Alternative and Complementary Medicine Commons^™

A Whole-Food Plant Based Diet And Its Effects On Cardiovascular Disease, Meredith A. Childress

MSN Capstone Projects

The purpose of this paper and benchmark study is to present evidenced-based data regarding the impact diet choices have on heart disease and how adherence to a whole food plant based (WFPB) diet compared to a Western diet affects cardiac disease. The PICOT question being asked for this change project is as follows: In adults with history of cardiac disease (P), how does adherence to a whole-food plant-based (WFPB) diet (I) compared to the Western diet (C) impact outcomes associated with coronary artery disease (CAD) (O) over three months (T)? A search of evidenced-based literature was conducted to determine the …

The Anxiolytic Effects Of Aromatherapy On Preprocedural Anxiety: An Integrated Review, Rebekah Smith

Senior Honors Theses

Anxiety before procedures can negatively impact patients by increasing cortisol levels which delays wound healing and increases infection risk, increasing pain and sedation medication needs, and increasing hospitalization time. This review was conducted to find how inhaled essential oils affect pre-procedural anxiety of adults in acute care settings. Nine databases and some gray literature were searched within the past ten years, and documented using the PRISMA flow chart. Ten articles fitting the inclusion criteria were retrieved. Nine of the articles found a significant difference between the aromatherapy group and control group and pre- and post- intervention anxiety scores, and none …

How Early Education And Pet Therapy May Help Nurses With Compassion Fatigue, Katie E. Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Although there is a great deal of research on the causes of compassion fatigue, there is little research on prevention techniques or ways to combat compassion fatigue. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover if nurses are prepared to cope with occupational stress and compassion fatigue. A secondary purpose was to examine the perceived benefit that pet therapy can have as a possible stress reduction technique to decrease the effects of compassion fatigue. This research was conducted by gathering data via semistructured interviews. The researcher interviewed nurses who were currently practicing patient care and scored as …

Music Intervention And Its Effect On State Anxiety: An Integrative Literature Review, Courtney Olek

Nursing Masters Papers

Approximately 5 million patients are admitted to Intensive Care Units (ICU) in the United States for acute or life-threatening medical problems or injuries annually. The ICU patient experience has been described in the literature as dehumanizing, stressful, and anxiety provoking. Given the adverse physiological and psychological effects of sustained state anxiety, it is important anxiety is effectively managed in the ICU environment. Standard care for management of anxiety often relies heavily upon sedative medications and are correlated with poor outcomes when used in high doses and over a long duration. The SCCM recommends nonpharmacologic adjunctive measures to decrease the occurrence …

Utilization Of The Calm Apparatus To Adult Men And Women With Atrial Fibrillation To Decrease Emergency Department Visits For Atrial Fibrillation, Ami Klein

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

The purpose of this project is two-fold. The first is to determine if the CALM APP use by adult men and women with atrial fibrillation (AF) will decrease anxiety. The second is to determine if decreased anxiety utilizing the CALM APP will deter admissions to the emergency department (ED) for AF in the first month post-catheter ablation of AF. The Zung SAS was used to determine the pre- and post-anxiety scores. The Seven Days of Calm (free app) was used to teach deep breathing and meditation. This study showed a moderate decrease in ED visits with use of the Calm …

Analysis Of Zero Balancing Case Studies Through An Occupational Therapy Lens, Deanna Waggy Otr, Msa, Czb, Csla

Journal of Transformative Touch

Does Zero Balancing positively impact occupational performance? This is a question many Occupational Therapists (OTs) ask when discerning if Zero Balancing (ZB) is an evidence-based treatment modality. Case studies from the book Experiencing the Power of Zero Balancing: Case Studies of Journeys to Health and Wholeness (Quarry & King, 2016) were reviewed and compared to the Occupational Therapy domain of practice to show clear evidence that each case study had a positive impact on occupational performance. A comparison chart shows a direct link between the occupational categories and documented evidence of improved occupational performance through practitioner observation and client feedback …

The Effects Of 465nm Blue Light On Sleepiness & Fatigue, Mark E. Childress

DNP Research Projects

Abstract

Background: Exhaustion is now accepted in nursing culture. Staff suffering from sleepiness and fatigue are more likely to commit medical errors and sentinel events. Emergency department nurses have the greatest risk of committing these errors. Currently, there is no relief provided to shift workers beyond a single 30-minute meal break within a 12-hour period. Other researched mitigation strategies have either failed or are unrealistic in this environment.

Local Problem: Emergency Department nurses at Parkridge Medical Center in Chattanooga, TN suffer from chronic sleepiness and fatigue that is exacerbated by shift duration, excessive workload, a stressful environment, and lack of …

Improving Nutrition Literacy In Primary Care, Kami D. Dykes

DNP Research Projects

Abstract

By the year 2030, nearly one in every two adults will have obesity (Body Mass Index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m².), and one in four adults will have severe obesity (BMI ≥35 kg/m²) (Ward et al., 2019). Equally troubling is that obesity poses a threat to the health of individuals, decreases the quality of life, shortens life expectancy, causes and worsens comorbidities, and increases all- cause mortality (Abdelaal et al., 2017). Studies have shown a link between BMI, nutritional knowledge, and dietary practices. Nutrition literacy is a newer term that refers to the complex relationship between nutrition …

The Rhythm Of Your Life: The Effects Of Daily Routine On Mental Health, Kristen Brown

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Factors Influencing Nurses’ Willingness To Recommend Reiki For Their Oncology Patients’ Pain, Amy Nezzer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospitalized, adult, oncology patients experience intractable pain that does not always respond to pharmacological therapies. Reiki is a complementary and alternative method used to reduce pain and increase the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments, but nurses may not possess knowledge about Reiki or have the self-efficacy to educate patients about Reiki. The purpose of this study, guided by Bandura’s social cognitive theory, was to identify the relationship between nurses’ knowledge, level of self-efficacy in educating their patients, beliefs about Reiki’s effectiveness, years practicing as a nurse, and willingness to recommend Reiki for their oncology patients’ pain. The Knowledge of Nurses’ Questionnaire …

A Call To Create: Poetry As Healing And One Nurse’S Self-Discovery, Kim Cornett Henry, Kim Cornett Henry

English Theses

Florence Nightingale’s vision for nursing has changed greatly in the past one hundred and fifty years, with nursing’s identity replaced with an emphasis on science over caring. The fast-paced, technologically sophisticated environments, designed to meet the declining health of an American public, have resulted in nurses who are being pulled away from nurse-to-patient caring acts and the reasons they felt called to become nurses. These changes have had detrimental psychological and emotional effects on nurses and are especially evident in Intensive Care nurses. Expressive writing as poetry, autoethnography, and participation in vibrant writing communities offer nurses experiences for healing, voice, …

Implementing Staff Education To Reduce Stress And Increase Resilience, Samantha Lambert, Mariana Corpus, Sherry Chesak, Susanne M. Cutshall, Diane M. Forsyth, Habibo A. Haji

Nursing DNP Projects

Purpose: Persistent levels of high stress among nurses impact work activities and job performance, leading to burnout, compassion fatigue, lower job satisfaction, high workplace turnover, and diminished quality of patient care (Lin et al., 2018). Nurses who demonstrate resilience are better able to adapt to unexpected events with a positive attitude, self-esteem, and tolerance (Huang et al., 2020). The purpose of this project was to decrease stress levels and improve resilience among nursing staff, utilizing education on holistic stress management and resilience techniques.

Methods: A four-hour mindfulness-based education course was provided to staff members (N=76). Components included an initial two-hour …

An Investigation Into The Use Of An Herbal Labor Induction Tincture Containing Black Cohosh, Cramp Bark, Partridgeberry, And Motherwort On Contractile Responses Produced From Isolated Strips Of Mouse Uterine Tissues, Clayton Neuenschwander, Katrina Wu, Teresa F. Degolier

Biological Sciences Faculty Publications

Introduction: Alternative solutions in the form of herbal remedies meant to ease or expedite the process of labor have often been pursued and administered but have seldom been quantitatively tested for efficacy. Published research has shown some validation for some commonly used herbs such as blue cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides), red raspberry (Rubus idaeus), castor bean (Ricinus communis) and evening primrose (Oenothera biennis) on isolated mouse uterine strips. Methods: This study tested an array of herbs used by midwives in a labor induction tincture, which included black cohosh (Actaea racemosa), cramp bark (Viburnum opulus), partridgeberry (Mitchella repens), and motherwort (Leonurus cardiaca). …

The Effects Of Doula Care On Birth Outcomes And Patient Satisfaction In The United States, Lynae Carlson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The visitor policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic limited doula care and called into question the importance of doulas in the birth process. While the Cochrane Systematic Review presents compelling evidence of the benefits of continuous birth support on outcomes ranging from shorter labors to higher 5-minute Apgar scores, there are gaps in literature that exclusively focus on continuous support from doulas. The literature review aims to determine both qualitative and quantitative outcomes of doula care on the mother and baby during the labor and post-partum periods, focusing on specific aggregates, such as adolescents, women with low incomes, and women …

The Physiological Benefits Of A Plant-Based Diet On Cardiovascular Health, Jenevieve Petray

Nursing | Senior Theses

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasingly more prevalent in today’s society and is attributed to an alarming percentage of American hospitalizations and deaths. Americans are unhealthier than ever before, and the main contributor is the Western diet. Diet is a double-edged sword that can offer benefits or detriments to one’s health. CVD encompasses numerous diagnoses originating from various underlying physiological alterations. These alterations are downstream effects of increased body weight and BMI, increased cholesterol levels, decreased insulin sensitivity and increased arterial plaque buildup. Research shows that a plant-based diet has the potential to manage and reverse all fundamental physiological alterations that …

Nursing Perceptions For Utilizing Essential Oil Application In Labor And The Effect Of Targeted Education, Joni R. Beckham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Doctor of Nursing Practice project was implemented to determine how a nurse’s perception of aromatherapy influences their decision to provide aromatherapy for patients during labor and the effect of targeted education on a nurse’s perception. The purpose of this project was to determine how nurses view the use of aromatherapy resources at their disposal and the likelihood that they would offer the intervention to their patients. This project provided education to increase nurses’ confidence in providing optimal care to patients using a traditional and holistic avenue of aromatherapy while determining if education can positively influence nurses to support essential …

Music Therapy For Pain And Anxiety Management In Postoperative Orthopedic Patients, Rhapsody C. Onderko

MSN Capstone Projects

It is estimated that 50-75% of postoperative patients feel they are not receiving adequate pain relief (Schneider, 2018). Both patients and nurses feel overwhelmed when pain is not well managed. Music therapy is safe, inexpensive, and has the potential to be easily incorporated into the nursing plan of care (Hole, Hirsch, Ball, & Meads, 2015). There are statistically significant findings that music decreases pain throughout the literature (Ames et al., 2017; Aris et al., 2019; Dai et al., 2020; Gallagher et al., 2018; Hole et al., 2015; Hsu et al., 2019; Laframboise-Otto et al., 2021; Leonard, 2019; Lin et al., …

Case Study--Jimmy (Zero Balancing And Cst), Judith Sullivan

Journal of Transformative Touch

Jimmy started receiving Zero Balancing and CranioSacral Therapy when he was 11 months old for significant torticollis and scoliosis. In 7 sessions between the beginning of November and the beginning of February. His x-rays show changes within normal ranges.

Culturally Sensitive Care For Hispanic Americans, Christopher Dodson, Courtney Hall

Scholars Week

The number of individuals that speak another language that is not English as their primary language is at an all time high in the United States, and this can make healthcare harder to access for this portion of the population. This research examines what barriers are present for those who do not speak English as their primary language, such as miscommunications, reduced trust in their provider related to being unable to speak directly with them, parts of their cultural practices and alternative medicines being ignored or misunderstood by healthcare providers, and not feeling secure enough to reveal sensitive information to …

The Impact Of Faith Community Nursing Programs For Chronic Disease Screening And Management In Vulnerable Populations: A Comprehensive Review Of The Literature, Gabri Warren

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Faith Community Nursing (FCN) programs in the United States (U.S.) emerged in the 1980's; however, the intertwining of health promotion in religious institutions has been present for millennia. Today, challenges facing healthcare are prompting health care providers to find creative and cost-effective methods of providing care. Determining whether FCN positively impacts the health of individuals with limited access to healthcare services would encourage healthcare providers to collaborate with the specialty, reinforcing the benefit of their service. An integrative literature review was conducted to identify studies measuring the impact of FCN on the health outcomes of individuals with hypertension (Baig, Mangione, …

Zero Balancing: Conscious Touch And Transformation Book Review, Misty L. Rhoads

Journal of Transformative Touch

Zero Balancing: Conscious Touch and Transformation by pioneering transformative touch practitioner and teacher James McCormick is a profound and engaging textbook that teaches readers a multi-layered approach to working with the body, mind, and spirit through skilled, conscious touch.

Shu Altop News Issue #4, Fall, Dr. Susan L. Davis, Rn & Richard J. Henley College Of Nursing

News, Magazines and Reports

Updates from the Davis & Henley College of Nursing Sacred Heart University Alternatives to Opioids for Pain Grant.

Alternatives to Opioids for Pain (ALTOP) is a HRSA funded project to help combat the opioid epidemic in Connecticut.

In this issue: • New Roles in Our Team • ANEW HRSA 2021-2022 Awardees • Southwest Community Health Center Chiropractic Care Services • Student Quality Improvement Project • Sacred Heart University Alumni Working at New Solutions Pain Management Clinic.

Increasing Staff Awareness And Screening Practices For Adverse Childhood Experiences At A Primary Care Clinic, Kayla Wright

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are present in approximately 60% of the adult population in the United States. There is a correlation between adverse childhood experiences and chronic health conditions as adults. Despite the evidence showing this correlation, there is a lack of screening for ACEs in the primary care setting. Many primary care providers and staff are unaware of ACEs or the correlation with chronic health conditions and substance abuse and, therefore, do not understand how to or recognize the benefits of screening in primary care. With education for providers and staff, primary care is the ideal setting to perform …

Compassionate Indifference, Judith Sullivan

Journal of Transformative Touch

ABSTRACT

How to turn a not-so-good treatment into an excellent treatment with presence, relaxation and compassionate indifference.

Shu Altop News Issue #3, Summer, Dr. Susan L. Davis, Rn & Richard J. Henley College Of Nursing

News, Magazines and Reports

Updates from the Davis & Henley College of Nursing Sacred Heart University Alternatives to Opioids for Pain Grant.

Alternatives to Opioids for Pain (ALTOP) is a HRSA funded project to help combat the opioid epidemic in Connecticut.

Teachable Moments, John E. Franklin

Journal of Transformative Touch

A Veterinarian's Induction into the Feldenkrais Method and the Dynamic Systems Approach to the Development of Cognition and Action.

Investigating The Effects Of Zero Balancing On The Physical, Mental, Emotional, And Spiritual Dimensions Of Wellness: A Phenomenological Mixed Methods Pilot Study, Misty L. Rhoads, Mary Murphy, Michele Doucette, Tom Gentile, Dylan Rhoads, Jacob Watson

Journal of Transformative Touch

Background: Today, the necessity for relieving undue stress on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual levels is evident at this time of concomitant global crises from the pandemic, societal inequity, and climatic challenges. Methods to restore and enhance human well-being are critically needed.The study of overall wellness has not yet included the role that skilled, conscious touch may play in supporting the dimensions of wellness, an awareness of which this study seeks to elevate by exploring the effects of receiving positive touch on the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual dimensions of wellness.

Methods: The researchers chose to utilize a concurrent …

Weight Reduction Motivation In Osteoarthritis Patients Through Nurse Practitioner Driven Education And Follow-Up: A Pilot Project, Caoilfhionn Mulvey, Martha Fuller Phd

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Purpose of Project: The ultimate goal of this short-term pilot project is for

overweight or obese osteoarthritis patients to increase their knowledge on the benefits of

weight loss and physical activity. Research shows that for every kilogram of weight lost,

2.2–4.0 kilograms of weight is taken off of the joint and could reduce joint pain up to

thirty to fifty percent and improve quality of life. Following education from the provider,

patients will understand the correlation of osteoarthritis symptom management with

weight loss.

EBP Model/Frameworks: This project utilizes the Iowa Model of Evidence-Based

Practice to Promote Quality Care. This addresses …

Get America Talking: Implementing Advanced Care Planning In Primary Care, Sasha Recht

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Advanced Care Planning (ACP) is an essential part of providing adequate care in the primary care setting. Discussing end of life with patients can be a tedious and uncomfortable conversation for many providers, however, its continued avoidance contributes to the stigma of end of life care and may also result in significant healthcare cost expenditure with the use of unwanted invasive treatments. All providers should engage in consistent advanced care planning in order to improve patient and provider communication, improve patient satisfaction, increase advanced directives on file, reduce the stigma of the topic, and improve quality of life.

Letting It Go: A Transformative Session Of Massage Therapy, Amanda Brauman King

Journal of Transformative Touch

This personal essay the role of skilled touch, in this case massage therapy, in healing from loss.