Digital Commons Network^™

The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Disparities In Alabama Hospitals And Patient Experience, Phillimena Ashley Hopkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient satisfaction has been utilized to measure healthcare quality and outcomes, which affects reimbursement. Some claim such measures could be biased as they do not consider the patient’s socioeconomic status. Measuring the quality of care, Area Deprivation Index (ADI), and patient experience has been captured and publicly reported; and the measuring indicator Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCHAPS), however, hospitals serving patients in low ADI areas generally score poorly. Grounded in the theory of Donabedian, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between patient experience associated with socioeconomic disparities and how patients …

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Academic Mediation And Modifiability: The Progression From Ged® To Phd, Heather E. Hoyt

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have identified the importance of academic mediation and modification within a student’s thought process as it encourages academic achievement in early education, college, and advanced degrees. However, there is a gap in the research regarding the academic mediation and modification in individuals who have progressed from GED to PhD. The purpose of this study was to (a) explore the personal experiences of doctoral alumni on their achievement during the progression from GED to PhD; (b) to understand what experiences, if any, related to receiving academic mediation and modification which led to doctoral success; and (c) to contribute to the …

Transitioning Elementary-Aged Students With Emotional And Behavioral Disorders Into An Inclusive Educational Setting, Stevanie Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In an urban school district in the southwestern United States, students with emotional and behavioral disabilities (EBD) who were in third- through fifth-grade self-contained classes were not consistently transitioning successfully into inclusive classrooms; therefore, the students were remaining in a restrictive environment for an extended time. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the reasons for such inconsistencies. The concept of inclusion as outlined in the Salamanca Statement framed the study. Semi structured interviews were conducted with six special education teachers and six general education teachers, all of whom had experience educating students with EBD. Research questions …

Cross-Sectional Collaboration In Florida's Emergency Management System, Christopher Stephen Kirkland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Florida faces a unique set of emergency management hazards prompted by the state’s geography, high volume of tourism, and position as a hub of international trade. The state has developed a highly adaptive emergency management system to deliver humanitarian assistance to Floridians affected by natural and other disasters. Despite the importance of collaboration in delivering humanitarian goods and services to Floridians in times of crisis, little is known as to how collaboration occurs, what impediments exist, and how organizations adapt to the dynamics of natural and other disasters. In this qualitative case study, the integrative framework for collaborative governance was …

Quality Improvement Initiatives And Interventions For Decreasing Falls In The Hospital Setting, Fredlyn Lolange

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient falls in health care settings are a widespread and severe problem, and they often happen as a result of a complex set of causes. In the United States, between 3.3 and 11.5 falls occur per 1,000 patient days. Reducing the incidence of falls in a health care setting would bring significant positive change and decrease the incidence of harm to patients in the hospital setting. This staff education project’s purpose is based on addressing falls, a safety concern and a health issue that continues to put patients at an increased risk. Theories used to inform the project include the …

English Language Arts Teachers’ Motivations And Experiences Related To Incorporating Digital Texts In Grades 6-12, Leah M. Marsh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Selecting text mediums that best support their curriculum needs is a critical task for English Language Arts (ELA) teachers, who also need to choose materials aligned with state standards and district requirements. Because 21st-century learning standards require students to have more technology skills, teachers are increasingly offering digital texts in classrooms. The problem under investigation in this study was the gap in understanding of the curricular choices U.S. teachers make when incorporating digital texts in ELA classrooms for Grades 6-12 to increase literacy. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine ELA teachers’ motivation and experiences related to the …

Elementary Teachers’ Perceptions Of Evidence-Based Practices For Twice-Exceptional Students, Khadijah Muhammad

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Twice-exceptional students (2E) are identified as having high aptitude and a disability, as classified by their state of residence. However, elementary school teachers are not consistently implementing evidence-based practices (EBPs) for kindergarten through fifth-grade 2E students, creating a gap in practice. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand teachers’ perspectives regarding the challenges with and needed supports for consistently implementing EBPs for 2E students. Universal design for learning was the conceptual framework and the foundation for the study. A basic qualitative research design was used in this study to address research questions regarding elementary teachers’ perspectives on challenges …

Staff Education Of Diabetic Foot Care In An Ambulatory Setting, Riza Grace Nielsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the most important factors affecting the quality of diabetes care is the association between a patient’s knowledge and their practices. The practice gap in this primary care clinic was a lack of standardized diabetic foot care. The purpose of this DNP project was to provide nursing staff with an evidence- based, culturally congruent diabetic footcare curriculum that could help decrease inconsistencies in care. The practice-focused question for this project addressed whether an educational program for nursing staff on diabetic footcare would increase their knowledge and translate this knowledge into practice to prevent diabetic foot infections and its complications. …

Strategies Community Bank Managers Use To Address Rising Financial Regulations Compliance Costs, Therese Hortense Ngini

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increasing financial regulations compliance costs have the potential for adverse business outcomes for community banks. Community bank managers are concerned about increasing financial regulations compliance costs because it is the number one predictor of community banks’ failures. Grounded in the resources-based view theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies that community bank managers use to mitigate increasing financial regulations compliance costs. The participants were 10 community bank managers and senior staff of a community bank in Maryland who successfully mitigated increasing financial regulations compliance costs. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and reviewing the …

Nurses’ Perception Of Pain Assessment In Cognitively Impaired Older Residents In Long-Term Care, Abigail Owolabi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPain has been a significant problem in old age and is more problematic in cognitively impaired older residents (CIOR) because of their inability to express themselves. The goal of pain assessment in CIOR is to treat pain before it escalates to behavioral problems. This descriptive qualitative study aimed to explore nurses’ perceptions of pain assessment in CIOR in long-term care facilities. Watson’s theory of human caring was used to frame the study. A purposive sample of eight nurses was recruited from two long-term care facilities for interviews conducted using the telephone and continued until saturation was reached. Data was manually …

Understanding The Connection Between Male Intimate Relationship Narratives And Domestic Violence Convictions, Stephanie Purdy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Domestic violence (DV) continues to be a serious social challenge throughout the world. DV and recidivism rates are continuing to rise among individuals involved with intimate or familial relationships, with victims and perpetrators of all genders. This narrative inquiry study utilized narratives of intimate relationships among adult men, 18 years and older, who were convicted of domestically violent behaviors. The research question investigated participant experiences with female intimacy and how this was connected to domestically violent behaviors. The theoretical and conceptual frameworks were led by attachment and social learning theories, which were linked to understanding challenges with forming a less-than-positive …

Nurse Education Regarding Hypertension And Use Of A Follow-Up Call Protocol In Primary Care, Edwin Omar Rivera-Figueroa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMany patients whose primary or secondary chronic condition is hypertension present to their first follow-up appointment in a primary care facility in the north of Puerto Rico with uncontrolled high blood pressure. Nurses’ knowledge of hypertension is vital to addressing a gap in practice for this patient population and patient quality of life and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The practice-focused question guiding this project focused on a nurse educational session for increasing hypertension management knowledge as well as a follow-up phone call protocol that aimed to improve patient care. The theoretical framework guiding this project was Pender’s health promotion …

Patient-Rated Physician Compassion And Patient Compliance With Colorectal Cancer Screening, Christine Caputo Winn

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2021, colorectal cancer was the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States, where screening prevented 46%–63% of colorectal cancer deaths. Compassionate care has been an area of study among scholars since Hippocrates. The purpose of this quantitative research study was to examine whether there was a relationship between the independent variables of provider compassion, patient gender, and length of provider patient relationship with the dependent variable of patient adherence behavior for prescribed colorectal cancer screening tests among primary care patients between 2019 and 2020 in a northeastern U.S. state. Guided by the theory of planned behavior …

Teachers’ Perceptions Of Technology Integration And Pedagogy In Kindergarten–Grade 5, Megan Alessandra Bailey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

At a small, suburban elementary school in the western United States, teachers in kindergarten through fifth grade (Grades K-5) were not consistently implementing technology within instruction. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of Grades K-5 teachers at the elementary school regarding barriers and challenges of technology integration within classroom instruction. The study's conceptual framework consisted of Mishra and Koehler’s framework of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) and Bandura’s conceptualization of self-efficacy. The research questions concerned the perceptions of teachers who teach within a 1:1 classroom where there is one device for every student, regarding …

The Linear Evolution Of Local Emergency Management Training In Response To Domestic Terrorism, Jeffrey Januchowski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This paper presents a research study in the field of emergency management. The study aims to identify training or educational needs for the emergency manager at the local level of government to effectively handle disasters. The study uses phenomenon theory with semi-structured interviews that gather data from emergency managers that have experience with major disasters and training requirements. Participants were experts in the emergency management profession with the ability to speak appropriately about the phenomenon. Research questions identified the training methods that produce the best results along with the specific hazards emergency managers may encounter. The research design used questionnaires …

Integrating The Pedagogy Of United States’ Fourth-Grade Math Teachers With International Approaches, Dennis Francis Tierney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Standardized testing results in fourth-grade math have shown that students in the United States continually score below students in many other nations, despite funding education at levels well above the global average. The problem addressed in this study was that fourth-grade math students in the United States were not performing as well on standardized tests as students of other nations and international cities. Guided by Vygotsky’s social learning theory, the purpose of this qualitative, exploratory case study was to investigate the perceptions of teachers from U.S. and international settings about different approaches to effective fourth-grade math instruction, inherent obstacles to …

Hospital-Acquired Infections And Differences Between Magnet And Non-Magnet Hospitals, Linda Mary Valenti

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs), specifically clostridioides difficile (CDI) and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia, increase mortality and length of stay and cost the United States billions of dollars each year. Though preventable, continued incidence demonstrates that infection prevention interventions remain challenging for health system administrators. The purpose of this quantitative study was to identify whether there was a significant difference between Magnet accreditation and non-Magnet accreditation and the frequency of HAIs, specifically, CDI and MRSA bacteremia. The independent variable was Magnet accreditation status; the dependent variables were CDI and MRSA bacteremia. The foundation of the study focused on Donabedian’s framework of …

Strategies For Sustaining Leisure And Hospitality Small Businesses, Kip Cheruiyot

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Disruptive events, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, impact leisure and hospitality businesses by disrupting customer patronage and business operations. Small business owners in the leisure and hospitality industry risk revenue loss and business failure when they cannot remain operational during disruptive events. Grounded in the blue ocean theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore strategies leisure and hospitality small business owners used to sustain their businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants comprised five leisure and hospitality small business owners in the central region of Texas who had successful business operations before the COVID-19 pandemic in …

Teachers’ And Education Leaders’ Perspectives On Using Technology To Develop Vocabulary Among Kindergarten English Learners, Nelsy J. Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractResearch has shown that technology-mediated interventions in education can increase students’ understanding of academic vocabulary. However, it is not known how teachers provide opportunities for kindergarten English learners (ELs) to learn vocabulary using technology, and school leaders support teachers in this endeavor. The purpose of this basic qualitative study was to understand teachers' and school leaders’ perspectives on opportunities for kindergarten ELs to use technology to develop vocabulary in an urban school in the southwest United States. The theoretical framework for this study was based on Cummins’s theory of basic interpersonal communication skills and cognitive academic language proficiency. Using purposeful …

Fall Prevention On The In-Patient Neurological Stroke Unit, Syvol Letwan Middleton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this quality improvement (QI) evaluation project was to decrease patient falls on a neurological stroke unit. This unit had the most falls throughout the hospital system. The unit averaged 50-60 falls per year with an average of 4.75 falls per month. Guided by Neumann’s system model, the project targeted those patients at the highest risk for falling related to deficits post-stroke and post-neurological disease process. Staff were informed about Last fall, Express needs, Awareness of safety, and Frequency of bowel and bladder (LEAF) to determine if this tool could decrease falls in the neurological stroke population patients. …

Gender-Based Hiv Epidemic, Care Retention, And Medication Adherence In South-South Nigeria, Iniobong U. Akai

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractWomen 15-24 years of age globally have a 60% higher rate of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection than men and account for over half of the population of people living with HIV worldwide. In Akwa Ibom State (AKS), Nigeria, more women than men are infected and living with HIV despite being the minority. The socioecological model and HIV treatment cascade framework formed the theoretical foundation for the study. The purpose of the study was to explore the impact of gender on the drivers of the HIV epidemic in AKS using data from the AKS AIDS Indicator Survey. I examined the …

African American Students’ Perceptions Of A Community College Mentoring Program, Julia Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractA local community college was experiencing poor retention rates among African American students, an issue that has challenged community colleges across the United States. To improve this group’s retention, college administrators instituted a mentoring program; however, they later indicated a need to better understand which mentoring strategies were most effective. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how students in the program perceived the effects of mentoring, which mentoring strategies they found to be effective, and whether they perceived mentoring as positively impacting their retention. Tinto’s student integration theory provided the conceptual framework to show a connection between …

A Phenomenological Study On Protective Factors Preventing College-Aged Criminal Activity During Cameroon’S Anglophone Crisis, Melvis N. Asongwed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Anglophone crisis, in which marginalization of the English-speaking regions in Cameroon began in October 2016 and has become one of the most prominent social problems in the nation’s history. It has led to loss of lives, infrastructure damage, displacement of families, incidents of mass violence, unemployment, and a rise in criminal activity in the Anglophone regions. Grounded in the phenomenological approach and guided by the general strain theory (GST), this qualitative inquiry explored the protective factors that have reduced or prevented criminal activity for college students in the Anglophone regions during the crisis. Semi structure interviewing guided participant responses. …

Improving Nurse-Patient Communication Through Motivational Interviewing In A Step-Down Unit, Ana G. Becker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPatient satisfaction is an essential component in assessing the quality of nursing care. Often monitored through patient satisfaction surveys, this doctorate in nursing practice project (DNP) was developed to improve the problem of low Press Ganey nurse-patient communication scores for a medical-surgical step-down unit. The aim of the project was to develop a staff education program for the purpose of introducing motivational interviewing as an intervention to improve nurse-patient satisfaction scores. Lewin’s change model, Knowles’ adult learning theory, and the analysis, design, develop, implement, and evaluate (ADDIE) model were used to guide the development of the DNP project. Conducted over …

The Relationship Between Counterproductive Work Behavior And Emotional Intelligence Among Leaders In Corrections, John Fitzgerald Caraway

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The need for soft skills in corrections and law enforcement continues to be polarized in the media, and the courts, costing organizations billions in litigation and, in some cases, costing the lives for which the individuals have sworn to protect. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study aimed to examine the relationship between counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and emotional intelligence (EI). The research questions focused on the relationship between CWB and EI among leaders in corrections with age, gender, education, and veteran status as control variables. The relationship between a leader's CWB and their EI was not known. The theoretical …

First-Year Teachers’ Perceptions Of The Mentor Program In A Southeastern School District, Taylor L. Castaldo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many educators are leaving their teaching positions, especially in the early years of their career. This has led many states and districts to mandate teacher mentor programs for new teachers with the hope of retaining these teachers. However, even with these mentor programs, new teachers are continuing to leave their positions, which affects the district, the school, its employees, and the students. A lack of knowledge about teachers’ experiences as mentees in mentoring programs limits a state’s ability to improve programs. This study was conducted to address this gap in knowledge. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore …

Educating Registered Nurses On Interventions To Alleviate Compassion Fatigue, Andre Sabrina Castor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University

College of Nursing

This is to certify that the doctoral study by

Andre Sabrina Castor

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made.

Review CommitteeDr. Marilyn Losty, Committee Chairperson, Nursing Faculty Dr. Cheryl Holly, Committee Member, Nursing Faculty Dr. Susan Fowler, University Reviewer, Nursing Faculty

Chief Academic Officer and Provost Sue Subocz, Ph.D.

Walden University2022

Staff Education Program To Reduce Burnout Among Health Care Professionals On A Long-Term Care Unit, Emelda Mati Che

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractBurnout negatively impacts the performance of health care providers, decreasing the quality of care provided to patients and affecting patients’ experience. This problem is evident in health care staff on long-term care units (LTCUs) as they strive to meet their patients’ chronic and acute care needs. Health care professionals often lack adequate knowledge on how to manage work-related stress and reduce the issue of burnout in this work environment. The health care professionals working on the LTCU at the local continuing care retirement facility were identified as lacking knowledge to manage work-related stress and burnout. Addressing this problem is essential …

Impact Of Race And Socioeconomic Factors On Infant Mortality Between Non-Hispanic Black And White Women, Chukuma Clifton Chijioke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract This quantitative retrospective study with a correlational design examined the impact of race and socioeconomic factors on the high infant mortality (IM) among non-Hispanic Black women compared to non-Hispanic White women in one midwestern US state county. Though the IM in the U.S. has consistently decreased, a disparity exists between non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic White women. Non-Hispanic Black women are twice as likely to experience infant deaths as non-Hispanic White women. This study utilized secondary data derived from vital records maintained by the county public health department. The research was grounded in the ecological model. Logistic regression was used …

Predictive Factors Of Bullshit Receptivity Among Adults, Gregory Coffing

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullshit receptivity is a relatively new concept in the field of psychology and refers to people’s susceptibility to providing meaning to meaningless claims. Ascribing meaning to meaningless claims is a way to make inaccurate judgments regarding the behaviors, events, and interactions around each person. The research on bullshit receptivity is scant. The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional survey design study was to investigate whether critical thinking, individualism–collectivism, political ideology, religiosity, right-wing authoritarianism, social–dominance orientation, and need for closure predict bullshit receptivity. These variables were selected to represent a greater conglomeration of daily internal and external factors that affect a person’s …