Digital Commons Network^™

Fasting Status Of Steller Sea Lion Pups, Stephanie G. Crawford

Biological Sciences

Following population declines in species of concern, wildlife managers often seek to identify underlying causes to understand and predict population dynamics for better future management. Often, physiological and/or behavioral metrics are measurable markers of decline, and these are often detectable well before declines are measurable through population surveys. During the 1970's, 80's, and 90's Steller sea lion (SSL; Eumetopias jubatus) populations in the western portion of their breeding range declined by ~85%. Though declines in most regions have since stabilized or exhibited modest recovery, some subpopulations breeding in the Aleutian Islands continue to decline. In contrast, SSL subpopulations in eastern …

Rooted In Environmental Justice: Phytogeography And Ethnoecology Of Serianthes, Else Demeulenaere

Biological Sciences

Serianthes Benth. (Fabaceae) is one of the most endangered plant genera in the world, with 12 of the 18 species listed on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Serianthes trees are culturally important to island communities of the Indo-Pacific region for canoes, boats, traditional houses, and medicine. Habitat loss and ecosystem degradation increased pressure on these trees, also threatening its Indigenous cosmology and traditional practices. This interdisciplinary study integrated genomic, biogeographic and ethnoecological approaches to develop appropriate policies that protect the Indigenous biocultural diversity of Serianthes. Phylogenomics of 401 nuclear exons and non-coding flanking regions using both a multi-species …

Evaluating The Impact Of Nursing Assistant Employment On New Graduate Nurse Practice In The Acute Care Setting, Amy Bliemeister

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Background: New graduate nurses (NGNs) are expected to enter the acute care setting ready to provide safe and quality care in a fast-paced environment filled with high acuity patients, shortened lengths of stay, and difficult nurse to patient ratios (Clark & Springer, 2012). Employers, nursing students, and consumers are setting high expectations all nursing graduates will possess specific skills, knowledge, and competencies upon entry into practice (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2020).

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to determine the impact of NA program completion and employment on the NGN during the first year of nursing practice. …

Barriers To Discharge: A Retrospective Medical Record Review Examining Potential Barriers To Patient Discharge At The End-Of-Life, Pauline Felker, Kelly Purdy

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

It is estimated that 70% of Americans would prefer to die at home, but less than one-quarter do so. Patients near the end of life often face several barriers that prevent them from successfully transitioning from an acute care setting to their preferred place of death. These barriers include but are not limited to a lack of trust between facilities and community care providers, ineffective communication, delayed discharge planning, difficulty accessing medications and supplies, lack of control, feelings of uncertainty, and feelings of burden. This study utilized a survey of 102 medical records of patients who died in the hospital …

Implementation Of Maternal Fetal Triage Index To Improve Nurse Knowledge And Timeliness In Obstetric Triage: A Pilot Project, Emilie Long

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Objective: The objective of this project was to implement an obstetric triage acuity scale in a labor and delivery setting and study the effect on nurse knowledge and timeliness of care.

Design: A quasi-experimental pre and post-test design was used for this pilot project.

Setting: This project was conducted in an obstetric triage unit located within a fourteen-bed labor and delivery unit in the Midwest.

Methods: This pilot project was conducted over a two-month time period. Fifteen registered nurses qualified to care for obstetric triage patients were given education on the chosen triage acuity scale. A pre-test was administered before …

Influencing A Culture Of Quality And Safety Through Huddling, Tysa Ferguson, Natalia Mccain

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Not available

Carbon Dioxide Enhanced Oil Recovery And Sequestration In The Orion Oil Field In The North Slope Region Of Alaska, Banabas D. Dogah

Engineering

Carbon dioxide flooding in viscous oil systems has been proven to improve oil recovery and store CO₂ in several geologic basins worldwide. With global energy steadily transitioning towards decarbonization, CO₂-EOR and Sequestration can reduce the carbon footprint from crude oil production. Although well accepted globally, the potential of improved oil recovery and CO₂ storage capacity has not been extensively studied in Alaska. Since the CO₂ injection process involves phase transition, reservoir simulation becomes more complex. It requires reliable techniques to estimate the ultimate recovery factor, oil production rate, and CO₂ storage volumes precisely. This study focuses on carbon dioxide enhanced …

Application Of Vortex Tubes In An Underground Mine Ventilation System, Nelson K. Dumakor-Dupey

Engineering

A major challenge for deep underground mines in tropical regions is high-temperature climate conditions at a working face. The high-temperature conditions can cause discomfort to people working underground and lead to health and safety issues. In some instances, airflow from primary ventilation and central refrigeration systems is not adequate to reduce the ambient temperature below a permissible limit at remotely located working faces. In some mines, mobile cooling systems are used in conjunction with an existing central cooling system. However, mining companies are often skeptical about implementing the combined cooling system due to its high operating costs involved with refrigeration …

History Matching And Prediction Of A Polymer Flood Pilot In Heavy Oil Reservoir On Alaska North Slope, Xindan Wang

Engineering

The first-ever polymer flood pilot to enhance heavy oil recovery on Alaska North Slope is ongoing. After more than 3 years of polymer injection, significant benefit has been observed from the decrease in water cut from 65% to less than 15% in the project producers. The primary objective of this study is to develop a robust history-matched reservoir simulation model capable of predicting future polymer flood performance. In this work, the reservoir simulation model has been developed based on the geological model and available reservoir and fluid data. In particular, four high transmissibility strips were introduced to connect the injector-producer …

Understanding Permafrost Dynamics And Geohazards With A Terrain-Cryofacies Approach, Eva Stephani

Engineering

The Arctic and its permafrost terrain are inherently dynamic, complex, and sensitive environments. Understanding the past and current changes occurring in these systems is key in predicting future variations, including the response of permafrost to climate change, and to terrain modifications resulting from natural processes or anthropogenic activities. This study contributes to advance our understanding of permafrost dynamics in varying permafrost environments of northern Alaska and northwestern Canada using a terrain-cryofacies approach. This unique approach helps to increase our understanding of permafrost dynamics from the site-specific scale to over extended areas by recognizing linkages between terrain and subsurface properties, and …

Ethel Mae Hunter

African American Funeral Programs

No abstract provided.

Pentagonal Extensions Of The Rationals Ramified At A Single Prime, Pablo Miguel Rodriguez

Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, we define a certain group of order 160, which we call a hyperpentagonal group, and we prove that every totally real D5-extension of the rationals ramified at only one prime is contained in a hyperpentagonal extension of the rationals. This generalizes a result of Doud and Childers (originally conjectured by Wong) that every totally real S3 extension of the rationals ramified at only one prime is contained in an S4 extension.

Uk Supreme Court Rejects “X” Gender Marker On Passport, Arthur S. Leonard

Other Publications

No abstract provided.

Team Learning Within Nurse Teams In A Home Care Organization, Carol A. Gavan

Dissertations

The purpose of this interpretive case study was to determine whether the team learning model (Dechant, Marsick, & Kasl, 1991), which served as a framework, aptly described team learning as it took place among professional service teams in a home health care environment. The learning effectiveness of two teams, of 12 and 14 home care nurses respectively plus their managers and administrators, was described using observations, document analysis, interviews, a literature review, and the Team Learning Survey (Dechant & Marsick, 1993) to gather data.

A Bible Study Series: The Family-Centered, Church-Supported Paradigm Shift For Raising Children In The Faith At Salem Lutheran Church, Michael J. Nielsen

Doctor of Ministry Major Applied Project

Nielsen, Michael J. “A Bible Study Series: The Family-Centered, Church-Supported Paradigm Shift for Raising Children in The Faith at Salem Lutheran Church.” Doctor of Ministry. Major Applied Project, Concordia Seminary, 2021. 160 pp.

In many Christian churches there is the question: “How do we keep our children after confirmation?” The answer is a simple one: Parents. This MAP examines the relationship of the family and the church when it comes to raising children in the faith. Biblically parents are called to be the primary faith formers in the lives of their children. A multi-part Bible study was created to teach …

Improving Medication Administration Safety In A Correctional Facility With An Electronic Medication Administration System, Rosalinda Salazar

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: According to the World Health Organization (2020), medication errors are one of the leading causes of injury and avoidable harm in health care globally.

Context: The county jail houses approximately 700 inmates/patients on a daily basis, and the potential for error when administering medications is high as medications are prepared manually using a paper medication administration record.

Interventions: The jail began using an electronic health record/barcode administration system on October 19, 2020.

Measures: Unusual occurrence reports related to medication errors were reviewed. The time frame included 6 months before electronic implementation, and 6 months after implementation.

Results: Unusual occurrence …

Does Speech-To-Text Assistive Technology Paired With Graphic Organizers Improve The Written Expression Of Students With Traumatic Brain Injuries?, Kayla Cuifolo

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can range from mild to severe and can cause debilitating outcomes that require children to need specialized medical or educational services post-injury. Outcomes vary and are dependent on the location of injury, age, severity, and environmental factors. Some common deficits that happen as a result of a brain injury are fine motor and executive functioning skill difficulties. Fine motor and executive functioning skills are an important component of written expression. Therefore, this current study utilized a brief experimental analysis in order to determine the effects that speech-to-text assistive technology along with a graphic organizer has …

Establishing Program Standards To Meet The Needs Of Postsecondary Trade And Industrial Education, Beno Rubin, Michael F. Kosloski Jr., Roberto Loya

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

The focus of this study was to develop standards that can be used for establishing and assessing high-quality postsecondary trade and industrial programs. A four-round Delphi technique was used to generate consensus regarding program standards. The panel of experts, comprised of postsecondary administrators of trade and industrial programs, was used to determine which program standards should guide the development and assessment of high-quality trade and industrial education programs. The result was a list of 17 standards and descriptions. The standards included Academic Integration, Advisory Committee, Curriculum, Employer Feedback, Faculty Qualifications, Meaningful Employment, Placement Rates, Program Design, Program Review, Safety, Soft …

21st-Century Skillset Perceptions Of Students In An Information Technology Career Academy Compared To Those At A Comprehensive School, Edward C. Fletcher Jr., Amber D. Dumford

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

In this study, we compared the perspectives of students’ 21st-Century competencies (critical thinking and communication, applied learning, and intrapersonal and interpersonal skills) based on participating in an urban magnet information technology (IT) career academy compared to a traditional, comprehensive high school. We utilized propensity score matching to match academy and comprehensive high school learners on various demographic variables. The propensity score matching resulted in 299 matched pairs (n = 598). Using the matched groups, we ran linear regression models to investigate the relationship between school participation and students’ perceptions of their 21^st-Century skill attainment. We found that …

A Survey Of Faculty Perceptions Of Community College Career And Technical Education, Thomas Gauthier Dr.

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

Community colleges are the leaders in facilitating career and technical education (CTE), and faculty help develop program offerings on campus. This study explored faculty perceptions of community college CTE programs using the survey research method. Participants included 36 faculty members from various disciplines from 15 state colleges in Florida. Participants were sent a digital survey and asked to use a scale from 0 (do not agree) to 8 (agree) to score their agreement level with 43 statements of opinion. Data revealed that community college faculty perceive CTE as beneficial, but CTE programs must include the habits of mind and support …

Developing A Structured Ojt Program: The Case Of A Small Manufacturing Company In A Rural Region, Raymond A. Dixon Ph.D.

Journal of Research in Technical Careers

This study explored the process followed by a small manufacturing company in a rural area to implement a planned training program to develop the technical skills of its engineering/production workers as the company expands its operation. A case study design was used. Data was collected over an eight-month period by the examination of documents, direct observation, and interview. Findings indicate the process followed were consistent with elements of the Talent Development Architecture. The growth of the company presents learning opportunities for both the owner and his management team. The job analysis provided inputs to implement a planned training program and …

Comparing The Efficiency Of A Marsh-Sill And Oyster Reef Balls In Attenuating Waves, Navid Tahvildari, Alexa Leone

December 17, 2021: Natural and Nature-Based Solutions (Part 2)

No abstract provided.

Carbon Sequestration Benefits Of Coastal Restoration, Brendan Player

December 17, 2021: Natural and Nature-Based Solutions (Part 2)

No abstract provided.

Living Shorelines Achieve Functional Equivalence To Natural Fringe Marshes Across Multiple Ecological Metrics, Robert E. Isdell, Donna Marie Bilkovic, Amanda G. Guthrie, Molly M. Mitchell, Randolph M. Chambers, Matthias Leu, Carl Hershner

December 17, 2021: Natural and Nature-Based Solutions (Part 2)

No abstract provided.

Agenda- Hampton Roads Sea Level Rise/Flooding Adaptation Forum, Ben Mcfarlane, Wie Yusuf

December 17, 2021: Natural and Nature-Based Solutions (Part 2)

Agenda for the Hampton Roads Sea Level Rise/Flooding Adaptation Forum on December 17, 2021 via Virtual Forum.

• Opening Remarks and Introductions: Ben McFarlane, Hampton Roads Planning District Commission and Dr. Wie Yusuf, Old Dominion University and Virginia Sea Grant
• Navid Tahvildari, of Old Dominion University: Comparing the Efficiency of a Marsh-Sill and Oyster Reef Balls in Attenuating Waves
• Brendan Player, of Stantec: Carbon Sequestration Benefits of Coastal Restoration
• Robert Isdell, of Virginia Institute of Marine Science: Living Shorelines Achieve Functional Equivalence to Natural Fringe Marshes Across Multiple Ecological Metrics
• Closing Remarks and Reminders

Performance Evaluation And Environmental Partitioning Of Op-40 Chemical Herder During Herder Mediated In Situ Burning Of Crude Oil At Varying Environmental Conditions, Md Ibnul Hasan

Engineering

In situ burning (ISB) aided by chemical herders is one of the most suited and effective oil spill response (OSR) techniques for Arctic conditions. OP-40 has been reported as the most efficient and suitable herding agent among the two US EPA-approved herders; however, the fate of OP-40 in the environment after an effective ISB is not fully understood. Previous studies reported partial accumulation of OP-40 in water and confirmed the absence of OP-40 in the air after a burn. The only other possible place of OP-40 accumulation is burned oil residues; however, there was no standard method in previous peer-reviewed …

Characterization Of A Novel Dual-Stator Electric Generator Using Finite Element Analysis, Utpal Avro Mozumder

Engineering

In a study published by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), it was shown that “Renewable energy sources, accessed with commercially available technologies, could adequately supply 80% of total U.S. electricity generation in 2050”. Therefore, a very rapid increase in renewable energy penetration in electric power systems is expected. The renewable energy harvesting process (except solar energy) involves technologies that utilize electric generators for energy conversion. Thus, the performance of generation units used in the renewable energy harvesting process is becoming more critical in electric power system stability, energy efficiency, and power cost. This project presents a characterization process …

Real-Time Lower Limb Monitoring System For Physical Therapy, Shoa Russell

Engineering

The Real-Time Lower Limb Monitoring System was created to show utility in measuring and displaying lower limb data in several formats and its use cases for both physical therapy and telehealth applications. This system consisted of pressure, orientation, and electromyography sensors. Initial sensor data processing is done on the microcontroller unit while additional processing, data storage, and real-time 3D visualization is done on the computer. With this system the users can gain a greater insight of the way their lower limbs work together when performing exercises and can track the progress and changes in their movements over time by saving …

Multicultural Music Education: Preparedness, Perceptions, And Practice Among Virginia Elementary Music Educators, Benjamin J. Luna

Masters Theses, 2020-current

Benjamin Joel Luna, M. M.

James Madison University, 2021

Supervisor: Lisa M. Maynard

The purpose of this study was to examine the Multicultural Music Education (MME) practices of established (i.e. more than three years of music teaching experience) Elementary Music Teachers in the state of Virginia by examining their responses to a series of survey questions specific to the topic. Participants (N=18) were all current Elementary Music Teachers in the state of Virginia with more than three years of experience.

Participants were asked to use Likert-scale ratings for the majority of the questions but were also given the …

Assessing Moral Distress And Substance Use Among Nurses In The Time Of Covid-19 To Improve Patient Safety, Lauren Childers

Doctors of Nursing Practice (DNP) Final Projects, 2020-current

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought rapid changes, increased stress, and ethical challenges to nurses across the globe. These factors may place nurses at increased risk for developing moral distress and substance use disorder. This stress can also increase nurse vulnerability to substance use. Previously there was little evidence about the rates of moral distress and substance use disorder among nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary objective of this evidence-based project was to describe levels of moral distress and substance use among nurses in a community hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic and to make recommendations for interventions to improve nurse …