Nursing Commons^™

Moral Distress: Unaddressed Challenges For The “Most Honest And Ethical Profession”, Kelly Straight

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Nurses and nurse practitioners (NPs) face greater responsibility to address the ethical challenges that present during the course of patient care, due to advances in medical technology and pharmaceutical innovation, and despite widening disparities within the U.S. healthcare system. These ethical questions, which arise during the course of routine patient care, are increasing in both number and complexity in nearly every patient care setting. Unresolved and/or ongoing ethical questions and conflicts encountered in patient care pose further issues such as the development of moral distress. The literature demonstrates that moral distress contributes to dissatisfaction, disengagement, and burnout which negatively affects …

A Descriptive Phenomenological Study Of Body Art Patients And Their Health Care Experience, Lacee Kaufmann

Dissertations

This study aimed to update dated research by exploring the relationships between patients with body art (tattoos and body piercings) and their interaction with health care providers. This creates a current description of the body art patient’s health care experience. Previous research indicates that body art has been associated with risk taking and deviant behaviors and these behaviors have been used to justify why people with body art are negatively perceived. If the presence of body art and the associated behavior are viewed as a threat to normalcy, then Stangor and Crandall’s theory (2000) suggests that stigma may surround the …

Dnp Final Report: Changing Admission Criteria In A Vocational Nursing Program To Decrease Attrition, Gabrielle O. Davis

DNP Final Reports

By the year 2030 Texas will have a shortage of 33,500 Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN). The LVN is responsible for providing safe, compassionate and focused nursing care to assigned patients with predictable health care needs. Most LVNS work in settings caring for our ever increasing and aged population. To combat the coming shortage VN programs need to graduate safe, competent, and compassionate nurses, but programs across the state are experiencing high student attrition rates. Admission criteria is a common method to determine student success in nursing programs. This evidence-based practice improvement project synthesized evidence and integrated best practices along with …

Acuity-Based Staffing: Improving Patient Outcomes And Staff Satisfaction, Natalie Long

MSN Capstone Projects

Traditionally, nurse staffing practices have been based on a nurse-patient ratio model and have not incorporated patient acuity. More recent literature has shown that acuity-based staffing can improve patient outcomes and staff satisfaction. The Emergency Department (ED) is an area that has fluctuating patient acuity and volume. To incorporate acuity in to staffing in the ED, the acuity mix over the past year can be used to calculate required nursing hours, therefore providing the number of required nurses for that facility. The calculated number of staff can then be distributed over a 24 hour period. By incorporating acuity in to …

Mitigating Burnout In The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Katelyn O. Mcgaughy

MSN Capstone Projects

Burnout is defined as a “prolonged response to chronic emotional and interpersonal stressors on the job leading to a combination of physical and emotional exhaustion” (Lachman, 2016). The effects of burnout syndrome among nurses are well documented in the literature. Burnout is associated with an increased incidence of a variety of physical and psychological symptoms, including weight loss or gain, lethargy, headaches, sleep issues, anxiety, depression, and difficulty concentrating (Lachman, 2016). As a result of these symptoms, nurses experiencing burnout are more prone to provide poorer quality care to patients and are at heightened risk of commission of errors in …

Continuous Glucose Monitors To Decrease Hypoglycemia, Sara B. Woodcock

MSN Capstone Projects

Diabetes is a disease that affects millions of people from children to older adults. There is no cure, although it can be managed to prevent complications. Education of student nurses is where they are born and raised to become nurses who save and change lives. Teaching student nurses in depth about diabetes as a disease and the treatments that best fit their specific needs is where educating patients begins. Learning about a secondary option for blood glucose checks can make all the difference for several patients. Multiple finger sticks daily has been the leading way to check blood sugar for …

Qt Monitoring In The Icu: A Benchmark Project, Jeffrey S. Woodward

MSN Capstone Projects

In adult Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients, does QT/QTc monitoring compared to no QT/QTc monitoring affect mortality or ventricular tachyarrhythmia rates during their ICU stay? Not monitoring changes in the QT interval can lead to poor outcomes since mortality rates are higher in patients with arrhythmias (Uvelin, Pejakovic, & Mijatovic, 2017). Approximately 300,000 sudden cardiac deaths occur in the United States each year with an estimated 15,000 because of a lethal ventricular tachyarrhythmia rhythm called Torsades de Pointes (TdP) that occurs when a QT interval is prolonged (Dave, Bessette, & Setnik, 2017). Some risk factors for developing prolonged QT intervals …

A Systematic Search And Review On The Efficacy, Safety, And Cost-Effectiveness Of Utilizing Lactobacillus Probiotics In Concurrence With Prescribing Antibiotics To Reduce Clostridium Difficile Infection Rates In Hospitalized Patients, Laura Sheehan

Nursing Masters Papers

Incidence of Clostridium difficile infection, (CDI) in patients receiving antibiotics is significant. In 2017, there were approximately 223,900 cases of CDI in hospitalized patients alone (Center for Disease Control [CDC], 2017). Despite enhanced infection control measures, CDI rates remain prevalent and are associated with increased costs to healthcare. An integrative literature review and synthesis was performed. Studies were analyzed to delineate if Lactobacillus containing probiotics, when administered concurrently with high risk antibiotics, decrease CDI rates for patients in the inpatient hospital setting. Additional analysis of probiotic safety and a cost versus benefit analysis was researched. The purpose of the review …

The Relationship Between Hand Washing And Hospital-Acquired Infections, Qian Gao

MSN Capstone Projects

Hand hygiene is a hot topic all the time since it is a simple yet effective way to prevent infection. For the staff who work in the hospital, they need to perform hand hygiene thousands of times. Hospital-acquired infections are caused by viral, bacterial, and fungal pathogens. The most common types of infections are bloodstream infections, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and surgical site infections. There are many articles that emphasize the benefits of hand hygiene and the decreasing rates of hospital-acquired infections. However, few of these articles focus on the education aspect of hand washing. The author reviews the articles …

Implementation Of A Fall Prevention Program, Hannah L. Gott

MSN Capstone Projects

Improving patient safety and outcomes are unequivocal goals of hospital organizations because the business of healthcare would not be possible without our patients. One of the most prevalent reasons patients can experience poor outcomes is due to falls. There are numerous interventions already in place in organizations to prevent and eliminate these patient events, but they still occur. This study aims to provide a practical and structural approach to eliminating patient falls by implementing a fall prevention program. This fall prevention curriculum includes utilization of bedside shift report, safety huddles, and code fall teams.

Temporal Pain Pattern Sequencing In The Older Adult After Joint Replacement Surgery, Jennifer B. Withall

Theses & Dissertations

Background

Large joint replacement surgery, including hip and knee arthroplasties, are two of the most common surgical procedures that American adults aged 65 years and older undergo annually. While postoperative pain is expected, if it is not properly managed, it can have deleterious effects on postoperative recovery, including an increased length of stay, increased risk for postoperative complications, and decreased patient satisfaction.

Problem

Postoperative pain is primarily managed pharmacologically, typically with opioid pain medications are administered as needed (i.e., pro re nata [PRN]). Patients request pain-relieving medications when they are experiencing escalating pain, which can be challenging to maintain comfort …

Evaluation Of A Text Messaging Intervention For Breastfeeding Women Experiencing Breast And Nipple Symptoms, Rose Lisi

Honors Scholar Theses

Background: Nipple and breast pain while breastfeeding is a common reason why women stop breastfeeding earlier than they would have liked to. Texting is effective as a long-term intervention to support breastfeeding.

Objectives: To examine the effect of texting to support mothers to manage their breast and nipple symptoms and pain.

Method: A secondary analysis of a pilot randomized controlled trial testing the effectiveness of a breastfeeding self-management (BSM) intervention using texting to provide strategies for mothers to manage their breast and nipple pain. A three-group comparison, the intervention group with “barriers” and “non-barrier”, and the control group, was conducted …

Nursing Practice And The Prevention Of Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections, Laura Sherburne

Nursing Masters Papers

There are numerous healthcare associated infections (HAIs) that individuals can acquire while receiving care in an acute healthcare facility. Catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are HAIs that may cause increased lengths of stay, hospital costs, and mortality for patients. CAUTIs may be preventable through evidence-based nursing interventions and care. Using CINAHL, PubMed, and ProQuest, an evidence-based practice inquiry was conducted on the prevention of CAUTIs. Ten articles were chosen based on the relevance to the clinical question and quality of research. The articles were English language, peer-reviewed, and published within the last ten years. The levels of evidence ranged …

Increasing Patient Adherence To Gestational Weight Gain Goals In Pregnancy, Annie Vining

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: The inability to maintain healthy weight gain during pregnancy may contribute to multiple pregnancy-related complications. Nutritional education and support may improve nutrition and vitamin consumption, and recommendations for healthy gestational weight gains have been published. However, pregnant women have reported minimal advice regarding healthy weight gain during pregnancy. A personalized, nutritional counseling program was initiated in a Midwestern, suburban OB-GYN private practice.

Methods: A quality improvement descriptive, correlational design was used. A cohort of pregnant women first trimester through six-weeks postpartum received individual counseling and face-to-face interaction at an office visit each trimester.

Results: Twenty ( …

Fear Of Recurrence In Ovarian Cancer Survivors And Their Spouses, Brandon R. Crouley, Jennifer L. Skaden

Nursing Masters Papers

Problem: Fear of Cancer Recurrence (FCR) is a frequent and prevalent phenomenon experienced by ovarian cancer survivors and spouses throughout survivorship.

Purpose: The purpose of this secondary analysis was to analyze the perceived level of FCR by the years of survivorship in women with ovarian cancer and their spouses.

Theoretical/Conceptual Framework: The theoretical framework for this research study was based on the Common-Sense Model of Illness developed by Leventhal, Diefenbach, & Leventhal (1992) and further expanded by Lee-Jones et al. (1997).

Method: This was a secondary analysis of data from a large study of predictors of adjustment using the demographic …

Volume 12, Haleigh James, Hannah Meyls, Hope Irvin, Megan E. Hlavaty, Samara L. Gall, Austin J. Funk, Karyn Keane, Sarah Ghali, Antonio Harvey, Andrew Jones, Rachel Hazelwood, Madison Schmitz, Marija Venta, Haley Tebo, Jeremiah Gilmer, Bridget Dunn, Benjamin Sullivan, Mckenzie Johnson

Incite: The Journal of Undergraduate Scholarship

Introduction, Dr. Roger A. Byrne, Dean

From the Editor, Dr. Larissa "Kat" Tracy

From the Designers, Rachel English, Rachel Hanson

Immortality in the Mortal World: Otherworldly Intervention in "Lanval" and "The Wife of Bath's Tale" by Haleigh James

Analysis of Phenolic Compounds in Moroccan Olive Oils by HPLC by Hannah Meyls

Art by Hope Irvin

The Effects of Cell Phone Use on Gameplay Enjoyment and Frustration by Megan E. Hlavaty, Samara L. Gall, and Austin J. Funk

Care, No Matter What: Planned Parenthood's Use of Organizational Rhetoric to Expand its Reputation by Karyn Keane

Analysis of Petroleum Products for …

Nurs 360: Mental Health In Adolescents And The Importance Of Seeking Help, Savannah Johnson, Carie Sutliff

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Adolescents aged fifteen to nineteen have an increasing trend in the diagnoses of mental illness disorders. Along with this, the suicide rates have increased within this age group. Our research dives into the effects of different cognitive behavior therapies and their role on treating children with mental health disorders. We compared these results to suicide rates in children who have no exposure to medicinal or therapy treatment.

Nurs 360: Pico Question: In Males, Do External Urinary Catheters Or Indwelling Urinary Catheters Provide Better Outcomes For The Patient?, Mary Waldrop, Landen Horton

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Urinary catheters are one of the most often utilized invasive devices used in the hospital. “15–25% of all hospitalized patients are catheterized at some time during their hospital stay” (Kranz, Schmidt, Wagenlehner, & Schneidewind, 2020, p.2). These devices have a purpose but they come with consequences, some unavoidable. The aim of this research is to use the available evidence of catheterization to discover which option, an indwelling urinary catheter or an external catheter device, provides better outcomes by posing the least amount of risks to the male patient. At the conclusion of this study, the hope is to have an …

Nurs 360: Are Preterm Infants Who Have Been Breastfed At An Increased Risk For Undernutrition Compared With Full-Term Infants Who Are Breastfed Without Complications?, Molly Mancini, Shannon Lyons

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Babies born prematurely can experience a variety of health issues. Preterm babies can develop “breathing problems, developmental delays, and vision problems” (“Preterm Birth”, 2019). On top of these issues, babies can also experience feeding difficulties. Premature babies have more problems latching which can lead to them ingesting an inadequate amount of nutrients. As a result, the baby can lack the essential vitamins and minerals needed to grow and thrive. The purpose of this research study was to explore the effects of being preterm on the ability to breastfeed and the risk of developing malnutrition compared to full-term babies. This research …

Nurs 360: For Surgical Incisions, Does The Use Of Hydrocolloid Dressings Reduce The Risk Of Infection Compared With Silver Dressings?, Bailey Dallas, Searra Richardson

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Surgical incisions are cuts in the skin and soft tissue created to facilitate an operation or procedure. Afterwards, these cuts must be covered with a wound dressing to prevent infection from occurring. Hydrocolloid dressings and silver dressings are commonly used for surgical incisions. Hydrocolloid dressings are gel-like that stick to the wound to provide a moist, healing environment. Silver dressings release silver into the wound to provide an antimicrobial effect. The question is, based on evidence-based practice and nursing research, which dressing provides the best environment to prevent infection and promote optimum healing for surgical wounds. For our research, we …

Nurs 360: Position Is Pertinent: In Ventilated Patients, What Is The Effect Of The Prone Position Compared To The Fowler’S, Supine, Or Lateral Positions On Patient Mortality?, Katie Loomis, Kaitlin Harris

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Our research focuses on the affect patient positioning has on ventilated patients’ mortality. We will be comparing the prone, fowler’s, supine, and lateral positions. These findings will help us come to a conclusion on what position is the best to use for ventilated patients.

Nurs 360: For Females, Does The Use Of External Catheters Reduce The Risk Of Catheter Associated Urinary Tract Infections Compared With Women Who Use Indwelling Foley Catheters?, Kalie Creasy, Lauren Richardson

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Catheter-associated urinary tract infections are among one of the highest hospital-acquired infections. These infections are most commonly associated with the use of indwelling Foley catheters. The indwelling Foley catheter is placed through the urethra and can remain inserted for prolonged periods of time. This increases the risk for build-up of bacteria, which leads to the urinary tract infection. Due to the increased risk of infection, the external female catheter has now become an alternative. This device is placed externally, between the labia majora, and is changed every eight to twelve hours. This alternative has tremendously decreased the associated risk of …

Nurs 360: For A Great Deal Of Nurses They Are Subject To Having To Participate In Mandatory Overtime, Are Nurses That Are Required To Participate In Mandatory Overtime, Just As Successful And Functional In Care For Patients As Nurses Who Are Not Required To Participate In Mandatory Overtime?, Tiffany Carter, Karissa Bright

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

In times of crisis, many nurses are required to complete mandatory overtime in order to assure that there are enough nurses for the correct nurse-to-patient ratio. This can lead to a significant increase in burnout for nurses who might already be experiencing fatigue related to their position (Dyrbye, West, Johnson, & Cipriano, 2020). The purpose of this research is to evaluate current evidence on whether nurses who are required to participate in mandatory overtime are as successful and functional in patient care as the nurses who are not required.

Nurs 360: What Is The Effect Of Prophylactic Administration Of Pitocin In The Third Stage Of Labor On Pregnant Women To Decrease Postpartum Hemorrhage And Maternal Death Rates?, Kasey Brill, Maureen Dalton

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

This research suggests the development of a universal protocol for prophylactic administration of Pitocin in the third stage of labor in order to prevent postpartum hemorrhage and decrease maternal mortality rates (MMR). The United States MMR has increased from 16.9 per 100,000 live births in 1990 to 26.4 per 100,000 live births in 2015 (Zelop, 2018, p. 8). It is imperative that health care providers intervene at the third stage of labor to decrease the risk of death and complications.

Nurs 360: Nursing Practice And Moral Distress, Tatum Newton, Tim Bolton

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Objectives: The purpose of the research was to find how many newly graduated nurses and currently practicing nurses experience moral distress and burnout and what strategies are used to minimize this distress. Background: In acute care settings it was been shown that there are high numbers of nurses that experience moral distress and burnout due to internal and external problems. Methods: In this study multiple steps were used to fully compare each intervention and its efficacy in addressing moral distress through literature review and analysis. Results: The Dudinski Moral Distress Map is more effective for clinicians in practice due to …

Nurs 360: In Hospitalized Women, What Is The Effect Of Using A Purewick® On The Decreased Risk Of Genitourinary Infections Compared With An Indwelling Foley Catheter Within A Hospital Stay?, Sara Jane Anderson, Karlie Walter

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

There is a variety of genitourinary infection which include but are not limited to catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs). These infections are often considered nosocomial because they are commonly contracted in a healthcare environment like hospitals. “The most important risk factor for developing a catheter-associated UTI (CAUTI) is prolonged use of the urinary catheter” (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2015a, para 1). CAUTIs can lead to increased length of hospital stay, additional treatments for the infection, side effects, and increased patient discomfort (Kelechi, Kelechi, & Qanungo, 2017). Due to this the use of an external female catheter or …

Nurs 360: For Hospitalized Patients, Does The Use Of Hourly Rounding As A Fall Reduction Intervention Reduce The Risk Of Falls Compared To Using Fall Risk Education Alone?, Cheyenne Brown, Taylor Keeler

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Patient falls are prevalent within hospitals and are considered a never event if resulting in death or serious injury (Patient Safety Network, 2019). There are many precautions set in place in order to ensure that a patient is safe including having a call bell within reach, lowering the bed, bed alarms and using fall risk bracelets for those of increased risk. Some interventions are more effective than others, depending on the patient and their level of cognition (Heng et al, 2019, p.3). Education is a factor in fall reduction, but is not always reliable for those patients that don’t understand …

Nurs 360: Does The Administration Of Code Ice To A Cardiac Arrest Patient Result In Regained Brain Function When Discontinued?, Taylor Tyree, Amanda King

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

The increase in heart disease in this country has created the need for more treatment options for out-of hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA). Therapeutic hypothermia, also referred to as code ice, involves the cooling of a patient’s body temperature to around thirty-two degrees Celsius, and it has become a standard of care for patients who are resuscitated after a OOHCA. When these patients experience cardiac arrest outside of the hospital there is a risk for decreased brain function. This decrease in brain function can lead to patient being declared brain dead and placed on a ventilator. However, some research indicates that …

Nurs 360: Is Music Therapy More Effective For Treating Depression In Patients Than Medication?, Kaitlyn Yasnowsky, Samantha Osterman

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Music therapy has been studied considerably in the last decade and analysts have successfully discovered that it can be a useful treatment for patients with depression. Specifically, researchers have found that this therapy has overall increased patient outcomes for both the elderly and end- of-life care patients. Depression medications are beneficial, but bring along many side effects. Music therapy has been found to increase patients’ sense of well-being, bring about excitement and motivation, and nevertheless provide greater socialization opportunities. Integrating music therapy into regular hospital treatment, nursing home, and hospice settings can overall increase patient outcomes and improve the negative …

Nurs 360: What Additional Sensory Cautions And Individualized Interventions Would Be Beneficial To A Child With Autism Spectrum Disorder In A Hospital Setting?, Sarah Spencer, Hannah Arnold

Virtual 2020 Spring Student Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

Going to the hospital is very stressful but it can be almost impossible for patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). These children are at a larger risk for being admitted to the hospital because of periodic and chronic health complications and possible self harm or aggressive behaviors. Many hospitals are making strides to improve these children’s hospital experiences. Interventions include improving training and finding ways to make the environment sensory friendly. Implementing these tactics into the future can greatly improve patient outcome and encourage people with ASD to come back to healthcare environment when needed and not be as afraid.