Digital Commons Network^™

A Randomized Implementation Trial To Increase Adoption Of Evidence-Informed Consent Practices, Erin D Solomon, Jessica Mozersky, Melody Goodman, Meredith V Parsons, Kari A Baldwin, Annie B Friedrich, Jenine K Harris, James M Dubois

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Several evidence-informed consent practices (ECPs) have been shown to improve informed consent in clinical trials but are not routinely used. These include optimizing consent formatting, using plain language, using validated instruments to assess understanding, and involving legally authorized representatives when appropriate. We hypothesized that participants receiving an implementation science toolkit and a social media push would have increased adoption of ECPs and other outcomes.

METHODS: We conducted a 1-year trial with clinical research professionals in the USA (

RESULTS: Participants who engaged more with the toolkit were more likely to have tried to implement an ECP during the trial …

Community School Programming, Timothy D Gilbert

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Contemporary educational legislation is pushing a resurgence of historic educational program models to meet historic and contemporary barriers to student and school achievement. School districts, especially in urban centers are faced with increased challenges in meeting needs to ensure their achievement. These challenges include meeting the unique needs of students more frequently affected by barriers created by community poverty. School reform programs such as the Community Schools are being popularized to support underperforming schools, especially those serving high-poverty communities. This project reviewed comprehensive research regarding Community Schools including descriptions of their structures, their features and evidence of their effectiveness. The …

Misidentifying English Language Learners With Learning Disabilities, Suzan Cevheroglu

All Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores the multifaceted issue of misidentifying English Language Learners (ELLs) with learning disabilities (LDs) in the educational system. The study begins by delving into the complicated reasons underlying such misidentifications, recognizing the significance of understanding the complex interplay between language acquisition challenges and learning disabilities. Utilizing empirical evidence and conducting an extensive literature review, the research uncovers the intricate factors contributing to the misidentification of ELLs, including linguistic diversity, cultural biases, and the limitations of assessment tools. Following this exploration of the problem's dimensions, the thesis outlines solutions designed to prevent the misidentification of ELLs with LDs. These …

Projecting Wheat Demand In China And India For 2030 And 2050: Implications For Food Security, Khondoker Abdul Mottaleb, Gideon Kruseman, Aymen Frija, Kai Sonder, Santiago Lopez-Ridaura

Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness Faculty Publications and Presentations

Introduction: The combined populations of China and India were 2.78 billion in 2020, representing 36% of the world population (7.75 billion). Wheat is the second most important staple grain in both China and India. In 2019, the aggregate wheat consumption in China was 96.4 million ton and in India it was 82.5 million ton, together it was more than 35% of the world's wheat that year. In China, in 2050, the projected population will be 1294–1515 million, and in India, it is projected to be 14.89–1793 million, under the low and high-fertility rate assumptions. A question arises as to, what …

Damages For Tortious Harm To Pets: Minnesota's Market Value Approach Severely Undercompensates Plaintiffs, Morgan Phelps

Mitchell Hamline Law Review

No abstract provided.

Mis Dos Pueblos Fronterizos / My Two Border Towns (2021) By David Bowles, Amy Reed-Sandoval

Picture Books

When children talk about migration and displacement, they generally speak and inquire about people. Why are some people forced to leave their homes—or why was I forced to leave my home? Why won’t other countries let them in—or why won’t other countries let my family and me in? What does it feel like to live in a shelter, or in a refugee camp, or on a bridge between two countries—or why must my family live this way, while others do not? This picture book shows how philosophical questions about migration can be inspired by, and embedded in, communities and characters …

Empowering Educators: Enhancing Teacher Efficacy In Rural Schools Through Innovative Professional Development For Teachers Of English Language Learners, Jody Lynn Maanum

Theses and Dissertations

The National Center for Educational Statistics’ [NCES] 2021 annual report indicates that there are currently over five million English Language Learners (ELLs) in U.S. schools. Of additional importance to this statistic is that the growing wave of diversity is no longer primarily settling in the larger metropolitan areas, but ELLs and their families are more recently finding themselves in geographically rural areas. The school systems in these rural areas face unique challenges in meeting the needs of the growing diverse populations, with many teachers in these systems lacking best practice knowledge and the confidence and competence needed to meet the …

Community College Strategic Planning: An Examination Of Implementation, Assessment, And Evaluation Practices, Aaron Miller Prestwich

Theses and Dissertations

Strategic planning is the process in which organizations develop goals and objectives that drive actions for the purpose of fulfilling their institutional mission. This paper addresses how strategic planning can be utilized at community colleges. A review of relevant literature is also included. A qualitative case study research methodology was used to examine three main research questions. 1. How do community colleges evaluate their strategic planning processes in determining the achievement of their strategic plan’s desired results? 2. In what ways, if any, do community colleges assess and define the successful implementation of their strategic plan initiatives? 3. What, if …

An Exploration Of The Meaning Of The Phenomenon Of Hope, In The Context Of Hopelessness, For Rural Frontline Registered Nurses In South Dakota, North Dakota, And Minnesota During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Stephanie Jean Orth

Theses and Dissertations

Background & Purpose: This study’s purpose was to understand what the phenomenon of hope meant to rural critical access hospital RNs in three Midwest states, and what gave them hope during the COVID-19 pandemic. The full scope of the pandemic on the rural nursing workforce is unknown. Prior research has shown that hope can be a positive tool for sustaining psychological well-being, setting and achieving goals, and can facilitate coping (Collins, Bhathal, Field, Larlee, Paje, & Young, 2018; Hacimusalar, Kahve, & Aydin, 2020; Persell, 2016; Snyder, 1995). Methods: Ten participants were interviewed using a semi-structured, interpretive hermeneutic phenomenological approach. van …

Application Of Artificial Treatment Wetland Systems In The English Coulee, Michael Anthony Rosati

Theses and Dissertations

Artificial treatment wetlands are commonly used for treating urban stormwater runoffand surface waters affected by agricultural runoff. While this method is well-established, its effectiveness can vary based on environmental, design, and hydraulic factors. In Grand Forks, ND, the English Coulee, a hydraulically altered class III stream, is currently experiencing elevated nutrient pollution, specifically nitrates and phosphates. Implementing a floating treatment wetland (FTW) system in the English Coulee is a potential solution. This paper analyzes the feasibility and requirements for a 4.64 ha FTW to achieve a minimum of 50% nutrient removal, utilizing comprehensive modeling approaches. Through HEC-HMS and HECRAS simulations, …

Attitudes, Subjective Norms, And Perceived Behavioral Control Of Perianesthesia Nurses' Intentions To Engage In Mindful Self-Care, Brenda Sanya

Theses and Dissertations

Study Purpose and Design: The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and intentions to engage in mindful self-care among nurses working in the perianesthesia setting. The study utilized cross-sectional design and was guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior. Methods: Modified Theory of Planned Behavior questionnaire and Mindful Self Care Scale were utilized for data collection among 85 perianesthesia nurses using a survey through the American Society of PeriAnesthesia Nurses (ASPAN). Findings: Regression analyses demonstrated that attitude (β=0.51, t=5.63, p=0.001) and self-compassion and purpose (β=0.29, t=2.54, p=0.013) were significant factors …

Educating Families To Engage Families In Grades 9-10 Of Public Education, Travis Smith

Theses and Dissertations

Engaging families in the academic lives of their children continues to be an area that needs improvement in public education. Furthermore, public educators continue to fail at establishing two-way communication practices, as well as providing educational opportunities for parents on the various ways they can help their students outside of school. Schools must focus on building family efficacy by utilizing a practice that supports meaningful and relevant two-way communication. This study explored one practice of engaging families through an online family engagement platform. An action research approach was used and was guided by Constantino’s (2020) Logic Model of Five Simple …

In A Free, Rural Primary Care Practice : Implementation And Evaluation Of A Depression Screening Tool For Adult Individuals In Rural Primary Care, Amy Snow

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

There is a high prevalence of depression in the rural primary care population. This project aimed to identify patients suffering from depression in a rural primary care clinic. The project’s goal was to improve the diagnosis and treatment of major depression in adults through the implementation of the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Follow-up visits were conducted over a 12-week period to assess patients’ response to pharmacotherapy and/or psychotherapy established by the current American Psychological Association guidelines. Identification of depression through the use of screening protocols assists in appropriate diagnosis and treatment plans. The project …

Increasing Hepatitis C Virus Screening In A Community Health Center : A Clinical Practice Change Initiative, Chassity B. Greer

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

The Hepatitis C virus is recognized worldwide as a public health concern. Despite the omnipresence of the condition, many individuals are oblivious to its presence owing to its asymptomatic nature and poor testing rates. This project evaluated the effectiveness of an evidence-based hepatitis C virus screening protocol to improve hepatitis C virus screening and testing among adult patients utilizing a community health center in North Mississippi. The project was designed as a clinical practice change with three anticipated outcomes following protocol implementation: increased screening rates (for patients), increased testing rates (among providers), and provider adherence to the screening and testing …

Improving Early Identification Of Sepsis And Compliance Of The Core Measures In The Elderly Population, Katelyn Hood

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Sepsis is defined as a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s immune system is overwhelmed by infection. This can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death with the most vulnerable population being those who are 65 years or older, have chronic comorbidities, have recent hospitalization, are immunocompromised, and have had a previous sepsis diagnosis. In diagnosing and treating sepsis promptly, clinical outcomes can be improved and limit the delay in diagnosis and treatment implementation. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to use evidence-based practice to implement the Surviving Sepsis Campaign screening tool for patients …

Implementation Of A Body Dysmorphic Disorder Screening Protocol In An Aesthetic Office Prior To Rhinoplasty, Katherine Dellangelo

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

In aesthetic clinical settings, screening for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) in rhinoplasty patients prior to surgery is not a common practice. Body dysmorphic disorder is a psychiatric illness characterized by the preoccupation and fixation of a perceived physical defect. This distortion in self-perception forces numerous individuals to seek out repeated, unnecessary cosmetic procedures. Many surgeons rely on experience and intuition alone when assessing their patients for procedure appropriateness, which may result in unnecessary cosmetic procedures on patients at risk for worsening BDD symptoms. Implementation of a validated screening tool, such as the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Questionnaire (BDDQ), offers providers an …

Implementing A Virtual Sitter Program To Reduce Patient Falls And Cost, Michelle Charles

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

While several improvements continue in hospitals involving fall prevention, falls and falls with injury continue to occur all too frequently in hospitals, particularly in elderly patients. This Doctor of Nursing project is the implementation of a virtual sitter program (VS) on a medical-surgical unit at a community hospital in northeast Indiana. The patient population for this project includes patients admitted to a medical-surgical unit that are male or female patients over the age of 18 with a history of falls and are considered at high risk for falls. This is an evidence-based new program implementation project with the aim of …

Utilization Of A Screening Protocol To Increase Chlamydia Screening Rates In Female Patients In A University Clinic, Brittnay K. Mitchell

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted infection (STI) in the world. The asymptomatic presentation of the disease, complications of untreated infection, and the lack of screening make routine screening for at-risk individuals necessary. The University Health Services (UHS) clinic is a not-for-profit university health clinic in Florence, Alabama. There was no protocol in place for routine chlamydia screening within the clinic. The project leader worked to implement a sustainable clinical practice change consistent with the US Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines related to chlamydia screening in female clients to increase chlamydia screening rates within the clinic. Following …

Improving Coronavirus Recognition And Management In Adults In The Primary Care Setting : A Practice Change Project, Kira Bloxom

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

Coronavirus-19 has been recognized worldwide as a respiratory illness that extended into a global pandemic in 2020. Despite the consistency of new reported diagnoses, many are eager to resume pre-pandemic life with less caution to the virus and its effect on healthcare. This project evaluated the use of a management protocol to improve Coronavirus-19 screening, testing, diagnosing, and treatment among adult patients in a primary care setting in Alabama. The project was implemented by two nurse practitioners, two medical assistants, and two clinic receptionists. Designed as a clinical practice change project, this intervention evaluated the following outcomes: staff knowledge level …

A Program Evaluation Of Advanced Care At Home, Tandra C. Ayankoya

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

A hospital-at-home program enables patients to receive hospital-level care at home as an alternative to traditional hospital care. Literature on hospital-at-home programs has demonstrated decreased mortality, 30-day readmissions, and length of stay, as well as increased satisfaction. Yet, there are gaps in the literature regarding comprehensive program evaluations. The purpose of this DNP project was to conduct a comprehensive program evaluation retrospectively analyzing mortality, length of stay, patient satisfaction, hospital-acquired infections, specifically central line bloodstream infections and catheter-associated urinary tract infections, and 30-day readmissions in patients enrolled in the Advanced Care at Home (ACH) program. A retrospective chart review of …

Prevention Of False-Positive Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections In Adult Patients In The Medical Intensive Care Unit, Jennifer Ghidini

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

False-positive central line bloodstream infections in the adult medical intensive care unit increase patient mortality. This project aimed to implement a blood culture draw team to contain a small core group of competent clinical staff who would only draw blood cultures. This clinical practice change occurred in two 28-bed adult medical intensive care units requiring a blood culture draw. A core group of 33 adult medical intensive care unit staff members comprised 11 patient care associates and 22 RNs trained as component blood culture drawers. This training occurred through an online self-learning module, psychomotor skills validation with return demonstration, and …

Building Personal Friendships In A Multicultural Society, Fatemah Almadani

Theses and Dissertations

Friendship ranks highly among the social issues that develop and creates a stable andprosperous society. However, people tend to focus more on individuals who share social values while making friends. On the other hand, in a multicultural society, people work, leave, or learn together to share such values. The diversity of the origin of people living in the United States (US), especially in major cities, varies significantly regarding race, ethnicity, and religion, resulting in super-diverse urban setups. This study examined the multicultural friendship between international Arab students studying in the US and their American counterparts. The study was guided by …

Spectral Classification Of Eight Stars In Open Cluster Ngc 457, Anthony Braden

Theses and Dissertations

This project aimed to perform spectral analysis and classification on eight target stars in the open star cluster NGC 457 with the University of North Dakota Space Studies Observatory. Selected targets came from a search in the SIMBAD database with a radius of two arcseconds around the cluster's center. The eight brightest stars in the visual spectrum were chosen, which did not have luminosity classifications. Six observing sessions were performed over two years to maximize data quality, given the unpredictability of terrestrial observations. Spectral data were acquired in both high- and low-resolution mode. The spectral data were calibrated and analyzed …

“Blue” Hydrogen & Helium From Flare Gas Of The Bakken Formation Of The Williston Basin, North Dakota: A Novel Process, Martin R. Leipzig

Theses and Dissertations

Is it possible to curtail flaring in the Williston basin while simultaneously sequestering carbon dioxide, harvesting economic quantities of natural gas liquids, helium and other valuable products? Utilizing a novel approach described here, diatomic hydrogen and elemental helium, as well as other products, can be profitably extracted from the gas streams produced from horizontal, hydraulically-fractured Middle Bakken Member wells, in the Devonian-Mississippian Bakken Formation of the Williston Basin, North Dakota, USA.However, there are two vastly different methods employed to extract these gasses. Hydrogen is harvested from the gas stream by physically reforming methane (CH4) through the application of one or …

Understanding How North Dakota Teachers' Knowledge, Beliefs, And Confidence Are Constructed In An Asynchronous Professional Development Course, Mckenzie Rabenn

Theses and Dissertations

Many researchers have argued that teachers are the most important school-related factor to increasing a student’s academic performance. In turn, schools often turn to professional development (PD) to strengthen educators’ performance and knowledge levels. Indeed, PD can be a prime tool to improve school performance. However, its efficacy is determined by how it is perceived by teachers.

This study examines the experiences of North Dakota elementary teachers who, in response to statewide legislation, enrolled in an online PD and how their experiences shape their knowledge, beliefs, and confidence. Research has demonstrated that these three constructs (knowledge, beliefs, and confidence) have …

Faculty Experiences Of Implementing Co-Teaching Strategies, Krystie Lynn Seese

Theses and Dissertations

Co-teaching is defined as two or more certified teachers working together to meet the needs of the diverse learners in their classroom, especially students with disabilities. Co-teaching is a widely implemented method used in public schools to educate children with and without disabilities in the general education setting to comply with state and national legislation requirements. There are six commonly used co-teaching strategies and approaches: one teach, one observe; one teach, one assist; parallel teaching; station teaching; alternative teaching; and team teaching. The research questions asked and answered were: What approach is most widely used and most effective at the …

The Experiences Of Black Male Teachers In International Schools In East And Southeast Asia, Myson Jonathan Sheppard

Theses and Dissertations

Although substantive research examines the issues surrounding the lack of Black Male Teachers (BMTs) nationally, limited studies involve their experiences in international schools. This is troubling when juxtaposed with their experiences researched and documented during teacher training, hiring practices, and on the job in the U.S. Although the issue is complex, many stem from explicit and implicit racial discrimination from the white racial majority. Given the problems preservice and eventual BMTs face in the U.S., examining BMTs narratives in the international school industry was necessary. Kanter’s token theory suggests that any slice of a social group comprised below 15% of …

A New Measure For Multi-Professional Medical Team Communication: Design And Methodology For Multilingual Measurement Development, Sara Malone, Kim Prewitt, Lara Counts, Douglas A Luke, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: As implementation science in global health continues to evolve, there is a need for valid and reliable measures that consider diverse linguistic and cultural contexts. A standardized, reproducible process for multilingual measure development may improve accessibility and validity by participants in global health settings. To address this need, we propose a rigorous methodology for multilingual measurement development. We use the example of a novel measure of multi-professional team communication quality, a determinant of implementation efforts.

METHODS: The development and translation of this novel bilingual measure is comprised of seven steps. In this paper, we describe a measure developed in …

Adapting A Mobile App To Support Patients With Anorexia Nervosa Following Post-Acute Care: Perspectives From Eating Disorder Treatment Center Stakeholders, Anneliese Haas, Agatha A Laboe, Claire G Mcginnis, Marie-Laure Firebaugh, Jillian Shah, Anna M Bardone-Cone, Kathleen M Pike, C Barr Taylor, Denise E Wilfley, Ellen E Fitzsimmons-Craft

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a harmful, life-threatening illness. Patients with severe AN often receive acute treatment but, upon discharge, experience high relapse rates. Evidence-based, outpatient treatment following acute care is critical to preventing relapse; however, numerous barriers (e.g., location, financial limitations, low availability of providers) preclude individuals from accessing treatment. mHealth technologies may help to address these barriers, but research on such digital approaches for those with AN is limited. Further, such technologies should be developed with all relevant stakeholder input considered from the outset. As such, the present study aimed to garner feedback from eating disorder (ED) treatment …

Identification Of Prok2 Gene Polymorphisms As Predictors Of Methamphetamine Use Disorder Risk And Indicators Of Craving Scale In The Chinese Han Population, Zhao Jiang, Tianxiao Zhang, Wei Han, Jing Xiao, Wenpei Zhang, Xiaochen Wang, Jianing Liu, Ying Yang, Congying Yang, Fanglin Guan, Tao Li, John P Rice

2020-Current year OA Pubs

No abstract provided.