Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Identification Of Genetic Disorders Based On Phenotype And Subsequent Medical Management, Sara J. Strandlund, Jotishna Sharma, Bonnie R. Sullivan, Ashley K. Sherman, Laura A. Cross

Research Days

Many genetic disorders in the neonatal period contribute to significant morbidity and mortality. This study evaluates the indications for genetic testing based on phenotype and compares these with the diagnostic yield of symptom driven exome sequencing and chromosome microarray in the NICU. Overall, this study highlights that while there are diagnostic limitations to exome sequencing, genetic testing remains an important adjunct to clinical care.

Nrp, Pals, And Their Utilization During Code Events In A Pediatric Quaternary Hospital: A 'Compressed' Analysis, Mitch Kinkor, Deepa Kumar, Allison Taber, Stephen Pfeiffer, Jessica Brunkhorst, Danielle Reed

Research Days

Both the Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) algorithms are utilized for resuscitation during pediatric codes. The optimal time period to transition from NRP to PALS is not well studied. This study describes the utilization of chest compressions, prescribed medications, and patient outcomes during and after code events organized by the algorithm used to direct resuscitation (PALS or NRP) in a similarly aged patient population.

Health Disparities In Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis (Scfe) Presentation, Rithika Ginjupalli, George Thomas, Rohit Siddabattula, Richard M. Schwend, Caleb Grote

Research Days

This study identifies various health disparities in SCFE presentations using neighborhood-level determinants COI and ICE in addition to sociodemographic determinants such as race and gender.

Conservative Management Of Medial Femoral Condyle Osteochondritis Dissecans In The Pediatric Knee, Kennedy J. Morey, Brian Harvey, Kennison Adams, El Domingo-Johnson, Angie Vanderpool, Natalie Stork, Donna Pacicca, Brian Lee, Kevin Latz

Research Days

This study investigates the effectiveness of various non-operative treatments for osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions in the medial femoral condyle (MFC) of the knee, a condition commonly affecting pediatric populations. Our project aims to evaluate outcomes such as symptom resolution, return to activity, and the potential for avoiding surgical intervention among patients undergoing different methods of conservative management. Through a retrospective analysis of patients, the study identifies trends in the effectiveness of different conservative treatment methods.

Oscillometry In Term Neonates Without Respiratory Disease, Anna Nelson, Cheri Gauldin, Brooke Smith, Venkatesh Sampath, Winston Manimtim

Research Days

This feasibility study aims to determine normative values of oscillometry for neonates without respiratory disease.

Increasing The Rate Of Infants Rooming In With Their Mothers With Low-Acuity Congenital Heart Disease, Anna Nelson, Amy Marks, Ekta Patel

Research Days

This quality improvement study aimed to increase the number of infants with low-acuity congenital heart disease that could room-in with their mothers in a high-risk delivery center.

Automate Isolation Infection-Prevention Precautions (Aid-Ip): Improving The Efficiency Of Hospital Isolation With Viral Respiratory Infections, Timothy Burchard, Michael Platt, La'sonya Buford

Research Days

The AID-IP project is a QI study working to improve the process of isolation and de-isolation regarding respiratory viruses at Children's Mercy Hospital. Specifically, we aim to improve adherence to proper isolation precautions, minimize cognitive workload regarding the maintenance of isolation for staff, and improve family satisfaction with isolation practice.

Pediatric Readiness In The Ambulatory Care Setting, Mary Haywood, Chris Kennedy, Robert D. Schremmer Md, Emily Cramer, Kevin Meilak Md

Research Days

Background: Emergent presentations are a relatively uncommon occurrence in the ambulatory care setting. However, when they do occur, they can be life threatening. Given their uncommon occurrence, many clinicians believe that emergencies do not present or do not occur in these settings. However, there can be up to 42 emergent presentations per office site per year, depending on location. Most commonly pediatric patients present with respiratory distress, but seizures, anaphylaxis, dehydration, and psychological/behavioral complaints can also present emergently to these clinics. Despite this, most offices are not prepared to handle these presentations. According to various studies, this is typically due …

Spatial Associations Of Lung Cancer Rates And Socioeconomic, Health, And Environmental Factors In Georgia, Nguyet Le, Jun Tu

Symposium of Student Scholars

According to CDC, Lung and Bronchus Cancer ranks the highest by the rate of cancer deaths among different types of cancers in the United States with the rate of 31.8 per 100 thousand people, and also for Georgia with the rate of 33.4 per 100 thousand people. Thus, to reduce the death rate of lung cancer, it is quite important and urgent to understand its risk factors. Smoking and inhaling radon are among the top risk factors of lung cancer for individuals. The socioeconomic, health, and environmental characteristics of communities might be also related to the likelihood of getting …

The Impact Of Student Stress On Physical Wellbeing, Isabelle Fevrier

Symposium of Student Scholars

This study will explore the intricate relationship between student stress and its impact on physical health. It will explore how stressors such as academic pressures, jobs, and lengthy commutes impact physiological manifestations and various aspects of physical well-being in students. The literature this research builds upon is diverse, ranging from in-depth looks at how the body responds to stress, such as the actions of the brain when under stress, to how stress causes disturbances in sleep, diet, and physical activity. For this specific research, physical health will be defined as sleep schedule, frequency of sickness, and daily fatigue. There will …

Bridging Services To Evidenced-Based Care: Implementing A Psychology Consult Check-Up Clinic, Jacqueline Pabis Phd, Sabrina Ung Ma, Angela Combs Ma, Mallory Netz Phd, Carisa Parrish Phd, Casey Lawless Phd

Research Days

This quality improvement project examines the feasibility, satisfaction, and preliminary outcomes of a hospital follow-up program for the CMH Inpatient Psychology Consultation & Liaison team.

Improving Awareness And Utilization Of Safety Net Resources After Extremity Firearm Injury, Colleen M. Moreland, Caleb W. Grote, Richard M. Schwend, Julia G. Harris

Research Days

The orthopaedic surgery department can improve follow-on care for pediatric survivors of extremity firearm injuries by creating and implementing a checklist of defined safety net resources.

A Quality Improvement Project To Improve Antibiotic Choice For Children Admitted With Urinary Tract Infections (Utis), Philip Jurasinski Do, Pgy-3, Adrienne Deporre Md, Kathleen Berg Md, Allison Hadley Md, Viktoriya Stoycheva Mha, Rn, Cpn, Rana El Feghaly Md

Research Days

This is an antibiotic stewardship quality improvement project focused on improving antibiotic choices for children with urinary tract infections who are in the Children's Mercy Kansas City system. This project aims to improve the rates of cefazolin or cephalexin for treatment from 27% to 60%. 96% of urinary tract infections in our system are caused by E. Coli that are susceptible to these first generation cephalosporins.

More Of Less: Optimizing Opioid Prescriptions For Acute Fractures In The Emergency Department At A Children’S Hospital, Colton Schwarz, Spencer Wittmeyer, Mitch Kinkor, Michelle Dephillips, Elizabeth Edmundson, Ryan Mcdonough, Warren Teachout, Nicholas Clark

Research Days

Quality improvement project that aims to improve opioid stewardship in acute fracture management.

How Neonates Die: Mortality Trends And Associations In A Level Iv Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Erin Bolen, Ashley K. Sherman, Julie Weiner, Jotishna Sharma

Research Days

Background

Modes of neonatal mortality include withdrawal of life-sustaining interventions, non-escalation of interventions, and secondary to a code event. Mortality trends have been examined broadly, but the impact of clinical and demographic factors on the mode of neonatal mortality has yet to be evaluated. A greater understanding of this information would help guide medical decision-making and identify potential inequities. The aim is to evaluate the impact of clinical and demographic factors on the mode of neonatal death in a level IV neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

Study Design/Methods

Data were collected via retrospective chart review of patients who died at …

Socioeconomic Differences In Penicillin Allergy Label Rates Of Children Evaluated In Pediatric Emergency Departments And Urgent Cares, Zoya Siddiqui, Brian R. Lee, Amanda Nedved, Jennifer Mckinsey, Frances Turcotte Benedict, Brandi Missel, Aarti Pandya, Rana El Feghaly

Research Days

In this retrospective study of 183,692 patients ≤19 years evaluated in urgent cares and emergency departments of a large pediatric academic center July 2022- June 2023, we found that in addition to race, socioeconomic status reflected by insurance and area deprivation index had a large association with penicillin allergy labels.

Improving Nutritional Delivery To Pediatric Patients While Using Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy, Jennifer Ruiz-Boada, Sarah Brunner, Tara Benton, Vimal Chadha

Research Days

This quality improvement guide aims to enhance early nutritional delivery to pediatric patients with renal failure who require renal replacement therapy.ng renal replacement therapy.

Safety And Efficacy Of Intraoperative Vectored Traction With Gardner-Wells (Gw) Tongs For Pediatric Spine Deformity Surgery - A Series Of 1000 Cases, Lucas Georger B.A., Krish Sardesai B.A., Andrew Dumas B.S., Mckenna Noe B.S., Richard M. Schwend M.D.

Research Days

Conducting an ongoing exploration, this study delves into the safety and efficacy of Gardner-Wells Tongs in pediatric spinal deformity surgery, involving a series of 418 cases, revealing a 5.5% complication rate primarily associated with facial swelling and abrasions, emphasizing the need for further investigation to validate the safety and effectiveness of this intervention.

Electrical Stimulation Of The Medial Pin After Insertion Is Safe And Effective In Preventing Iatrogenic Ulnar Nerve Neuropraxias In Type Iii Supracondylar Fractures. A Case Series Of 128 Consecutive Patients., Lucas Georger B.A., Mckenna Noe B.S., Richard M. Schwend M.D.

Research Days

This case series explores the safety and efficacy of using a disposable nerve stimulator for intraoperative stimulation of both medial and lateral pins in Gartland type III supracondylar humerus fractures, revealing no instances of ulnar nerve stimulation response or postoperative iatrogenic ulnar nerve injury, thereby highlighting the potential for this cost-effective approach to ensure stable medial column pin fixation without ulnar nerve complications.

Congenital Heart Defects And Autism: Associated Risk Factors, Amanda R. Strasser, Amanda N. Manderfeld, Paul C. Glasier, Elizabeth J. Willen

Research Days

Background: Children with Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) have higher odds of developing social difficulties and/or an Autism Spectrum Disorder (AuSD) than the general population. Most research to date has utilized a parent-reported diagnosis and/or parent-reported questionnaire data. The purpose of this study is to identify the prevalence of AuSD diagnosis and associated risk factors in a patient sample from a medium-size children’s hospital.

Working Hypotheses: The prevalence of AuSD and associated risk factors is greater in the CHD population.

Methods: Our population includes a clinically referred sample of children (i.e., medical history of CHD and neurodevelopmental risk) under 18 who …

Characterization Of Nationally Reported Pediatric Deaths Involving Fentanyl Ingestions In Missouri, Margaret Campbell, Mary Moffatt, Emily Killough, Terra Frazier

Research Days

There has been a dramatic rise in pediatric deaths associated with synthetic opioid use, with the most prominent being Fentanyl. This is a retrospective cohort study using data from the National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention with the goal of identifying risk factors that increase the vulnerability of children to Fentanyl ingestion. Ultimately this research may help lead to improved identification of at risk children with the goal of implementation of targeted prevention programming.

Understanding Inpatient Diagnostic Imaging Use In Children’S Hospitals To Prioritize Stewardship Efforts, Megan E. Collins, Matt Hall, John Stephens, Jessica L. Markham

Research Days

We utilized the Pediatric Health Information System to perform a retrospective cohort study of hospitalized children across 45 hospitals to describe diagnostic imaging studies among hospitalized children with the highest prevalence, cost, rates of repetition, and hospital variation to help inform de-implementation efforts.

Understanding The Needs Of Georgia’S Hispanic/Latinx Population Regarding Adolescent Health, Aylin Diaz, Evelina W. Sterling

Symposium of Student Scholars

Georgia’s Department of Public Health’s Adolescent Health and Youth Development (AHYD) Program is based on the Positive Youth Development Approach as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This approach engages youth within their communities, schools and organizations, peer groups, and families in a productive and constructive manner. Overall, the AHYD program aims at preventing HIV, STIs, and pregnancy among all youth. In Georgia, the Hispanic/Latino population has grown to over 10% of our total population. However, adolescent health programs within Georgia have not specifically focused on the cultural differences among the large Hispanic/Latino community. This study takes …

Sound Of The Mind: The Effects Of Music On Anxiety, Cassidy Yates, Joel Frederickson

Science Symposium

Anxiety is a growing condition around the world. People have a variety of solutions to mental illness. Maybe, our solution could be even more closely related to what we’re already doing. Bethel psychology students participated in this study, voluntarily, for credit in their psychology courses. 11 jazz listeners and 6 rock listeners had their heart rate monitored while listening to a song, all after participating in a state anxiety survey. The data reflect the heart rates before the song, 30 seconds into the song, 1 minute and 30 seconds into the song, at the end of 3 minutes and 1 …

Internship At Emergency Physician Professional Association (Eppa), Bryan Tran, Brittany Nairn

Science Symposium

Over the summer, I had the opportunity to start working at EPPA’s scribe program. EPPA is an organization that emphasizes the importance of exposure to the healthcare environment along with developing relationships with different medical professionals. The main aspect of my job was aiding the provider in recording a patient visit with their medical records, physical exams, labs, imaging, patient outcomes, and overall purpose in coming into the emergency room. This job has helped me gain more knowledge about how our healthcare system works and allows me to connect with different providers and scribes. Furthermore, I have gained experience working …

The Effect Of Vision On Lower Quarter Balance During Y-Balance Test Testing In College Students, Katelyn Mehr, Nathan Smith, Leah Jackson

Science Symposium

In order to maintain balance and stability, the body relies on the integration of information from the visual, vestibular, and proprioceptive systems. If an individual has an impairment or weakness in one or more systems, their ability to maintain balance may be impaired. Both postural stability and vision contribute to one’s ability to maintain balance in functions of everyday life. The Y-Balance Test (YBT) is a dynamic balance assessment. This study focuses on the visual system and its relation to postural balance, specifically if altered visual states affect one’s ability to maintain balance during a YBT via the use of …

Synthesis Of Disubstituted Β-Hydroxy Acids For The Enzymatic Synthesis Of Chiral Β-Lactones, Laura Charlotte Underwood, James Christenson

Science Symposium

Beta-lactone synthetases are a class of enzymes which produce chiral beta-lactones, four-membered cyclic esters, from racemic beta-hydroxy acid substrates. Chiral beta-lactones are used as chemical synthons and as bioactive compounds, such as the FDA-approved drug, Orlistat. However, substrate specificity of stand-alone beta-lactone synthetases are poorly understood, and their use in chemoenzymatic synthesis of chiral bioactive compounds remains unexplored. This research focused on the organic synthesis of beta-hydroxy acids to probe the substrate specificity of this class of enzymes and to generate potentially bioactive compounds against essential tuberculosis enzymes. The beta-hydroxy acid 2-[(5-chlorofuran-2-yl)(hydroxy) methyl]hexanoic acid was synthesized from lithiated hexanoate and …

Ankle Mobility And Balance In A Healthy College-Aged Population: A Correlational Study, Anna Johnson, Maddy Roiger, Ellie Stewart, Leah Jackson

Science Symposium

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between ankle mobility and balance in a young, healthy population, filling a gap in existing literature primarily focused on older adults. The findings revealed no significant correlation between ankle mobility and balance measures in the college-aged subjects. While previous research in elderly populations suggested a link between ankle mobility and balance, this study suggests that such a relationship may not hold true for younger individuals. These results underscore the importance of considering age-related differences and overall health status when exploring factors affecting balance, potentially guiding future research and intervention strategies aimed at improving …

Acute Effects Of Virtual Reality Gameplay On The Visual System: An Observational Study, Aaron Loe, Gavin Rataj, Leah Jackson

Science Symposium

PURPOSE: Virtual reality (VR) has an increasing breadth of utilization, from at home entertainment to a tool used in professional athletic and clinical settings. A review of literature shows altered visual performance (VP) post-VR gameplay in children and adult athletes, particularly in acuity, accommodation and convergence, but has been limited to the immediate effects on vision. This study aims to repeat similar test measures, expanding on aspects of VP, pre- and post-VR gameplay in a healthy, collegiate-aged population, while exploring the feasibility of repeated testing to observe any ocular changes that may occur over time once gameplay has ceased. METHODS: …

Navigating And Caring For Mental Health In A Group Home Setting, Constance Azonwu, Brian Hyatt

Science Symposium

During my Nursing Assistant internship, I transitioned from classroom learning to real-world caregiving. Guided by an instructor, I further developed practical skills. At Immaculate Homes Care, I faced challenging and new situations, and as a provider, I administered medications and interacted with residents regularly. This experience reinforced the importance of empathy, documentation, and patient care. It also prepared me for my career and boosted my confidence in making decisions.