Preventive Medicine Commons^™

Reducing The Incidence Of Nosocomial Aspiration Pneumonia In The Adult Oncology Population Through Improved Compliance With Oral Hygiene Protocols, Kenneth R. Brown

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective

Oncology patients receiving chemotherapy are at risk of complications such as mucosal barrier injuries (MBI) and aspiration pneumonia, and aspiration pneumonia rates are higher than desired. Improved oral hygiene protocols and compliance in this population reduces the incidence of these complications.

Context and Background

The microsystem assessed includes six oncology units at Hospital A, a large California academic hospital. Aspiration pneumonia, commonly associated with MBI, is a life-threatening challenge that increases costs and complications in oncological treatment settings. An aspiration pneumonia task force focused on six oncology acute care units is committed to reducing the incidence of hospital acquired …

Reducing Healthcare-Acquired Pneumonia In A Geriatric Long-Term Care Facility, Jacob R. Magsalin

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: Healthcare-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is a nosocomial infection that poses a serious threat in geriatric long-term care facilities due to its high morbidity and mortality.

Context: This evidence-based quality improvement project seeks to reduce the incidence of HAP in a geriatric long-term care facility in the San Francisco Bay Area by utilizing findings

from existing literature.

Interventions: Key interventions include improving and standardizing oral care techniques and promoting education on HAP prevention to allow patients and their families to be more proactive in preventing this complication.

Measures: Outcome measures include HAP diagnosis rates after implementation, any costs saved for the …

Improving Food Security To Decrease Hypertension At An Urban Community Clinic, Christine S. Villalta

Master's Projects and Capstones

Diet and lifestyle changes have been proven to reduce blood pressure in patients with hypertension, and a key dietary approach aligned with this recommendation is the DASH diet, which includes consuming fruits and vegetables. Food insecurity, defined as lacking enough safe, nutritious food to maintain an active and healthy life, is a growing crisis in the United States, affecting 13.5% of U.S. households in 2023. This is especially significant for those whose chronic disease management depends on the accessibility of healthy food. An urban community clinic implemented a Food Security Program to decrease food insecurity and reduce hypertension among their …

Supporting South Korea’S Aging Population: How Ai And Iot Acceptance Connects The Young And Old, Bobby Im

Master's Projects and Capstones

In 2024, South Korea surpassed every other nation by becoming the country with the lowest fertility rate (below 0.7%). Population decline will hinder future ability to care for their aging population and although the government and private corporations are investing millions of dollars on developing Artificial Intelligence-Internet of Things (AI-IoT) devices to support the aging, the acceptance levels and the amount of family support required is undervalued. By examining AI-IoT’s current use and role in South Korea’s public health system this paper shows how intergenerational support helps optimize existing procedures and equipment, increases the level of acceptance and use, and …

Non-Clinical Perspectives On Sepsis: A Project For Enhanced Awareness, Anjali Kumari Singh

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: This project aimed to enhance non-clinical staff knowledge of sepsis through a targeted awareness campaign, while also seeking to uphold or enhance the organization's sepsis-related performance.

Context: Clinical Nurse Leader students conducted a microsystem assessment in five crucial non-clinical departments of an urban Bay Area hospital, each playing a vital role in the organization's efficiency at different levels.

Intervention: During Sepsis Awareness Month, a sepsis awareness campaign was implemented. This involved a concise presentation on sepsis, its consequences, and the significance of awareness in each department. Additionally, informational fliers detailing sepsis signs and symptoms were distributed.

Measures: A pre-and …

How Environmental Change Will Impact Mosquito-Borne Diseases, Arsal Khan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Mosquitos, the most lethal species throughout human history, are the most prevalent source of vector-borne diseases and therefore a major global health burden. Mosquito-borne disease incidence is expected to shift with environmental change. These changes can be predicted using species distribution models. With the wide variety of methods used for models, consensus for improving accuracy and comparability is needed. A comparative analysis of three recent modeling approaches revealed that integrating modeling techniques compensates for trade-offs associated with a singular approach. An area that represents a critical gap in our ability to predict mosquito behavior in response to changing climate factors, …

Community-Dwelling Older Adult Fall Prevention Improvement Project, Evan Edminster Bsn, Rn, Cfrn, Tcrn, Cen, Nhdp-Bc

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: Ground-level falls among community-dwelling adults 60 years and older are significant and contribute to adverse health outcomes such as fractures, functional decline, disability, and death. Additionally, falls among community-dwelling older adults are the number one mechanism of injury seen at a Northern California Level II trauma center. Falls often lead to post-fall fear, activity restriction, and physical deconditioning, further compounding fall risk.

Context: When trauma centers provide targeted outreach and screening for unmanaged health risks such as falls, they reduce unnecessary disability and premature death in the local population. Reducing total fall victim numbers and fall recidivism also …

Perinatal Substance Use Screenings In Marin County: A Brief Overview Of Screening Protocols And Identifying Gaps In Care, Breanna Wiliams

Master's Projects and Capstones

Introduction

Perinatal substance use continues to be a major public health issue in women’s health. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of substance use screenings in care and assess how well the existing services in Marin County are serving the needs of pregnant and parenting women and identifying the gaps and/or weaknesses in current practice.

Methods

Data for this study was collected via semi-structured interviews with five professionals that worked at the local community clinic, hospital and a non-profit agency. Some questions were slightly modified to be configured toward the participant’s specific profession.

Results

Results from …

Keep The Beat With Heart Failure Education: A Quality Improvement Project, Brenda L. Peterson

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Problem: Heart failure (HF), also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), is the number one diagnosis-related group (DRG) for people 65 years of age and older in the United States. This disease group is complicated and debilitating, requiring frequent hospitalizations with high mortality rates. The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) has identified CHF as an area for improvement in hospitals.

Context: This was a quality improvement project for an integrated medical center in the Central Valley, California with over 19,000 HF patients. In 2018, for patients 65 years and older, HF is the third-most admitted DRG …

Implementation Of An Evidence-Based Educational Workshop And Toolkit: Menopausal Women's Healthcare Needs For The Primary Care Provider, Pamela Doerr-Kashani Dnp, Rn

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

This evidence-based change of practice project involved the development of an educational workshop for primary care providers (PCPs). The intent of the project was to improve PCP’s knowledge of menopausal health, and to create their comfort level when discussing menopausal healthcare with clients. The workshop Menopausal Women’s Healthcare Needs for the Primary Care Provider (Doerr-Kashani, 2014) was created in response to an identified gap in knowledge among PCPs nationally on menopause-related health issues. The workshop was designed as a resource to support PCPs to competently address women’s menopause-related health issues, and enable them to provide comprehensive, evidence-based care within the …