Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Tiny Tusks Internship: Barriers To Breastfeeding Surrounding Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Brianna Purser, Quinn Owen

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

It is known that breastfeeding is beneficial to mothers and their children, and it is recommended that mothers exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of their infant's life. Despite this, in the United States only 1 in 4 infants is exclusively breastfed for the first six months. After being an intern for Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support, a program designed to facilitate and educate about breastfeeding, we have seen firsthand the barriers to breastfeeding. The goal of this literature review was to investigate barriers to breastfeeding specifically surrounding neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and how to address those …

Pediatric Seizure Management With Ketogenic Diet, Lydia Beller

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Seizure disorders can be life altering and debilitating, especially for developing children. Children who have seizure disorders often require social, emotional, educational, and behavioral adjustments for children. Most medication regimes do not achieve complete management of seizure frequency and intensity. For children, seizure disorders can lead to unsuccessful education experiences, low self-esteem, severe injury, and difficulties with social skills and engagement. Discovering that a dietary means can reduce their frequency and intensity is groundbreaking. The ketogenic diet is a high protein, high fat, and almost no carbohydrate diet. The ketogenic diet is an effective non-pharmacological method for treating epilepsy (Karimzadeh, …

Factors Contributing To Nurse Burnout In Oncology, Caroline Withers

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Nurse burnout is a pressing concern for healthcare with significant implications for all areas of nursing and patient outcomes. However, the specialty of oncology experiences burnout differently than other specialties for a multitude of reasons. This literature review aims to determine factors that contribute to nurse burnout within oncology, and identify evidence-based prevention strategies. The twenty studies included in the review underscore the crucial role of management and leadership in the prevention of nurse burnout. Further education and research are needed to better understand causes of burnout, as well as proper interventions. Interventions need to be established on a hospital …

The Effects Of Perinatal Nutrition In The Prevention Of Postpartum Depression, Olivia Glasgow

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

With the exponential rise in reported cases of postpartum depression, medical workers within the psychiatric and research communities seek to discover new methods to prevent its onset. The purpose of this study is to compile the available research that has been conducted to investigate the relationship between perinatal nutrition and the prevention of postpartum depression. Nineteen peer-reviewed articles were gathered from medical databases based on their ability to report evidence on the increased consumption of omega-3 fatty acids or vitamin D and their prophylactic therapy against postpartum depression. Overall, many articles suggest a positive association as individuals’ mental health screenings …

Civility And Communication Interventions To Improve Patient Outcomes, Lane Denney

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Communication in health care is vital for the successful care of patients and their outcomes while they are hospitalized. Healthcare workers are responsible for communicating patient information whether it is between change of shifts or reporting to a patient’s provider. It is important that this information is communicated effectively. This review evaluates how nurses communicate in shift- report and how this affects patient outcomes and civility between nursing units and teams. Overall, bedside shift reports promoted the best patient outcomes and increased teamwork on hospital units.

Weight Management Program Using Myfitnesspal© In A Rural Primary Care Setting, Taylor Rittman

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Student Works

Obesity is a growing health concern that is linked to the development of chronically debilitating physical and mental illnesses. Obesity is a result of a long-term positive imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Evidence has shown more than one third of U.S. adults suffer from obesity. Primary care providers in the United States report being overburdened in treating obesity, citing a lack of time, structured approach, and structured resources. Furthermore, the disparities in obesity are even more prevalent in rural areas where older adults are the fastest growing part of the population at risk for this disease. Evidence indicates …

Development And Implementation Of A Protocol For Denosumab Administration In An Outpatient Infusion Clinic, Erin Stavrakas

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Student Works

Denosumab, or Prolia, is a medication given to increase bone mineral density (BMD) and prevent fracture risk in patients with osteoporosis. Guidelines for monitoring of side effects, data on long-term effects, and appropriate precautions are still being researched and developed. Healthcare teams are often unaware of preventative care measures to guide informed clinical decision making and patient care management. The recognized gap in care also reduces the standardization of health care delivery in clinics administering Prolia; this gap can lead to errors and miscommunication between patients and healthcare teams an increased risk for side effects. The aim of this translation …

Colorectal Cancer Screening In The Latino Population At A Family Medicine Clinic: A Quality Improvement Project, Michael S. Vinson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Student Works

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a preventable and curable disease that affects all genders, races, and ethnicities, and its impact on society can be reduced with early screening. The Latino population is at greater risk compared to groups or ethnicities due to social determinants and health disparities within the community. Review of Literature: Language barriers, low education levels, persistent social stressors, poor healthcare navigation, and structural barriers make it difficult for this population to be properly screened at appropriate intervals. Purpose: This quality improvement (QI) project was designed to combat reduced screening rates seen in the Latino population. The target …

To Flash Or Not To Flash, Christy Overly

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Student Works

In 2015, healthcare-associated infection (HAI) prevalence survey found that there were an estimated 110,800 surgical site infections (SSIs) associated with inpatient surgeries in 2015. Consequently, instruments and implants sterilized by immediate use steam sterilization (IUSS) have been found to increase the patient’s risk for an SSIs. Due to these risks, the Joint Commission (TJC) determined that organizations should implement evidenced-based protocols to reduce IUSS use. A needs assessment revealed a gap in care in that the increasing SSI rates appeared to be correlated with the misuse of IUSS at the physician owned surgical hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma. This Doctor of …

Improving Patient Discharge In The Ambulatory Surgical Setting Utilizing A Preoperative Educational Video, Leeann Kluth

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Student Works

Background: Use of ambulatory surgery centers providing outpatient surgical procedures has grown due to medical advances, short stays that reduce costs, and convenience for the patient. However, due to the reduced time between diagnosis and surgery, there is a decreased amount of time available for education and discharge teaching. Historically, discharge education is provided after surgery in written form while the effects of anesthesia and pain medication impair a patient’s ability to retain information. This leads to increased reports of uncontrolled pain, poor comprehension, and higher rates of adverse events due to poor comprehension of discharge orders.

Methods: The development …

Effectiveness Of A Frailty Assessment Index To Predict Early Readmission Rates In Frail And Older Adult Renal Transplant Patients, Marilyn Barnett

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Student Works

Background: Renal transplantation is a complex intervention integrating both medical and surgical modalities, and is considered the treatment of choice for many individuals with end-stage renal disease. The complicated care of patients undergoing renal transplantation puts them at risk for adverse outcomes including infection, allograft loss, and a greater risk for some types of cancer. Evaluating patients to ensure they have the ability and support to cope with the stress of surgery and recovery, is an important part of determining the most appropriate candidates to receive the limited supply of organs available. Frailty has increasingly been identified as a predictor …

The Effectiveness Of A Webinar To Improve Icu Nurses’ Competency In Palliative Care, Justine Kirschner

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Student Works

Patients with serious illness lack access to quality patient-centered care despite the growth in palliative care awareness and services. Palliative care is an interdisciplinary care system intended to optimize the quality of life of patients with serious, life-limiting illness and their families. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are facing critical illnesses and can benefit from palliative care integration into their care. This DNP quality improvement (QI) project, grounded in Benner’s Novice to Expert nursing theory, aimed to increase ICU nurse competency in palliative care from novice to competent through a continuing education webinar. The study analyzed nurses’ …

Nurse Practitioner-Led Heart Failure Education Program, Ruairi Fox

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Student Works

Heart failure is a chronic, progressive disease that has a global burden on the healthcare system and on patient’s lives. HF patients who experience a hospital admission are at a greater risk of being readmitted to the hospital within 30 days, impacting healthcare spending costs and patient quality of life. Self-care activities by patients, such as monitoring weight and making lifestyle changes, are the hallmark of outpatient care, and is shown throughout the literature to reduce readmissions and impact patient quality of life. Unfortunately, many patients are either unaware of proper self-care management techniques or find them hard to follow. …

Effects Of Inadequate Nurse Staffing And Need For Standard Nurse-To-Patient Ratios To Increase Patient Safety In Acute Care Settings, Macey Schwenker

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study includes articles including research regarding the effects of the current nursing staff shortage and overtime on patient care and outcomes. A systematic review of research was conducted guided by PRISMA guidelines and consists of articles collected from PubMed. Studies were taken place in the United States, England, Taiwan, Singapore, United Kingdom, Brazil, South Korea, Sweden, India, and Australia involving hundreds of thousands of participants. Methods include mean ratio, regression models, surveys, and questionnaires. Nurse staffing shortages, overtime, and inadequate staffing increased the risk of patient mortality and decreased overall patient safety and quality of care in acute care …

Multimodal Approach To Chronic Pain Management And Prevention Of Opioid Use Disorder, Hannah Elston

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background. Chronic pain (CP) is a major public health problem that affects one-third of the population and can interfere with the activities of daily life and cause decreased quality of life. Patients with CP have been increasingly prescribed opioids, contributing to the rise in the opioid epidemic. Due to the long-term nature of CP, the use of opioids as the sole treatment for CP can cause tolerance and increased dosages overtime which can lead to addiction and potentially overdose. Therefore, CP treatment should include multimodal approaches to treatment to prevent opioid misuse, opioid use disorder (OUD), and overdose. Multimodal treatments …

Willow Creek Internship: The Effects Of Delayed Bathing On The Health Of Mothers And Newborns Post-Birth, Cara Yates

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The implications of newborn bathing have become a rising topic in couplet care. The practice of bathing after birth can be linked to many things such as glucose control, temperature stability and exclusive breastfeeding. The timing of the initial bath also has effects on immediate skin to skin time between newborn and mother and therefore effects the initial bonding period post birth. This paper explores the current research on this practice.

Alleviation Of Atopic Dermatitis Symptoms By Implementation Of Standard And Alternative Treatments, Nika Sayvongsa

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Atopic Dermatitis (AD) is a chronic dermatological disease caused by a combination of hereditary and environmental factors. This is a common condition that is primarily diagnosed among children, but can persist throughout adulthood. Twenty peer-reviewed articles are analyzed in this expanded literature review. Various methods were implemented throughout these studies, including randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, and single-blind studies; all of the studies shared the objective of evaluating AD alleviation with the use of either standard treatment modalities or alternative/ complementary therapies.

The Relationship Between Perceived Support And Post Traumatic Growth Among Nurses During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Anna Nieman

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Nurses continue to experience significant challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, putting them at risk of occupational stress, burnout, and turnover. The post-traumatic growth model focuses on growth and knowledge that comes from experiences of stress and trauma.

Aim: Identify post-traumatic growth (PTG) in a population of nurses affected by the COVID 19 pandemic.

Method: PTG was measured by the Post-Traumatic Growth Inventory, a 21-item questionnaire with five factors: relating to others, new possibilities, appreciation of life, personal strength, and spiritual change. Participants (n=22) responded on a 6-point Likert scale, 0 for no change and 5 for great degree …

Bullying Experiences Among Families And Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Delay, Or Varying Ethnicities, Emma Humphrey

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Bullying perpetration in schools is a significant problem within the United States that has shown to increase mental health issues and adverse outcomes in children. The purpose of this extended literature review is to evaluate the significance of bullying in children with developmental delay (autism spectrum disorder) and majority and minority ethnic groups. The review of literature analyzes implications of bullying within these vulnerable populations and the family factors associated with peer victimization. An analysis from twenty peer-reviewed chosen articles reflects heightened levels of bullying, mental health problems, and negative experiences of all researched populations. The increased amount of victimization …

Breastfeeding In Public And The Impact Of Mass Media On Breastfeeding: An Expanded Literature Review, Hannah Underwood

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The choice a mother makes to breastfeed or to formula feed is a hotly debated topic in the United States today. The benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and baby are undeniable, but breastfeeding is difficult for some due to a plethora of barriers, notably a lack of social support. This literature review evaluates attitudes towards breastfeeding in public and how varying mass media formats can impact perceptions of breastfeeding and potentially breastfeeding implementation. Twenty articles with both qualitative and quantitative data were obtained from Medline Complete EBSCO Host and PubMed for a comprehensive analysis. Among 283 total articles retrieved, …

Implementing 2nd Milk’S Use Of The World Health Organization Standardized Growth Charts To Better Track The Growth And Development Of The Malnourished And Orphaned Infants In Their Supplemental Nutrition Program In Malawi, Allie Wycoff

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This article considers the history and implications of the World Health Organization (WHO) standardized growth charts as well as the significant impact that growth chart utilization may have on 2^ndMilk’s ability to understand and track the nutritional status of the malnourished orphaned infants in their formula program. Specifically, this literature review examines whether or not the WHO growth charts are a meaningful tool for 2^ndMilk to adopt into their monthly baby assessments. The WHO growth charts are calibrated to express an accepted international “norm” for what an adequately nourished child looks like. In a recent service-learning …

The Relationship Between Gestational Diabetes And Stress: A Literature Review, Morgan Mcgrath

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The incidence of gestational diabetes has been increasing over the past ten to twenty years. The purpose of this literature review is to gather existing literature to examine the relationship between gestational diabetes and oxidative stress. Twenty peer-reviewed articles from two databases were selected to be examined in this review. From these studies, it was found that oxidative stress was higher in women who were diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and supplementation with vitamins and minerals was beneficial in decreasing stress in these women. While these studies can help healthcare providers in educating women who have been diagnosed, more research should …

Stress As A Contributing Factor For Pediatric Obesity: Literature Review And Internship Experience, Jessica Handley

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This article is an examination of how stress drives diet and physical activity behaviors that contribute to pediatric obesity in the United States. An increasing rate of childhood obesity is being reported in the United States and therefore a multitude of studies and reviews have been conducted on the topic. This review of the literature systematically analyzes how stress, diet, and physical activity behaviors contribute to this rising rate of pediatric obesity. An analysis of the chosen articles for review indicates that stress and its counterpart (resilience) tend to be driving forces in how American children and adolescents participate in …

Arkansas School Nurses’ Opinions On How An Increase In Recess Time Has Affected Recess-Related Injuries, Delaney Henderson

Health, Human Performance and Recreation Undergraduate Honors Theses

Arkansas passed Act 641 in April of 2019, which extended mandated recess time from 20 to 40 minutes per day in Arkansas public schools, and included recess as instructional time, making Arkansas the state with the most required recess time (Arkansas Unstructured Social Time in Schools Act, 2019). There is a standard consensus among developed countries that children and youth should accumulate a minimum of 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) every day (Parrish et al., 2013). Unfortunately, only about half of youth meet the current and evidence-based guidelines (Kohl & Cook, 2013). The opportunity for children and adolescents …

Effects Of Abstinence-Based Sexual Education Compared To Evidence-Based Sexual Education In K-12 Schools, Lily Probst

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Historically, sexual education in the United States has been abstinence-based (ABSE), meaning that sexual education is centered around encouraging adolescents to abstain from sexual activity outside of wedlock. On the other hand, evidence-based sexual education (EBSE) includes abstinence in its curriculum but does not emphasize it, instead highlighting contraception and prevention strategies. Additionally, EBSE teaches adolescents about healthy relationships, attitudes towards sexuality, gender roles, and provides resources for sexual and reproductive health services. Supplying adolescents in K-12 schools with access to evidence-based sexual education may not only decrease teen pregnancy rates and incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) but …

The Effects Of Doula Care On Birth Outcomes And Patient Satisfaction In The United States, Lynae Carlson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The visitor policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic limited doula care and called into question the importance of doulas in the birth process. While the Cochrane Systematic Review presents compelling evidence of the benefits of continuous birth support on outcomes ranging from shorter labors to higher 5-minute Apgar scores, there are gaps in literature that exclusively focus on continuous support from doulas. The literature review aims to determine both qualitative and quantitative outcomes of doula care on the mother and baby during the labor and post-partum periods, focusing on specific aggregates, such as adolescents, women with low incomes, and women …

Adverse Childhood Experiences And Social Determinants Of Health In Relation To Pediatric Intensive Care Unit Admissions, Kasey Davis

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This literature review was conducted in order to examine the correlation between adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), social determinants of health and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admissions. Oftentimes, those admitted as patients in the PICU come from homes in which social determinants of health, such as poverty and lack of access to healthcare, and ACEs, such as abuse and neglect, are prevalent. Systematic studies of existing literature and experience in the hospital setting revealed the ways in which these conditions often cause children to reach such poor health conditions that they must be admitted to the PICU. In order to …

The Influence Of Gender Bias On Male Nurses And Nursing Students In The Obstetric, Maternal, And Pediatric Nursing Profession., Julian Alvarez

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This literature review analyzes if gender bias influences the disproportionate number of male nurses and male nursing students in the pediatric, maternal, and obstetric nursing fields as compared to nursing as a whole. PubMed and CINAHL databases were utilized to find 15 research articles focused on the experiences of male nurses and male nursing students. These articles were compared amongst each other to find common themes of the male experience in the nursing fields of pediatrics, maternity, and obstetrics. The three common themes found were 1) Men tend to encounter situations where their professionalism will be monitored more closely when …

The Impact Of Menstrual Hygiene Management Interventions On Adolescent Female’S School Attendance In Middle- And Low- Income Countries: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Mckenzie Canon

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Menstruation is an ongoing biological process that affects a large portion of the population and requires consistent health and medical care. However, menstruation does not affect women and girls equally in resource-poor communities and girl-unfriendly schools, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Without proper menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and menstrual health and hygiene (MHH), girl’s attendance at school is reported to decline or cease altogether. Providing the proper resources to fulfill women’s and girl’s menstrual hygiene needs may impact female’s attendance rates at school, and furthering women’s education is fundamental in advancing female’s equality world-wide.

Purpose: The purpose of …

The Effects Of Chemotherapeutic Agents On Cognitive Function: A Literature Review, Corinne Menz

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

With increasing cancer diagnoses and an increase of chemotherapy treatment, many patients complain of cognitive decline during the duration of treatment as well as once treatment has been completed. The purpose of this review is to compile relevant research regarding chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment and its implications for the care of cancer patients. Peer-reviewed articles and studies focusing on the impact of chemotherapy on cognitive function were evaluated, resulting in a total of 12 studies utilized in this review. Overall, it has been found that a large percentage of patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment report a subjective decline in cognitive functioning, but …