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An Examination Of The Student-Focused Transition Planning Process In A Rural Setting, Pamela Lynne Brezenski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the local state special education transition aged postoutcome survey measurements, high school students with disabilities (HS-SWDs) continue to demonstrate problems with unemployment, independent living, and postsecondary education as they transition to adult life. HS-SWDs receive instruction from transition planning teams (TPTs) to address educational attendance, independent living, agency collaboration, and employment skills. When these knowledge and skills are not acquired, HS-SWDs cannot gain employment or attend postsecondary institutions. The purpose of this qualitative, bounded case study was to explore the TPT members' perspectives of the transition planning process. Kohler's transition taxonomy guided this study. The research questions were used …

Improving Recruitment And Retention Of Volunteer Firefighters, Jason Decremer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The number of active volunteer firefighters has been steadily dropping in the state of Connecticut for several years. At the same time, the number of public service calls for fire departments has been on the rise. This problem impacts fire protection and municipalities that rely on volunteer fire departments. The purpose of this narrative study was to explore why volunteer firefighter numbers have been declining, the extent to which recruitment and retention programs are used in volunteer fire departments, and how these programs contribute to a fire department's ability to recruit members. Perry's public service motivation model provided the theoretical …

Empowering Cultural Competency In Healthcare Providers, Betty Antoinette Dement

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Racial and ethnic health disparities are highest in communities of color; providing culturally competent care could address these disparities. Culturally competent communication between the healthcare provider and the patient is an essential behavior that may improve health in racially and ethnically diverse women. A quality improvement project was completed with guidance from the 5 constructs of the Campinha-Bacote model as the conceptual framework, and the method used was the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey. The perspective of 20 Mexican American and 20 African American women in El Paso, Texas between ages 45 and 72 with menopausal symptoms …

Factors Contributing To Substance Abuse Treatment Completion Among Alaska Natives, Courtney Kay Donovan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alaska Native populations have experienced significant struggles with addictions to alcohol and other substances. The Alaska Native population's access to treatment services is riddled with problems. This quantitative study served the purpose of identifying factors that lead to the prediction of successful treatment discharges among Alaska Native clients who received treatment for substance abuse at a treatment center in Alaska. Based on the theoretical framework of Marlatt's relapse prevention theory, using archival data, as well as a cross-sectional, quantitative research design, predictive variables of the efficacy of substance use treatment among outpatient clients (N = 278) were examined. Multiple regression …

Teachers' Perspectives Of Low Student Achievement Within Social Promotion Practices, Denise Monifa Connor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have reported the positive and negative effects of social promotion and retention. The problem at a large elementary school in the southeastern United States was inadequate achievement scores of 70% of socially promoted students in grades 3 through 5 on mandated state tests. The purpose of this case study was to explore the perspectives of teachers on social promotion, grade retention, and how to improve achievement in grades 3 through 5. Tomlinson's differentiated instruction was used as the conceptual framework. Twelve teachers from Grades 3 through 5, who had been at the school at least 1 year and represented …

Screening And Educating Military Veterans About Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Jane Egbufoama

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Veterans are at increased risk for developing mental illnesses because of separation from families, distressing experiences in the military, and previous injury to the brain. Approximately 30% of U.S. veterans returning from war suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The incidence of acute PTSD is reduced when victims are aware of the condition and its associated factors. Through education and screening, the project bridged the gap between deployment of military veterans and treatment of PTSD in this population by addressing whether screening veterans and providing an educational process affected veterans' early PTSD recognition and treatment. The project study addressed the …

Use Of Antipsychotic Medications In Individuals With Alzheimer's Disease In Nursing Facilities, Michelle M. Dionne-Vahalik

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patients with Alzheimer's disease or other types of dementia often require long-term care in nursing facilities (NF) where they may display out-of-character behaviors complicating their care. While antipsychotic medications are sometimes prescribed for NF residents, their use is considered inappropriate for the control of dementia behaviors. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have rated Texas the worst state in the country for the inappropriate use of antipsychotic medications for NF residents with dementia. This project was guided by the star model of knowledge transformation with the goal to reduce inappropriate use of antipsychotic medications through NF staff education. The …

Factors Associated With Menthol Cigarettes Smoking Among Youths Ages 12 To 19, Eniye Emmanuel Eguae

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Menthol is added to cigarettes to make smoking more convenient. Menthol is considered a contributing factor that makes smoking appealing to youths and their continuous smoking initiation, which progresses to regular cigarette smoking and addiction, especially among youths ages 12 to 19. Menthol encourages approximately 4,000 youths to experiment with smoking daily in the United States, of which approximately 1,000 become active smokers. Not enough is known regarding the influence of menthol on youth smoking initiation/smoking behavior. A quantitative analysis of data from the 2014 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) was used to explore the association between age, race/ethnicity, gender, …

Patient Navigation Program In Oncolgy Clinical Practice, Mercy George

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cancer diagnoses affect millions of people in the United States each year. Today, cancer patients face many challenges when trying to navigate the complex healthcare system. Patient navigation programs were developed to address and overcome barriers patients may face as they make their way through the healthcare system. The purpose of this project was to provide an analysis and discussion of the current published literature to provide evidence for improving care coordination and patient satisfaction in the oncology clinical setting with a patient navigator program. The practice-focused question for this project asked if a patient navigator program for adult cancer …

A Critical Perspective Of Transformational Leadership And Safety Management Practices, Larry D. Frazier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A troubling trend has developed in the increasing number of commuter rail accidents

causing injuries, fatalities, and safety concerns. The specific problem addressed in this study is that current leadership practices have not achieved success reducing safety violations and rail accidents. The purpose of this qualitative cross-sectional study was to explore the potential influence of perceived leadership styles of 16 frontline rail supervisors and 4 managers on safety management practices within a metro rail system. The conceptual framework was based on Bass's transformational leadership theory and Reason's human error model. The key research question dealt with how leadership style might …

Program Evaluation Of An Induction Program In A Rural U.S. Middle School, Jean Dorinda Graddick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project study addressed the problem of induction teacher attrition at a rural middle school in the Southeastern United States. The study consisted of a program evaluation of a new induction program to ascertain the program's effectiveness in reducing induction teacher attrition. The theoretical framework for this study was Social constructivism. The goals of the evaluation were to (a) examine evidence supporting the effectiveness of the program, (b) identify whether the program helped the school to meet its new-teacher retention goals, and (c) evaluate induction program processes for their possible revision and improvement at other rural middle schools. A qualitative …

The Role Of Empathy In Nursing Assistant Retention, Garlina Finn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is estimated that by 2020 there will be 2.8 million long-term care beds in residential facilities, staffed primarily with nursing assistants as the front-line care providers. The American Healthcare Association 2012 staffing survey showed that the median annual turnover rate for nursing assistants in the United States is 51.5%. High rates of turnover are associated not only with poorer quality of care but also with increased costs for facilities. The purpose of this project was to understand characteristics that are associated with long-term employment in the nursing assistant role by describing the personality characteristic of empathy in the nursing …

Young Female College Millennials' Intent For Behavior Change With Wearable Fitness Technology, Andrea Christine Haney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Among young college-aged females, overweight and obesity, type 2 diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension, and high stress levels have increased, causing overall worse health conditions than previous generations. The use of wearable fitness technology (WFT) by young adults assists in fitness and nutrition monitoring, provides feedback in health statistics, and has shown improvements in reducing health-related issues in young college females. A wide body of literature related to physical activity, nutrition, and health issues in young college females exists; however, the experiences and intent of WFT use for behavior change by young college female millennials has not been well researched. The purpose …

Influence Of Energy Benchmarking Policies On The Energy Performance Of Existing Buildings, Samar Hamad

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Energy benchmarking and disclosure policies exist in several local and state governments to manage the energy consumption of existing buildings and encourage energy efficient retrofits and upgrades, yet little is known about whether these efforts have improved overall energy efficiency. The purpose of this repeated-measures study was to examine the influence of New York City's (NYC's) Benchmarking Law (LL84) on the energy performance of the city's existing commercial buildings through investigating whether the energy performance of the city's existing commercial buildings significantly improved after the implementation of this policy. The study was based on Ostrom's institutional analysis and development framework. …

Strategies To Minimize Direct Care Worker Shortages, Eric Ik Iloabachie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a worldwide shortage of direct care workers who help older adults in their own homes. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies that owners of home health care businesses can use to retain adequate direct care workers for their businesses. Five home care agency owners from Wake County, North Carolina, participated. Each owner had successfully implemented strategies to ensure adequate caregivers to sustain the business. Human relations theory was used to address the business problem. Data collection involved interviewing the 5 owners of home care agency businesses in their offices. Through a process of …

Monetary Incentives And Adolescent Males' Athletic Performance, Sean Jones

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although the use of monetary incentives as motivational tools has been studied by previous researchers, the mechanism of the relationship between monetary incentives and behavior/performance remains poorly understood. The purpose of this quasi-experimental investigation was to explore the relationship between 3 levels of monetary incentives ($0, $3, and $10) and the athletic performance of adolescent male soccer players. The moderating effect of perceived physical self-efficacy or intrinsic motivation on the relationship between athletic performance and monetary incentives was also investigated. The framework for the study was comprised of expectancy theory, the theory of planned behavior, and self-determination theory. Study participants …

Technology Acceptance And Compliance In Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients, Asif Kidwai

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The focus of this study is the problem of declining trend in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patient compliance. Studies reported improved compliance in patients with chronic diseases due to technology-based interventions. However, researchers have not investigated the advantages of technology to improve the compliance of OSA patients in detail. The specific problem was the lack of engagement between patients and healthcare managers, resulting in low compliance within OSA patients. The purpose of this qualitative study was to evaluate how technology-based interventions can improve OSA patient engagement with the healthcare managers resulting in improved compliance with treatment procedures. In this study, …

Coping, Conforming, And Liquid Courage As Predictors Of Binge Drinking Among Female College Students, Melania Kim

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

College-student binge drinking presents a significant health problem on college campuses. Binge drinking has typically been associated with male college students. The rate of binge drinking (4 or more alcoholic drinks on a single occasion) for female college students increased from 46% in 1991-1992 to 52% in 2011-2012. Female alcoholics are more vulnerable to high risk of liver disease, circulatory disorders, breast cancer, fertility issues, and early menopause. Given these risks and increases in the rate of female college student binge drinking, there is a need to identify motivations for/expectations from binge drinking among females. Using the foundation of social …

Implementation Of The Crafft Cannabis Screening Tool, Barbara Loeprich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cannabis use among teenagers in Canada is a concern because of the long-term and irreversible effects cannabis has on the developing body and mind. Nurses can be instrumental in screening for cannabis abuse by implementing a tool to assess for substance use disorder (SUD) and triage drug users to appropriate treatment. This project focused on how to implement the CRAFFT screening tool while gaining insight of the practitioner's knowledge base about the tool and how SUD is being screened for, currently. The CRAFFT screening tool aligns with the DSM-IV's SUD diagnosis criteria, allowing for efficient identification of those at risk …

Factors Affecting The Adoption Of Bring Your Own Device By Teachers In Caymanian Public High Schools, Cleyo Lutice Lawrence

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At public high schools in Cayman, teachers need to improve their productivity and efficiency by using technologies that are simple and portable like their personal devices. Studies about bring your own device (BYOD) initiatives have revealed conflicting outcomes, and are lacking in the Caribbean and especially in Cayman. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the main factors related to teachers' willingness to adopt BYOD in public high schools in Cayman. The theoretical framework was the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT). This study employed a cross-sectional survey design using a modified UTAUT instrument, which …

Strategies For Applying Electronic Health Records To Achieve Cost Saving Benefits, Daniel Kanyi Ngunyu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 authorized the distribution of about $30 billion incentive funds to accelerate electronic health record (EHR) applications to improve the quality of care, safety, privacy, care coordination, and patients' involvement in healthcare. EHR use has the potential of saving $731 in costs for hospitals per patient admission; however, most hospitals are not applying EHR to reach the level at which cost savings are possible. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies that IT leaders in hospitals can use to apply EHR to achieve the cost saving benefits. The …

A Qualitative Look At How Sibling Bereavement From Unnatural Causes Of Death Affects Surviving Siblings, Michael David Gilvin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of the study is to fill the gap in the literature regarding sibling bereavement. This study explored how sibling bereavement from unnatural causes of death affects surviving siblings. Bereavement affects millions of Americans every year. Most grieve naturally, but some experience complicated grief or depression. Many studies address parental and spousal bereavement, but few focus on sibling bereavement. This study fills that gap in the literature so that mental health care professionals and the general public understand what bereaved siblings experience after the death of a sibling. The study was a phenomenological study using social constructivism as a …

Perceptions Of Stress: Employee Participation In A Yoga Class, Rosemarie Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract

Employees experience workplace stress that can affect their health resulting in chronic diseases such as diabetes, stress, hypertension, and cardiovascular diseases. Stress also contributes to staff presentism, absenteeism, and high turnover rate. The employee wellness program (EWP) yoga class at a metropolitan teaching hospital has not been evaluated for its effectiveness in employee stress reduction and improvement in employee health. The practice focus question for this project explored employees' perception of the impact of a metropolitan teaching hospital's EWP yoga class on their stress reduction and health promotion activities. The theoretical framework for this project is Lazarus' transactional model …

Examining Health Disparities And Childhood Obesity In Florida And Georgia, Jennifer Wesley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Childhood obesity is a major issue in the United States. The rates of obesity vary among racial and ethnic groups in the U.S. South. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional study was to investigate significant state health disparities differences in childhood obesity in the South region between Florida and Georgia. To steer this study, the social cognitive theory was used. The associations between neighborhood safety and support, physical activity, family health and activities on body mass index were examined in this study. Data was obtained from the National Survey of Children's Health 2011-2012 on 1,688 children aged 10-17 years residing …

Using Parent-Identified Strengths Of Autistic Children To Advance Strength-Based Intervention, Angelique Francesca Trigueros

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Questions remain about the range of abilities autistic children possess and what constitutes effective treatment. Strength-based intervention contrasts with traditional autistic intervention approaches that focus on children's deficits. Studies on strength-based intervention approaches have not revealed how children's strengths are identified and have not used the insights of parents for this purpose. Neurodiversity serves as the conceptual framework because the tenets of neurodiversity align with those of strength-based approaches and hold that autism is a variation of the human condition rather than a disability. The purpose of this qualitative interpretive phenomenological study was to explore how the parent-identified strengths of …

Evaluation Of A Preceptor Education Program For The Adult Burn Center, Yvette Wilson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The nursing shortage in the United States is increasing and directly affects the turnover of staff in the adult burn center of the facility that is the focus of this project. In addition to the institution's traditional leadership education, which includes preceptor and charge nurse modules, a burn-focused supplemental preceptor preparation education program (SPPEP) was developed and delivered to address the expressed needs of the staff preceptors. The purpose of this quality improvement evidence-based project was to develop and deliver a program evaluation tool for the adult burn center leadership to assess the effectiveness of the SPPEP in this specialty …

Parent Aggression Level As A Predictor Of Attitudes Toward Bullying, John Bradley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The focus of this study was on parents of elementary and middle school age children and how the variables of age, gender, and level of education influence their attitudes toward bullying. The gaps in literature support the notion that additional empirical research on the different sociological factors that influence, support, and encourage bullying is required. The purpose of this study was to determine if parental level of aggression, as measured by the Modified Overt Aggression Scale, can predict a parent's attitude toward bullying as measured by the Parental Attitudes to Bullying (PAB) scale. In addition, this study investigated whether other …

The Relationship Between Corporate Social Responsibility, Corporate Sustainability, And Corporate Financial Performance, Oluwakemi Daniel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some business executives are reluctant to engage in social responsibility and sustainability practices because of the assumption that these projects are costly and impair profitability. The purpose of this correlation study was to examine the relationship between corporate social responsibility, sustainability (as proxied by the 2016 Best Corporate Citizens index), and corporate financial performance (as measured by ROA and Tobin's Q). Stakeholder theory was the theoretical framework for the study. The results of linear regression analyses indicated an insignificant positive relationship between corporate social responsibility, sustainability, and financial performance. The yield of the linear regression analyses was as follows: F(1, …

Relationship Between Exposure To Phthalate And Obesity In The United States, Gladys Chidiebere Ezem

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity is a public health problem. The global obesity problem has been attributed to unhealthy diet, inactivity, and hereditary factors. However, phthalates may also contribute to the obesity epidemic. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine whether there was a relationship between exposure to phthalates and obesity among adults 18 years and older in the United States. The theoretical framework was based on the socioecological model. The quantitative, cross-sectional design, and data analysis were based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011-2012 database. Descriptive statistics and multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the association between …

Leaders' Endorsement Of Idiosyncratic Workplace Fun, Organizational Playfulness Climate, And Organizational Creativity, Krasimir Karamfilov

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Emotionally disconnected employees, about 70% in the U.S., do not experience positive affect at work, are disengaged, and not creative. The purpose of this quantitative quasi-experimental study was to investigate the effects of leaders' endorsement of idiosyncratic workplace fun (independent variable) and organizational playfulness climate (independent variable) on organizational creativity (dependent variable). Complexity-based theoretical perspectives on organizational creativity framed this quantitative study. Data were collected via three survey instruments at two data points from 7 project teams, divided into two experimental groups, at 6 companies in northwestern United States. One group received an intervention for 1 month. Pearson's correlation analysis …