Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing Commons^™

Medication Errors: It's A Matter Of Time, Thomas D. Smith Jr.

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

A retrospective review of medication errors is presented as a measurement tool. Times of medication errors are separated into categories. The numbers of errors are associated with the numbers of medication administrations. The first data set contains errors that occurred within the first 8 hours of a 12-hour shift and the second data set contains errors that occurred during the last 4 hours of a 12-hour shift.

Data was obtained from a 108 bed critical care hospital in the southeastern United States. A time period will be reviewed between the months of September 2010 until August 2011. All reports of …

Second-Year Associate Degree Nursing (Adn) Self-Efficacy In Relation To Simulation Lab Experiences, Sarah W. Tate

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Second-Year Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) Self-Efficacy in Relation to Simulation Lab Experiences utilized a convenience sample of second-year associate degree nursing students to conduct a survey of their perceptions of an increase in self-efficacy or self confidence in relation to their simulation lab experiences. Albert Bandura's theory of self-efficacy was the theoretical framework for the study. Students who have high levels of self-efficacy have been shown to handle obstacles with less stress, perseverance, and success. In this study, 85% of the students agreed that simulation lab experiences were beneficial in increasing their confidence to perform safely in their preceptorship and …

The Effects Of Education And Training On Nurses' Perception Of Lateral Violence In The Healthcare Field, Tamara Cook

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The effects of lateral violence are costly for all aspects of the healthcare profession. Lateral violence is an act of aggression directed towards another nurse. Educating nurses of lateral violence and its appearance may prove to increase nurse's perception of lateral violence therefore decreasing its occurrence. This study will explore the effects of education and training on nurses' perception of lateral violence in the healthcare field. Lateral violence threatens the integrity of each nurse, the nursing profession, and the organization. Increasing the awareness of lateral violence attempts to make a culture change among nurses in the healthcare profession. Minimizing lateral …

A Study Of The Presence Of Relational Aggression In The Adult Population, Kathy C. Williams

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Aggression can result in a challenge of the basic human need for safety and security (Plotnik, 1999). Historically there has been extensive research regarding physical aggression. However, only in the past two decades has relational aggression received attention. Most research studies regarding relational aggression have focused upon children, adolescents and young adults. The purpose of this study was to explore the presence of relational aggression in the adult population. The Self-Report of Aggression and Social Behavior Measure tool was used to survey a convenience sample of 67 nursing students. The participants were students enrolled in the school of nursing (associate, …

What Is The Experience Of Emergency Department Nurses With Lateral Verbal Aggression?, Wendi Harper-Lonabaugh

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This descriptive study investigated the incidence of lateral verbal aggression among emergency department nurses. A sample of registered emergency department nurses currently working in western North Carolina with more than one year of full time work experience was surveyed (N=68). Roy's adaptation model was used as a theoretical framework for this qualitative study. A survey was utilized to collect the frequency, source, and incidences of reporting the lateral verbal aggression that occurred. Nurses also reported personal and professional ramifications to the lateral verbal aggression. Aggregate data was examined; no specific individual data was analyzed. The most common perpetrators of lateral …

Reorientation Of The Experienced General Medical/Surgical Nurse To A Progressive Care Medical/Surgical Nurse Utilizing Benner's Novice To Expert Theory, Barbara Radford

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The decisive factor for this project was the Health Care Organization's decision to combine the medical/surgical units from two campuses into one department. This process required the Registered Nurses to reapply for their positions, merge into one unit, and transition to a different physical location. The next major process to occur will be the changing of patient acuity-levels from general medical/surgical to medical/surgical progressive care.

This project will provide a cost effective educational plan based on Benner's novice to expert theory which will ensure efficient transition for the expert medical/surgical nurse to an expert progressive care nurse. A structured orientation …

Does Medication Error Reporting Increase With Anonymity?, Kristina Mccall

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Medication errors have been a long and growing problem within all health care areas. Prevention and education is the key to prevent the errors from occurring. All efforts must be made to achieve an overall goal of an error-proof health care society. The purpose of this study was to determine if the anonymity of medication error reporting would make a difference in the amount of medication errors reported. Research has shown that many nurses and health care professionals find it stressful to report an error due to fear of disciplinary action or blame; a no-blame culture must be implemented into …

Evaluation Of Purposeful Rounding On Patient Falls, Stephanie Spittle

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of routine purposeful rounding on the total number of falls on a medical unit in an acute care hospital. The project was prompted by high fall rates within the hospital and the implementation of the purposeful rounding initiative. Staff training was provided in a two hour educational class which covered the purpose for the initiative as well as the specific functions that must be performed with each round. To evaluate the effectiveness of purposeful rounding on patient falls, pre and post rounding fall rates were compared. These initial results were …

Nurse Perceptions Of Physician-Nurse Collaboration In The Home Health Setting: A Pilot Study, Tameki Mongo

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

This quantitative, descriptive study surveyed 20 registered nurses in a single home health setting for the purpose of uncovering nurse attitudes toward physician-nurse collaboration. Particularly, the researcher was interested in whether the nurses held "positive" or "negative" attitudes. The data collection instrument was the Jefferson Scale of Attitudes toward Physician-Nurse Collaboration (JSAPNC). Study data was analyzed via means of descriptive and inferential statistics.

Although non-significant, the findings of this study indicate that nurses in this particular home health setting demonstrated positive attitudes toward physician-nurse collaboration. Age and number of years in nursing practice had no effect on total scores on …

The Experienced Critical Care Rn's Perception Of New Graduate Rns Competence In Critical Care Using Benner's Novice To Expert, Denise H. Reid

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of the study was to describe the experienced critical care RNs' perception of the new graduate RNs' competence in critical care areas. Using the Six-Dimension Scale of Nursing Performance (Six-D Scale) by Patricia Schwirian, experienced nurses from critical care areas with at least three years of experience were asked to rate new graduate RNs in their critical care area on specific nursing activities. Benner's theory of Novice to Expert is used as the theoretical framework. Findings revealed that experienced critical care RNs perception of new graduate RNs is greater than expected. All activities on the Six-D Scale were …

A Study Of Program Completion And Attrition In One Baccalaureate Nursing Program In The Southeastern United States, Lori J. Shrock

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Already facing a national hospital and long-term care registered nurse (RN) shortage, the current number of potential nurse candidates successfully completing baccalaureate nursing programs (BNPs) is not sufficient to meet the estimated demand for baccalaureate-prepared nurses in the United States of America (U.S.) and worldwide. Yet program attrition due to varying reasons leads to graduating nursing classes that are below the clinical program's admission limit in a particular BNP in the Southeastern U.S.--often considerably lower. The study used a convenience sample of all current or former BNP students enrolled in the university from the fall of 2004 to the spring …

Effectiveness Of An Evidence-Based Curriculum Module In Nursing Schools: Targeting Safe Patient Handling And Movement, Nancy Menzel, Audrey L. Nelson, Thomas R. Waters, Nancy Hughes, Pamela C. Hagan, Gail Powell-Cope, Viviam Thompson

Nursing Faculty Research

Nursing schools in the United States have not been teaching evidence-based practices for safe patient handling, putting their graduates at risk for musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The specific aim of this study was to translate research related to safe patient handling into the curricula of nursing schools and evaluate the impact on nurse educators and students' intentions to use safe patient handling techniques. Nurse educators at 26 nursing schools received curricular materials and training; nursing students received the evidence-based curriculum module. There were three control sites. Questionnaires were used to collect data on knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs about safe patient handling …