Nursing Commons^™

Autologous Skin Cell Spray-Transplantation As An Innovative Alternative To Autologous Split- Thickness Skin Grafts For Deep Partial Thickness Burn Wounds: An Integrative Literature Review, Alexandria M. Beaudet

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Burn wounds tend to be a critical problem with a complicated healing process. Although advancements have been made and the treatment of burn wounds has improved significantly, the healing process for deep-partial thickness burn wounds remains problematic. The purpose of this thesis is to review the available literature on an innovate biotechnology, autologous skin cell-spray transplantation, to more effectively treat burn wounds and potentially other injuries in the future. This study was conducted by critically researching and comparing (N=7) peer-reviewed research articles focusing not only on burn wounds using traditional treatments, but also the treatment of burn wounds using revolutionary …

The Use Of Behavioral Pain Assessment Tools And Pain Outcomes In Nonverbal Patients, Patrick A. Healy

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Acute and critical care patients experience significantly more pain than those patients on a general nursing unit. Due to the severity of their condition, acute care patients may be nonverbal and unable to self-report their pain. Behavioral pain assessment tools are a method of objectively measuring pain in patients who are unable to communicate. While the use of these tools has been shown to improve short- and long-term outcome for patients, there is a paucity of evidence as to nurses' perceptions related to their use. The purpose of this study is to investigate acute care nurses' perceptions of the relationship …

Barriers And Facilitators To Accessing And Utilizing Mental Health Services For Homeless Youth: A Systematic Review, Abbygail P. Lapinski

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Homelessness in the youth population is associated with elevated rates of mental illness, substance abuse, and suicidality compared to the housed population in the United States (Berdahl, Hoyt, and Whitbeck, 2005; Hodgson, Shelton, Van den Bree, 2014; Hughes et al., 2010). With a survival-focused perspective, exacerbating issues, stigmatization, and transience housing; homeless youth require special consideration to meet their diverse health needs. When barriers impede homeless youth's access to necessary health resources, their health concerns are left untreated and impound until emergency services are required. This review of literature is focused on identifying and synthesizing barriers and facilitators for homeless …

Alpha Amylase As An Emerging Biomarker Of Microaspiration In Mechanically Ventilated Patients: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Chloe Chase

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Aims: The purpose of this thesis was to synthesize the current literature on alpha amylase as an emerging biomarker of microaspiration in mechanically ventilated patient.

Methods: The methodology included a review and synthesis of pertinent research articles from 1981-2018, written in English language. Criteria for inclusion in the review were all articles that evaluated α- amylase in tracheal secretions or bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) as a diagnostic tool for identifying microaspiration. The search yielded 11 studies that were reviewed.

Findings: The findings suggest that once aspiration occurs, the duration of α-amylase in the lungs requires further exploration to assist in …

Use Of Video-Enhanced Debriefing In Clinical Nursing Skill Acquisition: Indwelling Urinary Catheterization As An Exemplar, Erica Hoyt

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Nursing students struggle to acquire and maintain clinical psychomotor skills. Hiring agencies bear the cost of retraining graduate nurses inept with skills learned early in their nursing curriculum. Improperly performed clinical skills pose a risk to patient safety, resulting in pain and suffering for the patient. This empirical study aimed to determine if video-enhanced debriefing (VED) improved initial skill validation scores, skill feedback, satisfaction with learning, and reduced skill decay among first-semester, pre-licensure BSN students performing female indwelling urinary catheterization (IUC) in a simulated clinical setting compared to no debriefing. Participants received standard instruction, then video-recorded their IUC skill. Participants …

Evaluation Of Postoperative Air Leak And Chest Tube Drainage Systems After Pulmonary Resection, Kristina Jacobsen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Postoperative air leaks are the most common complication after a pulmonary resection. There is no data in the literature comparing the traditional and digital chest drainage system after a robotic-assisted pulmonary lobectomy. In 182 eligible patients, this retrospective study evaluated the association between digital and traditional drainage systems with postoperative chest tube days, hospital length of stay, chest tube reinsertion during hospitalization, and 30-day readmission for pneumothorax following a robotic-assisted lobectomy. The groups did not differ significantly in terms of age, gender, BMI, smoking, adhesions or neoadjuvant therapy. Patients with the digital drainage system had a mean chest tube duration …

The Psychosocial Effects Of Solid Organ Transplantation On Living Donors: A Literature Review, Christopher G. Evans

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Historically the source for most organ donations were from the cadavers of deceased donors. Over time living organ donation has become an important way to address the shortage of organ availability. The purpose of this literature review is to explore the psychosocial effect the organ donation process has on the living donor. The body's physiological response to organ donation had been well documented. However, the psychosocial effect of donation is now being more appreciated and studies are being done to try to elucidate the factors that can influence the living donor's response to the transplant pro The ultimate goal of …

Fall Risk Assessment In Community- Dwelling Older Adults: An Explanatory Sequential Mixed Methods Study, Maryann Dool

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Abstract

Aims: 1) To determine fall risk assessment using subjective and objective measures; 2) To understand older adults' perception on fall risk assessment.

Methodology: An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used and consisted of two phases. Phase 1, the quantitative data was collected from nineteen older adults at an independent living facility in Orlando, Florida. Phase 2, the qualitative data was collected from three participants of Phase 1. After obtaining Institutional Review Board approval, the study was conducted at Lutheran Towers an independent living facility located in the downtown area of Orlando, Florida. Three measurement tools were used: demographic …

The Efficacy Of Meditation-Based Treatments In Relapse Prevention For Persons With Substance Use Disorders, Florence C. Bates

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Substance abuse is a global problem that has contributed to a variety of societal, financial, health, and familial strains. An increasing prevalence of illicit drug, prescription opioids, and alcohol abuse has created a need for re-evaluation of recovery and relapse treatments. This literature review examines the efficacy of meditation-based treatments for relapse prevention in persons recovering from Substance Use Disorders (SUDs). A comparative analysis of Mindfulness Based Relapse Programs (MBRP), an adapted MBRP-W program, and a Transcendental Meditation (TM) intervention was used to examine the success of meditation-based interventions. Research supports improvements associated with the meditation-based interventions including significant reductions …

Assessing The Impact Of Digital Health Technologies On Maternal Health Care In Sub-Saharan Africa, Samerawit Tadele

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Maternal morbidity and mortality are prevalent issues worldwide that profoundly affects low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in Africa. Estimates vary, but by the end of 2015, at least 300,000 women died in LMICs due to preventable pregnancy and childbirth conditions. Pregnant women die from complications that could be detected and managed if they were able to receive early access to necessary health interventions. Mobile technology is increasingly common across the globe, including LMICs, and incorporating digital health technologies, especially mobile phone (mHealth) programs, can offer a possible solution to morbidity and mortality related to pregnancy. A literature review analyzing the …

The Use Of Hydrotherapy For Chronic Pain, Emily S. Medal

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to provide a critical analysis of research findings about hydrotherapy as a means of reducing chronic pain used independently of opioids. Chronic pain is often treated with analgesics of varying potency, some with serious adverse side effects if used over a long period of time. Exploring the effectiveness of therapies other than medication to treat chronic pain is important to decrease or eliminate the amount to pain medication taken for chronic pain. Hydrotherapy is one therapy that may improve the pain experience for those with chronic pain. A literature search was conducted using the …

Nursing Interventions For Intradialtyic Hypotension: Using Blood Volume Monitoring Guided Ultrafiltration, Suzette S. Cedeno

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Intradialytic hypotension is a potential complication experienced by patients with end-stage renal disease who receive hemodialysis. This complication occurs during the dialysis treatment in 15-30% of all treatments. The multiple comorbidities that exist in hemodialysis patients predispose them to recurrent intradialytic hypotension episodes. Recurrent intradialytic hypotensive episodes can result in negative short-term and long-term clinical consequences. Short-term consequences include complications such as ischemic events (e.g., heart attacks, strokes), clotting of patient dialysis access, or heart rhythm abnormalities. Long-term consequences include end-organ damage, increased cardiovascular morbidity, and a higher mortality rate. Problem Statement: Available nursing interventions used to treat intradialytic …

Fear Of Falling Assessment And Interventions In Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Mixed Methods Case Study, Amanda S. Cappleman

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Fear of falling has significant adverse physical and psychological effects for the community-dwelling older adult. Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess fear of falling in community-dwelling older adults and explore participant perceptions of fear of falling assessments and interventions. Methods: A mixed methods case study was utilized to gain an in-depth understanding of older adults' perceptions. It consisted of quantitative data collection by objective measures and qualitative data collection by four individual in-depth interviews. A sample of four community-dwelling adults aged 65 years and older and living in Orlando, Florida, completed the study in their home …

Factors Contributing To The Negative And Unhealthy Psychological Conditions In The Ed Rn, Ariana M. Nieves

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The emergency department is a stressful environment. Emergency department registered nurses (ED RNs) are at an increased risk of development of negative and unhealthy psychological conditions due to their frequent exposure to stress and traumatic events. These conditions include post-traumatic stress disorder, compassion fatigue, and burnout syndrome, which are already known to be common in the emergency department registered nurse population. It is important to understand the factors that influence the development of these psychological conditions in order to provide better education to nurses regarding prevention of the development of these psychological conditions. This literature review aimed to identify articles …

Factors Influencing Nurse Practitioners' Weight Management Practices In Primary Care, Suzanne Hyer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

More American adults are overweight or obese than ever before. Nurse practitioners (NPs) play a critical and expanding role in primary care, which is an ideal setting for the assessment and management of weight loss. NPs can make a significant contribution to tackling the obesity crisis. The study presented here seeks to close the gap in data related to how NPs approach weight management with their primary care patients. This study focused on a comprehensive examination of the current practice patterns of NPs related to weight management, a theoretical concept analysis of weight bias among healthcare providers, along with the …

Stress, Coping, And Quality Of Life Among Parental Caregivers Of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder, Dawn Turnage

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Parental caregivers of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are exposed to stressors associated with the daily care of raising a child with a developmental disability, which may negatively impact parental quality of life (QOL). The specific aim of this study was to examine the relationships between demographic factors, stress, and coping among parental caregivers of children with ASD to determine whether predictors of QOL exist. Methodology: This study was descriptive, and an electronic survey was distributed to Florida parents of children, age 3-21 years old, diagnosed with ASD. The survey measured parent reported demographic factors, severity of the …

I-Bids Handoff Tool, Francisco Guido-Sanz

Nursing Handouts, Tools, and Other Documents

No abstract provided.

Understanding Older Women's Experience Of Being Diagnosed With Breast Cancer, Molly Wilhelm

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

This study describes the experience of being diagnosed with early stage breast cancer for women age 65 and older. This qualitative study used content analysis to analyze twenty interviews of older women with early stage breast cancer. A variety of positive and negative factors influence the experience of being diagnosed with breast cancer. These factors include: their initial reactions, interactions with their respective medical teams, family support, religion, education, and misinformation. Nurses can use the information from this study to help make diagnosis more positive by educating older women about breast cancer and treatment, encouraging them to develop an optimistic …

Early Adolescent Latinas And Non-Coital Sexual Behavior: Individual, Social, And Parental Variables, Ellita Williams

The Pegasus Review: UCF Undergraduate Research Journal

Unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STI) are increasing at a faster rate among young, low income Latinas as compared to other low income groups of girls. However, little is known about the non-coital behavior that early adolescent girls may engage in, which puts them at risk for initiation of intercourse. This study examines the frequency of a particular non-coital behavior, being touched below the waist on top of clothes, and investigates how girls who engage in this behavior differ from those who do not with respect to individual (biologic and cognitive), social (peer norms and acculturation), and parental (single …

Outcomes Of Family Presence During Resuscitation (Fpdr) In The Acute Care Setting: A Review Of The Literature, Audra M. Corn

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Family Presence During Resuscitation (FPDR) remains controversial and is not consistently implemented during resuscitation events or invasive procedures. Evidence has demonstrated positive outcomes produced by implementation of FPDR; such as, decreased rates of post-traumatic stress symptoms, decreased symptoms of anxiety, and depressive symptoms were not significantly different. Unfortunately, use of FPDR in the acute care setting is not widely accepted or readily implemented. The primary purpose of this integrative literature review is to evaluate the use of FPDR in the acute care setting. The secondary purpose is to evaluate the health care professional's level of perceived value associated with the …

Pre-Licensure Nursing Student Attitudes Toward Physician-Assisted Suicide, Stephanie K. Cox

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Physician assisted suicide (PAS) has been a legalized presence in the United States since Oregon first passed the Death with Dignity Act in 1994. Now PAS is legalized in six states and it is realistic that nurses may encounter PAS during their career. This project explores pre-licensure nursing student attitudes toward PAS.

A mixed method design incorporating descriptive correlation and thematic analysis of an open-ended question was used. Surveys were sent to 550 nursing students enrolled in the UCF nursing program asking participants to complete the 34-question survey. This survey included a 12 item “Domino scale” on student nursing opinions …

Nursing Students' Attitude And Commitment Toward Substance-Abusing Patients, Amy L. O'Conner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The topic of substance-abuse has received increasing attention in recent years, as the number of individuals experiencing drug abuse and addiction is on the rise. With substance-use on the rise, the number of patients admitted to the hospital with this disorder is increasing also. It is important hospital staff are aware and educated on how to provide adequate care to these patients without judgement regarding their choices or their lifestyle. This study was done to determine how prepared nursing students are to care for patients with drug abuse or addiction. Specifically, the project explores student nurses' attitudes and commitment toward …

Preventing Childhood Obesity In School-Aged Children: Relationships Between Reading Nutrition Labels And Healthy Dietary Behaviors, Kimberly S. Bogers

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Childhood obesity is a prevalent problem in the United States. Obesity increases the risk for many diseases. Obese children are likely to become obese adults with additional comorbidities. Studies have reported mixed findings regarding associations between reading nutrition labels and improved dietary behaviors/healthy weight status. The purpose of this study is to determine whether the frequency of children reading nutrition labels is related to frequency of performing 12 dietary behaviors. De-identified baseline data from a previous quasiexperimental pilot study were analyzed. Data were collected from 4th and 5th graders (n = 42) at an after-school program. An adapted paper survey …

Pregnant Women's Knowledge About Fetal Movement Count, Jade Hanna Bowen

Honors Undergraduate Theses

BACKGROUND: Fetal movement count (FMC) is a non-invasive tool used to evaluate fetal well-being and prevent stillbirth. FMC decrease the chances of stillbirth occurrence (Tveit et al., 2009), but in other countries, research shows that women are not taught about the benefits of FMC (Berndl, O'Connel, & Mcload, 2013). The purposes of this study were to discover 1) the knowledge of pregnant women in their third trimester about FMC and 2) sources through which women learn about FMC.

METHODOLOGY: The study is a quantitative descriptive design. An original survey consisting of 12 questions was created for the study. Inclusion criteria …

Considering Stress In A Nursing Student Context: Pre-Admission To Pre-Graduation, Daniel M. Regner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

In moderation, stress is a normal response to a perceived challenge which can motivate an individual to perform at their best. Nursing students consistently report a significant amount of stress which has been found to be greater than their non-nursing peers. The purpose of this study is to assess the level of stress reported by second-semester freshman and sophomore students who have declared nursing as a major, compared with the level of stress experienced by junior and senior students who are enrolled in the university's nursing program. Through this comparison, a conclusion can be drawn as to the level of …

The Effect Of Race On Parents' Intent To Vaccinate Their Children Against Human Papillomavirus, Ariana L. Ruiz Aguilar

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a sexually transmitted disease that often presents as genital warts, but may also lead to cancers, including those of the vagina, penis, mouth and tonsils. Despite three vaccines being currently available to prevent HPV, the HPV vaccine retains a low national average vaccination rate when compared to the Tetanus-Diptheria- Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine. Considering the need for improvement it is important to identify factors that may be contributing to this low national immunization rate, one of them being parental race. The purpose of this literature review is to identify whether race affects parents' intent to vaccinate their …

Prone Positioning In Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Patients, Sarah Rose H. Thornton

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Introduction: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), seen in critically ill patients, is a disease process that affects the lungs and directly impacts a patient’s oxygenation. Despite treatment, patients often die of ARDS secondary to systemic complications. Prone positioning has been introduced as a treatment to improve the outcomes of ARDS patients. This thesis summarized and critiqued recent literature on the outcomes of prone positioning in ARDS patients.

Methodology: An initial literature search was conducted using CINAHL Plus with Text, Medline, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health. Multiple search terms …

The Effects Of Sepsis Management Protocols On Time To Antibiotic Administration In The Emergency Department, Margaret K. Lorch

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of death in U.S. hospitals, resulting from organ dysfunction caused by an inappropriate inflammatory reaction to an infection. Timely treatment with empiric antibiotics in the emergency department is crucial to facilitate positive patient outcomes. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) recommends initiating empiric antibiotic therapy within one hour of presentation to the emergency department. Some emergency departments have implemented sepsis management protocols to guide care and ensure timely treatment. The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of a formal sepsis protocol in the emergency department on the time to antibiotic administration. …

Complementary And Integrative Therapies For The Treatment Of Fibromyalgia, Jennifer Hushla

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a debilitating and chronic condition with an array of symptoms, the most distinguishable being widespread pain. FMS patients experience a marked decrease in quality of life related to intensity of symptoms. Current treatment options and pharmaceuticals do not provide adequate relief. This thesis examines integrative and complementary therapy options for symptom management and improvement of quality of life for FMS patients. A literature review was conducted of English current research using multiple databases. Findings indicate mindful movement therapies (MMT) such as yoga and tai chi, mindfulness, sensory-related relaxation techniques with guided imagery, and cognitive behavioral therapy …

Effects Of Energy-Based Therapies On Postoperative Recovery: An Integrative Review Of The Literature, Emily M. Wooten

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Associated with health care reform, there has been a growing interest among healthcare professionals regarding use of energy-based therapies as a complementary therapeutic intervention. The purpose of this integrative literature review was to examine the impact of energy-based therapies (i.e. healing touch, reiki, therapeutic touch) on patients’ postoperative recovery. The methodology included identifying appropriate peer-reviewed, English-language research articles on the topic area that were published between 2006 to 2018. Following a search in select data bases, articles focusing on the topic were critiqued, analyzed and synthesized by the researcher. Consistent and inconsistent findings along with gaps in the literature are …