Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Staff Education On Medication Reconciliation, Ivana Priscilla Adwoa Antwiwaa Buamah

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This Doctor of Nursing Practice education project focused on improving staff knowledge of medication reconciliation through an evidence-based educational intervention in an outpatient clinic. Medication reconciliation is crucial for ensuring accurate and consistent medication lists across care transitions, helping to prevent errors, such as omissions, duplications, dosing mistakes, and drug interactions. The project’s central question was whether staff education on an evidence-based approach to medication reconciliation would improve staff knowledge. A pre- and post-education survey was used to measure changes in staff knowledge after a PowerPoint presentation. Results showed a significant increase in staff knowledge after the intervention; the participants’ …

Raised Spirits The Visceral Journey Of Black Generational Female Trauma And The Transcendent Healing Power Of Spiritual Dance, Wendy Ann Powell

Theses and Dissertations

Black female bodies have endured sustained trauma globally since the transatlantic slave trade, and it continues into 2025. The collective consciousness has carried the generational burden and mobilized it within the womb. Powell uses this intergenerational knowledge to frame the basis for spiritual dance practices as a healing praxis.

One Can Only Dream, Sophia V. Yacca

Theses and Dissertations

One Can Only Dream is an interactive installation in which players are invited to navigate a liminal, dream-like game, engage with a branching series of questions, and introspect upon the relationships between unconscious expression, conscious self-perception, and the inherent difficulty of depicting, sharing, and understanding subconscious thought.

Rooted in both my personal experience with a rare neurophysiological condition and in my desire to create, this project examines dreams not only as a medical and cultural phenomenon, but also as a means to form identity, reflect trauma, and inspire creativity. Drawing from modern interactive storytelling and my lived experiences, this work …

Behavioral Responses To The Medicare Part D Coverage Gap And Its Closure, Selene Urbatsch

Theses and Dissertations

The author examines how exposure to the Medicare Part D coverage gap affects future prescription drug use and whether the closure of the gap under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) altered beneficiary behavior. Using 2007–2019 MEPS data, the analysis compares Part D enrollees to similarly aged, privately insured individuals, producing first-differences and difference-in-differences estimates. Before the ACA, exposure to the gap was associated with 4.9 fewer prescription fills relative to comparable non-Part D individuals. After the ACA, the effect fell to a reduction of 2.2 generic fills, with no significant decline in branded use. Sudden out-of-pocket cost increases prompted sharp …

Out From Under: Stories Of Endometriosis, Prisca Edwards

Theses and Dissertations

Six individuals. One diagnosis. In Out From Under, people living with endometriosis gather for an art-centered workshop. Through collage and conversation, they transform isolating medical experiences into paths of connection and collective healing.

Endometriosis affects approximately one in ten women of reproductive age, yet diagnosis is often delayed by nearly a decade. During this time, many suffer from debilitating symptoms without adequate care or accessible treatment. Out From Under explores the lived experience of endometriosis through the lens of socially engaged documentary filmmaking. Participants share their medical histories, emotions, and frustrations in a structured yet open environment designed for intimacy, …

The Connection Between The Gut Microbiome And Joint Pain, Masooma Shamsi

Honors Capstones

Background – Gut microbiome impacts joint pain in osteoarthritis. Studies show the relationship between abundance and diversity of gut microbiome and pain. The objective of this study is to summarize the evidence on the effect of gut microbiome on pain.

Methods – Literature search was conducted through PubMed and CINAHL databases. Search terms include gut microbiome + joint pain. Articles that had terms joint pain, gut dysbiosis, or inflammation from the gut were included. Articles included information regarding abundance and diversity of the gut microbiome.

Results – 5 selected articles show the relationship between diversity and abundance in the gut …

The Impact Of Mentorship On Burnout Among Novice Nurse Faculty, Lucas Gless

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Burnout among novice nurse educators contributes to increased rates of faculty turnover and vacancies in nursing education. This is especially significant in rural settings. This quality improvement project aimed to determine the impact of mentorship on novice nurse educators’ perception of burnout at a rural community college in East Texas. Utilizing a mixed methods design, novice nurse educators with less than two years of academic nurse education experience were assigned experienced faculty mentors over an eight-week period. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educators Survey (MBI-ES) measured emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment, both before and after the intervention. Data analysis, using the …

Quality Improvement Project Prevention Of Perioperative Pressure Injury Utilizing Scott Triggers Education, Assessment, And Interventions, Lisette Miller

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

The quality improvement project was initiated to educate perioperative staff on the evidence-based practice of Scott Triggers to reduce perioperative hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs). The purpose of the project was to provide Scott Trigger’s education to perioperative nurses for the reduction of perioperative HAPIs utilizing Scott Trigger's risk assessment tool and recommended interventions. Using a quantitative quasi-experimental design, the project consisted of two separate three-month data collection sets, one set collected pre-educational intervention, and the second set collected post-educational intervention. The project proved the use of the Scott Triggers high-risk assessment tool and utilization of the recommended interventions to …

Quality Improvement Project Impact Of Multidisciplinary Patient Education On Heart Failure 30-Day Readmission Rate, Jeanne P. Williams

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Patients diagnosed with heart failure are at an increased risk for readmission to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, and their care costs are projected to continue to increase. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement (QI) project aimed to implement an evidence-based initiative to mitigate the increased heart failure 30-day readmission rate on a 30-bed medical-surgical telemetry unit in an acute care facility. Using the teach-back communication method, multidisciplinary patient education was implemented to prepare patients diagnosed with heart failure to manage their condition once discharged home. The theoretical and implementation frameworks used were Lewin’s Change Model, …

Entry-Level Physical Therapists’ Perceptions Of Initial Employment, Richard G. Hubler Jr.

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

As physical therapy (PT) grows as an autonomous profession within the ever-changing healthcare system of the United States, PT educators strive to provide students all the training that they require for a career in professional clinical practice. Although graduates of PT education programs receive a doctoral degree, their preparedness to succeed in their early career is unclear. The purpose of this qualitative research study is to investigate the perceptions of entry-level physical therapists (PTs) toward early professional practice and their initial employment choices. Entry-level PTs that have been employed full-time for one year or less were interviewed to gain an …

Parental Vaccine Hesitancy And The Decision To Vaccinate Children Against Covid-19, Jessica Mckee

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

While there is a significant body of literature regarding vaccine hesitancy, there is a gap in the literature on its impact to parents’ decisions to vaccinate their children against a pandemic pathogen. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between parental vaccine hesitancy, measured using the health belief model (HBM) theoretical framework constructs of the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale (VHS; the degree to which an individual trusts in vaccine efficacy, safety, the reliability and trustworthiness of vaccine programs, community impact, perceived risks, and the importance of childhood vaccinations), and parents’ decision to vaccinate their children against COVID-19 with …

Executive Summary: Development Of An Evidence-Based Prevention Bundle To Reduce Falls On An Inpatient Psychiatric Detoxification Unit, Ramatu Dougrey Jalloh

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Following a 16% increase in patient falls from 2023 to 2024 in an inpatient psychiatric detoxification unit, a quality improvement education project was implemented to assess the impact of an evidence-based fall prevention bundle on fall rates and nursing compliance. Nurses received education through a PowerPoint presentation to enhance understanding and implementation of the bundle, which included Edmonson reassessments after high-risk medication administration, ISHAPED bedside shift handoffs, care plan updates, and SWIFT daily safety huddles. Posttests identified that the objective score of 80% knowledge for nurses was met. During the 10-week implementation, the goal was 100% compliance with all bundle …

Know Thyself: A History Of Ancient Neuroscience, Alex Delano

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

Neuroscience is often described as one of the youngest bodies of science, but documented study of the brain begins as early as the Neolithic period. The ancient Mediterranean was a hub for science, mathematics, philosophy, and literature, all disciplines necessary for the study of the brain. Evidence of neurosurgical procedures like trepanation and craniotomy began in the Neolithic period and were practiced and improved upon throughout the ancient Mediterranean. The first detailed studies on brain anatomy were carried out in the 3^rd century BCE in Greece which created a necessary structure for future scientists to build on. While many …

Enhancing Hospital Throughput With The Power Of Reminders: Implementing A Discharge Before Noon Strategy At An Urban Teaching Hospital, Jessie Ventura

Doctoral Projects

The doctoral project deploys a "Discharge Before Noon" strategy at an urban teaching hospital to resolve discharge delays and improve patient throughput efficiency. Hospitals experiencing overcrowding must prioritize timely patient discharges to enhance clinical results and operational performance. The project adopted the PARIHS framework to steer implementation through its emphasis on evidence-based practices, contextual factors, and facilitation strategies. The research gathered discharge data and team coordination results before and after the intervention period. The findings revealed elevated discharge numbers before noon and substantial progress in interdisciplinary team collaboration. The initiative indicated an optimizing trend for discharge procedures, even though statistical …

A Multimodal Intervention To Improve Treatment And Clinical Outcomes In Children With Recurrent Otitis Media, Daniel Courtaney

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Acute otitis media is the number one cause for primary health care visits and antibiotic prescriptions in the pediatric population (El Feghaly & Jackson, 2023). Upwards of 27% of children experience multiple episodes of otitis media (OM) that meet recurrent otitis media (ROM) diagnosis criteria (Pelton & Marchisio, 2023). Guided by the Iowa Model (Iowa Model Collaborative, 2017), the project’s purpose was to implement a multimodal intervention to decrease recurrent OM and repeat clinic visits. A comprehensive literature search of 5 databases yielded 16 sources ranging from levels I-IV (Melnyk & Fineout-Overholt, 2023). Using the AGREE II and JBI Critical …

Staff Education For Infection Control Prevention, Beatrice I. Cesar

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This project was a quality improvement staff education program to address the increase in hospital-acquired infections in the project facility. The hospital administrator identified that staff were overwhelmed and may not be consistently implementing appropriate infection control practices. If infection control practices are not addressed in hospitals system, there would be a much higher rate of hospital-acquired diseases among hospitalized patients and the staff. A staff education program about evidence-based strategies relating to infection control prevention was implemented to increase the nurses’ knowledge about strategies to decrease the spread of infection in the project facility. Eleven registered nurses participated in …

Staff Education To Enhance The Diagnosis Of Depression In Older Adults, Abiola Oyenwen Izekor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The aim of this staff education project was to improve provider knowledge on using the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) for screening depression in older adults. Geriatric depression is often underdiagnosed due to atypical symptoms and reliance on generalized tools such as the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), leading to delays in treatment and increased health care costs. To address this gap, I collaborated with a librarian to conduct a literature search, initially identifying 149 articles and refining them to 20 for review. I followed the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation (ADDIE) model to structure the educational intervention. The training included …

Staff Education To Improve Staff Knowledge And Attitudes Regarding Aggressive Patient Behaviors, Roya Khoshbakht

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Aggressive behavior among psychiatric patients threatens safety and quality in healthcare, causing physical and psychological harm to staff and contributing to burnout and high turnover rates. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project addressed gaps in staff knowledge and attitudes, particularly among nurses, regarding aggression management and de-escalation techniques through a comprehensive education program on the causes of aggression, warning signs, and effective strategies. The evidence-based practice (EBP) question was, Will staff education on evidence-based strategies for preventing and managing aggressive behavior improve staff knowledge and attitude? Project team members used the Johns Hopkins Evidence-Based Practice (JHEBP) model to develop …

Conflict, Human Development, And Neonatal Health: A Regional Analysis Of The Eastern Mediterranean, Zynub A. Al-Sherri

Honors Theses

Background. The effects of war and conflict on a population are direct and indirect in nature. One of the most devastating consequences is the destruction of healthcare infrastructure, which severely disrupts access to essential services and impedes long-term socioeconomic development. Among those most affected are newborns, as the neonatal period represents the most vulnerable stage of a child’s life and serves as a sensitive indicator of a society’s overall health and socioeconomic conditions. Given the persistent instability in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR), this study aimed to explore how conflict and human development are associated with neonatal health outcomes …

Impact Of Menstrual Cycle Phase On Upper Extremity Function, Emma D. Cochran, Kaitlyn M. Armstrong

Honors Theses

Abstract

The Impact of Menstrual Cycle Phase on Upper Extremity Function

Background: There has been a significant rise in the number of female athletes participating across the spectrum of sports. While there are a multitude of research studies looking at physiology in sports on performance, training methods, and injuries; this research is general across genders. When it comes to female-specific physiology concerning training and injuries, there is little research. One such gender-specific physiological focus is the menstrual cycle in the female population. The literature suggests changes in joint laxity and muscle repair throughout the various phases of the menstrual cycle, …

Second Language Acquisition For Adults, Sara Santos Costa

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The process of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) has been explored by several scholars, who start with fundamental questions such as: “Does second language acquisition work in the same way as first language acquisition?” “What are the differences in the processes each individual experiences?” “Is it possible to become fluent in a second language at an older age?” This paper aims to show some key research conducted on this topic and provide a clear understanding of the processes that second language learners face.

This paper will delve into three main approaches to SLA: Behaviorist Theory, Universal Grammar (UG) and Interactionist Theory. …

Improving Hospital Discharges Before Noon: Implementation Of A Vida (Very Important Discharge Appointment), Nadia Paul

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Delays in hospital discharge can negatively affect hospital throughput and bed capacity, resulting in increased length of stay and boarding of patients in off-unit locations which causes concerns for patient safety and potential harm (Rutherford et al., 2017). The purpose of this DNP project was to determine if the implementation of a very important discharge appointment (VIDA) would increase the number of hospital discharges occurring before noon (DBN) each day. This project was implemented at a 350-bed academic medical center in East Central Indiana. A 25-bed, adult medical unit served as the pilot unit. In total, 538 patients were included …

Doctor Of Physical Therapy Student Performance On The National Physical Therapy Examination And Qualitative Feedback Of Dpt Program Administrators About The Covid-19 Pandemic In The Appalachian Region, Timothy Logan Yost

Ed.D. Dissertations

In this qualitative case study, I aimed to discern the presence of a downward trend in the National Physical Therapy Examination (NPTE) during the COVID-19 pandemic and receive valuable qualitative feedback from Doctor of Physical Therapy program administrators concerning the effects of COVID-19. I first reviewed the available literature, followed by an examination of first-time scores via publicly available data from the Federation of State Board of Physical Therapy (FSBPT). This was followed by the development of a qualitative research methodology, which included a targeted qualitative questionnaire with Doctor of Physical Therapy program administrators within the Appalachian region to gain …

Efficacy Of Turmeric In The Treatment Of Osteoarthritis, Mckenna Taylor

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common types of arthritis that affects millions of people worldwide and can lead to debilitating pain and some forms of immobilization. It is a progressive disease, one that comes from persistent use of joints. Factors that may increase the risk for osteoarthritis include age, female gender, joint injury, obesity, and genetics. Additionally, these factors can increase the rate of degeneration of the cartilage and joint space between bones, causing constant bone on bone contact. Currently, treatment or management of this disease has included oral NSAIDs, acetaminophen, corticosteroids, corticosteroid injections, oral and topical analgesics. However, …

A Joint Endeavor: Methotrexate Vs. Jak Inhibitors For Joint Inflammation Reduction In Rheumatoid Arthritis, Madeleine Kennedy

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that causes joint inflammation and damage. This paper investigates the comparative efficacy of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors versus methotrexate (MTX) in reducing joint inflammation in adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study addresses the critical research question: In adult patients with RA, does treatment with JAK inhibitors or methotrexate demonstrate superior efficacy in reducing joint inflammation? A literature review was conducted analyzing various clinical trials, including phase II and III studies, that evaluated the effectiveness of JAK inhibitors, both as monotherapy and in combination with MTX. The findings indicate that JAK …

Breaking Barriers: Exploring The Impact Of Social Media On Women's Behaviors, Attitudes, And Barriers In The Free-Weights Room, Kate Jensen

Master's Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine social media’s impact on women’s habits and attitudes on the weight-room area of a college recreation center. Using non-experimental quantitative methods, the frequency and type of weightroom use by women was measured, as well as the type and frequency of fitness-focused social media use.

Does Limb Specialization In Track And Field Introduce Asymmetry In Dynamic Stability?, Aaron X. Jones

Master's Theses

Time to stabilization (TTS) represents the time it takes for a person to become still after a hop landing. Lower times suggest greater dynamic stability. Whereas leg dominance (preference) does not seem to have a significant impact on TTS performance in the general healthy populations, limb specialization in sport may introduce asymmetry. This study compares TTS following forward hops in healthy male controls (N = 19) to varsity DIII Track & Field athletes (N = 20). Groups were equal for height, but the athlete group’s average limb length (106.7 ± 5.5 cm) was greater than the control group (101.5 ± …

Does Covid-19 Matter: A Growth Curve Modeling Analysis Estimating And Predicting The Growth Trends Of The Accountable Care Organizations (Acos) Preventative Quality Performance During 2016-2020 Period, Christina Bocanegra-Perez

Theses & Dissertations

Does COVID-19 Matter: A Growth Curve Modeling Analysis Estimating and Predicting the Growth Trends of the Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) Preventative Quality Performance During 2016-2020 Period

Christina M. Bocanegra, PhD

University of the Incarnate Word

Abstract

Introduction: CMS aggregates and reports Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) performance each year, resulting in distributed shared savings to provider participants. The intent is to share benefits with healthcare providers to promote lower costs, better patient experience, and better outcomes. The Medicare Shared Savings Program (MSSP), in which ACO groups collect data to include the six preventative quality care measures viewed in this study, focuses …

High Dose Intravenous Vitamin C In Breast Cancer Therapy, Brianna Solis

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Breast cancer remains one of the most prevalent malignancies globally, emphasizing the need for adjunct therapies to enhance treatment outcomes and improve patient care. Current breast cancer treatments, including radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery, are often effective but are frequently associated with significant side effects that can impact treatment tolerance and quality of life. This review examines the effectiveness of high-dose intravenous (IV) vitamin C as an adjunct therapy in breast cancer treatment, specifically its potential to reduce tumor size and alleviate chemotherapy-associated side effects. A literature review was performed using electronic databases PubMed and Google Scholar from April to June …

Efficacy Of Probiotic Use In Allergic Rhinitis And Asthma In Children And Adolescents, Mary Janke

Physician Assistant Scholarly Project Papers

Allergic rhinitis and asthma are chronic conditions affecting children and adults, often impairing quality of life. Conventional treatments, including allergen avoidance, antihistamines, corticosteroids, and bronchodilators, manage symptoms but may also have limitations and side effects. Recent studies have explored the efficacy of probiotics as a potential adjunct therapy to alleviate AR symptoms, decrease asthma severity, and reduce the dependence on these conventional treatments. This literature review aims to determine the efficacy of probiotics in treating asthma and allergic rhinitis. It includes studies using probiotics to treat asthma and/or allergic rhinitis, as found using Embase and PubMed. Only studies involving pediatric …