Digital Commons Network^™

Working With Different Generations In The Post-Covid Remote Workplace: The Millennial Perspective, Rhys Morgan Alexander

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Generational theory proposes that generations are inherently different from one another based on the events that occur within their lifetimes at various developmental stages. These differences have been studied in many contexts, including within the work environment. As older generations continue to remain employed, and with the shift to remote work post-COVID 19, this topic remains an important concentration for developmental and organizational researchers. The differences between generations have been found to impact on job satisfaction and general work value priorities to varying degrees. Based on this, a literature review was conducted followed by a phenomenological, interview-based study to explore …

The Catholic Church And The Acculturation Of Immigrants To The United States: Pittsburgh And The Slovak Community During The Gilded Age And Progressive Era, Thomas Frank Demharter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Catholic Church and the Acculturation of Immigrants to the United States: Pittsburgh and the Slovak Community During the Gilded Age and Progressive Era.” Throughout the nineteenth century, hundreds of thousands of immigrants arrived in the United States from southern and eastern Europe, marking a radical change in the cultural and social background of those who arrived in search of work in the industrial world that had come to dominate the economy of the nation. This dissertation will examine the role that the Catholic Church played in aiding these mostly Catholic immigrants in their attempt to conform to and assimilate …

Emotion Behind Casual Sex, Carla Thompson Ranalli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Health institutions have reported that women of middle-age continue to enjoy sexual activity. As such, women who engage in casual sex may or may not have developed emotional attachments to their partners, which may impact sexual gratification. Attachment theory proposes that attachment style is either secure or insecure, such as anxious or avoidant. This study investigated the relationship between insecure attachment style and sexual gratification among women between 40-50 years of age who engaged in casual sex. To answer these questions, the Adult Attachment Scale (AAQ) questionnaire was used to measure anxious and avoidant attachment, the Experience in Close Relationships …

The Lived Experiences Of Micu Nurses During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study, Thomas Hopkins

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of MICU nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and how these experiences may inform disaster preparedness in the nursing curriculum. This research is guided by Watson’s (1979) theory of human caring. The theory emphasizes the importance of interpersonal relationships and emotional support in nursing practice, and how these elements can be integrated into disaster preparedness training. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis, data were collected through semi-structured interviews, field notes, and guided journaling. The interviews were conducted via digital conferencing software over the internet. Field notes were recorded during the interviews. …

“The Church Is Not Going To Close Until God Closes It”: Survival Of The Neighborhood Church, Karen Kay Warren

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

There are churches in working-class neighborhoods throughout America that were built by the community’s residents. Some of these churches are close to or more than 100 years old and still function as places of worship. Riverdale Baptist Church in Roanoke and Fairview Christian in Lynchburg are two such churches. During the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries something changed about the Riverdale Farm and Fairview Heights neighborhoods. New neighbors arrived who were not interested in attending these corner churches, or in having close-knit relationships with their neighbors. The children of the older members had moved to other neighborhoods, and although …

Reclaiming Eve: The Importance And Benefits Of Women In Leadership, Takesha S. Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite considerable progress in women's career representation, global barriers remain rooted in gender discrimination through the lens of historical, cultural, and theological traditions. Imposing invisible obstacles such as the glass ceiling and sticky floors are entrenched biases that obstruct upward career advancement. Amid these challenges, the diverse talents and unique perspectives of women often remain overshadowed by their male counterparts in perceptions of quality leadership. This study aimed to explore the connection of the sins in the Garden of Eden narrative to the origins of and ongoing disqualification of women as unfit to lead. The study aimed to reaffirm gender …

Engaging The Hindu Community Of Loudoun County, Va With The Gospel Of Jesus Christ: An Evangelism Course For Telugu Christian Fellowship Church, Ravinder Rufus Bhimanpalli

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This Doctor of Ministry project addressed the lack of effective evangelism toward the Hindu community by the Telugu Christian Fellowship Church (TCFC) in Ashburn, Virginia. Located 35 miles from Washington, D.C., TCFC serves a suburban congregation of approximately 300 members, with an average weekly attendance of 250. The church is located in Loudoun County, one of America’s most diverse and affluent regions, home to over 44,000 Asian Indians and an estimated 18,000 Hindus. Despite this, the church’s outreach efforts had remained scattered and underdeveloped. Most church members lacked cultural sensitivity, feared offending them, or simply lacked the confidence to engage …

Qualitative Evaluation Of Eeg Neurofeedback For Anxiety In Adults, Leah M. Jones

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health disorders globally, yet many treatment options are inaccessible, ineffective for some, or lack long-term efficacy. One treatment for with substantial research support is neurofeedback, though it remains categorized as an experimental treatment and is underutilized in clinical practice. The qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of adults who received neurofeedback treatment for anxiety. The purpose was to understand participants’ perceptions of neurofeedback’s efficacy and the interactive effects of neurofeedback and psychotherapy. Data were collected from two Oregon clinics that offer Neurofeedback and from students at Liberty University. An open-ended survey …

Exploring The Relationship Between Perceived E-Working Experience And Autonomy In It Professionals, Sherry Hunt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

As remote work reshapes the professional landscape, understanding how e-working conditions influence the need for autonomy, a core component of motivation and well-being, is increasingly important. This quantitative, correlational study explored the relationship between perceived e-working experience and the psychological need for autonomy among 120 U.S.-based information technology (IT) professionals. Participants completed an online survey comprised of the E-Work Life (EWL) Scale (Charalampous et al., 2023; Grant et al., 2019) and two autonomy subscales from the Basic Psychological Needs Satisfaction and Frustration Work Scale (BPNSFWS) (Olafsen et al., 2021). Grounded in self-determination theory (SDT) (Ryan & Deci, 2000, 2017, 2020) …

Exploring The Difference In Perceived Organizational Justice Between Remote And Traditional Workers And Relationships Between Perceived Organizational Justice And Job Satisfaction, Ryan Mabry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Organizations struggle to achieve holistic job satisfaction, as remote workers often feel excluded and traditional workers frequently feel overworked. This quantitative study explored the perceived differences in organizational justice between remote and traditional workers. It also investigated the relationship between organizational justice and job satisfaction within both working environments. A sample size of 176 participants completed a 35-item Likert inventory covering demographics, working environment, job satisfaction, and organizational justice. An independent samples t-test was used to measure the differences in organizational justice between remote and traditional workers. A Pearson correlation examined the relationship between organizational justice and job satisfaction in …

Psychological Safety And Its Impact On Teacher And Staff Morale, Yvonne R. Crace

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Psychological safety is a concept that has been around since 1965. Psychological safety exists when employees feel safe to share their ideas and opinions without fear of retaliation, retribution, or belittlement. Studies on psychological safety have mainly focused on businesses and corporations and work team learning behaviors. In recent years, it has become evident that psychological safety is needed in additional types of industries, including all stages of education, from primary to graduate school. In education, teachers and staff often feel isolated and have concerns about voicing their opinions which creates relational stress and conflict, thus lowering staff morale. This …

A Study Of The Relationship Between The Stress Responses From Rehearsal Preparations For Music Ensemble Performance Evaluations And Performing Arts Adolescents’ Working Memory, Gregory Thomas Minter

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The organization of memory retrieval is vital to the association between stress responses and negative educational achievements. These stress responses offer an opportunity to study the harmful consequences of prolonged strain on the developing brain, which may impair emotional restraint, self-control, and cognitive development. However, little research considers the fundamental notions of how stress responses from rehearsals for music ensemble performance assessments impact adolescent working memory. This mixed-methods study explored how rehearsal-related stress in music ensemble settings may affect adolescents' working memory. Participants included high school students in grades nine through 12 who participated in performing arts band ensembles. The …

Adverse Childhood Experiences: How They Shape Employees' Perceptions, Experiences, And Performance In The Workplace, Marcia A. Beasley

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The influence of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) has been well researched, and the lifelong consequences of medical conditions have been documented. Recently, research has linked mental health concerns to ACEs, including depression, anxiety, and health risk behaviors. ACEs occur during important stages of childhood development and can disrupt these stages, leading to children learn maladaptive coping skills. The resultant maladaptive behaviors that are developed as a response to maltreatment may also hinder social relationships in adulthood. Given this, research is lacking on the influence of ACEs on perceptions in the workplace, especially from the employee’s perspective. This qualitative phenomenological study …

The Relationships Between Grief, Depressive Symptoms, Family Resiliency, And Spiritual Struggles And The Moderating Effect Of Hope Among Bereaved Fathers Following Miscarriage, Taylor Marie Sparks

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Miscarriages are primarily treated as tragedies that impact women; however, the existing literature highlights that men experience similar impacts as women following the loss of their baby to miscarriage. Despite this, men widely report feeling forgotten and alone during their time of bereavement, with a lack of understanding and support in place for men who have lost a baby to miscarriage. This current study sought to fill the gap in the existing literature by investigating the relationship between spiritual struggles, family resiliency, depression, and grief levels in bereaved fathers following their wife’s miscarriage, using the moderating influence of hope on …

Association Of Chronic Conditions With Bladder Health In Women: Cross-Sectional Results From The Rise For Health Study, Camille P Vaughan, Gerald Mcgwin, Jean F Wyman, Siobhan Sutcliffe, Diane K Newman, Ariana L Smith, Colleen M Fitzgerald, Todd Rockwood, James Griffith, Sheila Gahagan, Alayne D Markland, Prevention Of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (Plus) Research Consortium

2020-Current year OA Pubs

INTRODUCTION: Women with multiple chronic conditions are more likely than women without them to report lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS); understanding the association of common and coexisting chronic conditions with bladder health across adulthood may inform prevention efforts.

METHODS: Data were collected from May 2022 through December 2023 from a regionally representative cohort of community-dwelling adult women in the US. Chronic conditions were assessed by self-report and bladder health, and LUTS were measured using validated questionnaires. Analyses were limited to women aged 40 years or older and included multivariable linear and logistic regression models, adjusted for age, body mass index, …

Approach To Ophthalmic Surgery Involving The Anterior Vitreous: A Clinical Practice Update From The American Society Of Retina Specialists, Kevin J Blinder, Judy E Kim, J Michael Jumper

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

When encountering diseases of the anterior vitreous and peripheral retina (ie, the "middle segment" of the eye), vitreoretinal (VR) surgeons are specifically trained in surgical techniques for managing the vitreous and visualizing the peripheral retina during anterior vitrectomy, and therefore they are well equipped to address the complications of surgery involving the anterior vitreous space. This clinical update reviews and compares the current literature discussing techniques and patient outcomes related to complete pars plana vitrectomy versus incomplete, subtotal pars plana vitrectomy, and addresses the proposition of developing an abridged training curriculum for non-VR surgeons to acquire the knowledge and skills …

Industries, Self-Rated Health, And Status Characteristics: An Exploration Of Health In Industries At The Intersection Of Race/Ethnicity, Gender, And Disability, Emmanuel Legarreta

Dissertations and Theses

While industries, occupations, and health outcomes have been widely studied, research has neglected self-rated health (SRH) and the intersectionality of different status characteristics in various industries. Using an IPUMS version of the Current Population Survey, this study explores the possible relationships between industries and SRH. More specifically, it seeks to find if workers' disability status, racial minority status, or gender moderates (i.e., differentiates) the relationship between their industry and SRH. Findings show that certain industries are significant predictors of SRH, and that women with disabilities working in Mining and Construction, and Business and Repair Service have significantly worse SRH than …

Identifying Neurological Conditions: A Virtual Reality Simulation For Critical Care Nursing Students, Roy L. Trahan, Morgan Cangelosi, Zachary Carson, Jo Mcdonald, Bruce Adcock, Richard Briley

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Virtual reality (VR) has become one of the most useful tools in nursing education because it allows simulation for active learning that requires interaction and provides an authentic, standardized, safe experience for students (Kiegaldie & Shaw, 2023). Moving difficult content from a didactic setting to a VR experience opens a new opportunity for a more meaningful learning experience.

Purpose: The purpose was to create a standardized neurological virtual reality (VR) simulation using the Virti platform for senior level nursing students in a traditional BSN program to achieve three primary objectives. Identify signs and symptoms of decreased level of consciousness …

Differences In Nurses’ Perceptions Of The Work Environment, Joanne D. Muyco, Alexis Elizabeth Hayes

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Nurses play a critical role in delivering safe, high quality patient care. However, nurses continue to face staffing shortages, turnover, workplace violence, and challenging work environments. Research shows that work environments have a direct impact on nurses and the quality of care provided. Nursing leaders are in a prime position to advocate for healthy work environments that will sustain the nursing workforce and provide nurses with a workplace that is safe, empowering, and satisfying. This research study was part of a larger non-experimental descriptive study on healthy work environments. The study assessed how nurses in different professional roles within a …

Nursing Students' Lgbtq+ Healthcare Knowledge And Attitudes: A Roadmap For Interventions, Judith Bacchus Cornelius, Charlene Downing, Ryan Michael Oducado, Evangelos C. Fradelos, Riksa Wibawa Resna

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: While awareness of LGBTQ+ health needs is rising, these topics remain underrepresented in nursing curricula, often due to limited faculty preparation and absence of standardized guidelines (Dalbey, 2023; Moore et al., 2023). This educational gap affects nursing students’ readiness to care for LGBTQ+ patients, particularly in non-Western settings, where cross-cultural research is limited (Ozcan et al,, 2021; Wang et al., 2022. This study examined nursing students' knowledge and attitudes toward LGBTQ+ healthcare across five countries—the United States (U.S.), South Africa, the Philippines, Greece, and Indonesia.

Methods: A quantitative descriptive study was conducted with 150 third-year undergraduate nursing students who …

The Universal Humanuniverse Living Experience Of Feeling Lonely: A Parsesciencing Inquiry, Maria Elizabeth Wheelock

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Feeling lonely is a universal humanuniverse living experience. Universal humanuniverse living experiences are phenomena that occur throughout a lifetime and experienced to some degree by everyone. Feeling lonely within the context of the humanbecoming paradigm is a phenomenon concerned with living quality since individuals structure personal meaning in choosing to feel lonely or not from moment to moment. Feeling lonely has not been substantially investigated within nursing.

The purposes of this inquiry were to (a) discover the discerning extant moment of feeling lonely, (b) enhance understanding of the universal humanuniverse living experience of feeling lonely, (c) add to the body …

Developing A Database Of Community And Medical Resources For Gender-Affirming Care, Grey Mitchell

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) care has gaps in the understanding and meeting of non-medical needs of TGD patients.^1-7 The current evidence skews towards overmedicalizing aspects of a TGD person’s care and says very little about what aspects are missing from comprehensive TGD patient care.^1-8 This project aimed to provide resources via a web page on the web site for a Community Health Center (CHC) in King County, Washington to address these gaps with the types of resources that TGD patients have specifically requested of their providers at this CHC. A survey was created, sent to primary care providers …

A Systematic Review Of Symptoms In Adolescents With Ckd, Rileigh M. Fagan, Janet S. Carpenter, Heather K. Hardin, Rebecca J. Bartlett Ellis

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Childhood chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects an estimated 15 to 75 children and adolescents per million worldwide. As a disease and symptom multiplier, childhood CKD is burdensome and leads to decreased quality of life. It is essential to explore current knowledge of the symptom experience in adolescents with CKD to help reduce burden and improve quality of life. The purpose of this systematic review was to explore the state of the science of the symptom experiences in children and adolescents with conservatively managed CKD.

Methods: This systematic review included articles identified through searches in Scopus, PubMed, Cumulative Index to …

Integrating Telehealth Simulations To Prepare Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Students, Michelle Spencer, Carly Edgar, Cara Young

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Introduction: Telemedicine improves patient care access and has a positive economic impact. In 2018, the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty (NONPF) proposed integrating telehealth competencies into the advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) education curriculum. This project aims to implement telemedicine educational content addressing the telehealth competencies for the APRN student, including didactic and simulation components to enhance students’ competence and confidence with telemedicine care.

Methods: This quality improvement project implements an evidence-based approach to educate APRN students on telemedicine. The NONPF telehealth competencies are introduced to 37 family, pediatric, psychiatric-mental-health nurse practitioner, and clinical nurse specialist students enrolled in …

Measuring Hospital Case Management Practice Environment: Adaption And Validation Of The Pes-Nwi, Kristen A. Berryman, Rula Btoush, Olga F. Jarrin

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

The Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI) has been used to measure the work environment across diverse nursing populations for over two decades (Lake, 2002; Lake et al., 2023). Case management, a specialty nursing practice centered around care coordination, aims to meet the clinical and financial goals of medically and socially complex individuals across the care continuum (Luther et al., 2019). Hospital case management practice is complex, and case managers often face work barriers, including unclear scope of practice and insufficient training upon entering the specialty (Anderson & Hewner, 2021; McLaughlin Davis & Morley, 2022). There is …

Implementation Of A Multidisciplinary Educational Assessment To Enhance Pressure Injury Prevention, Olivia Paige Manning, Tamara Oliver, Anne Schoening

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: To develop and implement a multidisciplinary, role-specific educational assessment aimed at identifying knowledge gaps and training needs related to HAPI prevention among key inpatient care teams.

Background: Healthcare-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) remain a significant challenge across inpatient settings, requiring collaborative, multidisciplinary prevention strategies. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported that pressure injuries affect more than 2.5 million Americans a year resulting in 60,000 deaths. Education and role-specific knowledge among staff are critical components in addressing gaps in HAPI prevention.

Methods: A multidisciplinary HAPI prevention team at a midwestern Level I Trauma Center in partnership with Creighton University …

Motivation To Lead And Its Contributing Factors Among Black Registered Nurses: A Literature Review, Samantha Ann Katherine Davis, Charlotte Thomas-Hawkins

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Strong evidence reveals that a more diverse U.S. healthcare workforce enhances care delivery, promotes culturally responsive care, expands access to healthcare, and helps reduce disparities among underrepresented populations.¹ The limited presence of Black nurses in frontline leadership roles has a profound impact on nursing and healthcare, limiting opportunities to improve resources, attract diverse talent, and maintain a workforce that reflects the communities it serves.² The extent to which Black nurses are motivated to lead is not known.

Purpose: The purpose of this literature review was to understand the prevalence of motivation to lead among Black nurses, …

A Program Evaluation Of Pediatric Family Centered Rounding, Kristy Schmidt, Katherine Doyon

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Family centered rounding (FCR) is a pediatric evidence-based practice intended to bring healthcare teams, patients, and families together at the bedside in a collaborative approach to care planning. FCR emphasizes communication and shared decision-making between healthcare teams and families, leading to improved patient outcomes. Despite well-documented benefits of FCR, challenges such as inconsistent nursing participation, variability in practices, and workflow disruptions hinder implementation and sustainability of FCR

Aim: This program evaluation was designed and conducted at an urban pediatric hospital to assess the processes, perceptions, and impact of FCR. The overall quality of FCR and the strengths and barriers …

The Competency Assessment Companion: An Electronic Resource For Perinatal Nurses, Raina Dvorah Siegel, Leah Hoeniges

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: A lack of unanimity in the assessment of registered nurse (RN) competence can lead to the provision of inconsistent care, increasing the risk of medical errors and compromising patient safety. On the labor and delivery (L&D) unit of a 641-bed academic medical center in Chicago, there is currently no standardized practice for conducting RN competency assessments, leaving room for preceptor subjectivity and bias.

Purpose: To develop and pilot an evidence-based electronic repository, the Competency Assessment Companion (CAC), aimed at standardizing RN competency assessments targeting five clinical domains outlined within the L&D unit’s existing New-Hire Competency Assessment Package (NHCAP): Patient …

The Sibling Experience Of Pediatric Patients Discharged From The Picu: Qualitative Meta-Synthesis, Jessica Keller

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

A QMS was conducted to describe the sibling experiences of children discharged from the PICU to promote future research of the sibling experience and identify interventions for sibling support. The research question was: what are the experiences of siblings of children discharged from the PICU?

When a child is in the PICU, the family must face life-threatening diagnoses and difficult decisions. This stress impacts family dynamics shared by parents and children (Rennick et al., 2021). Siblings may assume additional responsibilities without having the support of their parents. Manning et al. (2017) identified siblings have unmet needs that are not fully …