Digital Commons Network^™

Anti-Transgender Care Bans: The Weaponization Of Disinformation And The Political Ploy To Erase Transgender Youth, Gretchen Delight Larmer

2024 Symposium

Since 2021, the United States has seen the introduction of over 1,000 bills targeting transgender rights and 2024 alone, has seen 133 bills introduced that aim to deny healthcare for transgender individuals. Such bills often prevent access to necessary healthcare, particularly gender-affirming care (GAC) for transgender youth. GAC for transgender youth can include care for mental wellness and puberty blockers which temporarily pause the puberty process. Legislators aim to deny transgender youth access to GAC by criminalizing any support given to youth accessing GAC as well as the medical or psychiatric provision of such care. GAC has been negatively and …

Native Grasslands Of Yugoslavia As A Potential For "Biologically High Quality Food" Production - To Be Preserved And Used For The Benefit Of All, Djordjevic-Milosevic Suzana, Negovanovic Dragan, Zakonovic Miodrag

IGC Proceedings (1977-2023)

Natural grasslands are the base of the livestock production in the hilly-mountainous regions of Yugoslavia. Poor economic power of the owners of these areas brought about a complete dying out of agricultural production in these regions in the last few years. In the same time, the lack of financial resources made it impossible for the farmers to use the fertilisers, protective and other chemical agents which result in a high degree of environmental preservation. Due to current economic policy at this time the population has moved out and there is no industrialisation. The revival of agriculture on the hilly-mountainous regions …

Impacts Of The Russo-Ukrainian Conflict On Food Security In Sub-Sahara Africa, Dare Isaac Akindoyin

The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development

As an eccentric surprise to global food supply security, the invasion of Ukraine by Russia in February 2022 has the potential to undermine national and international initiatives to combat poverty and hunger. Africa, which is widely believed to be at the receiving end of globalization and development is at the mercy of food insecurity as a result of Ukraine unproved attacked by Russia. This research paper evaluates the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on food security and food supply particularly in Sub-Sahara Africa. The time of the incursion and the two states involved in the conflict are two notable …

Natural Dialectics: Māori & Sioux Ecosophy Encounters The Rule Of Law, Robert T.F. Downes

The Journal of International Relations, Peace Studies, and Development

In the age of intensifying anthropogenic climate change, an ecosophical shift is required in the epistemological and ontological comprehension of the interrelations between the human and non-human worlds. This shift is essential for refining existing social scientific approaches to investigating and adjudicating questions of environmental governance, environmental justice, environmental sovereignty, in addition to advancing democratic counters to the effects of ecological degradation and environmental catastrophe that move beyond rigid political-economic constraints. This essay constitutes a novel engagement with discourses of radical democracy and radical ecology that applies the philosophical method of dialectical naturalism to an ecosophical interpretation of the human-nature …

Will I Even Teach Writing Anymore? An Examination Of First-Year Writing Faculty’S Responsibility To Teach About Or With Chatgpt, Danielle Derise

International Journal on Responsibility

In late November of 2022, faculty continuing to navigate the considerable teaching and research challenges posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic were confronted with another existential problem: the juggernaut known as ChatGPT. This article will examine the academy’s response to this sudden intrusion of Large Language Models (LLMs) into classrooms, workplaces, and daily life, with a focus on interrogating the responsibility of and to instructors of first-year composition. I argue that the breathless calls to reinvent courses, assignments, and syllabus policies to “accommodate” LLMs play into a normative system and may pose additional barriers to success for students, including those …

A Systematic Review Of Academic Writing Services In Low- And Middle-Income Countries, Augustine N. Gitonga, Peter M. Gatiti, Prisila Everisty Mlingi

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Libraries are the key research and scholarly communication centres of any university. The information literacy skills offered to library users enable scientific communication. As new roles for librarians emerge to meet changing user needs and match fluid technological trends, academic libraries must combine their rich resources with cutting-edge skills to further impact the scientific world. There is a need for a sound, evidence-based appreciation of the factors that influence or hinder the establishment of academic writing centres and academic writing services in Low- and Middle-income Countries (LMIC). This article aims to synthesise qualitative and mixed methods research on academic writing …

Safety And Utility Of Statins In Pregnancy, Isaiah Schmitt

BUHealth

The recent removal of statin’s contraindication in pregnancy by the Food & Drug Administration opens the potential for exploring the use of this class of medications in pregnant women. Statins have shown potential in pregnancy not only as treatment for cardiovascular disease but also in its role in preventing preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a disorder that affects 2-8% of pregnancies in the US and is responsible for about 60,000 maternal deaths and more than 500,000 premature births worldwide. Despite preeclampsia’s relative prevalence, aspirin is still the only drug commonly used for prevention. Recent studies have found a lower risk of preeclampsia …

Illuminating The Path To Healing: Unveiling The Potential Of Mdma-Assisted Therapy For Ptsd, Hannah Howard

BUHealth

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) presents a significant challenge in mental health treatment, affecting millions of individuals worldwide. While conventional therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors have shown some efficacy, a considerable portion of patients remains resistant to treatment. Recent clinical trials have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy leading to the Food and Drug Administration's designation of Breakthrough Therapy status and the submission of a New Drug Application. Despite promising results, challenges such as stigma, regulatory barriers, and therapist training remain. However, the need for innovative treatments for PTSD necessitates further exploration of …

Cracking Open The Can Of Risks: The Dangers Of Energy Drinks, Matt Goldbach

BUHealth

With its intended purpose of providing temporary boosts in performance, energy drinks are often consumed more than what might be considered safe. This is common among children, adolescents, and college students, particularly in social settings. Since their ingredients, such as taurine, caffeine, and sugar, have addictive properties, it is important to understand how these substances affect the body, especially in the long term. Some organs are affected more than others, with research showing a link between excessive consumption and potentially fatal cardiovascular, renal, and neurological problems. Although the adverse effects tend to be reversible, most are life-threatening and not worth …

Scented Solutions: Aromatherapy's Effect On Anxiety And Sleep Disorder, Jared Sneed

BUHealth

Plants and their byproducts have been used throughout history for a myriad of health conditions. One such practice is using essential oils as aromatherapy, a type of therapy where patients inhale the scent of the oils for therapeutic benefits. Aromatherapy has long been utilized to help with conditions such as insomnia and anxiety, and with all the advancements in science and clinical research that we have today, there is now data that supports their use for certain conditions. Several studies have been published over the past 20 years on the therapeutic effects of aromatherapy for anxiety and insomnia, especially with …

Architectural Hippies Or Healthcare Visionaries?, Javraj Singh

BUHealth

Human beings increasingly lack interaction with nature in modern civilizations due to urbanization and lifestyle preferences. Research has shown that biophilic elements, like greenery, natural light, etc., create healing environments that alleviate stress, enhance emotional well-being, and promote recovery. This forms the basis of the Biophilic hypothesis, which states that being around nature is imperative for the well-being of humans. This article explores the transformative potential of biophilic design in healthcare settings, explaining its profound impact on patient outcomes and well-being. Several bodies of research prove that introducing biophilic elements in hospitals has led to shorter postoperative stays, reduced administration …

Behind The Label: Exploring The Impact Of Antidepressant Black Box Warnings, Taylor Roberts

BUHealth

Antidepressants are some of the most prescribed medications in the United States due to their utility, effectiveness, and multitude of indications. The black box warning (BBW) of increased suicidality for these medications has been the subject of debate with many concerned that the warning may be doing more harm than good. When considering the impact that the warning has on prescribers and patients along with its questionable history - there are many angles to consider when evaluating the warning's utility and benefit.

Healing Harmonies: Music Therapy And Dementia, Kaitlyn Miller

BUHealth

Dementia continues to plague the elderly population. It is a leading cause of death for this age group, and yet we still can only provide treatments to maintain and prolong the disease’s symptoms. Music therapy has become an increasingly popular treatment option for dementia patients as it is almost universally accessible, and a popular pastime for a large part of society. Integrating music into treatment regimens over traditional conversational therapies, reduces agitation and anxiety, improves cognitive functioning and language skills, and improves overall quality of life for both patients and caregivers. Thus, providers should encourage, and patients should participate in …

Heads Up: Concussion Safety, Celine Kwan

BUHealth

Concussions are one of the most common sports injuries, especially with contact sports such as football and soccer. They are defined as a mild traumatic brain injury that affects brain function. Common symptoms include headache, dizziness, nausea, light or noise sensitivity, mood changes, imbalance, sleep disturbances, and memory issues. Health professionals can conduct neurologic and cognitive tests to properly diagnose an athlete. Although the concussion itself cannot be treated, there are ways to manage the symptoms and speed up recovery. Physical and cognitive rest remain the mainstay of treatment, but progressive aerobic training programs are gaining popularity. In addition, medications …

How To Persist While On The List, Erin Hockaday

BUHealth

Kidney transplant recipients have the longest wait time and highest depression rates out of all solid organ transplants. Various strategies to help manage depression and anxiety in this patient population have been studied including mindfulness interventions, social support systems, and treatment with antidepressants. Studies have shown that mindfulness interventions lowered depression and anxiety scores in patients from baseline to six months. A strong support system in patients has also been shown to improve patients’ likelihood of receiving a kidney transplant. In addition, treatment with antidepressants improves patients’ overall outcomes without impacting their likelihood of receiving a kidney transplant.

The Gender Lens On Adhd: A Critical Assessment Of Diagnostic Patterns And Pitfalls, Taylor Funkhouser

BUHealth

Within the realm of neurodevelopmental disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent. However, research uncovers a major discrepancy between the diagnostic rates of men vs women, which points to the potential underdiagnosis and misdiagnosis in females compared to their male counterparts. This phenomenon raises concerns towards the impact this has on women, such has their mental and physical health. It begs the question, why does this discrepancy occur? To understand the answer to this question, it is important to look at the standard process and procedures involved with diagnosing a person with ADHD and compare …

Disruptions In Your Light-Dark Cycle May Be Leaving You In The Dark, Ava Barjenbruch

BUHealth

Shift work, made up of a rotation through morning, daytime, evening, and overnight shifts, becomes dangerous not only for the individual, but also for those under care of these occupations. Many essential and often life-saving jobs require 24-hour staffing. However, the rotating shifts needed to provide 24-hour coverage are shown to have negative effects on the employee’s cognitive function. Due to the irregularities in the sleep-wake cycle of a shift worker, the cyclical functions that occur during sleep like memory consolidation, motor cortex synchronization, and neuronal remodeling, are also impaired. These functions play key roles in maintaining the domains of …

Implementation Of The Process Improvement Toolkit For Hospital Acquired Pressure Injuries, Christina Bearden

Dissertations

Problem: Approximately 2.5 million people within the United States receiving inpatient medical care will develop a pressure injury each year (Padula & Demarmente, 2018). Pressure injuries (PI) are a multifactorial complication that can often be avoided with general prophylactic measures. Despite this, inpatient settings around the United States continue to see a rise in PIs.

Method: The quality improvement initiative utilized a descriptive, observational design. The turn team toolkit was implemented and monitored over a two-month period. Patient descriptors and quantitative data were collected through a retrospective chart review. The primary data collected was on pressure injury rates and staff …

Institutional Change And Employee Commitment In The United States Space Force, Daniel M. Dempsey

M.S. in Leadership

Change is desirable by organizations seeking to increase their competitive advantage and the United States Space Force is not immune to those same demands. As the United States’ newest military service, the Space Force initiated sweeping changes in an attempt to modernize how space operations are performed. Each of these changes imposed themselves upon stakeholders across the Space Force enterprise and my project sought understanding about their effects. With an increasing rate during the preceding decades, literary publications show linkages between the success or failure of an organization’s desired change outcomes and the level of commitment demonstrated by its employees. …

Implementation Of Quantitative Blood Loss In Cesarean Section Births, Madeline Skelton

Dissertations

Problems: Postpartum hemorrhage is a major complication following birth. Although some bleeding is normal after birth, excess bleeding can lead to maternal morbidities including, but not limited to, blood transfusions, admission to the ICU, emergency hysterectomy, and potential death. Postpartum hemorrhage is responsible for approximately 11% of maternal deaths in the United States and is a leading cause of death occurring on the same day as delivery (ACOG, 2019). Lastly, 54-93% of deaths occurring from postpartum hemorrhage are preventable (ACOG, 2019).

Methods: Quantitative blood loss was initiated in a large, midwestern, suburban hospital to increase identification of postpartum hemorrhage, decrease …

Evaluation Of A Smoking Cessation Program In Primary Care, Yolanda Duncan-Watt

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: The adult tobacco smoking rate exceeds 12.5%. The problem is the insufficient attention given to smoking cessation education in low socioeconomic status(SES) communities. There is a lack of access to and awareness of smoking cessation programs for low-income populations.

Methods: This quality improvement (QI) study will use a descriptive, observational approach. A retrospective medical record review will be conducted to determine the rate of individuals who got the smoking cessation intervention and the rate of those who successfully quit one month after the intervention. Data was collected throughout the spring of 2024, during primary care visits and phone …

Improving Nurse Response To Seizure Events In A Pediatric Epilepsy Monitoring Unit With Use Of A Standardized Process, Stacey Obst Paule

Dissertations

Problem: Nurses responding to seizure events in the pediatric epilepsy monitoring unit (EMU) should initiate a neurological exam in addition to managing seizure activity. When nurses respond to these events, however, there can be significant variability, which can result in diagnostic inaccuracy and adverse patient outcomes. The purpose of this project is to implement a nursing response checklist and neurological assessment guide to standardize the process of response to seizure events in the pediatric EMU.

Methods: This quality improvement (QI) project utilized a cohort study design. Standardized tools were placed in an accessible area outside patient rooms. Education was provided …

Implementation Of Skin-To-Skin Immediately Post C-Section: A Pilot Study, Miah Vernor

Dissertations

Skin-to-skin contact during the golden hour is a practice that has numerous health benefits following the delivery of a newborn. These benefits include a healthy transition to extrauterine state, initiation of breastfeeding, thermoregulation, and more. However, the mode of delivery affects how often this practice is done. Parents who deliver vaginally are routinely offered the opportunity to perform skin-to-skin immediately after delivery whereas birth parents who deliver by cesarean section are not always offered this same benefit due to various reasons. A quality improvement project was conducted on an 18-bed labor and delivery unit at a Midwest hospital. This project …

Implementation Of Skin-To-Skin Contact Immediately Post Cesarean Birth: A Quality Improvement Project, Sophia Cooke

Dissertations

Problem: Skin-to-skin contact implemented within the first hour of a newborn’s life improves health outcomes for both mother and infant. One of these health outcomes includes exclusive breastfeeding. The purpose of this quality improve project was to implement an infant securement device within the operating room after cesarean section births to decrease the time to initiate skin-to-skin contact and increase exclusive breastmilk feeding rates at discharge.

Methods: This study utilized a descriptive, observational design and was guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework. A pre-test, post-test design was utilized to compared retrospective and prospective data. The retrospective data was collected to assess …

Developing Expertise And Multiculturally Informed Supervision Practices, Mary Martha Abernathy

Dissertations

The American Counseling Association (Media Kit, 2023) records state that 62% of their membership is made up of master’s level clinicians, with 18.92% holding a doctorate and another 5.07% enrolled in a doctoral program. Membership is largely skewed toward master’s level professionals and only 7.44% of ACA members report working in a counselor education setting (Media Kit, 2023). However, most research regarding supervision is based on supervisors practicing in an academic setting (Cook et al., 2018; Jones et al., 2019; Kemer et al., 2014; Kemer et al., 2017; Kemer, 2020). The objective of these studies is to understand how master’s …

Evaluation Of The Grief Of Mothers Affected By Perinatal And Traumatic Loss, Landry Crabtree

Dissertations

Problem: The experience of a perinatal loss can be traumatic for mothers, and complicated grief reactions are common for those who have experienced a perinatal loss. An increase in perinatal loss resources is needed in the United States. The purpose of this program evaluation was to assess outcomes of a pilot perinatal loss support program on the grief of women who have experienced a perinatal loss.

Methods: This project was an evaluation of a perinatal loss support program that employed evidence-based strategies in both individual and group therapy sessions. A retrospective design was used, and data on perinatal …

Implementation Of Intentional Hourly Rounding At Pediatric Hospital, Margaret Bernard

Dissertations

Problem: Intentional hourly rounding improves patient safety and can impact patient fall rates. At a pediatric hospital in suburban Missouri, the fall rate is 25%. This quality improvement project worked to implement a standardized intentional hourly rounding process at a pediatric hospital to bolster their fall prevention program.

Methods: This quality improvement project was conducted using a descriptive, observational design utilizing patient chart review and hospital quality department records. The setting was a 60-bed pediatric hospital in the Midwest with 2 inpatient units that specializes in chronic, complex care. The sample was a convenience sample of 92 male and female …

Implementation Of Postnatal Depression Screening: A Pilot Study, Mollie Gulino

Dissertations

Abstract

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a prevalent problem among women during their childbearing years, affecting approximately 1 in 7 women. Alarmingly, about 50% of PPD cases go undiagnosed and untreated, contributing to poor maternal outcomes, including suicide, which is a leading cause of maternal mortality in the United States.

Issue: Despite its prevalence and severe consequences, PPD often goes unrecognized due to inconsistent screening practices. Current guidelines vary by organization and lack consistent, evidence-based criteria.

Objective: This pilot program aimed to implement universal PPD screening with a validated tool at the six-week postpartum follow-up visit. The goal was to …

Implementation Of The Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Screening Tool For Postpartum Depression In A Midwest Primary Care Clinic, Makenzie Garrison

Dissertations

Problem: Postpartum depression is a prevalent health concern in postpartum women. Screening practices to identify postpartum depression are inconsistent. The purpose of this quality initiative is to determine if the implementation of the Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Screening Tool (EPDS) to screen for postpartum depression in the primary care setting increases the detection of postpartum depression in postpartum women from delivery to one year postpartum.

Methods: This quality improvement project utilizes a descriptive, observational design. A retrospective medical record review was utilized as well as a 12-week data collection period. Retrospective medical record reviews were conducted to assess the rate of …

Implementation Of Quantitative Blood Loss Following Cesarean Section Birth, Layna Victoria Schultz

Dissertations

Problems: Postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) is a significant problem due to potential harm and is a main contributor to maternal morbidity (ACOG, 2019). According to ACOG, of maternal deaths in the United States, 11% are caused by PPH and 54-93% of the deaths related to PPH could be prevented (ACOG, 2019). When institutions adopt quantitative blood loss (QBL) protocols for improved accuracy in blood measurement, PPH can be identified sooner, allowing for earlier intervention. Inaccurate estimation of obstetric blood loss by health care providers is a primary cause of delayed staff response to PPH (ACOG, 2019).

Methods: This quality improvement (QI) …