Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Impact Of A Nurse-Driven Foley Catheter Removal Protocol On Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Rates In Critical Care Areas, Laura Eckert-Davis

Nursing Masters

Background: Indwelling urinary catheters serve a purpose in critical care; however, they can also pose a risk for patients. With increased catheter use, there is an increased risk of developing a catheter associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI). CAUTIs lead to longer length of stay for patients, antibiotic treatment, and have a financial burden to the institution. The objective of this study was to determine if a nurse driven catheter removal protocol could reduce CAUTIs in critical care units.

Methods: Retrospective review of CAUTI data from the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) was observed three months prior to the protocol implementation …

Organ Donation Education And Its Effects On Undergraduate Nursing Students' Knowledge And Perceptions, Jessica D'Acquisto

Nursing Masters

Abstract

Introduction: America continually struggles with a shortage of registered organ donors and a constant need of organs. To address this, future nurses should be taught about the need for organ donation in their studies, so that as nurses, they can help increase the number of registered organ donors in the country by educating patients about the value of organ donation.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of an educational intervention on undergraduate nursing students’ knowledge, perceptions, and the potential of them registering as organ donors.

Methods: Twenty eight undergraduate nursing students from a private college in central New York participated …

Pediatric Burn Prevention: Determining Provider Knowledge Of Pediatric Burn Epidemiology And Prevalence Of Education At Well Child Visits., Elizabeth Blasi

Nursing Masters

Objective: Pediatric burns are costly and traumatic injuries; however, increased education may reduce the prevalence. The purpose of this study was to determine pediatric primary care providers’ awareness of the pervasiveness of pediatric burns and discern if specific education is done at office visits. Methods: Eighteen providers participated in an education session regarding pediatric burns and took a pre-test and post-test. Results were analyzed to determine if the education led to an increase in provider knowledge of burns as well as in increase in motivation to educate their patients. Results: The education session led to an increased awareness of burn …

The Development, Implementation And Evaluation Of An Educational Program For Staff Nurses To Identify And Manage Risk Factors For Ischemic Stroke In Patients With A History Of Migraine, Scottia Jones

Nursing Masters

The literature findings demonstrate that patients with migraines have a significantly high incidence of ischemic stroke (Kurth, 2010). Migraine is a common neurological disease that is defined very poorly and is estimated to affect between 1 % and 10% of men and 3 % and 20% of women within the United States (Buring & Hennekens 1995). Decreasing migraine frequency and management of modifiable stroke and cardiovascular risk factors'-, such as hypertension, high cholesterol and smoking can help decrease risk of stroke occurrences (Tietjen, 2005). Therefore, to decrease stroke occurrence, it is imperative that staff nurses are educated on the importance …

Assessing Healthcare Providers Perspective: Music Intervention For Open Heart Surgery Patients, Karsen Lattimore

Nursing Masters

Abstract

Background: Benefits of music intervention after open heart surgery have been studied amongst several clinical settings, yet implementation is not frequently seen with patients in the cardiothoracic field. Open heart surgery is associated with postoperative pain that peaks the first few days after surgery. Multiple negative outcomes may result from ineffective pain management including, deep vein thrombosis, pneumonia, and poor wound healing leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs. Music intervention has been shown to relieve anxiety and pain, reduce stress, decrease S-cortisol levels and increase oxytocin levels. However, the literature is limited on the use or integration …

Enhanced Recovery After Pancreatic Surgery, Yeliam Patel

Nursing Masters

Abstract

Background: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols are evidence-based multimodal pathways that optimize the perioperative care of patients undergoing complex surgeries. The goal is to promote acute recovery as demonstrated by decreased length of stay (LOS) with no negative impact on the complication or readmission incidence. There is limited adoption of ERAS protocols for major pancreatic surgeries such as pancreaticoduodenectomy (i.e., Whipple surgery).

Objectives: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate if outcomes such as LOS, readmission (within 30 days of initial hospitalization), and complication occurrence were improved after the application of the ERAS protocol in …

Evaluation Of Current Emergency Department Fall Risk Assessment Tools: Is An Emergency Department Specific Fall Risk Assessment Tool Needed?, Carrie A. Brown

Nursing Masters

Problem: The ability to accurately and quickly identify patients at high risk for falls at the point of entry into the emergency department is the most important step in fall prevention and avoiding harm. Using an inpatient falls risk assessment tool is not adequately identifying patients at risk in the emergency department setting. Multiple factors contribute to falls and are not included in the risk assessment tool. The purpose of the study was to determine if the false risk assessment tool used in the Emergency Department (ED) adequately identifies a patient at risk for falling.

Methods: This study …

Community Education Of The Nurse Practitioner Role In Healthcare, Lisa M. Kemp

Nursing Masters

Introduction: The existing primary care physician shortage in the United States is predicted to increase following the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), growth of the aging population, and physician specialization. This will reduce patient access to quality care. The integration of the nurse practitioner role in primary healthcare delivery models can increase access to quality healthcare services for patients. Efforts must be in place to assist communities in adapting and accepting the nurse practitioner role in the primary care setting.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to develop and evaluate an educational program on …

U.S. Public Perception And Knowledge Of Lung Cancer Screening, Jessica Luciano

Nursing Masters

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the U.S. public’s attitude toward and knowledge of lung cancer screening per the U.S. Preventative Task Force’s (USPSTF) 2013 guideline. A questionnaire addressing cancer screening perception, lung cancer risk perception, and agreeability to lung cancer screening and surgical resection of detected lung cancer was adapted from Flynn, Peters, and Morgan (2013). The electronic questionnaire was posted to the primary investigator’s Facebook page and snowball sampling was employed. Of the 92 eligible adult respondents, 40% were current or former smokers and 3.3% were eligible for lung cancer screening. The majority of participants believed …

Home Care Nurses' Perceptions Of Telemedicine, Carla Puckett

Nursing Masters

Introduction: Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a progressive and disabling illness with high healthcare utilization costs. Due to its complexity and the large number of patients diagnosed with CHF, telemedicine has been increasingly incorporated as part of CHF management. Many studies support its benefits in improving patient outcomes and its practicality to be used in the home care setting. However, more research is needed to investigate home care nurses’ perceptions of telemedicine and how those perceptions affect its implementation.

Objectives: To explore home care nurses’ perceptions of telemedicine and how these perceptions could affect how telemedicine is implemented in home-care. …

The Hurdles Of The Handoff: A Study Of Why Picu Nurses Are Not Utilizing The Handoff Tool And How To Improve Utilization, Lindsay C. Kraus

Nursing Masters

Abstract

Background: Adverse patient events have been linked to communication errors during handoff. The Joint Commission has estimated that 65% of adverse patient events are associated with issues in communication. This, coupled with mandated electronic medical record (EMR) adoption in 2009, has complicated the implementation of effective handoffs. Many EMR systems are ill equipped to provide effective handoff tools, leading to staff non-compliance and a system of varied handoff procedures.

Purpose: To determine the barriers to nurses utilization of the EMR based handoff tool in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Methods: This study was a longitudinal pre-post analysis design, …

Development Of Culture-Centered Diabetes Education Program For Nigerian Immigrants, Gloria Ozioma Ibezim

Nursing Masters

Purpose: This study aimed to develop a culture-centered diabetes education program (CCDEP) for Nigerian immigrants to assess knowledge and attitudes on Diabetes Mellitus (DM).

Design: A descriptive pretest-posttest interventional study was deployed that used Microsoft Excel Analysis. There were 40 participants from a convenience sample from Western New York who received an hour CCDEP that instructed them on culture-centered DM care: tailored context, healthy dietary substitutes, stress management, and physical activities. A pretest measured the participants’ baseline knowledge and attitudes, and a posttest was given after the intervention.

Results: Participants demonstrated more knowledge on DM in the …

Just-In-Time Education For Intensive Care Nurses, Rosemary D. Soriano

Nursing Masters

Background: Continuing education is fundamentally necessary to ensure ongoing competency of nurses in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). There are many effective methods of continuing education, but there is a gap in continuing education for ICU nurses for high-risk low-frequency therapies (HRLFT).

Objectives: The purpose of this project was to determine if the implementation of Just-in-Time Education (JITE) for HRLFT in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) improved nurses’ feelings of competence, comfort, and safety when utilizing these interventions.

Methods: JITE checklists for nurses were developed for HRLFT in the PICU. The checklists were reviewed by the staff …

Nursing Perspective Of Preparedness To Deliver End-Of-Life Care: A Descriptive Study, Caitlin B. Mccann

Nursing Masters

Abstract

Background: Death of patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) is often sudden and unexpected. When ICU care transitions from curative to palliative, nursing staff frequently feel ill prepared to effectively care for dying patients and their families [1, 2]. The purpose of this study was to identify ICU nursing staff’s perception of the effectiveness of current end-of-life care (EOLC) education methods and their preparedness to deliver EOLC to dying patients and their families.

Methods: A newly developed online survey was utilized on Qualtrics survey generator and distributed through social media to allow for snowball sampling. Descriptive statistics were …

Family Presence During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Survey, Hannah Bayram

Nursing Masters

Background: Many studies have shown the benefit of allowing families to be present during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). However, healthcare providers exhibit concern and hesitation about encouraging families to be at the bedside during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Purpose: Promote insight concerning the barriers that prevent health care providers from encouraging family presence during CPR. Research question: What are the attitudes of health care providers toward family presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (FRDR) and are they more willing to welcome family presence during cardiopulmonary resuscitation if a family support person present is present? Method: A survey was presented to medical …

An S.O.S. From The Lgbt: Identifying Healthcare Barriers Among The Lgbt Community, Timothy J. Nervina

Nursing Masters

Introduction: Members of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) communities are a vulnerable population in accessing routine healthcare. Studies have indicated that LGBT individuals are at an increased risk for conditions regarding physical and mental health, as well as socioeconomic disparities; however, little is currently known regarding the leading causes of these discrepancies. This study aims to identify the leading causes that impede access to routine healthcare on behalf of the LGBT population.

Methodology: The Access Barriers to Care Index (ACBI) was sent to participants via the Internet over the course of three weeks. The survey assessed the level …

Development Of A Delirium Educational Program For Hospital Medicine Providers, Lindsay Erin Stone

Nursing Masters

Hospital medicine providers were surveyed to evaluate baseline delirium attitudes and behaviors. An educational program was then shared, and a follow up survey was given to determine if their delirium attitudes and practices were impacted by the educational intervention. Follow up survey results indicated that providers perceived more of a change in their attitudes than practices, and overall found the education to be useful and felt more confident in treating delirium as a result.

Cultural Relevance During Pediatric End-Of-Life Care, Helen Jahna

Nursing Masters

Abstract: Cultural competency is essential to patient and family centered care, and signifies recognition of the patient’s and family’s healthcare beliefs, customs, and values. Understanding these concepts opens communication with families and healthcare providers and brings out information needed to make the End-of-Life process as meaningful, respectful, and comfortable as possible. This study explored pediatric nursing attitudes on education for cultural relevance and cultural consideration during the end-of-life process. A cross-sectional survey was emailed to pediatric nurses working in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and Pediatric Cardiac Care Center (PCCC) in a children’s center associated within a teaching hospital …

Authentic Leaderships Effect On New Graduates Nurses' Retention, Tamara C. Stern

Nursing Masters

No abstract provided.