Digital Commons Network^™

Differences In Criminal Behavior Based On Experiences Involving Parental Incarceration, Brooke Bowie Fitzgerald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parental abandonment, a form of abuse and neglect, can be experienced due to various factors, including incarceration. When parents are incarcerated, children may face factors such as housing instability, financial strain, behavioral problems, mental health issues, and criminal justice involvement. Due to little research that is available, there are challenges in terms of providing programs to children in this position that could focus on preventing negative impacts of parental incarceration in order to combat substance abuse and criminal behaviors, promote better adjustment to stressors, and support mental health treatment. The attachment theory, developed by Bowlby, Ainsworth, and Blatz was used …

A Midwestern United States Latino Study Of Sexual Behaviors Among Latino Adolescents, Astrid Alejandra Cartagena Cabrera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increasing rates of adolescent unwanted pregnancies can be detrimental to families and the health of the infant. Rates of teen pregnancy among Blacks, Whites, Asians, and other races has decreased; however, the Latino population has not seen similar declining numbers. The Hispanic population currently has the highest rate of teen pregnancy that continues to increase in comparison to any other racial–ethnic group. In this study involving data from the Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System, a sample of 17,303 was used. Chi-square analyses and descriptive frequencies were used to identify associations between teen pregnancy and sexual behaviors; and how existing programs …

Education On Protective Measures For Primary Care Staff During Covid Outbreaks, Lenina Ochioza Ukeju Chi-Ukpai

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the emergence of COVID-19, healthcare workers have been in continuous risk of infection because of the way the disease is transmitted. Hence, the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) is important during the pandemic. The aim of this project was to increase healthcare workers’ and patients’ disease protection and prevention. This staff education project assessed the knowledge of proper PPE practice among healthcare workers who were in close contact with COVID-19 patients and provided lectures and practice in proper donning and doffing of PPE. Guided by the Lewin theory of change, the knowledge of the 9 health care …

A Midwestern United States Latino Study Of Sexual Behaviors Among Latino Adolescents, Astrid Alejandra Cartagena Cabrera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increasing rates of adolescent unwanted pregnancies can be detrimental to families and the health of the infant. Rates of teen pregnancy among Blacks, Whites, Asians, and other races has decreased; however, the Latino population has not seen similar declining numbers. The Hispanic population currently has the highest rate of teen pregnancy that continues to increase in comparison to any other racial–ethnic group. In this study involving data from the Youth Risk Behavioral Surveillance System, a sample of 17,303 was used. Chi-square analyses and descriptive frequencies were used to identify associations between teen pregnancy and sexual behaviors; and how existing programs …

The Linear Evolution Of Local Emergency Management Training In Response To Domestic Terrorism, Jeffrey Januchowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThis paper presents a research study in the field of emergency management. The study aims to identify training or educational needs for the emergency manager at the local level of government to effectively handle disasters. The study uses phenomenon theory with semi-structured interviews that gather data from emergency managers that have experience with major disasters and training requirements. Participants were experts in the emergency management profession with the ability to speak appropriately about the phenomenon. Research questions identified the training methods that produce the best results along with the specific hazards emergency managers may encounter. The research design used questionnaires …

Kindergarten Through Second Grade Teachers’ Collaboration On Reading Instruction Through Virtual Communities Of Practice, Nakaydria Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Kindergarten through second grade (K–2) teachers have different experiences with support when teaching beginning reading. However, there is a problem with K–2 teachers having access to virtual collaboration to support beginning reading instruction. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the experiences and perceptions of K–2 teachers collaborating virtually on Google Platforms to support beginning reading instruction within a community of practice (CoP). The research questions were used to understand the interaction and accountability of K–2 teachers collaborating within a CoP. The conceptual framework was constructed from elements of CoPs and the social theory of learning because of …

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding Behaviors That Lead To Disproportionate Referrals By Race, Susan Johannes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDisproportionate office referrals through teachers in Grades 3-5 based on their students’ race are documented. At a Title I elementary school in the northeastern part of Virginia, non-White students are referred to the office for behavior issues 5% more times than their White peers. Guided by Bell’s critical race theory, the purpose of this study was to examine Grade 3-5 elementary teachers’ perceptions regarding types of behaviors that are leading to disproportionate numbers of office referrals for non-White students. A basic qualitative research design was employed. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 8 purposefully sampled teachers to explore teachers’ perceptions about …

Strategies Aircraft Manufacturing Organizational Leaders Use For Proper Material Pricing, Chin Kuei Jen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The lack of proper material pricing strategies can challenge manufacturers’ profitability and growth. Aircraft manufacturing leaders are concerned because understanding and developing material pricing strategies are essential to increasing profitability. Grounded in price theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies aircraft manufacturing organizational leaders use for proper material pricing estimates. The participants were four aircraft manufacturing organizational leaders from a successful aircraft manufacturing business located in the state of Georgia. Data were gathered from semistructured interviews and document reviews and analyzed using Yin’s five step approach. The four themes that emerged were the impact …

Upper Elementary School Teachers’ Perceptions Of Using Audiobooks For Reluctant Readers, Richard Michael Joseph

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that prompted this study was that educators’ perceptions were unknown regarding the use of audiobooks in classroom settings to help reluctant readers develop independent reading habits at a suburban elementary school in Southeast Michigan. This lack of awareness represents a gap in practice that reflects a potential need for increased understanding about how the use of audiobooks in classroom settings may help reluctant readers develop independent reading habits. The purpose of this basic qualitative project study was to examine third through fifth grade educators’ perceptions on the use of audiobooks in classroom settings to help reluctant readers develop …

Cross-Sectional Collaboration In Florida's Emergency Management System, Christopher Stephen Kirkland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Florida faces a unique set of emergency management hazards prompted by the state’s geography, high volume of tourism, and position as a hub of international trade. The state has developed a highly adaptive emergency management system to deliver humanitarian assistance to Floridians affected by natural and other disasters. Despite the importance of collaboration in delivering humanitarian goods and services to Floridians in times of crisis, little is known as to how collaboration occurs, what impediments exist, and how organizations adapt to the dynamics of natural and other disasters. In this qualitative case study, the integrative framework for collaborative governance was …

Perceptions Of Teachers Regarding Instructional Strategies For Low Ses Students, Lesley Legere

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low socioeconomic status (SES) students tend to have poorer academic achievement in language arts and mathematics. One of the biggest influences for the academic success of low SES students is the use of varying instructional strategies. This problem is important because all students should receive an equitable education regardless of status. The purpose of the study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions regarding how they support low SES students in their academic achievement in language arts and mathematics. The conceptual framework for this study was based on Hersey and Blanchard’s situational leadership theory, which suggested that teachers are leaders who modify …

Digital Citizenship And Adolescents Online Risk Behaviors, Soushira Liverpool-Morrisa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Adolescents now have greater access to digital resources and spaces and are more likely to engage in risky online behaviors for which they are unprepared. The study's purpose was to examine the little-understood online behaviors of adolescents to better educate and prepare them for safe online interactions. The study was framed by two theories: digital citizenship— the ability to engage in digital environments competently and responsibly, and problem behavior theory—an understanding of what encourages problem behavior. This research asked if there was a relationship between adolescents’ digital citizenship and online risk behaviors using a quantitative correlational design. Teachers from three …

How Supply Standardization Affects Non-Emergent Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Costs And Length Of Stay, Marc Lopez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to identify if there were practices that could be implemented to decrease costs in the operating room without negatively effecting patient outcomes. With the cost of healthcare in the United States consistently increasing, studies that focus on cost-reduction measures such as this one are crucial to ensure health systems continue to operate with a neutral or positive margin to remain available to provide patient care. This was a retrospective quantitative research study built on the diffusion of innovation theory. It focused on motivating factors such as differences in cost between surgical cases that used a standardized …

Firefighters’ Views Associated With Mental Health Counseling, Jessica H. Ridgway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decades of research show that firefighters’ trauma-filled tasks and work environments are associated with decreases in the quality of their everyday lives. Firefighters experience trauma on a regular basis which is leading to mental health issues contributing to work and non-work-related issues. Since stigma is present toward mental health counseling, firefighters are not always seeking the help they need. Through qualitative research, the purpose of the study was to explore thoughts and views of experienced, male firefighters to establish ways of improving their life quality. Semi structured interviews were used to gather data from nine participants regarding their views on …

Self Care Education For Nurses Following An Assault, Barbara Lynn Schwarz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSelf-Care Education for Nurses Following an Assault by Barbara Lynn Schwarz MS, Nebraska Wesleyan University, 2008 BS, Nebraska Wesleyan University, 2004

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University August 2023 Abstract Every day, 1 in 4 nurses experience physical and/or verbal assault, surpassing the rates among police officers and prison guards. This issue is particularly widespread among nurses working in mental health settings. The local practice problem for this project was the absence of self-care education for nurses following workplace assaults. The literature revealed that such assaults have traumatic …

Healthcare Organizational Strategies For Designing And Implementing Economic Think Tanks, Robert Worthington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of focus on organizational strategy impedes the development of successful healthcare think tanks. Healthcare leaders are concerned about the lack of strategies and their importance in combating fraud, reducing errors, enforcing practice guidelines, and improving patient healthcare services. Grounded in the four trajectories of industry change theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies healthcare management leaders use to develop successful healthcare think tank organizations. The participants were three healthcare professionals in senior leadership positions for a healthcare think tank organization. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, a review of organizational documents, and …

Retention Rate Factors Of Junior Enlisted Females In The U.S Marine Corps, Iris I. Esquilin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The modern United States Armed Forces is the largest and most powerful military force the world has ever experienced, and the U.S. Marine Corps represents the most elite members thereof, claiming the iconic tagline “The Few, The Proud.” However, while the Marine Corps expends considerable effort in recruiting excellent personnel, the branch also faces a high turnover rate, with 75.0% of first-year enlistees choosing not to continue their service for a subsequent term. This retention problem is especially pronounced with respect to female Marines, who only make up 8.0% of the Marine force, the lowest of any U.S. military branch. …

The Experiences Of Women In The Healthcare Profession With Alcohol Use During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Amber Olsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women have severe health risks associated with drinking alcohol long-term and excessively. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experience of women in healthcare positions regarding alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was informed by the theory of planned behavior. Semistructured interviews were used to gather information from participants based on their firsthand experiences with alcohol usage. Understanding women’s attitudes toward alcohol use during the COVID-19 pandemic can improve intervention. Data were analyzed using an inductive, thematic procedure. Participants associated their own use of alcohol with socialization, and all participants reported that they regarded …

Evaluating U.S. Household Telemedicine Use In Primary Care Settings, Robert Osobase

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe COVID-19 pandemic's arrival in the United States restricted access and use of telemedicine in primary care providers (PCPs) settings. Addressing this issue is crucial since telemedicine is a confirmed method of encouraging patients and PCPs to promote quality health care. This quantitative study investigated the association between age, gender, and race, and PCPs offering telemedicine and U.S. household adults using telemedicine during COVID-19 pandemic in 2021. The Donabedian framework, which considers aspects of an organization's structure, process, and outcome, served as the study's foundation, incorporating age, race, and gender as independent variables, and PCPs and US adults as dependent …

Nursing Guideline For Specimen Handoff, Kathleen Marie Pearce

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe absence of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) and collaboration with significant stakeholders may lead to gaps in the delivery of patient care. Specimen handoff in the endoscopy unit plays a critical role in patient diagnosis and treatment plans; errors can compromise patient safety. The purpose of this project was to provide endoscopy nursing staff with a CPG to improve the accuracy of the specimen handoff process during the endoscopy procedure. The practice-focused question addressed the feasibility of developing a quality and usable CPG to improve the accuracy and efficacy of handling the specimen handoff process during endoscopy procedures. Walden University …

Strategies To Reduce Employee Turnover In The Insurance Industry, Ebony Phillips

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover continues to increase in the insurance industry because no minimum skill or education level is required to enter the U.S. insurance industry. Insurance leaders are concerned with reducing employee turnover, as it creates a risk to employee productivity and profitability. Grounded in Herzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies five insurance leaders from central Kansas used to reduce employee turnover. Data were collected using semistructured virtual interviews and a review of company records. Data were analyzed using Yin’s five-step approach, and three themes emerged: (a) supportive leadership, (b) incentives/benefits, …

Perceptions Of Veteran Middle And High School Stem Teachers On Integrating Tablets Into The Classroom, Joanie Marie Rice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Despite the availability of technology for instruction, veteran science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) teachers are still reluctant to incorporate recent technologies, such as tablets, into the classroom. This qualitative case study was conducted to explore the perceptions of eight middle and high school veteran STEM teachers integrating tablets into the classroom. This study focused on how veteran STEM teachers viewed the integration of tablets into the school, the challenges experienced when integrating tablets into the classroom, and the opportunities that experienced STEM teachers observed when integrating tablets into the classroom based on the technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) …

Effective Revenue Planning For Small Minority-Owned Mental Health Organizations, Beonko Alejandro Sampson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractRevenue planning for minority-owned organizations is vital for sustainability. This is a significate concern for behavioral health practitioners who must deal with the changing landscape of mental health and the financial worries of sustaining a successful organization. This case study examined effective revenue planning for a minority-owned behavioral health organization located in the mideastern part of the United States. The organization provides several different behavioral treatment services for children, adolescents, and adults. The Baldrige excellence framework for healthcare guided a system-based approach to assessing the minority-owned organization. The systems approach identified noted organizational components of leadership, strategy, and operations. Themes …

Adult Attitudes And Adverse Childhood Experiences: Implications For Child Maltreatment, Carla M. Santana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, approximately $124 billion is spent annually on mental health and medical diagnosis as a result of the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences. These experiences can result in both mental and physical illness as well as a pattern of instability across the lifespan, which may affect adult attitudes toward child maltreatment and perpetuate the cycle of abuse. The purpose of this quantitative regression study was to examine any association between a person’s adverse childhood experiences and attitudes of what defined child maltreatment. Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory was the framework. A total of 98 participants took part …

Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection Prevention Education, Mary Jo Roskos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractCatheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are infections that happen in the urinary tract in men and women when foley catheterization is not done using strict aseptic techniques. Bacteria can then travel up the urinary catheter into the bladder; therefore, contaminating urine in the bladder. This project site’s nursing staff was experiencing a lack of knowledge regarding CAUTI prevention. This lack of knowledge on the importance of sterile technique when inserting urinary catheters can lead to CAUTIs. The project question for this project addressed whether the educational program on the importance of a strict sterile technique on urinary catheter insertion …

Staff Education Of Diabetic Foot Care In An Ambulatory Setting, Riza Grace Nielsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the most important factors affecting the quality of diabetes care is the association between a patient’s knowledge and their practices. The practice gap in this primary care clinic was a lack of standardized diabetic foot care. The purpose of this DNP project was to provide nursing staff with an evidence- based, culturally congruent diabetic footcare curriculum that could help decrease inconsistencies in care. The practice-focused question for this project addressed whether an educational program for nursing staff on diabetic footcare would increase their knowledge and translate this knowledge into practice to prevent diabetic foot infections and its complications. …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Challenges Teaching Reading Comprehension Using Explicit Strategies With Third-Fifth Graders, Lavern Marie Gottshalk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe problem that the researcher addressed through this study was that third- to fifth-grade teachers found it challenging to incorporate explicit comprehension strategies to reading in an elementary school in southeastern Virginia. The purpose of the study was to examine third- to fifth-grade teachers’ perceptions of and experiences when incorporating specific strategies in reading comprehension instructions. The researcher used purposeful homogeneous sampling to select 10 third- to fifth-grade teachers. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory was the conceptual framework used to help clarify teachers’ responses. The researcher used a basic qualitative approach to gather data using informal semistructured interviews with two research questions …

Experiences Of Older Adults With Hiv/Aids Enrolled In Case Management Programs In Northwest Indiana, Antoinette Cardenas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractIn 2016, more than half of those infected with HIV/AIDS were age 50 years or older. Since the introduction of antiretroviral therapy, the survival rate of HIV patients has been on the rise with a predicted increase by 2030, but this has also contributed to early onset of comorbidities such as cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, and kidney failure. The purpose of this generic qualitative study, driven by ecological systems theory, was to explore the experiences of older adults (age 50 and older) with HIV/AIDS who were enrolled in case management programs in Northwest Indiana. Data were collected from semi structured interviews …

Barriers To Effective Public Secondary Education In Rural Areas In Haiti, Marjorie Calixte-Hallworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The limited access to public secondary education in rural regions of Haiti has impacted children who want to pursue their education beyond the primary level. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of informed Haitian educators and other educators who were knowledgeable about the lack of access to public secondary education in rural Haiti, specifically through the framework of polarities of democracy theory. Data were gathered by conducting semistructured interviews with 20 educators who were situated in both Haiti and the United States. NVivo 14 was used to organize, code, and analyze the data. Thematic …

Administrator Experiences With Placement Of Transgender Women In Coed Residential Homeless Facilities, Monica Lee Discolo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have found that transgender women have difficulty accessing appropriate and inclusive services due to inadequate housing placements. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the experiences of administrators of coed homeless facilities when making housing placement decisions for transgender women. Queer theory provided the theoretical lens for the study. As part of the qualitative generic study design, 10 interviews were conducted via telephone with participants selected through snowball sampling. The interviews were transcribed, and several iterations of thematic analysis were conducted to construct codes, categories, and themes. The findings revealed that there is (a) a lack …