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The Relationship Between “Speak Up” Culture Level, Team Effectiveness, And Organizational Performance Among Clinical Laboratory Professionals, Emmanuel Udasco Jan 2023

The Relationship Between “Speak Up” Culture Level, Team Effectiveness, And Organizational Performance Among Clinical Laboratory Professionals, Emmanuel Udasco

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The clinical laboratory plays a crucial role in aiding physicians to diagnose disease. With numerous studies on “Speak Up” culture well-documented among providers and nurses surrounding patient safety, gaps in literature exist concerning “Speak Up” culture that address team effectiveness and organizational performance within the clinical lab setting. The purpose of this quantitative correlation study was to investigate the relationship between “Speak Up” culture level, team effectiveness, and organizational performance among health care workers employed in the clinical lab. The high-performance work practices model was utilized as the conceptual framework to ground this study. Research questions assessed the link between …


Promoting Healthier Treatment Outcomes In Obese Cancer Patients Taking High Dose Methotrexate, Carly Dell'ova Jan 2023

Promoting Healthier Treatment Outcomes In Obese Cancer Patients Taking High Dose Methotrexate, Carly Dell'ova

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cancer and obesity rates continue to rise, creating enormous public heath burdens to the individual and at the national and global levels, reducing quality of life, and increasing spending. Moreover, the relationships between cancer and obesity are not well understood. A commonly used chemotherapy for several types of cancer is high dose methotrexate (HDMTX). Along with chemotherapy, especially at high doses, comes toxicity to specific organs and the entire body. However, limited research has been conducted on obese cancer patients as they are often excluded from clinical studies. Practitioners need to better understand how to dose these patients to provide …


Oncology Nurses, Compassion Fatigue And General Health: A Mixed-Methods Study, Michelle Rampersad Jan 2023

Oncology Nurses, Compassion Fatigue And General Health: A Mixed-Methods Study, Michelle Rampersad

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current literature on compassion fatigue is expansive, but there is a lack on the relationship between compassion fatigue and general health complaints in oncology nurses; how they perceive compassion fatigue and its relation to their general health. Using Pender’s health promotion model, this mixed methods study addressed how oncology nurses perceive compassion fatigue and whether a correlation exists between compassion fatigue and general health complaints. Data were collected from a sample of 55 oncology nurses through two separate Survey Monkey links. All 55 participants completed quantitative data points including a demographic questionnaire, the Professional Quality of Life 5 tool, and …


Factors Impacting College Students’ Receipt Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination, Joy Yvette Payne Jan 2023

Factors Impacting College Students’ Receipt Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination, Joy Yvette Payne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Less than half of U. S. students entering college have had a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, placing them at risk for HPV-related cancers. This study’s purpose was to identify predictors of HPV vaccination initiation in college students. Andersen’s behavioral model of health services use was used to examine the differences in predisposing, enabling, and need factors in U.S. college students ages 18–26 years who received an initial HPV vaccination in college compared to those who never received an HPV vaccination. The study was a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design using multivariable logistic regression for data analyses. Data were collected through an …


Oncology Nurses, Compassion Fatigue And General Health: A Mixed-Methods Study, Michelle Rampersad Jan 2023

Oncology Nurses, Compassion Fatigue And General Health: A Mixed-Methods Study, Michelle Rampersad

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Current literature on compassion fatigue is expansive, but there is a lack on the relationship between compassion fatigue and general health complaints in oncology nurses; how they perceive compassion fatigue and its relation to their general health. Using Pender’s health promotion model, this mixed methods study addressed how oncology nurses perceive compassion fatigue and whether a correlation exists between compassion fatigue and general health complaints. Data were collected from a sample of 55 oncology nurses through two separate Survey Monkey links. All 55 participants completed quantitative data points including a demographic questionnaire, the Professional Quality of Life 5 tool, and …


Factors Impacting College Students’ Receipt Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination, Joy Yvette Payne Jan 2023

Factors Impacting College Students’ Receipt Of Human Papillomavirus Vaccination, Joy Yvette Payne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Less than half of U. S. students entering college have had a human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination, placing them at risk for HPV-related cancers. This study’s purpose was to identify predictors of HPV vaccination initiation in college students. Andersen’s behavioral model of health services use was used to examine the differences in predisposing, enabling, and need factors in U.S. college students ages 18–26 years who received an initial HPV vaccination in college compared to those who never received an HPV vaccination. The study was a quantitative, cross-sectional survey design using multivariable logistic regression for data analyses. Data were collected through an …


Survival Rates And Clinical Trial Participation Among Rural Cancer Patients, Tatiana Kurilo Jan 2023

Survival Rates And Clinical Trial Participation Among Rural Cancer Patients, Tatiana Kurilo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The literature indicates that cancer patients in rural areas lack adequate access to clinical trials and may experience more harmful consequences than patients residing in urban areas. The purpose of the study was to compare cancer survival rates among patients living in rural and urban counties in a southeastern U.S. state with breast cancer and lung cancer. Analysis was conducted using secondary data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program tumor registry, Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) tumor registry, and CCC OnCore Subject Accrual Data. A series of independent samples t-tests and factorial ANOVA were conducted …


Educating Oncology Nurses On Identifying And Managing Cancer-Related Distress, Rosemary Vivella Irish Jan 2023

Educating Oncology Nurses On Identifying And Managing Cancer-Related Distress, Rosemary Vivella Irish

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractUp to 50% of patients diagnosed with cancer will experience significant levels of distress. Cancer is related to psychological distress and can negatively impact recovery from surgery, increase treatment side effects, and decrease overall quality of life. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommended screening for distress as part of comprehensive cancer care. In the practice setting, there was a need for better assessment of distress in cancer patients. The purpose of this staff education project was to address a gap in practice regarding the lack of knowledge of screening for distress by providing education to oncology nurses on how to …


Educating Oncology Nurses On Identifying And Managing Cancer-Related Distress, Rosemary Vivella Irish Jan 2023

Educating Oncology Nurses On Identifying And Managing Cancer-Related Distress, Rosemary Vivella Irish

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractUp to 50% of patients diagnosed with cancer will experience significant levels of distress. Cancer is related to psychological distress and can negatively impact recovery from surgery, increase treatment side effects, and decrease overall quality of life. The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommended screening for distress as part of comprehensive cancer care. In the practice setting, there was a need for better assessment of distress in cancer patients. The purpose of this staff education project was to address a gap in practice regarding the lack of knowledge of screening for distress by providing education to oncology nurses on how to …


Perioperative Nurses' Perceptions And Barriers To Implementing The Colorectal Surgery Care Bundle, Kaydian Kerry-Ann Grant Jan 2023

Perioperative Nurses' Perceptions And Barriers To Implementing The Colorectal Surgery Care Bundle, Kaydian Kerry-Ann Grant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDespite evidence that surgical care bundle usage prevents surgical site infections (SSIs) in colorectal surgeries, there is a consistent increase in SSIs. Perioperative nurses are in a unique position to provide insight into the process for colorectal surgical care bundle usage, yet little is known about how perioperative nurses view the process. The perioperative patient focused model was used in this qualitative interpretative phenomenological study to examine the perceptions of perioperative nurses regarding the use of colorectal surgery care bundle and its role in preventing SSIs in patients undergoing colon and rectal surgeries. Sixteen perioperative nurses who were members of …


Survival Rates And Clinical Trial Participation Among Rural Cancer Patients, Tatiana Kurilo Jan 2023

Survival Rates And Clinical Trial Participation Among Rural Cancer Patients, Tatiana Kurilo

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The literature indicates that cancer patients in rural areas lack adequate access to clinical trials and may experience more harmful consequences than patients residing in urban areas. The purpose of the study was to compare cancer survival rates among patients living in rural and urban counties in a southeastern U.S. state with breast cancer and lung cancer. Analysis was conducted using secondary data from the National Cancer Institute’s Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program tumor registry, Comprehensive Cancer Center (CCC) tumor registry, and CCC OnCore Subject Accrual Data. A series of independent samples t-tests and factorial ANOVA were conducted …


A Nursing Staff Education Module On Survivorship Care Plans In Primary Care, Janette Francis Jan 2023

A Nursing Staff Education Module On Survivorship Care Plans In Primary Care, Janette Francis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Survivorship care plans (SCPs) bridge the gap in the transition of care from oncology to primary care providers (PCPs) for breast cancer survivors. Despite strong recommendations for SCPs, their use remains limited. Guided by Knowles’ adult learning theory, the project focused on, first, determining whether a predeveloped staff education activity was valid using the Lynn model criteria for validation. Second, if in a rural clinic where SCP were not consistently used providers, nurses, and staff knowledge regarding the importance of SCP would increase following an educational program. An expert panel of 5 educational experts validated the educational module for appropriateness …


A Nursing Staff Education Module On Survivorship Care Plans In Primary Care, Janette Francis Jan 2023

A Nursing Staff Education Module On Survivorship Care Plans In Primary Care, Janette Francis

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Survivorship care plans (SCPs) bridge the gap in the transition of care from oncology to primary care providers (PCPs) for breast cancer survivors. Despite strong recommendations for SCPs, their use remains limited. Guided by Knowles’ adult learning theory, the project focused on, first, determining whether a predeveloped staff education activity was valid using the Lynn model criteria for validation. Second, if in a rural clinic where SCP were not consistently used providers, nurses, and staff knowledge regarding the importance of SCP would increase following an educational program. An expert panel of 5 educational experts validated the educational module for appropriateness …


The Relationship Between First Case On-Time Starts, Turnover Times, And Operating Room Productivity, Rhafia Bucoy Jan 2022

The Relationship Between First Case On-Time Starts, Turnover Times, And Operating Room Productivity, Rhafia Bucoy

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Operating room (OR) managers struggle to manage day-to-day surgical operations while meeting and exceeding organizational productivity amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The deferral of surgeries contributes to millions of backlogs of surgical case volume and unintended negative consequences. Grounded in the proposition that first-case on-time starts (FCOTS) and turnover time (TOT) are correlates of OR productivity, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between FCOTS, TOT, and OR productivity. Archival data from 136 electronic surgical records were collected from two free-standing ambulatory surgery centers and analyzed using multiple regression. The results of the one-service, eye-specialized, ambulatory …


Strategies For Improving Customer Retention For Medical Imaging Devices, Guillermo Sander Jan 2022

Strategies For Improving Customer Retention For Medical Imaging Devices, Guillermo Sander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some sales managers of medical imaging devices lack strategies to improve long-term customer retention. Increasing retention can save these sales managers up to 50% of their customer acquisition costs. Grounded in the service profit chain theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies sales managers of medical imaging devices use to improve long-term customer retention. The participants comprised seven sales managers of medical imaging devices from three companies who successfully achieved long-term customer retention. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and public documents. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. Three themes emerged: value-added …


Factors Influencing Nurses’ Willingness To Recommend Reiki For Their Oncology Patients’ Pain, Amy Nezzer Jan 2022

Factors Influencing Nurses’ Willingness To Recommend Reiki For Their Oncology Patients’ Pain, Amy Nezzer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospitalized, adult, oncology patients experience intractable pain that does not always respond to pharmacological therapies. Reiki is a complementary and alternative method used to reduce pain and increase the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments, but nurses may not possess knowledge about Reiki or have the self-efficacy to educate patients about Reiki. The purpose of this study, guided by Bandura’s social cognitive theory, was to identify the relationship between nurses’ knowledge, level of self-efficacy in educating their patients, beliefs about Reiki’s effectiveness, years practicing as a nurse, and willingness to recommend Reiki for their oncology patients’ pain. The Knowledge of Nurses’ Questionnaire …


Lived Experiences Of Support Among Parents Of Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Laxmi Seth Jan 2022

Lived Experiences Of Support Among Parents Of Children With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Laxmi Seth

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractReceiving a cancer diagnosis for one’s child is a traumatic experience for any parent. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most prevalent form of leukemia in children. Treatment-related issues can negatively affect quality of life and cause long-term emotional, social, and financial stress for the parents. The world faced the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. While professional support was available for the parents caring for their children undergoing ALL treatment during the pandemic, how these parents experienced support, including through social media, was unknown. Investigating parents’ lived experiences of support, including social media support, during COVID-19 pandemic, was the focus of …


Predictors Of Health Literacy Scores In The Adolescent Oncologic Population, Amber N. Jenkins Jan 2022

Predictors Of Health Literacy Scores In The Adolescent Oncologic Population, Amber N. Jenkins

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Recent research showed a relationship between low health literacy in adult oncology patients, poor communication with providers, misconceptions about disease and treatment options, and the inability to adhere to treatment plans. Comparative literature addressing adolescent health literacy contained insufficient evidence of these relationships. The purpose of this exploratory cross-sectional quantitative study, based on the health literacy skills framework, was to assess the health literacy of adolescents treated in the oncology department at an academic children’s hospital in Missouri to determine whether there was a significant relationship between individual health literacy scores of this population based on age, sex, number of …


Disparities In The Use Of Radiation Therapy For Postlumpectomy Breast Cancer, Deborah Rothley Jan 2021

Disparities In The Use Of Radiation Therapy For Postlumpectomy Breast Cancer, Deborah Rothley

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Early-stage breast cancer can be highly curable when properly treated using national standards of care. However, disparities in treatment, including radiation therapy after lumpectomy, may result in disproportional mortality rates in African American women. The purpose of this study was to add to the body of research to help determine the reasons for an underutilization of radiation therapy among African American women and whether the disparity has continued by analyzing recent patient data. Anderson’s behavioral model was used to frame the study and help determine the associations between the predisposing and enabling independent variables of race, age, health insurance status, …


Women’S Perception Of Preeclampsia And Antenatal Care Attendance In Northwestern Nigeria, Aisha Nana Adamu Jan 2021

Women’S Perception Of Preeclampsia And Antenatal Care Attendance In Northwestern Nigeria, Aisha Nana Adamu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Researchers have demonstrated a significant relationship between antenatal care (ANC) attendance and pregnant women’s sociodemographic characteristics. What has not been clearly studied is the relationship between ANC attendance and pregnant women’s perceptions about conditions such as preeclampsia (PE) that could affect their pregnancies. ANC could facilitate the timely management of these conditions, ultimately improving the outcomes for PE affected women. In this study the relationship between pregnant women’s perceptions about PE and their ANC attendance was examined. Guided by the health belief model (HBM), the research questions were used to explore the associations between four HBM constructs (perceived susceptibility, severity, …


Chronic Pain, Malingering, And The Word Memory Test, Dawn Marie Emmett Bishop Jan 2021

Chronic Pain, Malingering, And The Word Memory Test, Dawn Marie Emmett Bishop

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractThe importance of using scientifically grounded strategies to detect malingering has been established in the literature and past research. Many reliable tools have been established for the detection of malingered neurocognition; however, research on how pain may affect these tools is sparse. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of pain on cognitive symptom validity testing and to establish the validity of the Word Memory Test (WMT), a cognitive symptom validity test with good sensitivity and specificity, when the test taker is feigning pain (simulating) or remembering pain. The biopsychosocial model and the gate theory of pain …


Prevention And Self-Care Education For Osteoporosis In A Rural Orthopedic Clinic, Jean Sanford Jan 2021

Prevention And Self-Care Education For Osteoporosis In A Rural Orthopedic Clinic, Jean Sanford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Osteoporosis affects 25 million people in the United States causing over 1.5 million fractures every year. The gap in practice at a rural southeast orthopedic clinic was a lack of patient education on prevention and self-care management of osteoporosis and osteopenia. The purpose of the project was to develop a program to educate clinic providers on prevention and self-care management for osteoporosis and osteopenia. The Knowles theory of adult learning framed the project components. A 10-question pretest/posttest assessing knowledge was administered to 10 registered nurse participants. For the presurvey, five participants demonstrated a lack of knowledge of medication administration …


Potential Impacts Of Artificial Intelligence On Spine Imaging Interpretation And Diagnosis, David Howard Durrant Jan 2020

Potential Impacts Of Artificial Intelligence On Spine Imaging Interpretation And Diagnosis, David Howard Durrant

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Spine and related disorders represent one of the most common causes of pain and disability in the United States. Imaging represents an important diagnostic procedure in spine care. Imaging studies contain actionable data and insights undetectable through routine visual analysis. Convergent advances in imaging, artificial intelligence (AI), and radiomic methods has revealed the potential of multiscale in vivo interrogation to improve the assessment and monitoring of pathology. AI offers various types of decision support through the analysis of structured and unstructured data. The primary purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to identify the potential impacts of AI solutions …


Evaluating An Incentive Program To Improve Teamwork And Productivity In The Operating Room, Christopher Bejil Jan 2020

Evaluating An Incentive Program To Improve Teamwork And Productivity In The Operating Room, Christopher Bejil

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The operating room (OR) is a complex system that must run efficiently to remain profitable and of value to its multiple stakeholders who include the patient, surgeon, OR staff member, and hospital administration. The OR at the practice site struggled with teamwork and efficiency in the areas of first-case on-time starts, turnover time, and last-case out times, resulting in a less than favorable impact on the organizational bottom line. The practice-focused question asked if a performance-based incentive bonus program can improve OR efficiency in the department’s three major problem areas. Using Gittell’s relational coordination theory as a framework, the practice …


Evaluating The Effects Of A Total Joint Education Class On Patient Outcomes, Kevin Marshall Jan 2020

Evaluating The Effects Of A Total Joint Education Class On Patient Outcomes, Kevin Marshall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As the population ages and as people live longer, there is a growing demand for total hip and total knee procedures. Possible outcomes for these procedures is a postoperative joint infection (PJI) that can cause long postoperative lengths of stay (LOS) in the hospital. The PJIs can also negatively impact the quality of life for the patient. Using the roadmap of the continuous quality improvement theory, the purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between the independent variables (joint education class participation, body mass index [BMI], A1c, and smoking) and dependent variables (PJI and LOS). To evaluate …


The Impact Of Dietary Intake On Mortality Risk In Colorectal Cancer Survivors, Ellen Chow Jan 2020

The Impact Of Dietary Intake On Mortality Risk In Colorectal Cancer Survivors, Ellen Chow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The colorectal cancer (CRC) survivor population is increasing in the United States. The lack of effective dietary recommendations in recurrence prevention undermines the health-related quality of life of survivors. Grounded in the socioecological model, dietary behavior is a personal-level risk factor that individuals may control. This study investigated the CRC-specific mortality risk as predicted by diet quality, dietary fiber intake, and dietary fat intake in hope of contributing to future dietary recommendations. A secondary analysis using data from 1,166 CRC survivors in the Multiethnic Cohort Study was analyzed via Cox proportional hazard regression models to estimate mortality risk. Results from …


The Influence Of Obstetrician And Gynecologists' Avoidance Behaviors On Maternal Morbidities, Nakisha Rene'e Boulware Jan 2019

The Influence Of Obstetrician And Gynecologists' Avoidance Behaviors On Maternal Morbidities, Nakisha Rene'e Boulware

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prevalence of maternal morbidities continues to increase in U.S. women of lower socioeconomic status and non-Hispanic Black women despite the efforts of health care practitioners to reduce the disparities. Two decades of research has shown that physicians avoid patients based on insurance and socioeconomic status or their malpractice history. Reducing maternal illness and complications is one of the federal government's top 10 maternal health indicators in the Healthy People 2020 initiative. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of malpractice allegations on patients at high-risk for maternal morbidity. Supported by the theoretical foundation of human factor …


Associations Between Income, Acculturation, Country Of Origin, And Type Ii Diabetes Among African Immigrants To Ontario, Canada, Girma Aman Goshe Jan 2019

Associations Between Income, Acculturation, Country Of Origin, And Type Ii Diabetes Among African Immigrants To Ontario, Canada, Girma Aman Goshe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Diabetes has become a longstanding public health challenge around the world. Over the last 3 decades, the number of people with Type II diabetes (T2DM) has grown to an epidemic level in Canada. Prior research indicated African immigrants residing in Ontario, Canada experienced a 2-4 times higher prevalence of T2DM than Canadian-born individuals. The social determinants of health theoretical framework guided this study assessing the relationship of the risk factors with T2DM. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was employed using the 2007-2014 Canadian Community Health Survey data. The random sample included 1,526 African immigrants residing in Ontario, Canada. Descriptive, bivariate, and …


Regulating Medicolegal Death Investigations, Antoinette Vicks Jan 2019

Regulating Medicolegal Death Investigations, Antoinette Vicks

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Medicolegal death investigators (MDIs) are a crucial part of the death investigation process but the profession remains unregulated and lacks a required accreditation or licensing process that many other professions use. Research shows the current medicolegal death investigations system, though a crucial government function, has existing deficits in its functionality that affect service delivery. The current study was based on an educational theory and utilized open ended survey questions. Data from 16 investigators was collected through surveys where relevant information was asked in the context of their situation and questions were specific to the phenomenon being studied. The data was …


Depression Screening For Bariatric Surgical Patients, Cova Teresa Stidham Jan 2019

Depression Screening For Bariatric Surgical Patients, Cova Teresa Stidham

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Obesity in the United States has increased to epidemic numbers over the last decade. Practitioners need to reverse the trend. To address the problem of depression in obesity, a practice guideline from a bariatric clinic for under-served populations was proposed to an expert panel. The Spell Out on First Use (PHQ-9) screening is a valid and reliable self-screening tool to assist the practitioner in determining the level of depression if any. The PHQ-9 has nine questions. No formal screening existed at the bariatric clinic, and the practice guideline (with algorithm and revised workflow) was proposed for use at the clinic. …