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Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

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Articles 3451 - 3480 of 5913

Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Relationship Between Juvenile Offenders' Psychosocial Maturity And Experienced Parenting Style, Denesha Alexander Jan 2019

Relationship Between Juvenile Offenders' Psychosocial Maturity And Experienced Parenting Style, Denesha Alexander

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Juvenile delinquency continues to be a social ill with parents often being liable for their child's reprehensible behavior. In this nonexperimental, correlational study, the relationship between experienced parenting style and psychosocial maturity was examined in a sample of juvenile offenders receiving intensive in-home services. The General Theory of crime by Gottfredson and Hirshi provided the framework for the study along with parenting style typologies by Baumrind. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 60 11th grade juvenile offenders and their parent/caretakers using questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis was used to examine the data. The Psychosocial Maturity Index was used to …

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Increasing The Efficacy Of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy For Fear-Of-Flying, Chad Macmillan Jan 2019

Increasing The Efficacy Of Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy For Fear-Of-Flying, Chad Macmillan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) is a treatment often used to treat fear-of-flying (FOF), which research shows is effective for treating this phobia. Researchers have identified that the realism of the virtual environment is an important component in the efficacy of VRET and increased realism is likely to increase the efficacy of VRET. Guided by cognitive theory, emotional processing theory, and behaviorism, the purpose of this quantitative study was to demonstrate if a new generational technique called true reality-virtual reality exposure therapy (TR-VRET) is at least as efficacious as traditional VRET for treating the fear and anxiety associated with FOF. …

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Disadvantaged Preschool Children: Public Policy, Education Models, And Kindergarten Readiness, Virginia H. Byerson Jan 2019

Disadvantaged Preschool Children: Public Policy, Education Models, And Kindergarten Readiness, Virginia H. Byerson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a high rate of academic failure among disadvantaged preschool and post preschool students in some school districts in Virginia, yet little is understood about the relationship between education models and academic performance among economically disadvantaged students (EDS). The problem explored is the absence of classroom exercises in pre and post preschools that capitalize on cognitive development to improve executive function (EF) and self-regulation (SR) skills. The purpose of this study is to understand if a change in current classroom practices impacts academic performance among low-income students. Narrative policy serves as a theoretical guide in this qualitative case study …

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Sharing Of Threat-Related Information Among Public Safety Agencies In Honolulu, Hawaii, Cortney M. Chambers Jan 2019

Sharing Of Threat-Related Information Among Public Safety Agencies In Honolulu, Hawaii, Cortney M. Chambers

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a lack of knowledge regarding how public safety organizations communicate threat-related information at the local level. The purpose of this qualitative exploratory case study was to explore the benefits and challenges of sharing threat-related information between public safety agencies (law enforcement, fire services, emergency medical services, and public health) in Honolulu, Hawaii. The conceptual framework for the study was general systems theory. The sample for this study was a subset of 13 individuals from the larger population of approximately 50 subject matter experts who worked within four public safety agencies and had extensive experience analyzing and sharing threat-related …

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Influence Of Combat Veterans’ Attitudes And Behaviors On Community Reintegration, Nicole Dawn Cmerek Jan 2019

Influence Of Combat Veterans’ Attitudes And Behaviors On Community Reintegration, Nicole Dawn Cmerek

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A civil-military divide exists within the United States and is perpetuated by a distinct lack of communication between the civilian and military sectors within the population. The purpose of this correlational study was to examine whether attitudes and behaviors of combat veterans affect their positive reintegration into civilian communities. Binder’s social ecology theory provided the framework for the study. Data were collected from 255 combat veterans who responded to a survey. Results were analyzed using a hierarchical multiple linear regression model to determine the influence of military job satisfaction, post-deployment stressors, post-deployment support, and civic engagement on community reintegration efforts, …

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Healthy Lifestyle Practice Among Online Health Psychology Graduate Students, Judi Elster Jan 2019

Healthy Lifestyle Practice Among Online Health Psychology Graduate Students, Judi Elster

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Research focused on health behaviors of online graduate students is sparse. Health psychology graduate training prepares individuals to share health information with others; the information may be more credible if they present a healthy appearance. The present study tested concepts from social cognitive theory (general perceived self-efficacy) and self-determination theory (autonomy, competence, and relatedness basic needs) to determine predictive value for graduate students’ engaging in health behaviors. Participants were 121 (29 health psychology group, 92 other programs group) online graduate students who lived in the United States and attended the same online university, recruited from multiple social media sources. The …

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Refugee Stereotyping Among Law Enforcement Officers In The States Of Michigan And Texas And Its Potential Effects On Refugee Policy, Darryl Hawthorne Jan 2019

Refugee Stereotyping Among Law Enforcement Officers In The States Of Michigan And Texas And Its Potential Effects On Refugee Policy, Darryl Hawthorne

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

After the November 2015 Paris, France terror attacks when a terrorist posed as a refugee, the United States and other Western countries increased their concern regarding the flow of refugees into their countries. The United States admitted more than 84,000 refugees into the country from September 2015 through October 2016. The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore and comprehend the lived experiences of law enforcement officers from the states of Michigan and Texas and their attitudes and behaviors toward refugees in their state. The main research questions addressed the lived experiences of law enforcement officers in the states …

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Factors Contributing To Burnout Levels Among Public Sector Rehabilitation Counselors, Monica Elizabeth Jackson Jan 2019

Factors Contributing To Burnout Levels Among Public Sector Rehabilitation Counselors, Monica Elizabeth Jackson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Burnout has led to turnover and poor counselor performance within public sector rehabilitation. Scholarly literature on burnout among mental health counselors and school counselors are abundant. However, few researchers have compiled studies to evaluate burnout among rehabilitation counselors. No research could be found that examined the relationships among job demand, control, support, and burnout among public sector rehabilitation counselors. The Job Demand Control- Support (JDC-S) model indicates that stress from work is developed based on work demands, perceptions of control, and the perceived support that is received. The purpose of this research study was to determine the extent of the …

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Positive Deviance Behaviors And Definition In Nursing, Stacy L. January Jan 2019

Positive Deviance Behaviors And Definition In Nursing, Stacy L. January

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The concept of positive deviance (PD) has not been studied in the context of nursing. Grounded in narrative inquiry and combined with vocabularies of motive and symbolic interactionism, the purpose of this study was to explore whether PD behaviors existed in nursing, and if so, to develop an operational definition of PD for nursing. The research question addressed what PD behaviors, if any, were present in nurses’ workplace stories. Using posted flyers, eight participants either self-selected or were selected by snowball method to participate. Interviews were conducted in locations decided on by each participant. Interview data were obtained, transcribed, then …

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Effectiveness Of The Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction Of The Tulalip Tribe, Marie Frances Natrall Jan 2019

Effectiveness Of The Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction Of The Tulalip Tribe, Marie Frances Natrall

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Native American women have been historically disadvantaged as victims of domestic violence. These hardships were primarily due to a policy that limited Native American tribes’ criminal jurisdiction over non-Native individuals on Native American reservations. This policy changed with the passage of the Special Domestic Violence Criminal Jurisdiction (SDVCJ) in 2013. This qualitative case study employed the social construction of target populations conceptual framework to explore the experiences of tribal officials and judicial officers of the Tulalip tribe. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 9 key informants selected through purposeful sampling on the basis of their role within the Tulalip …

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Professional Identity Development In Blended Clinical Psychology Doctoral Students, Lindsay Nolan Jan 2019

Professional Identity Development In Blended Clinical Psychology Doctoral Students, Lindsay Nolan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As online graduate programs gain popularity, it has become more important to understand how students enrolled in these programs develop their professional identities. Researchers have demonstrated that there are both benefits and drawbacks to participation in blended learning programs (which incorporate in person and online instruction). It is not known how students enrolled in blended clinical psychology PhD programs experience the in-person portion of these programs and what their experiences mean for their professional identity development. This study examined the perceived impact of one part of an online clinical psychology doctoral program, the in-person classroom experiences, on the professional identity …

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Characteristics Of Cause Of Death, Victim, Crime, Offender, And Familial Relationship, William J. Reilly Jan 2019

Characteristics Of Cause Of Death, Victim, Crime, Offender, And Familial Relationship, William J. Reilly

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Broad personality or global traits are unlikely to assist in solving capital crimes, so forensic psychologists have begun to focus on characteristics of the crime to create differentiating profiles. The purpose of this study was to determine if offender and victim characteristics and method of murder could provide cluster profiles differentiating familial relationship between offender and victim. Guided by classical conditioning theory and social learning theory, an archival database of 147 capital offenders responsible for 506 victims was analyzed. Cluster analysis yielded 3 distinct profiles. Compared to other clusters, Cluster 1 offenders tended to be Black and unfamiliar with their …

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Understanding The Impact Of Choice Claims In Health Policy Among Veteran Patients, Stacie Marie Rivera Jan 2019

Understanding The Impact Of Choice Claims In Health Policy Among Veteran Patients, Stacie Marie Rivera

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The patient-as-consumer has emerged as a narrative in the government health care system that cares for beneficiary veteran patients, elevating the phenomenon of choice in health care legislation and administration. The problem of the submerged state of a health policy was the issue examined within the context of access to health care and what patients experience when choice is present. The purpose of this study was to explore the motivations of beneficiary veteran patients to choose a preventive care option, a seasonal flu shot, at a private sector retail pharmacy rather than at their government health care provider, with the …

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A Canonical Correlation Analysis Of Self-Compassion, Life Balance, And Burnout In Counselors, Sarah Vanessa Silva Jan 2019

A Canonical Correlation Analysis Of Self-Compassion, Life Balance, And Burnout In Counselors, Sarah Vanessa Silva

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The counseling profession seeks to support and enrich the quality of life of the general public by providing effective clinical services. Many counselors struggle with practicing self-care regularly, increasing the risk of burnout. When counselors provide services while experiencing burnout, they risk harming clients being served. The conservation of resources theory suggests that there is an increased risk of maladaptive coping and burnout when there is a decrease in resources used to protect someone from experiencing stress. A quantitative survey research study using a nonprobability convenience sampling was used to explore the relationship between counselor burnout, life balance, and self-compassion …

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Repercussions Of The Mechanistic Dehumanization Of Muslim Americans, Resilience, And Sustainable Communities, Melvin Walters Jan 2019

Repercussions Of The Mechanistic Dehumanization Of Muslim Americans, Resilience, And Sustainable Communities, Melvin Walters

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a lack of research on the relationship between dehumanization of minority religious groups and affiliation with terrorism, which suggests a need to consider the consequences of dehumanization perceptions beyond promoting aggression. This qualitative case study addresses whether dehumanization embedded in public policies influences Muslim Americans 18 to 25 years of age, native and nonnative, to engage in homegrown terrorism. Using Schneider and Ingram’s social constructions of target populations as the foundation, research questions focused on how perceptions of mechanistic dehumanization in policy design influence homegrown terrorism among Muslim- American adults. Data were acquired through archival data that included …

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Predictive Factors Of Drug Court Completion For Female Participants, Shannon Jordan Jan 2019

Predictive Factors Of Drug Court Completion For Female Participants, Shannon Jordan

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Women comprise one of the fastest growing populations of the criminal justice system, yet little research exists concerning the success of these women completing a coed pretrial drug court diversion program. Trauma theory was applied to inform the variables in this quantitative correlational study. The predictive nature of age, educational level, marital status, violent criminal history, and mental health problems for women were examined in relation to completion of a coed pretrial drug court diversion program. A convenience sample from secondary, archival data was obtained from a criminal justice agency in Washington, DC. The dataset included women who participated in …

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Mothers' Parenting Discipline Style And Their Early Puberty Daughters' Engagement In High-Risk Behaviors, Yvette C. White Jan 2019

Mothers' Parenting Discipline Style And Their Early Puberty Daughters' Engagement In High-Risk Behaviors, Yvette C. White

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Some early puberty girls engage in high-risk externalizing behaviors such as early sexual activity, delinquent behavior, and disruptive behaviors. Harsh parenting experienced by girls who develop early has been associated with delinquent and disruptive behaviors. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine predictive relationships between the style of parental discipline by mothers of early puberty girls and the likelihood and frequency of the girls' engagement in high-risk behaviors. Parenting style theory, including the authoritarian, authoritative, and permissive style of parenting, served as the theoretical foundation for the study. Survey data were collected from 28 mothers who identified …

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The Role Of Online Support For Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Patients And Survivors, Bevin J. Nixon Jan 2019

The Role Of Online Support For Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer Patients And Survivors, Bevin J. Nixon

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The rate of thyroid cancer diagnosis has risen, and researchers' findings point to improved diagnostic testing and overdiagnosis as well as increases in actual incidences as the reasons behind this rise. With improved treatments and testing methods, the number of thyroid cancer survivors has also increased. Thyroid cancer presents challenges to coping and can cause significant stress in an individual's life. More specifically, anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) creates complicated challenges for patients and survivors. The problem is patients need support during diagnosis and treatment when adjusting to their 'new normal' and may be reaching to Internet based social support groups …

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Access And Use Of E-Government Public Services Amongst Older Adults, Ryshell Flowers-Henderson Jan 2019

Access And Use Of E-Government Public Services Amongst Older Adults, Ryshell Flowers-Henderson

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Lack of trust in technology, personal preference, and perceived inability to use online services are possible reasons for lagged adaptation to electronic government (e-government) among older adults in the United States. Although e-government policies promote, or require, that many public services be provided electronically, it is unclear whether older adults are able, or willing, to access such services. The purpose of this qualitative, exploratory study was to gain insight from older adults (e.g., "individuals who are 65 years or older") about their ability and willingness to access e-government services in a mid-Atlantic County. The framework for this research was Roger's …

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Exploring How Emdr Social Workers In Eastern Canada Experience Vicarious Trauma, Ashley Amara Spinney Jan 2019

Exploring How Emdr Social Workers In Eastern Canada Experience Vicarious Trauma, Ashley Amara Spinney

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Social workers are increasingly using eye movement, desensitization, and reprocessing (EMDR) to help clients recover from trauma. Little is known about how social workers who work with traumatic client material while using EMDR as their main psychotherapeutic modality experience vicarious trauma. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore the experience of vicarious trauma among social workers in Eastern Canada who used EMDR in their practice with clients. Constructivist self-development theory was the framework that informed this study. Data were collected using semistructured interviews with 7 EMDR social work participants who were selected using purposive sampling. Participants were required …

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Recidivism Differences And Measures Of Predictability For Federally Convicted Child Pornographers, Ricardo J. Rodriguez Jan 2019

Recidivism Differences And Measures Of Predictability For Federally Convicted Child Pornographers, Ricardo J. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a gap in research on the effectiveness of mandatory-€minimum sentences on the recidivism rates of federal child pornography offenders, resulting in policy that may be ineffective and costly. Relevant research can further understanding of criminogenic behavior that results in the exploitation of children and aid future policy making decisions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between federal sentencing and federal child pornographer recidivism. Central to this study is the research question of whether there exists a statistically significant difference between the likelihood of recidivism in 2 child pornographer cohorts that receive different …

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The Moderating Influence Of Social Media On The Relationship Between Perceptions Of Police And Community Violence Among African American Men, Herman Charles Tucker Jan 2019

The Moderating Influence Of Social Media On The Relationship Between Perceptions Of Police And Community Violence Among African American Men, Herman Charles Tucker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

African American males experience homicides significantly higher than other groups throughout the United States. More African Americans are victims of violence, especially deadly violence, compared to any other racial or ethnic group. While research has been conducted on the association between perceptions of police and violence among African American men ages 18 to 44, no research exists on whether social media use moderates this association among African American men ages 18 to 44. This quantitative, cross-sectional study included 45 African American men. The Past Feelings and Act of Violence (PFAV) instrument, the Perceptions of Police (POP), and the Social Media …

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The Psychological Impact Of Testosterone Replacement Therapy In Middle-Aged Men, Gregory E. Coles Sr. Jan 2019

The Psychological Impact Of Testosterone Replacement Therapy In Middle-Aged Men, Gregory E. Coles Sr.

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Decreased testosterone levels (hypogonadism) in middle-aged men (aged 45-64) has been associated with increased levels of depression. Studies have suggested that increases in anxiety and/or attention problems may also be associated with hypogonadism but have not provided empirical evidence to support these suggestions. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine depression, anxiety, and attention problems in middle-aged men using a psychological self-report inventory. The theoretical model used in this study was the biomedical model, which combined pharmacological treatment with psychological self-report inventories to determine if there was an association or relationship between the testosterone levels in men and …

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Effects Of Psychiatric Hospital Closures On Local Jail Administrators, Correctional Staff, And Inmates, Mark Christian Lasko Jan 2019

Effects Of Psychiatric Hospital Closures On Local Jail Administrators, Correctional Staff, And Inmates, Mark Christian Lasko

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

A series of psychiatric hospital closures has led to a movement of care for individuals with mental illness from state-run facilities to managed care centers. Many of the individuals who no longer reside in psychiatric hospitals have become ensnared in the criminal justice system. Correctional facilities have an increased burden to care for the needs of the mentally ill, but lack the training and facilities to do so adequately. In this study, the lived experiences of correctional staff who have experienced the process of a hospital closure were examined. Psychiatric rehabilitation and gatekeeper theories served as the theoretical framework for …

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Failure To Launch, Wellness, And Mentorship, Adriano Roberto Marcoccia Jan 2019

Failure To Launch, Wellness, And Mentorship, Adriano Roberto Marcoccia

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

As of 2015, over 34% of emerging adults in the United States between 18 and 34-years-old were still living with their parents or guardians, and prior research has suggested this trend was steadily growing. The current study examined contextual factors, such as an individual's state of well-being during this transitional phase, to determine what, if any, variables may also be contributing to this issue. Both Adlerian theory and social exchange theory were used as the theoretical foundation to better understand how to mitigate this phenomenon. Amazon MTURK was used to recruit 336 participants who completed the survey. A series of …

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Recidivism Differences And Measures Of Predictability For Federally Convicted Child Pornographers, Ricardo J. Rodriguez Jan 2019

Recidivism Differences And Measures Of Predictability For Federally Convicted Child Pornographers, Ricardo J. Rodriguez

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

There is a gap in research on the effectiveness of mandatory-minimum sentences on the recidivism rates of federal child pornography offenders, resulting in policy that may be ineffective and costly. Relevant research can further understanding of criminogenic behavior that results in the exploitation of children and aid future policy making decisions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to better understand the relationship between federal sentencing and federal child pornographer recidivism. Central to this study is the research question of whether there exists a statistically significant difference between the likelihood of recidivism in 2 child pornographer cohorts that receive different …

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Appointment Follow-Up, Health Outcomes, And Hospitalizations For Individuals Receiving Psychological Treatment, Sandra Ivelisse Silvestre Jan 2019

Appointment Follow-Up, Health Outcomes, And Hospitalizations For Individuals Receiving Psychological Treatment, Sandra Ivelisse Silvestre

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

To improve how healthcare is being provided, many states have focused on enhancing patients' health experiences and outcomes and reducing the per capita cost of care. Even though appointment follow-up is an important part in outpatient treatment programs, not much is known about practical methods to help individuals with mental illnesses into ongoing treatment. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine to what extent patient appointment follow-up adherence at a family health center in New York predicts negative health outcomes and hospitalizations among patients receiving psychological treatment. The theoretical foundation that framed this study was the theory of …

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Cybersecurity Policy Development At The State Level: A Case Study Of Middle Tennessee, Daniel Leslie Scherr Jan 2019

Cybersecurity Policy Development At The State Level: A Case Study Of Middle Tennessee, Daniel Leslie Scherr

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Cybersecurity is a growing threat not only to nations, critical infrastructure, and major entities, but also to smaller organizations and individuals. The growing number of successful attacks on all manner of U.S. targets highlights the need for effective and comprehensive policy from the local to federal level, though most research focuses on federal policy issues, not state issues. The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the decision-making process within the current cybersecurity policy environment in a southern state of the United States. Sabatier's advocacy coalition framework served as the theoretical framework for the study. Data were …

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Policy Knowledge Communication In Nursing, Curtiss John Vavra Jan 2019

Policy Knowledge Communication In Nursing, Curtiss John Vavra

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Evidence-based practices in nursing improve patient outcomes, decrease healthcare costs, and can be implemented with policies and procedures. However, there is limited literature describing how nurses acquire policy knowledge, the dissemination of which may require a significant investment of resources by a hospital. The purpose of this study was to learn more about how nurses obtain policy knowledge. Rogers's diffusion of innovations theory guided the examination of communication channels and how they relate to the formation of policy knowledge. The research questions were designed to gather information on the relationship of policy communication channels, demographic factors, and the frequency of …

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Reducing Antipsychotic Medication Use In Long-Term Care Settings, Martha Ofeibea Agbeli Jan 2019

Reducing Antipsychotic Medication Use In Long-Term Care Settings, Martha Ofeibea Agbeli

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The prescription rate of antipsychotics in patients with dementia varies between 20% and 50% for the common and troubling neuropsychiatric symptoms experienced by patients with dementia. The use of these antipsychotic medications has been linked with increased risk of morbidity and mortality due to associated Parkinsonism, over sedation, gait disturbances, cognitive decline, and cardiovascular adverse events. The purpose of this project was to assess whether development of an evidence-based clinical practice guideline (CPG) for a long-term care facility would increase awareness about issues that govern the safe use of antipsychotic medications. The conceptual framework for the project was Watson's model …

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