Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Lived Experiences Of Parents With Chronic Sorrow Who Are Caring For Children With A Chronic Medical Condition, Lori L. Batchelor

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Caring for the millions of children living with a chronic medical condition creates multiple parental burdens. Parents whose children have a diagnosis of a chronic medical condition may experience an ongoing, unresolved grief or sadness phenomenon known as chronic sorrow. This may impact parental ability to manage their child’s health care needs and may lead to negative health outcomes for the parent caregiver, affected child, and the family.

The aim of this interpretive phenomenological study was to understand the nature and meaning of the lived experiences of parents with chronic sorrow who are caring for a child with a chronic …

Using An "Escape Room" Toolbox Approach To Enhance Pharmacology Education, Melinda Hermanns, Belinda Deal, Ann M. C, Shawn Hillhouse, J. Brian Opella, Casey Faigle, Robert H. Campbell Iv

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Faculty are encouraged to use a variety of teaching/learning strategies to engage nursing students. While simulation and games are now common, there were no reports in the nursing literature using an “escape room” concept. Escape rooms use an entertainment approach as teams engage in critical thinking to solve puzzles and find clues to escape a room. In the classroom setting, this concept is modified to solve a mystery by finding various objects through a series of puzzles to locate clues. Some of these games involve finding numerical clues to open locks on a box, such as a toolbox. The …

Language Proficiency And Academic Success Of Bilingual Hispanic Nursing Students, Cristina Dominguez

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

The United States (U.S.) experienced recent growth in its minority population. This requires an increase of culturally diverse healthcare providers. English as a second language (ESL) students face challenges such as overcoming their inability to write, comprehend, and communicate in a language different from their native tongue. The study explored the role of language proficiency on academic success among bilingual nursing students on the U.S. and Mexico border.

Cummins Language Proficiency Model guided the study, which aimed to answer whether the dimensions of language proficiency or language acculturation predicted self - assessed language proficiency and academic success. The relationship between …

Examining The Relationship Between Registered Nurses’ Turnover And The Benefits Of An Affirming Climate Of Diversity As Mediated By Workplace Outcomes, James Mark Clardy

Human Resource Development Theses and Dissertations

The Affordable Care Act has created within health care a growing demand for primary care services in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. The anticipated growth in need for registered nurses (RN) of 19% by 2020 is compounded by a current estimated national turnover rate greater than 17%. Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners in health care are challenged to develop and implement interventions that can influence turnover in RNs despite identifying variables that effect turnover. This research explored how RN turnover can be positively affected by a government mandated requirement that health care create a diverse workforce and cultural competency. …

Self-Care Management Strategies Used By Black Women Who Self-Report Consistent Adherence To Antihypertensive Medication, Willie M. Abel, Jessica S. Joyner, Judith B. Cornelius, Danice B. Greer

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Black women in the USA have the highest prevalence rate of hypertension (HTN) contributing to a higher risk of organ damage and death. Research has focused primarily on poorly controlled HTN, negative belief systems, and nonadherence factors that hinder blood pressure control. No known research studies underscore predominantly Black women who report consistent adherence to their antihypertensive medication-taking. The purpose of this study was to describe self-care management strategies used by Black women who self-report consistent adherence to their antihypertensive medication and to determine the existence of further participation in lifestyle modifications, such as eating a healthy diet and …

Meta-Regression: Prognostic Models As Objective Predictors Of Mortality Among Icu Cancer Patients, Sheila Donnell

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Cancer patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) may be experiencing complications of disease or treatment-related effects. While acute complications related to disease and/or its therapeutic management vary in severity, the approach to ICU-centered care is complicated by actual versus perceived risks of poor outcomes. Prognostic models that inform clinical judgment of nurses and physicians may prove helpful in this population. The Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE II), Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) are ICU-based models predicting 30-day mortality among the general ICU population. Although studies have been …

A Delphi Study: Guidelines For Researchers Working With Teenage Mothers, Alison M. Chamberlain

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Problem: It is difficult to get teenage mothers to participate in studies, yet some researchers have been successful. Researchers who understand the barriers to conducting studies with a vulnerable population and are guided in ways to overcome these barriers, will experience greater success when doing studies with this group. Improved study methods can lead to larger numbers of teenage mothers who participate in studies. Researchers who follow developmentally appropriate guidelines are more likely to conduct and replicate studies with this population. Access is essential to advance the science related to care for teenage mothers who are at risk for many …

African American Men's Prostate Cancer Knowledge And Self-Efficacy For Informed Decision-Making: A Mixed Methods Study, Dionne J. Jones-Dendy Phd

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

A mixed methods study was conducted whereby, the quantitative portion has a randomized control design, in an urban Delaware community to examine the effectiveness of an educational intervention, which included the testimony of an African American (AA) prostate cancer survivor on AA men’s (n=98) prostate cancer knowledge and self-efficacy for informed decision making. Guided by Bandura’s Social Cognitive theory, participants’ prostate cancer knowledge measured by PROCASE and for self-efficacy measured by the Prostate Cancer Screening Self-efficacy scale, were evaluated before and following viewing of the American Cancer Society’s prostate cancer video. Participants randomized to the intervention completed evaluations after the …

Quality Of Prenatal Care And Pregnancy Outcomes: Centering Pregnancy Versus Traditional Prenatal Care, Lisette M. Allender

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Prenatal care provides a unique opportunity for healthcare providers to improve outcomes for women and their families and by extension community health. Therefore, prenatal care has the opportunity to become the cornerstone of healthcare in our nation. It can influence the health of the mother, newborn, and family unit long beyond the course of a 9-month pregnancy. However, evidence supporting positive outcomes from current tradition based models of prenatal care is lacking.

The current United States prenatal system limits the patient-provider relationship, does not empower the patient, lacks emphasis on education, and is not woman-centered. The aim of the study …

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; …

The Caffeine Consumption Habits, Sleep Quality, Sleep Quantity, And Perceived Stress Of Clinical Nurses, Mykin R. Higbee

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive substance worldwide. Energy drinks are a relatively new beverage type that contain three to five times more caffeine than regular sodas. In several workplace settings, energy drinks have become popular as individuals chose to consume these beverages in an attempt to combat fatigue, deal with stress, and boost energy. There is no information regarding the energy drink and caffeine consumption habits of nurses working in the clinical setting. Clinical nurses provide the majority of patient care in the health care setting. Nursing is a mentally and physically demanding profession due to heavy patient …

Triggers And Their Influence On Health Behaviors, Christine S. Gipson

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

This article provides a conceptual definition of the concept trigger within the context of health behaviors and applies it to the highly significant health issue of obesity. Healthy behaviors are essential to life and happiness, but they do not just happen. They are triggered, and an inner drive keeps them alive. To help patients gain and retain optimal health, nurses must understand the triggers of healthy behaviors. Walker and Avant’s (2011) method of concept analysis is used as the basis for defining the concept of trigger. The antecedents, defining attributes, and consequences of trigger are identified. Findings suggest that nurses …

Analyzing Organizational Commitment And The Effect On Job Turnover In Nurse Residents, Cory D. Church

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation is an exploration of psychosocial concepts related to the experiences of a vital health human resource, newly licensed registered nurses. Newly licensed registered nurses are at risk for leaving their first job within the first year due to the difficulty of transitioning to practice. The pressure to gain competence and deliver quality care, all while navigating the workplace environment, can impact their commitment to an organization and the profession. The reader will notice these concepts threaded throughout the dissertation. While these concepts are explored in other nursing workforce populations, the researcher determined a gap in the research on …

Effects Of A Scripted Online Video On School Nurse Perceptions Of Concussion Management, Kathleen Holligan Schneider

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Media attention surrounding the increased rates and serious consequences of concussions among American youths has instigated the passage of laws in all fifty states requiring improved management of concussions and the development of programs, such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Heads Up to Concussion. Progress has been reported in the efficacy of concussion diagnosis and return-to-play decisions. However, there has been less progress in managing the protocols for cognitive rest and return-to-classroom. The purpose of this study was to identify significant stakeholders and factors that could improve management of cognitive rest and return-to-classroom protocols in high …

East Meets West: Cultural Values And Duty To Care For Disaster Response, Tracy J. Nash

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Nurses’ readiness for disaster response has assumed front and center-stage in recent years, due to the heightened number of natural and human-induced disasters across the globe. Scientific literature affirms that without nurses’ personal and professional readiness for disaster situations, patient and public health outcomes will likely decline. Three research manuscripts presented in this dissertation portfolio targeted this significant, but overlooked public health issue. First, a quantitative pilot study addressing nurses’ personal preparedness for disaster response was considered. Findings from the study not only justified personal readiness as a significant concept, but also prompted review of the scientific literature to further …

Cultural Competence Of Pre-Licensure Nursing Faculty, Colleen Marzilli, Beth Mastel-Smith

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

The purpose of this study was to determine the level of cultural competence (CC) in Texas pre-licensure nursing faculty and examine the relationships between demographics and CC scores. The researchers conducted a study to determine if demographics predicted the level of CC and explored the perceptions of CC. A convergent parallel mixed-methods design used data from a 2014 online survey with a qualitative interview component. Demographics were evaluated with descriptive statistics and CC was measured with The Nurses’ Cultural Competence Scale (NCCS). Qualitative data were analyzed using a constant comparative method. The level of CC was low to moderate. Three …

Engaging Older Adults With Parkinson's Disease In Physical Activity Using Technology, Melinda Hermanns

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

A presentation on a feasibility study at the Beta Alpha Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, in March 2017.

Tai Chi, Yoga, And Qigong As Mind-Body Exercises, Yong T. Wang, Guoyuan Huang, Gloria Duke, Yi Yang

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Editorial: Tai Chi, Yoga, and Qigong as Mind-Body Exercises