Nursing Commons^™

Assessment Of Veteran Satisfaction With Telehealth Services During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Rhonda Kay Howard

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

With the advent of the COVID-19 public health emergency in the United States, many U.S. veterans were unable to maintain their usual office visits due to safe access concerns. Patients were strongly encouraged to maintain their healthcare needs at home by utilizing online technology resources like telehealth services with their healthcare providers. Providing excellent healthcare services for veterans during COVID-19 became a challenge for primary care providers at many veteran healthcare organizations. Since little was known about the satisfaction of veteran clients with healthcare management using virtual care during the pandemic, this formative program evaluation was designed to survey …

Analyzing Concept Mapping Integration Into A Bsn Curriculum Using The H-Pepss Survey, Tina Michelle Mathers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: This project’s foundational focus was on improving nursing students’ preparedness for their profession and patient care. Data supports that nursing graduates face challenges at the patient bedside, which often cause injury or harm. These deficits are known as preparation-to-practice, failure-to-rescue, and transition-to-practice gaps that occur despite the integration of preceptorship and residency programs. Through the integration of concept mapping into an established curriculum, an analysis of student patient safety perceptions in a pre- and postsurvey was completed. Method: This quality improvement project received approval from the institutional review board. The project was a quasi-experimental, nonrandomized, single-blinded design measuring first-semester …

Improving Hypertension Self Management In African American Men, Elizabeth C. Felix

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Hypertension is a cardiopulmonary condition linked to genetic, environmental, and social factors. Left untreated, it can lead to fatal conditions such as heart disease. In the United States, African Americans experience disproportionately high rates of hypertension, earlier onset of symptoms, greater severity, and higher related mortality rates. African Americans also statistically have more difficulty self-managing their hypertension than other demographics. The aim of this project was (a) to identify, define, and measure perceived barriers to self-management of hypertension among African American men and (b) to target these barriers and increase patient engagement through personalized intervention plans. The researcher recruited 24 …

Addressing Stress In Graduate Nurse Practitioner Nursing Students, Shandria K. Sawyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This project was developed to address the issue of high stress levels among graduate nursing students, which is a common phenomenon that increases the risks of mental health disorders, professional burnout, and poor-quality patient care among students and professional nurses after earning their degrees. This project sought to utilize a simple educational intervention delivered online to impart coping skills to graduate nursing students to assist them in reducing their stress levels. The intervention was a brief, single-session, self-guided educational module featuring informational and participative elements related to stress causes, the impacts of stress, and stress reduction techniques. In total, 11 …

Reducing Inpatient Falls And Falls With Injury, Constance Leigh Cannon

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Patient falls are a costly problem for many inpatient hospitals and are exacerbated by poor training of nursing and ancillary staff. The researcher sought to determine if there was a difference in inpatient falls and falls with injury after a hospital facility in the Southwestern United States revised its fall prevention policy, reorganized its fall prevention committee, and provided new interventions for nurses assessing patients for fall risk. In this quantitative, retrospective, comparative project, the researcher reviewed data from 2017–2020 related to the facility’s fall prevention program, including its new interventions and efforts to involve patients in their safety and …

Nurses Leading In Bridging The Culture Gap: Communicating With The Deaf Community, Veronica C. Leftridge

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nurses provide patient care in clinics, hospitals, homes, churches, schools, communities, and military, as well as on emergency medical helicopters. When a nurse is assigned to care for a patient, the patient expects the nurse to be culturally competent, communicate effectively, and provide safe quality care. However, cultural incompetence is observed when nurses provide care for Deaf patients, but they are unfamiliar with Deaf culture. In addition, communication is a fundamental skill nurses learn in nursing school, but course content in nursing programs rarely touches on how to communicate effectively with Deaf patients. Of the approximately 325 million people in …

Understanding How To Promote Healthy Dietary Habits Among Parents Of Adolescents, Jazmine D. Collins

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescents in the United States today have record-high prevalence rates for childhood obesity and overweight, which are conditions that have lifelong negative health consequences for individuals, and also carry high financial and social costs for the entire nation. The disproportionate burden of obesity and associated health conditions falls on adolescents of racial and ethnic minority group identities and from lower-income households. The increased risk that adolescents have for developing conditions like childhood obesity is closely associated with youth having diets that are unhealthier than in the past. Parents have a large influence on the eating habits and preferences of their …

How Early Education And Pet Therapy May Help Nurses With Compassion Fatigue, Katie E. Clark

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Although there is a great deal of research on the causes of compassion fatigue, there is little research on prevention techniques or ways to combat compassion fatigue. The purpose of this qualitative phenomenological study was to discover if nurses are prepared to cope with occupational stress and compassion fatigue. A secondary purpose was to examine the perceived benefit that pet therapy can have as a possible stress reduction technique to decrease the effects of compassion fatigue. This research was conducted by gathering data via semistructured interviews. The researcher interviewed nurses who were currently practicing patient care and scored as …

Diabetes Education With A Focus On Blood Glucose Self-Management: Impacting The Frequency Of Glucose Monitoring, Jennifer M. Young

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This quality improvement project was conducted to evaluate whether a focused educational session on self-management of blood glucose monitoring increased the frequency of monitoring for adult type II diabetics who were not taking insulin therapy. The purpose of this improvement project was to add to the body of research from this project. Currently, there are no recommendations for people with type II diabetes who are not taking insulin therapy regarding monitoring their blood glucose. This quantitative project was conducted online to reduce face-to-face contact during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was conducted online through diabetes support groups found on Facebook. Permission …

Improving The Competency Of Nurse Educators In The Use Of Simulation, Pricilla H. Wyatt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Simulation in nursing education programs is widely used as an active clinical learning strategy. This teaching methodology is a standard supplement to clinical experiences for nursing students to meet the requirements of clinical components within their degree program; however, the faculty of a small liberal arts-based Bachelor of Science in Nursing program was not using simulation to its fullest potential. Therefore, the purpose of this DNP project was to introduce the use of evidence-based practice simulation guidelines recommended by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. The study sample of 16 included 10 full-time faculty, five part-time adjunct faculty, …

Nursing Perceptions For Utilizing Essential Oil Application In Labor And The Effect Of Targeted Education, Joni R. Beckham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This Doctor of Nursing Practice project was implemented to determine how a nurse’s perception of aromatherapy influences their decision to provide aromatherapy for patients during labor and the effect of targeted education on a nurse’s perception. The purpose of this project was to determine how nurses view the use of aromatherapy resources at their disposal and the likelihood that they would offer the intervention to their patients. This project provided education to increase nurses’ confidence in providing optimal care to patients using a traditional and holistic avenue of aromatherapy while determining if education can positively influence nurses to support essential …

School Nursing Practice And Experiences During School Closures, Susie E. Birden Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This evidence-based quality improvement project was to evaluate public school nurses’ relationships and reaction to their new work environment during the closure of schools in Northern California resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This project addressed the change in school nursing, especially the nurses’ working environment. A stress management program was offered to the school nurses as an intervention to give them information on perceived stress. The stress management program included mindfulness and stress-relieving techniques over a 1-month period. The research methodology used in the project was a pre- and postintervention using the Perceived Stress Scale-10 (PSS) to measure if the …

Implementing Mindfulness Meditation To Reduce Nurse Burnout, Jannelle V. Sanchez

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

There will be an estimated shortage of 100,000 nurses by the year 2022, with 500,000 seasoned nurses retiring. The nursing profession has recently experienced a devastating pandemic that left no time to combat the detrimental effects of burnout, specifically for intensive care nurses, who are the frontline workers of a physically and psychologically draining working environment conducive to burnout. Nurses experience burnout for a mixture of reasons, but mainly it is due to the lack of interventions to help them combat the disease. Mindfulness meditation represents an interventional tool that has been shown to reduce the negative stressors associated …

Reducing The Potential For Physical Harm In Student Nurses Caring For Clients Who Are Under The Influence, Hunter William Halford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This DNP project was conducted to identify gaps in knowledge and adequate preparation of nursing students in safely caring for a client who is behaving violently and is under the influence of illicit drugs. Student nurses are trained using a generalist approach, meaning they are taught the essentials of a variety of topics. It is not until these students enter the workforce that they are trained specifically for a certain position. Currently, the curriculum does not address specific measures to maintain client and personal safety. It is an almost unavoidable fact that a nurse will encounter a violent client or …

Addressing The Psychosocial State Of High-Risk Individuals Undergoing Hereditary Cancer Screening By Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (Aprns) In The Community Oncology Setting, Aquilina Kerubo Thompson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Neoteric advances in genetics make it possible to define genetic risk in cancer, and there should be methods in place to provide comprehensive genomic care with oncology advanced practice registered nurses bridging this gap. The current scope of nursing practice stipulates genetic and genomic literacy; however, there remains a deficit among advanced practice registered nurses in identifying and addressing psychosocial distress during the genetic cancer risk assessment process. Oncology advanced practice registered nurses must be equipped with the knowledge that the genetic cancer risk assessment also involves protecting patients from the psychosocial repercussions of carrying a hereditary cancer gene …

Opioid Use Disorder: A Crisis Of Concern, Evangella Harville

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

According to a statement from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 2000 and 2017, approximately 700,000 people died from drug overdoses in the United States. Approximately 128 persons lose their life each day from an opioid overdose. The data for this study were collected by the vice president of operations at the study site from a preexisting database for 2019 and 2020. The participants were inpatient patients, 18 and older, both male and female, and were from all ethnicities. The study facility was located in Western New York and offered a 30-bed inpatient treatment center with 24-hour …

Decreasing Unintentional Pregnancies For Tennesseans, Paula M. Todd

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In 2018, 49% of all pregnancies in the United States were unintended, with women with a lower- income status being five times more likely to experience an unplanned pregnancy. Tennessee has a high rate of unintended pregnancies, particularly among the uninsured, low-income, and rural teen populations; some 22% of these unintended pregnancies end in abortion. Oral or transdermal contraceptives that are affordable and accessible for women of childbearing age can reduce unintentional pregnancies. The addressed gap in clinical practice was that contraceptives are not currently available over the counter in Tennessee pharmacies without a prescription, which necessitates a costly medical …

The Effect Of Postpartum Depression Screening Education For Postpartum Nurses, Shecarra S. Cook

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Depression affects about 13% of pregnant women and about 10% of women after childbirth. Some cases are so severe, the mother may even commit suicide. If left untreated, postpartum depression (PPD) affects both the mother’s and the infant’s health as well as their quality of life. The gap in clinical practice is that currently, patients only complete a postpartum depression screening tool during their 6-week follow-up appointment with their OB/GYN, leaving a gap in PPD detection and care during the immediate postpartum period. Postpartum nurses are not usually given specialized training in postpartum depression. The purpose of this study was …

Reducing Parental Stress In Neonatal And Pediatric Intensive Care Units, Nancy M. Abbene

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

The neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) are highly operational and highly active environments. Health care workers must react quickly to care for patients and provide life-saving measures fundamental to favorable patient outcomes. Caregivers of this critical patient population are often overlooked as the healthcare team prioritizes patient’s needs. In addition, medical equipment, machines, and monitors have multiple safety alarms sounding frequently and contributing to high levels of parental stress upon their child’s admission to the NICU and PICU. Lack of giving adequate prominence to the value of caregiver support services in the hospital …

An Evaluation Of An Integrated Multidisciplinary Early Identification And Triage Of College Students At Risk For Anxiety And Depression, Sarah J. Templeton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

College students across the U.S. are experiencing an increasing prevalence of mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression. Suicide is currently the second most common cause of death among U.S. college students. At the project site, the university health services report that mental health issues significantly impact the students’ academic progress, contributing to poor performance, inability to complete assignments, and sometimes forces attrition. Campus providers traditionally respond when students approach, often at the point of crisis or exacerbation. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project evaluated the impact of a pilot program using an interdisciplinary approach to universal proactive …

Food Addiction And Obesity, Lisa Ling

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The obesity rate in the U.S. adult population has increased to epidemic levels despite attempts to decrease obesity through evidence-based knowledge, clinical practice guidelines, medical interventions, and individual efforts. For certain individuals, food addiction behaviors such as food cravings, loss of control, and binge eating contribute to obesity and require a different approach to care. Little work has been done on adding the possibility of food addiction to obesity screening and treatment. This study utilized a quasi-experimental quantitative pre- and postsurvey research design based on Lewin’s change theory. Nurse practitioners were surveyed regarding the provider’s perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs about …

Developing Outpatient, Clinic-Based Education For Patients With Diabetes And Prediabetes, Ruth Ann Slayton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract Education and support provided to the newly diagnosed prediabetic or Type 2 Diabetic are inadequate in the outpatient arena. In rural areas, instruction for diabetes is minimal to nonexistent, and patients are paying for this with their health and lives many times. The financial burden of diabetes in the United States is astronomical. The loss of life and life quality is significantly high as well. A systems-based approach to education in the rural health clinic would be of great benefit and has proven to be enough to reverse or avoid the progression of the disease. A clinic or field-based …

Impact Of Leader Rounds On Perceptions Of The Culture Of Safety, Heather D. Ray

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

A culture of safety in healthcare settings supports a caring environment and practices that produce quality patient outcomes. Leadership is instrumental in creating a culture of safety. The purpose of this quantitative pretest-posttest design project was to determine if the implementation of leader rounds in an acute care hospital had an impact on staff nurses’ perceptions of safety culture as measured by the Safety Attitudes Questionnaire. The setting was a midsize acute care hospital with a target population of dayshift nurses working in the telemetry service line. Leader rounds were conducted over a six-week timeline by the department director. Data …

Assessing The Perceptions And Attitudes Of Burnout Syndrome In Nurse Practitioners In Primary Care Settings, Keisha D. Mckinsey

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The implications of workload and personal and patient-related burnout have been identified in numerous physicians’ studies. While burnout syndrome has become a subject of great interest for examining provider burnout to assess successful solutions, there is minimal research unique to nurse practitioners in primary care settings. This project was intended to determine the prevalence and effect of nurse practitioners’ burnout in primary care settings and make recommendations for improving nurse practitioners’ overall health and well-being. The key outcomes of concern for this project were, first, improvement in burnout scores on the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory tool pre- and posteducational intervention, and …

Relationship Between Medical-Surgical Nurse Manager Age, Level Of Education, Gender, Tenure, And Staff Nurse Turnover, John B. Summers

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Medical-surgical nursing unit nurse turnover rates of over 20% annually are consistently higher than other RN specialty turnover rates. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine the relationship between medical-surgical nurses’ ages, levels of education, and turnover intentions. Ninety-one medical-surgical nurse managers (NMs) recruited from the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex responded to the survey questionnaire. The study used inferential statistics. The result of the analyses showed a negative association between educational attainment and turnover rates; however, the relationship was insignificant, rs(91) = -.251, p = .016. The second set of hypotheses considered the relationship between NMs’ tenure and their …

Hospice Families Shared Experiences With Time-Of-Death Visits, Katherine S. Katzenberger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The death of someone we love is a life-altering experience and may happen in a variety of settings. Hospice patients may die in their homes with their loved ones caring for them in their last moments of life. Families may receive a visit at the time of death from their hospice nurse. Few studies have been conducted looking at the lived experiences of home hospice families that have received a visit at the time of death from hospice. To better meet these families’ needs, the researcher conducted a study to explore and better understand their lived experiences. A qualitative phenomenological …

A Faith-Based Approach To Promote African American Healthy Heart Behaviors, Gwendolyn Gaston

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More than 100 million American people have some form of cardiovascular disease. African American life expectancy is 3.4 years shorter than that of Caucasians, with an estimated 32% difference in cardiovascular disease mortality between Caucasian and African American men and a 43% difference between Caucasian and African American women. The purpose of this project was to utilize a faith-based approach in developing a heart-healthy program for addressing health disparities in an African American Baptist Church. The program focused on improving cardiovascular health literacy and addressing modifiable risk factors. The results of this project revealed that African Americans need interventions to …

The Effect Of Breastfeeding Education In African American Women On Initiation And Duration Of Breastfeeding, Shalawn F. Harris

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

This Doctor of Nursing Practice scholarly project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of breastfeeding education in African American women on the initiation and duration of breastfeeding. Studies demonstrated that breastfeeding education by providers and a breastfeeding support network positively influenced breastfeeding initiation and continuation in African American women. Breastfeeding education containing information on the decreased risk of breast cancer in African American women may be an even greater motivator for breastfeeding. Participants for this project were African American women, ages 18–50, in their last trimester of pregnancy. The project was approved to be implemented at an urban clinic in …

Perceptions Of Migrant And Seasonal Head Start Parents About Childhood Vision Care Utilization, Felicia R. Thomas

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The benefits of pediatric vision screening for very young children is not a new concept. However, not all children receive this valuable preventative intervention, or they do not receive an evaluation or examination to rule out or treat common visual refractive errors. This Doctor of Nursing Project sought to identify factors that impact a parent’s failure to follow up on recommendations for further evaluation or treatment following their child’s failed vision screening. The project utilized a phenomenological study to assess Migrant and Seasonal Head Start parents’ perceptions about their perceptions of the need for preventative vision screening and care. Three …

A Systematic Review Of Acuity-Based Staffing In Acute Healthcare Environments, Demitria Idella Stafford

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nursing leadership is responsible for considering the equity of patient care assignments when providing nursing care. Nursing leadership is responsible for assuring the delivery of patient care assignments with the intent to offer nurses an unbiased, evenly distributed patient load. Effective distribution of patient care assignments ensures patients receive the safest, most efficient, and highest quality of care. The purpose of this project was to provide nursing leadership with an executive summary of a systematic review of evidence-based research on the structure and process of making patient care assignments, and it provided evidence on how those patient care assignments affect …