Public Health and Community Nursing Commons^™

Food For Thought: Building Confidence In Healthy Food Choices Among Seniors In A Residential Facility Through Nutrition Education, Amy Rodríguez

Master's Projects and Capstones

This quality improvement project evaluated the effectiveness of a 10-week nutrition education program designed to improve nutrition knowledge and confidence among independently living older adults residing in a low-income senior housing community. Aim By August 10, 2026, this project aimed to increase average nutrition knowledge and confidence scores related to selecting nutritious foods and preparing healthy meals by 20% among senior housing facility residents. Methods A microsystem assessment, literature review, SWOT analysis, fishbone diagram, and GANTT chart were completed to guide project development and implementation. Weekly nutrition education workshops were conducted over a 10-week period and included presentations, group discussions, …

Improving Health Literacy Related To Hypertension In A Minority Faith-Based Population, Kasaundra M. Beverly-Marshall, Kasaundra M. Beverly-Marshall

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Background: Insufficient research on health literacy related to cardiovascular disease highlights a gap in healthcare. Healthy People 2030 and local community health programs acknowledge gaps in research with future goals to improve health literacy.

Local Problem: The health literacy rate for Winnebago County, IL (41%) is higher than both the State of Illinois and national health literacy rates, which aligns with the results of a community needs assessment survey.

Methods: A community-based health promotion project using a pre-post study design uses the health promotion model to engage participants in advancing cardiovascular health outcomes.

Interventions: DNP student assisted participants in creating …

How To Save A Life: The Impact Of Death Prevention Education Including Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation And Hemorrhage Control On Adolescents, Emily Charlton

Nursing | Senior Theses

Background: Out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and uncontrolled traumatic bleeding are two of the leading causes of death globally. Death due to OHCA and bleeding is largely preventable. With appropriate bystander intervention, positive outcomes in cases of OHCA and traumatic bleeding would greatly increase. Purpose: Bystander ability and intent to provide emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and bleeding control is dependent on educational programs including death prevention first aid. Upon review of research, a gap was identified in adolescent death prevention training. The purpose of this proposed prospective study is to determine the effect of a high school education curriculum …

Health Services Monthly Educational Newsletter To Parents/Guardians, Dena L. Hinkle, Jennifer L. Fisher, Emily Garnett, Chelsea K. Mckee

Nursing Department Graduate Presentations/Conferences

This health services newsletter was created as an educational and information tool for parents/guardians of Will County School District 92. The intention of this project was to increase student compliance with health requirements, improve parental/guardian education regarding student health, and provide necessary student health education topics. The project began by completing a literature review which allowed for a thorough survey of existing information. The theoretical framework Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) serves as the foundation for this proposal, along with Pender’s Health Promotion Model and the School Nursing Practice Framework. The three graduate nursing students determined important educational …

Promoting Parental Comfort To Facilitate Conversations On Adolescent Sexual Health And Behaviors, Angelina Jolie Banes, Lauren Liddell

Nursing | Senior Theses

This thesis proposal will investigate the impact of a comprehensive digital sexual health education program on the comfort levels of parents and teens when discussing sensitive topics such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The research is guided by Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory, which emphasizes the need to assess and address individuals’ self-care deficits, including the ability to engage in safe and informed sexual behaviors. The research design is a quantitative, quasi-experimental study with a one-group pre and post-test design. The sample consists of 50 parents and 50 teens from Marin County, who will participate in an online …

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 …

Sit Less, Move More: A National Study Of Physical-Activity Behavior And Cancer, Stella O. Nwogugu

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Physical activity is associated with lower risks of cancer, the second leading cause of death among Americans. Yet, sedentary behavior is the prevailing lifestyle for about 80% of American adults. Additionally, cancer survivors remain significantly inactive, even though physical activity has been shown to decrease risk of cancer and cancer recurrence, improve tolerance of cancer therapy, and reduce mortality. This research explores the relative impact of personal agency, social support, and key demographic variables on physical-activity behavior for a national sample of adults as well as how these relationships differ for cancer survivors and their counterparts.

Methods: Using the …

Promoting Parental Comfort To Facilitate Conversations On Adolescent Sexual Health And Behaviors, Angelina Jolie Banes, Lauren Liddell

Nursing | Student Research Posters

This thesis proposal will investigate the impact of a comprehensive digital sexual health education program on the comfort levels of parents and teens when discussing sensitive topics such as pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The research is guided by Orem’s Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory, which emphasizes the need to assess and address individuals’ self-care deficits, including the ability to engage in safe and informed sexual behaviors. The research design is a quantitative, quasi-experimental study with a one-group pre and post-test design. The sample consists of 50 parents and 50 teens from Marin County, who will participate in an online …

Health Promotion By Using Collaborative Educational Games For The Women Of Angeline’S, Sinclair Ralston, Carmen Connolly, Alexsis Azcueta, Theresa Domingo, Natalie Gray, Ashley Reola

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Introduction

Founded in 1894, the Seattle Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) was developed to support and empower women of all ages, races, and backgrounds. Since then, the Seattle YWCA has grown and focused its efforts on addressing racial and socioeconomic disparities, especially inequities found within the female homeless population (Andrews, 2004). Angeline’s Day Center is a program offered by YWCA and is located in downtown Seattle. It serves approximately 200 women a day by providing overnight shelter, breakfast and lunch services, healthcare access, and amenities like showers, bathrooms, and laundry (“Angeline’s Day Center”, 2022). After completing a windshield survey and …

A Multimodal Approach To Decreasing Hesitancy And Increasing Uptake Of The Covid-19 Vaccine In The Family Care Setting, Meghan Zwierzynski

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Since December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has swept across the world, infecting and killing millions of people, making it one of the worst pandemics in history (WHO, 2021). However, the rates of confirmed cases and deaths have slowed since the discovery of the COVID-19 vaccine. The purpose of this evidence-based practice (EBP) project was to decrease vaccine hesitancy and increase uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine in the family care setting. The Iowa Model-Revised (Iowa Model Collaborative, 2017) is a practical, effective multi-step change process that acted as a guide for the EBP project. A review of literature showed …

Implementing Obesity And Comorbidity Education In A Faith-Based Setting, Tammy Lynn

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

The aim of the study was to increase knowledge of the damaging consequences of obesity and related comorbidities. Obesity has reached epidemic proportions on a global scale and increases the potential health risk of many associated diseases. Faith-Based organizations have been found to be optimal resources for public health education. The shared beliefs and comradery are a source of support and encouragement for those who face many of life’s challenges, as well as life’s joys. The purpose of the project was to investigate the effectiveness of education delivered in a Baptist church on the topics of obesity and related comorbidities. …

Hand Hygiene And Covid Education At Women’S Shelter, Anastasiya Yerina, Cristal Garibay, Henok Tewolde, Muskan Priya, Jeannie Lee

Nursing Leadership in Community Engagement Projects

Introduction

In 2020, there were around 580,000 people experiencing homelessness in the US with about 39% of them in unsheltered locations (Montgomery et al., 2021). Many homeless women experience safety issues and have severely impacted physical and mental health, so finding shelter is crucial in efforts to improve their well being (Sarla, 2020). Women’s Shelter is a shelter for single homeless women in downtown Seattle that provides daily meals, laundry services, and overnight shelter. After assessing the women by visiting Angeline’s, the group found that hand hygiene was an issue among the women. Then, the group decided to focus on …

Factors Associated With Health-Promoting Behaviors Of Adult Protective Service Workers And Professionals Who Support Vulnerable Adults, Cynthia Sterling-Fox

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Background: Adult protective services encompass social services provided to vulnerable adults: abused, neglected and exploited elderly and adults with significant disabilities in the United States. Adult Protective Services (APS) workers investigate allegations of abuse, neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults. APS workers work closely with multidisciplinary teams and professionals in various fields to assist with the investigations. APS workers and other professionals are exposed to individual and work environment stressors that result in a lower professional quality of life. There is evidence, however, that health-promoting behaviors mitigate the negative effects of stressors.

Purpose: Using the Health Promotion Theory by Nola …

Improving Mammography Rates Among The Hispanic Population: An Evidence-Based Project Utilizing A Promotora Intervention, Dawn Mirowski

Student Scholarly Projects

Practice Problem: Breast cancer is the leading cause of death in Hispanic women in the U.S., with mammography being the most effective means of reducing breast cancer mortality. Promotoras have been shown to improve health promotion, including mammography, among the Hispanic population.

PICOT: The PICOT question that guided this project was: In Hispanic women 40 years or older (P), how does the use of a promotora intervention (I), compared to no promotora intervention (C), affect mammography rates (O) within an 8-week period (T)?

Evidence: Twenty-one studies that met the inclusion criteria supported the use of promotoras to improve mammography …

Implementing A Health Promotion Physical Activity Program For Middle School Youth In A Rural, Faith-Based Organization, Karmin Maher-Hasse

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Problem: Childhood obesity is more prevalent in rural areas, and these areas have fewer resources to address it. Geographic distance to available resources, health care provider shortages, parental obesity, and poverty contribute to higher prevalence of obesity in rural children compared to urban children.

Rationale: Obesity prevention and treatment often requires long-term healthy lifestyle behavior changes including nutrition counseling and physical activity (PA). It is likely an obese pre-adolescent will have obesity as an adult, and the likelihood increases if obesity continues into adolescence. Pre-adolescence provides a window of opportunity to influence healthier PA habits to prevent overweight (OW) and …

Mass Matters: Increasing Mammography Rates To Underserved Women, Ingrid N. Cooper

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer among women in Indiana and the United States (Indiana Cancer Organization, 2019). An estimated 268,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed and 41,760 women died due to breast cancer in 2019 (ACS, 2019). Substantial breast cancer-related morbidity and mortality disparities persist among the underserved. Disparities in breast cancer outcomes are due to lower mammography screening rates, lack of timely follow-up of abnormal results, and lack of timely treatment initiation among women with breast cancer (Highfield et al., 2015). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to address low mammography …

Reducing Hypertension Through Faith Community Nursing, Michelle White

DNP Research Projects

Hypertension affects approximately 31.1% of adults (1.39 million) worldwide. It continues to be a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease and strokes, the leading causes of death in the United States (Mills, Stefanescu, & He, 2020). Hypertension is expected to increase due to the aging population and unhealthy lifestyle choices of the American people (American Heart Association [AHA], 2018a). Therefore, effective strategies are required to manage hypertension in order to decrease stroke and cardiovascular events that can save the lives of many Americans. National programs such as Healthy People 2020 are working to achieve blood pressure control within the United …

An Educational Intervention For Skin Cancer Prevention With Hospital Staff: A Pilot Project For System Change, Amy Fran Bruce

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports (ETD)

PURPOSE: The purpose of this project was to design, implement, and evaluate an educational intervention provided to health care professionals using the Sun Smart U Curriculum created by the Skin Cancer Foundation (2017).

METHODS: Using a pretest-posttest design with a convenience sample (N=40), this intervention targeted the health professionals and staff from a residential/acute care facility caring for pre-adolescent, adolescent, and adult populations. Aims of this project included: (1) the staff’s baseline level of knowledge regarding sun protective behaviors using the Sun Smart U Curriculum, (2) the staff’s level of knowledge regarding sun protective behaviors post educational intervention …

Making A Global Impact One Vaccine At A Time, Janice E. Hawkins, Deborah C. Gray

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) Did you know that, worldwide, almost one third of deaths among children under age 5 can be prevented by vaccines? It's stunning to think that one child dies every 20 seconds from an immunization-preventable disease. That equates to 12 lives that could be saved in the time it takes to read this brief article!

Health Promotion Behavior Among Hypertensive And Normotensive Armenian Americans, Zoya Minasyan, Leslie C. Hussey, Kathleen Brewer

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Hypertension presents a significant health risk to both developed and developing countries, affecting approximately 78 million Americans of various ethnic backgrounds. Though a great deal of research about hypertension and minority groups has been published, no studies were located about hypertension in the Armenian American population, despite evidence of health disparities in this population. The purpose of the present study was to examine the differences in health promotion behavior between hypertensive and normotensive Armenian Americans. A quantitative approach was used to examine the relationship between hypertensive status and health promotion behavior. With a sample size of n = 204, this …

Influencing College Influenza Vaccination Through A Multi-Component Campaign, Heather Strickler

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Multiple influenza strains exist and college aged students are the most affected population from the H1N1 strain. The H1N1 influenza pandemic had high attack rates reported on campuses from 25% to 73% (Benjamin et. al., 2016; Uddin et. al., 2009). Only 8% to 40% of college students are vaccinated against influenza despite a target goal of 50% set by the American Healthy Campus 2020 (Benjamin et. al., 2016; Poehling, et. al., 2012). The purpose of this evidence based project was after implementing a multi-component influenza vaccination campaign to determine changes in intent to receive the vaccine among college students. To …

The Evolution Of Physical Activity Promotion, Elizabeth Richards

School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Overview: A physically active lifestyle has numerous physical and mental health benefits for patients of all ages. Despite these significant benefits, a majority of Americans do not meet current physical activity guidelines. Health care providers, especially nurses, play a vital role in physical activity promotion. Over the past several decades, exercise and physical activity guidelines have evolved from a focus on structured, vigorous exercise to a focus on moderate-intensity “lifestyle” physical activity. The author updates nurses on physical activity guidelines and provides tips for promoting physical activity, with a focus on lifestyle activities such as walking to work. This article …

The Effect Of An Educational Intervention On Knowledge And Intent To Participate In Cervical Cancer Screening, Ann Marie Trapp

Evidence-Based Practice Project Reports

Globally, cervical cancer ranks third among cancers affecting women (Arbyn et al., 2013). In the United States, approximately 12,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and approximately 4,000 women die yearly (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2014). Papanicolaou (Pap) screening is an effective means of detecting precancerous cell changes of the cervix with early cervical cancer diagnosis carrying a 91% five-year survival rate (Gonzalez et al., 2012). The purpose of this evidence-based practice project was to identify interventions that increase adherence to cervical cancer screening and to implement best practices to reduce unnecessary deaths related to late diagnoses of …

Quest For Health: An Early Beginning To A Lifelong Journey, Kerry P. Appleton

Theses and Graduate Projects

Childhood obesity has been cited as a modern day public health crisis. Despite the creation of many health education programs and interventions, the prevalence of childhood obesity remains largely unchanged. In response to this growing epidemic, nurses have been called to action to help mitigate health education disparities. The purpose of this project is to pool existing community resources to impact the general health of school-age children while influencing the health norms of their surrounding communities. A partnership between local school districts and a non-profit children's hospital has been created to provide health education to school age children in the …

Community Gardening And The Somali Immigrant Community, Sarah Sanford

Theses and Graduate Projects

Obesity, diabetes, and hypertension are all common diagnoses within the Somali immigrant community in Minneapolis, Minnesota. There is an opportunity for collaboration between graduate nursing sfudents at Augsburg College, which is a small inner-city college, the Health Commons, which is a drop-in health center staffed by nurses, and community members in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood to address improvement in health, food choices, and socialization opporfunities for Somali immigrants. The purpose of this project is to develop relationships with Somali immigrant community members in the Cedar-Riverside neighborhood, Augsburg College graduate nursing students, University of Minnesota Extension Office dieticians and master gardeners, and …

Health Promotion In 7 Minutes, Cathy Abell, Maria Eve Main, M. Susan Jones

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Community-Based Education: Health Promotion For Farmers At The Country Market, M. Susan Jones, Beverly Siegrist

Nursing Faculty Publications

This article describes a unique approach used by baccalaureate nursing students, enrolled in a two-semester community health course, to address the priority of health concerns of agricultural workers in their own rural communities.

Stress And Stress Management: A Photonovel, M. Susan Jones, The Kentucky Partnership For Farm Family Health & Safety, Kay Carr, Deborah Williams

Nursing Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.