Percutaneous Pneumothorax Placement, Miranda Bingham, Christopher Houston

North Texas GME Research Forum 2026

Background: Timely and accurate chest tube placement in the Emergency Department (ED) is critical for the management of life-threatening conditions such as a pneumothorax. At Medical City North Hills Emergency Department, chest tube placement can be delayed or complicated due to variability in available equipment types, sizes, storage locations, and setup processes. Providers may be unfamiliar with less commonly used kits, experience skill decay due to infrequent procedural exposure, or lack access to bedside educational resources during high-stress, time-sensitive situations. These challenges contribute to procedural delays, increased complication rates, prolonged hospital stays, and higher healthcare costs. This quality improvement project …

Improving The Utilization Of Palliative Care Services At Medical City Fort Worth, Gennipher Smith, Shervin Sarji, Maanasa Palani, Samuel Chen, Mary Halm, Kristina Bowman, Morvarid Rezaie

North Texas GME Research Forum 2026

Palliative Care (PC) is a specialized medical care that aims to optimize the quality of life and alleviate the suffering of patients with serious medical illness. Benefits of palliative care include improved symptom management, enhanced quality of life, reduced healthcare utilization, better care alignment, improved communication and support, and financial savings. Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) Medical City Fort Worth (MCFW) has a PC consult service. However, it is underutilized. According to data collected from January 2025 to December 2025, the percentage of PC consults for high risk units, such as oncology and ICU, by day 3 of admission varies …

Precision In Practice: Subject Matter Expert Integration To Support Excellence In Population-Specific Documentation, Sara Pump, Mary Hawes, Lauren Spain, Virginia Kasenic, Meagan Talent, Alivia Stewart, Carrin Shaw, Chad Gautreaux, Dori Cousin, Ponesea Allen, Jonathan Rowe

2026

This poster describes a quality improvement initiative that integrated psychiatric resource nurses as subject matter experts (SMEs) into clinical documentation workflows to improve documentation compliance for high-risk behavioral health patients. The intervention resulted in substantial improvements in charting accuracy and compliance, including an increase in emergency department documentation compliance from 28% to 95% over seven months, while enhancing staff education, collaboration, and patient safety.

No One Left Behind: Identification Of Healthcare Needs Through System-Wide Social Determinants Of Health Screenings, Rose Dela Cruz, Amanda Marquez, Madison Lemmons

2026

This poster describes a system-wide quality improvement initiative designed to increase completion rates of Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) screenings by addressing workflow barriers, educating staff, and implementing standardized processes across clinical teams. The project demonstrates how interdisciplinary collaboration, nursing engagement, and structured screening workflows can improve identification of social needs and connect pediatric patients and families with resources that support health equity and better health outcomes.

Scaling Up Health Literacy Practices Through A Champion Program, Cameron Stine, Kelli Williams, Diana Montoya, Leslie Moore, Carol Howe

2026

This poster describes the development and expansion of a Health Literacy Champion Program designed to improve the consistent use of health literacy best practices across a healthcare organization. The program successfully expanded from ambulatory nursing to 13 disciplines, using champion training, newsletters, clinical observations, and peer influence to promote plain language communication, information chunking, and teach-back techniques that support patient understanding and safety.

Enhancing Psychiatric Education And Training For Family Nurse Practitioners In Rural Health Settings, Jared Sanders

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Title: Enhancing Psychiatric Education and Training for Family Nurse Practitioners in Rural Health Settings

Background: Mental health conditions represent a significant and growing proportion of primary care encounters, particularly in rural and underserved regions where psychiatric specialist access remains critically limited. In these settings, Family Nurse Practitioners (FNPs) frequently serve as the sole point of contact for patients presenting with mental health concerns, often without the benefit of embedded behavioral health support or readily available consultation. Despite carrying this clinical responsibility, many FNPs report gaps in formal psychiatric training, particularly in psychopharmacology and diagnostic differentiation, that contribute to variability …

Improving Nursing Assignment Through Integration Of An Acuity Scoring Tool: A Unit-Based Quality Improvement Project, Daisy Everard Dagohoy, Analyne Gale Roldan

Covenant Nurses Week 2026

No abstract provided.

Iron Deficiency And Iron Deficiency Anemia: Inconsistent Screening Practices And Delayed Result Processing In Children 12-18 Months, Madonna J. Mahoney Marshall

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Introduction:

Iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in children aged 12 to 18 months are prevalent conditions that, if not identified and treated early, are associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Purpose:

This quality improvement project evaluated the impact of a standardized screening and follow-up protocol on laboratory result retrieval, provider review, and caregiver follow-through in a military pediatric clinic.

Method:

A pre-post intervention design guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework was implemented over 11 weeks and included staff education, standardized workflows, and caregiver outreach.

Results:

The intervention improved laboratory completion and caregiver follow-up rates; however, sustainability was limited by staffing constraints …

Efficacy Of A Vertically Integrated, Module-Based Small Group Discussion And Virtual Patient Simulation Model To Enhance Cardiology Knowledge And Clinical Reasoning In Medical Students, Kumar Abhishek, Pratyush Kumar, O Puri, M Pathania

MidAmerica Division GME Healthcare Symposium 2026

No abstract provided.

Time To Safe Chest Tube Removal After Water-Seal Trial, Rahul Pawa, Joshua Gazzetta, Leo A. Benedict, Sean Nix, Phillip Jones, Yoon Cho, Alyssa Fesmire

MidAmerica Division GME Healthcare Symposium 2026

No abstract provided.

Opioid Prescribing Patterns Following Isolated Trigger Finger Release: A Single-Institution Quality Improvement Study, Brandalynn Mathis, Robert Garner, Cameron Sprong, Mark Gamadia, Alan Cornett, Steven Smith

MidAmerica Division GME Healthcare Symposium 2026

No abstract provided.

Interventions To Reduce 30-Day Re-Hospitalization Rates In Skilled Nursing Facilities: A Systematic Review, Pradeep Rajbhandari, Karl E. Minges, Lawrence San Jose, Michael Waxman

MidAmerica Division GME Healthcare Symposium 2026

No abstract provided.

Implementation Of A Pressure Injury Prevention Bundle To Reduce Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries In The Intensive Care Unit, Xibo Lan

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

The goal of this quality improvement project was to utilize the SKINSAFE pressure injury prevention bundle during 12 weeks of implementation to increase evidence-based pressure injury prevention practices adherence and decrease risk of hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) in the intensive care units (ICU).

Background

ICU patients experience high risk for hospital acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) secondary to immobility and device related pressure. Initial adherence to SKINSAFE bundle was 55-56%. There was inconsistent use of heel offloading devices, wound photography and documentation. Prevention bundles were affected by staffing fluctuations and leadership turnovers.

Methodology

The Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle for this project included …

Leading The Way In Pediatric Oral Health Promotion, Denise C. Mckinney

Dental Hygiene Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Dental hygienists promote oral health and provide preventive services to patients throughout their lifespan. The Commission on Dental Accreditation, Dental Hygiene Standards emphasize that graduates must be competent in providing dental hygiene care for all patient populations, including children.¹ In fact, promoting pediatric oral health begins prior to birth with the expectant mother and/or caregiver. Oral health care to include education is essential during pregnancy; specifically, around the prevention and treatment of dental caries for the mother and the unborn child.² In the U.S., from 2013-2016, roughly 30% of women aged 20-44 years had untreated dental caries.³ Expectant mothers …

Empowering Caregivers, Protecting Patients: An Ambulatory Central Line Quality Improvement Initiative For Education And Follow-Up, Elizabeth Martinez, Belinda Bordeaux, Stephanie Langevin, Cristina Herrera, Mary Smith, Merissa Doyle, Barbara Stein, Kimberly Poshar, Marissa Dunlap, Allison Silva, Eric Werner

Department of Pediatrics Faculty Publications

Introduction: Preventing ambulatory central line-associated bloodstream infections (A-CLABSIs) is challenging due to inconsistent education, follow-up, and home care practices. Pediatric intestinal failure (IF) patients are particularly vulnerable. This institution aimed to decrease its IF A-CLABSI rate by 25% within 2 years through a standardized, step-by-step central line care education program.

Methods: Using the Toyota problem-solving method, the team reviewed data and performed a root cause analysis of the prioritized problem, implementing a 2-phase education program. Phase 1 delivered in-hospital education using videos, handouts, and hands-on teaching with skill demonstration. The existing pediatric central line skills class was expanded and offered …

Transition To Home Guideline For Patients With Diabetes, Kathleen R. Burgner

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Background: Diabetes is a leading contributor to preventable hospital readmissions. These hospital readmissions often result from fragmented discharge planning, poor care coordination, and limited post-discharge support. At a 915-bed academic medical center in Southern California, the diabetes-related readmission rate was 13.3%, compared with 11.4% among patients without diabetes. This project aimed to develop an evidence-based Transition-to-Home (TTH) guideline for hospitalized patients with diabetes and evaluate the strength of its recommendations through multidisciplinary stakeholder review.

Methods: An evidence-based guideline development project was conducted over 8 weeks. A comprehensive literature search in CINAHL, MEDLINE, PubMed, and ScienceDirect identified current evidence on transitional …

Determinants Of Patient Satisfaction In An Academic Primary Care Setting: A Cross-Sectional Study Of The Postpandemic Era, Alvin Maliakal, Rajita Kanapareddy, Zooha Altaf, Janani Anbazhagan, Kristin Olson, Cynthia Avila, Rehan Qayyum

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Background

Patient satisfaction, a key indicator of healthcare quality, is associated with improved adherence, continuity, and outcomes. However, limited evidence describes determinants of patient satisfaction in contemporary primary care settings reflecting the postpandemic era, when care delivery models and patient expectations have evolved substantially.

Objective

To evaluate the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with patient satisfaction in an academic primary care setting following the postpandemic era.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional survey of adult patients (≥18 years) attending a primary care clinic. Participants completed a self-administered questionnaire including the Visit-Specific Satisfaction Questionnaire (VSQ-9) and measures of sociodemographic and clinical characteristics. …

Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury Reduction: A Quality Improvement Bundle Strategy, Vickey Thompson

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Hospital-acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) remain a national and global challenge, contributing to preventable harm and negatively affecting patient safety, quality of care, and clinical outcomes. Current evidence underscores opportunities to strengthen pressure injury prevention strategies. Purpose: This quality improvement project implemented an evidence-based pressure injury prevention (PIP) bundle to reduce HAPI rates by improving nursing knowledge and attitudes and increasing adherence to protective dressing application and repositioning practices. Methods: The PIP bundle consisted of targeted education, monitoring of prophylactic dressing application, and structured repositioning strategies focused on turn frequency and offloading angle. Data were collected via pre- and …

Interventional Pulmonary Reflex Biomarker Testing In Advanced-Stage Lung Cancer, Tonya Hooper

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

National Comprehensive Cancer Network guidelines recommend biomarker testing for patients with advanced-stage non-small cell lung cancer. Delays in ordering biomarker testing increase turnaround time (TAT) and delay initiation of targeted therapy. National benchmarks recommend biomarker result TATs of 10-14 days. Evidence suggests reflex biomarker testing at time of pathologic diagnosis reduces TAT and improves workflow efficiency. This quality improvement (QI) initiative implemented reflex biomarker testing for patients newly diagnosed with advanced-stage lung cancer to reduce biomarker testing TAT by 7–14 days within an interventional pulmonary service line. The QI used a pre-post design guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) framework and …

Improving Antibiotic Prescribing For Urinary Tract Infections In Urgent Care Centers, Alexis Alastanos

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are one of the most common infections that require antibiotic therapy. Providers working in three urgent care clinics located in Eastern West Virginia diagnosis and treat UTIs based on their clinical judgement. Variability in clinical judgement results in inappropriate antibiotic use which has implications on antibiotic resistance and the financial burden of the patients as well as the entire organization.

Evidence Review: A total of 10 articles were evaluated to support the implementation of antibiotic stewardship initiatives that provide guidance in caring for this population. Interventions include electronic health record enhancements, provider education, and tracking …

Hyperglycemia Detection From Single-Lead Ecg Using A Hybrid Cnn & Transformer Model, Adam Ayomikun Ogunjembola

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Diabetes Mellitus is known as high blood glucose. This high blood glucose level happens when the body has a problem with producing or using insulin. Insulin is a very important hormone that the pancreas makes to control how much glucose gets into the bloodstream and cells. Diabetes Mellitus has an effect on the body if it is not treated, such as damaging the blood vessels and nerves which can lead to stroke, kidney failure, heart attack and permanent loss of vision. Since people with diabetes need to measure their glucose levels in order to determine how much insulin or medicine …

Improving Sedative Administration In Patients Receiving Paralytics During Intubation: A Quality Improvement Initiative Within A Large Academic Medical Center In West Virginia, David Bryon Underwood

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Awake paralysis (AWP) occurs when long-acting neuromuscular blockers outlast short-acting sedatives during intubation, leaving patients chemically paralyzed but conscious. This highlights the critical need for timely post-intubation sedation.

Background: A 2024 review in the Neurological Critical Care Unit (NCCU) revealed that 72% of patients who received rocuronium were not given a post-intubation sedative. The difference in duration of action of paralyzing agents versus sedatives can result in patients being conscious while paralyzed, potentially resulting in hemodynamic instability and psychological harm.

Purpose: The quality improvement initiative aimed to reduce the number of patients receiving neuromuscular blocking agents without post-intubation sedation. …

Empowered Choices: A Quality Improvement Women’S Health Initiative In Faith-Based Nursing For Women Recovering From Substance Use Disorder, Jennifer Mewshaw

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Introduction: Women with substance use disorder (SUD) face higher rates of unplanned pregnancy, reproductive infections, and delayed prenatal care. Faith community nurses (FCNs) often already serve within this community and have a long history of promoting public health interventions. However, they lack the knowledge and confidence in sexual and reproductive health (SRH) education.

Evidence Review: A literature review identified barriers to SRH care for women with SUD and the role of FCNs in community and public health interventions. Evidence supports providing FCNs with the knowledge and skills to deliver SRH education and support for women with SUD using trauma-informed and …

Values-Based Behavioral Frameworks As Contributors To Organizational Culture In Higher Education: A Literature Review, David J. Park Do

Posters

Colleges and universities almost universally publish statements of institutional values, yet a gap often persists between those stated values and the regularly observed behaviors. This review examines how that gap relates to culture in higher education institutions and specifically explores how translating values into observable behaviors contributes to organizational culture. This literature review used a structured, criteria-guided approach to source identification, selecting sources against three constructs: 1) institutional adoption of values-based behavioral frameworks, 2) organizational culture in higher-education settings, and 3) the perceptions through which organizational members perceive culture. The resulting corpus of 40 sources spans organizational culture scholarship, virtue …

Enhancing Safety And Efficiency In Cardiac Admission Handoffs Through Implementation Of An I-Pass Checklist: A Quality Improvement Project, Soraia D. Barros

Master's Theses and Capstones

Abstract

Background: Effective care handoff is a necessary step for maintaining patient safety during hospitalizations. The goal of this quality improvement project was to improve the completeness of information, particularly cardiac-related, provided by the ED staff to the CSSU nurses. The implementation involved the creation of a cardiac checklist and applying it to the pre-existing I-PASS forms used during asynchronous handoff.

Local Problem: The macrosystem implemented an updated system for handoffs between the ED and CSSU by substituting an over-the-phone report with a faxed I-PASS sheet. The result, as identified by the CSSU staff, is that reports contain undetailed patient …

Improving Prostate Cancer Patients’ Experience And Understanding With A Pre-Ct Simulation Checklist In Genitourinary Radiation Oncology, Christopher Le

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Improving Prostate Cancer Patients’ Experience and Understanding With a Pre-CT Simulation Checklist in Genitourinary Radiation Oncology

Purpose

The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to implement a Pre-CT Simulation checklist for Prostate cancer patients in the outpatient Radiation Oncology Genitourinary clinic to improve patients’ experience and comprehension on their Simulation Day.

Background

The CT simulation is a critical step in treatment planning. Lack of clear, concise, consistent instruction and education preparation prior to simulation day can delay planning and treatment. Currently, there is no standardized checklist to ensure patients are educated and prepared for their CT simulation day. …

Improving Clinic Workflow To Enhance Rubeola Immunity Screening In Pregnant Patients, Courtney Mcduffie

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to improve provider adherence to Rubeola IgG serum order entry for prenatal care visits by implementing a standardized workflow and an electronic medical record (EMR)-based order-entry process in a high-risk maternal outpatient clinic.

Background: Rubeola infection during pregnancy is associated with significant maternal and fetal complications. Despite recommendations from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) to use serologic testing to determine immunity status, inconsistent provider ordering practices and workflow gaps contribute to missed opportunities for identifying non-immune patients and planning post-partum vaccination.

Methodology: A ten-week intervention period utilized …

Biomedical Waste Management Practices In A Rural Health Training Centre In Southern India: A Cross-Sectional Facility Audit Using Kayakalp Guidelines, Mathivathani Palaniyappan, Kathiravan Rajendran

Digital Journal of Clinical Medicine

Background

Effective biomedical waste management (BMWM) is essential to prevent environmental contamination and health hazards in healthcare settings. In India, regulatory frameworks like the Biomedical Waste Management Rules, 2016, mandate proper handling, but compliance varies, particularly in rural facilities. This study evaluated BMWM practices at a rural health training centre using the Kayakalp assessment tool.

Methods

A cross-sectional audit was conducted from April to June 2024 at a rural health training centre affiliated with a medical college in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. The Kayakalp checklist for primary health centres was employed, encompassing 10 measurable elements with 20 checkpoints scored as …

Health Literacy/Numeracy-Related Factors Affecting Interpretation In Medical Laboratory Values, Rachel L. Childs

School of Medical Diagnostics & Translational Sciences Publications

Background

Health literacy and numeracy are broad terms that relate to a patient’s understanding of their health information. While there is a substantial amount of research on this topic in a general sense as well as in relation to how deficiencies in these skills impact patients’ understanding of laboratory results, little is known regarding the extent to which underlying factors, which are impacted by health literacy/numeracy, affect how patients interpret their results. This literature review attempts to shed light on the current literature on this more focused and narrow issue, including recommendations to address these barriers.

Content

To perform this …

A Quality Improvement Project To Enhance Early And Consistent Prenatal Care In The Spanish Speaking Female Population At The Fqhc West Ashley Fetter Clinic, Ana Martinez Conde, Sophia Zia, Joye Fordham, Dennis Besong

South Atlantic Division GME Research Days 2026

No abstract provided.