Disaster Management And Triage, Nicole Sebastian, Johanna Brown, Liubov Hamadou, Lisa Kuang, Josiah Padilla, Matthew Romero, Kailey Trummert

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Clarifying the Disaster Triage Plan for Volunteer Nursing Faculty and Students at a Private University Campus

This project provides a brief overview of the collaboration between campus security, the campus health clinic, and the nursing department at a private university in a disaster requiring medical triage. The partnership between campus security and senior nursing students aims to amplify the original plans of the current disaster preparedness and clarify volunteer roles for nursing students and faculty. Both agencies have emphasized the importance of disaster preparedness and the support role the nursing department can play in these plans. The main goal of …

Birth Planning, Audrey K. Gill, Kacie J. Easley

Student Scholarship & Creative Works

This is an informative presentation completed using evidence based practice regarding the importance of birth planning and the use of birth plans. It is used as a tool to educate nurses and healthcare providers about the benefits of implementing birth plan education into their patients portfolio. The birth plan is a written document that involves the collaborative efforts between nurses/healthcare providers and future mothers. It is used in order to personalize and improve the birthing experience for patients. This presentation uses qualitative research, quantitative research, and theoretical framework in order to deem positive results with the implementation of birth plans.

Educating Staff To Use World Health Organization Hand Hygiene Guidelines To Decrease Health Care-Associated Infection, Edith Kplivi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Summary The Doctor of Nursing Practice project was a practice-focused initiative to address increased hospital-associated infections (HAIs) in an outpatient mental health facility. Improper hand hygiene significantly contributes to the spread of HAIs, negatively affecting patient outcomes, increasing healthcare costs, and decreasing patient satisfaction. The practice-focused question was: For nursing staff in an outpatient clinic, will education focused on the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines on hand hygiene increase knowledge toward the goal of decreasing HAIs? In collaboration with project site leadership, I identified the following gap in practice: Though fundamental hand hygiene practices may be known to healthcare workers, …

Quality Improvement Initiative Addressing Job Satisfaction Among Nursing Staff Through Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Jagjeet Kaur

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The global shortage of nurses has become a pressing issue affecting both developed and developing nations. This widespread scarcity poses significant challenges for the entire nursing profession. The 2023 National Nursing Workforce Survey revealed that an overwhelming 91% of nurses believe the shortage is worsening. As a result, many countries are becoming increasingly worried about their capacity to recruit and retain nursing professionals. The practice-focused question for this project was: Will a mindfulness-based stress reduction education assist nurses in incorporating mindfulness in their daily routine? The primary aim of this project was to enhance job satisfaction among nurses, with the …

Partnering With A Family Shelter To Increase Access To Mychart, Elizabeth S. Stehle, Brenna Becerra, Zahra Diallo, Kristin Grassell, Cassandra Rodriguez-Cruz, Elaine Ahn, Lola Duropan

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Partnering with a Family Shelter to Increase Access to MyChart

Over the past two months, our group of seven nursing students has collaborated with a local nonprofit homeless shelter for women and families. Many of the guests served by this organization are refugees or asylum seekers who have little to no exposure to the American healthcare system. Whether this is due to a low level of health literacy or lack of education surrounding access to health care, we identified a need in this population to increase the number of guests who can easily access their healthcare information. This need led …

Implementation Of Staff Education On Suicide Prevention, Julianne Ji, Hannah Cryder, Trista Joy, Isabel Pfingston, Jaylen Wilson, Kelsey Crosby, Ashlyn Mulcahey

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Implementation of Staff Education on Suicide Prevention

Kelsey Crosby, Hannah Cryder, Julianne Ji, Trista Joy, Ashlyn Mulcahey, Isabel Pfingston, and Jaylen Wilson

School of Health Sciences, Seattle Pacific University

NUR4153: Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement

Dr. Bomin Shim

February 26, 2025

Implementation of Staff Education on Suicide Prevention

Our group, consisting of seven nursing students, partnered with an agency dedicated to supporting individuals in recovery from addictions of all forms, including substance use, gambling, and alcohol dependence. The agency focuses on helping them reach their full potential, minimize relapse, and maintain recovery. Elements of the agency’s work include providing two …

Diagnostic Stewardship And The Mitigation Of Treatment Of Asymptomatic Bacteriuria, Raimonda Kathryn Clarke

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Urinalyses and urine cultures are being ordered at the facility of concern without regard to patient history/symptomatology, leading to inappropriate treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria (ASB) and unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions. The following practice-focused question was developed to address this practice concern: Can an educational program focused on diagnostic stewardship and the mitigation of treatment of asymptomatic bacteriuria improve clinician awareness, knowledge, and confidence in identifying and diagnosing asymptomatic bacteriuria in patients over age 65 in the outpatient setting? Thus, the purpose of this doctor of nursing practice (DNP) project was to close the identified knowledge and attitude gap in a moderate-size …

A Bland–Altman Comparison Of The Lead Care® System And Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry For Detecting Low-Level Lead In Child Whole Blood Samples, Christina Sobin, Tanner Schaub, Natali Parisi, Eva De La Riva

Departmental Papers (PH)

Chronic childhood lead exposure, yielding blood lead levels consistently below 10 μg/dL, remains a major public health concern. Low neurotoxic effect thresholds have not yet been established. Progress requires accurate, efficient, and cost-effective methods for testing large numbers of children. The LeadCare® System (LCS) may provide one ready option. The comparability of this system to the “gold standard” method of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for the purpose of detecting blood lead levels below 10 μg/dL has not yet been examined. Paired blood samples from 177 children ages 5.2–12.8 years were tested with LCS and ICP-MS. Triplicate repeat tests …

Neighborhood Disinvestment And Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Peripartum Cardiomyopathy In California, From 2004 To 2019, Curisa M. Tucker Phd, Rn, Chen Ma, Mahasin S. Mujahid, Afshan B. Hameed, Audrey Lyndon, Elliott K. Main, Suzan L. Carmichael

Publications

BACKGROUND: Peripartum cardiomyopathy (PPCM) is a rare medical condition presenting as idiopathic heart failure. The aim of this study was to (1) examine the contribution of neighborhood disinvestment to PPCM risk and to racial and ethnic disparities in PPCM; (2) examine the extent to which sociodemographic factors and chronic hypertension explain these outcomes; and (3) describe severe maternal morbidity cases and the timing of PPCM. METHODS: We conducted an observational cohort study using vital records longitudinally linked with hospital discharge records for mothers and infants up to 9 months postpartum for births in California from 1997 to 2019. Using the …

Exploring Social Impairment In Those With Opioid Use Disorder: Linking Impulsivity, Childhood Trauma, And The Prefrontal Cortex, Thais Costa Macedo De Arruda, Laura Sinko, Paul Regier, Altona Tufanoglu, Adrian Curtin, Anne M. Teitelman, Hasan Ayaz, Peter F. Cronholm, Anna Rose Childress

College of Nursing Faculty Papers & Presentations

BACKGROUND: Challenges with social functioning, which is a hallmark of opioid use disorder (OUD), are a drawback in treatment adherence and maintenance. Yet, little research has explored the underlying mechanisms of this impairment. Impulsivity and corresponding neural alterations may be at the center of this issue. Childhood adversity, which has been linked to both impulsivity and poorer treatment outcomes, could also affect this relationship. This study explores the relationship between impulsivity, social functioning, and their neural correlates in the prefrontal cortex, while examining the potential moderating effects of childhood trauma in individuals recovering from OUD.

METHODS: Participants with (N = …

A Scoping Review Protocol: Biosensor Use In Healthcare Professionals And Education, Olivia Matson, Brittany Brennan, Annisija Hunter

College of Nursing Reviews and Protocols

Biosensors have emerged as valuable tools in healthcare, offering real-time physiological data that enhance patient monitoring, workforce well-being, and educational training. While extensive research has focused on their clinical applications for patient care, less attention has been given to their use among healthcare professionals and students. Understanding how biosensors are integrated into healthcare education and workforce monitoring is critical to optimizing their potential for improving learning outcomes, stress management, and clinical performance.
This scoping review aims to systematically explore the literature on biosensor use among healthcare professionals and students in both educational and clinical settings. The review will be conducted …

Exercise Therapy As A First-Line, Non-Pharmacological Intervention For Symptom Reduction And Improved Quality Of Life For Patients With Fibromyalgia, Lauren Aubrey

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a disorder of unknown cause, characterized primarily by chronic widespread pain of the musculoskeletal system and an abnormal pain response (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2022). In addition to pain, patients with FM report many other symptoms, including: Poor sleep quality, chronic fatigue, depression and anxiety, cognitive difficulties (e.g. memory problems and difficulty thinking known as ‘brain fog’), migraines, tension headaches, irritable or overactive bladder, gastro-intestinal dysfunction (e.g. irritable bowel syndrome and heartburn), and an overall decreased quality of life (American College of Rheumatology [ACR], 2023; CDC, 2022; European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology [EULAR], …

The Importance Of Cost Transparency In Healthcare: Improving Cost-Of-Care Conversations To Support Patient Decision-Making, Christian Abdelshahed

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

Healthcare costs have steadily increased over the years, driven by factors such as administrative inefficiencies, high pharmaceutical prices, and the complexity of insurance systems (Soley-Bori et al., 2020). The issue extends beyond individual patients, impacting the entire healthcare system through increased emergency room visits and higher rates of untreated chronic conditions. Policies aimed at cost transparency, insurance reform, and increased access to affordable care are essential in addressing this crisis. Research highlights the importance of patient-provider cost-of-care discussions as a potential solution, yet these discussions remain infrequent due to barriers such as provider training gaps, time constraints, and systemic inefficiencies …

Exploring The Impact Of Residential Proximity To Blue Spaces On The Occurence Of Diabetes, Justin Acala

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

There is a commonly held belief among surfers in the healing properties of the ocean. Many report that simply visiting a beach has a positive effect on them, whether it is spiritually, mentally, or physically. According to Sandifer et al. (2021) “evidence suggests that living close to ‘blue spaces’ (water features), particularly coastlines, has salutary effects on human health” (p. 1), highlighting a potential benefit to coastal living. For some countries across Europe and Australia, research suggests that living by the coast in Europe and Australia is associated with better health (Geiger et al., 2023). Can similar health benefits of …

Egypt's Mental Health Care System, Monica Saleib

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

Mental health disorders are a growing problem worldwide. While Western countries are more open to discussing mental health issues, this isn’t the case in Arab and African countries. In Egypt, talking about mental health is considered taboo, leading to a large number of individuals seeking treatment from traditional healers (Okasha et al., 2020). There are numerous reasons why Egyptians tend to seek traditional care, a large factor being the presence of traditional healers in local communities, fostering a sense of community acceptance (Assad et al., 2015). A recent study found that although seeking care from traditional healers can sometimes result …

The Effects Of Bipap Masks While In Acute Care Settings, Drawbacks And Alternate Mask Options, Leanne Rider

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

There are a variety of clinical masks used in hospital environments for respiratory treatments. One treatment used for acute care patients experiencing symptoms, due to chronic respiratory health issues such as COPD or sleep apnea, is referred to as a Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) machine. The Cleveland Clinic defines this machine in simple terms as “…a type of noninvasive ventilation that helps you breathe. Providers can use it to treat you if you’re not getting enough oxygen or can’t get rid of carbon dioxide “(The Cleveland Clinic, 2023, BiPAP). To break it down further, bilevel in this case means …

Influence Of The Teach-Back Method On Patient Understanding And Satisfaction, Claire Woods

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

The teach-back method is an education technique in which the patient is asked to repeat back the information given to them in order to verify comprehension. If knowledge gaps are identified, reteaching is then done. According to Linn et al. (2013), patients are unable to recall almost half of the medication information presented to them and recall is correlated to medication adherence. The teach-back method is optimized for improving patient understanding from their current level (Tamura-Lis, 2013). One of the most crucial times to provide patients with information is at discharge, before they take on new care procedures or medications. …

A Unified Response: Strengthening Civilian-Military Medical Disaster Response, Julio Orozco Jr.

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

In times of catastrophic events, the ability of civilian first responders to collaborate effectively with Military Medical Units (MMUs) is crucial for delivering quality healthcare and saving lives. While the military is traditionally tasked with security and defense operations, their expertise in battlefield and emergency medicine in austere environments with limited resources makes them a vital asset during disaster response efforts. Military medics, specifically, are trained to provide care under extreme stress, often in some of the most challenging conditions (Raeeszadeh et al., 2022). Effective disaster response training for both civilian and military personnel must prioritize key elements like the …

Music Therapy: To Decrease Pain And Anxiety In Active Labor Compared To Pharmacological Interventions, Rattana Soubandith

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

Pain management during active labor is crucial for a safe and positive outcome, when delivering a baby and stabilizing the mother during postpartum care. A study in Italy of 30 random women who were pregnant and labored between 37 weeks and 42 weeks gestation participated in a control group and intervention group while in active labor, found out that music plays a big part in lowering a women’s labor pain during labor and postpartum (Buglione et al., 2020, p. 694). Music can shift a person’s perception of pain and distract them from the current physical pain (Levy, 2017, p. 23). …

Oregon Medicaid: Lowering The Barriers To Access, Maya Krueger

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

Oregon’s Medicaid program for health insurance has updated the criteria and more people are qualifying for coverage than ever before. With the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) Bridge program that took effect July 1, 2024, an estimated 100,000 Oregon individuals are projected to eventually qualify (OHA, 2024). While these updates grant more access to services and covered benefits, many Medicaid beneficiaries still claim they are unable to utilize their benefits due to difficulty finding a participating provider. With support and reform for mental healthcare on the rise and the future of Medicaid a concern, researchers have been investigating the effectiveness of …

Access To Healthcare: Addressing Barriers For Autistic Patients, Jess Mcgough

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

As the collective awareness of neurodiversity continues to grow in the world of western medicine, there has been an increase in recognition of the autistic population. Estimates suggest that around 1% of individuals identify as autistic (Dückert et al., 2023). Despite this noteworthy portion of the population belonging to this category, there continues to be a lack of consistent awareness and equitable access to health services regarding the needs of autistic individuals. One common challenge in healthcare is communication barriers with autistic patients, which may arise from difficulties in expressing emotions or conveying information effectively (Greenwood et al., 2023). This …

Improving Effective Communication: A Practice Centered Approach To Language Barriers In Mental Health Care, Cassandra Zhou

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

To move towards equitable mental healthcare practices for non-English speakers, this paper aims to provide a comprehensive review on the current procedures regarding diagnosing and treating non-English speakers to better explore possible recommendations.

Exploring The Impact Of Covid-19 On Pediatric Type 1 Diabetes: Increased Incidence, Severity, And Contributing Factors, Alex Martin

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

The COVID-19 pandemic has had dramatic, wide sweeping effects on global healthcare. In addition to the challenge of adapting care to an unfamiliar, rapidly spreading respiratory infection with unknown impacts on human health, healthcare officials and researchers noticed a worrisome uptick in both the incidence and severity of pediatric diabetes (Prosperi & Chiarelli, 2022). This review explores the relationship between COVID-19 and the significant increase in the rate and severity of pediatric type 1 diabetes during the pandemic, focusing on the impact of delayed treatment and the potential direct effects of the COVID-19 virus on pancreatic function and glucose homeostasis.

Transgender Men And Cervical Cancer Screening: Barriers And Solutions, Rourke Shipman

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

This paper explores systemic barriers and their influence on personal barriers to cervical cancer screening among transgender men and outlines practical solutions to improve access to care by implementing changes within institutional and educational practices.

Providing Exceptional Nursing Care To Children With Down Syndrome, Brooke Glendenning

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

Comprehending the needs of children with Down syndrome leads to a better and safer quality of care, and there is a need for reform within our healthcare system to give workers the tools that are required to provide the best care possible. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the unique challenges that children with Down syndrome face in healthcare settings and emphasize the importance of nurses understanding how to care for this population effectively.

Overcoming Language Barriers: Improving Healthcare Equity For Limited English Proficiency Patients, Carolina Suarez-Amador

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

The effective delivery of patient care depends on two main factors: improved cultural competency training and an understanding of language barriers as vital health components. The requirement for language service at hospitals exists by federal law but numerous healthcare facilities are lacking in support, due to hiring unqualified interpreters and missing vital documents in multiple languages, leading to growing disparities in patient care (Diamond et al., 2010). Global trends, combined with growing population migrations have increased the probability for nurses and patients to face dilemmas from language barriers. Nurses shouldn’t have to master every language, but a comprehensive understanding of …

Guided Imagery: The Effects On Perioperative Anxiety And Postoperative Pain And Sleep Quality, Emma Webb

NURS 502: Critical Inquiry and Scholarship in Nursing Practice

Anxiety is the emotional and physiological response to stimuli perceived as threatening and is a common feeling experienced by many individuals in the time surrounding surgical operations (Gonzales et al., 2010). Perioperative anxiety has the potential to elevate pain levels, increase the prevalence of postoperative complications, and increase the duration of stay in the recovery period (Celik & Edipoglu, 2018). Guided imagery is a nonpharmacological intervention that utilizes visualization tactics to achieve a state of relaxation, and is an effective method for improving mind-body healing processes (Topan et al., 2024). While guided imagery has been found to impact pain, stress, …

Thoughts From The Frontline - March 2025, Tennessee Center For Nursing Advancement, East Tennessee State University

Thoughts from the Frontline Newsletter

No abstract provided.

Nurses’ Perceptions And Expectations Of Patient Violence: Language Matters, Darcy Copeland, Mary Potter, Susan Tipton, Debra Culter

Nursing Faculty Publications

Background: Patient violence is a serious occupational risk for nurses. Some professional rhetoric presents this risk as not part of nursing work, discounting widespread exposure. There is a disjunction between nurses’ experiences and the discourse they are exposed to. There is little to no evidence indicating whether nurses think it is possible to eliminate patient violence or whether their expectations of exposure to patient violence align with the significant risk they face. Purpose: The purpose of this analysis was to examine nurses’ perceptions related to the elimination of, expectations of, and desired state regarding exposure to patient violence. Methods: This …

Assessing Healthcare Insurance Policies In Mississippi: An Evaluation Of Public And Private Options, Latarsha H. Michael, Brieah D. Hudson

The Journal of the Research Association of Minority Professors

Medicaid is the main payer for maternity care in the U.S., covering nearly half of all births. Federal law provides postpartum coverage for 60 days, but gaps exist, especially in non-expansion states. The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 allows states to extend Medicaid postpartum coverage to 12 months. Mississippi, where Medicaid covers 65% of births, faces severe maternal and infant health challenges. Despite its surplus, extending postpartum care to 12 months could cost $7 million annually. This study examines private and public health insurance coverage for perinatal care in Mississippi. This involves analyzing how different insurance policies address the …