Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Shaped By Experience: A Study Of Hybrid Professional Physical Therapist Education Patient Experiences And Experiential Learning., Teresa R. Bachman, Anne H. Boddy, Megan B. Flores, Elizabeth M. Ardolino

Journal of Innovation in Health Sciences Education

Introduction: Limited evidence exists on the use of patient experiences (PE) and experiential learning (EL) in hybrid entry-level physical therapist (PT) education programs. This study explored the impact of PE and EL within immersion labs on student self-confidence and self-efficacy in a hybrid entry-level PT education program. A total of 431 surveys were completed across 8 lab immersions for 6 courses. Nine total focus group discussions occurred, with a total of 50 participants, ranging from 2 to 10 per group.

Methods: A convenience sample from one entry-level hybrid PT education program participated in this mixed-method study with surveys and …

When Robots Join The Care Team: A Pilot Study Of Social Robots In Inpatient Pediatric Occupational Therapy, Nora Mizell, Rebecca Ozelie

Student Journal of Occupational Therapy

Background: Children may experience anxiety while hospitalized. This may act as a barrier to participation in occupational therapy (OT) sessions and diminish the benefits of OT. Therefore, occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) must provide interventions that support mental health and engagement during pediatric hospitalization. This study explored the feasibility of using social robots as OT intervention to reduce anxiety and support engagement in therapy in children admitted to an acute inpatient rehabilitation facility (AIR).

Methods: Participants included four children ages 5-10, admitted to an urban AIR facility. Each participant interacted with a social robot during three, 30-minute occupational therapy sessions. A …

Environmental Exposure Risk Education To Enhance Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention And Screening For Nurse Practitioners, Kelsea J. Carrier

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects approximately 36 million adults in the United States, with nearly 90% of individuals unaware of their diagnosis until advanced stages. While diabetes and hypertension remain the primary causes, increasing evidence highlights environmental exposures as significant and underrecognized contributors to CKD onset and progression. Exposures such as heavy metals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), air and water pollution, microplastics, and heat exposure have been linked to impaired renal function. Despite this growing body of evidence, environmental health content remains limited in nursing education, resulting in gaps in environmental health literacy (EHL) among nurse practitioners (NPs) and …

Limited Australian Clinical Guidelines For Pain Assessment In Hospitalized Older Adults With Cognitive Impairment: Implications For Safe And Quality Care, Rosemary Saunders, Kaoru Nosaka, Seng Giap Marcus Ang, Natasya Raja Azlan, Aaron Alejandro, Rohini Sharma Bhardwaj, Olivia Gallagher, Irene Ngune, Amineh Rashidi, Yan Hui Celestine Wee, Nilufeur Mckay

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Introduction – Pain assessment remains challenging in healthcare settings in patients who are unable to self-report their pain. More than 50% of individuals with dementia and other forms of cognitive impairment (CI) experience pain daily. However, pain is frequently overlooked and inadequately assessed by healthcare professionals due to their lack of knowledge and guidelines to inform pain assessment. Pain is also a leading cause of hospital presentation and inappropriate pain assessment can impact on pain management and compromise safe and quality care. Evidence-based guidelines that inform appropriate pain assessment and management are therefore essential. This scoping review aimed to explore …

Clinical Phenotypes Associated With Nrxn1 Deletions In Five Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder In Oman, Samira Said Alhousni, Ahmed Idris, Watfa Al-Mamari, Abeer Al-Sayegh

Sultan Qaboos University Medical Journal

NRXN1 (2p16.3) is essential for synaptic function and has been implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the phenotypic features associated with NRXN1 copy number variants remains incompletely characterised, which complicates risk assessment in genetic counselling. This case series describes five children, who were evaluated at the Genetics and Developmental Pediatrics Clinic of a tertiary care hospital in Muscat, Oman, from 2011 to 2023, with rare NRXN1 deletions (57–150 kb). All met DSM-5 criteria for ASD and had speech and language delays with cognitive impairment. Consanguinity was reported in three of the families and two had …

Standardizing Safe Sleep Education In An Outpatient Pediatric Cardiology Clinic: A Quality Improvement Initiative, Casey Hrbacek

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: This quality improvement (QI) project aimed to increase the reliability of standardized, evidence-based safe sleep education for caregivers of infants aged 0–12 months in an outpatient pediatric cardiology clinic within an academic health system

Background: Sleep-related death is the leading cause of death among infants aged 1-11 months and the third leading cause of infant mortality overall and is closely associated with modifiable unsafe sleep practices. Safe sleep education is delivered inconsistently across settings, particularly during the hospital-to-home transition for infants with complex cardiac disease.

Methodology: A caregiver-completed Safe Sleep Screening Checklist was embedded into clinic workflow. A medical …

Bridging The Gap In Science Research: Preparing Students For College- Level Research In The Sciences, Victoria Helwig, Yaoguang Li

UConn Library Presentations

Many first-year students enter college unprepared to fully engage with scientific literature and academic library resources. Drawing on experiences from academic librarians working with STEM students, this session explores common gaps in science research skills, including navigating databases, identifying scholarly sources, and understanding the structure of scientific literature. Participants will be introduced to practical strategies and classroom-ready activities to better prepare students for college-level research. Discussion questions: What science research skills do students struggle with most when entering college? How can high school instruction better support these skills? Where can librarians and educators collaborate to support student success?

Comment On: Managing Sickle Cell Disease And Related Complications In Pregnancy: Results Of An International Delphi Panel, Deva Sharma, Ilknur Pamuk, Kenneth I. Ataga, Alexandra Benachi, Selim Büyükkurt, Sophie Lanzkron, Hakan Ozdogu, Shivan Pancham, Lydia H. Pecker, Susan E. Robinson, Safak Yilmaz Baran

Cardeza Foundation for Hematologic Research

Consensus-based recommendations on managing sickle cell disease in pregnancy were recently published in a hematology journal. As this topic is also of great interest to obstetricians and gynecologists, we summarize some of these recommendations, while highlighting the challenges of providing evidence-based medical care to pregnant individuals with sickle cell disease.

From Fields To Flu: Mapping H5n1 Zoonotic Risk In California Rice Fields, Mariati Messinger

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N1 threatens agriculture, wildlife, and public health in California, where flooded rice fields in the Central Valley provide surrogate wetland habitat for migratory waterfowl and may create ecological interfaces for viral spillover into poultry systems. This quantitative ecological study examined whether county-level rice acreage, Lesser Snow Goose activity, and their interaction were associated with poultry HPAI H5N1 outbreak incidence during complete winter seasons available for analysis. Guided by One Health and disease ecology frameworks, secondary data from USDA, eBird, PRISM, and public surveillance sources were analyzed for 36 county-winter observations using negative binomial regression, logistic …

Examining Variations In Non-Conventional Health Care Utilization Among Students At A Hispanic-Serving Institution, Monideepa B. Becerra, Karina E. Corral

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

The use of non-conventional health care, such as complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and traditional healing practices, is increasing in the United States. Little is known, however, about its prevalence and influencing factors among college students—especially of varied racial/ethnic background. This study examined these patterns among college students using a cross-sectional survey conducted at a Hispanic-serving institution. Participants reported their use of non-conventional care, and demographic and motivational factors were analyzed using descriptive and bivariate analyses. Of the 641 participants, a majority reported CAM use (96%) and visits to a traditional healer (83%), with higher prevalence among Hispanic and female …

"It's Probably Like A Web": Complex Relationships Between Pain And Mental Health Among Bisexual+ Women With Chronic Pain, Aster Harrison, Mansha Mirza

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

INTRODUCTION: Bisexual+ women experience higher rates of both mental illness and chronic pain when compared to either straight or lesbian women. Their experiences of the relationship between their mental health and chronic pain remain underexplored. This article presents an intersectional Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis of the experiences of six bisexual+ women with chronic pain.

METHODS: Each woman completed two semi-structured interviews. Interviews were analyzed with Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis, beginning with in-depth case study analysis of each person's interviews before moving to comparison across cases.

RESULTS: Results indicated a complex web of multidirectional relationships between mental health and chronic pain. These relationships …

Staff Education To Improve Nurse Competency In Phq-9 And Gad-7 Screening Using A Standardized Behavioral Assessment In An Outpatient Mental Health Setting, Ernest Ogbeide

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence-based practice was the basis for this quality improvement project, which involved developing and implementing a staff education program to enhance nurses' competency in administering, scoring, and interpreting behavioral health screening tools (PHQ-9 and GAD-7) for outpatient mental health services. Variability in competency amongst clinical staff to use these standardized screening tools for evaluating anxiety and depression was identified as a problem, as there was no structured, evidence-based education and competency validation process for clinical staff to use, which has the potential to decrease early identification of anxiety and depression among patients and impact clinical assessment and decision-making. The practice …

Supporting Recovery: Intersections Of Health, Belonging, And Help Seeking After A Campus Mass Casualty Event, Sharon Jalene, Jason A. Ciccotelli, Lauren Gatto, Christian Ison, James Carbajal, Andrew Hooyman

Physical Therapy Faculty Articles and Research

Mass casualty events (MCE), such as campus shootings, can severely impact the mental health of students, faculty, and staff. This study examined the psychological effects of an MCE at a minority-serving institution and explored how sense of belonging, cardiorespiratory fitness, and treatment preferences influenced recovery. To measure the impact of the MCE on mental health an anonymous survey was administered four to five months post-MCE to university students, faculty and staff. Within the survey, participants were asked to retrospectively report their depression (PHQ-9) and anxiety (GAD-7) symptoms as they recalled them two weeks prior to the MCE, and as they …

Environmental Exposure Risk Education To Enhance Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention And Screening For Nurse Practitioners, Kelsea J. Carrier

Doctor of Nursing Practice Posters and Presentations

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects approximately 36 million adults in the United States, with nearly 90% of individuals unaware of their diagnosis until advanced stages. While diabetes and hypertension remain the primary causes, increasing evidence highlights environmental exposures as significant and underrecognized contributors to CKD onset and progression. Exposures such as heavy metals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), air and water pollution, microplastics, and heat exposure have been linked to impaired renal function. Despite this growing body of evidence, environmental health content remains limited in nursing education, resulting in gaps in environmental health literacy (EHL) among nurse practitioners (NPs) and …

Spae: Deciphering Cell Cycle Dynamics And Cell States In Single-Cell Rna-Seq Data, Jiahao Yi, Jiajia Liu, Peng Guo, Yuan-Nong Ye, Xiaobo Zhou

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Rapid advances in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) technology have enabled the investigation of gene expression changes at the single-cell level, particularly for elucidating the heterogeneity among cells and complex biological processes. This technique reveals subtle molecular differences within individual cells, thereby offering a unique viewpoint for the investigation of cell cycle progression, cellular differentiation, and disease pathogenesis. However, accurately identifying and analyzing cell cycle dynamics in scRNA-seq data remains challenging due to the complexity of the data and the subtle differences between cell states. To address this challenge, we developed the integrated Sinusoidal and Piecewise AutoEncoder (SPAE), an autoencoder-based piecewise …

Acute Opioid Responses Are Modulated By Dynamic Interactions Of Oprm1 And Fgf12, Paige M Lemen, Alexander S Hatoum, Arpana Agrawal, Et Al.

2020-Current year OA Pubs

We generated time-series data for 105 morphine- and naloxone-related traits across ~700 BXD mice (64 diverse strains for both sexes) for 3 hr after a single morphine injection. Variations in responses were mapped using genome sequencing-based genotypes. The locomotor responses to morphine mapped to the µ opioid receptor gene (

When You Are Done Before You Have Begun: A Focus-Group Research Study On The Perception Of Burnout In Physician Assistant Students, Iris M. Villanueva

Pacific Journal of Health

Objective: This study explored Physician Assistant (PA) students’ perceptions of burnout and underlying factors to guide program-level mitigation strategies. Participants: 28 students from the University of the Pacific’s PA program participated in this study. Methods: 5 focus group interviews were conducted. Themes were identified using inductive thematic analysis.  Results: Students described burnout as emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and loss of interest in academics, driven by internal pressures, time demands, and inconsistent assessments, and linked to strained relationships, guilt, and isolation. Coping strategies included breaks, enjoyable activities, peer connection, and exercise. Students recommended program-level strategies, such as scheduled class bonding, flexible scheduling, …

Benefits Of Regional Anesthesia Versus Opioids In The Management Of Postoperative Pain Following Excision Of A Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumor., Duveen Nalamothu, Mauricio Arce Villalobos, Joseph D Tobias

Ambulatory and Primary Care Articles

Postoperative opioid exposure in opioid-naive patients may carry a risk of persistent opioid use. We present the case of a 16-year-old female with no significant family history who was recently diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1 and found to have a rapidly enlarging mass in her left upper extremity. She was scheduled for excisional biopsy. To minimize the need for postoperative opioids, analgesia via a continuous peripheral nerve catheter was employed following resection of the malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. This case report reviews the clinical applications of multimodal analgesia via a continuous peripheral nerve catheter in pediatric patients, including placement …

Naturalistic Aided Language Intervention For Children Who Have Multiple Disabilities Including Visual Impairment, Naomi Nattress

Speech and Hearing Sciences ETDs

ABSTRACT

This dissertation examined aided AAC interventions for individuals with multiple disabilities, including visual impairment, across three original studies. Chapter 2, a meta-analysis, found limited rigorous research for this population while showing that individuals at early symbolic stages with diverse visual profiles can successfully engage with AAC when appropriate adaptations are provided. The pilot study in Chapter 3 indicated that caregivers and graduate student clinicians can learn and implement naturalistic AAC techniques and VI accommodations with high fidelity through structured coaching. The mixed methods study in Chapter 4 introduced the ImPAACT-VI program, showing strong outcomes in educator performance, students’ symbolic …

Myeloid Mmp14 Couples Extracellular Proteolysis To Inflammatory And Metabolic Remodeling During Obesity, Long J Shao, Fathima Elizondo, Feng Gao, Elizabeth L Lieu, Bharati Reddi, Maryam Elizondo, Iqbal Mahmud, Kristin Eckel-Mahan, Philipp E Scherer, Xin Ge, Huaizhu Wu, Sean Hartig, Kai Sun

The Brown Foundation: Institute of Molecular Medicine

Macrophages orchestrate tissue remodeling, inflammation, and metabolic dysfunction in obesity, but the role of macrophage-intrinsic extracellular proteolysis in immunometabolic regulation remains unclear. Matrix metalloproteinase-14 (MMP14), a membrane-bound protease, is strongly induced during monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation and further elevated in adipose tissue macrophages from high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. Pharmacological inhibition or myeloid-specific deletion of Mmp14 impaired macrophage differentiation, proliferation, migration, phagocytosis, and inflammatory activation in response to obesity-associated adipose tissue signals. Mechanistically, MMP14 promoted inflammatory programming by increasing endotrophin generation and enhancing TLR4-NFκB signaling. MMP14 also reprogrammed macrophage lipid metabolism by suppressing lipolysis and promoting lipid accumulation, altering metabolic communication with neighboring …

The Dental Hygienist Perspective On Laser Use For Nonsurgical Periodontal Therapy, Tammie A. Nyce Mrs.

Dental Hygiene ETDs

The purpose of this study was to assess the perceptions, attitudes, and experiences of dental hygienists regarding the use of lasers in the non-surgical treatment of periodontal disease.  A descriptive survey was distributed via email to current active and inactive members of the American Dental Hygienists’ Association. The sample consisted of practicing dental hygienists who had received training in laser use and lived in states that allowed laser use by dental hygienists.   Those dental hygienists who are not practicing clinically, who are not trained in the use of lasers, and who do not have experience using lasers in the treatment …

Mitigating Cancer Therapy-Related Cognitive Impairment By Targeted Activation Of Undruggable Phosphatase., Zhimeng Yao, Yuhua Meng, Huanyi Li, Yinhui Jiang, Xiaona Lin, Mengyuan Hu, Qing Liu, Xiaofu Qiu, Hongzheng Ren, Yunlong Pan, Bin Pan, Zexiong Guo, Shuyao Zhang, Dianzheng Zhang, Li Yang, Shegan Gao, Weijing Deng, Jianfan Chen, Hao Zhang

PCOM Scholarly Works

Cancer therapy-related cognitive impairment (CTRCI) is a debilitating neurotoxic condition adversely impacting cancer patients during and post-cancer treatments. The cancer treatments linked to CTRCI include chemotherapy, hormone therapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. Despite CTRCI severely affecting the psychological and social, cognitive functions, and the overall quality of life of cancer survivors, no effective medications are available currently. Our prior studies have indicated hippocampal tyrosine phosphatase protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type O (PTPRO) as a putative target for CTRCI. However, phosphatase is historically considered undruggable, and delivering drugs across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is challenging. Here, we developed a novel delivery …

The Fourth Trimester: Enhancing Postpartum Depression Detection In Primary Care Through Early Screening And Patient Education, Riley Goldschmidt

DNP Projects

Background:
Postpartum depression (PPD) is a common and often underrecognized complication, with many cases going undetected due to inconsistent screening practices in primary care. Delayed identification can negatively impact maternal well-being, infant bonding, and overall family health outcomes. This quality improvement project aimed to improve early detection of PPD by implementing routine screening and patient education during newborn visits in a primary care clinic.

Methods:
The intervention integrated the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) into the existing newborn visit workflow and introduced an evidence-based educational toolkit containing information on PPD symptoms, guidance for seeking care, and a QR code for …

Improving Outpatient Provider Preparedness Through Simulation-Based Training: A Quality Improvement Project, Kristina Weyer

DNP Projects

Introduction:
Simulation-based training is an effective educational strategy, particularly for high-acuity, low-frequency events such as patient decompensation in outpatient settings. However, there is a gap in both literature and practice regarding provider participation in simulation, as competing clinical demands often limit engagement. Local organizational leaders identified limited opportunities for outpatient providers to practice management of acute decompensating patients. The purpose of this project was to evaluate provider competence and confidence in managing a decompensating patient in the outpatient setting and to assess perceptions of the value of time spent in simulation.

Methods:
This quality improvement project evaluated providers who participated …

Targeted Nursing Bootcamps For Critical Access Hospital Nurses: A Program Evaluation., Nicholas Popp

DNP Projects

Background: Registered Nurses employed in critical access hospital settings are required to care for patients across the lifespan with varying levels of acuity. The registered nurse (RN) must be competent in providing medical, surgical, pediatric, obstetric, and intensive care-level services. However, the additional training they receive to care for their patients may be minimal or nonexistent, leading them to seek employment at other facilities due to safety concerns. Leadership within the organization believed that implementing targeted monthly nursing skills boot camps could increase nurses’ competence, confidence, and retention in critical access hospital settings.

Aims: This program evaluation project aimed to …

Bridging The Gap: Development And Implementation Of A Caregiver Educational Guide For Post-Lung Transplant Caregivers, Megan Aller

DNP Projects

Background: Caregivers of post-lung transplant recipients play a critical role in postoperative recovery, as patients require continuous support during the first three months after transplant. Despite this responsibility, caregivers frequently experience burden, stress, and challenges adapting to the complex demands of the caregiving role.

Aim: To evaluate the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of a tailored caregiver education and support guide for caregivers of lung transplant recipients.

Local Problem: Within the local transplant program, caregiver education primarily relied on verbal instruction with limited caregiver-specific take-home resources.

Methods: This quality improvement project used a two-group pretest–posttest design to evaluate the …

Nurse-Led Quality Improvement Asthma Self-Management In Primary Care, Jolene Steinert-Abderhalden

DNP Projects

Background:
Poorly controlled asthma contributes to preventable morbidity, yet many adults lack consistent self-management support. Local Problem: Baseline assessment at a rural Midwestern clinic revealed limited asthma knowledge, inconsistent action-plan use, and low confidence among adults with Asthma Control Test (ACT) scores below 20.

Methods:
This quality improvement project used a pre- and post-intervention design guided by Lean methodology and the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework. Interventions: Registered nurses delivered standardized asthma education, inhaler-technique review, and action plan reinforcement with monthly structured follow-up for 16 weeks.

Results:
Among four enrolled participants, three completed follow-up. Mean ACT scores improved from 17.5 at baseline …

Evaluating Preoperative Education Modalities For Orthopedic Surgery Patients, Hannah Johnson

DNP Projects

Effective preoperative education is essential as total joint arthroplasty (TJA) procedures shift to outpatient care, yet traditional education methods may not be meeting patients’ diverse learning styles. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to evaluate the impact of multimodal preoperative education (in-person, virtual, hybrid video modules, or a combination) on patient-reported anxiety and discharge readiness, as well as length of stay (LOS), surgical site infections (SSIs), and 30-day readmissions. The in-person portion could not be implemented due to staffing constraints. The pre-post evaluation was conducted with a sample of 273 patients undergoing elective hip and knee arthroplasty (pre …

Evaluating An Educational Intervention On Penicillin Allergy De-Labeling Among Graduate Nursing Students, Allison Desmond

DNP Projects

Background
Approximately 10% of patients report a penicillin allergy; however, up to 90% of these individuals are not truly allergic. Inaccurate penicillin allergy labels contribute to inappropriate antibiotic use, increased healthcare costs, and antimicrobial resistance. Education on penicillin allergy testing remains limited among future Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs).

Methods
A quantitative quality improvement project using a pretest-posttest design was conducted among second- and third-year Doctor of Nursing Practice–Family Nurse Practitioner (DNP-FNP) students enrolled in Pharmacology II or Advanced Practice Nursing III at a Midwestern liberal arts college. Participants completed a 15-minute voiceover PowerPoint educational intervention on penicillin allergy testing and …

Improving Provider Knowledge And Confidence In Hormone Replacement Therapy Through A Quality Improvement Educational Intervention, Caitlin Schmidt

DNP Projects

Background
Menopause is associated with symptoms that can significantly diminish quality of life. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) remains the most effective intervention for moderate to severe menopausal symptoms. Despite evidence-based guidelines endorsing its use in appropriately selected patients, HRT utilization remains limited.

Local Problem
A gap in provider knowledge and confidence regarding HRT prescribing was identified in a rural primary care clinic in the Midwestern United States. The clinical needs assessment revealed an absence of standardized menopause-specific education and highlighted an opportunity to improve evidence-based menopause management.

Methods
This quality improvement project employed a pre-post educational design guided by the …