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Standardizing Group Visits For Gestational Diabetes Education: A Quality Improvement Initiative In An Outpatient Maternal-Fetal Medicine Clinic, Nha Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: At an outpatient maternal-fetal medicine clinic in Northern California, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) education is delivered inconsistently across nurse practitioners (NPs) and registered dietitians (RDs), with no standardized curriculum, referral criteria, or educational materials. Aim: By August 12, 2026, this project aimed to develop and implement a standardized GDM group visit framework for NPs, RDs, and scheduling staff in maternal-fetal medicine clinic, increasing compliance with standardized referral, enrollment, and educational processes from a baseline of 0% to 50%. Methods: Using baseline observations, workflow assessment, stakeholder input, and a literature review, the QI team developed standardized bilingual slide …

Reducing Variation, Improving Outcomes: Standardizing Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Education In A Clinical Microsystem, Thanh Le

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: Variations in referral, scheduling, delivery of educational information, patient materials, and documentation hampered the quality of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) education in the outpatient maternal-fetal medicine clinic. Purpose: The aim of the quality improvement project was to boost adherence to a standardized GDM group education framework from 0 to 50% in the course of 12 weeks and assess attendance at group visits. Methods: The microsystem analysis was conducted based on observations of group visits conducted in Spanish and English, examination of current processes and resources in use, educator pre-survey, SWOT analysis, and cause and effect analysis. The implementation of …

A Functional Ultrasound Imaging (Fusi) Pipeline For Investigating Brain-Wide Hemodynamics During Torpor-Like Hypothermia, Owen J. Culver

McKelvey School of Engineering Graduate Student Theses & Dissertations

Torpor is a regulated state of reduced metabolic demand that enables animals to conserve energy under unfavorable environmental conditions. The controlled induction of a similar state, termed synthetic torpor, has potential applications in ischemic protection, organ preservation, cancer treatment, radiation protection, and long-term spaceflight. Although neuronal populations within the preoptic hypothalamus have been shown to initiate hypothermic and hypometabolic states, the distributed cerebral hemodynamic dynamics accompanying their induction and maintenance remain poorly understood. In this thesis, we developed an accessible functional ultrasound imaging (fUSI) acquisition and analysis pipeline and applied it to investigate cerebral hemodynamics during chemogenetic activation of the …

The Freedom Myth: How Ski Culture's Hidden Conformity Reveals The Unconscious Power Of Brand Belonging, Isabel R. Phillips

University Honors Theses

Purpose: Ski culture sells freedom and enforces conformity. This review asks what unconscious behavioral patterns hold that contradiction in place, and how brands capitalize on it to manufacture belonging.

Design/Methodology/Approach: A narrative literature review across consumer psychology, behavioral neuroscience, sociology, and ski industry research. No primary data were collected. Four accounts of consistency-seeking are synthesized into one framework, then applied to three ski industry cases at ascending scales and tested against a comparative case from Spanish football.

Findings: Belonging is a conditioned response, and conditioning requires a stable stimulus. Consistency is therefore the precondition of belonging rather than a constraint …

Genetic And Mechanistic Dissection Of Missing-Self Killing By Natural Killer Cells, Jeesang Yoon

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Natural killer (NK) cells eliminate transformed and infected cells through activating receptor-mediated cytotoxicity and through recognition of cells that have lost major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) expression, a process termed missing-self recognition. Although missing-self recognition is a central principle of NK-cell biology, the mechanisms that execute missing-self killing remain incompletely understood. In this dissertation, we used complementary genetic and functional approaches to investigate the molecular basis of missing-self killing. We first implemented a CRISPR–Cas9 ribonucleoprotein electroporation platform for efficient genetic manipulation of primary murine NK cells, providing a versatile approach for functional studies of NK-cell biology. To identify determinants …

Machine Learning Applications To Physical Processes, William Charles

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis demonstrates how machine learning techniques can solve computationally challenging problems across diverse areas of physics, from high-energy astrophysics to condensed matter systems, accelerating traditional computation. My first contribution addresses the computational expense of Monte Carlo calculations for radiative processes in relativistic plasmas. I develop a neural network sampling method that enables fast sampling from an arbitrary probability density, and demonstrate the method on inverse Compton scattering, achieving a speedup of up to an order of magnitude beyond standard methods. My second contribution addresses the structure and radiation of neutron star magnetospheres. I use physics-informed neural networks to model …

A Large-Scale Annotated Flight Time-Series Dataset And Geospatial Post-Flight Analysis Tools For Ngafid, Roman Kozulia

Theses

This work presents three contributions to the National General Aviation Flight Information Database (NGAFID): a maintenance-linked flight dataset forpredictivemaintenanceresearch, anaviationchartprocessingservice, and an interactive geospatial heat map for post-flight event analysis. The first contribution is a maintenance-linked flight dataset for predic- tive maintenance and prognostics research in general aviation. The dataset contains approximately 100,000 non-simulated maintenance work orders and more than a million multivariate flight recordings extracted from NGAFID. Eachflightisassociatedwithmaintenancerecordsandlabeledaspre-maintenance, day-of-maintenance, or post-maintenance. Flights are exported as one-hertz sensor time series with flight-phase annotations, while a clustering pipeline groups technician-written maintenance records into event categories. To our knowledge, thisisthelargestpubliclyavailablegeneralaviationflightdataset linked to …

X-Ray Emission From V1674 Her (Nova Her 2021) And Characterization Of Cebr3 Detectors For Gamma-Ray Spectrometry, Tekeba Olbemo

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Novae are thermonuclear explosions on the surface of the white dwarf in a close binary system. They are multi-wavelength transients emitting across the electromagnetic spectrum from radio to gamma-rays. This thesis primarily focuses on the X-ray emission from one particular nova, V1674 Her. V1674 Her (Nova Her 2021) is known for its ultra-fast decline time of ��2 ∼ 1 day. This under normal circumstances implies massive white dwarf potentially approaching the Chandrasekhar limit. We test this for V1674 Her by measuring its mass via X-ray spectroscopy method. The method calculates X-ray emission from physically motivated model of post-shock accretion column …

Beyond Autophagic Dysregulation: Vma21 Deficiency Reveals Altered Vesicle Trafficking And Broadens The Pathogenic Framework Of X-Linked Myopathy With Excessive Autophagy, Christian Suarez

Arts & Sciences Graduate Student Theses and Dissertations

Maintenance of protein homeostasis is essential for cellular function and depends on the coordinated regulation of protein synthesis and degradation. The major intracellular pathways responsible for protein degradation are the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and autophagy. Disruption of these processes has been implicated in a broad range of diseases, including neuromuscular disorders. X-linked myopathy with excessive autophagy (XMEA) is a rare vacuolar myopathy caused by mutations in VMA21, which encodes an assembly chaperone required for proper assembly of the vacuolar H⁺-ATPase (V-ATPase), the primary proton pump responsible for acidifying intracellular compartments, including lysosomes. Although impaired lysosomal acidification and autophagic dysregulation have …

Beyond Closed Doors: Standardizing Intimate Partner Violence Screening In A Predominantly Spanish-Speaking Primary Care Clinic, Sarah Abughrib

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: Intimate partner violence is a widespread public health concern, with an estimated 64.2 million U.S. adults affected in their lifetime and significant physical, psychological, and economic consequences. Due to systemic challenges, IPV screening remained inconsistent across an adult primary care clinic serving a predominantly monolingual Spanish-speaking population in the San Francisco Bay Area, with only 4.1% of patients screened across the Adult, Women's, and Teen clinics in June 2026. Aim: This quality improvement project aimed to increase overall IPV screening by 10%, from 4.1% to 14.1%, by July 31, 2026. Methods: Standardization efforts included introducing a …

Addressing Food Insecurities Through Staff Education In The Rural Health Setting, Angela Dawn Suttle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Rural America, including Arkansans, face a number of social determinants of health (SDOH) including food insecurities (FIs) and the inability to access nutritious food. FIs contribute to poor outcomes and increases healthcare utilization. Inconsistent screenings for FIs in adults living in the rural health clinic (RHC) setting, lack of standardized workflows, and failure to provide community resources when FI is identified represents a significant gap in practice. Purpose: The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project was to increase utilization of screening tools for FI, implement a standardized workflow, and provide patients with resources to improve …

Implementation Of A Nurse-Led Self-Measured Blood Pressure Program In Rural Primary Care, Stephanie Marie Montgomery

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hypertension remains a leading modifiable risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, yet blood pressure control remains suboptimal among many adults, particularly those receiving care in rural primary care settings. Reliance on office-based blood pressure measurements may limit opportunities to identify uncontrolled hypertension and actively engage patients in disease self-management. This Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement project evaluated the implementation of a standardized self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) program for adult patients with hypertension in a rural primary care practice. The intervention included validated home blood pressure monitors, standardized patient education, teach-back to verify measurement competency, structured home blood pressure …

Staff Education To Improve Hand Hygiene And Personal Protective Equipment Compliance, Suliat Oluwa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This doctoral project is a staff education initiative designed to strengthen hand hygiene and personal protective equipment (PPE) practices among interdisciplinary staff in a long-term care (LTC) facility. The practice problem addressed inconsistent hand hygiene and PPE use across shifts and departments, contributing to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). Because LTC residents are highly vulnerable due to advanced age, multiple comorbidities, and shared living environments, improving adherence to infection prevention practices is essential for enhancing resident safety, reducing preventable infections, and supporting compliance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) infection prevention standards. …

Staff Education To Improve Staff Knowledge Of Evidence-Based Strategies That Support Medication Adherence Among Patients Diagnosed With Depression In The Outpatient Clinic Setting, Comfort Aziwung Awungafac

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice project was an evidence-based practice staff education initiative designed to improve staff knowledge of evidence-based strategies that support medication adherence among patients diagnosed with depression in an outpatient clinic. Medication nonadherence is associated with poor treatment outcomes, symptom relapse, and reduced quality of life, highlighting the need for staff education on adherence-promoting interventions. The practice-focused question examined whether a structured educational intervention would improve staff knowledge of evidence-based medication adherence strategies over an 8-week period.

Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Trauma, And Experiences With Death And Dying Among Organ And Tissue Recovery Professionals: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Shelby Andreasen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Professionals in organ and tissue recovery have complex job roles that affect the outcomes of patients who wait for a life-saving organ or a life-enhancing tissue graft. This profession had little research regarding burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary trauma, as well as how consistent involvement with deceased patients affects these professionals and the outcomes of their cases. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of 11 organ and tissue recovery professionals (OTRPs). Constructivist self-development theory was applied to understand OTRPs’ lived experiences of compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and burnout, as well as the impact …

Weekly Team Validation Rounding Focused On Chlorhexidine Gluconate Bathing And Bath Completion And Documentation Compliance, La-Toya Therese Fong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quality improvement project evaluated whether weekly team validation rounding improved chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bath completion and documentation compliance among eligible adult inpatients, with particular attention to differences in compliance outcomes between Pod 5C and Pod 4B. Background. Hospital-acquired infections continue to increase morbidity, mortality, length of stay, and healthcare costs. Although CHG bathing is an evidence-based strategy for reducing infection risk and the transmission of multidrug-resistant organisms, inconsistent documentation at the practicum site limited accurate monitoring of compliance across validation data, electronic medical record documentation, and DOMO reports. Method. Participants included eligible adult inpatients admitted within the previous 24 …

Fellowship Graduates’ Perceptions Of The Professional Competencies Developed In A Local Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy Program In The Southern United States, Margaret Elaine Lonnemann

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Orthopedic manual physical therapy (OMPT) fellowship programs focus on improving clinical skills and professional development in physical therapy. OMPT fellowship programs are 1–3-year postprofessional subspecialty training programs in manual physical therapy requiring prior orthopedic clinical experience. The problem that was addressed in this study is that professional competencies are not adequately assessed after program completion of an OMPT fellowship in the Southern United States. Grounded in Dreyfus’s skill acquisition model, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore OMPT fellowship graduates’ perceptions of the professional competencies developed and recommendations for assessing these competencies in future graduates. Data were …

Closing The Loop: Strengthening Cauti Prevention With Urinary Catheter Management, Erika N. Braun

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most common preventable healthcare-associated infections and are associated with significant patient harm and increased healthcare costs. Baseline assessment across five adult cardiovascular and critical care units within a community-based acute care hospital identified four CAUTI events during the first half of 2026 and revealed important nursing knowledge deficits related to bladder scanning protocols and urinary catheter management practices. Aim: This Quality Improvement (QI) Project aimed to improve nursing knowledge of evidence-based bladder scanning protocols and urinary catheter management practices through targeted educational interventions implemented over a 10-week period, with …

Assessment Of Pareto Optimal Projection Search Algorithm For Next Generation Radiotherapy Planning In Prostate Cancer Treatment, Khanh Pham

Masters Projects

Purpose: Automated treatment planning systems (ATPS) are critical for improving plan consistency and efficiency. This study evaluated the implementation and performance of the Pareto optimal projection search algorithm (POPSA), a proprietary rule-based algorithm (RBA) in prostate site. The RBA's performance was benchmarked against established knowledge-based planning (KBP) and deep learning (DL) dose prediction tools.

Methods:  A retrospective comparative study used a cohort of N=10 previously treated patients, consisting of 10 prostate with lymph nodes cases. Three plans were generated per patient: manual reference (RA) plan, KBP plan, and RBA script-only plan. Performance was quantified by target volume coverage, organ at …

A Dosimetric Comparison Of 6-Mv Flattening Filter And Flattening Filter-Free Photon Beams For Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy Of Adrenal Tumors, Sarah Mcintosh

Masters Projects

Purpose: This study aimed to compare dosimetric characteristics and treatment delivery efficiency between 6-MV Flattening Filter (FF) and Flattening Filter-Free (FFF) photon beams for adrenal Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy (SBRT). While FFF beams have demonstrated dosimetric and efficiency advantages at other SBRT sites, there is limited data about their use in adrenal SBRT.

Methods and Materials: A retrospective dosimetric comparison was performed using 10 patients previously treated with adrenal SBRT. For each patient, two Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) plans were generated in Eclipse: one using 6-MV FF beams and one using 6-MV FFF beams, resulting in 20 total treatment …

Examining The Association Between Socioeconomic Factors And Cervical Cancer Among Minority Women In The United States, Darla Fils

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cervical cancer remains a significant public health concern, with African American and Hispanic women experiencing disproportionately higher incidence and mortality rates in the United States. Socioeconomic factors, including income, education, employment status, and place of residence, may contribute to these disparities by affecting access to preventive services, timely diagnosis, and follow-up care. This quantitative cross-sectional study examined associations between these factors and cervical cancer incidence among African American and Hispanic women while controlling for age and health insurance status. Guided by the socio-ecological model, the study used 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data from N = 33,886 African American …

Staff Education To Improve Diabetic Care In A Primary Care Setting, Sally Uyen Nguyen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inadequate patient education, inconsistent screening, missed referrals, and follow up with diabetes patients are challenges primary care managers and staff must overcome. Patients may experience negative effects that lead to poor health outcomes, delayed diagnosis, and undertreatment when provider and staff members are not educated about diabetes. The practice-focused question guiding the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project involved exploring whether a staff education intervention on standardized diabetes care and screening protocols could improve physicians, managers, and medical assistants’ (MAs) knowledge of diabetes care in primary care clinics. The purpose of this project was to enhance staff knowledge …

A Phq-9 Depression Screening Staff Education Program For Outpatient Nurses, Kaliym Hassaan Howell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was an educative project to improve staff knowledge of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) in an outpatient behavioral health unit. The PHQ-9 is a nine-item depression screening scale to evaluate depressive symptoms presence and severity (Ford et al., 2020; Negeri et al., 2021; Stanyte et al., 2023). One identified practice issue was a knowledge gap in administration, scoring, and interpretation of PHQ-9 among nurses, which was noted by inconsistencies in the interpretation and use of the tool. Since nurses are essential in PHQ-9 administration and interpretation, systematic education was needed to enhance competency. …

Staff Education To Improve Early Identification Of Behavioral Escalation And Timely Clinical Intervention In An Adult Group Home Setting, Gayduo Barr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project addressed a gap in staff knowledge regarding the early identification of behavioral escalation and timely intervention in an adult group home setting. The practice-focused question was: Does staff education about early identification of behavioral escalation and timely clinical intervention improve the knowledge of staff working in an adult group home setting? The purpose was to improve staff knowledge of behavioral escalation, triggers, trauma-informed care, and intervention strategies. I delivered a structured educational intervention to 14 house managers. Educational content included behavioral escalation stages, triggers, de-escalation techniques, trauma-informed care, documentation, and …

Staff Education On An Electronic Health Record-Based Tracking And Reminder System For Long-Acting Injectable Antipsychotics, Osereme Nora Agboifo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Missed or delayed administration of long-acting injectable (LAI) antipsychotic medications remains a practice concern in outpatient mental health care because treatment gaps can interrupt continuity, increase relapse risk, and contribute to avoidable hospitalization. The practice problem addressed in this staff education project was inconsistent use of a standardized electronic health record (EHR)-based LAI tracking and reminder workflow. The project purpose was to improve staff knowledge, documentation consistency, reminder use, and follow-up practices for adults receiving LAI antipsychotic medications. The practice-focused question asked whether staff education on an EHR-based LAI tracking and reminder system would improve adherence monitoring and follow-up processes …

Staff Education On Fall Reduction For Residents Of Long-Term Care Facility, Lauretta Ifeoma Iwuala-Mcwilliams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Falls pose a major safety risk for elderly individuals living in long-term care facilities, leading to injuries, hospitalizations, loss of autonomy, increased healthcare expenses, and higher morbidity and mortality rates. In the facility involved in this project, the incidence of falls was above anticipated benchmarks. Factors such as high staff turnover and reliance on agency staff resulted in inconsistent knowledge among personnel regarding fall prevention measures. Purpose: This Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement initiative aimed to implement and assess an evidence-based educational program designed to enhance staff understanding and skills related to fall-risk assessment, the identification of both intrinsic …

Improving Provider Awareness Of Stimulant-Associated Risks In Patients With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Comorbid Anorexia Nervosa Through Provider Education, Quenia Alfrenard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was a quality improvement initiative designed to improve provider knowledge regarding the identification and management of young adults diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and comorbid anorexia nervosa in an outpatient behavioral health clinic. Evidence has demonstrated a significant association between ADHD and eating disorders; however, this comorbidity is frequently underrecognized in clinical practice, contributing to challenges in treatment selection and patient safety. Stimulant medications, the first-line pharmacologic treatment for ADHD, may suppress appetite and promote weight loss, potentially worsening anorexia nervosa and delaying nutritional recovery (Shear et al., 2021). Consequently, providers must understand …

Non-Veteran Civilian Manager Perceptions About Supporting Employee Military In Civilian Workplace Transitions, Sandra Gail Piggee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the largest populations seeking employment in private sector industries is military veterans. The active-duty military careers end for over 200,000 individuals per year, and over two-thirds of veterans resign from private sector industry positions within 2 years of post-service transition due to difficulties with their transition. This can lead to a lack of career advancement, professional development, and employee benefits. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore perceptions of non-veteran civilian managers in private sector industries about how to support employees who are veterans in making a successful transition from the military into civilian employment. …

Postsecondary Experiences And Impact On Career Choices And Employment Status For Cisgender Women With Autism, Maureen Bell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cisgender women with autism remain underrepresented in research on postsecondary education and career development despite experiencing distinct barriers within these systems. This qualitative study examined how cisgender women with autism perceived the impact of their postsecondary education experiences on career choices and employment navigation. Guided by the social model of disability and intersectionality theory, nine postsecondary participants formally diagnosed with autism and who self-identified as cisgender completed semistructured interviews exploring their educational and employment experiences. Thematic analysis identified seven interconnected themes. Findings indicated that academic success often masked significant internal distress, suggesting that performance did not reflect accessible environments. Participants …

Kindergarten Classroom Educators’ Perceptions Of Social Emotional Learning Implementation, Thomasina A. Millner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was that research on social emotional learning (SEL) has largely focused on student outcomes, program effectiveness, and implementation practices, but limited research has examined kindergarten classroom educators’ perceptions of implementing SEL. Grounded in the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning framework, the purpose of this study was to explore kindergarten classroom educators’ perceptions of SEL implementation. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews with nine kindergarten educators who had at least 1 year experience implementing SEL were conducted. Through thematic data analysis the following five themes emerged: Educators noted (1) that SEL is …