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A Phenomenological Study Of The Transition Of Veterans Into The Civilian Workforce, Brian Keith Ward

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Military veterans face various challenges during their transition into the civilian workforce, including mental health problems. Veterans experience challenges like emotional trauma and physical distress while transitioning into the civilian workforce. The challenges result from the nature of the civilian work. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the challenges among veterans in California and Michigan while transitioning into the civilian life. The study participants included 30 veterans from California and Michigan who had retired and those who were expecting to retire from the military within six months at the time of conducting the study. Schoenberg's 4S transition …

Intake Case Managers' Perspectives On Rural Veteran Homelessness, Amanda Eun Jee Webreck

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Homeless research has focused on the service-directed approach, but few qualitative studies have focused on the critical and sensitive nature of the intake process. Staff in rural and remote communities struggle to refer services and mainstream resources to homeless veterans. The purpose of this case study was to explore case managers' perspectives on intake procedures in rural Pennsylvania communities. Lewin's force field analysis was used as a theoretical basis to examine the rationale for behaviors and forces that impact an individual's state. Six case managers and 1 supervisor were selected for face-to-face interviews based on their experience, job duties, and …

Employee Engagement Strategies That Healthcare Managers Use To Increase Organizational Performance, Eric Makoni

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The annual cost of low employee engagement in Australian workplaces was $18.7 billion in 2015. Healthcare managers who adopt employee engagement strategies have the potential to achieve robust clinical, operational, and financial results that benefit both the organization and the community as a whole. The purpose of this single case study was to explore effective employee engagement strategies that some healthcare managers used to increase organizational performance. Social exchange theory was the conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected through semi structured interviews with 8 healthcare managers in Queensland, Australia. Participants who implemented successful employee engagement strategies were selected …

Accomplished Education Leaders' Perspectives On Competition, Capacity, Trust, And Quality, Robert Lee Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

From 2017 to 2019, the primary strategy to improve public schools in the U.S. was increasing competition through the expansion of charter schools and the promotion of vouchers to send public school students to private schools. The problem this presented was that key education leaders had not provided adequate input and feedback into this strategy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to gather the perspectives of accomplished education leaders on how Tiebout's theory of competition and the concept of the Ontario K-12 School Effectiveness Framework impacted quality, trust, and capacity. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with a purposeful …

Hiv Risk-Reduction In Nonmarital Sexual Behavior Among Young Maldivian Males, Mohamed Elmunir Ahmed Safieldin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The low HIV prevalence in Maldives coupled with low HIV comprehensive knowledge presents a challenge to the consistency of the hypothesized HIV knowledge-prevention paradigm. Researchers had not explained why HIV prevalence in Maldives is low despite the low levels of HIV knowledge. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate factors beyond HIV knowledge that contribute to the low HIV prevalence among Maldivian male youth. The research questions focused on the risk-reduction factors in the nonmarital sexual behavior of young Maldivian males that contribute to protecting them from contracting HIV and the predictors of safe and unsafe nonmarital …

Strategies For Not-For-Profit Sustainability, Latesha Slappy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders of not-for-profit organizations could benefit from learning how to build a sustainable organization to help ensure that their organizations could continue to provide valuable services to the community for the future. The purpose of this single case study was to explore the fundraising strategies and donor development skills that leaders used to create a sustainable organization. Five purposefully selected leaders of a not-for-profit organization in Michigan, with experience in implementing effective fundraising strategies and fostering donor development skills for a sustainable business, participated in the study. Transformational leadership was the conceptual framework. The data collection process entailed face-to-face semistructured …

Relationship Between Elevated Blood Pressure/Hypertension In Military Personnel And The Stress Of Combat Deployment, Stephen James Pinkerton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Few studies about elevated blood pressure in the U.S. military exist in which researchers examined exposure to combat and its association with elevated blood pressure. The purpose of this quantitative research was to describe the extent of association between those who were exposed to combat deployment, were 40 or older, and were overweight or obese and had elevated blood pressure for U.S. military personnel who deployed to an area of declared combat between 2012 and 2017. The conceptual basis of this research was best represented by the determinants of health model. Chi-square correlation revealed that being older (equal to or …

Managing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In Emergency Personnel: A Qualitative Case Study, Jason Lee Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The material in current emergency medical services (EMS) curricula is insufficient to prepare prehospital emergency medical care personnel recognize the signs and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within their workforce. Prehospital emergency textbooks focus on treating patients affected with PTSD, but there is very little included about how EMS professionals may also be affected. Moreover, supervisors and managers of EMS agencies receive very little education on workforce PTSD in their personnel. The purpose of this study was to understand the educational preparation of EMS supervisors in order to develop a PTSD-awareness course. The research question investigated the educational preparation …

Service Delivery Agents' Perceptions Of The Impact Of Panhandling Policy In Virginia, Nancy Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Panhandling (also called begging and mendicancy) has been a problem for lawmakers. Although current crime control measures (based on the broken windows theory) have identified a perceived link between disorders (i.e., panhandling) and crime, previous attempts to ban panhandling were deemed unconstitutional. The purpose of this work was to investigate the impact of the latest attempt to curb panhandling in Hampton Roads, Virginia, known as the Public Education Campaign. This phenomenological inquiry examined the perceptions and work-related experiences of service delivery agents to explore the impact of the panhandling policy on panhandling and policy enforcement. Purposive sampling was used to …

Closing The Manufacturing Skills Gap Through Innovative Recruiting Practices, Jeffery Combs

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders’ recognition of the increasing shortage of skilled workers to meet industry demand is a business problem. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that business leaders used to recruit skilled workers at 3 manufacturing facilities in South Carolina. The human capital theory was the conceptual framework used for this study. Data were collected from face-to-face interviews with 3 business leaders who demonstrated successful recruitment strategies, a focus group of 4 skilled manufacturing employees hired during the time period of 2018-2019, and a review of company documents. Data were analyzed using Yin’s 5-step process. Six …

An Analysis Of Junior Enlisted Personnel Attrition In The U.S. Army, Posey Grier, Jr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Junior enlisted personnel are the workforce of the U.S. Army and a recruiting pool for Warrant and Officer Candidate School training programs. Before fulfilling their initial obligation of 8 years, 25 to 30 percent of enlistees receive separation orders from the Army. Consequently, attrition in this group has created a substantial problem in maintaining a trained and ready Army. The purpose of this correlational study was to understand what factors contribute to unfilled service of enlisted personnel. Specifically, this study focused on the number of years of service before departure, the cause of the early separations, and the subcategories as …

Knowledge, Attitudes, And Beliefs About Food Additives And Obesity, Lorna Theresa Ingram

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Beliefs about Food Additives and Obesity

by

Lorna Theresa Ingram

MS, Long Island University, 2007

BA, Florida International University, 1999

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Philosophy

Walden University

November 2019

Obesity is a chronic health problem that affects the health and well being of its population. The purpose of this cross-sectional, descriptive study was to examine whether there is a relationship between individuals’ knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs regarding food additives and obesity. The research questions concerned knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs participants had regarding food additives and obesity. The …

Veterans Affairs Employees’ Perceptions Of Financial Incentives, Organizational Justice, Satisfaction, And Performance, Kingsley Chigbo Ihekwoaba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Veterans Affairs (VA) inconsistently distributes financial incentives, which might affect how VA employees perceived organizational justice, affecting employees’ job satisfaction and performance. The purpose of this qualitative transcendental phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of VA employees that informed their perceptions of their workplaces’ levels of organizational justice, their job satisfaction, and their performances due to inconsistent distribution of financial incentives by gathering data through interviews with 13 VA employees from the Southeastern United States. The research question concentrated on the lived experiences of VA employees with respect to the inconsistent distribution of financial incentives, and how these …

Evaluation Of The Focused Reading Intervention Program For Middle School Struggling Readers, Joyce Diane Mccoy Booth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This mixed methods study of an in-school Focused Reading Program employed a quasi experimental pre-posttest design to examine program effectiveness and Vygotsky's sociocultural theory as the theoretical framework. The quantitative research question inquired whether the program resulted in a significant difference in reading performance for participants receiving the instruction based on pre and post measures. Data analysis for this component involved descriptive and inferential statistics. Pre- and posttest scores for the combined groups of seventh and eighth graders were analyzed for significant differences through an independent t- test. The results revealed there was a statistically significant difference between the pre-posttest …

Development Of A Nurse Residency Program In Perinatal Nursing, Elizabeth W. Roberts

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Staffing turnover created a challenge for the women’s services department of a hospital in the southern United States, potentially compromising care for women and infants during childbirth. The gap in practice was the lack of a structured nurse orientation/residency program for nurses new to perinatal nursing, which requires specific competencies not learned at the prelicensure level of education. The guiding practice-focused question was whether a multidisciplinary team could develop a formal evidence-based perinatal nurse residency program that would meet the needs of on-boarding and support for the new nursing hires at this facility. A team of experienced nurses, which included …

Sleep Deprivation In The Intensive Care Unit: Lowering Elective Intervention Times, La Von Michelle Ross Purdie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sleep deprivation is a multifactorial phenomenon, occurring frequently in the intensive care unit (ICU) and linked to adverse patient healthcare outcomes. The key practice question of this project focused on determining if retiming of routine laboratory and imaging testing outside of the designated “quiet time” can improve sleep quality among adult patients in the ICU. The purpose was to evaluate the effectiveness of implementing an evidence-based intervention to improve sleep quality in the ICU setting. The theoretical framework was the plan-do-study-act model, which offered a process for implementing a practice change and reevaluation of the intervention’s sustainability within the organization. …

Role Of Spiritual Intelligence In Public Policy In The African American Pentecostal Church, James B. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although many U.S. faith-based organizations have become partners to the government, the African American Pentecostal Church (AAPC), which holds spirituality as a means of serving humanity as its theological framework, has remained a silent partner in public policy engagement. With the framework of spiritual intelligence, this qualitative case study addressed the perceptions of African American Pentecostal leaders regarding how the church’s theology may have an impact on the public policy engagement of its parishioners. Twelve African American Pentecostal Bishops were interviewed, and data were coded and analyzed to identify themes. Results revealed that participants use their spirituality to connect with …

African American Sibling Relationships When Caring For An Alzheimer’S Parent, Cynthia M. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most commonly occurring form of dementia that affects African Americans at 2 to 3 times higher rate than other ethnic or racial groups in the United States. As the number of older African Americans with AD grows rapidly so will the need for daily supports; therefore, informal caregivers, such as an adult offspring, often assume the role of filial caregiver. Focusing on the unique patterns of caregiving among African Americans, this generic qualitative study may help explain the adult offspring’s perspective on sibling relationships as they function in the role of primary filial caregiver. Equity …

Policy Diffusion Assistance In The Amelioration Of Homelessness On The Island Of O`Ahu, Hawai`I, Anita Tanner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The issue of homelessness is one that many cities and states in the United States have to contend with; however, the issue of homelessness on an island can be even more difficult to find viable solutions. The homeless problem on the island of O`ahu is one that affects not only residents but also tourists. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to reveal the perceptions of policy makers on the island of O`ahu, Hawai`i if diffusing public policy from Salt Lake City, Utah, would help ameliorate homelessness on the island. The theoretical framework was the diffusion theory and diffusions …

Millennial Business Owners' Strategies To Survive In Business, Andrietta Bryant-Minter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Individuals in the millennial generation, born from 1980 to 1996, have many entrepreneurial opportunities; however, many people in the millennial generation lack the skills, motivation, and business strategies to survive in business. Because of the influx of competition, lack of experience, and lack of business-world strategies, entrepreneurs can miss opportunities and fail within the first few years of business operations. Grounded in the systems theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies that business owners in the millennial generation used to survive in business longer than 6 years. Participants consisted of 5 business owners in …

Relationship Between Senior Leadership Style And Patient Satisfaction In The Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility, Amy Elder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient satisfaction has a significant role in the healthcare industry, as high patient satisfaction can improve quality outcomes. Hospital leadership is responsible for the culture, outcomes, and patient experience, which can involve different leadership styles. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between leadership style of senior leaders and patient satisfaction in inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs). Through the theoretical framework of transformational and transactional leadership theories, the research questions were designed to determine whether a statistically significant relationship existed between leadership style (transformational, transactional, and laissez-faire leadership) and patient satisfaction. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire was administered …

Preventing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections With Education On Using The Catheter Bundle, Diana Elizabeth Carlson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Joint Commission, and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality recognized the importance of reducing health-care-associated infections (HAIs) and catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) for the safety of all patients. The U.S Department of Health and Human Services has focused on approving a plan to address HAIs in the health care setting with an emphasis on CAUTIs. The purpose of this project was to decrease CAUTI rates on a long-term care and rehab unit by educating staff about using the CAUTI bundle and CAUTI maintenance tool kit. The theoretical framework that guided …

Experience Of Resilience Among African American Women Who Left Abusive Relationships, Audrey L. French

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rate of DV for AA women is higher than other groups and often more severe; however, some AA women are successful in leaving the violence for good. Researchers continue to examine how victims move beyond their former life and into an abuse free environment by directing more attention on positive dynamics of victims of DV. One area is the study of resilience; however, little is known about the lived experience of resilience. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of resilience in AA women who successfully abandoned an abusive relationship. The interview questions were …

Organizational Strategies To Grow Mature Small Information Technology Businesses, Timothy L. Knox

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Standard indicators of slow growth among small businesses are negative job creation and lower tax revenue. Small business success and growth is necessary for increasing productivity, profitability, and job creation. The purpose of this single case study was to explore growth strategies leaders of a mature small information technology (IT) business in the midwestern United States used to grow their organization beyond existing capacity. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and review of organizational documentation. The conceptual framework for the study was general systems theory. The study included a purposeful sample of 2 senior leaders of a mature small IT …

Strategies For Increasing Healthcare Employees' Retention, Lakeisha Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee turnover in healthcare negatively affects patient care. The purpose of this multiple case study was to identify the strategies that managers used to increase employee retention in healthcare organizations. The study population was healthcare managers and human resources personnel in 3 healthcare organizations in the southeastern region of the United States who had successfully implemented strategies to increase employee retention. The conceptual framework was the job-embeddedness theory. The data collection process included semistructured interviews and the review of organizational documents. Data analysis included identifying patterns and developing themes. Three key themes emerged from the data: increased, effective communication; praise …

Effective Revenue Diversification Strategies In Nonprofit Organizations, Jennifer R. Niswonger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nonprofit organization leaders increasingly encounter social burdens and financial difficulties, jeopardizing ongoing success and organizational sustainability. The purpose of this single-case study was to explore revenue diversification strategies used by 3 leaders of a small nonprofit organization in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States through the conceptual lens of modern portfolio theory. Data were collected via in-depth semistructured interviews, and member checking was used to facilitate accuracy, consistency, and integrity. Methodological triangulation included a document review and analysis of financial statements, tax returns, strategy objectives, the organizational website, social media, and nonprofit data reports. Data from documents and interviews …

Qualitative Study Of Nursing Faculty Implementing A New Concept-Based Curriculum, Henrietta Walton-Nunez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2009, the National League for Nurses (NLN) encouraged nursing programs to transition from traditional ways of teaching to concept-based curricula. Previous research revealed that nursing faculty exhibited a lack of expertise to maintain changes in new curricula. The purpose of this qualitative study was to address the Level 1 faculty members' difficulty in sustaining a new concept-based curriculum by understanding what strategies may assist faculty in facilitating students' learning through concept-based curriculum and which strategies may present barriers. The Level 1 faculty members were the first nurse educators to transition to and implement the new concept-based curriculum. These educators …

Employer Perceptions When Applying Criminal History Information To The Hiring Process, Karen S. Levy Mccanna

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In recent years, the state of Illinois has joined the "ban the box" movement which typically prohibits employers from inquiring about a prospective employee's criminal history until it has been determined whether the candidate meets the core qualifications for the position. Little, however, is known whether this legislative change has impacted how private employers use criminal history information and to what extent knowledge of criminal history impacts final hiring decisions. Using Kingdon's policy streams concept as a guide, the purpose of this general qualitative study was to understand whether implementation of "ban the box" principles impacts final hiring decisions. Data …

Foster Care Workers' Roles In Developing Resiliency In Foster Children, Linda Ann Lopez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Maltreated children are at risk for placement disruption, mental health and substance issues, delinquent behaviors, and poverty issues. When children in foster care experience these risks, they decrease the likelihood of leaving foster care successfully. Resiliency is a critical component in increasing positive outcomes for foster children despite these risk factors. The purpose of this action research was to understand the role foster care workers have in developing resiliency in foster children. The theory of attachment and resiliency provided the conceptual framework for the study. Two focus groups were used to collect data from 5 foster care social workers in …

Midwestern Artists' Responses To The Demands Of Entrepreneurial Management, Carolyn Melissa Nelson-Kavajecz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Artists have the potential to achieve higher levels of success in business management, leadership roles, and entrepreneurial endeavors if equipped with the proper knowledge. Although artists may have a creative perspective and could possess many of the attributes sought after by organizations and communities in need of innovative leaders, their approaches to entrepreneurial management differ from traditional business managers or community leaders. The problem was poor understanding of how artists in Midwestern regions of the United States respond to the demands of entrepreneurial management. The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to understand how 20 individuals who self-identified as …