Nursing Commons^™

The Role Of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor In Depression, Katie Mendez

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

According to The World Health Organization, depression is the fourth leading cause of total disease burden and the leading cause of disability worldwide. In the United States, results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reflect a 16.2% lifetime depression prevalence. Symptoms of depression can range from mild to severe and can be episodic or chronic. Depression has a high rate of comorbidity with multiple chronic diseases and other mental health disorders, predominately anxiety. Unfortunately, few Americans diagnosed with depression actually receive sufficient treatment and symptom management. Previous research has shown that individuals are more likely to seek treatment …

Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, Kari Patterson

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Term Takotsubo was introduced in 1991 to describe the shape of the left ventricle during an episode of cardiomyopathy. Takotsubo is a Japanese term for a narrow-necked fishing pot used to catch octopus. The left ventricle assumes the shape of the octopus pot during Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is commonly known as Broken Heart Syndrome due to its association with an emotional stressor. Mimics acute coronary syndrome without coronary artery blockage/stenosis. Affects more women than men. Occurs mainly in postmenopausal women (women over the age of 50) Believe a hormonal effect on catecholamine release plays a role.

Tension Pneumocephalus, Nicole Liebner

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Pneumocephalus is defined as the presence of air within the cranial vault; tension pneumocephalus occurs when air within the cranial vault becomes trapped and causes a mass effect or increased pressure, damaging the brain (Patel, Idicula, Carrau, & Prevedello, 2013). Small amounts of air within the cranial vault can be reabsorbed or metabolized by the body over a few days without causing symptoms, however, in tension pneumocephalus the air cannot escape, causing extensive neurological symptoms (Webber-Jones ,2005). Thus, asymptomatic pneumocephalus can be a common finding following a cranial surgery, where as tension pneumocephalus is extremely rare (Webber-Jones, 2005). Markam (1967) …

Incretin Hormones And Their Effects In Type 2 Diabetes, Molly Getz

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a progressive disease characterized as having pancreatic β-cell dysfunction, insulin resistance and hyperglycemia (Stephens, 2010, p. 491). T2DM affected 29.1 million Americans or 9.3% of the population in 2012 and was the seventh leading cause of death in the United States in 2010 ("ADA Statistics," 2014), with many of these patients finding it difficult to achieve or maintain adequate glycemic control despite making lifestyle changes and pharmacologic interventions (Freeman, 2007). Disease management of T2DM requires a comprehensive plan including medication therapy, education and active involvement of the patient, with the goal of therapy to …

Cardiomems Heart Failure System: Keeping Patients Out Of The Hospital, Michelle Leyland

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

It is well known that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with about 670,000 new diagnoses of congestive heart failure (CHF) each year (Suh et al., 2011). CHF results from a number of different causes, produces many different symptoms and occurs when the heart muscle cannot efficiently pump blood to the rest of the body (Suh et al., 2011). In the United States, heart failure (HF) and associated hospitalizations are leading contributors to high health care costs (Feltner et al., 2014). Up to one fourth of patients hospitalized with HF are readmitted within 30 …

Ebola: Protecting Healthcare Workers, Martha Mccoy

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Ebola is a hemorrhagic disease that has been seen throughout Liberia, but because of international travel it is spreading. Gilsdorf, Morgan and Leitmeyer (2012) researched air travel and reported that, “In 2010, 5.04 billion passengers arrived and departed from 1318 airports worldwide… and travel to and from Africa almost doubled between 1995 and 2005.” (p.1471). In the last few months there have been cases of Ebola reported in Spain and the United States linked to travel. These are recent developments because as of July, 2014 the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported “to date there are no cases …

Ebola Pandemic, Lurajean Cravens

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Ebolavirus, or Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), is of the filovirus family causing hemorrhagic fever first discovered in the African country of Zaire in 1976 (Turner, 2014; Hampton, 2014) and has gained global concern and attention since the recent epidemic outbreak in West Africa. There are five known species of Ebola: Zaire, Sudan, Ivory Coast, Bundibugyo and Reston, based on the region of origination. The Zaire species has been identified as the strain responsible for the current outbreak in West Africa, and has spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Senegal (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,2014; Gostin, Lucey & Phelan, …

Steven-Johnson’S Syndrome/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, Lindsey Grant

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Steven-Johnson’s Syndrome (SJS) and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis (TEN) are both diseases mediated by hypersensitive immune reactions resulting in “full thickness epidermal necrosis” characterized by skin detachment. However, in SJS, there is only 10% skin surface area involvement whereas in TEN, over 30% of the skin becomes detached. TENS has a 50% mortality rate. (East-Innis & Thompson, 2013, p. 590) Why Chosen: SJS/TEN is a rare but extremely fatal disease. Initially, it is often mistaken as a simple allergic reaction to a new medication or environmental exposure because both cause truncal rashes and fevers. However, simple allergic reactions occur within days …

Pathophysiology Of Migraine, Tina Capers

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Migraine is a primary headache disorder and is ranked 19th among all diseases world-wide that cause disability (International Headache Society, 2013). There are more than 37 million Americans who experience migraine. Migraine is most commonly experienced by individuals between the ages of 15 and 55 and 70% to 80% of migraineurs have a family history of migraine (National Headache Foundation, 2014). Migraine is the most common headache disorder for which patients obtain medical care (Minen, Tanev, & Friedman, 2014, p. 1131). Estimated migraine healthcare costs in the United States are $19.6 billion annually (Da Silva & Tepper, 2012, p. 824). …

Chagas Disease: A Dangerous Kiss, Stephen Maynard

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Parasitic infections are a common occurrence worldwide and are often more common in low income countries. While these infections are associated with poor compromised communities outside the United States these diseases effect people within the United States and are more common than realized. One specific parasitic infection infects its human host causing Chagas disease. Chagas disease is an infection that occurs from the parasite T. cruzi and was named for the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas who discovered the disease in 1909 (CDC, 2014). According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC, 2014), Chagas disease has been targeted as a priority …

Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection Among Women, Stacy Hudepohl

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

It has been noted that women often place their own health care on the bottom of their priority lists. Many times, they ignore simple pain and dismiss symptoms that may be troubling to health care providers. Health care providers especially to young women may dismiss complaints of chest pain as heartburn or anxiety. Changes seen in pregnancy and with menses can mimic some of these same complaints. As both an female professional in health care and as a patient it is very easy to get busy with the day and not recognize simple signs and symptoms that may lead to …

Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, Stacey Rosselot

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive, irreversible lung disease, characterized by chronic inflammation and fibroproliferation of the parenchymal cells of the lung that lead to chronic respiratory failure and ultimately death (Kotsianidis et al., 2009). IPF is more prevalent in men than in women and risk for disease increases after age 60. IPF is the most common form of idiopathic interstitial pneumonia and it affects over 100,000 persons in the United States alone (Ding et al., 2011). Most of IPF cases are considered to be unpredictable and sporadic in nature, however approximately 15-20% of cases have a family history …

Necessity For Excellent Glycemic Control Before, During And After Cabg Surgery, Sheri Clouse

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

A 72 year old male patient was admitted to the hospital presenting with sharp substernal pain and pressure to the left upper chest rated a “10” out of 10. Patient complained of chest pain even at rest which was relieved by a nitroglycerin infusion. Patient had established coronary artery disease as evidenced by five prior stent placements, with the last stent placement being in 2010. The patient also presented to the Emergency Room with a blood glucose level over 600 mg/dL and because of his complaints of chest pain, was transferred to a neighboring hospital facility to have a cardiac …

Review Of The Effectiveness Of Tissue Plasminogen Activator For The Treatment Of Plastic Bronchitis In Patients With Fontan Physiology, Ruth Ferroni

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Plastic bronchitis is a condition characterized by the formation of bronchial casts ranging from small to large obstructions of the pulmonary airways. Cast formation is intricate and resembles a plastic, rubbery model of the airway it obstructs. Its form was first described by Galen (A.D. 131-200). One of the patient populations at risk for developing this rare complication are those with single ventricle disease who are surgically corrected to Fontan physiology. It is a very abnormal type of circulation that is suspect in the development of plastic bronchitis. The cellular composition of plastic bronchitis differs from the casts seen in …

Ebola, A Deadly Viral Disease Affecting The West African Country Of Sierra Leone, Unisa Seisay

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Presently, there has been an outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the West African countries of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Guinea. The outbreak was first discovered in Guinea in March 21, 2014 and has spread to the neighboring countries. This has resulted in a lot of fatalities and is now considered a global public health concern (WHO, 2014).

Diagnosis, Pathophysiology, And Clinical Treatment Of A Patient With A Pheochromocytoma, Tricia L. Hale

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Hypertension is an extremely common diagnosis today. This condition can be caused by a multitude of factors, and can inversely cause numerous unfavorable processes in the body. One rare but significant source of hypertension is a tumor known as a pheochromocytoma, or PCC. This usually benign tumor is most often located on an adrenal gland, and can have a grave impact on the cardiovascular system. The tumor intermittently secretes an excess of the catecholamine norepinephrine, and if large enough, also secretes epinephrine [9]. These episodic bursts can cause extreme hypertension and tachycardia, leading to, at times fatal results. By understanding …

Enterococcus Faecalis Endocarditis: A Case Study, Torri Curtis

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

Infectious endocarditis is an uncommon disease of the heart stemming from a bacterial or fungal infection on the endocardial surface of the heart or heart valve (Pierce, Calkins, & Thornton, 2012). From review of the literature, infective endocarditis is fairly uncommon and may be difficult to initially diagnose. Per Sabe, Shrestha, and Menon, occurrence of infective endocarditis (IE) is nearly 0.9-6.2 per 100,000 persons per year (2013). Several preexisting conditions such as aging, heart valve disease, implantable cardiac devices, a history of heart disease such as rheumatic fever, and invasive procedures can put a patient at higher risk for IE …

Nurses Alumni Association Bulletin, Fall 2014, Susan Albrecht Curcio, Aileen Ishuin Macmillan

Nursing Alumni Bulletins

2014 - 2015 Meeting Dates Calendar

2015 Annual Luncheon & Meeting Notice

Officers, Committee Chairs, Satellite and Volunteers

President's Message

Treasurer's Report

Resume of Minutes

Alumni Office News

Committee Reports

• Social
• Relief Trust Fund
• Satellite-Harrisburg Satellite Area
• Scholarship
• Nominating
• Bulletin
• By Laws

Jefferson Alumni Relations

Annual Giving

Janet C. Hindson Award

• Award Criteria
• Nominees
• Recipient

News About Our Graduates

Memories

Happy Birthday - To Be 80 or More

50th Anniversary Class List for 1964

Luncheon Reservations

Annual Luncheon Comments

• Luncheon Photos
• Anniversary Class List for 2015 Annual Luncheon

In Memoriam, Names of Deceased Graduates

Class News

Additional Information, Pins, Transcripts …

Craniocervical Arterial Dissection, Joseph Weisenberger

Nursing Student Class Projects (Formerly MSN)

The annual incidence for spontaneous carotid artery dissection (CAD) ranges from 2 to 3/100,000 patients and is even lower for a spontaneous vertebral artery dissection (VAD). Furthermore, there is only a .08% - .04% chance for the incidence of a traumatic dissection (TD), of the entire trauma population (Mortazvi, Verma, Tubbs, Harrigan, 2011). However, despite these low levels, CAD/VADs pose a serious threat to a patient’s plan of care if not identified and treated early.

College Of Nursing, Christie Delfanian, Dave Graves, Karissa Kuhle, Eric Landwehr, Emily Weber

College of Nursing Magazine

Features

Impacting Diversity — SDSU’s role touches the state.
[Page] 2 — Kills Pretty Enemy’s risk-taking style enables her pursuit of doctorate.
[Page] 4 — Schumacher’s worldly views gives her a perspective on health care.
[Page] 6 — Grimshaw’s passion for patients fuels her nursing career.
[Page] 7 — Silva Youpee gravitated toward health care.
[Page] 8 — Degree allows Lone Elk to navigate numerous career moves.
[Page] 10 — Burns takes nontraditional route to teaching and leadership.
[Page] 11 — Conroy knows nurses play a key role in patient education.

Department news
[Page] 12- Symposium addresses American Indian nursing …