Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Facilitating Staff Education To Improve Effective Styles Of Nursing Leadership In An Orientation Setting, Tammy Melinda Finney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing leadership is the cornerstone of the ever-changing landscape of healthcare. Minimal courses are included in nursing curriculums to prepare nurses to become proficient and develop knowledge of nursing leadership styles. There is a direct correlation of evidence-based leadership styles that impact effective communication, improved patient outcomes, succession planning, nursing retention, and relationship management. In an effort to bridge the gap of knowledge, an educational face-to-face training was developed and presented to new nursing staff in an orientation setting. The project practice question focused on commitment from nursing staff to implement increased knowledge of nursing leadership styles into their practice. …

A Nursing Staff Education Module On Survivorship Care Plans In Primary Care, Janette Francis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Survivorship care plans (SCPs) bridge the gap in the transition of care from oncology to primary care providers (PCPs) for breast cancer survivors. Despite strong recommendations for SCPs, their use remains limited. Guided by Knowles’ adult learning theory, the project focused on, first, determining whether a predeveloped staff education activity was valid using the Lynn model criteria for validation. Second, if in a rural clinic where SCP were not consistently used providers, nurses, and staff knowledge regarding the importance of SCP would increase following an educational program. An expert panel of 5 educational experts validated the educational module for appropriateness …

Improving Staff Knowledge Of The Value Of Hourly Rounding, Dr. Melissa Gagliano, Dnp, Nea-Bc

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research has shown that consistent hourly rounds improve patient satisfaction and quality of care. Successful implementation and maintenance of this patient-centered practice hinges on nursing knowledge and proper training in the processes and procedures that support timely, purposeful, and effective hourly rounds. The purpose of this doctoral project was to implement a staff education project to improve staff perception of the value of hourly rounding on an inpatient orthopaedic unit. Project materials supplemented the hourly rounding program already in place at the facility. Following an in-depth literature search, pre-intervention multiple-choice knowledge assessment questionnaires were distributed to staff who volunteered to …

Improving Advanced Practice Registered Nursing Knowledge Of Shingles Management, Kyla Gilbert

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractShingles is a viral infection that can adversely impact patients if not promptly treated. In the project facility, a gap in practice was identified when a 6-month facility chart review noted a delay in shingles diagnosis 60% of the time. It is important for the Advanced Practice Registered Nursing (APRN) to be knowledgeable regarding diagnoses and best practices for treatment of shingles. However, the local facility had no available education on shingles. The practice-focused question asked whether APRN knowledge of shingles could be improved through staff education. The doctoral project provided shingles education to address the identified knowledge gap. The …

Nurse Perceptions Of Nonacademic Factors That Influence Undergraduate Nursing Student Retention And Persistence To Graduation, Marianne Gray

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Having an adequate supply of nurses is critical to maintaining the health care system. The problem for this study was that undergraduate nursing students were leaving a local Midwest community college’s nursing program before obtaining a degree. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of the program’s recent graduates, regarding nonacademic factors that they believe helped to facilitate their success. Jeffreys’s nursing universal retention and success model served as the conceptual framework. The research question was focused on identifying nurse graduate perceptions of nonacademic factors that contributed to their success. A basic qualitative research design was …

Educating Oncology Nurses On Identifying And Managing Cancer-Related Distress, Rosemary Vivella Irish

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractUp to 50% of patients diagnosed with cancer will experience significant levels of distress. Cancer is related to psychological distress and can negatively impact recovery from surgery, increase treatment side effects, and decrease overall quality of life. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommended screening for distress as part of comprehensive cancer care. In the practice setting, there was a need for better assessment of distress in cancer patients. The purpose of this staff education project was to address a gap in practice regarding the lack of knowledge of screening for distress by providing education to oncology nurses on how to …

Educating Oncology Nurses On Identifying And Managing Cancer-Related Distress, Rosemary Vivella Irish

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractUp to 50% of patients diagnosed with cancer will experience significant levels of distress. Cancer is related to psychological distress and can negatively impact recovery from surgery, increase treatment side effects, and decrease overall quality of life. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommended screening for distress as part of comprehensive cancer care. In the practice setting, there was a need for better assessment of distress in cancer patients. The purpose of this staff education project was to address a gap in practice regarding the lack of knowledge of screening for distress by providing education to oncology nurses on how to …

Maternal-Early-Warning-System Education To Improve Registered Nurse Knowledge Of And Appropriate Responses To Triggers, Dawn Marie Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The maternal early warning system (MEWS) is the single most reliable response tool to improve maternal outcomes in obstetrics. Recognition and response by nurses to the MEWS triggers was worrisome at the project site as the MEWS trigger to detect changes in the clinical conditions in obstetric patients was not applied consistently at the bedside. This project was developed to evaluate whether providing an education program on the application of MEWS to nurses in obstetrics at the practicum site would improve registered nurses’ knowledge of and appropriate responses to the MEWS trigger alarms. A literature search targeting the key words …

Preventing Nosocomial Infections In West Central Africa Through Nurse Education, Frida Ashu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractNosocomial infections are acquired after being hospitalized. Lack of nurses’ education pertaining to nosocomial infections increase the risk of infections. Nurses working in the target facility in West Central Africa were not knowledgeable about current evidence-based infection control practices. The purpose of this project was to educate nurses on how to reduce the rate of nosocomial infections. The analysis, design, develop, implement, and evaluate model was used to guide the development of this project. Three experts evaluated the education program for content validity and usability. The program was presented as a PowerPoint to 40 health care workers via Zoom. The …

Nurses’ Experiences With Trauma-Informed Care In Patients With Psychological Trauma, Ade J. Vinton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The COVID-19 pandemic increased the need for research and discussions about trauma, trauma-informed care (TIC), and care delivery processes. Little is known about how nurses recognize, assess, treat, and support patients who experience trauma although knowledge of TIC is important for delivering care to trauma survivors. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore nurses’ perceptions of TIC principles and their experiences delivering care to patients with psychological trauma. Harris and Fallot’s TIC theory was used to guide the study. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit ten nurses for individual semi structured interviews using open-ended questions conducted via …

Educating Nurses On Mental Fatigue, Tawanna Ann Canty

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Education correlates with nurse performance and avoiding mental fatigue. This project attempted to answer the question, “Educating nurses on mental fatigue will increase knowledge” focusing on educating rehabilitative nurses regarding mental fatigue. The project was guided by the Analysis, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate model. Twenty rehabilitative nurses were administered a pretest consisting of 10 multiple-choice test questions. They received education on mental fatigue through PowerPoint presentations and handouts. After completing the education, participants were administered a posttest with the same 10 questions. An evaluation tool consisting of six questions was completed measuring an increase in knowledge after the posttest. …

Doctoral Study Effects Of Mandatory Staffing Requirements On Quality Indicators In Long-Term Care, Melissa Reed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Long term care facilities continue to struggle to improve the quality of care, which affects publicly reported data and reimbursement. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if state-mandated staffing ratios affected Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) survey ratings for CMS Region 7, which consisted of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska. The theoretical framework was grounded by Donabedian’s quality theory, which described quality is made up of the elements of structure, process, and outcomes. This study included two research questions evaluating if there was a correlation between minimum staffing ratios and quality of care in long-term care …

Diabetes Self-Management Education, Jean David Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAccording to the World Health Organization, Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic, metabolic disease that can lead to damage throughout the body and development complications if self-care management is not implemented. Studies have demonstrated a lack of preparedness of nursing staff on T2DM self-care. At the federally qualified health clinic where this Doctor of Nursing Practice project occurred, a gap in practice existed related to the use of outdated American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines and lack of patient education documentation on self-care management of T2DM. The purpose of this staff education project was to plan, implement, and evaluate …

Registered Nurses’ Perceptions Regarding Postoperative Pain Management And Opioids For Adolescents, Susan Miller

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

More than 2.4 million children undergo surgery annually in the United States and many experience postoperative pain. Poor pain management causes negative outcomes to both the individual and society. Increased rates of prescription drug misuse and rising death rates for adolescents from drug overdoses underscore the need for improvements in pain management. However, there is a lack of research, limited guidelines, and significant provider variability in managing adolescents’ acute postoperative pain. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the topic of acute postoperative pain management for adolescents through the lens of registered nurses (RNs). Nurses play an essential …

Comparison Of Cultural Self-Efficacy Between Urban And Rural Nurse Educators, Denise Rene Morris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Integration of an inclusive educational environment requires nursing faculty to embrace a transformational change in academics. The cultural interactions of an educator teaching in an urban district may differ from the relations experienced by a rural nurse educator. The purpose of this quantitative study, guided by Bandura’s social cognitive theory, was to determine whether there is a difference between the cultural self-efficacy scores of nurse faculty teaching in a rural location compared to those in an urban location as well as whether the demographics of age, ethnic background, and years in the nursing profession predict cultural self-efficacy scores. Nursing faculty …

Teach-Back As An Evidence-Based Tool In Patient Education, Andrea Clyne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDischarge instructions are a valuable component of patient education as they can influence outcomes post-discharge, leading to positive social change through improved morbidity and mortality. The use of teach-back education by registered nurses is a best practice that assures understanding of discharge instructions. However, consistent use of this method relies on the staff’s conviction and confidence in this manner of education. The purpose of this project was to develop, deliver, and evaluate a program to educate staff on the best practice of teach-back to effectively deliver patient education. The logic model helped guide and develop the stages of the project …

Staff Education To Promote Probiotic Breastfeeding Therapy, José Diaz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Preterm birth is the leading cause of death in children under 5. In addition, there are 22 million babies born underweight each year which also contributes to the infant mortality rate. Some reasons for the inability to thrive and survive are the infants' immature system, allostatic load inadaptability, and undiversified and underdeveloped microbiota. Human breast milk (HBM) provides lifesaving nutrients, which prevents necrotizing enterocolitis and mortality. In addition, probiotic supplementation helps reduce late-onset sepsis, morbidities, and mortality. A literature review provided substantial evidence that HBM and probiotics can improve an infant's microbiota, thus improving thrivability and survivability. Probiotics offset the …

Quality Improvement Initiatives And Interventions For Decreasing Falls In The Hospital Setting, Fredlyn Lolange

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient falls in health care settings are a widespread and severe problem, and they often happen as a result of a complex set of causes. In the United States, between 3.3 and 11.5 falls occur per 1,000 patient days. Reducing the incidence of falls in a health care setting would bring significant positive change and decrease the incidence of harm to patients in the hospital setting. This staff education project’s purpose is based on addressing falls, a safety concern and a health issue that continues to put patients at an increased risk. Theories used to inform the project include the …

Staff Education Of Diabetic Foot Care In An Ambulatory Setting, Riza Grace Nielsen

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

One of the most important factors affecting the quality of diabetes care is the association between a patient’s knowledge and their practices. The practice gap in this primary care clinic was a lack of standardized diabetic foot care. The purpose of this DNP project was to provide nursing staff with an evidence- based, culturally congruent diabetic footcare curriculum that could help decrease inconsistencies in care. The practice-focused question for this project addressed whether an educational program for nursing staff on diabetic footcare would increase their knowledge and translate this knowledge into practice to prevent diabetic foot infections and its complications. …

Nurses’ Perception Of Pain Assessment In Cognitively Impaired Older Residents In Long-Term Care, Abigail Owolabi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPain has been a significant problem in old age and is more problematic in cognitively impaired older residents (CIOR) because of their inability to express themselves. The goal of pain assessment in CIOR is to treat pain before it escalates to behavioral problems. This descriptive qualitative study aimed to explore nurses’ perceptions of pain assessment in CIOR in long-term care facilities. Watson’s theory of human caring was used to frame the study. A purposive sample of eight nurses was recruited from two long-term care facilities for interviews conducted using the telephone and continued until saturation was reached. Data was manually …

Nurse Education Regarding Hypertension And Use Of A Follow-Up Call Protocol In Primary Care, Edwin Omar Rivera-Figueroa

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractMany patients whose primary or secondary chronic condition is hypertension present to their first follow-up appointment in a primary care facility in the north of Puerto Rico with uncontrolled high blood pressure. Nurses’ knowledge of hypertension is vital to addressing a gap in practice for this patient population and patient quality of life and the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The practice-focused question guiding this project focused on a nurse educational session for increasing hypertension management knowledge as well as a follow-up phone call protocol that aimed to improve patient care. The theoretical framework guiding this project was Pender’s health promotion …

Educating Nursing Staff On Code Lavendar, Melanie Gumapas Webb

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The role of the nurse has changed considerably over the past decade. Nurses are facing alarming rates of burnout that is causing them to leave the profession prematurely. The practice-focused question was to determine if a nurse staff education program on Code Lavender that focused on wellness and resiliency strategies helped to decrease nurse burnout. The purpose of this doctor of nursing practice project was to educate nurses on an 11-bed inpatient oncology unit at a hospital located in Maryland. A comprehensive literature review was conducted utilizing several databases and using inclusive terms such as nurse burnout, wellness, patient safety …

Thirty-Second Mindful Body Scan Meditation For Bedside Nurses, Shruti Balwalli-Udyawer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Compassion fatigue, or secondary traumatic stress, is a state of physical and mental exhaustion caused by an inability to cope with the everyday environment that reduces the ability of the nurse to provide high-quality health care to a patient. The purpose of this staff education project, guided by Selye’s general adaption syndrome , was a 6-week, 30-second mindfulness exercise program to promote stress reduction for cardiac step-down and medical-surgical nurses. In this quantitative, pre- and posttest study, the Perceived Stress Scale was completed by a sample of 24 nurses who met the inclusion criteria. The practice focused whether educating nurses …

Sexually Transmitted Disease Awareness Amongst Adolescents 13 To 18 Years Of Age, Ngwanma Nwokoro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Sexually transmitted infections or diseases (STIs/STDs) acquired through sexual activities lead to compromised sexual health. The adolescent population is at high risk of acquiring STIs/STDs due to their lack of knowledge. The gap in practice was that the nurse practitioners (NPs) were deficient in standard of care; adolescent patients lacked consistent evaluation, education, or documentation of the education in their medical records. The practice-focused question focused on the evaluation of the effectiveness of a quality improvement (QI) initiative that incorporated the use of the American Association for Pediatrics screening and Center for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC) treatment guidelines …

A Nursing Staff Education Module On Survivorship Care Plans In Primary Care, Janette Francis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Survivorship care plans (SCPs) bridge the gap in the transition of care from oncology to primary care providers (PCPs) for breast cancer survivors. Despite strong recommendations for SCPs, their use remains limited. Guided by Knowles’ adult learning theory, the project focused on, first, determining whether a predeveloped staff education activity was valid using the Lynn model criteria for validation. Second, if in a rural clinic where SCP were not consistently used providers, nurses, and staff knowledge regarding the importance of SCP would increase following an educational program. An expert panel of 5 educational experts validated the educational module for appropriateness …

Fall Prevention On The In-Patient Neurological Stroke Unit, Syvol Letwan Middleton

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe purpose of this quality improvement (QI) evaluation project was to decrease patient falls on a neurological stroke unit. This unit had the most falls throughout the hospital system. The unit averaged 50-60 falls per year with an average of 4.75 falls per month. Guided by Neumann’s system model, the project targeted those patients at the highest risk for falling related to deficits post-stroke and post-neurological disease process. Staff were informed about Last fall, Express needs, Awareness of safety, and Frequency of bowel and bladder (LEAF) to determine if this tool could decrease falls in the neurological stroke population patients. …

Improving Nurse-Patient Communication Through Motivational Interviewing In A Step-Down Unit, Ana G. Becker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPatient satisfaction is an essential component in assessing the quality of nursing care. Often monitored through patient satisfaction surveys, this doctorate in nursing practice project (DNP) was developed to improve the problem of low Press Ganey nurse-patient communication scores for a medical-surgical step-down unit. The aim of the project was to develop a staff education program for the purpose of introducing motivational interviewing as an intervention to improve nurse-patient satisfaction scores. Lewin’s change model, Knowles’ adult learning theory, and the analysis, design, develop, implement, and evaluate (ADDIE) model were used to guide the development of the DNP project. Conducted over …

A Clinical Practice Guideline For Managing Behavioral Problems In Persons With Dementia, Ken J. Brinker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAs the baby boom generation ages, the demand for effective nursing care for patients diagnosed with dementia has greatly increased. The challenges associated with dementia include a patient’s inability to focus, pay attention, and follow conversations. Patients often become forgetful, angry, frustrated, and aggressive with family members and caregivers. The medical providers and administrators at a long-term care facility needed assistance in developing a clinical practice guideline for managing behaviors demonstrated by patients with dementia. The project question centered on the identification of current evidence supporting a clinical practice guideline for nursing practice for unpredictable behaviors demonstrated by residents diagnosed …

Educating Registered Nurses On Interventions To Alleviate Compassion Fatigue, Andre Sabrina Castor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University

College of Nursing

This is to certify that the doctoral study by

Andre Sabrina Castor

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the review committee have been made.

Review CommitteeDr. Marilyn Losty, Committee Chairperson, Nursing Faculty Dr. Cheryl Holly, Committee Member, Nursing Faculty Dr. Susan Fowler, University Reviewer, Nursing Faculty

Chief Academic Officer and Provost Sue Subocz, Ph.D.

Walden University2022

Staff Education Program To Reduce Burnout Among Health Care Professionals On A Long-Term Care Unit, Emelda Mati Che

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractBurnout negatively impacts the performance of health care providers, decreasing the quality of care provided to patients and affecting patients’ experience. This problem is evident in health care staff on long-term care units (LTCUs) as they strive to meet their patients’ chronic and acute care needs. Health care professionals often lack adequate knowledge on how to manage work-related stress and reduce the issue of burnout in this work environment. The health care professionals working on the LTCU at the local continuing care retirement facility were identified as lacking knowledge to manage work-related stress and burnout. Addressing this problem is essential …