Public Health and Community Nursing Commons^™

Enhancing Healthcare Communication With Artificial Intelligence Translation Methods For Improved Patient Healthcare Satisfaction, Mireille Signe

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose:

To evaluate whether artificial intelligence (AI) verbal translation improved communication-related satisfaction during routine nurse–patient interactions.

Background:

In the ICU, brief, frequent conversations with patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) often occur without timely access to professional interpreters, contributing to delays, improvised communication, and lower satisfaction. AI tools offer immediate access for low‑complexity exchanges but require evaluation for feasibility and effectiveness as a supplement to certified interpreter services.

Methodology:

Twelve nurse-LEP proxy patient dyads were evaluated using a mixed-methods design (8/2025-12/2025) in a 16-bed ICU during QI PDSA cycles. Standardized care communication scenarios were completed using the AI tool. Process …

A Planetary Health Approach To Address Food Insecurities In New Mexico, Mariah Kennell

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Food insecurity remains a persistent public health concern throughout New Mexico, impacting both rural and urban populations and contributing to significant health disparities. Limited access to affordable, locally sourced fresh foods exacerbates chronic disease burden and undermines community health. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice project was to conduct a comprehensive policy analysis to identify feasible state-level strategies to improve food access through strengthening local food systems. Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention POLARIS policy analysis framework, a structured evaluation of existing and potential state and community-level policies was conducted. The analysis incorporated stakeholder interviews with …

Ambient Air Pollution In New Mexico: Nurse Practitioner Awareness, Mckenzie Hemmes, Grayson Kemp

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Ambient air pollution is a significant public health concern in New Mexico and contributes to respiratory disease, cardiovascular illness, and adverse pregnancy outcomes (Dominski et al., 2021; Di et al., 2022). Despite well-established evidence linking environmental exposures to health outcomes, environmental exposure screening is not routinely incorporated into clinical practice. The purpose of this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) project was to improve environmental health literacy (EHL) among advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in New Mexico and to increase their intention to integrate ambient air pollution exposure screening and mitigation counseling into routine clinical practice. A virtual educational intervention guided …

The Effect Of Fall Prevention Programs With Hourly Rounding On Fall Rates Among Adults Patients In Neurological Unit, Oyinlola A. Ogundeji

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this QI project was to evaluate the effect of a structured hourly rounding program on patient fall rates in an adult neurological inpatient unit.

Background

Patient falls remain a major safety concern in acute care, particularly among hospitalized neurological patients with impairments in mobility, cognition, and balance. In an adult neurological unit within a Magnet-designated hospital, fall rates exceeded national benchmarks, underscoring the need for a targeted quality-improvement

Methodology

A pre–post QI design, guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act framework, was implemented over 12 weeks in a 28-bed neurological unit. This intervention featured structured hourly rounding using the …

Cuidarte También Es Trabajar: Hábitos Saludables Para Una Vida Laboral Plena, Lady Carolina Díaz Jurado, Francisco Javier Laguna Polanía

Ciencias de la Salud

El sedentarismo se ha convertido en un problema recurrente en la salud, especialmente en el ámbito laboral donde predomina la ausencia de actividad física prolongada. Diversos estudios indican que pasar mucho tiempo sentado aumenta notablemente las probabilidades de desarrollar enfermedades cardíacas, metabólicas y del sistema musculoesquelético. Ante esta problemática, surge esta publicación a modo de guía práctica y educativa sobre cómo implementar, de forma segura y progresiva, rutinas de HIIT y MISS, basada en el macroproyecto de investigación “Entrenamiento HIIT vs MISS, una mirada desde la salud ocupacional y los efectos cardiovasculares dirigido al personal administrativo de la Universidad de …

Intimate Partner Violence Experience, Support Seeking And Coping Strategies Among Pregnant Women In Southwestern Uganda, Eve Katushabe, John Baptist Asiimwe, John Bosco Ndinawe, Editor Abeneitwe, Agnes Katusiime, Gladys Nakidde, Vincent Batwala

School of Nursing & Midwifery, East Africa

Intimate partner violence (IPV) during pregnancy remains a global health challenge. This study aimed to explore pregnant women’s experiences of IPV, support seeking, and coping strategies in Southwestern Uganda. Pregnant women who had experienced IPV during pregnancy were purposively selected and completed in-depth interviews, with data saturation reached after 25 participants. Guided by the feminist theory, data were analyzed deductively and inductively using thematic analysis. Participating pregnant women were exposed to physical violence (e.g., the gravid abdomen being stepped on), psychological violence (e.g., verbal abuse), sexual violence (e.g., being forced into uncomfortable sexual positions), and financial control and manipulation (e.g., …

Prevalence Of Sexual Harassment Among Nurses And Nursing Students In A Culturally Conservative Country, Hanadi Mohamad Nur Steitiyeh, Fatin Ahmad Safa, Jana Daoud Al Hajj Daoud, Adam Tarek Ikkawi, Sahed Ali Fawaz, Hiba Deek

BAU Journal - Science and Technology

The prevalence of sexual harassment among nurses and nursing students in Lebanon is an unidentified social concern. This study aims to identify this prevalence and assess the related factors. Using a self-administered questionnaire the sociodemographic characteristics, workplace variables, physical appearance, and the Sexual Experience Questionnaire (SEQ) were assessed, the data was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. A total of 380 participated with 71.8% being female and 63.9% aged between 18 and 25. Sexual harassment was experienced by 91 participants (23.9%) and occurred mainly in the patients’ rooms and during procedures. Policies were absent or …

Nurse-Led Interventions To Reduce Occupational Hand Injuries In Manufacturing, Patti Harter

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Occupational hand injuries cause preventable morbidity, lost productivity, and workers’ compensation costs in manufacturing. Although safety policies and personal protective equipment (PPE) are in place, inconsistent glove use, slow hazard identification, and delayed response still cause injuries. This quality improvement (QI) project evaluated an eight-week, nurse-led injury-prevention bundle at a Texas heavy-vehicle manufacturing facility. The intervention required daily glove inspections, Safety Champion participation, real-time electronic hazard reporting, and corrective action within the shift. Injury outcomes were measured using Occupational Safety and Administration (OSHA) rates per 200,000 work hours and percentage change from baseline. After implementation, hand injury rates fell from …

Implementation Of A Pressure Injury Prevention Bundle To Reduce Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries In The Intensive Care Unit, Xibo Lan

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

Purpose

The goal of this quality improvement project was to utilize the SKINSAFE pressure injury prevention bundle during 12 weeks of implementation to increase evidence-based pressure injury prevention practices adherence and decrease risk of hospital-acquired pressure injury (HAPI) in the intensive care units (ICU).

Background

ICU patients experience high risk for hospital acquired pressure injuries (HAPIs) secondary to immobility and device related pressure. Initial adherence to SKINSAFE bundle was 55-56%. There was inconsistent use of heel offloading devices, wound photography and documentation. Prevention bundles were affected by staffing fluctuations and leadership turnovers.

Methodology

The Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle for this project included …

Evaluation Of A Nicotine Prevention Program In A Third Grade Classroom, Jennifer A. Pile

DNP Projects

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to increase knowledge of nicotine products and promote negative perceptions of nicotine use among third-grade students through early prevention education.

Background: Prevention is key and to prevent nicotine use, there must be an educational program with that aim in a much younger population. Third grade encompasses 8-, 9-, and 10-year-olds. This group is in the middle childhood stage and begin more complex thinking and problem-solving skills. There is physical and emotional development among this group.

Methods: This is a quasi-experimental study among third grade students in Breckinridge County Kentucky with pretest and …

Exploring The Association Between Nurse Characteristics And Intent To Leave Their Current Position In Counties With Rural Hospital Closures, Caroline A. King

2025 Fall Honors Capstones Projects - Archive

Increased rural hospital closures and nursing burnout may lead to greater morbidity/mortality for rural residents. Current literature fails to capture whether rural hospital closures influence nurses’ intent to leave their current position. In this cross-sectional study, descriptive and correlational statistical analyses were conducted on survey responses from a sample of nurses who lived in a rural county that experienced a hospital closure. 66% of nurses stated that, at one point, they had considered leaving their primary nursing position. Logistic regression model results revealed that nurse-reported age and gender were significant predictors of a nurse’s intention to leave their current position. …

Standardizing Care: Strengthening Dka Protocol Implementation Among Emergency Department Nurses, Toni Joy Angelique Biliran Miculob

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objective: The objective of this project was to address the inconsistent understanding and utilization of the Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) protocol in a high-acuity emergency department within a large hospital system, where baseline survey results showed that 84% of nurses found the DKA order set confusing and only 15% felt “very comfortable” applying it.

Aim: The aim was to improve nurse clarity, confidence, and consistency in using the DKA protocol to support timely, evidence-based management of this high-risk, time-sensitive condition.

Methods: The intervention consisted of brief, targeted education delivered during pre-shift huddles across day and night shifts, focusing …

Enhancing Client Intake Efficiency In The Removal Defense Program: A Nursing-Led Quality Improvement Initiative, Johnny Linares, Julia Tran Ngo, Daniel Orea, Atheana Yadira Lopez

Master's Projects and Capstones

This quality improvement project focuses on optimizing the intake process for the Removal Defense Program at a nonprofit immigration legal office serving asylum-seeking clients. The existing intake relied on unstructured, phone-call-based intake interviews that gathered incomplete information, leading to inconsistent documentation, reduced efficiency, and significant client processing delays. A structured, multilingual, and multiplatform new-client admission protocol coupled with the implementation of a client-facing resource guide for waitlist clients were co-developed and implemented using the Lippitt Change Theory framework. Utilizing a mixed methods approach, the study involved staff interviews and observational assessments with staff members from the program. Baseline intake process …

Patient Perception Of Nurse Practitioner Care, Nurse Practitioner Scope Of Practice And How That Influences Provider Choice, Naomi Hemp

Doctoral Projects

This project investigates patients' perceptions of nurse practitioner (NP) care versus physician (MD) care, the factors influencing these perceptions, and patients' understanding of NP scope of practice. A cross-sectional design was used, gathering quantitative data through an anonymous one-time survey distributed via Qualtrics, open for three months. Questions were based on The Watson Caritas Patient Score (WCPS) and the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey (HCAHPS). Data were analyzed using Intellectus Statistics software™, with descriptive statistics summarizing the findings. A two-tailed paired samples t-test revealed statistically significant differences in favor of patients' perceptions of NP care versus …

Environmental Concerns Of Women In Appalachia, Kristen Montgomery, Adebayo Adeeko, Jessica Binns, Sarah Hall, Paula Hawkins, Allyson Newer, Michaela Outlaw, Karenna Turley

Epsilon Sigma at-Large Research Conference

Purpose: Environmental contamination is rampant in the United States and other parts of the world. There are potential health implications related to environmental contamination.
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Aims: The purpose of this study was to investigate how concerned women in Appalachia are regarding the environment. The following research question was addressed: What concerns do women have regarding the environment? The objective of this study was to understand how women perceive their environment and to evaluate what concerns they have regarding the environment. We also evaluated demographic factors to see if any demographics contributed to particular concerns related …

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.

Toolkit To Promote Good Hand-Hygiene Among Kenyan School Children, Jo Martinez

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Projects - Archive

Introduction: Among healthcare providers and educators in Kenya who work with and educate school-aged children, a toolkit that includes a guideline, educational hand-hygiene posters, handouts, and resources on hand hygiene for children using graded literature, assists educators and healthcare providers with education of school-age children regarding sanitation.

Methods: The recommendations were created using a collection of graded literature. The recommendations were presented to stakeholders of healthcare providers and educators from urban and rural areas. The stakeholders rated each recommendation using a Likert scale from 1 – very poor to 4 – very good.

Results: Five of the six stakeholders who …

Resilience And Reality: Exploring The Lived Experiences Of People Living With Hiv In Texas During The Covid-19 Pandemic – A Qualitative Study., Ahmed F. Alanazi

Social Work Dissertations - Archive

This study investigated the lived experiences of individuals living with HIV (PLWH) in the Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas during the COVID-19 pandemic, using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) framework. The research examined the intersection of health, social dynamics, and psychological resilience among PLWH, who faced compounded vulnerabilities due to systemic inequities and the dual public health crises of HIV and COVID-19. Through semi-structured interviews with ten participants from diverse backgrounds, the study captured the profound impacts of disrupted healthcare systems, heightened stigma, and social isolation on this marginalized population. The findings reveal that the pandemic exacerbated existing inequities …

The Effect Of A Hospital Community Garden On Healthcare Workers’ Professional Quality Of Life, Madelyn Renee Cline

DNP Projects

Background: Healthcare professionals experience a variety of stressors which negatively impact their professional quality of life (ProQOL) potentially leading to increased turnover and nurse shortages in hospitals. There are growing studies addressing ways to improve healthcare ProQOL, yet few have examined the impact of alterations to the workplace on these outcomes.

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the effect of a dedicated outdoor green space for nurses during shift breaks on their ProQOL.

Methods: This project used a one-group pretest-posttest design. Data analysis was completed using descriptive and inferential statistics using SPSS software. The Professional Quality of …

Improving Performance And Documentation Of The Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool, Joseph P. Chellew

Master's Projects and Capstones

Objectives: Decreased patient mobility is associated with negative health outcomes including decreased functional capacity, pressure injuries, deep vein thrombosis, and bloodstream infections (Yasmeen et al., 2020). Early and increased mobilization mitigates these complications and is associated with positive outcomes (Wang et al., 2020). The Bedside Mobility Assessment Tool 2.0 (BMAT) is a mobility assessment that guides the selection of equipment to safely mobilize patients (Boynton et al., 2020). Aim: This quality improvement project aims to increase BMAT documentation compliance by 10% in three medical-surgical units at Hospital A where only 31.3% of patients were assessed per day using the BMAT. …

Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection Reduction In Hemodialysis Patients Across 9 Hospitals And 3 States, Nicki Roderman, Kasadi Moore, Shandlie Wilcox, Jennifer Jellerson, Zoey Bridges

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

This quality improvement project was initiated to reduce hospital-acquired catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in hospitalized patients receiving dialysis. A team dedicated to reducing hospital-acquired infections led the implementation of evidence-based interventions across all the included hospitals. This innovative approach demonstrated substantial enhancements in outcomes for patients on hemodialysis.

Methods

To enhance patient safety in patients receiving hemodialysis, new strategies were implemented, including (1) transitioning from a vendor model to an internal model, enabling dialysis program standardization, (2) empowering intensive care nurses with increased autonomy and ownership, (3) transitioning to a standardized dialysis machine, and (4) introducing chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) …

Reducing The Incidence Of Frequent Hospital Readmissions In Veterans Population, Dasari Reddy

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Veterans hospital readmission problems are challenging, specifically in the heart failure department, which severely impacts the patient's health, mortality, family, and quality of life. Frequent readmissions increase the usage cost, hospital budget, and loss of time from providers to other veterans, and failure to meet the key guidelines of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid for improvement.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was, in veterans with heart failure and one or more frequent hospital readmissions discharged in the last 30 days(P), does the appointment of a dedicated discharge nurse practitioner as a coordinator(I), compared to …

Evaluation Of A Smoking Cessation Program In Primary Care, Yolanda Duncan-Watt

Dissertations

Abstract

Problem: The adult tobacco smoking rate exceeds 12.5%. The problem is the insufficient attention given to smoking cessation education in low socioeconomic status(SES) communities. There is a lack of access to and awareness of smoking cessation programs for low-income populations.

Methods: This quality improvement (QI) study will use a descriptive, observational approach. A retrospective medical record review will be conducted to determine the rate of individuals who got the smoking cessation intervention and the rate of those who successfully quit one month after the intervention. Data was collected throughout the spring of 2024, during primary care visits and phone …

A Quality Improvement Project To Reduce Facility-Acquired Pressure Injuries, Carolina Rosario

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Scholarly Project

Problem: Facility-acquired pressure injuries (FAPIs) pose significant risks to patient outcomes and healthcare costs ($500 to $70,000 per PI) in subacute rehabilitation (SAR) facilities. An assessment in a SAR identified a concerning pressure injury (PI) rate of 15.3%, exceeding the national benchmark of 10% for such facilities. This prompted an evidence-based quality improvement (QI) initiative.

Aim of the Project: This project aimed to reduce FAPI rates by 30% or greater among patients 65 and older using a PI prevention bundle called SSKINS (Skin, Surface, Keep moving, Incontinence/moisture, Nutrition/hydration, Self-management).

Review of the Evidence: A comprehensive literature review indicated that PIs …

Addressing Farm Safety: Farm Safety Dinner Theaters In The Shenandoah Valley, Tammy Kiser, Michelle Seekford, Jeremy Daubert

Virginia Journal of Public Health

Statistics demonstrate that farm safety and wellness issues affect all ages in the agricultural community. However, an increased proportion of youth and older farm workers comprise the highest rates of farm-related morbidity and mortality. Engaging farmers in increasing safe practices in the agricultural community is an important, ongoing challenge.

Methodology

Farm Safety Dinner Theaters, an initiative created through community-based participatory research (CBPR) at the University of Kentucky, provide a relaxed environment where farmers and their families can identify safety and wellness issues, watch as the actors process these issues, and enjoy a meal. Seeing the situations played out in theater …

The Lived Experience Of Nurses In Caring For Patients With Covid-19, Jessica Barre

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Limited research exists about the experiences of nurses’ caring for patients during the COVID-19 pandemic post hoc. To understand nurses’ realities of caring for patients with COVID-19, I aimed to understand the lived experience of nurses caring for patients with COVID-19 in the United States. A qualitative design with a hermeneutic phenomenological methodology was used. Sixteen participants were recruited via purposive sampling, augmented with snowball sampling. Data were collected through unstructured interviews and were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s Reflexive Thematic Analysis. Nurses’ experiences of caring for patients with COVID-19 in the U.S. were consolidated into four themes: “a living …

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 …

The Effect Of Continuous Glucose Monitoring On Glucose Control And Re-Hospitalizations In Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus Patients, Susan Ferguson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Purpose: This Program Development and Evaluation project was designed to improve the management of patients with type II diabetes mellitus through the implementation of a combined in-patient discharge protocol and outpatient continuous glucose monitoring protocol follow-up plan in a diabetes clinic following discharge from a rural-based acute facility hospitalization.

Method: This quasi-experimental project was based on Rosswurm and Larrabee's Model for Change framework. Outcome measures analyzed type II diabetes mellitus patients to assess the effects of a continuous glucose monitoring discharge protocol on pre- and post-glycemic levels, rehospitalizations, and patient (n=2) and provider knowledge (n=4) obtainment.

Results: In a comparison …

Assessing Lung Cancer Screening Protocols And Outcomes: A Comparative Analysis Between Indonesia And The United States, Priscilla Sitorus

Nursing | Student Research Posters

After losing a loved one to lung cancer, it can be difficult to process, especially when the diagnosis could have been made earlier. However, some may struggle to trust a healthcare system when screening protocols and care vary significantly, to the extent that it may seem unclear. Amongst both men and women, lung cancer is the worldwide leading cause of cancer-related mortality (World Health Organization, 2023), thus further creating a considerable amount of challenges that not only takes part in communities, but the overall healthcare system. Despite the increasing rate of lung cancer, Indonesia has limited screening programs available for …

Full Plate Living-Teaching Kitchen: A Sustainable Approach To Employee Health, Amy M. Daniel

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Abstract

Insufficient fiber intake is a key contributor to diet-related chronic diseases (DRCD) such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. This evidence-based health promotion program evaluated integrating a teaching kitchen with the Full Plate Living Plan (FPL-TK) to increase daily fiber intake. Grounded in the Social Cognitive Theory, the 8-week employee health promotion program included hands-on culinary demonstrations, a structured FPL nutrition curriculum, and fiber tracking tools to help participants engage and participate in weekly health and wellness changes. The program successfully achieved high engagement rates, with 80% of participants reporting high satisfaction with the program and 100% of participants stating …