqahtani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the nations that has recommitted to rebranding in modern times, capitalizing on public relations as persuasion techniques. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through their Vision 2030 endeavors towards attaining a revamped economy that will attract foreign investors, rebrand the nation and establish mutually beneficial relations between the Kingdom and its domestic and international publics. Vision 2030 was officially coined in 2016 by then then Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). Vision 2030 is anchored around three primary pillars: developing a vibrant society; secondly, establishing a thriving economy, and developing an ambitious …

A Qualitative Study Of Leadership Tools And Traits That Foster Effective Relationships In Rural School Communities, Julie Boyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify leadership qualities and practices that nurture relationships in school settings. The central question framing this study was: What leadership tools and traits foster effective relationships in rural school communities? I conducted semi-structured interviews in a small Northwestern school district. Non-classroom leaders and classroom leaders, who will be referred to using pseudonyms, were recruited from the elementary, middle, and high schools based on recommendations from the district’s superintendent. Prior to conducting interviews, participants were provided with a framework based on Kouzes and Posner’s (2017) exemplary leadership practices and asked to choose five …

Evaluation Planning And Special Service Eligibility Decisions Of School Psychologists: Differences By Chronic Health Condition And Impairment Severity, Maria Tina Benno

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

School psychologists are expert practitioners who are well-versed in conducting comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations to address a wide range of students’ needs in schools. The increasing prevalence of pediatric chronic illnesses (CIs) and the presence of students with CIs attending school requires school psychologists to be knowledgeable of the educational and social-emotional impacts of CIs on students’ functioning. Moreover, organizations such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and National Association for School Psychologists (NASP) encourage school psychologists to demonstrate competency in understanding the influence of CIs on students’ function in the classroom (APA, 1998; Schmitt et al., 2019). Comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations …

Icu Nurses’ Adherence To The Cdc’S Central Line Bundle: A Qualitative Study, Cherie Burke, Cherie Burke

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are one of the most common healthcare associated infections and result in prolonged hospital stays, significant morbidity, and increased costs to the healthcare system. Adherence to the CDC central line maintenance bundle has been shown to be effective in decreasing CLABSI yet these infections continue to be a problem. ICU nurses play a vital role in managing central lines and adhering to the maintenance guidelines, however different situations may arise during the care that may impact CLABSIs.

Objectives: 1) To determine nurses’ adherence to the CDC’s maintenance central line

bundle; 2) To determine …

Peer Perceptions Of Parent-Students Seeking Higher Education, Alexandria Wall

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

With a growing number of parents pursuing academia, it is imperative that researchers understand the social environment in which parent-students function. Stereotypes of parent-students may be held by peers, faculty, and other educational supervisors. Across two previous independent studies, evidence and rationale were provided to suggest that both positive and negative perceptions of parent-students exist, with noted differences between gender. The purpose of the current 2x2x2 between-subjects study was to analyze the social perceptions of students enrolled in higher education as varied by parenthood status, age, and gender. The social perceptions included measures accounting for perceptions of intelligence and academic …

The Impact Of Couple Minority Stress And Perceived Relationship Equity On Relationship Satisfaction Of Women In Same-Gender Relationships, Rebekah Malott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to test two hypotheses (H1: relationship satisfaction will mediate the relationship between perceived relationship equity and potential relationship dissolution in women in same-gender relationships. H2: Relationship satisfaction will mediate the relationship between perceived minority stressors and potential relationship dissolution in women in same-gender relationships). Participants who met the demographic profile and consented to the study were asked to complete five questionnaires: relationship equity (Kurdek, 1998), couple minority stress (Neilands et al., 2019), relationship satisfaction (Funk & Rogge, 2007), potential relationship dissolution, and demographics. The results showed that relationships satisfaction was a partial mediator between …

Lung Cancer-Kidney Crosstalk Enhances Cisplatin-Induced Nephrotoxicity., Andrew Orwick

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Cancer patients represent a unique patient population with increased susceptibility to kidney disease. Drug-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) in cancer patients is a common problem. Cisplatin is a highly effective treatment used in many solid organ cancers. However, cisplatin causes AKI in 30% of patients, increasing the risk of chronic kidney disease (CKD) development. The kidneys maintain homeostasis of the body’s extracellular fluids and removing waste products. The kidneys filter nearly 170 liters of fluid a day and must reabsorb over 99% of the filtrate. The reabsorption occurs in tubule cells throughout the nephron, which are highly enriched in mitochondria …

The Alphaviral Capsid Protein Inhibits Irak1-Dependent Tlr Signaling To Promote Pathogenesis., V. "Trey" Landers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Alphaviruses are positive-sense RNA viruses spread by mosquitos. They can cause a severe multi-joint febrile arthritis or encephalitis resulting in death or life-long cognitive impairments. To date there are no approved antiviral therapeutics or vaccine strategies for the treatment of alphaviruses creating a critical need to better understand the host pathogen interactions of alphaviruses that enable pathogenesis. It is known that alphaviruses evade innate immune responses by shutting down host transcription and translation, but these methods are dependent on viral gene expression and leave a critical time frame during early infection before viral gene expression has begun that the virus …

Meta-Analysis Of Therapeutic Interventions For The Treatment Of Test Anxiety., Thomas Reece

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This systematic review and meta-analysis was designed to be a practitioner-focused review of the current research into interventions for the treatment of test anxiety. As testing continues to be a large part of students’ academic experiences and the stakes of that testing grow for students, teachers, and schools, there is a need for a synthesis of the literature to provide teachers and schools with some guidance on how best to help their students succeed. In this review, I describe the phenomenon of test anxiety and the current theoretical questions concerning the relationship between test anxiety and test performance. I also …

The Evolution Of Empathy: Through The Lens Of A Rodent Model., Caroline Driscoll-Braden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Empathy is the capacity to be affected by and share the emotions of others, to discern the circumstances prompting another’s emotional state, and to identify with another by adopting their perspective. Research investigating the empathically motivated behavior of rats can help inform the evolutionary history of empathy and provide additional support of the continuity of empathy in animals and humans. In this dissertation, I examine the helping behavior of rats to explore the complexities of rodent empathy. In Chapter I, I review the multiple layers of empathy and describe both historical and contemporary research examining empathy in non-humans. I explain …

Mach And Froude Numbers On Mars., Camella-Rosa Nasr

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Mars atmospheric global circulation models exhibit transonic jet streaks during
northern winter, which motivates this study of the Mach number, Ma (the ratio of
flow speed to the speed of sound), and the Froude number, Fr (the ratio of flow
speed to the speed of buoyancy waves), as a function of season and location. Two
global reanalyses spanning Mars Years (MY) 24 to 33 are used as input, EMARS
and OpenMARS. The study’s vertical coordinate is the isentropic variable potential
temperature, θ, ranging from θ = 125 to 1100 K, which corresponds to altitudes
ranging on average from z ≈ …

Our Story, Our Song: Assessing And Addressing Black Women's Healthcare Experiences., Jason Deakings

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Despite advancements in medicine and health sciences, health disparities and declining life expectancy persists among Black women in the United States. Researchers and non-traditional healthcare providers suggest alternative healing (e.g., music and Sister Circles) and research methodologies to achieve a culturally conscious, traumainformed, quality, and holistic care and practice. The intersecting identities and cultural responsibility of Black women highly influences the barriers and facilitators on the uptake of healthcare services. Utilizing a community engaged research approach, this qualitative study assessed the healthcare experiences, as well as the role of music in the lived and retold experiences of Black women navigating …

Fear Of Becoming A Victim Of Crime On A College Campus: A Visual And Factorial Experimental Design Survey Analysis Of Location And Demographic Factors., Nancy Steinmetz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Vanessa LoBue (2013) states that the emotion of fear, “a signal of impending threat” (p. 38) is common among mammals. For over five decades, there has been substantial research into what in society, or our communities, makes us fearful. It is this author’s intention to examine how college students’ fear of crime or fear of victimization may be heightened or intensified by specific factors that are commonplace on college campuses and areas adjacent to those campuses. Nicole Rader (2004) argues that the fear of crime discourse needs to be expanded to a larger “construct” called “the threat of victimization” (p. …

Author(Iz)Ing Literacy: A Rhetorical/Historical Analysis Of Literacy For College Readiness In Kentucky From Kera To The Common Core (And Beyond)., Susannah Kilbourne

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation traces the economy of documents representing literacy for college readiness through an analysis of the interplay of literacy theory, literacy policy, and policy documentation. Specifically, this dissertation examines how college-level literacy is defined in Kentucky through a network of related documents. With Latour’s Actor-Network Theory serving as a theoretical frame, this dissertation tracks not only the vast and interconnected system of compositions operating as articulations of college-level literacy but also the presence (or absence) of rhetoric and composition’s compositions within the network of relations defining literacy for college readiness. This dissertation is divided into five chapters. Chapter One …

The Impact Of Kentucky’S Medicaid Expansion On Adult Coverage And Diagnosis Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus And Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy, The Use Of Antihyperglycemics And The Role Of Social Determinants Of Health 2011-2018., Brian Mcroberts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objectives: This study analyzed the impact of Medicaid expansion in Kentucky on coverage of adults aged 19-64 and the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and the use of antidiabetic medications or insulin (antihyperglycemics) for T2DM, controlling for Social Determinants of Health (SDOH). Method: This study assembled ICD-based claims and prescription drug NDC claims from all adult residents of Kentucky enrolled in Medicaid from 2011 to 2018. Three-digit zip code (Zip-3) data was appended to each case from the American Community Survey to provide SDOH variables. Tests performed included ANOVA, decision trees, varimax rotated …

Effects Of Pyramidal Behavior Skills Training On The Procedural Integrity Of School Staff When Delivering Functional Communication Training To Students., Erica Mcclure

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Behavioral skills training (BST) is a commonly used, well-researched method for delivering training that has been shown to generate mastery and fidelity across multiple populations and skills. Despite the evidence supporting its use across multiple settings with a variety of populations, few studies have examined the use of pyramidal BST to train educators in a public school setting in the implementation of functional communication training (FCT). This study utilized a concurrent multiple probe across participants design to examine the effects of pyramidal BST on the procedural integrity of general education teachers providing FCT as part of an intervention plan. BST …

To Hell With 'That' Religion: Malcolm X And An Africana Critical Theory Of Religion., Jimmy Butts

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Using Malcolm X as a fulcrum, this dissertation explores the possibility of resolving the apparent tension between religion and revolution in a Pan-African context. While the first chapter defines the terms “revolution” and “religion,” it also introduces readers to the conceptualization of religion as incompatible with revolution, and it presents Africana Critical Theory as the methodological tool used to guide how the author analyzed the possibility of rectifying that problem. The second chapter delineates the literature that has sought to address the potentially problematic relationship between religion and revolution. The author concludes that the Marxist tradition was too Eurocentric and …

Still Got The Blues - No Time But Here, No Place But Now: Geographies Of Art & Activism In The Work Of Clyde Woods., Jake Mace

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The fight against displacement and dispossession in the increasingly inequitable process of reterritorialization is arguably the most pressing struggle of the modern city – and it is articulated through cultural production as much as through political debate and economic development. Yet research that is at the nexus of critical, urban, and cultural studies and which explores the resistant potential of countercultural production rather than the hegemonic impact of mainstream cultural production is underdeveloped. Clyde Woods’s blues epistemology offers a guide to reading cultural production of marginalized groups as maps of meaning that offer alternative visions of the past, the present, …

The Association Of Long Working Hours And The Use Of Prescription Sedatives Among U.S. Workers., Emmanuel Ezekekwu

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Meeting the needs of a round-the-clock and globalized society has led to an increase in long working hours. This trend has been accompanied by a corresponding rise in sleep disorders and subsequent use of sedating medications. Overtime hours have been associated with adverse health outcomes such as cardiovascular diseases, symptoms of psychological distress, and health behaviors, including risky intake of alcohol and smoking. Hence, the main objectives of this three-paper dissertation were to examine the multi-faceted relationship between working hours, the use of prescription sleep aids, the onset of psychological distress, and the use of health care services. METHODS: …

Neonate Atlantic Sharpnose Shark (Rhizoprionodon Terraenovae) Relative Abundance And Body Condition In Two South Carolina Estuaries Varying In Urbanization, Rileigh E. Hawk

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Urbanization near estuaries has been shown to affect the growth and survival of juvenile sharks using the system as a nursery. North Inlet and Murrells Inlet, South Carolina, are similarly-sized, tidally-dominated, bar-built estuaries with extensive Sporobolus-lined tidal creeks but differ in degree of human impact. Previously, Murrells Inlet was shown to have a lower abundance and diversity of large sharks than North Inlet and Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae) were shown to use North Inlet as a primary nursery. To examine potential differences in neonate shark abundance and growth between a developed estuary, Murrells Inlet, and a protected estuary, North …

The Majority As The Minority: A Single Case Study Exploring Campus Environment And The Retention Of Racial Minority Students Attending A 2-Year Technical Hbcu In South Carolina, Meaghan Sharon Avery

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The existing retention literature focuses on White students and non-White students in predominantly White institutional (PWI) environments. Furthermore, prevailing literature tends to concentrate on varying factors that influence these students to be retained at their respective institutions. Retention factors in differing contexts, such as historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), have been studied to a much lesser degree. Moreover, even fewer studies exist on how the campus environment at 2-year HBCUs influences retention or departure. Using a qualitative case study methodology, this study explores how the institutional environment of a rural southern 2-year technical HBCU influences the retention of racial …

Student Success Programming, College Academic Achievement Scores, And Retention Rates, Leslie D. Merritt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Student success programming was created to help students transition to the college environment and coursework. While many university-created programs are geared to all students, federally-funded programs and some university-created programs aim to specifically help students from marginalized populations. With Spady’s (1970) and Tinto’s (1975) theories guiding the conceptual framework, this study examined the relationship between participation in student success programs as it related to grade point averages and retention rates. Additional focus was placed on Black and Pell-eligible participants of student success programming. The study was conducted using archival data from two mid-size, public, four-year institutions of higher education. One …

“It’S Alive!” The Birth And Afterlife Of The Gothic Genre, Tanner Linkous

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the development of the Gothic novel in England throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This thesis establishes the Gothic as a literary mode of middle-class terror by analyzing Gothic novels within the historical context of the Industrial and Democratic revolutions. This requires an in-depth understanding of politics throughout both centuries and this thesis engages with several sources such as Maggie Kilgour’s The Rise of the Gothic Novel which adds important context to my claims. Additionally, I use several contemporary sources such as Godwin’s Caleb Williams, the writings of Edmund Burke, and On the Pleasure Derived from Objects …

A Multiple Regression Analysis Of Factors Influencing 2-Year College Enrollment During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Lauren Margaret Davis

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted enrollment, a continuation of the decline ongoing since 2010. Two-year colleges are highly dependent on tuition revenue. Consequently, the pandemic exacerbated the postsecondary economic crisis, as 2-year institutions faced financial hardship amidst enrollment uncertainties. In response to the pandemic, policymakers and 2-year college leaders adapted their enrollment management efforts. However, the impact of these actions on enrollment was unknown. Using resource dependence theory, the present study aimed to understand how COVID-19 influenced 2-year colleges' acquisition of their most sustainable resource, enrollment. Separate multiple linear regression analyses explored the influence of four enrollment management efforts (shift …