Other Nursing Commons^™

A Performance Improvement Project To Improve Hand-Off Communication Documentation Within The Surgical Services Department, Bobbie J. Wich, Millie Escalona, Judy E. Bowling, Ana L. Santos

Nursing & Health Sciences Research Journal

Over 80% of adverse events in healthcare are due to miscommunication. To improve patient safety, The Joint Commission recommended the use of standardized hand-off communication tools in 2012. One acute care hospital in Southeast Florida implemented standardized handoff reports in 2014 with few revisions since that time. The COVID-19 pandemic brought to light additional critical information was needed to keep patients and staff safe, such as laboratory results indicating the need for isolation precautions. The nurses within the surgical services noticed this critical information was not sufficiently included in the handoff report. The lack of this information led to unnecessary …

Bedside Shift Reporting: A Benchmark Project, Clydea C. Hale

MSN Capstone Projects

Patient care is forever changing to improve satisfaction, safety, and overall treatment. Over the past few years, patients and their families are more invested in their overall care in the hospital and expect to be informed every step of the way. A common complaint from patients or their families is that one nurse or staff did not know the individuals care or treatment plan, there were no shift goals to work toward discharge, and the nurse did not update the patient/family with changes in care. All of these complaints along with the patient satisfaction scores and communication between the treatment …

The Changing Face In The Workplace: The Arrival Of The Millennial Generation, Sarah Clonch

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The entrance of the Millennial generation into the nursing workforce signifies a bright future for the nursing profession and the nursing workforce. This study began with a current review of available research that identified the Millennial generation and their views toward job satisfaction and work engagement, as compared with Baby Boomer and Generation X nurses.

PubMed, CINAHL Complete, and Google Scholar databases were employed to find 15 peer-reviewed articles for evaluation. The research findings suggest that Millennial nurses have lower rates of job satisfaction and work engagement, compared to nurses of older generations. Overall, the extracted data results were significant …

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome And Insulin Resistance: An Evaluation Of Treatment Modalities And Complication Prevention, Sarah Mann

Senior Honors Theses

Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a reproductive and endocrine disorder in women of childbearing age. This disorder includes multiple clinical manifestations, namely insulin resistance (IR) and infertility related to hormonal imbalances and anovulation. Despite being a common condition, its etiology and treatment modalities remain poorly defined. Without proper understanding and management of the condition, women may suffer numerous complications besides infertility such as diabetes mellitus type II (DMII), endometrial cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, further research is critical. This integrative review will create a comprehensive understanding of PCOS' pathophysiology, potential complications, treatment methods, and nursing considerations to promote the health …

Empowering Nurses Of Minority In The Face Of Incivility And Bullying: Through The Lens Of Phenomenology, Corrine Floyd

Dissertations

Abstract

Up to 85% of nurses have reported exposure to incivility in the workplace (Hunt & Marini, 2012). The often-subtle nature of incivility toward nurses in a minority population may partially explain why it remains a problem. Healthcare organizations realize the need for civility to counter the high turnover rate, staff shortages, and low job satisfaction reported by nurses, but lack understanding of how nurses of a minority population perceive incivility and bullying. This study aimed to answer the research question how do nurses with minority representation experience incivility and bullying versus empowerment in the workplace? A descriptive phenomenological design …

Effects Of Maternal Chemotherapy On Fetal And Childhood Development, Payton May

Honors Theses

The diagnosis of cancer during pregnancy is uncommon. It is estimated that only 3,500 cases of cancer during pregnancy are diagnosed each year, which correlates to one case per 1,000 pregnancies (Pavlidis, 2000). The management of cancer during pregnancy is complex since it involves both the expecting mother and the fetus. Although there are several treatment options available, they are commonly aggressive. The diagnosis of cancer during pregnancy can create dilemmas for patients and health care providers. Pregnant women may be hesitant to receive cancer treatment due to the potential effects it may have on their developing fetus. On the …

Std Education Among African American Women: An Educational Improvement Initiative, Marqueta V. Abraham

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Research reveals there is a knowledge gap facing African American women regarding sexual health education, specifically sexually transmitted diseases. The Sexually Transmitted Disease Knowledge Questionnaire (STD-KQ) was used to assess participants’ knowledge and attitudes regarding sexually transmitted diseases. The STD-KQ self-assessment was administered to African American women and utilized to develop a 45-minute education seminar to bridge the knowledge gap. After an education seminar was held, a posttest was administered to test the women’s knowledge and to determine their level of awareness. Using a paired-samples t test, the researcher found an overall increase in awareness of the types of sexually …

Just Culture: It's More Than Policy, Linda Ann Paradiso, Nancy Sweeney

Publications and Research

Any healthcare organization’s top priority is effective and safe care. Despite this, medical error is the third-leading cause of death in the US. Hospitals are imperfect systems where nurses have competing demands and are forced to improvise and develop workarounds. Errors rarely occur in a vacuum, rather they’re a sequence of events with multiple opportunities for correction. Clinical nurses can have a significant impact on reducing errors due to their proximity to patients. When errors are identified, the events and impact on safe care need to be shared. Just culture is a safe haven that supports reporting. In a just …

Nicu Nurses' Suggestions For Improving End-Of-Life Care Obstacles, Renea L. Beckstrand, Rebecca F. Isaacson, Janelle L. B. Macintosh, Karlen E. Luthy, Lacey Eden

Faculty Publications

Background: Neonatal deaths (infants less than 28 days old) account for two thirds (66.7%) of all infant deaths with most occurring in an ICU setting. NICU nurses are frequently involved in end-of-life (EOL) care and face unique obstacles.

Objective: The objective of this study was to obtain NICU nurses’ suggestions for improving obstacles in EOL care in NICUs.

Methods: Suggestions were obtained through mailed survey research in qualitative study design. Returned surveys yielded 121 nurse respondents who gave a total of 138 suggestions.

Results: A total of 10 cohesive themes were identified: (1) environmental design issues, (2) improved communication between …

Exploring What It Is Like To Be An Undocumented Alien In Seek Of Healthcare, Eliany C. Torrez Pon

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Currently, there are about 11.8 million undocumented aliens in the United States who are not eligible for public insurance or any type of private coverage obtained through the American Health Care Act of 2017. This creates barriers to healthcare for this large population and has negative implications for the healthcare system. Despite the availability of clinics and low-cost healthcare, this group tends to underuse resources or seek healthcare for emergencies only which leads to increased cost totaling approximately $1.1 billion a year. The goal of this qualitative study is to better understand what it is like to be an undocumented …

Structural Stress And Otherness: How Do They Influence Psychological Stress?, Christine Dewilde

Theses and Dissertations

Background: The Theory of Cultural Distress offers a framework for understanding the potential outcomes in patients who do not receive care that incorporates their cultural beliefs (DeWilde & Burton, 2017).This study represents initial steps in researching the theory byexploring the layering of stressors that place the patient at risk for Cultural Distress. Methods: Utilized aCross-sectional descriptive correlational analysis of intersecting identities (Structural Stressors), ethnicity-related stressors (Otherness) and ethnic-identity (Otherness) to develop understanding of the potential effects of these variables on psychological stress. Independent variables included intersecting identities, perceived ethnic discrimination, concern for stereotype confirmation, own group conformity pressure, and …

A Program To Prepare Frontline Nurse Leaders For Peer Review, Suzanne K. Murdock

DNP Scholarly Projects

Introduction: The purpose of nursing peer review is to assess the quality of nursing care against established standards, identify strengths and weaknesses in practice, and identify knowledge gaps. Studies of nurse peer review predominantly focuse on staff nurse attitudes and knowledge after an educational intervention and barriers to implementation. Frontline nurse leaders (FLNL) can influence adoption of new practices such as peer review.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to engage frontline nurse leaders in a role specific peer review program, preparing them to support their staff in the implementation of peer review in the future and providing an …

Pregnancy Loss In The Emergency Department, Gudrun Reiterhiltebrand

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

The aim of this project is to improve the care for patients experiencing pregnancy loss in the emergency department (ED). Objectives are to enhance understanding of staff about the patients’ experience and their knowledge on how to best care for emotional needs, thus improving quality of patient care, work satisfaction, knowledge, confidence and comfort levels, while decreasing experienced stress. The project was implemented in a midsized community hospital with 117 beds, which discharged 74 patients with “interrupted pregnancies” over the previous year from the ED. The project was directed toward nurses, doctors, care partners, chaplains, and social workers. The …

Impact Of A Mastectomy On Female Body Image And Sexuality, Hilary Tingley

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Impact of a Mastectomy on Female Sexual Expression: An Integrative Literature Review

Hilary Tingley

Nursing Student, DePaul University, School of Nursing

Background: Women diagnosed with breast cancer are often treated with a combination of therapies, one of which may be a mastectomy. There are an increasing number of women who are undergoing preventative mastectomies, many as a result of BRCA gene testing.

Objective: The purpose of this literature review was to examine the impact of a mastectomy on female sexual expression and body image.

Method: An integrative literature review design was used with research articles pulled from search engines such …

Programs That Can Support Nurses To Reduce Compassion Fatigue And Secondary Traumatic Stress: An Integrative Literature Review, Molly Gruettner

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Compassion allows a nurse to empathize with their patient and their family, but it does not prepare the nurse to cope with stressful events. Repeatedly being exposed to traumatizing events, pain, distress, and suffering can lead to nurse burn-out and fatigue. Compassion fatigue is a unique form of burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) encompasses ideas of compassion fatigue and the two terms are often used interchangeably. Objective: The goal of this systematic integrated literature review is to discover interventions to reduce compassion fatigue and STS in trauma nurses Methods: A systematic integrated literature review study was conducted using Ebscohost …

Understanding The Blogging Practices Of Women Undergoing In Vitro Fertilization (Ivf): A Discourse Analysis Of Women’S Ivf Blogs, Elizabeth Orr, Susan M. Jack, Wendy Sword, Sandra Ireland, Lois Ostolosky

The Qualitative Report

Infertility and its associated treatments, including in vitro fertilization (IVF), can have a profound impact on the emotional health and well-being of women desiring to become mothers. Researchers have measured the impact of infertility and described the experience of infertility and its treatment, leaving the rich descriptions of the IVF experience as captured in women’s blogs to be explored. This discourse analysis describes the blogging practices of women undergoing IVF, exploring both the content and function of the IVF blog discourse. Data were collected from the text of seven women’s blogs (n=1,149 blog posts) and resulted in four main functions …

I’M A Big Kid Now: Enhancing Transition Rn Residents’ Confidence During Pediatric Patient Care, Emily W. Lam

Master's Projects and Capstones

The title of the clinical nurse leader project is “I’m a Big Kid Now: Enhancing Transition RN Residents’ Confidence During Pediatric Patient Care”. The project aims to improve the support components for Transition RN residents during their Transition RN Residency at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. The clinical leadership theme that correlates to this project is communication. The clinical nurse leader’s role is to act as an educator and a facilitator throughout this project. In examining the clinical nurse leader competencies, competencies “use performance measures to assess and improve the delivery of evidence-based practices and promote outcomes that demonstrate delivery of …

Perceptions Of Male Nursing Students About Working In Women’S Health, Jose Mari Lawrence Mitra

Undergraduate Honors Theses

This study explores the opinions and experiences of East Tennessee State University (ETSU) male nursing students after they have completed their clinical rotations in obstetrics (OB). Participants are interviewed about their preconceptions and post-experience perspectives regarding the clinical rotation. After analyzing the interviews, the students’ perceptions appeared to be grounded in their perceived level of comfort with women’s health nursing. Themes include (1) preconceptions, (2) welcoming, (3) rejecting, and (4) culture.

The Meaning Of Giving Birth: Voices Of Hmong Women Living In Vietnam, Cheryl A. Corbett, Lynn Clark Callister, Jamie Peterson Gettys, Jacob R. Hickman

Faculty Publications

Increasing knowledge about the sociocultural context of birth is essential to promote culturally sensitive nursing care. This qualitative study provides an ethnographic view of the perspectives of birthing of Hmong mothers living in the highlands of Vietnam. Unique cultural beliefs exist in Hmong culture about the spiritual and physical wold as well as ritual practices associated with childbearing. This includes variations of ancestor worship, reincarnation, and healing practices by shamans. Traditionally, Hmong families take an active role in childbirth with birth frequently occurring in the home. Situated within a large collaborative anthropology project, a convenience sample of 8 Hmong women, …

Honoring Motherhood: The Meaning Of Childbirth For Tongan Women, Shelly J. Reed, Lynn Clark Callister, 'Ana Kavaefiafi, Cheryl A. Corbett, Debra Edmunds

Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this ethnographic study was to describe the meaning of childbirth for Tongan women.

Study Design and Methods: In this qualitative descriptive study, 38 Tongan women, 18 from Tonga and 20 from the United States, who had given birth in the past year were invited to share their perceptions of childbirth. Themes were generated collaboratively by the research team.

Findings: The overarching theme was honoring motherhood; other themes include using strength to facilitate an unmedicated vaginal birth, describing the spiritual dimensions of birth, adhering to cultural practices associated with childbearing, and the influence of the concept of …

Reducing Hypotension In Elective Cesarean Section Patients With Administration Of Ondansetron Prior To Spinal Anesthesia: A Retrospective Chart Analysis, Linsey Erin Phipps

Doctoral Projects

The birth of a child is one of the most memorable moments in a woman’s life, and many women undergo an elective cesarean section, requiring spinal anesthesia. At this time, the patient and the unborn child’s well-being become the anesthetist’s main focus. The ultimate goal of anesthesia providers is to provide the safest care to the patient. Spinal anesthesia has many benefits, but has a common side effect of hypotension, which can also result in nausea. Hypotension, dangerous to mother and child, is often treated with vasopressors, but can also cause nausea, which is treated by the administration of ondansetron. …

Efficacy Of Intravenous Ondansetron In Relieving Nausea/Vomiting And Pruritus Post Epidural Administered Opioids In The Obstetric Patient, Benjamin Stephen Butler

Doctoral Projects

One prominent side effect in the use of a neuraxial anesthesia is pruritus, with an incidence in the obstetric patient of 60-100% (Kumar & Singh, 2013). Another side effect of an epidural placement is nausea and vomiting. Nausea and vomiting occurs frequently during the progress of labor and is difficult to determine an incidence that is related to epidural opioid administration (Chestnut, Wong, Tsen, Ngan Kee, Beilin, & Mhyre, 2014). A review of literature was performed and established evidence that ondansetron is effective in reducing incidence of pruritus in intrathecal administered opioids for cesarean sections in the obstetric patient. No …

Therapeutic Listening Communication In Children With Autism And Hyperacusis, Jennifer Margaret Hughes

Doctoral Projects

Hyperacusis, or auditory hypersensitivity, is defined as abnormally sensitive hearing and in some cases an extreme sensitivity, where normally tolerated sounds are perceived as excessively, even painfully loud. This is a debilitating condition for children with autism, causing activity limitations and participation restrictions, also leading to peer isolation and habitual sound avoidance behaviors.

This research explores a means of modifying the auditory environment of a child with hyperacusis in a safe, effective way for the purpose of improving attention span and facilitating learning. The small pilot study (n=4) was a single-subject, multiple-baseline design, conducted with school-aged children in the special …

Recognizing Pain Using Novel Simulation Technology, Justin C. Grace

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Effective pain management and time to treatment is essential in patient care. Despite scientific evidence supporting the need to treat pain and an emphasis on addressing pain as a priority, pain management continues to be an unresolved issue. As a member of the health care team, nurses are integral to optimal pain management. Currently, nursing schools have limited innovative or alternative methods for teaching pain assessment and management. Simulation in nursing education provides a unique opportunity to expose students to realistic patient situations and allow them to learn and make mistakes without causing harm. However, modern low- and high-fidelity simulation …

Retention Of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Knowledge And Psychomotor Skill Among Undergraduate Nursing Students: An Integrative Review Of Literature, Fernanda Tirado

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Purpose: The purpose of this integrative literature review is to explore the effectiveness of different training modalities on the acquisition and retention of CPR knowledge and psychomotor skill among undergraduate nursing students. Background: It is well known that standard CPR-training is ineffective at preparing nurses for the rigors of a cardiac arrest event. Survival rates for in-hospital cardiac arrests remain low and the proportion of neurobehavioral sequelae among survivors is very high. Methods: A review of relevant literature published between 2006 and 2016 was conducted using the CINAHL and MEDLINE databases. The following key terms were used in the search: …

Improved Satisfaction On Postpartum Unit By Implementing A Discharge Nurse Role, Nicole Ware Rn, Msn

Master's Projects and Capstones

A three-month time period was used to develop a postpartum education program change by designing a discharge nurse role on the postpartum unit at University of North Carolina Women’s Hospital. The goal of the education change is to increase patient satisfaction scores of discharged post-natal mothers on the postpartum unit by having HCAPS and Press Ganey to improve up to10% over the next 6 months.

An observational assessment revealed a fragmented and antiquated discharge process. This process was paper based and difficult to complete in light of the short stay and high volume patient population. Informal nurse feedback as well …

Implementing Emergency Bedside Backpacks In The Nicu To Improve Patient Outcomes, Melissa M. Garcia

Master's Projects and Capstones

Abstract

Planning for a disaster, by implementing a unit specific disaster plan, has become an essential recommendation for Neonatal Intensive Care Units. Emergent situations have resulted from past natural disasters proving the need for additional planning when it comes to units with fragile populations. Research has shown instituting a specialized disaster plan, increases patient safety resulting in improved patient outcomes. This prospectus aims to implement emergency bedside backpacks as the first step in the development of a NICU specific disaster plan. These backpacks are meant to be an addition to the current hospital emergency plan, with the goal being to …

Discovering Self: Childbearing Adolescents' Maternal Identity, Janelle L. B. Macintosh, Lynn Clark Callister

Faculty Publications

Purpose: Adolescent pregnancy and motherhood have long been a topic of interest for many healthcare professionals. However, there are limited data on how childbearing adolescents incorporate motherhood identity into their sense of self. The purpose of this study was to explore how childbearing adolescents perceive motherhood as becoming part of their personal identity.

Study Design: This qualitative study using ethnographic data collection involved 7 months of observation, interaction, and interviews.

Methods: Data were collected from nine expectant adolescents during in-depth interviews. All participants were patients at a teen mother and child clinic staffed by certified nurse midwives and a pediatrician. …

Relocation Of Orc To Or2, Svetlana N. Schopp

Master's Projects and Capstones

The goal of this Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) internship project was to maintain safety and quality of care of obstetric (OB) patients undergoing Cesarean Sections (C/S) after operating room for cesarean sections (ORC) is relocated from obstetric unit to the main operating room (OR). The microsystem will accomplish this through effective teamwork, clear interdisciplinary communication, collaboration, and standardization of processes involved. The institution is a not for profit rural health care facility and is a designated Critical Access Hospital; it is located in Northern California. A general obligation bond was passed in 2007 to fund seismic upgrades. Old OB unit …

Giving Birth: The Voices Of Women In Tamil Nadu, India, Cheryl A. Corbett, Lynn Clark Callister

Faculty Publications

Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study is to describe the perceptions of childbearing women living in Tamil Nadu, India. This study can increase cultural understanding and foster cultural competence in nurses caring for Indian women.

Study Design and Methods: Women were invited to share their childbearing experiences. Following institutional review board approval, interviews were held with 22 women who had given birth in the previous 18 months to a viable infant. The women were grateful for the opportunity to share their perspectives with an interested nurse investigator. Data collection proceeded concurrently with data analysis. Themes were generated collaboratively …