Nursing Commons^™

A Multimodal Approach To Decreasing Hesitancy Of The Influenza Vaccine In The Family Care Setting, Carley J. Ellenberger

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

The uptake of the influenza vaccine is the most effective and proactive action an individual can take to defend themselves against the influenza outbreak each season; therefore, it is recommended that everyone at least six months of age and older should receive the annual flu vaccine (CDC, 2022; WHO, 2023). Unfortunately, influenza vaccine hesitancy is demonstrated on a global level affecting the uptake compliance annually each influenza season despite the millions of people that experience influenza symptoms annually (CDC, 2022, WHO, n.d.; Healthy People 2030, n.d.). The PICOT question for this project was in adults, over the age of 18, …

Use Of A Mindfulness-Based Mobile App To Decrease Nurse Burnout, Vivian Ugwu

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

PURPOSE The aim of this quality improvement project was to decrease Oldenburg Burnout Inventory (OLBI) scores by 5% among nurses working in a joint and rehab unit after using the mindfulness-based mobile application Headspace for 2 months.

BACKGROUND Indicators of rising burnout were noted on a 27-bed joint and rehab unit at a general medical and surgical facility in Houston, Texas.

METHODOLOGY The OLBI survey was used to measure burnout risk. The Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle was used to plan and identify necessary changes. Champions on each shift led selected brief Headspace app mindfulness-based activities once a shift daily for two months. …

The Association Between Nurse Staffing And Quality Of Care In Emergency Departments: A Systematic Review, Jonathan Drennan, Ashling Murphy, Vera J. C. Mccarthy, Jane Ball, Christine Duffield, Robert Crouch, Gearoid Kelly, Croia Loughnane, Aileen Murphy, Josephine Hegarty, Noeleen Brady, Anne Scott, Peter Griffiths

Research outputs 2022 to 2026

Background: The relationship between nurse staffing, skill-mix and quality of care has been well-established in medical and surgical settings, however, there is relatively limited evidence of this relationship in emergency departments. Those that have been published identified that lower nurse staffing levels in emergency departments are generally associated with worse outcomes with the conclusion that the evidence in emergency settings was, at best, weak. Methods: We searched thirteen electronic databases for potentially eligible papers published in English up to December 2023. Studies were included if they reported on patient outcomes associated with nurse staffing within emergency departments. Observational, cross-sectional, prospective, …

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy To Prevent Nurse Burnout In Sub-Saharan Africa, Anna C. Johnson

MSN Capstone Projects

Overall, burnout prevention has been shown to foster nurse resilience, ability to cope with stressors, teamwork, and improving the personal value of “doing good” and “being good”; the effects have been shown to last between 6 months and one year. The current evidence is strong enough to recommend a change to current nursing practice via annual Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) trainings to strengthen nurse resilience.

This researcher proposes to implement a CBT-based burnout prevention program in Ghana’s capital of Accra in sub-Saharan West Africa. There is ample evidence that African nurses face many of the same burnout issues that nurses …

A Multimodal Intervention To Aid In Smoking Cessation, Lauren Druzbicki

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC; 2023a) notes there are 28.3 million smokers in the United States. In Indiana alone, nearly 29% of adults currently use tobacco, with 19% of the total being cigarette smokers (Indiana Department of Health, 2022). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to implement a multi-modal intervention to aid in smoking cessation in adults aged 18 and older who are cigarette smokers. The intervention included physician/nurse advise using the ask, advise, refer (AAR) model, the SmokefreeTXT program, and FDA approved smoking cessation medications. The project took place at a primary care …

Nurses’ Job Satisfaction Regarding The Use Of Health Technology: A Survey Study, Diah Arruum, Setyowati Setyowati, Hanny Handiyani, Raldi Artono Koestoer

Jurnal Keperawatan Indonesia

The development of innovative health technology is continuously needed by health workers, including nurses in hospitals. Nurses need to adapt and are required to be able to use various current technological innovations. However, the demand for quality care in maintaining patient safety through the use of technology is still an issue, thereby affecting the achievement of nurse job satisfaction. This study aims to describe the job satisfaction of nurses regarding the use of health technology. It is a descriptive study with a cross-sectional design that included 172 hospital nurses. The sample was selected using the purposive sampling method, and the …

Coping Strategies For Nurses’ Distress In Dealing With The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review, Ika Nopa, L Meily Kurniawidjaja, Dadan Erwandi

Jurnal Keperawatan Indonesia

It is a well-known fact that the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the work stressors of nurses, which were already a problem previously, causing great distress. Hence, the need for effective coping strategies has been realized to prevent such distress, especially if a pandemic recurs. Determining how the types of coping strategies used by nurses impact their distress level in COVID-19 Pandemic. This review was conducted using the PRISMA Statement Recommendations Checklist and PRISMA—Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-SCR). The databases used were Willey Library, Science Direct, SCOPUS, and Springer Link for the literature search. Nurse and (“coping type” or “brief cope”) and …

Concurrent Enrollment Adn-Bsn Programs: A Call To Expand Access To This Innovative Approach To The Bsn, J. Michelle Nelson

Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: The National Education Progression in Nursing's current goal is for one million incumbent nurses and 90% of new ADN nurses to achieve a BSN or higher by 2025 in the United States. To meet this goal, programs nationwide are exploring options to increase BSN graduates. One method is the concurrent enrollment ADN-BSN pathway. This review examines how nurse educators develop and implement concurrent enrollment ADN-BSN programs in the US and calls to expand access to this important approach to academic progression in nursing. Method: A PRISMA search strategy was used to identify articles that detailed the development and implementation …

Ultrasound-Guided Erector Spinae Plane Block: An Objective Structured Clinical Examination For First-Year Anesthesia Providers, Andrew Edwards, Jonathan Mardis

Doctoral Projects

The use of ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) in anesthetic practice is an invaluable tool for anesthesia providers to implement into their daily practice. One of these regional techniques is the erector spinae plane block (ESPB) which has anesthetic implications in numerous surgical procedures including cervical spine, thoracolumbar spine, thoracic wall, and chest wall procedures. Because of the novelty of this regional anesthetic technique, it is important to educate first-year anesthesia providers about the implications, skillset, and complications of the ESPB.

To bridge the gap between didactic knowledge and clinical practice in first-year anesthesia providers, an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) …

Decreasing Compassion Fatigue In Inpatient Nurses Using Debriefing And Group Care Program, Hanh Nguyen

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose: The quality improvement project's purpose was to use a group care program to decrease compassion fatigue (work-related stress) in nurses. The project aimed to reduce compassion fatigue in nurses by 25% and nurse turnover rates by 10% post-intervention.

Background: The project was implemented on two inpatient units in Texas. Decrease in compassion fatigue can help improve nurse well-being and nurse retention, promoting safe quality nursing care.

Methodology: The Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL) survey measured compassion satisfaction and burnout pre-intervention. Twelve weekly program sessions were completed using strategies: debriefing, breathing exercise, and muscle relaxation. A …

The Lived Experiences Of The Newly Graduated Generation "Z": Registered Nurse Entering The Intensive Care Unit, Matthew Robert Loveitt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to illuminate, understand, and describe the meaning of the lived experiences of Gen Z new graduate registered nurses (NGRNs) transitioning directly into the ICU in their first position as registered nurses. Duchscher’s stages of transitional theory and the Strauss-Howe generational theory provided this study’s theoretical framework, focusing on the Gen Z NGRN transition into practice. This study answered the following central research question: What is the lived experience of Gen Z NGRNs transitioning into the ICU work environment employed in their first position as registered nurses? Data were collected for this study …

How Does Nurse-To-Patient Ratio Impact Patient Outcomes In Adults, 18 Years And Older, That Are Admitted To Hospitals Around The World: An Integrative Review, Bre' Bryant

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The field of nursing, known as the heart of health care, impacts individuals throughout every season of life: from the first cry to the last breath. It matters not how advanced the world might become; the calming presence of a nurse is irreplaceable. Considering the value of nurses, adequate work settings and staffing ratios is essential for care provision. Current practice is lacking, focusing heavily on patient satisfaction while staff contentment is not always addressed. Ratios are being increased, changing the way nurses provide care. The industry calls nurses into action to provide care that is efficient, effective, and safe. …

Improving Triage Accuracy In The Emergency Department, Joselyn Silverman

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: High rates of patients being mis-triaged was occurring at Hospital X leading to poor patient outcomes and incorrect staffing levels.

Context: This quality improvement project took place at Hospital X’s emergency department. A stakeholder analysis and a microsystem assessment along with a staff survey was created in order to determine areas of improvement and staff responsiveness.

Interventions: Eight educational seminars were conducted along with Hospital X leadership and students created supplemental materials for the staff to use on a daily basis.

Measures: Two data pulls were conducted over the course of the quality improvement project; one prior to the …

The Implementation Of Nurse Practitioner Residency Programs To Increase The Employment Retention Of New Graduates, Roni-Jo Panganiban

Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner

This review explores the effectiveness of Nurse Practitioner (NP) residency programs in addressing role strain, burnout, and retaining new graduates. It emphasizes the factors contributing to NP resignations and proposes formal residency programs to improve job satisfaction and retention rates. Research highlights benefits such as enhanced preparedness, credibility, and better patient care, advocating for increased program accessibility and funding. Additionally, the application of the theory of planned behavior underscores compliance with regulations, evidence-based practice, and environmental influences for patient safety in advanced practice registered nursing. The literature review on NP residency programs draws from six empirical articles, focusing on job …

Utilizing Mock Code Simulation To Enhance Nurses’ Confidence A Benchmark Project, Denecia Mark

MSN Capstone Projects

Each year, about 292,000 adult patients in the United States have an in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), with substantial variance in their rate of survival (Merchant et al., 2020). Graduate nurses must be knowledgeable and prepared to respond to codes. Mock Codes or simulation-based teaching will allow nurses to practice skills, expand their knowledge, and gain self-confidence in a secure and controlled setting with no risk to patients, reducing nurses' anxiety. CPR certification is currently updated every two years, and research has shown that learned skills begin to deteriorate after three months. As a result, if simulated codes are introduced skills …

Implementation Of Coping Strategies For Compassion Fatigue Through Counseling, Caleb R. Turner

MSN Capstone Projects

Many healthcare organizations are struggling to retain nurses due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Understanding common reasons for decreased retention in nursing begins with evaluating job satisfaction and how it can be affected (Cuartero-Castañer, 2021). Compassion Fatigue (CF) and Burnout (BO) are two leading causes of decreased job satisfaction (Compassion Satisfaction (CS)). The Professional Quality of Life Scale (PROQoL) (see Appendix C) is designed to identify individuals at higher risk of CF and BO. Using this scale in conjunction with the Peer-Support coaches in the hospital setting allows nurses to have conversations and communicate effectively with coaches trained to have …

Pre-Shift Mindfulness: An Evidence Based Practice Benchmark Project, Whitney Turner

MSN Capstone Projects

Although a nursing shortage has existed for some time, it seems there is currently a flight of both experienced and young clinicians from the bedside. Over the course of the Covid-19 pandemic, healthcare organizations have seen dramatic increases in turnover and vacancy rates, leading to severe staffing shortages and compromised patient care. Historically, nursing has been a caring, service driven profession, and a calling for millions of professionals. However, nurses are increasingly concerned with their personal wellbeing.

The term “burnout” appeared in the 1970s to describe the consequences of severe stress in “caring” professions, and include symptoms such as exhaustion, …

Empowering New Ob Nurses To Combat Racial Disparities Through Education, Tabitha Poole

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Minority patients are experiencing maternal morbidity and mortality at rates three to four times higher than white patients in America (Valerio et al., 2023). The project aims to measure the impact of anti-racism training on new OB nurses' understanding of racial disparities and their impact on maternal health outcomes. A three-hour educational course, in alignment with evidence-based practices, was provided to the participants. Utilizing a Likert Scale, pre- and post-intervention assessments were administered via Microsoft Forms to measure participants' perception of knowledge of implicit bias and structural racism. Gender, age range, and race/ethnicity were also collected to allow for further …

Workplace Violence In Emergency Departments, Education And De-Escalation Training: A Benchmark Study, Summer Block

MSN Capstone Projects

Most people do not go to work and fear being assaulted or harassed daily. However, for emergency nurses in this county that is exactly what it has come to. Up to 96% of emergency department nurses state they have been verbally abused. This entails name calling, verbal threats, being shouted at and being sworn at. Anywhere from 25% to 60% of these nurses have had to face physical assaults while on the job. (Al-Aadi, 2020; Copeland & Henry, 2017; Grinberg, 2022; Li et al., 2019; McDermid et al., 2019). Physical assaults can include being spit on, slapped, punched, kicked, choked, …

Environmental And Occupational Health Risks: Educating Undergraduate (Adn-Bsn) Nursing Students For Safer Practice, Dorinda A. Mercado

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Globally, adverse health effects, including deaths and disabilities, occur from living or working in unhealthy domains where exposure to environmental and occupational hazards exists. A multitude of these hazards are present in clinical settings in the healthcare environment where nurses care for patients and risk ongoing exposures to toxic substances.

Problem: Environmental and occupational health education is rarely included in the standard undergraduate nursing curriculum, contributing to a deficit among nurses in environmental health awareness and knowledge.

Methods: The study design was a pre/post evaluation of a single cohort (n=32) of undergraduate nursing students to assess environmental and occupational …

Understanding Healthcare Worker Experiences And Personal Protective Equipment (Ppe)-Related Skin Reactions/Injuries During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Methods Approach, Susan Solmos

Theses & Dissertations

Personal protective equipment (PPE)-related facial skin reactions/injuries occurred in 75.13% of healthcare workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Critical appraisal of cross-sectional studies identified methodological gaps as the majority of survey questions were not content-validated and those that were lacked descriptions of methods and psychometrics for the survey questions/tool. The aims of this dissertation study were to describe the nature, severity, and distribution of selfie captured PPE-related facial injuries using a validated tool (quantitative) and describe the contextual factors associated with PPE-related facial injuries and what factors influence nurses and Health Care Workers (HCWs) to share their experiences (qualitative). The setting …

Implementation Of A Nursing Peer Mentorship Program To Improve Nursing Retention And Job Satisfaction In An Acute Care Hospital: A Quality Improvement Project, Rebecca Cassel

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Manuscripts

Background and Significance: Currently staffing shortages are impacting patients and communities nationwide. This problem has been on the rise since the before the pandemic. COVID-19 has certainly increased the rate of nursing turnover, and vacancy, especially in acute care (Krofft & Stewart, 2021). Many factors contribute to nursing turnover, including nursing satisfaction, interprofessional relationships, and organizational support, and it is apparent that swift and effective action is needed, to ensure that safe, skilled nursing professionals are available to provide the necessary treatment that those seeking healthcare need. Nursing Mentorship programs have been shown to improve retention of nursing staff, …

Mindfulness Meditation To Reduce Nurse Burnout: An Ebp Implementation Project, Lester Denson Jr

MSN Capstone Projects

Hospitals across the United States are suffering from poor staffing (American Nurses Foundation, 2021). A common thread throughout those facilities is that nurses are leaving their jobs due to self-reported burnout, contributing to the staffing shortage and low morale (Shah et al., 2021).

Mindfulness training plays a part in decreasing emotional exhaustion for staff nurses. A reduction of emotional exhaustion has been discovered after the implementation of mindfulness-based intervention programs, with continued improvement after completion of the program (Sarazine et al., 2021; Bianchini & Copeland, 2021). The benefit of this implementation would be a reduction of nurse burnout which ultimately …

Improving Communication And Workflow Among Advanced Practice Providers And Nurses On Nightshift In An Intensive Care Unit, Chelsey Alise Durr Massey

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Problem Statement: There is often a lack of streamlined communication on nightshift among the reduced care team in acute care settings. The absence of organized collaboration and shared decision-making contributes to strained professional relationships between the advanced practice provider (APP) and the nurse. Purpose: Nightly provider-nurse bedside rounds were implemented in a 21-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU) using a goal sheet to improve communication among the APPs and nurses. Methods: A pretest-posttest design in which surveys were used in this quality improvement (QI) project to determine perceptions of communication between APPs and nurses. Inclusion Criteria: All APPs and rotating …

The Impact Of The Covid-19 Pandemic On Help-Seeking Behaviours Of Indigenous And Black Women Experiencing Intimate Partner Violence In The United States, Ashley Ruiz, Jeneile Luebke, Kaylen M. Moore, Antonia Drew Vann, Michael Gonzalez Jr., Brittany Ochoa-Nordstrum, Rachel Barbon, Kaboni W. Gondwe, Lucy Mkandawire-Valhmu

College of Nursing Faculty Research and Publications

Aims

This article discusses possible barriers to help-seeking that Indigenous and Black women encountered when seeking help related to experiences of intimate partner violence during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design

This article is focused on understanding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations at highest risk for intimate partner violence in its most severe forms.

Data Sources

Literature sources range from 2010 to 2022. The article is also informed by the experiences of scholars and advocates working with Indigenous and Black women experiencing intimate partner violence in Wisconsin. In our write-up, we draw on Indigenous feminism and Black feminist thought. …

The Dedicated Education Unit: Increasing Capacity And Confidence, Heather Marie Van Housen

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: In the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) 2020 annual survey, nursing schools turned away 66,274 entry-level applications to baccalaureate nursing programs in the United States due to a faculty shortage and clinical placement sites (AACN, 2021).

Local Problem: Hospitals need more qualified nurses to meet community needs. The need for clinical faculty and additional clinical placement sites disrupts the workforce pipeline through local nursing schools. A new approach to clinical education is needed to prepare more students for the growing complexities of independent nursing practice.

Methods: Dedicated Education Unit (DEU) implementation to expand pre-licensure nursing student clinical …

Educating Medical-Surgical Nurses In A Large Hospital Organization On Sepsis Bundle Elements, Amanda H. Tran

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: According to a pre-survey collected, approximately six percent of medical-surgical nurses report expert knowledge with the “Inpatient Handoff Sepsis Bundle Checklist,” a checklist that details interventions to be taken when a patient is diagnosed with sepsis. About thirty-five percent of these nurses also report expert confidence levels in caring for sepsis patients. Therefore, there is an opportunity to provide education so that nurses may confidently and competently care for sepsis patients.

Context: A medical-surgical unit at Hospital A affiliated with a large, non-profit, integrated healthcare system located in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Intervention: Create an educational handout to …

A Lifestyle Modification Intervention In Hispanic Adolescents With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease, Brianne Miller

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

U.S. population studies have confirmed that the Hispanic population has the highest prevalence and the worst prognosis for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) (Katz et al., 2021). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to implement a multicomponent, lifestyle modification intervention in Hispanic pediatric primary care patients to combat the disease process and sequela of NAFLD. The PICOT question for this project was: In Hispanic adolescents aged 10-21 with obesity and NAFLD (P), what is the effect of a multicomponent, lifestyle modification intervention (I), on alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (O), over a 12-week time period (T)? A comprehensive literature search …

A Multimodal Intervention Treatment Plan For Adults With Generalized Anxiety Disorder In Primary Care, Morgan Cullings

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is a debilitating psychological condition that affects 3.1% of the American population and is one of the leading causes of disability (Anxiety and Depression Association of America, 2022; Baxter, 2014). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to implement a multimodal intervention to decrease GAD symptoms in adults in the primary care setting. The PICOT question that guided this project was: In adults, over the age of 18, who have been diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), does the combination of digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) through a smartphone application, lifestyle modification education, and pharmacotherapy …

Telehealth And Its Impact On The Management Of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus, Melissa N. Toulios

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) is a growing epidemic that affects millions of people throughout the world. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has created many new challenges, including access to health care for treatment of chronic diseases, such as diabetes (Robson & Hosseinzadeh, 2021). Telehealth has offered a promising approach to improve the management of diabetes(Bellman, 2021). People with diabetes are less likely to manage their diabetes through the usual care because of risk of contracting COVID-19 (CDC, 2022). The purpose of this EBP project was to evaluate the effectiveness of T2DM management through a telehealth approach. This project has addressed …