Mindfulness’s Effects on Undergraduate Nursing Students\u27 Negative Mental Health Symptoms: A Systematic Review

Undergraduate nursing students endure unique stressors that potentiate negative consequences to their mental health. Mindfulness-based interventions may improve these negative mental health symptoms in nursing students. The objective of this review is to assess available research regarding the effects of mindfulness-based interventions on the negative mental health symptoms of undergraduate nursing students. The databases CINAHL Complete, PubMed, and PsycINFO were searched for relevant research. Search terms were brainstormed and individually assessed to determine relevancy to the research question. In order to be incorporated into this systematic review, all assessed studies needed to include (1) an intervention rooted in mindfulness, (2) a sample of nursing students in a 4-year program (3) research outcomes pertaining to mental health, and (4) publication in a peer-reviewed source. Of the 74 articles found within the initial database search and 14 hand-picked articles, 7 studies met the inclusion criteria. Of these 7 studies, 3 were randomized controlled trials, 2 were quasi-experimental studies with a pretest, post-test design and control group, and 2 were mixed-method studies. Overall, these research studies found that mindfulness interventions significantly decreased negative mental health symptoms in nursing students such as anxiety, stress, and depression. Though the results of these studies support the effectiveness of mindfulness-based interventions as a means of improving mental health symptoms, many of these studies lack generalizability and possess small sample sizes leading to insufficient statistical power. Though more randomized controlled trials with sufficient power and well-executed designs must be conducted, initial research suggests that interventions rooted in mindfulness may improve the negative mental health symptoms of undergraduate nursing students

Development of A Versatile Multichannel CWNIRS Instrument for Optical Brain-Computer Interface Applications

This thesis describes the design, development, and implementation of a versatile multichannel continuous-wave near-infrared spectroscopy (CWNIRS) instrument for brain-computer interface (BCI) applications. Specifically, it was of interest to assess what gains could be achieved by using a multichannel device compared to the single channel device implemented by Coyle in 2004. Moreover, the multichannel approach allows for the assessment of localisation of functional tasks in the cerebral cortex, and can identify lateralisation of haemodynamic responses to motor events. The approach taken to extend single channel to multichannel was based on a software-controlled interface. This interface allowed flexibility in the control of individual optodes including their synchronisation and modulation (AM, TDM, CDMA). Furthermore, an LED driver was developed for custom-made triple-wavelength LEDs. The system was commissioned using a series of experiments to verify the performance of individual components in the system. The system was then used to carry out a set of functional studies including motor imagery and cognitive tasks. The experimental protocols based on motor imagery and overt motor tasks were verified by comparison with fMRI. The multichannel approach identified stroke rehabilitation as a new application area for optical BCI. In addition, concentration changes in deoxyhaemoglobin were identified as being a more localised indicator of functional activity, which is important for effective BCI design. An assessment was made on the effect of the duration of the stimulus period on the haemodynamic signals. This demonstrated the possible benefits of using a shorter stimulus period to reduce the adverse affects of low blood pressure oscillations. i

Development of A Versatile Multichannel CWNIRS Instrument for Optical Brain-Computer Interface Applications

This thesis describes the design, development, and implementation of a versatile multichannel continuous-wave near-infrared spectroscopy (CWNIRS) instrument for brain-computer interface (BCI) applications. Specifically, it was of interest to assess what gains could be achieved by using a multichannel device compared to the single channel device implemented by Coyle in 2004. Moreover, the multichannel approach allows for the assessment of localisation of functional tasks in the cerebral cortex, and can identify lateralisation of haemodynamic responses to motor events. The approach taken to extend single channel to multichannel was based on a software-controlled interface. This interface allowed flexibility in the control of individual optodes including their synchronisation and modulation (AM, TDM, CDMA). Furthermore, an LED driver was developed for custom-made triple-wavelength LEDs. The system was commissioned using a series of experiments to verify the performance of individual components in the system. The system was then used to carry out a set of functional studies including motor imagery and cognitive tasks. The experimental protocols based on motor imagery and overt motor tasks were verified by comparison with fMRI. The multichannel approach identified stroke rehabilitation as a new application area for optical BCI. In addition, concentration changes in deoxyhaemoglobin were identified as being a more localised indicator of functional activity, which is important for effective BCI design. An assessment was made on the effect of the duration of the stimulus period on the haemodynamic signals. This demonstrated the possible benefits of using a shorter stimulus period to reduce the adverse affects of low blood pressure oscillations. i

Autogenic-Feedback Training Exercise (AFTE) Method and System

The Autogenic-Feedback Training Exercise (AFTE) method of the present invention is a combined application of physiologic and perceptual training techniques. such as autogenic therapy and biofeedback. This combined therapy approach produces a methodology that is appreciably more effective than either of the individual techniques used separately. The AFTE method enables sufficient magnitude of control necessary to significantly reduce the behavioral and physiologic reactions to severe environmental stressors. It produces learned effects that are persistent over time and are resistant to extinction and it can be administered in a short period of time. The AFTE method may be used efficiently in several applications, among which are the following: to improve pilot and crew performance during emergency flying conditions; to train people to prevent the occurrence of nausea and vomiting associated with motion and sea sickness, or morning sickness in early pregnancy; as a training method for preventing or counteracting air-sickness symptoms in high-performance military aircraft; for use as a method for cardiovascular training, as well as for multiple other autonomic responses, which may contribute to the alleviation of Space Motion Sickness (SMS) in astronauts and cosmonauts; training people suffering from migraine or tension headaches to control peripheral blood flow and reduce forehead and/or trapezius muscle tension; training elderly people suffering from fecal incontinence to control their sphincter muscles; training cancer patients to reduce the nauseagenic effects of chemotherapy; and training patients with Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-obstruction (CIP)

DEVELOPMENT OF A PILOT EDUCATIONAL SEMINAR FOR THE INTEGRATIVE MEDICAL MANAGEMENT OF ADULTS WITH ANXIETY

Anxiety is a global disease that continues to rise. The COVID 19 global pandemic, natural disasters due to climate change, war, and personal stressors continue to cause the steady rise in anxiety worldwide. As many as 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety. A review of standard anxiety treatments including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Prozac, benzodiazepines such as Xanax, and cognitive behavioral therapy revealed they only provided relief for approximately half of the patients treated. Over the past two years, provider colleagues and their clients in an outpatient private practice where this educational seminar took place had been increasingly expressing an interest in integrative methods for the management of adult anxiety. This Doctor of Nursing Practice quality improvement pilot project aimed to address this issue through creation of an online educational seminar presented to the nurse practitioners at a small outpatient behavioral health clinic. Although inferential statistics were unable to be conducted for this project, the results demonstrated that the participants in this small pilot study showed a small increase in mean that we could infer as a trend toward increasing knowledge and understanding. However, no significant changes were noted in provider attitudes toward integrative healthcare. A limitation of this project included a small sample size from one location

Dispositivo de Deteção do Bruxismo do Sono

This thesis aims to explore and, ultimately, develop a system capable of monitoring physiological signals to detect bruxism events. Bruxism is a disorder characterized by the habit of pressing and grinding the teeth. These events can either occur during the day (Awake Bruxism) or during the night (Sleep Bruxism). Studies suggest that 20% of the adult population suffer from Awake Bruxism, and 8-16% from Sleep Bruxism. The consequences of this disorder are several, ranging from tooth wear, dental fractures, or abfraction, resulting in headaches, or facial myalgia. This dissertation focuses on the Sleep Bruxism type since it’s harder to detect and treat. First, a study about the evolution of technology in healthcare is carried out, fundamentally about how it was introduced and how did it get to the point it is now. The topic of wearable devices is also explored, in the sense that it’s where the market is going and how these devices can transform healthcare. Then, the study converges on the devices developed especially for bruxism, namely which devices, and what type of techniques are used. Subsequently, the general concept for the system is elaborated, exploring several options both in terms of devices and physiological data to be parameterized. However, some restrictions exist for the construction of the system. For the construction of an intraoral system, the device has to be of small dimensions and with low energy consumption. With these constraints, the system has implemented an Inertial Measurement Unit to estimate the orientation of the patient’s sleeping position, and force sensors to measure the force exerted between the teeth. For compactness, a Systemon-Chip is used, since it includes an ARM Cortex M4 processor, several peripherals, and an RF transceiver in one package. The system is not only responsible for the data acquisition, but also the data transmission. This is accomplished by using Bluetooth Low Energy, which is one of the most common protocols for low-power devices. Customized service is developed for this purpose, consisting of three different characteristics: the force characteristic, the accelerometer characteristic, and the gyroscope characteristic. The reason is for maximizing efficiency. The last step was to develop the prototype, testing its functionalities and try to project next iterations of the prototype