Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Nurses' Experience With Medication Errors, Kristin M. Belderson

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Medication administration is an inherent nursing task, placing nurses at significant risk for experiencing errors. A systematic literature review established that nurses experience emotional, cognitive, and physical distress effects following medication errors, positioning nurses as second victims. The purpose of the DNP Capstone Project was to evaluate the lived experiences and coping responses of pediatric direct-care nurses working in a Rocky Mountain region tertiary care facility to assess whether the nurses have unmet post-event support needs. A descriptive, non-experimental, mixed methods survey instrument was used for this study. Of the 115 direct-care nurses employed in the selected department, 82 were …

Quality Of Life Among Southwest American Indians And Alaska Natives Living With The Hepatitis C Virus, Rydell Todicheeney-Mannes Phd, Rn, Acns-Bc

Dissertations

Background: Hepatitis C Virus is considered to be a global public health threat because seventy-five percent of infected persons have no symptoms and are unaware of their infection. It is significant to note that AI/ANs commonly contend with issues that prevent them from receiving or seeking medical care. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to: (a) Characterize the level of depression, alcohol consumption, stigma, and quality of life; (b) Examine the relationship among the variables of age, gender, residing on an AI/AN reservation, current partner status, depression, alcohol consumption, and stigma with quality of life in a sample of …

Understanding Faculty And Non-Traditional Student Perceptions Of Self-Directed Learning In A Practical Nursing Program, Carmen Marie Rogers

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This study was designed to identify and investigate nursing faculty and student perspectives of self-directed learning in a practical nursing program. It also explored the degree to which student's perceptions of self-directed learning exhibited factors consistent with that of critical thinking. This study is important because self-directed learning and its critical thinking elements are essential in providing safe, competent, effective, and efficient nursing care within practice and education. Using an explanatory case study design the practice of self-directed learning within a practical nursing program was examined through the use of: classroom observations, interviews with nursing faculty, nursing students, and document …

The Development Of A Comprehensive Adhd Program For Elementary School Educators, Angie Lee Echoles

Doctoral Projects

On average, teachers will teach at least one student with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in any given school year without receiving any instructions at all on ADHD. ADHD affects 3% to 7% of school-age students and one in every twenty children (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2010). It is classified as one of the most common mental health disorders affecting school-age students. The American Psychiatric Association (APA, 2013) defines ADHD as a hereditary, non-curable, common childhood disorder. A triad of symptoms is associated with this disorder: inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, which all have a major impact on …

Acupuncture For Sleep Disturbances In Veterans With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Heather C. King Phd

Dissertations

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) has emerged as a significant problem among Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) veterans. Disturbed sleep is one of the most frequently reported symptoms among OEF/OIF veterans with PTSD. PTSD itself is impairing, but the burden of this disorder is likely heightened when accompanied by sleep disturbances. Sleep disturbances have been associated with a 75-90% increased risk of co-morbid conditions, increased levels of depression and anxiety, daytime sleepiness and fatigue, reduced psychomotor performance, diminished work productivity, and decreased quality of life. These consequences of disturbed sleep emphasize the critical need for additional evidence based therapies …

A Descriptive Exploratory Study Of The Experience Of Gay Partners Of Hiv-Positive Men, Jon Christensen Phd, Msn, Rn

Dissertations

HIV disease/AIDS has been the focus of much research since its introduction in 1981 and continues to have profound implications for those living with the disease and for those who are in close social relationships with them. One group that has received minimal attention in the HIV/AIDS literature is gay partners of HIV infected men. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of gay men living with a life partner who has HIV disease/AIDS who were not primary caregivers. A qualitative study using an interpretive descriptive approach was employed to study the experiences of ten …

Effects Of Acculturation On Mammography Utilization Among Korean American Women, Jungeun K. Kim Phd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between acculturation and mammography utilization among Korean American (KA) women. The specific aims of this study were to determine the differences in demographic characteristics, perceived health beliefs, self-efficacy, and knowledge of breast cancer, and mammogram history among the four cultural groups (American identity, Bicultural, Korean identity, and Marginality) of KA women, and to examine the effects of the level of acculturation on the likelihood of getting a mammogram. Breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer among KA women. However, KA women consistently have lower screening rates for breast cancer. …

An Educational Approach: Increasing College Freshmen's Knowledge Regarding Sexually Transmitted Infections, Jennie Mcclain

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

According to the Centers for Disease Control (2009), young adults account for only 25% o fsexually active persons in the United States, but account for 50% of the newly diagnosed cases of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Some young adults may not have received appropriate or credible information on sexual health by which to make knowledgeable decisions that may influence the rest of their lives. High schools are not required to offer comprehensive sex education. Therefore, some students may have received abstinence-only sex education. Risk reduction and disease prevention are important in college health. This evidenced-based practice project included the creation, …

The Subcutaneous Administration Of Bortezomib Practice Guideline Capstone Project, Jasmine Martin

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Multiple myeloma is the second leading cause of hematological malignancies in the United States. Bortezomib is a chemotherapy agent effective in the treatment of all stages of multiple myeloma. Bortezomib administered by the subcutaneous (SC) route is as efficacious as the intravenous (IV) route. However, the literature does not describe how the drug was to be administered SC. A review of literature was inconclusive on how to administer SC injections and supported the need to describe how nurses are administering SC injections in order to develop practice guidelines. A 44-question electronic survey on SC bortezomib administration was developed, with all …

Scripted Communication, Shannon L. Cook

Regis University Student Publications (comprehensive collection)

Variables related to scripted communication and patient satisfaction was studied. Patients who were admitted to the hospital and had inpatient status considered for the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) patient satisfaction survey. Inclusion criteria for the study population were if the patient was not a newborn, deceased, a ward of the state, or a No Publicity patient. The HCAHPS survey was only sent every 90 days per The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (CRMC, 2012). The independent variable was scripted communication with the use of AIDET (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, Thanking) measured by the HCAHPS …

The Effect Of Heart Failure Education On Reducing Readmissions, Mayola Lara Villarruel

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Management of heart failure is a significant financial challenge for the health care industry, costing approximately $33.2 billion annually. Common reasons for preventable heart failure readmissions include inadequate discharge education and lack of self-care and health management activities. Education at discharge is a vital component of improving heart failure outcomes. Following a review of the literature, high quality evidence supports that heart failure education should focus on medication adherence, sodium and fluid restriction, daily weights, activity tolerance, identification of deteriorating signs and symptoms of heart failure, and smoking cessation. The purpose of this EBP project was to reduce heart failure …

Living With The Choice: A Grounded Theory Of Iraqi Refugee Resettlement To The U.S., Lisa Ann Davenport

Doctoral Dissertations

Though the United States has become a place of increasing resettlement for refugees, particularly Iraqi refugees who have been forced to flee their homeland due to violence, persecution and civil unrest, little is known about Iraqi refugee resettlement in the United States, or the way in which resettlement impacts health and adjustment. A grounded theory study was conducted to develop a substantive theory of Iraqi refugee resettlement. Participants in the qualitative study included 29 Iraqi refugees and 2 community partners who participated in face-to face interviews. Data analysis and interpretation revealed fundamental concepts related to Iraqi refugee resettlement. Results of …

The Lived Experience Of The Novice Nursing Dean: Exploring The Meaning And Significance, Melissa Rae Bouws

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Deans of nursing hold a unique position for the future of the profession. Few others have the potential to bring about change within the academic setting, or hold such a strong influence on the future of nursing and on our students. Current statistics reveal multiple vacancies in nursing dean positions. Further understanding of how nursing deans begin their role, attain their identity as dean, and successfully execute this important position is needed to recruit and retain strong leaders who have the methods and skills to develop and support the advancement of the nursing profession. Understanding the process of becoming nursing …

Military Nurses Caring For The Enemy, Sharon Thompson, Beth Mastel-Smith, Gloria Duke, Barbara K. Haas, Shellye Vardaman, Susan Yarbrough

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This phenomenological study described the lived experience and aftermath of U.S. military nurses assigned enemy detainees during Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation Enduring Freedom. Two themes emerged: Insurgent Assignments (subthemes included identification of and interactions with insurgents; training, precautions, and ethical issues, thoughts and feelings, coping, and meanings of insurgent care) and The Aftermath (subthemes were mental, emotional, personal, professional, and positive). Conclusions: Insurgent assignments caused ethical dilemmas and challenged theoretical constructs related to caring. Formal training is needed to prepare nurses for the practicalities of and responses to insurgent assignments.

This work is the dissertation manuscript of Sharon Thompson, completed …

A Rural Tobacco Smoke Pollution Study, Kelly Buettner-Schmidt

Nursing ETDs

The purpose of this study was to determine whether the location of hospitality venues considering; rurality, presence of local ordinances, and socioeconomic status, influenced the quantity of tobacco smoke pollution in a predominantly rural state. The study built on current scientific literature in four aspects. First, it was the first U.S. statewide study on tobacco smoke pollution levels in hospitality venues. Second, it quantified indoor tobacco smoke pollution specifically in rural areas. Third, it used random sampling, a method rarely used in studying indoor tobacco smoke pollution. Fourth, it analyzed tobacco smoke exposure as a function of socioeconomic status. A …

Reducing Heart Failure In An Era Of Reform, Sandra M. Kurpela

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Heart failure (HF) affects an estimated 5 million Americans, with 550,000 new patients diagnosed yearly (American Heart Association, 2004). Despite advancements, readmissions for HF remain high. Management is especially important due to recent legislation that penalizes hospitals with excessive readmissions. The purpose of this evidence-based project (EBP) was to determine if a chronic disease HF management program with advance practice nurse, home care, and telehealth would affect hospital readmission 4 weeks post-discharge. Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory and the Iowa Model guided this system change. The project used a longitudinal experimental pre- and post-test design with convenience sample from two …

Psychometric Properties Of Standardized Patient And Faculty Rater's Evaluations Of Pre-Licensure Nursing Student Competencies, Karen A. Macauley Phd, Dnp, Fnp-Bc, Gnp, Bc

Dissertations

The use of simulation as a teaching modality has been rooted in the military, aviation, space, and engineering for centuries (Bradley, 2006). Clinical simulation allows for training of healthcare providers that might be too costly, risky, or hazardous in the clinical setting (Bradley, 2006). A variety of simulation modalities are used including virtual learning, task trainers, mannequins, and standardized patients (SPs). External demands for improved accountability of clinical performance is requiring nursing educators to reevaluate methods of teaching and how we measure nursing competence (Nehring & Lashley, 2010). Standardized patients have been used in medical school curricula to teach and …

Perceptions Of Workplace Bullying Among Practicing Registered Nurses, Crystal Regina Threadgill

Dissertations

Workplace bullying (WPB) is a social and organizational problem. Within the health care arena, employees, particularly registered nurses, are at risk. WPB has several adverse effects and has been cited in the literature as closely associated with burnout and nurses leaving their positions. This quantitative study examined workplace bullying among practicing registered and its relationship with burnout and nurses’ intent to leave their current position.

The surveys utilized were the Negative Acts Questionnaires-Revised (NAQ-R), Maslach Burnout Inventory Survey, Intention to Turnover Scale and a demographic survey. Of the surveys distributed, a total of 185 were returned from one selected hospital …

Description Of Medical-Surgical Nurses Care Of Patients At Risk For Pressure Ulcers, Barbara Jean Mayer Phd

Dissertations

Aim: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and describe the level of understanding of PU development and prevention and perceptions of implementing PU prevention measures in nurses caring for patients in medical-surgical units. Method: The study was conducted in three (3) community hospitals within the same healthcare system using an Interpretive Description approach. Six (6) focus groups were conducted including thirty (30) participants. Findings: Participants described their knowledge of PU development and prevention as good and perceived continuing education as important in maintaining knowledge levels. Two (2) methods of identifying patients at risk for PU development were …

Nutritional Status Of Patients With End Stage Liver Disease: An Outpatient Assessment, Anna Marie Cumming-Browne Hefner Phd, Msn, Cpnp, Rn

Dissertations

Cirrhosis is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States. It is well documented end stage liver disease drives a patient to a catabolic state thus depleting them of essential nutrients. Malnutrition is often unrecognized and untreated in outpatients. Though BMI, nutritional intake, anthropometric measurements have been used in clinical trials, there still remains no standard nutritional assessment. The purpose of this dissertation was to (1) identify the incidence of malnutrition in patients with compensated and decompensated liver disease utilizing defined nutritional parameters (Subjective Global Assessment, anthropometric measurements, hand grip strength, and laboratory values) and (2) correlate with …

Risk-Appropriate Maternal Care: Identifying Risk Factors That Effect Maternal Outcome, Lucy R. Van Otterloo Phd, Msn, Rnc, Cns

Dissertations

Although maternal deaths are the most tragic of obstetric events it continues to be a rare event. Maternal morbidity, on the other hand, is increasing and poses a greater impact on the economic, psychological, and physical health of the woman and her family, yet it has not been the focus of measurement or research since there is no systematic collection of data available. As complications increase, the likelihood of adverse maternal outcomes such as longer postpartum stays due to the need for more extensive care will also increase. Nurses are being challenged to use their knowledge and skills to identify …

The Effects Of A Violence Assessment Checklist On The Incidence Of Violence For Emergency Department Nurses, Sarah Knapp

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Workplace violence (WV) is commonplace in American culture, and nurses working in emergency departments (ED) are not immune to its effects. Violence against emergency department nurses is prominent in current nursing literature, and a cause for major concern. Regrettably there is no consistent tool being used to assess for potential patient violence specific to the emergency department. Current assessment tools have been developed and are commonly used in the mental health arena. This evidence-based practice project concentrated on answering the clinical question of whether or not a violence risk assessment checklist reduced the incidence of violence and increased perception of …

A Case Study Exploring Restraint And Seclusion Use In School-Age Children On An Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Michelle Buckman Phd

Dissertations

Perceptions of children restrained and secluded (R&S) were explored using Yin's methodology and critical theory. The literature presented reviewed proponent's and opponent's views of the R&S intervention used on inpatient psychiatric units for the containment of violent patients. Despite reports of physical and emotional injury to staff and patient during restraining and secluding children, the intervention is still in use. Using Machover's framework, a semi-structured interview and drawings were used to illicit information from a 12 year old boy about his perceptions of R&S. Then, a presentation of barriers to conducting research is made. Results of the child's perceptions included …

Effects Of An Interprofessional Simulation Activity To Improve Students' Perceptions Of Other Healthcare Professions, Chase Raymond Poulsen

STEMPS Theses & Dissertations

Healthcare professionals have historically been educated and trained by members of their own profession within a curriculum that reinforces their individual discipline-specific strengths. This differentiation has contributed to students having little interaction with other professionals until after they have entered the workforce and consequently little formal education in collaboration or integration. The purpose of this mixed-method study was to evaluate the impact of an interprofessional (IP) collaborative activity on student's perceptions of the others discipline for the improvement in care of medical patients.

The sample population consisted of students from two programs, nursing (n=40) and respiratory therapy (n=33). Students were …

Nursing Textbooks: Comparative Representation Of Physicians And Advanced Practice Nurses, Kaitlin Kirby

Honors Theses and Capstones

Advanced practice registered nurses are nurses educated with a master’s degree who practice autonomously as well collaboratively with other healthcare professionals to diagnose, treat, and manage patients’ healthcare problems. Undergraduate nursing students often misunderstand the role and responsibilities of advanced practice nurses. As nursing students are cultured in the art and science of nursing, textbooks play an essential role. Therefore in this study, seven best-selling nursing textbooks were examined for content related to APRNs and physicians. Selections from all seven textbooks were collected and analyzed to determine the references to physicians, APRNs, and healthcare providers. APRN selections were less prevalent …

Nursing Simulation Experience: Self-Efficacy, State Anxiety, Locus Of Control, And Simulation Effectiveness, Ashley M. Gosselin

Honors Theses and Capstones

No abstract provided.

La Dolce Vita, The Italian Case Study: Linking Culture, Policy And ‘Active Aging’, Maria L. Kimmerle

Global Honors Theses

By 2025, the global demographic trend reveals a chalice-like structure, indicating an aging population. Active Aging (AA) policies are sustained on social capital or networking wherein people are successful, positive, and experiencing a high quality of life in their aging years. The major backbones supporting activity in the elderly must be reinforced by the culture of that society, the policies and the political support which is witnessed in societies with a large aging population, such as Italy. Adopting culturally inappropriate policies contrary to social norms create social dilemmas, thereby policies are rejected and no change occurs.

Objective: To present the …

Determinants Of Health-Related Quality Of Life In Arab American Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Yousef Zakarni Phd

Dissertations

HRQL is an important aspect of chronic illnesses such as diabetes and needs to be considered by healthcare providers. It is one of the most important outcomes of healthcare interventions, representing an integral public health goal in Healthy People 2000, 2010, and 2020. Arab Americans (AAs), one of the most rapidly growing minorities in United States, tend to have a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this study was to describe determinants of HRQL, including social support attitude, religiosity, and select demographics for AA patients with type 2 diabetes. A descriptive correlational study using a cross sectional …

The Ties That Bind: The Relationships Between And Among Registered Nurses' Clinical Experience, Clinical Decision-Making Processes, And Nursing Practice Issues Related To Physical Restraint Use With Attitudes Toward The Use Of Physical Restraints In The Critical Care Environment, Kristi Stinson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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The Relationship Of Perceived Trust And Perceived Stress Among Pregnant Women Receiving Care From A Certified Nurse Midwife, Maria Torchia Logrippo

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

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