Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Psychometric Properties Of A Novel Affective Bias Task And Its Application In Clinical And Nonclinical Populations, Prathik Kalva, Kourtney Kanja, Brian A Metzger, Xiaoxu Fan, Brian Cui, Bailey Pascuzzi, John Magnotti, Madaline Mocchi, Raissa Mathura, Kelly R Bijanki

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

To mitigate limitations in self-reported mood assessments, we introduce a novel affective bias task (ABT). The task quantifies instantaneous emotional state by leveraging the phenomenon of affective bias, in which people interpret external emotional stimuli in a manner consistent with their current emotional state. This study establishes task stability in measuring and tracking depressive symptoms in clinical and non-clinical populations. Initial assessment in a large non-clinical sample established normative ratings. Depressive symptoms were tracked relative to task performance in a non-clinical sample, as well as in a clinical cohort undergoing surgical evaluation for severe epilepsy. In both cohorts, a stronger …

Lessons Learned From An Epic Transformation Of A Radiation Oncology Department In Guatemala: Keys To Success, Edgar Ruiz, Hiram A Gay, Milton Ixquiac, Angel Velarde, Baozhou Sun, Jose García-Ramirez, Eric Laugeman, Benjamin Li, Jeff Michalski, Vicky De Falla, Geoff Hugo, Jacaranda Van Rheenen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Purpose: We describe the radical modernization of a radiation oncology department in a developing country, Guatemala, from 2015 to the beginning of 2024. The Instituto de Cancerología y Hospital Dr. Bernardo del Valle S (INCAN) is the only public radiotherapy clinic serving patient referrals from the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance program.

Methods and materials: We describe the state of the radiation oncology department in 2015 versus 2024 while chronicling its gradual transformation. This multifaceted collaboration involved academic centers, government agencies, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), industry, and nonprofits and continues to this day. We analyze the infrastructure, …

Gallbladder Decompression And Hydrodissection As Adjuncts For Ablation Of Pericholecystic Hepatocellular Carcinomas, Taylor Hoffman, Arta Kasaeian, Johnathon Chung, Ashkan Berenji, David Wynne, Mohammad Ghasemi-Rad, David Léon

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Microwave ablation is an effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma, but tumors adjacent to extrahepatic organs carry a higher risk for thermal injury. Thermoprotective techniques such as hydrodissection and gallbladder decompression can reduce this risk and expand the range of lesions amenable to percutaneous treatment. We present a case of a 68-year-old woman with hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatic segment V, with partial treatment response from prior transarterial chemoembolization. Due to the lesion's proximity to the gallbladder and transverse colon, microwave ablation was performed with concurrent ultrasound- and CT-guided gallbladder decompression and hydrodissection. The ablation was technically successful without post-procedural complications. At …

Gould Edu: Cluster-Randomized Trial Of An Educational Intervention To Improve Lipid-Lowering Guideline Adherence, Christopher P Cannon, Christie M Ballantyne, Deepak L Bhatt, James A De Lemos, Qi Gao, Naishu Kui, Robert S Rosenson, Katherine E Mues, Jason Exter, Shushama Alam, Mikhail N Kosiborod

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: Adherence to lipid-lowering therapy (LLT) guidelines is suboptimal, leading to poor achievement of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) goals and elevated risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine whether an educational intervention targeting physicians improves optimization of LLT over 1 year for patients with ASCVD.

Methods: GOULD (Getting to an Improved Understanding of Low-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol and Dyslipidemia Management) EDU (Education) was a 1-year extension in a subset of sites in the GOULD prospective, observational registry of United States patients with ASCVD. In a cluster-randomized, stepped-wedge design, sites were randomized to …

Esophageal Myotomy And Risk Of Esophageal Cancer And Mortality In Achalasia: Real-World Cohort Study, Fouad Jaber, Mohamad Ali Ibrahim, Mohammed Jaber, Youssef Soliman, Mai A Khalaf, Tara Keihanian, Fares Ayoub, Mohamed O Othman, Salmaan Jawaid

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background and study aims: Achalasia is associated with increased risk of esophageal cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma. Although esophageal myotomy improves dysphagia, its impact on cancer risk and mortality remains unclear.

Patients and methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study using the TriNetX research network, including adults (≥ 18 years) with achalasia confirmed by esophageal manometry. Patients were categorized based on treatment of those undergoing esophageal myotomy (peroral endoscopic myotomy [POEM] or laparoscopic Heller myotomy [LHM]) and those managed without myotomy. Patients with prior esophagectomy or malignancies associated with increased esophageal cancer risk were excluded. The primary outcome was incident …

Using Medication Pass Analysis To Examine Longitudinal Changes In Va Inpatient Nurse Staffing And Workload Before And Through The Covid-19 Pandemic: 2019-2022, Melissa K Knox, Chase S Eck, Lynette Dorsey, Paras D Mehta, Christine Yang, Laura A Petersen

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in extended disruption to the health care system. National-level data-driven comparisons of inpatient nurse staffing and workload before and during the pandemic have been limited.

Objectives: Assess the extent to which registered nurse (RN) staffing and workload changed from prepandemic levels in a national integrated health care system.

Research design: Longitudinal descriptive analysis. Medication pass analysis using bar code medication administration data for the peak-time medication pass (PTM) assessing year-over-year changes from 2019 to 2022. To assess significance of year-over-year changes in means we used the Welch 2-sample t test.

Subjects: Staff (N=42,999) administering PTM …

Comparative Outcomes Of Robotic Single-Port Vnotes Versus Robotic-Xi Assisted Single-Incision Transumbilical Surgery For Hysterectomy, Qiannan Yang, David Pasternak, Chunhua Zhang, Xiaoming Guan

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: This study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of robotic single-port transvaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (RSP-vNOTES) compared with robotic Xi-assisted single-incision transumbilical surgery (RXi-SITS) for hysterectomy.

Method: A total of 405 patients was retrospectively analyzed, comprising 278 individuals who underwent RXi-SITS hysterectomy and 127 who underwent RSP-vNOTES hysterectomy.

Results: A significantly higher prevalence of endometriosis-associated concomitant procedures, including ovarian cystectomy, lesion excision, adhesiolysis, appendectomy, bowel shaving, and bowel oversew, was observed among patients undergoing RSP-vNOTES (all p < 0.05). The RXi-SITS group saw uterosacral ligament suspension and ovarian vein ligation more commonly performed (both p < 0.05). A multivariable linear regression approach was employed to account for heterogeneity in procedural complexity. Following multivariable adjustment, estimated blood loss, hysterectomy time, and postoperative pain outcomes were comparable between the two surgical approaches. In contrast, multivariable linear regression accounting for concomitant procedures demonstrated that the RXi-SITS approach was independently associated with a significantly prolonged total operative time, with an adjusted mean increase of 21.8 min compared with RSP-vNOTES (B = 21.83; 95% CI: 6.05-37.61; p = 0.007). This is despite unadjusted analyses showing a longer median operative time in the RSP-vNOTES group …

Intercornual Distance And Postoperative Reproductive Outcomes In Moderate-To-Severe Intrauterine Adhesions: A Retrospective Cohort Study, Yifu He, Xingping Zhao, Huan Huang, Changfa Shu, Xiaoming Guan, Jia Guo, Dabao Xu

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Study question: Does intercornual distance (ICD), as reflected by intrauterine stent size during hysteroscopic adhesiolysis, have an association with reproductive outcomes and provide information for postoperative risk stratification in women with moderate-to-severe intrauterine adhesions?

Summary answer: A smaller ICD was independently associated with a lower likelihood of clinical pregnancy within 1 year of the final hysteroscopy and may offer additional information for postoperative risk stratification in women with moderate-to-severe intrauterine adhesions.

What is known already: Reproductive outcomes following treatment for moderate-to-severe intrauterine adhesions vary considerably. Existing severity classifications offer limited discrimination within this group. The potential association between ICD and …

Disrupted Intrathalamic And Thalamocortical Structural Covariance Networks In Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Nick Steele, Ahmed Hussain, Delin Sun, C Lexi Baird, Courtney Russell, Neda Jahanshad, Lauren E Salminen, Miranda Olff, Jessie L Frijling, Dick J Veltman, Saskia B J Koch, Laura Nawijn, Mirjam Van Zuiden, Li Wang, Ye Zhu, Gen Li, Dan J Stein, Jonathan Ipser, Sheri Koopowitz, Yuval Neria, Xi Zhu, Orren Ravid, Sigal Zilcha-Mano, Amit Lazarov, Benjamin Suarez-Jimenez, Ashley A Huggins, Jennifer Stevens, Kerry Ressler, Tanja Jovanovic, Sanne J H Van Rooij, Negar Fani, Emily L Dennis, David F Tate, David X Cifu, William C Walker, Elisabeth A Wilde, Ivan Rektor, Pavel Říha, Milissa L Kaufman, Lauren A M Lebois, Justin T Baker, Anthony King, Israel Liberzon, Mike Angstadt, Nicholas D Davenport, Seth G Disner, Scott R Sponheim, Thomas Straube, David Hofmann, Guang Ming Lu, Rongfeng Qi, Amit Etkin, Adi Maron-Katz, Xin Wang, Austin Kunch, Hong Xie, Yann Quidé, Wissam El-Hage, Shmuel Lissek, Hannah Berg, Steven E Bruce, Josh Cisler, Marisa Ross, Ryan Herringa, Daniel W Grupe, Jack B Nitschke, Richard J Davidson, Christine Larson, Terri A Deroon-Cassini, Carissa W Tomas, Jacklynn M Fitzgerald, Brandee Feola, Jennifer U Blackford, Bunmi O Olatunji, Geoffrey May, Steven M Nelson, Evan M Gordon, Chadi G Abdallah, Ruth Lanius, Maria Densmore, Jean Théberge, Richard W J Neufeld, Paul M Thompson, Rajendra A Morey

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The thalamus is a heterogeneous structure crucial for corticocortical communication, affective–perceptual integration, motor preparation, and memory-related functions. Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is characterized by various symptoms that likely relate to thalamic functions. Group-level and individual differential structural covariance (SC) analyses were conducted on intrathalamic, thalamocortical, and thalamosubcortical volumetric networks by segmenting structural MRI data from 2,784 subjects (PTSD n = 1,306; controls n = 1,478) into 25 thalamic nuclei per hemisphere. We found that PTSD was associated with stronger intrathalamic and thalamocortical network strength and stronger SC between the limbic thalamus and the somatomotor and auditory thalamus. PTSD severity was …

Utilizing A Culture System For Horizontal Cells To Study Neural Circuit Assembly In The Developing Mouse Retina, Ross M Perez, Yong H Park, Ajeet Singh, Collin Todora, Marlon F Mattos, Daniela Becerril, Rajashree Venkatraman, Arlene A Hirano, Nicholas C Brecha, Rinki Ratnapriya, Benjamin J Frankfort, Elizabeth Zuniga-Sanchez

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The precise wiring of the nervous system relies on neurons extending their processes at the right time and place to find their appropriate synaptic partner. The mechanisms that determine when and where neurons extend their neurites during synaptogenesis remains a central question in the field. In the present study, we used a cell culture system coupled with live imaging to investigate the wiring mechanisms in the developing mouse retina. We focused on horizontal cells which are a class of interneurons in the outer mouse retina known to synapse selectively to the distinct types of photoreceptors. Previous research has shown horizontal …

Using Lotilaner Ophthalmic Solution, 0.25% To Treat Demodex Blepharitis In Patients Who Were Initially Misdiagnosed: A Case Series, Laura M Periman, Richard Lindstrom, Paul Karpecki, Brandon Ayres, Eric Donnenfeld, Marjan Farid, Ian Benjamin Gaddie, Preeya K Gupta, Selina Mcgee, Kelly K Nichols, Stephen Pflugfelder, Christopher E Starr, Nandini Venkateswaran, Elizabeth Yeu, Cecelia Koetting

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

Introduction: Demodex blepharitis (DB) is a chronic ocular inflammation caused by Demodex mite infestation of the eyelid. DB is often misdiagnosed, as some of its clinical findings and patient-reported outcomes overlap with those of other ocular surface diseases. The Demodex Expert Panel on Treatment and Eyelid Health (DEPTH) has reached consensus on the symptomatology, diagnosis, and treatment of DB. Consensus findings from the DEPTH group include that collarettes are pathognomonic for DB and that lotilaner ophthalmic solution, 0.25%, the first and only FDA-approved treatment for DB, should be the first-line treatment for the disease. This case series highlights two instances …

The All Of Us Evenings With Genetics Research Program, Stacy M Lloyd, Jasmine Baker, Carolina Jorgez, Julie Coleman, Laterrica Williams, April Adams, Ashley Butler, Elizabeth Atkinson, Shamika Ketkar, Steven Scherer, Kim Worley, Susan Fernbach, Keasia Daniels, Latanya Hammonds-Odie, Laura Rosales, Brendan Lee, Debra Murray

Faculty, Staff and Students Publications

The All of Us Evenings with Genetics (All of Us EwG) Research Program, funded in part by the National Institute of Health’s All of Us Research Program, engages researchers to utilize the All of Us Researcher Workbench to advance precision medicine. The All of Us EwG program has two core aims: (1) address barriers to research productivity for minorities, disadvantaged, and persons with disabilities aspiring to enter STEM fields; and (2) promote the use of the All of Us Researcher Workbench to develop research focused on health equity. To achieve these goals, the program implements three key activities: (1) …

Bridging The Gap: A Resource Toolkit To Support Clients Beyond Discharge, Kaleigh G. Williams

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This Occupational Therapy Doctoral Capstone was completed at The Medical Center–Franklin, a rural critical access hospital offering outpatient, acute, and post-acute rehabilitation services. The project aligned with the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) focus areas of Leadership, Education, and Advocacy through the development of a Resource Toolkit to support caregivers, clients, and rehabilitation specialists during hospitalization and discharge planning.Through discussions with stakeholders regarding social determinants of health and occupational justice, a need for improved access to community resources was identified. In response, a comprehensive toolkit was developed containing more than 60 resources focused on client education, caregiver support, …

Simulated Traffic Stops For Neurodiverse Drivers, Addie Wilson

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

The goal of this capstone project was to create a simulated traffic stop event for neurodiverse drivers to decrease anxieties and promote positive interactions with local law enforcement. This project was completed under the ACOTE standards of project development and clinical skills, and in collaboration with the University of Kentucky Driving Rehabilitation Program and a Certified Driving Rehabilitation Specialist. Previous simulated traffic stops have been completed specifically for the ASD population and showed improvements in anxiety and understanding of traffic stops. Additionally, resources like the Blue Envelope Program have been implemented across the country to allow for interactions between autistic …

Occupational Therapy’S Role In Health, Wellness, And Community Engagement In Rural Texas, Maggie Hall

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This Applied Leadership Experience (ALE) and Doctoral Capstone was completed at Colston Physical Rehabilitation & Wellness Center in Kingsville, Texas. The primary ACOTE focus areas addressed were advocacy and education. This capstone aimed to explore community perspectives on health and wellness while identifying gaps in health knowledge and access to community resources and streamline acute care evaluations to minimize readmission rates.

A needs assessment was conducted through community health and wellness questionnaires, stakeholder collaboration, and review of local demographic and health data.  Kingsville, TX is a rural community with higher-than-average rates of poverty and obesity. Findings revealed a need for …

I Am God's Masterpiece- Inclusive Vacation Bible School For Adults With Disabilities, Chelsea Lee M. Beverly

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

A SWOT analysis revealed a substantial need of local events for adults with IDD, therefore, the goal of this capstone project was to host an event promoting inclusivity in rural communities and offering opportunities for meaningful engagement in social participation and leisure activities in diverse populations. I specifically focused on the community impacts of this project, what the needs were for this area, and how this could benefit the community now and in the future. This event was held on June 6, 2026 from 10am-3pm. Participants were offered engagement opportunities through completing crafts, participating in worship, interactive Bible lessons, outdoor …

Improving Fall Prevention In Assisted Living Through Resident Engagement, Staff Education And Environmental Safety Initiatives, Sarah Emmons

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

My doctoral capstone project and Applied Leadership Experience (ALE) were completed at Parkview Assisted Living in Danville, Kentucky. The project focused on the ACOTE areas of education, program development, clinical practice, and leadership, with the goal of improving resident safety and independence through evidence-based fall prevention initiatives. A needs assessment was completed through staff interviews, resident observations, collaboration with facility leadership, and a review of current literature. Findings identified opportunities to enhance staff education related to fall prevention, dementia-informed communication, purposeful rounding, and environmental safety. To address these needs, I developed and implemented Steady Steps, a weekly occupation-based balance group …

Expanding Access To Age-Typical Social Experiences For Children With Disabilities: Camp Quest, Megan Duffy

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

The purpose of this capstone project was to expand access to social participation and community integration experiences for children with disabilities in order to address the gap in access when compared with age-level peers. In order to accomplish this, I developed and administered summer camp programming in partnership with Easterseals Crossroads (ESC), a nonprofit organization that serves individuals with disabilities across the lifespan. In collaboration with a multitude of clinicians, students, topic experts, and organizational members of ESC, I developed camp programming and staff training for Camp QUEST. Following program development, I coordinated and guided the counselors, clinicians, volunteers, students, …

Pre-Writing/Writing Program Development For Elementary School Children With An Emphasis On Sensory Integration, Kayla A. Bingham

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

For my Capstone project and Applied Leadership Experience I focused on the importance of handwriting in elementary school children. So, the practice setting I chose to complete my project at was three elementary schools in Petoskey, Michigan. Also, my primary ACOTE focus area for this specific project was program development.

The goals of my capstone includes: Gathering present information (research, work samples, and classroom observation) of pre-writing skills, hand writing skills, and sensory implications of handwriting for students with ASD/SPD, analyze observation notes to target identified factors that are contributing to difficulties in handwriting in students, develop pre-writing skills interventions …

Understanding The Role Of Occupational Therapy In Hospice Care: A Needs Assessment And Advocacy Project, Keeton Thornsberry

Occupational Therapy Doctorate Capstone Posters

This advocacy and education capstone project used a needs assessment questionnaire and literature review to evaluate perceptions of occupational therapy in hospice care. Findings guided the development of educational resources aimed at increasing awareness, supporting appropriate referrals, and promoting occupational therapy as an integral member of the hospice interdisciplinary team.

Implementing A Competency-Based Cross-Training Program To Enhance Patient Flow, Jill E. Shanklin

DNP Projects

Objective: To evaluate the effect of a competency-based cross-training program on perinatal nurses’ preparedness to care for medical-surgical (med-surg) overflow patients and to support patient flow.

Design: Quality improvement project using a quasi-experimental pre–post design.

Setting: A 44-bed perinatal unit within a university-affiliated medical center in the United States.

Participants: Registered nurses employed in the perinatal unit for ≥6 months; 24 completed the preintervention survey and 28 completed the postintervention survey.

Interventions: A competency-based cross-training program consisting of e-learning modules, simulation-based competency validation, and structured policy and procedure review.

Main Outcome Measures: Self-reported comfort, …

Enhancing Tray Integrity: A Quality Improvement Project To Reduce Central Sterile Processing Defects, Ashley Conn

DNP Projects

Background: Instrument tray defects contribute to surgical delays, workflow disruptions, rework in sterile processing, inefficient instrument utilization, and patient safety risks.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to reduce orthopedic instrument tray defects through targeted education and standardized tray audits with double-check verification in a large academic medical center.

Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-post design was utilized to evaluate the impact of the intervention. Tray errors were captured using a standardized binary indicator. Staff satisfaction and confidence surveys were measured using Likert-scale surveys.

Results: Orthopedic trays were analyzed before (n=1,017) and after (n=941) implementation. Post-implementation, tray errors decreased …

Riddle Me Resilient: Investigating The Impact Of Riddle Based Class Openings On Student Resilience And Well-Being, Carolyn T. Brown

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background: Burnout among nurses and nursing students is a widespread and well‑documented problem that adversely affects professional performance and psychological well‑being. Resilience serves as a key protective factor, helping buffer the effects of academic stress and reducing burnout over time. Incorporating brief, low‑stakes cognitive challenges—such as a riddle—can help foster resilience.

Purpose: This project evaluated the impact of incorporating riddles into a wellness-focused course, Introduction to Mindfulness and Wellness, on resilience and well-being among undergraduate nursing students.

Methods: This project employed an Institutional Review Board approved pre-post survey design to measure the effect of an intervention focused on …

Evaluating The Implementation And Use Of A Standardized Screening Process To Increase Flu Vaccine Uptake In A Rural Health Primary Care Clinic, Mackenzie L. Pierce

DNP Projects

Background: Research has shown that an annual influenza vaccine is the most effective way to both prevent and reduce the risk of hospitalization and severe health complications of the flu. A yearly influenza vaccination is recommended for everyone age 6 moths and older.

Local Problem: Rural communities have lower rates of influenza vaccination which can be due in part to a lack of screening and education on vaccines and their importance. No process for influenza vaccine status screening existed at the project site prior to this project.

Methods: A quality-improvement project was conducted to evaluate the implementation of a standardized …

Evaluation Of A Nicotine Prevention Program In A Third Grade Classroom, Jennifer A. Pile

DNP Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to increase knowledge of nicotine products and promote negative perceptions of nicotine use among third-grade students through early prevention education.

Background: Prevention is key and to prevent nicotine use, there must be an educational program with that aim in a much younger population. Third grade encompasses 8-, 9-, and 10-year-olds. This group is in the middle childhood stage and begin more complex thinking and problem-solving skills. There is physical and emotional development among this group.

Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study among third grade students in Breckinridge County Kentucky with pretest and …

Unintentional Medication Discrepancies In Outpatient Cardiac Procedures: Identifying Modifiable Barriers, Julie M. Turner

DNP Projects

Background: Medication reconciliation (MR) reduces medication errors during care transitions; however, unintentional medication discrepancies (UMDs) remain common due to variable practices and lack of standardization. Patients undergoing elective cardiac procedures are particularly vulnerable given complex medication regimens.

Purpose: This quality improvement project evaluated implementation of a Medication Reconciliation Barrier Identification Checklist (MRBIC) in the cardiac catheterization laboratory to identify patient, staff, and system-level contributors to UMDs.

Methods: A quasi-experimental pre–post design was conducted at a large academic medical center. During a six-week intervention, nurses and providers completed the MRBIC during pre-procedure MR. Barrier scores were compared with …

Advancing Rural Health Equity Through Systematic Sdoh Screening- A Quality Improvement Initiative, Laura C. Combs

DNP Projects

Background: Social determinants of health (SDoH) significantly affect health outcomes and healthcare utilization, particularly in rural communities. In 2024, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services mandated SDoH screenings in the inpatient setting, with recommendation to implement in rural clinics without specifying a standardized tool, resulting in inconsistent identification of needs, e.g., food insecurity, housing instability, mental health concerns, financial strain, and transportation barriers.

Purpose: This quality improvement initiative implemented a standardized SDoH screening tool in a rural outpatient clinic to evaluate changes in referral rates to community-based resources pre- and post-implementation and to improve patient reporting of social needs. …

Building Confidence And Team Communication: Implementation Of A Rapid Response In Situ Simulation Program In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Janell F. Hacker

DNP Projects

Background: Neonatal code events are high-risk, low-frequency occurrences in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Simulation-based training is used to support skill development, maintain competencies, and enhance team performance.

Purpose: The purpose was to determine if a multidisciplinary, high-fidelity, rapid response in situ simulation program would impact confidence and communication among frontline healthcare providers during neonatal code events.

Methods: A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest study was conducted in a 90-bed Level IV NICU. A multidisciplinary, high-fidelity in situ rapid response simulation program was implemented over a 3-month period for frontline NICU healthcare providers. Pre- and post-surveys assessed perceptions of role clarity, …

Implementation Of A Cardiomems Screening Tool To Increase Provider Awareness And Referrals In Eligible Patients, Monica Rios

DNP Projects

Background: Heart failure affects over 6 million Americans and causes more than one million hospitalizations annually. CardioMEMS, a remote pulmonary artery pressure monitoring device, effectively reduces hospitalizations, yet its use remains limited due to provider and system barriers. The purpose was to increase CardioMEMS referrals for eligible heart failure patients through targeted provider education and a standardized screening tool.

Local Problem: Kentucky experiences higher heart failure hospitalization rates than the national average, contributing to prolonged hospital stays and rising healthcare costs.

Methods: A pre—post quasi-experimental study was conducted at an academic medical center. Baseline chart review of 47 patients evaluated …

Improving Compliance With Preoperative Antibiotic Protocols For Cardiac Implanted Electronic Devices: A Quality Improvement Project, James Kaup

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background

Cardiac implantable electronic device infections remain a serious complication of permanent pacemaker implantation despite evidence-based infection prevention guidelines.

Local Problem

An academic electrophysiology laboratory identified inconsistent guideline-concordant antibiotic selection despite consistently high compliance with recommended antibiotic timing.

Methods

A nurse-led, quasi-experimental pre-post quality improvement project evaluated implementation of a standardized preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis protocol. Data from 36 permanent pacemaker implantations (16 pre-intervention, 20 postintervention) were analyzed.

Interventions

The intervention included a standardized antibiotic protocol, multidisciplinary staff education, and performance feedback.

Results

Guideline-concordant antibiotic selection improved from 37.5% to 95.0% (χ² = 11.27, P = .001). Antibiotic timing remained …