Digital Commons Network^™

Reduction Of Length Of Stay For Total Joint Replacement Patients, Melody C. Golden

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: Prolonged LOS in the PACU for patients undergoing total joint replacement surgery contributes to inefficiencies in patient flow, delayed throughput, and increased resource utilization. At Hospital A, recent LOS averages exceed internal and regional benchmarks, indicating a need for process improvement.

Context: The PACU is a high-volume, fast-paced environment requiring coordination among nursing, physical therapy, anesthesia, and discharge planning teams. Variability in workflow, communication gaps, and inconsistent timing of key processes contribute to delays in discharge readiness.

Interventions: From May through July 31^st, 2026, a quality improvement project was implemented using the Baldrige Excellence …

Evaluating The Effectiveness Of Upward Health’S Community-Based Care Model In San Mateo County, Emma Hunt

Master's Projects and Capstones

Program Overview

This evaluation examines the Upward Health program, a multidisciplinary, community-based care model that partners with Health Plan of San Mateo (HPSM) to provide comprehensive healthcare services for high-risk Medicare and Medi-Cal beneficiaries in San Mateo County, California. The program serves adults with multiple chronic conditions, behavioral health needs, frequent emergency department (ED) utilization, and significant social determinants of health (SDOH) challenges. Through an interdisciplinary team that includes Community Health Workers (CHWs), Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Licensed Clinical Social Workers, physicians, and Mental Health Nurse Practitioners, Upward Health delivers in-home, tele-health, and community-based services designed to improve access to …

The Role Of Parents In Supporting Student Learning At Home, Lindsey M. Deblaay

Masters Projects

This study addresses the pedagogical disconnect between modern, inquiry-based mathematics instruction and traditional caregiver support structures. While caregiver involvement has proved to be helpful in student achievement, systematic barriers that limit family’s capacity, parent self-efficacy and their willingness to use learning strategies at home, the perception of the parent role of caregivers in their child’ s education makes it difficult. The curriculum prioritizes conceptual number sense and critical thinking rather than rote standard algorithm, so it has created a barrier in parent support among caregivers with these instructional shifts. It diminishes parent self-efficacy particularly in fifth grade. The project features …

Delirium Prevention In The Neuro/Medical Icu, Cathrene Ashika Deo

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Background: The following quality improvement project was performed in a 20-bed Neuro/Medical ICU in a large urban hospital in Northern California. Assessments with the IHI Clinical Microsystem Assessment Tool and the 5 P's framework indicated that the ICU had good practices in place to manage physiologic decompensation of ICU patients, but no practices to prevent delirium in those patients.

Problem: Delirium is associated with increased mortality rates for ICU patients, increased use of ICU ventilators, longer lengths of stay in the ICU, and long-term cognitive impairments (Devlin et al., 2018). The prevalence of delirium in patients who …

Moss Biomonitoring And Isotopic Signatures Reveal Aviation Fuel As Local Lead Source Near Oregon Airports, Oluwaseyi E. Aderinboye, Alyssa E. Shiel, Lauren Stalford, Christina J. Murphy, Dean B. Atkinson

Chemistry Faculty Publications and Presentations

Lead emissions from piston-engine aircraft using leaded aviation gasoline (avgas) remain a significant source of environmental contamination near regional airports, posing potential health risks to nearby communities. Passive biomonitoring using the epiphytic moss Orthotrichum lyellii was combined with lead isotope fingerprinting to quantify lead concentrations and distinguish between legacy leaded gasoline and current avgas emissions near Hillsboro and Troutdale airports in Oregon. Here we show that lead levels are elevated by up to 50 times the rural background near airports, with isotopic signatures confirming avgas as a dominant local source. These findings indicate that avgas use contributes substantially to environmental …

Anatomiya Ng Karinderya: An Exploration On The Reflected Filipino Cultural Values On The Visual Identity Of Carinderias In Cavite, Dan Gabriel V. Bagadiong, Ellaine Marie L. De Castro, Miriam Joan C. Generoso, Ej Jimenez, Fernando R. Lacson

DLSU Arts Congress Conference Proceedings

This study explored Filipino cultural values reflected in the visual identity of carinderias and examined their sociocultural and psychological significance within Filipino society. Known for serving lutong bahay (home-cooked meals), carinderias have long been embedded in Filipino culture, embodying values such as bayanihan (community spirit), kapwa (shared identity), and resilience while fostering community connections through food. Grounded in the framework of Pantayong Pananaw, the study investigated how these cultural and psychological values shape the identity and perception of carinderias. Focusing on selected small carinderias in Cavite, the research analyzed their cultural relevance, visual identity, and sociopsychological dimensions. Findings revealed …

Information Resources Utilization, Organisational Culture And Motivation As Determinants Of Quality Service Delivery Of Researchers In Nigerian Institute For Trypanosomiasis Research, Kaduna State, Nigeria., Alegbeleye Gabriel Olubunmi, Ibrahim Awodi, Yemisi Tomilola Babalola

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

This study investigated the combined influence of information resources utilization, organizational culture, and motivation on quality service delivery in the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research (NITR), Kaduna State. The population comprised 206 researchers across the six research departments of NITR, and a total enumeration technique was employed to include all the researchers. Using a structured questionnaire, 172 valid responses were obtained representing an 83.5% response rate. Data were analyzed using descriptive and multiple regression statistics. Anchored on Uses and Gratification Theory of Information behavior, the Denison Organizational Culture Model, and Self-Determination Theory, the findings revealed that the independent variables jointly …

Bibliometric Analysis Of The Top 100 Most Cited Publications From Saudi Arabia Reveals The Predominance Of Medical Fields, Mahmoud Kandeel, Abdulla Al-Taher

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: To explore the citation impact, journals, international collaborations, trends of research topics and gain more visibility for the Saudi contribution to the global scientific landscape. Methods: This bibliometric study analyzes the top 100 cited publications affiliated with Saudi Arabia in Scopus, from inception to January 2026. The extracted bibliometric indicators include total citation metrics, sources, collaboration maps, and co-occurrence networks of keywords and collaborations. Results: The results indicate a strong predominance for medicine and health sciences as the subjects of the most prolific and significant number of citations. A substantial proportion of the most cited papers originates from major …

Patterns And Determinants Of Medication Errors Across The Medication-Use Process: A 3-Year Retrospective Study In A Saudi Tertiary Hospital, Nawaf S. Alqurashi, Mazen S. Alshehri, Mohammed J. Almalki, Mustafa M. Muradkhudhari, Rozan M. Radwan, Mohammed M. Aldurdunji, Saleh A. Almazam, Ohood K. Almuzaini, Saad M. Wali

Saudi Medical Journal

Objective: To characterize medication errors across the full workflow and identify stage-specific predictors in a tertiary care setting. Medication errors remain a major global patient safety concern, with limited comprehensive analyses across all stages of the medication-use process in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted using medication error reports from Al-Noor Specialist Hospital, Makkah, between January 2023 and August 2025. Errors were classified by stage and severity using the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention index. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify predictors associated with each stage. Results: A total of 6,546 errors …

Patient Safety Culture Among Healthcare Professionals In Jeddah First Health Cluster: A Multi-Professional Cross-Sectional Study, Saad S. Alyazidi, Salah S. Alshagrawi

Saudi Medical Journal

Objective: Patient safety culture (PSC) is essential to improve healthcare quality and reduce preventable harm. Despite ongoing healthcare transformation in Saudi Arabia, there is limited evidence on healthcare professionals' (HCPs) perceptions of PSC in newly established health clusters. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among HCPs in 6 government hospitals within the Jeddah First Health Cluster, Saudi Arabia. Data were gathered utilizing the Hospital Survey on PSC (HSOPSC). Descriptive measurement sand multiple linear regression analyses were used to evaluate perceptions of PSC and associated factors. Results: A total of 256 HCPs participated in the study. Overall, PSC was perceived as …

The Al-Bahah Paradox: Divergent Patterns Of Increased And Decreased Infectious Disease Incidence Relative To National Saudi Rates Over 12 Years Of Surveillance, Mohammed A. A. Alqumber

Saudi Medical Journal

Objective: To identify statistically significant deviations in notifiable infectious disease incidence between Al-Bahah region and national Saudi averages, and to generate hypotheses that may inform future epidemiological, microbiological, and public health investigations. Methods: In April 2026, a 12-year retrospective ecological study (2013–2024) was conducted using surveillance data from the Saudi Ministry of Health for 37 notifiable infectious diseases across 20 health regions. Cumulative incidence rates, standardized morbidity ratios (SMRs), and Z-tests compared observed cases in Al-Bahah against national estimates. Results: Overall incidence was 15.8% lower in Al-Bahah than nationally (86.42 versus 102.68; incidence rate ratios = 0.842; p …

Exploring Translational Medical Research Progress In G20 Countries: 5-Year Study, Hana A. Alhumud, Fars K. Alanazi, Edward B. Devol

Saudi Medical Journal

Objectives: Biomedical research is crucial for advancing medical knowledge and improving public health. However, the research process is often disjointed and lacks seamless progression, leading to delays and missed opportunities. To address this, the concept of translational research has emerged, focusing on the smooth transition of research results to the next stage of inquiry. Methods: This study analyzed approximately 40,000 research publications from the Web of Science database to identify research activities associated with translational research. Publications from Group of 20 (G20) countries over the past 5 years were examined to explore patterns of research focus and progress in this …

Artificial Intelligence In Central Arkansas School Districts: A Phenomenological Study Of Practices, Polices, And Perceptions, Alana M. Graham

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

Artificial intelligence (AI) has evolved at a fast rate and has created both opportunities and challenges for public school districts. As AI technologies continue to emerge, limited research exists regarding how school districts in central Arkansas are integrating AI into instructional and administrative practices. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore district-level administrators’ perceptions and experiences regarding the integration of artificial intelligence in public school districts in central Arkansas. The study was guided by Diffusion of Innovations Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model, and examined current AI practices, policy development, perceived benefits and challenges, and barriers associated with …

"Because The President Said So:" Agency Reason Giving And Presidential Statements Of Will, Nina A. Mendelson

Articles

Reason giving has long been understood to legitimate administrative agency actions by assuring legal, nonarbitrary, stable, and well-considered decisions. It is core to the Administrative Procedure Act's process and judicial review provisions. But the obligation to give reasons is receiving a challenge from the political accountability side, as executive orders skyrocket and the Supreme Court moves towards unitary executive theory in decisions such as Trump v. Slaughter and Seila Law v. CFPB. In striking down independent agencies under Article II, the Court has emphasized that political accountability of agencies to the President is critical. Both the President and executive agencies …

Evaluation Of Implementation Of An Evidence-Based Screening Tool For Genitourinary Syndrome Of Menopause, Anna L. Myers

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) is a prevalent yet underrecognized and undertreated condition despite evidence-based therapies in the urology setting. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement was to provide education on the 2025 American Urological Association/ Society of Urodynamics and Female Pelvic Medicine & Urogenital Reconstruction/American Urogynecological Society GSM guidelines and integrate the Day-to-Day Impact of Vaginal Aging (DIVA) questionnaire into practice, evaluate outcomes of acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of the intervention, and the impact on diagnosis and associated GSM prescribing. The aim was to impact provider screening and treatment of patients with GSM. Kolcaba's Comfort …

Public Blame And Prevention Preferences Following K-12 School Shootings: Mean World Beliefs And Doomscrolling, Jennifer L. Lemanski, Gordon A. Crews

Communication Faculty Publications

This study examines how routine digital media use shapes public blame attribution and prevention preferences following K-12 school shootings. Drawing on Mean World Syndrome (MWS) and research on doomscrolling, the study investigates whether habitual exposure to threatening and sensationalized content is associated with patterns of digital engagement and interpretations of responsibility for school shooting events. Using a nationwide survey of U.S. adults (N = 540), the study measured MWS, doomscrolling tendencies, political orientation, blame attribution, and engagement behaviors such as seeking information, sharing, and commenting on school violence–related content. Canonical correlation analyses indicate that higher levels of MWS and doomscrolling …

Preparing Newly-Hired Elementary Teachers For Evidence-Based Reading Instruction Through Professional Development, Sierra Rose Anthony

Masters Projects

There is a growing need to equip teachers with the knowledge and support necessary to foster student growth in reading. The problem addressed in this project is that many newly-hired teachers lack the knowledge, confidence, and instructional coaching needed to effectively implement evidence-based literacy practices in conjunction with high-leverage teaching practices. Newly-hired teachers include teachers who are new to a district, both those who have transferred from another school and those who are just beginning their teaching careers. This project proposes a year-long professional development program that equips newly-hired teachers with evidence-based literacy practices and high-leverage teaching practices through explicit …

Surgical Outcomes Of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Excision: Factors Impacting Wound Healing Time, Christina Huang, Scott H. Koeneman, Sherry Yang, Sami Tannour

Department of Surgery Faculty Papers

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) can be treated surgically to excise recurrent and recalcitrant regions of disease activity. However, surgical outcomes are highly variable depending on closure method, concomitant medical management and area of excision. In this study, we aim to characterise the healing courses from HS excision in a case series. To reduce operator variability, we opted to conduct a case series from a single surgeon. Surgeries conducted from June 2024-December 2025 by surgeon S.T. were included, and the postoperative course was followed until February 2026. Surgical details and postoperative course for 34 sites of HS across 20 patients were analysed. …

Understanding And Responding To Childhood Trauma In The Classroom, Kara L. Ganzer

Master of Arts in Human Services

This capstone explored childhood trauma as a significant public health and educational issue because of its widespread impact on children’s development, learning, behavior, and educational experiences. A review of the current literature was conducted to examine adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), the neurobiological and developmental effects of childhood trauma, its impact within educational settings, and the trauma-informed approaches for supporting students who have experienced adversity. The literature suggested that childhood trauma can disrupt brain development, executive functioning, emotional regulation, attention, memory, and stress-response systems, contributing to academic, behavioral, and social-emotional challenges within the classroom. Findings also highlighted the important role schools …

Mountain Development In Nepal: Settlements, Infrastructure, And Economic Transformation, Keshav Bhattarai, Ambika P. Adhikari

Himalayan Research Papers Archive

As Nepal urbanizes, expands infrastructure, strengthens local governments, and explores deeper connectivity with India and China, climate change is increasing floods, landslides, heat, and water insecurity. Rapid internal migration, rising disaster risks, youth outmigration, and dependence on remittances are also revealing the limits of conventional urban development, especially in the mountainous region. The central challenge for Nepal is no longer just to accommodate growing towns and cities, but to build settlements that are safe, productive, environmentally resilient, and capable of sustaining long-term prosperity.

This paper argues that Nepal's urban future must be guided by a new development paradigm centered on …

Vocabulary Knowledge Within Young Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Hannah A. Lord

Masters Projects

Young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are consistently experiencing a “definitional gap”, where they are able to process vocabulary breadth within labeling but are unable to comprehend text due to the lack of vocabulary depth. The four week vocabulary unit titled “Our World in Words” is created to bridge the gap between vocabulary breadth and depth for first graders. Research in Dual Coding Theory and Cognitive Load Theory provides insight into the use of stable visual anchors with orthographic facilitation, which allows for the disregard of auditory processing, along with an overloaded cognitive load. This framework includes four important …

Inclusion Support For Early Childhood Educators, Victoria Parker

Masters Projects

Some general education teachers are not prepared to support the diverse needs of young students with disabilities being included in general education classrooms. Research shows that teacher preparation is a vital component to creating high-quality inclusive classrooms for young children. Preparing teachers for teaching in inclusive classrooms starts in college, and needs to continue throughout teaching careers to encourage and support the implementation of new strategies. Research also shows that training and preparedness for the challenges of working with students with diverse needs in the general education classroom affects staff attitudes and willingness to collaborate. The purpose of this project …

Methodologies For Encouraging Creative Expression Within The Curriculum, Ian D. Martzke

Masters Projects

Many students struggle to find creative expression within the school curriculum. Indeed, since the 1990s we have seen a rise in average IQ but a reduction in scores through the Torrance Test for Creative Thinking (TTCT) (Kim, 2011). In the course of this project several methodologies for creative problem solving will be described and several lessons will be described that will both explain and model these methodologies of creative problem solving. These lessons will utilize the creative process (Wallas, 1926) and be written to include student choice (Hogan et al. 2020) specifically, within the instructional framework known as Teaching for …

A Structured Independent Reading Framework To Promote Reading Engagement And Literacy Achievement In Elementary Classrooms, Linda K. Bush

Masters Projects

State and national assessment data indicate declining reading achievement and decreasing reading engagement among elementary students. At the same time, increasing instructional demands and accountability pressures have reduced opportunities for students to participate in meaningful Independent Reading, despite decades of research demonstrating its value for literacy development. Research consistently suggests that Independent Reading is most effective when students are provided with protected reading time, meaningful choice, access to engaging texts, instructional support, opportunities for discussion, reflection, and authentic literacy experiences.

This master’s project presents a Structured Independent Reading Framework, which is a research-based instructional framework designed for elementary classrooms that …

Promoting Reading Engagement Through Culturally Responsive Texts And Discussion, Carlos I. Alvarado Bonilla

Masters Projects

As low reading engagement presents itself in our classrooms and negatively affects students' reading outcomes, teachers recognize the need to provide learning experiences that encourage students to actively engage with their learning and interact meaningfully with texts. Reading engagement does not depend solely on students; it is also influenced by instruction that is responsive and meets the needs of students. This project proposes a two-week literacy unit for third-grade classrooms that promotes reading engagement through discussion-based instruction supported by culturally responsive texts. Grounded in Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Transactional Reader-Response Theory, this project recognizes students’ identities, backgrounds, and lived experiences …

Integrated Self-Regulation Strategy Development And Physical Science: A Unit For Second Grade, Ashley Crawford

Masters Projects

Writing is a large part of education, social communication, and work environments. However, the ability of elementary students to write proficiently is severely lacking. Much of educational writing and work-place writing is informational and the foundation of this writing begins in elementary school. There is a need to increase the amount of instruction and practice that elementary students receive in informational writing so that they are able to write in a competent manner. Writing proficiency in elementary school will affect the education a student receives moving forward and ultimately their adult lives.

Elementary educators need to integrate classroom instruction to …

Demographic Influences On Awareness Of Speech-Language Pathology Services In The U.S., Phil Weir-Mayta, Joshua Ayala

Communication Sciences and Disorders Faculty Articles and Research

Introduction

Methods

Becoming A Therapist In A Foreign Land: Narratives Of International Trainee Clinicians Of Color In The U.S., Prathma Sharma

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The focus of this dissertation project is on the community of trainee clinicians of color, who have been consistently overlooked in the literature on mental health. This dissertation employed narrative analysis as a methodological framework to explore the experiences of international trainee clinicians of color as they navigated the complex landscape of mental health training in the United States. In an increasingly globalized world, the voices and perspectives of these individuals offered critical insights into the challenges, triumphs, and unique pathways that shaped their professional development. Much of the literature on diversity and inclusion tends to individualize the challenging experiences, …

Facilitating Palliative Care In The Intensive Care Unit, Crystal Sanchez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: Critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) frequently experience unmet palliative care needs due to inconsistent identification processes and delayed goals‑of‑care (GOC) discussions. Prior to this project, palliative care consultation practices were highly variable and lacked standardized criteria, resulting in missed opportunities for early communication and symptom management. This gap underscored the need for a structured, nurse‑driven approach to improve timely palliative care integration.

Context: This quality improvement project was conducted in a 20‑bed adult ICU within a large community‑based hospital system where palliative care integration was inconsistent and not systematically monitored.

Interventions: A nurse‑driven palliative …

Enhancing A Mid-Wave Infrared Fourier Transform Hyperspectral Imager For Explosions, James T. Stofel, Kody A. Wilson, Martin Larivière-Bastien, Anthony L. Franz, Michael L. Dexter

Faculty Publications

Capturing reliable hyperspectral imager data at a meaningful frame rate for explosions and other fast-changing scenes is not possible in the mid-wave infrared region under traditional sensor operating configurations and processing techniques, which typically have frame rates on the order of 0.5–2.0 Hz. To combat these shortcomings, the scene acquisition parameters were tailored for explosions and a new method for processing optical signatures of fast transient scenes with Fourier-transform infrared hyperspectral imagers was developed. For this technique, the instrument was first configured to collect asymmetric interferograms while optimizing the number of measurement points on the short side of the interferogram. …