Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Sources And Effects Of Occupational Stress On Recent Graduate Nurses, Athena Pham, Mirabella Mercado

Honors Theses

This paper will examine the underlying stressors and consequences of occupational stress on recent graduate registered nurses and how they cope with it. By exploring the various factors, early interventions and strategies can be implemented to help reduce cases of compassion fatigue, occupational mental illness, and early retirement that is associated with cumulative stress. Stress is not just an occupational hazard, but a significant health problem as well. A nurse’s role is associated with physical labor, long work hours, sleep deprivation, and exposure to work-related violence or threats. Thus, the main purpose of this study is to investigate the relation …

Electronic Cigarettes: Addiction And Physiological Effects Within Adolescents And Young Adults, Matthew Pastrana

Honors Theses

In recent years, different organizations such as the American Cancer Society (ACS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the World Health Organization (WHO) have released statements and plans regarding the use of, and possible health risks of electronic cigarettes, also known as e-cigarettes, mods, vape pens, etc. Data released by the National Institute on Drug Abuse stated that teenagers in grades 8-12 are smoking e-cigarettes but have not smoked cigarettes before. In addition, 66% of those teenagers reported that the liquid they are smoking are “just flavoring” (NIH 2016).

According to the ACS, although electronic cigarettes are …

Saudade: An Exploration Of The Choreographic Process And The Power Of Dance, Audrey Erickson

Honors Theses

This paper serves as a reflection on my choreographic process as a LINES BFA senior and as an investigation into the innate power of human creative movement. I will document the challenges and joys of producing movement in the dancing arts, as well as illuminate the physical and psychological power of movement harbored within the practice of Dance Movement Therapy, an enduring form of psychotherapeutic movement used to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical well-being. The main goals of my personal choreographic experience, as well as those of my fellow Dance Majors were three-fold: 1) the cultivation of an encouraging …

Safe Injection Facilities, Timothy Kwong

Honors Theses

According to the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “In 2016, a total of 63,632 persons in the United States died from drug overdoses; the age-adjusted rate was 19.8 deaths per 100,000 persons.” There have been countless programs with the sole purpose of reducing the amount of drug related deaths. Some with positive outcomes and others with negative outcomes. Since there is no feasible method of eradicating the problem as a whole, the next logical thing to do would to be creating effect prevention programs.

Safe Injection Facilities (SIFs) have been around for over three decades. They are widespread …

Pediatric Pain Management During Intravenous Line Placement: Nursing Perceptions And Interventions, Kate Shaffer

Honors Theses

Children are under assessed and under treated for pain associated with medical procedures, specifically during venipuncture. Recent studies show that procedural pain is preventable and that pain management interventions are underutilized. Failure to provide adequate pain relief can mentally and physically hurt children - in addition to inducing fear, suffering and lack of trust, exposures to pain can alter the central nervous system and increase a child’s sensitivity to pain. Pediatric nurses are responsible for assessing and managing pain before, during and after a procedure. Therefore, this review of literature and pilot study examines how registered nurses practicing in the …

Fighting Fatigue With Caffeine: Exploring Perceptions On Patient Safety, Camille Quitangon

Honors Theses

Objective: To examine the association between fatigue and caffeine consumption, and explore nurses’ perceptions of the impact of these factors on patient safety.

Background: Many people consume caffeine for its benefits, such as stimulating the central nervous system to feel more awake. Health professionals, such as nurses, commonly experience fatigue and often will drink coffee to get through their long shifts.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted. Studies were split into two categories – fatigue and patient safety or caffeine's effect on human performance.

Results: Fatigue causes nurses to be impaired; it affects their ability to be alert, vigilant, …

Do People Who Are More Aggressive Sustain More Injuries Than Their Less Aggressive Counterparts: A Study Of Participants Of Medieval Combat Games In The United States?, Christopher Sanchez

Honors Theses

Today people are being encouraged to be more active for the sake of their health, but in becoming more active people are getting more sports related injuries. There are many risk factors that may increase the likelihood of a sports related injury. Aggression in particular may be contributing factor to a higher likelihood of injury. The goal of this study is to look at the relationship between aggressive personalities and injury occurrence.

Nurses’ Perception Of The Relationship Between Socioeconomic Status, Incidence Rates And Complications Of A Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis In The Adult Population, Malia Mcdowell

Honors Theses

The objective of this paper was to review the literature that reflects studies conducted on lower socioeconomic patients at risk for diabetes. These studies targeted the prevalence, medication adherence, chronic complications, and socioeconomic levels and the risk of incidence. The concluding evidence supports the research studies regarding diabetes and socioeconomic levels in that an adults’ socioeconomic level has a direct negative relationship between level of finance and the overall life time risk of a new diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes and its complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy and poor clinical outcomes. Furthermore, economic status also has a direct negative correlation …

Psychological And Physiological Ramifications Of Inadequate Pain Management For The Pediatric Population: Influences Of Professional Nursing Preparation, Genica-Jade Ocampo

Honors Theses

Pain management in the pediatric population is an intricate process and many existing factors contribute to inadequate pediatric pain management. Research suggests that the preparation for the nursing profession remains unsatisfactory in managing pain experiences for pediatric patients. Nurses are essential in assessing and relieving pain in pediatric patients. It is imperative to research what determinants of professional nursing preparation influence effective pain management for the pediatric population. Additionally, how nurses describe their educational or professional development of effective pain management including the psychological and physiological aspect of undermanaged pain need to be addressed. This study is being conducted through …

Linking Key Factors Of Quality Dementia Care: Knowledge And Self-Efficacy, Sophie E. Miller

Honors Theses

Dementia-related changes in cognition, memory, and personality can have wide-ranging impacts on individuals, families, and healthcare systems (Plassman et al., 2007); including caregiver burnout, disruption of family life, and costly care requirements (Graneheim, Johansson, & Lindgren, 2014). Dementia has become a global issue; 46 million people worldwide have dementia and $600 billion are spent on dementia-related care every year (Farina al., 2016). Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) generally assume the majority of day-to-day care and are a vital component of providing quality, person-centered services to patients with dementia in residential care (Burke & Orlowski, 2015). The purpose of this study was …

Reported Interventions For Reducing Anxiety And Distress In Adult Oncology Patients Throughout Their Cancer Experience: A Review Of The Literature And An Analysis Of Adults In Remission, Katie Gomez

Honors Theses

Background: The purpose of this paper is to identify present methods at relieving anxiety and distress in adult oncology patients. According to the American Cancer Association (2016), 1.7 million American will be diagnosed with cancer in 2016, and therefore, it is important for nurses to be competent caregivers to this growing patient population.

Literature Review: A comprehensive review of current literature showed that consistent, competent caregivers, honest communication from the medical team, back massage, and music therapy were effective at cutting mean anxiety and distress scores by as much as 50 percent. Sixteen peer-reviewed articles from around the world …