Digital Commons Network^™

Nursing Across Cultures: Challenges And Opportunities In Caring For Kenya's Indigenous Communities, Sylvia Waweru-Smith

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Purpose: This study aimed to assess nursing students' CC in cultural awareness, knowledge, sensitivity, skills, encounters, and desire. It also explored nursing students' views on caring for culturally diverse patients and how these views relate to CC.

Design: A convergent mixed methods design addressed the following research questions:

1. What are the levels of CC in nursing students in Kenya?
2. What demographic and cultural characteristics impact students' CC levels?
3. What are nursing students' views on caring for diverse patients?
4. How do these views compare to or explain the students' CC levels?

Methods: A convenience sample of 190 …

Cardiovascular Awareness, Risk Factors Awareness, And Select Risk Reduction Interventions, Kimberly Ann Henderson

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death globally. African American (AA) females experience a disproportionately higher burden of CVD risk factors compared to other racial and gender-ethnic groups. This disparity in CVD risk is particularly pronounced among premenopausal and middle-aged AA females. While CVD is primarily preventable, addressing social determinants of health (SDOH) and achieving equitable health requires a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing CVD risk and health behaviors.

This descriptive correlational study employed a secondary data analysis using the 2020 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) dataset to examine the relationships among CVD awareness, modifiable risk factor …

Shu World Review- December 8th 2025, Diplolab

SHU World Review

No abstract provided.

Artem-Is For Erp: Agreed Reporting Template For Eeg Methodology-International Standard For Event-Related Potential Experiments, Giorgio Ganis

School of Psychology

The choices we make during the recording, preprocessing and analysis of event-related potentials (ERP) data can affect study outcomes. As such, it is critical that they are transparently reported to allow for reproducibility. Yet, systematic reviews of reporting practices in the field have shown that journal articles often do not meet this goal and that existing reporting guidelines have not resulted in a sufficient improvement in reporting transparency. An easier workflow for transparently documenting pipelines used in regular journal articles is needed. The ARTEM-IS (Agreed Reporting Template for EEG Methodology—International Standard) initiative is working towards addressing this issue by building …

Board Of Directors Meeting Minutes (December 8, 2025), Dmacc

Board of Directors Meeting Minutes

This file contains the minutes from the Des Moines Area Community College Board meeting held on December 8, 2025.

Ecological Drivers Of Habitat Selection And Maternal Survival In Female Mule Deer (Odocoileus Hemionus), Brady R. Knight

Theses and Dissertations

Understanding the ecological and biological factors that influence habitat selection by mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) is crucial for effective management. Mule deer select cover, forage, and water, each critical to energy acquisition and survival of mule deer. Here, we evaluate the factors that influence habitat selection and reproductive decisions by mule deer . In chapter one we evaluate the influence of treatments to restore quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) on habitat selection by mule deer. We hypothesized that mule deer would not use habitats randomly because of variability in nutrition and perceived risk of predation. We predicted that areas with aspen …

Procurement Without Priors: A Simple Mechanism And Its Notable Performance, Dirk Bergemann, Tibor Heumann, Stephen Morris

Cowles Foundation Discussion Papers

How should a buyer design procurement mechanisms when suppliers’ costs are unknown, and the buyer does not have a prior belief? We demonstrate that notably simple mechanisms—those that share a constant fraction of the buyer utility with the seller—allow the buyer to realize a guaranteed positive fraction of the efficient social surplus across all possible costs. Moreover, a judicious choice of the share based on the known demand maximizes the surplus ratio guarantee that can be attained across all possible (arbitrarily complex and nonlinear) mechanisms and cost functions. Results apply to related nonlinear pricing and optimal regulation problems.

Ndls Communicator: Week Of 12.08.25, Notre Dame Law School

NDLS Communicator

The Latest News

• Justice Barrett, Judge St. Eve, and Judge Davis preside over final round of second annual Justice Amy Coney Barrett Moot Court Tournament
• ND Law's Global Human Rights Clinic advocates for clients at the United Nations Headquarters and advances key partnerships in New York City
• Notre Dame J.S.D. candidates present at the 2025 J.S.D. Symposium hosted by the Washington University School of Law
• Global connections: Welcoming exchange students to Notre Dame Law School

Alumni News

• Double Domer and IP attorney Shannon Mastick '13, '16 J.D. appears on Jeopardy!

Faculty Briefs

• Paolo Carozza
• Mary Ellen O'Connell
• Rick Garnett
• Nicole …

Staff Education On Burnout For Mental Healthcare Staff Mitigation Strategies For Psychiatric Outpatient Staff, Kadine Foreman-Westly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this project is to determine whether implementing a staff education program in a psychiatric clinical setting can improve healthcare staff knowledge of strategies to prevent burnout. The project addresses a critical practice problem: a lack of structured education programs specifically targeting burnout recognition and management among mental healthcare staff. Burnout not only negatively impacts staff well-being but also affects patient safety and the overall quality of care. This project was designed to fill this gap by providing an educational intervention, with effectiveness measured through pre- and post-intervention surveys assessing staff knowledge. This staff education project was strengthened …

Counselors’ Experience Of Vicarious Trauma Symptoms During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Aleah B. Curley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As caseloads increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, counselors experienced a shift to telehealth counseling and double exposure to trauma and pandemic elements. Some counselors experienced symptoms of vicarious trauma (VT). A gap in the literature existed regarding the interaction of the pandemic among clients and counselors’ experiences of VT symptoms. The purpose of this narrative inquiry was to explore the lessons learned by capturing the stories of counselors who experienced VT symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research question concerned the retrospective experiences of counselors who self-reported experiencing VT symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Seven licensed professional counselors who experienced …

Engagement Strategies To Increase Employee Retention And Productivity Within The Accommodation Industry, Lathoya Felding

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A lack of effective employee engagement strategies in the accommodations industry can undermine retention and productivity, imposing costs on organizations and harming morale. Grounded in Kahn’s employee engagement theory, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore the effective employee engagement strategies that accommodations leaders use to increase employee retention and productivity. Participants were six leaders of accommodation industry organizations in the southern United States. Data were collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis. Five key themes were revealed: (a) implementing employee recognition programs, (b) providing career development and training …

Optimizing Global Micropayments Through Bitcoin’S On-Chain Architecture For Enhanced Scalability And Economic Efficiency, Craig Steven Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

High fees and structural limitations in traditional payment systems prevent the viable use of global micropayments, creating barriers to innovation and restricting financial participation for individuals and organisations reliant on low-value digital transactions; stakeholders in digital commerce, financial-technology development, and payment-infrastructure organisations care about this problem because percentage-based fees render transactions under $5 economically unviable and suppress usage-based business models. Grounded in transaction cost economics, the purpose of this quantitative causal-comparative study was to examine differences in effective fee percentage and absolute fee in USD across five payment providers using 55,000 archival transactions dated May 2025 (11,000 each from PayPal, …

Amended 7th Amended Joint Plan

Catholic Dioceses in Bankruptcy

No abstract provided.

A Rare Case Of Severe Disseminated Pyoderma Gangrenosum Of The Upper Body With Concurrent Nasopharyngeal And Inferior Orbital Wall Necrosis, Robert M. Branstetter, Isabel E. Baird, Mohammed S. Rais, Danielle N. Ledet, Megan N. Terrebonne

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a rare neutrophilic dermatosis usually linked to autoimmune or inflammatory bowel disease and typically affects the lower extremities. This case is notable for extensive upper-body, oropharyngeal, and nasal involvement in a patient without an underlying autoimmune disorder. A 56-year-old man with chronic cocaine use and stage IV renal cell carcinoma presented with rapidly progressive ulcerations of the face, neck, shoulders, and back, along with nasal septal collapse and oropharyngeal destruction. Prior biopsy demonstrated sterile neutrophilic inflammation without vasculitis, infection, or malignant infiltration, supporting PG as a diagnosis of exclusion. Imaging showed erosive sinonasal disease. He was …

Standardizing Syphilis Screening In Tennessee Correctional Facilities: A Policy Analysis, Erin Dernlan

DNP Projects

Background and Rationale

Congenital syphilis in Tennessee rose 227% from 2017-2021, despite being more than 90% preventable with timely diagnosis and treatment. Women of childbearing age entering correctional facilities represent a key intervention population due to disproportionally high rates of sexually transmitted infections, limited or absent prenatal care, and significant unmet health needs. Tennessee’s female incarceration rate is 57% higher than the national average, and nearly one-third of women tested at intake are positive for syphilis. Current intake practices rely heavily on self-report, assumed adequate health literacy, and lack standardized STI screening requirements, contributing to missed diagnoses and preventable infant …

Artificial Intelligence In Insurance Fraud Detection: Applications And Implications For Internal Audit, Maria Davis

Honors Projects

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used in accounting and the insurance industry to assist with auditing and fraud detection. The Big Four public accounting firms have invested heavily in AI implementation efforts. Across these firms, AI has been used to reallocate auditors’ time from mundane tasks to more complex tasks that require human judgement. Within the insurance industry, machine learning, deep learning, and natural language processing, among other AI tools, have proven helpful in fraud detection efforts. While the positive impacts of AI usage are clear, concerns surrounding the replacement of human jobs, a lack of transparency in auditing, heavy …

Primary And Secondary Hyperaldosteronism, Joanna Lam

Senior Honors Theses

Hyperaldosteronism is characterized by the excess production of aldosterone in the body. This disorder manifests in two subtypes: while primary hyperaldosteronism is due to the excess secretion of aldosterone from the adrenal glands, secondary hyperaldosteronism originates from imbalances elsewhere in the body. Here, recent literature will be reviewed to examine the etiology and effects of both subtypes of hyperaldosteronism across molecular, cellular, and organ levels. Current diagnostic and treatment options for both subtypes of this disorder will also be reviewed, as well as recent research examining the prevalence of hyperaldosteronism over varying demographics.

Sustainable Classrooms: Leadership In Supporting Well-Being And Education In A ‘Last Mile’ School, Jenneth B. Doria

Biennial Convention (CONV)

This is a nurse-led intervention project in a ‘Last Mile’ elementary school in a geographically isolated and impoverished area in the foothills of a 6th class municipality in the Philippines. Majority of learners are indigenous children whose need for comfortable and heat-resilient classrooms in resource-deficient community is critical to reduce chronic health and educational disparities.

The Philippines’ nationwide classroom shortage is compounded by poorly built facilities that inadequately shelter learners from extreme heat and its associated health risks, and frequent storms. The high heat indexes ranging from 100-110 degrees F made teachers and learners vulnerable to severe discomfort, dehydration, and …

Empowering Nurses As Change Agents For Climate Action: A Global Advocacy Action Plan, Ongelique Conflenti

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: The World Health Organization has identified climate change as the single biggest threat to human health¹. Healthcare systems will inevitably struggle to meet the increasing demand of a sicker population as climate hazards increase in frequency and intensity (e.g. extreme heat, air pollution, extreme weather events)². The healthcare sector itself, however, is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, exacerbating the burden of disease on the patients and communities it serves³. Radical transformation of the healthcare sector and its workforce is urgently needed to create climate-resilient health systems that align with the …

Perceived Long-Term Benefits Of An Intervention To Improve Health Equity Of Minority Grandparents, Patricia R. Lawrence, Jessica Marcus, Tonya Stoudmire, Regena Spratling

Biennial Convention (CONV)

In the United States, grandparents raise 2.6 million children in parent-absent homes (Generations United, 2022). Grandparents serving as surrogate parents for their grandchildren can take a toll on grandparents’ lives, physically and emotionally (Whitley & Fuller-Thompson, 2017). These research findings have underscored the need for effective interventions to enhance the health of custodial grandparents. One particular intervention program was designed to improve the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of minority grandparents raising their grandchildren, and subsequent studies demonstrated this program’s effectiveness in improving grandparent health. However, what is not known are the effects over time of this intervention on the …

Elephant In The Classroom: How Ethical Ai Can Improve Student Success, Ibrahim Kocaman, Daniel A. Cutrer

Publications

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into teaching and learning in higher education without compromising academic integrity is a pressing issue. To make the benefits of generative AI (GenAI) available to students while upholding principles of ethics and academic honesty, the authors implemented an ethical use of AI policy in their Introduction to Research Methods at Embry-Riddle University. The authors hypothesized and found that allowing ethical utilization of AI would lead to higher student engagement and academic success. These findings offer valuable insights for higher education programs and educators, particularly in security studies.

Mitochondrial Insoluble Aggregates In Aging And Alzheimer’S Disease Models: Cross-Species Proteomic Integration, Identification Of Conserved Candidates, And Pharmacological Disruption Of Eef-2 Interactions, Sonu Pahal

Theses and Dissertations

Protein aggregation within mitochondria emerges early in both aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and contributes to progressive loss of proteostasis. Insoluble mitochondrial aggregate fractions from Caenorhabditis elegans revealed extensive enrichment of metabolic and translational proteins that also appear in human Alzheimer hippocampal aggregates. Comparative analysis across age and genotype identified a conserved subset of aggregation-prone proteins, several of which cluster around elongation factor 2 (eEF-2), a regulator of ribosomal translocation and energy coupling. Cross-species integration defined a network in which eEF-2 links chaperones, metabolic enzymes, and RNA-binding proteins that co-aggregate in both human Alzheimer material and nematode models. Functional tests …

Reflecting On Tobacco And Alcohol Use Impact On Mental Health In Lung Cancer Patient-Caregiver Dyads, Bassema Abufarsakh, Chizimuzo T. C. Okoli

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Lung cancer (LC), a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, imposes significant burdens not only on patients but also on their caregivers,^1,2,3,4 creating a unique dynamic within patient-caregiver (LC-PG) dyads. Tobacco and alcohol use, which are associated with both the development and exacerbation of anxiety and depressive symptoms, present critical individual-level factors that require further investigation, particularly given the potential for reverse causality.^5,6,7

The purpose of this study was to determine the concordance and predictive association between alcohol and tobacco use and anxiety and depressive symptoms among LC-SC dyads using the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM).

Method: LC …

Rewriting The Narrative: Empowering Healthcare Workers Through Storytelling And Posttraumatic Growth, Jeannine Acantilado, Emily Calabro, Hollybeth Hill, Julie Wild Rose

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Recognizing the impact of trauma on healthcare professionals, the Echoes of Nursing storytelling initiative fosters a culture of healing and resilience within the workplace. By providing a safe space for self-expression and narrative medicine techniques, this program empowers individuals to process challenging experiences and rediscover purpose in their work.

Methods: This mixed-methods pilot study, implemented across a 12-hospital system, utilized journaling workshops, story drafting, and coaching to facilitate self-expression and exploration. Coaches employed narrative medicine techniques like externalizing the problem, mapping, and re-authoring to empower individuals. Outcomes were measured using the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (PTGI). Over two years, three …

Improving Skin Cancer Knowledge And Screening Among Older Chinese Americans Males, Yan Wang, Anne Derouin, Barbara Turner, Hanzhang Xu

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the U.S. with more than 5 million cases diagnosed annually. It is estimated that about 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer by the age of 70, a prevalence that has been increasing annually (Adams et al., 2021; Aggarwal et al., 2021; Dildar et al., 2021; Trager et al., 2022). As reported by the ACS, men are more likely to develop melanoma compared to women. At the age of 80, men are three times more likely to develop melanoma than women, nearly double the number of male deaths due to the …

A Mobile Medical Unit Program To Improve Access To Care For Veterans Experiencing Homelessness, Jillian Weber, Rebecca Kinney

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Veterans experiencing homelessness often have unmet medical needs and experience barriers to accessing and/or engaging in traditional clinic-based care.^1,2 The Veterans Affairs (VA) Homeless Patient Aligned Care Team (HPACT) model provides primary care, mental health, housing services, case management, and key wrap-around services in a multi-disciplinary, population-tailored approach that is designed to address these unique needs and distinct challenges homeless veterans face. Combing these elements with a mobile medical unit (MMU) provides the HPACT team with the necessary infrastructure to provide care in community-based settings in a safe and confidential space with medical supplies and equipment readily available. …

Bridging The Gap: A Scoping Review Of Simulation Use In Np Programs With Inacsl Standards And Cbe, Alanna Elizabeth Kavanaugh, Stephanie Bork, Carla Nye

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Simulation-based education (SBE) has become an integral component of nursing education, particularly in Nurse Practitioner (NP) programs, where it is increasingly used to bridge the gap between classroom learning and clinical practice. This scoping review examines the implementation of simulation in NP programs, with a focus on its alignment with International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) standards and the principles of competency-based education (CBE). The review aims to explore the current evidence, identify best practices, and highlight gaps in research regarding the integration of simulation to enhance NP competencies.

A systematic search was conducted across multiple databases, …

Health Management Self-Efficacy, Stephanie Yvette Store

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Minority populations, such as Black adults of non-Latinx descent, are more likely to develop chronic diseases and complications related to disease severity when compared to non-Latinx Whites (NLW). Furthermore, Black adults of non-Latinx descent people are less likely to engage in and maintain health-promoting behaviors (HPB) to prevent disease development. HPB are effective in preventing or delaying chronic disease. This research explores the relative impact of aspects of health, built environment, and key demographic domains on the health management self-efficacy (HMSE) of a national sample of Black adults.

Methods: Hierarchical regression modeling was performed utilizing data from the 2018 National …

Developing Nurse Scholars: An Innovative Strategy To Introduce Ebp Competencies In A Dnp Program, Karen J. Whitt, Karen Kesten

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) nurse scholars represent professionals prepared with evidence-based practice (EBP) competencies that are essential to respond to challenges and address opportunities to transform healthcare. However, evidence suggests there is a need to improve EBP skills among practicing nurses (Melnyk, et al., 2021). Innovative ways are needed to integrate EBP content in curriculum to optimize DNP students’ attainment of these competencies.

Purpose: This longitudinal study evaluates how implementing an innovative competency-based education (CBE) approach to incrementally introduce learning opportunities in courses offered throughout a DNP program demonstrates students’ progress towards achieving EBP competencies.

Methods: Four courses …

Turning Setbacks Into Strength: Developing The Emerging Concept Of Reclaiming Power, Nadine Cesaire

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Reclaiming power represents a transformative journey where individuals restore autonomy, resilience, and intentional participation in life. This concept emphasizes a shift from disconnection and diminished engagement to active involvement in personal growth and change. It redefines setbacks as opportunities for self-discovery, fostering openness to life’s unpredictability and challenges.

Substance Use Disorder (SUD) affects 14.5% of individuals aged 12 and older in the United States, equating to 48.7 million people (SAMHSA, 2023). This chronic condition, characterized by compulsive substance use, often leads to cycles of recovery and relapse. Overdose deaths rose by 50.9% between 2019 and 2022 (CDC, 2023), with relapse …