Nursing Commons^™

Case Managers’ Perceptions Of Effective Interventions, Julia Williamson

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Case managers (CM) identify patients with high emergency department (ED) utilization and barriers to healthcare services. CM interventions need to be evaluated related to high ED utilization, identification of effective interventions, and improving patients’ self-management skills. Current literature supports the review and implementation of identified CM interventions to reduce non-emergent ED utilization, and improved patients’ health literacy, and self-management abilities. There is a lack in research related to CM perceptions’ of effective interventions to reduce ED utilization. The purpose of this study was to examine CM perceptions’ of patients’ low health literacy and self-management skills, identify barriers to self-care, and …

Improving Nurse-To-Nurse Handoff Communication At The Bedside Through Simulation-Based, Lisa Thornsberry Mrs.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Communication among nursing staff is crucial to the outcome of patient care. Poor handoff and communication among professionals can have a negative impact on the safety of patients. The systemic nature of the problem with miscommunication among healthcare clinicians supports the necessity of standardization of communication among nursing as a handoff of care.

Change of shift report, or nurse-to-nurse report ensures the transfer of critical information to promote patient safety and best practices. Transferring and communicating pertinent information from one shift to the next is one factor in providing continuity of care. Bedside Shift Report (BSR) is an opportunity to …

Increasing Medication Error Reporting To Improve Patient Safety, Dianna Madden

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

In 2006, the Institute of Medicine estimated that 1.5 million preventable adverse drug events occur in healthcare facilities annually (Institute of Medicine, 2006). Each ADE adds approximately $8,750 per hospital stay (Institute of Medicine, 2006). In 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) estimated that 1.3 million people are injured annually from medication errors (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, 2017). For the purposes of this project, all Registered Nurse staff on the Medical-Surgical unit were mandated to participate in an education targeted at medication error reporting, the importance of reporting, and a demonstration of inputting an error into the …

Streamlining The Nursing Approach To Newborns With Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, Gail A. Reichert

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Newborns may suffer from withdrawal symptoms after exposure to maternal substance abuse while in-utero, resulting in negative outcomes for the patient, family, and healthcare system. Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (NAS) has increased by 300% in the United States. Non-pharmacological interventions such as rooming in, breastfeeding, and parent education are nursing activities which can improve the outcomes for NAS patients. However, a formal protocol to identify, assess, and treat the patients with non-pharmacologic evidence-based interventions is lacking. The purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate a sustainable policy to incorporate evidence-based strategies into nursing care at a rural community …

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Amelia Morgan

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a devastating form of hypoxemic respiratory failure with the potential for significant morbidity and mortality (Dalmedico, et al., 2017). Though the exact cause or trigger for ARDS is not always identified, great strides have been made in its identification and treatment since the 1990’s. Strategies include screening in the emergency department, prone positioning, and lung protective ventilator settings. Knowledge of the pathophysiological processes and familiarity with treatment strategies will aid the practitioner in the decision-making process for these critically ill patients.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Allison Bruce

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) burdens intensive care units (ICU) and their patients across the world. This presentation discusses the presentation, pathophysiology, current treatment and nursing implications for ARDS. This pathophysiological process requires exceptional interprofessional teamwork by the healthcare team. It is important for nurses to have an in-depth comprehension of this disease and its manifestations so that it can be detected and treated as quickly as possible. Further research and education are needed to improve the mortality rates of patients with ARDS.

Cultural Competency Training In Primary Care: A Pilot Project For Improving Culturally Competent Care, Diane F. Riff

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

As America grows increasingly diverse, there is a recognized need for increased cultural competence in Nurse Practitioners (NPs) and other healthcare workers. Research has shown that when health care providers are not attentive to providing culturally competent care, there is a subsequent negative impact on the quality, safety and cost of patient care. Cultural

competency is a recognized and popular approach to improving the provision of health

care to racial/ethnic minority groups in the community with the aim of reducing health disparities in racial/ethnic minorities. The project sought to improve NPs’ and other health care workers’ abilities to provide culturally …

Utilizing Simulation For Family Member Caregivers Of Nicu Infants: A Pilot Project, Brenda M. Seegmiller

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there are approximately 15 million babies born prematurely every year. Family members of premature infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU) are overwhelmed and lack confidence with basic skills to care for their newborn. Simulation is an education modality used for adult learners that utilizes a hands-on method for education and allows application of knowledge and skill development in a safe environment. Although clinicians are frequently trained utilizing simulation, there is limited information on its use among family members and caregivers. The purpose of this DNP Project was to explore use of …

Colorectal Cancer Educational Program In A Community Senior Center, Cathy A. Catlett Dr.

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a preventable cancer but prevention can only occur through screening. Screenings are recommended for those 50 to 75 years of age, however rates remain low with 25.6 percent having never been screened and 7.1 percent not up-to-date. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends strategies such as education to increase screening rates. Education may be used to inform and motivate individuals to be screened. Research supports the use of educational activities in a community setting to increase CRC knowledge and increase CRC screening rates. A group educational program using the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) …

Student And Faculty Perceptions: Appropriate Consequences Of Lapses In Academic Integrity In Health Sciences Education, Tianna Antill Keener, Marina Galvez Peralta, Melinda Smith, Lauren Swager, James Ingles, Sijin Wen, Mariette Barbier

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Background: A breadth of evidence supports that academic dishonesty is prevalent among higher education students, including students in health sciences educational programs. Research suggest individuals who engage in academic dishonesty may continue to exhibit unethical behaviors in professional practice. Thus, it is imperative to appropriately address lapses in academic dishonesty among health sciences students to ensure the future safety of patients. However, students and faculty have varying perceptions of what constitutes academic dishonesty and the seriousness of breaches in academic dishonesty. The purpose of this study is to gain health sciences faculty and students’ perceptions on the appropriate consequences of …

Synthesis Of The Literature: Variables Influencing Caregiver Use Or Nonuse Of Supportive Services, Kristina M. Childers

Faculty & Staff Scholarship

Two out of three caregivers (CGs) of persons with dementia (PWD) living in the community do not use supportive services or resources, and three out of four underutilize available support. These findings are troubling because CGs report many unmet needs in providing support to PWD. What predisposing, enabling, and need variables influence CGs to use or not use support services are poorly understood. This article reviews the literature on CG of PWD to find characteristic variables that are related to CG's decisions to use or not use support services. Instruments used in research studies were named to determine recommendations for …

Secondary Victimization Of Young Adult Female Sexual Assault Victims, Kristin M. Hunter

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The response of community members and public institutions to the crimes of rape and sexual assault have been, historically, disappointing. Victims have felt forced into silence, ashamed to speak out about their experiences. More recently, with the rise of social media use and the #me-too movement, attention and interest has been garnered for this unique class of crimes and victims. It has been discovered that victims of sexual assault who report their assault to community members, police investigators, and health care workers are at risk of secondary victimization. This is a series of attitudes, behaviors, and practices that retraumatizes, shames, …

Pheochromocytoma And Paraganglioma, Christopher Foltz

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma are rare, possibly malignant, catecholamine secreting tumors. These tumors arise from the adrenal medulla and extra-adrenal sites, with reports of 80-85% and 15-20% respectively. The expanding field of genetics is contributing valuable information in recent years in regards to pathogenesis, and identifying patients with increased risk of occurrence. If found, prompt treatment- and usually surgical resection, is advised.

Iron Deficiency Anemia, Heather Weaver

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

“Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is the most common type of nutritional disorder worldwide, occurring in both developing and developed countries and affecting as many as one-fifth of the world population” (Huether & McCance, 2018, p. 934). There are many causes including bleeding (usually intestinal or menstrual), pregnancy, malnutrition, and malabsorption. Some of the signs and symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, headaches, exertional shortness of breath, cold intolerance, and paler than normal skin tones. The American Society of Hematology (2019) reports iron is important in the production of hemoglobin and maintenance of healthy cells. The topic of IDA was chosen as a …

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Kimberly Dyer

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome is a common and life-threatening condition. It is the result of a direct or indirect lung injury and requires complex treatment modalities. Pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, nursing considerations, and a case study are presented within this poster.

Pathophysiology Of Osteoarthritis, Lara Stover

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common joint diseases worldwide, and especially in the United States. This disease can cause chronic pain and disability, and can impair a patient’s quality of life and ability to perform activities of daily living. There are many different factors that can contribute to the development, progression, and severity of OA. Chronic inflammation and the inflammatory response is the primary pathological process that contributes to the development of OA. With the number of cases of OA expected to increase in the United States, it is important that primary care providers have an understanding of …

Aortic Aneurysm, James Lower

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

An aneurysm is a bulging or outpouching of the vessel wall which can progress to a dissection or a tear in the vessel wall. There are two types of classification for aortic aneurysms based on the Standford classification: type A involving the ascending aorta, and type B involving the descending aorta. Major risk factors for aortic aneurysms are hypertension, smoking, and male gender. Aortic aneurysms can be asymptomatic or include a wide range of symptoms such as vague back pain that radiates, and shortness of breath. The overarching pathophysiology is inflammation causing a breakdown in elastin and collagen. Inflammation, oxidative …

Malignant Hyperthermia, Alexandra Mcguire

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Malignant Hyperthermia (MH) is a rare but life-threatening, genetic condition that can manifest when a patient is exposed to certain inhalation agents used in anesthesia as well as the depolarizing muscle relaxant succinylcholine (Rosenberg, Pollock, Schiemann, Bulger, & Stowell, 2015, p. 1). MH can develop during or after a surgical procedure and if left untreated, can cause major organ system damage and death (Seifert, Wahr, Pace, Cochrane, & Bagnola, 2014, p. 189). Creating awareness of this rare genetic condition allows for quicker interventions in reversing MH.

Cirrhosis Of The Liver, Sabina Lamichhane Wagle

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Liver cirrhosis is a chronic, end-stage liver disease. It is a term given to a condition where normal liver parenchyma is replaced by fibrotic tissues. This condition arises once hepatocytes become unable to overcome the hepatic insults via undergoing the process of mitosis. Alcohol, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, Wilson disease, hemochromatosis, aldolase B deficiency, alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency, and autosomal recessive polycystic kidney diseases are few risk factors for liver cirrhosis. Ascites, asterixis, hepatic encephalopathy, scleral icterus, portal hypertension, and gynecomastia are a few symptoms of this condition. Liver transplant is the only definitive treatment for this condition, so symptoms …

Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction, Abigalle Ryan

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), formerly known as diastolic heart failure, is a chronic disease that affects millions of people around the world. HFpEF has no cure and can only be managed with therapeutic treatments that optimize cardiac function and quality of life (Gazewood & Turner, 2017). The condition is precipitated by several systemic, myocardial, infiltrative, and pericardial diseases that overwhelmingly ail the aging population. There is not a set of widely accepted diagnostic criteria, and as a result, the morbidity and mortality have not improved in recent years (Tawil & Gelzinis, 2016). Because HFpEF has become more …

Osteoarthritis (Oa), Erin Steele

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the primary cause of chronic pain, affecting approximately 27 million people in the United States. OA is a disease in the synovial joint. In humans, the knee is the largest synovial joint. Hips, hands and facet joints of the spine are other sites of the OA pain. There are several interventions and treatment options available to manage the symptoms. Studies have shown other helpful hints in hopes to prevent and slow the progress of this degenerative disease.

Tuberculosis: Early Diagnosis And Treatment, Gloria Obeng

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Although there are measures in place to control tuberculosis (TB) cases in the U.S., TB is prevalent and has high morbidity and mortality rate. This issue is due to the failure to identify and treat the disease as early as possible, especially in the latent stage. The late diagnosis of the disease causes a delay in treatment which may result in complications or even death. Understanding the pathophysiological process of TB will aid in the control of the disease. Also, TB cases have been recorded among foreign-born and immigrants who are visiting the U.S. but some of these immigrants are …

Pathophysiology Of Ovarian Cancer, Christina Eagle

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

This poster project is a culmination of evidence-based practice research conducted to educate on the lethality of ovarian cancer and the importance of early detection of the vague signs and symptoms associated with this disease. Worldwide, approximately 240,000 women are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year, and 140,200 were projected to succumb to this disease in 2016 (Kroeger, Jr. & Drapkin, 2017). This case-to-fatality ratio is nearly three times that of breast cancer, making ovarian cancer the most lethal gynecological malignancy in developed countries (Kroeger, Jr. & Drapkin, 2017). Educating women about the risk factors and the elusive signs and …

News From The Graduate School - Nursing, Otterbein Office Of Graduate Programs

Graduate School

Newsletter that provides updates from the Graduate School and the Nursing Graduate Program.

Brain Pathology Of Heroin Addiction, Nickcolis Florentine

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

This poster focuses on the effects of heroin addiction on the neurobiology of the brain and its implications for nursing care. Heroin use causes long term changes in the function of multiple areas of the brain. It is the hope of the author that understanding the pathophysiology of heroin addiction will help caregivers overcome innate bias and to become better caregivers for our patients.

Comparison Of Emla And Diclofenac On Reduction Of Pain And Phlebitis Caused By Peripheral Iv Catheter: A Randomized-Controlled Trial Study, Faezeh Babaieasl, Hossein Y. Yarandi, Seyedehtanaz Saeidzadeh, Motahareh Kheradmand

Nursing Faculty Research Publications

Peripheral venous catheters (PVC) are often used to provide hydration, medications, and blood products when the length of therapy is expected to be less that one week. Pain and phlebitis are frequent complications of PVC. Diclofenac and EMLA have been used to minimize these adverse effects, however, conflicting results have been reported regarding which has better outcomes. This double-blind, randomized controlled trial was conducted to compare the efficacy of EMLA and Diclofenac (TDP) in attenuating PVC pain and phlebitis. The inpatient setting was chosen because of the higher frequency of PVC insertions, allowing for a sufficient sample size. One hundred …

Empowering Individuals In The Community: Let Your Wishes Be Known Through Advance Healthcare Planning, Elizabeth Range Parnell

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Advance healthcare planning in the community is a responsibility that requires informed decision-making, time, and individualized attention. Advance healthcare planning in the community should be an organized process of communication that is intended to assist, engage, and support individuals, their families, and friends in understanding, reflecting upon, and discussing the loved one’s goals, values, and preferences for their future health care needs. The growing older adult population in the United States has increased age-related morbidities, and life-limiting chronic illnesses that increase the demand for quality, yet cost-effective end of life care. When a loved one is sick and unable to …

Mental Health Concerns In African American Churches: Pastoral Preparedness In Counseling, Melody Samuel

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

African Americans rely heavily upon their pastors for more than spiritual guidance. Pastors are known as gatekeepers in the African American community serving as a resource to address a multitude of issues for their congregant from personal issues such as finances and marital issues, grief and bereavement, to physical and mental health issues. The aim of this study was to examine pastoral preparedness for counseling of mental health concerns in the African American church. To better understand the demand of mental health counseling for their congregants and assess the pastor’s perception of educational and training needs, 35 pastors and/or associate …

Teaching Adult Learners Knowledge About Care Transition (Talk-Act): A Quality Improvement Project To Promote Nursing Communication, Tammy D. Trivette

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

There is a growing incentive to recognize a way of improving the hospital discharge process to empower patients to succeed in care transition. Nurses play a crucial role in the prevention of hospital readmission by focusing on high-quality discharge instructions (Hesselink et al., 2014). When a patient is successful in self-care the improvement to the discharge process reduces unnecessary hospital readmissions (Roberts, Moore, & Jack, 2017). This doctoral project aimed to provide insight into a growing hospital discharge problem, the underlying causes, and an overview of results from a change in processes. Both communication and patient comprehension play significant roles …

Understanding The Autism Spectrum Disorder Population: An Opportunity To Improve Patient Care, Jean A. Timmons

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

There is a documented need for caring education regarding patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) for nursing students and nursing staff. The autism spectrum population is increasing, one in 59 children in the United States as reported by the CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network (as cited in Baio et al., 2018). Nurses are expected to provide appropriate care, showing respect and understanding at all times to both the client and family. Through lack of knowledge and misunderstanding the ASD population has not been given this care. Based on Watson’s Theory of Caring, an educational ASD caring program …