Digital Commons Network^™

New York City Homeless Queer Youth Face Harsh Realities; Advocates Fight For Change, Randi R. Love

Capstones

New York City unhoused youth face years of harsh realities because the lack of knowledge and policies that exist to aid them don't provide the protections and outreach to assure they don't live on the streets or in bad situations for years to come. These youths experiences are exacerbated when sexuality or gender are included.

https://randilove.github.io/capstone-2022/

The Experiences Of Nyc's Social Equity Cannabis Initiative, Jimmie J. Mckinney Ii

Capstones

This capstone is a photo essay documenting the experiences of a few recreational cannabis dispensary applicants. These stores will be some of the first legal dispensaries in NYS and owned by those once arrested for cannabis-- and their families. Photography, text, and videography are incorporated in the project.

Here is a link to my capstone website: https://readymag.com/u2050520461/4094571/

El Valle Del Río Grande Siempre Ha Sido Bilingüe. ¿Por Qué Sus Escuelas No?, Karina Guerrero, Jesus Chapa-Malacara

Capstones

Months before the pandemic began its wrath on education in the U.S., highlighting inequities that disproportionately impact English Language Learners, the Texas Legislature passed legislation (HB3) that created a funding incentive for starting dual language programs – a type of bilingual education found to be the most beneficial for English learners. As schools presumably “return to normal” and at an inflection point that could define the future of multilingual education in the United States, we catch up with several district’s in the country’s most bilingual region as it wrestles with and fights for how to preserve and promote bilingualism. English …

Coming Together: The Street Vendors Of Corona Plaza, Hannah Bottum

Capstones

Of New York City’s 20,000 street vendors, nearly all of them are immigrants, and most are unlicensed. This makes them vulnerable to harassment, fines, and even arrest. In Corona Plaza in Queens, vendors are coming together to push for change. This is their story.

De los 20,000 vendedores ambulantes de la ciudad de Nueva York, casi todos son inmigrantes y la mayoría no tienen licencia ni permiso. Esto los hace vulnerables al acoso, multas e incluso la detención. En Corona Plaza, en Queens, los vendedores se están organizando para impulsar el cambio. Esta es su historia.

Unpure: Serving The Purity Culture Deconstruction Community, Julia Capizzi

Capstones

Unpure: Serving the Purity Culture Deconstruction Community is an in-depth understanding of how engagement journalism can serve those who are deconstructing, or unlearning, harmful religious beliefs around sex and sexuality.

The Science And Practice Of Coping With Pet Loss, Michayla Savitt

Capstones

Losing a pet can have a huge impact on a household - including humans and pets alike. This mixed multimedia project works to capture this multimedia project exploring how loss manifests in the home after a pet’s passing — and how we remember our pets after they’re gone. It’s done through short non-narrative documentaries from multiple pet owners, along with insight from a mental health expert, and animal behaviorists. I’ve incorporated research around pets having grief-like reactions to a companion animal, in addition to why grieving a pet is so painful, and how pet grief often doesn’t fit in with …

Eavesdropping On Animals: Can Bioacoustics Help Save Species?, Zoe Grueskin

Capstones

Around the world, scientists are using sound to study the natural world in a growing field called bioacoustics. Researchers are eavesdropping on frogs and fish, elephants and earthworms, and many hope what they hear can inform and inspire conservation action around the world. From the field’s auspicious beginning with accidentally-recorded whales, to researchers today listening to locations as diverse as the Arctic seafloor and India’s Western Ghats mountain range, this capstone project explores the potential — and limitations — of conservation bioacoustics. Read the story, see photos and listen to audio pieces featuring three bioacousticians and their field recordings here: …

New York City’S Wage Theft Crisis, Amanda Rozon

Capstones

In New York City, all workers regardless of citizenship status are granted the same rights under New York State labor laws. But in the construction industry, undocumented immigrant workers who are reluctant to report violations are at risk of being exploited by their employers and often fall victim to wage theft. Despite efforts by the city and local immigrant rights organizations, wage theft remains high; according to a study by the Center For Popular Democracy, New Yorkers are cheated out of roughly $3 billion annually. https://medium.com/@amanda.rozon37/new-york-citys-wage-theft-crisis-9595917491ce

Charting The Rise Of The Queer Criminal Trope In The Age Of “Peak Tv”, Natalie I. Rash

Capstones

Two shows in 2022 dipped their toes into the world of the queer mobster, an age-old trope seen in film and television since the days of film noir cinema, but that is also rooted in a real and complicated history in film, television and real-life.

https://medium.com/@natalie.rash74/charting-the-rise-of-the-queer-criminal-trope-in-the-age-of-peak-tv-c1f58dc71cc6

A Lifetime Of Heroin Addiction: Jose Hernandez's Story, Pumla Kalipa

Capstones

Jose Hernandez is a 55 year old Hispanic man who has been battling with heroin and other illicit-drug abuse for over 30 years. In this story we spend time with him to understand what his daily struggles are and how he uses heroin to cope with certain life stressors. This mini-documentary and short story is also meant to inform the public about substance abuse and how to get help if needed. https://pumlakalipa01.exposure.co/a-lifetime-of-heroin-addiction?source=share-pumlakalipa01

Secondhand Shopping Is Now The Coolest Way To Get Your Clothes, Camryn Quick

Capstones

Shopping secondhand has experienced an uptick in popularity in the past few years. There are a few reasons for this, all of which are examined in the project. One reason for the increase in secondhand shoppers is the daunting news about the state of our environment. Another reason, perhaps even more powerful than the fear of environmental collapse, is that thrifting has become a fashion phenomenon showcased and distributed throughout social media apps like TikTok. Essentially, shopping secondhand has become cool. This project explores these driving forces behind the thrifting boom, as well as the possible impacts, including "thrift store …

In The U.S., Mena People Are Legally White. But Their Lived Experiences Say Otherwise, Youcef O. Bounab

Capstones

The U.S. Government classifies people whose origins are from the Middle East and North Africa as racially “white.” This is reflected in the decennial census, as well as in other questionnaires and forms, even as many among those groups prefer to have their own categorization. In this feature article, we explore the history of the issue, how individuals from those backgrounds would prefer to identify, and whether their lived experiences in a post-9/11 United States reflect their current categorization.

Wellness That Doesn’T Work. When Lifestyle Apps Lead To Disordered Eating., Aurelie G. Muntzel

Capstones

Fitness and dieting are nothing new, but what makes the latest generation of dieting apps that pair with smart watch devices which track your nutrition and biometric data so different is how much easier they can lead you towards disordered eating. This capstone explores how corporate incentives drive diet apps to co-opt the language of wellness discourse in order to attract the Gen Z market, while selling a product that equates healthiness to a number on a scale.

Censorship And Vandalism Of Palestinian Murals In San Francisco, Paisley Trent

Capstones

This capstone project is about some notable instances of censorship and vandalism of murals and street art in San Francisco by Palestinian artists and about Palestinian culture and resistance to Israel's ongoing occupation. Link to capstone project: https://ptrent72.github.io/protected_capstone/

Performatives In Argentine Supreme Court Dissents: A Jurilinguistic Proposal For Civilian Change Based On The American Common Law, Mariano Vitetta

Journal of Civil Law Studies

This article explores a linguistic defect in how Argentine Supreme Court dissents are written. The reader of these dissents has a hard time distinguishing between a majority opinion and a dissenting opinion, because dissents are written “as if” they were deciding the case. The confusion results from the use of performative language in dissents when adherence to reality and a plain-language approach require modal verbs reflecting the language of suggestion. This is actually the way dissents are expressed in the United States, the jurisdiction from which the Argentine Supreme Court copied its constitutional design. To make the case against the …

Esp In Nursing: Building Communicative Competence For Internationally-Educated Nurses, Sami Vuong

Master's Projects and Capstones

The nursing shortage in the United States has been an ongoing issue due to nursing burnout and retirement. Together with the COVID-19 pandemic, it has further exhausted the healthcare system’s resources and healthcare providers. In order to sustain the healthcare system in society, a large number of internationally educated nurses (IENs) have been transferred to work in the United States. As a result of different nursing practices, cultures, and communication styles, many IENs experience language and cultural barriers at work. Difficulty in communication influences the quality of patient care provided, which can lead to negative health outcomes for patients and …

United States Pharmacopeia (Usp) <800> Standards: Increasing Compliance Of Safe Handling And Proper Administration Of Usp General Chapter <800> Drugs, Katelyn N. Sinclair

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: United States Pharmacopeia (USP) developed a set of standards to minimize exposure risks to patients, healthcare workers, and the environment when preparing, handling, and administering hazardous drugs (HDs) known as USP <800> HDs. The guidelines became effective December 1, 2019, but additional information is needed to ensure healthcare personnel are complying with the standards.

Context: Two medical surgical units from Hospital A were included in this project. Currently mandatory online modules about USP <800> standards are provided annually to every healthcare worker, but it is unknown if the policies and procedures are being followed appropriately.

Interventions: Active and passive observations as …

Warren B. Davis And The Birth Of Plastic Surgery In Philadelphia: A Historical Vignette, Sarah F. Wagoner, Charles J. Yeo, Renee M. Tholey, James W. Fox, Steven E. Copit

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

The field of plastic surgery, formally organized in 1931 with the founding of the American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, was shaped in many ways by a small practice of Philadelphia physicians. At the center of the practice was Warren B. Davis, a Philadelphia otolaryngologist and plastics pioneer whose innovations in cleft palate surgery would lead to significant improvements in functional and cosmetic outcomes in his time. In addition to his own innovations, Davis was responsible for the training of John Reese, the inventor of the Reese dermatome that changed the face of burn medicine during World War II. …

Sunsetting Excessive Chest X-Rays In An Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Project, Cassandra Sweet

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

In the cardiovascular service line at an academic medical center in the southeastern United States, obtaining daily chest x-rays still occurred despite evidence that it is unnecessary and possibly even harmful. This quality improvement project was implemented in a 24-bed Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit and 20-bed acute care unit, together considered to be the cardiac service line. Using the implementation framework of the Model for Improvement and Plan/Do/Study/Act, a guideline that outlines appropriate times to obtain a chest x-ray based on the American College of Radiology’s appropriateness criteria was created. Daily chest x-rays were eliminated and replaced with an on-demand …

Medication Reconciliation Policy Analysis: A Collaborative Project With The Principal Hospital In Cayman Islands Health System, Bethany Landes

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

Medication errors, readmissions, and chronic disease management complications are modifiable healthcare problems. Standardized Medication Reconciliation (Med Rec) policies can impact healthcare organizations' patient safety by reducing these medication errors, decreasing readmission rates, enhance the management of chronic disease while also offering fiscal stewardship for healthcare systems. Medication management standardized policies are an expectation of systems aiming to gain Joint Commission (JC) accreditation. The principal hospital of the Cayman Islands does not have a medication reconciliation policy. Using The Eightfold Path to More Effective Problem Solving, multiple policy options that offer evidence-based recommendations were reviewed for consideration of a standardized Med …

Developing Influential Nurse Leaders: Utilizing Strengths And Styles Assessments To Create Individualized, Intentional Coaching, Linda Shepherd

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

Abstract

Background: A north-central Virginia university and a hospital in the British West Indies (BWI) entered a collaborative agreement in 2020. Growing competitive environments heightened awareness and urgency in creating expansively competent, influential nurse leaders in the BWI. Without formalized data to quantify or validate nurse manager strengths, leadership style, or competencies, an assessment of these items and an evidence-based coaching intervention were performed.

Methods: The population for this evidence-based (EB) practice project was 20 inpatient nurse leaders. The Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire (MLQ) and the Clifton Strength Finders Assessment (CSF) for Managers were deployed as pre-intervention assessment tools. …

Formal Caregiver Burden Among Nursing Assistants In Nursing Homes: A Mixed Methods Study, Rachel Kunkle

Theses & Dissertations

Formal caregivers are the direct care workforce in nursing homes that aid residents. Providing care to residents is hazardous and demanding, as highlighted during the pandemic. Caregiver burden affects formal caregivers; however, is interchanged with caregiver stress and caregiver burnout. The overall purpose of this dissertation was to describe formal caregiver burden among nursing assistants who provide direct care to residents in nursing homes. This was first accomplished by conducting a concept analysis of formal caregiver burden in nursing homes. Next, an integrative review of the literature was performed to assess formal caregiver burden in nursing homes and available psychometric …

Queen Academy, Hantian Zhnag

Master's Theses

As an upmarket novel exploring immigration and racial dynamics, Queen Academy lies at the intersection of Kathryn Ma’s The Chinese Groove, Timothy Wang’s Slant, and Toni Morrison’s The Bluest Eye in style and subject. The protagonist Kang comes to the US from China to study statistics, but finds himself becoming a “potato queen”—an Asian gay man interested in dating white men only—and locked in self-loathing. It will take a heartbreak and treading the line of illegality to see himself again. Overall, by engaging with themes of immigration, belonging, and racialized desire, the novel takes the stance that the …

Curating The Agenda: A Review Of The Tenement Museum’S Twitter, Taylor Carpenter

Theses

Most museums have established strong online presences, due in part to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. To stay relevant in the social media sphere, museums must keep up with the speed at which the internet operates. One way of doing this is to follow the current trends and events that are already piquing the interest of those on the internet. However, is it the museum account that follows the current events, or are current events influenced by the museum’s presence? By examining the Tenement Museum’s Twitter account through the agenda-setting and agenda-melding theories, this paper seeks to answer the …

Writer Identity Using Stylometry And Machine Learning, Abdulla Alshuweihi, Sultan Alblooshi

Theses

This particular study will be based on linguistics and stylometric use to find or identify the legitimate authors of the text. For this purpose, the study is expected to use the machine learning approach or framework that consists of various features to sort out and find the style of writing belonging to the right author. The machine learning approach is accompanied by the support of SAS (Statistical Analysis System).

SAS covers the algorithms problems required for better accurate functioning of machine learning approach experiments. In this learning framework, the experiments use a large amount of data to sort and filter …

Delineating Differences In How Us High Schools Are Racialized, Dara Shifrer, C. J. Appleton

Sociology Faculty Publications and Presentations

Schools’ overt or explicit practices are a dominant lens through which education researchers and policymakers attempt to understand how schools are racially inequitable. Yet, Lewis and Diamond argue that contemporary racial inequalities are largely sustained through implicit factors, like institutional practices and structural inequalities. Ray’s framework on racialized organizations similarly outlines how our racialized sociopolitical structure becomes embedded in organizations, legitimating and perpetuating the racialized hierarchy. We apply illustrative cluster analysis techniques to rich data on schools, teachers, and students from the nationally representative High School Longitudinal Study of 2009 to find that structural inequities (e.g., student body, sector, average …

A Systematic Approach To Provide Feedback To Presenters At Virtual And Face-To-Face Professional Meetings, S Beth Bierer, Anna Cianciolo, Heeyoung Han, Janice Hanson

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: To promote their personal and professional growth, medical educators need practical, actionable feedback on their scholarship, as well as guidance for documenting their scholarship in educator portfolios. We offer a framework and resources to provide formative and summative feedback to faculty, administrators, and/or learners delivering an oral presentation at a face-to-face or virtual health professions education meeting.

METHODS: In 2014, the leadership of the Central Group on Educational Affairs (CGEA) meeting planning committee developed and piloted a process to provide individuals with formative and summative feedback on their oral CGEA research presentations at face-to-face meetings and create a transparent …

African American Female Identified Therapists' Experiences Working Culturally Similar And Dissimilar Populations, Kimiko J. May

Doctoral Dissertations

African-American female-identified individuals continue to be one of the smallest subgroups of licensed therapists. However, this group continues to grow steadily and offer services to a broad array of clientele. While the aims of literature have grown to include populations that have been historically marginalized, the research surrounding African-American female-identified therapists is scarce. Deep understanding of their lived experiences while navigating the multifaceted nature of clinical work has been grossly overlooked. This study aimed to qualitatively analyze the lived experiences of African-American female-identified therapists who work with diverse populations using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Since the nature of clinical work is …

Using Wearable Sensors To Measure Goal Achievement In Older Veterans With Dementia, Jennifer Freytag, Ram Kinker Mishra, Richard L Street, Angela Catic, Lilian Dindo, Lea Kiefer, Bijan Najafi, Aanand D Naik

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Aligning treatment with patients’ self-determined goals and health priorities is challenging in dementia care. Wearable-based remote health monitoring may facilitate determining the active participation of individuals with dementia towards achieving the determined goals. The present study aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of using wearables to assess healthcare goals set by older adults with cognitive impairment. We present four specific cases that assess (1) the feasibility of using wearables to monitor healthcare goals, (2) differences in function after goal-setting visits, and (3) goal achievement. Older veterans (n = 17) with cognitive impairment completed self-report assessments of mobility, then had an …

Landscape Of Tb Infection And Prevention Among People Living With Hiv, Anca Vasiliu, Rebecca Abelman, Yousra Kherabi, Antonia Morita Iswari Saktiawati, Alexander Kay

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of mortality in people living with HIV (PLHIV) and contributes to up to a third of deaths in this population. The World Health Organization guidelines aim to target early detection and treatment of TB among PLHIV, particularly in high-prevalence and low-resource settings. Prevention plays a key role in the fight against TB among PLHIV. This review explores TB screening tools available for PLHIV, including symptom-based screening, chest radiography, tuberculin skin tests, interferon gamma release assays, and serum biomarkers. We then review TB Preventive Treatment (TPT), shown to reduce the progression to active …