Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evaluating Pulmonary Tuberculosis Knowledge Deficits Among Nursing Students In The United States, Jamie Lynn Woo

Nursing | Senior Theses

The healthcare field consistently faces patients with a wide range of diseases and illnesses. Pulmonary Tuberculosis is an infectious lung disease with established tools to prevent, detect, and treat it. Yet, there has been a significant rise in cases within the past year. Amidst this troubling situation, it is crucial that all healthcare workers, nursing students, and nurses in particular, are properly educated on caring for TB patients. This research proposal aims to determine if there are TB treatment knowledge gaps among nursing students in the United States by conducting a 20-question survey utilizing the Likert Scale. If results show …

New Graduate Nurse Professional Perseverance Strategies In A Time Of Crisis, Jennifer E. Smith Edd

Dissertations of Practice

This qualitative grounded theory study examined how new graduate nurses who entered practice just prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic developed and sustained resilience while navigating extraordinary professional and personal challenges. The study focused on associate degree nurses who graduated between December 2018 and May 2022 and were employed in acute and sub-acute care settings with direct patient care responsibilities, including the care of patients with COVID-19. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and reflective journal entries and analyzed using open, axial, and selective coding.

Findings revealed that resilience was not a static characteristic but an evolving process influenced …

Beyond Grit: Structural Determinants Of Resilience Among College Women With Children In The U.S., Juliana Kahrs

Dissertations of Practice

This critical quantitative analysis explores how social determinants of health, including basic needs security, caregiving and work responsibilities, healthcare access, discrimination experiences, and institutional support predict resilience among U.S. college women with dependents. Using data from the Spring 2021 ACHA-NCHA III survey (n = 4,417), this study integrated the Health Equity Framework with the Social Ecological Theory of Resilience to examine multilevel influences on resilience. Descriptive analyses highlighted disproportionate burdens among single, first-generation, and racially minoritized groups. Bivariate chi-square tests revealed significant associations between resilience and sense of belonging, basic needs security, employment, healthcare utilization, and self-assessed overall health. Multinomial …

Understanding The Challenges And Satisfaction Among The Medical Professional Preceptors, Cornelia Ko

West Chester University Doctoral Projects

This study evaluates the Penn Medicine Family Medicine Clerkship program through a mixed-methods approach, exploring the challenges and factors influencing the satisfaction of medical professional preceptors when precepting students. A quantitative survey with 54 preceptor participants reveals the top challenges preceptors face: workload, conflicts with patient care, and limited clinical space. Despite this, there is strong support for the program, with 89% of preceptors enjoying the role and 85% expressing willingness to continue to precept for the next three years. Finally, data analysis shows no statistical correlation between preceptor motivation with gender, ethnicity, age group, years of serving, or total …

Opportunities For Inter-Cultural Awareness In The Education Of Dental Hygienists, Elizabeth J. Sandell, Lynnette Engeswick

Elementary and Literacy Education Department Publications

Professional standards require that dental hygienists deliver culturally appropriate services and demonstrate respect for patients whose cultural beliefs and values may conflict with normative clinical recommendations. The present study provided a snapshot of undergraduate students in one dental hygiene education program about the students' Intercultural competence (ICC): "the capability to understand and adapt behavior to cultural differences and commonality accurately." Rather than a longitudinal study of a student cohort, investigators sought to understand if program outcomes were congruent with the stated visions and missions of the university, co llege, and department. The participants completed an Informed Consent before taking the …

The Ethics Of Student Attrition In Healthcare Education Programs, Kent Haina Jr, Peter A. Depergola Ii

Journal of Health Ethics

Student attrition is a problem in healthcare education programs, but there is little in the literature regarding the organizational ethics of lowering it. Some argue that lowering attrition is unethical, because it would lower academic and professional standards, potentially impacting patient care. Others say students deserve to make decisions about when to leave a course of study. However, these arguments ignore inequities in attrition, as well as the conflicts of interest in, and moral obligations of colleges and universities. Lowering attrition rates in healthcare education programs is inherently ethical because it levels the playing field for underrepresented minorities that disproportionately …

Exploring Lgbtq+ Competency In Healthcare, Jordan Whiteman

Honors College Theses

Marginalized groups such as the LGBTQ+ community are known to face healthcare disparities that negatively affect their process of navigating healthcare systems. This project explores the perceived lack of representation and understanding of the LGBTQ+ community within healthcare settings, exposing the deficits in knowledge for unique challenges and inequalities these patients may face. By viewing the literature, a myriad of complications faced by LGBTQ+ people in clinical settings can be identified. They possess a generalized feeling of mistrust towards the healthcare system. Healthcare staff overall describe low confidence with caring for this demographic. Heteronormativity’s presence in the field of healthcare …

Virtual Learning In Emergency Medicine Residency Programs, Ashley Rider, Laura Oh, Rahul Bhat, Michael Gottlieb, Bruce Lo, Ulemu Luhanga, Shayne Gue, Jason Laenngfeld, Sarah Greenberger, Jeffery Hill, Jonathan Heidt

Department of Emergency Medicine Faculty Publications

During the COVID-19 pandemic, educational systems worldwide faced significant disruptions as in-person learning became unfeasible. In response, many institutions, including graduate medical education programs, swiftly transitioned to virtual learning platforms to adapt to these challenges. The rapid and unplanned pivot in learning format resulted in temporary negative impacts on residency training. Conversely, the experience of the rapid shift may have resulted in some long-term benefits while also preparing programs for future disruptions. This review aimed to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of virtual learning, potential mitigation strategies for the realized disadvantages, and potential areas of future research.

Speech-Language Pathologists’ Preparation To Become Clinical Educators, Alivia English

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Clinical education is significant in a student clinician’s educational journey to prepare them for their career after graduation. It provides the hands-on component that can only be learned and fully understood through performing. The literature regarding students’ experiences in clinical education is vast, but there is a shortage of literature that explores the perceptions of clinical educators (CEs). This thesis consists of three articles. The first article explores the perceptions speech-language pathologists’ have regarding the preparation they received to become CEs, and then the second article takes a look at how the requirements to becoming CEs differ across similar clinical …

Culturally Sensitive Nursing Care And Its Impact On Abuse Disclosure Among Immigrant-Origin Populations​, Jaspal Uppal

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Background: Immigrant-origin patients often face many systemic barriers when accessing healthcare. Factors such as language barriers, fear of deportation, limited trust in healthcare providers, and lack of culturally sensitive care make it hard for patients to disclose abuse. These challenges contribute to poor health amongst vulnerable populations which highlights the importance of using culturally sensitive and trauma-informed care. Objective: This research aims to test whether culturally adapted, trauma-informed nursing care improves disclosure of abuse and access to support services. The objective is to strengthen safety and trust between healthcare providers and patients through culturally sensitive care. Method: A quantitative quasi-experimental …

The Role Of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners: Addressing The Shortage And Its Implications For Healthcare, Isabel Mary Mccarthy

Nursing | Student Research Posters

The increasing prevalence of sexual assault cases has highlighted the crucial need for trained healthcare professionals who can effectively provide sensitive care for survivors. Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) are registered nurses specifically trained to perform forensic examinations and provide medical and emotional support to sexual assault victims. However, many nursing programs lack formal education on SANE practices, which can hinder students' preparedness to address such cases in their future careers. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a specialized Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) training module integrated into an undergraduate nursing curriculum at Dominican University of California. By …

Developing An Educational Session And Epic-Based Tools To Help Nurses Provide Culturally Sensitive Care To Their Muslim Patients, Laila Albutmeh

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Islam is currently the fastest growing religion in the world. The chances of nurses getting Muslim patients are on a rise. Islam is not just a religion but a way of life that shapes/guides every aspect of human experience. With religion being such an important part in a Muslim's life, they need nurses to be able to provide them culturally sensitive care. Nurses can do this if they are equipped with the right knowledge and tools. Implementing educational resources on how to provide culturally sensitive care to Muslim patients for nurses to use will help them be able to provide …

Perceived Obligations Of Older Partners In Living-Apart-Together Relationships, Allison M. Martin, Timothy S. Killian

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Older and middle-aged adults are increasingly in Living-Apart-Together (LAT) relationships characterized by committed romantic relationships without marriage and cohabitation. Because of assumptions that older adults will receive family caregiving as they grow older and need caregiving, it is not clear how people are likely to perceive obligations to provide caregiving assistance. As adults move into old age and incidence rates of Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Dementia (ADRD) increase, questions about the availability of family members to provide needed assistance are complicated by LAT relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine perceived obligations to provide assistance to older adults …

The Impact Of Professionalism Education And Formative Feedback In Doctor Of Physical Therapy Students Utilizing The Abbreviated Cpi Feedback Form In The On-Campus Clinic Environment, William L. Scott

Dissertations

Problem

The American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) developed the Clinical Performance Instrument (CPI) to assess the professional behaviors required for a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) student to be considered "entry level" in their clinical training. Feedback from our clinical partners has indicated that, historically, students from the Andrews University DPT program have scored lower than students from other programs in several areas of the CPI during their clinical experiences. According to subjective reports from our clinical partners, these areas included safety, professional behavior, accountability, communication, and critical thinking. These five areas have been the focus of our efforts in …

Using Virtual Reality To Assist Students At Academic Risk In Human Anatomy, Michael Foley, Lauren T. Lilley, Lindsay Meyers, Robert Armstrong, Lisa Fore-Arcand, Kelly Mccoy, Chad Eitel, Tod R. Clapp, Natascha Heise

Department of Pathology & Anatomy Faculty Publications

Learning human anatomy presents a significant challenge for health profession students due to the difficulty in visualizing structures in three dimensions. Virtual reality (VR) has been reported to aid in understanding these relationships. In this study, students at academic risk attended VR sessions alongside their gross anatomy course. Data from post-surveys, observations, and examinations indicated VR participants performed similarly to peers, except in head/neck and pelvis/lower limb exams where performance was lower. Students valued VR for enhancing confidence and understanding. VR shows promise in supplementing anatomy education, particularly for less complex regions, and bridging gaps in traditional learning methods.

Skills Evaluation Of Adjunct Nursing Faculty: A Quality Improvement Project, Ada Dimino Luong

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

BACKGROUND: With rising student enrollment, colleges and universities are relying more on adjunct clinical nursing faculty as Clinical Nurse Educators (CNEs). Recruiting and retaining qualified CNEs is essential to high-quality clinical education. Although clinically proficient, CNEs may face challenges with teaching methods, instructional strategies, and formative feedback. This quality improvement (QI) project evaluated CNE’s competencies and developed a sustainable multimedia educational tool to enhance feedback skills in clinical education.

METHODS: The Academic Clinical Nurse Educator Skill Acquisition Tool (ACNESAT), a validated 40-item Likert-scale instrument created by Shellenbarger and Sebach, was used to assess CNE competencies. Pre and post intervention …

Improving Glucose Levels In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Kaitlin Castillo

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Type 2 diabetes is a growing health crisis, posing significant challenges not only to individual well-being but also to healthcare systems' financial sustainability. The prevalence of type 2 diabetes continues to rise annually, contributing to increased medical costs, hospitalizations, and long-term complications. Houston, Texas, has a diabetes prevalence of 13.5%, exceeding the national average of 10%. A clinical gap exists in providers’ ability to prevent and manage type 2 diabetes. Prioritizing prevention, early intervention, and improved patient monitoring can reduce incidence rates, lower healthcare costs, and enhance overall population health. A Plan Do Study Act model was utilized for the …

Bundled Approach To Improve Colorectal Cancer In Primary Care, Elizabeth Reddiar

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Abstract

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, despite being preventable through timely screening. National guidelines recommend regular screening for adults aged 45 to 75; (American cancer Society (ACS), 2025) however, screening rates remain suboptimal, particularly in primary care settings serving diverse and high-volume populations. Local Problem: At the project site, a community-oriented primary care clinic in North Texas, baseline data revealed CRC screening completion rates were below benchmarks set by the organization. Barriers included limited patient awareness, inconsistent provider reminders, and workflow challenges in distributing and tracking fecal immunochemical test …

The Effects Habitual Training Shoe Use Has On Running Economy When Transitioning To High Performance Running Shoes, Dalton C. Harris

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Background: The recent increase in popularity of minimal shoes in endurance running is linked to potential improvements in running economy and reduced injury risk. However, high performance running shoes, specifically designed to improve running economy remain the fastest shoe to wear when racing. Purpose: Knowing this, the aim of this paper is to examine whether or not the habitual use of minimal shoes increases the benefits of the high performance shoes. This will guide practitioners and athletes when establishing shoe rotations and training plans during race preparation. Methods: The study consisted of 4 sessions: Sessions 1 and 2 were maximal …

Proximity And Density Of Tobacco Retail Locations To Kentucky Schools And The Relationship To Youth Perceptions Of Harm And Susceptibility To E-Cigarette Use, Hannah Cardona

Theses and Dissertations--Kinesiology and Health Promotion

Purpose: To explore the potential relationship between tobacco retailer proximity/density around Kentucky elementary, middle, and high schools, and students’ perceptions, perceived norms, susceptibility to, and use of e-cigarettes. Design: A mixed-methods analysis of youth’s self-reported survey results and geographical data. Setting: 106 Kentucky elementary, middle, and high schools which participated in #iCANendthetrend’s tobacco education program between September 2023 and May 2024. Subjects: Convenience sample of students from Ky schools (N = 7,823) Measures: Items assessing e-cigarette use, susceptibility, perceptions, and perceived norms. Analysis: ANOVA tests used to compare responses of elementary, middle, and high school students. Chi-squared tests were used …

Empowering Reproductive Health & Access To Enhance College Student Well-Being: A Mixed Methods Community Engaged Proposal, Allison Maladore

CGU Theses & Dissertations

This study is a proposal developed in response to the need for the expansion of reproductive health services in institutions of higher education. College-age young adults in the age group of 18 to 24 are particularly vulnerable to unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and participate in risky behaviors such as alcohol usage and illicit drug consumption which can increase the likelihood of unsafe sexual behaviors. Reproductive healthcare access is linked to academic success, improved health outcomes, and holistic well-being. The proposal utilizes a community-engaged socioecological approach to create a roadmap and implementation plan to expand reproductive services and access to …

Development Of High-Performance Coaches And Burnout, Amy Cashin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Coach education is imperative, especially as coaching moves towards professionalization (Lara-Bercial, 2022). The literature has shown that high-performance coaches are closest to fitting the criteria of a profession (Lara-Bercial et al., 2022) while also being at risk of experiencing burnout due to the high level of stress faced within their job (Bentzen et al., 2014; Olusoga & Kenttä, 2016). The purpose of this study was twofold. First to have a more comprehensive understanding of Australian Athletics high-performance coaches’ wants and needs regarding coaching education as it pertains to coach wellbeing and burnout; and second, to have an in-depth exploration of …

Faculty And Student Perspectives On Course Collaborations Within The Communication Sciences And Disorders Discipline, Shanna R. Morrison

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Collaborative course (re)design (CCRD) allows faculty and students to redesign a course together that the faculty teaches and the student has previously taken. This process amplifies student voices and helps faculty better understand students’ perspectives. However, barriers such as faculty’s feelings of ownership, students’ hesitations to share feedback, and logistical challenges often discourage participation. This qualitative study explores the perspectives of students and faculty in the communication sciences and disorders discipline following their engagement in CCRD. Findings include shifts in participants’ teaching and learning perspectives, insight into partnership dynamics, logistical challenges of CCRD, and ideas for future CCRD implementation. This …

About This Time Of Year!, Denise Maihofer Cde

AADEJ - The Communicator

The Executive Director expresses enthusiasm for the judges reviewing Gies Journalism Award entries and winners of various awards (ICD, AADEJ-ADEA Gies, Distinguished Dental Editor), who will soon be notified. She provides details for the upcoming Annual Meeting and Conference in San Diego on September 9-10, highlighting the lineup of speakers, meals, and a joint reception with ICD and AADEJ where all awards will be presented, a break from the traditional lunch presentation. She also mentions a separate lunch speaker from the Maritime Museum of San Diego. Mrs. Maihofer announces a webinar on August 7 with Dr. Arnell Wright titled "Under …

Certified Dental Editor — The Icing On The Cake, Mali Schantz-Feld Ma, Cde

AADEJ - The Communicator

Associate Editor Mali Schantz-Feld draws a compelling analogy between the prestigious Michelin Guide status for restaurants and the Certified Dental Editor (CDE) designation sponsored by the AADEJ. She explains that just as Michelin status motivates culinary excellence, CDE encourages dental editors and journalists to maintain high standards of excellence and ethics while continuously developing writing, editing, and design skills. To attain the CDE designation, individuals must complete 30 hours of continuing education in key areas such as writing, editing, layout and design, editorial leadership, and communications within four years of applying. Attending three consecutive AADEJ Annual Conferences can fulfill these …

Education, Networking, And Just Plain Fun At San Diego Conference, Denise Maihofer

AADEJ - The Communicator

This article summarizes the successful collaborative meeting between the AADEJ and the International College of Dentists (ICD) in San Diego. The report celebrates the presentation of numerous journalism awards, the recognition of newly certified dental editors, and the awarding of the inaugural Detlef Moore Scholarship to student Arjun Patel. The event underscored the value of in-person networking and ongoing professional recognition for both dentist and non-dentist editors.

A Framework For Mixed Reality Within Healthcare Education, Benyamin Ebadinia

Theses

Understanding complex three-dimensional systems and spatial relationships is a recurring difficulty in healthcare education, where students are often expected to reason about internal structures and multi-system processes from 2D diagrams, textbook figures, and static mannequins. This thesis presents the design, implementation, and mixed-methods evaluation of Systems Simulation, a reusable mixed reality (MR) application intended to help undergraduate nursing students explore human anatomy and pathophysiology using immersive 3D visualization.

Built in C# with the StereoKit framework for Microsoft HoloLens 2, Systems Simulation organizes nine anatomical body systems within a shared application. Learners can select a system, anchor the model in their …

Investigating The Impact Of Game-Based Immersive Learning On Nursing Students' Communication Skills And Attitudes Toward Serving In Underserved Communities, Lin Zhong, Debra Penrod, Brandon Hirsch, Kelli Whittington

Journal of Educational Technology Development and Exchange (JETDE)

Many nursing education programs incorporated service learning, particularly community immersion, into the curriculum to improve students’ communication skills and foster favorable attitudes towards caring underserved populations who face health disparities delivery. However, the teaching modality in community immersion is still lecturing sessions. This traditional teaching modality could not fully address the learning preferences of the new generation of nursing students, who are enthusiastic consumers of technology and active participants in the digital world. There is a demand of innovative teaching strategies, such as game-based learning (GBL), to engage the new generation of nursing students. Unfortunately, empirical studies of exploring the …

She Speaks: Amplifying Women's Voices For Wellbeing, Narelle Lemon

Reports accepted as research outputs

Executive Summary

The SheSpeaks project successfully transformed how 223 Western Australian women understand and practice self-care, demonstrating  that targeted wellbeing literacy interventions can create lasting change  in women’s relationship with their own wellbeing. Funded by the Women’s Grants for a Stronger Future program, this innovative initiative combined evidence-based workshops with authentic podcasting to challenge the pervasive cultural narrative that positions women’s self-care as selfish  or impossible.

Translating Knowledge Of Functional Cognition Into Occupational Therapy Practice, Mckenzie R. Behrendt, Emilea Rogers, Azia Ourada, Sara Mengler, Mackenzie Post, Stacy Smallfield

Translational Science in Occupation

Functional cognition is a critical component for safely and effectively performing daily occupations. Occupational therapy (OT) practitioners are uniquely positioned and trained to address functional cognition while considering a client’s abilities and environments. A multimedia e-learning module was developed as a teaching modality to enhance understanding and application of functional cognition concepts for OT students and practitioners. As educators, it is important to assess the effectiveness of the teaching and learning experiences we create. We evaluated the multimedia e-learning module for quality, value, and usefulness using critical reflection perspectives. These perspectives included a literature review, as well as from learner, …