Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Aspects Of The Physical Work Environment And Nursing Work, Yolanda Keys

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Objective: The purpose of this body of work is to inform nurse leaders and design professionals of opportunities to leverage the physical environment to enhance the overall work environment for nurses.

Background: The environments in which nursing work takes place need to support the staff who work within them. Healthy work environments have been shown to improve outcomes for patients, nurses, and organizations; however, the contribution of the built environment to the overall work environment for nurses is not fully understood.

Methods: Included in this portfolio are three studies: 1) a descriptive study exploring the experiences of …

A Mixed-Methods Approach To Investigating The Influence Of Education On Nurses’ Attitudes Toward Sex Trafficking Victims, Tabitha Mcdaniel

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Significance of problem: Sex trafficking (ST) impacts victims of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities. It is a significant public health issue which is shrouded in secrecy. Although victims are typically isolated by their trafficker, they will still seek out health care services. Nurses are frontline staff with rare access to victims in a setting where help can be given.

Purpose: The primary purpose of this mixed-methods study is to explore targeted education about sex trafficking and its influence on nursing attitudes and knowledge about sex trafficking and its victims. This study also analyzes demographic information and how those variables …

When Care Becomes Futile: Perspectives Of Acute Care Medical-Surgical Nurses, Angela Mulcahy

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Caring for patients at end-of-life is a difficult patient assignment for a nurse. Possessing the knowledge, skills, and means to communicate with and advocate for patients is key to providing quality care. A concept analysis of death literacy identified one specific challenge for nurses, futile care. Futile care has been linked to increased patient suffering, increased health care costs, use of scarce resources, and moral distress. Futile care exists in the medical-surgical acute care setting, but the concept has not been explored within this population. More knowledge from bedside nurses was needed to explore the concept and identify ways to …

Spiritual Perspectives, Spiritual Care, And Recovery-Oriented Practice In Psychiatric Mental Health Nurses, Melissa Neathery

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

The prevalence of mental illness is well documented with 450 million people suffering with a mental illness worldwide. Nurses are integral to the delivery of mental health services and can influence the provision of individually focused, evidence-based, and culturally competent care. Spiritual care has been shown to enhance coping, improve well-being, and increase satisfaction with care for those in mental health recovery. Three manuscripts presented in this dissertation portfolio explored and addressed the concepts spirituality and spiritual care for those in mental health and substance use recovery. The Recovery Practice Model was examined and how spiritual care can be integrated …

Effect Of Metacognitive Strategy On Nursing Students’ Achievement And Engagement In An Active Learning Exercise, Theresa M. Naldoza

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Nurse educators are responsible for producing nurse graduates that are competent, safe, and prepared to manage the complex clinical situations they will face. These graduates must possess sound clinical judgment skills that ensure safe and effective delivery of patient care. The decreasing capacity of clinical placements available for students to acquire hands-on experience presents an additional challenge. Educators must develop and implement innovative, effective teaching strategies to address these issues. An initial comparative concept analysis of engagement and reciprocity focused on the educator-student relationship as one in which all members contribute to the learning atmosphere is included in Chapter 2. …

Impact Of Podcasting On Learning Outcomes In Associate Degree Nursing Students, Daira D. Wilson

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

The dawn of the Information Age has provided rapid advances in technology that have improved lives and produced better tools for caring for each other. Nursing has begun to employ many of these new technologies and nurses are at the forefront of deciding how these innovations might best help patients. New technologies have made their way into schools of nursing and students are benefitting from improved learning experiences. Nursing faculty are leading the way in providing new learning opportunities to students through a multitude of technological advances. One of these advances is podcasting. Podcasting provides students the ability to listen, …

Effect Of Activity Trackers And Text Messaging On Exercise, Fitness, And Physical Activity Self-Efficacy Of Middle School Students, Alison F. Pittman

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

A decrease in physical activity as children age is a contributing factor to the U.S. obesity epidemic. Middle school children are particularly vulnerable to sedentary activities. Activity trackers show promise as a means to motivate children and adults to increase physical activity (PA). This study examined the effect of a text messaging intervention and use of activity trackers with a companion social website on the body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage, physical fitness, and PA self-efficacy of middle school children. Children aged 11-14 (n=102) were randomly assigned to one of three groups for a 10-week intervention: activity tracker group; …

Military Nurses Caring For The Enemy, Sharon Thompson, Beth Mastel-Smith, Gloria Duke, Barbara K. Haas, Shellye Vardaman, Susan Yarbrough

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This phenomenological study described the lived experience and aftermath of U.S. military nurses assigned enemy detainees during Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom. Two themes emerged: Insurgent Assignments (subthemes included identification of and interactions with insurgents; training, precautions, and ethical issues, thoughts and feelings, coping, and meanings of insurgent care) and The Aftermath (subthemes were mental, emotional, personal, professional, and positive). Conclusions: Insurgent assignments caused ethical dilemmas and challenged theoretical constructs related to caring. Formal training is needed to prepare nurses for the practicalities of and responses to insurgent assignments.

This work is the dissertation manuscript of Sharon Thompson, completed …

Analysis Of Texas Nurses' Preparedness And Perceived Competence In Managing Disasters, Sylvia Theresa Baack

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Awareness of disaster preparedness has penetrated every level of the government and has captured the attention of citizens around the world. The increased prevalence of natural disasters cannot be denied, and the growing turbulence of world affairs is the focus of intense media attention. Nurses make up the largest sector of the healthcare workforce and are integral responders to major natural and human-induced disasters. It is essential that nurses have the knowledge and preparation needed to respond effectively, not only for the benefit of health care organizations, but for the safety of the community at large. This article explores the …