Digital Commons Network^™

Quality Improvement Project Improving Provider Confidence For Medication Adherence Screening Through Use Of The Medication Adherence Rating Scale (Mars), Tamara Cheek

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Medication nonadherence affects 50% to 70% of individuals with serious mental illness. This contributes to symptom relapses, hospitalization, poor treatment outcomes, and higher healthcare costs. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to evaluate the impact of a competency-based Medication Adherence Rating Scale (MARS) training program on provider confidence and standardized adherence screening in a psychiatric clinic, to improve confidence and increase use of a standardized assessment. Guided by Bandura's Self-Efficacy Theory and Lewin's Change Management Model and implemented using the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework, the project used a quantitative quasi-experimental pre-post design with eight psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners. Data …

Quality Improvement Project: Addressing Appointment Non-Adherence Through Social Needs Screening, Dorathy Anderson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Mental health care access in the US faces systemic barriers that delay treatment and disrupt care, often worsening patient outcomes. Unmet social needs of health, such as transportation, financial, and housing issues, lead to missed appointments and fragmented care, thereby increasing health disparities. This quality improvement project evaluated whether targeted staff education improved the identification and response to social needs that affect appointment adherence. Adult Learning Theory guided the training, while Lewin’s Theory of Change and the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework informed implementation and evaluation. The intervention population consisted of five clinic staff members. A quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design was used to evaluate …

The Impact Of Telephonic Versus Video Platforms On Nurses’ Intrinsic Motivation: An Evidence-Based Practice Project, Brittney Saldierna

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Ambulatory pediatric nurses frequently rely on telephone-only encounters for telehealth triage and patient education despite the availability of video-enabled technology. Literature demonstrates that the inability to visually assess patients limits clinical assessment accuracy, communication effectiveness, and nurse confidence. The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to evaluate whether educating ambulatory pediatric nurses on the integration of video-enhanced telehealth encounters impacts intrinsic motivation and perceived competence compared with telephone-only encounters. Guided by the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based Practice and the ADKAR Change Management Model, this quantitative, quasi-experimental project was applied utilizing the PDSA cycle implementation framework in ambulatory pediatric specialty …

Quality Improvement Project: The Impact Of Standardized Handoff Communication In A Home Acute Care Setting, Antonius Devon Speed

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Effective nurse-to-nurse handoff communication is essential in hospital-at-home telehealth care, where remote nurses depend on accurate electronic health record documentation and structured shift-to-shift communication. This quality improvement project evaluated whether education and implementation of a standardized Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation (SBAR) workflow improved staff-reported handoff quality and reduced communication-related near-miss events over 8 weeks. Lewin's Change Theory, Rogers's Diffusion of Innovations, and the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework guided implementation and sustainability. A quantitative, quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design was used. The intervention included SBAR education, a workflow checklist, and a handoff template. Outcomes were selected Handover Evaluation Scale (HES) responses and aggregate near-miss …

Covid-19'S Impact On Student Behavior In Rural-Urban Fringe Elementary Schools, Chanel V. Leslie

College of Education

This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on student behavior in rural-urban fringe schools in Northern Alabama. The qualitative narrative inquiry research centers the lived experiences of teachers from four different schools as they navigate and explain this shift during this time. Grounded in Bronfenbrenner's (1979) ecological systems theory, the study is guided by three research questions that address the changes in student behavior and classroom dynamics; teacher preparedness and the ability to manage post-pandemic behavioral challenges; and effective interventions and support strategies. This research offers further insight into the erosion of foundational social skills, widespread emotional dysregulation, and patterns …

Measurement Invariance: A Tool To Weird-Icize Global Knowledge Production?, Klaus Boehnke

Online Readings in Psychology and Culture

The article examines measurement invariance in quantitative cross-cultural research. Instruments are typically translated, data are collected for the different language versions, and psychometric invariance is assessed. Items deemed equivalent are preserved, while the remaining items are traditionally eliminated. Culturally inclusive methodologies independently develop items across various cultures, translate them into a lingua franca, preserve translatable items, collect data, and corroborate invariance. Non-equivalent items are usually eliminated. A more radical strategy for preserving local (emic) elements is suggested here. Instrument developers across cultures concur on the measurability of a specific construct for which they independently create items, collect data without translation, …

On The Edge Of Science?, Mark Briffa, Lynne U. Sneddon

Animal Sentience

In The Edge of Sentience, Jonathan Birch (2024) provides a thought-provoking synthesis of current perspectives on animal (and artificial) sentience. He addresses the question from conceptual, ethical, regulatory and empirical viewpoints. Here we focus on some of the scientific issues raised, including defining and operationalising the concept of sentience and the implications for policy and regulation. Despite unresolved conceptual challenges, the book makes a compelling case for the continued scientific investigation of animal sentience.

Quality Improvement Project: Implementation Of Trauma-Informed Care Education In An Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic, Ornela Claude Ika

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Trauma-informed care (TIC) is an evidence-based approach that promotes safe, patient-centered care for individuals with a history of trauma. Many patients receiving services in psychiatric settings have experienced trauma, placing them at risk for retraumatization during healthcare encounters. Despite the recognized benefits of TIC, the outpatient psychiatric clinic involved in this project lacked a formal trauma-informed care education program for staff. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to determine whether implementation of a structured trauma-informed care educational intervention improved staff attitudes toward trauma-informed care. Lewin’s Change Theory and the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework guided project implementation. A quantitative pre-intervention and …

Effectiveness Of Simulations In Workplace Training: A Systematic Analysis, Brittney Gaban

Honors Theses

Beyond the classroom, training simulations can be used in the workplace and have been used in a variety of industries, but most focus on the acceptance and perceived results rather than realworld transferability. To determine the state of simulations in workplace training, five articles met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed by participants, industry, results, perceived effectiveness and transferability of skills, data type collected, and participant feedback. The included studies demonstrated the variety of ways simulations have been integrated into training, primarily through hospital and emergency response teams, clinics, and transportation settings. Virtual reality was the most frequently used out …

Exploring Ninth–12th Grade Teachers’ Experiences And Supports Needed When Using Trauma-Informed Practices, Kimberly C. Johnson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

No abstract provided.

Supporting The Wellbeing Of Multilingual Learners A Case Study On Secondary Teachers’ Use Of Transformative Social Emotional Learning Practices, Jaclyn Sparks

Electronic Theses and Dissertations 2020 - Present

This qualitative case study investigated how bilingual and monolingual English-speaking teachers support the wellbeing of Multilingual Learners (MLs) and which aspects of Transformative Social Emotional Learning (TSEL) these teachers perceive themselves incorporating with MLs. Data were collected through classroom observations, semi-structured interviews, and a focus group. Data analysis was conducted using open coding, axial coding, and constant comparative methods.

Findings indicate that teachers support MLs’ wellbeing by creating inclusive environments through intentionally planned lessons that center equitable opportunities for MLs to engage with the content. Furthermore, teachers perceive to utilize decolonizing practices to make the curriculum accessible for MLs. This …

Guillain-Barré Syndrome Emerging From Syringomyelia Management: A Case Report, Abbigail Niewchas, Brandon Bacari, Christopher Stewart, Suporn Sukpraprut-Braaten, Donald G. Smith

Student Publications

The coexistence of Guillain-Barré syndrome with a spinal cord syrinx is extremely rare. This report presents the emergency admission of a 57-year-old female presenting with an abrupt and progressive loss of motor function and abnormal sensation in her lower extremities. MRI of the cervical spine revealed a syrinx extending from C2 to C7. Neurology referred the case to neurosurgery, who assessed the patient and recommended nonoperative and supportive treatment given the size of the syrinx and the patient's status as a poor surgical candidate. She was subsequently discharged to a local extended care facility (ECF) with a diagnosis of syringomyelia. …

Adaptation Of Moral Integrity Scale To Kazakh Language: A Psychometric Investigation, Madina Ishkibayeva, Nesrullah Okan, Zhazira Abdykhalykova, Nursulu Makhambetova

Higher Learning Research Communications

The present study has been designed to adapt the Moral Integrity Scale (MIS), originally developed by Schlenker (2008), into Kazakh and to examine its psychometric properties among undergraduate students. Moral integrity, a critical component of ethical behavior, is essential in tertiary education, yet few culturally validated tools exist in the Kazakh context. Following a rigorous scale adaptation process (including translation, back-translation, expert review, and pilot testing), the scale was administered to three independent student samples. The results of the exploratory factor analysis (n = 470) revealed a single-factor structure explaining 52.13% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis ( …

Examining The Role Of Physical Illustrations Within The Home To Represent Our Connections With The Climate Emergency And Its Potential For Climate Action, Devon Tipping

School of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

In a time of upheaval and rapid change individuals and society arechallenged emotionally, often expressed as anxiety and a sense of powerlessness.This is particularly relevant in terms of environmental issues and in the context ofthe climate emergency which has contributed to a rise in eco-anxiety. Within thiscontext, illustration can offer valuable tools to inspire climate action. Artwork, acommon feature in most homes, is often viewed daily, yet can it serve a purposebeyond decoration?The project, Floriography, explored how images within domestic spaces can fosterclimate awareness. The focus was to engage people who may find climateconversations overwhelming, using illustration to introduce these …

Navigating The Cocoon: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis Of Mothers’ Experiences Of Seeking Diagnosis And Services For Children With Disabilities In Insular Rural American Samoa, Elizabeth Cutrer, Ocean K. Akau, Lorena Seu, Isabel Medina Hull, G. E. Kawika Allen, Ofa H. Kanuch, Cameron W. H. Hee, Melia Fonoimoana Garrett

Faculty Publications

This study examines how mothers raising children with disabilities in American Samoa experience the processes of seeking diagnosis, navigating special education, and advocating for services within an insular rural context. American Samoa, an unincorporated U.S. territory located 2600 miles from Hawaiʻi with a population under 50,000, represents a case of what we term insular rurality—a condition in which the structural disadvantages of rurality are intensified by oceanic isolation, territorial governance, and colonial history. Data were collected through three focus groups with fifteen mothers whose children hold a range of disability diagnoses, with a card sort activity at the outset of …

Hospitality As A Languageless Movement: Mapping The Interconnectedness Of Inclusion, Disability, And Hospitality, Alycia M. Bobak

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation thinks with post-qualitative inquiry to explore how inclusion, disability, and hospitality move through spaces in higher education and how their meanings shift between policy, practice, and personal ethics and dispositions. Using Derrida’s notion of hospitality and Deleuze and Guattari’s concept of the Body without Organs, this study presents the consideration of how university spaces welcome students with disabilities and how feelings of belonging, receiving, and acceptance are produced within those spaces. Rather than viewing inclusion and disability as fixed concepts, this research considers how language and personal ethics continuously reshape their meaning through interactions and affect.

This study …

Success In Student Leadership: An Appreciative Inquiry Approach To A Student Leader Program, Ana M. Tayeb

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study explored the strengths and successes of a Student Leader Program within a Physician Assistant (PA) program at a large southeastern university, using an Appreciative Inquiry (AI) framework to understand how the program positions students for success. The program, established to support leadership development, academic engagement, and professional growth, includes elected student roles such as class president, vice president, wellness champion, volunteer liaison, and class liaisons. Through semi‑structured interviews with faculty, administrators, current Student Leaders, non‑leader students, and a Student Leader alumnus, the study examined lived experiences and perceptions of the program’s impact. Guided by the AI 4‑D cycle, …

Race, Ethnic, And Gender Disparities In Human Trafficking Risk, Identification, And Investigation, Emily D. Walker

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Youth and human trafficking remain significant and complex issues. Existing literature suggests that trafficking risk, victimization, and identification are shaped by structural and social context, creating differential impacts across demographic groups, such as racial, ethnic, and gendered groups. Yet, current research has yet to fully capture the complexity of victimization across groups. This dissertation consists of three interconnected studies examining youth trafficking investigations. Using a mixed-methods approach and administrative data from Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), this dissertation address three objectives (1) examining potential variation in documentation of trafficking risk, victimization, and narrative framing of youth trafficking investigations …

Using Contingency Mapping To Decrease Disruptive Behavior And Increase On-Task Behavior For Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Carelis Y. Pabey Pagan

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Visual aids have been widely used in educational and therapeutic settings to support individuals with developmental disabilities, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Among these, contingency maps, a graphic tool that visually represents the outcomes of alternative behaviors and problem behavior, have shown promise in reducing problem behavior, increasing communication, and promoting independence. However, existing research on contingency mapping is limited. The proposed study extended this literature by evaluating the effects of contingency maps on academic engagement and disruptive behavior for children with ASD in a school setting during natural classroom activities. A multiple baseline design across participants was used to …

Examining The Referral Pathway For Black Families Evaluated Through The Early Steps Program, Zelda Fleming

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Research indicates that for children with or at risk for developmental delays, early intervention services are associated with improvements in academic and cognitive skills by the time they reach kindergarten (Atkins et al., 2020; Litt et al., 2017). Untreated developmental delays are linked to early school failure and social and emotional problems (Sher et al., 2020). Black children are 5 times less likely to receive early intervention services when compared to their White peers (Barnard-Brak et al., 2021; Feinberg et al.,2011). Thus, they often do not have the opportunity to receive early intervention services. The literature in this area suggests …

Man Down: Exploring Identity, Uncertainty And Resilience In An Autoethnographic Performance Of Prostate Cancer As Applied Health Communication, Kevin Hawley

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The purpose of this dissertation study was to explore how an autoethnographic performance of my experience of prostate cancer could serve as a method of applied health communication, designed to encourage men to be screened for prostate cancer. One in eight men in the United States will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime. However, while the incidence rate of prostate cancer is increasing—particularly of advanced-stage disease—the number of men choosing to be screened is declining (American Cancer Society, 2025).This study explores the barriers to men being screened, both in the literature and in my personal experience. Among those …

Diabetes And Insulin Resistance, Causes And Treatment- A Review, Aoss Moez Abed–Alhussian Alyassery, Anas Al-Yasiry, Zainab Mahmood Al-Jammali

Muthanna Medical Journal

Background: Insulin resistance, is a hormone that is produced in the beta cells of the pancreas and works to manage the sugar balance in the body, it usually occurs when the cells in the muscles, fat and liver do not respond properly to insulin and thus cannot absorb glucose from the blood, which leads to increased work of the pancreas to increase glucose.

HOMA-IR is probable a person may be infected 10 or 15 years ago from beginning the type 2 diabetes. When it derives addressing insulin resistance, life style changes should be the importance.

Objective: to review the causes …

Human Capital Management And Digital Transformation: Driving Sustainable Hospital Service Quality In The Industry 5.0 Era, Mikaria Gultom, Hendro Budiyanto, Daniel Wisuda Purba, Muhammad Shahid Khan, Chininta Rizka Angelia

Jurnal Ekonomi dan Studi Pembangunan

The transformation of healthcare services in the Industry 5.0 era requires hospitals to ensure sustainability through digitalisation and adaptive human capital management (HCM). This study addresses a critical research gap by examining the interaction between HCM and organisational agility in Indonesia’s healthcare sector, which is currently undergoing a transition. The aim is to analyse the mediating role of HCM in the relationship between organisational agility, perceived organisational support, and organisational commitment towards sustainable hospital service quality. A quantitative survey was conducted among 250 respondents from six accredited private Type B hospitals, and analysed using SEM-PLS 4.0. The results indicate that …

A Qualitative Examination Of Burnout Among College Marching Band Members, Justin Mcmanus, Justus Carney

Visions of Research in Music Education

Abstract

The notion of burnout was first introduced by researchers Herbert Freudenberger (1974) and Christina Maslach (1976) to address staff challenges in medical and other “helping” professions (e.g., caregivers). According to Maslach and Leiter (1981), burnout consists of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. Many post-secondary students participate in campus organizations as a relief from burnout, experiencing community, heightened self-efficacy, and increased confidence (Buckley & Lee, 2018; Knifsend, 2018). However, overcommitment to an activity may increase a student’s likelihood of burning out due to prioritization over their academic work (Denman, 2019). There is a gap in …

The Voices In Our Heads: Interrogating And Unsettling Internalized Ableism In/For Music Education, Juliet Hess

Visions of Research in Music Education

In this article, I grapple with the internalized ableism I have been navigating upon becoming disabled in 2023. The task of this article is to consider the external forces that shape our ideas about disability with particular attention to socialization processes and larger oppressive systems such as neoliberalism. I specifically consider the messages that different representations, ideologies, and structures communicate to the population at large about disability in order to address why these messages are so often internalized in detrimental ways. Exclusion, I argue, is the societal default for disability and I historicize the different movements that have contributed to …

A Unified Approach: Culturally Responsive Teaching And Afrocentricity In Music Education, James H. Lyle Jr.

Visions of Research in Music Education

I

In contemporary society, students from ethnically diverse backgrounds are frequently confronted with racial barriers and disenfranchisement even in music education. To provide these students with the best environment for learning, researchers suggest that it is imperative that educators ensure an all-inclusive and impartial education system for these learners. Students of the African diaspora and students of color frequently experience societal injustices and harm in the U.S. education system, thereby resulting in discrepancies in academic accomplishments. This literature review critically evaluates the methods, approaches, and pedagogical practices of music educators and theorists, aiming to specify how teacher training programs can …

Student Perspectives On Packaging Waste And Sustainable Practices In Online Shopping, John Nathaniel Sicat Esmale, Nicolai Calvo Sabido

DLSU Senior High School Research Congress

This study investigates the perspectives of senior high school and college students at De La Salle University, Laguna, regarding packaging waste and sustainable practices in online shopping. Using a descriptive-correlational quantitative design, the research analyzes data from 136 valid survey responses to explore the relationship between students' sustainability awareness and their online purchasing behavior.

The findings reveal that while respondents frequently observe excessive packaging—primarily characterized by oversized boxes and multiple layers of plastic—they generally maintain a neutral or frustrated attitude toward it. Although students recognize the importance of sustainable packaging, this awareness exerts only a moderate influence on their actual …

The Cleft And Craniofacial Team At St. Mary's Hospital

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

New Oral Medicine And Oro-Facial Pain Clinic At Vcu School Of Dentistry, Bhavik S. Desai Dmd, Phd, A. Omar Abubaker Dmd, Phd, John A. Svirsky Dds

Virginia Dental Journal

No abstract provided.

Machine Learning Based Approaches To Survey Elderly Adults About The Perception Of The Coronavirus Crisis, Ouban Wannous

Al-Farahidi Expert Systems Journal

The rapid digital transformation of society in recent years has resulted in the creation of vast databases available online, particularly benefiting businesses. The main challenge now is to effectively access and utilize this data to make informed business decisions. Artificial intelligence techniques, such as natural language processing and machine learning, have proven highly effective across various domains and present valuable opportunities for developing automated models to extract insights and uncover new information. This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of machine learning techniques in the field of social and economic sciences, focusing specifically on the task of classifying open-ended survey questions. We …