Nursing Commons^™

Role Of The Endocannabinoid System And Medical Cannabis, Sabrina Jarvis, Sean Rasmussen, Blaine Winters

Student Works

Our bodies produce substances called endocannabinoids which attach to receptors within the endocannabinoid system (ECS) impacting physiological processes on a daily basis. The cannabis plant contains over 100 different cannabinoids which also manipulate the ECS. Knowledge about these interactions have led to an increase in cannabis based pharmacological studies. Providers should have a basic understanding about how the ECS works and how cannabis is being used to treat certain illnesses. This article presents what is currently known about the ECS and how cannabis based medicines impact it, as well as the current laws providers need know regarding cannabis use.

Critical-Care Nurses' Suggestions To Improve End-Of-Life Care Obstacles: Minimal Change Over 17 Years, Kacie Hart Hadley

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Critical-care nurses (CCN) provide end-of life (EOL) care on a daily basis as one in five patients dies while in Intensive Care Units (ICU). CCNs overcome many obstacles to perform quality EOL care for dying patients. Objectives: The purposes of this study were to collect CCNs' current suggestions for improving EOL care and determine if EOL care obstacles have changed by comparing results to data gathered in 1998. Methods: A 72-item questionnaire regarding EOL care perceptions was mailed to a national, geographically dispersed, random sample of 2,000 members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses. Nurses were asked for …

Organizational Learning In Health Systems, Bret Lyman

BYU Research Development Office Research Networking Conference

Research about organizational learning, health systems, cognition, and patient-centered care.

Intimate Partner Violence: The Best Of Primary Prevention Strategies, Sarah Roberts

Student Works

This workshop series is designed as a tool to help prevent the pervasive issue of Intimate Partner Violence. The individual workshops focus on the promotion of empowerment, positive communication, gender equality and on building relationship skills between men and women. They also provide opportunities for participants to examine their values and attitudes towards gender and relationships, to build on their knowledge on aspects of sexuality and to develop skills to help them communicate with others and ensure that they are communicating what they desire. The workshops are based on participatory learning approaches as research demonstrates that this method is more …

Comparison Of Testosterone Replacement Therapy Medications In The Treatment Of Hypogonadism, Christopher M. Williams, Donna S. Freeborn, Karlen Luthy

Student Works

Hypogonadism is one of the most common endocrinologic syndromes seen in clinical practice. Testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) is one possible treatment option for men with hypogonadism. When TRT is a viable treatment option, routes of administration, effectiveness, patient compliance, cost, and potential side effects should be carefully considered by the Nurse Practitioner. In the United States TRT is available via intramuscular, nasal, buccal, and topical routes. All transdermal testosterone is the most effective when regulating testosterone levels. Depotestosterone, an injectable form of testosterone, promotes patient compliance, is considered safe, and is affordable. Nurse Practitioners should initiate TRT with Depotestosterone.

Breast Cancer Risk Assessment: Calculating Lifetime Risk Using The Tyrer-Cuzick Model, Deborah O. Himes Phd, Aprn-Bc, Beth E. Luthy, Aubri E. Root, Amanda Gammon

Faculty Publications

One size does not fit all for breast cancer screening. Early detection and prevention are most effective for those most at risk. Several United States organizations recommend offering annual screening breast magnetic resonance imaging in addition to mammography for women with > 20% lifetime risk for breast cancer using models that take extensive family history into account. The purpose of this article is to help nurse practitioners make critical decisions about breast cancer screening and referrals to genetic services for women based on their lifetime risk for breast cancer. This article reviews several software-based risk assessment models and provides instructions for …

Vaccination Policies Of Utah Family Practice Clinics, Karlen Beth Luthy, Levi R. Kohler, Janelle L B Macintosh, Lacey M. Eden, Renea L. Beckstrand, Emily L. Wright, Katherine Edmonds

Faculty Publications

Background and Purpose: The purpose of this study was to collect information regarding healthcare worker (HCW) vaccination policies in Utah family practice clinics. Methods: The study was conducted in Utah family practice clinics in the most densely populated counties in the state and was a cross-sectional descriptive design. Data were collected from 155 family practice clinic managers. Analyses included frequencies and percentages for quantitative items and a content analysis for open-ended items. Conclusions: HCWs are employed in environments where infectious diseases can be easily spread from person to person, thus, vaccinations can be instrumental in protecting the health of HCWs …

Nursing Informatics Research And Emerging Trends In 2015, Jane M. Carrington, Victoria Tiase, Nicolette Estrada, Kimberly D. Shea, Katherine M. Dudding, Brooke A. Finley, Christine Nibbelink, Ryan Jay Rasmussen, Monte L. Roberts

Faculty Publications

This article presents the annual project where we search the literature to learn the advances made in nursing informatics research. The Nursing Informatics Year in Review project originated with the American Medical Informatics Association (AMIA)-Nursing Informatics Work Group (NIWG) as a regular presentation at the AMIA-NIWG Sunday meeting. This article reports on the findings from project year four, 2015, that was presented at the AMIA-NIWG meeting in San Francisco, CA, in November 2015. As with prior years of this project, we have read articles that have contributed to further development of the science. This article presents the results from our …

Exploring The Effect Of An Interdisciplinary Teamwork Intervention In Acute Rehabilitation, Julie K. Cope

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the efficacy of an interdisciplinary intervention on interdisciplinary teamwork and patient functional outcomes in an acute inpatient rehabilitation unit at a mid-sized regional hospital. Design: Pilot mixed-methods pre-post intervention study. Methods: Interdisciplinary teamwork and patient functional outcomes were measured before and after a teamwork intervention. Interdisciplinary teamwork was measured with the Healthcare Team Vitality Instrument (HTVI) and a qualitative staff questionnaire developed by a content expert. Patient functional outcomes were measured by aggregated Functional Independence Measure (FIM®) scores. Findings: Post-intervention FIM® gain scores increased significantly (p = .008). Staff questionnaire revealed …

Comparison Of Iron Supplementation And Albendazole On Anemia In Ghanaian Children, Megan M. Zitting

Theses and Dissertations

Half a billion school aged children suffer from anemia, with the majority of anemia caused by iron deficiency. Researchers have shown a strong correlation between low hemoglobin levels and presence of intestinal parasites in children with anemia. Childhood anemia has profound negative effects on physical growth, maturation, and cognitive development leading to poorer educational achievement. Using hemoglobin as a measure of anemia, this quasi-experimental study investigated impact of either iron supplementation or an antiparasitic medication on hemoglobin levels in two groups of children in a rural region of Eastern Ghana. Surprisingly, after a 6-month intervention period, hemoglobin levels in both …

Pediatric Icu Nurses' Suggestions Forimproving End-Of-Life Care, Jeremy Ratliff

Theses and Dissertations

Of the 34,000 children who die annually, over 28,000 are four years old or younger. Nurses working in pediatric intensive care units (PICU) provide end of life (EOL) care before, during, and after death of these children. The purpose of this study was to determine thesuggestions PICU nurses have for improving EOL care for dying pediatric patients and their families. A sample of 1047 PICU nurses, who were members of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN), were sent a 70-item questionnaire. One open ended item asked nurses to offer a suggestion for improving EOL care for dying PICU patients. …

Vaccination Perceptions Of Urban School Employees, Janelle L. B. Macintosh, Karlen E. Luthy, Katreena C. Merrill, Renea L. Beckstrand, Lacey M. Eden, Emily L. Wright

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to explore public school employee perceptions regarding vaccinations. Employees from 1 urban school district in Utah responded to the School Employees' Perception of Immunizations Questionnaire. Lack of perceived efficacy was the most common explanation for lack of seasonal influenza vaccine. Being unsure of need was the most common reason participants were unvaccinated for measles, mumps, and rubella. The most common reason for rejecting a mandatory vaccine policy was a perceived violation of personal freedoms. Nurse practitioners can positively influence the health of public school employees by ensuring they are properly vaccinated.

Promoting Adult Pertussis Vaccination In The Workplace, Karlen Beth Luthy, Jennifer L. Bainum, Renea L. Beckstrand, Janelle L B Macintosh, Lacey M. Eden, Brooke Saunders

Faculty Publications

Vaccines are an important disease prevention strategy among individuals of all age groups. Despite the success of vaccinations in preventing communicable diseases, adults, in particular, often have sub-optimal vaccination rates. Consequently, some vaccine-preventable diseases, such as pertussis, are still on the rise in the United States despite the availability of the Tdap vaccine. As most adults can be found in the workplace, occupational and environmental health nurses are in a unique position to encourage employers to promote adequate Tdap vaccination among their employees. As specific resources regarding Tdap vaccination are lacking, the Pertussis Prevention Toolkit was developed to help occupational …

Breast Cancer Risk Assessment: Evaluation Of Screening Tools For Genetics Referral, Maren Lothyan Zaro

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: This study assessed effectiveness of five tools recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), designed to help primary care clinicians determine which unaffected patients to refer to genetics specialists for breast cancer risk assessment based on concerning family history. Design: This descriptive secondary analysis included 85 women aged 40-74. All participants had a first-degree female relative previously diagnosed with breast cancer who also had uninformative negative BRCA1/2 tests. Methods: Each pedigree was evaluated using the five tools including the Family History Screen-7 (FHS-7), Pedigree Assessment Tool (PAT), Manchester Scoring System, Referral Screening Tool (RST), and Ontario-Family History …

Critical Care Nurses' Perceptions Of End-Of-Life Care: Comparative 17-Year Data, Nicole Lamoreaux

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: Nurses working in intensive care units (ICUs) frequently care for patients and their families at the end-of-life (EOL). Providing high quality EOL care is important for both patients and families, yet ICU nurses face many obstacles that hinder EOL care. Researchers have identified various ICU nurse-perceived obstacles, but no studies have been found addressing the progress that has been made over the last 17 years.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the most common and current obstacles in EOL care as perceived by ICU nurses and then to evaluate whether or not meaningful changes have occurred since data were first gathered in …

Breast Cancer Risk Perceptions Among Relatives Of Women With Uninformative Negative Brca1/2 Test Results: The Moderating Effect Of The Amount Of Shared Information, Deborah O. Himes Msn, Aprn-Bc, Margaret F. Clayton, Gary W. Donaldson, Lee Ellington, Saundra S. Buys, Anita Y. Kinney

Faculty Publications

The most common result of BRCA1/2 mutation testing when performed in a family without a previously identified mutation is an uninformative negative test result. Women in these families may have an increased risk for breast cancer because of mutations in non-BRCA breast cancer predisposition genes, including moderate- or low-risk genes, or shared environmental factors. Genetic counselors often encourage counselees to share information with family members, however it is unclear how much information counselees share and the impact that shared information may have on accuracy of risk perception in family members. We evaluated 85 sisters and daughters of women who received …

A Literature Review Of Barriers To Immunization In Preterm, Low-Birth-Weight And Very-Low Birth Weight Infants, Sandra Burkinshaw, Janelle L. B. Macintosh

Student Works

Approximately 500,000 infants are born each year prior to 37 weeks gestation in the United States. Despite the increased immunologic risk for infants born pre-term (PT), low birth weight (LBW), or very low birth weight (VLBW), infants in the neonatal intensive care unit are often under immunized, if they are immunized at all. Factors that have been identified to inhibit immunization uptake in the NICU population include: immunization effectiveness, safety and adverse events, provider belief, and policy guidelines regarding vaccination in this population. Providers caring for these vulnerable infants can increase the immunization rates by implementing evidenced based education, developing …

Minimizing Pain During Childhood Vaccination Injections: Improving Adherence To Vaccination Schedules, Lacey M. Eden, Janelle L.B. Macintosh, Karlen E. Luthy, Renea L. Beckstrand

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Pain experienced in childhood can lead to long-term and psychologically detrimental effects. Unfortunately, the most common pain experienced in childhood is caused by vaccinations and may lead to non-adherence to the recommended vaccination schedule. As a result, it is the health care provider’s responsibility to take measures to reduce vaccination pain; however, there are a plethora of pain relieving interventions during immunizations and it is unclear which interventions are most cost efficient, timely, and effective. Studies have been conducted to investigate the efficacy of different pain management interventions during vaccinations. This review evaluates various pain relieving interventions and provide health …

International Nursing Collaboration: Finland And Russia: 2013-2015, Leslie Miles

Journal of Undergraduate Research

1) Evaluation of how well the academic objectives of the proposal were met.

Twenty nursing students participated in this international collaboration in Russia and Finland, with two of the students in the role of research assistants (RA). One outcome was for students to be able to closely analyze other healthcare systems. These RAs utilized research principles by devising and editing a research questionnaire to collect quantitative and qualitative data about nursing student’s perceptions about international collaboration activities. In addition the students were mentored to analyze the data and compare to current literature. Several student presentations have resulted.

N404 Nursing Care Of The Diverse Veteran Population In Rural And Urban Settings, Ron Ulberg, Kent Blad

Journal of Undergraduate Research

Evaluation of how well the academic objectives of the proposal were met:

The academic objectives of the MEG proposal were met and exceeded. Specifically, students were exposed to local and national venues in which Veterans and their history are prevalent. Examples of this include visits by the students and faculty to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, VA Medical Center War Related Injury and Illness Study Center, Arlington National Cemetery, US Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Memorial, WW I Memorial, WW II Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Museum of American History, etc. We also met with Senator Mike Lee …

Immunization Status Of Nicu Graduates At A Tertiary Care Children's Hospital, Leslie Jane Huggins

Theses and Dissertations

The objectives of this study were to determine the current rates of immunization and identify variables associated with immunizations of NICU graduates who were 60 days of age or older at time of discharge. This is a descriptive pilot study utilizing retrospective paper chart review. The relationships between immunization status and study variables were examined using logistic regression. Of 43 infants discharged at least 60 days of age or older from the NICU, 74.4% were up to date for immunizations in accordance with AAP recommendations. Additional variables were not significant. Immunization needs to be a priority in order to give …

Child Suicide Screening Methods: Are We Asking The Right Questions? A Review Of The Literature And Recommendations For Practice, Arwen York, Barbara Heise, Brandon Thatcher

Student Works

Few suicide screening instruments are specifically designed for the 5 to 14 year-old age group. This paper reviews five currently available suicide screening tools that might be appropriate for use with children, evaluates the quality of these tools, and recommends which tools might be useful in primary care practice. To detect and prevent child suicide, primary care nurse practitioners must be committed to child-centered care, recognize that suicidal thoughts and behaviors can develop early in life, identify pertinent state and trait risk factors in children, have knowledge about the quality of available screening tools, and facilitate specialty care services.