Digital Commons Network^™

Strategies For Retaining Bedside Nurses, Desmond Chuma Duru

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Health care organizations incur high costs because of the increase in voluntary turnover of nursing staff. Grounded in the social exchange theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies to reduce the voluntary turnover of bedside nurses. The participants comprised 6 senior health care leaders in the southeastern United States who successfully implemented strategies to reduce bedside nurses’ voluntary turnover. Data were collected from face-to-face, semistructured interviews, member checking interview summaries, reflexive journal notes, and reviewing the available digital documentation from the health care system’s websites. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three themes emerged: …

Nurses’ Aesthetic Responses And Emotional Judgements To Senior Leaders’ Symbolism, Lucinda A. Easler

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Stress can be heightened during a merger; understanding how acute care nurses who work in a hospital undergoing a merger, experience senior leaders’ use of symbolism may help to promote hospital and leader sustainability. Executive symbolism unfolds into aesthetic experience, normally considered a response to art, with few studies of its existence and benefit to organizational life. The purpose of this phenomenological-hermeneutic study guided by Parker’s aesthetic theory was to examine acute care nurses’ emotional responses and experiences with senior leaders’ use of executive symbolism in the midst of the organizational change. Interviews with 11 acute care registered nurses were …

Strategies For Automating Pharmacovigilance Adverse Event Case Processing, Mythily Easwar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders who fail to implement innovative technology solutions in their companies face economic distress in these organizations. Guided by the task technology fit model as the conceptual framework, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies used by pharmacovigilance (PV) systems leaders to implement innovative technology solutions. The participants were 4 PV systems managers working in a pharmaceutical company in the Boston area of Massachusetts, United States, who used successful strategies to implement innovative technology solutions to automate adverse events case processing. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and company documents. The collected data were …

Perceptions Of Health Care Professionals Providing Smoking Cessation In Health Care Settings, Dr. Tenishia Tamika Edwards

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Tobacco use affects many individuals in the United States and around the world, particularly those who have existing health disparities. Smoking cessation therapy is a process used by health care professionals (HCPs) to help aid in the reduction or elimination of tobacco use. HCPs providing this service in health care settings can reach patients directly while helping to decrease the mortality rate in those who use tobacco. The purpose of this phenomenological qualitative study was to identify HCPs’ perceptions of patient barriers to adherence to smoking cessation services and what can be done to improve smoking cessation in health care …

Group Education Program To Increase Obesity Knowledge In Cardiac Care Nurses, Ethel Emenogu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity increases the severity of cardiac disease, leading to increased mortality and morbidity. The need to address obesity is critical in reducing obesity-associated complications such as heart failure, strokes, heart attacks, and even death. Obesity is also a risk factor for many chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes, hypertension, and depression. Evidence has shown that obese individuals with cardiac disease are at increased risk of developing complications. The practice-focused question for this doctoral project asked whether a group educational program could increase obesity knowledge among cardiac care clinic nurses. The purpose of this DNP project was to provide …

Workforce Agility Strategies For Improving The Success Rate Of Change Initiatives, Marvia Herfah Evangelist-Roach

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Failure to implement change initiatives is a direct result of low employee resilience and adaptability. Successful agility strategies are important to financial business leaders to remain competitive in financial markets. Grounded in the dynamic capabilities theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore workforce agility strategies used by financial business leaders to improve the success rate of change initiatives. The participants were 4 financial business leaders in Jamaica who successfully improved the success rate of change initiatives. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, organizational strategic plans, annual reports, and change management plans. Four themes emerged through …

An Exploratory Study To Identify Strategies For Retaining Laboratory Professionals In Hospital Setting, Ambrose E. Ewane

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medical laboratory professionals have faced more than 20 years of workforce shortages. The causes of these workforce shortages include poor retention of new professionals and an insufficient number of new graduates who enter the workforce. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the strategies that are used by managers in hospitals for the retention of laboratory professionals. The theoretical framework comprised Mobley’s theory of turnover and Porter’s organizational commitment theory. The research questions for this study addressed what managers perceived as the biggest challenges for the retention of laboratory professionals and what effective strategies they thought could …

A Phenomenological Study Of Christian Conversion And Recidivism In Ex-Prisoners, Christopher Featherstone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recidivism rates are high in the United States. According to the Bureau of Justice

Statistics, within 5 years of being released, 77% of ex-prisoners are arrested, with 37%

arrested within the first 6 months and 57% arrested within the first year. Past research has

indicated that religiosity functions as a protective factor in relation to criminal behaviors

that is consistent across genders and developmental periods. The purpose of this

qualitative study was to examine Christianity as a protective factor against offending. The

theoretical framework of the study, self-determination theory, with its focus on

individuals’ growth tendencies based on self-motivation and …

Lived Experience Of Parenting Nurses Pursuing A Doctorate: A Phenomenological Inquiry, Jaimee Feldstein

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The need for more doctoral prepared nurses is evident; data indicate that less than 1% of nurses hold doctoral degrees, yet, little is known about student persistence in doctoral nursing programs. Even less is known about doctoral nursing students navigating an online learning environment while balancing parenthood. The purpose of this phenomenological study, guided by Rovai’s composite persistence model, was to explore the embedded meanings in the experiences of parenting nurses pursuing their doctoral degrees at an online university. Ten female parenting nurses who completed a doctorate within the last 2 years were interviewed and shared the key factors that …

Hispanic Women's Experiences And Perceptions Of Challenges In Higher Education Leadership, Blanca Figueroa Estrada

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of diversity exists in higher education leadership, particularly with Hispanic/Latina women. Differences in cultural backgrounds play a role when leaders who are mostly White consider individuals of other ethnicities for promotion. In 2016, only 3% of all higher education leadership positions were held by Hispanics/Latinos and even a smaller percentage were women. Identifying the challenges Hispanic/Latino women face in competing for leadership roles in higher education is needed to understand the factors needed to be overcome to succeed. A phenomenological qualitative study was conducted with 13 participants to explore how Hispanic/Latina women perceive the higher education work environment …

Motivators That Influence Canine Handlers To Volunteer In Animal Assisted Activities, Gina Marie Fisher

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Animal-assisted activity (AAA) programs support various mental health or health-related concerns. Little research has studied why individuals are motivated to volunteer in animal-assisted therapy programs; no studies have addressed what motivational factors influence individuals to become an AAA volunteer. This quantitative investigation used functional motivational theory and attachment theory to uncover the motivations of these volunteers. Certain motives were primed with cues to understand key influences among the 186 individuals selected by convenience sampling through a therapy animal organization. Data were collected through an online survey in which the participants answered a series of essay type questions, some of which …

Impact Of Sanctions And Awareness On Intention To Comply With Information Security, Kevin Fitzgerald

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employees in higher education are likely to violate information security policies because of the open nature of academic institutions. Policy violations can lead to data breaches and identity theft that can cause harm to businesses and individuals. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational, cross-sectional study based on general deterrence theory and neutralization theory was to analyze the relationships between the independent variables, severity of sanctions, vulnerability to sanctions, and awareness of consequences, and the dependent variable, intention to comply with information security policy. Participants (n=100) who work in a higher education institution with an information security policy completed an online …

The Socialization And Academic Engagement Of Black Males In A Christian High School, David Flowers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Black males in a metropolitan private Christian high school (PCHS) in the Midwest encounter unique sociocultural experiences that may be associated with racial microaggressions and the struggles of fitting in that can negatively impact academic success. The problem that was addressed in this study was the need for more specific information on how Black males fit socially into the local PCHS, and their attitudes towards academic achievement. Bandura’s self-efficacy theory and Tajfel’s social identity theory were used in this case study to explore the sociocultural experiences of 6 former Black male students and 5 members of the school staff. The …

Transformational Leadership And Employee Satisfaction In A U.S. Fast-Food Restaurant, Joshua A. Folmar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Fast-food managers struggle with understanding what makes employees satisfied within the organization. An understanding of employee satisfaction may help fast-food managers support employees’ needs and improve their job satisfaction. Grounded in transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between employee perceptions of their leader’s idealized attributes, idealized behaviors, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation, individualized consideration, and employee satisfaction. The participants included 31 fast-food employees and entry-level supervisors from 1 organization in the Midwestern region of the United States. Data were collected through electronic and paper surveys comprising Bass and Avolio’s multifactor leadership questionnaire …

Understanding The Effects Of Mathematics Professional Development On Teachers’ Perceptions Of Mathematics, Mike Flynn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Negative mathematics perceptions may affect how teachers teach the subject, how much time they spend on the subject, and how well they teach it. The problem that grounded this study was that although anecdotal evidence showed that teachers’ experience with professional development (PD) courses in mathematics teaching improved their perceptions of mathematics, there was a lack of data regarding how PD affects changes in teachers’ perceptions. The study purpose was to gain a deeper understanding of what elements of a PD course have the greatest effect on improving teachers’ perceptions of mathematics. Piaget’s constructivist and Vygotsky’s socio-constructivism theories made up …

Middle School Principal Perceptions Of Instructional Coaching Effectiveness On Mathematics Teacher Performance, Jaimie Carin Foster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In middle schools in central Pennsylvania, instructional coaching has increased as a job-embedded professional development to support teachers in increasing their capacity and performance. The local problem was middle school principals were unsure of the effectiveness of their instructional coach on mathematics teacher capacity and performance. The purpose of this study was to explore middle school principal perceptions of the effect of instructional coaching on mathematics teacher performance. This study was guided by the social constructivist framework, which considers learning a unique sense-making experience filled with opportunities for self-reflection and growth. The research question focused on how middle school principals …

Secondary Principals Perceptions Of Classroom Instructional Walkthroughs, Deborah Hamilton Frazier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Although many researchers have studied aspects of classroom instructional walkthroughs, there has been a gap in practice and research related to how middle school principals interpreted the functions and purposes of such walkthroughs and how they used them to enhance instruction. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore the gap in knowledge and understanding of what middle school principals perceived as the function and purpose of classroom instructional walkthroughs. The conceptual framework was based on the 5 dimensions of teaching and learning. Research questions were derived from specific components of the framework and related to the function …

Innovation-Driven Growth In Heavy Equipment Firms, Raynald J. Gallant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of innovation-driven revenue growth can have adverse effects on organizational outcomes. Company leaders who do not pursue innovation put their firm's survival at risk. Grounded in Christensen's theory of disruptive innovation and Rogers's diffusion of innovation theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between company culture, company maturity, company revenue, and innovation-driven revenue growth rate in global heavy equipment manufacturing firms. Secondary data (N = 50) were collected from the Yellow Table, an annual listing of the top 50 global heavy equipment companies by revenue from 2002 to 2018. The results of the …

Best Approaches For English Acquisition With Primary English Language Learners, Roxanna Gario

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The education reform that took place in the emirate of Abu Dhabi set the standard that all students attending state-governed schools would be literate in their native language of Arabic as well as English, which was being taught in schools as a second language. However, school data documented achievement gaps in English reading among English language learners (ELLs) at a primary school in Abu Dhabi. The purpose of this study was to investigate the best approaches used by English medium teachers to teach reading to ELLs in order to provide recommendations for student improvement. Guided by Krashen’s monitor model, this …

Outcomes Of A School-Wide Mathematics Intervention, Lisa M. Garrett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In response to students’ poor algebra achievement, Midtown High School, a pseudonym, implemented a school-wide math intervention and enrichment program during the 2014-2015 school year. The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to assess the influence of the intervention on Algebra I and Algebra II end-of-course (EOC) exam achievement scores as well as explore math teachers’ perspectives of the intervention program. The theoretical foundation was constructivism. A consensus sample using archival data from all 419 high school students taking Algebra before the intervention 2013-2014 and after the intervention 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 were used with teacher interviews for triangulation. ANOVA results …

Single Mothers’ Perceptions Of Police Encounters And Effectiveness Related To Youth Gun Violence, Janay M. Gasparini

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Single mothers and their children residing in high-crime communities (HCCs) in the United States are disproportionately exposed to crime, and therefore, the criminal justice system. Specific challenges of single motherhood in HCCs compound the link between juvenile offending and single-female-headed households. Little is known, however, about how single mothers in HCCs perceive and use the police as a resource to help prevent juvenile offending, specifically gun violence. The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of single mothers with police as they related to the arrest of their children for a gun crime. The research questions focused …

Job Self-Efficacy, Alexithymia And Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Correctional Officers, Paulette Andrea Gayle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Correctional officers work in a volatile environment and are regularly exposed to inmates’ violence or cruelty. These factors negatively affect their job performance, contribute to physiological and mental health issues that could result in secondary traumatic stress (STS) symptoms. Researchers have identified job self-efficacy and alexithymia traits as mitigating factors against elevated stress. Other researchers have identified the traits as strongly associated with mental health illnesses. The purpose of this quantitative study, using a convenience sampling strategy, was to determine whether job self-efficacy and alexithymia traits were predictors of STS among a sample of 79 correctional officers working for Her …

Peer-To-Peer E-Learning And Professional Practices Of First-Year Teachers, Brian Keith Green

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Students are at an academic disadvantage by having first-year teachers who lack the necessary professional practices and teaching skills. Education leaders need ways to improve professional practice deficits of first-year teachers to address the inequities professional practice deficiencies cause. The purpose of this quantitative, quasi-experimental study was to examine the professional practice differences of first-year teachers who participated in peer-to-peer e-learning to those who did not receive similar training. Participants of this study included first-year teachers (n = 28) who participated in peer-to-peer e-learning throughout their first year of teaching compared to a historical cohort of first-year teachers (n = …

Ethiopian Construction Project Management Maturity Model Determination And Correlational Prediction Of Project Success, Hailemeskel T. Hailemarkos

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In Ethiopia, although the construction industry is booming, the practice of effective project delivery in time, cost, and quality remains a challenge. Construction project success comes through the application of knowledge-based, critically essential factors. The industry's effectiveness is dictated by the level of project management knowledge built in each company. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational study was to evaluate project management maturity level of construction industry and the predictability of project success from project management knowledge maturity of 193 project managers working in contractors, consultants, and clients. The study, which was informed by the project management body of knowledge …

Implementing Cloud-Based Enterprise Resource Planning Solutions In Small And Medium Enterprises, Ali Hamdar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lacking strategies to implement a cloud-based enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can lead to a failed implementation. SME owners can improve company performance by integrating company processes by successfully implementing a cloud-based ERP solution. Grounded in the diffusion of innovation theory augmented with business process management design for Six Sigma, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies SME owners use to implement cloud-based ERP solutions. The participants consisted of 4 SME owners in Lebanon who successfully implemented a cloud-based ERP solution and improved company performance and growth. Data were …

Succession Of Power And Transferring Knowledge In A Small Family Business, Todd Alan Hanzes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Thirty percent of small family businesses continue to the second generation, and 13% continue to the third generation. Small family business owners’ ability to find a replacement, for the succession of power, continues to challenge small family business owners. Small family business owners who do not incorporate successful succession strategies run a high risk of failure and closure. Grounded in the dynamic theory of organizational knowledge creation, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies 3 small family business owners in Hawaii used for the succession of power. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and supplemented …

The Sustainability Knowledge, Attitude, And Behavior Differences Between Green And Non-Green University Students, Rebekah Hart

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that green schools and sustainability education (SE) can improve learning, health, attitudes, and behaviors. They can also model the necessary community, societal, and global changes needed for sustainable living. However, most students do not attend green schools or receive adequate SE. Limited peer-reviewed studies have also examined the sustainability knowledge, attitude, and behavior differences between green and non-green university student populations. The theoretical foundation of the study was based on the theories of planned behavior and social identity theory. In order to fill the research gap, 606 undergraduates and graduates from 265 U.S. accredited green and non-green …

Key Ethical Leadership Characteristics Of State Police Promotional Candidates In The South, David Patrick Hay

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public officials, researchers, and practitioners agree police organizations need the proper tools to foster a stronger sense of ethical leadership to more effectively conduct police operations and work with communities. However, few researchers have investigated ethical leadership characteristics for police supervisors, and no research has been conducted to identify desired ethical leadership characteristics for state police supervisors in the southern United States. The purpose of this qualitative Delphi study was to determine the degrees of consensus and support of identified key ethical leadership characteristics for state police promotional candidates in the southern United States, using the theoretical framework of transformational …

Teachers’ Experiences Addressing Students’ Trauma-Related Behavior In The Classroom, Amanda Lynn Henry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trauma is not something the untrained eye can see; it can be described as a silent issue, but the effects of trauma are seen in society. Research about trauma has focused on the perspective of the student and not the interaction between the teacher and the student. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore classroom teachers’ perceptions and experiences with addressing students’ trauma-related behavior. The theoretical foundation was trauma theory. Data were collected through questionnaires and in-person interviews with teachers and administrators who work in Southwest Pennsylvania. There were a total of 13 participants. Descriptive coding was …

Effective Coping Mechanisms For Caregivers Of Dialysis Patients, Olga Natalia Hernandez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, approximately 9 million informal caregivers, such as family and friends, assist other adults with essential activities, and more than 20 million adult Americans in the United States suffer from some level of chronic kidney disease. Research on the burden and satisfaction of caregivers of dialysis patients has focused on patients and caregivers who have been dealing with long-term kidney disease; however, this study addressed patients and their caregivers who were first transitioning from wellness to illness. The main intent of this study was to identify the coping mechanisms of effective caregivers at this point in time. …