Digital Commons Network^™

Operation Enduring Freedom And Operation Iraqi Freedom Veterans In The Veterans Health Administration, Exekiel Montoya Aranez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Veterans’ Health Administration (VHA) has faced critical issues regarding the deaths of war veterans, the result of which stakeholders raised questions about the quality of health care given within the VHA. Through patient-centered care standards of health care, the VHA worked diligently to end such horrific events that more than 300,000 veterans may have died while waiting for health care service. This study examined five core concepts of the health care system and whether VHA has utilized its five core concepts of patient-centered care to deliver proper health care to war veterans. This study used qualitative research in the …

Leadership Strategies And Retention In Government Agencies, Desiree Nicole Andrus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractLow retention creates a loss of talent, and an unstable workforce harms employee performance and productivity, significantly decreasing internal proficiency. Grounded in the transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies government leaders use to enhance employee retention. The participants consisted of four supervisory government employees in a single agency in Washington D.C. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and follow-up member checking, direct observations, and a review of organizational documents. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis; four themes emerged: idiosyncratic employee engagement, specific relational transmissions, promotion of diversity, and stimulating psychological incentives. A …

Successful Strategies For Adopting Open-Source Software, Balla Barro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Middle-level information systems managers (ISMs) in small-scale organizations often have challenges in determining the most appropriate strategy for adopting open-source software (OSS) in their organizations. The ISMs need to determine the right strategy for adopting OSS to protect the organizations’ information technology infrastructure. Grounded in the diffusion of innovation theory, the objective of this multiple case study was to explore strategies middle-level ISMs used to adopt OSS in their small-scale organizations. Six middle-level ISMs from three small-scale organizations with experience of not less than six years in OSS adoption strategy in the city of Frederick, Maryland, shared their strategies during …

Use Of Technology To Promote Science, Technology, Engineering, And Mathematics Learning In Elementary Classrooms, Theresa Wiggins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many students have been exposed to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in most schools. While STEM in public high schools, public middle schools, STEM-specific schools, and charter elementary schools have been researched often, the literature concerning STEM in public elementary school classrooms to promote learning is scarce. The purpose of this study was to explore elementary school teachers' use of technology, such as digital cameras, iPads, and laptops in STEM lessons. Vygotsky's constructivism theory was the conceptual framework used to guide the qualitative research questions in this study, which sought to explore how elementary public school teachers used technology …

Why African American Men Diagnosed With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Continue To Smoke, Vashonda Laniece Allen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this research was to explore why some African American men diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) continue smoking following their diagnosis. The theory of planned behavior (TPB) guided the development of this research. The research questions were developed to understand the attitudes, behavioral intentions, subjective norms, social norms, perceived power, and perceived behavioral control that influence their continuing or quitting smoking based on the TPB model. The study’s research method was qualitative. A pilot study, using the same criteria as the main study, confirmed the reliability of the interview guide. Participants were informed about the study …

The Obligation Of Law Enforcement Agencies To The Mental Health Of Their Officers, Michael Ballard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The extent of law enforcement agencies’ responsibility to address their officers’ mental health needs is unclear, despite the availability of resources and suggested guidelines. This research applied the theory of planned behavior to police officers’ willingness to seek mental health assistance from their agencies, examining the responses of 104 law enforcement officers in Utah and Idaho from four agencies. The results of this quantitative study provide evidence that law enforcement agencies have a responsibility to the mental health of their officers. Officers in general recognized the value of mental health services for others; however, they were not likely to seek …

Benefits Of Additional Training For Teaching Students With Emotional Or Behavioral Disorders, Lisa V. Bradford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA problem of low academic and behavioral achievement has been identified for students with emotional or behavioral disorders (EBDs) when compared to their peers without disabilities in the middle school general education setting. The purpose of this study was to understand the needs of general education teachers for additional training in academic and behavioral strategies to improve success for students with EBDs. The study was guided by Knowles’s adult learning theory, andragogy, which states that adults learn based on the experiences they encounter. Three research questions guided the study related to the knowledge that middle school general education teachers have …

An Educational Program For Nursing Home Nurses On Sepsis In Older Adults, Wendy Belden

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Elderly nursing home patients’ high rates of hospitalization due to sepsis impact their morbidity and mortality and significantly cost the U.S. healthcare system. Skilled nursing facility (SNF) nurses who have the knowledge to assess older adults for signs and symptoms of sepsis and communicate findings to providers are instrumental in providing improved care for patients. The purpose of this doctoral project was to provide a group evidence-based educational intervention on sepsis care of older adults geared toward nurses working in SNFs. The practice-focused question asked whether an educational intervention focused on the signs and symptoms of sepsis in the elderly …

Higher Education Administrators’ Experiences With Development Of Faculty Pedagogical Skills, Diane Cairns

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the barriers most often cited by higher education faculty impacting the professional development of their pedagogical skills is the lack of support from the administrators in their institution. Identifying barriers, opportunities for support, and an approach for quality teaching using pedagogical techniques may contribute to a sustainable approach to impact student learning outcomes. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to identify higher education administrators’ perceptions of barriers and support for the professional development of faculty pedagogical skills. The conceptual framework was based on Boyer’s scholarship of the professoriate model. A semistructured interview protocol was used to …

Relationship Between Part Pricing, Secondary Discounts, And Gross Profit In The Heavy- Duty Trucking Industry, Arlisa Michelle Campbell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business leaders who fail to maximize gross profits place organizations at an increased risk of failure. Grounded in Jules Dupuit’s cost-benefit analysis theory, the purpose of this quantitative ex post facto study was to examine the relationship between part price, secondary discounts, and gross profit in the heavy-duty trucking industry. Archival data records (N = 21,485) for 2019 part sales in the heavy duty trucking industry were analyzed using multiple linear regression. The multiple regression results indicated the full model, containing the 2 predictor variables (secondary discount and part price), was able to predict gross profit, F (1, 21483) = …

Staff Education On Identifying Burden And Burnout In Family Caregivers, Ekeoma Cooper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe aging population in the United States continues to grow and, along with it, the need for informal caregivers. Informal caregivers provide ongoing assistance with activities of daily living to a friend or relative. Due to the sole responsibility of providing ongoing care, these individuals may experience burden and burnout, which has been defined as a state of emotional, mental, and physical exhaustion. Given the role that informal caregivers provide as part of the healthcare delivery system, caregiver burden and burnout are a public health issue. Nurse practitioners play a significant role in identifying caregiver burden and burnout, especially among …

Examining Instructional Fidelity Of State Standards In Project-Based Learning Units, Megan Correia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem investigated in this study was the decline in student achievement since the implementation of project-based learning (PBL) by the third- through sixth-grade teachers at the local elementary school. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to investigate teachers’ perceptions at the study location about their knowledge of PBL and its application in third- through sixth-grade classes. The study was rooted in Jean Piaget’s cognitive learning theory of constructivism. The study location was an urban school district in the Southern United States. Data on teacher perceptions was gathered through structured interviews, conducted via Zoom, with eight elementary teachers …

The Pertinence Of Risk Management In Behavioral Healthcare Organizations, Mary Darden-Robinson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The role of risk management in healthcare settings addressing physical issues has been a focus for scholars since the 1950s. Researchers have demonstrated that effective risk mitigation in physical healthcare settings can decrease medical errors, poor patient care, and litigation. Although there has been a significant focus on the implications of risk management in these settings, there is less research related to this relationship within the context of behavioral healthcare. The purpose of this study was to explore risk-management processes in the setting of a midsized for-profit behavioral health organization on the East Coast of the United States. The Baldrige …

Strategies Worker-Owned Cooperatives Use To Remain Profitable During Economic Downturns, Termaine Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

New managers of worker-owned cooperatives who fail to adapt to changing conditions can threaten the organization’s viability. Some new managers of worker-owned cooperatives may lack the strategies they need to maintain consistent employment levels during economic downturns. Grounded in the expected utility theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore the strategies used by managers of worker-owned cooperatives to maintain consistent employment levels during sustained periods of low revenue. Participants comprised seven managers of worker-owned cooperatives with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the Midwest of the United States managing cooperatives during sustained periods of …

Effect Of Human-Animal Interactions On Retail Employees’ Job Satisfaction And Job Performance, Michelle Elizabeth Davis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that companion animals can have a positive effect on people who suffer from mental and physical illnesses; however, few studies have considered the impact of human-animal interactions (HAIs) on employees in the work environment. This quantitative study investigated the effect of HAIs on 146 employees’ job satisfaction and job performance in three retail environments with a range of potential animal interactions: retail store with no animal presence (none), retail store with occasional animal presence (occasional), and retail store with persistent animal presence (constant). Retail employees’ job satisfaction and performance in each retail setting were assessed using the …

Training Strategies For Increasing Employee Job Satisfaction And Retention In The Hospitality Industry, Felix Ledoux Djeumo Sandjong

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractHigh voluntary employee turnover remains one of the most critical issues managers are striving to resolve. A lack of strategies to reduce high voluntary employee turnover by hospitality managers leads to low employee retention and loss. Grounded in McClelland’s needs theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies hospitality small business leaders use to implement effective training programs leading to an acceptable level of employee retention. The participants were five hospitality small business leaders in the Washington, DC area who directed their companies’ training programs and increased employee retention through implementing effective training programs. Data were …

Strategies To Mitigate The Level Of Inherent Risk In Retail Loan Portfolios, Henrich Y. Edimo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite regulatory requirements and technological advancements, bank managers face inherent risk in their retail loan portfolios. Bank managers who do not address and mitigate inherent risk in their retail loan portfolios are at a disadvantage to better know their customers, use technology, and enhance credit analytics. Grounded in the enterprise risk management framework, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies bank managers used to mitigate the level of inherent risk in their retail loan portfolios. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and document reviews. Participants comprised eight bank managers at four companies who implemented successful …

Characteristics And Outcomes Of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest In Covid-19 A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Zubaid Rafique, Aleksandra Gasecka, Jacek Smereka, Katarzyna Pytkowska, Marta Jachowicz, Lukasz Iskrzycki, Natasza Gilis-Malinowska, Milosz J Jaguszewski

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

BACKGROUND: The purpose herein, was to perform a systematic review of interventional outcome studies in patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic period.

METHODS: A meta-analysis was performed of publications meeting the following PICOS criteria: (1) participants, patients > 18 years of age with cardiac arrest due to any causes; (2) intervention, cardiac arrest in COVID-19 period; (3) comparison, cardiac arrest in pre-COVID-19 period; (4) outcomes, detailed information for survival; (5) study design, randomized controlled trials, quasi-randomized or observational studies comparing cardiac arrest in COVID-19 and pre-COVID-19 period for their effects in patients with …

Elementary School Principals’ Perceptions Regarding Instructional Leadership Practices Supporting Character Education, Dawn Angela Engle

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe problem addressed in this project study was that principals at the elementary schools under study had been inconsistent in applying instructional leadership practices (ILP) supporting character education (CE). The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of elementary school principals regarding ILP to support CE. The instructional leadership model was the conceptual framework guiding the study. The research question asked what practices elementary school principals implement to support CE in their schools. A basic qualitative research design with purposive sampling was used to select elementary school principals who were state-certified and administrators for at least 2 years. …

Helping In The Home: Counselors’ Experiences Providing Clients With In-Home Services, Melissa Jane Franzen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Counseling is an essential service that helps individuals work through struggles and live their best lives. Such service now includes providing counseling in clients’ homes. Counselors may require specific training or education to prepare for counseling in a home environment. This need for training and education is due to a lack of knowledge of the lived experiences of counselors providing services in the home. Transcendental phenomenology was used to guide a qualitative exploration into the lived experiences of counselors providing services in clients’ homes. Participants were 7 professional counselors, 5 female and 2 male, having met minimum state licensure requirements …

Somali Remittance Companies’ Transition To Islamic Banks, Ali Abdi Farah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Somalia’s financial industry is transforming. Some remittance companies havetransformed into Islamic banks, which was not easy because the remittance companies lacked the technology, finance, and human capital necessary to make the banks sustainable. Money transfer operators that transform into Islamic banks also risk failure due to limited knowledge of the transformation’s effects. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of a sample of leaders of Somali remittance companies that were transformed into Islamic banks. A three-step conceptual framework consisting of goal, process, and outcome guided the inquiry. The research question concerned the lived experiences …

How Managers Of Nonfranchised Restaurants Use Training To Improve Customer Satisfaction, Waldell Terrell Graves

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Customer satisfaction is a factor that significantly influences profits and overall business success. Understanding the dynamics of customer satisfaction and its relationship to profits, job security, and the overall customer experience is critical for restaurant managers. Grounded in the service quality theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies nonfranchised restaurant managers use to improve customer satisfaction. The participants comprised five nonfranchised restaurant managers in central Delaware who successfully improved customer satisfaction. Data were collected from semistructured interviews and research notes, then analyzed using content analysis. Four themes emerged: continuous on-the-job training, manager observations and customer …

Faculty And Staff Mentors’ Experiences Supporting Academic Success With At-Risk Undergraduates, Francis Ellison Howard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Differences in student persistence remain between at-risk students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds and those less challenged in college. There is a need to understand the perceptions of faculty and other professionals whose primary role does not focus on mentoring but who serve as mentors to low income and minority students, in order to understand how they construct their experiences as mentors as well as what promotes and impedes their success with the students they mentor. This basic qualitative study addressed the reflections of such mentors who have mentored at-risk students for at least two years at a public university that …

Diversifying Funding Streams For A Nonprofit Behavioral Health Organization, Danielle Hurt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Business sustainability is essential for any nonprofit organization. Revenue diversification can play a key role in business sustainability. In this case study, the revenue diversification practices and challenges of an international, behavioral health, nonprofit organization based out of the western United States were examined. The organization provides training, support, and resources in an experiential modality of behavioral health treatment for clients worldwide. Data collection processes consisted of a review of current revenue diversification literature, semistructured interviews with three senior-level leaders in the organization, and a review of select organizational documents. The Baldrige Excellence Framework for Healthcare provided a proven framework …

Funding Strategies For Small Business Sustainability, Ayokunle O. Iyanda

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

About 50% of small businesses fail within the first five years of operation, lacking access to capital being a contributing factor. The high failure rate is of great concern to the business owners; their livelihood and employees are jeopardized. Through the pecking order theory lens, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies small business owners use to access capital to sustain the business past the first five years. Eight small business owners who successfully operated for more than five years in Georgia and Illinois participated in the semistructured interviews. Through thematic data analysis, four themes …

Leadership Styles For Creating Shared Value In Small And Medium-Sized Enterprises, Joshua Oisedebame Ilevbare

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of alignment between leadership style and strategy contributes to the failure of many small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) leaders to realize their potential for creating shared value (CSV). Aligning leadership styles with CSV strategies improves the ability of Nigerian SME leaders to create economic and social value for all stakeholders of their enterprise. Using four contingency theories of leadership as a conceptual framework, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore strategies SME leaders use for aligning leadership style and business strategy for CSV. The participants comprised 11 owners or senior managers from four SMEs in the …

Hpv Vaccination Rates Among Males In Minority Populations, Andrew Lemke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ethnic minorities are less likely to be vaccinated in comparison to White individuals. As a result, Blacks have one of the highest rates of human papillomavirus (HPV)-related complications. The purpose of the quantitative study was to identify significant factors predicting initiation of HPV vaccination in Black male adolescents. The study was based on the constructs of Ajzen’s theory of planned behavior and used a cross-sectional design that involved weighted data from the 2018 National Immunization Survey (n=395,067) conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The research questions were based on how factors such as fear, family involvement, sexual …

Creating A 'Community Of Inquiry': A Framework For Optimizing The Virtual Education Experience

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

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Background: Medical educators must learn to implement technologic advances to create meaningful learning experiences, implementing media tools that are effective in meeting evolving academic needs and fostering interpersonal engagement. The increasing time constraints in a department of more than 1,600 faculty interspersed throughout a large metropolitan complex served as the catalyst for utilizing technology to create a framework for providing virtual faculty development.

Objective: To use a Community of Inquiry (CoI) as a framework to guide the development of an interactive, virtual writing retreat.

Methods: We used the three elements …

Perceptions Of Emotional And Social Intelligence Competencies Among Leaders Within Collective Impact Initiatives In Puerto Rico, Geraldine Bayron-Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The complexity of global societies’ issues requires leaders whose competencies facilitate collective impact initiatives as strategies for coordinating multisector efforts to transform substantial social problems. In Puerto Rico, such endeavors are not producing expedient long-term impact. It is crucial to implement said collaborations relying on leaders' emotional strength and skills, enabling efficient processes to find solutions for subpar circumstances in communities. It was unknown whether senior managers in Puerto Rico understood the necessary emotional and social intelligence leadership competencies which must be developed to improve organizational processes in local cross-sector collaborations. This phenomenological study aimed to understand whether these leaders …

Strategies To Retain Call Center Employees, Michele Boston

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Call center executives who lack effective strategies to retain employees face a disruption in service, employee performance and productivity, as well as an increase in operational expenses. Ineffective retention strategies can negatively impact call centers by increasing cost, decreasing talent quality and loss of the customer experience. Grounded in Herzberg’s motivator-hygiene theory, the purpose of this multiple case study was to explore employee retention strategies that call center executives use to maintain employees within their organizations. Data were collected from semistructured interviews, company documents, and physical artifacts. The interview participants comprised five call center executives, managers, or team leaders in …