Digital Commons Network^™

Nurse Executives’ Intuitive Decision Making And Leadership Personality Styles During Organizational Change, Chaudron Carter Carter Short

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Within the complex and multifaceted health care environment, nurse executives are challenged to effectively make decisions and lead organizations through change. How nurse executives make those decisions is determined in a variety of ways, one being through intuitive decision making. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study, guided by the dual process theory, was to examine nurse executives’ intuitive decision making and leadership personality styles during organizational change. The Agor Intuitive Management Survey and the Multifactorial Leadership Questionnaire were administered to 70 nurse executives recruited by direct email obtained from public hospital organizations’ websites and social media platforms. Regression analysis …

Exploring The Dating Experiences Of Biracial Women, Camela Callaway-Higgins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Census data highlight swiftly changing demographics in the United States with over 9 million people self-identifying as multiracial. Scholars agree that the multiracial population has been historically understudied, and that this population may have differing experiences from the majority and other minorities. The purpose of this study was to gain a better understanding of the dating experiences of women who self-identify as Latina and Caucasian. This study was grounded in literature pertaining to the unique experiences of multiracial individuals, with emphasis on biracial relationship experiences, family influence on biracial identity and experiences, and the history of biracial identity theory development. …

Social Workers' Perspectives Of Depression In Baby Boomers Born Between 1946 And 1955, Karen Cohen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAs the leading-edge baby boomer (L-E boomer) cohort continues to age, demands of mental health services in treating diagnosed depression in this cohort are increasing. Licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) are the most likely social workers to provide services to L-E boomers diagnosed with depression. LCSWs were the chosen participants for this generic qualitative study to gain knowledge of their perspectives of working with L-E boomers diagnosed with depression. Grounded in generational theory, this study used a generic qualitative approach allowing for nonrestrictive measures for capturing the data. NVIVO assisted in coding the data and identification of common themes, words, …

Fetal/Infant Mortality: Understanding Race And Ethnicity, Birthing Location, And Prenatal Care, Chelsea Collum

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study addressed whether race and ethnicity, birthing location, the month the mother begins prenatal care, and pregnancy risk level impact fetal/infant mortality. Infant mortality is a gauge by which the efficacy of the healthcare system and the overall health of the country is measured. The United States falls behind most other developed countries in terms of infant mortality rates. The ecological perspective was used as the theoretical framework. The study design was a cross-sectional cohort design using a sample of births and infant deaths from U.S. Vital Statistics data. Binomial logistic regression analyses were carried out to calculate odds …

Student Perceptions About Metacognitive Learning Strategies In Introductory Biology Courses, Traci Collier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractActive learning and argumentation are metacognitive teaching strategies that have demonstrated an effect on conceptual change in the sciences. Previous research studies have illustrated an association between active learning and argumentation, increased comprehension of content as well as improved academic performance and self-efficacy. However, there is a gap in literature about the perceptions of students on whether these teaching strategies are successful in increasing scientific conceptual understanding and self-efficacy. The first conceptual framework used for this study was Flavell’s theoretical and empirical research on metacognition, which provides a process for individuals to regulate their cognitive activity for increasing comprehension. A …

Manufacturing Business Leaders’ Strategies For Achieving Diversification And Sustainability, Tracye Weeks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Manufacturing businesses can fail due to not implementing diversified business strategies. Some manufacturing business leaders lack strategies to diversify lines of business for achieving business sustainability. Grounded in the resource-based view theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies three manufacturing business leaders in the northeastern region of the United States used to diversify lines of business to achieve sustainability. Data were collected via semistructured interview recordings, company documents, and internal archived documents, as well as public documents found on the internet. Thematic analysis of the data revealed the importance of implementing (a) servitization strategies …

Strategies To Expand And Obtain Funding For Nonprofit Organizations, Topaz Lonia Walton-Good

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Expanding a nonprofit organization (NPO) can be beneficial to the community; however, such expansion comes with challenges, including finding ways to obtain additional funding and understanding which additional services to provide. A single-case study was conducted to explore the challenges facing a nonprofit behavioral health organization as it seeks to obtain funding to expand current services and identify new services for underserved communities. Data were collected through interviews with the behavioral health leader (BHL) and five staff members using the Baldrige excellence framework. Five themes emerged from the data analysis: access, programs, services, funding, workforce, and leadership. Although leadership was …

Legislative Factors That Influence The Creation Of Sex Offender Laws In Pennsylvania, Julie E. Wagner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractNonviolent sexual offenders are known to have lesser risk of reoffense than their violent sexual offender counterparts; however, both categories of sexual offenders are contained within the same registry in Pennsylvania, without indication of the differences in the nature of their crimes. It was not known why Pennsylvania’s laws require all sex offenders to be listed in one homogenous group. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify the factors legislators use to determine how a sex offense crime is categorized in legislative decisions in Pennsylvania. Social construction theory served as the theoretical foundation for the study. Data …

Effective Digital Marketing Strategies For Small Businesses In The Caribbean, Nicole Renee Williams Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A thriving small business sector is vital to Caribbean countries’ economies; however, nearly 60% of small businesses fail within the first 10 years, partially because of poor marketing. Caribbean small businesses with ineffective digital marketing strategies may fail to attract the buyers necessary to sustain their organization. Grounded in the competitive advantage theory, the purpose of this study was to explore the digital marketing strategies that Caribbean small business owners use to sustain their organizations beyond 10 years. Using the case study research design, the participants consisted of 7 small business owners who operate in a Caribbean Community and Common …

The Cbt Program "Thinking For A Change"And Its Impact On Offenders, James Wesson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe CBT Program “Thinking for a Change” and its Impact on Offenders By James Wesson

Forensic Psychology MS, Walden University, 2014Criminal Behavior MS, Tiffin University, 2012 Criminal Justice Administration BS, Tiffin University, 2011

Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy General Studies –Criminal Justice with a specialization in Law and Public Policy

Walden University May 2021

Abstract One of the major problems that the United States criminal justice system faces regarding corrections is an exceedingly high rate of recidivism. The state of Ohio has been highly proactive in trying to address this …

Applying A Staff Education Project To Increase Telemedicine Patient Safety, Kristy Michelle Wolff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A telemedicine education module (TEM) was designed and developed for this staff education project to improve the knowledge of nurses and providers about best practices in telemedicine and patient safety. A pretest and posttest design was used to evaluate if a gain in knowledge occurred after participants reviewed the TEM, which was designed and developed using Knowles theory of andragogy for adult learning outcomes. Thirty-seven potential participants who currently work as clinicians that provide telemedicine services were provided access to the pretest, TEM, and posttest. Nine participants responded, but only three participants’ scores could be used for analysis since there …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Intervention For Prevention Of Anxiety And Mood Disorders In Public Safety Personnel, Jacquelyne Yan Wong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to repeated exposure to highly stressful work environments, public safety personnel (PSP) are at risk for developing symptoms of anxiety and mood disorders. The present study employed a quantitative, randomized-controlled trial (RCT) design to examine the impact of a novel cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) psychoeducational intervention on symptom levels of anxiety and depression. Participants were recruited from police, firefighters, paramedics, and emergency communications personnel. A total of 60 participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention arm or the waitlist comparison arm. General linear mixed models were used to examine the difference in symptom outcomes for those who participated in …

Profitability Strategies Of Solar Energy Businesses In Lagos, Nigeria, Mayowa Ezekiel Akeju

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some solar energy companies in Nigeria are not profitable because of ineffective marketing and sales strategies on the part of the business leaders and challenging operating environments. The ability to craft strategies that ensure the adoption of solar energy solutions by households is pertinent to the profitability of the solar energy business. Grounded in Rogers’s diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies solar energy business leaders in Lagos, Nigeria, use to maintain a profitable business. The participants included six solar energy business leaders in two companies from Lagos, Nigeria. Data were …

Principals’ Perspectives Regarding Their Leadership Roles In Smart Board Technology Integration, Donna Faith Nelson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmart Board Technologies (SBTs) are prevalent in K–6 schools and teachers are expected to use them to enhance student learning. The Smart Board (SB) may not be used effectively in the classroom. The effective use of the SB increases student engagement and performance. To ensure the effective use of the SB, the principal’s role is crucial. While the teachers’ perspectives about SBT use in pedagogy have often been researched, the literature concerning principals’ perspectives in SBT integration is scarce. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand principals’ perspectives regarding their leadership roles in SBT integration. Bass’s theory …

Gender Mainstreaming In Male-Dominated Nigerian Industries, Benedicta Ifeyinwa Oyiana

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The objective of Gender mainstreaming (GM) is to foster equal opportunities by applying a gender perspective to all policies and practices within organizations, thus influencing decisions and traditional structures of organizations. GM strategies redirect focus from increasing participation and representation to ensuring structure in organizational practices that address inequalities. The strain between women’s work experience and traditional role expectations contributes to the issues career women experience, especially those in male-dominated industries. Interviews with ten senior executives were conducted over Zoom, data were analyzed using a five-phased approach: compiling, disassembling, reassembling, interpreting, and concluding. This study buttresses how in spite of …

Reducing Infection Rates Through Handwashing Education, Maureen N. Osegbe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHealth care-associated infections (HCAIs) affect millions of people worldwide, causing morbidity and mortality among hospitalized patients. Hand hygiene is the single most effective way to prevent HCAIs. This project addressed a gap in practice regarding nurses’ knowledge on the effective use of hand hygiene in a medical/surgical unit in a hospital located in northeastern Maryland. This project addressed the question of whether an educational program on handwashing for nurses reduced HCAI rates. A literature review was conducted to support the development of the educational program; relevant sources included peer-reviewed journal articles, systematic reviews, and guidelines that supported the practice-focused question, …

Exploring Alternative Dispute Resolution For Settlement Of Criminal Disputes In Nigeria, Agatha Anulika Okeke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite advancements in modern criminal justice administration and its widespread use in criminal justice administration in other parts of the globe, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) was not widely used in Nigeria. A qualitative research method was used, anchored with Bentham’s theory of judicial organization and adjective law, cognitive-behavioral theory, and the reintegrative shaming theory. The purposeful sampling technique, a nonprobability sampling method was used to select 10 participants who were either members of the Bar or of the Bench for the interview sessions. Their responses were transcribed, analyzed, coded, decontextualized, recontextualized, and the meaning units fed into the Nvivo statistical …

The Relationship Between Advanced Payment Model Providers And Patient Behavior, Harry Petaway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public health initiatives include vaccination and screening efforts to reduce the burden of disease. This study addressed colorectal cancer (CRC) screening behaviors of accountable care organization (ACO) patients with different social determinants of health and providers’ ability to comply with the Medicare Shared Savings Plan (MSSP) quality measure ACO #19. This study followed the socioecological model and a cross-sectional quantitative design to assess data from the MSSP public use file 2019 across three manuscripts to expand on current literature. The purpose was to determine whether patient behavior was the primary driver to improve healthcare quality. Study results showed that performance …

The Effect Of Gender-Diversity Training On Perceived Organizational Justice, Lauran Star Raduazo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine gender-diversity training content and design and their effect on employees perceived organizational justice. A total of 205 employees specializing in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and finance (STEM&F) participated in this study. A quantitative quasi-experimental study design occurred with a baseline, posttraining, and 2-month final follow-up. A mixed ANOVA was run to test for mean differences for Colquitt’s Organizational Justice Scale (COJS) overall and subscale scores. Baseline, posttraining, and final scores were compared by intervention and control group. There was a statistically significant interaction within intervention between time and groups (F(2,406) = …

Exploring Preclinical Contract Research Organization Strategic Partnerships, John Cody Resendez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The strategies contract research organizations (CROs) use to develop relationships with pharmaceutical/biotech company clients are not well defined but can bring drugs to market faster, safer, cheaper, and with an innovative approach to partnership and scientific collaboration. Grounded in Porter’s competitive advantage theory, the comparative advantage theory of competition, and the resource-based view of strategy, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the lived experiences of nine key senior level decision makers in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and CRO industries, selected using a stratified purposeful sampling technique, to determine the benefit of partnerships between the CRO and …

The Effect Of Moral Development On Voters’ Trust In Politicians, Aquilus Ricks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The impact of voters’ moral development on trust in politicians is a rarely explored phenomenon among scholars studying why voters trust politicians. It is unknown whether voters’ moral development plays an influential role in their decisions to trust those they elect to public office, or if they simply respond to the best political show. The purpose of this study was to examine this phenomenon and determine whether voters’ moral development impacted their trust in politicians regardless of age, gender, education, income, and religion. The study surveyed 110 eligible voters in a midwestern city in the United States using two survey …

The Relationship Between Technology Adoption Determinants And The Intention To Use Software-Defined Networking, Wendell Russ

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe advent of distributed cloud computing and the exponential growth and demands of the internet of things and big data have strained traditional network technologies' capabilities and have given rise to software-defined networking's (SDN's) revolutionary approach. Some information technology (IT) cloud services leaders who do not intend to adopt SDN technology may be unable to meet increasing performance and flexibility demands and may risk financial loss compared to those who adopt SDN technology. Grounded in the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT), the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between IT cloud …

Assessing Risk Factors Pre-Disposing Individuals To Noise Induced Hearing Loss, Martin David Slade

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Noise induced hearing loss (NIHL) has the highest prevalence of all occupational diseases in the manufacturing sector accounting for one out of every nine recordable illnesses. Currently, after accounting for known risk factors, a large amount of unexplained variance remains in statistical models of NIHL. The purpose of this study was to determine the underlying factors pre-disposing people to NIHL as well as the association between early and future occupational hearing loss. The ecological model of health behavior provided the theoretical framework for this study. The key research questions were: which demographic factors (age, gender, and race) are associated with …

Analysis Of Malaria-Induced Anemia And Gender Differences Among Children In Nigeria, Temitope Bamgbose

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Malaria is one of the leading causes of death among children under 5 years old in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Also, public health efforts on malaria prevention have been successful in many regions but remains an issue in SSA. Malaria-induced anemia (MA) is associated with health complications among children. The impact of several sociodemographic factors (age, gender, residential type, and parent’s educational level) and malaria preventive/intervention measures such as mosquito net use and malaria medication use among children under 5 years old in Nigeria were assessed to inform malaria best practices and strategies, prioritize resource allocation, and support existing literature on …

The Relationship Between Preceptor Role Effectiveness And Retention Of Newly Hired Nurses, Janeen R. Arnett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New nurse turnover is a problem worldwide and, in the hospital, identified for this study. High nurse turnover contributes to staffing shortages in hospitals, which adversely affects health care quality for patients. The problem of high nurse turnover among newly hired nurses in a rural Indiana hospital was addressed to improve new nurses’ longevity in their jobs. The framework of new nurse orientation with foundations of socialization, preceptorship, and Benner’s transition theory for nursing grounded this mixed-methods study to explore the perceptions of 11 new nurses on their preceptor role experiences. The research questions investigated the relationship between new nurse …

Predictors Of Community Physicians’ Digital Information Retrieval At Point Of Care, Jumana Antoun

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Efficient digital information retrieval at the point of care is essential for better health care delivery. The problem is the lack of knowledge about the community physician’s digital information retrieval at the point of care. The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics of the community physicians’ digital information retrieval at the point of care in eight Arab countries in the Eastern Mediterranean and whether a set of factors predicted the digital information retrieval. This study was guided by the Smith model that links professional digital practices to professional competencies, digital literacy, and technological affordances. The descriptive research …

Exploring Stakeholder Opinions Of A School Sentinel Security Program, John Beraud

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSchool shootings are tragic events that receive immediate, intense, and immense media attention. In the aftermath of an attack, lawmakers and school administrators receive public pressure to provide the necessary resources to incorporate school security programs that seek to improve school safety. The School Sentinel Program (SSP) operating in one Midwest U.S. state’s school district allows school personnel or volunteers from the local community, once screened and trained, to act as armed guards on public school campuses. The SSP allows firearms on school campuses outside of the hands of school resource officers, and these policies have often been met with …

Exploring How Principals Make Sense As They Implement Reform, Melissa Renee Beattie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

School principals serve a critical role with staff in leading change at their schools. School districts increasingly seek to implement system-wide reforms to improve academic achievement in all schools under their jurisdiction; yet inconsistency in application is often a problem. In a K–12 public school district in California’s Central Valley, a district-driven, science technology engineering and math (STEM) curriculum reform initiative is being implemented inconsistently. The research questions guiding this study asked how elementary school principals make sense of the content of a district-driven, STEM reform initiative to improve overall student academic achievement and how these principals use their interpretations …

Experiences In An Online Learning Community, Michelle Potthoff Wylie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Master of public health online programs have been experiencing issues with retention and problems related to inconsistent implementation of online learning communities. This basic qualitative study aimed to understand the efficacy of online programs and the perceived impact of the implantation of online learning communities. The conceptual framework for this study is Siemens’s connectivism theory supporting different types of learning in the online environment. Two research questions guided the study: (a) How do graduate students in an online Master of Public Health program perceive the efficacy of online learning communities and (b) Which components of online learning communities do graduate …

Parental Stress And Coping In U.S. And Caribbean Immigrant Parents Of Adolescents, Simone A. Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The immigrant population in the U.S. is growing, and the way immigrants cope with the stress of parenting may differ from parents in their host country. There is a gap in the literature regarding knowledge about how Caribbean parents cope with parenting stress compared to U.S. parents. The purpose of this quasi-experimental quantitative study was to predict coping strategies used by Caribbean immigrant and U.S.-born parents of adolescents living in the U.S based on country of origin using transactional stress and coping theory as frameworks. Thirty-seven U.S.-born and 37 Caribbean-born caregivers living in the U.S. were recruited from social media …