Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Commons^™

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 …

Exploring The Relationship Between Behavioral Health Early Prediction Model And Patient Outcomes In The Emergency Department, Karen M. Richendollar, Kathie M. Zimbro

Knowledge and Creativity Expo

Problem: Emergency departments (EDs) are increasingly utilized for mental health (MH) care, often resulting in overcrowding and delayed access to specialized services. A significant proportion of MH patients are discharged without a psychiatric consult, raising concerns about safety and readmission rates. This trend places additional strain on already limited behavioral health resources and contributes to care delays for patients in acute crisis. Moreover, the lack of standardized discharge criteria for MH patients increases variability in care and may compromise patient outcomes. Purpose: This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Behavioral Health Early Discharge Prediction Model (BHEDPM) in identifying MH patients …

The Impact Of High Deductible Health Plans On Mental Health Treatment, Kristian D. Dambrino, Laura Gray, R. David Phillippi

DNP Projects

Background and Rationale: High Deductible Health Plans (HDHPs) are designed to reduce overall healthcare spending by shifting more upfront costs to patients to discourage overutilization of care, yet HDHPs often increase financial burden, particularly in outpatient mental health care. Patients covered by HDHPs often face substantial out-of-pocket costs before reaching their deductible. This can lead to potential delays or discontinuation of psychiatric treatment. Financial transparency interventions by the mental health provider may mitigate these barriers through more-informed patient decision-making regarding payment options. This project evaluates the impact of a financial transparency intervention on reducing payment responsibility for HDHP patients in …

Development And Evaluation Of Trauma Informed Care Education For Licensed Nurses, Kristina O'Meara

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Trauma informed care nursing education is crucial. Trauma informed care is a method of providing health care which understands the likelihood of past and present traumatic events in patients and families. The experience of past or present trauma often led to chronic diseases, substance abuse disorder, fragmented health care, fears surrounding health care, chronic stress, and other negative health consequences. The purpose of this project is to increase licensed nurses’ awareness and ability to practice trauma informed care in clinical practice, as well as promote policy initiation within the health care facilities. Method planning integrated the Knowledge to Action Cycle. …

Comparisons Of Spiritual Well-Being, Psychological Well-Being, And Suicidal Ideation Between Usa And Taiwanese College Students, Pi-Ming Yeh Associate Professor, Cheng-Huei Chiao Professor, Jennchang Liou Professor

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Background: In Taiwan, there were 7,038 reports of attempted suicide among people aged 24 or younger in 2018. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older.

Purpose: In this study, we compared United States (US) and Taiwanese college students’ spiritual well-being, psychological well-being, and suicidal ideation.

Methods: A total of 661 college students (481 from the US and 180 from Taiwan) were recruited to complete the survey study. This was a cross-sectional comparative research design. SPSS 28.0 was used to do the data analysis. Chi-square …

Uncovering The Benefits Of Naturalistic Blue-Depleted Lighting In Hospitals: A Qualitative Study, Sam P. Cotton

Symposium of Student Scholars

With exponential technological advances, hospitals are tasked with prioritizing which expensive innovations truly impact as many patients as possible to give them the greatest chance of recovering and discharge them earlier. It is no surprise that most of the attention is focussed on pharmaceutical drugs and a variety of different equipment and machinery, but hospital facilities should look into simpler additions that can aid every patient admitted. The use of naturalistic blue-wavelength lighting is something that can benefit each patient’s recovery immensely. Multiple studies have proven positive effects that blue-depleted lighting compared to standard indoor fluorescent lighting has lowered stress …

Stress Management In Nursing To Prevent Burnout And Employee Retention, Megan Mayo, Lauren R. Barto, Megan B. Trout

Scholars Week

This project was based on the fact that there is a severe nursing shortage happening in the United States. On average, nurses can have four to eight patients at one time which makes a twelve hour shift almost unbearable due to the stress of keeping all of the patients alive and satisfied with the care they are receiving. During the pandemic, staffing shortages have become one of the main issues faced by healthcare workers across the nation. Due to the staffing shortages and COVID-19 precautions, nurses have not only been taking on more patients but also have increased their workload …

Increasing The Knowledge Of Opioid Use Disorder (Oud) And Medication Assisted Treatment (Mat) In Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (Aprns) In Georgia, Angela Queen Roberts, Jennifer Goldsberry Dnp, Msn, Fnp-Bc, Aprncne,, Gail Godwin Ph.D. Pmhnp-Bc,Cne, Sallie Coke Ph.D., Aprn, C-Pnp, C-Fnp, Pmhs

Graduate Research Showcase

The national opioid crisis has had devastating effects on the United States (US) healthcare system with the financial burden totaling more than $2 trillion from 2015 to 2018 (White House Government, 2020) and the physical burden of 128 overdose-related deaths daily (Centers for Disease Control, 2020). According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), some of these deaths are the result of deficits in education to healthcare providers about pain management treatment (CDC, 2020). Improved education for healthcare providers has resulted in a significant decline in the total number of opioid prescriptions from 2016-2019 which suggests that successful containment of …

The Impact Of A 12-Hour Shift Compared To An 8-Hour Shift On Nurse Health And Safety, Matthew Kramer, Andrea Howell, Kayla Kloes, Emmy Lam, Brittney Levy

Symposium of Student Scholars

Abstract

Background: An international healthcare concern is extensive shift length among registered nurses and the negative factors associated with nurse burnout. Cognitive impairment, medical errors, sleep deprivation, job dissatisfaction, and overall declined health and safety of nurses have been associated to long shift work hours among registered nurses globally. However, there is limited published evidence about the difference between 8-hour and 12-hour shift work.

Objective: This systematic review summarized evidence on the impact that 12-hour shifts compared to 8-hour shifts has on the health and safety of registered nurses.

Methods: PubMed, SCOPUS, EBSCOHost, NCBI, Google Scholar, and …

Assisting Nursing Students In Their Development Of Empathy: A Guide To Fostering Requisite Skills For The Art Of Empathetic Communication, Susan Mee

Open Educational Resources

This 7-week lesson plan is designed for use in clinical nursing courses. It is designed specifically for use by Nursing faculty teaching in the absence of state required patient facing clinical opportunity due to COVID restrictions. The lesson plan describes pedagogical techniques and provides video and education OER resources designed to help support the development of empathetic communication skills over 7 weeks. Refection and video debriefing techniques will be employed. Role play will culminate in the group presentation project of a brief video modeling effective therapeutic empathetic communication.

Implementing Mandatory Psychiatric Training For Medical-Surgical Nurses, Hannah Berry

Scholars Week

Hospitals worldwide experience poor outcomes for patients with mental illnesses. Psychiatric patients have a lesser likelihood of surviving a particular illness than does a person with that same illness who does not have a psychiatric comorbidity. This is a bleak reality that nurses have the unique opportunity to influence for the better. Destigmatizing mental illness is perhaps the largest component of stepping toward this goal. Our nurses being more educated on the nature of mental illnesses—their signs, symptoms, and common treatments—will improve care outcomes for patients who suffer from them. Not only should we educate nurses on mental illness for …

Implementation Of Music Therapy To Reduce Anxiety In Icu Patients, Calley Womack

Scholars Week

Current practice in intensive care units regarding anxiety commonly results in administration of an anxiolytic, which can potentially increase patient’s time admitted, increase costs due to adverse effects, and decrease patient involvement in care. An analysis of multiple research studies was conducted to explore the best practice for management of anxiety, particularly the implementation of music therapy. Studies have been conducted on the implementation of music therapy to reduce levels of anxiety in patients on intensive care floors. Specifically, extensive research with music therapy has been conducted on patients receiving ventilation in the ICU. Consequentially, these studies have shown that …

Recommending That School Nurses Provide Mental Health Screenings To Students, Mariah Dufault

Scholars Week

Childhood mental health issues not being identified early, caused by a lack of knowledge and awareness in childhood mental health, can lead to lifelong debilitating issues. The Center for Disease Control states, “Mental disorders among children are described as serious changes in the way children typically learn, behave, or handle their emotions, which cause distress and problems getting through the day” (CDC 2020). These issues can lead to negative self-worth, a lack of ambition, thoughts of self-harm, aggression towards others, and suicidal ideations. Studies have even shown that, “Half of adults with mental health disorders report or have been shown …

Preventing Falls-Interventions In Geriatric Psychiatry Patients: An Overview Of Current Literature, Samantha Beckwith

MaineHealth Maine Medical Center

PREVENTING FALLS-INTERVENTIONS IN GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY PATIENTS: AN OVERVIEW OF CURRENT LITERATURE

Samantha Beckwith, BSN, RN, PMH-BC, P6

Background: The Inpatient Psychiatry unit at Maine Medical Center (P6) is a 21-bed unit specializing in geriatric and medical psychiatry. The majority of patients have a primary diagnosis of Dementia with Behavioral Disturbance. The unit features 12 double occupancy rooms and one single occupancy room, as well as a large activity room. Patients participate in a therapeutic milieu in which they are encouraged to interact with other patients in common areas and ambulate around the unit. The average number of patients is 19.6 …

Prison And Its Effects On The Health Outcomes Of Hiv Positive Black Men Post Incarceration, Samuel Gaines

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Prison and its Effects on the Health Outcomes of HIV Positive Black Men Post Incarceration

Samuel T. Gaines

Faculty Sponsor: Young-Me Lee, PhD, RN

Background: With an estimation that one in three Black men will be incarcerated in their lifetime and that incarcerated Black men are five times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV than their white counterparts, there is little information as to what factors affect their health outcomes post-incarceration.

Objectives: The purpose of this literature review is to use current research to explore the factors affecting the negative health outcomes of HIV positive African American men post-incarceration. …

The Effectiveness Of Psychotherapy In The Treatment Of Postpartum Depression, Elisa De Feo

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

ABSTRACT

Background: Suicide is the second leading cause of death in postpartum women making it a major health priority. Lack of diagnosis, recognition of symptoms, and proactive treatment of postpartum depression (PPD) can lead to devastating effects on the mother and child such as harm or death. The intervention of psychotherapy is recommended as a first line treatment for PPD and is a means by which PPD can be reduced or avoided altogether. This integrative literature review seeks to discover if there is an opportune time in which to initiate psychotherapy interventions in order to reduce or prevent PPD development …

An Exploration Of Why Healthcare Professionals Under-Report Observed Patient Aggression, Sydney Bonta

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

An Exploration of Why Healthcare Professionals Under-Report Observed Patient Aggression

Authors: Sydney Bonta & Lisa L. Scherer, Ph.D.

Advisor: Lisa L. Scherer, Ph.D.

According to the 2011 US Bureau of Justice Statistics report, medical professionals experienced the third highest proportion of workplace violence (WPV), with violence primarily emanating from patient. In a national survey of nurses employed in hospitals, 76% stated that they had encountered some sort of violence in their workplace (Speroni, Fitch, Dawson, Dugan, Atherton, & Leesburg, 2014). Similarly, patient aggression against physicians has long been a problem (Morrison, Lantos, Levinson, 1998). Despite this widespread exposure to WPV …

Barriers To Providing Psychiatric Care Within Cook County Public Health System: An Integrative Literature Review, Elizabeth Ann Reuter

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Abstract

Background: Cook County Public Health Systems located in Cook County, Illinois, are responsible for providing free and low cost psychiatric care to thousands of residents despite continuing state and federal budget cuts and inadequate Medicaid reimbursements. This not only financially strains county taxpayers, but it also limits treatment options, negatively impacts patients, and places an extreme burden on the public service workforce.

Objectives: The purpose of this integrative literature review was to identify the major barriers of providing psychiatric care within Cook County Public Health Systems.

Method: An integrative literature review was conductedusing the databases of Academic Search …

Recommended Interventions To Address The Education-Practice Gap In Mental Health Nursing: An Integrated Literature Review, Marlena D'Agostin

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Abstract

Background: Mental health is all encompassing and is widely prevalent in the U.S. population, demonstrating a need for effective care for patients in the mental health setting. There is a gap, however, in providing the highest quality of care within this setting named the theory-practice gap. The theory-practice gap creates a barrier in translating knowledge that is being taught in the classroom to what is used in clinical practice.

Objectives: The purpose of this integrative literature review was to investigate the theory-practice gap in mental health nursing through the implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP) in the clinical practice setting …

The Grace Peterson Research Colloquium, [email protected] Annerino, Katherin Winingham

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Background: Research suggests that a large number of prisoners in the United States suffer from mental illness, with a portion actively psychotic at any given time. Though it is a constitutional right for prisoners to receive adequate mental health care, most correctional facilities in the country do not provide appropriate treatment.

Objectives: To explore what research has been conducted regarding the treatment of mental illness, specifically schizophrenia, in the US prison system and plans to improve the inadequacies.

Methods: This integrative literature review was conducted using the following keywords and phrases: schizophrenia in prison, schizophrenia in jail, psychosis in …

Maternal Psychological Distress And Cortsiol, Jenna Schroeder

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Abstract

Background: Previous studies have reported associations between prenatal maternal distress and negative health outcomes for the unborn. There are gaps within this body of knowledge and inconsistencies in the research which make the relevant relationships unclear. If changes in maternal cortisol cause alterations in fetal development, it is important to gain an adequate understanding of how, and if, maternal psychological distress predicts maternal cortisol levels. This study is an integrative literature review that looks at the research investigating a connection between maternal psychological distress and maternal cortisol levels during pregnancy. Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) Transactional Model of Stress and …

The Role Of Spirituality Among Schizophrenia Patients: An Integrated Literature Review, Sarah Bieber

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Abstract

Background: Over the past 30 years, the field of psychology has evolved to become more receptive towards spirituality as an influential concept in the recovery of many mental health illnesses. The role of spirituality as it relates to recovery for patients living with schizophrenia, however, has not been effectively explored. In order to induce a spiritual sense, one must have an ability to think and reflect abstractly; however, this requirement conflicts with the schizophrenic mind’s preference for concrete thinking. It is questionable whether patients with schizophrenia regard the role of spirituality as it relates to their recovery in the …

The Benefits Of And Barriers To Psychiatric Advance Directive Implementation, Lauren Haindfield

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

The Benefits of and Barriers to Psychiatric Advance Directive Implementation

Lauren Haindfield

Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Barbara Harris

Background: Psychiatric advance directives can be beneficial for patients with mental disorders, but their implementation is limited in large part due to a knowledge gap.

Objectives: The purpose of this integrative literature review was to identify both the benefits of and barriers to psychiatric advance directives.

Methods: This integrative literature review used the databases of CINAHL, PubMEd, and PsychInfo. Search terms included pad implementation, barriers to pad implementation, psychiatric advanced directives, benefits of psychiatric advanced directives, and current pad practices.

Results: PAD implementation …

Barriers To Medication-Assisted Opioid Recovery: An Integrative Review Of Literature, Emily Miller

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Abstract

Background: Opioid addiction has become one of the fastest growing epidemics sweeping the world, but despite the use of opioid agonist medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with methadone or buprenorphine having been found to be one of the most effective methods for treatment of this epidemic, there is still a significant gap between the number of people that need MAT and the number of people that actually receive MAT.

Objective: The purpose of this integrative literature review is to explore the barriers that prevent many addicts from receiving MAT and to identify strategies that may assist in eliminating these barriers in …

Adverse Psychological Effects Of Patients In Medical Isolation Due To Healthcare-Associated Infections, Kristin Brill

Grace Peterson Nursing Research Colloquium

Background: Patients placed in medical isolation due to healthcare-associated infections experience adverse psychological effects that can impact their quality of life.

Objectives: The purpose of this integrative literature review was to identify the adverse effects of patients in medical isolation as well as explore coping strategies that can be used to decrease these adverse effects.

Method: An integrative literature review was conducted using the databases of CINAHL, PsychInfo, PubMed, and PsychArticles. Search terms included adverse effects, negative effects, effects, adverse outcomes, negative outcomes, isolation precautions, contact isolation, droplet isolation, airborne isolation, isolation, coping and psychology.

Results: Five common adverse psychological …

Understanding Autism, Kaileigh J. Sweeney

Senior Honors Projects

Understanding Autism

Kaileigh Sweeney

Faculty Sponsor: Carolyn Hames

Autism spectrum disorders are greatly misunderstood in today’s society.  In the United States, it is estimated that 1 in 110 children are diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder.  Despite this high prevalence, a great deal of the population is under the impression that a diagnosis of autism is straight forward and indicative of one set of devastating signs and symptoms.  However, the severity of this disorder can range from mild to severe. According to the National Institute of Health, an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a range of complex neurodevelopment disorders characterized …