Digital Commons Network^™

Shared Governance And Transition Into Practice: Impact On Work Engagement, Gudrun M. Reiter-Hiltebrand

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: High turnover rates, particularly in new graduate nurses, and poor organizational commitment and engagement negatively affect staffing, operational performance, and patient outcomes. A negative trend for nurse engagement indicators was noted in previous staff engagement surveys of this organization.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In transition-into-practice (TIP) nurses (P), how does the implementation of shared governance (I) compared with no shared governance participation (C), affect their engagement with the hospital (O) within eight weeks (T)?

Evidence: Literature has shown that nurse engagement is one of the nurse indicators positively affected by shared governance …

The Social Politics Of Contemporary Greek Life Organizations, Bryce Nishikawa, Kelly Lelapinyokul, Alex Zabalza

Silicon Valley Sociological Review

Existing literature has examined the manifestation of race-based treatment in non-Jesuit higher education Greek Life Organizations (GLOs). These studies found that the history of white male-only spaces such as GLOs made for an exclusive campus environment even after minority groups gained access to higher education. This paper seeks to understand whether these same exclusive tendencies manifest in Jesuit institutions that cherish inclusivity such as Santa Clara University. Thus, it asks: How does race impact college students’ experiences in Greek Life? This study utilizes 6 interviews conducted with white and non-white racially identifying members of Santa Clara University GLOs. Additionally, it …

The Transformative Role Of Service Design – A Case Study Of A Public Library, Justyna Starostka, Nicola Morelli, Amalia De Götzen

ServDes Conference Series

Using a wider context of a growing role of service design (SD) in different change processes, the aim of this article is to explore the transformative role of service design on two levels: organizational and societal. We investigated a transformation process of a public sector organization – a public library, showing how service design can be a vehicle of organizational and societal changes. We were able to map 3 cycles of transition that have been gradually expanding the visions, theories of change, mindsets, and new ways of designing in the organization, helping to achieve more and more agency in transforming, …

Defining Archival Debt: Building New Futures For Archives, Jillian Cuellar, Audra Eagle Yun, Jennifer Meehan, Jessica Tai

Journal of Contemporary Archival Studies

As archivists surface and reckon with harmful theory and practice, how can we awaken to transcend past legacies? This article introduces and reflects on the concept of “archival debt,” defined as resources owed to address problematic legacy issues in an archival repository resulting from past practices, policies, and strategies that prioritized the protection and validation of institutions over democratic access and responsible stewardship. As a concept, archival debt amalgamates the myriad issues we now grapple with as a profession, including harmful or inadequate description, performative or competitive collecting, languishing backlogs, failure to recognize staff potential, shortsighted fund management, neglected constituencies, …

The Characteristics Of Successful Military It Projects: A Cross-Country Empirical Study, Helene Berg, Jonathan D. Ritschel

Faculty Publications

In the armed forces, successful digitalization is crucial to ensure effective operations. Much of the existing literature on project factors during the planning and execution phases of public IT projects do not focus specifically on military sector projects. Therefore, the paper aims to provide empirical insights into the characteristics of successful military IT projects. Data from such projects in NATO countries and agencies were collected through interviews and project documents. The findings relating to the main variable of interest, “delivery of client benefit,” supported previous findings on IT project performance. Medium-sized projects performed better than small and large projects, and …

Integrating Behavioral Research Findings With A Liberal Arts Paradigm, Jonathan Peterson

LSU Master's Theses

This paper explores the role of behavioral research in understanding the complexity and relevance of creativity. A brief history of the liberal arts and its current application is followed by a discussion of the importance of variability in generating novel and diverse responses, challenging the notion that creativity is solely a product of innate talent. The effects of reinforcement on variability, and how it relates to a complex relationship between reinforcement and the probability of variable responding leads to a discussion of how the combination of previously trained behaviors can lead to creative problem-solving, emphasizing the role of combinatory behavior …

Gender (In)Equity In Global Mental Health Research: A Call To Action, The Women In Global Mental Health Research Group, Kelly Rose-Clarke

Faculty Publications

In this commentary, we build on work by Gurung and colleagues which highlighted gender inequity in the global mental health research workforce in Nepal (Gurung et al., 2021). We seek to increase awareness of the under-representation of women in global mental health research and its consequences, and we call for change. By women, we refer to all people who identify as women, including trans people. The commentary is informed by conversations with women who are global mental health researchers in the Global North and South at various stages of their careers.

Leadership, Service, And Wicked Problems: Impact Of War, Lack Of Funding, And Covid-19 In Service Of Those With Fewer Opportunities, Ruth V. Akumbu

The Scholarship Without Borders Journal

As the world and organizations struggled to overcome the challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic, I, the Founder and CEO of Plant A Seed, also known as Plant a Seed Africa, used this chaotic period to assess and address issues facing the organization. Multiple challenges are addressed, including the pandemic, financial, political, and leadership. I created a new leadership strategy that switches between pacesetting, visionary, and transformational leadership styles. The new organizational change model will use the 5-F or Plant A Seed 5-F model.

Book Review: Just Schools: Building Equitable Collaborations With Families And Communities, Tara Bartlett

Journal of Educational Research and Practice

K–12 schools are facing a syndemic of critical junctures right now: On the one hand, school communities and families are still reeling from the effects of racial reckonings and the COVID-19 pandemic, while on the other hand, school leaders and decision-makers are grappling with how to effectively engage families and students amid demands and realizations for equity and justice. The book Just Schools: Building Equitable Collaborations with Families and Communities (2020) by Ann Ishimaru provides tools and pathways forward. Ishimaru first describes how our education systems have long been incubators of oppression and disengagement, steeped in colonizing methods and deficit …

You Ca N’T Police Your Way Out Of These Problems: Disregarding The Structural Components Of Community Problems, Kian Spencer Gaines

Theses and Dissertations

Community-Oriented Policing Services (COPS) emerged in response to longstanding criticisms revolving around police accountability and effectiveness. It emphasizes civilian participation in crime-prevention and problem-solving efforts to build trust between the police and minoritized communities with whom they have had an antagonistic relationship. Traditional policing is reactive in nature, with officers acting only after crime has been committed or a call for service has been made; it enforces the law; “legitimizes” use of violence; and emulates military structure and tactics. In this study I describe it as “enforcement” or “crime-fighting policing.” COPS programs are embedded within this structure. Unlike traditional policing, …

Taking Equity-Mindedness To The Next Level: The Equity-Minded Organization, Román Liera, Steve Desir

Department of Educational Leadership Scholarship and Creative Works

University and college leaders have an espoused interest in racial equity. In recent years, university and college leaders have invested in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training that focuses on developing individual attributes that reflect equity-mindedness. For example, DEI training efforts have often been focused on helping faculty develop critical race consciousness by raising their awareness of systemic racism in their routine teaching, mentoring, and hiring practices. However, in many cases, DEI training and equity change efforts primarily focus on individual-level change without critically identifying, disrupting, and transforming organizational processes and policies that perpetuate structural racism. In this paper, we …

A Phenomenological Understanding Of K-12 Leaders’ Lived Experiences Of Changing From Teacher-Centered Practices To Student-Centered Practices, Claudia Burregi

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study is to understand the process of changing from teacher-centered practices to student-centered practices for K-12 educational leaders at Blue Ocean school district (pseudonym) in Louisiana to equip students with 21st-century skills. The theory guiding this study is Lewin’s change theory, which undergirds the premise that as individuals embrace change, they are better equipped to support the vision of why change is needed, ultimately leading to lasting change. A transcendental study was used to capture the essence of the change from TCL to SCL experience of ten educational leaders from seven schools in BOSD …

Nursing Faculty Experiences Of An Academic Merger: A Transcendental Phenomenological Study, Sherry Michelle Boone

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to describe the experience of undergoing a merger of two or more academic institutions within the United States for nursing faculty who chose to voluntarily depart the organization following the merger. The theoretical framework guiding this study was social capital theory as it discusses the importance of relationships and the resources those relationships provide. While assets may be acquired during a merger, social capital must be developed over time and is important for building a new combined healthy organizational culture. The study included nine participants who departed the institution in the timeframe …

An Embedded Case Study To Understand The Barriers To Cultural Progression In Aviation, Scott Phillip Trepinski

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this qualitative, revelatory, embedded case study was to understand the barriers to cultural progression aviation leaders experience within airlines based in the United States. The study was guided by the research question: What can be learned about the barriers hindering the progression of safety culture within the aviation industry? The research design used a single embedded case study model utilizing participants responsible for managing, participating in, and designing programs and policies associated with an organization's safety management system. The study's theoretical framework was the cognitive dissonance theory and the dialogue-supported organizational learning theory. Data was collected utilizing …

The Use Of Functional Assessment To Promote Maintenance And Institutionalization Of A Performance Management Intervention For Behavior Technicians, Daniel John Cymbal

Theses and Dissertations

In Organizational Behavior Management (OBM), any intervention is judged by its immediate effects, the long-term impact on the targeted performance, and the likelihood that the organization and/or its constituents will adopt the intervention (Sigurdsson & Austin, 2006). However, maintenance and adoption of procedures is rarely measured (Redmon, 1991). A core tenant of behavior analysis is the role of environmental stimuli in maintaining behavior, but most tactics to promote durability are not examined in this fashion (e.g., Conard et al., 2016; Johnston, 1979). A logical, but under investigated, avenue is to examine the role of functional assessment in producing durable change. …

The Sunnyside Movement Towards Mental Health Prevention And Resiliency, Eva Williams

Selected Social Change Portfolios in Prevention, Intervention, and Consultation

Goal Statement: To increase Mental Health awareness and resources among adults with untreated mental disorders in the Sunnyside community (Understanding Houston, 2023).

Significant Findings: 18,6004 residents reside in Sunnyside. Nearly half (48%) were between 20 and 64 years of age, 18% were 65 or older, and many out of this group have untreated mental disorders or have been hospitalized for mental health symptoms (Sunnyside Survey Shows Neighborhood's Social Fabric Is Strong, 2019). These findings include the LGBTQ community, which accounts for about 40% of people who reported experiencing mental illness in the last year (Kolanek, 2020). The target problem in …

Implementation Of A Nurse-Driven Early Mobility Protocol In Critical Care To Reduce Intensive Care Unit Acquired Weakness (Icuaw), Wendy Key

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Intensive care unit acquired muscle weakness (ICUAW) is a syndrome of general weakness that occurs while a patient has a critical illness. Almost half of all ICU patients develop ICUAW. The most common occurrence of ICUAW is seen in patients diagnosed with prolonged mechanical ventilation, severe sepsis, or difficulty weaning from mechanical ventilation (MV). Bedrest is the number one risk factor for the development of ICUAW and the elderly are at higher risk. The best treatment for ICUAW is early mobility which has shown positive effects for decreasing ventilator days and intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS). …

Predicting Corrosion Damage In The Human Body Using Artificial Intelligence: In Vitro Progress And Future Applications Applications, Michael A. Kurtz, Ruoyu Yang, Mohan S. R. Elapolu, Audrey C. Wessinger, William Nelson, Kazzandra Alaniz, Rahul Rai, Jeremy L. Gilbert

Publications

Artificial intelligence (AI) is used in the clinic to improve patient care. While the successes illustrate the impact AI can have, few studies have led to improved clinical outcomes. A gap in translational studies, beginning at the basic science level, exists. In this review, we focus on how AI models implemented in non-orthopedic fields of corrosion science may apply to the study of orthopedic alloys. We first define and introduce fundamental AI concepts and models, as well as physiologically relevant corrosion damage modes. We then systematically review the corrosion/AI literature. Finally, we identify several AI models that may be Preprint …

Undergraduate And Graduate Course Descriptions, 2023 Summer, Wright State University

Course Descriptions

Wright State University undergraduate and graduate course descriptions from Summer 2023.

Implementation Of Daily Multidisciplinary Rounding Audits Of Adherence To An Indwelling Catheter Protocol Impact On Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Jacqueline April Wright

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) among critical care patients negatively impact the trajectory of the patient’s hospitalization through increased mortality, morbidity, length of stay, and cost. To combat this, hospitals have implemented bundles in compliance with evidence-based practice models to reduce CAUTIs. Purpose: Determine if implementing a daily multidisciplinary rounding audit of established CAUTI prevention protocol decreases the occurrence of CAUTIs in critical care patients with indwelling urinary catheters. Methods: Participants in this quality improvement project included critical care nurses and providers participating in daily multidisciplinary rounds on all critical care patients with indwelling urinary catheters admitted to …

Perceptions Of Elementary School Principals Regarding Strategies To Build Trust Among Staff To Support Positive Change, Laurel Cole

Doctor of Education Program Dissertations

Trust is essential between elementary school principals and teachers, for it is a necessary ingredient in well-functioning organizations, especially schools. The problem addressed in this phenomenological study was the lack of practical strategies for principals to build trust with teachers effectively and efficiently to facilitate positive change and, ultimately, to support student achievement. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to understand how elementary school principals can quickly build trust with their teachers to facilitate positive change. Through the literature review, the researcher examined historical definitions of trust and early trust studies, the creation of trust and strategies for …

Accreditation As A Framework For School Improvement: A Quantitavite Study, Michael A. Burroughs

Doctor of Education (Ed.D)

This study investigated the perceptions of heads of schools from accredited schools concerning whether the accreditation process, as prescribed by the League of Christian Schools (LCS), leads to improvement in leadership capacity and the impact of instruction on the learning environment. The League of Christian Schools has developed an accreditation process that is based in systems theory as espoused by Senge (2006), which contributed to the theoretical framework for this study. Administrators in LCS member K12 schools provided 25 responses to an anonymous online survey. Quantitative data were collected and analyzed to determine perceptions regarding increased organizational capacities in the …

Utilizing A Multidisciplinary Team Approach To Opioid Stewardship At An Interventional Pain Clinic, Georgemarie Garber

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: The opioid epidemic is a preventable health threat that is a recognized national problem by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and Health and Human Services (HHS). The evidence-based Opioid Stewardship (OS) toolkit is essential in the opioid epidemic because it supports identifying patients at risk for opioid aberrancy. However, at the Interventional Pain Management Clinic (IPMC), a chart review on the completion rates of the OS toolkit components for new patients admitted in June 2022 revealed that providers were not consistently completing components of the OS toolkit such as Opioid Risk Tool (ORT), the Morphine …

Implementation Of A Patient Care Specialist Role To Enhance The Patient Experience In A Pediatric Emergency Department, Jillian Brodeur

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Patient-centered care (PCC) has been an emerging trend in healthcare for the past two decades (Walsh et al., 2022). PCC and the patient experience have become essential measures of the quality of care provided and are linked to reimbursement dollars and improved patient outcomes (Rapport et al., 2019).

Purpose: The purpose of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to improve the patient experience in the Emergency Department (ED) of a metropolitan hospital. The DNP project focused on the benefit of a patient advocate in the ED to improve the patient experience. The project sought to improve …

Improving Influenza Vaccination Rates In A Primary Care Clinic: A Quality Improvement Crusade, Janet Lowe

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Research consistently shows that influenza vaccines prevent medical appointments, treatments, and disabilities. In the United States (U.S.), 25-49 million individuals contracted influenza from October 2022 through January 2023. However, despite a greater community consciousness regarding viral contagions and the improved availability of vaccinations through primary care settings, ambulatory clinics, and local pharmacies, adults in the U.S. continue to miss the national influenza vaccination goals of 70%.

Purpose: This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to boost influenza immunization rates and comprehension of vaccination benefits among patients in a primary care setting during the influenza season. The DNP student …

Establishing A Routine Process Of Medication Reconciliation In A Rural Primary Care Clinic To Address Unnecessary Polypharmacy In Patients 65 And Older, Jessica Kirkwood-Harp

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Medication safety by reducing the proportion of older adults who use inappropriate medications is a Healthy People 2030 goal (Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, n.d.(a)). The research for this proposal supported an established medication reconciliation (MR) to reduce errors and adverse drug events (ADEs). Consistent MR is essential for patient safety and positive patient outcomes in rural outpatient primary care clinics, as these patients possess multiple comorbidities.

Purpose: This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project (QIP) established a routine MR process within a rural primary care clinic with reduced unnecessary polypharmacy and decreased risk of …

Improving Early Sepsis Recognition And Treatment By Utilizing The Surviving Sepsis Campaign In Emergency Department Patients, Rebecca Smith

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Sepsis is a physical reaction to infection that can cause bodily injury, organ deterioration, and death (Sepsis Alliance, 2022). Early sepsis identification and intervention requires staff engagement in quick recognition and implementation of care (Jorgensen, 2019). Septic patients require prompt initiation of intravenous fluids, hemodynamic observation, and appropriate laboratory testing (Evans & Rhodes, 2021). Rapid detection of sepsis can prevent patients from progressing to severe sepsis and septic shock, increasing the risk of mortality (Jorgensen, 2019). As a result of the high mortality rates and complications associated with this health disparity, evidenced-based care bundles were developed to improve care …

Let Us Talk About It: Using A Communication Tool To Improve The Timeliness Of Rapid Responses, Lajaynees Singleton

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: In healthcare emergencies, minutes matter. Code blue, code stroke, and rapid responses are processes put in place by hospitals to save lives and improve the outcome of deteriorating patients. At a local medical facility in Alabama, the process for calling codes and rapid responses created miscommunication and delays in the code team’s arrival. An assessment revealed that a purchased clinical communication device (CCD) was underutilized.

Purpose: The purpose of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to improve the communication of code blue, code stroke, and rapid responses by utilizing the CCD.

Methods: The quality improvement project consisted …

Implementing An Emergency Severity Index (Esi) Triage Refresher Training To Decrease The Under-Triage Rate In The Emergency Department (Ed), Monique Wallace

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: The Emergency Severity Index (ESI) is a triage tool used in most emergency departments in the United States (U.S.) that assesses acuity and resource allocation for emergency care patients. Registered nurses (RNs) must assign the appropriate triage category to ensure patients are seen in a proper time frame, have ideal patient outcomes, and have efficient patient throughput.

Purpose: This quality improvement project aims to decrease the under-triage rate of patients in the emergency department (ED) by implementing an Emergency Severity Index (ESI) triage refresher training.

Methods: This project used an A3 methodology. The triage specialist completed retrospective chart reviews …

Who Is Flexible And Adaptive In Everyday Life?, Valentina Vylobkova, Sonja Heintz

School of Psychology

Background: How flexible people react to changes, and adapt their behavior and plans, seems to be crucial in modern society. Nevertheless, no common conceptualization of flexibility exists in the psychological literature. Our work contributes to the scientific understanding of flexibility as a personality trait and offers a novel flexibility questionnaire. Methods and Results: An explorative study ( N = 279) examined three individual-difference concepts of flexibility and their relations with the Big Five personality traits. The results suggested that flexibility consists of predictability, adaptability, and orderliness can be assessed with 24 items (FS-24) and is distinguishable from the Big Five. …