Digital Commons Network^™

Structural Empowerment And Employee Commitment Among Millennial Newly Registered Nurses, Janice Hill

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe nursing shortage is one of the most challenging issues in global healthcare. While not an all-encompassing solution, labor force retention could alleviate the crisis. The purpose of this study, guided by Kanter’s structural theory of organizational behavior, was to determine the relationships between access to power, opportunity for growth, structural empowerment (SE), and employee commitment among millennial newly registered nurses (NRNs) and to determine if there is a difference in SE between male and female millennial NRNs. Survey data collected from 148 participants were analyzed using Spearman rank-order correlation tests and showed statistically significant correlations between access to power …

The Need For Gender Specific Jail Reentry Programming To Help Female Ex-Inmates Experience Successful Community Reintegration, Penny Lee Humerick

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reentry programs seek to reduce recidivism while maintaining community safety. Most reentry programs have focused on prison reentry and rarely on the reintegration of female offenders from jail to community which left a gap in the research literature. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to understand the barriers that hinder successful community reentry for the female offender. Using social learning theory as the theoretical perspective, this study was intended to gain a better understanding of criminality and deviant behavior among female jail detainees. To build a strong study and gain insight into jail reentry programs, institutional analysis and …

Effect Of Educational Training On Nurse Leaders’ Knowledge, Attitude, And Behavior Toward Suicide Prevention, Ruth Odochi Idediora

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death among adults in the United States and one of the top 10 most commonly occurring events that lead to serious injury or death in the hospital. Nurse leaders who are not working in psychiatric facility are instrumental in promoting culture of safety to mitigate adverse outcomes like suicide. The purpose of this single group pre-and post-test study, guided by the theory of planned behavior, was to determine the effect of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association Competency-Based Training for Suicide Prevention (Acute Care Setting Course) on the knowledge, attitude, and behavior (KAB) of …

Leadership Strategies For Success Of Small To Medium Urban Enterprises, Gregory Ricardo Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite the important role small businesses play in economic success, 50% of small businesses fail within 5 years of startup. Some small-to-medium enterprise (SME) owners cannot sustain operations and face closure because of a lack of leadership strategies to operate their business successfully. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore leadership strategies that have been successful for SME owners in urban areas to sustain their business more than 5 years. The participants were 3 SME owners in urban areas of Atlanta, Georgia, who have been in business for more than …

Strategies To Mitigate Employee Turnover In The Human Services Special Needs Industry, Kenneth Lemar James

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Leaders in the human services special needs industry are experiencing a high turnover of special needs workers. Employee turnover adds high costs to the budgets of human services special needs organizations. Grounded in Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies managers of human services special needs organizations used to reduce employee turnover. Participants comprised 8 managers of human services special needs organizations in South Carolina who have successfully implemented strategies to mitigate employee turnover. Data were collected from face-to-face semistructured interviews and reviews of organizations’ human resources documents, such as employee turnover data, …

Nurse Perception Of Pain And Innovative Approaches To Pain Management, Tracey-Ann Nichole Knight

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractInsufficient assessment and management of pain among the patient population during their hospital stay may result in ineffective delivery of care, increased length of stay, poor clinical outcomes, and decreased patient satisfaction. The quality report at a local facility showed compliance scores of 78% for administration of pain medication and 79% for reassessment of pain. These scores and the weekly patients’ satisfaction survey results suggested a substandard adherence to the facility’s pain management guidelines. One identified barrier to properly managing patients’ pain was nurses’ lack of knowledge and understanding of the theoretical foundation of pain management. The purpose of this …

Health Systems Predictors And Trends Of Access To Vaccinations In 9 Sub-Saharan African Countries, Mirfin Mpundu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this ecological quantitative study was to examine the predictors of health systems building blocks and their interactions in improving access and uptake of immunizations in nine sub-Saharan African countries. Immunization rates in this region remain lower than global targets leading to preventable diseases and mortality. Using the systems approach, the study examined the relationships among five independent variables: quality of service delivery, governance, vaccine supply, health financing, socioeconomic factors and the dependent variable, access to immunizations. Datasets from the WHO and UNICEF were used. Analysis included a series of descriptive statistics, logistic and linear regression, and correlations. …

The Relationship Between Program Leadership, Resident Physicians’ Wellbeing, And Quality Of Care, Fatima Msheik

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research studies have shown that organizational leadership and support affect organizational outcomes in many sectors, including healthcare. However, less is known about how organizational leadership influences the quality of patient care by physicians. This study was guided by the perceived organizational support theory and leader-member exchange theory that provide general understanding of how supportive leadership influences staff wellbeing and productivity. Ninety-five resident physicians residing in Lebanon participated in this cross-sectional study and completed an online survey, which consisted of demographics and five tools, namely, the Leader-Member Exchange 7, Perceived Organization Support 8, Maslach Burnout Inventory 7, Utrecht Work Engagement 9, …

Teachers’ Perspectives On Positive Behavior Intervention And Support In The Classroom, Corlett Pinnock

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Positive behavior intervention and support (PBIS) is a data-driven approach to promoting productive student behaviors and learning. A key facet of sustainable success when using PBIS is evaluation. More insight is needed on the perspectives that teachers have about PBIS and as well as details about whether and why it is accepted. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of teachers at 3 high schools in Western Jamaica as it relates to a PBIS pilot program. Twenty-six teachers from 3 schools in Region 4 in Jamaica were interviewed with the aim of understanding how teachers received …

Nonprofit Arts Programs As Professional Development Experiences In Rural West Virginia, Ariel Mcgill Price

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public educators in West Virginia are required to take 18-hours of professional development learning annually. The professional development opportunities offered are not varied, inclusive of all content areas, and have been found by the state’s Department of Education to lack in application and effectiveness. This study examined the benefits of living laboratory professional development experiences, utilizing Howard Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligence, with educators that volunteer with fine arts community-based nonprofit organizations, as a possible alternative to the professional development policy requirements by the state. The study’s key research questions were about the recognition and enhancement of intrapersonal and interpersonal …

Staff Education Program For Nurses Caring For Patients With Medical Decline On A Geriatric Psychiatric Unit, Portia Denise Risper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractElderly patients admitted to psychiatric units are a vulnerable population, some may have mental disorders, physical decline, cognitive challenges; along with other comorbidities in addition to their mental illness. However, their physical health needs may be overlooked due to the presenting behaviors mimicking mental health behaviors. The nurses working in the local hospital facility’s geri-psych unit failed to recognize signs and symptoms of physical decline in their severely mentally ill (SMI) patients. Not recognizing and reporting acute changes resulted in patients’ prolonged hospitalization, decreased quality of life, and increased cost to the facility. The purpose of this DNP project was …

A Retrospective Program Evaluation Of Existing Quality Improvement Project Colorectal Cancer Screening, Laveda Lynn Roberts

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) makes recommendations on preventive health screenings based on the level of evidence. Colorectal Cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer. The practice problem for this DNP QI project, is that providers are not following the USPSTF Guidelines on colorectal cancer screening with the FQHC scores below the HRSA expectation of 80% showing only a 43% screening compliance rate for patients age 50 -75 years. The purpose of this DNP QI project was to evaluate the effectiveness of the existing QI initiative for provider colorectal screening of patients age 50-75 years, then …

Examining The Efficacy Of A School-Based Mental Health Program In Iowa, Karen A. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence shows that treating mental health issues positively impacts academic and other life outcomes for students. However, there remains a gap in knowledge specific to academic outcomes and to rural school districts. It is important for mental health providers, educators, and third-party payers to gain an understanding of how treating mental health in the school setting affects student performance. The purpose of this quantitative study, which had contribution analysis as its theoretical framework, was to examine the academic and behavioral outcomes of participating in a school-based mental health (SBMH) program in rural school districts in Iowa. The specific focus was …

Advisors’ Perceptions Of Honors College Students’ Experiences Of Stress And Autonomy, Brandy Stanton Roye

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Honors college students experience stress and anxiety, which has the potential to affect their psychological well-being. The advice of honors academic advisors may influence the psychological well-being of honors students through recommendations of college engagement that can assist in the development of autonomy and self-authorship. Baxter Magolda’s concepts of autonomy and self-authorship and Ryff’s scales of psychological well-being were the conceptual framework used to examine the perceptions of honors college advisors regarding how cocurricular opportunities influence the reduction of student stress and anxiety and the increase of student autonomy and self-authorship. Using a basic qualitative approach, interviews were conducted with …

Self-Care Practices, Work Experience, Educational Setting, And Burnout Among School Counselors, Paul Sylvester-Nwosu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSchool counselors should be well-adjusted in their personal and professional lives and possess a keen, accurate perception of their self-care practices. However, people drawn to careers in school counseling are often at risk of developing burnout due to high professional demands and limited resources supporting their self-care and well-being. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate the relationship between the independent variables of self-care practices, years of work experience, and educational settings and the dependent variable of levels of burnout among practicing school counselors in K-12 suburban educational settings in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. …

Leadership Techniques To Catalyze Organizational Productivity In Small Consulting Firms, Benjamin Philip Zapien

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSmall business owners employ 47% of the U.S. labor force, yet 50% of small businesses do not survive beyond 5 years. This failure can impact approximately 29% of the U.S. workforce. Therefore, this study is important to small business owners because the research and findings may help them evaluate their leadership techniques, which may help them improve their organizational productivity and survive. Grounded in the vertical dyad linkage theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore effective leadership strategies small business firm leaders used to maintain a steady growth of their organizations past the initial 5-year life …

Gender And Millennial Support For Women Political Leaders, Delaina Lea Sawyers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite comprising more than 50% of the population and voting in greater numbers than men, women are underrepresented in U.S. political leadership. Although research exists on the correlation between gender and politics, little literature addresses the influence of generation and gender on voting behavior. Using Jaggar's liberal feminist theory as a framework, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between female generational cohorts and their policy preferences and candidate support. Two research questions assessed the differences between female millennials and baby boomers regarding policy preferences in the areas of income equality, opportunity, representation, and candidate support. A …

Impact Of Adverse Childhood Experiences On Direct Care Workers Working With Juveniles, Brittany Anne Shaughnessy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study investigated the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) on the development of vicarious traumatization (VT) and burnout among direct care staff working in juvenile justice residential facilities. Measures used included the ACE module of the 2012 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System historical to assess for ACEs, the Trauma and Attachment Belief Scale (TABS) to measure VT, and Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) to measure burnout. Workplace organization was also included in data collection and analysis as a covariate as past research has indicated a relationship between workplace organization and burnout and VT. A covariate of workplace …

Personality Characteristics Of Dental Students In Kuwait University Associated With Preferred Teaching Methods, Dalal Hasan

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

This study examined personality characteristics of dental students at Faculty of Dentistry at Kuwait University and investigated the relationships between personality characteristics of these students and their preferred teaching methods. In order to assess personality characteristics, The Myers-Briggs Type Inventory (MBTI) was used. For teaching method categorization Grasha’s (2002) classification was used. This research builds knowledge about personality traits as measured by the Myers-Briggs Type Inventory® of dental students in Kuwait. Further, it adds knowledge about teaching methods preferred by dental students. Two surveys, the Myers- Briggs Type Indicator® Form M and a brief learning preference for teaching methodology survey, …

Effects Of Chronic Energy Drink Consumption On Cardiometabolic Endpoints, May Chen

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Background: Since its introduction in the early 2000s, energy drinks have become increasingly popular among an extensive range of consumers, including adolescents and young adults. Currently, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not regulate the formulation of energy drinks, which may vary widely in the amounts of caffeine and sugar, as well as various types of supplements. Recent reports of severe and fatal adverse effects related to energy drinks have led to growing concerns on the safety of energy drink consumption.

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effects of chronic daily consumption of energy drinks on …

The Experience Of The Local Control Accountability Plan, Angela Carter Pascual

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

In 2013 the California Legislation passed a new K-12 School accountability mandate.

The Local Control Accountability Plan was sought to increase the educational equity for targeted student groups in addition to allowing school districts to mine a diverse set of local school data to develop goals in the 8 priority areas that speak to the needs of their local students. A requirement of the LCAP was that school districts include a diverse set of stakeholders to work in a collaborative manner to develop, critique, and refine local goals. Stakeholder groups are required to consist of district-level administrators, teachers, staff, students, …

Elephant And Anchors ‒ Photoelectron Photoion Coincidence Spectroscopy Of Small Oxygenated Molecules, Apeter Weidner

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

The dissociative photoionization reactions of two small, oxygenated organics, namely 1,3-dioxolane and methyl vinyl ketone, were studied by photoelectron photoion coincidence (PEPICO) spectroscopy. Experiments involving 1,3-dioxolane were carried out in the photon energy range of 9.5‒13.5 eV. The statistical thermodynamics model shows that a total of six dissociation channels are involved in the formation of three fragment ions, namely C3H5O2+ (m/z 73), C2H5O+ (m/z 45) and C2H4O+ (m/z 44), with two channels contributing to the formation of each. By comparing the results of ab initio quantum chemical calculations to the experimentally derived appearance energies of the fragment ions, the most …

Impact Of Servant Leadership Style On Customer Service And Patient Satisfaction, Chibunna E. Nwaobia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient satisfaction presents an emerging area of research for healthcare providers because major healthcare providers like Medicare/Medicaid control the finances of healthcare institutions as based on their patient and customer satisfaction. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of servant leadership on customer service, and patient satisfaction, in the Inland Empire Region of Southern California. The theoretical framework applied to this study was the servant leadership theory. Participants consisted of 82 managerial staff within the University Health System, which is comprised of a teaching hospital, 5 behavioral health centers, 10 federally qualified health centers, and a public …

Prevalence Of Dirofilaria Immitis In Southern California’S Invasive Aedes Species And Native Culiseta Incidens, Zaina Chaban

University of the Pacific Theses and Dissertations

Dirofilaria immitis is a mosquito-borne parasite that causes dog heartworm disease, effecting over 100,000 dogs in the United States each year (CAPC - Parasite Prevalence Maps., 2021). Increased disease reports are commonly attributed to an increase in the local mosquito vector population. Since 2013, dog heartworm disease cases have increased by approximately 21% in the United States as reported by the American Heartworm Society. During the same time, invasive mosquitoes belonging to the genus Aedes have been found in Southern California and spread to other areas. The purpose of our research was to determine the prevalence of Dirofilaria …

Stress And Positive Coping In Older Adults, Jazzmin-Guy Swain

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Stress and Positive Coping in Older Adults

Jazzmin-Guy Swain, Dept. of Exercise Science, with Dr. Faika Zanjani, Dept. of Gerontology

Stress can become a huge health risk factor for older adults. Stress occurs when individuals experience demands or threats without sufficient resources to meet these demands or mitigate threats. Everyone has some form of the same stressor(s), money job/school, health and family, which are the main common stressors. In every population, if those stressors are prolonged the stress can become chronic and become detrimental to a person's health. The reason stress often becomes chronic is because individuals may not know …

Psychometric Assessment Of The Spanish Score-15 For Families Of Individuals With Parkinson's Disease In Mexico, Jack Watson

UROP Posters

Psychometric Assessment of the Spanish SCORE-15 for Families of Individuals with Parkinson's Disease in Mexico

Jack Watson, Dept. of Psychology, Dr. Grace McKee, Mid-Atlantic MIRECC, Dr. Sarah Lageman, VCU School of Medicine and Dept. of Psychology, Dr. Teresita Villaseñor, University of Guadalajara, and Dr. Paul Perrin, Dept. of Psychology

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder and can lead to a number of mental health problems for both patients and caregivers. Research has suggested that worse caregiver mental health predicts greater patient mortality for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases, and caregiver mental health is best when family …

Characterizing E-Cigarette Use Among Virginia Middle And High School Youth Using Confiscated Products, Sohee Ha, Cindy Miranda, Alisha Eversole

UROP Posters

Characterizing e-cigarette Use among Virginia Middle and High School Youth Using Confiscated Products

Sohee Ha, Dept. of Psychology, Cindy Miranda, Dept. of Psychology, & Alisha Eversole, Dept. of Psychology Graduate Student, with Dr. Caroline O. Cobb, Dept. of Psychology

Introduction: There has been heightened research interest on JUUL use among youth, but less information is available on the use of other electronic cigarette (e-cig) brands, like NJOY or Smok. Other than self-report, methods such as collection of confiscated e-cigs may provide an unbiased estimate of youth e-cig use behavior. This study aims to characterize e-cig use using confiscated products among …

The Impact Of Acculturation On Help-Seeking And Mental Health Among Refugees In Minnesota, Analynne Escobar

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The Impact of Acculturation on Help-Seeking and Mental Health Among Refugees in Minnesota

Analynne Escobar, Depts. of Social Work and Psychology, with Dr. Hyojin Im, School of Social Work

This study looks at how acculturation affects mental health and help seeking attitudes among refugees in Minnesota. There is a need to address high levels of acculturative stress, mental health, and a lack of trust with human services for this population. Secondary data was utilized from the University of Minnesota Survey of Housing Questionnaire, with those identifying as Librarian, Oromo, Karen, Hmong, and Somali, for this study. A Pearson’s Correlation test …

Wham: Wellness, Happiness, And Mindfulness: A Pilot Class At Open High School For The Translational Application Of Well-Being Education, Emaan Dawood, Moorin Khan

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WHAM: Wellness, Happiness, and Mindfulness: A Pilot Class at Open High School for the Translational Application of Well-being Education

Emaan Dawood, Depts. of Biology, Chemistry, & Spanish, and Moorin Khan, with Dr. Christy Tyndall, VCU Honors College

The education of student well-being is desired as evidence-based positive psychology principles explain how humans can better succeed in life despite surmounting obstacles. Based on a VCU honors class titled “Flourishing,” which educates incoming freshmen about the science of health and wellness, a similar pilot class titled “WHAM: Wellness, Happiness, and Mindfulness,” implemented at Open High School, targets younger students. The goals for …

An Analysis Of The Uk And Us On The Perceived Adequacy Of Workplace Mental Health Programs, Julia Woods

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An Analysis of the UK and US on the Perceived Adequacy of Workplace Mental Health Programs

Julia Woods, Depts. of Business and Psychology, with Dr Deborah DiazGranados, VCU School of Medicine

Research examining employee provided health benefits typically concentrate on evaluating a program’s impact on organizational outcomes such as retention, absenteeism, presenteeism, and cost-effectiveness (Cuffel, Goldman, and Schlesinger, 1999; Munz & Kohler, 1997). The typical methods used for evaluation of these programs tend to be quantitative in nature, however, qualitative methods could help organizations better understand how its employees react to and view such programs. This paper explores employee’s perceptions …