Nursing Commons^™

Dosing Accuracy When Administering Oral Medications, Chelsea Hughes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Inaccurate dosing of children’s liquid medication is a major problem that causes adverse effects for children every year. In order to prevent these errors, education for at risk parents is essential. A survey and observational study was done in order to identify parents/caregivers who make dosing errors when measuring out liquid medication for their children. A total of 25 parents/caregivers with children admitted to Arnold Palmer Hospital were included in this study. Study participants completed a survey that included demographic data as well as parenting experience. The parents were directly observed measuring a dose of corn syrup using Children’s liquid …

Effects Of Sepsis Protocols On Health Outcomes Of Adult Patients With Sepsis, Monika U. Mróz

Theses and Dissertations

Sepsis is a condition that arises from the host’s own exaggerated response to an infection, directed towards pathogens, but causing multiple organ failure. Sepsis is one of the most common causes of death, and a considerable absorber of healthcare resources. This frequently fatal condition, despite progress in technology and improving knowledge of pathophysiology, is still poorly understood, carries high mortality and morbidity rates, and survivors are often left with permanent disabilities and poor health outcomes.

Initial presentation of sepsis is often nonspecific, making diagnosis difficult, and causing lifesaving treatment delays. Sepsis guidelines are derived from emerging evidence-based research. While there …

Boarding In The Emergency Department, Daniel Masserang

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

The purpose of this research was to identify the causes of boarding in the emergency department (ED), look into the resulting effects in which an overcrowded ED may create, and lastly, delve into potential interventions and solutions to counter the factors which create the issue of boarding. Boarding in an ED is a trending topic an dis relevant to healthcare and can be a factor in life or death. research methods included a in-depth literature review of nursing journals, medical journals, systematic reviews, and cross-sectional studies found via CINAHL and PubMed. Results showed that periods of boarding and a longer …

Childhood Obesity And Nursing Interventions, Rebecca Oswald

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

This paper will examine obesity and the multitude of methods for a healthcare professional to help influence their patients using health promotion techniques for those who are at risk for obesity. This paper will discuss the pathophysiology of obesity as well as childhood obesity risk factors that pertain to this disease. This paper will investigate the nursing interventions being used today to combat childhood obesity within the following settings; school, in-patient, and clinic.

The Relationship Between Light Exposure And Fatigue And Mood In The Patient Undergoing Bone Marrow Transplant, Kimberly S. Anderson-Drevs

Dissertations

Exposure to light is known to produce changes within the human body. It has demonstrated ability to produce changes in the circadian rhythm and the sleep wake cycle and to change the production and secretion of melatonin and corticosteroids. The bulk of research is related to the use of bright light therapy (BLT) for certain depressive disorders. The literature does not provide a standard of care for BLT administration dose or schedule. This study intended to define any relationship between natural and ambient light with a hospitalized patient’s mood and/or fatigue level. Further it aimed to relate cumulative light levels …

Restoring Trust: A Grounded Theory Study Of Cyberbullying Among Young Women, Nancy H. Camp

Dissertations

Cyberbullying is a global and national public health issue with the potential to affect the healthy social and emotional development of adolescents and young adults. There has been an 80% increase in social media use in 18-29 year olds between 2004 and 2014 (Gahagen, Vaterlaus, & Frost, 2016). In a study of 14-24 year olds (MTV/AP, 2011), 76% identified cyberbullying as a serious problem, with more than 56% reporting they have experienced cyberbullying. Cyberbullying research has been conducted predominantly with adolescents (ages 11-18 years), however scant research has been conducted with older adolescents and young adults (ages 18-30 years). This …

What Is The Process Of Relational Work Of The Nurse?, Daniela Terrizzi Defrino

Dissertations

The process of how nurses work in relationships to accomplish their work is presented in this dissertation. This study has made the relational work process of nurses explicit. While research demonstrates that increased nurse staffing is associated with better patient outcomes and with nurses experiencing less burnout and job dissatisfaction, the process is not explored in the empirical literature.

The research question was: “What is the process of relational work of the nurse?” Data collection and analysis conformed to the process of classical grounded theory. Interviews were face to face with 23 registered nurses working as direct care staff nurses …

Graduating Associate Degree Nursing Students: Keeping Students On Track, Marisa Ellen Greer

Online Theses and Dissertations

The national job outlook for registered nurses, according to a News Release for Employment Projections 2012-2022 from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013), will continue to increase in job growth from 2012 to 2022 by 19.4%. This increase will result in an additional 526,800 registered nursing positions that will be available nationwide by 2022. This qualitative dissertation investigated associate degree nursing students and the strategies they employed to be successful and graduate from their respective nursing program. According to a report entitled The Registered Nurse Population by the US Department of Health and Human Services (2008), associate degree nursing programs …

Impact Of Parental Coaching On Childhood Obesity, Lizy Jimmy Johns

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Background- Childhood obesity is an epidemic in the United States (US) affecting 12.7 million children (CDC8, 2015), and costing the US $14.1 billion every year (Cawley, 2010). It also costs corporate America about $9 billion in direct costs (Adeagbo, 2015) and $4.3 billion in indirect costs for healthcare expenditures (Cawley, 2010). Studies suggest interventions implemented by employers involving the whole family are twice as effective as interventions with employees alone (Adeagbo, 2015). Methods- This quality improvement pilot study used a quasi-experimental pre and post study design in an outpatient employee health clinic to evaluate a coaching method for empowering parents …

Interventions In The Primary Care Setting Aimed At Improving The Rate Of Completion Of Advance Directives, D. Denise Goddard

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

The majority of people never discuss their choice of treatment in end-of-life issues and do not have an advance directive (AD). The cause may be due to the lack of organized efforts to achieve completion of ADs. This project used a quasi-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design to determine if an educational intervention increased the completion of an AD. Project results showed that the combination of repeated written and verbal educational information about ADs provided via a primary care setting is an effective intervention to increase completion of ADs. A convenience sample revealed 14% of 90 primary care clinic patients had a …

Therapy Options For Winged Scapula Patients: A Literature Review, Samantha L. Normand

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Winged scapula is a condition characterized by lateral or medial protrusion of the scapula caused by nerve damage leading to muscular paralysis. The purpose of this systematic review of literature is to evaluate the current research literature related to the effectiveness of therapy options for winged scapula. Eleven peer reviewed English language research articles published from 1998 to present were included for evaluation. Study results revealed positive therapeutic outcomes for physical therapy and scapular bracing. Results also showed positive outcomes for the use of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation and acupuncture for the treatment of nerve related conditions similar to winged …

Caring Minds, University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston School Of Nursing

Caring Minds

No abstract provided.

A Lost Tribe In The City: Health Status And Needs Of African Asylum Seekers And Refugees In Hong Kong, William Chi Wai Wong, Sealing Cheng, Eleanor Holroyd, Julie Chen, Kelley Ann Loper, Lynn Tran, Heidi Yin Hai Miu

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Hong Kong’s resistance to be a signatory of the 1951 Geneva Convention and lack of domestic policies in this area has resulted in restrictions on access to healthcare amongst asylum seekers and refugees (ASRs). Using social determinants of health framework this study sought to identify health practices, problems and needs of African ASRs in Hong Kong.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey comprising of six domains including health status, health-seeking behaviour and social experience targeted at adult African ASRs in Hong Kong was conducted through three local non-governmental organisations between February and April 2013. Outpatient care and inpatient care in the …

School Nurse Perceptions And Decisions About Children Self-Carrying Inhalers In School, Lisa Anne Dominguez Jaurigue

Dissertations

Every state in the United States has passed legislation allowing students to self-carry rescue inhalers in the school setting. Many organizations are stakeholders in respiratory issues, school health issues, and pediatric issues, recommending the support of this practice. Students’ ability to self-carrying rescue inhalers in the school setting has been impacted by school nurse perceptions and decision-making. This study addressed the questions: (a) What are school nurse perceptions and attitudes in regard to children self-carrying inhalers in the school setting? (b) How do school nurses decide whether children can self-carry inhalers in the school setting? and, (c) Are school districts …

Palliative Care Across The Lifespan, Sonya Sabrah

Senior Honors Theses and Projects

When a patient or a loved one has a chronic, life-threatening illness, it is critical to guarantee the healthcare provider or family member helping them explore their options in order to make them as comfortable and happy as possible. Palliative care programs aim to relieve the patient or loved one from suffering by managing their symptoms, and working with them to achieve their goals and enhance their quality of life. Many people may confuse hospice with palliative care but it is important to realize hospice has certain requirements that a patient has to meet whereas palliative care programs can be …

Health Professions Division 2016-2017 Catalog, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

R.N. To B.S.N. Overview, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

B.S. Nursing Program Curriculum, Nova Southeastern University

Health Professions Divisions Course Catalogs and Course Descriptions

No abstract provided.

Medication Adherence After Post Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: An Educational Intervention, Rebecca Shelton Thomas

DNP Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this evidenced-based education project was (i) assess current barriers and determining factors associated with medication adherence and how this coincides with health outcomes, (ii) assess whether medication adherence and hospital re-admission rates were improved with a comprehensive medication discharge educational plan.

Setting: The project took place on a 35 bed post interventional care unit (4IC) located in a 433 bed community care hospital in Central Kentucky.

Population: The population for this study was a sample of 10 acute myocardial infarction patients post percutaneous coronary intervention. Thirty percent of participants were female and 60% were male. Mean …

The Effect Of Therapeutic Horseback Riding On Balance And Self-Efficacy In Children With Developmental Disabilities, Alexandra Smola, Lauren Hurley

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Therapeutic horseback riding (THR) has positive health related outcomes in children with developmental disabilities. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a 10-week THR intervention on balance and task-specific self-efficacy in children with developmental disabilities. Bandura’s social cognitive theory and the physical stress theory guided the quasi-experimental study. A pre-test post-test design (N=20) was implemented with a 10-week THR class at a riding center in Midwest United States. The first research question was: In children with developmental disabilities ages 5 to 18, does one 10-week session of THR affect balance? With time 1 balance mean at …

Alzheimer's Disease Today & Tomorrow, Sherry L. Shaffer

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) has impacted me on a personal level and professional level. I witnessed my grandfather slowly slip away at the hands of AD over the course of a decade. As a psychiatric nurse, I have provided care for geriatric patients diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease and stuck in a cycle of acute psychiatric distress and chronic neurodegeneration.

• Over 100 years ago, Dr. Alois Alzheimer first described AD. (Alzheimer’s Association, 2016)

• In 1994, former President Ronald Reagan put AD in the spotlight when he publicly shared his diagnosis. (Alzheimer’s Association, 2016)

• In 2013, the CDC estimates as many as 5 …

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Follicular Lymphoma, Audra Miller-Schaar

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Follicular Lymphoma (FL) is a subtype of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. FL is a proliferation of the germinal center B cells mixed with nonmalignant cells. The genetic hallmark of FL is the translocation of T(14:18). Median age of diagnosis is 60-65, occurs rarely in children. Risk factors include, cigarette smoking, pesticides, increased body mass, first degree relative with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Epstein-Barr virus, and immunodeficient states. FL is diagnosed with biopsy and staged and graded. Different treatment options are available, along with “watch and wait”, consists of no treatment, just continue with computed tomography (CT) and positron emission tomography (PET). There is no …

Lupus Nephritis: A Synopsis Of Pathophysiology And Implications For Advanced Nursing Practice, Nicole G. Warren

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) can be described as a chronic, complex, autoimmune disorder (McCance & Huether, 2014). Disproportionately affecting women, and those of Afro-Cuban, Hispanic, Asian, and American Indian descent, SLE has a prevalence of 2.0 to 7.6 cases per 100,000 persons in the United States. Characterized by chaotic autoantibody production, complement alterations, and formation of immune complexes, SLE has the potential to generate devastating damage to multiple organ systems. Formed from the binding of autoantibodies and self-antigens, immune complexes often result in renal damage, a significant complication of the disease. Through careful analysis and synopsis of literature, the writer …

Lynch Syndrome, Lydia Redick

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Poster project on Lynch Syndrome.

The Risks And Benefits Of Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors And The Effect Of Parent-Child Compliance On Medication Teaching In Pediatric Anxiety Disorders, Sabiha Nizam

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Pediatric anxiety disorders characterized as Generalized, Separation, and Social Anxiety Disorders, are chronic debilitating conditions that leave children feeling tense and isolated, both physically and emotionally. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are a classification of antidepressants that can be prescribed to children diagnosed with these disorders. SSRIs have been shown to be effective in treating anxiety disorders in children. The purpose of this literature review was to examine and determine if there are more risks or benefits associated with SSRIs, as well as evaluate teaching and education regarding anxiety disorder medication compliance in both children and parents. A secondary purpose …

Pelvic Floor Muscle Training In Management Of Postpartum Pelvic Floor Dysfunctions: A Literature Review, Rebecca S. Tanner

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Women can face a wide range of pelvic floor dysfunctions following pregnancy, ranging from urinary incontinence to pelvic pain. Unfortunately, these problems are not routinely checked for in postpartum check-ups and women do not always bring it to the physician’s attention. Strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles may be able to help women prevent these disorders and improve these women’s lifestyles.

The purpose of this thesis was to review and analyze different trials to determine if different pelvic floor dysfunctions (urinary incontinence, sexual dysfunction, and pelvic girdle pain) can be treated using pelvic floor muscle training in the postpartum. After …

An Analysis Of Reinforcers Maintaining Caregiving Behaviors Of Long-Term Care Facility Staff, Sandra Garcia

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Traditionally, the medical model has been the standard level of care in long-term care facilities. However, many facilities are transitioning from the medical model to a person-centered approach. The core of person-centered care is the relationship between frontline staff and residents. Empirical research has found person-centered care to reduce depressive and behavioral symptoms, levels of loneliness, and increase quality of care in residents; person-centered care has increased job satisfaction in nursing staff. Unfortunately, little is known about what motivates caregiving behavior in nursing staff and whether these motivators are consistent with principles of person-centered care. The current study attempted to …

Determining The Relationship Among Change Fatigue, Resilience, And Job Satisfaction Of Hospital Staff Nurses, Robin Brown

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine if there is a relationship among change fatigue, resilience, and job satisfaction of hospital staff nurses and if differences exist between novice and experienced staff nurses.

Background: Healthcare is typified by change. Organizational changes have a negative impact on nurses and the effects of organizational change are being overlooked and under researched. Change fatigue is a result of constant organizational change and has not been researched with nurses.

Methods: The study utilized a descriptive correlational design. Participants completed an online survey, using three tools: Change Fatigue Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), …

Depression Outcomes In Care Coordination, Primary Care And Psychiatry Patients After Pharmacogenetic Testing, Julie Kittelsrud

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Objective. The purpose of the study is to compare the outcomes of patient activation before and after pharmacogenetic care in a coordinated care population. The process of pharmacogenetic care includes the patient’s acknowledgment of medication changes which are based on their genetic profile. This study will be framed by Dorothea Orem’s Self-Care Theory and Davies and Conley’s framework of genetic influences in prescribing anti psychotropic therapy.

Background. Understanding patient’s behavioral reactions to pharmacogenetic care in terms of patient activation is important to understanding patient’s health outcomes. No published studies were identified in literature reviews conducted by this author which …

The Learning Experiences Of Immigrants Who Are Graduates Of An Entry-Level Baccalaureate Nursing Program In Minnesota, Marcia L. Scherer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The United States faces an immigrant population explosion with more foreignborn residents compared to any country in the world. Each immigrant enters with individual and cultural health beliefs and, as they seek health care, often prefers to receive care from someone who understands and supports their cultural beliefs and customs. Nurses comprise the largest segment of healthcare providers. Within this population of nurses, the number of ethnically diverse nurses continues to stagnate at astoundingly low levels. The literature reviewed neglected to identify interviewing immigrants separate from ethnically diverse nursing students. Understanding the immigrant’s nursing education experiences is essential to addressing …