Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Antinociceptive Effects Of G-Protein Biased Mu Opioid Receptor Agonists In Male And Female Rats With Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathy, Tilak Patel Md

Graduate Medical Education (GME) Resident and Fellow Research Day Posters

Aim: Mu-opioid receptor (MOR) agonists are often prescribed for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced neuropathy (CIN). Recent drug development strategies have focused on opioids with signaling profiles that “bias” activation of specific intracellular pathways (e.g., G-protein signaling) over others with the aim of increasing therapeutic selectivity. However, it is unknown if the variances in these signaling profiles at the MOR differentially modulate the antinociceptive effects of MOR agonists against neuropathic pain. In the present study, we tested a series of MOR agonists of varying G-protein signaling bias in a rat model of CIN. Methods: CIN was induced in male and female …

Implementation Of A Decision Tree To Address Moral Distress, Tijuana Milton, Flor Culpa-Bondal, Sheryl Winn, Debra Hagerty

Graduate Research Showcase

Problem: According to the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), moral distress (MD) is a major issue in the healthcare profession (2015). Many healthcare workers (HCW) are not aware of MD. The inability to recognize MD may lead to departing the profession.

Purpose: To offer an educational workshop about MD 1) explore the frequency and level of MD (2) establish a decision tree to mitigate MD.

Background: MD occurs when a person understands what they should do but cannot, due to organizational policies. The pandemic has exacerbated MD.

Design: A mixed-method study: Measure of Moral Distress for -Healthcare Professionals (MMD-HP) …

Initial Antihyperglycemic Options For Populations With Type 2 Diabetes Who Cannot Take Metformin, Rena Ogino

Capstone Showcase

Type 2 diabetes is a common disease in the United States that can result in life-threatening cardiac, vascular, and/or renal complications. The treatment of type 2 diabetes includes but is not limited to exercise, diet, multi-disciplinary approaches, and pharmaceuticals. Metformin is the first line pharmaceutical for newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes, however patients may be unable to tolerate metformin. With more than seven different antihyperglycemic drug classes and over twenty antihyperglycemic drugs, clinicians may have difficulty choosing the best agent for patients when metformin is not tolerated. This article compares common anti-hyperglycemic pharmaceutical agents and their drug classes, focusing on …

Clinical Pearls To Diagnosing Lyme Arthritis, Chandelle Keller

Capstone Showcase

Arthritis is one of the most common long term sequelae of Lyme disease infection in humans. Although the pathophysiology for Lyme arthritis is not concretely understood, there are several key features that are helpful in diagnosing Lyme disease as the culprit for the arthritic symptoms that an individual is experiencing. With a thorough history of an individuals’ age, geographic location, recent travel history and common outdoor recreational activities engaged in, a differential can be narrowed down. With the knowledge of how various arthritides present in the body, along with the use of diagnostic testing with ELISA and Western immunoblot, any …

The Benefit Of Bdnf Modification In The Treatment Of Post-Stroke Depression, Christine Gordynskiy-Ageyev

Capstone Showcase

Neuroplasticity has been a rapidly expanding area of research, and its findings have elucidated the potential of taking advantage of some of its components for the treatment of various neural pathologies. Stroke is the most common cause of long-term disability, and it is a disease process that affects many people. There are many rehabilitation programs that seek to restore a patient’s motor and cognitive functions after stroke; if not fully, then at least partially. Unfortunately, mental health changes contribute in large part to the overall disability of a patient, but these changes are not always targeted in these programs. In …

Quality Of Life Before And After Cosmetic Surgery: Should Body Dysmorphic Disorder Be Considered An Absolute Or Relative Contraindication For Cosmetic Surgery?, Lindsay Conlisk

Capstone Showcase

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) has historically been regarded as a strong contraindication for cosmetic plastic surgery. New research now suggests that the contraindications to cosmetic surgery in patients with BDD may not be so absolute. This paper reviews diagnostic criteria, diagnostic challenges, and current standard of treatment of BDD. It then presents the idea of insight analysis in the BDD patient as a significant factor in determining if patients with BDD may or may not benefit from cosmetic surgery or procedures.

Treatment Of Hypothyroidism: Desiccated Thyroid Extract, Aimee Fong

Capstone Showcase

The treatment of hypothyroidism with Levothyroxine (T4) has been well studied and FDA approved. However, many patients continue to have signs and symptoms of hypothyroidism while on Levothyroxine treatment despite reaching appropriate thyroid levels. An additional thyroid treatment known as desiccated thyroid extract (DTE) is made from dried pig thyroid glands and is advertised as a “natural” alternative to Levothyroxine. Despite lack of FDA approval and studies surrounding DTE, clinicians have prescribed DTE to patients, many of whom reported relief of their symptoms. The following poster highlights the approach to the treatment of hypothyroidism with Levothyroxine and DTE and outlines …

Vulvodynia: Making The Diagnosis And Improving Treatment Outcomes, Sophia Campbell

Capstone Showcase

Vulvodynia is an underdiagnosed condition that affects about 25% of women1. Patients report frustration and a lack of knowledge in the medical community regarding their symptoms of vulvar pain. Painful penetration makes performing an internal pelvic exam difficult, and patients may avoid annual gynecological appointments due to fear. It is imperative for providers to understand and implement the correct approach for accurate diagnosis. Once the diagnosis of vulvodynia has been identified, the multimodal treatment plan should be implemented to include pharmacological therapy, referral to physical therapy, and psychotherapy. With continued research and the use of evidence-based practice, the gap in …

Conditions That Mimic Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder In A Pediatric Population: A Diagnostic Guide For Primary Care Providers, Elena Schatell

Capstone Showcase

This article outlines common neurobiological, developmental, psychological, and other medical diagnoses and conditions that symptomatically mimic attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the pediatric population. Many of these disorders are comorbid with ADHD, but they may also be misdiagnosed as ADHD. Due to the similarity in presentation, these conditions must be included when formulating a differential diagnosis. Accurately diagnosing a child with ADHD requires a thorough evaluation and work up to rule out diagnoses on the differential.

Case Report: Fournier's Gangrene, Abigail Groos

Capstone Showcase

•Fournier’s gangrene is a rare manifestation of the already sparse skin infection known as necrotizing fasciitis, specifically of the scrotal and perineal region. This case illustrates a patient in the emergency department with a severe necrotizing skin infection who quickly progressed to sepsis and multiorgan damage. It is important to understand the common presentation, complications, and ideal management of patients with necrotizing fasciitis.

Continuing Medical Education On Immunothombosis In Sepsis, Vivienne Van Nguyen

Capstone Showcase

In the past decades, the incidence of sepsis complicated by immunothrombosis has increased in critically ill patients, especially those with sepsis and septic shock. Despite intensive surveillance and prevention of the underlying causes, these disease syndromes are frequently fatal. The increased incidence of immunothrombosis in sepsis has been accompanied by many critical issues and concerns regarding current diagnostic and treatment protocols. This paper offers a concise critical assessment of the current state of knowledge about sepsis and immunothrombosis among clinicians in the ICU as well as problem concerning the recognition of sepsis and immunothrombosis and their management.

Case Of Acute Onset Cerebral Ischemia Involving The Subcortical Region: Corona Radiata, Devin Nichols

Capstone Showcase

Corona radiata cerebral infarcts have the capability of leaving detrimental residual deficits if not recognized and treated promptly. This article describes the presentation and management of a 43-year-old woman who was transferred from a local community hospital to a larger institution’s emergency department. Initially presenting with nausea, vomiting, and dysarthria and examined global left sided extremity weakness and dysarthria, leading to a confirmed diagnosis via magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a corona radiata infarction.

Altitude Illness, Kali Hepner

Capstone Showcase

With an increasing number of individuals traveling to high altitudes, it is important to address the risk these individuals face of developing altitude related illnesses. An example of high altitude related illness might be the elevation transition of travelers flying into Denver, Colorado (1,673 m) with the intention to then drive up to Rocky Mountain National Park’s Alpine Visitor Center (3,595 m) in the same day. This poses increased risk of unacclimatized visitors experiencing altitude illness in remote areas of the national park. This poster summarizes the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of altitude illnesses so that clinicians and travelers may …

Diagnostic Imaging Read By Ai-Assisted Technology Within The Emergency Department, Joshua Leland

Capstone Showcase

Introduction: The emergency department (ED) has had an appreciable increase in volume over the past two decades with more individuals utilizing the ED now than a decade ago which has placed a strain on healthcare resources. Specifically adding to the rising costs in healthcare are diagnostics including chest x-rays. To combat this, institutions across the nation are developing deep-learning and artificial intelligence (AI) programs to assist in reading these diagnostics. Therefore, this systematic review analyzes the use of AI programs by clinicians in the ED to read diagnostic imaging compared to those who do not use these algorithms.

Methods: This …

Detecting Multiple Myeloma In The Primary Care Setting, Anna Schweidler

Capstone Showcase

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy arising from differentiated B-lymphocyte white blood cells called plasma cells. Hematological malignancies are the fourth most diagnosed cancers, composing approximately 9% of all cancer diagnoses. Specifically, multiple myeloma attributes to approximately 2% of cancer diagnoses in the United States². MM incidence has increased significantly over the past years, increasing 40% in the United States and 126% globally from 1990-2016 ². Affecting 7.0 out of every 100,000 people², multiple myeloma is considered a rare form of blood cancer. Many strides have been made in the treatment of multiple myeloma …

The Clinician’S Approach To Primary Dysmenorrhea: Nutrient And Supplement Modifications, Rachel Albert

Capstone Showcase

As evidence-based practice on health topics and standards continually evolves, it remains the responsibility of the clinicians to seek out data and newly discovered information that may pertain to patient populations. A longstanding issue that clinicians must address is the approach to primary dysmenorrhea. Currently it is estimated that 50% to 90% of the female population in the reproductive age group experiences this condition, making it the most prevalent health related problem among women of these ages. While this number represents a wide range of the population, many women still accept the symptoms of dysmenorrhea as commonplace and therefore do …

Cme: Ischemic Stroke Recognition And Management, Mae Missana

Capstone Showcase

Stroke is defined as a sudden onset of neurologic deficit caused by interrupted blood flow. Stroke is divided into two subtypes: ischemic and hemorrhagic. Roughly 87% of all strokes are ischemic with infarcts caused by obstruction to carotid artery circulation or vertebrobasilar artery circulation. Symptoms of ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke are similar on physical exam;therefore use of imaging is essential to determine treatment pathway. Asstroke is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, it is important to recognize the signs and symptoms, employ the necessary tools to evaluate and identity stroke, and deliver timely treatment to …

Antibiotics May Be Unnecessary In The Treatment Of Acute Uncomplicated Diverticulitis, Madison Gump

Capstone Showcase

Acute diverticulitis is one of the most common gastrointestinal diseases worldwide and is increasing in prevalence. Symptoms include abdominal pain, fever, changes in bowel habits, nausea, and vomiting. Traditionally, this disease has been treated with antibiotics, but new research has emerged that has provided evidence that it may be safe to treat acute uncomplicated cases without antibiotics. This represents an area of medicine where it may be possible to reduce the use of unnecessary antibiotics and, therefore, contribution to bacterial antibiotic resistance. The current research studies do have some limitations and future studies with larger, more diverse patient populations and …

Cardiopulmonary And Cancer Rehabilitation, Erica E. Braig, Aubree L. Osier

Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts

For this capstone project we are helping with the first phase of a 4-phase curricular/outreach program designed to train students (undergraduate and graduate in a peer-mentoring fashion) about professional work in Exercise Rehabilitation for Cardiopulmonary and Cancer Patients. Step 1 includes helping to develop the programmatic approach to testing students as a stand-in for clinical patients. This hands-on approach includes participating in the actual clinical equipment, procedures, and logistics used in modern clinical facilities. Because this program is being developmed in an existing laboratory space that is being repurposed as the Cardiopulmonary and Cancer Rehabilitation Laboratory, our work includes curating …

Demographic Analysis Of African Americans Enrolled In A Community-Based Diabetes Prevention Program, Kennedy Palmer, Lovoria B. Williams, Hannah Bowman

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is preventable. While all racial and ethnic groups are susceptible to the condition, African Americans (AAs) are among the groups with the highest T2D prevalence (13.3%:9.4 %) among their white counterparts. Lifestyle interventions, such as the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) effectively decrease incident diabetes by 58%. Moreover, evidence indicates that culturally adapted health interventions enhance subject participation and increase adherence to lifestyle programs. The purpose of this project is to examine the baseline demographics of AA participants of Fit & Faithful, a culturally adapted DPP. Fit & Faithful concentrates on the prominent religious aspect of AA …

Promoting Belonging Among Occupational Therapy Students Transitioning To Doctoral Studies, Gina M. Delgado

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

An Exploration Of Tendon Transfers And Rehabilitative Strategies In Hand Therapy, Alyssa Kopp

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Health Promotion For Youths Facing Chronic Conditions, Megan A. Moret, Megan A. Moret

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

This 17-week capstone project was completed at The Parker Place and virtually managed throughout the entirety of the experience. The Parker Place is a pediatric endocrinology and lifestyle management facility located in Annapolis, Maryland. Completing a virtual capstone project did not hinder the progress and outcomes of this experience. The Healthy Habits program was developed at this site to implement an occupational therapy role to supplement the served population’s health and wellness goals. Communication and client visits took place through passcode-protected video call sessions, phone calls, a HIPAA-compliant texting system, and email. Dr. Elizabeth Parker was the mentor for this …

Social Skills Groups For School-Age Children With Autism, Samantha Aybar

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The present capstone project and experience aimed to develop and implement a 12-week program of social skills peer groups for school-aged children with autism at an outpatient pediatric therapy clinic. The program consisted of weekly peer group sessions targeting a range of social skill topics, such as emotional regulation, conversation skills, and collaborative play. The small group format provided an opportunity for participants to practice skills, learn from others, and obtain feedback on their performance within a supportive environment. A family-centered approach was utilized through providing parent resources, at-home activities, and a parent workshop to better support children’s social skill …

Administration & Program Development At A Camp For Adults With Disabilities, Kayleigh E. Hollywood

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Doctoral Capstone Experience In Education And Program Development- Depaul University, Ashley Saunders

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Peer-Led Building Resilience And Enhancing Social-Emotional Skills Program, Danielle K. Enrico

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The purpose of the Capstone experience was to develop and implement a five-week peer-led building resilience and social-emotional skills training program at a public high school. This program addressed high school students' knowledge, skills, and attitudes regarding resources, social-emotional skills, and resilience. A questionnaire was administered pre and post-program to measure effectiveness. The results indicated an increase in scores, demonstrating a clearer understanding in all three areas.

Nerve Impairment In Burn Injuries, Taylor A. Kowalske

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.

Implementation And Efficacy Of Interprofessional Education (Ipe) Initiatives, Javed A. Mohammed

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

The literature demonstrates many benefits of interprofessional education (IPE) simulations in various types of formats that facilitate greater student knowledge and understanding of professions outside their own (O’Hara et al., 2018; Clauser et al., 2020; Cooper, Spencer-Dawe & Mclean, 2005; Djukic et al., 2015; Lazinski et al., 2021). The goals of my doctoral capstone experience (DCE) were to: 1) Develop IPE curriculum and active learning sessions along with assessment plans for professional programs on the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) – Tampa Bay Regional Campus with emphasis on advocacy for the occupational therapy (OT) profession, 2) Lead educational opportunities for students …

Exploring The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Long-Term Recovery For Individuals Post-Covid-19: A Doctoral Capstone Experience, Holly Bull

Department of Occupational Therapy Entry-Level Capstone Projects

No abstract provided.