Nursing Commons^™

Implementation Of A Perioperative Normothermia Bundle To Improve Temperature Maintenance In Adult Colorectal And Hysterectomy Surgical Patients: A Quality Improvement Project, Jessica L. Salisbury

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

This quality improvement project evaluated the effectiveness of an evidence based perioperative normothermia bundle in improving maintenance of normothermia among adult colorectal and hysterectomy surgical patients at a community hospital. The project aimed to reduce perioperative hypothermia through standardized warming interventions while improving compliance with evidence based practice.

Background

Preventable perioperative hypothermia increases postoperative complications, prompting implementation of an evidence based warming bundle to maintain intraoperative temperatures 36 Celsius or greater.

Methodology

Using the Iowa Model, an interdisciplinary team implemented an evidence based perioperative normothermia bundle incorporating multimodal warming, temperature monitoring, and staff education. Compliance and temperature outcomes were …

Tiny Hearts, Big Questions: Navigating Research And Clinical Trials In Pediatric Cardiology, Madison Dollar, Monica Ganaden, Gracie Gilbert, Mena Mohamedaman, Bellina Osei, Savine Valenzuela, Zachary Xayaphanh

2025

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Chronic Kidney Disease Awareness And Early Identification Through Community Health Worker Education In Rural Arkansas, Samantha L.M. Smith

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The doctoral project was focused on improving staff education and development to prevent chronic kidney disease (CKD) through community health worker (CHW) education. The practice problem was the delayed identification of CKD risk factors and late referral to nephrology services, particularly among rural and underserved populations. Because CKD often progresses without symptoms, early education and awareness are critical to improving outcomes and reducing disease progression. The purpose of the project was to develop and implement a structured CKD educational curriculum for CHWs to improve their confidence in kidney health, CKD risk factors, prevention strategies, early identification, and referral awareness. The …

Standardizing Neurological Assessments, Delaney Miller, Hannah Dorsey, Lauren Sulzen, Olivia Garrett, Patricia Rios, Sukhmanpareet Kaur

2025

No abstract provided.

Dnp Final Report: Improving Length Of Stay Outcomes Using Structured Barrier Rounds: A Quality Improvement Project, Martha Kwamboka Apella

DNP Final Reports

Prolonged length of stay (LOS) in the acute care setting is a challenging issue driven by multiple factors. Increased LOS is associated with mortality, hospital-acquired infections, patient safety events, functional impairment, decreased quality of life, social isolation, and increased cost of care. The causes of increased LOS in the medical-surgical unit are unclear, necessitating an evidence-based project to address the problem. The purpose of this quality improvement initiative was to implement structured interdisciplinary barrier rounds and evaluate their effect on LOS, opportunity days, and estimated cost of care in a medical-surgical unit. The facility complex care coordinator (CCC) was identified …

Pengaruh Buerger Allen Exercise Terhadap Sirkulasi Ekstremitas Bawah Pada Pasien Luka Kaki Diabetik, Jannaim Jannaim, Ridha Dharmajaya, Asrizal Asrizal

Jurnal Keperawatan Indonesia

The Influence of Buerger Allen Exercise on Lower Extremity Circulation in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcer. Diabetic footulcer (DFU) is a complication of diabetes caused by impaired venous and arterial blood circulation. Buerger allen exercise is a modality therapy with active postural movement. This study aims to assess the effect of buerge rallen exercise on the circulation of lower extremities in DFU patients. The study design was pre experimental pretest and posttest without control. The sampling technique was consecutive sampling and the large sample of 43DFU patients, analysis data was using Wilcoxon test. Increased circulation is measured using the Ankle …

Dnp Final Report: Enhancing Self-Regulated Learning And Metacognition For First-Semester Undergraduate Nursing Students, Carla S. Biondillo

DNP Final Reports

Background. First-year undergraduate nursing students often struggle to adapt their learning strategies to the higher-order thinking and clinical reasoning demands of nursing education. Ineffective study habits, low academic self-efficacy, and limited self-regulated learning (SRL) skills are consistently identified as predictors of attrition, which ranges from 20–50% nationally and internationally.

Purpose. At an academic medical center in rural East Texas, first-semester students report academic overwhelm and inadequate study strategies, consistent with national trends. A structured, evidence-based faculty coaching intervention targeting SRL and metacognition was found to be feasible within the collaborative, student-centered organizational culture.

Methods. A quality improvement (QI) design …

Dnp Final Report: Community-Based Advance Care Planning Education For Older Adults: A Quality Improvement Project, Teresa Hill

DNP Final Reports

Background: Advance care planning (ACP) supports patient autonomy and promotes care aligned with individual values and preferences. Despite these benefits, fewer than half of adults aged 50–80 have completed formal ACP documentation, and community-dwelling older adults rarely engage in ACP before serious illness, representing a persistent gap in early engagement.

Purpose: This quality improvement (QI) project evaluated the effectiveness of a community-based ACP educational intervention in improving ACP knowledge, confidence, and engagement among older adults.

Methods: A nurse facilitator trained in the Five Wishes framework delivered a structured, 60-minute ACP workshop at a senior center in North Texas. A pre–post …

Snap Into Better Pediatric Neuro Assessments, Irene Chacko, Nayelli Fuentes, Annie Mazon Kellejian, Claire Ring, Ibrahim Shaikh

2025

No abstract provided.

Enhancing Staff Knowledge Of Prenatal Depression Screening And Follow-Up Protocols, Gladys Ajohmbu Esunji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This staff education project addressed inconsistent staff knowledge of prenatal depression screening and follow-up protocols in an outpatient behavioral health practice serving prenatal patients. Prenatal depression is a nursing practice concern because delayed identification and inconsistent follow-up may affect maternal well-being, infant outcomes, family functioning, and timely access to behavioral health support. The practice-focused question was: According to the evidence, among clinical staff in an outpatient maternal mental health setting, what is the impact of structured staff education on adherence to prenatal depression screening on follow-up protocol knowledge? The purpose was to improve clinical staff knowledge through a structured education …

Exploring Caregiving Choice In The Adult Cancer Population, Jennifer L. Huggins

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT Purpose Although extensive research examines family caregivers (FCs) across populations, less attention has been paid to how lack of choice in assuming the role affects quality of life (QOL) among FCs of adults with cancer. Understanding choice could guide interventions protecting this invaluable, often invisible workforce. Aims (1) Synthesize what is known about perceived choice among informal caregivers of adults with serious illness; (2) assess relationships between caregiving choice and caregiver QOL, burden, sleep, depression, stress, and social determinants of health; (3) describe experiences of FCs of adults with cancer providing care with no, little, or some choice. Design …

Proposal For A Comprehensive Workplace Violence Program In An Acute Care Facility, Christin V. Timmons

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Workplace violence (WPV) in healthcare is a growing threat to caregiver safety, workforce stability, and patient outcomes. At a newly opened acute care facility, the absence of a comprehensive WPV prevention program posed a gap in practice, creating safety risks and regulatory vulnerability. A literature search was conducted using CINAHL, PubMed/ MEDLINE, ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health collection, and Google Scholar. A total of 50 articles were identified with 11 articles meeting all inclusion criteria. Collectively, findings supported comprehensive, multicomponent WPV prevention programs to integrate leadership engagement, structured governance, staff education, environmental controls, and continuous data monitoring to improve safety …

Safe Steps: Protecting Pediatric Patients From Pivie's, Nya Saturley, Mikayla Cruz, Edlira Hoxha, Chelsea Valdez-Martinez, Evan Niimi, David Estrada Gonzalez, Michael Seeger

2025

No abstract provided.

Pit Stop: Improving Resuscitation Efforts Within A Level Iv Nicu, Sierra Pharr, Kendall Shaw, Hannah Biscardi

2025

No abstract provided.

A Program Proposal For A Leadership-Driven, Evidence-Based, Intentional Rounding Playbook, Jacqueline Butler Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Patient experience is a key indicator of healthcare quality. In an acute care hospital in Northeast Georgia, intentional rounding is an established practice. Inconsistent communication, variable leadership engagement, and limited accountability are practice gaps that have reduced its effectiveness in improving patient experience outcomes. A comprehensive literature review using PubMed, CINAHL, MEDLINE, and the Cochrane Library yielded 15 peer-reviewed studies that consistently support intentional rounding as an evidence-based strategy for improving patient satisfaction. As the team leader for this Executive Leadership System Improvement Project, I proposed the development of an Evidence-Based, Leader-Driven Intentional Rounding Program Playbook to standardize enhanced rounding …

Understanding The Experience Of Separation On The Substance-Exposed Mother-Infant Dyad, Tamara Lee Depascale

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Maternal-infant separation following birth is a profoundly distressing experience that may have significant emotional, relational, and health implications for mothers with substance use disorders (SUD). Guided by Caring Science and Swanson’s Theory of Caring, the purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to explore the dimensions of the health challenge associated with maternal-infant separation among mothers with SUD following birth and the approaches mothers used to navigate and respond to that experience. Data were collected through semi structured interviews with mothers who had experienced separation from their infants following birth and analyzed using deductive and inductive thematic analysis. Findings revealed …

Exploring Nursing Students' Experiences Of Simulation-Based Learning In Developing Critical Thinking, Clinical Reasoning And Clinical Judgment In The Management Of Mental Health Patients: A Qualitative Case Study, Irene Bellew

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this case study was to explore how simulation-based learning experiences shape the development of critical thinking, clinical reasoning, and clinical judgment for associate degree nursing students when caring for patients with mental health needs. It addressed the need to narrow the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in clinical settings, enhancing the preparedness of novice nurses. By positioning nurse educators as facilitators of innovative strategies, this study advocates for the integration of simulation-based learning within nursing curricula. Roy’s adaptation model guided the study, and data were collected through observation of simulation sessions, semi-structured interviews, and reflective …

Exploring The Motivations And Educational Needs For Undergraduate Nursing Students To Enter Into Critical Care: A Qualitative Study., Christina S. Pradhan

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Critical care nursing is a specialty that demands a high level of skill and dedication. In this high-stress, fast-paced environment, nurses must think fast and act decisively with sound clinical judgment and knowledge. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative study was to understand the motivating factors that cause nurses to enter the field of critical care, as well as to explore the ways in which undergraduate nursing studies may be improved to better prepare future critical care nurses. Knowles’ adult learning theory was well suited for nursing students bound for a critical care path. Students at two different baccalaureate …

Pedagogy Challenged: A Phenomenological Examination Of Teaching Through A Prolonged Technological Disruption, Jerry Cervantes

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to examine the lived experiences of nursing faculty in a pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing program who taught during a prolonged technological disruption caused by a ransomware attack at a private college in Ohio. The theories guiding this study were transformative learning theory and resilience theory as they relate to how educators make meaning of disorienting events and sustain professional functioning when established systems fail. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, a focus group, and reflective journals from purposively selected nursing faculty participants and were analyzed according to the phenomenological procedures …

Uncovering The Path To Diagnosis Among Adults With Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: A Constructivist Grounded Theory Mini-Study, Jeffrey D. Whitaker, Rick Zoucha, Melissa Kalarchian

Graduate Student Research Symposium

Abstract

Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) often persists into adulthood, yet many adults are first diagnosed only after years of functional strain, compensation, and alternative explanations for their difficulties. Purpose: This study explored how adults first diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood described navigating the process of obtaining a formal diagnosis. Methods: A constructivist grounded theory mini-study was conducted with seven adults, ages 27 to 43, who reported receiving their first formal ADHD diagnosis at age 18 or later. Participants completed semi-structured Zoom interviews focused on early experiences, symptom interpretation, help-seeking, and formal assessment. Data were analyzed using initial, focused, and theoretical …

Exploring Academic–Practice Partnerships In Community Settings: A Narrative Review, Laura C. Sarver

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

Purpose: This narrative review explored the literature on academic–practice partnerships in community settings within prelicensure nursing education. Methods: A search of three databases—MEDLINE, CINAHL, and Scopus—led to the review of 12 articles exploring academic–practice partnerships in community settings within prelicensure nursing education. Results: Emergent themes encompassed components for planning, implementing, and evaluating academic–practice partnerships. Planning themes included completing community assessments, considering financial resources, and identifying guiding frameworks or models. Implementation themes included diverse nursing education and community partners and settings, academic–practice partnership initiatives, and integration of partnerships in prelicensure nursing education curricula. Lastly, evaluation themes included the exploration of a …

Necessity Of In-Line Intravenous Air Filters: Yes, No, We Don't Know?, Andrea De Paula, Gabriele Herridge, Kiley Tillery, Loretta Medina, Madeline Bryant

2025

No abstract provided.

More Than A Diagnosis: Supporting Kids And Families Through Sdoh Awareness, Sara Cronin, Alejandra Ortiz

2025

No abstract provided.

Let Us Get To Know You, Libby Pearl, Abigail Rubio, Anna Wiot, Elizabeth Richmond, Jocelyn Jasso, Nayeli Barajas, Maliha Rahman

2025

No abstract provided.

Gastrostomy Tube Stabilization Device, Nicole Yoo, Aliya Ali, Iqra Amer, Valentin Troncoso-Trevino, Gina Martini, Priscila Hernandez, Jessica Lopez

2025

No abstract provided.

Continuous 1:1 Sitter Observation Versus Standard Safety Interventions To Reduce Falls In Hospitalized Adults At Risk, Zainab Williams

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Patient falls remain a significant patient safety concern among hospitalized adults, particularly those at high risk. Traditional fall-prevention strategies, including continuous 1:1 sitter observation, require evaluation to determine their effectiveness in reducing falls and fall-related injuries.

PICOT: In hospitalized adult patients at high risk for falls (P), does continuous 1:1 sitter observation (I), compared to standard safety interventions (C), reduce fall rates (O) as measured by reported falls per 1,000 patient days during hospitalization over 12 weeks (T)?

Evidence: Current evidence supports multifactorial fall-prevention programs that combine patient assessment, staff engagement, and proactive nursing interventions through intentional rounding. …

Climate Anxiety And Nurses’ Awareness, Motivation, And Behaviors In Addressing Climate-Related Health Risks, Sarah Kaplan

Theses and Dissertations

Background: Climate anxiety, the emotional distress associated with awareness of climate change and its consequences, is an emerging mental health concern that may influence how nurses perceive and respond to climate-related health risks. Climate change is largely driven by emissions of greenhouse gases which radiate and absorb heat. Human-caused climate change is leading to higher average global temperatures and increasing risk to health through poor air quality, changes in vector borne diseases, extreme weather events, and exacerbation and development of physical and mental illnesses. This study contributes to nursing science by examining climate anxiety and climate related health practices among …

Examination Of Maternal Mortality, Mental Health Conditions, And Co-Occurring Factors, Laura Eileen Skaarer

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Maternal mortality (MM) continues to be a public health concern in the state of Arizona. There is little to no research investigating the relationship between MM and mental health conditions co-occurring with contributing factors among women who have died in Arizona while pregnant or within 1 year of the end of a pregnancy. The purposes of this quantitative study, guided by the three delays model (3DM), were to examine (a) MM and mental health conditions as the primary underlying cause of death; (b) MM and mental health conditions surrounding death; and (c) significant contributing factors (i.e., discrimination, knowledge, lack of …

From Pocket To Patient: Improving Disinfection Of Personal Clinical Items, Angel Lewechi, Brenda Pleitez, Courtney Sims, Emily Zarco, Katia Aguirre

2025

No abstract provided.

Clinical Practice Guideline To Improve Medication Adherence In Adults With Chronic Conditions In Outpatient Settings, Mulumbwa Chishimba

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Doctor of Nursing Practice project was conducted to develop and assess a clinical practice guideline (CPG) to enhance medication adherence among adult patients with chronic illnesses in an outpatient setting. Adverse health-related outcomes include worsening chronic illness and developing complications, frequent hospital admissions, and rising costs of healthcare services. While some interventions are recommended based on the available literature, most outpatient facilities do not have systematic practices for monitoring and enhancing medication adherence among patients with chronic conditions. The evidence-based question was: What evidence, based on content expert review using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II …