Digital Commons Network^™

Professional Development For Nurse Educators, Samdaye Ramdial

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a large university on the outskirts of Toronto, Canada, there was an influx of students entering the nursing program. Therefore, the need arose for an updated, restructured, and professional development training guideline with current knowledge for nurse educators to achieve high quality learning and critical thinking. The purpose of this study was to explore professional development leaders’ perceptions of quality training guidelines for nurse educators. The conceptual framework of this study was Knowles’s adult learning theory. The research questions were centered on what professional leaders perceive to be quality professional development. A qualitative case study design was used in …

The Effect Of Collective Efficacy On Stress Among Elementary Teachers, Tiffany Annette Rich

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stress among teachers has been an area of increasing concern in education. This study was designed to examine the role of collective efficacy on negative stress effects experienced by elementary general and special education teachers and to determine the difference between effects, if any, in both groups. This topic is important to school leaders and teachers because many teachers are leaving the field, resulting in a shortage of teachers across the United States. The study’s theoretical framework consisted of social cognitive theory, the theory of collective efficacy, and equity theory. Data were collected using the Collective Efficacy Scale, Short Form, …

Understanding The Increase In Military Couples Seeking Counseling Throughout The Military Lifecycle, Ellen F. Saccoia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Since the start of military operations following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the nation has experienced the longest sustained war in its history. Military couples are at an increased risk of experiencing relationship stressors due to supporting long-term global military operations. Most of the research literature identifying the difficulties experienced by active-duty military couples was conducted over the past two decades following September 11, 2001. Missing from the literature are present-day problems facing military couples seeking counseling following the drawdown of overseas military operations (see United States Government Accountability Office [U.S. GAO], 2016). The purpose of this action …

Strategies For Reducing Voluntary Employee Turnover In Call Centers, Holly R. Schick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Call center business leaders who experience voluntary employee turnover are affected by

low productivity and high attrition. Call center business leaders are concerned about

voluntary employee turnover, as 35 of every 100 call center employees leave the

company within the first 6 months of their start date. The purpose of this qualitative

multiple case study was to explore strategies call center business leaders use to reduce

voluntary employee turnover among several call center managers located in Southeastern

New Mexico. The conceptual framework supporting this study was Burns’

transformational leadership theory. The participants included 3 call center business

leaders who successfully …

Breast Cancer Knowledge, Attitude, And Screening Practices Among Hispanic/Latino Women, Harrindra Seepersaud

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nearly 1 out of every 8 women will develop breast cancer during her lifetime, making breast cancer the most common noncutaneous malignancy in women, particularly among the Hispanic/Latino population. Hispanic/Latino women are more likely than non-Hispanic/Latino women to be diagnosed with breast cancer after the disease has progressed to a fatal stage. This quantitative study measured how knowledge, attitude, and screening practices affect the prevalence and outcomes of breast cancer cases among Hispanic/Latino women while controlling for socioeconomic status factors, using social cognitive theory as a framework. This research uses secondary data analysis of a cross-sectional survey study, the 2014 …

Sociodemographic Factors, Culture, And Suicide In Guyana, Kay Shako

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide in younger populations is a major public health concern and it significantly impacts third world countries like Guyana. Some challenges related to suicide are poor recording of suicide risk factors and customized prevention programs to address this significant issue. The purpose of this study was to examine which sociodemographic factors (age, gender, occupation, method of suicide, and region) are associated with suicide and method of suicide among people aged ≥ 15 years in Guyana. Also, because studies show that culture plays a pivotal role in suicide, this study investigated if there is a link between culture (ethnicity/race and religion) …

Subsidized Rental Income, Nonrental Income, And Profitability In Tax Credit Development Companies, Samuel Simmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Identifying sustainable income streams is a challenge for affordable housing developers to achieve profitable operations. To sustain successful operations, tax credit developers often need to understand the association between subsidized rental income (SRI), nonrental income (NRI), and profitability. Framed within the supply-side and demand-side economic theories, the purpose of this correlational study was to examine the relationship between SRI, NRI, and profitability. Secondary financial data were collected from a random sample of 31 tax credit companies and public housing authorities for the year 2015 within the state of Florida. The results of the multiple regression analysis were not significant in …

Laughter Therapy And Coping Strategies For Dementia Patient Caregivers, Edith Ugwu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this research was to address a gap in the literature concerning the experiences of dementia caregivers who use laughter therapy as a coping strategy to manage their caregiving stress. Dementia caregiving involves high levels of stress, depression, and anxiety, which can cause both psychological and physical health problems for caregivers. It is, therefore, critical to identify effective coping strategies to mitigate caregiving stress. Laughter therapy is an inexpensive and readily available coping strategy that can help manage this stress. The current study used a phenomenological qualitative approach to address the research question. The transactional model of stress …

Hiv-Positive Kenyan Women With A Disability: Social Support's Role In Treatment Seeking, Evelyn Williams

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Understanding social support from the context of disabled women living in conditions of extreme poverty may be useful in the development of effective interventions to advocate for and improve their likelihood of engagement in HIV-related treatment services. Thus, the purpose of this cross-sectional survey study was to examine the relationship between social support and treatment seeking among a sample of HIV-positive Kenyan women with physical disabilities. Correlations were examined between an individual’s source of social support (family, friend, significant other), type of social support (appraisal, tangible, self-esteem, belonging), and HIV-related treatment seeking. Age, marital status, income availability, and disability type, …

Collaboration In Corporate Social Responsibility Programs In Nigeria’S Oil Industry, Amuzie Ernest Akpaka

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The inability of some corporate social responsibility (CSR) managers to satisfy stakeholders’ expectations to deliver on corporate social responsibility outcomes has led to protests, unrest, threats, and shutdowns of operations of companies in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry. CSR program managers who do not establish strategies to improve stakeholder engagement may experience business failure. Grounded in stakeholder theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies CSR managers use to improve CSR outcomes. Participants for the study were 8 CSR managers who formulate policy, initiate and implement CSR programs in companies operating in Nigeria’s oil and …

Effects Of Emotional Labor On Philippine Tourism Staff’S Job Burnout, Maria Paz Rosales Alberto

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The tourism industry in the Philippines is a significant contributor to the country’s gross domestic product. As members of the service sector, its employees use their labor and skills to yield positive experiences by understanding their target customers so that they can offer them what they need quickly while incurring minimal cost. It is common for service-sector employees to expend emotional labor by hiding their emotions to meet a company’s standards. Unfortunately, the pressure experienced by these employees leads to a higher risk of burnout. The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional study was to assess the impact of emotional labor …

Childhood Obesity: The Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act And School-Aged Children, Frankie Jean Alstin-Brooks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity among children in America is at an all time high, 57.3% of the nation’s children will be obese by the age of 35. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act (HHFKA) policy. The HHFKA modified the nutritional and physical policies in order to reduce the obesity rates by changing their expenditures. Schools in all 50 states that are subject to federal, state and local nutrition regulations were researched. This was a quantitative, non-experimental, correlation study that measured state compliance with the USDA guidelines and tested for an association between compliance …

Strategies Manufacturing Plant Leaders Use To Limit High Employee Turnover, Peter Claver Amako

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High employee turnover negatively affects organizations directly in various ways, such as loss of revenue, a decline in employee morale, and productivity. Manufacturing organizational leaders are concerned with high employee turnover due to the high cost of hiring and training new employees. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies manufacturing plant leaders use to reduce high employee turnover. The participants were 9 manufacturing plant leaders in South Western Florida, who developed and implemented successful strategies that reduced high employee turnover. Data collection comprised semi-structured interviews and relevant organizational documents. …

Association Between Certificate-Of-Need Laws And The Health Outcomes Of Home Health Patients, Peter A. Atemnkeng

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Certificate of Need (CON) law on home health limits start-ups and expansions by providers. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia maintained CON restrictions in 2015. The regulation was intended to control health care cost and expenditure, and to promote quality public health outcomes, as postulated in the public interest theory. The purpose of the study was to assess the association between the CON laws by the states and the health outcomes of the Medicare patients that used home health services in 2015. The provider ratings data from Home Health Compare were analyzed using multiple linear regression models and …

Suicidal Ideation, Suicidality, And Hiv/Aids Infection Or Diagnosis Among Asian American Sexual Minorities, Francis Azih Ngene

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Asian American men who have sex with men (MSM) are an understudied minority. They are particularly affected by HIV/AIDS and are also impacted by psychosocial and mental health factors of depression, substance use, drug use, and alcohol use/abuse, any of which may lead to suicidal ideation and suicidality. These associations have not been widely studied in this population. The purpose of this quantitative study was to use the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health data to examine these psychosocial and mental health issues and their association with suicidal ideation, suicidality, and HIV/AIDS infection or diagnosis among Asian American …

Perceptions Of White Mountain Apache High School Graduates About College, Tyler Rush Bangert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Very few high school graduates from the White Mountain Apache Reservation go on to college, and it is not known what perceptions may contribute to a decision not to attend college. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study is to investigate these perceptions, including cultural values and family obligations. The framework of this study is founded on Tribal Critical Race Theory, also known as TribalCrit, which came out of Critical Race Theory (CRT). TribalCrit posits that colonization (Western European peoples colonizing Native American lands and peoples) is endemic in society. Seventeen White Mountain Apache tribal members who had graduated …

Knowledge And Use Of Health Services Related To Mother-To-Child Transmission Of Hiv In Nigeria, Uduak Bassey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

HIV has remained a global public health issue despite efforts to curb the trend; especially in sub-Saharan African countries where more than 50% of those infected are women, creating implications for infant transmission. The purpose of this study was to assess trends in knowledge of prevention of mother-to child transmission (PMTCT) of HIV and use of PMTCT-related maternal health services (measured by antenatal care [ANC] in health facilities, use of HIV counseling and testing [HCT] during ANC, and use of skilled birth attendant at delivery [SBA]); as well as the association between knowledge and use of health services among reproductive …

Subjective Well-Being And Life Satisfaction Among Midlife Former Division Iii Student- Athletes, David Alfred Bayer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

People in midlife, age 35-50, often reach a state of generativity wherein they feel a need to enhance the well-being of younger generations. Although midlifers enjoy the potential for their highest lifetime levels of subjective well-being (SWB) and contributions to the social good, they also often experience decreased SWB and life satisfaction (LS). The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to develop an understanding of the lived experiences of SWB and LS among a purposively selected group of 10 midlife former National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III collaborative sport student-athletes. Although participants in NCAA Division I athletics have …

Secondary Traumatic Stress In The Mortuary Industry: Prevalence And Mitigation, Robert Borselli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For those working in the mortuary industry, exposure to traumatically deceased remains may predispose them to developing subjective Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship among the independent variables of hardiness and perceived social support, and the dependent variable of subjective STS in mortuary workers. The theoretical foundations on which this research was based are the theories of stress and illness, secondary traumatic stress, hardiness, and social support. The primary research question governing this research was whether social support and hardiness had any correlation to the levels of subjective STS in this …

Elementary Teacher Usage Of Daily Behavior Report Cards With Students With Disabilities, Patrika K. Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elementary teachers in a school district in a mid-western state were struggling to manage classrooms with students with disabilities. Additionally, there is a gap in practice in which some teachers do not use daily behavior report cards (DBRC), or use them without fidelity, despite the effectiveness of DBRC with various groups. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to explore how elementary teachers used DBRC with students with disabilities to manage their behaviors. Guided by Canter’s assertive discipline model, an exploration of how elementary teachers in a mid-western school district used DBRC to support the behavior management of students with …

Depression And Awareness Of Mental Health Resources Among Minority And Non-Minority College Students, Henry David Browne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Minority college students experience higher levels of psychological stress and depression, and lower utilization of mental health resources (MHR) compared to the general student population. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the association between self-reported depressive symptoms and awareness of mental health services among college undergraduate minority and non-minority students, controlling for sex, interest in MHR information, and history of mental illness. The self-determination theory guided the study. The study utilized a cross-sectional research design using secondary survey data from the National College Health Assessment (NCHA). The NCHA dataset included 354,262 respondents from 52 self-selected U.S. colleges …

Nutritional Assessment Of Patients In The Intensive Care Unit, Jennifer Maureen Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Impaired nutrition is associated with prolonged hospitalization, poor patient outcomes, high mortality, and increased health costs. Nutritional assessment in intensive care unit (ICU) patients is important in recognition of changes in the patient’s nutritional status from admission to discharge and may promote early nutritional interventions by the health providers to prevent complications of poor nutrition. The purpose of this staff education doctoral project was to assess ICU nurses’ knowledge of nutritional assessment for critically-ill patients and to provide education on an assessment tool for patient nutritional assessment- the malnutrition universal screening tool (MUST). The guidelines from the American Society for …

Impact Of Nursing Education On Dysphagia Screening Knowledge, Jeanette Doreen Brumm

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Dysphagia is a common, life-threatening complication potentially experienced by patients with acute stroke. Complications related to dysphagia can lead to aspiration pneumonia, morbidity, and mortality. Thus, early identification of dysphagia is necessary for improving patient outcomes and avoiding adverse health consequences. Nurses have the unique opportunity to impact patient care by increasing knowledge of evidenced-based treatment of dysphagia in acute ischemic stroke patients. Therefore, the project question asked whether Registered Nurse (RN) dysphagia education could improve nursing knowledge of dysphagia screening. The purpose of this project was to increase RN knowledge regarding dysphagia screening using the Yale Swallow Protocol (YSP). …

Funding Sources And Marketing Strategies To Sustain Small-To-Midsized Nonprofit Businesses, Lynette Bryant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective funding sources and marketing strategies can negatively impact business sustainability. Half of all leaders of small-to-midsized businesses (SMBs) experience an inability to sustain their businesses for more than 5 years. Grounded in Greiner, Jablonski and Jablonski’s and Mella and Pellicelli’s sustainable growth models, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore how leaders of an SMB developed funding sources and marketing strategies to sustain their business for more than 5 years. The participants comprised 3 leaders from a nonprofit SMB in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, documents on …

Canadian Postsecondary Leaders’ Understanding And Promotion Of Social Justice And Educational Equity, Pamela Jacqueline Cawley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Canadian universities are educating an increasingly diverse student body and have a role in rectifying inequities and educating students to contribute to a democratic and inclusive society, but little is known about how mainstream leaders understand such leadership. The purpose of this study was to examine how mainstream Canadian postsecondary leaders in Canada describe and understand their leadership related to social justice and educational equity. Critical social theory and applied critical leadership theory guided this study. This basic qualitative study using semistructured interviews explored how 11 mainstream postsecondary leaders have understood and promoted social justice and educational equity. Data analysis …

Hiv/Sti Screening, Testing, And Prophylaxis Among Sexual Assault Survivors In U. S. Emergency Departments, Elizabeth A. Cita

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Use of HIV screening/testing and prophylaxis has been found to be low in the general emergency department (ED) population. Less is known about the use of HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening, testing, and prophylaxis among sexual assault survivors who present to EDs. The main research questions asked whether there was a relationship between race, socioeconomic status (SES), geographic region, or age, HIV/STI, treatment, and prophylaxis among sexual assault survivors that present to U.S. EDs. This study was a secondary analysis of data collected in the NHAMCS years 2010 to 2016 and included 112 geographic primary sampling units, about 480 hospitals. …

Dispositional Self-Control And Motherhood: An Investigation Into Recidivism, Corliss Crawford-Bayles

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The goal of many female offenders when released from prison is reunification with their children. However, resumption of motherhood is a gendered challenge that may increase the risk of recidivism. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether resuming custody of minor children would increase the risk of recidivism or support and maintain desistence. This research is grounded in feminist theory, identity theory, and self-control theory with a quasi-experimental design. The key research question, whether motherhood increased the risk of recidivism, was investigated using a researcher-generated, 18-question research questionnaire. Additionally, the Dispositional Self-Control (DSC) scale consisted of 17 questions …

Educational Program For Decreasing Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Josephine Crentsil

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) is the most common hospital-acquired illness. Insertion and maintenance of urinary catheters are critical factors that predispose patients to CAUTI. Studies have shown that many nurses have a knowledge deficit regarding evidence-based practices in the insertion and management of urinary catheters, which can help prevent CAUTI. This is a concern because nurses are typically the first point of contact with patients and are responsible for the promotion of evidence-based practice and preventative measures. Therefore, this project aimed to develop an educational intervention for nurses with a focus on proper insertion and maintenance of indwelling urinary …

Improving Glycemic Control For Post-Orthopedic Surgery Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Allison Dale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Type 2 diabetes is a growing problem within the United States and a leading cause of mortality. The complications and comorbidities associated with type 2 diabetes cause a great financial and resource burden on the healthcare system, and cause negative mental and physical health outcomes for the individual living with it. The complications of poor glycemic control are especially notable following a surgical procedure that requires an inpatient stay. The practice problem for this project is glycemic control following an orthopedic surgery requiring hospitalization. To further analyze the practice problem and to create a clinical practice guideline a robust literature …

Succession Planning Strategies In Faith-Based Nonprofits: A Comparative Case Study, Vasudev Das

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although 75% of United States nonprofit leaders planned to vacate their leadership positions in 2013, 77% of nonprofit organizations, including faith-based nonprofits, operated without succession plans. Grounded by the frameworks of Charan, Drotter, and Noel’s leadership pipeline and Vroom’s expectancy, the purpose of this comparative case study was to compare effective succession planning strategies of faith-based nonprofit leaders in Maryland and Pennsylvania. The research questions addressed the succession planning strategies of faith-based nonprofit leaders. Data collection and triangulation included semi-structured face-to-face and telephone interviews of purposeful snowball samples of six participants in each of two organizations. Data analysis was by …