Public Health and Community Nursing Commons^™

Post-Operative Nursing Care Of The Renal Transplant Patient, Emily Smith

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Abstract

Kidneys are the most commonly transplanted organ in the United States. All patients who receive a renal transplant must be on lifelong immunosuppressants to prevent rejection of the donor organ. The majority of patients do not take their immunosuppressant medications as instructed, making noncompliance a huge issue for medical professionals. The purpose of this literature review is to explore what evidence-based techniques nurses should employ to increase the long-term compliance of immunosuppressants in renal transplant patients. A literature review was performed of fifteen studies to identify interventions that nurses can employ to increase immunosuppressant compliance. CINAL and Medline were …

Tiny Tusks Internship: Does Breastfeeding Education In An Undergraduate Nursing Program Affect Student Knowledge And Attitudes Concerning Breastfeeding?, Grace Murphy

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks provides honors nursing students enrolled in the Eleanor Mann School of Nursing at the University of Arkansas an opportunity to support mothers in the community by providing breastfeeding services, education, and assistance at public Razorback sporting events. Interns provide this support by setting up designated lactation spaces at sporting events, such as gymnastics meets, football, and basketball games, for mothers to breastfeed or pump. In this thesis, I reflect on my internship experience and provide a review of literature. Since the aim of Tiny Tusks is to provide breastfeeding education and support to mothers in the community, the …

Tiny Tusks Internship: The Effect Of Health Care Providers' Education And Attitudes Toward Breastfeeding On The Mother's Decision To Breastfeed, Jocelyn Clark

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

There is a stigma surrounding breastfeeding in the public community, places of employment, and health care facilities. This paper focuses on the impact health care workers have on the mother's decision to breastfeed her infant, and her ability to continue breastfeeding as the primary source of infant nutrition. This paper includes experiences from an internship with Tiny Tusks, which provides breastfeeding support to mothers in the Northwest Arkansas area. Tiny Tusks allows for a better understanding of the community's breastfeeding needs and provides support to breastfeeding mothers in order to reduce the stigma associated with breastfeeding. In health care environments, …

Access To Healthcare For The Hispanic/Latino Population, Rebecca Loritz

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Background: The U.S. Hispanic/Latino population faces significant barriers to accessing healthcare. The most common barriers Latinos face are language barriers, cost barriers, immigration statuses, insurance coverage barriers, transportation barriers, health literacy and education barriers, as well as lack of access to healthcare providers. These barriers impact not only their ability to access healthcare but also the quality of healthcare they receive.

Purpose: To synthesize the existing literature evaluating that identifies barriers to healthcare.

Methods: CINAHL and PubMed were systematically searched, along with a manual internet search for journal articles that studied access to care issues for the Latino population in …

Breastfeeding In Public: Knowledge And Perceptions On A University Campus, Jessica Tracy Weiss

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Research has shown that exclusive breastfeeding is the best source of nutrition for most infants and offers numerous physical and psychosocial benefits for the newborn and mother. Returning to work or attending university courses and maintaining exclusive breastfeeding is a challenge due to barriers such as time, private space, and public perception of breastfeeding in public. The aim of our study is to provide data, identify barriers and assess education needs to support breastfeeding mothers on a university campus. This study utilizes an adapted version of the Breastfeeding Behavior Questionnaire (BBQ), the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS), and knowledge …

Letters Against Loneliness: The Effect Of A Pen Pal Program Uniting Older Adults And College Students On Perceived Loneliness, Allyson Miriani, Caroline Crawford

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Surveys within years and particularly the COVID-19 pandemic have revealed increasing rates of loneliness. More research is also emerging linking loneliness with a myriad of negative health outcomes as well as reduced quality of life. There is little research about effective interventions addressing loneliness. This paper reviews the available literature on the topic and proposes a pen pal program for college students and older adults developed based on available evidence.

The Efficacy Of A Communication Guide On Stress Experienced By Family Members Of Patients Admitted In The Intensive Care Unit With Covid-19, Kandace Williams

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), first introduced in the United States on January 20, 2020, has created worldwide panic due insufficient research and understanding of the nature of this new disease. Patients suffering from COVID-19 often require intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, resulting in stress and confusion amongst patients and their families. The high transmissibility of the disease has caused hospitals to adopt firm visitor restrictions to protect the public from exposure and spread. Families experience increased anxiety and stress due to ineffective communication with staff and restricted access to their hospitalized loved ones. A needs assessment revealed a gap in care …

The Effects Of A Survivorship Care Plan On Hospital Readmission Rates In Allogenic Stem Cell Transplant Patients, Chantaney Williams

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Stem cell transplants (SCTs) are complicated treatments utilized to treat hematologic malignancies and other disorders, such as multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, acute myeloid leukemia, neuroblastomas, germ cell tumors, amyloidosis, and autoimmune disorders such as systemic lupus erythematosus and systemic sclerosis. The complex care of patients undergoing SCTs place them at high risk for adverse outcomes, including infection, cytomegalovirus, graft vs host disease, secondary new cancers, infertility, and sexual dysfunction (American Cancer Society, 2020). Survivorship care plans (SCPs) are a vital part of the discharge process to educate allogenic SCT patients about post-transplantation care. SCPs are implemented to reduce …

Improving Sepsis Bundle Compliance In The Emergency Department, Meredith Burkhart

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Sepsis is one of the leading causes of death in hospitals across the nation. It is also the costliest condition a patient can be admitted to the hospital for. This proposal discussed the significance of sepsis in the local, national, and international level. It also covered the SEP-1 guidelines given by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. Prior to project implementation, the clinical site had at least one sepsis bundle fall out every month, meaning that a portion of the SEP-1 guideline was not met. This project introduced an alert system for the emergency department to respond to patients with …

Adolescent E-Cigarette Use, Carley Lueken

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Adolescent e-cigarette use in the United States (U.S.) is trending upward at a concerning rate. Many of the short-term and long-term effects of e-cigarette use are unknown. However, scientists do know that e-cigarettes can have harmful effects on the respiratory system playing a role in E-cigarette or Vaping Use-Associated Lung Injury (EVALI) and Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Additionally, some e-cigarettes contain nicotine, which is widely known to have negative effects on the developing adolescent brain. Previously, there is only one e-cigarette prevention program that has been developed, implemented, and evaluated in the U.S. Thus, showing the need for further research …

Depression Symptoms And Covid-19, Kaylee Armendariz

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

The COVID-19 pandemic presents new challenges in behavioral healthcare. Americans may face anxiety surrounding the virus, economic strain, isolation, and grief, putting them at increased risk for depression symptoms. This Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project aimed to increase depression screening rates and utilized data from a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) to identify population groups at higher risk for depression symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) depression screening tool, a statistical analysis determined if being tested for COVID-19 or testing positive for COVID-19 had an impact on depression symptoms. Additionally, this project …

Implementation Of A Postdischarge Virtual Visit And Nurse Follow-Up Protocol To Decrease 30-Day Readmission Rates For Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, Kimberly Thompson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare, chronic disease with no cure. Patients with this disease have high mortality and morbidity, experience frequent hospitalizations, readmissions, and psychosocial burdens, and require a high degree of self-care management skills (Doyle-Cox et al., 2016; Lattimer et al., 2016; McDevitt & Walter, 2019). More than half of PAH patients are hospitalized within the first year following diagnosis, and about 20% are readmitted to the hospital within thirty days of discharge (Bhattacharya et al., 2019: Tonelli, 2020). These patients also have a high symptom burden, and these symptoms significantly affect their physical and mental quality …

Implementation Of Same Day Discharge Following Elective Percutaneous Coronary Intervention, Kaitlyn Miller Jeffcoat

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

High rates of Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and ischemic heart disease (IHD) have led to ever-increasing numbers of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) performed. The prevalence of IHD and subsequent PCI has been found to limit bed availability and access to cardiovascular care. Historically, the standard of care following elective PCI has included overnight observation (OO) though clinical advances to PCI procedures have made it possible for same day discharge (SDD) following elective PCI. There are many benefits of SDD following elective PCI that include increased access to cardiovascular care, hospital cost savings, and patient satisfaction without compromising patient safety. The DNP …

The Lost “Doe”: A Quality Improvement Project For Unidentified Patients, Brendi Gale

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

A Mass Casualty Incident (MCI) describes any natural or manmade disaster that stresses a community beyond their normal resources (CMS, 2019). Across the globe, populations have grappled with an increased frequency of natural disasters and a surge of critically ill secondary to pandemic SARs-CoV-2 (Cavallo, Donoho, & Forman, 2020; Smith, 2020; US Global Change Research Program, 2018). In addition, the incidence and severity of mass shootings has risen in the United States with a reported 277 active shooter events between the years of 2000-2018 (Federal Bureau of Investigation, 2018; Smith et al., 2019). An Emergency Department (ED) in Northwest Arkansas …

Streamlining The Specialty Weight Management Clinic Referral Process, Callie Ann Talley

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Obesity affects a vast amount of the population within the state of Arkansas and has a high prevalence across the US. Weight management is notoriously difficult in the primary care setting. Currently the referral process to a specialty weight management clinic in Northeast Arkansas is incredibly lengthy and inefficient, often leading to missed or inappropriate referrals. As a result of a needs assessment within the health system, this DNP Quality Improvement Project focused on improving the referral process to a specialty weight management clinic. The aim was to create a more efficient referral process to benefit both the clinic, the …

The Effects Of Administrative Support On Registered Nurse Well-Being During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Cassandra Fox

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Attention to the well-being of nurses is necessary to ensure the healthcare system can operate effectively, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The workplace environment and support from nursing leadership strongly contribute to nurses’ well-being. Currently, there is little evidence on the effect nursing leadership has on nurses’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. This DNP clinical inquiry project sought to learn more about the effects of caring leadership behaviors on nurses’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic. A survey composed of questions from previously validated and reliable surveys used in the field of nursing was used to collect data. Neuman’s systems theory …

Implementation Of Telephone-Based Medication Adherence Conferences To Improve Health Outcomes Of Heart Failure Patients, Diana Marie Broadway

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) has been a significant health problem worldwide and is the leading cause of death globally. Heart failure (HF) is a chronic progressive form of CVD that affects millions of adults in the United States. The treatment for heart failure is very complex and requires an ongoing regimen of medications. In heart failure, many patients report nonadherence to their medication regimens, which leads to a magnitude of preventable deaths annually. With frequent medication nonadherence of the HF patients, there must be an intervention used to combat this problem. The use of telephone-based interventions (TBI) can modify nonadherent medication-taking …

Exploring The Phenomenological Experience Of Precepting, Erica Fowler

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Nurse practitioners and physicians are increasingly sought to volunteer as preceptors for nurse practitioner students. Preceptors serve a crucial role in student education in providing mentorship, instruction, and supervision in the clinical setting. However, preceptors are often difficult to come by, leaving a shortage of available clinicians willing to participate in preceptorships. There is a paucity of information related to exploring the experiences of precepting among clinicians who have served as preceptors. Insight into these experiences are imperative in identifying the impetuses that drive or dissuade clinicians to commit to the preceptor role. This DNP project implemented a survey designed …

Prevention Of Pediatric Mortality Associated With Malaria: An Exhaustive Literature Review, Taylor Mosley

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Malaria, a disease that is preventable yet frequently fatal, disproportionately affects pediatric African populations at a rate that results in a child under the age of 5 dying every two minutes. Since 1955, the World Health Organization has contributed to a significant reduction in the morbidity and mortality of malaria; however, progress has stalled in recent years. In some countries, particularly those in sub-Saharan Africa, cases have increased since 2015. This literature review seeks to identify factors associated with this incline, as well as what interventions can have the greatest impact to prevent pediatric mortality in areas with the largest …

Determining Racial And Ethnic Disparities In Breastfeeding In The United States, Summer Coker

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The benefits of breastfeeding have been thoroughly studied and researched, with the majority of healthcare providers, health organizations and policies, and professionals in health all recommending the practice. Breastfeeding has protective factors for the newborn against infection and mortality. Other benefits for breastfed children include reduced risk of obesity, asthma, and ear infections; enhanced chance of having a higher income; and a stronger immune system that can follow them throughout adulthood (World Health Organization [WHO] 2020). For mothers who breastfeed, there is a reduced risk of developing ovarian and breast cancer, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes (Centers for …

Implementing Tiny Tusks: Breastfeeding And Infant Support Tent, Madeline Wiche

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks: Breastfeeding and Infant Support Tent provided the first designated clean, private area to nurse, pump or change an infant’s diaper at University of Arkansas home athletic events. Tiny Tusks offered comfortable rocking chairs, changing tables, bottled water, and engaging projects for siblings and young children at a wide variety of University of Arkansas home athletic events, including football games, men’s basketball games, and women’s gymnastics meets. The project was created and designed by two Eleanor Mann School of Nursing professors, Dr. Allison Scott and Dr. Kelly Vowell-Johnson, in collaboration with the University of Arkansas Athletic Department. Women’s Giving …

Reflections On R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Internship, Brea Keiser

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This thesis provides a personal reflection on an internship with the R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Organization through S.T.A.R. Central at the University of Arkansas. An evaluation of the experience was conducted by providing strengths and weaknesses as an intern, positive and negative aspects of the internship, an objective analysis, connection to nursing, and impact on future career. The focus of this honors project was providing education to peers on sexual assault topics, including consent, rape culture, and bystander intervention. Overall, the internship proved to be a positive learning opportunity that allowed for the development of improved communication skills, gaining of knowledge and passion …

Tiny Tusks Breastfeeding And Infants Support Internship, Lacey Schroeder

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusk Breastfeeding and Infant Support is an organization that provides resources to families at public Razorback events. Tiny Tusks provides a safe space for women to breastfeed in public as well as educate the community about the importance of breastfeeding. Women are allowed to use the space to breastfeed, pump, or use a clean diaper changing station. Once finished, they are asked to complete a survey pertaining to their experience and what they would have done if the resources provided by Tiny Tusks were not available. The stigma surrounding public breastfeeding is discouraging women from breastfeeding exclusively, which is …

Community Health Nursing In Ghana: Respiratory Illnesses, Paige Deffenbaugh

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

As part of a service learning experience, I researched unique risk factors for developing respiratory illnesses in Ghana, Africa. Then, during a study abroad trip to Ghana, I taught groups of women about their high likelihood of exposure to indoor air pollution from solid fuels, how it contributes to the development of respiratory illnesses, and ways to minimize their smoke exposure. All of this education was done with the aim of preventing the development of respiratory illnesses in people of Ghana, as well as minimizing the number of premature deaths attributable to indoor air pollution from solid fuels.

Teaching In Ghana: Respiratory Illnesses, Rachel Pruitt

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

For participants of this teaching project about respiratory illnesses related to smoke, four goals were created. Our first goal was that participants would be able to recognize the health hazards associated with the populations’ current cooking situation using wood stoves. Secondly, participants would be able to verbalize the benefits of utilizing ceramic coal pots for cooking. Another goal was that participants would be able to explain a simple way to protect their family members from smoke exposure and developing respiratory illnesses. Our final goal was that participants would be able to verbalize and/or demonstrate how to use the new ceramic …

Tiny Tusks: Breastfeeding And Infant Support Internship Review, Blair Wilhelm

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Tiny Tusks: Breastfeeding and Infant Support is a tent and lactation room at University of Arkansas athletic events such as men's basketball and football games that allows moms that are breastfeeding a comfortable and private area. Tiny Tusks aims to empower and educate moms about the benefits of breastfeeding and decrease the stigma behind it. The tent offers comfortable chairs, a changing table, arts and crafts for younger kids and educational pamphlets and brochures. Tiny Tusks is run by certified lactation consultants, BSN honors students and Eleanor Mann School of Nursing faculty. Participants were asked to fill out a survey …

Reflection And Literature Review On Loving Choices Pregnancy Center Internship, Madison Stave

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

This honors thesis involves a personal reflection and literature review of a nurse internship at Loving Choices Pregnancy Center in Fayetteville, AR. The purpose of this internship was to provide a learning experience in women’s and obstetrical health. Responsibilities included completing community resource projects and assisting staff and nurses in the Care Center and Pregnancy Clinic. To satisfy honors requirements, five learning objectives were created during the internship. These objectives were all met and reflected upon in the first part of this thesis. The second portion of this thesis involves a literature review of the socioeconomic and health-related risks of …

Avoiding Common Weight Gain In Kidney Transplant Recipients Via An Activity Program, Uchenna Egbosimba

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing DNP Capstone Projects

Kidney transplant recipients have shown to have substantial post-transplant weight gain within their first year after transplantation (Henggeler, C. K., Plank, L. D., Ryan, K. J., Gilchrist, E. L., Casas, J. M., Lloyd, L. E., Collins, M. G., 2018). After the development of end stage renal disease, a reduction in physical activity can occur as well as postoperative recovery stress (van Adrichem et al., 2018). Evidence has shown that increasing physical activity post-transplantation has various beneficial effects on the metabolic profile, body composition, and quality of life of kidney transplant recipients (Chan et al., 2019). A home-based exercise walking program …

Addressing Barriers To Maternal Healthcare For Marshallese Islanders In Northwest Arkansas: An Internship Experience, Victoria Richardson

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Marshallese community is a rapidly growing population in Northwest Arkansas. Approximately 12,000 people migrated from the Marshall Islands and settled in the state of Arkansas due to the signing of the Compact of Free Association (COFA) in 1986. Although the population in Northwest Arkansas is experiencing rapid growth, there are significant health disparities that coincide with it. Due to vast cultural differences, language barriers, low economic status, and political barriers, the Marshallese community suffers from prenatal health inequalities and poor maternal and fetal outcomes, including low birth-weight infants, premature births, and increased infant mortality. During my internship, I provided …

The Impact Of A School-Based Program On Diabetes And Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Lindsey Thielman

The Eleanor Mann School of Nursing Undergraduate Honors Theses

Obesity is an increasing health issue both in the United States and worldwide. Furthermore, childhood obesity is increasing in prevalence. Childhood obesity is associated with an increased risk of comorbidities in adulthood. Obesity in childhood and adolescence makes one more likely to become obese during adulthood. This study sought to determine the effect of a school-based obesity prevention program on diabetes and cardiovascular risk factors such as body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, waist circumference, and acanthosis nigricans. Measurements were taken before education in the fall semester, and again after two education sessions in the spring semester. Student and faculty …