Nursing Commons^™

The Relationship Between Exercise And Compassion Fatigue In Nurses, Cynthia Harrill Yeargin

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Nurses in today’s healthcare arena face numerous challenges and demands from the organization, personally, professionally, and their patients. These pressures can culminate into the development of compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue (CF) has been defined as a combination of physical, emotional, and spiritual depletion associated with caring for patients. Compassion fatigue is linked to increased turnover, decreased teammate engagement, and poor clinical performance. The purpose of this thesis was to assess the prevalence of CF among nurses, and to determine if a relationship exists between CF and amount exercised each week. The organizing framework was based on Kolcaba’s Theory of Comfort. …

Correlation Between Self-Appraisal And Measured Risk For Prediabetes, Amanda Sowell

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

One-third of adults in the United States have prediabetes and 90% of those individuals are unaware they have the disease. Prediabetes is a disease where blood sugar levels are higher than normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed as prediabetes. The purpose of this thesis was to identify adults at risk for prediabetes in a rural community setting, and explore the relationship between adults’ perceived risk for prediabetes and actual measured risk for prediabetes as determined by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) Prediabetes Screening Test. The organizing framework was based on Betty Neuman’s systems model. The participants of …

Intuition In Nursing: Correlation With Area Of Practice And Years Of Experience In Registered Nurses In A Rural, Community Hospital, Leah Frady

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This study assessed the levels of intuition in nursing in relation to area of practice and years of experience. The goal was to provide data indicating whether or not levels of nursing intuition is affected by area of practice and years of experience in nursing. No relationship was found in regard to levels of intuition in nursing, area of practice, and years of nursing experience. Implications for nurse educators and nurse managers based on this finding suggested the importance of knowing the competency levels and intuitive abilities of nursing staff to help in the decision-making process of initial and ongoing …

Nurse Workloads: The Relationship Between Nurse Compassion Satisfaction And Burnout, Lisa M. Greene

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Nurses face a wide variety of challenges and demands while caring for their patients and families. While nurses are an important part of healthcare, both for their compassion and care and for their skills at the bedside, they can become stressed and burned out. Compassion satisfaction is essential for nurses in today’s society. Compassion satisfaction has been defined as the pleasure an individual derives from being able to help others and do their work to the best of their ability. The lack of compassion satisfaction can lead to compassion fatigue. Compassion fatigue affects the care provided to patients. Compassion fatigue …

Stress And Social Media: Implications For Nurses' Quality Of Life, Crystal A. Goodman

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This study sought to explore relationships between nurse stress, social media use, and emotional wellbeing. Social media being such a popular trend, has been studied a lot in recent years to determine impacts on health. Nurses are also impacted by this societal trend and research has not focused on this particular group to see how it impacts their emotional wellbeing. The framework for this research was Cognitive-Relational Theory and Margaret Newman’s Theory of Expanding Consciousness. A review of literature was performed to gather data on direct care nurse stress, social media use, coping mechanisms, quality of life, and strategies for …

The Effects Of Watson’S Theory Of Human Caring On The Nurse Perception And Utilization Of Caring Attributes And The Impact On Nurse Communication, Mary Owens Mcmillan

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to create a profile of nurses who utilize Jean Watson’s caritas processes and acknowledge caring by forming transpersonal caring relationships with all patients. In an acute care, 468-bed healthcare organization located in southeastern United States, on five adult medical surgical units, an overall score of 52% existed on the nurse communication domain within the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey. This score was well below the national top box of the 76th percentile set for the domain of nurse communication. Within the five units selected, 67 nurse participants completed a …

Effects Of Engaging Hospitalized Heart Failure Patients In A Self-Care Management Protocol On Self-Care Self-Confidence Levels, Michele Denise Blakely

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Delivering high quality heart failure (HF) management and education to empower patients to manage successfully in the community is imperative. Common trends observed impacting HF patients and concerning inpatient nurses on a medical cardiology unit were identified and discussed. Understanding accessing and adhering to a low salt diet, fluid restriction, and daily weights were all commonly identified challenges by direct care nurses of HF patients. Nurses reported increased frustration with patients not knowing or possessing little awareness of their fluid restriction or how to manage or articulate restrictions during the inpatient stay. Nurses felt intake and output (I&O) and daily …

Patient Safety In The Ambulatory Oncology Environment: A Teamstepps® Journey, Tammi Phelps Hick

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Problem: Children have reported that pain and anxiety were the most difficult part of hospitalization, and under treatment of pain and anxiety can have short and long term effects on health outcomes. Most healthcare professionals recognize a link between emotional health and physical health, but this may be especially true for pediatric patients who may not be able to marshal adequate coping skills due to their developmental age. Providing age appropriate alternatives, such as distraction therapy, may result in less invasive treatments for pediatric patients. Distraction therapy is an effective non-pharmacological intervention that is often under-utilized in the acute care …

The Calm Project: Teaching Mindfulness Meditation In Primary Care Using Computer-Based Application, Vanessa Norton

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Mindfulness-based interventions (MBI) have been studied extensively and the evidence is now credible that even brief techniques, delivered electronically using web-based applications (apps), easily accessed by smart phone, computer, or tablet, are consistently effective at anxiety reduction as well demonstrating efficacy in other commonly occurring comorbidities such as depression, stress, and panic symptoms. The purpose of this DNP project was to examine feasibility and the effect of the app, Calm.com, on anxious adult patients in primary care, using the Recovery Alliance Theory as its theoretical foundation. This pilot study was longitudinal, using a pre-test/post-test measurement of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder …

Demographic Factors That Correlate With Adherence To Hemodialysis Treatment Regimen, Brittany Ross

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Background: Research has shown that non-adherence to the recommended treatment regimen in patients with chronic health conditions such as end stage renal disease can have detrimental consequences such as cardiac enlargement, difficulty breathing, cardiac arrest, and death. Several studies have shown a patient’s age, marital status, gender, and family support can affect adherence to treatment regimen in hemodialysis patients. Purpose: The goal of this study was to provide insight into the demographic factors that correlate with adherence to treatment regimen in hemodialysis patients. Method: This research study consisted of a retrospective chart review of 75 charts of chronic outpatient hemodialysis …

The Effect Of Patient Activation On Transition Clinic Adherence, Megan Sue Mcgraw

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Heart failure (HF) affects more than 5 million Americans and is one of the most commonly occurring reasons for admission to the hospital among adults aged 65 and over. Evidence is growing that the higher amount of patient engagement or activation, the better the health and cost outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine if there was a relationship between a higher patient activation score, as determined by the PAM-10, and completion in the heart failure transition clinic. The design for this study was a quantitative descriptive study. The patients were given the questionnaire prior to discharge from …

Hospice And Palliative Care: Imperative To The Education Of Nursing, Crystal Lynn Jordan

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Many advanced practice nursing programs do not have hospice and palliative care content included in their curricula. Reviewing the literature regarding the nature of hospice and palliative care content in advanced practice nursing curricula revealed few published studies. Rather than a small snapshot of what end-of-life care entails, it is vital to integrate end-of-life care into every aspect taught in advance practice nursing school. The purpose of this thesis was ascertain the nature of hospice and palliative care content contained in advanced practice nursing curricula. A survey was sent to advance practice nursing program directors asking for information related to …

Bsn Students’ Satisfaction And Self-Confidence In Simulation-Based Learning, Aubrey Winum

Undergraduate Honors Theses

As nurse educators prepare students to enter the real world, they are challenged to create learning methods that develop confident and competent nurses. While new graduate nurses have much to learn, they are expected to be able to work as a team, think critically, and provide a safe environment for patients. A nursing program at a small, liberal arts college in the Foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains utilized simulation-based learning experiences to prepare students for the many situations they may face as a future nurse. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact these experiences had on …

Senior Bsn Students’ Confidence, Comfort, And Perception Of Readiness For Practice, Megan Ashley Wray

Undergraduate Honors Theses

In order for new graduate nurses to practice confidently, senior nursing students must be adequately prepared to assume the role of a nurse in a professional setting. This study, using the Casey-Fink Readiness for Practice Survey, focused on identifying senior Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students’ level of comfort/confidence performing various skills and perception of readiness for practice as new graduate nurses. All participants had recently completed their senior preceptorship course. Participants completed the survey and descriptive statistics were used to analyze data, while free response answers were studied and key words were identified to categorize responses into themes. …

Move More, Stress Less: Exploring The Relationship Between Physical Activity And Test Anxiety In Undergraduate Nursing Students, Ashleigh Cleveland

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between physical activity and test anxiety in undergraduate baccalaureate nursing students. Participants (N=69) were first, second, and third year undergraduate nursing students at a small, private university in the southeastern United States. The Westside Test Anxiety Scale was administered along with questions regarding the type of physical activity performed each week and the number of minutes of physical activity performed each week. A Pearson r correlation coefficient and descriptive statistics were analyzed. Results were inconclusive regarding the relationship between physical activity and test anxiety. Survey results indicated 97% of students …

Job Satisfaction And Stress Level Of The Occupational Health Nurse, Angela Ballard

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Occupational health nursing is a specialized field of nursing, employing only about 1% of total U.S. nurses (Moore & Moore, 2014). For this reason, it is often difficult to recruit prospective occupational health nurses (OHN). The need for OHN has grown in the auto industry in 2014 and 2015 due to increased production rates. It is important to determine whether or not current OHN, specifically in the auto manufacturing field, are satisfied and plan to stay in their current positions. Identifying reasons for job stress and job satisfaction helps leadership to correct deficiencies and develop and maintain a positive work …

The Correlation Between Satisfaction With Nursing Orientation And The Number Of Preceptors Utilized, Alessia H. Parker

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The satisfaction of new graduate nurses with hospital orientation may impact job satisfaction, retention, and the ability of healthcare facilities to develop proficient nurses. Preceptors are an integral part of nursing orientation and the use of one or multiple preceptors during new graduate nurse orientation is discussed in previous research studies with varying results. Some study participants value using a minimal number of preceptors, while other new graduate nurses enjoy the variety of having multiple preceptors. The purpose of this thesis was to examine the effect of orienting with one or multiple preceptors on the degree of satisfaction with the …

Inpatient Diabetes Management Readiness: For The Nurse, When Does It Begin?, Lisa Haynes

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

It is the bedside nurse that spends the most time and effort managing symptoms of the diabetic patient during the course of a hospitalization. With the goal of optimal blood sugar levels of each patient to promote healing and wellbeing, this task can be quiet daunting. It is imperative for the acute care nurse to acquire a competency level of diabetes management that exhibits evidence-based practice, regardless of length of work experience, in order for patients to receive excellent care. This research studied the level of comfort, familiarity, and knowledge of new nurse graduates while answering the question, “When does …

The Effects Of Preoperative Education On Readmission Rates For Total Joint Arthroplasties, Michele Gobble

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Background: Primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are two of the most successful procedures performed in orthopedics. The demand for these procedures is estimated to grow 174% for THAs and 673% for TKAs by 2030, which will have a valued bill of almost $50 billion for Medicare. The bundled payment plan is a way to reduce costs for these procedures, where an estimated 35% of the bill is related to post-discharge care (Schaeffer et al., 2015, p. 723).

Review of the Literature: In 2015, this healthcare reform began including readmission penalties for patients readmitted within 30 …

The Relationship Between The Nurses’ Perception Of The Practice Environment And Patients’ Satisfaction, Shalonda Brown

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Nurses’ practice environments contribute to patient satisfaction. The practice environment is influenced by work design, workforce development, organizational management practices, and culture. Each of these influential factors is significant to how patients perceive how their treatment as a person and their nursing care. The purpose of this study was to examine the nurse practice environment and determine its impact on patients’ satisfaction with care during hospitalization. The objective was to analyze the collected data and use it to gain insight and heighten awareness of how various aspects of the nurse practice environment directly and indirectly impact the patient experience. A …

Socio-Demographics And Exclusive Breastfeeding In The Medicaid/Women Infant And Children (Wic) Population In Spartanburg County, April D. Miller

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Breast milk is recognized as the optimal source of nutrition for infants because of its unique nutritional and immunological characteristics. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of an infant’s life. "Exclusive breastfeeding (EBF)" is defined as no other food or drink except breast milk for the first six months of life. Despite its countless benefits to children and mothers, the continuation rates of exclusive breastfeeding are low in the United States, especially in the Medicaid/Women Infant and Children population. It is vital to understand how multiple factors affect breastfeeding practices in order to …

Nurse Preceptors' Perceptions Of Preparedness In The Preceptor Role, Ebony Phillips

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Healthcare is multifaceted with complicated illnesses that require aggressive treatments and therapies. Caring for patients with these illnesses has become progressively difficult due to the nursing shortage, high turnover rates, and lack of competence and critical thinking, which impacts quality care and outcomes. To enhance the knowledge of the nurses, preceptors are an essential part the orientation experience. Therefore, preceptors’ perceptions of preparedness influence the effectiveness of the role. Appropriate preparation provides them with the knowledge needed to meet learning needs. The aim of this study was to explore preceptors’ perceptions of preparedness in the preceptor role. The perceptions of …

The Impact Of Short Papers On Clinical Decision Making Skills Of Nursing Students, Tara R. Hayes

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Clinical decision making and critical thinking are fundamental skills to ensuring the success of undergraduate nursing students. Nursing faculty, and specifically clinical nursing faculty, are responsible for encouraging the development of these types of skills as students work in direct patient care. Traditional methods of clinical evaluation include lengthy case studies, concept mapping, and discussion board participation. While these methods have been in effect for some time, clinical short paper assignments are a fresh, innovative way to challenge students as they refine their critical thinking and clinical decision making abilities. No statistically significant difference was found between the perceived level …

Depression Scores In Males And Females With Copd, Cynthia Southers

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of participation in a pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) program on depressions scores in persons with COPD and if there is a difference between males and females in depression scores prior to and following participation in a pulmonary rehabilitation program. The literature review supported multiple factors on how participating in a pulmonary rehabilitation program can have a positive effect on depression scores. The study utilized a descriptive design with a retrospective chart review. The quantitative descriptive design identified variables and examined the differences in males and females with COPD using pre- and …

The Effects Of A Brief Mindfulness-Based Meditation Intervention On Chronic Pain, Jolena B. Allred

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

As the number of individuals suffering with chronic pain escalates, management is shifting from pain specialists to primary care providers. Nurse practitioners are becoming increasingly responsible for the management of this complex patient population. Analgesics, primarily opioids, have been the standard of chronic pain management with a resulting national crisis related to overuse, improper use, and illegal use of these substances. Mindfulness-based meditation has gained increasing interest and acceptance by both the individuals suffering with chronic pain and the providers managing those who suffer, however, limited investigation is available related to brief interventions provided at point-of-care. This Capstone Project evaluated …

Compassion Fatigue: Exploring The Impact On Emergency Department Nurses, Lauren E. Pittman

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this thesis project was to explore levels of compassion fatigue in emergency department nurses. Compassion fatigue has directly affected many nurses’ lives as well as impacting the field of nursing in various ways. Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring served as the theoretical framework for the study. The literature maintains that the prevalence of compassion fatigue has been established, yet severity varies among institutions and specialties. A quantitative study to determine the level of compassion fatigue in ED nurses was conducted by utilizing a group on the social media site Facebook that is specific to travel nurses …

Stemi Gender Differences, Rhonda Anderson

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to look at gender differences in a ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), in a population from a large tertiary hospital over one year and three months period to see if there were differences in female and male population. Looking at the time of onset of symptoms to time in seeking treatment and to see if this had an impact on morbidity, treatment modalities, and length of stay in the hospital. The time of onset of symptoms to time of treatment is important because of the time-dependent nature of reperfusion strategies. This can minimize myocardial …

Lived Experiences Of Individuals With End-Stage Renal Disease On Peritoneal Dialysis, Jessica W. Airheart

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a prevalent condition among the elderly population in the United States. ESRD is the most feared stage of chronic kidney disease (CKD), as it is a terminal diagnosis requiring long-term management. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is the most common method of home-dialysis treatment for individuals with ESRD. The purpose of this research is to gain insight into patient experiences of integrating PD therapy into daily lifestyle for a selected sample of people diagnosed with ESRD and currently on PD therapy. The research questions addressed include: how decisions about ESRD treatment options are made, choosing between PD …

Simulation In Orientation: Increasing Nurses' Self-Confidence In Hospital Equipment, Policies, And Procedures, Haley Wilmoth

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Simulation provides a safe environment for the nurse to practice and learn new skills in a safe and controlled manner. This allows a novice nurse to advance to an expert level without placing a patient at harm and increasing self-confidence at the bedside. The purpose of the Orientation Simulation Study is to evaluate the effectiveness of simulation on self-confidence on new hire nursing staff when learning how to use the hospital Heparin Nomogram and dose mode on the IV pump. The study was conducted over four months with 18 nurses surveyed using a pre- and post-Likert scale called the Confidence …

Nclex-Rn Success: Correlation Study Of Ati Comprehensive Predictor In An Associate Degree Nursing Program, Wanda L. Jenkins

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine the relationship between the ATI Comprehensive Predictor and NCLEX-RN success on first attempt for the ADN program at a consortium of three community colleges in the foothills of North Carolina. The population sample consisted of graduates from the associate degree consortium of three community colleges in the foothills of North Carolina in 2014-2015 that have made one attempt at NCLEX-RN. The total number of students included in the study was 111. The results were collected and analyzed utilizing the SPSS version 23 statistical system and a predictive spreadsheet to determine overall …