Nursing Commons^™

Utilizing A Stress And Coping Model Into A Preventive Abusive Head Trauma Parent/Caregiver Educational Program, Camile Williams

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abusive head trauma (AHT) is a serious form of child maltreatment that is the primary cause of fatal head injuries in children younger than 24 months and is the cause for over 50% of severe or fatal traumatic brain injury incidences. These injuries can be caused by impact, shaking, or the combination of shaking and impact. These multi-factorial injuries can cause intracranial and spinal damage, retinal hemorrhages, and fractures of ribs and other bones. The age and severity of injuries will be used to assess the diagnosis of AHT. When AHT occurs, it is often tied to the behavior from …

Increasing Vaccination Rates In Pregnancy Using A Multifaceted Approach Including Patient Education And Reminder/Recall Interventions, Jas Tiara Mcgee

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Given the global tragedy that this most recent pandemic has caused, more attention has been given to the devastating outcomes that the spread of infectious disease outbreaks can have. Similar to those with comorbid conditions, pregnant women are also extremely vulnerable to infectious diseases, as disease manifestation does not only affect the mother, but the fetus as well. Thus, the prevention of both the influenza virus and pertussis are two major goals when providing care for this population. Preventing both of these disease processes during the intrapartum period helps to ensure optimal wellness for both mother and baby and overall …

Implementation Of A Nurse-Led Family Centered Engagement Intervention For Caregivers Of Extremely Premature Infants In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Emily Keenan, Michaela L. Ranallo, Kathleen A. Walsh, Haley Chapko, Tiffany A. Moore

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects: College of Nursing

Objective: The objective of this feasibility study was to examine the implementation and usefulness of an intervention for extremely premature infant (EPI) caregivers.

Results: One caregiver and five nurses provided feedback with a mean score of 4.4 out of 5 pertaining to helpfulness.

Conclusions: Implementation of the Caregiver’s Guide was feasible and was positively received by NICU nurses and caregivers. We recommend implementing a revised version of this tool based on nurse and caregiver feedback. The delivery of education should be divided between dayshift and nightshift nurses so that one nurse is not responsible for providing all the information. The …

Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome Nonpharmacological Intervention Education For Healthcare Professionals Caring For Newborns, Darby Harvey

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Project

Neonatal abstinence syndrome has increased significantly in the United States over the past few decades due to the increase of maternal substance abuse. The overall goal of caring for these infants is effective management of the withdrawal symptoms, including both pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions. However, nonpharmacological interventions have been shown to improve infant outcomes and reduce length of hospitalization. This project sought to increase healthcare professionals’ knowledge and confidence regarding neonatal abstinence syndrome and the utilization of nonpharmacological interventions when caring for infants diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome through the provision of an educational presentation. This study utilized a one-group …

Provider Perceptions On The Outcome Of Postpartum Depression Screening During Well- Child Visits, Natasha Patterson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

The US Preventative Task Force and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services recommend screening for perinatal and postpartum depression (PPD) during well-child visits that occur during the first year of the baby’s life. Postpartum means the time after childbirth, and postpartum depression is defined as a variant of major depressive disorder that occur during pregnancy or within 4 weeks of delivery. Current pediatric guidelines recommend that PPD screening occur at three to five days after birth and at one, two, four, six, nine and twelve month well-child evaluations during the first year of life. This DNP clinical inquiry project brought …

Complementary And Alternative Medicine: The Effects Of Aromatherapy On New And Expectant Mothers, Heather Tran

Nursing | Senior Theses

Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) is vastly expanding and is now being used in the clinical setting as an effective management of various symptoms. Pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period can be beautiful yet overwhelming moments in a woman’s life. The symptoms that are usually accompanied along this journey include nausea, vomiting, anxiety, pain, fatigue, stress and more. Aromatherapy has been proven to be a safe and natural, non-pharmacological method in reducing these symptoms that may make it harder for the mother to enjoy her pregnancy. This holistic approach to treatment is inexpensive, noninvasive, does not require a prescription from …

Tiny Tusks Internship And Electronic Application Use Among Breastfeeding Mothers, Amanda Herman

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The United States (U.S.) lags behind most of the world in terms of breastfeeding rates despite all the research supporting the numerous benefits for both mother and baby. That said, the majority of the U.S. population also utilizes mobile health and internet for information on health illnesses and promotion. This paper synthesizes available statistics concerning mobile application usage and breastfeeding mothers. The objective was to determine why apps are utilized, general opinions of the apps, and the benefits and drawbacks of using such technology.

Tiny Tusk Internship: The Relationship Between Duration Of Breastfeeding And The Development Of Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder, Mckenna Gribble

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder that remains highly prevalent in the youth community, yet its cause cannot be definitively placed. With the idea that this condition is primarily targeting children, the problem and possible solution may lie in infancy. The purpose of this literature review was to integrate evidence from studies published from 2015 to 2021 on the relationships between duration of breastfeeding during infancy and the development of ADHD. The results of this review supported the hypothesis that a longer duration of breastfeeding has a protective effect on childhood development and reduces the risk of developing ADHD …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Does Breastfeeding Education In An Undergraduate Nursing Program Affect Student Knowledge And Attitudes Concerning Breastfeeding?, Grace Murphy

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks provides honors nursing students enrolled in the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas an opportunity to support mothers in the community by providing breastfeeding services, education, and assistance at public Razorback sporting events. Interns provide this support by setting up designated lactation spaces at sporting events, such as gymnastics meets, football, and basketball games, for mothers to breastfeed or pump. In this thesis, I reflect on my internship experience and provide a review of literature. Since the aim of Tiny Tusks is to provide breastfeeding education and support to mothers in the community, the …

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding And Infant Support Internship, Anna Elizabeth Ray

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support is a program at the University of Arkansas that provides a clean, private area for mother’s to nurse, pump, and change their infant’s diaper at Razorback home athletic events. The Tiny Tusks area is utilized at multiple athletic events including football games, men’s basketball games, and women’s gymnastics meets. Mothers are supplied comfortable rocking chairs, clean changing tables, heaters or fans depending on the weather, bottled water, and informational handouts about a wide array of breastfeeding topics. Along with supporting mothers, the mission of Tiny Tusks is to normalize breastfeeding in public areas and …

Tiny Tusks Internship: An Analysis Of Exclusive Breastfeeding In Low Income Women, Brittany Jones

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Due to the fact that formula feeding is often seen as the “easier” option for some women, this literature analysis was conducted to gain an understanding about factors which influence the perception of breastfeeding in low-income populations. This literature review analyzed the factors which influence reduced rates of breastfeeding in lower income populations and the importance of breastfeeding education to this population. A search through CINAHL and PubMed for journal articles dating from 2016 to 2021 was conducted. The search generated 46 studies, 40 from CINAHL and 6 from PubMed. Study eligibility was determined by looking for articles involving low …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Marketing Towards Breastfeeding: How Marketing Can Either Help Or Hinder How Breastfeeding Is Perceived, Hailey Tremmel

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support is a program run by faculty and students in the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing program that allows for breastfeeding mothers in attendance at the University of Arkansas sporting events to have a place to pump or provide care to their infant. How marketing towards breastfeeding is portrayed has a huge impact on helping breastfeeding mothers to feel properly educated and supported about the decision to breastfeed. The purpose of this literature review is to demonstrate how marketing tactics can affect the view of breastfeeding, whether that be positive or negative. The results found …

Exploring Relationships Among Race, Mothers' Perceptions Of Discrimination During Perinatal Healthcare Visits, And The Prevalence Of Adverse Maternal And Neonatal Health Outcomes, Fiona So

Nursing | Senior Theses

The institutionalized marginalization of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) population is not an uncommon theme throughout American history. Although a majority of American society actively refers to racial discrimination in the past tense, recent events such as the Black Lives Matter movement demonstrates that countless biases based solely on skin complexion are still ingrained into the minds of many. Due to the pervasiveness of implicit biases, American healthcare professionals are also subject to believing and acting upon these biases, either consciously or subconsciously, which could directly affect the quality of care that their BIPOC patients receive.

A …

The Changing Face In The Workplace: The Arrival Of The Millennial Generation, Sarah Clonch

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The entrance of the Millennial generation into the nursing workforce signifies a bright future for the nursing profession and the nursing workforce. This study began with a current review of available research that identified the Millennial generation and their views toward job satisfaction and work engagement, as compared with Baby Boomer and Generation X nurses.

PubMed, CINAHL Complete, and Google Scholar databases were employed to find 15 peer-reviewed articles for evaluation. The research findings suggest that Millennial nurses have lower rates of job satisfaction and work engagement, compared to nurses of older generations. Overall, the extracted data results were significant …

Tiny Tusks Internship: The Relationship Between Skin-To-Skin Contact And Breastfeeding Success And Duration, Katlin Daniel

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Breastfeeding is known to be beneficial to infants, children, and mothers. It is recommended that infants should be breastfed exclusively for the first 6 months with continued breastfeeding in addition to other appropriate foods for up to 2 years of age. However, the U.S is ranked low among other countries regarding breastfeeding rates and duration. This sheds light on the need for further interventions in order to increase the number of infants who are breastfed initially and continued to be breastfed for at least 6 months. Researching and implementing evidence-based care that assists mothers in successful and maintained breastfeeding is …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Barriers To Breastfeeding, Cameron Watson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support Internship allows students to gain insight on breastfeeding practices through volunteering at University of Arkansas sporting events. Therefore, I chose to review prevalent barriers to breastfeeding that mothers in the United States face. These mothers were at least one of these: Hispanic, Marshallese, African American, disabled, employed, a veteran, living in a rural area, or a woman of the general American population. This topic is relevant because of the many benefits that breastfeeding provides for both the baby and the mother.

Tiny Tusks Internship: The Effect Of Health Care Providers' Education And Attitudes Toward Breastfeeding On The Mother's Decision To Breastfeed, Jocelyn Clark

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

There is a stigma surrounding breastfeeding in the public community, places of employment, and health care facilities. This paper focuses on the impact health care workers have on the mother's decision to breastfeed her infant, and her ability to continue breastfeeding as the primary source of infant nutrition. This paper includes experiences from an internship with Tiny Tusks, which provides breastfeeding support to mothers in the Northwest Arkansas area. Tiny Tusks allows for a better understanding of the community's breastfeeding needs and provides support to breastfeeding mothers in order to reduce the stigma associated with breastfeeding. In health care environments, …

Tiny Tusks Internship: The Importance Of Breastfeeding Education In The Workplace, Gianna Hogan

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Breastfeeding education in public, especially in the workplace, is a concept that has a multitude of different perspectives. Research has shown that breastfeeding has many positive effects on mother and baby, that can be lessened due to the lack of breastfeeding support in various organizations. In this literature review, barriers to breastfeeding in the workplace were analyzed in order to understand the effects these barriers have on breastfeeding duration. In addition, this review helped emphasize the need for policies to be enacted in the workplace to better support breastfeeding mothers, and the impact these policies have on employee retention rates …

Prenatal Dietary Education, Using The Midwifery Model, In Ireland Vs The United States, Allison Erby

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Prenatal dietary education is a very important component of care in healthy pregnancies, but more than that, dietary education can be an indicator of the value a healthcare provider places on holistic care or preventive medicine. The United States and Ireland are compared in this study because they represent high intervention vs. low intervention approaches, respectively, to obstetric care. Healthcare professionals from the United States and Ireland perceive the most important nutrients and method of receiving those differently. Maybe the most telling contrast, healthcare professionals in Ireland perceive food as the way pregnant women should receive vital nutrients, but healthcare …

Breastfeeding In Public: Knowledge And Perceptions On A University Campus, Jessica Tracy Weiss

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Research has shown that exclusive breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for most infants and offers numerous physical and psychosocial benefits for the newborn and mother. Returning to work or attending university courses and maintaining exclusive breastfeeding is a challenge due to barriers such as time, private space, and public perception of breastfeeding in public. The aim of our study is to provide data, identify barriers and assess education needs to support breastfeeding mothers on a university campus. This study utilizes an adapted version of the Breastfeeding Behavior Questionnaire (BBQ), the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS), and knowledge …

Reflections On Labor And Delivery Internship, Olivia Ozier

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study is a literature review that examines the characteristics of an effective hospice and palliative care nurse. The purpose of this study is to discover what qualities make a satisfactory hospice and palliative care nurse; therefore, characterizing it as a qualitative study. It is concluded that the following attributes are beneficial for a hospice and palliative care nurse: compassion, knowledge, confidence, and support. When delivering end-of-life care, a nurse should use therapeutic communication and be exemplary in handling grief. Compassion can be shown by active listening and acknowledging the patient’s and caregiver’s concerns. Being knowledgeable entails that the nurse …

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome And Insulin Resistance: An Evaluation Of Treatment Modalities And Complication Prevention, Sarah Mann

Senior Honors Theses

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a reproductive and endocrine disorder in women of childbearing age. This disorder includes multiple clinical manifestations, namely insulin resistance (IR) and infertility related to hormonal imbalances and anovulation. Despite being a common condition, its etiology and treatment modalities remain poorly defined. Without proper understanding and management of the condition, women may suffer numerous complications besides infertility such as diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), endometrial cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, further research is critical. This integrative review will create a comprehensive understanding of PCOS' pathophysiology, potential complications, treatment methods, and nursing considerations to promote the health …

Genetics In The Nicu: Nurses’ Perceived Knowledge And Desired Education, Kathleen Shields

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

A large proportion of infants admitted to neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) have genetic conditions. NICU nurses play an important role in providing comprehensive care to these patients and their families. Previous research has demonstrated gaps exist in the genetics knowledge of nurses and that they lack comfort applying genetics information to clinical practice, but no research has been done assessing the knowledge of or comfort with genetics of NICU nurses specifically. NICU nurses (n=122) completed an online survey assessing their perceived knowledge of genetics, comfort with clinical scenarios involving genetics, and desired genetics education. Participants reported the highest levels …

Neonatal Toxic Stress And Long-Term Neurodevelopment In Premature Infants, Rachelle Sey

Dissertations

Background: Evidence suggests the presence of complex biologic connections between the social environment, neurologic development, and long-term health. Premature infants spend many months in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) often separated from their parent(s). Decrease in the age of viability threshold allows extremely preterm infants to benefit from lifesaving therapies; however, they are frequently exposed to significant stressors that increase their risk for adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship among socio-demographic factors, exposure to stressors in the NICU environment, stress modifiers/buffers, neonatal morbidities at discharge, and 1. 2-year neurodevelopmental outcomes and …

Maternal Provision Of Mother's Milk And Birth Trauma In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: A Grounded Theory Analysis, Emma West, Samrawit Kelkay

20th Annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (2021)

Less than half of very low birth weight (VLBW, < 1500 grams) infants are discharged from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) receiving mother’s own milk (MOM), despite its demonstrated importance. Nevertheless, few studies have explored the impact of maternal perceived trauma (MPT) on infant feeding outcomes. The purpose of this study is to describe MPT among mothers of hospitalized VLBW infants and examine infant feeding outcomes with MPT. This analysis is derived from a grounded theory study exploring the maternal provision of milk among a convenience sample of mothers with VLBW infants at a Midwest NICU. This study utilized semi-structured interviews and content analysis to identify common themes (n=30). Data were analyzed using Dedoose, web-based data management and analytical software. A preliminary analysis identified trauma as a prominent theme. Trauma was defined as a mother’s perceived inability to process an experience at the time of the event, a lack of understanding during the time of an event, and the rapid decline of either maternal or infant health. The occurrence of MPT (n=865) was reported most frequently in women described as Black (46%), multipara (57%), married (75%), and ages > 30 (57%). The MPT frequency was greater with cesarean (54%) and hypertensive (71%) births. The MPT frequency with MOM was 63%, but only 23% with exclusive MOM at discharge. This study’s limitations include using a single hospital location and only English-speaking mothers, making the results less generalizable. Additionally, the interviewer’s Latina racial identity may have led to a sense of kinship with some mothers. A better understanding of MPT and those at risk for MPT will allow providers the opportunity to identify interventions to increase MOM feedings at discharge proactively.

Impact Of Group Prenatal Care On Health Outcomes For Women Of Color In The United States: A Systematic Literature Review, Morgan Brockington, Emily Bauer, Julie Kameisha

Thinking Matters Symposium

Women of color in the United States experience disproportionately higher rates of adverse pregnancy-related outcomes, both in the prenatal and postpartum period. Group prenatal care (GPC) has been gaining popularity in recent years and has demonstrated improved health outcomes. The aim of this systematic literature review was to examine and summarize the impact of group prenatal care on health outcomes for women of color in the United States. Using a systematic approach and PRISMA guidelines, two electronic databases—CINAHL and PubMed—were used to search the literature. Quantitative research studies that were published in peer-reviewed journals between 2010 and 2020, written in …

Black Maternal Mortality In The United States, Grace Phelps

Honors College Theses

Black maternal mortality is a looming issue in the United States as the rate of Black maternal deaths is 3-4 times higher than the average rate for White women. Research establishes that this is a multifaceted issue of care quality, preexisting health, biases and racism, and structural inequalities. This study aims to discuss the statistics, contributing factors, and possible solutions to the issue of Black maternal mortality. Specifically, this study aims to educate nursing students on the matter and test the implications an educational session has on knowledge about Black maternal mortality and how health care professionals can be part …

Postpartum Support: Application Of A Local Peer Support, Community Care Model, Stephanie E. Ward

Theses and Graduate Projects

The postpartum period is one of the most influential developmental stages of a women’s life and represents a time of heightened risk for mental health decline. Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders have been implicated as a key influence of negative parenting experiences, poor newborn psychological outcomes, delayed newborn development, and inadequately adaptive family development behaviors. Integrating established resiliency components against mental illness, such as social support, into a postpartum care model can benefit postpartum women and secondarily positively impact the aforementioned outcomes. A community care model highlighting social support for postpartum mothers was integrated into a rural Minnesota region and …

Timing Of Therapeutic Hypothermia & Short-Term Infant Outcomes, Brooke Rakes

Dissertations

Background: Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) can result in devastating long-term neurological morbidity and/or death. Current evidence recommends initiating Therapeutic Hypothermia (TH), as early as possible, however, research specifically describing TH timing in relation to short-term infant outcomes is limited with mixed results.

Purpose: Examine TH timing (TH initiation time & time to target temperature) on short-term outcomes (neonatal seizure; brain injury) of infants >35weeks, with suspected HIE, born at a large urban women’s medical center.

Methodology: Retrospective, cross-sectional, correlational design examining data extracted from electronic health record from November 1, 2012- March 31, 2020. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed.

Results …

Assessment Of Postpartum Nurses' Knowledge And Teaching Habits Of Maternal Morbidity And Mortality, Mikayla Dodson

DNP Projects

The postpartum period is a joyous time of mother-infant bonding, but it can also be a risky time for women. Despite the education that is provided to postpartum women after birth, many women are still questioning whether or not the signs and symptoms they are experiencing are sufficiently alarming to alert a health care provider. Any delay in seeking care can contribute to poor health outcomes and even maternal mortality. Registered nurses oftentimes provide the bulk of discharge education to postpartum patients. When their knowledge or confidence levels regarding specific topics are low, this can negatively impact the education they …