Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing Commons^™

Addressing Anxiety In Hospitalized Adults Using A Music Intervention, Raina M. Rochon

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: The practice problem is anxiety related to hospitalization among adults in an acute care setting. Increased anxiety can lead to other issues while hospitalized including disruptive behaviors.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In hospitalized medical-surgical adults (P), how does the implementation of a music intervention as an adjunct to standard distraction techniques (I) compared to standard care (C) affect symptoms of anxiety as observed by the rate of behavior de-escalation team calls (O) within eight weeks (T)?

Evidence: There were five systematic reviews, four systematic reviews with meta-analysis with high level of …

An Evaluation Of Mindstrong™ Implementation With Graduate Nursing Students, Angela B. Sabblut

Dissertations

Problem: Nursing graduate students are at increased risk of greater stress, anxiety, and depression (Hoying, 2020; Melnyk et al., 2020). Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the gold standard in the treatment of anxiety and depression (Hoying et al., 2020; Melnyk et al., 2015; Melnyk et al., 2020). MINDSTRONG™, a CBT-based training program, has been proven in many studies to be effective in helping individuals prevent or cope with these issues (The Ohio State University College of Nursing, 2020).

Methods: This Quality Improvement (QI) project was a descriptive-observational, pre-post design. Sample and setting were nursing graduate students from a Midwestern, middle-sized urban, …

The Effects Of The Transition From Pre-Nursing To Nursing On Mental Health, Andrew J. Davis, Paige R. Mullins, Kimberly A. Sell

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Mental health is an ever-growing crisis among adolescents and young adults, with suicide as second leading cause of death and the number of those negatively affected continually on the rise. Transitions are one of the major stressors prevalent among these age groups, placing individuals at risk for mental health deficits. This quantitative voluntary response comparative study assesses the transitional mental health of pre-nursing students and students in the nursing program at East Tennessee State University. Emailed to all with a declared major of pre-nursing or nursing, this study measured mental health using evidenced based assessment tools. The PHQ-9 for depression …

Dnp Final Report: Seal The Deal In Dementia Care, Christian D. Garrett

DNP Final Reports

Background: Individuals with dementia are often burdened with behavioral problems, which augment health care costs and burden of disease. Treatment of behavioral symptoms with pet therapy is acknowledged to be emotionally beneficial. Robotic pets have demonstrated similar promising effects without the undesirable outcomes of traditional pet therapy. Robotic pet therapy offers an effective replacement to traditional pet therapy.

Objective: The DNP scholarly project rigorously appraises the effectiveness of the SAR, PARO, an FDA approved biofeedback device, for non-pharmacological treatment of dementia-related symptoms.

Methods: An experimental design with repeated measures guided the study. Pre- and post- measures included reliable, valid tools …

Dnp Final Report: Psychosocial Screening For Oncology Patients, Robyn V. Beard

DNP Final Reports

Background: Patients with cancer often face severe distress related to fear of death, body disfigurement, financial stress, and lack of support system. This distress may lead to physical and emotional symptoms that bring patients to seek care at emergency departments, delay care or make poor health choices, and increase utilization of prescription drugs. With the already over burdened healthcare system, addressing these psychosocial needs is vital to improving patients outcomes as well as improving healthcare expenditure. Purpose: The purpose of this evidence based practice project was to improve perceived quality of life for oncology patients through detailed screening and behavioural …

Utilization Of The Calm Apparatus To Adult Men And Women With Atrial Fibrillation To Decrease Emergency Department Visits For Atrial Fibrillation, Ami Klein

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

The purpose of this project is two-fold. The first is to determine if the CALM APP use by adult men and women with atrial fibrillation (AF) will decrease anxiety. The second is to determine if decreased anxiety utilizing the CALM APP will deter admissions to the emergency department (ED) for AF in the first month post-catheter ablation of AF. The Zung SAS was used to determine the pre- and post-anxiety scores. The Seven Days of Calm (free app) was used to teach deep breathing and meditation. This study showed a moderate decrease in ED visits with use of the Calm …

The Rhythm Of Your Life: The Effects Of Daily Routine On Mental Health, Kristen Brown

Graduate Research Projects

No abstract provided.

Social Media Use And Mental Health: An Educational Intervention To Reduce Depression And Anxiety In Adolescents, Natalie Catlett

DNP Projects

Background: Most adolescents spend a great deal of their time using various social media platforms. However, excessive and maladaptive social media use is correlated with worsening symptoms of depression and anxiety among adolescents.

Objective: This project aimed to determine whether an educational intervention could help decrease overall time spent using social media and improve mood and mental health outcomes among adolescents with depression or anxiety disorders.

Methods: This was a quasi-experiment with a pretest and posttest design. An educational intervention about the relationship between social media use and symptoms of depression and anxiety among adolescents and strategies to minimize risk …

Anxiety And Depression Among Students Using Tobacco In A Selected College Of Sonitpur District, Assam: A Crosssectional Study, Monalisa Saikia, Nurnahar Ahmed, Arunjyoti Baruah

Manipal Journal of Nursing and Health Sciences

Introduction: Tobacco use is one of the major public health concerns around the world, accounting for many deaths and disabilities. The use of tobacco is linked to many physical and mental ailments. A large population of adolescents are enrolled in colleges and universities in India, making them a vulnerable population for the use and abuse of tobacco. Objective: The objective of this study is to assess the level of anxiety and symptoms of depression among college-going students who consume tobacco. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional approach was selected for the study. The purposive sampling technique was used to select college students …

Psychological Distress During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Nursing Students: A Mixed Methods Study, Mayantoinette Watson

Dissertations

During such an unprecedented time of the largest public health crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, nursing students are of the utmost concern regarding their psychological and physical well-being. Questions are emerging and circulating about what will happen to the nursing students and the long-term effects of the pandemic, especially now that hospitals are being overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases and patients as well as a significant need for nursing staff (Jividen, 2020). Expectations, demands, change, and the fear of the unknown during this unprecedented time can only contribute to the many stressors that accompany nursing students through laborious clinical and didactic courses …

Evaluation Of Depression, Anxiety And Stress In Graduate Nursing Students, Rachel Dunston

Dissertations

Mental health issues are growing in the United States. Postgraduate school is widely known to increase the level of psychological difficulties (Dyrbye et al., 2006) experienced by students. There is a need to address mental health care in graduate nursing students. This project was a descriptive observational comparison pre-post-intervention design used to see if online modes of delivery would aid in decreasing mental health issues for nursing graduate students. Participants were provided with access to three podcasts and encouraged to use the Sanvello mobile application provided to all students at this university. The first podcast focused on using the Sanvello …

Resilience 101: A Resilience Education Intervention For College Freshmen, Angie Childre

Graduate Research Showcase

This evidence-based project sought to evaluate resilience in freshmen college students enrolled in a Bridge scholar program (BSP) in a liberal arts university in the southeastern United States. The American College Health Association (ACHA) found that stress and anxiety were the top two indicators for impacting academics in 2019 and had been at the top since 2009 at the university of study (ACHA, 2019). The study used a pretest and posttest design method with the implementation of a five-week resilience education intervention. The research questions (Q1-5) were: Q1: What effect did the intervention have on BSP student's resilience? Q2: What …

Addressing Psychosocial Outcomes Of Social Isolation In Older Adults, Megan Friesen, Madeline M. Christensen

Nursing DNP Projects

Purpose and Rationale

The aim of the evidence-based practice (EBP) project is to improve psychological outcomes for socially isolated older adults enrolled in a Homebound Program (HP) through the implementation of an EBP intervention. Social isolation has a multitude of negative consequences, including impacting the psychological health (e.g. depression, loneliness, anxiety) of the older adult population.

Synthesis of Evidence

Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and randomized controlled trials addressing the clinical problem of social isolation were identified. Through critical appraisal of the evidence, physical activity, psychotherapy, and socialization interventions have shown to decrease depression and loneliness in older adults. There were mixed …

The Outcomes Of Cope, A Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Program, In Patients Awaiting Lvad Implantation, Aaron G. Harris

DNP Projects

PURPOSE: The purpose of the Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to pilot Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment (COPE), an evidence based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention, with patients diagnosed with advanced heart failure who are awaiting Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) implantation or those who have had one recently implanted before they are discharged home. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was used for this Pilot project. Patients were identified for potential participation by LVAD coordinators and represent a convenience sample. The patients were screened for anxiety and depression using the GAD-7 and PHQ-9 screening tools. If patients scored …

Social Media And Mental Health In Adolescents And Young Adults: A Systematic Review, Dawn Ritter, Kimberly Ray, Celia Keefe

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

The goal of our project is to increase understanding of the link between social media use and mental illness in teens and young adults. Our objective is to write a systematic review of the literature to answer the PICOT questions: (1) In teens and adults, younger than 25 years, what is the relationship between social media use and mental illness? (2) In teens and adults, younger than 25 years, what is the effect of interventions, such as social media as a resource, on mental health promotion and well-being? The motivation for our project comes from the increased use of social …

Anxiety Screening In Children & Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes Using The Gad-7 Tool, Allison B. Reynolds

DNP Projects

BACKGROUND: Children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) can encounter a variety of factors that affect proper management of their diabetes, including mental health. Youth with diabetes have significantly higher rates of depression, anxiety, and mental health problems compared to the general population. Anxiety is especially prevalent. PURPOSE: The objective of this project was to evaluate anxiety screening of children and adolescents with T1DM during their routine diabetes visits. Specifically, to assess for any trends in anxiety levels and patient characteristics including demographics, insulin regimen and A1C levels. METHODS: A cross- sectional, retrospective review of ambulatory electronic health records …

Utilizing Mindfulness-Based Exercises To Reduce Anxiety Severity Scores According To The Gad-7, Kelly Calhoun

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) affects thousands of Americans every year. Mindfulness, a practice of bringing oneself into the present moment, has been shown to impact anxiety symptoms positively.

Objective: This prospective observational correlational study utilized mindfulness-based exercises to help decrease anxiety severity according to the generalized anxiety disorder-7 (GAD-7) in an outpatient psychiatric practice.

Methods: Participants practiced mindfulness exercises for two months. The GAD-7 was completed three times to monitor symptom severity. Two participant satisfaction surveys were completed to determine whether participants felt the exercises were beneficial for decreasing their anxiety.

Results: A repeated measures ANOVA was used …

Mental Health Screening For Low Income Adolescents: An Evidence-Based Project, Allison Bryden

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Manuscripts

Abstract

TITLE: Mental Health Screening For Low-Income Adolescents

BACKGROUND: Nearly 80% of adolescents in the United States will suffer from a mental illness and not receive evaluation or services. Children from low socio-economic backgrounds have an increased risk of mental health disorders which permeate into adulthood, leading to additional negative sequel and lower quality of life. Among adolescent mental health conditions, depression and anxiety are the most common. Literature has suggested provider intuition alone has low sensitivity and specificity for detecting mental illness and that screening tools are indicated.

PURPOSE: The aim of this project is to implement standardized routine …

Creating Opportunities For Personal Empowerment: A Project Evaluation, Ann L. Cudney

Doctoral Projects

Introduction: 66% of individuals in the United States who experienced a major depressive episode in the last year saw a general practitioner or family doctor and not a psychiatrist or psychotherapist (Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality, 2018). Many primary care providers treat with medication, however, a combination of medication and psychotherapy is associated with better results (Anxiety and Depression Association of America, n.d.). A Midwestern faith-based healthcare organization implemented a pilot cognitive behavioral therapy program at a family medicine residency clinic to improve mental health care.

Objectives: The purpose of this project was to evaluate if the implementation …

Benefits Of Exercise On Mental Health: Literature Review, Angela Ristau

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Providers diligently educate patients on exercise to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, and stroke. However, in recent years, providers judiciously educate patients on exercise and its correlation to improving or impacting mental health disorders. Physical activity has been steadily shown to relate to improved physical health, life satisfaction, cognitive functioning, and psychological well-being. A large body of literature examines the impact of physical activity and exercise on mental health. There is a growing interest in the use of exercise in the treatment of depression and anxiety, as a primary option or as an adjunct to pharmacological treatment. …

Perinatal Mood And Anxiety Disorders, Stigma, And Social Support Among Postpartum Women, Ellen K. Fleischman

Dissertations

Purpose/Aims: The purpose of this descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study was to examine the relationships among perinatal mood and anxiety disorder (PMAD) symptomatology, select demographics, stigma of mental illness, and social support, among inpatient postpartum women. Rationale: PMADs affect as many as 21% of childbearing women, yet these disorders are identified and treated less than half the time. There is a gap in the literature regarding the relationships among stigma, social support, and PMADs in postpartum women.

Conceptual Basis/Background: Despite recommendations from professional organizations, screening for PMADs is not consistently completed using a valid, reliable instrument. Stigma contributes to the low …

Toward Reducing Stress And Anxiety In Nursing Students: Implementing An Evidence-Based Mindfulness Program, Susan Mckee

DNP Final Reports

Stress and anxiety are increasing in college students, especially in nursing students who complete didactic and clinical courses concurrently. Nursing students report feeling overwhelmed, with distress affecting academic performance and balance of school and personal demands. Mindfulness is an evidence-based method of reducing human suffering due to troubling conditions such as pain, chronic illness, or psychological issues including stress and anxiety. This paper addresses the state of the science of mindfulness and details the current mental health concerns of college students, specifically nursing students. The body of evidence, gathered through a systematic search, suggests that mindfulness reduces stress and anxiety …

Evaluating State Anxiety Levels In Nursing Students, Rachel Stevens, Rachel Nussbaum, Tyler Blake

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Anxiety, dependent upon the frequency and severity, can be a serious problem that reduces physical, cognitive, and clinical performance. Nursing students have been found to experience especially high levels of state and trait anxiety which, according to Dorothea Orem’s self-care deficit theory, causes a deficit in health promotion and the health of oneself. There is little evidence available about how progression through a baccalaureate nursing program in the United States impacts anxiety. This research investigates anxiety in baccalaureate nursing students and how progression through the program influences self-reported anxiety levels. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on a convenience sample …

Psychological Distress And Cardiac Disease, Tracey Vitori

Theses and Dissertations--Nursing

The purpose of this dissertation was to evaluate the association of psychological distress with cardiac disease, events, and mortality. Specific aims were to: 1) to evaluate the association between hostility level and recurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and all-cause mortality in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD); 2) to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI) hostility and anxiety subscales in a group of incarcerated participants at high risk of cardiovascular disease; and 3) to evaluate the association of patient and caregiver psychological state with quality of life in both patient and caregiver, and postoperative complications …

The Effect Of Patient Education On Anxiety Levels In Patients Receiving Chemotherapy For The First Time, Sarah Garcia

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Cancer affects approximately 1.5 million people every year throughout the United States.Comprehensive care that includes psychosocial aspects is important to help patients effectively adapt to their diagnosis and treatment plan. Improper prevention and management of anxiety can lead to poor psychosocial outcomes, dissatisfaction with care, and decreased adherence to treatment. Current evidence suggests that education is effective at helping reduce anxiety in patients receiving chemotherapy for the first time. The purpose of this evidenced based practice project was to determine if nurse-led patient education regarding chemotherapy side effects, side-effect management, and orientation to the infusion center was effective at decreasing …

A Support Group Proposal For Women Seeking Fertility Treatment, Emily Jazdzewski

Theses and Graduate Projects

lnfertility is the inability to conceive a pregnancy. Not being able to conceive or carry a child is a devastating reality for many women. Infertility causes both physical and emotional stress that can make it difficult to cope. A literature search revealed the need for a support group for fertility patients to share their journey to decrease the incidence of depression and anxiety. A proposal to develop a support group supported by a Reproductive Endocrinology Department will be explored. The proposal will describe benefits of a support group, integrating cognitive behavioral therapy and relaxation and Mindfulness techniques to promote self-soothing …

Predictors Of Depressive And Anxiety Symptoms Among African American Hiv-Positive Women, Nina Katherine Sublette

Theses and Dissertations (ETD)

This descriptive correlation study had four purposes: describe depressive and anxiety symptom levels in pregnant and non-pregnant African American (AA) HIV-positive women, examine the association between underlying vulnerabilities and depressive symptoms in HIV-positive AA women, determine the association between underlying vulnerabilities and anxiety symptoms in AA HIV-positive women, and determine the predictors of depressive and anxiety symptoms among African American HIV-positive women. A convenience sample of 80 African American HIV-positive women was recruited from university-based obstetrics/-gynecology and infectious disease practices in a large metropolitan city in the Mid-South. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale …