Digital Commons Network^™

The Perfect Storm: Social Media Addiction, Mental Health, And Post-Pandemic College Life, Kira Donegan

The Crown: Syracuse Honors Research Journal

No abstract provided.

Gardner-Webb Recognized 2023 Summer And Fall Graduates On Dec. 15, Office Of University Communications

Gardner-Webb NewsCenter Archive

Gardner-Webb University celebrated the achievements of nearly 500 graduates on Dec. 15. The commencement ceremony was held at 9 a.m. in Lutz-Yelton Convocation Center. Graduates who completed their degrees in the 2023 Summer and Fall semesters were honored. Scholastic awards were presented to online and traditional undergraduate students. Doctoral candidates received their hoods, and Gardner-Webb President Dr. William M. Downs conferred undergraduate and graduate degrees on all graduates.

Documenting Range Expansion Of Two Invasive Tick (Acari:Ixodidae) Species In Eastern South Dakota, Braden Wojahn

Dissertations and Theses

This project documents the expanded zoogeographic ranges of the blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) and lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum) within eastern South Dakota. Ticks are important when considering a “One Health” approach, as many species are competent vectors of zoonotic pathogens causing human diseases and conditions such as Lyme disease, tularemia, rickettsia, and alpha-gal syndrome. The research involved constitutes two steps. First, tick surveillance was conducted in eastern counties of South Dakota, spanning March 2021 through August 2022. Surveillance took place along edge habitat at recreation areas, state and public parks, wildlife management areas and refuges, and other natural areas …

The Impact Of Sitting And Crawling On The Acquisition Of Object Permanence In Infants With Motor Delays And Infants With Typical Development, Karl Jancart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Object permanence (OP) is the ability to understand that objects continue to exist even when they cannot be perceived. During play, infants with an understanding of OP will continue searching for toys when the toys have been obscured by other items. Searching requires movement. The theory of embodied cognition maintains that the form and function of an organism’s body influence how the organism learns; Therefore, if a child has difficulties with movement, as demonstrated by children with motor delays, they will likely have difficulty engaging in play, the modality by which children learn about their world. The current research is …

Board Of Trustees Minutes, Dec. 15 2023, Indiana State University Board Of Trustees

Board of Trustees

No abstract provided.

Board Of Trustees Agenda, Dec. 15 2023, Indiana State University Board Of Trustees

Board of Trustees

No abstract provided.

Honeysuckles & Irises: Effigies Of The Land, Ami` L. Hanna-Huff

English Creative Writing Theses

Here is a memoir of my paternal line through the lens of my Great-Grandmother and myself. A reclamation of the land I hail from and a connection to a history previously felt distant, this examination of race and gender explicitly focused on the African American Southern female experience; I try to make sense of the juxtaposing positions in our lives. The culture built from its creation through Tennessee personified. Here, I integrate history and theory with lyrics and prose to experience the eighty-one years of progress brought between our births and the lingering anxiety of slavery. My great-grandmother, Hazel Irene …

Terriers Unleashed, Allison C. Douglass

Student Scholarship

This zine was created in Fall 2023 by the students in English 346: American Political Rhetoric with Dr. Douglass, and it captures their engagement with important issues at Wofford. Often, when we think of “politics,” we are thinking about party politics surrounding systems of state governance. However, this class was interested in politics as a broader category of activities that influence decision-making within communities. Our class asked: What does the Wofford we want to attend look like, and what changes could we advocate for in order to move toward that Wofford? Each student crafted a message intended to influence our …

How Black Artists Are Helping To Destigmatize Mental Health Through Music, Ashley Reed

Capstones

Recent studies show that there are still stigmas and barriers preventing Black people from seeking and receiving mental health treatment. Music has historically been used as a safe outlet for Black artists to express both their internal and external struggles while also providing a space for Black listeners to address their own. In recent years, more Black musical artists are opening up about their mental health struggles through their music in hopes to help destigmatize mental health treatment in Black communities.

Hoops Recruitment: Can Nyc Regain Glory Days With “Theprogramnyc”?, Christian I. Nazario

Capstones

TheProgramNYC is looking to revitalize the Basketball scene in New York City. Founders Jared Effron and Griffin Taylor grew up together as friends and saw the failures of the New York Knicks in the nineties. Effron and Taylor made it there goal to train the youth in order to recreate thew New York Basketball scene.The article details some history of New York City Basketball.

A Silent New Threat To The Trans Community: The Unregulated Use Of Ai Without Public Consent Raises Ethical Concerns, Eduardo Salazar Uribe

Capstones

Abstract:

The unregulated use of artificial intelligence (AI) without public consent has raised ethical concerns, particularly affecting marginalized communities such as transgender individuals. This project, based on interviews with 34 transgender people, explores the impact of AI on historically marginalized minorities, emphasizing the urgent need for an ethical and legal framework. This research reveals instances of discrimination and challenges faced by transgender individuals at various stages, from border control to airport security, highlighting the limitations and biases of AI in recognizing diverse gender identities. Trans rights activists, and AI experts remark the importance of inclusivity in AI development and regulation. …

Sepsis Social Hour: Resocialization Of The Inpatient Handoff Sepsis Bundle Checklist On A Medical-Surgical Unit, Kearra Leanne Barretto

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Sepsis presents a significant healthcare challenge that demands early recognition and intervention to reduce mortality and morbidity rates. Preliminary data collected at Hospital A identified gaps in the Medical-Surgical Unit’s awareness and utilization of the Inpatient Handoff Sepsis Bundle Checklist (IHSBC).

Context: A gap in knowledge and implementation of the IHSBC was identified in the Medical-Surgical Unit which necessitates the implementation of measures to enhance staff comprehension and use of the checklist.

Interventions: A resocialization approach was delivered to reinforce the checklist’s importance which included reintegrating the checklist in the morning staff huddles, communicating with the nurse educator, and …

Patient Education Improvement Initiative For Self-Management Of Congestive Heart Failure Among Senior Residents Of A Long-Term Care Facility, Abigail A. Abella, Brooke Sheck, Daniela Ramos, Ivy H. Nguyen, Mary Tran, Roshni Nagarajan

Master's Projects and Capstones

The purpose of this quality improvement project was to use evidence-based practices to determine if personalized education on disease self-management would lead to improved treatment adherence in a residential facility. The target population consisted of four elderly female patients who had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure (CHF) and were struggling with the self-management of their disease. Contributing barriers to effective CHF self-management were determined using a root cause analysis, and included a lack of educational templates, declining cognitive ability of the residents, and no electronic health record (EHR). Using the Self-Determination theory, the interventions were implemented. Phase one was …

Dodge The Fall: A Newborn Fall Prevention Initiative, Shirley B. Varela

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: There has been a rise in In-hospital newborn falls following evidence-based practices such as breastfeeding and rooming that promote mother and baby bonding (Karlsson et al., (2021). U.S. hospitals have approximately 600 to 1,600 newborn falls annually (The Joint Commission [TJC], 2018).

Context: A San Francisco Bay hospital with a postpartum unit experienced three newborn falls as of 2023. The level III neonatal intensive care unit is a high-risk obstetric facility with more than 3,000 births annually. It comprises 21 hospital beds: 10 on the postpartum and 11 on the antepartum floors.

Intervention: Developing and implementing the “Pledge Form …

Understanding And Navigating Asylum In Nyc, Divya Murthy

Capstones

Between September 2022 and December 2023, I worked with the community of grassroots volunteers and organizations in New York helping alleviate the impact of the asylum-seeker crisis in the city. My work is a combination of reporting on the crisis through articles, video and audio as well as an application of engagement journalism techniques, like callouts, joining community groups and sustained conversations with community members.

Link: https://medium.com/@divyamurthy/understanding-and-navigating-asylum-in-nyc-646ab96d0ac1

New York’S Unclear Evacuation Plans Have Rockaway Feeling Abandoned, Michael Matteo

Capstones

This project examines the emergency messaging New York City provides in event of a major coastal storm and mandated evacuation. In the Rockaways, a part of NYC hit hardest by Hurricane Sandy, some members of the community find the information lacking and feel there's no real plan to evacuate them in an emergency. This growing rift between what the community feels it needs and what the city provides is interrogated, especially as climate change increases the risk of another life-altering storm coming to New York City.

Link to capstone project: https://medium.com/@michael.matteo00/new-yorks-unclear-evacuation-plans-have-rockaway-feeling-abandoned-d652bb060c91

Short Documentary: "Masha, Where Is Your Home?", Anastasiia Bilous

Capstones

Life post-invasion and we are on a happiness search – Post-war life – and we are on a happiness search.

Anna and Masha, a 31-year-old mother and her very mobile 3-year-old daughter left their beloved Ukraine 30 days after the Russian invasion with one goal — protect Masha (and if possible, also her childhood). They left their whole world, grandparets, extended family, a vast social network of friends, former classmates and colleagues – carrying only two napsacks and a suitcase. Fortunately they have an American sponsor in Florida, who at 70 years of age might be an opportunistic lech. Iinternationally …

Postpartum Depression Speaks Out: Encouraging The Creation And/Or Improvement Of Postpartum Depression Resources Through First-Person Audio Interviews., Zakiyyah N. Woods

Capstones

For my practicum I conducted audio interviews with mothers with a history of postpartum depression and shared portions of their stories on an online platform. The goal: for community leaders to hear the stories and become inspired to create or improve postpartum depression resources for their community-at-large. Also, for families dealing with postpartum depression to feel less alone through hearing the voices of others who have gone through the same as themselves and become encouraged to speak up and seek help from resources that are available to them.

Reducing Readmission Rates Within 30 Days Of Discharge By Increasing Frequency Of Calls By The East Bay Transitions Care Department, Rediet Abebe Gebremichael

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Background: Within the organization, the estimated cost of readmissions is $10,107.00 per day. Managing readmission rates within the hospitals has been challenging due to multiple factors. Readmissions cause financial and emotional stress on patients and their families, along with the stresses experienced during hospitalization.

Problem: The yearly readmission goal for the Transitions Care Department is below 14% per month. In 2022 the Transitions Care Department has been above 14% for most of the year, averaging 17%. Hospital readmissions impose a substantial financial and resource burden on the healthcare system.

Interventions: Staff training will ensure their effectiveness in carrying out …

Dodge The Fall: A Newborn Fall Prevention Initiative, Linda Nguyen

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: In the past year, three separate newborn fall incidents occurred on the postpartum unit at Hospital X. This project aims to increase nurse-to-patient education on newborn fall prevention, thereby reducing the number of newborn falls on the unit.

Context: This quality improvement project was implemented on the postpartum unit at a hospital located in San Francisco County. At this hospital, the postpartum unit consists of 10 beds in postpartum and 11 beds in antepartum. Currently, there is no standardized method used by registered nurses to prevent newborn falls.

Intervention: The requirement for mothers to sign the Pledge Form for …

Supporting Mental Health In Children By Providing Basic Skills And Knowledge Of Mental Health To Middle-School Teachers, Mariaelena Falcon

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Mental health first aid training in middle school is an effective way to help teachers gain the necessary knowledge and confidence needed to support students with mental health distress and provide early interventions.

Local Problem: Lack of mental health training may result in teachers facing challenges in identifying and addressing mental health issues among their students. Specific problems resulting from this include limited awareness, insufficient skills, and strategies to effectively communicate and engage with students in mental health distress, and stigma surrounding mental health may make teachers uncomfortable discussing mental health.

Methods: The project will take place at Harper …

Implementation Of A Community Health Worker (Chw) Training Program To Improve Birth Outcomes, Emiko Maruri

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background

Those who have been affected by any adverse childhood experience (ACE) have an increased likelihood of poor birth outcomes. These include low infant birth weight, preterm delivery and can even lead to pregnancy loss.

Problem

Latina women have been identified by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) as those most affected by ACEs. Further evidence supports those affected by 2 or more ACEs have poor birth outcomes.

Context

For this project, The Save the Children organization in partnership with the University of San Francisco Doctorate of Nursing Practice (USF DNP) students and Community Health Workers (CHWs) of the Central …

Implementation Of Fast-Track Triage Process To Improve Ambulance Patient Offloading Time (Apot) In A Psychiatric Emergency Services (Pes) Unit, Oke Augustine Umeugoji

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract.

Background.

Ambulance delays in hospital EDs have recently been significant in the United States. This delay has been attributed to emergency department overcrowding, a record number of 911 calls, a shortage of ED staff (doctors and nurses), and poor resources available in the communities as alternatives to an ED visit. Local Emergency Medical Service Authorities (LEMSA) monitor and determine the community standards for measuring ambulance offload delays (AOD), usually in minutes.

Problem.

Lengthy ambulance patient offload times and their subsequent impact on EMS have been significant all around the state of California as well as nationwide. The ambulance delay …

Implementation Of Implicit Bias Training In A Doctor Of Nurse Practitioner Program, Macdana Selecon

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Implicit bias in healthcare delivery refers to the unconscious mental associations healthcare providers make about patients from various social groups. Numerous studies suggest implicit bias contributes to health disparities primarily amongst marginalized groups. Furthermore, patients report a lower quality of communication from healthcare providers with higher implicit racial bias. In 2021, Assembly Bill 1407 (Nurses: Implicit Bias Courses Act) was passed to address the negative impact of bias on patient outcomes and requires California nursing schools to provide implicit bias training for nursing students.

Problem: All graduate nursing programs do not provide implicit bias (IB) training. As a result, …

Gender Representation In Indian Television Advertisements From 2011 To 2020, Himika Akram

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

This thesis delves into the ways in which gender is portrayed in Indian television advertisements, with a focus on key areas such as male and female ratio as primary characters, in voiceovers, at home, outdoor, and workplace settings, and finally, in product categories. The thesis draws on a content analysis of 120 strategically selected Indian television advertisements from 120 brands from 2011 to 2020. Findings reveal that men were portrayed as the primary characters in 54.6% of these advertisements, and females were portrayed as the primary characters in 45.4% of advertisements. For voiceovers, the male ratio was 70.1%, and the …

Optimization Of Transition-Metal Inclusive Carbon Aerogels For Electrochemical Energy Applications, Allen Dalton Davis

Electronic Theses & Dissertations

The ever-growing need for energy alongside rising concerns for climate change demands the development of renewable energy technologies. Hydrogen fuel cells are a promising technology that can serve to either supplement energy generation or act as a lone power source. Yet for these devices to be truly green, the hydrogen that serves as fuel must be procured from a renewable resource. Electrolytic water splitting is a process that allows for the dissociation of water into H₂ and O₂. For this process to be practical, the electrolyzer needs to demonstrate high efficiency and stability, as well as a …

Improving Education On Preeclampsia With Non-Severe Features And Frequency Of Assessment Among Nurses In The Maternal-Child Postpartum Unit, Alyssa J. Willsher

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: This Quality Improvement (QI) project aims to improve preeclampsia education among nurses and reduce the frequency of preeclampsia assessments among patients(without severe features) (SF) in the Mother-Baby postpartum unit at Hospital A. Nurses often stated that patients are unable to have uninterrupted rest periods with frequent assessments, which research shows is necessary for reducing patient blood pressure.

Context: The QI project is implemented in a 25-bed postpartum unit that cares for women and their newborns in the postpartum period. The unit’s nurse educator and nurse manager requested that the visiting University of San Francisco research group focus on simplifying …

Digital Literacy For Older Adult English Language Learners, Talley Caruso

Master's Projects and Capstones

When essential services transition to digital platforms, individuals with limited digital proficiency, immigrant English Language Learners (ELLs), and older adults aged 65 and above face challenges accessing these resources, leading to potential exclusion.

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the shift to online interactions and services due to lockdown measures, reducing face-to-face interactions. This sudden transition left individuals without digital skills unable to access healthcare, essential services, and maintain connections with their support networks. Addressing this issue presents an opportunity to promote inclusivity, empowerment, and community engagement through targeted digital literacy training.

Digital literacy encompasses the ability to navigate technology such as …

Queer Theory In The Metal Music Scene: How These Cultures Influence Each Other, Dalton A. Dalton

Faculty Curated Undergraduate Works

Queer theory has existed in the metal music scene since its beginning. In this paper, many aspects of both topics are dissected. Focusing on metal fashion and its crossover into queer armor, Queer coding, and its translation to metal archetypes on television. And the analysis of queer comfortability in metal music spaces by using queer theory as it applies to mass cultures and subculture

The Impact Of An Educational Cooking Class On Inflammatory Potential Of Diet In Cancer Survivors, Mariah K. Jackson

Theses & Dissertations

Cancer survivors face long-term effects from cancer treatments, with cognitive dysfunction being an important, yet understudied, consequence of cancer treatment. Inflammation is a proposed mechanism for impaired cognition status. As research demonstrates diet is associated with both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects, diet may represent a novel strategy to mitigate cognitive decline in cancer survivors. The purpose of this study was to 1) quantify the impact of an educational cooking class on inflammatory potential of diet (measured by the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII)) in cancer survivors and 2) determine the relationship between dietary changes and cognitive function in cancer survivors. Dietary …