Digital Commons Network^™

A Clinical Practice Guideline For Managing Behavioral Problems In Persons With Dementia, Ken J. Brinker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAs the baby boom generation ages, the demand for effective nursing care for patients diagnosed with dementia has greatly increased. The challenges associated with dementia include a patient’s inability to focus, pay attention, and follow conversations. Patients often become forgetful, angry, frustrated, and aggressive with family members and caregivers. The medical providers and administrators at a long-term care facility needed assistance in developing a clinical practice guideline for managing behaviors demonstrated by patients with dementia. The project question centered on the identification of current evidence supporting a clinical practice guideline for nursing practice for unpredictable behaviors demonstrated by residents diagnosed …

What Contributes To A Military Veteran Turned College Instructor's Job Satisfaction?, Elizabeth Button

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Veterans may seek a second job after retirement or separation from military service. Some choose to seek employment in the field of education and earn the appropriate credentials to do so. If so, they bring motivation, leadership skills, and emotional intelligence (EI) to the classroom. While EI might be a complement to education, it is essential in the military, and veterans continue to use these attributes as they pursue employment in areas of education. The extra steps that former military service personnel must take to transition from the battlefield to the classroom, their immersive experience in the real world, and …

The Relationship Between Counterproductive Work Behavior And Emotional Intelligence Among Leaders In Corrections, John Fitzgerald Caraway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The need for soft skills in corrections and law enforcement continues to be polarized in the media, and the courts, costing organizations billions in litigation and, in some cases, costing the lives for which the individuals have sworn to protect. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study aimed to examine the relationship between counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and emotional intelligence (EI). The research questions focused on the relationship between CWB and EI among leaders in corrections with age, gender, education, and veteran status as control variables. The relationship between a leader's CWB and their EI was not known. The theoretical …

Perceived Multicultural Self-Efficacy As A Predictor Of Competency In Social Justice Advocacy Among U.S. School Counselors, Damon D. Chambers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School counselors who engage in advocacy work may experience barriers when attempting to challenge oppression; hence, they need specific skills to advocate efficiently and effectively. Despite the trend in conceptual articles surrounding school counselor advocacy, little is known about how school counselors’ multicultural self-efficacy predicts school counselors’ social justice advocacy practices. This study addressed this gap in the literature by exploring factors related to school counselor social justice advocacy; that is, multicultural self-efficacy. Multicultural self-efficacy and advocacy competence have had an integral role in fostering school counselors’ abilities to identify and support the needs of diverse student populations within the …

Experiences And Perceptions Of Hospital Social Workers Regarding Discharge Planning And Readmission, Kenshara Cravens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services created the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program in 2010 to decrease the problem of hospital readmissions. This program reduces hospital reimbursements from Medicare or Medicaid when patients with specific diagnoses are readmitted within 30 days of discharge. This generic qualitative study explored hospital social workers’ experiences and perceptions of the impact of discharge planning on hospital readmission. Meleis’s transitions theory provided the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 female medical social workers. Data analysis entailed categorizing and classifying the data into emerging themes to answer the research …

Small Beauty Salon Business Strategies For Sustaining Operations Beyond 5 Years, Yolanda Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractFifty percent of all small businesses fail within the first 5 years of operation, which includes some small salon business owners who lack effective strategies to sustain and maintain their businesses beyond 5 years. Using contingency theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the strategies some small salon business owners use to sustain and maintain their business beyond 5 years. Five small beauty salon business owners in Georgia were selected based on their strategies to sustain their businesses beyond 5 years. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and public documents from participants’ business websites and social …

Effect Of Gender On The Relationship Between Leadership Style And Employee Engagement, Shawana Denise Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study examined the degree to which the views of transformational and transactional leadership style, based on gender, influence leader-follower employee engagement. The study was conducted using a non-experimental quantitative research design, resulting in a proposed theoretical model that defines gender as a moderating variable on leadership style that predicts leader-follower employee engagement. The sample frame was drawn from entry-level front-line employees located in the Southeastern US region. Employing multiple regression analysis, this quantitative investigation analyzed participants utilizing MLQ-5X leadership scores and employees’ ISA Engagement Scale scores. Participants (N = 102) completed both survey instruments. The research examined one research …

Assessing The Impact Of Domestic Violence Upon The Lives Of African American Women, Meleh Duarto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence is a public health problem in the United States. It can be associated with physical, mental, emotional, and psychological problems for the victims. African American (AA) women experience this type of violence more than any other ethnicity or race. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study is to identify and report AA women’s lived experiences of domestic violence. Even though research devoted to understanding domestic/intimate partner violence’s consequences is limited, this problem has devastating consequences for AA women. This problem needs immediate attention. Likewise, there is limited empirical research done on the topic: Why do African Americans experience …

Organizational Leadership Culture And Gender Inequality In The C-Suite, Rocelia Hornbuckle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women in the automotive industry often struggle to advance into top leadership positions. More specifically, culture and gender inequality affect senior-level and higher women leaders trying to achieve a position in the C-Suite in automotive manufacturing organizations. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of senior-level and higher women seeking a C-Suite position. The research questions addressed the lived experiences of women who strive to be promoted to C-Suites positions. Three sub-questions were used to evaluate participants' perceptions, leveraging them to increase awareness of the cultural and gender inequality affecting the representation of women …

Effect Of Family Engagement On The Behavioral Health Of Mentally Ill Offenders, Jessica Rae Horn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, 40% of incarcerated individuals have been diagnosed with a mental health disorder, but they often lack the support system needed to navigate their incarceration. This study addressed ways to understand how family engagement opportunities can improve the behavioral health of mentally ill offenders. Specifically, five research questions were used to explore the degree to which the practice of family engagement was understood as a method for providing support to mentally ill incarcerated individuals. The study followed the Baldrige Framework of Excellence to identify current organizational leadership and management issues that can help reach its goals, improve …

Public Company Ceo Strategies For Navigating A Global Economic Shock, Trevor Lee Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Covid-19 has been the most significant economic shock of the 21st century, evidenced by the S&P 500 index plunging over 30% in early 2020. Business leaders who fail to prepare for black swan events are at a high risk of failure. Grounded in Taleb’s black swan theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies some public market CEOs use to defend share price returns during economic shocks. The participants were five CEOs of five publicly traded companies listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange who generated positive investor returns since the pandemic began. Data were collected …

Evacuation Emergency Management During Hurricane Katrina: A Decision-Making Analysis, Kimberli Roessing-Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emergency management policy is useful when it involves the stakeholders it serves in the decision-making process. The death toll for Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was almost 2,000 people. Many of the dead and injured lived in low-income communities. There were significant challenges with the evacuation of residents of the Ninth Ward of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina. Like many public policies, emergency management has evolved over time. Periodically, a catalyst event, such as Hurricane Katrina, shapes public opinion and eventually public policy and its administration. Punctuated equilibrium theory was used to examine the decision-making process of Ninth Ward residents to …

Nonprofit Administrator Strategies To Procure And Retain Long-Term Donors, Dr. Maxine Rolle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Nonprofit sector administrators inability to procure and retain long-term donors can result in reduced revenue and possible organization failure. Nonprofit administrators who lack strategies to procure and retain long-term donors can negatively impact organizational performance and success. Grounded in network theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies nonprofit administrators use to procure and retain long-term committed donors to remain operable. The participants comprised four administrators of four separate nonprofit organizations in Fort Lauderdale, Florida who procured and retained long-term committed donors to remain operable for at least 5 years. Data were collected through semistructured …

Effective Business Survival Strategies Among Women-Owned Small And Medium Enterprises After A Natural Disaster, Clorinda Valentina Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women business owners (WBOs) who experience natural disasters face significant challenges, such as disruption of business operations, damage, or detriment to infrastructure, decreased revenue, and low customer confidence. WBOs are concerned with business continuity and the social and economic impact of natural disasters in their communities. Grounded in the resource-based view and marketing entrepreneurship theories, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies WBOs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) use to survive a natural disaster. The participants were four women SME owners in northeast Florida who implemented strategies to maintain business continuity during and after …

The Impact Of Social Media On Organ Donation, Miguel Enrique Sewer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

The organ-donor shortage remains a pressing issue facing the transplant community. There is a significant gap between supply and demand, which continues to broaden. This general qualitative study aimed to provide a road map to define the role of social media and its interrelationship with increasing organ donation. The study utilizes the potential of a communication framework to increase outreach and education, serving as an alternative to increasing organ donors’ participation. The conceptual underpinnings for this study are the Social Representations Theory, the Organ Donation Willingness Model, and the Theory of Planned Behavior. The data was collected using an …

Improving Nurses' Knowledge On The Assessment And Documentation Practices In The Pediatric Settings Of A Jamaican Hospital, Binol Rajesh Balachandar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThere have been anecdotal reports from the on-site Quality Assurance team, administrators, and educators that a theory-practice gap exists in pediatric nursing practice settings relating to the specific assessment and documentation. A deidentified chart review confirmed the reported practice gaps in 80% of the patient records. Therefore, in collaboration with the in-service unit, this staff education project and the educational interventions were implemented, and the knowledge improvement was appraised using a pre and posteducation survey. Mozirow’s reflective learning theory formed the basis for staff education, utilizing adult learning principles. Twenty-five consenting nurses completed the preeducation survey (N = 25); however, …

The Association Of Suicidality With Video Gaming And Physical Inactivity Among U.S. Adolescents, Mary Colleen Cyrus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide represents a leading cause of death in U.S. young people, and the rate is increasing. Although young people are spending more time each day playing video or computer games, there is limited research on the association, if any, between playing video games and suicidality. The purpose of this study was to identify whether there is a statistically significant association between video gaming, physical inactivity, and suicidality (suicidal ideation, planning, and attempts). Age, race, gender, and being bullied electronically and in school were assessed as potential confounding variables. The interpersonal theory of suicidal behavior and the social-ecological theory served as …

The Effects Of Transformational Leadership Coaching On Player Mental Toughness, Richard Anthony James Finch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health in adolescents is a growing concern, with between 10 and 20% experiencing problems globally. In this study, transformational leadership coaching was assessed to determine if it effectively reduced the prevalence of mental health issues in adolescents by assessing their mental toughness. No previous studies have examined the relationship between these variables in this population. Transformational leadership theory is the theoretical framework for this study which empowers individuals, developing confidence and producing leadership qualities. Mental toughness is a six-factor construct consisting of life and emotional control, commitment, challenge, interpersonal confidence, and confidence in one's abilities and assessed using the …

Early Hearing Screening Policy And Deaf Children’S Language Acquisition, Marla Hatrak

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The federal Early Hearing Detection and Intervention Act (EHDI) guarantees medical and communication interventions for deaf children and audiological, medical, and language intervention data collection. However, the policy and its implementation have not been analyzed in regard to policy goal attainment of deaf children’s language acquisition. A qualitative case study was conducted to analyze seven federal- and state-level early hearing screening policy websites and implementation and intermediary documents to assess the federal and state policy formation and implementation of EHDI. In addition to the document assessment, data were collected from interviews to obtain the perspectives of two early childhood educational …

Decision Making By Law Enforcement Supervisors Regarding Professional Courtesy And Discretion, Jennifer Marie Hollifield

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractRecent studies suggest a negative shift in the way the public views U.S. law enforcement officers (LEOs), including an increased lack of trust. Mistrust may be attributed to misuse of power, abuse of discretion, or the extension of professional courtesy by LEOs. While discretion, and the misuse of discretion has been studied by many scholars, decision making process related to professional courtesy has not been studied as a contributing factor. The problem addressed in this study is the negative environment of mistrust between law enforcement and the public that can make it difficult for an officer to do their job …

K–12 Teachers’ Perceptions Of Professional Development In Instructional Technology, Angel Ann Hunt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Educational organizations have experienced a transition from traditional to digital, online, or blended learning instructional platforms. Scholarly literature lacks research studies pertaining to the perceptions of kindergarten–12th-grade (K–12) teachers regarding professional development (PD) to support use of instructional technology. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate K–12 teachers’ perceptions of PD that supports the use of instructional technology. The conceptual framework for this study was Puentedura’s substitution, augmentation, modification, and redefinition model. Research questions were designed to explore K–12 teachers’ perceptions of PD to support the use of instructional technology. Participants included nine K–12 teachers who participated …

Information And Communications Technology Integration In Bahamian Public High School Biology Classrooms, Cynthia Carmen Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More research on information and communications technology (ICT) use for teaching and learning is needed, particularly since the almost global transition from traditional face-to-face to virtual classrooms forced by the COVID-19 pandemic. The problem addressed in this current qualitative project study was the reported challenges experienced by teachers integrating ICT into the delivery of the biology curriculum in Bahamian public high school classrooms. The purpose of the study was to explore the biology teachers’ ICT integration into their virtual classrooms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was grounded in the technological pedagogical and content knowledge conceptual framework. Three research questions …

The National Crisis Of Police Recruitment And Retention, Brandon Michael Lentz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Throughout the history of policing in America, the industry has been hobbled by inadequate recruitment and retention of quality personnel. During the first half of the 21st Century, this inadequacy has reached the level of a crisis. The crisis encompassed the continual shrinking of the police force in the United States with 2020 numbers showing that the United States currently had roughly 800,000 certified police officers with 27,000 leaving the profession each year. The purpose of this study was to examine the perspectives of law enforcement officers on the factors affecting recruitment and retention among new police recruits. For this …

Educational Level As A Moderator Between Stress And Suicidal Ideation Among Law Enforcement Officers, Sittipong Permsookjit

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Law enforcement officers are exposed to occupation-related stress at a level greater than any other occupation, save war combatants, such stress can lead to suicidal ideation. There is a growing trend of suicidal ideation among law enforcement officers. This trend will threaten the stability of society if it is allowed to continue. Educational level has been shown to improve quality of life and is considered a quantitative resource. Using the theoretical framework of appraisal theory, this study’s purpose was to examine the moderating effects of educational level on stress and suicidal ideation among law enforcement officers. A total of 72 …

Law Enforcement’S Effect On Rape Victims’ Initial Interview: A Victim Advocate’S Perspective, Nkenge Pruden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Among the U.S. military community, organizations have been established to focus solely on sexual assault reporting, prevention efforts, and support for survivors. Although more victims are reporting their sexual assault, the number of perpetrators going to prison have not increased significantly. Some studies suggest victims’ unwillingness to report and cooperate with the proponents of criminal justice process are the reasons for the lack of rightful justice. The intent of this study was to examine the interaction between law enforcement and the sexual assault victim via the perception of the victim advocate. The importance of this study was to understand whether …

Conceptualization Of Gender Variant Inclusive Healthcare Service Delivery, Tamesha Rhyne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Gender variant people experience a variety of health concerns for which they seek the assistance of healthcare providers. These concerns may range from chronic health conditions and psychological disorders to gender affirming concerns. Due to living in a heteronormative society, gender variant individuals are more susceptible to experiencing stigmatization, discrimination, and other forms of unfair treatment while accessing healthcare services, which contributes to poor health outcomes. This treatment may be attributed to the lack of knowledge, competency, and training of healthcare providers as it relates to trans-inclusive care. Grounded in minority stress theory and intersectionality theory, the purpose of this …

The Perceptions And Practices Of Child Welfare Caseworkers And Decision-Making Related To Reunification, Sonja D. Ulrich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The child welfare system exists to support safe and healthy families. When children cannot remain safely with family, they are removed and often placed with nonrelatives. Only half of all of the children removed from their homes achieve reunification. In the current study, research questions examined the perceptions of caseworkers in determining whether or when a child could reunify with their family of removal, and how the perceptions of the caseworker affected their practice regarding reunification. Using social learning theory as a framework, a caseworker’s decisions were viewed as a balance between their work environment and their personal perceptions. Following …

The Postintervention Return To Traffickers By Minor Victims Of Domestic Sex Trafficking, Angela Denise Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic minor sex trafficking (DMST) is a human rights problem that plagues all sizes of U.S. communities. The phenomenon of young sex trafficking victims returning to their trafficker after intervention by law enforcement and social services professionals exacerbates the DMST problem. The purpose of this qualitative study was to learn the perceptions of professionals who work with DMST youths to help understand (a) The reasons DMST victims return to their traffickers after intervention and (b) strategies that might reduce the likelihood of such returns. The study had three conceptual frameworks: social learning theory, routine activities theory, and anomie theory. Data …

Strategies For Small Business Sustainability Beyond 5 Years, Wendy M. Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small businesses are the backbone of the economy in the United States, but they often do not have growth and sustainability strategies. Small business owners who fail to use a strategic plan to focus on growth and sustainability can experience business failure. Grounded in the systems theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small business retail owners used to sustain their businesses beyond 5 years. The participants were five small business owners from central Alabama who successfully used strategies for business sustainability. Data were collected via semistructured interviews and reviews of organizational documents and …

Exploring Security Strategies To Protect Personally Identifiable Information In Small Businesses, Erin Banks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Organizations that do not adequately protect sensitive data are at high risk of data breaches. Organization leaders must protect confidential information as failing to do so could result in irreparable reputation damage, severe financial implications, and legal consequences. This study used a multiple case study design to explore small businesses’ strategies for protecting their customers’ PII against phishing attacks. This study’s population comprised information technology (IT) managers in small businesses in Northern Virginia. The conceptual framework used in this study was the technology acceptance model. Data collection was performed using telephone interviews with IT managers (n = 6) as well …