Nursing Commons^™

Nurse Knowledge Of Clostridium Difficile, Ashley E. Frosch

Honors Theses

The purpose of this study is to determine the amount of knowledge nurses have about Clostridium difficile. Seventy-five nurses participated in this study. A 25-question true/false survey was distributed via email to graduates of The University of Southern Mississippi. The survey consisted of a brief demographic section and 25 questions addressing Clostridium difficile knowledge. A total of 582 surveys were sent out with a total of 75 completed. Out of 25 questions in the survey, the majority of respondents (>50%) only answered 7 questions incorrectly. Overall, the nurses in this study possessed accurate knowledge about C. difficile; although, there …

Meaningful Recognition In A Healthy Work Environment For Nurse Engagement In A Critical Care Setting, Ann Rachel Willingham

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

Purpose: To examine which types of recognition are most meaningful to critical care nurses and study the relationships of meaningful recognition with a healthy work environment and nurse engagement.

Design: A descriptive, correlational design was used for this research study.

Methods: Two hundred-two critical care nurses from an urban, teaching hospital in the southeastern US were invited to participate in the study. Data collection occurred in September and October 2014.

Results: Nurses report the most meaningful recognition is salary and schedule. However, the remaining four subscales of recognition were rated at a level between moderate and …

Use Of Complementary Therapies By Individuals With Or At Risk For Cardiovascular Disease And Diabetes: Results Of The 2007 National Health Interview Survey, Katrina Michelle Embrey

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

Costly, debilitating and largely preventable, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM) place a heavy disease burden of high morbidity, mortality, and rising health care costs on people of the United States. With mortality reports from the two diseases of over 600,000 per year and costs in excess of $176 billion, identifying alternatives to traditional models of care must be considered. Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therefore becomes a viable option for prevention and treatment. Using secondary data analysis of the 2007 National Health Interview Survey, the aim of the current study was to determine whether CAM use was associated …

The Role Of Preceptorship And Group Cohesion On Newly Licensed Registered Nurses' Satisfaction And Intent To Stay, Sarah Michelle Bontrager

Dissertations, Theses and Capstone Projects

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to understand how preceptor role effectiveness and group cohesion play a role with nursing satisfaction and intent to stay among newly licensed registered nurses.

Design: A descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional design was used.

Methods: The newly licensed registered nurse cohorts of a local healthcare system were polled within their first year of practice. The community healthcare system serves five local hospitals and meetings were held at a neutral educational center. A demographic survey as well as surveys on preceptor role effectiveness, perceptions of group cohesion, nursing satisfaction, and intent to stay …

The Association Of Individual And Neighborhood Social Cohesion, Stressors, And Crime On Smoking Status Among African-American Women In Southeastern Us Subsidized Housing Neighborhoods, Jeannette O. Andrews, Martina Mueller, Susan D. Newman, Gayenell Magwood Phd, Rn, Faha, Faan, Jasjit S. Ahluwalia, Kellee White, Martha S. Tingen

Publications

The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between individual and neighborhood social contextual factors and smoking prevalence among African-American women in subsidized neighborhoods. We randomly sampled 663 adult women in 17 subsidized neighborhoods in two Southeastern US states. The smoking prevalence among participants was 37.6%, with an estimated neighborhood household prevalence ranging from 30 to 68%. Smokers were more likely to be older, have lower incomes, have lower BMI, and live with other smokers. Women with high social cohesion were less likely to smoke, although living in neighborhoods with higher social cohesion was not associated with smoking …

Hemoglobin A1c And The Diagnosis Of Diabetes And Prediabetes In Children And Adolescents, Jennifer Mcguire Hitt

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

Although the American Diabetes Association (ADA) adopted the use of the glycated hemoglobin (A1C) test as a method of diabetes and prediabetes diagnosis, the ADA has not developed firm guidelines concerning the use of the A1C test in children and adolescents, as research has not validated thresholds in this group. Diabetes and prediabetes are diseases influenced by multiple factors, including race and ethnicity, age, vitamin D deficiency, and body mass index (BMI). The purpose of this study was to determine the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of the A1C test compared to the gold …

Nicu Culture Of Care For Infants With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome: A Focused Ethnography, Monica M. Nelson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of this ethnographic study was to describe the culture of care and nonpharmacological nursing interventions performed by NICU nurses for infants with NAS. Background: Infants with NAS are increasingly being cared for in the inpatient hospital setting by NICU nurses. Interventions used for the care of premature and sick infants in the NICU may or may not be the exact interventions that should be used for the care of the fragile infant with NAS. Research studies on the nonpharmacological nursing care of infants with NAS encompass 5 main areas of practice: environment, adequate rest and sleep, feeding, …

Chronic Conditions In Elders In Assisted Living Facilities: Associations With Daily Functioning, Self-Assessed Health, And Depressive Symptoms, Abir K. Bekhet, Jaclene A. Zauszniewski

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Background

The increasing life expectancy of older adults has prompted an increase in chronic conditions that may interfere with their daily living and impact physical and mental health.

Objectives

This study examined associations between commonly reported chronic conditions, daily functioning, self-assessed health, and depressive symptoms of elders.

Methods/Design

A secondary analysis of existing data from 314 elderly residents of 29 facilities was conducted.

Results

The most frequently reported conditions were arthritis (64%), hypertension (47%), and heart problems (35%). Elders who reported having all three of these most frequently reported conditions differed significantly from those who reported none or one of …

Nurse Value-Added And Patient Outcomes In Acute Care, Olga Yakusheva, Richard C. Lindrooth, Marianne E. Weiss

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective

The aims of the study were to (1) estimate the relative nurse effectiveness, or individual nurse value-added (NVA), to patients’ clinical condition change during hospitalization; (2) examine nurse characteristics contributing to NVA; and (3) estimate the contribution of value-added nursing care to patient outcomes.

Data Sources/Study Setting

Electronic data on 1,203 staff nurses matched with 7,318 adult medical–surgical patients discharged between July 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 from an urban Magnet-designated, 854-bed teaching hospital.

Study Design

Retrospective observational longitudinal analysis using a covariate-adjustment value-added model with nurse fixed effects.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Data were extracted from the study …

Gender Differences In Neighborhood Walking In Older Adults, N. A. Gallagher, P. J. Clarke, Kimberlee A. Gretebeck

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Objective: This study examined mobility, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, neighborhood (density, destinations, and design), and neighborhood walking in older men (n = 106, 60-99 years, M = 76.78, SD = 8.12) and women (n = 216, 60-99 years, M = 75.81, SD = 8.46).

Method/Results: In hierarchical regression, the variables explained 32% of the variance in neighborhood walking in men (p < .001) and 27% of the variance in women (p < .01). Self-efficacy (β = .49, p < .01), density (β= .22, p < .05), and design (β= .21, p = .05) were associated with walking in men. Significant design characteristics included sidewalks (β= .25, p < .05) and crime (β= .36, p < .01). In women, self-efficacy (β= .48, p < .001) and destinations (β= .15, p < .05) were associated with walking. Walking was associated with self-efficacy for walking despite individual barriers in women (β= .38, p < .001) and neighborhood barriers in men (β= .30, p < .05).

Conclusion: Walking interventions targeting older women should incorporate local destinations. In older …

Predictors Of Lifestyle Behaviors, Trust Of Health Care Provider, And Utilization Of Health Services Among Adolescents Living In A Rural Area., Heather Karolyne Hardin

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Background: Adolescents have elevated morbidity and mortality rates associated with risk-taking behaviors, but utilize health services at low levels. There is little evidence concerning health behavior, trust of health care provider, or utilization of health services among adolescents living in rural areas. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine individual characteristic variables and determine the extent to which these variables influence lifestyle behaviors, trust of health care provider (HCP), and utilization of health services among adolescents attending public high school in rural Indiana. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional, quantitative design. Instruments used in this study were …

Family Nurse Practitioner Mentoring Relationships' Impact On Organizational Commitment, Patricia Bartley-Daniele

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) are vital primary care providers who are responding to increased primary health care needs in the United States. Organizational commitment is reflective of workplace relationships that foster professional development, innovation, and outcome achievement. An organizationally committed FNP workforce is essential to achieving primary health care goals.

Mentorship has been proposed as a strategy to foster FNP organizational commitment. Mentoring has been characterized as a teaching-learning relationship. The mentor can serve as a guide to foster graduate FNP practitioner transition into primary care practice. Types of mentoring relationships occur in formal workplace settings or develop as informal …

Sexual And Reproductive Health And Rights Of Aymara Women In The Intercultural Health System In Chile / Salud Y Derechos Sexuales Y Reproductivos De Las Mujeres Aymara En El Sistema De Salud Intercultural De Chile, Ariela Schnyer

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

This investigation seeks to understand how Aymara women navigate their sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) in Chile’s intercultural health care model. Indigenous communities have their own practices that complicate the provision of sexual and reproductive health by requiring health care providers to be aware of two different worldviews and how they may conflict, as well as what is necessary to provide respectful care. However, an ethnically and culturally pertinent framework is vital to actually assuring successful SRHR provision, whose tenants include autonomous choice and care free of discrimination, coercion or violence. These interactions were investigated through semi-structured interviews …

Application Of The Transtheoretical Model: Assessing Exercise Behavior In African Americans In A Church-Based Setting, Robin Marie White

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Sedentary behavior rates are higher among African-American men and women than in other American races and ethnicities, placing them at greater risk for chronic illness. Routine physical activity reduces the risk of chronic health problems such as: (a) overweight and obesity, (b) type 2 diabetes, (c) hypertension, (d) coronary artery disease, (e) stroke, (f) congestive heart failure, and (g) cancers. Assessment of African-Americans' exercise attitudes in a church-based setting may provide information with which to develop effective interventions to improve physical activity. This descriptive, cross-sectional study used components of the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) to assess whether any associations exist between …

The Lived Experience Of Nursing Students During Their Psychiatric Nursing Education: Does It Influence View Of Psychiatric Nursing As A Career Choice?, Lisa Mcconlogue

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Using a van Manen phenomenological approach combined with a Colaizzi step-wise data analysis procedure, this study seeks to describe the lived experience of recent nursing school graduates during their psychiatric didactic and clinical education and how the experience influenced their view of psychiatric nursing as a specialty choice.

Inclusion criteria for participants were registered nurses (RN) who graduated from their entry level nursing program within the last three years; graduated from a United States RN program; and are currently working as an RN in an inpatient setting. Two groups of participants were selected; one group of nurses who chose psychiatric …

Government Efforts And Personal Opinion Explain The Medicalization Of Pregnancy And Childbirth Through Time In Lower Mustang, Nepal, Ruth Baker

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

The way that women approach pregnancy and childbirth in rural Nepal has seen an amazing change in the past twenty to thirty years. The medicalization of this entire process, from pre-­‐ to post-­‐natal care, comes with government efforts for the increased education of women about family planning, nutrition, hygiene, and the proposed benefits of institutional versus in-­‐home delivery. In 9 villages of Lower Mustang, interviews conducted with Government Health Post workers, Female Health Volunteers, and women of different ages sought to discern personal experience and opinion about pregnancy and childbirth from the perspective of both local women and those with …

Premature Births And Maternal Health: An Analysis Of Risk Factors That Affect The Rate Of Prematurity / Los Nacimientos Prematuros Y La Salud Materna: Un Análisis De Los Factores De Riesgo Que Afecta La Tasa De Prematuridad, Alexandria Mickler

Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection

Research Question: What are the major socio-demographic risk factors influencing the rate of preterm birth in Valparaiso, Chile? Objectives: The objective of this study is to identify risk factors that influence the rate of preterm birth in an urban population of women living in Valparaiso, Chile. This study aims to understand whether a relationship exists between socio-demographic characteristics, such as economic level, education, lifestyle, access to medical attention and resources and the risk of prematurity. The outcomes of this study seek to determine the major biological, cultural, and social relationships and identify at-risk social groups. Additionally, this study considers the …

High-Stakes Evaluation: Five Years Later, Tonya Rutherford-Hemming, Suzan Kardong-Edgren, Teresa Gore, Patricia K. Ravert, Mary Anne Rizzolo

Faculty Publications

This article compares the International Nursing Association of Clinical Simulation and Learning (INACSL) memberships' thoughts and discussions about the use of simulation for high- stakes evaluation in nursing education to a similar town hall discussion, five years ago. Data on the topic of high-stakes testing were collected through a survey before the INACSL conference in June 2014. During a town hall meeting at the conference, the survey data was presented, attendees shared their thoughts and reacted to prepared comments by selected simulation leaders. Half of the town hall attendees favored high stakes testing before the survey findings and discussion. This …

Impact Of Universal Disinfectant Cap Implementation On Central Line–Associated Bloodstream Infections, Katreena Collette Merrill, Sharon Sumner, Lorraine Linford, Carrie Taylor, Christopher Macintosh

Faculty Publications

Background: Central line–associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) result in increased length of stay, cost, and patient morbidity and mortality. One CLABSI prevention method is disinfection of intravenous access points. The literature suggests that placing disinfectant caps over needleless connectors decreases CLABSI risk.

Methods: A quasi-experimental intervention study was conducted in a >430-bed trauma I center. In addition to an existing standard central line bundle, a new intervention consisting of a luer-lock disinfectant cap with 70% alcohol was implemented in all intravenous (IV) needleless connectors on patients with peripheral and central lines. Compliance to the disinfectant cap was monitored weekly. A generalized …

As I Remember, Emily Loveridge

Emily Loveridge’s Memoir: As I Remember

This typewritten document was authored by Emily Loveridge, the founder of the Good Samaritan Hospital School of Nursing. Loveridge began working at the Good Samaritan Hospital in 1890 and worked there for 40 years. This memoir is her remembrances of people, events, and the way the hospital and nursing program evolved during her tenure.

Please note that the back of page 14 has additional text not accounted for in the original page numbering. The manuscript is numbered page 1-47, but consists of 48 typed pages. The pdf document is a total of 49 pages, counting the cover as page 1.

Improving The Patient Experience Through Nurse Leader Rounds, Judy C. Morton, Jodi Brekhus, Megan Reynolds, Anna Kay Dykes

Patient Experience Journal

While providing exceptional care experiences to patients is a priority for many organizations, creating and sustaining measureable success in this area remains a challenge for many. This article examines the impact of implementing nurse leader rounds on patient perception of care in the hospitals and emergency departments of a large healthcare system. Nurse leader rounds were implemented as a system-wide improvement practice at Providence Health & Services in 2012. Analysis of Press Ganey and Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) survey results indicates that implementation of nurse leader rounds is associated with statistically significant improvement in patient …

Sustained Vigilance, Errors, And Job Satisfaction In A Population Of Critical Care And Emergency Department Nurses, Skip G. Morelock

Nursing Theses and Dissertations

Despite the continuing efforts of health care organizations to provide a culture of safety, an unacceptable number of medication incidents and hospital errors continue to occur. This study focuses on these events as they relate to job satisfaction in the context of sustained vigilance required of acute care nurses. A constellation of variables contribute to errors including fatigue, stress, overload, protocol satisfaction, and practice risk. The study includes an intense examination of the physiological and psychological effects of night shift work. The results reflect a correlation between fatigue and errors with a less robust, though still statistically significant, association with …

Transformational Leadership In Nursing: A Pilot Nurse Leader Development Program, Audria G. Denker

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Current research reveals that staff nurses are routinely placed into front-line leadership roles with little formal preparation. The purpose of this project was the development, implementation, and evaluation of a pilot nurse leader development program for nurse leaders at a small community hospital located in Clarksville, Indiana. This study consisted of a quasi-experimental design, with the intervention consisting of a leadership course delivered to a convenience sample of nurses in managerial positions. Leadership attributes was quantified, both pre/post interventions, through the administration of the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI), a Likert-scaled survey. The LPI was administered to the nurse leaders, their …

A Comparative Effectiveness Secondary Data Analysis: Selected Short Term Economic And Clinical Outcomes Of Rapid Surgical Intervention In The Geriatric Fracture Population, Susan Elizabeth Dries

Theses & Dissertations

The percentage of the U.S. population that is over 65 years of age is expected increase to over 20% by 2040. Within that geriatric population, 50% of women and 20% of men will experience osteoporotic fractures. The cost of their care is estimated in billions of dollars annually. The outcomes from osteoporotic fractures account for more morbidity than all cancers, except lung cancer, combined.

Rapid surgical intervention protocols, which reduce the time between fracture and surgical repair, are intended to improve outcomes and reduce costs. The protocols require intense care coordination and their effectiveness has not been unequivocally established. This …

Anticipators Job Stressors Of Nurses Returning To The Workplace: A Mixed Methodology, Carol Peterson

Learning Showcase 2014

Multifactorial reasons have produced a growing nursing shortage. One possible group that could reverse this shortage in inactive nurses. Many stakeholders wonder about allocating scarce resources to identify, locate, educate, and redeploy this group into active practice. The purpose of this one-phase embedded validating quantitative mixed methodology was to identify the anticipated job stressors of registered nurse (RN) refresher students as they prepare to enter the work force following a career break. The Likert-type Expanded Nurse Stress Scale (French, Lenton, Walters, & Eyles, 2000; Gray-Toft & Anderson, 1981) was used. The independent variables were the job stressors of RNs. The …

Factors That Hinder Underrepresented Minority Adn Students From Initially Pursuing Baccalaureate Nursing Education, Tanika Cherry-Montgomery

Learning Showcase 2014

The lack of minority representation in the nursing profession has been an area of concern for quite some time because of its direct correlation on the health of our nation. However, the lack of minority representation in the nursing workforce and on baccalaureate (BSN) college campuses persists. Students from underrepresented backgrounds comprise 26.6% of entry-level nursing baccalaureate programs (AACN, 2014) and 16.8% of the nursing workforce (HRSA, 2010), yet 32% of the US population is from a racially or ethnically diverse background (U.S. Census Bureau, 2011). The numbers of diverse nurses who are in practice pales in comparison to the …

Collaborative Model For South Korean Nurses: Education, U.S. Rn Licensure, And Employment, Gail K. Baumlein

Learning Showcase 2014

The purpose of this poster is to describe the collaborative model developed between a private university in the U.S. and constituents in South Korea to facilitate nurses’ attainment of a U.S. registered nurse (RN) license, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, and employment in the U.S.

Throughout the world, nurses are being encouraged to increase their educational preparation from an entry level diploma or associate’s degree, to the BSN degree (International Council of Nurses, 2009). In South Korea, the government has recently mandated that nurses attain a BSN degree, and has closed all programs offering only the lower …

Examination Of Possible Protective Effect Of Rhesus D Positive Blood Factor On Toxoplasma-Related Depressive Symptoms In Pregnancy, Lisa Lynn Parnell

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Toxoplasma gondii infects approximately one third of the population worldwide. There is strong evidence that a relationship between T. gondii titer and depressive symptoms exists. There is also evidence suggesting a protective effect of RhD positive blood factor on toxoplasma-induced behavioral and personality changes. This protective effect may influence the relationship between T. gondii and prenatal depressive symptoms. The purpose of this secondary data analysis was to examine the possible protective effect of RhD positive blood factor on prenatal depressive symptoms in 56 pregnant women with T. gondii infection. The cross-sectional design was utilized to answer the question “Does positive …

Measuring The Effectiveness Of Interactive Patient Education In Reducing Hospital Readmission Rates Of Patients Diagnosed With Congestive Heart Failure, Melanie Colace, Carly Bongart, Kayla Walker, Alisha Droxler, Yuehhsia Chen, Mary Bouchaud

College of Nursing Posters

Introduction •The leading cause of hospitalization in the United States is heart failure among adults 65 years of age. •One million patients are hospitalized every year with a primary diagnosis of heart failure, resulting in a Medicare expenditure exceeding $17 billion. •For every five patients admitted to a hospital with congestive heart failure (CHF), one patient will be readmitted within 30 days of discharge . •75 percent of early heart failure readmissions are preventable. •Medicare introduced the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program that became effective in 2012. • This program established financial penalties for greater than expected readmissions for primary diagnoses …

The Effects Of A Smart Phone App On Hospital Readmission Rates For Patients Diagnosed With Diabetes, Kevin Abercrombie, Mary Bouchaud

College of Nursing Posters

Abstract

Diabetes has been a growing concern in the United States due to the rapidly increasing incidence of this disease over the past decade. In their 2014 report, the CDC reported there were 29.1 million people diagnosed with diabetes in 2012, comprising 9.3% of the total US population. In addition, according to the CDC, 1.7 million people were newly diagnosed with type I and type II diabetes in 2012 with health care costs at an estimated $245 billion. Moving forward, the most effective approach is to empower and educate these patients to self-manage their own disease to decrease or prevent …