Digital Commons Network^™

Improving Pcu Nurses’ Knowledge Of Evidence-Based Mindfulness Techniques Through Targeted Education, Dairia Moore Mohammed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The progressive care unit (PCU) is a high-acuity setting in which nurses manage patients with complex health conditions, respond to rapid changes in clinical status, and navigate ongoing physical and emotional demands. The practice problem that I addressed was, presently, stress-management support is typically informal, optional, and reactive rather than systematic, evidence-based, and preventive. The purpose of this project was to implement and evaluate a structured educational intervention designed to increase nurses’ knowledge of evidence-based mindfulness breathing techniques that could be integrated into the daily PCU workflow. The practice-focused question was: In PCU nurses in an acute care setting, how …

Reducing Urinary Tract Infections In Long-Term Care Residents, Felicity Antwi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This quality improvement (QI) project addressed delays in diagnosing urinary tract infections (UTIs) at a skilled nursing facility (SNF), where reliance on urine culture testing and patient monitoring resulted in an average diagnostic period of 72 hours. A high UTI incidence and UTI-involved hospitalization rate are both nurse-sensitive indicators that are important to address in the nursing practice context because they portend negatively for nursing quality and safety. This quality improvement (QI) project addressed the practice-focused question: among long term care (LTC) residents with suspected UTIs in a nursing home (NH), how does reducing the diagnostic period from 72 hours …

Predictors Of Adverse Events After Emergency Transfers In Long-Term Care: A Secondary Analysis, Yu-Chi Chen, Yi-Ru Liao

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Long-term care residents worldwide frequently require emergency medical care due to multimorbidity, frailty, and functional impairment. After returning to long-term care facilities, many experience rapid health changes, leading to preventable adverse events, reduced care quality, and safety concerns. Identifying predictors of such events is essential to inform risk stratification and proactive nursing surveillance in long-term care settings. This study aimed to examine predictors of adverse events after emergency transfers, using Taiwan as a population-level case context.

A secondary data analysis was conducted using medical records from 19 long-term care facilities in northern Taiwan between October 2022 and September 2023. A …

Preventing The Next Tragedy: Applying Root Cause Analysis (Rca) In A Military Suicide Event, Li-Ling Lin, Kai-Wen Li, Yun-Shih Lin

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

This study examines a near-miss suicide by a high-risk military patient in an acute psychiatric ward. Using Root Cause Analysis (RCA), latent errors in system design and communication were identified, guiding strategies to enhance patient safety and care quality.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to implement RCA in a military suicide event and improve the process of care in an acute psychiatric ward.

Methods: The RCA process involves identifying the problem, establishing a timeline, identifying the causes, creating a cause-and-effect diagram, and implementing strategies. We conducted personnel interviews and on-site walk to understand the operations and environment, reconstructing …

Gloves On Or Off? A Critical Ethnographic Study Exploring Non-Sterile Glove Use In Hospital Settings, Navisha Weerasinghe, Fiona A. Miller, Lisa Cranley, Quinn Grundy

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Globally, the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a surge in the production and use of plastic single-use medical products, particularly single-use gowns, masks, and gloves. The proliferation of single-use medical products in care work highlights significant tensions between safety, cost, infection prevention and control (IPAC), and environmental concerns. Nurses are critical stakeholders in driving environmental sustainability within health systems as they are uniquely positioned at the intersection of patient care, supply utilization, IPAC, and waste generation. In recent years, ‘gloves-off’ campaigns have been introduced at some hospitals globally and in Ontario to attend to the environmental harms associated with unnecessary glove use. …

Lymphatic Massage For Reducing Upper-Limb Edema In Icu Patients: A Quality Improvement Project, Ying-Fang Huang, Tzu-Ting Huang

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: Upper-limb edema commonly occurs among critically ill patients due to immobility, inflammation, and fluid overload, leading to discomfort, impaired mobility, and higher pressure injury risk. Based on lymphatic physiology and prior evidence, this quality improvement (QI) project aimed to reduce edema severity through a structured nurse-led lymphatic massage intervention in the medical intensive care unit (MICU) of a northern Taiwan medical center.

Methods: This QI project was conducted from March to May 2025 using the Plan–Do–Check–Act framework. Baseline audit showed that 75% of patients had moderate to severe edema (≥ +2). Twenty adult patients were enrolled—10 in the intervention …

Impact Of Electronic Health Records On Nursing In Low-And Middle-Income Countries: A Scoping Review, Wahab Osman, Kimberley Widger, Alexandra Harris, Vida N. Yakong, Charlene Chu, Stephanie Asah-Ofori

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Electronic health records (EHR) are increasingly being implemented in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), a significant shift from paper-based documentation, with goals to enhance clinical decision-making (1-5). However, implementation challenges such as lack of technical skills, funding constraints, and equipment issues exist (2-4). Furthermore, there is a lack of research focused on the impact of EHR implementation on nurses in LMIC, despite the critical role of nursing documentation on care decisions and planning (1-5).

Aims: To map evidence and identify research gaps from primary studies on the impact of electronic health records on nursing care in LMIC from 2015 …

Characterizing Stigma In Congenital Heart Disease: A Scoping Review, Tieghan Killackey, Valerie Tan, Mark Sochaniwskyj, Maryjo Antonio, Mohit Prashar, Ashley Farrell

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common congenital malformation in Canada with a prevalence of 1.3%. (1) While medical advancements have improved survival rates, individuals with CHD have reported experiencing social exclusion, isolation, discrimination and bullying due to their condition, which impacts their social, professional, and emotional well-being.(2,3) This type of stigmatization can impact mental health, treatment adherence, and quality of life in patients (4); however limited research has focused on the experience of stigma in patients with CHD.

The purpose of the scoping review is to synthesize evidence on the various manifestations of stigma in the lives of …

Male Partners' Experiences During Their Spouses' Menopausal Transition, Veronica Adwoa Agyare, Martha Yawa Benti, Martha Atiemo

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Menopause involves a range of physical, emotional, behavioural and physiological changes that may affect the quality of life of women and their partners. Usually, men endure in silence and seem invisible. Evidence shows a dearth of literature on men’s perspectives regarding their spouses’ menopause in Sub-Saharan Africa (Zhang et al., 2020; Matina et al., 2025). The study explored Ghanaian men’s experiences during their spouses menopausal transition.

Method: The study utilised an exploratory, descriptive qualitative approach to understand the phenomenon. Thirteen men living with wives experiencing menopause involved in the study based on information power. Interviews were conducted face-to-face and …

Predictors Of Choking In People With Schizophrenia In A Psychiatric Hospital: A Case-Control Study, Ying-Jyun Tsung, Chiu-Yueh Yang

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: Choking risks include advanced age, swallowing disorders, poor dental health, rapid eating, and large bites, especially in older adults and those with intellectual disabilities. Protective factors are adequate chewing and slower eating. More research is needed on psychiatric inpatients, especially those with schizophrenia.

Purpose: This study aimed to identify factors related to choking in psychiatric inpatients with schizophrenia.

Methods: A total of 250 participants were recruited from a psychiatric institution in Northern Taiwan. The case group comprised 50 high choking-risk participants, identified by a history of choking and a Choking Risk Assessment (CRA) score above 20 or a “Yes” …

Identification Of Positive Deviance In Forensic Nursing Practice, Jodie C. Gary, Laurie Charles, Jaeda Onyemobi

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Violence is a sustained global public health issue.¹ Forensic nurses (FNs) receive specialized education to apply nursing knowledge and skills within the intersection of the healthcare and legal systems, focusing on people who experience or perpetrate violence, trauma, abuse, and maltreatment.² Positive Deviance (PD) in nursing is intentional and honorable behavior that departs or differs from an established norm and contains elements of innovation, creativity, and/or adaptability; it also involves risk.³ These nurses practice differently and more effectively to provide patient-centered care.⁴ Although professional standards guide care and lay the groundwork for best practices, they are …

Socioeconomic Indicators And Terrorist Incidents In Sub-Saharan Africa: An Empirical Panel Analysis, 1970 – 2020, Ifeoma Okoye, Suhaad Awudu, Kaeviya Butler

African Journal of Criminology and Justice Studies

Terrorism remains a major security and development challenge in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), yet the influence of socioeconomic conditions on terrorist activity remains unclear. This study examined the relationships between poverty, unemployment, GDP per capita, and terrorist incidents across 45 Sub-Saharan African countries using a quantitative explanatory design and secondary panel data from the Global Terrorism Database (GTD) and the World Bank's World Development Indicators (WDI). Terrorism trends were analyzed for 1970–2020, while inferential analyses focused on 2000–2020 because of greater socioeconomic data availability. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and negative binomial regression analyses were conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics. Pearson correlation …

Young-Onset Stroke In The Uae: A Single-Centre Retrospective Analysis Of Risk Factors And Outcomes, Sobia Siddiq, Saryia Adra, Kamel A. Samara, Batool Aldaher, Mohamad Emad Aldeen Mahfouz, Nour Sakan, Fathima Musfira, Roomiyah Riyaz Assadi, Ahlam Mohamed Almarzooqi, Hiba Jawdat Barqawi, Eman Abu-Gharbieh

Abington Jefferson Health Papers

BACKGROUND: Young-onset stroke represents a growing public health concern, yet data from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remain limited. This study aimed to examine the risk factors and clinical outcomes associated with young-onset stroke in the UAE.

METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted on 419 patients aged below 50 years who were admitted at Al Qassimi Hospital, Sharjah, UAE, with a diagnosis of stroke between 2016 and 2022. Data on demographics, comorbidities, stroke subtype, management, and outcomes were collected and analyzed using Python-based statistical libraries.

RESULTS: The study population comprised predominantly of male individuals (78.28%), with most patients originating …

Skeletal Muscle Regeneration: Electrospun Nanofiber Matrix For Delivery Of Novel Myogenic Agents, Priyanka Anand Mirji, Athreya Reddy, Sai Sadhanath, Allen Zennifer, Suranji Wijekoon, Sama Abdulmalik, Sangamesh Gurappa Kumbar

Posters: 2026 Summer Undergraduate Research Program

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) remains a major clinical challenge because skeletal muscle possesses limited regenerative capacity following severe injury, and there are currently no clinically approved biological agents capable of restoring functional muscle tissue. Therefore, the development of alternative regenerative strategies that locally stimulate endogenous repair mechanisms is of significant interest. In this preliminary study, we investigated electrospun PCL/cellulose acetate nanofiber scaffolds as localized delivery platforms for two novel small molecules, SK5 and SK4, which are hypothesized to enhance skeletal muscle regeneration through electrochemical signaling and activation of the Wnt signaling pathway. C2C12 myoblasts were cultured on the nanofiber scaffolds, …

Strings Attached: Science Regulation By Science Funders, Nicholson W. Price Ii

Reviews

Who regulates the physical and informational risks of scientific research? Who makes sure that researchers keep intensely personal data secret, or lock their dangerous chemicals away safely, or don't haphazardly create superviruses that could kill us all? You could be forgiven for assuming it was, well, a regulator—OSHA or the CDC or some similar entity that can promulgate binding rules and enforce them. But as Doni Bloomfield shows in the fascinating How Science Grantmakers Govern, you’d be (mostly) wrong. Instead, a key substantive and procedural regulator of the risky business of scientific research is, in fact, the funder of that …

China Maritime Report #57: Sailing Thousands Of Miles Without Losing Course: The Roles And Authorities Of The Plan Party Standing Committee, Jeffrey Becker, Brian Waidelich

CMSI China Maritime Reports

Main Findings:

• The Navy Party Standing Committee (NPSC) is the Chinese Navy’s core leadership body, but it does not operate independently; it functions within the broader Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and PRC military hierarchy.
• Politically, the NPSC ensures that China’s Navy remains loyal to the CCP with Xi Jinping at its core. Administratively, it ultimately directs personnel, training, procurement, logistics, fiscal management, readiness, and modernization.
• Military reforms have preserved the NPSC’s authoritative role within the Navy, and today’s members have gained more diverse operational experience earlier in their careers than their predecessors. 
• At the same time, members’ shorter average tenures …

Sleep Quality Trajectories In Mothers And Fathers During The Postpartum Period, Shu-Yu Kuo, Hsin-Yi Lai

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Purpose: Sleep disturbance is a common experience among families during the postpartum period and can impair parental adjustment and infant care. Few studies have examined sleep quality over time within a family dyad. This study aimed to investigate the sleep trajectories of mothers and fathers from the early postpartum period to three months postpartum

Methods: We conducted a prospective follow-up of mother-father dyads at 1 week, 1 month, and 3 months postpartum. Inclusion criteria were age ≥18 years and a singleton, full-term pregnancy; parents or infants with high-risk complications were excluded. Demographic and health information were collected using a structured …

Lessons Learned For The Independent Panel For Evidence For Action Against Amr From Previous International Science Panels: Stakeholder Views From The 2025 Lagos Workshop, Iruka N. Okeke, Anthony Mcdonnell, Ayodele A. Akinyele, Javier Guzman, Kevin Outterson

Faculty Scholarship

In September, 2024, the UN General Assembly assigned the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) the task of establishing an Independent Panel for Evidence for Action against AMR (IPEA). To promote stakeholder views and input around the constitution and functioning of this Panel, which could feed into the Quadripartite Joint Secretariat’s consultation process, we independently commissioned seven papers to examine the lessons that could be learned from other high-level scientific panels. We then convened 85 stakeholders, primed with the background papers. The Workshop, held in Lagos, Nigeria in April, 2025, drew representation from around the world, particularly low-income or …

Strategies Human Resource Leaders Use To Implement Holistic Wellness Programs To Reduce Absenteeism And Increase Profitability, Diane Hardy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Human resources (HR) leaders struggle to reduce employee absenteeism and increase organizational profitability due to a lack of effective strategies for implementing holistic wellness programs. Identifying effective strategies for implementing holistic wellness programs is essential for helping HR leaders address absenteeism and strengthen organizational profitability. Grounded in the Pender health promotion model, the purpose of this qualitative pragmatic inquiry was to identify and explore effective strategies for implementing holistic wellness programs to reduce employee absenteeism and increase organizational profitability. Participants were nine HR leaders from medium- to large-sized organizations across the United States who implemented holistic wellness programs to reduce …

Perceived Trustworthiness As A Pathway Linking Adhd Traits To Large Language Models Dependency: Evidence From Uk And Chinese Samples, Ala Yankouskaya, Mohammad Amin Kuhail, Haibo Yang, Xiaokun Wang, Jiaojiao Chen, Tina Yunsi Ma, Sameha Alshakhsi, Guandong Xu, Raian Ali

All Works

Large language models (LLMs) create contexts in which individual differences may shape reliance on digital systems. Drawing on neurodiversity, this study examined whether perceived trustworthiness of user’s primary LLM mediates associations between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) traits and LMM dependencyinstrumental and relationship LLM dependency. Adults in the UK (n = 567) and China (n = 577) reported ADHD traits, perceived LLM trustworthiness of LLM, and both types of dependency. Across samples, higher ADHD traits were associated with lower trustworthiness, whereas greater trustworthiness was associated with greater instrumental and relationship dependency, yielding negative indirect effects. In the UK, direct ADHD-dependency associations were …

Perceiving A Competitor: Culture And Cognitive Biases Of The Strong Enemy And The Pacing Threat, Allison Abbe

Books, Monographs & Collaborative Studies

The United States and China are prone to systematic cognitive and cultural biases that distort their mutual perceptions. Addressing these biases through cultural education and professional development is essential to overcoming blind spots in understanding the United States’ primary competitor. By applying dynamic constructivist theories from cross-cultural psychology to national security, this monograph builds on existing scholarship to reveal specific cognitive asymmetries between Western and East Asian observers. Differences such as holism, dialecticism, social inference, and perspective taking reflect the cultural lenses through which security actors perceive their competitors’ actions and intentions, but US observers often overlook the cultural factors …

Artificial Intelligence And Law Enforcement: Transforming Current And Future Policing Operations, Decision-Making, And Public Trust, Chad Taylor

Certified Public Manager® Applied Research

Artificial intelligence is having a major impact on our society. Many of our industries are attempting to grasp the benefits of this technology, and law enforcement is no different. Investigative, efficiency and administrative tools are all utilizing artificial intelligence to some degree. However, new tools bring new concern from communities. This article will investigate how artificial intelligence is being integrated into current and future law enforcement operations and decision-making. It will also investigate how AI affects public trust and what the profession needs to do to build community confidence. Regardless, artificial intelligence is a technology that is here and will …

The Human Side Of Leadership: How Personality Assessments Build Self-Aware, Accountable, And Emotionally Intelligent Public Sector Leaders, Hillary Faulkner

Certified Public Manager® Applied Research

Public sector organizations face a persistent set of leadership challenges, including miscommunication, inconsistent accountability, and reactive decision-making, that are rarely resolved through technical training alone. This study examines how the intentional use of personality assessments can improve self-awareness, emotional intelligence, accountability, and communication among public sector leaders, and how those improvements contribute to more effective and cohesive leadership teams. Using a qualitative case study design, this research draws on Organization Analysis and Design (OAD) personality assessment data and in-depth interviews with two supervisors at a municipal government organization in Henderson, Texas, who participated in a structured six-month personality-based leadership development …

Healthcare Professionals' Experiences Of Mental Health Crises Among People Experiencing Homelessness, John P. Gilmore

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

Background: People experiencing homelessness face significant barriers to accessing mental health care, often resulting in untreated psychological distress and crisis presentations. In Ireland, the absence of dedicated mental health services for this population means that frontline clinicians frequently manage acute mental health deterioration within generalist settings not designed or resourced for such care.

Aim: To explore the experiences of healthcare professionals responding to mental health crises among individuals experiencing homelessness and to identify systemic, relational, and organisational factors influencing care delivery.

Methods: A descriptive qualitative study informed by critical realism was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 14 healthcare professionals, including …

Clarifying The Concept Of Virtual Nurse: A Concept Analysis For Aging And Chronic Care, Chia-Hui Chou, Heng-Hsin Tung

International Nursing Research Congress (INRC)

As the global healthcare landscape grapples with aging populations and the growing burden of chronic diseases, digital innovations like the Virtual Nurse (VN)—AI-powered embodied conversational agents—are gaining recognition for their potential to support patient self-management and improve care delivery. This study applies Walker and Avant's 8-step concept analysis to clarify the definition, boundaries, and essential characteristics of the Virtual Nurse. Thirteen peer-reviewed articles published from 2010 to 2021 were reviewed, focusing on their applicability to older adults and chronic disease management. Four defining attributes emerged: (1) clinical interactivity, (2) human-like empathy, (3) accessibility and understandability, and (4) scalability with feedback …

Staff Education To Increase Knowledge And Shape Attitudes Among Staff To Improve Control Of Hypertension In Primary Care, Doris Marie Mosby-Peterson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This doctoral project was an evidence-based staff education intervention designed to improve healthcare team knowledge, attitudes, and clinical practices related to the management of uncontrolled hypertension within a federally qualified health center (FQHC). The practice problem addressed was the persistent challenge of uncontrolled hypertension among patients receiving primary care services, which contributes to increased risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, and preventable health disparities. Thus, the practice-focused question that guided the project asked whether a multidisciplinary staff education program at a rural FQHC improve healthcare staff’s knowledge, skills, attitudes, and workflow related to the management of uncontrolled hypertension? Findings demonstrated statistically …

Experiences With Microaggression Of African American Female Faculty Who Work In Predominantly White Institutions, Teffany Jonte Malone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed through this study is the gap in the literature on the experiences of African American female faculty in higher education institutions with racial microaggressions while working in predominantly White institutions (PWIs). Grounded in Delgado and Stefancic’s critical race theory, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore African American female faculty’s experiences with racial microaggressions and recommended support their institutions can put in place at PWIs in California. For this basic qualitative design, data were collected through semistructured interviews with 15 African American female faculty members employed at PWIs in California. Through qualitative content analysis, …

A Proposal For An Evidence-Based Program For Communication Continuity, Yavonne G. Evans

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This doctor of nursing practice (DNP) executive leadership project is a practice-focused quality improvement initiative to reduce avoidable 30-day hospital readmissions in a skilled nursing facility by implementing the INTERACT communication tools, SBAR and STOP & WATCH. The practice problem is the lack of a standardized communication process for recognizing changes in resident conditions, contributing to preventable hospitalizations. The project's purpose was to develop an evidence-based communication process that promotes early recognition and timely provider intervention. The practice-focused question asked whether implementing INTERACT communication tools would improve communication and reduce avoidable acute care transfers. A focused literature search was conducted. …

Implementation Of An Electronic Gad-7 Screening Tool To Improve Anxiety Screening Completion And Documentation, Obiageli L. Ukatu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Quality Improvement Initiative Implementation of an Electronic GAD-7 Screening Tool to Improve Anxiety Screening Completion and Documentation

Adults’ Lived Experiences With Placement In Child Protective Services During Adolescence, Michaela First Haynes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Perceptions of safety and emotional support during involvement with child protective services (CPS) during adolescence may play a significant role in shaping attachment experiences and relationships in adulthood. Although researchers have examined the effects of child maltreatment and foster care involvement, limited research has explored how adolescents perceive emotional support and safety during CPS involvement and how those experiences influence attachment in adulthood. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the lived experiences of adults who experienced CPS involvement during adolescence and to understand how perceptions of safety and emotional support are reflected in their adult attachment relationships. …