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2016

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Transitional Planning And Homelessness Of Youths Emancipated From Foster Care, Sharon Patricia Sutherland Jan 2016

Transitional Planning And Homelessness Of Youths Emancipated From Foster Care, Sharon Patricia Sutherland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous research has indicated that approximately 25% of the 30,000 youths emancipated from foster care each year experience negative outcomes including poor education attainment, limited employment opportunities, homelessness, lack of access to healthcare, and poor social networks. Despite the existence of federal legislation that requires foster care agencies to assist foster youths to make the transition to independent living, research has revealed that the current transitional planning process is not effective. There is a gap in the current literature regarding qualitative research on youths' shared experiences of the transitional planning process as they transit out of foster care. This study …

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Consistency In Clinical Preceptor Field Training For Sonography Students, Cathy Herring Daniels Jan 2016

Consistency In Clinical Preceptor Field Training For Sonography Students, Cathy Herring Daniels

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Consistency in clinical preceptor training for sonography students is important in assuring equity in sonography student evaluation. Review of a local community college sonography program revealed a gap between expected roles and responsibilities of clinical preceptorship and what was actually done in the clinical setting. The purpose of this project study was to explore perceptions of graduates and preceptors regarding what constituted best practices in the evaluation of sonography students in the clinical setting. Knowles's theory of active learning provided a framework for understanding the student-preceptor relationship in the evaluation process. Research questions focused on sonography graduates' and clinical preceptors' …

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Teachers' Perceptions Of Digital Citizenship Development In Middle School Students Using Social Media And Global Collaborative Projects, Shane Snyder Jan 2016

Teachers' Perceptions Of Digital Citizenship Development In Middle School Students Using Social Media And Global Collaborative Projects, Shane Snyder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Middle school students misuse social media without understanding the negative influence on their global digital footprint and lives. Research does not provide insight into how students develop digital citizenship skills for positive digital footprints and appropriate social media use. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore students' growth as digital citizens while participating in one digital citizenship project using global collaboration and social media. The conceptual framework included Ribble's theory of digital citizenship and Siemens's theory of connectivism. Research questions asked how students' digital citizenship developed when they were engaged in social media and global collaborative projects. …

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Experiences Managing Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Among Parents Of African-American Youth, Sonya T. Strider Jan 2016

Experiences Managing Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Among Parents Of African-American Youth, Sonya T. Strider

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is one of the most frequently diagnosed endocrine and metabolic conditions that occur during childhood. This research study utilized a phenomenological study design to examine how the lived experiences of 20 African American (AA) parents of children with T1DM recruited using social media affects their management and control of the disease among AA youth age 5-17 years old. The interview questions were outlined in categories that tested key constructs of the health belief model (HBM) to determine the perceived barriers, seriousness, and susceptibility to maintaining good glycemic control for their children. Data from each interview …

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Positive And Negative Experiences Of Career Technical Secondary Students In Online Courses, David Harms Jan 2016

Positive And Negative Experiences Of Career Technical Secondary Students In Online Courses, David Harms

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research indicates that secondary students who are successful in online classes share common traits. However, many secondary career technical education (CTE) students taking online courses do not demonstrate the traits identified for success. CTE students may not benefit from online classes unless they are designed with their needs in mind. The purpose of this study was to investigate current CTE student experiences with online classes at a single career center. The research questions investigated CTE experiences with online classes, positive and negative online design features, and the hybrid classroom. The theoretical framework was constructivism. The purposive sample included 12 student …

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Gender And Self-Care Behaviors In The Burnout Of Mental Health Professionals, Kafy-Ann Martin-Johnson Jan 2016

Gender And Self-Care Behaviors In The Burnout Of Mental Health Professionals, Kafy-Ann Martin-Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Difficulties experienced at work can cause feelings of burnout that become prolonged and intensified without acts of self-care. The intense nature of mental health workers' jobs may make them, more vulnerable to burnout than other professionals. Because mental health professionals' mental and emotional wellness can significantly affect their work, adequate self-care is critical to both their well-being and that of their clients. Previous researchers have investigated the self-care behaviors of mental health professionals, but little was known about how gender affected the use of these behaviors in burnout prevention among mental health professionals. The purpose of this quantitative study was …

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Doctor Of Nursing Practice, Sharon Jean Scott Jan 2016

Doctor Of Nursing Practice, Sharon Jean Scott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence demonstrates the health benefits of early breastfeeding for mothers as well as infants. The World Health Organization states, "Breast milk should be given within the first hour of life." This purpose of this project was to develop a breastfeeding educational toolkit to promote breastfeeding in the hospital environment. The question that guided this project was, "Will the development of a breastfeeding education toolkit, designed to serve as a learning tool to support the breastfeeding mothers, be found to be useful and valid by professional staff and lay end-users?" The goals of the project were to provide an educational toolkit …

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Transition And Transformation - From Military Combat To College Classroom: Strategies For Success, Charles Mark Brewer Jan 2016

Transition And Transformation - From Military Combat To College Classroom: Strategies For Success, Charles Mark Brewer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research shows that faculty, staff, and administrators at institutions of higher learning have a fundamental responsibility to create a safe and effective learning environment for returning military combat veterans. Studies of student veterans have shown that combat veterans have both unique strengths and barriers that must be taken into account if they are to complete an advanced degree. This study contributes to the literature on educational barriers faced by student veterans and their educators. Knowles' andragogy theory provided the theoretical framework for this transcendental-phenomenological research study. Ten randomly chosen student military veterans from Tacoma Community College in Tacoma, Washington, participated …

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A Concurrent Mixed Method Study Exploring Iraqi Immigrants' Views Of Michigan, Kerry Luise Chamberlain Jan 2016

A Concurrent Mixed Method Study Exploring Iraqi Immigrants' Views Of Michigan, Kerry Luise Chamberlain

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure of emergency response personnel to communicate effectively with different cultures can have dire consequences during an emergency, including loss of lives and litigation costs. For emergency response personnel to communicate the risk of an emergency, it is important to understand how different groups, especially newly arrived foreign immigrants, perceive warnings and related messages. This study addressed how one of the largest category of immigrants in Michigan perceived severe tornados, influenza pandemics, power outages, severe floods, and snowstorms. The research question examined the degree to which the equation, Risk = Hazard + Outrage, explained perceptions of these hazards in Michigan …

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Hypertension Management Through Community Outreach Services For Inmates Released From Jail, Janet Baby Wurie Jan 2016

Hypertension Management Through Community Outreach Services For Inmates Released From Jail, Janet Baby Wurie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hypertension (HTN) is the most common chronic disease among jail inmates. Many inmates treated for HTN while incarcerated in the Fairfax County Jail do not continue treatment when they return to their communities. Factors that contribute to discontinuing HTN management once the inmate returns to the community include homelessness, low income, and lack of access to care. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to educate inmates with HTN about community-based outreach services for HTN management and continuity of care while in the community. The outcome measured was the number of inmates who returned to jail reporting use of …

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The Influence Of Public Policy Interventions On Millennial Distracted Driving Behavior, Karen Anne Versuk Jan 2016

The Influence Of Public Policy Interventions On Millennial Distracted Driving Behavior, Karen Anne Versuk

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite recent public policy initiatives limiting or banning forms of distracted driving resultant from cellular phone use, crashes remain on the rise. Individuals from the millennial generation, ages 16 to 35, appear to be most susceptible to distracted driving. Understanding the behaviors, attitudes, and habits of millennials is critical to developing effective policy for behavior change. A dual task ethnographic study framed by Skinner's theory of behavior modification and Maslow's hierarchy of needs motivational model, was used to investigate to what extent millennials feel public policy has influenced their driving, and if additional policy initiatives are required to deter distracted …

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Succession Planning Strategies Of Faith-Based, Nonprofit Leaders Of The Boomer Generation, Leigh Byers Jan 2016

Succession Planning Strategies Of Faith-Based, Nonprofit Leaders Of The Boomer Generation, Leigh Byers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Formal succession planning strategies for retiring Baby Boomer generation of leaders in nonprofit organizations (NPOs) are nonexistent in many NPOs, including faith-based NPOs. Top NPO leaders possess vital organizational knowledge and experience. The lack of strategic succession planning adversely affects organizational sustainability and mission fulfillment. Guided by the conceptual framework of knowledge transfer, the current study supplies a description of succession planning strategies used in faith-based organizations that have Boomer leaders. This multiple case study included 3 faith-based NPOs in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties in Florida and their top-level leaders. They supplied descriptions of formal succession planning strategies through semistructured …

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Predictors Of Treatment Outcomes Of Elderly Substance Abusers In Treatment Facilites, Renata Raye Bosek Jan 2016

Predictors Of Treatment Outcomes Of Elderly Substance Abusers In Treatment Facilites, Renata Raye Bosek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research in the late 1990s and early 2000s projected that the number of people aged 50 and older who needed treatment for illicit drug use and abuse of prescribed medications to increase from approximately 1.7 million in 2001 to approximately 4.4 million in 2020. The purpose of this study was to examine how gender, marital status, employment status, and primary referral source predicted treatment outcomes with this older population. Of interest was how these predictions could better prepare treatment providers to treat individuals born between 1946 and 1964 who are addicted to substances. This quantitative study used an archival database, …

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The Relationship Between Physical Fitness And Academic Achievement In Sixth Grade Students, Shannon Usco Shook Jan 2016

The Relationship Between Physical Fitness And Academic Achievement In Sixth Grade Students, Shannon Usco Shook

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have reported on the relationship between academic achievement and physical fitness levels. At one rural middle school, 25% of the students enrolled were either overweight or obese and failing at least one course. Educators at the local site were seeking methods to improve the academic achievement of their students. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between academic achievement and physical fitness of middle school students at the study site. Framed by the theoretical connection between improved physical fitness levels and academic achievement, the research questions examined the relationship between physical fitness levels of 6th …

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U.S. Federal Government Telework Management Strategies, Blaine Edward Mills Jan 2016

U.S. Federal Government Telework Management Strategies, Blaine Edward Mills

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Telework Enhancement Act of 2010 dramatically increased teleworking opportunities for federal employees. The increase in the number of teleworking employees presented numerous challenges for federal managers attempting to establish social networks, teamwork, and organizational commitment for their employees. This study used the case study design with a socio-technical conceptual framework as the basis to explore the strategies managers used. Data were collected via semistructured interviews with federal managers of teleworkers located in the Midwest region of the United States. A coding strategy was employed to organize the transcripts from the interviews into themes, and methodological triangulation was utilized by …

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Predictive Ability Of Emotional Intelligence Scores On Employee Self-Reported Perception Of Comprehensive Organizational Credibility Inventory, Leif Allen Ford Jan 2016

Predictive Ability Of Emotional Intelligence Scores On Employee Self-Reported Perception Of Comprehensive Organizational Credibility Inventory, Leif Allen Ford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that emotional intelligence (EQ) is positively related to beneficial outcomes in organizations. Research has also found that negative perceptions of organizational credibility (OC) can result in adverse economic and social costs for organizations and communities. To date, the existing research has failed to examine whether employee EQ might affect employee perceptions of OC. A quantitative, non-experimental study was conducted using a sample of employees in large health and medical organizations throughout the United States. The variables in the study were measured using the Assessing Emotions Scale and the Comprehensive Organizational Credibility Inventory. Multiple regression analyses and Pearson …

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Direct-To-Consumer Advertisements And Medical Services Utilization Among Adult Dermatology Patients In The United States, Heribert Zouetchou Jan 2016

Direct-To-Consumer Advertisements And Medical Services Utilization Among Adult Dermatology Patients In The United States, Heribert Zouetchou

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Pharmaceutical product claim and help-seeking advertisements have prompted the types and purposes of medical dermatology service(s) that patients have used in the United States. Indeed, researchers have demonstrated that 94% of working nurse practitioners affirmed receiving from their patients a request for a cancer drug advertised. However, adult dermatology patients members of Saint Nicholas Catholic Church or/and patients at MedStar Clinic in Houston, Texas, have not been of interest for any study so far. The purpose of this quantitative study was to assess the relationship between product claim, help-seeking, types, and purposes of medical dermatology services used amongst males and …

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Predictors Of Job Satisfaction Among Telecommuters, Lashawn Johnson Jan 2016

Predictors Of Job Satisfaction Among Telecommuters, Lashawn Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

With millions of people telecommuting each day, business leaders need to understand the factors contributing to job satisfaction among telecommuters. Drawing from the theory of purposeful work behavior, the purpose of this correlational study was to provide decision makers with information about the factors associated with job satisfaction among telecommuters. The research question addressed the relationship between gender, age, and level of telecommuting and job satisfaction. Using multiple linear regression analysis of 65 telecommuter survey respondents, the results (F(3,61) = 2.4, p > .05) indicated that no statistical significant relationships were found between job satisfaction and the predictor variables; however, the …

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Knowledge Sharing In Multicultural Organizations, Stephen Joseph Mcgrane Jan 2016

Knowledge Sharing In Multicultural Organizations, Stephen Joseph Mcgrane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Knowledge management is critical to achieving competitive advantage in the marketplace. The prominence of multicultural organizations also requires an understanding of knowledge-sharing behavior in multicultural teams. In spite of the need to accommodate these new conditions, a gap exists in the research on knowledge sharing in multicultural organizations. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that affect knowledge sharing in a multicultural context. In the research questions I examined the role that culture, monetary rewards, social units, and diversity play in knowledge sharing in a multicultural environment. This study used Hofstede's cultural dimension theory, Sveiby's knowledge-based theory, and …

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Issues Affecting Sexual Decisions Among Black Women In The Era Of Hiv/Aids, Saecilia Jackson Jan 2016

Issues Affecting Sexual Decisions Among Black Women In The Era Of Hiv/Aids, Saecilia Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

HIV/AIDS became a significant concern in the United States (U.S.) during the 1980s and in recent years has increased the most among people living in underserved urban areas, particularly impacting Black women ages 24-35. Guided by the social learning theory, this phenomenological study explored the lived experiences and behaviors of Black women in the south in order to understand their sexual health decisions and how those decisions impact the spread of HIV/AIDS among this group. The central research question focused on understanding the sexual decision making of Black women in Georgia, from the perspective of the client and provider. Convenience …

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Exploring Knowledge Management Models On Information Technology Projects, Alan Richard Foote Jan 2016

Exploring Knowledge Management Models On Information Technology Projects, Alan Richard Foote

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One way an organization manages the knowledge of its people is in information technology (IT) projects. Organizations develop IT projects for many socially responsible reasons, including improved health care services and better community services. IT projects do not always achieve the goals of the organization when the knowledge of the stakeholders is not managed for these objectives. For this study the purpose was to address the use of knowledge management (KM) in project management (PM) to improve the success of IT projects in achieving the organizational goals. The research questions were based on KM including its tools and techniques to …

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Developing Policies And Guidelines To Prevent Medication Errors And Ades In Nursing Homes, Marion Johnson Jan 2016

Developing Policies And Guidelines To Prevent Medication Errors And Ades In Nursing Homes, Marion Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the National Patient Safety Foundation, more than 1.5 million Americans are affected by medication errors because of varied factors including miscommunication, bad handwriting, name confusion, poor packaging, and metric or other dosing unit errors. This project addressed medication errors and adverse drug events by developing policy and practice guidelines to support and aid the utilization of health information technology (HIT) systems in addressing medication errors and adverse drug events at a local nursing home in Cincinnati, Ohio. The National Quality Strategy Framework was used by a team of interdisciplinary stakeholders as a guide for the development of policies …

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Relational Intelligence: A Framework To Enhance Interprofessional Collaborative Care, Elizabeth Ekole Jan 2016

Relational Intelligence: A Framework To Enhance Interprofessional Collaborative Care, Elizabeth Ekole

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many studies have reported that the training for practitioners does not stimulate reflexes that contribute to the tenets of teamwork and collaboration. No studies were found to investigate relational intelligence (RQ) in pharmacist-physician relationships as a catalyst for collaborative and hence cost effective quality care. This study addressed the role and potential opportunity to promote RQ as a critical leadership skill in the collaboration between pharmacists and physicians. Using RQ as the conceptual framework, this phenomenological study explored how pharmacists and physicians in a hospital setting perceive RQ as a leadership skill when working collaboratively. A total of 10 participants …

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Teachers' Perceptions And Practices Of Multiple Intelligences Theory In Middle Schools, Linda N. Kennedy-Murray Jan 2016

Teachers' Perceptions And Practices Of Multiple Intelligences Theory In Middle Schools, Linda N. Kennedy-Murray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite instructional changes and administrative support, students with learning disabilities in a middle school located in Georgia did not meet the state expectations to perform at their grade level in core subjects on the state's standardized test. The purpose of this correlational study was to determine whether a relationship existed between teachers' familiarity with Gardner's multiple intelligences (MI) theory and the MI instructional strategies they used in the classroom setting. Gardner's MI theory was used as the theoretical foundation, which supports the idea that if teachers can identify the intelligences (e.g., interpersonal, intrapersonal, visual/spatial, musical, bodily/kinesthetic, mathematical/logical, verbal/linguistic, and naturalistic) …

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Comparison Of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Populations In The United States, Susan Lynette Coultas Jan 2016

Comparison Of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration Populations In The United States, Susan Lynette Coultas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of blindness in the United States in people who are 50 and older. The safety and efficacy of aflibercept for the treatment of late stage neovascular AMD (NAMD) has been demonstrated by clinical trials among several populations; however, it is unclear whether all NAMD patients respond in the same manner as was studied in the clinical trials. The purpose of this study was to examine if populations of patients treated with aflibercept for the treatment of NAMD were significantly different from one another in terms of health characteristics, treatment regimens, …

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Privacy Concerns Regarding The Use Of Biometrics In Trusted Traveler Programs, Shari Merlano Jan 2016

Privacy Concerns Regarding The Use Of Biometrics In Trusted Traveler Programs, Shari Merlano

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the objectives of the U.S. government is to balance the individual’s right to privacy and national security interests. Trusted Traveler programs create a risk-based security model where the traveling public is categorized into low or high risk. There are, however, some privacy concerns related to the acceptance of the use of biometric technology in the adoption of expedited security screening procedures in commercial airports. The theoretical construct of this case study of the TSA Pre-Check Program is based on Ajzen and Fischbein’s theory of reasoned action, specifically through Davis’ technology acceptance model. The purpose of this case study …

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Penalty Enhancement Laws And The Reporting Of Patient Assaults On Emergency Department Nurses, Thomas Runkle Jan 2016

Penalty Enhancement Laws And The Reporting Of Patient Assaults On Emergency Department Nurses, Thomas Runkle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Assaults on emergency department nurses by patients are higher than any other occupation in the private sector. Professional nursing organizations have lobbied for penalty enhancement laws that increase the categorization of assaulting a nurse on duty from a misdemeanor to a felony. As of 2015, 32 states have implemented these laws. Yet, low assault reporting rates by nurses remains a problem, and little is known about whether penalty enhancements improved reporting rates. The purpose of this correlational study was to evaluate the impact of penalty enhancement laws on self-reporting of assault on emergency department nurses in 6 Mid-Atlantic cities. Constructs …

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Weighing The Relative Potential Impacts Of Climate Change And Land-Use Change On An Endangered Bird, Betsy A. Bancroft, Joshua J. Lawler, Nathan H. Schumaker Jan 2016

Weighing The Relative Potential Impacts Of Climate Change And Land-Use Change On An Endangered Bird, Betsy A. Bancroft, Joshua J. Lawler, Nathan H. Schumaker

Biology Faculty Scholarship

Climate change and land-use change are projected to be the two greatest drivers of biodiversity loss over the coming century. Land-use change has resulted in extensive habitat loss for many species. Likewise, climate change has affected many species resulting in range shifts, changes in phenology, and altered interactions. We used a spatially explicit, individual-based model to explore the effects of land-use change and climate change on a population of the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker (RCW; Picoides borealis). We modeled the effects of land-use change using multiple scenarios representing different spatial arrangements of new training areas for troops across Fort Benning. …

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Should The Law Convict Those Who Act From Conviction? Reflections On A Demands-Of-Conscience Criminal Defense, David Lefkowitz Jan 2016

Should The Law Convict Those Who Act From Conviction? Reflections On A Demands-Of-Conscience Criminal Defense, David Lefkowitz

Philosophy Faculty Publications

How should the judge or jury in a just criminal court treat a civil disobedient, someone who performs a conscientiously motivated communicative breach of the criminal law? Kimberley Brownlee contends that all else equal a court of law should neither convict nor punish such offenders. Though I agree with this conclusion, I contend that Brownlee mischaracterizes the nature of the criminal defense to which civil disobedients are entitled. Whereas Brownlee maintains that such actors ought to be excused for their criminal breach, I argue that they ought to enjoy a justification defense. Acts of civil disobedience are not (morally) wrongful …

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Use Of High-Fidelity Simulation Training For New Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Nurses, Bryan Boling Jan 2016

Use Of High-Fidelity Simulation Training For New Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit Nurses, Bryan Boling

DNP Projects

Critical care nursing is one of the most challenging, high-stress fields in healthcare. This is especially true for nurses in the highly specialized environment of the cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CTICU). The experience level of nurses in critical care is positively linked with patient outcomes; however, with older nurses retiring or moving away from the bedside and younger nurses increasingly moving into advanced practice or management and leadership roles it is becoming more difficult to maintain a high degree of nursing experience in the ICU. Simulation training has been used to provide safe, effective training, and it is even possible …

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