Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Discharge Lounge Utilization, Jessica Goneh, Areo Comonal

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Efficient hospital throughput is crucial for maintaining quality patient care and managing healthcare resources effectively. This project examines the relationship between hospital throughput, measured by discharge lounge utilization, and the National Emergency Department Overcrowding Scale (NEDOCS) score. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative analysis of discharge lounge utilization data with qualitative assessment of staff perceptions and operational challenges. The project was conducted over nine months in a large urban hospital. Results indicate a significant correlation between discharge lounge utilization rates and NEDOCS scores, suggesting that higher levels of discharge lounge utilization are associated with NEDOCS score improvement. Furthermore, qualitative …

Procedural Sedation Training: Competency Verification Through Simulation, Christine Hawknuff

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

A 450-bed tertiary hospital in Central Illinois lacked a standardized process for competency verification for procedural sedation care by registered nurses (RNs). Despite recommendations by many organizations, there are no consistent or standardized guidelines for verifying competency in nursing care of the procedural sedation. This project implemented a Procedural Sedation Training Course which comprised an in-person prelearning lecture, a group simulation learning experience, and an individual verification of competency through simulation.

Fifty-six RNs completed the Procedural Sedation Training Course and demonstrated competency through simulation, and 24 of these RNs completed a procedural sedation within the eight-month pilot period. Qualitative and …

Increasing Ob/Gyn Clinic Nursing Staff Knowledge And Comfort Level In Providing Breastfeeding Education, Nancy Moore

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

There are well known benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child, yet the educational support from providers during prenatal visits is not consistent or well-documented. An educational presentation discussing guidelines of breastfeeding education, common breastfeeding problems and barriers to breastfeeding was developed and presented to a “Baby Friendly” hospital-based OB/GYN clinic staff at an urban St. Louis hospital. The goal was to increase staff knowledge and comfort providing education and resources surrounding breastfeeding to be used to increase discussion of breastfeeding during prenatal and postpartum visits. Evaluation of pre and posttest data showed an increase in knowledge regarding managing …

Education For Healthcare Professionals On Protocol For Prostate Cancer Screenings On Inmates, Heather Ackerman, Randi Janae Ballard

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Cancer is the leading cause of death for incarcerated individuals, prostate cancer awareness and screening guidelines are essential areas of focus for healthcare professionals (Puglisi et al., 2021). Prostate cancer screenings recommend that males between the age of 55-69 be informed of evidence-based guidelines and offered these screenings as a part of routine health maintenance (USPSTF, 2018). In 2019, the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC) was ordered to follow these guidelines for incarcerated individuals (Raba, 2021). As of 2021, the IDOC had yet to implement these screenings for incarcerated individuals within the state facilities. Two separate one-hour educational sessions regarding …

Implementation Of Prenatal And Postpartum Depression Screening For A Telehealth Company, Allison Herrmann, Lori Deibel

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

Depression is a leading mental health disorder. Depression occurring during the perinatal and postpartum periods has become highly prevalent throughout the world, impacting 5-10% of women during (van de Loo et al., 2018) and 9-23.5% postpartum (Bauman et al., 2020). Proper diagnosis and treatment of perinatal and postpartum depression (PPD) is crucial, as depression can lead to poor outcomes including relationship complications and negatively affect child development (Slomain, 2019). The implementation of screening tools can help identify women at risk based on their signs and symptoms of PPD (Bauman et al., 2020). The primary goal of this project was …

Pneumococcal And Influenza Vaccine Co-Administration In The Incarcerated Population, Kaitlyn Stroh

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background/Significance: Streptococcus pneumoniae is responsible for 20-60% of U.S. bacterial pneumonia cases and has a mortality rate of 10-30%. Invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) occurs when streptococcus pneumoniae invades otherwise sterile sites. Adherence to immunization guidelines is 60-70% effective at preventing IPD. Co-administration of pneumococcal and influenza vaccines has shown promise at increasing uptake of the pneumococcal vaccine and enhancing immunological response. Population/Setting: A state-run Department of Corrections (DOC) clinic system serving just over 30,000 individuals was the site for this project. Incarcerated individuals present an increased risk of contracting pneumococcal disease due to close living quarters. Other risk factors such …

Implementation Of Menstrual Cycle And Fertility Awareness Education For Community Healthcare Providers Serving Guatemalan Women, Alissa Struble

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Research indicates that lack of reproductive knowledge, literacy & academic attrition, lack of educator support, poverty, religion, gender inequality, and decreased access to electronic devices contribute to high numbers of teenage pregnancies in Guatemala. Educating United States (U.S.) healthcare providers and Guatemalan volunteers/workers about fertility awareness using Standard Days Method® (SDM) and CycleBeads® has the potential to empower young Guatemalan women and encourage them to make independent, informed reproductive decisions. In December 2023, a quality improvement project was implemented in a Guatemalan rural health clinic. Likert scale questionnaires were utilized to assess knowledge and comfort levels regarding fertility awareness. Analysis …

Efficacy Of Depth Jump Parameters As A Recovery Monitoring Tool, Lane Johnson

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Background: Fatigue monitoring is an important aspect for athletic coaches to monitor the level of readiness of an athlete. Monitoring of an athlete’s fatigue status helps identify the need to adjust one’s training program, identify injury risk, and help attain an athlete’s peak performance when it is most advantageous for them. More research is warranted that examines the effects of a comprehensive set of jump parameters to track recovery from muscle impairing exercise. This study focused on the onset of muscle soreness through eccentric resistance exercise. Purpose: The purpose of this project was to examine the efficacy of force plate …

Effects Of Blood Flow Restriction During Acute Multi-Joint Eccentric Exercise On Muscle Recovery, Cody Fisher

All Graduate Reports and Creative Projects, Fall 2023 to Present

Blood flow restriction (BFR) exercise has become an increasingly common modality due to evidence that it may yield positive muscle-related effects from low-intensity exercise. However, eccentric-only exercise in a multi-joint format has not yet been investigated in regard to the BFR influence on muscle recovery characteristics. The purpose of this study was to assess muscle recovery responses via isometric peak force (PF), soreness (i.e., VAS, PPT, PPD), and functional power (i.e., SLHD) following a 5-minute low-load multi-joint eccentric exercise bout with or without blood flow restriction. Thirty participants were randomly assigned into either an eccentric-only (CON) or an eccentric BFR …

Dnp Final Report: Increasing Rapid Response Activations, Carlton J. Rojas Jr

DNP Final Reports

In 2008, facilities were encouraged to develop an emergency response system. A system in which nurses could activate a team of specialists directed to the bedside of a patient with a deteriorating condition. Despite this initiative, nurses and hospital staff have failed to recognize deterioration and correctly activate a rapid response. The clinical problem: Nurses are failing to recognize patient deterioration and activate a rapid response. The practice question was, what will increase rapid response activations? This DNP Project focused on increasing the identification of patient deterioration and activation of the rapid response team. A systematic review of the literature, …

3d-Printed Microfluidic Devices For Electrochemiluminescence Detection Of Mirna, Oscar Clement

Honors Scholar Theses

This thesis outlines the research conducted over the past two years on the production and application of microfluidic devices (MFDs) in electrochemiluminescent-based bioanalytical assays. The work is categorized into two main projects: designing and manufacturing MFDs and developing electrochemiluminescent (ECL) assays for detecting Alzheimer's disease (AD) associated microRNAs (miRNAs) using CRISPR technology. The process of learning to design MFDs involved acquiring proficiency in computer-aided design (CAD) software, stereolithography (SLA) 3D printing, and iterative design techniques. The development of the ECL-based assay for AD miRNA was a multidisciplinary endeavor, combining elements of inorganic and biological chemistry. Although the research on the …

Factors Predictive Of Postgraduate Residency Placement: A Systematic Review, Hazel Billings-Chiu

Honors Scholar Theses

This systematic review aimed to identify pharmacy student and school characteristics that are associated with higher postgraduate residency placement. Studies had to be an observational or experimental investigation, analyze pharmacy students and/or pharmacy schools, and report the statistical association, correlation, MV regression, propensity score analysis or matched analysis between a student or school variable with match success. Only studies that utilized multivariate analyses were included. The NewsCastle-Ottawa Quality Assessment Form for Cohort studies was used to assess risk of bias in the included studies. Student and school-level factors were then collected and synthesized via full text review. In total, there …

The Light Scattering Properties Of Amorphous Nanoparticles Formed By Poorly Soluble Drugs, Sarah Casella

Honors Scholar Theses

The research of amorphous drug formulations is an emerging field of study, which offers a promising strategy to improve the oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. A critical aspect of amorphous solubility is the measurement of particle size and light diffraction, which is measured using dynamic light scattering (DLS). DLS is a technique used to characterize the size of colloidal dispersions, where a laser beam illuminates a suspension of particles or molecules undergoing Brownian motion. In this experiment, a procedure was developed utilizing DLS to investigate the similarities and differences in light diffraction properties of particles among three different poorly …

An Examination Of Products That University Of Mississippi Students Consume For Managing Their Stress, Kiersten Rickard

Honors Theses

Students are notoriously one of the most stressed groups in our society. Stress is a complex topic; causes, mitigation methods, and manifestations of stress all vary in an individual. Being that stress is an universal experience, this research capitalizes on the importance of stress and the methods used to mitigate stress. This study looks at, among other ideas, stress on the University of Mississippi campus in regards to demographics and the products (caffeine, sleep aids, over the counter medicines, stress supplements, and CBD) that students use. Results demonstrate that, overall, higher stress levels correlate to higher product usage rates. The …

The Rural Medicine Curriculum: The Missing Piece Of Urban Residency Education, Robert Calleja, Bophal Hang

Conference Presentation Abstracts

Intro/Background: Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) have staffing shortages as most recent graduates of emergency medicine (EM) recidency programs pursue jobs in urban environments. It is presumed that this is due to limited exposure to rural EM scenarios throughout training, leading to hesitancy to practice in these situations as a new graduates with minimal single provider experience. Review of MedEd Portal demonstrates no curriculum filling this deficit in EM training, leading to the development of this curriculum. Purpose/Objective: The goal of the curriculum was to inspire further interest and preparedness to work in rural/critical access hospitals (CAHs). The hope was that …

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Perceptions Of How Providing Patient Care During The Covid-19 Pandemic Affected Their Own Mental Health, Linda Cabage

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Public health concerns were prominent during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly regarding rising cases of anxiety and depression among adults. U.S. healthcare providers were especially affected by the unrelenting demands on their time and service. Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs) provided patient care during the pandemic to meet the increasing need for mental health services as people began experiencing mood disturbances such as anxiety, depression, and grief. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perceived effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health of PMHNPs. A qualitative design using the interpretive description method allows researchers to …

Key Variants Via The Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project Whole Genome Sequence Data, Yanbing Wang, Chloé Sarnowski, Honghuang Lin, Achilleas N Pitsillides, Nancy L Heard-Costa, Seung Hoan Choi, Dongyu Wang, Joshua C Bis, Elizabeth E Blue, Eric Boerwinkle, Philip L De Jager, Myriam Fornage, Ellen M Wijsman, Sudha Seshadri, Josée Dupuis, Gina M Peloso, Anita L Destefano

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

INTRODUCTION: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified loci associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) but did not identify specific causal genes or variants within those loci. Analysis of whole genome sequence (WGS) data, which interrogates the entire genome and captures rare variations, may identify causal variants within GWAS loci.

METHODS: We performed single common variant association analysis and rare variant aggregate analyses in the pooled population (N cases = 2184, N controls = 2383) and targeted analyses in subpopulations using WGS data from the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP). The analyses were restricted to variants within 100 kb of 83 previously …

Bayesian Estimation Of Reproduction Numbers From Distributions Of Outbreaks Sizes: Branching Process Approach, Alberta Araba Johnson

Theses and Dissertations

The Generalized Poisson distribution is useful in modeling epidemiological processes as a branching stochastic processes problem. Our goal is to construct accurate and reliable estimators for the reproduction number (R0) (i.e., the number of secondary infections), particularly in the context of disease outbreaks modeled by a Galton-Watson process. Towards this goal, we construct the classical Bayes estimator, the Maximum Likelihood estimator, and the Empirical Bayes (EB) estimator under the Square Error Loss function in Chapter II. We prove that the Empirical Bayes estimator is asymptotically optimal and estimate the rate of convergence. We then proceed to monotonize the Empirical Bayes …

Telehealth Acceptance And Medical Mistrust Among The Elderly Of Rural Appalachia: A Correlational Study Using The Medical Mistrust Index And Technology Acceptance Model, Victoria Hood-Wells

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adults aged 65 years and above have grown substantially over with past decade. However, the chance of developing multiple comorbidities only increases with age. Because elderly residents of rural Appalachia often encounter barriers to healthcare, rural nurses, providers, and policy makers must overcome physical and structural barriers, but also gain a more in-depth understanding of the personal and cultural attitudes impacting the use of new and innovative forms of healthcare delivery. With a slow and variable uptake of telehealth adoption in rural Appalachia, and in the presence of well-documented medical mistrust, this study was designed to better understand the degree …

The Lived Experience Of Nurses In Caring For Patients With Covid-19, Jessica Barre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Limited research exists about the experiences of nurses’ caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic post hoc. To understand nurses’ realities of caring for patients with COVID-19, I aimed to understand the lived experience of nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 in the United States. A qualitative design with a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology was used. Sixteen participants were recruited via purposive sampling, augmented with snowball sampling. Data were collected through unstructured interviews and were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19 in the U.S. were consolidated into four themes: “a living …

Influence Of Medication Assisted Treatment Weaning On Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome And Outcomes Among Infants Born To Women With Opioid Use Disorder, Rakesh Adelli

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) is a drug withdrawal syndrome exhibited by infants born to mothers with opioid use disorder (OUD). The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and other professional societies endorse opioid agonist pharmacotherapy (MATs) as the optimal treatment for OUD during pregnancy. This study focuses on impact of weaning of MAT drugs on the incidence of NAS and neonatal birth outcomes among babies born to women with opioid exposure.

The study population included eighty-six pregnant women with OUD, divided in to weaning and non-weaning groups based on their choice to wean the MATs during pregnancy. Univariate analysis was …

Pathology And Osteological Observations Of Early Pliocene Rhinoceros, Teleoceras Aepysoma (Perissodactyla, Rhinocerotidae) From Gray Fossil Site, Tennessee, Thomas Scaife

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Rhinoceroses were an important part of North America’s Paleogene and Neogene ecosystems, with Teleoceras aepysoma being one of the last representatives of this family. Specimens of T. aepysoma from the Gray Fossil Site (GFS) possess distinct/peculiar pathologies: including a pair of fused ribs and ankylosed phalanges. A qualitative description of the pathologies in the GFS T. aepysoma, including new material, was conducted to accurately identify pathologies and make interpretations about the life history of the GFS rhinos. Analysis suggests that rheumatoid arthritis is common in the lower limb bones of GFS rhinos. Additionally, the rib and toe pathologies are more …

Perinatal Buprenorphine Effects On Offspring Growth, Opioid Withdrawal, And Brain Morphology In Rats, Parker Barnes

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Opioid use disorder (OUD) impacts 5.6 million people in the US. Buprenorphine (BUP) is a commonly prescribed opioid medication used to treat OUD, including in pregnant women. However, opioid use during pregnancy is associated with poorer infant outcomes including reduced fetal growth, neurodevelopmental deficits, and neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). Recent clinical data suggests that providing mothers with a lower dose of BUP may result in fewer negative outcomes in infants. Here, a preclinical rodent model of low-dose perinatal BUP exposure was used to study offspring health outcomes in the neonate, juvenile, and adolescent offspring. Dams were given clinically relevant …

Exploring The Lived Experience Of Self-Care In Young Adults With Type 2 Diabetes, Holly Berry-Price

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction

The prevalence of prediabetes in adults aged 18 or older was as high as 38% between 2017-2020. Youth-onset T2DM is a more aggressive phenotype than T2DM that occurs later in life. Young adults with T2DM have poorer health outcomes, lose an average of 15 years of life, all resulting in significant economic burden impacting the person. Current self-management interventions do not improve health outcomes in young adults with T2DM.

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to explore the self-care experiences of young adults living with T2DM.

Methods

Existential hermeneutic phenomenology informed the research. Inclusion criteria as follows: adults …

Parents' Perceptions Of Eye-Gaze Technology Use By Children With Complex Communication Needs, Sandra Masayko, Joy Mcgowan, Namrata Grampurohit

Department of Occupational Therapy Faculty Papers

PURPOSE: Some preschool students with complex communication needs explore eye-gaze computer technology (EGCT) and adopt computer-based augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). The objective of this study was to follow preschool explorers of EGCT who are now school aged to describe the children's use of technology and parents' perceptions of its utility for communication, participation, or leisure.

METHOD: Ten parents completed survey questions by Internet and phone and reported their perceptions of nine children's effectiveness in the use and acceptance of AAC and the support they received in implementing technology. The results are reported as a descriptive study.

RESULTS: All children …

Call Me Telephone Triage Skills For Pediatricians Across Multiple Settings, Cody Clary, Jonathan Ermer, Rebecca Callahan, Kayla Heller, Luke Stephens, Margaret Kirkpatrick, Nehal Parikh, Cody Tigges, Madhuradhar Chegondi

Presentations

Come explore current evidence surrounding telephone triage skills across a variety of settings and learn ways to teach these valuable skills while promoting best practices. Outpatient pediatricians, hospitalists, ICU physicians and ED providers all have telephone calls incorporated into their work. Often physicians are operating with very little training in this area, and methodology about teaching these skills to pediatric trainees is limited. We will highlight educational innovations at a variety of programs designed to improve resident and fellow education, sharing our results and providing opportunities for others to design their own content relevant to their own practice. Participants will …

Variation In Systemic Corticosteroid Prescribing During Asthma-Related Hospitalizations Across Children's Hospitals, Sian Best, Matt Hall, Jessica L. Bettenhausen, Shelby Chesbro, Nicholas Clark, Megan Collins, Adrienne G. Deporre, Jonathan Ermer, Bridgette Jones, Leah Jones, Jessica Markham, Elisha Mccoy, Maria Newmaster, Laura Plencner, Henry T. Puls, Smit Shah, Kathryn Kyler

Presentations

Asthma exacerbations are a leading cause of pediatric hospitalizations, and systemic corticosteroids remain a key component of inpatient treatment. Emergency department-focused studies have shown dexamethasone to be equivalent to prednisone/prednisolone in terms of outcomes such as readmission rates, but less is known about the trends in dexamethasone use versus other systemic corticosteroids, and associated outcomes in the inpatient setting. Objective (216) To describe variability and trends in inpatient systemic corticosteroid prescribing practices for acute asthma exacerbations, and to determine associations between the prescribed steroid and hospitalization outcomes. Design/Methods (949) This retrospective cross-sectional study utilized the PHIS database to examine patients …

Evaluating Effective Communication Of Baccalaureate Nursing Students, Christine Brockway

Dissertations

Brockway, Christine. Evaluating Effective Communication of Baccalaureate Nursing Students. Published Doctor of Philosophy dissertation, University of Northern Colorado, 2024. The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine how communication evaluation by clinical faculty compared in a clinical setting versus a simulation setting for Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students. Fifty (50) BSN students from three different schools of nursing were scored using the Interprofessional Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation Nurse to Physician Rubric in both clinical and simulation settings by seven nursing faculty. Scoring for each student occurred in both settings during one semester. Following the evaluation, students …

Nurturing Respectful Maternity Care In Rural Kenya: Assessing The Impact Of Educational Interventions On Local Healthcare Workers, Jessie Chen, Jassmine Duong, Urangoo Matthews, Avery Rocha

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Improving Knowledge Of Diabetes Self-Management In High Hba1c Diabetic Adults In Stockton, California, Alexis M. Maciel, Preet K. Grewal, Malina M. Carrillo, Jasmir A. Shergill

ELMSN E-Portfolio. A collection of Scholarly and Creative Works

No abstract provided.