Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Medicine and Health Sciences Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Articles 1 - 9 of 9

Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences

Perceived Barriers To Contraceptive Use: An Exploratory Study Of Women Living In Rural Haiti, Jocelyne De Gouvenain May 2017

Perceived Barriers To Contraceptive Use: An Exploratory Study Of Women Living In Rural Haiti, Jocelyne De Gouvenain

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Maternal health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the health of women during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period (WHO, 2016). Maternal health is a very important determinant of Haiti’s familial, educational, economic, and environmental development. One key to maternal health is family planning which can empower women to fulfill their familial and community roles. Family planning through contraception offers women the opportunity to gain time between child births by deciding when to get pregnant in relation to their other life obligations. Having fewer children and longer spacing between births provides women and children a better quality …


Interprofessional Simulation: Students' Perceptions, Elizabeth Katherine Welch May 2017

Interprofessional Simulation: Students' Perceptions, Elizabeth Katherine Welch

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

An alarming number of errors occur in the healthcare system. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) responded to the error rate by encouraging changes in professional education and recommending interdisciplinary team training. A variety of professions, including aviation and the military, have utilized simulation in their education and training for mastering skills and also to assist with respect and appreciation of other professional roles on the healthcare team. The purpose of this study was to examine undergraduate nursing students, graduate social work students, and APRN students’ perceptions of one another as healthcare professionals using interdisciplinary simulation. The research study was a …


Perceived Barriers To End-Of-Life Care Discussions In Cancer Patients From The Perspective Of Ambulatory Oncology Nurses, Susan K. Hobin May 2017

Perceived Barriers To End-Of-Life Care Discussions In Cancer Patients From The Perspective Of Ambulatory Oncology Nurses, Susan K. Hobin

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

With the advancing age of the population, the increasing incidence of cancer, and all of the advances in cancer therapy, comes the ability to prolong life in cancer patients well beyond what was possible even ten years ago. Along with the progress of advanced surgical and radiation techniques, there is now an ever-expanding array of chemotherapy, biotherapy, and immunotherapy being used on patients in all age groups and in all stages of cancer. These advances have thrilled researchers and physicians, as they now have a multitude of options to offer cancer patients, perhaps even as late as third or fourth …


Off The Verge: Teaching De-Escalation Through Simulation, Bryan Healea Jan 2017

Off The Verge: Teaching De-Escalation Through Simulation, Bryan Healea

Honors Projects

Workplace violence is an ongoing concern for nurses in healthcare settings and it is imperative nurses are equipped with the knowledge and skills to de-escalate a potentially violent situation. Verbal de-escalation should be the first intervention nurses use to curtail patient aggression, and training in effective de-escalation techniques is essential to increase nurses’ confidence and decrease the use of restraints. As an undergraduate student at Rhode Island College (RIC), this writer identified the need for this training and developed a simulation where nursing students could practice verbal de-escalation skills with a live-actor in the controlled, safe environment of the RIC …


Neck Circumference And Mallampati Classification, Patrick B. Brennan Jan 2017

Neck Circumference And Mallampati Classification, Patrick B. Brennan

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Difficult and failed intubations contribute to morbidly and mortality in anesthesia practice. Mallampati is one of the most widely used airway assessments but research shows it is highly variable in its ability to predict difficult intubation. Neck circumference is an objective assessment not commonly used, but has been shown to assess the degree of difficulty with intubation. Following Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval from both Charter Care and Rhode Island College, utilizing a descriptive design, 23 subjects had their neck circumference measured and Mallampati class assessed. The results revealed a relationship between increased neck circumference and Mallampati classification. The average …


Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia And The Effectiveness Of Endotracheal Tubes Coated With Silver Sulfadiazine, Nathaniel Van Hueveln Jan 2017

Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia And The Effectiveness Of Endotracheal Tubes Coated With Silver Sulfadiazine, Nathaniel Van Hueveln

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a consequence of intubation and mechanical ventilation. Bacteria colonize the inner-lumen of endotracheal tubes (ETT) and develop into a biofilm. One method to reduce/eliminate the develop of biofilms within the ETT is lining the inner-lumen with silver-sulfadiazine. A systematic review was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of silver-coated ETTs for patients that develop VAP. Multiple databases were searched to identify key literature related to silver-coated ETTs and VAP. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were identified to finalize the studies that were included in this systematic review. Five key studies were included in this review. Studies were further …


Nurses' Perception Of Mobile Communication In An Acute Care Setting, David Allen Gardner Jan 2017

Nurses' Perception Of Mobile Communication In An Acute Care Setting, David Allen Gardner

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Communication is at the center of providing health with care. Good communication between nurses, patients, and among members of the health care team is paramount in delivering patient-centered care. The literature has demonstrated that mobile communication devices can improve quality and efficiency of communication among clinicians, mobilize information, improve clinical workflow, improve response time, and provide cost savings. The research has also revealed unintended consequences such as interruptions in care, increase in errors, caregiver distractions, and reductions in workflow processes. There is currently limited evidence in the literature regarding the perceptions of nurses regarding the use and satisfaction of mobile …


Debriefing In The Emergency Department, Faithe Weathers Jan 2017

Debriefing In The Emergency Department, Faithe Weathers

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Workplace stress is a common hazard in many occupations, especially in healthcare. Workplace stress has physical and psychological impacts and can lead to burnout. Nurses exhibit high levels of stress and burnout, especially those working in the emergency department (ED). Strategies to combat stress and burnout are vital to preserve the overall heath and retention of staff in the workplace. One strategy is to incorporate debriefing sessions following traumatic events. The purpose of this study was to explore ED nurses’ opinions of debriefing sessions in the ED. The design was a qualitative survey. The study site was in the emergency …


An Exploration Of Potential Gender Differences In The Discipline Of Nurse Anesthetists, Jedidiah F. Kane Jan 2017

An Exploration Of Potential Gender Differences In The Discipline Of Nurse Anesthetists, Jedidiah F. Kane

Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview

Great diversity exists in the US population, therefore the US Department of Health and Human Services [HHS] has called for increased diversity among healthcare professionals as a means of improving public health outcomes. Males are consistently a minority group within the nursing profession and are disproportionately disciplined. The disproportionate discipline of male nurses and the loss of licensure often resulting from censure may have an impact on efforts to diversify the nursing sector of healthcare. Among certified registered nurse anesthetists [CRNAs], the ratio of males to females is more equal and little data exists examining the characteristics of disciplined CRNAs. …