Digital Commons Network^™

Advancing Health Equity Through Community-Engaged And Global Health Research, Muhammad Chutiyami

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Health inequities remain a major challenge for nursing, particularly in under-resourced communities. This research program advances health equity through community-engaged initiatives and global health priorities including vaccine uptake and social determinants of health. Building on community experience, global evidence networks and funded collaborations, this work seeks to strengthen nursing capacity and co-produce culturally responsive, community-led solutions with communities & health workers.

Examining Covid-19 Vaccination Attitudes And Behaviors Among Undergraduate Nursing Students, Nicele Catherine Medel Arana

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

As COVID-19 transitions into endemic management, understanding vaccination behaviors and beliefs among nursing students is critical given nurses’ roles in patient education and vaccine advocacy. This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined COVID-19 vaccination attitudes, booster uptake, infection history, and advocacy confidence among undergraduate Bachelor of Science nursing students at a public urban college. Forty-six students across three cohorts completed an anonymous online survey informed by the Health Belief Model (HBM) and the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS) following institutional review board (IRB) approval (IRB #2025-0805-York). Findings demonstrated near-universal completion of the primary COVID-19 vaccine series, contrasted by lower booster uptake. A majority …

Advancing Clinical Practice Using Precision Infusion Delivery And Standardized Flushing Protocol, Sudha Saravanan

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Ambulatory infusion centers are required to infuse complex therapies within scheduled chair times while sustaining excellent patient-centered care. This project evaluated how advanced clinical nursing practices can optimize routine infusion workflows by improving drug-volume accuracy and standardizing post-infusion flushing.

Infusion times go beyond expected time when nurses program pumps using manufacturer-stated volumes rather than actual bag volume, which often contains significant overfill [3]. In addition, variation in flushing practices creates inconsistent timed dose delivery and potential drug loss [2,4]. These deviations contribute to prolonged chair time and patient dissatisfaction.

Evidence supports weighed volume accuracy as an essential safeguard for time-dependent …

System-Wide High-Consequence Infectious Diseases Readiness Model, Andrew Chapman

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Introduction: High-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs) are defined as novel or reemerging pathogens with person-to-person spread, few medical countermeasures, and high mortality rates. Examples include: Middle East respiratory syndrome, novel influenza, and viral hemorrhagic fevers. HCIDs require rapid identification, isolation, and specialized care to prevent outbreaks. As of July, 2024, U.S. hospitals accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC) have updated HCID infection-control standards to maintain operational readiness. Expectations include: identify, isolate, inform protocols, HCID waste-management, and HCID personal protective equipment (PPE) competency. Given the recent global pandemic and ongoing regional HCID outbreaks, updated TJC standards will strengthen HCID preparedness. The Serious …

Enhancing Clinical Trial Literacy In Singapore: A Dnp Evaluation Of A Hbm-Guided Educational Video, Harini S. Shunmuga Velu, Barnaby Edward Young, Wentao Zhou

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Clinical trials are a cornerstone of modern healthcare [4]. However, approximately 80% of trials fail to enrol participants on time, costing millions and delaying essential treatment [1].This directly impedes progress toward Sustainable Development Goal Target 3.b. In Singapore, community participation remains modest due to micro-level barriers, including misconceptions, fear of exploitation, and limited research literacy. Advanced nursing leadership must promote this by promoting research literacy and informed ethical decision-making.

Purpose: The purpose is to systematically evaluate the effectiveness and implementation feasibility of a short, culturally-tailored educational video designed to enhance public knowledge, perceived safety, and willingness to participate in …

Strengthening Vaccine Confidence Among College Freshmen In The Post-Covid-19 Era, Karlen E. Luthy, Janelle L. B. Macintosh, Alyssa Vang, Janessa Johnson

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a vaccine education module (VEM) on college freshmen’s intended vaccination behaviors, vaccine-related perceptions, and vaccine knowledge. Although vaccine requirements for university students are a vital public health strategy, most institutions in the United States do not mandate all recommended immunizations. In today’s environment, where vaccine misinformation and hesitancy remain common, understanding how evidence-based education influences vaccine attitudes is increasingly important. A pre-COVID-19 study showed that a VEM improved students’ vaccine beliefs and intentions; this study assessed these outcomes in a post-COVID-19 context.

A pretest/posttest quasi-experimental design was used. Participants …

Building Resilience In Public Health Centers: Outcomes Of An Enp-Led Disaster Program, Po-Hsi Su, Jun-Dai Lin, Yi-Hui Lee, Shun-Shiang Yu, Yi-Fen Liang

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Taiwan, located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences frequent earthquakes and typhoons while also facing geopolitical tension. Strengthening community resilience has therefore become essential. Public health centers serve as frontline agencies in disaster response, yet staff often lack formal training beyond infectious disease control. This study evaluated a disaster preparedness program developed and delivered by an emergency medicine nurse practitioner (ENP) for public health center personnel in central Taiwan.

From October 29 to November 22, 2024, five of 13 health centers in Nantou County participated. Centers selected staff expected to support post-disaster medical station operations. Participants represented six occupational …

Adherence To Evidence-Based Practice In Childhood Immunization: A Mixed-Methods Study, Lydia Boampong Owusu

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Immunization is one of the most effective public health measures for preventing infectious diseases in children (Baidya et al., 2024). Immunization safety and effectiveness depends on proper injection site management (Rishovd, 2014; World Health Organization, 2018). Globally, Evidence-Based Practices (EBP) are recommended to enhance immunization effectiveness and minimize unwanted side effects (Cataldi et al., 2020). However, there is a dearth of empirical evidence on healthcare provider adherence to EBP in injection site management which presents a significant knowledge gap, especially in developing countries. This study assessed the experience and understanding of healthcare providers' adherence to EBP in administering childhood vaccines …

The Effects Of Space On Pharmacology And Traditional Medicine: A Review Of Current Literature And Its Potential Impacts On Space Therapeutics, Pratyush Majumdar

Small Satellite Conference

Astronauts in space commonly take medicine for sleep disorders, muscle aches, and other miscellaneous conditions. These medications are taken under the assumption that they will work in space comparable to their effect on Earth, but mounting evidence is emerging to demonstrate that this is not the case. Using the principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, there are many physiological changes that alter how a drug is processed, changing their therapeutic effect. As mission times get longer, there is a heavier need to understand these changes and compensate for them in order to keep astronauts safe.

Necropsy Findings Reveal Potential Threats To Native Florida Chelonian Species, Paige A. Spurlock

OneUSF Summer Undergraduate Research Symposium

Necropsies are vital for providing researchers with more information on the underlying conditions that cause disease and death in wildlife. A standard herpetological necropsy, like any necropsy, requires one to look objectively at each specimen, without preconceived expectations as to the cause, beginning with thorough internal and external examination of organs and tissues. This summer, I conducted 15 Chelonian (turtle and tortoise) necropsies. Species included gopher tortoise (n=11), and seral freshwater turtle species (n=4). Beyond gross examination, I collected cloacal/oral swabs, liver, lung, kidney, spleen, and brain for potential testing. Most were in good condition. We found a range of …

Fmea-Based Risk Assessment And Improvements For Vascular Access Education In Hemodialysis, Nai-Hua Hsiao

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

This study evaluates and improves the patient education and care process before and after arteriovenous fistula surgery in hemodialysis patients. Inadequate implementation of this process may lead to multiple clinical risks. Currently, Southern X Hospital lacks a standardized patient education protocol, resulting in duplicated, omitted, or inconsistent content. These deficiencies negatively affect patients' comprehension and adherence, potentially leading to resource waste and reduced dialysis quality. To address these issues, this study applies Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to systematically identify potential failure modes within the education and care continuum. The CRITIC (Criteria Importance Through Intercriteria Correlation) method is used …

Observing Antibiotic Resistance In Bacterial Co-Cultures Under Simulated Microgravity, Tyler Jenkins, Marina Vaden

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Bacteria grow in complex natural environments with multiple factors affecting their growth, metabolism, and physiology. While astronauts are still preparing to travel to Mars, scientists must learn how to simulate a more realistic Martian environment. While a small volume of publications investigates the independent effects of microgravity or Martian regolith on microorganisms (Liao et al., 2025; Allen et al., 2022; Naz et al., 2023; Duri et al., 2025), to our knowledge no current experiments exist on the joint effects of microgravity and Martian simulant on a co-culture. This experiment aims to investigate the effect of a microgravity analog on the …

Metabolic Regulation And Immunity In The Spaceflight Environment, Graeme Grainger, Riley Dienna, Astrid Senko, Angela Cebula, Arden Rodriguez Arden Rodriguez

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

Long-duration spaceflight exposes astronauts to chronic ionizing radiation and microgravity that disrupts homeostasis in the immune system and cellular metabolism. While simulated spaceflight models demonstrate altered T-cell polarization and sex-dependent shifts toward regulatory phenotypes, the metabolic mechanisms driving these immune changes remain unclear. Immune cell function is tightly linked to metabolic programming, with effector T cells relying on glycolysis and regulatory T cells favoring oxidative metabolism, making them highly sensitive to shifts in nutrient availability and redox balance. Emerging research further suggests that neutrophils act as metabolic regulators capable of reshaping the immune microenvironment through oxidative stress, cytokine production, and …

Impact Of Inspiratory Muscle Training On Diaphragm Hypertrophy, Exercise Performance, And Immune Response, Riley Dienna, Sabrina Ehrenfort, Joshua Frankenfield, Olivia Hartmann, Ben Kerns, Gianpiero Lara, Meliah Martin, Emma Norris, Louis Pandolfo, Rachel Phillips, Stella Roane, Dominic Sandell, Sabrina I. Santini-Bousson, Madison Stroud, Cecilia Zoutewelle, Erica Bryant

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

The muscles involved in breathing, notably the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, play a role in determining the exercise capability of an individual. These muscles perform the work required for breathing, and as exercise intensity increases these muscles increase their activity to allow the respiratory system to meet the increased metabolic demands of exercise. Fatigue of these muscles reduces exercise tolerance and performance. In addition, the inflammation caused by acute maximal exercise is impacted by the level of training of the individual, and thus, inspiratory muscle training (IMT) may impact the inflammation due to exercise. We will test the hypothesis that …

Gene Therapy Strategies To Enhance Antifungal Immunity In Microgravity, Riley Dienna

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

During spaceflight, the immune system of astronauts becomes impaired due to microgravity, resulting in increased susceptibility to infections caused by pathogens such as Candida albicans. One of the most common clinical treatments for aggressive candidiasis is amphotericin B, a polyene antimycotic that targeted ergosterol in the fungal cell membrane and compromised the stability of the membrane. However, due to the chemical similarities between ergosterol and cholesterol, this treatment also affects the somatic cells of patients it is administered to. A novel treatment is therefore required to combat the aggressive fungal infection while minimizing damage to the host’s cells. This project …

Numerical Analysis Of The Sir Model For Predicting Disease Spread, Victoria Gaibor, Isabel Tejada, Kate Moore

Discovery Day - Daytona Beach

This project, Numerical Solutions of the SIR Model for Predicting Disease Spread, investigates the application of numerical methods to analyze the dynamics of infectious diseases using the classical Susceptible–Infected–Recovered (SIR) model. The SIR model, a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations, is widely used to describe how diseases such as COVID-19 propagate through a population. The primary objective of this study is to solve the SIR initial value problem using multiple numerical techniques, including Euler’s method, Runge–Kutta methods, and multistep methods, and to compare their accuracy and efficiency. The model is implemented using given initial conditions and parameters, and additional …

Strengthening Disease Surveillance In Malawi: Lessons From The 2022 Polio Outbreak, Zione N. Dembo, Mike Nenani Chisema, Joyce Beyamu, Tamandani Kapenga Nazimera

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Infectious disease outbreaks remain a persistent public health threat in Malawi. The 2022–2024 polio outbreak highlighted the central role of enhanced surveillance in timely detection and effective response. This abstract examines key strategies, outcomes, and lessons for strengthening surveillance and preparedness.

Methods: The response leveraged multiple surveillance approaches, including Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP) and environmental surveillance, improved specimen transport, digital tools for case investigation, and multiple supplementary immunization campaigns. Data from surveillance indicators and outbreak response activities were analyzed to assess performance and identify challenges.

Results: Enhanced surveillance proved effective, with rapid laboratory confirmation of the index case triggering …

Gloves On Or Off? A Critical Ethnographic Study Exploring Non-Sterile Glove Use In Hospital Settings, Navisha Weerasinghe, Fiona A. Miller, Lisa Cranley, Quinn Grundy

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a surge in the production and use of plastic single-use medical products, particularly single-use gowns, masks, and gloves. The proliferation of single-use medical products in care work highlights significant tensions between safety, cost, infection prevention and control (IPAC), and environmental concerns. Nurses are critical stakeholders in driving environmental sustainability within health systems as they are uniquely positioned at the intersection of patient care, supply utilization, IPAC, and waste generation. In recent years, ‘gloves-off’ campaigns have been introduced at some hospitals globally and in Ontario to attend to the environmental harms associated with unnecessary glove use. …

Curriculum Integration Of High-Consequence Infectious Disease Preparedness In Nursing Education, Shinu Joy, Corri Levine, Kimberly Rumsey

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Infectious threats with pandemic potential are occurring more frequently, emphasizing the need to prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals for safe, effective management of complex cases. The health system serves as one of 13 federally funded Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Centers (RESPTCs) and the only one in the Health and Human Services (HHS) Region 6. The on-site Biocontainment Care Unit (BCU) is designed to care for patients with high-consequence infectious diseases (HCIDs). The Special Pathogens Excellence in Clinical Treatment, Readiness, and Education (SPECTRE) Program supports this mission by providing comprehensive training for professionals and students in the recognition, …

Academics’ Views On Integrating Climate Change In Nursing And Midwifery: A Mixed Methods Study, Seda Guney, Seda Sarikose, Tuba Sengul, Nurten Kaya

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Climate change is a major global health challenge requiring integration into nursing and midwifery education [1]. Yet, evidence on educators’ awareness, concern, and curricular engagement remains limited [2].

Purpose: This study explored academics’ awareness and worry about climate change and their perspectives on integrating related content into nursing and midwifery curricula.

Design and Methods: A convergent parallel mixed-methods design guided by the Sustainability in Global Nursing framework [3] was used. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected concurrently (March–August 2025). The quantitative phase involved 160 faculty members from nursing and/or midwifery programs completing an online survey that included the Climate …

Advancing Equity In Hiv Prevention And Care For Women: A Nurse-Led Model In Ontario, Roya Haghiri-Vijeh, Karen Campbell, Molly Bennerman, Grace Chiutsi, Tamara Barnett, Ramesh Venkatesa Perumal, Mia Biondi

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Cisgender and transgender women experience persistent inequities in HIV prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, often compounded by systemic barriers and stigma (Threats et al., 2021; Sanchez et al., 2025). Nurse-led, women-centered models of care offer promising strategies to address these gaps, yet evidence on their implementation remains limited (Relf, 2022).

Purpose: This study explored barriers and facilitators to HIV/STBBI prevention and treatment within women-led, nurse-facilitated models of care in Ontario, Canada, to inform the co-design of inclusive, trauma- and violence-informed approaches.

Methods: Guided by community and service provider advisory boards, five stakeholder groups were engaged: women with lived/living experience, AIDS …

Icare System Implementation For Phlebitis Prevention: A Quality Improvement Study, Rini Rachmawaty, Agussalim Bukhari, Elly Wahyudin, Indra Gaffar, Sarah Bernadette L. Balena, Gulzar Malik

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Healthcare-associated phlebitis remains a critical challenge in Indonesian hospitals, where incidence rates reach 31.7%, dramatically exceeding the national benchmark of less than 1%. A major contributing factor is poor adherence to integrated clinical pathways, particularly concerning incompatible intravenous drug combinations such as ceftriaxone administered with calcium-containing solutions.

Objective: We aimed to reduce phlebitis incidence through implementation of an online integrated clinical pathway compliance system (iCare System) among patients with high-volume, high-risk, high-cost conditions at provincial government hospitals in South Sulawesi.

Methods: This prospective quality improvement study was conducted at Indonesian regional hospital, located in Makassar, between April and July …

Efficacy Of Monoclonal Antibody Treatment On Lowering Infectious Disease Burden In U.S. Elderly Patients, Lyndsey M. White, Daniel Johnson, A'Niya Jackson, Laiba Majid

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Older adults in the United States experience a high burden of infectious diseases due to age related immune decline, reduced vaccine responsiveness, and increased comorbidities. Monoclonal antibody therapies are an important strategy for lowering this burden because they provide immediate and highly specific immune protection. This review evaluates the effectiveness of monoclonal antibodies in reducing infectious disease severity in elderly populations and examines how neutrophils and the formation of neutrophil extracellular traps interact with antibody based treatments. Throughout the review, these therapies have been shown to be successful against multiple infectious diseases, and clinical findings suggest that hospitalized elderly or …

Investigating The Role Of The Gut Microbiome In Modulating Immune Responses To Infections, Abhinav Muthiraparambath, Matthew Guzie, Matthew Lim, Aryan Sharma, Julia Mendez, Irelis Orlando, Archi Patel

OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference

Increasing evidence links the gut microbiome to immune regulation, homeostasis, and infectious outcomes. Although gut dysbiosis is associated with impaired immune responses, the mechanisms linking microbial imbalance to immune dysfunction and diseases remain under-investigated. This study aims to investigate how changes in the gut microbiome contribute to immune dysfunction and disease progression, and whether biomarkers can improve the prediction of disease outcomes and therapeutic responses. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify peer-reviewed studies explaining the relationship between gut microbiome dysbiosis and immune dysfunction. This was conducted by searching select words such as ‘Gut microbiome’, ‘Gut dysbiosis’, and ‘microbial …

From Skin To Spleen To Brain: Full-Spectrum Embolic Complications In Staphylococcus Aureus Endocarditis, Jose J. Loayza Pintado, Jorge Aboytes Trevino, Julian Galindo, Mohammad Aqeel, John Cauba, Joshua Nwose, Andres Suarez Parraga

Research Symposium

Background: Infective endocarditis (IE) results from bacterial adhesion to endocardial tissue and valvular apparatus. While viridans group streptococci and Enterococcus species are associated with subacute disease, Staphylococcus aureus, including methicillin-resistant strains (MRSA), is a leading cause of more acutely destructive presentations. The entry of these pathogens can occur through surgical and dental procedures, intravenous drug use, or less apparent etiology. Classic peripheral stigmata (Osler nodes, Janeway lesions, splinter hemorrhages, Roth spots) are now uncommon but clinically meaningful. Current guidelines emphasize rapid multimodality imaging to detect cerebral and systemic emboli in symptomatic IE. We present a 50-year-old man with S. aureus …

Severe Cold Agglutinin Hemolytic Anemia Secondary To Mycoplasma Pneumoniae And Epstein-Barr Virus Co-Infection In An Elderly Patient, Aura Mc Calderon, Jose Loayza, Luis Salcedo, Ivan Mogollon, Asmik Asatrian

Research Symposium

Introduction: Cold autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) is an uncommon, complement-mediated hemolysis typically driven by IgM autoantibodies; secondary forms are often infection-related. Severe, transfusion-refractory presentations are rare in older adults. We present an elderly patient with Mycoplasma pneumoniae and Epstein–Barr virus co-infection complicated by life-threatening cold agglutinin hemolysis.

Case report: Upon admission, a 79-year-old male patient presented with a one-week history of fatigue, pyrexia, nasal congestion, and dyspnea; examination findings revealed pallor, bibasilar crackles, and mild splenomegaly. Laboratory investigations indicated the presence of severe hemolytic anemia accompanied by compensatory reticulocytosis and thrombocytosis (hemoglobin 5.5 g/dL, hematocrit 17.2%, MCV 100 fL, reticulocytes …

Mapping How Design Engages With Systems Thinking In Complex Healthcare Systems: A Scoping Review, Yuanrong Guo, Zixuan Wang, Sarah Kettley, Autumn Roesch-Marsh

DRS Biennial Conference Series

Integrating systems thinking and design thinking offers a promising approach to address systemic challenges in healthcare. However, existing studies apply diverse systems thinking theories and methods across different healthcare contexts, and design also shows methodological pluralism. Such diversity has created conceptual fragmentation and uncertainty about how designers can meaningfully apply systems thinking. This paper presents a scoping review of 44 empirical studies that apply both design approaches and systems thinking theories or methods in healthcare service systems. The analysis examines where systems thinking is positioned within studies and identifies four relationship types: (1) design as systemic practice, (2) systems thinking …

Participatory Visual Mapping As A Systemic Data Collection Method In Complex, High-Pressure Context, Wenbo Ai, Alison Prendiville

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper introduces design ethnographic methods—participatory observation and visual mapping activities—used in the discovery phase of a co-design project aimed at optimising blood culture pathways for potentially infectious patients across three NHS trust emergency departments in the UK. By integrating participatory systemic design with ethnographic approaches, the study enabled clinical staff to share their insights and shape service workflows. Their engagement reshapes systemic thinking for blood culture pathways used by clinical staff, enabling researchers to frame co-design workshops and later systemic interventions for the next stage of the research project. This paper emphasises the significance of systemic visual mapping activities …

Bio-Inspired Design For Preventive Healthcare: Translating Living Systems Into Design Knowledge, Xiuyuan Tu, Wei Liu

DRS Biennial Conference Series

This paper investigates how bio-inspired design can contribute to preventive healthcare by learning from the adaptive intelligence of living systems. Through a Critical Interpretive Synthesis of 356 studies, it explores the translation of concepts like adaptation, cooperation, and self-repair from biology to design practice. The Design Knowledge Translation Model (DKTM) is introduced to illustrate the process by which biological insights are interpreted, abstracted, and applied to inform design knowledge. The findings indicate that leveraging nature-inspired reasoning can shift healthcare from a reactive to an anticipatory approach, fostering systems that enhance wellbeing and collective care. Furthermore, this work provides a guideline …

Oxo Made With Milk: The Trials Of The Colonial Housewife, Igor Cusack

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

Colonisation may be seen as an essentially male process, imposing Western notions of household organization and gender on native women and on the colonial housewife. This is all part of the ideology of domesticity which permeated British colonial societies from the late nineteenth century until the independence of African states in the mid twentieth century. In this paper I will examine how food was used to combat various medical crises in British colonial Africa. The paper considers cookery books from South Africa, Rhodesia, Bechuanaland, Kenya, Nyasaland, Ghana and West Africa, focussing on sections entitled “for the invalid,” “invalid dishes” or …