Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Lived Experience Of Transitioning To A New Graduate Nurse Following A Prelicensure Hospital-Based Externship Experience, Debra Shipman

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Forty years after Kramer's (1974) seminal work, Reality Shock, new graduate nurses continue to have difficulty transitioning to the registered nurse (RN) role. The purpose of this phenomenological study explores the lived experience of new graduate nurses who completed a Veterans Affairs externship program in their senior year of nursing coursework and its perceived impact on their successful transition into the practice role 3-24 months following graduation. Benner's (1984) Novice-to-Expert Model, Karmer's (1974) Reality Shock Theory, and Selder's (1989) Life Transition Theory support a framework for this study. Twelve telephone interviews were conducted using van Manen's (1990) method for researching …

In Vitro Comparison Of Force Decay Between Three Orthodontic Sliding Retraction Methods, Pamela Steiger

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Objective: The purpose of this in vitro study was to determine if there is a difference in force decay between three sliding retraction methods under a standardized force delivery system (200 gm at 25 mm stretch) at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks. Background: In order to achieve proper esthetics, occlusion and stability, orthodontic treatment may require extractions. Elastomeric chains, Nickel Titanium (NiTi) coils, and active ligatures are commonly used to close these extraction spaces. Methods: Twenty samples of each retraction method (elastomeric chains, NiTi Coils and active ligatures) were evaluated under standardized conditions (200 gm at 25 mm). The …

Cephalometric Regional Superimpositions -- Digital Vs. Analog Accuracy And Precision : 3. The Cranial Base, Douglas Shaw

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Objective. To assess the accuracy and precision in measurement of pairwise implant displacement across three methods of cranial base superimposition. Background. Cephalometric superimposition is the principal radiographic method used to evaluate changes within the craniofacial skeleton. Many studies have examined the accuracy of software intended to produce cephalometric superimposition. Such studies have utilized anatomic landmarks, selected by the respective software manufacturers, as registration points for constructing superimpositions and their analysis. As a result, these studies are only as accurate as the stability and validity of anatomic registration landmarks used. To our knowledge, no other study has utilized metallic implants to …

In Vitro Comparison Of Microabrasion, Cpp-Acp, Cpp-Acfp And Combination Therapies On The Remineralization Of White Spot Lesions, Tetyana Parsons

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Objectives: To determine whether treatment of demineralized enamel white spot lesions with CPP-ACP paste, CPP-ACFP paste or microabrasion technique decreases lesion depth in vitro. Additionally, to determine whether treatment of demineralized enamel white spot lesions with microabrasion technique in combination with CPP-ACP paste or CPP-ACFP paste decreases lesion depth greater than any of the three techniques alone. Background: White spot lesions (WSLs) after the removal of orthodontic appliances remain a problem for clinicians and patients. Previous studies suggest that application of casein phosphopeptide amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP) and casein phosphopeptide amorphous calcium fluoride phosphate (CPP-ACFP) may promote enamel remineralization. Recently, …

Effect Of Cad/Cam Processing On Esthetic Characteristics Of Porcelain Veneers, Eduardo Cortes-Contreras

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: Dentistry has changed significantly during the last two decades. Patients are more aware and demanding of the latest technologies available in restorative dentistry. The purpose of this study was to determine any possible changes on the surface roughness, gloss and color change of CAD-CAM milled porcelain veneers following repeated milling times, before and after a glazing process. Methods: A Teflon disk-shaped mold was used as a cast to take a digital impression (BlueCam) in order to fabricate cylindrical-shaped specimens. A total of one hundred (N=100) specimens porcelain veneers using Empress CAD (I10) block, were milled using the CAD/CAM CEREC-SIRONA …

Staff Perception Related To Family Presence During Resuscitation, Stephanie L. Herron

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine the perception of health care professionals (staff nurses) regarding family presence during resuscitation. The sample consisted of 59 nurses of different ages and working in different departments. The Staff Perceptions of Family-Witnessed Resuscitation questionnaire was used to collect data. The relationships between participants' demographic data and perceived attitudes and beliefs were also analyzed. Many of the healthcare professionals felt that it was acceptable to have family members present during resuscitation if the patient makes clear decisions prior to the incident or if the physician makes the decision for the patient. Almost half …

Investigation Of Physician Assistants' Choice Of Rural Or Underserved Practice And Framing Methods Of Recruitment And Retention, Jennifer A. Snyder

Health Sciences Program Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Objective: This dissertation analyzed one state's physician assistant (PA) workforce focusing on recruitment and retention. The goal was to identify factors associated with Indiana PAs working in medically underserved, rural, and primary-care medicine. The study evaluated characteristics of PAs who chose initially to work in rural versus urban areas and who have continued to do so. From the literature and as a result of study outcomes, a framework was developed, upon which recommendations were made for effective methods of increasing and retaining the number of PAs in primary care within rural areas. Subjects: Data were obtained from applications for PA …

Receiver Position And Acceptance Of Noise, Speech Understanding, And Sound Quality Ratings, Anna L. Ford

Doctoral Dissertations

The effect of receiver position in a hearing aid on acceptance of background noise, speech intelligibility, sound quality judgments, and listener preference was measured in adults with normal to mild sloping to moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss. Participants were fit with open-fit behind-the-ear (BTE) and receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aids. After a 3-week trial with each device, acceptance of noise levels, speech understanding in quiet and in noise, and sound quality ratings were conducted. At the conclusion of the study, listener preference between the devices was evaluated. Results revealed that receiver position did not significantly affect acceptance of background noise, …

Inspiring Change: Exercise Self-Efficacy, Dispositional Optimism, And Perceived Stress In College Seniors, Joshua M. Garrin

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Prohealth competencies, positive outcome expectancies, and adaptive stress appraisals have profound implications for the real-world transition of college seniors—a population for which engagement in physical activity reflects a preeminent concern. Prior studies on exercise self-efficacy (ESE), dispositional optimism (DO), perceived stress (PS), and physical activity have yielded inconclusive evidence of the emergent psychosocial challenges encountered during the final year of the college experience. Using a triadic framework of self-efficacy, attribution, and cognitive appraisal theories, this crosssectional, quantitative study was conducted using a web survey to examine (a) the impact of physical activity level on ESE, DO, and PS; (b) the …

Factors Influencing Diabetes Self-Management Of Filipino Americans With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Holistic Approach, Jocelyn B. Sonsona

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is an increasing prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus among Filipino Americans. However, how well Filipino Americans with diabetes self-manage their disease and what factors influence their diabetes self-management behaviors remain unknown. Based on a holistic approach, this quantitative study was designed to investigate the diabetes self-management behaviors of this population and the factors influencing their self-management behaviors. The combined roles of diabetes knowledge, diabetes self-efficacy, spirituality, and social support were examined in predicting diabetes self-care behaviors. A convenience sample of 113 Filipino Americans with Type 2 diabetes mellitus completed the Diabetes Knowledge Test, Self-Efficacy for Diabetes Test, Daily …

Breastfeeding Education: Improving Initiation And Duration Of Breastfeeding, Rhonda Coffey

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this research study was to examine the level of self-efficacy for new mothers attending a formal breastfeeding education compared to those that did not. Participants were asked to complete the Breast Feeding Self-Efficacy Scale - Short Form via telephone. Twenty primigravida mothers who were breastfeeding at the time of discharge agreed to participate. A Pearson correlation coefficient was calculated examining the relationship between the participant's level of self-efficacy and participation in formal breastfeeding. The Pearson correlation coefficient was positive but was not statistically significant ( r (18)= .250, p > .05) indicating no relationship between the participant's self-efficacy …

A Measure Of Perceived Fatigue Among Nurses In Western North Carolina, Karen R. Cochran

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

We are anticipating a heightened shortage of nurses as our aging population retires. A shortage of workers tends to lead to overtime for those still in the work force. Previous research has demonstrated a link between working long hours, fatigue, and decreased performance among nurses. Fatigue has specifically been linked to on the job injuries and poorer patient outcomes. This research study examined perceived fatigue among nurses in western North Carolina. A convenience sample of nurses from five hospitals in western North Carolina was surveyed to measure fatigue, as well as compare differences in reported fatigue across varying demographic groups. …

Simulation Collaboration: Will Screen Capture Change Attitudes?, Jeffrey Carmack

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The ongoing call for interprofessional education with healthcare providers who routinely work together has largely gone unanswered. Parallel to this call, a large number of nursing programs across the United States exist in a stand-alone setting. These programs are unattached to a school of medicine. This creates barriers including a lack of access to physicians and lack of funding to hire medical staff as embedded participants. At the same time, aging nursing faculty, increasing enrollment, and decreasing clinical facility availability create an increased need to use simulation-learning environments to continue to maintain existing capacity in nursing programs. This project used …

Nursing Retention In Critical Care, Jeannine A. Eckman

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of the study was to examine anticipated turnover in critical care nurses and if having previous nursing experience prior to working in critical care affects that turnover. Using the Anticipated Turnover Scale (ATS) by Hinson and Atwood, nurses that had been employed in the critical care areas five years or less were asked to participate. They were asked to complete the ATS and answer the question relating to previous nursing experience. Findings of the study indicated that the nurses with previous nursing experience before working in critical care had a higher ATS score than the nurses with no …

An Assessment Of Nurses' Knowledge And Attitudes Toward End Of Life Care Pain Management, Amy Davis

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This study was completed to help determine if nurses had a true understanding of how to provide pain management to patients in their care who were at the end of their life. A review of literature was completed and it revealed that nurses have a fear of opioid overdose and respiratory depression in their patients when providing proper pain management. It also revealed that patients have a fear of dying in pain at the end of their life especially if they have been diagnosed with a terminal illness. The study also revealed that when patients die in pain it actually …

Patient Education In The Emergency Department, Bryan K. Devinney

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Patient education is a core component to the practice of nursing in many countries, including the United States. Emergency department nurses are often overwhelmed with the number of patients they must care for in short amounts of time. The patients are often in varying stages of evaluation and treatment, and the nurse may be involved in one-on-one interventions with these patients. This can leave little time for patient education, especially if the nurse does not feel like the patient education is meaningful or useful. Various factors can influence the ability and desire of the emergency department nurse to provide proper …

Job Satisfaction And Retention Of Registered Nurses At A Small Rural Hospital In Southeastern United States, Rachael M. Drake

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This research project embarked upon an investigation related to the retention of nurses at a small hospital in the Southeastern United States. The research question that guided this study asked, `what were the factors affecting nurse satisfaction at this health care facility? Many variables were explored as answers sought through surveys and documented reviews emerged. From a sample of 65 (n=65) respondents to a survey it was discovered that salary, vacation, opportunities to work straight days, compensation for working weekends, weekends off, nursing peers, physician the nurse works with, opportunities to interact professionally with other disciplines, recognition of work from …

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 …

Nursing Knowledge And Attitudes Toward Pain Management, Joycelyn A. Craig

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

In many clinical settings, nurses have a vital role in pain assessment and titration of opioid doses. Surveys of nurses have revealed knowledge deficits in these areas that are thought to contribute to under-treatment of pain. The present study surveys nurses' knowledge and attitudes about assessment and treatment of pain and confirms that nurses continue to undertreat pain. As shown in previous studies, nurses may be more influenced by the patient's behavior than the patient's self-report of pain, especially in relation to decisions about opioid administration. Nurses are less likely to manage a previously safe but ineffective dose of opioid …

Influence Of Immediate Dentin Sealing On The Bond Strength Of Indirect Bonded Restorations, Alexander Duque

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: A critical issue and concern that has been documented in dentistry is the complexity of bonding to dentin, a fact that has been referred to as a less reliable technique due to the intrinsic characteristics of the dentin substrate. Effectiveness on dentin bonding is a clinical important approach for indirect bonded restorations in order to achieve a good adhesion that can surpass the test of time. Long-term clinical trials have shown that indirect bonded restorations have an increased risk of failure when using dentin as the major substrate. Consequently, an effort should be made to improve techniques and materials …

Effect Of Resin Cement, Aging Process And Root Level On The Bond Strength Of The Resin-Fiber Posts, Khalid Almulhim

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Background . Little is known about the long-term clinical bonding effectiveness of the Fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) posts cemented with self-etch adhesive systems. Bond stability and longevity of the cemented post are adversely affected by physical and chemical factors over time, such as expansion and contraction stresses caused by thermal changes and occlusal load. This clinical condition can be simulated in vitro by thermocyclic loading; and bonding effectiveness can be evaluated by applying the micropush out test. Therefore, more in vitro studies are needed to evaluate the bond strength of the fiber posts cemented with different resin cement systems after simulating …

Evaluation Of The Effect Of Enamel Deproteinization On Shear Bond Strength Of Orthodontic Adhesives And Resulting White Spot Lesion Formation, Kelly Chioffe

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

A thesis submitted to the College of Dental Medicine of Nova Southeastern University of the degree of Master of Science in Dentistry.

Objective: The objectives of this study were 1) to evaluate the effect of enamel deproteinization on the shear bond strength(SBS) of orthodontic brackets bonded with a resin modified glass-ionomer (RMGI) adhesive and a composite resin, 2) to determine the mode of bond failure according to the adhesive remnant index (ARI) and 3) to evaluate the effect of these adhesives in the prevention of white spot lesions (WSLs). Background: WSLs are a concern for orthodontic patients. RMGI orthodontic adhesives …

Bmp2 Induced Osteogenic Differentiation Of Human Umbilical Cord Stem Cells In A Peptide-Based Hydrogel Scaffold, Shruthi Lakshmana

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Craniofacial tissue loss due to traumatic injuries and congenital defects is a major clinical problem around the world. Cleft palate is the second most common congenital malformation in the United States occurring with an incidence of 1 in 700. Some of the problems associated with this defect are feeding difficulties, speech abnormalities and dentofacial anomalies. Current treatment protocol offers repeated surgeries with extended healing time. Our long-term goal is to regenerate bone in the palatal region using tissue-engineering approaches. Bone tissue engineering utilizes osteogenic cells, osteoconductive scaffolds and osteoinductive signals. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from human umbilical cord (HUMSCs) are …

Cephalometric Regional Superimpositions -- Digital Vs. Analog Accuracy And Precision : 1. The Maxilla, Glenn Krieger

Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to measure the displacement of defined dental structures, as a result of superimposition of cephalometric images across paired time-points by both digital and analog methods. The magnitudes of such displacements across three methods of superimposition were compared to each other and to a reference method constructed by registering superimposed cephalometric images on tantalum markers implanted in the study participants' maxillae. The defined dental structures were: 1) First molar mesial contact point; 2) First molar apical root bisection; 3) Central incisor root apex; 4) Central incisor crown incisal edge. Methods: Lateral cephalograms of 22 …