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Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

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Full-Text Articles in Nursing

Nursing Documentation Environment In The Hospital Setting, Alice Cavin May 2018

Nursing Documentation Environment In The Hospital Setting, Alice Cavin

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Nurses often document in open nurses’ stations exposed to frequent interruptions. Much has been written on the need to limit distractions while collecting and administering medications but little has been published on the effects interruptions have on nursing documentation. The purpose of this study was to examine the environment in which nurses chart and to gather their perceptions of the documentation environment. Marilyn Ray’s Theory of Bureaucratic Caring was the guiding framework for this study. A review of the literature revealed the effects open work spaces, noise, and interruptions can have on work performance. This study, a focus group discussion, …


Stress Management And The Novice Nurse, Patrice Lawrency May 2018

Stress Management And The Novice Nurse, Patrice Lawrency

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The stress of the novice nurse impacts the quality of patient care, emotional, and physical wellbeing of the novice nurse and hospital costs. The aging of the Baby Boomer generation is impacting the nursing profession. These factors should be addressed to promote the retention of novice nurses in the profession. Research has shown that the mitigation of stress in the novice nurse can have a positive impact on the nursing shortage. An inundation of literature exists on the evolution process from the academic to the clinical setting, but few studies identified resources to provide support to the novice nurse. Strategies …


Frailty Screening In Cardiac Surgery Patients: Improving Risk Stratification, April P. Hargett May 2018

Frailty Screening In Cardiac Surgery Patients: Improving Risk Stratification, April P. Hargett

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Frailty has been noted throughout the literature to have a negative effect on patient outcomes especially in patients undergoing major surgical interventions such as cardiothoracic surgery. Preoperative assessments have historically included assessment of all body systems, however fails to evaluate patients for baseline physical functioning or frailty. The American College of Cardiology has recommended frailty screening on all cardiac surgery patients; however, facilities have failed to educate staff providing care to this population on the impact of frailty and use of commonly used frailty screening tools. This project hypothesized that Cardiothoracic Surgery Nurses and providers would have improved knowledge and …


Discharge Risk Screening And Interdisciplinary Communication: A Method To Mitigate Discharge Delays, Tammy Linton May 2018

Discharge Risk Screening And Interdisciplinary Communication: A Method To Mitigate Discharge Delays, Tammy Linton

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Identification of discharge barriers early during the hospital stay is essential to coordinate services post-discharge. Timely discharge of patients when medically safe controls costs, promotes positive health outcomes, and increases quality of care. Discharge planning is a multifaceted interaction that relies heavily on effective communication between all disciplines and the patient. Research suggests interdisciplinary collaboration and effective communication as leading strategies to mitigate discharge delays. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of interdisciplinary collaboration on discharge planning and length of stay for medical surgical patients. A daily discharge team meeting was implemented as a best practice …


Improving Nurse-Patient Communication Using The Teach-Back Method, Sheila Revis Smallwood May 2018

Improving Nurse-Patient Communication Using The Teach-Back Method, Sheila Revis Smallwood

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Effective nursing communication considers health literacy, the person’s ability to understand and make health decisions based on the information given. Health professionals often overestimate the health literacy of patients, thereby affecting patient outcomes. In a hospital environment, patients rate the ability of the nurse to explain things in a way patients understand by completing the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) after discharge. The HCAHPS results are converted to a score which is used in a formula to determine hospital reimbursement; the lower the score, the lower the reimbursement. The purpose of this project was to improve …


Nurse Confidence Levels In Malignant Hyperthermia, Paige Wilson May 2018

Nurse Confidence Levels In Malignant Hyperthermia, Paige Wilson

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Malignant hyperthermia is a life threatening medical emergency. When individuals with a certain genetic predisposition are exposed to certain pharmaceutical triggering agents, a malignant hyperthermia crisis can occur. If the crisis is not recognized early and symptoms are not treated, the ending result will be patient death. The ability to recognize and intervene in a malignant hyperthermia crisis demonstrates knowledge and confidence by the nurse. Simulation training is an educational tool that nurses can use to increase confidence levels in recognizing and intervening in this type of medical emergency in a safe environment. The findings from this research indicate a …


Using End Of Life Care In A Simulation Scenario In An Effort To Help Increase Student Confidence, Amy P. Davis May 2018

Using End Of Life Care In A Simulation Scenario In An Effort To Help Increase Student Confidence, Amy P. Davis

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This evidence-based project examined how using the end of life care in a simulation scenario would help in an effort to increase student confidence. A sample size of 28 Practical Nursing Students participated in the simulation scenario. The Confidence Scale (C-scale) developed by Susan Grundy, was administered to the students as a pre-test prior to the simulation and a post-test after the simulation. The C-scale measured student confidence and consisted of five questions asking the students to rate themselves on a scale of one to five in performing a task. The goal was to see if the student’s confidence level …


Watson’S Theory Of Human Caring: Effect On Nurse Perception Of Care Environment, Shannon Jones May 2018

Watson’S Theory Of Human Caring: Effect On Nurse Perception Of Care Environment, Shannon Jones

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Psychiatric and mental health nurses face unique problems related to the specifics of the role including low morale and burnout. These problems stem from many factors including insufficient staffing, lack of support from management, and patient behaviors such as aggression or noncompliance which lead to poor patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine what effect adoption of Dr. Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring has on nurse perception of the care environment on an inpatient psychiatric unit in a rural community hospital as measured by a modified version of the Combined Assessment of Psychiatric Environments (CAPE) instrument. …


Improving Gender Diversity In Nursing Through A Mentoring Program, Nancy Lynn Hilburn May 2018

Improving Gender Diversity In Nursing Through A Mentoring Program, Nancy Lynn Hilburn

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Diversity can add value to a team by bringing in ideas and viewpoints from various backgrounds that may not have been thought of otherwise. This is also true in the health care setting. Nurse leaders have identified a strong connection between a diverse nursing workforce and the ability to provide quality, culturally competent care to patients (American Association of Colleges of Nursing, [AACN] 2015). According to the Kaiser Foundation, there were 3,184,283 registered nurses (RN) in the United States in 2016. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing and The Forum of State Nursing Workforce Centers 2013 National Workforce …


Improving Self-Efficacy In Persons Experiencing Chronic Back Pain, Mechell Smith May 2018

Improving Self-Efficacy In Persons Experiencing Chronic Back Pain, Mechell Smith

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The effects of chronic pain are extensive and negatively impact the health of an individual. Negative impacts of chronic pain include issues with sleep, cognitive processes, mood/mental health, cardiovascular health, relationships, and overall quality of life. Self-efficacy is an important predictor of outcomes associated with persons experiencing chronic pain. The use of technology in healthcare is supported in the literature and is a promising way to enhance self-efficacy of those experiencing chronic pain. An evidenced-based project was conducted at a rehabilitation and pain specialty office in the northeastern part of North Carolina. The project evaluated if text message reminders of …


Improving Professionalism In New Graduate Nursing Behavior, Debra Brendley May 2018

Improving Professionalism In New Graduate Nursing Behavior, Debra Brendley

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Professional behavior in nursing is a difficult term to define. There are generational, cultural, and regional aspects that affect the definition of this concept. Nursing, as in other professions, has a set of behaviors it has deemed necessary to guide practice. Professionalism is paramount in that it guides the nurse’s behavior in patient care, in collaboration with healthcare team members, and in serving the community. There is a direct correlation between professional behavior in nursing practice and positive patient outcomes. Unprofessionalism has been noted as an issue in nursing, including the new graduate nurse population. This project sought to develop …


The Effect Of Training And Recognition On Nursing Assistant Retention In Acute Care Settings, Rachael Austin Swann Jan 2018

The Effect Of Training And Recognition On Nursing Assistant Retention In Acute Care Settings, Rachael Austin Swann

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Nursing assistants are being hired in acute care settings to alleviate staffing issues associated with the nursing shortage. This has been a great economical solution to ensure adequate staff because of the large number of trained individuals in this vocation. Turnover and retention with nursing assistants in all settings including acute care is an expensive and reoccurring problem. Although several strategies have been implemented to prevent this, few provide a sustainable positive outcome. This situation requires an approach to look at the causes of turnover and provide interventions to reverse the negative impact. The intent of this research looked at …


The Impact Of Discharge Teaching On Copd Readmissions, Anita Lane Thurman Jan 2018

The Impact Of Discharge Teaching On Copd Readmissions, Anita Lane Thurman

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this evidenced-based project was to answer the question: Does using a formalized discharge list identifying key educational topics regarding the patient’s disease process decrease readmission risk for COPD patients? This study used all COPD patients admitted over a two-week period who consented to receiving one-on-one detailed COPD education (n=33). Participants were provided education utilizing a COPD educational tool that addressed topics pertaining to the transition from the hospital back home, inhaler techniques and use, common questions to ask the provider before being discharged, smoking cessation, and identifying the warning signs of an exacerbation were among the few …


Developing Clinical Judgment Through The Implementation Of Information And Communication Technology, Such As The Electronic Healthcare Record (Ehr), Sherri Carter Jan 2018

Developing Clinical Judgment Through The Implementation Of Information And Communication Technology, Such As The Electronic Healthcare Record (Ehr), Sherri Carter

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Graduate nurses are expected to enter a technology-rich workforce with an understanding of the electronic health record (EHR) and how it is used to guide patient care. Limited access to EHRs in clinical settings may result in students entering professional practice with limited ability to understand the full potential of the EHR. Over a seven-week term, students enrolled in the Patient-Centered Care I course, during the 2018 Spring I term, participated in high-fidelity simulation and seminar activities that included an educational electronic healthcare record (EEHR). These activities were integrated into the course to guide students when making clinical decisions regarding …


Simulation Outside The Silo: Allied Health Interprofessional Education Day To Improve Patient Outcomes, Eva Huneycutt Whitley Jan 2018

Simulation Outside The Silo: Allied Health Interprofessional Education Day To Improve Patient Outcomes, Eva Huneycutt Whitley

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Since 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) has identified working in interdisciplinary teams as a critical factor in providing patient-centered care. Simulationenhanced interprofessional education (Sim-IPE) has shown improved knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors of teamwork required to improve patient outcomes. The purpose of this project was to determine whether a simulation-based interprofessional education day would improve these factors in senior allied health students in a small community college. The NLN Jeffries Simulation Theory was used as a theoretical framework for this project. The project administrator used the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale (ISVS) 9A pre-test to examine beliefs, behaviors, and …


Quality Improvement Of The Extended Antibiotic Infusion Administration Process, Patricia Averre Jan 2018

Quality Improvement Of The Extended Antibiotic Infusion Administration Process, Patricia Averre

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Dynamic issues associated with infection create unprecedented demands for quality healthcare improvements and modifications. Researchers found extended antibiotic infusions to be an effective treatment option with significant clinical benefits to patients and astounding cost savings. This scholarly project identified the emergence of several clinical issues threatening to undermine the intended patient responses to extended antibiotic infusion therapy in one large hospital system. Problem: Unrecognized infusion delays and short infusion durations created the need for an educational pilot initiative to improve the administration process of piperacillin/tazobactam on one nursing unit. Intervention: Nurses on the pilot unit received instruction regarding the pharmacodynamics …


Child Care Teachers’ Knowledge Of Fun Physical Activities And Healthy Food Choices For Pre-School Children, Elizabeth Gwyn Jan 2018

Child Care Teachers’ Knowledge Of Fun Physical Activities And Healthy Food Choices For Pre-School Children, Elizabeth Gwyn

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The focus of this project was to explore child-care teachers’ knowledge of fun physical activities and healthy food choice activities for preschool children. A four-week educational session was implemented in a rural child-care center. The intervention provided education in relationship to the implementation of fun physical activities and healthy food choice activities for child-care teachers during preschoolers structured playtime. The Child Care Teachers’ Knowledge Evaluation (CCTKE) tool developed by the doctoral student was used to collect responses from participants before and after the intervention. The participants’ data was analyzed using a t-test. There were no statistically significant differences between the …


Emergency Registered Nurses’ Perceptions Of Workplace Violence, Margarite Elsey Jan 2018

Emergency Registered Nurses’ Perceptions Of Workplace Violence, Margarite Elsey

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Workplace violence (WPV) is a significant issue in today’s healthcare field, especially for nurses in the emergency department. WPV is defined by action of verbal abuse, threats, disruptive behavior, harassment, intimidation and/or physical abuse, or assault (Stene, Larson, Levy, & Dohlman, 2015). Emergency Department (ED) registered nurses (RNs) are in a prime position to experience WPV due to the nature and purpose of the emergency room. To address effectively the problem of WPV against RNs in the ED, it is crucial first to understand how nurses in this setting perceive WPV from patients and/or visitors. In a Level I Trauma …


Improving Therapeutic Relationships Among Psychiatric Nursing Staff And Adolescent Patients, Carla Kay Cozart Jan 2018

Improving Therapeutic Relationships Among Psychiatric Nursing Staff And Adolescent Patients, Carla Kay Cozart

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This Doctor of Nursing Practice Project examined the effect of an evidence-based staff development education program on the attitudes and knowledge levels of nursing staff regarding the mentally ill adolescent patient population, for which they provide treatment and supervision. A convenience sample of 61 nursing staff members participated in the Improving Therapeutic Relationships among Psychiatric Nursing Staff and Patients project, with 74% of the available sample completing all project surveys. Descriptive statistics were used to compare the scores for the responses of participants to the Community Attitudes toward Mentally Ill (CAMI) pre and post-surveys. Concepts scored by this survey included: …


Graduate Nurses’ Perceived Confidence In Clinical Competence, Jennifer Dobbins Jan 2018

Graduate Nurses’ Perceived Confidence In Clinical Competence, Jennifer Dobbins

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Upon entering the practice environment, newly graduated nurses often find themselves feeling underprepared for new professional role expectations (Kim, Lee, Eudey, Lounsbury, & Wede, 2015). New graduate nurses’ stress and lack of confidence forges a higher turnover potential (Kim et al., 2015), and increased stress among new graduate nurses may impact their ability to provide quality care (Fink, Krugman, Casey, & Goode, 2008; Theisen & Sandau, 2013). Implementing nurse residency programs have been shown to improve new graduate nurse retention, confidence, and competence (Silvestre, Ulrich, Johnson, Spector, & Blegen, 2017) and are designed to ease transition of new graduate nurses …


Body Consciousness Of Clinical Staff Working In Plastic And Cosmetic Surgery Environments, Jodie Alexander Jan 2018

Body Consciousness Of Clinical Staff Working In Plastic And Cosmetic Surgery Environments, Jodie Alexander

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

A quantitative research study was conducted to determine body consciousness of plastic surgery nurses and other employees of plastic offices. The theoretical basis was the Objectification Theory that states that a person is at risk of being viewed as an object. Social and other media has made an impact on how a person views themselves and others and it has also glamourized plastic surgery and cosmetic procedures. The social media explosion of the past decade has changed the way the public perceives their image. Nurses working in plastic surgery are exposed to body objectification on a daily basis and it …


Evidence-Based Interventions To Address Workplace Violence In The Emergency Department, Gari Leigh Adams Jan 2018

Evidence-Based Interventions To Address Workplace Violence In The Emergency Department, Gari Leigh Adams

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Workplace violence, as a result of violent patient behavior, is a problem in health care settings and the incidence is increasing. The vulnerability of the emergency department (ED) contributes to the high incidence of violence and includes long waits, crowded spaces, high anxiety levels, substance abuse, and a large number of behavioral health patients seeking treatment. ED team members admit they do not always feel safe when caring for patients due to the risk of violent behavior. Workplace violence effects team member productivity, job satisfaction, and burnout. Team members are at risk for injury or harm and coping challenges as …


The Impact Of Simulation Learning On Community Opioid Overdose Prevention In Nursing Education, Lara Sheppa Jan 2018

The Impact Of Simulation Learning On Community Opioid Overdose Prevention In Nursing Education, Lara Sheppa

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Drug overdose, especially from opioids, is a global problem which has stretched across all racial, generational, and socio-economical groups. Millions of people have been affected on a personal or professional basis by the emotional, physical, and financial impacts of this crisis. There is a critical need to provide support for public health awareness and education on opioid overdose prevention. Worldwide, federal, state and grassroot initiatives have been implemented to help reduce harm from opioid use. The goal of this scholarly project was to prepare Associate Degree nursing students with the requisite knowledge, skills, and attitudes to manage opioid overdose within …


Journey To The Bedside: A Quality Improvement Project To Implement Bedside Report Utilizing Watson's Theory Of Human Caring, Rhonda Jones Jan 2018

Journey To The Bedside: A Quality Improvement Project To Implement Bedside Report Utilizing Watson's Theory Of Human Caring, Rhonda Jones

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

A 134 bed hospital in a rural community had a continuous struggle to meet defined goals on the hospital consumer assessment of healthcare providers and systems survey (HCAHPS). The hospital’s medical unit consistently performed lower in the communication with nurses HCAHPS domain than other nursing departments in the organizations. Between 2015 and 2017 the overall communication with nurse’s score in the HCAHPS domain of the medical unit ranged between 74-79%. Nursing staff were task oriented, focusing on the next task to be done instead of the current moment and interaction with the patient. A literature review revealed that consistent themes …


The Effect Of Individualized Nurse Report Cards And Unit Case Reports On The Awareness And Attitudes Of Nurses Towards Clabsi Contributing Factors, Shannon K. Hawkins Jan 2018

The Effect Of Individualized Nurse Report Cards And Unit Case Reports On The Awareness And Attitudes Of Nurses Towards Clabsi Contributing Factors, Shannon K. Hawkins

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This DNP project examined the effect of unit case reports and individualized nurse report cards on nurses’ awareness of and attitudes toward central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) contributing factors. This project also sought to determine whether CLABSI incidences differed across units and if that was affected by nurses’ awareness of and attitudes toward CLABSI contributing factors. A convenience sample of registered nurses (RNs) across four medical units was included in this project. Of the 79 RNs who participated in providing feedback on this project, 48 RNs completed pre-implementation surveys, resulting in a response rate of 61%, and 53 completed post-implementation …


Improving Nurse-To-Nurse Handover Through Implementation Of Standardized Sbar, Russell Coleman Jan 2018

Improving Nurse-To-Nurse Handover Through Implementation Of Standardized Sbar, Russell Coleman

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

In today’s health care environment, nurses are faced with caring for an increased number of patients with more complex issues. In caring for these complex patients, communication among nurses becomes an essential piece of patient care. Handover provides nurses the opportunity to share patient information to achieve positive patient outcomes. When poor patient outcomes became linked to poor communication during handover, recommendations for a standardized handover form emerged. Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendations (SBAR) is an example of a standardized handover form which provides structure to the handover process and decreases gaps in patient information. The aim of this descriptive …


Exploring Patterns Of Health-Promoting Lifestyles Of Academic Nurse Educators, Tracy Campbell Jan 2018

Exploring Patterns Of Health-Promoting Lifestyles Of Academic Nurse Educators, Tracy Campbell

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Participating in health-promoting behaviors is essential for maintaining optimal physical and mental well-being. Nurses play a significant role in supporting the nation’s health, however, nursing shortages impact the ability to meet the complex health demands in a growing population. Guided by Nola J. Pender's health promotion model, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the self-perceived health-promoting lifestyle behaviors of faculty nurse educators. A convenience sample of 13 faculty nurses were studied using a descriptive, non-experimental research design. The 52-item Health-Promoting Lifestyle II (HPLP II) survey was used to evaluate the six dimensions of: health responsibility, interpersonal relations, nutrition, …


Exploring Nurse Stress, Andrea Butler Jan 2018

Exploring Nurse Stress, Andrea Butler

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Aims: To explore levels of stress among nurses working in medical-surgical, telemetry and medical-telemetry nursing departments. Background: Bedside nurses are continuously confronted with stressful situations. These stressors can be very unpredictable and varying in intensity. As the nurse will face many different stressors, it is important for leadership to recognize the origin of the stress in order do everything possible to promote positive outcomes. Conquering stress within nursing departments provides a benefit for the greater good. Methods: This study used a descriptive, correlational study design. The association of occupational job stress for a nurse working within medical-surgical, telemetry, and medical-telemetry …


Student Perception Of Blended Course Activities, Valerie Bailey Jan 2018

Student Perception Of Blended Course Activities, Valerie Bailey

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The flipped classroom has been implemented within the nursing curricula to promote increased student classroom satisfaction, student engagement in the classroom, and improve retention of complex nursing concepts. This research study evaluated how the implementation of the flipped classroom contributed to the overall perception of a new instructional model of teaching within an Associate degree program for a summer nursing course. A variety of research articles were reviewed to assist in the construction of this instructional approach for this nursing course. The research articles reviewed revealed through statistical analysis that overall satisfaction of the flipped classroom approach was successful in …


Telehealth Education And Training For School Nurses, Billie C. Walker Jan 2018

Telehealth Education And Training For School Nurses, Billie C. Walker

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Telehealth, as a healthcare delivery model, is quickly integrating into various healthcare fields. School health is one area of nursing that is preparing for this integration. This study explored through literature review, the previous studies conducted on this type of service. Evidence found more research was needed on this topic. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate an increase in school nurse’s confidence and commitment level to implementation of telehealth. A purposeful sample was used in the selection of participants for this study. This project was conducted in a small rural county school system located in the North West …