Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury (Bcvi): Universal Cta Neck Screening At Level 2 Trauma Center, Tamine Gogel

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury (BCVI) refers to injuries to the vessels supplying blood to the brain, primarily carotid and vertebral arteries, and can result from trauma, resulting in stroke by vessel dissection, thrombus formation, embolization, and hemorrhage. Timely identification is crucial for effective intervention and improved outcomes. This doctoral project proposes the implementation of universal screening using Computed Tomography Angiography (CTA) of the neck during initial workup for blunt force trauma at a Level II ACS-verified trauma center. The primary objective is to mitigate potential delays in diagnosing and treating BCVI, thereby reducing the likelihood of complications. Patients ≥ 15 years …

Qualitative Vs. Quantitative Train Of Four, Caleb Culbreath

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The growing body of evidence linking residual neuromuscular blockade (NMB) to postoperative complications has underscored the need to integrate quantitative neuromuscular monitoring techniques into anesthesia practice. This study, conducted at a tertiary care center in southern Illinois, investigates the gap between current clinical practices and the latest evidence advocating for objective monitoring. The study utilized a non-experimental pretest-posttest design to evaluate an educational intervention's effectiveness in increasing anesthesia providers' knowledge of quantitative neuromuscular monitoring techniques and enhancing their awareness of the incidence and clinical implications of postoperative residual neuromuscular blockade. Analysis of the pretest and post-test responses revealed significant improvements …

Development Of A Nurse Anesthesia Program Point-Of-Care Ultrasound Airway Examination Curriculum, Sarah Elyse Sandheinrich Butler, Colton Phillip Butler

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Airway management is a critical and fundamental skill for anesthesia providers. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is an up-and-coming assessment technique that can provide critical information about a patient’s airway anatomy and may increase patient safety during anesthesia care. As a result, understanding the appropriate POCUS equipment, techniques, findings, and clinical implications for airway examination can become essential for safe and effective anesthesia practice. This project aimed to develop a clinical airway POCUS examination curriculum with detailed instructions on all aspects of appropriate examination equipment, set-up, technique, and implications for findings. The team designed the curriculum to incorporate it into the host …

Standardization Of Perioperative Management Of The Breastfeeding Women, Amrutha Panakkal

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Mother's milk is the optimal nutrition for the term and preterm neonates. The psychological and physiological stressors in the perioperative setting can impede a lactating mother's ability to breastfeed in the postoperative setting successfully. A best-practice guideline incorporating a stoplight color-coding chart and categories such as "safe," "caution," and "consider avoidance" was used to group medications according to their safety for anesthesia providers in a large urban academic medical center in Pennsylvania. The evidence-based guideline also provided links to the hospital policy, LactMed, and Hale database to streamline resources and aid in the rapid decision-making of anesthesia providers in identifying …

Telehealth Integration In Primary Care, Ashley Simons

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Telehealth has been proven to be a useful and integral tool in primary care settings. Carlinville Family Health Care Clinic, a rural health clinic, has the current ability to conduct Telehealth visits but is not currently doing so. They have several programs available that are equipped with Telehealth capabilities. The physicians cite lack of education on these programs and lack of a standard streamlined practice for which program to use or how to use it.

According to the physicians in this practice, along with their patients, the use of Telehealth has multiple advantages. Because visits in this clinical are usually …

Development Of Neuraxial Anesthesia Educational Videos For Nurse Anesthesia Students, Mackenzie Schutt, Kaylie Lajeunesse

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Development of Neuraxial Anesthesia Educational Videos for Nurse Anesthesia Students

Kaylie LaJeunesse, BSN, RN, SRNA & Mackenzie Schutt, BSN, RN, SRNA

Performance and evaluation of anesthetic procedures, specifically neuraxial anesthesia, are core components of nurse anesthesia curriculums. Teaching methods must provide nurse anesthesia students with the proper tools and knowledge to perform skills confidently and proficiently. Traditional teaching methods have fallen short of providing the necessary instruction for optimal student success. Incorporating video-learning resources on neuraxial anesthesia into course curriculums can significantly improve nurse anesthesia practice by better-preparing students for the clinical setting. Video learning increases student engagement and facilitates …

Project Ankle-Brachial Index: Implementation Of An Evidence-Based Peripheral Artery Disease Protocol, Melaney Banks

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a narrowing or blocking of the arteries due to plaque buildup, which prevents oxygen, blood, and other nutrients from getting to the legs. When this buildup reaches a certain point, it becomes atherosclerosis, which is more prevalent in a smoker. Smoking intensifies the problem of plaque buildup if an individual already suffers from PAD. When an individual smokes, the nicotine causes the arteries to constrict and narrow, reducing blood flow further. The ankle-brachial index (ABI) is a simple, cost-effective diagnostic test to identify the presence of PAD which will improve patient outcomes.

Purpose: This …

Development Of A Protocol To Manage Postdural Puncture Headache, Ashley M. Shulman, Lynexis P. Mcvey

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

In obstetric laboring patients, neuraxial anesthesia is a common form of analgesia. However, neuraxial procedures are not without risk. Accidental dural puncture (ADP) is a potential risk with any epidural procedure. Patients who experience ADP are at a greater risk of developing postdural puncture headache (PDPH). The presentation of PDPH is commonly described as a dull, throbbing, headache worsening upon standing and relieved with supine positioning (Patel et al., 2020). Symptoms of PDPH may range from mild to debilitating and develop within five days of ADP. A variety of treatment options exist for PDPH ranging from conservative to invasive. The …

Utilizing Simulation To Implement Cognitive Aids In The Operating Room, Kaitlyn Brown

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Operating room crises require prompt, efficient action to avoid detrimental outcomes. Research shows that crisis checklists or other cognitive aids assist anesthesia providers in taking prompt action while improving efficiency by decreasing treatment steps missed during critical events.

Objectives: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating cardiac arrest and malignant hyperthermia crisis checklists into the operating room using high-fidelity simulation-based education.

Methods: Researchers implemented the Stanford Emergency Manual Cognitive Aids for cardiac arrest and malignant hyperthermia to anesthesia staff at a community hospital in southern Illinois with 18 participants. Implementation consisted of an education …

Evaluation Of Cardiomems Heart Failure Device, Danielle Moe, Msn, Rn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a chronic condition where the heart cannot pump enough blood to adequately oxygenate cells. The CardioMEMS HF device is implanted into the pulmonary artery (PA) allowing practitioners to monitor pressures remotely and prescribe interventions. Objectives: The primary purpose of this project was to determine if CardioMEMS is an effective intervention in the reduction of hospital admissions, emergency department (ED), and clinic visits for HF patients. The secondary purpose was to determine if the quality of life (QOL) and exercise tolerance was improved post-implant. Methods: The author conducted a retrospective chart review by accessing previously compiled …