Nursing Commons^™

Association Between Socioeconomic Status And Bmi Among People With Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Many health disparities among individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are due to obesity-associated diseases. Several causes of obesity have been discovered, but few risk factors are known. In the general public, low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with obesity.

Objective: Examine the relationship between SES and body mass index (BMI) among people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Design: A secondary analysis of the Collaborative Psychiatric Epidemiology Surveys dataset. The psychiatric group (N=480) included individuals with symptoms of schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Those reporting no symptoms were controls (N=5,161). Childhood SES variables included mother and father education and profession, …

Association Between Adverse Events In Childhood And Bmi Among People With Schizophrenia And Bipolar Disorder, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: People with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder die significantly earlier than members of the general public (16-18 years and 12-13 years, respectively). Diseases associated with obesity such as diabetes, heart disease, and stroke account for much of this discrepancy. People with mental illness often have difficulty losing weight despite intensive interventions. As a result, nurses caring for patients with mental illness need to monitor their weight diligently and implement individualized interventions to promote achieving or maintaining a healthy weight. Because intensive interventions come with some risk and expense, programs must target individuals with the most potential to develop obesity. In …

Psychiatric Comorbidities And Bmi: An Exploratory Analysis, Nicholas Guenzel

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Individuals with most forms of mental illness have higher rates of obesity than members of the general public putting them at an increased risk for many physical health problems that reduce both quality of life and life expectancy. The presence of multiple comorbid psychiatric disorders has been associated with poorer clinical outcomes in other mental health measures such as disability and sobriety and is proposed as a risk factor for elevated BMI (body mass index) in this study.

Objective: Determine if multiple psychiatric comorbidities are associated with elevated BMI and, if so, which combinations are linked with the greatest …

Health-Related Beliefs, Practices, And Experiences Of Migrant Dominicans In The Northeastern United States, Constance Sobon Sensor

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Purpose: This study aimed to discover and describe migrant Dominican cultural beliefs and practices related to health, the ways that migrant Dominicans take care of their health in their new environment, and their experience with professional health care in the Northeastern United States.

Design: This descriptive qualitative study was guided by Leininger’s Theory of Culture Care Diversity and Universality and four-phase analysis method. The health-related beliefs, practices and experiences of a convenience sample of 15 self-identified adult Dominicans living in the United States for six months or more were explored in three focus groups, assisted by trained culturally appropriate interpreters. …

Assessing Quality Of Life, Psychological Well-Being And Depression In Hispanic American Women: Does Cultural Competence Matter?, Elizabeth T. Alvarez

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Thesis Title: Assessing Quality of Life, Psychological Well-Being and Depression in Hispanic American Women: Does Cultural Competence Matter? ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Hispanic people are at an elevated risk of developing depression as compared to any other racial and ethnic groups in the United States. Hispanic women, in particular, experience depression at roughly twice the rate of Hispanic men. The projected growth of the Hispanic population coupled with the high prevalence of depression among Hispanic women will exacerbate this already serious public health conundrum if targeted and culturally competent interventions are not tailored to better tackle this illness. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of …

Evidence-Based Strategies To Minimize Risk For Opioid Pain Medication Misuse Among Patients With Chronic Pain In A Primary Care Setting, Carolyn Diane Coleman

Doctoral Projects

Background: Prescription opioid pain medication misuse has become a nationwide epidemic. Many states have implemented prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP) to assist in combating the problem of prescription opioid pain medication misuse. Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines as well as the PMDP should be utilized by healthcare providers to guide treatment of chronic pain with opioid pain medications. Purpose: The purpose of this doctoral capstone project was to determine if providers are accessing the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) and utilizing evidence-based guidelines to minimize opioid pain medications misuse among patients with chronic pain in a primary care setting. …

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder And Mindfulness Practice In Children And Adolescents: A Comprehensive Review Of Evidence-Based Research, Donna Nikander

Doctoral Projects

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is the most common mental illness in the United States among male and female children and adolescents between the ages of 3 and 17. The emerging fields of neurobiology and neuroimaging have proposed a relationship between mindfulness meditation therapies—initially referred to as mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) and now simply known as mindfulness—and improvements in attention and self-regulation, two major problem areas for ADHD sufferers. Furthermore, recent studies suggest that mindfulness therapies may be effective in reducing symptoms of ADHD in children and adolescents. The purpose of this paper is to review, analyze and synthesize the …

Developing A Patient Care Standard For Adolescents Based On A Nursing Needs Assessment, Kathryn Blake

Doctoral Projects

Mental health patients often suffer from chronic medical conditions and psychiatric comorbidities requiring frequent emergency, primary care, and acute care visits (Douzenis et al., 2012). Caring for psychiatric patients in acute care hospitals has become an increasing burden on healthcare systems with processes in place to care for acute and critical care patients. Healthcare leaders, providers, emergency departments, and medical/surgical hospitals are straining to provide care for complex patients with acute medical conditions and complex mental health needs (Reiss-Brennan, Briot, Savitz, Cannon, & Staheli, 2010). Caring for children and adolescents with medical and psychiatric problems creates the need for a …

Exploring College Students' Perceptions Of College Gun Violence: A Meta-Analysis, Julia Chaw Chih Lee

Doctoral Projects

College gun violence has been one of our nation’s most forefront issues in recent years. The present meta-analysis reviewed studies reporting college students’ perceptions about school/college gun violence in order to summarize the total effect and direction of these research findings. There were only two studies identified for this research topic: Study A and Study B. Combining the effect sizes from both studies could not be accomplished because there was not enough data from Study A to calculate the correlation coefficient(r) or standardized mean difference (SMD). The summary of the results of the two studies as a metaanalysis was more …

Circle Of Care And Hope: An Adaptation And Empowerment Mental Health Healing Model For Blacks, Judy Edvaline Vansiea

Theses and Graduate Projects

PURPOSE- To engage and empower Black people with a "Circle of Care and Hope" that helps them to overcome their unequal access to effective mental health treatment. PROJECT DESCRIPTION- Black people in the United States have experienced unequal access to effective mental health care treatment due to centuries of oppression by the dominant Caucasian culture in the United States. This history has caused many Black people to distrust the purely Western and Caucasian-dominated model of mental health treatment. In response to this problem the author has adapted and integrated three healing modalities: multiple Western, theoretically-based therapies; culturally appropriate practices for …

Diabetes Self-Management Education For Adolescent Patients: The Importance Of A Developmentally Sensitive Approach, Laura Mumme

Senior Honors Theses

The attention of healthcare providers to the developmental level of adolescent patients with type one diabetes (T1D) maximizes effective patient education and glycemic control. Due to the dynamic changes that occur in the mind and body during adolescence, self-care for adolescent T1D patients is overwhelming as it envelopes activities of everyday life. The disease process and the unique aspects of adolescence in relation to T1D are important for caregivers to consider. Developmentally appropriate teaching during the initial onset of the disease must inform the patient and the patient’s family of the basics of the disease process and the daily care …

Attitudes Towards An Evidence-Based Clinical Decision Support Tool To Reduce Exposure To Ionizing Radiation, Raymond Zakhari

Faculty Publications and Presentations

Patients who suffer minor brain injuries experience unnecessary ionizing radiation in the form of a non-contrast head CT scan despite the dearth of evidence supporting standard CT scans for all brain injuries. Exposure to ionizing radiation increases the incidence of certain types of cancer. This evidence-based practice change project assesses the attitude of clinicians towards evidence-based clinical decision support tools, specifically the Canadian CT head rule. The use of highly sensitive clinical decision support tools is supported in the literature to help healthcare providers mitigate the risk associated with unnecessary use of CT scan imaging studies. The project was conducted …

A Grounded Theory Study Of How Parents Made The Decision About Residential Group Home Placement For Their Adult Child With Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities, Laura A. Prager Phd, Msn, Rn, Cddn, Cdcp

Faculty of Nursing Publications

Abstract Background: The parent caregivers of a child with an Intellectual Disability/Developmental Disability (ID/DD) face lifelong challenges that may at some point involve the decision about residential group home placement of the adult child. In the course of the child’s lifetime, the parents who have provided care may need to consider a safe alternative. The decision about residential group home placement of the adult child can be the result of numerous factors. Objective: The purpose of this qualitative inquiry was to investigate the phenomenon of how the parent caregivers made the decision for residential group home placement for their adult …

Intricate Conversations: Caring For Clients With Severe Mental Illness, John D. Chovan

Nursing Faculty Scholarship

This presentation describes the characteristics of persons living with severe mental illness who intersect with hospice, and palliative care, and their communication challenges.

Factors Influencing Depression In Men: A Qualitative Investigation, Lori A. Mutiso

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to describe men’s experiences of depression in order to provide direction for future research of the screening, diagnosing, and treatment of men's depression. Previous research indicates that men experience different depressive symptoms than women, and there is a possibility that men's depression is not being adequately captured by current screening standards, which would theoretically lead to a large number of men with unrecognized, undiagnosed, and untreated depression. If this is the case, this may explain the disproportionately low number of men diagnosed with depression compared to women, in contrast to the disproportionately …

Examining Provider Perspectives On Implementation Of An Integrated Primary And Behavioral Health Care Model In The Outpatient Setting: A Qualitative Study, Holly Gray

DNP Projects

AIM The purpose of this qualitative descriptive research study was to identify and describe primary and mental health provider perspectives, including attitudes and knowledge related to integration of primary and behavioral health care in the outpatient setting. One objective of this project was to gather information from providers in both primary and behavioral health settings to ascertain how they perceive the idea of integrated care. Another objective of this project was to gather information about provider perception of current practice protocols for treatment of patients with comorbid physical and mental health issues, perceived facilitators and barriers to integrated care, and …

Model Of Facilitation Of Emotional Intelligence To Promote Wholeness Of Neophyte Critical Care Nurses In South Africa, Amanda Towell, W. E. Nel, A. Muller

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This study was undertaken in order to develop a model of facilitation of emotional intel- ligence to promote wholeness in neophyte critical care nurses in South Africa. A theory- generative, explorative, descriptive, contextual research design was used. The model was developed utilising the four steps of theory generation as proposed by Dickoff, James, and Wiedenbach (1968), Chinn and Kramer (2011) and Walker and Avant (2011). Step one dealt with the empirical phase in which the concepts were distilled. The facilitation of inherent affective and mental resourcefulness and resilience was the main concept of the model. Step two comprised the definition …

Munchausen By Internet And Nursing Practice : An Ethnonetnographic Case Study, Cynthia Witney, Joyce M. Hendricks Phd, Vicki C. Cope Ms

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

This paper used Feldman’s clues to factitious illness behavior on the Internet (FIBI), to determine whether the online behaviour of one member of an online breast cancer support community www. breastcancerclick.com , moderated by a specialist breast cancer nurse (SBCN), could be Munchausen by Internet (MBI) and why identification of this behaviour is important for online nursing practice. This was a focused ethnonetnographic and qualitative research study whereby the online behaviour of one member was observed and compared with Feldman’s clues to factitious behaviour on the Internet. The online data showed that nine out of ten of Feldman’s clues were …

Treatment Outcomes For Opiate Addicted Pregnant Women, Jennifer L. Roth Parr

DNP Projects

The problem of opiate addiction is complex enough but compounded when the patient is pregnant. Substance use during pregnancy produces harmful and costly effects to both the mother and the fetus (Veilleux, Colvin, Anderson, York & Hines, 2010). The rate of opiate addiction among pregnant women in the U.S. has been increasing in epidemic numbers since the beginning of the 21st century. This paper looks at research on the origin of the problem, the demographics of the average pregnant opiate addicted patient, the effects on the woman and her unborn child, and available treatment options.

Improving Depression Care For Older Home Health Patients, Sarah R. Schirmer

DNP Projects

Rates of depression in older home healthcare (HH) patients are highly prevalent. Although depression in this population is associated with increased rates of re-hospitalization, falls, and suicides, it is frequently under diagnosed and under treated. This Capstone Report examined this problem through three interrelated manuscripts. The first manuscript explored the problem through a review of the literature. This review determined that while there are many barriers to adequate depression care, programs that train clinicians to screen for depression and connect patients to depression care encourage adequate evaluation and treatment and can result in clinically significant changes in depression scores. This …

Adolescent Risk Behaviors, Screening, And Referral At An Adolescent Health Clinic: A Retrospective Review, Cheryl Marrs

DNP Projects

Aim: Investigate provider patterns of risk behavior screening at an adolescent health clinic and describe findings from a study that investigated patterns of risk behavior screening in an adolescent health clinic.

Background: Adolescents who engage in risky behaviors are vulnerable to problems with current and future mental health issues such as depression, substance use, or other psychiatric disorders. Identifying the risky behaviors in adolescents that are associated with the potential presence of depressive symptoms can be helpful to the provider when deciding to refer an adolescent for further mental health assessment. Provider fidelity in risk behavior screening is central to …

Delirium Screening Instrument Knowledge And Perception Among Cardiovascular Intensive Care Nurses, Brittany Lynn Dahl

DNP Projects

Background: Delirium is a serious condition that affects critically ill adult patients in the intensive care unit. Bedside nursing delirium measurements are considered a dependable source of information that can be used for clinical decision-making. Nurse education and assessment of perceptions is important when building a framework for successful delirium assessment. However, few data exist about nursing perceptions and practices associated with delirium screening instruments. The overall purpose of this project is to examine nurse perceptions and knowledge about delirium and delirium screening instruments at the University of Kentucky (UK) Hospital’s Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit (CVICU).

Objectives: The aims of …

Baker Act Project, Lucy Arcila, Evelyn Quinones Lassalle, Carla Green, Melinda Patton, Melinda Collins

All Publications

No abstract provided.

A Descriptive Mixed-Methods Study Examining Resilience And Transitioning To Adulthood Among Emerging Adults With Disabilities, Jennifer E. Mannino

Theses & Dissertations

Transitioning to adulthood is not without challenges. The move away from family influence towards independence and self-determination is filled with uncertainty. As emerging adults (18-29) transition to adulthood they will encounter various challenges related to their new adult roles (Arnett & Tanner, 2005; Jensen & Arnett, 2012). Increased challenges and vulnerabilities in transitioning are evident among emerging adults with disabilities because they face additional challenges related to their disability over and above what all others of this developmental stage experience (Betz & Redcay, 2002; Blomquist, 2007; Faux & Nehring, 2010; King, Baldwin, Currie & Evans, 2005; Murray, 2003; National Research …

Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Workforce Development In Behavioral Healthcare Settings In Rural Mississippi, Arlen Davis Cooper

Doctoral Projects

Description and Significance of the Problem: The United States is facing a significant rural mental healthcare workforce shortage and an uneven distribution of mental healthcare professionals. The psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) may increase access to mental healthcare in rural underserved regions (NRHA, 2012). However, little is known regarding their distribution. The lack of uniform and consistent data collection methods regarding the number and the geographic distribution of PMHNPs in rural areas, specifically in rural Mississippi, exists. The importance of better data collection and improving infrastructure through collaboration with state licensing boards and state nursing workforce centers is …

Integrating A System Approach To Identify And Manage Aggressive Behaviors In Adult Males With Severe Mental Illness In A Psychiatric Hospital, Mitzie Alford-Jenkins

Doctoral Projects

Aggressive behaviors exhibited by patients with a serious mental illness (SMI) hospitalized in inpatient psychiatric hospitals are a challenging safety problem. Early identification of aggressive behaviors is vital to helping nursing staff develop proactive interventions that focus on prevention. Structured risk assessments identify the level of risk and allow for early interventions.

The purpose of the doctoral capstone project was to: (a) provide education to nursing staff on implementing a structured risk assessment tool in order to identify risk for imminent aggression, manage risk for imminent aggression, and record aggressive behaviors among adult males with severe mental illness (SMI); (b) …

What Do Veterans With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Experience In Receiving Care In Appalachia, Brittany L. Thomas

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This qualitative research study explores what veterans living in the Appalachian region experience in receiving care for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder through personal interviews. These interviews will give insight into how veterans in Appalachia perceive their care through specific questions pertaining to healthcare for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

A convenient sample of veterans attending the specific study site was used for this study. An email, which contained information about the background and nature of the study was used for participant recruitment of veterans. In addition, flyers with the same information were posted throughout the study site. This study will highlight specific details …

The Lived Experience Of Nursing Students During Their Psychiatric Nursing Education: Does It Influence View Of Psychiatric Nursing As A Career Choice?, Lisa Mcconlogue

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Using a van Manen phenomenological approach combined with a Colaizzi step-wise data analysis procedure, this study seeks to describe the lived experience of recent nursing school graduates during their psychiatric didactic and clinical education and how the experience influenced their view of psychiatric nursing as a specialty choice.

Inclusion criteria for participants were registered nurses (RN) who graduated from their entry level nursing program within the last three years; graduated from a United States RN program; and are currently working as an RN in an inpatient setting. Two groups of participants were selected; one group of nurses who chose psychiatric …

Assessment And Re-Assessment Of Psychiatirc Patients Boarded In The Emergnecy Department: The Impact Of Compliance With Best Practice Standards On Patient Outcomes, Jacquelyn Byrd

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Psychiatric patients have been “deinstitutionalized” over recent decades with their care shifting from the inpatient to outpatient setting. As a result of the closing of more than 13,500 in-patient psychiatric beds between 2005 and 2010, emergency departments (ED) across the nation have become both safe havens and holding areas for psychiatric patients seeking care in the ED. The boarding of psychiatric patients in the ED impacts the timeliness of care provide to psychiatric and non-psychiatric patients alike lengthening door to discharge time for all patients. The purpose of this study is to assess the nursing staff’s compliance with departmental standards …

Role Of The Serotonin Transporter Gene In Resilience To Stress And Trauma: An Integrative Review, Kosuke Niitsu

Posters and Presentations: College of Nursing

Resilience is defined as a multi-dimensional dynamic concept of positive adaptation to stress and trauma. It is estimated that 38 - 52% of phenotypic variation in resilience among Americans is due to genetic variance. Among nine candidate genes associated with resilience, the promoter region of serotonin transporter gene (5- HTTLPR) is of increasing clinical interest. Accumulating evidence suggests those who carry the Short (S) allele of 5-HTTLPR may be at increased risk of developing psychopathology such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, little is known about whether S allele carriers are less resilient to stress and trauma compared to Long …