Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Music Therapy For The Body And Soul, Rhonda Benzley, Dr. Barbara Mandleco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In effort to provide superior nursing practice, current research is examining the efficacy of a variety of novel nursing interventions. One such technique is Music Therapy, defined by Gillam as, “The controlled use of music in treatment, rehabilitation, education, and training of children and adults with a physical, mental or emotional disorder.”7 Numerous studies have shown the ability of music intervention to promote a sense of well being among various patient populations by decreasing anxiety, agitation and pain, promoting relaxation and stress reduction. These studies also show that music has been specifically beneficial in increasing orientation, memory and sociability among …

Helping Childbearing Women Make Choices About Health Care: A Pilot Study, Kathleen Harkness

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this study was to track the perceptions of a group of primiparous women as related to the selection of and relationship with a health care provider.

The Underutilization Of Primary Care Providers In Treating Opiate Addiction, Jennifer Jenkinson

Student Works

Opioid abuse is a worldwide problem and there are not enough care providers or treatment programs available to treat the opioid abuse epidemic. Many primary-care nurse practitioners care for patients who are dependant and/or abuse opioids. Under current legislation, nurse practitioners are not allowed to prescribe the schedule III medications necessary to treat them, even though they have been made available to primary-care physicians with some additional training. This paper discusses the effectiveness of opioid substitution therapy in a primary care setting, the patient population best suited for this therapy, patient satisfaction with primary care service, and the barriers preventing …

So, You Think You Have Sleep Deprivation?, Stacy J. Parry, Dr. Joan H. Baldwin

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Sleep plays an important role in maintaining health. Sleep affects two types of physiologic functions; the nervous system itself and other structures of the body. Sleep deprivation is often associated with continuous malfunction of the mind and at other times can cause abnormal behavioral activities of the nervous system. Sleep restores the natural balance among the neuronal centers (1). “Everyone has a sleep-wake cycle that corresponds to her or his optimum degree of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Studies show that adequate sleep enhances attentiveness, concentration, mood, and motivation.” (2)

Defining The Role Of The Nurse In Transitions Of Care Within A Comprehensive Stroke Center, Claranne Mathiesen Rn, Msn, Cnrn, Erin M. Conahan Rn, Cnrn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Mentoring Nursing Students In Leprosy-Impacted Communities Of Tamil Nadu, India, Cheryl Corbett

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The academic objectives for the Global Health nursing course were met and exceeded. Students had didactic courses that accompanied their international experience to enhance their knowledge and understanding of global health principles. Students successfully completed these accompanying nursing courses and had life changing opportunities working with the leprosy-afflicted in India. Students applied their nursing knowledge and skills and learned greater cultural competency in caring for culturally diverse populations.

Mentoring Nursing Students In Leprosy-Impacted Communities Of Tamil Nadu, India, Cheryl Corbett

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The academic objectives for the Global Health nursing course were met and exceeded. Students had didactic courses that accompanied their international experience to enhance their knowledge and understanding of global health principles. Students successfully completed these accompanying nursing courses and had life changing opportunities working with the leprosy-afflicted in India. Students applied their nursing knowledge and skills and learned greater cultural competency in caring for culturally diverse populations.

Methamphetamine Use Among Suburban Women: Implications For Nurse Practitioners, Annette Bairan, Miriam Boeri, Janice Morian

Faculty Articles

Purpose The purpose of this article is to provide nurse practitioners (NPs) with more effective strategies to diagnose methamphetamine (MA) use and assess healthcare needs of MA-using women. Data sources The researchers collected data from 65 suburban women who were MA users living in the suburbs of a large southeastern city in the United States. We conducted in-depth interviews and focus groups examining their life history, drug history, risk behaviors, and access to health care. The qualitative findings are examined here. Conclusions Three main themes emerged from the data: (a) gendered stigmatization of MA use; (b) MA-related health risk behaviors; …

Nurse Practitioners’ Present And Future Viability, Annette Mulkay

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My research project entitled Nurse Practitioners’ Present and Future Viability has four research questions:

• What is the role of nurse practitioners today?

• How do nurse practitioners perceive their role in health care reform?

• What do nurse practitioners perceive as barriers to acceptance in the current health care delivery system?

• What policy changes do nurse practitioners view as necessary to enable them to meet their potential for practice in the future?

Man To Man: Perspectives On Being The Father Of A Very-Low-Birth-Weight Infant Through Interpretive Phenomenology, Donald A. Johnston

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

While volumes of literature lend insight into the experience of being a mother in the NICU, the experience of fathering a neonate remains vastly understudied. The goal of this hermeneutical phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of eleven fathers of very low birth weight infants during their infants' stay in a neonatal intensive care unit. In-depth interviews were semi-structured, digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analyzed using Max van Manen's methodology, along with a metaphorical illustration to illuminate meanings of experiences. Analysis was structured using Heidegger's philosophical concepts of Being-in-the-world and Being-with-others, as well as the added …

Chhs February 2014 E-Newsletter, Dr. John Bonaguro, Dean, Vashon S. Wells, Editor, Wku College Of Health & Human Services

College of Health & Human Services Publications

No abstract provided.

Yoga For The Pelvic Floor, Sandi Tenfelde, Rich Logan, Melinda Abernethy

Nursing: School of Nursing Faculty Publications and Other Works

A detailed, instructional guide to yoga that helps strengthen the pelvic floor.

Harassment: A Challenge At Workplace, Muhammad Younas, Salma Rattani

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Health care professionals are deeply involved in caring for the human life and during this process, they come in a close contact with the care recipients. This, at times, positions the health care professionals in a vulnerable situation including workplace harassment which is an offensive verbal or physical act and comprises of an unwanted behavior or advancement or demand for sexual and other favors. This conduct creates an intimidating, unfriendly, and offensive work environment (Sigal, 2006). Consequently, it impacts on care providers' performance, quality care and their retention in the system. Hence, it is important that the health care personnel …

The Association Of Depression And Anxiety With Glycemic Control Among Mexican Americans With Diabetes Living Near The U.S.-Mexico Border, Darla E. Kendzor, Minxing Chen, Belinda M. Reininger, Michael S. Businelle, Diana W. Stewart, Susan P. Fisher-Hoch, Anne R. Rentfro, David W. Wetter, Joseph B. Mccormick

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Background

The prevalence of diabetes is alarmingly high among Mexican American adults residing near the U.S.-Mexico border. Depression is also common among Mexican Americans with diabetes, and may have a negative influence on diabetes management. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to evaluate the associations of depression and anxiety with the behavioral management of diabetes and glycemic control among Mexican American adults living near the border.

Methods

The characteristics of Mexican Americans with diabetes living in Brownsville, TX (N = 492) were compared by depression/anxiety status. Linear regression models were conducted to evaluate the associations of depression …

A Program For Review Of Residents On Anti-Psychotic (Ap) Medications In A County Owned Nursing Facility, Catherine M. Glew Bm, Bs, Cmd, Beth Berklite Rn, Adon, Terri Bauer Rn

Department of Medicine

No abstract provided.

Processed Sugars And Coronary Heart Disease, Sonya Lovingood

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Alcohol Treatment In The Native American, Linda Turner

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Current Medical Research Winter–Spring 2013, Richard J. Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Understanding Workplace Reciprocity Of Emergency Nurses: A Qualitative Study, Christine M. Corcoran

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Emergency nurses work with other health care providers under uncertain conditions to provide care to patients with all kinds of illnesses and afflictions from all walks of life. Despite implications that they must work together to accomplish their tasks, there are few studies that explore the relationships among emergency department personnel. Furthermore, there are even fewer that focus on the way emergency nurses work together to provide care to their patients. The purpose of the study was to understand the lived experience of workplace reciprocity of emergency nurses through the use of a qualitative phenomenological method. Nurses with three or …

Validation Of Patient And Nurse Short Forms Of The Readiness For Hospital Discharge Scale And Their Relationship To Return To The Hospital, Marianne E. Weiss, Linda L. Costa, Kathleen Bobay, Olga Yakusheva

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: To validate patient and nurse short forms for discharge readiness assessment and their associations with 30-day readmissions and emergency department (ED) visits.

Data Sources/Study Setting: A total of 254 adult medical-surgical patients and their discharging nurses from an Eastern US tertiary hospital between May and November, 2011. Study Design Prospective longitudinal design, multinomial logistic regression analysis.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods: Nurses and patients independently completed an eight-item Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale on the day of discharge. Patient characteristics, readmissions, and ED visits were electronically abstracted.

Principal Findings: Nurse assessment of low discharge readiness was associated with a six- to …

Individual Characteristics And Relocation Factors Affecting Adjustment Among Relocated American And Egyptian Older Adults, Abir K. Bekhet, Jaclene A. Zauszniewski

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Worldwide, the population of elders is increasing significantly. Relocation can be a positive or a negative experience, depending on many factors, including culture. The purpose of this study is to compare individual characteristics (age, gender, marital status, education, perceived health status, activities of daily living), relocation factors (movement preparation, time passed since relocation, closeness of prior home to the present, and whether relocation was from home or another facility), and adjustment in relocated American and Egyptian elders. This secondary analysis study merged data from two cross-sectional descriptive studies of a 104 elders relocated to retirement communities in Northeast Ohio and …

Examining Factors That Contribute To The Application Of Improved Nutritional Practices In Guatemala, Kim Proffit, Ashley Jensen, Dr. Vickie Johnsen

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Malnutrition is a significant problem in Guatemala. Malnutrition, and its related diseases, are part of most diagnoses of children in the hospital regardless of the reason for admission. Ruel, Habicht, Rasmussen & Martorell (1996, p. 671) report the severity of the problem, “Guatemala has one of the highest prevalences of stunting in the world.” In 2001 UNICEF reported that 29% of Guatemalan children under 5 years of age were underweight, 46% were stunted and 3% were wasting. Even in countries suffering with severe malnutrition, Zeitlin, Ghassemi, and Mansour, (1990) suggest that some children who live in poverty and have severely …

Giving Birth: Voices Of Chinese Women, Robin Kartchner, Dr. Lynn Clark Callister

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Women’s perceptions of the childbirth experience vary widely depending on the cultural context. The quality of care a childbearing woman receives is deeply influenced by the cultural understanding the nurse brings to their health care interaction. The purpose of this study was to examine the childbirth experiences of Chinese women living in Utah. It builds on a previous study with Chinese women living in China conducted by the researcher last year.

Nursing Curricula Changes: Reflections Of Shifts In Health Care Delivery, Chloe Allen Maycock, Dr. Cynthia O'Neill Conger

Journal of Undergraduate Research

My ORCA grant resulted in a 50 page thesis that I submitted for graduation with University Honors. The thesis was completed between April 1997 and August 1998. The focus of my thesis was change in nursing curricula. The convergence of change and nursing curricula are inevitable. In order to understand the underlying forces of change relating to nursing curricula, change, curricula, and the cumulative implications for nursing practice and education were reported. These concepts provided the foundation and significance for research questions aimed at determining why and how nursing curricula are changing. Research questions included: (a) are nursing curricula changing …

Long-Term Effects Of Hospitalization In Children, Katie Johnson, Dr. Barbara Mandleco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In an effort to improve nursing practice with children, this study looked at the long-term effects and memories of childhood hospitalization on adults. In young children, common behavioral changes observed include; initial aloofness toward parents followed by dependency behaviors, nightmares or new fears, resistance to going to bed and waking up during the night, withdrawal, shyness, etc. (Wong & Perry, 1998). These behaviors though temporarily displayed, may have long-term consequences. For example, the hospitalization may ultimately lead to the individual experiencing difficulty with strange environments, forming attachments with peers, and maintaining relationships. On the other hand, this stressful environment can …

Prenatal Care: A Study Of Perceived And Actual Barriers For Utah County Women, Melanie Droubay, Dr. Rosanne Schwartz

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Prenatal care is a significant indicator of health care. Women who receive both early and adequate prenatal care have less problems with their pregnancy as well as decreased neonatal, infant and maternal mortality (Kiely & Kogan, 2000). Because Utah has a proportionally high volume of pregnancies, prenatal care is a major concern for this state. Through this research, the adequacy of prenatal care was studied as well as any possible barriers to receiving prenatal care for first-time mothers living in Utah County.

Assessment Of Pain Management As Perceived By Open Heart Surgery Patients, Amanda Lee Williford, Dr. Renea Beckstrand

Journal of Undergraduate Research

It is estimated that less than 50% of postoperative patients experience adequate pain management (Cater et al., 1999). Pain management is an important topic of study because patients tend to get well faster with the absence of pain. Pain is more than a physical discomfort or a physiological nuisance, as it affects a person in every aspect of his or her life. The mind-body connection theory explained by health psychologist Chino reasonably states that any disruption of the mental state of a patient influences him or her physically, and vice versa. Chino further explains that when patients are distressed by …

How Regular Exercise Decreases Student Anxiety, Heidi Earl, Dr. Gary Measom

Journal of Undergraduate Research

To carry out my project, I contacted the core nursing instructors and informed them of my research project, which they endorsed. Needing students to participate in the study, I visited the core nursing class and gave a brief overview of my project and solicited their participation. Approximately 48 students participated or contributed to this study regarding exercise and student anxiety.

A Safety Mnemonic For Pediatric Oncology Patients: Knowledge, Confidence And Skills Accuracy During Simulation, Luanne Linnard-Palmer, Barbara Ganley

Collected Faculty Scholarship

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, surpassed only by heart disease [1]. Approximately 1.6 million Americans will receive treatment for a variety of cancers annually [2]. This increase in oncology nursing care opportunities highlights the need to ensure that nurses have the skills, knowledge, and tools that allow them to safely provide care. Because Undergraduate nursing education often does not provide in-depth coverage of the principles of safe oncology nursing care required for children or adults, this study addressed protocols used when caring for chemotherapy pediatric patients using a chemotherapy mnemonic. The purpose of …

Kerr, Searing Receive Nurse Educator Fellowships, Kim Hill

News and Events (Discontinued Series)

No abstract provided.