Stepping Into Mindfulness: Enhancing Mental Health For Nursing Student Athletes, Amanda A. Marek

MSN Capstone Projects

This capstone project explores the impact of mindfulness practice on nursing student athletes, aiming to understand how mindfulness techniques can enhance their psychological well-being. The project investigates the intersection of mindfulness and addresses the unique challenges and stressors face by nursing student athletes. The project proposals a research study that focuses on how mindfulness can impact nursing student athletes. There is literature that shows how mindfulness can improve stress and mental disorders for nursing students and student athletes separately, but there is a lack of knowledge on how this may affect nursing students who are also student athletes. Mindfulness based …

A Conceptual Model Of Organizational Compassion In Healthcare, Rachel Thienprayoon, Eli Awtrey, Teresa Pestian, Beth A. Lown, Naomi Winick, Jason Kanov

Journal of Wellness

Introduction: In healthcare, while the suffering of patients is often evident, the suffering of clinicians receives less focus. Some sources of clinician distress are directly related to constant exposure to patient suffering, but others are caused by the health care system, and thus potentially preventable. Looking at clinician suffering through the lens of compassion fosters a new paradigm of individual, team, and organizational capabilities, and moves the responsibility to alleviate this suffering from the individual onto the organization and team. Yet research into the impact of organizational compassion in healthcare has been extremely limited.

Approach: Our conceptual model of organizational …

Evaluating The Efficacy Of Universal Depression Screenings In The High School Setting, Telisha Anthony Msn, Fnp-Bc, Jennifer Thorsen Bsn, Rn, Jackie Sharp Dnp, Pmhnp-Bc, Sharon Little Dnp, Fnp-Bc

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Depression in adolescents is rising each year. Early detection of depression has been shown to result in better health outcomes and success in school. This scoping review aims to evaluate the implementation of universal depression screenings in the high school setting and how this detection of depression and initiation of treatment.

Methods

From August 2022 to November 2023, we used the Medline, PubMed, Elsevier, Google Scholar, and PsycINFO databases, using specific keywords related to depression in adolescents. Of the 38 articles found, 10 were chosen after extensive article critique. The publication dates ranged from 2014-2023, were full-text, and from …

Introducing An Evidence-Based Copd Care Bundle To Reduce Readmission Rates: A Quality Improvement Project, Michael Distasio

DNP Projects

Background

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive and debilitating lung condition, and a leading cause of readmission following an acute exacerbation. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Readmission Reduction Program (HRRP) determines reimbursement penalties to hospitals when patients admitted with acute exacerbation of COPD are readmitted for any reason within 30 days of discharge. A regional medical facility (MF) identified 30-day readmission rates for COPD patients as a key improvement metric. Several gaps in the standardized care of patients with COPD on a pulmonary-focused medical-surgical unit (MSU) identified by key unit stakeholders provided impetus for …

Implementation Of Telemedicine In A Level Iii Nicu To Reduce Transfer Of Infants, Jennifer L. Welch

MSN Capstone Projects

In July 2012, a hospital located in North Texas opened its 9 bed Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Level II NICU is limited to the admission of infants with a gestational age of 32 weeks and above. There has been tremendous growth and expansion of the NICU resulting in an expansion to 13 licensed beds and gaining Level III NICU designation in 2017. Level III designation enables the care of infants that are 23 weeks or greater and have more complex medical conditions to be cared for. In the current competitive market of health care services, it is …

Impact Of Baby Friendly On Exclusive Breastfeeding: Befriending Baby Friendly, Constance Z. Townson

MSN Capstone Projects

Unless you have personally breastfed a newborn baby or tried to help a struggling breastfeeding mother, chances are you would think breastfeeding is not only natural but comes easily. Breastfeeding is indeed a natural progression following delivery; however, various things can play a role in the success of a mother and newborn baby trying to breastfeed. Issues such as feeding position, waking a sleepy newborn, mothers not recognizing newborn hunger cues, a full day of well-meaning visitors impeding skin-to-skin time with mom, or delayed feedings are just a handful. Sometimes, breastfeeding is so difficult that moms who want to breastfeed …

A Plan To Improve Sleep During Critical Care Hospital Stay, Andrea Nutting

MSN Capstone Projects

The purpose of this paper is to bring awareness and possible solutions to the ongoing issue of sleep deprivation in hospitalized patients, specifically patients in the intensive care unit. Sleep deprivation can lead to delay in healing, and therefore delay in discharge. There are also many other issues that coincide with sleep deprivation, such as risk for development of delirium and lack of motivation to participate in care. The ICU is a constant state of distress for not only the staff, but also the family members and ultimately the patient. The stressful environment can inhibit relaxation needed to sleep, which …

Increased Venous Access With Ultrasound Guided Ultralong Iv Placement, Daniel Purifoy

MSN Capstone Projects

Maintaining intravenous (IV) access is a vital part of providing care in critical care areas of nursing. It allows for continuous therapies, blood draws, complicated scans, and emergency treatment when needed. There are current procedures for obtaining IV access that are guaranteed to have a successful attempt and placement of a long catheter in a deeper vein. Patients that have been determined to have difficult venous access have proven to lose access quickly with an IV catheter of less than 3.18cm in length (Moy & Keeyapaj, 2017). These difficulties can cause monetary loss to the patients and hospitals, and damage …

The Impact Of Social Determinants Of Health On Adherence To Urinary Tract Infection Treatment: A Scoping Review, Barrett S. Patel, Ms, Bsn, Rn, Emily A. Gentry, Bsn, Rn, Sally Humphrey Dnp, Aprn, Cpnp-Pc, Bobby Bellflower Dnsc, Nnp-Bc, Faanp, Fnap

Doctor of Nursing Practice Projects

Purpose/Background

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a common diagnosis among children. Patients must fully comply with treatment regimens to reduce the risk of recurring UTIs and prevent long-term complications. This scoping review aims to evaluate the literature and examine the association between screening for social determinants of health (SDH) and adherence to UTI treatment.

Methods

A thorough literature search via PubMed, Cochrane Library, Elsevier Clinical Key, CINAHL, and JAMA was conducted with the following keywords: Pediatric UTI, Adherence to Treatment Plans, Social Determinants of Health, Social Needs Screening, and others. Ten articles were appraised for their evidence and quality. The …

Increasing Faculty Knowledge Of Competency-Based Education: A Quality Improvement Project, Lindsay O'Sullivan

DNP Projects

Background: The nursing academic-to-practice knowledge gap creates systems-based and patient outcomes issues. The changing demands of healthcare require the advancement of the discipline of nursing through the improvement of nursing education. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) requires all nursing programs to implement Competency-Based Education (CBE) evaluations and assessments into existing nursing curricula to respond to changing healthcare demands. The aim of this project was to improve the knowledge of nursing educators regarding the use of CBE at a mid-sized university in the southeast.

Methods: The Diffusion of Innovation Theory was used as a framework for this project. …

The Impact Of An Educational Video On Physician Confidence And Comfort Level In Discussing Autopsies, Joy N. Owings, Laura Gray, David Phillippi

DNP Projects

Background: Autopsy rates have declined since the 1970s despite the procedure's benefit to families and medical science. Two well-documented reasons for the declining autopsy rate are physicians’ lack of knowledge about autopsies and lack of confidence in offering them. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a brief educational video on physicians' comfort level, confidence, and knowledge regarding autopsy discussions. The objective was to address the declining autopsy rates by enhancing physicians' confidence and comfort level in offering autopsies to families. In addition, this study aimed to investigate physicians’ practices of consenting for an …

Implementing Universal Adult Depression Screening In A Rural Maine Free Medical Clinic, Karen Hussion

Doctor of Nursing Practice Scholarly Projects

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Depression in adults is a leading cause of disability, morbidity and mortality worldwide with an estimated prevalence of 20% in the US population. Despite estimates that one out of every five Americans suffers from depression, less than 50% of adult primary care patients with depression are identified, and less than 5% of all adult primary care patients are screened. To increase early detection and management of depression, the United States Protective Service Task Force (USPSTF) recommends routine depression screening for adults older than 18 years in primary care settings.

LOCAL PROBLEM: This project site was a rural, free, …

Evidence-Based Practice - Oral Mucositis Prevention In Chemotherapy Patients: A Benchmark Project, Carrie Davenport

MSN Capstone Projects

The purpose of this implementation project is to help decrease the rates of mucosal barrier injuries (MBI’s) and oral mucositis (OM) in patients receiving chemotherapy on the oncology unit. In 2022, it was reported that seven MBI’s occurred on an oncology unit in a large county hospital in an urban area. This secondary infection has the potential to increase morbidity, increase treatment costs, lengthen hospital stays, and can have a devastating impact on quality of life (Correa et al., 2019). There is currently no protocol in place at the proposed location for this intervention that will help reduce this potential …

Patient Throughput In The Emergency Department, Daniel Alanis

MSN Capstone Projects

In response to ongoing overcrowding in emergency departments, it is imperative to explore effective strategies for mitigating the capacity crises. The purpose of this project is to investigate and implement throughput strategies for a large level 1 trauma emergency department in Houston’s Texas Medical Center. The proposal involves launching a process improvement project to identify opportunity potential for two main interventions: 1. Patient classification for split clinical pathways 2. Dedicated liaison role for throughput responsibilities. The review aims to answer the question: In emergency department patients, how does the implementation of a dedicated throughput liaison compared to a split flow …

The Reduction Of Pain Perception Through Music Therapy In Surgical Patients, David Collier

MSN Capstone Projects

The control of pain perceptions of surgical patients is an ongoing problem in trying to control the pain with enough narcotics while not giving too much to depress their respiratory status. Using narcotics increases the risks of several side effects which can negatively impact the patient’s recovery (Fu et. al., 2019). Perioperative music is a nonpharmacological method used to decrease the need for pain medication (Fu et. al, 2019; Kahloul et. al., 2016). The patient is in an anxiety state that causes a heightened state of arousal of the sympathetic system, which in turn releases catecholamines to act on the …

The Impact Of Kangaroo Care On Exclusive Breastfeeding In Premature Infants, Colleen Larue

MSN Capstone Projects

This benchmark project emphasizes the crucial imperative of promoting exclusive breastfeeding among preterm and low birth weight infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs). Despite the well-documented benefits, exclusive breastfeeding rates remain disappointingly low. This evidence-based project focuses on early intervention through kangaroo care to bolster exclusive breastfeeding rates, with the overarching aim of enhancing infant outcomes and mitigating risks of mortality and morbidity. Engaging key stakeholders, including NICU leadership, nursing staff, lactation consultants, and families, is paramount for the successful implementation of the program. The project presents a detailed implementation plan encompassing various phases, from admission procedures to sustainability …

Implementing Fall Prevention Safety Agreement And Fall Tips To Improve Patient Safety With Postoperative Cancer Patients, Marguerite Ndoko

Doctor of Nursing Practice Final Project Abstract

PURPOSE

This quality improvement project aimed to implement targeted fall prevention interventions within an oncology surgical unit to reduce the rate of patient falls by 30%.

BACKGROUND

Hospital patient falls are a major safety concern, particularly in oncology surgical patients due to postoperative weakness and altered mobility. Consistent high fall rates in the unit prompted targeted interventions to address this risk.

METHODOLOGY

Two interventions were implemented over 14 weeks using PDSA cycles. Patient Fall Safety Agreements (PFSA) were initiated between patients and bedside nurses upon admission, while fall Tailoring Interventions for Patient Safety (TIPS) were posted in patient rooms to …

Adding Ofirmev: The Effectiveness Of Multimodal Treatment, Kimberly R. Bilal-Williams

MSN Capstone Projects

This project is on enhancing pain management in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) clients via the intravenous (IV) administration of acetaminophen (Ofirmev) by multimodal regimen. The patient, intervention, comparison, outcome, and time (PICOT) question shaping this initiative looks at frequency and intensity of patients’ pain scores as well as practical outcome measures such as healing and physical therapy during the recovery period ending with discharge. After a thorough literature synopsis, it is evident that multimodal pain management strategies including IV acetaminophen provide a better prospectus in comparison to the ones that solely employ opioids. Research repeatedly demonstrates the use of IV …

Reducing Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (Clabsi) With Chlorhexidine-Impregnated Dressings, Sara Garcia

MSN Capstone Projects

Mitigating and eradicating central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) is a vital patient safety priority. These healthcare-associated infections lead to patient fatalities and incur costly, preventable expenses. Therefore, it is imperative to assess central venous catheter (CVC) maintenance protocols to mitigate the likelihood of infection. Federal guidelines advocate using chlorhexidine (CHG) dressings to lower this risk (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2017). A comprehensive central line maintenance bundle includes incorporating a CHG dressing as a critical measure in reducing the risk of CLABSI (Buetti et al., 2022). Consequently, the escalating infection rates underscore the necessity for implementing CHG dressings (Buetti …

Antibiotic Prophylaxis In Surgical Patients, Rebekah Muselin

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Problem: Post operative surgical site infections continue to be an issue that hospitals face. Although there is not one specific root cause of postoperative surgical site infections, there are steps that can be taken that potentially decrease the risk of acquiring an infection. By initiating prophylactic antibiotics prior to surgery, the incidence of postoperative infections may be decreased. Purpose:The purpose of this project is to compare the occurrence of postoperative surgical site infection rates when using prophylactic preoperative antibiotics to postoperative antibiotics. Methods: This project will be a retrospective chart review. There will be a review of the rate of …