Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Heart Smart Holidays: Coping With Stress, Staying Active, And Healthy Cooking Strategies For Seniors In Cleveland County, Lauren Ridgeway

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This Doctor of Nursing Practice Project assessed whether attending community group meetings focusing on stress, staying active, and healthy eating during the holidays, could influence cardiovascular disease awareness, mental health awareness, and quality of life of senior citizens in Cleveland County. A convenience sample of 6 participants attended the Coping with Stress and Staying Active event while 10 participants attended the Healthy Cooking Strategies event. The objectives were measured using a pretest posttest design before and after the presentations. There was strong evidence (t(9) = -13.597, p < .05) that the group seminar on managing stress and staying active during the holiday season improved the mental health awareness of participants. Data also showed a significant increase in Cardiovascular Disease Awareness from pretest to posttest (t(5) = 3.246, p < .05) after the seminar on healthy cooking strategies. The project raised community awareness to the importance of managing stress, staying active, and making small nutritional changes to positively impact the cardiovascular health of Seniors.

Implementing Obesity And Comorbidity Education In A Faith-Based Setting, Tammy Lynn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The aim of the study was to increase knowledge of the damaging consequences of obesity and related comorbidities. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions on a global scale and increases the potential health risk of many associated diseases. Faith-Based organizations have been found to be optimal resources for public health education. The shared beliefs and comradery are a source of support and encouragement for those who face many of life’s challenges, as well as life’s joys. The purpose of the project was to investigate the effectiveness of education delivered in a Baptist church on the topics of obesity and related comorbidities. …

Thinking Inside The Food Pantry Box, Elizabeth Shoaf

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Prior research has indicated a varying relationship between food security and obesity risk. Food insecurity is a known complication of men and women’s underlying health issues, such as hypertension and diabetes, because of altered food choices.

Objective: Provide healthier food options to the food insecure within the facility’s food distribution boxes, as available, for the two most common health issues (diabetes and high blood pressure).

Methods: Clients at a local food pantry were interviewed individually to learn more about food insecurity and complicating health issues, such as obesity, diabetes, and high blood pressure (hypertension) while simultaneously offering alternative food …

Prescription Labels: Get To Know Them, Karen Adams

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Low health literacy is a problem for millions of Americans resulting in increased use of healthcare resources resulting in poor health outcomes. The older adult population is continuing to grow and is the largest user of healthcare. Use of pharmaceutical regimens to manage chronic illnesses is the most commonly used treatment modality. Unfortunately, people with low health literacy may have trouble understanding and following their providers instructions. It can be difficult to read directions on over the counter and prescription medication bottles. Community-based health educational programs benefit the maintenance of older adult health. The purpose of this project was to …

Non-Psychiatric Nurse Self-Efficacy With Suicidality After An Educational Intervention, Nadin E. Knippschild

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Lack of acute-care hospital non-psychiatric nurses’ confidence and competence with suicidality has been reported in the literature. Evidence supports multi-modal education to increase recall and improve outcomes. The theory of self-efficacy included concepts of confidence as well as competence and served as the project’s theoretical underpinning. A descriptive design was utilized to examine the effects of an education intervention using various methodologies addressing suicide risk factors, prevention, management, and safe care on nurses’ perceived level of self-efficacy. Methods included a pre-test survey, an education module intervention, and a non-matched post-test survey. The survey used consisted of 11 of the original …

Teaching Nursing Students To Communicate With Older Adults, Lena Moffitt Mceachern

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Student nurses have difficulty communicating effectively with older adults. Nurses willing to work with this age groups are in high demand due to the growing population. Lack of knowledge and preconceived ideas deter students from a willingness to work in geriatrics. Improving communication skills by increasing knowledge and decreasing bias in the clinical setting will benefit students and the community. The focus of this project was to discover if instruction, practice through role playing, and completion of a simulation with standardized patients prepare students for communicating effectively with older adults and increase the desire to work with this population. The …

Perceived Effects Of Faith Community Nursing On Quality Of Life And Overall Health, Vicie Renee Rutherford

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Faith Community Nursing (FCN) is a nursing practice specialty that focuses on the intentional care of the spirit, the promotion of an integrative model of health, and the prevention and minimization of illness. The FCN nursing specialty is believed to be an effective specialty to reverse the trend for declining health by aiding in the improvement of quality of life (QoL) and overall health for increasing numbers of people with multiple health problems; however, minimal research data and literature was available to substantiate the claim. This MSN thesis explored the relationship between FCN ministries and QoL and health by conducting …

Intuition In Nursing: Correlation With Area Of Practice And Years Of Experience In Registered Nurses In A Rural, Community Hospital, Leah Frady

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This study assessed the levels of intuition in nursing in relation to area of practice and years of experience. The goal was to provide data indicating whether or not levels of nursing intuition is affected by area of practice and years of experience in nursing. No relationship was found in regard to levels of intuition in nursing, area of practice, and years of nursing experience. Implications for nurse educators and nurse managers based on this finding suggested the importance of knowing the competency levels and intuitive abilities of nursing staff to help in the decision-making process of initial and ongoing …

The Effects Of A Brief Mindfulness-Based Meditation Intervention On Chronic Pain, Jolena B. Allred

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

As the number of individuals suffering with chronic pain escalates, management is shifting from pain specialists to primary care providers. Nurse practitioners are becoming increasingly responsible for the management of this complex patient population. Analgesics, primarily opioids, have been the standard of chronic pain management with a resulting national crisis related to overuse, improper use, and illegal use of these substances. Mindfulness-based meditation has gained increasing interest and acceptance by both the individuals suffering with chronic pain and the providers managing those who suffer, however, limited investigation is available related to brief interventions provided at point-of-care. This Capstone Project evaluated …

Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome, Sharon F. Ali

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS) is a very serious problem that may affect the patient when admitted inpatient for a traumatic or non-traumatic diagnosis. Chronic Alcohol consumption in moderation may put the patient at risk for delirium tremens which is the most severe form of alcohol withdrawal. Management of alcohol withdrawal in acutely ill hospitalized patients is challenging for healthcare providers (Riddle, Bush, Tittle, & Dilkhush, 2010). Signs and symptoms of AWS are caused primarily by neurophysiologic changes in the brain, which may be mild to severe, and may develop within 6-72 hours after abstaining from alcohol. Mild symptoms of withdrawal …

The Effect Of Purposeful Hourly Rounding On The Incidence Of Patient Falls, Crista H. Brown

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of purposeful hourly rounding on the incidence of patient falls. Purposeful hourly rounding is a vital component of the nursing care delivery model that is impacting the fall rates. Providing structure and emphasis to the hourly rounding process assist in the evaluation of the desired outcomes as it relates to patients falls. As healthcare organizations experience the concept of public reporting, patient safety has become an increasingly important concern. Purposeful hourly rounding can improve quality, safety, and the patient’s perception of their care. The results of this study found there …

Parents Knowledge Of Child Passenger Safety Laws And Use Of Safety Restraints, Tracy Bell

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine if there was an association between the parent’s knowledge of child passenger safety laws and the use of child passenger safety restraints. A review of current literature demonstrates barriers to incorrect use of child passenger safety seats. The literature demonstrated that multiple factors that are involved in inappropriate use of child passenger safety seats. The research was guided by Nola Pender’s framework for Health Promotion Model. The study was comprised of a convenience sample of 34 parents and caregivers from a child development center. Data was collected using the Child Passenger Safety …

The Effect Of Community Education On Osteoporosis Knowledge, Avis O. Morrow

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Osteoporosis is a metabolic disorder characterized by the loss of bone mass, increased bone fragility, and the increased risk of fractures. Bone loss is accelerated when the diet is deficient in vitamin D and calcium. The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that 57 million Americans are at risk for this disorder. The risk depends on the amount of bone mass achieved between ages 25-35 and how much bone loss occurs after that age. Bone loss increases after menopause. Lifestyle modifications needed include knowledge of vitamin D, calcium, and exercise recommendations.

Perceived Patient Satisfaction With Hospital Services And Interventions, Marietta Abernathy

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The patient and family voice should be heard in the healthcare setting. Gaining knowledge and insight from a parent of a pediatric patient will allow hospital staff and administrators to see the hospital experience from the vantage point of a patient and family member (Uhl, Fisher, Docherty, & Brandon, 2013). It is important to continually review feedback and suggestions from families of pediatric patients to improve the care of future patients. Ultimately, this will improve patient satisfaction scores, but most importantly, it will improve the experience of pediatric patients (Creating patient and family advisory councils, 2010). The investigator interviewed ten …

Utilizing Motivational Interviewing To Promote Condom Use Self-Efficacy, Ann Maria Bell

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Condom use is one of the most important preventive mechanisms available to combat sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancies, yet over 70% of adolescents and young adults lack education on the proper use of condoms. Lack of education and confidence in using condoms contributes to a decrease in condom usage, resulting in increased rates of sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancies. The purpose of Project Motivate was to determine if motivational interviewing significantly improves self-efficacy related to condom use among patients presenting for screening of sexually transmitted diseases. The project sought to determine if motivational interviewing is an effective intervention …

Rural Healthcare Providers' Behavioral Intentions With Hospice Referrals: Attitudes, Knowledge, Beliefs, Benefits And Barriers, Meki Jacobs Graham

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

As hospice programs gain recognition, hospice referrals are gaining momentum. Yet for multiple reasons hospice referrals are challenging amongst rural healthcare providers (HCPs). For rural healthcare providers, lack of knowledge about hospice services and care contributes to a decrease in hospice referrals. The purpose of this capstone project was to develop an intervention to improve rural health care providers' behavioral intention to make hospice referral. The study sought to determine if an educational intervention would improve behavioral intentions to make a hospice referral resulting in increased hospice referral rates. Outcome data was based on utilizing a pretest/posttest survey design. An …

Implementation Of A Second Victim Program: Hope Team, Sherrie Lee

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The healthcare workforce is composed of a variety of roles and disciplines that do their best ensuring patient safety and quality care. Nurses spend more time with the patient than any other discipline. They not only are responsible for the care of their patients but their families during hospitalization. The role and responsibilities of a nurse puts them in a position for making mistakes. After a mistake is made, the patient becomes the first victim, the nurse becomes the second victim, and the organization becomes the third victim. A second victim is a healthcare worker who makes a mistake and …

South Carolina School Nurses' Knowledge, Opinions, Perceptions, And Practice Measures Regarding Childhood Obesity, Logan Camp

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Childhood obesity has become a significant national health issue due to rising incidences and associated chronic medical conditions. School nurses across the United States of America are in prime positions to address childhood obesity as they have access to large numbers of children and adolescents in school settings. A review of current literature demonstrated that school nurses were overall knowledgeable concerning childhood obesity, but encountered numerous barriers in enacting weight-related assessments and treatment programs. The purpose of this research study was to determine the knowledge, opinions, perceptions, and practice measures of South Carolina school nurses regarding childhood obesity. The "School …

Early Home Visits By A Registered Nurse Care Manager With Heart Failure Patients, Dana Davis Blake

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Strategies focused on 30 days in the life of a patient with heart failure will have limited impact on the burden that heart failure will have nationally or individually. The broader landscape of readmission risk underscores the need for a more comprehensive approach to heart failure management. Care management with a registered nurse demonstrated efficiently coordinate care. Home visits address the peaks of risk in the post-discharge transition and palliative phase while providing longitudinal support. The purpose of this study is to substantiate that early home visits and telephone followup with a registered nurse after discharge from the hospital will …

The Effects Of A Care Delivery Model Change On Nursing Staff And Patient Satisfaction, Kathleen Gier

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Hospitals across the nation are faced with the challenge of providing high-quality, cost-effective patient care. The purpose of the research study, The Effects of a Care Delivery Model Change on Nursing Staff and Patient Satisfaction, was to examine the impact of implementing a team-approach care delivery model on defined outcomes of staff satisfaction and patient satisfaction. A quasi-experimental design study was utilized to examine the effects of implementing a team-approach care delivery model on a 33-bed Medical-Surgical unit. Prior to and after implementation of the new care delivery model, data were collected regarding patient and staff satisfaction. All nursing and …

Nurses' Perceptions Of Shared Medical Appointments, Kristin Monza

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

With the increased economic burdens placed on Americans in recent years, the topic of healthcare has been in the forefront. As healthcare reform embraces the country, healthcare organizations are forced to re-examine their business structure more accurately to reflect the changing culture and patient population. The Shared Medical Appointment (SMA) is a model in the chronic disease setting, and many of the benefits and proficiencies have been studied but no studies have assessed nurse experiences or perceptions of SMAs. The purpose of this study was to determine the Registered Nurses's experience with and perception of SMAs. A descriptive exploratory design …

Cultural Bias Education Of Nursing Faculty, Frank Castelblanco

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

A cultural bias education seminar was presented to nursing faculty at a private university in Western North Carolina in an attempt to increase the level of cultural competence. Leininger's "Culture Care and Universality"; a nursing theory was used as the theoretical framework for the project and Campinha-Bacote's Inventory for Assessing the Process of Cultural Competency Among Healthcare Professionals, Revised (IAPCC-R) was employed to measure the pre- and post-cultural competence levels of the nursing faculty. The faculty voluntarily completed the pre-assessment, the seminar was completed and 17 participants completed the post assessment. The statistical findings illustrated an increase in total cultural …

Evidence Based Practice In School Nursing: A Study Of School Nurses In Central And Eastern North Carolina, Lisa M. Barnes

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of the study, Evidence Based Practice Use: A Study of School Nurses in Central and Eastern North Carolina, is to gain insight of the barriers and facilitators of evidence based research in the school setting. The unique and autonomous nature of school nursing makes evidence base practice and research utilization especially important to achieve optimal outcomes in this setting that is often isolated from other health care providers. A descriptive cross sectional survey design using the BARRIER scale was used in this quantitative study (Funk et al., 1991). Using the BARRIER scale by Sandra Funk, school nurses from …

Increasing Participation In The North Carolina Controlled Substances Reporting System Registration Among Western North Carolina Nurse Practitioners, Elizabeth Scism

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The misuse of prescription drugs for non-medical purposes is a risk to public health and safety. The rates of misuse and diversion of prescription drugs have nearly doubled since the 1990s. This project explored the importance of educating Nurse Practitioners (NPs) in North Carolina (NC) regarding the registration and utilization of the North Carolina Controlled Substances Reporting System (NCCSRS). This reporting system was designed to identify and prevent diversion and to reduce morbidity and mortality of unintentional drug overdoses among primary care patients. A website was developed to showcase the multiple benefits and encourage registration and utilization of the NCCSRS …

The Use Of Peppermint Oil To Reduce The Nausea Of The Palliative Care And Hospice Patient, Mary Seale

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

A descriptive study was initiated to investigate the use of peppermint oil to reduce the nausea of the palliative care and hospice patient. Two local palliative care and hospice programs were used as sites for the study. Patients eighteen and older complaining of nausea were invited to participate in the study. The study was conducted for one and a half months. A total of eight patients consented to participate in the study with a mean age of seventy one years. The Bieri Scale, a visual-numeric analog, was used as the measurement instrument for the patients to evaluate their nausea. Results …

What Patient Related Factors Negatively Impact Patient Or Procedure Outcomes In Screening Colonoscopy?, Rebecca Truett

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The success of colonoscopy in early detection and treatment of colonic lesions depends upon adequate bowel preparation. This study addresses factors related to the adequacy of bowel preparation for colonoscopy with a focus on patient factors including variables related to demographics as well as compliance. The hypothesis of the study of factors related to the adequacy of bowel preparation for colonoscopy is that certain patient factors are associated with inadequate colon preparation independent from preparation type or timing of the procedure.

Patient related factors were compared to colonoscopy procedure completion, compliance with colonoscopy preparation instructions and quality of colon preparation. …

What Is The Caregivers' (Certified Nursing Assistant) Perception Of Their Role While Caring For A Patient In The Household Model?, Daniyele Feaster

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This was a mixed design study that assessed the caregivers' perception of their role while caring for patients in the household model. A sample of 12 caregivers currently employed in a long-term care facility operating in the household model was asked to complete a survey and answer 11 questions during a one on one interview. This interview tool allowed the caregivers the opportunity to rate their personal experiences, environment and express their feelings associated with their role as a certified nursing assistant working in a household model. The results indicated that the caregivers enjoyed working in the household environment and …

A Study Of The Presence Of Relational Aggression In The Adult Population, Kathy C. Williams

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Aggression can result in a challenge of the basic human need for safety and security (Plotnik, 1999). Historically there has been extensive research regarding physical aggression. However, only in the past two decades has relational aggression received attention. Most research studies regarding relational aggression have focused upon children, adolescents and young adults. The purpose of this study was to explore the presence of relational aggression in the adult population. The Self-Report of Aggression and Social Behavior Measure tool was used to survey a convenience sample of 67 nursing students. The participants were students enrolled in the school of nursing (associate, …

Parental Perception Of Childhood Obesity And The School's Role On Prevention And Interventions In Childhood Obesity, Monique Jones

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Childhood obesity is a major health crisis that is becoming an epidemic among children and adolescents. Interventions must begin early and focus on prevention strategies to achieve the goal of increasing quality years of life for today's children and families. Parents with children in a local after school Boys & Girls club were surveyed regarding their perception of childhood obesity, the causes of childhood obesity, and the school's role in the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity. More than 90% of the participants identified inactivity, poor eating behavior, eating too much, and lack of money to buy nutritious foods as …

Diabetes Understanding Among Staff Nurses: Examining The Actual Versus Perceived Knowledge In The Acute Care Setting, Rebecca B. Ledbetter

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death world-wide claiming a staggering 3.8 million lives globally each year to related complications (World Health Organization, 2011). Diabetes complications account for 20% of all acute care admissions or 1 in every 5 patients have a diabetes-related condition (American Diabetes Association, 2011). Patient education in the areas of lifestyle modification, healthy eating habits, and proper medication administration is research-supported to clinically decrease the likelihood of acute complications. Bedside, acute care nurses are at the front line of patient education delivery and have the opportunity to determine behavioral stages related to a patient's readiness …