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Full-Text Articles in Medicine and Health Sciences
Student Experiences And Beliefs Regarding Normal Physiologic Birth, Alicia N. Harris
Student Experiences And Beliefs Regarding Normal Physiologic Birth, Alicia N. Harris
Honors Projects
Lamaze International identifies six care practices used to promote, protect, and support the normal physiologic process of birth (Lamaze, 2007; Lamaze, 2014). These practices include: allowing labor to begin on its own; allowing freedom of movement throughout labor; providing continuous labor support; avoiding routine interventions; promoting spontaneous pushing in upright or gravity-neutral positions; and not separating mother and baby with unlimited breastfeeding opportunities. These care practices were adopted for nurses (Romano & Lothian, 2008) to support the normal physiologic birth (NPB.) The disparity between this recognized standard of care and the reality of nursing student education in the maternity clinical …
Hypertension Management Among Cambodian-Americans In Rhode Island, Rathana Long
Hypertension Management Among Cambodian-Americans In Rhode Island, Rathana Long
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke and the focus of much study in the US. However, there is limited transfer of this knowledge in terms of hypertension management in certain recent immigrant groups such as the Cambodian-‐Americans. Cambodian-‐Americans are often included among the Asian/Pacific Islanders and are one of the fasting growing populations in the US. The purpose of this study was to explore how Cambodians in Rhode Island manage hypertension. This study used a survey design with a convenience sample of 30 participants who could read, write, and understand English. It was conducted at …
Nurse Perceptions Of Influenza Vaccination, Leslie L. Brown
Nurse Perceptions Of Influenza Vaccination, Leslie L. Brown
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
The purpose of this research study was to determine the perceptions of influenza vaccine of registered nurses who decline the annual influenza vaccination. Influenza is a serious public health issue because it is a highly contagious virus that is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. The topic of making annual influenza vaccinations mandatory for health care workers remains controversial. A comprehensive review of the literature surrounding influenza vaccinations was explored and discussed. The data for this study was obtained via anonymous voluntary surveys with one open-ended and 14 closed-ended questions. A mixed method design was used to analyze the voluntary …
Intravenous Acetaminophen Use In Postoperative Pain Management, Selvi K. Kumar
Intravenous Acetaminophen Use In Postoperative Pain Management, Selvi K. Kumar
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
Surgery is a most common source of acute pain and effective postoperative pain management is crucial for wound healing and recovery. Opiods are the mainstay for acute pain management but have various adverse effects including death. The multimodal approach involves the use of multiple drugs with varying mechanism of action to achieve optimal pain relief with less adverse effects. Intravenous acetaminophen (IVAPAP) is a new addition to the multimodal approach that appears to afford effective pain relief with a low risk profile. The purpose of this research study was to examine the impact of IVAPAP use in multimodal pain management …
A Nurse-Driven, Exercise-Based Intervention For Patients With Cancer-Related Fatigue When Severe Fatigue Interferes With Daily Activity, Nancy B. Opaluch-Bushy
A Nurse-Driven, Exercise-Based Intervention For Patients With Cancer-Related Fatigue When Severe Fatigue Interferes With Daily Activity, Nancy B. Opaluch-Bushy
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
Cancer affects more than 1 million people each year. Of all of the symptoms related to cancer, the most frequently experienced is fatigue. Cancer-related fatigue (CRF) is an extreme tiredness that contributes to morbidity and mortality due to resulting inactivity. Extreme inactivity related to CRF may cause severe complications affecting multiple body systems. The Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) recommends exercise as the only evidence-based intervention shown to be significant for CRF. The purpose of this project was to provide a nurse-driven, exercise-based intervention to combat severe CRF. The site was an oncology out-patient clinic of a 247 bed Magnet hospital …
Timelines Of Oral Care And Early-Onset Ventilator Associated Pneumonia Prevention, Kristen M. Francoeur
Timelines Of Oral Care And Early-Onset Ventilator Associated Pneumonia Prevention, Kristen M. Francoeur
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
Hospital-acquired infections, including ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP), are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality and associated with increased costs and length of stay (Chastre & Fagon, 2002; NNIS, 2004). Ventilator associated pneumonia is believed to primarily result from aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions around the endotracheal tube cuff into the lungs (Grap, Munro, Unoki, Hamilton, & Ward, 2012). A randomized control trial tested early application of oral chlorhexidine (CHG) on oral microbial flora and VAP in trauma patients and suggested that early (within 12 hours of intubation) application may reduce VAP rates in trauma patients (Grap, Munro, Hamilton, Elswick, Sessler …
Nurses Perceptions Of Family Presence During Resuscitation In The Emergency Department, Jennifer L. Jennings
Nurses Perceptions Of Family Presence During Resuscitation In The Emergency Department, Jennifer L. Jennings
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
Family presence during resuscitation has been a controversial and much debated topic for many years. In the past decade, the movement toward family presence has steadily grown. The Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) and the American Heart Association (AHA) have endorsed family presence and incorporated guidelines for its implementation. Although becoming more accepted in practice, there are still many hospitals without family presence policies, and some nurses and other health care providers continue to identify concerns about its’ use. The purpose of this project was to survey nurses’ perceptions of family presence during resuscitation in the Emergency Department. A researcher developed …
Exploring Nurses' Knowledge About Heart Failure Before And After The Implementation Of A Heart Failure Education Program, Suzanne H. Richmond
Exploring Nurses' Knowledge About Heart Failure Before And After The Implementation Of A Heart Failure Education Program, Suzanne H. Richmond
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
Heart failure (HF) has become a national epidemic, with 5.7 million Americans currently living with HF. Although HF is incurable, it is manageable if health care professionals apply current practice guidelines to patient teaching. Nurses are charged with providing comprehensive education about HF self-‐management and it is imperative they stay abreast of evidence-‐based guidelines. The purpose of this project was to explore the current HF knowledge of Home Based Primary Care (HBPC) registered nurse Care Managers employed at the Providence Veterans Administration Medical Center (PVAMC). The logic model and Knowles andragogy theory assisted this researcher in the creation of a …
Nurses' Knowledge Related To Heart Failure Essentials, Ann Mary Garris
Nurses' Knowledge Related To Heart Failure Essentials, Ann Mary Garris
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
Heart Failure is a complex syndrome which continues to be a major health issue in the United States and worldwide. Strategies and educational interventions implemented by hospitals to reduce hospital admissions and readmissions for this costly chronic disease have not been consistently successful. Patient education is an important strategy for the management of HF to improve quality of life, optimize patient outcomes, and reduce the use of healthcare resources by reducing readmissions. The purpose of this program development was to increase nurses’ knowledge regarding HF education to be provided to HF patients prior to discharge from the acute care setting. …
Surgical Skills For The Aprn Student: A Low-Fidelity Simulation Experience, Jason C. Heath
Surgical Skills For The Aprn Student: A Low-Fidelity Simulation Experience, Jason C. Heath
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
There are many contemporary areas of practice available to the ACNP to date that encompass a surgical component of practice. Surgical specialty settings require a practitioner to be competent in a specialized base of knowledge as well as possess a fundamental set of psychomotor skills to practice competently. Unlike the training of the PA, ACNP programs do not typically address surgical theory or skills. The purpose of the program was to increase graduate nursing student confidence in basic surgical skills. The review of the literature examined the differences between the educational preparation of the PA and the NP, expansion of …
The Dnp: A Descriptive Study Of Student Experiences And Factors Contributing To Pursuing This Degree, Daniel J. Neilson
The Dnp: A Descriptive Study Of Student Experiences And Factors Contributing To Pursuing This Degree, Daniel J. Neilson
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
Since 2004 discourse pertaining to a terminal clinical degree in nursing has increased nationally, however few articles were found that discussed why advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) were choosing to pursue this degree, and their lived experiences while doing so. This descriptive, qualitative research study aimed to identify contributing factors in the decision to pursue the DNP degree, and to explore the experiences of DNP student experiences. Rogers’ theory of diffusion of innovations (2003) guided the study. Snowball recruitment led to seven participants from who data was collected using email conversations. Five major themes were identified: (1) personal development, (2) …
Educational Innovation Brief: Educating Graduate Nursing Students On Value Based Purchasing, Kristen M. Farrell
Educational Innovation Brief: Educating Graduate Nursing Students On Value Based Purchasing, Kristen M. Farrell
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act implemented value-based purchasing to raise the bar on quality care and patient satisfaction in healthcare facilities. The time has come to educate graduate nursing students on the reality of quality indicators and the impact that advanced practice nurses will have on these initiatives. This educational brief describes implementation of an educational session developed for graduate nursing students on VBP and the APN role. The content for the education was derived from an extensive literature review, The Essentials of Master’s Education in Nursing, and the clinical experience of the author. The education was …
Nurses' Perceptions Of Nurse Staffing And The Impact On Patient Falls, Kristin J. Henry
Nurses' Perceptions Of Nurse Staffing And The Impact On Patient Falls, Kristin J. Henry
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
Patient falls contribute to unnecessary injury and incapacitation for patients and are also a major source of stress for the nurses caring for patients who fall. Hospitals are no longer being reimbursed for extended hospital stays related to injuries caused by patient falls and action is needed to decrease such events. Nurse staffing has been shown to play a critical role in determining the incidence of patient falls, with better nurse staffing decreasing the likelihood of a patient falling. The purpose of this study was to determine nurses’ perceptions of nurse staffing and its impact on the incidence of patient …
Examining Chronic Stress In Spouses Of Active Duty Military Members, Cristina L. Joseph
Examining Chronic Stress In Spouses Of Active Duty Military Members, Cristina L. Joseph
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
Even in the absence of wartime stressors, the military lifestyle is characterized by frequent challenges that affect not only the military member, but also his or her spouse and children. Due to frequent relocations and deployments, military spouses are often relied upon to become the primary child-rearers, make occupational sacrifices, deal with financial concerns independently, organize relocations, and cope with lack of social support. These multiple responsibilities can create a myriad of stressors, which over time lend themselves to the formation of chronic stress. The purpose of this exploratory study is to determine if spouses of active duty military members …
Alarm Fatigue: A Technology Hazard, Iracena Santos Lopes
Alarm Fatigue: A Technology Hazard, Iracena Santos Lopes
Master's Theses, Dissertations, Graduate Research and Major Papers Overview
This research project sought to investigate the impact of alarm fatigue on nurses in an inpatient adult acute care setting at an academic and magnet medical center in the Northeast. The project methodology included a 12-question survey containing 9- likert and 3 open ended questions, designed by the student researcher. The survey was administered to 48 registered nurses on two telemetry-monitoring units. The survey explored whether nurses are aware of alarm fatigue, and also how their daily workflow was impacted by alarm fatigue. Surveys were anonymous and confidential. Descriptive statistics were performed on the study variables, and responses from three …