Evaluation Of A Primary Care Based Diabetes Education Program, Claire Pfister

DNP Projects

The improved management of diabetes is a critical clinical and economic challenge facing our healthcare system. Educating patients with diabetes to self-manage their disease is a vital component of diabetes care. The purpose of this DNP practice improvement project was to evaluate an innovative health care delivery method of individualized diabetes self-management education (DSME) in primary care. The approach combined individual DSME with a registered dietician and routine diabetes care with the primary care provider into one patient appointment. System data was reviewed to compare referral and attendance patterns of group and individual methods. Changes in clinical indicators of A1C, …

Bariatric Surgery Weight-Loss Maintenance Among Hispanics: A Multiple Case Study, Minerva Aguilera

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Obesity significantly contributes to human illness and to subsequent rising healthcare expenditures. Bariatric surgery has been identified as the only effective option to achieve the weight loss necessary for those who are morbidly obese. Previous research indicated that maintaining significant weight loss has been a problem for individuals who undergo bariatric surgery. The number of bariatric surgeries is increasing and factors that contribute to or interfere following bariatric-surgery weight-loss maintenance need to be determined. Research on weight-loss maintenance following bariatric surgery is very limited, particularly among the Hispanic population. This case-study research used an explanatory, multiple-case-study design to gain greater …

The Effect Of Reduced Carbohydrate Diet Education On Hemoglobin A1c In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes, Lauren Parker

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is characteristically the result of modifiable risk factors, impacting the health and well being of all ethnic backgrounds across the lifespan. Research has indicated that despite the many risk factors associated with T2D, alterations in dietary macronutrient composition can lead to improvements in disease management and resultant complications. Therefore, the purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to provide individuals with reduced carbohydrate (carb) diet education to promote greater glycemic control and reduce associated risk factors through macronutrient modification, specifically carb intake. An integration of the most current evidence obtained from the critically appraised literature …

Ua61/1 Nursing Spirit, Volume 1, Neal Chambler, Dean, Mary Bennett, Director, Susan Megahee, Editor, Creative, Wku School Of Nursing

School of Nursing Publications

No abstract provided.

Is Dietary Intervention A Viable Method For Improving Outcomes In Adult Patients With Asthma?, Jennifer Grolimund

Senior Honors Theses

Asthma is a disease process characterized by episodic inflammation of the lower airway in response to various triggers. Those with asthma have trouble breathing effectively during an acute episode, making asthma a potentially life threatening condition. Standard medical treatment of asthma, including medications and environmental changes, can be effective at reducing or eliminating negative outcomes in patients with asthma. However, a holistic approach to patient care, including an examination of dietary influence, may also be useful for patients trying to manage the course of their illness. Variations in intake of individual nutrients or in total dietary patterns may play a …

The Effects Of Super-Fruits Including Montmorency Tart Cherries And Pomegranate On The Human Body: A Literature Review, Keeley D. Forrester

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This literature review explores several published articles that report results related to health benefits of super-fruits including Montmorency tart cherries and pomegranate. Research suggests that Montmorency tart cherry supplementation may have the ability to relieve pain by decreasing inflammation, prevent gout flare ups by reducing uric acid levels in the bloodstream, relieve insomnia with natural exogenous melatonin, and lessen symptoms of muscle damage from physical exertion by decreasing oxidative stress. Studies have also shown that pomegranate supplementation may have the ability to help prevent obesity by helping to decrease body weight and fat production and improving insulin sensitivity as well …

Outcomes Experienced By Patients Presenting With Ventral Hernias And Morbid Obesity In A Surgical Clinic, Margaret A. Plymale

DNP Projects

Surgeons generally agree that morbid obesity is a contraindication to ventral hernia repair surgery due to risk of adverse outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe the experience of patients with ventral hernia complicated by morbid obesity by reviewing a population of patients that were seen by a surgical service to determine the characteristics of those patients that had favorable and unfavorable outcomes. A retrospective medical record review was conducted of new patients with ventral hernias and morbid obesity (body mass index (BMI ) ≥ 40 kg/m²) seen by one surgical service over a two and …

An Evaluation Of The Screening And Management Of Childhood Overweight And Obesity In The Primary Care Setting, Diane L. Crutcher

DNP Projects

Background: Worldwide, the World Health Organization (2016) estimates that forty-two million children from two to five years of age are overweight or obese. In the United States, Kentucky ranks sixth for the highest rate of overweight youth in the nation (Partnership for Fit Kentucky, 2009). The long term consequences of overweight and obesity are early onset of adult chronic diseases as well as social and psychological issues in childhood and adulthood.

Purpose: The objective of this gap analysis was to assess BMI screening and weight management of children ages two to five who presented for a well-child check …

Use Of A Web-Based Dietary Assessment Tool In Early Pregnancy, Laura Mullaney, Amy C. O'Higgins, Shona Cawley, R. Kennedy, Daniel Mccartney, M.J. Turner

Articles

Background Maternal diet is critical to fetal development and lifelong health outcomes. In this context, dietary quality indices in pregnancy should be explicitly underpinned by data correlating food intake patterns with nutrient intakes known to be important for gestation.

Aims Our aim was to assess the correlation between dietary quality scores derived from a novel online dietary assessment tool (DAT) and nutrient intake data derived from the previously validated Willett Food Frequency Questionnaire (WFFQ).

Methods 524 women completed the validated semiquantitive WFFQ and online DAT questionnaire in their first trimester. Spearman correlation and Kruskal–Wallis tests were used to test associations …

Educated Birth: Beliefs Vs. Outcomes, Lauren Presley

Human Nutrition and Hospitality Management Undergraduate Honors Theses

“Our infant mortality rate is a national embarrassment.”¹ The words seem shocking and harsh across the headline of a 2014 Washington Post article. The thought of America not only not being the best at something, but falling upsettingly behind, is a foreign concept to many who view America as a nation inferior to none. However, the statistics on infant mortality rate tell the stark truth that of 26 “wealthy” countries, the U.S. ranks last, with a sobering 6.1 deaths per 1,000 live infant births.²

Part of the Healthy People 2020 Objectives is to reduce the rate of infant …

Improving Dental Care To The Elderly In A Nursing Home, Cara M. Licavoli

Master's Projects and Capstones

The project is about the collaboration between Peninsula Health Care District (PHCD) and Apple Tree Dental (ATD) in a team approach to address the current issues of improving dental care of frail and elderly patients in nursing home facilities. The specific aim is to improve dental care of clients at the San Mateo County nursing home facility by 100% by May, 2015. The methods use in this project was the adaptation and implementation of existing dental/oral health assessment tools, that is nurse driven for patient assessment upon admission to the nursing facility. The process includes staff education regarding the adapted …

Oral Wellness: Using Occupational Therapy To Enhance Oral Hygiene Delivery In Long-Term Care, Lauryn J. Banovitz, Liberty Bellah, Rosemarie Lion

Dissertations, Masters Theses, Capstones, and Culminating Projects

Based on current literature, oral health in long-term care (LTC) facilities is frequently of low priority and does not follow evidence-based best practices. Poor oral health reduces the quality of life of older adult residents and patients and can lead to systemic diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and pneumonia, the leading cause of death in LTC. Occupational therapists can play an instrumental role as oral care consultants, and educators, and can act as resource guides to raise the standards of oral care in LTC facilities.

This capstone project explored ways in which occupational therapy, a profession traditionally designated for …

Portion Size Selection In Relation To Hemoglobin A1cs, Brian L. Dixon

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Obesity has been recognized as an increasing issue within our country. Obesity contributes to many health related issues, including type 2 diabetes mellitus. Portion size is a factor that has generated clinical research interest. The aim of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between management of diabetes measured by hemoglobin A1c and portion size selection for type 2 diabetics. In this study, subjects selected portion sizes of four different foods. Data were compared to recent A1c levels. Due to the small sample size, nonparametric statistical analysis was used. The relationship of grain portion weight selection and …

The Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative, Kathryn E. Brackett

Senior Honors Theses

Abstract

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a worldwide movement started by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that is aimed at providing hospitals with a certification that guarantees the best possible patient-centered care for mothers and infants. It focuses on breastfeeding as optimal infant nutrition, and implements strategies to encourage and support mothers to breastfeed their infants exclusively for six months after birth. The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding are a set of 10 simple, easy to understand guidelines developed by WHO and UNICEF for implementing this initiative in the hospital setting and …

The Benefits Of Breastfeeding, Avery Kordus

Senior Honors Theses

Breastfeeding research is plentiful, and the majority of the literature shows that breast milk is the superior form of infant nutrition except in the rare circumstances of infant metabolic disorders, maternal drug use, or positive HIV status. In comparison to formula, breast milk provides improved cognition, development, behavior, bonding, nutrition, digestion, immunity, and long-term health with fewer diseases and conditions in infants. Mothers are benefited by breastfeeding through bonding, faster weight loss, and reduction in certain cancers and conditions. Breast milk contains the proper amount of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, and minerals, and is also specialized for each infant and …

Nutrition Intervention To Decrease Symptoms In Patients With Advanced Heart Failure, Terry A. Lennie, Debra K. Moser, Martha J. Biddle, Darlene Welsh, Geza G. Bruckner, D. Travis Thomas, Mary Kay Rayens, Alison L. Bailey

Nursing Faculty Publications

For a majority of patients with advanced heart failure, there is a need for complementary, non-pharmacologic interventions that could be easily implemented by health care providers to provide palliative care. Three major pathologic pathways underlying heart failure symptoms have been identified: fluid overload, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Prior research has demonstrated that three nutrients-sodium, omega-3 fatty acids, and lycopene-can alter these pathologic pathways. Therefore, the purposes of this study are to test the effects of a 6-month nutrition intervention of dietary sodium reduction combined with supplementation of lycopene and omega-3 fatty acids on heart failure symptoms, health-related quality of life, …

Artificial Nutrition, Advance Directives And End Of Life In Nursing Homes, Cheryl Ann Monturo

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

What Are The Perceptions Of Hispanic Parents Associated With Eating Habits Of Hispanic Children Ages 6--12 And Obesity?, Amy Barrett

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The main objective of this study is to identify the perceptions of Hispanic parents associated with eating habits of Hispanic children ages 6-12 and obesity. The purpose was to identify if the child's intake was different based on the parent's perception of whether or not their child had a weight problem. The idea was to examine how many times certain foods are consumed and compare that to the parent's perceptions. The study was a descriptive study. The childrenhad to be in the 95 th percentile and between the ages of 6-12 to qualify for the study. Parents were approached by …

A.S.P.E.N. Ethics Position Paper, Albert Barrocas, Cynthia Geppert, Sharon M. Durfee, Julie O'Sullivan Maillet, Cheryl Monturo, Charles Mueller, Kathleen Stratton, Christina Valentine, A.S.P.E.N. Board Of Directors

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

From Means To Ends: Artificial Nutrition And Hydration, Cheryl Monturo, Kevin Hook

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

The Artificial Nutrition Debate: Still An Issue…After All These Years, Cheryl Monturo

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Advance Directives At End-Of-Life: Nursing Home Resident Preferences For Artificial Nutrition, Cheryl Monturo, Neville E. Strumpf

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Ua35/11 Student Honors Research Bulletin, Wku Honors Program

WKU Administration Documents

The WKU Student Honors Research Bulletin is dedicated to scholarly involvement and student research. These papers are representative of work done by students from throughout the university.

• Albin, Bettye. Hawthorne's Narrator in the Blithedale Romance: A New Cover for an Old Friend
• Allen, Christopher. With Just Pride: The Naval History of the Warships USS Enterprise
• Barrett, Shelly. Structuralism
• Bolton, Joe. Wallace Stevens and Twentieth Century Aesthetics
• Bush, Paul. The Acceptance of Grace in Flannery O'Connor's Short Stories
• Gasparello-Moore, Nina. A Comparison of a Naïve and Simple Regression Forecasting Model for the Dow Jones Industrial Average
• Henry, Lynn. The Bureaucratic and …

The Effect Of Nutrition Education On The Diet Of Pregnant Teenagers, Dorothy Whiteside

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

For optimal growth and development during the teens, there needs to be sufficient intake of food to meet the nutritional requirements. Pregnancy during that time increases the nutritional needs. Studies have shown that teenage girls generally have poor eating habits, not meeting the nutritional requirements.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether special nutrition education classes would improve eating habits of a group of pregnant teenagers. Case studies were used as the method to report the findings. A health education class in a special day program for pregnant girls was used as the setting for this study. The …

Two Emotional Factors And Weight Loss Among Females Attending A Weight Control Class, Karen Lynn Carrigg, Eileen Rae Wangerin

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

A descriptive study was conducted on twenty-four females attending a weight control class to discover the effect of weight loss upon levels of self-esteem and anxiety, as an understanding of the relation of these factors to reduction and control of weight would prove helpful to community health nurses in counseling with overweight and obese persons in the community.

The entire sample was tested for self-esteem (TSCS) and A-State and A-Trait anxiety levels at the initial class of the weight control program sponsored by the Health Education Department of Loma Linda University Medical Center, and again after seven weeks of class …

The Extent To Which Patients Follow Their Low-Cholesterol Diets, Beverly Jo Peterson

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This exploratory study was conducted to discover to what extent patients follow their low-cholesterol diets. If they did not, the reasons were investigated. It was hoped that the findings would aid in defining areas of instruction which need greater emphasis when patients receive instruction concerning a low-cholesterol diet.

An interview guide was used as a data gathering tool. The dietitians at one private teaching hospital recorded all dietary prescriptions sent to them during the specified period and ten physicians were contacted for permission to include their patients in the study. The patients were then contacted by telephone and the interviews …

The Effect Of Slowly Digesting Carbohydrates On Abnormal Glucose Tolerance Curves, Marie Klein

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

This has been a study in which it was attempted to determine the effect of slowly digesting food on the glucose tolerance curves of patients who had abnormal blood sugar levels.

The experimental method was used. Patients were selected by criteria which included certain symptomology and background of diabetic history. Fifty-two patients were prepared for glucose tolerance tests by a diet predominating in rapidly digested carbohydrates. This diet contained food which is commonly used in the American diet. After following the diet for three days, blood samples were drawn during the fasting state, and the patient was then given glucose, …