Other Nursing Commons^™

Improving Anesthesia Provider Confidence In The Identification, Management, And Treatment Of Postoperative Delirium, Brittany M. Whistle, Charles Dustin Phelps

Scholars Week

Purpose: Postoperative Delirium (POD) is a potentially devastating complication of anesthesia that is poorly understood by clinical staff leading to poor outcomes for surgical patients. This study is meant to determine if a focused knowledge presentation accompanied by visual aids could increase anesthesia providers confidence in identifying, diagnosing, and treating Postoperative Delirium.

Methodology: Utilizing a statistical model to analyze respondents results on a standardized test administered before and after an informational presentation with visual aids on the topic of Postoperative Delirium.

Results: Results indicated a statistically significant difference between pretest and posttest scores, with a p-value of .002, t(11) = …

Exploring The Impact Of A Multifaceted Standardized Wellness Program On Physical, Mental, Emotional, And Spiritual Health In Nurse Anesthesia Students, Lauren Kulaszewski, Amber Hurt

Scholars Week

Abstract

Purpose

Nurse anesthesia students experience substantial academic and clinical stress, placing them at increased risk for anxiety, depression, burnout, and suicidal ideation. Despite this risk, there is limited guidance on the effectiveness of standardized, programmatic wellness initiatives in nurse anesthesia education. The purpose of this project was to evaluate whether implementation of a standardized wellness program, compared with reliance on independent student-initiated practices, could improve mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being among second- and third-year nurse anesthesia students.

Methodology

A pre–post intervention design was used over a six-month period at a large academic institution. Second- and third-year nurse anesthesia …

Reducing Nurse Burnout, Kaylee R. Mofield

Scholars Week

I presented an evidence-based project to a healthcare facility with interventions and a suggested policy change to help reduce nurse burnout. One suggested policy change I made was changing the staffing policy. Within this new policy I suggest that if the patient census was 25 patients it calls for 5 nurses, 17-20 patient calls for 4 nurses, 16 or less patients calls for 3 nurses; along with no calling off staff due to census but rather utilizing this staff as a float or resource nurse. Another suggestion I made was nursing leadership holding monthly “check-in” meetings separate from the monthly …

Reducing 30-Day Readmissions: Simplifying Discharge, Olivia Hibbs

Scholars Week

Hospital readmissions within 30 days remain a major challenge for healthcare systems and are often linked to ineffective discharge communication and low patient health literacy. Improving discharge planning through simplified instructions, early education, and the teach-back method can help ensure patients understand their medications, follow-up care, and warning signs after leaving the hospital. Strengthening communication and care coordination during the transition from hospital to home may improve patient outcomes and reduce preventable readmissions.

Improved Patient Outcomes With Continuous Video Monitoring, Ethan Morrison, Drake May, Jack L. Rideout

Scholars Week

Improved Patient Outcomes with Continuous Video Monitoring

Objective

The use of human sitters has been the normal policy in hospitals across the United States for years. Recently, there has been an introduction to remote video monitoring systems that are aimed at replacing the need for human sitters. Our goal is to change the policy of a local hospital in our area to adjust their stance on human sitters and implement remote video monitoring.

Methods/Results

Our method of accomplishing this involved a PowerPoint presentation and an evidence-based practice paper with three different scholarly research articles that have been peer-reviewed. We presented …

Preventing Falls On Trauma Units: A Nurse-Led Initiative For New Graduates, Callie Brown, Erin Mytt

Scholars Week

Patient falls are a leading cause of preventable injury in hospital trauma units. This nurse-led initiative introduces a structured educational program based on Dorothea Orem's Self-Care Deficit Theory to strengthen new nurses' skills and act as reinforcement for veteran nurses in fall prevention. The program includes risk assessment, envrionmental safety checks, patient education, nurse education and safe transfer training. Evidence from recent studies supports edcuation based, multidisciplinary interventions as the most effective strategy to reduce hospital falls. Implemented in phases, the intiative requires all new graduate trauma nurses to complete fall prevention training within six months of hire. Expected outcomes …

Implementing Diabetes Education And Prevention Protocol, Lilyanna B. Conkle, Alyssa M. Woodall

Scholars Week

This Evidence-Based Practice project proposes the implementation of a diabetes education and prevention protocol in school systems to address the rising prevalence of diabetes among students. The initiative includes mandatory pre-academic year training for school staff to improve recognition and response to diabetes related emergencies. To support school nurses, often the sole healthcare provider on campus; a mobile app will be introduced to alert personnel during emergencies and provide evidence-based intervention steps. This approach aims to enhance student safety, improve health outcomes, and ensure timely, coordinated care.

Ebp Implementing Telehealth In Outpatient Settings, Kylee Scott, Ellianna Grammer

Scholars Week

This evidence based practice project is researching if the implementation in outpatient settings would be beneficial. Specifically in the emergency department for areas such as triage and collaboration with other physicians.

The Implementation Of Music Therapy For Dementia Patients, Lauren Holcomb, Jessica Borror, Jenna Schanz

Scholars Week

This research looks into the implementation of music therapy for dementia patients in several different clinical settings. The framework for the research takes a look at person-centered nursing care which focuses on the patient as an individual with specific wants and needs.

After reviewing the research articles, aspects of changing patient care like adding implementations of personal speakers and playing music in group settings were brought up as recommendations for facilities caring for dementia patients.

With these recommendations, we believe that there will be a reduced use of pharmacological interventions for behavioral outbursts and reduce the use of restraints. Most …

Advancing Provider Knowledge On Precedex Use To Prevent Postoperative Delirium Through Targeted Education, Brian Gibbs

Scholars Week

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a serious and multifactorial complication commonly affecting elderly surgical patients. POD is associated with increased morbidity, longer hospital stays, and higher mortality rates. The use of benzodiazepines and opioids during the perioperative period is a significant modifiable risk factor for POD. Despite the potential of Dexmedetomidine (Precedex) to reduce POD incidence due to its sedative, and analgesic properties, it is not widely available in many operating rooms (OR). This project aimed to educate anesthesia providers on the benefits of Precedex and its role in reducing POD in patients over 65 years old. A quality improvement project …

Promoting The Use For Sugammadex In Robotic- Assisted Surgeries:, Amr Ali

Scholars Week

No abstract provided.

Benefits Of The Use Of Probiotics In Preventing Secondary Infections, Sarah Cutcher

Scholars Week

Through evidence based research, the use of supplemental probiotics has been shown to have a positive effect in preventing secondary infections in hospital patients. Although there are other techniques that have decreased the incidence of infections, such as reducing invasive procedures and aseptic techniques, these are external procedures designed to prevent infection. Probiotics are an effective method of internally preventing infection. By studying certain infections and the effect that probiotics have on their prevention, researchers can safely conclude which bacteria strain could help to prevent each infection. Some different types of issues that will be looked at are healthcare acquired …

The Impact Of Spirituality On Patient Outcomes And How Nurses Can Implement Spirituality In Patient Care, Audrey Pittman

Scholars Week

This article studied the impact of spirituality on patient outcomes and how nurses can implement spirituality into patient care. This study looked at peer reviewed articles over the impact of spirituality on patient care. They found a positive impact of spiritual wellness and patient outcomes. Next it looked at how nurses could implement spiritual care into practice. This study found that the implementation of the FICA assessment tool would be a great first step in the right direction on no longer neglecting spiritual wellness.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder And Teachers, Samantha Ann Tierney, Samantha Ann Tierney

Honors College Theses

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder, estimated to affect 5% of all children and adolescents. The current rate of diagnosis is steadily increasing. This increase in the number of students with ADHD affects educators, who have a large role in the success of students with ADHD. Despite this, many teachers are not prepared to deal with the extra challenges that come with teaching students with ADHD. Teachers may not be properly taught how to deal with children who have ADHD in their classrooms or the role they have in these children’s lives. The purpose of this study is to …

Effects Of Clinical Competency In Nursing Students Following The Implementation Of Student-Led Learning, Cori E. Hack, Jacob N. Hicks

Scholars Week

Research and supporting evidence represent a gap identified in didactic learning between students and faculty. This gap shows emotional factors of the nursing curriculum that may suggest negative impacts on nursing students, but also improvements that can be made to increase students’ clinical competency levels. By adhering to strict definitions of student-led learning theory and clinical competency, we were able to create concrete evidence with measurable data that can contribute to the elimination of this gap in learning. Upon inspection of past text, we identified a need for further research on this topic to bring awareness and encourage this method …

Benefits Of Bedside Report, Konner Spalding, Hannah Mattingly

Scholars Week

No abstract provided.

The Benefits Of Telehealth For Rural Communities, Cade Alberson, Taylor Alberson

Scholars Week

No abstract provided.

The Benefits Of Using Patient Transfer Devices In The Emergency Department, Abby Lawhorn, Mikaylen Dearmond

Scholars Week

The Emergency Department (ED) is known as one of the most fast-paced environments in which nurses work. Because of the nature of their responsibilities and daily tasks, ED nurses are at high risk of injury. One of those tasks that occur multiple times throughout the day is patient transfers. The Emergency Department staff is constantly moving patients in and out of the unit. Most often, patients seen in the ED are weak, in pain, elderly, or unable to transfer from vehicles, ambulance, stretchers, or wheelchairs independently or without minimal assistance. Our research focuses on the benefits of using assistive devices …

Subepidermal Moisture Measurement: Preventing Pressure Injury In Acute Clinical Settings, Allen Neese, Natalie Embry

Scholars Week

No abstract provided.

Decreasing Alarm Fatigue Through Alarm Management Training, Leah Davis, Brittany Fleming

Scholars Week

Alarm fatigue is a notable problem in the hospital setting. Alarm fatigue can decrease nurse response time and desensitize nurses to alarms. When this occurs, patient outcomes begin to be negatively affected. To combat this, we researched multiple articles on alarm fatigue and alarm management programs. These programs would be implemented and nurses would learn how to troubleshoot alarm equipment, how to recognize alarm fatigue, how to prevent alarm fatigue, and many more. Based on research articles, alarm management programs decrease alarm fatigue in nurses and the amount of alarms.

Implementing Hourly Rounding, Kalyn Grice, Emma Durham

Scholars Week

It has been long known that nurses can be stretched thin during their 12 hour shifts. Whether they are running around passing medications, completing orders, or performing nursing interventions the world of nursing is always go, go, go. With this mindset and culture some patients who require less tasks and care may be overlooked and not seen for a few hours during a shift. This can lead to negative patient outcomes and safety problems. Throughout the day patient’s require assistance to meet many different needs, many of them being activities of daily living, like using the restroom, changing positions, brushing …

Acuity Based Staffing, Halie Lewis, Perri Hogan

Scholars Week

For decades nurses have been fighting for safe nurse to patient ratios. Thousands of studies have been done proving that an increased patient load leads to burnout, job dissatisfaction, occupational injuries, adverse events, and patient mortality. In an effort to keep nurses at the bedside, California passed The Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005. This act was the first of its kind as it established legislatively mandated nursing ratios and required staff to take several breaks throughout the day. However, mandated ratios come with a cost that most institutions cannot afford and therefore is not appropriate as a …

Evidence Based Im Injection Practice, Sarah Simpson, Amanda Bailey

Scholars Week

Abstract

This evidence-based study of literature investigated best IM injection practice. The review was based on evidence from 3 main sources, all found on the CINAHL database. The three studies were reviewed and assessed, and best practice was found to be recommended. The first article found that several healthcare workers use different methods and techniques when administering IM injections, this leads to incorrect administration or injections not evidence based. The second article found that in order administer IM injections effectively, 5mm penetration into the muscle is needed. Therefore, skin bunching is not recommended for the reasoning that it creates a …

Stat-Lock Stabilization, Michelle Hicks

Scholars Week

NUR 412 EBP Project Presentation- Stat-Lock Stabilization

Educating Nurses On Therapeutic Discussion Of Code Status, Alanna Wathen

Scholars Week

My presentation outlines the best ways according to current evidence on how nurses should discuss code status therapeutically with patients.

Selecting Success: Admitting Adn Students With The Highest Probability Of Success, Elizabeth Ann Beverly

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

Abstract

Declining numbers in healthcare workers are nearing critical levels. In the next few years, more than a million nursing positions are predicted to be needed, increasing the demand on institutions to produce quality and competent graduates in health-related fields. Hundreds of potential students apply for nursing programs each semester, and numerous qualified applicants are denied admission due to limited space, thus placing emphasis on the selective admissions process.

This study serves to validate current admissions criteria utilized by the nursing program at Hopkinsville Community College (HCC) to ensure students with the highest probability for success are admitted. Participants include …

Evaluating The Effects Of Handmade Cards On Hospitalized Patients’ Health, Abigail Prins

Scholars Week

Social support has a major influence on the health of patients. However, many hospitalized patients receive little or no visits from friends or family. The absence of social support may have negative effects on patients’ health. The knowledge of health benefits from social support are growing, however, there is little research on interventions offering support. The purpose of this research project is to evaluate the intervention of giving handmade cards to patients in the hospital setting on psychological and physiological health. The design will indicate if gifting handmade cards elicits effects of social support. The investigator used a convenience sample …

Determining The Frequency For Chronic Foley Catheter Cleaning And Changing, Jeral Mack

Scholars Week

The title of this research project is “Determining the Frequency for Chronic Foley Catheter Cleaning and Changing”. The project was conducted by Jeral Mack, a senior Murray State University School of Nursing student. The initial investigation for the topic of this research was to determine defined guidelines for chronic foley cleaning and changing for a hospital-specific policy. In this paper, an analysis of four published research articles was conducted to define the best practice for the prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) as it relates to chronic Foley catheter cleaning and changing in healthcare settings. In nursing, using the …

Implementation Of The Banner Mobility Assessment Tool For Bariatric Patients, Nicole Benkert

Scholars Week

Abstract

The prevalence of morbidly obese patient within the United States is on a rapid incline. Evidence correlates an increase in patient falls, comorbidities, and hospital admission among this specific patient group. As a result, there is an increase in workload and injuries to staff as they tend to these patients. Healthcare facilities need to continuously update current patient handling programs and create specific policies for safely handling obese patients. Research suggests that Safe Patient Handling and Mobility Programs, as well as the Banner Mobility Assessment Tool (BMAT), have substantially decreased nurse injuries through a wide range of nursing specialties. …

Vte Prevention: A Risk Assessment Tool, Mary Gilkey

Scholars Week

VTEs are a leading cause of hospital deaths and cost healthcare systems billions. A risk assessment tool that correctly identifies at risk patients and provides appropriate prophylactic measures can decrease the rate of hospital acquired VTE.