Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Understanding Teen Pregnancy Through The Younger Sister's Voice: A Focused Ethnography, Bonnie J. Simmons

Nursing Dissertations (PhD)

Each year in the United States between 800,000 and 900,000 adolescents, aged 19 or younger, become pregnant. Over one-half of these pregnancies end in a live birth. Several studies have shown that the younger sisters of adolescent mothers have teenage childbearing rates two to six times higher than childbearing rates of women in the general population. The purpose of this focused ethnography was to gain a better understanding of the influences of a pregnant and parenting adolescent on her younger sister. Purposeful sampling was used to recruit younger sisters of parenting teens. Fifteen (15) African American females, ranging in age …

Illness Representations, Emotional Distress, Coping Strategies, And Coping Efficacy As Predictors Of Patient Outcomes For Type 2 Diabetes, Patricia Lynn Hart

Nursing Dissertations (PhD)

Diabetes mellitus affects 20.8 million Americans in the United States and is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States. Acute and chronic disease-related complications can have a devastating effect on the life of individuals with Type 2 diabetes. Reduction in acute and chronic complications can be best achieved by individuals’ adhering to appropriate lifestyle changes and maintaining tight glycemic control through a process of self-regulation. Self-regulation treatment decisions and lifestyle behavioral changes can be influenced by physiological and psychosocial factors. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between illness representations, emotional distress, coping strategies, …

Factors Influencing Surrogate End-Of-Life Healthcare Decision-Making For A Family Member With Alzheimer's Disease, Sharlene Toney

Nursing Dissertations (PhD)

Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a chronic terminal disease, progressively impairs cognitive function resulting in deterioration of intellect, memory, and personality. With disease progression, the surrogate decision-maker becomes more involved in intervention choices and end-of-life (EOL) care, which may or may not be based on patients’ wishes or best practice guidelines. Yet surrogate decision outcomes involve important issues of medical futility, quality of life and death. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that influence surrogate health care decision-making for a family member during the terminal stage of AD. A descriptive, predictive design was used to address the research questions: …

A Study Of The Caring Relationship Between Nurses And Culturally Diverse Clients, Carol Phillips

Theses and Graduate Projects

This is a qualitative study that examines the caring relationship between the nurse and the culturally diverse client. The purpose was to gain insight into the process of the delivery of culturally congruent care. A method of Hermeneutic Phenomenological analysis was used to discover the meaning within the stories told by the nurse participants.

Facing Down Death And Moving Beyond: Strategies Utilized By Female Survivors Of Childhood Maltreatment, Tonya Barri Broyles

Doctoral Dissertations

This study is a secondary analysis of a federally funded study of survivors of childhood maltreatment, who now consider themselves to be successful and effective in their current environments as adults. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to identify strategies that female survivors of childhood maltreatment have used as children and as adults to move beyond the effects of the abuse. An in-depth analysis of 27 women who have completed three interviews over the course of a year has revealed a generative theme of “Facing Down Death” and two interconnected themes of “Purposeful Cognitions/ Emotions,” and “Purposeful Actions.” Each …

Promises To Keep: A Phenomenological Study Of Icu Nurses’ Experiences Caring For Dying Patients, Phyllis Ann King

Doctoral Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of nurses caring for dying patients in the critical care unit. Using a phenomenological approach based on the works of Merleau-Ponty, the researcher completed 14 interviews in which ICU nurses were asked to describe experiences of caring for patients who died while in their care. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using a hermeneutical approach developed by Pollio and applied to nursing research by Thomas. Each interview was examined within the context of all the interviews to identify themes found throughout. The world of the ICU was grounded in …

Resilience And Depressive Symptoms In Midlife Women, Keverne L. Lehman

Masters Theses

Rates of depression are increasing throughout the world, with women experiencing depression twice as often as men. This study utilized the Neuman Systems Model to examine the relationship in midlife women between depressive symptoms and resilience. Women ages 35-55, selected from four health care settings, completed written surveys on demographic information, life events, depression, and resilience. Results supported depressive symptoms as a health concern for mid-life women: 32% reporting current or previous treatment for depression, and 24% screening positive for depression. Resilience, measured by the Polk Resilience Patterns Scale, was related to education, perceived health, conflict in the living situation, …

Cross-Cultural Reliability Of The Health Control & Competence Index And The Health Perception Index, Dr. Vincent L. Salyers

Dr. Vincent L Salyers

It is well documented that men of Latino origin are subject to health disparities with an increased morbidity and mortality from preventable diseases. Despite their proclivity for health problems, these men also have the lowest participation in health promotion services. This may be due to health disparity factors, health access factors, cultural factors, gender role factors, and constraints to receiving culturally competent health care. Addressing such factors as health knowledge, health perceptions, access to care, and culturally/linguistically competent care is essential to increasing participation in health care, health promotion and screening activities by men of Latino origin. This mixed-measures exploratory …

Risks And Protective Factors Associated With Symptoms Of Depression In Low-Income African American And Caucasian Women During Pregnancy, Darlene Elizabeth Jesse

D. Elizabeth Jesse

No abstract provided.

The Impact Of Quiet Time On The Sleep Quality Of Cardiothoracic Surgery Patients, Kristina L. Nelson

Graduate Research Projects

The purpose of this study was to observe patients' quality of sleep on a cardiothoracic step-down unit before and after institution of an "undisturbed quiet time" policy from eleven o'clock in the evening until five in the morning. It was hypothesized that these patients have improved sleep quality after institution of the Quiet Time protocol. The comparative group, quasi-experimental study utilized the Verran and Snyder-Halpern Sleep Scale and Factors Influencing Sleep Questionnaire to measure sleep disturbance, effectiveness, and supplementation. Results demonstrated a decrease in sleep disturbance with initiation of the Quiet Time, but no significant change in sleep effectiveness and …

The Cost Of Negative Perceptions Of The Work Environment Among Intermediate Intensive Care Unit Nurses, Joselyn Peralta

Master's Projects

This descriptive study assessed the perceptions of the work environment and the retention plans among registered nurses (RNs) who worked in the Intermediate Intensive Care Unit at a tertiary university hospital. Results from the Moos Work Environment Scale found that nurses perceived high levels of work pressure and low levels of clarity, coworker cohesion, and supervisor support. Results indicated that the intent to leave the unit was dependent on the nurses having other options in nursing, desiring further education, an undesirable scheduling process and unsafe patient care. The direct and indirect costs to hospitals could be offset by developing strategies …

Depression, Anxiety, Hazardous Drinking, Subjective Burden, And Rewards In Family Caregivers Of Patients With Chronic Liver Disease, Lois Vennesta Bolden

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

This descriptive correlation study had three purposes. The study first described depressive and anxiety symptom levels, prevalence of hazardous drinking, rewards, and subjective burden reported by family caregivers of patients with chronic liver disease (CLD). Second, the investigator compared depressive and anxiety symptom levels, prevalence of hazardous drinking, rewards, and subjective burden reported by African Americans family caregivers with those reported by Caucasian family caregivers of patients with CLD. The third purpose was to determine the predictors of subjective burden and mental health status of family caregivers of persons with CLD.

A convenience sample of 73 caregivers of patients receiving …

Psychometric Properties Of The Readiness For Hospital Discharge Scale, Marianne Weiss, Linda Piacentine

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of the study was to assess the psychometrics properties of the Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale (RHDS), a 23-item instrument that measures patients' perception of readiness for discharge. Data were obtained from 356 respondents from two urban tertiary medical centers (adult and children's) in the midwestern United States who were participants in a larger study of predictors and outcomes of readiness for hospital discharge. Confirmatory factor analysis, contrasted group comparisons, and predictive validity testing supported the 4-factor structure and construct validity of the instrument. Following deletion of two poorly performing items, Cronbach's alpha for the revised 21item scale …

The Power Of Collaboration With Patient Safety Programs: Building Safe Passage For Patients, Nurses, And Clinical Staff, Karlene M. Kerfoot, Kathryn Rapala, Patricia R. Ebright, Suzanne M. Rogers

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Patient safety is a relatively new field, with many opinions and few effectively proven approaches. One factor is clear: optimal patient safety outcomes cannot be achieved in isolation. Although it is well recognized that multidisciplinary collaboration in the healthcare setting is necessary to effect patient safety, collaboration with resources external to healthcare-academia and industry in particular-will not only aid but also quicken the patient safety efforts. The authors outline a healthcare system's use of all available resources to build a patient safety program.

Stress Reduction: A Neighborhood Introduction, Barbara D. Johnson

Master's Projects

Responding to reported health concerns a stress reduction program was developed for residents of an urban Latino neighborhood struggling with poverty, crime, and limited access to healthcare. The revised Health Promotion Model (HPM) was used as a framework (Pender, 1996). A qualitative study testing a 5-week Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR) intervention was imbedded into the program 18 months after its implementation. Utilizing a pre/post test design participants were predicted to demonstrate significant reductions in post-intervention mean scores for 3 self-report measures, the Cohen Perceived Stress Scale, General Sleep Disturbance Scale, and a modified Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale. A 91% drop …

Minority Adolescents At Risk For Obesity: Health Behaviors And Perceptions, Linda D. Jones

Master's Projects

The purpose of this study was to examine behaviors related to nutrition and physical activity of inner-city minority adolescents, and their perception of normal weight and overweight. The research study used a descriptive, non-experimental design which had a convenience sample of thirty-seven 8th grade minority adolescents who attended a chartered urban K-8 grade school in Northern California. There were no statistically significant differences in the results, however, over 50% of the students reported not eating the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Another 68% reported participating more than 30 minutes in exercising or playing sports during physical education class. …

Patient Handling Safety For Nursing Staff, Don Nielsen

Dissertations

The effectiveness of video scoring and feedback about the scoring of the components of safe patient transfers was observed among eight nursing staff members in a skilled nursing department within an acute care hospital.

An ABCA (and sometimes ABCDA), multiple baseline across individuals design was utilized in the study. The dependent variable under investigation was the percentage of safe lifting components. Following baseline measures, nursing staff participated in an information phase during which they reviewed and discussed components of safe patient transfers. A video scoring phase was introduced, during which, participants viewed and scored a model video of a patienttransfer. …

African American Father-Child Reproductive Health Communication, Nnenna Ohalete Phd

Dissertations

African-American children have their sexual debut (first voluntary penile-vaginal penetration) earlier thus are at disproportionately greater risk for more sexual partners and sexually transmitted infections. Father-child reproductive health communication was found to influence the timing of sex in other children however, a dearth of studies in African-American fathers existed. In this qualitative study reproductive health communication was explored in tape-recorded interviews of 19 African-American fathers from the perspective of critical theory, with the use of critical ethnography as methodology. How the content and pattern of reproductive health communication influenced sexual debut, and how fathers' moral/ethical stances influenced reproductive health communication …

Using Electronic Patient Records In Mental Healthcare To Capture Housing And Homelessness Information Of Psychiatric Consumers, Richard Booth

Richard G Booth

No abstract provided.

Gmeiner, Jayne Interview For The Miami Valley College Of Nursing And Health Oral History Project, Carol Holdcraft, Jayne Gmeiner

Wright State University - Miami Valley College of Nursing and Health Oral History Project

Carol Holdcraft interviewed Jayne Gmeiner on November 15, 2006 about the founding of the Wright State University College of Nursing and Health. In the interview, Gmeiner discusses her career and her decision to come to Wright State as a student with the College of Nursing and Health.

Peters, Ann, Betty Schmoll, And Nancy Janssens Interview For The Miami Valley College Of Nursing And Health Oral History Project, Donna M. Curry, Carol Holdcraft, Ann Peters, Betty Schmoll, Nancy Janssens

Wright State University - Miami Valley College of Nursing and Health Oral History Project

Donna Miles Curry and Carol Holdcraft interviewed Ann Peters, Betty Schmoll, and Nancy Janssens in the first group interview for the oral history project on November 13, 2006. In this interview they discussed the struggles and hurdles they faced while applying and beginning their nursing school in addition to their careers.

Youth Soccer Intervention For Childhood Overweight In Mississippi, Robert A. Leach D.C.

MSN Research Projects

The scourge of childhood obesity in Mississippi threatens to undermine progress made in other national health goals espoused by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Community-based youth sport activities, and specifically soccer, may lower Body Mass Index (BMI) and have the potential to provide the vigorous physical activity preventive and intervention indicated by studies to date, especially given the explosive growth o f the sport in the US recently among females. After gaining approval from the Starkville School Board, access to FitnessGram data of all 4^^ grade students at a public school was obtained and data revealed 57 female students …

Violence And Coping Of Emergency Department Nurses, Sarah Fraser

Graduate Research Projects

The purpose of this research is to gather information about the types of interventions that best help victims of ED violence. Studies demonstrate that there is a definite problem of violence in the Emergency Department (ED). Studies also show there has been an increase in the victimization of ED staff. The problem of violence in the ED is not just a problem within the United States but also found in countries such as Ireland and Australia. There is a need to improve the safety measures of the ED so that staff will feel safe and can perform their jobs efficiently …

Demonstrating The Value Of The Rn In Ambulatory Care, Beth Ann Swan, Regina Conway-Phillips, Karen F. Griffin

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

During 2003, an estimated 906 million visits were made to physician offices in the United States (Hing, Cherry, & Woodwell, 2005).

Overall, 42% of visits to outpatient settings were attended by a registered nurse (Middleton & Hing, 2005).

Despite ambulatory care being the fastest growing site for care, it is the least studied.

The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the role of the RN in ambulatory care and describe the direct and indirect economic value of RNs in ambulatory care settings.

Omega-3 Fatty Acid Consumption In The Reduction Of Sudden Cardiac Death: A Critical Appraisal, Katie J. Walker, A. Elaine Bond, Renea L. Beckstrand, Mary Williams

Faculty Publications

This article examines the effects of omega-3 fatty acid consumption in reducing sudden cardiac death risk, and provides useful dosing recommendations for patients–with or without a history of coronary heart disease–in a primary care practice.

Beholding The Beauty Of Self: The Psychological Integration Of The Afrocentric-Self Among African-American Females Socialized In A Eurocentric Aesthetic, Donna Lynn Cook Phd

Dissertations

Self-esteem and body image disturbances prominently figure into many physical and psychological health disorders such as depression, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and chemical dependency. In Euro-American culture, media images of femininity and physical attractiveness reinforce generally held perceptions of the idealized female beauty as tall, white, slender, and often blond and blue eyed. The physical morphology of African-American women does not genetically "fit" this westernized standard of beauty with implications for their mental health. The socialization of African-American women in a culture that embraces a different ethnic standard of beauty influences their perceptions of how physically attractive they see themselves. …

Self-Mutilation In Adolescents: Recognizing A Silent Epidemic, Constance Glenn, Susan M. Denisco

Nursing Faculty Publications

This article describes the physical and emotional manifestations of self-mutilation behavior (SMB) in adolescents and provides information about diagnosis and treatment. The authors' own survey of school nurses' on-the-job experience with SMB is presented. Finally, the implications of the problem for nurse practitioners (NPs) who care for teens at risk for SMB are discussed.

Enhancing Evidence-Based Practice Through Collaboration, Pamela Springer, Carolyn Corbett, Noreen Davis

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Hospitals increasingly reference published evidence for any given procedure or guideline as part of the push towards evidence-based nursing. Medical centers and universities can develop a collaborative model to help support evidence-based practice. The authors describe a model of collaboration between a university and medical centers to enhance nurses’ knowledge and research skills and provide research opportunities for faculty.

What Are They Saying: Voices From The Inner City? Lived Experience Of Inner City African American Adolescents With Asthma, Othello Childress Phd

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to investigate the lived experience of African-American adolescents with asthma who reside in an inner city community. The research in this area of interest is sparse, yet the morbidity and mortality rates related to asthma within the African-American population are greater than the general population. This study offers the experience of living with asthma from the perspective of the young African-American adolescent. Using phenomenological methodology, the nurse researcher selected 13 African-American adolescents; aged 12 to 15, who reside and attend middle school in the inner city. All of the participants had a confirmed medical …

Defining Health And Health-Related Behaviors Following A Near-Death Experience, Suzanne C. Robertson Phd

Dissertations

While broad categories of health and influences on definitions of health have been identified, the process through which adults define and re-define health has not been researched. The purpose of this study was to investigate the process of defining health and appropriate health-related behaviors following a near-death experience (NDE) as an adult and to articulate a grounded theory of decision-making. Five men and 15 women from the United States and United Kingdom were interviewed and the data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. The basic social process was I Still Had to Go Through the Process of Understanding. Understanding …