Public Health and Community Nursing Commons^™

Diabetes Understanding Among Staff Nurses: Examining The Actual Versus Perceived Knowledge In The Acute Care Setting, Rebecca B. Ledbetter

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Diabetes is the fourth leading cause of death world-wide claiming a staggering 3.8 million lives globally each year to related complications (World Health Organization, 2011). Diabetes complications account for 20% of all acute care admissions or 1 in every 5 patients have a diabetes-related condition (American Diabetes Association, 2011). Patient education in the areas of lifestyle modification, healthy eating habits, and proper medication administration is research-supported to clinically decrease the likelihood of acute complications. Bedside, acute care nurses are at the front line of patient education delivery and have the opportunity to determine behavioral stages related to a patient's readiness …

A Comparison Of Patient And Nurse Perception Of Problem Areas Associated With Type 2 Diabetes, Kelley Oglesby

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of the study was to explore the difference in problem areas perceived and reported by patients with type 2 diabetes and registered nurses caring for patients with type 2 diabetes. Diabetes affects a large number of patients both physically and fiscally. Decreasing perception of problems by nurse case management intervention has the potential to adversely affect patients. A convenience sample of 20 patients and 10 nurses was obtained and completed the Problem Areas in Diabetes (PAID) questionnaire. Statistical analysis found a significant difference in perception of problems among patients and nurses.

The Incidence Of Individual Sexually Based Counseling By School Nurses In An Urban School System, Tiffany Dunlap

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the incidence of individual counseling on sexual issues by school nurses in a large, urban, public school system in the Southeastern United States (U.S). Utilizing a descriptive, non-experimental method for the study, a secondary data analysis was conducted by the researcher using information self-reported by 117 school nurses regarding individual counseling of students in grades kindergarten through twelve on sexual topics. The topics included in the study were pregnancy, puberty/reproductive health and sexual abuse. There was a relationship established between grade level and rate of individual counseling. School nurses in the school …

The Nurse's Knowledge Of Blood Conservation As A Part Of Blood Management, Lindsey Putnam Austin

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Medicine has historically regarded blood transfusion as an integral component of major surgery or illness. However, clinical studies have shown that allogeneic blood transfusions are associated with increased morbidity and decreased survival. Knowledge of this research and the concepts of blood conservation so as to avoid unnecessary blood transfusions is needed in order to deliver holistic care and serve as patient advocate. This knowledge reaches every specialty of nursing care.

This study of the nurse's knowledge of blood conservation as a part of blood management utilizes The Conservation Model developed by Myra E. Levine in 1973. Levine's work is a …

A Study Of The Presence Of Relational Aggression In The Adult Population, Kathy C. Williams

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

Aggression can result in a challenge of the basic human need for safety and security (Plotnik, 1999). Historically there has been extensive research regarding physical aggression. However, only in the past two decades has relational aggression received attention. Most research studies regarding relational aggression have focused upon children, adolescents and young adults. The purpose of this study was to explore the presence of relational aggression in the adult population. The Self-Report of Aggression and Social Behavior Measure tool was used to survey a convenience sample of 67 nursing students. The participants were students enrolled in the school of nursing (associate, …

The Effect Of Emergency Department Length Of Stay On Clinical Outcomes For Critically Ill Or Injured Patients, Sheila Radcliff

Nursing Theses and Capstone Projects

The purpose of the study was to identify the effects of the emergency department length of stay on clinical outcomes for critically ill or injured patients in the regional referral community hospital. Delays in transfer have been associated with increased mortality rates, prolonged length of stays, and poor outcomes. Emergency departments are designed to respond to immediate life or limb threatening emergencies.

A quantitative, descriptive, retrospective design was used in this study. Data was collected from APACHE II, trauma databases, and ED logs. The study was conducted in a 752 bed hospital in the western North Carolina. Data was analyzed …

Screening, Brief Intervention, And Referral To Treatment For Alcohol Use In A Community College, Alexandra Aimee Bell

Theses Digitization Project

This study examines the impact of Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) on the high-risk alcohol behavior of a sample of California community college students accessing services at the student health center.

Apns And Program Planning: An Example Of A Primary Care Provider Educational Program On Tb In The Us Foreign Born, Allison Huffman

Nursing Doctoral

No abstract provided.

Transcultural Nursing In Community: A Doctor Of Nursing Practice Project To Advance Nursing Education In Partnership With An Indigenous Community, Deb Shuhmacher

Theses and Graduate Projects

Through a culturally responsive partnership process, a doctoral project to advance nursing education on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in Pine Ridge, South Dakota is presented. The collaborative partnership is explored across a dominant Western culture and an Indigenous tribal community. A lens of awareness for White dominant culture is explained in relation to building a partnership with a Lakota tribal community. Traditional Indigenous values of mutuality, reciprocity, honor, and respect are discussed as significant in building a partnership. The process of engaging Indigenous wisdom and respecting Indigenous self-determination is foundational for the partnership process. Dr Leininger's culture care theory …

The Caring Connection: Using Leadership Metis To Facilitate Community Outreach For Hospital-Based Nurses, Susan Rein Loushin

Theses and Graduate Projects

This presentation and poster describes advanced practice as a leadership process that links nurses working in a hospital setting with people in the neighborhood who are homeless. It gives voice to the experiences of nurses volunteering within the homeless community. There is documented evidence supporting the virtues of volunteerism and the effect on the target population. However, there appears to be a gap in the literature regarding the effect outreach projects have on the personal and professional lives of nurses volunteering their time in the community.

This DNP project .created opportunities and leadership for nurses to work as citizen professionals …

Community Health Workers: Bearers Of The Light In Health, Healing, And Care, Jean M. Gunderson

Theses and Graduate Projects

Since the 1940's with the development of the community oriented Primary care model of sydney and Emily Kark that originated in Africa and was transposed to the United States, Community Health Workers (CHWs) have been integrated in community health activities. As individuals from the community intimately connected to its people and its cultural life-ways and meaning, they provide primary services and care as advocates, liaisons, educators, cultural brokers, and navigators; bridging multifaceted hanscultural constructs within systems. Thi increasing diversity of communities, the health inequities, and the call for culturally responsive care, reinforce the significance of understanding the practice of community …

Evaluation Of Health Newsletter Effectiveness On Dietary Habits In Low-Income Middle-Aged Women, Nichole Jennifer Hassebroek

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

There is little known about the effectiveness of the SagePlus newsletters at motivating dietary habit changes. The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the SagePlus newsletter in motivating low-income, middle-aged women who are participating in the SagePlus program to adopt healthier eating habits, specifically to eat more fruits and vegetables. A nonexperimental, descriptive correlational design was used in this study. Phone calls were placed to current SagePlus participants who had been enrolled in the program between six and 12 months. Forty English-speaking participants were contacted and agreed to participate in the telephone survey from a potential …

Gender Perceptions In Rheumatic Disease: A Secondary Analysis, Jean Heise

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Problem: Rheumatoid arthritis affects approximately 1.3 million people in the United States. A chronic disease with a variable course leaves affected individuals in a state of uncertainty. Many individuals experience joint and muscle pain, a major symptom of the disease. Current literature provides varying information of gender perceptions and management of joint and muscle pain in rheumatic diseases. Purpose: The purpose of this secondary analysis was to explore (1) gender perception of seriousness of joint and muscle pain in rheumatoid arthritis, (2) gender perception of joint and muscle pain interference with daily life, (3) gender perception of controllability of joint …

Barriers To Using Motivational Interviewing For Lifestyle Counseling, Heidi June Sannes

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The Minnesota Department of Health has sponsored Motivational Interviewing Continuing Education sessions for SagePlus providers to increase their knowledge and skill in the utilization of MI in their clinical practice. The impact of these educational sessions on skill development as well as utilization of MI by these providers is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if healthcare providers perceive any barriers in utilizing MI techniques to do lifestyle counseling with SagePlus program particiants. A descriptive quantitative design was used for this study. Of the 22 healthcare providers that were doing lifestyle counseling 16 completed the questionnaires. The …

Motivational Interviewing Training And Provider Proficiency, Jeremy Jay Waldo

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

The purpose of this descriptive study was to determine if there was a relationship between the amount and type of Motivational Interviewing (MI) training a SagePlus provider receives, motivation to utilize MI training, and the proficiency of the provider in using MI in lifestyle counseling in clinical practice. This study was comprised of 16 healthcare professionals who provide SagePlus lifestyle counseling interventions in clinics that participated in the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) funded SagePlus program. A demographic questionnaire, modified Preventative Medicine Attitudes and Activities Questionnaire (PMAAQ) and Behaviour Change Counseling Index tool (BECCI) were utilized to assess provider's amount …

Rapid Response Team Utilization Of Modified Early Warning Scores To Improve Patient Outcomes, Nikki L. Stoffel-Lowis

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

This retrospective, descriptive study was designed to (a) determine if the Modified Early Warning Score risk assessment tool identified moderate to high risk patients prior to the activation of the Rapid Response Team (b) determine how much time occurred from the onset of clinical deterioration until activation of the Rapid Response Team. A Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) was applied to the documented vital signs in the medical records of a convenience sample of 108 adult patients between the ages of 19 and 99 years of age who had experienced an activation of the Rapid Response Team (RRT). A risk …

Evaluation Of The Sageplus Steps Program To Promote Physical Activity And Decrease Cardiovascular Risk In Low-Income Women, Callie Anne Avis

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

There is little known about the effectiveness of the Steps Program specifically used in the SagePlus program in Minnesota to promote physical activity and reduce cardiovascular risk. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the SagePlus Steps Program for low-income middle-aged women ages 40 to 64 to meet a daily physical activity goal of 10,000 steps and reduce their cardiovascular disease risk, measured by their Framingham Risk Score. A nonexperimental, descriptive correlational design was used to guide data collection for this study. Demographic data, step counts after weeks 1, 4, 12, and 24, activity level at …

Educating Advanced Practice Nurses In Using Social Media In Rural Health Care, Carolyn M. Rutledge, Michelle Renaud, Laurel Shephard, Michele Bordelon, Tina Haney, Donna Gregory, Paula Ayers

Ellmer School of Nursing Faculty Publications

Health care in the United States is facing a crisis in providing access to quality care for those in underserved and rural regions. Advanced practice nurses are at the forefront of addressing such issues, through modalities such as health care technology. Many nursing education programs are seeking strategies for better educating students on technology utilization. Health care technology includes electronic health records, telemedicine, and clinical decision support systems. However, little focus has been placed on the role of social media in health care. This paper describes an educational workshop using standardized patients and hands-on experiences to introduce advanced practice nurses …

Evaluation Of A Health Newsletter Intended For Sageplus Participants, Karen Lynn Anderson

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Little is known about the effectiveness of the SagePlus newsletter as a motivational tool for influencing behavior change. The purpose of this study was to determine the reading level of the SagePlus newsletter and to evaluate the effectiveness of the SagePlus newsletter as a communication and motivational tool for SagePlus participants. A nonexperimental, descriptive correlational design was used in this study. Forty English speaking participants were contacted and agreed to participate in the telephone survey from a potential list of 190 participants. A modified questionnaire containing 20 multiple choice and open-ended questions was used in a telephone survey. Data was …

Addicted Youth: The Understanding Of Smoking-Related Health Risks In Female College Students, Rebekah Agnes Ann Morris

All Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Other Capstone Projects

Young adults are at the greatest risk for initiation of smoking or becoming daily smokers. Smoking has a unique history in the United States and is associated with health risks beyond heart disease and lung cancer, many specifically affecting women. Although the majority of people are aware of the risks for heart disease and lung cancer, many other risks are not recognized. By evaluating the known knowledge of smoking-related health risks beyond and including heart disease and lung cancer in the high risk population of female college students, education programs and cessation teaching can be altered, potentially resulting in lower …