Nursing Commons^™

Medical Home Model Of Patient-Centered Health Care, Sandra N. Berryman, Sheri P. Palmer, James E. Kohl, Jon S. Parham

Faculty Publications

The medical home offers a patient-centered model of care. The foundation of a medical home is the organized and continuous interprofessional care of patients.

A College Study On Grief, Depression, And Anxiety, Briana Alexandre Paulo

Senior Honors Projects

Trauma and stress have been commonly studied with the occurrence of anxiety disorders. However, less research has been conducted on the relationship between the experience of loss, the centrality of the loss to a person’s identity and the experience and severity of symptoms of depression and anxiety. Current research has examined the relationship between a significant stressful event and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Symptoms of anxiety and depression are experienced by people during various points in their life, although higher levels of these disorders may be exhibited after having experienced a loss or stressful life event.

Grief can …

Firefighter Fitness-For-Duty Medical Screening: A Peer Review Quality Improvement Pilot, Julie Collings Rochefort

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Despite the overwhelming evidence that sudden cardiac death is the most frequent cause of firefighter fatalities, many fire departments do not have a program to measure or maintain basic firefighter fitness and health. This project evaluated and compared medical screening outcomes of four industrial fire brigades within a multinational oil and gas corporation and introduced a quality improvement plan. The goal of this project was to apply the evidence and measure outcomes to determine the most effective way to ensure that firefighters in a corporate setting are healthy. This was accomplished by utilizing established guidelines in developing an educational program …

Implementing A Bystander Awareness Program On A University Campus, Robert Joseph Vadovic

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Between 17% and 62% of college students experience some form of violence during their time at school. About 25% of female college students experience a sexual assault before graduating. One university had seen an increase in violence, including assaults and bias events. Administrators and nurses implemented a bystander awareness program to help alleviate this growing problem. Members of the college's residence life staff and its Greek organizations (fraternities and sororities) participated in the Step Up program, a prosocial training program to get people to intervene safely when witnessing acts of violence. Participants (N=236) completed surveys prior to the program, immediately …

Sickle Cell Disease: A Quality Improvement Initiative For Emergency Department Providers, Pretrescia Marie Walker

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is an incurable, chronic condition that results in a constellation of disorders, frequent emergency department (ED) visits, and repeated hospital admissions. Those affected often suffer from pain crisis, infection, acute chest syndrome, stroke, and multi-organ impairment and frequently do not receive adequate pain management during acute pain episodes because ED providers view them as drug seeking. The majority of patients with SCD are African-American and may be low income, uninsured, or on Medicaid. As a result, these demographics make ED under-treatment of pain in patients with SCD a health equity issue. This was a pre-experimental one …

Evaluating Shared Governance For Nursing Excellence, Evette Michelle Wilson

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The national challenges of nursing shortages, decreased staffing levels, and increased patient acuities have contributed to nurse's increased workload and job dissatisfaction. Nurses have become frustrated with the professional practice environment. The inability to make decisions about issues that affect their nursing practice and the care provided to their patients results in nurses leaving the work environment in search of higher job satisfaction. Employers are becoming more creative in their strategies to improve the work environment and retain nurses within their organizations. Healthcare leaders have implemented management strategies such as shared governance models. These models focus on providing a satisfying …

Nursing Students’ Cultural Immersion In Kenya: A Case For A Clinical Capstone Site, Nancy C. Wilk

Nursing Faculty/Staff Publications

Awareness of cultural concepts is an important component of nursing education and cultural immersion experiences are invaluable in fostering understanding of them. These types of experiences take students out of their comfort zone and challenge them both personally and professionally.

For several years, students on all levels have been participating in a 10-day trip to Kenya led by nursing faculty. Undergraduate students who go on the trip receive clinical credit for their community health course and are required to journal daily about their experiences while on the trip and write a reflection paper for the course when they return. The …

Impacting The Tdap Acceptance Rate Among Postpartum Women, Amie Burns-Scharnke

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Pertussis, also known as Whooping Cough, is a contagious disease that affects children more than adults, especially children under the age of 12 months. In the United States in 2009, there were more than 16,000 cases of pertussis in infants less than 6 month of age (National Network for Immunizations and Information, 2011). At a local Midwestern community hospital, a revised Tdap policy that consisted of an education component and standardization of when the vaccine was administered was implemented to increase the acceptance rate of Tdap vaccines among postpartum mothers due to their significantly low Tdap acceptance rate. The purpose …

The Effects Of Nursing Care On The Patient Experiencing A Stillborn Birth, Katherine Totten

Senior Honors Theses

Childbirth has the potential of being one of the most joyous and fulfilling experiences a woman goes through in her entire life. Being a mom, driving the kids to soccer practice, and sitting around the Christmas tree with the family can easily be seen as an ideal life. Conversely, the negative experiences with childbirth are rarely discussed. There is an overlooked category: moms who conceive but lose the baby in the womb. Not only are these women overlooked, but also the hospital care they receive proves inconsistent with the latest research. Nurses and doctors should be aware of the latest …

A Comparative Effectiveness Study Of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (Cpap) Related Skin Breakdown When Using Different Nasal Interfaces In The Extremely Low Birth Weight (Elbw) Neonate, Katherine Newnam

Theses and Dissertations

Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is reportedly superior to mechanical ventilation in the neonatal population by reducing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). The neonate is vulnerable to injury secondary to immature physiological systems and skin structures and the current CPAP devices place constant pressure on nares, nasal septum and forehead, increasing injury risk. Through the framework of comparative effectiveness research an examination of nasal interfaces currently used during neonatal CPAP was conducted in an effort to provide scientifically supported recommendations and improve clinical outcomes. The primary aim of this study was to determine differences in the frequency, severity and specific types …

Dehumanization Of The Clinician And The Demise Of The Healing Relationship, Bro. Ignatius Perkins, O.P.

Faculty Conference Presentations

Presented at the conference, Catholic Principles in Health Care: Are They Compatible in a Secular Society, April 27, 2013. Aquinas College, Nashville, Tennessee & John Carroll Catholic High School, Birmingham, Alabama.

Abstract:

Professional literature in health care ethics today frequently reports discussions on the multiple variables that threaten the human dignity and vulnerability of the sick person. Unfortunately, little attention is given to understanding how human dignity of the clinician is threatened and violated in the current health care environment.

Today’s technologically and economically-driven health care environment is influenced by moral relativism, reductionism, and a clinical focus on specialization, technology …

The Effects Of A Violence Assessment Checklist On The Incidence Of Violence For Emergency Department Nurses, Sarah Knapp

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Workplace violence (WV) is commonplace in American culture, and nurses working in emergency departments (ED) are not immune to its effects. Violence against emergency department nurses is prominent in current nursing literature, and a cause for major concern. Regrettably there is no consistent tool being used to assess for potential patient violence specific to the emergency department. Current assessment tools have been developed and are commonly used in the mental health arena. This evidence-based practice project concentrated on answering the clinical question of whether or not a violence risk assessment checklist reduced the incidence of violence and increased perception of …

The Role Of Nurses In Pediatric Pain Assessment And Interventions, Katie Pfannenstein

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Opinions About Smoking, Secondhand Smoke Exposure, And Smoking Behaviors Of Freshmen College Students, Nathan Matejczyk, Nina Tu, Michelle De Young, Nicole Arena

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

The purpose of this project was to assess first semester freshman college students’ opinions about smoking, secondhand smoke exposure, and smoking behaviors on a smoke-free campus. This research used an online cross-sectional survey. For two years, surveys were emailed via Zoomerang to all first semester freshmen students at Valparaiso University. Survey questions contained 60 forced-choice or open-ended options. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. A total of 630 students responded. Subjects were primarily female (58.4%) and Caucasian (84.9%). Twenty-five percent of the respondents reported being exposed to secondhand smoke in their environments. Twenty-nine percent were unaware that the campus is …

Health Literacy: Understanding Medication Labels, Jennifer Sechrist, Brittany O’Reilly, Katherine Jankauski, Emily Czekala, Lily Salinas

Symposium on Research and Creative Expression (SORCE)

Introduction: According to the Institute of Medicine (IOM), over 90 million people in the U.S. have difficulty understanding and using health information including medication labels. Purpose: To determine how individuals interpret medication labels and the relationship between medication label interpretation and level of health literacy. Method: Participants were recruited from a student-run health fair and a University Relay for Life. After securing consent, participants completed demographic information and the Rapid Estimate of Adult Literacy in Medicine (REALM). Participants were asked to blindly choose three medication containers from a bag. The labels were prepared by a registered pharmacist and affixed to …

The Stethoscoop, March 22, 2013, Mennonite College Of Nursing

The Stethoscoop

The Stethoscoop is the newsletter for Mennonite College of Nursing students.

A Case Study Exploring Restraint And Seclusion Use In School-Age Children On An Inpatient Psychiatric Unit, Michelle Buckman Phd

Dissertations

Perceptions of children restrained and secluded (R&S) were explored using Yin's methodology and critical theory. The literature presented reviewed proponent's and opponent's views of the R&S intervention used on inpatient psychiatric units for the containment of violent patients. Despite reports of physical and emotional injury to staff and patient during restraining and secluding children, the intervention is still in use. Using Machover's framework, a semi-structured interview and drawings were used to illicit information from a 12 year old boy about his perceptions of R&S. Then, a presentation of barriers to conducting research is made. Results of the child's perceptions included …

A Diabetes Prevention Program Provided By Home Care Nurses To Residents Of Public Housing Communities, Robin Whittemore Phd, Alana Rosenberg Mph, Sangchoon Jeon Phd

Journal of Health Disparities Research and Practice

The purpose of this pilot study was 1) to modify the Diabetes Prevention Program protocol collaboratively with home care nurses, health professionals, and residents of public housing: 2) to evaluate the feasibility (reach and implementation) and the preliminary efficacy of the modified diabetes prevention program (mDPP) provided by home care nurses to adults at-risk for T2D on clinical, behavioral, and psychosocial outcomes compared to an enhanced standard care control group. A mixed-method sequential design was used. The sample (n=67) was primarily female (79%), with a mean age of 40 years, and of diverse race and ethnicity (76% non-White). Home care …

Malnutrition And Diseases Affecting The Children Of Uganda, Crystal Brooke Baldwin

Senior Honors Theses

Every day there are children in underdeveloped countries, such as Uganda, who are struggling to survive on minimal food, money, and other resources. These children do not have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of a normal childhood because their main focus is on survival. Many of these children will die because of preventable disease and starvation that have resulted from the endless cycle of poverty and lack of education. Those who are lucky enough to survive must fight a daily battle to find the nutrients they need and to combat the diseases they may acquire. It is heartbreaking to …

Nurses’ Perspectives On Neonatal Massage Therapy In The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Kayla R. Hanson

Senior Honors Theses

Research in neonatal massage therapy has shown many possible benefits to the baby and family. Though there has been a growing trend towards family-centered care, along with a substantial and growing body of research, the practice of neonatal massage therapy is not routine in most NICUs. This study was conducted to evaluate neonatal intensive care nurses’ perspectives and attitudes towards neonatal massage therapy before and after evidence-based education. Willingness to discuss benefits of neonatal massage therapy significantly increased after education on neonatal massage therapy. The findings suggest that with proper training on the techniques and safety monitoring of massage therapy, …

Non-Pharmacologic Interventions For Long-Term Chronic Insomnia, Bo Mi You

Nursing Masters

Purpose: To systematically review, analyze and synthesize empirical evidence that has been published regarding the effectiveness of non-pharmacological management for patients with chronic insomnia.

Healthy Skin Is In: Effects Of A Multifaceted Sun Safety Program For Adolescents, Lindsay A. Munden

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Skin cancer is a common, potentially life threatening disease notably on the rise among young Americans. A substantial portion of lifetime exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, the greatest modifiable risk factor for skin cancer development, occurs during childhood and adolescence. Schools infrequently integrate sun safety education into the classroom and many lack essential sun safety policies. The purpose of this EBP project was to implement a multifaceted educational intervention providing middle school students with the knowledge behavioral skills needed to minimize the risk of developing skin cancer. The Health Belief Model and ACE Star Model of evidence-based practice guided this …

Providing Holistic And Spiritual Nursing Care, Jessika D. Gore

Senior Honors Theses

Holistic nursing is care of the whole person, which addresses physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and relational aspects of health. Historically, nursing has always integrated these aspects into providing care. Nursing developed out of religious orders and was predominantly a way to serve God by serving the poor and the sick. Florence Nightingale believed that nursing was her calling from God and her faith and spirituality influenced every aspect of her care. Nurses today are often fearful of addressing the spiritual needs of their patients, despite research that demonstrates the importance of providing care in these areas. Nurses can use interventions …

Travesty Of Trust: A Critical Look At Racial And Ethnic Discrimination In The Healthcare Setting, Thea A. Beaty

Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to review the overarching purpose of healthcare, examine race-related disparities in minority patient outcomes within specific fields of medical practice, and discuss whether these disparities are the result of racial discrimination within the clinical setting, or are due at least partially to genetic and environmental factors, followed by an examination of how cross-cultural education for healthcare professionals can be improved to equip medical personnel with the attitudes, knowledge, and skills necessary to provide effective care to a culturally diverse patient populace. The benefits of recruiting a culturally and linguistically diverse team of healthcare providers …

Interdisciplinary Health Fair And The Tendencies Of Young Adults To Receive Follow-Up Health Care, Kaelyn Monroe

Honors Theses

The following proposal outlines the planning, implementation, and follow-up regarding an organized health fair that aims to promote healthy lifestyle in a minority population. The health fair will be conducted on October 9' 2012 at Climax Scott's Alternative High School. The populations addressed through this project include: 60 students ranging from 16-19 years of age, 30 individuals 19 years or older and 10 teachers. The health fair will be organized by three senior-level Bronson School of Nursing students: Alexandra Scheidt, Abby Smith, and Kaelyn Momoe. The thesis project committee consists of: Dr. Sally Vliem, Professor Wendy Kershner, and Professor Alice …

Interdisciplinary Health Fair And The Tendencies Of Young Adults To Receive Follow-Up Health Care, Alexandra Scheidt

Honors Theses

The following proposal outlines the planning, implementation, and follow-up regarding an organized health fair that aims to promote healthy lifestyle in a minority population. The health fair will be conducted on October 9' 2012 at Climax Scott's Alternative High School. The populations addressed through this project include: 60 students ranging from 16-19 years of age, 30 individuals 19 years or older and 10 teachers. The health fair will be organized by three senior-level Bronson School of Nursing students: Alexandra Scheidt, Abby Smith, and Kaelyn Momoe. The thesis project committee consists of: Dr. Sally Vliem, Professor Wendy Kershner, and Professor Alice …

Prevalence Of Pregnancy Folkloric Beliefs Among Nurse-Midwifery Client Populations, Iris Aleece Campbell

Honors Theses

OBJECTIVE: To explore prevalence of pregnancy related folklore beliefs by conducting a survey of CM/CNMs in the United States. Research questions included: What folklore beliefs are most commonly encountered by nurse-midwives? Does the prevalence of folklore beliefs differ by geography? Does the type of folklore beliefs differ by the ethnicity and culture of the nurse-midwifery clientele?

METHODS: After IRB and ACNM approval, a geographically diverse sample of 1,000 active CM/CNM members was sent an invitation email. The survey was developed following a literature review to include 12 pregnancy beliefs. Responders were asked to rate how frequently they heard each (never-I, …

Pre- And Post-Interrvention Perceptions Of Illness, Health, And The Home Environment Among Nevada Healthy Homes Participants, Michelle Ching, Shawn Gerstenberger

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

The Nevada Healthy Homes Partnership (NVHHP) is a collaborative program between the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD), Rebuilding Together (RBT), HELP of Southern Nevada, and other public/private housing authorities and health agencies in Southern Nevada.

Quantifying Head Injury Severity Following Pediatric Patient Falls, Janet Dufek, N.A. Ryan-Wenger, K.C Mefferd

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

The purpose of this study was to retrospectively calculate the head injury criteria (HIC) values for pediatric patient falls and correlate these values to documented injury severity (MERP) scores. A second purpose was to examine the relationship between child ages and associated HIC15 values in an attempt to scale the values obtained from pediatrics to adult values.

Cardiovascular Risk Factors Prevalent Among Filipino-Americans: A Cross-Sectional Study, Alona Angosta

Interdisciplinary Research Scholarship Day

Filipino Americans are the 2nd largest Asian subgroup in the United States and their leading cause of death is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite this, little is known about their prevalence of CVD risk factors. This study revealed that many Filipino Americans living in Clark County, Nevada are at risk of heart disease because of the presence of CVD risk factors. Intensive lifestyle modification and treatment are recommended to help decrease the prevalence of heart disease in this group and improve their overall health outcomes. Nurses and nurse practitioners are in excellent position to educate their Filipino American clients regarding heart …