Digital Commons Network^™

Evaluating An Educational Initiative For Postsurgical Vascular Patients, Cynthia Ann Gillespie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The educational medium GetWellNetWork (GWNW) in a large magnet teaching facility offered few educational videos specific to vascular patients with a focus on leg elevation after lower extremity bypass surgery. Supplying patient-specific education has the potential for providing cost-effective nursing care to vascular patients and improving hospital reimbursement. Guided by the interactive care model, a storyboard was developed using best-practice evidence for vascular postoperative patients that could lead to the development of a video to address the educational needs of vascular patients upon discharge. The practice focused question asked if a video addressing the importance of leg elevation would improve …

The Impact Of Critical Incident Team Training On Arrest And Diversion Rates, Richard Wayne Foss

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Critical Incident Team (CIT) training program equips police officers with knowledge regarding mental illness and practical skills for effectively interacting with a mentally ill suspect. In addition to improving officer and suspect safety by decreasing the number of violent encounters between police and the mentally ill, CIT goals include reducing the number of mentally ill individuals who are arrested and providing them with assistance through community resources. However, there is a lack of empirical research on whether CIT training decreases arrest rates and increases diversion rates for mentally ill subjects. The purpose of this quantitative study was to measure …

Public Health Implications Of Retailer Resale Of Returned Textile Clothing Merchandise, Antonette M. A. Francis-Shearer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Historically, 18th century anecdotal accounts of the decimation of several tribes of U.S. of the Native American population by trading of infected textile blankets alludes to the role of retail in the transmission of infectious disease. This study explores implications of the modern day retail organization practice of reselling returned clothing textiles from a public health infectious disease perspective. A qualitative multi-case study, utilized responses from 20 open-ended, unstructured interviews of retail employees assigned to the returns process. Additionally, several informal observations of select U.S.based, top-ranked clothing retail organizations, identified by the National Retail Federation were completed. Select federal, state, …

Impact Of Charter School Legislation On Public K-12 Education In Pennsylvania, Stuart Whiteleather

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Charter and cyber charter schools were legislatively permitted to operate as publicly funded educational institutions in Pennsylvania with the passage of Act 22 of 1997. Examining the tuition payments from traditional school districts funding charter schools and resulting economic, operational, and programmatic impacts on traditional K-12 education was the purpose of this study. Conflict theory provided the theoretical framework which proposes that inequity and competition for limited resources is the result of powerful groups exerting their influence on the greater society. This study's research questions focused on determining the impact tuition payments to charter schools had on public K-12 student …

Exploring Education Needs For Heart Failure Patients' Transition Of Care To Home, Michelle D. Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transitions of care is a model designed to ensure that patients have resources needed to assist them to care for themselves at home after hospital discharge, which helps to decrease preventable adverse events. For people with heart failure (HF) to transition home from the hospital successfully, specific education is needed that is individualized to the disease process, but most patients' educational needs after discharge are unmet. The purpose of this qualitative study, guided by the Meleis middle range theory of transition, was to explore the perspectives of people with HF about their educational needs in order to gather data that …

Instructional Reading Practices For Third Grade African American Males, Kimberly Dawn Whaley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American males often struggle to read on grade level. However, 3 East Texas Title I schools demonstrated exceptionally high levels of reading proficiency with this population. This study addressed the knowledge gap of understanding the instructional practices linked to high reading achievement of third grade African American males in Title I schools in East Texas. Guided by Ladson-Billings's theory of culturally relevant pedagogy, which builds upon academic success, cultural competence, and development of critical consciousness, and supported by Vygotsky's theory of social and cognitive constructivism, the reading instructional practices of the 3 schools were investigated. Research questions focused on …

Hiv Testing And Black Men Who Have Sex With Men, Stephaun Elite Wallace

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

HIV incidence among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) is extremely high in contrast to their estimated population size and compared to other racial groups. Researchers have established that a significant proportion of these new cases annually originate from HIV transmission by BMSM who are unaware of their HIV status. The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between age, sexual behavior, social support, substance use, internalized homophobia, depression, and HIV test history in BMSM. Guided by the social ecological model (SEM) as the conceptual framework, a quantitative cross-sectional study was designed to analyze secondary data …

Obesity Epidemic In The Military: Implications For Veterans, Tracy Lewis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of overweight and obesity on veterans' careers. Obesity, once thought unproblematic for the military, is being recognized as a health concern that has expansive implications for the health and readiness of service men and women, as well as for veterans. There is an abundance of information on obesity within the general population, but research on the impact of obesity on military careers is limited. This quantitative, cross-sectional research study investigated how obesity is a challenge throughout a veteran's career, from enlistment to retirement, using an online survey to gather data …

Grade 9 Teachers' Perceptions Of Habits Of Mind And Academic Success, Alana Margeson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Grade 9 students' academic failure has been documented to lead to future academic failure at the secondary level. Research has shown that lack of persistence and problem solving behaviors when dealing with adversity have multiple consequences, including low self-esteem and dropout. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to examine Grade 9 teachers' perceptions related to the use of Habits of Mind, a program designed to address the dispositions of thinkers when faced with problems such as resilience or persistence. Guided by Bandura's social cognitive learning theory, which holds that environment relates directly to behaviors and feelings of …

An Educational Program For Primary Nursing, Marsha-Gail Mcdonald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

To increase continuity of care and reduce clinical errors, management in an inpatient rehabilitation unit of a private, nonprofit hospital chose to change the care delivery model to primary nursing; unit nurses had inadequate understanding of primary nursing, creating a gap in practice. The purpose of this project was to develop an educational program on primary nursing to address the question of how education on primary nursing would impact the understanding of the model among the nurses in the patient rehabilitation unit of the project site. Rogers's diffusion of innovation model provided a framework for developing the educational program. The …

Leaders' Perceptions Of The Sexual Misconduct Reporting System In The Military, Catherine Elaine Mincey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an unwarranted number of men and women that experience an unwanted sexual contact occurrence while on active duty, that is not reported through the military's sexual harassment or sexual assault system channels. A reporting system that is cumbersome and ineffective may hinder a leader's perception in implementing effective sexual harassment and sexual assault policies and procedures. The purpose of this descriptive multiple case study was to explore the ways a reporting system influenced the decision making processes of leaders and the importance of a fluent information flow through communication channels regarding the reporting system for sexual misconduct within …

Perceptions Of Failed Foster Care, Nathaniel Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The purpose of this action research study was to investigate social workers' perceptions of the problems that prevent successful family reunifications after foster care. The study explored social workers' perceptions of barriers that prevent family reunifications in central Mississippi. Using Bronfenbrenner's ecological theory as the framework, the research question explored the problem from multiple levels of practice including family, individual, institutional, and community. The focus group approach aligned with the project goal by allowing participants opportunities to share experiences and perspectives regarding family reunifications. The study used a purposive sample of 10 participants who were practicing licensed social workers …

Nursing Staff Education For Heart Failure Disease Management, Kerri Murphy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Heart failure (HF) has a global significance for the older population and is the most common reason for hospitalization. Patients with HF can reduce their risk for hospital readmissions and adverse outcomes through self-management of their disease. Nurses are responsible for educating patients about HF self-management; however, nurses at the project site lacked sufficient understanding and confidence to perform adequate HF patient education, creating a gap in practice. This project was guided by Pender's health promotion model and adult learning theory with the goal to increase nurses' knowledge and confidence with the self-management principles of HF. The purpose of this …

Predictive Relationships Between School Counselor Role Ambiguity, Role Diffusion, And Job Satisfaction, Daya Patton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of clarity about professional roles and responsibilities of school counselors has resulted in role ambiguity and role diffusion among this group of professionals. Role ambiguity and role diffusion contribute to job dissatisfaction. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine whether role ambiguity and role diffusion predicted school counselor job satisfaction after controlling for years of experience as a school counselor, and to examine whether role ambiguity, role diffusion, and job satisfaction differed for school counselors at the elementary, middle, and high school levels. The theoretical framework was role theory, which conceptualizes how job roles within organizations …

Reducing Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections, Alexis Genarrian Whitfield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) at the local healthcare setting exceeded the benchmark of 0 CLABSI. The Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) department determined that a role as CLABSI nurse champion would address the problem; however, no comprehensive education on CLABSI prevention and maintenance was available at the site. The purpose of this project was to develop a CLABSI prevention and maintenance education module using Knowles's adult learning theory and the chain of infection model. The practice-focused question asked whether a CLABSI educational module would provide the necessary information to educate nurse champions on CLABSI prevention and maintenance. The education …

Predicting Risk For Opioid-Induced Sedation And Respiratory Depression In Hospitalized Patients, Alison Partridge

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Pain assessment and management is a fundamental part of nursing care. Opioids are 1 of the interventions utilized to manage pain within the hospital setting and have a known adverse effect called opioid-induced sedation and respiratory depression (OSRD). The purpose of this quantitative study was to create a prediction model with the known risk factors present on admission, to determine how well they predict OSRD. This served as a first step in the creation of a risk screen tool, supported by the cognitive continuum theory, in understanding the judgment and decision-making process to provide safe care. The combination of factors …

Instructional Methods And Attitudes Among Nursing Faculty Related To Students With Disabilities, Melissa Anne Radecki

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurse educators are tasked with preparing safe, competent nurses but are faced with unique challenges in helping students with disabilities. Students with learning disabilities require accommodations which are alterations or adjustments within the learning environment and are developed by the instructor. The purpose of this 3-manuscript dissertation, guided by the universal design for instruction (UDI), was to explore the attitudes and instructional methods used among nursing faculty related to teaching students with learning disabilities. Three research questions were framed as parallel studies to address the gap in understanding how faculty view nursing students with disabilities, how clinical specialty influences faculty's …

Cybersecurity Strategies For Universities With Bring Your Own Device Programs, Hai Vu Nguyen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The bring your own device (BYOD) phenomenon has proliferated, making its way into different business and educational sectors and enabling multiple vectors of attack and vulnerability to protected data. The purpose of this multiple-case study was to explore the strategies information technology (IT) security professionals working in a university setting use to secure an environment to support BYOD in a university system. The study population was comprised of IT security professionals from the University of California campuses currently managing a network environment for at least 2 years where BYOD has been implemented. Protection motivation theory was the study's conceptual framework. …

Successful Strategies For Implementing Health Information Technology In Primary Care Practice, Samuel O. Otoo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health information technology (HIT) owner-practitioners who adopt effective strategies for HIT implementation can improve primary facility care delivery and profitability. However, some HIT owner-practitioners have ineffective implementation strategies, so they have not realized the total revenue increases of more than 8%. Grounded in general systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore successful strategies primary care practitioners (PCPs) use to implement HIT to improve primary facility care delivery and profitability. The participants included 6 owner-practitioners located in Queens County, NY, who successfully implemented HIT to improve facility care delivery and profitability. Data were collected through face-to-face …

Examining Family Hierarchy Through The Eyes Of Former Mac Baller Gang Members, Jerome Lee Rice

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Criminal gang membership is growing, which corresponds to a continued breakdown of the family unit in the United States. Most of the young people who form gangs come from broken families or single-parent-headed households. This study explored the role of family hierarchy on gang membership. A qualitative case study approach was used to gather information on what motivates young people to join criminal gangs. A random sampling technique was used to recruit seven former members of the Mac Baller Brim gang. Ethical concerns were addressed to minimize the risks to the participants. The collected data from interviews were analyzed using …

Exploring Industry Cybersecurity Strategy In Protecting Critical Infrastructure, Mark Boutwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Successful attacks on critical infrastructure have increased in occurrence and sophistication. Many cybersecurity strategies incorporate conventional best practices but often do not consider organizational circumstances and nonstandard critical infrastructure protection needs. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore cybersecurity strategies used by information technology (IT) managers and compliance officers to mitigate cyber threats to critical infrastructure. The population for this study comprised IT managers and compliance officers of 4 case organizations in the Pacific Northwest United States. The routine activity theory developed by criminologist Cohen and Felson in 1979 was used as the conceptual framework. Data …

Strategies Middle Managers Of Nonprofit Health Care Organizations Use To Motivate Their Administrative Workforce, Chastidy Elliott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the awareness of employee motivation among scholars and business leaders, many American workers attest to being unmotivated. A lack of employee motivation can lead to negative business outcomes. Therefore, middle managers may experience challenges in identifying strategies to motivate their staff. Grounded in the path-goal theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore nonprofit health care organization middle managers' motivational strategies for the administrative workforce. The participants were comprised of 13 middle managers in the United States who supervised administrative teams of 4 or more members for over 2 years and effectively implemented motivational strategies. …

Improving Nurse Well-Being Through A Mindfulness-Based Education Strategy, Sandra Dearholt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

An estimated 33% to 54% of hospital nurses exhibit signs of emotional stress and

decreased well-being, which is associated with a negative impact on nurses’ health, job

performance, patient care outcomes, and healthcare cost. This project sought to improve

nurse well-being by providing nurses with education on mindfulness-based practices.

The practice question addressed whether implementing a mindfulness-based education

strategy for nurses improved nurse well-being. Three models informed this project: the

health promotion model, the andragogical model, and Kirkpatrick’s 4 levels of training

evaluation. Sources of evidence included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and a

knowledge assessment administered to 10 …

Family Self-Sufficiency Program In Los Angeles County And Reduction In Welfare Dependency, Erica Hopkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quantitative study explored the impact of the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) program on welfare dependency over time, by evaluating participant income 5 years after completing the FSS program. The study was guided using the framework of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act, which initiated welfare reform in an effort to decrease dependency on government assistance; and the Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act, the law that initiated Public housing reform by reducing the high concentration of poverty. The research question examined whether the FSS Program in Los Angeles County reduced dependency on welfare overtime. The sample size for …

Medical Marijuana Policy Conflicts Within The District Of Columbia Private Workplace, Robert B. Kennedy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The District of Colombia poses a unique challenge to private employers because the passage of a local medical marijuana policy was instituted in a federalized district that is obligated to abide by federal Schedule 1 narcotic laws. Using punctuated equilibrium as the theoretical foundation, the purpose of this case study was to understand how managers maintain compliance and address the conflict between different levels of government. Data were collected from interviews with 8 private industry hiring personnel who operate within the District of Columbia. These interviews were transcribed, inductively coded using a 2 cycle coding procedure, and then subjected to …

Socioeconomic Determinants Of Physical Activity Among Adult Arab Immigrants In Edmonton, Alberta, Samer Kobrosly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Little is known about leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) habits of Arab immigrants in Canada. Leisure-time physical activity has been linked to decreased risks for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and all causes mortality and increased life expectancy. Socioeconomic status has been recognized as a significant factor affecting health and wellbeing due to its impact on individuals’ attitudes, experiences, and exposure to several risk factors. The purpose of this cross-sectional descriptive study was to explore the levels of participation in LTPA among adult Arab immigrants in central Alberta, Canada, to examine the socioeconomic determinants of LTPA, and to investigate which individual, social, and …

Affordable Care Act And Racial Inequity In Breast Cancer Survival Rates, Nadine Terry-Lawrence

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women are more likely than White women to be diagnosed with breast cancer after the disease has progressed to advanced stages. Further, African American women experience higher breast cancer mortality rates than White women at all stages of cancer diagnosis. The purpose of this quantitative comparative study was to examine differences between implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and 5-year breast cancer survival rates among African American and White women. The independent variable was African American women and White women who were survivors of breast cancer after the ACA implementation; the dependent variables were breast cancer survival …

Relationship Between Stress Management Self-Efficacy, Stress Mindset, And Vocational Student Success, Minda J. Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to the passage of the Gainful Employment Rule of 2015, for-profit schools must ensure graduate employability, which forces vocational schools to make student success a priority. The concepts of stress mindset from the cognitive activation theory of stress and stress management self-efficacy from social cognitive theory were used in this study to assess the relationship of each to the employability of graduates. This study utilized a nonrandomized convenience sampling method and a multiple logistic regression with categorical dependent/criterion variables (gainful employment versus not) and continuous predictor variables (stress management self-efficacy, stress mindset) to compare the relationships. Stress mindset levels …

Civility Promotion Actions And Decisions Of Prelicensure Baccalaureate Nurse Faculty, Brooke Stelle Russo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Acts of incivility in nursing education and practice settings are a growing concern. Previous research has indicated that uncivil behaviors, especially among nurses in the healthcare workplace, create toxic work environments and pose risks to patient safety. Uncivil behaviors among nurse educators and students were found to erode the learning environment and lead to poor program outcomes. Researchers provided evidence to show varied levels of incivility in academic and workplace environments and recommended solutions to improve civility, yet little evidence exists to show how nurse faculty approach civility promotion in their practices. This qualitative, descriptive study was designed to explore …

Fruit And Vegetable Consumption, Physical Activity, And Colorectal Cancer Among African Americans, Stella Francoise Nanga Ndzana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a deadly and costly cancer, especially among African Americans. The purpose of this quantitative, retrospective, cross-sectional study was to examine African Americans' health behaviors that may have an association with CRC. The Health Belief Model was used to guide this study. The study addressed whether there is a statistical association between fruit intake, vegetable intake, and physical activity, and the occurrence of CRC while controlling for confounders, such as body mass index, smoking status, and income level. After conducting an overall analysis, the final research question examined if the association varied by race. In this study, …