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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Examination Of Maternal Mortality, Mental Health Conditions, And Co-Occurring Factors, Laura Eileen Skaarer Jul 2026

Examination Of Maternal Mortality, Mental Health Conditions, And Co-Occurring Factors, Laura Eileen Skaarer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Maternal mortality (MM) continues to be a public health concern in the state of Arizona. There is little to no research investigating the relationship between MM and mental health conditions co-occurring with contributing factors among women who have died in Arizona while pregnant or within 1 year of the end of a pregnancy. The purposes of this quantitative study, guided by the three delays model (3DM), were to examine (a) MM and mental health conditions as the primary underlying cause of death; (b) MM and mental health conditions surrounding death; and (c) significant contributing factors (i.e., discrimination, knowledge, lack of …


An Exploration Of Factors Affecting Investments In Productivity Improvement, Gregory Springate Jul 2026

An Exploration Of Factors Affecting Investments In Productivity Improvement, Gregory Springate

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Canada has exhibited lower productivity growth since 1990, resulting in substantially reduced gains in citizens’ standards of living despite the importance of sustainable productivity to economic prosperity. Understanding the primary factors that influence productivity growth is a critical concern for Canadian government leaders, as it is a key indicator of the nation’s economic vitality, competitiveness, and citizens’ quality of life. The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the factors that influenced the investment in productivity improvement of organizations in the energy sector in the Edmonton region of Alberta, Canada. The COSO internal control framework guided this …


The Perceived Professional Impact Of Exposure To Stress Experienced By Mental Health Therapists During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Bianca J. Reaves Jul 2026

The Perceived Professional Impact Of Exposure To Stress Experienced By Mental Health Therapists During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Bianca J. Reaves

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

COVID-19 changed the methods in which therapy was traditionally delivered. Mental health therapists switched from in-person to virtual sessions during the pandemic. There was a gap in research related to stress levels of mental health therapists in the telehealth field. Adaptations were made by mental health therapists to provide services and as a result virtual platforms were used to connect with the community served. This qualitative research study was an exploration of mental health therapists perceived responses to stress or burnout in relation to a global pandemic. The theoretical foundation used to assess perceived stress is the Stress Theory. The …


Clinical Practice Guideline To Improve Medication Adherence In Adults With Chronic Conditions In Outpatient Settings, Mulumbwa Chishimba Jul 2026

Clinical Practice Guideline To Improve Medication Adherence In Adults With Chronic Conditions In Outpatient Settings, Mulumbwa Chishimba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Doctor of Nursing Practice project was conducted to develop and assess a clinical practice guideline (CPG) to enhance medication adherence among adult patients with chronic illnesses in an outpatient setting. Adverse health-related outcomes include worsening chronic illness and developing complications, frequent hospital admissions, and rising costs of healthcare services. While some interventions are recommended based on the available literature, most outpatient facilities do not have systematic practices for monitoring and enhancing medication adherence among patients with chronic conditions. The evidence-based question was: What evidence, based on content expert review using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II …


Staff Education To Decrease Workplace Violence Through De-Escalation Training In The Emergency Department, Tyrani Anderson Jul 2026

Staff Education To Decrease Workplace Violence Through De-Escalation Training In The Emergency Department, Tyrani Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace violence remains a significant issue in healthcare settings, particularly in emergency departments where psychiatric patients may present with aggressive behaviors. Nurses and healthcare staff are frequently exposed to verbal threats, intimidation, and physical aggression, which negatively impact staff safety, job satisfaction, and patient care quality. Despite workplace violence prevention policies, gaps remain in staff preparedness when managing escalating patient behaviors. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to implement an evidence-based de-escalation training program to improve staff knowledge about managing aggressive psychiatric patients in the emergency department. The practice- focused question was: Can staff education on …


Bahamian Human Resource Practitioners' Perceptions Of Public Service Performance, Lanisha Tamar Rolle Jul 2026

Bahamian Human Resource Practitioners' Perceptions Of Public Service Performance, Lanisha Tamar Rolle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Strong, capable public service systems are essential to meeting society's needs, and perceptions of public-service performance indicate how people ultimately respond to and value public sector systems and performance. While the literature documented the perspectives of public service employees and citizens, and found that they generally believed that public service was inefficient and ineffective due to excessive bureaucracy, autocratic leadership, and political influence, little was known about the perspectives of other stakeholders who participate in or are affected by the public service performance process. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to bridge the knowledge gap by gathering Bahamian …


Gender Disparities In The United States Federal Government Stem Leadership, Naomi Hirose-Gormally Jul 2026

Gender Disparities In The United States Federal Government Stem Leadership, Naomi Hirose-Gormally

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Persistent gender disparities continue to limit women’s representation in senior science technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) leadership roles within the United States federal government, particularly at the GS‑13, GS‑14, GS‑15, and subject matter expert/senior executive service (SME/SES) levels. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to explore how women in senior STEM leadership experience and interpret gender disparities as they pursue and attain leadership positions. Data were collected through individual semi‑structured interviews with women serving in senior STEM leadership and analyzed inductively using phenomenological coding procedures to identify categories and themes that were grounded in participants’ lived experiences. …


Leadership Characteristics Driving Positive Patient Experience Outcomes In Behavioral Healthcare Organizations, Sophia Iovenitti Jul 2026

Leadership Characteristics Driving Positive Patient Experience Outcomes In Behavioral Healthcare Organizations, Sophia Iovenitti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient experience is a key indicator of healthcare quality and performance; however, limited evidence exists regarding the specific leadership characteristics that influence patient experience outcomes in behavioral healthcare. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the leadership characteristics associated with positive patient experience outcomes, examine how leadership behaviors influence patient perceptions, and identify leadership development strategies to enhance patient experience. The study was guided by the Baldrige excellence framework and the Beryl Institute’s definition of patient experience. Data were collected through semi structured interviews with executive and operational leaders and triangulated with organizational artifacts, including aggregated patient …


Experiences Of Reproductive Health Care Practitioners In North Carolina After The Dobbs Decision, Arwyn Lapella Jul 2026

Experiences Of Reproductive Health Care Practitioners In North Carolina After The Dobbs Decision, Arwyn Lapella

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the Supreme Court of the United States made the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, providing access to reproductive health care in the state of North Carolina has been a challenge for medical professionals. Findings from existing literature indicate that a lack of access to reproductive health care can have a negative impact on society from socioeconomics, food and home inequality, and other health care complications. The purpose of this study was to focus on the impacts that health care providers faced when providing care for those who live in the state of North Carolina since the Supreme Court’s …


Correctional Officers' Perceptions Of Inmate Suicide In Florida State Prisons, Chrishelle Robbins Jul 2026

Correctional Officers' Perceptions Of Inmate Suicide In Florida State Prisons, Chrishelle Robbins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Correctional officers are responsible for the care, custody, safety, and supervision of inmates within jails, prisons, and correctional institutions. They face many hardships within a prison setting including inmate suicides. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and understand the perceptions of Florida state correctional officers who have experienced inmate suicide firsthand. This study was formulated using the transcendental, descriptive phenomenology approach and addressed the study’s research questions. Participants included nine Florida state certified correctional officers who witnessed an inmate suicide. Participants were selected using purposive snowball sampling. Interviews were scheduled and conducted via ZOOM or by telephone …


Community Health Workers’ Experiences Distributing Harm Reduction Supplies During Covid-19 In The Barren River Area Development District, Angel Nichole Shoemake Jul 2026

Community Health Workers’ Experiences Distributing Harm Reduction Supplies During Covid-19 In The Barren River Area Development District, Angel Nichole Shoemake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Community health workers (CHWs) distributing sterile injecting equipment help reduce infectious disease transmission among people who inject drugs; however, limited research exists regarding their experiences delivering harm reduction services during public health emergencies in rural areas. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore CHWs’ experiences and perceptions of health risks, operational barriers, and social influences affecting harm reduction service delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic in the Barren River Area Development District. The health belief model guided this study, emphasizing perceived susceptibility, severity, barriers, benefits, and self-efficacy. Data were collected through semistructured Zoom interviews with eight purposively sampled CHWs …


Seasonal Affective Disorder’S Prevalence And Impact On Organizational Outcomes In The Northeastern United States, Tommaso Bruce Fernandes Jul 2026

Seasonal Affective Disorder’S Prevalence And Impact On Organizational Outcomes In The Northeastern United States, Tommaso Bruce Fernandes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a type of depression linked to seasonal changes, primarily affects individuals during fall and winter. More insight was needed on the prevalence of SAD and the role of social support in moderating its impact on organizational outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between SAD and organizational outcomes, including employee well-being, absenteeism, job satisfaction, and productivity, in the Northeastern United States, where SAD symptoms are more prevalent due to environmental factors. Engel’s biopsychosocial model and Cullen’s social support theory provided a theoretical framework for the study. A quantitative cross-sectional design, featuring structured …


Examining Hiv Testing In Black Americans In The Southern United States: Association Between Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Healthcare Access, And Hiv High-Risk Behaviors, Shavon Wolfe Jul 2026

Examining Hiv Testing In Black Americans In The Southern United States: Association Between Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Healthcare Access, And Hiv High-Risk Behaviors, Shavon Wolfe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Examining factors that affect HIV testing in the Black/African American population is important because socioeconomic hardship, stigma, and restricted access to healthcare all lead to gaps in early diagnosis and prevention treatment to prevent further spread of infection. However, most studies have focused on these factors separately, leaving less understanding of how they work together to influence HIV testing behavior. Guided by the health belief model, this study examined the relationship between sexual orientation, gender identity, healthcare access, and HIV high-risk behaviors. The study examined the relationship between sexual orientation, gender identity, healthcare access, and HIV testing, and the influence …


The Impact Of Super Political Action Committee Spending On Abortion Legislation In A Post-Dobbs Era, Jeni Atchley Jul 2026

The Impact Of Super Political Action Committee Spending On Abortion Legislation In A Post-Dobbs Era, Jeni Atchley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Super political action committee (Super PAC) spending has become a prominent feature of U.S. elections, yet limited research had examined how independent expenditures related to electoral success in competitive U.S. House races and whether that relationship varied by candidates’ abortion policy positions in the post-Dobbs era. Prior research has shown that Super PAC independent expenditures expanded sharply after Citizens United and can influence candidate visibility in competitive races, yet findings on whether that spending translates into electoral success have been mixed, and few studies had examined it in relation to candidates' abortion positions after Dobbs. The purpose of this correlational …


Staff Education On Improving Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (Aims) Documentation And Monitoring For Adult Psychiatric Patients Prescribed Antipsychotic Medications In An Outpatient Clinic, Simisola M. Asekun Jul 2026

Staff Education On Improving Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (Aims) Documentation And Monitoring For Adult Psychiatric Patients Prescribed Antipsychotic Medications In An Outpatient Clinic, Simisola M. Asekun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In outpatient psychiatric settings, inconsistent recordkeeping and a lack of systematic monitoring continue despite the availability of established tools like Abnormal Involuntary Movement Scale (AIMS). The goal of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to enhance the documentation and quality improvement through staff education and monitoring of AIMS in adult mental patients receiving antipsychotic medications. Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is still a serious, frequently misdiagnosed side effect of long-term antipsychotic therapy that significantly affects functional outcomes and patient quality of life. This project was guided by the following practice-focused question: How does implementing standardized AIMS documentation and electronic health record …


Non-Adherence To Antidiabetic Medications Among Rural Jamaicans, Norma Edwards Jul 2026

Non-Adherence To Antidiabetic Medications Among Rural Jamaicans, Norma Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poses significant health challenges globally, with individuals and health care systems in rural communities particularly affected. Adherence to antidiabetic medication is crucial for effective management of T2DM. Still, people with T2DM encounter barriers that lead to nonadherence, resulting in poor glycemic control, increased complications, and higher health care costs. The purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of rural Jamaicans regarding the factors influencing nonadherence to antidiabetic medications. The basic qualitative study was underpinned by social cognitive theory. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight rural Jamaican participants with T2DM. Interview data …


Managing Instructional Leadership: K–12 Principals Seen Through The Lens Of Instructional Leadership Theory, Natalie Marie Poli Jul 2026

Managing Instructional Leadership: K–12 Principals Seen Through The Lens Of Instructional Leadership Theory, Natalie Marie Poli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The research problem guiding this study was K–12 principals are challenged to manage their responsibilities for instructional leadership. Grounded in instructional leadership theory and Covey's Time Management Matrix, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore K–12 principals' perspectives of the challenges they face in managing instructional leadership responsibilities and how they categorize the significance of those responsibilities. Using a basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 K–12 principals from a suburban Midwestern public school district with at least 2 years of principal experience, and the data were analyzed using a hybrid a priori and inductive thematic …


Law Enforcement Help-Seeking Behaviors And Organizational Mental Health Supports, Jordan Elizabeth Longendorf Jul 2026

Law Enforcement Help-Seeking Behaviors And Organizational Mental Health Supports, Jordan Elizabeth Longendorf

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to the traumatic and repetitive nature of law enforcement work, mental health support is often needed by officers, but is not consistently sought. Law enforcement leaders need to understand this concern as a leading indicator of workforce well-being, organizational effectiveness, and officers’ willingness to seek needed mental health support. Guided by the conceptual framework of Rickwood and Thomas’s help-seeking behaviors, the purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore law enforcement officers’ lived experiences of help-seeking behaviors for emotional and mental health issues. Data were collected through six semistructured interviews with current law enforcement officers in four different …


Risk Factors Of Suicidality Among Physician Assistants, Lynn Marie Page Jul 2026

Risk Factors Of Suicidality Among Physician Assistants, Lynn Marie Page

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide is a global public health issue that affects all ages, genders, races, and social classes. Although suicide rates are higher among health care providers than in the general public, there is a gap in the literature regarding the suicidal risk factors of physician assistants (PAs), who increasingly provide health care in the United States. The aim of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to explore the association between anxiety, burnout, and depression and the stress-reducing benefits of mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs), as well as the dependent variable suicidality among PAs in the United States. A self-directed questionnaire incorporated psychometrically validated tools …


Enhancing Nursing Competency In The Ambulatory Surgery Center, Rachael Owokole Jul 2026

Enhancing Nursing Competency In The Ambulatory Surgery Center, Rachael Owokole

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this project, I addressed a persistent practice problem among agency nurses working in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) in Southern California, who often enter the facility with varying familiarity with its policies and procedures. I designed this staff education, evidence-based practice (EBP), quality-improvement initiative to strengthen nursing knowledge and competency among agency nurses at the facility. The practice question was designed to assess on whether their knowledge and self-perceived competency improved after participating in the education program. I obtained evidence for the project from peer‑reviewed research, clinical guidelines, and national competency frameworks. I identified sources through systematic searches of …


General Education Primary Teachers’ Perspectives Of Inclusive Practices To Engage Students With Special Educational Needs, Zhen Rolle Jul 2026

General Education Primary Teachers’ Perspectives Of Inclusive Practices To Engage Students With Special Educational Needs, Zhen Rolle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study was that general education primary teachers (GEPTs) struggled to engage students with special educational needs (SEN) in Bahamian primary inclusive classrooms (BPICs). The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate GEPTs’ perspectives on their successes, challenges, and additional training needed to engage students with SEN in BPICs. This study was guided by universal design for learning, pioneered by Rose and Meyer, which supported an inclusive academic environment that accommodated students with SEN. For this basic qualitative design, data were collected from semistructured interviews with 10 GEPTs. Through thematic analysis, the following five themes …


Staff Education To Instruct Nurses On How To Use The Braden Scale To Increase Their Knowledge, Anna Shedrick Jul 2026

Staff Education To Instruct Nurses On How To Use The Braden Scale To Increase Their Knowledge, Anna Shedrick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.


U.S. Health Care Leaders’ Strategies To Improve Operational Efficiency Through Artificial Intelligence In Hospital Settings, Antwonne Demarco Ward Jul 2026

U.S. Health Care Leaders’ Strategies To Improve Operational Efficiency Through Artificial Intelligence In Hospital Settings, Antwonne Demarco Ward

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care leaders in the United States increasingly adopt artificial intelligence (AI) to improve operational efficiency, yet many organizations struggle to achieve sustained operational value from AI initiatives. This problem is important to health care leaders, patients, clinicians, staff, and communities because AI-supported decisions may affect workflow, access, safety, staffing, and trust. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to explore strategies U.S. health care leaders used to improve operational efficiency through AI in hospital settings. Eight U.S. health care leaders in hospital settings across the United States participated. The technology-organization-environment framework grounded the project. Data were collected …


Talent Management Strategies For Employee Retention And Business Effectiveness In Small To Medium-Sized Businesses, Felicia Y. Coverson Jul 2026

Talent Management Strategies For Employee Retention And Business Effectiveness In Small To Medium-Sized Businesses, Felicia Y. Coverson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the most persistent and costly challenges faced by leaders of small-to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) is retaining skilled employees. SMB leaders are concerned about retaining skilled employees because employee turnover threatens organizational stability, productivity, and long-term competitiveness. Grounded in Becker’s human capital theory and Barney’s resource-based view theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore the talent management strategies SMB leaders use to retain employees and enhance business effectiveness. The participants were eight SMB leaders with responsibility for talent management and employee retention in Columbia, South Carolina. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and …


Construction Workers’ Perceptions Of Immersive Virtual Reality Training Effectiveness, Tyiesha "Ty" Gainey Jul 2026

Construction Workers’ Perceptions Of Immersive Virtual Reality Training Effectiveness, Tyiesha "Ty" Gainey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Construction remains one of the most hazardous industries in the United States, while employer-sponsored training opportunities have declined, raising concerns about safety, workforce readiness, and knowledge transfer. Construction leaders need to understand how workers perceive immersive virtual reality (IVR) amid these challenges as an indicator of persistent safety risks, limited workforce preparedness, and ineffective knowledge transfer. The purpose of this single exploratory case study was to examine construction workers’ perceptions of the effectiveness of IVR in transferring knowledge to enhance job performance. Guided by Kirkpatrick’s four-level model of training evaluation, participants’ perceptions of reaction, learning, behavior, and results were examined. …


Examining The Relationship Between Employee Engagement, Career Advancement, And Talent Retention, Nadeen Angella Allen Jul 2026

Examining The Relationship Between Employee Engagement, Career Advancement, And Talent Retention, Nadeen Angella Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Retaining talent continues to be a challenge for organizations and their business leaders. The problem is important to human resource (HR) business leaders because retaining talent helps reduce turnover costs, preserve institutional knowledge, strengthen workforce stability, and enhance organizational success and competitive advantage. The purpose of this quantitative correlational research project, grounded in the social exchange theory, was to examine the relationships between employee engagement, career advancement, and talent retention among employees working for organizations throughout the southeastern United States. The participants were 78 employees in the southeastern United States who met the exclusion criteria and who completed the Utrecht …


Fall Prevention Education Among Older Adults At Townson Assisted Living Facility (Talf), Yolana Farrell-Williams Jul 2026

Fall Prevention Education Among Older Adults At Townson Assisted Living Facility (Talf), Yolana Farrell-Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Falls in the elderly are a significant cause of injury, disability, and preventable medical expenditure; thus, fall prevention is an issue to assisted living homes like Townson Assisted Living Facility (TALF). The internal incident reports showed that persistent fall incidents were associated with inconsistent knowledge among the staff and unequal observed compliance with fall-prevention guidelines, indicating a practice gap in the systematized education of nurses. Educational interventions are effective in achieving high-quality staff, adherence to protocols, and outcomes concerning falls. Consequently, the current project was conducted to determine whether a specialized falls-prevention education program would enhance the knowledge and competency …


Licensed Social Workers’ Perceived Structural And Systemic Treatment Barriers For Clients With Severe Mental Illness, Myron Curtis White Jul 2026

Licensed Social Workers’ Perceived Structural And Systemic Treatment Barriers For Clients With Severe Mental Illness, Myron Curtis White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There was a gap in the existing strategies in social work practice regarding the structural and systemic barriers to health care treatment for clients with serious/severe mental illness (SMI). The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented that addressing mental health destabilization in the United States is important and requires an understanding of the mental illness to be addressed, including its causal factors, the relationships between the mentally ill and their community/environment, and the methodology for effecting care. This general qualitative study explored what licensed social workers perceived as structural and systemic barriers to health care treatment access for their …


Strategies To Prevent The Development Of Dependence Among Head Start Beneficiaries, Shira Stallworth Jul 2026

Strategies To Prevent The Development Of Dependence Among Head Start Beneficiaries, Shira Stallworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Head Start programs provide educational, health, nutritional, and family support services to children from low-income families. Despite these benefits, concerns remain regarding factors that may contribute to dependency among some beneficiaries. Understanding these factors is important because public administrators seek to promote family self-sufficiency while ensuring support programs effectively address community needs. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the perceptions of Head Start teachers and an education specialist regarding factors that may contribute to dependency among beneficiaries and to identify strategies that promote family self-sufficiency. The practice-focused research question was: What potential issues may contribute to …


Social Determinants And Policy Implications Of Lived Experiences Of Multidimensional Poverty In Nigeria, Oluwatayo David Aduloju Jul 2026

Social Determinants And Policy Implications Of Lived Experiences Of Multidimensional Poverty In Nigeria, Oluwatayo David Aduloju

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Poverty disproportionately affects rural populations, women, and children and is shaped by structural inequalities in access to resources and opportunities, reinforcing cycles of disadvantage. Although existing literature provides extensive quantitative evidence on multidimensional poverty, there remains a limited qualitative understanding of how these deprivations are experienced at the household level. This generic qualitative study addressed this gap by examining the lived experiences of heads of households in Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Nigeria, where poverty incidence and intensity are among the highest nationally. Drawing on Sen’s capability theory, Atkinson’s multidimensional poverty framework, and the social determinants of health model, this study …