Digital Commons Network^™

Reducing Same-Day Case Cancellation By Implementing 72 Hours Preop Phone Calls, Debbie Sharon Centeno

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: The increased frequency of same-day surgical cancellations affects patient care quality, causes loss of expenses for patients and facilities, and causes non-compliance with block utilization against regional standards.

Context: A collaborative effort was undertaken to reduce same-day case cancellations in the Ambulatory Surgery Unit (ASU). Patients received preoperative instructions 24 hours before surgery through email or phone call. Data collection revealed that the common causes of same-day cancellations were avoidable reasons (not NPO, patient ill, request for another schedule, no ride), indicating the need for improvement in delivering preoperative phone calls.

Interventions: This included educating preoperative nurses, creating a …

Perceived Degree Value Amongst Two-Year Technical School Graduates, And Regional Employers: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study, Jonathan D. Hartwell

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to gain an in-depth understanding of how graduates of Zion Mountain Institute of Technology (pseudonym), perceive the value of their two-year technical degrees as it relates to job satisfaction. In this research, job satisfaction is defined as the perceived value of the associate degree awarded. The theories that guided this study were Herzberg’s two-factor theory and Holland’s theory of vocational choice, as they both relate to job satisfaction or perceived degree value due to the correlation between employability, hygiene issues, motivators, and personality characteristics. The participant sample consisted of 10 recent graduates …

Identifying Potential Underreporting Of Alcohol Use Among U.S. Military Members, Jeong Hong

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Understanding the dynamics of alcohol reporting among U.S. military members is crucial for promoting their well-being and for developing effective support programs. Yet current research often overlooks the issue of potential underreporting of alcohol use among U.S. military members. This study aimed to address this gap by exploring the phenomenon of underreporting alcohol use among military personnel. This qualitative study utilized an ethnographic research method to investigate the experiences of 35 U.S. military members with various military statuses. The research questions explored the perception of the prevalence and causes of underreporting of alcohol use and possible remedies for underreporting, framed …

Exploring The Role Of High School Administrator's Emotional Intelligence In Classroom Teachers' Perceptions Of Administrator Support: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, James Alex Weaver

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this study was to discover the role and influence of high school administrator’s emotional intelligence on classroom teachers’ perceptions of administrative support at a public high school in northern Delaware. The theory guiding this study is Goleman’s theory of emotional intelligence. This transcendental phenomenological study was concerned with ensuring that high school classroom teachers’ shared experiences regarding perceptions of administrator support at a public high school in northern Delaware as affected by emotional intelligence are described in a manner that allows for the phenomenon’s thematic elements to increase understanding. The study used individual interviews, focus groups, and …

Clinical Trial Research Nurse New Employee Onboarding 30- 60 -90 Day Checklist, Arin Alesia Urban

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: The clinical trials research management team was plagued with high nurse turnover and poor clinical documentation due to a lack of seasoned clinical research nurses.

Context: A regional clinical trials team serving 22 hospitals within a Northern California not-for-profit health system.

Interventions: Mixed methods were used to inform the development of new employee onboarding for novice clinical trial nurses utilizing a structured 30-60-90-day checklist, improved communication channels, and continuous mentor support.

Measures: Monthly quality queries and quarterly staff turnover rates were tracked. Employee feedback was collected to assess the interventions' impact.

Results: The number of quality queries was reduced …

Job Task Analysis: Exploring A Nonprofit Mental Health Administrative Staff’S Perceptions Of Their Job Duties And Priorities, Ella Faye Warren

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Due to a recent expansion, Organization A encountered challenges in aligning its administrative staff duties and responsibilities with the strategic objectives of the organization. This difficulty was driven by the need to accommodate new services and the increasing demand for mental health services within the region. The purpose of this qualitative research study was to explore the job duties the administrative staff at Organization A currently perform, and what were their perceptions concerning the priorities to be fulfilled in the future. The conceptual frameworks of job task analysis and job task inventory guided the data collection process, which involved conducting …

Agile Methodologies On Software Product Project Success, Ying Wang

Harrisburg University Dissertations and Theses

Despite the popularity of using agile methods in software development, many companies still struggle with efficiency problems. These issues lead to financial losses and make it harder for them to compete in the fast-paced software industry. This study aims to find solutions to these problems by looking into effective ways to improve how agile methods are used and to overcome the challenges of putting them into practice. By examining what factors contribute to the success of agile project management, this research hopes to offer useful advice for making software development projects more efficient and productive. The findings from this study …

Improving Stroke Education Scores At A Primary Stroke Center, Jesse J. Young

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: The COVID-19 pandemic precipitated a significant departure from the nursing profession, leaving healthcare organizations grappling with critical staffing shortages and compromising patient care standards. In 2023, an advanced Primary Stroke Center in a Northern California hospital’s STK-8 scores fluctuated between 80-100%, with an average annual score of 92.8%, putting the facility's primary stroke certification and long-term patient outcomes at risk.

Context: A 24-bed acute stroke and telemetry unit in a Northern California hospital and designated primary stroke center.

Interventions: The following measures were implemented to improve the quality of stroke care and enhance STK-8 compliance, including …

A Cross-Disciplinary Undergraduate Research Project: Bonding Through Books With Incarcerated Mothers And Grandmothers, April Terry, Sarah Miller

Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

This study addresses two areas of need in the literature. First, we recognize the impact of experiential-learning on student outcomes and fewer opportunities within the social sciences. Second, as academics in criminal justice and education, we are aware of educational needs of incarcerated persons. The current study blended together experiential-learning alongside a reading program within one state’s women’s correctional facility, targeting (grand)mothers. Two faculty and 40 students, spanning two academic departments, completed a research-based experiential-learning project with one community partner. This undergraduate project sought to benefit students, incarcerated (grand)mothers, and the (grand)children of incarcerated (grand)mothers through a read-aloud program. Through …

Educating Nursing Faculty In Mindfulness Practices To Reduce Students’ Anxiety Pre-Simulation, Virginia Gonzalez

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This DNP project examines how mindfulness training for associate degree nursing faculty can enhance educator self-efficacy in implementing teaching methods that reduce anxiety among nursing students before simulation exercises. The primary issue identified is the lack of faculty training in pre-simulation facilitation practices, which is crucial for ensuring students are adequately prepared. Using a pre-test/post-test design, this initiative evaluated changes in educator mindfulness self-efficacy among 14 faculty members. Results indicated a significant improvement in self-efficacy scores. The pre-test mean score was 3.36, which rose to a post-test mean score of 4.60. These project results demonstrate that mindfulness training effectively enhanced …

Debriefing Orientation For Novice Simulation Faculty, Cindy M. Carter

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Faculty new to the simulation environment lack the knowledge, skills, and confidence to deliver proper debriefing methods. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project’s problem is the need for a standardized, evidence-based debriefing process in the undergraduate RN program at the College of Nursing in Oklahoma. The study aims to follow the International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) best practices to implement a debriefing simulation for novice faculty to improve faculty self-efficacy with the debriefing process (Decker et al., 2021). The DNP student evaluated faculty using pre-and post-tests containing questions from the Debriefing Assessment for Simulation in …

Improving Hypertension Management In The Family Care Practice Through The Education Of Clinical Staff On Jnc-8 Guidelines, Shiny Michael

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Hypertension is a major public health challenge, contributing significantly to global morbidity and mortality. Despite the availability of JNC-8 guidelines, adherence in clinical practice is often lacking. This project aimed to improve hypertension management in a primary care setting by educating clinical staff on the JNC-8 guidelines to enhance adherence to evidence-based practices. The primary purpose of this project was to address the lack of knowledge and suboptimal hypertension control through targeted educational interventions for clinical staff. The methodological approach involved a pre- and post-intervention design, with educational sessions conducted for medical assistants. Data on blood pressure control and staff …

Increasing High-Alert Medication Administration Competence In Undergraduate Nursing Students Using An Unfolding Obstetrical Simulation, Jenna A. Warf

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This DNP project aimed to increase medication competence in undergraduate nursing students through an unfolding high-fidelity simulation. Before the implementation of this project, students at the project site had experienced minimal exposure to obstetrical nursing care and medication administration. This quality improvement project occurred at a community college in Texas, with undergraduate nursing students (n=18). The participants completed an Evolve pretest, unfolding high-fidelity simulation, Simulation Effectiveness Tool-Modified (SET-M) survey, and an Evolve posttest. The unfolding simulation consisted of a three-part simulation with a preeclamptic obstetrical patient that started at a physician’s office, progressed to triage, and ended as an inpatient …

Increasing Operating Room Efficiency Through Decreased Turnover Times, R. Keith Wolfskill

Student Scholarly Projects

The Operating Room (OR) is the financial engine of the modern hospital or surgical center. Over 40% of the hospital's cost is invested in the OR, but the facility recoups a monetary return of around 60-70%. Turnover time is a crucial factor in reducing costs. Uncontrolled, it can inflate operating costs, but when managed effectively, it can boost surgeon, patient, and staff satisfaction, enhance patient safety, and significantly reduce operational costs. The literature underscores the importance of reducing the time between operating room turnovers to improve OR efficiency. A key strategy that research consistently shows to be effective is the …

Incarnation And Decay: Reconciling The Organizational Decision-Making And Organizational Institutional Theory Perspectives On Budgetary Research, Zahirul Hoque, Matt Kaufman

Business Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose The organizational decision-making perspective (ODM) has a legacy regarding its concern for budgeting as an essential organizational routine in decision-making. Budgeting has also become a direct concern to organizational institutional theory (OIT) because of its prominent role in institution building, where budgeting can build trust in inter-organizational relationships. This paper builds on these two perspectives to explore organizational budget processes' formation, disruption, and re-creation over time. Design/methodology/approach We conducted a comprehensive review and critical analysis of the ODM and OIT perspectives, focusing on a fundamental paradox between ODM's emphasis on stability through organizational routines and OIT's focus on organizational …

Exploring Effective Leadership Qualities Of Rural Hospital Ceos: A Qualitative Investigation, Karl Hittle

Theses & Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Exploring Effective Leadership Qualities of Rural Hospital CEOs:

A Qualitative Investigation

By: Karl Hittle

University of the Incarnate Word, 2024

Competent healthcare executives who successfully lead the healthcare delivery systems in small communities are limited in number despite the tremendous need for their expertise. Information describing the specific characteristics of successful Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) for rural medical centers is lacking in the current body of literature. This study investigates the leadership characteristics of successful rural hospital CEOs using information gleaned from those who have proven to be successful in this critical section of the healthcare industry. A qualitative …

Innovation And Deregulation: The Case Of Texas Electricity Companies, Millicent D. Delaney

All Dissertations

Deregulation has played an essential role in the restructuring and development of various industries. In the energy industry, deregulation has empowered consumers by offering them more provider choices, economic security, and affordability. It has reconstructed the energy transmission, distribution, and generation processes, thereby making energy more cost-effective for customers. Most studies in this area examined the impact of deregulation from consumers’ perspectives and mainly focused on European and other non-U.S. markets. There are not many studies that examined the impact of deregulation in the energy sector of the United States.

Therefore, this study is an examination of the impact of …

A Design Thinking Mixed Method Study On Social-Emotional Learning Lessons For Early Elementary Learners, Emily Woodall

Dissertations

Social emotional learning (SEL) had largely been absent from early elementary curriculum, despite research which indicated the need for specialized SEL curricula for unique groups, especially students identified as gifted and talented, exceptional students living in geographically isolated areas, and unidentified gifted students from historically disadvantaged minority groups, including African American, Latinx, and Native American. The researcher proposed an SEL pilot in early elementary grades, including pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, may create a scaffolded approach to SEL curricula throughout the students’ educational experiences with a focus on scaffolding to specific subgroups, such as gifted and talented students with unique SEL needs. …

Employee Perceptions Of Effective Leadership Styles In Promoting Employee Motivation In A Governmental Academic Workplace, Rachel Rene Goenaga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Government business offices exhibit a variety of leadership styles, with bureaucratic leadership being particularly prevalent. As diverse as leadership approaches are, so too are employee work styles. Certain leadership styles can enhance employee motivation, while others may hinder it, ultimately affecting an organization's ability to achieve success and progress. This phenomenological study explored the perceptions of employees in governmental academic offices concerning the leadership styles that motivate them to be productive and engaged. Utilizing Bernard Bass’s leadership styles, the study examined how these approaches influence employee motivation in the workplace. The primary research question focused on employees' perceptions of these …

Childcare Service Organization' Portfolio Diversification Strategies For Increasing Income, Tynesha Douglass

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some childcare providers in Maryland’s capital region lack strategies to diversify their service portfolio and increase profits, which can lead to business closure. Owners of childcare facilities are concerned with identifying methods for enhancing their sources of revenue to ensure business survival. Grounded in resource dependency theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies that some childcare providers in Maryland’s capital region use to diversify their service portfolio and increase profits. The participants were four business owners of childcare organizations. Data were collected using semistructured interviews, excerpts from parent handbooks, and a review of publicly …

Coproduction Revisited: From Theory To Practice., Brenton Clarke Hereford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Coproduction, or the interaction of citizens with their public service provider, has been used in policy responses to a myriad of service delivery problems, especially policing. This dissertation uses a three-manuscript approach to revisit coproduction both as a theory and a practice. The first manuscript tracks the evolution of coproduction as a theory from three different disciplines: economics, urban theory, and public administration. In addressing the three disciplines, the manuscript explains what broadly united the coproduction literature and the differences that hindered the early development of the concept. It concludes with how the concept is used today, and how future …

Research On Digital Platform Capabilities And Entrepreneurship Empowerment Performance Of Science And Technology Industrial Parks, Jieyu Zheng

Dissertations and Theses Collection (Open Access)

In the era of the digital economy, industries are shifting toward platform-based and ecological trends, with industrial parks similarly adopting digital and platform-based patterns. The systematic planning, functional layout, and service efficiency of science and technology industrial parks (sci-tech industrial parks for short) are designed to address emerging industries’ spatial and organizational needs. This approach aims to create a system where digital transformation is employed as the mechanism and digital platforms empower entrepreneurial enterprises within these parks, fostering high-quality park development. However, despite efforts to build digital platforms for transforming into digital parks, many industrial parks have found their platform …

Sports Leadership And Team Performance: The Case Of Nfl Head Coaches, Nicole Adams

All Dissertations

This research aimed to isolate and emphasize the role of coaching in a sports team’s success within the National Football League (NFL) context, bridging the gap between academic research and practical applications in sports leadership. For this purpose, data from the 2014-2023 NFL seasons and Pro Football Reference were analyzed to evaluate the impact of coaches’ leadership styles on NFL teams’ performance. Extant literature focused on the characteristics of individual players, teams, and coaches, not necessarily related to leadership style, that can lead to team success. Thus, emphasizing the direct impact of leadership style represents a potentially significant contribution to …

Examining The Theory Of Planned Behavior As An Explanation For Why Some Creatives Learn To Use Generative Ai Tools, Navrose Bajwa

Theses, Dissertations and Culminating Projects

Artificial Intelligence (AI) can create art which earlier was restricted to humans. This involvement of AI in creating art poses risks of automation for the arts and design industry. One way with which artists can respond to this threat is to engage in proactive coping behavior and learn to use generative AI (GAI) for their work. Using an expanded version of Theory of Planned Behavior, this study looked at the predictors of graphic designer’s intentions to learn how to use GAI for art and design work. It was hypothesized that attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioral control and automation awareness would …

Drselects: Designing Change Sig’S Mauricio Mejía, Luca Simeone And Sabine Junginger, Mauricio Mejía, Luca Simeone, Sabine Junginger

DRSelects

No abstract provided.

Three Essays Examining Technology Adoption And The Role Of Physicians In Improving Efficiency, Quality And Reducing Risk In Healthcare Supply Chains, Rajib Dutta

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Hospitals across the USA are operating under extreme financial stress and looking for opportunities to improve financial stability and maximize bottom-line savings. As supply chain function accounts for up to 40 percent of total hospital operating cost, hospital leaders are increasingly viewing the healthcare supply chain as a potential area for efficiency gain and cost reduction. The recipe for effective and efficient care delivery is to synchronize the flow of supplies with patient needs by integrating products, processes, and information while complying with government regulations. Therefore, proper management of inventory, role of government policies in shaping hospital strategies, adoption of …

Seeking Guidance For Firms’ It Infrastructure Decisions: Twoempirical Studies, Jacob Yates

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the complexities of firms' IT infrastructure resource allocation decisions through two essays. The research utilizes extensive datasets and advanced statistical methods to provide nuanced insights into strategic IT decisions. Essay one examines the performance implications of mirroring the IT infrastructure resource allocation decisions of various leading firms, including leading IT firms (identified by InformationWeek), industry firms (based on performance), and business strategy firms (based on performance) through the lens of mimetic isomorphism. Findings indicate that lower IT infrastructure intensity generally leads to higher future performance, suggesting IT infrastructure could also be viewed as an expense (whereas prior …

Can You Hear Me Now? An Improvement Science Study On Policy Change In Public Schools, William G. Rhoden Jr.

All Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to discover what the perceptions of music teachers, specifically high school band directors in upstate South Carolina (S.C.), on their ability to affect meaningful policy change in SC public schools and what roadblocks exist or remain in the way of affecting policy change. Using improvement science as the methodology, this study employed the Plan, Do, Study, Act (PDSA) cycle to discover the effectiveness of this study, make recommendations for future research, and plan for future PDSA cycles. This study used interviews to collect initial data on the participants’ perceptions on their abilities to affect …

Georgia Library Association Division Officer Candidates For 2025, Kim Copenhaver

Georgia Library Quarterly

No abstract provided.

Establishing A Health Equity Office: The Importance Of Recentering Equity, Aswita Tan-Mcgrory, Amita Bey, John Cowden, Hans B. Kersten, Arie Nettles, W Cody Reynolds, Valerie L. Ward, Lenny Lopez

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Objectives: The Pediatric Health Equity Collaborative (PHEC) set out to describe the best practices for establishing a health equity-focused office within a clinical setting. Study Design: Survey and in-depth interviews of the members of the PHEC comprised pediatric care delivery systems in the United States and Canada. Methods: Human-centered design methods were utilized in an iterative fashion to develop and agree on survey and interview domains. The final seven domains were as follows: (1) history of the office, (2) general description of the office, (3) position of the office in the organization, (4) budget and finance, (5) stakeholders, (6) community …