Nursing Commons^™

Tiny Tusks Internship: Barriers To Breastfeeding Surrounding Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Brianna Purser, Quinn Owen

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

It is known that breastfeeding is beneficial to mothers and their children, and it is recommended that mothers exclusively breastfeed for the first six months of their infant's life. Despite this, in the United States only 1 in 4 infants is exclusively breastfed for the first six months. After being an intern for Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding and Infant Support, a program designed to facilitate and educate about breastfeeding, we have seen firsthand the barriers to breastfeeding. The goal of this literature review was to investigate barriers to breastfeeding specifically surrounding neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and how to address those …

Increasing Patient Satisfaction Of Post-Cesarean Mothers: An Evidence-Based Practice Quality Improvement Project, Amanda Jones

DNP Projects

Introduction: The first hour after delivery, referred to as the “Golden Hour” or “Sacred Hour,” is when the mom, baby, and the support person get 1-hour of uninterrupted bonding time together. This time is critical because it promotes neonatal thermoregulation, decreases newborn stress levels, improves mother–newborn attachment, and encourages breastfeeding. Unfortunately, most cesarean births do not receive the Golden Hour and instead experience delayed bonding time.

Purpose: The purpose of this Evidence-Based Practice (EBP) project was to incorporate the Golden Hour for post-cesarean section mothers in a mid-sized community-based hospital in XXX, CT in order to increase patient satisfaction post-c-section; …

Implementation Of 3-Minute Diabetic Foot Exam For At Risk Diabetic Patients In Urban Primary Care Setting, Suzana Alvarez

DNP Projects

Background: Healthcare providers manage chronic health concerns by reducing the risk of diabetic complications among their patient population. In 2017, diabetes was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States and Connecticut. In Connecticut, there are 19,500 newly diagnosed diabetics and four Connecticut cities have higher occurrence of diabetes: Waterbury, New Britain, Hartford, and Bridgeport. Bridgeport Primary Care (BPC) had no policy or procedure in place to require the providers to complete a routine diabetic foot exam. The aim of this project was to promote and implement a tool to assist the BPC providers in evaluating adult …

Factors Contributing To Nurse Burnout In Oncology, Caroline Withers

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Nurse burnout is a pressing concern for healthcare with significant implications for all areas of nursing and patient outcomes. However, the specialty of oncology experiences burnout differently than other specialties for a multitude of reasons. This literature review aims to determine factors that contribute to nurse burnout within oncology, and identify evidence-based prevention strategies. The twenty studies included in the review underscore the crucial role of management and leadership in the prevention of nurse burnout. Further education and research are needed to better understand causes of burnout, as well as proper interventions. Interventions need to be established on a hospital …

Dexmedetomidine Vs. Propofol In Postoperative Delirium Prevention, Jaclyn Burnett Rn, Srna, Montana Betts Rn, Srna, Christhian De Ochoa Rn, Srna, Maciej Chec Rn, Srna, Dwayne Accardo Dnp, Crna, Aprn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background Postoperative delirium (POD) is an acute neurological condition affecting large numbers of surgical patients in various practice settings. Patients suffering from this condition face postoperative complications, increased lengths of stay, and tremendous financial burden. Understanding the contributing factors for POD, and how adjustments in intraoperative agents can prevent or reduce the incidence, is a crucial aspect of anesthesia practice. This scoping review will examine associations between POD and the intraoperative use of propofol versus dexmedetomidine with general anesthesia.

Methods Studies in this review were limited to peer-reviewed literature, published in medical and nursing journals within the last five years. …

Perceived Sources Of Stress Related To Burnout Amongst Emergency Department Staff Due To The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Literature Review, Sydney Craig

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Emergency departments (ED) are usually considered high stress environments. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying challenges such as frequent exposure to the novel virus, lack of personal protective equipment (PPE), being over worked and underpaid, and the uncertainty surrounding the overall trajectory of the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in an increased level of burnout for ED staff, especially nurses. This study involves a meta-analysis of current literature surrounding ED burnout including incidence rate and causes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because studies indicate upwards of three fourths of ED staff reporting increased stress and burnout, finding ways to …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Barriers To Breastfeeding Surrounding Neonatal Intensive Care Units, Quinn Owen, Brianna Purser

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Breastfeeding has proven itself beneficial to both baby and mother for many reasons. However, many mothers do not breastfeed their infants. In fact, only 1 in 4 mothers breastfeed for the first 6 months of life. Experiences in the clinical setting and knowledge gained as interns for Tiny Tusks, a breastfeeding and infant support group for sporting events at the University of Arkansas, sparked the desire to understand the staggering statistic.This literature review seeks to understand barriers to breastfeeding, specifically, barriers to breastfeeding as it pertains to neonatal intensive care units (NICU).

Effects Of Inadequate Nurse Staffing And Need For Standard Nurse-To-Patient Ratios To Increase Patient Safety In Acute Care Settings, Macey Schwenker

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study includes articles including research regarding the effects of the current nursing staff shortage and overtime on patient care and outcomes. A systematic review of research was conducted guided by PRISMA guidelines and consists of articles collected from PubMed. Studies were taken place in the United States, England, Taiwan, Singapore, United Kingdom, Brazil, South Korea, Sweden, India, and Australia involving hundreds of thousands of participants. Methods include mean ratio, regression models, surveys, and questionnaires. Nurse staffing shortages, overtime, and inadequate staffing increased the risk of patient mortality and decreased overall patient safety and quality of care in acute care …

Interventional Radiology Procedures Without Sedation: The Nurse Experience, Catherine De Leon

Dissertations

Background: Many IR procedures offer a less invasive and economical alternative to some open or laparoscopic surgeries. Patients undergoing a procedure without moderate sedation are awake, alert, with heightened sensory perceptions, and vulnerable to their surroundings. There is a gap in the current body of literature relating to the IR nurse’s experience of caring for patients during procedures without the use of moderate sedation.

Purpose/Aims: The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experience of Interventional Radiology (IR) nurses caring for conscious patients undergoing a procedure without the use of sedation. This phenomenological study aimed to describe the …

Developing Situation Awareness In Simulation Prebriefing, Amanda L. Potter, Kristina Dreifuerst, Aimee A. Woda

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

BACKGROUND:

Prebriefing before simulation is a recommended practice that increases learner satisfaction and improves performance. Promoting situation awareness through prebriefing facilitates optimal learning outcomes.

METHOD:

Endsley's Model of Situation Awareness is applied to the cognitive work of nursing practice that occurs during the prebriefing phase of simulation. Perceiving, comprehending, and projecting about elements of a situation lead to clinical judgement, reasoning, decision making, and ultimately nursing actions.

RESULTS:

Developing situation awareness in prebriefing is a supported process that connects learners' prior knowledge and experience with the needed knowledge, skills, and abilities in the simulation environment. These mental models become the …

Pain Assessment Policy Update And Nursing Education On Best Practices For Pain Assessment: A Quality Improvement Project, Jennifer Zhang

DNP Projects

Significance and Background: Chronic pain assessment should focus on patients' functional status, quality of life (QOL), and pain control. A tool to assess pain intensity and biopsychosocial impacts of pain for patients with chronic pain was needed in a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). The Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale (DVPRS) incorporates a numeric rating scale with four functional questions on pain interference on ADLs. DVPRS design stimulates communication between patients and providers about their pain, its impact on function, and state of mind. Treatments are focused on making the pain tolerable and optimizing patient function while avoiding unwanted …

Nursing Students Attitudes Towards Patients' With Disabilities, Sonny Miles

Honors Theses

Attitudes have been found to impact the quality of healthcare provided to patients. Nursing students are individuals that will eventually care for and impact the livelihood of all individuals including those with disabilities. Measurements of attitudes among nursing students serves to evaluate the efficacy of nursing curriculums regarding disability and determines if revision is needed to better promote healthcare administration for the patient with a disability. This study utilized the Scale of Attitudes Toward Disabled Persons (SADP) to measure attitudes among nursing students enrolled in a baccalaureate nursing program at a Southeastern University. The mean score from participants was 108.49 …

Relationships Of Secondary Traumatic Stress And Self-Efficacy Among Obstetric Nurses Caring For Patients And Families With Perinatal Loss, Jennifer Baierlein

Theses & Dissertations

Background

The labor and delivery unit is a place where new life begins, and families are made. Perinatal loss is a traumatic event for families and those that provide care to expectant families. In providing care to patients and families experiencing perinatal loss, nurses are at risk for secondary traumatic stress, which could be harmful to their physical and emotional state leading to compassion fatigue and burnout. Perinatal loss represents a stressful and emotionally demanding event for healthcare professionals, as they must deal with the additional burden of managing their own emotions while caring for the patients. Self-efficacy is a …

Know The Signs Of An Allergic Reaction: Anaphylaxis, Sarah R. Remillard

Honors Projects

The purpose of this project was to develop a food allergy informational poster for use in the classroom. The Center for Disease Control has estimated that an average of two children in each public school classroom in the United States struggled with a food allergy. Meanwhile, other researchers found that 25% of first-time anaphylaxis episodes occurred in classrooms. This Honors Project was developed to address the informational gap concerning anaphylaxis that occurs at schools. The methodology was literature review. The Honor Project's outcome was the informational poster, Know the Signs of an Allergic Reaction: Anaphylaxis, as well as the supplemental …

Emollients To Prevent Eczema In High-Risk Infants: An Integrative Review, Julie Armstrong, Nicole K. Rosinski, Alissa V. Fial, Selorm Ansah, Kristin Haglund

Library Faculty Research and Publications

The purpose of this integrative review was to assess the research on topical emollients to prevent atopic dermatitis (AD) also known as eczema, in infants at high risk for this condition. Atopic dermatitis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disorder. Skin barrier dysfunction plays a prominent role in its development. Topical emollients have been hypothesized to enhance the skin barrier and prevent AD.

Methods:

Searches were conducted in September 2021 in PubMed, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science using key word search terms dermatitis, atopic, emollients, petrolatum, and infant, newborn. Inclusion criteria were articles written in English …

Factors Affecting Quality Of Life And Asthma Control In Older Adults With Asthma., Karen Schuckmann

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Introduction: Approximately 7.7 percent of adults over the age of 65 have asthma in the United States (U.S), further, the population of older adults in the U.S. will increase to 20% by 2030. Health Related Quality of Life is low for this age group and asthma is often misdiagnosed and undertreated creating a need for research to improve factors that influence Asthma Quality of Life. Aims: This study explored two aims. The first aim evaluates the relationship between medication numeracy and asthma self-management knowledge with asthma self-efficacy. The second aim evaluates medication numeracy, asthma self-management knowledge, asthma self-efficacy, and asthma …

Healthcare Providers' Experiences With A Clinical Mentorship Intervention To Improve Reproductive, Maternal And Newborn Care In Mwanza, Tanzania, Kahabi Isangula, Columba Mbekenga, Tumbwene Mwansisya, Loveluck Mwasha, Lucy Kisaka, Edna Selestine, David Siso, Thomas Rutachunzibwa, Secilia Mrema, Eunice Pallangyo

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Introduction: There is increasing evidence suggesting that clinical mentorship (CM) involving on-the-job training is one of the critical resources—friendly entry points for strengthening the knowledge and skills of healthcare providers (HCPs), which in turn facilitate the delivery of effective reproductive, maternal, and newborn health (RMNH) care. The article explores the experiences of HCPs following participation in the CM program for RMNH in eight districts of Mwanza Region in Tanzania.

Materials and Methods: A qualitative descriptive design employing data from midterm project review meetings and Key Informant Interviews (KIIs) with purposefully selected HCPs (mentors and mentees) and District Medical Officers (DMOs) …

Discovering New Connections: Insights From Individual And Collective Reflexivity In A Mixed Methods Study, Ebru Cayir, Tisha M. Felder Phd, Msw, Chigozie A. Nkwonta, Joynelle R. Jackson Edd, Msn, Rnc-Mnn, Robin Dawson Phd, Rn, Cpnp-Pc

Publications

Through intentionally engaging in reflexivity, researchers can be transparent about potential areas of social inquiry and analysis that might be subject to a priori assumptions, personal biases, and interpretations that are not rooted in the data. In the context of conducting research with others, reflexivity also includes a collective dimension in which each researcher’s positionality interacts with the others and shapes research outcomes. Fostering collective reflexivity within interdisciplinary teams enables the researchers to process conflicting perspectives, allow creative and innovative approaches to emerge, and develop a shared vision of the research concepts, methods, and outcomes. Despite its acknowledged value, the …

Exploring The Use Of Telehealth In A School-Based Health Center, Kourtney Chapman, Mia Rhodes, Jordan Smith

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The benefits of remote telehealth assessment kits and their use in school-based settings were explored in this Quality Improvement project. The primary goal was to examine rural school-based settings and explore options to fulfill healthcare care gaps. A secondary objective was to explore telehealth systems and identify one that provided thorough diagnostic evaluation abilities. A tertiary objective was to educate potential users of the identified system and assess the perceived ease of use and practicality. A cohort of 58 doctoral candidates and 11 staff members from a local school district were educated on the advantages of using telehealth and received …

Community Health Worker Intervention To Improve Hba1c In Adult Diabetic Patients, Megan Wojtko

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is a disease that disproportionally impacts patients with multiple socioeconomic barriers that are often difficult to address during a primary care visit. Several provider and practice-level barriers also exist including time limitations within the visit and lack of trained staff to help with patient education and case management. Uncontrolled T2DM leads to poor health outcomes and increased healthcare costs. Community Health Workers (CHW) are trained lay persons that can successfully address the patient’s unmet needs and assist with the provider’s recommendations. The purpose of this project was to explore if a CHW led intervention focused …

Childhood Obesity Within The Lens Of Racism, Nancy T. Browne, Eric A. Hodges, Leigh Small, Julia A. Snethen, Marilyn Frenn, Sharon Y. Irving, Bonnie Gance-Cleveland, Cindy Smith Greenberg

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Despite decades of research and a multitude of prevention and treatment efforts, childhood obesity in the United States continues to affect nearly 1 in 5 (19.3%) children, with significantly higher rates among Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour communities. This narrative review presents social foundations of structural racism that exacerbate inequity and disparity in the context of childhood obesity. The National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities' Research Framework guides the explication of structurally racist mechanisms that influence health disparities and contribute to childhood obesity: biologic and genetic, health behaviours, chronic toxic stress, the built environment, race and cultural …

Engagement Of Families In The Care Of Hospitalized Pediatric Patients: A Scoping Review, Teresa Jerofke-Owen, Natalie S. Mcandrew, Karen Gralton, Joan P. Totka, Marianne E. Weiss, Alissa V. Fial, Kathleen J. Sawin

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

This scoping review was conducted to examine the range, nature, and extent of the published family engagement literature specific to the pediatric acute care setting to highlight future research and practice development opportunities. Included studies (N = 247) revealed global relevance. Engagement strategies ranged from more passive such as allowing/encouraging families to be present at the bedside to more active strategies aimed at promoting mutual and reciprocal nurse–patient interactions. Family engagement is distinguished by a mutually beneficial partnership of families with health care team members and care organizations. Future research in the area of family engagement in pediatric nursing …

Beliefs About Safe Traffic Behaviors Among Male High School Students In Hamadan, Iran: A Qualitative Study Based On The Theory Of Planned Behavior, Vahid Ranaei, Alireza Sahab Jahanlu, Laleh Hassani, Ghodratollah Roshanaei, Kristin Haglund, Jagnoor Jagnoor, Forouzan Rezapur Shahkolaei

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Road traffic injuries are public health challenges with heavy economic and social burdens. Road traffic injuries are common in developing countries and occur disproportionately with adolescents. This study aimed to elicit beliefs about traffic behaviors based on the theory of planned behavior among male high school students in Hamadan, Iran. We used a constructivist-interpretive qualitative design with directional content analysis. Interviews were conducted with 19 adolescent males in Hamadan, Iran. Analysis revealed that theory of planned behavior fit well to explain how perceptions, attitudes, and beliefs influenced traffic behaviors. Perceived subjective norms in the forms of parental encouragement, traffic rules …

More Than A Meme: The Dunning-Kruger Effect As An Opportunity For Positive Change In Nursing Education, Cynthia Sherraden Bradley, Kristina Dreifuerst, Brandon Kyle Johnson, Ann Loomis

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

The Dunning–Kruger Effect (DKE) describes the cognitive bias in which novices tend to overestimate performance or competence while experts tend to underestimate. Those who are lacking in competence do not have the skills to accurately recognize deficient performance. Subjective assessment is used widely in simulation learning and in nursing curricula, yet often without expert feedback and reflective discussions, which can result in mistakes being overlooked and encoded, which could subsequently result in clinical errors. The prevalence of DKE should not be interpreted solely as a deprecation of the use of subjective measures, but rather as an indicator of the need …

Economic Impression Of On-Farm Research For Sustainable Crop Production, Milk Yield, And Livelihood Options In Semi-Arid Regions Of Central India, Sunil Kumar, Purushottam Sharma, Prabhu Govindasamy, Maharaj Singh, Sant Kumar, Hanamant M. Halli, Bishwa Bhaskar Choudhary, Muthukumar Bagavathiannan

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Farming system research (FSR) is on-farm research that brings cutting-edge agricultural technologies to growers to enhance farm production, family income, and livelihood status. In 2007, an on-farm study was started on FSR in central India, and the effect was assessed after 5 yr (2012–2013) of implementation by comparing adopters and nonadopters of FSR-based promoted technologies. Further, in 2018–2019, the status of adoption of introduced technologies was also assessed. The study revealed that improved practices such as pre-sowing irrigation, high-yielding varieties, and crop protection measures collectively improved the system productivity of the adopters by 28%; the improved productivity was mainly due …

Helping Nurses Identify And Report Sentinel Injuries Of Child Abuse In Infants, Elizabeth Cleek, Joan P. Totka, Lynn K. Sheets, Joshua P. Mersky, Kristin Haglund

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Sentinel injuries (SIs) are some of the earliest and most readily identifiable red flags of child abuse. SIs are unexpected bruising or intra-oral injuries in pre-mobile infants and highly correlated with child abuse. However, SIs are not always recognized and reported as red flags of child abuse. Infants are left at risk for continued harm when SIs are not identified and reported. Although increasing nurses' knowledge of SIs is important, child abuse researchers and behavioral theorists have identified that knowledge alone does not predict nurses' behaviors when identifying and reporting suspected child abuse. Other predictors may include implicit biases, interpersonal …

Nurses’ Attitudes Towards Hospitalized Older Adults In A Tertiary Care Setting In Ghana, Yakubu H. Yakubu, Abdul-Ganiyu Fuseini, Eleanor Holroyd

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Introduction: The increasing population of older adults and rapid increases in co- morbidities globally has necessitated the need for a healthcare delivery system that meets the multifaceted needs of the growing population of older adults. Concurrent with these rising complex health needs is the importance of positive, non-judgmental attitudes of health services providers towards older adults. Moreover, this is particu-larly important in the nursing profession, given nurses' significant and crucial roles in healthcare settings.

Aim: The study aimed to evaluate nurses’ attitudes towards older adults in a tertiary hospital in Ghana.

Design: It employed a descriptive cross-sectional …

Child Mortality In Africa And South Asia: A Multidimensional Research And Policy Framework, Rachel Kimani, Samwel Gatimu

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Globally, progress has been made to address the diagnosis and management of common and avoidable acute illnesses that contribute to child mortality. Nevertheless, regions across sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia continue to have the highest rates of mortality in children younger than 5 years, with most deaths occurring after discharge from health facilities, indicating a gap in care following hospitalisation.

Perinatal Care In Western Uganda: Prevalence And Factors Associated With Appropriate Care Among Women Attending Three District Hospitals, Mercy Muwema, Dan K. Kaye, Grace Edwards, Gorrette Nalwadda, Joanita Nangendo, Jaffer Okiring, Wilson Mwanja, Elizabeth N. Ekong, Joan N. Kalyango, Joaniter I. Nankabirwa

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Background: Perinatal mortality remains high globally and remains an important indicator of the quality of a health care system. To reduce this mortality, it is important to provide the recommended care during the perinatal period. We assessed the prevalence and factors associated with appropriate perinatal care (antenatal, intrapartum, and postpartum) in Bunyoro region, Uganda. Results from this study provide valuable information on the perinatal care services and highlight areas of improvement for better perinatal outcomes.

Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted among postpartum mothers attending care at three district hospitals in Bunyoro. Following consent, a questionnaire was …

Addressing Mild To Moderate Memory Impairment Among Young Adults (18-44 Years Old) With Alcohol Use Disorder And Dependence Through Restorative Rehabilitation Combined With Comprehensive, Evidence-Based Medical Detoxification Treatment: Integrative Review, Motunrayo Atinuke Ayodeji

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Neurocognitive impairment especially mild to moderate stage of cognitive impairment (MCI) has been observed to be prevalent among young adults (18-44 years old) seeking treatment for alcohol use disorders (AUDs). Neurocognitive testing reveals memory impairment in key components of cognition such as attention, memory, language, reaction time and perception in varying degrees and severity among those with AUDs. Research has verified that alcohol can actually predispose individuals to what is known as alcohol related brain damage (ARBD) or alcohol related cognitive impairment (ARCI) as related to cognitive (memory) impairment. This state of brain damage often impedes treatment outcome due to …