Immune And Microrna Responses To Infection And Indole-3-Carbinol During Colitis, Rasha Raheem Alkarkoushi, Yvonne Hui, Abbas S. Tavakoli, Udai Singh, Prakash Nagarkatti, Mitzi Nagarkatti, Ioulia Chatzistamou, Marpe Bam, Traci L. Testerman

Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND: Indole-3-carbinol (I3C) and other aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonists are known to modulate the immune system and ameliorate various inflammatory and autoimmune diseases in animal models, including colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are also gaining traction as potential therapeutic agents or diagnostic elements. Enterohepatic (EHH) species are associated with an increased risk of inflammatory bowel disease, but little is known about how these species affect the immune system or response to treatment. AIM: To determine whether infection with an EHH species alters the response to I3C and how the immune and miRNA responses of an EHH …

Exploring The Ethical Issues In Research Using Digital Data Collection Strategies With Minors: A Scoping Review, Danica Facca, Maxwell J. Smith, Jacob Shelley, Daniel Lizotte, Lorie Donelle Phd, Rn, Fcan

Publications

While emerging digital health technologies offer researchers new avenues to collect real-time data, little is known about current ethical dimensions, considerations, and challenges that are associated with conducting digital data collection in research with minors. As such, this paper reports the findings of a scoping review which explored existing literature to canvass current ethical issues that arise when using digital data collection in research with minors. Scholarly literature was searched using electronic academic databases for articles that provided explicit ethical analysis or presented empirical research that directly addressed ethical issues related to digital data collection used in research with minors. …

Disrupted Sleep And Associated Factors In Australian Dementia Caregivers: A Cross-Sectional Study, Aisling Smyth, Lisa Whitehead, Eimear Quigley, Caroline Vafeas, Laura Emery

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

BACKGROUND: Sleep disturbance is an issue reported by caregivers. Waking at night is a feature of dementia and by proxy, sleep disturbance among caregivers is reported to be high. Little is known about the characteristics of dementia caregivers' sleep and the factors that may influence sleep disruption. The purpose of this study was to investigate the sleep characteristics and disturbances of Australian caregivers of a person living with dementia. In addition, it evaluated the psychological wellbeing of caregivers by evaluating associations between mood and sleep in this population. METHODS: This study used a cross-sectional, descriptive, correlation design. Participants were recruited …

Standardizing Assessment And Management Of Ankyloglossia, Marcia Nicole Cowen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Ankyloglossia, which is characterized by a short, tight or thick lingual frenulum, can negatively impact breastfeeding. It has been recognized as a problem for centuries. Frenotomies have traditionally been performed to remove the lingual frenulum when indicated. The use of frenotomies and a focus on ankyloglossia fell out of favor in the twentieth century with renewed attention in the past several decades. Limited high-quality studies have been undertaken on ankyloglossia. There remains no standardized diagnosis or management recommendations. In efforts to promote a standardized approach that is based on current knowledge, this study will involve an educational in-service on ankyloglossia, …

What Do We Learn When The Unknown Suddenly Appears?, Kari Singletary, Linda Paradiso

Publications and Research

No abstract provided.

A Remote-Controlled Robotic System With Safety Protection Strategy Based On Force-Sensing And Bending Feedback For Transcatheter Arterial Chemoembolization, Junqiang Zhou, Ziyang Mei, Jia Miao, Jingsong Mao, Lingyun Wang, Dezhi Wu, Daoheng Sun, Yang Zhao

Publications

Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is the common choice of non-open surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) now. In this study, a simple TACE robotic system of 4-degree-of-freedom is proposed to get higher accuracy and stability of the surgery operation and reduce X-ray exposure time of the surgeons. The master-slave control strategy is adopted in the robotic system and a customized sigmoid function is designed to optimize the joystick control of the master-slave robotic control system. A force-sensing module is developed to sense the resistance of the guide wire in linear delivery motion and an auxiliary bending feedback method based on constraint …

Improving Patient Satisfaction In The Medical-Surgical Setting, Victoria A. Ogundeko

Student Scholarly Projects

Problem: Patients’ experiences at hospitals are multidimensional, and their satisfaction with the service is linked to the quality of patient care provided. In evaluating the quality of care of a hospital, the nursing handoff of patients, and the engagement efforts of healthcare staff is an important element of patient satisfaction.

PICOT: In adult medical-surgical patients, does the implementation of nursing bedside handoff reports, compared to the current method of nursing practice desk handoff reports, improve patient satisfaction scores by 10% within two months?

Evidence: After reviewing 103 articles, 12 were relevant to this project, and included observation …

Reducing The Incidence Of Pressure Injuries In Adult Icu Patients At Mcallen Medical Center With The Implementation Of A Pressure Injury Preventive Bundle: A Quality Improvement Project, Cheryl Cruz

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Pressure injuries (PIs) are a significant healthcare problem globally. Adult patients in the intensive care setting are especially vulnerable to the development of PIs given the acuity of their diagnoses requiring extensive treatments, procedures and the use of multiple medical devices.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was, “In adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients, how does the effect of implementing a pressure injury prevention bundle compare in patients who received the bundle, and patients receiving standard pressure injury prevention in reducing the incidence of pressure injuries after two months?”

Evidence: Evidence exist that bundle implementation …

Implementing Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury (Hapi) Prevention Program, Marisa Raynaldo

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injury (HAPI) is a serious problem in patient care and has deleterious implications for the patient and the healthcare system. A 530-bed acute care hospital in the Rio Grande Valley identified a similar challenge and implemented a HAPI preventive program.

PICOT: This evidence-based practice (EBP) project was guided by the following PICOT question: In the Intensive Care Unit/Medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU/MICU) patients aged 18 and older, does a pressure preventive bundle, compared to routine pressure injury care, reduce the incidence of pressure injury, within 21 days?

Evidence: The reviewed literature supported evidence of effective use …

The Use Of Tailored Interventions To Prevent Falls: A Quality Improvement Project In The Telemetry Unit, Roda Galang

Student Scholarly Projects

Background: Every year in the United States, hundreds of thousands of patients fall in hospitals with 30 to 50 percent resulting in injury. In Texas, the fall rate in adult patients is 33.9 percent, and in one teaching hospital in South Texas, patient fall rates have been above the national benchmark for two years (2017-2019), despite increased use of sitters for patient safety and multiple fall prevention strategies. The annual direct care cost of all fall events in the United States for individuals more than 65 years old is about $34 billion.

Practice problem: The objectives of the fall initiative …

The Effect Of Medication Reconciliation Timeout On Patient Safety: An Evidence-Based Project, Renante Dizon

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem:There was a report of a high rate of medication errors from inaccurate medication reconciliation during admission to a local hospital in South Texas. The medication error rate was 14.88% on 20 reviewed charts, and 85% of all evaluated charts contained at least one medication discrepancy.

PICOT: This evidence-based, system-change project was guided by the following PICOT question: For nurses administering medication in a long-term acute care hospital, does the implementation of Medication Reconciliation Timeout Process (MRTP) decrease the medication errors, compared to the usual medication practice, in one month?

Evidence: Thirteen pertinent studies recommended the use of …

A Patient-Centered Approach To Fall Prevention, Elmer Esguerra

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: In 2019, a rural hospital in South Texas reported 102 incidents of patient falls. Although below the corporate fall rate benchmark of 2.2/1000 patient days, the hospital recognized that it was clinically significant and aimed at improving its fall prevention outcomes.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: Among adult patients in the acute care setting would the implementation of patient-centered interventions be more effective compared to the usual fall prevention interventions in reducing incidence of falls one month after implementation?

Evidence: Seven pertinent studies, which included a randomized controlled trial and a systematic review, recommended …

A Policy Change To Reduce Hospital-Acquired Clostridium Difficile Infection Rates: A Quality Improvement Project, Nia Hidalgo

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: At a small community facility in Los Angeles County, there was a reporting rate of hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile cases that was higher than both state and national benchmarks.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In acute care patients aged 18-90, does not retesting for CDI for at least seven days compared to retesting in less than seven days reduce the incidence of false positive CDI tests during the first seven days of the hospital stay?

Evidence: The evidence demonstrates that if patients are tested initially for Clostridium difficile and then retested seven days after, the …

Essential Oil Therapy For Alleviation Of Discomfort In Surgical Patients, Nenhuan Huang

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Post-surgical pain (PSP) has not been sufficiently managed despite routine opioid use. The adverse effects of opioids led to the search for non-pharmaceutical intervention.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was, "In an acute hospital surgical setting, does essential oil therapy complement pain and discomfort relief comparing to conventional pain management alone after 6 weeks?”

Evidence: Seven clinical studies, five systematic or integrative reviews, and four conference proceedings were reviewed. The evidence supported lavender essential oil for the alleviation of PSP and discomfort.

Intervention: Patients breathe through a personal lavender essential oil inhaler hourly or …

“Elderly” Seniors Vs. “Youthful” Seniors: Attributions And Reshaping Of Aging Expectations, Johnny Julvesano Yao Jr.

The Qualitative Report

People’s expectations of aging are shaped by various sources and experiences. These aging expectations subsequently influence a person’s overall health and well-being. I intended to gain a deeper understanding of the various sources by which Filipino older adults attribute and reshape negative and positive expectations regarding aging. I used a multiple case study (Creswell, 2013) and enlisted eight participants who are 60 years old and older in a large metropolitan area in the Philippines and interviewed them regarding their aging expectations. I analyzed the data using cross-case analysis for comparison of commonalities and differences in the events, activities, and processes …

Awareness Of Dying And Conflict Resolution: Texas Asian Perspectives, Gloria Duke Phd, Rn, Charlotte Wool Phd, Rn, Lobsang Tenzing Rn, Bsn

The Qualitative Report

Individuals in the end-of-life (EOL) period may not be fully aware of their prognosis or know they are facing a terminal illness. As Asian beliefs and cultural tendencies intersect with Western values, health care practitioners may find their assumptions about disclosing an EOL prognosis differs from patients and their family members. Disagreements among family members regarding the disclosure of EOL to their terminally ill loved one can result in conflict—making difficult and sensitive times more burdensome. Little scientific evidence is known about first generation Asians who live in the United States (US) regarding their practices with disclosing EOL and how …

Identified Gaps And Opportunities In Perinatal Healthcare Delivery For Women In Treatment For Opioid Use Disorder., Karen Alexander, Vanessa Short, Megan Gannon, Neera Goyal, Madeline Naegle, Diane J Abatemarco

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Pregnancy and the delivery of an infant mark a unique time of engagement in healthcare for women in treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology calls for a comprehensive approach to perinatal healthcare delivery for pregnant women with OUD in order to facilitate improved health outcomes and increase patient-provider collaboration. Yet, there is little knowledge regarding the perceptions of women with OUD regarding the current delivery of healthcare which could inform a personalized, tailored approach to perinatal healthcare delivery. Methods: Four focus groups consisting of 22 women with OUD were conducted, transcribed, and analysed …

What Factors Shape Doctors’ Trustworthiness? Patients’ Perspectives In The Context Of Hypertension Care In Rural Tanzania, Kahabi Isangula, Holly Seale, Rohan Jayasuriya, Tumaini M. Nyamhanga, Niamh Stephenson

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Introduction: There is increasing evidence that improving patient trust in doctors can improve patients’ use of healthcare services, compliance and continuing engagement with care –particularly for chronic diseases. Consequently, much of the current literature on trust in therapeutic relationships focuses on factors shaping doctors’ trustworthiness. However, few studies on this issue have been conducted among rural populations in low-income Africa, where health service delivery, cultural norms and patient expectations differ from those in high-income countries. This study examined patients’ perspectives of factors that shape doctors’ trustworthiness in rural Tanzania in the context of hypertension care.

Methods: A qualitative inquiry using …

A Collaborative Intervention To Combat The Misuse Of Prescription Drugs In Adolescents In Appalachia, Tammy Minor, Sandra Prunty

Nursing Faculty Research

The study purpose was to determine if a collaborative educational program would increase the knowledge of prescription drug abuse/misuse in adolescents. This quasi-experimental study consisted of a drug prevention program with a pre and post-test survey for knowledge. The convenience sample included 1,067 middle school/high schools in an Appalachian state. Utilizing a paired t-test, it was determined that the difference between pre and post-test answers was significant with a p-value of 0.006 (95% CI: 7.8%-37.1%) for increase in knowledge. When schools were analyzed separately, all schools experienced a significant increase in knowledge as indicated by the corresponding p-values p<0.05. A collaborative educational program can be an effective way to increase knowledge about prescription drug abuse/misuse in adolescents in Appalachia.

The Pandemic Need For Mindfulness, Audrey C. Tolouian, Melissa Wholeben

Nursing Faculty Publications

In a trauma facility, it is important that there be training for the healthcare providers that gives them tools to manage their internal reactions to the day-to-day events, as well as create a safe space and encourage a sense of community. For healthcare workers in high-trauma areas- such as the new COVID-19 units, post-traumatic stress syndrome (PTSD) has been on the rise, in 2011, 14% of nurses were diagnosed, in 2019 an estimated 40% of nurses suffer from the disorder. With the small amount of 18% of nurses feeling they are prepared with proficient self-care skills to manage the effects …

Promoting Recognition And Rescue: Human Trafficking Screening, Erin E. Pittman

MSN Capstone Projects

The exploitation of human beings is a serious public health concern (Centers for Disease Control [CDC] 2018). The United States Department of Justice (2018) defines human trafficking as an act of coercing a person’s labor services or commercial sex acts. Family Nurse Practitioners play a significant role in the identification of victims, especially those practicing in emergency departments. A majority of healthcare providers have yet to establish a standardized screening tool and there is little evidence regarding the impact these screening tools have in recognizing victims of human trafficking (Emergency Nurses Association, 2018). This alarming information brings about the clinical …

Ask Me Anything: Covid Questions., Jamie Hunsicker

Nursing Faculty Scholarship

No abstract provided.

Asthma, Rachel Webber

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

This poster will investigate the pathophysiology of Asthma, and the importance of understanding how asthma is developed. The pathophysiologic relationship between the immune system, inflammation and asthma occurrence is explored in this poster. Asthma is caused by many environmental and genetic factors that lead to inflammatory mechanisms in the airway. There are many different risk factors that can cause an increased likelihood of developing asthma, such as childhood illness, pollutants, obesity, poor nutrition, and having allergies. There are many risk factors for the development of asthma, and cases across the world continue to grow. Although there is not an exact …

Nurse Practitioner Intervention In Palliative Care Settings, Lacie N. Harris

MSN Capstone Projects

Palliative care is a specialty of healthcare that focuses on chronic and severe disease. As chronic disease continues to rise annually related to genetics, sedentary lifestyle, and environmental factors, the need for interventions will increase to meet demands of patients, families, and organizations. Therefore, implementation of a nurse practitioner in the palliative care setting is ideal for optimal patient outcomes.

Impact Of 5-Minute Preceptor Training On The Senior Nursing Student Perception Of Clinical Preceptor Feedback Effectiveness, Darla Daylene Smith

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Feedback is a tool that is often not utilized effectively. Clinical preceptors, when utilized, are the primary oversight for nursing students and should be able to provide feedback that is constructive and timely. Clinical preceptor feedback directly impacts the nurse generalists’ transition to practice which can increase competency levels by providing timely and quality feedback (Phillips, Mathew, Aktan, & Catano, 2017; Duteau, 2012). The purpose of this study was to determine if training clinical preceptors in the 5-Minute Preceptor method providing feedback to senior nursing students had an impact on the clinical teaching effectiveness. The research design was a comparative, …

Non-Physician Led Hypertension Management, Poupak Moshayedi

MSN Capstone Projects

The importance of controlling and better management of hypertension cannot be overemphasized, and the need for task sharing and multidisciplinary approach has never been more significant than in chronic conditions like hypertension. With many complications that it causes and with the many classes of drugs that we have in controlling blood pressure, having only 24 percent of people being controlled shows a break in knowledge and patient care. The gap can be filled with nurse involvement and taking more ownership and responsibility in tackling high numbers with interventions that are proven to work. Getting patients involved and following up with …

Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infection (Cauti) Prevention In Spinal Cord Injury Unit, Golda Nebre

Master's Projects and Capstones

PROBLEM: Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) continuous to be a safety challenge in today’s healthcare systems. Applying a lens to the most common HAIs such as Catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) in a Spinal Cord Unit calls for evidenced-based solutions and process improvement. CAUTIs are not only costly and prolongs the patient’s hospitalization, it’s a preventable harm that significantly affects the quality of life of spinal cord injury patients.

CONTEXT: Spinal Cord Injury Unit (SCIU) in VA Palo Alto is a 19-bed capacity inpatient unit where CAUTI rates have been increasing in the recent years. There is a high risk for CAUTIs …

Healthcare Provider Education: Adult Jamaicans With Type 2 Diabetes, Patricia Anderson

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Abstract

Problem: Worldwide prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among the Jamaican population is 11.9% (WHO, 2016). Jamaican patients and their families have experienced first-hand the debilitating complications of this deadly disease.

Context: Jamaicans with diabetes who live in the US experience these same complications. Approximately 300,000 Jamaicans live in Florida (Peart, 2020). This change of practice project was conducted with healthcare providers employed in a family medicine clinic in Florida that treat Jamaicans with T2DM.

Intervention: This change of practice project used an online evidence-based educational training (i.e., Jamaican culture, diet, and health beliefs and how to use …

Decreasing Bias And Improving Education On Non-Invasive Colorectal Screening Methods, Sara H. Hughes

MSN Capstone Projects

It is estimated that in 2020, nearly 148,000 Americans will be diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 53,200 Americans will die from colorectal cancer (Siegel et al., 2020). One- half of all cases and deaths are due to modifiable risk factors such as diet and smoking and it has been shown that early screening and detection can greatly decrease the morbidity and mortality of colorectal cancer yet colorectal cancer related deaths still ranks among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths in the United States and the world. Early detection of colorectal cancer is crucial to reducing mortality and although this is …

Massage Therapy For Agitation In Dementia Benchmark, Ashley Salyer

MSN Capstone Projects

Dementia is a progressive disease that eventually results in cognitive and functional decline as well as behavioral and psychological symptoms. Age is a significant risk factor for dementia and due to an increase in longevity, the number of people with dementia is rising. Expanding research on dementia and management interventions should be a priority due to the nature of the disease, its impact on healthcare, and its emotional effect on both the individual and family. Over prescription of medication for behavioral and psychological symptoms in dementia has been identified as problem in long-term care facilities. The current practice at many …