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The Four Stages of Tooth Decay, 2024
No full textWhen we were discussing tooth decay and how we can incorporate the illness into a piece of artwork, a conversation came up centering around the vastly detailed textbook images of illness progression that you would see in doctors’ offices and clinics. Its purpose was to provide a visual in order to educate incoming patients, but what stood out to the group was how horrifying they were to look at, and then the conversation related to the idea that not everyone catches tooth decay in earlier stages due to several reasons, one being embarrassment or social ridicule. In the aging population, tooth decay is a lot more prevalent and more likely to progress to actual tooth loss to due to the main cause of not getting it checked out sooner. But assuming you find yourself wanting to get checked out, what would you look out for? How can we still educate patients without getting into the gory details?
These conversations sparked the idea to create a piece that still held a certain amount of visual education without capturing the same vast detail and gore that came out of a textbook. This art piece depicts the four main stages of decay by visualizing a main symptom from each stage in a creative and vibrant way. From left to right you have the first stage depicting plague, the second being a cavity, the third depicting sensitivity and the progression of several cavities, and the fourth being tooth loss.
Medium: Digital illustration
Format: 11 x 8.5
Development, Content Validity, and Scale Reliability of the Physical Therapy Social Determinants of Health Scale (Pt-sdhs)
No full textThis study describes the development, content validity, and reliability of the Physical Therapy Social Determinants of Health Scale (PT-SDHS). Addressing inequities is critical for providing effective clinical care and improving population health. Currently, no tool exists to assess Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students’ education or competence with social determinants of health (SDOH). The Association for Medical Education in Europe best practices for developing questionnaires for educational research guided development. The PT-SDHS showed high item and scale content validity after expert validation. Factor analysis of 254 DPT student responses revealed five content domains (Knowledge, Attitudes, Personal Barriers, Professional Preparation, and Beliefs About Others) and 27 accepted items. Cronbach’s alpha ranged from 0.70 (satisfactory) to 0.96 (excellent). The PT-SDHS is the first psychometrically valid and reliable instrument related to educating DPT students on five SDOH domains. This tool could aid development and assessment of SDOH educational interventions for healthcare students. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Rupal Patel) Supported by TWU Center for Student Research
The Gender Gap in S.T.E.M.
No full textThe scarcity of women in S.T.E.M. originates in their youth due to insufficient amount of support in their educational and home environments. The stereotyping that men are more suited for challenging careers discourages young girls from pursuing S.T.E.M. This research will discuss issues leading to this ongoing problem. From counselors to family members, women who advance in their education see a decrease in promotion and motivation for S.T.E.M. programs compared to their male counterparts causing gender segregation. Whether intentional or not, a lack of familiarity in a room influences one's optimism when carefully choosing their next steps into a potential occupation. Furthermore, the lack of excellent role models and mentors exacerbates the alienation of the next generation of women who have aptitudes for STEM fields. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Junalyn Navarra-Madsen
The effectiveness of a web-based stress management intervention program for reducing burnout and stress in registered nurses working in high-risk labor and delivery units
No full textAccording to the literature, the high level of stress experienced by nurses is one of the leading causes of burnout in the profession (Shah et al., 2020). Long-term stress could hurt hospitals by making nurses unhappy, tired, underperforming, or considering leaving. Potentially detrimental results include lengthened hospital stays, increased incidences of medical errors, diminished health outcomes, and diminished levels of patient satisfaction (Schlak et al., 2021). Though there is a lot of research related to the stress nurses feel, there is a gap in the literature about how stress management strategies affect nurses' feelings of stress and burnout. Specific plans are needed to help nurses in high-risk labor and delivery settings deal with stress and avoid burnout. This study observed how a web-based stress management program assists nurses working in high-risk labor and deliver patient care settings feel less stressed and less burned out. This randomized controlled study included three online questionnaires and participation in the web-based BREATHE: Stress Management for Nurses program. One hundred and nine nurses from Texas and California working in high-risk labor and delivery units participated in this study. The Nursing Stress Scale (NSS) measured how stressed-out nurses thought they were. In addition, nurses' levels of burnout were measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). The outcomes of the research showed that there is a significant positive relationship between stress management and burnout with the usage of the BREATHE program. As this study's results indicated, participants who accessed the program showed an improvement in six of the seven subscales of the NSS and two of the three subscales of the MBI
Exploring the Use of Technology-Based and Hands-On Learning Activities to Help Mitigate Mathematics-Related Stress and Insecurity
No full textIn the pursuit to boost student achievement and cultivate a favorable outlook towards mathematics, this project intends to address the core issue of math anxiety and explore strategies for educators to more effectively mitigate it. The primary objective is to perform a comprehensive analysis and comparison of two distinct sets of lesson plans–one featuring hands-on interventions and the other incorporating digitally executed activities–with the purpose of discerning their respective effects on students’ math performance and perspectives. One of the four lesson plans, which integrated mathematics with computer science and involved coding with Python P5, was executed in Dr. Wheeler’s mathematics education course in the Fall of 2023. The implemented lesson plan was carefully assessed by reviewing student work and gathering feedback. In this project presentation, both sample student work and detailed lesson content will be shared. (Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Ann Wheeler) Supported by TWU Experiential Student Scholars Program
The effects of dry needling on muscle blood flow of the infraspinatus in individuals with shoulder pain
No full textThe presence of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) has been associated with the chronicity of shoulder pain. In the past decade, dry needling (DN) has been used in physical therapy practice to treat MTrPs with favorable outcomes. Impaired blood flow has been proposed as an underlying pathophysiologic mechanism of MTrP in patients with shoulder-neck pain. To date, although DN has been shown to change blood flow in healthy individuals, no studies have examined whether DN would change blood flow in individuals with shoulder pathology. The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of DN on the blood flow of the infraspinatus muscle in individuals with shoulder pain. The secondary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of DN on sensitivity to pressure of the infraspinatus muscle and shoulder range of motion (ROM) in individuals with shoulder pain. This study utilized a sham-controlled design. Forty individuals with nonspecific shoulder pain and the presence of at least one MTrP in the infraspinatus muscle were randomly assigned to a real DN group or a sham DN group. Outcome measures, including blood flow parameters, pressure pain threshold (PPT), and ROMs of shoulder internal rotation and external rotation, were collected before and immediately after a single session of DN. Blood flow parameters included peak systolic velocity (PSV), end diastolic velocity (EDV), resistive index (RI), and pulsatile index (PI). The ANOVA results showed that the real DN group had a significant decrease in PSV and increases in ROMs of shoulder internal and external rotation after DN, but no significant differences in other outcome measures between the two DN groups. The results indicated that participants who received real DN exhibited a significant reduction in PSV, indicative of an improvement in blood flow to the infraspinatus. Reduced blood flow after DN suggests that DN may have vasodilation effects, leading to relief of capillary compression. DN also may affect muscle relaxation, thus contributing to motion improvement. These results may provide clinicians with further evidence for the use of DN for individuals with shoulder pain
Synthesis and characterization of novel copper(I) and silver(I) mixed ligand complexes
No full textThis thesis is a study of the synthesis and characterization of different novel mixed ligand coinage metal complexes. It discusses one main project divided by three chapters covering the synthesis, structure, and characterization of copper(I) and silver(I) complexes, photophysical properties, and detection limits of volatile organic compounds. Chapter one discusses the introduction to trinuclear pyrazolate complexes of d10 coinage metals, metal-ligand bonding, N-donor azolate ligands, mixed metal-ligand complexes, factors affecting photophysical properties, copper(I) halide clusters, and potential applications such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), solar cells, organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs), and potential gas/vapor sensors for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Chapter two involves the different synthetic routes, solvent-mediated and solventless, of copper(I) and silver(I) mixed-ligand complexes and their characterization by melting point, FTIR, thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, photoluminescence, and 1H NMR. Chapter three will be a conclusion of the compiled results from chapter two and their potential applications
Smart Start: A Case Series
No full textThe Smart Start program is a feasibility study that was developed to identify and intervene in affected areas of school readiness for preschool children with unilateral cerebral palsy with the use of goal-directed training. The Smart Start program was run over 8 weeks for 64 total hours of intensive intervention in school readiness domains. This capstone project details a case series from the first three program participants with preliminary data and findings.Scottish Rite for Childre
What are the perceptions on fostering and sustaining prior learning assessment in Texas institutions of higher learning
No full textThis study examined the multifaceted influences on the prior learning assessment (PLA) landscape in Texas. Drawing from legislative changes, higher education policies, economic factors, technological advances, demographic shifts, and public awareness, it evaluated how these forces shaped PLA practices in institutions of higher learning. Legislative amendments affected institutional accountability, while policy governed PLA practices in public colleges and universities. Economic conditions drove demand for PLA as individuals sought expedited degree completion and career advancement. Technological advancements influenced PLA delivery methods and assessment tools. Demographic changes necessitated institutional responses to diverse student populations. Moreover, public awareness and perception played a role in enhancing PLA program participation among students and employers. This analysis sheds light on the dynamic interplay of forces shaping the PLA ecosystem in Texas through a qualitative case study of two Texas public institutions of higher learning. Through conduction of this research, modern practices emerged which informed today’s leaders about innovative ways to meet the unique needs of learners. The study results indicated that Texas institutions utilized PLA as a strategy to engage with adult learners offering them flexibility to acquire, evaluate, and validate knowledge according to their own schedules and preferences. Modern PLA methods in Texas institutions of higher learning included competency-based education (CBE) and the arcane PLA portfolio method
Addressing the Risks of Musculoskeletal Discomfort and Disorders in University Students through Ergonomics
No full textAs university students use their computers (laptops and desktops) or other devices, such as tablets and smartphones, to engage in school-related activities, they are at risk of developing musculoskeletal discomfort and disorders (MSDs) which can disrupt participation in their occupation of education.
The OTD student will develop ergonomics-based educational resources for TWU students to address the risks and consequences of MSDs. These resources will come in three different formats making them easily accessible to the students; there will be handouts, brochures, and a video. The purpose of these educational resources is to increase students’ knowledge and awareness of ergonomics to promote health and well-being, leading to continued occupational engagement in their roles as university students.Health and Wellbeing Initiative of TW