Nursing Commons^™

Implications For Nursing Practice: Delivering The Folic Acid Message, Kimberly Townsend Little

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

In 1995, North Carolina (NC) had one of the highest prevalence rates of neural tube defects (NTDs) in the United States. Since the NC Folic Acid Council began focusing their efforts on educating women of childbearing age regarding NTDs in 1994, the prevalence of NTDs has declined overall by 40%; however, NTD prevalence among Hispanics in NC continues to be double the rate of non-Hispanics. Research has found daily consumption of a multivitamin with folic acid significantly decreases NTDs. Healthy People 2010 include in their objectives the need to increase folic acid consumption in women and reduce the NTD rates. …

Filipino Physician-Turned Nurses: A Phenomenological Study, Victor Rey Cui Vapor

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Foreign nurses have augmented the United States nursing workforce. The Philippines has remained the world's leading exporter of nurses, including the United States. More recently, a new phenomenon has emerged involving Filipino physicians who went back to school to take up nursing in the Philippines in order to migrate to foreign countries to work as nurses. The purpose of this study was to describe and to interpret the lived experiences of Filipino physician-turned nurses in the United States. Phenomenology was used as research design, with data obtained from a purposive sample of eight (8) self-identified physician-turned nurses in Las Vegas, …

Cohort Study Of Pain Behaviors In The Elderly Residing In Skilled Nursing Care, Allison Burfield

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

An integral concern across care settings is the prompt intervention for patients suffering with pain. Long-term care (LTC) settings present with unique challenges to assess and manage pain in resident populations. Pain assessment is especially challenging, because residents have varying degrees of cognition to communicate their pain, and clinician/staff knowledge of pain symptoms may be lacking. The purpose of this research was to improve the measurement of pain and outcomes of care for the elderly residing in skilled nursing care, especially those with cognitive-impairment. The specific aims of this study were to: 1) Determine the magnitude of the relationship between …

Effects Of An Evidence-Based Intervention On Stress And Coping Of Families Of Critically Ill Trauma Patients, Sandra Knapp

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Problem/Purpose: Critical care nurses are frequently exposed to the stress experienced by their patients' families, yet they often do not have the knowledge or skills to help family members cope with the stress of critical illness. While needs and stressors of families of the critically ill have been researched extensively, no prior studies have been conducted to determine the effects of an evidence-based nursing intervention for reducing family members' stress and improving their coping skills. The purpose of this study was to determine if an evidence-based nursing intervention designed to address the needs of family members would reduce stress and …

Implementation Of The Aap Recommendations To Reduce Sids Risk In Nicus: A Collaborative Study Of Nursing Knowledge And Practice, Regina Grazel, Msn, Rn, Bc, Apn-C,, Ann Phalen, Phd, Nnp-Bc,, Lori Brittingham, Bsn, Rn, Patti Clifford, Msn, Rn-Nic, Lauren Gresh, Msn, Rn-Nic

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Purpose:

To examine and describe NICU nurses’:

Knowledge of SIDS risk reduction measures

Modeling of safe infant sleep interventions prior to hospital discharge

Inclusion of SIDS risk reduction in parent education

Implications For Nursing Involvement In Health Care Reform: An International Comparison, Erin Mccuen

Honors Theses

In this paper, a comparison of two countries' approaches to deliver healthcare services to their people and the practice of professional nursing will be presented. The report is based on a study abroad course where data were gathered about the two countries and included a ten day tour of Slovakia meeting many healthcare leaders and nursing students. A pictorial presentation of this report is attached (See Appendix) as evidence of the comparisons between the two health care systems. The United States of America and the Republic of Slovakia are two countries that have particularly interesting healthcare delivery and nursing practice …

Bring Mental Health Services Home: Meeting The Mental Health Needs Of Adolescents And Their Families In Rural Minnesota, Laura Filzen

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a program that addressed housing and therapeutic support to adolescents experiencing mental health issues, allowed adolescents to remain in the community, and promoted reunification with their families. “An important indicator of success for children in out-of-home care is a timely transition to reunification” (Park and Ryan, 2009). Based on the literature and practice, it is believed that intensive family therapy is needed to promote reunification and reduce recidivism of placement.

Behavioral Management Of Auditory Hallucinations: Implementation And Evaluation Of A 10-Week Course, M D. Buffum, Robin Buccheri, L Trygstad, A A. Gerlock, P Birmingham, G A. Dowling, G J. Kuhlman

Nursing and Health Professions Faculty Research and Publications

A 10-session behavioral course for self-management of auditory hallucinations in patients with schizophrenia has demonstrated positive outcomes. This article evaluates both the course’s implementation and benefits to patients attending the course. Teleconferencing, electronic media, and 26 monthly conference calls were used to educate six advanced practice nurses (APNs) at six sites about the course implementation. Thirty-two patients within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs participated in the course. All of the APNs reported course helpfulness, improved communication with patients about voices, and improved harm assessment. Of the patients, 96% found the course helpful: 67% no longer heard voices to harm …

Training New Mothers In Infant Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (Cpr), Gavin C. Barr Jr. Md, Marna R. Greenberg Do, Mph, Facep, Valerie Rupp Rn, Bsn, Charles C. Worrilow Md, Katie Fredericks, Anne Marie Crown, John Reed Rrt

Department of Emergency Medicine

No abstract provided.

The Relationship Of Sexual Empowerment And Sexual Pressure To Condom Use Of Young Adult African American And Caucasian Women, Carrie Ann Long

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: HIV knowledge, high self-esteem, condom self-efficacy, positive attitudes toward condom use, and condom negotiation skills have been associated with decreased HIV risk behavior among women, but have not been examined within a framework of empowerment for sexual risk. Sexual pressure, inclusive of both coercive and noncoercive pressures to engage in unwanted or unprotected sex, has also not been studied in association with sexual empowerment as a framework or as a potential moderator between sexual empowerment and condom use among women of different racial groups. Study Purpose: 1) To explore the relationship between sexual empowerment and condom use; 2) to …

Predictors Of Self-Reported Health Status In Occupationally And Environmentally Exposed Individuals, Christie Shelton

All ETDs from UAB

Every year, over 3.5 billion pounds of industrial toxins and one to two billions pounds of environmental toxins are deliberately released into the environment. Although exposures have been shown to have an adverse effect on the health of the individuals, the effect of these exposures on the self-reported health status of individuals who have been environmentally and occupationally exposed to these toxins is still unclear. The purposes of this study were to: 1) identify the best subset of predictors of self-reported health status in current/former farmers and manufacturing workers from the set of age, sex, race, blood pressure, cholesterol measures, …

Occupational Stress, Dietary Self-Efficacy, Eating Habits And Body Composition In Police Officers, Rebecca Witten Grizzle

All ETDs from UAB

Obesity is a paramount public health threat in the U.S. as approximately twothirds of the adult population is overweight. Police officers have an even higher prevalence of overweight and obesity and other cardiovascular risk factors. Police officers often attribute their above average cardiovascular disease risk to shift work, jobrelated stress, and poor dietary habits while working. Occupational stress is a major concern among police officers. Therefore, it is important to understand the relationships among occupational stress, obesity, and diet habits. However, few research studies have characterized these relationships in police officers. The specific aims of this study were to determine …

The Relationships Among Satisfaction With Social Support, Perceived Stress, And Coping On Quality Of Life And Survival At 5 To 10 Years After Heart Transplantation, Connie White-Williams

All ETDs from UAB

Introduction: Detailed information regarding satisfaction with social support and its relationship with quality of life (QOL) and survival 5 to 10 years (yrs) after heart transplantation (HT) is unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among satisfaction with social support perceived stress, and coping with QOL and survival of patients (pts) who were 5 to 10 years post heart transplantation. Methods: This study was a retrospective outcome analysis from data collected from two existing data sets: The HT QOL Study and the Cardiac Transplant Research Database (CTRD). Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. Data on 555 …

Parenting Behaviors And Adolescent Obesity, Kathy Lynne Newman

All ETDs from UAB

PARENTING BEHAVIORS AND EARLY ADOLESCENT OBESITY KATHY NEWMAN SCHOOL OF NURSING ABSTRACT The incidence of adolescent obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years with the rate increasing from 5% to 17%. Approximately 17.0% of adolescents in the United States are obese with 4% being categorized as morbidly obese. Obesity disproportionately affects minority adolescent groups. Previous studies have examined relationships between parental behaviors and adolescent health risk behaviors, but few studies have compared these relationships across different racial/ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between parental nurturance, parental involvement, family cohesion, and early …

Effects Of Dietary And Exercise Interventions On The Incidence Of Metabolic Syndrome, Ricky Mccoy Kirby

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Metabolic syndrome is a serious health problem in the United States. The presence of metabolic syndrome significantly increases the risk of developing type II diabetes and cardiovascular disease by producing a prothrombic state. The prothrombic state that results from the clustering of several independent cardiovascular risk factors within one individual increases the risk of micro and macro vascular changes and eventually to end organ damage.

There is considerable evidence to support the serious nature of this medical condition. Medications used to treat the hypertension, diabetic, and dyslipidemia components of metabolic syndrome can be a significant drain on the monthly budget …

The Relationship Between Preexisting Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease In Lung Transplant Recipients And The Development Of Post-Transplant Bronciolitis Obliterans, Heidy Abuan David-Robinson

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Lung transplant is a treatment modality for patients with end stage lung disease. Bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) is the number one cause of morbidity and mortality in patients the first year after lung transplant. There are many risk factors which have been identified to increase the risk of BOS including acute rejection, lymphocytic bronchitis, medication non-compliance, bacterial or viral infections, older donor age, extended ischemic time, donor antigen-specific reactivity, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) mismatch, underlying disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

Advanced practice nurses can help in the primary prevention of BOS through the assessment and treatment of pre-transplant patients …

Dietary Interventions To Reduce Metabolic Syndrome In An Uninsured Population: An Evidence-Based Approach, Michele Smith Bednarzyk

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Recent studies show that more than one-third of U.S. adults (over 72 million people) were obese in 2005–2006. This includes 33.3% of men and 35.3% of women. Obesity is a primary factor in the development of metabolic syndrome, a condition that places individuals at high absolute risk of mortality and morbidity. The use of a nutritionally balanced diet aimed at weight reduction has the potential to decrease the prevalence of obesity, therefore reducing the incidence of metabolic syndrome and its consequences.

The purpose of this project was to investigate whether individual nutrition counseling would improve the outcomes of patients with …

New Nurse Residency - An Evidence Based Approach, Alice M. Nied

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Nurse educators believe that their graduates are well-prepared for entry level positions in nursing. In the acute healthcare setting, new graduates are placed on virtually every type of nursing unit, including critical care. Employers have developed formal orientations to familiarize new graduate nurses new with the institution and its policies and procedures and to teach the things employers believe new RNs need to know but do not, either because they were never taught the material or they have not retained it.

The purposes of this project were to (a) examine the evidence relative to a disconnect between nursing education and …

The Experiences Of Women Who Live With An Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (Lcd), Jenea Mary Smith

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (lCD) is the most effective treatment available for terminating potentially life-threatening ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. The lCD detects and attempts to correct these arrhythmias by pacing, cardioversion, and defibrillation thereby providing lifesaving therapy to patients at risk for sudden cardiac death. Currently, 150,000 Americans receive ICDs each year. Although most lCD recipients are men, more women are now qualifying for insertion (Stutts, Cross, Conti, & Sears, 2007).

Despite its established health benefits, lCD implantation is accompanied by psychological factors which merit research attention. This study investigated the experiences of women who live an lCD. The …

Effects Of Community Of Practice And Knowledge Translation Strategies On Nurse Practitioners' Knowledge And Practice Behavior, Helen M. Holman

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that interactive CE activities will have the most effect in terms of knowledge and practice. Using technology to provide interactivity via computer-based applications is as effective an educational strategy as traditional education formats.

Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted to test the effectiveness and satisfaction of educational activities provided within an online community of practice(CoP) on nurse practitioner (NP) knowledge and practice behavior. The online interactive website combined certified continuing education, professional forum, Ask-the-Experts, national guideline links, patient education tools, and professional resources. A Two-Group Control Group design was used. Study participants were assessed on …

Obstetrical Screening Practices Of Nurse-Midwives And Nurse Practitioners, Laura Ann Abney

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

With the continued growth in the numbers of nurse practitioners and certified nurse-midwives, more and more women will receive prenatal care from advanced practice nurses. The purpose of this research was to assess the routine screening practices of advance practice nurses providing prenatal care and to compare those practices with current guidelines. The study focused on five areas of prenatal screening: bacterial vaginosis, group B streptococcus, gestational diabetes, maternal serum markers, and fetal movement monitoring. The interaction model of client health behavior by Cheryl Cox, specifically professional-technical competencies, part of the client-professional element of the model, provided the theoretical framework …

Effects Of An Educational Intervention On Hospital Acquired Urinary Tract Infection Rates, Sharon Lanier Smith

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In today's hospital environment, good care has become synonymous with positive patient outcomes. Marring this landscape is the alarming rate of hospital acquired (nosocomial) infections. Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common hospital acquired infections. The major cause associated with these infections is the use of indwelling urinary catheters. Bacteria invade the lower urinary tract by ascending through or around the catheter. Morbidity associated with urinary catheter-associated UTI can be minimized by prudent decisions concerning catheter usage and good catheter care. The principle route of dispersal of nosocomial infections is likely from patient-to-patient via transiently contaminated hands …

Effects Of Provider Education On Documentation Compliance In The O.R., Brenda Kingdon

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Knowledge of The Joint Commission's National Patient Safety Goals and an effective provider cooperative practice involving communication and teamwork are essential for the delivery of safe and compliant patient care in the surgical setting. The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of an educational intervention for physicians and nurses designed to increase documentation of compliance with national patient safety standards. As events of noncompliance have impacted patient safety at the hospital where this project was conducted, measures were needed to assess barriers to compliance with standards of practice and to focus educational session plans on identified knowledge-base …

The Effect Of Moral Distress On Nursing Retention In The Acute Care Setting, Cynthia L. Cummings

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This descriptive study explored the relationship between moral distress, professional stress and intent to stay in the hospital setting. The study involved 234 nursing participants and was conducted via an online survey over a 90 day period. The survey tool consisted of 51 items taken from known moral distress, professional stress and intent to stay tools. The items were divided into frequency and intensity of occurrence. Various statistical measures were utilized to conclude that moral distress and professional stress factors were significant (p

Post Discharge Nausea And Vomiting In Ambulatory Surgical Patients: Incidence And Management Strategies, Jan Odom Forren

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Approximately 65% of all surgeries are conducted in the outpatient surgery setting involving more than 35 million patients. Thirty-five to fifty percent of these outpatients will experience post discharge nausea and vomiting (PDNV), nausea and vomiting that occurs after discharge from the health care facility after surgery. A dearth of literature details the problems associated with nausea and vomiting experienced by patients after discharge home from outpatient surgery.

The purposes of this dissertation were to (1) review the current knowledge in the area of post discharge nausea and vomiting; (2) present results of an integrative review of the research literature …

Glimpse Into Simulation And Critical Thinking: A Pilot Study Comparing Utah And Ecuador, Katrina Duncan, Patricia K. Ravert

Faculty Publications

Classroom learning is practiced and applied through simulation, which can help develop critical thinking and clinical judgment skills imperative in clinical settings for both students and new nurse graduates. Simulation is well developed in the United States but is in early stages of use and development in South America.

Cultivating An Understanding Of U.S. Veterans: Our Honored Patients, Tausha Allen, Kent D. Blad, Jennifer Bloomfield, Rachel Dudley, Kelsie Egan, Ron S. Ulberg

Faculty Publications

As nursing students, we specifically chose to devote our time to learning how to better care for the veteran population. We worked with veterans as we traveled to Washington, D.C. and completed clinical experiences in Utah. These experiences greatly altered our perspective toward the armed forces and our appreciation for our nation’s freedom.

Older Adults With Traumatic Rib Fractures: An Evidence-Based Approach To Their Care, Blaine A. Winters

Faculty Publications

It is expected that over the next decade the population of older adults in the United States will increase dramatically. As the older adult population increases, the number of older adults involved in traumatic accidents is also expected to climb. The older population is at na increased risk for complications and poor outcomes following trauma. Practitioners caring for these older adults will need to use evidence-based practice guidelines in an attempt to improve outcomes. This article provides a clinical guideline for the assessment and management of pain in older adults with traumatic rib fractures, and an approach for pain assessment, …

Relationship Found Between Parenting Styles And Sibling Relationships In Families Raising A Child With A Disability, Corinne Jackman, Barbara L. Mandleco

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine parental perceptions of parenting styles and sibling relationships according to parent gender, sibling gender, and type of disability. Additionally, the purpose was to determine if there is a linkage between parenting styles and sibling relationships.

Comparison Of Debriefing Methods Following Simulation, Shelly J. Reed, Patricia K. Ravert

Faculty Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine and compare the student nurse experience between three debriefing methods: oral discussion, journaling, and blogging.