Improving Appropriate Nephrology Referrals Using Epic Screening Tools And Nurse Practitioner (Np) Education, Diahann M. Volcy

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Nephrology referral has been recognized as a modifiable factor influencing patient outcomes (Cheng, 2025). This project aims to reduce delayed or missed CKD diagnoses at large suburban hospitals in north New Jersey by improving timely nephrology referrals. I used a mixed-methods approach, retrospective chart review, pre- and post-education surveys, and referral trend analysis to assess how an educational session affects nurse practitioner knowledge and nephrology referral behavior. Enhancing nurse practitioner (NP) awareness and decision tool usage may increase early kidney care for patients, leading to better outcomes (ISN-KDIGO, 2021; Van Mil et al., 2024).

A Quality Improvement Project: The Implementation Of A Nurse Driven Morbidity And Mortality Review In An Emergency Department Setting, Abby Beutel

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract

Background: Morbidity and mortality reviews/conferences (MMR) are a mandatory curriculum requirement for medical residency programs throughout the United States to identify and reduce medical errors. Only within the past few decades have hospital organizations expanded MMRs to multidisciplinary teams to include medical professionals who are rendering care at the bedside more than medical providers.

Purpose: This quality improvement (QI) project focuses on the application of a nurse drive MMR amongst emergency department (ED) nurses in a community hospital in Northern Bergen County, New Jersey. This ED nurse driven MMR measured the ED nurse’s knowledge and confidence levels as it …

Incivility In Nursing: The Experience Of Registered Nurses In The Emergency Department, Karen Voorhees

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) predicts that due to the anticipated retirement of the “baby boomer” generation coupled with an expanded need for medical care across the United States, the need for nurses will expand 6% by 2032 (AACN, 2024). This need will be impeded by nurses leaving the profession due to feelings of a poor work environment, burnout and job dissatisfaction. Incivility in nursing has been shown to be a contributor to nurses leaving their current work environments or the profession of nursing entirely.

Incivility in nursing has roots in organizational psychology and has been shown …

The Experience Of Young Adult Caregivers Of Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices (Lvads), Amy Emmarco

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Advanced heart failure is a serious diagnosis that is associated with limited options at the end stage of the disease. Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) are mechanical circulatory support systems that can be used for patients with end stage heart failure. These devices are complex and require specialized training to manage. Visiting home care services are unable to provide support and the management responsibility falls solely on the patient and their designated caregiver. Young adults serve in this caregiving role and very little is known about their specific journey. The aim of the study was to understand the experience of …

Examining The Relationship Between Ethnocentrism, Perspective-Taking And Cultural Competence In Medical-Surgical Nurses, Lori Ann Palmieri

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This descriptive correlational study explored the relationships between cultural competence, ethnocentrism, and perspective-taking in practicing medical-surgical nurses living in the United States (US). Participants (N=111) were recruited from the New Jersey Board of Nursing (NJBON) and from the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses (AMSN). The survey consisted of three validated instruments a) the cultural competence assessment instrument (CCA-I); b) the generalized ethnocentrism scale (GENE); c) the perspective-taking (PT) subscale of the interpersonal reactivity index (IRI), and d) demographic profile questions. Data were collected via Qualtrics and analyzed with IBM SPSS Statistics (Version 28/29). Ethnocentrism and perspective-taking explained 30.2% of the variance …

Emergency Department Patient Navigator Post Chest Pain Diagnosis Discharge, Nancy Simoes

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Abstract The most common complaint seen in the Emergency Department, along with abdominal pain, is nonspecific chest pain. Often, these complaints cause prolonged lengths of stay in the ED, followed by hospital admissions and subsequent readmissions for various reasons. When thinking about these various reasons, the question for prevention of readmission comes to mind. What could we do as a department to keep patients from continuously using the Emergency Department as a primary point of care instead of outpatient facilities when necessary? Project Aim: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to initiate the need for a patient navigator …

Exploring The Perceptions Of English-Speaking West African Born Registered Nurse Graduates From United States Entry Level Nursing Programs Regarding Academic Factors That Contribute To Retention And Success In United States Nursing Programs, Afua Ampiaw

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: The United States (U. S.) population is becoming more racially and ethnically diverse. To ensure equity in healthcare access and outcomes between majority and majority populations, there is need for minority representation in the health professions including nursing to reflect their representation in the general population. Nevertheless, ethnic minorities are underrepresented in the nursing profession. One of the many issues identified to compound this problem is the lack of retention and success of ethnic minority people in U.S. nursing programs. While the English-Speaking West African (ESWA) population in the U.S. forms about 5% of the 45 million immigrant population …

Nurse Practitioner Role Perception, Job Satisfaction, And Anticipated Turnover In The Middle Atlantic States, Jenna R. Sabatino

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: The need for nurse practitioners (NPs) in the US has become very evident in recent years. However, the established significance of NPs in the healthcare system does not ensure that NPs are satisfied with their role. To date, no studies have examined NP job satisfaction in the Middle Atlantic States (MAS), which includes New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Only one study, thus far, has looked at NP role perception from the NPs own perspective, and was completed in the Midwest region of the US. Similarly, no studies have examined NP anticipated turnover the Mid-Atlantic region of the US. …

Evaluation Of Telemedicine As An Option For Providing Safe, Accessible, Care To Young Adults In A University Setting, Diane Lynch

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Previously underutilized, telemedicine has been implemented within a wide variety of health settings as a safe and efficient way of delivering healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. Maintaining operations during the pandemic made implementation of telemedicine an important aspect of college and university health center reopening plans. The purpose of this project was to evaluate the acceptance and quality of a telemedicine program implemented at the health center of a medium sized private university.

Data were collected via patient and staff surveys to measure satisfaction with the program and a retrospective review of electronic medical records was conducted to obtain data …

Promotion Of Heart Failure Self-Care In The Outpatient Setting, Meredith C. Lubas

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Medical management of chronic heart failure consists of a closely managed medication regimen, cardiovascular testing, interventions, and lifestyle modification, including self-care practices. While medication management, testing, and interventions have concrete guidelines, heart failure self-care education lacks solid guidelines and thus is often poorly defined and variable in practice. Outpatient heart failure treatment typically focuses on medication management more than self-care practices. This project addresses the current lack of heart failure self-care education in the outpatient setting.

For this project, a total of seven patients with heart failure with a reduced ejection fraction received a patient survey in order to assess …

Debriefing With Pearls & Watson’S Caritas, Heather A. Uccello

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Debriefing, an important aspect of students’ clinical experience, is a reflective, critical thinking analysis and communication strategy that provides rapid feedback after either a simulated or genuine clinical event. To teach this higher-level critical thinking skill throughout the learning process, nursing programs require specific methodology and faculty expertise. The National League for Nursing supports nurse educators having a theory-based strategy, formal training, and ongoing competency evaluation. Informed by Jean Watson’s Theory and the Promoting Excellence and Reflective Learning in Simulation standardized debriefing tool methodology, this project outlines a framework that nursing schools can use to potentially improve the debriefing process …

What Are The Nurse’S Perception Of The Effectiveness Of The Electronic Go-Jo Monitoring System On Hand Hygiene Compliance And Hospital Acquired Infection’S?, Patricia James

Seton Hall University DNP Final Projects

Background: The importance of hand hygiene compliance in preventing hospital acquired infections is well known. Yet national averages for compliance rates with hand hygiene among healthcare workers remains unsatisfactory. Noncompliance with hand hygiene practices can contribute to increased patient mortality, prolonged length of hospitalization, increase healthcare costs and decreased reimbursement for hospitals from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. Project Aim: The purpose of this quality improvement project was to explore the nurses’ perceptions of the effectiveness of the electronic Go-Jo monitoring system on hand hygiene compliance and hospital acquired infections. Methods: This was a performance …

Women With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Diabetes Self-Care, Diabetes Time Management, And Diabetes Distress, Lisa Summers-Gibson

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

This descriptive correlational study examined the relationships between and among diabetes self-care, diabetes time management, and diabetes distress in women with type 2 (T2DM). A gap of knowledge exists between these variables and this study, guided by Orem’s self-care theory, aimed to identify these relationships and predictors of diabetes self-care. The sample (N = 188) was comprised of predominately White (81.4%) women recruited from multiple office locations, community hospitals, and diabetes support groups predominately from the Mid-Atlantic Region (64.04%). Participants voluntarily participated by responding to flyers posted in data collection locations or by electronic survey disseminated by diabetes support group …

Application Of Jean Watson's Theory Of Transpersonal Caring In Nurses Practicing In A Pain Center, Patricia Malone Hubert

Seton Hall University DNP Final Projects

The aim of this project was to determine if an educational intervention utilizing Jean Watson’s Theory of Human Caring influences nurses’ level of awareness and practice of loving kindness to self and others. Watson’s paradigm of transpersonal caring is presented as a means to provide the compassionate care needed by patients with chronic pain, who are vulnerable to the comorbidities of depression and anxiety and often have poor outcomes. This quality improvement project was implemented with five Registered Nurses working in a pain center. A two-pronged intervention was structured to begin developing a Caritas Consciousness in Session 1 by focusing …

Teaching Compassionate Care: Nurse Educators' Perspectives, Jane Defazio

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: The provision of compassionate care to patients is a core competency expected of nurses, thus nurse educators must help students develop the necessary skills, understanding and motivation to achieve that competency. These educators face the challenge of preparing student nurses for the realities of healthcare delivery, while fostering a meaningful understanding of what constitutes compassionate care in professional practice. They can influence their students both during clinical interaction with patients and through the academic nursing curriculum.

Problem: A considerable amount of research has been published on the value of providing compassionate nursing care; however, there is only minimal research …

The Lived Experience Of Chemo Brain In Early Stage Breast Cancer In Women 50 And Under, Patricia A. Gibbons

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Cognitive deficits have been shown to affect those who have undergone treatment with chemotherapy. This is often referred to as chemo-brain. The purpose of this descriptive phenomenological study was to explore the lived experience of the chemo brain after undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. The study sample consisted of six women between the ages of 29 and 50 with early stage breast cancer. van Manen’s (1997) descriptive phenomenological method guided data analysis. The recurrent themes identified in this study were (1) Struggles with day to day life (2) Emotions related to diagnosis and treatment, (3) Fatigue (4) Coping and support, …

Competency Guide For Intrathecal Pump Nurses, Christine Tevlin

Seton Hall University DNP Final Projects

There is a strong need for healthcare providers to improve the quality of care, which benefits not only patients but the whole population. Due to the increasing cost of health insurance, society is forced to bear the cost of poor care for patients. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) stunned the nation in 1999 with, “To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System” which reported that between 44,000 and 98,000 people die each year from preventable medical errors (IOM, 1999). Since then there has been a move in the direction of accountability and quality care for patients. This change has …

Exploring The Prevalence Of Horizontal Violence In Nursing Between Magnet And Non-Magnet Hospitals, Cathleen Janzekovich

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Exploring the Prevalence of Horizontal Violence in Nursing Between Magnet and non-Magnet Hospitals

Cathleen Janzekovich

Seton Hall University

Dr. Genevieve Pinto-Zipp

Abstract

Statement of the Problem: The nurses work environment influences patient, nurse and organizations outcomes. The majority of the literature confirms that Magnet hospitals produce environments resulting in positive outcomes, however, the prevalence of horizontal violence (HV) within Magnet and non-Magnet hospitals is not clearly understood. To understand the frequency of HV within these two environments would provide nurse leaders insight into the bedside nurses work environment resulting in data that could improve the bedside RNs work environment and …

Implementation Of A Wellness Program To Address Health Disparities In A Vulnerable Population, Patricia Clark Pappas

Seton Hall University DNP Final Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to implement a Wellness program to address the health disparities in a vulnerable population. The population targeted was a local population that was served at a mental health facility for socioeconomically disadvantaged. The program focused on improving knowledge of cardiovascular health, empowerment and communication skills. Significance: The significance of the project is the improvement in ones wellness by provision of education, empowerment and communication skills. The attaining of these skills can translate into other areas of wellness and improved health outcomes. Populations at risk due to socioeconomic and racial differences can …

An Investigation Of The Relationships Between And Among Power, Trust And Job Satisfaction Of Nurse Managers In Acute Care Hospitals Using Rogers Science Of Unitary Human Beings, Maureen A. Schneider

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: Defined as control and freedom, power is often characterized as hierarchical. Power-as-freedom exists as a unitary manifestation of the whole and is acausal. Thus a worldview that emphasizes mutual process rather than a causal (control) view supports a culture of trust in the healthcare environment that generates a committed and a thriving work force. When nurse leaders support a climate of trust, managers develop a sense of commitment to the organization which may lead to job satisfaction. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence supporting the relationship between power, trust and job satisfaction among nurse managers.

Purpose: The …

The Relationships Between Patients’ Perceptions Of Nurse Caring Behaviors, Nurses’ Perceptions Of Nurse Caring Behaviors And Patient Satisfaction In The Emergency Department, Theresa Bucco

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: Approximately 100 million people seek care in Emergency Departments yearly, which can be overwhelming for many Emergency Department (ED) nurses. Thus, caring for these patients and meeting their needs is challenging for ED nurses. It is the patients’ perceptions of the first caring encounters in the ED that can have a significant impact on patient satisfaction.

Objective: The purpose of the study was to examine the relationships between patients’ perceptions of nurse caring behaviors, nurses’ perceptions of nurse caring behaviors, and patient satisfaction in the ED.

Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that examined the …

Exploration Of The Relationships Between And Among Role Strain, Faculty Stress, And Organizational Support For Clinical Nurse Faculty Faced With A Decision To Assign A Failing Grade, Jeannie Couper

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Despite a stressful process, Clinical Nurse Faculty (CNF) are ultimately responsible for assigning a grade indicating that a student successfully met clinical course outcomes and standards of safe practice required to progress (Amicucci, 2012). The purpose of this descriptive correlational study was to explore the relationships between perceived role strain (PRS), perceived faculty stress (PFS), and perceived organizational support (POS) for CNF who faced the decision to assign a failing grade to a student in a clinical practicum. A national sample of 390 predominantly full-time, female, experienced CNF teaching in undergraduate and graduate nursing programs completed the online survey consisting …

Exploring The Relationship Between Moral Distress And Coping In Emergency Nursing, Kathleen Evanovich Zavotsky

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Background: Emergency Department (ED) nurses practice in environments that are highly charged and unpredictable in nature and can precipitate conflict between the necessary prescribed actions and the individual’s sense of what is morally the right thing to do. As a consequence of multiple moral dilemmas ED staff nurses are at risk for experiencing distress and how they cope with these challenges may impact their practice.

Objectives: Is to examine moral distress in ED nurses and its relationship to coping in that specialty group.

Methods: Using survey methods approach. One hundred ninety eight ED nurses completed a moral distress, …

The Advanced Practice Nurse And Patient-Centered Medical Home: Maintaining Patient Focus, Meeting The Institute For Healthcare Improvement Triple Aim Through The Electronic Health Record, Aileen Teresa Twomey

Seton Hall University DNP Final Projects

The Federal Government enacted the Heath Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) in 2009, which incentivized providers to use electronic health records (EHR) for meaningful use (MU); the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) stems from the Act. Research by the National Council on Quality Assurance (NCQA) shows that primary care practices have a positive influence on the health of patients, families and communities. These positive influences are related to their ability to deliver first-contact access, and to develop long-term therapeutic relationships that focus on the person rather than the disease, improving patient health outcomes and reducing health care …