Nursing Commons^™

What Are The Key Factors Influencing The Successful Integration Of Ai In Healthcare?, Gabe Herman

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Cycle Synced Fitness: The Impact Of Menstrual Cycle Phases On Women's Exercise Performance And Health, Sabrina Galindo

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Impact Of A Designated Intravenous Team On Central Line Associated Blood Stream Infections, Andrew Drozd, Mason Everlith, John Brennan, Kenneth Forte, Stacy Peach, Anne M. Aquila

Posters

No abstract provided.

Reimagining Equitable Care: Simulation-Based Education And The Dismantling Of Implicit Bias And Stigma Of Vulnerable Populations In Hospitals, Vanessa Smith

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Simulation-based education consists of using high-fidelity mannequins and equipment to provide a safe space for healthcare professionals to practice crucial skills within healthcare. Used within hospitals and schools, simulation most commonly surrounds practicing hands-on skills such as central line insertion, IV insertion, Ultrasound-guided procedures, code blue response, etc. However, a large portion of healthcare that is overlooked is tackling issues within patient-provider relationships. Simulation can help dismantle the negative behaviors and feelings providers push onto patients through the use of standardized patients and role-playing. By using these methods, simulation can reduce providers’ personal implicit biases and the stigma associated …

Maggot Debridement Therapy Vs. Negative Pressure Wound Therapy And Their Effectiveness On Tissue Healing On Older Adults, Angelica L. Funes

Soaring: A Journal of Undergraduate Research

Chronic ulcers, particularly prevalent in older adults, significantly impact patients' quality of life, leading to prolonged hospital stays and increased healthcare costs. This study explores the efficacy of two common therapies, Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) and Maggot Debridement Therapy (MDT), in promoting tissue healing for chronic ulcers in adults aged 60 and older. A methodical search was conducted using databases such as CINAHL, PubMed, EBSCO, and ProQuest, employing specific search strategies and inclusion/exclusion criteria. Four high-quality Level 1 randomized controlled trials were selected for analysis, comparing NPWT and MDT in various settings. The results indicate that MDT exhibits superior …

Resilience And Compassion Fatigue Among Medical Nurses In Acute Care, Angela M. Vallier

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

Compassion fatigue impacts nurses of all backgrounds and specialties. This non-experimental, descriptive, correlational study design involved three research questions that examined medical registered nurses’ association between resilience and compassion fatigue. This study examined organizational factors, work-system factors, and individual factors that are influential to compassion fatigue and resilience among nurses working in general medicine units.

The Compassion Fatigue Short Scale® and Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale® were used to measure compassion fatigue and resilience among the participants in this study. The study included 98 registered nurses who worked in general medicine units in Southeast Texas. The results indicated a negative significant correlation …

Reducing Falls In Adults On A Neurology Unit: An Evidence Based Quality Improvement Project, Kari Congenie, Sandra Scheidenhelm, Rachel Zastrow

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Falls are a common concern in hospitalized adult patients affecting quality of life, length of stay, and cost.

LOCAL PROBLEM: A quality audit at a community hospital identified increased falls/falls with injury rates on a medical-surgical unit.

METHODS: A quality improvement initiative was implemented using a fall prevention toolkit to understand its effect on total fall/fall with injury rates, nursing knowledge, and nurse perceived efficacy.

INTERVENTIONS: The Fall Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety (TIPS), an evidence-based toolkit, was implemented over five months.

RESULTS: Knowledge quiz scores were similar pre- and post-education. Fall rates and calls to the …

Increasing Colorectal Cancer (Crc) Screening In Hispanic Adults Using An Evidence-Based Social Determinants Of Health-Oriented Guide For Patient Navigation, Joyce A. Acquah Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-C

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. It affects over 140,000 individuals and results in over 50,000 deaths per year. It is estimated that increasing screening to 80% could potentially prevent approximately 300,000 new cases and over 200,000 deaths by 2030. Screening disparity among the Hispanic population is influenced by socio-economic and socio-cultural factors. The aim of this project was to develop a balanced scorecard (BSC), using publicly available data and research files from three databases (Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System [BRFSS], Texas Health Care Information Collection [THCIC], and Healthy North Texas …

Outpatient Fall Prevention In Ambulatory Adults 65 Years Old And Over, Dorothy L. Osborne-White

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background: In the United States (U.S.), falls are the leading cause of injury among adults 65 and over, resulting in 36 million falls yearly (Moreland et al., 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2023), one in four older adults experiences a fall each year. Falls are the world's second most prominent cause of accidental deaths (World Health Organization [WHO], 2021). Falls are the leading cause of both fatal and non-fatal injuries among older adults (Moreland et al., 2020).

Methods: A quality improvement project that included a fall bundle was implemented in a primary clinic. A …

Veterans Direct Admission Reassessment Tool Validation For The Reduction Of Rapid Response Code Blue, And Code Stroke Team Activations In Newly Arrived Direct Admission Veterans, Joshua Monroe Wells

DNP Projects

Abstract

Purpose: Rapid clinical assessment of newly arriving direct admission veteran patients to the Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System (VAHCS) Lexington is of the utmost importance to determine current patient condition, alteration from previously known condition at time of provider acceptance or time of report, and appropriate level of care for these veterans. The facility has seen an increase in the number of unexpected patient declines by direct admission patients presenting to medical surgical units at the VA Health Care System Lexington KY. This recurrent decline resulted in the facility performing a Root Cause Analysis (RCA), which identified …

Environmental Sustainability, Healthcare Workers And Healthcare Students: A Literature Review Of Attitudes And Learning Approaches, Pamela R. Mccauley, Kavita Mathur, Reza Kamali Miab, Nina Cohen, Kedena Henriques-Thompson, Jyo Gopinath

Health Professions Education

Purpose: Today, increased attention has been placed on the healthcare industry and its workers in the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Increases in facemask production, personal protective equipment, and the number of patients admitted into hospitals have resulted in a sharp rise in medical waste and environmental concerns. This has led to a greater interest by the research community to study the type of training and education that healthcare workers and students receive which could facilitate the implementation of sustainability activities during their work.

Design/Methodology: We have conducted a literature review (2010 to 2024) on healthcare worker …

App-Lying Knowledge: Mypcos App Guiding Symptomatic Women To Pcos Awareness, Khanh Hoang

Nursing | Senior Theses

This study delves into the effectiveness of educating women about polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) alongside the utilization of a dedicated mobile health application in raising awareness about PCOS and promoting healthcare-seeking behavior. PCOS, a prevalent endocrine and metabolic disorder affecting 8-13% of women in their reproductive age, lacks definitive remedies, and its underlying causes remain elusive. The primary objective is to establish that empowering women with knowledge about PCOS, facilitated by the MyPCOS mobile app, can lead to increased awareness and encourage them to seek further evaluation from healthcare providers. Rooted in the Health Promotion Model (HPM), the study adopts …

Enhancing Mental Health Support And Reducing Burnout In Nursing: A Holistic Approach, Alexa Miller, Andrea Quintela

Nursing | Senior Theses

Urgent action is needed to strengthen mental health support for nurses experiencing burnout. This thesis examines the stigma surrounding burnout in the nursing community and implements holistic approaches to alleviate burnout of those affected. Integrating mental health awareness, mindfulness-based interventions, personal self-care, and supportive hospital practice can decrease nurse burnout. By first coming to terms with nurse turnover and further prioritizing nurses' physiological, emotional, and social welfare, leadership and organization can implement holistic strategies to address these diverse challenges nurses face. Through a deep dive into existing literature, relevant studies, and a blend of critical findings, this thesis emphasizes the …

Advancing School Nursing Practice: A Novel Approach To Screening For Gastrointestinal Disorders In Children, Ashley Bunting, Isabella Cavlan

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Currently, mandated health screenings in California schools are limited to vision, hearing, and scoliosis; this leaves several other body systems unmonitored during the crucial years of childhood development. One such system is the gastrointestinal (GI) system, which plays a vital role in the normal growth, nutrition status, development, and overall health of children. Objective: By developing and implementing a GI-specific screening tool in the outpatient school setting, this research aims to increase the detection of GI disorders in children. Not only that, but school nurses can use this novel screening tool to promote early diagnosis, intervention, and …

Optimizing Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia Prevention And Education: In Adult Icu Settings, Danielle Gonzalez

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Background: Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) in adult intensive care patient units (ICU) is one of the most common and deadly nosocomial infections today. Studies have identified a gap in intensive care nurse ventilator education and compliance with hospital protocols. Overall increasing the rates of VAP and morbidity. Hospitals worldwide have shown a decrease in VAP rates after inheriting "VAP-bundles''. This includes nurse specific interventions and assessments as a preventative measure. However, studies failed to demonstrate which bundle interventions directly correspond to the prevention of VAP. Purpose: Address all components of education, a nurse’s ability to properly identify and understand the …

Evaluating The Mental Health Of Newly Graduated Nurses In Transition From Undergraduate Training To Professional Practice, Victor Louis C. Alinas Iv

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Background: There is an increasing demand for nurses worldwide as healthcare systems slowly recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Simultaneously, there is a high turnover of registered nurses and an even higher turnover in the demographic of newly graduated nurses. Newly graduated nurses (NGNs) are constantly faced with high levels of stress upon starting out in the professional environment and as a result of mental burnout and inadequate preparation, there is a notably high turnover of newly graduated nurses within their first year of employment. Purpose: This research aims to use existing information on the transition from undergraduate training to professional …

Nurses Current State Of Knowledge On Prion Disease, Chelsy Grande

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Human prion disease is a rare and fatal neurodegenerative disorder. Creutzfeldt- Jakob prion disease rapidly progresses, and is caused by prion, an infectious protein that damages the central nervous system (Bailey et al., 2000). The infectious pathogen is different from other infectious diseases as the normal prion protein misfolds, changing the structures and results in an accumulation of cellular prion proteins (Rentz, 2003). There is no cure for Creutzfeldt- Jakob disease, only palliative care to improve their symptoms and provide support as the disease progresses. How much do nurses know and understand about prion disease, and how can this influence …

Scabies Prevention In Correctional Facilities: A Path To Safer Inmate Populations, Bhavandeep Singh

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Scabies is a contagious skin condition caused by the Sarcoptes scabiei var. hominis mite, which burrows into the skin to lay eggs and feces, causing intense itching and a rash. These symptoms can take up to 4-6 weeks for a first time infection and it can occur as early as 1-4 days for a person who previously had scabies (National Park Service, 2023). Scabies is often transmitted through prolonged and direct skin to skin contact with an infected person, through sharing clothing, or due to overcrowded environments. This intense itching and rash can cause poor sleep, social ostracization, and affect …

Delayed And Misdiagnosed Endometriosis, Teresa Doyle

Nursing | Student Research Posters

Endometriosis is a chronic, painful disorder affecting approximately 10% of women of reproductive age globally.This condition arises when tissue similar to the endometrium, the lining of the uterus, grows outside the uterus, typically on the ovaries, Fallopian tubes, and other areas within the pelvis. Common symptoms of endometriosis include severe pelvic pain, fatigue, irregular menstruation, and infertility. These symptoms have a significant impact on women’s physical and mental health, affecting their interactions with their family, friends, and clinicians, often leading to significant impairment in their quality of life (Sims et al., 2021). The diagnostic journey for many women with endometriosis …

Empowering Nurse Leaders To Achieve Harmony: Fostering Work-Life Balance, Gilberto Gamba

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Balancing professional and personal life demands has become a focal point in today’s healthcare organizational culture. Despite the technological advances in providing better and faster healthcare, team members often struggle to achieve work-life harmony while meeting the demands of a growing population of healthcare clients. The evidence highlights nurse leaders as one group for which the identification and implementation of work-life balance interventions is crucial.

METHODS: An original tool based on available evidence was developed and used with a group of nurse leaders participating in an educational activity to engage them in behaviors supporting work-life harmony. A post-educational survey …

Enhanced Neuroprotection And Neuropromotion In Extremely Premature Infants Through Mindful Hands-On Care And Increased Family Involvement, Kristen Sergott

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Medical breakthroughs including antenatal corticosteroids and exogenous surfactants have improved survival in extremely premature and extremely low birth weight (EP-ELBW) infants. Currently, babies as young as 22 weeks’ gestation are being actively resuscitated and provided with intensive care in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) around the world. As a consequence of premature delivery, fragile and immature newborns are at risk for significant morbidities affecting their multiple organ systems. Additionally, such infants encounter neurodevelopmental trauma induced by recurrent stressful experiences ubiquitous to the NICU. Postnatal stress contributes to alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and is associated with alterations in …

Evaluating The Effect Of Sleep Hygiene Education On Sleep Quality Among First-Year College Students, Caroline Lowe Cunningham

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background: The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends college students should get seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Only one-third currently meet this recommendation. Poor sleep negatively affects academic performance, mood, and interpersonal relationships. Sleep hygiene is recommended to improve sleep quality and quantity.

Purpose: The purpose of this DNP project was to determine the effect of implementing a sleep hygiene educational intervention in classes intended for first-year college students at the University of Kentucky.

Methods: This quasi-experimental project utilized the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index to assess participants’ sleep before an in-person sleep hygiene education and after …

Effectiveness Of Diversion Tube On Peripheral Blood Culture Contamination Rates From Intravenous Catheters In A Community Hospital Emergency Department, Anne Meginniss

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Obtaining blood cultures is routine care for patients who are suspected to have sepsis. Contaminated blood cultures can lead to increased healthcare costs for patients suspected of sepsis. Reducing contaminated specimens could improve the quality of care delivered as well as increase patient satisfaction.

AIM: This quality improvement project aimed to reduce the number of contaminated blood cultures in a community hospital emergency department by using an initial specimen diversion tube to meet the new national benchmark of below 1% contamination rate.

METHODS: Twenty-seven diversion specimens were collected over an eight-week period via initial intravenous catheter insertion in a …

Impact Of A Discharge Bundle On Boarding Hours In Acute Care Hospitals, Monica L. Herrera

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

The national epidemic of boarding hours in the emergency departments prompted the implementation of a discharge bundle in an acute care hospital. This bundle included an ADT nurse, discharge orders written prior to 11AM, and EVS shifting employee hours. Initial findings indicated a reduction in boarding time by 126 minutes.

Using The Electronic Medical Record To Improve Nurse Workload, Sharon C. Le Roux

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background

Equitable nurse-patient assignments have been associated with improved nurse well-being, patient satisfaction and outcomes. Despite this, in an academic medical center in the southwestern United States, there is no standardized process to create equitable nurse-patient assignments.

Objectives

The aim of this project was to improve inpatient oncology nurse well-being and satisfaction through the implementation of an EMR based nurse-patient assignment tool.

Methods

The IOWA Model-Revised for evidence-based practice was used as the basis for this project. Data collected included demographics, the Well-Being Index Survey, perception of satisfaction with manual workload tool, along with knowledge and use of the …

Bundle For Left Ventricular Assist Device (Lvad) In The Ed, Tina Morris

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Purpose

Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) is a high-risk, low-volume patient population with admission rates of up to 72%. The purpose of this study was to provide a care bundle to increase the knowledge of the emergency department (ED) staff and decrease the door to consult times to the advanced heart failure (AHF) team for LVAD patients presenting to the ED at a level I trauma center in Texas.

Methods

In collaboration with emergency clinical staff, the project team implemented a bundle that included a pathway for the LVAD patients upon presentation to the ED, targeted education for clinical staff …

Developing Toolkit For Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder In An Oncology Outpatient Clinic, Brittany J. Johnson Dnp, Fnp-C

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Autistic adults are at higher risk of being diagnosed with co-occurring health conditions, and yet they are a vulnerable group for disparities in access and outcomes. One of the key barriers to better outcomes is poor patient-provider communication. This study the use of AASPIRE’s AHAT communication toolkit as a channel between healthcare workers and autistic adults to facilitate their appointments within the outpatient oncology department, as well as assessing healthcare providers’ knowledge and self-efficacy in caring for the patients. Sixteen healthcare providers (12 registered nurses and four patient care assistants) completed pre and post intervention surveys and utilized the AHAT …

A Quality Improvement Initiative To Reduce Preanalytical Blood Gas Errors, Layla Haver Newbrough

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Abstract

Introduction: Laboratory testing is one of the most commonly performed procedures in healthcare and resulting data are paramount to clinical decision making. Background: Preanalytical blood gas laboratory errors often stem from the incorrect recording of a patient’s fraction of inspired oxygen (FiO2) within the laboratory collection application. Incorrect FiO2 may cause erroneous results or delays in reporting results that have the potential to negatively impact patient safety and medical management.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to reduce the occurrence of preanalytical blood gas laboratory errors. Methods/Interventions: This initiative combined modification of the laboratory collection application …

Electronic Symptom Management Using Pros In A Rural, Appalachian Medical Oncologic Population, Andrea Ray Bailey

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Background: Systemic chemotherapy is a cornerstone of cancer treatment, but it often leads to significant side effects, which may impact patients' quality of life and lead to increased acute healthcare utilization. Although patients are typically informed of potential symptoms and advised to seek care as needed, many struggle to understand and manage symptoms effectively. Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) have been shown to improve symptom monitoring, decrease symptom burden, and reduce emergency department visits and hospital admissions. Electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePROs), in particular, offer timely and accessible symptom tracking, though their effectiveness has largely been evaluated within urban clinical trial settings and …

Project Quiet: A Quality Improvement Initiative To Reduce Noise Pollution During Anesthesia Induction And Emergence, James Christopher Woods

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

Problem: Excessive intraoperative noise puts anesthesia providers at risk for errors that could negatively impact patient morbidity and mortality. Distractions from excessive noise experienced during the “critical phases” of anesthesia present a risk to patient safety and need to be reduced or eliminated. Anecdotally, reports from anesthesia staff at a large academic medical center confirmed that noise pollution during induction and emergence significantly impacted the performance of critical anesthesia tasks. Objective: The goal of this quality improvement (QI) project was to implement a series of interventions designed to reduce noise pollution during induction and emergence, and to reduce …