Education Commons^™

Educating Staff To Reduce Hospitalization Of Individuals Living In A Group Home, Caroline Aina Ibijemilusi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPersons with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have significant health disparity in terms of high numbers of hospitalizations compared to the general population. The purpose of the project was to improve staff ability to recognize and respond to the changes in the health status of intellectually and developmentally disabled individuals living in a group home. The project utilized Knowles’s theory of adult learning to develop a curriculum suitable for adult learners and the Kirkpatrick model to guide the assessment of the training. Pre- and post-perception of learning and satisfaction surveys were provided to the participants online. A paired t test …

Effects Of Education On Rural Emergency Department Preceptors’ Self-Efficacy And Knowledge, Katherine Marie Jasper

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Emergency Nurses Association recommends nurse preceptorship programs for emergency departments (EDs) to give nurses the skills needed for precepting new nurses; however, many rural areas do not have nurse education for preceptorship, and no standardized training is available for preparing preceptors for their roles. Rural ED preceptors therefore lack knowledge and skills needed for precepting new nurses. The purpose of this study, guided by Benner’s skill acquisition and self-efficacy theory, was to determine if there were significant differences in 33 rural ED nurse preceptors’ knowledge and self-efficacy after they completed an online informational PowerPoint presentation. The PowerPoint education program …

Examining The Efficacy Of A School-Based Mental Health Program In Iowa, Karen A. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence shows that treating mental health issues positively impacts academic and other life outcomes for students. However, there remains a gap in knowledge specific to academic outcomes and to rural school districts. It is important for mental health providers, educators, and third-party payers to gain an understanding of how treating mental health in the school setting affects student performance. The purpose of this quantitative study, which had contribution analysis as its theoretical framework, was to examine the academic and behavioral outcomes of participating in a school-based mental health (SBMH) program in rural school districts in Iowa. The specific focus was …

Stroke Prevention Through Education, Laura Lee Ballance

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThis project focused on two concepts: a need for a stroke prevention program and what should be included. The problem with early identification of stroke is not formally addressed at the project site, physician’s office. A physician’s office can play a beginning key role in minimizing the risk of stroke. The purpose of this project was to explore the evidence to support the need for and to determine ideal content for a stroke prevention education program. This program focused on early detection and identification of risk factors to prevent stroke occurrence. The theoretical framework of Pender’s health promotion model aligns …

Hospital Nurses’ Perceptions Of Computer-Assisted Instruction For Professional Development, Katherine Irizarry

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Computer-assisted instruction (CAI) is increasingly being used for professional development. However, at one hospital in the northeast region of the United States, it was observed that nurses were not completing their CAI professional development modules and were failing to meet continuous education requirements. This qualitative case study explored professional nurses’ perspectives regarding the usefulness of CAI as a mode of professional development. The conceptual frameworks used to guide this study were Davis’ theory of technology acceptance, and Knowles’s theory of andragogy. The research question explored how professional nurses perceived the usefulness of CAI to assimilate new learning. The participants in …

The Lived Experiences Of Clinical Nursing Faculty With Student Performance Anxiety, Heather Lapoint

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The nursing shortage in the United States has led to a call for nursing education reform. Current clinical educational methods precipitate nursing student performance anxiety (PA). PA can inhibit the clinical judgment, reasoning, critical thinking, and the adaptability required for advancing healthcare initiatives and reducing the nursing shortage. PA has not been defined nor addressed in undergraduate nursing education. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experiences of associate degree (AD) nursing program faculty in addressing student PA as it occurs in the clinical setting. Specifically, how faculty define PA and recognize, address, and assess …

The Impact Of Faculty Bullying On Associate Degree Nursing Students, Angela M. Vitale

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Bullying is prevalent in the profession of nursing, impacting the quality of health care and health care costs. The foundation of bullying, in the profession of nursing, may be attributed to bullying behaviors in nursing academia among nursing faculty and nursing students. Using Bandura’s social learning theory, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between bullying behaviors of nursing faculty and bullying behaviors of nursing students in associate degree nursing programs. Seventy-one randomly selected registered nurses who graduated from associate degree nursing programs in the past 5 years completed an online Incivility in Nursing Education-Revised survey. Spearman’s …

Direct Care Staffs’ Experiences And Perceptions Of Person-Centered Care Training, Jennifer Miranda Strollo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Many long-term care (LTC) facilities within the United States have replaced the institutional model of care with one that accepts person-centered care (PCC) as the guiding standard of practice. Quality training ensures that direct care staff have the skills and the knowledge in the delivery of quality PCC. However, many nurses and nursing assistants have expressed the desire for further training in PCC practices to effectively deliver quality care. The purpose of this study was to explore the types and length of training and education provided based on the perceptions and experiences of direct care staff related to their implementation …

Effect Of Multiple Entry Levels Into Nursing Practice And Professionalism, Ogechi Abalihi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Entry into professional nursing practice in the United States occurs at varied education levels including a diploma, an associate degree, and a baccalaureate degree. These multiple entry levels into practice create a situation where academic preparedness for nursing practice varies, which may influence the professional behavior of nurses and, consequently, patient care and outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative comparative study, guided by Miller's wheel of professionalism in nursing, was to determine if there is a difference in the professional behaviors of associate degree prepared registered nurses (RNs) compared to the professional behaviors of baccalaureate degree prepared RNs. The Behavior …

Evidence-Based Practice Self-Study Education Program For Staff Nurses On Genomics, Nancy L. Norman-Marzella

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nurses routinely obtain genomic data when collecting family health histories. However, they report low confidence in their knowledge and understanding of genomics and the genetically engineered medications prescribed for their patients. The purpose of this project was the development and implementation of an evidence-based online education program about genetics and genomics to increase the nurses' understanding and ability to provide competent care for their patients receiving treatments based on the science of genomics. Knowles's principles of adult learning theory guided the development and delivery of the online education project to 12 medical-surgical registered nurses employed in a hospital in the …

Evidence-Based Care In Urgent Care Centers, Kelly Wagner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Concussions are brain injuries--also called mild traumatic brain injuries--that affect the function of the brain temporarily or permanently. The purpose of this doctoral project was to develop an education module for staff at an urgent care center to address the lack of knowledge and low level of comfort regarding the care for patients with a head trauma. This project introduced and educated the clinical staff on an evidence-based protocol for the treatment and management of a patient with a concussion. The Rosswurm and Larrabee model for evidence-based change was used as a foundation for refining the practice question, gathering evidence, …

Predicting Educational Attainment Based On Forensic Psychiatric Patients' Age At First Hospitalization, Malinda Marie Lawson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Education during recovery could impact a forensic psychiatric patient's community reintegration; however, individual education goals for patients can be difficult due to the lack of available parameters. The purpose of this study was to test whether age at first hospitalization is predictive of educational attainment among forensic psychiatric patients and to determine which ages of first hospitalization best predict 8 levels of educational attainment. Cattell's intelligence theory served as the theoretical framework for this study because mental illness requiring early hospitalization may affect education and learning. This quantitative, nonexperimental study involved a predictive design with data from the Canadian Institute …

Development Of An Interactive Game For Education Regarding Sexually Transmitted Infections, Sherri Arrington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevalence rates are increasing in the United States and globally. Education has been found to be an important strategy for increasing STI testing and treatment rates among sexually active young adults. The goal of this project was to develop an interactive educational game suitable for young adults to decrease the social and economic burden of STIs. The health belief model informed the project. A moderated usability evaluation was conducted using the concurrent think-aloud technique. The participants (N = 5) were a purposive sample of professionals who played the interactive game and then completed Schnall, Cho, and …

Development Of Nursing Education For An Observation Unit, Donna Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As healthcare continues to face scrutiny related to the cost and quality of patient care, organizations are challenged with providing the right care to patients in the right setting. Some healthcare organizations are implementing observation units to provide appropriate care to a specific subset of patients. The purpose of this project was to develop education for nursing staff who will work on the dedicated observation unit and are unfamiliar with the care requirements. Benner's novice-to-expert theory was used as the framework for the project. This theorist posits that nurses transitioning to a new area require new knowledge and skills to …

Educating Oncology Nurses On The Benefits Of Patient Exercise, Roberta Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Exercise benefits patients with cancer during and after treatments. A formalized educational program is lacking at the project's site for oncology nurses on the benefits of exercise for their patients during and after treatment. The purpose of the project was to address the identified gap in practice at the project's site by providing education to oncology nurses on the benefits of exercise for their patients during and after treatment. The ARCS model of motivational design was used as a theoretical foundation to develop and guide the educational program presented to the oncology nurses. The question addressed in the project was: …

Improving Health Literacy Assessments In Pediatrics, Kristina Michelle Wright

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low health literacy (LHL)--when patients do not understand their treatment or medications--has been linked to poor healthcare outcomes. Nurses need to know how to assess health literacy (HL) and teach pediatric patients and their families to help ensure that patients and family members can understand and follow health education messages. Evidence-based HL tools were obtained from a literature search and used to create a nursing staff education program on pediatric patient HL assessment and education. The project answered the practice-focused question that asked whether a staff education program on HL assessment and management would improve nursing knowledge of HL for …

Rem Initiative To Develop Educational Strategies For Inductions Of Labor, Chandra Evette Jones-Worthing

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Inductions of labor that occur prior to 39 weeks' gestation can pose increased risks for the mother-baby dyad. In the target setting, there is a gap in knowledge among the pregnant women about options for delivery, hospital policies and procedures, and what to expect in the labor and delivery experience. Because of this gap in knowledge, the pregnant patient is unable to make informed decisions regarding her needs, expectations, and care. This lack of knowledge has resulted in a 40-50% rate of inductions of labor at the target site, which is well above the 2014 national average of 25%. In …

Educational Intervention For Engaging Adolescents And Their Parents In Hpv Vaccination, Alvin Mena Cantero

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In the United States, 79 million people are currently infected with Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and it is estimated that an additional 14 to 20 million people will be infected with HPV every year. Infection with HPV increased to 52.7 % of preventable infections within the United States in 2012, and 39.6% of the infected population are adolescents engaged in sexual activities. The practice-focused question that this project addressed was: To what extent can an educational program influence the HPV vaccination rate in a small family practice clinic located in Texas? The main purpose of this project was to increase …

Educating To The Collaborative Care Model, Darcy N. Duncan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The problem addressed in this project was the lack of experienced RNs needed in the acute care setting to deliver safe, quality patient care, while effectively managing resources and providing job satisfaction. The purpose of this project was to determine if an education module designed to educate charge and rover nurses on the Collaborative Care Model (CCM) would enhance staff nurses' abilities to provide safe, high quality care to patients, and improve staff nurse retention on one unit in an acute care setting. The theoretical frameworks utilized to guide the education module included: Lewin's theory of planned change, Benner's novice …

Medical Floor Confusion Assessment Method: Implementation And Assessment Of Risk Factors, Michaelynn R. Paul

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

An estimated 50% of older hospitalized patients experience delirium. This has created significant complications costing an estimated $164 billion or more per year worldwide. The ability to identify patients developing delirium would allow the implementation of specific interventions to decrease or eliminate the adverse effects of delirium. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to provide high quality delirium education to determine if medical unit nursing staff could successful implement the Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) screening tool to identify patients experiencing delirium as the first phase of an overall plan. Implementation of the project followed Roger's diffusion of innovations …

Mandated Continuing Education And The Competency Of Illinois Physical Therapists, Denise Lynn Hunter Ethington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Continuing education (CE) mandate laws are passed by states because it is in the public interest. The intent behind the passage of Illinois's CE law for physical therapists is to protect public health and safety through ensuring the competency of providers. However, studies into the impact of mandated CE on competency have been mixed. The problem addressed by this study was whether Illinois's CE law was effective in improving the competency of physical therapists and its impact on patient care. The purpose of this study was to understand what role mandated CE played in developing the competency of physical therapists …

Fall Prevention In A Neurological Care Unit, Claudeth Jeffrey

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient falls are an ongoing concern for health systems in the US and in the setting where this project took place. Inpatient falls affect consumers and health providers because falls often result in patient morbidity and mortality, legal risk, increased length of stay, and increased costs. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the existing fall prevention protocol at the site where this project took place and to make recommendations for an evidenced-based fall prevention protocol. The professional practice model was the conceptual model that guided the exploratory descriptive project. A review of the site's fall prevention policies and …

Experiences Of Heterosexual-Identified Counselors-In-Training With Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Couples In Relation To Perceived Training And Self-Efficacy, Melissa Lee-Tammeus Lee-Tammeus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has indicated that lesbian, gay, and/or bisexual (LGB) couples seek mental health counseling far more than heterosexual couples. Using identity development theory and family-of-choice frameworks, a review of the literature revealed that there are a multitude of considerations in working with LGB couples. The use of self-determination theory and social cognitive theory also uncovered many considerations for counselors and counselors-in-training. The purpose of the current study was to add to the lacking empirical data regarding counselors-in-training by exploring their experiences in working with LGB couples. More specifically, this study aimed to understand perceptions regarding the educational training and self-efficacy …

Best Practices For Controlling Tuberculosis - Training In Correctional Facilities: A Mixed Methods Evaluation, Ellen Reynolds Murray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

According to the literature, identifying and treating tuberculosis (TB) in correctional facilities have been problematic for the inmates and also for the communities into which inmates are released. The importance of training those who can identify this disease early into incarceration is vital to halt the transmission. Although some training has been done by public health authorities for corrections, there is little to no evaluation of such training. The aim of this mixed methods retrospective study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a training to control TB in correctional facilities. The Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center (SNTC) conducted 12 trainings between …

Chiropractic Student Infection Control Practices And Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Skin Infections, Jonathon Todd Egan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chiropractic training involves many hours of skin contact, and chiropractors have manual contact with millions of patients annually, but chiropractic has only had professional clinical hygiene guidance since 2010. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is the most common cause of cultured skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) in the United States. Using the epidemiologic triad of person, place, and time as a framework, this quantitative, cross-sectional study obtained the first assessment of MRSA SSTI incidence among chiropractic students and its association with infection control behaviors (hand and table hygiene, sharing gowns, and sharing lotion) and initiation of patient care. The study …

Improving Quality Of Life In Older Adults With Depression And Diabetes Through Medication Compliance Education, Valreen Hinds-Beharrie

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Improving Quality-of-Life in Older Adults with Depression and Diabetes through Medication Compliance Education

by

Valreen Hinds-Beharrie

MSN, Adelphi University, 1997

BSN, Adelphi University, 1986

Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirement for the Degree of

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University

March 2016

Diabetes and depression are prevalent diseases that cause morbidity and mortality. Diabetes is a heterogeneous metabolic disease in which hypoglycemia is a central feature. Depression is associated with increased counter-regulatory, hormone release, and alteration in glucose transport function. Depression occurs in some individuals with diabetes and is associated with poor metabolic control, inadequate control of diet, …

Critical Care Nurses' Perceptions Of Their Knowledge And Self-Efficacy About Providing End-Of-Life Care, Mary Kathryn Gaffney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Most nurses receive limited formal education regarding end-of-life (EOL) care, which affects their ability to meet dying patients' needs. Guided by Bandura's social learning theory, this explanatory correlational study examined the relationships between critical care nurses' personal and professional characteristics and their perceived knowledge and self-efficacy when providing EOL care at an academic medical center. Convenience sampling was used to recruit participants from the eligible adult, pediatric, and neonatal critical care nurses for this study. The 67 participants completed the End-of-Life Professional Caregiver Survey (EPCS) to assess EOL care knowledge and self-confidence. Total EPCS scores revealed only moderate levels of …

Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation: A Comparison Of Unlicensed And Licensed Professionals, Pamela A. Morrison

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This study was conducted to comparatively examine child specific expulsion rates and parent satisfaction of children who received early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) services delivered in 2 states for the 2012 program year: Maryland (unlicensed) and Delaware (licensed) . This current study examined secondary data to determine whether unlicensed (Maryland) ECMHC professionals are equally or more effective than licensed (Delaware) ECMHC professionals. Of the total number of child specific consultations or cases referred for services in Maryland (unlicensed), N = 370, n = 266 children avoided expulsion and were able to remain at their childcare placements while n = …

Effects Of Education On Victims Of Domestic Violence, Julette N. Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this project was to improve support for victims of domestic violence. To that end, this project developed an evidence-based program to provide information about domestic violence including safe and confidential ways to seek assistance, rights as cohabiting intimate partners, and the resources available to community members. Several approaches were used to develop, validate, and plan for implementation and evaluation of this program, which was developed for 3 sites in Broward and Miami-Dade counties where the project is situated. The program logic model and the social ecological model, including the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels, were used …

A Clinical Pathway Education Program For Pediatric Nurses, Lisa M. Scheiber-Case

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Clinical pathways have been studied to promote best practices in nursing and enhance patient satisfaction. For 10 years a pediatric orthopedic surgical team at a Midwest hospital has not had a clinical pathway to treat or standardize care for adolescents following posterior spinal fusion surgery. Pain scores and patients' length of stay were collected using a retrospective chart review. This information was used to revise preoperative education materials and develop a visual poster. The purpose of this project was to identify and develop a way to educate the pediatric nursing staff on the use of the developed educational materials, poster, …