Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Relationship Between Allied Health Therapy Leaders In Hospitals And Patient Satisfaction, Dickson Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAlthough allied health professions account for 60% of the health care workforce, funding to support training and leadership in the allied health fields remains nominal. The purpose of this quantitative study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between allied health therapy leaders in hospitals and patient satisfaction. The Donabedian model was used as the theoretical framework, as it made it possible to conceptualize the underlying parts and processes that may contribute to poor quality of care for patients receiving healthcare. A quantitative methodology with a cross-sectional design was used to provide quantifiable information to ascertain whether the results …

Employee Engagement In A Clinical Ambulatory Setting, Paulette Zolicoffer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Low employee engagement can result in adverse business outcomes. Healthcare managers who lack strategies to increase employee engagement risk lower employee productivity and overall profitability. Grounded in organizational support theory, the purpose of this qualitative single case study was to explore strategies healthcare ambulatory managers use to increase employee engagement successfully. The participants were four mobile clinic managers from one organization in the northwest suburban region of Illinois who successfully implemented strategies to increase employee engagement. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and reviewing company documents and reports related to employee engagement. Through thematic analysis, three themes were identified: perceived …

Reducing Hospital Noise Levels Through Nursing Staff Education, Althea Sanders

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractNoise levels can negatively affect a patient’s hospital experience. Increased noise levels in the hospital can trigger sleep disturbance and affect the length of recovery for patients; the increased noise levels can also cause increased anxiety and exhaustion for nursing staff members. Due to a gap in nursing practice related to nurses’ knowledge to safely reduce noise levels, this project addressed if nursing staff education on noise reduction could increase the knowledge among nursing staff members to use specific strategies to reduce noise levels in an intensive care unit (ICU) setting. The purpose of this project was to educate eight …

Patient Perceptions Of Access To Chronic Pain Medications, Lauren Amy Durham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe 2014 Drug Enforcement Administration’s reclassification of hydrocodone combination products caused significant unintentional consequences to patients with chronic pain. Although a few researchers have looked at the problems that resulted immediately following the reclassification, none have as yet repeated their studies, creating a knowledge gap. Additionally, previous researchers have shown that most of the current opioid restricting policies in place today were not created using a strong evidence-based or ethically inclusive approach. The purpose of this study was to assess whether common factors identified as issues impacting care for these patients immediately following the reclassification continue to affect care standards. …

Program Evaluation Of A Hospital Patient Transportation Service, James Dion Washington

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A hospital inpatient transportation process may decrease the time it takes patients to receive care and improve hospital quality and safety outcomes by providing timely and efficient patient handling. Grounded in agency theory, the purpose of this program evaluation was to evaluate the efficacy of the request for transport to measure against hospital objectives. Two specific program goals were to achieve an average 19-minute transport request-to-completion time and a 10-minute response from the time transport request is received when the transporter arrives. Data were collected from a survey, semistructured interviews, focus groups, and archival data analysis. The one sample t-test …

Clinical Practice Patient Education Guideline For Elective Induction Of Labor, Allison Keleske

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2018, the state of Florida had a cesarean section birth rate of 38.3% which was the 3rd highest in the nation with the national average being 31.9%. Elective induction of labor (EIOL) involves the initiation of labor for convenience and not because of medical necessity. EIOL carries risks for the mother and fetus, including an unplanned cesarean section. The problem identified in this project was the lack of informed decision-making by pregnant women related to risks, benefits, and management of EIOL. Using the Informed Decision-Making through Engagement Model, the purpose of the project was to develop an evidence-based clinical …

Parent/Patient Satisfaction And Physician/Nurse Interaction At A Children's Hospital, Veronica L. Givan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Walden University

College of Health Sciences

This is to certify that the doctoral dissertation by

Veronica Laviece Givan

has been found to be complete and satisfactory in all respects,

and that any and all revisions required by

the review committee have been made.

Review Committee

Dr. Diana Naser, Committee Chairperson, Health Services Faculty

Dr. Nicoletta Alexander, Committee Member, Health Services Faculty

Dr. Michael Brunet, University Reviewer, Health Services Faculty

The Office of the Provost

Walden University

2019

Parent/patient satisfaction surveys are important tools used to measure quality of health care provided by physicians, nurses, and hospitals. Research has been conducted …

Patient Views On Social Media Communication With Their Health Care Providers, Brenda Elaine Welch

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Communication between patients and health care providers at hospital discharge is a critical factor that determines whether a patient understands their treatment plan and self-care instructions. Lack of effective health management after hospital discharge can decrease the quality of life for a patient and increase the likelihood of costly hospital readmission. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore factors affecting the receptivity of patients using social media as a platform for post discharge, provider-client communication, and assessment. This was explored using social presence theory. Twenty patients between 45 to 65 years of age, who received care from hospitals …

Strategies To Improve Customer Care Services In Urgent Care Businesses, Marcus Ellis Caster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Healthcare industry owners who have unsatisfactory customer care services may experience a financial risk and create dissatisfied patients. The purpose of this case study was to explore customer care strategies that managers of urgent care businesses used to improve customer care services and patient satisfaction. The target population consisted of 1 urgent care manager from 3 separate urgent care clinics with the highest customer satisfaction ratings in Alabama. The urgent care managers were knowledgeable about effective customer care strategies that improved customer care services and patient satisfaction. Customer loyalty theory with emphases on customer behavior, customer attitude, repeat patronage, and …

Staff Education For Registered Nurses Using The Teach-Back Method, Mary Elizabeth Sizer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This purpose of this quality improvement project was to develop an educational training curriculum designed for staff nurses to use the teach-back method with patients with low health literacy during discharge instructions. Health literacy is associated with the ability to read, comprehend, and make appropriate healthcare decisions; the teach-back method asks patients to restate or explain health information in their own words, aiding retention and literacy. Effective staff education plays a critical role in the education of patients during discharge teaching: Nurses must help to ensure that patients and their families understand healthcare information and apply this information in their …

Use Of Physician Credentialing Standards By U.S. Medical Services Professionals, James Allen Reeder

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Credentialing in hospitals is the first line of defense for improving patient safety and reducing medical errors by verifying a physician's medical knowledge and skills. There is no single set of standards for physician credentialing followed by all hospitals in the United States. Using May's normalization process theory, the purpose of this quantitative study was to survey medical services professionals (MSPs) to determine which physician credentialing standards were being used, the sources being used, and the frequency of standards used. The dependent variables in this study were the 13 ideal credentialing standards developed by the National Association of Medical Staff …

Transformational Leadership As A Means Of Improving Patient Care And Nursing Retention, Carla D. Thomas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Joint Commission (TJC) sets standards to assist healthcare organizations in improving performance. The hospital for which this project was developed did not meet national TJC benchmarks for patient satisfaction and nurse retention. Based on direct observation, discussion with staff, and results of the Multifactorial Leadership Questionnaire given to 39 staff nurses before this project was chosen, evidence suggested that the leadership style of the charge nurses was transactional, which is less effective than transformational leadership (TFL). Framed within the Plan, Do, Study, Act model, the purpose of this quality improvement project was to design an educational curriculum including didactic …

Impact Of Simulation Training On Novice Nurses, Sheila Marjean Moore

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 1999, the Institute of Medicine released its report on building a safer health system. Since then, safety in patient care has become a paramount interest. Given the growing support for increasing patient safety, simulation training has become a common part of novice nurses' orientation program. This simulation training is designed to mimic situations in the acute care setting where novice nurses can practice in a patient safe environment. In this DNP project, a stroke simulation scenario and supporting patient chart was developed as an addition to a novice nurses' orientation program. The National League for Nursing simulation template was …

Development Of A Bedside Shift Report Policy And Guidelines To Assist Nurses With Patient Care, Cynthia Snedecor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2013, the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers System (HCAHPS), a national, independent metric of patient satisfaction, revealed room for improvement at a teaching hospital in the southeastern section of the United States. This project reports the development and validation of a Bedside Shift Report (BSR) policy, practice guidelines, and associated documentation. Several initiatives, models, and theories informed thinking about this project. The work of Kurt Lewin and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's joint initiative, Transforming Care at the Bedside, both guided the project in terms of the process of institutional change. SBAR (Situation Background …