Nursing Commons^™

Health Care Provider’S Perspectives Of A Woman’S Quality Of Life Facing Endometriosis And Infertility, Bridget Ford

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

This study assessed the quality of life of women with endometriosis and infertility issues through the perception of health care providers. The purpose was to increase awareness of the psychosocial aspect of endometriosis to encourage health care providers to incorporate the assessment of the mental health of women diagnosed with endometriosis into care, as well as their partners. The findings of the study showed the importance of providing holistic care to women with endometriosis related infertility and the vast impact endometriosis has on mental health, relationships, and in a woman’s daily life. Implications for nurses as a result of the …

Community Outreach And Education Project: Hepatitis A And B Vaccines In High Risk Populations, Ellen Wright

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

The Community Outreach and Education Project targets high risk groups within Gaston County to increase education and vaccination against Hepatitis to, in turn, lower countywide Hepatitis rates. Through implementation of the project, Gaston County Department of Health and Human Services-Public Health (GCDHHS-PH) will partner with Community sponsors to gain access to their high-risk clients. Sponsors will be educated on the impact of prompt intervention in slowing the spread of hepatitis throughout high risk groups. Once an agreement is made between GCDHHS-PH and Community sponsors, GCDHHS-PH will present to participating facilities and begin screening, educating, and vaccinating high-risk individuals.

Improving The Relationship Between Emergency Nurses And The Behavioral Health Patient, Alea Bundy

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

There is an increasing number of behavioral health patients entering through the emergency department for behavioral health treatment and crisis intervention every day. Workplace violence against nurses has also increased leaving some nurses feeling anxious and fearful of interactions with behavioral health patients. The increase of behavioral health patients and unstable situations have created a gap in communications and has strained the nurse patient relationship yielding poor patient outcomes. The purpose of this project is to educate nurses on the care of the behavioral health patients and improve nurse-patient relationships for better outcomes for the patient. The framework for this …

Postpartum Depression In Military Mothers:Active Duty And Partners Of Active Duty Service Members, Amanda Willis

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common complication of pregnancy. Active duty mothers and mothers with active duty spouses have a unique risk factor, deployment. Military mothers may receive PPD education prenatally and during postpartum visits if necessary. This project created a postpartum depression video that was mandatory for mothers to watch before they were discharged from the postpartum unit after the delivery of their baby. Early education and treatment are the key to managing PPD in all mothers. The mothers were surveyed at their postpartum office visits to evaluate effectiveness of video.

Debriefing Emergency Department Nurses During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jessica Hailstock

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

This study examined the consequences of increased stress experienced by emergency department nurses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal was to acknowledge that this particular population of nurses already experience high levels of stress and that being on the frontlines of healthcare during a pandemic exacerbates the issue. Nursing leaders within the emergency department must acknowledge and monitor the nurses’ stress. Findings suggest that debriefing led by qualified individuals is a powerful intervention to combat the negative effects of stress.

Gratitude Journaling As Intervention To Combat Nurse Burnout In Cardiac Surgery Intensive Care Nurses, Melinda Simpson

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

As a practicing registered nurse in the intensive care setting, this researcher witnessed an episode of burnout characterized by a public meltdown, crying, and yelling. This sparked an interest in an intervention to combat nurse burnout. Literature was found on gratitude which has been found to increase resiliency. An increase in resiliency, in various populations, has been found to decrease perceived stress and feelings of burnout. This researcher investigated the use of gratitude journaling for 21 days as means to decrease perceived stress and feelings of burnout while increasing gratitude and resiliency. The PSS, GQ, BRS, & BBI tools were …

New Nurse Graduate Mentoring: An Early Implementation Program, Stacy Inman

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

Mentoring of new nurse graduates is an opportunity for our future nurses to grow and evolve. This concept is growing in popularity and has proven effective in retention of new nurses as well as improved staff satisfaction. Many mentoring programs for new nurse graduates begin at one year of employment, which leaves open the crucial turning point of transitioning from academia to professional practice. New nurse graduates are vulnerable at this stage of transition and an effective mentoring relationship can help the new graduate gain confidence in the profession of nursing.

Proposal Of The Need For Mental Health First Aid Training Of Associate Degree Nursing Faculty In A Community College Setting, Amy Kelly

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

Mental health issues are on the rise among students in universities as well as community colleges. College can be a stressful time in many people’s lives especially when the added demand of work and family are involved. Community colleges and universities use counseling services for their mental health needs but sometimes the services are not used due to the stigma that comes along with mental health. Nursing school can be a challenging time for students because of the rigorous training and workload. This project poses to implement Mental Health First Aid Training (MHFA) for faculty and staff of a nursing …

Clinical Grading Rubric And Interrater Reliability, Stephanie F. Lunsford

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

Clinical documentation is an integral part of the nursing curriculum. Nursing students utilize clinical documentation to reflect on weekly clinical experiences and clinical instructors grade this clinical documentation to view the students understanding of the experience and the nursing process. As the student progresses, the documentation changes to a more critical thinking piece of the student’s advancement toward their future work experience. Grading of clinical documentation can be challenging and often leads to poor self-efficacy of the instructor as well as the student. It has been known that students are often given the benefit of the doubt and passed when …

Correlational Impact Of Workload, Teamwork And Retention Rate For Clinical Nursing Units, Phillip J. Nutter

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

Healthcare organizations face an impending shortage of over one million nurses. Staff turnover adds costs to healthcare and decreases the morale of the unit. Teamwork has been shown to be related to engagement as engagement has been shown to be related to retention. Understanding how teamwork mitigates increasing workload at the unit level is critical to reducing turnover at the nursing unit level. This research explored relationships between teamwork and productivity and teamwork and retention rates for nurses. The Neuman Systems Model was used as the framework to guide this retrospective correlational analysis with teamwork as a flexible line of …

Reducing Nurses' Communication Anxiety During End Of Life Care, Susan Dunbar Wolfrom

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

End of life (EOL) conversations are meaningful discussions pertaining to the patient’s disease trajectory, symptom management, and the patient’s goals at end of life. End of life care discussions have been associated with many benefits for the patient including: decreased healthcare costs, less aggressive treatments at EOL, and a good death. These sensitive discussions must occur over the course of several interactions or spontaneously in the moment in order to support the patient during delicate moments. This makes the nurse the prime candidate to help facilitate and harbor these discussions. However, barriers to communication exist, leading to the omission of …

Communication Within The Perioperative Department, Leah Quinn

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

No abstract provided

Preparing The Nurse Aide I Student For The Workplace: Combating Burnout And Compassion Fatigue, Patrice Staley

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

Abstract not available

Raising Awareness Of Eating Disorders In The High School System: A Community Program Project, Dara Puryear

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

No abstract available

Front-Line Nurse Manager Succession Planning: Building And Promoting Strong Nurse Leaders Through Implementation Of A Nurse Manager Development Program, Melany Boyd

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

Succession planning plays a pivotal role in the infrastructure of any company. Succession planning is designed to identify individuals with potential and prepare them as successors when the current leader vacates their position. With the ageing nurse population, increased role demand, and lack of interest from incoming nurses there is an increase in nurse leader (particularly nurse managers) vacancies. Through the implementation of a Nurse Manager Development Program, executives have the opportunity to strengthen the nurse manager pipeline and promote succession planning through early identification of potential leaders and placing those individuals through a 3-month program that focuses on the …

Shared Governance Council: Improving Staff And Patient Satisfaction, Haley O'Brien Hall

Master of Science in Nursing Theses and Projects

Due to the decreased staff and patient satisfaction on one post-operative unit, the author has developed a project plan to establish a unit specific Self Governance (SG) committee to improve staff and patient satisfaction. One SG committee and two councils will be formed giving all staff the opportunity to be a voice for change on their unit. The committee is focused on building and maintaining each council. One council will focus on staff satisfaction and one council will focus on patient satisfaction. The progress and outcomes of each committee and council will be evaluated in three ways: staff surveys, patient …

Students’ Knowledge Of Alzheimer’S Disease, D'Anna Helms

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Preparing nursing students to care for the ever-growing aging population with memory impairment is vital. This research study aimed to determine the prevalence of knowledge of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) among Baccalaureate nursing students. A descriptive correlational design was used to determine the prevalence of AD knowledge among juniors in an Adult I course and seniors in a Mental Health nursing course. A cross-sectional design was used to collect data using the Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (ADKS). A convenience sample of 63 student cohorts completed the survey. Results indicated that students were aware that AD is a form of dementia; however, …

Assessment Of Intensive Care Family Satisfaction, Jami Burnette

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

There continues to be an unknown factor in knowing true patient and family satisfaction within the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. Current literature reveals surveys used to measure patient satisfaction do not pertain to the ICU setting. Patients often do not remember the ICU stay due to critical illness and are unable to actively participate with care. Families act as surrogates, are included in patient care, and collaborate with nursing and medical teams to help make care decisions. Families are integral in the patient care process and are vital members of the health care team. Even though families are included …

Implementing Safeplan: A Communication Template For Emergency Nurses Caring For Psychiatric Patients, Michele Leigh Rudisill

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This DNP Project explored the impact of introducing a communication template for emergency department (ED) nurses to use during handoff when caring for psychiatric patients. This need was identified as ED nurses are now caring for psychiatric patients for longer periods of time in the ED setting, sometimes weeks to months, due to limited inpatient mental health resources and resources in the community. ED nurses’ perceptions were surveyed and the need for a standardized, yet flexible communication template was identified. The literature was reviewed, and no such template was identified specific to ED nurses caring for the psychiatric patient population. …

Simulation Impact On Medication Administration Safety: A Simulation Quality Improvement Project, Stacy Simpson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Two medication simulations increasing in rigor, patient acuity, and distractions were implemented among undergraduate nursing students.

Objectives: To increase nursing student confidence, knowledge, and competence when administering medications.

Design: Two medication administration simulations were implemented and data was collected from students via a pre-simulation quiz, observation during the simulation via a Clinical Simulation Evaluation Tool, and student evaluation of the simulation with a modified version of the Simulation Evaluation Tool Likert scale.

Settings: Gaston Community College nursing simulation lab.

Participants: 53 undergraduate nursing students enrolled in NUR 101 and 42 students in NUR 102 …

Work Well: Promoting Health Behaviors And Self-Care Amongst Public School Faculty, Staff, & Administrators, Sherri Smith

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Workplace wellness is a critical aspect within an organization. Failure to encourage and meet the wellness needs of staff can lead to increased absenteeism, decreased productivity, as well as increased stress levels. Improved workplace wellness in an academic setting has not only potential positive impact on employees but also the students they teach. Evidence shows that implementing wellness initiatives in academic settings has the potential to improve the overall wellbeing of teachers as well as students. Interventions include a Walkabout Challenge, a Caring Peer Group, and education. The interventions are an effort to improve self-care habits amongst faculty and staff …

Enhancing Teamwork In Nursing Students, Heather Rawson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to equip senior practical nursing students (n = 11) with the skills needed to increase their feelings of preparedness to join an intradisciplinary team in the workplace after graduation. This project utilized a pre-test/post-test design using TeamSTEPPS^® Teamwork Attitudes Questionnaire (T-TAQ) to determine if participation in TeamSTEPPS^® training and a simulation exercise enhanced perception of teamwork in senior practical nursing students. A paired t-test was performed to analyze the data collected from the questionnaires acquired before and after the TeamSTEPPS^® training. The results showed a t-value of 8.49, greater than …

Suicidal Risk Education In Hospice Care, Shannon Jones

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

It is well-documented that oncology patients experience greater rates of suicidality including suicidal ideation, actions, or completions, as compared to the general population. The small, rural county which was the setting for this project has a higher rate of lung and colon cancers as compared to regional, state, and national rates. A review of the literature revealed best practices for suicide screening including universal education and screening and targeted education and screening for at-risk populations. The rate for suicides in the county is also higher than the rates for the region, state, and nation. The purpose of this project was …

Civility Promotion: How It Affects Workplace Incivility, Shawanda Lang

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Incivility is also known as uncivil behavior, horizontal violence, or bullying. These terms are often used to describe the conduct an individual may display toward another that are deemed undesirable in healthcare organizations. Uncivil behavior has been an increasing topic in healthcare and has consequently gained the attention of organizations such as the American Nurses Association and regulatory agencies such as The Joint Commission. Incivility has the opportunity to affect teamwork, individual well-being, and patient safety. The aim of this project was to promote civility by bringing knowledge and awareness of the participants through an educational series. Although the pre …

Equipping Early Childhood Educators To Manage "Behaviors That Challenge" In The Early Childhood Years, Shanna Scott

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

This scholarly project pursues the development, implementation, and evaluation of techniques to help improve the health and well-being of children ages 1-5, who have difficulties with challenging behaviors, to effectively manage stress and boost resilience through the incorporation of music and educational techniques of the early childhood educator.

This paper will discuss the positive or negative outcomes on external factors affecting child health, such as economic, judicial, societal, cultural, cognitive development, parental separation, and mental health concerns of all members of the family. It will also discuss the positive effects educational strategies and music can have on young children experiencing …

Preparing Ambulatory Care Leaders For Service: Onboarding To Mentorship, Kara Simpson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

At a large academic medical center in the Southeastern United States, a gap was identified in the process for onboarding and mentorship new leaders in the ambulatory care setting. Based on the evidence in the literature, a standardized onboarding and mentorship program can improve job satisfaction and retention of leaders. A program was developed to bridge this gap and provide educational support for new leaders. Participants completed surveys at the onset and conclusion of the program with a validated survey tool. While the quantitative results were not statistically significant, the feedback from the participants indicated the time spent in the …

Improving Workplace Incivility By Educating Frontline Nurse Leaders: The Charge Nurse, Temika Ford

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The term workplace incivility is often replaced interchangeably with workplace bullying, horizontal/lateral violence, psychosocial harassment, intimidating behavior, and/or aggression (micro/macro). Workplace incivility in nursing has lasting effects on the profession through worsening the nursing shortage, contributing to low morale, negative working environments, safety issues for staff and patients, stress-related health problems, absenteeism, and decreased quality of patient care. Incivility can be from a variety of sources including: Nurse managers, clinical team leads, unit coordinators, physicians, patients, and other healthcare professionals. Buy-in by nursing executive leadership and evidence-based education for nurses is mandatory to address organizational incivility.

The purpose of this …