Pediatric Nursing Commons^™

Historical Development Of Vaccines And The Public's Response, Kristen Montgomery, Samantha Prince Bsn, Rn, Melissa Ealey Bsn, Rn, Jarrad Morelock Bsn, Rn, Shelby Johnson Bsn, Rn, Kokeshia Crosby Bsn, Rn, Stephanies Himes Bsn, Rn, Theresia Hinton Bsn, Rn

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Purpose: Vaccines, which have become one of the most important medical accomplishments in the prevention of communicable diseases, have a history that dates to the use of variolation as early as the 11th century. The purpose of this study is to explore the historical development of vaccines and to determine the characteristics that emerged when new vaccines were developed.

Aims: The specific aim of this study is to understand if all vaccines have been received about the same by the general public or if there are certain different or diverse characteristics associated with the introduction of different vaccines.

Methods: A …

Mindfulness-Based Therapy For The Treatment Of Anxiety In Adolescents, Alicia Lemaster

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Abstract

Adolescent anxiety disorders represent a significant and growing public health concern, with increasing prevalence and associated functional impairment. Traditional treatments, including cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and pharmacologic interventions, are effective but often limited by barriers such as access, stigma, and adherence. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have emerged as a promising alternative or adjunctive approach to address anxiety symptoms in adolescents. The purpose of this literature review is to evaluate the effectiveness of structured mindfulness-based therapy programs in reducing anxiety symptoms among adolescents compared to usual care. A systematic literature search was conducted using databases including PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO, focusing …

Mental Health First Aid Training In K-12 Schools, Jenna L. Workman, Brianna L. Schierberg, Grace H. Sullivan, Erin Robinson

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The increasing prevalence of mental health challenges among school-aged children has become a rising public health concern. Recent data indicates that nearly 70% of schools report heightened mental health problems among students, with anxiety and depression being most common (National Center for Education Statistics, 2024). The purpose of this capstone project is to raise awareness of mental health issues in K–12 public schools and to increase faculty and staff confidence in recognizing and assisting students experiencing mental health difficulties through nurse-led Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training. Using Peplau’s Interpersonal Relations Theory as a guiding framework, this project emphasizes the …

How Ot Is Improving Aspects Of Daily Living In Children With Asd: An Integrated Review, Elizabeth Mearse, Reagan Mcgee, Elshaday Solomon, Zoe Curtis, Larissa Brooks

Student Scholar Symposium

This presentation aims to show how affective Occupational therapy is in improving aspects of daily living in children under 18.

Emergence Delirium In Post-Op Pediatric Patients With Pharmacological And Non-Pharmacological Care: An Integrative Review, Ava Yune, Chloe Renaldi, Morgan Taylor, Jennarose Rangel, Alysa Penicaro

Student Scholar Symposium

No abstract provided.

Sugar Sweetened Beverages And Dental Caries Prevalence In Children: An Integrative Review, Caroline Carr, Hailey Servin, Jada Davita, Addie Clementz, Bekah Doolittle

Student Scholar Symposium

Are children who consume sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) at increased risk for dental caries compared with children who don’t consume high SSBs during childhood? It has been previously established that children who consume (SSBs) are at an increased risk for dental caries. Nonetheless, we raise the question again to consider the current literature and statistical analyses of current trends. Are American children consuming fewer SSBs and subsequently developing fewer dental caries since before 2000? We are investigating this question to discover if the relationship between SSB consumption and the development of dental caries in children is a continued problem among children …

Importance Of Sustainability Within Children’S Hospitals, Ashley Newby

Student Scholar Symposium

Author: Ashley Newby

Presentation Type: Poster

Faculty Mentor: G. Dodd Galbreath

Discipline: Sustainability and Pediatric Nursing

Importance of Sustainability within Children’s Hospitals

Sustainability is an important aspect of every environment that one encounters. For pediatric patients entering a children’s hospital, it is probably not something that is important and at the top of their list when looking for healthcare. However, sustainable children’s hospitals have not only their patients as their first priority, but they also take the earth into account. Some might not realize that they are walking into a sustainable children’s hospital unless someone tells them.

Topics include:

-Look …

Implementation Of No Wake Times, Chloe Martin, Drew Mullinax

Scholars Week

Hospitalized patients frequently experience poor sleep quality due to clinical activities that occur during typical sleeping hours such as vital sign checks and medication administration. These nighttime disruptions negatively impact patient recovery times and decrease patient satisfaction. This evidence-based practice evaluated if restructuring nighttime clinical activities would minimize sleep disturbances and improve sleep quality in hospitalized patients. Patient surveys were used to assess the frequency of nighttime awakenings as well as the different sources of these awakenings. Interventions included moving nighttime clinical activities (blood pressure checks and medication administrations) to not be done during the hours of 10pm to 5am …

The Impact Of Physical Activity On Mental Health Disorders In Children, Brianna E. Ryan

Research & Creative Achievement Day

Purpose - The purpose of this project is to highlight the effects physical activity has on children's mental health and to provide evidence-based insights on ways physical activity can and should be incorporated into the developmental stages of children's lives. Ultimately, the goal being to promote healthier and improved mental health statuses for the younger populations.

Introduction - The mental health crises among children are on the rise as more children each year are diagnosed with mental health conditions. It has been found that around 20% of children ages five through seventeen regularly experience symptoms of mental health disorders and …

Benefits To Swaddle Bathing, Brenna Dotson, Kori Redden, Cassidy Payne

Scholars Week

Swaddle bathing is a technique that entails bathing an infant while they are comforted in a swaddle. This technique is rarely seen in everyday hospital practice, even though there is ample evidence of its benefits and advantages. Our project aimed to combine research proving the effectiveness of swaddle bathing through scoring methods that consider pain, vital signs, temperature, crying duration, and more. The research is combined to support the impact that swaddle bathing can have on not only infants but parents as well. Parents implementing the swaddle bath enjoy improved confidence and attachment, along with decreased stress. The evidence was …

Cultural Education Interventions Impact On Cultural Competence, Kaylie V. Griffin Ms

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Problem: In the United States, there is a substantial increase in diversity. This increase in diversity poses multiple challenges for healthcare workers and healthcare systems. Because nurses care for patients with various cultural backgrounds, health beliefs and practices, and languages, cultural competency plays a pivotal role in providing patient-centered care. There is a need to enhance cultural education for healthcare workers to ensure that healthcare workers have the skills and knowledge to effectively engage with all patient populations. Implementing cultural education interventions seeks to increase healthcare workers' competency, communication, and patient outcomes. Purpose: The purpose of this research question is …

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

Scholars Week

No abstract provided.

Reducing Burnout Among Pediatric Oncology Nurses, Karlie Devore, Madison Jarvis

Scholars Week

No abstract provided.

Effects Of Same Sex Parenting, Erin Hermann

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Ensuring the safety and welfare of children has a lasting effect on society. As we progress to a more inclusive concept of what constitutes a family, the effect of same sex parenting (SSP) must be considered.

Health related outcomes describing the advantages, disadvantages and unique challenges experienced by this population is surprisingly robust.

The Benefits And Use Of Intranasal Versed (Midazolam) In Pediatric Patients Requiring Procedural Sedation And Seizure Cessation In The Emergency Department, Coleman Austin, Madison Simmons

Scholars Week

Pediatric emergency department’s across the country have developed specific methods for treating injuries and illnesses in the pediatric population. However, many adult emergency departments that treat pediatric patients have outdated methods for treating children who come through their doors. A great example of this would be the current standard of care for pediatric patients who are in need of some form of sedation for treatment. Many adult emergency departments currently will use moderate to deep sedation techniques for treatment that should typically only require light sedation, like for lacerations and imaging scans. After lots of research, it seems that where …

Screenings To Decrease Pediatric Suicide, Jordan Bridges, Dana Schildmeyer, Amanda Austin, Laura Boesken

Posters-at-the-Capitol

This project aimed to examine the current practice related to mental health and depression screenings in pediatric patients. The benefits of implementing screening in schools in identifying depression and suicide risks sooner were also considered. This project focused on the correlation between earlier mental health screening and identification of these mental health disorders earlier in the life of pediatric patients and suicide rates. Current, published literature notes mental health screening in the pediatric population in schools is an effective method to facilitate monitoring and early intervention in detecting a mental illness. Schools implementing mental health screenings can result in increased …

Can Non-Pharmacological Interventions Effectively Reduce Anxiety And Pain In Chronic Pediatric Patients?, Kiara Harvey

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Pediatric anxiety and pain have been historically poorly managed. The failure of providers to adequately address medically-induced anxiety and pain in pediatric patients has been shown to prevent them from proactively seeking medical care in the future and has been linked with both altered brain development and increased risk of opioid abuse. Furthermore, poorly managed pain leads to sustained levels of cortisol and exposes patients to several long-term health risks like hypertension. Because non-pharmacological interventions are often preferred by providers, patients, and their caregivers, this research question poses an exploration of the efficacy of non-traditional methods in alleviating procedure-related …

Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury Spasticity Interventions, Zola Lopeman

Symposium of Student Scholars

Muscle spasticity is a common spinal cord injury sequela that causes muscle stiffness, spasms, and painful involuntary contractions. Spasticity can result in difficulty walking, deformed joints, lack of head control, and impairment performing activities of daily living. Spasticity is dynamic and often requires a multifaceted approach to manage symptoms and achieve patient goals. The leading treatment for spasticity is oral Baclofen. Additional treatment methods include electrical stimulation and phenol injections. Oral baclofen is frequently prescribed in combination with these.

Research suggests SCI induced spasticity can cause changes in the muscle. Thus, it is important to assess neural and muscle impacts …

High Anxiety In Pediatric Oncology Patients? What About Art Therapy?, Rebekah Love

Symposium of Student Scholars

Anxiety and depression are becoming more prevalent in the pediatric population today. In addition to the general pediatric population experiencing an increased risk of mental illness, children with an oncology related diagnosis have an even heightened risk. Most pediatric oncology patients reported fear or worry daily, which is cited to be most severe when they had an appointment or went to the hospital for a fever. It is imperative we discover interventions to lessen the anxiety and depression pediatric oncology patients experience daily. A literature review revealed conclusive interventions have not been determined. The purpose of this research is to …

Reducing Skin Injury And Breakdown In Neonatal Patients, Emily Herring

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

The integumentary system is known for being the body’s largest organ, comprised of water, fats, protein, and minerals, for which composition plays a significant role in protecting the body against thermal, chemical, and microbial agents. However, the skin’s functionality is reduced in neonates as the stratum corneum is thin at birth due to diminished water-holding capacity (Oranges et al., 2015). The skin’s fragility is further stressed among preterm neonates and newborns in neonatal intensive-care units (NICU) due to medical status, procedures, and exposure to skin irritants (Visscher et al., 2009). Reduction in skin injury and breakdown in NICU patients …

Effectiveness Of Distraction Techniques In Reducing Pain And Anxiety During Pediatric Venipuncture, Gina Hernandez

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Venipuncture is consistently identified as one of the most painful and feared experiences of hospitalized children, often resulting in traumatic memories and resistance to future procedures. Currently, standard practice for pediatric venipuncture involves physical restraint, either by another person or by utilizing a restrictive tool. This proposal will explore the efficacy of various distraction techniques in mitigating pain and anxiety experienced by pediatric patients undergoing venipuncture. Current research shows that procedural pain and anxiety can be significantly reduced by implementing distraction techniques such as bubble-blowing, deep breathing, audiovisual distraction, and immersive virtual reality. Effectiveness of each technique varies based …

Educating Parents On Infant Safe Sleep To Reduce Sleep-Related Deaths, Marleni Cervantes

Symposium of Student Scholars

During my pediatric clinical rotation, I saw parents practicing unsafe sleeping practices with their infants. Infants would sleep with their pillows, blankets and in non-supine positions. There are around 3000 sleep related infant deaths annually in the United States (Patrick et al., 2021). To combat this issue a safe sleep education program should be implemented in labor and delivery and NICU units to ensure parents are getting the proper training before discharge. Parents will attend an education program before discharging from the hospital. The program will be completed in 2 days to ensure the parents are able to ask questions …

Best Practice For Confirmation Of Nasogastric Tube Placement In Pediatric Patients, Joey Gondhalekar, Hannah Baines, Jacob Barcenas, Kaci Giles, Katie Crocker

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Background: Nasogastric (NG) tubes are used to provide nutrition or charcoal to patients who cannot swallow or are intubated. For pediatric patients, auscultation confirmation is often used to confirm placement despite the evidence that x-ray confirmation is a more accurate way to confirm placement. Incorrect placement leads to incidents of higher rates of healthcare acquired infections, financial strain on the hospital, and longer lengths of stay for patients.

Objectives: The objective of this evidence-based review is to review relevant published studies in determining the best practice for confirmation of NG tubes in pediatric patients.

Methods: A database search was …

Psychiatric Medications: Does Education Affect Medication Prescriptions?, Surina M. Narine, Mary D. Ramos, Sarah Chu

Symposium of Student Scholars

Background: There is a lack of research on racial challenges among underrepresented adolescents regarding prescription drug use for mental illnesses. Purpose: This study addressed the following question: In adolescent minorities, how does education about racial disparity and culture affect the stigma and number of prescriptions written for psychiatric medications? This evidence-based practice project aimed to identify if racial awareness directly impacts the amount of psychiatric medication prescribed for adolescent minorities. Methods: Literature reviews analyzed qualitative and quantitative data to provide correlating information on racial disparities and psychotropic medications. This study examined the following possible factors for decreased prescribed drugs within …

Everyday Ethics And Equity At The Bedside, Shika Kalevor, Angie Knackstedt

Research Days

Background: Traditional bioethics training, although important, may not be completely suited to the nursing role. In contrast to traditional clinical ethics, which focuses on healthcare dilemmas, everyday ethics focuses on routine clinical encounters between clinicians, patients, and families and may be better suited to help nurses address issues such as bias and racism at the bedside.

Objectives/Goal: This study aims to provide a data-backed approach to ethics education for nurses as it pertains to improvements in the understanding of Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) efforts in healthcare. This study also provides an opportunity for the field of bioethics to provide …

Implementation Of An Adhd Electronic Portal In Pediatric Primary Care, Heather Cathey

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) recommend documentation of symptom scales and comorbidity screenings at the time of diagnosis and routinely throughout care. Rates of documentation for these tools in pediatric primary care are consistently low, creating a gap in care that impairs diagnosis, management, and patient outcomes. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to implement an online ADHD portal that emails, collects and scores these tools. The aims of the project are to improve utilization of CPGs by increasing documentation rates of symptom scales and comorbidity screenings for pediatric patients with ADHD. One …

Pediatric Depression, Emily Farkas

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Abstract

Introduction and Background

Many people in the pediatric population are be brushed off and misdiagnosed when it comes to depression. I decided to research into pediatric depression and how the effects of their peers, parents, and exposure to violence correspond with depression and how it effects their daily life.

Purpose Statement

The purpose of this literature review is to systematically and critically appraise current literature to examine the associations between pediatric depression and sleep issues, exposure to violence, peer relationships, and parental criticism.

Literature Review

For this literature review I gathered a total of 5 articles which are included …

Lgbt Community And Mental Health, Danielle Schleeter

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Introduction and Background: Today, in 2022, there is a community that receives discrimination, lack of acceptance, and lack of equality. This is the LGBTQ community. They suffer from the indifferences of the way they express themselves resulting in a rise of mental health issues and overall health disparities.

Purpose Statement: The purpose of this review is to explore the disparities in mental health for the LGBT community including young adolescents and older adults. The question that drives this review is how does being a member of the LGBT community effect mental health.

Literature Review: This literature review utilized search engines …

Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Treatment Effects On Neurocognitive Development, Peyton Lee Crowder

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Introduction

The problem at hand is understanding if pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment affects neurocognitive function or development. As the children battle ALL and are given treatments such as cranial radiation therapy and chemotherapy, they are having issues later on in life because the treatment regimens are very strong and are given during a crucial period of development.

Purpose Statement and Question

Does one pediatric treatment option affect neurocognitive development more than another later in life?

Literature Review

Research was conducted online via Google Scholar and East Tennessee State University Library database. Key terms used were pediatric ALL and …

Reducing Pediatric Procedural Pain Using Virtual Reality, Emily Davis, Carmen Bandy

Scholars Week

Above all else, children require stability in their lives in order to develop a healthy perspective of the world. Feelings of instability can come from something as small as a change in schools. In the practice of pediatric medicine it is especially important to avoid these feelings of instability, which can lead children to develop healthcare-anxiety. Healthcare settings can be exceptionally emotionally taxing to children, because the children have a complete lack of control over their environment. This lack of control combined with fear and potentially pain can be incredibly distressing. While it is easy to disregard a child’s anxiety …