Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Rain Rhythms: Fall 2013 - Summer 2014, College Of Nursing & Professional Disciplines

RAIN Rhythms

No abstract provided.

Barriers To Utilization Of Nursing Research In A Magnet Designated Hospital, Sandra D. Copeland

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Barriers to nurses' utilization of research in patient care are the epicenter of translating evidence into practice. Assessment of demographic variables such as age, service line, years of experience, and education level and their impact on nurses' perceptions of barriers to research utilization in practice details this project. No statistically significant differences exist in perceived barriers between any demographic group including certified nurses, service lines, or time since last research course. The Magnet culture of the facility validates the low mean scores on the BARRIERS tool. New knowledge gained from the project includes the impact of certification, assessment of time …

The Effect Of Preceptor Role Effectiveness On Newly Licensed Registered Nurses' Perceived Psychological Empowerment And Professional Autonomy, Chanell Watkins

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Purpose: To examine the relationship between newly licensed registered nurses’ perceived preceptor role effectiveness and newly licensed registered nurses’ perceived level of psychological empowerment and professional autonomy.

Design: A prospective, cross-sectional, descriptive research design was used.

Methods: Sixty-nine newly licensed registered nurses who graduated from an academic institution in the southeast United States were recruited and surveyed. Data collection occurred from August 2013 through October 2013.

Results: Newly licensed registered nurses had moderately high levels of perceived preceptor role effectiveness (M = 63.04, SD = 9.77), psychological empowerment (M = 3.98, SD = .57), and professional …

Palliative Care Knowledge Among Bachelors Of Science Nursing Students, Amy Pope

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Purpose: To assess the palliative care (PC) knowledge of junior and senior level bachelors of science nursing (BSN) students and to compare the PC knowledge between these two groups of students.

Design: A non-experimental quantitative, cross-sectional, survey design was used.

Methods: Seventy two students from a junior level and a senior level BSN course were recruited at a southeastern United States university. The participants completed the demographic form and the Palliative Care Quiz for Nursing (PCQN). Data collection took place from September 2013 to October 2013.

Data Analysis: Overall mean score percentage from the total sample and …

Patient Perceptions Of Functional Abilities After Total Knee Arthroplasty, Stephanie A. Jones

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Purpose: To identify if patients’ perceptions of their functional abilities prior to Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) were similar to their actual post-operative functional abilities at 4 to 6 weeks post-TKA if they attended an educational joint replacement class prior to surgery.

Design: One group, pre-test/post-test.

Methods: Data were obtained from 17 participants attending an educational joint replacement class in Georgia. Patients’ perceptions of functional abilities before and after TKA were identified using the Knee Outcome Survey Activities of Daily Living Scale (KOS-ADLS), Short Form 12 version 2 (SF-12 v2), and a demographics questionnaire.

Results: KOS-ADLS findings …

The Student Nurse's Change In Knowledge During A Clinical Rotation In Labor And Delivery, Katherine B. Barnett

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if the baccalaureate degree student nurse’s clinical experience in labor and deliver affects his or her knowledge of labor and delivery nursing care.

Design: A descriptive, non-experimental pre-test post-test design.

Method: A convenience sample of 45 baccalaureate student nurses enrolled in the parent/ child class at a large southeastern university. Data collection took place from August 2013 to October 2013.

Results: The mean difference between pre-test score and post-test score demonstrated minimal gain in knowledge during the clinical rotation in labor and delivery. The number of hours …

Heterosexism And Homophobia Among Students Participating In A Bachelor Of Science Nursing Program, Johnathan Daniel Steppe

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects (Full IR Collection)

Purpose: To identify whether or not homophobia and heterosexism were present among students participating in a Bachelor’s of Science nursing program.

Design: A quantitative, descriptive, and non-experimental design was used.

Methods: The study employed a convenience sample of 245 nursing students recruited from a university’s nursing program located in the southeastern United States. Data collection and analysis took place from September 2013 to October 2013 and was accomplished using SPSS version 21 software package.

Results: Homophobia and heterosexism were both present in the sample. Levels of heterosexism were significantly higher than levels of homophobia. There was …

Reducing Restraints: A Patient Safety, Staff Driven Initiative, Lisa A. Lacy, Nicole J. Urban-Miller Rn, Bsn, Denise Bodish Bsn, Rnbc, Jane Halpin Rnc, Pcc, Colleen S. Green, Kathryn P. Mercadante Rn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Transforming From A Freestanding Asf To A Hospital-Based Unit, Darlene Hinkle Msn, Rn, Cnor

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Meeting The Challenges For The Plain Community In Healthcare, Mindy Brosious Bsn, Rn, Nicole Zimmerman Bsn, Rn, Nancy Humes Bsn, Rn, Patricia Christenson Rn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Perinatal Outcomes Of Prenatal Probiotic And Prebiotic Administration: An Integrative Review, Leona Vandevusse, Lisa Hanson, Nasia Safdar

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this integrative review was to identify, critique, and synthesize the maternal and neonatal evidence on the prenatal use of probiotics and prebiotics to inform perinatal health professionals. A comprehensive literature search resulted in 37 studies of prenatal probiotics and 1 on antepartal prebiotics published from 1990 through 2011 that reported maternal, fetal, and/or neonatal outcomes. The methodologic quality of the studies reviewed was high, although investigators used different probiotic combinations and inconsistently reported perinatal clinical outcomes. The extraction of perinatal outcome variables resulted in identification of 9 maternal and 5 neonatal categories. Prenatal probiotics significantly reduced the …

Pursuing Wellness: Achieving Fall Reduction Through Staff And Patient Partnership, Lisa A. Lacy, Nicole J. Urban-Miller Rn, Bsn, Denise Bodish Bsn, Rnbc, Jane Halpin Rnc, Pcc, Colleen S. Green, Kathryn P. Mercadante Rn

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Transforming Patient Care Through Telehealth (Presentation), Joseph Tracy Ms, Ba, Terry A. Capuano Mba, Msn, Rn, Fache, Ne-Bc, Anne Panik Ms, Rn, Nea-Bc, Sharon Kromer Ccrc, Ctc, Lori Yesenofski Msn, Rn, Ccrn, Ctc

Patient Care Services / Nursing

No abstract provided.

Under Pressure: Preventing Pressure Ulcers In Critically Ill Infants, Christine A. Schindler, Theresa Mikhailov, Susan E. Cashin, Shelly Malin, Melissa Christenson, Jill M. Winters

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Purpose

To determine whether a pressure ulcer prevention bundle was associated with a significant reduction in pressure ulcer development in infants in the pediatric intensive care unit.

Design and Methods

Quasi-experimental design involving 399 infants 0 to 3 months of age at a large tertiary care medical center.

Results

The implementation of the care bundle was associated with a significant drop in pressure ulcer incidence from 18.8 to 6.8%.

Practice Implications

Pressure ulcers can be prevented in the most vulnerable patients with the consistent implementation of evidence-based interventions and system supports to assist nurses with the change in practice.

Contemporary Women’S Adaptation To Motherhood: The First 3 To 6 Weeks Postpartum, Cynthia Aber, Marianne E. Weiss, Jacqueline Fawcett

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

A better understanding of the process of adaptation to motherhood should enhance nurses’ ability to prepare women for the transition to motherhood and to provide care following childbirth. Knowledge about women’s adaptation to motherhood was developed primarily from the 1960s to the 1990s. Cesarean birthing was a special focus of research throughout the late 1970s and the 1980s, followed by functional status, and more recently, depression and stress associated with birth and postpartum. Adaptation to motherhood in the context of the early 21st century has received limited attention in nursing research, creating an assumption that the process of adaptation is …

Use Of Urinary Pregnanediol 3-Glucuronide To Confirm Ovulation, R. Ecochard, R. Leiva, Thomas Bouchard, H. Boehringer, A. Direito, A. Mariani, Richard J. Fehring

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

Urinary hormonal markers may assist in increasing the efficacy of Fertility Awareness Based Methods (FABM). This study uses urinary pregnanediol-3a-glucuronide (PDG) testing to more accurately identify the infertile phase of the menstrual cycle in the setting of FABM.

Methods

Secondary analysis of an observational and simulation study, multicentre, European study. The study includes 107 women and tracks daily first morning urine (FMU), observed the changes in cervical mucus discharge, and ultrasonography to identify the day of ovulation over 326 menstrual cycles. The following three scenarios were tested: (A) use of the daily pregnandiol-3a-glucuronide (PDG) test alone; (B) use of …

The Microbiology And Immunology Of Normal Physiologic Birth: A Plea For The Nature Of Mother, Lisa Hanson, Leona Vandevusse

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

No abstract provided.

Femoroacetabular Impingement: A Guide To Diagnosis In Primary Care, Alec Rimmasch Jr., Patricia K. Ravert

Faculty Publications

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) has been a diagnosis for approximately a decade in the medical field. Although FAI was once considered uncommon, it is now documented as 1 of the most common hip disorders. FAI is a variance or overgrowth within the femoral head neck space, acetabular ring, labrum, or cartilage. Patients with FAI frequently present in a general practice setting and endure months of pain and physical therapy before a correct diagnosis is ascertained. Understanding FAI and appropriate treatment and diagnostic procedures will facilitate early diagnosis in the primary care setting, providing the best chance for patient recovery.

Explanations For An Increased Cesarean Birth Rate In Guayaquil, Ecuador, Melissa Kemp, Dr. Sheri Palmer

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Over 850,000 unnecessary C-sections are performed each year in Latin America (Belizán, Althabe, Barros, & Alexander, 1999). According to a recent annual report of the Sotomayor Maternity Hospital in Guayaquil, Ecuador, 58% of total births were cesarean (Junta de B., 2004). In comparison, the overall cesarean rate in the U.S. (which is also high according to medical recommendations) is reported to be about 27% (NCHS, 2003). Unnecessary cesarean sections have resulted in increased infection, hemorrhage, damage to abdominal and urinary tract organs, drug complications, prematurity, increased neonatal illness, and longer hospitalization (Sloan et al, 2000). These reported rates in Ecuador …

Nursing Practice In Tucumán, Argentina As Seen By An American Nursing Student, Heather Merie Buzbee, Catherine Coverston

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Nurses form the backbone of healthcare systems around the globe. Unfortunately, throughout the world there is a nursing shortage (WHO, 2004). Argentina, like many other nations throughout the world, is a country struggling with the current shortage. The most recent statistics show that in Argentina there is one nurse to every 1851.9 people (PAHO, 1998). In comparison, in the United States, where the nursing shortage is often in the news, the nurse to population ratio is 1 to 102.9, meaning that there are proportionally nearly eighteen times more nurses in the U.S. as in Argentina (WHO 2004).

Family Adaptation To Children With Chronic Conditions In East London, South Africa, Aimee Latta, Dr. Barbara Mandleco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Raising children with chronic conditions often is a source of stress on the family unit . While many studies in the past conducted in South Africa have focused on the etiology or disease process itself, the effects of the children’s condition on family adaptation and daily life have frequently been overlooked. Further, out of the estimated 2,100,000 children world wide who are living with HIV/AIDS, 1,900,000 are residing in Sub-Saharan Africa . Due to this escalating number, the effects of children who are living with HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa on family life cannot go unnoticed. In addition, by increasing awareness …

Nursing Research: What Do Undergraduate Nursing Students Know About Research And How To Get Involved In Present Research?, Kirk A. Roberts, Dr. Joan Baldwin

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Research is an integral part of any profession. The profession of Nursing uses research as a means to improve patient care and enhance the quality of nursing practice. The College of Nursing also uses nursing research as a “thread” in the complete woven picture of nursing practice. Yet this “thread” typically has been reserved for faculty and graduate students. Undergraduate students have lacked the knowledge of how to become involved therefore have maintained that research is strictly for faculty and graduate students.

Sleep Deprivation And Subsequent Nursing Errors In The Hospital Setting, Whitney L. O'Reilly, Catherine Coverston

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The current state of health care in America presents some difficult problems with its increased need for nurses along with a significant nursing shortage. There is an approaching aging baby-boomer population along with an aging nurse population resulting in increased nurse workloads and fewer nurses to manage them. Many nurses work longer hours with more patients and pick up extra shifts to make up for the decreased employees. Their sleep is what suffers. As a young nursing student, I began to see and experience for myself the effects of fatigue on nursing care during long 12-hour shifts. I became incredulous …

Attitudes Toward Hpv Vaccination Among Utah Parents, Michelle Onofrio, Dr. Erin Maughan

Journal of Undergraduate Research

In 2006, the FDA approved a vaccine that prevents cervical cancer by guarding against the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV), which is responsible for 99% of cases of cervical cancer. The vaccine, called Gardasil, is currently routinely recommended for girls age 11-12 years. Because routine vaccination is recommended for such a young age group, parents will largely determine the success of Gardasil. Although research has indicated acceptance of the vaccine among parents has been high, a number of parental concerns have been raised which may still alter nationwide vaccine support. Due to Utah’s low childhood immunization rates and largely conservative …

Student Satisfaction With Simulation Experiences, Angeline Abdo, Dr. Patricia Ravert

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Background: Patient simulators are used in some nursing schools to simulate patient scenarios. Methods: Nursing students participated in five sessions using the simulator and completed a student perception instrument. Results: Participants felt the experiences recreated real-life situations and then tested clinical decision-making. The results indicated an increase in their confidence when going into the real clinical setting and the experience prepared them for the “real-life” clinical setting. Conclusions: Overall patient simulator experiences enhance learning. Further research regarding student perceptions and instrument validation would contribute to an understanding of the use of patient simulators in nursing education.

Assessment Of Hand Washing Techniques In The Emergency Room, Through Observation And Survey, As A Determinant Of The High Nosocomial Infection Rate At The Luis Vernaza General Hospital In Guayaquil, Ecuador, Susan Hardy, Dr. Sheri Palmer

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Hospital acquired infections, or nosocomial infections, have been recognized by experts such as Semmelweiss, Holmes, Nightingale, and Lister as a critical problem world wide for over 150 years. These infections greatly affect the quality of patient care provided in the hospitals. A hospital acquired infection is defined as an infection for which there is no presence of at the time of admission (Creedon, 2005). These infections are one of the leading causes of morbidity, mortality and prolonged hospital stays; resulting in extra costs to patients and health services (Panhotra, 2005). Transmission of microorganisms via the hands of health care workers …

An Investigation Of The Perceptions Of Women Three To Nine Months After A Childbirth Experience, Ethel Tovar, Dr. Lynn C. Callister

Journal of Undergraduate Research

A woman’s childbirth experience is unique and can have a lasting impact, initially affecting neonatal care and impacting perspectives on the childbirth experience . This experience can be perceived as an overwhelming event for primiparous mothers, which can lead to a sense of vulnerability. For this reason, at the time of delivery, birth plan decisions may be malleable.

Child Perceptions Of Clinical Trials, Jaclyn F. Wood, Dr. Barbara Mandleco

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The purpose of this research project was to talk to children who participated in a clinical trial and obtain their perceptions surrounding their own involvement in the clinical trial. In a previous ORCA funded project I analyzed interviews with the parents to find out their perceptions. In this project I conducted interviews with the children and gained their insight concerning their involvement in the clinical trial.

Developmental Care: Strengthening Infants And Families In Egypt, Meredith D. Burt, Catherine Coverston

Journal of Undergraduate Research

There is a striking and jarring difference between the world in the womb and the outside world. This great difference in environments can be very stressful on preterm and newborn infants. There is significant emphasis in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) on medical interventions to support and protect underdeveloped organs. Nutritional and environmental needs have received less attention. However, significant work is being done in both these areas. This project focuses on the effects of environmental factors.

Childbirth And Hiv, A Comprehensive Study Of South African Women, Karen Duke, Dr. Lynn Callister

Journal of Undergraduate Research

The birthing time is often one of great joy and anticipation, and is a significant juncture in any woman’s life. What is said and done for a woman during this intense time period can be critical in either improving a woman’s experience and ability to mother, or destroying it.