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Client-Centered Care Approach To Group Home Care, Peniel Mugo Wambugu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Scholars since the 19th century have focused on the provision of care in group homes and have demonstrated that structure (that is, the staff, facilities, and equipment), is critical in the delivery of care. The researchers, however, advocate doing for, rather than doing with the clients the activities that address the clients' welfare. The purpose of this study is to investigate how a client-centered approach would affect the quality of care delivered to the mentally challenged individuals (MCIs) in a group home. The study employed the quality-care framework in which the emphasis is on structure (skills), process (efficiency), and outcome …

Examining The Impact Of Accreditation On A Primary Healthcare Organization In Qatar, Alia Ghareeb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although a modest body of literature exists on accreditation, little research was conducted on the impact of accreditation on primary healthcare organizations in the Middle East. This study assessed the changes resulting from the integration of Accreditation Canada International's accreditation program in a primary healthcare organization in the State of Qatar. The study also investigated how accreditation helped introduce organizational changes through promoting organizational learning as well as quality improvement initiatives. Pomey's Dimension of Change framework and questionnaire was used to measure the effect of Accreditation Canada International standards on the perceived quality performance and the progress towards organizational learning. …

Teacher Perceptions About Sustaining A Successful School-Within-Aschool, Edward Meidhof

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Attempts to restructure public high schools by establishing separate school-within-a-school (SWS) models have not endured beyond 3 to 5 years. This qualitative case study examined a SWS that has thrived for more than 12 years. The study investigated how teachers at the school explained the success of the SWS, their experience of working at the SWS, and their resilience in addressing the challenges that led to the lack of success of other SWS schools. The theories and models of educational change developed by Fullan, Hargreaves, and Giles and Hord provided a conceptual framework for the study. Data were collected through …

South-Asian American And Asian-Indian Americans Parents: Children's Education And Parental Participation, Sahil Ashwin Shah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Parental participation supports students' academic success and increases positive peer interactions. Prior to the 1980s, parental participation was viewed as a unidimensional construct; however, it has since been understood as a multidimensional one. Studies from Epstein have demonstrated that culture, community, and family structures are some of the many factors that affect parental participation. In addition, Huntsinger and Jose have demonstrated that Asian-American parents participate in their children's education differently than do European Americans, yet research has not examined the specificities of South-Asian Americans' (SAAs) and Asian-Indian Americans' (AIAs) parental involvement. There are 6 recognized methods that parents can use …

A Client-Vendor Relationship Perspective Of Cultural Differences On Cross-Border Information Technology Outsourcing, John Kennedy Bosire

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cross-border information technology (IT) outsourcing continues to rise due to the demand for business process outsourcing. Issues such as miscommunication and management problems have emerged because of cross-cultural disparities between clients and vendors across national borders. The theoretical framework of this study was based on the organizational culture model studies of Meek, Spradley, Smith, and Draft for examining and understanding complex organizational practices. The purpose of this mixed-methods explanatory sequential case study was to qualitatively identify and quantitatively determine the management approaches that are effective in managing cross-cultural differences and the constitution of the elements of global adjustment, motivation, mindset, …

Factors Impacting Body Mass Index Of Hispanic Youth In A Weight Loss Program, Elizabeth Maria Hartman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Youth obesity prevalence rates in the United States are trending down; however, for Hispanic youth, rates are increasing despite efforts toward a reduction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a culturally focused intervention program on weight reduction of Hispanic youth age 2 to 19 through examination of body mass index (BMI) percentile outcomes comparing age, gender, distance to program, time in program, and season of enrollment. Review of literature supports ecological and cultural approaches requiring behavior modification tailored to family and community as successful in decreasing youth obesity. However, researchers have yet to establish how …

Hiv Testing Among Young African American Men Who Have Sex With Men, Tayo B. Awopeju

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Young African American men who have sex with men (AAMSM) are at greater risk of being infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and less likely to seek HIV testing than are members of other demographic groups. This behavior results in a significant public health threat because young AAMSM with an unrecognized HIV infection are less likely to practice safer sex and, therefore, more likely to pass the infection on to their partners. This study is an examination of the social and personality factors that influence HIV testing rates among young AAMSM, using Aday's model of the social determinants of …

A Phenomenological Study Of Leaders' Perceptions And Experiences In Local Government, Janet Elerene Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An emerging crisis in the public sector of the United States is that local government organizations are unable to recruit and retain leaders. A large proportion of high-level and mid-management public administrators leave the profession within a 5-year period. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore, identify, and describe patterns in the experiences and perceptions of local government administrators to promote career longevity. The central research questions were designed to determine whether work adjustment theory accurately described the lived experiences and perceptions of the subjects' career success in local government. Data collection included in-depth interviews with 10 current …

Strategies To Prevent The Unintentional Retention Of Foreign Objects In Surgical Patients, Leonard Harichand Ramdas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Institute of Medicine's report in 2000, To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health

System, highlighted the seriousness of medical errors in the U.S. health care system. The unintentional retention of foreign objects in surgical patients is one of those errors. At the time of this study, there was no standardized counting policy and process across operating rooms in the United States. The purpose of this project was to develop a best practice educational counting program to help prevent the unintentional retention of foreign objects in surgical patients. The Logic Model was used to guide the design of the …

Increasing Knowledge About Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency In The Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Population, Maureen Ann Wentink Barta

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of the project was to increase awareness about alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), particularly among those with a familial history of genetic factor AATD; an additional goal was to understand its relationship to COPD. COPD is the third leading cause of death in the United States, with more than half of COPD patients experiencing significant disabilities. Major causes for COPD include smoking, air pollution, secondary smoke, upper respiratory infections, hereditary factors, occupational factors, environmental factors, and socioeconomic factors. Genetic factors, however, also play a significant role in early onset COPD and in those …

Uterine Fibroid Symptom Severity And Impact On Health-Related Quality Of Life Among African American Women, Ilisher Ford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A disproportionate number of African American women are at increased risk for uterine fibroid tumors (UF) compared to their Caucasian, Asian, and Hispanic counterparts. Researchers have indicated that women diagnosed with UF can have a poorer health-related quality of life (HRQOL) when compared to women who do not have a diagnosis of UF. The overall aim of this study was to explore the impact of UF symptoms on the HRQOL of African American women. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed utilizing the revised version of Wilson and Cleary's model of HRQOL. A sample was gathered of 80 participants who were …

The Influence Of Power Distance On Csr Programs In Hainan China, Carol Ann Hoshiko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As China emerges as one of the world's top 5 economies, it attracts more multinational corporations (MNCs) that want to expand there and implement corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs. Despite this emergence, since China entered the World Trade Organization, it has not perceived or welcomed MNCs in the same manner as in the 1970s to 1990s. Further, MNCs have had challenges adapting Western-style CSR programs in China's local communities. There is no widely-accepted multidisciplinary theory that integrates CSR, organizational culture, and culture. Hofstede's theory of cultural relativism classified China as a high power distance country where the population has a …

Determinants Of Hiv Stigma Among Healthcare Workers In Ghana, Catherine Gyamfua Dawson-Amoah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

HIV-related stigma and discrimination is a complex concept that affects HIV reduction interventions. HIV-related stigma occurs among healthcare providers resulting in reduction of quality of care of people living with HIV. Social psychological research into stigma reduction has led to the development of many stigma reduction interventions, but has not resolved the underlying problem. This study was designed to identify predictors of stigmatizing behavior among healthcare workers in Ghana using the social cognitive theory (SCT) for use in developing an evidence-based intervention. The study used a cross-sectional research design incorporating a preexisting survey, Measuring HIV Stigma and Discrimination Among Health …

Managing Workplace Stress For Increased Performance In An Irish Higher Education Institution, Tommy J. Foy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace stress costs -£3.7 billion per annum in the United Kingdom and in excess of $300 billion per annum in the United States. However, little research exists on the relationships between perceptions of social support, work-life conflict, job performance, and workplace stress. The purpose of this correlational study was to provide educational leaders with the information they need to examine the existence, strength, and direction of relationships between perceptions of social support, work-life conflict, job performance, and workplace stress in an Irish higher education institution. The theoretical framework for this study consisted of a combination of reward imbalance theory, expectancy …

The Role Of Social Media Technology Tools In Higher Education Instruction, Marlene Natalie Holder-Ellis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although instructors at a Western Caribbean university use technology in the instructional process, they rarely use social media tools for teaching and learning. This exploratory qualitative case study addressed faculty members' perceived role of social media technology tools in higher education instruction at the local university. The conceptual frameworks that guided this study were the theory of planned behavior and the technology acceptance model. Ten faculty members at the local university were selected through a purposeful sampling process and were interviewed. Interview transcripts were organized using an iterative coding process and were analyzed for recurring themes. Trustworthiness was established through …

Hiv Stigma Within Religious Communities In Rural India, Krutarth J. Vyas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to gain a better understanding of HIV/AIDS-related stigma within religious communities in rural Gujarat, India. This study used the hidden distress model of HIV stigma and the HIV peer education model as conceptual frameworks to examine a rural population sample of 100 participants. Regression analysis was conducted to test if school education had a moderating effect on the relationship between illness as punishment for sin (IPS) and HIV stigma. Religiosity was tested for mediating effects on the relationship between early religious involvement (ERI) and HIV stigma. The results of this study indicated that single unemployed men …

Chlamydia Trachomatis And Neisseria Gonorrhoeae: Impact Of Health Literacy On Prevalence, Patricia Alice Abshier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Millions of dollars are spent each year on preventing sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), yet the rates of chlamydia trachomatis (chlamydia) and neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonorrhea) infection continue to be high. Health literacy and its impact have been recognized in diabetes maintenance, control of hypertension, medical adherence, and reproductive health outcomes, yet no research has been conducted regarding the relationship between health literacy and chlamydia and gonorrhea prevalence. This study examined the relationship between health literacy scores and chlamydia and gonorrhea prevalence health literacy scores and reproductive health/STD knowledge, and reproductive health/STD knowledge and chlamydia and gonorrhea prevalence. Participants included 114 women …

Strategies Utility Managers Used To Implement Renewable Energy Technologies In The Caribbean, Nneka Cori-Anne Archer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Government officials in the Caribbean are encouraging the production of electricity from renewable energy sources to reduce the impact of high electricity rates to customers due to region's dependency on imported fossil fuel. The purpose of this single-case study was to explore the strategies electric utility managers in the Caribbean used to implement renewable energy technologies. The diffusion of innovation theory served as the conceptual framework for the study. Three managers of an electric utility in the Caribbean, who had created strategies to implement renewable energy technologies, participated in face-to-face semistructured interviews. These managers provided in-depth information on approaches used …

Fourth Year Teachers' Perceptions Of The Student Teaching Practicum In Abu Dhabi, Kabrina Rochelle Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A local college in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates began a Bachelor of Education program in 2008 to train prospective teachers to deliver a bi-literate education in Arabic and English to students in Abu Dhabi schools. Because there had been no examination of preservice teachers' perceptions of their practicum experience, a project study was designed to analyze the perceptions of a group of preservice teachers regarding the final practicum and whether that experience enhanced their ability to deliver educational practices to better serve students. This phenomenological study was guided by experiential learning theory, as preservice teachers learned from their experiences …

Health Literacy And Health Decision Making Attitudes In People With Human Immunodeficiency Virus, Christine Miranda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health literacy has been recognized as a vital issue in the self-care management of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of functional, communicative, and critical health literacy dimensions on positive and negative attitudes toward health decision making. The transtheoretical model of health behavior change (TTM) provided the theoretical framework to explain this association. A culturally-adapted survey was used in this cross-sectional study to measure health literacy dimensions, positive and negatives attitudes toward health decision making, and other factors in 100 Puerto Ricans living with HIV/AIDS. Demographic factors and clinical and immunological …

Community College Developmental Education Services: Perspectives Of Spanish-Speaking Latino Early Childhood Educators, John Edward Eberly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this single case study was to understand the perceptions of Latino Spanish-speaking English learners on the efficacy of developmental education services at a western United States community college. The conceptual frameworks used in the investigation included critical theory related to human emancipation, social learning theory aligned to second language acquisition, and contemporary adult learning theories. The goal of the investigation was to understand how students used and perceived the developmental education services to transition from Spanish language instruction to English coursework. Research questions focused on how the developmental education services contributed to the successful completion of the …

Quality-Of-Life Indicators For African American And European American Long-Term Survivors Of Early-Stage Breast Cancer, Cher De Rossiter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This meta-analysis investigated the difference in perceptions of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) among long-term early-stage breast cancer survivors (BCS). The comparison was between African American and European American women. Initial pilot searches suggested that enough studies existed for a meaningful meta-analysis of a BCS population at least 5 years post diagnosis. Only studies using the outcome measure HRQOL were included in the study; this yielded an initial sample of 212 study reports, with 56 reports entering the coding phase of the process. African American women were grossly underrepresented in this set of studies in comparison to the overall breast …

Brazilian Women Entrepreneurs: Exploring Strategies For Building Sustainable Business Organizations, Maria Ana Church

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Brazilians create an average of 1.2 million new registered enterprises annually, but some struggle to keep their business in operation. Thirty percent of the new ventures are unable to survive the first year, and 58% go out of business after the first 5 years. The goal of this phenomenological study was to explore the perceptions of Brazilian women entrepreneurs concerning the strategies needed to build sustainable business organizations in Brazil. The individual concepts of sustainable development, sustainability, business strategies, and business models served as the theoretical foundations for the study. Data were collected via in-depth interviews with 20 women entrepreneurs …

Childhood Hearing Loss And Its Stress On Hearing Families, Julie Macker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood disability increases parental stress. Research on the laterality of childhood hearing loss or presence of a cochlear implant(s) as it relates to stress in hearing parents was limited before this study. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify relationships between the independent variables of laterality (unilateral and bilateral) of a childhood hearing loss or presence of a cochlear implant(s) and the dependent variable of stress in hearing parents. Family systems theory provided a framework for viewing each member of the family as a part of a whole, whose life events, feelings, and actions affect all of the …

The Effect Of Nationality Differences On The Emotional Intelligence Of Leaders, Hossein Reza Nikoui

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous studies related to manager effectiveness and organizational culture have determined that emotional intelligence (EI) is a critical predictor of intercultural adjustment and business success. However, few investigators have examined the relationship between EI and nationality differences. In today's globalized business environment, such understanding is crucial to the development of more effective leadership programs for international workers. This quantitative study explored the degrees to which the EI of organizational managers varied across nationalities. A theoretical framework, provided by several theories related to personality, leadership, and types of intelligence, created a lens through which to analyze study results. The Trait Emotional …

Building Resilience And Coping Effectiveness (Brace): A Program For Military Families, Linda Pauline Zarrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Building Resiliency and Coping Effectiveness (BRACE): A Program for Military Families

by

Linda Zarrett

MSN, University of Cincinnati, 2012

BSN, Minnesota State University, Moorhead, 1985

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University

August 2015

Veterans returning from combat report significant family strain and Post Traumatic Stress Symptoms (PTSS) yet have limited access to care resources. Family members, including children, report very similar symptoms to those of veterans and have yet fewer health care resources. The purpose of this project was to apply principles from existing research on post-traumatic stress …

Teacher Perceptions About Retention And Classroom Climate In Remote Schools In Western Canada, Chris De Feijter

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In rural and remote schools in Western Canada, researchers have discovered that high teacher turnover affects school climate as well as student achievement. The purpose of this project study was to explore novice teachers' and administrators' perceptions about the influence of school-related and classroom activities on decisions to stay or leave permanent teaching positions at a large remote school in Precambrian Shield School Division. Boylan's theory of teacher retention was the conceptual framework for the study. The guiding research questions were focused on teachers' and administrators' perceptions of various aspects of school and classroom activities in remote schools that might …

Needs Assessment For A Nurse Practitioner-Led Transitional Care Program, Maria Victoria Trinidad Salcedo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rising cost of health care and changes in healthcare delivery have prompted a need to improve continuity from the hospital to home. This scholarly project was initiated to assess the impact on patient outcomes related to initiation of a nurse practitioner-led transitional care program (TCP). Using the Diffusion of Innovations and Health Belief Models, the purpose of this study was to identify the impact of a TCP on improving the health of patients with congestive heart failure (CHF), diabetes mellitus Type II (DM II), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD). The impact of the TCP was evaluated by a …

Causes Of Low Voter Turnout Of The Hispanic Population In Southwest Texas, Shawn Steven Morrow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Hispanic population in central Texas tends to have low levels of civic engagement as compared to other groups in the same area, which leads to disproportionate political marginalization. Prior research has focused on characteristics of voters and nonvoters, but has failed to explore the lack of political mobilization among Hispanic voters. The purpose of this study was twofold; first to better understand the nature of Hispanic voters' political marginalization, and second, explore why participation levels are so low among this group. This general qualitative study applied critical race theory to explore the barriers perceived by Hispanic voters related to …

Academic Coaching, Student Engagement, And Instructor Best Practices, Jainie Denisse Miranda Martinez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academic coaching has demonstrated positive relationships with college students' academic engagement and performance. A university campus in Puerto Rico implemented academic coaching for at-risk students, but the program has not been studied for its impact on student engagement. Guided by self-regulation theory and constructivism, this quasi-experimental study examined differences in engagement and identification of best teaching behaviors between students who experienced academic coaching (n = 115) and those who did not (n = 55). Students completed the Classroom Survey of Student Engagement (CLASSE) before and after the 4-week instructional unit and the Instructor Behavior Checklist (IBC) after the instructional unit. …