Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Improving The Consistency And Accuracy Of Depression Screening Using The Phq-9 In A Behavioral Health Facility, Adaku Anike

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Depression is one of the most common psychiatric illnesses and one of the main causes of disability globally. Currently, at behavioral care facility patients are not consistently screened during the initial and follow-up visits due to limited staff knowledge in using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) screening tool. Evidence-based literature recommends depression screening be done at every initial and follow-up visit. The PHQ-9 tool is valid and reliable for identifying, diagnosing, and monitoring depression treatment outcomes. Inadequate use of the PHQ-9 tool can lead to several negative patient outcomes. The project practice-focused question was: Does comprehensive education increase the knowledge …

An Educational Intervention Focused On The Care Of Older Adults, Michele Orzehoski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It is estimated that by 2050, individuals ages 65 and older will comprise 20% of the U.S. population. Further, research has demonstrated that among these aging adults, 80% have one chronic condition with 77% having at least two chronic conditions. Given this, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) developed the Age-Friendly Health System framework for the care of older adults centering on what matters, medication, mentation, and mobility, or the 4Ms. In the local organization, leadership determined there was a need for an older adult-centered care model given their population includes aging individuals. Thus, the purpose of this doctor of …

Developing The Evidence-Based Plan To Implement The Violence Assessment Tool, Yue Zhang

Doctoral Dissertations & Projects

Patient violence against healthcare workers is a prevalent issue in healthcare settings, manifesting through physical assaults, harassment, intimidation, or other disruptive behaviors occurring at the workplace. Workplace violence (WPV) can lead to healthcare worker burnout, decreased job satisfaction, and increased staff turnover. Various strategies exist to prevent WPV, with assessment tools being among the effective measures. This paper aims to develop an evidence-based plan for integrating the Violence Assessment Tool (VAT) into nurses’ daily practices to evaluate patients and reduce the risk of violent incidents.

Noise Reduction In The Operating Room, Riley Ebenroth, Anthony Barker

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Student Projects

Background and Review of Literature: Excessive noise levels in the operating room (OR) have serious detrimental effects on both patients and providers, such as acoustic trauma, increased heart rate and blood pressure, angina, surgical site infection, fatigue, mental stress, and anxiety. There is currently no set standard endorsed for OR noise levels in the United States. Purpose: The purpose of the project was to reduce noise in the OR which has been shown to impair concentration and communication as well as to determine whether an educational intervention will reduce the average OR noise levels within a surgical case.

Methods: This …

Increasing Awareness And Use Of The Emergency Manual In The Operating Room, Joshua Danback, Annie Depenaloza, Logan Johnston

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Student Projects

Background and Review of Literature: Operating room emergency manuals function as cognitive aids, facilitating evidence-based treatment, error reduction, and better patient outcomes in diverse patient care and equipment-related emergencies. A concerning amalgam of stress, infrequent occurrence, and lack of standardized response hinders anesthesia providers’ practical experience during unexpected crises, potentially leading to errors and safety concerns.

Purpose: The purpose is to increase anesthesia providers’ utilization of the digital Stanford Emergency Manual (SEM).

Methods: All anesthesia providers at the project sites were invited to complete pre-intervention and post-intervention surveys throughout the project timeline. Surveys assessed participants’ awareness of the digital …

Awareness Of Sleep Health In A Military Treatment Facility, Cristina Brock De Jesus

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Sleep disturbances are reported in almost one-third of military personnel deployed in support of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO), resulting in approximately 600,000 military personnel and veterans with clinically relevant sleep conditions (Mysliwiec et al., 2013). This study assesses how implementing staff education will increase awareness and impact patients' sleep health in an overseas treatment facility. The project demonstrated after implementing several staff education courses for the nursing personnel (n=22), knowledge and confidence improved by 33%. The initiative shows an enhanced staff understanding of sleep health, which impacts the recognition of sleep members with sleep-related concerns.

The Development Of A Chest X-Ray Module For Student Registered Nurse Anesthetist, Adam Bergen, Brett Beutenmiller, Keishauna Hayes

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Student Projects

Background: Chest X-ray (CXR) interpretation is essential for Student Registered Nurse Anesthetists (SRNAs) in diagnosing and managing patient conditions. However, literature indicates deficiencies in SRNA education and proficiency, which could pose a risk to patient safety and outcomes. Moreover, the Council on Accreditation (COA) has introduced new clinical experience requirements, mandating SRNAs’ interpret a minimum of five CXRs during training.

Methods: Guided by Cognitive Load Theory, the project team developed an e-learning module that emphasizes the ABCDE systematic approach to CXR interpretation, covering normal anatomy, anatomical abnormalities, commonly placed devices, and differentiation between benign and pathological findings.

Results: The implementation …

Adding Video Teaching To The Standard Of: Oral And Written Discharge Instructions, Pamela Austill Harris

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Adding video education to a patient’s discharge instructions on a rehabilitation unit of a skilled nursing facility (SNF) is researched for its use in decreasing the 31-day readmission rate from the community back to the hospital or SNF. A quasi-experimental method was used. There was a mean of 6 readmissions per month before the video intervention and during it was 0.6. Adding video education may be useful in an SNF to decrease the readmission rate from the community back to the hospital after discharge.

Nurse Educators’ Experiences With Medical Cannabis Education, Rachel Ann Parmelee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medical cannabis is legal in more than half of the United States, and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing has provided guidelines indicating that nurses need to know about medical cannabis. However, most nurses report a lack of knowledge and education but believe that cannabis has therapeutic potential. The problem addressed in this study was the limited research on nurse educators’ experiences with medical cannabis education and its meaning for nursing education. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative study, supported by an emergent framework, patterns of knowing, was to explore nurse educators’ experiences with medical cannabis education …

Mobile Clinic Effects On A Rural Emergency Department, Jonathan Levenson, John S. Hudson

Graduate Student Government Association Research Conference

PROBLEM: Emergency department (ED) utilization is a measure the effectiveness of the department and an indication of the availability of primary care in the community. The ED of a given healthcare system can be overwhelmed with patients seeking both urgent and non-urgent care, especially in rural and underserved communities. Non-urgent care accounts for over a half of all visits in most EDs. Much of this non-urgent care in the ED is caused by several socioeconomic factors including access to care around working schedules, no requirement for payment when services are rendered, and a lack of a primary care provider. Mobile …

Evaluation Of Hyponatremia Management Pathway, Mahmoud Ammar Pharmd, Jonathan M. Siner, Mary Judson, Christopher Winterbottom

Abstracts

Society of Critical Care Medicine's (SCCM) 2025 Critical Care Congress:

Evaluation of Hyponatremia Management Pathway Implementation in a Large Academic Health System

Submission Number: 1894079

Patients with severe hyponatremia managed using the Care Signature pathway were more likely to receive hypertonic saline and had lower mortality rates compared to those not managed with the pathway. These results suggest that the pathway can improve clinical outcomes and reduce resource use. Further studies are needed to evaluate its impact on other patients’ outcomes and long-term effectiveness.

Thoughts From The Frontline - February 2025, Tennessee Center For Nursing Advancement, East Tennessee State University

Thoughts from the Frontline Newsletter

No abstract provided.

School-Based Protective Factors For Hiv Prevention In The United States: Secondary Analysis Of The Youth Risk Behavior Survey 2015-2019, David R. Garcia, Jason Fletcher, Lloyd Goldsamt, David L. Bell, Yaguang Zheng, Ann-Margaret Dunn Navarra

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

This secondary analysis of the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (years 2015-2019) examines associations between school-based protective factors (i.e., safe school environments and academic achievement) and HIV risk behaviors among sexually experienced adolescent gay and bisexual men ( n = 644), a population with the highest prevalence of undiagnosed HIV infections. Demographics included Hispanics/Latinos (25%, n = 158), Other race/ethnicity (14%, n = 88), and non-Hispanic Blacks/African Americans (13%, n = 81). Adjusted models showed that protective factors reduced odds for early sexual debut, multiple sexual partners, sex under the influence of drugs/alcohol, and condomless sex, with an additive effect …

Nursing Students’ Perceptions And Use Of Generative Artificial Intelligence In Nursing Education, Shinhi Han, Hee Sun Kang, Philip J. Gimber, Sunghyun Lim

Publications and Research

Background/Objectives: Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming nursing, with generative AI (GenAI) tools such as ChatGPT offering opportunities to enhance education through personalized learning pathways. This study aimed to explore nursing students’ use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) and their perceptions of its use in nursing education, including its advantages, disadvantages, and perceived support needs.

Methods: This study employed an online survey. The participants were 99 undergraduate nursing students in New York City. Data was collected online through self-report measures using semi-structured, open-ended questions. The data was analyzed using content analysis.

Results: Most participants (92%) used GenAI tools to access accurate …

Standardized Rounding Tool For Family Centered Care, Jayme Cayce, Nayeli Martinez, Joshua Mckay, Reuit Yusuf

2024

No abstract provided.

No Fly Zone - Optimizing Patient Safety During Shift Change, Paula Guzman, Stephanie Martinez, Avelin Moncy, Riddhi Patel, Megan Ruhl, Cynthia Segura, Yi Yan

2024

No abstract provided.

Focus On Efficiency: Transforming Picu Care One Assessment At A Time, Markisha Brown, Luke Mee, Kassandra Montoya-Roberts, Stacey Nguyen, Jessica Paredes, Linda Tran

2024

No abstract provided.

Preventing And Managing Delirium In The Pediatric Cardiac Icu, Jordan Aragon, Anya Hirsch, Keara Hughes, Ella Melnyk, Megan Sally, Anna Tisdale

2024

No abstract provided.

Isolation Stoplight: Education Signs For Isolation Status, Taylor Klausmeyer, Tina Nguyen, Esther Shin, Morgan Rasberry, Cheyenne Vandertuin

2024

No abstract provided.

Increasing Suicide Screening Rates In The Pediatric Emergency Department, Kelsey Allen, Kandiss Hayes, Amy Li Button, Viviana Ramirez

2024

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Health Literacy Training On Nurse Resident’S Confidence In Educating Patients And Families, Sara Lundgren, Lorena Perez, Phoebe Zackary

2024

No abstract provided.

Stressed, Blessed, And Resilient: Using Mindfulness To Increase Nurse Resilience, Keri Cherutich, Nataly Camarillo, Daria Pidgeon, Kinnon Vest, Sidney Little, Alexandra Parkey, Kelsi Thompson, Felice Johnson, Natalie Steward

2024

No abstract provided.

Call, Don’T Fall: Exploring Individualized Fall Prevention Plans In In-Patient Neurology/Neurosurgery Patient, Nohemi Torres, Katherine Neathery, Erika Lopez, Annabel Clark, Monique Rodriguez, Hanna Fajardo, Chau Dong

2024

No abstract provided.

Assessing Delirium In A Level Iv Nicu, Nohemi Amaya, Jessica No, Zulema Oliva, Hannah Rahnke, Bethany Rajkowski

2024

No abstract provided.

Documenting Timely Pain Reassessment In The Pediatric Emergency Room, Vanessa Alegria, Victoria Holden, Briana Toledo, Jenny Vu

2024

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Comfort Levels Among Staff When Caring For End-Of-Life Patients Using Simulation, Diana Meza, Haley Winstead

2024

No abstract provided.

Leading With Safety: How Huddles Make A Difference In Patient Care, Lauren Houck, Kellie Scott, Kelsey Points

2024

No abstract provided.

Barriers & Facilitators To Incorporating Human Milk Into The Diets Of Congenital Heart Disease Patients, Juliana Aguilar, Brandon Franco, Faith Ojo, Juliette Rezai, Kayla Gilliam, Nataleigh Cotter

2024

No abstract provided.

Creating Seamless Transitions To Manage Type 1 Diabetes In Emerging Adult College Students, Carol Newton Highsmith

Journal of Research Initiatives

Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) is a complex disease that can be challenging to manage in the college environment. An effective communication strategy is vital to ensure that first-year students entering college with T1D take advantage of campus resources for self-management and self-advocacy. This qualitative study examined the perceptions of academic healthcare professionals regarding the availability and gaps in services for students with T1D at higher education institutions. Using a phenomenological approach, semi-structured interview questions were posed to 17 service providers employed in health and wellness (n=9), nursing (n=4), and student support services (n=4) at 4-year universities. The findings revealed three …

The Impact Of Continuous Glucose Monitor Education On Primary Care Providers Prescribing Behavior, Heather Tyson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) estimate glucose levels in the interstitial fluid, updated every few minutes. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, CGMs are used by patients with Type 1 diabetes. However, research demonstrates that patients with Type 2 diabetes can also benefit from their use. The primary function of CGMs is to enhance glucose management, provide emergency alerts, and reduce the need for frequent fingerstick evaluation, promoting better long-term health. CGM use has lowered hemoglobin A1C levels in the primary care setting. This is due to the correlation between frequent glucose monitoring and increased …