Education Commons^™

Distinctiveness In Hospital Safety And Security, Jimmy Reid Rollins Jr.

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The purpose of this research was to understand leadership and how these ideas feed into a professional dynamic of employee behavior, organizational leadership, motivation, and workplace culture, and how there is a real human interest as employees excel, grow, mature, and become better individuals.

Participants in this study were employees of a regional health organization and employed with the job title of public safety officer, public safety supervisor, or public safety administrator. This research used a mixed methodology approach in an explanatory design. A survey was completed followed by one on one interviews.

Conducting research into the safety and security …

Combating The Sedentary Lifestyle In A Rural North Carolina Community, Kelsey Toliver Watts

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

A rural North Carolina community is experiencing an increase in inactivity, obesity, and comorbidities. The project leader collaborated with the local health department and recreation department to implement community walking events. The events aimed to promote physical activity while providing education to the residents as to why physical activity is important. The project leader used optional pre-walking event and post-walking event surveys to assess activity change and increased knowledge. Out of the 90 attendees, 68% completed the pre-event survey and 14% responded to the post-event survey. This created limited data available for follow-up. All participants who completed the follow-up plan …

Accreditation Commission For Education In Nursing (Acen): A Mixed Methods Study To Determine Accreditation Readiness At A Non-Profit Organization Located In Western North Carolina, Leslie Queen

Doctor of Education Dissertations

The accreditation process allows programs to complete the reflection process of program evaluation, where they assess and measure themselves via preset standards and suggested outcomes. The theoretical framework of Getzels and Guba (1957) was used to determine if the people within the nonprofit organization studied could successfully fulfill the predetermined expectations of the organization. This study also examined the value of program evaluation, explained the process used by schools of nursing that wish to seek national accreditation, investigated the benefits and strengths of attaining accreditation, and uncovered possible barriers that may hinder accreditation efforts. By exploring these topics, conclusions were …

Faculty And Staff Perceptions Of Mental Health Services In The Elementary Schools Of A Rural District, Vera Collins Richardson

Doctor of Education Dissertations

This case study focused on the perceptions of faculty and staff of mental health services at the elementary level in a rural district. Mental health services provided in elementary school settings can ultimately change the outcome of individuals’ lives. Many districts in North Carolina lack the funds to hire mental health counselors, and must rely on elementary school counselors to take the lead in providing students with the mental health care they need. This qualitative case study focused on the perceptions of faculty and staff and was the primary focus of this research. An analysis of feedback from three elementary …

Increasing Access To Healthcare For Black, Indigenous, People Of Color (Bipoc) And Impoverished Populations In A Rural County Of North Carolina, Shawn Perry

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Rural healthcare has often lagged when compared to those in suburban areas and inner cities. Rural healthcare has often been less effective, lower in quality, and not as accessible. Access to healthcare has been a key factor in life quality and quantity for all. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, qualitative and quantitative data was collected and analyzed which included the community health needs assessment (CHNA) data from the rural county (RC) and a double-blind survey distributed to organizational members by the partnering organization, the rural hospital (RH). The data identified that access to healthcare is a critical need for RC. Additionally, …

North Carolina Public School Educator Perceptions Of Teaching During Covid And Impacts On Burnout, Leah Huttlinger

Doctor of Education Dissertations

Educators in North Carolina have been burdened with many different negative stressors, such as low pay, increasing class sizes, and violence in the classroom, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only added to the role of the educator. Current research suggests an inevitable exodus of teachers due to the increased stress brought by the pandemic. Through this mixed methods study, I sought to examine relationships between COVID-19 stress, physical and mental health symptoms, and occupational burnout. Using Pearson’s correlation coefficient, I determined statistical relationships between specific domains of COVID stress and the physical and mental health of North Carolina educators. There …

[W]Hole Health, Maudlin, Kimberly Williams-Roberts

Education Projects

Since the onset of COVID-19 during the early part of 2020, business owners and leaders have mostly focused on keeping their doors open amidst lockdowns and social distancing mandates. After over a year into the pandemic, the world is slowly opening up, despite the imminent threat of the virus. As we continue to adjust to this “new norm,” business leaders now must look at how these changes have and will affect their employees. The continuation of this process includes finding ways to provide the much-needed support to employees by way of improving wellness programs. Despite the availability of vaccinations, businesses …

Bridging Communication Disparities Between Medical Vendors And Healthcare Value Analysis Projects, Rose Rickrode

Education Projects

Vendor Value Analysis Consulting (Vendor-VAC) is represented by an online website created programmatically by Scarlett’s Web, Inc., at https://vendor-vac. This site has been developed to assist healthcare vendors who are seeking to properly market and present their products and/or services in a healthcare environment. Although vendors obtain personal visitation certifications in order to frequent a medical facility, their products and/or services must also be reviewed and technically certified via a defined criteria to be eligible for purchase. These standards are varied but specific to each organization and include assessment routes that fluctuate according to location and management. These diverse evaluation …

Making Training Memorable: Assessing The Impact Of Animated Video On Learner Satisfaction, Engagement And Knowledge Retention, Leigh Highsmith

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Media rich video provides attributes such as animation, narration, and music that can be incorporated into learning modules which have high potential to promote learning. This project evaluated the impact of transitioning a learning module from static PowerPoint slides to animated (media rich) video on employee satisfaction, engagement, and knowledge retention. Learner satisfaction and engagement was measured using a validated survey instrument designed to evaluate the effectiveness, appeal, and efficiency of the animated video about Hospice and Palliative Care. Knowledge retention was measured by comparing post-test scores between the initial and subsequent second post-test. A retrospective design was used to …

Simulation Impact On Medication Administration Safety: A Simulation Quality Improvement Project, Stacy Simpson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Two medication simulations increasing in rigor, patient acuity, and distractions were implemented among undergraduate nursing students.

Objectives: To increase nursing student confidence, knowledge, and competence when administering medications.

Design: Two medication administration simulations were implemented and data was collected from students via a pre-simulation quiz, observation during the simulation via a Clinical Simulation Evaluation Tool, and student evaluation of the simulation with a modified version of the Simulation Evaluation Tool Likert scale.

Settings: Gaston Community College nursing simulation lab.

Participants: 53 undergraduate nursing students enrolled in NUR 101 and 42 students in NUR 102 …

Child Care Teachers’ Knowledge Of Fun Physical Activities And Healthy Food Choices For Pre-School Children, Elizabeth Gwyn

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The focus of this project was to explore child-care teachers’ knowledge of fun physical activities and healthy food choice activities for preschool children. A four-week educational session was implemented in a rural child-care center. The intervention provided education in relationship to the implementation of fun physical activities and healthy food choice activities for child-care teachers during preschoolers structured playtime. The Child Care Teachers’ Knowledge Evaluation (CCTKE) tool developed by the doctoral student was used to collect responses from participants before and after the intervention. The participants’ data was analyzed using a t-test. There were no statistically significant differences between the …

The Inception Of A Prediabetes Prevention Program In County Government, Gregory R. Grier

Education Dissertations and Projects

With the increasing prevalence and high cost of treatment, diabetes places an enormous demand on economic resources. To combat this issue and rising health care costs,Cleveland County Government took a proactive approach and partnered with its local YMCA. The YMCA was contracted to provide Prediabetes Prevention and Diabetes Control program classes to County employees. The programs were designed to (a) decrease the A1c level of program participants, (b) lower health care costs for the County, and (c) provide education about prevention and maintenance.

The ultimate goal of the program was to assist county administration and staff in their efforts to …

Exploring Patterns Of Health-Promoting Lifestyles Of Academic Nurse Educators, Tracy Campbell

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Participating in health-promoting behaviors is essential for maintaining optimal physical and mental well-being. Nurses play a significant role in supporting the nation’s health, however, nursing shortages impact the ability to meet the complex health demands in a growing population. Guided by Nola J. Pender's health promotion model, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the self-perceived health-promoting lifestyle behaviors of faculty nurse educators. A convenience sample of 13 faculty nurses were studied using a descriptive, non-experimental research design. The 52-item Health-Promoting Lifestyle II (HPLP II) survey was used to evaluate the six dimensions of: health responsibility, interpersonal relations, nutrition, …

Student Perception Of Blended Course Activities, Valerie Bailey

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The flipped classroom has been implemented within the nursing curricula to promote increased student classroom satisfaction, student engagement in the classroom, and improve retention of complex nursing concepts. This research study evaluated how the implementation of the flipped classroom contributed to the overall perception of a new instructional model of teaching within an Associate degree program for a summer nursing course. A variety of research articles were reviewed to assist in the construction of this instructional approach for this nursing course. The research articles reviewed revealed through statistical analysis that overall satisfaction of the flipped classroom approach was successful in …

Investigating Aromatherapy As A Test Anxiety Intervention For Undergraduate Nursing Students, Brittany Graham

Education Dissertations and Projects

This project seeks to explore the concept of aromatherapy as an intervention for undergraduate nursing student test anxiety in greater depth. Test anxiety is significant in nursing education because of the high stakes weight of exams and difficulties associated with answering multiple choice and multiple response questions. Historically, the Hunt School of Nursing has not provided specific procedures or interventions to assist students with test anxiety; however, this project seeks to outline a pathway for the development and achievement of a successful aromatherapy program for undergraduate students. On an informal trial basis, the use of aromatherapy lotions prior to exams …

The Effect Of In Situ Simulation On Teamwork Attitudes In Nursing Students, Janice Kaye Fuson

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Nursing students are not adequately trained in teamwork principles. Positive teamwork has been identified by governmental and accrediting bodies of healthcare to be an essential element in patient safety. TeamSTEPPS© is a program developed by the Department of Defense adapted to healthcare as a cost effective method to change the culture of healthcare organizations. A capstone project that implemented in situ simulation using a TeamSTEPPS© tool was conducted in a rural North Carolina nursing program. Eighteen students participated in the simulation and completed a pre and post TeamSTEPPS© Teamwork Attitude Questionnaire. Mean scores were noted to be considerably lower post …

The Use Of An Unfolding Case Study To Enhance Self-Efficacy In Nursing Students, Hettie V. Peele

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Nurse educators are challenged with preparing new nurse graduates that can function in the current healthcare practice environment of high patient acuity, morbidities, and information technology while maintaining patient safety and quality care management (Cronenwett et al., 2007). Therefore, nurse educators are amenable to exploring alternative teaching pedagogies that provide students with engaging learning opportunities that simulate real-life clinical scenarios they may encounter in professional nursing practice. This study explored the use of an unfolding case study as an innovative teaching strategy to enhance the perception of student self-efficacy. A one-group pretest-posttest descriptive design with a convenience sample of 17 …

Evaluating The Relationship Between Preadmission Assessment Examination Scores And First-Time Nclex-Rn Success, Elizabeth Pyatte Payne

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The relationship between preadmission assessment composite and reading scores and first-time National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN) success was evaluated in this study. Following an extensive literature review, the researcher hypothesized that students who score at or above the national average on the Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) composite score and/or reading score are more likely to be successful on the first attempt of the NCLEX-RN examination. Utilizing archived student records from a rural community college in western North Carolina, a convenience sample of 59 graduates from May 2012 and 2013 was used. Findings of this study …

Interprofessional Simulations: Student Attitudes And Effects On Sbar Performance, Michele A. Pfaff

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

National healthcare organizations recommend innovative educational initiatives and fundamental changes in the way healthcare providers are educated. Educational strategies that incorporate collaboration have been shown to impact professional behaviors and competency. Improved student attitudes toward collaboration and increased understanding of professional roles are impacted by exposure to simulation and interprofessional education. The purpose of the Interprofessional Simulation Project was to determine whether the type of clinical simulation experience (traditional versus interprofessional) influences nursing students' knowledge and performance of skilled communication. Additionally, the project investigated attitudes toward collaboration in an educational setting. A quantitative pretest and posttest design was utilized to …

Medication Safety: Improving Faculty Knowledge And Confidence, Sharon S. Cherry

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this capstone project was to increase knowledge and confidence among nursing faculty assisting pre-licensure nursing students with the medication administration process. The project administrator designed a one day Safe Medication Practices seminar that included a Medication Administration Toolkit to increase knowledge and confidence in faculty members about safety and efficiency in giving medications with multiple students on any clinical day. This toolkit included high-fidelity simulation medication scenario case examples as a teaching pedagogy, as well as other teaching strategies to utilize in the clinical environment. Bandura's Social Learning theory provided the framework for this capstone project. The …

A Structured Orientation Development System For Nursing Faculty, Dana R. Mangum

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

A national nursing shortage is nearing its crest. The Baby Boomer generation is beginning to retire in record numbers. Healthcare technology is continually evolving and the topography of nursing education is changing. In order to acquire, develop, and retain excellent nursing faculty to meet the ever changing demands, nursing faculty need to be streamlined into the world of academia. A Structured Orientation Development System (SODS) was developed to aid nursing faculty into the transition from expert bedside nurse to expert nursing faculty. A literature review found no evidence of a structured type nursing faculty orientation system. The purpose of this …

The Impact Of Simulation-Based Learning Experience On Critical Thinking Acquisition, Candice Rome

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this comparative experimental project was to compare the impact of simulation-based learning experiences to traditional clinical rotations on critical thinking acquisition of associate nursing students within a maternal-child course. Innovative pedagogies have been integrated in nursing programs to augment inadequate clinical placement and instructor availabilities. A longitudinal convenience sample of 45 second year associate level nursing students enrolled in a maternal-child course was utilized. Four experimental groups, 24 students were exposed to an eight-hour simulation-based learning experience in place of one clinical rotation. During the eight hour simulation day, students participated in three various maternal-child centered simulations. …

The Effect Of Select Programmatic Characteristics On First-Time Pass Rate Of The Board Of Certification Examination, Matthea S. Hungerford

Education Dissertations and Projects

This study was designed to examine the progression of Board of Certification (BOC) Domain content within athletic training courses and the introduction of Domain content within the curriculum of the Athletic Training Education Program (ATEP) on first-time pass rate of the BOC exam for 2010 graduates. The researcher also gauged the perceptions of athletic training education program directors and instructional faculty regarding importance of specific ATEP characteristics on preparing students for success on the BOC examination.

Invited study subjects included all Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Educated accredited ATEP directors and associated instructional faculty. Participants were e-mailed a study …

Parental Perception Of Childhood Obesity And The School's Role On Prevention And Interventions In Childhood Obesity, Monique Jones

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Childhood obesity is a major health crisis that is becoming an epidemic among children and adolescents. Interventions must begin early and focus on prevention strategies to achieve the goal of increasing quality years of life for today's children and families. Parents with children in a local after school Boys & Girls club were surveyed regarding their perception of childhood obesity, the causes of childhood obesity, and the school's role in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. More than 90% of the participants identified inactivity, poor eating behavior, eating too much, and lack of money to buy nutritious foods as …