Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Exploring Palliative Care Education Needs And Desires Of Advanced Practice Providers In The Critical Care Setting, Jill Marie Clemmons

DNP Projects

Background: Critical care providers in the ICU setting are discovering that their patients are living longer with more comorbid conditions. They are confronted with palliative care situations almost daily. Recently palliative care has been thrust into the forefront of critical care and is a resource critical care nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants need to be able to utilize. A gap in the literature has been found in the overall education of critical care providers regarding palliative care.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine what palliative care training trauma/cardiac/neurological, and pulmonary critical care providers had previously received …

Caring For Ourselves Before We Care For Others: A Mindfulness-Based Intervention For Acute Care Nursing Staff, Kent Brouwer

DNP Projects

Background: Acute care nursing staff have recently faced increasing rates of anxiety, stress, emotional exhaustion, and burnout. Nursing burnout is directly linked to patient outcomes, nurse retention, and the resilience of our nurses. Therefore, it is in the best interest of hospital organizations to focus efforts on the well-being of the nursing workforce. A recent innovative technology to prevent burnout teaches mindfulness through the utilization of smartphone applications. There is limited evidence regarding the implementation and impact of brief mindfulness interventions on intra-professional acute care providers.

Methods: A pretest-posttest design with a midpoint evaluation was utilized in this pilot study. …

Implementation Of Education And Use Of A Screening Tool To Assess Palliative Care Needs In The Critical Care Setting, Megan Stoeckinger

DNP Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to measure palliative care knowledge, attitudes, perceived empowerment, and familiarity of the Supportive Palliative Care Indicators Tool (SPICT) among critical care nurses and advanced practice providers (APPs) before and after viewing a web-based educational video on an adult medicine intensive care unit (MICU).

Methods: This study was a one group pre- and post- implementation assessment using a web-based educational video and electronic surveys. The population included critical care nurses and advanced practice providers (APPs). This study spanned the timeframe between January 2022 and March 2022.

Results: Paired t-tests comparing pre-intervention …

A Multifaceted Approach To Improving Sedation Practices In The Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, Casey Mingua

DNP Projects

Purpose: Sedation protocols have been positively correlated with improved patient outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU). Therefore, healthcare leaders should direct efforts to improving protocol compliance through evidence-based strategies. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of a multifaceted intervention, consisting of educational outreach, point of care (POC) reminders, and audit and feedback (A&F), on nurse compliance with an ICU sedation protocol. A secondary data analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of the intervention on patient outcomes.

Methods: This was a before/after comparative analysis. A Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) pre-survey (n=58) was distributed to …

Countering Moral Distress In Ecmo Nurses With Case-Review Debriefings, Sherry D. Griggs

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background: Moral Distress occurs when nurses know the ethically correct action to take, but they are restrained from taking it. It is especially prevalent in nurses caring for critically ill patients, such as those on extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Effectively addressing moral distress is crucial to the growth and health of the nursing profession, which is the cornerstone of quality and safety in healthcare.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of case-review debriefings on moral distress of ECMO nurses.

Conceptual Framework: Analysis of Moral Distress Process was utilized. This framework addresses moral distress …

Increasing Adherence To Protocolized Diuresis For De-Resuscitation Of Icu Patients By Increasing Nursing Knowledge And Confidence, Jenna Haupert

DNP Projects

Background: Fluid overload in patients requiring intensive care leads to increased costs for hospitals and patients, increased length of intensive care unit (ICU) and total hospital stay, ventilator days, acute kidney injuries, and mortality rates. Multiple studies have indicated that aggressive de-resuscitation with diuretics can decrease length of stay, ventilator days, organ injury, and mortality rates. A nurse-driven diuresis protocol utilizing intravenous (IV) push furosemide was introduced to the University of Kentucky Medicine ICU, but patients are still commonly still over-resuscitated with no plan to diurese until organ damage has occurred. By educating bedside nurses, improving their knowledge and confidence …

The Impact Of Icu Telemedicine On Patient Outcomes In The Surgical Critical Care Setting: An Observational Study, Megan Steely

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background: In April 2020, the University of Kentucky (UK) implemented a division entitled the Enhanced Care through Advanced Technology Intensive Care Unit (eCAT ICU) to provide tele-critical care (TCC) services in all critical care areas at UK Healthcare. The eCAT ICU at UK HealthCare was the first TCC delivery system of its kind in the state of Kentucky. Use of TCC has been associated with improved patient outcomes and decreased costs.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze targeted outcomes in the surgical critical care population pre- and post-implementation of TCC at UK HealthCare. Specifically, the aims …

The Measurement Of The Impact Of Well-Being Resources On Moral Distress And Burnout Following The Covid-19 Pandemic In Front-Line Nurse Leaders, Benjamin Hughes

DNP Projects

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is significant burnout among front-line nursing staff. Little literature has been published about the measurement of burnout among front-line nursing leaders, such as nurse managers and directors, nor the interventions used to help with this ever-growing issue among this group. Since the pandemic began, there have been many resources identified to help front-line staff members with burnout, but none specifically looking at what has worked or been utilized by front-line nursing leaders.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to describe what well-being resources were identified as being effective in decreasing moral distress …

Increasing Staff Compliance With Routine Hcv Screening And Improving Linkage To Care Among Patients Testing Hepatitis C Positive In The Emergency Department, Carson G. Swartz

DNP Projects

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne pathogen that can cause severe liver disease, cancer, and death and is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Several academic medical centers including University of Kentucky Healthcare have implemented routine HCV screening for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) and have discovered a large viral burden amongst patients who are often symptomatic.

Purpose: The purpose of this doctoral project is to increase staff compliance, confidence, and education regarding the HCV screening process in an urban, Level I emergency department, as well as to evaluate whether an …

Effects Of An Educational Module On Perceived Knowledge, Perceived Barriers, And Attitudes Related To Sleep-Promoting Practices Among Bedside Nursing Staff Within A Medical Intensive Care Unit, Arden Gross

DNP Projects

Background: Adult patients in the critical care setting are at risk for experiencing sleep disruption due to critical illness and environmental factors. The effects of disruption to the sleep/wake cycle has been associated with dysregulation of biological processes such as healing and immune system functioning. Current literature includes the use of sleep-promoting protocols that aim to reduce environmental disruptors of sleep in the critical care setting. However, there is a disconnect between the perceived importance of sleep and clinical practice. Additionally, there is a gap in literature exploring the effects of educational-modalities on nursing staff knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes related …