Nursing Commons^™

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

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

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

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

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

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

Early Fetal Loss In The Emergency Department And Nurses’ Perceptions Of Care: Implementation Of A Framework For Care, Sandy Langheld

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Women and families widely report dissatisfaction with miscarriage care received in the emergency department (ED). Nurses in the ED are not formally trained in principles of perinatal bereavement, including meeting the complex psychological needs of clients experiencing the loss of an early pregnancy. Nurses may lack the confidence, preparedness, and knowledge needed to care for these clients holistically. This project hypothesized ED nurses’ perceptions (knowledge, confidence, and preparedness) would improve subsequent to education and implementation of an evidence-based framework for care. Emergency department nurses’ perceptions (knowledge, confidence, and preparedness) of care significantly increased after education and implementation of an evidence-based …

The Impact Of Social Factors On Readmission Rates Of Heart Failure Patients, Lashwanda Richardson

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Heart Failure is the most common reason for readmission among Medicare fee-forservice patients. While there are medical and health related factors such as medication adherence and comorbidities that contribute to heart failure readmissions, there are many social factors that cause readmission as well. This thesis will focus on the impact social factors have on heart failure patients that lead to their readmission. It will also discuss evidence-based interventions that reduce readmissions and improve the performance of hospitals on their 30-day readmission performance measure. Reducing readmissions in patients with heart failure will reduce hospital costs. It will also help to close …

Interventions For Afterschool Programs To Decrease The Likelihood Of Childhood Obesity, Anna R. Boyd, Lauren E. Hendricks, Elexus T. Morton, Kayleigh S. Phillips, Corie Vanarsdale, Msn

Anna Vaughn School of Nursing Undergraduate Work

This systematic research review (SRR) looked at the epidemic of childhood obesity and subsequent complications. Afterschool programs (ASPs) were targeted as a key area where children spend many hours each day and, therefore, an ideal place for obesity interventions. The purpose of this SRR was to search the current benefits ASPs can have on decreasing the risk and prevalence of childhood obesity and to answer the research question, "What are nursing interventions within ASPs that decrease the risk of obesity in children in the United States of America?" Childhood obesity influences nurses in many areas, including inpatient hospitals, schools, and …

A Systematic Review: Infant And Maternal Mortality And Morbidity In Developing Countries, Michayla Evans, Jamie Jeemon, Christiana Strysko, Lauren Toole, Patricia Catts, Rn, Phd

Anna Vaughn School of Nursing Undergraduate Work

Maternal and infant morbidity and mortality rates are high within developing nations. The World Health Organization reports 800 women die daily due to pregnancy and labor complications (Maternal mortality, 2016). These complications are related to a wide variety of perinatal problems including preeclampsia and prolonged labor. Infant morbidity and mortality is related to infections, asphyxia, and low birthweight (Newborns: reducing mortality, 2016). The purpose of this systematic review was to research current literature to answer the question: “What are the nursing interventions to decrease maternal and infant morbidity and mortality in developing countries?”. This systematic research review included a sample …

Preterm Labor Assessment Toolkit Implementation, Mandi Wilkins

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

ABSTRACT

PRETERM LABOR ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT IMPLEMENTATION

Mandi Mae Wilkins

Every year 10% of babies in the United States are born premature. Prematurity is the leading cause of infant mortality. Standardized preterm labor (PTL) assessment protocols reduced preterm birth rates, decreased costs, and resulted in more timely diagnoses and prevented the overtreatment of pregnant women who were not experiencing true preterm labor. At a Midwestern, Level II trauma hospital with regional neonatal intensive care unit and 700 annual deliveries, a Preterm Labor Assessment Toolkit (PLAT) was implemented and pre- and post-data garnered. The toolkit contained a provider algorithm and an order …

Oral Health Literacy In Parents And Care Providers Of Young Children, Rachel Nye

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Tooth decay ranks first as the most common chronic disease in childhood (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services [HHS], 2000). In addition to the morbidity directly related to cavities, there are a myriad of other systemic implications of this disease. The purpose of the study was to determine baseline oral health literacy levels for a sample of pediatric caregivers living in the Upper Peninsula and to determine the impact of a community based education program on these levels. The program was offered at three locations. A paired sample t-test of sixty-four complete data sets demonstrated a statistically significant increase …

Primary Care Provider Attitudes Towards Adoption Of Evidence Based Practice: Indicators Of Acceptance Towards Bibliotherapy, Shannon Scott

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

The rising prevalence of depression is straining the skeletal mental health systems in rural communities, resulting in a majority of patients receiving management for their depression solely by their primary care providers. However, providers need to be empowered with evidence-based resources to provide adequate care beyond pharmacotherapy exclusively. Bibliotherapy, or the prescription of books for the treatment of disease, is readily used by psychologists but less incorporated into the traditional medical model of patient care. This small pilot study provided primary care providers in a rural area complimentary copies of the self-help text Feeling Good (Burns, 2009) to incorporate into …

Advance Care Planning: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Education And The Veteran Population, Rhian Elizabeth Dalgord

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation educational tools are prevalent in the realm of advance care planning and shared decision making. However, tools developed specifically in the interest of veterans are lacking. This deficit impedes the advance care planning process. Easy-to-use advance care planning tools that meet specific population needs can result in a threefold higher rate of usage. The purpose of this DNP scholarly project was to evaluate the use of the Honoring Healthcare Choices CPR educational handout through administration of the iDECIDE CPR Decision Aid Acceptability questionnaire to veterans (N=70) residing in a veterans nursing home in the Midwest. The iDECIDE CPR …

Provision Of Survivorship Care Plans In Hard To Reach Patient Populations, Jenna Cowan, Jennifer Kerkvliet

College of Nursing Faculty Publications

Table of Contents
Acknowledgments [page] 1
The Case for Survivorship Care Plans [page] 3
Accreditation Standards for Survivorship Programs [page] 4
Hard to Reach Patient Populations [page] 5
Methods [page] 6
Models of Collaboration to Reach Survivors of Urological Cancers [page] 8
Model #1 [page] 9
Model #2 [page] 13
Summary of Collaborations [page] 16
References [page] 18

Efficacy Of Technology-Based And In-Person Health Education For Behavior Change In College-Aged Women, Madeline Bremel

All College Thesis Program, 2016-2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine whether an in-person or technology based bone health intervention improved bone health knowledge and behaviors in college-aged women. Methods: 30 college-aged women were randomly divided into three groups: personal intervention (n = 10), technological intervention (n = 10), and control (n = 10). Both intervention groups received identical information regarding the importance of bone health and the appropriate behaviors for maintaining strong bones including weight-bearing exercise, calcium consumption, and vitamin D consumption. The technology group received the information via an online video, and the personal group via a one-on-one …

Measuring Health Care Providers' Perceived Age Of Transition And Transfer For Youth With Special Health Care Needs, Doris V. Tinagero

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Approximately 98,000 or 19% of all children residing in New Mexico have special health care needs with almost half of these children nearing the critical transition period of moving into an adult-oriented medical model of care. A critical initial step to ensuring the medical, developmental, and psychosocial needs are addressed in the transition process includes the creation of an organizational transition policy. The aim of this study was to explore differences in the perceived age of transition and transfer for youth with special health care needs into an adult-oriented medical setting, based on providers’ location of clinical time, the population …

Barriers To Providing Quality Care For Pediatric Patients With Autism Spectrum Disorder As Identified By Baccalaureate Prepared Registered Nurses: A Basis To Enhance Professional Practice, Ugo Ndubaku

Doctoral Projects

The increased prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) foretells that this sector of the population will be accessing health care services in greater numbers; thus, it behooves healthcare providers to prepare for their impending needs. This qualitative study describes the experiences of baccalaureate prepared registered nurses caring for children and adolescents with ASD in order to identify challenges that hinder providing comprehensive and individualized care. A purposive sample of 10 baccalaureate degreed registered nurses (RNs) who have worked or work in the pediatric unit was used to gather rich descriptive experiences. The qualitative data analyses were based on an interpretive …

Measuring Socio-Economic Status Of An Urban Squatter Settlement In Pakistan Using Wami Index, Nousheen Pradhan, Tazeen Saeed Ali, Fauzia Basaria Hasnani, Shireen Shehzad Bhamani, Rozina Karmaliani

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To determine the socio-economic status of a peri-urban community.
Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted at Deh Chuhar village, Gaddap Town, Karachi from December 2015 to February 2016. The Water/Sanitation, Assets, Maternal Education and Income Index was used. All variables were given a score on the scale of 0-8. The resulting index was illustrated in the form of quintiles.
Results: : A total of 254 households were surveyed. Total population was 2117 with mean number of household members being 8±4. Mean index score was 0.39±0.14 and the median score was 0.375. Percentile distribution of the score indicated that 152(60%) …

Nurses' Breastfeeding Knowledge And Confidence After Education Session, Anna Caroline Tillman

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: Education is an essential part of the nursing profession. Nurses should be teaching their patients every day, ensuring they understand the most reliable evidence-based practices. In breastfeeding education, however, there is a lack of education to expectant mothers on common breastfeeding methods, how to overcome common barriers, and general breastfeeding knowledge. If nurses can be effectively educated in breastfeeding knowledge and build their confidence in teaching their patients, then mothers will receive more thorough and helpful breastfeeding education. The hope in educating both nurses and mothers is to increase breastfeeding exclusivity rates to meet Healthy People2020 goals.

Objective: The …

Leadership Development In The Nursing Student, Jessica Shaw

Senior Honors Projects

I am your typical type A honors nursing student. In several of my clinical courses, I received constructive criticism regarding my performance. The common theme throughout each rotation was leadership, or the lack thereof. I was itching to do something to break the trend. In our syllabi under expected course outcomes it said things like, “integrate principles of leadership,” and, “assume a leadership role.” To me, this was far too vague and there had never been a mention in the syllabi or the classroom of how leadership is defined or what it should look like in the nursing field. My …

School Nurses' Knowledge And Perceived Role In Mental Health Issues, Kayla Bakker

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background:

There are 74.5 million children in the United States, 17.1 million currently or have previously dealt with a mental disorder (Children’s Mental Health, 2015). Unfortunately, the negative stigma associated with mental health often causes those affected to not seek treatment. School nurses are on the front line of public health problems and deliver safe, effective evidence-based practice to their communities. To rebuild our broken mental health system, community nurses need to build upon school mental health services and encourage more in-school programs (Stephan, Weist, Kataoka, Adelsheim, & Mills, 2007). School nurses must be included in the discussion when …

Improving Physical Fitness In Elementary School Students, Caroline Fortson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

With childhood obesity rates rising across the country, promoting physical fitness is more important than ever. Today’s children are developing increasingly sedentary behavior. The average American elementary age child spends their day at school and the classroom is a source of the progressively sedentary behavior. Compounding the problem, schools are reducing the time allotted for physical education and recess, which means more time is spent sitting at a desk in the classroom. A rising number of children are reporting feelings of stress and anxiety, which may be alleviated by a physical activity such as yoga. Yoga may be an efficient …

Emergency Preparedness Among College Students At The University Of Arkansas, Mary Gadberry

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Students at the University of Arkansas could be susceptible to multiple forms of disaster including severe winter weather, earthquakes, tornadoes, lightning, floods, toxin release, radiological release from nuclear power plant, infectious diseases, food contamination, fires, active shooters, and bomb threats (Federal Emergency Management Agency [FEMA], 2013). The unpredictability of natural disasters, coupled with the increase in targeted school violence, served as the impetus for various federal initiatives intended to protect university populations (FEMA, 2003). The purpose of this study was to determine the emergency preparedness levels of college students at the University of Arkansas. Only 50% of students were concerned …

Sexual Orientation And Gender Identification Data Collection: Attitudes, Beliefs, And Perceived Barriers Among Inpatient Registered Nurses And Medical Providers On Progressive Care Units, Ryan J. Harris

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

As the United States healthcare system continues to evolve and more Americans receive health insurance coverage, trends in diseases and care delivery to meet these trends are expected to shift. As this evolution takes place the ability to track trends to address the anticipated needs will need to develop at a faster pace. One such area is how healthcare providers engage the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community and how these interactions can improve care, perceived healthcare quality, and address health disparities. Currently most electronic health record (EHR) programs do not have the ability to track the sexual orientation or …

Most Effective Interventions For Disaster Relief Preparation, Elizabeth Keating, Faith Edwards, Cheryl Swanson Phd, Rn

Anna Vaughn School of Nursing Undergraduate Work

Because disasters are sometimes unpredictable and difficult to measure, it is exceedingly important to have properly trained healthcare professionals that are prepared for a variety of natural and manmade crises. Victims affected by disasters may be numerous and have severe injuries, but nurses, as first-responders, with proper education and experience can drastically reduce the amount of casualties in a particular disaster. However, it is clear that nurses currently feel unprepared in the event of a natural or manmade disaster, and therefore need more training and preparation for such occurrences. This systematic research review set out to find the most effective …

Assessment Of Cultural Competency Of The Lgbt Community In The Nursing Workforce, Joshua A. Abel, Anne Saleem, Sarah Turner, Jessica Zumwalde

Anna Vaughn School of Nursing Undergraduate Work

The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community comprises a significant, growing patient population in the United States and faces a unique set of healthcare challenges which must be addressed by the healthcare system and those employed by it. The LGBT community, having experienced historic oppression and discrimination, has reflexively withdrawn from healthcare workers, refrained from disclosing its LGBT identity and become reluctant to seek healthcare, resulting in delayed treatments and poor patient outcomes. While recent years have brought improved provisions, social acknowledgment, and public acceptance to the LGBT population, health risks still prevail due to patients concealing their LGBT …

The Dancing Nurse: Addressing Barriers To The Implementation Of Movement-Based Interventions In Holistic Patient Care, Jessica Collier, Audrey Thompson Phd

Anna Vaughn School of Nursing Undergraduate Work

The efficacy of dance movement therapy (DMT) is well demonstrated in contemporary nursing literature; however, implementation by healthcare professionals is often limited. Dance movement therapy was pioneered in the mid-20^th century by classically trained modern dancer Marian Chace. Recent trends toward patient-centered care and interdisciplinary approaches render therapies such as DMT important modalities which nurses and other healthcare providers may become familiar with. This systematic research review focused on answering the question: “what are hindrances perceived by members of the healthcare team to implementing DMT as an alternative treatment modality?” Two variables were identified for the purposes of this …

Nursing Faculty And Care Of The Dying, Jessi Balagtas

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: There is a demand for effective and efficient palliative and end of life nursing care that will meet the needs of the aging Baby Boomer generation. Though advancement has been made, palliative and end of life care for the seriously ill adult is still lacking. That deficiency can be traced to deficiency in nursing education. Further still, nursing faculty attitudes, knowledge and self-efficacy in palliative care may present a barrier for adequate palliative care nursing curriculum.

Objective: Explore the current knowledge, attitudes and self-efficacy of nursing faculty regarding care for seriously ill adults.

Methods and Design: A quantitative, descriptive …

Associations Between Physical Activity, Health-Related Quality Of Life, Regimen Adherence, And Glycemic Control In Jordanian Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes, Yousef Aljawarneh

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) display a greater than two-fold higher risk of developing microvascular and macrovascular complications compared with the non-diabetic population and the risk increases markedly as glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) increases. The majority of the findings on the associated factors with improved glycemic control are geared toward Western population with a clear lack of studies on Middle Eastern populations.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the effect of Physical Activity (PA), Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL), and regimen adherence on glycemic control in Jordanian adolescents with T1D.

Methods: The study utilized a cross-sectional design. Jordanian adolescents …

Factors Influencing Physical Activity Among Immigrants From South India: A Qualitative Descriptive Study, Jaya Abraham

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: In the United States (U.S), the percentage of diabetes and coronary artery diseases is higher among Asian Indian immigrants compared to other ethnic groups. Although research has been useful in describing patterns of physical activity among South Asian groups, very little is known about the factors influencing physical activity among Asian South Indian (ASI) immigrants. There is very limited research performed on the individual, social, cultural and environmental factors influencing physical activity among ASI immigrants.

Purpose: The study purpose was to explore the factors influencing physical activity with the following primary and secondary aims: The primary aim …

Relationships Of Moral Distress Among Interprofessional Icu Teams, Heather Vincent

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Moral distress is the psychological response to knowing the right action required by a healthcare professional but being unable to act upon the right course of action due to internal, external, and institutional constraints.

Purpose: The study investigated: 1. the level of moral distress among interprofessional healthcare providers working in four ICUs of a single academic hospital as measured by the 21-item Moral Distress Scale-Revised (MDS-R), 2. the differences in moral distress among interprofessional healthcare providers based on demographic characteristics and rankings of clinical scenario on the MDS-R.

Method: Descriptive, cross-sectional design using survey methodology.

Outcomes: Significant differences in …

Bridging The Gap Between Food Insecurity And Subsequent Child Body Mass: Mediating Effects Of Dietary Quality And Feeding Styles In Low-Income Hispanic Preschoolers, Nipa Kamdar

Dissertations and Theses (Open Access)

Background: Low-income Hispanic preschoolers face disproportionately high prevalence of food insecurity (FI) and obesity. Consumption of low-cost, energy-dense foods to compensate for FI leads to excess body-mass. FI parents may adopt feeding styles that contribute to decline in children’s dietary quality. Feeding style describes the amount of demandingness (i.e., control of children’s eating) and responsiveness (i.e., warmth used to express demandingness). FI may indirectly contribute to obesity through dietary quality and feeding style.

Purpose: This study investigated: 1. if dietary quality mediated the relationship between food security status (FSS) at Time 1 (T1) and child body-mass at Time 2 (T2), …

Attitudes Of Middle School Children Towards Mental Health Programs, Catherine Taylor

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Despite years of school mental health services, today’s youth remain in need of mental health resources. While schools provide a variety of services to help reduce mental health disparities, there is limited information concerning the success of services offered. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of middle school children towards mental health programs offered at the selected study site. The design utilized was a cross sectional design using a convenience sample of middle school children in Northwest Arkansas. The results indicated that middle school children need a unique variety of programs offered to support their …