Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

The Experience Of Information Literacy In Evidence-Based Practice (Ebp) Among Professional Nurses In The Ho Municipality Of Ghana, Dominic Dankwah Agyei, Christian Yaw Kofi, David Fiankor, Hawa Osman

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose: This study aims to find out the information literacy competence of professional nurses in the Ho Municipality of Ghana in their pursuit of Evidence-Based Practice (EBP).

Design/methodology/approach: This study used the descriptive research strategy to describe the experience of information literacy among professional nurses in the Ho Municipality of Ghana. It used the purposive sampling method to select the various health facilities and the professional nurses. A total of 138 questionnaires out of 151 questionnaires that were administered were retrieved. The responses were presented and analysed based on the objectives of the study.

Findings: The study discovered that …

Is There An Economic Case For Investing In Nursing Care – What Does The Literature Tell Us?, Diane E. Twigg, Helen Myers, Christine Duffield, Margaret Giles, Gemma Evans

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Aim

To determine the cost effectiveness of increasing nurse staffing or changing the nursing skill mix in adult medical and/or surgical patients?

Background

Research has demonstrated that nurse staffing levels and skill mix are associated with patient outcomes in acute care settings. If increased nurse staffing levels or richer skill mix can be shown to be cost-effective hospitals may be more likely to consider these aspects when making staffing decisions.

Design

A systematic review of the literature on economic evaluations of nurse staffing and patient outcomes was conducted to see whether there is consensus that increasing nursing hours/skill mix is …

The Specialist Breast Care Nurse's Role In The Indentification And Minimisation Of Distress In A Members' Only, Breast Cancer Focused Online Support Community, Cynthia Witney, Joyce M. Hendricks Phd, Vicki C. Cope Ms

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Objectives: To show how a specialist breast care nurse (SBCN) can use the distress thermometer to determine an online community member’s distress level and then use the information in their posts and blogs to identify the cause(s) and deal with them appropriately. To highlight the use of a structured written emotional expression (SWEE) format online, as a way of minimising distress. Method: A survey of online community members together with analysis of the content of members’ posts and blogs to determine whether their distress thermometer score had decreased since the SBCN had been online to deal with member distress. Results: …

Decreased Pain Severity And Differential Gene Expression Following Calmare Therapy, Jeffrey Petraco, Angela R. Starkweather, Amy Heineman

Undergraduate Research Posters

We present the results of a double-blinded randomized sham-controlled research study of a non-pharmacologic low back pain intervention. Calmare therapy is an neurocutanous electrical stimulation approach for pain management. The intervention group received Calmare therapy and the other received sham. Differences in pain severity and interference scores, pain sensitivity measures and gene expression profiles are reported. Patterns of downregulated gene expression suggest that Calmare may alter proteins involved in pain transduction may have implications for the treatment of other chronic pain conditions.

Exploring The Relationships Between Mindfulness And Biobehavioral Factors Associated With Cvd In Women, Susan Ghodrat, Jo Lynne W. Robins

Undergraduate Research Posters

Purpose: This study examined the relationship between mindfulness and specific biobehavioral factors associated with increased cardiovascular disease risk in women. Design: A secondary data analysis was conducted on baseline data collected in a larger study examining the effects of tai chi on cardiovascular disease risk in women. Subjects: 96 women aged 35-50 years with increased waist circumference and a family history of cardiovascular disease. Measures: Biological measures included: fasting glucose, insulin and lipids, as well as C-reactive protein and cytokines. Behavioral measures included: mindfulness, fatigue, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, social support, self-compassion and spiritual thoughts and behaviors. Results: Mindfulness was …

A Transformational Leadership Program: A Necessity In Today’S Healthcare Environment, Kristin J. Pickerell

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

A Transformational Leadership Program: A Necessity in Today’s Healthcare Environment

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to enhance the transformational leadership capabilities of the nursing leaders in a small community hospital by implementing a leadership development course.

Background

Effective nurse leaders are critical in today’s fast-changing and uncertain healthcare environment. Competent leaders positively influence the nursing work environment, staff retention, patient safety, financial viability and quality outcomes. The development of a transformational skill set needed for a nurse leader to successfully lead a team to high-quality patient care.

Methods

Pre/post intervention design, using the Leadership Practices Inventory with …

Effect Of A Workplace Walking Initiative To Decrease Telehealth Nurses' Fatigue, Rae Ann Heissenbuttel

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Abstract

Background: Fatigue has been a common problem in the nursing profession. To date, most of the research regarding nurse fatigue has focused on nurses working in hospitals. Minimal research has been completed examining fatigue among nurses working in the telehealth environment and the effects of an evidence-based workplace initiative to decrease fatigue.

Aim: The aim of this translational project was to describe the overall self-reported health and fatigue for a group of telehealth nurses and to evaluate the effectiveness of the American Heart Association’s (AHA) walking program in improving overall health status and decreasing fatigue in telehealth …

The Creation And Implementation Of A Transgender Cultural Competence Nursing Education Toolkit, James Bl Donovan

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Healthcare disparities in the transgender populations have been linked to lack of healthcare provider cultural competence (IOM, 2011; Bradford et al., Harbin et al., 2012; Eliason, Dibble, & DeJoseph, 2010; Lim, Brown, & Jones, 2013). Prior research has identified that healthcare providers receive little, if any, transgender cultural competence training during their formal education. A survey of nursing educators at the University of San Francisco School (USF) of Nursing and Health Professions suggested that few educators are providing transgender content or understand the unique healthcare needs of that population. A literature review concluded that little is known about the best …

Improving Staff Responsiveness To Patient-Initiated Call Lights, Doshia B. Williams

Master's Projects and Capstones

This Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) project involves the nursing staff and patients of a 23-bed post-surgical medical-surgical nursing unit at a Bay Area community hospital. The goal of this project was to improve patient care, patient satisfaction and staff workflow. Assessment of the microsytem revealed that from July 2013 through July 2014, the nursing unit scored below the unit’s goal 10 out of the 12 months for the HCAHPS question related to patient’s receiving help as soon as they pressed their call button. The unit’s goal is 64%; however, the 12-month average was 50%, with one month as low as …

Emergency Preparedness On An Inpatient Hospital Unit, Hailee Marie Barnes

Master's Projects and Capstones

This paper will discuss the implementation of an emergency preparedness quality improvement project conducted by a University of San Francisco Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) student on an inpatient cardiac unit, Unit H, at an urban teaching hospital in Northern California, Hospital B. An assessment of the current state of emergency preparedness, a diagnosis of Unit H’s area of greatest needs, the details of planning and implementing the quality improvement as well as the final evaluation will be discussed. The nursing process will be used for the structure of this paper as it was used as the structure of this project. …

Improving Interdisciplinary Communication To Improve Patient Satisfaction, Jennifer J. Barnes

Master's Projects and Capstones

The Clinical Nurse Leader project took place at a Magnet Hospital in Northern California. It involved the nursing staff on a 23-bed Post-Surgical Medical Surgical unit, as well as the therapists providing care to their diverse patient population. The goal was to improve interdisciplinary communication to decrease the frequency of missed or postponed therapy sessions. A review of literature revealed that this preventable issue could be the most significant factor resulting in an extended length of stay and affecting overall patient satisfaction. Project data was gathered from a variety of sources, including a unit assessment, shadowing therapists, interviews with key …

Onsite Integrative Clinics: Acupuncture, Positive Patient Outcomes, And Frequency Of Provider Office Visits, Sherry Shoemaker Phd

Dissertations

Purpose and Aims. There is limited information about outcomes of care, resource utilization, and associated costs for patients who receive acupuncture in integrative health settings. The purpose of this study was to address this gap through the following aims: To examine: (1) changes in patient pain levels pre/post acupuncture treatments; (2) relationships between receiving acupuncture treatments (number of treatments, length of time, select demographic factors, (age, gender), pain level pre and post acupuncture treatments; (3) relationships between number of treatments, length of time, age, gender, pain level (pre/post acupuncture treatments) and provider visits (pre/post acupuncture treatments); and (4) relationship between …

Exploring A Diabetic Registry For Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Mary C. Anziano Phd

Dissertations

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. There were over 18 million people diagnosed with diabetes in 2002. These disease processes together combine for significant health burden on society (American Diabetes Association, 2008). The purpose of the study was to describe the relationship between select demographics, and clinical characteristics to determine risk factors for cardiovascular disease in a diabetic population. Methods: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted using a diabetic registry database containing patients diagnosed with diabetes from January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2012. Study variables included age, gender, socio-economic status, glycosylated hemoglobin …

The Case Of Reintegration Of Women Post Incarceration, Deana Raley Noble Phd

Dissertations

Women released from prison or jail face particular obstacles and challenges on reentry to the community, many of which are related to their childhood and to gender roles as women and mothers. This study relates the lived experience of one woman's successful transition to economic and mainstream societal reintegration and family reconnection after release from prison and the insights gained by the researcher. Case study methodology congruent with Miller's Relational-Cultural Theory philosophical framework was utilized in this in-depth, single case design and represents a unique case. The overall purpose of this descriptive and explanatory research was to explore precursors to …

Standardized Predictive Testing: Practices, Policies, And Outcomes, Lisette Barton, Pamela Willson, Rae Langford, Barbara Schreiner

Administrative Issues Journal

The aims of this study were to describe current policy practice related to the use of the HESI™ Exit Exam in schools of nursing and to determine which policies result in higher HESI Exit Scores. Deans and directors of nursing schools that administered Elsevier HESI Exit Exam to students during the 2010 academic year were queried. Data were collected regarding students’ HESI Exit Exam results, national nursing licensure examination outcomes, and the schools’ standardized testing policies. A stratified random sample of schools and a total of 5438 student records were obtained, 3084 from Associate Degree (AD) and 2354 from Baccalaureate …

Ua1c11/57 Fall Graduation Photos, Wku Nursing

WKU Administration Documents

Unidentified photos from the December 2014 nursing graduation.

Relationship Between Age And Pre-End Stage Renal Disease Care In Elderly Hemodialysis Patients, Rubette Harford Phd, Msn, Rn

Dissertations

Purpose: The primary purpose of this dissertation was to examine the relationship between age and receipt of three components of pre-end stage renal disease care prior to first initiation of hemodialysis, and to explore the implications of differences in interpretation of funding policies for dialysis services in Puerto Rico and the U.S. mainland. Background: The growing burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a national public health concern, particularly within the aged population. It is estimated that more than 25 million Americans are living with some level of kidney disease, with an increasing prevalence noted with increasing age (Coresh et …

I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends: A Qualitative Study Of Nurse Close Work Friendship And Social Support, Jennifer Ptacek

Masters Theses

The nursing profession is laden with numerous job, emotional labor, and communication stressors, which come from both patients and healthcare organizations. These frequent and simultaneous pressures can result in nurse burnout and turnover (Tracy, 2009). Socially supportive workplace communication has been identified as a solution to reducing nurse stress, burnout, and turnover (Apker & Ray, 2003), but has not specifically considered social support in nurse work friendships. A mixed qualitative method study was conducted with five nurse best friend pairs, using job observations of participants’ work friendship communication and individual and joint interviews. Two major communication themes emerged from the …

Impact Of An Interprofessional Communication Course On Nursing, Medical, And Pharmacy Students’ Communication Skill Self-Efficacy Beliefs, Nicholas E. Hagemeier, Rick Hess, Kyle S. Hagen, Emily L. Sorah

ETSU Faculty Works

Objective. To describe an interprofessional communication course in an academic health sciences center and to evaluate and compare interpersonal and interprofessional communication self-efficacy beliefs of medical, nursing, and pharmacy students before and after course participation, using Bandura’s self-efficacy theory as a guiding framework.

Design. First-year nursing (n=36), first-year medical (n=73), and second-year pharmacy students (n=83) enrolled in an interprofessional communication skills development course voluntarily completed a 33-item survey instrument based on Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) core competencies prior to and upon completion of the course during the fall semester of 2012.

Assessment. Nursing students entered the course with higher interpersonal …

As I Remember, Emily Loveridge

Emily Loveridge’s Memoir: As I Remember

This typewritten document was authored by Emily Loveridge, the founder of the Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing. Loveridge began working at the Good Samaritan Hospital in 1890 and worked there for 40 years. This memoir is her remembrances of people, events, and the way the hospital and nursing program evolved during her tenure.

Please note that the back of page 14 has additional text not accounted for in the original page numbering. The manuscript is numbered page 1-47, but consists of 48 typed pages. The pdf document is a total of 49 pages, counting the cover as page 1.

Depressive Symptomatology And Perceived Social Support In Adolescents With Type 2 Diabetes, Kristiana Gay Huffman Cullum Phd, Cpnp

Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes has increased dramatically in the pediatric population in the last decade. One of the comorbidities of diabetes is depression. In the presence of depression, diabetes may be mismanaged by patients and lead to a decline in health. Diabetes with comorbid depression may have better disease management outcomes in the presence of higher levels of social support. Defining childhood depression, which encompasses adolescence, and the subtleties of this disorder compared to the adult counterpart, was needed to better delineate important variables for this research study. There are several instruments that evaluate adolescents' perceived social support, but a fairly …

Symptom Burden And Healthcare Utilization In Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Catherina Anne Madani Phd

Dissertations

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rapidly progressive disease. There is currently no cure; thus treatment is aimed at prolonging survival, improving functional status (FS), and symptom mitigation. Symptom burden (SB) can impact quality of life (QOL), and lead to increased healthcare utilization. Palliative care (PC) has been associated with higher QOL, decreased depression, aggressive care, and mortality. The Institute of Medicine's (IOM) recent report supports earlier integration of PC for people living with serious illness. Detection of patients at high risk for heavy SB may help to identify patients who could benefit from earlier integration of PC into …

Patients With Advanced Lung Cancer: Quality Of Life And Perception Of Dyspnea, Barbara A. Roces Phd, Msn, Np, Rn

Dissertations

Background: Dyspnea perception can be defined as a multidimensional experience of breathing discomfort, influenced by physiological, psychological, social, and environmental factors, that includes secondary psychological and behavioral responses and cannot be defined only by physical objective abnormalities (Mularski et al., 2010). Dyspnea is the most common and distressing symptom in patients with advanced lung cancer and decreases one's quality of life (QOL) (Smith et al., 2001). Furthermore, dyspnea has been found to interfere with physical activities such as walking, work, and psychological activities such as disposition, taking pleasure in life, relationship with others, and sleep (Tanaka, Akechi, Okuyama, Nishiwaki, & …

Patient Care Technology And The Nurse-Patient Relationship, Belinda M. Toole Phd, Msn, Rn

Dissertations

Background: Technological devices are increasingly used in healthcare and their proliferation has providers questioning the impact on the patient-provider relationship. Technological device integration has been studied in the primary care setting, less extensively in the acute care setting. The impact of device use on the nurse-patient relationship in acute care setting required further study, particularly with nursing's history of holistic practice incorporating caring and presence. Objectives: The study purpose was to explore the patient's perceptions of nurse caring and presence when technological devices were used in care delivery in the acute care setting. Specific aims were: 1) to describe the …

The Effects Of Enhanced Discharge Education On Knowledge Retention In First Time Stroke/Tia Patients, Edward M. Stiner Jr.

Theses and Dissertations - UTB/UTPA

The purpose of this study is to determine whether patients aged 40-65 years, who are admitted for stroke or a transient ischemic attack (TIA) for the first time and who receive enhanced stroke discharge education have higher levels of education retention than patients aged 40-65 years who are admitted for stroke/TIA for the first time who receive standard stroke discharge education without the enhancement. Forty male and female participants were randomly placed into either a standard discharge education N=20 or enhanced discharge education group: N=20. The standard discharge education group received the usual stroke/TIA discharge education administered by the staff …

Innovations Volume 1: Issue 1, Ron And Kathy Assaf College Of Nursing

Innovations Magazine

No abstract provided.

Mid-Atlantic Ethics Committee Newsletter, Fall 2014

Mid-Atlantic Ethics Committee Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Protein Losing Enteropathy Following Fontan Palliation In The Single Ventricle Population, Alaina Dunkleberger

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Congenital heart defects requiring single ventricle palliation are a rare but life-threatening occurrence. There are multiple defects resulting in single ventricle physiology including defects in which the right or left ventricle within the heart is either undeveloped (hypoplastic left heart syndrome, hypoplastic right heart syndrome), or the valve to the main pulmonary artery did not form (pulmonary atresia). These defects prevent the heart from supplying adequate blood flow to the lungs or body. Single ventricle congenital heart defects are not easily treated surgically due to their complexity in nature. Single ventricle surgical palliation typically involves three open-heart surgeries including the …

Nurses Alumni Association Bulletin, Fall 2014, Susan Albrecht Curcio, Aileen Ishuin Macmillan

Nursing Alumni Bulletins

2014 - 2015 Meeting Dates Calendar

2015 Annual Luncheon & Meeting Notice

Officers, Committee Chairs, Satellite and Volunteers

President's Message

Treasurer's Report

Resume of Minutes

Alumni Office News

Committee Reports

• Social
• Relief Trust Fund
• Satellite-Harrisburg Satellite Area
• Scholarship
• Nominating
• Bulletin
• By Laws

Jefferson Alumni Relations

Annual Giving

Janet C. Hindson Award

• Award Criteria
• Nominees
• Recipient

News About Our Graduates

Memories

Happy Birthday - To Be 80 or More

50th Anniversary Class List for 1964

Luncheon Reservations

Annual Luncheon Comments

• Luncheon Photos
• Anniversary Class List for 2015 Annual Luncheon

In Memoriam, Names of Deceased Graduates

Class News

Additional Information, Pins, Transcripts …

Teaching Communication And Therapeutic Relationship Skills To Baccalaureate Nursing Students: A Peer Mentorship Simulation Approach, Leslie Miles, Linda Mabey, Sarah Leggett, Katie Stansfield

Faculty Publications

The literature on techniques for improving student competency in therapeutic communication and interpersonal skills is limited. A simulation approach to enhance the learning of communication skills was developed to address these issues. Second-semester and senior nursing students participated in videorecorded standardized patient simulations, with senior students portraying the patient. Following simulated interactions, senior students provided feedback to junior students on their use of communication skills and other therapeutic factors. To integrate the learning experience, junior students completed a written assignment, in which they identified effective and noneffective communication; personal strengths and weaknesses; and use of genuineness, empathy, and positive regard. …