Digital Commons Network^™

Conflict Resolution In Healthcare: The Vital Role Of Developing Conflict Management Skills Among Nurse Leaders, Kris Maddalena

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Nurse leaders at the unit level play a vital and indispensable role in acute care settings. Their influence extends beyond administrative tasks, as they significantly impact crucial factors such as nurse retention rates, patient outcomes, and the overall work environment of the unit-level teams. Effective unit-level leadership has been consistently associated with improved outcomes, increased job satisfaction, and decreased turnover among nurses (Aiken et al., 2011). This DNP project is focused on enhancing conflict management skills among unit-level nurse leaders in an acute care setting. The project followed a quality improvement sequence, which included obtaining a needs assessment for unit-level …

Organizational Methods Of Reducing Burnout: The Impact Of Self-Rostering On Work-Life-Integration, Cory Authement

MSN Capstone Projects

With burnout being at an all-time high, organizations must find new ways to prioritize staff wellbeing and promote work-life balance. According to the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) turnover in emergency departments ranges from 15-30% within the first year of nursing, and 43% within the first three years (Roncallo et al., 2020). These turnover rates cost a 300-bed facility approximately four million dollars in annual expenditure (Hesse, 2016). This level of loss and expenditure is unsustainable for the future of nursing and diverts resources away from our patients.

In recent studies, it was shown that burnout leads to difficulties for nurses …

Improving Clinical Competence With Electronic Medical Record Training In Nursing Students: A Benchmark Study, Ashley Reddock

MSN Capstone Projects

Nursing students are required to do many clinical hours based on their program, the Board of Nursing and their accrediting body. During these clinicals, students are faced with challenges that cause safety concerns due to lack of exposure or knowledge regarding policies and procedures. What seems like a simple task, could be life altering because of inadequate competency.

Performing at an expected level of education and demonstrating integration of knowledge, skills, abilities, and judgement defines competency according to the American Nurses Association (ANA) (2018). Nursing programs are expected to produce competent students, and competent nurses upon graduation. Displaying competency in …

Improving The Mental Health Of Nursing Students By Utilizing A Serenity Room: A Benchmark Study, Megan E. Taylor

MSN Capstone Projects

Research findings consistently show that even though improvements have been made through the years, there is much more work to be done concerning mental health nationwide, especially in nursing. Nurses are the front-line workers in healthcare and face challenging times daily. Mental health-related issues in nursing have increased on a national level since the COVID-19 pandemic (Xiong et al., 2022). A more significant nursing shortage will likely occur without drastic change and support for nurses’ well-being.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a benchmark Capstone project. This benchmark study was conducted with the goal of improving nursing students …

Benchmark: Reducing Surgical Plume Output With Smoke Evacuation, Kaitlynn Olano

MSN Capstone Projects

This project focuses on addressing the critical issue of surgical smoke exposure in operating rooms through the strategic implementation of smoke evacuation systems. The primary objective is twofold: to prioritize the safety and well-being of healthcare professionals and to ensure that patient care remains uncompromised. It strives to reshape the operating room environment, making surgical plume exposure a thing of the past.

Extensive research forms the core of this project. A comprehensive literature synthesis, including systematic reviews, randomized control trials, prospective and cohort studies, and qualitative research, underscores the occupational safety concerns related to surgical plume exposure. This synthesis strongly …

Green Tea Supplementation: An Effective Lifestyle Modification For Cholesterol Management, Samuel J. Nemati

MSN Capstone Projects

Hypercholesterolemia is an insidious disease and the leading factor to the deadliest killer in the United States – cardiovascular disease (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023a). Over 85 million American adults suffer from elevated cholesterol, and treatment can prove challenging and may require multiple modalities outside just pharmaceutical intervention – such as dietary and other lifestyle changes (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023b; Goldman, 2023). Green tea – among the most common teas consumed worldwide – exerts a uniquely antihyperlipidemic and cardioprotective effect that suggests its consideration as a potentially-viable nonpharmacological option for hypercholesterolemia (Harvard Health Publishing, 2012; …

Effect Of Doula Care Education On Cesarean Section Rates: A Benchmark Study, Elena Rubio-Mcdonald

MSN Capstone Projects

A cesarean section (CS) is a vital maternal care intervention when necessary; however, the surgical procedure places childbearing women at direct risk for infection, hemorrhage, thromboembolism, injury to bladder or bowel, post-surgical pain, and complications from anesthesia. The risk of mortality associated with CS is four to five times more likely compared to vaginal delivery. Severe nursing shortages, high patient volumes, and patients with complex pregnancy related health concerns create barriers to the provision of continuous labor support (CLS) by labor and delivery (L&D) nurses. Partnering with certified doulas and implementing the CLS methods they employ may promote spontaneous vaginal …

Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation Without The Pulmonary? A Benchmark Project, Fernando A. Rios

MSN Capstone Projects

Cardiac Arrest occurs outside of the hospital setting more than you think. According to MyCares.net, 15% of OHCA happened in a public setting in 2020. Even if you are a trained healthcare professional, it may not be accessible at times in these situations due to different factors such as equipment availability, trained assistance, etc... Having an alternative option to conventional mouth-to-mouth rescue breath CPR would encourage trained and untrained bystanders to perform life-saving interventions to patients until local EMS responders can arrive. The covid pandemic affected everyone inside and outside the medical world. The general population got a real …

Implementation Of Coping Strategies For Compassion Fatigue Through Counseling, Caleb R. Turner

MSN Capstone Projects

Many healthcare organizations are struggling to retain nurses due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding common reasons for decreased retention in nursing begins with evaluating job satisfaction and how it can be affected (Cuartero-Castañer, 2021). Compassion Fatigue (CF) and Burnout (BO) are two leading causes of decreased job satisfaction (Compassion Satisfaction (CS)). The Professional Quality of Life Scale (PROQoL) (see Appendix C) is designed to identify individuals at higher risk of CF and BO. Using this scale in conjunction with the Peer-Support coaches in the hospital setting allows nurses to have conversations and communicate effectively with coaches trained to have …

A Provider In Triage To Decrease “Left Without Being Seen”: A Benchmark Project, Taylor B. Weathers

MSN Capstone Projects

As Emergency Departments (ED) continue to fill and become crowed, the attention to care of each patient can be delayed or missed. Back flow into the ED can cause a bottleneck effect for patients coming in, which can lead to an increase in the number of patients who leave without being seen (LWBS). In order to combat the challenges of patient throughput that result in patients leaving prior to care, I am proposing the implementation of a provider in triage (PIT). By placing a provider, either physician or mid-level practitioner, in the triage area will allow patients to been seen …

Evidence-Based Pain Management With Inclusion Of Music Therapy For Post-Surgical Patients: A Benchmark Study, Ashleigh Rowan

MSN Capstone Projects

Improper pain management in the postsurgical patient can delay proper healing, increase frustration for the patient, and prolong hospital stays (Córcoles-Jiménez et al., 2021). Moderate to severe pain can pose a greater risk for complications such as deep vein thrombosis, pneumonia, and delayed recovery (Kolaczko et al., 2019). Music therapy is an underutilized pain intervention in the PACU environment. Music therapy has been shown to lower pain and anxiety scores in many different clinical settings (Lee et al., 2017). Pain management can radically improve a patient’s outlook and recovery (Luo & Min, 2017). Patients who return to wakefulness and receive …

Pre-Shift Mindfulness: An Evidence Based Practice Benchmark Project, Whitney Turner

MSN Capstone Projects

Although a nursing shortage has existed for some time, it seems there is currently a flight of both experienced and young clinicians from the bedside. Over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, healthcare organizations have seen dramatic increases in turnover and vacancy rates, leading to severe staffing shortages and compromised patient care. Historically, nursing has been a caring, service driven profession, and a calling for millions of professionals. However, nurses are increasingly concerned with their personal wellbeing.

The term “burnout” appeared in the 1970s to describe the consequences of severe stress in “caring” professions, and include symptoms such as exhaustion, …

Massive Transfusion And Shock Index, Kasey House

MSN Capstone Projects

Hemorrhagic shock is one of the leading causes of preventable death in military trauma patients. Literature shows that pre-hospital transfusions of blood products within the combat environment have shown to have a greater likelihood of survival. This has produced a challenge in the pre-hospital setting to have a standardized method of predicting the patient’s need for a massive transfusion. In the last few years, the development of a Massive Transfusion Protocol (MTP) has become the standard to quickly deliver blood products to actively bleeding patients. Every minute waiting to administer blood products increases mortality by 5%.

While initiating an MTP …

Perceptions And Awareness Of Operating Room Staff Regarding Surgical Smoke: Implications For Safety And Health, Karla Flores

MSN Capstone Projects

In the ever-evolving landscape of modern medicine, surgical procedures have become increasingly complex and reliant on energy-based devices, leading to the ubiquitous presence of surgical smoke in ORs. This phenomenon, while a byproduct of technological advancement, poses significant concerns regarding the health and safety of OR personnel, including surgeons, nurses, anesthesiologists, surgical technicians, and ancillary staff. This paper presents a meticulous examination of the multifaceted impacts of surgical smoke, emphasizing the urgency for comprehensive intervention and systemic change.

The Effects Of Non-Pharmacological Interventions For Behavior And Psychological Symptoms Of Dementia: A Benchmark Study, Rachel R. Williams

MSN Capstone Projects

The management of behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD) in patients who reside in nursing homes can be challenging. These neuropsychiatric behaviors can include but are not limited to aggression, agitation, delirium, depression, and psychosis (Cloak & Al Khalili, 2022). Patients with BPSD often have difficulty expressing their needs due to the disease process, resulting in further complexity when managing behaviors. There are no psychotropic medications to treat BPSD specifically, but many are often prescribed to treat the symptoms or behaviors exhibited by patients. The use of psychotropics, especially long-term can cause a myriad of adverse effects and should …

The Effects Of Education On Influenza Vaccination Uptake, Jazzlyn Lawson

MSN Capstone Projects

Influenza is a viral illness that occurs internationally and peaks in prevalence during the months of October to May. There are several types of influenza viruses: Influenza A, B, C, and D (CDC, 2023). Vaccines are available in the United States as early as the start of the flu season to those who wish to receive it. The influenza virus types covered by the annual flu vaccine include Influenzas A and B types (CDC, 2023). The influenza vaccine is recommended by the CDC with the intent to limit the occurrence and spread of influenza each year. Symptoms of influenza consist …

America Heart Association Guidelines On Telemetry Monitoring To Reduce Alarm Fatigue And Improve Patient Outcomes, Rekike Aster Ehrenberg

MSN Capstone Projects

The excessive use of telemetry monitoring in healthcare has become a widespread concern, leading to increased healthcare costs and alarm fatigue among providers. These issues threaten patient safety and negatively impact patient outcomes. To address these issues, the American Heart Association (AHA) has published guidelines for telemetry monitoring to reduce alarm fatigue and improve patient outcomes.

A three-month benchmark project was conducted using evidence-based methods to implement the AHA guidelines for telemetry monitoring in a medical-surgical unit. The project aimed to serve as a model for others with similar issues. By following the AHA guidelines, patient safety can be enhanced, …

The Impact Of Shared Governance On Work Engagement And Job Satisfaction, Mikayla Adkins

MSN Capstone Projects

In 2023, the National Council of State Boards of Nursing revealed that 100,000 nurses left the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic and another 900,000 plan to leave by 2027 due to stress, burnout, and retirement. Identifying and implementing practical strategies to reduce voluntary turnover as a result of stress and burnout is a top priority for nursing leaders across the country. Work engagement and job satisfaction have well been documented in the literature as antidotes to occupational stress and burnout in the nursing profession (Schaufeli & Bakker, 2004; Pressley & Garside, 2022). Evidence suggests that implementing shared governance is a …

Renormalized Stress-Energy Tensor For Scalar Fields In Hartle-Hawking, Boulware, And Unruh States In The Reissner-Nordström Spacetime, Julio Arrechea, Cormac Breen, Adrian Ottewill, Peter Taylor

Articles

In this paper, we consider a quantum scalar field propagating on the Reissner-Nordström black hole spacetime. We compute the renormalized stress-energy tensor for the field in the Hartle-Hawking, Boulware and Unruh states. When the field is in the Hartle-Hawking state, we renormalize using the recently developed “extended coordinate” prescription. This method, which relies on Euclidean techniques, is very fast and accurate. Once, we have renormalized in the Hartle-Hawking state, we compute the stress-energy tensor in the Boulware and Unruh states by leveraging the fact that the difference between stress-energy tensors in different quantum states is already finite. We consider a …

Imerys: Tube Mill Optimization Project, Ryan Waltman, Dalton Beasley, Dyson Beasley, Tristan Mcmichael

Senior Design Project For Engineers

The Tube Mill Optimization Project is in partnership with Imerys for Tube Mill 81 at their Marble Hill site in Georgia. Tube Mill 81 is a dry ball mill that operates 24/7 and makes an intermediary product for Plant 3. Tube Mill 81 needs quality improvement and a production rate increase to meet demand. Imerys’s quality specification is between a particle size of 12-18 microns and an acceptable production rate of 5 tons per hour. This project focuses on the development and implementation of three solutions: increase the amps on the separator to increase production, replace missing classifier blades in …

Empowering New Ob Nurses To Combat Racial Disparities Through Education, Tabitha Poole

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Minority patients are experiencing maternal morbidity and mortality at rates three to four times higher than white patients in America (Valerio et al., 2023). The project aims to measure the impact of anti-racism training on new OB nurses' understanding of racial disparities and their impact on maternal health outcomes. A three-hour educational course, in alignment with evidence-based practices, was provided to the participants. Utilizing a Likert Scale, pre- and post-intervention assessments were administered via Microsoft Forms to measure participants' perception of knowledge of implicit bias and structural racism. Gender, age range, and race/ethnicity were also collected to allow for further …

The Effects Of Diet And Exercise On Menopause Symptoms And Symptom Severity, Nicole Crowder

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Menopause is a phase of life that occurs between the ages of 45-50 years and can last from 7-10 years or longer. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to develop a clinical protocol of assessments not currently completed to decrease the common symptoms of menopause such as hot flashes by implementing dietary changes and exercise as a weekly routine to decrease menopause symptoms. Participation was solicited at a private primary care clinic to women aged 40 and older over a 6-week period. BMI was calculated, documented, and completed surveys were retuned at check-out, with no identifiers and deposited …

The United States And The Need For An Improved Global Citizenship In The Twenty-First Century: How History Shaped Our Identity As A Nation, Karin Mika

Cleveland State Law Review

This Article describes how accidents of geography and history enabled the United States to become the global power that it has become. It examines how the extended warring in Europe during the Eighteenth and Nineteenth century allowed the United States to develop as a country without the repeated necessity of continually rebuilding, as was happening in Europe. The Article explores how the isolation of the United States enabled it to develop continuity in its initially experimental political system—a continuity that was never available to Europe. These factors enabled the United States to be in the position of being able to …

The Echo: December 4, 2023, Taylor University

2023-2024 (Volume 111)

No abstract provided.

Jun Upregulation Drives Aberrant Transposable Element Mobilization, Associated Innate Immune Response, And Impaired Neurogenesis In Alzheimer’S Disease, Chiara Scopa, Samantha Barnada, Maria Cicardi, Mo Singer, Davide Trotti, Marco Trizzino

Farber Institute for Neuroscience Faculty Papers

Adult neurogenic decline, inflammation, and neurodegeneration are phenotypic hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Mobilization of transposable elements (TEs) in heterochromatic regions was recently reported in AD, but the underlying mechanisms are still underappreciated. Combining functional genomics with the differentiation of familial and sporadic AD patient derived-iPSCs into hippocampal progenitors, CA3 neurons, and cerebral organoids, we found that the upregulation of the AP-1 subunit, c-Jun, triggers decondensation of genomic regions containing TEs. This leads to the cytoplasmic accumulation of HERVK-derived RNA-DNA hybrids, the activation of the cGAS-STING cascade, and increased levels of cleaved caspase-3, suggesting the initiation of programmed cell death …

Demographic Profile Of Accidental Drug Overdoses In 2020, Jacquelyn Reiss Phd, Amy Donley Phd, Alexandria Mcclarty Ba

Institute for Social and Behavioral Science (ISBS)

This white paper presents a demographic profile of accidental drug overdoses in Orange County, Florida for the year 2020.

Clemson University Board Of Trustees, Special Compensation Committee, 2023 December, Clemson University Board Of Trustees

Minutes

No abstract provided.

Changing The Playbook For Immigrant Health, Cheryl Bettigole, Patricia C. Henwood, Sage Myers, Maura Sammon

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Papers

Philadelphia’s response to welcoming Afghan evacuees during the COVID-19 pandemic suggests the need for a new approach to immigrant health care.

Oregon State Rank Assessment For Jenny Creek Sucker (Catostomus Rimiculus Pop. 1), Misty Nelson

Institute for Natural Resources Publications

Oregon state conservation status assessment for Jenny Creek sucker (Catostomus rimiculus pop. 1) using NatureServe methodology, 2023.

Percussion Ensemble

Bailey School of Music Concert Programs

John Lawless, Director