Family Practice Nursing Commons^™

Descriptions Of Breast Self-Care From Inner-City African American And Hispanic Women Seeking Care In A Comprehensive Breast Care Center, Salamata Yoda

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Background: A plethora of inquiries has irrefutably revealed a decline in the death rates of breast cancer in some ethnic populations due to timely diagnoses, and enhancement in treatment measures. However, not all women have gained equal access to these innovations in healthcare. Certainly, as a repercussion of the noted disparity, the overall breast cancer prevalence among African American and Hispanic women has steadily escalated. Although no single test can detect all breast cancers early, practicing breast self-care consisting of breast self-awareness (BSA) in combination with other screening methods such as clinical breast exam (CBE), mammogram screening, and a suitable …

The Effect Of A Standardized Handoff Tool On Communication, Interunit Transitions, And Wait Time: A Quality Improvement Project, Silvia N. Myndresku

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

This project sought not only to improve the communication and interunit transitions of care between emergency department providers (EDPs) and inpatient providers (IPs) using a standardized handoff tool, but also to reduce the Emergency Room (ED) wait time for patients admitted to the community hospital. The project employed a quantitative quasi-experimental pre-test/post-test design to explore provider satisfaction with an evidence-based standardized handoff tools and wait time. Forty-eight providers completed the survey before the I-PASS implementation, and 43 providers completed the survey post I-PASS implementation. Though not statistically significant, data indicates that wait time increased for the post-implementation months of December, …

Experience Of Parents Caring For A Child With An Acquired Disability, Brad E. Phillips

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Background: Parents caring for a child with an acquired disability often report a negative impact on physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual health associated with caregiver burden related to their child’s complex health needs. This is further complicated by additional challenges related to the loss of a previously healthy child. Traditional patterns of loss follow linear, time-bound stages that have been observed to be unrelated to the experiences of these specific parents and their families. Therefore, the concept transforming loss has been developed to better understand how these parents navigate loss and find meaning in spite of their suffering.

Purpose: The …

Evaluation Of A Comprehensive Diabetes Mellitus Protocol At A Rural, Federally Qualified Health Center In Southern West Virginia, Hannah D. Davis

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease that affects nearly 34 million Americans. In rural Appalachia, the population is affected disproportionately at a rate of 14% compared to the national average of 10%. Diabetes is a lifelong, chronic condition managed best by a multidisciplinary team-based approach to achieve optimal disease control. Best practices in the care of diabetes support the use of evidenced based care protocols and leveraging technology to decrease the burden of disease. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common type, making it the focal population for evaluation.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to …

Examining Relationships Among Person Factors, Psychosocial Factors, And Coping Patterns In People Living With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus In North Central Appalachia, Melissa A. Mccoy

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Background: Diabetes is a complex, debilitating illness that imposes disease burden on the individual and society. T2DM is more prevalent in the Appalachian region than in any other Region of the United States. If diabetes is poorly controlled, patients are at risk for negative health outcomes. A gap exists in the literature related to understanding of the relationships among person factors, psychosocial factors, and coping patterns. Another gap in the literature is sex differences among these variables.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examining relationships among person factors, psychosocial factors, and coping patterns in people living with T2DM …

Reframing: A Grounded Theory Study Of Postmenopausal Women Following Osteoporotic Fracture, Ashley D. Barber

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a chronic disease resulting in low bone mass and increased bone fragility. Most often seen in women age 65 and older, osteoporosis is usually diagnosed following osteoporotic fracture. Despite numerous treatment options many women continue to remain untreated for osteoporosis and are at increased risk for subsequent fractures and complications. PURPOSE: The initial purpose of this classic grounded theory study was to explore the decision-making process women aged 65 and older experience when considering osteoporosis treatment following osteoporotic fracture. Following the tenth participant interview the researcher discovered a new main concern that emerged from participant interviews. Participants …

Women Veterans’ Descriptions Of The Patient-Provider Interaction With Civilian Providers, Billie S. Vance

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

BACKGROUND: Women veterans require care for unique gender, and war-related health issues. Concerns exist regarding non-Veterans Health Administration (VHA), civilian healthcare providers’ preparedness to deliver care to the veteran population. Health outcomes are influenced by the quality of care provided to patients. There is a significant gap in the literature with regard to woman veterans’ perspectives about the quality of the patient-provider interaction between women veterans and non-VHA, civilian providers.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to describe women veterans’ perspectives about interactions between themselves and civilian providers and to critically analyze the veterans’ data to further inform the …

A Video Decision Aid To Influence Advance Care Planning, Angela Petry

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

The best mechanism to achieve successful advance care planning has yet to be identified. A randomized, controlled, experimental study was performed with a sample of 54 men and women who met inclusion criteria and were randomized into the intervention versus the control group in an outpatient clinical setting in rural West Virginia (WV) from December 2018 to March 2019. Participant mean age was 72.4 years. For those who chose to participate (n=42), the intervention group received the usual standard of care, which was a face to face advance care planning (ACP) discussion with the new intervention of a video decision …