Digital Commons Network^™

Usefulness Of Field Experience Component Of A Principal Preparation Program, George Roberts

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of knowledge about the usefulness of a field experience component within the associate principal preparation program for assistant principals drove this study. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the beliefs of system leaders and past participants regarding the usefulness of the field experience component and to examine archival end-of-course survey data from past participants. Constructivism and adult learning theory constituted the conceptual framework. Twelve leaders who were participants or administrators of the program within a large mid-Atlantic school district in the United States were participants. Qualitative data sources included interviews and archival data from the …

Twenty-First Century Skill Building For Students With Special Needs Through Problem-Based Learning: An Examination Of Homeschool Teacher Blogs, Jami Maree Tipton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although problem-based learning (PBL) is not a new educational teaching method, little is known about the experiences of homeschool teachers who implement this teaching and learning approach with students with special needs. An increase in the number students with special needs being homeschooled made this study necessary and timely. The purpose of this study was to explore how publicly shared PBL experiences of homeschool teachers of students with special needs reflect 21st-century skills. The study was framed using 3 skill areas from a 21st-century skills framework including communication and collaboration, problem-solving and critical thinking, and cross-disciplinary knowledge. Data were collected …

Survival Strategies For Owners Of Micro And Small Enterprises In Kenya, Samuel Kipngetich Too

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Micro and small enterprise (MSE) owners in Kenya are faced with a myriad of constraints that affect their survival for longer than the first 5 years. Owners of MSEs who are unable to identify and implement strategies may not succeed in sustaining their businesses. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies owners of MSEs in Nairobi, Kenya, used to sustain their businesses for longer than 5 years. The conceptual framework for the study was the theory of constraints. Data were collected from 4 purposefully selected MSE owners in Nairobi, Kenya, through face-to-face, semistructured interviews, and review …

An Evidence-Based Clinical Guideline To Improve Pediatric Asthma Outcomes, Andrew Wesolowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Asthma is a disease that compromises the airways of the respiratory system, and is a prominent reason for hospitalization and emergency care needs. Over 6.1 million children are estimated to suffer from asthma. Asthmatic patients at an urban pediatric hospital emergency department (ED) were found to have higher revisit rates than the national average for large urban hospitals. The lack of a clinical guideline for educating families in patient care management at home could have contributed to readmission rates. The purpose of this project was to develop an evidence-based pediatric asthma education clinical guideline to aide healthcare providers with discharge …

Postimmigration Acculturative Challenges In African Immigrant Couples' Relationships, John Kwaku Amoah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African immigrant couples encounter postimmigration acculturative challenges that impact the foundation of their marriages. The purpose of this case study was to explore the postimmigration challenges that immigrant African couples face and how they manage with the acculturative challenges. The theoretical foundation that guided this study was Social Exchange Theory (SET). This study included interviews of 5 couples of African descent who were married in their home countries before migrating to the United States and who have lived for 5 years or more in Massachusetts. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. The HyperResearch Qualitative Analysis software was used to analyze the …

Exploring Leadership Skills For The Sustainability Of Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises, Yvette Julianne Peters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) contribute to the stability and growth of economies by creating employment in rural and urban areas. More than 60% of SMEs do not survive for longer than 5 years; a lack of leadership skills is among the key problems. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the leadership skills owners-managers used to sustain their businesses for longer than 5 years. Research participants were 4 owners-managers of SMEs from the manufacturing industry in Trinidad and Tobago that sustained their businesses for at least 5 years. The contingency leadership model and the skill-based leadership …

Development & Evaluation Of An Introductory Webinar Training For Mental Health Professionals Working With Families Of Sexually Abused Children: A Strengths-Based Sociocultural Approach, Heidi Michelle Alexandria Arredeondo

Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of the current project was to develop a webinar to support the training of mental health professionals to work competently with the widespread phenomenon of childhood sexual abuse. A review of the literature suggests that the scope of CSA is broad, however, there is much more to be known about the unique challenges families face as they support their affected child. Survey results gathered as part of this project revealed several trends: MHPs do not receive specialized training in CSA matters, MHPs feel unprepared for working with families of sexually abused children (FSAC), and various sociocultural factors potentially …

Understanding Self-Care Techniques Among Currently Practicing Behavior Analysts, Shane T. Spiker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Board Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) serve as the primary practitioners within this field, providing direct services to individuals with socially significant problem behaviors. The purpose of this study was to expand research on the behavior analytic practitioner regarding their self-care practices and develop an understanding of their lived experience using Orem's theory of self-care. Data were collected from 10 BCBAs via face-to-face interviews derived of questions regarding self-care practices. The interview questions included discussions around self-care behaviors as well as beneficial and problematic effects regarding individual self-care practices. Interpretive phenomenological analysis was used to gather information regarding practices and interpret …

Hospital Admission From The Emergency Department For Patients Diagnosed With Heart Failure, Tammy Young

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Approximately 25% of those hospitalized with congestive heart failure are readmitted within 30 days after discharge. Because researchers and policy makers consider hospital readmission within 30 days for patients with heart failure to be a quality of care issue, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has imposed financial penalties of up to 3% of a hospital's Medicare revenue for 1 year for excessive readmissions, potentially impacting the financial sustainability of some organizations. The purpose of the study was to address the research gap regarding the outcome quality measure of hospital admissions from the emergency department (ED) and 2 each …

Perceptions Of Community College Students And Instructors On Traditional And Technology-Based Learning, Lukishia Denise Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The college under study only requires instructors to use traditional resources to teach literacy content leading to a variation in the use of technology within literacy courses. In this college, technology is not being integrated well, too little or inconsistent exposure to technology depending on the instructor. The purpose of this study was to investigate the attitudes of faculty toward integration of technology into classroom instruction and students' perceptions of technology as a part of their learning. Dewey's theory of educative experience was the conceptual framework used in this study. Data collection for this qualitative study was based on semistructured …

Prevention And Management Of Aggression And Violence In Mental Health Settings, Margaret Arotimi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aggression and violence in healthcare settings can lead to severe psychological, physical, and economic consequences for the victims, institutions, and society in general. Empirical evidence indicated that patient-initiated physical and verbal aggression is a longstanding problem affecting nurses working in psychiatric hospital settings. At the project site, approximately 88% of the staff members reported having been assaulted by mental health patients in the admission units at some point in the provision of care between 2015 and 2017. The purpose of this project was to develop an educational program for nurses at the site to use as preventive strategies in managing …

The Influence Of Mission Valence And Intrinsic Incentives On Employee Motivation, Darren Edward Christle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Worker motivation is relevant to public sector leaders because motivated workers are more efficient and productive, demonstrate positive behaviors, and are happier. Scholars have focused on differing approaches on how to incentivise public service employees using extrinsic or intrinsic incentives. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to explore the value and effectiveness of mission valence and other intrinsic means used to influence employee motivation and productivity. Using Festinger'€™s cognitive dissonance theory as a guide, a homogeneous group of key participants was interviewed with the intent of answering research questions. The research questions focused on mission valence deployment and …

Understanding Social Workers' Roles Providing Case Management To Medicaid Managed Care Enrollees, Vontija Deeshawn Dean-El

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social workers often take on the role of providing case management to Medicaid recipients; however, there is little clinical research on social workers' perceptions of their case management role. The purpose of this study was to develop an understanding of the social worker case management role by exploring social workers' perceptions of their roles when providing case management to Ohio Medicaid managed care enrollees. This action research study was grounded in organizational role theory. A semi structured focus group was facilitated using open-ended questions related to social workers' role perceptions, role conflict, role ambiguity, case management, and managed care. Qualitative …

Implementing A Sepsis Protocol In A Long-Term Care Hospital, Kristine Lynette Harral

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a response to infection that causes multiorgan failure. This condition causes high mortality and morbidity rates and leaves permanent disabilities. The purpose of this project was to create a sepsis protocol and an education training program for clinical staff in a hospital setting where no sepsis protocol was in place. The practice-focused question examined whether an educational program would improve clinical staff perception of their knowledge of the early recognition and management of sepsis. A literature review was conducted to identify an evidence-based practice protocol; the results were used to develop the education …

The Challenges, Barriers, And Resources In The Integration Of Technology In A Department Of Transportation Training Program, Maurice C. Elliott

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A learning management system (LMS) is a software application used in documentation, administration, tracking, reporting, and the delivery of training programs to support acquiring knowledge through practical problem-solving. There is a lack of widespread use of LMS technology in the training of program analysts. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to examine the challenges or barriers and the necessary resources in the use of technology for this training within a Texas Department of Transportation (DOT) and the best practices in the implementation of the LMS technology in the training of program analysts. The usage of Papert's technology constructionism …

The Perceived Impact Of Alternative Specialized Education Services On Former Teen Mothers, Malinda Starr Hudson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many teen parents face challenges when completing secondary education resulting in unsustainable family units. Previous researchers focused on services to teen mothers while completing secondary education, with little addressing the long-term impact of Alternative Specialized Education Services (ASES) as the former teen mother matured. This phenomenological study explored the perceptions of 8 former teen mothers (ranging in age from 20 to 54) of ASES'€™ impact on their values and decision-making as they matured. Program theory was the overarching framework and values clarification the interpretive lens. Data were inductively coded and subjected to interpretive phenomenological and thematic analysis. Four themes emerged: …

Faculty Incivility And Academic Nurse Administrator Job Satisfaction, Kimberly S. Lindquist

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Academic nurse leaders hold an essential role in preparing future nurses who have the skills and abilities to meet complex healthcare system. However, vacancies in academic leadership positions are on the rise and may be connected to faculty incivility which affects job satisfaction of academic nurse leaders. The purpose of this descriptive correlational study, guided by Herzberg'€™s two-factor theory, was to explore the relationships between perceptions of and experiences with faculty incivility and job satisfaction in a population of academic nurse leaders. Leader perceptions of and experiences with faculty incivility were measured using the Workplace Civility/Incivility Survey and leader job …

Approved Victim Contact And Treatment Outcomes Among Domestic Violence Offenders, Brian Timothy Longworth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Batterer intervention programs (BIPs) were developed to address high recidivism rates and low treatment completion rates in domestic violence offenders. Segregation between these offenders and their victims has been traditional in BIPs, but there has been no research exploring if this separation is related to treatment outcome. This research explored the relation between offender contact with their children or victims and outcomes including recidivism and treatment completion. Most domestic violence interventions are psychoeducational in nature and are based on the cognitive behavioral theory premise that if an individual'€™s thinking process can be changed, a change in actions can result. This …

In Today's News: Alpha Males & Women Power, Kaamna Patel, Special Collections, Fleet Library

Artists' Books

1 volume, 46 pages . "Reappropriates images from print media in India to comment on patriarchy and gender roles."--colophon. Title from last page of book. "Image sources : Mumbai Samachar, Janmabhumi, Mumbai Mirror, Mid-day, Times of India, Hyderabad Times." In Todays News: Alpha Males and Women Power is a photobook by Kaamna Patel wherein she appropriates images from print media in India to comment on prevalent patriarchies and pre-determined gender roles. Using the semiotics of images, In Todays News attempts to reveal the dominant ideology of a people at a particular time in their history, while leaving room for the …

The Self-Perceived Cultural Competency Of Hiv Interventionists, Tonya Herring

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite significant research and inroads with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), disparities in HIV infection continue to widen for African American (AA) men who have sex with men (MSM). In recent times, cultural competence has been receiving increased attention as a possible factor to enhance the quality of health messaging and lessening HIV disparities. However, there is a dearth of research specifically dedicated to AA MSM and culturally competent HIV health messages. To address this gap, this qualitative research was designed to investigate the self-perceived cultural competency among HIV counselors. The theoretical framework for the project was the PEN-3 cultural …

Reputation And Accountability: Another Look At The United Nations’ Response To The Cholera Epidemic In Haiti, Kristina Daugirdas

Articles

The cholera outbreak in Haiti offers a useful case study of reputation as a disciplinarian of international organizations. On the one hand, UN officials and member states alike have emphasized the need to repair the organization’s damaged reputation. On the other hand, the UN secretariat declined to take certain steps that might have averted—or at least mitigated—that reputational damage in the first place. This contribution argues that the United Nations’ response to cholera in Haiti showcases some important limitations and complications of reputation as a disciplinarian. Reputation will function as a less effective disciplinarian of organizations in the context of …

Investment Ramifications Of Distortionary Tax Subsidies, James R. Hines Jr., Jongsang Park

Articles

This paper examines the investment effects of tax subsidies for which some assets and not others are eligible. Distortionary tax subsidies concentrate investments in tax-favored assets, thereby reducing the expected pre-tax profitability of investment and reducing payoffs to bondholders in the event of default. Anticipation of asset substitution encourages lenders to require covenants in debt contracts, which only imperfectly address asset substitution and distort investment. The result is that borrowing is made more expensive, which in turn discourages investment. Borrowing rates can react so strongly that aggregate investment may rise very little, or even fall, in response to higher tax …

There Is No Work-Life Balance, Bridget M. Mccormack, Leonard M. Niehoff

Articles

We often find ourselves speaking to audiences of law students and new lawyers who are trying to figure out what their future as practicing attorneys will look like. At some point, typically toward the end of our remarks, a hand goes up and a dreaded question - as reliable as the law of gravity - lands with a thud: "Do you have any advice as to how to achieve the right work-life balance?"

Leadership Strategies To Improve Nurse Retention, Floyd Jordan Colwell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The nursing shortage and high turnover rates are a problem in the United States. The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore leadership strategies that hospital senior nurse managers in the Rocky Mountain states use to improve nurse retention. Participants were 6 hospital senior nurse managers including 3 chief nursing officers, 1 assistant chief nursing officer, and 2 directors who had demonstrated effective leadership strategies in retention of nurses. The leadership-motivated excellence theory was the conceptual framework. Semistructured interviews with open-ended interview questions were used to collect data; organization websites and documents were used to help corroborate evidence …

Success Strategies Of Small And Medium-Sized Retail Enterprises In North Dakota, David Frantsvog

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Entrepreneurial organizations are an integral part of the United States economy. Despite the importance of sustainable businesses operations, nearly 50% of entrepreneurial ventures fail within the first 5 years of operation. The purpose of this multiple case study was to determine the effective strategies that some owners of small and medium-sized retail firms in North Dakota used to maintain profitable business operations for more than 5 years. General systems theory was the conceptual framework for this study. The population was 5 owners of profitable small and medium-sized retail firms in North Dakota who have been in operation for a minimum …

Developing A Clinical Practice Guideline For Improving Communication During Transitions Of Care, Darla P. Hardy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Transition of care refers to the movement of patients between health care settings; it occurs each time patients move between providers within the same setting or between settings based on the patient's acute or chronic health care needs. Care transition includes the efficient and accurate exchange of information needed to provide high-quality continuity of care. A rural community hospital in in the northeastern region of the United States has a skilled nursing facility and an acute care hospital on one campus. This project focused on the development of a clinical practice guideline (CPG) for the hospital to improve communication during …

Implementing Aromatherapy For Falls Reduction In The Inpatient Hospice Population, Kimberly Kay Pistek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Falls among the elderly is a health concern affecting multiple patients annually. Hospice patients and those with multiple comorbidities are at the greatest risk of falling and sustaining injuries from falls. Aromatherapy has been used for reducing multiple symptoms as well as for decreasing falls. The practice-focused question explored whether an education program on using aromatherapy for fall prevention would increase knowledge of this intervention for an interdisciplinary group of hospice staff. The design was developed using Knowles's theory of andragogy and Bloom's taxonomy. Thirteen staff members from the same facility participated in the education program. The program was targeted …

Motoric Cognitive Risk Syndrome: Prevalence And Risk Of Cognitive Impairment In A Population Studied In The Mexican Health And Aging Study 2012–2015, Sara G. Aguilar-Navarro, Alberto José Mimenza-Alvarado, J E. Aguilar-Esquivel, Sara G. Yeverino-Castro, Teresa Juarez-Cedillo, Silvia Mejia-Arango

School of Medicine Publications

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Motoric Cognitive Risk (MCR) syndrome, describe associated risk factors and to determine the risk of progression to cognitive impairment after three years of follow-up, in a sample of Mexican older adults.

Design: A prospective panel study of health and aging in Mexico.

Setting and participants: Baseline and follow-up information was obtained from the Mexican Health and Aging Study's 2012 and 2015 waves. A total of 726 subjects aged 60 years or older with normal cognition at baseline were classified into 4 groups: 1) with MCR, 2) with memory …

Care Intervention And Reduction Of Emergency Department Utilization In Medicaid Populations, Eno J. Rouse

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Expansion of Medicaid and private health insurance coverage through passage of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 was expected to increase primary care access and reduce emergency department (ED) use by reducing financial burden and improving affordability of care. The aim of this study was to examine the differences in utilization patterns that exist among the Medicaid population that participated in an optimal level of care (OLC) intervention inclusive of appointments scheduled to primary care providers. Using the integrated behavior model as a theoretical framework, the key research question focused on determining if there was a difference in ED use …

The Impact Of Good Governance And Stability On Sustainable Development In Ghana, William Deiyan Towah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Previous studies have lauded Ghana's commitment to sustainable development, but corruption and violence may affect sustainable development policies and initiatives related to poverty reduction, agricultural practices, environmental protection, and human development. The purpose of this holistic, qualitative case study was to identify and describe good governance practices in Ghana and threats to sustainable development. A Marxist conceptual lens guided the thematic analysis of data collected from artifact documents, field notes, and interviews of 20 key informants from various professions and diverse perspectives who were directly involved in the governance of Ghana or implementation of policies. Three primary themes emerged: (a) …