Mental and Social Health Commons^™

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.

Caregiver Training: Improving Social Determinants Of Health, Patient Safety, Empowerment Through Improving Elder Care Education And Skills, Kathleen Thimsen

Nursing Faculty Research

Caregiver training (CaGi TRaining) is a time-tested intervention aimed at improving safety in elders living and aging in place in the community. While elder abuse and maltreatment was the intial purpose of the project, with over 3500 Caregivers graduated from this program since 2009, the course has addresses social determinants of health, and improved workforce pipelines by providing stable employment, improved self-efficacy, and confidence demonstrated by self-reports at graduation and in follow up surveys. Previously learners without a high school diploma retruned to school to obtain a GED (40%), with an additional return to school for bacalaureate and degrees (27%) …

Magnifying Mental Health In The Perinatal Population: A Systematic Review, Kasey E. Arnold, Alyssa M. Maki

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Pregnant individuals often experience significant anxiety, which can negatively affect both pregnancy and fetal outcomes. This systematic review evaluates the effectiveness of pharmacologic versus non-pharmacologic anxiety-relieving interventions, primarily focusing on the labor period. The PICOT question is: In perinatal patients, do non-pharmacologic anxiety-relieving measures, compared to pharmacologic anxiety-relieving measures, have a greater impact on ease of delivery and overall mental health during pregnancy and the perinatal period? PRISMA (2020) guidelines were used with inclusion criteria of human subjects, English language, and published within the last six years. Databases included PubMed, CINAHL, and Cochrane Library. Twenty-three studies were analyzed to examine …

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 …

Enhancing Nursing Education To Improve Care For Women Experiencing A Substance Use Disorder During Pregnancy, Sadie Caddell

UNH URC Open (2026 and after)

Enhancing Nursing Education to Improve Care for Women Experiencing a Substance Use Disorder During Pregnancy

Mental Health And Art Adherence In A Multisite International Study: The Mediating Roles Of Social Support And Substance Use In People With Hiv, Joseph Awad, Wenxiu Sun, Diane Santa Maria, Rebecca Schnall, Panta Apiruknapanond, Tongyao Wang, Claudia Patricia Valencia, Christine Horvat Davey, Solymar Solis Baez, Sheila Shaibu

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

ART adherence, essential to preventing disease progression for people living with HIV (PLHIV), remains challenged by factors like poor mental health condition, insufficient social support, and substance use. This study investigates the roles of social support and substance use as mediators in the relationship between mental health and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence among PLHIV in a multisite, international context. Cross-sectional data from N = 1598 PLHIV across eight countries were analyzed using parallel mediation analyses in R. Results indicated that both social support and substance use independently mediated the relationship between mental health and ART adherence. Hallucinogens mediated the mental …

How To Reduce Inpatient Violence: A Theory Synthesis From Four Models, Arthur Walker

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Working in an inpatient setting inherently involves an increased risk of violence. This violence can affect both staff and patients alike and can lead to psychological trauma, serious bodily injury, and even death. To mitigate this risk, many models for preventing inpatient violence have been proposed for hospitals to implement. However, the evidence for the efficacy of these methods is inconsistent, and the theoretical underpinnings are varied and slim. This dissertation seeks to improve these models by re-examining the theoretical structures for common themes of four models for inpatient violence reduction and proposing additional recommendations informed by this synthesis. First, …

The Knowledge, Experiences, And Attitudes Of Nurses Regarding Trauma-Informed Care For Sexually Abused Intrapartum Patients, Kayleigh Mcgraw

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Labor and delivery nurses care for women from diverse backgrounds who are preparing for a life-changing event, often marked by fear, excitement, sadness, and joy. However, 1 in 5 women in the United States have experienced rape or attempted rape, and for these survivors, labor can become re-traumatizing. Many report flashbacks, dissociation, and a sense of “being back in the rape” during childbirth. Research further links prior sexual assault to unplanned cesareans, traumatic births, and childbirth-related PTSD. Trauma-informed care (TIC) provides a framework to reduce these risks by encouraging providers to understand trauma, recognize signs of distress, and act to …

Correlates Of Recovery Capital Among Women In Jails: Leveraging A Dimensional Recovery Framework, Amanda Fallin-Bennett, Martha Tillson, Jaxin Annett, Hartley Feld, Michele Staton

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: Recovery capital encompasses internal and external factors that support recovery from substance use disorder, such as employment, social support, and physical and mental health. There is a need for more research on recovery capital among women who are incarcerated, who often face complex barriers to recovery, such as poverty, unemployment, and histories of trauma.

Methods: Women (N ¼ 900) were recruited from Kentucky jails as part of the broader NIDA-funded Kentucky Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) cooperative project. Measures from baseline interviews (during incarceration) were selected in alignment with the Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA)’s four …

Documenting Death: Maternal Mortality And The Ethics Of Care In Tanzania (Adrienne E. Strong 2020), Luluk Oktavia, Megawati Sukarno

Paradigma: Jurnal Kajian Budaya

In recent decades, global efforts to reduce maternal mortality have become a primary focus in health development agendas. However, challenges in providing quality healthcare remain complex, especially in resource-limited countries. Adrienne E. Strong’s book, Documenting Death: Maternal Mortality and the Ethics of Care in Tanzania, offers an ethnographic perspective on the relationship between bureaucratic structures, resource constraints, and healthcare practices in Tanzania. This review examines Strong’s key concepts, such as good enough care, documented care, and fierce care, which highlight the ethical dilemmas faced by healthcare workers in delivering care under administrative pressures and limited facilities. The critique of the …

Interventions To Promote Menstrual Health Among Adolescents In Lmic’S: Protocol For A Systematic Review, Precilla Dsilva, Sudhir Prabhu Dr, Prajna Kumari Dr, Baby S. Nayak Dr, Judith Noronha Dr

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Background: Menarche brings out significant change in each girl’s life. Coping with the discomforts and adopting the body changes becomes a biggest challenge for every teen. Cost effective non pharmacological interventions will help to bring about improvement in the general wellbeing and quality of life in each adolescents life.

Objective: This review aims to determine the different menstrual interventions adopted by adolescent girls residing in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMIC’s). The Review question will be :What interventions are currently available, and how do they contribute in promoting menstrual health among adolescents from LMICs

Methods: This review will include …

Moving Toward Healthy Ageing: The Role Of Physical Activity In Cognitive Function And Self-Esteem Among Older Adults In Türkiye, Canan Birimoglu Okuyan, Müjde Kerkez

Makara Journal of Health Research

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between religious attitudes and breastfeeding attitudes and the effect of this relationship on breastfeeding practices.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 251 older adults. Data were collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, the Standardized Mini-Mental State Examination, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Spearman’s correlation and chi-square tests were employed for statistical analysis.

Results: Physical activity levels were positively correlated with both cognitive function (r = 0.546, p < 0.001) and self-esteem (r = 0.168, p < 0.05). No significant association was observed between cognitive function and self-esteem. Physical inactivity, cognitive decline, and low self-esteem were more prevalent among women, participants with lower educational attainment, those with chronic diseases, and individuals engaged in polypharmacy.

Conclusions: The findings emphasize the importance of integrating physical activity promotion into national healthy ageing policies, particularly in Mediterranean contexts such …

Nurses' Comfort Toward Caring For The Dying: A Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study, Candies Warren

ATU Theses and Dissertations 2021 - Present

The purpose of this quantitative cross-sectional descriptive research study was to explore nurses’ comfort levels toward caring for dying patients and what factors influence the bedside nurses’ comfort levels in providing end-of-life care in an acute care hospital setting. A convenience sample (N=63) of RNs voluntarily participated in an online survey from January 2025 to March 2025 that provided direct patient care. Data was collected through Question Pro. Data collected included sociodemographic questions, questions about current comfort level, factors that influence nurses’ comfort level, and selected items from the Frommelt Attitude Toward Care of the Dying Patient (FATCOD) scale. Institutional …

Evaluating The Effect Of A Rest Team Tea Cart On Nurse-Reported Comfort, Healing, And Empathy, Danielle A. Lisiecki Edd, Msn, Rn, Barbara A. Kilbride Ms, Bsn, Rn

International Journal of Faith Community Nursing

Abstract

In response to the increasing emotional and physical demands placed on healthcare professionals, a not-for-profit health system in Southwest Florida implemented a wellness initiative, focusing on the intentional care of the spirit through its Spiritual Services, Resilience Education Support Team (REST), and its area Faith Community Nurses (FCN), called the REST Tea Cart service. Initially, the REST Tea Cart was designed to promote emotional well-being by providing staff members with complimentary tea, cookies, and inspirational note cards, aiming to create moments of peace and respite during the workday. It would grow much more, expanding beyond the hospital’s walls and …

Integrating Sbirt Training Into The Family Nurse Practitioner Curriculum: A Pilot Dnp Project, Fiji Simmons

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) are major public health concerns, particularly in underserved populations. Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is evidence-based models that promote early detection and care. Integrating SBIRT into Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) curricula prepares future providers to address substance use in primary care. Local Problem: Despite the effectiveness of SBIRT, its use in primary care remains inconsistent. Barriers, including limited training, low confidence, and unfamiliarity with referral resources, hinder implementation. Structured education and protocols are needed to support provider readiness. Methods: SBIRT was integrated into the FNP curriculum of …

Barriers To Mental Health Access Among Immigrant Populations In The U.S., Cecilia Menzinger

Capstones

No abstract provided.

Orthostatic Hypotension In Older Adults And Its Economic Impact On The Healthcare System: A Systematic Literature Review, Olushola E. Ilogho, Jennifer Broyles, Viet Le, Denise Rizzolo

Lynchburg Journal of Medical Science

ABSTRACT

Orthostatic Hypotension (OH) has been shown to lead to poor quality of life, falls, and death. Literature suggests that falls from OH may be preventable, therefore opportunities to reduce its associated cost to the healthcare system exist. This literature review aims to evaluate the importance of diagnosing and treating OH in older adult patients. OH is the drop in blood pressure upon changing to an upright position. This acute hemodynamic drop in blood pressure causes hypoperfusion in the brain, leading to dizziness, syncope, and falls. An extensive literature search for publications in PubMed and Cumulative Index in Nursing and …

The Science Of Sound: Studying The Cognitive, Emotional, And Physiological Effects Of Frequency, Genre, And Music, Jett Yarborough

Senior Honors Theses

Music influences emotion, physiology, and cognition, yet little is known about how the frequency it is tuned to affects these influences. Prior research has shown that music tuned to 432 Hz can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve sleep. My colleagues and I conducted two studies to investigate this. Our research found that music tuned to 432 Hz promotes a significant increase in memory retention and induces a state of focus and relaxation. These results suggest that shifting from the standard tuning frequency of 440 Hz to 432 Hz could have a profoundly positive impact on our daily lives. …

Enhancing Client Intake Efficiency In The Removal Defense Program: A Nursing-Led Quality Improvement Initiative, Johnny Linares, Julia Tran Ngo, Daniel Orea, Atheana Yadira Lopez

Master's Projects and Capstones

This quality improvement project focuses on optimizing the intake process for the Removal Defense Program at a nonprofit immigration legal office serving asylum-seeking clients. The existing intake relied on unstructured, phone-call-based intake interviews that gathered incomplete information, leading to inconsistent documentation, reduced efficiency, and significant client processing delays. A structured, multilingual, and multiplatform new-client admission protocol coupled with the implementation of a client-facing resource guide for waitlist clients were co-developed and implemented using the Lippitt Change Theory framework. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, the study involved staff interviews and observational assessments with staff members from the program. Baseline intake process …

Adolescent Students’ Adaptability During The Covid-19 Pandemic Impacting Their Academic Preparedness In College: A Qualitative Exploration Of Resilience In Secondary School Disruptions, Nicole Tyanne Jameson

Dissertations

This study, conducted several years after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, takes a unique approach to investigating the long-term effects of the pandemic-induced disruptions on adolescents during secondary schooling and their academic preparedness in college. The study combined a descriptive qualitative analysis of academic routine data with quantifiable resilience scores, providing a comprehensive understanding of the challenges students faced, their adaptability and resilience, and the overall impact on their education journey into college. This comprehensive descriptive qualitative study utilizes triangulation of quantitative data and qualitative approaches to understand the subject matter thoroughly. The quantitative scores meticulously analyzed resiliency and …

Improving Collaboration With Hospital Security And Nursing Staff, When Treating Patients In Acute Crisis, By Implementing A Modified Sbar Card., Yuna Choi

Doctor of Nursing Practice Papers

Inpatient psychiatric units provide assistance to patients experiencing acute mental health crises such as psychosis or suicidal ideation. Patients experiencing acute mental health crises can sometimes become agitated or aggressive towards staff, themselves, or other patients, which can pose a significant risk to everyone’s safety. The purpose of the project is to improve staff satisfaction and collaboration by standardizing the interdisciplinary communication between hospital security and nursing staff. Over a period of two weeks, the facilitator educated security and unit staff on a SBAR card during shift huddle to implement on the unit in the event of an acute mental …

Resonant Disruptions: Understanding Canadian Nurses’ Practice With Youth Survivors Of Sexual Exploitation, Danielle E. Giebelhaus, Andrew Estefan Phd, Rpn

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The sexual exploitation of youth is a global concern. Youth survivors of sexual exploitation present to and require healthcare services, but most nurses do not feel effectively equipped to care for this population. There is currently little nursing literature to guide nurses in their practice with youth survivors. In this article, we report on a qualitative, hermeneutic study undertaken to explore nursing practice with youth survivors of sexual exploitation. Hermeneutics is concerned with understanding, and is a helpful way to conduct research when little is known about a topic. In this study, we asked the research question, “How might we …

New Patient Onboarding, Jennifer Fournier, Sarah Flagg, Alletta Roberts Dzik, Lyndsay Stevens, Shannon Smith, Karen Waterhouse

Operations Transformation

Currently there are barriers to establish a new patient with a primary care. The workflow for patients who self-refer currently requires 10 steps and is performed by 7 care team members.

• 4 PSR at the front desk complete paper intake forms that are then manually entered into a spreadsheet by 3 other care team members.

The step in the workflow, to obtain the release of information for patient records to be requested and submit the form, is inconsistently followed internally and externally and results in very long process time of 40+ days. This step is frequently overlooked due to the …

Evaluation Of A Behavioral Response Team To Decrease Use Of Violent Restraint, Katherine Skrade

Dissertations

Abstract Introduction: The purpose of this Quality Improvement project was to evaluate the implementation of the Behavioral Assessment and Response Team (BART) and evaluate its effect on occurrence and duration of violent restraints on non-psychiatric floors in a pediatric hospital. This QI project also aimed to correlate the use of the Broset Violence Checklist (BVC) to the utilization of the BART as a means of predicting patient escalation, as well as to assess the effect of booster education on the BVC and BART on bedside staff confidence in utilization of these resources.

Methods: Data was collected across three time periods: …

Implementing Behavioral Management And Social Skills Training For Pediatric Patients With Adhd And Their Caregivers, Meagan A. Conwell

Dissertations

Problem: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that affects 11.4% of children in the United States. Patients diagnosed with ADHD struggle with focus, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, resulting in executive and emotional dysfunction, poor social skills and quality of relationships, and poor school performance.

The American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines recommend that school-age children diagnosed with ADHD should receive both medication management and behavioral management training (BMT) for the best treatment outcomes. Research over the last decade has found that combining social skills training (SST) with BMT results in even better outcomes for these patients. Less than half of pediatric …

The Healthcare Workforce In Nevada, 2024, Olivia K. Cheche, William E. Brown Jr., Caitlin J. Saladino

Health

This fact sheet presents data on the healthcare workforce in Nevada. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics Query System provides data on the amount of employment in all job sectors at the state and metropolitan statistical area (MSA) levels. This fact sheet focuses on employment and wage data for the State of Nevada, the Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV MSA, and the Reno, NV MSA as of May 2024.

Improving Hiv Nonoccupational Postexposure Prophylaxis Completion In Survivors Of Sexual Assault, Rebecca Aden

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

PURPOSE

This project aimed to increase adherence to HIV nonoccupational postexposure prophylaxis (nPEP) among adult survivors of sexual assault using a 24-hour nurse-led callback intervention to reinforce patient education and support treatment completion.

BACKGROUND

This project was implemented within a public healthcare system’s forensic nursing program. Sexual assault survivors face an elevated risk of HIV transmission, yet completion of the 28-day nPEP regimen often remains below 40%. Barriers to completion include limited understanding, gaps in follow-up, as well as psychosocial and socioeconomic challenges.

METHODOLOGY

The FADE QI framework was utilized for this project. The population included adult, non-incarcerated patients who …

Implementation Of A Zen Room And Mindfulness Techniques To Decrease Perceived Burnout, Danika Scott

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to implement a Zen room and mindfulness techniques, aiming to improve job satisfaction by 65% and reduce perceived burnout by 10% among behavioral health staff. The project was conducted at a substance abuse center in Deer Park, TX.

Background: Behavioral health staff face high levels of emotional exhaustion and job-related stress, leading to increased burnout.

Methodology: The Plan-Do-Study-Act model guided the QI methodology using a sample of 23 behavioral health staff. Interventions included an equipped Zen space and wellness resources. Data collection utilized the Maslach Burnout Inventory and a …

Improving Medication Nonadherence In Clients With Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Using Medication Reminder Applications, Christian Durand

All Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

At an outpatient clinic in Southern California, a 77% medication adherence rate was observed in August 2024 among clients with ADHD. Medication nonadherence in ADHD clients may result in difficulty reaching therapeutic levels, leading to adverse outcomes, such as family disruptions, substance addiction, injuries, criminal occurrences, and even suicide. The project aims to reduce the number of ADHD clients who are noncompliant with their medications and surpass the national benchmark of 80% medication adherence. Evidence has suggested that MRAs may improve medication nonadherence among ADHD clients. Current research has supported the use of MRAs for various chronic diseases including diabetes …

A Farewell Message, Misty L. Rhoads

Journal of Transformative Touch

No abstract provided.