Leadership Development in Nursing Students: Crafting Mentoring Relationships

Over the spring terms of three consecutive years, this mixed methods descriptive project was conducted. This project was designed to analyze mentoring relationships between freshmen mentees and senior mentor nursing students in the Department of Nursing. Specifically, the concept of mentorship was explored and the roles and responsibilities of the mentor in enhancing the learning experience of mentees was analyzed. In this study students participated in structured activities and completed program surveys using Blackboard. The findings revealed the essential leadership attributes of the senior mentor students, and mentees reported emerging technical, interpersonal, and communicative skills essential for practice and persistence in the nursing profession. The results of this study suggest that it is important to facilitate mentor-mentee relationships in nursing schools

Using Rural Hospital-Wide Voices for Calls to Action

Objective: To utilize Trego County-Lemke Memorial Hospital (TCLMH) employee confidential survey perceptions obtained in April, July, and October yearly to decipher needed hospital environment, job satisfaction, and/or ethical standards for systematic, organizational quality improvement projects. Methodology: Following survey deployment and analysis, organizational change projects will be selected and implemented by transformational leaders. Results: Pending project implementation. Plan is to use a longitudinal, mixed methods, convergent parallel design to analyze employee aggregated Likert-type survey data using SPSS © ANOVA, and open survey comments will adhere to qualitative Thematic Analysis using Dedoose©. Conclusion: This project will implement transformational employee leadership to systematically address or improve employee reported hospital concerns

Flipped Assessment: Using ‘Team’ Escape Room Activities to Validate Student Learning Outcomes

Escape room activities (ERAs) provide an integrated gaming technology learning environment supplemented with team communication and clinical judgment applications (Adams, et al, 2018). In this planned project, students in a 16 week research course will complete classroom assignments plus two structured \u27team\u27 escape room activities (TERAs). This project is intended to analyze student learning outcomes and perceptions of TERA implementation in a research course using a quasi-experimental, descriptive exploratory design

Using Text Messaging to Decrease Opioid Use After Hip and Knee Replacement

The development of persistent opioid use disorder after surgery is a preventable complication. The need for opioid medications after total joint replacement surgery is necessary for a favorable recovery and optimal functional outcomes. Traditionally patients get a single postoperative phone call after discharge from the hospital. This phone call does not provide adequate support to patients about postoperative pain medication tapering and cessation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate if sending interval text messages to joint replacement patients after discharge would help them discontinue opioid medications sooner. One hundred and thirty-seven patients (69 in the control group and 68 in the experimental group) participated in a quasi-experimental after only study to compare the effectiveness of text messaging on opioid use in patients undergoing total knee and total hip arthroplasty. There were no significant differences in the demographic characteristics of the two groups. The z test for the Difference of Two Proportions was used to evaluate the outcomes of the study. The results found that patients that received the text messages in the experimental group stopped using opioid medications sooner than those patients in the control group at the 30-day and 60-day postoperative interval. The was no significant difference found at 90 days after surgery between the two groups. Utilization of text messaging platforms can improve the tapering and cessation of opioid medications in the early postoperative period in patients undergoing total hip and total knee arthroplasty. This project can be used as support for clinicians considering engaging patients through technology to improve postoperative outcomes

Weight Management in Rural Western Kansas Primary Care

Obesity is becoming a widely known health disparity, affecting over 300 million people worldwide. Obesity is associated with multiple comorbidities, many of which are categorized as leading causes of death in the United States. Citizens in rural areas of the United States are the most affected populations in comparison to urban and suburban areas. Health care organizations in these rural areas are often not able to treat obese patients effectively. The purpose of this study was to determine Critical Access Hospitals in Northwest Kansas’ awareness and resources available to manage and address overweight patients. The project followed a nonexperimental study design that utilized both qualitative and descriptive analysis. The sample consisted of 23 CAHs within the Northwest Kansas Health Alliance under the umbrella of Hays Medical Center. Phone calls were made to initiate contact with CAH leaders, an electronic survey was deployed, and follow-up communication occurred if required. Descriptive data was used to analyze survey responses. The project found only 3 out of 12 facilities have formal weight loss programs; 6 out of 12 have access to a dietician at least one day a month; 8 out of 12 have access to personal trainers within 60 miles; 100% of facilities are prescribing weight loss medication. CAHs lack formal weight loss programs and are aware of limitations in starting these programs. In conclusion, CAHs lack resources and necessary guidance to initiate weight loss programs. CAH leaders can articulate limitations, but note time and financial burdens as reasons to not undertake individualized weight loss programs. Obesity in rural health care is identified as a significant health concern that aligns with the national focus to reduce obesity rates. This survey-based project could be easily replicated in other areas of rural medicine. The project aimed to provide CAH leaders with data and initiative to work toward developing formal weight loss programs, but there are implications for further research to achieve these goals

Effects of Physical Activity in Bachelorette Nursing Students with Stress

Objective: To determine if physical activity reduces stress Bachelorette nursing students. Design: Quasi-experimental, Descriptive study Setting: Rural, Western University Participants: Bachelorette nursing students during junior year Results/Conclusions: Pending results and data collectio

Prevention of Neural Tube Defects with Supplemental Folic Acid

Abstract •Objective: To identify the correlation between folic acid supplementation and neural tube defects. •Design: Quasi-Experimental, Longitudinal Correlation •Setting: Planned Parenthood in Wichita, Kansas. •Participants: Pregnant women seeking medical advice and assistance in Wichita, Kansas. •Methods: Nurses will educate women attending Planned Parenthood on the potential benefits of folic acid aiding the prevention of neural tube defects. •Results/Conclusions: Pending results and data collection

The Impact of Oral Contraceptive on Female Fertility: Issues with Infertility and Spontaneous Abortion!

Objective: To determine the relationship between Oral Contraceptives and Infertility or Spontaneous Abortion. Design: Quasi-Experimental, Descriptive Setting: Rural OB and Gynecology Units of Western Kansas Participation: Consenting women between the ages of 20 and 35 Methods: 300 women from rural Western Kansas OB and Gynecology Units will sign an informed consent during a 6-month time period regarding a survey that questions their experience of becoming pregnant following the use of oral contraceptives vs. others who did not use oral contraceptives. Results/Conclusions: Pending results and data collection

Effects of Kangaroo Care on Physiological Function of Pre-Term Infants

Objective: To determine if kangaroo care (KC) positively impacts physiological function in pre-term infants. Design: Quasi-experimental, explanatory Setting: Wesley Medical Center Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Participants: Pre-term infants in the NICU, mothers, and nurses. Methods: Mothers of preterm infants will be taught proper Kangaroo Care technique. Vital signs, including heart rate, respiration rate, temperature, and oxygen saturation, will be collected at time 0, time 1, time 2, and time 3 on pre-term infants who received kangaroo care and those who did not for comparison. Results/Conclusions: Pending results and data collection

Increasing Advanced Directives in Primary Care

Most patients want to maintain complete control of their choice in their healthcare decisions to the very end of life. However, according to Bern-Klug and Byram’s (2017) study, less than 25% of Americans complete advanced directives. Despite legislation that mandates healthcare providers ask patients if they have an advanced directive, most healthcare providers do not have advanced directive discussions with their patients (Spoelhof & Elliott, 2012). The purpose of this project was to develop multifocal interventions that would increase the number of conversations healthcare providers have with their patients over the age of 18 in the primary care setting and the number of patients that complete an advanced directive. The ultimate goal of this project was for patients to have a voice in their end-of-life healthcare decisions, followed by an advanced directive process replication across clinics in the state and nation