Digital Commons Network^™

Staff Education To Implement Routine Use Of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale On The Identification And Severity Classification Of Adult Depression In Primary Care, Christencia Nkechi Obinna-Igbokwe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing practice (DNP) project was a quality improvement initiative focused on staff education to standardize the workflow and documentation of the Hamilton depression rating scale (HAM-D). The goal was to enhance measurement-based care and mitigate inconsistencies in depression severity assessments that could potentially delay treatment modifications, follow-up planning, and safety decisions. The practice-focused inquiry examined whether a concise staff education program, in conjunction with a HAM-D clinical practice guideline, would enhance staff knowledge and preparedness to administer and document the HAM-D for routine severity monitoring in adults exhibiting depressive symptoms. Employing rapid-cycle plan–do–study–act (PDSA) methodologies, five members …

Preventing Burnout In School-Based Behavioral Health Clinicians: Organizational Strategies For Mitigating Work-Related Mental Health Impairment, Virginia W. Lee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This is a qualitative case study on Organization X that used the Baldrige Framework to investigate employee burnout, a growing concern associated with staff turnover, reduced job satisfaction, depression, and disengagement. The goal was to examine how organizational leaders assess the effectiveness of burnout prevention strategies, identify organizational factors and leadership practices that either mitigate or increase burnout, and discover key factors that contribute to burnout. Semi-structured interviews, guided by the Baldrige Framework, were conducted with three leaders at Organization X. The themes resulting from interviews included burnout, open-ended communication, team cohesion, real-time protection, ethical leadership and authenticity, restoring norms, …

Experiences Of Care-Seeking Parents With Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In India, Yash Navnit Patel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects approximately 18 million individuals in India, yet the factors influencing parental care-seeking behavior were not well understood. Guided by the health belief model, the purpose of this basic qualitative study was to explore how parents’ perceived severity of a child’s symptoms, parental beliefs about the causes of autism, and perceived mental and physical health outcomes of caregiving influence parents’ intention to seek services for children aged 1–10 years diagnosed with ASD in India. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 10 mothers of autistic children. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis. …

Community Reintegration Programs For Successful Reentry For Individuals Deemed Not Guilty By Reason Of Insanity, Joanna Baker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Very little research has been conducted on the institution of community reintegration programs for individuals deemed not guilty by reason of insanity (NGRI). In the United States, each state can determine the path for community reentry with the NGRI population. California has a strategic and supportive reentry program that requires services such as drug testing, individual therapy, and close monitoring. Other states, including North Carolina, do not have a reentry program in place for the NGRI population. No research exists comparing states with conditional release programs and states without these programs. Consistence in community reintegration programs among all states can …

Proposal For An Intensive Outpatient Program, Dorcas Olatokunbo Ogundemuren

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) executive leadership systems improvement program presents the design of an evidence-based intensive outpatient program (IOP) in a community psychiatric clinic in the central region area of Maryland, to address the practice problem of fragmented transitions from inpatient psychiatry to routine outpatient services. This practice gap contributes to avoidable 30-day readmissions and prolonged emergency department boarding. The guiding practice question was as follows: In behavioral health organizations, how does a leadership-driven IOP implementation affect care transitions, staff engagement, and protocol adherence compared with existing discharge workflows? Local organizational indicators reveal elevated psychiatric readmission rates and …

Mitigating Throughput Delays, Sherry Cabebe-Jacolbia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Throughput widely affects all healthcare organizations. The patient care quality gap centers on throughput because poor flow and boarding causes overcrowding, leading to adverse outcomes and mortality. The practice-focused question was: How can the hospital throughput be improved to help prevent adverse effects when boarding in the emergency room (ER) for a long period of time? This process improvement project was implemented by multidisciplinary teams who addressed barriers in patient flow in real-time. The implementation stage showed boarding time in August of 2025 of 4,275 minutes to October 2025 of 2,545 minutes. The throughput performance trending scorecard of the metrics …

Program Proposal For A Nurse Led Pre-Procedure Readiness Program, Walter Magramo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Same-day outpatient procedural cancellations represent a persistent challenge for healthcare organizations, negatively affecting patient safety, access, operational efficiency, and financial performance. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) executive leadership project proposes the implementation of a nurse-led, artificial intelligence (AI)–enhanced preprocedural readiness program within an outpatient procedural department. The initiative integrates standardized nurse-led readiness checklists, AI-supported clinical decision support embedded in the electronic health record, structured nurse-led outreach, and standardized patient and staff education to proactively identify and address preventable barriers to procedural readiness. Internal organizational data identified a sustained same-day cancellation rate of approximately 22%, with most cancellations attributable to …

Reasons For Digital Transformation Project Failures Based On U.S. Project Managers’ Lived Experiences, Susan D. Landes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Digital transformation projects have a failure rate of 66% to 84%, costing U.S. companies billions of dollars each year. Organizational leaders need to understand the implications of these costly failures, leading to substantial financial losses. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the reasons for digital transformation project failures from the perspective of the lived experiences of U.S. project managers. The conceptual framework consisted of Lewin’s 3-stage change management model, Correani et al.’s digital transformation implementation model, Herzberg’s 2-factor theory of motivation-hygiene, and von Bertalanffy’s systems theory. The participants were 13 U.S. active, certified professional project …

Trauma Coping Mechanisms Among Police In Small Departments, Peter Michael Ungaro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Mental health services are available to police officers, but many do not utilize these resources due to stigma, shame, and fear of job loss. This reluctance often forces officers to handle mental health issues alone, frequently leading to unhealthy coping strategies that negatively impact their well-being and job performance. While advancements in mental health support exist, they primarily serve larger departments, leaving the needs of small departments largely unmet. The foundation of the study was rooted in resilience theory, which holds that the impact of trauma on an individual is determined not by the event itself but by the coping …

Development And Evaluation Of Lipid Nanoparticle-Encapsulated Dna Vaccines For Avian Influenza In Chickens, Sushmita Kumari

Dissertations and Doctoral Documents, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2023–

Avian influenza virus (AIV) remains a major challenge for global poultry health, food production, and agricultural economies. Both low-pathogenic (LPAIV) and highly pathogenic (HPAIV) strains continue to circulate and evolve, creating an ongoing need for vaccines that can be updated quickly and provide broad protection. Although DNA vaccines offer a safe and flexible approach to rapidly incorporate new antigens, their use in poultry has been limited by poor delivery efficiency and the vulnerability of naked DNA to degradation. Lipid nanoparticles (LNPs), which have proven highly effective for mRNA delivery, offer a promising solution, yet their potential for DNA delivery in …

2026-02-10 Staff Congress Bylaws - Final Edit, Morehead State University. Staff Congress.

Staff Congress Records

The final edit of Staff Congress Bylaws as submitted for review on February 10, 2026.

2026-02-10 Minutes, Morehead State University. Staff Congress.

Staff Congress Records

Staff Congress meeting minutes from February 10, 2026.

Are Animals “It”? Restoring Animals In Our Language, Gaizel Arguelles Adan

Landas

This essay examines how language marginalizes animals by reducing them to “it,” obscuring their cognition, agency, communication, empathy, and giftedness. Such linguistic marginalization intersects with metaphors and colloquialisms that demean both women and animals and is reinforced by anthropocentric philosophical and theological traditions. While Thomistic thought has often emphasized human superiority, Thomas Aquinas also presents animals as participants in God’s community of creation who reveal divine goodness and glory. Drawing on animal reciprocity and feminist animal care, particularly entangled empathy, this essay proposes an ethic that recognizes animals in their wholeness and uniqueness. Naming becomes a countercultural practice that resists …

The Role Of The Cosmic Christ In God’S Universal Salvific Plan: An Assessment Of Michael Amaladoss’ Christology, Manuel V. Francisco

Landas

This paper examines Michael Amaladoss’s Christology, particularly his understanding of the Cosmic Christ within God’s universal salvific plan. Situated within Indian contextual theology and religious pluralism, it explores his use of Advaitic philosophy, symbolic hermeneutics, and dialogical theology in relating Christianity to other religions. Amaladoss maintains that God’s salvific activity extends beyond the historical Christ-event and is mediated through diverse religious traditions. His distinction, without separation, between the historical Jesus and the Cosmic Christ emphasizes Christ’s universal presence beyond and within the incarnation. The paper critically assesses these claims in light of Chalcedonian Christology, Vatican II, and Dominus Iesus, highlighting …

Ministry Of “Listening Deeply” In An Inculturated Church In North Vietnam, Jojo M. Fung

Landas

This synodal process foregrounds the relevance of “listening deeply” as a ministerial praxis which is grounded in a mystagogy with a theology of God’s corporealization in creation/cosmos through the incarnation, and a spirituality of interiority discerning God’s communication ad extra and ad intra facilitated by the everyday exercise of Cosmic One-ing. This ecclesial praxis is relevant in the synodal process of communal discernment. Church leaders need formation in this ministerial practice to become truly inculturated communities that integrate their faith with the local living traditions of the faithful. At the same time, the faithful also incorporate the other living traditions …

Myth As A Bridge Between Science And Religion In The Timaeus, Earl A. P. Valdez

Landas

This paper examines the value of myth and mythmaking in Plato’s worldview, focusing on the creation myth in the Timaeus. It argues that myth and mythmaking ultimately connect religion and science by integrating the why and how of reality. Through narration and interpretation, myth legitimizes reality while generating new knowledge and insight. This process reveals how Greek beliefs about themselves and the world were closely intertwined with explanations of how things work. The paper concludes that myths function as bearers of meaning within the classical worldview. This perspective invites renewed reflection on myths and the ways their enduring narratives …

The Tagalog Verb, Rich In Nuance: Samples From The Vocabulario De Lengua Tagala (Sb 1613), Part I, Emmanuel C. Marfori

Landas

This study examines the Vocabvlario de Lengva Tagala (SB 1613) of Tomás Pinpin and Domingo Loag, highlighting its significance for missionary language learning and the study of Tagalog culture. Focusing on thirty Spanish verbs and their 884 Tagalog equivalents, it analyzes active and passive forms and their connections with body parts, space, time, instruments, purposes, and social interactions. These verbs offer glimpses into daily life in southern Luzon, including food production, crafts, health, commerce, travel, conflict, hospitality, beliefs, healing, and communal activities. The analysis demonstrates the vocabulary’s linguistic richness and complexity while revealing cultural traces of both Tagalog communities and …

Book Review— Integral Ecology Ministry: Doing Ecological Theology And Advocacy In Light Of Laudato Si’, Norlan H. Julia

Landas

No abstract provided.

Full Issue, Volume 38, Issue 2

Landas

No abstract provided.

Moments

DePaul Magazine

Photo spread of The Fullertones, a DePaul student a cappella group, performing on the Lincoln Park Campus for DePaul Days and the launch of the university's Mission: Forward philanthropic campaign 

Depaul Digest

DePaul Magazine

Melissa Ockerman, a school counseling professor, publishes guidance on how institutions can address the youth mental health crisis through de-escalating conflicts and cultivating social-emotional well-being. Noé de la Sancha, associate professor of environmental science, studies urban rat populations to better understand the impact of human-driven habitat change and loss on mammals. Plus, news briefs on exciting developments at DePaul University’s 10 colleges and schools, from a new Department of Neuroscience to robotics engineering in a new CyberLabs facility, and DePaul Connect, a community connecting alumni and students for network and mentor opportunities.

From The President

DePaul Magazine

DePaul University President Robert L. Manuel shares how the Mission: Forward campaign redefines the role of higher education in society.

Thirsty For Success

DePaul Magazine

While earning an undergraduate finance degree at DePaul’s Driehaus College of Business, Eddie Favela launched a bottled agua fresca startup that’s poised for national success.

Making A Difference

DePaul Magazine

A new scholarship program furthers the legacy of the late Sue Ling Gin, a pioneering entrepreneur and former DePaul trustee who guided the establishment of two university science buildings.

Full Issue: Winter 2026

DePaul Magazine

In DePaul Magazine's winter 2026 issue, learn how Mission: Forward, the most ambitious philanthropic campaign in the university’s history, is empowering purpose-driven education to solve society’s biggest problems. Also, read about the Dialogue Collaborative, a campus-wide initiative that creates space for reflection, rearticulates purpose, and builds capacity for respectful engagement across roles and disciplines; meet a finance student who launched a bottled agua fresca startup; and more.

Class Notes

DePaul Magazine

From promotions to performances, see the latest accomplishments by DePaul alumni across class years and generations. Plus, read alumni spotlight profiles of Rudy Hodgson (CMN ’22), a pro hockey announcer, and Rania Elalej (BUS ’20), an international hotel operations specialist.

Can Blockchain-Adoption Announcements Create Market And Operating Value In Banks? Evidence From An Event Study For Global Banks Initiatives, Nourhan Said

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis offers quantitative work in exploring the market value and operation advantages associated with blockchain initiatives in listed banks. We utilized an event study approach to analyze the market value added to banks adopting blockchain technology on a short term. The sample consist of 126 event observations spanning 30 different countries in the period between 2016 and 2024. The study also focuses on the signals and cues that drive the changes in the banks’ abnormal returns and cumulative abnormal returns. Different project attributes like the blockchain type, blockchain application, and objective as well as bank characteristics like the bank …

The Impact Of Supermarket Layouts On Female Shopping Behavior: A Spatial Configuration Analysis, Yara Fahmy

Theses and Dissertations

As supermarkets continue to evolve into hybrid spaces for both consumption and social interaction, understanding how spatial design shapes shopper experience has become increasingly essential. This study investigates the impact of supermarket layout—specifically free-flow configuration—on female shopping behavior within the New Cairo context. Recognizing women as primary decision-makers in household purchasing, the research adopts a gender-informed lens to uncover behavioral patterns, navigation preferences, and layout perceptions. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the study integrates macro-scale online surveys (N = 173 female shoppers) with micro-scale data, including behavioral observation and path tracking of 65 female shoppers, post-shopper interviews, and spatial configuration analysis …

Post-Wildfire Water Quality And Aquatic Ecosystem Response In The U.S. Pacific Northwest: Science And Monitoring Gaps, Sara Wall, Jana E Compton, Ashley A. Coble, Beth M. Haley, Jiajia Lin, Allison Myers-Pigg, Justin Reale, Katie Wampler, Kevin D. Bladon, Kurt Carpenter, Heejun Chang, Multiple Additional Authors

Geography Faculty Publications and Presentations

An increase in the occurrence of large, high severity wildfires in the western Pacific Northwest (PNW), USA, has created an urgent need for science to better inform forest management and policy decisions to maintain source water quality in the region. The western PNW faces similar challenges to other regions with shifting wildfire regimes and large population centers reliant on surface water from forested catchments. However, the uniquely wet and highly seasonal climate of the western PNW suggests that findings from other, more frequently burned regions may not be directly applicable. To identify science, monitoring, and management gaps and opportunities in …

Comorbidity Profiles Associated With Total Knee Arthroplasty In A Medically Underserved Population, Blake C. Martin, Manoj Peiris

School of Medicine Publications

Introduction: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common orthopedic procedure that is increasing in incidence and prevalence and is rising in younger populations. The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) represents a medically underserved region in the southern United States characterized by high rates of chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and arthritis. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between pre-existing chronic medical conditions and TKA within this medically underserved and at-risk population.

Methods: This retrospective chart review was conducted using data obtained from University of Texas Rio Grande Valley medical records spanning January 1, 2018, through January …