Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Implementation Of Lymphedema Education Toolkit For Nurse Coordinators, Heather Gee

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Lymphedema is a chronic condition that develops secondary to cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation, and surgical removal of affected lymph nodes. This swelling in patient’s limbs can cause discomfort and limit mobility, however lymphedema is often not detected until later stages, delaying treatment and patient education.

Context: This quality improvement project was conducted at Hospital S Women’s Cancer Center, an outpatient center specializing in advanced treatments for breast and gynecological cancers. This center has a multidisciplinary team focusing on both the medical and surgical aspects of oncology treatment.

Interventions: An evidence-based lymphedema education toolkit was created for nurse …

Evaluating The Impact Of Simulation On Perceived Knowledge And Confidence Of New Graduate Nurses (Ngns) In Maternal-Newborn Care, Disa Seymour

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Background: Nursing education worldwide varies in duration and training process, with nurses often facing rapid immersion into patient care complexities when entering the workforce. While new nurses contribute significantly to the nursing community with contemporary knowledge, their transition to practice can be daunting, necessitating support for both competence and retention. As specialty care settings integrate more new graduate nurses (NGNs) to address workforce shortages, collaboration between leaders and educators becomes crucial. Simulation emerges as a vital tool in building confidence while learning, offering a safe space for skill development and growth of confidence.

Purpose: This project’s objective was to …

The Investigation Of Resilience As A Moderating Factor On Burnout And Intention To Stay In Nursing Professionals., Florina Karasik

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The intention to stay in nursing staff working with adult patients in a hospital setting is a major concern for healthcare organizations because of its effect on patient health outcomes. Grounded in the social cognitive career theory, the purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to investigate resilience as a moderating factor in the relationship between burnout and intention to stay for licensed registered nurses with BSN degrees working with adults in a hospital setting. The participants were 80 licensed registered nurses with BSN degrees working with adults in a hospital setting in the United States of America. The results …

Support Their Sleep: Enhancing Nurses' Knowledge And Implementation Of Non-Pharmacological Sleep Protocols To Improve Patient Rest, Recovery, And Reduce Cognitive Impairment., David C. Barry

Master's Theses and Capstones

Background: Sleep and rest play an influential role in promoting recovery and healing in humans. Hospitalized patients are at risk for altered sleep from hospitalization, illness, and stimulation from a hospital environment. Non-pharmacologic interventions preformed by nurses can help to improve sleep and sleep environment for patients.

Local problem: There was no protocol or available information regarding patient sleep promotion for nurses to references when caring for patients.

Methods: Nurses in the microsystem (n=8) were administered a pre/post questionnaire containing Likert scales and a short quiz containing knowledge-based questions. Questionnaires were distributed to nurses prior to and after …

Effectiveness Of Speech Intervention Methods In Children With Speech Delays, Andrea Noel, Rachel Windemuth, Brett Porter

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Speech delays in children is a common issue that can be treated by a wide variety of interventions. Our PICOT question is, in children, ages six months to thirteen years, with speech/language delays, how does the addition of innovative and supplemental interventions, compared with standard interventions alone, effect improvements in the delays. All three group members have known someone who has suffered from a speech delay, and we want to research the best possible methods to overcome that obstacle to answer our questions, we will begin to take on the task of creating and writing a systematic review. This review …

Organizational Characteristics As Predictors Of Hospital Accreditation, Rebecca B. Graystone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Abstract Hospital accreditation has had wide and longstanding acceptance as a key quality tool to drive efficient, effective healthcare. Researchers have more recently questioned factors commonly related with accreditation achievement given accreditation’s general association to better patient care, risk management, and cost reduction. Even less information was known about predictors of accreditation failure, which could be addressed by hospital administrators in advance of seeking application. Accordingly, the purpose of this cross-sectional study was to examine if hospital structures and processes were predictors of accreditation failure. The research questions explored hospital size, ownership status, geographic location, hospital leadership, empowerment, practice, and …

Civility And Communication Interventions To Improve Patient Outcomes, Lane Denney

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Communication in health care is vital for the successful care of patients and their outcomes while they are hospitalized. Healthcare workers are responsible for communicating patient information whether it is between change of shifts or reporting to a patient’s provider. It is important that this information is communicated effectively. This review evaluates how nurses communicate in shift- report and how this affects patient outcomes and civility between nursing units and teams. Overall, bedside shift reports promoted the best patient outcomes and increased teamwork on hospital units.

When "First, Do No Harm" Fails: A Restorative Justice Approach To Workgroup Harms In Healthcare, Pedro L. Flores

Dissertations

In healthcare, workgroup mistreatment is a pervasive problem that begins during medical education (medical and nursing school) and becomes embedded in the “hidden curriculum of professionalism,” which dissuades and even punishes learners for talking about abuse they witness. Furthermore, the mistreatment of healthcare providers (HCPs) pervades all disciplines in the healthcare delivery chain due to a combination of cultural factors, systemic pressures, dysfunctional hierarchies, and leadership’s tolerance of intimidating and disruptive behaviors. Not surprisingly, 18% of U.S. HCPs have left the medical field since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and burnout, stress, anxiety, and increased workloads have been identified …

Evidence-Based Best Practice For Discharge Planning: A Policy Review, Marissa Lewis

Student Scholarly Projects

Ineffective discharge planning produces poor patient healthcare outcomes, potential adverse events, and medical errors. A primary deterrent to successful discharge planning is communication, either within the interdisciplinary team or during handoff to the receiving transition of care facilities of home health, skilled nursing, or acute rehabilitation.

The purpose of the evaluation project was to determine if current policies, communication tools, and workflows of three healthcare organizations were based on evidence and make recommendations for policy revisions. The Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice for Nurses and Healthcare Professionals Model (JHNEBP) was used with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Policy Process (POLARIS) …

Oncology Nurse Hazardous Drug Safe Handling Competencies, Jacob N. Woller

College of Nursing and Health Sciences Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Project Publications

Purpose: Healthcare workers are potentially exposed to hazardous drugs (HDs) in the workplace, especially with chemotherapeutics used in oncologic treatment. Exposure to HDs increases the risk of adverse health effects. Personal protective equipment (PPE) as one control to prevent exposure. A Northeast academic medical center required implementation of annual competencies on HDs to comply with national standards detailed in United States Pharmacopeia (USP) Chapter 800. This project sought to evaluate the effectiveness of this HD competency and evaluate the PPE practices of healthcare workers who are frequently involved with HDs

Methods: A hands-on HD annual competency was developed …

Nurse Manager’S Leadership And Communication Skills And A Registered Nurse’S Organizational Citizenship Behavior, Satisfaction, And Intent To Leave, Emmitte J. Hall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA) is the largest employer of registered nurses in the United States. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing predicts there will be a nursing shortage through the year 2030 and replacing and training each nurse is expensive and negatively impacts patient care. A review of the literature showed organizations with high levels of organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) had high levels of job satisfaction, which reduces turnover, but there was no research on the existence and impact of OCB in a federal health care facility, specifically the VHA. The purpose of this quantitative, correlational research was …

Generational Differences In Nursing Turnover, Adam Bennett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Nursing is currently the largest job category in U.S. health care requiring proper recruitment and retention of nurses. As the current generation of nurses ages out of the workforce due to retirement, new nurses will need to cover the gaps in the workforce. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between voluntary turnover, involuntary turnover, and career change among nurses who were born between 1980 and 1995 (Millennials) and those born between 1965 and 1979 (Generation X). The theoretical framework was Mannheim’s theory of generations. Secondary data were collected from exit interviews with 811 respondents …

Administrator Training At The Laurels Of Mount Vernon Skilled Nursing Facility, Lance Stambaugh

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

The job duties of a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator exist in a great multitude, and require those aspiring to obtain the position to complete training in all areas of focus. The focus of this practicum is to gain exposure to the job duties of a Licensed Nursing Home Administrator, while also gaining experience in a multitude of departments that function within a skilled nursing facility. This practicum was completed amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and therefore emphasis was placed on infection control and procedures that allow for a safe environment for those residing in this nursing facility. This increased emphasis is …

Improving Employee Engagement On An Inpatient Unit: A Quality Improvement Project, Holly Mccormack

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Engaged employees are paramount to the success of an organization. They are more invested in their organization and the unit on which they work. This investment in the organization results in higher patient satisfaction and safety, less staff turnover, and improved quality. According to the literature, generational differences may be necessary to consider when improving employee engagement. To successfully lead a multigenerational workforce, nurse leaders should consider these differences and incorporate them into their strategic plan for employee engagement.

METHODS: A pilot survey was conducted on a medical-surgical unit to assess a perceived lack of engagement. Subsequently, work engagement …

Nursing Home Nurse Turnover And The Association To Workload, Absenteeism, And Number Of Beds, Justin Ryan Gracieux

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The aging population in the United States has resulted in an increased need for quality nursing home care, which includes a stable nursing staff and reduced workforce instability. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between direct care nursing staff turnover rates for RNs, licensed vocational nurses (LVNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs) concerning workload, absenteeism, and number of beds in Texas nursing homes. The relational coordination theory provided the theoretical framework for understanding the underlying issues and communication needs that may relate to staff turnover. Secondary data from 11,336 direct resident care nursing staff …

The Lived Experiences Of African American Nurses In South Carolina Emergency Rooms, Debra A. Dixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The underrepresentation of African American (AA) nurses in South Carolina (SC) emergency rooms (ERs) may affect quality patient care for AAs and all other patients in culturally diverse populations. This qualitative interpretive (hermeneutic) phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of AA nurses in several SC ERs concerning quality patient care in culturally diverse populations. Herzberg's two-factor theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory framed the study. The research question investigated the lived experiences of AA ER nurses in SC ERs concerning quality patient care in culturally diverse populations. Interpretive phenomenology was used to gain insight from a sample of 17 …

Workplace Violence: An Urgent Call For Integrated Staff Education In Acute Care Hospitals, Nicole Bellisario

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Problem: Type II workplace violence (WPV) in acute care hospital settings has become an epidemic of costly proportions in the United States. Regulatory mandates and healthcare accreditation standards increasingly require healthcare employers to provide a safe and healthy healing environment for patients and a safe work environment for staff. Implementation of a comprehensive WPV prevention program depends largely on organizational culture, participation and commitment from key stakeholders, and readiness for change.

Context: The patient-clinician relationship has drawn urgent attention, as healthcare organizations around the world implement key components of WPV prevention programs. The clinical management of patient aggression …

A Multifactorial Intervention To Reduce Weight Bias In Healthcare Providers, Rose M. Flinchum

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

No abstract provided.

A Protocol To Increase Referral Rates To Diabetic Education, David M. Rokser

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

In 2015, approximately 30.3 million Americans, including 10.5% of the population of Minnesota, had been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus (American Diabetes Association, 2019). Increased risk of diabetic complications including neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, cardiovascular disease, and chronic wounds has been associated with an elevated hemoglobin A1C (HgA1C). Formal diabetic education has been shown to be a cost-effective intervention to reduce HgA1C. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion published an objective within HealthyPeople 2020 that seeks to increase the percentage of diabetics receiving formal diabetic education in the United States from 46.9% of adults to 58.4%. The purpose of this …

Point-Of-Care Reminders To Prompt Provider Adherence With Diabetes Care Guidelines For Adults, Eric E. Spohn

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Diabetes is a complex, chronic illness, and a leading cause of morbidity and mortality (ODPHP, 2019). Gaps in diabetes care exist between clinical guidelines and interventions provided in the clinical setting (ADA, 2015; Chauhan et al., 2017; Renders et al., 2001; Worswick et al., 2013). Improved diabetes management strategies and interventions among healthcare providers are essential to close the quality gap. The purpose of this evidenced-based practice (EBP) project was to prompt providers to adhere to diabetes care guidelines using a paper point-of-care reminder over a 12-week period. Provider performance rates covering four specific guidelines were measured: HbA1c, microalbuminuria, diabetic …

Incivility Among Nurses, The Influence Of Structural Empowerment: A Systematic Review, Jennifer Gardner

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace nurse-on-nurse bullying is a well-known phenomenon in health care organizations at both national and global levels. Healthcare organizations struggle to find effective solutions to help nurses to mitigate bullying and incivility and create safer work environments. The purpose of this systematic literature review doctoral project was to critically appraise the literature to find the best research evidence to show that higher levels of structural empowerment lead to lower levels of incivility and increase nurses’ ability to create safer and more positive work environments. Kanter’s theory of structural empowerment served as the theoretical framework for this review. The evidence-based question …

The Implementation Of An Open Source Electronic Medical Record At A Faith-Based Community Clinic, Gabri Warren

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Faith-based nursing and healthcare is increasingly gaining popularity as the industry looks to minimize costs and improve health outcomes. Historically, qualitative studies have not shown the extent to which individuals and communities are impacted by health initiatives initiated by faith institutions. Healthcare technology can help support the specialty by providing increased quantity and quality data to analyze. Traditional, proprietary EMRs are too costly; however, open source systems offer a low cost, and easily modifiable option to non-profit, or smaller organizations. The data collected by an open source system allows organizations to improve the care that patients receive, and helps guide …

Exploring The Challenges Non-Clinical Departments Encounter During Eden Alternative Implementation, Keith George

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recommends new guidelines that shift healthcare delivery in nursing homes and long-term care facilities from an institutional model to a person-centered care model. Although clinical outcomes are measured and tracked, there was limited literature about the challenges non-clinical departments face in a nursing facility during implementation of a person-centered model. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the challenges non-clinical staff experience while transitioning to an Eden Alternative philosophy, a person-centered care model. The theoretical foundation of this study relied upon Bressers' Contextual Interaction Theory. The research questions for this study …

The Effect Of Maternity Care Practices On The Duration Of Breastfeeding, Lisette Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The natural practice of breastfeeding has been strongly noted as one of the most cost-effective, health promoting, disease-prevention strategies of the 21st century. Although primary health organizations recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life with added complementary foods and continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or longer, many mothers do not breastfeed their infants for the recommendation length of time. Applied policies and health practices, such as those described under the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and The International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes, have been noted as contributing factors that can considerably …

Development Of Nursing Education For An Observation Unit, Donna Mckinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As healthcare continues to face scrutiny related to the cost and quality of patient care, organizations are challenged with providing the right care to patients in the right setting. Some healthcare organizations are implementing observation units to provide appropriate care to a specific subset of patients. The purpose of this project was to develop education for nursing staff who will work on the dedicated observation unit and are unfamiliar with the care requirements. Benner's novice-to-expert theory was used as the framework for the project. This theorist posits that nurses transitioning to a new area require new knowledge and skills to …

A Multi-Faceted Intervention To Improve Naloxone Co-Prescription Rates Among Primary Care Providers, Jolane S. Conklin

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

It is estimated that 91 Americans die every day due to opioid overdoses, with at least half of those overdoses involving an opioid prescription (CDC, 2016d). To address this issue, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (USDHHS) has initiated an opioid initiative, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a clinical guideline, both of which include a focus on increasing use of naloxone. Despite these recommendations, providers often fail to co-prescribe naloxone to patients at increased risk of opioid overdose. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to evaluate the effect of …

Effects Of Incorporating Patient Acuity Into The Rn Assignment Process, Melissa L. Forton

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

As the largest sector of healthcare, nurses are the primary providers of patient care. By 2025, it is estimated that there will be a shortage of over 250,000 registered nurses (RNs) (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 2011). Factors contributing to the nursing shortage include increased complexity of patients and decreased staffing that leads to decreased job satisfaction (Fox & Abrahamson, 2009). Over half of neonatal intensive care nurses reported missing at least one nursing task per shift when staffing was inadequate or patient acuity was high (TubbsCooley, Pickler, Younger, & Mark, 2015). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) …

The Impact Of Diabetes And Obesity In The African American Population, Andrea Lynette Swails

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Within the 21st century, Type II diabetes has emerged as a public health crisis. African Americans and Hispanic Americans have the highest rates of Type II diabetes and obesity compared to European Americans. The purpose of this DNP project was to teach medical assistants (MA) to provide self-management of diabetes and obesity for the African American population in the local clinical setting. An educational tool kit for health providers was developed to guide the educational project. The chronic care model was used to guide the development of the educational toolkit. A pretest posttest design was incorporated into the educational program. …

Business Intelligence Competencies: Making Healthcare Data Come Alive, Christina Bivona-Tellez

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Business Intelligence Competencies: Making Healthcare Data Come Alive While a wealth of healthcare related data exists, nurse leaders (NL) have yet to understand its implications and adopt analytical skills to lead in the transformation of care delivery. Information science is at a new frontier for nursing to embrace. It is critical for nursing leadership to advance and support business intelligence (BI) and interactive data visualization (IDV) skills across the organization and advocate for greater engagement of nurses in health system decision making. With these new tools and competencies, nursing and other health professions can innovate best practices, providing enhanced quality, …

Nursing Assignments Based On Patient Acuity: The Road To Nursing Job Satisfaction, Kristina Tomic

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Challenges in the healthcare industry, including nursing shortages and low nursing retention, have resulted in nurses’ job dissatisfaction. Improving work environment and workload can lead to improved and equitable nursing shift assignments, which may improve nursing job satisfaction. The purpose of this EBP project was to (a) implement a patient acuity tool in the hospital unit, (b) assess its effectiveness in appropriating nursing shift assignments, and (c) evaluate its effect on nursing job satisfaction. The Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) Model was used as a guide to facilitate the transition of the best evidence into practice. As suggested within the evidence, …