Digital Commons Network^™

Specimen Labeling Improvement Project: Slip, Traci Hoiting

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Blood specimens are labeled at the time of acquisition in order to identify and match the specimen, label, and order to the patient. While the labeling process is not new, it is frequently laden with errors (Brown, Smith, & Sherfy, 2011). Wrong blood in tube (WBIT) poses significant risk. Multiple factors contribute to mislabeling errors, including lax policies, limited technological solutions, decentralized labeling processes, multi-tasking, distraction from the clinician, and insufficient education and training of staff. To reduce blood specimen labeling errors, a large academic medical center implemented an innovative technological solution for specimen labeling that integrates patient identification, physician …

Transitional Care Services: A Nurse-Led Quality Improvement Project, Debra Conroy-Mccue

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

With the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 (PPACA) and a national requirement for health care providers and systems to deliver care that is safe, outcome driven, and cost effective, Dignity Health (DH) as part of the hospital engagement network (HEN) launched an initiative called the “No Harm” campaign to reduce all-cause avoidable hospital readmissions. The project, led by a Doctorate of Nursing Practice (DNP) student and readmission team, sought to achieve a 20% reduction in preventable readmissions by December 2014. After having achieved initial success in implementing transitional care services for patients with heart …

Using An Educational Module And Simulation Learning Experience To Improve Medication Safety, Barbara Lynn Durham

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

The purpose of this evidence-based change in practice project was to provide nurses with an experiential learning opportunity, using simulation, to identify and report near miss events during the medication administration process related to patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) usage. Despite extensive in-service training on a Medical/Surgical (Med/Surg) floor in an acute care hospital, inconsistent, inaccurate and incomplete documentation with use of the new PCA pumps continued to be problematic. A conceptual framework of just culture was used with the quality improvement method of the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle for testing change. Medication safety education was a valid andragogical strategy to decrease rates …

The Creation And Implementation Of A Transgender Cultural Competence Nursing Education Toolkit, James Bl Donovan

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Healthcare disparities in the transgender populations have been linked to lack of healthcare provider cultural competence (IOM, 2011; Bradford et al., Harbin et al., 2012; Eliason, Dibble, & DeJoseph, 2010; Lim, Brown, & Jones, 2013). Prior research has identified that healthcare providers receive little, if any, transgender cultural competence training during their formal education. A survey of nursing educators at the University of San Francisco School (USF) of Nursing and Health Professions suggested that few educators are providing transgender content or understand the unique healthcare needs of that population. A literature review concluded that little is known about the best …

Decreasing Medication Errors Through The Reduction Of Avoidable Interruptions, Julia Nyznyk

Master's Projects and Capstones

In recent years, the media has been rife with stories of medical mistakes in hospitals or other health care settings that lead to patient injury or death. While most of the media attention rightfully focuses on the horrific psychological and emotional toll such injuries and deaths impose upon patients, their loved ones, and the healthcare providers involved, there is also an enormous economic cost associated with the results of such mistakes that, if not resolved, will continue to strain an already heavily burdened system. Progressive step down units are fast paced and highly demanding. This type of unit is placed …

Avoiding 30-Day Readmissions Of Acute Mi Patients Utilizing Cardiac Rehabilitation, Patricia T. Forsberg

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

A significant number of Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) patients were readmitted to an urban San Francisco Medical Center within 5-7 days post discharge this year. Two of the main identified causes were symptom management issues and medication instructions, both of which are part of the discharge instructions. It’s not surprising that 80% of all discharge teaching is forgotten by patients by the time they hit the parking lot. With the recommended timeframe for post discharge follow up appointments at 48 to 72 hours post discharge and as those appointments are not typically available within the recommended timeframe, patients are more …

An Evaluation Of Mental Health And Methadone: Anxiety, Depression, And Drug Use, Gursimran Khahera

Master's Projects and Capstones

As a part of the Masters of Science in Behavioral Health field placement, an evaluation was conducted of the integrated treatment plan in mental health and substance abuse at Bay Area Addiction Research and Treatment (BAART) programs. The goal of the BAART programs are to provide comprehensive mental health and substance abuse outpatient recovery services, as well as on-site primary health care services for substance users, mainly opioid use. There is a link between increased substance abuse and increased rates of depression and anxiety. These disorders use the same neuro chemical pathway and are highly codependent upon one another. Because …

Preschoolers’ Emotion Regulation: Maternal Perspectives On Tantrums And Emotion Regulation, Alicia J. Leland

Master's Theses

Emotion regulation begins to develop in young children and is likely influenced by early caregiver relationships. Emotion regulation is necessary during conflict situations; for children, this may arise as a temper tantrum. Children and caregivers must both utilize emotion regulation strategies during tantrum situations in order to restore emotions to a calm level. The current study looked at maternal perspectives on children’s emotion regulation. Mothers completed the Emotion Regulation Checklist, which measures a child’s emotion regulation, and responded to open-ended questions about their child’s tantrum experiences in order to examine strategies used by mothers and children during tantrum episodes. A …

The Bg News December 12, 2014, Bowling Green State University

BG News (Student Newspaper)

The BGSU campus student newspaper. December 12, 2014. Volume 94-Issue 47.

Autism Project: Case Study Evaluating Behavioral Interventions For The Self-Injurious Behavior Of Biting, Brittani Rohrig

Honors Theses

Self-injurious (SIB) behavior is a common problem among the autism population, and often those who engage in SIB have done so since a very early age. There was a nine-year-old boy named Jack who was diagnosed with ASD and engaged in the self-injurious behavior of biting his hand. A functional analysis was conducted and it was found that the behavior was multiply controlled across three main conditions: alone/play, demand, and attention. The goal of this case study was to review previous interventions that did not eliminate the target behavior, analyze and revise the current protocols in place, and eliminate the …

Utilizing Computer Programming To Analyze Post-Tonal Music: A Segmentation And Contour Analysis Of Twentieth-Century Music For Solo Flute, Kate Sekula

Doctoral Dissertations

Two concepts will be synthesized in this dissertation: 1) the creation of accessible computer applications for melodic segmentation and contour reduction and 2) the application of segmentation and contour reduction to analyze twentieth-century post-tonal works for unaccompanied flute. Two analytical methodologies have been chosen: James Tenney and Larry Polanski's Gestalt segmentation theory and Robert Schultz's refinement of Robert Morris's contour reduction algorithm. The investigation also utilizes Robert Schultz's concept of diachronic-transformational analysis in conjunction with contour reduction. While both segmentation and contour reduction are invaluable analytical tools, they are meticulous and time-consuming processes. Computer implementation of these algorithmic procedures produces …

Developing Efl Reading Fluency In Upper Elementary Schools In China, Jianxian Yang

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project aims to help EFL educators and EFL teachers realize the importance of developing EFL students’ reading fluency, and more importantly, to provide specific curriculum for upper elementary school EFL students to improve their reading fluency. The most important intervention being used in this curriculum is extensive reading which appears in every class. Besides extensive reading, using rapid word recognition, repeated reading, paced reading, cloze reading, echo reading and choral reading are also discussed in this project. Teachers are suggested to rotate the interventions during the whole semester and they can adapt the materials and the curriculum in this …

Self-Regulation In The Iep Classroom: Developing Lifelong English Language Proficiency, Jeannie Slayton

Doctoral Dissertations

Although students in Intensive English Programs (IEPs) acknowledge the importance of acquiring academic English skills, their primary concern is obtaining an acceptable Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) score. In order to continue improving their English skills beyond the last English class, learners need to have the capability of self-regulating their own learning. The problem for IEP teachers is fostering self-regulation in students who tend to be exam-oriented learners.

The conceptual framework for this qualitative study was constructed by examining and synthesizing research from the fields of adult education and educational psychology. This framework informed the interview protocol, …

Strategies For Esl Students In Community Colleges To Develop Their Public Speaking Skills, Cheryl I. Watkins

Master's Projects and Capstones

The purpose of this project was to identify strategies for ESL students in community colleges to develop their public speaking skills. Effective oral communication skills are commonly needed by employees in the workplace at all different levels. The project focused on three key areas: 1) ways to reduce the fear and anxiety associated with public speaking; 2) the role of small groups in planning and presenting oral presentations; and 3) the use of feedback and self-help strategies to improve public speaking skills. The project presented a handbook of strategies in each of these areas for students to use as a …

Teaching Health Literacy In Conjunction With Esl, Dora Lee

Master's Projects and Capstones

In the United States, many English as a Second Language (ESL) speakers who have limited English proficiency also have low levels of health literacy. The purpose of this project is to create a curriculum that ESL teachers can implement to improve the English language proficiency and the health literacy skills of adult ESL speakers with limited English proficiency residing in the United States. The curriculum is designed for teachers who work with ESL speakers who may be having trouble obtaining, processing, communicating, or managing health information due to language barriers.

Improving The Hcahps Score For Pain Well Controlled, Uwaezu J. Umeh

Master's Projects and Capstones

This project took place on a Renal/Endocrine unit of a northern California Hospital. As observed on this unit, pain was not well controlled and this caused the HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) score for ‘pain well controlled’ to be low. Hence, this project sought to address the underlying reasons why pain was not well controlled and to proffer solutions to raise the HCAHPS score to at least 65% from an average of 55%. In order to find the root causes, the nurses were surveyed, the patients and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) were interviewed, and a 24-hour …

Exploring The Intersection Of Creative Practice Development And Second Language Acquisition In Adult Artists Professionally Connected To Seattle, Megan E. Deangelo

Master's Theses

Artists’ voices are disproportionately being excluded from international discourse because current English language education does not adequately serve this population of learners. This study was conducted as a catalyst for inquiry into the most effective ways artists acquire English so as to inform the development of curricula and programs to address their language learning needs. This study’s theoretical framework is created by Long’s (1981) interaction hypothesis and Skehan’s (1996) theory of task-based learning. The author proposes that artists’ English language learning experiences would be more fruitful if they were patterned after the interactions to which they are accustomed in their …

Berkeley Youth Alternatives Fieldwork Summary Report: Assessing Social Determinants To Improve The Physical Health And Academic Development For Youth In Berkeley, California, Alane M. Cruz

Master's Projects and Capstones

The following paper summarizes the three hundred hour fieldwork experience at Berkeley Youth Alternatives (BYA), a non-profit community-based organization located in Southwest Berkeley that is committed to combating the social determinants that contribute to the prevalent health disparities within their community. The fieldwork internship is a major requirement in completing the Master’s of Public Health (MPH) program at the University of San Francisco (USF), and allows the education and experience gained over the duration of the program to be applied in a real public health setting.

The overall goal of the internship experience was to assess the social determinants of …

Gender, Smoking And Tobacco Reduction And Cessation: A Scoping Review, Joan L. Bottorff, Rebecca Haines-Saah, Mary T. Kelly, John L. Oliffe, Iris Torchalla, Nancy Poole, Lorraine Greaves, Carole A. Robinson, Mary H. H. Ensom, Chizimuzo T.C. Okoli, J. Craig Phillips

Nursing Faculty Publications

Considerations of how gender-related factors influence smoking first appeared over 20 years ago in the work of critical and feminist scholars. This scholarship highlighted the need to consider the social and cultural context of women's tobacco use and the relationships between smoking and gender inequity. Parallel research on men's smoking and masculinities has only recently emerged with some attention being given to gender influences on men's tobacco use. Since that time, a multidisciplinary literature addressing women and men's tobacco use has spanned the social, psychological and medical sciences. To incorporate these gender-related factors into tobacco reduction and cessation interventions, our …

Fall Commencement Ceremonies, University Of North Florida

Commencement Printed Materials

Program for the Fall Commencement ceremonies.

The Negative Relationship Between Immunization Rates And Outbreaks: An Argument For Improving Awareness And Provider Recommendations, Advocating For, And Developing Intervention Strategies To Increase Immunization Rates Across California., Katelyn Conant

Master's Projects and Capstones

Prevention is the key to public health and immunizations is one of the most effective and efficient means of protection against infectious diseases. The California Immunization Coalition (CIC) is a public-private partnership whose mission is dedicated to achieving and maintaining full immunization protection for all Californians to promote health and prevent serious illness. In order to improve immunization rates, analysis of needs is a primary focus of CIC; immunization rates for both children and adults remain low, due to compounding factors such as rising personal belief exemptions, mistrust of government and doctors, and lack of strong provider recommendations. To address …

Culturally Relevant Esl Pedagogy For California Community College Teacher Educators, Jeff Moran

Master's Projects and Capstones

Demographics in the US are changing rapidly. The current white majority will fall below 50% of the total population by 2060. This shift has already occurred in California, where Latino/as are the largest single ethnic group in the state. California community college student populations reflect this reality, as at least 65% are students of color and 25% are immigrants to the US. California community college ESL instructors are often involved in teaching immigrants and non-native English speakers of color. In contrast to the student body, California community college teacher demographics remain overwhelmingly homogenous, as over 82% of full and part-time …

A Study Of The Integration Of Communicative Competence (Cc) Features In Teaching The Oral Skills (Listening And Speaking) To English Majors At The Department Of English, University Of Benghazi/ Libya, Issa Amerife Bldiar

Electronic Theses and Dissertations Archive

Since its advent in the 1970s, the notion of communicative competence (CC) has a tremendous influence on English language teaching, trends, theories, models, and paradigms. Since the 1970s, applied linguists, second language acquisition (SLA) researchers and educationalists have accepted the notion of communicative competence (CC) as the underpinning theory of second language acquisition, the objective of communicative language teaching approach (CLT), and as a measurement of language learner’s proficiency. The purpose of this study was to investigate the inclusion, teaching and testing of the features of the notion of communicative competence (CC) in teaching the oral skills to the English …

How Disgust Affects Romantic Attraction: How Our Moods Affect Our Judgments Of Attractiveness, Nicholas Phelan

Theses

Facial attractiveness is an important part of our initial judgments of people and in our ability to determine their compatibility as a mating partner. Just as mating is evolutionarily important, the emotion disgust is one of the most evolutionarily beneficial emotions as it helps keep us away from poisonous and possibly infectious substances or foods. We instinctively avoid people with facial scars and other facial deformities because these are seen as a sign of illness or generally poor well-being. Facial attraction is one component of how we choose a mate. The current experiment examined whether or not being disgusted created …

Launching A Virtual Decision Lab: Development And Field-Testing Of A Web-Based Patient Decision Support Research Platform, Aubri S. Hoffman, Hilary A. Llewellyn-Thomas, Anna N. A. Tosteson, Annette M. Oconnor

Dartmouth Scholarship

Over 100 trials show that patient decision aids effectively improve patients’ information comprehension and values-based decision making. However, gaps remain in our understanding of several fundamental and applied questions, particularly related to the design of interactive, personalized decision aids. This paper describes an interdisciplinary development process for, and early field testing of, a web-based patient decision support research platform, or virtual decision lab, to address these questions.

Evaluation Of Multi-Tiered Systems Of Support Content In A Required Course For Teacher Candidates, Jill Winkelman

Honors Theses

Multi-tiered systems of support (MTSS) involve the practice of providing high-quality instruction/intervention corresponding to student needs, and using learning rate over time and level of performance to make important educational decisions ( Fuchs & Fuchs, 2006a). It is being implemented in schools across the country in order to impact the learning of students with and without disabilities. MTSS integrates increasingly intensive instruction, reviews the student’s progress, and then identifies whether students need additional levels of intervention (Fuchs & Fuchs, 2006b).

The purpose of this research project is to examine how well the critical components of MTSS are being taught to …

A Tale Of Two Cities: Differences In Wine-Drinking Habits In Nice And London, Lacey S. Gibson

Honors Theses

The French Paradox is the theory that, despite consumption of classically-condoned fatty foods, the French remain in excellent health in comparison with citizens of other nations. This notion has been the subject of worldwide media fascination with publication of a plethora of journal articles and novels. A growing body of evidence supports a role for moderate consumption of wine in conferring health benefits. The role of wine in health may be especially prevalent in the French Riviera, a region whose regime is dominated by the French-Mediterranean Diet. I sought to determine the role of wine in the French Paradox by …

Promoting Academic Talent Development In Adolescents: Protective Factors And Linkages To Summer Program Participation, Kelly L. Kearney

Doctoral Dissertations

Special summer programs are considered a popular service-delivery approach to bolster the talent development of all students. This study seeks to explore protective factors that influence high-ability students’ talent development. Factors influencing the talent development of high-ability students are understudied, often in favor of researching underachievement and resilience.

Because very little research seeks the perceptions of these students in their own words, this study used a grounded theory approach to explore 54 students’ perceptions of their own talent development within the context of a residential, inquiry-based summer program for high-ability adolescents. Responses across all parts of the study revealed three …

The Role And Impact Of Student Leadership On Participants In A Healthy Eating And Physical Activity Programme, Lila Gutuskey, Nate Mccaughtry, Bo Shen, Erin Centeio, Alex Garn

Kinesiology, Health and Sport Studies

Objective: In the USA there are rising rates of obesity among children, at least in part due to unhealthy eating and physical inactivity. Implementing school-based health interventions with elementary school children focused on youth empowerment could lead to improved health environments and behaviours. The purpose of the present study was to examine elementary students’ perceptions of participating in a student-led school health improvement team. Empowerment theory guided the research, specifically the concept of including participants in programming to identify possible individual-level outcomes. Design: Qualitative research. Setting: One US elementary school formed a student-led school health improvement team, …

The South Has Not Risen In Nhl Attendance Numbers Compared To The North, Kyle Stich

Sport Management Undergraduate

This research looked at attendance capacity for traditional and non-traditional hockey markets. The aim was to attempt to determine the extent the attendance capacities differed between the two markets. Previously, there had not been any quantitative analyses done comparing traditional and non-traditional hockey markets so this study aimed to add new knowledge to that area. The National Hockey League (NHL) grapples with the validity of some of the current markets, with many observers calling for some teams to relocate to new markets. This research aimed to attempt to determine how justified those criticisms were.

Kim, Trail, & Magnusen (2013) have …