Nursing Commons^™

Increasing Nurses’ Knowledge Of Richmond-Agitation Sedation Score Assessment And Documentation Through Education, Kara Jeanne Beaulieu

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) are critically ill and faced with numerous physical and psychological stressors that often require a multidisciplinary approach to improve outcomes and relieve suffering. Patients are given sedation to tolerate invasive treatments and procedures. Using the Richmond-Agitation Sedation Score (RASS), nurses assess objective findings and the level of sedation a patient is experiencing, and titrate sedation according to an ordered RASS score. Ineffective and inaccurate use of the RASS score leads to patients being oversedated and demonstrates a lack of understanding of how to appropriately use the RASS score assessment tool. The purpose of …

Essential Oils For Alternative Pain Therapy, Joy Debinski, Alex Garay, Dalia Albanna

2021

No abstract provided.

Limb Alert: Increasing Staff Awareness And Communication, James Waldie, Azeezat Fabian, Fafa Apedo, Jessica Kovacs

2021

No abstract provided.

Standardized Labeling Of Iv Infusions To Decrease Medication Errors And Increasing Nurse Workflow Efficiency, Tayyiba Shaik, Vikltoria Gudmundsson, Skyelar Hester, Veronica Pacheco

2021

No abstract provided.

Why Can't I Drink? A Look At Npo Guidelines At Children's Health, Hanna Boehm, Elizabeth Brewer, Rebekah Hockaday, Joy Villaflor

2021

No abstract provided.

Improving Patient Safety Through Increased Awareness Of Alarm Fatigued9 Pulmonology & Our Children’S House, Alli Mcdaniel, Marissa Reyes, Nabat Sheriff

2021

No abstract provided.

Are Er Parents In On What Infiltration Means?, Ashley Lee, Andrew Taylor, Carley Torres

2021

No abstract provided.

Acting With Tlc Splint, Jade Deckard, Karen Esquivel, Adriana Guerre

2021

No abstract provided.

L.A.P.S. Not Apps: Evaluating The Use Of Electronic Devices In A Level 4 Nicu, Madyson Roehrig, Karen Barajas, Priscilla Aponte

2021

No abstract provided.

Sharing Is Caring:Decreasing Caregiver Stress For Pediatric Patients Undergoing Inpatient Surgerythrough Visual Communication, Abigail Holman, Jaime Kilmer, Brandon Shipley

2021

No abstract provided.

The Efficacy Of Barcoded Medication Administration In The Emergency Department, Aleksandr Vasserman

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The practice problem addressed in this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was safe medication administration in the emergency department (ED). Paper-based delivery of medication administration is prone to errors and multiple points of failure affecting patients’ safety. The gap in nursing practice was the lack of analysis regarding the efficacy of the barcoded medication administration (BCMA) process in the ED. The practice-focused question for this project addressed whether the implementation of BCMA in the ED effectively reduced medication administration errors as compared to the previously used paper-based, non-BCMA process. The aim of this doctoral project was to review the efficacy …

Effect Of Compassion Fatigue And Burn Out Education In The Nurse, Pamela Spendiff

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evolving changes in healthcare have caused increased levels of pressure on registered nurses (RNs) which increases compassion fatigue (CF), secondary traumatic stress (STS) and burnout (BO) and negatively affect compassion satisfaction (CS) which may affect a nurse’s abilities and skills to provide quality care for patients and cause the RN to leave the profession. The mindfulness technique is one method which may help reduce CF, STS and BO in RNs. The purpose of this quasi-experimental study, guided by the compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue model (CS-CF), was to determine what effect a mindfulness-based intervention (MBI) has on CF, BO and …

Staff Hypertension Education Program For Vulnerable Populations In A Primary Care Setting, Brando Jobity

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

For health care practitioners to effectively manage hypertension (HTN) patients and their related long- and short-term consequences, they must first identify the underlying cause of the disease. When patient interventions are not regularly implemented by clinicians, the likelihood of complications from HTN increases. A gap in staff knowledge on managing patients with HTN was identified in an outpatient clinic in the midwestern United States. A staff education program for health care providers to close the knowledge gap was developed based on the most recent Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of HTN. The aim of this …

Factors Influencing Nurses’ Willingness To Recommend Reiki For Their Oncology Patients’ Pain, Amy Nezzer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Hospitalized, adult, oncology patients experience intractable pain that does not always respond to pharmacological therapies. Reiki is a complementary and alternative method used to reduce pain and increase the effectiveness of pharmacological treatments, but nurses may not possess knowledge about Reiki or have the self-efficacy to educate patients about Reiki. The purpose of this study, guided by Bandura’s social cognitive theory, was to identify the relationship between nurses’ knowledge, level of self-efficacy in educating their patients, beliefs about Reiki’s effectiveness, years practicing as a nurse, and willingness to recommend Reiki for their oncology patients’ pain. The Knowledge of Nurses’ Questionnaire …

Cancer Survivors' Physical Activity Advice: A Guide For Assessment And Implementation For Nurses And Healthcare Workers, Kayla Burd

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Background: Physical activity (PA) improves cancer-related symptoms (e.g., fatigue, sleep) in cancer survivors, although there is low adherence due to barriers. Cancer survivors are interested in participating in PA but healthcare providers feel they have inadequate knowledge in PA and lack guidance to provide PA support.

Purpose: Examine PA advice for cancer survivors and healthcare providers from cancer survivor interviews to understand cancer survivors’ PA and create an algorithm to help healthcare providers assess and provide PA advice to cancer survivors.

Method: Qualitative content analysis of twenty interviews with cancer survivors regarding PA.

Results: Cancer survivors advised health care providers …

A Mixed Methods Study On Levels Of Physical Activity And Degree Of Fear Of Falling In Older Adults, Oscar L. Garcia

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Maintaining a physically active lifestyle has shown to decrease the risks of falling by slowing down the degenerative changes that occur with aging adults. But despite these physical changes, research has recognized the development of the fear of falling (FOF) as also attributing to the aging adults’ risk of falling. Furthermore, increases the risk of falling and subsequently increases the loss of independency. This study aimed to: 1) examine the relationships between the levels of physical activity, degree of FOF, and fall risk using quantitative approach; and 2) explore the changes of FOF and understand its cause using qualitative approach. …

Diabetic Self-Management Education Program Evaluation, Amanda Thomas

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Diabetes is a metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia, caused by impaired insulin secretions resulting in high hemoglobin A1C levels. Education is beneficial in reducing these as an additive to lifestyle and drug therapy. This student project reflects a program evaluation for a patient diabetes self-management education (DSME) intervention in one small rural outpatient system. DSME classes address the comprehensive blend of clinical, educational, psychosocial, and behavioral aspects of care needed for the daily management of people living with type II diabetes. Three months after completing a DSME the person experiencing type II diabetes has a repeat Hemoglobin A1C level taken …

Decreasing Preoperative Anxiety In Cataract Patients, Virginia Baltz

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Several studies show that patients present with anxiety before surgical procedures. Preoperative anxiety may cause unwanted sympathetic nervous system (SNS) responses which can result in nervousness, anger, or sadness. Hypertension and tachycardia are often present, along with unwanted postoperative complications including increased pain perception and decreased patient satisfaction. Understanding that anxiety is both an emotional and physiological response, emphasizes the need to alleviate anxiety preoperatively (Aust et al., 2016). This Quality Improvement project aims to manage patient surgical expectations with cataract surgery through positive preoperative education. Patients were given written education and the opportunity to discuss the information before cataract …

Identifying And Enhancing Key Competencies For Emergency Nursing In Rural Alaska: A Quality Improvement Project, Denise Plano

DNP Scholarly Projects

Identifying and

Enhancing Key Competencies for Emergency Nursing in Rural Alaska:

A Quality Improvement Project

Denise Plano

University of New Hampshire

Faculty Mentor: Cathleen Colleran, DNP

Practice Mentor: Lynn Van Vactor, RN CPHQ

Content Expert: Marianne Murray, DNP

Date of Submission: April 19, 2022

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Rural nurses practice in challenging environments that include remote villages and towns. They are faced with providing emergency care to patients without the resources that are available at larger tertiary hospitals. Low volume and high-risk scenarios challenge the nurse's ability to maintain competencies and respond to emergent patient needs. Identifying the most critical competencies …

Implementation Of A Standardized Suicide Risk Screening Tool: An Improvement Project In A University Counseling Center, Clint Emmett

DNP Scholarly Projects

This article describes a quality improvement project undertaken at the University of Idaho Counseling and Testing Center (CTC). This quality improvement project describes the use of the Ask Suicide Questions (ASQ) screening tool to accurately assess the severity of suicide risk during an initial assessment or crisis visit. Clinicians were provided with education and demonstration of the ASQ and shown how to incorporate this tool into their practice. 86 eligible appointments were included in the project for analysis. Simple descriptive statistics were used to present the resulting data. Results indicate that 30.3% of eligible appointments were screened. 43.8% of clinicians …

Workplace Violence Prevention For Nurses And Healthcare Workers In The State Of Maine A Health Policy Initiative, Gretchen Forsley

DNP Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Background: Health care workplace violence is a pervasive and persistent problem, underreported, and when reported it is tolerated, excused, or ignored. Prior to the pandemic, the “normal” demands of a stressful workplace for a resilient nurse might include short staffing, a lack of resources, violence, bullying, and disruptive behaviors from patients or families. Since the pandemic, the rates of increasing healthcare violence can be attributed to several factors such as delays in care and services, reducing admissions and procedures, consistent understaffing, a lack of adequate mental health services, increased violence against women, limited or no visitor policies, low-security coverage, …

Engaging Nurses In Public Policy, Carlene Ferrier

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Nurses have been engaged in public policy since the inception of the profession. Academicians and thought leaders recognize the importance of nurses engaging in public policy to improve health and healthcare. Nurses are also the largest healthcare group and the most trusted profession for twenty years, yet they are minimally represented in the state and federal legislature. Nurses possess a skill set that is directly transferable to the policy arena such as listening and communicating effectively, leading by inspiring a shared vision, applying evidence-based research, and collaborating and building relationships to achieve a common goal. Locally, the New Hampshire …

Implementation And Evaluation Of A Psychoeducation Training Program For Correctional Psychiatric Nurses, Katie Lyn Araja

DNP Scholarly Projects

This article describes a quality improvement project undertaken at a northeastern prison focusing on the psychiatric hospital unit. The project's primary aim is to implement training in nurse-led psychoeducation groups for psychiatric hospital unit nurses with the outcome of increasing confidence and competency through improved self-efficacy. The secondary aim of this project is to positively impact the psychiatric hospital unit nurses' intuition as a component of clinical decision-making through skill training that improves KSAs and care delivery to the highest level of the nurses' licensure. Participating nurses received pre and post-intervention surveys, including the Psychiatric Nurse Self-Efficacy Scales and the …

Tackling Burnout: Investing In Nurse Managers To Secure The Future Of Nursing, Enhance Manager Effectiveness, And Support High Quality Patient Care, Corey French

DNP Scholarly Projects

Background: Burnout is a widespread, pervasive issue the healthcare industry. Many efforts related to burnout reduction have been focused on front line caregivers but there is continued opportunity to address burnout in leadership. The global aim of this quality improvement project was to reduce burnout among the nursing leadership team at a large, academic medical center in the greater Boston area.

Problem Description: A preliminary survey was completed to assess for the presence of burnout within the leadership team. Results revealed that more than half of the nurse leaders surveyed were experiencing burnout at least 50% of the time. This …

Promoting A Culture Of Self-Care: Application Of A Caring Science Framework To Prevent Nursing Faculty Burnout, Angela M. Braswell

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Threats to nurses’ well-being from chronic workplace stress often leads to burnout. Lack of self-care contributes to nursing faculty burnout due to the inability to maintain well-being. Emerging evidence points to theory guided self-caring practices as effective coping strategies to manage the negative effects of workplace environments on well-being.

METHODS: This quality improvement project aimed to provide nursing faculty and staff in the academic workplace with opportunities to cultivate and enhance self-care practices to promote overall health and well-being following principles of Caring Science and Jean Watson’s 10 Caritas Processes^®. A multifaceted set of interventions were provided: …

Implementation Of A Standardized Medication Reconciliation Protocol In A Psychiatric Stabilization Setting, Sara Robinson

DNP Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Medication errors are a prevalent patient safety concern across healthcare settings. High-quality medication reconciliation is an intervention and expected standard of care that can help to prevent adverse drug events. This quality improvement project focused on implementing a standardized medication reconciliation protocol on a short-stay psychiatric unit.

INTERVENTION: An evidence-based toolkit supported by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), Medications at Transitions and Clinical Handoffs (MATCH) was selected as the framework for developing and implementing this protocol.

Congruent with the evidence-based toolkit recommendations, baseline data collection and needs assessment provided context for tailoring the intervention to the …

Education For Ltach Nurses On Clinical Monitoring Systems, Deneen Stokes

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Alarm fatigue is a patient safety issue. The gap identified in practice is that nurses did not know how to navigate the monitoring system properly such that improper use of the alarm system was the result, which compromised patient safety. The goal of this project aimed to fill the gap in knowledge and skill among the staff and improve the confidence level among nurses by providing an educational program. The practice-focused question focused on whether knowledge, skills, and confidence would increase among nurses after receiving education on the clinical monitoring system. The model to facilitate organizing and analyzing this project …

Staff Education Program On Postpartum Depression Screening, Pamela Barstow

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractPostpartum depression (PPD) in the US is a serious health concern that negatively impacts an average of 11.5% of women, with 13.36% of women in Virginia in 2018 reporting PPD symptoms. Mothers experiencing PPD may have trouble bonding with their infants, which may negatively impact childhood growth and development. However, fewer than one-half of pediatricians screen mothers of infants for PPD. Literature supports staff education on PPD to promote the wellbeing of postpartum mothers and their infants. Using the analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation model of instructional design, the purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to …

Huddle Implementation In The Perioperative Setting, Tina Thomas

DNP Projects

Background: Communication is essential for safe and effective patient care. In the perioperative setting, information sharing is critical to care coordination. Lack of communication between caregivers can lead to medical errors. Evidence shows that huddles lead to increased communication, satisfaction, and engagement between team members resulting in better patient outcomes. Huddles are short, less than 10-minute gatherings that focus on the daily schedule, identify potential obstacles, explain unique needs, and discuss preceding day issues.

Objectives: This project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of huddles on employee satisfaction, engagement, and communication of healthcare workers while also determining if huddles were …

Evaluating The Use Of A Diet Screening Tool For Diabetes And Weight Management In Primary Care, Christie Mcbride

DNP Projects

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a prominent disease and leading cause of death in the nation. Many complications can develop when glucose levels are poorly controlled. When patients receive education and support in diabetes self-management, including individualized dietary interventions, it leads to improved glycemic control.

Purpose: The purpose of this quality improvement (QI) project was to evaluate the incorporation of a diet recall tool, Starting the Conversation (STC), in the standard care for diabetic patients with abnormal body mass index (BMI). The study aimed to examine: (1) patient opinion of the intervention and (2) healthcare provider satisfaction with use …