Digital Commons Network^™

Explicit Writing Instruction Across Content Areas: A Professional Development, Bethany B. Richardson

Masters Projects

Research shows that writing instruction has diminished in the elementary classroom due to high stakes testing in reading and math.  Writing is a driving force for literacy achievement and should be prioritized.  In order to improve writing instruction, teachers need professional development in explicit instructional strategies for writing in other content areas.  According to cognitive processing theory, students are using multiple cognitive and metacognitive processes to complete a singular writing task.  Using scaffolds like write alouds, mentor texts, and graphic organizers can help teachers support students in their writing. Scaffolding theory suggests that students need high levels of support in …

Staff Education To Integrate The Cdc Prediabetes Risk Test Into Primary Care Intake, Helen Ndangam

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This staff education project involves addressing the gap in using a standardized prediabetes screening protocol at an outpatient primary care clinic in Maryland, which leads to missed early interventions. Standardizing this process is vital for nursing practice to promote preventive care and optimize workflows. The practice-focused question was for medical support assistants (MSAs) at an outpatient primary care clinic: How does implementing a competency-based education program on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Prediabetes Risk Test (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], n.d.) affect staff knowledge, workflow confidence, and screening compliance over a 7-week period? The purpose …

Staff Education To Reduce Burnout Among Psychiatric Nurses Caring For Patients With Schizophrenia, Gloria Laizer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice staff education project addressed occupational burnout among psychiatric registered nurses caring for patients with schizophrenia. Workplace violence, compassion fatigue, emotional exhaustion, and staffing shortages place psychiatric nurses at high risk for burnout, threatening nurse well-being, workforce retention, and patient safety. The practice site lacked a standardized resilience education program. The practice-focused question was, In psychiatric nurses caring for patients with schizophrenia, does implementation of an evidence-based resilience education program, compared with current practice, reduce occupational burnout? The purpose was to implement and evaluate such a program, informed by the Johns Hopkins evidence-based practice (JHEBP) Model …

Improving Nurses’ Knowledge Of Barcode Medication Administration Using Structured Education In Group Homes, Bernadette Beleho Woueko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) educational project evaluated the effectiveness of a structured Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA) education program in enhancing nurses’ knowledge of BCMA and promoting medication safety. Because local BCMA compliance rates were 15 percentage points below the organizational benchmark, an educational intervention was implemented using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model and the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework. Fifteen staff members, including Registered Nurses, Leaders, and Managers, participated in two educational sessions focused on BCMA use, medication safety, case studies, and role-play activities. Findings demonstrated a significant increase in BCMA knowledge, with scores improving from 68.4% to 86.7% (p < .001). These results support the continuation of BCMA education, competency validation, and training programs to reduce medication errors and enhance patient safety. Keywords: Barcode Medication Administration, BCMA, medication administration errors, nursing education, patient safety, evidence-based practice, educational project.

Targeted Staff Education To Improve Bipolar Disorder Screening Through Implementation Of The Rapid Mood Screener, Emmanuel Alfred

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project addressed the persistent challenge of bipolar disorder misdiagnosis in an outpatient mental health clinic. Misdiagnosis mostly occurs when bipolar disorder is mistaken for major depressive disorder, resulting in delays in treatment, inappropriate medication administration, worsening symptoms, and poorer patient outcomes. The Rapid Mood Screener (RMS) is a validated six-item screening tool that was developed to improve the identification of bipolar disorder and support diagnostic accuracy. The practice-focused question was, Among outpatient mental health clinicians and nursing staff, will an educational intervention on the use of the RMS improve their knowledge and self-efficacy compared to pre-education levels over a …

Patient-Reported Outcomes Of Effectiveness Of Esketamine For Treatment-Resistant Depression, Erica L. Marino

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) affects approximately 30% of individuals with major depressive disorder who do not respond to conventional antidepressant therapies. TRD symptoms severely impact a patient’s quality of life (QoL) and impose a considerable burden on healthcare systems. The purpose of this quantitative study was to evaluate the impact of esketamine in decreasing depressive symptoms and improving QoL factors in patients diagnosed with TRD. The research aimed to determine whether there were statistically significant improvements in depressive symptoms, as measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and changes in QoL, as measured by the Quality of Life in Depression Scale, over …

Staff Education To Improve Hypertension Management Knowledge, Angelor Eliscard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project, I addressed inconsistent staff knowledge of evidence-based strategies for preventing and controlling hypertension among African American women in an outpatient primary care setting. The practice-focused question was: In an outpatient clinical setting, what was the impact of an evidence-based staff education program on healthcare providers' knowledge of hypertension prevention and control strategies for African American women, as measured by pretest and posttest scores? The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate a structured staff education program to improve providers' knowledge of evidence-based strategies for preventing and controlling hypertension …

How Racial Bias And Job-Related Stressors Impact The Prospect Of Police Misconduct, Jean Emmanuel Brutus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Police use of excessive force is an enduring challenge for criminal justice institutions and the public, particularly, affecting minority communities. This has contributed to diminished public confidence in U.S. policing institutions. Prior empirical studies among law enforcement officers, indicate that Black minorities have been discriminated by police officers. Stress research links social stress to mental health and identifies police brutality as an anticipatory stressor for minority groups. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify factors, including job-related stressors, and racial bias, that contribute to officers using excessive force, so to fill the gap in research, and develop …

Effective Strategies To Implement Equitable And Transparent Artificial Intelligence Technologies To Improve Employee Productivity, Ijeoma Appolonia Chukwunyelu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective artificial intelligence (AI) implementation strategies can undermine transparency and ethics in AI technology use for organizational performance and diminish employee productivity. Without these strategies, information technology (IT) leaders risk reduced employee productivity, lower organizational adoption of AI technologies, and inequitable outcomes. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore effective strategies IT leaders use to implement transparent, ethical AI technologies to improve employee productivity. The conceptual framework that grounded this project was transformational leadership theory. The project participants were six IT business leaders in the United States with experience implementing AI technologies within their organizations. …

Effective Leadership Strategies To Recruit And Retain A Multigenerational Workforce, Nnamdi Cajetan Onwuzulike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of effective leadership strategies for recruiting and retaining a multigenerational workforce poses a significant challenge for organizational leaders. Failure to address the diverse needs and expectations of employees across generations can reduce employee retention, hinder organizational effectiveness, and increase operational costs. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the qualitative pragmatic inquiry identified and explored effective leadership strategies used by some organizational leaders to recruit and retain a multigenerational workforce. Participants were six organizational leaders from large organizations in the United States with experience leading multigenerational workforces. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and secondary data from publicly available sources …

Multidimensional Impacts Of Insecure Password Workaround Techniques On Modern Organizations, Emmanuel Paintsil

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Password workaround (PWWA) behaviors, such as password sharing, credential reuse, and other informal security practices, continue to expose organizations to significant cybersecurity risks. Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) leaders are particularly vulnerable because they often operate with limited resources while balancing security requirements, regulatory obligations, and operational demands. Guided by Herzberg’s two-factor theory and activity theory. The purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to explore [CS3.1]strategies SME leaders use to identify, manage, and mitigate the financial, reputational, and regulatory risks associated with PWWA behaviors. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 cybersecurity professionals and organizational leaders who had …

Stewardship In Action: Reducing Unnecessary Antimicrobial Use In Long-Term Care, Mariatu Sulaiman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Antimicrobial overuse in long-term care facilities (LTCFs) contributes to antimicrobial resistance, avoidable healthcare costs, and adverse drug events, particularly when antibiotics are prescribed for asymptomatic bacteriuria rather than symptomatic urinary tract infections (UTIs). Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines, including the McGeer Criteria, provide standardized approaches for differentiating true UTIs from asymptomatic bacteriuria and supporting appropriate antimicrobial prescribing. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to evaluate the development and implementation of a clinical practice guideline incorporating the McGeer Criteria into an antibiotic stewardship program in an LTCF. The practice-focused question examined what evidence supports strategies for reducing unnecessary antimicrobial use …

Staff Education To Improve Obesity Risk Assessment And Referral Practices, Omolara Aminat Oshokoya

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary This staff education project addressed inconsistent obesity risk assessment practices in an adult primary care setting. Obesity is associated with increased rates of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and other chronic conditions. At the project site, obesity assessment practices relied largely on body mass index (BMI), resulting in inconsistent identification of obesity-related risks and referral needs. The purpose of this project was to educate providers on the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS) to improve obesity risk identification and referral practices. The project evaluated whether the staff education intervention improved providers' knowledge and use of the Edmonton Obesity Staging System (EOSS) …

Operating Room Scheduling And Workflow Optimization In Acute Care Hospitals, Waleed Tawfik

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Operating room scheduling inefficiencies in acute care hospitals contribute to delays, prolonged turnover times, cancellations, underused capacity, overtime, higher costs, and reduced timely access to surgery. This integrative review examined evidence-based, systems-oriented scheduling and workflow strategies to improve operating room utilization, reduce delays, and enhance operational efficiency. Guided by general systems theory, a structured search identified 196 database-level records; 28 articles underwent full-text review, and 20 sources were retained for thematic synthesis after critical appraisal using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice criteria. The thematic analysis revealed four main themes: standardized workflow coordination, data-driven scheduling and decision support, integrated resource and …

Improving Adherence To Remote Patient Monitoring (Rpm) For Patients With Hypertension, Chioma Udegbune

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Hypertension is a leading contributor to cardiovascular disease, and suboptimal adherence to remote patient monitoring (RPM) limits opportunities for timely intervention and effective blood pressure management in outpatient primary care.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: Among outpatient clinic nursing staff responsible for remote patient monitoring (RPM) in adults with hypertension (P), how does implementation of a structured nurse-led education and reminder protocol (I), compared to standard RPM practices consisting of routine onboarding and passive reminder processes (C), influence patient adherence to RPM protocols (O) over a 10-week period (T)?

Evidence: Evidence supports nurse-led education, …

Confidence Versus Competence: Addressing Nursing Knowledge Gaps In Catheter Care To Reduce Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Leslie Anne Villanueva Bautista

Master's Projects and Capstones

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) remain among the most prevalent and preventable healthcare-associated infections (HAIs), contributing substantially to patient morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and healthcare expenditures. Most hospital-acquired UTIs are related to urinary catheters, and this burden costs the United States alone an estimated $340 to $450 million annually (Yang et al., 2022). CAUTIs are UTIs that occur in patients with indwelling urinary catheters. This quality improvement project aimed to increase adherence to existing bladder scanning protocols and strengthen urinary catheter care to prevent CAUTI. Baseline staff nurse knowledge was obtained, and reinterpretation of the facility’s existing protocols and bundles …

Addressing Haitian High School Students’ Educational Challenges Through Their Self-Cultural Awareness, Gregory Louis

Graduate Student Dissertations, Theses, Capstones, and Portfolios

The study is grounded in the understanding that culturally responsive education practices can promote academic success and empower students to navigate multiple cultural contexts. A review of literature highlighted the complexities of Haitian students' educational experiences, the impact of cultural identity on academic achievement, and the need for further research on this topic.

The research employed in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Haitian high school students and their parents to gather data on their experiences, perceptions, and attitudes towards education and cultural identity. The study aimed to contribute to a deeper understanding of the educational experiences of Haitian students and inform strategies …

Professional Development And Coaching To Support Teachers In Implementing Reading Interventions To Students With Dyslexia In Catholic Schools, Payton Elise Bosma

Masters Projects

Students with dyslexia need explicitly designed and implemented instruction in order to combat deficits in phonological, language, and executive functioning processes, yet teachers in Catholic Schools may not have the necessary training for successful reading intervention due to a lack of dyslexia policy in private schools. This project aims to fill this need by providing one Catholic School in an urban setting with a year-long professional development series which includes 5 professional development sessions to be implemented alongside individual coaching sessions. The purpose of the professional development sessions is twofold. They were created to increase teacher awareness of the etiology …

Clinical Practice Guideline For Fall Prevention And Reduction, Wendy Zitzloff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Falls are a significant concern for residents in long-term care facilities who are 65 years old or older, which places them at a higher risk of injury. The risk of falling is unique to each patient and cumulative with advanced age and complex comorbidities. A Long-Term Care (LTC) Facility in Minnesota had 6.6% of long-stay residents experience a fall resulting in a major injury, higher than the Minnesota average of 4.1%. This Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) outlines foundational components for preventing and reducing falls among geriatric patients in long-term care facilities. The purpose of the CPG is to outline the …

Underrepresented Students’ Perceptions Of Precollege Programs And Challenges Of Transitioning To Postsecondary Education, Dana Truesdale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that underrepresented students (low-income and first generation college students) face challenges associated with the transition from secondary education to postsecondary education. Grounded in Schlossberg’s transition theory, the purpose of this study was to explore underrepresented students’ perceptions of support provided by precollege programs and remaining challenges when transitioning to higher education. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews with 11 underrepresented students who participated in a precollege program were conducted. Braun and Clarke’s six-phase data analysis was used. After deductive and inductive analysis, the following themes emerged: Students indicated that the …

Public Defenders’ Challenges Representing Erroneous Prosecution Cases In The Black Community, Kayla Kristine Stephens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public defenders in a southern state continue to face significant challenges when representing Black individuals in the criminal justice system, particularly in cases involving erroneous prosecution. These challenges are intensified by high caseloads, limited funding, and systemic inequities, which can be stressors affecting the prosecutors wellbeing and hinder the provision of adequate legal representation. Public defenders, appointed to represent indigent defendants, frequently navigate complex legal and social circumstances that intersect with racial disparities in the justice system. For this qualitative study the research question was, how do public defenders perceive and manage any stresses representing erroneous prosecution cases in the …

Exploring The Definition Of Democracy And Rule Of Law From Afghan Women’S Perspective, Lynda Boswell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the United States funded programs from 2001 to 2021 to promote democracy, the rule of law, and opportunities for Afghan women, existing reports and evaluations focused primarily on expenditures, implementation, outputs, and accountability rather than Afghan women’s perspectives, particularly after the Taliban’s return to power in August 2021. This study addressed that gap by exploring how Afghan women experienced and understood democracy and the rule of law before and after the U.S. withdrawal and how U.S.-supported programs influenced their perceptions and experiences. Guided by theoretical frameworks of democracy and the rule of law as applied in Afghanistan and other …

Recent Failures And Lessons In Self-Regulating Professions In Canada From A Historical Organization Perspective, Richard James Dixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Canadian self-regulating professions govern the conduct of professionals through legislatively mandated organizations, yet the conditions under which their management fails, and self-regulatory authority is lost, remain poorly understood. Governing boards and provincial governments need to understand this concern as a leading indicator of governance failure, erosion of public confidence, and conditions that may precipitate the loss of self-regulatory authority. The purpose of this descriptive, historical, multiple-case study was to explore how recent management failures in three Canadian self-regulating professional organizations can guide decision-makers in choosing sustainable management practices and governance models. Freidson's professionalism framework, neo-institutional theory, and strategic management grounded …

Development Of A Clinical Practice Guideline For Hpv Vaccination In Low-Income Adolescents Using The Agree Ii Framework, Jariatu Fatu Bundu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is an effective strategy for preventing HPV-related cancers; however, vaccination initiation and series completion remain suboptimal among adolescents, particularly those from low-income and underserved populations. This Doctor of Nursing Practice project addressed an evidence-to-practice gap involving the absence of a standardized clinical practice guideline (CPG) for HPV vaccination in a family practice setting serving predominantly low-income adolescents. The purpose of the project was to develop and validate an evidence-based CPG to standardize provider recommendations and support improvement in HPV vaccination initiation and series completion. Evidence was appraised and synthesized using the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice Model, …

Implementation Of A Standardized Antibiotic Order Set To Improve Evidence-Based Antibiotic Prescribing In Oral Surgery, Lashundra Miles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inconsistent antibiotic prescribing practices in an oral surgery clinic contributed to variation in antibiotic selection, timing, dosing, redosing when indicated, and duration. This variation limited adherence to evidence-based prescribing recommendations and highlighted the need for a workflow-based strategy to support antibiotic stewardship. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to increase use of a standardized antibiotic order set through reminder-based reinforcement and to improve evidence-based prescribing practices. The practice-focused question examined whether implementing the standardized antibiotic order set, supported by workflow-integrated reminders and ongoing performance feedback, would improve order-set utilization during a 6-week implementation period. The project was guided …

Improving Rsv Vaccination Uptake Through Nurse-Led Educational Intervention, Lawrence Onuorah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In this quality improvement project, the DNP scholar explored the impact of a nurse-led staff education approach on improving respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) vaccine uptake. RSV disease results in negative health outcomes and even death among vulnerable individuals. Despite the availability of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved vaccines, uptake remains low due to limited provider knowledge and inconsistent vaccine recommendations. Therefore, the project question addressed whether a staff education program would increase providers’ perceived knowledge of RSV vaccine recommendation and confidence to engage in patient education. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement a nurse-led staff …

Strategies To Reduce Staff Shortages In A Freestanding Dialysis Clinic In Rural Georgia, Shayla Daniell Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vacancy rates are a current problem in a freestanding outpatient dialysis clinic in rural communities. From an administrative perspective, vacancy rates increase costs associated with recruitment, onboarding, training, overtime and compromise the quality and safety of patient care. The purpose of this integrative review was to identify evidence-based strategies to decrease vacancy rates in rural Georgia dialysis clinics. Donabedian’s framework of structure, process, and outcome was used for this integrative review. The integrative review question explored evidence-based strategies that can decrease vacancy rates in dialysis clinics in rural Georgia. Out of 50 articles reviewed using the John Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice …

Nursing Staff’S Perception Of The Implementation Of The Obstetric Emergency Code Pink, Mareena Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The local nursing practice problem addressed by this DNP doctoral project was the inconsistent and uneven response to obstetric emergencies within the health care setting. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the current implementation of the Code Pink protocol, identify any gaps or barriers in its effectiveness, and gather insights from nursing staff to propose refinements that would enhance its reliability and impact., The perception of nursing staff regarding obstetric emergency codes represents a critical dimension in the domain of maternal and neonatal health care, significantly influencing the efficacy of emergency responses and patient outcomes. Obstetric emergencies, such …

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions About Teaching Students With Disabilities In The General Education Classroom, Mackenzie Rathburn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that elementary teachers encounter challenges to meet the diverse needs of students with disabilities (SWDs) in Georgia’s general education classrooms, despite policy mandates requiring inclusive education. Grounded in Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore elementary teachers’ perceptions of the challenges they face and the resources and supports recommended to teach SWDs in general education classrooms. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 10 elementary general education teachers and analyzed using thematic analysis with the following six themes emerging: Teachers noted (1) instructional …

Best-Practice Patient Education On Glp-1, Low-Glycemic Diet, Intermittent Fasting, And Exercise For Weight Loss In Obese Nondiabetics, Clara Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Executive Summary: Clinical Practice Guideline Best-Practice Patient Education on GLP-1, Low-Glycemic Diet, Intermittent Fasting, and Exercise for Weight Loss in Obese Nondiabetics by Clara Green MS, Walden University, 2020 BS, University of Texas at El Paso, 2014 Executive Summary Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University August 2026