Effects Of Education On Correcting Misconceptions And Acceptance Of The Influenza Vaccination Among A College Campus, Travis E. Fairbanks

DNP Scholarly Projects

Educating patients on the influenza vaccination is an important goal for health care providers. It fosters a working relationship between provider and patient and allows patients to make an informed decision on their health care needs. The percentage of individuals who receive the influenza vaccine in the United States has been consistently below goals set by the committee for Healthy People 2020. This DNP scholarly project aimed to determine whether the introduction of education was effective at increasing individuals’ choice to vaccinate against the influenza virus among college campus students. The study was a non-experimental, non-randomized control trial that utilized …

Implementing Faculty Development Modules To Increase Readiness For Addressing Social Determinants Of Health, Implicit Bias And Equity In Course Content, Claudia Ngafeeson

DNP Scholarly Projects

Implicit bias is viewed as an unconscious and involuntary attitude that lies below the surface of consciousness but can influence behavior, and cognitive processes (Maina et al., 2018). Social determinants of health are considered to be the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age; these circumstances are usually shaped by the distribution of money, power, and resources at global, national, and local levels, which in turns determines the distribution of the value of medical care. Existing literature on implicit bias has been fragmented in different fields such as; cognitive psychology, business ethics, and higher education, but …

Implementation Of An Advanced Operating Room Schedule To Increase Compliance With Clinical Practice Guidelines For Preoperative Antibiotic Selection And Timing: A Quality Improvement Project, Shelby Lynne Adams

DNP Scholarly Projects

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in operative patients worldwide. The American Society for Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) published the most recent clinical practice guidelines for antimicrobial prophylaxis in surgery. These guidelines are based upon the available evidence and provide a standardized approach for the safe and effective selection, dosing, and administration of antibiotics for the prevention of SSI (Bratzler et al., 2013). This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to determine if incorporating an advanced operating room (OR) schedule, inclusive of ASHP presurgical antibiotics, increased compliance with ASHP standards of antibiotic selection and …

Examining Perceived Stress And Diet Quality Among Low-Income Families Engaged With A Nutrition-Based Food Assistance Program, Kelsey R. Wolfe, Kathryn L. Dambrino, David Phillippi, Laura Gray

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Introduction: Evidence suggests poor-quality diets and high levels of stress have negative impacts on health, especially in low-income families in the southern United States. Nutrition-based food assistance programs were developed to meet nutritional needs of food insecure clients. The purpose of this scholarly project was to explore the relationship between perceived stress and diet quality among low-income families engaged with a nutrition-based food assistance program.

Methods: A retrospective and observational design was used to analyze previously collected survey responses from clients participating in a nutrition-based food assistance program in Nashville, TN (N = 425). Descriptive statistics and Spearman’s …

Effects Of Evidence-Based Discharge Instructions On Follow-Up With A Healthcare Provider In Patients Presenting With Mtbi-Like Symptoms To A Health Clinic At A Rural Sports Camp In The Pacific Northwest In The U.S., Eva G. Bergner

DNP Scholarly Projects

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a major public health burden affecting both children and adults in the U. S. (Sarmiento et al., 2019; Schuchat, Houry, & Baldwin, 2018). The management of mTBI at summer camps is not well characterized in the literature. Epidemiologic studies on summer camps have reported that 25% of all injuries were to the head, face and/or neck (Kolberg et al., 2020; Robinson, Arbogast, Garst & Corwin 2019). The purpose of this project was to evaluate the impact of evidence-based instructions for follow-up with a healthcare provider in patients presenting with mTBI-like symptoms to a health …

Psychological Safety In Pre-Licensure Nursing Simulation, Lauren Rickman

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background

Simulation-based experiences (SBEs) allow learners to use clinical decision-making, clinical judgment, and hands-on skills to analyze and respond to realistic clinical situations in a controlled, interactive environment. Psychological safety (PS) is essential for increasing a learner's engagement in an SBE. Psychologically safe learning environments allow students to feel valued and comfortable speaking up and taking risks without consequences to themselves or others, promoting learning and innovation. Measuring PS may help simulation faculty improve their learning environment by supporting learning-oriented behavior and boosting students' clinical competency.

Purpose

The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) scholarly project was to …

Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, And Secondary Traumatic Stress Among Heart Transplant Nurses In A Hospital Setting, Marissa Potts

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess whether or not, and the degree to which compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO), and secondary traumatic stress (STS) are present among inpatient acute-care heart transplant nurses. Perceived presence of other contributing factors that contributed to CS, BO, and STS was also assessed.

Design: A cross-sectional survey-based mixed methods study with an explanatory sequential design was used to assess baseline levels of CS, BO, and STS and identify any other factors at work or home that may impact these constructs.

Methods: A Qualtrics survey was sent to potential participants. A convenience …

A Quality Improvement Project To Examine The Impact Of The Use Of Structured Diabetes Educational Materials For Medical Personnel, Alina Jaffer

DNP Scholarly Projects

With the immigrant population increasing in the United States, the demand for healthcare providers who can provide culturally appropriate care and intracultural communication has increased. Compared to individuals born in the United States, immigrants with diabetes are less likely to meet the standardized targets for diabetes management, resulting in disparities in diabetes-related complications. The problem is the lack of evidence-based patient education for all people, including immigrants who do not speak English as a first language. The purpose of this project was to assess whether or not language-specific structured diabetes educational material for healthcare personnel use would increase the efficacy …

Adverse Childhood Experiences Screening In Adulthood: Knowledge, Attitudes, And Self-Efficacy Among Tennessee Nurse Practitioners, Megan M. Wanca

DNP Scholarly Projects

Despite the prevalence of adverse childhood events (ACEs) and the relationship with negative health outcomes in adults, research shows clinical use of ACE screening is low among healthcare providers including nurse practitioners (NPs). The scholarly project’s purpose was to examine how Tennessee NP knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy influence intentions to screen for ACEs related to childhood trauma or abuse in adult patients. Using the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model as the theoretical framework, a cross-sectional and exploratory design assessed the association of NPs’ ACE screening knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy on the NPs’ intention to screen for ACEs in adult patients. A reliable …

Examining Nurse Engagement In Antimicrobial Stewardship At Long-Term Care Facilities, Mosam S. Patel, Kathryn L. Dambrino, Olivia Bahemuka, David Phillippi

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: The World Health Organization stated that antimicrobial resistance is one of the top 10 threats to global health. To combat antimicrobial resistance, antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs were developed. Efforts to engage nurses in stewardship efforts have been limited. Bedside nurses are in an optimal position to help decrease antimicrobial use, which is especially relevant in long-term care facilities where up to 75% of antibiotic use is deemed unnecessary or inappropriate. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice scholarly project was to examine factors that influence nurse engagement in AMS at long-term care facilities in Tennessee. Methods: A …

Interprofessional Socialization Of Nursing Students After Participating In Interdisciplinary Rounds In An Intensive Care Unit, Ashlyn S. Upshaw

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Nursing engagement in interprofessional collaboration leads to safe and quality healthcare for patients. In order to effectively engage in interprofessional collaboration, nursing students must socialize among healthcare providers from various disciplines. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to examine pre-licensure nursing students’ beliefs and attitudes towards interprofessional socialization and collaboration following their participation in interdisciplinary rounds in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting. Methods: A mixed-methods, cross-sectional design was used to collect data from undergraduate nursing students at a private university. Following an ICU clinical rotation, participants completed the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Survey-21 (ISVS-21) …

A Peer-Led Evidence-Based Contraceptive Counseling Initiative, Megan K. Tenbarge

DNP Scholarly Projects

The experience of sexual health and wellness varies for newly independent college freshman. For reproductive-age women, gaps in knowledge and self-efficacy overlap with barriers accessing contraception and reproductive health care contributing to high-risk behavior and poor sexual health outcomes. Community-based participatory research was used to develop and implement a peer-education program targeting sorority women on a college campus in the Southeastern United States in the fall semester of 2021. Two senior nursing majors completed continuing education to be empowered as peer-educators using The University of California San Francisco Beyond the Pill framework. They engaged directly with nursing faculty stakeholders and …

Relationship Between Perceived Coping Capability And Levels Of Academic Self-Efficacy In First Year Prelicensure Nursing Students, Amy Charlton

DNP Scholarly Projects

Academic self-efficacy and coping capability impact student persistence. Nursing education programs can identify students' experiences to encourage students to persist and potentially impact the national nursing pipeline. More research was needed to examine the relationships between entering nursing student demographics, academic self-efficacy, and student coping capability. First-semester prelicensure nursing students (N = 240) were surveyed to determine any significant relationship between perceived academic self-efficacy and perceived coping capability using a quasiexperimental, descriptive, correlational design. Based on the Nursing Universal Retention and Success (NURS) model, the project investigated the relationships between student profile characteristics, student affective factors, academic outcomes, and professional …

Nurses' Implicit Attitudes Regarding The Lgbtq Population, Carolyn Howard

DNP Scholarly Projects

Health inequities such as chronic medical conditions, mental health disorders, substance abuse, and suicide are prevalent in the LGBTQ population, resulting in part from minority stress, stigma, discrimination, and isolation. Studies showed mixed results regarding nurses’ and other healthcare professionals’ attitudes toward these individuals. Relatively little research has focused specifically on nurses, and most studies have centered on healthcare professionals’ explicit attitudes. Given the lack of studies on nurses and implicit bias, more research is needed on nurses’ implicit attitudes regarding LGBTQ patients. Using a retrospective design with secondary data from Project Implicit, the study compared United States (US) nurses’ …

Belmont University Covid Surveillance And Containment: An Evaluation Of Program Effectiveness, Morgan A. Lambrecht

DNP Scholarly Projects

In the early days of the Coronavirus (COVID) pandemic, members of university communities faced elevated risk of contracting COVID because they live and work in congregate settings, with shared living and dining arrangements. By the Fall 2020 semester, with limited information regarding the transmission of COVID, a quick, but comprehensive strategy was needed to allow students to return to university campuses, while maintaining a safe environment for students, faculty, and staff. The purpose of this project was to determine the effectiveness of the COVID surveillance and containment measures implemented in the 2020/2021 academic year for the residential campus community at …

Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among College Students, Erin Hoening, Elizabeth Morse, David Phillippi, Krystal Huesmann

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Public health strategies to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake among college students living in residential communities varied, some universities opted to mandate COVID-19 vaccines while other universities opted to promote and influence the choice for vaccination.

Purpose: This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined the voluntary uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among residential students on a college campus in the southeastern U.S. that elected an evidence-driven health promotion strategy that included strong health promotion messaging coupled with coordinated efforts to make the vaccine accessible and appealing to students on campus.

Methods: Analysis of vaccine uptake was derived from campus electronic health records during …

Reducing Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections At A Rural Midwestern Hospital Through An Evidence-Based Nurse-Led Practice Change Intervention, Crystal B. Lavalley

DNP Scholarly Projects

Central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) are responsible for increased patient morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs, despite being a preventable harm (Barnes et al., 2015; Furuya et al., 2016). Evidence-based (EB) research suggests that the use of central line bundles is the most effective way to reduce CLABSIs in hospitals (Barnes et al., 2015; Furuya et al., 2016). Researchers have also found a statistically significant correlation between nurse compliance with bundle components and CLABSI rates (Aloush & Alsaraireh, 2018; Furuya et al., 2016). The purpose of this study was to determine if a nurse-led collaborative that focused on CLABSI reduction using …

Perception Of The Benefits Of An Interprofessional Communication Offering Among Nurse Residents, Emily Fritz

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Interprofessional communication occurs at all levels during the provision of health care. Studies have shown that ineffective communication between healthcare providers often results in delayed treatments, misdiagnoses, medication errors, patient injuries, or even death. A nurse residency program is a professional development program designed to help develop and support new nurses through their transition from student nursing, into professional nursing. Communication skill development is an important aspect of the nurse residency program. The purpose of this study was to explore the question: Do nurse residents, who were enrolled in a local nurse residency program between August 2019 and August …

The Impact Of Early Goal Directed Sepsis Bundle Sets In The Emergency Department And The Impact Of Sep-1 Compliance Rates, Christie L. Ferrari

DNP Scholarly Projects

Sepsis is a medical emergency that is prevalent throughout hospitals everywhere. Due to the growing crisis, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) in collaboration with the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) adopted core measures for sepsis (SEP-1) which aim at improving overall compliance of evidence-based treatment standards for sepsis. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to determine if incorporating early goal directed sepsis bundles in a rural Midwestern ED was effective in increasing compliance with SEP-1 rates. The secondary purpose evaluated how nursing knowledge, awareness, and compliance with sepsis bundles affects SEP-1 compliance rates. …

Implementation Of An Evidence-Based Bundle To Reduce Hospital Acquired Pressure Injury Harm Rates In The Intensive Care Unit: A Quality Improvement Project, Jessica Tripp

DNP Scholarly Projects

A pressure injury (PI) is a condition in which prolonged pressure or shear causes localized damage to the soft tissue and skin and is usually over a bony prominence (National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (NPUAP), 2016). PIs can increase morbidity and mortality, increase length of stay, increase infection rates, increase healthcare costs and decrease quality of life (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), n.d.; Coyer et al., 2017). PIs are largely preventable yet continue to occur, despite the growing number of high-quality research articles that focus on this problem. Quality improvement initiatives are an effective way to translate evidence-based …

Evaluation Of A Hands-On Cooking Class And Its Effects On Self-Efficacy In Relation To Healthy Eating In Type 2 Diabetics, Codi A. Jenshak-Gorzinski

DNP Scholarly Projects

The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes is alarming and poses a great threat to U.S. national health. Chronic diabetes can lead to serious conditions such as heart attack and stroke, and can result in premature mortality (World Health Organization, 2018). Diabetes can be prevented or treated by eating a healthy diet. Cooking classes are a potential way to improve American’s knowledge of nutritional principles and help them become confident that they have the capacity to eat a healthy diet. The purpose of this DNP project was to determine if participation in cooking classes enhanced self-efficacy as it pertains to healthy …

Utilization Of The Calm Apparatus To Adult Men And Women With Atrial Fibrillation To Decrease Emergency Department Visits For Atrial Fibrillation, Ami Klein

DNP Scholarly Projects

The purpose of this project is two-fold. The first is to determine if the CALM APP use by adult men and women with atrial fibrillation (AF) will decrease anxiety. The second is to determine if decreased anxiety utilizing the CALM APP will deter admissions to the emergency department (ED) for AF in the first month post-catheter ablation of AF. The Zung SAS was used to determine the pre- and post-anxiety scores. The Seven Days of Calm (free app) was used to teach deep breathing and meditation. This study showed a moderate decrease in ED visits with use of the Calm …

Implementation Of A Standardized Medication Reconciliation Protocol In A Psychiatric Stabilization Setting, Sara Robinson

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Medication errors are a prevalent patient safety concern across healthcare settings. High-quality medication reconciliation is an intervention and expected standard of care that can help to prevent adverse drug events. This quality improvement project focused on implementing a standardized medication reconciliation protocol on a short-stay psychiatric unit.

INTERVENTION: An evidence-based toolkit supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Medications at Transitions and Clinical Handoffs (MATCH) was selected as the framework for developing and implementing this protocol.

Congruent with the evidence-based toolkit recommendations, baseline data collection and needs assessment provided context for tailoring the intervention to the …

Representation Matters: An Examination In To How The Patient Experience Is Impacted By The Inclusion Of Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity Questions On A Health History Intake Form, Meghan N. Digneit

DNP Scholarly Projects

The disclosure of one’s sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) status is an extremely personal decision subject to a variety of internal and external factors. The disclosure of this status in the healthcare setting is an important topic that continues to be subject to discussion, research, education, and mutual understanding between the patient and provider. The purpose of this DNP project is to explore how answering SOGI questions on a general intake form impacts patient attitudes regarding the impending visit. This was a mixed-methods research study that included demographic questions, nominal data in the form of yes/no questions, and two …

Identifying And Enhancing Key Competencies For Emergency Nursing In Rural Alaska: A Quality Improvement Project, Denise Plano

DNP Scholarly Projects

Identifying and

Enhancing Key Competencies for Emergency Nursing in Rural Alaska:

A Quality Improvement Project

Denise Plano

University of New Hampshire

Faculty Mentor: Cathleen Colleran, DNP

Practice Mentor: Lynn Van Vactor, RN CPHQ

Content Expert: Marianne Murray, DNP

Date of Submission: April 19, 2022

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Rural nurses practice in challenging environments that include remote villages and towns. They are faced with providing emergency care to patients without the resources that are available at larger tertiary hospitals. Low volume and high-risk scenarios challenge the nurse's ability to maintain competencies and respond to emergent patient needs. Identifying the most critical competencies …

Implementation Of Telehealth Clinical Nurse Leader Interventions To Reduce Rehospitalizations In Rural Home Health Patients, Briana White

DNP Scholarly Projects

Reimbursement for home-based care is moving towards a value-based purchasing (VBP) model. This change brings a renewed sense of urgency to focus efforts in care delivery to sustain positive outcomes such as reducing rehospitalizations. The Clinical Nurse Leader role has been instrumental in hospital settings in improving patient outcomes, and evidence points toward the potential success of implementation of this role in the rural microsystem setting. This quality improvement project implemented a remote telehealth intervention led by Clinical Nurse Leaders, to decrease rehospitalizations of Medicare patients assessed as at-risk for 30-day rehospitalization. The DMAIC QI model was used to ensure …

Workplace Violence Prevention For Nurses And Healthcare Workers In The State Of Maine A Health Policy Initiative, Gretchen Forsley

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Background: Health care workplace violence is a pervasive and persistent problem, underreported, and when reported it is tolerated, excused, or ignored. Prior to the pandemic, the “normal” demands of a stressful workplace for a resilient nurse might include short staffing, a lack of resources, violence, bullying, and disruptive behaviors from patients or families. Since the pandemic, the rates of increasing healthcare violence can be attributed to several factors such as delays in care and services, reducing admissions and procedures, consistent understaffing, a lack of adequate mental health services, increased violence against women, limited or no visitor policies, low-security coverage, …

Increasing Awareness Of Personal Harm Reduction Interventions In The Clinical Setting: A Quality Improvement Project, Shawn Theberge

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

The ever-rising concern for safety in the healthcare setting has become increasingly prevalent and levels of hostility and violence more publicly visible. Over the last decade both patients and clinicians have been targeted in healthcare facilities at record levels. These incidents have created an environment of not only risk but increased anxiety and feelings of uncertainty for most clinical personnel. The study will initially measure clinician’s viewpoint of the clinical setting that they work in; and over the span of the project, track and evaluate the effects of the interventions on clinicians’ overall feelings and perceptions. The expected outcome …

Implementing A Health-Related Quality Of Life Assessment Tool In An Outpatient Hematology/Oncology Clinic: A Pilot Quality Improvement Project, Jennifer Holl

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Although overall and disease-free survival remain the goals of cancer care, health-related quality of life (HRQOL) during and after treatment is increasingly acknowledged as vital to the patient’s outcomes. The purpose of this project was to identify and implement a valid, reliable HRQOL assessment tool into daily clinical practice in an outpatient hematology/oncology clinic at a 25-bed critical access hospital in rural New Hampshire.

METHODS: This project used a methodological design. Descriptive and inferential statistics, plus qualitative analysis were used to determine results. Three nurses and seven patients participated in this quality improvement project.

INTERVENTIONS: The interventions …

Implementation Of Oncology Standardized Scheduling Bundle Impacting Staff Productivity And Patient Satisfaction, Carolyn Brausch

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Patients having timelyaccess to healthcare services is the entryway to quality of care and patient safety. Timely access is essential in cancer treatment and often requires complex scheduling requiring multiple, highly coordinated, time sensitive appointments. To facilitate optimal clinical care, timely appointment scheduling must be patient-centered. With the heavy scheduling workload growing at the the Cancer Network at Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin and recognition of timely scheduling as a quality indicator, the need to examine the workflow and improve the process became apparent.

METHODS: The goal of the quality improvement project was to provide patients with …