Digital Commons Network^™

Determining The Need For 23-Hour Observation Following Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusions: A Patient Perspective On Recovery At Home, Lacey Irias

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) is becoming more frequently performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). Subsequently, patients are scheduled for an option to undergo a 23-hour observation which requires staff preparation. The preparation increases costs and creates a shortage during a standard daytime shift which can reflect negatively on patient care. Most patients elect to be discharged the same day, on account of experiencing minimal pain and seeking the comfort of their own home. The goal of this DNP project was to assess the necessity of scheduling a patient 23 hours for observation following a …

Increasing Organ Donation In A University Setting, Zachary Hatton

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The literature shows a strong correlation between education on organ donation and increased organ donation registration. Society has depicted a description of organ donation that is hostile and untrue. Increasing organ donation registration with knowledge sets the foundation of a grassroots movement to increase understanding and change society’s viewpoint(s) on organ donation. An education session on organ donation was developed and presented to the targeted population of 18–24-year-old students at a university in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The focal point of the presentation was to dispel myths, educate on facts, and create a better understanding of organ donation …

Introducing Mental Health Resources To Nurse Practitioner Residents, Tiffanie Bailey

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This DNP Project identified the increased need for mental health resources after the COVID-19 pandemic. Studies showed the rate of anxiety, depression, and substance use has also been on the rise since the beginning of the pandemic. As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic began to devastate the country mentally and physically, it became quickly apparent that additional resources to provide support for those suffering from mental illness were essential. This project aimed to introduce a Mental Health First Aid course within the Residency Program at the Center for Family Guidance. Participants were asked to complete a pre-test indicating their …

Bridging The Gap: Strategies To Enrich The Clinical Experience Of Undergraduate Nursing Students To Improve Clinical Judgment Skills, Gabrielle Hope

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Introduction: The lack of competent clinical judgement among new graduate nurses contributes to poor patient outcomes, negatively impacting patient satisfaction scores, and subsequently raising the cost of healthcare for consumers. This project explores how reflective journaling and cooperative learning activities contribute to the development of critical thinking of nursing students during their Nursing Fundamentals clinical practicum.

Methods: Seventeen students enrolled in a private university nursing program were selected as the sample. The students were introduced to the recommended learning strategies and invited to anonymously participate in a pre-survey and post-survey. The surveys were identical in content and consisted …

A Review Of The Effects Of Different Types Of Stigmas On The Retention Rates Of Patients In Medication-Assisted Treatment And How To Combat The Problem, Pamela Cox

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

It is difficult to turn on the news without hearing about the opioid epidemic or a recent opioid overdose. There is hope because there is a treatment to help prevent this epidemic. That treatment is known as medication-assisted therapy (MAT), where patients can present and, if they meet the criteria, can be given a prescription for buprenorphine/naloxone combination medication. Treatment with buprenorphine/naloxone has been shown to be highly effective treatment for substance use disorder (SUD). Even though it has been proven that this combination works, less than 20% of patients diagnosed with SUD present for treatment. This study focused on …

Spaces Of Citizenship: Negotiating Belonging Through Cold War Literature And Culture, Daria Goncharova

Theses and Dissertations--English

At the height of Cold War containment culture, when fears of Communism and nuclear warfare overlapped with anxieties about homosexuality, gender inversion, miscegenation, and juvenile delinquency, formal citizenship—narrowly defined as one’s legal status—did not provide all American citizens with a sense of belonging, equal access to civil liberties, and a reasonable degree of safety. Instead, spatialized identity, rather than civic responsibilities and legal rights, came to define the boundaries of proper citizenship. In this context, highly exclusionary suburbs, which sprang up outside major metropolitan areas in the late 1940s-1950s, emerged as a cornerstone of the cultural narratives defining American citizenship. …

Trust And Knowing In Nineteenth-Century American Literature: Fictional Genres And Metacognitive Disruptions, Jessica Marie Van Gilder

Theses and Dissertations--English

This dissertation investigates how constructions of trust can be undermined or reinforced by examining trust’s entanglement with our compulsive and subjective desire to know in nineteenth-century American literature. Specifically, I analyze how different fictional genres – satire, historical romance, fantastic, and gothic – respond to our desire to know through the types of trust fictional texts feature and construct with the reader. In doing so, I demonstrate how genres of fiction in nineteenth-century America function as dynamic social contracts that amplify and undermine the reader’s trust in larger sociopolitical systems (e.g., national identity) and the epistemologies that underpin those systems …

Washington University Magazine, December 2024

Washington University Magazine

No abstract provided.

Increased Concern Of Suicide Behaviors In The Adolescent Population, Jaime Shareen-Porter Earle

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This quality improvement project focused on addressing the concern for the increase of depression, anxiety, and self-harm behaviors among adolescents, which can lead to suicidal ideation and attempts. Suicide behaviors have increased among adolescents, and research revealed that suicide is the second leading cause of death in this population. An educational PowerPoint was presented to members of the community on suicide behaviors, how to identify the behaviors, and where to get support and resources in the community. Pre- and post-surveys were used to assess the participants' knowledge and confidence levels before and after project implementation. The surveys contained the same …

Mental Health And The Black Church: Decreasing The Division In Divinity, Latonya Gray

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Racial disparities in mental health care persist for Black Americans, with only one in three who need treatment receiving it. The care they do receive is often of a poorer quality than that of other groups. Faith communities serving Black members could help address this gap by partnering with mental health professionals to meet congregants' needs. With mental health now at the forefront of public discourse, considering the specific needs of the Black community is critical. Black Americans face disproportionate mental health burdens but are more likely to seek counsel from clergy due to cultural stigma. Educating clergy on mental …

Community Educational Session On Identifying The Signs Of Depression And Resources Available, Desiree Young

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The DNP Project was designed to educate the community on identifying the signs of depression and the community resources available to them. The intent of the project was to improve the community’s knowledge of depression symptoms and the community resources available that offer assistance to those dealing with these symptoms. There is a great need for education on depression signs, as many in various communities suffer from untreated depression, which often leads to negative outcomes. The impact of the project implementation was measured by using pre- and post-survey data evaluating the participants' overall knowledge of the signs of depression, stigma …

Take My Perspective, Please: Perspective Taking’S Impact On Insecure Attachment And Phubbing, Connor Brown

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Phubbing is defined as the act of ignoring another individual (e.g., significant others, friends) by devoting attention to one's phone (Chotpitayasunondh & Douglas, 2018). Previous literature indicates that insecurely attached (anxious and avoidant) individuals are more likely to phub than others (Sun & Miller, 2023a). This study examined correlations between attachment styles and phubbing, finding that avoidant attachment was not significantly correlated with phubbing, while anxious attachment was. As well as examining the correlation between phubbing and perspective taking, results indicate that there was not a significant correlation. The primary interest of this study sought to investigate perspective taking as …

Examining The Role That Agricultural Education Programs Play In Student Choice Of Production Agriculture Careers, Wesley Estes

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation explores the influence that Agriculture Education programs, at all levels, have on student choice of careers in production agriculture. The average age of a farmer in the United States is increasing, and the shortage of young people returning to family farming operations (or beginning operations of their own) becomes more apparent each year. This study utilizes focus groups of professionals to gather information about the factors that influence student choice in agriculture careers, and the ability of agriculture education programs to either enhance or mitigate those factors. For the purposes of this study, Agriculture Education programs of all …

Testing A Conceptual Model Of Age, Gender, Perceived Discrimination And Well-Being, Kelly Smith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Both age and gender are personal characteristics that are at least in part outwardly visible and act as a category for social judgments (Cuddy & Fiske, 2002). The current study examined associations among individuals’ views on their aging, their gender typicality, well-being, and perceived discrimination. Research Question 1 asked whether views on aging and gender typicality interact to influence perceptions of discrimination; Research Question 2 explored the same potential interactions’ influence on well-being. Research Question 3 explored whether any interaction between views on aging and gender typicality and well-being was mediated by perceptions of discrimination. Participants represented the adult life …

Pathways To Health: Linking Accessible Green Space To Improved Health And Well‐Being In Rural Appalachia., Udday Shankur Datta

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Green spaces are essential for our physical health. The quality of its green space often determines the health of a community. The presence of green space in our lives is associated with reduced stress levels, better sleep, and increased feelings of safety. Lack of access to green space can lead to many health issues, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases, and has been linked to obesity and physical inactivity.

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) defines Appalachia as a region covering 420 counties across 13 states in the eastern United States. A large part of this region is …

An Investigation Of Relations Between Developmental Stage, Impulsivity, And False Confessions, Madison G. Gallimore

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

The current study examined relations between developmental stage, impulsivity, and false confessions. Based on the findings from Tervo-Clemmens et al. (2023), participants were divided into two groups based on age; ages included those who had not yet reached executive functioning maturation (12-to-20-years-old) and those who had reached executive functioning maturation (21-to-37-years-old). Impulsiveness was determined by performance on a delay-discounting task based on Mok et al. (2020) and the Barratt Impulsivity Scale-11 (BIS-11) Self-control subscale. False confessions were measured based on whether participants orally admitted to a minor wrongdoing. All participants experienced the same study procedure. The false confession paradigm utilized …

The Effects Of Forgetting And Disclosure On Mock Jurors' Perceptions Of An Alleged Rape, Johnathan Meier

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Memory recall and forgetting is a complex process. Memories can be completely forgotten (e.g., Ebbinghaus, 1885/1964; Murre, 2015) or repressed and recovered at a later time (e.g., Key et al., 1996; Foster-Lee et al., 1999). Instances of sexual assault may be disclosed to a close acquaintance or medical professional at the time of the event or kept secret until the time of reporting to authorities (e.g., Pica et al., 2020a). In the current study, mock jurors’ perceptions of credibility and guilt, as well as the amount of compensation awarded to the plaintiff, will be assessed in response to testimony depicting …

The Kaleidoscope Effect: A Solution Focused Approach To Hazing Prevention A Mixed Methods Study, Akeya Shonte Simeon

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This dissertation examined the complexities surrounding hazing behaviors within the Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Panhellenic Association (PHA) student populations, as well as the perspectives of college administrators. Harmful health behaviors, such as hazing, sexual violence, and substance misuse, continue to plague these organizations, impacting over 750,000 undergraduate students across more than 770 campuses in the United States. The research employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, starting with an analysis of IFC and PHA responses from the What Works for Fraternity and Sorority Safety and Success survey, focusing on five institutions: Baylor, James Madison, Louisiana State, Penn State, and Washington State …

Overturning Race-Conscious Admissions: Analyzing The History Of Higher Education Affirmative Acton Legal Discourse And Preserving Whiteness, Hiba A. Qari

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Although researchers have investigated Affirmative Action, few have attempted to understand and explain the language mechanisms shaping public opinion and policy. The purpose of this study was to explore the historical context of higher education Affirmative Action legal discourse. This study employed Critical Discourse Analysis and Critical Race Theory to analyze how language and race, as social constructs, maintain White dominance in law and higher education. The thematic concepts included power, White normativity, and diversity rhetoric. This project explored the historical evolution of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions on Affirmative Action policy in higher education. The study also investigated the …

The Relationship Between Metacognition, Study Strategies, And Students’ Performances In General Chemistry And Organic Chemistry Courses, Nghiem Uy Tieu

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Many students find General Chemistry challenging, and studies have shown a link between students’ grades in chemistry and a decrease in interest in STEM fields. Similarly, Organic Chemistry has also been typically identified as a difficult course for many undergraduate students and has a notoriously high failure rate. Numerous studies have explored various methods to enhance students’ performance and experience in both General Chemistry and Organic Chemistry, but there hasn’t been much focus on students’ study strategies. In addition, metacognition, the skill of thinking about one’s thinking, had been proven in studies as a vital role in enhancing students’ achievements. …

From Trails To Triumph: Documenting Two Decades Of Impact With Adventure Wv, Sean Lowdermilk

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

This research paper and accompanying short film (https://youtu.be/gTnXbvkX0MA) examines the impact of experiential learning through the lens of Adventure WV, an outdoor orientation program at West Virginia University. Using Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory as a foundation for the research, this study explores how outdoor and expeditionary learning fosters personal and professional growth, builds a community, and deepens students' connection to the state and the institution. Through interviews with the program's founder, as well as current students and administration paired with archival footage and modern video, the research highlights Adventure WV's role in student retention, professional development, and student …

A Multimodal Physical Fatigue Assessment Method Using A Biomarker And Accelerometer-Embedded Wearable Wristband, Md Hadisur Rahman

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Physically demanding tasks pose significant challenges to worker health, safety, and productivity across various industrial sectors in the United States. The construction industry is particularly affected due to the labor-intensive nature of its tasks and harsh environmental conditions. The industry suffers from unsatisfactory occupational health and safety records, with physical fatigue being a major contributor. Physical fatigue not only affects individual well-being and workplace safety but also influences productivity and the United States’ economy. Given the high incidence of injuries and accidents in the construction industry, assessing physical fatigue has become critical for improving worker safety and productivity. To address …

Effect Of Specific Data Variations On Automated Speaker Recognition, Ethan David Meighen

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Speaker recognition is not a new biometric modality but there are still many obstacles in the way in order for it to become as used as fingerprint recognition, facial recognition, and iris recognition. Many real-world environmental conditions, hardware device variations, and human behavior present serious challenges to the use of opportunistic voice or speaker samples for identification purposes. Non-idealities, identified as nuisance factors, include environmental noise, input device quality, length of utterance, sample rate variation, and unscripted data are common nuisance factors that can impact speaker recognition match score performance. The impact of the nuisance factors listed above were evaluated …

Political Scandals And The Print Media: A Content Analysis Of The Press Coverage Of The Access Hollywood Scandal, Biju Thiruthanathy Devassy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Sex scandals have been a significant focus over the years in both academic research and media coverage. The Access Hollywood scandal of 2005 was not going to be an exception. Yet, it remains to be seen how the print media have reported these scandals related to high-profile politicians. In this study, the researcher investigates how the print media responded to the scandal in terms of amplifying or countering the narratives in the political discourse. To do so, 83 articles were reviewed during the first two weeks of the Access Hollywood scandal following the previous work of Larson (2016). Framing theory …

Symptoms Of Anxiety, Trauma, Depression, And Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders In A Subsequent Pregnancy Following A Previous Pregnancy Loss, Juliana Lynn Restivo Haney

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Pregnancy loss is a common and intense personal event that has been found to be a risk factor for increased symptoms of mood, trauma, obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders in subsequent pregnancies. Using a self-report online survey, the current study hypothesizes that levels of anxiety, trauma, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms will be higher in pregnant individuals who had a pregnancy loss in their most recent previous pregnancy (n= 61) when compared to pregnant individuals whose most recent previous pregnancy resulted in a live birth (n= 62). Participants responded to an online questionnaire asking about reproductive and mental health history, symptoms of perinatal …

Seeing Red: Hostile Attribution Bias, Aggression, And Antisocial Personality Disorder Traits, Kaley Potter

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) is a destructive and severe mental illness that costs the U.S. trillions of dollars annually. Although ASPD is significantly correlated with acts of aggression, violence, and imprisonment, not all individuals with ASPD are aggressive. In samples without ASPD, increased aggression has been linked to an error in social information processing, which is referred to as hostile attribution bias (HAB).

The current study tested the extent to which HABs, or the tendency to attribute hostility to neutral or ambiguous stimuli, predicted aggression above and beyond ASPD traits in participants with a history of incarceration. Participants (N = …

Self-Efficacy And Parental Miscarried Helping In Adherence And Transition Readiness Among Adolescents And Young Adults With Epilepsy, Kirby-Estar G. Laguerre

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Given the complex regimen associated with epilepsy, ensuring that adolescents and young adults (AYAs) adhere to their medications, and are ready to transition from pediatric to adult care, is crucial to optimizing their health outcomes. Several social and ecological factors such as self-efficacy and parental miscarried helping can strengthen or weaken an adolescent’s medication adherence and readiness to shift from pediatric to adult care. Intending to contribute to informing and improving clinical care, this study sought to understand the relationships between self-efficacy, parental miscarried helping, medication adherence, and transition readiness. Methods: Using a cross-sectional observational design, 46 AYAs with …

Front Matter, Michigan Law Review

Michigan Law Review

Front Matter for Volume 122, Issue 6 of Michigan Law Review

Of Might And Men, Leah M. Litman, Melissa Murray, Katherine Shaw

Michigan Law Review

A review of Manhood: The Masculine Virtues America Needs By Josh Hawley.

Scrutinizing The Bathroom Binary: Equal Protection Theories For Nonbinary Students, Annie Schuver

Michigan Law Review

Over the past decade, transgender students have challenged discriminatory school bathroom policies under the Equal Protection Clause with varying success. But another group of students, facing similar discrimination, has yet to see its day in court. Like their transgender peers, nonbinary students often lack access to gender-appropriate restrooms at school. Many K–12 schools offer only “boys” and “girls” restrooms, ignoring the needs of students who identify as neither boys nor girls, as both of those genders, or as something else entirely. Forced to use sex-segregated bathrooms (or no bathroom at all), nonbinary students suffer adverse health, safety, and educational outcomes. …