Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Infusion Of Teamstepps, Kendra Bonin

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Infusion of TeamSTEPPS studied the transformational change within a surgical department at a military treatment facility. TeamSTEPPS has been implemented in many hospitals to help with team development, communication, and patient safety. Infusion of TeamSTEPPS maintains the integrity of the program and gains additional buy-in from the team members by involving them in the infusion process. The process involved a gap analysis in understanding the team's integrated components of TeamSTEPPS and looked at infusing the unobserved components. The project revealed a significate change in team satisfaction and an increase in operating room utilization rates. Patient safety reporting increased during this …

Educational Program To Improve Care For The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual And Transgender (Lgbt) Patient, Timothy A. Brendle

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

focus of this capstone project is to explore the impact of registered nurses’ bias and lack of knowledge associated with the care of the LGBT patient. A Quasiexperimental design was used to evaluate the cause-and-effect relationship of an educational intervention. This intervention provided LGBT cultural knowledge and provides evidence regarding how homophobia and transphobia among nurses creates and perpetuates disparities among LGBT people. Attitude and knowledge assessment tools were used to collect responses from participant’s pre and post intervention. Using parametric and descriptive statistics, the participants’ data were analyzed. There were no statistically significant differences between the pre and post …

Nursing Staff Optimizing Elder Care, Kathy Chapman

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Older adults, 65 years and older, make up more than 50% of the acute care patient population at a Southwest Michigan critical access hospital. This DNP capstone project was implemented for nursing staff members in a small rural hospital to assist with improving knowledge and perceptions of caring for older adults. Realized outcomes from this educational initiative were not meant to create new information but instead to focus on clinical issues and apply best practice for the purpose of determining evidence based solutions. The project’s design implemented to assess outcomes was a quantitative, descriptive, quasi-experimental, non-randomized approach. The plan included …

Can Empowered Nurses Decrease Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection (Cauti) Rates?, Judith Peters

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Nurses lack knowledge about the use and importance of a nurse-driven urinary catheter removal protocol, an evidence-based tool empowering them to remove urinary catheters that are no longer needed or are inappropriate based on set criteria, without calling a physician. (Health Care Infection Control Practice Advisory Committee (HIPAC), 2009) Despite this autonomy, catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) are one of the leading hospital-acquired infections in many institutions (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015).
A quasi-experimental pre post intervention in a medical-surgical telemetry floor of an acute hospital in North Carolina showed a statistically significant increase in knowledge among …

Impact Of Educational Intervention On Nurses’ Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy, Sarah Washburn

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Executive Summary
Nurses “play a vital role in preparing, educating, encouraging, and supporting women to breastfeed and are instrumental in facilitating initiation and continuation of breastfeeding” (AWHONN, 2015, p. 146). However, most nurses are not adequately prepared in their education to assist mothers with breastfeeding (USBC, 2010; USHHS, 2011). For this reason, an evidencebased practice (EBP) project in which an educational intervention (breastfeeding class) was completed. A pre-test/post-test format assessed the effect of a one hour breastfeeding class on nurses’ self-efficacy with breastfeeding. The purpose of the project was to increase breastfeeding self-efficacy and knowledge in nurses at VVMC and …

Improving Communication And Collaboration Between Disciplines: Utilization Of Adaily Goals Sheet During Daily Multidisciplinary Rounds In The Critical Care Setting, Kelly E. Diehl

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Communication problems have been cited as the “top safety incident” causing patient harm in intensive care units (Halm, 2008). Many concerns related to interdisciplinary communication and collaboration were found in a small, satellite critical care unit of a major teaching facility. This led to missed patient care goals and opportunities for improved patient outcomes, as well as increased length of stay. The researcher used a convenience sample of 40 nurses and advanced care providers and a mixed methods quasi-experimental pre/post survey design to explore whether multidisciplinary rounds utilizing a rounding tool would improve communication and collaboration between advanced care providers …

Online Journal Club To Improve Perception Of Interprofessional Collaboration, Russelyn Connor

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Problem

Rural community mental health centers (CMHC) can be spread across many counties with various locations and programs. Physical isolation and professional diversity often create a perception among staff of poor interprofessional collaboration (IPC). A strong need exists in such settings to use up-to-date internet technology to manage collaboration, as mandated by the Institute of Medicine and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

The Capstone practice question is to discover if, for staff from all sites of a mental health center who volunteer to participate, does the creation of an online asynchronous monthly journal club lead to improvement of …

Using An Educational Intervention To Address Nurse-Patient Communication At The Bedside: A Qualitative Study, Rebecca L. Tolino

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

It has been shown that simply instituting bedside report does not necessarily improve nurse-patient communication. Nurses need to be educated on standardized methods of giving report. Having a common predictable structure such as SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation) for giving bedside report influences the patient’s perception of communication with the nurse. The researched question was “In nurses working on a medical surgical unit in an acute care hospital does the implementation of an information and role-play workshop using SBAR affect perception of nurse-patient communication in bedside report.” The purpose of the project was to determine nurses’ perceptions of nurse-patient …

Np Students' Perceptions Of Weight Loss Treatment Using Cam, Terri Miller

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Americans use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities to treat and prevent disease and to enhance quality of life. Nurse practitioners (NPs) are in a unique position to use CAM in patient care and educate patients about potential benefits and risks. NPs need more information to effectively use CAM as treatment for weight loss. To address this need an educational intervention was developed. A qualitative key informant study was conducted to determine NP students’ perceptions of using CAM following an education intervention on CAM. A purposive sample of NP students from a university pharmacology class was study participants. The nurse …

Exploring The Influence Of Bc-Adm Certification On Advanced Practice Nurses’ Clinical Practice And Knowledge Of Cognitive Dysfunction In Geriatric Diabetes Care, Kimberley J. Krapek

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

To meet the healthcare demands of an aging population one strategy is the use of advanced practice nurses (APN) in primary care (Buerhaus, DesRoches, Dittus, & Donelan, 2015). Diabetes affects 26.9% of people aged 65 and older in the United States. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is often unrecognized in this population (Munshi, Hayes, Iwata, Lee &Weinger, 2012). Information on APN knowledge of this comorbidity or practice characteristics regarding cognitive function assessment is limited. This capstone project sought to increase understanding of APN practice and knowledge of MCI, comparing APNs board certified in advanced diabetes management (BC-ADM) to those without certification. …

Exploration Of Nursing Assistants' Beliefs About Job Satisfaction, Darcie M. Brady

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) make up 66% of the healthcare work force making them the largest group of health-care workers (American Health Care Association Department of Research [American Health Care Assoc.], 2011). A variety of factors contribute to a 36% turnover rate of CNAs nationwide (2015 Staffing Report, 2015). The consequences of turnover are also disruptive to the quality of patient care. According to Stone and Wiener (2001) high rates of turnover and staff vacancies have multi-layered consequences; patient care suffers, cost of constantly replacing workers soars, and worker job dissatisfaction increases. This study examined the CNAs’ beliefs about job …

Postpartum Hemorrhage (Pph) Simulation Project, Carolyn Bottone-Post

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Postpartum Hemorrhage (PPH) is a problem of global significance; accounting for 25 percent of maternal deaths, it is a leading cause of maternal mortality, often occurring in healthy women devoid of significant risk factors. Because of its relative infrequency, student nurses may miss opportunities to practice critical PPH skills while in a supervised learning environment. Simulation offers students an arena to practice low-frequency, high-stakes events like PPH, in an environment where no harm results from missteps. This DNP Capstone Project investigated the effect of simulation on knowledge, confidence, and clinical judgment of 33 third semester traditionally enrolled baccalaureate nursing students. …

Fall Reduction Among Elderly Residents In Skilled Nursing Facility, Obinna U. Ogundu

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Executive Summary

Fall reduction among Elderly residents in skilled nursing facility

Problem

Falls among elderly or older adults is a serious issue in skilled nursing facilities. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012), about 1800 residents living in nursing homes die annually from falls and fall-related injuries. Those who survive sustain injuries that might cause permanent disability. Some of the facilities use bed alarms as a preventive measure. Despite the use of these bed alarms, the fall rates in these skilled facilities still remains high. The problem statement describing this capstone project is: In (P) nursing staff …

A Multiple Sclerosis Education Module To Promote Patient Activation And Efficacy, Anna C. Parton

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Executive Summary
A Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Education Module to Promote Patient Activation and Efficacy
Problem
It is estimated that over 572,000 people in the United States have MS, with approximately 200 new cases being diagnosed each week (National Multiple Sclerosis Society, n.d.). In order to increase self-care, reduce the level of impairment, and ultimately, cost to the healthcare system, the consistent use of a targeted educational intervention should be implemented. The problem statement describing the capstone project was: Will the implementation of a structured educational program enhance the knowledge of MS patients and their caregivers regarding the disease process of …

The Efficacy Of A House Call Provider Service, Lynne M. Jacobson

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Problem: Many individuals who are disabled, homebound from chronic disease or are of advanced age have difficulty seeking medical services from an outpatient medical provider. Unnecessary or preventable hospital readmissions/ER visits from congestive heart failure (CHF) and/or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exacerbations are costly and these individuals would benefit from a house call program. The PICO format is as follows: P) Elderly and adult population with COPD and/or CHF. I) Adult and elderly population with COPD and/or CHF receiving house call visits by a nurse practitioner. C) Adult and elderly population with COPD and/or CHF receiving medical care at …

An Exploration Of Nurses’ Perceptions Of Resuscitation Of Spinal Cord And Traumatic Brain Injured Patients, Lisa Jaye Shelton-Chappell

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

The study explored nurse perceptions of resuscitation of Spinal Cord injured (SCI) and Traumatic Brain injured patients (TBI) with nurses at a specialty rehabilitation hospital. Research shows that cardiac arrests that occur within hospitals but outside of critical care or emergency departments are challenges for first responders who are generally nurses (Ranse & Arbon, 2008; Morrison et al., 2013). SCI and TBI patients are at increased risk for cardiac arrest which can extend into the rehabilitation period (Casha & Christie, 2011). In settings where emergencies are not the norm, additional anxiety and stress are created for these first responders, especially …

The Impact Of Diabetes Education On Nurses’ Knowledge Of In-Patient Diabetes Management, Arletha Coffey

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Research strongly supports the use of an educational intervention to improve nurses’ knowledge of management of patients with diabetes (Abduelkarem & Shareif, 2013; Holmes & Dyer, 2012; Modic et al., 2013; Yacoub et al., 2014; Young, 2011). Nursing leadership in a small rural acute care facility voiced concerns related to ineffective communication among bedside nurses and lack of evidence-based knowledge in regard to prompt recognition, treatment and follow-up of episodic hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic reactions. The researcher used a convenience sample of 65 registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) from the critical care, progressive care, obstetrics, and medical-surgical units …

An Educational Intervention To Increase Advance Directive Completion, Kimberly Harlow

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

In the United States, it is common for patients to receive prolonged, aggressive medical care at the end of life (Levi & Green, 2010). This level of medical care may or may not be in alignment with patients’ wishes. Advance directives developed as a response to this situation. Despite the widespread availability of advance directives and the impetus for health care facilities to discuss advance directives with patients, most Americans do not have a completed advance directive. The average completion rate for advance directives in all populations in the United States is about 25% (Silveira, Witala, & Piette, 2014). This …

An Intervention To Increase Identification And Referral Of Families At High Risk For Child Maltreatment In A Military Community, Tavia M. Wilkinson

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Summary
An Intervention to Increase Identification of Families at High Risk for Child Maltreatment in a Military Community
Problem
According to Gibbs, Martin, Clinton-Sherrod, Walters, and Johnson (2011), child maltreatment in the military community has become a significant issue. Initial interaction and assessment of expectant and post-partum mothers takes place in the labor and delivery and mother-baby units at a hospital in a western state where families at high risk for child maltreatment are initially identified. Current methods of recognizing high risk families include visual assessment of parent-child bonding, family dynamics, and involvement of the father. However, these methods have …

Using An Electronically Delivered And Culturally Based Nutrition Module To Educate Latino Parents, Lia H. Yoon

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Research Question: In the absence of current culturally based nutrition education at a northern California pediatric clinic, will a Latino and technology based nutrition education modality for the delivery of nutrition education to parents of Latino patients ages one year to 18 years old increase their nutrition knowledge? Purpose: To improve outcomes in the parents’ nutrition knowledge in order to improve the patients’ health status and promote future healthy nutrition behaviors. Methods: The project was a quasi-experimental pre-test post-test quantitative design. The primary outcome measures for the project included the difference between the pre-test knowledge survey from the post-education module …

Autonomic Dysreflexia: An Educational Intervention For First Responders To Recognize This Medical Emergency, Jennifer J. Wahl

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Executive Summary
This knowledge enhancement capstone project regarding Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD) was an evidence based practice educational intervention project performed in a variety of emergency health care provider organizations in a large metropolitan Midwestern city.
Problem
Approximately 265,000 persons in the United States are living with a spinal cord injury (SCI). Of this population, 16-24% (The National SCI Statistical Center, 2011), are at risk of developing Autonomic Dysreflexia (AD) a potentially life threatening condition unique to spinal cord injured (SCI) persons.
Purpose
The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to examine the impact of an educational program aimed at …

Evaluation Of Leadership Changes In Adult Primary Care, Dierdre A. Gilliam

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

The goal of this study was to compare the perceptions of support staff in primary care clinics, comparing those perceptions between a clinic with charge nurses versus one with a non-clinical administrative unit manager. Staff participated in an anonymous online survey using the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire Rater 5X (short), which measured the three scales and nine subscales of full range leadership theory. Few studies were found in the literature which focused on full range leadership as developed by Bass & Avolio (1989). The majority of studies within the discipline of nursing focus on Transformational Leadership only, ignoring the characteristics of …

A Quality Improvement Project To Evaluate Auditor Satisfaction With Different Data Collection Methods For Auditing Compliance With Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection (Cauti) Prevention Standards, Andrea S. Balzer

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Executive Summary A Quality Improvement Project to Evaluate Auditor Satisfaction with Different Data Collection Methods for Auditing Compliance with (CAUTI) Prevention Standards Problem Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most common healthcare-associated infection (HAI) in the United States, representing about 40% of all HAIs (Palmer, Lee, Dutta-Linn, Wroe & Hartmann, 2013). Approximately 25% of indwelling urinary catheters are unnecessary and may potentially lead to CAUTIs if not maintained, cleaned, and cared for appropriately (Nazarko, 2012). Literature suggests that preventing CAUTIs is possible by implementing evidence based prevention standards. The PICO research question for CAUTI prevention and prevention standard …

The Intervention Of Active Learning Strategies To Increase Nursing Student Self-Directed Learning, Janelle A. Patterson

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Executive Summary

Problem
Undergraduate nursing students at a Midwestern community college struggled to understand and retain content presented in long lecture format courses. The Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes (PICO) for the program are as follows: P—Nursing students at a Midwestern community college in terms 1, 2, 4, and 5 of the LPN and ADN program; I—Use of guided practice as an active learning teaching strategy in the lab setting to enhance nursing student self-directed learning readiness in terms 1 and 4; C— Nursing students in term 2 and term 5 at a Midwestern community college who did not have …

Implementation Of An Animal Assisted Activity Program Into A Rural Long-Term Care Facility To Increase The Perceived Quality Of Life Of Residents, Vonnie Pattison

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

people who have moved from familiar home surroundings to institutionalized facilities could find that the institutions will put restrictions on their personal belongings, possessions, loved ones, and pets. Loneliness and depression are common in long-term care facilities (Banks & Banks, 2002). Pets as therapy have been used in many institutions through implementation of animal assisted activity (AAA) programs with older persons to provide motivational, recreational, and therapeutic benefits to decrease loneliness and increase perceived quality of life (LeRoux & Kemp, 2009). Historically, animals and humans have been noted as possessing special bonds. The purpose and overarching goal of this doctoral …

Evaluation Of The Impact Of Teamstepps Training On Perceptions Of Teamwork And Resilience In The Intensive Care And Perioperative Units In A Tertiary Care Hospital, Belinda Shaw

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Executive Summary
Evaluation of the Impact of TeamSTEPPS Training on Teamwork and Resilience in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and Perioperative Units in a Tertiary Care Hospital
Problem
The ICU and perioperative areas are stressful work environments. Nurses are a vulnerable population experiencing exposure to workplace stress, verbal and physical aggression, burn-out, moral distress, circadian rhythm disruption and depression. The stressful work environment leads to lower quality of patient care and nursing turnover. Teamwork and collaboration prevents errors and promotes healthy work environments (HWE) (Zaccagnini & White, 2014). To achieve the goals of the Affordable Care Act, it will be …

Evaluating Self-Efficacy Of Health Behaviors In Bariatric Surgery Patients Through Online Support, Shala Swarm

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Obesity has become an epidemic in the United States leading to numerous health related conditions. Bariatric surgeries are recognized as reasonable treatment options for obesity. However, long term success can be limited without adequate support. Rural areas can be especially difficult to find adequate support, often related to access and distance to care. The main purpose of this project was to analyze changes in perceptions of participants’ ability to engage in health promoting behaviors pre-intervention and post intervention. The intervention was a virtual behavioral support program for post bariatric surgery patients. The main objective was to determine if following participation …

Use Of An Evidence-Based Practice Model To Improve The Quality Of The Hospital Discharge Process, Joni Vaughn

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Problem
“Readmission of Medicare patients within 30 days of discharge from the hospital is nearly 1 in 5” (Naylor, 2012). The older adult has become vulnerable to the ever present breakdowns in the healthcare system creating serious gaps in services. Society and social services have not maintained the continual rapid steady growth of services to the older adult to match the increased life span of Americans. As Rennke (2013) reports, “Patients are vulnerable to a wide range of adverse events after discharge, with more than 20% of medical patients sustaining a preventable adverse event within three weeks of discharge” (p.433). …

Prenatal Nutrition Counseling Designed To Reduce The Intake Of Moderate And High Glycemic Index Foods Among Selected Normal, Overweight, And Obese Patients From A Nonprofit Faith-Based Patient Medical Care Home, Debra T. Gogatz

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Executive Summary

Prenatal Nutrition Counseling Designed to Reduce the Intake of Moderate and High Glycemic Index Foods Among Selected Normal, Overweight, and Obese Patients from a Nonprofit Faith-based Patient Medical Care Home

Problem

Minority and economically disadvantaged clients at a faith based nonprofit patient medical care home were identified as needing dietary counseling in the first trimester of pregnancy. There has existed a preponderance of evidence linking excessive weight gain in pregnancy to multiple complications for mother and child with a suggested relationship specific to the inflammatory processed initiated within the human body related to the ingestion of excessive calories …

The Twenty-Four Three Study Plan: Increasing Hispanic And Latino Student Nurse Success, Virginia Montez-Ochoa

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Executive Summary
In Latino nursing students, the implementation of the Twenty-Four-Three Study plan demonstrated at least one letter grade increase in their overall grades within a midterm time frame. As our nation’s Latino populations are exploding, this has given rise to challenges that the profession of nursing faces. Latino populations are experiencing high levels of health care disparities which are compounded by a low national Latino RN representation of 3.9%. This is further compounded by an unusually high Latino student nurse attrition rates which can reach up to 80% by some estimates.

The purpose of this study was to provide …