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Staff Education Project To Teach Mobility And Sensory Aid Optimization Delirium Prevention Bundle For Older Patients In A Hospital Health System, Lerato Catherine Modise

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Delirium is a preventable and manageable neuropsychiatric condition characterized by acute fluctuations in attention, awareness, and cognition. The burden of this acute confusion syndrome among older adults aged > 65 years is disproportionate higher, due to age-related neurocognitive vulnerabilities. Nurse-led delirium prevention interventions can reduce incidence from 70% to 20% following structured education, gaps persist in nursing knowledge around evidence-based prevention strategies. The purpose of this project was to evaluate whether a structured nursing education intervention on enhanced mobility and sensory aid optimization strategies, as components of the ABCDEF bundle, improved nursing knowledge compared to standard care practices. Nineteen registered nurses …

Staff Education On Improving Staff Knowledge Of Medication Adherence In An Outpatient Psychiatric Facility, Okechukwu Chidiadi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project was a staff education initiative designed to improve staff knowledge of medication adherence at an adult psychiatric outpatient clinic. Addressing this matter is critical because it directly impacts the quality of patient care. The practice focus question was: Among psychiatric mental health staff in a behavioral health facility, what is the impact of a staff educational program on teaching medication adherence to patients on the staff’s knowledge? The purpose of this staff education project was to improve staff knowledge of medication adherence by equipping them with the tools and strategies needed to help patients manage their treatment plans …

Reducing No-Show Rates In An Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic Through A Multimodal Patient Engagement Intervention, Gwendoline Osong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reducing No-Show Rates in an Outpatient Behavioral Health Clinic Through a Multimodal Patient Engagement Intervention

Development And Implementation Of A Clinical Practice Guideline To Standardize Social Determinants Of Health Screening And Social Services Referrals In Primary Care, Patricia Pottinger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social determinants of health (SDOH) significantly influence health outcomes, yet many primary care organizations lack a standardized, evidence-based process for identifying patients' social needs and facilitating referrals to appropriate community resources. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice executive leadership project was to develop and implement a clinical practice guideline (CPG) to standardize SDOH screening and social services referrals in a primary care setting. The practice-focused question asked whether a CPG designed to standardize social services referrals would be approved by a panel of subject matter experts using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II instrument. …

Effective Leadership Strategies To Retain For-Profit Education Employees After A Leadership Change, Kimberly Keene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective leadership transitions in for profit higher education erode employee morale, trust, and retention. Higher education business leaders recognize that ineffective leadership transitions can contribute to employee disengagement, reduced organizational commitment, and increased turnover, undermining institutional stability, workforce continuity, and organizational performance. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore the effective leadership strategies used by for-profit education institution leaders to retain key employees after a change in leadership. The participants were 10 leaders employed at for-profit higher education institutions in the southern United States who had successfully implemented leadership strategies …

Staff Education To Improve Evidence-Based Follow-Up For Patients With Severe Depression In An Outpatient Mental Health Clinic, Uzochiamaka Ndukwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The practice gap addressed in this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) staff education project was the inconsistent documentation completion of evidence-based depression follow-up actions for patients with severe depression in an outpatient mental health clinic. National clinical practice guidelines recommend that patients with clinically significant depression receive timely, documented follow-up that includes appropriate treatment planning, behavioral health follow-up, medication management when clinically indicated, and repeat symptom reassessment. However, baseline chart audit findings demonstrated variability in documentation of these evidence-based follow-up actions. The practice-focused question was: In an outpatient mental health clinic, does a standardized staff education program on evidence-based depression …

Exploring Licensed Clinical Social Workers’ Past Trauma And Current Practice: A Strengths-Based Perspective, Michael E. Conner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of licensed clinical social workers to examine how they manage, reinterpret, and integrate their childhood trauma into their professional clinical identities. Adverse childhood experiences among clinicians are often framed through a risk-based lens of burnout and impairment, leaving social work leaders without empirical models to support post-traumatic growth and workforce retention. The purpose of this study was to examine how clinicians leverage past adversity to inform contemporary practice. A basic qualitative design was used, with semistructured interviews conducted with 11 participants. Participant narratives were examined through the dual lenses of shattered assumptions theory …

The Person As Foundation Of Responsibility: The Insufficiency Of Rights-Based Human Development Approaches, Jaclyn Berg

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Building on the plethora of research that demonstrates the way rights language has been more useful for those with wealth and power to further expand capitalist markets, this text extends that criticism to human development programs and institutions. While they claim to be directed towards addressing global issues of poverty and hunger as well as climate crises, they continue to treat the symptoms without accurately diagnosing the disease. Approaches to development that rely on rights without questioning the way rights have been influenced by neoliberal capitalists or without questioning the capitalist global economic system will never be able to achieve …

Development Of Minimalist Trifunctional Building Blocks For Chemical Biology Probe Synthesis, Luke E. Bohrer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The completion of the Human Genome Project in 2003 generated expectations that genomic information would accelerate the discovery of new protein drug targets and FDA-approved therapies. However, many small-molecule drug candidates continue to fail in clinical trials, and much of the human proteome remains undercharacterized in terms of structure, function, and disease relevance. Chemical tools are therefore essential for defining protein function, mapping protein interactions, and identifying disease-associated molecular mechanisms. Among these tools, small-molecule chemical probes provide a powerful strategy for connecting biological activity with target identification, functional analysis, and the development of effective therapies.

This dissertation describes the development …

The Decline Of Confidence In The U.S. Supreme Court: Evidence From The General Social Survey, 2004-2024, Lola Dragosavac

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study examines public confidence in the United States Supreme Court and whether confidence has declined between 2004 and 2024. It also investigates whether demographic characteristics, political ideology, and confidence in other political institutions help explain the variation in confidence levels. Using data from the General Social Survey (GSS) for 2004, 2014, and 2024, this study employs a binary logistic regression approach to examine the predictors of confidence in the Court. The findings indicate that confidence in the Supreme Court declined significantly over the twenty-year period. Political ideology emerged as a strong predictor of confidence, with conservatives over three times …

Impact Of Taped Problems Intervention Modification On Children With Deafness, Clyniece Hodge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Children with hearing loss are at an increased risk of experiencing setbacks in various areas of life, including academic performance and employment opportunities. Academically, they are likely to experience poor academic achievement in reading, as well as in mathematics (ASHA, 2013). In comparison to gifted hearing students and average-ability hearing students, students with hearing loss are at a higher risk of low mathematics performance (Hassan & Mohammed, 2019). Despite these known challenges and risk factors, limited research has been conducted to identify effective intervention strategies for improving mathematical outcomes among this population. As such, this study aimed to evaluate the …

Dialogic Communication Ethics As A Hopeful Response To Artificial Intelligence, Kristen Haldeman

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Within the past five years, a new technology has dominated modern culture: artificial intelligence. With a multiplicity of ways to respond to this new environment, this dissertation situates a response to artificial intelligence by combining the media ecology and communication ethics perspectives. Media ecology explores historical roots and biases of technology to learn about their influence of humanity. A dialogic communication ethics seeks to find an opening for hope to emerge. Hope, grounded in the works of Jacques Ellul and the Christian tradition, offers a new rhetorical perspective by shifting focus away from technology and to our neighbor.

Integrating Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions In Inclusive Classrooms To Support Autistic Students, Paige J. Johnson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The current trend of an increasing prevalence rate of autism spectrum disorder creates a growing need for evidence-based interventions that can be accessed in the natural environments, such as within inclusive educational settings. Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NDBIs) integrate principles of applied behavior analysis and developmental psychology, and offer effective tools for increasing social communication behaviors in autistic children that align with the neurodiversity-affirming movement. The present study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of Behavior Skills Training (BST) in teaching core NDBI skills to a preschool teacher, examine changes in teacher self-efficacy related to supporting autistic students, and assess the …

A Mixed-Methods Pilot Study Of A 10-Week Wellness Program For Resident Assistants, Emily L. Lee-Chong

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This mixed-methods pilot study used semi-structured interviews with 15 resident assistants (RAs), complemented by descriptive pre- and post-test data from the Five Factor Wellness Inventory (FFWEL), to explore their lived experiences of participating in a 10-week wellness program grounded in the Indivisible Self Model of Wellness (IS-WEL). The purpose of this study was to examine the program's perceived influence on wellness practices and to explore the feasibility of implementing wellness-focused programming. Using a hermeneutic inquiry approach, the study identified four themes reflecting participants’ experiences throughout the program. Themes highlighted the importance of self-awareness through the IS-WEL model, the value of …

Race And Trauma: An Analysis Of Trauma Symptomology Across Diverse Youth Populations, Mara J. Niccoli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The adverse effects of trauma, particularly among youth who identify as Black, is a critical issue. This study investigated the relationship between race and trauma symptomology among children and adolescents who received weekly trauma therapy. With the use of clinical assessment data, this study sought to determine whether Black youth presented to treatment with higher trauma acuity than non-Black youth and if there were disparate outcomes in symptomology after treatment. The results indicated that on average, Black youth presented to treatment with lower trauma acuity than non-Black youth, and there were disparate outcomes in trauma symptomology between the two racial …

A Philosophy Of Communication Response To Bullying In Corporate America, Chris A. Phillips Dr.

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This philosophy of communication response to bullying in corporate America follows the structure of posing research questions, synthesizing relevant literature, and offering advice to practitioners. It invites the reader to have hope in continuing the conversation through a constructive hermeneutic approach to the problem. By building on literature in oppression, silencing, bullying, incivility, and communication ethics, this dissertation reveals how (rhetoric) and why (philosophy) the problem occurs in corporate America today. This dissertation offers a new angle to an old problem, or, a rhetoric and philosophy of bullying. It responds to the following questions:

RQ 1: As a destructive communication …

Between Care And Despair: An Existential Phenomenological Study Of Eco-Anxiety As Lived Experience, Conor H. Sukhdeo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the lived experience of eco-anxiety among young adults aware of the ongoing ecological crisis but not directly exposed to climate-related disasters. Grounded in the human science tradition, ecopsychology, and existential phenomenology, this study employed Scott Churchill’s (2022) approach to Existential Phenomenological Research (EPR) to deepen our understanding of the phenomenon of eco-anxiety. Four participants, residing in Pittsburgh and aged 18-25, produced written experiential descriptions and participated in open-ended phenomenological interviews. As outlined by EPR, this data was analyzed through meaning unit delineation, imaginative variation, phenomenological reduction, and structural synthesis to produce individual situated structures of eco-anxiety for …

The Narrative In The Algorithm: Storytelling, World Literature, And The Smartphone, Chad Szalkowski-Ference

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation, I interrogate the role algorithms, artificial intelligence, and smartphone technology play in contemporary world literature. My analysis begins with the post-truth condition, which speaks to the contemporary era’s embrace of alternative facts, authoritarianism, and conspiratorial thinking. I draw on narrative theory and paradigms of world literature to show how “algorithmic reasoning” has led to a state of paranoid persecution. This reasoning has forged new collectivities across traditional borders. Additionally, I show that these new collectivities and new technologies have produced new narrative points of view: the algorithmic first- and third-person, allowing narratives to retain the intimacy and …

Supporting Oral Language Development Through Family Partnerships: A Family-Centered Toolkit For Children Enrolled In Pre-K, Celeste Baird

Masters Projects

Oral language development during early childhood serves as a critical foundation for later literacy achievement, communication, and preparation for kindergarten. Research indicates that children’s early language experiences are influenced by interactions with families, educators, and community environments, and that differences in access to language-rich experiences may contribute to variation in vocabulary, listening comprehension, and expressive communication prior to school entry. This capstone project examines the role of Pre-K participation and family engagement in supporting oral language development through the lenses of sociolinguistic theory, sociocultural theory, and an educational equity framework. Guided by current research, the project addresses the need for …

A Coupled Reaction-Diffusion Model Of Promoting And Suppressing Interactions Among Cancer Hallmarks In Endometrial Cancer, Jeddy Bennett

Theses and Dissertations

Spatial transcriptomics enables the scoring of Cancer Hallmarks at a high resolution across a tissue biopsy, yet current analyses of these data remain largely descriptive, treating each spot as a static, independent observation. This thesis develops a coupled system of advection-diffusion-reaction partial differential equations to model the hallmark landscape as the steady-state solution of an underlying spatial process, and casts the recovery of its physical parameters as a PDE-constrained inverse problem. The framework is implemented in FEniCSx on tissue-specific finite element meshes derived from two endometrial cancer biopsies provided by the Huntsman Cancer Institute, with subdomains, boundary interfaces, and an …

Sand Distribution On Titan And Implications For Sand Transport And Interconnectedness Of Sand Seas, Delaney Rose

Theses and Dissertations

The vast equatorial sand seas of Saturn's moon Titan are of particular interest for understanding surface processes and the budget of organic materials on Titan's surface. Previous studies have described sand dune morphology, transport, collection, and distribution patterns utilizing Cassini Imaging Science Subsystem (ISS), Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS), and Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery. Studies have also shown evidence both for and against a global interconnected system of sand transport between Titan's major sand seas. This study worked both to create a higher resolution dataset of sand distribution using trimodal thresholding techniques applied to SAR images, as well …

Mitigation Of The Seductive Details Effect In Children, Allison S. Dobuler

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The present thesis examines if interspersing guiding questions between sections of an expository text can mitigate the seductive details effect, in which the addition of interesting but tangentially related information to the base text may hinder the ability to learn the essential material, for typically developing children. Participants were given two passages to read, one with seductive details and one without. They either had no guiding questions for both passages or guiding questions interspersed between the text of both passages. They were given retention and comprehension assessments for both passages. While the guiding questions did not mitigate the seductive details …

Effects Of Exercise On The Quality Of Life And Functional Capabilities For Individuals With Spinal Cord Injury, Luis Ellerbe

Doctorate in Kinesiology

Spinal cord injury (SCI) can significantly impact physical functioning, mental health, social support, and overall quality of life. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a 12-week standardized exercise program on quality of life and functional capabilities in adults with SCI. Participants completed a self-guided exercise program consisting of aerobic and strengthening activities performed twice weekly for 12 weeks. Outcome measures included the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM), 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), and Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Assessments were completed at baseline, post-intervention, and at a 6-month …

Metal-Assisted Chemical Etching For Heterogeneous Integration And Advanced Processing, Sami Znati

Theses

Emerging and existing technologies will require novel approaches to continue advances in development. Heterogeneous integration of next generation materials, such as 2-D materials and III-V semiconductors, onto existing platforms is a critical step to enabling new, better performing devices. Microtransfer printing (µTP) is a promising technique for integrating device coupons onto supportive platforms. InP coupons are integrated into mixed-dimensional structures by printing onto 2-D materials as part of an electronic device. Etching of next generation materials to define device structures is an integral part of any process. Catalytic wet etching is an alternative to dry etching that may offer improvements …

Parents' Perspectives Of Factors Contributing To Speech Delays In Children Born During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Alva Jessica Daniels

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly disrupted children’s developmental environments by limiting access to childcare, healthcare, and opportunities for social interaction, raising concerns about speech and language outcomes in children born during this period. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this qualitative study was an exploration of factors associated with speech and language delays and examined parents’ perceptions and experiences in Philadelphia. The qualitative study included a sample of nine parents who cared for children during the COVID-19 pandemic quarantine period. Analysis of the interview data revealed five emergent themes: (a) limited social interaction during the pandemic, (b) delayed identification and diagnosis …

Leveraging Innovation And Resilience: A Qualitative Project Of Mid-Level Managers Driving Business Performance In Multinational Corporations, Karla Karey Diaz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employee underdevelopment in multinational corporations (MNCs) can weaken the organization’s agility and competitive advantage in the global market. Mid-level managers must be leveraged effectively, as this level of management holds primary adaptive responsibility for building, integrating, and reconfiguring resources during organizational change. Grounded in the dynamic capabilities theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry project was to identify and explore effective strategies mid-level managers in MNCs use to improve dynamic capabilities. Participants were 10 U.S.-based MNC mid-level managers with experience using strategies to improve dynamic capabilities. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and publicly available documents, including strategic plans, …

General Education Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding Supporting Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Inclusive Elementary Mainstream Classrooms In Central California, Leah Blake

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this study was a gap in practice about general education teachers’ support of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in inclusive elementary mainstream classrooms in Central California, where regional inclusion rates fall below state and national averages. Grounded in Universal Design for Learning, the purpose of the study was to explore general education teachers’ perceptions regarding inclusion and recommended support for students with ASD in inclusive elementary mainstream classrooms. For this basic qualitative study, semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 general education teachers who taught grades 1 through 6. Through open, in vivo, and subsequent axial …

Staff Education To Improve Staff Knowledge, Confidence, And Competency In The Use Of The Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale, Theresa Buabeng

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Staff Education to Improve Staff Knowledge, Confidence, and Competency in the Use of the Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale

English As A Second Language Students’ Perceptions On Their Reasons To Persist In An Adult Learning Program In Connecticut, Laurie Anne Winek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem that was addressed through this study is that 30% of the English as a second language (ESL) students drop out of classes after the first 2 weeks in an adult education program in Connecticut. Grounded in Tinto’s model of student departure, the purpose of this study was to explore ESL students’ perceptions on reasons they persisted in an adult education program in Connecticut. For this basic qualitative design, semistructured interviews were conducted with five students. The data analysis procedures used open coding and categories, with eight themes emerging: ESL students persisted when their instructors cultivated lifelong learning; included …

Improving Medication Adherence Through Structured Telephone Follow-Up To Reduce 30-Day Readmissions Among Adult Patients With Heart Failure, Angela Dean Hamilton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) evidence-based quality improvement (QI) project addressed high 30-day hospital readmission rates among adults with heart failure (HF), a problem associated with poor medication adherence and inadequate transitional care that nurses are uniquely positioned to address through discharge education, medication reconciliation, and postdischarge follow up to improve patient safety and quality of care. The practice-focused question asked: In adult patients discharged with HF, how does a structured, nurse-led, telephone follow-up intervention focused on medication adherence, compared with usual discharge care, affect 30-day hospital readmission rates over a 90-day implementation period? The purpose of this DNP …