Medical Humanities Commons^™

Enhancing Cataract Surgery Outcomes: Optimal Use Of Pre- And Post-Operative Eye Drops, Keith Skolnick M.D., Anu Valiaveedu

Mako: NSU Undergraduate Student Journal

Many preoperative and postoperative cataract patients struggle with comprehending the use of prescription medication as directed. Language barriers and low health literacy levels are major factors contributing to improper use of prescriptions. To increase patients comprehension, the Fort Lauderdale Eye Institute employed an educational intervention consisting of a live presentation and an instructional video. Results found that 44% of patients were hesitant to ask questions to clinical staff, 32% felt overwhelmed, and nearly 70% lacked confidence in using their prescribed eye drops. Following the intervention, 91% of patients reported increased confidence in their medications, and most indicated that the video …

A Cancer Education Needs Assessment: Informing Middle-Aged Female Patients About The Relationships Between Obesity And Women’S Health Concerns In The Reproductive System, Breast, And Endometrial Health, Batul Mirza

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

Obesity significantly impacts women’s health, particularly among middle-aged women, by increasing the risk of hormone-sensitive cancers such as breast, endometrial, and reproductive system cancers. This study examines the educational needs of this demographic group regarding obesity-related cancer risks and explores effective intervention strategies. Obesity-induced mechanisms – hormonal imbalances, chronic inflammation, and insulin resistance – drive cancer susceptibility, emphasizing the need for targeted health education. The study employs a qualitative design, which includes interviews with subject matter experts (SMEs) and surveys of middle-aged women. The goal is to assess awareness, perceived barriers, and preferred learning methods. Findings suggest that with many …

Enhancing Learning Through Role-Play In A Low-Fidelity Disaster Simulation, Susan S. Braithwaite, Susan J. Barcinas, Colleen A. Hayes

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

ABSTRACT

Background: This report shares a best practice approach to low-fidelity simulation as a pedagogical method in disaster triage training for undergraduate nursing students.

Methods: This study utilized multi-year quantitative data such as student age, gender, GPA, prior simulation experience, and self-reported confidence in the START Triage application. It also utilized a secondary qualitative analysis of the debriefing process.

Results: Students who participated in a simulation event playing the role of a disaster victim scored significantly higher on subsequent performance as TRIAGE practitioners than students without roleplay experience. Perhaps even more compelling, these learning outcomes were demonstrated 18 months after …

Survival Guide For Queer Families In Heteronormative Healthcare: Liberatory Consciousness And The Paradox Of Dependent Healthcare, A Critical Policy Discourse Analysis, Dwenna A. Holden

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this study I explored and analyzed how the queer experiences of an anonymous higher education institution in the western United States’ self-identified queer faculty and staff intersected with the discursive framing of the college’s dependent healthcare structure and documents. Within a critical paradigm I designed research around a high-density theoretical approach to weaving various branches of queer theory together with critical theory around policy and law in relation to queer bodies and hostile heteronormative policy environments. I arrived at solutions based in complaint, survival, and transformation. I used critical policy discourse analyses to interrogate the college’s dependent healthcare documents …

Food Insecurity In Adolescent Athletes, Andrew Donaldson, Shannon Margherio, Jay Roberson, Kevin Latz

Research Days

Background: The prevalence of food insecurity among children in the United States is estimated at 21%. Food insecurity during childhood leads to worse school performance, more emotional and behavioral health concerns, and increased suicide attempts. Further, food insecurity has been noted to have multiple deleterious effects on the collegiate student athlete, including lower GPA, disordered eating, and substance use.

Hypothesis: Food insecurity is prevalent in the adolescent athlete population and exists across demographics.

Methods: Voluntary surveys were distributed to parents at all sports medicine clinics at our institution. Demographic data was collected including athlete age, race, school and school district, …

Capturing Care: A Visual Narrative On Caregivers At J.P Lord School, Melisa I. Ontiveros

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This project explores the emotional experiences of caregivers at J.P. Lord School, a unique program within the Omaha Public School district that serves children and young adults with complex special needs. As one of the few schools of its kind in the country, J.P. Lord offers a rare glimpse into the world of caregiving in a highly specialized educational setting (Omaha Public Schools, n.d). Despite the critical role these educators play, there is limited research exploring the emotional experiences of special education teachers—especially those working in medically complex or high-needs environments. This lack of visibility makes it even more important …

Dr. Doctor: A Look At Life In Medicine, Alexandra Hausmann

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

The life of a medical professional is not easy. The road to get there and the lifestyle when practicing is mentally draining and results in many physicians experiencing burnout. This project and paper explore the stigma surrounding mental health in medicine, examining how fear of professional repercussions prevents many physicians from getting help. Through research and interviews with medical professionals of various specialties, this project looks at the different mental health struggles that each specialty faces. Additionally due to increased social media, medicine continues to evolve at a fast rate. Looking forward, medical professionals will have to deal with increased …

Strategies For Reducing Racial Disparities In Maternal Health Outcomes: An Examination Of The Role Of Doulas, Samavi Rafique

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Comparatively high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality remain a significant concern in the United States, particularly for Black women, who face a risk of maternal mortality that is four times higher than that of white women. Realizing the historical context of this burden requires tracing American obstetric and gynecological medicine to its 19th-century roots, where the medical experimentation of enslaved Black women occurred largely unopposed by the voices of those in power. The legacy of this is embodied in the modern maternal health crisis, marked by stark racial disparities in maternal health outcomes. As non-clinically trained professionals whose supportive …

A Comparative Analysis Of Women’S Health In Latin America And The United States: Geographical Context And Preventative Actions, Holly J. Robinson

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Cervical cancer, breast cancer, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), pregnancy complications, and gender-based violence are dangers faced by women everywhere. However, the severity of these risks can increase significantly due to a country’s geography, government control, and level of development. This thesis expands upon information gained directly from on-site experiences with medical professionals and locals (including doctors, nurses, nutritionists, and patients) in Peru, Ecuador, and Costa Rica, and further research to look at Latin America as a whole, in relation to the United States. Both the US and Latin America exhibit problems with their healthcare systems. The United States is more …

Entre La Reforma Y La Realidad: Salud Y Derechos Humanos En Costa Rica, Cuba Y Uruguay, Alyssa M. Nielsen

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Latinoamérica tiene varios sistemas para el cuidado de la salud y el acceso es uno de la lista de los derechos humanos. Esta región es la más desigual del mundo y se han logrado grandes avances, pero no se han distribuido equitativamente. Los sistemas de Cuba, Costa Rica y Uruguay son bien desarrollados, pero funcionan diferente. Costa Rica y Uruguay tienen opciones públicas y privadas y tienen maneras como la Mutualista en Uruguay y la Caja en Costa Rica para cubrir las visitas y servicios necesarios. Cuba es el sistema más controversial y tiene gran influencia de Castro, de donde …

Ai And Ot: Preparing Future-Ready Practitioners, Jensen R. Antilla, Nancy E. Krusen, Nicole Martino, Stacy Smallfield

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is an abstract from the Spotlight on Scholarship event in 2025.

Simulating Vascular Emergencies In Robotic Surgery: Preparing Ob-Gyn Residents For Surgical Complications, Jami Monico, Macy Thonen, Lindsey Mcalarnen

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is an abstract from the Spotlight on Scholarship event in 2025.

An Innovative Approach To Operating Room Simulation With Dental Hygiene Student Preparedness And Awareness: An Iexcel Interprofessional Pilot Project, Jane M. Broekemeier, Amanda Dolen, Lisa J. Moravec

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is an abstract from the Spotlight on Scholarship event in 2025.

Exposure Of Tracheostomy Education Well-Received During Pre-Clinical Head And Neck Physical Exam Course, Tony Satroplus, Jayme Dowdall, Chris Bingcang, Tony Richa, Katie Geelan-Hansen Md

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is an abstract from the Spotlight on Scholarship event in 2025.

Transitions Into Gme Program Leadership Roles In Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine: Opportunities For Improvement, Courtney Mclean, Jennifer M. Brady, Megan Gray, Erynn Bergner, C. Lydia Wraight

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is an abstract from the Spotlight on Scholarship event in 2025.

Enhancing Care Through Occupational Therapy: Implementing Services At The Unmc Sharing Clinic, Mackenzie Post, Nancy E. Krusen, Nicole Martino

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is an abstract from the Spotlight on Scholarship event in 2025.

Improving Information Literacy And Research Skill Instruction Through Peer Consultation, Kimberly Harp

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is an abstract from the Spotlight on Scholarship event in 2025.

Fortify-Med: Fostering Ongoing Research Training In First-Year Medical Students, Colman Freel, Rebekah Rapoza, Troy Suwondo, Wenxian Zhou, Kaeli Samson, Jesse L. Cox, G. Talmon, Kari Nelson

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is an abstract from the Spotlight on Scholarship event in 2025.

Descriptive Analysis Of Student Diagnostic And Documentation Skill Development In A Low Fidelity Simulation In Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner Education, Nicholas Guenzel, Hongying Dai

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

This is an abstract from the Spotlight on Scholarship event in 2025.

Feasibility, Acceptability, And Satisfaction Of Redcap As A Tool For Interprofessional Education, Ross J. Bindler, Skye Mckennon, Connie M. Remsberg, Jennifer C. Miller, Marian Wilson

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

Interprofessional education (IPE) is an important component of health science training. Ensuring all students have access to necessary information prior to, during, and following simulation-enhanced IPE (Sim-IPE) activities is imperative to ensure a beneficial learning environment and student engagement. Ensuring access to necessary materials can be difficult due to differences in educational resources between institutions. This manuscript will assess the feasibility, acceptability, and satisfaction of using Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) as an educational tool for a Sim-IPE activity. After a pilot Sim-IPE activity, data from student evaluations was reviewed. Updates were made including use of REDCap as a universally …

“Globes" Module (Guiding Learners Towards One Health, Biodiversity, And Environmental Stewardship): Catalyzing Synergies To Advance Leadership And Scholarly Engagement With One Health In Under Graduate Medical Education, Krishna Mohan Surapaneni

Health Professions Education

Background: The concept of One Health addresses the interconnected health of humans, animals, and the environment, offering a critical framework for tackling complex health challenges. However, gaps in the integration of One Health principles into medical education limit the ability of future healthcare providers to operationalize this knowledge in practice. The "GLOBES" module (Guiding Learners towards One health, Biodiversity, and Environmental Stewardship) was designed to bridge these gaps, aligning with Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 3, 13, 14, 15) to promote holistic and interdisciplinary healthcare education. Methods: The "GLOBES" module was developed with 22 competencies across ten categories, incorporating case-based learning, …

Exploring Lgbtq+ Competency In Healthcare, Jordan Whiteman

Honors College Theses

Marginalized groups such as the LGBTQ+ community are known to face healthcare disparities that negatively affect their process of navigating healthcare systems. This project explores the perceived lack of representation and understanding of the LGBTQ+ community within healthcare settings, exposing the deficits in knowledge for unique challenges and inequalities these patients may face. By viewing the literature, a myriad of complications faced by LGBTQ+ people in clinical settings can be identified. They possess a generalized feeling of mistrust towards the healthcare system. Healthcare staff overall describe low confidence with caring for this demographic. Heteronormativity’s presence in the field of healthcare …

Perceived Obligations Of Older Partners In Living-Apart-Together Relationships, Allison M. Martin, Timothy S. Killian

Discovery, The Student Journal of Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences

Older and middle-aged adults are increasingly in Living-Apart-Together (LAT) relationships characterized by committed romantic relationships without marriage and cohabitation. Because of assumptions that older adults will receive family caregiving as they grow older and need caregiving, it is not clear how people are likely to perceive obligations to provide caregiving assistance. As adults move into old age and incidence rates of Alzheimer’s Disease or Related Dementia (ADRD) increase, questions about the availability of family members to provide needed assistance are complicated by LAT relationships. The purpose of this study was to examine perceived obligations to provide assistance to older adults …

Unmasking The Nexus Of Race, Ethnicity, And Health: An Intersectional Analysis Of The Epistemology Of Race In Medicine, Medical Curricula, And Health Disparities, Antoinette Leonard-Jean Charles

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The persistent health disparities faced by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in the United States are deeply rooted in systemic racism embedded within medical education and clinical practice. Historical acceptance of racial supremacy in the United States has shaped both the foundations and continued practices of medical education, leading to entrenched biases that affect healthcare delivery and patient outcomes. This dissertation critically examines the intersection of race, education, and health by analyzing how historical and contemporary understandings of race and ethnicity shape medical curricula, healthcare practices, and patient care. Through the integration of Critical Race Theory (CRT), Social …

Examining Change In Burnout And Empathy Among Physician Assistant Students During The Clinical And Didactic Years, Jannelle Reynolds, Kimberly Gomes, Nicole M. Sleddens, Jana L. Wardian Phd

Innovations in Health Sciences Education Journal

Few studies investigate how burnout affects physician assistant's student empathy. This study aimed to determine the degree of burnout and empathy in didactic PA students as compared to burnout and empathy in their clinical year.

Methods: One cohort of PA students at a Midwestern university were surveyed twice during their education. Once during didactic and once during the clinical year. Two surveys were used to assess burnout and empathy.

Results: Our findings showed moderate to high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization at the end of the didactic phase and significant improvement in lack of personal achievement and emotional exhaustion …

Opioid Knowledge And Experiences In Nebraska College Students, Natalie Holding

Theses/Capstones/Creative Projects

This study investigated opioid-related knowledge and experiences among 83 Nebraska college students, with an emphasis on awareness, perceived risks, and educational needs regarding opioids and the overdose-reversing drug, naloxone. For participants who have used opioids outside of a doctor’s orders, questions were asked regarding motivations, comorbidities, coping mechanisms, and treatment experiences. Data were collected via an anonymous survey featuring closed- and open-ended questions. Results showed that 41% of participants reported feeling moderately knowledgeable about opioid risks, while 34% felt only slightly knowledgeable. Although 80.7% of participants were aware of naloxone, most were uncertain either about (22.9%) or did not know …

Volunteering For Medically Underserved Children: Clinic With A Heart–Back-To-School Clinics, Isabella Marie Kerby Kessinger

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

Medically underserved children, often from low-income families or areas with limited healthcare resources, face significant barriers in accessing essential medical services and represent a fundamental challenge to equity and social justice. School physicals and back-to-school clinics play a crucial role in addressing these healthcare needs, serving as a gateway to educational and extracurricular opportunities.

Clinic With a Heart (CWH), a non-profit medical and dental clinic in Lincoln, Nebraska, serves as a model for addressing healthcare disparities. In 2023, CWH provided 3,109 visits to 1,846 unique patients, with 83% lacking health insurance and 63% having household incomes below $16,000 annually. The …

Two Lives, Shruti Trehan Mbbs

Journal of Wellness

A busy oncologist makes a decision to leave her busy, thriving, community practice in the Mid-West and moves to a Veterans Affairs hospital in South Florida in the quest for a better work-life balance.

"Not A Cookie Cutter Situation": How Neurodivergent Students Experience Group Work In Their Stem Courses, Sophia Salvatore, Claudia White, Stephen Podowitz

College of Life Sciences Faculty Papers

Background: Although group work is increasingly used in STEM courses and may lead to improved academic outcomes, there is evidence that some implementations of group work may lead to unintended barriers for certain students’ learning. Despite the growing number of neurodivergent undergraduate students, there is limited research on neurodivergent students’ experiences with group work in STEM courses. To address this knowledge gap, the current research investigated the experiences of 22 neurodivergent undergraduate students with group work in STEM courses at a range of institution types and in a variety of STEM disciplines. Participants shared experiences with in-class and out-of-class group …

Yoga As A Didactic Tool For Musculoskeletal Anatomy For First Year Medical Students, Jennnifer Brueckner-Collins, Scott P. Stuckey

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: Medical education requires students to adjust their study habits. Active learning has been shown to enhance understanding, especially regarding anatomy. Wellness has become increasingly emphasized for medical professionals; thus, it is important for medical students to develop wellness habits to mitigate burnout. Yoga is commonly practiced with a focus on wellness and flow of movements. Yoga as an educational and wellness tool integrated into medical gross anatomy is a worthwhile pursuit. This study describes a series of anatomy-based yoga videos designed to meld wellness activities with musculoskeletal anatomy review for preclinical medical students.

Approach: Six novel yoga …