Digital Commons Network^™

Public Interest Burnout: Seven Factors That Increase The Risk, Sandra Simkins

DePaul Journal for Social Justice

No abstract provided.

Differences In Set-Based Tests For Sparse Alternatives When Testing Sets Of Outcomes Compared To Sets Of Explanatory Factors In Genetic Association Studies, Ryan Sun, Andy Shi, Xihong Lin

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Set-based association tests are widely popular in genetic association settings for their ability to aggregate weak signals and reduce multiple testing burdens. In particular, a class of set-based tests including the Higher Criticism, Berk-Jones, and other statistics have recently been popularized for reaching a so-called detection boundary when signals are rare and weak. Such tests have been applied in two subtly different settings: (a) associating a genetic variant set with a single phenotype and (b) associating a single genetic variant with a phenotype set. A significant issue in practice is the choice of test, especially when deciding between innovated and …

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.

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 …

School Weigh-Ins Are Dreaded. They Also Don’T Work., Amanda G. Salazar

Capstones

Schools across the country have been screening their students for Body Mass Index for decades, based on the assumption that telling families about a student's weight would promote weight loss. Years of research has shown that BMI screenings don't actually have any impact on weight, but instead can be harmful to students' mental and emotional wellbeing. These harms can last for years into the future, in some cases. So, why are BMI screenings still such a common practice?https://schoolbmiscreenings.weebly.com/

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

Ai’S Next Frontier — Dermatology? How It May Help Close The Health Gap For Dark-Skinned Patients, Gretchen B. Smail

Capstones

This project examines how engineers are creating artificial intelligence systems to help with dermatology diagnosis. Researchers believe that these systems can help close the health care gap in lower income and Black and brown communities, but dermatologists of color worry that these systems are not being trained to recognize skin conditions on patients of color.

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 …

Understanding The Cultural Perceptions And Beliefs Of Law Enforcement About Officer Wellness: A Focused Ethnography, Carrie Hintz

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Law enforcement is recognized as one of the most stressful and high-risk occupations in the world. This study explored the cultural perceptions, beliefs, and values of law enforcement officers (LEOs) about their wellness. Methodology: This focused ethnography included observations and individual interviews of LEOs in the state of Nevada, USA. Leininger’s four phases of qualitative data analysis were used to analyze the data. Results: Thirty-one LEOs participated, representing 7 law enforcement agencies. Three themes were identified: 1) the badge is omnipresent in officers' lives, affecting every aspect of their world; 2) a balanced approach to officer health is important; …

Resocializing Medical-Surgical Nurses On The Inpatient Handoff Sepsis Bundle Checklist, Maram Abuzahriyeh

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: In September 2023, Hospital X identified a lack of utilization of the Inpatient Handoff Sepsis Bundle Checklist (IHSBC) in the medical-surgical unit with only 25% of nurses being familiar with it. This project aimed to improve the use of the IHSBC to maintain compliance of the sepsis bundle above the benchmark of 75%.

Context: A microsystem assessment was completed in a medical-surgical unit by CNL students at Hospital X. The students collaborated with Hospital X and identified the need to improve the socialization of the IHSBC in the medical-surgical unit.

Interventions: The intervention included resocializing the IHSBC on …

Variations Of The Trapezius Branch Of The Accessory Nerve: An Anatomic Study, Matthew E Lin, Celeste Kim, Adam Howard, Niels Kokot

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Although modified radical neck dissections have increased in popularity to reduce morbidity secondary to intraoperative accessory nerve damage, inadvertent injury still often occurs. As this phenomenon is thought to be due to anatomic variation in the trapezius branch of the accessory nerve, it is imperative to better understand the nuances of these anatomic variations to better inform surgical decision-making. A total of 24 accessory nerves were dissected, exposed, and traced in 15 cadavers. Three aspects of the accessory nerve were identified and recorded: the course of the trapezius branch in relation to the sternocleidomastoid, the number of trapezius branches at …

Bayesian Longitudinal Tensor Response Regression For Modeling Neuroplasticity, Suprateek Kundu, Alec Reinhardt, Serena Song, Joo Han, M Lawson Meadows, Bruce Crosson, Venkatagiri Krishnamurthy

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

A major interest in longitudinal neuroimaging studies involves investigating voxel-level neuroplasticity due to treatment and other factors across visits. However, traditional voxel-wise methods are beset with several pitfalls, which can compromise the accuracy of these approaches. We propose a novel Bayesian tensor response regression approach for longitudinal imaging data, which pools information across spatially distributed voxels to infer significant changes while adjusting for covariates. The proposed method, which is implemented using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling, utilizes low-rank decomposition to reduce dimensionality and preserve spatial configurations of voxels when estimating coefficients. It also enables feature selection via joint credible …

Experiences Of Black American Millennials: A Qualitative Study Of Internalized And Externalized Coping In The Face Of Racial Trauma, Natalia Angelique Giles

Doctoral Dissertations

The experiences Black Americans have faced when standing against racial trauma have impacted the Black community for generations. Though previous generations faced overt styles of racism throughout the eras of slavery and Jim Crow, the invalidation and discrimination have remained consistent within the experiences of the Black American millennial (BAM) generation. Current experiences BAMs face are a combination of both overt and covert styles of racism, which increase mental exhaustion, reduce motivation, and leave the individual psychologically defenseless. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the experiences of BAMs in the face of racial trauma. This qualitative research …

Combining The Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Cabozantinib And The Mtorc1/2 Inhibitor Sapanisertib Blocks Erk Pathway Activity And Suppresses Tumor Growth In Renal Cell Carcinoma, Yige Wu, Siqi Chen, Xiaolu Yang, Kazuhito Sato, Preet Lal, Yuefan Wang, Andrew T Shinkle, Michael C Wendl, Tina M Primeau, Yanyan Zhao, Alanna Gould, Hua Sun, Jacqueline L Mudd, Jeremy Hoog, R Jay Mashl, Matthew A Wyczalkowski, Chia-Kuei Mo, Ruiyang Liu, John M Herndon, Sherri R Davies, Di Liu, Xi Ding, Yvonne A Evrard, Bryan E Welm, David Lum, Mei Yee Koh, Alana L Welm, Jeffrey H Chuang, Jeffrey A Moscow, Funda Meric-Bernstam, Ramaswamy Govindan, Shunqiang Li, James Hsieh, Ryan C Fields, Kian-Huat Lim, Cynthia X Ma, Hui Zhang, Li Ding, Feng Chen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Current treatment approaches for renal cell carcinoma (RCC) face challenges in achieving durable tumor responses due to tumor heterogeneity and drug resistance. Combination therapies that leverage tumor molecular profiles could offer an avenue for enhancing treatment efficacy and addressing the limitations of current therapies. To identify effective strategies for treating RCC, we selected ten drugs guided by tumor biology to test in six RCC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models. The multitargeted tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) cabozantinib and mTORC1/2 inhibitor sapanisertib emerged as the most effective drugs, particularly when combined. The combination demonstrated favorable tolerability and inhibited tumor growth or induced tumor …

Plants As Vectors For Environmental Prion Transmission, Christina M Carlson, Samuel Thomas, Matthew W Keating, Paulina Soto, Nicole M Gibbs, Haeyoon Chang, Jamie K Wiepz, Annabel G Austin, Jay R Schneider, Rodrigo Morales, Christopher J Johnson, Joel A Pedersen

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Prions cause fatal neurodegenerative diseases and exhibit remarkable durability, which engenders a wide array of potential exposure scenarios. In chronic wasting disease of deer, elk, moose, and reindeer and in scrapie of sheep and goats, prions are transmitted via environmental routes and the ability of plants to accumulate and subsequently transmit prions has been hypothesized, but not previously demonstrated. Here, we establish the ability of several crop and other plant species to take up prions via their roots and translocate them to above-ground tissues from various growth media including soils. We demonstrate that plants can accumulate prions in above-ground tissues …

Maternal- Child Malnutrition In Nepal: A Policy Analysis, Garima Pokhrel

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

Abstract

Background: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID 2021) data finds that in Nepal 17 percent of women between the ages of 15-49 and 30 percent of adolescent girls of age 15-19 years are underweight; and 36 percent of children under the age of 5 were stunted in Nepal in 2016.

Objective: To review Nepal’s current National Nutrition Policy and provide evidence-based recommendations to amend the policy in order to improve nutritional outcomes of the prenatal population and children under the age of 5 years.

Methods: Bardach’s Eightfold Path to Policy Analysis Methodology and the Sustainable Diet …

Using Clinical Staff-Initiated Protocols In The Urgent Care Setting To Improve Throughput, Holly S. Mason

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

One of the goals and purposes of the urgent care setting is to provide quality patient care within a timely fashion. This process improvement project was designed to improve patient visit times in the urgent care setting, thus improving throughput. In this project, testing/imaging protocols were developed, agreed upon by the office healthcare providers, and utilized by clinical staff for patients who presented with complaints of 1) dysuria, 2) sore throat with an accompanying fever, 3) upper respiratory symptoms without an accompanying fever, 4) upper respiratory symptoms with an accompanying fever, and 5) an orthopedic injury known as a FOOSH …

Implementing A Standard Work Process For Food Insecurity Screening, Referral, And Connection Tracking In A Safety-Net Clinic, Aisha Keplinger

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

Social determinants of health (SDOH) screening and referral programs are crucial to achieving health equity, fundamental to providing the best care, and are critical to the United States’ pursuit of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s (IHI) Triple Aim (Berwick et al., 2008). Employing the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, a systematic screening and referral program was implemented at a safety-net clinic to increase SDOH screening and referral rates, and to identify the number of patients who connect with community resources. The program was guided by the IHI Triple Aim framework and evaluated using the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Six Aims of Healthcare Quality …

Evaluating Utilization And Outcomes For An Outpatient Oncology Urgent Care Center, Melody D. Noble

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

Patients receiving cancer care in the outpatient setting may often require unscheduled, acute management of symptoms. An oncology urgent care clinic (UCC) was implemented to provide symptom management for these patients outside of the emergency department (ED) at an academic medical center. A program evaluation was performed to assess the impact of the UCC on ED utilization and patient outcomes. The project methodology is the Predisposing, Reinforcing and Enabling Constructs in Educational Diagnosis-Policy, Regulatory and Organizational Constructs in Educational and Environmental Development (PRECEDE/PROCEED) method of program evaluation with additional evaluation of outcomes via the Institutes of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) triple …

Implementing Audiovisual Education To Improve Quality And Patient Experience For Outpatient Colorectal Cancer Screening Patients, Stephanie Armstrong

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

Colorectal cancer continues to be the second most deadly cancer in the United States, with thousands of new cases being diagnosed each year. Comprehension of bowel preparation education is an important factor in ensuring patients follow purgative and diet instructions. Inadequate bowel preparations lead to longer procedure lengths, decreased cancer screening capabilities, and decrease patient satisfaction. Audiovisual education has been shown to positively impact patient comprehension and instruction adherence, when compared to the standard written education. The goal of this quality improvement project was to implement audiovisual education and identify whether it improved bowel preparation adequacy and patient satisfaction. The …

Data Quality: Integral To Cauti Surveillance And Improvement In Non-Critical Care Units, Mary Grace Daria

Master's Projects and Capstones

Background: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are the most common type of healthcare-acquired infection (HAI), with 75% approximately associated with urinary catheter use. The key to preventing UTIs is to avoid the use of indwelling urinary catheters (IUCs). This study explores denominator data extract logic modifications to increase IUC data capture and accuracy. It is set in a 249-bed acute care, teaching hospital in the Diablo Service Area in Northern California.

Problem: The electronic system used to extract the CAUTI denominator data is inconsistently capturing the IUC device days from the electronic medical record (EMR). This has regulatory reporting ramifications and …

Social Determinants Of Health: Evidence-Based Practices For Hospitals To Screen And Address Their Patients’ Needs, Lanna N. Anderson

Master's Projects and Capstones

There is an increasing acknowledgment that addressing the specific social, economic, and environmental factors contributing to health inequalities would improve the overall health and wellbeing of individuals. Arguably, hospitals and other healthcare systems are getting more conscious of their responsibilities in dealing with SDOHs, with an increase need to address these SDOHs to improve patients' healthcare outcomes and lessen the prevailing healthcare inequalities. To reach this aim, there is a need for screening and addressing SDOH at different levels, including healthcare system. This paper examined the existing evidence-based practices that screen and address social determinants of health (SDOH) among disadvantaged …

Toxic Fashion: Evaluation Of Chemicals In Clothing And Recommendations For The Amended Tsca, Gregory Zajac

Master's Projects and Capstones

The fashion industry is one of the largest polluting industries in the world and its rising environmental impact is partly due to the dominance of fast fashion business models. Recently researchers and advocates have found that large amounts of chemicals are used by textile manufacturers to produce clothing, some proven to be toxic in other applications. The risk of exposure to these classes of chemicals is a growing concern. With the risk management model, a qualitative examination was conducted on existing policies in the United States that regulate chemicals used by the industry. Despite some policy changes regarding chemical exposure …

Non-Clinical Perspectives On Sepsis: A Project For Enhanced Awareness, Anjali Kumari Singh

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: This project aimed to enhance non-clinical staff knowledge of sepsis through a targeted awareness campaign, while also seeking to uphold or enhance the organization's sepsis-related performance.

Context: Clinical Nurse Leader students conducted a microsystem assessment in five crucial non-clinical departments of an urban Bay Area hospital, each playing a vital role in the organization's efficiency at different levels.

Intervention: During Sepsis Awareness Month, a sepsis awareness campaign was implemented. This involved a concise presentation on sepsis, its consequences, and the significance of awareness in each department. Additionally, informational fliers detailing sepsis signs and symptoms were distributed.

Measures: A pre-and …