Digital Commons Network^™

So What? Elevating The Impact Of Implementation Science, Ross C Brownson, Juliet Iwelunmor, Thomas A Odeny, Enola K Proctor, Elvin H Geng

2020-Current year OA Pubs

BACKGROUND: Given the substantial public funding of health-related research, tangible benefits of this support must be demonstrated. Implementation science provides actionable methods to enhance population health, reduce health inequities, and guide effective public health and clinical practices and policies. We must elevate the notion of impact (the "so-what gap") and the role of implementation science, particularly in university settings.

MAIN TEXT: We distinguish between scientific output and impacts. Impacts in implementation science are commonly defined as improvements in health outcomes, quality of life, quality of services, or policy change. In contrast, traditional academic outputs, such as citation counts and grant …

Digital Neuropsychology And Social Anxiety: The Effect Of Observer Presence And Personality On Stress And Cognition, Ava M. Dixon

Master's Theses

This study examined how observer presence and social anxiety influence stress and cognitive performance during neuropsychological assessments, focusing on the potential benefits of unsupervised digital testing environments. Eighty university students were randomly assigned to observed or unobserved digital neuropsychological conditions and completed assessments of social cognition and executive functioning and questionnaires of social anxiety and personality. Participants also completed measures of state anxiety and heart rate variability at baseline and after cognitive tests. The findings indicated that observation led to higher subjective anxiety, but it did not produce significant interactions with social anxiety on stress or cognitive performance. Post-hoc analyses …

Crispr Disruption Of Scarna1 Reduces Pseudouridylation In Spliceosomal Rna U2 At U89 And Perturbs The Transcriptome In Hek293t Cells, Amanda Gardner-Kay, Lynndy Le, Michael Filla, Nataliya Kibiryeva, James E. O'Brien Jr., Douglas C. Bittel

Student Publications

Small Cajal body-associated RNAs (scaRNAs) are essential for biochemical modification of spliceosomal RNAs and spliceosome function. Changes in scaRNA expression level have been associated with developmental issues, including cancer and congenital heart defects (CHDs), although the mechanism remains unclear. Small Cajal body-associated RNA 1 (scaRNA1) guides pseudouridylation at uridine 89 (Ψ89) of the spliceosomal RNA U2, a highly conserved modification that may be critical for spliceosome function. To investigate the role of scaRNA1 in splicing regulation, CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing was used to introduce targeted deletions in the scaRNA1 locus in HEK293T cells. Edited clones were identified by T7 endonuclease I …

The Mediating Role Of Self-Efficacy And Symptom Distress In Cancer Patients, Kailei Yan, Hsiao-Lan Wang, Brent Small, Victoria Marshall, Amanda Elliott, Danielle Tometich, Theresa M. Beckie, Susan C. Mcmillan

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Cancer symptoms significantly impact the quality of life (QOL) among cancer patients (Almståhl et al., 2019; Bashir et al., 2020; Nayak et al., 2019). Self-efficacy plays a key role in managing symptoms and improving QOL (Cox-Martin et al., 2020; Erickson et al., 2021; Frensham et al., 2020; Thieser et al., 2021; Wu et al., 2019). Symptom distress, defined as the suffering from symptom occurrence, predicts QOL in cancer patients with symptoms (Badana et al., 2019). However, it is not clear whether self-efficacy and/or symptom distress mediate the effects of symptoms on QOL. This study seeks to explore if and how …

Clinical And Demographic Profiles Of Pediatric Burn Patients: A Descriptive Retrospective Analysis, Gifty Osei Berchie, Susanna Aba Abraham, Christiana Okantey, Benjamin Kofi Anumel

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Introduction: Burn injuries are a leading cause of preventable mortality and disability among children, with approximately 96,000 pediatric cases globally each year (Asefa et al., 2024). In low- and middle-income countries, particularly in Africa, children account for nearly 90% of burn cases, with those under five being most vulnerable due to developmental factors, lack of supervision, and domestic hazards. Socioeconomic challenges such as overcrowded living conditions and inadequate safety measures exacerbate the risk (Mok et al., 2023). Burns are primarily caused by scalds from hot liquids, contact burns, and flame injuries linked to unsafe cooking practices and improper storage of …

Community Engagement Within Doctoral Dissertations In Nursing, Sarah Elise Janek, Rahim Z. Miller, Miles C. Perry, Adrian Williams, Rosa M. Gonzalez-Guarda, Kathryn E. Muessig, Marta I. Mulawa

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Community engagement is increasingly recognized as a key research approach across disciplines with the goal of promoting health equity (Key et al., 2019), yet the benefits and best practices for incorporating this approach within doctoral dissertations remain understudied. Other health sciences, such as social work, have recorded student and community benefits in conducting community-engaged dissertations (Yan et al., 2021), but there remains a significant gap of considerations for nursing dissertations. This presentation seeks to discuss the benefits, challenges, and pathways of community-engaged dissertations informed by an ongoing doctoral dissertation in nursing focused on sexual health equity. This dissertation engages community …

Alzheimer's Disease And Related Dementia Among Black Adults Stratified By Nativity, Setor Kofi Sorkpor, Yijiong Yang, Brittany Lane, Hongyu Miao, Jing Wang

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Purpose: This study aims to explore the prevalence of Alzheimer's Disease and Related Dementias (ADRD) among US-born and non-US-born Black individuals, identifying risk factor differences and informing targeted interventions.

Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted using data from 77,069 Black individuals in the All of Us Research Program. Two cohorts—US-born and non-US-born individuals with ADRD—were analyzed, with 1:1 propensity score matching applied to balance key demographic and socioeconomic factors. Statistical analyses were performed using R and Python, with significance set at α = 0.05.

Results: Of the 72,311 US-born and 4,758 non-US-born Black individuals, 1:1 propensity score matching resulted …

Mentoring: Taking The Scary Out Of Clinical Inquiry, Rebel L. Heasley, Brandee Duncan

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The Institute of Medicine challenged healthcare workers to ensure that 90% of decisions were evidence-based by 2020. As of 2017, it was estimated that only about 18% of decisions were evidence-based (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2023). Research has shown a correlation between a culture of evidence-based practice (EBP) and improved patient outcomes. However, nursing confidence and competence in EBP are barriers to implementation (Bridges et al., 2024). Historically, nursing projects at this community hospital were quality or performance improvement projects. With Magnet designation came the expectation of nursing excellence and unparalleled safety, quality, and service. Nurse (RN) residents must now complete …

The Gastrointestinal Endothelin System: Receptors, Cellular Actions, And Involvement In Gastrointestinal Disorders, Arjun Singh, Rajvir Singh

Department of Medicine Faculty Papers

The gastrointestinal endothelin system regulates vital processes including motility, secretion, sensation, and inflammation. Endothelin-1 acts via endothelin A and B receptors expressed on diverse intestinal cells. Dysregulation of endothelin signaling underlies common gastrointestinal disorders such as inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. Aberrant endothelin-1 production and endothelin A receptor activation contribute to the inflammation, pain hypersensitivity, impaired epithelial function, and smooth muscle hypercontractility characteristic of these diseases. Endothelin receptor antagonists may provide therapies for managing related symptoms. However, knowledge gaps exist regarding cell-specific signaling pathways, regulatory factors, and precise roles in intestinal pathologies. Elucidating these details and translating insights …

“I Missed My Other Oncologist”: Established Relationships As Barriers And Facilitators To Accessing Car-T And Autologous Transplantation, Zachary A. K. Frosch, Clark Meshack, Caitlin Meeker, Asya Varshavsky-Yanovsky, Rashmi Khanal, Michael Bromberg, Ashwin Chandar, Emmanuel Quien, Jordan Carter, Shazia K. Nakhoda, Marcus Messmer, Charissa Montgomery, Jason A. Incorvati, Nadia D. Ali, Michael J. Styler, Carolyn Y. Fang

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) and chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T) can provide significant clinical benefit, but are not equally available to all patients. Oncologist continuity and trust are important to patients, and may act as barriers to receipt of therapy. However, detailed data are lacking on the mechanism by which these might affect receipt of therapy, or how this barrier may be overcome.

METHODS: We conducted a qualitative interview study with patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) or multiple myeloma (MM) eligible for or treated with ASCT/CAR-T. Participants were recruited from a multi-site academic …

Creative Evaluators: When Machines Evaluate Us, Kuakou Bossou, Margareta Ackerman

Computer Science and Engineering

The Computational Creativity literature stresses the importance of evaluation in computational creativity systems in addition to generative capabilities. But, what about machines that only evaluate? When it comes to co-creative systems, humans often take on the primary evaluative role, while machines assist with the generation of creative artifacts. In this paper, we propose flipping the paradigm, envisioning machines that (only) evaluate humans in the creative space. We call such machines Creative Evaluators whose end goal is to evaluate human-made artifacts and provides feedback to aid humans in the creative process, while the machine itself refrains from directly generating any content. …

How Human Personality Will Change With The Use Of Artificial Intelligence, John Mayer

UNH Personality Lab

INTRODUCTION: Human personality changes in response to new habits, situations, and maturation, among other causes. As people interact with artificial intelligence (AI), their personalities are likely to change, from their emotional responses to their self-concept.

METHODOLOGY: This theoretical account draws together empirical studies of how personality changed in response to past technological innovations, changes in personal interactions observed in people’s AI usage, changes that arise from the use and disuse of cognitive skills, and works on the self-concept. Research reports in the review were selected according to their relevance and quality.

THEORETICAL STATEMENT: While AI becomes increasingly human-like, humans increasingly …

Physician Peer Review: Just Culture And Practical Implementation In An Emergency Department, Christian Fromm, Monica Colicino, Merle A. Carter, Elizabeth M. Datner

Einstein Health Papers

BACKGROUND: Although regulatory agencies require hospitals to engage in peer review to maintain accreditation, quality assurance review processes are not standardized, and well-structured peer review of clinical cases involving medical errors and adverse events governed by Just Culture principles is not widespread. We implemented such an emergency department (ED) physician peer review process and performed an analysis of cases that underwent review.

METHODS: We formed an ED physician peer review committee at our institution guided by Just Culture principles, including promotion of a culture of safety to encourage open reporting of errors and near misses, and top-down leadership commitment to …

Using Mixed Reality-Driven Virtual Coach Technology In Promoting Mobility Among Older Adults, Michael Joseph S. Dino, Ma. Kristina Malacas, Rommel Hernandez

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Objective. Physical inactivity among older adults remains a global burden, leading to a variety of health challenges and even mortality. This study evaluated the impact of a novel virtual humanoid coach-driven physical exercise program among older adults.

Method. A non-randomized (quasi) experimental research was conducted in two community senior centers. The recruited participants (n = 130) were primarily female older adults with a mean age of 66.40 and agreed to be purposively assigned to either experimental or control groups. Trained healthcare providers performed health assessments at three time points using valid and reliable tools. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and RM-ANOVA were …

Mucosal Melanoma: Mechanisms Of Its Etiology, Progression, Resistance And Therapy, Sofie-Yasmin Hassan, Thomas W. Flanagan, Sarah-Lilly Hassan, Sybille Facca, Youssef Haikel, Mohamed Hassan

School of Graduate Studies Faculty Publications

Mucosal melanoma (MM) is a rare, aggressive cancer whose incidence has increased continuously over the years. This subtype of melanoma arises from melanocytes on hairless surfaces, typically in the respiratory tract, gastrointestinal (GI) tract, and urogenital tract. The most common sites of occurrence include the head and neck, the anorectal region, and the vulvovaginal region, while the rare sites of MM are the urinary tract and the upper and lower GI tract, including the esophagus, duodenum and the gallbladder. MM arises in melanocytes of the ectodermal mucosa that originate from neural crest cells and migrate through embryonic mesenchyme to their …

Menopause And Motherhood: Shaping Women’S Lived Experiences, Michelle M. Ness

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Motherhood is a multifaceted role influenced by various transitions during midlife, including changing relationship dynamics with children and significant others and the onset of menopause. Mothers often shift from hands-on caregiving to an advisory role with their adult children during this time. This shift coincides with hormonal changes associated with menopause, exacerbating physical and psychological symptoms, including hot flashes, mood swings, and sleep disturbances. The hormonal changes associated with menopause profoundly impact women's emotional well-being and interpersonal relationships, potentially increasing susceptibility to mood disorders such as depression and anxiety. Additionally, the increased demand for balance between family responsibilities and professional …

An Er Pilot Study Utilizing A Novel Mobile App For Just-In-Time Teaching And Performance Feedback, Jennifer Wilde, Emily Calabro

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Purpose/Background: Emergency departments (EDs) present a challenging environment for new graduate nurses (residents), often impacting proficiency and retention. This pilot study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an ED Train the Trainer (T3) program utilizing a novel mobile app to enhance resident proficiency, confidence, and retention, as well as preceptor confidence. The program addressed the transitional gap between academic preparation and clinical practice by focusing on critical thinking and task management skills, leveraging technology to provide just-in-time learning and real-time feedback.

Methods: After IRB approval, a time-series design was employed. The T3 program incorporated various learning modalities, including face-to-face sessions, …

Pre-Licensure Nursing Student Professional Identity Formation: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study, Rhoda A. Owens, Dawn L. Denny

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: The study aimed to explore pre-licensure nursing students’ perceptions of their professional identity in nursing. Forming a nurse’s professional identity is a transformational process that begins during pre-licensure nursing programs, and there is limited evidence regarding effective interventions to facilitate the process (Godfrey & Young, 2025; Thompson, 2022). Educators are responsible for creating a learning environment that fosters professional identity development in pre-licensure nursing students (Godfrey & Young, 2025; Thompson, 2022). Nurses who embody their professional identity can positively influence patient safety, enhance the quality of patient care, and promote a healthy workplace environment (Phillips & Priddy, 2023; Thompson, …

Recipe For Success: Mixing A Savory Partnership With Hr In Cooking Up A Nurse Leader Succession Plan, Lourdes Moore, Jacqueline Brock, Maureen Padilla

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Succession planning is vital to transformational leadership which advocates for ongoing leadership development.¹ In 2016, Nursing strategically cooked up a savory nurse succession plan program with a secret sauce-Human Resources (HR). The plan’s purpose was to establish a cohort of leaders with skills and knowledge continuity, manage risk of retirements, and offer overall leader development.² Strengthened in 2022, the Nursing-HR partnership added key ingredients: a defined plan with leadership competencies, alignment to organizational culture and priorities, and multi-layered development.^3,4 The plan consists of five courses (phases).

1. Assess: Target critical roles with high-level oversight: chief nursing officer …

From Insight To Impact: Cns Consults In The Cvicu, Sarah Beldin, Kristina Boudreau

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs) are frequently consulted for their expertise, but formalizing this process via the electronic medical record (EMR) provides new opportunities for direct correlation of utilization of the CNS as a patient intervention to outcomes improvement. This project established a structured CNS consult process in the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU), enabling multidisciplinary team members to order CNS consults tied to various concerns and access detailed post-consult notes in real time.

This project aimed to formalize CNS consults in the CVICU using EMR integration to enhance interdisciplinary collaboration and improve patient outcomes. By enabling team members to request …

Exploring Variations In Emotional Intelligence And Burnout Among Nursing Students, Carrie Ann Bailey, Lynn Beeler, James Lewis

Biennial Convention (CONV)

The purpose of this research is to further validate a clinician language centric self-assessment of emotional intelligence and burnout to determine if there is a difference in the subscales that measure Emotional Intelligence between the accelerated baccalaureate student nurses (ABSN) and the traditional baccalaureate student nurses (BSN). Junior level traditional BSN students and first semester ABSN students were recruited and surveyed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Scale of Emotional Functioning in Medicine. Demographic data was also compared between the two groups. Data was analyzed using Independent-Samples Mann-Whitney U Test. Results: The two groups of students were significantly different …

Representing Rns And Mas: Reflections On Patient Portal Messaging Experiences And The Future With Ai, Carlene Lugtu, Cynthia Dorantes Cortez, Briana Williams, Chrystal L. Lewis

Biennial Convention (CONV)

BACKGROUND: Though meant to enhance health care delivery, the electronic health record (EHR) has evolved to be the predominant tool used amongst clinicians. The EHR is also intensifying stress among clinicians, especially with the growing volume of patient communications through patient portals messages (PPM, better known as the In-Basket).1 This academic health science center had an dramatic rise in PPM from 332,000 messages total between fiscal years (FY) 2014 to 2018 to 1.6 million messages in FY 2023 without additional staff. Generative artificial intelligence (AI) products and subsequent explosion of large language models may transform PPM responses.2–6 Discussions …

Innovative Teaching Strategies: Linking Social Determinants Of Health To Diabetes Management, Christine A. Sump, Donna L. Rose, Nicole Frazier

Biennial Convention (CONV)

With an estimated 38.4 million Americans having diabetes (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2024) and well-documented diabetes disparities, it is imperative that social determinants of health (SDOH) and its impact on diabetes outcomes be an integral part of undergraduate nursing education. Literature supports a direct relationship in SDOH to diabetes prevalence, complications, and patient outcomes (American Diabetes Association [ADA], 2024; Hill-Briggs & Fitzpatrick, 2023). There is much literature describing learning strategies in diabetes education. However, there is minimal literature regarding SDOH research in nursing curricula (Lee & Wilson, 2020; Liu et al., 2023). There was no literature support found that …

Seeking Zero: Development Of A System-Wide Clabsi Prevention Policy, Daniel Martin, Cindy Beckett, Kady Martini, Todd Tussing, Emma Kociba

Biennial Convention (CONV)

In September 2024, at a 17-hospital Midwest United States healthcare system, quality assurance and nursing staff identified that a standardized system-wide central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) prevention and maintenance policy did not exist. This revelation occurred after an investigation noted an increase in CLABSIs, an issue compounded as each of the organization's hospitals were without system-level guidance on the prevention of CLABSIs. Therefore, using the PICOT question “In high-risk patients (P), how do system-wide best practices/strategies (I) compared to current practice (C) affect CLABSI (O)?, a systematic review of the published literature was conducted using CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, and Embase …

Oh My…Emotions Can Influence Social Media Use Among Pre-Licensure Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Julie Skrabal

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Nursing students use social media (SM) daily, leading to the challenge of maintaining clear boundaries when managing professional and personal information (Daigle, 2019). As boundaries blur, information posted to SM becomes unprofessional. This is a concern among educators despite having guidelines and SM policies in place regarding professional use. Although limited research is available, a few studies demonstrated unprofessional SM use. Sadd (2019) found 22% of students surveyed posted inappropriate information they did not want others to see. Duke et al. (2017) discovered 100% of nursing students posted information on SM that they would not want prospective employers to …

Women’S Experiences With Traditional Medicine For Treatment Of Cervical Cancer: A Qualitative Study, David Asakitogum, Lydia Aziato, Lillian Akorfa Ohene

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Over 60% of patients with cancer in sub-Saharan Africa used traditional medicine for cancer treatment (Alegbeleye et al., 2020, Mwaka et al., 2020). The common predictors of traditional medicine use include being a female (Kristoffersen et al., 2022, Aboufaras et al., 2023). However, there is limited empirical information about the experiences of women with traditional medicine usage for the treatment of cervical cancer. The current study explored the experiences of women who used traditional medicine for the treatment of cervical cancer in Accra, Ghana.

Methods: An exploratory qualitative research design was used in this study. A semi-structured interview …

Integrating The 'My Pt Care Strategy' Into Behavioral Health Nursing Curriculum: Reflective Insights, Nadia Ali Muhammad Ali Charania, Lorraine Wadlington, Mona Shattell

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Professional development for nursing educators in person-centered care (PCC) is essential for advancing its integration within academic and clinical settings, particularly in preparing nursing professionals to address the complexities of modern healthcare. The World Health Organization (2022) emphasizes the necessity of inclusive stakeholder engagement in mental health care, while organizations such as the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (2021) and Quality and Safety Education for Nurses (2020) advocate for holistic, evidence-based and individualized care. Despite these guidelines, there are gaps in effectively incorporating PCC within mental health services, underscoring the urgent need for innovative educational approaches.

The newly developed …

Red Midge Larvae Are An Invertebrate Alternative Diet To Beef Liver For Planarian Husbandry, Jonah Pacis , '25, Danielle Ireland, Evangeline Coffinas, Jerome Sheehan, Kate Sun , '27, Eva-Maria S. Collins

Biology Faculty Works

Freshwater planarians are an emerging model for toxicology and neuroscience because of their amenability to rapid behavioral screening and remarkable ability to regenerate a cephalized nervous system. As invertebrates, planarians can help reduce the use of vertebrates in research; however, laboratories typically maintain planarians on diets of homogenized organic beef or chicken liver, raising ethical concerns with feeding a vertebrate diet. Organic liver is difficult to obtain, and preparation methods vary, introducing intra- and interlaboratory variability. Here, we show that Dugesia japonica planarians can be maintained for over a year on commercially available red midge larvae (RML), a natural prey …

Success Rate Of Ultrasound-Guided Intravenous Intervention In Difficult Intravenous Access Patients, Evelyn Almera Factora Mulvaney

Biennial Convention (CONV)

Background: Traditional visualization, palpation, and landmarking peripheral veins for IV access are not helpful in patients with difficult veins. However, multiple studies and publications on difficult intravenous access (DIVA) of hospitalized patients have shown that using ultrasound to guide the cannulation of a peripheral vein improves the success rate in the first attempt to establish IV access in DIVA patients.

Purpose: This evidence-based practice (EBP) change project aims to train critical care nurses on the use of ultrasound in patients with difficult IV access and to increase first attempts on DIVA patients with the use of ultrasound.

Methods: The translational …

The Mechanism Of Action Of Remote Electrical Neuromodulation (Ren) In Treating Migraine And Potentially Other Idiopathic Pain Conditions, Marius Birlea, Christopher L. Robinson, Eden Mama, Alit Stark-Inbar, Alon Ironi, Daniel Atashsokhan, Thomas Berk

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Purpose of Review

This review provides evidence for the mechanism of action (MOA) of Remote Electrical Neuromodulation (REN), a non-pharmacological therapeutic technology for treating migraine and other symptoms manifested by certain idiopathic pain diseases. It discusses the main physiological and anatomical aspects associated with conditioned pain modulation (CPM), and how REN is applied for the treatment of migraine pain and other symptoms.

Recent Findings

The REN wearable device (Nerivio®) is FDA cleared for acute and preventive treatment of migraine in patients aged 8 years and above, and CE marked in patients aged 12 and above. In brief, the REN MOA …