Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Where Do Gorillas Get Their Protein? Plant-Based Diet For A Healthier Lifestyle, Cheryl Track

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

After watching what they thought to be an interesting and educational documentary on nutrition, my friends, Sharon and Scott, felt inspired to challenge themselves by undertaking some dietary changes apart from their regular eating habits. What started out as a short “trial run” to explore plant-based dieting, Sharon and Scott quickly realized this alternative eating style proved beneficial. In a short period of time, two individuals with their own fitness and wellness goals saw noticeable changes in lab results and experienced positive changes to their overall health – enough evidence leaving them convinced the “trial run” with plant-based dieting should …

Grief And Loss: Catholic Filipino Traditions, Edgar D. Montesa

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Catholic Filipino traditions regarding death, loss, and grief, consist of Christian, paganistic and animistic elements. The peculiar beliefs and practices reflect ethnic Filipinos' values and views of things. They help contemporary Filipinos cope with a loved one's death and with the challenges posed by a pandemic. They have certain implications for faith community nurses.

A Phone Coaching Intervention To Improve Blood Pressure And Hypertension Self-Management Practices In A Community-Based Setting: Pilot Study, Ann Moore, Pandora Goode, Elijah Onsomu, Dionne Roberts

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Hypertension is common in the African American (AA) community, and AAs have disproportionately lower rates of blood pressure control in comparison to other races. Because hypertension self-management practices are performed mostly by patients and family members, there is a critical need to acquire adequate hypertension self-management practices. Phone Coaching (PC) has been supported in the literature as an effective intervention to improve hypertension self-management practices. The purpose of this project was to pilot test a 12-week hypertension self-management program with a phone coaching component for AAs in a community-based setting to improve blood pressure measures and self-management practices. All participants …

Feasibility Of Virtual Lifestyle Physical Activity Program For South Asian Indian Immigrant Women: Dance And Spousal/Partner Dyad Meetings, Manju Daniel Dr., Susan Weber Buchholz Dr., Pamela Semanik Dr., Sachin Vispute

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Culturally relevant, physical activity (PA) interventions are important in lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in South Asian Indian immigrant (SAI) women. This 12-week study aimed to determine the feasibility (recruitment, engagement, satisfaction, obtaining measures, retention) of implementing a virtual lifestyle PA program. The outcomes measured included steps/day; minutes of moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA/week) and cardiovascular health measures (aerobic fitness, blood pressure, body mass index, and waist circumference) in women. The intervention targets included benefits/barriers to PA, self-efficacy, social support, and couples’ satisfaction. We recruited six SAI spousal/partner dyads (women aged 40-65 years; < 7,500 average steps/day). The intervention included: (a) Fitbit for PA prescription and step goal setting for women; (b) Bollywood-style women-only weekly dance sessions via Zoom; and (c) dyad behavioral group meetings every two weeks via Zoom. Dance and group meeting attendance for women was 100%. The majority (83.3%) wore a Fitbit > 91.6% of days. Overall mean client satisfaction …

I’Ll Just Weight On The Lord: The Lived Experience Of Obesity, Spirituality, And Health Behaviors In African American Women, Andrea S. Poynter, Florence M. Weierbach

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Obesity is one of the fastest growing health concerns impacting all racial, ethnic, gender, and socioeconomic groups in the United States of America. Obesity has gained nationwide attention due to its health-related disorders such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and various cancer types that increase the annual medical cost on a financially stressed health system (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2022). Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in all races and genders within the US with African American women comprising a majority of those impacted by this chronic health condition (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Offices of …

Exploring The Barriers And Supports Of Faith Community Nurses Serving In Alaska: A Qualitative Study, Nathan T. West, Phd, Lauren M. Kiker, Ba, Beverly R. Bateman, Msn, Rn, Fcn, Krista Jones, Dnp, Msn, Rn, Phna-Bc, Faan

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Decades of research exist on the public health impact of faith community nurses (FCNs), particularly congregational health promotion and disease prevention. However, the literature exploring the barriers and supports FCNs experience when serving their communities is limited. Thus, guided by Ziebarth’s (2016) conceptual framework of faith community nursing, this study explored the lived experiences of FCNs (N = 8) delivering care to faith communities in Alaska. Thematic analyses of qualitative data revealed three major themes including 1) the descriptions, characteristics, and roles performed by FCNs (e.g., active listening, policy-level recommendations); 2) barriers and other factors impacting FCNs’ delivery of care …

Is Semaglutide The Key To The Fight Against "Globesity"?, Melissa Travelsted, Maire M. Blankenship

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

The obesity epidemic, referred to as "globesity" by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2001, remains a critical global health issue with escalating prevalence rates. In 2022, approximately 2.5 billion adults worldwide were overweight, with 890 million classified as obese, highlighting a significant health burden and economic impact. By 2030, projections suggest over one billion individuals globally will be affected by obesity. In the United States, where more than 40% of adults are obese, healthcare costs attributed to obesity-related illnesses exceed $173 billion annually.

Obesity is defined by a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above and significantly increases …

Executive Summary: Quality Improvement Initiative Personalized Interdisciplinary Fall Prevention Plan And Fall Rates At An Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital, Kayla Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite ongoing fall prevention strategies, falls continue to be a concern across healthcare organizations. There has been an identified increase in the fall rate at an inpatient rehabilitation facility (IRF) in the southeastern United States. An interprofessional and collaborative approach to fall prevention has been found to lead to a decrease in falls with injury and an increase in the culture of safety. This doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project involved an evaluation of a quality improvement (QI) initiative of a personalized interdisciplinary fall prevention plan at a rehabilitation hospital located in the southeastern region of the United States. The …

Identification And Treatment Of Ipv/Nonfatal Strangulation By First Responders, Mary L. Turner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Ineffective and inconsistent education focusing on domestic violence (DV)/intimate partner violence (IPV)/nonfatal strangulation identification and treatments results in first responders’ failure to move patients to a higher level of care, resulting in possible delayed complications. The purpose of the Doctor of Nursing practice (DNP) project was to determine if an educational program increased first responders’ knowledge and improved treatment of DV/IPV/nonfatal strangulation patients. Roger’s diffusion of innovation theory provided the framework throughout the educational process. The Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey (PREMIS) tool was utilized to score the participants’ knowledge prior to and after the education. The …

Executive Summary: Quality Improvement Initiative Implementing Fixed Water Dispensers In An Inpatient Psychiatric Hospital, Elycia Victoria Hernandez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The current hydration system using water pitchers was outdated and inefficient, leading to potential risks of contamination, inconsistent hydration, and increased staff workload in this inpatient psychiatric facility. Psychiatric patients may struggle to access adequate hydration due to cognitive or behavioral limitations. Addressing this gap is essential for improving patient care, enhancing operational efficiency, and ensuring consistent access to clean water. This DNP scholarly project was an evaluation of an interprofessional team-based quality initiative to replace traditional water pitchers with fixed water dispensers in an acute inpatient psychiatric facility. The primary practice-focused question was: Will an interprofessional team reach consensus …

Staff Education To Enhance Nurses’ Knowledge In Managing Alcohol Withdrawal, Nodeen Nicoal Glen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary Summary This DNP clinical practice staff education was developed to address the lack of nursing knowledge, and skills needed to assess and manage alcohol withdrawal effectively in an observation unit. Ineffective assessment and management of patients’ withdrawal symptoms may result in deterioration of their condition and require further aggressive treatment. The project aimed to educate nurses on evidence-based strategies for assessing and managing alcohol withdrawal using an evidence-based assessment tool. Sixteen nurses participated in the program to increase their understanding of alcohol withdrawal and the use of the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS). They completed a pretest before participating in …

Educating Mental Healthcare Staff On Using The Phq-9 In Telehealth, Anoopa M. Jacob

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

I developed a quality improvement staff educational program aimed at addressing the inconsistent use of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) at the project facility, which could adversely affect the quality and continuity of patient care. The need for the program was prompted by the increasing use of telehealth services and the necessity for consistent mental health evaluation tools. I aimed to educate mental health staff about evidence-based practices using the PHQ-9 in telehealth to enhance the quality of care for patients with depression in remote settings. Analytical methods included administering pre- and postintervention tests to measure changes in staff knowledge …

Evaluation Of A Primary Care Community Health Center’S Mammogram Program In Relation To Current Evidence-Based Practice., Brianna Childress

Doctoral Dissertations & Projects

Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women over 50 years of age. Although mammograms have been proven to be effective in early detection of breast cancer, compliance rates are declining in the United States making it an objective for Healthy People 2030 to achieve and maintain a national compliance rate of 80.3%. For early detection of breast cancer among women between 50 to 74 years old to occur, an effective breast cancer screening program is vital. To understand why mammogram compliance rates were below the national average at a primary care community health center in …

The Association Of Individual Characteristics, Treatment Type, Treatment Satisfaction, Symptoms Of Pain And Fatigue With Health-Related Quality Of Life Among Adults With Gaucher Disease Type 1, Shauna L. Mangum

Nursing ETDs

People with rare disease have lower health-related quality of life (HRQoL) than the general population. Gaucher disease type 1 (GD1) is a rare, autosomal recessive, lysosomal storage disorder that affects multiple bodily systems. HRQoL improved with enzyme replacement and/or substrate reduction therapies, however, little is known about specific variables associated with HRQoL in GD1. This study explored associations between individual characteristics (gender, race, ethnicity, age, and genotype), treatment variables (treatment type, length of time on treatment, and treatment satisfaction) and symptoms of fatigue and pain with HRQoL among 97 adults with GD1. No significant associations were found among individual characteristics …

Failure To Rescue Black And Brown Maternity Patients, Dorothy Marie Glisson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Reducing maternal mortality rates is one of the leading health indicators in the nation. Pregnant and postpartum Black mothers make up a disproportionate number of maternal deaths. Many result from failure to rescue (FTR), defined as the inability to prevent a death from a disease, illness, or complication. Over 700 women die daily from preventable causes related to pregnancy. Black patients are attributable to almost 40% of maternity mortality rates and represent over 50% of pregnancy-related deaths due to complications. Black women are more likely to die during pregnancy or after pregnancy, with heart disease causing almost half of pregnancy-related …