Digital Commons Network^™

Pathophysiology And Metabolic Dysfunction Following Polytrauma, Robert Mackay Akscyn

All ETDs from UAB

Polytrauma, a combination of injuries to more than one body part or organ system, is common in modern warfare and in automobile and industrial accidents. The combination of injuries can include burn, fracture, hemorrhage, trauma to the extremities, and trauma to specific organ systems. These injuries are highly survivable when occurring singly. However, when they occur in combination the prognosis is worsened. To investigate the effects of combined injuries, we have developed a new and highly reproducible model of polytrauma. This model combines burn injury with soft tissue and gastrointestinal (GI) tract trauma. Male Sprague Dawley rats were subjected to …

Subsurface Parameter Estimation In Oilfield Modeling, Fatin Alawam

All ETDs from UAB

Inverse problems involving partial differential equations have many physical applica- tions. One of the most important applications is in petroleum reservoir modeling. The estimation of petroleum reservoir properties is an essential component in predicting reservoir behavior. Generally, oil and water are present together in petroleum reservoirs and the resulting reservoir model consists of two nonlinear partial differential equations. Much research deals with two phase flow in porous media assuming incompressibility, but a few researchers consider the weakly compressible case which generally applies when the reservoir model does not include a gas phase. In this thesis we assume the weakly compressible …

Transient-State Kinetic Analysis Of The Rna Polymerase I Nucleotide Incorporation Mechanism, Francis Dean Appling

All ETDs from UAB

The diversity of enzymes and the reactions which they catalyze is enormous. Careful study of enzymatic reaction mechanisms has taught us a great deal about chemical reactivity and has given us insight into the chemical and physical basis of life. One particularly ubiquitous class of enzymes, the RNA polymerases, are expressed in all forms of life. RNA polymerases are central components of nucleic acid metabolism and display a variety of distinctive enzymatic features; two points which solicit their thorough study. The central theme of this dissertation is the use of kinetic techniques to describe enzymatic reaction mechanisms. Although the main …

Assessment Of Streams And Aquatic Organisms In The Vicinity Of Birmingham, Alabama For The Presence And Biological Activity Of Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals, Bryan Stuart Arwood

All ETDs from UAB

Freshwater ecosystems play a central role in the environment. Through various processes such as nutrient recycling, groundwater recharging, and the attenuation of many pollutants these biological systems help to maintain environmental health. Unfortunately, many recent studies have identified emerging threats to these special environments and the life they sustain. One source of mounting concern is a group of compounds that interact with the endocrine systems of humans and wildlife. Known as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), these natural and synthetic chemicals may mimic or interfere with the action of natural hormones—thus disrupting the endocrine system. Multiple studies have reported negative effects …

Effects Of Education On Victims Of Domestic Violence, Julette N. Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this project was to improve support for victims of domestic violence. To that end, this project developed an evidence-based program to provide information about domestic violence including safe and confidential ways to seek assistance, rights as cohabiting intimate partners, and the resources available to community members. Several approaches were used to develop, validate, and plan for implementation and evaluation of this program, which was developed for 3 sites in Broward and Miami-Dade counties where the project is situated. The program logic model and the social ecological model, including the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels, were used …

Probe Method's Impact On Students' Motivation And Critical Thinking Skills, Diane Marie Specht

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The probe method (PM) is a learning model that equips students with essential learning strategies and skills so they can be successful and competitive in a highly diverse technological global workforce. Although research indicates this learning model was successful at the elementary school level with improving students' motivation to learn, their critical thinking skills, and their ability to solve complex problems, little research has examined the impact of this method at the high school level for students who participated in a career and technical education (CTE) program. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to fill a gap in …

Communication Constructs That Influence Information Technology Project Failure, Vanessa Lajuan Ruth Mackey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective communication behavioral constructs in the workplace that lead to information technology (IT) project failure and in some cases organization failure are increasingly becoming a management concern. Despite this trend, there is little research on the communication behavioral constructs that contribute to IT project failure rates. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of business analysts, programmers, and programmer analysts pertaining to the behavioral constructs associated with effective and ineffective communication. The research questions addressed these behaviors from a conceptual framework based on communication theory, organizational information processing theory, and critical social theory. This framework …

The Impact Of Caring For Seniors On The Caregiver's Stress Level, Georgina Ugochi Njoku

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of Canadian seniors with 2 or more chronic health conditions living into their late 90s or older has never been greater. As such, concerns have been raised that the Canadian healthcare system will be unable to meet the growing healthcare needs of the aging population. In this project, an Advanced Practice Nursing needs assessment was used to identify the impact that caring for a senior has on caregivers' stress levels, and what resources caregivers need to in order to cope with their role. Guided by Neuman's system model theory and Rogers' diffusion of innovation model, a convenience sampling …

Narrowing The Gap Of Financial Fraud Detection In Corporations, Solomon Aborbie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders remain exposed to financial and accounting fraud as well as loss of profitability, despite the dictates of the SOX Act of 2002. The most challenging aspect of corporate management is the unexpected nature of an emerging, existing, or an inherent financial risk. Guided by the evolution of fraud theory, this exploratory case study's purpose was to identify and explore the financial management strategies that corporate financial managers need to adequately protect investors. Twenty participants from a population group of corporate auditors of Fortune 1000 corporations within 70 miles of Columbus, Ohio provided input for this study. Data from …

The Use Of A Standardized System Of Communication To Change The Perception Of Handoff Communication In A Psychiatric Setting, Alicia Renee' Plunkett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Use of a Standardized System of Communication to Change the Perception of Handoff Communication in a Psychiatric Setting

by

Alicia Renee' Plunkett

MSN, Walden University 2007

MSHA, University of St. Francis, 2005

BSN, University of Memphis, 1995

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University

December 2014

The Joint Commission's review of sentinel events indicated that communication errors were the cause of over 65% of the sentinel events occurring in healthcare. The nursing profession has the responsibility of providing 24-hour care in an acute care setting and nurses are …

Contracting Away Your Right To Sue: What You Need To Know About Arbitration, Ramona L. Lampley

Faculty Articles

Arbitration agreements that typically accompany credit card agreements and other services can work well—or work disastrously. What many consumers do not realize is that in numerous everyday interactions with banks, employers and retailers, they are waiving their right to sue in court if a dispute does arise. Given the lack of consumer familiarity with arbitration, there is an inherent fear and distrust of the system often referred to either as alternative dispute resolution or private dispute resolution. Some of that public fear and distrust is well-founded. We know that private dispute resolution poses the opportunity for businesses to potentially take …

The Relationship Between Terrorism, Oil Prices, And Airline Profitability, Ubirathan Miranda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Given the financial challenges faced by the airline industry, understanding of the combined effect of terrorism and the price of petroleum on airline profitability is imperative. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine if a combination of terrorism and the price of petroleum significantly predicted airline profitability, and which variable was the most significant. This study collected samples of financial records from major American commercial passenger and cargo airlines on costs of fuel (n = 84) and airline profitability (n = 84). The terrorism data (n = 84) were comprised of terrorist attacks on petroleum infrastructure in oil-producing …

Strategies To Retain Tacit Knowledge From Baby Boomers, Rhonda Jean Corwin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Baby boomer employees who leave the workplace without sharing tacit knowledge create a knowledge gap within the organization. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore strategies local government leaders use to retain tacit knowledge of baby boomer employees. Six government leaders who worked in the Midwest United States participated in the study and shared their experiences and perceptions. Building upon systems theory, transformational leadership theory, and knowledge management theory, research was conducted to identify strategies to retain tacit knowledge from retiring baby boomers. Physical artifacts and participant interview data were collected and analyzed using traditional text analysis. …

Expectations Of Job Satisfaction Based On Three Common Leadership Styles, Ethel Chiles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some leadership styles can produce job dissatisfaction, resulting in labor turnover and financial loss to organizations. Despite these known consequences, there is a lack of research on the perceptions of leadership styles on job satisfaction for hourly wageworkers. This phenomenological study was used to understand the experiences of non-management employees on how management leadership styles affected their job satisfaction. Bass's leadership theory, Herzberg's dual factor theory, and Maslow's hierarchy of needs guided this study. The primary research questions were used to explore themes in leadership styles affecting selected North Carolina employees in the workplace. Data collection included in-depth interviews with …

Motivating Higher Education Faculty For Technology Integration: A Private College's Approach, Jacinth Coultman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some faculty in higher education are not embracing technology in their face-to-face classes. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to identify and describe faculty members' techniques for improving the technological integration within the curriculum at an urban college. This study investigated the incorporation of professional development activities within the college structure to determine if these mandated requirements resulted in enhanced technology use. Interview and observation data on technology integration practices were collected from 15 faculty members who taught within 5 departments of an urban college for 5 or more years. A combination of open and axial topic and …

The Correlation Between Virtual Communication And Employee Engagement, Ryan Nathaniel Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Managers' ability to engage virtual employees (those in different geographic locations) is a determining factor of employee productivity and commitment to an organization. Since 2005, the number of U.S.-based virtual employees increased; however, research regarding virtual communication and employee engagement is limited. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine if a significant correlation exists between employee engagement (the dependent variable) and the quantity and perceived quality of virtual management communication (the independent variables). The research question assessed the correlation among the quantity of time managers spend communicating with virtual employees, quality of virtual communication, and employee engagement. Homans's …

Knowledge Of Diabetes Mellitus And Health-Preventive Behaviors Among African American Adults, Wanka Ndifor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the risk within the African American population of developing diabetes, its complications, and the benefits associated with timely management and treatment of diabetes. The study also looked at how such knowledge may be related to preventive health behaviors. The Risk Perception Survey-Developing Diabetes and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaires were employed in this study. The theoretical basis of this study was the health belief model. This was a cross sectional, quantitative study with 126 participants. Descriptive analysis was employed to calculate the mean scores and frequencies across each …

Evaluating Retention Strategies For At-Risk Undergraduate Nursing Students, Joanna L. Ramsden-Meier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As there continues to be a nursing shortage and a lack of diversity in the nursing profession, it is important to retain at-risk students who have been admitted to nursing programs. The purpose of this program evaluation was to compare at-risk students who had not received retention services to at-risk students who had received retention services at a Midwestern college. A formative evaluation was conducted using information from three sources: the college, the students, and the community. Guided by a constructivist theory defined by Ponticell, this study examined the effectiveness of the retention program in terms of its impact on …

Secure-Base Caregiving And Adult Attachment Development Within The Client-Psychotherapist Relationship, Dennis A. Weeks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent studies have shown significant improvements in the attachment security of adult therapy clients during therapy, supporting Bowlby's theory that such improvement can be influenced by secure-base caregiving provided by mentors such as therapists. However, because these studies did not measure the secure-base variable, its relationship to client attachment development remains unknown. The present study is the first to evaluate that relationship by measuring clients' pre and posttherapy attachment security using the Relationship Scales Questionnaire and therapists' secure-base caregiving using the Client Attachment to Therapist and Working Alliance Inventory, Short Form. Of 21 initially insecure client participants, 17 experienced high …

Characteristics And Behaviors Based On Introduction To Opioids Among Adults In Buprenorphine/Naloxone Treatment, Angela R. Gallien

All ETDs from UAB

Buprenorphine/naloxone (BNT) is a pharmacological treatment for opioid use disorders and is available by prescription in an office-based setting from physicians with specialized training. The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics and behaviors among adults on BNT with the intent to identify the linear combination of variables that account for the differences based on the origins of opioid use. Four opioid user groups were identified a priori: recreational users (RU); self-treaters (ST); medical users misusing (MUM); and medical users not misusing (MU). The dependent variables were mental health and mood, pain and medical problems, internal or external …

Chief Executive Officer Characteristics In Relationship With Patient Experience Scores Of Hospital Value Based Purchasing, Christina Galstian

All ETDs from UAB

ABSTRACT Patient experience scores have become important indicators of value in healthcare. This study was the first of its kind to examine CEO gender, tenure, and education in relationship with patient experience scores and all other value based purchasing scores, such as outcome, efficiency, clinical process of care, and total performance scores. This study suggested that hospitals with certain types of CEOs may perform better with respect to patient experiences and other value based purchasing scores. The primary analysis of this study was to examine the impact of hospital CEO characteristics (tenure, education, gender) on patient experience scores. A supplementary …

Safety Culture And Patient Harm, Alfonso Gatmaitan

All ETDs from UAB

SAFETY CULTURE AND PATIENT HARM EVENTS: A CONTINGENCY THEORY PERSPECTIVE IN THE CONTEXT OF COMPLEX ADAPTIVE SYSTEMS ALFONSO GATMAITAN ADMINISTRATION-HEALTH SERVICES ABSTRACT This study examines the correlation between a Culture of Patient Safety as measured by hospital staff surveys and actual patient harm attributed to hospital performance. It is generally accepted by health care management leaders that the presence of a strong culture of patient safety has become a critical component in reducing patient harm. However, little empirical evidence within multiple hospitals over time exists to support this belief. Healthcare managers can utilize this evidence in formulating patient safety improvement …

On Fire Or Burnt Out? The Social Psychological Health Of United Methodist Pastors, Philip Gibson

All ETDs from UAB

This study examines the social processes and structures that shape the social psychological health of United Methodist pastors. These individuals play a central role in a religious institution that is in a state of decline in the 21st century United States. In addition, burnout, a state of compromised social psychological health related to work involving relationships, is a salient issue among clergy. Using a qualitative approach based in grounded theory methodology, 31 semi-structured interviews were conducted with current and former United Methodist pastors, including those in a supervisory role within the Church hierarchy. Using grounded theory coding practices, data from …

Anteroposterior (Ap) Relationship Of The Maxillary Central Incisors To The Forehead In Adult African American Females, Matthew Philip Gidaly

All ETDs from UAB

Objective: Determine the optimal anteroposterior (AP) relationship of the maxillary central incisors to the forehead in adult African American females (AAF). Materials and Methods: Smile profile photographs of 48 AAF with optimal AP incisor positions (control); 49 seeking/wanting orthodontic treatment (Group 1), and 53 not seeking/wanting treatment (Group 2) were acquired. All images were scaled to life-size and printed. The AP position of the maxillary central incisors and forehead inclination were measured relative to reference lines. Results: The mean AP position of the maxillary central incisors relative to Glabella Vertical (GV) for the controls was 8.58 ± 3.96 mm ahead …

Hospital-Based Skilled Nursing Facilities: Predictors Of Survival And Performance, Shivani Gupta

All ETDs from UAB

This three-paper dissertation examined the organizational and market factors predicting the response of hospital-based skilled nursing facilities (HBSNFs) to the changes in their environment such as the implementation of prospective payment system in 1998 and their role in coordination of care for patients in transition from acute care to home or a post-acute care facility. In the first study, population ecology of organizations framework was used to evaluate the organizational and market factors associated with HBSNFs’ closure after 1998. The event histories of all acute-care hospitals which had an open HBSNF in 1998 were examined across 15 years (1998-2012) to …

Novel Non-Invasive Assessment Of Pulmonary Arterial Impedance Using Velocity Transfer Function And Its Relation With Right Ventricular Remodeling, Ankur Gupta

All ETDs from UAB

Pulmonary arterial (PA) impedance takes in to account pulsatile blood flow through elastic pulmonary arteries as compared to static pulmonary vascular resistance. Increased PA impedance is an early physiological manifestation of PA remodeling. Currently PA impedance can only be detected invasively, is expensive and cumbersome to calculate and thus not done in routine clinical practice. The ability to assess PA impedance non-invasively can provide fundamental insights in evaluation of patients with normal PA pressures or mild pulmonary hypertension such as in patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. Non-invasive evaluation of right ventricular (RV)-PA axis to detect patients who could develop …

G Protein-Coupled Inwardly-Rectifying Potassium (Girk) Chanels Mediate Entrainment Of Circadian Rhythms, Lauren Marie Hablitz

All ETDs from UAB

Circadian rhythms are 24-hour cycles in biological and behavioral processes. These cycles enable an organism to predict changes in its environment, like changes in food availability and seasonality. Although endogenously driven, these rhythms can entrain or synchronize to daily changes in the environment, allowing the animal to adapt. One way entrainment occurs is shifts in circadian phase following the presentation of nonphotic, or non-light, stimuli, such as exercise, arousal, or stress at certain times of day. The molecular mechanisms underlying nonphotic entrainment are poorly understood - specifically, how nonphotic cues alter excitability within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, …

Comparison Of Gut Microbiomes In Laboratory Cultured Sea Urchins Revealing Selective Attributes Of Microbial Composition Based Upon Their Feed And Surroundings, Joseph Antoine Hakim

All ETDs from UAB

Bacteria residing in the gastrointestinal tract play important roles in digestive physiology and host health. The advent of NextGen sequencing and bioinformatics has made it possible to establish taxonomic profiles with highest coverage, and map these microbes in the gut ecosystem. Although extensively studied in the context of human health, understanding the microbial profiles associated with other organisms will elucidate the roles of the microbial inhabitants to their respective hosts and environment. The microbes of the sea urchin gut have been linked to digestion, processing, and extraction of nutrients from ingesta while within the gut, and have also been implicated …

Unmanned Ground Vehicle Dynamics And Energy Efficiency Control, Mostafa Salama

All ETDs from UAB

Nowadays, energy saving is a prominent concern for scientists and researchers in the automobile industry and academic research institutions. The technological development of more efficient vehicles is a relentless quest. Moreover, maximizing such energy efficiency is essential for vehicle design. Although, existing In-Wheel Motor (IWM) vehicles have successfully improved energy efficiency compared to conventional vehicles, those IWM vehicles are lacking the usage of wheel power distribution strategies to maximize slip energy efficiency. There is a need for researching power distribution among driving wheels that would lead to a breakthrough in off-road IWM Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV) energy efficiency. UGV energy …

Practical Extensions Of The Continual Reassessment Method, Amber Salter

All ETDs from UAB

This dissertation considers the presence of patient heterogeneity in dose finding studies using the likelihood-based time to event continual reassessment method (TITE-CRM). First, assuming group membership is known and the groups share some information regarding their maximum tolerated dose (MTD), we extend the two-group two-parameter CRM to the TITE-CRM. We examine the performance of the two-group two-parameter TITE-CRM for various scenarios where the true MTD for each group is different. We also consider the situation where the groups are truly homogeneous but a heterogeneous model is employed. Our simulations show that the method has some loss in accuracy compared to …