Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Particle Loading Time And Humidity Effects On The Efficiency Of An N95 Filtering Facepiece Respirator Model Under Constant And Inhalation Cyclic Flows, Alireza Mahdavi, Fariborz Haghighat, Ali Bahloul, Clothilde Brochot, Claude Ostiguy

Études primaires

It is necessary to investigate the efficiencies of filtering facepiece respirators (FFRs) exposed to ultrafine particles (UFPs) for long periods of time, since the particle loading time may potentially affect the efficiency of FFRs. This article aims to investigate the filtration efficiency for a model of electrostatic N95 FFRs with constant and ‘inhalation-only’ cyclic flows, in terms of particle loading time effect, using different humidity conditions. Filters were exposed to generated polydisperse NaCl particles. Experiments were performed mimicking an ‘inhalation-only’ scenario with a cyclic flow of 85 l min ^–1 as the minute volume [or 170 l min ^–1 as …

Health Literacy Proficiency, Sources Of Health Information, And Perceived Barriers To Health Literacy Among Selected Members Of The Hmong Community In Minnesota, Amanda Vang

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine health literacy proficiency, sources of health information, and perceived barriers to health literacy among selected members of the Hmong community in Minnesota. Data for this cross-sectional study were collected using the Short Assessment on Health Literacy-English (SAHL-E) screening tool and a questionnaire. The SAHL-E screening tool and a questionnaire were distributed to 40 Hmong residents in the St. Paul/Minneapolis in Minnesota. When combining the numbers of health literacy scores, a mean of 15.5 was reported. The overall findings of this research assessed that the Hmong community in Minnesota has adequate health literacy …

Religiosity, Spirituality, And Quality Of Life Among Selected University Students, Abby Austin Kreitlow

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Objective: College marks a time of transition and self-exploration. Quality of life can be enhanced or diminished throughout this experience. The objective of this study was to identify the level of religiosity, spirituality and quality of life and identify if there was a relationship between a person's level of religiosity and spirituality and quality of life.

Participants and Methods: The sample group, consisting of 548 Midwestern university undergraduate students, completed the Spiritual Wellbeing Scale (SWBS) and the Ontological Wellbeing Scale (OWBS) in the spring semester of 2015.

Results: Findings indicate that Midwestern university students have a moderate sense of spiritual …

Efficacy Of A Cognitive Training Program For Individuals With Moderate Cognitive Impairment: Evaluating Cognition, Erica Catherine Johnson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the efficacy of a cognitive training program among those with moderate cognitive impairment. A total of 23 individuals participated in the study and were randomly assigned to a wait-list control group or a cognitive training program that consisted of 24 cognitive classes for a total of 12 weeks. The cognitive training classes aimed to activate the six primary cognitive domains impacted with dementia, reaction time, attention, memory, language, visual-spatial skills, and executive functioning. All participants were evaluated with a battery of neurocognitive assessments pre-and post-treatment. The findings tentatively support the use …

A Combination Of Therapeutic Techniques: Severe Broca's Aphasia, Kimberly Ann Homan

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The effects of Modified Melodic Intonation Therapy for a fifty-nine year old adult with severe Broca's aphasia were examined. Intervention included inner rehearsal and first sound practice to potentially increase initiation abilities. Pre and post self-assessments were used to evaluate self-awareness. Six target phrases (four three-syllable phrases and two two-syllable phrases) were treated over the course of fifteen weeks with two one-hour sessions per week. Results showed an increase in the participant's ability to produce the target phrase. Inner rehearsal proved to be an initiation strategy that met functional needs of the participant in a timelier manner; on the other …

The Perceptions Of Nsaid Use Among One Midwestern Diii Athletic Department, Katherine L. Cialella

Undergraduate Distinction Papers

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly used amongst athletes for a variety of reasons. The purpose of this research is to compare the usage of NSAIDs among different athletic teams and to gain insight on Division III athletes’ views and opinions of NSAIDs. The population participating in this study would include one Midwestern DIII athletic department. The goal of this research was to identify statistically significant behaviors, perceptions, and knowledge of NSAIDs between various athletic teams and determine if the athlete’s’ perceptions and actions align with the appropriate use of NSAIDs.

Of the 77 athletes that took the survey, 47 …

Recent Graduates' Perspective On The Efficacy Of Nursing Simulation Laboratory Experiences, Holli Sowerby

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

It has become progressively difficult to find suitable clinical placement for nursing students. To help meet this need, local schools of nursing are turning to high-fidelity simulation manikins to substitute for clinical experience. There is a lack of research that explores recently graduated nurses' perceptions about the efficacy of simulation experiences. Guided by the constructivist theory, this qualitative case study identified how recent RN graduates viewed simulation experiences and whether associate's-degree RN program graduates and bachelor's-program RN graduates viewed simulation differently. Nine recent graduates participated in individual face-to-face interviews. The data were coded and grouped into 5 major themes in …

Effects Of Education On Victims Of Domestic Violence, Julette N. Anderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this project was to improve support for victims of domestic violence. To that end, this project developed an evidence-based program to provide information about domestic violence including safe and confidential ways to seek assistance, rights as cohabiting intimate partners, and the resources available to community members. Several approaches were used to develop, validate, and plan for implementation and evaluation of this program, which was developed for 3 sites in Broward and Miami-Dade counties where the project is situated. The program logic model and the social ecological model, including the individual, relationship, community, and societal levels, were used …

Assessment Of Vitamin D Levels And Depression Among Adults In The United States, Troy Jean-Luc Owens

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vitamin D is essential to optimizing health; vitamin D deficiency (VDD) can increase risk of hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and insulin resistance. VDD occurs when individuals do not receive sufficient oral intake or obtain adequate sun exposure. Previous researchers indicated there is a relationship between VDD and depression, while others have indicated there is no relationship. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between vitamin D levels and depression, and how this relationship might be moderated by an individual's demographic characteristics (gender, age, smoking status, or marital status). This study was a quantitative data analysis of archival data …

Spirituality, Religious Coping, And Depressive Symptoms In Hospice Patients: A Terror Management Perspective, Janine Siegel

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Facing imminent death can be an unremitting problem for hospice patients who lack psychological support for existential concerns that contribute to depressive symptoms and suffering. According to terror management theory, spiritual and religious beliefs are a common means of coping with mortality at the end of life, and few studies have considered how hospice patients feel about their impending death. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional study that examined whether spirituality and religious coping moderated the relationship between imminent death concerns and depressive symptoms in 54 hospice patients. Participants completed a self-administered survey that included the Templer Death Anxiety scale, Brief …

The Association Between Exhaled Nitric Oxide In Exhaled Breath Condensate And Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Colin Mitchell

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a progressive and nonreversible disease, is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity throughout the world. Detecting COPD early in the disease process will help in decreasing later stage COPD severity. Because airway inflammation is a hallmark of COPD, it has been proposed that measuring exhaled nitric oxide, a marker of inflammation, in exhaled breath condensate could prove to be an inexpensive and efficient method to detect COPD in outpatient settings. Using the hypothetico-deductive theory as a guideline, this study used secondary data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007 to 2010 to …

Relationship Between Modality And The Degree Of Knowledge Retention In Bioterrorism Training, Gaylon Rashun Crawford

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A public health workforce must be trained to react quickly, especially in the case of terrorist attack. Political leaders and emergency management experts have often cited inadequate emergency training as a contributing factor in the public health system's failed preparations for a bioterrorist event. As a result of these failures, billions of dollars have been allocated towards correcting infrastructure deficiencies including training for public health nurses (PHNs), who are critical to a communitywide medical response. This quantitative study used Pearson's correlation and a multivariate regression analysis to evaluate the most effective modality of bioterrorism training (BTT) for PHNs working in …

Differences Between For-Profit And Nonprofit Hospitals: Perceived Quality And Access, Michael Ray Eiland

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Despite a large body of literature addressing the issue, questions remain about whether nonprofit hospitals provide more community benefit than do for-profit hospitals. This lack of information impacts governments, hospitals, and the healthcare industry, as stakeholders attempt to generate requirements to which hospitals should adhere to maintain nonprofit status, and thus tax exemption. This study addressed this lack of information by examining U.S. hospitals through the lens of stewardship theory to determine whether nonprofits are better stewards of the public good than for-profits, and thus likely to provide higher quality and access. The study applied logistic regression to Centers for …

The Effects Of Nursing Education On Decreasing Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infection Rates, Pamela R. Gordon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) account for 40% of all nosocomial infections in the United States, affecting nearly 900,000 patients per year. The indwelling urinary catheter (IUC) is a widely utilized device in modern hospital environments, yet they are not always used appropriately in hospital settings and can result in prolonged use and improper management, increasing risk of infections and length of stay. Nurses are the primary champions to promote preventative measures, provide patient education, and evaluate evidence-based practice (EBP) strategies to decrease CAUTIs. The purpose of this study was to determine if nursing education on EBP guidelines could decrease …

The Relationship Between Information Technology And Organizational Effectiveness As Perceived By Health Care Providers, Christian Chikwem Ukaga

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The U.S. Congress has made health information technology a central component of the national quest to improve health care delivery. The problem addressed in this study was the uncertainty among healthcare providers regarding the benefits of health care information technology adoption relative to healthcare delivery processes and outcomes. The purpose of the study was to understand the effectiveness of information technology as perceived by healthcare providers. The research questions were designed to investigate the relationship between health information technology and organizational effectiveness, exchange of information, organizational process, organizational productivity, and direct personal care. Sociotechnical systems theory and Donabedian's framework for …

A Phenomenological Examination: African American Women And Low Cervical Cancer Screening Attendance, Leslie G. Matthews

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American women tend to have lower attendance rates at cervical cancer screenings compared to the attendance rates of women from other ethnic groups. The purpose of this research project was to understand how perceptions of African American women affects attendance of future cervical cancer screenings. The goal was to understand what contributes to low attendance. Previous research did not focus on factors contributing or interfering with appointment attendance among African American women, aged 30-65. The conceptual framework was based on individual health behavior. The research questions examined lived experiences affecting attendance of cervical cancer screenings, attendance of future screenings, …

Care Transition Gaps: Risk Identification And Intervention, Michael Howard Jongsma

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospital readmissions related to chronic heart failure (CHF) are costly, widespread, and often avoidable. Patient education that includes diagnosis, causes, medications, diet, exercise, and exacerbation warning signs has been shown to reduce the number of CHF readmissions. The purpose of this study was to use risk stratification to identify CHF patients at high risk for 30-day readmission. Once a high-risk CHF patient was identified, nursing interventions would be triggered to reduce readmissions and close the gaps in the continuum of care following acute care admission. Transitions of care theory was used as the framework for this project. The methodology had …

Factors Influencing Employee Participation And Nonparticipation In A Rural Hospital's Employer-Sponsored Wellness Program, Nicole Marie Kolacz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Employer-sponsored wellness programs are important tools for keeping employees healthy, reducing an organization's healthcare expenses, mitigating risk factors, and promoting health and well-being. Little research is available on the factors associated with employees' participation in wellness programs in rural hospitals. Pender's health promotion model was used to determine how employees who participated in a rural hospital's wellness program differed from those who did not participate in terms of demographics, perceptions of personal health, general health behaviors, health locus of control, self-motivation, and situational barriers. A descriptive, correlational replication with the Hallion and Haignere questionnaire was used to survey employees. Of …

Knowledge Of Overdiagnosis And The Decision To Participate In Breast Cancer Screening, Kimberly T. Nembhard

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

In 2014, breast cancer was the second leading cause of death among Canadian women, with women over age 50 years making up 82% of the identified cases. To address this issue, the Ontario Breast Screening Program developed a media campaign that promoted the benefits of mammogram screening, but not the associated risks (i.e., false-positive, false-negative, radiation exposure, and overdiagnosis). This study was designed to determine whether there was a statistically significant relationship between knowledge of overdiagnosis and participation in mammogram screening. This cross-sectional, correlational study used schema theory supported by the effective health communication model. Forty-one women were invited to …

Knowledge Of Diabetes Mellitus And Health-Preventive Behaviors Among African American Adults, Wanka Ndifor

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the risk within the African American population of developing diabetes, its complications, and the benefits associated with timely management and treatment of diabetes. The study also looked at how such knowledge may be related to preventive health behaviors. The Risk Perception Survey-Developing Diabetes and the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System questionnaires were employed in this study. The theoretical basis of this study was the health belief model. This was a cross sectional, quantitative study with 126 participants. Descriptive analysis was employed to calculate the mean scores and frequencies across each …

Evaluating Retention Strategies For At-Risk Undergraduate Nursing Students, Joanna L. Ramsden-Meier

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As there continues to be a nursing shortage and a lack of diversity in the nursing profession, it is important to retain at-risk students who have been admitted to nursing programs. The purpose of this program evaluation was to compare at-risk students who had not received retention services to at-risk students who had received retention services at a Midwestern college. A formative evaluation was conducted using information from three sources: the college, the students, and the community. Guided by a constructivist theory defined by Ponticell, this study examined the effectiveness of the retention program in terms of its impact on …

The Effect Of Evaluating A Quality Improvement Initiative On Reducing Hospital Transfers Of Nursing Home Residents, Denise Eileen Jarboe

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Effect of a Quality Improvement Initiative on Reducing Hospital Transfers of Nursing Home Residents

by

Denise Eileen Jarboe

MSN, Walden University, 2010

BS, University of Maryland, 1981

Project Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment

of the Requirements for the Degree of

Doctor of Nursing Practice

Walden University

February 2015

Nursing homes (NH) in the 21st century provide skilled healthcare services for resident populations who are older, frailer, and often suffering from multiple incurable chronic medical conditions. Nurses practicing in this setting must be keen observers and effective communicators with the ability to recognize and report subtle changes in health status …

The Synergistic Impact Of Income And Rurality On Timely Mammograms In A National Sample Of Women In The United States, Asri Mumpuni

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Introduction. Breast cancer is the cancer of highest incidence among women in the U.S., making it a significant public health problem. Currently, the U.S. Preventive Services recommends biennial screening mammography for women ages 50-74. This study examined the associations between socioeconomic status and rurality on breast cancer screening behavior. Methods. Data for this study come from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey (BRFSS). Breast cancer screening behavior was dichotomized into those who did not meet screening mammogram recommendations (2 years or more) and those who met screening mammogram recommendations (within the …

Palliative Care: Evaluating And Designing Process Improvements For An Inpatient Consultative Program, Shawn M. Crouch

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

The purpose of this capstone project paper and study was to evaluate an inpatient palliative care consultation service and then make recommendations for improving the program. This paper includes a literature review related to palliative care models and best practices in structuring a successful inpatient palliative care service. The project included an analysis of how the program at one university based hospital measured success of the program and SWOT analysis based on interviews with members of the program’s team and leadership. Data sources used for the analysis included palliative care consultation utilization data from the identified hospital; other metrics used …

Alcohol Sale Status And Violent Deaths In Kentucky, Usa: 2005-2012, Hanan Abdulghafoor Khaleel

Theses and Dissertations--Public Health (M.P.H. & Dr.P.H.)

Alcohol is one of the major public health problems worldwide because of its association with many health and psychological problems. This study adds to the extant literature by examining the association between being a resident in a wet county and having an alcohol related violent death, an alcohol related suicide, or an alcohol related homicide victimization.

The first aim of this study is to determine whether residents of wet counties have a higher odds of alcohol related violent deaths than residents of dry/moist counties after adjusting for other confounding factors. The second aim is to determine whether residents of wet …

Counselor Supervisors' Perceptions Of Tertiary Trauma, Eric David Jett

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Vicarious trauma impacts counselors in various ways: by diminishing their feelings of importance in the profession, hindering their completion of adequate work with clients, and negatively affecting their personal life choices. Although numerous qualitative and quantitative studies have been conducted on vicarious trauma over the past 20 years, there is a rarity of research investigating the implications of trauma for counseling supervisors. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences and perceptions of tertiary trauma among 11 counselor supervisors from Oklahoma and Missouri who were providing active supervision. This study was approached through a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology. …

Autonomy In The California Disability Services System, Lisa Ann S. Carbone

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Legislation concerning California residents with intellectual and developmental disabilities (ID/DD) requires recipients of services to be treated as independent individuals while emphasizing self-determination. At the same time, under regulatory procedures, recipients are considered dependent on the delivered services and not self-determinant. Neither the California Department of Developmental Services nor the trade associations representing community service providers have established a unified, systematic practice to support self-determination. This phenomenological study explored the experience of adults with ID/DD working toward self-determination.

Specifically, it explored how medical and social models contribute to shaping and actualizing the independence of this population. Interviews with eight adults …

Improving Nurses' Knowledge To Reduce Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infection In Hemodialysis Unit, Mohammed Jawad Kadium

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are commonly used as vascular access for patients who require hemodialysis. Infectious complications are a serious clinical problem, and they are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality, prolonged hospital stay, and increased medical treatment costs. The purpose of theproject was to evaluate the effectiveness of educating registered dialysis nurses regarding CVC maintenance care to reduce catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI) in a hemodialysis unit. The project question focused on the educational program derived from the evidence-based guidelines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to improve registered dialysis nurses' knowledge regarding CVC …

Moving From Productivity To Professional Value Model Of The Hospital-Based Registered Nurse, Crystal Maree Billings

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a gap between organizational commitment to professional value of the nurse and the achievement of quality outcomes. This study explored the relationship between the productivity model and the professional value (PVS) model of the hospital-based registered nurse (RN). It was essential to understand how to measure nursing's contribution to patient care as a means to promote patient care outcomes. The current professional nursing dynamic provides an unprecedented opportunity for nurses to achieve their highest professional potential through increased demonstration of advocacy and accountability for the central tenets of nursing. The intent of this project was to explore the …

Development Of An Evidence-Based New Graduate Nursing Orientation Program For The Emergency Department, Mary Ellen Zaleski

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The traditional new graduate nurse (NGN) orientation process places NGN with an experienced preceptor for 24 weeks and requires clinical skills checklists to be completed by the preceptor, a practice which is not an evidence-based practice for orienting NGNs. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to develop an evidence-based orientation to decrease time requirements and standardize the processes and evaluation of the NGN in the emergency department. The project was informed by Benner's novice to expert theory and focused on acquisition of clinical skills. The project team included 6 stakeholders: the Doctor of Nursing Practice student-leader, the unit …