Relationship Between Perceived Coping Capability And Levels Of Academic Self-Efficacy In First Year Prelicensure Nursing Students, Amy Charlton

DNP Projects

Academic self-efficacy and coping capability impact student persistence. Nursing education programs can identify students' experiences to encourage students to persist and potentially impact the national nursing pipeline. More research was needed to examine the relationships between entering nursing student demographics, academic self-efficacy, and student coping capability. First-semester prelicensure nursing students (N = 240) were surveyed to determine any significant relationship between perceived academic self-efficacy and perceived coping capability using a quasiexperimental, descriptive, correlational design. Based on the Nursing Universal Retention and Success (NURS) model, the project investigated the relationships between student profile characteristics, student affective factors, academic outcomes, and professional …

Nurses' Implicit Attitudes Regarding The Lgbtq Population, Carolyn Howard

DNP Projects

Health inequities such as chronic medical conditions, mental health disorders, substance abuse, and suicide are prevalent in the LGBTQ population, resulting in part from minority stress, stigma, discrimination, and isolation. Studies showed mixed results regarding nurses’ and other healthcare professionals’ attitudes toward these individuals. Relatively little research has focused specifically on nurses, and most studies have centered on healthcare professionals’ explicit attitudes. Given the lack of studies on nurses and implicit bias, more research is needed on nurses’ implicit attitudes regarding LGBTQ patients. Using a retrospective design with secondary data from Project Implicit, the study compared United States (US) nurses’ …

Belmont University Covid Surveillance And Containment: An Evaluation Of Program Effectiveness, Morgan A. Lambrecht

DNP Projects

In the early days of the Coronavirus (COVID) pandemic, members of university communities faced elevated risk of contracting COVID because they live and work in congregate settings, with shared living and dining arrangements. By the Fall 2020 semester, with limited information regarding the transmission of COVID, a quick, but comprehensive strategy was needed to allow students to return to university campuses, while maintaining a safe environment for students, faculty, and staff. The purpose of this project was to determine the effectiveness of the COVID surveillance and containment measures implemented in the 2020/2021 academic year for the residential campus community at …

Covid-19 Vaccine Uptake Among College Students, Erin Hoening, Elizabeth Morse, David Phillippi, Krystal Huesmann

DNP Projects

Background: Public health strategies to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake among college students living in residential communities varied, some universities opted to mandate COVID-19 vaccines while other universities opted to promote and influence the choice for vaccination.

Purpose: This descriptive, cross-sectional study examined the voluntary uptake of COVID-19 vaccines among residential students on a college campus in the southeastern U.S. that elected an evidence-driven health promotion strategy that included strong health promotion messaging coupled with coordinated efforts to make the vaccine accessible and appealing to students on campus.

Methods: Analysis of vaccine uptake was derived from campus electronic health records during …

Implementation Of A Zone Of Silence During Administration Of Breastmilk To Decrease Nurses’ Distractions In A Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Quality Improvement Project, Lauren Crociata

DNP Projects

Introduction: In the NICU, breastmilk is handled and administered as safely and carefully as a medication. Administration errors occur when incorrect breastmilk is administered to the wrong patient. This can lead to the transmission of infectious disease and create the loss of trust between families and the healthcare team during a neonate’s NICU stay. Nurses are often faced with interruptions and distractions during administration, and evidence shows that interventions to reduce nurses’ distractions lead to reduction of administration errors in inpatient settings. This quality improvement project took place in a level III NICU. It implemented an evidence-based zone of silence …

Non-Opioid Pharmacologic Agents In The Treatment Of Non-Cancer Chronic Pain In The Outpatient Setting, Diane Eannotti

DNP Projects

Opioid prescription related overdose deaths have increased substantially with evidence demonstrating only modest short-term benefits in chronic pain and thus represents the need to identify alternative treatments to opioids. A needs assessment performed for a federally qualified community health center revealed patients presently taking non-opioid pharmacologic agents in the treatment of chronic non-cancer pain (CNCP) needed additional education in managing multiple non-opioid medications. A targeted approach at improving patient experience and population health supporting the quadruple aim was undertaken with this project.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement project consisted of performing medication management visits for 28 referred patients …

Perception Of The Benefits Of An Interprofessional Communication Offering Among Nurse Residents, Emily Fritz

DNP Projects

Abstract

Interprofessional communication occurs at all levels during the provision of health care. Studies have shown that ineffective communication between healthcare providers often results in delayed treatments, misdiagnoses, medication errors, patient injuries, or even death. A nurse residency program is a professional development program designed to help develop and support new nurses through their transition from student nursing, into professional nursing. Communication skill development is an important aspect of the nurse residency program. The purpose of this study was to explore the question: Do nurse residents, who were enrolled in a local nurse residency program between August 2019 and August …

Implementing A Telephone Follow-Up Process For Patients With Poorly Controlled Type 2 Diabetes: A Nurse-Led Quality Improvement Project, Amber Gomes

DNP Projects

Background: Diabetes is the seventh leading cause of death in America with approximately 1.5 million people diagnosed yearly (ADA, 2020). The current problem in the practice setting is the lack of follow-up of patients with hemoglobin A1c’s (HbA1c’s) 9% or greater. The current workflow utilizes care coordinators to perform patient outreach to patients with diabetes and a HbA1c of 9% or greater. This workflow is not structured and consists of randomly selecting a patient with a HbA1c 9% or greater and placing one phone call to them to provide education.

Purpose: The purpose of the project was to develop and …

Improving Healthcare Provider Knowledge Of Hospice And Palliative Medicine, Ashleigh T. Flora

DNP Projects

By addressing the diseases symptoms directly, palliative care improves patients feel and can participate in their life by providing indispensable holistic health management and support for patients and families. Hospice is the focused service of palliative care, provided by specially trained healthcare professionals. Evidence suggests that patients are poorly educated on chronic illnesses, providers are failing to have end of life discussions with patients, and providers are poorly educated as to services available to patients at end of life. This quality improvement project was designed to assess provider knowledge of hospice and palliative care utilization. Convenience sampling was used to …

Improving Health Care Provider Knowledge And Compliance Of Breast Cancer Screenings, Jalisha Brown

DNP Projects

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Different tests are used to detect breast cancer including mammograms, breast ultrasound, and breast MRI. Using screening mammography for breast cancer continues to be the most effective way to detect breast cancer in its early stages for better treatment outcomes. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to determine if healthcare providers find that education regarding evidence-based guidelines for breast cancer screenings, increased knowledge, and compliance, and prompt a self-reported practice change. Participants were emailed a description of the project along with a pretest. The educational session …

Improving Primary Care Providers’ Assessment Of Type 2 Diabetic Patients, Jasmine Granger

DNP Projects

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes and affects millions of Americans. Type 2 diabetes leads to many chronic medical conditions if not properly managed. Often, primary care providers (PCPs) deliver care to type two diabetic patients; therefore, it is imperative that PCPs are knowledgeable of current American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to determine if implementation of a type 2 diabetes’ assessment algorithm improved PCP’s knowledge and compliance of ADA assessment guidelines. Educational sessions were conducted at clinics within Mississippi and Tennessee. A pre-test was administered, …

Increasing Healthcare Provider Engagement With Adult Patients Regarding Organ Donation In The Primary Healthcare Setting, Evelyn Michelle Rainey

DNP Projects

Though 90% of the United States population supports organ donation, only 60% actually sign up as registered donors (Health Resources & Services Administration [HRSA], 2021). This 60% makes up approximately 169 million Americans, but the chances of actually becoming an organ donor are only 3 in 1,000 (Health Resources & Services Administration [HRSA], 2021). Simply put, the need for organs far outweighs the availability of those organs for transplant. Literature reviewed supports that a lack of knowledge regarding organ donation may contribute to the decreased number of registered organ donors and that Primary Care Providers (PCP) have been successful at …

Educating Healthcare Providers On The Impacts Electronic Device Overuse Has On Health, Lacy Estes

DNP Projects

Healthcare concerns develop from various external mechanisms that impact health. Overtime it has been witness that such mechanisms can include the food we consume, environmental hazards, lack of activity, chronic exposure to carcinogens, and even natural parts of the eco system such as bacteria or virus. Electronic devices have evolved over the past century and can be contaminates of health. They decrease physical activity times, limit face-to-face communication, and may interfere with mental health. As technology continues to evolve limitations and safe use should be well understood to decrease the negative impact electronic devices may have on health. Electronic device …

Evaluating Provider Knowledge On The Impact Of Vitamin D Deficiency In Chronic Health Conditions, Shelly Alamry

DNP Projects

Vitamin D deficiency affects nearly one billion individuals globally. It is an essential vitamin to maintain bone health as well as the overall health of the body. Recent research reveals the significance of vitamin D deficiency in chronic health conditions like osteoporosis, depression, breast cancer, dementia, and viral infections like COVID-19. The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project aimed to evaluate if education regarding vitamin D deficiency was effective in improving provider knowledge, increases practice confidence levels, and results in self-reported practice changes. An educational session and two questionnaires were administered to healthcare providers in the state of Mississippi. Before …

Effectiveness Of Provider Education Concerning Prediabetes Treatment In Mississippi, Marlana Mcfarland

DNP Projects

Prediabetes is defined by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) as having an A1C of 5.7-6.4% or a fasting plasma glucose of 100-125 mg/dl. Prediabetes greatly increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and cardiovascular disease (ADA, 2019). The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to determine if providing education to PCPs, practicing in MS, regarding the implementation of a prediabetes treatment algorithm improved their knowledge and implementation of the ADA guidelines. The intention was to bring increased awareness of ADA guidelines regarding the current treatment recommendations for patients with prediabetes to PCPs. A …

Decreasing Anxiety, Depression, And Suicidal Ideation Through The Implementation Of Education And Screening At Chandler Medical Center, Ashley Gillstrap

DNP Projects

PURPOSE: To provide education on high suicide rates within the healthcare community, screen providers for suicide risk factors, and disseminate mental health resources at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center (UKCMC). The goal of this intervention is to increase awareness and provide resources to providers to essentially decrease these suicide rates.

METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was used with a non-equivalent group pretest-posttest survey design to examine the effect of an education module about suicide risk factors. Along with a rating of how COVID-19 affected mental health, a Patient Health Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) was implemented, and mental health resources …

Evaluating Providers’ Knowledge, Attitudes And Intentions Toward Assessing Pregnancy Desires In Women Of Childbearing Age, Sydney Hahn

DNP Projects

Abstract

Background: Unintended pregnancies account for over half of all pregnancies in the United States. Unintended pregnancies can lead to abortion, socioeconomic difficulties, medical complications, psychological issues, and political issues. Unintended pregnancies are potentially harmful to both the mother and the baby. Healthy People 2030 listed reducing the number of unintended pregnancies as one of their family planning objectives.

Purpose: The purpose of this DNP project was to evaluate providers’ knowledge, attitudes, and intentions toward assessing pregnancy desires in women of childbearing age. Methods: The study was a one-group pre/post intervention design. The data was gathered via a convivence sample …

Huddle Implementation In The Perioperative Setting, Tina Thomas

DNP Projects

Background: Communication is essential for safe and effective patient care. In the perioperative setting, information sharing is critical to care coordination. Lack of communication between caregivers can lead to medical errors. Evidence shows that huddles lead to increased communication, satisfaction, and engagement between team members resulting in better patient outcomes. Huddles are short, less than 10-minute gatherings that focus on the daily schedule, identify potential obstacles, explain unique needs, and discuss preceding day issues.

Objectives: This project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of huddles on employee satisfaction, engagement, and communication of healthcare workers while also determining if huddles were …

Evaluating The Use Of A Diet Screening Tool For Diabetes And Weight Management In Primary Care, Christie Mcbride

DNP Projects

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a prominent disease and leading cause of death in the nation. Many complications can develop when glucose levels are poorly controlled. When patients receive education and support in diabetes self-management, including individualized dietary interventions, it leads to improved glycemic control.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to evaluate the incorporation of a diet recall tool, Starting the Conversation (STC), in the standard care for diabetic patients with abnormal body mass index (BMI). The study aimed to examine: (1) patient opinion of the intervention and (2) healthcare provider satisfaction with use …

Examining The Impact Of A Protein Intervention To Improve Outcomes In Frail Perioperative Candidates: A Feasibility Study, Anna M. Rose

DNP Projects

Background: Frailty is a syndrome or grouping of clinical characteristics that collectively increases one’s vulnerability to acute and external health stressors. Higher rates of frailty are present in oncology surgical patients and is a predictor of postoperative complications, as well as increased morbidity and mortality. Long- and short-term survival of surgical oncology patients is worse in frail patients than robust patients. Prehabilitation interventions during the planning phase of surgical intervention may serve to mitigate already known health concerns prior to inflicting the stressor that is surgical intervention.

Purpose: To measure the feasibility of an educational prehabilitative nutritional intervention aimed at …

Patient Transitions Between Acute And Post-Acute Care Organizations: Can Nursing Communication Prevent Patient Readmission?, Penny Gilbert

DNP Projects

Preventing Patient Readmission

Background and Review of Literature: Communication is the foundation of patient safety. As patients move from the acute to post-acute care setting, risk for insufficient communication rises. Research demonstrates a vast array of communication hand-off tools currently exist for and between different care arenas. No one tool has been standardized for patients transitioning from acute to post-acute care settings. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) and The Joint Commission (TJC) have published multiple documents discussing communication plagues within health care resulting in readmission.

Purpose: The purpose of this project is multifaceted: 1) identifying current nursing communication practices between …

Improving The Healthcare Transition For Adolescents With Asthma: Implementing A Transition Readiness Assessment, Andrea Pauley

DNP Projects

BACKGROUND: Asthma is the most common pediatric chronic disease in the United States and adolescence represents the highest prevalence among all age groups. Transition planning is recommended for all adolescents, especially those with special health care needs (SHCN). Only 17% of adolescents with SHCN receive adequate transition planning.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to implement the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) for adolescents age 12 years and older with asthma to identify the current level of transition readiness and identify factors associated with readiness.

METHODS: This study was an exploratory, cross-sectional design to evaluate and describe participants’ level …

Caring For Ourselves Before We Care For Others: A Mindfulness-Based Intervention For Acute Care Nursing Staff, Kent Brouwer

DNP Projects

Background: Acute care nursing staff have recently faced increasing rates of anxiety, stress, emotional exhaustion, and burnout. Nursing burnout is directly linked to patient outcomes, nurse retention, and the resilience of our nurses. Therefore, it is in the best interest of hospital organizations to focus efforts on the well-being of the nursing workforce. A recent innovative technology to prevent burnout teaches mindfulness through the utilization of smartphone applications. There is limited evidence regarding the implementation and impact of brief mindfulness interventions on intra-professional acute care providers.

Methods: A pretest-posttest design with a midpoint evaluation was utilized in this pilot study. …

Increasing Staff Compliance With Routine Hcv Screening And Improving Linkage To Care Among Patients Testing Hepatitis C Positive In The Emergency Department, Carson G. Swartz

DNP Projects

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a blood-borne pathogen that can cause severe liver disease, cancer, and death and is a significant source of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Several academic medical centers including University of Kentucky Healthcare have implemented routine HCV screening for patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) and have discovered a large viral burden amongst patients who are often symptomatic.

Purpose: The purpose of this doctoral project is to increase staff compliance, confidence, and education regarding the HCV screening process in an urban, Level I emergency department, as well as to evaluate whether an …

The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On Attitudes Toward Behavioral Health Patients Among Medical Floor Nurses: A Pilot Study, Caroline C. Bowman

DNP Projects

Background: Stigma towards behavioral health patients by healthcare workers can create barriers to quality care for patients. Addressing these negative attitudes towards behavioral health patients can improve health outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. Current evidence-based practice for tackling stigmatizing attitudes include interventions to improve mental health education among healthcare providers to promote improved patient outcomes.

Purpose: The goal of this project was to enhance medical floor nurses' attitudes toward behavioral health patients by delivering a web-based educational intervention on recognition and management of behavioral health disorders. The aims of the project were to: 1.) Assess nurses' stigma toward behavioral health …

Exploring Palliative Care Education Needs And Desires Of Advanced Practice Providers In The Critical Care Setting, Jill Marie Clemmons

DNP Projects

Background: Critical care providers in the ICU setting are discovering that their patients are living longer with more comorbid conditions. They are confronted with palliative care situations almost daily. Recently palliative care has been thrust into the forefront of critical care and is a resource critical care nurse practitioners and physicians’ assistants need to be able to utilize. A gap in the literature has been found in the overall education of critical care providers regarding palliative care.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine what palliative care training trauma/cardiac/neurological, and pulmonary critical care providers had previously received …

Effects Of Tailored Colorectal Cancer Patient Education On Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates In An Urban Kentucky Clinic, Brittany Pittman Hardcorn

DNP Projects

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of death among Americans and Kentuckians. Most colorectal cancers are slow-growing, making regular colorectal cancer screening increasingly important to decrease morbidity and mortality. Although of this importance, there is low screening rates. Thus, the need to explore all colorectal screening options.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to increase the number of patients screened for colorectal cancer by providing education on colorectal cancer and screening options in a primary care setting.

Methods: The design of the study was a 2 group quasi-experimental practice improvement project using a post-test educational …

Effectiveness Of A Web-Based Smoking Cessation Training Program For Health Care Professionals Within An Acute Psychiatric Facility, Allie Carmichael

DNP Projects

Background: Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of death and disease in the United States, with the prevalence remaining especially high among people with mental illness. Mental health providers often lack training in smoking cessation and feel uncomfortable addressing the issue with this patient population. Studies show that educational training offered to providers can lead to increased knowledge that improves the provider’s confidence and attitude about delivering smoking cessation treatment to patients. Mental health professionals must receive training on smoking cessation treatment modalities so they can effectively provide holistic care needed for recovery for patients with mental illness.

Purpose …

The Use Of A Pediatric Palliative And Hospice Education Module To Enhance The Knowledge And Practice Of Emergency Room Providers, Morgan Garrett

DNP Projects

Background: Palliative and hospice care resources are underutilized in pediatric patients with chronic and life-limiting illnesses. One contributing factor is the lack of formalized education for medical providers regarding the differences and scope of palliative and hospice care models. Without adequate education about these services, providers are not able to effectively utilize otherwise available resources to provide holistic care.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the current perception of knowledge among providers pertaining to pediatric palliative and hospice care. The study investigated improvements in educational outcomes in ten categories after participation in a web-based training. A secondary …

Effectiveness Of Substance Use Disorder Education On Knowledge And Attitudes Among Entry-Level Obstetric Nurses, Kathryn Hughes

DNP Projects

Background: Substance use disorder (SUD) among pregnant women is a significant public health concern in the United States, particularly in Kentucky. Nursing curriculum has not kept pace with the escalating public health crisis regarding SUD. Graduating nurses joining the obstetric field are often not prepared to meet the unique care needs of this vulnerable population.

Purpose: The purpose of this DNP project was to pilot an educational intervention embedded with content regarding SUD with entry-level obstetric nurses that were enrolled in the nurse residency program at UK HealthCare.

Methods: This project used a quasi-experimental pretest – posttest design. Participants completed …