Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Improving Spiritual Care Competency Among Intensive Care Unit Nurses: Promoting Holistic Patient Care Towards End-Of-Life, Joanne Nguyen, Dana Bagis

Nursing | Senior Theses

Intensive care unit (ICU) nurses play a crucial role in providing physiological stabilizing care in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, often marked by constant changes and variability in complex patients. Despite their specialization, the aspect of spiritual care tends to be overlooked, particularly in the context of end-of-life care. This is significant because previous studies have shown that a lack of spiritual care leads to poorer health outcomes, decreased coping, increased depression, and diminished quality of life for patients. This research proposal aims to investigate the spiritual care competency among ICU nurses who partake in spiritual care-based training, with the …

Reimagining Equitable Care: Simulation-Based Education And The Dismantling Of Implicit Bias And Stigma Of Vulnerable Populations In Hospitals, Vanessa Smith

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Simulation-based education consists of using high-fidelity mannequins and equipment to provide a safe space for healthcare professionals to practice crucial skills within healthcare. Used within hospitals and schools, simulation most commonly surrounds practicing hands-on skills such as central line insertion, IV insertion, Ultrasound-guided procedures, code blue response, etc. However, a large portion of healthcare that is overlooked is tackling issues within patient-provider relationships. Simulation can help dismantle the negative behaviors and feelings providers push onto patients through the use of standardized patients and role-playing. By using these methods, simulation can reduce providers’ personal implicit biases and the stigma associated …

Racial And Geographic Disparities In The Management And Care Of Sepsis, Luke Dommaschk Burwell

Nursing | Senior Theses

Sepsis, a severe condition triggered by the body's response to infection, requires prompt treatment to prevent tissue damage and organ failure. The SEP-1 Sepsis bundle, developed by Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), aims to standardize care, particularly in rural hospitals with limited resources. However, disparities in bundle adherence and mortality rates persist, with rural areas facing more significant challenges. Studies show racial differences in care quality, emphasizing the need for interventions to address systemic biases. While sepsis bundle adherence and simulation training are strong indicators of care improvement, the literature review underscores the need for targeted interventions in …

Effects And Outcomes Of Different Laboring Positions And The Influence From Societal Norms, Amberlyn Heskett

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background

Within labor and delivery, every birth is different. Alarmingly, the U.S. has the highest maternal mortality rate, including death during labor, among developed countries (World Health Organization, 2022). Many maternal deaths may be preventable.

In the U.S., the use of forceps, vacuum-assisted birth, episiotomies, and emergency C-sections are common for women during childbirth. Even though some laboring positions may assist birthing more than others, there often is resistance to allowing various positions due to outside influences, including societal norms, hospital management, and healthcare professional training. Women in labor are vulnerable and look to their nurses for support during the …

Identifying Cultural Biases And Understanding Health Care Disparities For Lgtbq+ Patients, Jevon Nelson

Nursing | Senior Theses

Understanding the health disparities within the LGBTQ+ population, will consist of educating Nurses and other healthcare providers cultural competence for this population, along with proposing certain educational training programs for all the medical professionals. There’s not only an implicit bias but also lack in quality of healthcare due to the personal reasons that healthcare providers may have, along with certain stigmas that creates an infringement on healthcare for this specific population. Members of the LGBTQ+ community will continue to have one of the highest amounts of health care disparities due to the lack of cultural incompetence if nothing is done.

Health Disparities In Adults With Developmental And Intellectual Disabilities, Tulsi Patel

Nursing | Senior Theses

This paper reviews literature pertaining to the treatment of people with developmental disabilities. It will emphasize the inadequacies of health care in this population. The literature that will be discussed focuses on disparities in care via proxy, sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with disparities, assessing the needs of this population, the prevalence of disabilities in rural and urban settings, and the comparison of health disparities between adults with and without developmental disabilities.

For the purpose of this paper, a few terms will be defined. Developmental disabilities (DD) will be defined as “a group of conditions due to an impairment in …

The Effects Of Moderate-Severe Plaque Psoriasis On Patient Well-Being And Prevention Of Flares, Glenn Devera

Nursing | Senior Theses

Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that is indicated by red, patchy and scaly skin that can be painful when irritated. Patients with psoriasis have an increased risk for a number of chronic diseases. Despite the expansion of treatments for moderate-to-severe psoriasis over the last decade, patients may still find that treatment strategies are not as successful, leaving them dissatisfied with their treatments. A relationship built upon trust between the nurse and the patient diagnosed with psoriasis may serve to help ensure optimal care. A comprehensive literature review was performed and found that best practices for patient management need to …

Participation In Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Therapy On The Immune Function Of Survivors Of Breast Cancer: A Literature Review And Pilot Study For Clinical Practice, Bianca Marteja

Nursing | Senior Theses

A review of current literature presented in this work suggests that MBSR participation results in NKCA, T-cell and B-cell restoration as well as a reduction in inflammatory biomarkers. While results from these studies are statistically significant, they are, however, relatively small. Furthermore, the reliability and one’s ability to generalize study findings from this literature review is limited by consistently small sample sizes, high attrition, differing forms of MBSR application, and inconsistent adherence to MBSR home practices.

The distribution of a 10-point survey using likert scales occured in a pilot study associated with the aforementioned literature review; this survey evaluated registered …