Nursing Commons^™

Black American Men's Resiliency And Persistence To Grow Old: A Midwest Qualitative Study, Kimberly Ann Walker

Theses and Dissertations

AbstractAs Black American men continue to experience the highest premature morbidity and mortality, few studies have centered on the intersection of class (low-income) and race (middle-aged and older Black men) with multiple morbidity from a critical race approach in the Midwest region of the U.S. Middle-aged Black men have 31% higher death rate than their White counterparts. A qualitative study was conducted by a community health nurse in the spring of 2021 in a metropolitan city. Thirty-one, low-income Black American men were interviewed focusing on their understanding and perceptions of their complex comorbidities, symptom management for quality of life, short …

Experiences And Perspectives Of Women Veterans Use Of The Veterans’ Health Administration Services, Leanne Anthon

Theses and Dissertations

Women make up 10% of the veteran population. With a projected increase of up to 16% by 2043, this is the fastest-growing demographic in the US military (National Center for Veterans Analysis and Statistics, 2017). This population may have experiences unique from their non-military counterparts such as military sexual trauma (MST), environmental exposures, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and stress related to their military occupation that may predispose this group to decreased quality of life (QOL). In recent years, the Veterans Health Administration (VA) healthcare system has attempted to increase the healthcare accessibility and services provided to the growing number of …

Impacting Positive Breastfeeding Attitudes Of Prelicensure Nursing Students Using An Evidence-Based Breastfeeding Module, Stephanie D. Uhr

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Robust evidence demonstrates optimal breastfeeding behaviors provide unmatched short- and long-term health outcomes. Therefore, breast milk feeding is more than a feeding decision; it is a significant public health concern. Breast milk is species-specific nutrition for a developing infant. The health impact of providing breastmilk extends to the lactating parent. However, the existing breastfeeding education is often inadequate to support the care of the breastfeeding dyad. The dissertation examines the role breastfeeding plays in prelicensure nursing education and analyzes the use of an evidence-based breastfeeding educational module (EBBM) on breastfeeding attitudes.Method: An integrative review analyzed the current state of …

Use Of Mobile Phones For Hiv Prevention And Testing Information Needs By Emerging Adult Male Population In Rural Kenya. A Qualitative Study, Augustine Boswony Kiplagat

Theses and Dissertations

Human Immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and Acquired Immunodeficiency disease syndrome (AIDS) among young people in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a serious public health issue which needs urgent cost-effective interventions locally, regionally, and internationally. HIV and AIDS is currently the leading cause of death among young people in SSA, calling for strategic HIV prevention approaches applicable to emerging adults. While most studies have focused on young women, studies focusing on emerging male adults are lacking. The purpose of this dissertation study was to develop an in-depth understanding of the needs, barriers, and facilitators of using mobile phone to access HIV prevention and …

Transition To Adulthood: Experience Of Youth With Spina Bifida In Japan, Shiho Murayama

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this dissertation was to describe the experiences of transition to adulthood for emerging adults with spina bifida (SB) in Japan.Background: Spina bifida is one of the most common congenital conditions that affect functions of multiple body systems, including orthopedic, urologic, gastrointestinal, neurological, and cognitive. The prevalence of SB in Japan was 5.18 cases per 10,000 in 2012 and the long-term trends of the prevalence did not decline despite the recommendation of folic acid intake by the Japanese Government in 2000. Over 70% of individuals with this condition can survive into adulthood today because of the advancement …

Interactive Health Literacy And Self-Management Of Lung Cancer Symptoms, Julie Kieffer Campbell

Theses and Dissertations

Patients with lung cancer experience multiple symptoms requiring self-management. Health literacy skills are necessary for obtaining and processing information related to symptom self-management. Interactive health literacy involves communicating with healthcare providers regarding health-related information, but the role of interactive health literacy in self-management is not clear. This study used a critical realist approach to address these specific aims: 1) explore interactive health literacy and how it relates to symptom self-management for patients with lung cancer; and 2) describe patients’ experiences of interactive with healthcare providers regarding symptom self-management for lung cancer. The study was conducted using a cross-sectional mixed methods …

Primary Caregivers Caring For A Child At End Of Life In Saudi Arabia, Shahad Amr Hafez

Theses and Dissertations

Background/ Significance: Caring for children at end of life (EOL) can be devastating for primary caregivers who are providing the physical, social, and emotional needs of their dying child. Limited information was found on resources in Saudi Arabia to manage the impact on primary caregivers from caring for a child receiving end of life care (EOLC).

Purpose: Explore the experiences of primary caregivers caring for a child at EOL in Saudi Arabia.

Conceptual framework: The conceptual framework for this investigation was comprised of concepts related to EOLC including holistic health, support system and religion.

Method: A phenomenological investigation was conducted …

Health Literacy And Alcohol Use Behaviors In High School Students, Rebecca Parizek

Theses and Dissertations

Limited health literacy and alcohol use increase adolescents’ risk for preventable disease burden and adverse outcomes. The Framework for Studying Adolescent Health Literacy (Manganello, 2008) guided this cross-sectional study focused on relationships between high school students’ health literacy and alcohol use. The aims were to describe health literacy in a sample of high school students, explore relationships between health literacy and individual traits, and examine relationships between health literacy and alcohol use. Health literacy was assessed with the Newest Vital Sign. Alcohol use was assessed with questions from the Youth Risk Behavior Survey. An electronic survey was used to collect …

The Contributing Factors To Student Nurse Medication Administration Errors And Near Misses In The Clinical Setting As Identified By Clinical Instructors, Kristen M. Selig

Theses and Dissertations

The report, To Err is Human, by the Institutes of Medicine (IOM, 2000) brought attention to medication safety in the United States healthcare system. While advances have been made in patient safety, including electronic medication dispensing systems, electronic medication administration records, and scanning systems, it is estimated that 7,000 to 9,000 people die each year due to medication errors (Tariq et al., 2019). The medication administration process involves steps from prescribing to administration. However, nurses administering the medications are the final check point. James Reasons’ Swiss Cheese Model of Accident Causation illustrates the role that systems play in medical errors. …

Maternal-Fetal Relationship In Pregnancy After Perinatal Loss Among African American Women, Jeri M. Antilla

Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: Explore perceptions of chronic stressors of African American women before, during and after a perinatal loss and during a subsequent pregnancy to a loss. Explore the perceptions of stress and loss and its association with establishing a positive maternal-fetal relationship early in subsequent pregnancies to a perinatal loss.

Design: Qualitative study using thematic analysis was conducted.

Setting: Participants were recruited from clinics where women receive care, perinatal loss support groups, community centers, churches, hair salons, and social media throughout the United States.

Participants: African American women (n=22), who reported a history of pregnancy loss at >14 weeks gestation or …

Substance Use Disorder: Experiences Of Affected Family Members Social Support, Eileen Kane

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Substance Use Disorder: Experiences of Affected Family Members Social Support

by

Eileen Kane

The University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee, 2020

Under the Supervision of Dr. Julia Snethen

Background: Social support is a factor in the health and well-being of all populations (WHO, 2018). Having a loved one with SUD negatively affects family members. Affected Family Members (AFM) providing support for the individual with ISUD, are at risk of losing their social support network. Losing social support negatively influences AFMs health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to explore the affected family member (AFM) of an individual with a …

The Process Of Identity Management In Individuals Living With Systemic Scleroderma, Donald David Miller

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

The Process of Identity Management in Individuals Living with Systemic Scleroderma

Background: People with chronic illnesses may struggle to adapt psychologically to the illness experience and have feelings of identity loss, self-diminishment, and biographical disruption. This, in turn, may limit people’s ability to engage in optimal self-management. Systemic scleroderma is a debilitating, stigmatizing, and life limiting progressive chronic illness with significant disfiguring effects. Little is known about the identity management process in people with scleroderma. The purpose of this study was to generate a grounded theory of the identity management process in people with systemic scleroderma.

Methods: Grounded theory …

Hiv Risk And Prevention Needs Among Young Women In Kibra, Kenya, Florine Ndakuya-Fitzgerald

Theses and Dissertations

While HIV infection trends in most groups have been declining, certain population groups including young women globally, and especially those who reside in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), continue to experience increasing HIV risk. In Kenya, young people aged 15-24 years have been reported to have the highest number of new HIV infections, with young women being twice as likely to be infected as their men counterparts. The rate is even higher among young women residing in urban areas.

A review of the literature demonstrates that while studies guided by behavioral theories have yielded results in response to HIV, there is still …

Women's Empowerment Among Women Living With Hiv In The Kasungu District Of Malawi, Victoria Scheer

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Women’s empowerment is recognized as a goal in major development discourses globally. Interventions seeking to empower women are often focused on women living in the Global South. However, the perspectives of women located in the Global South are less represented in literature compared to the dominant narratives of women located in the Global North. This is especially true for women living at the intersections of national and local poverty, racism, and patriarchy, such as is the case for women living with HIV in Malawi. Women in this context stand to gain from empowerment interventions, though there exists a gap …

Expectations Of Aging And Goals As Motivation For Type 2 Diabetes Self-Management In Individuals With Early Diagnosis, Lisa M. Blohm

Theses and Dissertations

Type 2 diabetes continues to plague the United States as a major cause of disability, mortality, and healthcare cost. Engagement in self-management before complications develop is the goal for individuals in early stages of the disease. Those newly diagnosed often do not engage in health behaviors to improve their prognosis. Reasons for their lack of engagement vary widely. The purpose of this study was to understand relationships between aging expectations, personal goal setting, perceived quality of life, and self-efficacy on motivation to engage in type 2 diabetes self-management. Social Cognitive Theory provided the framework. Using a cross-sectional design, 99 newly …

Examining Factors Associated With Experiencing Bullying Among Adolescent Subgroups, Terese Blakeslee

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

EXAMINING FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH EXPERIENCING BULLYING

AMONG ADOLESCENT SUBGROUPS

by

Terese Blakeslee

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2020

Under the Supervision of Professor Dr. Julia Snethen

Problem/Significance: The prevalence of bullying remains consistently elevated among students in Grade 9 through Grade 12. A closer look at factors with relationships among high school population subsets experiencing bullying brings new insight to this complex issue.

Background: The bullying phenomenon has been associated with behaviors of violence, self-harm, and experiencing bullying.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine relationships over time between adolescent characteristics, experiencing violence, risk for self-harm, and the …

Factors Affecting Blood Pressure Target Outcomes For Veterans Using Home Telehealth, Vincent Boom

Theses and Dissertations

Hypertension is the most common diagnosis among Veterans, contributing to approximately 15,000 veterans hospitalized for stroke every year. The high prevalence of hypertension found in the Veteran population suggests a need to better define the risks and benefits associated with the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. The U. S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) home telehealth program provides chronic care management for hypertension to facilitate Veteran access to care. Existing evidence suggests Veterans’ monitoring of blood pressure at home may selectively assist in managing hypertension. This secondary analysis of data used a self-management lens to assign meaning to traditionally demographic …

A Conceptual Definition Of Quality Of Life For People Living With An Implanted, Destination Therapy Left Ventricular Assist Device, David Dwyer

Theses and Dissertations

BACKGROUND: People with advanced heart failure experience persistently severe symptoms with increasingly impaired capacity and quality of life. Treatment options beyond palliative care are limited to heart transplantation or implantation with a mechanical pump that replaces the weakened heart’s function. The left ventricular assist device (LVAD) serves as a temporary bridge to transplant or bridge to recovery, or a permanent replacement as destination therapy (DT). While DT-LVAD recipients initially accept the device to extend life, there is a gap in understanding how DT-LVAD recipients define a life worth living, and how nursing and the health care team can help reach …

The Impact Of Pre-Visit Contextual Data Collection On Patient Activation: Results From A Randomized Control Trial, Jeana Marie Holt

Theses and Dissertations

Background The majority of health indicators are outside of the healthcare system, and current electronic health records (EHR) do not capture those indicators. There is a compelling opportunity to test consumer informatics tools that integrate patient's life circumstances, goals, supports, risks, and care preferences into their EHR for point-of-care discussions.

Purpose To determine whether the use of a patient-generated contextual data (PCD) tool designed to enhance the capture and sharing of PCD influenced patient activation.

Design, Setting, and Participants A two-armed, non-blind, randomized control trial was conducted between May 2019, and October 2019 at two urban, academically affiliated primary care …

Parental Uncertainty In Illness Of An Infant And Perinatal Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder In The Nicu, Kathryn Jeanne Malin

Theses and Dissertations

Varying and conflicting risk factors for perinatal post-traumatic stress disorder (PPTSD) have been reported in the literature in parents after having an infant in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Furthermore, relationships between feelings of parental uncertainty in illness of an infant in the NICU and PPTSD in parents have not been established. The purpose of this study was to (a) investigate the factor structure underlying parental perception of uncertainty scale (PPUS) in a sample of parents in the NICU; (b) describe how parental uncertainty in illness changes throughout the NICU course and after discharge; (c) evaluate if infant illness …

The Relationship Between Stress, Anxiety, Depression, Coping And Satisfaction With Care Among Family Of Adult Acute Care Trauma Patients, Ashalata Ann Pereira

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Surprisingly few studies have considered the impact of trauma on adult family members of those admitted to the acute care, rather than ICU. Throughout the course of hospitalization, as patients move through different levels of care, family members must learn to adapt to, and cope with changes in care delivery. Purpose: To explore the literature to understand the state of the science, to assess the psychosocial and functional impact on family of adult trauma in acute care, and to identify predictors of coping and satisfaction with care provided to meet their needs. Design: The Lazarus & Folkman (1984) Stress, …

Contributing Factors To Diaper Dermatitis In The Nicu, Media S. Esser

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Describe the prevalence of diaper dermatitis (DD) and clinical characteristics of the infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) that develop DD. Explore the relationships between clinical characteristics and the development of DD.

Design: Retrospective, exploratory, descriptive study

Setting: Level IV NICU in an urban community in Southeast Wisconsin.

Participants: A convenience sample of 611 infants who were born and admitted to the NICU within 12 hours of life and discharged from the same NICU. A final total of 537 infants remained after exclusion criteria were met.

Methods: Data were collected from the participant’s electronic health records …

Experiences Of Women Accessing Prenatal Care: Voices Of Rural Saudi Women In Faifa Mountains, Faten Yahya Alfaifi

Theses and Dissertations

It is well documented that rural pregnant women around the world experience barriers to accessing prenatal care. Existing literature is based on research that mainly examines the experiences of rural women with prenatal care access and utilization in Western, African, and some Middle Eastern countries. However, the available literature has little information about Saudi rural women’s experience with prenatal care access generally and no information about the experiences of pregnant women in the rural areas of Jazan. To address this gap, this qualitative study was employed to gain in-depth understanding of the experiences of Saudi women in accessing prenatal care …

Medication Self-Management Behaviors Of Community-Dwelling Adults With Chronic Disease, Michelle Yvonne Williams

Theses and Dissertations

MEDICATION SELF-MANAGEMENT BEHAVIORS OF COMMUNITY- DWELLING

ADULTS WITH CHRONIC DISEASE

by

Michelle Y. Williams, PhD, MSN, RN

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2019

Under the Supervision of Professor Rachel Schiffman, PhD, RN, FAAN

Chronic conditions threaten public health, individuals, and families and affect all areas of a person’s life and require significant self-management from the individual with the disease, care from the healthcare provider and team, and support from the individual’s family. The relationship of selected risk and protective factors and communication with healthcare providers to medication self-management behaviors and quality of life was examined in 616 adults with chronic disease …

Factors Associated With Turnover Intention Among Newly Graduated Nurses, Shaherah Yousef Andargeery

Theses and Dissertations

Saudi Arabia faces many challenges to retain experienced and newly graduated nurses (NGNs), similar to Western and Asian countries. The turnover rate of Saudi nurses has reached 50% (Abu Zinadah, 2006) and about 38% out of 172,483 nurses are Saudi (MOH, 2017). Turnover needs to be urgently addressed to secure the future supply of nurses for Saudi Arabia. Despite government efforts to address the workforce shortage, turnover has increased. Research shows that job stress, work environment satisfaction, preceptorship experience, and role conflict and ambiguity are key factors that contribute to turnover intention. It is important for policymakers and nurse leaders …

Simulation Facilitator Competency: Validity And Reliability Of A Self-Assessment Tool, Mary (Molly) Kellgren

Theses and Dissertations

The use of simulation as a teaching and learning strategy continues to grow in nursing education. Standards of Best Practice, certification criteria, and simulation theory support the notion that facilitation of simulation requires a specialized skill set that differs from traditional classroom and clinical teaching. The discipline of nursing has already established valid and reliable tools for teachers within the classroom and clinical environments to complete self- and/or peer evaluation to inform teaching effectiveness. The National League for Nursing/Kellgren Simulation Facilitator (NLN/KSF) tool fills a gap in the literature by providing a valid and reliable tool to self-assess comprehensive facilitator …

Heart Failure Self-Management, Svetlana Zaharova

Theses and Dissertations

Heart failure is a chronic health problem. Heart failure is costly for society, resulting in high morbidity and mortality which accounts for large public spending on this disease. Heart failure (HF) management is complex and requires coordination between patients, families, and their health team members. Self-management (SM) of HF is an important component of chronic disease management and, when done well, aids in preventing HF exacerbations and unnecessary hospitalizations. There are gaps in nursing knowledge of as to which strategies best account for successful outcomes of SM in HF and which patient attributes help contribute to better SM. To clarify …

It’S A Process: A Qualitative Study About The Resistance And Resilience Of Transgender Youth Of Color Navigating Parent/Guardian Support And Societal Oppressions, Linda Marie Wesp

Theses and Dissertations

Transgender youth of color experience alarming rates of marginalization and victimization within society, including experiences of rejection from parents/ guardians, which has been associated with various adverse health outcomes. Health care providers are encouraged to facilitate parent/guardian support for transgender youth to improve long term health, however nurses report feeling underprepared to care for transgender populations and nursing transgender health research is lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe how transgender youth of color experience and navigate parent/guardian support, considering the broader societal context.

This study was informed by critical and intersectionality theory. A qualitative secondary approach …

Description Of Self-Regulation In Health Behavior Change Using Ecological Momentary Assessments, Melissa Anne Brown

Theses and Dissertations

Despite the known associations between unhealthy behaviors and disease, reduced quality of life, and morbidity, individuals struggle to initiate and maintain health behavior change. Self-regulation is a process that includes activities in which people engage to achieve a goal. Poor self-regulation (i.e., inability to set specific, achievable goals; impaired planning skills; limited emotional control) may contribute to unhealthy behaviors across the lifespan. Self-regulation as a concept is inconsistently applied and inadequately understood. The purpose of this secondary analysis of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) data was to develop an in-depth description of self-regulation, as conceptualized in Ryan’s Integrated Theory of Health …

Critical Illness Survivors’ Perceptions Of Their Recovery: An Interpretive Phenomenological Inquiry, Kelly Calkins

Theses and Dissertations

Surviving critical illness with its physical, cognitive, and psychosocial morbidities is a growing clinical and research challenge and an important public health concern. Currently, there are few interventions for survivors of critical illness after hospital discharge. Potential interventions include rehabilitation services, Intensive Care Unit (ICU) diaries and ICU follow-up clinics, however, most survivors do not have access to these post-hospital interventions.

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of how critical illness survivors experience their recovery, interventions they use, and what they perceive as facilitators and barriers to their recovery. A better understanding of these factors, …