Digital Commons Network^™

The Transition Phase Influence On Nursing Career Satisfaction And Retention, Amanda Lee Machesky

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Qualified registered nurses are needed to provide bedside care to patients, yet there is a known registered nurse shortage in the United States, which has a global impact on the healthcare industry. Contributing to the nursing shortage is turnover, which is partly due to the inadequacies of preparation for role transition of newly qualified registered nurses. The purpose of this quantitative descriptive study was to determine if there was a relationship between retention and nursing career satisfaction of registered nurses who experience a transition to practice program and those who did not. Duchscher's transition shock theory served as the theoretical …

The Impact Of Engagement Strategies On The Reduction Of Patient Falls, Rosemary Martin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the availability of many fall prevention measures, many patients fall in U.S. hospitals each year. Experts view patient fall rates as the measure that can be most affected by a nurse-led, evidence-based intervention. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement and evaluate the impact of patient engagement strategies on patient compliance to fall prevention education and the reduction of falls. The quality improvement framework used for this project was the Iowa Model. Interventions for this project included patient engagement strategies including the teach-back (TB) method and video-based fall prevention education paired with the project site's existing …

Interprofessional Collaborative Care Educational Program For Nurses, Lynn Ann Mcewen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Interprofessional collaboration and collaborative patient and family-centered practice is increasingly advocated as a means of improving patient outcomes and the cost effectiveness of health care. The Canadian Interprofessional Health Collaborative and Registered Nurses Association of Ontario identified best practices and competencies required for interprofessional collaboration and collaborative practice. Despite the widespread dissemination of these competencies and best practice guidelines to health professional schools, there remains a gap in nursing practice regarding nursing knowledge about the core competencies required for interprofessional collaboration. The purpose of this project was the planning of an education program for nurses on interprofessional collaboration and collaborative …

Prevention And Management Of Postpartum Hemorrhage, Lisa N. Medoh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) remains a major traumatic event that can occur after delivery. All expectant women are considered to be at risk of PPH and its effects. PPH is a preventable condition and primary interventions including active management of the 3rd stage of labor, use of uterotonics, and uterine massage. Analysis of the project site showed that PPH affected approximately 15% of all deliveries that occurred between 2014 and 2015. The overarching aim of the project was to determine how a nursing-focused educational intervention would affect staff nurse knowledge regarding PPH to decrease the incidence rate. The goal of the …

The Impact Of Stigma On Hiv/Aids Testing Among Kenyan Diaspora Women, Phyllis Catherine Nyotta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have considered HIV/AIDS in Kenya as the largest HIV pandemic in the world, with about 6.3 million individuals living with the disease as of 2013. About 25% of new HIV patients are adult women, aged 15 to 24 years old. Guided by the health belief model (HBM), the purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional survey research study was to explore the influence of various dimensions of HIV/AIDS stigma (public, self, enacted, and structural) on the uptake of HIV testing among Kenyan Diaspora women in United States. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test if there was a correlation between …

A Complex Systems Simulation Study For Increasing Adaptive-Capacity, Kadambari Ram

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Examination of empirical research confirmed that climate change is a complex problem of anthropological origin and revealed the need for a management framework to facilitate strategic decisions aimed at mitigating a rise in global temperatures of 2-°C linked to irresponsible and unsustainable business practices. The purpose of this simulation study was to develop a management framework of resilience, robustness, sustainability, and adaptive-capacity (RRSA) for organizations viewed as complex systems to address the current unsustainable state. As such, the evolutionary-RRSA prisoner's dilemma (PD) simulation was developed using an evolutionary game theory approach to agent based modeling and simulation, to generate data. …

Challenges To Augmentative And Alternative Communication Interventions With Autism Spectrum Disorder Students, Kristy Jane Singer-Macnair

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have challenges with communication, social interactions, and behavior, which can limit their functioning in school settings. They need to have functional communication skills to access the curriculum and have their needs met across all social environments. Special education teachers often experience barriers to successful implementation of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) interventions appropriate for these students. The purpose of this case study was to understand how special education teachers experience AAC intervention processes, and illuminate the conditions for effective AAC implementation. A qualitative case study was conducted using interviews from 6 credentialed special education …

Capitalization Strategies For Small Business Sustainability, Richard Basch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Over the past 15 years, privately held small businesses generated nearly two-thirds of the net job growth in the United States, yet much of what scholars know regarding the capitalization challenges faced by small businesses is limited to data from large corporations. In 2013 alone, business bankruptcies numbered 33,212, and each year approximately 10% to 12% of U.S. small businesses close. Ineffective capitalization strategies coupled with a limited understanding of funding options frequently results in unsustainable business practices. In this multiple case study, the capital budgeting theory was utilized to explore the capitalization strategies small business owners in the greater …

Effective Strategies Small Retail Leaders Use To Engage Employees, Dr. Janet Lynn Deskins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research suggests that 70% of North American employees are disengaged in the workplace. Some small retail managers lack strategies for engaging employees. Using the employee engagement framework, the purpose of this descriptive case study was to explore successful strategies that small retail managers use to engage employees. The target population was small retail leaders, purposefully selected because of their success with engaging employees at an Orlando, Florida, company. Data collection was through face-to-face interviews with 5 leaders; and a review of archived organizational documents, including company memorandums, central email software, and online customer reviews through social media websites such as …

Teamwork Perceptions Of Nurses And Nursing Assistants In A Community Hospital, Iwona Halina Enzinger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Teamwork in healthcare is recognized as a significant factor in achieving patient safety and impacting patient outcomes. Despite the general focus on teamwork in healthcare, there has been little research on teamwork among nurses and nursing assistants working on patient care units. The purpose of this doctoral project was to identify, compare, and analyze perceptions of teamwork in a group of nurses and nursing assistants in a community hospital setting where the TeamSTEPPS program has been implemented. The framework of this project was the concept of shared mental model and Imogene King's conceptual system and middle-range theory of goal attainment. …

Concept Of Self: Approach To Behaviors In Mental Health, The Tapout Program, Tina Goodrow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Violence in mental health care continues to be a problem. The incidence of violent episodes in healthcare settings with aggressive behavior of patients aimed at staff members or other patients is almost four times greater in healthcare than in other industries. Reducing violent episodes enhances the quality of care and improves safety for staff members and for patients. The project focused on development of a staff education program exploring the practice-focused question: Will this program effectively guide staff member approaches to mental health patients with challenging behaviors? The purpose of this project was to address the identified gap in practice …

Cultural Sensitivity In The Performance-Based Learning Environment, Monique Matleen Hazzard-Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Georgia Department of Education requires students to earn 4 course credits in the area of mathematics in order to graduate from high school. Academic success for mathematics students in a school district in southern Georgia has been encumbered because teachers lack cultural competency in mathematics instruction, which has hindered minority students from developing reasoning, critical analysis, and problem-solving skills needed to earn these required math credits. The purpose of this project study was to examine teachers' perceptions of using culturally relevant teaching strategies to influence the academic performance of minority students in the mathematics classroom. The conceptual framework was …

Strategies For Entrepreneurs With Disabilities To Sustain A Successful Small Business, Terry L. Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2006, Congress appropriated $5 million to create a research-based policy and give technical assistance to agencies that achieved self-employment outcomes for entrepreneurs with disabilities (EWDs). A lack of information exists within the extant body of research on EWDs and the strategies they employ to develop successful businesses. The research design was a multiple case study format engaging 3 Michigan EWDs whose firms were profitable after at least 3 years of successful business operations. Tipu's conceptual framework of entrepreneurship was useful in understanding the basis for successful EWDs' strategies. Face-to-face interviews with EWDs and onsite observations of their business operations …

Attitudes And Perceptions Of Mental Health Treatment For Native American Clients, Beverly Elaine Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The need for mental health service is increasing in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. While research has examined the availability, access, and effectiveness of provided services to the AI/AN, very little is known about the influence of the attitude and perceptions of both clinicians and clients in their therapeutic relationship in the treatment process. Using the frameworks of liberation, oppression, and trauma theory, this qualitative phenomenological study explored mental health service delivery and utilization issues within an AI/AN community. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 14 clinician and client participants. The data were sorted into themes and subthemes and …

Relationships Between Interprofessional Teamwork And Clinical Management Of, Jacqueline G. Stephens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a highly prevalent chronic disease that affects 29 million people in the United States including over 2 million veterans who receive care through the Veterans Administration. Patient-aligned care teams (PACTs) are an interprofessional teamwork system designed to improve outcomes of chronic illness, but empirical explorations of the efficacy of the PACTs have been insufficient. Utilizing the chronic care model, the purpose of this retrospective study was to determine if PACTs have been efficient in the diabetic management of veterans receiving care through a Southeastern VA. Medical records for 114 veterans with type 2 DM were randomly …

Exploring The Experiences Of Adults After Equine Facilitated Psychotherapy (Efp), Deby Kay Torbett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The aim of this phenomenological qualitative study was to capture and understand the essence of the lived experiences of individuals after participating in equine facilitated psychotherapy (EFP). In that the experiences of participants after exposure to EFP have not previously been examined, this study adds to the literature on this innovative therapy. Theoretical viewpoints on animal assisted therapy and solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) were explored, as well as how the SFBT methodology compares to techniques used in EFP. Using interviews, the study involved capturing participants' experiences by collecting their descriptions of their involvement with EFP, identifying the specific experiences they …

Terrorism And Parents' Experience Of Children's Schooling In Nigeria: A Phenomenological Study., James Ovu Urien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Nigeria, displaced non-Muslim parents living in refugee camps face difficult decisions regarding the schooling of their teenage daughters, who are potential targets of Boko Haram terrorist activities. The purpose of this interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) was to qualitatively explore a deeper understanding of the lived experience of displaced non-Muslim parents in Nigeria concerning the schooling of their teenage daughters. Prospect theory provided a theoretical foundation for the study. The theory holds that decision-making is based on the perceived value of gains and losses under risk conditions, rather than solely the perceived final outcome of the risk. The research questions …

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions On Writing Proficiency Of Military-Connected Students, Kerrin Weatherwax

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At Base Elementary School (BES) in the Southwest United States school administrators were concerned that writing proficiency levels for 2014-2015 were below district and state standards and there was not a clear understanding of teachers' perceptions on writing proficiency of military-connected (MC) students at the target site. Therefore, the purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore teachers' perceptions on writing proficiency of MC students at BES. Using Lave and Wenger's communities of practice framework, a qualitative instrumental case study was used to discern perceptions of elementary English Language Arts (ELA) teachers regarding the writing proficiency of MC students. …

The Effect Of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy And Chiropractic Care On Stress Reduction, Tracee Felice Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decreasing the impact of stressors on the body remains an important area of study for the affected population. While there is evidence showing that cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), a psychotherapy approach, results in decreased stress, little was found about the effects of chiropractic treatment (CC) on stress. The purpose of this quantitative archival study was to determine whether the combination therapy of CC and CBT was more effective in decreasing stress than CBT independently. Cognitive neuropsychology served as the theoretical lens. Client data from a mental health and chiropractic care center on the West coast (N = 112) were divided …

Coping Mechanisms Of Sub-Saharan African Female Immigrants With Breast Cancer, Ernest Opoku Agyeman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Coping mechanisms of breast cancer is a public health problem among African females, particularly, the Sub-Saharan African female immigrants. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the coping mechanisms of the research group that could be used to develop and implement an intervention program to promote the quality of adaptation to improve the quality of life. The study achieved the objective by the use of 1-to-1 interviews of purposive samples of 2 and 12 using Roy Adaptation Model. Interviewed data were collected from females diagnosed with breast cancer, in treatment, and with remissions. The pilot study (n = …

Strategies For Increased Productivity Through Control Of Process Constraints, Fabian Aniemene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Nigeria, manufacturing businesses play a vital role in the industrial growth of the nation and have many dynamic benefits crucial for the growth of a sustainable economy. The manufacturing sector has added substantially to the gross domestic products of many countries. Nonetheless, 50% of manufacturing firms in Nigeria experience a decline in production capacity utilization and profitability because of inefficient production processes. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies leaders of manufacturing firms in Nigeria use to support efficient manufacturing operations. The theory of constraints served as the conceptual framework for this study. Eight …

Ged Learners' Perceptions Of Support Systems For Encouraging High School Completion, Frances Lucille Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

All 7 high schools located in a school district in Alabama have experienced a high dropout rate since 2012. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to understand the perceptions of recent high school dropouts about support systems that could have assisted them in completing the requirements to receive a high school diploma. Research questions centered on recent high school dropouts' views on what supports from home and from teachers they could have received to assist them in completing high school and what things they could have done differently to receive their high school diplomas. Bandura's theories of self-efficacy …

Mobile Collaborative Learning For Female Baby Boomer Students In Canadian Higher Education, Holly Cp Chun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Female baby boomer students (born 1946-1964) need to augment their skills in mobile collaborative learning because current knowledge of technologies is essential for making informed decisions. The purpose of this study was to determine the need to promote technologies based on the experiences of female baby boomer students. Andragogy and constructivism provided the conceptual framework for this research. The research questions were devised to investigate female boomer students' collaborative experiences using smart devices and barriers to their adoption of technology. This phenomenological study included 8 participants from a Canadian university recruited through purposeful sampling. Per the Modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method, data …

Knowledge And Barriers To Safe Disposal Of Pharmaceutical Products Entering The Environment, Aldo Francesco Fidora

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The use of pharmaceutical products has steadily increased in the United States from 2 billion prescriptions in 1999 to 3.9 billion in 2009. Half of patients do not comply with the recommended prescription regimen and dispose of unused drugs in the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and many researchers have highlighted the human-health risks associated with improperly disposing of pharmaceutical products. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined the potential correlations between people's actual disposal practices and their knowledge of the impact of disposal practices on the environment and human health, and availability of disposal options. The conceptual framework selected for …

Reducing Health Disparities In African American Communities Through Church And Federal Partnerships, Shelia Lassiter Hill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) in 2010, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified persistent disparities in health care resources as the primary causes of mortality among minority populations. An underexplored resource for affected African American populations is the church, which is not a recognized stakeholder in the implementation of current health care policy. The purpose of this phenomenological case study was to gather perspectives from African American parishioners who lacked sufficient health care insurance on the roles the church could play. Qualitative data management software was used to organize the data …

Hpv Vaccination, Sociodemographic Variables, And Physician Recommendation In Select U.S. Areas, Rebecca Marie Jungbauer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most common sexually transmitted virus, and is causally related to several cancers. HPV vaccination rates are far below HealthyPeople 2020 targets and vary across geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic populations. The purpose of this research was to test the relationships among socioeconomic and demographic variables, HPV vaccination, social vulnerability, and physician recommendation within select local areas in the United States. Fundamental cause theory and behavioral economics informed this quantitative secondary analysis of National Immunization Survey-Teen and Social Vulnerability Index data (n = 43,271). Statistical analyses included chi-square and binomial logistic regression. Teens whose mothers had less …

Elementary Teachers' Perceptions Of Mathematics Instruction In Montessori And Traditional Classrooms, Linda Kofa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Students in grades 3 and 4 attending a traditional public elementary school in a northeastern state did not meet proficiency levels in mathematics as measured by the state's assessment system. Published reports indicated that students attending the Montessori programs were more proficient in solving math problems compared to students in traditional schools. However, researchers had not compared Montessori and traditional teachers' perceptions of teaching elementary mathematics. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of traditional and Montessori teachers regarding teaching basic problem solving skills in mathematics. Koehler and Grouws' model provided the theoretical framework. …

Relationship Between The California Drought And Almond Demand, Wayne E. Lacy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Areas of California's Central Valley are sinking at rates up to 1 foot per year due to subsidence caused, in part, by the state's years-long drought, challenging growers to locate additional water sources for their crops. Supply and demand theory guided this correlational study. The purpose of the study was to examine the financial impact of drought on almond demand. This study included annualized historical almond industry data for the United States (N = 97), downloaded from a United States Department of Agriculture database. The results of multiple linear regression analysis indicated that the model was capable of predicting almond …

Strategies To Overcome The Nursing Shortage, Edward A. Mehdaova

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing shortage is a growing problem in the healthcare industry as hospital leaders are experiencing difficulties recruiting and retaining nurses. Guided by the PESTEL framework theory, the purpose of this case study was to explore strategies healthcare leaders use to overcome a nursing shortage. Participants were 5 healthcare leaders who have the knowledge and experience in recruitment and retention of registered nurses in a healthcare facility in Seattle, Washington. Data were collected through audio-recorded semistructured interviews and document review of the Hospital Employee Education and Training Program. Data analysis consisted of documenting the data, organizing and categorizing the data, connecting …

Use Of Tai Chi To Treat Mental Health Disorders In Veterans, Mekeesha Mcclure

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinicians have a challenge of discovering and implementing new ways to address their patients' health concerns. Some healthcare needs are not completely managed with pharmacotherapy and invasive procedures alone. Military veterans compose a special group due to multiple needs related to physical and emotional symptoms resulting from exposure to trauma. This project explored the benefits of a Tai Chi recreational therapy program. The goal of this trial was to examine gentle movement routines of Tai Chi for emotional benefits for veterans. The literature review provided insight from current evidence into the probable outcome of including alternative medicine options into regular …