Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Reducing Falls And Fall-Related Hospital Transfers In Geriatric Assisted Living Residents, Laurissa Ash

Nursing (graduate) Student Scholarship

Background: Falls among older adults are frequent, rendering significant costs to both the individual and the healthcare system, and are preventable. In 2021, fall-related deaths in adults over the age of 65 were calculated at a rate of 78.0 per 100,000 people, and nonfatal falls were reported at 28% of all older adults (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2023). In Pennsylvania, approximately 27.9% of older adults fell in 2020 (CDC, 2023). A multifactorial approach to reducing falls can be achieved through the implementation of fall risk screening tools and intervention bundles (Beato et al., 2019; Burland et al., …

Increasing Medical-Surgical Nurses' Palliative Care Self-Efficacy Using The Cares Tool: A Quality Improvement Project, Rebekkah L. Stanko

Nursing (graduate) Student Scholarship

Background: Over 35% of all deaths in the United States occur in the acute care hospital setting, and 75% of end-of-life (EOL) patients require palliative care. Registered nurses (RNs) with strong palliative care self-efficacy (PCSE) promote positive death experiences for patients and families by minimizing patient suffering and maintaining clinical and ethical standards. Employers can enhance RNs’ PCSE through educational interventions and resources.

Problem: Inpatient acute care hospital RNs lack PCSE because acute care is traditionally curative, and RNs receive limited EOL care education.

Methods: A quality improvement project was conducted. Participants were a convenience sample of RNs …

Implementing Point-Of-Care Tools To Increase Advance Care Planning Discussions Among Older Adults, Megan Harbert

Nursing (graduate) Student Scholarship

Background: The adult population 65 years of age and older is increasing, but a lack of advance care planning discussions has led to poor completion of advance directives. Advance directives express one’s medical wishes once they are not able to make their own decisions and are approaching the end of their life. Advance directives prevent futile care that patients do not want.

Problem: Lack of knowledge, lack of time, and unwillingness to discuss advance directives prevent providers from including advance care planning in their current workflow. Advance directives are important to provide in the long-term care setting, as …

Telehealth Standardized Patient Simulations And Nurse Practitioner Students’ Self-Confidence And Satisfaction Levels, Kristin Shaub

Nursing (graduate) Student Scholarship

Background: Telehealth accounts for 22.9% of primary care visits, increasing healthcare accessibility and affordability. Nurse practitioners (NPs) have noted technological and patient interaction-based differences between telehealth and in-person patient encounters. Healthcare organizations expect newly graduated NPs to use telehealth upon graduation.

Problem: Integration of formalized, telehealth-focused education in NP programs is lacking, decreasing telehealth preparation and use among new graduate NPs. Methods: A quality improvement project was conducted. Participants were a convenience sample of Doctor of Nursing Practice/Family Nurse Practitioner students enrolled in an advanced NP pediatrics course at a private, liberal arts university in central Pennsylvania. The National League …

Improving Breastfeeding Rates In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Through Registered Nurse Education, Rebecca Giovannacci

Nursing (graduate) Student Scholarship

Background: Infant nutrition through breastfeeding is essential for all infants because of the many benefits, like immune support and promotion of growth and development. Breast milk is especially important for infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) because of the decreased incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis, retinopathy of prematurity, and sepsis. Breastfeeding also enhances the maternal and infant bond.

Problem: Approximately 10% of infants born in the U.S. are admitted to the NICU, and breastfeeding rates continue to be lower for premature infants.

Methods: Most recent evidence identified from the review of literature supported the implementation of …

Critical Education For Critical Access Nurses Improving Nurse Preceptor Competence, Tess Schafer

Nursing (graduate) Student Scholarship

Problem Statement

Preceptors who are orienting nurses at a critical access hospital receive little to no education prior to orienting newly hired nurses

Aim: Improve experienced nurses competence to act as a nurse preceptor for newly hired staff

Purpose: To implement an online educational PowerPoint for experienced nurses thereby improving their competence and ability to precept and orient newly hired nurses in a rural, critical access hospital in southwestern Pennsylvania

Improving Postpartum Depression Literacy: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Ashton Neal

Nursing (graduate) Student Scholarship

Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is associated with increased healthcare costs, decreased levels of productivity, and negative patient outcomes, collectively affecting babies, women, and society. Women are at an increased risk for mortality and morbidity if postpartum depression is left untreated. Postpartum depression literacy improves patient outcomes.

Problem: Women may fail to effectively recognize the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression, due to inadequate postpartum education and lower health literacy levels.

Methods: A formalized postpartum depression education program was implemented online to mothers attending a postpartum adjustment support group in the spring of 2022 and compared to usual …

Copd Care Bundle Implementation And Readmission Rates, Petronellah Mupereri

Nursing (graduate) Student Scholarship

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations cause a significant economic and social burden by increasing hospital readmissions and contributing to untimely death.

Problem: COPD “care bundles” consist of hospital-specific education and interventions aimed at decreasing the incidence of COPD exacerbation and subsequent readmission. The effective use of care bundles empowers patients to take ownership of their disease and seek early intervention with signs of worsening symptoms. Unfortunately, implementation of COPD care bundles is inconsistent and contributes to preventable, costly sequela.

Methods: A thorough literature review found evidence supporting the use of a COPD care bundle to decrease 30-day readmission …

Concussed University Students: Improving Diagnosis And Management Of Concussions, Teri Witter

Nursing (graduate) Student Scholarship

•PROBLEM STATEMENT: Concussions often remove university students from curricular and co-curricular activities. In the absence of a concussion protocol, diagnosis and management of a concussion may be delayed •AIM: to decrease the incidence of undiagnosed or misdiagnosed concussions in the university setting •PURPOSE: To implement a concussion protocol in the university setting using the Acute Concussion Evaluation (ACE) tool

The Use Of Concept Mapping To Facilitate Critical Thinking Skills In Nursing Students, Juliana S. Frederick

Nursing (graduate) Student Scholarship

Background: Many prelicensure nursing students lack the critical thinking abilities to safely care for patients in today’s healthcare environments. Concept mapping is an active learning strategy that emphasizes a visual relationship between concepts that have the potential to promote meaningful learning and development of critical thinking. Therefore, the purpose of this evidence-synthesizing project was to review and synthesize current evidence to determine the best practices in nursing education to promote critical thinking abilities in prelicensure nursing students.

Methods: A literature search was conducted using CINAHL, Education Source, and ERIC databases which resulted in seven articles selected for review. The evidence …