Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Will The Implementation Of Nurse Competency Days Improve Knowledge And Satisfaction In Nursing Staff Of A Community Health Center?, Christina Morton

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Background: Nursing competencies are important for quality of care, patient safety, and identifying gaps in knowledge and skills. Patient harm has been linked to a lack of competency and insufficient policy and procedures.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to achieve standardization of nursing competencies within nurse-led clinics.

Aims: The aims of this project were to validate select competency days and determine the satisfaction of the competency days by the participants. The second aim of this project was to develop an electronic tracking form. A third aim was to develop and present a policy and procedure …

Health Literacy And Diabetes Outcomes In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes In Southwest Virginia, Casandra Reyes Arellano

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Purpose: To determine if a quality improvement project involving individualized, one-on-one Diabetes education will improve health literacy and Diabetes outcomes in adults with Type 2 Diabetes in a rural primary care clinic. Diabetes is a chronic condition affecting the United States with 9.6% of Virginia’s population living with Diabetes.

Aims: To improve patient’s Diabetes literacy scores, BMI, and Hemoglobin A1c levels through Diabetes education.

Processes: There are pre- and post-education phases. Data to be collected at the end of both phases consist of DNT15 scores, BMI, and A1c. In the pre-education phase, BMI was obtained, DNT15 was administered, and Diabetes …

Implementation Of Provider-Made Follow-Up Appointments For Depression In Primary Care, Rebecca Vaughn

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Implementation of provider-made follow-up appointments for depression in primary care

Rebecca Vaughn

College of Nursing, East Tennessee State University; Whitson Hester School of Nursing, Tennessee Technological University

Author Note

Rebecca Vaughn https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0731-3316 College of Nursing, East Tennessee State University

There are no conflicts of interest to disclose.

Corresponding concerning this manuscript should be addressed to Rebecca Vaughn

108 Reed Mill Lane Monroe TN 38573

[email protected]

Abstract

Depression is a common condition diagnosed and managed in primary care.

Follow-up is inconsistent and low in these settings, creating a gap in care that

impacts management, adherence to treatment, and patient outcomes. The …

Maternal Morbidity In Appalachian States: Rural Disparities And Social Determinants, Kathryn Usedom Msn, Fnp-C, Cnm, Pi-Ming Yeh Phd

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Purpose: Social determinants of health (SDoH) and rurality have both been shown to contribute to severe maternal morbidity (SMM). Appalachian communities often embody this compounded risk, but regional SMM is under-explored. This study’s purpose is to explore SMM in rural areas of Appalachian states.

Aims: There are two specific aims. 1) Describe the prevalence of rural SMM in Appalachian states. 2) Investigate the relationship between SMM and SDoH, specifically income, education, and care access.

Methods: An IRB exempt, descriptive correlational study was conducted. Birth data (2018-2022) were extracted from the CDC WONDER database for 12 Appalachian states. Demographic, income, and …

Comparisons Of Spiritual Well-Being, Psychological Well-Being, And Suicidal Ideation Between Usa And Taiwanese College Students, Pi-Ming Yeh Associate Professor, Cheng-Huei Chiao Professor, Jennchang Liou Professor

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Background: In Taiwan, there were 7,038 reports of attempted suicide among people aged 24 or younger in 2018. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older.

Purpose: In this study, we compared United States (US) and Taiwanese college students’ spiritual well-being, psychological well-being, and suicidal ideation.

Methods: A total of 661 college students (481 from the US and 180 from Taiwan) were recruited to complete the survey study. This was a cross-sectional comparative research design. SPSS 28.0 was used to do the data analysis. Chi-square …

Increasing Staffs’ Awareness Of Adaptive Swim Lesson Methodology And Enhancing Agency’S Infant Lesson Programming, Chloe E. Volpi

OTD Capstone Projects

This doctoral capstone project was conducted in partnership with Sunshine Swim Center, located in Elk Grove, CA. Sunshine is a small-scale swim lesson company that is proud to offer their community small class sizes and personalized swim instruction. The focus of this project was to educate agency staff on the importance of adaptive swim lessons for children with disabilities and enhance the current infant lesson programming. The staff education material included information on instruction modification, informal behavior modification, alternate forms of communication, cueing, skill grading, and the sensory properties of water. Enhancements to the infant programming included adding fifteen new …

A Parent's Guide To Pediatric Wheelchair Equipment, Gianna M. Sarli

OTD Capstone Projects

This capstone project was completed through a partnership with Permobil. Permobil is an assistive technology company that makes assistive technology solutions that enrich the lives of individuals with disabilities. They create a wide range of assistive technology products including power wheelchairs, manual wheelchairs, cushions, extremity supports, positioning equipment, and so much more. The focus of this project was to create the Content Brief for a pediatric landing page on their website. This webpage is focused on how Permobil products can support a child’s occupational participation and help them achieve their daily goals. The goal of this content was to have …

The Fight For Fluoridation In Stl, Noor Yousaf

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Fluoridation is the addition of fluoride to a source of drinking water. In St. Louis’s public water supply, the amount of fluoride remains the same since 1953 at 5ppm. Dr. Ralph Rosen and his team of dentists and researchers advocated for the fluoridation of the water because it reduced the frequency of dental caries occurring in children and adults alike, but the public had opinions on the sudden addition of chemicals to their water. This includes how the public’s health will be affected, how consumer products would change, and also how effective this addition of fluoride would be. This debate …

Service-Learning Through Chapter Chats: A Personal Reflection, Charity B. Blalock, Maryse Azer, April Garrity

Eagle Showcase: Excellence in Service-Learning (Archived)

Eagle showcase:excellence in service learning

The Effects Of Acute Hypoxia Exposure On Cognitive Function, John W. Sepko, Zakary Patrick, Parker Wilkerson, Madison Hulsey, Paul D. Loprizini

Neuroscience Research Showcase

Introduction: There is conflicting literature as to the effects of varying levels of hypoxia on cognition. Recent work by Loprinzi et al. (2019) demonstrated that moderate levels of hypoxia exposure increased memory (cognitive) performance. However, research investigating severe hypoxic exposure has shown immediate cognitive impairments (Nation, 2017). To reconcile these mixed findings, the present study aimed to investigate the extent to which varying levels of hypoxia affect cognition. Methods: Eighty-seven participants were recruited using convenience sampling at the University of Mississippi and completed a within-subject study design. The first lab visit was conducted for familiarizing the participant to the lab …

Influences Of Dietary Enrichment In Juvenile And Adult Male Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Castanotis) On Cheek Patch Growth And Color, Carley Craig, Mathew Thibodeaux, Mary Tharp, Gabrielle Morris, Woodward Young, Belinda Bagwandeen, Lainy B. Day

Neuroscience Research Showcase

Zebra finches (ZF) are sexually dimorphic. In captive ZFs, enriched diets increase cheek area and alter color, increasing adult male attractiveness. In the wild, breeding and brooding occur when proteinaceous seeds available. Our experiment tests whether supplemental egg food benefits captive non-breeding adults and juveniles.Pre-experiment, adults fed eggs, cuttlebone & bread 2x week. Other facets of our experiment showed enriched diet led to decreased reactive CORT levels and increased body mass, with the largest increase in females.

All authors are affiliated with the University of Mississippi Department of Biology and Neuroscience Minor.

The Effects Of Estradiol And Genistein On Cerebellar Neuroprotection In Zebra Finches, Grace Thompson, Renee E. Breaux, Emily Mcfatridge, Sarah Chong, Ethan Zadronzy, Estelle Blair, Lainy B. Day

Neuroscience Research Showcase

Introduction:

• Brain damage causes a secondary wave of degeneration
• Aromatase is upregulated in glia post-injury
• Aromatase (AROM) converts testosterone to estradiol (E₂) E₂ is neuroprotective and limits cell death
• E₂ is linked to cancer, stroke, and male infertility Genistein (GEN) is a soybean phytoestrogen with strong estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) affinity
• Genistein could be used clinically for neuroprotection
• ERβ receptors are abundant in the cerebellum AROM expression in the cerebellum is constitutively low
• Zebra Finch (ZF) brains have high neuroplasticity
• The ZF cerebellum is ideal for neuroplasticity research

All authors are affiliated with the University of …

Sex Differences In The Role Of Estradiol On Recovery After Cerebellar Lesion In The Zebra Finch (Taeniopygia Castanotis), Mathew Thibodeaux, Chyna-Rae Dearman, Lainy B. Day

Neuroscience Research Showcase

Purpose:

• Test sex differences in a spatial (Escape Maze) and motor task (Log Roll)
• Manipulate E2 and aromatase levels in order to differentiate roles of E2 and aromatase in recovery post-CB lesion
• Confirm steroids aid recovery in spatial but not motor tasks post-CB lesion
• Determine whether steroids differentially influence male and female recovery in cognitive and motor tasks

Mathew Thibodeaux¹, Chyna-Rae Dearman¹, Lainy B. Day^1,2 (¹Department of Biology & ²Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Minor, University of Mississippi)

Lingering Effects Of Covid-19 On Mental Health In College Students, Morgan Bodker

Scholars Week

This study examined whether severity of an individual’s COVID symptoms is predictive of a long-term risk for depression in college students. An online survey was completed by 123 students (M = 19.45; SD = 4.23) who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 at any time since the pandemic. Severity of COVID symptoms at the time of diagnosis was assessed using seven questions on a 4-point Likert scale. Current depressive symptoms were measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Participants who had a COVID diagnosis reported significantly higher levels of depression than participants who have never had COVID. A linear regression restricted …

U.S. Government Agency Podcasts, Bert Chapman

Libraries Faculty and Staff Presentations

Presents podcasts from U.S. Government agencies which can be discovered through the U.S. Government Publishing Office's Catalog of Government Publications. Agencies whose podcasts are presented include the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Peace Corps, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Government Accountability Office (GAO), National Park Service, Department of Justice, Federal Reserve System, and U.S. Naval War College.

Implementing Intermittent Fetal Monitoring In Low-Risk Laboring Moms, Kaitlynn Keel, Jessica Manion

Scholars Week

It has become common practice for laboring moms to remain attached to monitors throughout the duration of their labor, known as continuous electronic fetal monitoring (CEFM). Although this is the new normal in the world of labor and delivery, there has been speculation as to whether or not this is evidence-based. Specifically, moms in labor that are considered low-risk should not be bound to the bed for their entire labor for this continuous monitoring, in fact, research actually supports that CEFM leads to unnecessary interventions that negatively impact both mom and neonate.

Emphasizing The Importance Of Clustering Care For Newborns In The Nicu Setting, Callie Hines Sn, Alyssa Howell Sn, Elizabeth Crews Sn

Scholars Week

For our Evidence-Based Project, we have chosen to cover the topic concerning clustering care for premature infants in the neonatal intensive care unit. In many NICU's across the country preterm infants are taken care of on an as needed basis. Research and Swanson’s theory of caring supports that clustering care has a positive correlation with the improvement of vital signs, physical and intellectual development, and infection control.

Debriefing After A High Stakes Situation ​, Austin Hildebrant, Noah Merriss, Brennon Hamm

Scholars Week

This powerpoint presentation details the importance of debriefing after a high stakes situation in the hospital setting.

Fire Safety In The Or, Raghda Abo Al Haija, Leah Cullop, Keeli Mckeel

Scholars Week

Fire safety in the operating room (OR) is crucial, and so it is important for the OR team to be aware of practices that help prevent and manage operating room fires. This presentation compiles evidence-based research on practices and interventions that promote OR fire safety.

Improving Anesthesia Handoff: Implementing Standardized Handoff Tool For Post-Open-Heart Surgery In Critical Care Settings, Kelly Doyle

Scholars Week

The purpose of this project was to create a handoff tool implemented post-operatively by anesthesia providers during every transfer of care with patients undergoing open heart surgery and transitioning to the intensive care unit. Communication errors have been identified as a primary cause of anesthesia-related sentinel events, particularly during patient handoff, which can lead to negative patient outcomes due to incomplete relay of information. This Quality Improvement Project was conducted at a single facility where Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists, (CRNAs) incorporated a handoff tool into their anesthesia handoff following coronary artery bypass graft surgery over a six-week period. Both pre- …

Eat, Sleep, Console, Claire Hauke, Grace Hauke

Scholars Week

Eat, Sleep, Console is a scale used to assess opioid withdrawing neonates. This scale focuses on infant function and comfort, rather than treating infants based on signs and symptoms of withdrawal alone.

Changing The Way Providers Order Blood Return To Intensive Care Patients, Chloe Morris

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Patients with anemia and other conditions resulting in loss of blood often come with orders to return wasted blood to them. While using typical blood draw practices, patients are placed at an increased risk of infection when their blood is exposed to the outside world. My question is, will using a closed system decrease the instances of infection in patients who receive their waste blood after draws? By utilizing a waste syringe attached to the IV line, nurses can avoid detaching and reattaching syringes to collect and give back the patient's blood. Patients who are already at an increased risk …

Global Strategies For Addressing Communication Disorders In Justice-Involved Youth, Sophia Martinez, Anne Marie Perrotti, Brooke Baker, Allison Chappell

Undergraduate Research Symposium

Throughout all stages of processing, most juveniles who encounter the justice system demonstrate cognitive-communicative difficulties (CCDs). Empirical evidence reveals that 19-22% of female and 28-38% of male youth offenders, culminating in approximately 50-60% of youth offenders, demonstrate language disorders that require intervention, but most have never received services (Snow et al., 2014; Winstanley et al., 2021). Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are communication experts certified to assess and treat CCDs. While nations abroad recognize the value of SLP involvement in all stages of processing for justice-involved youth (JIY), America lags in utilizing SLPs to improve JIY outcomes and lower youth's risk of …

Idiopathic And Neuromuscular Scoliosis In A Female College Basketball Player Requiring Spinal Correction Surgery, Magan Kim

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The purpose of this report is to present the case of a 20-year-old female collegiate basketball player who was diagnosed with a combination of idiopathic and neuromuscular scoliosis. Patient underwent thoracic spinal fusion surgery when she was 15 to resolve her extreme scoliosis. The uniqueness of this case stems from the athlete’s urgency to have to undergo a life-altering spine operation and still be able to successfully contribute to a collegiate basketball team. Athletic trainers should be knowledgeable and aware of how to maintain treatment/rehabilitation for athletes with scoliosis, operative or non-operative. Scoliosis should no longer be a reason to …

Posteriormedial Ankle Impingement In A Male Division I Ice Hockey Player: A Case Report, Bethany Thompson

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The purpose of this case report is to present the case of a 21 year old male Division I collegiate hockey player’s injury during their season, resulting in posteriormedial ankle impingement of the deep posterior tibiotalar ligament, osteochondral lesion of the talus, and tenosynovitis of the tibialis posterior. The patient’s injury did not require surgery; however, they did complete a rehabilitation plan with a physical therapist and receive a cortisone injection. The patient had a positive outcome due to the athletic trainer sending the patient for immediate diagnostic imaging after initial consultation. The patient was able to continue participation in …

Subacute To Chronic Subdural Hematoma In An 18-Year-Old Male Football Player, Peyton Bodemann

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The purpose of the report is to present the case of a high school football player who survived two brain surgeries to treat a subacute subdural hematoma that turned chronic (cSDH). This case proves to be unique due to the lack of mechanism, the age of the patient, the complications from surgery, and the recovery.^9,12,16 The patient underwent an MMA (middle meningeal artery) embolization to treat the subacute hematoma, followed by a double burr hole craniotomy with drainage of chronic subdural hematoma. It is important for athletic trainers along with other members of the health care system to work …

Acute Simultaneous Medial And Lateral Ankle Sprain In A Collegiate Football Player: A Case Report, Ian Matlack

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

The purpose of this case report is to present a twenty-year-old African American male with a complex ankle injury. During a collegiate football game, the athlete injured his left ankle, damaging his deltoid ligament complex, and lateral ankle complex, causing several bone bruises and tearing his peroneal retinaculum. With surgery being declined, standard rehabilitation protocols of POLICE for initial management of inflammation, strengthening, and ROM exercises were conducted. Manual therapies consisting of milking massage, scraping, and joint mobilizations were added to aid in pain and edema control. Comparative case studies suggest that the athlete may have experienced a subluxation of …

Assessing The Reliability, Internal Consistency, And Sensitivity Of A Nutrition Knowledge Questionnaire For Four-Year-Old Pre-K Children, Lin Wang, Karla Cortez, Brenda Rodriguez, Joseph Reyes, Moises Cisneros, Elizabeth Alanis, Zasha Romero, Lisa Michelle Belzer Salinas, Juan López Alvarenga, Roberto Treviño-Peña

Research Symposium

Introduction: Assessing nutrition knowledge in four-year-olds, a developmental stage marked by limited attention spans and varying comprehension abilities, is challenging with traditional methods. A reliable test is pivotal for establishing a foundation for future health interventions. We evaluated a 13-question nutrition and healthy habits test in Pre-K4 children to assess reliability and sensitivity to detect differences.

Methods: Calculations included Cronbach's alpha, kappa coefficient, McNemar analysis by item, and Bland-Altman plots for test-retest differences. Mixed model regression assessed the questionnaire's sensitivity by sex and association with age. Item response theory (IRT) models were employed, generating latent abilities for students and individual …

Healthy Coping Mechanisms Within The Recovery Setting, Ingrid Erickson, Izzi Hill, Ylliam Umipig, Hallie Hicks, Hanin Ghazal, Hannah Haynes

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Healthy Coping Mechanisms Within the Recovery Setting

Introduction

Nineteen percent of the Seattle-Tacoma Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) population ages 12 and older are using illicit drugs (Brief, 2012). And twenty-two percent have an excessive alcohol use disorder (Brief, 2012). Six Seattle Pacific University nursing students (the team) were assigned a leadership project at a recovery center in downtown Seattle. The recovery center is a non-profit organization that aims to provide hope, healing, and community to those within the recovery community. Members have experienced anything from homelessness to addiction, trauma, and mental health struggles and the center provides a way to …

Distraction Culture: The Origin Story Of Notification Stress, Benedicte Kalonda

Symposium of Student Scholars

Long gone are the days when procrastination was the sole culprit of poor productivity through the chronic delay of task completion, which has also been linked to a range of stress-related health problems (e.g., headaches, digestive issues, and insomnia). Today’s culture has given rise to the phenomenon of pre-crastination, whereby a technological notification demands and receives immediate attention despite its level of urgency. This propensity to abandon flow and groove is becoming normalized, and the public health impact is currently unknown.

These notifications, a seemingly benign cost of technological advances, are setting the stage for a new level of stressor …