Other Nursing Commons^™

The Impact Of Intensive Case Management On Hospice Utilization, Debra Lowry Hummel

Doctoral Projects

Objective: The purpose of this study is to examine if patients enrolled in multi-disciplinary intensive case management program (ImPACT) alter the patient’s end-of-life path or setting of death.

Methods: The quality improvement project is a quantitative retrospective study that compared patients receiving standard primary care vs intensive case management (ImPACT) during 2/2013-1/2014. It is a secondary analysis of a larger study of a quality improvement evaluation that took place at the Veterans Administration facility in Palo Alto, Ca.

Results: Among the 82 patients who died, 19 were enrolled in ImPACT for approximately 249 days compared to 63 who received standard …

Therapeutic Listening Communication In Children With Autism And Hyperacusis, Jennifer Margaret Hughes

Doctoral Projects

Hyperacusis, or auditory hypersensitivity, is defined as abnormally sensitive hearing and in some cases an extreme sensitivity, where normally tolerated sounds are perceived as excessively, even painfully loud. This is a debilitating condition for children with autism, causing activity limitations and participation restrictions, also leading to peer isolation and habitual sound avoidance behaviors.

This research explores a means of modifying the auditory environment of a child with hyperacusis in a safe, effective way for the purpose of improving attention span and facilitating learning. The small pilot study (n=4) was a single-subject, multiple-baseline design, conducted with school-aged children in the special …

Effect Of An Emergency Nurse Heart Failure Educational Intervention, Lori Hudgens

Doctoral Projects

Background: Research indicates many nurses lack the appropriate heart failure (HF) education necessary to assist with readmission reduction efforts. Employer approved nurse HF education has resulted in improved nurse HF knowledge, and, reduced readmissions.

Problem: ED nurses require a competent knowledge of heart failure to effectively educate heart failure patients upon admission to the ED. No research has been conducted with ED nurse specific populations to assess ED nurse knowledge of heart failure, and, to determine if heart failure educational interventions increase ED nurse' HF knowledge.

Aims: To evaluate the effectiveness of an ED nurse b.eart failure educational intervention in …

How To Start A Nurse Practitioner Faculty Managed Clinic: Missing Components?, Johnna Edmunds

Doctoral Projects

A serious need exists for improved access to primary care for vulnerable populations. Nurse Practitioner Faculty Managed Clinics (NPFMC) can help to alleviate this problem. The purpose of this qualitative, descriptive study was to identify and examine the beginning components necessary for implementing this inter-professional collaboration. A comprehensive literature review identified the absence of these components, which were then revealed through the interviews with founders of NPFMCs. Prior to the interviews two manuals were reviewed about the process of starting a free clinic. Questions were explored relating to the participants’ experiences in starting a NPFMC. Review of the manuals was …

Patient Perceptions Of An Aidet And Hourly Rounding Program In A Community Hospital: Results Of A Qualitative Study, Tosha Allen, Tyne Rieck, Stacie Salsbury

Patient Experience Journal

Quantitative evidence links patient satisfaction scores to the use of communication strategies such as AIDET (Acknowledge, Introduce, Duration, Explanation, and Thank you) and Hourly Rounding. However, little is known about patient perceptions of these tools in regards to their hospital experience. Qualitative interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of 14 adult medical/surgical inpatients in one mid-sized, community hospital, following hospital discharge. The interview data was transcribed and opened coded, utilizing constant comparison to identify common themes. Themes emerged in four topical areas: (a) patient experience of hospitalization, (b) AIDET, (c) Hourly Rounding, and (d) unexpected findings. Patients placed significant …

Nurses’ Perceptions Of Importance And Achievability Of The Ten Attributes Of Health Literate Healthcare Organizations In Their Institutions: A Descriptive Study, Anna Ten Napel

Theses & Dissertations

Health literacy defined is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain process and understand basic health information to make appropriate health decisions (IOM, 2004). To be a health literate consumer, a person must be able to read, listen, understand, and make decisions related to their health. Hospitals seeking to be Health Literate Organizations must have a strong commitment to improving and reengineering to make it easier for patients to navigate, understand and use information and services to take care of their health (IOM, 2013). High quality, safe health care depends on clear communication between patients, families, providers, …

Effect Of Dietary Self-Monitoring In Caucasian And African-American Women, Julianne Tondreau

DNP Projects

Purpose: The purpose of the study is 1) to assess the effect of dietary self-monitoring on weight loss in a population of Caucasian and African-American women and men; and 2) to determine if there is a difference in African Americans’ and Caucasians’ use of self-monitoring in weight loss.

Review of the Literature: Previous studies demonstrated increased weight loss with dietary self-monitoring; however, these studies’ samples are 70-80% Caucasian women and cannot be generalized to African-Americans or men. Studies confirming the effectiveness of dietary intake self-monitoring in non-Caucasian women and men are needed.

Methodology: Using a cohort design with prospective and …

Medication Reconciliation: Preventing Errors And Improving Patient Outcomes, Amanda S. Boren

Scholars Week

No abstract provided.

The Challenges Of Collecting Qualitative Data In A High Census Hospital Unit, Kristen Bertrand

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Nursing Students' Concerns And Exoeriences Toward End-Of-Life Care: A Mixed Methods Study Using Simulation, Patricia Cosby

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

Development Of A New Model For Laboratory Testing To Improve Efficiency And Reduce Costs, Linda A. Hanson

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Golden Pothos In Reducing The Level Of Colatile Organic Compounds In A Simulated Spacecraft Cabin, Matthew Ursprung

Research Horizons Day Posters

No abstract provided.

The Effect Of Bedside Handoffs On Patients’ Perceived Fears, Maija Paldan

Honors Theses

Background and Significance: Fear, anxiety, and apprehension can have a profound effect upon patient outcomes, possibly leading to a worsened health condition or delay in recovery. Current literature finds that communication and social support by the nursing staff may foster patients’ understanding of their care and their experiences of feeling safe. The bedside handoff is one way of enhancing communication and providing support within nurse patient interactions. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of bedside handoffs on patients’ perceived fear, anxiety, and apprehension.

Methods: A secondary analysis was performed upon a larger quantitative data set from …

Enhancing Nurse-Physician Communication And Collaboration, Pamela D. Missi

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Capstones

In healthcare organizations today, creating a culture of safety is critically important. Communication failures among healthcare providers have been linked to 70% of annual sentinel events. Seventy-six percent of individuals experiencing a sentinel event die (Joint Commission, 2009). Lack of good communication behavior between nurses and physicians has been recognized as a cause of preventable harm to patients (Institute of Medicine, 2004; Zwarenstein & Reeves, 2006). In hospital settings, communication failures are linked to increases in length of stay, patient harm, resource utilization, more rapid turnover, and caregiver dissatisfaction (Dingley et al., 2008). Numerous national organizations and commissions have officially …

Facilitating The Sustainability Of Health Behaviors In The Phase Iii (Graduated) Cardiac Rehabilitation Population, Andrea C. Lambe

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) develops in the setting of poor health behaviors often secondary to hypertension, dyslipidemia and hyperglycemia or diabetes (Spring et al., 2013). In the United States, it is estimated that health care costs associated with CVD management will triple to $818 billion in 2030 (Spring et al., 2013). Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is a secondary/ tertiary prevention program aimed at reducing modifiable risk factors for CVD in a patient population who has already experienced a “qualifying” cardiac event and may be at an increased risk for sustaining another, possibly life-threatening, event (Lucan, 2010). Existing evidence points to a 45-47% …

Building Expert Consensus On Including Indicators Of Moisture Associated Skin Damage In The National Database Of Nursing Quality Indicators (Ndnqi), Mary Caroleen Arnold Long

Capstone Projects

Pressure ulcer (PU) data are collected by hospitals and reported quarterly as a nursing sensitive quality indicator via the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators (NDNQI). Incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD) and gluteal intertriginous dermatitis (ITD), both forms of moisture associated skin damage (MASD), are caused by moisture, not pressure or shear. These two forms of skin damage may be mistaken for PUs and may be reported in error as PUs. If the assessment of the skin damage is incorrect, the reporting is incorrect and the NDNQI database is incorrect. If the NDNQI database is incorrect then practice and policy regarding identification, …

Prehabilitation Impact On Post-Operative Risk, Readmission Rates And Patient Satisfaction, Pamela Fields

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Background: Prehabilitation programs may improve 30-day readmission rates, post-operative infections and patient satisfaction in obese total joint replacement (TJR) patients. Joint replacement patients who participate in prehabilitation have improved physical function and patient satisfaction. In an effort to improve TJR patients’ mobility and recovery, a prehabilitation performance improvement project was implemented at a local wellness center.

Method: The Institute of Healthcare Improvement, Triple Aim Initiative (IHI, TAI) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) performance improvement goals provided the project foundation (IHI, 2015; CMS; 2015). The physical exercise routine utilized in this program was identified as appropriate for use with …

A Causal-Comparative Inquiry Into The Significance Of Implementing A Flipped Classroom Strategy In Nursing Education, Rhonda Faretta

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this causal-comparative design study was to examine the application of the theory of Vygotsky’s social constructivism (1978) and McMillan and Chavis’s (1986) definition of sense of classroom community in the context of a flipped classroom. The researcher aimed to determine if a pathophysiology course taught with the flipped classroom method would result in a statistically-significant difference in nursing students’ academic performance and sense of classroom community when compared to a pathophysiology course taught with the lecture classroom method. Two questions were addressed during this study: (a) Is there a statistically-significant difference in nursing students’ academic performance (as …

Effects Of Undergraduate Nursing Student-Preceptor Relationship On The Student's Self-Reported Clinical Competence, Self-Esteem, And Readiness To Work As A Registered Nurse (Rn), Gloria N. Otoo

Theses & Dissertations

No abstract provided.

Is Dietary Intervention A Viable Method For Improving Outcomes In Adult Patients With Asthma?, Jennifer Grolimund

Senior Honors Theses

Asthma is a disease process characterized by episodic inflammation of the lower airway in response to various triggers. Those with asthma have trouble breathing effectively during an acute episode, making asthma a potentially life threatening condition. Standard medical treatment of asthma, including medications and environmental changes, can be effective at reducing or eliminating negative outcomes in patients with asthma. However, a holistic approach to patient care, including an examination of dietary influence, may also be useful for patients trying to manage the course of their illness. Variations in intake of individual nutrients or in total dietary patterns may play a …