Nursing Commons^™

Hyperoxemia Education To Nurses To Increase The Adherence To Oxygen Weaning Goals In Inpatient Copd Patients., Katherine Ellingson

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Hyperoxemia in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) are at risk for increased hospital stay, mechanical ventilation, and increased risk of death. Literature supports that establishing increased education to nursing staff on the risks of hypoxemia to increase adherence to oxygen weaning protocols has the potential to improve future practice. Oxygen weaning protocols are often not followed for concern of patient care. Nurses may believe to be helping patients when increasing oxygen, when they could actually be potentially harming them. Increased education on hypoxemia in COPD patients for the nursing staff will assist them to feeling …

Development Of Neuraxial Anesthesia Educational Videos For Nurse Anesthesia Students, Mackenzie Schutt, Kaylie Lajeunesse

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Development of Neuraxial Anesthesia Educational Videos for Nurse Anesthesia Students

Kaylie LaJeunesse, BSN, RN, SRNA & Mackenzie Schutt, BSN, RN, SRNA

Performance and evaluation of anesthetic procedures, specifically neuraxial anesthesia, are core components of nurse anesthesia curriculums. Teaching methods must provide nurse anesthesia students with the proper tools and knowledge to perform skills confidently and proficiently. Traditional teaching methods have fallen short of providing the necessary instruction for optimal student success. Incorporating video-learning resources on neuraxial anesthesia into course curriculums can significantly improve nurse anesthesia practice by better-preparing students for the clinical setting. Video learning increases student engagement and facilitates …

The Threat Of Hospital Wastewater: An Evidence-Based Call To Action, Ann P. Nguyen

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

Introduction: Hospital wastewater carries a unique composition of pollutants, a burden that includes high chemical and biological residuals. These pollutants are discharged into sewage treatment plants and natural environments where they contaminate human water sources and larger ecosystems. Water treatment plants are not designed to treat the high loads of biomedical waste and persistent organic compounds found in hospital wastewater and therefore pollutants survive in conventionally treated water. Evidence of contaminated soil, municipal wastewater, surface water, ground water, and even drinking water have been demonstrated in studies conducted around the world highlighting the ubiquity of the problem. Hospital effluent as …

Detecting Medication-Taking Gestures Using Machine Learning And Accelerometer Data Collected Via Smartwatch Technology: Instrument Validation Study, Chrisogonas Odero Odhiambo, Lukacs Ablonczy, Pamela J. Wright, Cynthia F. Corbett

Publications

BACKGROUND: Medication adherence is a global public health challenge, as only approximately 50% of people adhere to their medication regimens. Medication reminders have shown promising results in terms of promoting medication adherence. However, practical mechanisms to determine whether a medication has been taken or not, once people are reminded, remain elusive. Emerging smartwatch technology may more objectively, unobtrusively, and automatically detect medication taking than currently available methods. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the feasibility of detecting natural medication-taking gestures using smartwatches. METHODS: A convenience sample (N=28) was recruited using the snowball sampling method. During data collection, each participant recorded …

Improving Access To Community Resources For Mothers In Southern New Jersey, Ariana Blake, Josalynn Maree, Nayarith Lopez, Vanessa Pizutelli

Rowan-Virtua Research Day

Maternal mortality rates have skyrocketed across the nation. New Jersey specifically has one of the highest rates across all 50 states. According to the New Jersey Maternal Health Report, southern New Jersey has the highest maternal mortality ratio, with 91% of the maternal deaths throughout New Jersey between 2016-2018 being preventable. It is crucial that families are receiving support during pregnancy and postpartum from the health care system and their community in order to reduce this trend. Acenda Integrated Health’s Connecting NJ aims to provide community support by connecting expectant mothers and families with children under the age of 3 …

Improving Health Prevention Screening In A Rural Health Clinic, Shawn M. Mcnally

Masters Projects

Background: Health prevention screening has recently been highlighted in many initiatives from leading countries around the world. Breast cancer screening, cervical cancer screening and osteoporosis screenings are among the highest objectives for many of these initiatives as national health agencies focus on reducing morbidity and mortality by early detection.

Local problem: Baseline quality metrics reported for one clinic show the appropriate ordering of these health screenings is below the national benchmarks and the organizational benchmarks.

Methods: The project was designed as a quality improvement project based in a critical access region serving a rural population.

Interventions: The project intervention …

A Prescription For Diabetes Self-Management Education: Best Practice For Persons With Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus, Ashley J. Milcarek

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Diabetes self-management education and support (DSMES) programs have been shown to improve patient outcomes and lower hemoglobin A1c (Hgb A1c) levels in those who are diagnosed with type two diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, these programs are often underutilized and have low referral rates, despite the known benefits (Powers et al., 2020). The purpose of this patient-centered EBP project was to evaluate the effectiveness of a patient-driven questionnaire, completed by patients with T2DM during routine office visits, in increasing the percentage of patients referred to DSMES by their provider. Specifically, this project addressed the following PICOT question: In adults who have …

Telehealth Monitoring For Non-Hospitalized Covid-19 Positive Patients In A Rural Setting, Rebekah Leann French

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Purpose

This quality improvement project evaluates the efficacy of an outpatient COVID-19 telehealth monitoring program intended to increase access to care, decrease emergency room/urgent care visits, and hospital admissions among telehealth observed adult patients in a rural area while providing safe home monitoring during acute illness.

Rationale/Background

Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare systems within the United States encountered several challenges including healthcare inequality and decreased healthcare access, particularly in rural communities. These gaps became more apparent when a novel COVID-19 pandemic emerged straining healthcare systems in the United States and throughout the world. Challenges ranged from overwhelmed emergency room (ER) …

Enhancing The Education Of Paediatric Nurses: A Positive Step Towards Achieving Sustainable Development Goals, Aimable Nkurunziza, Godfrey Katende, Philomene Uwimana, Patricia J. Moreland

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Aim: The aim of this discursive paper was to describe and expound on how paediatric nurses will be able to address the needs of children and adolescents through the lens of selected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Rwanda.

Design: A discursive analysis of SDGs relating to the roles of paediatric nurses in the context of Rwanda.

Methods: A discursive method using SDGs as a guiding framework is used in this paper. We drew on our own experiences and supported them with the available literature.

Results: A collection of contextually relevant examples of how paediatric nurses will …

A Multimodal Smartphone Application Intervention To Achieve Target Weight Goals In Overweight Adult Diabetics, Michael Thomas Schwuchow

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Obesity is the leading risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (American Diabetes Association, 2022). Diabetes mellitus (DM) and obesity put individuals at higher risk for developing heart disease, stroke, and hypertension, therefore, it is essential to properly manage both conditions. The purpose of this project is to determine if the implementation of an evidence-based weight loss intervention, MyFitnessPal© will result in reduction in body mass index (BMI) and lower hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in overweight adults with DM. A comprehensive literature search of six databases, hand searching, and citation chasing yielded 13 pieces of moderate to high quality …

Secondary Data Analysis: Predictors Of Employment Among Young Adults With Cerebral Palsy, Eduardo Santos Del Rosario

Theses & Dissertations

Young adults with cerebral palsy have lower employment rates as compared to young adults in general, as they may be confronted with complex interactions between cognitive delays, physical impairments, activity limitations, participation challenges, and personal and/or societal barriers as they progress to adulthood. These challenges are clear, the solutions, less so. Understanding the predicting factors of employment is vital to future generations of this population. The purpose of this study is to identify predictor variables and examine the relationship of those variables to employment. It has explored existing Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA-911) data through the lens of the International Classification …

The Effect Of Implementing Behavioral Counseling For Elevated Ldl Levels, Blake L. Hansen

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Hyperlipidemia is a key risk factor in cardiovascular mortality, and is prevalent in approximately 38% of American adults (CDC, 2022b). Cholesterol levels are intensified by unhealthy lifestyle choices, which means a change in lifestyle behaviors could prevent cardiovascular related deaths (WHO, 2022). The PICOT question for this project was: In adults aged 20 years or older in the primary care setting who have elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (P), does the implementation of behavioral counseling on lifestyle modifications (I) compared to current practice (C) decrease LDL levels (O) over a 10- to 12- week period (T)? Fourteen participants from a …

Implementation Of A Comprehensive Diabetic Foot Care Program In Primary Care, Peguy Sylvain

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: Diabetes Mellitus is a growing health problem in America. Uncontrolled diabetes can result in vascularcomplications. One of the most common complications of diabetes is diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Early foot carescreening can help prevent Diabetic peripheral neuropathy and other complications such as skin injuries, burns, falls,infection, lower- extremity amputations, and peripheral arterial disease. Interventions that have been shown to improve theidentification of diabetes foot complications include staff education, screening and assessment, use of monofilament,tuning fork for diabetic foot assessment, patient education/ self-care, standardization, and use of electronic medical records(EMR)/electronic reminders.

METHODS: The Plan Do Study Act method of quality improvement …

Introduction Of Hiv Point-Of-Care Testing In Adolescent Primary Care: A Quality Improvement Project, Jennifer Quinn Belfry

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

BACKGROUND: HIV, first identified in 1981, remains a persistent public health problem affecting 1.1 million Americans today. Detection is a critical first step to ending the HIV epidemic and the CDC recommends universal HIV screening for all patients 13-64 years of age regardless of risk factors. HIV screening rates are suboptimal especially in adolescent and young adult populations who face unique barriers to screening. The aim of this project was to improve HIV screening rates in adolescent and young adult patients at a large, urban FQHC.

LOCAL PROBLEM: In the state of Rhode Island, 1 in 10 persons living with …

Tele-Sim For Nurse Practitioner Clinical Education: An Online, Real-Time, Educational Innovation Using Simulation And Telehealth For Learning Physical Assessment Skills, Kat Tremblay

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Translational and Clinical Research Projects

Background: Increasing numbers of nurse practitioner (NP) educational programs are being offered online, with little or no face-to-face contact among students and instructors. Students express lack of confidence in their physical examination skills and want live instructor demonstrations, observed practice, and real-time feedback from their clinical instructors.

Significance: NP students need to acquire physical examination skills to increase competency in assessing patients for enhanced clinical judgment and improved patient outcomes.

Purpose/Aims: to improve and measure the competency and confidence in the performance of advanced physical assessment skills of NP students in an advanced health assessment (AHA) clinical course with an …

Meditation-Type Exercise For The Management Of Chemotherapy Related Cognitive Impairment In Breast Cancer Patients, Christine Cain

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI), or “chemobrain”, is one of the most troublesome side effects of chemotherapy (Dijkshoorn et al., 2020). Ongoing CRCI may negatively affect relationships, confidence, sleep, fatigue, anxiety, and the ability to return to work activities leading to a decreased quality of life (Johns et al., 2016; Gokal et al., 2018). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to assess the efficiency of a meditation-type exercise intervention, chair yoga, on decreasing perceived cognitive impairment (PCI) in breast cancer patients. The PICOT question for this project was: In breast cancer patients with chemotherapy related cognitive impairment (P), …

Improving Depression Screening Completion Rates For Medicare Patients In A Primary Care Setting, Kenneth J. Haluska

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

The United States Preventative Services Task Force recommends screening the general adult population for depression (Siu et al., 2016). Despite increasing clinical practice guidelines recommending depression screening, only 40-50% of depressed older adults are recognized and treated (Phoh et al., 2017). The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to implement a medical assistant (MA) depression screening protocol, using the PHQ-9 and staff education, to improve depression screening completion rates in Medicare patients in a primary care setting. An exhaustive literature search of eight databases yielded 14 pieces of evidence that made recommendations for best practice. The evidence was …

Best Practice For Post-Operative Surgical Site Infection Prevention, Scott Cavinder

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

It is estimated that 300 million surgical procedures take place annually throughout the globe (Gillespie et al., 2021). However, the incidence of surgical site infections (SSI) developing in surgical patients within 30 days of surgery have been estimated to be upwards of 11% (Gillespie et al., 2021). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to address the PICOT question: In patients who have undergone cardiothoracic or vascular surgery (P) does implementation of an evidence based post-operative care bundle (I) as compared to current clinical agency practice standards (C) result in a decrease of SSI (O) over a 12-week period …

Perceptions Of Nursing Staff On Restraint Alternatives, Adelia S. Perea

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Physical restraint is often used as a nursing intervention for patients with behavioral issues despite current evidence that indicates their use is actually more harmful than helpful. Nursing staff at UNMH are required by policy to use other methods such as restraint alternatives before placing patients in restraint. However, they do not have the necessary resources or tools to comply with the policy. The NPCU conducted a quality improvement project that introduced 5 restraint alternatives followed by a survey focused on nursing perceptions. The results revealed 2 alternatives (Gamewright GoPOP sensory toy & Playtivity sensory disc) were perceived by nursing …

Simulation Scenarios For Nurse Practitioner Educators: A Faculty Guide, Priscilla Simms-Roberson, Amber Roache, Jenny Holcombe, Laurie Allen, Farron Kilburn, Leslie Moro, Megan England, Natalie Owsley

Open Textbooks

Simulation provides a safe environment for students to practice clinical and communication skills needed in advanced practice nursing. Faculty at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) formally incorporated simulation into the nurse practitioner (NP) program curriculum. The UTC NP simulation program was developed utilizing the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best PracticeTM, Simulation Guidelines and Best Practices for Nurse Practitioner Programs, and the Association of Standardized Patient Educators (ASPE) Standards of Best Practice (SOBP) (International Nursing Association for Clinical Simulation and Learning [INACSL], 2021; Lewis, 2017; Lioce et al., 2020a). The 15 simulation scenarios were developed and integrated into the …

University Campus Breastfeeding, Knowledge, And Perceptions Of Support: An Exploratory Study, Allison L. Scott, Ann W. Lambert, Chih-Hsuan Wang, Kelly V. Johnson, Jessica Weiss, Tony Stankus

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Faculty Publications and Presentations

Breastfeeding is often considered principally a biological issue but success is impacted by the socio-ecological environment of the lactating parent. Identifying current attitudes towards breastfeeding is essential in the effort toward normalizing breastfeeding in communities, including university campuses. The study explored campus community knowledge, awareness, and attitudes about breastfeeding, including available resources and applicable laws on two university campuses in the southern United States. This cross-sectional, self-reporting study utilized the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale and an adaptation of the Breastfeeding Behavior Questionnaire to survey a convenience sample. Results revealed decreased awareness of protective laws, availability of private lactation space, …

Interdisciplinary And Innovative: A Nursing And Computer Science Collaboration To Create A Barcode Medication Administration System, Jodi Lisbeth Berndt, Peter Ohmann, Imad Rahal, Lindsey Hoeschen, Andrew Rothstein

Nursing Faculty Publications

Preventing medication errors remains a priority in nursing education. The implementation of Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA) systems is one strategy that has been used to reduce medication errors. Practice using BCMA in simulated settings may enhance the transfer of these skills to the clinical practice setting. However, the purchase of BCMA educational products available for nursing students can be cost prohibitive for many nursing programs. To overcome the barrier of cost, an interdisciplinary and innovative collaborative approach was used to create a fully functional low-cost BCMA system.

Evaluating Implementation Of Diabetes Screening In Family Practice, Makilah Furlan

Masters Theses/Capstone Projects

Poster presentation on implementing diabetes screening in family medicine practice.

Type 1 Diabetes In The Classroom, Ursula Herrell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Type 1 diabetes [T1D] is an autoimmune disease that presents in a pathophysiological disorder as insulin deficiency. Managing this illness during childhood is a constant challenge of maintaining blood glucose levels within a healthy range, resulting in increased stress for children and caregivers. School attendance is one factor that may result in increased stress. Studies have highlighted the fact that teachers of students with T1D may receive little education regarding management of the disease and may be required to make accommodations which can result in confusion, miscommunication, and increased psychosocial stress. The goal of this research was to learn about …

School-Based Study To Assess The Nutritional Status (Bmi Based) Of Adolescents Of Gojra City Of District Toba Tek Singh, Punjab, Pakistan, Shagufta Perveen, Rozina Karmaliani, Rubina Barolia, Rozina Mistry

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Adolescence is the make-or-break stage of life. Major physical, mental, and psychological growth takes place at this age. Adequate and balanced nutrition is a vital requirement to support this phase. Adolescents living in developing and low-income countries are more likely to face nutritional challenges. Poor nutritional status during adolescence is an important determinant of health outcomes.
Objective: To analyze the nutritional status (BMI based) of school-going adolescents in Gojra city, Punjab, Pakistan.
Methods: A school-based cross-sectional survey was carried out covering 635 (6-8 grade) school-going adolescents (boys and girls) from public schools in Gojra city. Data were collected through anthropometric …

Factors Affecting The Success And Persistence Of Pre-Nursing Students, Leslie Ann Jennings

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

This article-based dissertation consists of two manuscripts related to factors affecting the success and persistence of pre-nursing students. The first manuscript was a matched cohort study that compared selected academic variables between two groups of pre-nursing students admitted to a pre-licensure baccalaureate nursing program via two different routes. The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any differences in academic performance between these two groups of students in the first semester of a formal nursing program. Analyses of the data revealed a difference in semester grade point average (GPA), but no significant differences in the RN Fundamentals …

Multidisciplinary Teamwork Perceptions When Mobilizing Ventilated Neurosurgery Patients, Adrianna Vinar

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

This two-manuscript dissertation focuses on mobilization in ventilated neurosurgery patients along with the nursing and multidisciplinary perceptions associated with this patient care task. The first manuscript consists of a published comprehensive literature review based on 20 published articles from the years 2010-2020. This review provides background information on the topic of mobility, nursing and provider perceptions, and teamwork for vulnerable critically ill populations including neurosurgery patients on mechanical ventilation. The evident gaps in knowledge based upon these findings and premise for the second article will also be discussed. The second manuscript submitted for publication focuses on a quasi-experimental pilot study …

Barriers And Facilitators Of Dairy Consumption Among Individuals With Metabolic Syndrome., Kofi Amoh-Mensah

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

About 35% of the United States adult population meets the criteria for metabolic syndrome, representing about 85 million individuals. Consuming dairy products protects against the development of the metabolic syndrome and protects against the development of complications associated with it. However, approximately 10% of the U.S. population meets the daily recommendation for dairy products. Information about the use of dairy products among people living with metabolic syndrome is relatively unknown, even though it will benefit them the most. About 49% of respondents met the guidance of three servings per day, and the most common facilitator was access to dairy products.

Psychometric Evaluation Of Phq–9 And Gad–7 Among Community Health Volunteers And Nurses/Midwives In Kenya Following A Nation-Wide Telephonic Survey, Sabina Odero, Paul Mwangi, Rachel Odhiambo, Brenda Nzioka, Constance Shumba, Eunice Ndirangu, Amina Abubakar

Institute for Human Development, East Africa

Background: Nurses/midwives and Community Health Volunteers (CHVs) are exposed to chronic stressors putting them at risk of developing mental health problems. This has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is limited empirical evidence of the burden of mental health problems among health care workers partly due to the lack of adequately standardized and validated measures for use among health care workers in Sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to perform the psychometric evaluation of the PHQ-9 and GAD-7 administered to nurses/midwives and CHVs across 47 counties in Kenya.

Methods: Between June and November 2021, a national survey on mental well-being …

Patients With Heart Failure – A Qualitative Study, Elisa St. Clair Stehling

Nursing Dissertations - Archive

PATIENTS WITH HEART FAILURE – A QUALITATIVE STUDY People living with heart failure manage their diagnosis in diverse ways. The lived experiences of qualitative study participants are valuable for helping healthcare providers understand patient perspectives. When interviewed, the themes expressed by people living with heart failure aligned with the resilience theory by Greene (2002). Healthcare providers can use this theory to guide questions when interviewing people with heart failure and designing effective plans of care for this group of patients. Participants with heart failure were recruited for the phenomenological research project using ResearchMatch.org - an online volunteer organization of people …