Cultivating Civility: A Multicomponent Approach To Reducing Workplace Incivility In An Assisted Living Facility, Sanam Bral, Kaylyn Chang, Catherine Dinh, Sanjil Kumar, Truc Mai Moon

Master's Projects and Capstones

Workplace incivility remains a common challenge in healthcare, negatively affecting communication, staff well-being, and the quality and safety of resident care. Baseline survey findings from a faith-based assisted living facility in Southern California identified concerns related to workplace incivility, psychological safety, and gaps in staff knowledge of available reporting resources. This project aimed to reduce workplace incivility by improving staff knowledge and recognition of uncivil behaviors, with a target of at least 90% staff training attendance among nursing, assistive nursing, and medical technicians, and 80% attendee-reported high confidence level (agree or strongly agree) in recognizing incivility and understanding reporting options. …

From Evidence To Practice: Improving Diabetic Patient Outcomes By Increasing Statin Utilization, Elizabeth Mcfalls

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention in patients with diabetes is essential, as heart disease remains the leading cause of death within this population (American Diabetes Association, n.d.). The purpose of this evidence-based project is to improve patient outcomes by enhancing adherence to statin therapy. A thorough literature review yielded 246 pieces of moderate-to-high-quality evidence; of these, eight articles were appraised in detail and selected for project inclusion. The strongest evidence identified four meaningful interventions. Thus, a multimodal approach was indicated for this project. This included addressing barriers to therapy, creating practice nudges, implementing a shared decision-making (SDM) tool, and utilizing clinical …

A Quality Improvement Project To Increase Identification And Treatment Of Obstructive Sleep Apnea In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes In A Rural Clinic, Paige Spence

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Fall Prevention Programs With Hourly Rounding On Fall Rates Among Adults Patients In Neurological Unit, Oyinlola A. Ogundeji

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this QI project was to evaluate the effect of a structured hourly rounding program on patient fall rates in an adult neurological inpatient unit.

Background

Patient falls remain a major safety concern in acute care, particularly among hospitalized neurological patients with impairments in mobility, cognition, and balance. In an adult neurological unit within a Magnet-designated hospital, fall rates exceeded national benchmarks, underscoring the need for a targeted quality-improvement

Methodology

A pre–post QI design, guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework, was implemented over 12 weeks in a 28-bed neurological unit. This intervention featured structured hourly rounding using the …

Blister Packaging Versus Bottles: Caregiver Accuracy And Child Safety In Pediatric Medication Gummy Administration, Paolo Olimpiada

Nursing | Senior Theses

The safety of medication in pediatric settings has become an increasing concern as gummy-formulated medications have gained popularity in children’s care. Gummy-formulated medications have a close resemblance to candy, and this may mislead children to ingest additional doses or more than what was prescribed. Children also depend a lot on their caregivers for medications. Therefore, the design of packaging would be impactful in supporting medication dosing accuracy. And studies have evaluated safety features of packaging related to adherence, misuse, and unintended administration. However, limited studies have examined the influence of medication packaging on the dosing accuracy at the time of …

The Impact Of Night Shift On New Nurses: Effects On Mental Health And Work-Life Balance, Avery Windham, Abby Maruskin, Elizabeth Yoder

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This research examines the impact of night shift schedules on new nurses' mental health and work-life balance as they transition into professional practice. The transition from nursing school to the workforce presents challenges that are further compounded by shift work, which can disrupt circadian rhythms and contribute to stress, fatigue, and reduced job satisfaction. The purpose of this research is to evaluate how starting on night shift versus day shift influences nurses’ self-evaluation of work-life balance within their first year of practice. This systematic review synthesizes findings from peer-reviewed sources to assess the physical, emotional, and professional consequences of night …

Exploring The Association Between Nurse Characteristics And Intent To Leave Their Current Position In Counties With Rural Hospital Closures, Caroline A. King

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Increased rural hospital closures and nursing burnout may lead to greater morbidity/mortality for rural residents. Current literature fails to capture whether rural hospital closures influence nurses’ intent to leave their current position. In this cross-sectional study, descriptive and correlational statistical analyses were conducted on survey responses from a sample of nurses who lived in a rural county that experienced a hospital closure. 66% of nurses stated that, at one point, they had considered leaving their primary nursing position. Logistic regression model results revealed that nurse-reported age and gender were significant predictors of a nurse’s intention to leave their current position. …

Standardizing Care: Strengthening Dka Protocol Implementation Among Emergency Department Nurses, Toni Joy Angelique Biliran Miculob

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: The objective of this project was to address the inconsistent understanding and utilization of the Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) protocol in a high-acuity emergency department within a large hospital system, where baseline survey results showed that 84% of nurses found the DKA order set confusing and only 15% felt “very comfortable” applying it.

Aim: The aim was to improve nurse clarity, confidence, and consistency in using the DKA protocol to support timely, evidence-based management of this high-risk, time-sensitive condition.

Methods: The intervention consisted of brief, targeted education delivered during pre-shift huddles across day and night shifts, focusing …

Resonant Disruptions: Understanding Canadian Nurses’ Practice With Youth Survivors Of Sexual Exploitation, Danielle E. Giebelhaus, Andrew Estefan Phd, Rpn

Dignity: A Journal of Analysis of Exploitation and Violence

The sexual exploitation of youth is a global concern. Youth survivors of sexual exploitation present to and require healthcare services, but most nurses do not feel effectively equipped to care for this population. There is currently little nursing literature to guide nurses in their practice with youth survivors. In this article, we report on a qualitative, hermeneutic study undertaken to explore nursing practice with youth survivors of sexual exploitation. Hermeneutics is concerned with understanding, and is a helpful way to conduct research when little is known about a topic. In this study, we asked the research question, “How might we …

Healthcare Provider Comfort Surrounding Adverse Childhood Events (Aces), Cameo Culcasi

Doctoral Projects

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are strongly linked to long-term health outcomes, yet discussions around ACEs in clinical settings remain inconsistent. This study investigates the comfort levels of healthcare providers in addressing ACEs with their patients, identifying barriers and facilitators to such conversations. Using a Quasi-experimental, single group, pretest-post test experimental design, we surveyed a diverse group of physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants working in a primary care setting, providing ACE training, and an opportunity for learning reflection. Preliminary results indicate that while most providers acknowledge the importance of discussing ACEs, many report discomfort due to time constraints, lack of …

Patient Perception Of Nurse Practitioner Care, Nurse Practitioner Scope Of Practice And How That Influences Provider Choice, Naomi Hemp

Doctoral Projects

This project investigates patients' perceptions of nurse practitioner (NP) care versus physician (MD) care, the factors influencing these perceptions, and patients' understanding of NP scope of practice. A cross-sectional design was used, gathering quantitative data through an anonymous one-time survey distributed via Qualtrics, open for three months. Questions were based on The Watson Caritas Patient Score (WCPS) and the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (HCAHPS). Data were analyzed using Intellectus Statistics software™, with descriptive statistics summarizing the findings. A two-tailed paired samples t-test revealed statistically significant differences in favor of patients' perceptions of NP care versus …

Colorectal Cancer Screening And Correlating Gender Disparities, Kara Marr, Megan Janssen, Margaret Payne, Laura Reed Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc, Cne

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

In 2023, colorectal cancer (CRC) was the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the US, equating to approximately 50,000 total deaths (National Cancer Institute, 2024). Further, it is estimated that an additional 1.4 million Americans are living with CRC (National Cancer Institute, 2024). Early detection screening modalities remain imperative since the NIH has released a combined survival rate of 70% when utilized (National Cancer Institute, 2024). Different derivatives of CRC develop from pre-cancerous polyps and are often without signs or symptoms of disease progression; this asymptomatic period emphasizes the importance of early detection and prevention of colorectal cancer …

Evaluating An Evidence-Based Quality Improvement Initiative For Food Insecurity Screening And Referral In Adults With Diabetes Initiating Continuous Glucose Monitor Therapy, Coni Dennis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

Diabetes affects 37 million people annually in the United States, with direct medical costs exceeding $237 billion per year (American Diabetes Association, 2018; Xu et al., 2018). Complications account for up to 64% of diabetes-related expenses, emphasizing the importance of glycemic stability in preventing costly and debilitating outcomes (Dieleman et al., 2016). Diet and nutrition, essential for glycemic control, are often undermined by food insecurity—defined as inconsistent access to adequate, nutritious food—affecting 16% of adults with diabetes (Casagrande et al., 2022; Kirby et al., 2021). Food insecurity is linked to higher HbA1c levels, increased complications, and hospitalizations (Thomas et al., …

Assessing The Effectiveness Of A Non-Punitive Fall Prevention Program, Nicki Roderman, Shandlie Wilcox, Cynthia Lang

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Our single-center, quality improvement project evaluated the impact of a fall reduction plan while using a Just Culture Algorithm that included weekly fall reviews involving front line staff using a non-punitive structure. The project has shown successful results.

Methods

Prior to starting the program, data at this institution indicated falls were higher than the national fall rate of 3-5 per 1000 patient days. To achieve the goal of reducing the fall rate to below 3.1, an interdisciplinary fall committee was formed, consisting of nurses, nursing leaders, patient care technicians, pharmacists, and physical therapists. The committee operated in a non-punitive …

Trauma-Informed Care: A Therapeutic Approach In Communication, Nicole A. Leonce

DNP Qualifying Manuscripts

As medical providers, it is crucial to use therapeutic communication when building relationships with patients. Bias, stigma, and judgment often manifest through a provider’s body language and choice of words, exacerbating patient trauma and leading to health disparities. Trauma-informed care (TIC) addresses these issues by emphasizing respect, compassion, and empathy. TIC has been extensively studied in high-income regions such as Australia, Europe and the United States, but its application in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) such as Kenya, is less understood. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and skills of nurses working in a rural …

A Quality Improvement Project To Reduce Facility-Acquired Pressure Injuries, Carolina Rosario

All Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects

Problem: Facility-acquired pressure injuries (FAPIs) pose significant risks to patient outcomes and healthcare costs ($500 to $70,000 per PI) in subacute rehabilitation (SAR) facilities. An assessment in a SAR identified a concerning pressure injury (PI) rate of 15.3%, exceeding the national benchmark of 10% for such facilities. This prompted an evidence-based quality improvement (QI) initiative.

Aim of the Project: This project aimed to reduce FAPI rates by 30% or greater among patients 65 and older using a PI prevention bundle called SSKINS (Skin, Surface, Keep moving, Incontinence/moisture, Nutrition/hydration, Self-management).

Review of the Evidence: A comprehensive literature review indicated that PIs …

The Lived Experience Of Nurses In Caring For Patients With Covid-19, Jessica Barre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Limited research exists about the experiences of nurses’ caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic post hoc. To understand nurses’ realities of caring for patients with COVID-19, I aimed to understand the lived experience of nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 in the United States. A qualitative design with a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology was used. Sixteen participants were recruited via purposive sampling, augmented with snowball sampling. Data were collected through unstructured interviews and were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19 in the U.S. were consolidated into four themes: “a living …

Referral To In-Person Smoking Cessation Counseling As A Smoking Cessation Aid, Annie Mandrell Bsn, Rn, Matthew Keathley Bsn, Rn, Lewis Linden Bsn, Rn, Laura Reed Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc, Cne

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Referral to In-Person Smoking Cessation Counseling as a Smoking Cessation Aid

Purpose/Background

Smoking increases an individual’s risk of acute and chronic disease morbidity and mortality, as well as creating a financial burden for the individual and healthcare system. In the United States, tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. There are an estimated 5 million tobacco-related deaths each year due to tobacco smoking. Additional healthcare costs are also seen due to the need for increased treatments, medical supplies, and staffing. Previous research for smoking cessation resources has primarily focused on traditional primary care offices. Research shows that in-person …

Evidenced-Based Strategies To Increase Cervical Cancer Screening Rates, Tuong Cat Vo Bsn-Rn, Nada Salloukh Bsn-Rn, Tatiana Elena Swanson Bsn-Rn, Xiao Mie Cindy Zhu Bsn-Rn, Laura Taylor Reed Dnp, Aprn, Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Cervical cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer affecting women worldwide (Staley et al., 2021). With cervical cancer being a preventable disease, an effective method of reducing healthcare costs and mortality is primary prevention, such as screenings. Financial burdens and barriers to accessing medical care may result due to the lack of proper cervical cancer screenings. Detecting cervical cancer includes screening women 21 to 65 years old with a Papanicolaou (PAP) test every three years. Women aged 30 to 65 years old can extend the screening of cervical cancer by having a Human Papillomavirus (HPV) test along with …

Development And Evaluation Of Trauma Informed Care Education For Licensed Nurses, Kristina O'Meara

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Trauma informed care nursing education is crucial. Trauma informed care is a method of providing health care which understands the likelihood of past and present traumatic events in patients and families. The experience of past or present trauma often led to chronic diseases, substance abuse disorder, fragmented health care, fears surrounding health care, chronic stress, and other negative health consequences. The purpose of this project is to increase licensed nurses’ awareness and ability to practice trauma informed care in clinical practice, as well as promote policy initiation within the health care facilities. Method planning integrated the Knowledge to Action Cycle. …

Effectiveness Of Antibiotic Stewardship For Healthcare Providers At Urgent Care Clinics, Helen T. Adewole

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Antibiotics have revolutionized modern medicine; however, the overuse in urgent care and primary care significantly contributes to the global burden of infections resistant to available antimicrobial medicines. Approximately 30% of the antimicrobials prescribed in acute care settings are unnecessary. Patient demand for antibiotics has seemingly skyrocketed following the recent COVID-19 pandemic. Practitioners must be knowledgeable about antibiotic stewardship initiatives, such as the wait-and-see approach, to reduce antibiotic overuse and improve the trajectory of antibiotic resistance and patient health outcomes. The gap in practice was the limited awareness of scientific evidence-based tools to partner with patients and improve antibiotic prescription patterns. …

Ob-Pdcds Polish, Marianne E. Weiss, Malgorzata Nagorska

Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale

The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale, and Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale were developed by Dr. Marianne Weiss to measure nurse-sensitive discharge care processes and patient outcomes. Three versions of the scales were developed concurrently for different patient populations – Adult medical-surgical patients, Parents of hospitalized children, and Postpartum Patient mothers (see Weiss & Piacentine, 2006, Weiss et al., 2007, and Bobay et al., 2018 for description of the development and initial testing). Additional scales and information about translation rights are located at Marquette Nursing.

PERMISSION TO USE

The Readiness for Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge …

Pdcds-Adult German, Marianne E. Weiss, Matthias Marsall

Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale

The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale, and Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale were developed by Dr. Marianne Weiss to measure nurse-sensitive discharge care processes and patient outcomes. Three versions of the scales were developed concurrently for different patient populations – Adult medical-surgical patients, Parents of hospitalized children, and Postpartum Patient mothers (see Weiss & Piacentine, 2006, Weiss et al., 2007, and Bobay et al., 2018 for description of the development and initial testing). Additional scales and information about translation rights are located at Marquette Nursing.

PERMISSION TO USE

The Readiness for Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge …

Pdcds-Adult Bahasa Indonesian, Marianne E. Weiss, Azizah Khoiriyati

Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale

The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale, and Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale were developed by Dr. Marianne Weiss to measure nurse-sensitive discharge care processes and patient outcomes. Three versions of the scales were developed concurrently for different patient populations – Adult medical-surgical patients, Parents of hospitalized children, and Postpartum Patient mothers (see Weiss & Piacentine, 2006, Weiss et al., 2007, and Bobay et al., 2018 for description of the development and initial testing). Additional scales and information about translation rights are located at Marquette Nursing.

PERMISSION TO USE

The Readiness for Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge …

Ped-Pdcds German, Marianne E. Weiss, Gaby Stoffel

Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale

The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale, and Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale were developed by Dr. Marianne Weiss to measure nurse-sensitive discharge care processes and patient outcomes. Three versions of the scales were developed concurrently for different patient populations – Adult medical-surgical patients, Parents of hospitalized children, and Postpartum Patient mothers (see Weiss & Piacentine, 2006, Weiss et al., 2007, and Bobay et al., 2018 for description of the development and initial testing). Additional scales and information about translation rights are located at Marquette Nursing.

PERMISSION TO USE

The Readiness for Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge …

Adult Qdts, Tagalog, Marianne E. Weiss, Angelica Rodriguez

Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale

The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale, and Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale were developed by Dr. Marianne Weiss to measure nurse-sensitive discharge care processes and patient outcomes. Three versions of the scales were developed concurrently for different patient populations – Adult medical-surgical patients, Parents of hospitalized children, and Postpartum Patient mothers (see Weiss & Piacentine, 2006, Weiss et al., 2007, and Bobay et al., 2018 for description of the development and initial testing). Additional scales and information about translation rights are located at Marquette Nursing.

PERMISSION TO USE

The Readiness for Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge …

Peds Qdts, German, Marianne E. Weiss, Gaby Stoffel

Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale

The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale, and Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale were developed by Dr. Marianne Weiss to measure nurse-sensitive discharge care processes and patient outcomes. Three versions of the scales were developed concurrently for different patient populations – Adult medical-surgical patients, Parents of hospitalized children, and Postpartum Patient mothers (see Weiss & Piacentine, 2006, Weiss et al., 2007, and Bobay et al., 2018 for description of the development and initial testing). Additional scales and information about translation rights are located at Marquette Nursing.

PERMISSION TO USE

The Readiness for Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge …

Ob Qdts, English, Marianne E. Weiss

Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale

The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale, and Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale were developed by Dr. Marianne Weiss to measure nurse-sensitive discharge care processes and patient outcomes. Three versions of the scales were developed concurrently for different patient populations – Adult medical-surgical patients, Parents of hospitalized children, and Postpartum Patient mothers (see Weiss & Piacentine, 2006, Weiss et al., 2007, and Bobay et al., 2018 for description of the development and initial testing). Additional scales and information about translation rights are located at Marquette Nursing.

PERMISSION TO USE

The Readiness for Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge …

Peds Qdts, Norwegian, Marianne E. Weiss, Nina Ellefsen Lindberg

Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale

The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale, and Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale were developed by Dr. Marianne Weiss to measure nurse-sensitive discharge care processes and patient outcomes. Three versions of the scales were developed concurrently for different patient populations – Adult medical-surgical patients, Parents of hospitalized children, and Postpartum Patient mothers (see Weiss & Piacentine, 2006, Weiss et al., 2007, and Bobay et al., 2018 for description of the development and initial testing). Additional scales and information about translation rights are located at Marquette Nursing.

PERMISSION TO USE

The Readiness for Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge …

Pdcds-Adult Korean, Marianne E. Weiss, Kim Jeoung Hee

Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale

The Readiness for Hospital Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge Teaching Scale, and Post-Discharge Coping Difficulty Scale were developed by Dr. Marianne Weiss to measure nurse-sensitive discharge care processes and patient outcomes. Three versions of the scales were developed concurrently for different patient populations – Adult medical-surgical patients, Parents of hospitalized children, and Postpartum Patient mothers (see Weiss & Piacentine, 2006, Weiss et al., 2007, and Bobay et al., 2018 for description of the development and initial testing). Additional scales and information about translation rights are located at Marquette Nursing.

PERMISSION TO USE

The Readiness for Discharge Scale, Quality of Discharge …